nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Models of Capitalism and Income Distribution in Transition Economies: A Comparative Perspective

During the 1990s, all of the European transition economies (TE) experienced a major recession and suffered from the explosion of income inequality. However, distribution of income between labor and capital differed greatly from one group of post-communist countries to another. The paper discusses and analyzes linkages between models of capitalism that emerged in former communist countries in the 1990s and the outcome of capitalist transition for labor in terms of income distribution and inequality. It is based on the estimates of the Marxian rate of exploitation and other indicators of labor income performance during the reform period.

Field of study: Economics
Necessary and sufficient conditions for $$R_{0}$$ to be a sum of contributions of fertility loops

Recently, de-Camino-Beck and Lewis ( 2007) have presented a method that under certain restricted conditions allows computing the basic reproduction ratio $$R_0$$ in a simple manner from life cycle graphs, without, however, giving an explicit indication of these conditions. In this paper, we give various sets of sufficient and generically necessary conditions. To this end, we develop a fully algebraic counterpart of their graph-reduction method which we actually found more useful in concrete applications. Both methods, if they work, give a simple algebraic formula that can be interpreted as the sum of contributions of all fertility loops. This formula can be used in e.g. pest control and conservation biology, where it can complement sensitivity and elasticity analyses. The simplest of the necessary and sufficient conditions is that, for irreducible projection matrices, all paths from birth to reproduction have to pass through a common state. This state may be visible in the state representation for the chosen sampling time, but the passing may also occur in between sampling times, like a seed stage in the case of sampling just before flowering. Note that there may be more than one birth state, like when plants in their first year can already have different sizes at the sampling time. Also the common state may occur only later in life. However, in all cases $$R_0$$ allows a simple interpretation as the expected number of new individuals that in the next generation enter the common state deriving from a single individual in this state. We end with pointing to some alternative algebraically simple quantities with properties similar to those of $$R_{0}$$ that may sometimes be used to good effect in cases where no simple formula for $$R_{0}$$ exists.

Field of study: Biology, Mathematics
To what extent does the self-consistent mean-field exist?

A non-convergent difficulty near level-repulsive region is discussed within the self-consistent mean-field theory. It is shown by numerical and analytic studies that the mean-field is not realized in the many-fermion system when quantum fluctuations coming from two-body residual interaction and quadrupole deformation are larger than an energy difference between two avoided crossing orbits. An analytic condition indicating a limitation of the mean-field concept is derived for the first time.

Field of study: Physics
Analytical and Numerical Solutions for Natural Convection in a Corner

Laminar natural convection flow in a corner delimited by a vertical heated semi-infinite plate and a second room-temperature plate forming an arbitrary angle is studied both analytically and numerically. Analytically, repeated use of the matched asymptotic expansions technique shows that the boundary layer along the vertical plate is described, to first order, by Polhausen's classical similarity solution; this buoyancy-induced flow drives an outer irrotational flow which, in turn, provides the motive force for a self-similar viscous boundary layer along the second plate. In the numerical approach, a variable-spaci ng, finite difference method with dynamic mesh modification permits a solution of the Navier-Stokes equations to be obtained in the whole field, confirming the validity of the approximate analytical model.

Field of study: Physics
A Framework for Ranking and KNN Queries in a Probabilistic Skyline Model

Skyline computation has gained a lot of attention in recent years. According to the definition of skyline, objects that belong to skyline cannot be ranked among themselves because they are incomparable. This constraint limits the application of skyline. Fortunately, due to the recently proposed probabilistic skyline model, skyline objects which contain multiple elements, can now be compared with each others. Different from the traditional skyline model where each object can either be a skyline object or not, in the probabilistic skyline model, each object is assigned a skyline probability to denote its likelihood of being a skyline object. Under this model, two simple but important questions will naturally be asked: (1) Given an object, which of the objects are the K nearest neighbors to it based on their skyline probabilities? (2) Given an object, what is the ranking of the objects which have skyline probabilities greater than the given object? To the best of our knowledge, no existing work can effectively answer these two questions. Yet, answering them is not trivial. For a medium-size dataset (e.g. 10,000 objects), it may take more than an hour to compute the skyline probabilities of all objects. In this paper, we propose a novel framework to answering the above two questions on the fly efficiently. Our proposed work is based on the idea of bounding-pruning-refining strategy. We first compute the skyline probabilities of the target object and all its elements. For the rest of the objects, instead of computing their accurate skyline probabilities, we compute the upper bound and lower bound skyline probabilities using the elements of the target object. Based on lower bound and upper bound of their skyline probabilities, some objects, which cannot be in the result, will be pruned. For those objects, which we are unknown whether they are in the results or not, we need to refine their bounds. The refinement strategy is based on the idea of space partition. Specifically, we first partition the whole dataspace into several subspaces based on the distribution of elements in the target object. When we iteratively do the the refinement of the bounds, we will do the partitioning strategy in each subspace. In order to implement this framework, a novel tree, called Space Partition Tree (SPTree) is proposed to index the objects and their elements. We evaluate our proposed work using three synthetic datasets and one real-life dataset. We report all our findings in this paper.

