681 research outputs found
Environmental ethics: values in and duties to the natural world (summarized with commentary by Panagiotis Perros)
No full textSummarized with commentary in Greek by Panagiotis Perros.Environmental ethics stands on a frontier, as radically theoretical as it is applied. Alone, it asks whether there can be nonhuman objects of duty. Animals, plants, endangered species, ecosystems, and even Earth are progressively unfamiliar as objects of duty, and puzzles arise both for theory and practice. Answers to such questions are as urgent as any humans face, and intimately related to the four principal issues on the world agenda: peace, population, development, and environment
Online engagement from the grassroots: Reflecting on over a decade of ePetitioning experience in Europe and the UK
No full textThe official published verison of this chapter can be accessed from the link below - Copyright @ 2012 SpringerExtensive debate on Internet and formal politics has concentrated on whether authorities should focus their efforts on high-volume activities such petitioning or crowdsourcing. Those engagement tools seem to be consistent with the ambition of many networked citizens to influence policy making through ad hoc and mostly single-issue movements. Therefore, certain interesting questions emerge: can authorities organise their engagement activities to respond and act upon this call? Can citizens in-deed influence policy making in a few clicks? This chapter draws together material from different uses of ePetitioning tools in Europe, mainly focusing on the integrated UK experience at national and local level. The analysis suggests that those initiatives can provide valuable feedback to authorities and be effectively complemented by other forms of deeper engagement. Yet, political organisations should pay close attention on how the public views such exercises and be prepared to support partici-pants in different ways and on a regular basis
The impact of fusion on adjacent levels in cervical spine injuries: Is it really important?
No full textObjective: although the literature on degenerative disease of the cervical spine contains numerous articles studying the changes on levels adjacent to a fusion, there exist very few such studies concerning cervical spine stabilization for trauma. Methods: over a 16-year period (1989-2005), one hundred and twelve patients underwent stabilization of the lower cervical spine (C3-T1) for subaxial cervical spine injuries, either with an anterior or posterior procedure, or both. Eighty-one patients with adequate follow-up were included in the study and 3 groups were identified: Group A, consisting of 8 patients who underwent anterior stabilization and developed Adjacent Level Ossification Development (ALOD), Group B, comprising 53 patients who were anteriorly plated but who did not develop ALOD and Group C, comprising 20 patients who received posterior stabilization. Results: eight out of 61 patients (13.1%) who were anteriorly operated developed ALOD in 11 adjacent levels (Group A). Severe (grade 3) ossification was noted in 6/8 patients at the cranial adjacent level, and in 2/8 patients at the caudal one. Three out of 8 patients presented with early ALOD at 3, 4 and 18 months respectively. Despite the radiographic abnormalities showing ossification, all the patients had an uncomplicated course without symptoms. All the radiographs of Group B and Group C patients demonstrated grade 0 ossification for both the cranial and caudal adjacent levels. Conclusion: adjacent-level ossification in cervical spine injuries may appear very early in the postoperative period and it can have a different course than in the degenerative disc disease population, at least in some patients. The first cephalad level adjacent to a fusion appears to be at greater risk. However, even when ALOD is evident radiographically, it very rarely produces any symptoms. © 2009
R-CAUSTIC: Rippling CAUSTICs underwater Image dataset
No full text<p><strong>Description</strong></p><p>Rippling caustics seem to be the main factor degrading the underwater RGB image quality and affecting the image- based 3D reconstruction process in very shallow waters. These effects are adversely affecting image matching algorithms by throwing off most of them, leading to less accurate matches and causing issues in the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) based navigation of the Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) on shallow waters. Also, they are the main cause for dissimilarities in the generated textures and orthoimages. In order to fill the gap in the literature regading underwater rippling caustics imagery with real ground truth and reference images, the first real-world underwater caustics benchmark dataset which contains 1465 underwater images is presented. Together with the RGB imagery, the corresponding generated ground truth images are delivered for facilitating the training and testing of machine