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Background: Spinal muscular atrophy (SMA) is a neuromuscular disease caused by homozygous deletion or loss-of-function mutations of the survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN1) gene, resulting in reduced levels of SMN protein throughout the body. Patients with SMA may have multiple tissue defects, which could present prior to neuromuscular symptoms. Objective: To assess the signs, comorbidities and potential extraneural manifestations associated with SMA in treatment-naïve patients. Methods: This observational, retrospective and matched-cohort study used secondary insurance claims data from the US IBM® MarketScan® Commercial, Medicaid and Medicare Supplemental databases between 01/01/2000 and 12/31/2013. Treatment-naïve individuals aged≤65 years with≥2 International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision (ICD-9) SMA codes were stratified into four groups (A–D), according to age at index (date of first SMA code recorded) and type of ICD-9 code used, and matched with non-SMA controls. The occurrence of ICD-9 codes, which were converted to various classifications (phecodes and system classes), were compared between groups in pre- and post-index periods. Results: A total of 1,457 individuals with SMA were included and matched to 13,362 controls. Increasing numbers of SMA-associated phecodes and system classes were generally observed from pre- to post-index across all groups. The strongest associations were observed in the post-index period for the youngest age groups. Endocrine/metabolic disorders were associated with SMA in almost all groups and across time periods. Conclusions: This exploratory study confirmed the considerable disease burden in patients with SMA and identified 305 unique phecodes associated with SMA, providing a rationale for further research into the natural history and progression of SMA, including extraneural manifestations of the disease.

Objective:To estimate breast-feeding prevalence in Greece in 2007 and 2017, compare breast-feeding indicators and maternity hospital practices between these years, and investigate breast-feeding determinants.Design:Two national cross-sectional studies (2007 and 2017) using systematic cluster sampling of babies with the same sampling design, data collection and analysis methodology.Setting:Telephone interview with babies’ mothers or fathers.Participants:Representative sample of infants who participated in the national neonatal screening programme (n 549 in 2017, n 586 in 2007).Results:We found that breast-feeding indicators were higher in 2017 compared with 10 years before. In 2017, 94 % of mothers initiated breast-feeding. Breast-feeding rates were 80, 56 and 45 % by the end of the 1st, 4th and 6th completed month of age, respectively. At the same ages, 40, 25 and Conclusions:We observed an increasing trend in all breast-feeding indicators in the past decade in Greece, but breast-feeding rates – particularly rates of exclusive breast-feeding – remain low. Systematic public health initiatives targeted to health professionals and mothers are needed in order to change the prevailing baby feeding ‘culture’ and successfully implement the WHO recommendations for exclusive breast-feeding during the first 6 months of life.

At the beginning of the pandemic, there have been considerable concerns regarding coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) severity and outcomes in patients with severe asthma treated with biologics.To prospectively observe a cohort of severe asthmatics treated with biologics for the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and disease severity during the COVID-19 pandemic.Physicians from centers treating patients with severe asthma all over Greece provided demographic and medical data regarding their patients treated with biologics. Physicians were also asked to follow up patients during the pandemic and to perform a polymerase chain reaction test in case of a suspected SARS-Cov-2 infection.Among the 591 severe asthmatics (63.5% female) included in the study, 219 (37.1%) were treated with omalizumab, 358 (60.6%) with mepolizumab, and 14 (2.4%) with benralizumab. In total, 26 patients (4.4%) had a confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection, 9 (34.6%) of whom were admitted to the hospital because of severe COVID-19, and 1 required mechanical ventilation and died 19 days after admission. Of the 26 infected patients, 5 (19.2%) experienced asthma control deterioration, characterized as exacerbation that required treatment with systemic corticosteroids. The scheduled administration of the biological therapy was performed timely in all patients with the exception of 2, in whom it was postponed for 1 week according to their doctors' suggestion.Our study confirms that despite the initial concerns, SARS-CoV-2 infection is not more common in asthmatics treated with biologics compared with the general population, whereas the use of biologic treatments for severe asthma during the COVID-19 pandemic does not seem to be related to adverse outcomes from severe COVID-19.

