nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
An analysis of the changes in growth rate occurring during the initial stages of geocurvature in shoots

A detailed study of the changes in growth rate on the two sides of a shoot prior to, and following geostimulation has been undertaken. Data from etiolated Zea seedlings, and cucumber hypocotyls, and from light grown sunflower hypocotyls are presented. In all cases, the differential growth which brings about geocurvature begins simultaneously along the length of the organ. This is contrary to previous reports in the literature which suggested that curvature begins first at the tip of an organ and progresses basipetally. The feature which is common to all species investigated is that growth of the upper side of the shoot ceases following geostimulation. In some cases there is also a marked acceleration in growth rate on the lower side of the shoot (sunflower) but other species show no such acceleration of growth (cucumber). It has been assumed for many years that the major factor causing upward curvature was an acceleration of growth on the lower side of the organ. The data presented here show that the cessation of growth on the upper side is a major, and in some cases the only factor bringing about geocurvature. The data are discussed in relation to the mechanisms which might control geotropic curvature.

Field of study: Environmental science
Simultaneous Measurements of Arsenic, Bromine, and Iodine in Coal and Coke by Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometer

Using high pressure and closed microwave digestion technology, the imports and exports of coal and coke samples from different countries were digested quickly with mixed acids of nitric acid, hydrofluoric acid, and hydrogen peroxide solution, with the help of Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (ICP-MS), a method was established for simultaneous determination of trace elements, such as, arsenic (As), bromine (Br) and iodine (I) in coal and coke. The influence of the medium of nitric acid and other acids on the determined elements was researched. The unstable mass signal of bromine and iodine on account of different valencies could be made stable by adding sodium persulfate. And the silver ion could catalyze and accelerate the reaction mentioned earlier. High memory effect of halogen was effectively decreased by a washing step with neutral mixed lotion. The low detection limits were in the range of 0.1–5.0 μg l−1 with relative standard deviations of 1.5%–12.0%, and the recoveries were in the range of 80%–106.7%. The analysis results were satisfactory.

Field of study: Chemistry
On diffusion hindered by dimers, site percolation and the mixed alkali effect

Mixed alkali effects in solid ionic conductors are investigated from the point of view of percolation theory. We assume basically that there exists a strong effective attractive interaction between the two different species of alkali ions, which causes the unlike ions to form immobile dimers. The excess ions are considered as hard-core particles. Using two-dimensional Monte Carlo simulations we show that the conductivity and the tracer diffusion constant are strongly affected by the existence of two characteristic percolation thresholds. This leads to the observed nonlinear behaviour of transport properties in the mixed alkali systems.

Field of study: Materials science
Central-Variant Posterior Reversible Encephalopathy due to Sulfasalazine: A Case Report

To report a rare case with central-variant posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome due to sulfasalazine.  A 55-year-old female patient presented with seizure and acute-onset hemiparesia. Thirty days earlier, treatment with sulfasalazine was commenced in response to a diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis. Laboratory examinations were normal. Brain magnetic resonance imaging showed symmetric edema within basal ganglia and thalami with sparing of the cerebral cortices. After stopping the treatment of sulfasalazine, clinical and radiological findings regressed dramatically.  This was a case of central-variant posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome due to sulfasalazine, and atypical imaging findings should be kept in mind for early diagnosis.

Field of study: Medicine
The M2 autoantigen of central nervous system myelin, a glycoprotein present in oligodendrocyte membrane.

Autoantibodies with in-vitro demyelinating capacity induced in Hartley and strain 13 guinea pigs with homologous central nervous system (CNS) tissue were used to characterize the target autoantigen M2. Using the Dot Immunobinding technique, M2 was found to be a component of CNS myelin different from basic protein (BP) and from cerebroside. The expression of M2 on oligodendrocytes, cells known to produce CNS myelin, also confirmed that M2 was a component of CNS myelin. Furthermore, the autoradiography of immunoprecipitates formed with radiolabelled guinea pig myelin and analysed in sodium dodecyl sulphate gels showed that M2 was specific to CNS myelin and absent in peripheral nervous system (PNS) myelin. On electrophoresis M2 appeared as two CNS myelin protein bands at the 27 and 54 KD molecular weight levels, distinct from the major protein bands of proteolipid and BP. M2 bands were of glycoprotein nature, as was demonstrated by affinity chromatography of CNS myelin on wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-Sepharose. A monoclonal antibody induced by BP-free CNS glycoproteins recognized the same bands as anti-M2 serum in guinea pig CNS myelin. This would imply that both M2 bands share common determinants. M2 bands similar to the above in guinea pig were also shown in rat, rabbit and bovine CNS myelin with guinea pig antibodies. The same type of anti-M2 antibodies were induced in rabbit immunized with homologous CNS tissue. Although only a minor component of myelin, M2 is strongly immunogenic compared to BP. M2 antigen could thus be the target of chronic demyelinating processes such as experimental allergic encephalomyelitis.

