nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Microscale In Vitro Assays for the Investigation of Neutral Red Retention and Ethoxyresorufin O Deethylase of Biofuels and Fossil Fuels
Venue: PloS one

Only few information on the potential toxic effectiveness of biofuels are available. Due to increasing worldwide demand for energy and fuels during the past decades, biofuels are considered as a promising alternative for fossil fuels in the transport sector. Hence, more information on their hazard potentials are required to understand the toxicological impact of biofuels on the environment. In the German Cluster of Excellence "Tailor made Fuels from Biomass" design processes for economical, sustainable and environmentally friendly biofuels are investigated. In an unique and interdisciplinary approach, ecotoxicological methods are applied to gain information on potential adverse environmental effects of biofuels at an early phase of their development. In the present study, three potential biofuels, ethyl levulinate, 2 methyltetrahydrofuran and 2 methylfuran were tested. Furthermore, we investigated a fossil gasoline fuel, a fossil diesel fuel and an established biodiesel. Two in vitro bioassays, one for assessing cytotoxicity and one for aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonism, so called dioxin like activity, as measured by Ethoxyresorufin O Deethylase, were applied using the permanent fish liver cell line RTL W1 (Oncorhynchus mykiss) The special properties of these fuel samples required modifications of the test design. Points that had to be addressed were high substance volatility, material compatibility and low solubility. For testing of gasoline, diesel and biodiesel, water accommodated fractions and a passive dosing approach were tested to address the high hydrophobicity and low solubility of these complex mixtures. Further work has to focus on an improvement of the chemical analyses of the fuel samples to allow a better comparison of any effects of fossil fuels and biofuels.
Using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy to determine toxic gases in fires with lithium ion batteries

Batteries, in particular lithium ion (Li ion) batteries, are seen as an alternative to fossil fuels in the automotive sector. Li ion batteries, however, have some safety issues including possible emissions of toxic fluorine containing compounds during fire and other abuse situations. This paper demonstrates the possibilities to use the Fourier transform infrared technique to assess some of the most important compounds, including hydrogen fluoride and the far less often measured POF3 and PF5. The study is conducted in the cone calorimeter with different solvents used in Li ion batteries. The measurements show that, in addition to hydrogen fluoride, with a known high toxicity, POF3 is emitted and can be quantified using Fourier transform infrared.
Acute embryo toxicity and teratogenicity of three potential biofuels also used as flavor or solvent.
Venue: The Science of the total environment

The demand for biofuels increases due to concerns regarding greenhouse gas emissions and depletion of fossil oil reserves. Many substances identified as potential biofuels are solvents or already used as flavors or fragrances. Although humans and the environment may be readily exposed little is known regarding their (eco)toxicological effects. In this study, the three potential biofuels ethyl levulinate (EL) 2 methyltetrahydrofuran (2 MTHF) and 2 methylfuran (2 MF) were investigated for their acute embryo toxicity and teratogenicity using the fish embryo toxicity (FET) test to identify unknown hazard potentials and to allow focusing further research on substances with low toxic potentials. In addition, two fossil fuels (diesel and gasoline) and an established biofuel (rapeseed oil methyl ester) were investigated as references. The FET test is widely accepted and used in (eco)toxicology. It was performed using the zebrafish Danio rerio, a model organism useful for the prediction of human teratogenicity. Testing revealed a higher acute toxicity for EL (LC50: 83mg/L) compared to 2 MTHF (LC50: 2980mg/L) 2 MF (LC50: 405mg/L) and water accommodated fractions of the reference fuels including gasoline (LC50: 244mg DOC/L) In addition, EL caused a statistically significant effect on head development resulting in elevated head lengths in zebrafish embryos. Results for EL reduce its likelihood of use as a biofuel since other substances with a lower toxic potential are available. The FET test applied at an early stage of development might be a useful tool to avoid further time and money requiring steps regarding research on unfavorable biofuels.
Characterizing the Stabilization Size for Semi Implicit Fourier Spectral Method to Phase Field Equations
Venue: SIAM J. Numer. Anal.

Recent results in the literature provide computational evidence that stabilized semi implicit time stepping method can efficiently simulate phase field problems involving fourth order nonlinear dif fusion, with typical examples like the Cahn Hilliard equation and the thin film type equation. The up to date theoretical explanation of the numerical stability relies on the assumption that the deriva tive of the nonlinear potential function satisfies a Lipschitz type condition, which in a rigorous sense, implies the boundedness of the numerical solution. In this work we remove the Lipschitz assumption on the nonlinearity and prove unconditional energy stability for the stabilized semi implicit time stepping methods. It is shown that the size of stabilization term depends on the initial energy and the perturba tion parameter but is independent of the time step. The corresponding error analysis is also established under minimal nonlinearity and regularity assumptions.
Functionalization of Polyurethane/Urea Copolymers with Amide Groups by Polymer Treatment with Ammonia Plasma
Venue: Plasma Chemistry and Plasma Processing

