SIRIS-Lab/unlabelled-sti-corpus huggingface dataset:
Cross-Kerr nonlinearity between continuous-mode coherent states and single photons

Weak cross-Kerr nonlinearities between single photons and coherent states are the basis for many applications in quantum information processing. These nonlinearities have so far mainly been discussed in terms of highly idealized single-mode models. We develop a general theory of the interaction between continuous-mode photonic pulses and apply it to the case of a single photon interacting with a coherent state. We quantitatively study the validity of the usual single-mode approximation using the concepts of fidelity and conditional phase. We show that high fidelities, non-zero conditional phases and high photon numbers are compatible, under conditions where the pulses fully pass through each other and where unwanted transverse-mode effects are suppressed.
Experimental determination of the range of binocular disparity for which stereoscopic fusion occurs at a viewing distance of 2.5 m for a stereoscopic TV

The threshold for binocular disparity for which a participant can observe a clear stereoscopic image on a 3D TV using Patterned Retarder technology and polarizing eyeglasses is determined for a viewing distance of 2.5 m. An optotype, the letter “m” with a line thickness of 1.08 mm in the upward or downward direction, was used as the stereoscopic stimulus. Under the measurement conditions of the increase and decrease of binocular disparity of the stereoscopic stimulus, the binocular disparity thresholds for 40 participants were measured for the horizontal direction. Most of the participants were in their twenties. The thresholds were measured to be slightly larger for the condition of increasing binocular disparity compared with the condition of decreasing binocular disparity. Personal differences were measured to be noticeable.
A Framework for Explaining Black-White Inequality in Homeownership Sustainability

Abstract To explain racially differential housing outcomes, previous studies have tended to concentrate on discriminatory processes within the mortgage market while ignoring homeowning families’ broad socioeconomic challenges. This study proposes a conceptual framework for understanding Black-White inequality in homeownership sustainability, which emphasizes Black homeowners’ socioeconomic challenges that are external to mortgage market evaluations, with a particular focus on the mediating role of liquid assets. Based on the Panel Study of Income Dynamics, the framework is put to an empirical test on the differential exit rates between Black and White homeowners in the United States during the recent housing crisis. The findings indicate that the racial gap in homeownership exit is eliminated after liquid wealth is controlled in the model alongside other covariates and that the inclusion of liquid wealth renders all mortgage-oriented variables nonsignificant with regard to their explanatory power for Black-White inequality in exit rates. Policy implications of the findings are also discussed.
Designing a Functional Layout of a Kitchen for Persons with Disabilities – Concept of Optimal Access Points

Abstract Strategies of designing a kitchen for persons with disabilities changed under the influence of a growing range of available household appliances, fashions and trends as well as available equipment assisting and supporting mobility of disabled persons. Verified designing methods as per working triangle and functional zones are often applied in modern interior design. Experimental research carried out indicates to the suitability of the new concept based on designation of the points of optimal access to kitchen equipment and storage zones. This concept limits the necessity of moving and the user is able to perform a few interrelated activities themselves.
(7161.24052017.110000235) RMOLEIFICIOINTERNAZIONALISATION

SPA OLEIFICIO RM? UM OLEIFICIO QUE OPERA EM LUCCA DESDE 1960. É UMA DAS EMPRESAS MAIS IMPORTANTES? IMPORTANTE NO SETOR PETROLÍFERO ITALIANO. A EMPRESA DESEMPENHA UM PAPEL IMPORTANTE NOS MERCADOS ESTRANGEIROS E NO SEU INTERESSE? PARA FORTALECER AS RELAÇÕES COM OS CLIENTES. PATECIPATING ENTÃO EM FEIRAS, ESPECIALMENTE EM DUBAI E ALEMANHA, ONDE SEU OBJETIVO? ENTRE EM CONTATO COM POTENCIAIS CLIENTES ÁRABES E CANADIANOS. A OLEIFICIO RM TAMBÉM PRETENDE ORGANIZAR UMA ENTRADA DO CANADÁ PARA PERMITIR QUE SEUS POTENCIAIS CLIENTES ENTREM EM CONTATO COM A PRÓPRIA EMPRESA E O TERRITÓRIO, APRIMORANDO O PRODUTO E OS PROCESSOS DEDICADOS A ELE.
Food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition: necessary policy and technology changes

