nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Expression and activity of l-isoaspartyl methyltransferase decrease in stage progression of human astrocytic tumors.

Protein l-isoaspartyl methyltransferase (PIMT) functions as a repair enzyme that acts upon damaged proteins bearing abnormal aspartyl residues. We previously reported that PIMT expression and activity are reduced by half in human epileptic hippocampus. Here we investigated PIMT regulation in astrocytic tumors, which are the most common human brain tumors. PIMT expression and enzyme activity were significantly decreased in all grades of human astrocytic tumors. More precisely, PIMT levels were significantly lower by 76% in pilocytic astrocytomas (grade I), 46% in astrocytomas (grade II), 69% in anaplastic astrocytomas (grade III), and a marked 80% in glioblastomas (grade IV) as compared to normal brains. RT-PCR analysis showed that levels of type I PIMT mRNA were up-regulated while those of type II PIMT mRNA were down-regulated in glioblastomas. Furthermore, the reduced PIMT levels correlated closely with a decrease in the number of neuron cells in astrocytic tumors as assessed by measuring the neuron-specific enolase level. Many proteins with abnormal aspartyl residues accumulated in brain tumors and some were specific to individual grades of astrocytic tumors. Similar results were obtained, either by measuring the reduction in PIMT activity and expression or by measuring the formation of abnormal proteins, in an orthotopic rat brain tumor model implanted with invasive CNS-1 glioma cells. The novelty of these findings was to provide the first evidence for a marked reduction of PIMT expression and activity during stage progression of astrocytic tumors in humans.

Field of study: Biology
Primary Cystic Duct Carcinoma

Primary cystic duct carcinoma is rare. To date only 27 cases have been reported in the English literature, and 17 cases in the Japanese literature. This paper reports another case of primary cystic duct carcinoma. A 70-year-old male presented with signs and symptoms of acute calcular cholecystitis and dilated extrahepatic bile ducts. An ERCP failed technically. An ultrasound-guided aspiration was performed to drain an obstructed gall bladder and an adjacent pyogenic liver abscess. A cholecystogram showed an obstructed cystic duct. On table a tumour was suspected at the junction of the cystic duct and common hepatic duct (CHD). En masse excision of the gall bladder, cystic duct, tumour, part of the CHD and the supraduodenal part of the common bile duct was performed with a Roux-en-Y hepatico-jejunostomy. Histopathologically the tumour fulfills all of Farrar’s criteria for primary cystic duct carcinoma. Our case is of interest since it is the 2nd case to present with Mirrizzi-like syndrome.

Field of study: Medicine
Considerations in printing conductive traces for high pulsed power applications

The effect of different substrates, inks and sintering methods on the breakdown of a printed conducting trace subjected to a single millisecond-range pulsed current was investigated. The breakdown current density (Jb) of a trace was found to be strongly dependent on substrate thermal diffusivity, which dictates the peak temperature and the cooling rate of the trace. As an example, a 102% increase in average Jb was observed in switching substrate from glass slide to sapphire. Different inks resulted in significant Jb deviation due to their distinct microstructure difference. Traces with dense microstructure exhibited an average Jb that is 42% higher than their porous counterpart. Different sintering methods also resulted in varying Jb. Traces thermally sintered on a hot plate demonstrated an average Jb that is 74% higher than their laser sintered counterpart. Finally, a simple concept that effectively dissipates heat from the trace was explored. It prevented breakdown when the traces were subjected to a single firing pulse used in detonation. Results from this work offer important considerations in printing conductive traces for high pulsed power applications.

