nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Microbial reduction of vanadium (V) in groundwater: Interactions with coexisting common electron acceptors and analysis of microbial community.

Vanadium (V) pollution in groundwater has posed serious risks to the environment and public health. Anaerobic microbial reduction can achieve efficient and cost-effective remediation of V(V) pollution, but its interactions with coexisting common electron acceptors such as NO3-, Fe3+, SO42- and CO2 in groundwater remain unknown. In this study, the interactions between V(V) reduction and reduction of common electron acceptors were examined with revealing relevant microbial community and identifying dominant species. The results showed that the presence of NO3- slowed down the removal of V(V) in the early stage of the reaction but eventually led to a similar reduction efficiency (90.0% ± 0.4% in 72-h operation) to that in the reactor without NO3-. The addition of Fe3+, SO42-, or CO2 decreased the efficiency of V(V) reduction. Furthermore, the microbial reduction of these coexisting electron acceptors was also adversely affected by the presence of V(V). The addition of V(V) as well as the extra dose of Fe3+, SO42- and CO2 decreased microbial diversity and evenness, whereas the reactor supplied with NO3- showed the increased diversity. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene pyrosequencing analysis indicated the accumulation of Geobacter, Longilinea, Syntrophobacter, Spirochaeta and Anaerolinea, which might be responsible for the reduction of multiple electron acceptors. The findings of this study have demonstrated the feasibility of anaerobic bioremediation of V(V) and the possible influence of coexisting electron acceptors commonly found in groundwater.

Field of study: Environmental science
Human neutrophils are not severely injured in conditions mimicking social drinking.

In an attempt to assess the effect of alcohol per se on human polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMN), irrespective of other physiopathological parameters, we examined neutrophil function in healthy volunteers who had taken a single large dose of whisky. Before and at different times after ingestion, several PMN properties were simultaneously tested including random migration, in vitro chemotaxis, adherence, aggregation, cytochrome C reduction, phagocytosis, bacterial killing, intracellular cAMP and cGMP contents, myeloperoxidase, and neutrophil alkaline phosphatase scores. Only phagocytosis of Staphylococcus aureus was significantly depressed after alcohol ingestion. Adherence was inhibited only in some individuals when their respective blood alcohol levels were the highest. Both alterations were moderate and reversible. These data point out the limited effect of occasional alcohol consumption on the different facets of neutrophil behavior. These findings suggest that factors other than alcohol itself could be concerned in the marked PMN dysfunction well established in chronic alcoholism.

Field of study: Medicine
Experimental Investigation of Improving the Coating Property for Octanol

In slurry made up with sodium silicate binder put into octanol, which can improve the coating property, then gas cavity is repressed or decreased. The quantity addition of octanol is 0.30% quantity of water-glass. JFC is put into ammonium chloride and crystal aluminum chloride hardening liquid, the quantity addition of octanol ranges from 0.05% to 0.10% quantity of ammonium chloride and aluminum chloride, Surface coating and cast quality of shell have a famous effect.

Field of study: Materials science
Fundamental processes in the u.v. degradation and stabilization of polymers

The phenomenon of 'weathering' of polymeric materials is usually caused by a complex series of chemical reactions initiated by the absorption of ultra-violet light which ultimately result in the deterioration of the physical properlies of the polymer. One of the most likely initiating sites for ultraviolet absorption in polymers is the ketone carbonyl group which is often introduced into the polymer by oxidation during its processing or preparation. Studies have been made of the photochemistry of polymers containing various types of ketone groups to determine the effects of polymer structure, external and internal viscosity, and temperature on the quantum yields of the chemical and physical processes which dissipate the energy of the absorbed light. The application of this information to the stabilization of polymers against ultra-violet degradation is discussed in this paper. The term 'weathering' refers to a wide variety of chemical reactions and physical processes which occur when macromolecules, either natural or synthetic, are exposed for extended periods of time to outdoor conditions. Extensiveresearch over the past thirty or forty years has shown that for the great majority of synthetic macromolecules, used as plastics and synthetic fibres, the most important degradative mechanisms are associated with the absorption of ultra-violet (u.v.) light. Natural polymers, on the other hand, although they also degrade by photochemical mechanisms usually are more rapidly degraded biologically, that is by the attack of micro-organisms. The protection of polymers against the effect of u.v. radiation, thus becomes of particular importance to the plastics and synthetic fibre industries. The problern of stabilizing synthetic polymers against u.v. light is not a simple one because polymers break down by a variety of mechanisms. Furthermore the reactions frequently involve the presence of moisture, oxygen or pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, hydrochloric acid, ozone, etc. This makes it very difficult to predict the effective lifetime of plastics in * Visiting Professor, Centrede Recherehes sur les Macromolecules, Strasbourg, France.

