nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Effects of Computer-Assisted Instruction for Struggling Elementary Readers With Disabilities

Despite a lack of conclusive evidence, many researchers in the field view computer-assisted instruction (CAI) as an opportunity for improved instruction for students with disabilities. This study examined the effects of a CAI program, Lexia Strategies for Older Students (SOS)™ on the word recognition skills of four, upper elementary students with mild disabilities. This study used a multiple-probe design across three targeted reading skill conditions per student. Findings revealed that some students were able to meet mastery of basic word reading skills with Lexia SOS alone, while others needed additional direct instruction. Student perceptions of Lexia SOS were positive. Results have particular implications for instruction in classrooms beyond the primary grades (K-3) when the focus of the curriculum shifts away from basic decoding instruction. Directions for future research are discussed.

Field of study: Education
Genomic adaptation of admixed dairy cattle in East Africa

Dairy cattle in East Africa imported from the U.S. and Europe have been adapted to new environments. In small local farms, cattle have generally been maintained by crossbreeding that could increase survivability under a severe environment. Eventually, genomic ancestry of a specific breed will be nearly fixed in genomic regions of local breeds or crossbreds when it is advantageous for survival or production in harsh environments. To examine this situation, 25 Friesians and 162 local cattle produced by crossbreeding of dairy breeds in Kenya were sampled and genotyped using 50K SNPs. Using principal component analysis (PCA), the admixed local cattle were found to consist of several imported breeds, including Guernsey, Norwegian Red, and Holstein. To infer the influence of parental breeds on genomic regions, local ancestry mapping was performed based on the similarity of haplotypes. As a consequence, it appears that no genomic region has been under the complete influence of a specific parental breed. Nonetheless, the ancestry of Holstein-Friesians was substantial in most genomic regions (>80%). Furthermore, we examined the frequency of the most common haplotypes from parental breeds that have changed substantially in Kenyan crossbreds during admixture. The frequency of these haplotypes from parental breeds, which were likely to be selected in temperate regions, has deviated considerably from expected frequency in 11 genomic regions. Additionally, extended haplotype homozygosity (EHH) based methods were applied to identify the regions responding to recent selection in crossbreds, called candidate regions, resulting in seven regions that appeared to be affected by Holstein-Friesians. However, some signatures of selection were less dependent on Holsteins-Friesians, suggesting evidence of adaptation in East Africa. The analysis of local ancestry is a useful approach to understand the detailed genomic structure and may reveal regions of the genome required for specialized adaptation when combined with methods for searching for the recent changes of haplotype frequency in an admixed population.

Field of study: Biology
Dynamic Characteristics of the Manned Hybrid Maglev Vehicle Employing Permanent Magnetic Levitation (PML) and Superconducting Magnetic Levitation (SML)

A manned hybrid maglev vehicle employing permanent magnetic levitation (PML) and superconducting magnetic levitation (SML) was developed. It is mainly composed of a PML part, an SML part, and a maglev frame. The PML part with a repulsive force is designed to support the main load and the SML part with pinning forces is used to guarantee the lateral stability. The maglev frame is designed to support the vehicle body and connect the two maglev components. In previous studies, the sufficient levitation and guidance forces have been verified. In actual operation process, the dynamic characteristics are closely related to the stationarity, the comfortability, and the security of the maglev vehicle. Hence, the research on the dynamic characteristics of the maglev vehicle above the magnetic rails is required to ensure its safe operation. Measurements on vibration acceleration of the hybrid vehicle were conducted under different conditions, including different loads and different pulse excitations. Experimental results show that the dynamic behaviors are quite different between the vertical and lateral directions. In the vertical direction, by using linear bearings, the SML part and PML part are independent with two different natural frequencies and express passive stable characteristic on vibration acceleration curves. While in the lateral direction, the hybrid maglev vehicle has only one natural frequency, which decreases as the load onboard increases due to the decreasing levitation height of the PML part. These results help us to have an insight into the hybrid maglev vehicle employed SML and PML, and prove evidence for the following promotion and optimization.

Field of study: Physics
A laser-induced fluorescence instrument for aircraft measurements of sulfurdioxide in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere

This work describes the development and testing of a new instrument for in situ measurements of sulfur dioxide (SO2) on airborne platforms in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere (UT–LS). The instrument is based on the laser-induced fluorescence technique and uses the fifth harmonic of a tunable fiber-amplified semiconductor diode laser system at 1084.5 nm to excite SO2 at 216.9 nm. Sensitivity and background checks are achieved in flight by additions of SO2 calibration gas and zero air, respectively. Aircraft demonstration was performed during the NASA Volcano-Plume Investigation Readiness and Gas-Phase and Aerosol Sulfur (VIRGAS) experiment, which was a series of flights using the NASA WB-57F during October 2015 based at Ellington Field and Harlingen, Texas. During these flights, the instrument successfully measured SO2 in the UT–LS at background (non-volcanic) conditions with a precision of 2 ppt at 10 s and an overall uncertainty determined primarily by instrument drifts of ±(16 % + 0.9 ppt).

