bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
System or Process? A Meta-theoretical Reflection on the Nature of the Firm
Authors: Valentinov Vladislav 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe paper revisits the fundamental question of the nature of the firm by contrasting two philosophic worldviews suggested by process philosophy and the Luhmannian systems theory. Whereas the former worldview takes reality to be internally related, the latter ones underscores the tendency of social systems, such as firms, to disregard much of this interrelatedness. The productive tension between these worldviews suggests that the firm provides a context where systemic imperatives meet the rich concrete reality of human life. The role of the firm is to house those aspects of this reality that are too organic to be accommodated by the abstract “language of prices” corresponding, in institutional economics terms, to the reliance on market governance. The major examples of these aspects explored in the paper are dynamic capabilities and business ethics, both of which hold the potential to improve the firm’s sustainability, both economic and social. The proposed contrast between the process-philosophic and systems-theoretic worldviews thus illuminates not only the nature of the firm but also the managerial relevance of corporate sustainability instruments.
A non-targeted LC–MS metabolic profiling of pregnancy: longitudinal evidence from healthy and pre-eclamptic pregnancies
Authors:   The FINNPEC Core Investigator Group, Jääskeläinen Tiina , Kärkkäinen Olli , Jokkala Jenna , Klåvus Anton , Heinonen Seppo , Auriola Seppo , Lehtonen Marko , Hanhineva Kati , Laivuori Hannele 
Published: January 2021

Abstract
Introduction
Maternal metabolism changes substantially during pregnancy. However, few studies have used metabolomics technologies to characterize changes across gestation.

Objectives and methods
We applied liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC–MS) based non-targeted metabolomics to determine whether the metabolic profile of serum differs throughout the pregnancy between pre-eclamptic and healthy women in the FINNPEC (Finnish Genetics of Preeclampsia Consortium) Study. Serum samples were available from early and late pregnancy.

Results
Progression of pregnancy had large-scale effects to the serum metabolite profile. Altogether 50 identified metabolites increased and 49 metabolites decreased when samples of early pregnancy were compared to samples of late pregnancy. The metabolic signatures of pregnancy were largely shared in pre-eclamptic and healthy women, only urea, monoacylglyceride 18:1 and glycerophosphocholine were identified to be increased in the pre-eclamptic women when compared to healthy controls.

Conclusions
Our study highlights the need of large-scale longitudinal metabolomic studies in non-complicated pregnancies before more detailed understanding of metabolism in adverse outcomes could be provided. Our findings are one of the first steps for a broader metabolic understanding of the physiological changes caused by pregnancy per se.
CO2 embodied in trade: trends and fossil fuel drivers
Authors: Weber Sylvain , Gerlagh Reyer , Mathys Nicole A. , Moran Daniel 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe amount of CO2 embodied in trade has substantially increased over the last decades. We contribute to understanding the reasons for this evolution by studying the trends and some drivers of the carbon intensity of trade over the period 1995–2009 in 41 countries and 35 sectors. Our empirical analysis relies on the World Input-Output Database (WIOD) to compute embodied carbon emissions. Our main findings are the following. First, average emission intensity of traded goods is higher than average emission intensity of final demand. Second, relatively “dirty” countries tend to specialize in emission-intensive sectors. Third, the share of goods produced in emission-intensive countries is rising. Finally, we find that coal abundance (measured as fuel rent and controlling for reverse causality) leads both to a specialization in “dirty” sectors and to an increase in emissions per output when controlling for sector structure, which amounts to a fossil fuel endowment effect. These findings suggest trade liberalization may increase global emissions and therefore highlight the importance of considering trade when designing CO2 reduction strategies.
COVID-19-Pandemie und politische Institutionen
Authors: Kersting Norbert 
Published: January 2021

