Can music be figurative? Exploring the possibility of crossmodal similarities between music and visual arts

According to both experimental research and common sense, classical music is a better fit for figurative art than jazz. We hypothesize that similar fits may reflect underlying crossmodal structural similarities between music and painting genres. We present two preliminary studies aimed at addressing our hypothesis. Experiment 1 tested the goodness of the fit between two music genres (classical and jazz) and two painting genres (figurative and abstract). Participants were presented with twenty sets of six paintings (three figurative, three abstract) viewed in combination with three sound conditions: 1) silence, 2) classical music, or 3) jazz. While figurative paintings scored higher aesthetic appreciation than abstract ones, a gender effect was also found: the aesthetic appreciation of paintings in male participants was modulated by music genre, whilst music genre did not affect the aesthetic appreciation in female participants. Our results support only in part the notion that classical music enhances the aesthetic appreciation of figurative art. Experiment 2 aimed at testing whether the conceptual categories ‘figurative’ and ‘abstract’ can be extended also to music. In session 1, participants were first asked to classify 30 paintings (10 abstract, 10 figurative, 10 ambiguous that could fit either category) as abstract or figurative and the to rate them for pleasantness; in session 2 participants were asked to classify 40 excerpts of music (20 classical, 20 jazz) as abstract or figurative and to rate them for pleasantness. Paintings which were clearly abstract or figurative were all classified accordingly, while the majority of ambiguous paintings were classified as abstract. Results also show a gender effect for painting’s pleasantness: female participants rated higher ambiguous and abstract paintings. More interestingly, results show an effect of music genre on classification, showing that it is possible to classify music as figurative or abstract, thus supporting the hypothesis of cross-modal similarities between the two sensory-different artistic expressions

Halal Logistics: Halal Integrity and Legal Enforcement Challenges

This is a review paper on the topic of halal logistic in relation to halal integrity and legal enforcement challenges. With the increased potential on halal logistic in the global and local market, there is a need towards maintaining and upholding the halal integrity of the business. This study shall focus on discovering the challenges on halal logistic industry and finding the means of improving the situation which causing a lot of concern. Moreover, the country must not miss out on this opportunities of maximizing the lucrative business in halal logistic to have a better economic and social upgrade as with this opportunity, there is a possibility of raising the standard of living of the local population with the creation of job employment in the halal logistic market. This study is based on the previous literature reviews and local halal forums/talks. The idea of this research study is to seek scholastic understanding of challenges of halal integrity in the logistic sector. This is an opportunity for the authors to contribute to the knowledge on halal logistic specifically on the better understanding of local halal legal enforcement issues by referring to the current reported news. Hence, emphasis on the problems faced by local authorities in enforcing the legal system to protect the halal logistic integrity

Halal Logistics: Halal Integrity and Legal Enforcement Challenges

This is a review paper on the topic of halal logistic in relation to halal integrity and legal enforcement challenges. With the increased potential on halal logistic in the global and local market, there is a need towards maintaining and upholding the halal integrity of the business. This study shall focus on discovering the challenges on halal logistic industry and finding the means of improving the situation which causing a lot of concern. Moreover, the country must not miss out on this opportunities of maximizing the lucrative business in halal logistic to have a better economic and social upgrade as with this opportunity, there is a possibility of raising the standard of living of the local population with the creation of job employment in the halal logistic market. This study is based on the previous literature reviews and local halal forums/talks. The idea of this research study is to seek scholastic understanding of challenges of halal integrity in the logistic sector. This is an opportunity for the authors to contribute to the knowledge on halal logistic specifically on the better understanding of local halal legal enforcement issues by referring to the current reported news. Hence, emphasis on the problems faced by local authorities in enforcing the legal system to protect the halal logistic integrity

Size Evolution of Ordered SiGe Islands Grown by Surface Thermal Diffusion on Pit-Patterned Si(100) Surface

The ordered growth of self-assembled SiGe islands by surface thermal diffusion in ultra high vacuum from a lithographically etched Ge stripe on pit-patterned Si(100) surface has been experimentally investigated. The total surface coverage of Ge strongly depends on the distance from the source stripe, as quantitatively verified by Scanning Auger Microscopy. The size distribution of the islands as a function of the Ge coverage has been studied by coupling atomic force microscopy scans with Auger spectro-microscopy data. Our observations are consistent with a physical scenario where island positioning is essentially driven by energetic factors, which predominate with respect to the local kinetics of diffusion, and the growth evolution mainly depends on the local density of Ge atoms

