Named Entity Extraction and Disambiguation: The Reinforcement Effect.

Named entity extraction and disambiguation have received much attention in recent years. Typical fields addressing these topics are information retrieval, natural language processing, and semantic web. Although these topics are highly dependent, almost no existing works examine this dependency. It is the aim of this paper to examine the dependency and show how one affects the other, and vice versa. We conducted experiments with a set of descriptions of holiday homes with the aim to extract and disambiguate toponyms as a representative example of named entities. We experimented with three approaches for disambiguation with the purpose to infer the country of the holiday home. We examined how the effectiveness of extraction influences the effectiveness of disambiguation, and reciprocally, how filtering out ambiguous names (an activity that depends on the disambiguation process) improves the effectiveness of extraction. Since this, in turn, may improve the effectiveness of disambiguation again, it shows that extraction and disambiguation may reinforce each other.\u

THE RAPRESENTATION OF THE TERRITORY OF THE DUCHY OF MODENA AFTER THE RESTORATION: A SYNTHESIS OF THE CARTOGRAPHY PRODUCED BY THE GENIO TOPOGRAFICO ESTENSE

Nella storia della cartografia del Ducato di Modena tre sono le opere fondamentali che hanno apportato significative variazioni tecniche e di rappresentazione del territorio: quella del matematico ed astronomo Giovanni Antonio Magini all’inizio del 1600, quella dell’abate Domenico Vandelli intorno alla metà del 1700 ed infine quelle del Maggiore del Genio Austro-Estense Giuseppe Carandini nella prima metà dell’800. Sull’opera di quest’ultimo si incentra la presente relazione prendendo in esame sia la produzione cartografica “ufficiale” dell’ Ufficio Topografico Estense dal Carandini diretto (che dal 1815 alla metà del secolo produsse un lavoro di rilievo e di elaborazione cartografica del territorio estense di altissimo livello), sia le mappe “derivate” più o meno palesemente da queste. All’inizio della scaletta espositiva viene presentata, come novità assoluta, la prima carta prodotta dall’ Ufficio Topografico: la mappa degli Estensi Dominii, accuratissimo rilievo dell’intero Ducato basantesi sul sistema geodetico francese, a scala 1:100.000 che, data per dispersa durante i moti risorgimentali, è stata recentemente (e fortunosamente) ritrovata. La mappa, divisa in quattro spezzoni ed incollata su tela, presenta un solo foglio stampato (dove per altro è presente il frontespizio) mentre gli altri sono manoscritti e testimonia la grande competenza tecnica raggiunta in pochi anni dai militari Estensi. Le capacità operative dimostrate suscitarono il plauso degli Austriaci al punto da invitare gli ufficiali del Genio modenese alla realizzazione della grande carta in scala 1:28.800 dei possedimenti Imperiali in Italia e degli Stati satelliti (Parma, Modena e Toscana). Da questo ponderoso lavoro derivò anche la Carta militare del Ducato di Modena, meglio conosciuta come “carta Carandini” (presente in un unico esemplare presso l’archivio storico dell’IGM a Firenze), nonché una sua riduzione “commerciale”, la Carta topografica del Ducato di Modena in scala 1:86.400 edita a Vienna nel 1842 ed aggiornata nel 1849, anch’essa oggetto di presentazione di questo lavoro. Frattanto i moti risorgimentali del 1848 permisero ai Piemontesi di venire in possesso dei rilievi Estensi mettendoli in grado di produrre una mappa, a fini essenzialmente militari, dove era presente anche il territorio del Ducato di Modena: la Carta topografica della Lombardia e dei Ducati di Parma e Modena, in scala sempre 1:86.400. Le altre opere derivate dalla “carta del Carandini”, oggetto del presente lavoro, sono la Carta degli Stati Estensi, datata 1847, inserita nella Statistica degli Stati Estensi di C. Roncaglia, ed una meravigliosa carta manoscritta del Ducato al suo tramonto in scala 1:115.200, la Carta Topografica dimostrante i territori dello Stato di Modena, sconosciuta alle bibliografie, opera di un incisore operante a Modena intorno al 1850, Gaetano Raffo.In the history of the cartography of Duchy of Modena the fundamental works having introduced meaningful technical variations in the representation of the territory are just three: the first one is by the mathematician and astronomer Giovanni Magini in the beginning of 1600, the second one is by Domenico Vandelli around in the middle of 18 century and finally the works of the Genio Austro-Estense Corp by Major Giuseppe Carandini in the first middle of1800. On the work of this last one is focused the present relationship which is taking on examination both the "official" cartographic production of the Topographical Office of Estense Army (which from 1815 to the middle of century produced an high-level work of relief and cartographic elaboration of the territory), as the "derived" maps from these works. In the beginning of this report, as absolute novelty, I’m glad to introduce the first produced map by Estense Topographical Office: the map of the Estensi Dominii in Italia, an accurate scale 1:100.000 relief of the whole Duchy of Modena based on the French geodetic system. This work, lost during the fights of Italian Risorgimento, has recently been found again. The map is divided into four massive dissected linen-backed sections and is printed just only in the first part (where the frontispiece is in), while the other ones are manuscripts. This chart testify the great technical competence reached in few years by Estense Topographical Office. These operational abilities aroused the applause of the Austrians till to persuade to invite the officers of the Estense Genio Corp in the team which was working to the realization of the great map (scale 1:28.800) of the Imperial possessiones in Italy and of the satellites States (Parma, Modena and Tuscany). From this ponderous work derived also the military Mappa del Ducato di Modena (Map of the Duchy of Modena), better known as "Carta Carandini" (jus tkept in an only copy in IGM in Florence), as well as a reduction of it printed in Vienna in 1842 and adjourned in 1849 as a "commercial" copy: the Topographical Map of the Duchy of Modena (scale 1:86.400). In the meantime the 1848 Italian fights allowed the Sabaudian Army to get hold of the reliefs of Estense Topographical Office, allowing them in order to produce a military map showing the territory of the Duchy of Modena too: the Carta Topografica della Lombardia e dei Ducati di Parma e Modena (Topographical map of the Lombardy and of the Duchies of Parma and Modena, (always scale 1:86.400). The other works derived by "Carta Carandini", and shown in this work, are: the Carta degli Stati Estensi, (Map of the Estenses states) dated 1847, inserted in Statistica degli Stati Estensi by C. Roncaglia and a marvelous manuscript map of the Duchy in its sunset (scale 1:115.200): the Carta Topografica dimostrante i territori dello Stato di Modena, (Topographic map showing the Modena state territories) unknown to the bibliographies, engraved by Gaetano Raffo, an engraver who worked in Modena around 1850