learning and deep learning methods for image classification. R-CAUSTIC dataset also provides the necessary data to evaluate, at least to some extent, the performance of 3D reconstruction approaches. Data were acquired using a GoPro Hero 4 Black action camera with image dimensions of 4000 x 3000 pixels, focal length of 2.77mm and pixel size of 1.55μm and a tripod. Action cameras are widely used for underwater image acquisition. The dataset was captured in near-shore underwater sites at depths varying from 0.5 to 2m. No artificial light sources were used. Due to the wind, the turbulent surface of the water created dynamic rippling caustics on the seabed. In total 1465 RGB images were collected, separated in 7 different datasets; five of them containing stereo images, one of them tri-stereo images and one consists of multi-stereo imagery acquired in 7 different camera poses.</p><p> </p><p><strong>Publication</strong></p><p>The paper is availbale in Open Access here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10172291</p><p><strong>If you use this dataset please cite it as R-CAUSTIC</strong> [Reference].<br>[Reference]: <strong>P. Agrafiotis, K. Karantzalos and A. Georgopoulos, "Seafloor-Invariant Caustics Removal From Underwater Imagery," in </strong><i><strong>IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering</strong></i><strong>, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 1300-1321, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1109/JOE.2023.3277168.</strong></p><p>BibTeX:</p><p>@ARTICLE{10172291,
author={Agrafiotis, Panagiotis and Karantzalos, Konstantinos and Georgopoulos, Andreas},
journal={IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering},
title={Seafloor-Invariant Caustics Removal From Underwater Imagery},
year={2023},
volume={48},
number={4},
pages={1300-1321},
doi={10.1109/JOE.2023.3277168}}</p><p> </p>
R-CAUSTIC: Rippling CAUSTICs underwater Image dataset
No full text<p> </p>
<h3><strong>Version 2 available! Please make sure to download the latest version of the dataset! <br></strong></h3>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Description</strong></p>
<p>Rippling caustics seem to be the main factor degrading the underwater RGB image quality and affecting the image- based 3D reconstruction process in very shallow waters. These effects are adversely affecting image matching algorithms by throwing off most of them, leading to less accurate matches and causing issues in the Simultaneous Localization and Mapping (SLAM) based navigation of the Remotely Operated Vehicles (ROV) and Autonomous Underwater Vehicles (AUV) on shallow waters. Also, they are the main cause for dissimilarities in the generated textures and orthoimages. In order to fill the gap in the literature regading underwater rippling caustics imagery with real ground truth and reference images, the first real-world underwater caustics benchmark dataset which contains 1465 underwater images is presented. Together with the RGB imagery, the corresponding generated ground truth images are delivered for facilitating the training and testing of machine learning and deep learning methods for image classification. R-CAUSTIC dataset also provides the necessary data to evaluate, at least to some extent, the performance of 3D reconstruction approaches. Data were acquired using a GoPro Hero 4 Black action camera with image dimensions of 4000 x 3000 pixels, focal length of 2.77mm and pixel size of 1.55μm and a tripod. Action cameras are widely used for underwater image acquisition. The dataset was captured in near-shore underwater sites at depths varying from 0.5 to 2m. No artificial light sources were used. Due to the wind, the turbulent surface of the water created dynamic rippling caustics on the seabed. In total 1465 RGB images were collected, separated in 7 different datasets; five of them containing stereo images, one of them tri-stereo images and one consists of multi-stereo imagery acquired in 7 different camera poses.</p>
<p> </p>
<p><strong>Publication</strong></p>
<p>The paper is availbale in Open Access here: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/10172291</p>
<p><strong>If you use this dataset please cite it as R-CAUSTIC</strong> [Reference].<br>[Reference]: <strong>P. Agrafiotis, K. Karantzalos and A. Georgopoulos, "Seafloor-Invariant Caustics Removal From Underwater Imagery," in </strong><em><strong>IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering</strong></em><strong>, vol. 48, no. 4, pp. 1300-1321, Oct. 2023, doi: 10.1109/JOE.2023.3277168.</strong></p>
<p>BibTeX:</p>
<p>@ARTICLE{10172291, author={Agrafiotis, Panagiotis and Karantzalos, Konstantinos and Georgopoulos, Andreas}, journal={IEEE Journal of Oceanic Engineering}, title={Seafloor-Invariant Caustics Removal From Underwater Imagery}, year={2023}, volume={48}, number={4}, pages={1300-1321}, doi={10.1109/JOE.2023.3277168}}</p>
<p> </p>
Does genetic diversity on corporate boards lead to improved environmental performance?
