399 research outputs found
On nonlinear systems of PDEs arising in the theory of large population differential games
No full textThis thesis is concerned with the study of stochastic differential games with many players, under structural hypotheses that differ from the classic ones of Mean Field Game theory. We focus on Nash equilibria and the systems of partial differential equations that describe them, within two main settings, namely games with sparse interactions and Generalised Mean Field Games.
In the first part of the thesis, we deal with network games with interactions between players governed by sparse graphs. We introduce the concept of unimportance of distant players and provide two precise declinations of it, one for open-loop and one for closed-loop games. Related implications are also investigated.
The main character of the second part is the Nash system, of parabolic equations of Hamilton-Jacobi-Bellman type, describing closed-loop equilibria. We make use of structural assumptions inspired by the unimportance of distant players to prove existence and uniqueness for a class of Nash systems in infinitely many dimensions.
Afterwards, we enter the framework of Generalised Mean Field Games and, for some N-player nonsymmetric Nash systems under hypotheses of semimonotonicity, we prove certain a priori estimates historically known to be both hard to obtain and crucial for a rigorous derivation of the Master Equation directly from of the Nash system as N diverges. Making use of such estimates in this bottom-up approach to the large population limit of the Nash system, we conclude by proving that in our context suitable generalisations of both the Mean Field system and a weak form of the Master Equation can be obtained
To Feel, to Understand, to Act. Sustainability on Display
No full textThis essay describes the exhibition project Sostenibilart promoted by CYLAND MediaArtLab and the Centre for Studies in Russian Art (CSAR). Starting from an analysis of what is normally described with the term ‘sustainability’, we will examine how this concept is developed by the artists identified as ambassadors of sustainability. Their reflection on the theme is also expressed through the answers to three questions posed by the Author that allow a transversal reading of the project. The text will therefore consider the ideas that emerged in this interrelated exchange. Finally, we will consider participation in contemporary art to verify the significance of the contribution of the artists-ambassadors of sustainability to stimulate in the public a reflection – and eventually action – on the issues
My Boyfriend Came Back From The War: una narrazione visiva di Olia Lialina
No full textThe contribution proposes the analysis of Net Art’s world-famous masterpiece
of one of its founders: My Boyfriend Came Back from the War (1996) by Olia Lialina.
Combining black and white images and words, it evokes the encounter of two lovers who
have been separated so long by the war. With her work, Lialina shows us the potential for
interaction of the new screen – that of the computer. She experiments with a non-linear
narration, where users edit the story frames thanks to hypermedia platform, resulting in
a new relationship between author and public. Considering such operations, the paper
aims to highlight the work’s ludic connotation beside the impact of filmic narrative on
the web
Cities and Urban Studies: Four Perspectives on Museums
No full textArt museums and cultural institutions more generally have often been perceived as special components of cities. Multiple dimensions contribute to understand their role and effect on citizens and visitors. This chapter covers four major perspectives by providing essential discussion and examples drawing on international urban studies and planning debates.
