nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
SU-E-J-171: Evaluation of Cervical Spine and Mandible Reproducibility of the CDR Mayo Mold and Civco Type-S Head and Neck Immobilization Systems.

To evaluate the cervical spine (c-spine) and mandible reproducibility of the CDR Mayo Mold and Civco Type-S head and neck immobilization system using Mosaiq Setup Intelligence Curve Image  Patients were immobilized with either the Mayo Mold or Civco Type-S head and neck immobilization systems. Using curve image registration tools in Mosaiq, the c-spine and mandible were outlined. For each lateral image, two separate image registrations were performed using an initial kV image as reference - 1) c-spine only 2) mandible only. To evaluate the relative difference between the c-spine and mandible position, the mandible image registration results were subtracted from the c-spine image registration results. To evaluate whether the initial difference between the planning CT and the first kV setup image is larger than subsequent daily imaging variations, the difference in the image registration of the DRR was compared to the variation in subsequent image registrations. The degree of neck flexion was determined by observing the amount of mismatch between the upper and lower cervical spine after the pitch correction.



During the first weeks of treatment, there was minimal difference in the image registration results for both the c-spine and mandible individually, and in the relative difference between them. For neck flexion, the Mayo Mold system demonstrated 82.6% minimal difference and 3.8% significant difference between the alignment of upper and lower c spine, vs. 84% and 5.2% for the S frame. For some patients, there is a greater difference between the DRR and the initial kV image registration than the variation in registrations for subsequent daily imaging.



Preliminary results indicate minimal difference in the c-spine and mandible reproducibility between the two immobilization systems during the first weeks of treatment. Further analysis of whether this minimal difference remains consistent throughout the entire course and treatment and with greater number of patients is needed.

Field of study: Medicine, Physics
An investigation on the physical, chemical and ecotoxicological characteristics of particulate matter emitted from light-duty vehicles.

Particulate matter (PM) emitted from three light-duty vehicles was studied in terms of its physicochemical and ecotoxicological character using Microtox bioassay tests. A diesel vehicle equipped with an oxidation catalyst emitted PM which consisted of carbon species at over 97%. PM from a diesel vehicle with a particle filter (DPF) consisted of almost equal amounts of carbon species and ions, while a gasoline vehicle emitted PM consisting of approximately 90% carbon and approximately 10% ions. Both the DPF and the gasoline vehicles produced a distinct nucleation mode at 120 km/h. The PM emitted from the DPF and the gasoline vehicles was less ecotoxic than that of conventional diesel, but not in direct proportion to the emission levels of the different vehicles. These results indicate that PM emission reductions are not equally translated into ecotoxicity reductions, implying some deficiencies on the actual environmental impact of emission control technologies and regulations.

Field of study: Environmental science
Purification of solvents for electroanalysis: tetrahydrofuran and dioxane

Chairman: J. Jordan (USA);  K. Izutsu (Japan); Titular Members: A. K. Covington (UK); J. Juillard (France); R. C. Kapoor (India); E. Pungor (Hungary); Associate Members: J. F. Coetzee (USA); W. Davison (UK); R. A. Durst (USA); M. Gross (France); H. Kao (China); K. M. Kadish (USA); R. Kalvoda (Czechoslovakia); Y. Marcus (Israel); T. Mussini (Italy); H. W. NUrnberg (FRG); M. Senda (Japan); D. E. Smith (USA); N. Tanaka (Japan); National Representatives: D. D. Perrin (Australia); B. Gilbert (Belgium); W. C. Purdy (Canada); R. Neeb (FRG); K. Tóth (Hungary); S. K. Rangarajan (India); W. F. Smyth (Ireland); E. Grushka (Israel); Z. Galus (Poland); G. Johansson (Sweden); J. Buffle (Switzerland); B. Birch (UK); J. Osteryoung (USA); M. Branica (Yugoslavia).

