SIRIS-Lab/unlabelled-sti-corpus huggingface dataset:
Links between biomass and tree demography in a northern hardwood forest: a decade of stability and change in Hubbard Brook Valley, New Hampshire

We resurveyed a network of sampling plots (n = 371) 10 years after its establishment in Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest (New Hampshire, USA) to quantify recent trends in tree biomass and demography. We found no significant change in live-tree biomass during the decade. Total biomass was 246 Mg·ha –1 (95%CI = 235–258) in 1995–1996 and 245 Mg·ha –1 (95%CI = 234–256) in 2005–2006. Annual mortality during the period for trees ≥ 10 cm diameter at breast height (1.37 m) averaged 9.7 trees·ha –1 ·year –1 (95% CI of annual mortality rate = 1.36%–1.84%·year –1 ). Tree recruitment into the census pool was 8.4 trees⋅ha –1 ·year –1 (95% CI = 5.8–10.6). Although overall forest biomass remained constant, there were marked shifts in the relative dominance of the canopy species. For example, the live biomass of Betula alleghaniensis Britton declined by 7%, whereas the live biomass of Picea rubens Sarg. increased by 6% and that of Acer saccharum Marshall increased by 4%. There was no instance of recruitment significantly exceeding mortality for the major species. Relative growth rates ranged from 1.03%·year –1 for Betula papyrifera Marshall to 1.99%·year –1 for Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. Our results confirmed earlier reports that the forest at Hubbard Brook is no longer aggrading. Current live-tree biomass is lower than expected. Although effects of novel disturbances documented on a regional level have not led to directional changes in tree demography at Hubbard Brook, we suggest that these novel stressors are depressing the biomass potential of the forest.
Flame retardant nanocontainers

Since we live in the polymer age, and polymers are highly inflammable, flame retardants have become a key component in industry to reduce the impact of fires. Flame retardants save people's lives, their property and in some cases even the environment.  However, traditional flame retardants like halogenated compounds present some serious disadvantages, like environmental persistence and toxicity, and their use is currently limited by REACH (EC 1907/2006). Halogen-free flame retardants like organophosphorus compounds or metal hydroxides, on the other hand, deteriorate the mechanical properties and have poor effectiveness. In this area, nanotechnology provides us some badly needed new approaches. In NOFLAME, we will explore a new approach based on the development of polymer flame retardant nanocontainers with high thermal stability, low flammability and good compatibility with polymeric matrices. These nanocontainers will help solve the problems of poor dispersion and low interfacial adhesion of the inorganic and hybrid nanomaterials applied so far. Furthermore, the ability to encapsulate a wide range of substances makes them highly attractive to develop multifunctional nanomaterials. The main activities within NOFLAME are: 1) the synthesis of several nanocontainers and the encapsulation of organic and inorganic flame retardant compounds, 2) the introduction of the nanocontainers in the polymer matrix and 3) the evaluation of their influence on the mechanical and flame retardant properties of the final material.  Combining their expertise for NOFLAME, the fellow Dr. Maria Velencoso, the host MPIP and the partner BAM will execute a thrilling research project to produce novel flame retardant nanomaterials and meet an urgent need of the European plastics industry.
Drugsynergy: a data-driven systems biology approach to optimize drug combination strategies

