Area Of Thrace Research Articles

A hybrid AHP-PROMETHEE II onshore wind farms multicriteria suitability analysis using kNN and SVM regression models in northeastern Greece

Wind energy presents a high growth potential in the EU as an emission reduction strategy and to achieve the climate neutrality goal by 2050. Wind farms suitability analysis is one of the primary goals in the spatial planning of wind energy developments. This research paper introduces a hybrid spatial multicriteria GIS-based framework that combines Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), PROMETHEE II and Machine Learning algorithms to determine and predict the most efficient onshore wind farm locations by generating suitability index mappings. The methodology allows to overcome PROMETHEE II limitations in raster driven suitability analysis, utilizing machine learning regression methods as the k Nearest Neighbor and Support Vector Machines to predict a graduating mapping of suitability index for wind farm locations in northeastern Greece. The best configured models presented a RMSE of 0.0344 and 0.0154 respectively, indicating a quite high predictive performance. Suitability results indicate that 56.10 % of the feasible locations in the Thrace area present a positive outranking character for the kNN model and 56.79 % for the SVR model. The proposed framework, enriched by PROMETHEE II capabilities, assists energy and spatial planners in identifying suitable sites for wind farm siting and enables rational decision making that enhances efficient wind energy investments.

The Monthly Oviposition Characteristics of the Mosquito Species Anopheles maculipennis sensu stricto, Anopheles claviger, and Culiseta longiareolata Observed at Some Artificial Containers under Natural Circumstances in a Selected Area of Thrace, Türkiye

The Monthly Oviposition Characteristics of the Mosquito Species Anopheles maculipennis sensu stricto, Anopheles claviger, and Culiseta longiareolata Observed at Some Artificial Containers under Natural Circumstances in a Selected Area of Thrace, Türkiye

Exploring marginalized and privileged gender identities: the expectations of Muslim Roma adolescents on their future employment and family life

The aim of the present study is to explore the expectations of adolescents of a minority (i.e., of Roma and Muslim cultural backgrounds from the area of Thrace)[1] and majority status (i.e., dominant group) on their future employment and family life as well as on gender relations. Ninety-one adolescents participated in the study (51 from the dominant group and 40 from the minority, 45 boys and 46 girls). While all participants from the dominant group attended the 3rd grade of Gymnasium or the 1st grade of Lyceum only 8 Muslim Roma participants did so. Adolescents were asked to fill in a questionnaire and to write a short essay titled "A day in my future family". Data were collected in written from the participants of the dominant group and orally from those of Muslim Roma origin. In addition to the statistical analysis, and with respect to the data from the essay, a thematic analysis was carried out in order to identify the adolescents’ images of their future life in both the private and the public sphere. The results of the study reveal the multiple gender identities that are constructed by culturally diverse, with respect to gender and social status, groups of adolescents. They, also, suggest that the participants’ views are shaped by the marginalized or privileged categories in which they belong to. Finally, results show that as boys and girls of both the minority and the dominant groups project themselves in the future, they try to actively construct the social context they will live in, to position themselves within it and to provide meaning to gender relations.
 
 [1]The Thracian minority is the only officially recognized minority in Greece and its position is guaranteed by the Treaty of Lausanne (Dragonas & Fragoudaki, 2006). The Thracian minority is not an ethno-culturally homogenous group. Τhese are Greek citizens who are either Roma or of Turkish or Pomak origin. Moreover, it is accorded religious but not ethnic status.

