SIRIS-Lab/unlabelled-sti-corpus huggingface dataset:
To Seek, Perchance to Fail: Expressions of User Needs in Internet Video Search

This work investigates user expressions of content needs in Internet video search, focusing on cases in which users have failed to meet their search goals, although relevant content is reasonably certain to exist. We study expressions of user needs in the form of requests (i.e., questions) formulated in natural language and published to Yahoo! Answers. Experiments show that classifiers can distinguish requests associated with search-goal failure. We identify a group of 'easy-to-predict' requests (cases for which the classifier predicts search-goal failure well) and compile an inventory of strategies used by users to express search goals in these cases. In a final set of experiments, we demonstrate the feasibility of predicting search-goal failure based on query-like representations of the original natural-language requests. The results of our study are intended to inform the future development of indexing and retrieval techniques for Internet video that target difficult queries.
Apply participatory forest planning for sustainability: Robinwood Plus

Rural areas still need to bridge the gap that differentiate their growth to that of urban areas, by finding their own route to sustainable development through natural resources exploitation. Main project theme is FORESTRY as key resource for rural development, environment protection and quality of life, as it  is addressed not only by EU policies (eg. EU Forestry Action Plan) but also by the regional policies of all the partners involved, mostly in their rural development plans or structural funds plans.
The project idea was born out of previous successful Interreg III C  projects (Robinwood, RURAL Innova, etc) devoted to sustainable rural development. Whilst the previous projects have allowed the project partners to increase their knowledge on this issue and have allowed the local stakeholders to start activating locally, there is now a need  to keep momentum, to promote a more systematic approach (in terms of policy and governance) to the revitalization of rural areas and
to pave the way for future investments. 

The partnership, built around the former "Robinwood" leader Regione Liguria -centrally positioned-, comprises representatives from each EU area:  Kainuu (North), Hargita (East), Limousin (West) and Calabria (South). They share the same high forestry potential, as well as the same problems  and aims, though they have gained different experiences and practices. 

The lack of entrepreneurship in rural areas and the presence of  forest-products-related SMEs with little market power are important issues for all, therefore this proposal focuses on  priority 1, sub-theme  "Entrepreneurship and SMEs". In order to foster forestry role for rural development we need to improve regional and local governance and policies especially in the field of information to and involvement of private stakeholders (such as land owners or forest businesses, mainly SMEs), of development of entrepreneurship in many sectors (industry, tourism, craftsmanship, energy),  of
technical and management innovation of existing businesses, of funding.
PARTICIPATORY FORESTRY PLANNING is considered by alla project partners (though at different levels of application) as a global public governance tool for sustainable land management addressing all those issues at a time with the involvement of local stakeholders.
The project will therefore focus on the identification of best practices -and of their exchange- about the methodology for the application of quality participatory forest planning, that is, able to take into account local needs and global competitiveness. This exchange will take place at partners level as well as at subprojects level.
Final main outputs will be common guidelines for application of quality participatory forest planning to improve governance and common policy recommendations for forestry economy development targeted at  both regional (eg. in view of the new programming period 2014-2020) and EU policies.
Structural and functional characterization of mavs-ddx3-vrna complex

The mitochondrial antiviral signalling (MAVS) adaptor protein is a central signalling hub for host cells to mount an antiviral response following RNA virus infections, which is initiated by the cytosolic receptors that trigger the type-I interferon (INFs) path through the MAVS. Recently, it has been shown that the RNA helicase DDX3 is a novel atypical member of the viral cytosolic receptor pool and it is required to activate the MAVS during the antiviral response. In fact, DDX3 is crucial in the translation initiation of the HIV-1 RNA and it is identified as viral RNA sensor able to induce the antiviral immunity in dendritic cells (DCs).  DDX3 binds to viral RNAs lacking the poly(A) tails, also known as abortive transcripts, and then associates with the MAVS to trigger the production of type I IFN. 
Currently, it is unknown how the complex partners MAVS-DDX3-vRNA (MDR) interact for assembly and what is the MDR mechanism of action at molecular level.
The proposed research will be focused on the structural and functional characterization of the MDR complex by biophysical and cellular biology techniques. Notably, silencing DDX3 or MAVS expression suppress DC activation in response to HIV-1 infection, an event that in physiological condition is at the front line of host defence against the HIV-1. Therefore, the central role in triggering antiviral immune response makes MDR a strategic pharmacological target. However, addressing this task requires the MDR structure elucidation in order to exploit its molecular features to create a new generation of adjuvants in anti-retroviral therapy.
This research provides an understanding of how cellular protein sensors interact with retroviral RNA to trigger the native immune response and induce expression of antiviral proteins.
Industrial Tourism in Seville, Spain

