nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Parental Involvement in Open and Distance Schooling: A Case Study of Parental Perceptions at NAMCOL, Namibia

The Namibian College for Open Learning (NAMCOL) is a fully fledged institution mandated by Government to address the needs for open learning. It mainly focuses on learners who did not successfully complete their grade 10 or 12 in the formal education system. Unlike conventional educational delivery methods, there are limited structured face-to-face contacts between the students and the tutor. Instead, high quality, self-directed, learner-centered instructional materials are made available to students with blocked contact time with teachers. Many of the learners enrolled range between 15 and 18 years and are still under the care of their parents or guardians. This study explored the perceptions of parents towards open and distance learning (ODL) as well as their involvement in the education of their children. A mixed method approach was adopted for this study. 200 questionnaires were distributed and 30 semi-structured interviews were conducted with parents or guardians of grade 10 learners. Random sampling was used. Frequency analysis for quantitative data and thematic analysis for the qualitative data were developed. The study revealed that parents are inherently interested in the education of their children regardless of the mode of instruction. There are barriers such relationships between the institution and parents, lack of knowledge about where to get such facilities as well as a lack of initiatives on the part of the parents. There is a need to establish a more structured platform for engagement between NAMCOL and parents to effectively manage the process of ODL. DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n3p325

Field of study: Education, Sociology
Evaluation of the nutritional quality and microbiological analysis of newly developed soya cheese

The aim of this study was to determine the chemical and microbiological analysis of soya cheese and compare with cow milk cheese and raw soya. Fat content is lower and protein content is higher in soya cheese than cow milk cheese. Moisture, ash, fat, total carbohydrate, total energy, pH, total chlorides and Total solids are significantly higher in cow milk cheese than soya cheese. Cheese yield, total solid yield and protein yield are 135%, 51.18% and 72.33% respectively. Pepsin digestibility of soya cheese is significantly (p < 0.001) higher than cow milk cheese. Minerals were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometer and showed that most of the minerals are significantly higher in soya cheese than cow milk cheese but calcium is higher in cow milk cheese. Vitamin content were also analyzed by UPLC-MS-MS and the concentration of water soluble vitamins in 100 gm cheese are 2.423333 ± 0.05 μg thiamine, 5.063333 ± 0.020 μg riboflavin, 11.28 ± 0.35 μg niacin, 1.323333 ± 0.05 μg pantothenic acid, 212.3723 ± 9.80 μg Folic acid and 63.48 ± 3.98 μg biotin on dry basis of soy cheese. The contents of vitamin in cow milk cheese were also analyzed. The effect of processing on the losses or gain of minerals and vitamin were also calculated and showed that most of the minerals and vitamin losses and a few minerals were gain after processing. Standard plate count, total fungus, total coliform and Salmonella were tested by using APHA standard and no significant amount of microorganisms were found in the product. Besides with other nutrients this soya product contains highly digestible protein, minerals, B vitamin, low fat and low carbohydrate that are valuable for human health.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
[Protective effects of nitrendipine against myocardial infarction in rabbits].

In rabbits the left circumflex coronary artery was ligated for 24 h. Nitrendipine (Nit) 10 mg.kg-1 ig were given 1 h before ligation and 1, 4, and 7 h after ligation. Nit decreased myocardial infarctive size (MIS) from 25.2 +/- 1.7% to 15.5 +/- 1.6% (P < 0.01), lowered serum creatine kinase (CK) and lactate dehydrogenase isoenzyme 1 (LDH1) from 381 +/- 69 IU.L-1 and 42 +/- 6% to 281 +/- 49 IU.L-1 (P < 0.01) and 31 +/- 8% (P < 0.05), diminished injury of myocyte ultrastructure, especially mitochondria and myofibrillae, in ischemic and infarctive zone. Nit exerted no significant effect on plasma level of norepinephrine (NE). The results indicate that Nit has protective effects against the acute myocardial infarction.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
Programming of the Development of Tumor-Promoting Neutrophils by Mesenchymal Stromal Cells

