nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Analise perceptivo auditiva de vozes rugosas e soprosas: correspondencia entre a escala visual analogica e a escala numerica

To determine the cut off values of different degrees of vocal roughness and breathiness in an analogical visual scale, from a numerical scale.  We selected 150 voices from both genders, with quality ranging from neutrality to intense deviations, and predominance of breathiness or roughness. The auditory perceptual assessment through two scales: 100 mm analogical visual scales and 4 point numerical scale. Intra and interrater reliability of auditory perceptual ratings was analyzed using the Intraclass Correlation Coefficient. The cut off values for graduation of roughness and breathiness voices were determinate using the analysis of the Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) curve, which is based on the sensitivity, specificity and efficiency.  The intra and interrater reliability of auditory perceptual ratings was excellent on both scales. The cut off values (mm) in the analogical visual scale, from the numeric scale, indicated a roughness distribution: 0 8.5 absence of the parameter; 8.5 28.5 mild presence; 28.5 59.5 moderate and 59.5 100 intense. For breathiness, the distribution was: 0 8.5 absence of the parameter; 8.5 33.5 for mild presence; 33.5 52.5 moderate and 52.5 100 intense.  The cut off values found for the analogical visual scale conclude that the numerical scale zero, which represents the absence of parameter, corresponds to a small range of scores in the analogical visual scale. Furthermore, the third degree of the numerical scale corresponded to a wide range of the analogical visual scale.
Empirical Operational Energy Analysis of Downtown High Rise vs. Suburban Low Rise Lifestyles: A Chicago Case Study

It is widely accepted that the concentration of people living in high density city centers offers greater operational energy efficiency and lower greenhouse gas emissions than lower density expanded suburbs. The prevailing assumption is that lower density suburbs are dominated by larger low rise buildings that have higher building energy use requirements and greater per person automobile travel requirements than high density city centers dominated by medium and high rise buildings located in close proximity to a variety of public transit systems. However, very few studies to date have utilized empirical data at an individual household scale to evaluate differences in the operational energy (OE) footprints for both building and transportation energy end uses between high rise urban and low rise suburban households. Therefore, this work collects empirical data on building and transportation OE consumption by individuals and households living in two economically similar groups: existing high rise residential buildings in downtown Chicago, IL, USA and existing low rise residential buildings in suburban Oak Park, IL, USA. Data were collected from over 500 households via an online survey. We considered the following components of residential living: (1) building OE (BOE) which includes electricity and/or natural gas use for all building energy end uses; and (2) transportation OE (TOE) which includes the OE for multiple modes of transportation i.e. automobile, bus, subway, regional train, etc. based on average travel behavior in each location, as well as the OE for supporting transportation infrastructure. We estimate that downtown high rise living in this sample of residences in Chicago, IL accounts for approximately 427 GJ of primary OE per household per year, on average, which was 14% lower than the average for suburban low rise living in the Oak Park, IL homes (499 GJ per household per year) However, on a per person basis, downtown high rise living accounts for approximately 246 GJ of primary OE per person per year, which was approximately 61% higher than suburban low rise living (153 GJ per person per year) In both building types, building OE was the single largest contributor to total OE use. This study accurately captured the energy requirements associated with realistic behaviors and lifestyles of occupants of both low rise suburban and high rise urban households, and found that building OE dominates the total OE, which suggests that efforts to reduce building OE should be given high priority in building design and management as well as urban planning.
CFD simulation on critical heat flux of flow boiling in IVR ERVC of a nuclear reactor

