Greek Letters Research Articles

Francesco Filelfo e gli Jagelloni: un umanista italiano sulla scena europea

Francesco Filelfo (Tolentino 1398- Florence 1481) was an Italian humanist who studied Greek in Padua, Venice and Constantinople, where he lived during his youth (1420-´27). He is known for his giant Collection of Latin and Greek Letters in 48 books. He also became acquainted with the most prominent personalities of philology, arts and politics at his time. Among them, we must count Władysław II Jagiełło (Vilnius 1362 - Gródek 1434), the granduke of Lithuania (1377-1434) and then king of Poland (since 1386). Filelfo encountered the old king in Buda at the Emperial Diet (1423), in which he took part as personal secretary of the Byzantine ruler John VIII Palaiologos. The Polish king was impressed by Filelfo´s unusual culture and brilliance so to invite him at his fourth marriage with Zofia Holsańska (ca. 1405-1461). The Italian humanist went to royal wedding held in Kraków, where he pronounced an official epitalamium, as he proudly writes to Władysław III Jagiełło born from this union. He sent this long letter to the young king of Poland just on the eve of the battle in Warna (1444), in which the latter heroically died fighting with Turks. Filelfos epistle to Władysław III influenced Polish humanists such as Albertus Brucius and Jan Ursyn. It is interesting to remark the role that Filelfo assigned to Polish nation as defender of Freedom against Ottoman expansion into Europe.

Pauline Allen / Bronwen Neil. Greek and Latin letters in Late Antiquity. The Christianisation of a literary form

Article Pauline Allen / Bronwen Neil. Greek and Latin letters in Late Antiquity. The Christianisation of a literary form was published on March 1, 2022 in the journal Byzantinische Zeitschrift (volume 115, issue 1).

Carbonic anhydrases in metazoan model organisms: molecules, mechanisms, and physiology.

During the past three decades, mice, zebrafish, fruit flies, and Caenorhabditis elegans have been the primary model organisms used for the study of various biological phenomena. These models have also been adopted and developed to investigate the physiological roles of carbonic anhydrases (CAs) and carbonic anhydrase-related proteins (CARPs). These proteins belong to eight CA families and are identified by Greek letters: α, β, γ, δ, ζ, η, θ, and ι. Studies using model organisms have focused on two CA families, α-CAs and β-CAs, which are expressed in both prokaryotic and eukaryotic organisms with species-specific distribution patterns and unique functions. This review covers the biological roles of CAs and CARPs in light of investigations performed in model organisms. Functional studies demonstrate that CAs are not only linked to the regulation of pH homeostasis, the classical role of CAs, but also contribute to a plethora of previously undescribed functions.

New Names for the Old Sacristy of the Siena Hospital: Pseudo‐Scripts, Hidden Signatures, and the Ludic Self

While working on the scaffolding of Vecchietta's frescoes in the sacristy at the Santissima Annunziata, Siena (1446–49), thirteen‐year‐old Benvenuto di Giovanni and another garzone, Guasparre d'Agostino, signed together their names in Greek letters hidden among pseudo‐scripts on the hem of the cloak of a seemingly unimportant figure painted about three metres high up on a wall. Previously ignored, this signature is important in that, combined with unpublished documents, it sheds light on Benvenuto di Giovanni's youthful career and, more broadly, the first steps of a garzone on their way to becoming a master. The first known signature in Greek ever to appear in fifteenth‐century Italian painting, but enmeshed among pseudo‐scripts, Guasparre and Benvenuto's marks are not proof of antiquarian culture. Instead, this signature begs for a historicized concept of both linguistic knowledge and artistic authorship. Hidden, it betrays an interest in the signature as a locus of playful negotiation of identity, suspended between concealment and revelation.

