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Paranormal/Supernatural Experiences and Loss
No full textScientific literature seems to indicate that paranormal/supernatural experiences are more frequent after negative life events or, in any case, after important life changes. This chapter presents some relevant results of an exploratory study which aims to thoroughly analyse the complex relationship between paranormal/ supernatural experiences and particularly challenging life events, like, for example, the loss of a loved one. Can we hypothesize that in these cases the paranormal/ supernatural experience and/or the interest in the paranormal or in the supernatural are mere instruments that some people utilize as simple defence mechanisms in order to escape a bleak and hard reality? Or, alternatively, can we hypothesize that through a particular experience of loss (which may not necessarily coincide only with the physical death of a significant other) some people attain an expansion of their awareness, a condition of special non-separateness from other living things in a multiplicity of new and interconnected perspectives, and an enhancement of their consciousness so as to get in touch with other, so far unknown, realities? This study especially draws on qualitative data, namely on in-depth interviews with adults who are interested in, and/or are in various degrees familiar with, the paranormal and/or the supernatural
Italian Classification method for macroinvertebrates in lakes. Method summary
No full textThis report includes the description of the index and the data on lacustrine macroinvertebrates considered, which the WFD requires is assessed through its i) taxonomic composition (community structure), ii) abundance, iii) diversity and iv) the presence of tolerant/sensitive taxa. Eutrophication is regarded as significant anthropogenic pressure, because since the \u2750s a large number of Italian lakes suffered an increase in eutrophication, as a result of human pressures (Premazzi et al., 2003)
DNAqua-Net: Developing new genetic tools for bioassessment and monitoring of aquatic ecosystems in Europe
No full textThe protection, preservation and restoration of aquatic ecosystems and their functions are of global importance. For European states it became legally binding mainly through the EU-Water Framework Directive (WFD). In order to assess the ecological status of a given water body, aquatic biodiversity data are obtained and compared to a reference water body. The quantified mismatch obtained determines the extent of potential management actions. The current approach to biodiversity assessment is based on morpho-taxonomy. This approach has many drawbacks such as being time consuming, limited in temporal and spatial resolution, and error-prone due to the varying individual taxonomic expertise of the analysts. Novel genomic tools can overcome many of the aforementioned problems and could complement or even replace traditional bioassessment. Yet, a plethora of approaches are independently developed in different institutions, thereby hampering any concerted routine application. The goal of this Action is to nucleate a group of researchers across disciplines with the task to identify gold-standard genomic tools and novel eco-genomic indices for routine application in biodiversity assessments of European fresh- and marine water bodies. Furthermore, DNAqua-Net will provide a platform for training of the next generation of European researchers preparing them for the new technologies. Jointly with water managers, politicians, and other stakeholders, the group will develop a conceptual framework for the standard application of eco-genomic tools as part of legally binding assessments
Project web-site and logo
No full textThis document constitutes Deliverable D5.1 of the EU-funded Project "GOAL-Robots - Goal-based Open-ended Autonomous Learning Robots", Call identifier H2020-FETOPEN-2014-2015-RIA Grant Agreement n. 713010. This deliverable describes the technical features of the project web-site and of the project logo
Model-based Learning Assessment Management
No full textModel-based simulation and monitoring are becoming part of advanced learning environments. In this paper, we propose a model-based simulation and monitoring framework for management of learning assessment and we describe its architecture and main functionalities. The proposed framework allows user-friendly learning simulation with a strong support for collaboration and social interactions. Moreover, it monitors the learners\u27 behavior during simulation execution and it is able to compute the learning scores useful for the learner knowledge assessment. The preliminary experimental feedback of the evaluation of the simulation and monitoring framework inside a real environment is also reported
Towards Business Process Execution Adequacy Criteria
No full textMonitoring of business process execution has been proposed for the evaluation of business process performance. An important aspect to assess the thoroughness of the business process execution is to monitor if some entities have not been observed for some time and timely check if something is going wrong. We propose in this paper business process execution adequacy criteria and provide a proof-of-concept monitoring framework for their assessment. Similar to testing adequacy, the purpose of our approach is to identify the main entities of the business process that are covered during its execution and raise a warning if some entities are not covered. We provide a first assessment of the proposed approach on a case study in the learning context
National Ecosystem Assessments in Europe: A Review
