nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Body size trends in the Ordovician to earliest Silurian of the Oslo Region

Body size is an important ecological parameter that can be understood in both evolutionary and environmental terms. We present a database of changes in overall body size in brachiopods and trilobites through the Ordovician and earliest Silurian of the Oslo Region, Norway. In contrast with global studies, the limited geographical extent of our data allows correlation with environmental parameters such as climate and water depth, and simplifies taxonomical standardization and stratigraphical correlation. In our data set there is a clear indication of increasing size both for brachiopods and trilobites during most of the Ordovician, although this could result from an unbiased random walk. The size increase is followed by a reduction in size during the latest Ordovician. Trilobites show a strong increase followed by a decrease in body size during the Middle Ordovician, while brachiopod body size peaks later, in the Late Ordovician. These changes are partly correlated with the changes in species diversity in the Oslo Region. We discuss the results in terms of two models for change in body size — Cope's rule and the Lilliput effect. Cope's rule is the theory of an increasing body size through geological time, while the Lilliput effect describes a decrease in body size in the aftermath of a mass extinction or a severe environmental disturbance. We find no clear correlations between body size and sea level.

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography
The internal color degrees of freedom for the weakly interacting quarks and gluons

When the phase transition from the hadronic matter to the deconfined quark-gluon plasma or quark-gluon liquid is reached, the color degrees of freedom become important and appear explicitly in the equation of state. Under the extreme conditions, the color degrees of freedom can not decouple from the other degrees of freedom. The conservation of color charges is maintained by introducing the color chemical potentials and their fugacities. We demonstrate the explicit role of color degrees of freedom in the hot and dense matter of the weakly interacting quarks and gluons. In order to illustrate our approach, we calculate the effective colored quark and gluon propagators as well as the hard thermal colored quark and gluon loops. The calculations are preformed under the assumption of the hard thermal loop approximation. Finally, we present the decay rate for the hard thermal colored quark. The present calculation is relevant to the quarks and gluons which are not truly deconfined quark-gluon plasma and behave as a fluid in the RHIC energy. The model can be explored in the LHC energy.

Field of study: Physics
Macro-modules′ Legalization Algorithm Modeled by Gragh

In this paper,we propose a directed constraint graphic based algorithm to legalize the macros.It creates two directed graphs,the horizontal one and the vertical one.Each macro is abstracted as a node in each graph,and the position relationship of every pair of macros is abstracted as edges in graphs.This algorithm abstracts the macro legalization problem to a graphic problem,and greatly reduces the complexity of the problem.Experiments show that the algorithm can be very effective.

Field of study: Computer science
Bioactivity of Piper hancei against Brontispa longissima

The insecticidal activity of piper hancei against different stages of Brontispa longissima was studied.P.hancei extraction was detected against adult and 5rd instar larvae by stomach poisoning.The results showed the LC50 of 5rd instar larvae was 3.871 0 mg/mL,and that for the adult was 11.496 5 mg/mL.The eggs cytotoxicity was evaluated with contact poison.The LC50 for egg hatching was 4.768 5 mg/mL,and that from eggs hatched to instar larvae was 3.766 7 mg/ml.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
ARTICLES: Mechanism limiting the pulse repetition frequency of a barium vapor laser

An investigation was made of the decay of the metastable 1D2 level of the barium atom in mixtures with the buffer gases helium and neon. Measurements were made of the constants for deexcitation by electrons and barium atoms in the ground state, which were found to be 0.7×10−7 and 1.6×10−11cm3/sec. The double and regular pulse method was used to study the dependence of the laser output energy on the pulse repetition frequency. The results of measurements of the population of the 1D2 level in the afterglow, and also of a study of its influence on the lasing parameters demonstrated that the reduction in the laser output energy, both during the second pump pulse and when the repetition frequency was increased in the regular pulse regime, was due to a high electron density before a pulse. The probability of the radiative transition 1P10–1D2 was measured and found to be 0.9×105sec−1. It was concluded that the barium vapor laser is collisional and can generate long laser emission pulses by depopulating the metastable level during deexciting collisions with barium atoms in the ground state and with the walls of the tube.

Field of study: Engineering, Physics
Expression of the protein inhibitor of nitric oxide synthase in the adult rat retina before and after optic nerve lesion.

The molecular messenger nitric oxide (NO) not only serves a number of physiologic functions, but is also involved in the pathophysiology of neurodegeneration. It is produced by the nitric oxide synthase (NOS) isoenzymes. One of the many players regulating NOS activity is the Protein Inhibitor of NOS, PIN. To gain further insight into the mechanisms of NOS regulation and NO-mediated cell death after nerve trauma, we examined PIN expression in a standard model of lesion-induced neurodegeneration, the rat optic nerve transsection model. In both the axotomized retinae and the control retinae PIN expression was predominantly observed in the retinal ganglion cell layer. Optic nerve lesion did neither change the amount of PIN mRNA, as determined by in situ hybridization and real-time RT-PCR, nor did it change the amount of PIN as determined by immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. These results suggest that in our model, NOS activity is not regulated by altered PIN levels, which contributes to our understanding of apoptotic mechanisms in injured neurons.

