nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Developing the Mathematical Skills among Sample of Down syndrome by Education Technology

The purpose of the current study is to know the influence of a program based on education technology in developing mathematical operations (subtraction and addition operations ) for a sample of (50) male and female students of Down Syndrome in the National Association for Mentally Disabled.  The method used in this study is the quasi-experimental approach and a computerized program had been promoted to develop e the mathematical skills. The results indicated that the effect of this program on the members of the sample were for the benefit of the experimental group. Furthermore, there were statistical significance differences (?=0.05) attributed to gender in favor of females. On the other hand, the results of the study showed the absence of statistical significance differences (?=0.05) attributed to the effect of the interaction between the program and gender in the skills of addition and subtraction besides the impact of gender.  Education technology program, mathematical skills (add, subtract), Down syndrome.

Field of study: Education
Cyanoacetylene in IC 342: An Evolving Dense Gas Component with Starburst Age

We present the first images of the J = 5-4 and J = 16-15 lines of the dense gas tracer, cyanoacetylene, HC3N, in an external galaxy. The central 200 pc of the nearby star-forming spiral galaxy, IC 342, was mapped using the Very Large Array and the Plateau de Bure Interferometer. HC3N(5-4) line emission is found across the nuclear mini-spiral, but is very weak toward the starburst site, the location of the strongest mid-IR and radio emission. The J = 16-15 and 10-9 lines are also faint near the large H II region complex, but are brighter relative to the 5-4 line, consistent with higher excitation. The brightest HC3N emission is located in the northern arm of the nuclear mini-spiral, 100 pc away from the radio/IR source to the southwest of the nucleus. This location appears less affected by ultraviolet radiation and may represent a more embedded, earlier stage of star formation. HC3N excitation temperatures are consistent with those determined from C18O; the gas is dense 104 – 105 cm–3 and cool, Tk < 40 K. So as to not violate limits on the total H2 mass determined from C18O, at least two dense components are required to model IC 342's giant molecular clouds. These observations suggest that HC3N(5-4) is an excellent probe of the dense, quiescent gas in galaxies. The high excitation combined with faint emission toward the dense molecular gas at the starburst indicates that it currently lacks large masses of very dense gas. We propose a scenario where the starburst is being caught in the act of dispersing or destroying its dense gas in the presence of the large H II region. This explains the high star formation efficiency seen in the dense component. The little remaining dense gas appears to be in pressure equilibrium with the starburst H II region.

Field of study: Physics
Expression of IL-17 in human memory CD45RO+ T lymphocytes and its regulation by protein kinase A pathway.

In the present study, the authors compared the interleukin 17 (IL-17 expression of human naive and phenotypically defined memory T cells as well as its regulation by cAMP pathway. Our data showed that IL-17 mRNA was highly expressed in memory human peripheral CD8(+)45RO+T cells and CD4(+)45RO+T cells when peripheral blood mononuclear cells were first stimulated with ionomycin/PMA. IL-17 expression in memory CD8(+)T cells required accessory signals since culture of ionomycin/PMA-activated CD8(+)45RO+T cells alone did not result to IL-17 expression. In contrast, memory CD4(+)T cell population seems to be more independent. IL-17 and interferon gamma(IFN-gamma) mRNA were both inhibited in the presence of PGE2 or the cAMP analogue (dibutyryl-cAMP), while the anti-inflammatory cytokine IL-10 was highly increased. In contrast, naive CD45RA+T cells were unable to express IL-17 whatever the culture conditions. Naive CD4(+)and CD8(+)T cells were sensitive to the PKA regulatory pathway since they represent a significant source of IL-10 when PBMC were first cultured with ionomycin/PMA in the presence of either PGE2 or db-cAMP. The authors showed that naive cells are highly dependent to their microenvironment, since culture of ionomycin/PMA-activated CD45RA+T cells alone did not result in detectable levels of cytokines even in the presence of PGE2. Results also showed that PGE2 induced quite the same levels of intracellular cAMP in naive and memory cells suggesting that these cell populations are equally sensitive to PGE2. However, we suggest that PGE2 may be more efficient in blocking both IL-17 and IFN-gamma expression in already primed memory T cells, rather than in suppressing naive T cells that could represent a significant source of IL-10. Data suggest that PKA activation pathway plays a critical role in the regulation of cytokine profiles and consequently the functional properties of both human naive and memory CD4(+) and CD8(+)T cells during the immune and inflammatory processes.

