SIRIS-Lab/unlabelled-sti-corpus huggingface dataset:
Phthalate exposure and semen quality in infertile male population from Tianjin, China: Associations and potential mediation by reproductive hormones

Global decline in male fertility and their associations with ubiquitous exposure of phthalates (PAEs) have raised public concerns. However, the current epidemiological data are limited and controversial. Hence, we investigated possible associations between PAE exposure and male infertility. Eleven phthalate metabolites (mPAEs) were determined in urine and serum samples collected from eighty-eight males diagnosed with infertility from Tianjin, China. The median serum levels of mPAE were n.d. -3.63 ng/mL, which were 1-2 orders of magnitude lower than the urinary levels of n.d. -192 ng/mL. Negative associations were identified between urinary follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and MiBP and serum MCMHP, as well as testosterone (T) and luteinizing hormone (LH) and the molar concentrations of ∑mPAE, while positive association was found between T and the serum molar concentrations of ∑mDEHP. Positive associations were found between the molar concentrations of serum ∑mPAE and sperm concentration, sperm motility rate, and progressive motility, between mono (2-ethyl-5-carboxypentyl) phthalate (MECPP) and semen volume and total sperm number, and between MCMHP and progressive motility, while negative association was found between mono(2-ethyl-5-oxohexyl) phthalate (MEOHP) and progressive motility. Moreover, FSH was found to mediate the association between serum concentrations of MCMHP and progressive motility (mediation ratio = 41.6%), and LH to mediate the associations between serum concentrations of ∑mPAE and sperm concentration (mediation ratio = 45.7%) and sperm motility rate (mediation ratio = 29.0%). These results also suggested that serum levels of mPAE are a good predictor for male infertility. Further efforts need to be made on toxicological studies to systematically elaborate the internal mechanisms.
Floods of 18 and 19 November 2016 in Batouri (East Cameroon): Interpretation of the Hydro-Meteorological Parameters and Historical Context of the Post-Event Survey Episode

During the night of November 18 to 19, 2016, many stormy cells are not very mobile organized on the east of the southern plateau of Cameroon and dumped up to 260 mm of rain in 4 hours. Occurring on a relatively saturated soil, these rains caused strong floods of Kadey and Doumé. The floods were particularly damaging in the city of Batouri, where a subdivision was submerged by the Boumbé (tributary of the Sangha) with water heights in the houses reaching 1.75 m, despite the presence of a dam allowing clipping floods upstream of the basin. In this article, we present the results of the analysis of the postevent survey generated on this event with flow rates estimated on 15 sections of ungauged subbasins. These flows are then compared with those obtained from other recent postevent survey and those estimated by various regional estimations. The inventory of heavy rains around Batouri during the period 1970-2016 has led to the revision of current development standards in the region, which seem to underestimate rainfall and infrequent flows.
Knowledge-light adaptation approaches in case-based reasoning for radiotherapy treatment planning