Field of study: Computer science
SOCIOLOGICAL FACTORS RELATED TO DISCREPANT ACHIEVEMENT OF WHITE AND BLACK FIRST GRADERS

Using the chi square test of independence, four types of achievement were studied for their association with socioeconomic status, family size, and ordinal position of white and black first graders. Findings revealed no significant associations in areas of word knowledge, word discrimination, and reading achievement. One significant result was obtained for ordinal position in the area of arithmetic achievement. Achievement was also analyzed in relation to race and sex.

Field of study: Education
NUMERICAL SIMULATION INTO DEFLAGRATION-FIELD OF COMBUSTIBLE VAPOUR CLOUD OPENING TO AIR

The compressed wave produced by the flame in combustible vapour cloud opening to air was researched by numerical simulation. Based on the fact that the energy-releasing speed is limited in the process of deflagration produced by combustible vapour cloud opening to air, the mathematical models expressed by Euler equation was refined further via importing a "on-off" function,which means energy wave mode.The new mathematical model including "on-off" function not only reflects the deflagration characteristic of limited energy-releasing speed, but also simulates the whole deflagration process via a equation.The solution of the equation and a computational example were given.The computational results were more consistent with the results of model experiment than other model results. The simulation results showed that the deflagration of the combustible vapour cloud opening to air could only produce weak shock waves and was nonideal explosions different from ideal explosions.

Field of study: Chemistry, Environmental science
The Computation of Complex Dispersion and Properties of Evanescent Lamb Wave in Functionally Graded Piezoelectric-Piezomagnetic Plates

Functionally graded piezoelectric-piezomagnetic material (FGPPM), with a gradual variation of the material properties in the desired direction(s), can improve the conversion of energy among mechanical, electric, and magnetic fields. Full dispersion relations and wave mode shapes are vital to understanding dynamic behaviors of structures made of FGPPM. In this paper, an analytic method based on polynomial expansions is proposed to investigate the complex-valued dispersion and the evanescent Lamb wave in FGPPM plates. Comparisons with other related studies are conducted to validate the correctness of the presented method. Characteristics of the guided wave, including propagating modes and evanescent modes, in various FGPPM plates are studied, and three-dimensional full dispersion and attenuation curves are plotted to gain a deeper insight into the nature of the evanescent wave. The influences of the gradient variation on the dispersion and the magneto-electromechanical coupling factor are illustrated. The displacement amplitude and electric potential and magnetic potential distributions are also discussed in detail. The obtained numerical results could be useful to design and optimize different sensors and transducers made of smart piezoelectric and piezomagnetic materials with high performance by adjusting the gradient property.

Field of study: Materials science
Buckling of Orthotropic Circular Plates

Exact closed form solutions in terms of Bessel and Lommel functions are obtained for the symmetric buckling of cylindrically aeolotropic circular plates. Closed form solutions are also obtained for the first asymmetric mode of buckling. Further, a series solution is proposed for higher asymmetric modes of buckling. On the basis of the closed form solutions, simple characteristic expressions to determine buckling loads are developed for fixed and supported edge conditions. The numerical results are compared with those previously obtained from series solutions.

Field of study: Physics
Effect of Film Velocity on Genre Recognition

In this study effects of film velocity on genre recognition were tested. “Happy reunion” film scenes were taken from comic, action, drama, and nonfiction genres. Their speed was varied to result in 3 levels: original velocity, acceleration by one third, and deceleration by one third. Fifty participants judged the fittingness of all scenes in each of the 4 genres. Velocity proved to be an effective parameter in the recognition of the comical and dramatic genres but not of the action and nonfiction genres. As predicted, when a scene belonging to any genre was decelerated, participants judged the scene as belonging more to the dramatic genre (p < .01) and less to the comic genre (p < .01). Acceleration of a scene belonging to any genre increased its comical fittingness (p < .05). The role of prototypicality of scenes in the interaction with velocity turned out to be only modest. In a few cases genre crossings (i.e., confusing a scene's genre with another in recognition) resulted from velocity manipulations of nonprototypical but not prototypical scenes.

Field of study: Psychology
Generalizing Diffuse Interface Methods on Graphs: Nonsmooth Potentials and Hypergraphs

Diffuse interface methods have recently been introduced for the task of semisupervised learning. The underlying model is well known in materials science but was extended to graphs using a Ginzburg--Landau functional and the graph Laplacian. We here generalize the previously proposed model by a nonsmooth potential function. Additionally, we show that the diffuse interface method can be used for the segmentation of data coming from hypergraphs. For this we show that the graph Laplacian in almost all cases is derived from hypergraph information. Additionally, we show that the formerly introduced hypergraph Laplacian coming from a relaxed optimization problem is well suited to be used within the diffuse interface method. We present computational experiments for graph and hypergraph Laplacians.

