Academic literature on the topic 'Wine descriptors'

AbstractAs part of a classic article in this journal, Richard Quandt identified 123 wine descriptors that he deemed to be bullshit. In this paper, I examine whether wine consumers are willing to pay any more (or less) for wine if it is described by one of those “bullshit” descriptors. I use three methods to examine that. The first method involves applying a hedonic regression to a dataset of prices and expert descriptions for about 50,000 wines. The second method involves applying a matching estimator to the same dataset. The third method involves a stated-preference survey of about 500 wine consumers. The three methods suggest that for most of the descriptors Quandt deemed to be bullshit, most consumers’ marginal willingness to pay for a descriptor is zero or near-zero. Yet, for some of the descriptors, some consumers do seem to have a non-zero marginal willingness to pay, perhaps because the descriptors shape a consumer's subjective experience or because they signal objective aspects of wine. (JEL Classifications: D12, D83, L66)

Understanding the sensory attributes that explain the typicity of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon wines is essential for increasing value and growth of Australia’s reputation as a fine wine producer. Content analysis of 2598 web-based wine reviews from well-known wine writers, including tasting notes and scores, was used to gather information about the regional profiles of Australian Cabernet Sauvignon wines and to create selection criteria for further wine studies. In addition, a wine expert panel evaluated 84 commercial Cabernet Sauvignon wines from Coonawarra, Margaret River, Yarra Valley and Bordeaux, using freely chosen descriptions and overall quality scores. Using content analysis software, a sensory lexicon of descriptor categories was built and frequencies of each category for each region were computed. Distinction between the sensory profiles of the regions was achieved by correspondence analysis (CA) using online review and expert panellist data. Wine quality scores obtained from reviews and experts were converted into Australian wine show medal categories. CA of assigned medal and descriptor frequencies revealed the sensory attributes that appeared to drive medal-winning wines. Multiple factor analysis of frequencies from the reviews and expert panellists indicated agreement about descriptors that were associated with wines of low and high quality, with greater alignment at the lower end of the wine quality assessment scale.

A larger share of U.S. wineries is increasingly relying on direct-to-consumer sales mediated by tasting room experiences to make wine a more accessible and less intimidating product for consumers. Previous literature has shown that more favorably descriptive and evocative notes on menus and labels are associated with higher sales and product appeal in restaurant or retail settings. This study estimates the impacts of different types of tasting sheet descriptors on wine sales in winery tasting rooms, where the consumer decision-making process differs from the restaurant and retail settings. We find that using tasting sheets with only objective descriptors is associated with higher wine sales, in comparison with sheets that (a) use subjective descriptors only or (b) combine subjective and objective descriptors. This study supplements the current literature on the effects of product descriptions on sales performance. The findings suggest that wine tasting rooms should employ only objective tasting descriptors in their tasting sheets.

Analytic measurement data acquired by an SFE/CGC analysis were compared with sensory evaluation of two wines from South Moravia. The sensory descriptive analysis showed a large variation in sensory quality from neutral character to full expression of the variety. Whereas the cluster analysis of volatiles was sufficient for differentiating both wines, the sensory observation data based on seven descriptors did not suffice either for bouquet or flavour characteristic. The descriptor citrus could be related to analytically established substances whose statistical significance was supported by a stepwise multiple analysis. The possibility of recognising vine cultivars via sensory descriptors is statistically feasible only by nutty and caramel descriptors in the case of bouquet and by big fruit for flavour.

SummaryThe analysis of wine sensory descriptors is a fundamental step in the improvement of wine making, because the procedures are judged just before bottled wine is ready for consumption. Despite several contributions in the literature, traditional analysis of variance methods are not adequate to analyse sensory descriptors, because they are defined on ordinal scales. In this paper, we exploit cumulative link mixed models in a three-way full factorial design to assess the effect of prefermentative maceration, temperature and saignée on wine sensory descriptors. Using cumulative link mixed models, the bias introduced by assessors’ judgement and the ordinal scale of sensory descriptors are taken into account. The results were the following: the application of prefermentative maceration techniques did not lead to an improvement in the sensory profile of wines after a year from bottling; wines treated with saignée showed greater intensity in olfactive descriptors; and higher fermentation temperatures resulted in wines that were generally more concentrated.

Wine sensory testing is carried out by assessors who are usually selected and prepared depending on the test type, and their skills may vary depending on various factors. Expert wine assessors should have superior sensory evaluation abilities, an expert grape and wine knowledge level but even more assessment competence. The aim of this research was to test the competencies of certified Croatian expert wine assessors using a less-familiar descriptive sensory methodology with no preliminary training. These assessors are highly educated in viticulture and/or enology and work in this sector. They have certified sensory skills and shorter or longer experience in sensory testing wines with Geographical indications. Twenty-three assessors participated in the study, and the results were segmented by gender and age. The testing was performed in a laboratory accredited by ISO/IEC 17025. Graševina and Zweigelt wines were tested, and two groups of attributes were analyzed (main quality attributes and specific aroma descriptors). Qualitative and quantitative statistics showed that expert wine assessors had a very similar approach in the choice of descriptors and the perception of their intensity. No difference was obtained in testing any attribute and descriptor, neither for any wine nor between segmented groups concerning age. A significant difference was observed only between women and men in their perception of the two specific aroma descriptors. The results confirmed that combining expert knowledge and experience based on professional education and continuous analytical work can replace a lack of experience in some less-familiar methods.

Wine tasting notes constitute a specialized genre in the field of Oenology, with their own rhetoric and language. However, the language of wine tasting notes is by no means as specialized as that of most other specialized genres. Indeed, while there are dozens of terms used to describe and evaluate wines, there are only a limited number of words that are used exclusively or primarily for describing taste. In this study, we will first examine how wine literature attempts to analyze the descriptors used in wine tasting notes. We will then study a number of common wine descriptors in English and Spanish in the context of the nouns that they collocate with, in order to determine how specific or general these descriptors are in their use and meaning. On the basis of their collocability, we will categorize the descriptors into three categories and then analyze the meaning components of those descriptors that fall into the most general category.