Ethnic Groups on the Move: Acculturation Dance Strategies of the Greek Gagauz

The field of this research is the area of Thrace in Greece, in which people from various ethnic groups coexist for almost a century. Most of these ethnic groups moved to the area, after voluntary migrations in 1923. The newcomers were classified as "refugees" and were treated hostilely by the locals. One of these ethnic groups that was treated hostilely was the Gagauz, a Turkish-speaking ethnic group. The aim of this research is to study the acculturation strategies of the Gagauz in their attempt to be accepted in Greek society. This study attempts to investigate the way in which the Gagauz construct and reconstruct their ethnic identity through dance. Data was gathered through the ethnographic method as this is applied to the study of dance. The interpretation of the research data in order to approach the ethnic identity of the Gagauz was based on the theoretical perspective of cultural and social construction or constructivism. This theory, in order to highlight the ethnic identity of the Gagauz, is used under the analytical terms of "acculturation" according to the multicultural model proposed by Berry. From the analysis and interpretation of the ethnographic data, it was found that the construction of the ethnic identity of the Gagauz in Greece is a fluid process, in the reconstruction of which an important factor is the degree of its acculturation. The Gagauz, experiencing a social reality that seeks to have multiple identities at the same time, change the meanings of their actions always in relation to their social environment. Thus, on the one hand, they choose to have a Greek Thracian ethnic identity, on the other Gagauz ethnic identity, and on a third level they self-identify as Greek Gagauz. So, depending on their circumstances and feelings, they choose a different ethnic identity.

Use of Edible, Medicinal, and Aromatic Plants in Various Health Disorders: A Cross-Sectional Evaluation among Inhabitants in the Area of Thrace, North-Eastern Greece.

Background: Medicinal and aromatical plants (MAPs) have been historically used as traditional remedies in many cultures in Europe and globally. The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of MAPs in various health disorders in association to dietary habits and other lifestyle factors among residents in Thrace, NE Greece. Methods: Data were collected through anonymous and voluntary responses to a structured online questionnaire, via convenience (snowball) sampling. Results: The 561 responders (age: 39.7 ± 11.6 y) were mostly female (59.7%), with higher education (69.8%), working as state or private employees (55.4%), and having low/medium income (77.1%). Overall, more than 70% were using MAPs in various symptoms and common health disorders, such as chamomile against common cold and the flu. More than 20 different MAPs were being used in smaller frequencies against various conditions. Key contributing factors to the consumption of MAPs were sex (female over male), employment (employed vs. unemployed), education (higher education vs. lower) and higher Body Mass Index (overweight and obese vs. normal), while consumption of fruit, fish, and vegetables was mainly associated with the use of MAPs as common items of diet and in health disorders. Conclusions: The use of MAPs as part of the diet and as traditional remedy is present in the examined population, while particular choices seem to be affected by sociodemographic and lifestyle factors.

A Detailed Liquefaction Susceptibility Map of Nestos River Delta, Thrace, Greece Based on Surficial Geology and Geomorphology

The existence of high potential onshore and offshore active faults capable to trigger large earthquakes in the broader area of Thrace, Greece in correlation with the critical infrastructures constructed on the recent and Holocene sediments of Nestos river delta plain, was the motivation for this research. The goal of this study is twofold; compilation of a new geomorphological map of the study area and the assessment of the liquefaction susceptibility of the surficial geological units. Liquefaction susceptibility at regional scale is assessed by taking into account information dealing with the depositional environment and age of the surficial geological units. In our case, available geological mapping shows a deficient depiction of Pleistocene and Holocene deposits. Taking into consideration the heterogeneously behavior of active floodplains and deltas in terms of liquefaction, a detailed classification of geological units was mandatory. Using data provided by satellite and aerial imagery, and topographic maps, dated before the 1970’s when extensive modifications and land reclamation occurred in the area, we were able to trace fluvial and coastal geomorphological features like abandoned stream/meanders, estuaries, dunes, lagoons and ox-bow lakes. This geomorphological-oriented approach clearly classified the geological units according to their depositional environment and resulted in a more reliable liquefaction susceptibility map of 4 classes of susceptibility; Low, Moderate, High and Very High. The sediments classified as very high liquefaction susceptibility are related to fluvial landforms, the high to moderate liquefaction susceptibility ones in coastal and floodplain landforms, and low susceptibility in zones of marshes. The sediments classified in the highest group of liquefaction susceptibility cover 85.56 km2 of the study area (16.6%). Particular attention was drawn to critical infrastructure (Kavala International Airport “Alexander the Great”) constructed on the most prone to liquefaction areas.