The effectiveness of in vessel retention (IVR) by external reactor vessel cooling (ERVC) strongly depends on the critical heat flux (CHF) As long as the local CHF does not exceed the local heat flux, the lower head of the pressure vessel can be cooled sufficiently to prevent from failure. In this paper, a CFD simulation is carried out to investigate the CHF of ERVC. This simulation is performed by a CFD code fluent couple with a boiling model by UDF (User Defined Function) The experimental CHF of ERVC obtained by State Nuclear Power Technology Research and Development Center (SNPTRD) is used to validate this CFD simulation, and it is found that the simulation result agrees well with the experimental result. Based on the CFD simulation, detailed analysis focusing on the pressure distribution, velocity distribution, void fraction distribution, heating wall temperature distribution are proposed in this paper.
The safety and efficacy of AphtoFix(r) mouth ulcer cream in the management of recurrent aphthous stomatitis
Venue: BMC oral health

BackgroundRecurrent Aphthous stomatitis (RAS) is a prevalent ulcerative and painful disorder of the oral cavity with unknown etiology and for which no efficient treatment is currently available.The present study aimed to evaluate the safety and the efficacy of AphtoFix(r) a new mouth ulcer cream that was developed to help treat RAS. Prior to launching the product on the market, two initial safety assessment studies were performed.Subjects and methodsIn a first study, the in vitro biocompatibility of AphtoFix(r) was evaluated on reconstructed human gingival tissue models according to ISO guidelines 10993. In a second study, the tolerability of AphtoFix(r) was evaluated in 20 subjects during a 4 weeks daily application in the mouth. The third study investigated both the safety and efficacy of AphtoFix(r) treatment on 19 patients suffering from RAS. This study was done in compliance with the Helsinki Declaration.ResultsThe results of in vitro biocompatibility study showed that AphtoFix(r) mouth ulcer cream did not induce any detectable cytotoxicity and irritation. These observations were confirmed in the 4 weeks tolerability study where no undesired of adverse reactions were noticed. The results of the post market clinical efficacy study demonstrated a clear reduction in ulcer size from baseline after 3 days treatment (p 0.05) Pain intensity reduction was also observed in all subjects.ConclusionThe application of AphtoFix(r) did not induce any undesired skin or mucosa reactions. These initial findings demonstrate that AphtoFix(r) is safe and efficient in reducing ulcer size and decreasing the pain intensity induced by ulcers.
Reflective Practice
Venue: American journal of medical quality the official journal of the American College of Medical Quality

Factors intrinsic to local practice, but not captured by the medical record, contribute to readmissions. Frontline providers familiar with their practice systems can identify these. The objective was to decrease 30 day hospital readmissions. The intervention involved retrospective review by hospitalists of their own patients' readmissions, using reflective practice guided by a chart review tool. Subjects were patients discharged by hospitalists and readmitted to a tertiary care academic medical center. Hospitalists reviewed 193 readmissions of 170 patients. Factors contributing to readmission were grouped under patient characteristics, operational factors, and care transition. After reflection, physicians scheduled earlier follow up appointments while nurse practitioners and physician assistants improved discharge instructions. Readmissions decreased during the review period, and the decrease sustained for one year after the review period. Hospitalists reflected on and identified local practice factors that contributed to their own patients' 30 day readmissions. Reflective practice may be an effective strategy to decrease hospital readmissions.
Quantitative PCR Detection and Characterisation of Human Adenovirus, Rotavirus and Hepatitis A Virus in Discharged Effluents of Two Wastewater Treatment Facilities in the Eastern Cape, South Africa
Venue: Food and Environmental Virology