Field of study: Biology
Vine species diversity across environmental gradients in northwestern México

The presence of vines has been described as a distinctive feature of tropical forests. However, vine species diversity exhibits trends across environmental gradients that are not well documented. Here we use a latitudinal and a rainfall gradient along the Pacific slope of México to explore the influence of environmental factors on vine species diversity. A total of 630 vines species were detected on the Pacific slope of México. Tropical deciduous forest (TDF) floras were composed of greater percentages of vines (5–16%) than desert floras (1–3%). Four families (Convolvulaceae, Fabaceae, Cucurbitaceae and Asclepiadaceae) composed 40–60% of the vines of the region. Changes in vine composition were gradual along the Pacific slope. The percentage of vines in floras declines with latitude. Annual rainfall and the minimum temperature of January were significantly associated with the latitudinal decline in the percentage of vines. A total of 43 species, mostly herbaceous vines, were detected along a rainfall gradient in northwestern México. Along the rainfall gradient, the number of vine species increased from 3 to 28 as summer rainfall, plant cover and canopy stature increased. Vine species richness and diversity increased from the desert to the TDF, especially along streams. Leaf area (LA) ranged from 0.6 to 284 cm2 and specific leaf area (SLA) from 80 to 904 cm2/g among the most common vine species. Community averages of LA and SLA decreased toward drier sites. These results are discussed within the context of our current knowledge about the role of the environment in limiting the distribution of vines.

Field of study: Environmental science
[Antifertility effects of RU-486 in combination with anordrin in rats].

RU-486 and anordrin suspended or dissolved in tea seed oil, alone or in combination, were given orally to rats on d 6-8 or d 11-13 of pregnancy, respectively. Complete interruption of early pregnancy was obtained after RU-486 at 8 mg/kg alone or 2.5 mg/kg combined with anordrin 2 mg/kg when given on d 6-8 of pregnancy. A complete mid-trimester abortion was obtained after RU-486 10 mg/kg alone or 4 mg/kg combined with anordrin 3 mg/kg when given on d 11-13 of pregnancy. Results obtained from the endometrial transformation test, the uteri cytoplasmic progesterone receptor estimation in immature rabbits, the deciduoma-inhibited test in pseudopregnant rats and the serum progesterone level in pregnant rats showed that RU-486 in combination with anordrin did not possess progestational, but rather marked antiprogestational activities. Since anordrin is relatively easy to obtain in China, RU-486 combined with anordrin may be ready to be used clinically as an effective oral antifertility agent.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
Performance of Higher National Diploma of Building Technology Graduates in the Construction Industry: A Tracer Study in Kumasi Metropolis, Ghana.

Building Technology graduates from Ghanaian Polytechnics seek employment in the construction industry, yet little information is known as to whether their tertiary education is really related to and meeting the actual needs of their prospective employers in the construction industry. The tracer study was conducted to ascertain the performance of Higher National Diploma (HND) Building Technology graduates and the extent to which their academic training meets the employers’ needs in the construction industry. In order to obtain a good assessment of the skills (technical and non-technical) and competencies of Polytechnic HND building Technology graduates, purposive sampling technique was used. Construction firms with Ministry of Water Resources, Works and Housing classification of D3K3 and above who have been in operation for a minimum of one year and have employed Polytechnic HND Building Technology graduates were identified. Out of the firms identified, thirty-five (35) were selected using simple random sampling technique. A Structured questionnaire was designed and distributed to site engineers, site supervisors, quantity surveyors, operation managers and project managers in the selected construction firms. Descriptive statistic was used to analyse the data using. The study revealed that Polytechnic HND graduates in the construction industry were performing creditably since the index of performance of site supervisors, quantity surveyors and site managers were generally above average. Apart from the academic competence, graduates possessed non-academic attributes which the employers emphasized as criteria for graduates’ employability and performance in the construction industry. These attributes included verbal communication, teamwork, time management, commitment and interpersonal skills.  Building Technology, Graduates, Polytechnic, Construction Industry, Performance

Field of study: Education
Single-Event Effects in High-Frequency Linear Amplifiers: Experiment and Analysis

The single-event transient (SET) response of two different silicon-germanium (SiGe) X-band (8–12 GHz) low noise amplifier (LNA) topologies is fully investigated in this paper. The two LNAs were designed and implemented in 130nm SiGe HBT BiCMOS process technology. Two-photon absorption (TPA) laser pulses were utilized to induce transients within various devices in these LNAs. Impulse response theory is identified as a useful tool for predicting the settling behavior of the LNAs subjected to heavy ion strikes. Comprehensive device and circuit level modeling and simulations were performed to accurately simulate the behavior of the circuits under ion strikes. The simulations agree well with TPA measurements. The simulation, modeling and analysis presented in this paper can be applied for any other circuit topologies for SET modeling and prediction.

