nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Antibiotics resistance in Streptococcus pneumoniae and correlates of pbp2b-gene amplicom profile to penicillin resistance

To investigate the prevalence of penicillin and other antibiotics nonsusceptibility (including intermediate and resistant) among Pneumococci and to assess the correlation of pbp2b amplicon profiles to penicillin resistance in pneumococcal isolates by PCR and RFLP analysis.  Susceptibility to antibiotics was determined by broth microdilution, E-test, and K-B disk. Primers pF and pR were used to amplify the pbp2b gene and its amplicon was subjected to HaeⅢ digestion.  The percentage of nonsusceptilibity of S.pneumoniae to penicillin G raised from 9.9% in 1997 to 14.6% in 2000; pbp2b amplicon of 97.5% (39/40) pneumococcal isolates for which MICs of penicillin were ≤0.094μg/ml had one of three different susceptible restriction profiles, and 86.7% (26/30) isolates for which MICs were ≥ 0.12μg/ml had one of six. Low-concentration penicillin resistance (MICs=0.12μg/ml to 0.5μg/ml) was associated with sensitive HaeⅢ profiles (s1) in 4 isolates.  Penicillin and beta-lactams retained their activity against S.pneumoniae in Beijing. Restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) analysis of pneumococcal pbp2b-specific amplicons is feasible for penicillin resistance screening.

Field of study: Biology
Mixed-ligand aminoalcohol-dicarboxylate copper(II) coordination polymers as catalysts for the oxidative functionalization of cyclic alkanes and alkenes

New copper(II) catalytic systems for the mild oxidative C–H functionalization of cycloalkanes and cycloalkenes were developed, which are based on a series of mixed-ligand aminoalcohol-dicarboxylate coordination polymers, namely [Cu2(μ-dmea)2(μ-nda)(H2O)2]n·2nH2O (1), [Cu2(μ-Hmdea)2(μ-nda)]n·2nH2O (2), and [Cu2(μ-Hbdea)2(μ-nda)]n·2nH2O (3) that bear slightly different dicopper(II) aminoalcoholate cores, as well as on a structurally distinct dicopper(II) [Cu2(H4etda)2(μ-nda)]·nda·4H2O (4) derivative [abbreviations: H2nda, 2,6-naphthalenedicarboxylic acid; Hdmea, N,N′-dimethylethanolamine; H2mdea, N-methyldiethanolamine; H2bdea, N-butyldiethanolamine; H4etda, N,N,N′,N′-tetrakis(2-hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine]. Compounds 1–4 act as homogeneous catalysts in the three types of model catalytic reactions that proceed in aqueous acetonitrile medium under mild conditions (50–60°C): (i) the oxidation of cyclohexane by hydrogen peroxide to cyclohexyl hydroperoxide, cyclohexanol, and cyclohexanone, (ii) the oxidation of cycloalkenes (cyclohexene, cyclooctene) by hydrogen peroxide to a mixture of different oxidation products, and (iii) the single-pot hydrocarboxylation of cycloalkanes (cyclopentane, cyclohexane, cycloheptane, cyclooctane) by carbon monoxide, water, and a peroxodisulfate oxidant into the corresponding cycloalkanecarboxylic acids. The catalyst and substrate scope as well as some mechanistic features were investigated; the highest catalytic activity of 1–4 was observed in the hydrocarboxylation of cycloalkanes, allowing to achieve up to 50% total product yields (based on substrate).

Field of study: Chemistry
Acute alcohol effects on opiomelanocortinergic regulation.

To assess acute effects of alcohol on forebrain and pituitary opiomelanocortinergic regulation, a model was developed in which "experienced" (previously introduced to ethanol administration, so the subjective response was not a novel stimulus) male Sprague-Dawley rats received pulsatile intragastric ethanol infusions during the dark (active) photophase to produce and sustain (for 3 hr) behaviorally relevant (0, 40 to 70, 80 to 110, or 120 to 150 mg/dl) plasma ethanol levels. The effects of alcohol on hypothalamo-pituitary-adrenal (H-P-A) axis function were biphasic with respect to dosage (inhibition with low dosage and stimulation with higher dosages) and time (initial stimulation with higher dosages was followed by rapid return to control levels even though elevated plasma ethanol levels were maintained). The effects of alcohol on H-P-A activation were also inconsistent; some of the animals did not appear to respond even though elevated (i.e., >100 mg/dl) plasma ethanol levels were produced. Induction of moderate (80 to 110 mg/dl) plasma ethanol levels acutely (within 30 min) increased immunoreactive (i) beta-endorphin concentrations in the ventral tegmental area of the brain; higher (120 to 150 mg/dl) plasma ethanol levels increased i beta-endorphin concentrations in both the ventral tegmental area and the nucleus accumbens, whereas i beta3-endorphin concentrations were not significantly altered in other brain areas. High (120 to 150 mg/dl) plasma ethanol levels also increased mediobasohypothalamic pro-opiomelanocortin (biosynthetic precursor of forebrain beta-endorphin) mRNA concentrations at 3 and 6 hr after initiation of ethanol infusions. Results demonstrate that atraumatic induction of physiologically meaningful plasma alcohol levels by gastric ethanol infusion activates the forebrain opiomelanocortinergic opioid system and exerts complex effects on the interrelated H-P-A system, consistent with evidence that these systems may interact to mediate or modulate some responses to alcohol ingestion.