Field of study: Computer science
Retrospection and reconstruction of the current state of physical education curriculum in elementary and middle schools in China from the perspective of life

By interpreting the connotation of life imitated education,the author revealed the view of scholastic physical education curriculum in the perspective of life,retrospected problems existing in physical education cur-riculum in elementary and middle schools in China from the perspective of life,and further suggested to reconstruct life imitated scholastic physical education in the following five aspects: curriculum contents should fit into student’s world of life;in curriculum implementation,"dynamic generation" should be valued on the basis of "presetting";humanistic curriculum evaluation should be established;harmonious teacher-student relation should be established.

Field of study: Education
Temperature dependence of impurity bound states in d-wave superconductors

We study the evolution with temperature of quasiparticle bound states around non-magnetic impurities in d-wave superconductors. The associated local density of states has a fourfold symmetry which has recently been observed in Zn-doped Bi2212 using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). From the corresponding Bogoliubov-de Gennes equation we find that with increasing temperature the magnitude of the bound state energy increases and the amplitude of the fourfold contribution in the spinor wave functions decreases. In the pseudogap regime above T_c the fourfold angular dependence of the local tunneling conductance persists as long as the superconducting fluctuations are sufficiently strong to support a finite local order parameter. Once the gap function vanishes completely, the angular structure of the bound state wave function becomes featureless. These effects should be observable in STM studies of impurity doped high-temperature superconductors.

Field of study: Physics
Incomplete block designs for asymmetric parallel line assays

A method of construction of A-optimal binary block designs for asymmetrical parallel line assays, i.e., the assays in which the number doses for standard and test preparation are unequal has been considered. The method is illustrated with examples. Two cases of this method have been considered. In the first case, designs obtained are of equal replications of the doses. In the second case, designs with unequal replications are obtained.

Field of study: Mathematics
Paleobiogeographic relationships of Andean angiosperms of Cretaceous to Pliocene age

A review of the geological data suggests that mountains existed in western South America since the late Cretaceous. These data combined with a review of the earliest occurrences of angiosperm fossils indicate that the floral elements centered in the South Andes lived there during the late Cretaceous, while elements centered in the North Andes existed there by the mid-Tertiary. Examinations of reports elsewhere in South America and in surrounding continents show that each Andean fossil flora is mostly composed of Andean- or Amazonian-centered taxa. In addition, the South Andean fossil flora also shares many taxa with the Antarctica-Australia paleoflora, while the fossils from the North Andes are also found in Meso- and North America. In combination, these geological and fossil data suggest that the mountain-centered floras have had a long history.

Field of study: Environmental science, Geography
Modeling the early Paleozoic long-term climatic trend

The early Paleozoic climate has been described as warm and equable. However, recent data based on conodont oxygen isotopic composition reveal a large, long, cooling trend through the Ordovician, followed by an abrupt cooling during the Late Ordovician glaciation. This long-term climate change is associated with a major radiation in the Earth life history. Nonetheless, the driving mechanisms for this cooling trend remain unknown. Carbon dioxide consumption by the weathering of fresh rocks from volcanic arcs has recently been suggested as a possible driver for this climate change. However, the impact of the plate motion context has not been explored yet, although it might have a major impact on atmospheric CO 2 levels. Simulations with a climate model coupled to a biogeochemical model (GEOCLIM) show that the atmospheric CO 2 decreased from more than 20 PAL (∼5600 ppmv) in the Furongian down to approximately 10 PAL (∼2800 ppmv) in the Llandovery before rising again in the Early Devonian. We suggest that changes in geography and exposure of fresh volcanic rocks on continents are required to explain the large CO 2 drawdown that led to the onset of cooler to glacial conditions from the Middle Ordovician to the Llandovery. The weathering of fresh volcanic rocks is itself responsible for 33% of the Late Ordovician atmospheric CO 2 decrease; the rest being related to the continent motion through the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). Mean annual continental temperature falls by 3°C in the Early Ordovician, reaching 13.5°C during the glacial interval, and rises to 16°C in the Early Devonian.

