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DOCTORAL THESIS OF GRADUATES
UNIVERSITY OF CYPRUS (ABSTRACTS) FEBRUARY 2019
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 2
The Senate of the University of Cyprus unanimously decided, on the 14th
November 2018 and 30th of January 2019, to award 35 Ph.D. titles on the graduate
ceremony on the 7th of February 2019.
In this edition the research subject of the PhD student is presented in a short
summary.
The information is presented in alphabetical order by Department.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 3
NAME/SURNAME DEPARTMENT ΤΙTLE OF THESIS/ ABSTRACT George Tryfonos Architecture An Integrated Digital Design and Robotic Fabrication Process of Tensile Mesh Structures
Supervisor: Odysseas Kontovourkis, Assistant Professor
The dissertation proposes an integrated procedure of digital design and robotic fabrication for the
production of tensile meshes in multiple dimensions consisting of elastic threads, aiming at the efficient
and accurate transfer of their properties and behavior from the design phase to the additive placement
phase.
Charis Achilleos Biological Sciences
Mouse Models for Papillomavirus-Mediated Phenotypes
Supervisor: Katerina Strati, Assistant Professor
HPVs have been associated with the development of the majority of cervical cancers, a subset of head and
neck cancers, skin cancer and other anogenital cancers. We used mouse models of papillomavirus gene
expression in order to study the mechanisms through which these viruses contribute to cancer.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 4
Ioanna Kalvari Biological Sciences
Computational Approaches for the Identification of LIR-motifs in Selective Autophagy Receptor
and Adaptor Proteins
Supervisor: Vasilis Promponas, Assistant Professor
Selective macroautophagy (autophagy) is a conserved catabolic cellular homeostasis mechanism known
to be mediated by specialized proteins that interact with proteins of the Atg8 family via short linear motifs,
the so called LIR-motifs. In this study we developed computational methods for the identification of LIR-
motifs and LIR containing proteins.
Pantelis Savvides Biological Sciences
Ethology and Ecophysiology of the Species Acanthodactylus Schreiberi Boulenger, 1878
Supervisor: Spyros Sfenthourakiς, Associate Professor
Acanthodactylus schreiberi is the only lizard species of Cyprus registered as Endangered (IUCN). Herein,
we focused on three populations, with different ecological characteristics (i.e. substrate type, predator
diversity), in order to explore the role of the respective ecological factors on the physiology (sprint performance) and
ethology (antipredator strategies) of the species.
Theodoulakis Christofi Biological Sciences
Pseudomonas Aeruginosa Interactions With Its Host And With Commensal Escherichia Coli
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 5
Supervisor: Yiorgos Apidianakis, Assistant Professor
In our study we used Drosophila melanogaster and the laboratory mouse to investigate human intestinal
bacteria. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a human opportunistic pathogen, was observed to interact with the
host and with other bacterial species. Particularly, a mutual interaction between Escherichia coli and P.
aeruginosa was identified and the mechanism described.
Demetris Apostolides Chemistry Synthesis and Characterization of Well-Defined Polymer Networks Cross-Linked via Dynamic Covalent
Acylhydrazone Bonds
Supervisor: Costas Patrickios, Professor
This PhD Thesis deals with the formation and characterization of five families of well-defined dynamic
covalent polymer networks (DCPN) based on well-defined telechelic polymeric (or oligomeric) building
blocks cross-linked with dynamic covalent acylhydrazone (AHyd) bonds. Every DCPN family was formed
from the combination of two soluble telechelic compounds, one bearing benzaldehyde terminal groups,
and the other bearing acylhydrazide terminal groups.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 6
Eleni Kitiri Chemistry Synthesis and Characterization of Double Networks with Various Functional Properties
Supervisor: Costas S. Patrickios, Professor
This PhD Thesis involves the synthesis and characterization of mechanically robust double networks as
well as the study of their various functional properties (mechanical properties, well-defined structure,
biocompatibility and photoresponsiveness).
Filippos Alogdianakis Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Statistical Assessment and Probabilistic Prediction of Bridge Deterioration Using Structural Condition
Recordings
Supervisor: Dimos Charmpis, Αssociate Professor
Infrastructure facilities deteriorate with time and their maintenance and repair are very costly. In the
present study, bridge deterioration is statistically investigated using recorded inspection data regarding
structural condition, in order to identify primary influencing factors. The results are exploited by a novel
method developed to probabilistically predict future deterioration.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 7
Charalambos Kyriakou Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Pavement Monitoring Utilizing Smartphones, Vibration Sensors and Pattern Recognition for the
Detection and Classification of Roadway Pavement Anomalies
Supervisor: Symeon Christodoulou, Professor
The study explores the use of data, collected by sensors from smartphones and automobiles’ (OBD-II)
devices while vehicles are in movement, for the detection and classification of pavement surface
anomalies. The smartphone-based data collection is complimented with robust regression analysis,
artificial neural network techniques, algorithms and bagged trees classification models.