The complex physiopathology of human chronic diseases includes networks robustness, feedback loops, and cross-talks, which may induce limited efficacy, resistance, and/or excessive toxicity of an individual drug. Learning how to combine drugs in order to improve treatment efficacy and lower undesired toxicity is a major biomedical challenge. Current strategies for drug repositioning and optimization of drug combinations have two man limitations: 1) they mostly use public data and databases, which are based on knowledge of individual drug stimuli and do not specifically analyze interactions, 2) they consider limited number of cellular outputs to analyze the response to a drug. In DrugSynergy, we will use an innovative systems biology large-scale data-driven approach to determine the interaction between two drugs at the highest possible resolution. Our computational analysis workflow has been extensively validated over the past years. It is now robust enough to be applied for the optimization of drug combinations.
Our business development strategies will follow several possible non-exclusive scenarios: 1) service providing to pharmaceutical and biotech companies to optimize their own pipeline of drug combinations, 2) generate intellectual property (IP) through identification of new drug combinations, optimization of existing drug combinations by addition of innovative drugs through screening of small molecule libraries, including from our Institute. These goals will be achieved in an academic structure, through licensing new IP to industrial partners, or within a start-up company created around the innovative pipelines and know-how of DrugSynergy. These options will be explored with our business development and industrial partnership department.
DrugSynergy is expected to have a strong biomedical and socio-economic impact because of the growing need of efficiently combine multiple drugs to address health challenges such as cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases.
IMPROVED ACTIVATION DEVICE

A device for activating a downhole tool is described. The device comprises a first elongate member defining a toothed surface portion, a second elongate member defining a toothed surface portion and at least one pinion arrangement The/each pinion arrangement engages the toothed surface portions of the first and second members such that movement of one member in a first direction results in movement of the other member in a second direction, opposite the first direction.
EFFECT OF CHROMIUM ON SCALE MORPHOLOGY IN SCALY CARP (CYPRINUS CARPIO L.)

This study, it was aimed to be enabling to use of fish scale as a bio -indicator for heavy metal pollution that is gradually increase in natural waters. For this purpose scaled carps , Cyprinus carpio (Linnaeus, 1758) were exposed to 7.5, 15, 30 and 60 µg L -1 concentrations of trivalent chromium for 21 day and deformities appearing on the scales were examined under electron microscopy. It was found that scale deformations in scales were more in focus region and increased with increasing chromium concentration in water. Radius, circulars and lepidonts on scale damaged at various rates depending on chromium concentrations. In addition, more damage was observed in anterior region as compared with in posterior region of the scales. This study showed that scales were very affected from chromium accumulation. For these reasons scales have an important role as a bio -indicator to determine the pollution parameters, especially for heavy metal pollution.
Arbitrismo e governo eclesiástico no Peru do século XVII: o memorial de Luis de Ribera

O objetivo deste trabalho é refletir sobre a função política dos arbítrios, através de um memorial escrito por Luis de Ribera, que trata de um tema referente ao governo eclesiástico do Peru. Os arbítrios eram propostas endereçadas ao rei para a solução de problemas em vários âmbitos do governo, especialmente questões financeiras. Tiveram seu auge na Espanha a partir de meados do século XVI, e desde as primeiras décadas do século XVII pode-se observar um arbitrismo centrado em questões americanas, ainda que em menor proporção que o arbitrismo castelhano. As questões eclesiásticas tinham grande importância nos territórios espanhóis na América, devido à soberania sobre as novas terras ter sido justificada pela evangelização dos naturais. O memorial de Ribera oferecia uma solução para uma destas questões, a rivalidade entre as ordens religiosas e o clero secular; a partir dele, vamos considerar a influência desses escritos nas questões políticas.
Mastering crosscutting architectural decisions with aspects

When reflecting upon driving system requirements such as security and availability, software architects often face decisions that have a broadly scoped impact on the software architecture. These decisions are the core of the architecting process because they typically have implications intertwined in a multitude of architectural elements and across multiple views. Without a modular representation and management of those crucial choices, architects cannot properly communicate, assess and reason about their crosscutting effects. The result is a number of architectural breakdowns, such as misinformed architectural evaluation, time-consuming trade-off analysis and unmanageable traceability. This paper presents an architectural documentation approach in which aspects are exploited as a natural way to capture widely-scoped design decisions in a modular fashion. The approach consists of a simple high-level notation to describe crosscutting decisions, and a supplementary language that allows architects to formally define how such architectural decisions affect the final architectural decomposition according to different views. On the basis of two case studies, we have systematically assessed to what extent our approach: (i) supports the description of heterogeneous forms of crosscutting architecture decisions, (ii) improves the support for architecture modularity analysis, and (iii) enhances upstream and downstream traceability of crosscutting architectural decisions
High-Density qcd matter from first principles

