bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Management Innovations in Hotel Business Enterprises in Conditions of Economic Instability
Authors: Dmitrieva N.
Published: June 2024

The article discusses the role of management innovation as an effective tool that helps ensure competitiveness in the hotel business in modern turbulent business conditions and the geopolitical situation. The author analyzes the reasons contributing to the strengthening of the role of management innovation, examines current trends in the development of hotel enterprises, and also gives examples of the successful implementation of innovative solutions in hotel business enterprises. The author concludes that the external environment stimulates the innovative activities of hotel enterprises, which predetermines the need to intensify the implementation of innovative solutions, as well as increase innovative activity. Gaining competitive advantages is based on the effective management of innovative activities of hotel enterprises, which is expressed in improving the performance of an economic entity at the enterprise level and strengthening the niche it occupies at the industry level.
Knowledge Management as a Basis for Increasing Science-Intensive Technologies
Authors: Ivanova A. , Enackaya N.
Published: June 2024

The article discusses the role of effective knowledge management as a basic component of the activation and build-up of science-intensive technologies in developed countries. The authors analyze the reasons for the strengthening of the role of knowledge in the world economy, as well as determine the range of specific features of knowledge as an economic resource of the post-industrial economy. The article concludes that building up science-intensive technologies and increasing the innovative potential of the leading countries of the world economy is impossible without effective knowledge management. The experience of developed countries demonstrates the correlation between effective knowledge management and the intensification of the generation of innovative ideas, increasing innovation activity and building up science-intensive technologies. Gaining competitive advantages and building up such technologies is impossible without effective knowledge management, which is expressed in the continuous development of knowledge resources, encouraging creativity in work processes and stimulating innovation both at the enterprise and industry levels.
Clinical use of lasers and energy-based devices in selected skin diseases
Authors: Janocha Aleksandra , Ziemba Paweł , Jerzak Aneta , Jakubowska Katarzyna
Published: June 2024

Introduction and purpose In recent years, there has been notable progress in the role of light-emitting technologies, including lasers and other energy-based devices, across various medical disciplines. Dermatology stands out as one of the prominent fields where laser treatments have gained significant popularity. In the clinical setting, a variety of laser types are utilized. A fundamental aspect of ensuring the safe use of laser devices involves comprehending their mechanisms at the tissue level. This knowledge enables practitioners to attain the desired outcomes effectively while minimizing the risk of complications. Lasers have demonstrated effectiveness in treating cutaneous vascular conditions because of their capacity to selectively target intravascular oxyhemoglobin. Rosacea, juvenile hemangioma, and port wine stains are among the vascular skin conditions for which laser therapy has shown notable success. Laser therapy is employed in treating hypertrophic scars, keloids, and acne scars because it facilitates the restructuring of the skin's architecture at the scar site, with the goal of minimizing its size and visibility. Laser therapy stands as the gold standard for removing tattoos.
Materials and methods The methodology for conducting literature search involved utilizing medical subject headings terms to explore PubMed. Search terms included: “lasers”, “intense pulsed light”, “dermatology”, “rosacea”, “acne”, “scars”, “tattoo removal”.
Conclusions Laser dermatological treatments are gaining popularity worldwide, driving new innovations and clinical applications. This review highlights the significant role and diverse clinical applications of lasers and intense pulsed light in dermatological practice. Improving the quality of skin in patients suffering from skin diseases can significantly increase their quality of life.
Los retos de la Corte IDH respecto a la adopción de los elementos de reparación de la desaparición forzada de personas por parte de los países
Authors: Quintero Mendoza Juan Sebastián
Published: June 2024

Este artículo busca establecer los retos que tiene la Corte IDH, como tribunal de defensa de los derechos humanos, en casos de delitos de lesa humanidad, y en este estudio, específicamente, en la conducta de desaparición forzada cometida en países de América Latina donde durante décadas se ha realizado sistemáticamente por parte de agentes de Estado.
School performance readiness of elementary students with disabilities before starting the occupational therapy program in special education schools
Authors:   Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, Lersilp Suchitporn , Tipsut Tep-aksorn ,   Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, Maboontham Phattariya ,   Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, Sonngai Rattanaporn ,   Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand, Panyo Kewalin ,   Department of Occupational Therapy, Faculty of Associated Medical Sciences, Chiang Mai University, Chiang Mai Province, Thailand
Published: June 2024

Background: School-based occupational therapists (SBOTs) work as health professionals in educational settings. School performance readiness is within the scope of SBOTs in providing a service for students who might have experienced decreasing performance during their school life. Objective: This study aimed to explore the school performance readiness of elementary students with disabilities before starting the occupational therapy program in special education schools. Materials and methods: The school performance readiness checklist for students with disabilities in special education schools was the research instrument. It comprised four areas: physical, social and emotional, pre-academic, and self-care readiness. Seventy-five elementary students with disabilities participated in this study. They consisted of 41 students with intellectual disability, 21 students with physical disability, and 13 students with sensory disability. Results: Results from the initial semester in special education schools showed that most of the students with disabilities (85.33%) needed support in promoting their school performance readiness, particularly in pre-academic readiness. This included most of those with intellectual disability (33.33%) and all of those with sensory disabilities, while all of the students with physical disabilities needed support in promoting physical readiness. Conclusion: Most students with disabilities needed support in promoting their school performance readiness according to their type of disability. Although the special education schools had enrolment criteria, SBOTs and school professionals should be concerned with providing related intervention programs to promote school readiness, particularly pre-academic readiness.
Philly Elmo Rises: Black Eccentricity and the Street Fantastic During the George Floyd Uprisings/Riots, May 2020
Authors: Williams Jennifer
Published: June 2024