Neutrophils obtain immunosuppressive function during tumor development, yet the mechanisms are largely unknown. This study explored whether and how mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs), the key component of tumor microenvironment, regulate the suppressive function of neutrophils.  Immunosuppressive function of neutrophils was evaluated by T cell proliferation assay and 4T1 breast tumor model; molecular mechanisms were explored by transcriptional profiling, Real-time RT-PCR, arginase activity assay, and iNOS inhibition experiments.  After being cocultured with MSCs primed by TNF-α (TNF-MSCs), CD11b+Ly6G+ neutrophils isolated from bone marrow of normal mice or spleen of tumor-bearing mice obtained immunosuppressive function to inhibit T cell proliferation in vitro, and to enhance 4T1 tumor progression in vivo. Moreover, arginase activity and expression of iNOS, saa3, some cytokines and chemokines and their receptors, were upregulated in neutrophils after co-culture with TNF-MSCs. Inhibition of iNOS activity attenuated the suppressive effect of TNF-MSC pre-cocultured neutrophils on T cell proliferation.  MSCs program neutrophils into an immunosuppressive and tumor-promoting phenotype.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry
Neutron powder diffraction study on the iron-based nitride superconductor ThFeAsN

We report neutron diffraction and transport results on the newly discovered superconducting nitride ThFeAsN with . No magnetic transition, but a weak structural distortion around 160 K, is observed by cooling from 300 K to 6 K. Analysis on the resistivity, Hall transport and crystal structure suggests that this material behaves as an electron optimally doped pnictide superconductor due to extra electrons from nitrogen deficiency or oxygen occupancy at the nitrogen site, which, together with the low arsenic height, may enhance the electron itinerancy and reduce the electron correlations, thus suppressing the static magnetic order.

Field of study: Physics
Mechanical Properties of Sugarcane Bagasse Ash (SCBA) Concrete and Its Influence Factors

Sugar cane bagasse ash (SCBA) can be used as a mineral admixture has been widely concerned. Several studies have shown that SCBA can be used as partial cement replacement, improving the mechanical properties of SCBA concrete. The present paper summarizes the properties of SCBA, the function mechanisms of SCBA in concrete and influence factors on mechanical properties of SCBA concrete. Regarding the properties of SCBA, it has high content in SiO2 and the particle morphology includes spherical, irregular porous, prismatic and fibrous. The function mechanisms of SCBA in concrete include pozzolanic activity effect and micro-aggregate effect. The influence factors mainly include dosages of SCBA, processing methods of SCBA, mixture designs, water-cement ratio, curing age, etc. Among them, the issue of the dosages of SCBA has drew wide attention. But there are few related studies presently, it is necessary to further explore the sources and processing methods of SCBA which are not yet detailed and standardized.

Field of study: Engineering
TTP Curves of AA1235 Alloy

The influences of annealing and pre-deformation on the precipitation behavior in AA1235 alloy sheet were investigated by XRD,TEM,optical microscopy and tensile test.The solid solubility of Fe and Si in the experiment alloy was analyzed by X-ray method,the TTP curve in the temperature range from 325 ℃ to 400 ℃ was obtained.The results show that with the precipitation of α-AlFeSi in the present temperature range,the solid solubility of Fe drops constantly during annealing.The TTP curves reveal that the pre-deformation can accelerate the precipitation.Annealed at 375 ℃ for 1h and 90% cold reduction is the optimum combination among the test conditions for achieving a favourable microstructure,such as α-AlFeSi precipitate and low Fe content in Al matrix.The optimum elongation can be obtained by annealing at 375 ℃ for 1 h with 90% cold reduction.

Field of study: Materials science
[Genetic variation of gag gene in HIV-1 subtype B infections from Henan and Shanxi provinces of China].

The 109 whole blood samples were collected from HIV-1 infected former blood donors in Henan and Shanxi. The RNA templates were extracted from plasma and used for the full gag gene amplification and sequencing. The sequences were divided into 3 groups according to sampling year. The Entropy software was used to identify the amino acids with composition difference among different groups of amino acid sequences. The results showed that there existed 8 and 13 amino acid sites with the statistical significance difference, respectively, in sequences in year 2004 and 2005, compared to those in 2002. Among them, there existed 5 amino acid sites in two groups. Of 16 amino acid sites, the increasing polymorphism and the decreasing polymorphism along the sampling year were observed in 10 and 6 amino acid sites respectively. Of 10 sites with increased polymorphism, 8 sites were located in the CTL epitopes recognized and presented by the main HLA alleles existed in Chinese population. The 6 sites with decreasing polymorphism all existed in main domains of Gag proteins.

