nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Induced Abortion and the Increased Risk of Maternal Mortality

After years of failure to obtain accurate statistics on maternal mortality, the United States noted a sharp increase in its maternal mortality rate with widening racial and ethnic disparities. The 2016 report shocked the nation by documenting a 26 percent increase in maternal mortality from 18.8/100,000 live births in 2000 to 23.8 in 2014. Suggested etiologies of this increase included artifact as a result of improved maternal death surveillance, incorrect use of ICD-10 codes, healthcare disparities, lack of family support and other social barriers, substance abuse and violence, depression and suicide, inadequate preconception care, patient noncompliance, lack of standardized protocols for handling obstetric emergencies, failure to meet expected standards of care, aging of the pregnant patient cohort with associated increase in chronic diseases and cardiovascular complications, and lack of a comprehensive national plan. While some of the increase in maternal mortality may be a result of improved data collection, pregnancy-related deaths are occurring at a higher rate in the United States than in other developed countries. Some have suggested that the increased maternal mortality is due to limiting women’s access to legal abortion. In order to discover effective strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes, maternal mortality must be investigated in an unbiased manner. This review explores the relationship between legal-induced abortion and maternal mortality.  In Finland, where epidemiologic record linkage has been validated, the risk of death from legal induced abortion is reported to be almost four times greater than the risk of death from childbirth. It is difficult to do this comparison in the United States not only because prior induced abortion history is often not recorded for a pregnancy-related death but also because less than one-quarter of the states require health care providers to report abortion deaths for investigation. These omissions are important because mortality risk in pregnancies subsequent to abortion is increased due to abortion-induced morbidities such as preterm birth and abnormal placentation. Legal induced abortion is a root cause of the racial and ethnic disparity noted in maternal mortality. In the United States, the death rate from legal induced abortion performed at 18 weeks gestation is more than double that observed for women experiencing vaginal delivery.

Field of study: Medicine, Philosophy
Anaerobic biotransformation of roxarsone regulated by sulfate: Degradation, arsenic accumulation and volatilization.

Roxarsone, an extensively used organoarsenical feed additive, is often pooled in livestock wastewater. Sulfate exists ubiquitously in livestock wastewater and is capable for arsenic remediation. However, little is known about impacts of sulfate on roxarsone biotransformation during anaerobic digestion of livestock wastewater. In this study, the biodegradation of 5.0 mg L-1 roxarsone, and the accumulation and volatilization of the generated arsenical metabolites in a sulfate-spiked upflow anaerobic granular blanket reactor were investigated. Based on the analysis of degradation products, the nitro and arsenate groups of roxarsone were successively reduced to amino and arsenite groups before the C-As bond cleavage. Effluent arsenic concentration was ∼0.75 mg L-1, of which 82.9-98.5% were organoarsenicals. The maximum arsenic volatilization rate reached 32.6 μg-As kg-1-VS d-1. Adding 5.0 mg L-1 sulfate enabled 66.7% and 45.9% decrease in inorganic arsenic concentration and arsenic volatilization rate, respectively. Arsenic content in the anaerobic granular sludge (AGS) was accumulated to 1250 mg kg-1 within 420 days. Based on the results of FESEM-EDS and XPS, sulfate addition induced arsenic precipitation in the AGS through the formation of orpiment. Arsenic in the effluent, biogas and AGS accounted for 52.9%, 0.01% and 47.1% of the influent arsenic when the reactor operated stably. The findings from this study suggest that sulfate has effectively regulatory effects on arsenic immobilization and volatilization during anaerobic digestion of organoarsenic-contaminated livestock wastewater.

Field of study: Environmental science
Exciton-Polaritons Dynamics of a Monolayer Tungsten Disulphide (WS2) Coupled to a Semiconductor Microcavity

We present a theoretical model that allows us to describe the dynamics of exciton polaritons in the strong-coupling regime in a monolayer WS2 based semiconductor microcavity. Numerical simulations using Boltzmann equations give an overall description of polariton kinetics over a temperature range of 130-230K, under nonresonant excitation. Here, only the scattering rate via optical phonons (LO) from the upper (UP) towards lower (LP) polariton branches is considered. According this model we show the importance of the radiative lifetime of the polaritonic states relative to polariton relaxation rate. Our results show as the cavity detuning changes from negative (130 K) to positive (230 K) values, the UP branch can be tuned from a more excitonlike to a more photonlike state at small wave vector k. We deduce that the UP states have a faster lifetime and the polariton relaxation time into the LP energy states becomes very efficient. Thus, the UP occupation starts to decrease, and we observe a simultaneous increase in the occupation of the LP branch. Furthermore, the polariton states are less occupied for small excitation pump rate, the calculated behavior is linear. In the high pumping regime, we observe the nonlinear behavior of cavity polaritons and occupation factors much larger than unity are reached.

