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During the Bronze Age, the inhabitants of regions of Crete, mainland Greece, and Cyprus inscribed their languages using, among other scripts, a writing system called Linear A. These symbols, mainly characterized by combinations of lines, have, since their discovery, remained a mystery. Not only is the corpus very small, but it is challenging to link Minoan, the language behind Linear A, to any known language. Most decipherment attempts involve using the phonetic values of Linear B, a grammatological offspring of Linear A, to 'read' Linear A. However, this yields meaningless words. Recently, novel approaches to deciphering the script have emerged which involve a computational component. In this paper, two such approaches are combined to account for the biases involved in provisionally assigning Linear B phonetic values to Linear A and to shed more light on the possible connections of Linear A with other scripts and languages from the region. Additionally, the limitations inherent in such approaches are discussed. Firstly, a feature-based similarity measure is used to compare Linear A with the Carian Alphabet and the Cypriot Syllabary. A few Linear A symbols are matched with symbols from the Carian Alphabet and the Cypriot Syllabary. Finally, using the derived phonetic values, Linear A is compared with Ancient Egyptian, Luwian, Hittite, Proto-Celtic, and Uralic using a consonantal approach. Some possible word matches are identified from each language. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Businesses affected by the pandemic have realized the importance of incorporating digital transformation into their operations. However, as a result of the market lockdown, they realized that they needed to digitalize their firms immediately and make greater attempts to enhance their economic situation by integrating a greater number of technological components. While there have been numerous studies conducted on the adoption of digital transformation in small–medium enterprises, there has been no research carried out on the implementation of digital transformation in the specific industry of driving schools. This paper investigates the significance of digital transformation, as well as the potential for its application in this industry's business setting and the ways in which it can be utilized to improve innovation capabilities and performance. The data for this study came from 300 driving instructors in Greece and Cyprus. Multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze the data. The outcomes suggest that driving schools have a generally positive reaction to and acknowledgement of the increasing speed of digital transformation. The results also give driving school owners useful information that helps them show how important digital transformation is to their businesses. Using the findings of this study, driving schools will be able to improve their operational capabilities and accelerate their development in the post-COVID era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Ataturk Arastirma Merkezi Dergisi is the property of Ataturk Arastirma Merkezi Dergisi and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The treatment of waste and especially solid waste, the type with the highest increase in terms of annual generation over the last decade, is a key issue in the Balkan and Mediterranean region. Piecemeal efforts to deal with it within the prevailing linear economy model were not successful since the techniques used such as recycling and reusing could not be effective with the existing products. A definitive solution requires the switch to a new model, the circular economy model, which will facilitate the tackling of the excessive use of virgin raw materials and waste generation. The design and development of a digital solid waste reuse platform in the context of the EU-funded Interreg Project SWAN involving four countries: Albania, Bulgaria, Cyprus and Greece, was a step in this direction. The present paper based on the evidence drawn from this project examines the current situation and the future trends in the solid waste reuse and industrial symbiosis schemes in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ubiquitous self-tracking technologies have penetrated various aspects of our lives, from physical and mental health monitoring to fitness and entertainment. Yet, limited data exist on the association between in the wild large-scale physical activity patterns, sleep, stress, and overall health, and behavioral and psychological patterns due to challenges in collecting and releasing such datasets, including waning user engagement or privacy considerations. In this paper, we present the LifeSnaps dataset, a multi-modal, longitudinal, and geographically-distributed dataset containing a plethora of anthropological data, collected unobtrusively for the total course of more than 4 months by n = 71 participants. LifeSnaps contains more than 35 different data types from second to daily granularity, totaling more than 71 M rows of data. The participants contributed their data through validated surveys, ecological momentary assessments, and a Fitbit Sense smartwatch and consented to make these data available to empower future research. We envision that releasing this large-scale dataset of multi-modal real-world data will open novel research opportunities and potential applications in multiple disciplines. Measurement(s) Step Unit of Distance • Nutrition, Calories • Physical Activity Measurement • Oxygen Saturation Measurement • maximal oxygen uptake measurement • Electrocardiography • Respiratory Rate • skin temperature sensor • Unit of Length • Very Light Exercise • heart rate variability measurement • resting heart rate • electrodermal activity measurement • State-Trait Anxiety Inventory • Positive and Negative Affect Schedule • Stages and Processes of Change • Behavioural Regulations in Exercise • 50-item International Personality Item Pool version of the Big Five Markers Technology Type(s) FitBit • Survey • Survey Sample Characteristic - Organism Homo sapiens Sample Characteristic - Environment anthropogenic habitat Sample Characteristic - Location Greece • Italy • Sweden • Cyprus [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yiannis Ritsos (1909-1990) is a national poet. He wrote about Greece and expressed his love for Hellenism. It is beyond the scope of this paper to explain how Ritsos expressed this love for his country, and how he responded to crucial historical events in his other poetic works. Having said that, his enormous (in terms of extent and value) work vividly shows the poet's connection with his country. In this paper, we are going to explore Ritsos' poetic reaction after the Cyprus tragedy of 1974, focusing on his collection Ύμνος και Θρήνος για την Κύπρο (Hymn and Lament for Cyprus). Then, Greece's fortune suffered under the military regime, which deprived the Greek people of their natural rights and freedoms. Greece was a country where democracy had no place, and people were forced to oppress their voice. To a very great extent, it was the junta's misjudgements that led to the Turkish invasion and the de facto partition of Cyprus. However, in the five poems of the collection, the 'invaders' (we refer to in the article) are not meant to be connected with one or the other country. Ritsos' response to the events is not a reproach or an attack against ethnic groups. It is a voice of protest against the abolishment of democracy, peace and freedom. Thus, the 'invaders' are those who opposed these values, and through certain allusions to Orthodox tradition Ritsos intends to show human suffering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Scientific Chronicles / Epistimonika Chronika is the property of Tzaneio General Hospital and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The