Regions' Size and Regional Competitiveness in the 4th EU Programming Period, 2007-2013. Regional Units in Greece.

(This paper is the result of a research program that was carried out by the Laboratory for Evaluation of Development Policies and Programs, University of Thessaly, for the Greek Ministry of Economics and National Economy). Does size matter? Is regional competitiveness affected by the regions size? Are regional problems in Greece the same or differentiated among regions? Could an administrative reform create better development preconditions? The designation of the 13 Regions in the 80s in Greece basically stemmed from the need to create development units for programming and managing the development planning. Nonetheless, the designation of regions under the effect of historical factors and political expediency led to uneven area as well as population sizes. Moreover, up to today, Greece has put its major developmental effort in the infrastructures sector, while the new 4th programming period 2007-2013 imposes competitiveness objectives and an integration of the Lisbon Strategy in the Coherence policy that constitute an innovation for the Greek reality. Thus, the question occurs whether the Greek Regions are capable to formulate and implement corresponding strategies and programmes. This paper discusses the performance of the 13 Greek regions against other comparable EU regions and presents indexes reflecting the relative progress of the Greek regions, through critical review of statistical data concerning development level and regional competitiveness. At the same time the paper considers how a restructure of resources, competences, and geographical boundaries will enable: i. Concentration of managerial effort ii. Better control of programme implementation. iii. Better utilization of the limited available personnel . iv. More economical use of equipment and facilities. And finally programme operation monitoring at the regional level through the formation of larger and more powerful regional entities, vis-vis the central Administration. To this purpose administrative decentralization schemes of various EU Countries are reviewed. The paper proposes a restructuring as follows: All the competences concerning decision-making and management of the programming are concentrated to Regional Unions. The Regions retain only proposal functions, as centers of local bodies¢ consensus and local initiatives' mobilization. The paper also elaborates on a generalized administrative scheme for the Unions and the Regions. Summing up the discussion highlights the necessity to form larger and more powerful regional units in Greece, where one¢s strategic disadvantages will be compensated by the advantages of the other and through them many local economies altogether will build a scale capable to integrate their productive structure, to cause the emergence of new functions and to constitute their negotiatory advantage for FDI and activities attraction.

Regional Competitiveness: In Search of a Framework for Greek Regions Strategic Planning and Measurement of Competitiveness.

(This paper is the result of a research program that was carried out by the Laboratory for Evaluation of Development Policies and Programs, University of Thessaly). Greek economy, after nominal converging with other western European countries and meeting the accession criteria to the European Monetary Union, sets as a new objective the attainment of “real†convergence. Success in this objective, while operating in a globalized economic environment and the single European market, will be judged on the choice of a development policy focused on competitiveness and regional development. This paper exactly aims at informing the strategic planning of a regional competitiveness policy. Especially, it intends to set specifications for a regional competitiveness strategy, to define actions at an institutional level for its implementation and to propose a quantification and measurement system of its results. Based on the definition of competitiveness and its determinant factors for each level (national, branch, enterprise, regional) and how they are intertwined, the necessity for a regional competitiveness strategy is validated by a critical analysis of Greek economy¢s recent related data and performance. The frame in which Greek regions¢ competitiveness problems will be addressed is analyzed under the light of the European Union¢s new regional development policies Furthermore, the article analyzes the competitiveness strategic planning of Greece and Greek regions in interventions of the current programming period. Namely, it evaluates the extent at which competitiveness is identified and specified in the Community Support Programme, the Competitiveness Operational Programme and the SWOT analyses of the Regional Operational Programmes. Moreover the policies that implement the European regional policy (CSP, OP) and the competitiveness policy (COP) are being evaluated on aspects that include fund allocation, strategy update, regional priorities, implementation progress, efficiency, performance, and synergies, as far as competitiveness and its determinant factors are concerned. Based on literature review, the paper assesses and analyzes the most renowned benchmark systems of countries¢ and regions¢ competitiveness. This paper results to a coherent set of proposals for regional competitiveness policy strategic planning. Particularly, it defines requests towards the aforementioned policy and identifies important issues for the forthcoming programming period. It proposes the establishment of regional agencies analogous to the National Competitiveness and Development Council, alternative organizational forms and a typical action plan. It defines an index set for Greek regions¢ competitiveness benchmarking, a synthesis and utilization methodology, and evaluates the documentation of available data.