Special Issue on COVID-19 and Historical Pandemics Part 2

COVID-19, which originated in Wuhan, China, 2 years ago, became a pandemic, that continues to this day. The Journal of Disaster Research (JDR) edited a special issue, “Special Issue on COVID-19 and Historical Pandemics” at the end of 2020 and an electronic version of the issue was published in January 2021 (JDR Vol.16, No.1, pp. 1-117). Even though one year has passed, life has not yet returned to normal due to the continued spread of COVID-19. Although the percentage of the general public that has been vaccinated continues to increase and various drugs and treatments have been developed, the number of COVID-19 cases also continues to increase. A huge number of COVID-19 cases have been reported, especially in Europe and the Americas. Accordingly, we planned to publish Special Issue Part 2 and called for papers. This Special Issue Part 2 includes 18 manuscripts, which deal with general epidemiology, effects on socioeconomic or educational areas, and clinical medicine, including vaccines and medical treatments. The virus spike protein plays an important role in its intrusion into human cells and the onset of COVID-19 infection. Although SARS-CoV-2 (the pathogenic virus of COVID-19) originated in Wuhan, China, various variant strains with mutation in gene coding in the spike protein have appeared in multiple countries. The WHO classifies these variants into the categories of VOC (variant of concern), VOI (variant of interest), or VUM (variant under monitoring). The definitions of VOC and VOI are as follows. VOC: “A SARS-CoV-2 variant that meets the definition of a VOI and, through a comparative assessment, has been demonstrated to be associated with one or more changes in the degree of global public health significance.” VOI: “Increase in transmissibility or detrimental change in COVID-19 epidemiology, increase in virulence or change in clinical disease presentation, or decrease in effectiveness of public health and social measures or available diagnostics, vaccines and therapeutics.” The WHO uses Greek letters designating the variants. Accordingly as they have appeared, variants have been designated as alpha (α: the UK variant), beta (β: the South Africa variant), and delta (δ: the Indian variant). After the deadline for the manuscript of this special issue, a new variant, omicron (o) originated in South Africa and Botswana, and it immediately began spreading worldwide. Unfortunately, it was impossible to include the manuscript on the omicron variant in this Special Issue Part 2, as the deadline had already passed. As COVID-19 continues to spread, the JDR will plan to edit Part 3 of this COVID-19 special issue.

Pricing and hedging for correlation options with regime switching and common jump risk

This article investigates the pricing of the correlation options under regime switching models with common jump risk. We assume that the values of model parameters are modulated by a continuous-time, finite-state, observable Markov chain which is used to describe the states of an economy. In addition, the common jump reflects the correlated jump risk between the underlying assets. According to the Fourier transform method, we first derive the semi-analytical pricing formula for the correlation options. Then, some hedging strategies such as Greek letters and minimum variance hedging strategies are offered. Finally, we provide numerical examples to illustrate the effects of the regime switching and the common jump risk on the correlation option price by using the fast Fourier transform (FFT) algorithm.

Software tool for recognition of Ukrainian-language scientific articles

The problem of computer recognition, both separately printed characters and whole texts, which may contain mathematical formulas, and further saving the resulting document in the "Latex" format, is considered. The developed software implements the ability to recognize printable Latin, Cyrillic, Greek letters and special mathematical symbols. For this, a multilayer convolutional neural network built using the Keras machine learning library and additional validation heuristics are used. To improve the quality of neural network recognition, a sophisticated image processing mechanism has been developed that helps to remove noise from the image, eliminate errors associated with the inclination of characters, and correct character defects associated with the quality of the input image. Also implemented are mechanisms for collecting individual characters into words or mathematical formulas, reproducing the position of signs of indices and degrees, forming ordinary fractions and expressions under the root sign. The results of the recognized text are saved in a file with the simultaneous construction of the "latex" document structure. To demonstrate the capabilities of the developed software, a graphical user interface has been added, with which you can select and inspect the input image even before the start of recognition. During testing of the software, the recognition of images of different types was carried out: completely textual, mathematical formulas without text, mathematical formulas that are between blocks of text.

Greek and Latin Letters in Late Antiquity: The Christianisation of a Literary Form. By Pauline Allen and Bronwen Neil

<i>Greek and Latin Letters in Late Antiquity: The Christianisation of a Literary Form</i>. By <scp>Pauline Allen</scp> and <scp>Bronwen Neil</scp>

ST-segment elevation in a critically ill patient: Greek letters, war helmets, and broken hearts.

ST-segment elevation in a critically ill patient: Greek letters, war helmets, and broken hearts.

SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Surveillance, Evaluation, and Challenges

SARS-CoV-2 Variants: Surveillance, Evaluation, and Challenges

SARS-CoV-2 B.1.617 Indian variants: Are electrostatic potential changes responsible for a higher transmission rate?

Lineage B.1.617+, also known as G/452R.V3 and now denoted by WHO with the Greek letters δ and κ, is a recently described SARS‐CoV‐2 variant under investigation first identified in October 2020 in India. As of May 2021, three sublineages labeled as B.1.617.1 (κ), B.1.617.2 (δ), and B.1.617.3 have been already identified, and their potential impact on the current pandemic is being studied. This variant has 13 amino acid changes, three in its spike protein, which are currently of particular concern: E484Q, L452R, and P681R. Here, we report a major effect of the mutations characterizing this lineage, represented by a marked alteration of the surface electrostatic potential (EP) of the receptor‐binding domain (RBD) of the spike protein. Enhanced RBD‐EP is particularly noticeable in the B.1.617.2 (δ) sublineage, which shows multiple replacements of neutral or negatively charged amino acids with positively charged amino acids. We here hypothesize that this EP change can favor the interaction between the B.1.617+ RBD and the negatively charged ACE2, thus conferring a potential increase in the virus transmission.