Field of study: Biology, Medicine
Missionstheologische Schriften (review)

and pace of the population decline. Henige convincingly criticizes several accounts of the epidemics which putatively swept through the New World after the Spanish arrival, but at times the reader is left wondering whether he means to argue that the epidemics never happened at all. The “contact does not equal contagion” chapter cries out for more discussion of what we know about the epidemiology of the various diseases blamed for the depopulation. What do we know about the spread of these diseases? Are there better-documented cases of their introduction into unexposed populations that we could use? What evidence do we have about the epidemics? In addition, Henige makes several unjustified epistemological claims that weaken an otherwise excellent case. For example, after an incisive criticism of several arguments by archaeologists about the timing of apparent depopulations in North America, Henige pointlessly begins to criticize archaeology by making specious comparisons between archaeological and historical argumentation. A lack of archaeological remains of settlements is not the same as a lack of written materials from a period of Roman history, and it is unclear what point Henige is attempting to make. In other cases, Henige moves from arguing that the high counters are not scientific enough, since they do not make adequate attempts to falsify their arguments, to implicitly arguing that the scientific method is not applicable to the “variety, complexity, and diversity” of history (p. 165). Henige’s exhaustive criticism of the high counters is a useful check on the often specious nature of current estimates. However, his main point could have been made in a far more succinct manner. In sum, the author presents too little demographic, archaeological, or epidemiological theory to allow the reader to make a conclusive judgment about what can or cannot be known from the available evidence.

Field of study: History
X-QUEST: A Comprehensive X-ray Study of Local ULIRGs and QSOs

We present results from the X-ray portion of a multi-wavelength study of local ULIRGs and QSOs called QUEST (Quasar-ULIRG Evolution STudy). The data consist of new and archival X-ray data on 40 ULIRGs and 26 Palomar Green (PG) QSOs taken with Chandra and XMM-Newton. A combination of traditional and hardness ratio spectral fitting methods is used to characterize the X-ray properties of these objects. The absorption-corrected 2-10 keV to bolometric luminosity ratios of the ULIRGs and PG QSOs suggest that the likelihood for dominant nuclear activity increases along the merger sequence from "cool" ULIRGs, "warm" ULIRGs, infrared-bright QSOs, and infrared-faint QSOs. The starburst dominates the total power in ULIRGs prior to the merger, and this is followed by rapid black hole growth during and after coalescence. These results are in general agreement with those obtained in the mid-infrared with Spitzer and recent numerical simulations.

Field of study: Physics
Ferric minerals and organic matter change arsenic speciation in copper mine tailings.

Arsenic (As) is commonly associated with Cu ore minerals, with the resultant risk that As can be released offsite from mine tailings. We used synchrotron-based fluorescence X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES) imaging to provide in situ, laterally-resolved speciation of As within tailings which differed in magnetite content (5-12%) and organic matter content (0-5%). Although the total As content was lower in tailings with low magnetite (LM), the soluble (pore water) As was actually 7-times higher in LM tailings than in high magnetite (HM) tailings. Additionally, amendment with 5% sugarcane mulch residues (SMR) (for revegetation) further increased soluble As due to the dissolution and oxidation of arsenopyrite or orpiment. Indeed, in HM tailings, arsenopyrite and orpiment initially accounted for 88% of the total As, which decreased to 48% upon the addition of SMR - this being associated with an increase in AsV-ferrihydrite from 12% to 52%. In LM tailings, the pattern of As distribution and speciation was similar, with As as AsV-ferrihydrite increasing from 57% to 75% upon the addition of SMR. These findings indicate that changes in ore processing technology, such as the recovery of magnetite could have significant environmental consequences regarding the As mobilisation and transformation in mine tailings.