Georgios Hadjidemetriou Civil and Environmental
Engineering
Roadway Pavement Condition Assessment Utilizing Computer Vision, Machine Learning and Entropy
Supervisor: Symeon Christodoulou, Professor
This thesis proposes a condition evaluation system for roadway asphalt pavements, which prioritizes the
maintenance of road segments, using low-cost cameras as well as developed vision- and machine learning-
based algorithms. This system can contribute to the improvement of roadway condition, having a positive
impact on mobility, productivity and users.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 8
Souzana Peppi Classical Studies and
Philosophy
The Rhetorical Aspect of the Consolatory Speeches of Lucius Annaeus Seneca
Supervisor: Spyridon Tzounakas, Associate Professor
It examines how the philosopher himself embraces the structure of a rhetorical speech and how he adjusts
its characteristics to his consolatory speech. The three consolatory speeches of Seneca De Consolatione
ad Marciam, De Consolatione ad Polybium and De Consolatione ad Helviam Matrem are analysed in
sections.
Maria P. Christodoulou
Classics and Philosophy Edition And Commentary Of The Epigrams Of Apollonides
Supervisor: Maria Ypsilanti, Assistant Professor
This thesis is a critical edition of the epigrams of Apollonides after the comparation of the two byzantine
manuscripts which contain the text, of their apographs, of the dictionary of Suda as well as the main
editions of the Greek Anthology. Introduction, translation into Modern Greek and extended commentary
are included.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 9
Kalliopi Christoforou
Pougiourou
Classics and Philosophy The leader in Sophocles
Supervisor: Antonis Tsakmakis, Associate Professor
The thesis examines the phenomenon of leadership as it appears in the remained tragedies of Sophocles.
It answers the basic question “who is and how a leader acts in Sophocles’ plays”. The thesis is a first
attempt at focusing on the leader in tragedies and investigating and determining the behavior of leaders.
Constantinos Costa Computer Science Algorithms and Indexing Structures for Spatial Big Data
Supervisor: Demetrios Zeinalipour-Yazti, Associate Professor
In this PhD thesis we present algorithms and indexing structures that tackle critical challenges brought
forward by Spatial Big Data (SBD), namely query response time and storage efficiency. We frame our
research contributions in the context of a novel performance-driven architecture, named SPATE+, which
can achieve better utilization and efficiency than the state-of-the-art solutions.
Ioannis Marcoullis Computer Science Self-Stabilizing State Machine Replication in Static and Reconfigurable Asynchronous
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 10
Message-Passing Systems
Supervisor: Chryssis Georgiou, Associate Professor
The State Machine Replication (SMR) paradigm in distributed systems is fundamental to fault tolerance.
Self-stabilizing systems allow fault-tolerant systems to recover automatically from transient faults. The
Thesis proposes self-stabilizing algorithms in problems that relate to SMR and that lead to self-stabilizing
blockchain systems and reconfigurable SMR.
Christos Mettouris Computer Science A Model-Driven Development Framework for Automated Design and Development of Ubiquitous
Context-Aware Recommender Systems for Commerce
Supervisor: George Papadopoulos, Professor
This thesis defines and uses the concept of UbiCARS and proposes the UbiCARS Model-Driven
Development Framework aiming to reduce development complexity, abstract technical details and
expedite development of recommender systems for commerce, as well as increase accuracy and
availability of recommendations. A novel graphical Domain Specific Modelling Language is proposed.
Andria Dimosthenous Education Teacher and home learning environment effects on student achievement gains in mathematics: A
longitudinal study
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 11
Supervisor: Leonidas Kyriakides , Professor
Investigation of the short and long term effect of teaching factors and home learning environment on
mathematics student achievement gains. Investigation of student achievement for the same sample of
students (n=1444) over a period of three school years (i.e. from the beginning of year 1 until the end of
year 3).
Elisavet Kiourti Education “(Dis)Connecting Literacies: From Online Videogame Strike Global Offensive,
Into Classroom”
Supervisor: Elena Ioannidou, Assistant Professor
The ethnographic research examined (a) the ways the videogame Counter Strike Global Offensive
functions as an interactive problem-solving literacy space during gameplay; (b) the out-(digital) literacy
practices of the participants related to deep expertise on the CS:GO and (c) the notion of metagaming.