Black\u2019s model in a negative interest rate environment, with application to OTC derivatives

The most common application of Black’s formula is interest rate derivatives pricing. Black’s model, a variant of Black-Scholes option pricing model, was first introduced by Fischer Black in 1976. In recent market conditions, where global interest rates are at very low levels and in some markets are currently zero or negative, Black model—in its canonical form—fails to price interest rate options since positive interest rates are assumed in its formula. In this paper we propose a heuristic method that, without explicit assumptions about the forward rate generating process, extends the cumulative standard normal distribution domain to negative interest rates and allows Black’s model to work in the conventional way. Furthermore, we provide the derivations of the so called five Greek letters that enable finance professionals to evaluate the sensitivity of an option to various parameters. Along with the description of the methodology, we present an extensive simulation study and a comparison with the Normal model which is widely used in the negative environment option pricing problems.

A neuro-genetic Hopfield associative memory (HAM) with improved noise immunity

Artificial Neural Network (ANN) is a form of computation inspired by the arrangement and purpose of the brain. Pattern Recognition is one of the demanding areas under Artificial Neural Network and pattern association is one of the major tasks through which pattern recognition is realized. Nowadays researchers are taking interest in the combination of evolutionary algorithms and ANN. In the present work, an attempt is being made to analyze the performance of Hopfield Associative Memory with Monte Carlo adaptation rule and evolutionary searching (Genetic Algorithm) for pattern storage and recall. The training pattern set has been taken a set of five Greek alphabet letters as different objects. The aim is to store Patterns with MC adaptation rule and get the best weight matrices for efficient recalling of any given set patterns. The neural networks architectures have been taken up for storing the given set of inputs, for which conventional Hebbian and Monte Carlo adaptation rule is considered. During the mutation process, various mutation probabilities are supposed to be evaluated. The detailed simulated results thus obtained will be presented with the help of tables and graph.

The hybrid origin of Brāhmī script from Aramaic, Phoenician and Greek letters

The origins of Brāhmī script have been mired in controversy for over a century since the Semitic model was first proposed by Albrecht Weber in 1856. Although Aramaic has remained the leading candidate for the source of Brāhmī, no scholar has adequately explained a letter by letter derivation, nor accounted for the marked differences between Aramaic, Kharoṣṭhī and Brāhmī scripts. As a result, the debate is far from settled. In this article I attempt to finally answer the vexed questions that have plagued scholars for over a century, regarding the exact origins of Brāhmī, through a comparative letter by letter analysis with other Semitic origin scripts. I argue that Brāhmī was not derived from a single script, but instead was a hybrid invention by Indian scholars from Aramaic, Phoenician and Greek letters provided by a western Semitic trader.

La deuxième colonne hexaplaire d’Origène (ou Secunda) et la transcription des noms propres sémitiques en grec : comparaison critique

The second column of Origen’s Hexapla (Secunda), where the Hebrew text of the Old Testament is transcribed in Greek letters, was probably not composed by Origen: it existed before the composition of the Hexapla, and it was used by the Jewish community of Caesarea to read the Old Testament in its original language. However, the Secunda is very useful for the study of the pronunciation of Hebrew language in a period preceding the vocalization of the Bible (7th-10th century ce). The Secunda thus displays some interesting linguistic phenomena of the Hebrew language. To confirm their validity, it is very important to compare them with the Greek transcriptions of Semitic proper names in the inscriptions and papyri, from the same geographical area and the same epoch (first centuries ce); from these, it is possible to infer the existence in the two sources of graphic expedients to represent the Hebrew gutturals, very characteristic phonemes of Semitic languages: this is the usage of the ε-vowel, and the lengthening of Greek vowels corresponding to an original guttural in the Hebrew word. Again, both the transcriptions of the Semitic names and the forms of the Secunda share the weakening of the nasal consonants at the end of words. Nevertheless, there are some transcriptions whose linguistic features could be linked to other reasons: for proper names, we speak about allomorphs, and concerning the transcriptions in the Secunda, when the vocalization of the Masoretic text differs from that of the Secunda, it is possible to suppose that another linguistic background and another tradition of the Hebrew language are involved. To find and understand the Hebrew phenomena in the Secunda column, it is essential to know the Greek pronunciation and the values of both the graphemes and phonemes of the language: Secunda is therefore another link between the Greek world and the Semitic world.