Field of study: Medicine
Cropland expansion outpaces agricultural and biofuel policies in the United States

Cultivation of corn and soybeans in the United States reached record high levels following the biofuels boom of the late 2000s. Debate exists about whether the expansion of these crops caused conversion of grasslands and other carbon-rich ecosystems to cropland or instead replaced other crops on existing agricultural land. We tracked crop-specific expansion pathways across the conterminous US and identified the types, amount, and locations of all land converted to and from cropland, 2008–2012. We found that crop expansion resulted in substantial transformation of the landscape, including conversion of long-term unimproved grasslands and land that had not been previously used for agriculture (cropland or pasture) dating back to at least the early 1970s. Corn was the most common crop planted directly on new land, as well as the largest indirect contributor to change through its displacement of other crops. Cropland expansion occurred most rapidly on land that is less suitable for cultivation, raising concerns about adverse environmental and economic costs of conversion. Our results reveal opportunities to increase the efficacy of current federal policy conservation measures by modifying coverage of the 2014 US Farm Bill Sodsaver provision and improving enforcement of the US Renewable Fuels Standard.

Field of study: Environmental science
Mechanical Properties of Cost-Effective Polypropylene Composites Filled with Red-Mud Particles

In recent years, the use of filler materials, such as red mud, in composites has increased. In this study, the use of industrial waste red mud as a filler material in an isotactic polypropylene (iPP) polymer–matrix composite (PMC) was investigated. A variety of mechanical tests were performed on the unreinforced polymer and on composites with 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 wt.% red mud. Tensile strength, three-point flexural strength and hardness tests have been carried out, and the relationships between the red-mud content and properties were examined. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was applied to the fractured surfaces after three-point flexural tests. The results showed that, while the values of tensile and flexural strength were decreased, the hardness was increased with increasing red-mud content.

Field of study: Materials science
Transformation kinetics of 6-methoxybenzoxazolin-2-one in soil

Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and other cereals produce allelochemicals as natural defense compounds against weeds, fungi, insects and soil-borne diseases. The main benzoxazinoid allelochemical of wheat is 2,4-dihydroxy-7-methoxy-1,4-benzoxazin-3-one (DIMBOA), bound as β-glucoside and released upon plant injury. When leached from wheat to soil, DIMBOA is microbially transformed to 6-methoxy-benzoxazolin-2-one (MBOA). Exploiting benzoxazinoids and their degradation products as substitutes for synthetic pesticides depends on knowledge of transformation pathways and kinetics. In an MBOA degradation experiment at a concentration of 2400 nmol g–1 soil, the previously identified transformation products 2-amino-7-methoxy-phenoxazin-3-one (AMPO) and 2-acetylamino-7-methoxy-phenoxazin-3-one (AAMPO) were quantified. Three different kinetic models were applied to MBOA transformation kinetics; single first-order (SFO), first-order multi-compartment, and double first-order in parallel. SFO proved to be adequate and was subsequently applied to the transformations of MBOA, AMPO and AAMPO. Degradation endpoints, expressed as degradation time (DT), were calculated for MBOA, AMPO and AAMPO to test whether the maximum values for synthetic pesticides set by the European Commission and the Danish Environmental Protection Agency were exceeded. DT50 values for MBOA and AMPO were 5.4 d and 321.5 d, respectively, and DT90 values were 18.1 d and 1068 d, respectively. The DT50 value for AMPO exceeded the maximum value. The persistence, concentrations and toxicity of metabolites such as AMPO should be considered when breeding cereal crops with increased levels of benzoxazinoids.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Genetic deficiency of C4, C2 or C1q and lupus syndromes. Association with anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies.