Background: Risdiplam is an orally administered therapy that modifies pre-mRNA splicing of the survival of motor neuron 2 (SMN2) gene and is approved for the treatment of spinal muscular atrophy. The FIREFISH study is investigating the safety and efficacy of risdiplam in treated infants with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy versus historical controls. The primary endpoint of part 2 of the FIREFISH study showed that infants with type 1 spinal muscular atrophy attained the ability to sit without support for at least 5 s after 12 months of treatment. Here, we report on the safety and efficacy of risdiplam in FIREFISH part 2 over 24 months of treatment. Methods: FIREFISH is an ongoing, multicentre, open-label, two-part study. In FIREFISH part 2, eligible infants (aged 1-7 months at enrolment, with a genetically confirmed diagnosis of spinal muscular atrophy, and two SMN2 gene copies) were enrolled in 14 hospitals in ten countries across Europe, North America, South America, and Asia. Risdiplam was orally administered once daily at 0·2 mg/kg for infants between 5 months and 2 years of age; once an infant reached 2 years of age, the dose was increased to 0·25 mg/kg. Infants younger than 5 months started at 0·04 mg/kg (infants between 1 month and 3 months old) or 0·08 mg/kg (infants between 3 months and 5 months old), and this starting dose was adjusted to 0·2 mg/kg once pharmacokinetic data were available for each infant. The primary and secondary endpoints included in the statistical hierarchy and assessed at month 12 have been reported previously. Here we present the remainder of the secondary efficacy endpoints that were included in the statistical hierarchy at month 24: the ability to sit without support for at least 30 s, to stand alone, and to walk alone, as assessed by the Bayley Scales of Infant and Toddler Development, third edition gross motor subscale. These three endpoints were compared with a performance criterion of 5% that was defined based on the natural history of type 1 spinal muscular atrophy; the results were considered statistically significant if the lower limit of the two-sided 90% CI was above the 5% threshold. FIREFISH is registered with ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT02913482. Recruitment is closed; the 36-month extension period of the study is ongoing. Findings: Between March 13 and Nov 19, 2018, 41 infants were enrolled in FIREFISH part 2. After 24 months of treatment, 38 infants were ongoing in the study and 18 infants (44% [90% CI 31-58]) were able to sit without support for at least 30 s (p

The objective of this paper is to analyse the changes that occurred in the regional disparities and sectoral specialisation of the Greek regions due to the economic crisis. The research problem is to identify the effect that the crisis had on the developmental perspectives of the regions and on regional policy priorities. In this framework, we explore the regional disparities, along with the allocation and specialisation of economic sectors in two separate time periods: the pre-crisis period (2000–2007) and the crisis period (2008–2014). The variable used is regional employment in the branches of economic activity. The methods used are Coefficient of Variation, Location Quotients and Shift-Share Analysis. According to the results, we classify the spatial units into categories and we propose means of regional policy. The results show that the disparities increased during the first period of the crisis and declined in the next, without, however, reaching the levels of 2000. In the first period the dynamic economic sectors are concentrated mainly in the metropolitan region of Attica and in the island region of South Aegean, while local advantages are shown in several regions except Attica. During the period of crisis, Attica and South Aegean lost their sectoral dynamism, while a few regions resisted. Regarding the local share effects, the more urbanised regions show negative local shares. The rest of the regions exhibit local advantages. Thus, according to these results, a concluding remark is that the more traditional activities seem to be more resilient, unlike the modern activities, which seem more sensitive to the crisis and are located mainly in the large cities and the most urbanised regions of the country. Regarding the proposed regional policy means, infrastructure improvement is indicated for most of the urbanised regions in order to improve their developmental environment. For the other regions, a more balanced sectoral structure must be promoted. Of course, in order to propose more targeted policy measures, it is important that regional development features (according to the classification of the regions and the proposed policy measures) be adapted to smaller areas and to a greater number of narrower economic sectors, rather than simply applying them at the regional level. This is also true of the effect that some other factors such as human capital and innovative capacity have on regional resilience. Future research will focus on this.

The purpose of this study is to propose a suitable measure for evaluating the effectiveness of regional destination management towards building a successful destination image. The study introduces ...

Introduction: Μepolizumab is a monoclonal antibody against IL-5 for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma. The aim of the current study was to present a predesigned interim analysis of the data of patients who have completed one year of therapy with mepolizumab. Material and Method: This study is a prospective multi-centre, non-interventional 2 -year observational study and aims to describe the clinical benefit and safety profile of mepolizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Results: Compared to the year preceding the initiation of treatment, the annual rate of exacerbations decreased significantly, from 4.3±2.3 to 1.3±1.8; p Conclusions: We have shown that in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, one year of treatment with mepolizumab was safe, resulted in significant reduction of the annual exacerbation rate, reduction (or even discontinuation) of the needed dose of oral corticosteroids, and improvements of asthma control and lung function.

Introduction: Mepolizumab is a monoclonal antibody against IL-5 for the treatment of severe eosinophilic asthma. The aim of the current study was to present a predesigned interim analysis of the data of patients who have completed 1 year of therapy with mepolizumab. Methods: This study is a prospective multicenter, noninterventional 2-year observational study and aims to describe the clinical benefit and safety profile of mepolizumab in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma. Results: Compared to the year preceding the initiation of treatment, the annual rate of exacerbations decreased significantly, from 4.3 ± 2.3 to 1.3 ± 1.8; p < 0.0001. Forty-two patients received maintenance dose of oral corticosteroids (OCS) at baseline. From these patients at the end of 1 year of therapy with mepolizumab, 17 patients (40%) had achieved OCS discontinuation. A reduction in the median dose of OCS was also achieved. After 1 year of treatment with mepolizumab, the asthma control test score significantly increased from 16.3 ± 3.7 to 21.2 ± 3.8 (p < 0.0001). This marked clinical improvement was paralleled by a significant reduction of blood eosinophil count. All patients showed a considerable improvement of airflow limitation. In respect to adverse events of treatment with mepolizumab, 19 patients (27%) were recorded to have at least one such occurrence during their 1-year treatment. Conclusions: We have shown that in patients with severe eosinophilic asthma, 1 year of treatment with mepolizumab was safe, resulted in significant reduction of the annual exacerbation rate, reduction (or even discontinuation) of the needed dose of OCS, and improvements of asthma control and lung function.

Nowadays, private and public organizations are trying to improve the level of employee satisfaction and perceived value in a more holistic view of marketing practices. Satisfying employee’s needs through an internal marketing orientation, will result in higher levels of customer perceived quality and satisfaction, particularly in service organizations. Although many studies have been made concerning employee job satisfaction in the private industry, empirical research on job satisfaction in nonprofit public sector such as police organizations has been limited. The current study focuses on the importance of the implementation of internal marketing practices in nonprofit public sector organizations, by investigating the case of job satisfaction in 218 police officers at Police Department of Chios. Engaged police officers will have a strong impact on the quality of police services, which in turn will affect public safety and citizen satisfaction, considering the dangers of their profession. Indeed, the results, using multivariate data analysis revealed that police personnel’s satisfaction level was affected by a total of nine factors, namely “relationship with immediate supervisor”, “relationship with co-workers”, “perceptions of pride”, “relationship with senior management”, “financial and non-financial benefits” “working hours”, “employee’s workload”, “promotional process”, and “recognition for achievement”.

Aim To investigate whether demographic variables and work-related factors predict work motivation in Greek nurses. Background Nurses’ motivation is crucial for an effective health-care system. Herzberg’s and Maslow’s motivation theories constitute the framework of this study. Method The sample consisted of 200 nurses from every sector and registration level in a University Hospital in Greece. The response rate was 76%. Instruments A previously developed and validated questionnaire addressing four work-related motivators (job attributes, remuneration, co-workers and achievements) on a five-point Likert scale. Results Most participants were women, married, between 36 years and 45 years old and higher education graduates. The highest mean score was recorded for ‘achievements’ (mean 4.07, SD 0.72), which emerged as the most important motivator. Job satisfaction, work sector and age were statistically significantly related to motivational factors. Conclusions Nurses placed emphasis on motivators not strictly relating to economic rewards, but which can be seen as intrinsic and could lead to self-actualization. Implications for nursing management The constantly changing health sector requires that human resources and job context be a priority for health administrators. By promoting nurses’ satisfaction and efficacy, an improvement in service quality is expected.

