nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Exterior exposure estimation using a one-compartment toxicokinetic model with blood sample measurements

Exposure assessment of individuals exposed to certain chemicals plays an important role in the analysis of occupational—as well as environmental-health problems. Biological monitoring, as an alternative to direct environmental measurements, may be applied to relate the exterior exposure with the amount of individual intake. In this paper, we estimate individuals’ (inhalation) exposure retrospectively from their blood concentrations via a simplified one-compartment toxicokinetic model. Considering stochastic variations to the toxicokinetic model, the solution to the resultant stochastic differential equation (SDE), together with measurement error, is transformed into a dynamic linear state-space model. The unknown model parameters and the mean inhalation concentration are then estimated via Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulations. The proposed method is used in the analysis of the styrene data (Wang et al. in Occup Environ Med 53:601–605, 1996) to backward estimate the inhalation concentration, assuming it is unknown. The data analysis showed that the internal stochastic variations, often ignored in toxicokinetic model analysis, outweighed in standard deviation almost twice that of the measurement error. Also, the simulation results showed that the method performed relatively well to the approach considering measurement error only.

Field of study: Biology, Mathematics
Untersuchungen des magnetischen Verhaltens extrem dünner Nickeldrähte mit Hilfe der magnetischen Widerstandsänderung

ZusammenfassungBei Nickeldrähten (1,7 μm≦d<10 μm) mit [100]-Textur macht sich der Barkhauseneffekt in Widerstandssprüngen bemerkbar. Sprunghöhe und auslösende Feldstärke zeigen noch deutliche statistische Schwankungen. Gleichzeitig auftretende Spannungsimpulse zeigen an, daß die Ummagnetisierung durch 180°-Umkehr einer eingeprägten Flußschraube stattfindet. Bei Proben mitd>10 μm liegt noch ausgesprochenes Vieldomänenverhalten vor.

Field of study: Physics
A SWOT Analysis of Development Strategy of Tea Industry in Jian'ou

City of Fujian Province,one of the most important tea production areas in China and tea industry being one of its three leading agricultural industries,boasts more than one hundred thousand farmers.Based on a SWOT analysis of both the internal and the external environments of its tea industry,the paper comes up with systematic strategies for developing the tea industry in  SO Strategy——to improve deep processing of tea products and construct tea plantation,carrying out tea culture tourism;ST Strategy——to develop the concept of Green Tea,promoting rational allocation of tea resources;WO Strategy——to cooperate with universities to promote the development of tea industry level and establish product standards;and WT Strategy——to enhance the systematization of production and marketing by improving marketing strategies.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Interactive effects of mycorrhization and elevated atmospheric CO2 on sulphur nutrition of young pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) trees

Pedunculate oak (Quercus robur L.) was germinated and grown at ambient CO 2 concentration and 650 μmol mol -1 CO 2 in the presence and absence of the ectomycorrhizal fungus Laccaria laccata for a total of 22 weeks under non-limiting nutrient conditions. Sulphate uptake, xylem loading and exudation were analysed in excised roots. Despite a relatively high affinity for sulphate (K M = 1.6 mmol m -3 ), the rates of sulphate uptake by excised lateral roots of mycorrhizal oak trees were low as compared to herbaceous plants. Rates of sulphate uptake were similar in mycorrhizal and non-mycorrhizal roots and were not affected by growth of the trees at elevated CO 2 . However, the total uptake of sulphate per plant was enhanced by elevated CO 2 and further enhanced by elevated CO 2 and mycorrhization. Sulphate uptake seemed to be closely correlated with biomass accumulation under the conditions applied. The percentage of the sulphate taken up by mycorrhizal oak roots that was loaded into the xylem was an order of magnitude lower than previously observed for herbaceous plants. The rate of xylem loading was enhanced by mycorrhization and, in roots of mycorrhizal trees only, by growth at elevated CO 2 . On a whole-plant basis this increase in xylem loading could only partially be explained by the increased growth of the trees. Elevated CO 2 and mycorrhization appeared to increase greatly the sulphate supply of the shoot at the level of xylem loading. For all treatments, calculated rates of sulphate exudation were significantly lower than the corresponding rates of xylem loading of sulphate. Radiolabelled sulphate loaded into the xylem therefore seems to be readily diluted by unlabelled sulphate during xylem transport. Allocation of reduced sulphur from oak leaves was studied by flap-feeding radiolabelled GSH to mature oak leaves. The rate of export of radioactivity from the fed leaves was 4.5 times higher in mycorrhizal oak trees grown at elevated CO 2 than in those grown at ambient CO 2 . Export of radiolabel proceeded almost exclusively in a basipetal direction to the roots. From these experiments it can be concluded that, in mycorrhizal oak trees grown at elevated CO 2 , the transport of sulphate to the shoot is increased at the level of xylem loading to enable increased sulphate reduction in the leaves. Increased sulphate reduction seems to be required for the enhanced allocation of reduced sulphur to the roots which is observed in trees grown at elevated CO 2 . These changes in sulphate and reduced sulphur allocation may be a prerequisite for the positive effect of elevated CO 2 on growth of oak trees previously observed.

