nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Global, Regional, and National Levels and Trends in Maternal Mortality Between 1990 and 2015, With Scenario based Projections to 2030: A Systematic Analysis by the UN Maternal Mortality Estimation Inter Agency Group

Millennium Development Goal 5 calls for a 75% reduction in the maternal mortality ratio (MMR) between 1990 and 2015. We estimated levels and trends in maternal mortality for 183 countries to assess progress made. Based on MMR estimates for 2015, we constructed projections to show the requirements for the Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) of less than 70 maternal deaths per 100 000 livebirths globally by 2030.
Maternal Dietary Patterns and Practices and Birth Weight in Northern Ghana
Venue: PloS one

Adequate maternal nutrition is a key factor for achieving good pregnancy outcomes. Moreover, inadequate dietary intake during pregnancy is considered an important contributor to maternal malnutrition in developing countries. Although some studies have examined the effect of the entire diet on birth outcome, most studies have been very narrow because they considered the effect of single nutrient. The single nutrient approach is a major setback because usually several nutrient deficiencies are more likely to occur than single deficiencies especially in low income settings.  The main aim of this study was to investigate the association between maternal dietary patterns, and practices and birth weight in Northern Ghana. Participant Settings A facility based cross sectional survey was performed in two districts in the Northern Region of Ghana. The selected districts were the Tamale Metropolis and Savelugu Nanton District. These districts were purposively sampled to represent a mix of urban, peri urban and rural populations, therefore ensuring that the distribution in social groups of the study population was similar to the entire population of the region. In all, 578 mothers who were drawing antenatal and postnatal care services were interviewed using a questionnaire, which asked the mothers about their frequency of consumption of individual foods per week since they became pregnant or when they were pregnant. Statistical Analysis We determined dietary patterns by applying a factor analysis with a varimax rotation using STATA. Multivariate analysis was used to establish association between maternal factors and dietary patterns. Logistic regression was used to assess the association between dietary practices and patterns and birth weight.  Women who ate outside the home twice a week (OR 1.6 95% CI; 1.1 2.45, P; 0.017) and those who practiced 'pica' (OR 1.7 95% CI; 1.16 2.75, P; 0.008) had increased odds for low birth. Two dietary patterns were identified namely 'health conscious' and 'non health conscious' Health conscious diet (OR 0.23 95% CI 0.12 0.45 per standard deviation change in scores, P; <0.0001) and dietary diversity score (OR 0.10 95% CI 0.04 0.13 per standard deviation change in scores, P; <0.0001) showed a protective effect for low birth weight respectively after adjusting for gestational age.  Mothers who practiced good nutrition such as consuming foods across and within the various food groups were less likely to have low birth weight babies. Our findings buttress the importance of optimal nutrition during pregnancy.
"I was on the way to the hospital but delivered in the bush" Maternal health in Ghana's Upper West Region in the context of a traditional birth attendants' ban.
Venue: Social science medicine

This study examines perceptions and experiences of mothers, traditional birth attendants (TBA) and skilled birth attendants (SBA) regarding Ghana's recent policy that forbids TBAs from undertaking deliveries and restricts their role to referrals. In the larger context of Ghana's highly underdeveloped and geographically uneven health care system, this study draws on the political ecology of health framework to explore the ways global safe motherhood policy discourses intersect with local socio cultural and political environments of Ghana's Upper West Region (UWR) This study reveals that futile improvements in maternal health and the continued reliance on TBAs illustrate the government's inability to understand local realities marked by poor access to SBAs or modern health care services. Using focus group discussions (FGDs) (n 10) and in depth interviews (IDIs) (n 48) conducted in Ghana's UWR, the findings suggest that mothers generally perceive TBAs as better placed to conduct deliveries in rural isolated communities, where in most cases no SBAs are present or easily accessible. The results indicate that by adhering to the World Health Organization's guidelines, the local government may be imposing detrimental, unintended consequences on maternal and child health in remote rural locations. In addition, the findings suggest that the new policy has resulted in considerable confusion among TBAs, many of whom remain oblivious or have not been officially notified about the new policy. Furthermore, participant accounts suggest that the new policy is seen as contributing to worsening relations and tensions between TBAs and SBAs, a situation that undermines the delivery of maternal health services in the region. The study concludes by suggesting relevant policy recommendations.
Genetically engineered flavonol enriched tomato fruit modulates chondrogenesis to increase bone length in growing animals
Venue: Scientific reports

