SIRIS-Lab/unlabelled-sti-corpus huggingface dataset:
On competition and learning in cortical structures

How do our brains make us live our lives? Despite the tremendous progress life sciences have made in the last decades we have no conclusive answer to this question. Today we are, however, able to build machines that outperform us in many ways. We can’t calculate as fast as our machines do, nor can we win against them when playing Backgammon, Chess, or Jeopardy. The paradigms upon which they function are fundamentally different from what we know about neural computation. Not only the computational substrate, but the very nature of human intelligence seems fundamentally different from the artificial intelligence (AI) we put into our machines. Existing computational models can be subdivided in two broad classes: (i) top-down models like the AI examples mentioned above that aim to reproduce high-level abilities, without worrying whether the model is in any way similar to the implementation in our brains, and (ii) bottom-up models that focus on using biologically plausible modules that are based on established neurophysiological and neuroanatomical knowledge. The ultimate goal is to understand the detailed neural correlates of cognition – a goal that is currently out of reach. In the first part of this thesis we use classical models for cortical competition to build adaptive systems that are capable of learning the relation between two input modalities. We go on to show that a similar system can be used to sharpen the connectivity in a network of interconnected areas.
Tie-2Cre mediated deletion of the vitamin D receptor gene leads to improved skeletal muscle insulin sensitivity and glucose tolerance

A variety of studies have suggested that vitamin D may play a palliative role in improving insulin secretion and glucose tolerance. Endothelial cells of the microcirculation are thought to play an important role in regulating both insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity in target tissues. We have selectively deleted the vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene in endothelial cells of the murine vasculature. These mice demonstrate improved glucose tolerance, improved insulin sensitivity in skeletal muscle, but not in liver, and a reduction in expression and secretion of insulin in the pancreatic islets. Collectively, these data, taken within the context of recent publications in this field, suggest that the endothelial cell VDR plays a tonic inhibitory role in regulating glucose disposal and could prove to be a factor in controlling glucose homeostasis in the intact organism.
Analyse et consolidation des résultats sur les estimations de superficie du couvert forestier et de ses changements entre 2000 et 2016 en republique du Congo

Des rapports précis et cohérents sur l'évolution de la superficie forestière et des changements d’occupation du sol sont importants dans le contexte de l’accord de Paris où les pays ont l’obligation de soumettre régulièrement leurs rapports sur le bilan émission absorption des gaz à effet de serre. Cette notification des changements peut avoir un impact direct sur les paiements par le biais de comparaisons avec les niveaux de référence (émissions) nationaux dans le cadre de la réduction des émissions dues à la déforestation et à la dégradation des forêts, notamment dans le cadre du processus REDD+. Cependant avant cela, les pays sont invités à renforcer leur système national de surveillance des forêts mais aussi de production des produits cartographiques qui respectent des règles robustes d’évaluation de l’incertitude des estimations de l’évolution de la superficie du couvert forestier prescrites par la CCNUCC. Dans cette étude, nous présentons les résultats de la précision des nombreuses cartes forestières dont le Congo dispose en utilisant l’approche assistée par modèle développée par Sannier et al, 2014, adaptée au contexte de la République du Congo. Les résultats de l’étude montrent une sous-estimation des près de 50% des pertes forestières dans la période entre 2000 et 2014 que ce soit par la méthode des estimations directes ou des estimations par régression. La comparaison des deux méthodes montre que les estimations des pertes de la couverture forestière par la méthode échantillons point sous-estime l’estimation des pertes sur la période 2000-2014 ainsi que sur la période 2014-2016. Nous concluons qu’il faut renforcer les équipes nationales en charge de l’élaboration des cartes forestières mais aussi que le pays doit s’approprier cette méthode de Sannier et al. 2014 pour l’évaluation de la précision.
Perspectives of the KM3NeT project

