SIRIS-Lab/unlabelled-sti-corpus huggingface dataset:
Early environmental quality and life-course mental health effects

EQUAL-LIFE will develop and test combined exposure data using a novel approach to multi-modal exposures and their impact on children’s mental health and development. A combination of birth-cohort data with new sources of data, will provide insight into aspects of physical and social exposures hitherto untapped.  It will do this at different scale levels and timeframes, while accounting for the distribution of exposures in social groups based on gender, ethnicity, social vulnerability. 

Beginning with child development and mental health, a set of theory-based questions is formulated, a wide range of relevant environmental and social hazards is defined and validated at the stakeholders end. Exposure assessment combines traditional GIS-based approaches with omics approaches and new sources of data that could explain aspects of the urban environment at a higher spatial and temporal granularity, and provide insight into untapped parameters relating to exposure (spatial quality of neighborhoods). These together form the early-life exposome. Statistical tools integrate data at different scale levels and times and combine e.g. machine learning, causal models with subgroups measures.  

EQUAL-LIFE uses data from birth-cohorts, longitudinal school data sets and cross-sectional studies (N=>250.000), including data on exposures, biomarkers, mental health and developmental outcomes, in their social context.

EQUAL-LIFE contributes to the development/utilization of the exposome concept by 1) integrating the internal, external and social exposome  2) by studying a distinct set of effects on a child’s development and mental health 3) by characterizing/measuring/modelling the child’s environment at different stages and activity spaces 4) by looking at supportive environments for child development, rather than merely pollutants 5) by combining physical, social indicators with novel biomarkers and using new data sources describing child activity patterns and environments.

EQUAL-LIFE is part of the European Human Exposome Network comprised of  nine projects selected from this same call.
New generation of halogen-free high performing flame retardants for plastics, free from persistant, toxic and bio-accumulating substances.

The objective of FireFree is to launch the 3rd generation of the patented, halogen-free Paxymer® technology on the market. The technology is proprietary and patented, it employs a multi-mechanistic approach for achieving fire safety and meeting fire standards without the use of persistent, carcinogenic or endocrine disrupting chemicals. Implementation of FireFree will increase the usability of cheaper and more sustainable plastic materials with significant societal savings as a consequence. 
The main drivers for a successful implementation are two main market trends: utilization of cheaper materials and reduction of hazardous chemicals due to regulation and CSR policy. There is an increased use of the type of plastics that FireFree targets driven by material development, environmental benefits, price and weight reduction. Secondly the growth of the halogen-free flame retardant market driven by restrictions on halogenated flame retardants and new harmonized fire standards that aim to achieve improved safety and environmental performance of products.
The objectives of the feasibility study is to further understand and prioritize the demands of the plastic manufacturers and OEMs and develop a detailed business plan. Moreover, it will outline the necessary steps to achieve successful market introduction of the new generation of products including key partners and key product characteristics. Finalizing a preliminary technical evaluation as well as specifying partners in the supply chain will be concluded during phase 1. The second phase of the project aims to fully develop, demonstrate and bring the new generation of products from TRL 6 through 9 and launch projects on the market with lead users for final proof of concept focusing on applications within electrical and electronic equipment (EEE), building and transportation industries.
Exposome project for health and occupational research

Exposures at the workplace contribute to many non-communicable diseases (NCDs) with a similar magnitude as urban air pollution or obesity. Given the associated societal and economic (2-6% GDP) pressure, ensuring a healthy work environment is a strategic goal for the European Commission. Demographic changes (aging workforce, female workers) and the rapidly changing nature of work with respect to secure employment and migration, are posing additional challenges. We define the working-life exposome as all occupational and related non-occupational factors (general and socio-economic  environment, lifestyle, behaviour). Taking a working-life exposome approach will help address these challenges by providing better insights in how complex working-life exposures are related to NCDs, for vulnerable groups (female, migrant, insecure job workers) or life stages. The working-life exposome is in its infancy and new approaches and methods are needed. In EPHOR a consortium of exposure, health and data scientists and technology developers will develop a working-life exposome toolbox, with stakeholder involvement. The toolbox will make available to scientists, policy makers and occupational health practitioners: 1) innovative methods for collection, storage, and interpretation of more complete and individual level working life exposome data; 2) better knowledge on how the working life exposome relates to NCDs, including complex interactions, vulnerability, biological pathways and early signs of health damage, by uniquely combining large-scale pooling of existing cohorts with focused case studies; 3) models for assessing the economic and societal impact of working life exposures. EPHOR will lay the groundwork for evidence-based and cost-effective preventive actions to reduce the burden of NCDs as a result of the working-life exposome. Thereby, health, wellbeing and productivity of the EU population will be improved and the burden on the EU health care systems reduced. EPHOR is part of the European Human Exposome Network comprised of 9 projects selected from this same call.
Un projet colonial des Fugger (1530-1531)