Externally visible body and longitudinal bone growth is a result of proliferation of chondrocytes. In growth disorder, there is delay in the age associated increase in height. The present study evaluates the effect of extract from transgenic tomato fruit expressing AtMYB12 transcription factor on bone health including longitudinal growth. Constitutive expression of AtMYB12 in tomato led to a significantly enhanced biosynthesis of flavonoids in general and the flavonol biosynthesis in particular. Pre pubertal ovary intact BALB/c mice received daily oral administration of vehicle and ethanolic extract of wild type (WT TOM) and transgenic AtMYB12 tomato (MYB12 TOM) fruits for six weeks. Animal fed with MYB12 TOM showed no inflammation in hepatic tissues and normal sinusoidal Kupffer cell morphology. MYB12 TOM extract significantly increased tibial and femoral growth and subsequently improved the bone length as compared to vehicle and WT TOM. Histomorphometry exhibited significantly wider distal femoral and proximal tibial growth plate, increased number and size of hypertrophic chondrocytes in MYB12 TOM which corroborated with micro CT and expression of BMP 2 and COL 10, marker genes for hypertrophic cells. We conclude that metabolic reprogramming of tomato by AtMYB12 has the potential to improve longitudinal bone growth thus helping in achievement of greater peak bone mass during adolescence.
Fetal nasal bone length in the second trimester: comparison between population groups from different ethnic origins
Venue: Journal of perinatal medicine

To compare normal ranges of ultrasonographically measured fetal nasal bone length in the second trimester between different ethnic groups.  A prospective, non interventional study in order to establish normal ranges of fetal nasal bone length in the second trimester in a Greek population was conducted in 1220 singleton fetuses between 18 completed weeks and 23 weeks and 6 days of gestation. A literature search followed in order to identify similar studies in different population groups. Fetal nasal bone length mean values and percentiles from different population groups were compared.  Analysis of measurements in the Greek population showed a linear association, i.e. increasing nasal bone length with increasing gestational age from 5.73 mm at 18 weeks to 7.63 mm at 23 weeks. Eleven studies establishing normal ranges of fetal nasal bone length in the second trimester were identified. Comparison of fetal nasal bone length mean values between the 12 population groups showed statistically significant differences (P<0.0001)  Normal ranges of fetal nasal bone length in the second trimester vary significantly between different ethnic groups. Hence, distinct ethnic nomograms of fetal nasal bone length in the second trimester should be used in a given population rather than an international model.
Low Profile Circularly Polarized Cavity Backed Antennas Using SIW Techniques
Venue: IEEE Transactions on Antennas and Propagation

Two single fed low profile cavity backed slot antennas and an antenna array for circular polarization (CP) applications are introduced. By employing the substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) and half mode SIW (HMSIW) techniques in antenna designs, low profile cavity backed structures are realized using the low cost standard printed circuit board process. First, a novel spoon shaped slot antenna is proposed to realize CP radiation based on the SIW cavity. Then, to minimize the antenna size and achieve the impedance bandwidth enhancement, the HMSIW cavity is introduced to realize a cavity backed semicircle slot antenna (SSA) The equivalence between the edge of the HMSIW cavity and the longitude slot curved on the surface of the SIW cavity is proposed to guide the design process of the SSA. In addition, two hybrid modes are used to improve the impedance bandwidth of the SSA. Furthermore, a sequential rotation antenna array is introduced to validate the feasibility of the SSA for antenna array application. Finally, the proposed antennas and the antenna array are designed and fabricated at 28 GHz. The measured and simulated results agree very well.
Development of circularly polarized cavity backed slot antennas using SIW structure
Venue: 2016 3rd International Conference on Advances in Computational Tools for Engineering Applications (ACTEA)

In this paper, two low profile, single fed cavity backed slot antennas for producing circular polarization (CP) wave are introduced. One of the structures presents right handed CP (RHCP) while the other one offers left handed CP (LHCP) A single layer of low cost printed circuit board (PCB) is employed for both antennas providing low cost, light weight and also easy integration with planar circuits. An inset microstrip line is used to excite two orthogonal modes, TE120 and TE210, with 90deg degree phase difference for generating CP wave. Antenna structure is numerically evaluated using High Frequency Structure Simulator (HFSS) and results including reflection coefficient, gain, and axial ratio (AR) and radiation patterns are reported.
Low profile circularly polarized SIW like cavity backed slot antennas
Venue: 2016 10th European Conference on Antennas and Propagation (EuCAP)

Two types of single fed low profile SIW like cavitybacked planar slot antennas for circularly polarization (CP) application are designed, fabricated and measured. Firstly, a spoon shaped slot structure cavity backed by a substrate integrated waveguide (SIW) cavity is proposed to realize the CP performance. Next, a half mode SIW (HMSIW) cavity backed semi circle slot antenna is proposed to further reduce the size of the antenna element. Finally, the measured and simulated results validate the proposed antennas.
Cross gender communication in a Saudi Arabian Internet discussion forum