Formatting of an article for the journal ”Multiphase Systems“: a guide for the author

Abstract is formatted in the header of the source file as a parameter to the \abstract{} command. The abstract is intended to give a detailed description of the article, which makes it possible to judge the content used research approaches and results obtained. The volume of the abstract is 200–250 words (in the final file they are 18 to 22 lines long). Abstract can contain mathematical symbols (Greek letters, accents, degree symbol, etc.), but should not include equations. An exception is made for equalities determining important values, that is mathematical expressions of the form α = 123. The abstract should not contain tables, images, references to literature and other cross-references. This article provides a quick guide to using the mfs.cls class, which defines registration of an article in the journal ”Multiphase Systems“. The description is given in such a way that it can be used as a template for preparing your article. The editors of the journal ”Multiphase Systems“ and the authors of this article ask you to carefully follow the presentation the description, paying particular attention to those paragraphs that are in bold.

Resavski pravopis u Baranjskom prepisu Dušanovog zakonika

The paper examines the characteristics of the orthography of Resava in the Baranja Transcription of Dušan's Code, created at the beginning of the 16th century. The research included the following features: the writing of the grapheme x, the writing of the grapheme Q at the etymological place, the use of the grapheme J in front of j, the use of the ligature ] to mark the initial group [ja] and the use of the grapheme a to mark the aforementioned group after a vowel, the use of the graphemes e and j to mark the group [je] in all positions in the word, the use of the Greek letters, the latest punctuation system, and, lastly, the writing of the accents and spiritus lenis. A significant number of examples confirmed the use of the grapheme Q at the etymological place, the use of the grapheme J to mark the so-called reduced i, the use of the grapheme a to write the group [ja] after a vowel, the use of the comma and the full stop on the line on the bottom, as well as the writing of the accents and spiritus lenis. The research has also shown that the grapheme x was written in an isolated example, that the group [je] was primarily written by using graphemes j and e, which is in accord with the orthography of Resava, and, finally, that the rare use of the Greek letters is related to the Greek words. Therefore, it was concluded that the norms of the orthography of Resava were not consistently implemented in the Baranja Transcription of Dušan's Code. The research also confirmed the coexistence of Raška and Resava orthographic norms in some cases.

MANUSCRIPT EVIDENCE FOR ALPHABET-SWITCHING IN THE WORKS OF CICERO: PROPER NOUNS AND ADJECTIVES

Our manuscripts of Cicero contain dozens of Greek words that are presented in some passages in Greek letters, and in others are transliterated into Latin. In a recent paper I collected the evidence for this phenomenon in connection with common nouns and adjectives (for example ὑποθήκη vs hypotheca, ἱστορικός vs historicus), surveyed scholarship to date and posited an interpretative framework which is assumed in this study also. Key components of this framework are the use of mixed alphabets in surviving ancient documents (especially inscriptions) and an awareness of the frequency with which modern editors change the alphabets in the manuscripts when dealing with Greek words—hence the importance of using the apparatus critici, not just the printed text, of our editions. The earlier paper was also strict in its exclusion of words in continuous passages, and even short phrases, of Greek, since that context excludes the option of transliteration for the author. The major contention of that earlier study was that a coherent pattern of use in the manuscripts can only really be a reflection of Cicero's own considered choice of alphabets: consistently inexplicable choice may indicate that Cicero himself was indifferent to which alphabet he used for single Greek words, or that our copyists paid no attention to this aspect of their exemplars, or both.

A bone disc with an inscription from Marina el-Alamein (Egypt)

A bone disc with an inscription from Marina el-Alamein (Egypt)&#x0D; A bone disc with an inscription has been found at the archaeological site of the Greco-Roman period at Marina el-Alameinin Egypt. It has a hole drilled in the center and a name IOULIOS (Ιούλιος) written in Greek letters on one side. One may wonder about the diskfunction. Names appear on theatre tickets and on game counters, but they also usually bear a number or an image, e.g. a figure or a building. In the town, which has been subject of a recent research, a large number of diverse types of game pieces were discovered; glass pawns and bone counters predominate among them, however, they differ from the discussed disc: they are smooth or decorated with cut concentric circles. The number and variety of pawns indicates diverse types and a big popularity of games among the inhabitants of Marina. The described disc may have been a strategic board game counter.

Of dogs and men: a note on Liudprand's Greek (Rel. 1, 21–23)

Unlike many of his contemporary Westerners, Liudprand of Cremona was proficient in Greek. His writings are full of Greek words and expressions, both written in Greek letters and transliterated into Latin. This note discusses an apparently corrupt passage in Liudprand's narrative of his embassy to Constantinople in 968, the Relatio de legatione Constantinopolitana, and reviews conjectures proposed by editors of the text. A non-invasive solution to the problem is presented that takes both the textual tradition of the Relatio and Liudprand's use of Greek into account.