nils-herrmann/clean_scirepeval huggingface dataset:
Model study on the performance of single finned piles in clay under lateral load
Venue: Arabian Journal of Geosciences
Year: 2020

Generally, foundations of many structures, such as transmission towers, bridge abutments, ocean engineering structures, marine dolphins, dock fendering systems, and moorings are subjected to different modes of lateral loading. This research aims to study an alternative and novel technique to improve the lateral pile capacity in clay using fins at the top of piles. Laboratory small scale model tests were carried out to study the behavior of laterally loaded finned piles installed in clay soil for different undrained shear strengths C u 11 and 15 kPa) The effects of different factors, such as pile type, stiffness, geometric dimensions, and shapes of fins, were studied. Moreover, the effects of the fin number and inclination angle were also investigated. Results emphasized that there is an increase in the lateral pile resistance against the lateral load after placing fins at the top of the pile head. It has been found that the optimum length of the adopted fins should equal 0.4 of the pile embedded length and the fin width should equal the pile diameter. The existence of fins improved the behavior of finned piles by 1.67 and 1.55 for piles of L D 10 in the case of C u 11 and 15 kPa, respectively, compared to regular normal piles in the same condition. Also, the improvement in L D 22 piles due to fins reached to 1.29 and 1.35 for the case of C u 11 and 15 kPa, respectively.
Evidence of Poorer Survival in Pregnancy Associated Breast Cancer
Venue: Obstetrics and gynecology
Year: 2008

To compare stage distribution, tumor characteristics, and survival outcome in pregnancy associated and non pregnancy associated breast cancer, and to evaluate pregnancy as a risk factor for mortality in breast cancer.  The California Cancer Registry (1991 1999) was linked with the California Patient Discharge Data Set to identify women with breast cancer occurring within 9 months before or 1 year after an obstetric delivery. Age matched, non pregnancy associated breast cancer controls were also identified. Demographics, cancer stage, tumor size, histology, hormone receptor status, type of treatment, and survival were reviewed and compared. Predictive factors for death from breast cancer were identified using proportional hazards modeling.  Seven hundred ninety seven pregnancy associated breast cancer cases were compared with 4,177 non pregnancy associated breast cancer controls. Pregnancy associated breast cancer cases were significantly more likely to have more advanced stage, larger primary tumor, hormone receptor negative tumor, and mastectomy as a component of their treatment. In survival analysis, pregnancy associated breast cancer had a higher death rate than non pregnancy associated breast cancer (39.2% compared with 33.4% P=.002) In a multivariable analysis, advancing stage (2.22 10.76 times the risk of death for stages II IV) race (African Americans had 68% increased risk of death over non Hispanic whites) hormone receptor negative tumors (20% increased risk of death over receptor positive tumors) and pregnancy (14% increased risk of death over nonpregnant women) all were significant predictors of death.  Pregnancy associated breast cancer presented with more advanced disease, larger tumors, and increased percentage of hormone receptor negative tumors. When controlled for stage, race, and hormone receptor status, pregnancy associated breast cancer cases had a slightly higher risk of death, even when only localized stage disease was considered.
Home Based Care for Special Healthcare Needs: Community Children's Nursing Services
Venue: Nursing research
Year: 2012

Community children's nursing services (CCNS) provides nursing and supportive care, ranging from relatively simple to highly technological interventions, to children and young people (0 18 years) within the family home. The aim of this study was to elicit the perspectives on and experiences about CCNS in England in relation to things that are working well or that could be improved and the vision for services. Using a qualitative approach, underpinned by an Appreciative Inquiry philosophy, researchers worked closely with advisory groups (six children and young people, four parents, and five professionals) to design and implement the study. Arts based participatory appreciative workshops were held in nine regional locations in England; shared activities were undertaken to elicit participants' experiences. Participants unable to attend the workshops were able to contribute via semistructured interview (face to face or by telephone) or by a dedicated blog or e mail. Thematic analysis was used, and 214 people participated: families (n 82) children (n 27) and professionals or stakeholders (n 105) Things that were working well were effective communication, robust leadership, actively enabling the child's care to be sustained at home, and partnerships based on mutual trust. Problems relating to feelings of marginalization, ineffective commissioning, under provision of services and hours of service availability, lack of equipmentor resources, and poor communication between services and settings were areas of concern. The vision for CCNS was for a flexible, equitable, and accessible service that supported children's and families' needs and choices and which enabled parents to be parents first rather than caregivers. Care at home reduces the disruption to children's and families' lives and can empower them to make decisions and control routines and practices. Having CCNS situated within larger teams with strong interdisciplinary and transdisciplinary practices seems to offer the best benefits for children and families. Findings from this study have directly influenced government policy and practice. Further research is needed to determine efficacy of particular models and practices.
Orthosteric muscarinic receptor activation by the insect repellent IR3535 opens new prospects in insecticide based vector control
Venue: Scientific Reports
Year: 2020