enactment of the Water Framework Directive (WFD) initiated scientific efforts to develop reliable methods for comparing prevailing lake conditions against reference (or nonimpaired) states, using the state of a set biological elements. Drawing a distinction between impaired and natural conditions can be a challenging exercise. Another important aspect is to ensure that water quality assessment is comparable among the different Member States. In this context, the present paper offers a constructive critique of the practices followed during the WFD implementation in Greece by pinpointing methodological weaknesses and knowledge gaps that undermine our ability to classify the ecological quality of Greek lakes. One of the pillars of WDF is a valid lake typology that sets ecological standards transcending geographic regions and national boundaries. The national typology of Greek lakes has failed to take into account essential components. WFD compliance assessments based on the descriptions of phytoplankton communities are oversimplified and as such should be revisited. Exclusion of most chroococcal species from the analysis of cyanobacteria biovolume in Greek lakes/reservoirs and most reservoirs in Spain, Portugal, and Cyprus is not consistent with the distribution of those taxa in lakes. Similarly, the total biovolume reference values and the indices used in classification schemes reflect misunderstandings of WFD core principles. This hampers the comparability of ecological status across Europe and leads to quality standards that are too relaxed to provide an efficient target for the protection of Greek/transboundary lakes such as the ancient Lake Megali Prespa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate alternative methods to control longhorn beetle (Oberea linearis) infestations in walnut orchards. Wild isolates of entomopathogenic fungi obtained from soil samples from Greece and Cyprus were tested for their efficacy against adults and larvae of O. linearis. Insect populations were acquired from a heavily infested walnut orchard and individuals were placed in Petri dishes provided with ground walnut wood for larvae and fresh leaves for adults. The tested insects were subjected to 16 different wild isolates from the genera Beauveria, Cordyceps, Metarhizium, and Purpureocillium, where 108 conidia/mL were applied by spraying, and insects were monitored daily for 16 days. The results showed that all the tested fungi resulted in a mortality rate of 66–100%, with Cordyceps fumosorosea exhibiting the highest virulence, causing complete mortality to both larvae and adults. These findings suggest that the management of O. linearis, which has traditionally relied on chemical applications, could transition to an organic approach by utilizing entomopathogenic fungi. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several important habitats have become threatened in the last few centuries in the Mediterranean Basin due to major changes adopted in land‐use practices. The consequent loss of natural and seminatural orchid habitats leads to the appreciation of small anthropogenic habitats, such as cemeteries and roadside verges. Colonization of cemeteries and roadside verges by orchids has long been known, but no study to date compared the suitability of these two anthropogenic habitats for orchids. Therefore, in this paper our aim was to survey cemeteries and roadside verges and to compare these two habitats regarding their role in conserving Mediterranean terrestrial orchids. We conducted field surveys in three Mediterranean islands, Cyprus, Crete, and Lesbos, where both cemeteries and roadside verges were sampled on a geographically representative scale. We found a total of almost 7,000 orchid individuals, belonging to 77 species in the two anthropogenic habitat types. Roadside verges hosted significantly more individuals than cemeteries in Crete and Lesbos, and significantly more species across all three islands. Our results suggest that although cemeteries have a great potential conservation value in other parts of the world, intensive maintenance practices that characterized cemeteries in these three islands renders them unable to sustain valuable plant communities. On the other hand, roadside verges play a prominent role in the conservation of Mediterranean orchids in Cyprus and Greece. The pioneer status of roadside verges facilitates their fast colonization, while roads serve as ecological corridors in fragmented landscapes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For hundreds of years, the Eastern Mediterranean island of Cyprus has been subjected to the — not always welcome — attentions of external powers, finally gaining some independence from Britain in 1960. Since then, Cyprus has been the object of three international crises, almost leading to war between NATO members Greece and Turkey. Following a Turkish invasion and occupation which continues to the present, tensions have continued, while Turkey continues to occupy over one-third of Cyprus, an EU member, while trying itself to gain entry to the organisation. Papers released by British government departments in January 2008 reveal the following: an increasingly submissive yet tetchy attitude in British foreign policy formulation vis-à-vis American pressure (mainly Kissinger) on Britain not to leave Cyprus; the question of the USA financing the British bases; British government criticism of Turkey's perceived intransigence in finding a solution to the Cyprus conundrum; British government criticism of Turkey's position on its continental-shelf dispute with Greece; Britain's strong support for Turkey's European aspirations, flying in the face of the Parliamentary Select Committee on Cyprus' recommendations; past and future President Clerides' seeming contentedness with the British military presence on Cyprus; and a marked difference between French and British views. The article concludes that the British government submitted to US demands and suggests that Cyprus remains a cat's paw of big-power politics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Concerns about new debt restructuring episodes are on the rise as the measures necessary to combat the COVID-19 inflict harsh fiscal pressure. The decision to restructure debt is a particularly difficult one that countries should only seek as a last resort. An important question is; how can a country avoid ‘deceptive reputational risk’ whilst attempting to reduce the cost of debt? To address this question, this study investigates the effect of ‘deceptive reputational risk’ on the outcome of debt restructuring. That is, unintentional consequence of an increase in debt levels and the decline in gross domestic product (GDP), up to 10 years affect debt restructuring. The paper utilizes Fixed Effects Panel approach to study data for Greece, Italy, Cyprus and Ireland for the period of 2000-2020. The study finds that investments, interest rate on debt and stable exchange rates can aid in minimizing ‘deceptive reputational risk’. The findings are important addition to the literature on debt restructuring. To the best of the author’s knowledge, this study is the first to consider reducing deceptive reputation risk in fiscal policy through the use of macroeconomic variables – real effective exchange rate, interest rate on debt and investments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The enshrinement of religious freedom in a State Constitution is determined by the system of relations between the State and Religions. A particular aspect of religious freedom is freedom of worship, which was reframed due to the COVID-19 pandemic with the adoption of measures for the protection of public health. The examples of Cyprus and Greece demonstrate that the self-regulation enjoyed by religious communities may be harmonized with the need to protect public health and