Field of study: Medicine
Highlights from the 2014 National Kidney Foundation Clinical Meetings.

I ALWAYS LOOK forward to the National Kidney Foundation (NKF) Clinical Meetings. It is such a fun and productive event. I always walk away feeling both exhausted and refreshed at the same time. This was true of this year’s event in Las Vegas, NV. Yes, I will be sharing what happened in Vegas! The week started with record breaking attendance at the preconference sessions ‘‘Foundations of Nutrition Practice for Kidney Disease (Strategies I)’’ and ‘‘Advanced Practice in Renal Nutrition: Update 2014 (Strategies II)’’. There were 40 attendees at Strategies I and 60 attendees at Strategies II. This is a testament of the strength of the sessions that our Chairpersons Louise Clement and Kathy Shiro Harvey put together. The executive committee (EC) also met during the preconference days. We focused on ways to improve communication between the EC and the local councils and assessing the profession needs of the nephrology dietitian. Members can expect more announcements coming from their region representatives and other members of the EC, in addition to a needs assessment survey this fall. The EC recognizes the fact that the role of the nephrology dietitian has changed since the implementation of the Conditions for Coverage and the ‘‘bundling’’. We also recognize that the new Standards of Practice/Standards of Professional Performance (SOP/SOPP) create unique educational and support opportunities. We want to be your source for professional growth, and the only way to do this is to understand what you need. During the ECmeeting, we also recognized the successes of previous years’ work. In addition to the joint collaboration with the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics Renal Practice Group on the development and publication of the SOP/ SOPP, another joint project has brought a positive outcome. Back in 2011, a collaboration between the two groups started workon developing and distributing educational material on the diet needs of the chronic kidney disease patient to dietitians in manufacturing and corporate markets. As a result,

Field of study: Medicine
Multiwavelength spectrophotometric determination of acidity constants of morin in methanol-water mixtures

The acid-base properties of morin (2′,3,4′,5,7- pentahydroxyflavone) in mixtures of methanol-water at 25 °C and an ionic strength of 0.1 M are studied by a multiwavelength spectrophotometric method. To evaluate the pH-absorbance data, a resolution method based on the combination of soft- and hard-modeling is applied. The acidity constants of all related equilibria are estimated using the whole spectral fitting of the collected data to an established factor analysis model. DATAN program was used for determination of acidity constants. The corresponding pKa values in methanol-water mixtures were determined. There is a linear relationship between acidity constants and the mole fraction of methanol in the solvent mixtures. The effect of solvent properties on acid-base behavior is discussed.

Field of study: Chemistry
Issues about legal protection of Olympic intellectual property rights of China under the TRIPS agreement

The author introduced the conception of criminal law protection into the area of Olympic intellectual property rights.There is basically no research on such an issue by the academic community in China.Under the background of China undertaking obligations in the TRIPS agreement,the author examined the gap between the current state of protection of Olympic intellectual property rights and the TRIPS agreement.Based on such an ex-amination,the author demonstrated objective necessity to introduce criminal law protection by using methods such as literature study,comparative examination and case analysis,and specifically analyzed difficulties and key issues in criminal law protection by aiming at the specificity of criminal objects that violate Olympic intellectual property rights: complex issues about applicable legal provisions for criminal cases of direct violation of Olympic intellectual property rights,and issues about non direct violation of Olympic intellectual property rights violating entity rights of right holders.

Field of study: Education
The degree of military political autonomy during the Spanish, Argentine and Brazilian transitions

The state of civil-military relations in the world,l especially in the Third World, is very well summed up by Mosca's statement that civilian control over the military 'is a most fortunate exception in human history'.2 All over the globe, the armed forces have frequently preserved their autonomous power vis-a-vis civilians. They have also succeeded in maintaining their tutelage3 over some of the political regimes that have arisen from the process of transition from military to democratic governments, as in Argentina and Brazil. Spain is a remarkable exception. Today, Spain, despite its authoritarian legacy,4 is a democratic country. The constituted civil hierarchy has been institutionalised, military autonomy weakened, and civilian control over the military has emerged.

Field of study: Political science
Different Apparent Gas Exchange Coefficients for CO2 and CH4: Comparing a Brown-Water and a Clear-Water Lake in the Boreal Zone during the Whole Growing Season.