Field of study: Physics
23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin B promotes lipid clearance by dual transcriptional regulation of LDLR and PCSK9

23,24-Dihydrocucurbitacin B (designated as C95 in this article) is a cucurbitane triterpenoid that has been shown to possess a variety of pharmacological activities, such as anti-inflammatory and anti-HIV-1 activities etc. In this study, we investigated the effects of 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B on lipid regulation. We showed that 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B (1–5 μM) dose-dependently promoted DiI-LDL uptake in HepG2 cells by upregulating low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) protein. In HepG2 cells, 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B (1–10 μM) dose-dependently enhanced LDLR promoter activity by elevating the mature form of SREBP2 (sterol regulatory element binding protein 2) protein levels on one hand, and inhibited PCSK9 (proprotein convertase subtilisin/kexin type 9) promoter activity by attenuating HNF1α (hepatocyte nuclear factor-1α) protein levels in nuclei on the other hand. Consequently, the expression of LDLR protein markedly increased, whereas the PCSK9-mediated LDLR protein degradation decreased. In a high-cholesterol LVG golden Syrian Hamster model, administration of 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B (30 mg · kg −1 ⋅ d −1 , intragastric, for 3 weeks) significantly decreased the serum LDL-cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. PCSK9 protein levels in the serum and liver tissues were significantly decreased, whereas LDLR protein levels in liver tissues were significantly increased in the treated animals as compared with the control animals. In conclusion, our study demonstrates for the first time that 23,24-dihydrocucurbitacin B exhibits dual transcriptional regulation of LDLR and PCSK9 in HepG2 cells by increasing SREBP2 protein levels and decreasing HNF1α protein levels in the nuclei. These results propose a new strategy to simultaneously manage LDLR and PCSK9 protein expression and provide a promising lead compound for drug development.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
AQP5 Is Expressed In Type-B Intercalated Cells in the Collecting Duct System of the Rat, Mouse and Human Kidney

We screened human kidney-derived multipotent CD133+/CD24+ ARPCs for the possible expression of all 13 aquaporin isoforms cloned in humans. Interestingly, we found that ARPCs expressed both AQP5 mRNA and mature protein. This novel finding prompted us to investigate the presence of AQP5 in situ in kidney. We report here the novel finding that AQP5 is expressed in human, rat and mouse kidney at the apical membrane of type-B intercalated cells. AQP5 is expressed in the renal cortex and completely absent from the medulla. Immunocytochemical analysis using segment- and cell type-specific markers unambiguously indicated that AQP5 is expressed throughout the collecting system at the apical membrane of type-B intercalated cells, where it co-localizes with pendrin. No basolateral AQPs were detected in type-B intercalated cells, suggesting that AQP5 is unlikely to be involved in the net trans-epithelial water reabsorption occurring in the distal tubule. An intriguing hypothesis is that AQP5 may serve an osmosensor for the composition of the fluid coming from the thick ascending limb. Future studies will unravel the physiological role of AQP5 in the kidney.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry
ROLE OF STANDARD SETTING IN INTEGRATED ASSESSMENT

A standard, also known as the minimum pass level, separates the competent students from those who are not. The process of determining this special score is called standard setting.1 The decision to pass or fail an examinee is an important issue in medical education, especially for licensure and credentialing purposes.2 The standard should not be set in an arbitrary way but it should be established through a specific methodology that considers the test’s objectives and content areas, the examinees’ performance, and the wider social or educational  It is the methodology used to define levels of achievement or proficiency and the cut-scores /PASS MARK corresponding to those levels.4 Unless the cut-scores are appropriately set, the results of the assessment could come into question. If standard setting is done proper the competent students will pass and incompetent will fail or do not qualify but the problem arises when standard setting is not done and actual cut-off or pass score is not determined in this case competent students may fail and incompetent may pass. There are two types of standard setting, it may be Norm- referenced (relative) or Criterion-referenced (Table explain the difference in both).5 When we decide the passing/cut-off score it means we set the standard of a particular exam and the scientific method of determining the actual cut-off score of an exam is the standard setting.6,7 Typically, previous standard setting methods that were used to set the pass/fail point have been Absolute & fixed where a particular score or a % that has been determined prior to administering the test is set as the pass mark: e.g. 50% or Relative & not fixed: students are compared with each other & those who fail are “X” SDs below the mean performance of all  But the problem with these method is that Absolute & fixed ignores error variance due to unwanted variation in the quality of teaching & the test and the Relative & not fixed method ignores error variance due to sampling (the reference group). Due to this sometime competent students may fail or incompetent may pass.