is directly connected to the existing system of relations between the State and Religions. The case law on the State restrictive measures regarding worship in conjunction with the measures implemented by the religious communities themselves together give rise to the general principles of harmonization between religious freedom and the protection of public health, with respect for the principle of proportionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aims to examine whether a change in the regulatory requirement toward gender quota for corporate leadership significantly affects the demand and therefore, it increases the presence of women directors and women CEOs. Examining the supply-side, the study also examines whether the supply for women directors and women CEOs based on the presence of qualified women who currently hold upper, middle, or lower management positions is positively related with the presence of women directors and women CEOs. Furthermore, based on the critical mass hypothesis, this study examines whether the presence of women CEOs and critical mass for women directors bring significant impacts on firms' financial and environmental, social and corporate governance (ESG) performance during the subsequent period. Design/methodology/approach: Using the multivariate regression analysis, this study empirically examines the impact of the shift in the demand for women directors and CEOs from the enactment of the Greek Law 4403/2016 on gender quota for corporate leadership. This study also examines the impact of the supply for women in corporate leadership, measured by the percentage of women who hold upper, middle, or lower management positions, on the presence of women directors and CEOs. Then, this study examines the impact of women directors and women CEOs on firms' subsequent financial and ESG performance. Findings: Based on a sample of 71 publicly listed Greek firms and 20 Cyprus listed firms as a control group during 2006–2019, the study finds evidence that both the supply-side and the demand-side bring positive effects on greater women participation in corporate boards. However, there is no evidence that the supply and demand affect the presence of women CEOs. The presence of women CEOs has a positive effect on ESG through environmental and social pillars. The study finds evidence to support the critical mass hypothesis that firms with three or more women boards tend to have higher financial and ESG performance. Social implications: Understanding the supply and demand for gender diversity in corporate leadership in countries that are considered as lagging is critical to foster the global objective to level the playing field for women to participate in corporate management leadership as important part the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (UNSDG) 5.5. The positive impact of women directors on corporate financial and social performance can be achieved, especially when the critical mass is reached. This highlights the importance of greater gender representations in corporate boards and top executive level in order to make a meaningful social change. Originality/value: This study demonstrates that the supply of women who currently hold corporate management positions has positive influence on the presence of women boards. This study also demonstrates that a national legislation that promotes gender diversity for corporate board has a positive impact on board gender diversity among Greek listed firms. This study also highlights the importance of integrating the critical mass perspective in considering the impact of supply and demand for women in corporate leadership on firms' financial and ESG performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This conceptual paper aims to annotate the existing practices and actions of entrepreneurial education in Cyprus and Greece educational organizations taking into account the centralized school contexts. At the same time, it presents the literature background regarding the new principal's role in the 21st century in order to provide adequate school practices and actions in recent years. Specifically, it seeks to report the entrepreneurship theory and aspects concerning current practical applications in educational organizations. Consequently, the study indicates that according to the entrepreneurial education via the educational systems has the opportunity to adapt relevant programs for leading the schools in the effectiveness and improvement.

Copyright of Studia Historyczne is the property of Polska Akademia Nauk, Warszawska Drudkarnia Naukowa and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper presents the findings from a study on the education provisions in the prison systems of Italy, Romania, Greece and Cyprus. Specifically, it attempts to identify commonalities and differences in the regimes and structures of the education systems across these four diverse systems. After, presenting the rationale for introducing an innovative program utilizing blended learning to teach basic skills to inmates, namely numeracy, literacy, budgeting and ICT skills, the paper presents findings from an empirical investigation in prison institutions in the abovementioned four European countries. Three distinct methods of data collection were employed: Structured interviews with inmates, in-depth interviews and focus groups with inmates, teaching staff and administrative staff. The data, both qualitative and quantitative were analyzed in order to draw useful insights, recommendations and guidelines for drafting a basics skills curriculum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analysis, the first phase of the typical instructional design process, is often downplayed. This paper focuses on the analysis concerning a series of e-courses for collaborative adult education in semi-formal settings by reporting and generalizing results from the REVIT project. REVIT, an EU-funded research project, offered custom e-courses to learners in several remote European areas and received a 'best practice' distinction in social inclusion. These e-courses were designed and developed for the purpose of providing training in aspects of the learners' professional domains related to the utilization of information and communication technologies. The main challenge was to prove that it is possible and economically feasible to provide meaningful training opportunities via distance education, by utilizing existing infrastructure ("revitalizing schools") and by making use of modern digital technology affordances coupled with suitable distance learning techniques and Web 2.0 tools. ADDIE, the generic instructional systems design model, enhanced with a rapid prototyping phase, was put forth in order to allow stakeholders to interact with a prototypical e-course, which served as an introductory lesson and as a reference point, since its evaluation informed the design choices of all subsequent e-courses. The learning needs approach adopted in REVIT combined learner analysis, context analysis, and needs analysis into a coherent analysis framework in which several methods (observation, estimation, document analysis, survey, and dialogue) were exploited. Putting emphasis on the analysis phase and decoupling the design from the delivery of the e-courses facilitated adaptation and localization. Adaptation and localization issues concerning the adoption of the REVIT distance learning framework, taking into account the socio-cultural and pedagogical context, are discussed. A central result reported is that the analysis phase was crucial for the success of the whole endeavour and that carrying it out properly is not straightforward or easy. The analysis framework presented in this paper could be useful in other similar e-learning situations whose "educational-identity" also involves distance and adult learning in a semi-formal setting.