Field of study: Chemistry
Effect of endosulfan pesticide on the oxygen consumption rates of nauplii of different Spanish strains of Artemia.

This study was carried out to investigate the acute toxicity of endosulfan, an organochlorine pesticide, and the effect of a sub-lethal concentration of this compound on the rate of oxygen consumption (MO2) of three different Spanish strains of Artemia neuplii. The 24 h LC50 values showed that the nauplii of the parthenogenetic diploid strain were more resistant, whereas those of the parthenogenetic tetraploid and bisexual strains were more sensitive to endosulfan and did not show differences between them. The results suggest that the use of different Artemia strains, with their differing degree of sensitivity to the same toxicant, may be a valuable tool in aquatic ecotoxicological research. Exposure to sub-lethal concentrations (1/5-24hLC50) of endosulfan had no significant effect on the oxygen consumption rates (MO2) of each strain of the nauplii. Nevertheless, a reduction in the ability of the nauplii to maintain respiratory independence during hypoxia, after 24 h exposure to such dose, was observed.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Alpha2C-adrenoceptors mediate inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP production in rat striatum.

The potential role of alpha2-adrenoceptors in modulating the activity of adenylyl cyclase in the rat striatum was examined. The selective alpha2-adrenoceptor agonist, UK14,304, produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of forskolin-stimulated accumulation of cAMP in striatal slices. The effect of UK14,304 was reversed by pre-incubation of striatal slices with the selective alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist, RX821002. To determine whether alpha2C-adrenoceptors contribute to the alpha2-adrenoceptor-induced inhibition of forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide directed against alpha2C-adrenoceptor mRNA (alpha(2C)AS) or a random sequence (RS) was infused directly into the striatum. The ability of alpha(2C)AS to reduce the expression of alpha2C-adrenoceptors has been previously demonstrated. Alpha2C(AS) infusions did not reduce the ability of UK14,304 to inhibit forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation. Instead, alpha(2C)AS significantly enhanced forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation on the infusion side compared to the contralateral striatum. In contrast to the effects of alpha(2C)AS, infusions of RS had no effects on forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation or on the ability of UK14,304 to inhibit this effect. Incubation of striatal slices from untreated rats with RX821002 could mimic the ability of alpha(2C)AS infusion to enhance forskolin-stimulated cAMP accumulation, and did so in a concentration-dependent manner. Alpha2-adrenoceptors are negatively coupled to adenylyl cyclase in the rat striatum and alpha2C-adrenoceptors appear to be under tonic activation by an endogenous ligand in striatal slices.

Field of study: Biology
Radiative donor-acceptor pair recombination in TlInS2 single crystals

Photoluminescence (PL) spectra of TlInS2 layered single crystals were investigated in the 500-860 nm wavelength region and in the 11.5-100 K temperature range. We observed two PL bands centred at 515 nm (2.41 eV, A band) and 816 nm (1.52 eV, B band) at T = 11.5 K and an excitation intensity of 7.24 W cm-2. A detailed study of the A band was carried out as a function of temperature and excitation laser intensity. A red shift of the A band position was observed for both increasing temperature and decreasing excitation laser intensity in the range from 0.12 to 7.24 W cm-2. Analysis of the data indicates that the A band is due to radiative transitions from the moderately deep donor level located at 0.25 eV below the bottom of the conduction band to the shallow acceptor level located at 0.02 eV above the top of the valence band. An energy-level diagram for radiative donor-acceptor pair transitions in TlInS2 layered single crystals is proposed.

Field of study: Materials science
Natural Gas Residual Fluids: Sources, Endpoints, and Organic Chemical Composition after Centralized Waste Treatment in Pennsylvania.

Volumes of natural gas extraction-derived wastewaters have increased sharply over the past decade, but the ultimate fate of those waste streams is poorly characterized. Here, we sought to (a) quantify natural gas residual fluid sources and endpoints to bound the scope of potential waste stream impacts and (b) describe the organic pollutants discharged to surface waters following treatment, a route of likely ecological exposure. Our findings indicate that centralized waste treatment facilities (CWTF) received 9.5% (8.5 × 10(8) L) of natural gas residual fluids in 2013, with some facilities discharging all effluent to surface waters. In dry months, discharged water volumes were on the order of the receiving body flows for some plants, indicating that surface waters can become waste-dominated in summer. As disclosed organic compounds used in high volume hydraulic fracturing (HVHF) vary greatly in physicochemical properties, we deployed a suite of analytical techniques to characterize CWTF effluents, covering 90.5% of disclosed compounds. Results revealed that, of nearly 1000 disclosed organic compounds used in HVHF, only petroleum distillates and alcohol polyethoxylates were present. Few analytes targeted by regulatory agencies (e.g., benzene or toluene) were observed, highlighting the need for expanded and improved monitoring efforts at CWTFs.

Field of study: Environmental science
Basin and Range Structure: A System of Horsts and Grabens Produced by Deep-Seated Extension

Basin and Range structure can be interpreted as a system of horsts and grabens produced by the fragmentation of a crustal slab above a plastically extending substratum. According to this view, the extension of the substratum causes the basal part of the slab to be pulled apart along narrow, systematically spaced zones which in turn cause the downdropping of complex horizontal prisms (grabens) in the brittle upper crust. The grabens form valleys at the surface; the intervening areas are horsts, or tilted horsts. Not all geologists have agreed, however, that Basin and Range structure consists of a system of horsts and grabens. Instead, the structure is commonly considered to consist of tilted blocks in which the upslope part of an individual block forms a mountain and the downslope part a valley. Recent detailed studies, including geophysical work, suggest that the horst and graben model may be more generally applicable. Many of the valleys in the Great Basin are bounded on both sides by faults that drop the valley block down; these faults are exposed at the surface or can be inferred from steep gravity gradients indicative of steep faulted subsurface bedrock slopes. Some areas that were thought to represent a typical series of tilted blocks may be a series of highly asymmetrical grabens in which one side of a valley is marked by a master fault and the other side by valleyward tilt. With present knowledge, most, or perhaps all, of the major valleys in the Great Basin can plausibly be considered to be grabens, and most or all of the mountains can be considered to be horsts or tilted horsts. The grabens, and the underlying inferred deep zones of extension that cause them, are systematically distributed in the Great Basin. They are generally north-trending features spaced 15 to 20 mi apart. Locally, the pattern is more complex, and individual grabens divide and trend away from each other at acute or high angles. In a few places, the pattern may even be roughly polygonal. The distribution pattern of the grabens and the related deep zones of extension resemble crack patterns in small-scale tensional systems, and both patterns may be mechanically related. By analogy with the small-scale systems, the areas of generally north-trending and parallel grabens require east-west extension, whereas the areas with a possible polygonal pattern of grabens must extend radially. The geometry of block faulting related to Basin and Range structure requires sizable east-west extension, estimated at about 1.5 mi on the average for each major valley and at about 30 to 60 mi across the entire Great Basin. Most of this extension has taken place in the last 17 m.y., or perhaps even in the last 7 to 11 m.y., indicating a rate of extension in the range of 0.3 to 1.5 cm/yr.