First, cities are sociopolitical organizations and art museums’ organizations and buildings often embody civic and cultural values. Second, art museums are central components of socio-economic systems of cultural production and consumption, as they may be part of cultural clusters, districts and quarters or attractors for tourism and other activities. Third, museums often stand out in the urban fabric, as landmarks and iconic elements in the urban landscape. Fourth, museums have become center pieces in urban regeneration plans and projects with high attention paid to their design and visual appeal. Drawing on a joint overview of these four perspectives and on a set of short examples, this chapter portends a complex understanding about the relationships between art museums and cities
Cities and Urban Studies: Four Perspectives on Art Museums
No full textThis chapter asks, What can visitors learn about the art museum and the city from urban studies? We tackle this question from four perspectives, and in particular, we draw on a few of our previous publications position
ing the investigation in the literature about museums in general. We dis
cuss basic conceptualizations from values, to economies, to the built environment, and, finally, to future transformations and offer examples specific to art museums. Section 2 explains how museums can be seen as bearers of civic and cultural values and describes the emblematic case of Newcastle and Gateshead, in the United Kingdom. Section 3—based on Nuccio and Ponzini (2017) and Ponzini (2009)—analyses the connections between museums and cultural districts and illustrates the impact of the agglomeration of cultural institutions in the Mount Vernon Cultural District in Baltimore, Maryland. Section 4 brings to the forefront the role of museums in the city fabric, considering both museums as landmarks and their surroundings (based on Ponzini, 2020). Finally, Sect. 5—based on Ponzini (2011)—focuses on museums as flagships and provides a critical perspective on the case of the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao. The conclusion brings this thread together to show four ways through which visitors and citizens can see the connections between the city and the art museum
Technical Note: Year, season, and parity effect on weaning performance of the Carmagnola Grey Rabbit breed
No full textTo evaluate the main environmental factors in the productivity of Carmagnola Grey rabbits, an endangered breed indigenous to northern Italy, data collected over 8 years were analysed. Production data on the pure closed nucleus herd of the University of Turin were used. Effects of parity, season and age of weaning on the number of rabbits born alive and weaned, litter weight and individual average weight at weaning were studied. The following average performance rates over the 8 years period were determined: 8.1 live born and 7.2 weaned kits per litter and a litter weight at weaning of 7287 g or 1024 g individual weaning weight. Year and season both had a significant effect (P < 0.001) on all the traits studied as well as weaning age (P < 0.001).Lazzaroni, C.; Biagini, D.; Redaelli, V.; Luzi, F. (2012). Technical Note: Year, season, and parity effect on weaning performance of the Carmagnola Grey Rabbit breed. World Rabbit Science. 20(1):57-60. https://doi.org/10.4995/wrs.2012.1031SWORD576020
An Augmented Reality Approach to Visualize Biomedical Images
No full textIn the last two decades, the digital revolution has become one of the defining aspects of our current era, to the point that nowadays it is largely regarded as the basis onto which the so called knowledge economy has been building upon. As a matter of fact, the widespread availability of powerful and always cheaper tech devices has allowed the development of Virtual Reality (VR) and Augmented Reality (AR) techniques and applications, opening to new possibilities and solutions in common practices. The core difference between these two is represented by the fact that AR focuses on bringing virtual object and information into real-world environment, whereas VR includes the user into a completely virtual world. The fields of application for these technologies are evolving both in quantity and quality, and despite the fact that they are usually advertised as the new frontier for the entertainment industry, they might eventually play a major role also in other fields, such as design, education and even healthcare. Focusing on healthcare, in recent years many researchers have committed to the development of educational and academic applications for training both students and specialists during difficult patient-specific procedures
Rebound Hammer Test: An Investigation into Its Reliability in Applications on Concrete Structures
No full textThe issue of concrete strength often arises in civil engineering practice, either due to quality control of new constructions or due to the assessment of existing structures. To this aim, one of the most widely spread techniques is the rebound hammer (Schmidt hammer) test, for which calibration is still related to the original Schmidt curve dating back to the early 50’s. In spite of the large amount of research work performed in the last decades, the uncertainties of the rebound test are still not clearly quantified and open to further insight. This paper presents and discusses a wide research campaign on laboratory specimens and on third-party specimens delivered to the Laboratory for Building Materials of the University of Genoa, Italy, for standard quality controls. While it is well known that moisture content, surface finishing, and concrete maturity strongly affect the test result, the effect of the stress state has not yet been studied and is found in this research to be a further parameter affecting the test reliability. The final outcome of all the uncertainties is variability in estimated concrete strength as large as ±70%; additionally, some issues are discussed on the intrinsic uncertainty of this test. As already demonstrated by many authors, the results of this research also show that a universal calibration curve to be used for any concrete, in any condition, conceptually does not exist
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