The CLAIRE visual analytics system for analysing IR evaluation data

In this paper, we describe Combinatorial visuaL Analytics system for Information Retrieval Evaluation (CLAIRE), a Visual Analytics (VA) system for exploring and making sense of the performances of a large amount of Information Retrieval (IR) systems, in order to quickly and intuitively grasp which system configurations are preferred, what are the contributions of the different components and how these components interact together

The Venetic Names of Roman Siscia

This work deals with the proper names attested in the lead tags of Siscia in Pannonia, the territory which, in the author’s view, reveals an intersection of at least four different branches of Indo-European: Latin, Venetic, Celtic, and Illyrian, and thus holds clues to multiple linguistic discoveries. Documents from Siscia contain names of different filiations. While most names are unmistakably Roman, and others are Greek and even Semitic, they also feature some Celtic instances, occasionally never attested before. The author has selected a number of proper names that can be labeled as Italic or, probably unduly, as Venetic, and that have been paid no attention thus far. The linguistic evidence, however limited, shows that these names may tie up well with an Italic series of names and adjectives whose ultimate morphological origins are sometimes disputed. An in-depth analysis of the etymology of these proprial forms that draws a wide range of Indo-European and other related data presents a most convincing testimony of the degree to which the ancient Pannonia was a linguistic patchwork resulting from language contacts between Celtic and Italic peoples with Illyrians. Such an analysis, although far from being exhaustive as to the areal distribution and linguistic attribution of the onomastic data, however, enables the author not only to suggest plausible interpretations for the names under study but also to clarify some specific problems of Indo-European morphology and morphophonemics, as well as to trace some unmanifested ties both within and beyond the Italic language family.Статья посвящена анализу имен собственных, зафиксированных на свинцовых бирках из римской Сисции в П аннонии (ныне Сисак, Хорватия), на территории, где, согласно представлениям автора, имеются свидетельства сосуществования языков, принадлежащих по меньшей мере четырем ветвям индоевропейского праязыка: латинского, венетского, а также кельтских и иллирийских языков. Документы из С исции содержат имена разного происхождения. Большинство из них, несомненно, римские, кроме того, присутствуют имена греческого и семитского происхождения, а также несколько кельтских имен, по всей видимости, нигде более не засвидетельствованных. Из этого корпуса ономастических данных автором отобрано некоторое количество имен, которые могут быть атрибутированы как италийские или венетские и которым до сего момента не было уделено достаточно внимания со стороны лингвистов. Эти единицы, несмотря на свою немногочисленность, находят соответствия в италийских именах и прилагательных с не всегда ясной морфологической структурой. Их анализ, выполненный с привлечением широкого круга как индоевропейских, так и неиндоевропейских данных, позволяет представить, насколько пестрым был языковой ландшафт древней Паннонии, где кельтские и италийские племена контактировали с иллирийцами. Несмотря на то, что требуется дальнейшее уточнение ареальной и языковой атрибуции рассматриваемых имен, представленный анализ позволяет предложить их убедительные этимологические интерпретации, а также пролить свет на отдельные проблемы индоевропейской морфологии и морфонологии и выявить ряд неочевидных языковых связей как внутри, так и за пределами италийской группы языков

Social, ethical and behavioural aspects of COVID-19.

Introduction: Vaccines and drugs for the treatment and prevention of COVID-19 require robust evidence generated from clinical trials before they can be used. Decisions on how to apply non-pharmaceutical interventions such as quarantine, self-isolation, social distancing and travel restrictions should also be based on evidence. There are some experiential and mathematical modelling data for these interventions, but there is a lack of data on the social, ethical and behavioural aspects of these interventions in the literature. Therefore, our study aims to produce evidence to inform (non-pharmaceutical) interventions such as communications, quarantine, self-isolation, social distancing, travel restrictions and other public health measures for the COVID-19 pandemic. Methods: The study will be conducted in the United Kingdom, Italy, Malaysia, Slovenia and Thailand. We propose to conduct 600-1000 quantitative surveys and 25-35 qualitative interviews per country. Data collection will follow the following four themes: (1) Quarantine and self-isolation (2) social distancing and travel restrictions (3) wellbeing and mental health (4) information, misinformation and rumours. In light of limitations of travel and holding in-person meetings, we will primarily use online/remote methods for collecting data. Study participants will be adults who have provided informed consent from different demographic, socio-economic and risk groups. Discussion: At the time of the inception of the study, United Kingdom, Italy, Malaysia, Slovenia and Thailand have initiated strict public health measures and varying degrees of "lockdowns" to curb the pandemic. These public health measures will change in the coming weeks and months depending on the number of cases of COVID-19 in the respective countries. The data generated from our study could inform these strategies in real time