Un projet colonial des Fugger (1530-1531) — En 1530, deux ans après que l’exploitation du territoire vénézuélien a été concédée aux banquiers Welser, Veit Hörl, représentant de la famille Fugger, fait parvenir au Conseil des Indes, l’administration chargée des affaires ultramarines, un projet de conquête et de colonisation de la région qui commence au détroit de Magellan. Cette proposition fera l’objet d’âpres tractations durant l’année 1531 avant d’être au dernier moment abandonnée par ceux-là mêmes qui en avaient été à l’initiative, sans que les fonctionnaires du Conseil n’en comprennent la raison. Depuis la seconde moitié du XIXe siècle, ce corpus de documents a été retranscrit et brièvement discuté par plusieurs historiens, essentiellement latino-américains et allemands, sans qu’aucune réponse satisfaisante à l’énigme n’ait pu être apportée. Sans évidemment prétendre donner une réponse définitive aux multiples problèmes que pose ce dossier, cette étude s’attache, en revenant aux questions sine qua non de la chronologie dans laquelle s’inscrit la proposition des Fugger et surtout de la localisation de la région effectivement visée par leur projet, à reprendre le travail d’élucidation commencé précédemment en utilisant de nombreuses sources qui jusqu’alors n’avaient pas encore été mobilisées sur ce sujet.
PIXE analysis of stream water following the Mt. Hakone eruption on 30 June 2015 — temporal changes in elemental concentrations over two years

After the 2011 Off the Pacific Coast of Tohoku Earthquake on 11 March, 2011, volcanic activity in Japan was observed to increase. In this study, we use the PIXE method to analyze elemental concentrations in stream water flowing directly from the fumarolic area on Mount Hakone, which erupted on 30 June 2015. Throughout a two-year monitoring period following the eruption, concentrations of 12 dissolved elements were measured. We found that the stream water was strongly acidic. For one year after the eruption, the concentrations of magma-derived elements (S, Cl) and rock-derived elements (Al, Ca, Fe, K, Mg, Mn, and Na), except for Si, showed a clear decreasing trend. These measurements suggest that magmatic activity and fumarolic activity reduced gradually over one year. After this year-long period, elemental concentrations stopped decreasing and instead showed broadly flat levels with sporadic increases and decreases. However, throughout the year immediately following the eruption, the number of volcanic earthquakes was consistently at zero or close to zero. These different indications of volcanic activity suggest that the elemental concentrations in stream water may be more sensitive indicators of small changes in subterranean behavior than of the number of volcanic earthquakes.
Towards sustainability through innovation

The present work addresses the practicality of achieving sustainability through innovation. In order to link between sustainability and innovation, a good understanding of the essence of each of them is required. There are various factors that can significantly affect eco-innovation. These factors are discussed, and the challenges that the process of integrating sustainability into innovation encounter are then identified. The traditional life cycle of a product following the cradle-to-grave approach used all over the world until today will protect the environment and reach to compliance with regulations, but without conserving the natural resources; i.e., the process/life cycle will not be sustainable. It is recommended to switch the traditional life cycle approach from cradle-to-grave to cradle-to-cradle in order not only to protect the environment, but also to save the natural resources (sustainability) and achieve beyond compliance (BC). The BC concept is introduced as a direct benefit from sustainability.
Development and evaluation of a vision based poultry debone line monitoring system

Efficient deboning is key to optimizing production yield (maximizing the amount of meat removed from a chicken frame while reducing the presence of bones). Many processors evaluate the efficiency of their deboning lines through manual yield measurements, which involves using a special knife to scrape the chicken frame for any remaining meat after it has been deboned. Researchers with the Georgia Tech Research Institute (GTRI) have developed an automated vision system for estimating this yield loss by correlating image characteristics with the amount of meat left on a skeleton. The yield loss estimation is accomplished by the system’s image processing algorithms, which correlates image intensity with meat thickness and calculates the total volume of meat remaining. The team has established a correlation between transmitted light intensity and meat thickness with an R 2 of 0.94. Employing a special illuminated cone and targeted software algorithms, the system can make measurements in under a second and has up to a 90-percent correlation with yield measurements performed manually. This same system is also able to determine the probability of bone chips remaining in the output product. The system is able to determine the presence/absence of clavicle bones with an accuracy of approximately 95 percent and fan bones with an accuracy of approximately 80%. This paper describes in detail the approach and design of the system, results from field testing, and highlights the potential benefits that such a system can provide to the poultry processing industry.
Education for sustainable mobility 2