Field of study: Environmental science
Geodesic path based digital inpainting

The filling-in technique has been used since the Renascence period and its main goal is to reconstruct missing parts or damaged areas in an image in such a way as to restore its harmony. In artwork restoration, this process is called inpainting. After the original work of Bertalmio, Sapiro, Caselles and Ballester several different approaches have been used to tackle the digital inpainting problem. Some are based on Partial Differential Equations to model a transportation process and a diffusion process, others are based on the Euler elastica functional. This paper presents a model for completing missing parts using the geodesic path continuation to perform the filling-in of the inpainting domain D . The model is proposed in a way as to satisfy the “ Connectivity Principle ”. The image u ( x , y ) is represented by a family of level lines and the missing part of the image is filled-in by the propagation of the available surrounding information, from outside to inside of the inpainting domain D along the geodesic paths of the image. After defining the domain D the restoration process becomes automatic and the final result u ( x , y , t n ) is carried out by the evolutionary process starting with the initial degraded image u ( x , y , 0 ) . In the proposed model, no limitations are imposed on the topology of the domain D , even permitting holes within the domain. Examples on real and textured images show the performance of this proposed model.

Field of study: Mathematics
Overexpression of the mineralocorticoid receptor protects against injury in PC12 cells.

Mineralocorticoid receptor expression is increased following neuronal injury, and this is associated with increased neuronal survival. Here we demonstrate a causal link between overexpression of MR in PC12 cells and protection against death induced by staurosporine and oxygen-glucose deprivation. This survival effect is abrogated by MR antagonism. Drugs which upregulate MR may form the basis for a novel therapeutic approach in conditions such as stroke and head injury.

Field of study: Biology
Evidence for active tilting of the NW-German Basin from correlations between fluvial landscape and geological subground

The catchment basin of the River Hunte (Lower Saxony, NW-German Basin) was studied on a mesoscale (length of ~90 km) to investigate the influence of the geological subground on modern morphology. A Geo Information System (GIS) was used to calculate linear correlation coefficients between the depth of geological strata (Base Zechstein to Base Quaternary) and the height of the modern landscape (Holocene Alluvial Plain, Lower Weichselian Terrace, catchment basin and watershed). High linear correlation coefficients between the Base of Tertiary and the height of the modern topography (catchment basin [r2=0.87], Lower Weichselian Terrace [r2=0.95] and Holocene Alluvial Plain [r2=0.95]) indicate control of the modern topography by the depth of the geological subsurface via tilting of the entire basin. Most likely northward tilting of the NW-German Basin forces the River Hunte to flow in a northerly direction by relative uplift of the hinterland (Wiehengebirge, Rhenish Massif) and subsidence of the North Sea area.

Field of study: Environmental science
Metabolic engineering with multi-objective optimization of kinetic models.

Kinetic models have a great potential for metabolic engineering applications. They can be used for testing which genetic and regulatory modifications can increase the production of metabolites of interest, while simultaneously monitoring other key functions of the host organism. This work presents a methodology for increasing productivity in biotechnological processes exploiting dynamic models. It uses multi-objective dynamic optimization to identify the combination of targets (enzymatic modifications) and the degree of up- or down-regulation that must be performed in order to optimize a set of pre-defined performance metrics subject to process constraints. The capabilities of the approach are demonstrated on a realistic and computationally challenging application: a large-scale metabolic model of Chinese Hamster Ovary cells (CHO), which are used for antibody production in a fed-batch process. The proposed methodology manages to provide a sustained and robust growth in CHO cells, increasing productivity while simultaneously increasing biomass production, product titer, and keeping the concentrations of lactate and ammonia at low values. The approach presented here can be used for optimizing metabolic models by finding the best combination of targets and their optimal level of up/down-regulation. Furthermore, it can accommodate additional trade-offs and constraints with great flexibility.

