nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Teachers’ Pedagogical Intricacies in Handling Large Science Classes in Eastern Uganda

The introduction of Universal Primary Education (UPE) in Uganda in 1997 increased the number of students who join secondary education. The beginning of Universal Secondary Education (USE) in 2007 salvaged many learners who could not afford secondary education. This resulted in congested classrooms especially in government-aided schools. The study was prompted by the continued decline in student performance in sciences ever since USE was introduced in Uganda (UNEB, 2008 – 2016) and so the need to establish what really the problem was. A quantitative cross-sectional survey administered questionnaires to head-teachers, science teachers and students in 32 secondary schools in Eastern Uganda was done. The study investigated science teachers’ pedagogical innovative strategies used in teaching science in large classes. It also assessed how students cope with learning science concepts in congested classes. The results show that a majority of science teachers (84.8%) handle large classes in the same way they would do in classes with fewer learners. The students also continued to learn as if they were in an environment of fewer individuals in small classes (62.8%). This lack of sensitivity, creativity and innovations for large classes by science teachers could be the reason why comprehension of science concepts is low in a majority of learners in large USE classes, especially in rural secondary schools. The study recommends incorporation of interactive learner-centered science pedagogical approaches in teacher education programmes and endorsement of the TESSA approaches, use of OER and explicit attention to be given on how to facilitate active learner engagement in large and overcrowded science classrooms.  pedagogical innovation, creativity, large classes

Field of study: Education
First discovery of Samaropollenites and the Onslow microflora in the upper triassic of Israel, and its phytogeographic implications

Core samples from the lower part of the Carnian succession in southern Israel include a unique palynological assemblage dominated by Samaropollenites speciosus, Protodiploxypinus crenulatus, Falcisporites stabilis, Enzonalasporites vigens and Staurosaccites quadrifidus. Composition and age of the assemblage are comparable to equivalent Late Triassic assemblages in Malagasy, western and eastern Australia, India, Sicily, Libya, Spain, Turkey and Syria. These assemblages are, entirely or partially, characteristic of the Onslow Microflora, a mixture of both Gondwanian and Laurasian elements, whose most significant palynomorph is Somaropollenites speciosus. This is the first detailed report of “Onslow Microflora” from the Middle East; its geographic distribution can be used as an indicator for the paleogeography of the southern margins of the Tethys during the Late Triassic.

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography
Augmentation vaginoplasty with buccal mucosa for the surgical revision of postreconstructive vaginal stenosis: a case series.

Vaginal stenosis is a common consequence of vaginal reconstruction in childhood. Significant scarring can make dilation ineffective, and there maybe a paucity of skin to create perineal skin flaps. Numerous vaginoplasty techniques exist, including perineal skin flaps for distal stenosis and intestinal vaginoplasty requiring laparotomy and bowel anastomosis. Buccal mucosa graft is widely used in urethroplasty and has been reported in neovaginal construction. It is easily accessible with minimal graft site morbidity and provides a close functional replica to vaginal mucosa.



The aim was to describe the use of buccal mucosa grafts for the surgical revision of postreconstructive vaginal stenosis.



The study setting was a tertiary centre for congenital gynaecological anomalies. Buccal mucosa grafting was provided to women with vaginal stenosis unsuitable for perineal skin flaps and in whom intestinal vaginoplasty was the next option. Four cases have been performed, and the medical notes were reviewed for clinical data.



Mean age at buccal mucosa vaginoplasty was 21 years (range 18-26 years). Two patients had a cloacal anomaly, one had mosaic Turner syndrome and one had postradiation vaginal stenosis. All four had undergone previous vaginal reconstruction. In all cases, there was a tight band of vaginal stenosis either too proximal or with insufficient perineal tissue to allow a perineal flap vaginoplasty. There were no immediate complications. Mean clinic follow-up was 16 months (3 months-4 years). Two patients were able to have penetrative sexual intercourse, and two were using vaginal dilators successfully. Patients have an email contact for the team nurse specialist and therefore are able to contact before clinical review if they develop concerns.