Additionally, the research investigated the stances of the participants in school literacy.
Maria Kyriakou Education An Action Research for the Support of Play Pedagogy: Teacher’ s Actions and Play Skill Development in
Children 3-6 Years Old
Supervisor: Eleni Loizou, Associate Professor
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 12
This research highlights the necessary actions in implementing play pedagogy, which can help preschool
teachers use play as a way of organizing learning as this is proposed in new Early Childhood Education
Curriculum (3-6 years old). It also provides suggestions to effectively transform existing play practices and
move from Free and Quiet Activities to Free and/or Structured Play.
Giorgos Konstantinidis
Education
Fatherhood and Disability: The Social Gender as a Means of Investigation and Interpretation of the
Paternal Role in Families with a Disabled Child.
Supervisor: Helen Phtiaka, Associate Professor
Nobody is pre-prepared to become a parent of a disabled child. Most fathers interact with their disabled
child through entertainment activities, while they show reduced interest in education and care duties. It
takes a long time for fathers to achieve acceptance, whereas with a lack of a positive attitude there is a
risk of abandoning the disabled child.
Georgios M. Milis Electrical and Computer
Engineering
SEMIoTICS: Semantically-enhanced IoT-enabled Intelligent Control Systems
Supervisor: Marios Polycarpou, Professor,
Christos Panayiotou, Associate Professor
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 13
The “Internet-of-Things” (IoT) improves the capability of devices to interact with their environment.
However, integrating IoT components or modifying existing configurations without halting the system
operation and redesigning the control scheme, remains a challenge. This thesis uses “semantic web”
technologies and designs a novel intelligent feedback control architecture and system.
Stavros Hadjitheophanous Electrical and Computer
Engineering
Parallel Fault Simulation and Test Generation Automation Processes for Chip Multiprocessors
Supervisor: Maria K. Michael, Associate Professor
The present thesis investigates the impact of partitioning in parallel test automation processes. The
developed methods are able to maintain the scalability of the algorithms as the number of processing
cores utilized increases and in parallel avoid test inflation problem for multiple-detect test sets. CMP
reliability improvement is also investigated.
Kyriakos Iakovidis History and Archaeology United Democratic Left (EDA) Attitude Towards the Cyprus Problem During the 50s. Accompanied by a
Chapter on AKEL Stance Towards the Cyprus Problem During the Period ’55-΄59
Supervisor: Georgios Kazamias, Associate Professor
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 14
The main aim of the thesis is to examine and explain the attitude of the Greek leftist party, United
Democratic Left (EDA), towards the Cyprus question in the 1950s, specifically from August 1951, when
EDA was founded until the Zurich-London (1959) agreements.
Apostolos Kouroupakis History and Archaeology Cyprus And The Great Schism Of The West (1378-1417)
Supervisor: Schabel Christopher, Professor
This PhD dissertation examines the situation of the Latin Church of Cyprus during the Great Schism of the
West (1378-1417), which created a great turmoil within the Latin Church. In an Appendix we publish in full
all the papal letters from the Vatican Archive (over 85% these letters are previously unpublished).
Artemis Chaviara History and Archaeology
A Technical Approach to Pottery Production in Attica During the Historic Period: Use of Raw Materials
and Processing Techniques Over Time
Supervisor: George Papasavvas, Associate Professor
This doctoral thesis addresses a longstanding archaeological question on the clay-sources used for the
decoration attic pottery production in attica bearing black-glaze, through a combination of
multidisciplinary and practical methodology and draw conclusions on the organization of pottery
workshops from sixth to fourth century BCE.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 15
Petroulla Hadjittofi History and Archaeology “… in all Perfection Gold and Silver Jewellery”: Jewellery Production, Typology and Use in Cyprus
(1830-1960)
Supervisor: Euphrosyne Rizopoulou-Egoumenidou, Professor Emerita
The PhD thesis examines the production, typology and social use of jewellery manufactured or imported
and used in Cyprus from the last decades of the Ottoman Period until the end of the British Period. The
undertaken research addresses matters of craftsmen and techniques, cultural contacts, and social
identities, as expressed through jewellery.