ZusammenfassungDie Covid-19-Pandemie führte zu massiven Einschränkungen und Beeinträchtigung der politischen Öffentlichkeit. Die Befragung von über 1500 Ratsmitgliedern in Nordrhein-Westfalen zeigte, dass auf lokaler Ebene Gemeinderäte nur eingeschränkt arbeiten konnten. Nach einem vollständigen Lockdown im März 2020 übernahmen häufig kommunale Haupt- und Finanzausschüsse die Arbeit der Gemeinderäte. In einigen Kommunen tagten die Räte in halber Besetzung. In dieser „Stunde der Exekutive“ konnten viele Kommissionen und Ausschüsse, aber auch Veranstaltungen von zivilgesellschaftlichen Organisationen gar nicht stattfinden. Im Vorfeld der Kommunalwahlen im September 2020 kam es zu Problemen bei der Registrierung von Parteien. Es mangelte insbesondere an räumlicher wie auch digitaler Infrastruktur. Mit angepassten und abgemilderten Corona-Schutzverordnungen sowie besonderen Regelungen im Rahmen der Kommunalwahl in Nordrhein-Westfalen wurde der Prozess der Registrierung etwas erleichtert und die Fristen um wenige Tage erweitert. Im Wahlkampf hatten insbesondere neue, kleinere Parteien sowie neue Kandidaten Probleme sich darzustellen und somit häufig Nachteile gegenüber den Amtsinhabern. Straßen-Wahlkampf, Podiumsdiskussionen und Tür-zu-Tür-Kampagnen fanden nur sehr begrenzt statt. Im Rahmen der „Zwangsdigitalisierung“ lag insbesondere bei den etablierten Parteien erstmalig ein deutlicher Schwerpunkt auf den digitalen Kanälen. Ein Verschieben der Wahl wurde vor allem durch die Ratsmitglieder der Kleinparteien eingefordert. Eine vollständige Briefwahl wurde mehrheitlich in allen Parteien abgelehnt.
Sex differences in associations of fine particulate matter with non-accidental deaths: an ecological time-series study
Authors: Xia Tian , Fang Fang , Montgomery Scott , Fang Bo , Wang Chunfang , Cao Yang 
Published: January 2021

AbstractSex differences in the impact of exposure to air pollution have been reported previously and epidemiological studies indicate that fine particulate matter (PM2.5) effects on nonaccidental death are modified by sex; however, the results are not conclusive. To introduce a new method incorporating the monotone nonlinear relationship between PM2.5 and deaths to reveal the sex difference in the relationship, we illustrated the use of the constrained generalized additive model (CGAM) to investigate the sex difference in the effects of PM2.5 on nonaccidental deaths in Shanghai, China. Information on daily non-accidental deaths, air pollution, meteorological data, and smoking prevalence between 1 January 2012 and 31 December 2014 was obtained in Shanghai. The CGAM was used to assess the association of interaction between sex and daily PM2.5 concentrations with daily nonaccidental deaths, adjusting for weather type and smoking rate. A 2-week lag analysis was conducted as a sensitivity analysis. During the study period, the total number of non-accidental deaths in Shanghai was 336,379, with a daily mean of 163 deaths and 144 deaths for men and women, respectively. The average daily concentration of PM2.5 in Shanghai was 55.0 μg/m3 during the same time period. Women showed a lower risk for non-accidental death (risk ratio (RR) = 0.892, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.802–0.993). Compared with men, the risk for nonaccidental death in relation to increasing PM2.5 concentration was smaller in women (RR = 0.998, 95% CI: 0.996–1.000, per 10 μg/m3 increase in PM2.5 concentration. The difference is consistent during the two lag weeks and more obvious when adjusting for the interaction between PM2.5 concentration and smoking prevalence. The effects of PM2.5 on daily nonaccidental death are different between men and women in Shanghai, China, and women tend to have a lower risk. The underlying mechanisms of the sex difference of PM2.5 effects on death need further investigation. The method displayed in the manuscript can be used for other environmental stressors as well.
Multifunctional Liposomes Modulate Purinergic Receptor-Induced Calcium Wave in Cerebral Microvascular Endothelial Cells and Astrocytes: New Insights for Alzheimer’s disease
Authors: Forcaia Greta , Formicola Beatrice , Terribile Giulia , Negri Sharon , Lim Dmitry , Biella Gerardo , Re Francesca , Moccia Francesco , Sancini Giulio 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIn light of previous results, we assessed whether liposomes functionalized with ApoE-derived peptide (mApoE) and phosphatidic acid (PA) (mApoE-PA-LIP) impacted on intracellular calcium (Ca2+) dynamics in cultured human cerebral microvascular endothelial cells (hCMEC/D3), as an in vitro human blood-brain barrier (BBB) model, and in cultured astrocytes. mApoE-PA-LIP pre-treatment actively increased both the duration and the area under the curve (A.U.C) of the ATP-evoked Ca2+ waves in cultured hCMEC/D3 cells as well as in cultured astrocytes. mApoE-PA-LIP increased the ATP-evoked intracellular Ca2+ waves even under 0 [Ca2+]e conditions, thus indicating that the increased intracellular Ca2+ response to ATP is mainly due to endogenous Ca2+ release. Indeed, when Sarco-Endoplasmic Reticulum Calcium ATPase (SERCA) activity was blocked by cyclopiazonic acid (CPA), the extracellular application of ATP failed to trigger any intracellular Ca2+ waves, indicating that metabotropic purinergic receptors (P2Y) are mainly involved in the mApoE-PA-LIP-induced increase of the Ca2+ wave triggered by ATP. In conclusion, mApoE-PA-LIP modulate intracellular Ca2+ dynamics evoked by ATP when SERCA is active through inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-dependent (InsP3) endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ release. Considering that P2Y receptors represent important pharmacological targets to treat cognitive dysfunctions, and that P2Y receptors have neuroprotective effects in neuroinflammatory processes, the enhancement of purinergic signaling provided by mApoE-PA-LIP could counteract Aβ-induced vasoconstriction and reduction in cerebral blood flow (CBF). Our obtained results could give an additional support to promote mApoE-PA-LIP as effective therapeutic tool for Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
On the explicit representation of the trace space $$H^{\frac{3}{2}}$$ and of the solutions to biharmonic Dirichlet problems on Lipschitz domains via multi-parameter Steklov problems
Authors: Lamberti Pier Domenico , Provenzano Luigi 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWe consider the problem of describing the traces of functions in $$H^2(\Omega )$$

