Optimization-based assisted calibration of traffic simulation models

Use of traffic simulation has increased in recent decades; and this high-fidelity modelling, along with moving vehicle animation, has allowed transportation decisions to be made with better confidence. During this time, traffic engineers have been encouraged to embrace the process of calibration, in which steps are taken to reconcile simulated and field-observed performance. According to international surveys, experts, and conventional wisdom, existing (non-automated) methods of calibration have been difficult or inadequate. There has been extensive research on improved calibration methods, but many of these efforts have not produced the flexibility and practicality required by real-world engineers. With this in mind, a patent-pending (US 61/859,819) architecture for software-assisted calibration was developed to maximize practicality, flexibility, and ease-of-use. This architecture is called SASCO (i.e. Sensitivity Analysis, Self-Calibration, and Optimization). The original optimization method within SASCO was based on "directed brute force" (DBF) searching; performing exhaustive evaluation of alternatives in a discrete, user-defined search space. Simultaneous Perturbation Stochastic Approximation (SPSA) has also gained favor as an efficient method for optimizing computationally expensive, "black-box" traffic simulations, and was also implemented within SASCO. This paper uses synthetic and real-world case studies to assess the qualities of DBF and SPSA, so they can be applied in the right situations. SPSA was found to be the fastest method, which is important when calibrating numerous inputs, but DBF was more reliable. Additionally DBF was better than SPSA for sensitivity analysis, and for calibrating complex inputs. Regardless of which optimization method is selected, the SASCO architecture appears to offer a new and practice-ready level of calibration efficiency. (C) 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.Hale, DK.; Antoniou, C.; Brackstone, M.; Michalaka, D.; Moreno Chou, AT.; Parikh, K. (2015). Optimization-based assisted calibration of traffic simulation models. Transportation Research Part C: Emerging Technologies. 55:100-115. doi:10.1016/j.trc.2015.01.018S1001155

In silico assessment of nanoparticle toxicity powered by the Enalos Cloud Platform:Integrating automated machine learning and synthetic data for enhanced nanosafety evaluation

The rapid advance of nanotechnology has led to the development and widespread application of nanomaterials, raising concerns regarding their potential adverse effects on human health and the environment. Traditional (experimental) methods for assessing the nanoparticles (NPs) safety are time-consuming, expensive, and resource-intensive, and raise ethical concerns due to their reliance on animals. To address these challenges, we propose an in silico workflow that serves as an alternative or complementary approach to conventional hazard and risk assessment strategies, which incorporates state-of-the-art computational methodologies. In this study we present an automated machine learning (autoML) scheme that employs dose-response toxicity data for silver (Ag), titanium dioxide (TiO2), and copper oxide (CuO) NPs. This model is further enriched with atomistic descriptors to capture the NPs’ underlying structural properties. To overcome the issue of limited data availability, synthetic data generation techniques are used. These techniques help in broadening the dataset, thus improving the representation of different NP classes. A key aspect of this approach is a novel three-step applicability domain method (which includes the development of a local similarity approach) that enhances user confidence in the results by evaluating the prediction's reliability. We anticipate that this approach will significantly expedite the nanosafety assessment process enabling regulation to keep pace with innovation, and will provide valuable insights for the design and development of safe and sustainable NPs. The ML model developed in this study is made available to the scientific community as an easy-to-use web-service through the Enalos Cloud Platform (www.enaloscloud.novamechanics.com/sabydoma/safenanoscope/), facilitating broader access and collaborative advancements in nanosafety.</p