Field of study: Environmental science
Numerical Simulation on the Interaction between Shaped Charge Jets and Confined Explosives

By applying dynamic software 3D LS-DYNA, The shaped charge jet and its penetration into confined explosives is simulated. The simulation results show that: in normal impact, the shaped charge jet disturbed by denotation product which decreased the jet penetration, and in oblique interation, the shaped charge jet cut by moving plate beside disturbed by denotation product. The effect increase with jet entry angle.  The flat surface mezzanine packs target structure of medicine to clip a thin layer between two pieces of lamellas explosive, explosive explosion, drive metal target plank to follow method to fly to spread, the strong interference gathers ability metal shoot to flow or wear A pole body and make of expiration or lower to invade steeping ability. BE considering towards shooting and flowing to bump shot flat surface mezzanine to pack a medicine research winning, generally that shooting to flow is inclined the mezzanine invading steeping flat surface packs a medicine and fly plank with shoot to flow a direct function mutually, strengthened interference effect. When shoot to flow perpendicularity to bump shot and wear deeply lamella at the same time, the explosive drives metal plank to follow method to exercise, in order to flying plank sport direction and shooting to flow a direction parallelism, in the process of exercising in shoot to flow and fly plank don't get in touch with, mainly is an explosion field to have a miscarriage to living a function towards shooting.  Shoot to flow to invade sloping flat surface mezzanine to pack medicine model. Figure 2. X-ray that the flat panel transforms lightings. The formation that this literary grace is shot to flow with the 3D limited dollar procedure emulation and invade Steeping process to the Target knothole that puts to have flat surface mezzanine the explosive, the aim forms after analytical explosive explosion of the outcome fly to is over and throw to shoot to accelerate the front-panel is to the influence that shoots to flow to invade Steeping ability.

Field of study: Engineering
Relations of Bouguer Gravity Anomalies to Geological Structure in the New River District of Virginia

Over 500 gravity observations were made at 2- to 3-km intervals along accessible roads in the New River District of Virginia, within an area defined by lat 37°009N., and 37°309N., and long 80°159W. and 81° 009W. The Bouguer anomalies of the data can be related to variation in crustal thickness, and folding and faulting in the Appalachian Valley. A quadratic polynomial surface fitted to Bouguer anomaly data by a least squares process reveals a broad anomaly trending north-northeasterly across the area. This anomaly correlates well with the gravity field associated with variation in crustal thickness determined from a seismic survey of the Middle Atlantic states. Residual gravity anomalies obtained from differences between the Bouguer anomalies and the quadratic polynomial surface indicate an east-northeasterly trending feature which parallels the regional strike of the Appalachian geological structure. This residual gravity anomaly of approximately 8 mgal can be explained by a structural model based upon attitudes of sedimentary units measured at the surface and density values measured from outcrop specimens. This interpretation suggests that the Blacksburg syncline consists of approximately 7 km of Paleozoic sedimentary rocks. There is no indication in the gravity data of any major decollement. Numerous local residual anomalies 2 to 3 mgal in amplitude are observed over the Pulaski and Saltville thrust faults. These anomalies may be associated with the extensive breccia zones exposed in the near surface material and with the variation in the thick-nesses of thrust plates.

Field of study: Geology
Anomalous transport in disordered media

Disordered and fractal structures play an important role in composite electrolytes, heterogeneous catalysis, and mixed alkali conductors. Here we study how these structures influence the diffusive motion of Brownian particles for various types of jump rates between neighbouring sites, including constant rates and rates chosen from a power law distribution. We discuss the meansquare displacement of the particles and the frequency-dependent conductivity. The transport behaviour is very rich when in addition strong bias fields are applied. Here the paradox of “ultra-anomalously” slow motion can occur where the motion is dramatically slowed down with increasing field strength.