SOZZINO BENZI, DE SOMNIO. TESTO CRITICO, TRADUZIONE E NOTE

The manuscript Classe II 102 kept in the Ariostea Library of Ferrara represents the only known witness of the De somnio, an unpublished work written in 1546 by the physician Sozzino Benzi from Ferrara. Using the formal model of Dante’s Commedia, the physician tells about a dream in which he sets out with his genius a research journey of happiness through all the degrees of universe, in a speculative ascent animated by love that rises from the contemplation of beauty. Going through the world, the physician observes the images and myths in which had set the great tradition of Ficino’s philosophy of love, and thanks to the incessant mediation of his genius he is constantly urged to understand the symbolical meaning of that language. Pushed by the unceasing wish of new beauty, but unable to go beyond of her physical dimension, the physician reaches the limits of universe without finding any satisfaction, and he understands only thanks to the divine help that the only way to reach happiness is the abandon to the grace. Telling a history of a conversion from the research of a corporeal beauty to the research of true beauty, which is God, Benzi’s work becomes thus a radical criticism of the surrounding cultural reality. Although it is unknown, the De somnio represents a precious witness of the philosophical culture in Ferrara at the middle of XVIth century, and proves the capacity of some characteristic themes of philosophy of love of answering the worries of a period of great political, cultural and religious changes

La "Città-Territorio"

Ferrara is inscribed in the World Heritage List of UNESCO since 1995, according to this criterion: "considering that the site is of outstanding universal value, being a Renaissance city, remarkably planned, which has retained its urban fabric virtually intact and for representing the concept of the "ideal city"… the completion of this project marked the birth of modern town planning and influenced its subsequent development". SInce 1999 UNESCO decided to adjoin the Este ducal residences in the Po Delta, so now the inscription is: "Ferrara, City of the Renaissance and its Po Delta" which illustrate the influence of Renaissance culture on the natural landscape in an exceptional manner. The Delta can be defined a "cultural landscape", an "open air museum" and a "technological landscape" for the presence of castles and rural residences named "delizie", as Belriguardo, Verginese, Mesola, rich from the artistic point of view, and for of the big work of drainage and canalizing until the sea, where the gulf of Goro was supposed to become a big port contrasting the trades of Venice. The Master of land reclamation, Alfonso II was the last of the Este family, so Ferrara and the Delta became part of the Vatican State and all the land works were abandoned

AN EXAMPLE OF HISTORICAL MAPS IN SUPPORT OF A CULTURAL HERITAGE: THE EXHIBITION MAPS OF THE DUCHY OF ESTE IN VILLA CAVAZZA, BOMPORTO (MO)