Field of study: Engineering
Differential Effects of Intravenous Anesthetics on PDGF-BB-Induced Vascular Smooth Muscle Cell Migration

Intravenous anesthetics are used during the perioperative and/or postoperative period in critically ill patients. Vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) play important roles in vascular injury repair or restenosis after intervention. We previously reported that platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-BB induces VSMC migration via extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and Akt in a VSMC line, A10 cells. In the present study, we investigated the effects of intravenous anesthetics on PDGF-BB-induced VSMC migration and the mechanism.  VSMCs migration was assessed using Boyden chamber, and phosphorylation of each protein kinase was analyzed by Western blotting.  Propofol or midazolam but not ketamine or dexmedetomidine suppressed PDGF-BB-induced A10 cells migration in a concentration-dependent manner. The suppressive effects on migration were observed also in human aortic smooth muscle cells. Propofol or midazolam did not affect phosphorylation of PDGF receptor β in A10 cells. Propofol or midazolam failed to affect PDGF-BB-induced phosphorylation of ERK or Akt. On the other hand, propofol or midazolam attenuated PDGF-BB-induced phosphorylation of p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), but did not affect phosphorylation of stress-activated protein kinase/c-Jun N-terminal kinase. Both ketamine and dexmedetomidine had no effect on the phosphorylation of p38 MAPK induced by PDGF-BB.  These results strongly suggest that propofol or midazolam inhibits VSMC migration by PDGF-BB via suppression of p38 MAPK activation. Propofol or midazolam may affect VSMC function in critically ill patients.

Field of study: Biology, Chemistry
Energy budget increases reduce mean streamflow more than snow-rain transitions: Using integrated modeling to isolate climate change impacts on Rocky Mountain hydrology

In snow-dominated mountain regions, a warming climate is expected to alter two drivers of hydrology: (1) decrease the fraction of precipitation falling as snow; and (2) increase surface energy available to drive evapotranspiration. This study uses a novel integrated modeling approach to explicitly separate energy budget increases via warming from precipitation phase transitions from snow to rain in two mountain headwaters transects of the central Rocky Mountains. Both phase transitions and energy increases had significant, though unique, impacts on semi-arid mountain hydrology in our simulations. A complete shift in precipitation from snow to rain reduced streamflow between 11% and 18%, while 4 °C of uniform warming reduced streamflow between 19% and 23%, suggesting that changes in energy-driven evaporative loss, between 27% and 29% for these uniform warming scenarios, may be the dominant driver of annual mean streamflow in a warming climate. Phase changes induced a flashier system, making water availability more susceptible to precipitation variability and eliminating the runoff signature characteristic of snowmelt-dominated systems. The impact of a phase change on mean streamflow was reduced as aridity increased from west to east of the continental divide.

Field of study: Environmental science
Achieving Ti-5Al-4Sn-2Zr-1Mo-0.25Si-1Nb Alloys with High Strength and Moderate Ductility through Selective Laser Melting

Ti-5Al-4Sn-2Zr-1Mo-0.25Si-1Nb (TA32) titanium alloy is a kind of near α high temperature titanium alloy with great application prospects in aero-engine afterburners and cruise missiles. However, there are still few studies on the microstructure and mechanical properties of TA32 specimens produced by selective laser melting (SLM) technology. In this study, TA32 specimens with high strength (tensile strength of 1267 MPa) and moderate ductility (elongation after fracture of 8%) were obtained by selective laser melting. The effect of laser power on the microstructure and mechanical behavior was studied and the results demonstrated that the average grain size increases with increasing laser power from 200 W to 400 W. Micro-zone composition analysis was carried out by energy dispersion spectrum (EDS), showing that the Al concentration inner grains is higher than that near grain boundaries. Fracture analysis results demonstrated that the fracture mode of SLM TA32 specimens was cleavage fracture. The tensile strength of the specimens built with a laser power of 250 W at 500 °C, 550 °C and 600 °C was measured as 869 MPa, 819 MPa and 712 MPa, respectively.

Field of study: Materials science
Releasing the brakes in coagulation Factor IXa by co-operative maturation of the substrate-binding site.