Samples of porous foam from polyurethane/urea copolymers based on polyethylene glycol (PURPEG) were prepared in the form of 1 mm thick discs of diameter 10 cm and exposed to ammonia plasma created by inductively coupled radiofrequency discharge in either low density (E mode) or high density (H mode) The evolution of surface composition and structure upon plasma treatment was characterized by X ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Treatment in the H mode caused depletion of oxygen even after 2 s of treatment, whereas treatment in the E mode caused gentle functionalization with amide groups. The concentration of functional groups depended on the discharge power, and the best results were obtained at moderately high power just before the transition from E to H modes.
Prosodic Boundaries in Writing: Evidence from a Keystroke Analysis
Venue: Front. Psychol.

The aim of the paper is to investigate duration between successive keystrokes during typing in order to examine whether prosodic boundaries are expressed in the process of writing. In particular, we are interested in interkey durations that occur next to punctuation marks (comma and full stops while taking keystrokes between words as a reference) since these punctuation marks are often realized with minor or major prosodic boundaries during overt reading. A two part experiment was conducted: first, participants' keystrokes on a computer keyboard were recorded while writing an email to a close friend (in two conditions: with and without time pressure) Second, participants read the email they just wrote. Interkey durations were compared to pause durations at the same locations during read speech. Results provide evidence of significant differences between interkey durations between words, at commas and at full stops (from shortest to longest) These durations were positively correlated with silent pause durations during overt reading. A more detailed analysis of interkey durations revealed patterns that can be interpreted with respect to prosodic boundaries in speech production, namely as phrase final and phrase initial lengthening occurring at punctuation marks. This work provides initial evidence that prosodic boundaries are reflected in the writing process.
QSGD: Randomized Quantization for Communication Optimal Stochastic Gradient Descent
Venue: ArXiv

Parallel implementations of stochastic gradient descent (SGD) have received significant research attention, thanks to excellent scalability properties of this algorithm, and to its efficiency in the context of training deep neural networks. A fundamental barrier for parallelizing large scale SGD is the fact that the cost of communicating the gradient updates between nodes can be very large. Consequently, lossy compresion heuristics have been proposed, by which nodes only communicate quantized gradients. Although effective in practice, these heuristics do not always provably converge, and it is not clear whether they are optimal. In this paper, we propose Quantized SGD (QSGD) a family of compression schemes which allow the compression of gradient updates at each node, while guaranteeing convergence under standard assumptions. QSGD allows the user to trade off compression and convergence time: it can communicate a sublinear number of bits per iteration in the model dimension, and can achieve asymptotically optimal communication cost. We complement our theoretical results with empirical data, showing that QSGD can significantly reduce communication cost, while being competitive with standard uncompressed techniques on a variety of real tasks.
QSGD: Communication Optimal Stochastic Gradient Descent, with Applications to Training Neural Networks

Parallel implementations of stochastic gradient descent (SGD) have received significant research attention, thanks to excellent scalability properties of this algorithm, and to its efficiency in the context of training deep neural networks. A fundamental barrier for parallelizing large scale SGD is the fact that the cost of communicating the gradient updates between nodes can be very large. Consequently, lossy compression heuristics have been proposed, by which nodes only communicate quantized gradients. Although effective in practice, these heuristics do not always provably converge, and it is not clear whether they are optimal. In this paper, we propose Quantized SGD (QSGD) a family of compression schemes which allow the compression of gradient updates at each node, while guaranteeing convergence under standard assumptions. QSGD allows the user to trade off compression and convergence time: it can communicate a sublinear number of bits per iteration in the model dimension, and can achieve asymptotically optimal communication cost. We complement our theoretical results with empirical data, showing that QSGD can significantly reduce communication cost, while being competitive with standard uncompressed techniques on a variety of real tasks. In particular, experiments show that gradient quantization applied to training of deep neural networks for image classification and automated speech recognition can lead to significant reductions in communication cost, and end to end training time. For instance, on 16 GPUs, we are able to train a ResNet 152 network on ImageNet 1.8x faster to full accuracy. Of note, we show that there exist generic parameter settings under which all known network architectures preserve or slightly improve their full accuracy when using quantization.
Learning goal orientation buffers the effects of negative normative feedback on test self efficacy and reattempt interest

Why do students differ in how they respond to negative feedback after performing poorly on an ability test? We conducted an experiment in which participants received bogus positive or negative normative feedback on a fake cognitive ability test. Consistent with social cognitive theory, participants who received negative feedback reported lower self efficacy and interest in reattempting the test to earn a higher score. However, people with a high learning goal orientation, who value learning and mastery, were protected from the effects of negative feedback. Specifically, the effect of negative normative performance feedback on test reattempt self efficacy and interest was significant and detrimental only when learning goal orientation was low. These results point to the importance of developing learning goal orientations to improve students' capacity to respond constructively to performance failures and negative feedback.
Cities' power laws: the stochastic scaling factor

