nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Iprodione degradation by isolated soil microorganisms

Three bacterial strains were isolated from soils adapted to iprodione and identified as Pseudomonas fluorescens, Pseudomonas sp. and Pseudomonas paucimobilis. The first two strains transformed iprodione to N-(3,5-dichlorophenyl)-2,4-dioxoimidazolidine (II) and under restrictive conditions to 3,5-dichlorophenylurea acetic acid (III); the latter subsequently degraded II to III and III to 3,5-dichloroaniline (3,5-D). We constructed bacterial combinations consisting of Pseudomonas paucimobilis plus one of the iprodione degraders and showed that these combinations transformed iprodione into 3,5-D. It is known that 3,5-D was the major metabolite found in adapted soils, suggesting that such a bacterial combination might be responsible for degrading iprodione into 3,5-D in adapted soils. Plasmids could only be isolated in Pseudomonas fluorescens but we did not investigate if one of these was involved in the ability to degrade iprodione.

Field of study: Biology, Environmental science
Hydrogen-transfer Oxidation of Primary Alcohols Catalyzed by Iridium Complexes Bearing a Functional Pyridonate Ligand Using Isopropenyl Acetate as a Hydrogen Acceptor

A new catalytic system for the hydrogen-transfer oxidation of alcohols catalyzed by iridium complexes bearing a functional pyridonate ligand has been developed. By using isopropenyl acetate as a hy...

Field of study: Chemistry
Fluvastatin inhibits activation of JAK and STAT proteins in diabetic rat glomeruli and mesangial cells under high glucose conditions

The aim of the present study was to further elucidate the mechanism of the protective role of fluvastatin on diabetic nephropathy.Streptozotocin-induced diabetic rats were treated daily with fluvastatin (4 mg/kg body weight) by gavage. The animals were killed 4 weeks later and urine and blood samples were collected. The kidney tissues were removed and subjected to the following experiments. Rat glomerular mesangial cells (GMC) were cultured under normal glucose (5.5 mmol/L), high glucose (HG, 30 mmol/L), HG+AG490 (10 μmol/L), or HG with fluvastatin (1 μmol/L). Glomeruli or the GMC lysate was immunoprecipitated and/or immunoblotted with antibodies against Janus kinase 2 (JAK2), SH2-domain containing tyrosine phosphatase-1 (SHP-1), phosphospecific SHP-2, and signal transducer and activators of transcription (STAT), respectively. Transforming growth factor-β (TGF-β1) mRNA was measured by RT-PCR. The protein synthesis of TGF-β1 and fibronectin in the culture medium of GMC was detected by ELISA.Results:The phosphorylation levels of JAK2, STAT1, STAT3, and SHP-2 increased significantly, and SHP-1 phosphorylation was reduced in glomeruli of diabetic rats. Treatment with fluvastatin reduced phosphorylation levels of JAK2, STAT1, STAT3, and SHP-2 in glomeruli of diabetic rats, but it had no effect on the dephosphorylation of SHP-1. The exposure of GMC to 30 mmol/L glucose caused the activation of JAK2, STAT1, STAT3, and SHP-2. It upregulated TGF-β1 expression and increased protein synthesis of fibronectin. These high glucose-induced changes were suppressed by fluvastatin, as well as AG490, a JAK2 inhibitor.The regulation of the phosphorylation of JAK/STAT by fluvastatin may be responsible for its renal protective effects on diabetic nephropathy.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
R407C Incomplete phase changing in heat pumps and its influence on system parameters

In order to reveal some relationships between system parameters and R407C incomplete phase changing in condenser and evaporator, a concept is presented firstly, that is the maximum flow rate of heat-transfer fluids. Afterwards thermodynamics cycle analyzing is used, and some important system parameters are given, such as temperature difference between R407C and heat-transfer fluids, compressor discharge capacity. These parameters can affect on the maximum flow rate of heat-transfer fluids, and the results are shown in some figures. Lastly, relationship is discussed too between R407C’s pressure drop in condenser or evaporator and the incomplete phase change.

Field of study: Chemistry, Environmental science
Arsenic dissolution from Japanese paddy soil by a dissimilatory arsenate-reducing bacterium Geobacter sp. OR-1.