Field of study: Geology
Psychosocial intervention for war-affected children in Sierra Leone

There are no psychosocial interventions to address both educational needs and psychological distress among displaced children in post-conflict settings.  To assess the psychosocial status of displaced children enrolled in the Rapid-Ed intervention; and to determine whether the Rapid-Ed intervention alleviated traumatic stress symptoms that interfere with learning among war-affected children in Sierra Leone.  A randomly selected sample of 315 children aged 8–18 years who were displaced by war were interviewed about their war experiences and reactions to the violence before and after participating in the 4-week Rapid-Ed intervention combining basic education with trauma healing activities.  High levels of intrusion, arousal and avoidance symptoms were reported at the pre-test interviews conducted 9–12 months after the war. Post-test findings showed statistically significant decreases in intrusion and arousal symptoms (P < 0.0001), a slight increase in avoidance reactions (P < 0.0001) and greater optimism about the future.  The findings suggest potential for combining basic education with trauma healing activities for children in post-conflict settings, but confirmatory studies using a control group are needed. Conducting research in post-conflict settings presents unique challenges.

Field of study: Medicine, Psychology
Sensitivity baseline and cross-resistance of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum to iprodione and dimethachlon

The sensitivities of 50 isolates of Sclerotinia sclerotiorum,the causal organism of rapeseed stem rot,isolated from Fengyang,Xuancheng,Wangjiang,Feixi,Jingde,Taihu,Hefei,Mengcheng,Lingbi and Chaohu in Anhui Province to iprodione and dimethachlon were tested in vitro.The results showed that the EC50 values of iprodione to all tested strains ranged from 0.0962 to 0.4381 mg·L-1 with the average of 0.2176 mg·L-1 and that of dimethachlon ranged from 0.0527 to 2.2365 mg·L-1 with the average of 1.0227 mg·L-1.It suggested that the tested isolates from the 10 localities were still sensitive to iprodione and dimethachlon,but the sensitive level from all localities showed obvious difference.Correlation analysis of the EC50 level of the tested isolates displayed that no cross-resistance existed between iprodione and dimethachlon to S.sclerotiorum.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Linking ‘toxic outliers’ to environmental justice communities

Several key studies have found that a small minority of producers, polluting at levels far exceeding group averages, generate the majority of overall exposure to industrial toxics. Frequently, such patterns go unnoticed and are understudied outside of the academic community. To our knowledge, no research to date has systematically described the scope and extent of extreme variations in industrially based exposure estimates and sought to link inequities in harm produced to inequities in exposure. In an analysis of all permitted industrial facilities across the United States, we show that there exists a class of hyper-polluters—the worst-of-the-worst—that disproportionately expose communities of color and low income populations to chemical releases. This study hopes to move beyond a traditional environmental justice research frame, bringing new computational methods and perspectives aimed at the empirical study of societal power dynamics. Our findings suggest the possibility that substantial environmental gains may be made through selective environmental enforcement, rather than sweeping initiatives.

Field of study: Environmental science
Homopolymerization L-lactide and D,L-lactide in presence of novel zinc prolinate derivatives

Recently, poly (lactide) (PLA) and poly (iÂ¥-caprolactone) (PCL) and their copolymer have attracted more attention in the fields of surgery, sustained drug delivery and tissue engineering[5-7]. These polymers have shown their potential applications in a variety of fields because of their biodegradability, biocompatibility and permeable properties. Poly (iÂ¥-caprolactone) shows lowmelting temperature (Tm~60iÂ°C) and high decomposition temperature (Td = 350iÂ°C) and degrades very slowly due to its high hydrophobicity and crystallinity. It is known that block copolymerization allows combination of the chemical properties of the main components and physical properties of the resulted copolymers can be tailor made by adjusting the molecular weights and the composition of the constituting blocks. Though several strategies have been used for preparation of PLA and PCL, the particular convenient method to synthesize these polymers is the ring opening polymerization (ROP) of lactide/ lactones and their functionally related compounds. The ring opening polymerization of lactide and iÂ¥-caprolactone give polymers with wider spectrum of properties than the polymers synthesized by copolymerization of the corresponding hydroxyacids. Such ring opened copolymers yield tough polymers with properties from rigid thermoplastics to elastomeric rubbers. The resulting hompolymres were characterized by 13C NMR, Size exclusion chromatatography (SEC), Infrared spectroscopy (IR), Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) andMALDI ToF-MS.

Field of study: Materials science
Where Are the Political Superstars

I used to go to the theater with an elderly aunt. Whenever I expressed my delight with a performance she would sigh and tell me that it was mediocre compared to what she had seen in her younger days. At first I listened with respect for the wisdom of experience, but before long I became increasingly vexed and eventually stopped paying any attention to her. My good aunt, I came to feel, could not appreciate what took place in front of her, for she could only see it through the distorting lenses of nostalgia. More recently I have had a very similar reaction when alumni of my university speak of the awe-inspiring teachers of the past who are said to put the dullards who now occupy their chairs to shame. They may have been autocrats, but they were master performers who got their message across in no uncertain terms. Professors just do not seem to come that way anymore, so it appears, and students are the poorer for it. Here, too, fond memories seem to me to disallow that different times and different students may call for different, though not necessarily less effective, teaching methods.

Field of study: Political science