Field of study: Physics
REACTIONS OF ORGANOALUMINATES WITH COPPER(II) ACETATE IN THE ABSENCE OR IN THE PRESENCE OF CARBON MONOXIDE. A CONVENIENT METHOD FOR CONVERSION OF OLEFINS INTO THEIR SATURATED DIMERS OR KETONES

Hydroalumination of olefins with lithium alurinum hydride followed by treatment with copper(II) acetate results in the formation of the coupled products. When the reaction of organoaluminates with copper(II) acetate is carried out under a carbon monoxide atmosphere, ketones are obtained, suggesting the formation of an alkyl-copper intermediate in this reaction. This new development provides a convenient method for the conversion of clefin derivatives into their dimers or ketones.

Field of study: Chemistry
Revision surgery for Chiari malformation decompression.

Chiari malformations comprise four different hindbrain anomalies originally described by Hans Chiari, a professor of pathology at the German University in Prague. There are four basic Chiari malformations. The reasons for revision of Chiari malformation decompression may be for conservative or inadequate initial decompression or the development of postoperative complications. Another reason involves cases of both hindbrain herniation and syringomyelia in patients who have undergone adequate posterior fossa decompression without resolution of symptoms, signs, or radiological appearance of their syrinx cavity. Additionally, symptom recurrence has been reported in association with various types of dural grafts. Reoperation or revision surgery for patients with Chiari malformations is common and may not be due to technical error or inadequate decompression. The types of revision surgeries, their indications, and initial presentations will be reviewed.

Field of study: Medicine
Note. The Effect of a Commercial Extended Egg Albumen on the Microstructure of Icing

Royal icing (sugar with extended egg albumen) and glacé icing (sugar only) were examined by light microscopy and environmental scanning electron microscopy. These techniques allow a variety of structural information to be characterized without damage occurring to the specimen. Microstructures were compared in an effort to explain the enhanced hardness and toughness exhibited by Royal icing. The inclusion of extended egg albumen was found to affect both the nucleation and the growth of crystalline material in the icing. The extended egg albumen promoted spherulitic morphologies, finer-scale microstructures, multiple phases, and improved interlocking and cohesion at internal interfaces. The retention of air bubbles in Royal icing provided additional sites at which crack growth could be arrested. Royal icing (merengue, azúcar con clara de huevo añadida) y glacé icing (sólo azúcar) se analizaron mediante microscopía de luz polarizada y microscopía electrónica de barrido. Estas técnicas permiten obtener información estructural de la muestra sin causarle ningún daño. Las microestructuras se compararon con el fin de explicar el aumento de dureza y elasticidad del Royal icing. La adición de la albúmina afectó a la nucleación y al crecimiento de cristales en el azúcar glaseado. La adición de clara de huevo también favoreció la formación de morfologías esferolúticas, de microestructuras más finas, de fases múltiples y mejoró el entrelazado y la cohesión entre interfases internas. La retención de burbujas de aire en el interior del Royal icing facilitó puntos adicionales con los que evitar la aparición de grietas.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Earthquake Recurrence Intervals on the San Andreas Fault

Possible recurrence intervals between earthquakes of different magnitude that may be generated along the San Andreas fault are derived by relating long-term offset rates since mid-Tertiary time, displacements, and lengths of breaks recorded for historic earthquakes, and tectonic creep rates.

The recurrence interval for earthquakes of different magnitude at a given point on the fault is believed to follow the relation: ![Formula][1] where: 

Rx
: recurrence interval at a point on the fault,
 
D
: displacement accompanying an earthquake of given magnitude (related empirically to Richter magnitude),
 
S
: long-term strain rate (from offset of geologic units),
 
C
: tectonic creep rate.



The recurrence interval for earthquakes of different magnitudes for the total length of the fault is then derived by weighting [equation (1)][2] according to the number of break lengths in the total length as follows: ![Formula][3] where: 

Rt
: recurrence interval for entire fault,
 
L
: length of break (related empirically to Richter magnitude),
 
Lt
: total length of fault.



Tectonic creep is believed to be related to Richter magnitude, for example, small for segments of the fault characterized by earthquakes of large magnitude, and large for segments characterized by small earthquakes; and [equations (1)][2] and [(2)][4] can be weighted according to this relationship.