Field of study: Environmental science
Associative access to data in holographic memories with controlled transparencies

An experimental study was made of an associative holographic memory with a controlled phase transparency for the formation of an orthogonal set of key words. When a system of the Walsh functions was used as key words, the experimental signal/search-noise ratio amounted on the average to 150. The functional potentialities, structure, and ways of realization of such a memory were considered, as well as the organization of various algorithms for processing of the key-word coincidence signals.

Field of study: Engineering, Physics
Characterization of fulvic acid fractions of dissolved organic matter during ice-out in a hyper-eutrophic, coastal pond in Antarctica

Dissolved humic material (HDOM) is ubiquitous to all natural waters and its source material influences its chemical structure, reactivity, and bioavailability. While terrestrially derived HDOM reference materials distributed by the International Humic Substances Society (IHSS) have been readily available to engineering and scientific communities, a microbially derived reference HDOM was not, despite the well-characterized differences in the chemistry and reactivity of HDOM derived from terrestrial versus microbial sources. To address this gap, we collected a microbial reference fulvic acid from Pony Lake (PLFA) for distribution through the IHSS. Pony Lake is a saline coastal pond on Ross Island, Antarctica, where the landscape is devoid of terrestrial plants. Sample collection occurred over a 17-day period in the summer season at Pony Lake. During this time, the dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations increased nearly two-fold, and the fulvic acid fraction (collected using the XAD-8 method) accounted for 14.6% of the DOC. During the re-concentration and desalting procedures we isolated two other chemically distinct fulvic acid fractions: (1) PLFA-2, which was high in carbohydrates and (2) PLFA-CER, which was high in nitrogen. The chemical characteristics (elemental analysis, optical characterization with UV‐vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, and 13 C NMR spectroscopy) of the three fulvic acid fractions helped to explain their behavior during isolation.

Field of study: Environmental science
Market--what market? A review of Health Authority purchasing in the NHS internal market.

This paper argues that the British NHS Reforms (the 'Reforms') set out in Working for Patients  largely failed to create a market, to achieve the changes that market forces might have been expected to achieve or to meet the objectives set for the NHS in Working for Patients. It draws on the available literature and the author's experience of work with the NHS during the 6 years after Working for Patients. It is hampered, as are all such reviews of the UK Reforms, by the lack of a detailed and systematic research appraisal of the internal market. Many small changes, resulting from market mechanisms, may have occurred throughout the NHS without being publicized or well documented. But overall, there is little convincing evidence that the Reforms have achieved their goals or met the objectives of the politicians who initiated them. The argument here is necessarily limited by the space available (but see  for a detailed analysis of the NHS Reforms). The initial sections of the paper examine the characteristics of markets and market power and the extent to which the NHS Reforms created a market, with health authorities and fund-holders as its buyers. The paper concentrates in particular on health authorities. Later sections then examine the extent to which the Reforms met the objectives set out in Working for Patients.