Radiotherapy treatment planning aims at delivering a sufficient radiation dose to cancerous tumour cells while sparing healthy organs in the tumour-surrounding area. It is a time-consuming trial-and-error process that requires the expertise of a group of medical experts including oncologists and medical physicists and can take from 2 to 3h to a few days. Our objective is to improve the performance of our previously built case-based reasoning (CBR) system for brain tumour radiotherapy treatment planning. In this system, a treatment plan for a new patient is retrieved from a case base containing patient cases treated in the past and their treatment plans. However, this system does not perform any adaptation, which is needed to account for any difference between the new and retrieved cases. Generally, the adaptation phase is considered to be intrinsically knowledge-intensive and domain-dependent. Therefore, an adaptation often requires a large amount of domain-specific knowledge, which can be difficult to acquire and often is not readily available. In this study, we investigate approaches to adaptation that do not require much domain knowledge, referred to as knowledge-light adaptation.We developed two adaptation approaches: adaptation based on machine-learning tools and adaptation-guided retrieval. They were used to adapt the beam number and beam angles suggested in the retrieved case. Two machine-learning tools, neural networks and naive Bayes classifier, were used in the adaptation to learn how the difference in attribute values between the retrieved and new cases affects the output of these two cases. The adaptation-guided retrieval takes into consideration not only the similarity between the new and retrieved cases, but also how to adapt the retrieved case.The research was carried out in collaboration with medical physicists at the Nottingham University Hospitals NHS Trust, City Hospital Campus, UK. All experiments were performed using real-world brain cancer patient cases treated with three-dimensional (3D)-conformal radiotherapy. Neural networks-based adaptation improved the success rate of the CBR system with no adaptation by 12%. However, naive Bayes classifier did not improve the current retrieval results as it did not consider the interplay among attributes. The adaptation-guided retrieval of the case for beam number improved the success rate of the CBR system by 29%. However, it did not demonstrate good performance for the beam angle adaptation. Its success rate was 29% versus 39% when no adaptation was performed.The obtained empirical results demonstrate that the proposed adaptation methods improve the performance of the existing CBR system in recommending the number of beams to use. However, we also conclude that to be effective, the proposed adaptation of beam angles requires a large number of relevant cases in the case base.
The impact of technological transformations on the digital generation

DigiGen aims to develop significant knowledge about how children and young people use and are affected by technological transformations in their everyday lives. The project is organised into eight distinct work packages. It will make use of participatory methodologies that moves the focus from “research on” children and young people to a focus of “research with” children and young people as co-researchers, co-creators and co-designers. The goal of DigiGen is to understand why and how some children and young people benefit from ICT use while others seem to be impacted negatively. It takes as its focus children and young people (from 0-18 years of age), a group growing up today that is described as the digital generation (DigiGen). Through sustained engagement with the digital generation, the project will include the use of innovative quantitative and qualitative methods and in-depth case studies. The cross-disciplinary team of researchers will enhance cooperation between home, schools and the wider community to ensure safe and productive ways of using ICTs. In understanding the impact of technological transformations as they affect the digital generation, we identify a set of systems that are important in young people’s lives. These systems include a focus on family (the home), leisure, education and the wider community (civic participation). The outcome of the project will contribute to the development of explanatory models that will inform relevant stakeholders and practitioners on the long-term effects of ICT on child development and on practices that maximise risks, minimise risks and maximise benefits.
Evaluation of Response Times on a Touch Screen Using Stereo Panned Speech Command Auditory Feedback

User interfaces to access mobile and handheld devices usually incorporate touch screens. Fast user responses are in general not critical, however, some applications require fast and accurate reactions from users. Errors and response times depend on many factors such as the user’s abilities, feedback types and latencies from the device, sizes of the buttons to press, etc. We conducted an experiment with 17 subjects to test response time and accuracy to different kinds of speech-based auditory stimuli over headphones. Speech signals were spatialized based on stereo amplitude panning. Results show significantly better response times for 3 directions than for 5, as well as for native language compared to English, and more accurate judgements based on the meaning of the speech sounds rather than their direction.
Piezo1 Gating: Comparison Between Whole Cell Currents and the Patch

Piezo1 channels gate with mechanical stress in the membrane and gating involves both activation and inactivation. In HEK293 cells transfected with Piezo1 and subjected to pressure stimuli, cell-attached patch recordings showed that the inactivation rate slowed as extracellular divalent ions were reduced. With >1mM Mg+2, activation had no measurable latency and the inactivation rate was rapid but stress dependent, suggesting that Mg+2 may act as an open channel blocker (the effects of Ca+2 are in progress). Without divalents there was no inactivation, but surprisingly, activation now had a pronounced latency (∼500 ms). Inactivation may actually represent adaptation of the local stimulus by the cytoskeleton and not overt channel closure. To disrupt the cytoskeleton we treated cells with cytochalasin D before patching and found inactivation was unaffected suggesting cytoskeletal adaption was not the cause. Attempting the inverse experiment, we increased cytoskeletal stress by swelling the cells osmotically, but that too didn't affect the inactivation rate.For analogy close to the in situ situation, we evoked whole cell Piezo1 currents by indenting cells with a glass probe. Like the patch, removing extracellular divalent ions reversibly reduced the inactivation rate. However, in contrast to patch recordings, Cytochalasin D caused a loss of whole cell current and cell swelling increased the evoked currents. These results suggest that the forces that gate Piezo1 in whole cell mode propagate through the cytoskeleton, and that divalent ion block may be responsible for inactivation.Supported by the NIH and CDMRP
Effect of 5-Fluorouracil on translational regulation in colorectal cancer cells

