Monitoring Covid-19 contagion growth in Europe. CEPS Working Document No 2020/03, March 2020

We present an econometric model which can be employed to monitor the evolution of the COVID-19 contagion curve. The model is a Poisson autoregression of the daily new observed cases, and can dynamically show the evolution of contagion in different time periods and locations, allowing for the comparative evaluation of policy approaches. We present timely results for nine European countries currently hit by the virus. From the findings, we draw four main conclusions. First, countries experiencing an explosive process (currently France, Italy and Spain), combined with high persistence of contagion shocks (observed in most countries under investigation), require swift policy measures such as quarantine, diffuse testing and even complete lockdown. Second, in countries with high persistence but lower contagion growth (currently Germany) careful monitoring should be coupled with at least “mild” restrictions such as physical distancing or isolation of specific areas. Third, in some countries, such as Norway and Denmark, where trends seem to be relatively under control and depend on daily contingencies, with low persistence, the approach to restrictive measures should be more cautious since there is a risk that social costs outweigh the benefits. Fourth, countries with a limited set of preventive actions in place (such as the Netherlands, Switzerl

Mapping the spatial variation of soil moisture at the large scale using GPR for pavement applications

The characterization of shallow soil moisture spatial variability at the large scale is a crucial issue in many research studies and fields of application ranging from agriculture and geology to civil and environmental engineering. In this framework, this work contributes to the research in the area of pavement engineering for preventing damages and planning effective management. High spatial variations of subsurface water content can lead to unexpected damage of the load-bearing layers; accordingly, both safety and operability of roads become lower, thereby affecting an increase in expected accidents. A pulsed ground-penetrating radar system with ground-coupled antennas, i.e., 600-MHz and 1600-MHz center frequencies of investigation, was used to collect data in a 16 m × 16 m study site in the Po Valley area in northern Italy. Two ground-penetrating radar techniques were employed to non-destructively retrieve the subsurface moisture spatial profile. The first technique is based on the evalu¬ation of the dielectric permittivity from the attenuation of signal amplitudes. Therefore, dielectrics were converted into moisture values using soil-specific coefficients from Topp’s relationship. Ground-penetrating-radar-derived values of soil moisture were then compared with measurements from eight capacitance probes. The second technique is based on the Rayleigh scattering of the signal from the Fresnel theory, wherein the shifts of the peaks of frequency spectra are assumed comprehensive indi¬cators for characterizing the spatial variability of moisture. Both ground-penetrating radar methods have shown great promise for mapping the spatial variability of soil moisture at the large scale

Identification of C-band radio frequency interferences from Sentinel-1 data

We propose the use of Sentinel-1 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) to provide a continuous and global monitoring of Radio Frequency Interferences (RFI) in C-band. We take advantage of the first 8-10 echo measures at the beginning of each burst, a 50-70 MHz wide bandwidth and a ground beam coverage of ~25 km (azimuth) by 70 km (range). Such observations can be repeated with a frequency better than three days, by considering two satellites and both ascending and descending passes. These measures can be used to qualify the same Sentinel-1 (S1) dataset as well as to monitor the availability and the use of radio frequency spectrum for present and future spaceborne imagers and for policy makers. In the paper we investigate the feasibility and the limits of this approach, and we provide a first Radio Frequency Interference (RFI) map with continental coverage over Europe

Ballooning, bulging, and necking: An exact solution for longitudinal phase separation in elastic systems near a critical point.

Prominent examples of longitudinal phase separation in elastic systems include elastic necking, the propagation of a bulge in a cylindrical party balloon, and the beading of a gel fiber subject to surface tension. Here we demonstrate that if the parameters of such a system are tuned near a critical point (where the difference between the two phases vanishes), then the behavior of all systems is given by the minimization of a simple and universal elastic energy familiar from Ginzburg-Landau theory in an external field. We minimize this energy analytically, which yields not only the well known interfacial tanh solution, but also the complete set of stable and unstable solutions in both finite and infinite length systems, unveiling the elastic system's full shape evolution and hysteresis. Correspondingly, we also find analytic results for the the delay of onset, changes in criticality, and ultimate suppression of instability with diminishing system length, demonstrating that our simple near-critical theory captures much of the complexity and choreography of far-from-critical systems. Finally, we find critical points for the three prominent examples of phase separation given above, and demonstrate how each system then follows the universal set of solutions.UKRI, EPSR