The impact of tourism activities on local water resources remains a largely understudied issue in environmental and sustainable tourism management. The aim of the paper is to present a simple methodology that allows an estimate of direct and indirect local water use associated with different holiday packages and to then discuss relevant management implications. This is explored through the creation of five illustrative examples of holidays to semi-arid eastern Mediterranean destinations: Cyprus (2), Turkey, Greece and Syria. Using available data on water use associated with different forms of travel, accommodation and tourist activities, indicative water footprints are calculated for each of the illustrative examples. Food consumption by tourists appears to have by far the most significant impact on the overall water footprint and this aspect of water use is explored in detail in the paper. The paper also suggests a way of employing the water footprint methodology along with import/export balance sheets of main food commodities to distinguish between the global and local pressure of tourism demand on water resources. Water resource use is likely to become an increasingly important issue in tourism management and must be considered alongside more established environmental concerns such as energy use, using methodologies that can capture direct as well as supply chain impacts. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The article presents several conference papers related to intercultural contacts on Cyprus and East Aegean in Greece from 3000-500 BC. It states that the paper of P. Triantaphyllidis allows information on antiquities of East Aegean. It adds that the paper by A. Giannikouri presents a programme of the study on human skeletal remains from Koundouri plot, Myc graves, and Ar cemeteries. It also notes that the paper by F. Sirano focuses on observations of paintings on the vaults of Great Bath.

The purpose of this article is to provide information and data that will contribute to the enhancement of teaching methodologies for online learning and teaching at all educational levels and disciplines (including adult education). More specifically, it attempts to shed light on media trends and prospects as educational activities and techniques, as well as on the utmost importance of the use of television content as audiovisual educational content. This venture focuses on the cases of Cyprus and Greece following literature materials and reviews, research results, and findings of previous numerous studies and research papers from and through the Internet that were considered as background. The aforementioned were applied in a pilot case study with adult educators as adult learners (18 years and older), providing literature data and historical elements as a source of further study. The findings from the pilot case study revealed that the television content can also shape (adult) learners' perceptions on how they understand and learn in an online environment in regard to the generational cohort they belong. Furthermore, the results disclosed that an online educational process utilizing audiovisual media technologies and audiovisual content (audiovisual media communications) may support technology-enhanced learning through non-verbal communication in the new streamlined digital era in which we live. An important conclusion of this article is that the (inter)national genealogical characteristics and habits, the inherent and special characteristics, and the socio-cultural identity of learners, as well as the various (inter)national social-phenomena (e.g., media socio-phenomenon, Internet phenomenon, revival phenomenon, etc.) of the past and present, should always be taken into account by education administrators and educators, in order to maintain a quality and sustainable future education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we present the analysis of VLF/LF sub-ionospheric propagation data to study anomalies possibly related to very recent strong (M > 5.5) earthquakes (EQs) that occurred in the southeastern Mediterranean in September–October 2021 and January 2022. We used the signal of one transmitter located at Negev in Israel (29.7 kHz) as received by three VLF/LF receivers (two of them using identical SW and HW) installed, at a close distance to each other, in Athens (Greece). This study employed multiple methods and techniques to analyze the reception amplitude data to identify any possible EQ-related anomalies. More specifically, first, we used both statistical and criticality analysis methods such as the "nighttime fluctuation method" (NFM), the "terminator time method" (TTM), and the "natural time" (NT) analysis method. These methods have satisfactorily been applied in the past in a series of other studies leading to interesting results. Moreover, we additionally used two more analysis techniques focusing on the signal's amplitude characteristics. The first is the wavelet analysis of the nighttime part of the signal's amplitude. It is based on the Morlet wavelet function, aiming to unveil the possible existence of atmospheric gravity waves (AGWs) before EQ. The second is named "long wavelength propagation capability" (LWPC), which simulates the amplitude of the signal and is based on the reflection parameters of ionosphere and by searching for increases or decreases of the electron density profile of the ionospheric D layer concerning the shifts of the minima of terminator times (TTs) in the diurnal variation of the signal. Finally, in this work, we summarize our findings and discuss possible "pre-", "co-", and "post-" seismic effects as observed from all the work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In-situ infrared soil spectroscopy is prone to the effects of ambient factors, such as moisture, shadows, or roughness, resulting in measurements of compromised quality, which is amplified when multiple sensors are used for data collection. Aiming to provide accurate estimations of common physicochemical soil properties, such as soil organic carbon (SOC), texture, pH, and calcium carbonates based on in-situ reflectance captured by a set of low-cost spectrometers operating at the shortwave infrared region, we developed an AI-based spectral transfer function that maps fields to laboratory spectra. Three test sites in Cyprus, Lithuania, and Greece were used to evaluate the proposed methodology, while the dataset was harmonized and augmented by GEO-Cradle regional soil spectral library (SSL). The developed