Dissecting the Species-Specific Virome in Culicoides of Thrace.

Biting midges (Culicoides) are vectors of arboviruses of both veterinary and medical importance. The surge of emerging and reemerging vector-borne diseases and their expansion in geographical areas affected by climate change has increased the importance of understanding their capacity to contribute to novel and emerging infectious diseases. The study of Culicoides virome is the first step in the assessment of this potential. In this study, we analyzed the RNA virome of 10 Culicoides species within the geographical area of Thrace in the southeastern part of Europe, a crossing point between Asia and Europe and important path of various arboviruses, utilizing the Ion Torrent next-generation sequencing (NGS) platform and a custom bioinformatics pipeline based on TRINITY assembler and alignment algorithms. The analysis of the RNA virome of 10 Culicoides species resulted in the identification of the genomic signatures of 14 novel RNA viruses, including three fully assembled viruses and four segmented viruses with at least one segment fully assembled, most of which were significantly divergent from previously identified related viruses from the Solemoviridae, Phasmaviridae, Phenuiviridae, Reoviridae, Chuviridae, Partitiviridae, Orthomyxoviridae, Rhabdoviridae, and Flaviviridae families. Each Culicoides species carried a species-specific set of viruses, some of which are related to viruses from other insect vectors in the same area, contributing to the idea of a virus-carrier web within the ecosystem. The identified viruses not only expand our current knowledge on the virome of Culicoides but also set the basis of the genetic diversity of such viruses in the area of southeastern Europe. Furthermore, our study highlights that such metagenomic approaches should include as many species as possible of the local virus-carrier web that interact and share the virome of a geographical area.

Association between sleep insufficiency and dyslipidemia: a cross-sectional study among Greek adults in the primary care setting.

ObjectiveTo investigate the potential association between sleep insufficiency and dyslipidemia (DL) in the primary care setting using self-reported questionnaires.Material and Methods957 adults aged between 19 and 86 years old from the rural area of Thrace, Greece were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Multistage stratifed cluster sampling was used and the subjects were classifed into three groups according to sleep duration [short (<6h), normal (6-8h), and long (>8h) sleep duration]. DL was defined by a positive response to the question “Have you ever been told by a doctor or health professional that your blood cholesterol or triglyceride levels were high?”, or if they were currently taking antilipidemic agents. Sleep quality, utilizing Epworth sleepiness scale, Athens insomnia scale, Pittsburgh sleep quality index and Berlin questionnaire, was also examined.ResultsDL prevalence was significantly associated with short sleep duration (aOR=2.18, p<0.001) and insomnia (aOR=1.43, p=0.050), while its relation with poor sleep quality (aOR=1.31, p=0.094) and risk for obstructive sleep apnea (aOR=1.32, p=0.097) were of marginal statistical significance. Concerning insomnia subtypes, DL was significantly associated with difficulties maintaining sleep (aOR=2.99, p<0.001) and early morning awakenings (aOR=1.38, p=0.050), but not difficulties initiating sleep (aOR=1.18, p=0.328).ConclusionThis study reveals an association between sleep pathology and DL. Thus, early pharmacological and cognitive or behavioral interventions that improve sleep are deemed necessary in order to decrease DL burden.

Dance Stereotypes. Reflection of gender relations in the ‘Karsilama’ dance in Greece

Τhe research field of this paper is the Greek dance ‘Karsilama’ as this is danced in the area of Thrace in Greece. More specifically, the research was carried out in the community of Nea Vyssa, which is located in the northern part of this country. The aim of this research is to study the dances of ‘Karsilama’ in Nea Vyssa, which have rhythm of nine beats (9/8), so that through the analysis of their form, it can be established whether these dances reflect stereotypes of the position of the two sexes in society. The collection of ethnographic data was based on the ethnographic method. Laban’s notation system was used to record the choreographic compositions of ‘Karsilama’ dance, while for the analysis of their structure and form, as well as their codification, the structural-morphological and typological method of analysis was applied, as it is applied in the Greek Τraditional Dance and for their comparison the comparative method was used. Finally, the interpretation of the data was held with the anthropological thinking about gender identity as it appears in anthropological views of dance and particularly in Hanna. From the data analysis was found that the ‘Karsilama’ dances are established the gender hierarchy in the community of Nea Vyssa, highlighting Nea Vyssa in a patriarchal society.