No full textNational ecosystem assessments form an essential knowledge base for safeguarding biodiversity and ecosystem services. We analyze eight European (sub-)national ecosystem assessments (Portugal, United Kingdom, Spain, Norway, Flanders, Netherlands, Finland, and Germany) and compare their objectives, political context, methods, and operationalization. We observed remarkable differences in breadth of the assessment, methods employed, variety of services considered, policy mandates, and funding mechanisms. Biodiversity and ecosystem services are mainly assessed independently, with biodiversity conceptualized as underpinning services, as a source of conflict with services, or as a service in itself. Recommendations derived from our analysis for future ecosystem assessments include the needs to improve the common evidence base, to advance the mapping of services, to consider international flows of services, and to connect more strongly to policy questions. Although the context specificity of national ecosystem assessments is acknowledged as important, a greater harmonization across assessments could help to better inform common European policies and future pan-regional assessments
Definition and application of expert knowledge on vegetation pattern, phenology, and seasonality for habitat mapping, as exemplified in a Mediterranean coastal site
No full textHabitats are effective indicators of biodiversity. Remote sensing data and techniques are of great utility for their long-term monitoring. Habitat maps can be derived from land cover (LC) maps through rules obtained from expert knowledge and integrated with in situ data. Spatial (vegetation pattern) and temporal (phenology and water seasonality) relationships were explored and documented to infer reliable rules for LC (according to the Food and Agricultural Organization Land Cover Classification System (FAO-LCCS) taxonomy) to habitat (Annex I to the 92/43 EEC Directive and EUNIS) class translation. A coastal site in southern Italy was considered as study site for the definition and validation of such rules. Phenological data of the plant communities were collected on the basis of vegetation plots randomly distributed within the study site. Water seasonality was extracted from periodical observation of the water surface. Vegetation pattern was analyzed by means of vegetation survey along transects. The potentiality of rules, based on this specific expert knowledge, was tested in an experimental setting for habitat mapping. The overall accuracy of the habitat map was 75.1%. Such a result supports the usefulness of prior expert knowledge for habitat mapping from LCCS classes and disambiguation on one-to-many relations between LC/LU and habitat types
Semantics for the Wiki - Final Iteration
No full textDeliverable D5.5 focuses on extensions of the Wiki that exploit the knowledge stored in the Learn PAd ontology in order to provide broader navigation possibilities and personalisation options to learners. Navigation is enhanced by injecting entry points and context menus into the text displayed on Wiki pages. Regardless of whether the text is exported from models or contributed by Learn PAd users, it will be analysed in order to identify mentions of ontology concepts of certain type - persons, links to documents and organisational units. Such mentions are highlighted and equipped with a context menu that learners can use to navigate the ontology. That is, they can choose among various options to navigate to representations of other ontology concepts that are related to the one mentioned in the text that they are currently reading. Thus, from within the context of their learning (i.e. while reading a Wiki page), they can traverse relevant parts of the Learn PAd ontology to get broader insights. Further, personalisation concepts are also based on the recognition of ontological concepts and on being able to bookmark them. Learners can decide to create an association between a bookmarked entity and the current context in which they encountered it. This leads to a process-oriented categorization of bookmarks that - when reviewed later by that person - will support process-based learning. We finally report on an extension of earlier work, namely the concretisation of the concept of retrofitting civil servants\u27 contributions to Learn PAd models
Bell\u27esempio! Esperienza partecipativa e studio sperimentale sull\u27autonomia normativa dei bambini attraverso le multe morali
No full textThe integrated study presented in the article has the dual objective of studying the behavior of children in their family environment, the neighborhood, and to develop in children themselves the propensity to become promoters and defenders of norms. We have involved children in a participatory experience in which they were the guarantors of rules, particularly those on the parking of cars in pedestrian areas (crosswalks and sidewalks). The involvement of children in the promotion of obedience to the rules has made it possible to verify the feasibility of a "bottom-up" intervention on adults\u27 compliance with the rules and the long-term effect of this participatory experience on children\u27s propensity for themselves. become active promoters and defenders of the rulesLo studio integrato presentato nell\u27articolo ha il duplice obiettivo di studiare il comportamento dei bambini nel loro ambiente familiare, il quartiere, e di sviluppare nei bambini stessi la propensione a farsi promotori e difensori di norme. Abbiamo coinvolto i bambini in una esperienza partecipativa in cui si facevano garanti di regole, in particolare di quelle sul parcheggio delle automobili nelle aree pedonali (strisce pedonali e marciapiedi). Il coinvolgimento dei bambini nella promozione dell\u27obbedienza alle regole ha reso possibile verificare la realizzabilit? di un intervento "dal basso" sul rispetto delle regole da parte degli adulti e l\u27effetto a lungo termine di questa esperienza partecipativa sulla propensione dei bambini se stessi a farsi promotori attivi e difensori delle norme