nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Strong convergence properties for partial sums of asymptotically negatively associated random vectors in Hilbert spaces

In this paper, we investigate the almost sure convergence for partial sums of asymptotically negatively associated (ANA, for short) random vectors in Hilbert spaces. The Khintchine-Kolmogorov type convergence theorem, three series theorem and the Kolmogorov type strong law of large numbers for partial sums of ANA random vectors in Hilbert spaces are obtained. The results obtained in the paper generalize some corresponding ones for independent random vectors and negatively associated random vectors in Hilbert spaces.

Field of study: Mathematics
Conformational flexibility of Mycobacterium tuberculosis thioredoxin reductase: crystal structure and normal-mode analysis.

The thioredoxin system exists ubiquitously and participates in essential antioxidant and redox-regulation processes via a pair of conserved cysteine residues. In Mycobacterium tuberculosis, which lacks a genuine glutathione system, the thioredoxin system provides reducing equivalents inside the cell. The three-dimensional structure of thioredoxin reductase from M. tuberculosis has been determined at 3 A resolution. TLS refinement reveals a large libration axis, showing that NADPH-binding domain has large anisotropic disorder. The relative rotation of the NADPH domain with respect to the FAD domain is necessary for the thioredoxin reduction cycle, as it brings the spatially distant reacting sites close together. Normal-mode analysis carried out based on the elastic network model shows that the motion required to bring about the functional conformational change can be accounted for by motion along one single mode. TLS refinement and normal-mode analysis thus enhance our understanding of the associated conformational changes.

Field of study: Chemistry
Functional Genetic Polymorphisms in the IL1RL1–IL18R1 Region Confer Risk for Ocular Behçet’s Disease in a Chinese Han Population

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the IL1RL1–IL18R1 region are associated with various immune-mediated diseases. This study was carried out to investigate the causal variant for ocular Behçet’s disease (BD) and elucidate its target genes in the IL1RL1–IL18R1 region. Nine candidate functional SNPs were prioritized with bioinformatics analysis, followed by a two-stage association study in 694 ocular BD patients and 1,458 unaffected controls. Functional studies were performed in the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of 45 healthy men and 16 active male BD patients. Genotyping was performed using the MassARRAY System. The mRNA expressions of IL1RL1, IL18R1, IL18RAP, and SLC9A4 were assayed by real-time PCR and secretion of cytokines was examined by ELISA. Significantly lower frequencies of the rs12987977 GG genotype/G allele (Pc = 8.93 × 10–7, OR = 0.39; Pc = 2.60 × 10–3, OR = 0.77, respectively), rs12999364 TT genotype/T allele (Pc = 3.15 × 10–4, OR = 0.51; Pc = 1.13 × 10–2, OR = 0.80, respectively), and rs4851569 AA genotype/A allele (Pc = 3.29 × 10–4, OR = 0.52; Pc = 9.72 × 10–3, OR = 0.80, respectively) were observed in BD patients compared with the controls. Functional experiments revealed a downregulation of IL1RL1, IL18R1, and SLC9A4 and a decreased secretion of IFN-γ in the anti-CD3/CD28 antibody-treated PBMCs as well as a decreased production of TNF-α in the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated PBMCs in carriers of the protective homozygous rs12987977/GG genotype compared with the TT genotype. Our findings show that functional SNPs—rs12987977, rs12999364, and rs4851569—in the IL1RL1–IL18R1 region confer susceptibility to ocular BD in a Chinese Han population. And IL1RL1, IL18R1, and SLC9A4 may be the target genes of rs12987977.