Coagulation Factor IX is positioned at the merging point of the intrinsic and extrinsic blood coagulation cascades. Factor IXa (activated Factor IX) serves as the trigger for amplification of coagulation through formation of the so-called Xase complex, which is a ternary complex of Factor IXa, its substrate Factor X and the cofactor Factor VIIIa on the surface of activated platelets. Within the Xase complex the substrate turnover by Factor IXa is enhanced 200000-fold; however, the mechanistic and structural basis for this dramatic enhancement remains only partly understood. A multifaceted approach using enzymatic, biophysical and crystallographic methods to evaluate a key set of activity-enhanced Factor IXa variants has demonstrated a delicately balanced bidirectional network. Essential molecular interactions across multiple regions of the Factor IXa molecule co-operate in the maturation of the active site. This maturation is specifically facilitated by long-range communication through the Ile(212)-Ile(213) motif unique to Factor IXa and a flexibility of the 170-loop that is further dependent on the conformation in the Cys(168)-Cys(182) disulfide bond. Ultimately, the network consists of compensatory brakes (Val(16) and Ile(213)) and accelerators (Tyr(99) and Phe(174)) that together allow for a subtle fine-tuning of enzymatic activity.

Field of study: Biology, Computer science
Towards quantized current arbitrary waveform synthesis

The generation of ac modulated quantized current waveforms using a semiconductor non-adiabatic single electron pump is demonstrated. In standard operation the single electron pump generates a quantized output current of I = ef where e is the charge of the electron and f is the pumping frequency. Suitable frequency modulation of f allows the generation of ac modulated output currents with different characteristics. By sinusoidal and saw tooth like modulation of f accordingly modulated quantized current waveforms with kHz modulation frequencies and peak currents up to 100 pA are obtained. Such ac quantized current sources could find applications ranging from precision ac metrology to on-chip signal generation.

Field of study: Physics
The author replies [concerning headache and the pill] [letter]

I appreciate your comments. The study period was from 1964-1980. During this time the dose of both estrogens and progesterones in oral contraceptives (OCs) was reduced from the initial high dose combined tablet (exemplified by Ortho Novum 10) to the current mini-pill. Since the pill was prescribed by others I accepted this variation in dosage which made no difference in the results. The diagnosis was made on the clinical accentuation of vascular headache while the patient was taking the pill and its relief or marked reduction when she stopped taking it. The controls were given samples of Ortho Novum 10 a high-dose pill and Ortho Novum Sequential kindly supplied by Ortho Pharmaceutical (Canada) Ltd. As reported no vascular headache developed when patients used the high dose pill. Although it is well recognized that cigarette smoking modifies peripheral vascular contractility the results in this study were obtained without changing smoking habits: 79% of the women seen smoked 25 cigarettes a day. Yearly sampling did not change this value significantly. Initially in the illustrative case most women of childbearing age (13-45 in this study) were taking the pill. By 1974 it was unusual for women over 30 to be taking it. This trend led to the collection of patients over 40 who were given estrogens (exemplified by Premarin) who also developed the vascular headache complex while taking the estrogen and were headache-free when they stopped. Throughout the study the majority of women taking the pill were in their late teens to mid-20s; those taking estrogen were in their mid-40s to late 50s. A detailed relationship to parity was not assessed. A review of the data before its presentation to the Canadian Congress of Neurological Sciences in June 1966 showed no change in the clinical picture in parous versus nulliparous women and this facet was not pursued further. I hope these comments clarify your questions.

Field of study: Medicine
Two-stage water blanching of asparagus

Argentuille variety, was water blanched for different times at 76, 88 and 100°C, in order to study thermal inactivation of peroxidase in asparagus tips and stalks. A two-stage blanching method, in which the asparagus stalk was initially immersed in the water bath for an interval after which the tip was immersed, was also evaluated. At 100°C and at a blanching time between 50 and 60% of that used for the stalk, the peroxidase activity of the asparagus tip was similar to that of the asparagus stalk. A procedure was developed to predict residual peroxidase activity in asparagus stalks and tips during two-stage water blanching at 100°C. Predicted values agreed well with experimental results.

Field of study: Engineering
Weight gain as an adverse effect of some commonly prescribed drugs: a systematic review.