Μαγγελάνος (ιταλ. Magellano) / Fabio Turchetti και Luca Congedo

Μετάφραση από τα ιταλικά θεατρικού έργο των Fabio Turchetti και Luca Congedo  βασισμένο σε χειρόγραφο του Antonio Pigafetta, με τίτλο “Relazione del primo viaggio intorno al mondo”, όπου περιγράφεται λεπτομερώς η πρώτη αποστολή περίπλου της Γης του Μαγγελάνου. Στόχος του κειμένου είναι η ανάδειξη του συναισθηματικού κόσμου και της εσωτερικής πάλης που βίωσε ο Μαγγελάνος ανάμεσα στις καθιερωμένες αξίες που είχε ο ίδιος ως Ευρωπαίος πολίτης του 16ου αι. και στην επαφή του με το διαφορετικό του νέου κόσμου που ανακαλύπτει.  Το έργο μεταφράστηκε για τις ανάγκες μουσικοθεατρικής παράστασης  που δόθηκε στα Ιωάννινα, με την υποστήριξη του Πνευματικού Κέντρου Ιωαννίνων και της Περιφέρειας της Απουλίας (Ιταλία) με τη συμμετοχή των: Luca Congedo, Fabio Turchetti, Vincenzo Urso, Hermes Mangialardo και Ελένης Σοκορέλη

Fluid-rock interaction at the backstop to the Mediterranean Ridge Accretionary Complex South of Crete : R/V SONNE Cruise Report SO278 : Emden (Germany), 12.10.2020 - Emden (Germany), 01.12.2020 : FRINGE

The research cruise to the Eastern Mediterranean (GPF-18-2-40) originally planned on RV METEOR was relocated to RV SONNE (Fig. 1.2) due to the reduced number of scientists as part of the corona pandemic. The main objective of the Bremen Ocean Cluster expedition (DFG, EXC2077) was to investigate the interactions between the seabed and ocean water in Greek waters, whereby the plate tectonic constellation of a broad collision zone represents a special tectonic drive. A secondary goal was the sampling of the Sartori mud volcano, which is being processed in Italian waters as part of a separate DFG project and for which the GPF granted an additional permit for ship time (GPF 20-1_054). The expedition began on 12 October in Emden/Germany and ended on 01 December 2020, in Emden. Investigations on mud volcanoes were carried out divided into 3 working areas (Fig. 1.1, the Sartori mud volcano in the Calabrian arc, the so-called Cobblestone Area, the Olimpi mud volcano field including the United Nation Ridge). With the MARUM AUV SEAL (Fig. 1.3) 11 dives were successfully carried out to create high-resolution detailed maps of certain seafloor structures. A total of 38 gravity cores (Fig. 1.4), 30 multicorers (Fig. 1.5) and 4 minicorers were used for sampling sediments and 6 CTD stations for sampling methane in the water column. Furthermore, 10 profiles were carried out with the heat flow lance and 5 observation profiles with the on-board OFOS. In four different provinces, 16 mud volcanoes were examined, 10 of which are characterized by pore waters that show a distinct freshening, while three mud volcanoes, Napoli, Heraklion and Gelendzhik, are characterized by very high salt concentrations. The salt accumulations in these structures are derived from the Messinian salt deposits in the subbed, from which salty brines arise through subrosion, which interact in various ways with the mud volcanoes. The study areas were selected based on preliminary surveys and morphological structures and increased backscatter patterns from multibeam mapping carried out over 3580 nautical miles in Italian and Greek waters.32

Η απόδειξη στις φορολογικές διαφορές

Η απόδειξη συνιστά τόσο θεμελιώδες δικαίωμα όπως απορρέει από το Σύνταγμα, όσο και υποχρέωση. Η αποδεικτική διαδικασία στις φορολογικές διαφορές έχει την ιδιαιτερότητα ότι εκκινεί ήδη από το στάδιο της φορολογικής διαδικασίας προτού η υπόθεση αχθεί στα δικαστήρια. Τα έγγραφα είναι αυτά που χρησιμοποιούνται περισσότερο από τα καθορισμένα από τον Κώδικα Διοικητικής Δικονομίας αποδεικτικά μέσα. Στο φορολογικό δίκαιο η απόδειξη καθίσταται πολλές φορές ιδιαίτερα πολύπλοκη λόγω της περίπλοκης ιστορικής βάσης που έχουν αρκετές φορολογικές υποθέσεις, όπως επί παραδείγματι οι υποθέσεις που αφορούν ενδοομιλικές συναλλαγές.Proof is both a fundamental right under the Greek Constitution and an obligation. The evidentiary procedure in tax disputes has the peculiarity that it starts already at the stage of the tax proceedings before the trial. It is the documents that are used more than the means of proof defined by the Code of Administrative Procedure. In tax law, evidence is often particularly complex because of the complicated brief history of many tax cases, such as those involving transferpricing