ABSTRACT: During the May 2020 uprisings/riots in Philadelphia, a Black person dressed in a white T-shirt, black athletic pants, and the headpiece of an Elmo mascot costume posed in front of a burning trash can next to a police barricade. “Philly Elmo,” as they were called, became an icon of irreverent radicalism with a touch of Philadelphia idiosyncrasy to social media users who circulated the image of this unique figure. From this ephemeral digital archive, I recognize that Philly Elmo’s unruly, frivolous performance is a manifestation of the Black street fantastic , those unrefined acts cultivated from the urban landscape and limited funds that denote a Black eccentric’s emotionality when disrupting the norms of space and ritual. In this work, I question how the study of Black life and experience can preserve the memory of atypical Black reactions to injustice that may seem disrespectful to the legacy of solemn and joyful Black protest.
“Mother Church” as a “Dove” in 5 Ezra , Cyprian, and the Tabarka Mosaics
Authors: Bergren Theodore A.
Published: June 2024

Abstract: 5 Ezra ( 2 Esdras 1–2) is an early Christian pseudepigraphon. 5 Ezra 2.15–32 constitutes an exhortative encomium delivered by God to an unnamed “mother.” Comparison of the language and rhetoric of this encomium with Cyprian’s (fl. 245–58) descriptions of “Mother Church” suggests that the author of 5 Ezra was familiar with Cyprian’s oeuvre and that the “mother” of 5 Ezra 2.15–32 is intended to represent Mother Church. 5 Ezra 2.15a reads: “Good mother, embrace your children. Give them happiness like the dove that leads forth her children.” This metaphorical characterization of the mother/Church as a “dove” recalls two Cyprianic passages in which he comments on Song of Songs 6.9: “My dove is one, my perfect one. She is the only one of her mother.” Cyprian interprets the Song of Songs, a romantic/erotic interchange between male and female, as a dialogue between Christ and the Church. Thus, he views Song 6.9 as an address by Christ to the Church, identifying the Church as a “dove.” I suspect that Cyprian’s exegesis inspired the metaphor in 5 Ezra 2.15a. These observations find corroboration in several mosaics excavated in the North African port city of Thabraca. Most important for our purposes is a fifth-century sepulchral mosaic, dubbed the “Mother Church” mosaic. This mosaic includes a panel depicting a row of six birds. The two left-most birds, probably male and female doves, face one another, while the remaining four trail to the right. Artistic analysis of the panel, combined with data gleaned from another of Cyprian’s writings, suggests that the dove pair represents Christ and the Church, as put forth in Cyprian’s exegesis. Likewise, the four trailing birds represent fledglings following their “mother,” as represented in 5 Ezra 2.15a. I conclude that the “Mother Church” mosaic reflects the influence of both Cyprian and 5 Ezra .
Bottled Water Consumption and Perceptions of Household Water Quality: An Intra-Urban Analysis of Greensboro, North Carolina
Authors: Stephens Stephanie , Praskievicz Sarah
Published: June 2024

abstract: Perceived household water quality can affect decision-making about bottled water consumption, an issue of environmental justice. Residents who do not trust the quality of their tap water may drink bottled water as an alternative, but people also choose to drink bottled water for other reasons, such as taste or convenience. This study examines patterns of bottled water consumption and perceptions of tap water quality across neighborhoods of Greensboro, North Carolina, with differing income levels. Household surveys were used to investigate residents' consumption of bottled water and tap water and their stated reasons for consuming bottled water. Results indicate that respondents in low-income neighborhoods report drinking significantly (p=0.001) more bottled water than respondents in higher-income neighborhoods. Concerns about the safety of tap water were a significantly (p=0.00005) more important reason for respondents in low-income neighborhoods to choose bottled water compared to respondents in higher-income neighborhoods. The results of this study indicate that intra-urban differences in perceptions of household water quality are a major environmental justice issue in that concerns about safety drive low-income residents to spend their limited income on bottled water.
Assessing Climate Change Impacts on Gulf of Mexico's Water Quality: A Review
Authors: Moragoda Nishani , Jones Carly , Stanley Lydia , Liu Yang , Keellings David
Published: June 2024

abstract: The Gulf of Mexico (GOM) is a regionally important marine ecosystem with valuable fisheries that may be detrimentally impacted by anthropogenic climate change. In recent years, our scientific understanding of climate change impacts on the GOM water quality has advanced considerably. Such advancements include increased understanding of climate change impacts on the GOM's hypoxia and sediment, and subsequent impacts on the region's marine ecosystem. This paper reviews these developments and highlights gaps in our understanding of climate change impacts on marine water quality and its implications in the GOM region. There is broad scientific agreement that physical changes induced by anthropogenic climate change are determining factors of water quality and biodiversity in the GOM. However, the scientific community should work toward a greater understanding of species and ecosystem specific changes through modeling studies exclusive to the GOM region and this should inform the development of broader multi-disciplinary mitigation strategies.
3D super-resolution optical fluctuation imaging with temporal focusing two-photon excitation
Authors: Szczypkowski Pawel , Pawlowska Monika , Lapkiewicz Radek
Published: June 2024

