nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Effect of niridazole in cellular immunity in vivo and in vitro.

The influence of niridazole, an anti-helminthic drug, on cell-mediated immune responses was investigated. Allograft rejection in mice as well as the in vitro induction of cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTL) against murine alloantigen were used as the test system. Repeated daily oral treatment of host mice with niridazole (100 mg/kg) prior to and during allotransplantation resulte in the postponement of graft rejection, inducing a transitory functional state of allograft tolerance. The time interval between the termination of niridazole administration and onset of graft rejection was estimated to be 5-7 days. In order to test the effect of niridazole or its derivatives on the in vitro induction of alloreactive CTL, the serum or urine of mice which were treated with niridazole were added to the cultures, instead of adding niridazole directly to the cultures. Such serum and urine were found to be inhibitory for in vitro induction of CTL. The serum and urine had no effect on the effector phase of CTL.

Field of study: Biology, Medicine
Functional analysis of glutamate transporters in excitatory synaptic transmission of GLAST1 and GLAST1/EAAC1 deficient mice.

The high affinity, Na(+)-dependent, electrogenic glial L-glutamate transporters GLAST1 and GLT1, and two neuronal EAAC1 and EAAT4, regulate the neurotransmitter concentration in excitatory synapses of the central nervous system. We dissected the function of the individual transporters in the monogenic null allelic mouse lines, glast1(-/-) and eaac1(-/-), and the derived double mutant glast(-/-)eaac1(-/-). Unexpectedly, the biochemical analysis and the behavioral phenotypes of these null allelic mouse lines were inconspicuous. Inhibition studies of the Na(+)-dependent glutamate transport by plasma membrane vesicles and by isolated astrocytes of wt and glast1(-/-) mouse brains indicated the pivotal compensatory role of GLT1 in the absence particularly of GLAST1 and GLAST1 and EAAC1 mutant mice. In electrophysiological studies, the decay rate of excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) of Purkinje cells (PC) after selective activation of parallel and climbing fibers proved to be similar in wt and eaac1(-/-), but was significantly prolonged in glast1(-/-) PCs. Bath application of the glutamate uptake blocker SYM2081 prolonged EPSC decay profiles in both wt and double mutant glast1(-/-)eaac1(-/-) PCs by 286% and 229%, respectively, indicating a prominent role of compensatory glutamate transport in shaping glast1(-/-)eaac1(-/-) EPSCs.

Field of study: Biology
A New Theoretical Framework: New Developmentalism

New Developmentalism is a theoretical framework being defined since the early 2000s searching to understand why most middle-income countries are falling behind the East Asian ones. It is a political economy and a development macroeconomics that originates from development economics and Post-Keynesian Macroeconomics. It argues that fast growth and catching up have been associated to developmentalism, not to economic liberalism. It defines the developmental state as the one that not only is engaged in industrial policy but also manages actively the five macroeconomic prices–mainly the interest and the exchange rate to keep competitive economically the companies that are technically efficient. New developmentalism is critical of fiscal indiscipline, while defends countercyclical fiscal policy, and is strongly critical of current account, arguing that growth is made at home. It has a new model of the Dutch disease from which is possible to deduce the means to neutralize it and achieve economic competitiveness.

Field of study: Economics
Soviet Control of Eastern Europe: Morality versus American National Interest

The American policy of opposing Soviet control of Eastern Europe has not been seriously questioned, probably because morality (encouraging self-determination) seems to coincide with national interest (weakening Soviet power). This article contends, however, that the primary American national interest in Eastern Europe is the prevention of thermonuclear war. Eastern Europe without tight Soviet control would be very unstable due to disputes between the Eastern European countries, problems of national minorities within such countries, and governments without popular legitimacy. A few of these participants might invite outside assistance. Given the importance of Eastern Europe, some of these invitations would be accepted by the Soviet Union and/or Western Europe. The other side would intervene in turn, and the United States would be drawn into a superpower confrontation with a very real risk of war. If these assumptions are sound, it is in the American national interest to keep the Soviet Union in Eastern Europe. The usual moral argument for opposition to Soviet domination is simply that the peoples of Eastern Europe are entitled to self-determination, that this right is denied to them by Soviet control (as shown most clearly in the Hungarian and Czechoslovakian revolts), and that therefore Soviet control should be opposed. The realpolitik arguments are somewhat more complex: removal of Soviet control would deny valuable human, material, and industrial resources to the Soviet Union; would make it more vulnerable to pressure from abroad; would encourage nationality groups within the Soviet Union to push for self-determination, further weakening the government; and would be a major propa-