Field of study: Medicine, Political science
Reliability analysis of 3D heterogeneous microsystem module by simplified finite element model

Analyzing the structural reliability of 3D heterogeneous microsystem modules is an important step in their development. The finite element models of such modules are simplified by simulating the complicated structure of MEMS (microelectromechanical systems) devices integrated into a single interposer. In this study, thermal stress and cycling analyses for different finite element models of 3D heterogeneous microsystem modules are investigated. The results of the thermal stress analysis reveal the values of the maximum von Mises stress in the finite element models, at the interface between the interposer and the microgyroscope, and in the microgyroscope spring. They also illustrate the advantages and disadvantages of the different fabrication models. Module reliability assessments are also obtained through a thermal cycling analysis, the results of which show that properly simplified models designed to reduce computation time benefit the reliability analysis. This study provides useful suggestions for manufacturing and reliability assessments of 3D heterogeneous microsystem modules embedded using the through-silicon via technique.

Field of study: Engineering
Mitosis orientation in prostate epithelial cells changed by endocrine effect

The aim of the present study was to investigate the effect of androgen and estrogen on mitosis orientation in the prostate epithelial cells of male rats.Castrated rats were treated with a single injection of testosterone propionate (TP) or benzogynestry (E2). There were 8 rats in the control group and TP-treated or E2-treated group. Prostate, liver, a specimen of skin, and a segment of the jejunum and colon were removed after the corresponding treatment. The results were observed through immunohistochemistry and iron hematoxylin-eosin staining.All mitoses found in the prostate epithelial cells of castrated rats with TP were oriented parallel to the basement membrane; however, mitoses found in the prostate epithelial cells of castrated rats in E2 and the control group were oriented perpendicular to the basement membrane. TP treatment resulted in marked changes in mitosis orientation in the prostate epithelial cells. Bromodeoxyuridine-labeled positive cells could be seen throughout the stroma and prostate epithelial cells with an injection of TP; however, the positive cells could only be seen in the stroma of prostate with an injection of E2, and the positive cells could hardly be seen in the control group.We found a novel effect of TP in the prostate as a marked change of mitosis orientation in prostate epithelial cells.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
A 12-year record reveals pre-growing season temperature and water table level threshold effects on the net carbon dioxide exchange in a boreal fen

This study uses a 12-year time series (2001-2012) of eddy covariance measurements to investigate the long-term net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO2) and inter-annual variations in relation to abiotic drivers in a boreal fen in northern Sweden. The peatland was a sink for atmospheric CO2 in each of the twelve study years with a 12-year average (+/- standard deviation) NEE of -58 +/- 21 g C m(-2) yr(-1). For ten out of twelve years, the cumulative annual NEE was within a range of -42 to -79 g C m(-2) yr(-1) suggesting a general state of resilience of NEE to moderate inter-annual climate variations. However, the annual NEE of -18 and -106 g C m(-2) yr(-1) in 2006 and 2008, respectively, diverged considerably from this common range. The lower annual CO2 uptake in 2006 was mainly due to late summer emissions related to an exceptional drop in water table level (WTL). A positive relationship (R-2 = 0.65) between pre-growing season (January to April) air temperature (Ta) and summer (June to July) gross ecosystem production (GEP) was observed. We suggest that enhanced GEP due to mild pre-growing season air temperature in combination with air temperature constraints on ecosystem respiration (ER) during the following cooler summer explained most of the greater net CO2 uptake in 2008. Differences in the annual and growing season means of other abiotic variables (e.g. radiation, vapor pressure deficit, precipitation) and growing season properties (i.e. start date, end date, length) were unable to explain the inter-annual variations of NEE. Overall, our findings suggest that this boreal fen acts as a persistent contemporary sink for atmospheric CO2 that is, however, susceptible to severe anomalies in WTL and pre-growing season air temperature associated with predicted changes in climate patterns for the boreal region.

Field of study: Environmental science
Face recognition using enhanced linear discriminant analysis

There are two fundamental problems with the linear discriminant analysis (LDA) for face recognition. First one is LDA is not stable because of the small training sample size problem. The other is that it would collapse the data samples of different classes into one single cluster when the class distributions are multimodal. An enhanced LDA method is proposed to overcome these two problems. The between- and within-class scatters are reformulated by introducing two different weighted matrices in respective. The enhanced Fisher criterion is then presented, which can preserve the local structure of different class in the reduced subspace. Moreover, maximum margin criterion is adopted to avoid the singularity problem of the within-class scatter matrix. Extensive experiments show encouraging recognition performance of the proposed algorithm.