Field of study: Geology
Combined analysis of contention window size and duty cycle for throughput and energy optimization in wireless sensor networks

The main objective in a wireless sensor network design is to minimize the energy expenditure for sustaining a long lifetime. Moreover, some recent multimedia applications require the network to satisfy specific throughput and delay constraints for large data sizes. In this paper, we analytically derive the expected throughput and the expected energy expenditure for a synchronized contention-based duty cycled MAC protocol. Our analysis explores the combined effect of contention window size, duty cycle and data size on throughput and energy expenditure for a successful transmission. We show that the performance of the network in terms of both metrics fluctuates with increased duty cycle as opposed to the general intuition that an increase in duty cycle increases the throughput and decreases the energy expenditure in the network. The results, validated by simulations, show that in order to provide an efficient MAC operation, the contention window size and the duty cycle should be optimized together for a given data size.

Field of study: Computer science
ThermoElectric Transport Properties of a Chain of Quantum Dots with Self-Consistent Reservoirs

We introduce a model for charge and heat transport based on the Landauer-Büttiker scattering approach. The system consists of a chain of N quantum dots, each of them being coupled to a particle reservoir. Additionally, the left and right ends of the chain are coupled to two particle reservoirs. All these reservoirs are independent and can be described by any of the standard physical distributions: Maxwell-Boltzmann, Fermi-Dirac and Bose-Einstein. In the linear response regime, and under some assumptions, we first describe the general transport properties of the system. Then we impose the self-consistency condition, i.e. we fix the boundary values (TL,μL) and (TR,μR), and adjust the parameters (Ti,μi), for i=1,…,N, so that the net average electric and heat currents into all the intermediate reservoirs vanish. This condition leads to expressions for the temperature and chemical potential profiles along the system, which turn out to be independent of the distribution describing the reservoirs. We also determine the average electric and heat currents flowing through the system and present some numerical results, using random matrix theory, showing that these currents are typically governed by Ohm and Fourier laws.

Field of study: Physics
Efficient cloud service discovery approach based on LDA topic modeling

With the rapid development of Cloud-based services, the necessity of a Cloud service discovery engine becomes a fundamental requirement. A semantic focused crawler is one of the most key components of Cloud service discovery engines. However, the huge size and varied functionalities of Cloud services on the Web have a great effect on crawlers to provide effective Cloud services. It is a challenge for semantic crawlers to search only for URLs that offer Cloud services from this explosion of information. To solve these issues, this paper proposes a self-adaptive semantic focused crawler based on Latent Dirichlet Allocation (LDA) for efficient Cloud service discovery. In this paper, we present a Cloud Service Ontology (CSOnt) that defines Cloud service categories. CSOnt contains a set of concepts, allowing the crawler to automatically collect and categorize Cloud services. Moreover, our proposed crawler adopts URLs priority techniques to maintain the order of URLs to be parsed for efficient retrieval of the relevant Cloud services. Additionally, we create a self-adaptive semantic focused crawler, which has an ontology-learning function to automatically improve the proposed Cloud Service Ontology and maintain the crawler’s performance.

Field of study: Computer science, Engineering
Comparação da funcionalidade, agilidade e equilíbrio dinâmico de idosas com osteoartrite de joelhos e assintomáticas

A osteoartrite (OA) e uma afeccao dolorosa das articulacoes que ocorre por desgaste da cartilagem, acentuada pelo envelhecimento. Individuos com OA apresentam maior dificuldade para realizar atividades da vida diaria (AVD). O objetivo do estudo foi comparar a funcao muscular e a funcionalidade entre idosas diagnosticadas com OA de joelho (GOA = 15) e idosas assintomaticas (GA = 18). Mensuraram-se dados antropometricos, funcionalidade e qualidade de vida por meio de um questionario (WOMAC), alem de um conjunto de testes funcionais: SPPB, TUGT e o TC6. A normalidade dos dados foi verificada pelo teste de Kolmogrov-Smirnov . Para as variaveis com distribuicao normal foi aplicado o teste “T” de Student para amostras independentes e o teste nao parametrico “U” Mann-Whitney para os dados que nao apresentaram normalidade (p<0,05). Nao foram encontradas diferencas entre os grupos nas variaveis antropometricas, idade e no desempenho fisico e funcional.