Ending food insecurity, hunger and malnutrition is a pressing global ethical priority. Despite differences in food production systems, cultural values and economic conditions, hunger is not acceptable under any ethical principles. Yet, progress in combating hunger and malnutrition in developing countries has been discouraging, even as overall global prosperity has increased in past decades. A growing number of people are deprived of the fundamental right to food, which is essential for all other rights as well as for human existence itself. The food and nutrition crisis has deepened in recent years, as increased food price volatility and global recession affected the poor. In a strategic agenda, it will be necessary to promote pro-poor agricultural growth, reduce extreme market volatility and expand social protection and child nutrition action.
NOVEL ALLERGEN

An isolated horse allergen is disclosed which is a secretoglobin having a molecular weight of 15 kDa under non-reducing conditions and comprising a first peptide chain having a molecular weight of about 5 kDa and a second peptide chain having a molecular weight of about 10 kDa linked together, and variants and fragments thereof sharing epitopes for antibodies therewith. The use of the allergen in diagnosis and therapy is also disclosed as well as a diagnostic kit and a pharmaceutical composition containing the allergen.
SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR MULTI-PARAMETER SPECTROSCOPY

An apparatus for detecting a material within a sample includes a light emitting unit for directing at least one light beam through the sample. A plurality of units receive the light beam that has passed through the sample and performs a spectroscopic analysis of the sample based on the received light beam. Each of the plurality of units analyze a different parameter with respect to the sample a provide a separate output signal with respect to the analysis. A processor detects the material with respect each of the provided separate output signals.
Developing therapies for spinal muscular atrophy

Spinal muscular atrophy is an autosomal-recessive pediatric neurodegenerative disease characterized by loss of spinal motor neurons. It is caused by mutation in the gene survival of motor neuron 1 (SMN1), leading to loss of function of the full-length SMN protein. SMN has a number of functions in neurons, including RNA splicing and snRNP biogenesis in the nucleus, and RNA trafficking in neurites. The expression level of full-length SMN protein from the SMN2 locus modifies disease severity. Increasing full-length SMN protein by a small amount can lead to significant improvements in the neurological phenotype. Currently available interventions for spinal muscular atrophy patients are physical therapy and orthopedic, nutritional, and pulmonary interventions; these are palliative or supportive measures and do not address the etiology of the disease. In the past decade, there has been a push for developing therapeutics to improve motor phenotypes and increase life span of spinal muscular atrophy patients. These therapies are aimed primarily at restoration of full-length SMN protein levels, but other neuroprotective treatments have been investigated as well. Here, we discuss recent advances in basic and clinical studies toward finding safe and effective treatments of spinal muscular atrophy using gene therapy, antisense oligonucleotides, and other small molecule modulators of SMN expression.
Morphological and genetic barcoding study confirming the first Stegastes variabilis (Castelnau, 1855) report in the Mediterranean Sea

This paper presents morphometric and genetic barcoding analyses of the first record of the Cocoa Damselfish, Stegastes variabilis in the Mediterranean Sea. A single specimen was captured from Senglea waterfront, Malta (Central Mediterranean) on the 15th of September 2013. The species is non-indigenous in the Mediterranean, as it is native to the tropical Western Atlantic. Apart from undertaking identification through meristics and morphometric measurements of the specimen, genetic analyss of the 3410 bp mtDNA genes were carried out to confirm the species' identity. The latter was useful given that the genus Stegastes is known to be composed of morphologically very similar species, with variable colour patterns.
Crisis and Regional Distribution in the European Union: Considerations of Economic Policy