Field of study: Political science
Coupled carbon isotopic and sedimentological records from the Permian system of eastern Australia reveal the response of atmospheric carbon dioxide to glacial growth and decay during the late Palaeozoic Ice Age

Proxy geochemical records from high-latitude, ice-proximal deposits have the potential to provide key insights into past icehouse climates, but such records are rare. The Permian System of eastern Australia contains a rich record of environmental and climatic changes that occurred in areas proximal to glaciation during the acme and waning stages of the late Palaeozoic ice age. Within this succession, a wealth of fine-grained, organic matter-rich facies provides an opportunity to construct a bulk δ13Corg record that records changes in atmospheric CO2 through the Permian. Fluctuations in δ13Corg track changes in climate determined independently on the basis of sedimentological criteria in the same strata. These patterns are also broadly consistent with multiple proxy records derived from palaeoequatorial sites. The results of this geochemical investigation 1) support recent studies using the high-latitude, ice-proximal, sedimentologic and stratigraphic record and palaeoequatorial geochemical proxies that document highly variable climatic conditions within the overall Permian icehouse-to-greenhouse transition, and 2) confirms that the sedimentary record of glaciation from eastern Australia reflects global changes in atmospheric CO2 on several m.y.-order timescales.

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography
A method to evaluate measurement uncertainty of imprecise neutrons data

The measurement uncertainty is often evaluated by a probabilistic approach, but such evaluation is not always adapted to imprecise measurement data. This paper focuses on the use of the evidence theory to evaluate the measurement uncertainty of imprecise neutrons data. A formula is presented to measure and calculate the measurement uncertainty of imprecise neutrons data coming from imprecise physical sensors and approximate estimations provided by experts, the validity of the formula is demonstrated by two exanples. The formula can be applied to precise neutrons data too.

Field of study: Physics
How to Factor N 1 and N 2 When $p_1=p_2 \bmod 2^t$

Let N1 = p1q1 and N2 = p2q2 be two different RSA moduli. Suppose that p1 = p2 mod 2 t for some t, and q1 and q2 are α bit primes. Then May and Ritzenhofen showed that N1 and N2 can be factored in quadratic time if t ≥ 2α+ 3. In this paper, we improve this lower bound on t. Namely we prove that N1 and N2 can be factored in quadratic time if t ≥ 2α+ 1. Further our simulation result shows that our bound is tight as far as the factoring method of May and Ritzenhofen is used.

Field of study: Computer science, Mathematics
On the applicability of MIL-Spec-based helium fine leak test to packages with sub-micro liter cavity volumes

The MIL-Spec-based helium fine leak test (test condition A1 and test condition A2) is reviewed for its applicability to packages with sub-micro liter cavity volumes. The existing gas conduction models are utilized to investigate the validity of the criteria defined in the test guidelines in terms of true leak rates. The application domains valid under the current guidelines are determined as a function of the internal cavity volume. The results show that the test is valid only for a finite domain of true leak rates when the volume is smaller than 10−2 cm3 and the invalid domain increases as the cavity volume decreases.

Field of study: Engineering
The new upper bounds on the spectral radius of weighted graphs

Let us consider weighted graphs, where the weights of the edges are positive definite matrices. The eigenvalues of a weighted graph are the eigenvalues of its adjacency matrix and the spectral radius of a weighted graph is also the spectral radius of its adjacency matrix. In this paper, we obtain two upper bounds for the spectral radius of weighted graphs and compare with a known upper bound. We also characterize graphs for which the upper bounds are attained.