Field of study: Computer science
An in vitro analysis of the total phenolic content, antioxidant power, physical, physicochemical, and chemical composition of Terminalia Catappa Linn fruits

Este estudo teve como objetivo determinar as caracteristicas fisicas, fisico-quimicas e quimicas, teor de fenolicos totais e poder antioxidante da castanhola (Terminalia Catappa Linn) in vitro, por meio de descolorimento de radical DPPH (2,2-difenill-1-picrihidrazil). O fruto da castanhola apresentou peso medio de 19,60 ± 0,00 g, quando somados os pesos da polpa, casca e semente e um teor de solidos soluveis de 8 °Brix. Determinou-se a composicao quimica, obtendo-se uma predominância de carboidratos(76,88 ± 0,58%).A quantificacao da Vitamina C foi feita segundo o metodo titulometrico, usando-se o reagente 2,6-diclorofenolindofenol (DCFI), conhecido como reativo de Tillmans, obtendo-se teores nao significativos. Os extratos aquosos da polpa da castanhola apresentaram uma concentracao maior de fenolicos totais, com resultados de 244,33 ± 18,86 GAE.g-1 do fruto e os extratos alcoolicos umteor de 142,84 ± 2,09 GAE.g-1 do fruto. Os valores de EC50 dos extratos aquosos apontaram uma maior capacidade de sequestrar radicais livres do que dos extratos alcoolicos. O fruto tem um conteudo significativo de compostos fenolicos e elevada capacidade antioxidante.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Automated detection and centring of cryocooled protein crystals.

A novel method is presented for the automated recognition of cryocooled macromolecular crystals. The method uses several texture-based image-processing algorithms for automated crystal centring, which are able to cope with a variety of crystal morphologies and illumination conditions. The results combined from different algorithms, together with their estimated standard uncertainties, provide a robust determination of the crystal location and allow an internal assessment of their reliability. The method was coded within the software XREC and showed a good performance on 104 sets of images from various beamlines.

Field of study: Chemistry
The learning curve in endoscopic endonasal resection of craniopharyngiomas.

There is a paucity of literature regarding the learning curve associated with performing endoscopic endonasal cranial base surgery. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent a learning curve might exist for endoscopic endonasal resection in cases of craniopharyngiomas.  A retrospective review was performed for all endoscopic endonasal craniopharyngioma resections performed at Thomas Jefferson University from 2005 to 2015. To assess for a learning curve effect, patients were divided into an early cohort (2005–2009, n = 20) and a late cohort (2010–2015, n = 23). Preoperative demographics, clinical presentation, imaging characteristics, extent of resection, complications, tumor control, and visual and endocrine outcomes were obtained. Categorical variables and continuous variables were compared using a 2-sided Fisher's exact test and t-test, respectively.  Only the index operation performed at the authors' institution was included. There were no statistically significa...

Field of study: Medicine
DESIGN EARTHQUAKE GROUND MOTION PARAMETERS OF GENERAL BRIDGES BASED ON NATIONAL SEISMIC ZONING MAP

In the general bridge constructions,the ground acceleration values for 5% probability of exceedance in 50a(5% P.E.in 50a)(return period of 975 years) and 2% probability of exceedance in 50a(2% P.E.in 50a)(return period of 2475 years) are required.In this article,we use the data sets used in the "National Seismic Zoning Map of China" to calculate respectively the spectral accelerations(T=0.0s,0.2s,0.3s,1.0s) for 2% P.E.in 50a,5% P.E.in 50a and 10% P.E.in 50a.We also do the statistical analyses on the ratios(R1) of ground accelerations for 2% P.E.in 50a to ground accelerations for 10% P.E.in 50a and the ratios(R2) of ground accelerations for 5% P.E.in 50a to ground accelerations for 10% P.E.in 50a,respectively.The means of R1 vary in the ranges of 1.78~2.11 for a hard-rock site and 1.70~1.97 for a firm soil site.The means of R2 vary in the ranges of 1.31~1.42 for a hard-rock site and 1.29~1.37 for a firm soil site.These results show that the means of ratio values for the firm soil site are smaller than the ones for the hard-rock site due to the nonlinear effect of firm soil.Finally,we test the distribution of ratios by using a K-S test,and find that the distribution of ratios approximately follows the Normal Distribution at the significant level of α=0.05.Therefore,the means of ratio values(R1,R2) can be used to convert the ground accelerations for 2% P.E.in 50a and 5% P.E.in 50a,respectively.