The use of buccal mucosal grafts for vaginoplasty is increasingly reported. This is the first detailed case series describing its use for augmentation vaginoplasty with postreconstructive/stenosis.



All patients had a successful outcome with a normal capacity vagina, and two were able to have penetrative intercourse. This suggests that buccal mucosal graft vaginoplasty is a safe and effective alternative for women with previous vaginal reconstruction requiring surgery for vaginal stenosis.

Field of study: Medicine
Topology optimization against cascading failures on wireless sensor networks using a memetic algorithm

Existing research on cascading failures of wireless sensor networks (WSNs) fails to take into account the role of the sink node on network load distribution, and rarely involves how to improve network robustness, so it has obvious limitations. To this end, this paper presents a sink-oriented cascading model for WSNs. On this basis, a memetic algorithm MA-TOSCA is proposed to help WSNs resist cascading failures via topology optimization, in which the local search operator is designed based on a new network balancing metric “sink-oriented betweenness entropy”. Moreover, we apply network statistics to identify the correlation between typical network properties and network robustness. Extensive simulations have shown that the proposed model can properly characterize the cascading process of WSNs and MA-TOSCA can find more robust topology with less time compared to existing algorithms. In addition, we discover that a network with the “onion-grid topology structure” is highly robust; the network communication efficiency, the modularity and the clustering coefficient is positively related to network robustness and the average shortest path length is negatively related to network robustness.

Field of study: Computer science
Modelling H2 Infrared Emission of the Helix Nebula Cometary Knots

In the present work, we use a photoionisation code to study the H2 emission of the Helix nebula (NGC 7293) cometary knots, particularly that produced in the interface H+/H0 of the knot, where a significant fraction of the H2 1-0 S(1) emission seems to be produced. Our results show that the production of molecular hydrogen in such region may explain several characteristics of the observed emission, particularly the high excitation temperature of the H2 infrared lines.

Field of study: Physics
Authenticity of pore size distributions obtained by traditional techniques

This work is devotcd to thc authenticity examination of porc size distributions which are result of some convcntional interpretation techniqucs for indepcndcnt porcs. Thc prcsenl investigation is bascd on computcr cxpcrimcnts simulating adsorption, capillary condcnsation, dcsorption, mercury intrusion and sonic olhcr proccsscs in modcl porous latlicc made up of a largc number of sphcroidal-shapcd voids pastcd togcthcr by toroidal-shapcd necks. Spccial atlcntion has been paid to plausibility of simulating proccsscs. In particular, thc cooperative capillary condcnsalion inside the group of neighbouring voids has bccn analyzcd in terms of thermodynamics and molecular physics. The results of long-duration numerical cxpcriments ( adsorption isotherms, mercury intrusion curves, etc.) have been proccsscd with thc help of conventional techniques calculating indepcndent pore size distributions. Sizc distributions obtaincd this way havc bccn compared with those generated for corresponding modcl porous solids, the reasons of mismatches havc been also analyzed. Conclusions conccrning with morc rcliablc intcrpretation of rcsults obtaincd by traditional techniques havc bccn made.

Field of study: Chemistry
Sanctity of Life

We may ask what value the notion of "sanctity of life" has when, in support of their positions, both proponents and opponents of suicide and voluntary euthanasia appeal to it. For example, Glanville Williams, a long time advocate in England of voluntary euthanasia and abortion, introduced his ideas to the American public in 1957 with a book entitled The Sanctity of Life and the Criminal Law. I Williams sees no incompatability between the sanctity of life principle and the practices he advocates. Yet Albert Schweitzer, having concluded on the basis of his African missionary work that human life was inviolable and sacred, formulated a view ofthe sanctity oflife (Ehrfurcht vor dem Leben! which could in no way admit what Williams proposes. We may ask, furthermore , what value the sanctity of life notion has when moralists differ so fundamentally as to its serviceability in ethical discourse . Marvin Kohl, the Fredonia State philosopher and advocate of "beneficent euthanasia," says of the notion,

Field of study: Medicine, Philosophy
Influence of solar ultraviolet radiation on photosynthesis and motility of marine phytoplankton