Dessert freddi: criteri per la loro classificazione [Cold dessert: criteria for their classification]

The expression “cold desserts” names a heterogeneous group of sweet products, which includes gelati, ice cream, pudding, mousse and more. The present work develop an inventory of all the sweet products falling under the definition of “cold desserts”. To reach this aim, several databases (Mintel GNPD), pastry’s books, industrial, as well as artisanal, products are going to be consulted. Moreover, the research has the objective to advance a rational organization of the sweet products comprised by the “cold dessert”’s definition. Thanks to such a logical organization, it will be possible to develop homogenous groupings of products, according to their characteristics. The variables with the greatest discriminating and grouping power employed in this research are: the product’s temperature of consumption, its structure, and the modalities through which it incorporates the air. The main difference between industrial and artisanal gelato is indeed in the modalities through which the air is incorporated in the products and in their consequently different rheological properties

SYMBOL MODEL DATABASE and ANALYSES for PUBLIC FINANCE SUSTAINABILITY

In the present report, we describe the main steps we have taken in order to create a sound database for the European Union Member States banking system. The final goal is to use this database as source for input variables of SYMBOL (SYstemic Model of Banking Originated Losses) model, developed by the Join Research Centre of Ispra in cooperation with the European Commission Direcotrate General for Internal Market and Services and experts from academia, for monitoring financial crises. SYMBOL simulates potential crises in the banking sector under various assumptions, and it allows assessing the cumulative effects of different regulatory measures (e.g. higher capital requirements, strengthened deposit insurance and introduction of resolution funds) and their most effective combinations. It uses items in bank's balance sheet to estimate the potential losses for a given banking system via a Monte Carlo analysis. The model is flexible and can be deployed either on a single country or on a set of financial institutions sharing common features. The report also shows an application of SYMBOL for assessing the impact on public finance of a crisis in the baning sector and compares the current regulatory framework with a future scenario where the new capital requirements set in Basel III and an effective framework for bank resolution are in place.JRC.G.1-Scientific Support to Financial Analysi

Pre-Flight SAOCOM-1A SAR Performance Assessment by Outdoor Campaign

In the present paper, we describe the design, execution, and the results of an outdoor experimental campaign involving the Engineering Model of the first of the two Argentinean L-band Synthetic Aperture Radars (SARs) of the Satelite Argentino de Observacion con Microondas (SAOCOM) mission, SAOCOM-1A. The experiment's main objectives were to test the end-to-end SAR operation and to assess the instrument amplitude and phase stability as well as the far-field antenna pattern, through the illumination of a moving target placed several kilometers away from the SAR. The campaign was carried out in Bariloche, Argentina, during June 2016. The experiment was successful, demonstrating an end-to-end readiness of the SAOCOM-SAR functionality in realistic conditions. The results showed an excellent SAR signal quality in terms of amplitude and phase stability

Unveiling Human-AI Interaction and Subjective Perceptions About Artificial Intelligent Agents

This work focuses on human-AI interactions, employing a crowd-based methodology to collect and assess the reactions and perceptions of a human audience to a dialogue between a human and an artificial intelligent agent. The study is conducted through a live streaming platform where human streamers broadcast interviews to a custom-made GPT voice interface. The questions extracted from the dialogues were categorized based on emotional and cognitive criteria. Our method covers thematic, emotional, and sentiment analyses of the comments platform users shared during the interview. This work aims to contribute to Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and Human-Centered AI, emphasizing the need for a paradigm shift in AI research from focusing on technological development to considering its impact on human beings

Trends and Patterns in the Nexus Between Social Entrepreneurship and Social Innovation: a Bibliometric Review and Research Agenda

Scholars’ interest in social entrepreneurship (SE) and social innovation (SI) has been growing in recent decades. Despite the literature’s contribution to the scientific maturity of these fields via rigorous bibliometric reviews, whether social innovation occurs within social entrepreneurship is still unclear. The extant reviews also remain limited by their use of traditional bibliometric indicators. We therefore address these theoretical and methodological limitations via a bibliometric analysis of the intersection of these two theoretical domains, combining co-citation analysis, historiography, and bibliographic coupling. Demonstrating the recent theoretical evolution of social innovation research under the social entrepreneurship umbrella, we document the beginning of a new trend that can open new research pathways. Thus, we contribute to academic research by documenting the theoretical developments, clusters, and groups of interests at the intersection of SE and SI. Finally, our suggestions for future research may support the proliferation of and cross-pollination among these studies