Field of study: Medicine
A Method of Virtual Assembly Concentric Ball Scanning Path Planning Method Based on Depth Learning

In virtual assembly, it is important to select and determine the best path of assembly. This paper proposes a concentric sphere scanning path planning method based on depth learning, which takes the datum part as the functional center and the radius difference between the two concentric spheres as search step length. Assembly constraints and five-first guideline are constructed mainly with the special sequence and functional sequence. Topological relation tree and relations are used. All the assembling elements are vectorized and digitalized. The spindle assembly is taken as an example for verification. Results show that the method proposed in the current study is of effectiveness.

Field of study: Engineering
Über die Vinylenhomologen der Di- und Triphenylmethanfarbstoffe, III†

Die Synthese von Vinylenhomologen des Michlerschen Hydrolblaus, des Malachitgruns und des Kristallvioletts wird beschrieben und die farbtheoretische Bedeutung dieser Farbsalze kurz erortert.

Field of study: Chemistry
Effect of post synthesis hydrothermal treatment on thioglycolic acid-capped CdSe quantum dots

CdSe quantum dots (QDs) were prepared by using a simple green route with CdSO4 and Na2SeSO3 in aqueous solution. Post synthesis hydrothermalmodification of CdSe QDs was performed to enhance the optical properties. The as prepared and the hydrothermally treated thioglycolic acidcapped CdSe quantumdots were characterized byUltravioletÂÂvisible (UVÂÂ vis) spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. Results demonstrated that CdSe QDs synthesized in aqueous solution showed a zincblende structure and a homogeneous size distribution with a mean particle size of about ranging from2.1 to 2.7 nm. The hydrothermal treatment slightly increases the QDs sizes and enhance the quantum yield (QY).

Field of study: Materials science
Basaltic rocks in the Umpqua formation

In 1930, during a study of the geology of an area in west-central Oregon within which occur the quicksilver deposits of Blackbutte, Elk-head, Bonanza, and Nonpareil, a series of extrusive and intrusive basaltic igneous rocks were encountered. Part of this area lies within the Roseburg quadrangle, mapped by Diller in 1898. Diller called all these rocks “diabase.” 1 It is the purpose of this paper to show that the basaltic rocks include amygdaloidal and ellipsoidal basalt flows, olivine basalt dikes, norite sills and necks, and hypersthene-augite basalt dikes and that they represent more than one period of igneous activity.  Geological Survey,2 it can be briefly summarized as follows: The southwestern part of the area  is underlain by the Umpqua formation, a series of interbedded sandstones . . .

Field of study: Geology
EFFECTS OF ORGANIC ACIDS ON SALT PRECIPITATION IN DRIP EMITTERS AND SOIL

Three organic acid compounds were evaluated for preventing precipitation of salts and/or removing salts in 
drip irrigation systems and soils. Three experiments were conducted to measure drip emitter clogging, ponded infiltration 
and soil salinity change. All acid compounds included maleic acid, a form of dicarboxylic acid. The first organic acid was 
composed of polymaleic acid, maleic acid, surfactant blend, and inert ingredients. The second was an anionic polymer 
with maleic acid as the organic acid. The third included a soap and was a 1:1 stoichiometric equivalent of an organic 
carboxylic acid and an amine base. The first and third organic acid significantly reduced drip emitter clogging compared 
to a water-only treatment. The third organic acid was significantly better than the first for reducing clogging. The third 
organic acid and water-only treatments significantly reduced soil sodicity below the drip irrigation laterals during the 
study. Ponded infiltration tests with organic acid in water were also conducted. All three organic acid treatments produced 
significantly lower infiltration rates than the water-only treatment. This may have occurred because salt precipitates in 
the soil were removed and pores were clogged.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Quantum effects in the hot electron microbolometer

The theory of the hot electron microbolometer proposed by Nahum et al. assumed that the photon energy is thermalized in the electrons in the Cu absorber before relaxing to the lattice. Since the photons initially excite individual electrons to /spl planck//spl omega//spl Gt/k/sub B/T, however, direct relaxation of these hot electrons to phonons must also be considered, Theoretical estimates suggest that this extra relaxation channel increases the effective thermal conductance for /spl planck//spl omega//spl Gt/k/sub B/T and influences bolometer noise. Calculations of these effects are presented which predict very useful performance both for ground-based and space-based astronomical photometry at millimeter and submillimeter wavelengths.<<ETX>>