Field of study: Chemistry
Nature of the zero-bias conductance peak associated with Majorana bound states in topological phases of semiconductor-superconductor hybrid structures

Rashba spin-orbit coupled semiconductor-superconductor hybrid structures in the presence of Zeeman splitting have emerged as the first experimentally realizable topological superconductor supporting zero-energy Majorana bound states. However, recent experimental studies in these hybrid structures are not in complete agreement with the theoretical predictions, for example, the observed height of the zero-bias conductance peak (ZBCP) associated with the Majorana bound states is less than 10% of the predicted quantized value 2e^2/h. We try to understand the sources of various discrepancies between the recent experiments and the earlier theories by starting from a microscopic theory and studying non-equilibrium transport in these systems at arbitrary temperatures and applied bias voltages. Our approach involves quantum Langevin equations and non-equilibrium Green's functions. Here we are able to model the tunnel coupling between the one-dimensional semiconductor-superconductor hybrid structure and the metallic leads realistically; study the role of tunnel coupling on the height of the ZBCP and the subgap conductance; predict the nature of the splitting of the ZBCP with an increasing magnetic field beyond the critical field; show the behavior of the ZBCP with an increasing gate-controlled onsite potential; and study the evolution of the full differential conductance across the topological quantum phase transition. When the applied magnetic field is quite large compared to the Rashba splitting and the bulk energy gap is much reduced, we find the ZBCP even for an onsite potential much larger than the applied magnetic field. The height of the corresponding ZBCP depends on the tunnel coupling even at zero temperature and can be much smaller than 2e^2/h.

Field of study: Physics
Continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis: three years' experience.

We review the experience of the Renal Unit at Newcastle upon Tyne over the three years 1979-1981, during which 122 patients with chronic renal failure were treated by continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis (CAPD). Advantages of the technique included wide acceptability to a cross-section of patients reaching the renal unit, including the elderly and diabetics. Patients who experienced both techniques preferred CAPD to haemodialysis because of the greater freedom and sense of well-being. Patient survival was 94 per cent at two years and rehabilitation was as good as could be expected for the age and primary medical complications of the patients. Control of plasma potassium and phosphate was easier than with haemodialysis. Renal osteodystrophy responded well to a combination of CAPD and alfacalcidol therapy over the two year period for which we have performed serial bone biopsies. Serum aluminium was slightly raised as a result of consumption of phosphate binders and presumed uptake from dialysis fluid but no aluminium related disease has yet been encountered. Anaemia was partly corrected by CAPD with haemoglobin rising to about 10 g/dl on average. CAPD was less costly than home haemodialysis over the first three years and has been adopted as our standard treatment for patients who can expect an early transplant. Disadvantages were persisting problems with peritonitis which still occurred at an incidence of one attack per 39 patient weeks over the last two years, and an actuarial success rate for the technique of only 63 per cent at two years. Twenty patients developed hernias. Weight gain was common and occasionally gross. There was a significant rise in serum cholesterol. The arrival of CAPD has allowed us to increase the intake to our renal failure programme by 50 per cent. However, continued expansion of the technique demands advances in prevention of peritonitis, adequate facilities for admission and particularly an expanding hospital haemodialysis programme to accept the less successful patients from CAPD.

Field of study: Medicine
Achalasia of the cardia: pharmacology and histopathology of isolated cardiac sphincteric muscle from patients with and without achalasia.

DYSPHAGIA occurs in achalasia of the cardia because the cardiac sphincter does not relax in response to a swallow and because peristalsis in the body of the oesophagus is ineffective (Butin, Olsen, Moersch, and Code, 1953; Creamer, Olsen, and Code, 1957; Edwards and Rowlands, 1959). It is generally agreed that achalasia of the cardia is associated with degeneration of the myenteric nervous plexus (Hurst and Rake, 1929-30; Cross, 1952) although Trounce, Deuchar, Kauntze, and Thomas (1957) found that the ganglion cells in the lower segment of the oesophagus were normal but sometimes reduced in number. These authors also studied the in vitro pharmacological responses of strips of human oesophageal muscle removed at operations from patients with and without achalasia (Trounce, Deuchar, Kauntze, and Thomas, 1957; Ellis, Kauntze, Nightingale, and Trounce, 1960; Adams, Brain, Ellis, Kauntze, and Trounce, 1961). This original approach yielded important new information about the nature of the lesion in achalasia, but the work has never been repeated and needs to be interpreted more fully in the light of present knowledge of aand ^5-adrenergic receptors ( 1966). We have therefore carried out pharmacological studies on isolated muscle strips taken from the cardiac sphincter of patients with and without achalasia, and have correlated responses to drugs with the histology of each strip.