3D super-resolution fluorescence microscopy typically requires sophisticated setups, sample preparation, or long measurements. A notable exception, SOFI, only requires recording a sequence of frames and no hardware modifications whatsoever but being a wide-field method, it faces problems in thick, dense samples. We combine SOFI with temporal focusing two-photon excitation – the wide-field method that is capable of exciting a thin slice in 3D volume. Temporal focusing is simple to implement whenever the excitation path of the microscope can be accessed. The implementation of SOFI is straightforward. By merging these two methods, we obtain super-resolved 3D images of neurons stained with quantum dots. Our approach offers reduced bleaching of out-of-focus fluorescent probes and an improved signal-to-background ratio that can be used when robust resolution improvement is required in thick, dense samples.
GAN-based quantitative oblique back-illumination microscopy enables computationally efficient epi-mode refractive index tomography
Authors: Li Zhenmin , Casteleiro Costa Paloma , Guang Zhe , Serafini Caroline Elizabeth , Robles Francisco E.
Published: June 2024

Quantitative oblique back-illumination microscopy (qOBM) is a novel imaging technology that enables epi-mode 3D quantitative phase imaging and refractive index (RI) tomography of thick scattering samples. The technology uses four oblique back illumination images captured at the same focal plane and a fast 2D deconvolution reconstruction algorithm to reconstruct 2D phase cross-sections of thick samples. Alternatively, a through-focus z-stack of oblique back illumination images can be used to recover 3D RI tomograms with improved RI quantitative fidelity at the cost of a more computationally expensive reconstruction algorithm. Here, we report on a generative adversarial network (GAN) assisted approach to reconstruct 3D RI tomograms with qOBM that achieves high fidelity and greatly reduces processing time. The proposed approach achieves high-fidelity 3D RI tomography using differential phase contrast images from three adjacent z-planes. A ∼9-fold improvement in volumetric reconstruction time is achieved. We further show that this technique provides high SNR RI tomograms with high quantitative fidelity, reduces motion artifacts, and generalizes to different tissue types. This work can lead to real-time, high-fidelity RI tomographic imaging for in-vivo pre-clinical and clinical applications.
Ultra-fast GST-based optical neuron for the implementation of integrated photonic neural networks
Authors: Amiri Samaneh , Miri Mehdi
Published: June 2024

A fast-integrated optical neuron is proposed based on a micro-ring resonator structure. The GST phase change material is used in the MRR structure, and neuron switching is achieved by the electrical actuation of this material. The nonlinear activation function of the neuron is extracted through three-dimensional electrical and optical simulations. The neuron is then employed in a three-layer perceptron network using the extracted activation function, and its performance is examined in the classification of handwritten digits. The overall performance of the proposed neuron is compared with the previous optical neural networks. Simulations show an ultra-fast switching time of 200fs, which is one order of magnitude faster than the best-reported value, and an accuracy of 98.9% (in the classification of MNIST handwritten digits dataset) which is among the best results, while the estimated neuron footprint is relatively small.
Photonic crystal-connected bidirectional micro-ring resonator array for duplex mode and wavelength channel (de)multiplexing
Authors: Guan Zhiwei , Wang Chaofeng , Xie Chuangxin , Wu Haisheng , Liu Junmin , Ye Huapeng , Fan Dianyuan , Xiao Jiangnan , Chen Shuqing
Published: June 2024

The progress of on-chip optical communication relies on integrated multi-dimensional mode (de)multiplexers to enhance communication capacity and establish comprehensive networks. However, existing multi-dimensional (de)multiplexers, involving modes and wavelengths, face limitations due to their reliance on single-directional total internal reflection and multi-level mode conversion based on directional coupling principles. These constraints restrict their potential for full-duplex functionality and highly integrated communication. We solve these problems by introducing a photonic-like crystal-connected bidirectional micro-ring resonator array (PBMRA) and apply it to duplex mode-wavelength multiplexing communication. The directional independence of total internal reflection and the cumulative effect of the subwavelength-scale pillar within the single-level photonic crystal enable bidirectional mode and wavelength multiplexed signals to transmit among multi-pair nodes without interference, improving on-chip integration in single-level mode conversion. As a proof of concept, we fabricated a nine-channel bidirectional multi-dimensional (de)multiplexer, featuring three wavelengths and three TE modes, compactly housed within a footprint of 80  μm×80  μm, which efficiently transmits QPSK-OFDM signals at a rate of 216 Gbit/s, achieving a bit error rate lower than 10−4. Leveraging the co-ring transmission characteristic and the orthogonality of the mode-wavelength channel, this (de)multiplexer also enables a doubling of communication capacity using two physical transmission channels.
Boosting external quantum efficiency of a WSe2 photodetector across visible and NIR spectra through harnessing plasmonic hot electrons
Authors: Shi Linlin , Zhao Ziyang , Jiao Jinyang , Ji Ting , Wang Wenyan , Cui Yanxia , Li Guohui
Published: June 2024