Field of study: Biology, Engineering
Zur Geologie des Ortsteins

ZusammenfassungWährendBeijerinck in seinem Schlußsatz aus den zehn Beweispunkten das im Titel seiner Arbeit ausgesprochene Ergebnis ableitet und in Humusortstein und Bleichsand „zwei sehr prägnante und dauerhafte Farbspuren des Klimawechsels“ erkennt, möchte ich folgern:Beijerincks Beweisführung ist in keinem einzigen Punkte wirklich schlüssig, im ganzen sogar abwegig. „Ein stichhaltiger Beweis für diese Auffassung wurde, soweit mir bekannt, nie geliefert“ — um ein Wort B.s anzuwenden (1934).Bleichsand kann wohl ohne Ortstein entstehen, Ort aber nicht ohne Bleichung der hangenden Schicht. Wo beide zusammen — im Ortsteinprofil — auftreten, sind sie deutlich als Funktion einer bestimmten Pflanzendecke zu erkennen. Ortprofile und reine Bleichungen entstanden und entstehen zu jeder Zeit und unter Umständen in kurzer Zeit, sobald Heide oder ein entsprechender Pflanzenverein vorhanden ist. Stratigraphischer Wert kommt demnach solchen Profilen im allgemeinen nicht zu, ein paläoklimatologischer nur insofern, als das Gesamtprofil etwas über die Daseinsmöglichkeit „atlantischer“ Heidevegetation aussagt.Die einzelnen Horizonte des Profiles jedoch, jeden für sich, für ein bestimmtes Klima in Anspruch zu nehmen, ist vorläufig durch nichts gerechtfertigt.Humusortstein ist keine Tundrabank bzw. „arktische Hinterlassenschaft“ und Bleichsand kein Erzeugnis milderer, feuchterer Klimate, wieBeijerinck will; wohl aber sind beide zusammen, Ort+Bleichsand, im weiteren Mitteleuropa — und wahrscheinlich weit darüber hinaus — das Zeichen eines der Heide günstigen, feuchtmilden Klimas, bzw. der Beweis für das ehemalige Vorhandensein von Heide.

Field of study: Environmental science
Immunological studies on gonadotrophins in animal. III. Hemagglutination and hemagglutination-inhibition reactions by the antiserum to bovine luteinizing hormone

LHのimmunoassay法として血球凝集阻止反応の手法が応用出来るか否かを検討する目的で,LH免疫血清と牛臓器抽出液および下垂体前葉ホルモンの関係を血球凝集反応および血球凝集阻止反応によって調べた。さらに,血球感作に使用するLH量が血球凝集反応および血球凝集阻止反応の感度におよぼす影響についても検討を加えた。1.未吸収のLH免疫血清はLH, TSHおよびGHの感作血球と血球凝集反応を示したが,牛血清およびTSHで吸収後のLH免疫血清はLH感作血球と特異的に反応し,LH以外の下垂体前葉ホルモンおよび各種臓器(下垂体を除く)蛋白の感作血球とは反応を示さなかった。2.下垂体その他臓器抽出液による血球凝集阻止反応においては,下垂体抽出液のみが阻止反応を示し,その他の臓器抽出液では阻止反応が認められなかった。3.下垂体前葉ホルモンによる血球凝集阻止反応においては,前葉ホルモンのうちLHとTSHのみが阻止反応を示し,FSH, GH, ACTH,プロラクチンでは阻止反応が認められなかった。また,阻止反応を示したLHおよびTSHのうちTSHにおける阻止作用は,TSH標品中に來雑するLHによるものと推察された。4.血球凝集反応は0.2μg/ml以上のLH濃度の溶液で血球を感作した場合に成立し,その濃度が0.2~50.0μg/mlの範囲では濃度と血球凝集反応の感度との間に一定の傾向が認められなかった。5.血球凝集阻止反応の感度は,血球感作に使用するL且溶液の濃度が0.2~50.0μg/mlの範囲では,濃度の増加に従って低下する傾向が認められた。

Field of study: Biology
Performance Test of 1.5 T Cryogen-Free Orthopedic MRI Magnet

A 1.5 T cryogen-free superconducting magnet for a dedicated orthopedic MRI of human extremities was developed and tested. The magnet has a compact cryostat cooled by a pulse tube coldhead with cooling power of 1 W at 4.2 K. The warm bore of a cryostat is 325 mm in diameter and 600 mm in length. Cost effective NbTi wire was used for making superconducting coils. The magnet is actively shielded. A novel approach has been implemented to decrease the cool down time of the magnet. According to it, the coldhead was placed in the separate sleeve filled with the gaseous helium. It was shown experimentally that the convection of helium gas in the coldhead sleeve speeds up the cool down significantly, more than by 40% in this case. Cooling down the magnet from ambient to operating temperature takes about 100 h. The magnet operates in persistent mode with magnetic field stability of better than 0.01 ppm/h. Special tests have been performed to investigate the magnet behavior in case the coldhead is switched off. The magnet has shown steady operation at 1.5 T in case the coldhead was switched off for 4 min or even longer.