The power law is a fundamental scaling relationship in the dynamics of organisms and ecological systems. That cities exhibit this law with increasing returns to scale is an empirical finding reported by recent studies. I formulate a microeconomic model of urban systems that supports this evidence assuming a stochastic model, which is based on extreme value theory and random choice to describe all urban agents' rational stochastic behavior and on Alonso's urban economic principles. Thus, the observed superlinear increase in rents and wealth emerges, in addition to the classical scale economies, from individuals' and firms' behavior due to population diversity and size. A dynamic model of cities' growth follows, allowing us to predict the expected evolution of urban organizations.
Green Marketing A Study of Consumers Attitude towards Environment Friendly Products

Concerns regarding the preservation of environment are increasingly becoming evident in the ecoconscious market places. This has resulted in the emergence of green marketing concept which has been adopted by developed countries long ago, but recently developing countries like Pakistan have awakened to green movement as well. This study investigates the consumers' attitude towards environment friendly products and its' impact on consumers' purchases intentions. It was conducted in the third largest city and industrial hub of Pakistan i.e. Faisalabad, where due to heavy industrial activities and large population, environmental issues have become the persistent public concerns. The primary focus of this research is to investigate whether the green marketing influences consumer's buying behavior or not. Furthermore the factors that motivate green buying attitude among the consumers are examined and major challenges/ problems confronted by the consumers are identified. A survey is conducted from a sample of 150 respondents selected through convenience sampling technique. The data is analyzed by employing descriptive statistics and regression analysis. The results of the study show that consumers' attitude significantly influences consumer's green buying intentions along with other major variables like eco literacy, values, perceptions and behavior. It is found that there is great potential for environment friendly products in Pakistan consumers, as considerable number of respondents tends to be collectivistic and ecologically conscious that ensures more chances of their engagement in pro environmental behavior and hence influencing their green purchase intentions.
Influencia del pick and roll en el juego de ataque en baloncesto de alto nivel

El objetivo de este estudio fue caracterizar las acciones del pick and roll y su influencia en el juego en baloncesto de alto nivel. Se analizo la eficacia tactica y de marcador en funcion de distintos factores que inciden en las situaciones de juego mediante un diseno observacional nomotetico, puntual y multidimensional en 18 equipos de la liga ACB de baloncesto. Un instrumento observacional ad hoc (VTP&R) fue validado por un panel de 20 expertos de alto nivel y se comprobo la fiabilidad en la observacion por parte de los investigadores. El analisis de datos se realizo mediante el analisis secuencial de retardos, el analisis de coordenadas polares y los estadisticos descriptivos cuantitativos. Del total de acciones analizadas (n=3895) el 25,3% se corresponden a pick and roll (n=984) Solo el 36,3% de las acciones de pick and roll se han mostrado eficaces en el marcador, mientras que el 85,7% lo son tacticamente. La interpretacion de los resultados muestra el interes en complementar el analisis del juego en baloncesto a traves de los mixed methods. La posibilidad de determinar que acciones se realizan en cada momento del partido y de que manera se ejecutan, asi como establecer patrones de respuesta tactica en funcion de los distintos factores que intervienen en el juego, justifica la utilidad de los resultados aqui obtenidos y se concluye el interes en incorporar las distintas tecnicas analiticas de la metodologia observacional a los procesos de analisis del baloncesto.
Analisis del comportamiento tactico ofensivo en momentos criticos de juego en el alto rendimiento en balonmano: un estudio Mixed Methods

El objetivo del articulo es analizar las variables que influyen en las fases ofensivas criticas del balonmano de alto rendimiento desde una perspectiva dinamica ecologica y con un planteamiento Mixed Methods. Evaluamos los diferentes sistemas tacticos ofensivos en ataque posicional y en contraataque de las ultimas diez posesiones del balon y acciones ofensivas de partidos de balonmano de elite mediante un analisis observacional en dos etapas. Una primera etapa CUALI, materializada en forma de registro descriptivo, que permitieron la construccion de un sistema de observacion (SOCTO) y una segunda etapa CUANTI con la que obtuvimos un registro sistematizado posterior mediante las siguientes dimensiones: el marcador, el tipo de defensa, la simetria numerica, la zona de finalizacion y el tipo de finalizacion. Utilizando el software de registro LINCE, se observaron 19 partidos de las fases finales masculinas del Campeonato del Mundo 2011, Campeonato de Europa 2012 y Juegos Olimpicos 2012. El analisis descriptivo inicial realizada por entrenadores expertos se ha complementado con un analisis de T patterns. Los resultados reafirman que en los momentos criticos y de desigualdad del final de los partidos los equipos perdedores utilizan en la fase ofensiva las zonas de finalizacion mas alejadas de la porteria contraria (zona de 9 metros) y los equipos ganadores utilizan en la fase ofensiva las zonas de finalizacion intermedias (entre 6 y 9 metros) aumentando asi su eficacia.
Special relativity in a discrete quantum universe