Several drugs, or categories of drugs, listed by the WHO and other writers and used in the treatment of chronic disease, are consistently associated with weight gain as a side effect and considered 'obesogenic'. The extent to which they may contribute to the multifactorial process behind obesity is not well documented. We systematically reviewed papers from Medline 1966-2004, Embase 1980-2004, PsycINFO 1967-2004, and Cochrane Register of Controlled Trials, to determine the effect on body weight of some drugs that are believed to favour weight gain. We included randomized controlled studies of adult participants (>18 years) prescribed a drug considered obesogenic, that compared the 'obesogenic' drug with placebo, an alternative drug or other treatment, and that had a duration of at least 3 months: 43 studies totalling 25,663 subjects met these criteria. The main objective of the majority of studies was to compare the efficacy and safety of drug therapy, with weight change recorded under safety outcomes; weight change was a primary outcome measure in only six studies. There was evidence of weight gain for all drugs included, up to 10 kg at 52 weeks. Differences in dosage, patient population, duration of treatment and dietary advice make generalization of the results difficult. Data on body weight are often not recorded in published clinical trials or is reported in insufficient detail. This side-effect has potentially serious consequences, and should be mentioned to patients. Weight management measures should be routinely considered when prescribing drugs known to promote weight gain. Future clinical trials should always document weight changes.

Field of study: Medicine
Research on Intelligent Test Paper Generation System Based on Improved Genetic Algorithm

Studies the mathematical model of test theory and test paper composition,and analyzes applying genetic algorithm to achieve the aim of intelligent test paper generation,which is to find outthe best test paper that can meet the demands of the users.At the meantime,mainly studies the reasons of prematurity phenomenon of simple genetic algorithm,and improves paramedic coding,population initialization,genetic operation and control parameter.The simulation experiment shows that compared with simple genetic algorithm,improved genetic algorithm has faster convergence rate and higher stability.What's more,it can avoid prematurity effectively so as to better accomplish intelligent test paper generation.

Field of study: Computer science
Diffusion Adaptation Strategies for Distributed Optimization and Learning Over Networks

We propose an adaptive diffusion mechanism to optimize global cost functions in a distributed manner over a network of nodes. The cost function is assumed to consist of a collection of individual components. Diffusion adaptation allows the nodes to cooperate and diffuse information in real-time; it also helps alleviate the effects of stochastic gradient noise and measurement noise through a continuous learning process. We analyze the mean-square-error performance of the algorithm in some detail, including its transient and steady-state behavior. We also apply the diffusion algorithm to two problems: distributed estimation with sparse parameters and distributed localization. Compared to well-studied incremental methods, diffusion methods do not require the use of a cyclic path over the nodes and are robust to node and link failure. Diffusion methods also endow networks with adaptation abilities that enable the individual nodes to continue learning even when the cost function changes with time. Examples involving such dynamic cost functions with moving targets are common in the context of biological networks.

Field of study: Engineering
Localization of Cold Saw Assembly of Discharge System for PH-LR1250 Type Extruder

Aiming at many problems of serious aging and frequent faults resulted from cold saw assembly for PH-LR1250 type copper tube extruder imported from Poland;a certain factory puts forward some methods to carry out the replacement of localization.Application of localization of cold saw assembly in the factory has obtained good economic efficiency and social efficiency.

Field of study: Materials science
The Players in the Accountancy Profession and Their Roles: The Case of Jordan

The accountancy profession in Jordan has been criticized for failing to achieve its goals to society, with the main players in the profession constantly exchanging accusations in this regard. The purpose of this paper is to investigate the roles and the relationships between the players in the accountancy profession in Jordan (regulators, academics and practitioners), and to provide recommendations in order to improve the quality of the accountancy profession. Results indicate that the regulators are to be blamed for the insufficient monitoring and control of the profession, as they have failed to oversee the auditors and to take disciplinary actions against the wrongdoers. Additionally, regulators jeopardized the profession by adopting IFRS as a sole framework for financial reporting for all companies. Academics have allegedly provided low quality education and inadequate teaching programs, as teaching focuses on theoretical issues with minimal consideration for the current business environment and new technicalities. Hence, graduates are not equipped with necessary skills. It is concluded that the academics have become increasingly detached from practice, instead focusing on conducting academic research at the expense of activities that may improve the quality of teaching. With regards to practitioners, findings suggest that they act on the ground of self-interest rather than public interest, in addition to not complying with quality control standards when performing their tasks.