The effects of solar ultraviolet radiation (UV) on carbon uptake, oxygen evolution and motility of marine phytoplankton were investigated in coastal waters at Kristineberg Marine Research Station on the west coast of Sweden (58° 30′N, 11° 30′E). The mean irradiances at noon above the water surface during the investigation period were: photosynthetic active radiation (PAR, 400–700 nm) 1670 μmol m−2 s−1; ultraviolet-A radiation (UV-A, 320–400 nm) 35.9 W m−2 and ultraviolet-B radiation (UV-B, 280–320 nm) 1.7 W m−2. UV-B radiation was much more attenuated with depth in the water column than were PAR and UV-A radiation. UV-B radiation could not be detected at depths greater than 100–150 cm. Inhibition of carbon uptake by UV-A and UV-B in natural phytoplankton populations was greatest at 50 cm depth and the effects of UV-B were greater than those of UV-A. At depths greater than 50 cm there was almost no effect of ultraviolet radiation on carbon uptake. PAR, UV-A and UV-B decreased oxygen evolution by the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum minimum. Inhibition of oxygen evolution was greater after 4 h than 2 h but it was not possible to distinguish the negative effects of the different light regimes. The motility of P. minimum was not affected by PAR, UV-A and UV-B. The importance of exposure of phytoplankton to different light regimes before being exposed to natural solar radiation is discussed.

Field of study: Biology, Environmental science
Enhanced Thermo-Optical Switching of Paraffin-Wax Composite Spots under Laser Heating

Thermo-optical switches are of particular significance in communications networks where increasingly high switching speeds are required. Phase change materials (PCMs), in particular those based on paraffin wax, provide wealth of exciting applications with unusual thermally-induced switching properties, only limited by paraffin’s rather low thermal conductivity. In this paper, the use of different carbon fillers as thermal conductivity enhancers for paraffin has been investigated, and a novel structure based on spot of paraffin wax as a thermo-optic switch is presented. Thermo-optical switching parameters are enhanced with the addition of graphite and graphene, due to the extreme thermal conductivity of the carbon fillers. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) and Scanning electron microscope (SEM) are performed on paraffin wax composites, and specific heat capacities are calculated based on DSC measurements. Thermo-optical switching based on transmission is measured as a function of the host concentration under conventional electric heating and laser heating of paraffin-carbon fillers composites. Further enhancements in thermo-optical switching parameters are studied under Nd:YAG laser heating. This novel structure can be used in future networks with huge bandwidth requirements and electric noise free remote aerial laser switching applications.

Field of study: Materials science
Study of unipolar pulsed ramp and combined ramped/constant voltage stress on mos gate oxides

MOS gate oxide capacitors over a wide range of oxide thicknesses (10.9–28 nm) were stressed using a unipolar pulsed voltage ramp and combined ramped/constant voltage stress measurements. The reliability measurements were performed with several different bias conditions in order to assess the effects of the measurement conditions on times to breakdown and breakdown fields. In the first part it was verified that the unipolar pulsed ramp yields breakdown distributions which are identical to those of a widely used staircase ramp. In the second part the unipolar pulsed ramp was used for pre-stress prior to a constant stress and measurement results were compared to those of a ramped/constant stress with a staircase ramp. In several cases a ramp prior to a constant stress increases time to breakdown. The observations made in this study imply that the time to breakdown of a constant stress in the Fowler-Nordheim tunneling regime is strongly dependent on charge trapping and, therefore, on the stressing history of the oxide. Finally, it is shown that the combined ramped/constant voltage stress is a valuable tool for monitoring extrinsic and intrinsic breakdown properties when applying stress parameters in the correct way.