ACCURACY AND THROWING VELOCITY IN HANDBALL

INTRODUCTION: Accuracy and throwing velocity in handball are regarded as basic parameters of performance during competition. Several investigators have studied the relationship between the velocity of movement of the upper limbs and accuracy in hitting the target, which has led to interesting theories (Schmidt, 1982, Eliasz et al., 1990, Hore, 1996). The aim of the present study was the comparative analysis of accuracy, in combination with ball velocity, while performing shots in handball, using as subjects athletes of various levels and non-athletes. METHODS: In order to measure accuracy, an innovative electronic device was used which was placed on the inner side of a goal post and functioned as a ‘targetpointer’ (by means of a red light) and ‘hit-detector’. Another lab-made laser device was used for measuring ball velocity. Three groups of subjects took part in the experiments : one group of 15 handball athletes, the best of League A1 scorers (age 24.86 ± 2.91 yrs), another group of 12 handball athletes, the best of League A2 scorers (age 26.84 ± 5.67 yrs) and a random sample of 15 physical education students (21.72 ± 0.89 yrs). Accuracy and ball velocity were examined in three types of throws: (a) on the spot, (b) with a cross-over step and (c) with a vertical jump. The results were analyzed using one-way ANOVA. RESULTS: In all three types of throws examined, there was a significant difference in accuracy among groups, attributed to the higher deviation from the target observed in the student group (on the spot: Fratio= 16.422, p £ 0.001; with a crossover step: Fratio= 22.493, p £ 0.001; with an a vertical jump: Fratio= 6.825, p £ 0.003) (Table 1). Table 1 Mean values (± SD) of deviation from the target (in cm) and of ball velocity (in m/s), in the three types of throws for the three groups of subjects. on the spot with a cross-over step with a vertical jump [table] With regard to throwing velocity, a significant difference among groups was found in all types of throws examined (on the spot: Fratio= 54.585, p £ 0.001; with a crossover step: Fratio= 33.578, p £ 0.001; with an a vertical jump: Fratio= 20.795, p £ 0.001), which was attributable to the fact that all three groups differed significantly from each other. In the throw with a vertical jump the difference between the two groups of athletes was less than that observed in the other two types of throw. This was probably due to the advanced technical skill required for performing this type of throw. CONCLUSIONS: The throwing performance of the three groups of subjects was assessed both by the level of accuracy and the magnitude of ball velocity in their throws. The performance of the best scores in the League A1 group significantly exceeded that of the other groups for the variables studied in the three types of throwing examined by the present study. REFERENCES: Schmidt, R. (1982). Motor Control and Learning. A Behavioral Emphasis, 336-350. Eliasz, J., Janiak, J., Wit, A. (1990). Sport Wyczynowy 9/10, 17-23. Hore, J., Watt, S., Martin, J., Miller, B. (1995). Exp. Brain Res. 103, 277-286

Unpublished Mediterranean and Black Sea records of marine alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species