Prevalence of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG antibodies in a group of patients, a control group, and healthcare workers of Thrace area in Greece, by the use of two distinct methods.

The aim of this study was to assess the clinical performance of different automated immunoassays available in Europe to detect anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies; an ELISA assay and a CLIA. The second goal was to estimate the seroprevalence of SARS-CoV-2 antibodies among healthcare workers in Evros area during the first pandemic wave of COVID-19. The study included serum samples from 101 patients with confirmed COVID-19 by RT-PCR and 208 negative patients. Furthermore, it included 1036 healthcare workers (HWs) of the Evros Region, Northern Greece. The measurement of anti-SARS-CoV-2 antibodies was performed using the Abbott SARS-CoV-2 IgG and anti-SARS-CoV-2 ELISA IgG assay (Epitope Diagnostics, USA). Of 101 confirmed COVID-19 patients, 82 were hospitalized and 19 were outpatients. Hospitalized patients had higher IgG levels in comparison to outpatients (6.46±2.2 vs. 3.52±1.52, p<0.001). Of 208 non-COVID-19 patients only 1 was positive in both ELISA and CLIA assay. SARS-CoV-2-IgG antibodies were detected in 6 HWs out of 1036 (0.58%) with mean S/CO-value of anti-SARS-CoV-2 IgG 3.12±1.3 (confidence interval 0.95), which was lower than in COVID-19 patients (3.12 vs. 5.9; p=0.016). The clinical evaluation of two immunoassays showed remarkably high true positivity rates in the confirmed COVID-19 patients. Sensitivities obtained with CLIA and ELISA methods were 99.02% vs. 97.09% and specificities 99.52% vs 99.05% respectively. We found an acceptable accordance between CLIA and ELISA assays in the confirmed COVID-19 patients. In all subjects included in this study in the past medical history, the information that was obtained included details about the presence of autoimmune diseases.

Status of the invasive mosquito species Aedes aegypti (L., 1762) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895) (Diptera: Culicidae) in Turkey

Aedes aegypti (L., 1762) and Aedes albopictus (Skuse, 1895) (Diptera: Culicidae) are important vectors of arboviruses. In Turkey, Ae. albopictus eggs were detected in the Thrace area of northwestern Turkey for the first time in 2011. In 2015, studies revealed the spread of Ae. albopictus and the first detection of Ae. aegypti within northeastern Turkey was reported. This paper reports the results of a survey of the presence and distribution of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti in Turkey conducted over 5 years. As of 2019, monitoring studies were conducted on the presence of Ae. albopictus and Ae. aegypti in five geographical regions (Black Sea, Central Anatolia, Marmara, Mediterranean and Aegean Regions). A comprehensive range of potential larval habitats, such as tires, artificial containers, cemeteries, water bottles and natural breeding habitats, were assessed. In addition, standard ovitraps and adults’ traps were used in some localities. This study showed that Ae. albopictus , in particular, expanded its distribution each year and has the potential to extend its range throughout Turkey over the next few years. In Turkey, the distribution of Ae. aegypti is currently limited to northeastern Turkey. Future work focused on determining more effective surveillance and control studies is discussed.

