Quality factor analysis and optimization of digital filtering signal reconstruction for liquid ionization calorimeters

The Optimal Filtering (OF) reconstruction of the sampled signals from a particle detector such as a liquid ionization calorimeter relies on the knowledge of the normalized pulse shapes. This knowledge is always imprecise, since there are residual differences between the true ionization pulse shapes and the predicted ones, whatever the method used to model or fit the particle--induced signals. The systematic error introduced by the residuals on the signal amplitude estimate is analyzed, as well as the effect on the quality factor provided by the OF reconstruction. An analysis method to evaluate the residuals from a sample of signals is developed and tested with a simulation tool. The correction obtained is showed to preserve the original amplitude normalization, while restoring the expected $\chi^2$--like behavior of the quality factor.Comment: Accepted for publication in Nuclear Inst. and Methods in Physics Research,

Searches for the Higgs boson at the LHC

The search strategy for the Standard Model Higgs boson at the Large Hadron Collider is reviewed, with a particular emphasis on its potential observation by the ATLAS and CMS detectors in the $\gamma\gamma$, $\tau^+\tau^-$, $ZZ^{*}$ and $WW^{*}$ final states. The combined Higgs discovery potential of ATLAS and CMS is discussed, as well as the expected exclusion limits on the production rate times the branching ratio as a function of the Higgs mass and the collected luminosity.Comment: 4 pages, 6 figures, Proceedings of the 'XXIeme Rencontres de Blois', 21st - 26th June 200

Photon and di-photon production at ATLAS

The latest ATLAS measurements of the cross section for the inclusive production of isolated prompt photons in $pp$ collisions at a centre-of-mass energy $\sqrt{s}$ = 7 TeV at the LHC are presented, as well as the measurement of the di-photon production cross section.Comment: 4 pages, 2 figures. Proceedings of the 15th Lomonosov Conference on Elementary Particle Physics, 18-24 August 2011, Moscow (Russia

Inside the black box of collective reputation

The literature on collective reputation is still in its infancy. Despite the existence of a (limited) number of valuable theoretical works studying the process of collective reputation building, there is still no comprehensive analysis of this concept. In addition, due to data limitation, there are no empirical studies testing the determinants of group reputation. This work intends to provide a comprehensive analysis of reputational equilibria within coalitions of agents. In order to do so, we design a static and dynamic (over 30 years) study on the universe of coalitions of companies, within the wine market, looking at the role exerted by the characteristics of the coalition itself (its age and size), the rules set and the actions put forward by the group of agents in order to reach and maintain a certain level of collective reputation, and the context in which they operate. Results shed new lights into this ubiquitous phenomenon.reputation, collective reputation, asymmetric information, quality standards, wine.

Individual and Collective Reputation: Lessons from the Wine Market

The concept of reputation has been used in every field of economic research, given its capacity to affect the outcome of all economic and financial transactions. The theoretical debate on reputation is very rich, but the mechanisms of reputation building have not been explored enough from the empirical viewpoint. In this paper we investigate the determinants of firm reputation taking into consideration the interactions between individual and collective reputation. This paper is one of the first attempts to provide robust evidence on the determinants of firm reputation using a large set of controls applied to a database not affected by self-selection bias. In fact, we constructed a new database containing the universe of wineries located in four regions of the North-West of Italy with an established national reputation and focus on the determinants of the “jump” from national to international reputation. Our research confirms the prediction of the theoretical literature and shows the positive effect of firm age, size, investments and producer’s intrinsic motivations, and of collective reputation on individual firm reputation. Cooperatives seem to decrease their reputation when the number of associated members rises, due to free-riding and traceability problems. In contrast with previous research, relying on well-known external consultants does not acquire any outside reputation. Finally, by comparing the regression results on the determinants of national and international reputation it emerges the relevance of the mechanisms of the evaluation process: the higher proximity to the wineries of a national observer permits a better and more technical knowledge of the quality provided, allowing small niche producers with very low productivity to emerge and be known. For the same reason, the national classification system (i.e. the DOCG system) exerts a significant effect only on the international reputation of wineries, but not on the national one where the effect of collective reputation (i.e. the reputation of single denominations like Barolo) seems to prevail.reputation, credibility, asymmetric information, quality standards, Industrial Organization, L14, L15,