Aroma is an important criterion for describing and evaluating wine. The aroma descriptor system currently used in wine analysis is based on Western culture and is thus often inappropriate for use by other cultures to enhance their enjoyment of wine. The objective of the present study was to update this widely applied system to facilitate Chinese participation. The 54 wine aroma descriptors of the original Le Nez du Vin Master Kit were updated based on the results of a survey of 150 untrained Chinese wine consumers who identified the aromas unfamiliar to them. A descriptive sensory analysis was then performed by a panel of 22 untrained wine tasters to identify hypothesised equivalents of the remote lexicons. New aroma reference standards were proposed to verify the hypothesised equivalents between local and non-local terms based on the similarity test. Three unfamiliar descriptors were kept owing to their similarity to the revised attributes and no suitable substitutions were found for four aromas. In the new system, 13 terms are replaced by Chinese local aroma attributes. To the best of our knowledge, this study is the first to propose a Chinese-localised wine aroma wheel consisting of 7 categories, 16 sub-categories and 53 descriptors.

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to study the impact that tasting sheet sensory descriptors have on wine sales in tasting rooms that rely on direct-to-consumer sales to sell the majority of their wines, such as those in New York wine regions. Design/methodology/approach – Nine tasting rooms participated in the study that took place on weekends (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday) during a six-week period in July and August 2012. Tasting rooms alternated tasting sheets by weekend, one including sensory descriptors and one omitting sensory descriptors. At the end of each weekend, tasting room managers compiled information on daily wine bottle and (in the case of seven wineries) dollar sales. A multivariate statistical model was created to measure the relationship between the treatment (tasting sheet with or without descriptors) and wine sales, controlling for other variables that could influence wine sales. Findings – The authors found that both bottle and dollar sales were higher when tasting sheets without sensory descriptors were used, with dollar sales statistically significant at the 10 percent level. Other variables that impacted wine sales included the specific tasting room, the day of the weekend, and festivals occurring in the area. Practical implications – Many tasting rooms, particularly in New York, rely on the tasting room for the majority of wine sales. Determining factors that affect sales can help tasting room managers/owners optimize the tasting room experience for maximized profits. Originality/value – While there have been studies involving the impact of descriptors on sales of food and wine products, these studies have all taken place in a grocery store or restaurant setting where many different brands and varieties are offered. There has been no research studying the impact of descriptors on wine sales in the tasting room, where tasters have a limited selection and an option to sample products before purchasing. There has also been little research studying aspects of tasting sheets.

Visualization of Sensory Perception Descriptors is a topic in the field of Information Visualization. It is concentrated on the research and development of methods for analyses of data related with human modalities description. One possibility for investigating sensory perception descriptors is analyzing a great number of wine tasting notes. This thesis is concerned with the visualization of wine tasting notes in order to aid linguistic analyses. It strives to find proper visualizations that will give a better insight into the language used in wine tasting notes. Two main processes are described in the following report. First it sets out the process of researching of different methods of information visualization that led to the final approach for representing the data. A number of concepts for text analyses are discussed and the most useful of them are developed further. Several approaches for text visualization and statistical information are combined to build a system for tasting notes analyses. The second part of the report describes the process of developing a prototype that implements the represented approaches and gives an opportunity for real testing and conclusions.

Wind energy is one of the significant sources of renewable energy, yet a number of challenges preclude optimal operation of wind plants. Research is warranted in order to minimize the power losses and improve the productivity of wind plants. Here, a framework combining turbulence theory and data mining techniques is built to elucidate physics and mechanisms driving the energy extraction of the wind plants under a number of atmospheric/operating conditions. The performance of wind turbines is subjected to adverse effects caused by wake interactions. Therefore, it is crucial to understand wake-to-wake interactions as well as wake-to-atmospheric boundary layer interactions. Experimental and numerical data sets are examined in order to provide descriptions of the wakes and extract relevant features. As wakes merge, it is of interest to observe characteristics within the turbulent velocity signal obtained via wind tunnel experiments. Higher order moments, structure functions, intermittency and multifractality analysis are investigated to distinguish the flow dynamics. In this manner, considered approaches highlight the flow deceleration induced by the wind turbines, which subsequently changes the energy transfer rate imposed by the coherent eddies, and adapt the equilibrium range in the energy cascade. Also, wind turbines induce scale interactions and cause the intermittency that lingers at large and small scales. When wind plants interact dynamically with small scales, the flow becomes highly intermittent and multifractality is increased, especially near the rotor. Multifractality parameters, including the Hurst exponent and the combination factor, show the ability to describe the flow state in terms of its development. Based on Markov theory, the time evolution of the probability density function of the velocity is described via the Fokker-Planck equation and its Kramers-Moyal coefficients. Stochastic analysis proves the non-universality of the turbulent cascade immediate to the rotor, and the impact of the generation mechanism on flow cascade. Classifying the wake flow based the velocity and intermittency signs emphasizes that a negative correlation is dominant downstream from the rotor. These results reflect large-scale organization of the velocity-intermittency events corresponding to a recirculation region near the hub height and bottom tip. A linear regression approach based on the Gram-Charlier series expansion of the joint probability density function successfully models the contribution of the second and fourth quadrants. Thus, the model is able to predict the imbalance in the velocity and intermittency contribution to momentum transfer. Via large eddy simulations, the structure of the turbulent flow within the array under stratified conditions is quantified through the use of the Reynolds stress anisotropy tensor, proper orthogonal decomposition and cluster-based modeling. Perturbations induced by the turbine wakes are absorbed by the background turbulence in the unstable and neutrally stratified cases. Contrary, the flow in the stable stratified case is fully dominated by the presence of turbines and extremely influenced by the Coriolis force. Also, during the unstable period the turbulent kinetic energy is maximum. Thus, leading to fast convergence of the cumulative energy with only few modes. Reynolds stress anisotropy tensor reveals that under unstable thermal stratification the turbulence state tends to be more isotropic. The turbulent mixing due to buoyancy determines the degree of anisotropy and the energy distribution between the flow layers. The wakes of the turbines display large degree of anisotropy due to the correlation with the turbulent kinetic energy production. A combinatorial technique merging image segmentation via K-Means clustering and colormap of the barycentric map is posed. Clustering aids in extracting identical features from the spatial distribution of anisotropy colormap images by minimizing the sum of squared error over all clusters. Clustering also enables to highlight the wake expansion and interaction as produced by the wind turbines as a function of thermal stratification. A cluster-based reduced-order dynamical model is proposed for flow field and passive scalars; the model relies on full-state measurements. The dynamical behavior is predicted through the cluster transition matrix and modeled as a Markov process. The geometric nature of the attractor shows the ability to assess the quality of the clustering and identify transition regions. Periodical trends in the cluster transition matrix characterize the intrinsic periodical behavior of the wake. The modeling strategy points out a feasible path for future design and control that can be used to maximize power output. In addition, characterization of intermittency with power integration model can allow for power fluctuation arrangement/prediction in wind plants.