Field of study: Medicine
Studies on the mammary growth stimulating action of prolactin

兎の乳腺管内注射によりprolactinの乳腺発育作用を調べた。既にalveolusを有する乳腺に対しては,更に発育と共に強い乳汁分泌を示した。Alveolusはないが,かなりduct systemの発達した段階の乳腺に対しては,alveolus形成作用を示し,個体によつては更に乳汁分泌を起した。未発達のduct systemの乳腺に対してはalveolus形成は見られなかつた。尚alveolus形成に必要なprolactinの量的時間的問題及びductの状態による条件の有無は検討を要する。

Field of study: Biology
Puckering stick-slip friction induced by a sliding nanoscale contact.

An atomic force microscope reveals that the sliding of a nanotip on a graphite surface occurs through a nanoscale stick-slip mechanism. The angle between the sliding direction and a stiff crystallographic axis determines the periodicity of the slip events defining domains of various friction properties. The experimental data are interpreted using the reaction rate theory, with the energy barrier driven by a local deformation of the surface and a thermally activated relaxation.

Field of study: Physics
Electronic and Electric Properties of Peanut-Shaped C_60 Polymers with a Negative Gauss Curvature

When a C60 film was irradiated with an electron-beam with an incident energy of 3 kV and with an current intensity of 0.5 mA under a ultrahigh vacuum condition, a peanut-shaped C60 polymer with a negative Gauss curvature was formed and exhibits a metallic I-V characteristics in air at room temperature. In the present paper, we review the electronic and electric properties of a peanut-shaped C60 polymer using in situ photoelectron spectroscopy and in situ four-probe measurements, together with density-functional calculations of some peanut-shaped C60 polymer model structures, and describe the π-electron conjugated systems from a standpoint of topology.

Field of study: Computer science
Linking isoprene with plant thermotolerance, antioxidants and monoterpene emissions

The purpose of the present study was to test the possible plant thermotolerance role of isoprene and to study its relationship with non-enzymatic antioxidants and terpene emissions. The gas exchange, chlorophyll fluorescence, extent of photo- and oxidative stress, leaf damage, mechanisms of photo- and antioxidant protection, and terpene emission were measured in leaves of Quercus ilex seedlings exposed to a ramp of temperatures of 5 ∞ ∞ ∞ C steps from 25 to 50 ∞ ∞ ∞ C growing with and without isoprene (10 m L L - 1 ) fumigation. The results showed that isoprene actually conferred thermotolerance (shifted the decrease of net photosynthetic rates from 35 to 45 ∞ C, increased F v / F m at 50 ∞ ∞ ∞ C from 0.38 to 0.65, and decreased the leaf area damaged from 27 to 15%), that it precluded or delayed the enhancement of the antioxidant non-enzymatic defence conferred by a tocopherol, ascorbic acid or b b b -carotene consumption in response to increasing temperatures, and that it decreased by approximately 70% the emissions of monoterpenes at the highest temperatures. This suggests that there are inducible mechanisms triggered by the initial stages of thermal damage that up-regulate these antioxidant compounds at high temperatures and that these mechanisms are somehow suppressed in the presence of exogenous isoprene, which seems to already exert an antioxidant-like behaviour.

Field of study: Environmental science
Tracking the invasion: dispersal of Hymenoscyphus fraxineus airborne inoculum at different scales.