Field of study: Physics
Stochastic approach to the Cauchy problem of linearized Couette flow

In the present paper it is shown that, assuming the stochastic process of particle diffusion in plane Couette flow and furthermore making use of the modified Chapman-Kolmogorov equation, the source function is readily evaluated by solving the Cauchy system of a nonlinear integrodifferential equation, whose form is similar to the Kolmogorov-Feller equation. The initial value is expressed in terms of the scattering function, whose numerical value can be computed by solving a Riccati-type nonlinear integrodifferential equation. Once the source function has been determined, we can compute successively the one-dimensional perturbation velocity distribution function, mass density, flow velocity, temperature, and other quantities. It is thus shown how such significant physical quantities in the linearized plane Couette flow can be readily evaluated by computing the lower-order moments of the distribution functions.

Field of study: Mathematics
Historical and new insights into pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes

In recent years, there have been exciting new insights into pathogenesis of type 1 diabetes in a number of areas of immunology. In this edition, a collection of four review articles are presented, which encompass new findings presented at the Immunology of Diabetes Society meeting in London 2018. The articles are focused particularly in 4 related areas of investigation, which include autoantibodies in type 1 diabetes, new autoantigenic targets for CD4 T cells, trafficking of immune cells to the pancreas and islet‐immune interactions in the pancreas.

Field of study: Biology, Medicine
Scholarly Significance of the Carnegie Commission Sponsored Research Reports: A Citation Analysis

The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, with financial support from the Carnegie Corporation, established the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education in 1967 to make a systematic appraisal of higher education and to suggest recommendations for its development during the last third of this century. The publications that flowed from the Carnegie Commission during its existence were of three types: commission reports (n = 21), sponsored research reports (n = 64), and technical reports (n = 20). Evaluations of the Carnegie Commission publications ranged from assessments made by individuals [2, 3, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, 16, 21] to a comparison of the successes and failures of nine national commission reports on education [7]. Not surprisingly, the individual assessments praised the work of the Carnegie Commission , or criticized it , or combined praise with criticism [10]. Longanecker and Klein [7], however, asked expert respondents to rate each of the following nine national commission reports: (1) First Report of the Assembly on University Goals and Governance, (2) Final Report of the Carnegie Commission on Higher Education, (3) Report on the Management and Financing of Colleges of the Committee for Economic Development, (4) Final Report of the National Board on Graduate Education, (5) Report of the National Commission on Financing of Post-Secondary Education, (6) President's Commission on Campus Unrest, (7) Report on Higher Education Task Force, (8) The Second Newman Report: National Policy and Higher Education,

Field of study: Education
Spider biodiversity potential of an ungrazed and a grazed inland salt meadow in the National Park 'Neusiedler See-Seewinkel' (Austria): implications for management (Arachnida: Araneae)

To assess the biodiversity potential of an ungrazed and a grazed inland salt meadow in the Seewinkel (Eastern Austria), spider assemblages were recorded by pitfall trapping for 1 year. Both species assemblages consisted, to a large extent, of rare species of conservation interest. The species assemblage of the grazed site was dominated by Pardosa agrestis, but highly specific halotopobiontic species also occurred in higher numbers. Halotolerant species were also present in the ungrazed meadow, but their individual number was much lower. The species composition of this site reflects the more balanced microclimatical situation of the high sward. Comparison of the two assemblages with 207 other meadow spider assemblages of Central Europe shows a separated position, especially of the grazed site assemblage. High similarities with assemblages of meadows with a similar vegetation structure indicate a high importance of management. Considering the high proportion of rare species on both sites, the best management of the salt meadow and pan shores of the Seewinkel should combine areas of light grazing with ungrazed areas. However, the proportion of these parts and the intensity of grazing still remains to be determined by quantitative experiments.

Field of study: Environmental science
A new way in few-body scattering calculations: discretized Faddeev equations solved on GPU

A new approach towards very fast and economic few-body scattering calculations is described. The general method is realized on three steps: (i) reformulation of the scattering equations using the convenient analytical form for the channel resolvent operator; (ii) the complete few-body continuum discretization and projection of all operators and wave functions onto the $L_2$ type basis constructed from the stationary wave packets and (iii) ultra-fast solution of the resulted matrix equations using graphics processor. The whole approach is illustrated by the calculations of the neutron-deuteron elastic scattering below and above three-body breakup threshold with fully realistic $NN$ potential which are performed on a serial PC using graphics processor for extremely short running time.

Field of study: Physics