bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Assessing the potential of partial root zone drying and mulching for improving the productivity of cotton under arid climate
Authors: Iqbal Rashid , Habib-ur-Rahman Muhammad , Raza Muhammad Aown Sammar , Waqas Muhammad , Ikram Rao Muhammad , Ahmed Muhammad Zeshan , Toleikiene Monika , Ayaz Muhammad , Mustafa Farhan , Ahmad Salman , Aslam Muhammad Usman , Waqas Muhammad Mohsin , Khan Muhammad Tahir , Aslam Muhammad Mahran , Haider Imran 
Published: July 2021

AbstractWater scarcity constrains global cotton production. However, partial root-zone drying (PRD) and mulching can be used as good techniques to save water and enhance crop production, especially in arid regions. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of mulching for water conservation in an arid environment under PRD and to further assess the osmotic adjustment and enzymatic activities for sustainable cotton production. The study was carried out for 2 years in field conditions using mulches (NM = no mulch, BPM = black plastic mulch at 32 kg ha-1, WSM = wheat straw mulch at 3 tons ha-1, CSM = cotton sticks mulch at 10 tons ha-1) and two irrigation levels (FI = full irrigation and PRD (50% less water than FI). High seed cotton yield (SCY) achieved in FI+WSM (4457 and 4248 kg ha-1in 2017 and 2018, respectively) and even in PRD+WSM followed by BPM>CSM>NM under FI and PRD for both years. The higher SCY and traits observed in FI+WSM and PRD+WSM compared with the others were attributed to the improved water use efficiency and gaseous exchange traits, increased hormone production (ABA), osmolyte accumulation, and enhanced antioxidants to scavenge the excess reactive oxygen. Furthermore, better cotton quality traits were also observed under WSM either with FI or PRD irrigation regimes. Mulches applications found effective to control the weeds in the order as BPM>WSM>CSM. In general, PRD can be used as an effective stratagem to save moisture along with WSM, which ultimately can improve cotton yield in the water-scarce regions under arid climatic regions. It may prove as a good adaptation strategy under current and future water shortage scenarios of climate change.
CEO gender and SMEs innovativeness: evidence for Spanish businesses
Authors: Expósito Alfonso , Sanchis-Llopis Amparo , Sanchis-Llopis Juan A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThis paper analyses the role of gender of the chief executive officer (CEO) on the propensity to introduce innovations using a sample of 1405 Spanish small- and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). We examine whether there are significant differences between female- and male-led businesses in terms of their propensity to innovate, and whether these differences may be explained by factors related to the attributes of the CEO concerning risk tolerance, self-confidence, education level and cooperative behaviour. In particular, this study tests if the linkages between these managerial attributes and the propensity to innovate are influenced by the gender of the CEO. Using a multivariate probit model (triprobit), we further investigate the role of gender on the CEO decision to simultaneously introduce product, process and organisational innovations. Our main results indicate that there are not significant differences in the propensity to introduce innovations between male- and female-run businesses when considering innovation at an aggregated level, that is, innovating in any of the three types of innovations considered. However, we obtain a higher propensity of male CEOs to introduce process innovations, as compared to their female counterparts. No significant differences by gender are found for product and organisational innovations. Additionally, results of the multivariate probit model indicate that the three innovation decisions are interdependent and should be jointly analysed. This study contributes to the scant literature regarding gender impact on firm’s innovativeness with novel empirical evidence for SMEs.
Bewegungsanleitung und Ernährungsberatung bei Krebspatienten – Ergebnisse eines 5-Jahres-Follow-up
Authors: Grabenbauer Andrea Juliane , Meissner Karin 
Published: July 2021

Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
Interventionen zur Verbesserung der körperlichen Aktivität und Ernährung erhöhen nachweislich die Lebensqualität von onkologischen Patienten. Langzeitergebnisse zu Interventionsstudien gibt es bisher wenige.

Ziele der Studie
Das Ziel dieser Studie war ein 5‑Jahres-Langzeit-Follow-up einer 3‑monatigen Interventionsstudie an onkologischen Patienten mit Bewegungstherapie und Ernährungsberatung.

Patienten und Methoden
Nach 5 Jahren wurden 36 Patienten der Interventionsstudie erneut befragt. Die gesundheitsbezogene Lebensqualität wurde mittels des EORTC-QLQ-C30-Fragebogens erfasst. Des Weiteren wurden Fragen zum Bewegungsverhalten, zur Ernährung sowie zu soziodemographischen Faktoren gestellt.