The layered two-dimensional material tungsten diselenide ( WSe2 ) has triggered tremendous interests in the field of optoelectronic devices due to its exceptional carrier transport property. Nevertheless, the limited absorption of WSe2 in the near infrared (NIR) band poses a challenge for the application of WSe2 photodetectors in night vision, telecommunication, etc. Herein, the enhanced performance of the WSe2 photodetector is demonstrated through the incorporation of titanium nitride nanoparticles (TiN NPs), complemented by an atomically-thick Al2O3 layer that aids in suppressing the dark current. It is demonstrated that TiN NPs can dramatically enhance the absorption of light in the proposed WSe2 photodetector in the NIR regime. This enhancement boosts photocurrent responses through the generation of plasmonic hot electrons, leading to external quantum efficiency (EQE) enhancement factors of 379.66% at 850 nm and 178.47% at 1550 nm. This work presents, for the first time, to our knowledge, that the WSe2 photodetector is capable of detecting broadband light spanning from ultraviolet to the telecommunication range, all achieved without the reliance on additional semiconductor materials. This achievement opens avenues for the advancement of cost-effective NIR photodetectors.
Cross-regulation and cross-talk of conserved and accessory two-component regulatory systems orchestrate Pseudomonas copper resistance
Authors: Elsen Sylvie , Simon Victor , Attrée Ina
Published: June 2024

Bacteria use diverse strategies and molecular machinery to maintain copper homeostasis and to cope with its toxic effects. Some genetic elements providing copper resistance are acquired by horizontal gene transfer; however, little is known about how they are controlled and integrated into the central regulatory network. Here, we studied two copper-responsive systems in a clinical isolate of Pseudomonas paraeruginosa and deciphered the regulatory and cross-regulation mechanisms. To do so, we combined mutagenesis, transcriptional fusion analyses and copper sensitivity phenotypes. Our results showed that the accessory CusRS two-component system (TCS) responds to copper and activates both its own expression and that of the adjacent nine-gene operon (the pcoA2 operon) to provide resistance to elevated levels of extracellular copper. The same locus was also found to be regulated by two core-genome-encoded TCSs—the copper-responsive CopRS and the zinc-responsive CzcRS. Although the target palindromic sequence–ATTCATnnATGTAAT–is the same for the three response regulators, transcriptional outcomes differ. Thus, depending on the operon/regulator pair, binding can result in different activation levels (from none to high), with the systems demonstrating considerable plasticity. Unexpectedly, although the classical CusRS and the noncanonical CopRS TCSs rely on distinct signaling mechanisms (kinase-based vs. phosphatase-based), we discovered cross-talk in the absence of the cognate sensory kinases. This cross-talk occurred between the proteins of these two otherwise independent systems. The cusRS-pcoA2 locus is part of an Integrative and Conjugative Element and was found in other Pseudomonas strains where its expression could provide copper resistance under appropriate conditions. The results presented here illustrate how acquired genetic elements can become part of endogenous regulatory networks, providing a physiological advantage. They also highlight the potential for broader effects of accessory regulatory proteins through interference with core regulatory proteins.
Whole Genome Sequencing of Mycobacterium tuberculosis under routine conditions in a high-burden area of multidrug-resistant tuberculosis in Peru
Authors: Puyén Zully M. , Santos-Lázaro David , Vigo Aiko N. , Cotrina Vidia V. , Ruiz-Nizama Nathaly , Alarcón Miriam J. , Asto Belisa , Huamán Teresa , Moore David A. J.
Published: June 2024

Whole Genome Sequencing (WGS) is a promising tool in the global fight against tuberculosis (TB). The aim of this study was to evaluate the use of WGS in routine conditions for detection of drug resistance markers and transmission clusters in a multidrug-resistant TB hot-spot area in Peru. For this, 140 drug-resistant Mycobacterium tuberculosis strains from Lima and Callao were prospectively selected and processed through routine (GenoType MTBDRsl and BACTEC MGIT) and WGS workflows, simultaneously. Resistance was determined in accordance with the World Health Organization mutation catalogue. Agreements between WGS and BACTEC results were calculated for rifampicin, isoniazid, pyrazinamide, moxifloxacin, levofloxacin, amikacin and capreomycin. Transmission clusters were determined using different cut-off values of Single Nucleotide Polymorphism differences. 100% (140/140) of strains had valid WGS results for 13 anti-TB drugs. However, the availability of final, definitive phenotypic BACTEC MGIT results varied by drug with 10–17% of invalid results for the seven compared drugs. The median time to obtain results of WGS for the complete set of drugs was 11.5 days, compared to 28.6–52.6 days for the routine workflow. Overall categorical agreement by WGS and BACTEC MGIT for the compared drugs was 96.5%. Kappa index was good (0.65≤k≤1.00), except for moxifloxacin, but the sensitivity and specificity values were high for all cases. 97.9% (137/140) of strains were characterized with only one sublineage (134 belonging to “lineage 4” and 3 to “lineage 2”), and 2.1% (3/140) were mixed strains presenting two different sublineages. Clustering rates of 3.6% (5/140), 17.9% (25/140) and 22.1% (31/140) were obtained for 5, 10 and 12 SNP cut-off values, respectively. In conclusion, routine WGS has a high diagnostic accuracy to detect resistance against key current anti-TB drugs, allowing results to be obtained through a single analysis and helping to cut quickly the chain of transmission of drug-resistant TB in Peru.
Sequence, structure prediction, and epitope analysis of the polymorphic membrane protein family in Chlamydia trachomatis
Authors: Cervantes Patrick W. , Segelke Brent W. , Lau Edmond Y. , Robinson Beverly V. , Abisoye-Ogunniyan Abisola , Pal Sukumar , de la Maza Luis M. , Coleman Matthew A. , D’haeseleer Patrik
Published: June 2024