The insect repellent IR3535 is one of the important alternative in the fight against mosquito borne disease such as malaria, dengue, chikungunya, yellow fever and Zika. Using a multidisciplinary approach, we propose the development of an innovative insecticide based vector control strategy using an unexplored property of IR3535. We have demonstrated that in insect neurosecretory cells, very low concentration of IR3535 induces intracellular calcium rise through cellular mechanisms involving orthosteric/allosteric sites of the M1 muscarinic receptor subtype, G protein bg subunits, background potassium channel inhibition generating depolarization, which induces voltage gated calcium channel activation. The resulting internal calcium concentration elevation increases nicotinic receptor sensitivity to the neonicotinoid insecticide thiacloprid. The synergistic interaction between IR3535 and thiacloprid contributes to significantly increase the efficacy of the treatment while reducing concentrations. In this context, IR3535, used as a synergistic agent, seems to promise a new approach in the optimization of the integrated vector management for vector control.
Diversity in Economics: A Gender Analysis of Italian Academic Production
Year: 2017

Economists' infamous failure at predicting the recent financial crisis has brought new impetus to studies on diversity in the economics profession. Such studies have underlined how diversity plays a prominent role in enriching economic analyses. The main purpose of this article is to provide new insights into the degree of gender diversity: rather than looking at women's presence in academia only, we extend our focus to the research production by academic economists in the last few decades. The tendency to identify research quality with standardized bibliometric indicators i.e. impact factor or h index had consequences in term of heterogeneity of researchers within institutions (at all levels) and, most of all, in terms of pluralism of research interests. Our new data uncovers a double convergence path: i) a progressive reduction in the variety of research interests of women and men economists; ii) a tendency to "homologate" with international standards of perceived research 'excellence' As a consequence of such an impoverishment of pluralism in research, the academic production of both men and women has been drifting away from non mainstream fields, and, in particular, from heterodox approaches and from the history of economic thought. Since women's academic careers remain markedly characterized by a strong vertical segregation, we find that for women this effect is even stronger since they are more subject to homologating their research activities with respect to that of their male colleagues.
The use of deep frozen and irradiated bone allografts in the reconstruction of tibial plateau fractures
Venue: Cell and Tissue Banking
Year: 2012

To investigate the clinical behavior of deep frozen and irradiated bone allografts in the treatment of depressed tibial plateau fractures. Twenty two patients with a tibial plateau fracture were treated with cancellous bone allografts. The bone allograft preparation process included fresh freezing at 70 degC for 4 weeks and gamma irradiation at 25 kGy. All of the patients were followed for 1 2 years. The clinical effects were assessed using the Rasmussen score for tibial head fractures and X rays. Postoperatively, the average excellent and fair Rasmussen scores were 88.9 Only one patient developed an infection, with no integration between allograft and recipient bone observed. All of the other bone allografts were incorporated successfully, and no osteoporosis or sclerosis was observed. The frozen and gamma irradiated bone allograft is a good alternative in the treatment of tibial plateau fractures, which we have shown can integrate with the surrounding host bone.
Multiagent Adjustable Autonomy Framework (MAAF) for multi robot, multi human teams
Venue: 2008 International Symposium on Collaborative Technologies and Systems
Year: 2008

This paper describes the ongoing development of a multiagent adjustable autonomy framework (MAAF) for multi robot, multi human teams performing tactical maneuvers. The challenge being addressed in this SBIR Phase I R&D project is how to exploit fully the unique capabilities of heterogeneous teams composed of a mixture of robots, agents or persons (RAPs) that is, how to improve the safety, efficiency, reliability and cost of achieving mission goals while maintaining dynamic adaptation to the unique limitations and contingencies of a real world operating environment. Our response to this challenge is the creation of a new infrastructure that will facilitate cooperative and collaborative performance of human and robots as equal team partners through the application of advances in goal oriented, multiagent planning and coordination technology. At the heart of our approach is the USC Teamcore Group's Machinetta, a state of the art robot proxy framework with adjustable autonomy. Machinetta facilitates robot human role allocation decisions and collaborative sharing of team tasks in the non deterministic and unpredictable military environment through the use of a domain independent teamwork model that supports flexible teamwork. This paper presents our innovative proxy architecture and its constituent algorithms, and also describes our initial demonstration of technical feasibility in a realistic simulation scenario.
Inside the head of a cybertype three dimensional reconstruction of the head muscles of Ommatoiulus avatar (Diplopoda: Juliformia: Julidae) reveals insights into the feeding movements of Juliformia
Year: 2019