The occurrence of enteric viruses in reclaimed wastewater, their removal by efficient treatment processes and the public health hazards associated with their release into the environments are of great significance in environmental microbiology. In this study, TaqMan based real time polymerase chain reaction (qPCR) was used to assess the prevalence of human adenovirus (HAdV) rotavirus (RV) and hepatitis A virus (HAV) in the final effluents of two wastewater treatment plants in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa, over a twelve month sampling period. The correlation between the concentrations of viruses in the effluents samples and faecal coliform (FC) densities were assessed as to validate the use of FC as microbiological indicator in water quality assessment. HAdV was detected in 62.5 (30/48) of the samples with concentrations ranging between 8.4 x 101 and 1.0 x 105 genome copies/L while HAV and RV were only detected at concentrations below the set detection limits. FCs densities ranged from 1 to 2.7 x 104 CFU/100 ml. Adenovirus species HAdV B (serotype 2) and HAdV F (serotype 41) were detected in 86.7 (26/30) and 6.7 (2/30) of the HAdV positive samples, respectively. No consistent seasonal trend was observed in HAdV concentrations, however, increased concentrations of HAdV were generally observed in the winter months. Also, there was no correlation between the occurrence of HAdV and FC at both the treatment plants. The persistent occurrence of HAdV in the discharged treated effluents points to the potential public health risk through the release of HAdV into the receiving watersheds, and the possibility of their transmission to human population.
Detection of Human Enteric Viruses in Freshwater from European Countries
Venue: Food and Environmental Virology

The transmission of water borne pathogens typically occurs by a faecal oral route, through inhalation of aerosols, or by direct or indirect contact with contaminated water. Previous molecular based studies have identified viral particles of zoonotic and human nature in surface waters. Contaminated water can lead to human health issues, and the development of rapid methods for the detection of pathogenic microorganisms is a valuable tool for the prevention of their spread. The aims of this work were to determine the presence and identity of representative human pathogenic enteric viruses in water samples from six European countries by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (q PCR) and to develop two quantitative PCR methods for Adenovirus 41 and Mammalian Orthoreoviruses. A 2 year survey showed that Norovirus, Mammalian Orthoreovirus and Adenoviruses were the most frequently identified enteric viruses in the sampled surface waters. Although it was not possible to establish viability and infectivity of the viruses considered, the detectable presence of pathogenic viruses may represent a potential risk for human health. The methodology developed may aid in rapid detection of these pathogens for monitoring quality of surface waters.
Analysis and Characterization of Staphylococcus aureus Small Colony Variants Isolated From Cystic Fibrosis Patients in Austria
Venue: Current Microbiology

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is the most common hereditary lung disease in the Caucasian population, characterized by viscous bronchial secretion, consecutive defective mucociliary clearance, and unavoidable colonization with microorganisms. Besides Pseudomonasaeruginosa, Staphylococcusaureus is the most common bacterial species colonizing the CF respiratory tract. Under antibiotic pressure S.aureus is able to switch to small colony variants (SCV) These small colony variants can invade epithelial cells, overcome antibiotic therapy inside the cells and can be the starting point for extracellular recolonization. The aim of the present study was the isolation and characterization of S. aureus small colony variants from Austrian cystic fibrosis patients. Samples collected from 147 patients were screened for the presence of S. aureus wild type and small colony variants. Antibiotic susceptibility testing and determination of the small colony variants causing auxotrophism were performed. Wild type isolates were assigned to corresponding small colony variants with spa typing. In total, 17 different small colony variant isolates and 12 corresponding wild type isolates were obtained. 13 isolates were determined thymidine auxotroph, 2 isolates were auxotroph for hemin, and none of the tested isolates was auxotroph for both, respectively. The presence of SCVs is directly related to a poor clinical outcome, therefore a monitoring of SCV prevalence is recommended. This study revealed rather low SCV ratios in CF patients compared to other countries.
Identification and Characterization of Novel Rat Polyomavirus 2 in a Colony of X SCID Rats by P PIT assay
Venue: mSphere

