nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Collapse of the Late Triassic megamonsoon in western equatorial Pangea, present-day American Southwest

During the Late Triassic, western equatorial Pangea, in the present-day American Southwest, was unusually humid, as indicated by sedimentological evidence and inferred from general circulation models. These studies show that once equatorial Pangea was assembled, cross-equatorial summer air flow penetrated into western equatorial Pangea, bringing abundant megamonsoon rainfall and warm temperatures. However, many of these investigations indicate that gradual aridification began sometime during the Late Triassic to Jurassic. We show from field properties, geochemical transfer functions, and isotopic analysis of paleosols in the Chinle Formation of Petrified Forest National Park, Arizona, that the western equatorial Pangea megamonsoon collapsed by 214.7 Ma during the “middle Norian climate shift.” Paleosols include Entisols, Inceptisols, Vertisols, Aridisols, and Alfisols, with transfer functions for mean annual precipitation (chemical index of alteration minus potassium [CIA–K]) and mean annual temperature (NAK)(salinization) developed from analogous modern data sets. The most notable shift is the appearance of carbonate-enriched paleo-Inceptisols and paleo-Vertisols after 214.7 Ma and paleo-Aridisols after 210 Ma. Prior to the middle Norian climate shift, the region is classified as humid (humidity province) based on rainfall estimates. Initiation of the middle Norian climate shift was characterized by an increase in paleosol carbonate content and rapidly declining rainfall as the region shifted to subhumid, and eventually to semiarid and arid after 210 Ma. Paleosol-derived temperatures are indicative of warm temperate to subtropical ecozones, whereas general circulation models show higher temperatures and tropical conditions, perhaps because boundary conditions were set to atmospheric p CO 2 4–5× present. Elevations of >1.5–2 km adjacent to the Cordilleran magmatic arc complex located ~400 km west of the study area may account for nontropical temperatures. After 210 Ma, however, temperatures began to increase, possibly as a result of escalating atmospheric p CO 2 from shale oxidation during marine regression and from coal and paleosol organic matter oxidation during prolonged aridification. Paleomagnetic studies have suggested northward continental drift of western equatorial Pangea to outside of the Intertropical Convergence Zone as the cause of monsoonal collapse during the Late Triassic to Early Jurassic. The formation of a rain shadow as a result of the evolving Cordilleran magmatic arc as the cause of aridification is supported by recent magnetostratigraphic work substantiating that the region remained in the tropics through the Triassic. According to our age model, the middle Norian climate shift is dated to near the same time as the Manicouagan impact crater, but there is no evidence of such an event in the study area, either geochemically or sedimentologically at our scale of observation. However, a regionally defined faunal turnover may have been a response to rapidly changing climates in the region.

Field of study: Geology
Emergence of charge density waves and a pseudogap in single-layer TiTe2

Two-dimensional materials constitute a promising platform for developing nanoscale devices and systems. Their physical properties can be very different from those of the corresponding three-dimensional materials because of extreme quantum confinement and dimensional reduction. Here we report a study of TiTe2 from the single-layer to the bulk limit. Using angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy and scanning tunneling microscopy and spectroscopy, we observed the emergence of a (2 × 2) charge density wave order in single-layer TiTe2 with a transition temperature of 92 ± 3 K. Also observed was a pseudogap of about 28 meV at the Fermi level at 4.2 K. Surprisingly, no charge density wave transitions were observed in two-layer and multi-layer TiTe2, despite the quasi-two-dimensional nature of the material in the bulk. The unique charge density wave phenomenon in the single layer raises intriguing questions that challenge the prevailing thinking about the mechanisms of charge density wave formation.Due to reduced dimensionality, the properties of 2D materials are often different from their 3D counterparts. Here, the authors identify the emergence of a unique charge density wave (CDW) order in monolayer TiTe2 that challenges the current understanding of CDW formation.

Field of study: Physics
Late Miocene to Pliocene palaeogeography of the Paratethys and its relation to the Mediterranean

The palaeogeographic evolution of the Paratethyan and Mediterranean realms are reconstructed with three maps ranging from the Late Miocene to the Middle–Late Pliocene. The maps are based on the facial analysis of selected deposits, clastic input, slope-slide process analyses as well as biogeographic data of the planktic, benthic and terrestrial biota. Characteristic fossil assemblages are used for palaeobathymetric and palaeohydrologic interpretations, restoration of palaeogeographic connections. The palaeogeographic reconstructions are palinspastically restored (after [Dercourt, J., Ricou, L.-E., Vrielynck, B. (Eds.), 1993.  Palaeoenvironmental Maps. Gauthier-Villars, Paris, pp. 1–307, 14 maps; The Paleogeographic Atlas of Northern Eurasia, 1997. Inst. Tectonics Lithospheric Plates. Moscow. 26 maps], with modifications). Maps have been prepared for the terminal Tortonian/early Messinian–Late Pannonian/early Maeotian, Late Messinian–Pontian (salinity crisis time) and Piacenzian/Gelasian–Akchagilian. They illustrate the Neogene palaeogeographic evolution during and after the Attic orogenesis. Though the emerging mountain system of the Alpine foldbelt increasingly separated the Paratethys from the Mediterranean, Tethys–Paratethys connections remained extant and sufficiently effective for limited communication between both basins. They governed many features of the cyclic depositional history and biogeographic evolution of the Eastern Paratethys.

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography
“Inside”&“Outside”of the Stone Wall——On the Theme of Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under The Elms

Eugene O'Neill devoted himself to depicting the realistic pictures of the distorted Americans and the troubled American society in the 20th century,voicing his desire and disappointment to the dream in life.This article emphatically discusses the major themes with reference to Eugene O'Neill's Desire Under The Elms in the following aspects:puzzled desire of the characters, social criticism and the ultimate value of the tragedy.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
A clinico-radiological and pathological profile of lung cancer patients presented to All India Institute of Medical Sciences (Patna)

Apoptosis or programmed cell death is triggered by Fas-Fas ligand (FasL) binding. Mutation in the active sites of these genes blocks death signal transmission and ultimately causes carcinogenesis. The present case–control study was conducted to compare the relationship of age and serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA) with FAS-1377 G/A (rs2234767) polymorphism as one of the best-known polymorphisms of FAS in patients with prostate cancer and a group of controls.  A total of 100 cases diagnosed with prostate cancer by a specialist and 100 healthy controls were selected from those presenting to the Urogenital Research Unit of Imam Khomeini Hospital in Tehran, Iran. The individual's blood samples were taken, and the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay method was then used to isolate their blood serum and measure its PSA levels. The saturated salt solution method was used to extract the leukocyte DNA, and the individual's genotype was determined using the Restriction fragment length polymorphism-polymerase chain reaction technique. The data collected were analyzed in IBM SPSS-23.  The genotype count found genotype AA in 42% of the cancer patients and 36% of the controls (P = 0.384, odds ratio [OR] = 1.28 confidence interval [CI] 95%: 0.728–2.274), genotype GG in 57% of the cancer patients and 64% of the controls (P = 0.311, OR = 0.746, CI 95%: 0.422–1.317), and genotype AG in a single patient (1%) (P = 0.316, OR: 0.990, CI 95%: 0.971–1.010). No significant relationships were observed between the two groups in terms of these genotypes. Age and serum PSA were found to have significant relationships with both the AA and GG genotypes.  Older age and elevated serum PSA levels were found to be significantly related to the mutant genotype AA in the cancer patients. Given the lack of significant relationships between the risk allele A and prostate cancer, conducting a study with a larger sample size in different Iranian ethnic groups seems necessary, as sample size can affect the results obtained on this polymorphism.

Field of study: Medicine
The Adoption of Online Banking in Malaysia: An Empirical Analysis

Although millions of dollars have been spent in developing online banking infrastructures, findings revealed that consumers have yet to adopt the systems in spite of their availability and convenience. As such, the paper aims to investigate the factors that affect the adoption of online banking in Malaysia. Using a self-administered questionnaire, 231 online banking services users were tested. The finding of the study indicated that social influences, perceived usefulness, trust, perceived ease of use were positively associated with the intention to adopt online banking. Interestingly, social influences are found to be the most influential factors, contradicting with many past studies. However perceived financial cost and perceived security risk were found insignificant in this study. The results provide valuable information for both bankers and policy makers especially when formulating online banking marketing strategies.