The possibility of relatively anonymous communication involving no physical proximity means that Internet discussion forums offer opportunities for cross gender communication that do not necessarily violate Saudi Arabian rules for behavior. This article studies participation in a public discussion forum for expatriate Saudi students. Building on a previous article that established the extent to which participants disclose their gender in the forum, it investigates the extent to which participants take advantage of the opportunity for mixed communication online, their attitudes towards it, and their reactions when it occurs. It analyzes in detail the cross gender exchanges that occur in the corpus, together with remarks made by participants about this issue, in order to determine the circumstances under which mixed communication is seen as appropriate in this forum.
Hippocampo cortical coupling mediates memory consolidation during sleep
Venue: Nature Neuroscience

Memory consolidation is thought to involve a hippocampo cortical dialog during sleep to stabilize labile memory traces for long term storage. However, direct evidence supporting this hypothesis is lacking. We dynamically manipulated the temporal coordination between the two structures during sleep following training on a spatial memory task specifically designed to trigger encoding, but not memory consolidation. Reinforcing the endogenous coordination between hippocampal sharp wave ripples, cortical delta waves and spindles by timed electrical stimulation resulted in a reorganization of prefrontal cortical networks, along with subsequent increased prefrontal responsivity to the task and high recall performance on the next day, contrary to control rats, which performed at chance levels. Our results provide, to the best of our knowledge, the first direct evidence for a causal role of a hippocampo cortical dialog during sleep in memory consolidation, and indicate that the underlying mechanism involves a fine tuned coordination between sharp wave ripples, delta waves and spindles.
Health Literacy and Online Health Information Processing: Unraveling the Underlying Mechanisms
Venue: Journal of health communication

The usefulness of the Internet as a health information source largely depends on the receiver's health literacy. This study investigates the mechanisms through which health literacy affects information recall and website attitudes. Using 2 independent surveys addressing different Dutch health websites (N 423 and N 395) we tested the mediating role of cognitive load, imagination ease, and website involvement. The results showed that the influence of health literacy on information recall and website attitudes was mediated by cognitive load and imagination ease but only marginally by website involvement. Thus, to improve recall and attitudes among people with lower health literacy, online health communication should consist of information that is not cognitively demanding and that is easy to imagine.
Assessment of antimicrobial activity of onion (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativum) extracts on Listeria monocytogenes; in vitro study

Allium sativum (garlic) and Allium cepa (onion) are well known indigenous herbal medicine since ancient times and held a place of honor in Indian traditional ayurvedic medicine.  Assessment of antimicrobial activity of onion (Allium cepa) and garlic (Allium sativum) extracts on Listeria monocytogenes.  Antibacterial activity of extracts of Allium sativum (garlic) and Allium cepa (onion) has been evaluated against (Listeria monocytogenes a 4/b) The results showed that good activity of organic solvents extract and the activity depends on extract concentration. On contrast low effect was observed with boiling water extract and no activity was observed with cold water extract. Also the results of the present work illustrate the inhibitory effects of Allium sativum crude extracts on L. monocytogenes. The results proved a good activity of cold water extract and the activity depend on extract concentration. On contrast low effect was observed with organic solvents extract and no activity was observed with boiling water extract.
Development of a nomogram to estimate the quality of life in asthmatic children using the Childhood Asthma Control Test
Venue: Pediatric allergy and immunology official publication of the European Society of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology

Pediatric Asthma Quality of Life Questionnaire (PAQLQ) provides detailed information on QoL in asthmatic children, whereas Childhood Asthma Control Test (C ACT) Questionnaire is the most validated instrument for asthma control. No study assessed the relationship between C ACT and QoL in children by means of those instruments. The aim of this study was to determine whether a QoL estimation is possible using the C ACT questionnaire in asthmatic children.
Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU)

Who is afraid of the Aarhus Convention? With its recent judgment in the Vereniging Milieudefensie and Stichting Natuur en Milieu cases (Cases C 401 to 403/12) the Court of Justice of the European Union (CJEU) once again, blocked an attempt to improve the legal position of environmental NGO's seeking administrative and/or judicial review of decisions of the EU institutions affecting the environment. The complicated problems regarding locus standi at the Court of Justice challenging acts of the European institutions are well documented (cf. the editorial in REALaw 2011/1) The cause of all this? The requirement of Article 263(4) TFEU of direct and individual concern, as it has been interpreted by the CJEU since many years. The leading 'environmental' case on the admissibility of interested third parties trying to annul decisions of the EU institutions affecting the environment is still the Greenpeace case (Case C 321/95 P) As far as the locus standi of Greenpeace was concerned, the Court of Justice upheld the view of the Court of First Instance (now General Court) that an association formed for the protection of the collective interests of a category of persons could not be considered to be directly and individually concerned, for the purposes of Article 263(4) Although the CFI, in the Jego Quere case (Case T 177/01) tried to change this restrictive attitude, the Court itself made it abundantly clear, in its judgment in case Union de Pequenos Agricultores v. Council (Case C 50/00 P. that any changes should be the result of amending the EU treaties.
Impact of quality management practices on quality performance and financial performance: evidence from Indian manufacturing companies