Field of study: Mathematics
A Rare Cause of Proximal Thigh Discomfort and Weakness with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus

Diabetic amyotrophy also known as Bruns-Garland syndrome or Diabetic Lumbosacral Radiculoplexus neuropathy is diabetic neuropathy subtype affecting the lumbrosacral nerve roots and peripheral nerves1. There is an ongoing debate on the pathophysiology behind this condition whether is it ischemic, metabolic (hyperglycemia) or inflammatory1. We think that the likely cause responsible is due to an ischemic injury from a nonsystemic microvasculitis. There is a series of studies involving diabetic amyotrophy conducted with 33 patients, nerve biopsy specimens showed features of multifocal fiber loss, perineurial thickening, neovascularization and abortive regeneration of nerve fibers forming microfasciculi2. These findings are suggestive of an ischemic process due to microvascuitis2

Field of study: Medicine
One-Step Formation of WO3-Loaded TiO2 Nanotubes Composite Film for High Photocatalytic Performance

High aspect ratio of WO3-loaded TiO2 nanotube arrays have been successfully synthesized using the electrochemical anodization method in an ethylene glycol electrolyte containing 0.5 wt% ammonium fluoride in a range of applied voltage of 10–40 V for 30 min. The novelty of this research works in the one-step formation of WO3-loaded TiO2 nanotube arrays composite film by using tungsten as the cathode material instead of the conventionally used platinum electrode. As compared with platinum, tungsten metal has lower stability, forming dissolved ions (W6+) in the electrolyte. The W6+ ions then move towards the titanium foil and form a coherent deposit on titanium foil. By controlling the oxidation rate and chemical dissolution rate of TiO2 during the electrochemical anodization, the nanotubular structure of TiO2 film could be achieved. In the present study, nanotube arrays were characterized using FESEM, EDAX, XRD, as well as Raman spectroscopy. Based on the results obtained, nanotube arrays with average pore diameter of up to 74 nm and length of 1.6 µm were produced. EDAX confirmed the presence of tungsten element within the nanotube arrays which varied in content from 1.06 at% to 3.29 at%. The photocatalytic activity of the nanotube arrays was then investigated using methyl orange degradation under TUV 96W UV-B Germicidal light irradiation. The nanotube with the highest aspect ratio, geometric surface area factor and at% of tungsten exhibited the highest photocatalytic activity due to more photo-induced electron-hole pairs generated by the larger surface area and because WO3 improves charge separation, reduces charge carrier recombination and increases charge carrier lifetime via accumulation of electrons and holes in the two different metal oxide semiconductor components.

Field of study: Materials science
Can we reduce the risk of dementia?

Public health and therapeutic measures to reduce cardiac and stroke risk may already be reducing risks of dementia in populations. In routine clinical care, dementia risk could be further reduced by optimized management of delirium, depressive disorders, traumatic brain injury and stroke. These are opportunities to minimize risk of progression to dementia during acute care and subsequent rehabilitation. Although interventions to protect against progress to dementia may be of small effect in each clinical situation, awareness of dementia risk and appropriate steps to reduce that risk should contribute to an overall reduction in the incidence of dementia.

Field of study: Medicine
Selective Glycosylation with the Amino Sugar D‐Forosamine for the Synthesis of Spinosyns and Its Analogues

For the synthesis of novel spinosyn analogues, the selective introduction of the 2-deoxyamino sugar, D-forosamine, necessary for their bioactivity, is described. The reactions of different alcohol acceptors with the D-forosamine donor in the presence of iodine and Et3SiH gave the corresponding glycosides in yields of up to 96 % and with an α/β selectivity of 2:3.