Dissimilatory As(V) (arsenate)-reducing bacteria may play an important role in arsenic release from anoxic sediments in the form of As(III) (arsenite). Although respiratory arsenate reductase genes (arrA) closely related to Geobacter species have been frequently detected in arsenic-rich sediments, it is still unclear whether they directly participate in arsenic release, mainly due to lack of pure cultures capable of arsenate reduction. In this study, we isolated a novel dissimilatory arsenate-reducing bacterium, strain OR-1, from Japanese paddy soil, and found that it was phylogenetically closely related to Geobacter pelophilus. OR-1 also utilized soluble Fe(III), ferrihydrite, nitrate, and fumarate as electron acceptors. OR-1 catalyzed dissolution of arsenic from arsenate-adsorbed ferrihydrite, while Geobacter metallireducens GS-15 did not. Furthermore, inoculation of washed cells of OR-1 into sterilized paddy soil successfully restored arsenic release. Arsenic K-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure analysis revealed that strain OR-1 reduced arsenate directly on the soil solid phase. Analysis of putative ArrA sequences from paddy soils suggested that Geobacter-related bacteria, including those closely related to OR-1, play an important role in arsenic release from paddy soils. Our results provide direct evidence for arsenic dissolution by Geobacter species and support the hypothesis that Geobacter species play a significant role in reduction and mobilization of arsenic in flooded soils and anoxic sediments.

Field of study: Environmental science
Study on Interface Between Fe3Al Intermetallics Welded by Shielded Metal Arc Welding

The semi-ceramics Fe3Al intermetallics was welded by shielded metal arc welding with stainless steel using stainless steel welding rod.The microstructure,chemical composition and phase structure of welding interface were studied by optical microscopy,SEM,ESA and XRD.The results show that welding seam joint well with base material.The concentration of alloy elements of interface and both side of interface change by grads,especially,aluminum obviously change by grads on welding seam.Elements diffusion found but no new phase formed on the interface.

Field of study: Materials science
Hybrid coincidence and common fixed point theorems in Menger probabilistic metric spaces under a strict contractive condition with an application

We prove some coincidence and common fixed point theorems for two hybrid pairs of mappings in Menger spaces satisfying a strict contractive condition. An illustrative example is given to support the genuineness of our extension besides deriving some related results. Then, we establish the corresponding common fixed point theorems in metric spaces. Finally, we utilize our main result to obtain the existence of a common solution for a system of Volterra type integral equations.

Field of study: Mathematics
Unstable Job Attachments and the Changing Structure of British Unemployment 1973-83

This paper shows that the effect of job instability on the socioecon omic structure of British unemployment is less than usually thought: groups with a high frequency of unemployment often have high prob abilities of entering unemployment should turnover occur, and not hig h turnover; high unemployment groups are as likely to experience long durations as more frequent spells. The structure of cross-section un employment is remarkably unchanged between 1973 and 1983 despite the fourfold rise in aggregate unemployment. Most significant is (1) the relative increase in unemployment among the semi-skilled and skilled manual workers and (2) the relative increase among ethnic minorities.

Field of study: Economics
Postcollisional delamination and partial melting of enriched lithospheric mantle: Evidence from Oligocene (ca. 30 Ma) potassium-rich lavas in the Gemuchaka area of the central Qiangtang Block, Tibet