H
2

(
Ω
)

on the boundary of a Lipschitz domain $$\Omega $$
Ω
of $$\mathbb R^N$$

R
N

, $$N\ge 2$$

N
≥
2

. We provide a definition of those spaces, in particular of $$H^{\frac{3}{2}}(\partial \Omega )$$

H

3
2

(
∂
Ω
)

, by means of Fourier series associated with the eigenfunctions of new multi-parameter biharmonic Steklov problems which we introduce with this specific purpose. These definitions coincide with the classical ones when the domain is smooth. Our spaces allow to represent in series the solutions to the biharmonic Dirichlet problem. Moreover, a few spectral properties of the multi-parameter biharmonic Steklov problems are considered, as well as explicit examples. Our approach is similar to that developed by G. Auchmuty for the space $$H^1(\Omega )$$

H
1

(
Ω
)

, based on the classical second order Steklov problem.
Bonus Systems as Tools for ‘Managing’ Managers – the Behavioural Effects of Performance-Based Financial Rewards
Authors: Keßels Isabelle 
Published: January 2021

AbstractIn traditional reward systems, managers’ key performance indicators must surpass an agreed target in order to achieve a financial bonus. This system is designed to motivate high performance; yet adverse behavioural effects are often observed. These include middle managers becoming incentivised to game the reward system and target negotiation process they are subject to. This paper discusses three approaches to preventing such undesirable behavioural effects: Firstly, a linear pay-for-performance system without a target floor for receiving a performance bonus. Secondly, a bonus banking system where managers participate at the company’s losses as well as its gains. Thirdly, a proposal that uses the Beyond Budgeting approach which radically negates the core premises of the traditional reward system and replaces rewards for individual manager performance with those for wider team performance. These three approaches are compared and evaluated with respect to their potential to prevent unwanted manager behaviour, and on consideration of how effectively they may be operationalised.
Projected Changes in Temperature and Precipitation Over the United States, Central America, and the Caribbean in CMIP6 GCMs
Authors: Almazroui Mansour , Islam M. Nazrul , Saeed Fahad , Saeed Sajjad , Ismail Muhammad , Ehsan Muhammad Azhar , Diallo Ismaila , O’Brien Enda , Ashfaq Moetasim , Martínez-Castro Daniel , Cavazos Tereza , Cerezo-Mota Ruth , Tippett Michael K. , Gutowski William J. , Alfaro Eric J. , Hidalgo Hugo G. , Vichot-Llano Alejandro , Campbell Jayaka D. , Kamil Shahzad , Rashid Irfan Ur , Sylla Mouhamadou Bamba , Stephenson Tannecia , Taylor Michael , Barlow Mathew 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThe Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 6 (CMIP6) dataset is used to examine projected changes in temperature and precipitation over the United States (U.S.), Central America and the Caribbean. The changes are computed using an ensemble of 31 models for three future time slices (2021–2040, 2041–2060, and 2080–2099) relative to the reference period (1995–2014) under three Shared Socioeconomic Pathways (SSPs; SSP1-2.6, SSP2-4.5, and SSP5-8.5). The CMIP6 ensemble reproduces the observed annual cycle and distribution of mean annual temperature and precipitation with biases between − 0.93 and 1.27 °C and − 37.90 to 58.45%, respectively, for most of the region. However, modeled precipitation is too large over the western and Midwestern U.S. during winter and spring and over the North American monsoon region in summer, while too small over southern Central America. Temperature is projected to increase over the entire domain under all three SSPs, by as much as 6 °C under SSP5-8.5, and with more pronounced increases in the northern latitudes over the regions that receive snow in the present climate. Annual precipitation projections for the end of the twenty-first century have more uncertainty, as expected, and exhibit a meridional dipole-like pattern, with precipitation increasing by 10–30% over much of the U.S. and decreasing by 10–40% over Central America and the Caribbean, especially over the monsoon region. Seasonally, precipitation over the eastern and central subregions is projected to increase during winter and spring and decrease during summer and autumn. Over the monsoon region and Central America, precipitation is projected to decrease in all seasons except autumn. The analysis was repeated on a subset of 9 models with the best performance in the reference period; however, no significant difference was found, suggesting that model bias is not strongly influencing the projections.
The Climatic Analysis of Summer Monsoon Extreme Precipitation Events over West Africa in CMIP6 Simulations
Authors: Klutse Nana Ama Browne , Quagraine Kwesi Akumenyi , Nkrumah Francis , Quagraine Kwesi Twentwewa , Berkoh-Oforiwaa Rebecca , Dzrobi Joshua Fafanyo , Sylla Mouhamadou Bamba 
Published: January 2021