La dérive de pulvérisation peut être mesurée au champ ou en soufflerie. Paradoxalement, les tests au champ sont sujets à de grandes variations dues aux conditions atmosphériques mais peuvent être plus facilement réalisés contrairement aux tests en soufflerie. Ainsi les principaux modèles de dérive sont basés sur des mesures au champ alors que peu de modèles s’inspirent de mesures en soufflerie. L’objectif de ce travail a été de définir un ou des descripteurs de la dérive sur la base de l’analyse de courbes de dépôts obtenues dans la soufflerie d’IRSTEA Montpellier. Par rapport aux souffleries existantes, un protocole d’exposition de longue durée a été utilisé avec une forte densité d’échantillonnage. Un plan expérimental comprenant 99 modalités a été réalisé en tenant compte de différents types de buses (FF, AI, AI Twin jet), différente hauteurs de rampe de 40 à 80cm, différentes positions de la rampe (frontale, latérale et angles intermédiaires) et différentes vitesses de vent entre 2 et 7.5m s-1. Les résultats ont montré que le taux de dérive à 5m sous le vent (DR5) correspond au descripteur le plus robuste si l’on tient compte du large spectre de paramètres et de réglages. Des modèles de premier ordre ont été définis pour l’expression de l’effet de la vitesse du vent ainsi que de la hauteur de rampe selon le temps de vol des gouttes (ToF). Ainsi il est possible de comparer des résultats issus de conditions expérimentales différentes et de simuler l’effet de la vitesse du vent et la hauteur de la rampe pour un type donné de buse. Des mesures in situ de taille de gouttes ont confirmé la pertinence du temps de vol comme base de l’expression des résultats
Spray drift might be measured either infield or in a wind tunnel through specific sampling strategies. Paradoxically field tests are subjected to a high variability due to the atmospheric conditions but can be more easily conducted in the absence of a wind tunnel. The result is that most of spray drift models are based on infield measurements. Conversely very few models were developed on the basis of wind tunnel measurements. The objective of this work was to define spray drift descriptors from the analysis of drift curves in IRSTEA wind tunnel. Compared to the majority of existing wind tunnels, a long duration exposure protocol was applied with a high sampling density. A large experimental plan of 99 modalities were conducted including nozzle types (FF, AI, AI Twin jet), boom heights from 40 to 80cm, boom positions (frontal, lateral, and intermediate angles) and wind velocities from 2 to 7.5ms-1. Results showed that the drift ratio at 5m (DR5) was the most robust drift indicator considering the wide range of parameters and operations conditions (wind velocity, boom height). First order models were drawn for the expression of the effect of the wind velocity and the boom height according to the droplet time of flight (ToF). As a result it was possible to compare data from different experimental conditions and to simulate the effect of the wind velocity and the boom height for a given type of nozzle. In situ droplet size measurements confirmed the relevance of the time of flight expression

Local features have become an essential tool in visual recognition. Much of the progress in computer vision over the past decade has built on simple, local representations such as SIFT or HOG. SIFT in particular shifted the paradigm in feature representation. Subsequent works have often focused on improving either computational efficiency, or invariance properties. This thesis belongs to the latter group. Invariance is a particularly relevant aspect if we intend to work with dense features. The traditional approach to sparse matching is to rely on stable interest points, such as corners, where scale and orientation can be reliably estimated, enforcing invariance; dense features need to be computed on arbitrary points. Dense features have been shown to outperform sparse matching techniques in many recognition problems, and form the bulk of our work. In this thesis we present strategies to enhance low-level, local features with mid-level, global cues. We devise techniques to construct better features, and use them to handle complex ambiguities, occlusions and background changes. To deal with ambiguities, we explore the use of motion to enforce temporal consistency with optical flow priors. We also introduce a novel technique to exploit segmentation cues, and use it to extract features invariant to background variability. For this, we downplay image measurements most likely to belong to a region different from that where the descriptor is computed. In both cases we follow the same strategy: we incorporate mid-level, "big picture" information into the construction of local features, and proceed to use them in the same manner as we would the baseline features. We apply these techniques to different feature representations, including SIFT and HOG, and use them to address canonical vision problems such as stereo and object detection, demonstrating that the introduction of global cues yields consistent improvements. We prioritize solutions that are simple, general, and efficient. Our main contributions are as follows: (a) An approach to dense stereo reconstruction with spatiotemporal features, which unlike existing works remains applicable to wide baselines. (b) A technique to exploit segmentation cues to construct dense descriptors invariant to background variability, such as occlusions or background motion. (c) A technique to integrate bottom-up segmentation with recognition efficiently, amenable to sliding window detectors.
Les "features" locals s'han convertit en una eina fonamental en el camp del reconeixement visual. Gran part del progrés experimentat en el camp de la visió per computador al llarg de l'última decada es basa en representacions locals de baixa complexitat, com SIFT o HOG. SIFT, en concret, ha canviat el paradigma en representació de característiques visuals. Els treballs que l'han succeït s'acostumen a centrar o bé a millorar la seva eficiencia computacional, o bé propietats d'invariança. El treball presentat en aquesta tesi pertany al segon grup. L'invariança es un aspecte especialment rellevant quan volem treballab amb "features" denses, és a dir per a cada pixel. La manera tradicional d'atacar el problema amb "features" de baixa densitat consisteix en seleccionar punts d'interés estables, com per exemple cantonades, on l'escala i l'orientació poden ser estimades de manera robusta. Les "features" denses, per definició, han de ser calculades en punts arbitraris de la imatge. S'ha demostrat que les "features" denses obtenen millors resultats en tècniques de correspondència per a molts problemes en reconeixement, i formen la major part del nostre treball. En aquesta tesi presentem estratègies per a enriquir "features" locals de baix nivell amb "cues" o dades globals, de mitja complexitat. Dissenyem tècniques per a construïr millors "features", que usem per a atacar problemes tals com correspondències amb un grau elevat d'ambigüetat, oclusions, i canvis del fons de la imatge. Per a atacar ambigüetats, explorem l'ús del moviment per a imposar consistència espai-temporal mitjançant informació d'"optical flow". També presentem una tècnica per explotar dades de segmentació que fem servir per a extreure "features" invariants a canvis en el fons de la imatge. Aquest mètode consisteix en atenuar els components de la imatge (i per tant les "features") que probablement corresponguin a regions diferents a la del descriptor que estem calculant. En ambdós casos seguim la mateixa estratègia: la nostra voluntat és incorporar dades globals d'un nivell de complexitat mitja a la construcció de "features" locals, que procedim a utilitzar de la mateixa manera que les "features" originals. Aquestes tècniques són aplicades a diferents tipus de representacions, incloent SIFT i HOG, i mostrem com utilitzar-les per a atacar problemes fonamentals en visió per computador tals com l'estèreo i la detecció d'objectes. En aquest treball demostrem que introduïnt informació global en la construcció de "features" locals podem obtenir millores consistentment. Donem prioritat a solucions senzilles, generals i eficients. Aquestes són les principals contribucions de la tesi: (a) Una tècnica per a reconstrucció estèreo densa mitjançant "features" espai-temporals, amb l'avantatge respecte a treballs existents que podem aplicar-la a càmeres en qualsevol configuració geomètrica ("wide-baseline"). (b) Una tècnica per a explotar dades de segmentació dins la construcció de descriptors densos, fent-los invariants a canvis al fons de la imatge, i per tant a problemes com les oclusions en estèreo o objectes en moviment. (c) Una tècnica per a integrar segmentació de manera ascendent ("bottom-up") en problemes de reconeixement d'una manera eficient, dissenyada per a detectors de tipus "sliding window".