Postcollisional potassium (K)-rich magmatic rocks have important implications for unveiling the deep geodynamic processes active during the evolution of orogenic belts and the surface uplift of plateaus. However, their petrogenesis remains highly controversial. Here we report on zircon U-Pb and mineral Ar-40-Ar-39 age, zircon Hf-O isotope, mineral composition, whole-rock major and trace element composition, and Nd-Sr isotope data for the postcollisional K-rich lavas in the Gemuchaka area of the central Qiangtang Block (central Tibet). Age dating suggests that these lavas were generated in the late Early Oligocene (ca. 30 Ma). Two series of rocks were recognized: silica-undersaturated and -saturated lavas. Both series are geochemically characterized by continuous variation trends. All rocks are enriched in light rare earth elements (LREEs) relative to heavy REEs (HREEs) and depleted in Ta-Nb-Ti, with negligible Sr and Eu and obviously positive Pb anomalies. The rocks have higher Th/ La (0.2-0.8) and Nb/Ta (18.6-19.8) values than asthenospheric mantle-derived rocks but slightly variable values of epsilon(Nd) (t) (-6.0 to -4.6), (Sr-87/Sr-86)(i) (0.7076-0.7083), and zircon epsilon(HF)(t) (-7.2 to +0.8) and delta O-18 (7.1-8.5 parts per thousand). We suggest that the parental magmas of these K-rich lavas were likely derived by variable partial melting of lithospheric mantle metaso-matized by subducting continental sediment-derived melts with the addition of minor asthenospheric components. Element modeling results suggest that the basic end members were likely generated by fractionation processes dominated by olivine and minor clinopyroxene from parental magmas, and some other evolved rocks were generated by crystal (olivine, clinopyroxene, Fe-Ti oxides) fractionation from basic magmas. Combining geological and Cenozoic magmatic rock data in the Qiangtang Block, we propose that the Gemuchaka magmatism was most likely triggered by the delamination of lithospheric mantle thickened by early (Paleocene- Eocene) intracontinental subduction and subsequent asthenospheric upwelling.

Field of study: Geology
A systematic mapping study on the combination of software architecture and agile development

54 studies on the combination are selected for data extraction and analysis.None of the architecting approaches has been widely used in the combination.Lack of description and analysis on the costs and failure of the combination.20 challenges, 29 factors, and 25 lessons learned were identified. ContextCombining software architecture and agile development has received significant attention in recent years. However, there exists no comprehensive overview of the state of research on the architecture-agility combination. ObjectiveThis work aims to analyze the combination of architecture and agile methods for the purpose of exploration and analysis with respect to architecting activities and approaches, agile methods and practices, costs, benefits, challenges, factors, tools, and lessons learned concerning the combination. MethodA systematic mapping study (SMS) was conducted, covering the literature on the architecture-agility combination published between February 2001 and January 2014. ResultsFifty-four studies were finally included in this SMS. Some of the highlights: (1) a significant difference exists in the proportion of various architecting activities, agile methods, and agile practices employed in the combination. (2) none of the architecting approaches has been widely used in the combination. (3) there is a lack of description and analysis regarding the costs and failure stories of the combination. (4) twenty challenges, twenty-nine factors, and twenty-five lessons learned were identified. ConclusionsThe results of this SMS help the software engineering community to reflect on the past thirteen years of research and practice on the architecture-agility combination with a number of implications.

Field of study: Computer science, Engineering
Fully Decomposable Compressive Sampling With Joint Optimization for Multidimensional Sparse Representation

Conventional compressive sampling methods cannot efficiently exploit structured sparsity for sampling multidimensional signals like video sequences. In this paper, we propose a fully decomposable compressive sampling model that adopts the Kronecker product framework to exploit the structured sparsity spanning multidimensional signals. It enables efficient sampling in a progressive fashion by retaining the block-diagonal feature of Kronecker products. A synthetic sensing matrix is developed for joint optimization over sampling signals with multiple dimensions. Instead of adjusting global Gram matrix, separable minimization of mutual coherence in multiple dimensions is jointly formulated for a stable recovery with enhanced convergence rate. Sampling rate allocation is considered to improve recovery performance based on the decomposable compressive sampling. The proposed model is employed in video acquisition for temporal sparsity along motion trajectory. Experiment results show that the proposed model can improve the recovery performance with a reduced number of necessary samples in comparison to the state-of-the-art methods.