Although P PIT was developed to detect diseases associated with known human polyomaviruses, the identification of a new polyomavirus in rats suggests that it may have utility as a broad based screen for new, as well as known polyomaviruses. Our findings suggest that RatPyV2 may be a commensal infection of laboratory rats that can lead to disseminated disease in T cell immune deficient rats. Infection of the X SCID rats with RatPyV2 and Pneumocystis carinii is a potential model for coinfection pathogenesis and treatment options during transplant preclinical studies.  Polyomaviruses (PyVs) are known to infect a wide range of vertebrates and invertebrates and are associated with a broad spectrum of diseases, including cancers, particularly in immune suppressed hosts. A novel polyomavirus, designated rat polyomavirus 2 (RatPyV2) was identified from a breeding colony of rats having X linked severe combined immunodeficiency. Using a human panpolyomavirus immunohistochemistry test (P PIT) RatPyV2 was initially detected in the parotid salivary gland of a colony member. Rolling circle amplification using DNA from harderian and parotid glands identified a novel 5.1 kb polyomavirus genome closely related to human Washington University (WU) and Karolinska Institute (KI) and vole polyomaviruses but notably divergent from Rattus norvegicus PyV1 (RnorPyV1; also designated RatPyV1) Further screening showed RatPyV2 inclusion body infection in the lung epithelium and variably in other respiratory, reproductive, and glandular tissues of 12/12 (100% rats.  Although P PIT was developed to detect diseases associated with known human polyomaviruses, the identification of a new polyomavirus in rats suggests that it may have utility as a broad based screen for new, as well as known polyomaviruses. Our findings suggest that RatPyV2 may be a commensal infection of laboratory rats that can lead to disseminated disease in T cell immune deficient rats. Infection of the X SCID rats with RatPyV2 and Pneumocystis carinii is a potential model for coinfection pathogenesis and treatment options during transplant preclinical studies.
Isolation and characterization of circulating lymphatic endothelial colony forming cells.
Venue: Experimental cell research

The identification of circulating endothelial progenitor cells has led to speculation regarding their origin as well as their contribution to neovascular development. Two distinct types of endothelium make up the blood and lymphatic vessel system. However, it has yet to be determined whether there are distinct lymphatic specific circulating endothelial progenitor cells.  This study aims to isolate and characterize the cellular properties and global gene expression of lymphatic specific endothelial progenitor cells.  We isolated circulating endothelial colony forming cells (ECFCs) from whole peripheral blood. These cells are endothelial in nature, as defined by their expression of endothelial markers and their ability to undergo capillary morphogenesis in three dimensional culture. A subset of isolated colonies express markers of lymphatic endothelium, including VEGFR 3 and Prox 1, with low levels of VEGFR 1, a blood endothelial marker, while the bulk of the isolated cells express high VEGFR 1 levels with low VEGFR 3 and Prox 1 expression. The different isolates have differential responses to VEGF C, a lymphatic endothelial specific cytokine, strongly suggesting that there are lymphatic specific and blood specific ECFCs. Global analysis of gene expression revealed key differences in the regulation of pathways involved in cellular differentiation between blood and lymphatic specific ECFCs.  These data indicate that there are two distinguishable circulating ECFC types, blood and lymphatic, which are likely to have discrete functions during neovascularization.
Characterization of Bacillus subtilis Colony Biofilms via Mass Spectrometry and Fluorescence Imaging
Venue: Journal of proteome research

Colony biofilms of Bacillus subtilis are a widely used model for studying cellular differentiation. Here, we applied matrix assisted laser desorption/ionization (MALDI) mass spectrometry imaging (MSI) to examine cellular and molecular heterogeneity in B. subtilis colony biofilms. From B. subtilis cells cultivated on a biofilm promoting medium, we detected two cannibalistic factors not found in previous MALDI MSI studies of the same strain under different culturing conditions. Given the importance of cannibalism in matrix formation of B. subtilis biofilms, we employed a transcriptional reporter to monitor matrix producing cell subpopulations using fluorescence imaging. These two complementary imaging approaches were used to characterize three B. subtilis strains, the wild type isolate NCIB3610, and two mutants, Dspo0A and DabrB, with defective and enhanced biofilm phenotypes, respectively. Upon deletion of key transcriptional factors, correlated changes were observed in biofilm morphology, signaling, cannibalistic factor distribution, and matrix related gene expression, providing new insights on cannibalism in biofilm development. This work underscores the advantages of using multimodal imaging to compare spatial patterns of selected molecules with the associated protein expression patterns, obtaining information on cellular heterogeneity and function not obtainable when using a single method to characterize biofilm formation.
Chia Seed Shows Good Protein Quality, Hypoglycemic Effect and Improves the Lipid Profile and Liver and Intestinal Morphology of Wistar Rats
Venue: Plant Foods for Human Nutrition