Field of study: Physics
The decline in 'free' general practitioner care in Australia: reasons and repercussions.

The Australian public insurer, Medicare, allows general practitioners (GPs) to bulk bill patients, or accept the government rebate as full payment for their services. The percentage of GP consultations bulk billed, however has declined from 78.6% in June 2000 to 65.7% in December 2003. The immediate impact of a declining level of bulk billing is a decrease in the availability of free GP health care for patients. This has implications for copayments and access to GPs for low income groups in particular. In this paper, we explore the reasons for and repercussions of the decline in bulk billing. We analyse two main reasons for the decline. The first is a failure of the rebate to maintain a level consistent with increases in medical practice costs. The second is a decline in GPs in some regional and rural areas resulting in a decrease in price competition. The government has recently made changes to deal with the decline in bulk billing and based on three quarters of data, there has been a modest improvement in bulk billing.

Field of study: Medicine, Political science
Novel polymerization and copolymerization of ethylene, styrene, and/or butadiene by new organolanthanide-based catalysts

Replacement of one of the two C5Me5 ligands in the samarocene (II) complex (C5Me5) 2Sm (THF) 2 with a monodentate anionic ligand (e. g. , OAr, SAr, or NR1R2) gives a unique catalytic system, which can not only polymerize styrene and ethylene, but also copolymerize them into block styrene-ethylene copolymers under the presence of both monomers. On the other hand, addition of an appropriate cocatalyst such as MMAO or AlR3/[Ph3C][B (C6F 5) 4] to the samarocene complex (C5Me5) 2Sm (THF) 2 or (C5Me5) 2Sm (m-Me) 2AlMe2 affords a novel catalytic system for stereospecific 1,4-cis living polymerization of butadiene and copolymerization of butadiene with styrene.

Field of study: Chemistry
Reducing post-operative opioids in children undergoing outpatient urologic surgery: A quality improvement initiative.

Opioid prescriptions have been implicated as one of the proximate causes of the national opioid epidemic. Children and adolescents and their families are at risk for increased opioid exposure through prescriptions after surgery. In pediatric urologic surgery, indications for postoperative opioids can vary widely and a focus on opioid stewardship is important to reduce potential harms.



To measure the efficacy of a quality improvement initiative aimed to reduce post-operative opioids for pain management in a large pediatric surgical cohort.



Patients undergoing ambulatory pediatric urologic surgery at a tertiary children's hospital between July 2016 to June 2019 were analyzed. Structured physician peer-to-peer comparisons, electronic health record redesign and a standardized pain management protocol were implemented. Rate of opioid prescriptions per month, utilization of non-opioid analgesia, unplanned encounters in the emergency department and/or office during implementation were aggregated. Opioid doses and prescribed opioid days before and after protocol implementation were analyzed. A subcohort, from October-December 2018 was administered a patient-reported outcome questionnaire focused on pain management and return to baseline activity.



A total of 6684 consecutive outpatient urologic cases were included (median age = 3.3 years old (IQR 0.9-9.2) and 92.3% male). Comparing 6 months pre-intervention and the post-intervention latest 6 month intervals, opioid prescription rate decreased from 43.9% to 2.3% (p < 0.001). Additionally, non-opioid analgesia with ketorolac increased from 30.7% to 50.6% (p < 0.001). Concurrently, no differences in the rate of office visits within 5 days, overall ED visits, ED visits for pain or for bleeding within 30 days after implementation were identified. Between October to December 2018, 373 cases were performed and a Patient-Reported Outcome (PRO) questionnaire was completed for 128 of those patients (34%). Families reported a low patient pain score of 3.7 (SD 2.4) and a rapid postoperative recovery time of a median 2 (IQR 1-4) days to full resumption of pre-operative level of activity. High satisfaction with opioid reduction in post-operative pain management was reported (median score of 10 (IQR 8-10)).



Opioid prescriptions and utilization may be minimized without increasing unplanned encounters or adversely affecting quality of life. The QI framework utilized in this process can be implemented to reduce opioid exposure in other surgical patient populations.

Field of study: Medicine