The 'quality performance financial performance' relationship has been significantly studied in managerial literature. However, no definite quantification has been given regarding its type. This study aims to explore the relationship between quality management (QM) practices, quality performance and financial performance of the manufacturing firm. First, critical QM practices have been identified and classified into categories. Then, a structural model linking these practices, quality performance and financial performance factors has been proposed and empirically tested. The empirical data were obtained from a questionnaire based survey of 152 Indian manufacturing companies. After the data were collected, the scales were purified using loading values and composite reliability. The resultant purified scales were then tested for convergent validity through partial least square path modelling using Visual PLS software. The result showed a positive relationship between QM practices, quality performance and financial performance. In addition, the result illustrates the direct impact of quality performance on financial performance.
On the completeness and the linear dependence of the Cartesian multipole series in representing the solution to the Helmholtz equation.
Venue: The Journal of the Acoustical Society of America

The (Cartesian) multipole series, i.e. the series comprising monopole, dipoles, quadrupoles, etc. can be used, as an alternative to the spherical or cylindrical wave series, in representing sound fields in a wide range of problems, such as source radiation, sound scattering, etc. The proofs of the completeness of the spherical and cylindrical wave series in these problems are classical results, and it is also generally agreed that the Cartesian multipole series spans the same space as the spherical waves: a rigorous mathematical proof of that statement has, however, not been presented. In the present work, such a proof of the completeness of the Cartesian multipole series, both in two and three dimensions, is given, and the linear dependence relations among different orders of multipoles are discussed, which then allows one to easily extract a basis from the multipole series. In particular, it is concluded that the multipoles comprising the two highest orders in the series form a basis of the whole series, since the multipoles of all the lower source orders can be expressed as a linear combination of that basis.
Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing

Depositing large components >10 kg) in titanium, aluminium, steel and other metals is possible using Wire Arc Additive Manufacturing. This technology adopts arc welding tools and wire as feedstock for additive manufacturing purposes. High deposition rates, low material and equipment costs, and good structural integrity make Wire+Arc Additive Manufacturing a suitable candidate for replacing the current method of manufacturing from solid billets or large forgings, especially with regards to low and medium complexity parts. A variety of components have been successfully manufactured with this process, including Ti 6Al 4V spars and landing gear assemblies, aluminium wing ribs, steel wind tunnel models and cones. Strategies on how to manage residual stress, improve mechanical properties and eliminate defects such as porosity are suggested. Finally, the benefits of non destructive testing, online monitoring and in situ machining are discussed.
WHAT THE GOOD (DIGITAL) LANGUAGE LEARNER CAN TEACH US

The article revisits the question of the good language learner, with special regard to the contemporary digital learner of English as a foreign language. It focuses on the learner who can certainly be called successful based on the considerably high level of language proficiency s/he has reached (B2 C1) The question considered here with reference to good learner studies of the 1970s is to what extent such successful learners of English can actually be called "good language learners" as described in research to date. In particular, it is interesting to investigate whether such learners effectively utilise the "plethora of creative routes for digital language learning" (Oxford and Lyn 2011: 157) available today The answer to the questions above was sought in a two partite study carried out in October December 2014 among 106 first year students of the English Studies programme at the Pedagogical University in Cracow, Poland. In the first part of the study all the participants filled in a survey (N=106) whose purpose was to discover typical online language learning routines of the respondents. Subsequently, 16 study participants, randomly sampled from the main pool, took part in semi structured interviews. The interviews were aimed at examining the nature of the online routines reported in the survey and confronting them with selected characteristics of good language learners identified in the early studies (Rubin 1975; Stern 1975) as well as the more contemporary studies into good digital language learning reported by Oxford and Lin (2011) The results of both parts of the study give a number of insights into how the participants of the study augment their language education with the use of the new media as well as show areas in which they still need the assistance of the (digital) teacher. As a result, it is argued here that while the respondents are good digital language learners from whom we may learn, there are still important things to be taught to them, with particular regard to developing digital learner autonomy, closely connected to a whole range of digital language learning strategies (Oxford and Lin 2011) and multiliteracies (Pegrum 2009)