KM3NeT is a large distributed research infrastructure that comprises a network of deep-sea neutrino telescopes in the Mediterranean Sea with user ports for Earth and Sea sciences. The main objectives of KM3NeT are the discovery and subsequent observation of high-energy neutrino sources in the Universe (ARCA) and the determination of the mass hierarchy of neutrinos (ORCA). Technically, the network of telescopes will consist of building blocks of 115 vertical detection units anchored at the seabed and connected to shore via a deep sea electro-optical cable. Each detection unit carries 18 optical modules equipped with 31 3” photomultipliers. Two configurations for the building blocks are defined to optimally detect neutrinos in different ranges of energy. The modular technical design of the KM3NeT telescope allows for a progressive implementation and for data taking even with an incomplete detector. The first phase of implementation has started. The next phase foresees the installation of three building blocks: two building blocks, for a total instrumented volume of 1 km3 (ARCA), at the KM3NeT-It site, at a depth of 3500 m, about 100 km offshore Capo Passero, Sicily. The main scientific goals of the ARCA detector is the exploration of the neutrino sky with unprecedented resolution, searching for neutrinos coming from defined sources or sky regions, like the Galactic Plane. It will also look for diffuse high energy neutrino fluxes following the indication provided by the IceCube signal. The third building block, with a more compact distribution of the optical modules, will be deployed at the KM3NeT-Fr site, 40 km offshore Toulon at a depth of 2500 m (ORCA). The main objective of ORCA is studying the neutrino mass-hierarchy problem and exploring the low energy region of the spectrum. The status of the first phase of the KM3NeT implementation is described and a survey of the physics potentiality of the telescope is given in this contribution, with particular emphasis on the high energy studies.
Fourier analysis for/and partial differential equations

This project aims to develop the field of Harmonic Analysis, and more precisely to study problems at the interface between Fourier Analysis and PDEs (and also some Geometry). 
We are interested in two aspects of the Fourier Analysis :
 
(1) The Euclidean Fourier Analysis, where a deep analysis can be performed using specificities as the notion of ``frequencies'' (involving the Fourier transform) or the geometry of the Euclidean balls. By taking advantage of them, this proposal aims to pursue the study and bring novelties in three fashionable topics : the study of bilinear/multilinear Fourier multipliers, the development of the ``space-time resonances'' method in a systematic way and for some specific PDEs, and the study of nonlinear transport equations in BMO-type spaces (as Euler and Navier-Stokes equations).

 (2) A Functional Fourier Analysis, which can be performed in a more general situation using the notion of ``oscillation'' adapted to a heat semigroup (or semigroup of operators). This second Challenge is (at the same time) independent of the first one and also very close. It is very close, due to the same point of view of Fourier Analysis involving a space decomposition and simultaneously some frequency decomposition. However they are quite independent because the main goal is to extend/develop an analysis in the more general framework given by a semigroup of operators (so without using the previous Euclidean specificities). By this way, we aim to transfer some results known in the Euclidean situation to some Riemannian manifolds, Fractals sets, bounded open set setting, ... Still having in mind some applications to the study of PDEs, such questions make also a connexion with the geometry of the ambient spaces (by its Riesz transform, Poincaré inequality, ...). I propose here to attack different problems as dispersive estimates, ""L^p""-version of De Giorgi inequalities and the study of paraproducts, all of them with a heat semigroup point of view.
MEDICAL OR COSMETIC COMPOUNDS, AND COMPOSITION THUS OBTAINED

The invention relates to a process for the production of cosmetic or medical dermatological compositions in the form of a gel, consisting of a mixed organic- inorganic matrix containing one or more active ingredients to be released on the skin; the invention also relates to the compositions obtained by the process.
Rest perfusion abnormalities in hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: correlation with myocardial fibrosis and risk factors for sudden cardiac death

To measure the prevalence of abnormal rest perfusion in a population of consecutive patients with known hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) referred for cardiovascular MRI (CMR), and to assess any associations between abnormal rest perfusion and the presence, pattern, and severity of myocardial scar and the presence of risk factors for sudden death.Eighty consecutive patients with known HCM referred for CMR underwent functional imaging, rest first-pass perfusion, and late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).Thirty percent of the patients had abnormal rest perfusion, all of them corresponding to areas of mid-myocardial LGE and to a higher degree of segmental hypertrophy. Rest perfusion abnormalities correlated with more extensive and confluent LGE. The subgroup of patients with myocardial fibrosis and rest perfusion abnormalities (fibrosis+/perfusion+) had more than twice the incidence of episodes of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on Holter monitoring in comparison to patients with myocardial fibrosis and normal rest perfusion (fibrosis+/perfusion-) and patients with no fibrosis and normal rest perfusion (fibrosis-/perfusion-).First-pass perfusion CMR identifies abnormal rest perfusion in a significant proportion of patients with HCM. These abnormalities are associated with the presence and distribution of myocardial scar and the degree of hypertrophy. Rest perfusion abnormalities identify patients with increased incidence of episodes of non-sustained ventricular tachycardia on Holter monitoring, independently from the presence of myocardial fibrosis.
Territorial Scenarios and Visions for Europe