Field of study: Engineering
Variational equations for the solution of the Hartree-Fock problem with angular momentum projection before the variation

A variational principle is used to determine the optimal angular momentum projected one determinant approach to theN-nucleon yrast-wave function for a given total spin value. The solution is given in terms of a set of coupled nonlinear equations. Besides an orthonormality constraint for the occupied orbits and a normalization condition for the total wave function, this set consists out of a matrix equation taking care of the fact that the spin-projected wave function does not depend on the orientation of the intrinsic determinant it is based on, and a second subset of equations, which can be considered as a Thouless theorem for the spin-projectedN-nucleon state, and describes the diagonalization of the total Hamiltonian in the subspace of linear independentN-nucleon shell model configurations contained in the test-determinant. Furthermore, a numerical method for the solution of these equations is proposed and an extension of the theory for the description of excited bands is given. Finally, the consistency of the equations is checked by solving them for a simple example analytically.

Field of study: Physics
Software ecosystems - A systematic literature review

A software ecosystem is the interaction of a set of actors on top of a common technological platform that results in a number of software solutions or services. Arguably, software ecosystems are gaining importance with the advent of, e.g., the Google Android, Apache, and Salesforce.com ecosystems. However, there exists no systematic overview of the research done on software ecosystems from a software engineering perspective. We performed a systematic literature review of software ecosystem research, analyzing 90 papers on the subject taken from a gross collection of 420. Our main conclusions are that while research on software ecosystems is increasing (a) there is little consensus on what constitutes a software ecosystem, (b) few analytical models of software ecosystems exist, and (c) little research is done in the context of real-world ecosystems. This work provides an overview of the field, while identifying areas for future research.

Field of study: Computer science, Engineering
Die Bordoni-Relaxation, Kritik der Donthschen Theorie

By elementary reasoning one would expect an activation energyW−2Wk for the Bordoni peak.Wk is the kink energy. This assumption fits with experimental evidence. It is pointed out that in the Donth theory for the Bordoni peak, the radiation loss from the dislocation oscillators is overestimated and that a recalculation of the Donth theory will probably yield an activation energyW− 2Wk

Field of study: Physics
Association between the Aldehyde Dehydrogenase-2 rs671 G>A Polymorphism and Head and Neck Cancer Susceptibility: A Meta-analysis in East Asians.

Aldehyde dehydrogenase-2 (ALDH2) plays an important role in the alcohol detoxification and acetaldehyde metabolism. Published studies have demonstrated some inconsistent associations between ALDH2 rs671 G>A polymorphism and head and neck cancer (HNC) risk.



A meta-analysis was performed to provide pooled data on the association between the ALDH2 rs671 G>A polymorphism and HNC risk. Electronic databases were searched to identify relevant studies. Odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were used to examine the pooled effect size of each genetic model. In addition, heterogeneity test, accumulative analysis, sensitivity analysis, and publication bias were conducted to test the statistical power.



Thirteen publications (14 independent case-control studies) involving 10,939 subjects were selected. The stratified analysis indicated that both light/moderated drinking (eg. GA vs. GG: OR=1.47, 95%CI=1.16-1.86, P<0.01, I2 =81.1%) and heavy drinking would increase HNC risk with rs671 G>A mutation (eg. GA vs. GG: OR=2.30, 95%CI=1.11-4.77, P=0.03, I2 =81.9%).



In summary, this meta-analysis suggested that the ALDH2 rs671 G>A polymorphism maybe plays an important synergistic effect in the pathogenesis of HNC development in East Asians.

Field of study: Medicine
AP-1 and NF-kappaB stimulated by carbachol in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells are differentially sensitive to inhibition by lithium.

In order to identify potential actions of lithium, the primary therapeutic agent for bipolar affective disorder, on processes regulating gene expression, its effects on two transcription factors, AP-1 and NF-kappaB, were measured in human neuroblastoma SH-SY5Y cells. The cholinergic agonist carbachol concentration-dependently stimulated AP-1 (EC50 = 2 microM) and NF-kappaB (EC50 = 14 microM). Pretreatment for 24 h with a therapeutically relevant concentration of lithium (1 mM) substantially inhibited (30-35%) carbachol-stimulation AP-1 but not NF-kappaB. Inhibition of carbachol-induced AP-1 was directly related to the concentration of lithium (1-20 mM). Besides being differentially sensitive to inhibition by lithium, activation of AP-1 and NF-kappaB demonstrated different carbachol EC50 concentrations, and carbachol-induced activation of AP-1, but not NF-kappaB, was inhibited by treating cells with Ni2+, which blocks receptor-mediated calcium influx. These findings demonstrate that one mechanism by which lithium can influence the expression of specific genes is through the selective modulation of signaling processes which emanate from cholinergic receptor stimulation.