Sera from 15 patients with genetically determined complement component deficiencies were studied for the presence of antibodies to various nuclear antigens. One of three patients with C2 deficiency presented with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); all eight patients with C4 deficiency had either SLE or a lupus-like syndrome, and two of four patients with functional C1q deficiency had SLE. Five of nine complement deficiency patients with SLE studied had measurable antinuclear antibody titres, but only two had antibodies against native DNA. Precipitating antibodies against extractable nuclear antigens were found in sera from seven of the 11 complement deficient patients with SLE; one had only antibodies against antigens extracted from calf thymus (ECT), six patients (one with C2 deficiency, four with C4 deficiency and one with C1q deficiency) had anti-Ro (SS-A) antibodies with or without anti-ECT antibodies. The frequency of anti-Ro antibodies in the complement deficient population with SLE (55%) was significantly higher (P less than 0.02) than that of a control population of SLE patients without genetically determined complement deficiencies (27%).

Field of study: Biology, Medicine
A Policy-Based Autonomic Model Suitable for Quality of Service Management

The increased complexity resulting from computer networks technologies, devices and application diversity combined with the continuously growing service demands from users, requires a computer network that offers adequate treatment and support to multiservice (voice, video, web applications) and quality of service (QoS) requirements. This management scenario adds complexity to human administration even with the adoption of Policy- Based Management (PBM) systems. In effect, the effectiveness and efficiency of the management model is, typically, directly related with the knowledge and skills of the administrator in order to define a policy database that meets all possible states. In this paper is presented a model with autonomic capabilities that is able to manage quality of service in computer networks pushing towards an autonomic Full Policy-Based Management (FPBM) approach. The proposed model introduces a knowledge layer in a traditional Policy Based Management model so that policies are created in an autonomic way, replacing as such the human interaction in the process of defining the policy database.

Field of study: Computer science
The Use of Statistical Significance Tests in Research: Bootstrap and Other Alternatives

AbstractThree of the various criticisms of conventional uses of statistical significance testing are elaborated. Three alternatives for augmenting statistical significance tests in interpreting results are then elaborated. These include emphasizing effect sizes, evaluating statistical significance tests in a sample size context, and evaluating result replicability. Ways of estimating result replicability from data in hand include crossvalidation, jackknife, and bootstrap logics. The bootstrap is explored in some detail.

Field of study: Education
Revealing the Host Galaxy of a Quasar 2175 Å Dust Absorber at z = 2.12

We report the first detection of the host galaxy of a strong 2175 \AA$ $ dust absorber at z = 2.12 towards the background quasar SDSS J121143.42+083349.7 using HST/WFC3 IR F140W direct imaging and G141 grism spectroscopy. The spectroscopically confirmed host galaxy is located at a small impact parameter of ~ 5.5 kpc (~ 0.65$''$). The F140W image reveals a disk-like morphology with an effective radius of 2.24 $\pm$ 0.08 kpc. The extracted 1D spectrum is dominated by a continuum with weak emission lines ([O\III] and [O\II]). The [O\III]-based unobscured star formation rate (SFR) is 9.4 $\pm$ 2.6 M$_{\odot}$yr$^{-1}$ assuming an [O\III]/H$\alpha$ ratio of 1. The moderate 4000 \AA$ $ break (Dn(4000) index $\sim$ 1.3) and Balmer absorption lines indicate that the host galaxy contains an evolved stellar population with an estimated stellar mass M$_*$ of (3 - 7) $\times$ 10$^{10}$ M$_{\odot}$. The SFR and M$_*$ of the host galaxy are comparable to, though slightly lower than, those of typical emission-selected galaxies at $z$ $\sim$ 2. As inferred from our absorption analysis in Ma et al. (2015, 2017, 2018), the host galaxy is confirmed to be a chemically-enriched, evolved, massive, and star-forming disk-like galaxy that is likely in the transition from a blue star-forming galaxy to a red quiescent galaxy.