As credit card usage has expanded rapidly worldwide, credit scoring has become a very important task for banks, which can benefit from reducing possible risks of default. Credit scoring models help decision makers to decide whether to issue a credit card to a new applicant on the basis of both financial and nonfinancial criteria. The scope of the current study is to develop a dynamic scoring model that (a) estimates the credit performance of an applicant using generalised linear models and (b) accommodates the changes of a borrower's characteristics after the issuance of the credit card and forecasts the time of default using survival analysis.

Background: COPD primarily affects the lungs but also produces systemic consequences that are not reflected by the recent staging according to Global Initiative for Chronic Obstructive Lung Disease (GOLD) guidelines. Body mass index (BMI) and fat-free mass index (FFMI) represent different aspects of nutrition abnormalities in COPD. We investigated whether BMI and FFMI could be related to parameters expressing airflow obstruction and limitation, exercise capacity, airway inflammation, and quality of life, and whether they would reflect the GOLD staging of the disease. Methods: One hundred patients with clinically stable COPD equally classified into the five stages of the disease were evaluated for BMI, FFMI (measured by bioelectrical impedance analysis), airway obstruction and hyperinflation (FEV1, FEV1/FVC, inspiratory capacity), exercise capacity (6-min walk distance [6MWD], Borg scale before and after 6MWD]), chronic dyspnea using the Medical Research Council (MRC) scale, airway inflammation (sputum differential cell counts, leukotriene B4 in supernatant), and quality of life (emotional part of the chronic respiratory disease questionnaire). Results: 6MWD was significantly associated with both BMI and FFMI values, while FFMI additionally presented significant correlations with MRC scale, percentage of predicted FEV1, and FEV1/FVC ratio. No association was observed between the two nutritional indexes. BMI was not statistically different among patients in the five stages of COPD, while FFMI reflected the staging of the disease, presenting the highest values in stage 0. Conclusions: Nutritional status is mainly related to exercise capacity. FFMI seems to be more accurate in expressing variables of disease severity, as well as the current staging compared to BMI.

H ΧΑΠ είναι μια πολυπαραγοντική νόσος με τη συστηματική φλεγμονή να ευθύνεται για τις συστηματικές εκδηλώσεις της νόσου συμπεριλαμβανομένων της μυϊκής αδυναμίας και της καχεξίας. Η ελεύθερη λίπους μάζα (FFM) αντανακλά καλύτερα την σκελετική μυϊκή μάζα και έχει φανεί ότι συσχετίζεται τόσο με τη δύσπνοια όσο με την ικανότητα για άσκηση.Υποθέσαμε ότι ο δείκτης BODE θα αντανακλά καλύτερα την πολυπαραγοντική φύση της νόσου, και ότι θα συσχετίζεται καλύτερα με την συστηματική φλεγμονή και ιδιαίτερα με τους βιολογικούς δείκτες που εκφράζουν τον λιπώδη ιστό, και όχι με την υποκείμενη τοπική φλεγμονή των αεραγωγών σε ασθενείς με Χρόνια Αποφρακτική Πνευμονοπάθεια. Μια περαιτέρω υπόθεση περιελάμβανε τη πιθανή συσχέτιση της FFMΙ με τους βιολογικούς δείκτες που εκφράζουν τη συστηματική φλεγμονή, υποθέτοντας ότι η FFMΙ αντανακλά καλύτερα τη συστηματική παρά την τοπική φλεγμονή των αεραγωγών στους ασθενείς με Χρόνια Αποφρακτική Πνευμονοπάθεια.Μελετήθηκαν 222 σταθεροί ασθενείς με ΧΑΠ και 132 καπνιστές η πρώην καπνιστές με φυσιολογική αναπνευστική λειτουργία, όχι απαραίτητα υγιείς ως ομάδα ελέγχου. Υπολογίστηκε ο δείκτης BODE και ο FFMI. Η συστηματική φλεγμονή αξιολογήθηκε με τις τιμές στον ορό του TNF-α, της IL–6, της CRP, της λεπτίνης και της αδιπονεκτίνης. Ενώ η τοπική φλεγμονή αξιολογήθηκε με τις τιμές του 8-ισοπροστανίου, της IL–6 καθώς και του pH στο συμπύκνωμα εκπνεόμενου αέρα.Στους ασθενείς με ΧΑΠ ο FFMI, η ικανότητα για άσκηση καθώς και οι τιμές του λειτουργικού ελέγχου, ήταν μειωμένα, ενώ ο δείκτης BODE καθώς και οι δείκτες συστηματικής φλεγμονής TNF-α, IL-6, CRP καθώς και η λεπτίνη, το pH και το 8-211ισοπροστάνιο στο συμπύκνωμα του εμπνεόμενου αέρα παρουσίασαν υψηλότερες τιμές σε σύγκριση με την ομάδα ελέγχου.Ο δείκτης BODE παρουσίασε θετική συσχέτιση με τη λεπτίνη. Ενώ ο FFMI αρνητική συσχέτιση τόσο με την λεπτίνη και με τον TNF-α.Μελετώντας ξεχωριστά τις μεταβλητές του δείκτη BODE αναδείχτηκε μια θετική και αντίστοιχα μια αρνητική συσχέτιση μεταξύ της κλίμακα δύσπνοιας MRC και του 6MWD με τη λεπτίνη στους ασθενείς με ΧΑΠ. Ενώ φάνηκε ότι η κλίμακα δύσπνοιας MRC ήταν ο πιο σημαντικός προγνωστικός δείκτη για τη λεπτίνη.Καταλήξαμε στο συμπέρασμα ότι τόσο ο δείκτης BODE όσο και ο FFMI συσχετίζονται με τα επίπεδα της λεπτίνης στον ορό στους ασθενείς με ΧΑΠ, προσδίδοντας έτσι στην λεπτίνη ένα ρόλο στην συστηματική συνιστώσα της νόσου. Επιπλέον η συσχέτιση της FFMI με τον TNF-α υποδηλώνει το ρόλο της συστηματικής φλεγμονής στην απώλεια της μυϊκής μάζας.

