Smart Access to Historical Archives based on Rich Semantic Metadata

The research question this paper aims at answering is the following: In an ontology-driven annotation system, can the information extracted from external resources (namely, Wikidata) provide users with useful suggestions in the characterization of entities used for the annotation of documents from historical archives? The context of the research is the PRiSMHA project, in which the main goal is the development of a proof-of-concept prototype ontology-driven system for semantic metadata generation. The assumption behind this effort is that an effective access to historical archives needs a rich semantic knowledge, relying on a domain ontology, that describes the content of archival resources. In the paper, we present a new feature of the annotation system: when characterizing a new entity (e.g., a person), some properties describing it are automatically pre-filled in, and more complex semantic representations (e.g., events the entity is involved in) are suggested; both kinds of suggestions are based on information retrieved from Wikidata. In the paper, we describe the automatic algorithm devised to support the definition of the mappings between the Wikidata semantic model and the PRiSMHA ontology, as well as the process used to extract information from Wikidata and to generate suggestions based on the defined mappings. Finally, we discuss the results of a qualitative evaluation of the suggestions, which provides a positive answer to the initial research question and indicates possible improvements.

Download Full-text

Using the historical archives of a district general hospital

Archives of Disease in Childhood ◽

10.1136/archdischild-2019-317546 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 105 (11) ◽

pp. 1129-1130

Author(s):

Andrew N Williams

Keyword(s):

General Hospital ◽

District General Hospital ◽

Historical Archives

Download Full-text

Animal Coronavirus Diseases: Parallels with COVID-19 in Humans

Viruses ◽

10.3390/v13081507 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 1507

Author(s):

Chao-Nan Lin ◽

Kuan Rong Chan ◽

Eng Eong Ooi ◽

Ming-Tang Chiou ◽

Minh Hoang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Genome Organization ◽

Clinical Signs ◽

Feline Infectious Peritonitis ◽

Viral Shedding ◽

Related Disease ◽

The Past ◽

Treatment And Prevention ◽

Historical Archives ◽

Huge Impact ◽

Novel Coronavirus

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), a novel coronavirus in humans, has expanded globally over the past year. COVID-19 remains an important subject of intensive research owing to its huge impact on economic and public health globally. Based on historical archives, the first coronavirus-related disease recorded was possibly animal-related, a case of feline infectious peritonitis described as early as 1912. Despite over a century of documented coronaviruses in animals, the global animal industry still suffers from outbreaks. Knowledge and experience handling animal coronaviruses provide a valuable tool to complement our understanding of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. In this review, we present an overview of coronaviruses, clinical signs, COVID-19 in animals, genome organization and recombination, immunopathogenesis, transmission, viral shedding, diagnosis, treatment, and prevention. By drawing parallels between COVID-19 in animals and humans, we provide perspectives on the pathophysiological mechanisms by which coronaviruses cause diseases in both animals and humans, providing a critical basis for the development of effective vaccines and therapeutics against these deadly viruses.

Download Full-text

Was the rise of TB contemporaneous with the industrial revolution? Epidemiological evolution of TB in France (17th-20th centuries) inferred from osteoarchaeological and historical archives

International Journal of Paleopathology ◽

10.1016/j.ijpp.2021.04.005 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 34 ◽

pp. 130-133

Author(s):

Olivier Dutour ◽

Antony Colombo ◽

Hélène Coqueugniot

Keyword(s):

Industrial Revolution ◽

Historical Archives

Download Full-text

Mujeres: Guerra Civil y represión en Alicante

Tábula ◽

10.51598/tab.891 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 329-358

Author(s):

María del Olmo Ibáñez

Keyword(s):

Civil War ◽

Recent History ◽

Documentary Sources ◽

Historical Archive ◽

Historical Archives

Este artículo presenta fuentes documentales sobre mujer, guerra civil y represión franquista, custodiadas en el grupo de los archivos históricos provinciales, utilizando como referencia el Archivo Histórico Provincial de Alicante. Un campo de investigación indispensable para entender nuestra historia reciente. This article presents documentary sources on women, civil war and Francoist repression, kept in the group of provincial historical archives, using the Alicante Provincial Historical Archive as a reference. An indispensable field of research to understand our recent history.

Download Full-text

Italian Astronomers in the IAU: the contribution and role of Italian astronomers from the foundation to the Second World War

Proceedings of the International Astronomical Union ◽

10.1017/s1743921319000383 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 13 (S349) ◽

pp. 248-255

Author(s):

V. Zanini ◽

M. Gargano ◽

A. Gasperini

Keyword(s):

Second World War ◽

General Assembly ◽

World War ◽

International Scientific Community ◽

Historical Archives ◽

Depth Study ◽

Recent Project ◽

First Time ◽

Second World

AbstractEven though Italy officially joined the IAU in 1921, Italian astronomers were involved in its birth as early as 1919, when Annibale Riccò, Director of the Astrophysical Observatory of Catania, proposed to the IAU Committee to hold its first General Assembly in Rome. This contribution will analyze the role played by Italian astronomers in the development of the IAU from its foundation to the Second World War. The recent project of reordering of the astronomical historical archives in Italy permits for the first time a more in-depth study of the relations between Italian astronomers and the international scientific community.

Download Full-text