The air-water exchange of carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane (CH4) is a central process during attempts to establish carbon budgets for lakes and landscapes containing lakes. Lake-atmosphere diffusive gas exchange is dependent on the concentration gradient between air and surface water and also on the gas transfer velocity, often described with the gas transfer coefficient k. We used the floating-chamber method in connection with surface water gas concentration measurements to estimate the gas transfer velocity of CO2 (kCO2) and CH4 (kCH4) weekly throughout the entire growing season in two contrasting boreal lakes, a humic oligotrophic lake and a clear-water productive lake, in order to investigate the earlier observed differences between kCO2 and kCH4. We found that the seasonally averaged gas transfer velocity of CH4 was the same for both lakes. When the lakes were sources of CO2, the gas transfer velocity of CO2 was also similar between the two study lakes. The gas transfer velocity of CH4 was constantly higher than that of CO2 in both lakes, a result also found in other studies but for reasons not yet fully understood. We found no differences between the lakes, demonstrating that the difference between kCO2 and kCH4 is not dependent on season or the characteristics of the lake.

Field of study: Environmental science
Reliability increase of consecutive k-out-of-n:f and related systems through components' rearrangement

In the analysis of consecutive k-out-of-n:F and related systems the optimal ordering of components is an important problem. Simply, if the components are not s-identical, changing their locations may improve the system's reliability. The aim is to find the optimum component's arrangement, ie. one for which the system's reliability attains its maximum value. This problem has been studied in several papers, but its solution has been found only for some special cases of systems. The present paper gives a procedure which significantly improves the reliability of the considered systems and does not require laborious computations.

Field of study: Engineering
Drying effect on the properties of traditionally processed sago starch

Local people in Sarawak, Malaysia produce sago starch, commonly referred as lemantak, using traditional method for authentic meals and delicacies. The quality of lemantak degrades with time due to its high moisture content limiting the potential for a wider market, and hence affecting the socio-economy of those whose livelihood depends on sago starch production. The objective of the present work was to evaluate the changes in the properties of traditionally processed dried Sarawak sago starch. In order to achieve this, sago starch was extracted using a well-established traditional process and was dried at 40°C to produce sago starch with moisture contents of 40%, 30%, 20% and 10% wet basis. The effect of moisture content on the physical properties was studied through colour analysis, microscopic analysis, and particle size distribution. Analysis on resistant starch content was also performed. Changes on the hydration and functional properties was monitored by measuring the water absorption index (WAI), water solubility index (WSI), swelling capacity (SC), and gelatinisation behaviour. Lastly, Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was applied to observe the changes in amorphous and crystalline areas. The physical properties analysis showed changes in starch colour and granule surface; but the change on granule size varied. Dried starch with lower moisture content exhibited higher resistant starch, absorption index, and peak temperature, but lower solubility index, swelling capacity, peak viscosity, crystalline index, and amorphous index. It is suggested that moisture content affected the changes in traditionally processed sago starch properties which was influenced by few components namely polyphenol, lipid, amylose-lipid complex, and inter-molecular hydrogen bond.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
What's Your Fraud IQ? This Month: Employee Handbooks and Policies

Effective policies are a cornerstone of an effective anti-fraud program. While not a cure-all, an employee handbook can help reduce the risk of fraud because it consolidates all organizational policies, providing staff members with a single point of reference for guidelines and expected procedures. Additionally, several specific policies can help greatly in establishing a culture of fraud prevention. Do you know what to include in the employee handbook to help reduce the risk of fraud? How ready are you to help management set a tone of ethics and transparency, rather than just creating a book that sits on the shelf? Take this quiz to find out. 1. The foundation of the a. The helpline reporting organization's anti-fraud program mechanism.  The organization's mission statement. c. The employee training program. d. Segregation of duties. 2. Which of the following is NOT a a. Explicitly state that unethical best practice when drafting an conduct will not be tolerated. employee handbook? b. Include a statement for employees to sign acknowledging they have received, read, and agree to comply with the handbook. c. Avoid using the word fraud in favor of softer words such as noncompliance and dishonesty. d. List the potential penalties for employee misconduct but include a disclaimer providing management discretion depending on the specific infraction. 3. Elm Co., a privately held a. Whistleblowers will be provided medical device manufacturer, is strict confidentiality; unless based in the United States but has confidentiality is waived, no operations throughout Europe and identifying information will be is considering expanding into disclosed under any circumstances. several countries in the Asia- Pacific region. Management is b. Protection against retaliation reviewing the company employee does not protect the whistleblower handbook to ensure its policies from being subject to disciplinary are appropriate given the growing actions for confirmed personal global nature of its workforce. As wrongdoing. part of this, management wants to add a formal whistleblower policy c. An employee who intentionally to its previous reporting policy. submits a false report of Which of the following clauses wrongdoing will be subject to should NOT be included in the disciplinary action. whistleblower policy? d. An employee with knowledge of, or a legitimate concern about, illegal, unethical, or fraudulent activity has a responsibility to report the matter to management. 4. Part of an effective anti- a. The policy should be informal fraud program is an open-door and not included in the company policy that facilitates open lines handbook so that managers can of communication and feedback for exercise their discretion in how employees who wish to discuss it is applied. questions or concerns. Which of the following is a best practice b. The policy should restrict the regarding an open-door policy? taking of concerns to the employee's immediate supervisor and those directly in the reporting line above him or her. …