The polymorphic membrane proteins (Pmps) are a family of autotransporters that play an important role in infection, adhesion and immunity in Chlamydia trachomatis. Here we show that the characteristic GGA(I,L,V) and FxxN tetrapeptide repeats fit into a larger repeat sequence, which correspond to the coils of a large beta-helical domain in high quality structure predictions. Analysis of the protein using structure prediction algorithms provided novel insight to the chlamydial Pmp family of proteins. While the tetrapeptide motifs themselves are predicted to play a structural role in folding and close stacking of the beta-helical backbone of the passenger domain, we found many of the interesting features of Pmps are localized to the side loops jutting out from the beta helix including protease cleavage, host cell adhesion, and B-cell epitopes; while T-cell epitopes are predominantly found in the beta-helix itself. This analysis more accurately defines the Pmp family of Chlamydia and may better inform rational vaccine design and functional studies.
Academic freedom and innovation
Authors: Audretsch David B. , Fisch Christian , Franzoni Chiara , Momtaz Paul P. , Vismara Silvio
Published: June 2024

Academic freedom is a critical norm of science. Despite the widely postulated importance of academic freedom, the literature attests to a dearth of research on the topic. Specifically, we know little about how academic freedom relates to indicators of societal progress, such as innovation. We address this research gap by empirically assessing the impact of academic freedom on the quantity (patent applications) and quality (patent citations) of innovation output using a comprehensive sample of 157 countries over the 1900–2015 period. We find that improving academic freedom by one standard deviation increases patent applications by 41% and forward citations by 29%. The results are robust across a range of different specifications. Our findings constitute an alarming plea to policymakers: global academic freedom has declined over the past decade for the first time in the last century and our estimates suggest that this decline poses a substantial threat to the innovation output of countries in terms of both quantity and quality.
Mortality risk associated with occupational exposures in people with small airways obstruction
Authors: Quintero-Santofimio Valentina , Minelli Cosetta , Potts James , Vermeulen Roel , Kromhout Hans J. , Knox-Brown Ben , Feary Johanna , Amaral Andre F. S.
Published: June 2024

Background

Small airways obstruction (SAO) has been associated with occupational exposures. Whether exposure to harmful occupational agents impacts the survival of people with SAO is unknown. Our aim was to estimate the mortality risk associated with occupational exposures among people with SAO.

Methods

We used data from UK Biobank participants with SAO, defined as a ratio of forced expiratory volume in three seconds to forced expiratory volume in six seconds (FEV3/FEV6) below the lower limit of normal. We assigned lifetime occupational exposures to participants with available occupational histories using the ALOHA+ Job Exposure Matrix. Mortality data were provided by the National Death Registries. We used Cox regression to assess the association of all-cause mortality with lifetime occupational exposures (vapours, gases, dusts, fumes—VGDF; solvents; pesticides; metals), adjusting for potential confounders.

Results

The 13,942 participants with SAO had a mean age of 56±7 years, 59% were females and 94.2% were of White ancestry. Overall, there were 457 deaths over a median follow-up of 12.8 years. A greater mortality risk was associated with exposure to VGDF, with hazard ratios of 1.32 (95%CI: 1.04–1.78) for low levels and 1.41 (95%CI: 1.11–1.78) for moderate levels of cumulative exposure. There was no evidence of association for the other occupational exposures.

Conclusion

Lifetime occupational exposure to VGDF in people with SAO may have a detrimental effect on their survival. Future respiratory health surveillance programmes of people exposed to VGDF should consider assessment for SAO and focus on primary prevention through adequate exposure control.
The role of organisational- and country-level factors in the volume and public visibility of business and management research
Authors: Credit Kevin , Ryazanova Olga , McNamara Peter
Published: June 2024

Using a multilevel modelling approach to analyse a novel dataset of academic publications at all business schools in 11 European countries, this paper finds that the influence of organisational- and country-level contextual factors on researchers varies considerably based on the type of institution and the development level of the country they are located in. At the organisational-level, we find that greater spatial connectivity–operationalised through proximity to nearby business schools, rail stations, and airports–is positively related to scientific research volume and public dissemination (news mentions). While this result is significant only for high-income countries (above EU-average 2018 GDP per capita), this is likely because the low-income countries (below EU-average 2018 GDP per capita) examined here lack a ‘critical mass’ of well-connected universities to generate observable agglomeration effects. At the country-level, the results indicate that in high-income countries, less prestigious schools benefit from higher rates of recent international immigration from any foreign country, providing a direct policy pathway for increasing research output for universities that aren’t already well-known enough to attract the most talented researchers. In low-income countries, recent immigration rates are even stronger predictors of research performance across all levels of institutional prestige; more open immigration policies would likely benefit research performance in these countries to an even greater extent. Finally, the paper’s results show that, in low-income countries, a composite measure of a country’s quality of life (including self-rated life satisfaction, health, working hours, and housing overcrowding) is positively related to research outcomes through its interaction with school prestige. This suggests that the lower a country’s quality of life, the more researchers are incentivised to produce higher levels of research output. While this may in part reflect the greater disparities inherent in these countries’ economic systems, it is noteworthy–and perhaps concerning–that we have observed a negative correlation between country-level quality of life and research performance in low-income countries, which is particularly felt by researchers at less prestigious institutions.
The impact of China’s value-added tax credit refunds on enterprise labor demand: Ex-ante analysis and ex-post test
Authors: Yang Yang , Yu Xin , Du Jian
Published: June 2024