Field of study: Biology
Intergranular air movement within an experimental grain store with three different floor configurations

Intergranular static pressures and air speeds were measured directly to determine the air movement in a experimental bin during low temperature grain drying experiments. The perforated floor of the experimental bin was configured as either horizontal and fully perforated, horizontal and partially perforated, or slanted and fully perforated. In the bin with the partially or slanted perforated floor, airflow was nonuniform and two dimensional. The experimental results showed that the drying process which leads to grain shrinkage and changes in local bulk porosity of grain had little effect on the airflow distribution. Validation of computer simulation showed that the airflow resistance of the perforated surface air entrance should be taken into account in airflow simulation for bins with partially perforated floors.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Quantum Lattice Contraction Induced by Transient Raman Process

The lattice contraction phenomenon found in time resolved X-ray diffraction and electron diffraction experiments is usually considered to be caused by photo-generated carriers. However, the quantum calculation under finite-time boundary conditions leads to a transient Raman process that directly connects optical transitions and lattice displacements. The lattice contraction phenomenon and the coherent phonon phenomenon can be explained well by the process.

Field of study: Physics
Bargaining and network structure: An experiment

We consider bargaining in a bipartite network of buyers and sellers, who can only trade with the limited number of people with whom they are connected. Such networks could arise due to proximity issues or restricted communication flows, as with information transmission of job openings, business opportunities, and transactions not easily regulated by external authorities. We perform an experimental test of a graph-theoretic model that allows us to decompose any two-sided network into simple networks of three types, with unique predictions about equilibrium prices for the networks in our sessions. We begin with two separate simple networks, which are then joined by an additional link. Participants appear to quickly grasp important characteristics of the networks. The results diverge sharply depending on how this connection is made, typically conforming to the theoretical directional predictions. Payoffs can be systematically affected even for agents who are not connected by the new link. We find strong evidence that shares (publicly) allocated in the past to others in one’s current position substantially and significantly affect what one is willing to accept.

Field of study: Economics
Impact of atmospheric circulation on the rainfall-temperature relationship in Australia

Anthropogenic climate change is leading to the intensification of extreme rainfall due to an increase in atmospheric water holding capacity at higher temperatures as governed by the Clausius-Clapeyron (C-C) relationship. However, the rainfall-temperature sensitivity (termed scaling) often deviates from the CC relationship. This manuscript uses classifications prescribed by regional-scale atmospheric circulation patterns to investigate whether deviations from the CC relationship in tropical Australia can be explained by differing weather types (WT). We show that the rainfall-temperature scaling differs depending on the WTs, with the difference increasing with rainfall magnitude. All monsoonal WTs have similar scaling, in excess of the CC relationship, while trade winds (the driest WTs) result in the greatest scaling, up to twice that of the CC relationship. Finally, we show the scaling for each WT also varies spatially, illustrating that both local factors and the WT will contribute to the behaviour of rainfall under warming.

Field of study: Environmental science
The Correspondence and Contribution of Taoist Culture to the Localization of Social Work

Owing to its metaphysical philosophical discourse,Taoist culture has been popular in western society.Taoism culture become an important part of Chinese traditional culture and has a profound impact on the habits and behavior of Chinese people through its Tao-centered concepts concerning the relation of the universe,society and human beings.The ideal personality,the concept of inaction,the law of nature and other political and life ideals found in Taoist culture are fitted to the values,theories,methods and knowledge of social work,and also contribute to the localization of social work.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Internal and External Factors Affecting the Corporate Social Responsibility Efforts of AGIP in Oil-bearing Communities of South-South Nigeria

The modern thinking in organizational literature is based on corporate participation in the development process of host communities. Therefore, to assess the efforts that Agip has made so far in this direction, a study was initiated in 2013, by the authors. The aim was to interrogate the specific internal and external challenges of Agip in the discharge of its CSR role in some communities where it has its oil installations in the South-South region of Nigeria. To achieve this aim, a survey was conducted in purposively selected communities which host Agip’s oil installations with the employment of both qualitative and quantitative methods. Results revealed that, Agip’s CSR efforts are being impeded by both internal and external factors. Issues relating to Agip’s approach towards project abandonment, job creation and divide and rule tactics, for instance, have dwindled community rating of Agip CSR efforts in the region. This paper therefore concludes by suggesting that, stakeholder’s synergy is needed not only in surmounting these challenges but also in creating a formidable platform for the sustainable community development of the oil bearing communities of this region who most times bear the burden of oil exploration, exploitation and transportation.  10.5901/jesr.2014.v4n3p459

Field of study: Education, Sociology
Evidence that rat liver pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase activator protein is a pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase.

It is shown here that rat liver pyruvate dehydrogenase (PDH) kinase activator protein (KAP) catalyses ATP-dependent inactivation and [32P]phosphorylation of pig heart PDHE1 and of yeast (Saccharomyces cerevisiae) PDH complex devoid of PDH kinase activity, that fluorosulphonylbenzoyladenosine inactivates rat liver KAP and the intrinsic PDH kinase of rat liver PDH complex, and that KAP, like PDH kinase, is inactivated by thiol-reactive reagents. It is concluded that KAP is a free PDH kinase.

Field of study: Biology, Computer science
High temperature electrocatalytic properties of the SOFC air electrode La0.8Sr0.2MnO3/YSZ

The electrocatalytic properties of the air electrode La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 in solid oxide fuel cells were examined by using complex impedance spectroscopy under the conditions of oxygen partial pressure, P (O 2 ), between 1 and 10 − 4 atm and temperatures, T , between 800 and 1000°C. The electrodes, O 2 /La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 /YSZ, were prepared by co-firing at 1350, 1400, 1435, and 1500°C in air. In the measurements at 800–1000°C, σ E was nearly proportional to P (O 2 ) 1/2 at high P (O 2 )s and was proportional to P (O 2 ) at low P (O 2 )s. In the region where σ E was proportional to P (O 2 ), σ E showed nearly the same value irrespective of the different electrode microstructures, suggesting that the electrode reaction was controlled by O 2 gas diffusion. In the region where σ E ∝ P (O 2 ) 1/2 , the relationship between σ E and P (O 2 ) was interpreted by the model that the electrode reaction was controlled by the surface diffusion of adsorbed oxygen atoms, O ad , from the electrode surface to the electrode/electrolyte boundary. The results obtained in the present work meant that La 2 Zr 2 O 7 , formed on the La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 surface, disturbed the surface diffusion of O ad from the La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 surface to the three phase boundary of O 2 , La 0.8 Sr 0.2 MnO 3 , and Y 2 O 3 stabilized ZrO 2 (YSZ). Increasing the co-firing temperature, the surface composition of the electrode material changed, and hence the oxygen adsorption process might be changed.

Field of study: Materials science
Superconducting Coil System R&D for a 230-MeV Superconducting Cyclotron

Started in January 2015, a 230-MeV superconducting cyclotron is under construction in the China Institute of Atomic Energy for proton therapy. A compact main magnet design with warm iron yokes and a superconducting coil system is adopted to reduce the size, construction, and operation cost of the cyclotron. In this paper, the field calculations of the main magnet are briefly described; then, the R&D of the superconducting coil system are outlined in detail, including the cryogenics design of the system, the forces, and stress analysis of the superconducting coil and support links, the power supply and quench protection design. Some preliminary test results are also presented.

Field of study: Physics
The Evolution of the English Turnpike Trusts: Lessons from a Case Study

T he demythologizing of transport studies begun in recent years has shifted attention from an interest in individual undertakings towards a broader and more systematic analysis of transport developments in relation to the national economy. This move towards "the New Transport History: a subject which has escaped from antiquarianism and narrative"2 may make the present return to a narrow focus seem retrograde, even wilful. Such an unfashionable step can, however, be justified on the ground that only through the analysis of comprehensive evidence on discrete ventures can the oversimplifications and distortions underlying some national assessments be revealed. In particular, it can be demonstrated from a study of the Bath Turnpike Trust that although the periodic renewal and amendment Acts pertaining to individual trusts have been almost entirely ignored in recent macro-studies, they were vitally important for the development of each undertaking and hence for the road system as a whole.3 Through this legislation the trusts were able to renew and extend their initial powers for raising capital, collecting revenue, and building and improving the roads. That is, they did not emerge fully fledged at the moment of legal inception, but were instead subject to a continuing evolution within a network which was itself undergoing change. Generalizations which fail to take into account this acquisition of additional powers by existing bodies are therefore likely to misrepresent the contributions of turnpike roads in terms of both capital investment and construction work. This view of the turnpike trusts as dynamic rather than static bodies will be examined as follows. After a short survey of the relevant literature, the typicality of the Bath Trust will be considered, and the provisions of its renewal and amendment Acts summarized. The implementation of powers relating to mileage can be easily established, and will therefore be described briefly. Provisions concerning finance present more difficulty and will be studied at greater length. It will be shown that their significance lies not only

Field of study: Economics, History
A high-resolution carbon-isotope record of the Turonian stage correlated to a siliciclastic basin fill: Implications for mid-Cretaceous sea-level change

Turonian strata of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Central Europe, preserve a basin-scale record of shoreline transgressions and regressions, previously interpreted to have been strongly influenced by short-term eustatic cycles. Here, nearshore siliciclastic strata in two separate sub-basins are correlated to a multi-stratigraphic dataset generated from a new research core (Bch-1) drilled in offshore marine sediments of the central basin. A high-resolution δ13Corg record from Bch-1 is presented along with major- and minor-element proxies, TOC, carbonate content, terrestrial to marine palynomorph ratios, and detailed macro- and microfossil biostratigraphy. The 400 m thick Turonian through Lower Coniacian interval permits correlation to the highest-resolution C-isotope curves available: all carbon-isotope events demonstrated by δ13Ccarb studies in the British Chalk, NW Germany and other reference sections in Europe are recognized in the δ13Corg curve from Bch-1. 
 
A number of short-term, basin-wide regressions in the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, most likely reflecting eustatic falls, show a recurrence interval of 100 kyr or less. This is an order of magnitude shorter than the timing of sea-level falls inferred from the New Jersey margin and the Apulian platform, interpreted to be driven by glacioeustacy. The estimated magnitude of the Bohemian Basin sea-level falls, typically 10–20 m and generally < 40 m, indicates that the 2.4 Myr period suggested by others to generate 3rd-order cycles, is too long to be the principal cycle generating unconformities in rapidly-subsiding basins, where the rate of eustatic fall must exceed the subsidence rate. Unconformities in low-accommodation settings such as passive margins most likely represent amalgamated records of multiple cycles of sea-level fluctuations of 100 kyr scale, recognizable only in high-resolution datasets from expanded successions. 
 
Comparison of the δ13C excursions to the interpreted sea-level record has not yielded a clear causal link. A long-term ‘background’ δ13C cycle shows a duration close to the 2.4 Myr long-eccentricity cycle, and shorter-term (1 Myr scale) highs and lows in δ13C appear to broadly correspond to intervals characterised by more pronounced short-term sea-level highs and lows, respectively. However, on the scale of intermediate to short-term δ13C fluctuations, no systematic relationship between δ13C and sea-level change can be demonstrated.

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography
Stochastic properties of the mixed accelerated hazard models

The accelerated hazard model in survival analysis assumes that the covariate effect acts the time scale of the baseline hazard rate. In this paper, we study the stochastic properties of the mixed accelerated hazard model since the covariate is considered basically unobservable. We build dependence structure between the population variable and the covariate, and also present some preservation properties. Using some well-known stochastic orders, we compare two mixed accelerated hazards models arising out of different choices of distributions for unobservable covariates or different baseline hazard rate functions.

Field of study: Mathematics
Thermal Conductivity Measurement of Low-k Dielectric Films: Effect of Porosity and Density

The thermal conductivity of low-dielectric-constant (low-k) SiOC:H and SiC:H thin films has been measured as a function of porosity using a heat transfer model based on a microfin geometry and infrared thermometry. Microscale specimens were patterned from blanket films, released from the substrate, and subsequently integrated with the experimental setup. Results show that the thermal conductivity of a dense specimen, 0.7 W/mK, can be reduced to as low as 0.1 W/mK by introducing 30% porosity into it. The measured thermal conductivity shows a nonlinear decrease with increasing porosity that approximately follows the porosity-weighted simple medium model for porous materials. Neither the differential effective medium nor the coherent potential model could predict the density dependence of the thermal conductivity. These results suggest that more careful consideration is required for application of generic porous materials modeling to low-k dielectrics.