Field of study: Biology
Association of tumor location, extent of resection, and neurofibromatosis status with clinical outcomes for 221 spinal nerve sheath tumors.

OBJECT Intradural extramedullary spine tumors represent two-thirds of all primary spine neoplasms. Approximately half of these are peripheral nerve sheath tumors, mainly neurofibromas and schwannomas. Given the rarity of this disease and, thus, the limited analyses of clinical outcomes, the authors examined the association of tumor location, extent of resection, and neurofibromatosis (NF) status with clinical outcomes.  Patients were identified through a search of the University of California, San Francisco, neuropathology database and a separate review of current procedural terminology codes. Data recorded included patient age, patient sex, clinical presentation, presence of NF, tumor type, tumor location, extent of resection (gross-total resection [GTR] or subtotal resection [STR]), and clinical follow-up.  Of 221 tumors in 199 patients (mean age 45 years), 53 were neurofibromas, 163 were schwannomas, and 5 were malignant peripheral nerve sheath tumors. The most common presenting symptom was spinal pain (76%), followed by weakness (36%) and sensory abnormalities (34%). Mean symptom duration was 16 months. In terms of spinal location, neurofibromas were more common in the cervical spine (74% vs 27%, p < 0.001), and schwannomas were more common in the thoracic and lumbosacral spine (73% vs 26%, p < 0.001). Rates of GTR were lower for neurofibromas than schwannomas (51% vs 83%, p < 0.001), regardless of location. Rates of GTR were lower for cervical (54%) than thoracic (90%) and lumbosacral (86%) lesions (p < 0.001). NF was associated with lower rates of GTR among all tumors (43% vs 86%, p < 0.001). The mean follow-up time was 32 months. Recurrence/progression was more common for neurofibromas than schwannomas (17% vs 7%, p = 0.03), although the mean time to recurrence/progression did not differ according to tumor type (45 vs 53 months, p = 0.63). As expected, GTR was associated with lower recurrence rates (4% vs 22%, p < 0.001). According to multivariate analysis, cervical location (OR 0.239, 95% CI 0.110-0.520) and presence of NF (OR 0.166, 95% CI 0.054-0.507) were associated with lower rates of GTR. In a separate model, only GTR (OR 0.141, 95% CI 0.046-0.429) was associated with tumor recurrence.  Resection is an effective treatment for spinal nerve sheath tumors. Neurofibromas were found more commonly in the cervical spine than in other regions of the spine and were associated with higher rates of recurrence and lower rates of GTR than other tumor types, particularly in patients with NF Types 1 or 2. According to multivariate analysis, both cervical location and presence of NF were associated with lower rates of GTR. According to a second multivariate model, the only variable associated with tumor recurrence was extent of resection. Maximal safe resection remains ideal for these lesions; however, patients with cervical tumors or NF should be counseled about their increased risk for recurrence.

Field of study: Medicine
CorrigendumCorrigendum to “A negative carbon isotope excursion defines the boundary from Cambrian Series 2 to Cambrian Series 3 on the Yangtze Platform, South China” [Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 285 (2010) 143–151]

Corrigendum to “A negative carbon isotope excursion defines the boundary from Cambrian Series 2 to Cambrian Series 3 on the Yangtze Platform, South China” [Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology 285 (2010) 143–151] Qingjun Guo ⁎, Harald Strauss , Congqiang Liu , Yuanlong Zhao , Xinglian Yang , Jin Peng , Hong Yang d a Center for Environmental Remediation, Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China b Institut fur Geologie und Palaontologie, Westfalische Wilhelms-Universitat Munster, Corrensstrasse 24, 48149 Munster, Germany c State Key Laboratory of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang 550002, China d Institute of Resource and Environmental Engineering, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550002, China

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography