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Algorithmic decision-making and other types of artificial intelligence (AI) can be used to predict who will commit crime, who will be a good employee, who will default on a loan, etc. However, algorithmic decision-making can also threaten human rights, such as the right to non-discrimination. The paper evaluates current legal protection in Europe against discriminatory algorithmic decisions. The paper shows that non-discrimination law, in particular through the concept of indirect discrimination, prohibits many types of algorithmic discrimination. Data protection law could also help to defend people against discrimination. Proper enforcement of non-discrimination law and data protection law could help to protect people. However, the paper shows that both legal instruments have severe weaknesses when applied to artificial intelligence. The paper suggests how enforcement of current rules can be improved. The paper also explores whether additional rules are needed. The paper argues for sector-specific – rather than general – rules, and outlines an approach to regulate algorithmic decision-making. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The research field of crisis informatics examines, amongst others, the potentials and barriers of social media use during conflicts and crises. Social media allow emergency services to reach the public easily in the context of crisis communication and receive valuable information (e.g. pictures) from social media data. However, the vast amount of data generated during large-scale incidents can lead to issues of information overload and quality. To mitigate these issues, this paper proposes the semi-automatic creation of alerts including keyword, relevance and information quality filters based on cross-platform social media data. We conducted empirical studies and workshops with emergency services across Europe to raise requirements, then iteratively designed and implemented an approach to support emergency services, and performed multiple evaluations, including live demonstrations and field trials, to research the potentials of social media-based alerts. Finally, we present the findings and implications based on semi-structured interviews with emergency services, highlighting the need for usable configurability and white-box algorithm representation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the academic year 2010–2011, Spain finished the process of introducing the regulatory changes derived from the Bologna Declaration and the new European Space for Higher Education (ESHE). These changes have implied the updating of university degrees’ structure as well as the inclusion of the European Credit Transfer System (ECTS). This paper describes the process of adaptation of two basic first-semester core subjects of computer engineering to one of the basic aspects of the ESHE, the adoption of the ECTS. The process described in the paper was developed in the framework of the pilot plan undertaken by the Universitat Autònoma de Barcelona between 2005 and 2010. The proposed course design implies a better coordination and integration of the contents of two different subjects that students follow simultaneously, and it is based on the combination of project-based learning and cooperative learning. After the experience finished, an extended quantitative and qualitative analysis of the academic results over the five-year period has shown an improvement in the students’ learning outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recruitment of athletes with limited resources is a global problem in professional sports. In US Major League Baseball, the experience of the Oakland Athletics' general manager in the last decade turned his "Moneyball" model into a synonym of quantitative analysis in the transfer market of baseball players. His strategy focused on hiring players with outstanding technical skills but relatively low market value. This study adapted this model to the framework of a multiple criteria decision aid (MCDA), by selecting undervalued players who have complementary abilities. The novelty here refers to the joint use of four algorithms explored by the composition of probabilistic preferences (CPP) (i.e., ranking, classification, dynamic evaluation and regularity analysis) and their application to soccer player performance evaluation. The new model analysed the recent transfer of a left-back soccer player to Europe. The results indicated 12 opportunities for better investment, among 32 left and right-back players considered. Two years later, the value of the same player was considerably lower. He played only five matches in the 2018–2019 season, without scoring or providing any assists. On the other hand, the players better classified by the CPP-MB model presented higher performances and market values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To address the incomparability of the large number of existing air quality indices, we propose a new normalization method that is suited to directly compare air quality indices based on the common European World Health Organization (WHO) air quality guidelines for NO2, O3, and PM10. Using this method, we compared three air quality indices based on the European guidelines, related them to another air quality index based on the relative risk concept, and used them to assess the air quality and its trends in northwest central Europe. The average air quality in the area of investigation is below the recommended European guidelines. The majority of index values exceeding this threshold are caused by PM10, which is also, in most cases, responsible for the degrading trends in air quality. Eleven out of 29 stations tested showed significant trends, of which eight indicated trends towards better air quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the history of computer art in Europe, beginning with an exhibition in Stuttgart, Germany in 1965 of computer-generated images created by Georg Nees. Nees' background as an engineer, mathematician, and pioneering computer artist is discussed, as is his association with other influential figures like Max Bense, Gotthard Günther, and Abraham A. Moles. Other topics discussed include "information aesthetics," semiotics, algorithms, artificial intelligence, and influential early computer artists in various European countries.

We characterize strictly arbitrage-free markets of European options where only a discrete set of options is traded. We then construct martingales which reprice all given options and which are ‘most expensive’ among all martingales with this property. We also present algorithms to adjust real-life market data and to construct expensive martingales while taking into account additional ‘weak’ information: estimated prices of more exotic products such as, for example, forward started options. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An inverse algorithm with the Levenberg-Marquardt method is developed to estimate the time-dependent volatility function that was used in the model of financial analysis for European options from the observed value of option price. Numerical experiments for the inverse algorithm are performed to show the validity of the present study. Moreover, the statistical analysis is also considered here to determine the standard deviation and 99% confidence bounds for the estimated volatility function. Results show that the standard deviations of the estimated volatility function are decreased as the time approaches the expiry date. This implies that a more reliable volatility function can be obtained as time approaches the expiry date. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ovarian cancer (OC) represents the eighth most common cancer among women and the second most frequently diagnosed gynecological malignancy in the United States and Europe. Correct and fast referral of patients with OC is mandatory to ensure optimal treatment and to improve the prognosis of patients with OC. Approaches to detect OC may be based on a gynecological examination, an elevated serum CA125 level, a Risk of Malignancy Index (RMI) higher than 200, an elevated serum HE4 level, or other modalities such as Risk of Ovarian Malignancy Algorithm (ROMA), Risk of Ovarian Cancer Algorithm (ROCA), or Copenhagen Index (CPH-I).Aim: To describe biomarkers that potentially improve the detection/risk estimation of OC.Results: The ability to differentiate OC from benign and borderline ovarian tumors was analyzed using Receiver Operating Characteristics (ROC) curves resulting in Area Under the Curve (AUC) of 0.920 for CA125, 0.933 for HE4 and 0.946 for ROMA. The ROC curves of OC versus benign ovarian tumors shows that the CPH-I (AUC = 0.959) is equivalent with RMI (AUC = 0.958).Conclusion: Both ROMA and CPH-I could potentially shorten the time spent before OC patients reach a tertiary center thereby improve risk estimation/diagnosis. Biomarker research still has to be performed in relevant clinical settings before any overall decisions can be made with respect to screening. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]