Orientador: Ricardo da Silva Torres
Dissertação (mestrado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Instituto de Computação
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Resumo: A crescente quantidade de imagens geradas e disponibilizadas atualmente tem eito aumentar a necessidade de criação de sistemas de busca para este tipo de informação. Um método promissor para a realização da busca de imagens e a busca por conteúdo. Este tipo de abordagem considera o conteúdo visual das imagens, como cor, textura e forma de objetos, para indexação e recuperação. A busca de imagens por conteúdo tem como componente principal o descritor de imagens. O descritor de imagens é responsável por extrair propriedades visuais das imagens e armazená-las em vetores de características. Dados dois vetores de características, o descritor compara-os e retorna um valor de distancia. Este valor quantifica a diferença entre as imagens representadas pelos vetores. Em um sistema de busca de imagens por conteúdo, a distancia calculada pelo descritor de imagens é usada para ordenar as imagens da base em relação a uma determinada imagem de consulta. Esta dissertação realiza um estudo comparativo de descritores de imagens considerando a Web como cenário de uso. Este cenário apresenta uma quantidade muito grande de imagens e de conteúdo bastante heterogêneo. O estudo comparativo realizado nesta dissertação é feito em duas abordagens. A primeira delas considera a complexidade assinto tica dos algoritmos de extração de vetores de características e das funções de distancia dos descritores, os tamanhos dos vetores de características gerados pelos descritores e o ambiente no qual cada descritor foi validado originalmente. A segunda abordagem compara os descritores em experimentos práticos em quatro bases de imagens diferentes. Os descritores são avaliados segundo tempo de extração, tempo para cálculos de distancia, requisitos de armazenamento e eficácia. São comparados descritores de cor, textura e forma. Os experimentos são realizados com cada tipo de descritor independentemente e, baseado nestes resultados, um conjunto de descritores é avaliado em uma base com mais de 230 mil imagens heterogêneas, que reflete o conteúdo encontrado na Web. A avaliação de eficácia dos descritores na base de imagens heterogêneas é realizada por meio de experimentos com usuários reais. Esta dissertação também apresenta uma ferramenta para a realização automatizada de testes comparativos entre descritores de imagens.
Abstract: The growth in size of image collections and the worldwide availability of these collections has increased the demand for image retrieval systems. A promising approach to address this demand is to retrieve images based on image content (Content-Based Image Retrieval). This approach considers the image visual properties, like color, texture and shape of objects, for indexing and retrieval. The main component of a content-based image retrieval system is the image descriptor. The image descriptor is responsible for encoding image properties into feature vectors. Given two feature vectors, the descriptor compares them and computes a distance value. This value quantifies the difference between the images represented by their vectors. In a content-based image retrieval system, these distance values are used to rank database images with respect to their distance to a given query image. This dissertation presents a comparative study of image descriptors considering the Web as the environment of use. This environment presents a huge amount of images with heterogeneous content. The comparative study was conducted by taking into account two approaches. The first approach considers the asymptotic complexity of feature vectors extraction algorithms and distance functions, the size of the feature vectors generated by the descriptors and the environment where each descriptor was validated. The second approach compares the descriptors in practical experiments using four different image databases. The evaluation considers the time required for features extraction, the time for computing distance values, the storage requirements and the effectiveness of each descriptor. Color, texture, and shape descriptors were compared. The experiments were performed with each kind of descriptor independently and, based on these results, a set of descriptors was evaluated in an image database containing more than 230 thousand heterogeneous images, reflecting the content existent in the Web. The evaluation of descriptors effectiveness in the heterogeneous database was made by experiments using real users. This dissertation also presents a tool for executing experiments aiming to evaluate image descriptors.
Mestrado
Sistemas de Informação
Mestre em Ciência da Computação