Field of study: Biology
Effect of prototypical inducers on ligand activated nuclear receptor regulated drug disposition genes in rodent hepatic and intestinal cells

The aim of this study was to investigate the impact on expression of mRNA and protein by paradigm inducers/activators of nuclear receptors and their target genes in rat hepatic and intestinal cells. Furthermore, assess marked inter laboratory conflicting reports regarding species and tissue differences in expression to gain further insight and rationalise previously observed species differences between rodent and human based systems.Quantitative real time-polymerase chain reaction (QRT-PCR) and immunoblots were used to assess messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expression for CYP2B2, CYP3A1, CYP3A2, CYP3A9, ABCB1a, ABCB1b, ABCC1, ABCC2, pregnane X receptor (PXR), farnesoid X receptor (FXR) and constituitive androstane receptor (CAR) in rat hepatoma cell line H411E, intestinal cells, Iec-6, and rat primary hepatocytes, in response to exposure for 18 h with prototypical inducers.Dexamethasone (DEX) and pregnenolone 16α carbonitrile (PCN) significantly induced PXR, CYP3A9, ABCB1a and ABCB1b. However, when co-incubated, DEX appeared to restrict PCN-dependent induction. Chenodeoxycholic acid (CDCA) was the only ligand to induce FXR in all three cell types. Despite previously reported species differences between PCN and rifampicin (RIF), both compounds exhibited a similar profile of induction.Data presented herein may explain some of the discrepancies previously reported with respect to species differences from different laboratories and have important implications for study design.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
Precessing Jet in the High-Redshift Blazar J0017+8135

The prominent flat-spectrum radio quasar J0017+8135 (S5 0014+81) at z = 3.366 is one of the most luminous active galactic nuclei (AGN) known. Its milliarcsecond-scale radio jet structure has been studied with very long baseline interferometry (VLBI) since the 1980s. The quasar was selected as one of the original defining objects of the International Celestial Reference Frame, but left out from its current second realization (ICRF2) because of systematic long-term positional variations. Here we analyse archival 8.6- and 2.3-GHz VLBI imaging data collected at nearly 100 different epochs during more than 20 years, to obtain information about the kinematics of jet components. Because of the cosmological time dilation, extensive VLBI monitoring data are essential to reveal changes in the jet structure of high-redshift AGN. In the case of J0017+8135, the data can be described with a simple kinematic model of jet precession with a 12-year periodicity in the observer’s frame.

Field of study: Physics
Social Return on Investment: A Cost-Benefit Analysis of the HIV Integrated Care and Prevention Programs in Cambodia

KHANA’s HIV Integrated Care and Prevention (ICP) project provided comprehensive care and support to HIV-affected communities through home and community-based care teams from 2007 to 2011. The aim of this study was to use Social Return on Investment (SROI) methodology to evaluate the social, health, and economic impacts of the ICP project, enabling the calculation of a ratio cost-to-benefit for the community in terms of HIV care, support, and treatment.  The SROI methodology is a social cost-benefit analysis framework that measures and accounts for the values created by a program or series of initiatives. Values were mapped to common outcomes of the project, which were defined by key beneficiaries during a community consultation exercise. Five stages were used to calculate the SROI: establishing scope and identifying key stakeholders, mapping project outcomes, assigning a financial value to project outcomes, establishing project impact, and calculating inputs.  A combined five-year investment of approximately US$2,406,000 from the European Commission (EC), plus US$1,957,934 from the World Food Programme (WFP) and community inputs, generated total benefits worth US$10,894,835, after adjusting for the discount rate and Purchasing Power Parity (PPP). Monetized outcome values ranged from $30, avoided cost of informal school fees paid by orphans and vulnerable children (OVC), to $1,200, avoided burden of debt and asset loss caused by health costs prior to diagnosis. Beneficiaries gaining the most outcome value were people living with HIV (PLHIV), OVC, and their families (food security outcome 51% of total value, PLHIV 32%, and OVC 9%). The Return on Investment (ROI) was 1:2—every $1 invested in the ICP generated a return of approximately $2 worth of social, health, and economic value.  The ICP program yielded substantial impacts in food security, wellbeing, improved health, and improved productive capacity, which enabled greater economic returns for the households. Results of this study have been used to inform project management, implementing partners, and policy-makers to further explore areas of benefit for PLHIV, OVC, and their families.