Muslim Students Learning L2 and FL in Minority Primary Schools in Thrace: Relational Instances of Tri/Bilingualism

The Muslim minority in Thrace is a heterogeneous group of people regarding their cultural and linguistic identities. It consists of Muslims of Turkish origin who speak Turkish as their mother tongue, of Pomaks, who speak Pomak, and of Roma, who speak Romani. Their educational-linguistic situation is fraught with long-lasting problems, which are attributed to the inherent characteristics of &amp;lsquo;Minority &amp;Epsilon;ducation&amp;rsquo;, a term used to describe a specific group of primary and secondary schools, situated exclusively in the area of Thrace, that operates under a special regime, as stipulated in legal instruments of international law and bilateral agreements, and can be attended only by Muslim minority children.&#x0D; &#x0D; Extensive research over the years has shown that there are serious impediments in these students learning Greek as an L2, even after the implementation of the Project for Reform in the Education of Muslim Children (PEM) and the additional educational material that targeted this particular religious minority. The results show that most of these students do not achieve a language level of A2 in Greek and, thus, exhibit low school performance. Similar results have been recorded in research papers concerning learning English as a FL, which is a compulsory school subject, by Muslim minority students in both public and minority primary schools. These students also fail to achieve the foreign language attainment level set in the school curriculum.&#x0D; &#x0D; The present paper seeks to outline the unchartered causes of this situation, delve into the language situation of Muslim students and suggest possible and viable solutions.

The Construction of National Identity through Cybernetic Process: The Example of “K’na” Dance Event in Greek and Turkish Thrace

Abstract The research field of this paper is the area of Thrace, a large geopolitical-cultural unit that was divided – due to political reasons – in three subareas distributed among three different countries: Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. A dance event that used to take place before the border demarcation but is still performed in the Greek and Turkish Thrace is that of “K’na”, a wedding dance event danced by the people of both border areas, despite of the changes in their magical-religious beliefs and the changes brought by socio-economic and cultural development. In particular, the aim of this paper is the study of the “construction” of the national identity of inhabitants both of Greek and Turkish Thrace, as this is manifested through the dance practice within the wedding event of “K’na”, through the lens of sociocybernetics. Data was gathered through ethnographic method as this is applied to the study of dance, while its interpretation was based on sociocybernetics according to Burke’s identity control theory. From the data analysis, it is showed that the “K’na” dance in Greek and Turkish Thrace constructs and reconstructs the national identity of the people who use them as a response to the messages they receive via the communication with “the national others”. In conclusion, the “construction” of the identity results from a continuous procedure of self-regulation and self-control through a cybernetic sequence of steps.

Ten Years of Experience in Contraception Options for Teenagers in a Family Planning Center in Thrace and Review of the Literature

Introduction: The goal of our study was to investigate and evaluate the contraceptive behavior in teenagers from our family planning centre that services two different religious and socioeconomic populations living in the Thrace area. Methods: During the last 10 years 115 Christian Orthodox (group A) and 53 Muslim teenagers (group B) were enrolled in our retrospective study. Contraceptive practice attitudes were assessed by a questionnaire. Religion, demographics, socio-economic characteristics were key factors used to discuss contraception and avoid unplanned pregnancy in each group and to compare with the contraceptive method used. Results: The most used contraceptive method—about two times more frequently—among Christian Orthodox participants was the oral contraceptive pill (p = 0.015; OR = 1.81, 95% CI = 1.13–2.90), while in the other group the use of condoms and IUDs was seven and three times more frequent, respectively. Our family planning centre was the main source of information for contraception. Conclusions: During adolescence, the existence of a family planning centre and participation in family planning programs plays a crucial role to help the teenagers to improve their knowledge and choose an effective contraception method.

AB058. Knowledge/attitudes towards obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among dentists in the area of Thrace

AB058. Knowledge/attitudes towards obstructive sleep apnea syndrome among dentists in the area of Thrace

Seeking Borders and Their Mythology in Western Thrace, Greece

This article deals with the boundaries of western Thrace, a Greek region bordering both the Bulgarian (northern) and Turkish (eastern) Thrace. The main aim here is to re-contextualise the perspective of the residents of western Thrace on Thracian borders. Such an interpretive process has to take account of the political changes in the southern part of the Balkan Peninsula after the collapse of the communist regime in Bulgaria and the increasing incorporation of Greece into the political structures of the European Union. The aim of this article is to explore the function of the border of western Thrace, the furthest and easterly area of Greece, which, in the east, shares a border with Turkey. Specifically, Greek (eastern) Thrace is a part of the historic and geographical area of Thrace which today consists of two other parts belonging to Bulgaria (northern Thrace) and Turkey (eastern Thrace). What changes occurred in the perception of the border over the 20th century? What was the role of older narrative motifs in the representation of the border? And what is the situation at the beginning of the 21st century, assuming that Greek borders are also the borders of the European Union? How - and to what extent - is the geographical border related to the invisible borders between the ethnic groups of the Muslim minority, on the one hand, and between the Christian and the Muslim population on the other hand.