AbstractWe evaluate the capability of 21 models from the new state-of-the-art Coupled Model Intercomparison Project, Phase 6 (CMIP6) in the representation of present-day precipitation characteristics and extremes along with their statistics in simulating daily precipitation during the West African Monsoon (WAM) period (June–September). The study uses a set of standard extreme precipitation indices as defined by the Expert Team on Climate Change Detection and Indices constructed using CMIP6 models and observational datasets for comparison. Three observations; Global Precipitation Climatology Project (GPCP), Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS), and Tropical Applications of Meteorology using SATellite and ground-based observation (TAMSAT) datasets are used for the validation of the model simulations. The results show that observed datasets present nearly the same spatial pattern but discrepancies in the magnitude of rainfall characteristics. The models show substantial discrepancies in comparison with the observations and among themselves. A number of the models depict the pattern of rainfall intensity as observed but some models overestimate the pattern over the coastal parts (FGOALS-f3-L and GFDL-ESM4) and western part (FGOALS-f3-L) of West Africa. All model simulations explicitly show the pattern of wet days but with large discrepancies in their frequencies. On extreme rainfall, half of the models express more intense extremes in the 95th percentiles while the other half simulate less intense extremes. All the models overestimate the mean maximum wet spell length except FGOALS-f3-L. The spatial patterns of the mean maximum dry spell length show a good general agreement across the different models, and the observations except for four models that show an overestimation in the Sahara subregion. INM-CM4-8 and INM-CM5-0 display smaller discrepancies from their long-term average rainfall characteristics, in terms of extreme rainfall estimates than the other CMIP6 datasets. For the frequency of heavy rainfall, TaiESM1 and IPSL-CMGA-LR perform better when compared with observational datasets. MIROC6 and GFDL-ESM4 displayed the largest error in representing the frequency of heavy rainfall and 95th percentile extremes, and therefore, cannot be reliable. The study has assessed how rainfall extremes are captured in both observation and the models. Though there are some discrepancies, it gives room for improvement of the models in the next version of CMIP.
Diagnostic Methods for Vaginal Stenosis and Compliance to Vaginal Dilator Use: A Systematic Review
Authors: Haddad Natalia Carion , Soares Brollo Leila Cristina , Pinho Oliveira Marco Aurelio , Bernardo-Filho Mario 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACTBackgroundVaginal stenosis (VS) is a common side effect of pelvic radiotherapy for gynecological cancer in women. It has a high incidence variability, likely due to unstandardized and subjective assessment methods. Furthermore, even though the worldwide standard treatment for VS is vaginal dilation, low compliance rates have been noted.AimTo evaluate the parameters used to diagnose VS and to assess whether the lack of an objective measure of VS hampers vaginal dilator use.MethodsA systematic review in accordance with the PRISMA reporting guidelines was conducted. PubMed, EMBASE, and Web of Science databases were searched. Randomized trials and prospective, retrospective, and cross-sectional studies published from January 2011 to February 2020 were included.OutcomesThe main outcome of this study was a review of the published literature on assessment methods for VS and compliance to vaginal dilator use.RESULTSOf the 28 articles obtained, only 7 used objective methods to measure the vaginal volume. 3 studies have demonstrated patient’s concern with VS development and showed a high compliance to dilator use, whereas others reported several barriers to dilator use.Clinical ImplicationsLack of an objective assessment method can be a predisposing factor for uncertain VS incidence rates and impair compliance to vaginal dilator therapy, leading to long-term VS and sexual dysfunction.Strengths & LimitationsThis is the first systematic review on the heterogeneity of VS evaluation methods and compliance to vaginal dilator use. All studies were comprehensively evaluated by 2 reviewers. The limitations included the heterogeneity of the study designs and the unstandardized criteria used to classify stenosis or to evaluate compliance to dilator use. Although 3 well-known databases were used, the inclusion of more data sources could have increased the number of publications included in this review.CONCLUSIONVS is frequently diagnosed using subjective parameters. Few unstandardized objective methods are used to evaluate this condition. Regarding compliance to vaginal dilator use, there was a high dropout rate during follow-up and no consensus on starting time or ideal usage.
From satisficing to artificing: The evolution of administrative decision-making in the age of the algorithm
Authors: Snow Thea 
Published: January 2021