This paper aims to explore the impact of China’s value-added tax (VAT) credit refunds policy on the enterprises’ labor demand through a paradigm combining ex-ante analysis and ex-post test. By introducing the VAT credit refunds into the production-decision model of the enterprise, calibrating the parameters and conducting the dynamic effects tests using the data of Chinese A-share listed enterprises, this paper finds that the labor employment of the pilot enterprises exhibits a V-shaped fluctuation trend. In the initial implementation of the policy, due to the existence of layoff costs, iso-cost line of the enterprise bends, which results in that the enterprise with a capital-labor substitution elasticity greater than 1 will not reduce labor hiring, as it has already deployed labor force before the implementation of the policy. When the enterprise enter the next production cycle where the labor force can be freely allocated, the labor employment of the enterprise with a capital-labor elasticity of substitution greater than 1 will decline compared to that without the policy. In the long run, as output increases, the labor demand will recover. The results of ex-post test are consistent with that of the ex-ante analysis. Additionally, heterogeneity test reveals that the greater the elasticity of capital-labor substitution of the sub-industry is, the more severe the degree of the V-shaped fluctuation is. Following the implementation of the policy, the continuous increase in enterprise output and capital stock verifies the relevant transmission mechanism. This study provides a more detailed perspective for comprehensively understanding the impact of VAT credit refunds policy on employment.
Mondattípus, illokúciós aktus, perlokúciós hatás
Authors: Alberti Gábor , Szeteli Anna , Kleiber Judit , Kárpáti Eszter
Published: June 2024

A tanulmány gondolatmenete két szálon fut, ahogy a kettős címe is utal rá. Az egyik szál az illokúciós aktusok természetének, illetőleg a mondattípusokhoz fűződő kapcsolatának az áttekintéséből indul ki. Az előbbi területen Searle funkcionalistának/pszichologistának nevezhető szempontrendszerét helyeztük figyelmünk középpontjába (illokúciós cél/erő, perlokúciós hatás, világ–szó illesztési irány, kifejezett pszichológiai állapotok). Az utóbbi területet, ahol nyelvtipológiai és logikai–szemantikai szempontok mentén alakult ki a mondattipizálási és pragmatikai kategóriák rendszere, azzal jellemezhetjük, hogy a nyelvi forma szolgál a rendszerépítés kiindulópontjául. A másik szálon bemutatunk egy, a formális irányzatban gyökeredző, ℜeALIS nevű pragmaszemantikai megközelítést. A két szál ott fut össze, hogy azt állítjuk: a ℜeALIS – élethossziglani elmereprezentációvá kiteljesedő dinamikus megközelítéséből adódóan – kézenfekvően kínálja a pszichologista/funkcionalista megközelítés eredményeinek maradéktalan integrálását, miközben számot ad a funkcionalista beszédaktustípusok és a formalista mondattípusok kapcsolatrendszeréről.
Floristic findings in Sakhalin Island (Russian Far East)
Authors: Koroteeva Tatyana I.
Published: June 2024

In 2022–2023 we carried out floristic research in the south of Sakhalin Island. As a result, new and rare species for this island were identified. For the first time, Campanula patula, Galeopsis tetrahit and Dracocephalum charkeviczii are reported for Sakhalin Island. Campanula patula is also a new species for the Russian Far East. Finding of Betula glandulosa (= B. exilis) in the Dolinsky district is the southernmost location on Sakhalin Island. New locations on the island have been identified for a number of rare alien species. For the first time in the Russian Far East, naturalized stands of Pinus banksiana were noted.
New records in the flora of Siberia and Kazakhstan
Authors: Bolbotov Gleb A. , German Dmitry A. , Gudkova Polina D. , Shmakov Alexander I. , Anisimov Andrey V. , Golyakov Pavel V. , Smirnov Sergey V. , Kechaykin Aleksey A.
Published: June 2024

New data on the occurrence of 14 vascular plant species of Cruciferae, Liliaceae, Poaceae and Rosaceae in Kazakhstan and Siberia are reported. Fritillaria leucanthta, Potentilla exuta, P. kryloviana and P. × habievii are recorded for the first time from Kazakhstan; Cardamine occulta and Sisymbrium irio – from Siberia. Erysimum amurense is a novelty for the flora of Yakutia; Cardamine hirsuta, Сynodon dactylon and Rorippa austriaca are newly found in Altai Krai; Potentilla agrimonioides is for the first time recorded from the Kalbinskiy Ridge. For Potentilla crantzii, the first reliable finding in Kazakhstan is presented, and the second locality of P. × jakovlevii, a narrow neoendemic of Altai-within-Kazakhstan, is registered. Сynodon is recorded as a new genus for the flora of the Altai Krai while occurrence of Lepidium affine in Kemerovo Province is not confirmed. For each species, a list of recorded localities and brief data on general distribution are provided supplied with morphological comments where needed. Additionally, photos of Fritillaria leucanthta and Potentilla crantzii in their natural habitat are presented along with an image of the herbarium specimen of Potentilla × jakovlevii and morphological comparison of inflorescence and spikelet of Cynodon vs. Digitaria.
The genus Alchemilla (Rosaceae) in the Republic of Mordovia flora
Authors: Chkalov Andrey V. , Pismarkina Elena V. , Silaeva Tatyana B.
Published: June 2024

