Using choreographies to support the gamification process on the development of an application to reduce electricity costs

Building automation systems contribute to reduce electricity costs by managing distributed energy resources in an efficient way. However, a large share of consumption cannot be optimized through automation alone, since it mainly depends on human interactions. Gamification can be used as one form of changing users’ behaviours [1], but its implementation does require assumptions on the behaviour patterns that need to be identified, encouraged, or discouraged. To tackle this problem, we propose a framework that joins building automation solutions with gamification techniques to enable behavioural demand response.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Prediction of severe thunderstorm events with ensemble deep learning and radar data

The problem of nowcasting extreme weather events can be addressed by applying either numerical methods for the solution of dynamic model equations or data-driven artificial intelligence algorithms. Within this latter framework, the most used techniques rely on video prediction deep learning methods which take in input time series of radar reflectivity images to predict the next future sequence of reflectivity images, from which the predicted rainfall quantities are extrapolated. Differently from the previous works, the present paper proposes a deep learning method, exploiting videos of radar reflectivity frames as input and lightning data to realize a warning machine able to sound timely alarms of possible severe thunderstorm events. The problem is recast in a classification one in which the extreme events to be predicted are characterized by a an high level of precipitation and lightning density. From a technical viewpoint, the computational core of this approach is an ensemble learning method based on the recently introduced value-weighted skill scores for both transforming the probabilistic outcomes of the neural network into binary predictions and assessing the forecasting performance. Such value-weighted skill scores are particularly suitable for binary predictions performed over time since they take into account the time evolution of events and predictions paying attention to the value of the prediction for the forecaster. The result of this study is a warning machine validated against weather radar data recorded in the Liguria region, in Italy

Characterisation of large changes in wind power for the day-ahead market using a fuzzy logic approach

Wind power has become one of the renewable resources with a major growth in the electricity market. However, due to its inherent variability, forecasting techniques are necessary for the optimum scheduling of the electric grid, specially during ramp events. These large changes in wind power may not be captured by wind power point forecasts even with very high resolution Numerical Weather Prediction (NWP) models. In this paper, a fuzzy approach for wind power ramp characterisation is presented. The main benefit of this technique is that it avoids the binary definition of ramp event, allowing to identify changes in power out- put that can potentially turn into ramp events when the total percentage of change to be considered a ramp event is not met. To study the application of this technique, wind power forecasts were obtained and their corresponding error estimated using Genetic Programming (GP) and Quantile Regression Forests. The error distributions were incorporated into the characterisation process, which according to the results, improve significantly the ramp capture. Results are presented using colour maps, which provide a useful way to interpret the characteristics of the ramp events

Gallarija

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Minn qiegħ l-għammieq ta’ F. X. Mangion – Kana ta’ J. P. Vassallo – Ċekoslovakkja ta’ Amante Buontempo – L-uċuħ kollha ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Jien naf ta’ Oliver Friggieri – Ħdejn il-baħar ta’ Alfred Massa – Għodwa sajfija ta’ Alfred Massa – Odysseus ta’ J. P. Vassallo – Gallarija ta’ Albert M. Cassola.peer-reviewe

Stedina ta’ tfajjel

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: “Fruili” Mejju 1976 ta’ Jane Cortis – Lilek Ranċisa! ta’ Wallace Ph. Gulia – Papà ġdid ta’ Ġużè Diacono – Priżma ta’ Victor Apap – Leħen is-sewwa ta’ A. M. – Dik ix-xagħra! ta’ Emmanwel F. Attard – Bewsa ta’ Mario F. Bezzina – Stedina ta’ tfajjel ta’ Albert M. Cassola.peer-reviewe

Lil Rużar Briffa

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Fil-mewt tat-tabib Rużar Briffa ta’ Ġużè Chetcuti – Fil-mewt ta’ Rużar Briffa ta’ P. Valentin Barbara – Lil Rużar ta’ qalbi ta’ Ġorġ Pisani – Poeżiji ta’ Rużar Briffa mhux ippubblikati – Vjolin Marid – Il-każin Malti – Frammenti – Il-ħmar – Lil Rużar Briffa, il-ġenna ta’ Albert M. Cassola – Kellimni fuq Rużar ta’ Ġużè Cardona – Lil F.S. Caruana ta’ R. Briffa – Lil Rużar Briffa ta’ F.S. Caruana.peer-reviewe

Impact of social determinants on antiretroviral therapy access and outcomes entering the era of universal treatment for people living with HIV in Italy