Field of study: Chemistry
Influences of dissolved organic matter on fluoride fractions in soils

The structure and composition of dissolved organic matter(DOM) extracted from the composted chicken manure were analyzed using elemental composition analysis and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy(FTIR) methods,and the impacts of this DOM on the fractions of fluoride in soil were analyzed by using sequen-tial extraction procedure and potentiometric analysis methods.The contents of carbon and oxygen were higher than that of hydrogen and nitrogen,accounting for 93% of all the elements in the DOM extracted from composted chicken manure,respectively.Moreover,the carbon and hydrogen saturation was low because of high contents of carboxyl,aldehyde and ketone functional groups in the structure of DOM.As 50%,100% and 200% of DOM added into soil,the contents of water soluble fluoride and available fluoride were declined,and the negative rela-tionship was observed with the increasing dose of exotic DOM amendments in soil.While the concentration of Fe/Mn bound fluoride,organic matter bound fluoride were increased as the same dose of DOM introduced into soil,and the positive relationship was found for the Fe/Mn bound fluoride,organic matter bound fluoride.The exotic DOM may decrease the water soluble and available fractions of fluoride,and increase Fe and Mn bound fluoride,organic matter bound fluoride in tea plantation soil.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Parallel Implementation of 3-D Iterative Reconstruction With Intra-Thread Update for the jPET-D4

One way to speed-up iterative image reconstruction is by parallel computing with a computer cluster. However, as the number of computing threads increases, parallel efficiency decreases due to network transfer delay. In this paper, we proposed a method to reduce data transfer between computing threads by introducing an intra-thread update. The update factor is collected from each slave thread and a global image is updated as usual in the first K sub-iteration. In the rest of the sub-iterations, the global image is only updated at an interval which is controlled by a parameter L. In between that interval, the intra-thread update is carried out whereby an image update is performed in each slave thread locally. We investigated combinations of K and L parameters based on parallel implementation of RAMLA for the jPET-D4 scanner. Our evaluation used four workstations with a total of 16 slave threads. Each slave thread calculated a different set of LORs which are divided according to ring difference numbers. We assessed image quality of the proposed method with a hotspot simulation phantom. The figure of merit was the full-width-half-maximum of hotspots and the background normalized standard deviation. At an optimum K and L setting, we did not find significant change in the output images. We also applied the proposed method to a Hoffman phantom experiment and found the difference due to intra-thread update was negligible. With the intra-thread update, computation time could be reduced by about 23%.

Field of study: Physics
Three-year chemical dependency and mental health treatment outcomes among adolescents: the role of continuing care.

Few studies have examined the effects of treatment factors, including the types of services [chemical dependency (CD), psychiatric, or both], on long-term outcomes among adolescents following CD treatment, and whether receiving continuing care may contribute to better outcomes. This study examines the effect of the index CD and ongoing CD and psychiatric treatment episodes, 12-step participation, and individual characteristics such as CD and mental health (MH) severity and gender, age, and ethnicity, on 3-year CD and MH outcomes.



Participants were 296 adolescents aged 13 to 18 seeking treatment at 4 CD programs of a nonprofit, managed care, integrated health system. We surveyed participants at intake, 1 year, and 3 years, and examined survey and administrative data, and CD and psychiatric utilization.



At 3 years, 29.7% of the sample reported total abstinence from both alcohol and drugs (excluding tobacco). Compared with girls, boys had only half the odds of being abstinent (OR = 0.46, p = 0.0204). Gender also predicted Externalizing severity at 3 years (coefficients 18.42 vs. 14.77, p < 0.01). CD treatment readmission in the second and third follow-up years was related to abstinence at 3 years (OR = 0.24, p = 0.0066 and OR = 3.33, p = 0.0207, respectively). Abstinence at 1 year predicted abstinence at 3 years (OR = 4.11, p < 0.0001). Those who were abstinent at 1 year also had better MH outcomes (both lower Internalizing and Externalizing scores) than those who were not (11.75 vs. 15.55, p = 0.0012 and 15.13 vs. 18.06, p = 0.0179, respectively).



A CD treatment episode resulting in good 1-year CD outcomes may contribute significantly to both CD and MH outcomes 3 years later. The findings also point to the value of providing a continuing care model of treatment for adolescents.