In the flora of the republic, 41 Alchemilla species have been registered. Of the previously noted species, the presence of A. devestiens, A. glaucescens, and A. heptagona in the region is not confirmed by herbarium collections. The species A. atrifolia, previously listed for the republic but included in the most recent synopses only as a synonym of A. lindbergiana, is considered by us as a separate species. Previous works of co-authors have supplemented the Alchemilla list of the Mordovia flora with such species as Alchemilla argutiserrata, A. barbulata, A. cheirochlora, A. homoeophylla, A. kemlensis, A. longipes, A. mininzonii, A. psiloneura, A. pustynensis, A. schmakovii, A. sibirica, A. tichomirovii, A. vorotnikovii, and A. zimoenkensis. Here, two species are recorded for the first time for the republic – A. hians and A. prasina. The presence of A. litwinowii in Mordovia, which was previously noted exclusively on the basis of collections attributed subsequently to the newly described species A. tichomirovii, has also been confirmed. An original key, comprising all species of the genus registered in the middle part of the Volga River basin, has been compiled.
Floristic findings in alien flora of the Novosibirsk Region
Authors: Zykova Elena Yu. , Shaulo Dmitry N. , Pankova Tatyana V. , Kosterin Oleg E.
Published: June 2024

New alien species for the Novosibirsk Region are reported: Corydalis solida, Crataegus chlorosarca, Erigeron strigosus,Hemerocallis lilioasphodelus, Lathyrus oleraceus, Polygonum sabulosum, Ranunculus acris (Double Acris Group), Veronica biloba. New localities of rare alien species Astragalus contortuplicatus, Cerinthe minor, Cyclachaena xanthiifolia, Galium aparine, Myosotis stricta, Scleranthus annuus, Symphyotrichum novi-belgii, Symphytum × uplandicum were noted. For each species, its range is given, the distribution in the regions of Siberia is indicated.
Tracking Bodies Motions on the Lunar Surface: Apollo XVI Footage, a case of study.
Authors: Simon Andrea , Michelotti Alessio
Published: June 2024

This manuscript introduces a robust analytical method to trace and analyze the movement of bodies shot during the Apollo XVI mission on the lunar surface. By employing both 2D and 3D analysis techniques, we aim to provide a detailed comparison of the observed kinematic events against theoretical models.

The paper extends a previous work focused on the kinematics of lunar dust utilizing footage from the “Grand Prix” sequence of the Apollo XVI mission "Ballistic motion of dust particles in the Lunar Roving Vehicle dust trails" published in 2012 on the American Journal of Physics by Mihaly Horanyi and Hsiang-Wen Hsu:
https://www.researchgate.net/publication/258468670 [
Ann. 1 –
Ann. 2].

The objective is to validate lunar environmental models and enhance the understanding of motion dynamics on the lunar surface. This comprehensive analysis reconstructs the image production chain and the photographic and television transmission technology used during the Apollo 16 mission and indicates the good practices to follow for the correct digital transposition of the various types of film produced.

Not only does it reassess existing data but also introduces new methodologies in order to interpret the lunar surface motions of bodies captured during Apollo missions.
Patient’s perceptions and self-esteem before and after periodontal surgery for altered passive eruption type 1B: 18-months follow-up
Authors: Pontes Ana , Ribeiro Sara , Corrêa Fernanda , Rabelo Cleverton , Piattelli Adriano , Ribeiro Fernando
Published: June 2024

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate self-esteem and patient’s satisfaction before and after surgical correction of altered passive eruption (APE) type 1B in the anterior maxilla, in a three and 18-months follow-up; and postoperative pain and discomfort. Materials and Methods: Twelve individuals (mean age 23.3±4.2 years) were submitted to gingivoplasty, osteoplasty, and osteotomy, and answered questionnaires including the Visual Analog Scale (0-10). Results: At baseline, patients expressed that esthetics, in general, had a high importance in their lives (8.0±1.3), as well as smile esthetics (8.5±1.6). Self-esteem improved from baseline (3.6±2.4), compared to the 3rd (9.3±0.8) and 18th month (9.1±0.6) (p<0.001). Satisfaction with the smile increased from baseline (4.1±3.1) up to the 3rd (9.5±0.6) and 18th postoperative month (9.4±0.5) (p=0.002). At the 3rd day after surgery, pain decreased significantly (4.1±2.8 to 0.7±1.2, p=0.001), and discomfort remained mild (2.7±2.4 to 0.6±0.8, p>0.05). Correlation analysis revealed that the greater the aesthetic demand of the patient at baseline, the greater was the increase in self-esteem (correlation coefficient >0.9, p<0.001). Conclusion: In the present study, surgical procedure led to an improvement in patient’s self-esteem and satisfaction with the smile’s aesthetics, which was maintained up to the 18th month of follow-up. Pain and discomfort reached a mild degree in the first three postoperative days.
Ľubomír Dunaj – Jeremy C.A. Smith – Kurt Cihan Murat Mertel (eds.): Civilization, Modernity, and Critique. Engaging Jóhann P. Árnason’s Macro-Social Theory
Authors: Minářová Markéta
Published: June 2024