Field of study: Engineering
SU-E-T-02: 3D Dose Reconstruction of Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy From Delivered EPID Dose Image.

To evaluate dose reconstruction of volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) from EPID image prediction.



A test VMAT plan with dynamic MLCs was developed on a water equivalent cubic phantom with dimension of 31.4×34×34 cm3 . From the initial MLC opening of 5×5 cm2 at gantry 0°, they moved with a constant speed as the gantry rotates, until they reached X1 at -2.5 cm and X2 at = -2.237 cm at gantry 90°. The plan was delivered while cine EPID images were acquired. For the 84 gantry angle segments, doses to the phantom were calculated by XVMC and reconstructed from EPID based on fast density-scaled model and non-iterative dose reconstruction method we have previously developed. The reconstructed dose was compared with the forwardly calculated dose individually over 84 gantry angle segments and cumulatively in terms of gamma evaluation and dose volume histogram for PTV (3×3×3 cm3 ) positioned at the center of the phantom.



3D-gamma pass rate was 97.0 % cumulatively with 3 %/3 mm criteria and maximum 100% individually. The DVHs of PTV were indistinguishable except in the region of high dose (>95% of prescribed dose) where the difference of a few percent in volume was found.



Showing good agreement with the forwardly calculated dose, we have extended our model of dose reconstruction successfully to the verification of VMAT. Although more clinical demonstration is to be followed, our study presents a promising tool for time-resolved and cumulative VMAT validation.

Field of study: Medicine, Physics
42 residues of the amino terminus of alpha' chain fragment of C3b enhances cross-presentation of exogenous peptides antigens

To assess whether the 42 residues of the amino terminus of alpha′ chain fragment of C3b(C3b_ AN42 ) can enhance cross-presentation of exogenous peptides antigens.  Three peptides, OVA CTL epitope(257-264), C3b_ AN42 -OVA_ 257-264 and OVA_ 253-266 , were synthesized, and were purified by analytical and preparative HPLC and then characterized by mass spectrometry. After that, peptides were added into murine macrophage cell line ANA-1, TAP-deficient cell(RMA-S)in different circumstances. Monoclonal antibody specific for OVA_ 257-264 /K b, 25-D1.16 respectively was used for counting peptide-classⅠ complexes presented on the cell surface.  Peptide C3b_ AN42 -OVA_ 257-264 is easier to be presented than OVA_ 253-266 . C3b_ AN42 -mediated cross presentation was not affected by TAP molecule, but was influenced by temperature and NH_4Cl. The stability of peptide-MHC complex was increased by C3b_ AN42 -mediated cross presentation.  C3b_ AN42 can enhance cross-presentation of exogenous peptides antigens and C3b_ AN42 -mediated delivery of CTL peptides into APCs may prolong antigen presentation. These findings have implications for the design of peptide and protein-based vaccines.

Field of study: Biology
Pheromone Synthesis, CLI. Synthesis of Chlorinated Steroids Related to the Structures Proposed for Blattellastanosides A and B, the Aggregation Pheromone of the German Cockroach, Blattella germanica L.

Remote functionalization of 5α-stigmastan-3β-ol (5) to yield eventually 5α-stigmast-9(11)-en-3α-ol (8) was employed for the syntheses of 9α-chloro-5α-stigmastane-3β,11β-diol (13) and 12α-chloro-9α,11α-epoxy-5α-stigmastan-3β-yl β-D-glucopyranoside (3). The former (13) was the aglycone part of the structure 2 originally proposed for blattellastanoside B, and the latter (3) was exactly the structure proposed for blattellastanoside A, the components of the aggregation pheromone of the German cockroach, Blattella germanica L. The present work disproved the structures 1–4 proposed for blattellastanosides A and B.

Field of study: Chemistry