Predicting the collective properties of strongly interacting matter at the highest densities reached within the present-day Universe is one of the most prominent challenges in modern nuclear theory. It is motivated by the desire to map out the complicated phase diagram of the theory, and perhaps even more importantly by the mystery surrounding the inner structure of neutron stars. The task is, however, severely complicated by the notorious Sign Problem of lattice QCD, due to which no nonperturbative first principles methods are available for tackling it.
 
The proposal at hand approaches the strong interaction challenge using a first principles toolbox containing most importantly the machinery of modern resummed perturbation theory and effective field theory. Our main technical goal is to determine three new orders in the weak coupling expansion of the Equation of State (EoS) of unpaired zero-temperature quark matter. Alongside this effort, we will investigate the derivation of a new type of effective description for cold and dense QCD, allowing us to include to the EoS contributions from quark pairing more accurately than what is possible at present. 

The highlight result of our work will be the derivation of the most accurate neutron star matter EoS to date, which will be obtained by combining insights from our work with those originating from the Chiral Effective Theory of nuclear interactions. We anticipate being able to reduce the current uncertainty in the EoS by nearly a factor of two, which will convert into a precise prediction for the Mass-Radius relation of the stars. This will be a milestone result in nuclear astrophysics, and in combination with emerging observational data on stellar masses and radii will contribute to solving one of the most intriguing puzzles in the field – the nature of the most compact stars in the Universe.
Study of nonlinear interaction between bunched beam and intermediate cavities in a relativistic klystron amplifier

In intermediate cavities of a relativistic klystron amplifier (RKA) driven by intense relativistic electron beam, the equivalent circuit model, which is widely adopted to investigate the interaction between bunched beam and the intermediate cavity in a conventional klystron design, is invalid due to the high gap voltage and the nonlinear beam loading in a RKA. According to Maxwell equations and Lorentz equation, the self-consistent equations for beam-wave interaction in the intermediate cavity are introduced to study the nonlinear interaction between bunched beam and the intermediate cavity in a RKA. Based on the equations, the effects of modulation depth and modulation frequency of the beam on the gap voltage amplitude and its phase are obtained. It is shown that the gap voltage is significantly lower than that estimated by the equivalent circuit model when the beam modulation is high. And the bandwidth becomes wider as the beam modulation depth increases. An S-band high gain relativistic klystron amplif...
Polarimetry with spatially coherent detection for ultrasensitive detection

It has long been known that chiral objects interact asymmetrically with chiral electromagnetic fields, but chiroptical effects are typically very small because the wavelength of light is so much larger than the size of biological molecules. The POLARSENSE project proposes a new ground-breaking approach for the detection and quantification of chirality that will permit ultrasensitive chiral discrimination through optical means. Its objective will be to set up a coherent detection method that will exploit the spatial coherence of light, similarly as in double beam interferometers exploit the temporal coherence of light. Switching from temporal coherence to spatial coherence supposes a paradigm shift for the optical coherent detection technique and it will allow using a single light beam instead of having to deal with two different beams. With this new technique, two different parts of the beam will acquire different polarizations and will then recombine coherently. The formed interference pattern will depend on the optical properties of the sample, and they will be recovered after an holographic analysis. This spatially coherent detection method can be implemented in a Mueller matrix polarimeter capable of detecting minute differences of polarization states associated to chiral signals, for example during protein folding. It is envisaged that such technique will maintain the advantages of general applicability, wide spectroscopic range and low cost of the optical method of polarimetry but with a tremendous increase of its sensitivity.
Control design with output constraints: Multi-regulator sliding mode approach with override logic