Ash dieback is caused by an invasive pathogen Hymenoscyphus fraxineus, which emerged in Europe in the 1990s and jeopardizes the management of ash stands. Although the biological cycle of the pathogen is well understood, its dispersal patterns via airborne spores remain poorly described. We investigated the seasonal and spatial patterns of dispersal in France using both a passive spore-trapping method coupled with a real-time PCR assay and reports of ash dieback based on symptom observations. Spores detection varies from year to year with a detection ability of 30-47% depending on meteorological conditions, which affect both production of inoculum and efficiency of the trapping. Nevertheless, our results are consistent and we showed that the sporulation peak occurred from June to August and that spores were detected up to 50-100 km ahead of the disease front, proving the presence of the pathogen before any observation of symptoms. The spore dispersal gradient was steep, most of inoculum remaining within 50 m of infected ashes. Two dispersal kernels were fitted using Bayesian methods to estimate the mean dispersal distance of H. fraxineus from inoculum sources. The estimated mean distances of dispersal, either local or regional scale, were 1.4 km and 2.6 km, respectively, the best fitting kernel being the inverse power-law. This information may help to design disease management strategies.

Field of study: Biology, Environmental science
Defining order and timing of mutations during cancer progression: the TO-DAG probabilistic graphical model

Somatic mutations arise and accumulate both during tumor genesis and progression. However, the order in which mutations occur is an open question and the inference of the temporal ordering at the gene level could potentially impact on patient treatment. Thus, exploiting recent observations suggesting that the occurrence of mutations is a non-memoryless process, we developed a computational approach to infer timed oncogenetic directed acyclic graphs (TO-DAGs) from human tumor mutation data. Such graphs represent the path and the waiting times of alterations during tumor evolution. The probability of occurrence of each alteration in a path is the probability that the alteration occurs when all alterations prior to it have occurred. The waiting time between an alteration and the subsequent is modeled as a stochastic function of the conditional probability of the event given the occurrence of the previous one. TO-DAG performances have been evaluated both on synthetic data and on somatic non-silent mutations from prostate cancer and melanoma patients and then compared with those of current well-established approaches. TO-DAG shows high performance scores on synthetic data and recognizes mutations in gatekeeper tumor suppressor genes as trigger for several downstream mutational events in the human tumor data.

Field of study: Biology
Pre-hospital emergency care and the family physician.

Advances in resuscitation and arrhythmia control that are now readily available in most hospitals have made little impact on community mortality from acute myocardial infarction and other causes of sudden unexpected death. Most deaths occur before the victim can obtain conventional medical aid, and are due to potentially correctable lethal arrhythmias. Pre-hospital emergency care systems provide the advantages of modern methods of arrhythmia control and resuscitation directly and rapidly to the victim in the community. Advanced resuscitation is medical practice, so these systems require medical supervision and control. Potential roles for family physicians in organizing pre-hospital care are described.

Field of study: Medicine
Cloning and protein property analysis of the transcription factor MYB 12 gene in woodland strawberry(Fragaria vesca)

Total RNA was extracted from leaves of woodland strawberry(Fragaria vesca) using TRIzol method. A specific primer pair was designed to amplify the MYB 12 gene encoding a transcription factor by RT-PCR. A specific fragment about 1 kb was amplified and then cloned and sequenced. Sequence analysis showed that the fragment consisted of 988 nucleotides(nts), including a complete 855 nts ORF encoding 285 amino acids. Sequence comparison revealed that MYB 12 of woodland strawberry shared a relatively high sequence similarity(75%-76%) with that of five other Rosaceae plants and a relatively low sequence similarity(47%-68%) with that of seven non-Rosaceae plants. A phylogenetic tree based on the nucleotide sequence alignment of the MYB genes was constructed. The MYB gene of woodland strawberry and five other Rosaceae plants were clustered into the same branch, which indicated that woodland strawberry had a close relationship with Rosaceae plants. Bioinformatics analyses demonstrated that MYB 12 protein was hydrophobic. Its N-terminal contained two MYB structural domains belonging to subtribe R2R3-MYB. The secondary structure of MYB 12 protein was dominated by α-helix and some random coils were included. This research will provide a basis for identifying the role of the MYB gene in regulating plant growth and development, as well as physiological and metabolic processes.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Changes in the 1963–2013 shallow ground thermal regime in Russian permafrost regions