Field of study: Medicine
Mafic and ultramafic amphibolites from the northwestern Pontiac Subprovince: chemical characterization and implications for tectonic setting

In the northwestern Pontiac Subprovince, metavolcanic rocks are exposed within a metagraywacke sequence that is intruded by metamorphosed mafic dykes. The metavolcanics are Al-undepleted komatiites ([La/Sm]N = 0.3, [Tb/Yb]N = 0.9) and tholeiitic Fe-basalts ([La/Sm]N = 0.8 and [Tb/Yb]N = 0.8). The nearly flat chondrite-normalized distributions of high field strength elements (HFSE), Ti and P, the constant Zr/Y, Nb/Th, Ti/Zr, and Ti/P ratios, and the lack of depletion of HFSE relative to rare-earth elements (REE) in both ultramafic and mafic metavolcanics, imply that crustal assimilation and magma mixing with crustal melts were not significant during differentiation and argue against the presence of subduction-related magmatic components. Contemporaneous volcanism and sedimentation in the northwestern Pontiac Subprovince are unlikely. The metavolcanics do not show any evidence of crustal contamination and likely represent a structurally emplaced, disrupted assemblage, chemically similar to early volcanics o...

Field of study: Environmental science
Observations on the dynamic behavior of large flexible bodies in orbit.

9 Warren, W. R. and Diaconis, N. S., "Air arc simulation of hypersonic environments," ARS Progress in Astronautics and Rocketry: Hypersonic Flow Research, edited by F. R. Riddell ( 1962), Vol. 7, pp. 663-700; also General Electric Co., GE MSD TIS R62SD25 (April 1962). 10 Eschenroader, A. W., Boyer, D. W., and Hall, J. G., "Exact solutions for non-equilibrium expansions of air with coupled chemical reactions," Cornell Aeronautical Labs., Rept. AF-1413A-l, Air Force Office of Scientific Research 622 (May 1961). 11 Boison, J. C. and Curtiss, H. A., "An experimental investigation of blunt body stagnation point velocity gradient," ARS J. 29,130-135(1959). 12 Scala, S. M. and Baulknight, C. W., "Transport and thermodynamic properties in a hypersonic laminar boundary layer, Part 2, Applications," ARS J. 30, 329-336 (1960).

Field of study: Physics
The amount of urine voided in bed by children with enuresis.

Enuretic children wet their beds either because of nocturnal polyuria or nocturnal detrusor overactivity. Polyuric children often respond to desmopressin, whereas children with nocturnal detrusor overactivity are often therapy resistant and may have low daytime voided volumes. It is logical to assume that the enuretic event in children with nocturnal polyuria occurs with a full bladder, i.e. with the enuretic voided volume (EVV) close to the child's expected bladder capacity (EBC) for his/her age. However, the EVV has only rarely been studied, and little is known about how it relates to case history, polyuria, or daytime bladder function. The aim of this study was to look at EVV and relate it to voiding chart data and treatment response.



Anamnestic data and voiding charts, including measurement of nocturnal urine production and EVV, in enuretic children with or without concomitant daytime incontinence attending a tertiary center were retrospectively reviewed. The EVV was analyzed and compared to anamnestic data, voiding chart data, and response to therapy in accordance with the guidelines of the International Children's Continence Society.



Data were available for 220 children (age 5-24, median 9), 40 of whom were girls. The prevalence of previous or present daytime incontinence was 42.4%, and 50.5% sometimes experienced urgency. The average EVV was 54.9 ± 32.8% of EBC. EVV correlated highly significantly to nocturnal urine production (p < 0.001). Still, EVV ≥ EBC was observed in only 16 children. EVV was slightly larger in girls (p = 0.013) and in children with urgency (p = 0.034), but there were no significant EVV differences between children responding or not responding to antidiuretic, anticholinergic, or antidepressant therapy. Relevant data are summarized in the Table below.