Nella primavera del 2011, nella splendida cornice di una delle più rappresentative ville del 700 modenese, Villa Cavazza di Bomporto, è stata allestita una interessante mostra di cartografia storica relativa il territorio del Ducato di Modena. Questa esposizione, concepita a corollario di altre importanti iniziative che si sono svolte all’interno della Corte, quali “Florarte” ed il convegno "Storie di eccellenze e sviluppo", ha ottenuto un gratificante successo sia di visitatori che di critica, tanto da ipotizzare un percorso espositivo permanente come evento collaterale delle iniziative primaverili che richiamano all’interno della struttura centinaia di visitatori. La mostra, che come detto non rispondeva solo ad interessi scientifici, si componeva di una settantina di carte geografiche e vedutistiche del territorio Estense e del corso del Po (alcuni pezzi unici) che vanno dalla fine del 1500 all’inizio del secolo scorso e, andando oltre la gratificazione legata al fascino grafico ed estetico delle opere, ha avuto il merito di permettere ad un pubblico di “non addetti ai lavori” di individuare i collegamenti tra l’organizzazione degli spazi storici e l’attuale assetto urbanistico e territoriale locale anche alla luce della ricorrenza dei 150 anni di Unità Nazionale. Le opere, esposte nei suggestivi ambienti della villa secondo un preciso ordine cronologico, sono state, infatti , corredate di schede esplicative del contesto storico-politico dell’epoca onde meglio consentire di cogliere le caratteristiche ed i mutamenti del territorio legati ai cambiamenti sociali, politici e culturali che si sono susseguiti. L’intervento proposto, oltre ad analizzare le più importanti mappe del territorio Estense, ha avuto come “filo rosso” il semplice, ma significativo esempio di felice matrimonio tra arte e informazione cartografica, architettura nobile e paesaggio rurale della bassa modenese.In spring of 2011, in the magnificent setting of one of the most representative 700 Modena Villas, Villa Cavazza di Bomporto, it was held an interesting exhibition of historical maps concerning the territory of the Duchy of Modena. This exhibition was managed during the 150 years anniversary of National Unity of Italy as a corollary of other important initiatives that have taken place within the villa during the spring initiatives. The exhibition, which as mentioned not only responded to scientific interests, consisted of seventy maps and views of Este territory and North Italy as well ranging from the end of 1500 and the beginning of the last century. Otherwise, going beyond the gratification tied to the charm and beauty of graphic works, it had the merit of allowing an audience of "non-experts" to identify links between the organization of space history and the current urban structure. The works exhibited in the evocative atmosphere of the villa, were, in fact, accompanied by explanatory sheets of historical-political context of the time in order better to capture the characteristics and changes of the area. The proposed project, in addition to analyzing the most important maps of the territory , had as "file rouge" the simple but significant example of an happy marriage between art and cartographic information and a noble architecture of Modena countryside

Dai da Ganaceto (Modena) ai da Calaone (Padova) fra conti veronesi, Canossa ed Estensi

Adottando un rigoroso metodo prosopografico, l'autore analizza le vicende di una importante casata aristocratica legata ai Canossa, che tra X e XII secolo giuoca un ruolo di rilievo nella competizione tra i poteri dell'area padano-orientale: le città (Verona, Venezia), la grande aristocrazia di "ufficio" (gli Estensi, i conti di Verona), le istituzioni ecclesiastiche assise sul territorio

Landscape and Agriculture 4.0: A Deep Farm in Italy in the underground of a Public Historical Garden

Each landscape is the result of an encounter with the culture of a community and the physical features of a territory. The conservation of the historical, artistic, and cultural heritage represents a priority for any society that wishes to draw on references for its civil progress. The aim of the present research is to combine the richness of the historical–cultural heritage with innovative forms of agriculture. It focuses on the recovery, in productive terms, of an air-raid shelter used during the SecondWorldWar, located in the center of Varese beneath the Estensi Historical Gardens. The project involves the construction of an underground Vertical Farm (Deep Farm) with the aim of restoring a place of memory, making it more accessible than it is today, and raising public awareness about a new cultivation model. A Deep Farm was designed with a cultivation area in the middle, an educational room, and two hygiene rooms, one at each end of the tunnel. A Vertical Farm was conceived to be shared with local stakeholders to produce vegetables and to foresee an innovative reality in the field of education and tourism. This project has the ambition of representing a model that could be used for similar Italian realities and enhancing meeting places between landscape and modern culture diversities

The politics of magnificence in Ferrara, 1405-1505 : a study in the socio-political implications of the Renaissance spectacle

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