In light of recent surveys on gender equality and English proficiency in Sweden, this study examines the adjectives and adverbs which describe the women and men in two EFL-textbooks for English 6 in the upper secondary school, namely Blueprint: Version 2.0 B and WWE: World Wide English. Textbooks are often integral for language learning, and considering that students of Swedish upper secondary school are required to take English 6, the exposure of EFL-textbooks are significant. Thus, it becomes relevant to analyse how the language of EFL-textbooks depicts women and men. The actions, social roles and occupations of the female and male characters are analysed to find any discrepancies in how women and men are portrayed and whether these agree with the guidelines of the Swedish National Agency for Education. These guidelines require teaching to be carried out with consideration to fundamental democratic rights and should strive to promote equality between groups. In addition, the study builds upon previous research within the field of linguistics as well as social sciences carried out by Fairclough, Foucault, Lucy, Butler and others which concerns discourse, linguistic relativism, gender theory etc. The hypothesis of this study is that there is still a discrepancy in how women and men are depicted in EFL-textbooks. By employing a mixed method approach which includes quantitative data and statistics and qualitative discourse analysis which highlights indications of unequal description of gender, it can be concluded that women and men are described differently, and often in terms of dichotomies, with adjectives, adverbs and the social roles that they are assigned. These descriptions may consequently result in that students that use these textbooks as part of their learning process may adopt these values. Thus, some descriptions violates the goals and guidelines for gender equality, prescribed by the Swedish National Agency for Education (Skolverket).

It has been repeatedly acknowledged that the appreciation of wine depends to some extent on the drinker’s level of interest and their degree of expertise. Experts and non-experts (i.e. standard consumers) differ in their ability to identify the properties of wine, both in their memory of other wines they have drunk (which is useful for comparison purposes) and in the language they use to talk about wine (which affects the richness and variety of the description). The present thesis focuses on this last aspect, that is, the language used to describe the sensory properties of wine, and in particular on the understanding that standard consumers have of 64 frequently used descriptors. We have addressed this topic from a cross-cultural perspective and have worked on the assumption that opposition (i.e. heavy–light, strong–delicate, mature-immature etc) is a key configuration in descriptions relating to the sensorial characteristics of wine. In the first chapter, the framework of the problem, in terms of the cultural traditions surrounding wine, is set. The study focuses in particular on Italian wine (representing a country with a well-established tradition of producing and drinking wine), Australian wine (representing a country which is relatively new to the production of wine) and finally a part involving participants from Vietnam, a country with long established tradition of rice wine, but a certain degree of familiarity with imported grape wine which is drunk on special social occasions (see section 1.1). These three cultural areas form the basis of this thesis. Chapter 1 deals with the international language of wine from the point of view of the descriptors used by experts for its sensory properties (section 1.2). The importance of opposites in the language used and the conceptualization of wine according to experts is discussed (section 1.3). A number of studies on cross-cultural aspects relating to the description of wine in previous literature are touched upon, but these are not specifically related to opposition (section 1.4). The second chapter represents the core of the thesis from an experimental point of view. The original experiment carried out in Italy is described (Bianchi et al., 2020; section 2.1), followed by the two experiments carried out for the purposes of this thesis with Vietnamese participants (section 2.2) and Australian participants (section 2.3). The main issue concerns whether opposites can potentially play a role in modelling the dimensions evoked by common descriptors of wine, not only in the lexicon used by experts and professionals, but also with reference to non-expert consumers, considering also whether the findings hold from a cross-cultural point of view (that is, for Italy, Australia and Vietnam). We consider that it was relevant to establish empirically whether the conceptualization of the properties of wine in terms of dimensions and opposites as referred to by experts works well for standard consumers and also works equally well in countries with very different wine traditions. The motivation for this is based on the hope that once a “configuration” has been established (Paradis, 2008) it can be used to bridge the gap between experts and non-experts so that the terms and dimensions referred to are attributed the same or at least similar meanings. This is an interesting aspect to consider not only in terms of basic research, but also as applied to research relating to the marketing and advertising of wine. One of the main results of the research presented in this thesis is that in more than 80% of cases, both the Australian and Vietnamese participants were able to find what they considered to be an opposite for the target properties presented. The percentage is similar to that found in the previous study carried out with Italian participants. This indicates that opposites represent a potential common ground between expert and non-expert ways of communicating about wine, independently of people’s knowledge. The critical question regarded the extent to which the standard consumers who participated in the three studies were consistent in their choice of opposites. There was a great deal of variability between the properties in terms of how many different opposites were chosen by the participants. For the most ambiguous terms, we found that an average of 4 different opposites were identified for every 10 participants. The degree of ambiguity was slightly higher for the Vietnamese and Australian participants than for the Italian participants. The fact that this result indicates that the dimensions relating to wine are often ambiguous represents a potential source of misunderstanding. Even if wine producers carefully select the words they use to describe the characteristics of their products, standard consumers may still interpret them in a different way. Many more studies are of course needed to investigate further in order to fully understanding this phenomenon. We believe that, despite its limitations, this thesis may well suggest a useful direction for future research to follow.

Dissertation presented as the partial requirement for obtaining a Master's degree in Information Management, specialization in Marketing Intelligence
The wine market is saturated and with increased diversity in styles, brands and prices, the wine purchase decision is difficult, and the consumer might get lost. When consumers are shopping for wine, they face a bewildering array of products bearing a wide range of information and since the consumers cannot usually taste the wine before purchase, they must make their decision based on the available information on the label of the bottle or past decisions. This investigation aims to demonstrate how the tasting note sometimes available on the label, will influence the wine drinking experience as well as the impact that the labels have on the evaluation of quality and desire of the wine. These characteristics determine the consumer's purchase intention based on the design of the label and its respective sensory descriptions. Understanding the consumers and what motivates them is the key to any marketing strategy and wine producers need to know how consumer involvement impacts their decision to purchase wine. To carry out this investigation, a questionnaire was developed. Two hundred responses were considered in a survey with two different scenarios, the two versions were randomly assigned among the participants. The objective was to understand how the sensory description (tasting note) influenced the answers. The study reveals that when consumers know a priori the flavors present in a certain bottle of wine, it changes the way people appreciate it, it makes the experience more exciting for consumers. From the analysis of the results, it is possible to conclude that the presence of detailed sensory descriptions on the labels will allow people to more easily choose the wine they want to consume. Consumers want to be guided in the discovery of the wine flavors to facilitate future purchase decisions.
O mercado dos vinhos está saturado e, com cada vez maior diversidade de estilos, marcas e preços, a decisão de compra do vinho torna-se difícil e o consumidor pode sentir-se perdido. Quando os consumidores compram vinho deparam-se com uma gama desconcertante de produtos e com uma ampla gama de informações e, uma vez que os consumidores geralmente não podem provar o vinho antes de comprar, devem tomar uma decisão com base nas informações disponíveis no rótulo da garrafa. Esta investigação pretende demonstrar como a nota de prova irá influenciar a experiência de consumo do vinho, bem como o impacto que os rótulos têm na avaliação de qualidade e desejo do vinho. Essas características determinam a intenção de compra do consumidor com base no design do rótulo e as suas respetivas descrições sensoriais. Entender os consumidores e o que os motiva é a chave para qualquer estratégia de marketing e os produtores de vinho precisam de saber como o envolvimento do consumidor afeta sua decisão de compra do vinho. Para realizar esta investigação, foi elaborado um questionário. Duzentas respostas foram consideradas numa pesquisa com dois cenários diferentes, as duas versões foram distribuídas aleatoriamente entre os participantes. O objetivo foi compreender como a descrição sensorial (nota de prova) influenciou as respostas. O estudo revela que quando o consumidor conhece a priori os sabores presentes numa determinada garrafa de vinho, que isso muda a forma como as pessoas a apreciam, tornando a experiência mais entusiasmante para o consumidor. A partir da análise dos resultados, é possível concluir que a presença de descrições sensoriais detalhadas nos rótulos permitirá que as pessoas escolham com mais facilidade o vinho que desejam consumir. Os consumidores querem ser orientados na descoberta dos sabores do vinho, o que facilitará futuras decisões de compra.