Pandelitsa Panaseti Mathematics and
Statistics
Viscoplastic Flows With Wall Slip and Pressure-dependent Rheological Parameters
Supervisor: Georgios Georgiou, Professor
We solve the plane Poiseuille flow of a Herschel-Bulkley fluid with asymmetric wall slip and investigate the
development of viscoplastic flow in a channel with slip only along one wall. We extend the lubrication
method of Fusi et al. (2015) and solve the flow of Herschel-Bulkley fluid with pressure-dependent yield
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 16
stress and consistency index, in the case of long symmetric or asymmetric channels with a general wall
functions.
Pantelis Koullapis Mechanical and
Manufacturing
Engineering
In silico studies for the prediction of regional aerosol deposition in the human airways
Supervisor: Stavros Kassinos, Professor
Knowledge of aerosol deposition characteristics in the human airways is important in pulmonary drug
delivery and in assessing health effects of inhaled pollutants. The objective of this thesis is to advance the
use of Computational Fluid-Particle Dynamics tools in studies related to aerosol transport and deposition
in both the upper airways and the peripheral lung.
Charis Orfanidou Mechanical and
Manufacturing
Engineering
Complex Functional Oxides For Thermal Management And Resistive Switching Applications
Supervisor: Ioannis Giapintzakis, Professor
In this thesis a feasibility simulation study using La5Ca9Cu24O41 material for heat channeling in
Extremely-Thin-Silicon-on-Insulator devices was accomplished, and an experimental study of Resistive
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 17
Switching phenomena in LixCoO2–based memory cells was carried out in order to identify the mechanism
governing these phenomena.
Paris Papagiorgis Physics Spectroscopic Studies Of Nanocrystal Solids Functionalized For Optoelectronic Applications
Supervisor: Grigorios Itskos, Associate Professor
This thesis contains spectroscopic studies of two promising for optoelectronics semiconductor colloidal
nanocrystal systems. The first and greater part of the thesis involves studies of the optical properties of
PbS nanocrystals for photovoltaic applications, while the last part of the thesis focuses on the investigation
of new nanomaterials from the perovskites family.
Dora Georgiou Psychology The Psychophysiology of Intergroup Anxiety in the Cyprus Context
Supervisor: Georgia Panayiotou, Professor
In this study we examined how preconscious prejudice in the form of intergroup anxiety unfolds in a simple
experimental picture viewing paradigm. Particularly we examined psychophysiology and self-reported
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 18
affect in relation to ingroup, outgroup and control group while keeping in mind contextual factors that are
relevant to Cyprus.
Orestis Kasinopoulos Psychology
Evaluation of a Brief Avatar-Guided ACT-based Intervention for Chronic Pain Management
Supervisor: Maria Karekla, Assistant Professor
This dissertation sought to explore the effectiveness of brief digital ACT-based intervention for chronic
pain management. Driven by technological, psychological and adherence-focused theories, this trial
showed than an Avatar-guided Acceptance-based intervention may produce significant improvements in
pain management, as well as promising results in terms of completion and adherence.
Michaela Paraskeva-
Siamata
Psychology Emotion Regulation in Smokers: How Cognitive Reappraisal and Acceptance Affect Subjective,
Physiological, Cognitive and Behavioural Correlates of Craving
Supervisor: Maria Karekla, Assistant Professor
The present thesis examined how emotion regulation strategies, and specifically cognitive reappraisal,
acceptance and the usual emotion regulation strategy for coping with smoking craving, affect the
subjective, physiological, cognitive and behavioural aspects of craving. Results showed that the three
emotion regulation strategies have similarities in their way of action.
ABSTRACTS OF PHD THESIS 2019
Σελί δα 19
Vasiliki Tsolia Psychology
Inter Ethnic Bullying Between Adolescents: A Longitudinal Examination Of The Role Of Social
Psychological Processes
Supervisor: Charis Psaltis, Associate Professor
The thesis concerns the attitudes of Greek Cypriot adolescent students toward immigrant students and
vice versa. The aim of the current thesis was the investigation of social psychological processes (e.g.
identity, norms, prejudice), school characteristics (e.g. interethnic climate), demographics (e.g. gender,
financial status, ethnicity) and individual characteristics (e.g. personality, degree of acculturation) involved
in interethnic bullying.
Chryso Pelekani Turkish and Middle
Eastern Studies
The Gurbetties and Their Language Gurbetcha
Supervisor: Christiane Bulut, Associate Professor
On the basis of the linguistic data collected, it is clear that Gurbetcha is a mixed language, which combines
the grammatical system of the Cypriot Turkish dialect with various lexical borrowings. The lending and
loan adjustments were analyzed by showing the similarities and differences in the language subsystems
of phonology, morphology, syntax, and semantics.
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