Background: Social determinants are known to be a driving force of health inequalities, even in high income countries. Aim of our study was to determine if these factors can limit antiretroviral therapy (ART) access, outcome and retention in care of people living with HIV (PLHIV) in Italy. Methods: All ART naïve HIV+ patients (pts) of Italian nationality enrolled in the ICONA Cohort from 2002 to 2016 were included. The association of socio-demographic characteristics (age, sex, risk factor for HIV infection, educational level, occupational status and residency area) with time to: ART initiation (from the first positive anti-HIV test), ART regimen discontinuation, and first HIV-RNA < 50 cp/mL, were evaluated by Cox regression analysis, Kaplan Meier method and log-rank test. Results: A total of 8023 HIV+ pts (82% males, median age at first pos anti-HIV test 36 years, IQR: 29-44) were included: 6214 (77.5%) started ART during the study period. Women, people who inject drugs (PWID) and residents in Southern Italy presented the lowest levels of education and the highest rate of unemployment compared to other groups. Females, pts aged > 50 yrs., unemployed vs employed, and people with lower educational levels presented the lowest CD4 count at ART initiation compared to other groups. The overall median time to ART initiation was 0.6 years (yrs) (IQR 0.1-3.7), with a significant decrease over time [2002-2006 = 3.3 yrs. (0.2-9.4); 2007-2011 = 1.0 yrs. (0.1-3.9); 2012-2016 = 0.2 yrs. (0.1-2.1), p < 0.001]. By multivariate analysis, females (p < 0.01) and PWID (p < 0.001), presented a longer time to ART initiation, while older people (p < 0.001), people with higher educational levels (p < 0.001), unemployed (p = 0.02) and students (p < 0.001) were more likely to initiate ART. Moreover, PWID, unemployed vs stable employed, and pts. with lower educational levels showed a lower 1-year probability of achieving HIV-RNA suppression, while females, older patients, men who have sex with men (MSM), unemployed had higher 1-year risk of first-line ART discontinuation. Conclusions: Despite median time to ART start decreased from 2002 to 2016, socio-demographic factors still contribute to disparities in ART initiation, outcome and durability

Twelid ta’ poeżija

Ġabra ta’ poeżiji u proża li tinkludi: Mhux hekk? ta’ E. Attard – Il-ħarufa ta’ l-Għid ta’ Pawlu Mifsud – Fl-għaxija ta’ P. P. Theuma – Fariżina ta’ Charles Coleiro – Bott vojt ta’ E. Attard – Lill-poeti ta’ Albert M. Cassola – Daqsxejn ta’ annimal.....imbagħad tgħid! ta’ Manwel F. Attard – Relatività ta’ Wallace Ph. Gulia – Fantasija u realtà ta’ Spiro Buhagiar – Twelid ta’ poeżija ta’ Manwel Nicholas Borg.peer-reviewe

An observational comparison of first-line combination antiretroviral treatment (cART) with 2NRTI and ATV/r or DRV/r in HIV-infected patients in Italy

INTRODUCTION: In a recent clinical trial (ACTG 5257), no difference in viral failure (VF) of a first-line cART containing atazanavir/r (ATV/r) or darunavir/r (DRV/r) was found [1]. For the endpoint of discontinuation due to intolerance, the regimen with DRV/r was superior to that of ATV/r (49% of the stops of ATV/r were attributed to jaundice or hyperbilirubinemia). These and other intolerances to ATV/r remain a concern for clinicians. METHODS: Participants in the ICONA Foundation Study who started cART with 2NRTI+ ATV/r or DRV/r while ART-na\uefve were included. Several endpoints were evaluated: confirmed VF>200 copies/mL after six months of therapy, discontinuation of DRV/r or ATV/r for any reasons or because of intolerance/toxicity (as reported by the treating physician) and the combined endpoint of VF or stop. Survival analysis with Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression model stratified by clinical site was used. Patients' follow-up accrued from cART initiation to the date of the event or to the date of last available visit/viral load. RESULTS: 894 patients starting 2NRTI+ATV/r and 686 2NRTI+DRV/r when ART-na\uefve on average in 2011 (IQR: 2010-2012) were studied. Most common NRTIs used were FTC/TDF (84%) and ABC/3TC (12%). Median age was 40 years, 22% females, 44% heterosexuals. Patients starting ATV/r were more likely to be hepatitis B/C infected (2% and 14% vs 1% and 9%, p=0.001), they started one year earlier (2011 vs 2012, p=0.001), were more likely to be enrolled in sites located in the north of Italy (63% vs 54%, p=0.04), started cART less promptly after HIV diagnosis (5 vs 2 months, p=0.02) and less likely to have started TDF/FTC (83% vs 85%, p=0.02). By two years of cART, 9.8% (95% CI 7.6-12.0) of those starting ATV/r experienced discontinuation due to intolerance/toxicity vs 6.5% in DRV/r group (95% CI 4.2-8.8, p=0.04). After controlling for several potential confounders (age, gender, nation of birth, mode of HIV transmission, hepatitis co-infection status, AIDS diagnosis, nucleoside pair started, baseline CD4 count and viral load and year of starting cART) the relative hazard (RH) for ATV/r vs DRV/r was 2.01 (95% CI 1.23, 3.28, p=0.005). There were no statistical differences detected for any of the other outcomes. CONCLUSIONS: Although unmeasured confounding cannot be ruled out, our results seem to be consistent with those of the ACTG 5257. When all cause discontinuations were considered, or the composite endpoint of treatment failure, there was no difference between ATV/r- and DRV/r-based regimens