Policymakers in the field of territorial development and cohesion are in need of a future oriented and integrated vision on the development of the European territory. Therefore the ESPON Programme started a territorial vision-building process following a participatory process and involving relevant stakeholders at European, national and regional level. This vision has a strategic character that allows giving direction to the policy debate on territorial development. The project is expected to support and deliver input to the territorial vision-building process by updating, extending and refining the scenario work of ESPON. To guide and deliver input to this vision-building process, three relevant axes are important: 1.Sharing a number of stories for understanding territorial cohesion and the main policy objectives for the European territories, its regions and cities; 2.Supporting European regions and cities in contributing to the targets of the Europe 2020 Strategy leading to a polycentric, diverse and sustainable Europe; 3.Enlarging and further detailing the four key challenges identified as particularly relevant for European regions in the Regions 2020 Study and to integrate prospects for the regions and cities in a long-term European territorial framework.
An ophthalmic lens with segmented ring layers in a functionalized insert

An active lens insert for an ophthalmic lens is described. The lens comprising: arcuate shape ring segments assembled into substrate layers with one or both of electrical and logical functionality; wherein the size, shape and stacking structure of each of the annular shaped substrate layers is based on the thickness around an optical zone of the ophthalmic lens; electrical interconnections between substrate layers; and wherein the active lens insert is encapsulated with one or more materials for bonding within the body material of a molded ophthalmic lens.
Novel microengineered environments for mouse embryonic stem cell (mesc) differentiation towards cardiomyocytes

Cardiomyocytes (CMs) are the contractile cells of the heart. Their regenerative capacity is lost after birth. Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) are able to differentiate into functional CMs, however this process is not yet efficient. The elucidation of ESCs’ differentiation into CMs could provide an additional avenue for therapeutic interventions and disease modeling. This interdisciplinary project will result in a unique platform that targets precise quantification of the fundamental molecular mechanisms underlying mouse ESC cardiac differentiation at the single cell level. The platform takes the advantages of 3D tailored conductive microscaffolds (3DTCMSs) to deliver precise mechanical and electrical stimulation patterns to individual cells in vitro. Co-integrated 3DTCMSs have the necessary infrastructure for long-term cell culturing. The platform is accessible for in situ high-resolution, real-time microscopic observation of essential molecular information due to transparent materials. Advanced two-photon polymerization photolithography will be utilized for the exact reconstruction of 3DTCMSs based on a novel optically transparent, conductive ionic liquid-polymer composite. ESC pluripotent factors and CM markers will be monitored comparatively by live microscopy and molecular analysis. This project aims to integrate expertise in materials science, engineering, cellular and molecular biology. As a result, a novel in vitro CM differentiation model will be developed, which has a potential to open a completely new window of research in systems biology.
Dynamic complexes and allosteric regulation of small molecule transporters

Solute Carrier (SLC) transporters mediate the translocation of substrates across membranes and after GPCRs represent the second-largest fraction of the human membrane proteome. SLC transporters are critical to cell homeostasis, which is reflected in the fact that more than a quarter is associated with Mendelian disease. Despite a few exceptions, however, they have been under-utilized as drug targets and most of the mechanistic understanding has been derived from bacterial homologues of these medically important proteins. In addition to subtle differences, bacterial homologues will not enable us to establish how the activities of many SLC transporters are allosterically regulated through the binding of accessory factors, e.g., hormones, to their non-membranous globular domains. Understanding the mechanisms by which their activities can be allosterically regulated through these complex and dynamic assembles is critical to human physiology and important for future drug design.

Our model system is a family of transporters known as sodium/proton exchangers (NHEs), which exchange sodium for protons across membranes to aid many fundamental processes in the cell. NHEs are important to the cell cycle, cell proliferation, cell migration and vesicle trafficking and are associated with a wide-spectrum of diseases. Their diverse portfolio is connected to the importance of pH homeostasis, and the binding of many different factors to a large, globular cytosolic domain exquisitely regulates them. To date, we have no structural information for any of the NHE’s, functional assays in liposomes are lacking, and many interaction partners are yet to be validated by in vitro studies. Determining the structure, dynamics, and allosteric regulation of NHEs will be an enormous challenge. However, we envisage that by achieving our objectives, we will reveal important mechanistic insights relevant not just to NHEs, but to many types of SLC transporters.
Kinship, alliance and urban space: the genoese 'alberghi' in the late middle ages (c. 1150 - c. 1450)