In designing microstructural materials systems, one of the key research questions is how to represent the microstructural design space quantitatively using a descriptor set that is sufficient yet small enough to be tractable. Existing approaches describe complex microstructures either using a small set of descriptors that lack sufficient level of details, or using generic high order microstructure functions of infinite dimensionality without explicit physical meanings. We propose a new machine learning-based method for identifying the key microstructure descriptors from vast candidates as potential microstructural design variables. With a large number of candidate microstructure descriptors collected from literature covering a wide range of microstructural material systems, a 4-step machine learning-based method is developed to eliminate redundant microstructure descriptors via image analyses, to identify key microstructure descriptors based on structure-property data, and to determine the microstructure design variables. The training criteria of the supervised learning process include both microstructure correlation functions and material properties. The proposed methodology effectively reduces the infinite dimension of the microstructure design space to a small set of descriptors without a significant information loss. The benefits are demonstrated by an example of polymer nanocomposites optimization. We compare designs using key microstructure descriptors versus using empirically-chosen microstructure descriptors to validate the proposed method.

Engineering With Nature: An Atlas, Volume 2 showcases EWN principles and practices "in action" through 62 projects from around the world. These exemplary projects demonstrate what it means to partner with nature to deliver engineering solutions with triple-win benefits. The collection of projects included were developed and constructed by a large number of government, private sector, non-governmental organizations, and other organizations. Through the use of photographs and narrative descriptions, the EWN Atlas was developed to inspire interested readers and practitioners with the potential to engineer with nature.

Robert Duncan Milne (1844-99), from Cupar, Fife, was a pioneering author of science fiction stories, most of which appeared in San Francisco’s Argonaut magazine in the 1880s and ’90s. SF historian Sam Moskowitz credits Milne with being the first full-time SF writer, and his contribution to the genre is arguably greater than anyone else including Stevenson and Conan Doyle, yet it has all but disappeared into oblivion. Milne was fascinated by science. He drew on the work of Scottish physicists and inventors such as James Clark Maxwell and Alexander Graham Bell into the possibilities of electromagnetic forces and new communications media to overcome distances in space and time. Milne wrote about visual time-travelling long before H.G. Wells. He foresaw virtual ‘tele-presencing’, remote surveillance, mobile phones and worldwide satellite communications – not to mention climate change, scientific terrorism and drone warfare, cryogenics and molecular reengineering. Milne also wrote on alien life forms, artificial immortality, identity theft and personality exchange, lost worlds and the rediscovery of extinct species. ‘A New Palingenesis’, originally published in The Argonaut on July 7th 1883, and adapted in this comic, is a secular version of the resurrection myth. Mary Shelley was the first scientiser of the occult to rework the supernatural idea of reanimating the dead through the mysterious powers of electricity in Frankenstein (1818). In Milne’s story, in which Doctor S- dissolves his terminally ill wife’s body in order to bring her back to life in restored health, is a striking, further modernisation of Frankenstein, to reflect late-nineteenth century interest in electromagnetic science and spiritualism. In particular, it is a retelling of Shelley’s narrative strand about Frankenstein’s aborted attempt to shape a female mate for his creature, but also his misogynistic ambition to bypass the sexual principle in reproducing life altogether. By doing so, Milne interfused Shelley’s updating of the Promethean myth with others. ‘A New Palingenesis’ is also a version of Pygmalion and his male-ordered, wish-fulfilling desire to animate his idealised female sculpture, Galatea from Ovid’s Metamorphoses, perhaps giving a positive twist to Orpheus’s attempt to bring his corpse-bride Eurydice back from the underworld as well? With its basis in spiritualist ideas about the soul as a kind of electrical intelligence, detachable from the body but a material entity nonetheless, Doctor S- treats his wife as an ‘intelligent battery’. He is thus able to preserve her personality after death and renew her body simultaneously because that captured electrical intelligence also carries a DNA-like code for rebuilding the individual organism itself from its chemical constituents. The descriptions of the experiment and the body’s gradual re-materialisation are among Milne’s most visually impressive, anticipating the X-raylike anatomisation and reversal of Griffin’s disappearance process in Wells’s The Invisible Man (1897). In the context of the 1880s, it must have been a compelling scientisation of the paranormal, combining highly technical descriptions of the Doctor’s system of electrically linked glass coffins with ghostly imagery. It is both dramatic and highly visual, even cinematic in its descriptions, and is here brought to life in the form of a comic.