No full textElsevier
Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money
Volume 84, April 2023, 101756
Journal of International Financial Markets, Institutions and Money
Does genetic diversity on corporate boards lead to improved environmental performance?
Author links open overlay panelRenatas Kizys a, Emmanuel C. Mamatzakis b, Panagiotis Tzouvanas c
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https://doi.org/10.1016/j.intfin.2023.101756
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Highlights
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We examine the effect of boards’ genetic diversity (GENETICD) on corporate ESG performance.
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ESG performance and disclosures are higher in more genetically diverse firms.
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The positive GENETICD effect on ESG performance is driven by the environmental pillar.
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Corporate carbon performance significantly improves with increases in GENETICD.
We study the effects of boards’ genetic diversity on corporate environmental performance. Using a multidimensional information set for 3690 US firms during the period from 2005 to 2019, and three different measures of genetic diversity, we find that, pursuant to the diversity theory, which posits that diversity improves the quality of management decisions and business ethics, genetic diversity leads to improved environmental performance. We also find that genetic diversity improves carbon and governance performance, and ESG disclosure. Particularly, a one percentage point increase in boards’ genetic diversity will increase the carbon performance, measured by the inverse of the carbon emissions to total assets ratio, and environmental performance by 3.54% and 5.57%, respectively. Our results remain robust to different model specifications, while also controlling for endogeneity. In terms of policy implications, results suggest that the key to tackling climate challenges is to promote boards’ genetic diversity
An institutional perspective on information and communication technologies in governance
No full textThis thesis was submitted for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy and awarded by Brunel University.Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs) are becoming increasing relevant in policy making and governance activities. However, the broad effects of digital governance have not been adequately conceptualised; conflicting assumptions vary from rather optimistic accounts of empowered citizens to even completely dismissing the potential of engagement through technical means.
This research attempts to reposition the impact of ICTs on policy making and political communities. Drawing from institutional studies, an integrated perspective is synthesised to guide case investigations in three main directions: (1) the way influences from the institutional environment are understood and balanced locally, (2) the co-evolution of institutional and technological configurations and (3) the dynamic response of institutional actors to the challenge of online engagement. The empirical part focuses on two different contexts (local government authorities and a trade union federation) that cover the holistic objective of this study.
The findings inform on the extent to which ICTs are actually merging with existing governance structures. Both studies show that policy making is fundamentally different from other activities at the general intersection of Internet and politics. Citizens form online communities to organise ad hoc around single issue movements. However, this does not necessarily translate into sustainable and meaningful participation in formal politics. Hence, adapting institutional structures emerges as a complicated challenge beyond fitting technical means into existing engagement activities.
On this basis, the thesis questions the extent to which policy making mechanisms are able to enact engagement from the grassroots, as for example encouraged by the social media collaboration philosophy. Implications for practice show how the alignment between new tools and the existing norms has the potential to identify paths of least resistance, and then exploit them to accomplish positives changes whose beneficial effects should not be taken for granted.Department of Information Systems and Computing, Brunel Universit
Dataset in support of the Southampton doctoral thesis 'The boatbuilding tradition of the Aegean during the Late Neolithic – Early Bronze Age periods. Typological classification, digital reconstruction and seakeeping assessment'
No full textDataset in support of the Southampton doctoral thesis 'The boatbuilding tradition of the Aegean during the Late Neolithic – Early Bronze Age periods. Typological classification, digital reconstruction and seakeeping assessment' Appendix D - Resistance data and Appendix C - Stability data.