The origin and diversification of the arthropod head is one of the major topics in the field of evolutionary morphology of Arthropoda. Among the major arthropod groups, Myriapoda and, more precisely Diplopoda, are generally poorly studied regarding their head anatomy. However, this group is of pivotal importance to understand the evolutionary functional morphology of the arthropod head. In this study, we investigate the complete musculoskeletal system of the diplopod head with a detailed description of the cephalic anatomy of the recently described species Ommatoiulus avatar. The comparison of our data with the literature on the few other species available show that the morphology of the musculoskeletal system within Juliformia, a subgroup of the Diplopoda, is relatively conservative. Using video recordings of the feeding movements in addition to the anatomical data, we revise the mechanism of the mandibular movements in Juliformia. There was a controversy whether mandibular abduction is an active process, facilitated by contraction of an abductor muscle, or if it is a passive process, mediated by tentorial and gnathochilarial movements not involving a direct abduction by muscular contraction. We show that mandibular abduction in Ommatoiulus is an active movement involving the contraction of an abductor muscle. This is similar to the mandibular abduction in other arthropod groups.
Examining the continuum of psychosis: Frequency and characteristics of psychotic like symptoms in relatives and non relatives of patients with schizophrenia
Venue: Schizophrenia Research
Year: 2016

A key finding underlying the continuum of psychosis concept is the presence of psychotic like experiences (PLEs) in healthy subjects. However, it remains uncertain to what extent these experiences are related to the genetic risk for schizophrenia and how far they actually resemble attenuated forms of psychotic symptoms.  Forty nine adults with no history of mental illness in first degree relatives and 59 siblings of patients with schizophrenia were rated on the psychosis section of the Computerized Diagnostic Interview Schedule IV (C DIS IV) and the Rust Inventory of Schizotypal Cognitions (RISC) Those who rated positive on the CDIS IV were re interviewed using the lifetime version of the Present State Examination 9th edition (PSE 9) and the Structured interview for Schizotypy (SIS) RESULTS Seventeen (34.69% of the non relatives and 22 (37.29% of the relatives responded positively to one or more of the psychosis questions on the DIS. This difference was not significant. RISC scores were also similar between the groups. At follow up interview with the PSE 9, 13/40 PLEs (32.50% in the non relatives were classified as possible or probable psychotic symptoms compared to 11/46 (23.91% in the relatives. Using liberal symptom thresholds, 5 of those who attended the follow up interview (2 non relatives and 3 relatives) met SIS criteria for schizotypal personality disorder.  Rates of PLEs, however considered, do not differ substantially between relatives and non relatives of patients with schizophrenia. Only a minority of PLEs picked up by screening interviews resemble attenuated forms of psychotic symptoms.
Transformational Leadership: Transmitting an Educational Reform Agenda in a Low Performing Urban Middle School Using Innovative Strategies, such as Hip Hop and High Interest Curriculum
Year: 2015

After 12 years since the enactment of the No Child Left Behind legislation and six years of Race to the Top national educational policy, both designed to address the educational achievement gap and improve many of America's failing schools, the persistence of failing schools in urban communities continues to exist. This problem demands bold, innovative, even non traditional initiatives. The research of this dissertation, called the Queens Middle School (QMS) Study, looks to determine the strategies implemented by a transformational leader at a low performing Queens, New York middle school, 10 years ago, in a manner that reveals new educational models that reveals best practices that will help today's urban school leader. The QMS study contributes to the body of knowledge on educational reform by introducing new practices and generating new theories regarding improving student outcomes in an urban school setting. The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of the decision making process, programmatic strategies, and the engagement of multiple stakeholders by a transformational leader engaged in an agenda of change in an urban, low performing middle school. More specifically, the study evaluates the use of hip hop as a motivational tool to engage students and faculty at QMS in a reform effort. The design of this qualitative study utilized focus groups of three distinct stakeholders teachers, students, parents to assess their perceptions of what led to the improvement of QMS. Through the lens of transformational leadership and educational change theory, this study assesses the impact of change on school improvement. Degree Type Dissertation Degree Name Doctor of Education (EdD) Department Executive Leadership First Supervisor Janice Kelly Second Supervisor Fran Wills Subject Categories Education This dissertation is available at Fisher Digital Publications: http:/fisherpub.sjfc.edu/education_etd/231 Transformational Leadership: Transmitting an Educational Reform Agenda in a Low Performing Urban Middle School Using Innovative Strategies, such as Hip Hop and High Interest Curriculum
Tight gas sands permeability estimation from mercury injection capillary pressure and nuclear magnetic resonance data
Year: 2012