1.1 Macroeconomic summary Economic recovery has consistently outperformed the technical staff’s expectations following a steep decline in activity in the second quarter of 2020. At the same time, total and core inflation rates have fallen and remain at low levels, suggesting that a significant element of the reactivation of Colombia’s economy has been related to recovery in potential GDP. This would support the technical staff’s diagnosis of weak aggregate demand and ample excess capacity. The most recently available data on 2020 growth suggests a contraction in economic activity of 6.8%, lower than estimates from January’s Monetary Policy Report (-7.2%). High-frequency indicators suggest that economic performance was significantly more dynamic than expected in January, despite mobility restrictions and quarantine measures. This has also come amid declines in total and core inflation, the latter of which was below January projections if controlling for certain relative price changes. This suggests that the unexpected strength of recent growth contains elements of demand, and that excess capacity, while significant, could be lower than previously estimated. Nevertheless, uncertainty over the measurement of excess capacity continues to be unusually high and marked both by variations in the way different economic sectors and spending components have been affected by the pandemic, and by uneven price behavior. The size of excess capacity, and in particular the evolution of the pandemic in forthcoming quarters, constitute substantial risks to the macroeconomic forecast presented in this report. Despite the unexpected strength of the recovery, the technical staff continues to project ample excess capacity that is expected to remain on the forecast horizon, alongside core inflation that will likely remain below the target. Domestic demand remains below 2019 levels amid unusually significant uncertainty over the size of excess capacity in the economy. High national unemployment (14.6% for February 2021) reflects a loose labor market, while observed total and core inflation continue to be below 2%. Inflationary pressures from the exchange rate are expected to continue to be low, with relatively little pass-through on inflation. This would be compatible with a negative output gap. Excess productive capacity and the expectation of core inflation below the 3% target on the forecast horizon provide a basis for an expansive monetary policy posture. The technical staff’s assessment of certain shocks and their expected effects on the economy, as well as the presence of several sources of uncertainty and related assumptions about their potential macroeconomic impacts, remain a feature of this report. The coronavirus pandemic, in particular, continues to affect the public health environment, and the reopening of Colombia’s economy remains incomplete. The technical staff’s assessment is that the COVID-19 shock has affected both aggregate demand and supply, but that the impact on demand has been deeper and more persistent. Given this persistence, the central forecast accounts for a gradual tightening of the output gap in the absence of new waves of contagion, and as vaccination campaigns progress. The central forecast continues to include an expected increase of total and core inflation rates in the second quarter of 2021, alongside the lapse of the temporary price relief measures put in place in 2020. Additional COVID-19 outbreaks (of uncertain duration and intensity) represent a significant risk factor that could affect these projections. Additionally, the forecast continues to include an upward trend in sovereign risk premiums, reflected by higher levels of public debt that in the wake of the pandemic are likely to persist on the forecast horizon, even in the context of a fiscal adjustment. At the same time, the projection accounts for the shortterm effects on private domestic demand from a fiscal adjustment along the lines of the one currently being proposed by the national government. This would be compatible with a gradual recovery of private domestic demand in 2022. The size and characteristics of the fiscal adjustment that is ultimately implemented, as well as the corresponding market response, represent another source of forecast uncertainty. Newly available information offers evidence of the potential for significant changes to the macroeconomic scenario, though without altering the general diagnosis described above. The most recent data on inflation, growth, fiscal policy, and international financial conditions suggests a more dynamic economy than previously expected. However, a third wave of the pandemic has delayed the re-opening of Colombia’s economy and brought with it a deceleration in economic activity. Detailed descriptions of these considerations and subsequent changes to the macroeconomic forecast are presented below. The expected annual decline in GDP (-0.3%) in the first quarter of 2021 appears to have been less pronounced than projected in January (-4.8%). Partial closures in January to address a second wave of COVID-19 appear to have had a less significant negative impact on the economy than previously estimated. This is reflected in figures related to mobility, energy demand, industry and retail sales, foreign trade, commercial transactions from selected banks, and the national statistics agency’s (DANE) economic tracking indicator (ISE). Output is now expected to have declined annually in the first quarter by 0.3%. Private consumption likely continued to recover, registering levels somewhat above those from the previous year, while public consumption likely increased significantly. While a recovery in investment in both housing and in other buildings and structures is expected, overall investment levels in this case likely continued to be low, and gross fixed capital formation is expected to continue to show significant annual declines. Imports likely recovered to again outpace exports, though both are expected to register significant annual declines. Economic activity that outpaced projections, an increase in oil prices and other export products, and an expected increase in public spending this year account for the upward revision to the 2021 growth forecast (from 4.6% with a range between 2% and 6% in January, to 6.0% with a range between 3% and 7% in April). As a result, the output gap is expected to be smaller and to tighten more rapidly than projected in the previous report, though it is still expected to remain in negative territory on the forecast horizon. Wide forecast intervals reflect the fact that the future evolution of the COVID-19 pandemic remains a significant source of uncertainty on these projections. The delay in the recovery of economic activity as a result of the resurgence of COVID-19 in the first quarter appears to have been less significant than projected in the January report. The central forecast scenario expects this improved performance to continue in 2021 alongside increased consumer and business confidence. Low real interest rates and an active credit supply would also support this dynamic, and the overall conditions would be expected to spur a recovery in consumption and investment. Increased growth in public spending and public works based on the national government’s spending plan (Plan Financiero del Gobierno) are other factors to consider. Additionally, an expected recovery in global demand and higher projected prices for oil and coffee would further contribute to improved external revenues and would favor investment, in particular in the oil sector. Given the above, the technical staff’s 2021 growth forecast has been revised upward from 4.6% in January (range from 2% to 6%) to 6.0% in April (range from 3% to 7%). These projections account for the potential for the third wave of COVID-19 to have a larger and more persistent effect on the economy than the previous wave, while also supposing that there will not be any additional significant waves of the pandemic and that mobility restrictions will be relaxed as a result. Economic growth in 2022 is expected to be 3%, with a range between 1% and 5%. This figure would be lower than projected in the January report (3.6% with a range between 2% and 6%), due to a higher base of comparison given the upward revision to expected GDP in 2021. This forecast also takes into account the likely effects on private demand of a fiscal adjustment of the size currently being proposed by the national government, and which would come into effect in 2022. Excess in productive capacity is now expected to be lower than estimated in January but continues to be