Influence of the number of trials and the exercise to rest ratio in repeated sprint ability, with changes of direction and orientation

The purpose of this investigation was to determine if there were different trends in physical fatigue observed in 3 different sets, of 7 trials each, in repeated sprint training, performed in 3 different modes: straight sprinting over 30 m, shuttle sprinting over 15 + 15 m, and sprinting over 30 m with changes of direction. Recovery time among trials in the sets was administered according to the 1:5 exercise to rest ratio. The sets were performed on 3 different days, with at least 48 hours between each set. The study involved 17 trained male soccer players (height, 177.33 +/- 6.21 cm; body mass, 71.63 +/- 9.58 kg; body mass index, 23 +/- 2.39 kg<bold>m(</bold>-2); age, 21.94 +/- 3.58 years). To compare the different values of the time recorded, an index of fatigue was used. Significant differences among trials within each set (repeated measures analysis of variance; p < 0.05) and between the sets (factorial analysis of variance; p < 0.001) were found. Significant correlations between each test and countermovement jump and stiffness values recorded pre exercise were found (p < 0.05). Significant differences between countermovement jump and stiffness values recorded pre and post exercise were also found (p < 0.05). This study suggests that training sessions aimed at increasing the capacity of repeated sprint ability in nonlinear and multidirectional sprints (shuttle and change of direction), which might imply a different number of trials within the set or different exercise to rest ratios from the ones usually adopted for straight sprinting, to induce similar trends of fatigue. As practical applications, the estimated numbers of necessary trials in the different sets and the possible exercise to rest ratios, resulting from mathematical modeling, are provided for each investigated sprinting mode

Integration of a cold thermal energy storage for air conditioning demand in a CO2 refrigeration system of a supermarket

openThere is a significant transition in supermarket refrigeration, with a strong focus on reducing energy demand and installation costs. Generally, industry processes require cooling the most for short periods every day. The rest of the time, the cooling system runs at partial load with lower efficiency, but it is still designed for the highest capacity. Applying cold thermal energy storage (CTES) technologies, which can deliver some of the cooling during peak times, will reduce peak load demand and will allow for load shifting to periods with low electricity cost, free cooling capacity from the rack or high electricity production from renewable energy sources (e.g. photovoltaic panels). This will also contribute to a more flexible power system, and allow for an increased proportion of power production with variable renewable energy sources. Additionally, these units can also lead to a significant downsizing of the compressor pack, reducing the cooling system capacity. Currently, the air conditioning (AC) in REMA 1000 supermarkets, a leading supermarket chain in Norway, is supplied by a glycol circuit which is cooled by the CO2 (R744) booster refrigeration system. The design capacity of the refrigeration unit must handle all the refrigeration loads and the AC load during the warmest summer day, which results in overcapacity and part load operation for most of the year. This master’s thesis describes and investigates a proposed design for the implementation of a CTES dedicated to AC demand in a supermarket located in the Oslo region. This system aims to substitute the existing glycol circuit towards the air handling unit (AHU). Simulation results demonstrate that CTES offers substantial potential for reducing electrical peak power consumption during the warmest periods. The functioning of the CTES and its impact on the existing refrigeration system were simulated, revealing a peak reduction of up to 32,33%. The load shifting capability is demonstrated, absorbing 31,53% of the daily electricity consumption during the night, when the supermarket is closed, compared to 16,14% considering the instantaneous production of AC with the existing system. Consequently, electricity consumption can be increased by up to 74,8% during the night and decreased by up to 28% during the day. Even though energy savings are not the primary objective of this project, they are achieved by producing and storing energy required for AC during periods when the outdoor temperature is lower, and the coefficient of performance (COP) of the system is higher. The energy savings can reach up to 11,8% during the hottest day. Finally, the economic benefits of the system are assessed under spot pricing and tariff pricing systems, revealing potential electricity cost savings of up to 12,56% and 16,45%, respectively. The main big challenges of this system still remain its economical viability, in terms of payback time, and expanding its utilization during the winter period.There is a significant transition in supermarket refrigeration, with a strong focus on reducing energy demand and installation costs. Generally, industry processes require cooling the most for short periods every day. The rest of the time, the cooling system runs at partial load with lower efficiency, but it is still designed for the highest capacity. Applying cold thermal energy storage (CTES) technologies, which can deliver some of the cooling during peak times, will reduce peak load demand and will allow for load shifting to periods with low electricity cost, free cooling capacity from the rack or high electricity production from renewable energy sources (e.g. photovoltaic panels). This will also contribute to a more flexible power system, and allow for an increased proportion of power production with variable renewable energy sources. Additionally, these units can also lead to a significant downsizing of the compressor pack, reducing the cooling system capacity. Currently, the air conditioning (AC) in REMA 1000 supermarkets, a leading supermarket chain in Norway, is supplied by a glycol circuit which is cooled by the CO2 (R744) booster refrigeration system. The design capacity of the refrigeration unit must handle all the refrigeration loads and the AC load during the warmest summer day, which results in overcapacity and part load operation for most of the year. This master’s thesis describes and investigates a proposed design for the implementation of a CTES dedicated to AC demand in a supermarket located in the Oslo region. This system aims to substitute the existing glycol circuit towards the air handling unit (AHU). Simulation results demonstrate that CTES offers substantial potential for reducing electrical peak power consumption during the warmest periods. The functioning of the CTES and its impact on the existing refrigeration system were simulated, revealing a peak reduction of up to 32,33%. The load shifting capability is demonstrated, absorbing 31,53% of the daily electricity consumption during the night, when the supermarket is closed, compared to 16,14% considering the instantaneous production of AC with the existing system. Consequently, electricity consumption can be increased by up to 74,8% during the night and decreased by up to 28% during the day. Even though energy savings are not the primary objective of this project, they are achieved by producing and storing energy required for AC during periods when the outdoor temperature is lower, and the coefficient of performance (COP) of the system is higher. The energy savings can reach up to 11,8% during the hottest day. Finally, the economic benefits of the system are assessed under spot pricing and tariff pricing systems, revealing potential electricity cost savings of up to 12,56% and 16,45%, respectively. The main big challenges of this system still remain its economical viability, in terms of payback time, and expanding its utilization during the winter period