GenALMA aims to offer novel perspectives and invaluable new data on kinship and the development of urban space by examining late medieval Genoa, one of the most socially vibrant cities during the foundational phase of contemporary Europe. It will investigate: 1) why and how aristocratic families chose to unite in a peculiar form of association which had long-lasting repercussions across the city’s social spectrum, eventually involving families and individuals of lesser social standing; 2) the impact of the construction of such solidarities and alliances, and the patrimonial strategies these entailed, on the reconfiguration of the city’s residential and architectural landscape. By tackling these two main questions, GenALMA will address issues related to the development of kinship structures and gender roles, the evolution of patrimonial rights, the networks of socialisation, and the changes in the urban fabric. Employing an innovative interdisciplinary methodology, the project will involve the management (through multiple databases) of large data sets collected from still unexplored and exceptional historical sources (notarial records of Genoa) which will be used to reconstruct kinship ties and to map out residential patterns thanks to cutting edge technology available at the host institution. The digital maps will represent an unprecedented attempt at charting the evolution of the urban fabric over the span of three centuries. The project will be conducted at the CNRS – Centre Roland Mousnier where the candidate will benefit from high level interdisciplinary training offered by the host institution, which will improve her skills in analysing historical data, and from the presence of several specialists with whom to discuss methodological and historiographical approaches. So as to reach the widest audience possible, the results of the project will be disseminated via conferences and workshops, a monograph, publications in high level scholarly journals, and a blog.
New competence for building professionals and blue collar workers – certified qualification schemes to upgrade the qualification for building nzebs

In order to implement the EPBD systematically and thereby reach the EU's energy and climate targets, building owners, constructors and municipalities should be aware of how energy saving measures have to be planned, applied and monitored. The buildings being built or renovated now, are the building stock of the future. Therefore, it is important to pay attention to the quality of work on construction site. Construction errors are responsible for most of poor energy performance of buildings in practice. Reasons for this are often lack of awareness of workers on construction sites making relevant parts of the building envelope or the HVAC systems regarding the complexity of nearly zero emission buildings. This is because of the very limited availability of further education in the construction sector in many countries around Europe especially with the focus on mutual recognition. Furthermore, actual offered courses in the building sector do not cover topics like cross craft understanding, lifelong service approaches, continuous controlling and monitoring or BIM-tools which are very important for the construction and maintenance of nZEBs. In addition, quality control also lacks in many cases. 
NEWCOM addresses challenges of raising building quality that supervisory authorities are facing today in order to achieve the European and national climate protection targets for 2020 and the implementation of the nearly zero-energy buildings standards. NEWCOM focuses on the development of missing qualification and certification schemes for blue collar workers and building professionals who inspect and control the most relevant qualities with a specific focus on mutual recognition. By the project “NEWCOM” the number of blue collar workers and building inspectors with special nZEB competence will be increased, the quality of buildings (focus energy efficiency) raised and the market recognition of well-skilled professionals across the building sector in European market boosted.
LAUNDRY TREATMENT DEVICE WITH DOOR ASSEMBLY

a laundry treatment device (1) comprising: a casing (2) including an aperture (2a) for accessing a treatment chamber (3), and a door assembly (3a) associated to the casing (2) and capable of opening and closing said aperture (2a). The door assembly comprises a door frame (4,5) having a door opening (4a,5a) defining an inner edge (14,15); a cover ring (7) having a ring opening (17), the cover ring being attached to the door frame (4,5) so that the ring opening substantially corresponds to the door opening in an assembled configuration; a door cover (8) covering the door opening (4a,5a) and the ring opening (17), the door cover having an outer edge, wherein a portion of said door cover outer edge is interposed between a peripheral portion of the frame around the inner edge of the door opening and a peripheral portion of the ring cover around the inner edge of the ring opening. Moreover, the door assembly (3a) further comprises at least a blocking element located on the door cover and/or on the frame and/or on the cover ring to minimize relative movements of said door cover (8) with respect to said frame (4,5) and/or said cover ring (7); said blocking element (100) includes a snap-fitting connection apt to block said door cover (8) in correspondence of said outer edge (18) with respect to said cover ring (7) and/or to said frame (5).
Switched adaptive stabilization of switched nonlinearly parameterized cascade systems and its application to a two inverted pendulums

Summary

This paper studies adaptive control of switched nonlinearly parameterized cascade systems. No solvability of the adaptive control problem for subsystems is required. By exploiting the multiple Lyapunov functions method and the parameter separation technique and the tool of adding a power integrator, we develop a new switched adaptive control approach for the explicit construction of adaptive controllers of subsystems and a proper switching law that solves the adaptive stabilization problem. A key feature of the proposed adaptive controllers is its switched property, namely, each subsystem has its individual update law. A two-inverted pendulum as a practical example is also provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed design method. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.