Field of study: Business
Dynamics of the strong field of a few-cycle optical pulse in a dielectric medium

The dependence of the conditions for the dominance of different physical factors in the self-action of few-cycle optical pulses in dielectrics on the intensity, duration, and spectrum of radiation has been theoretically analyzed. It is shown that the larger the pulse width and the central wavelength, the stronger the effect of plasma nonlinearity. For example, for a quartz glass in the field of pulses with a duration of 10 fs and a central wavelength of 780 nm, this nonlinearity mechanism is dominant at intensities exceeding 3 × 1013 W cm−2.

Field of study: Physics
HEAT PUMPS FOR THE HEATING AND NIGHT-COOLING OF GREENHOUSE CROPS: A SIMULATION STUDY

The use of air-to-air heat pumps in greenhouses was investigated using a computer simulation model and weather 
data for Raleigh and Wilmington, North Carolina. A greenhouse model taken from the literature, along with the heat pump subroutines 
developed in this study, were used for the simulations. Heat pumps were investigated for heating only and heating plus 
night cooling, using both standard and time-of-use electrical rates for two North Carolina utilities. Three capacities of heat 
pump were examined: 76.6, 38.3, and 19.2 W m-2 floor area. The results suggest that heat pumps installed at a capacity of 19.2 W 
m-2 may be economically viable for the locations studied, yielding pre-tax returns on investment of 20.4% and 16.3% for 
heating-only in Raleigh and Wilmington, respectively, using LP gas costs of $0.185 per liter ($0.70 per gal). When LP gas costs 
of $0.264 per liter ($1.00 per gal) were used, these values increased to 36.8% and 32.8%, respectively. Using the heat pumps 
for night cooling increased return on investment to as much as 49.7% due to increased yields; however, a market for the increased 
production must exist for this to be realized. Time-of-use rates were an advantage when the heat pumps were used for heating 
only, but when night cooling was employed there was no consistent effect. Heat pumps used for heating only yielded larger 
returns on investment in Raleigh than in Wilmington because the cooler climate in Raleigh allowed for greater heat pump 
utilization. When night cooling was added, the returns were higher in Wilmington than in Raleigh for tomato but slightly lower 
for chrysanthemum. The difference is attributed to the greater heat sensitivity of tomato compared to chrysanthemum.

Field of study: Agricultural and Food sciences
Preprocessing of Infrared Scanning Imaging System Based on SOC

Presentsed a preprocessing design based on SOC technology for the requirement of high real-time image preprocessing on infrared guidance-header,also describes the hardware composition of infrared preprocessing system and the software design principle based on SOC are also introduced.The image preprocessing system Integrates drive circuit of infrared detector,nonuniformity correction(NUC)function of infrared image,and preprocessing function of infrared image,so it improved the integration of this system. Experiments proved the advance of the construction and real-time processing of this system.

Field of study: Computer science
Money, national debt, and economic growth

This paper develops a dynamic model which allows for government spending, taxation, and the endogeneity of the money supply. As an example of an application of our framework, we consider the well known stability problem of the two asset (money and physical assets) neoclassical “money-and-growth” literature. We conclude, among other things, that the usual saddle-point instability result under myopic perfect foresight with proportional savings behavior can be reversed by introducing a third asset (securities). It is further argued that this result is “robust” as it holds under various policy rules (including the traditional case of national debt growing at a constant rate).

Field of study: Economics