Field of study: Business
Further report on hormonal inducing fertility in the anoestrous ewes

Further experiment of out-season of lamb production by PMS pretreated with progesterone was carried out with 23 ewes (two of them was lost by accidents) at the University Farm. Two groups of experimental consisted of PMS (Exp. I) and PMS followed with LH-rich gonadotrophin treatment (Exp. II). Four ewes with the same condition as to age and previous lambing results were allotted to one of the non-treated control (Cont. I). The other control (Cont. II) with another eight ewes untreated was also employed to refer the result obtained from the treatment. The reason of setting the non-treated control was due to the fact of a tendency of early lambing within the year. The mode and the name of hormones used were progesterone, Luteogen-Tomoda 12.5mg twice-daily for three days, followed 2 days intermission, and then PMS, Peamex-Tomoda 1, 000 i u. Exp. II was further administered with LH, rich gonadotrophin Synahorin-Teizo 200 Rb. u. on the next morning of PMS injection. During oestrus last from 2 to 4 days after about 48 hrs. of PMS treatment, ewes were properly served with two rams once a day. Before and after the treatment the ewes were put on the pasture. Taking pregancy period for 145±5 days, lambing date between 18 th and 28th November, was accounted for a positive. Results in lambing were as followed: Exp. I, 3/5, Exp. II, 2/4, Cont. I, 0/3, Cont. II, 0/5. Assuming no differences existed between I and II, experimental and control sum up to 5/9 and 0/8, respectively. So that it was again demonstrated the successive percentage of nearly a half. Negative cases proved fertility of ewes and some of them showed early lambing. As was reported in the previous report, oestrus was not so prominent that holding ewes by head for mating was needed, and was variable in its length. Since the authors had obtained some cases of failure in inducing ovulation (unpublished data, '59) LH-rich gonadotrophin was introduced to test the effectiveness in the lambing result, however, no advantage seemed to be expected so far as in the final result.Further studies aiming improvement in the result and producing Autmn lambs are on progress.

Field of study: Biology
Physiological Reactivity to Sensory Stimulation as a Measure of Personality

6 introverts and 6 extraverts were tested with respect to the increment of salivary activity as a consequence of (a) putting 4 drops of lemon juice on their tongues and (b) having them swallow 4 drops of lemon juice. Under condition (a) introverts salivated significantly more than extraverts; under condition (b) extraverts salivated significantly more than introverts. Pavlov's theory of transmarginal inhibition was suggested as a possible explanation of this reversal.

Field of study: Psychology
Significant increase in acute subdural hematoma in octo- and nonagenarians: surgical treatment, functional outcome, and predictors in this patient cohort.

Acute subdural hematoma (aSDH) is a common disease increasing in prevalence given the demographic growth of the aging population. Yet, the benefit of surgical treatment for aSDH and the subsequent functional outcome in elderly patients (age ≥ 80 years) remain unclear. Therefore, the aims of this study were to evaluate the incidence of aSDH in patients 80 years or older, determine overall functional outcome, identify predictors of an unfavorable or favorable outcome, and establish specific risk factors for seizures.  The authors retrospectively analyzed patients 80 years and older who presented with isolated aSDH in the past 10 years at their institution. The following parameters were assessed: baseline characteristics, clinical status on admission and 24 hours after surgery, and clinical course. Functional outcome was assessed at discharge and the 3-month follow-up (FU).  In the period from January 2007 to December 2016, 165 patients with aSDH were admitted to the authors' institution. Sixty-eight patients (41.2%) were 80 years old or older, and the mean age overall was 85 years (range 80-96 years). The incidence of aSDH in the elderly had significantly increased over past decade, with more than 50% of patients admitted to our institution for aSDH now being 80 years or older. The overall mortality rate was 28% at discharge and 48% at the FU. Independent predictors of an unfavorable outcome at discharge were a GCS score ≤ 8 at 24 hours after operation (p < 0.001) and pneumonia (p < 0.02). At the FU, a GCS score ≤ 8 at 24 hours after operation (p < 0.001) and cumulative comorbidities (≥ 5; p < 0.05) were significant independent predictors. All patients with more than 6 comorbidities had died by the FU. Surgical treatment in comatose compared to noncomatose patients had statistically significant, higher mortality rates at discharge and the FU. Still, 23% of the comatose patients and more than 50% of the noncomatose patients had a favorable outcome at the FU (p = 0.06).  The number of octo- and nonagenarians with aSDH significantly increased over the last decade. These patients can achieve a favorable outcome, especially those with a noncomatose status and fewer than 5 comorbidities. Surgical and nonsurgical treatment of octo- and nonagenarians during and after discharge should be optimized to increase clinical improvement.