To enrich spatio-temporal information on the distribution of alien, cryptogenic, and neonative species in the Mediterranean and the Black Sea, a collective effort by 173 marine scientists was made to provide unpublished records and make them open access to the scientific community. Through this effort, we collected and harmonized a dataset of 12,649 records. It includes 247 taxa, of which 217 are Animalia, 25 Plantae and 5 Chromista, from 23 countries surrounding the Mediterranean and the Black Sea. Chordata was the most abundant taxonomic group, followed by Arthropoda, Mollusca, and Annelida. In terms of species records, Siganus luridus, Siganus rivulatus, Saurida lessepsianus, Pterois miles, Upeneus moluccensis, Charybdis (Archias) longicollis, and Caulerpa cylindracea were the most numerous. The temporal distribution of the records ranges from 1973 to 2022, with 44% of the records in 2020–2021. Lethrinus borbonicus is reported for the first time in the Mediterranean Sea, while Pomatoschistus quagga, Caulerpa cylindracea, Grateloupia turuturu, and Misophria pallida are first records for the Black Sea; Kapraunia schneideri is recorded for the second time in the Mediterranean and for the first time in Israel; Prionospio depauperata and Pseudonereis anomala are reported for the first time from the Sea of Marmara. Many first country records are also included, namely: Amathia verticillata (Montenegro), Ampithoe valida (Italy), Antithamnion amphigeneum (Greece), Clavelina oblonga (Tunisia and Slovenia), Dendostrea cf. folium (Syria), Epinephelus fasciatus (Tunisia), Ganonema farinosum (Montenegro), Macrorhynchia philippina (Tunisia), Marenzelleria neglecta (Romania), Paratapes textilis (Tunisia), and Botrylloides diegensis (Tunisia).peer-reviewe

Adaptive overlay construction through dynamic distributed matching with preferences

An important function of overlay networks is the facilitation of connection, interaction and resource sharing between peers with limited resources. It is usually the case that the peers maintain some private notion of how a "desirable" peer should look like and they share their limited resources with peers that they prefer better than others. Recent research proposed that this problem can be modeled as a many-to-many matching problem with preferences and studied analytically. However, the proposed solutions studied the problem on static networks, where no node joining or leaving is considered. In this paper we present a dynamic, distributed algorithm for the many-to-many matching problem with preferences that utilizes a simple scheme, provides a guaranteed approximation for the total satisfaction in the network and guarantees the convergence after changes complete. We also provide a detailed experimental study of the algorithm that focuses on the levels of achieved satisfaction as well as convergence and reconvergence speed

Adaptive distributed b-matching in overlays with preferences

An important function of overlay networks is the facilitation of connection, interaction and resource sharing between peers. The peers may maintain some private notion of how a "desirable" peer should look like and they share their bounded resources with peers that they prefer better than others. Recent research proposed that this problem can be modeled and studied analytically as a many-to-many matching problem with preferences. The solutions suggested by the latter proposal guarantee both algorithmic convergence and stabilization, however they address static networks with specific properties, where no node joining or leaving is considered. In this paper we present an adaptive, distributed algorithm for the many-to-many matching problem with preferences that works over any network, provides a guaranteed approximation for the total satisfaction in the network and guarantees convergence. In addition, we provide a detailed experimental study of the algorithm that focuses on the levels of achieved satisfaction as well as convergence and reconvergence speed. Finally, we improve, both for static and dynamic networks, the previous known approximation ratio

AN INNOVATIVE DEVICE FOR MEASURING ACCURACY OF THROWING IN HANDBALL

A digital electronic device was constructed in order to measure the accuracy of throwing in handball. This innovative device consists of two parts: a) the central unit which generates visual stimuli and collects data and b) tabloids. HARDWARE AND SOFTWARE SPECIFICATION: The device consists of three independent tabloids placed inside and connected to the handball goal post. The dimensions of the two vertical tabloids are 200x60x2cm, and those of the horizontal 180´60´2cm. The dimensions of the goal post are 300´200´8 cm, constituting a total surface of 60,000 cm2, of 38,400 cm2 are covered by the tabloids. A total of 2,130 holes were made in all three tabloids. The same number of light emitting diodes (LED) were placed on the back side of each tabloid in each hole so that they would be visible on the front side. The LED’s were placed in such a way as to form a net of squares (40´40mm). One of these squares, when lit up, determined the ‘target-point’ to be hit in a throw (shot). The net of LED’s was interwoven with metal strips (10mm wide and 1 mm thick) which lay at a distance of » 2mm from each other, forming another net of squares (40´40mm). These strips served as ‘hit-detectors’. When the ball hits a specific point on the metal strips, an electrical contact is produced which is transferred to the central unit, after having been processed by the multiplexer - demultiplexer. In this way the coordinates of the point hit by the ball are registered with very high accuracy (1mm). The biggest error in hit-detection (i.e., the largest distance from the strip) occurs in the case of the ball hitting the LEDs (20 mm ´ Ö 2 = 28.3 mm). This data collection system is based on the micro-processor INTEL 8085, which, in combination with the other regional units (serial communication port, LCD. display, ROM and RAM 32 Kbytes,) comprises the integrated control device (Fig 1). [Figure] Fig 1 Electronic configuration of visual stimuli generator and throwing data collection unit CONCLUSIONS: With the above described device it was possible to register the following: a) the coordinates of the lit up ‘target-point’ on the tabloid, visually displaying the beginning of the throwing attempt, b) the coordinates of the contact point on the tabloid hit by the ball, c) the duration of the contact with an accuracy of 5ms and d) the time elapsing from the visual stimulus until the contact of the ball with the tabloid. The implementation of this innovative device was carried out with measurements taken from athletes with various levels of handball playing ability