Field of study: Engineering
Nuclear Energy Density Optimization: UNEDF2

M. Kortelainen1,2,3,4, J. McDonnell3,4,5, W. Nazarewicz3,4,6, E. Olsen3, P.-G. Reinhard7,  M. Wild8, D. Davesne9, J. Erler10, A. Pastore11 1Department of Physics, University of Jyvaskyla, P.O. Box 35 (YFL), FI-40014 Jyvaskyla, Finland 2Helsinki Institute of Physics, P.O. Box 64, FI-00014 University of Helsinki, Finland 3Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN 37996, USA 4Physics Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN 37831, USA 5Physics Division, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, Livermore, CA 94551, USA 6Institute of Theoretical Physics, Warsaw University, ul. Hoza 69, PL-00681, Warsaw, Poland 7Institut fur Theoretische Physik, Universitat Erlangen, D-91054 Erlangen, Germany 8Mathematics and Computer Science Division, Argonne National Laboratory, Argonne, IL 60439, USA 9Institut de Physique Nucleaire de Lyon, CNRS-IN2P3, UMR 5822, Universite Lyon 1, F-69622 Villeurbanne, France 10Division of Biophysics of Macromolecules, German Cancer Research Center (DKFZ), Im Neuenheimer Feld 580, D-69120 Heidelberg, Germany 11Institut d’Astronomie et d’Astrophysique, Universite Libre de Bruxelles CP226, 1050 Brussels, Belgium

Field of study: Physics
Effects of the phenylurea herbicide isoproturon on periphytic diatom communities in freshwater indoor microcosms.

The toxic effects of the phenylurea herbicide Isoproturon -IPU: (3-(4-isopropylphenyl)-1, 1-dimethylurea)-were studied on the colonization of periphytic diatom communities, within indoor microcosms consisting of a mixed biotope (water column and natural sediment) and two biological species-rooted macrophyte cuttings (Elodea densa) and benthic bivalve molluscs (Corbicula fluminea). The periphyton, essentially composed of diatoms, was collected on artificial substrata (glass slides) in the upper layers of the water column, after two periods of exposure (34 and 71 days). IPU was initially added in the water or in the sediment compartment, at two nominal concentrations (L1 and L2 levels) for each contamination source-5 and 20 microg litre(-1) and 100 and 400 microg kg(-1) in sediment (w/w) respectively. The effects of IPU on the density and community structure of periphytic diatoms are described. A marked reduction in the diatom density was observed after 34 days exposure to the lower concentration of IPU in the water (5 microg litre(-1)). For the L2 levels, the very small number of live cells present did not permit quantification of the diatom density. After 71 days, recovery in community parameters occurred for the two contamination levels of the sediment and water column sources. Samples collected in the experimental units contaminated with the L2 levels were dominated by heterotrophic and smaller diatom species, such as Sellaphora seminulum. Data treatment based on factorial discriminant analysis enabled us to distinguish the different contamination conditions, with only 11 species from the 130 taxa identified.

Field of study: Environmental science
Testing a 4-b shift register at 11 GHz

A 4-bit superconducting shift register based on edge triggered gates has been tested up to 11 GHz with two-phase offset sinewave clocks. The edge triggered gates are made by serial connection of a Josephson junction (JJ) and a modified variable threshold gate, fabricated by a Nb/AlO/sub x//Nb process.<<ETX>>

Field of study: Physics
Bridging cell surface receptor with nuclear receptors in control of bile acid homeostasis

Bile acids (BAs) are traditionally considered as “physiological detergents” for emulsifying hydrophobic lipids and vitamins due to their amphipathic nature. But accumulating clinical and experimental evidence shows an association between disrupted BA homeostasis and various liver disease conditions including hepatitis infection, diabetes and cancer. Consequently, BA homeostasis regulation has become a field of heavy interest and investigation. After identification of the Farnesoid X Receptor (FXR) as an endogenous receptor for BAs, several nuclear receptors (SHP, HNF4α, and LRH-1) were also found to be important in regulation of BA homeostasis. Some post-translational modifications of these nuclear receptors have been demonstrated, but their physiological significance is still elusive. Gut secrets FGF15/19 that can activate hepatic FGFR4 and its downstream signaling cascade, leading to repressed hepatic BA biosynthesis. However, the link between the activated kinases and these nuclear receptors is not fully elucidated. Here, we review the recent literature on signal crosstalk in BA homeostasis.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry, Medicine
Fetal exposure to polybrominated diphenyl ethers and the risk of hypospadias: focus on the congeners involved.

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) are widely used flame retardants, and their endocrine-disrupting properties have focused growing attention regarding their teratogenic potential. We have recently documented that mothers of children born with hypospadias had been exposed to statistically higher levels of PBDE during pregnancy than mothers of healthy controls. However, it is not known which congeners of PBDE are associated with this putative teratogenic effect.