Field of study: Medicine
Hydroxyapatite Formation on Coated Titanium Implants Submerged in Simulated Body Fluid

Titanium implants are commonly used in the field of dentistry for prosthetics such as crowns, bridges, and dentures. For successful therapy, an implant must bind to the surrounding bone in a process known as osseointegration. The objective for this ongoing study is to determine the potential of different implant surface coatings in providing the formation of hydroxyapatite (HA). The coatings include titanium nitride (TiN), silicon dioxide (SiO2), and quaternized titanium nitride (QTiN). The controls were a sodium hydroxide treated group, which functioned as a positive control, and an uncoated titanium group. Each coated disc was submerged in simulated body fluid (SBF), replenished every 48 h, over a period of 28 days. Each coating successfully developed a layer of HA, which was calculated through mass comparisons and observed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive analysis x-rays (EDX). Among these coatings, the quaternized titanium nitride coating seemed to have a better yield of HA. Further studies to expand the data concerning this experiment are underway.

Field of study: Materials science
Effective Teaching: Gauging Learning while Teaching.

Occasionally, a college professor is surprised by students' generally poor performance on an examination covering material that may have been somewhat difficult but seemed to have been covered adequately. The lower-than-expected test results may prove to be especially bewildering if the students' behavior during presentation had not differed much from that normally found in the classroom-or, indeed, if their attendance, attention, and involvement had appeared better than average. Searching for an explanation, the professor might recall a few student requests to restate some material from time to time during the lectures; or he or she might remember some concerns about correct spelling of newly introduced vocabulary; or there might have been a general hesitation by the class to respond to questions-finally, though, there was little apparent evidence of any particular problem. In any event, the group did poorly on the exam, and by the time test results were analyzed, the limited enthusiasm that students may have had at the time of their first exposure to the material was probably lost. Students who felt insecure during the initial presentation could be expected to feel even more intimidated after having done poorly on the test, and resistance by students and professor alike to any needed reteaching of the material could be expected also. If only the situation were changed, if only the general lack of student understanding had been detected earlier, then some of the problems associated with failure might have been avoided. Thus, the question is whether there might be an "early warning system" that could

Field of study: Education
Effects of Quality Management Practices and Concurrent Engineering in Business Performance

The main focus of this paper is to indicate the effect of quality management practices and concurrent engineering on business performance improvement. The research has been done by taking one of Brewery Company (Meta Abo Brewery S. Co) as a case study. Practical secondary data have been collected and analyzed to understand what it seems the actual company’s business results growth rate in terms of annual sales, profit before income tax, production volume and costs of production. These results are compared to the ideal continuous improvement organization business results. Primary data are also analyzed to test quality practice levels of the company. The results of these discussions approve that there exists a direct relationship between TQM & CE, and company’s business performance improvement. Finally, proposed business improvement model and modified TQM & CE implementation models are presented.

Field of study: Business
Diet and cancer.

Most of the common cancers in Canada have been associated in some way with diet. More than half of all newly diagnosed cancers and cancer-related deaths are limited to three sites in each sex: lung, prostate, and colorectum in men and breast, colorectum, and lung in women. The earliest and strongest epidemiologic evidence associating diet and cancer has come from descriptive correlation studies. The findings of subsequent, more powerful, analytic studies have been inconsistent. The author reviews the importance of diet for common cancers in Canada and considers the methodologic limitations of various study designs.

Field of study: Medicine
Age and Evolution of the Upper Cenozoic Andesitic Volcanism in Central-South Chile

The first ten potassium-argon determinations made on andesitic rocks of the Andes and Coastal ranges of central-south Chile, between latitudes 36° and 42° South, demonstrate the existence of at least two main cycles of volcanic activity; one in the Miocene and the other in the Pliocene to Holocene. The volcanic activity lines seem to have changed eastward from the present Coastal volcanic belt in Miocene times to about 100 km inland in Pliocene and Holocene times. During late Pleistocene to Holocene, a gradual inversion in the direction of migration of volcanism occurred. The geochronological asymmetry of the volcanic chains seems to be a highly important feature in this continental border and plate-contact zone.

Field of study: Geology