Field of study: Medicine
Assessing climate change impacts, benefits of mitigation, and uncertainties on major global forest regions under multiple socioeconomic and emissions scenarios

Author(s): Kim, JB; Monier, E; Sohngen, B; Pitts, GS; Drapek, R; McFarland, J; Ohrel, S; Cole,  We analyze a set of simulations to assess the impact of climate change on global forests where MC2 dynamic global vegetation model (DGVM) was run with climate simulations from the MIT Integrated Global System Model-Community Atmosphere Model (IGSM-CAM) modeling framework. The core study relies on an ensemble of climate simulations under two emissions scenarios: a business-as-usual reference scenario (REF) analogous to the IPCC RCP8.5 scenario, and a greenhouse gas mitigation scenario, called POL3.7, which is in between the IPCC RCP2.6 and RCP4.5 scenarios, and is consistent with a 2 °C global mean warming from pre-industrial by 2100. Evaluating the outcomes of both climate change scenarios in the MC2 model shows that the carbon stocks of most forests around the world increased, with the greatest gains in tropical forest regions. Temperate forest regions are projected to see strong increases in productivity offset by carbon loss to fire. The greatest cost of mitigation in terms of effects on forest carbon stocks are projected to be borne by regions in the southern hemisphere. We compare three sources of uncertainty in climate change impacts on the world's forests: emissions scenarios, the global system climate response (i.e. climate sensitivity), and natural variability. The role of natural variability on changes in forest carbon and net primary productivity (NPP) is small, but it is substantial for impacts of wildfire. Forest productivity under the REF scenario benefits substantially from the CO2 fertilization effect and that higher warming alone does not necessarily increase global forest carbon levels. Our analysis underlines why using an ensemble of climate simulations is necessary to derive robust estimates of the benefits of greenhouse gas mitigation. It also demonstrates that constraining estimates of climate sensitivity and advancing our understanding of CO2 fertilization effects may considerably reduce the range of projections.

Field of study: Environmental science
Influence of Interleaved Films on the Mechanical Properties of Carbon Fiber Fabric/Polypropylene Thermoplastic Composites

A laminated composite was produced using a thermoplastic prepreg by inserting an interleaved film with the same type of matrix as the prepreg during the lay-up process to improve the low interlaminar properties, which is a known weakness of laminated composites. Carbon fiber fabric (CFF) and polypropylene (PP) were used to manufacture the thermoplastic prepregs. Eight prepregs were used to produce the laminated composites. Interleaved films with different thicknesses were inserted into each prepreg. The physical properties of the composite, such as thickness, density, fiber volume fraction (Vf), and void content (Vc), were examined. The tensile strength, flexural strength, interlaminar shear strength (ILSS), impact property, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the mechanical properties. Compared to the composite without any inserted interleaved film, as the thickness of the inserted interleaved resin film was increased, Vc decreased by 51.45%. At the same time, however, the tensile strength decreased by 8.75%. Flexural strength increased by 3.79% and flexural modulus decreased by 15.02%. Interlaminar shear strength increased by 11.05% and impact strength increased by 15.38%. Fracture toughness of the laminated composite was improved due to insertion of interleaved film.