AbstractAlgorithmic decision tools (ADTs) are being introduced into public sector organizations to support more accurate and consistent decision-making. Whether they succeed turns, in large part, on how administrators use these tools. This is one of the first empirical studies to explore how ADTs are being used by Street Level Bureaucrats (SLBs). The author develops an original conceptual framework and uses in-depth interviews to explore whether SLBs are ignoring ADTs (algorithm aversion); deferring to ADTs (automation bias); or using ADTs together with their own judgment (an approach the author calls “artificing”). Interviews reveal that artificing is the most common use-type, followed by aversion, while deference is rare. Five conditions appear to influence how practitioners use ADTs: (a) understanding of the tool (b) perception of human judgment (c) seeing value in the tool (d) being offered opportunities to modify the tool (e) alignment of tool with expectations.
Eroding sexism: A Yogācāra dialectics of gender
Authors: Li Jingjing 
Published: January 2021

ABSTRACTIn this article, I explore how we can expand the project of Buddhist feminism by drawing on Chinese Yogācāra philosophy. With a focus on the writings of Xuanzang (c. 602–664) and his disciple Kuiji (632–682), I investigate how the Yogācāra theory of consciousness can be read as a gendered account of non-duality. The term ‘Yogācāra dialectics’ is thus coined to describe this theory of non-duality that highlights fluidity and transformability. As I will argue, Chinese Yogācārins developed the dialectics of gender by means of which they were able to subtly erode sexism in premodern times.
Unseating “State” and “Archive”: Mobility and Manipulation in Past Environments and Present Praxis
Authors: Ferguson Heather 
Published: January 2021

AbstractThese concluding reflections assess how the contributors to this special issue intervene in key assumptions that shape the current field of archival studies. As the “archival turn” gains ground, forms of Euro- and state-centrism reappear in scholarship otherwise innovative in its attention to the textual remnants of the past. Here, instead, we explore the methodological stakes involved in defining both the “archive” and the historical power brokers who created and preserved a documentary record in pursuit of their varied social, cultural, economic, and political projects. The essay points to the resurgence of culturalist and civilisational indices for comparative archivistics, and follows the arguments collected in this issue to assert by contrast the often uneven and uneasy regional, administrative, and procedural definitions at work within preserved records. Identifying “mobility” as both a methodological tactic and a historical process, this conclusion presents a fluid rather than fixed textual landscape and presents an alternative frame for investigating preservationist practices.
From Kruskal’s theorem to Friedman’s gap condition
Authors: Freund Anton 
Published: January 2021

AbstractHarvey Friedman’s gap condition on embeddings of finite labelled trees plays an important role in combinatorics (proof of the graph minor theorem) and mathematical logic (strong independence results). In the present paper we show that the gap condition can be reconstructed from a small number of well-motivated building blocks: It arises via iterated applications of a uniform Kruskal theorem.