To investigate whether demographic variables and work-related factors predict work motivation in Greek nurses.Nurses' motivation is crucial for an effective health-care system. Herzberg's and Maslow's motivation theories constitute the framework of this study.The sample consisted of 200 nurses from every sector and registration level in a University Hospital in Greece. The response rate was 76%.A previously developed and validated questionnaire addressing four work-related motivators (job attributes, remuneration, co-workers and achievements) on a five-point Likert scale.Most participants were women, married, between 36 years and 45 years old and higher education graduates. The highest mean score was recorded for 'achievements' (mean 4.07, SD 0.72), which emerged as the most important motivator. Job satisfaction, work sector and age were statistically significantly related to motivational factors.Nurses placed emphasis on motivators not strictly relating to economic rewards, but which can be seen as intrinsic and could lead to self-actualization.The constantly changing health sector requires that human resources and job context be a priority for health administrators. By promoting nurses' satisfaction and efficacy, an improvement in service quality is expected.

The global economic crisis of 2008 has affected all European countries; Greece of course could not be the exception to this "rule". First, the fact that Greece was unable to mitigate its public expenditures and to increase its revenues in comparison with the other European countries and other the weaknesses of the Economic and Monetary Union (EMU) design which led to a structural asymmetry within the Eurozone, contributed to Greece¢s "acquaintance" with the economic crisis. Its impact on Greek regions has become more intense during the last three years. Taking into consideration some indicators which are directly affiliated with the economic and social welfare, for example GDP, disposal income, employment/unemployment, population, infant mortality, proportion of pupils etc, before and after the crisis it is easily ascertained that the Greek regions are moved to unprecedented high rates of under-development. For instance, the most developed Greek region, Attica, which had not experienced before high rates of unemployment, now it is in the same class with regions that had traditionally high rates of unemployment. The goal of this paper is to examine the extent to which each region has been hit by the economic crisis -because each of them has been affected to different degree- using certain indicators which are presented minutely in the research. We do not focus our attention on some specific regions; instead of this we examine all regions whether they are developed or under-developed. Moreover, throughout this research we also pursue to investigate the regional disparities which induce to the differential impact of the crisis and which worsened due to the austerity measures that were applied. Regional disparities reflect permanent structural or macroeconomic imbalances in the production model of the country and the causes of their existence are geographical and environmental factors, the regions¢ social structure, the low mobility of labor and capital, institutional and political factors and external economies. Furthermore, this paper investigates the degree of resilience of each region during the crisis i.e. whether they can cope with it, overcome it and recover from it. In order to ascertain it we will examine if regions dispose resourcefulness, performance, redundancy, diversity, innovative learning, connectedness, robustness and rapidity. Finally, we will valuate the regional resilience and we will examine whether it is resistance, recovery, re-orientation or renewal (or resumption).