Chia has been consumed by the world population due to its high fiber, lipids and proteins content. The objective was to evaluate the protein quality of chia untreated (seed and flour) and heat treated (90 degC/20 min) their influence on glucose and lipid homeostasis and integrity of liver and intestinal morphology of Wistar rats. 36 male rats, weanling, divided into six groups which received control diet (casein) free protein diet (aproteic) and four diet tests (chia seed; chia seed with heat treatment; chia flour and chia flour with heat treatment) for 14 days were used. The protein efficiency ratio (PER) net protein ratio (NPR) and true digestibility (TD) were evaluated. The biochemical variables and liver and intestinal morphologies of animals were determined. The values of PER, NPR and TD did not differ among the animals that were fed with chia and were lower than the control group. The animals that were fed with chia showed lower concentrations of glucose; triacylglycerides, low density lipoprotein cholesterol and very low density lipoprotein and higher high density lipoprotein cholesterol than the control group. The liver weight of animals that were fed with chia was lower than the control group. Crypt depth and thickness of intestinal muscle layers were higher in groups that were fed with chia. The consumption of chia has shown good digestibility, hypoglycemic effect, improved lipid and glycemic profiles and reduced fat deposition in liver of animals, and also promoted changes in intestinal tissue that enhanced its functionality.
Writing the Fables of Sexual Difference: Slash Fiction as Technology of Gender

In this paper, I examine historically and subculturally specific writing practices associated with slash fiction: fiction written by women involving man on man (m/m) sexual and/or romantic relationships. I see these writing practices as a postpornographic technology of gender involving and enabling a transformation of 'the body one feels oneself to have' (to anticipate a turn I will take to Gayle Salamon's theorization of gendered embodiment later in this paper) I argue that certain fantasmatic, identificatory and bodily practices associated with slash fiction cut across (trans existing categories for sexuality and gender; I also argue that theorizing these practices in relation to gendered embodiment helps us to understand the way in which practices of gender identity both require and refuse a stable boundary between gendered categories like male/female and cis/trans.
Homophobia, heteronormativity, and slash fan fiction

I analyze the relationship between homophobia/heteronormativity and slash fan fiction. Through reading and coding almost 6,000 pages of Kirk/Spock fan fiction written from 1978 to 2014, I illuminate shifts in how normative gender and sexuality are portrayed by K/S authors. Writers of K/S, while ostensibly writing about the 23rd century, consciously or unconsciously include cultural norms from the 20th and 21st centuries. Thus, slash becomes a lens through which readers can view a decrease in both homophobia and heteronormativity in US culture over the past several decades.
A virtual reality keyboard with realistic haptic feedback in a fully immersive virtual environment
Venue: Virtual Reality

This study presents a 3D virtual reality (VR) keyboard system with realistic haptic feedback. The system uses two five fingered data gloves to track finger positions and postures, uses micro speakers to create simulated vibrations, and uses a head mounted display (HMD) for 3D display. When users press a virtual key in the VR environment, the system can provide realistic simulated key click haptic feedback to users. The results of this study show that the advantages of the haptic VR keyboard are that users can use it when wearing HMDs (users do not need to remove HMDs to use the VR keyboard) the haptic VR keyboard can pop up display at any location in the VR environments (users do not need to go to a specific location to use an actual physical keyboard) and the haptic VR keyboard can be used to provide realistic key click haptic feedback (which other studies have shown enhances user performance) The results also show that the haptic VR keyboard system can be used to create complex vibrations that simulate measured vibrations from a real keyboard and enhance keyboard interaction in a fully immersive VR environment.