D6.2 Evaluation on project results related to a number of models and roadmaps

This deliverable is one in a series of three reports that are looking into regulatory aspects of implementation of methodologies and coordination schemes developed in the SmartNet project, with the aim to facilitate integration of significant levels of Distributed Energy Resources (DERs) into the network and their participation in provision of AS at both transmission and distribution levels. This requires new market/trading architectures and operational arrangements that will affect networks at both transmission and distributions levels as well as the interface between these networks. The aim of the SmartNet project is to provide architectures for optimized interaction between TSOs and DSOs in managing the exchange of information for the acquisition of ancillary services (reserve and balancing, voltage regulation, congestion management) from DER located in distribution networks. The main project results include the technical-economic assessment of a set of five TSO-DSO Coordination Schemes (CSs) with their market architecture. This is done through the set-up of a new simulation platform and ad-hoc national scenarios at 2030 aimed at assessing the operation of the proposed schemes so as to feed a cost-benefit analysis. The five proposed CSs are: • Centralized AS market • Local AS market • Shared balancing responsibility • Common TSO-DSO AS market • Integrated flexibility market. The different coordination schemes all have specific benefits and attention points related to the TSO and/or DSO grid operation, other market participants and the functioning of the market in general. In addition, implementation of or transition from one to another Coordination Schemes will require a significant change in roles and responsibilities, which are assigned to the central market actors. As already mentioned, in order to carry out the technical-economic comparison of the different CSs, a large-scale simulator, has been developed to realistically model the behaviour of complex systems which include transmission and distribution networks, bidding and market processes, as well as fundamental physics behind each flexible device connected to the system. This simulator includes three main layers: • Market Layer – representing the mFRR market • Bidding Layer – representing aggregation and disaggregation processes • Physical Layer – physical network including controls and protections and aFRR regulation The main objective of this report is to present the regulatory trends and stakeholders’ position on several issues, which the project considers to be essential for the definition of a well-functioning TSO-DSO interaction. To facilitate this analysis, we have identified 25 main issues, here referred to as topics of interest, which are associated with solutions and assumptions implemented in each of the simulator layers. These topics have been evaluated in a comprehensive screening study, based on more than 40 different documents such as position papers, strategies, roadmaps and legislation/regulation (EU Directives, Network guidelines, national regulatory Decisions). A general conclusion from the review is that EU regulations are not directly addressing several of the topics identified by SmartNet, i.e. crucial topics for large-scale utilisation of Distributed Energy Resources in ancillary services, as for example timing of the markets. Without common EU regulations different solutions will develop in the distribution areas, the most diverse and non-harmonized solutions will be implemented in agreement between DSOs and adjoining TSO (e.g. nation- or region-wise under influence of TSO). This will not necessarily hamper the utilisation of local flexibility in the transmission grids, but it will certainly make more difficult the development towards cross-border utilisation of distributed energy resources. The final conclusions and recommendations will be presented in deliverable D6.3. The preliminary impression is that hardly any of the present or proposed regulation is explicitly in contrast to the hypotheses at the basis of the SmartNet work. However, for one topic, the EU legislation is somewhat different with configuration of SmartNet coordination schemes. For incorporating bottlenecks into the pricing, SmartNet selected to use nodal market organisation for ancillary services, European architectures (unlike the US implementations) implement a zonal organisation. When it comes to the stakeholders' opinions, currently the situation is that ENTSO-E suggests that all congestion management needs, both for TSOs and DSOs, should be fulfilled by a common bid submission process from providers of distributed flexibility resources [18] in document "Distributed Flexibility and the value of TSO/DSO cooperation". A common process will among other ensure liquidity of the market [18]. ENTSO-E supports a common centralized solution for three system and grid services: • For electricity balancing from Frequency Restoration Reserves and Replacement Reserves. • For internal or cross-border congestion management in the transmission network • For congestion management in the distribution network Disregarding the selected approach (centralised or not) it is advised by ENTSO-E [18] that the market design should allow both DSOs and TSOs to set limitations and to activate flexibility resources based on the connection point of the resource as it is advised by ENTSO-E. On the other hand “TSO-DSO data management report1” [13] mentions different points of attention coming from DSOs and TSOs, where DSOs are essentially concerned about possible misalignments of actions between TSOs, DSOs and other market players, which could lead to loss of control over the distribution grid and drive inefficient grid expansion. DSOs think that certain balancing actions could be delegated to them to procure balancing services on their network as a subsidiary activity to support TSOs (see page 15 in [13])