The problem of setpoint regulation of a main output with constraints in a set of secondary outputs is considered. Specifically, a main output is to be regulated to a setpoint using a single control input, while preventing secondary outputs to cross prescribed limits. When the outputs are minimum-phase, previous work by the author shows that a set of sliding mode regulators arranged in a max-min override scheme with input integration achieves the output regulation and limit protection objectives, with guaranteed stability, maximal exploitation of available limits, and straightforward design guidelines. In this paper, no input integration is used, removing a limitation of the previous approach that required secondary outputs to have a nonzero feed-through term. Design of the sliding coefficients for the main regulator is also considered using mixed H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sub> /H <sub xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">∞</sub> feedback synthesis. A detailed numerical example is included.
Development of eco-friendly protection procedures for landing gear aluminium alloys

The need of using high performance lightweight materials is pushing the aerospace industry to incorporate aluminium alloys in many parts of the aircraft. But all aircraft components, and especially those of landing gears, need to be able to withstand friction and corrosive environments while continuing to operate at optimum levels. 
Nowadays most landing gear parts made of aluminium alloys are protected against corrosion by surface anodising and multilayer painting. The treatment is usually carried out on Cr(VI) based compounds. To date, there is not any Cr-free accepted protecting treatment for Al 7000 series alloys that fulfils the aeronautics requirements, so, it is necessary to develop an environmentally and Cr-free acceptable alternative process.
The main objective of ECOLAND project is to face the research of a suitable REACH compliant anaphoretic electrocoating treatment (including both the optimal pretreatment method and anaphoretic electrocoating application conditions) that can replace the currently used anodising + painting treatment for protection of Al 7000 series alloys in aeronautic applications. This anaphoretic electrocoating will allow a reduction of emissions, saving of coat and improvement of corrosion protection.
The following improvements will be aimed from the ECOLAND Cr-free project:
• The lifetime of the anaphoretic electrocoating system shall be 25 % longer than the lifetime of traditional.
• It is expected a minimum of around 30% cost and 45% energy consumption reduction in manufacturing compared to currently available systems.
• Thanks to the new coating systems more complex geometry parts could be coated and so landing gears might be designed lighter than currently ones. 
• The production time to be shortened in a 55%.
• A decrease of the risk of mechanical failure due to the reduction of the alloy exposure time to acids.
• VOCs emissions will be reduced in a 50%.
High-Resolution Sequencing and Modeling Identifies Distinct Dynamic RNA Regulatory Strategies

Cells control dynamic transitions in transcript levels by regulating transcription, processing, and/or degradation through an integrated regulatory strategy. Here, we combine RNA metabolic labeling, rRNA-depleted RNA-seq, and DRiLL, a novel computational framework, to quantify the level; editing sites; and transcription, processing, and degradation rates of each transcript at a splice junction resolution during the LPS response of mouse dendritic cells. Four key regulatory strategies, dominated by RNA transcription changes, generate most temporal gene expression patterns. Noncanonical strategies that also employ dynamic posttranscriptional regulation control only a minority of genes, but provide unique signal processing features. We validate Tristetraprolin (TTP) as a major regulator of RNA degradation in one noncanonical strategy. Applying DRiLL to the regulation of noncoding RNAs and to zebrafish embryogenesis demonstrates its broad utility. Our study provides a new quantitative approach to discover transcriptional and posttranscriptional events that control dynamic changes in transcript levels using RNA sequencing data.
Treatment of transmissible venereal tumors in dogs with intratumoral interleukin-2 (IL-2). A pilot study.