5-Fluorouracil (5-FU) is an anti-metabolite intensely used in chemotherapeutic treatments in various cancers. The cellular and molecular mechanisms of action of this anti-cancer agent still remain to be determined. Because 5-FU is incorporated within all classes of RNA, knowledge of the different levels of gene expression regulation affected by 5-FU will help to decipher its mode of action. We hypothesized that the translational control is altered by 5-FU treatment as a consequence of disrupted RNA metabolism. In this study, the colorectal cancer cell line HCT116 has been treated or not by different doses of 5-FU for different periods of time to determine the time and dose window that induces modifications of cell behavior without leading to an extensive cell death. Translational reprogramming was then analyzed during this time and dose window. For this, cytoplasmic fractions were purified and separated through sucrose gradients to distinguish the actively translated mRNAs that are associated with polysomes from the inactive mRNAs associated with monosomes or free mRNAs. A microarray analysis was then performed to identify the mRNAs presented in monosome and polysome fractions with and without treatment. This polysome profiling approach reveals that 5-FU treatment did not turn-off the global translation efficiency, but rather modulates translation efficiency of specific mRNAs. Secondly, more than 640 mRNAs were found to be up-translated following 5-FU treatment. Finally, we have demonstrated that 5-FU induced up-regulation of HIVEP2 by a molecular mechanism involving an action of 5-FU on miR-155
Sunector – Production and sale of innovative hybrid solar collectors

The project involves the development, creation and launch of (international) innovative, fully functional solar collector with hybrid characteristics, which allows simultaneous production of heat and electricity. The developed vacuum hybrid collector provides real benefits and usability to customers, in particular: a)reducing the heating bills b)reducing fixed operating costs and the production of products (c)Revenue from the sale of excess energy The developed hybrid vacuum solar collector (at the present stage the prototype in the MVP version) produces both heat and electricity at the same time, so that it can generate savings in both of these ranges. The facility equipped with such an installation shall have access to an unlimited source of free energy. The manifold design is innovative, and above all it uses a harp flow system and an innovative way of connecting absorber tubes with an aggregate tube (combining absorption pipes into a series – cascade), which makes the collector a modular collector. It reduces production and installation costs for larger solar installations and affects the cost and ease of repair in case of failure. In comparison to the competition offer, our product is also distinguished by a revolutionary modular design, which allows installation in any plane (e.g. in complex roof or car shelf), which is not possible, or significantly difficult for collectors currently available on the market. Planned (main) actions: a)development and development of the product b)Manifold efficiency test c) product certification (d)production of a pilot batch of product e)Promotion and acquisition of outlet markets Location: Jasionka 954 E, Podkarpackie voivodship Main resources: a)preliminary production outsourcing contract b)support of scientific institution in the field of development c)warehouse and project office d)patent application e)complementary team
Holocene climate reconstructions from western anatolia based on speleothem data