This paper presents an advance of the investigation in progress on the variation of the level of spatial concentration of economic activity and of the per capita income in the regions of the European Union (EU) and its impact on regional disparities. The first part seeks to place the academic debate on the state of affairs; the second part seeks to provide an approximation to the empirical analysis by studying the uneven impact of the economic crisis on the territory of the EU. The third part aims to provide the main conclusions of the study and some considerations of economic policy among which we highlight the proposal of a Regional Potential Index.
Understanding phase behaviour in plant proteins for large scale production of films and microcapsules

Drawing on the expertise from the Experienced Researcher, this MSCA application aims to significantly advance the understanding of phase behaviour in plant proteins, to enable development of two primary products for sustainable plastic replacement, microcapsules and thermoplastic flexible films. Currently, large-scale production of plant protein based plastic alternatives is hampered by a lack of advanced knowledge of the phase behaviour of plant proteins. This research programme thus aims to for the first time systematically investigate the key phase transition of plant proteins — thermal phase transition and phase separation. This objective will be achieved by uniting two sets of skills: i) the Experienced Researcher’s expertise in plant protein self-assembly and ii) specialized knowledge of chemists, engineers and business management at Xampla Ltd for the commercially successful application of plant protein materials. The breakthrough aspect will be uniting traditional polymer science regarding phase transition and molecular understanding of proteins – the obtained materials can be manufactured using established industrial platform used for polymer processing. The approach thus makes the products competitive with current bio-based polymeric materials in market, or even synthetic plastic materials. Therefore, the research program will boost the European green-material market and addresses the Horizon 2020 societal and economic challenges.
Human gut microbiome, gene expression and colorectal cancer: assigning causal roles from a novel mendelian randomization perspective.

The contribution of the gut microbial ecosystem to colorectal cancer (CRC) is not well understood. Inflammatory processes and unbalance cell proliferation in the host could be behind observed correlations between a microbe and cancer stages. However, the enrichment of a microbe at a tumour site does not directly assume causation. Rather, this could be the result of a reverse causation or a confounding third factor. Therefore, two major challenges unravelling CRC aetiology are (i) to identify the mechanistic interactions of microbial communities with host intestinal epithelium cells, and (ii) to assign causality to carcinogenesis. These are the aims of this project integrating different “omic” data, and using a Mendelian randomization (MR) approach.
In this study we analyse microbiome sequencing data, from up to 500 normal colon mucosa biopsies, to provide a comprehensive description of the gut microbiome. Additionally, we integrate transcriptomic data from these well phenotyped 500 samples to understand the interaction between microbes and the gut epithelial cells. Finally, using the germ-line genetic variation of host cells as a third “omic” layer, the correlations between microbes and (i) environmental exposures, (ii) gene expression, and (iii) CRC can be validated by MR. MR is an analytical approach whereby germ-line genetic markers are used as proxies – or instrumental variables – for putative risk factors. These genetic markers cannot be influenced by reverse causation, and, assuming an absence of pleiotropy, can provide unconfounded estimates of association. Therefore, a MR association between genetic proxies and the outcome of interest would indicate that the exposure being proxied is associated in a causal manner.
The identification of the functional relevance and key mediators of gut microbiome to colorectal cancer development is going to increase the development of therapeutic approaches and prevention strategies.
Online service of personalised games for people with cerebral palsy to enhance their abilities and living adjustment