significant and affected by high levels of uncertainty, as reflected in the wide forecast intervals. The possibility of new waves of the virus (of uncertain intensity and duration) represents a significant downward risk to projected GDP growth, and is signaled by the lower limits of the ranges provided in this report. Inflation (1.51%) and inflation excluding food and regulated items (0.94%) declined in March compared to December, continuing below the 3% target. The decline in inflation in this period was below projections, explained in large part by unanticipated increases in the costs of certain foods (3.92%) and regulated items (1.52%). An increase in international food and shipping prices, increased foreign demand for beef, and specific upward pressures on perishable food supplies appear to explain a lower-than-expected deceleration in the consumer price index (CPI) for foods. An unexpected increase in regulated items prices came amid unanticipated increases in international fuel prices, on some utilities rates, and for regulated education prices. The decline in annual inflation excluding food and regulated items between December and March was in line with projections from January, though this included downward pressure from a significant reduction in telecommunications rates due to the imminent entry of a new operator. When controlling for the effects of this relative price change, inflation excluding food and regulated items exceeds levels forecast in the previous report. Within this indicator of core inflation, the CPI for goods (1.05%) accelerated due to a reversion of the effects of the VAT-free day in November, which was largely accounted for in February, and possibly by the transmission of a recent depreciation of the peso on domestic prices for certain items (electric and household appliances). For their part, services prices decelerated and showed the lowest rate of annual growth (0.89%) among the large consumer baskets in the CPI. Within the services basket, the annual change in rental prices continued to decline, while those services that continue to experience the most significant restrictions on returning to normal operations (tourism, cinemas, nightlife, etc.) continued to register significant price declines. As previously mentioned, telephone rates also fell significantly due to increased competition in the market. Total inflation is expected to continue to be affected by ample excesses in productive capacity for the remainder of 2021 and 2022, though less so than projected in January. As a result, convergence to the inflation target is now expected to be somewhat faster than estimated in the previous report, assuming the absence of significant additional outbreaks of COVID-19. The technical staff’s year-end inflation projections for 2021 and 2022 have increased, suggesting figures around 3% due largely to variation in food and regulated items prices. The projection for inflation excluding food and regulated items also increased, but remains below 3%. Price relief measures on indirect taxes implemented in 2020 are expected to lapse in the second quarter of 2021, generating a one-off effect on prices and temporarily affecting inflation excluding food and regulated items. However, indexation to low levels of past inflation, weak demand, and ample excess productive capacity are expected to keep core inflation below the target, near 2.3% at the end of 2021 (previously 2.1%). The reversion in 2021 of the effects of some price relief measures on utility rates from 2020 should lead to an increase in the CPI for regulated items in the second half of this year. Annual price changes are now expected to be higher than estimated in the January report due to an increased expected path for fuel prices and unanticipated increases in regulated education prices. The projection for the CPI for foods has increased compared to the previous report, taking into account certain factors that were not anticipated in January (a less favorable agricultural cycle, increased pressure from international prices, and transport costs). Given the above, year-end annual inflation for 2021 and 2022 is now expected to be 3% and 2.8%, respectively, which would be above projections from January (2.3% and 2,7%). For its part, expected inflation based on analyst surveys suggests year-end inflation in 2021 and 2022 of 2.8% and 3.1%, respectively. There remains significant uncertainty surrounding the inflation forecasts included in this report due to several factors: 1) the evolution of the pandemic; 2) the difficulty in evaluating the size and persistence of excess productive capacity; 3) the timing and manner in which price relief measures will lapse; and 4) the future behavior of food prices. Projected 2021 growth in foreign demand (4.4% to 5.2%) and the supposed average oil price (USD 53 to USD 61 per Brent benchmark barrel) were both revised upward. An increase in long-term international interest rates has been reflected in a depreciation of the peso and could result in relatively tighter external financial conditions for emerging market economies, including Colombia. Average growth among Colombia’s trade partners was greater than expected in the fourth quarter of 2020. This, together with a sizable fiscal stimulus approved in the United States and the onset of a massive global vaccination campaign, largely explains the projected increase in foreign demand growth in 2021. The resilience of the goods market in the face of global crisis and an expected normalization in international trade are additional factors. These considerations and the expected continuation of a gradual reduction of mobility restrictions abroad suggest that Colombia’s trade partners could grow on average by 5.2% in 2021 and around 3.4% in 2022. The improved prospects for global economic growth have led to an increase in current and expected oil prices. Production interruptions due to a heavy winter, reduced inventories, and increased supply restrictions instituted by producing countries have also contributed to the increase. Meanwhile, market forecasts and recent Federal Reserve pronouncements suggest that the benchmark interest rate in the U.S. will remain stable for the next two years. Nevertheless, a significant increase in public spending in the country has fostered expectations for greater growth and inflation, as well as increased uncertainty over the moment in which a normalization of monetary policy might begin. This has been reflected in an increase in long-term interest rates. In this context, emerging market economies in the region, including Colombia, have registered increases in sovereign risk premiums and long-term domestic interest rates, and a depreciation of local currencies against the dollar. Recent outbreaks of COVID-19 in several of these economies; limits on vaccine supply and the slow pace of immunization campaigns in some countries; a significant increase in public debt; and tensions between the United States and China, among other factors, all add to a high level of uncertainty surrounding interest rate spreads, external financing conditions, and the future performance of risk premiums. The impact that this environment could have on the exchange rate and on domestic financing conditions represent risks to the macroeconomic and monetary policy forecasts. Domestic financial conditions continue to favor recovery in economic activity. The transmission of reductions to the policy interest rate on credit rates has been significant. The banking portfolio continues to recover amid circumstances that have affected both the supply and demand for loans, and in which some credit risks have materialized. Preferential and ordinary commercial interest rates have fallen to a similar degree as the benchmark interest rate. As is generally the case, this transmission has come at a slower pace for consumer credit rates, and has been further delayed in the case of mortgage rates. Commercial credit levels stabilized above pre-pandemic levels in March, following an increase resulting from significant liquidity requirements for businesses in the second quarter of 2020. The consumer credit portfolio continued to recover and has now surpassed February 2020 levels, though overall growth in the portfolio remains low. At the same time, portfolio projections and default indicators have increased, and credit establishment earnings have come down. Despite this, credit disbursements continue to recover and solvency indicators remain well above regulatory minimums. 1.2 Monetary policy decision In its meetings in March and April the BDBR left the benchmark interest rate unchanged at 1.75%.