Book review on Ľubomír Dunaj – Jeremy C. A. Smith – Kurt Cihan Murat Mertel (eds.): Civilization, Modernity, and Critique. Engaging Jóhann P. Árnason’s Macro-Social Theory. Abingdon – London: Routledge, 2023, 274 pp.
The Encke comet impact/airburst and the Younger Dryas Boundary: Testing the impossible hypothesis (YDIH)
Authors: Mahaney William C. , Somelar Peeter
Published: June 2024

Many have tagged the Younger Dryas Impact Hypothesis (YDIH), a supposition, lacking convincing evidence in support. The core of criticism lies squarely on uniformitarianism, that is, uniform processes moving uniformly with no room for catastrophic events, specifically cosmic catastrophic forces. Beyond philosophically based aversion to the YDIH, specific criticism comes from megafauna and archaeologic corners, related to the near coeval disappearance of specific Late Pleistocene species on the one hand, and relation to disruption and temporary disappearance of the Clovis people et al. on the other. The Younger Dryas geologic paradigm, originally in place with meltwater release into the Atlantic in tow, attention slowly drifted to explanation of an innocuous looking, thin (~1-3 cm), black sediment bed found in lacustrine and fluvial deposits of the American southwest, and other intercontinental places. Thus, with thin dark beds of Gubbio in mind, the quest to explain black mat (BM) beds took on a cosmic aspect, one with growing, supporting evidence on several continents. The impossible hypothesis, now the probable explanation of the Younger Dryas climatic reversal, is at center stage, set at 12.8 ka, with a burgeoning corpus of evidence its cornerstone.
Existence and multiplicity of solutions for fractional p-Laplacian equation involving critical concave-convex nonlinearities
Authors: Ye Dong , Zhang Weimin
Published: June 2024

We investigate the following fractional p-Laplacian convex-concave problem:

(

P

λ

)

(

−
Δ

)

p

s

u

=
λ
|
u

|

q
−
2

u
+
|
u

|

p

s

*

−
2

u

 
in

Ω
,

u

=
0

 
in

R

n

\
Ω
,

 

$$\left({P}_{\lambda }\right) \begin{cases}\begin{aligned}\hfill {\left(-{\Delta}\right)}_{p}^{s}u& =\lambda \vert u{\vert }^{q-2}u+\vert u{\vert }^{{p}_{s}^{{\ast}}-2}u\hfill & \hfill & \quad \text{in} {\Omega},\hfill \\ \hfill u& =0 \hfill & \hfill & \quad \text{in} {\mathbb{R}}^{n}{\backslash}{\Omega},\hfill \end{aligned}\quad \hfill \end{cases}$$

where Ω is a bounded C
1,1 domain in

R

n

${\mathbb{R}}^{n}$

, s ∈ (0, 1), p > q > 1, n > sp, λ > 0, and

p

s

*

=

n
p

n
−
s
p

${p}_{s}^{{\ast}}=\frac{np}{n-sp}$

is the critical Sobolev exponent. Our analysis extends classical works (A. Ambrosetti, H. Brezis, and G. Cerami, “Combined effects of concave and convex nonlinearities in some elliptic problems,” J. Funct. Anal., vol. 122, no. 2, pp. 519–543, 1994, B. Barrios, E. Colorado, R. Servadei, and F. Soria, “A critical fractional equation with concave-convex power nonlinearities,” Ann. Inst. Henri Poincare Anal. Non Lineaire, vol. 32, no. 4, pp. 875–900, 2015, J. García Azorero, J. Manfredi, and I. Peral Alonso, “Sobolev versus Hölder local minimizer and global multiplicity for some quasilinear elliptic equations,” Commun. Contemp. Math., vol. 2, no. 3, pp. 385–404, 2000) to fractional p-Laplacian. Owing to the nonlinear and nonlocal properties of

(

−
Δ

)

p

s

${\left(-{\Delta}\right)}_{p}^{s}$

, we need to overcome many difficulties and apply notably different approaches, due to the lack of Picone identity, the stability theory, and the strong comparison principle. We show first a dichotomy result: a positive

W

0

s
,
p

(

Ω

)

${W}_{0}^{s,p}\left({\Omega}\right)$

solution of (P

λ
) exists if and only if λ ∈ (0, Λ] with an extremal value Λ ∈ (0, ∞). The

W

0

s
,
p

(

Ω

)

${W}_{0}^{s,p}\left({\Omega}\right)$

regularity for the extremal solution seems to be unknown regardless of whether s = 1 or s ∈ (0, 1). When p ≥ 2, p − 1 < q < p and

n
>

s
p

(

q
+
1

)

q
+
1
−
p

$n{ >}\frac{sp\left(q+1\right)}{q+1-p}$

, we get two positive solutions for (P

λ
) with small λ > 0. Here the mountain pass structure is more involved than the classical situations due to the lack of explicit minimizers for the Sobolev embedding, we should proceed carefully and simultaneously the construction of mountain pass geometry and the estimate for mountain pass level. Finally, we show another new result for (P

λ
) and all p > q > 1: without sign constraint, (P

λ
) possesses infinitely many solutions when λ > 0 is small enough. Here we use the

Z

2

${\mathbb{Z}}_{2}$

-genus theory, based on a space decomposition for reflexible and separable Banach spaces, which has its own interest.