dataset was used to calibrate and validate machine learning models, with the attained predictive performance shown to be promising for directly estimating soil properties in-situ, even with sensors with reduced spectral range. Aiming to set a baseline scenario, we completed the exact same modeling experiment under laboratory conditions and performed a one-to-one comparison between field and laboratory modelling accuracy metrics. SOC and pH presented an R2 of 0.43 and 0.32 when modeling the in-situ data compared to 0.63 and 0.41 of the laboratory case, respectively, while clay demonstrated the highest accuracy with an R2 value of 0.87 in-situ and 0.90 in the laboratory. Calcium carbonates were also attempted to be modeled at the studied spectral region, with the expected accuracy loss from the laboratory to the in-situ to be observable (R2 = 0.89 for the laboratory and 0.67 for the in-situ) but the reduced dataset variability combined with the calcium carbonate characteristics that are spectrally active in the region outside the spectral range of the used in-situ sensor, induced low RPIQ values (less than 0.50), signifying the importance of the suitable sensor selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents an overview about the arsenic (As) contamination and its sources in two European countries. Arsenic is a highly toxic element in its inorganic form and it is carcinogenic to human seven in low concentrations. The occurrence of As in surface water, stream and marine waters, groundwater, bottled water, sediment, soil, mines, and seafood, its environmental origin, and its impacts on human health are discussed. The classes of Geoaccumulation Index for As in Greece ranges from practically uncontaminated to extremely contaminated, and in Cyprus varies between practically uncontaminated and heavily contaminated. In many cases, the As contamination reaches very high concentrations and the impacts may be crucial for the human health and ecosystems. Physicochemical properties, regional climate and geological setting are controlling the occurrence and transport of As. In Greece and Cyprus, the geology, lithology, and ore-deposits are the most important factors for the variation of As contents in water, soil, and sediment. The dominant As species are also determined by the location and the redox conditions. The findings of this paper may be useful for scientists and stakeholders monitoring the studied areas and applying measures for protection of the human and terrestrial ecological receptors (plants, avian, mammals). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to provide information and data that will contribute to the enhancement of teaching methodologies for online learning and teaching at all educational levels and disciplines (including adult education). More specifically, it attempts to shed light on media trends and prospects as educational activities and techniques, as well as on the utmost importance of the use of television content as audiovisual educational content. This venture focuses on the cases of Cyprus and Greece following literature materials and reviews, research results, and findings of previous numerous studies and research papers from and through the Internet that were considered as background. The aforementioned were applied in a pilot case study with adult educators as adult learners (18 years and older), providing literature data and historical elements as a source of further study. The findings from the pilot case study revealed that the television content can also shape (adult) learners' perceptions on how they understand and learn in an online environment in regard to the generational cohort they belong. Furthermore, the results disclosed that an online educational process utilizing audiovisual media technologies and audiovisual content (audiovisual media communications) may support technology-enhanced learning through non-verbal communication in the new streamlined digital era in which we live. An important conclusion of this article is that the (inter)national genealogical characteristics and habits, the inherent and special characteristics, and the socio-cultural identity of learners, as well as the various (inter)national social-phenomena (e.g., media socio-phenomenon, Internet phenomenon, revival phenomenon, etc.) of the past and present, should always be taken into account by education administrators and educators, in order to maintain a quality and sustainable future education.

The eurozone debt crisis has stimulated lively debate on mechanisms for sovereign debt restructuring. The immediate threat of exit and the break-up of the currency union may have abated; but the problem of dealing with significant debt overhang remains. After considering two broad approaches—institutional versus contractual—we look at a hybrid solution that combines the best of both. In addition to debt contracts with collective action clauses, this includes a key amendment to the Treaty establishing the European Stability Mechanism, together with innovative state-contingent contracts and a special purpose vehicle to market them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The EFSA Panel on Plant Health performed a pest categorisation of Maconellicoccus hirsutus (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), the pink hibiscus mealybug, for the EU. M. hirsutus is native to Southern Asia and has established in many countries in tropical and subtropical regions throughout the world. Within the EU, the pest has been reported from Cyprus and Greece (Rhodes). M. hirsutus is not listed in Annex II of Commission Implementing Regulation (EU) 2019/2072. It is highly polyphagous, feeding on plants assigned to 229 genera in 78 plant families, and shows some preference for hosts in the families Malvaceae, Fabaceae and Moraceae. Economically important crops in the EU such as cotton (Gossypium spp.), citrus (Citrus spp.), ornamentals (Hibiscus spp.), grapes (Vitis vinifera), soybean (Glycinae max), avocado (Persea americana) and mulberry trees (Morus alba) may be significantly affected by M. hirsutus. The lower and upper developmental temperature threshold of M. hirsutus on Hibiscus rosa‐sinensis are 14.5 and 35.0°C, respectively, with optimal female development estimated to be at 29.0°C. There are about 10 generations a year in the subtropics but as many as 15 may occur under optimal conditions. Plants for planting, fruits, vegetables and cut flowers provide potential pathways for entry into the EU. Climatic