Field of study: Business
Optical coherence tomography imaging of plant root growth in soil.

Complex interactions between roots and soil provide the nutrients and physical support required for robust plant growth. Yet, visualizing the root-soil interface is challenged by soil's opaque scattering characteristics. Herein, we describe methods for using optical coherence tomography (OCT) to provide non-destructive 3D and cross-sectional root imaging not available with traditional bright-field microscopy. OCT is regularly used for bioimaging, especially in ophthalmology, where it can detect retinal abnormalities. Prior use of OCT in plant biology has focused on surface defects of above-ground tissues, predominantly in food crops. Our results show OCT is also viable for detailed, in situ study of living plant roots. Using OCT for direct observations of root growth in soil can help elucidate key interactions between root morphology and various components of the soil environment including soil structure, microbial communities, and nutrient patches. Better understanding of these interactions can guide efforts to improve plant nutrient acquisition from soil to increase agricultural efficiency as well as better understand drivers of plant growth in natural systems.

Field of study: Physics
Multi-centennial reconstruction of drought events in South-Western Iran using tree rings of Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens L.)

Semi-arid regions are among the most vulnerable areas prone to the negative impacts of climate change. Long-term high-resolution proxy climate data will enable us to put the recent climate trends into a long-term context of natural climate variability. We developed the hitherto first regional ring-width chronology (1450–2015C.E.) from Cupressus sempervirens L. in the Zagros Mountains, western Iran and reconstructed precipitation variability for the semi-arid region during the period 1560–2015C.E. Climate-growth relationships revealed that precipitation and minimum temperatures are positively correlated with radial growth, whereas maximum temperatures reveal negative impacts. Spatial correlations with gridded precipitation data, Palmer drought severity index (PDSI), and standardized precipitation-evapotranspiration index (SPEI 01) further indicate that the climate signals contained in tree-ring width variations capture the precipitation variability in the Near East and other eastern Mediterranean regions. The southern Zagros Mts. experienced multiple megadroughts during the reconstructed period. The longest dry period occurred from 1956 to 1971 and the highest frequency of dry events occurred in the 20th century. In addition, documented famines in Iran occurred within prolonged droughts. The southern Zagros Mts. has experienced high frequency of extreme/severe dry events and long dry phases during the Little Ice Age (1560–1850C.E.). The reconstructed dry and wet events occurred irregularly, and one-year and two-year drought/wet events showed the highest frequency during the reconstructed period, highlighting the importance of sustainable water management strategies for the semi-arid southern Zagros region.

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography
Theory of Magnetotunneling Spectroscopy in Spin Triplet p-Wave Superconductors

We study the influence of a magnetic field H on the zero bias conductance peak (ZBCP) due to zero energy Andreev bound states (ZES) in a normal metal/unconventional superconductor. For p -wave junctions, ZBCP does not split into two by H even for sufficiently low transparent junctions, where ZBCP clearly splits for d -wave. This unique property originates from the fact that for p -wave superconductors, perpendicularly injected quasiparticles form ZES, which contribute most dominantly to the tunneling conductance. In addition, we show that for p x + i p y -wave superconductor junctions, the height of ZBCP is sensitive to H due to the formation of a broken time reversal symmetry state. We propose that tunneling spectroscopy in the presence of a magnetic field, i.e., m a g n e t o t u n n e l i n g , is a promising method of determining the pairing symmetry of unconventional superconductors.

Field of study: Physics
Neuropsychological disorders in children exposed to alcohol during pregnancy: a follow-up study of 24 children to alcoholic mothers in Göteborg, Sweden.

This paper reports on a follow-up study of 24 children to alcoholic mothers at 12 to 14 years of age. The mothers were offered support to help them stop drinking during pregnancy and was grouped to time point of instituted sobriety. Six of the 24 children attended a school for the mentally retarded, and 11 children had some kind of special education. The children have difficulties in mathematics, logical conclusions, visual perception, spatial relations, and short-range memory/attention. Sixteen children were in fostercare. A clear correlation between the occurrence and severity of neuropsychological problems and the degree of alcohol exposure in utero was found.

Field of study: Medicine