Cerebral Palsy (CP) is a frequent neurological disorder (2 per 1k births). The EU has 0.7m of 17m persons with CP globally. Therapy can cost €45k/year - a huge burden on families. Playing digital games, as Europe 2020 identifies, can promote health & well-being for people with such disabilities. AbleGames will be a disruptively innovative social-collaboration serious gaming platform to personalise & improve the physical therapy, peer community inclusion, quality of life & enjoyment of people with CP. There are many game platforms (e.g. Steam, Origin, Epic), but none for, or usable by, people with CP. Our platform will constantly adapt multiplayer top-quality games to each individual’s abilities to foster rehabilitation progress & social collaboration using AI technologies. The players will interact with non-immersive virtual reality scenarios using balance sensors & smart low-cost vision systems based on machine learning models. A TRL9 commercial service will be on the market within 3 years, using the innovative concepts proven in the successful GABLE H2020 serious gaming project (GA732363). Currently at TRL6, the system’s productisation will be fast-tracked to operate/demonstrate it at diverse reference clinics. HuginTech (a major provider of games on multiple platforms) will drive its commercialisation & service productisation. Based on market requirements & ongoing feedback from 7 pilot sites, the project will disseminate AbleGames to potential purchasers & users through various media & events, & validate/refine our Business Plan to deploy by domestic & institutional subscription market channels strategy. The first targeted segment is youths with CP, where the Partners have competitive advantage - based on success in that niche to address further remedial & learning gaming markets. Impact: within 5 years, 99k users, €42m accumulated income, 900% average ROI, reduce EU medical/social care costs by €150m/year & generate 60 direct & 300 indirect jobs.
A computing toolkit for building efficient autonomous applications leveraging humanistic intelligence

Industry and society are experiencing the transformational impact of the autonomous systems revolution, empowered by automation capabilities offered by Artificial Intelligence (AI). Cyber-physical Systems of Systems (CPSoS) define a multi-faceted and dynamic environment where autonomy is fundamental to govern the complexity of interactions between the virtual and physical worlds with minimal human intervention. However, even when the most advanced degree of autonomy is exercised, the human is a variable which cannot be left out of the CPSoS equation, particularly in safety critical scenarios like autonomous transportation. TEACHING puts forward a vision of humans at the centre of autonomous CPSoS, by embracing the concept of Humanistic Intelligence, where the cybernetic and biological entities cooperate in a mutual empowerment towards a shared goal and where human feedback becomes a crucial driver for CPSoS adaptivity.  TEACHING addresses the challenge by integrating AI with fundamental concepts of security and dependability stemming from the AI-human-CPSoS interactions, and by considering their impact on the underlying computing system. TEACHING develops a human-aware CPSoS for autonomous safety-critical applications, based on a distributed, energy-efficient and dependable AI, leveraging edge computing platforms integrating specialized computing fabric for AI and in-silico support for intelligent cybersecurity. The goal is to design a computing software and system supporting the development and deployment of adaptive and dependable CPSoS applications, allowing to exploit a sustainable human feedback to drive, optimize and personalize the provisioning of the offered services. TEACHING outcomes will fundamentally impact the development of autonomous safety-critical systems, providing means to improve their safety, dependability and overall acceptability. This impact will be demonstrated by TEACHING in two pilots concerning autonomous driving and aviation.
Otolith Fingerprint and Shape of the Chub Mackerel (Scomber colias) in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

The mackerel (Scomber colias, Gmelin 1789) is a shoal-forming scombrid that inhabits the coastal waters of the Atlantic Ocean. The species can be found at depths of up to 300 m, but often inhabits the warmer, shallower waters of coastal regions in its migration to feeding and spawning grounds. In the southeast and south of Brazil, the commercial capture of this species is achieved by purse seine fleets, with great fluctuations in the catch from one year to the next. In Brazil, a single stock of S. colias was considered for fishery management purposes. However, the species is not covered by any specific regulatory act in the Brazilian fisheries legislation. The aim of this study was to evaluate the homogeneity of fish stocks of the mackerel S. colias on the continental shelf of southeastern and southern Brazil, through an analysis of the shape and elemental chemical signatures of otoliths. The data used are from nine samples from fishing landings and scientific observers in the purse seine fleets that went out between 2008 and 2020. Multielemental signatures (44Ca, 7Li, 26Mg, 55Mn, 88Sr, and 137Ba) of whole otoliths was performed by Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry, and otolith shape patterns were obtained through wavelet coefficients and shape indices, for the Santa Catarina (SC), S&atilde;o Paulo (SP), and Rio de Janeiro (RJ) regions. The results of multivariate analysis (PERMANOVA, p &lt; 0.05) for otolith chemistry showed differences between regions, which were confirmed in the pairwise test. In the Canonical Analysis of Principal Coordinates (CAP), with reclassification by the leave-one-out diagnosis, the individuals were assigned to their collection regions, with accuracies of 74% (SC), 90% (SP), and 65% (RJ), and global reclassification of 73%. The results for otolith shape alone showed no differences between the SC and SP samples, and individuals were assigned to their collection regions with lower precision (SC: 54%, SP: 70%, and RJ: 60%). When the otolith shape and chemical analyses were combined, the reliability of the results did not increase. This study indicates that mackerel stocks are not homogeneous in the continental shelf area of the southeast and south of Brazil.
TH-AB-209-12: Tissue Equivalent Phantom with Excised Human Tissue for Assessing Clinical Capabilities of Coherent Scatter Imaging Applications