COPD is a multicomponent disease and systemic inflammation represents one of the possible mechanisms responsible for its systemic manifestations, including skeletal muscle weakness and cachexia. Fat-free mass index (FFMI) that reflects the skeletal muscle mass, has been shown to be associated with both dyspnoea and exercise capacity. We hypothesized that the multidimensional BODE index, that reflects the multicomponent nature of COPD, might be related to biomarkers of systemic inflammation. We further evaluated associations between FFMI and systemic inflammation.BODE index and FFMI were calculated in 222 stable COPD patients and 132 smokers or ex-smokers with normal lung function. Systemic inflammation was evaluated with the measurement of leptin, adiponectin, CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α in serum samples of COPD patients.In patients with COPD, both BODE index and FFMI presented significant positive and negative associations respectively with leptin levels (R(2) 0.61 and 0.65, respectively), whereas FFMI presented an additional negative association with the levels of TNF-α (R(2) 0.38). No significant associations were observed in smokers or ex-smokers with normal lung function.Both BODE index and FFMI, are related to the circulating levels of leptin in patients with COPD, suggesting a possible role for leptin in the systemic component of COPD. The additional association of FFMI with TNF-α may further support a role of systemic inflammation in muscle wasting in COPD.

The study presented in the paper attempts to examine if the alleged effectiveness of the developmental funds - one of the main strategic tools of the EU - can be traced in the typical statistics provided by various authorities and organizations. The study focuses in the case of funds used in Greece during a period of years and it tries to provide insight in the issue, based on statistical and empirical data analysis methodologies. Available information regarding European programmes and corresponding funds is charted and linked to relevant official statistical data provided by Greek national authorities and Eurostat. Selected sectoral and regional actions are analyzed based on an optimal match between funding objectives and official statistics. The results, both statistical and empirical, appear to support the argument: assessment of EU regional policy based on statistics does not seem to be a conclusive method of evaluation. Keywords: EU funds, regional development, developmental statistics, policy effectiveness, territorial cohesion, policy evaluation

A region's sustainable development depends on its power to attract industrial units. Industrial mobility, however, is largely a voluntary process. Hence, a region's growth or decline depends on its ability to ‘attract’ and ‘retain’ industries, as well as the right blend of people to run them. This power of attraction depends on a variable which we may call the ‘Image of a region’. At every moment, a region ‘communicates/conveys’ its ‘Image’ and, depending on its impact on the people (both employers and employees), the region may be considered attractive or repulsive.

The sustainable development of a region depends on its power to attract industrial units. Industrial mobility, however, is largely a voluntary process. Hence, a region’s growth or decline depends on its power to “pull†and “retain†industries but also the right blend of people to run them; this pulling power depends on what we call the Image of a region. At each time instant the region “sends out†its Image and depending on its impact on the people (both employers and employees) the region may be considered Attractive or Repulsive. The image of a region may be defined as a function of a multitude of factors physical, economic, social and environmental. One of those factors, ïn which our emphasis is placed in the present work, is the region’s proximity to influence centers (markets, resources and decision centers). This proximity may be expressed through a variable, which is referred to as the region’s Location Multiplier. As a first attempt to quantify this multiplier we may express it as a function of the region’s distance and / or transportation cost to and from the main influence centers. Such an approach, although sound and realistic in most cases, has a serious shortcoming as it cannot take into account the problems of spatial discontinuity faced by remote and especially island regions. To overcome this problem we may extend the above function so as to include the region’s spatial continuity dimension expressed by the availability in the region of all or only a number of the classic transportation modes. This new multiplier is clearly much improved as compared to the previous one, but still has a weakness, as it cannot take into account the opportunities offered to a remote region by the new Information and Communication Technologies. To alleviate this weakness we may extend the multiplier so as to include the information continuity dimension expressed by the availability in the region of the infrastructure required for the implementation of such technologies. Our objective in this paper is to define a region’s Location Multiplier, going through the three stages described above, suggest ways of quantifying it and finally applying it to a number of regions in Greece, a country with many islands and thus having an intense spatial continuity problem but also a lot to gain from an information continuity situation.