To improve the treatment of transmissible venereal tumors (TVTs) in dogs with intratumoral injections of interleukin-2 (IL-2).We treated 13 dogs with 18 natural TVTs with IL-2. The tumors were treated with intratumoral application of 2×10(6) units IL-2.Three months after injection of IL-2, the tumors in 2/13 dogs had regressed completely, those in 1/13 had regressed partially, and 4/13 dogs had stable disease.Local IL-2 treatment of TVT is therapeutically effective, as indicated by complete regression (CR), partial regression (PR) and stable disease (SD) of the tumors of 7 out of 13 dogs. In addition, we observed that the intratumoral treatment with IL-2 did not cause any toxic side-effects.
Analysing narrative data using McCormack’s Lenses

In health and social care research, pure naturalistic enquiry often seeks to understand personal experiences, and adopts data collection methods that can generate vast amounts of rich, thick text. This article demonstrates the way in which the author used a particular approach to analyse the complex narrative data arising from her MPhil research into experiences of lesbian parents in the healthcare system.Narrative data is often cumbersome, prolific and chaotic, and it can be difficult to manage such data effectively while remaining sympathetic to the original meaning of the storyteller. Guidance exists on what narrative analysis should achieve, but finding ways of interpreting and demonstrating meaning in different types of stories can be challenging.The data discussed here arose from six unstructured interviews with ten lesbian parents from across the UK, collected in 2003-04 during the author's MPhil studies.The use of McCormack's Lenses to analyse narrative data supported the philosophical underpinnings of Heideggerian phenomenology which provided the framework for the research endeavour.Locating the analysis method that best suits the methodology, purpose and data is not always easy. Naturalistic or qualitative researchers may need to make extra effort to explain the philosophical and practical aspects of their work, and while it can be tempting to select an adequate analysis approach, seeking out the framework which best fits the data will enhance the credibility of the findingsMcCormack's Lenses provides a flexible framework for the analysis of complex narrative data. It enables the researcher to take core themes and stories of experience in the original story and reveal these to the reader with openness. As well as remaining true to the original story, the framework enables the researcher to demonstrate that the reported findings are situated in the original data.
Characterization of the Human Papillomavirus 16 E8 Promoter

Persistent infections with certain human papillomaviruses (HPV) such as HPV16 are a necessary risk factor for the development of anogenital and oropharyngeal cancers. HPV16 genomes replicate as low-copy-number plasmids in the nucleus of undifferentiated keratinocytes, which requires the viral E1 and E2 replication proteins. The HPV16 E8^E2C (or E8^E2) protein limits genome replication by repressing both viral transcription and the E1/E2-dependent DNA replication. How E8^E2C expression is regulated is not understood. Previous transcript analyses indicated that the spliced E8^E2C RNA is initiated at a promoter located in the E1 region upstream of the E8 gene. Deletion and mutational analyses of the E8 promoter region identify two conserved elements that are required for basal promoter activity in HPV-negative keratinocytes. In contrast, the transcriptional enhancer in the upstream regulatory region of HPV16 does not modulate basal E8 promoter activity. Cotransfection studies indicate that E8^E2C inhibits, whereas E2 weakly activates, the E8 promoter. Interestingly, the cotransfection of E1 and E2 induces the E8 promoter much more strongly than the major early promoter, and this is partially dependent upon binding of E2 to Brd4. Mutation of E8 promoter elements in the context of HPV16 genomes results in an increased genome copy number and elevated levels of viral early and late transcripts. In summary, the promoter responsible for the expression of E8^E2C is both positively and negatively regulated by viral and cellular factors, and this regulatory circuit may be crucial to maintain a low but constant copy number of HPV16 genomes in undifferentiated cells.HPV16 replicates in differentiating epithelia and can cause cancer. How HPV16 maintains its genome in undifferentiated cells at a low but constant level is not well understood but may be relevant for the immunological escape of HPV16 in the basal layers of the infected epithelium. This study demonstrates that the expression of the viral E8^E2C protein, which is a potent inhibitor of viral replication in undifferentiated cells, is driven by a separate promoter. The E8 promoter is both positively and negatively regulated by viral proteins and thus most likely acts as a sensor and modulator of viral copy number.