 : /embed/graphic-1.gif
 : #disp-formula-1
 : /embed/graphic-2.gif
 : #disp-formula-2

Field of study: Geology
Streetcars and Politics in Rio de Janeiro: Private Enterprise versus Municipal Government in the Provision of Mass Transit, 1903-1920

This paper examines the relationship of the Rio de Janeiro Tramway, Light and Power Company and the municipal council in the provision of streetcar services in Rio de Janeiro, 1903–1920. Using archival materials collected in Brazil and Canada, it demonstrates that the utilities company lost the contest for control of Rio de Janeiro's mass transit system to the municipal authorities. Although it had the advantages of capital, technology and skill, this Canadian enterprise did not dictate its demands to an acquiescent municipal council. Rather, the municipal council and prefecture managed to extract an expensive streetcar system from the company to service its growing city.

Field of study: Political science
A modified phenomenological description of the exchange interactions in dilute magnetic semiconductors

Magnetoreflectivity spectroscopy has been conducted on a series of Cd1-xMnxTe epilayers (x 10 T at 4.2 K, as predicted by the widely used mean spin model of Gaj et al. (1979), but continue to decrease with increasing magnetic field. This is because of a field-dependent increase in the total resultant spin of the dilute magnetic sublattice, due to a reduction in the antiferromagnetic interactions between the Mn2+ ions. We present a modified phenomenological description of the exchange interactions, which simply and efficiently accounts for this field-induced increase in spin, necessary for an accurate description of the high-field (B>10 T) regime. This is achieved semi-empirically within the mean spin formalism, without requiring solution of the complex spin Hamiltonians for double, triple and higher order clusters.

Field of study: Materials science
Stress, rheological structure and earthquakes in the POLAR profile in the northern Fennoscandian Shield

We model stress fields and potential areas of deformation, use differences to analyse the possible variations in the modelling results and investigate the relations between the earthquakes and our modelling results in the POLAR profile in the northern Fennoscandian Shield. Calculated stress fields show rather uniform distribution, with significant deviations concentrated in rheologically weaker regions, mainly in the middle crust. Significant areas of deformation are also connected to these weaker regions, in the crust and also in the mantle. These regions control whether decoupled or coupled mechanical conditions exist. Further analysis shows that major differences between the stress fields calculated with dry and wet rheologies are found in the lower part of the middle crust extending from the Lapland Granulite Belt area towards the northeast. Similarly, differences between the models due to the varying heat production and the depth of the thermal lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary concentrate in rheologically weak crustal regions and in the mantle. These differences display importance of the rheological composition and thermal structure in rheological modelling. Our rheological model for reverse stress regime with typically used values of 0.35 for pore fluid factor and 0.75 for friction coefficient seems to result in too strong crust in order to explain satisfactorily the earthquakes focal depths in the POLAR profile. Most of the earthquakes can be explained by reverse stress regime if high pore pressure conditions exist. However, for the deepest events, it seems that also changes both in stress regime and in friction coefficients are needed. Rheologically, weak middle crust in the central and north-eastern parts of the POLAR could explain the absence of deep earthquakes in these parts of the profile.

Field of study: Environmental science
A Markov Jump Process for More Efficient Hamiltonian Monte Carlo

In most sampling algorithms, including Hamiltonian Monte Carlo, transition rates between states correspond to the probability of making a transition in a single time step, and are constrained to be less than or equal to 1. We derive a Hamiltonian Monte Carlo algorithm using a continuous time Markov jump process, and are thus able to escape this constraint. Transition rates in a Markov jump process need only be non-negative. We demonstrate that the new algorithm leads to improved mixing for several example problems, both by evaluating the spectral gap of the Markov operator, and by computing autocorrelation as a function of compute time. We release the algorithm as an open source Python package.

Field of study: Computer science
Prokinetic Effect of Duodenal Extract on Ovine Gallbladders

It is known that the macrolide antibiotic erythromycin stimulates gastrointestinal and gallbladder motility by an as yet unidentified mechanism. It was the objective of this study to investigate the mechanism of the gallbladder motility-stimulating effect of erythromycin.  In our experiments we used strips of sheep gallbladders measuring isometric tension in organ baths. Since erythromycin itself did not induce contraction we examined the prokinetic effects of sheep duodenal extract, incubated with (DEX) or without (blank) erythromycin (10–5 M).  Both DEX and blank elicited gallbladder contraction associated with heat-stable, water-soluble but not with lipid-soluble duodenal prokinetic factor. The factor is unrelated to motilin or cholecystokinin and is only partially (<20%) blocked by atropine (10–6 M) and not affected by the pretreatment with dexamethasone or somatostatin.  It was concluded that erythromycin indirectly stimulates contraction of ovine gallbladders through the endogenous release of a duodenal prokinetic factor.

Field of study: Medicine