This dataset is focused on two appendices:
Appendix D - Resistance data. D.1 Resistance data produced by the author via MAXSURF Resistance for this thesis.
Appendix C - Stability data
C1. Stability data – STIX and ISO criteria, produced by the author via MAXSURF Stability software for his thesis
This research was funded by Southampton Marine and Maritime Institute (SMMI), Vice-Chancellor's Scholarship, Greek Archaeological Committee UK (GACUK)
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Applying multicriteria decision making method AHP in ERP selection process
No full text268 σ.Η επιλογή ERP στην σύγχρονη επιχειρηματική πραγματικότητα αποτελεί μια σημαντική επένδυση. Σκοπός της διπλωματικής εργασίας ήταν η παρουσίαση ενός ξεκάθαρου και αναλυτικού μεθοδολογικού πλαισίου για την επιλογή της προτιμότερης για την επιχείρηση λύσης. Καθώς η επιλογή ERP χαρακτηρίζεται από πολλαπλά κριτήρια και εναλλακτικές λύσεις, χρησιμοποιείται η Πολυκριτήρια Λήψη Αποφάσεων (MCDM) και ειδικότερα ανάμεσα από διαφορετικές Πολυκριτήριες Μεθόδους προτείνεται η Αναλυτική Ιεραρχική Διαδικασία (AHP). Μέσα από την εφαρμογή στην «ΠΑΝΑΓΙΩΤΟΠΟΥΛΟΣ ΚΕΡΑΜΟΤΟΥΒΛΟΠΟΙΪΑ Α.Β.Ε.Ε.», παρουσιάζεται βήμα προς βήμα η προτεινόμενη διαδικασία ως η ανάλυση και αποδόμηση του σύνθετου προβλήματος σε απλούστερα με τελική σύνθεση των επιμέρους προτιμήσεων σε γενικευμένες προτεραιότητες. Παρατίθενται τα αποτελέσματα και αναλύονται τα οφέλη καθώς και κάποιοι προβληματισμοί που προκύπτουν από την υιοθέτηση της AHP. Τέλος, μετά την επιτυχημένη εφαρμογή της η AHP προτείνεται ως εργαλείο επίλυσης διαφορετικών προβλημάτων επιλογής.Selecting ERP is a significant investment, in modern business reality. The goal of this thesis was the introduction of a crystal-clear and analytical methodology, for selecting the most preferable for the enterprise solution. As ERP selection is a decision of multiple criteria and several alternatives, Multiple Criteria Decision Making is used.
More specifically, between different Multiple Criteria Methods, the Analytical Hierarchy Process (AHP) is proposed. Through the application of the method in "Panagiotopoulos S.A." the proposed process is presented in a step by step way as the analysis and decomposition of the initial complex problem in several simpler and smaller, followed by the final composition of the partial preferences into generalized priorities.
Results are presented and the benefits as well as complications arised from the implementation of AHP are analyzed. Finally, after the successful application, AHP is proposed as a tool for solving several choice decision making problems.Παναγιώτης Κ. Παναγιωτόπουλο
Exploring the democratic potential of online social networking: The scope and limitations of e-participation
No full textCopyright © 2012 by the Association for Information Systems.The availability and promise of social networking technologies with their perceived open philosophy has increasingly inspired citizens around the world to participate in political activity on the Web. Recent examples range from opposing public policies, such as government funding cuts, to organizing revolutionary social movements, such as those in the Middle East and North Africa. Although online spaces create remarkable opportunities for various forms of political action, there are concerns over the power of existing institutions to control and even censor such interaction spaces. The objective of this article is to draw together different insights on the online engagement phenomenon, highlighting both its potential and limitations as a mechanism for fostering democratic debate and influencing policy making. We examine recent examples from Europe, the Middle East and Latin America. Finally, we summarize the implications of our work and outline directions for further research
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