This chapter analyses industrial tourism in the province of Seville, Spain. The chapter aims to advance deeper into the conceptual knowledge regarding what industrial tourism actually is and what is understood by this type of cultural tourism. It also analyses the perception that operational companies in the province of Seville that carry out this activity hold of the benefits and costs that this entails. Finally, the chapter examines, through a case study, the benefits that visits to historical heritage can bring for the economic and social environment of the destination in which this takes place.
Face spoofing detection using local binary patterns and Fisher Score

Todays biometric systems are vulnerable to spoof attacks made by non-real faces. The problem is when a person shows in front of camera a print photo or a picture from cell phone. We study in this paper an anti-spoofing solution for distinguishing between 'live' and 'fake' faces. In our approach we used overlapping block LBP operator to extract features in each region of the image. To reduce the features we used Fisher-Score. Finally, we used a nonlinear Support Vector Machine (SVM) classifier with kernel function for determining whether the input image corresponds to a live face or not. Our experimental analysis on a publicly available NUAA and CASIA face anti-spoofing databases following the standard protocols showed good results.
Regulatory response to the financial crisis in Europe: recent developments (2010-2013)

Purpose – The purpose of this paper by the European Shadow Financial Regulatory Committee (ESFRC) is to provide an account of the financial crisis in Europe during the period 2010-2013 and an analysis of how the relevant authorities reacted to the crisis. Design/methodology/approach – These actions included measures taken by central banks, governments or fiscal authorities, and by regulatory or supervisory bodies. In a previous study covering the regulatory developments during the financial crisis up until 2009, issues such as the implementation of Basel III rules in Europe and the (mostly ad hoc and unilateral) resolution mechanisms set in most European countries to fight the crisis were covered. This study focuses on developments since 2010 with a focus on the concerns and actions that emerged with the sovereign debt crisis in the euro area. In particular, the transition from the European Financial Stability Facility to the European Stability Mechanism is assessed. The focus after 2012 has progressively turned to the challenges of the European banking union. Findings – These issues are jointly covered, along with some updates on the views of the ESFRC on recent advances in other areas, such as solvency regulation. All in all, the authors find that the weaknesses of the global financial system remain to be addressed, and they believe that the banking union is one of the main tools and opportunities for an improved and efficient crisis management in Europe. Originality/value – The paper aims at contributing to the study of financial regulation after the banking crisis. The experience of the euro zone in this context is assessed in this article from a wide range of perspectives.
Cell-Free ti-based medical implants due to laser-induced microstructures

New miniaturized and smart medical implants are more and more used in all medical fields, including miniaturized pacemakers. These implants with a casing consisting often of a Ti-alloy may have to be removed after some months or several years and shall therefore not be completely overgrown by the cells. In the framework of the ongoing FET Open project LiNaBioFluid, we successfully demonstrated that self-organized sharp cones or spikes at Ti-alloy substrates created by pulsed laser-ablation can result not only in complete wetting by water and body fluids but at the same time provide too little surface for the cells (i.e., fibroblasts) to grow on. Compared to flat surfaces, the cell density on the microstructures is significantly lowered, the coverage is incomplete and the cells have a clearly different morphology. The best results regarding suppression of cell growth are obtained on structures created by femtosecond Ti:sapphire laser irradiation, which are subsequently electrochemically treated. The goal of the Coordination and Support Action CellFreeImplant is to find strategic partners (end-users) for future development of smart medical implants addressing wide-spread patients needs for instance in the field of cardio-vascular diseases. The project activities include the identification of the market segments and needs and assessment of the technology with end-users.
Physicochemical, thermal and functional characterisation of protein isolates from Kabuli and Desi chickpea (<i>Cicer arietinum</i> L.): a comparative study with soy (<i>Glycine max</i> ) and pea (<i>Pisum sativum</i> L.)

Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) seeds are a good source of protein that has potential applications in new product formulation and fortification. The main objectives of this study were to analyse the physicochemical, thermal and functional properties of chickpea protein isolates (CPIs) and compare them with those of soy (SPI) and pea (PPI) protein isolates.Extracted CPIs had mean protein contents of 728-853 g kg(-1) (dry weight basis). Analysis of their deconvoluted Fourier transform infrared spectra gave secondary structure estimates of 25.6-32.7% α-helices, 32.5-40.4% β-sheets, 13.8-18.9% turns and 16.3-19.2% disordered structures. CPIs from CDC Xena, among Kabuli varieties, and Myles, among Desi varieties, as well as SPI had the highest water-holding and oil absorption capacities. The emulsifying properties of Kabuli CPIs were superior to those of PPI and Desi CPIs and as good as those of SPI. The heat-induced gelation properties of CPIs showed a minimum protein concentration required to form a gel structure ranging from 100 to 140 g L(-1) . Denaturation temperatures and enthalpies of CPIs ranged from 89.0 to 92.0 °C and from 2.4 to 4.0 J g(-1) respectively.The results suggest that most physicochemical, thermal and functional properties of CPIs compare favourably with those of SPI and are better than those of PPI. Hence CPI may be suitable as a high-quality substitute for SPI in food applications.
Efficient Integration of Cargo Transport Modes & Nodes in CADSES area