Field of study: Materials science
Online Capillary Electrophoresis Reaction for Interaction Study of Amino Acid Modified Peptide Nucleic Acid and Proteins

Peptide nucleic acid (PNA) is a nucleic acid analog which consists of purines, pyrimidines bases, and a neutrally charged peptide backbone. The PNA has the potential as a very useful biological probe for protein analysis since it has more in vivo biological stability as compared to DNA- or RNA-based aptamers. Usually, the addition of amino acids or peptide to the PNA backbone is used to improve its water-solubility and cell-permeability, but these modifications may affect the interaction between PNA and proteins. To date, the investigation of the interaction between PNA and proteins is rare, and there is no reported study about the effects of modifications. In this work, we designed two types of amino acid modified PNAs, (Lys)2-PNA and (Glu)2-PNA, which kept the same base sequence with 15-mer thrombin aptamer and had two basic lysine and two acidic glutamic acid residues on N-terminal of the peptide backbone, respectively. To rapidly assess the binding affinity and specificity of modified PNA and proteins, the online CE reaction method was developed to analyze the interactions of (Lys)2-PNA/(Glu)2-PNA and three proteins: thrombin (THB), single-strand DNA-binding protein (SSB) and human serum albumin (HSA). Meanwhile, the interactions of (Lys)2-PNA/(Glu)2-PNA and thrombin were compared with that of the corresponding complementary base sequence (Lys)2-cPNA/(Glu)2-cPNA and thrombin. The online CE reaction results showed that the interaction of (Lys)2-PNA and (Glu)2-PNA with three proteins was in the order of THB > SSB > HSA. However, (Lys)2-PNA and (Lys)2-cPNA showed similar binding affinity with thrombin; while the binding affinity of (Glu)2-PNA with thrombin was stronger than that of (Glu)2-cPNA with thrombin. Moreover, the binding constant Kb of (Glu)2-PNA and three proteins was determined by affinity capillary electrophoresis (ACE). The online CE reaction eliminates the requirement of incubation, and thus it is fast in detection, and easy to operate with minimum cost. The method is particularly suitable for the interaction studies of expensive modified PNAs and proteins, and can assist the design of PNA probe that binds to proteins.

Field of study: Chemistry
European Higher Education Area Establishment and Equal Opportunities: A Sociological Analysis of the Bologna Process Official Decisions

This work tries to analyze the official discourse on the development of a European Higher Education Area and focuses on the issue of equal opportunities of access to and completion of study in higher education. For this aim official documents of the first decade of the 21st century referring to the Bologna process (communiques and declarations of the Bologna process ministers responsible for higher education) were studied using the qualitative content analysis. The results of this work showed that the question of equal opportunities was included in the priority of the social dimension and occupied the Bologna process mainly from the year 2005 and on although mentions for equal opportunities to higher education studies exist in all Bologna process communiques. The priority of social dimension was the outcome of the adaptation of human capital theory and mainly involved notions such as mobility, lifelong learning, students’ socio-economic background, gender and underrepresentation. 
 DOI: 10.5901/jesr.2013.v3n3p261

Field of study: Education, Sociology
[Mediated short-term influence of alternating magnetic field on the epileptic brain].

The changes of bioelectric activity of the brain hemispheres were studied under the influence of an alternating magnetic field (AMF), directed on the hand of 20 epileptic patients and 18 healthy normals. Under AMF influence there was intensification of epileptic activity--elevation of the focal bioelectric characteristics and of the processes of generalization. It permitted to apply AMF for diagnosis of epileptic focus. Under AMF influence more stable changes in posterio-parietal areas of the right hemisphere occur. The authors came to the conclusion that AMF effects were mainly realized with participation of right hemisphere.

Field of study: Medicine, Psychology
Bradykinin-Mediated Angioedema: An Update of the Genetic Causes and the Impact of Genomics

Recurrent episodes of bradykinin-mediated angioedema (Bk-AE) can associate with acquired or hereditary conditions, the former most commonly developing secondarily to a pharmacological treatment. Despite successful genomic advances that have led to the identification of a large number of disease genes irrespective of disease prevalence, their application to Bk-AE has barely occurred. As a consequence, the genetic causes of Bk-AE remain poorly understood, obstructing the identification of patient subtypes and the development of precision medicine strategies. This review provides an update of the genetic studies completed to date on the acquired forms, which have almost exclusively focused on Bk-AE secondarily to the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor treatment, and the blooming subdivision of the hereditary forms established by the identification of novel causal genes with next-generation sequencing (NGS) technology-based exome studies in genetically undiagnosed patients. Finally, based on the diverse benefits that are offered by the technology, we present arguments favoring the use of holistic NGS approaches as first-tier genetic tests as a promise to reduce the diagnostic odyssey of patients with suspected hereditary forms of Bk-AE.