Speleothems (calcareous cave deposits) are among the most useful archives that are utilized to reconstruct past
environmental conditions, including palaeotemperature and moisture conditions, on decadal to millennial timescales. Highquality
(high-resolution, precisely dated, complete, and robust) regional speleothem-based palaeoclimate records,
specifically revealing the past variability of rainfall regimes, is of great importance for human water, and hence for the future
estimations pertaining the human-climate-environment relationship. Research suggests that decreases in rainfall-driven
water availability during the late Holocene in the Eastern Mediterranean region was one of the main reasons for the decline
and/or collapse of some former civilizations (e.g., decline of Ottoman Empire in the preindustrial era, collapse of Uruk society
in Mesopotamia during the transition from chalcolithic to the early Bronze Age, societal collapse of the Late Bronze Age).
This project will generate an extensive dataset through a multi-proxy approach of isotope and trace element geochemistry
using Holocene-aged stalagmites from several cave sites located in western and southwestern Anatolia (Turkey). The main
objectives of the proposed action are: (1) to produce precisely-dated (U-series dating) and high temporal resolution paleorecords
concerning the Holocene climate dynamics that affected the living patterns of ancient Aegean civilizations (e.g.,
Classical Greek and Roman), (2) to trace possible impacts of human-induced environmental and atmospheric pollution
through a suite of high resolution stalagmite records, including stable isotope and trace element variations (e.g., changes in
carbon and sulphur isotope ratios), and (3) to explore whether the speleothems reflect Holocene volcanic activities that
occurred in the Aegean region, and if so, to distinguish these effects from anthropogenic activities.
Living Places

The project aims to promote the museums of Turin and Chambéry. It proposes new instruments to improve the enjoyment of museums (storytelling) and to discover the collections of the Egyptian Museum in Turin and of Fine Arts Museums of Charmettes, Chambéry. All visitors, children and adults, will have access to a narrative itinerary to accompany their visit, thanks to the contribution of famous, both nationally and internationally, writers. Those contents will be spread through a smartphone application, a simple and cheap tool that will allow the user to receive information even after the visit. The project foresees the realization of 9 itineraries in three pilot-museums. The main targets of the project are tourists, schools, universities and students.
Demonstrating more efficient enzyme production to increase biogas yields

Genencor International BV has recently developed a new enzyme product, C1-LC4, that in recent field trials has shown a promising 10% cost-reduction in the production of biogas from organic waste. Although the efficacy of the enzyme has clearly been shown, the current fermentation process does not provide sufficient yield in industrial production to be cost-effective for large-scale application.

The objective of DEMETER is to increase the yield of this industrial fermentation process by at least 20%, improve the product recovery process by 40%, and reduce overall product cost by at least 15% while increasing the productivity of the process. In addition, DEMETER will demonstrate the efficacy of the enzyme in 8 field trials in biogas plants throughout Europe.

The DEMETER consortium includes the entire value chain: enzyme producer Genencor International, enzyme retailer Miavit, the pilot plant BioBase Europe Pilot Plant, anaerobic digester expert OWS, independent biogas research centre DBFZ, Ciaotech for independent economic and environmental evaluation, and large farm, Biomoer, for field trials.

DEMETER follows a multi-scale approach. First, the enzyme productivity will be improved on lab- and small pilot-scale, while obtaining insights for further scale-up. In parallel, the effect of enzymes on biogas yield will be quantified, using 5 commonly used biomass substrates. The improved fermentation and downstream process will be scaled up and demonstrated in a 15 000 L pilot plant. Finally, the improvement of the biogas production process due to the use of the C1-LC4 enzyme will be demonstrated in practice in 8 field trials. The results of these field trials will be fed back to further improve the production process and its yield.

Ultimately, DEMETER will not only produce a fermentation process with increased yield,  an improved product recovery process resulting in reduced production costs. The resulting product will lead to an increase in renewable biogas production in Europe.
A Poincaré covariant noncommutative spacetime