Heavenly Animation as the Foundation for Fracastoro’s Homocentrism: Aristotelian-Platonic Eclecticism beyond the School of Padua

This essay deals with the ensouled cosmology propounded by the physician and philosopher Girolamo Fracastoro. His Homocentrica sive de stellis (1538), which propounded an astronomy of concentric spheres, was received and discussed by scholars who belonged to the cultural environment of the Padua School. Paduan Aristotelians generally explained heavenly motions in physical terms as the effect of heavenly souls and intelligences. Since the time of the polemics over the immortality of the human soul, which had famously opposed Pomponazzi to Nifo, all psychological discussions—including those about heavenly spheres’ souls—raised heated controversies. In the wake of these controversies, Fracastoro discussed the foundations of his homocentric planetary theory in a dialogue on the immortality of the soul entitled Fracastorius, sive de anima (1555). This work also included a cosmogonic myth which was, however, not published in early-modern editions of the dialogues in order to avoid theological censorship. Fracastoro had already discussed problems of celestial physics and the physical problems linked with mathematical modeling in relation to physical causation in an exchange with Gasparo Contarini which took place in 1531. In this exchange Contarini expressed his doubts over Fracastoro’s lack of consideration of the Aristotelian viewpoints on heavenly souls and intelligences. Fracastoro offered a full account of cosmic animation in his later dialogue ‘on the soul’ by taking a different path than his Paduan teachers and philosophical interlocutors. He picked up the Platonic idea of the world soul, which animates the whole, and freely connected it with Aristotelian views about the ensouled cosmos of concentric spheres. Thus, his cosmology resulted from an eclectic composition of Platonic, Aristotelian and Averroistic elements. He aimed to create a renewed mathematical astronomy that would explain planetary motions as the result of the movements of concentric spheres. Fracastoro grounded this renewed astronomy on an understanding of the cosmos as a living whole. Such an animated homocentric cosmos represented, at the same time, both a development based on Aristotelian premises and a step beyond this legacy

The Venetic Names of Roman Siscia

This work deals with the proper names attested in the lead tags of Siscia in Pannonia, the territory which, in the author’s view, reveals an intersection of at least four different branches of Indo-European: Latin, Venetic, Celtic, and Illyrian, and thus holds clues to multiple linguistic discoveries. Documents from Siscia contain names of different filiations. While most names are unmistakably Roman, and others are Greek and even Semitic, they also feature some Celtic instances, occasionally never attested before. The author has selected a number of proper names that can be labeled as Italic or, probably unduly, as Venetic, and that have been paid no attention thus far. The linguistic evidence, however limited, shows that these names may tie up well with an Italic series of names and adjectives whose ultimate morphological origins are sometimes disputed. An in-depth analysis of the etymology of these proprial forms that draws a wide range of Indo-European and other related data presents a most convincing testimony of the degree to which the ancient Pannonia was a linguistic patchwork resulting from language contacts between Celtic and Italic peoples with Illyrians. Such an analysis, although far from being exhaustive as to the areal distribution and linguistic attribution of the onomastic data, however, enables the author not only to suggest plausible interpretations for the names under study but also to clarify some specific problems of Indo-European morphology and morphophonemics, as well as to trace some unmanifested ties both within and beyond the Italic language family