Field of study: Physics
On negation, truth and warranted assertibility

All parties to the proceedings that follow concur with DS. The question is whether there is anything more to truth than can be gleaned from DS alone. Deflationism holds that there is nothing more to truth than this. Now it would appear that 'warrantedly assertible' can play the role of T in DS. Hence it would appear that the deflationist would be able to identify truth with warranted assertibility. Crispin Wright is unhappy at this prospect; he will not let one have one's truth predicate and merely disquote with it. In his Truth and Objectivity ( 1992) he gives an argument for an important conclusion:

Field of study: Philosophy
Adapting to the sea: Human habitation in the coastal area of the northern Netherlands before medieval dike building

Before medieval dike building, the coastal area of the northern Netherlands was a wide, regularly inundated salt-marsh area. Despite the dynamic natural conditions, the area was inhabited already in the Iron Age. The inhabitants adapted to this marine environment by living on artificial dwelling mounds, so-called terps. Terp habitation was a highly successful way of life for over 1500 years, and may be re-introduced as a useful strategy for present and future communities in low-lying coastal regions that are facing accelerated sea-level rise. This already has been recommended in several reports, but detailed knowledge of the technology of terp habitation is usually lacking. The aim of this paper is to present nearly two decades of archaeological research in the coastal region of the northern Netherlands, in order to inform the current debate on the possibilities of adapting to the effects of climate change in low-lying coastal areas. It presents the multi-disciplinary methods of this research and its results, supplying details of terp construction and other strategies such as the construction of low summer dikes that are still useful today. The results and discussion of the presented research also make it possible to describe the conditions that must be met to make terp habitation possible. Terp habitation could have continued, were it not for the considerable subsidence of inland areas due to peat reclamation. That made the entire coastal area increasingly vulnerable to the sea. In response to this threat, dike building began in the 11th or 12th century, but these increasingly higher dikes decreased the water storage capacity and caused impoundment of seawater during storm surges. Moreover, accretion through sedimentation was halted from then on. Unlike terp habitation, the construction of high dikes therefore cannot be considered a sustainable solution for living in low-lying coastal areas in the long term.

Field of study: Environmental science
Unmodified Primary Amine Organocatalysts for Asymmetric Michael Reactions in Aqueous Media

The organocatalytic asymmetric Michael addition of aldehydes to a nitro olefin in aqueous organic solvents catalysed by a broad range of simple primary amines and amino alcohols is reported. In particular, the use of (S,S)-diphenylethylenediamine, which is the chiral backbone of various organocatalysts, gave addition products in good yields and with good to high enantioselectivities (45–96 % ee). Remarkably high enantioselectivities were observed for the demanding conjugate addition of α,α-disubstituted aldehydes to nitrostyrene (96–98 % ee) in aqueous organic solvent mixtures.

Field of study: Chemistry
Fourier transforms on $SL_2(\mathbb{Z}/p^n\mathbb{Z}) and related numerical experiments

We detail an explicit construction of ordinary irreducible representations for the family of finite groups $SL_2({\mathbb Z} /p^n {\mathbb Z})$ for odd primes $p$ and $n\geq 2$. For $n=2$, the construction is a complete set of irreducible complex representations, while for $n>2$, all but a handful are obtained. We also produce an algorithm for the computation of a Fourier transform for a function on $SL_2({\mathbb Z} /p^2 {\mathbb Z})$. With this in hand we explore the spectrum of a collection of Cayley graphs on these groups, extending analogous computations for Cayley graphs on $SL_2({\mathbb Z}/p {\mathbb Z})$ and suggesting conjectures for the expansion properties of such graphs.

Field of study: Mathematics
ANALYSIS ON PENETRATION DEPTH OF PROJECTILES INTO ROCK TARGETS BASED ON THE IMPROVED TWIN SHEAR STRENGTH THEORY

In order further to investigate the penetration mechanism of projectiles into a rock target, the property of nonlinear dependence of the octahedral shear stress on an average principal stress state was considered, and the traditional Twin Shear United Strength criterion was improved by adding the nonlinear item of the average principal stress state. The dynamic Spherical Cavity Expansion compressive elasto-plastic penetration model of the rock target is established by the basis of Twin Shear United Strength Theory and Improved Twin Shear Strength Theory respectively, and the resistance calculation expression of the projectile during normal penetration is proposed with the consideration of both vertical and shear friction of projectiles, the normal penetration depth of the projectile into the rock target is obtained. By comparison of the calculated results of theoretical model and classical empirical penetration formula with the data of field penetration tests on granite targets, it indicates that the calculated results based on the Improved Twin Shear Strength Theory are most close to the test data, the main reason of which lies in the consideration of the octahedral shear stress in the strength criterion of the target material.