We interpret, in the realm of relativistic quantum field theory, the tangential operator given by Coleman and Mandula [All possible symmetries of the [Formula: see text] matrix, Phys. Rev. 159 (1967) 1251–1256] (see also [Much, Pottel and Sibold, Preconjugate variables in quantum field theory and their applications, Phys. Rev. D 94(6) (2016) 065007]) as an appropriate coordinate operator. The investigation shows that the operator generates a Snyder-like noncommutative spacetime with a minimal length that is given by the mass. By using this operator to define a noncommutative spacetime, we obtain a Poincaré invariant noncommutative spacetime and in addition solve the soccer-ball problem. Moreover, from recent progress in deformation theory we extract the idea of how to obtain, in a physical and mathematically well-defined manner, an emerging noncommutative spacetime. This is done by a strict deformation quantization known as Rieffel deformation (or warped convolutions). The result is a noncommutative spacetime combining a Snyder and a Moyal-Weyl type of noncommutativity that in addition behaves covariant under transformations of the whole Poincaré group.
Wall spacer

A spacer device for use in construction of conventional walls to permit increased wall thicknesses and use of additional insulating materials. The spacer comprises a hollow cylinder having spring biased pins extending chordally from the sides of the cylinder. The pins may be compressed against the springs and into the cylinder to permit insertion of the spacer device through apertures in a wall panel. After insertion, the springs force the pins outward to act as a positive stop against axial movement of the panel along the cylinder.
Membangun Kinerja Pemasaran BMT Berorientasi Pelanggan(Studi Pada BMT se-eks Karesidenan Semarang Jawa Tengah)

ABSTRACT
This study intends to assess the impact of Customer Orientation variable towards Marketing Performance in Baitul Maal wat Tamwil (BMT) in Ex-Residency Semarang (Semarang, Salatiga, Kendal, Demak, and Grobogan) through Service Improvement Capability, Value Co-Creation Quality, and Competitive Advantage variables. This study takes 123 respondents as manager in BMT.
Analysis tool used in this study is Structural Equation Modelling (SEM). The result of overall models of data analysis have met the criteria of Goodness of Fit with the value of chi square = 195,365, degrees of fredoom = 165, probability = 0,053, CMIN/DF = 1,184, GFI = 0,863, AGFI = 0,826, TLI = 0,941, CFI = 0,948, dan RMSEA = 0,039. Thus, the proposed research models can be accepted.
The result of the study shows that there are significant effect between Customer Orientation and Service Improvement Capability, Customer Orientation and Value Co-Creation Quality, Service Improvement Capability and Competitive Advantage, Value Co-Creation Quality and Competitive Advantage, and Competitive Advantage and Marketing performance.
Key Words : Customer Orientation, Service Improvement Capability, Value Co-Creation Quality, Competitive Advantage, and Marketing Performance.
Responsive results-based management and capacity building for eu sustainable fisheries partnership agreement- and international waters

The objective of FarFish is to improve knowledge on and management of EU fisheries outside Europe, while contributing to sustainability and long term profitability. 21% of EU catches originate from non-EU waters. These fisheries are often poorly regulated, management decisions are sometimes based on limited knowledge and enforcement capabilities, compliance and trust between stakeholders tend to lack.

FarFish will address these shortcomings in a multidisciplinary and innovative way by focusing on six diverse case studies, four in Sustainable Fisheries Partnership Agreement (SFPA) waters and two in international waters. Firstly, FarFish will analyse biological, ecological, technological, economic, political and social impacts of EU fisheries in the case studies to advance knowledge and promote sustainable and profitable exploitation. Secondly, introduce Results-Based Management approaches and new decision support tools into these fisheries and test their applicability in collaboration with stakeholders. Thirdly, build capacities in fisheries management and related disciplines amongst stakeholders. The results of FarFish will both have immediate and long-term application. FarFish includes a diverse groups of stakeholders, EU and third country fleets representatives, scientists, decision makers, Regional Fisheries Management Organisations (RFMOs), relevant industries and stakeholders from areas outside the case studies but of importance for the EU fleet, forming a platform for future cooperation between EU and third countries.

FarFish addresses the work programme by improving knowledge within the relevant fisheries, developing management tools and models, improving professional skills and sharing new findings in correspondence to the priorities of SFPAs, RFMOs and the CFP. FarFish will contribute to sustainable management, resilience and efficiency in the seafood value chains, increase European food security, boost long-term profitability and promote jobs.