Field of study: Materials science
Electron subbands in a double quantum well in a quantizing magnetic field

We employ magnetocapacitance and far-infrared spectroscopy techniques to study the spectrum of the double-layer electron system in a parabolic quantum well with a narrow tunnel barrier in the center. For gate-bias-controlled asymmetric electron density distributions in this soft two-subband system we observe both individual subband gaps and double-layer gaps at integer filling factor $\ensuremath{\nu}.$ The bilayer gaps are shown to be either trivially common for two subbands or caused by the wave function reconstruction in growth direction as induced by intersubband electron transfer at a normal to the interface magnetic field. In the latter case the observed gaps at $\ensuremath{\nu}=1$ and $\ensuremath{\nu}=2$ are described within a simple model for the modified bilayer spectrum.

Field of study: Physics
The role of Fe oxyhydroxide coating, illite clay, and peat moss in nanoscale titanium dioxide (nTiO2) retention and transport in geochemically heterogeneous media.

Natural media such as soil and sediment contain mineralogical and organic components with distinct chemical, surface, and electrostatic properties. To better understand the role of various soil and sediment components on particle transport, columns were packed with quartz sand and natural sediment with added Fe oxyhydroxide coating, illite clay, and peat moss to investigate how these added components influence nTiO2 retention and transport in geochemically heterogeneous medium. Results showed that nTiO2 transport was low at pH 5, attributable to the electrostatic attraction between positively-charged nTiO2 and negatively-charged medium. While illite did not notably affect nTiO2 transport at pH 5, Fe oxyhydroxide coating increased nTiO2 transport due to electrostatic repulsion between Fe oxyhydroxide and nTiO2. Peat moss also increased nTiO2 transport at pH 5, attributable to the increased DOC concentration, which resulted in higher DOC adsorption to nTiO2 and intensified electrostatic repulsion between nTiO2 and the medium. At pH 9, nTiO2 transport was high due to the electrostatic repulsion between negatively-charged nTiO2 and medium surfaces. Fe oxyhydroxide coating at pH 9 slightly delayed nTiO2 transport due to electrostatic attraction, while illite clay and peat moss substantially inhibited nTiO2 transport via straining/entrapment or electrostatic attraction. Overall, this study demonstrated that pH has a considerable effect on how minerals and organic components of a medium influence nTiO2 transport. At low pH, electrostatic attraction was the dominant mechanism, therefore, nTiO2 mobility was low regardless of the differences in mineralogical and organic components. Conversely, nTiO2 mobility was high at high pH and nTiO2 retention was dominated by straining/entrapment and sensitive to the mineralogical and organic composition of the medium.

Field of study: Environmental science
Cytokine profiles in pemphigus vulgaris patients treated with intravenous immunoglobulins as compared to conventional immunosuppressive therapy.

Pemphigus vulgaris (PV) is a potentially fatal blistering disease of the skin and mucous membranes, characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against adhesion molecules (desmoglein, Dsg3) present on the surface of keratinocytes, which lead to the loss of cellular adhesion or acantholysis. The mainstay of treatment is conventional immunosuppressive therapy (CIST), i.e. high dose, long-term systemic corticosteroids with or without immunosuppressive drugs. Intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg) has been used in patients refractory to CIST, and its use has resulted in long-term clinical remission. Since cytokines play an important role in the immunopathogenesis of PV, it would be useful to compare how both IVIg and CIST therapies affect cytokine levels in the serum of PV patients. Thus, the goal of this study was to conduct a comparative analysis of levels of various cytokines, during an 18 month consecutive period, after the initiation of CIST or IVIg treatment in PV patients, with similar extent and severity of disease in the two study groups, with 11 patients in each group. The cytokines measured were IL-1beta, IL-6, IL-8, IFN-gamma, IL-4 and IL-10. The levels of most of these cytokines were higher in the sera of untreated patients in both groups, compared to normal controls. The cumulative data collected over an 18 month period of treatment demonstrates that there is a gradual reduction in the levels of these cytokines, until they are at levels observed in normal individuals. The conclusions from this limited number of patients, prospectively studied, would suggest that both CIST and IVIg therapies are similar in their ability to influence a panel of cytokines in patients with pemphigus vulgaris.

Field of study: Medicine