Dynamics and triggers of misinformation on vaccines

The Covid-19 pandemic has sparked renewed attention on the prevalence of misinformation online, whether intentional or not, underscoring the potential risks posed to individuals' quality of life associated with the dissemination of misconceptions and enduring myths on health-related subjects. In this study, we analyze 6 years (2016-2021) of Italian vaccine debate across diverse social media platforms (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube), encompassing all major news sources - both questionable and reliable. We first use the symbolic transfer entropy analysis of news production time-series to dynamically determine which category of sources, questionable or reliable, causally drives the agenda on vaccines. Then, leveraging deep learning models capable to accurately classify vaccine-related content based on the conveyed stance and discussed topic, respectively, we evaluate the focus on various topics by news sources promoting opposing views and compare the resulting user engagement. Aside from providing valuable resources for further investigation of vaccine-related misinformation, particularly in a language (Italian) that receives less attention in scientific research compared to languages like English, our study uncovers misinformation not as a parasite of the news ecosystem that merely opposes the perspectives offered by mainstream media, but as an autonomous force capable of even overwhelming the production of vaccine-related content from the latter. While the pervasiveness of misinformation is evident in the significantly higher engagement of questionable sources compared to reliable ones, our findings underscore the importance of consistent and thorough pro-vax coverage. This is especially crucial in addressing the most sensitive topics where the risk of misinformation spreading and potentially exacerbating negative attitudes toward vaccines among the users involved is higher

Shedding new light on the organization : an empirical analysis of some key aspects of business organizations

There is a striking difference between the large number of theoretical papers on firm organization and the lack of quantitative empirical evidence. If on the one side economists are increasingly concerned with organization of firms, on the other side organization still remains an ambiguous concept, hardly analyzed empirically. In this thesis I develop a new empirical methodology based upon business history (see Chapter 1) and previous theoretical work which allows me to describe (some aspects of) the organization of firms in quantitative terms. This approach is instrumental to analyzing the hierarchical structure and the allocation of decision-making activities in a sample composed of 438 Italian metalworking plants. I also study the dynamics of firm organization in the 1980s and 1990s. The results of Chapter 2 show that the (static) choice of the organizational form crucially relies upon the "loss of control phenomenon". They also illustrate that the dynamics of hierarchical structure follows an inertial process, characterized by incremental adjustments. Lastly, both the organization and, more interestingly, its evolution differ from one category of plant to another depending crucially on plant size. Moreover, I test (some of) the predictions of economic theory on the size of the management hierarchy (Chapter 3), the allocation of real and formal authority (Chapter 4), and structural inertia (Chapter 6) through the estimates of econometric models (i. e., multinomial logit, ordered logit, and survival). The findings of Chapter 3 show that the plant size, the characteristics (i. e., vintage and extent of use) of the production and communication technology in use, the plant's ownership status (i. e., State versus private ownership, and differences in the nationality of firms to which plants belong) are key in explaining the complexity of a plant's management hierarchy. In addition, in accordance with theoretical work, the findings of Chapter 4 show that the size of a plant's organization, the characteristics of the production and communication technologies in use, the urgency of decisions, and the presence of monetary incentive schemes aligning plant manager's objectives with those of the firm as a whole figure prominently in explaining whether authority is delegated to the plant manager or not. The structural and organizational characteristics of a plant's parent firm do also play a role, with the likelihood of decentralization of decision-making increasing with parent firm's size and decreasing with the adoption by the parent firm of a M-form type of organization. Lastly, the nature of the decision turns out to affect the allocation of formal authority, with decisions concerning the labor force being more frequently delegated to plant managers than those related to investments in capital equipment. On the contrary, it does not influence the allocation of real authority when the formal right to decide remains with the corporate superior. Finally in Chapter 61 find that both influence activities and technology adoptions are key in explaining the evolution of business organizations. Influence activities tend to inhibit organizational change causing structural inertia, whilst the technology adoptions increase the likelihood of changing the structure of the management hierarchy

Unveiling the hidden agenda: Biases in news reporting and consumption

Recognizing the presence and impact of news outlets’ biases on public discourse is a crucial challenge. Biased news significantly shapes how individuals perceive events, potentially jeopardizing public and individual well-being. In assessing news outlet reliability, the focus has predominantly centered on narrative bias, sidelining other biases such as selecting events favoring specific perspectives (selection bias). Leveraging machine learning techniques, we have compiled a six-year dataset of articles related to vaccines, categorizing them based on narrative and event types. Employing a Bayesian latent space model, we quantify both selection and narrative biases in news outlets. Results show third-party assessments align with narrative bias but struggle to identify selection bias accurately. Moreover, extreme and negative perspectives attract more attention, and consumption analysis unveils shared audiences among ideologically similar outlets, suggesting an echo chamber structure. Quantifying news outlets’ selection bias is crucial for ensuring a comprehensive representation of global events in online debates