Field of study: Engineering
Spin Blockades to Relaxation of Hot Multiexcitons in Nanocrystals.

The conjecture that, as in bulk semiconductors, hot multiexcitons in nanocrystals cool rapidly to the lowest available energy levels is tested here by recording the effects of a single cold "spectator" exciton on the relaxation dynamics of a subsequently deposited hot counterpart. Results in CdSe/CdS nanodots show that a preexisting cold "spectator exciton" allows only half of the photoexcited electrons to relax directly to the band-edge. The rest are blocked in an excited quantum state due to conflicts in spin orientation. The latter fully relax in this sample only after ∼25 ps as the blocked electrons spins flip, prolonging the temporal window of opportunity for harvesting the retained energy more than 100 fold! Common to all quantum-confined nanocrystals, this process will delay cooling and impact the spectroscopic signatures of hot multiexcitons in all envisioned generation scenarios. How the spin-flipping rate scales with particle size and temperature remains to be determined.

Field of study: Physics
Anomalous variations of unit cell parameters with composition in proton conducting, ACeO3-type perovskite solid solutions

Doped cerate perovskite oxides are potential candidates for application as proton conducting electrolytes in solid protonic fuel cells. Previous reports suggested nonsystematic variations of structural parameters in several doped cerate systems and that solid solution formation on substitution or removal of cations does not obey Vegard's law. In this paper, we show that the anomalies are, in fact, a wide-ranging phenomenon in this class of materials. Several different systems have been investigated with different compositions prepared under comparable conditions in air. In all cases, deviations of oxygen stoichiometry from that determined by cation stoichiometry were very small, 1− x M x O 3− x /2 and A 1− z Ce 0.9 Y 0.1 O 2.95− z , anomalies occur at oxygen stoichiometry 2.94, corresponding to an overall oxygen vacancy concentration of ca. 2%. In systems with constant oxygen vacancy concentrations, such as Ba 1− x La x Ce 0.9− x M 0.1+ x O 2.95 and Ba 1− x La x Ce 0.85− x M 0.15+ x O 2.925 , structural parameters show anomalous variations at lanthanum contents around x =0.05. Possible factors that might lead to the occurrence of anomaly regions are discussed: oxygen vacancy ordering at vacancy concentrations above 1 in 48, cross-substitution of dopant ions at high doping levels or A-cation deficiency and the formation of defect clusters. Possibly, the most important factor may relate to the high degree of octahedral distortion associated with the unusual axial metric in most of the investigated compositions.

Field of study: Materials science
Hydroperoxidase activity of soybean lipoxygenase in reverse micelles

The rate of aminopyrine oxidation in the presence of H 2 O 2 by the hydroperoxidase activity of soybean lipoxygenase was studied as a function of micelle size ( ω 0 ) and water content ( θ ) in sodium dioctyl sulfosuccinate (AOT) reverse micelles in isooctane. When the micelle size was changed at a fixed water content a saturation activity profile was obtained, but when both micelle size and water content were changed at the same time, a bell-shaped profile was observed. These results indicate that only one micellar parameter ( ω 0 or θ ) has to be changed at a time in order to avoid artefactual enzymatic behaviour.

Field of study: Biology, Engineering
Remediation Technology of Saline Soil Polluted by Crude Oil

Situation, remediation characteristics and technologies of saline soil polluted by crude oil were reviewed. The advance of bioremediation for saline soil crude oil pollution was selectively analyzed. Remediation strategy and method for saline soil crude oil pollution were discussed in salt-tolerant bacterial strains and plant species screening, salt-tolerant plant species utilization and plant-microorganism combined remediation technology. Since less attention was focused on the remediation of saline soil crude oil pollution, it is of great significance to take the advanced researches for remediation technology and mechanism of saline soil crude oil pollution.

Field of study: Environmental science