The hypothesis of a discrete fabric of the universe, the `Planck scale, is always on stage since it solves mathematical and conceptual problems in the infinitely small. However, it clashes with special relativity, which is designed for the continuum. Here, we show how the clash can be overcome within a discrete quantum theory where the evolution of fields is described by a quantum cellular automaton. The reconciliation is achieved by defining the change of observer as a change of representation of the dynamics, without any reference to space time. We use the relativity principle, i.e. the invariance of dynamics under change of inertial observer, to identify a change of inertial frame with a symmetry of the dynamics. We consider the full group of such symmetries, and recover the usual Lorentz group in the relativistic regime of low energies, while at the Planck scale the covariance is nonlinearly distorted.
How to teach special relativity

I have for long thought that if I had the opportunity to teach this subject, I would emphasize the continuity with earlier ideas. Usually it is the discontinuity which is stressed, the radical break with more primitive notions of space and time. Often the result is to destroy completely the confidence of the student in perfectly sound and useful concepts already acquired. If you doubt this, then you might try the experiment of confronting your students with the following situation. Three small spaceships, A, B, and C, drift freely in a region of space remote from other matter, without rotation and without relative motion, with B and C equidistant from A  On reception of a signal from A the motors of B and C are ignited and they accelerate gently  Let ships B and C be identical, and have identical acceleration programmes. Then (as reckoned by an observer in A) they will have at every moment the same velocity, and so remain displaced one from the other by a fixed distance. Suppose that a fragile thread is tied initially between projections from B and C  If it is just long enough to span the required distance initially, then as the rockets speed up, it will become too short, because of its need to Fitzgerald contract, and must finally break. It must break when, at a sufficiently high velocity, the artificial prevention of the natural contraction imposes intolerable stress.
The use of Midazolam as an Intranasal Sedative in Dentistry.
Venue: SAAD digest

The administration of midazolam intranasally exploits the unique structure of the nasopharynx thus ensuring rapid delivery to the systemic circulation (The Nose Brain Pathway) The absorption of midazolam nasally is influenced by the volume and concentration of midazolam, its physicochemical properties and the characteristics of the nasal mucosa. Delivering midazolam intranasally is non titratable. The level of conscious sedation may be equivalent to that achieved by intravenous routes but is approached in a less controlled manner. Randomised Control trials using intranasal sedation in children have shown the technique to be safe and effective in secondary care for dental procedures at concentrations varying from 0.2 mg/kg to 0.5 mg/kg. A combined technique of intranasal midazolam (to facilitate cannulation) and intravenous midazolam is used for adults with moderate to severe learning disabilities. This has revolutionised dental treatment for this group of patients as treatment under General Anaesthesia (GA) may be avoided. Intranasal delivery of midazolam is emerging as a significant tool in our dental armamentarium for the treatment of anxious children, phobic adult patients and patients with learning disabilities.
The surface electromyographic evaluation of the Functional Reach in elderly subjects.
Venue: Journal of electromyography and kinesiology official journal of the International Society of Electrophysiological Kinesiology

This study proposes a comprehensive assessment of myoelectric activity of the main muscles involved in the Functional Reach (FR) test, in 24 elderly subjects. A specific protocol for the surface electromyography (sEMG) signal acquisition during FR test was developed. Results show that anterior muscles activate following a caudo cranial order. Tibialis Anterior (TA) is the first to be activated 18.0+ 16.3% of the FR period) together with Rectus Femoris 10.4+ 17.9% Then, Rectus Abdominis (19.7+ 24.7% and Sternocleidomastoideus (19.9+ 15.6% activate after the FR start. Hamstrings, Soleus, and L4 level Erectores Spinae (posterior muscles) activate after the FR start in this order (11.4+ 16.8% 17.7+ 16.6% and 35.2+ 29.0% respectively) and remain active until the movement end. The analysis of the kinematic strategies adopted by subjects revealed an association between TA activation patterns and two kinematic strategies (hip/mixed strategy) quantified by an increase (p<0.05) of TA activity duration in subjects adopting the hip strategy (89.9+ 34.5) vs. subjects adopting the mixed strategy (27.0+ 16.8) This suggests that TA sEMG activity could be able to discriminate among kinematic strategies, providing different information on balance control. Thus, the present analysis represents the first attempt to quantify the sEMG activity during FR test in elderly subjects, providing an early contribution in building a reference frame for balance assessment in clinical context.