The IMONODE project will try to explore the options and to suggest solutions and solid actions in order to enhance the greater use of, and the accessibility to the transportation axes no V and X, for freight transport with priority on rail. The emphasis is on rail because if no specific actions are taken it will continue to loose ground against road transport and this is contrary to the declared Transport policy of the EU. For the areas of CADSES countries that had a long tradition of rail supremacy over road, this is a crucial issue and a very urgent objective to pursue.
Circulation pilot with continuous control of multi-modal air cargo containers

Air cargo transportation system is designed to provide fast and efficient shipment of goods, two features that make it highly vulnerable to potential security threats. 

The main objective of the project is to implement and validate in real-life environments a system that addresses these security risks and is aligned with the time and cost realities of the air cargo industry so it does not interfere with the trade flow. 

The project concept is a smart and secure cargo container and information exchange platform that can reduce screening costs and eliminate tampering risks by combining advanced composite materials, secure PIN-code lock, electronic shipping documents (e-freight), web-based software for data storage and a 24/7 fully redundant communication systems based on GPS, GPRS and RFID technology for continuous real-time visibility.

The project will select of participants in the entire value chain (shippers, logistics services providers, handling agents, airlines, customs, forwarders and consignees), and select two closed-loop transport lanes to execute the pilot. The consortium assembles 4 research performing SMEs with unique and complementary expertise, who will produce together a pre-series of 250 containers, obtain the relevant approvals from FAA/EASA, and deploy the solution with the pilot customers.

The project results, as compared with the current packaging, transport and security management methods, will be widely disseminated via industry associations such as IATA, TSA and TIACA. A full industrialization and commercialization plan will be developed in the course of the project.
Institutional Membership and Rural Development in Indonesia: Case Study of Three Villages in Purbalingga

This study aims to measure community membership in rural institution and analyze its benefits in rural development after Indonesian decentralization. To do so, a case study was conducted in Serang, Kedarpan and Sumilir village of Purbalingga District, Central Java Province. Respondents of this study consist of 232 people, and data are analyzed both qualitatively and quantitatively. Findings of this study present that diverse community groups exist, and most households become active members in one to two rural institutions. Neighbourhood, religious and farmer groups are the most active institutions in term of membership and carrying periodic meeting. Membership in rural institutions improves access to financial, physical and natural capital, but less in improving human capital. While most villagers are member of neighbourhood, farmer and religious groups, the village government does not build intensive interaction with these institutions in meetings to formulate village decision. Thus, the empowerment process is not optimally delivered, and the institutions cannot optimally help their members in addressing their livelihood problems. Some initiatives are performed by the institutions, but without government support, they result only limited benefits for the members. Thus, this study recommends the government to involve more institutions in village decision making, especially by improving the participation of neighbourhood, religious and farmer groups.
Cosmoglobe -- mapping the universe from the milky way to the big bang

In the aftermath of the high-precision Planck and BICEP2 experiments, cosmology has undergone a critical transition. Before 2014, most breakthroughs came as direct results of improved detector technology and increased noise sensitivity. After 2014, the main source of uncertainty will be due to astrophysical foregrounds, typically in the form of dust or synchrotron emission from the Milky Way. Indeed, this holds as true for the study of reionization and the cosmic dawn as it does for the hunt for inflationary gravitational waves. To break through this obscuring veil, it is of utmost importance to optimally exploit every piece of available information, merging the world's best observational data with the world's most advanced theoretical models. A first step toward this ultimate goal was recently published as the Planck 2015 Astrophysical Baseline Model, an effort led and conducted by myself.