Field of study: Materials science
Comparison of the effect of smoking on cardiac automaticity between pre- and post-menopausal women

Our aim was to compare the effect of smoking on cardiac automaticity between pre- and postmenopausal women by using heart rate variability (HRV) parameters. Thirty three premenopausal (mean age; 32.4 ± 9.2 years) and 29 postmenopausal (mean age; 49.0 ± 6.1 years) smoker women were enrolled. Basic clinical, echocardiographic, Holter parameters and HRV values were compared between the two groups. The high frequency (HF) and low frequency (LF) power spectrum of HRV and HF/LF were significantly higher (p< 0.05) and standard deviation of the averages of NN intervals in all 5-min segments of the entire recording (SDANN) from the time-domain criteria was significantly lower (p< 0.05) in postmenopausal smokers. Linear logistic regression analysis revealed that smoking duration, oestrogen level and age were significant and independent factors for impaired HRV parameters in postmenopausal smoker women (OR=3.142; 95% CI = 2.78–6.89; p = 0.001; OR=2.394; 95% CI = 1.1–4.9; p = 0.03; OR=1.4; 95% CI = 1.03–2.03; p = 0.04, respectively). Smoking impairs cardiac autonomic function both in pre- and postmenopausal women, while the effect is more prominent in the latter group. Smoking together with aging and decrease in oestrogen levels might be related with a higher degree of cardiac autonomic alterations.  Post-menopausal, women, smoking, cardiac automaticity, heart rate variability.   10.12973/ejms.2014.127p

Field of study: Medicine
Quantifying the Sensitivity of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis to Isospin Breaking

We perform the first quantitative study of the sensitivity of Big Bang Nucleosynthesis to variations in isospin breaking with precise input from lattice QCD calculations. The predicted light nuclear abundances are most sensitive to the neutron-proton mass splitting as both the initial relative abundance of neutrons to protons and the $n \rightleftharpoons p$ weak reaction rates are very sensitive to this quantity. Lattice QCD has been used to determine this mass splitting to greater than 5-sigma, including contributions from both the down-quark up-quark mass splitting, $2\delta = m_d-m_u$ and from electromagnetic coupling of the quarks to the photons with a strength governed by the fine structure constant, $\alpha_{fs}$. At leading order in isospin breaking, the contribution of $\delta$ and $\alpha_{fs}$ to $M_n-M_p$ and the nuclear reaction rates can be varied independently. We use this knowledge and input from lattice QCD to quantitatively study variations of the predicted light nuclear abundances as $\delta$ and $\alpha_{fs}$ are varied. The change in the D and ${}^4$He abundances individually allow for potentially large simultaneous variations in $\delta$ and $\alpha_{fs}$ while maintaining consistency with the observed abundances, however the combined comparison restricts variations in these sources of isospin breaking to less than $\lesssim1.25\%$ at the 3-sigma confidence level. This sensitivity can be used to place tight constraints on prospective beyond the Standard Model theories that would modify these isospin breaking effects in the primordial Universe.

Field of study: Physics
Occurrence of blood acetaldehyde in women during ethanol intoxication: preliminary findings.

The question of gender differences regarding blood acetaldehyde levels during ethanol intoxication has not been clarified because of the difficulties in the determination of acetaldehyde levels. Although the blood acetaldehyde levels in men during normal ethanol oxidation are reported to be undetectable, no valid data on female blood acetaldehyde levels have yet been reported. Thus, in the present investigation, 13 young healthy nonalcoholic women, almost all of which took oral contraceptives regularly, were challenged with different doses of ethanol (0.34, 0.68, and 1.02 g/kg) during three different sessions. Venous blood acetaldehyde and ethanol levels were then determined by headspace gas chromatography involving appropriate correction for artefactual acetaldehyde formation during blood treatment and analytical procedures. Corrected blood acetaldehyde levels (mean 2 microM, range 0-6 microM) were observed, predominantly at lower ethanol concentrations. Elevated acetaldehyde levels in women may explain why ethanol is less frequently abused and causes tissue damage more rapidly in women than men.

Field of study: Medicine