Case history and daytime voiding chart data give very little information about nocturnal bladder function. The EVV is strongly influenced by nocturnal urine production but only rarely reaches up to a level close to or exceeding the EBC. The enuretic event only very rarely represents the emptying of a full bladder. Thus, a component of nocturnal detrusor overactivity can be assumed to be present in almost all enuretic children, even in children with nocturnal polyuria. The value of the EVV is limited in predicting response to therapy.

Field of study: Medicine
Synthesis of d-xylulose from d-arabitol by enzymatic conversion with immobilized mannitol dehydrogenase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides

d -Xylulose was produced by enzymatic conversion of d -arabitol using mannitol dehydrogenase from Rhodobacter sphaeroides. The purified enzyme was immobilized on CNBr-activated Sepharose® 4B resulting in a yield of 40.5% with a binding capacity of 20.7 U g−1. The Kmapp value of the immobilized enzyme for d -arabitol was determined to be 1.9 mM, the inhibitor constants for d -xylulose and NADH were 1 mM and 0.2 mM, respectively. Bioconversion of d -arabitol was carried out in a batch procedure, using a methylene blue/O2/diaphorase system for regeneration of NAD+. The yield of the enzymatic conversion could be improved from 42% to 80% by complexing the produced d -xylulose with borate and thereby preventing a product inhibition of mannitol dehydrogenase. d -Xylulose was purified from the reaction mixture by ligand exchange chromatography on Ca2+ loaded DOWEX 50W X8 with a yield of 77%.

Field of study: Biology, Engineering
Endogenous Hydrogen Sulfide Ameliorates NOX4 Induced Oxidative Stress in LPS-Stimulated Macrophages and Mice

Sepsis is a severe and complicated syndrome that is characterized by dysregulation of host inflammatory responses and organ failure. Cystathionine-γ-lyase (CSE)/ hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has potential anti-inflammatory activities in a variety of inflammatory diseases. NADPH oxidase 4 (Nox4), a member of the NADPH oxidases, is the major source of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and its expression is increased in sepsis, but its function in CSE-mediated anti-inflammatory activities remains unknown.  Macrophages were either transfected with CSE, Nox4 siRNA or transduced with lentiviral vector encoding CSE or Nox4, and then stimulated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The expression of inflammatory mediators and signaling pathway activation were measured by quantitative PCR (qPCR), ELISA, and immunoblotting. LPS-induced shock severity in WT, Nox4 knockdown and CSE knockout (CSE-/-) mice was assessed.  Here we showed that CSE and Nox4 were upregulated in macrophage and mouse in response to LPS. After LPS stimulation, the inflammatory responses were significantly ameliorated by lentiviral Nox4 shRNA knockdown, but were exacerbated by lentiviral overexpressing Nox4. Furthermore, Nox4 mediated inflammation through PI3K/Akt and p-p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase signal pathway. Notably, CSE knockout served to amplify the inflammatory cascade by increasing Nox4-ROS signaling activation in septic mice and macrophage. Similarly, the enhanced production of inflammatory mediators by macrophages was reduced by CSE overexpression.  Thus, we demonstrated that CSE/H2S attenuated LPS-induced sepsis against oxidative stress and inflammation damage probably largely through mediated Nox4 pathway.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry
Photonuclear Reactions on Bypassed Nuclei 84Sr and 92Mo

The yields of photonuclear reactions on mixtures of natural isotopes of strontium and molybdenum that result in the formation and decay of bypassed nuclei 84Sr and 92Mo are measured and compared to theoretical results obtained using the TALYS code and calculations in the combined model of photonucleon reaction (CMPR). The need is demonstrated to consider isospin splitting in cases of photoproton reactions. The yields of the 92Mo(γ,p)91mNb, 84Sr(γ,p)83Rb reactions that make the main contribution to the formation and decay of 84Sr and 92Mo in the p-process of nucleosynthesis differ from the TALYS and CMPR results by several hundred percent.

Field of study: Physics