conditions in EU member states around the Mediterranean Sea and host plant availability in those areas are conducive for establishment. The introduction of M. hirsutus is expected to have an economic impact in the EU through damage to various ornamental plants, as already observed in Cyprus and Greece, and reduction in yield and quality of many significant crops. Phytosanitary measures are available to reduce the likelihood of entry and further spread. Some uncertainties include the area of establishment, whether it could become a greenhouse pest, impact, and the influence of natural enemies. M. hirsutus meets the criteria that are within the remit of EFSA to assess for it to be regarded as a potential Union quarantine pest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a comprehensive usability study conducted within the context of a Europe-wide project. The design of the evaluated e-learning platform is based on an innovative approach to the education of young Europeans by integrating into the curricula of a Europe-wide network of 14 schools different state-of-the-art technologies in e-learning. The evaluation methodology brings together end-user assessments and expert inspections, thus providing a detailed students', teachers' and experts' feedback. User testing integrates six empirical methods into a laboratory-based test. Usability inspection ascertains usability problems by means of recognized heuristics and enables an "educational evaluation" of the platform by means of three sets of criteria. The paper aims to present the effectiveness of the engaged evaluation methods as applied to e-learning platforms. It offers implications from the empirical findings of the user-based methods together with a quantitative and qualitative analysis of the employed inspection methods. Special attention is given to the aspect of educational evaluation. The conducted critical usability examination of a large-scale e-learning system across several countries in Europe revealed which of the chosen assessment methods should be combined to provide constructive and valuable improvement suggestions. A more significant contribution of this research is that the used evaluation approach proved successful, providing some general findings and know-how from the experience and could be reused by other researches because of its thorough structure. As there are relatively few existing accounts of usability assessment in the e-learning context, this paper adds to the body of knowledge. (Contains 15 figures.)

This paper attempts to show that the interpretation of the complex cultural and political configurations of Iron Age Cyprus rests on a 1,000-year long macrohistoric overview that focuses on continua rather than breaks. It maintains that the first-millennium B.C.E. kingdoms operated on very much the same decentralized politicoeconomic system as Late Cypriot polities in the 13th and 12th centuries. It argues that the long-term dynamics of this Late Cypriot model were actively and successfully promoted in the Archaic and Classical periods by preponderantly Greek central authorities. It is mostly Greek-named basileis (kings) that are found closely associated with the fundamental continua—the Cypriot script, the regional settlement hierarchy pattern, cult practice, and an economy based on trading metals—to the end of the fourth century B.C.E. This article argues that Greek-speaking people had become a constituent part of the sociopolitical structure of the island by the last centuries of the second millennium as a result of a migration episode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper examines the troubled relationship between Greece and the western alliance following the collapse of the military regime in Athens and the invasion of Cyprus. U.S. Congressional reports and the Greek parliamentary proceeding reveal the geopolitical significance of Greece to the western alliance and the frustration of the government in Athens regarding its foreign policy objectives. The Greeks might have questioned the benefits of being part of an alliance; however, it is evident that Greece's diplomatic isolation compelled her leadership to strengthen her links with the western camp. Hence, the present study assesses the attitude of the Greek government toward the Atlantic alliance and the US over the issues of NATO membership and the military installations in Greece and challenges the notion of “independence,” or else the need for detachment from the western alliance. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper discusses, from a historical perspective, the basic elements of the folk cult of St Phanourios in Greece and Cyprus—namely, the custom of preparing phanouropita (literally, “St Phanourios pie”), which is connected with the belief that one can find something lost or obtain good luck in general—and the oral narratives associated with St Phanourios and his mother, which seem to constitute the Greek adaptation of the international folktale type 804. The investigation is based on recently collected material as well as the manuscript collections of the public folklore archives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper is describing an initiative in cultural, outdoor science education that took place in the west Crete-Greece (Chania & Rethymnon counties) in 2015, and organized in collaboration with teachers and social bodies, to connect Science, Education and Local Communities for a better quality of everyday life. The initiative concentrated in organizing the European Educational Conference "Mediterranean Sea Connects Us: Progress in Education with Local Communities", which hosted as a training program that can be applied elsewhere, with different target groups, promoting the aims of participatory acquisition of knowledge by sharing them in company, with experiential activities in moments of joy, happiness and wisdom. Educators-officials of high level and much experienced in the three levels of Education from Greece, Cyprus, Turkey and Romania, with representatives from local bodies, were invited to deposit experience, aspects, ideas and expectations on future educational collaboration in the area of Balkans, East Mediterranean and widely. As coexisting in the same geographical area, with long and important common past, as collaborators in educational projects from the past, intended to be partners in important and innovative future jointed actions in cultural STEM Education, for the progress of Mediterranean local educational communities.