Spatial variability and temporal trends of the shallow ground thermal regime and permafrost active-layer thickness (ALT) were estimated over 1963–2013 using daily soil temperature data available from stations of the Russian Hydrometeorological Service. Correlation analysis was used to evaluate the role of changing climatic conditions on the ground thermal regime. ALT data collected by the Circumpolar Active Layer Monitoring program in Russia were used to expand the geography of ALT observations over 1999–2013, and to identify 'hot spots' of soil temperature and ALT change. Results indicate that a substantially higher rate of change in the thermal regime of permafrost-affected soils prevailed during 1999–2013, relative to the last fifty years. Results indicate that the thermal regime of the upper permafrost in western Russia is strongly associated with air temperature, with much weaker relationships in central and eastern Russia. The thermal regime of permafrost-affected soils shows stronger dependence on climatic conditions over the last fifteen years relative to the historical 50-year period. Geostatistical analysis revealed that the cities of Norilsk and Susuman are hot spots of permafrost degradation. Of six settlements selected for detailed analysis in various parts of the permafrost regions, all but one (Chukotka), show substantial changes in the shallow ground thermal regime. Northern locations in the continuous permafrost region show thickening of the active layer, while those farther south experienced development of residual thaw layers above the permafrost and decreases in the duration of the freezing period.

Field of study: Environmental science
[Dopamine neurotransmission of peripheral blood lymphocytes is a potential biomarker of psychiatric and neurological disorders].

Current literature on a role of dopamine in the development of mental and neurological disorders suggests that the discovery of endogenous dopamine in peripheral blood lymphocytes gave rise to a new line of research. Dopamine receptors are not only found on cells of the innate immune response (nonspecific), but also on cells of adaptive immune response (specific): T and B lymphocytes. These facts bring a new evidence of interrelationships between the peripheral immune system, neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration and suggest new ways for investigation of the pathogenesis of different mental and neurological disorders, in particular Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia. There is strong evidence that ligands of dopamine receptors can change the expression of coding genes both in central neurons and in peripheral cells. Thus, peripheral blood lymphocytes may prove a cellular tool to identify dopamine transmission disturbances in neuropsychiatric diseases, as well as to monitor the effects of pharmacological treatment.

Field of study: Medicine, Psychology
The Healing Ministry of Christ

Caring for the sick requires determination and moral courage; there is a spiritual side to the battle against disease. The Christian caregiver, through Christ, receives the grace to confront the morally exhausting suffering of patients and enhancing the unique bonds that arise from that suffering. Our faith Christ who dying destroys death and in rising restores life, allows the Christian to affirm faith as well as heal disease in ministry to the sick.

Field of study: Medicine, Philosophy
Testing for the Professions: Accounting

PUBLIC ACCOUNTING is a comparatively young profession and is a rapidly growing one. From August 1940 to November 1956, the Ameri can Institute of Accountants, which is the national organization of public accountants, increased in membership from 5437 to 28, 535, or more than 500 per cent. It is estimated that there are now in the United States approximately 19,000 certi fied public accountants in public practice. The total number of accountants, including those in public and private practice and government ac counting, but excluding those doing routine book keeping work, is estimated tobe more than 200,000. The importance of accounting in our financial structure is evident to everyone. Modern busi ness could not function without accountants in both public and private practice. The accountant stands in a unique role of trust. He is the final arbiter of the financial condition of many thousands of bus iness organizations ranging from small private enterprises to giant corporations and including profit-making, non-profit, and governmental or ganizations. It is essential that men of high abil ity and unassailable integrity be attracted to, trained for, and retained in this profession.

Field of study: Education
Grade Level Contributions to the Variance of Flanders’ Interaction Categories

To examine the contribution of grade-level to the variance of Flanders' Categories when corrected for individual teacher characteristics, two series of one-way analysis of co-variance were carried out using 1. ) the MTAI and 2. ) the Respect and Genuineness Scales as concomitant variables. Significant (p <.05) grade level effects were found only for Flanders' Categories 4, 5, and 6. Scheffe multiple comparisons yielded no significant F's. It was concluded that when individual teacher characteristics are corrected for, grade-level effects on the variance of Flanders' Categories are significant only in the cases of the categories most directly concerned with subject matter and the significance attained is an effect of the variance contributed by all grade levels with no one significant source of differences identified.

Field of study: Education