Purpose:
Previously we reported the development of anthropomorphic tissue-equivalent scatter phantoms of the human breast. Here we present the first results from the scatter imaging of the tissue equivalent breast phantoms for breast cancer diagnosis.

Methods:
A breast phantom was designed to assess the capability of coded aperture coherent x-ray scatter imaging to classify different types of breast tissue (adipose, fibroglandular, tumor). The phantom geometry was obtained from a prone breast geometry scanned on a dedicated breast CT system. The phantom was 3D printed using the segmented DICOM breast CT data. The 3D breast phantom was filled with lard (as a surrogate for adipose tissue) and scanned in different geometries alongside excised human breast tissues (obtained from lumpectomy and mastectomy procedures). The raw data were reconstructed using a model-based reconstruction algorithm and yielded the location and form factor (i.e., momentum transfer (q) spectrum) of the materials that were imaged. The measured material form factors were then compared to the ground truth measurements acquired by x-ray diffraction (XRD) imaging.

Results:
Our scatter imaging system was able to define the location and composition of the various materials and tissues within the phantom. Cancerous breast tissue was detected and classified through automated spectral matching and an 86% correlation threshold. The total scan time for the sample was approximately 10 minutes and approaches workflow times for clinical use in intra-operative or other diagnostic tasks.

Conclusion:
This work demonstrates the first results from an anthropomorphic tissue equivalent scatter phantom to characterize a coherent scatter imaging system. The functionality of the system shows promise in applications such as intra-operative margin detection or virtual biopsy in the diagnosis of breast cancer. Future work includes using additional patient-derived tissues (e.g., human fat), and modeling additional organs (e.g., lung).
S(t)imulation: A comparison of international democracy assistance objectives and non-elite perceptions of democracy in eastern Madagascar

This thesis explores the nexus of democratic development, international democracy assistance and local political cultures in one eastern region of Madagascar. In so doing, it questions whether common targets of the democracy assistance industry (i.e. electoral process, freedom of expression, rule of law) merely encourage the simulation of Western democratic systems or actually stimulate democratic development that makes sense to local people. While there are no doubt many explanatory factors for the (in)effectiveness of democracy assistance policies, in this
thesis I propose that the perceptions, beliefs, and expectations of ordinary citizens (i.e. political cultures) could help account for the dogged persistence of hybrid regimes. My intention in undertaking this research is not to discredit other variables pertinent to democratic development, but rather to narrowly investigate how ordinary citizens interpret “democracy” and whether these interpretations are compatible with those assumed by the global democracy assistance industry. I also offer a step-by-step account of the methodological innovations
employed in this research. Empirical data on political culture was collected using a modified version of the Thematic Apperception Test (TAT). The data analysis
techniques used in this research were likewise visual, facilitating the translation of highly contextualised field data into thematic trends relevant to democracy assistance policy. The highly visual research process piloted here could be meaningfully applied to a wide range of research problems and contexts, including the emerging trend toward country-led democracy assessment procedures. The originality of this work lies in its exploration of a highly contested concept (political culture), using an innovative visual research method (the modified TAT) in a country not often researched by (particularly Anglophone) political scientists (Madagascar). This research is significant in that it proposes both a theoretical framework and original methodology for exploring how ordinary people perceive democracy in their countries, and relating these perceptions to specific policy goals.