To identify PBDE congeners associated with increased risk for hypospadias.



Hair samples from mothers were analyzed and compared between hypospadias cases and healthy controls for eight PBDE congeners using gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Polybrominated diphenyl ether levels were measured in the 0- to 3-cm segment closest to the skull of maternal hair as a proxy for in utero exposure of mothers who lived in the same environment for the duration of their pregnancy.



Median maternal hair levels of five PBDE congeners (28, 47, 99, 153, and 154) and of total PBDE (∑PBDE) were significantly higher among mothers of infants with hypospadias (n = 152) than among controls (n = 64). Apparent greater differences in the lower brominated congeners, especially in BDE-47 and BDE-99, may be due to the fact that they had been used in larger amounts, and their persistence properties confer longer exposure.



The majority of the lower brominated PBDE congeners measured in maternal hair exhibited higher PBDE body burden during pregnancy in mothers of infants who were born with hypospadias.

Field of study: Medicine
Critical Evaluation of the 'Matura' Test: CEFR Alignment Project for the Austrian National Examination in English (B2 Level)

This study attempted to evaluate the usefulness a CEFR (Common European Framework of Reference) alignment project ‘Matura’ listening test with respects of the item analysis, validity (i.e., content validity) and reliability (i.e., internal consistency reliability, scoring reliably). 93 students randomly selected from six secondary-school of different school-levels across three different regions in Austria completed the listening test. SPSS was employed for the statistical analysis. Facility value, discrimination index together with other descriptive statistics were reported for the item analysis. Content validity by a panel of expert judgments as well as the reliability of the listening test was further examined. Findings showed that: 1) the test paper was of average to high difficulty with its peak score locating around the mid-point, which allow higher education institutions to set an appropriate cut-score for decision making. Relatively widespread test scores further indicated its potential to efficiently discriminate learners of varied listening proficiency; 2) the majority of items in the listening test performed well and were qualitatively reasonably good. However, we did identify several problematic items with possible causes related to construct-irrelevance, too many possible answers, mismatch sign-posted words, fast audio speed, testing simply the background knowledge, and the heavy cognitive load required for  “Not Given” option; 3) regarding validity and validity issues, construct-under representation and the less authentic listening materials were then spotted by careful content analysis. Though the statistical output reported relatively high reliability, results should be interpreted with caution. Based on findings, general evaluation of the test as well as implications for further improvement were revealed.  test evaluation, usefulness, content validity, reliability, Common European Framework of Reference, listening comprehension, item analysis DOI: 10.7176/JEP/11-11-01 Publication date: April 30 th 2020

Field of study: Education
Fettered Self-determination: South Sudan’s Narrowed Path to Secession

The interpretation of self-determination as a vote for secession shaped the state that South Sudan has become since the 2011 referendum. Self-determination, this paper argues, is a democratic political process in which citizens determine their preferred form of statehood and nature of governance for their country. In South Sudan, however, political actors—with international support—established conditions that reduced such complex democratic processes to narrow technical matters. Equating self-determination with secession consolidated political and military domination in a process designed to end such domination. This was done at the expense of a more inclusive, process-oriented and political interpretation of self-determination.

Field of study: History, Sociology
Language Teaching Methodology: Historical Development and Contemporary Issues

This paper captures the historical development of language teaching methods over the years. It analyses the different language teaching methods and discuses their strengths and weaknesses.  This paper also touches on the different approaches that gave rise to various methods of language teaching. This paper adopts a descriptive approach. The paper finds that in Nigeria, those involved in making language education policies are still struggling to keep abreast with latest developments in language teaching methods.  The paper also finds that adopting just one particular method of language teaching may not suffice for modern language teaching given the dynamic nature of language itself and the teaching methods that are evolving in tune with advancements in the contemporary times.  New trends in language teaching methods are discussed. There are many contemporary issues on language teaching methods that are yearning for the attention of education policy makers, those that ensure implementation of these policies and the language teachers as well. This paper advocates that Nigeria should keep abreast with contemporary developments in language teaching which emphasis communicative competence and carry out a gradual overhaul of the system which may entail improving upon or dropping some methods if necessary.  Applied Linguistics, Second Language Teaching (SLT)

Field of study: Education