Field of study: Education
STUDY ON ANALOGUE SLAB METHOD CONSIDERING SHEAR DEFORMATION FOR BOX-FILLER HOLLOW FLOOR

Based on Timoshenko beam theory, as well as FEM and laboratory testing, the effect of shear deformation on box girder element is analyzed. According to the theory of elastic thin plate, equivalence principle and computational accuracy of three different analogical methods are analyzed under several boundary conditions. The shear modulus and practical deflection modification method of the equivalent solid floor are proposed. The results show that the shear deformation effect of the hollow floor is much larger than the solid floor. The analogue method proposed by the Code is better than other analogical methods in the aspects of section force and moment. However, all the existing analogue methods based on the equivalent flexural rigidity cannot calculate the shear deformation exactly. The proposed shear modulus and practical deflection modification method based on "equivalent shear rigidity" are suitable for both structurally isotropic hollow floor and structurally orthotropic hollow floor, and can predict the deflection more precisely. The conclusions can be used as reference for structural analysis and design.

Field of study: Engineering
Catalyzed oxidation of mercaptoethanol by mesoporous molecular sieves supported phthalocyanine copper

α-Octo-isopentyloxy phthalocyanine copper is supported on SBA-15 and MCM-41 mesoporous molecular sieves by impregnation to produce CuPc/SBA-15 and CuPc/MCM-41 catalysts which are used in oxidation of mercaptoethanol.They are characterized by using UV-vis absorption spectra,IR spectra and N,absorption.The catalytic oxidation activity of these two catalysts is measured,and the effects of temperature is investigated.The experimental results indicate that the conversion rate of CuPc/SBA-15 to mercaptoethanol is greater than that of CuPc/MCM-41 to mercaptoethanol at pH = 11.The conversion rate of CuPc/SBA-15 to mercaptoethanol improves with the rising of temperature,and the activation energy of the CuPc/SBA-15 is calculated to 30.50 kJ/mol at 25℃.

Field of study: Chemistry, Environmental science
High Stability of Thin-Film Triodes to Nuclear-Reactor Radiation

Two thin-film triodes., fabricated by successive vacuum deposition of metal electrodes, a semiconductor, an insulator, and a gate electrode, and which exhibit good amplifying characteristics, were exposed to steady-state reactor radiation. Samples protected by a glass cover plate during irradiation survived reactor doses of 1.3 × 1016 n/cm2 (E > 0.3 Mev) and 2.4 × 1010 ergs/gm (C) without degradation. Stability in high-energy radiation environments may be attributed to polycrystallinity, conduction by majority carriers, and thinness of the thin-film devices. These results of steady-state irradiation substantiate previous indications from transient radiation tests which showed thin-film active and passive devices to be more stable than single-crystal devices by two to three orders of magnitude.

Field of study: Physics
Passion and Psychological Adjustment: A Test of the Person-Environment Fit Hypothesis

Passion represents a strong inclination toward an activity that is important, liked, and in which significant time is invested. Although a harmonious passion is well integrated in one’s identity and is emitted willingly, obsessive passion is not well integrated and is emitted out of internal pressure. This study tested for the presence of a Passion × Environment fit interaction with respect to psychological adjustment. Elite hockey players (N = 233) who tried out for a team in a highly competitive league participated in this short-term longitudinal study. As hypothesized, being selected by the highly competitive leagues led to higher psychological adjustment than not being selected by such leagues. Two months later, an interaction revealed that among athletes who were playing in highly competitive leagues, obsessively passionate athletes reported higher psychological adjustment than did harmonious athletes. Conversely, among athletes playing in less competitive leagues, harmonious athletes reported higher psychological adjustment than did obsessive athletes.

Field of study: Psychology