Data Fusion of Scanned Black and White Aerial Photographs with Multispectral Satellite Images

To date, countless satellite image fusions have been made, mainly with panchromatic spatial resolution to a multispectral image ratio of 1/4, fewer fusions with lower ratios, and relatively recently fusions with much higher spatial resolution ratios have been published. Apart from this, there is a small number of publications studying the fusion of aerial photographs with satellite images, with the year of image acquisition varying and the dates of acquisition not mentioned. In addition, in these publications, either no quantitative controls are performed on the composite images produced, or the aerial photographs are recent and colorful and only the RGB bands of the satellite images are used for data fusion purposes. The objective of this paper is the study of the addition of multispectral information from satellite images to black and white aerial photographs of the 80s decade (1980–1990) with small difference (just a few days) in their image acquisition date, the same year and season. Quantitative tests are performed in two case studies and the results are encouraging, as the accuracy of the classification of the features and objects of the Earth’s surface is improved and the automatic digital extraction of their form and shape from the archived aerial photographs is now allowed. This opens up a new field of use for the black and white aerial photographs and archived multispectral satellite images of the same period in a variety of applications, such as the temporal changes of cities, forests and archaeological sites

THROWING PERFORMANCE AFTER RESISTANCE TRAINING AND DETRAINING

Terzis, G, Stratakos, G, Manta, P, and Georgiadis, G. Throwing performance after resistance training and detraining. J Strength Cond Res 22: 1198-1204, 2008-The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effect of short-term resistance training and detraining on shot put throwing performance. Eleven young healthy subjects with basic shot put skills participated in 14 weeks of resistance training, which was followed by 4 weeks of detraining. Shot put performance in four field tests was measured before (T1) and after (T2) resistance training and after detraining (T3). At the same time points, one repetition maximum (1RM) was measured in squat, bench press, and leg press. Fat-free mass (FFM) was determined with dual x-ray absorptiometry and muscle biopsies obtained from vastus lateralis for the determination of fiber type composition and cross-sectional area (CSA). 1RM strength increased 22-34% (p < 0.01) at T2 and decreased 4-5% (not significantly different) at T3. Shot put performance increased 6-12% (p < 0.05) after training and remained unaltered after detraining. FFM increased at T2 (p < 0.05) but remained unchanged between T2 and T3. Muscle fiber CSA increased 12-18% (p < 0.05) at T2. Type I muscle fiber CSA was not altered after detraining, but type IIa and IIx fiber CSA was reduced 10-12% (p < 0.05). The percentage of type IIx muscle fibers was reduced after training (T1 = 18.7 +/- 4, T2 = 10.4 +/- 1; p < 0.05), and it was increased at T3 compared with T2 (T3 = 13.7 +/- 1; p < 0.05). These results suggest that shot put performance remains unaltered after 4 weeks of complete detraining in moderately resistance-trained subjects. This might be linked to the concomitant reduction of muscle fiber CSA and increase in the percentage of type IIx muscle fibers