Here I propose to build Cosmoglobe, a comprehensive model of the radio, microwave and sub-mm sky, covering 100 MHz to 10 THz in both intensity and polarization, extending existing models by three orders of magnitude in frequency and a factor of five in angular resolution. I will leverage a recent algorithmic breakthrough in multi-resolution component separation to jointly analyze some of the world's best data sets, including C-BASS, COMAP, PASIPHAE, Planck, SPIDER, WMAP and many more. This will result in the best cosmological (CMB, SZ, CIB etc.) and astrophysical (thermal and spinning dust, synchrotron and free-free emission etc.) component maps published to date. I will then use this model to derive the world's strongest limits on, and potentially detect, inflationary gravity waves using SPIDER observations; forecast, optimize and analyze observations from the leading next-generation CMB experiments, including LiteBIRD and S4; and derive the first 3D large-scale structure maps from CO intensity mapping from COMAP, potentially opening up a new window on the cosmic dawn.
Terahertz Metamaterials for Linear Polarization Conversion and Anomalous Refraction

Converting Polarization The conversion of a light signal from one polarization direction to another plays an important role in communication and metrology. The components that are presently used for polarization conversion, however, tend to be relatively large, which is an issue that can make it difficult to integrate with chip-scale optoelectronic circuits. Grady et al. (p. 1304 , published online 16 May) used a metasurfaces approach involving a designed array of cut wires to manipulate the polarization state of the propagating terahertz signals. Proper design of the device structure allowed for the control of the polarization conversion state for both reflected and transmitted light over a broad frequency range.
Limits of hybrid political orders: the case of Somaliland

Abstract Hybrid political orders are in the literature discussed as a heuristic tool to understand how power and legitimacy are negotiated in settings where the Western model of the liberal democratic state does not work. Sometimes they are presented as an alternative model for successful statehood, e.g., by combining ‘traditional’ and ‘modern’ political institutions. The Republic of Somaliland is frequently presented as functioning hybrid political order. A cornerstone for Somaliland's success was the integration of traditional authorities in government. These authorities engaged in peace-building and state formation in the early 1990s. Their role was institutionalized in the ‘House of Elders’, the upper house of parliament. This article argues that the hybrid political order of Somaliland has outlived its success. What is left at the beginning of the 21st century is an imbalanced and in many regards ‘crippled’ hybrid. It threatens democratic progress and undermines the authority and legitimacy of the st...
Pressure balanced turbocharger rotating seal

A pressure balanced turbocharger rotating seal is provided by two piston rings mounted on the shaft of the turbocharger, one of the rings engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the center housing and the second ring engaging a circumferential surface of the shaft bore in the turbine wheel shroud, with a passage for introducing pressurizing gas intermediate the two rings, the passage including a circumferential channel in the inner face of the turbine wheel shroud, and a compression seal engaged between the center housing and turbine wheel shroud outboard of the channel.
Promoting Effective Generation and Sustainable USes of electricity

The growing power consumption in already fragile territories, as rural area and islands could benefits by the technological development that the RES are bringing. In particular the opportunity to use in a more efficient RES, already present in the MED territories (solar, biomass…) through the application of smart technology, might represent a step forward towards a sustainable and inclusive growth. Unfortunately, the organization of deployment, exploitation and operation models as the use of the microgrids is not yet in its full development stage. Even though the technology is available and examples of regulations start to be present, absences of an enabling environment that can foster a common market represent the main challenge. The local institutions can lead the change stimulating the business environment. Examples of applications and business models have been already experienced and a well-represented consortium in terms of stakeholder interest, led by the active Municipality of Potenza can contribute to propose a working model with all the necessary framework arrangements. Therefore the consortium lunch PEGASUS aiming to combine, test and transfer previous experience in a new full fledge package of tools for the Local Public Sector in the MED area: from conceptualization, through organize till financial promotion. This also involving all the stakeholders including end-users and business community: “Jointly to increase the share of the RES in the involved territories”.
CALYPSO-HF Radar Monitoring System and Response against Marine Oil Spills in the Malta Channel

The project brings together an 8-member partnership for the setting up of a permanent and fully operational HF radar observing system, capable of recording (in real-time with hourly updates) surface currents, winds and waves in the Malta Channel. The system consists of HF radar installations on the northern Malta and southern Sicilian shores at selected sites and combines stations to elaborate and publish data to users. Collected data, combined to numerical models, support applications to optimise intervention in case of oil spill response as well as endow tools for security,  safer navigation, improved metro-marine forecasts, monitoring of currents in critical areas such as ports, surveillance, search and rescue and better management of the marine space between Malta and Sicily. Through a network of stakeholders, including the participation of public authorities in the partnership, the project envisages the full exploitation of the HF radar system, and dedicates direct activities for the exchange of information, practices and the preparation of common protocols for collaborative surveillance and operational interventions in the case of accidents and emergencies between Maltese and Sicilian counterparts. The project shall also serve for capacity building in the monitoring of the coastal seas and adjoining resources. The routine acquisition of multi-disciplinary, spatially widespread, long-term data sets of the ocean and coastal seas is expected to trigger an unprecedented leap in the economic value of ocean data and information, and will additionally target multiple applications and users. The project puts Malta and Silicy at the forefront of such initiatives in the Mediterranean.