Background: With an increasing aging population and a lower ratio between the active and the dependent population, population aging is considered a global social and health challenge, associated with increased demand in health care needs and social pension. This study projects the Greek and Cypriot population to guide future planning of social and health policies and services.Methods: The total population by sex and age groups, Total Fertility Rate (TFR), life-expectancies at birth and Potential Support Ratio PSR (persons aged 20-64 years per person 65+ years) are projected probabilistically by the year 2100 using Bayesian hierarchical models and United Nations' population data for Greece and Cyprus from the period of 1950 to 2015.Results: The TFR is projected to be around 1.5 children per woman in 2050 and around 1.75 in 2100 for both countries, with all values of prediction intervals being around or below the Replacement level fertility. PSR is expected to decrease remarkably and be 2.5 in 2050 and 1.6 in 2100 for Cyprus while for Greece it will be around 1.5 for both years 2050 and 2100. Life-expectancy is expected to increase to 84 years for men and 87 years for women in 2050 and 90 years for men and 94 years for women in 2100 for both countries. The share of the population aged 65 years and over is projected to increase in both countries and be the one third of the population by 2100.Conclusions: Greece and Cyprus will acquire the characteristics of an aging population, putting a significance pressure on the social and health systems of both countries. Both countries should reform their social and health policy agenda to confront population aging and its consequence. They should adopt fertility incentives and family policies to increase fertility and migrants' inclusiveness policies to improve the demographic structure and the economic activity. The national health systems should promote prevention strategies at the primary health sector and promote healthy aging while health research policy should aim to promote research in innovative technologies and digital health to create assistive technology for self-care and greater independence of older people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The indigenous cattle populations from Greece and Cyprus have decreased to small numbers and are currently at risk of extinction due to socio-economic reasons, geographic isolation and crossbreeding with commercial breeds. This study represents the first comprehensive genome-wide analysis of 10 indigenous cattle populations from continental Greece and the Greek islands, and one from Cyprus, and compares them with 104 international breeds using more than 46,000 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Results: We estimated several parameters of genetic diversity (e.g. heterozygosity and allelic diversity) that indicated a severe loss of genetic diversity for the island populations compared to the mainland populations, which is mainly due to the declining size of their population in recent years and subsequent inbreeding. This high inbreeding status also resulted in higher genetic differentiation within the Greek and Cyprus cattle group compared to the remaining geographical breed groups. Supervised and unsupervised cluster analyses revealed that the phylogenetic patterns in the indigenous Greek breeds were consistent with their geographical origin and historical information regarding crosses with breeds of Anatolian or Balkan origin. Cyprus cattle showed a relatively high indicine ancestry. Greek island populations are placed close to the root of the tree as defined by Gir and the outgroup Yak, whereas the mainland breeds share a common historical origin with Buša. Unsupervised clustering and D-statistics analyses provided strong support for Bos indicus introgression in almost all the investigated local cattle breeds along the route from Anatolia up to the southern foothills of the Alps, as well as in most cattle breeds along the Apennine peninsula to the southern foothills of the Alps. Conclusions: All investigated Cyprus and Greek breeds present complex mosaic genomes as a result of historical and recent admixture events between neighbor and well-separated breeds. While the contribution of some mainland breeds to the genetic diversity pool seems important, some island and fragmented mainland breeds suffer from a severe decline of population size and loss of alleles due to genetic drift. Conservation programs that are a compromise between what is feasible and what is desirable should focus not only on the still highly diverse mainland breeds but also promote and explore the conservation possibilities for island breeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Using a combination of satellite telemetry and stable isotope analysis (SIA), our aim was to identify foraging grounds of loggerhead turtles (Caretta caretta) at important rookeries in the Mediterranean, examine foraging ground fidelity, and across 25 years determine the proportion of nesting females recruiting from each foraging region to a major rookery in Cyprus. Location: Mediterranean Sea. Methods: Between 1993 and 2018, we investigated the spatial ecology of loggerhead turtles from rookeries in Cyprus and Greece using satellite telemetry (n = 55 adults) and SIA of three elements (n = 296). Results: Satellite telemetry from both rookeries revealed the main foraging areas as the Adriatic region (Cyprus: 4% of individuals, Greece: 55%), Tunisian Plateau (Cyprus: 16%, Greece: 40%) and the eastern Mediterranean (Cyprus: 80%, Greece: 5%). Combining satellite telemetry and SIA allowed 64% of all nesting females to be assigned to; the Adriatic region (Cyprus: 2%, Greece: 38.5%), Tunisian Plateau (Cyprus: 47%, Greece: 38.5%) and the eastern Mediterranean (Cyprus: 51%, Greece: 23%), which are markedly different to proportions obtained using satellite telemetry. The proportion of the Cyprus nesting cohort using each foraging region did not change significantly, with the exception that individuals foraging in the Adriatic region are only present in the Cyprus nesting population from 2012. Repeat satellite tracking (n = 3) and temporal consistency in isotope ratios (n = 36) of Cyprus females, strongly suggest foraging ground fidelity over multiple decades. Main conclusions: This study demonstrates the advantages of combining satellite telemetry and SIA to investigate spatial ecology at a population level. The importance of the Tunisian Plateau for foraging is demonstrated. This study indicates that females generally show high fidelity to foraging grounds and shows a potential recent shift to foraging in the Adriatic region for Cyprus females, while the importance of other regions persists across decades, thus providing baselines to develop and assess conservation strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

What are to be considered as threats against journalism? Whereas the literature on safety of journalists mainly discusses threats as part of armed conflicts, this article studies how other kinds of conflicts such as economic strangulation and the viability threat represent threats against journalists' work and safety. It argues that acts of intimidation directed against journalists represent an attack on democracy itself as they have the effect of limiting the freedom of expression. The aim of this study is to explore how journalists operate in such a conflict and under such uncertainty, as an implication of (political) pressure caused by the politics of Memoranda in Greece, Cyprus, and Spain. The comparative analysis focuses on possible changes in the processes of message construction and in the journalistic practices of the participants, exploring if, how, and to what extent these changes were imposed to journalists directly or indirectly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many researchers have highlighted the central role that assessment plays in second language (L2) classrooms and have expressed the need for research into classroom-based language assessment (CBLA), an area that is gradually coming into its own in the field of language testing and assessment (e.g., Hasselgreen, 2008; Leung, 2014; Hill & McNamara, 2012; Turner, 2012). Motivated by the prominence of CBLA in recent discussions, the present study set out to investigate the CBLA practices, knowledge and skills of Greek and Cypriot primary school EFL teachers. The data was collected through teacher interviews and classroom-based tests. The results showed that teachers employ a summative orientation towards evaluating their students' performance and seem to have unclear ideas about the purposes and implementation of formative assessment, mainly due to lack of professional training in language assessment. The paper concludes with suggestions as to how EFL teachers' CBLA literacy can be enhanced.