There are several methods to estimate permeability from pore throat sizes and NMR T 2 relaxation time. Although most of the methods are well established and work well for conventional reservoirs they fail to estimate permeability for tight gas sands. The aim of this study was to establish relationships between permeability and pore throat sizes, derived from mercury injection analysis, and NMR T 2 relaxation time. Regression analysis was used to achieve a set of relationships between dry gas permeability, porosity and pore throat sizes for 50 tight gas sand samples. Unlike for normal sandstone, pore throat radii corresponding to a mercury saturation of 10% (r 10 is the best permeability predictor for tight gas sands. For tight gas sands, NMR T 2 relaxation spectra fall on the shorter values corresponding to the smaller pores. This is because pore spaces are significantly reduced both in size and volume due to extensive compaction and cementation. This study shows that using NMR T 2peak and multi regression analysis, permeability can be estimated with high accuracy even in rocks with substantially constricted pore throats.
Lead in soil by field portable x ray fluorescence spectrometry an examination of paired In Situ and laboratory ICP AES results
Year: 2008

A major aspect of lead hazard control is the evaluation of soil lead hazards around housing coated with lead based paint. The use of field portable X ray fluorescence (FPXRF) to do detailed surveying, with limited laboratory confirmation, can provide lead measurements in soil (especially for planning abatement activities) in a far more cost efficient and timely manner than laboratory analysis. To date, one obstacle to the acceptance of FPXRF as an approved method of measuring lead in soil has been a lack of correspondence between field and laboratory results. In order to minimize the differences between field and laboratory results, RTI International (RTI) has developed a new protocol for field drying and sieving soil samples for field measurement by FPXRF. To evaluate this new protocol, composite samples were collected in the field following both U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) guidelines and ASTM International (ASTM) protocols, measured after drying by FPXRF, and returned to the laboratory for confirmatory inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectroscopy (ICP AES) analysis. Evaluation of study data from several diverse sites revealed no statistical difference between paired FPXRF and ICP AES measurements using the new method.
Adaptive local multi atlas segmentation: Application to the heart and the caudate nucleus
Venue: Medical Image Anal.
Year: 2010

Atlas based segmentation is a powerful generic technique for automatic delineation of structures in volumetric images. Several studies have shown that multi atlas segmentation methods outperform schemes that use only a single atlas, but running multiple registrations on volumetric data is time consuming. Moreover, for many scans or regions within scans, a large number of atlases may not be required to achieve good segmentation performance and may even deteriorate the results. It would therefore be worthwhile to include the decision which and how many atlases to use for a particular target scan in the segmentation process. To this end, we propose two generally applicable multi atlas segmentation methods, adaptive multi atlas segmentation (AMAS) and adaptive local multi atlas segmentation (ALMAS) AMAS automatically selects the most appropriate atlases for a target image and automatically stops registering atlases when no further improvement is expected. ALMAS takes this concept one step further by locally deciding how many and which atlases are needed to segment a target image. The methods employ a computationally cheap atlas selection strategy, an automatic stopping criterion, and a technique to locally inspect registration results and determine how much improvement can be expected from further registrations. AMAS and ALMAS were applied to segmentation of the heart in computed tomography scans of the chest and compared to a conventional multi atlas method (MAS) The results show that ALMAS achieves the same performance as MAS at a much lower computational cost. When the available segmentation time is fixed, both AMAS and ALMAS perform significantly better than MAS. In addition, AMAS was applied to an online segmentation challenge for delineation of the caudate nucleus in brain MRI scans where it achieved the best score of all results submitted to date.
Metastability for parabolic equations with drift: Part II. The quasilinear case
Year: 2015

This is the second part of our series of papers on metastability results for parabolic equations with drift. The aim is to present a self contained study, using partial differential equations methods, of the metastability properties of quasi linear parabolic equations with a drift and to obtain results similar to those in Freidlin and Koralov [Nonlinear stochastic perturbations of dynamical systems and quasi linear parabolic PDE's with a small parameter,  (2010) ArXiv:0903.0428v2 (2012)