Performance studies of the Belle II Silicon Vertex Detector with data taken at the DESY test beam in April 2016

Belle II is a multipurpose detector currently under construction which will be operated at the next generation B-factory SuberKEKB in Japan. Its main devices for the vertex reconstruction are the Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) and the Pixel Detector (PXD). In April 2016 a sector of the Belle II SVD and PXD have been tested in a beam of high energetic electrons at the test beam facility at DESY Hamburg (Germany). We report here the results for the hit efficiency estimation and the measurement of the resolution for the Belle II silicon vertex etector. We find that the hit efficiencies are on average above 99.5% and that the measured resolution is within the expectations

Performance studies of the Belle II Silicon Vertex Detector with data taken at the DESY test beam in April 2016

Belle II is a multipurpose detector currently under construction which will be operated at the next generation B-factory SuberKEKB in Japan. Its main devices for the vertex reconstruction are the Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) and the Pixel Detector (PXD). In April 2016 a sector of the Belle II SVD and PXD have been tested in a beam of high energetic electrons at the test beam facility at DESY Hamburg (Germany). We report here the results for the hit efficiency estimation and the measurement of the resolution for the Belle II silicon vertex etector. We find that the hit efficiencies are on average above 99.5% and that the measured resolution is within the expectations

The Belle II SVD detector

The Silicon Vertex Detector (SVD) is one of the main detectors in the Belle II experiment at KEK, Japan. In combination with a pixel detector, the SVD determines precise decay vertex and low-momentum track reconstruction. The SVD ladders are being developed at several institutes. For the development of the tracking algorithm as well as the performance estimation of the ladders, beam tests for the ladders were performed. We report an overview of the SVD development, its performance measured in the beam test, and the prospect of its assembly and commissioning until installation

Pathogenicity of GI-23 avian infectious bronchitis virus strain isolated in Brazil.

Abstract: IBV variants belonging to the GI-23 lineage have circulated since 1998 in the Middle East and have spread to several countries over time. In Brazil, the first report of GI-23 occurred in 2022. The study aimed to evaluate the in vivo pathogenicity of exotic variant GI-23 isolates. Biological samples were screening by real-time RT-PCR and classified in to GI-1 or G1-11 lineages. Interestingly, 47.77% were not classified in these lineages. Nine of the unclassified strains were sequenced and showed a high similarity to the GI-23 strain. All nine were isolated and three, were studied for pathogenicity. At necropsy, the main observations were the presence of mucus in the trachea and congestion in the tracheal mucosa. In addition, lesions on the tracheas showed marked ciliostasis, and the ciliary activity confirmed the high pathogenicity of isolates. This variant is highly pathogenic to the upper respiratory tract and can cause severe kidney lesions. This study confirm a circulation of GI-23 strain in the country and report, to first time, the isolation of an exotic variant of IBV in Brazil

A Proposal for a Three Detector Short-Baseline Neutrino Oscillation Program in the Fermilab Booster Neutrino Beam

A Short-Baseline Neutrino (SBN) physics program of three LAr-TPC detectors located along the Booster Neutrino Beam (BNB) at Fermilab is presented. This new SBN Program will deliver a rich and compelling physics opportunity, including the ability to resolve a class of experimental anomalies in neutrino physics and to perform the most sensitive search to date for sterile neutrinos at the eV mass-scale through both appearance and disappearance oscillation channels. Using data sets of 6.6e20 protons on target (P.O.T.) in the LAr1-ND and ICARUS T600 detectors plus 13.2e20 P.O.T. in the MicroBooNE detector, we estimate that a search for muon neutrino to electron neutrino appearance can be performed with ~5 sigma sensitivity for the LSND allowed (99% C.L.) parameter region. In this proposal for the SBN Program, we describe the physics analysis, the conceptual design of the LAr1-ND detector, the design and refurbishment of the T600 detector, the necessary infrastructure required to execute the program, and a possible reconfiguration of the BNB target and horn system to improve its performance for oscillation searches.Comment: 209 pages, 129 figure