The project continues the action initiated with EDUMOB to encourage the use of sustainable mobility and complements the new need for distance arising from the Covid emergency. The pandemic has radically revolutionised the way in which citizens and tourists perceive and use outdoor spaces. The presence of pedestrian and cycle paths was essential during the epidemic, representing a place of escape, physical activity or a safe space to walk during containment. These spaces are now an attraction for the main tourist flows, as well as a quick and ecological way of travel that must guarantee safety and simplicity to users. The shared planning of adequate infrastructure, the integration of bicycle information tools, the creation of safe routes and the reduction of traffic are the main results of this project. Communication and training for institutions, businesses and citizens will continue, including with innovative systems, such as EDUmob. Actions will also be taken to secure routes, sometimes damaged by storm Alex. The fact of being able to move safely and sustainably and to find suitable shelters for their bicycles, increases the use of the paths thus making public spaces more livable for everyone.
Local government training in England and Wales, Denmark and Israel

This article highlights an interesting and often unduly neglected aspect of comparative public policy and administration: local government training. The argument advanced is that local government training based on the centrally focused model may tend to be: (i) skill-oriented and competence-framed; (ii) comprehensive; and (iii) quality-controlled in a relatively rigorous manner. By contrast, local government training based on the locally focused model may tend to be: (i) skill-oriented and competence-framed alongside a focus on ‘people’ and organizational issues, conventional policy issues and broad local government issues; (ii) non-comprehensive, and (iii) weakly controlled for quality. The integrative model, which is the most innovative form of the three models presented here, may tend to manifest a varied mix of the aforementioned features. Based on an institutional analysis combined with interviews with senior training officials at national and local levels, this argument is illustrated in England and...
Building concrete solutions. a unique additive for the ideal concrete.

Concrete is the most consumed manufactured substance on the planet. Concrete is affordable, strong, durable and resilient to fire, floods and pests. In fact, there is no other material currently available in the quantities necessary to meet the demand for buildings and infrastructure. This makes concrete the affordable, universal and irreplaceable construction material. Cement works as the glue that binds the concrete’s aggregates together. However, while cement has shaped much of our cities and infrastructures, it also has a massive carbon footprint. The actual chemical process of making cement emits staggeringly high levels of CO2 and is the source of 8% of the world's CO2 emissions. The bigger challenge and opportunity lie in tweaking the recipe for cement, such that the process does not produce as much CO2. 
ngCon additive innovation is key to formulate new classes of sustainable cements capable of tuning the bulk physical properties of concrete during preparation and improving its performance. ngCon additive drastically improves the compressive strength of concrete up to 50%. Whether it is for drying time, hardness or uniformity, the innovative ngCon additive developed by Nanogence can give to the construction material the desired consistency, all in one shot. Besides, ngCon additive offers a game-changing innovation in the cement production by reducing the calcination temperature from 1400°C to 800°C, hence cutting energy demand by 50%. Moreover, ngCon reduces the amount of calcium carbonate (CaCO3) required by 30%, which is the major responsible for the CO2 emissions after combustion. 
Nanogence forecasts yearly profits of around €1M from each cement plant and replicating 250 times with our scalable business case, we expect more than €250M by 2024.
Mobil terminal and data uploading method thereof

A mobile communication terminal, a computer program product and a data uploading method by which data stored in a mobile terminal can be shared in a manner of uploading the data to websites. The mobile communication terminal includes a camera for capturing an image, a memory for storing data, a display for displaying the stored data, an input unit for selecting one of the stored data to upload to a website, the input unit for inputting an upload information on the selected data, a wireless communication unit for transmitting the selected data to upload to the website, and a control unit, if the selected data is completely uploaded, the control unit causing access to the website to be automatically released or terminated. Further a message may be automatically send to an address after finishing the upload. The message comprising a link i.e. URL information about the location of the uploaded image.
The Design of New Technology System in the Intelligent Building’s Lighting

The lighting system uses the illumination detection module composed of a photosensitive sensor and the capacity detection module made up of a battery capacity sensor to collect the analog signals, which are sent to the SCM for the further arithmetic processing after converted to the digital signals by the chip of ADC0809, and then the SCM chip controls the connection and disconnection of the electromagnetic relay switches in order to intelligently choose one of the three lighting methods, fiber optic lighting, solar cell power lighting or the city power lighting. It has the advantages of energy saving and environmental protection, which also has a good market prospect because of its excellent practical applicability.
Method of euthanasia affects amygdala plasticity in horizontal brain slices from mice