Macedonia and Thrace: Iron Age to post-Roman urban centres

Macedonia continues to offer a great deal of new material evidence, including much systematic information, as well as major, occasionally sensational discoveries (see Catherine Morgan's “View from Greece”, above), whether in those areas that are considered to be the historical “heartlands” of the Argead kingdom, Pieria and Emathia, the mountain regions of the northern and western Pindus or in eastern Macedonia, which comprises areas with a rather different historical and cultural profile. The administrative area of Thrace has, by contrast, played a more modest role in recent field research, except for a limited number of key sites and occasional finds resulting from development work along the route of the new Egnatia Odos. The “remarkable decade” preceding and following the Athens Olympics of 2004 has played out differently in northern Greece, where the proliferation of archaeological investigations has been driven largely by development work in and around Thessaloniki (and, to a lesser extent, Edessa and Veroia), particularly along routes connected to the national highway and the network of underground shafts and tunnels associated with the construction of Thessaloniki's metro line and stations along its axis.

Bad Souls: Madness and Responsibility in Modern Greeceby Anne DavisElizabeth. Durham, N.C., Duke University Press, 2012, 344 pp., $25.95.

Bad Souls: Madness and Responsibility in Modern Greeceby Anne DavisElizabeth. Durham, N.C., Duke University Press, 2012, 344 pp., $25.95.

Soil water repellency in north-eastern Greece with adverse effects of drying on the persistence

Many soils may be water repellent to some degree, challenging the common perception that soil water repellency is only an interesting aberration. When dry, water repellent soils resist or retard water infiltration into the soil matrix. Soil water repellency often leads to the development of unstable wetting and preferential flow paths. In the present study the persistence of water repellency was examined on samples from topsoils in Thrace, north-eastern Greece, using the Water Drop Penetration Time (WDPT) test. The soil samples were collected from agricultural fields throughout the prefectures of Xanthi and Rodopi. Six sites were selected for intensive sampling of water repellency and soil moisture content in transects. Water repellency was measured on field-moist soil samples and after drying the samples at increasing temperatures, to study the influence of drying temperature on the persistence of soil water repellency. Measurements of soil samples taken in agricultural fields under different crops, e.g. winter wheat, tobacco, clover, olive groves, kiwi fruit, and vineyards, in the area of Thrace, revealed that 45% of the locations exhibited actual water repellency during dry periods. Drying of samples from the Sostis site resulted in wettable soil, whereas drying of samples from the Mitriko site increased repellency. Therefore, water repellency should preferably be measured on samples taken in the field under dry conditions in order to reveal and determine the highest persistence of water repellency that might occur in the field.

Economic viability analysis of planned WEC system installations for electrical power production

The aim of this investigation is the development and implementation of a general and systematic procedure for the evaluation of the economic viability of planned installations of wind energy converters (WEC) for the purpose of electrical power production. The procedure is based on: the assessment of wind energy potential of an area (of interest); the limitations involved in selecting specific locations/sites for system installation in this area; the technical specification of a candidate WEC system; and the assessment of the economic viability of such electrical power production systems by applying suitable economic/financial analysis techniques. The proposed procedure was illustrated by applying it in the Thrace area of Greece, taking into consideration the national legislative frame for the exploitation of wind energy resources, and the associated subsidy provided for developing private enterprises with respect to the purchase and installation of the relevant technical equipment. The obtained computational results favor by comparison the installation of medium size WECs (150–500 kW) for the case of independent producers over the case of auto-producers.