Tropospheric delay comprises one of the most important error sources in satellite navigation and is caused when radio signals broadcasted by GPS satellites propagate into the atmosphere. It is usually projected onto zenith direction by using mapping functions named as Zenith Tropospheric Delay (ZTD). ZTD is described as the sum of the Zenith Hydrostatic Delay (ZHD) and the Zenith Wet Delay (ZWD) and with the aid of surface pressure and temperature the integrated water vapor can be estimated. The main objective of this study is to evaluate the tropospheric delay performance for GNSS integrated water vapor estimation by using GPT2w model, ECMWF's IFS (ECMWF stands for the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts) reanalysis model and ground meteorological data from two stations of the permanent network of Cyprus and Greece. The period from 27 May to 3 June 2018 is characterized by two different synoptic conditions: high pressure with fair weather in central Mediterranean (Greece), on the one hand, and high instability over the upper levels of the atmosphere that resulted in thunderstorms inland and mountainous areas during midday over the Eastern Mediterranean (Cyprus), on the other hand. In general, the results show that both the empirical blind model GPT2w and the ECMWF (IFS) operational model perform well in particular over Nicosia when used for the retrieval of Integrated Water Vapor (IWV) from GNSS measurements, although appreciable deviations were observed between ECMWF (IFS)-retrieved IWV and the one retrieved from GNSS observations by using meteorological measurements. A sharp increase of IWV prior to the abrupt rainfall events during noon on 30 and 31 May over Nicosia was also found. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper reports on the experienced educator perspective regarding human-to-human connection in distance education. The research questions aimed to fill gaps in the existing research literature, to investigate the role of the educator, to discover how learning and subject content are affected by contextual factors, to find out if it enhances the sense of togetherness (immediacy and intimacy). The Informed Grounded Theory and the Community of Inquiry model provided a scaffolding framework for designing interview questions and analyzing findings. The outcome of the analysis formulated a new theory called tele-proximity, which gives an explanation of how presences could work in synchronicity. The findings may help educators gain insight into how to use Synchronous Video Communication (SVC) and lead future research to dig deeper into the field of synchronicity and the importance of audiovisual cues.

With the expansion of e-learning, the understanding and evaluation of already created e-learning environments is becoming an extremely important issue. One way to dealing with the problem is analysis of case studies, i.e. already created environments, from the reuse perspective. The paper presents a general framework and model to assess UNITE, the unified e-learning environment for schools, from the reuse perspective. UNITE is the e-learning environment of the ongoing EU project (FP6 IST-26964, 2006-2008, http://www.unite-ist.org/). UNITE assets are described using feature diagrams (FDs) telling us about the internal structure of UNITE; representing relationships among the compound and atomic features, thus enhancing better transparency of UNITE and in this way empowering reuse. The factors of UNITE influential to reuse with some concrete results are also presented. We provide analysis aiming to extract from the model the relevant information of two kinds: (1) which is influential to reuse in a positive sense, i.e., enhancing reuse (e.g., application of meta-design methodology for the scenarios description, classification of subjects in metadata, use of content management tools (e.g., Course editor, Metadata editor), multi-linguistic approach, international and local collaboration between teachers and students in e-learning scenario implementation and delivery, and methodological support, etc.) and (2) which is hindering reuse (e. g., age of the students, differences in national syllabus and national educational programmes, language, cultural and communication problems). Despite of some limitations of FDs, we found this notation useful because it allows the explicit representation of various aspects of the complex system (i.e., UNITE) focusing on variability of features and possible relationships and constraints. We focus on the aspects such as evaluation of the UNITE platform including tools, scenarios and content variability. (Contains 3 figures and 6 tables.)

Ample evidence indicates that a person's human capital is important for success on the labor market in terms of both wages and employment prospects. However, unlike the efforts to identify the impact of school attainment on labor-market outcomes, the literature on returns to cognitive skills has not yet provided convincing evidence that the estimated returns can be causally interpreted. Using the PIAAC Survey of Adult Skills, this paper explores several approaches that aim to address potential threats to causal identification of returns to skills, in terms of both higher wages and better employment chances. We address measurement error by exploiting the fact that PIAAC measures skills in several domains. Furthermore, we estimate instrumental-variable models that use skill variation stemming from school attainment and parental education to circumvent reverse causation. Results show a strikingly similar pattern across the diverse set of countries in our sample. In fact, the instrumental-variable estimates are consistently larger than those found in standard least-squares estimations. The same is true in two "natural experiments," one of which exploits variation in skills from changes in compulsory-schooling laws across U.S. states. The other one identifies technologically induced variation in broadband Internet availability that gives rise to variation in ICT skills across German municipalities. Together, the results suggest that least-squares estimates may provide a lower bound of the true returns to skills in the labor market.