An important consideration in any terminal experiment is the method used for euthanizing animals. Although the prime consideration is that the method is humane, some methods can have a dramatic impact on experimental outcomes. The standard inhalant anesthetic for experiments in brain slices is isoflurane, which replaced the flammable ethers used in the pioneer days of surgery. To our knowledge, there are no data available evaluating the effects of the method of euthanasia on plasticity changes in brain slices. Here, we compare the magnitude of long-term potentiation (LTP) and long-term depression (LTD) in the lateral nucleus of the amygdala (LA) after euthanasia following either ether or isoflurane anesthesia, as well as in mice decapitated without anesthesia. We found no differences in input-output curves using different methods of euthanasia. The LTP magnitude did not differ between ether and normal isoflurane anesthesia. After deep isoflurane anesthesia LTP induced by high frequency stimulation of cortical or intranuclear afferents was significantly reduced compared to ether anesthesia. In contrast to ether anesthesia and decapitation without anesthesia, the low frequency stimulation of cortical afferents induced a reliable LA-LTD after deep isoflurane anesthesia. Low frequency stimulation of intranuclear afferents only caused LTD after pretreatment with ether anesthesia. The results demonstrate that the method of euthanasia can influence brain plasticity for hours at least in the interface chamber. Therefore, the method of euthanasia is an important consideration when brain plasticity will be evaluated.
INFORMATION LEAKAGE PREVENTION DEVICE AND METHOD

A spread spectrum modulation unit (12) performs spread spectrum clocking processing for a basic clock signal (BC) synchronized with the carrier frequency or its harmonic frequency of image information leaked from an unwanted electromagnetic wave. A modulation pattern generation unit (13) generates and outputs, as a modulation pattern signal (MP), a PN code having sign bit data synchronized with each pulse of the obtained spread spectrum clock signal SC. In addition, the modulation pattern generation unit (13) resets the repetition period of the PN code based on a horizontal sync signal (H). A modulated clock generation unit (14) modulates the spread spectrum clock signal (SC) in accordance with the modulation pattern signal (MP). The obtained modulated clock signal (MC) is amplified, generating a leakage prevention signal (JC). A leakage prevention signal containing a sideband component of a satisfactory level can be generated, obtaining a useful leakage prevention effect.
Using the Baldrige criteria for observatory strategic and operations planning

In 1987, the U.S. Congress created the Malcolm Baldrige National Quality Award (MBNQA), a program that rewards businesses and nonprofits that demonstrate effective, efficient operations. Underlying the MBNQA are criteria to help organizations integrate seven key areas of operations, including: leadership, strategic planning, customer focus, information management, workforce planning, process management, and results. Independent of the award process, the Baldrige Criteria can be used to guide strategic and operations planning. This presentation includes an example of how the Baldrige Criteria were used to quickly develop a Workforce Management Plan for the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO), responding to funding agency requests.
Slab or ribbon guide laser for high laser output.

In the case of a stripline laser for high laser powers, which contains two electrodes (1, 2) which are opposite one another at a constant distance and bound a gas-discharge space, the distance between the electrodes (1, 2) is maintained very precisely even in the event of changing mechanical stresses during operation, without the beam quality of the coupled-out beam being unacceptably reduced, in that at least one spacer (6) consisting of high-impedance material is arranged between the electrodes, which spacer (6) occupies only a small part of the volume of the gas-discharge space, and whose design and/or material are selected such that the intensity and the quality of the coupled-out beam are not unacceptably influenced. <??>The invention is particularly suitable for CO2 waveguide lasers. <IMAGE>
A spatially stabilized TDG based finite element framework for modeling biofilm growth with a multi-dimensional multi-species continuum biofilm model

We consider a model for biofilm growth in the continuum mechanics framework, where the growth of different components of biomass is governed by a time dependent advection---reaction equation. The recently developed time-discontinuous Galerkin (TDG) method combined with two different stabilization techniques, namely the Streamline Upwind Petrov Galerkin (SUPG) method and the finite increment calculus (FIC) method, are discussed as solution strategies for a multi-dimensional multi-species biofilm growth model. The biofilm interface in the model is described by a convective movement following a potential flow coupled to the reaction inside of the biofilm. Growth limiting substrates diffuse through a boundary layer on top of the biofilm interface. A rolling ball method is applied to obtain a boundary layer of constant height. We compare different measures of the numerical dissipation and dispersion of the simulation results in particular for those with non-trivial patterns. By using these measures, a comparative study of the TDG---SUPG and TDG---FIC schemes as well as sensitivity studies on the time step size, the spatial element size and temporal accuracy are presented.