Field of study: Biology
Results from Screening Polyurethane Foam Based Consumer Products for Flame Retardant Chemicals: Assessing Impacts on the Change in the Furniture Flammability Standards

Flame retardant (FR) chemicals have often been added to polyurethane foam to meet required state and federal flammability standards. However, some FRs (e.g., PBDEs and TDCIPP) are associated with health hazards and are now restricted from use in some regions. In addition, California’s residential furniture flammability standard (TB-117) has undergone significant amendments over the past few years, and TDCIPP has been added to California’s Proposition 65 list. These events have likely led to shifts in the types of FRs used, and the products to which they are applied. To provide more information on the use of FRs in products containing polyurethane foam (PUF), we established a screening service for the general public. Participants residing in the US were allowed to submit up to 5 samples from their household for analysis, free of charge, and supplied information on the product category, labeling, and year and state of purchase. Between February 2014 and June 2016, we received 1141 PUF samples for analysis from various products including sofas, chairs, mattresses, car seats and pillows. Of these samples tested, 52% contained a FR at levels greater than 1% by weight. Tris(1,3-dichloroisopropyl)phosphate (TDCIPP) was the most common FR detected in PUF samples, and was the most common FR detected in all product categories. Analysis of the data by purchasing date suggests that the use of TDCIPP decreased in recent years, paralleled with an increase in the use of TCIPP and a nonhalogenated aryl phosphate mixture we call “TBPP.” In addition, we observed significant decreases in FR applications in furniture products and child car seats, suggesting the use of additive FRs in PUF may be declining, perhaps as a reflection of recent changes to TB-117 and Proposition 65. More studies are needed to determine how these changes in FR use relate to changes in exposure among the general population.

Field of study: Environmental science
Heterogenicity of the immune response to antigens of muscular and interstitial connective tissue of the heart in patients with rheumatic diseases. II. Association with ABO antigens

: Antibodies (Ab) reacting with myocardial fibre sarcolemma (SL) and interstitial connective tissue (ICT) were determined by means of indirect immunofluorescence technique. The Ab level was found to be dependent on the ABO. Subjects having O and A blood groups are most potent ICT Ab producers, while those with B group, the weakest. The inflammatory process activity exerts varying effects on the level of ICT and SL antibodies depending on the ABO. The ICT Ab level reduction and SL Ab level elevation in maximal inflammation activity were revealed only in O and A blood groups, but not in B-group patients. The differences are discussed. The use of ICT Ab level determination is proposed to be an indicator of the utilization system of damaged connective tissue and aging erythrocytes according to the age and ABO. The presence of SL Ab is believed to be a risk factor of cardiac disease only in O and A blood group patients.

Field of study: Medicine
Exploring the feasibility of Fe(Se,Te) conductors by ex-situ powder-in-tube method

In this work, the feasibility condition of Powder-In-Tube (PIT) processed wires of Fe(Se,Te) superconductor has been investigated. We faced several technical issues that are extensively described and discussed. In particular, we tested different metals and alloys as external sheaths (Cu, Ag, Nb, Ta, Ni, Fe, cupronickel, brass) concluding that the only sheath that does not affect substantially the Fe(Se,Te) phase is Fe. On the other hand, Fe sheath introduces excess iron in the Fe(Se,Te) phase, which affects the superconducting properties; we investigated the effects of the thermal treatments and of the powder composition in order to avoid it. The maximum Jc value obtained in our samples is 4 × 102 A/cm2, comparable to other published values of PIT conductors of the 11 family. We conclude that the fabrication of Fe(Se,Te) wires by PIT method is quite challenging and other approaches should be developed.

Field of study: Physics
Reactive intermediates in the synthesis and chemistry of organosilacycles

The role of several organosilicon reactive inter. mediates in the synthesis and chemistry of organosilacycles will be illustrated with a variety of examples from our laboratory. Particular emphasis will be placed on silanones, siloxy radicals, and silenes. The discussion will be limited to four, five, and s ix-membered rings.  It is interesting to note that although silicon is directly beneath carbon in the periodic chart, many of the systems which are called reactive intermediates in organosilicon chemistry have quite stable analogs in carbon chemistry. For example, s ilenes (R2Si=CR2), disilenes (R2 Si=S iR2), and silanones (R2Si=O) have countless stable counterparts in the olef ins and carbonyl compounds of organic chemistry, but are known only as fleeting intermediates. Indeed, it is only in the last decade that evidence has been accumulating which appears to demand the existance of (p_p)rr bonded silicon (Ref. 1). As an example of two of these intermediates, some years ago we established that the gas-phase flow pyrolysis of 1 resulted in aromatization through extrusion of the bridge as dimethylsilene (2). When 1 was copyrolyzed with benzaldehyde, there were obtained three maor products -styrene, hexamethylcyclotrisiloxane (D3), and octamethylcyclotetrasiloxane (D4) (Ref. 2). The generally accepted mechanism for this process is cycloaddition of the silene to the carbonyl group to form silaoxetane, , which decomposes to a molecule each of olefin and dimethylsilanone (k). Thus, the cyclosiloxanes, D3 and D4, are believed to be the result o± cyclic oligomerization of k. Indeed, insertion into an Si-O bond, as in the conversion of D3 to D4T appears from all studies to date to be the best trapping reaction of a silanone.

Field of study: Chemistry