Ergebnisse
Nach einer medianen Nachbeobachtungszeit von 61,5 (Spanne 41–80) Monaten gaben 35 von 36 teilnehmenden Patienten (94 %) positive Langzeiteffekte der Intervention auf ihre Einstellung zur körperlichen Aktivität und 26 Patienten (72 %) auf ihre Einstellung zu einer ausgewogenen Ernährungsweise an. 33 von 36 (92 %) Patienten waren mindestens einmal pro Woche körperlich aktiv, im Mittel 4,5-mal (Spannweite, 1–9) pro Woche über durchschnittlich 64 min. Im Vergleich zum Ausgangswert war die Lebensqualität signifikant verbessert (p < 0,001), jedoch nur bei Patienten mit mindestens 3 Bewegungseinheiten pro Woche.

Schlussfolgerungen
Onkologische Patienten zeigten 5 Jahre nach einer 3‑monatigen Bewegungsintervention mit Ernährungsberatung ein hohes Ausmaß an körperlicher Aktivität sowie eine anhaltende Sensibilisierung für gesunde Ernährung. Auch die Lebensqualität war nachhaltig verbessert, sofern mindestens 3‑mal pro Woche eine körperliche Betätigung von 60 min erfolgte.
Non-additive activity modulation during a decision making task involving tactic selection
Authors: Braun Wilhelm , Matsuzaka Yoshiya , Mushiake Hajime , Northoff Georg , Longtin André 
Published: July 2021

AbstractHuman brain imaging has revealed that stimulus-induced activity does generally not simply add to the pre-stimulus activity, but rather builds in a non-additive way on this activity. Here we investigate this subject at the single neuron level and address the question whether and to what extent a strong form of non-additivity where activity drops post-cue is present in different areas of monkey cortex, including prefrontal and agranular frontal areas, during a perceptual decision making task involving action and tactic selection. Specifically we analyze spike train data recorded in vivo from the posterior dorsomedial prefrontal cortex (pmPFC), the supplementary motor area (SMA) and the presupplementary motor area (pre-SMA). For each neuron, we compute the ratio of the trial-averaged pre-stimulus spike count to the trial-averaged post-stimulus count. We also perform the ratio and averaging procedures in reverse order. We find that the statistics of these quantities behave differently across areas. pmPFC involved in tactic selection shows stronger non-additivity compared to the two other areas which more generically just increase their firing rate pos-stimulus. pmPFC behaved more similarly to pre-SMA, a likely consequence of the reciprocal connections between these areas. The trial-averaged ratio statistic was reproduced by a surrogate inhomogeneous Poisson process in which the measured trial-averaged firing rate for a given neuron is used as its time-dependent rate. Principal component analysis (PCA) of the trial-averaged firing rates of neuronal ensembles further reveals area-specific time courses of response to the stimulus, including latency to peak neural response, for the typical population activity. Our work demonstrates subtle forms of area-specific non-additivity based on the fine variability structure of pre- and post-stimulus spiking activity on the single neuron level. It also reveals significant differences between areas for PCA and surrogate analysis, complementing previous observations of regional differences based solely on post-stimulus responses. Moreover, we observe regional differences in non-additivity which are related to the monkey’s successful tactic selection and decision making.
Defensive Liability: A Matter of Rights Enforcement, not Distributive Justice
Authors: Burri Susanne 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe Moral Responsibility Account of Liability to Defensive Harm (MRA) states that an agent becomes liable to defensive harm if, and only if, she engages in a foreseeably risk-imposing activity that subsequently threatens objectively unjustified harm. Advocates of the account contend that liability to defensive harm is best understood as an aspect of distributive justice. Individuals who are liable to some harm are not wronged if the harm is imposed on them, and liability to defensive harm thus helps ensure that harm is borne by whoever has least of an objection of justice against being burdened with it—or so advocates of the MRA insist. In this paper, I argue that liability to defensive harm is not grounded in considerations of distributive justice. While it depends on the wider societal context what allocation of a burden is distributively most just, liability to defensive harm is a distinctly localised affair. I propose that liability to defensive harm is best understood as part of the enforcement dimension of our rights to non-interference. Framing liability in this way does not invalidate the MRA. It does, however, render subjective impermissibility accounts of liability particularly promising.
Left egocentric neglect in early subacute right-stroke patients is related to damage of the superior longitudinal fasciculus
Authors: Spanò Barbara , Nardo Davide , Giulietti Giovanni , Matano Alessandro , Salsano Ilenia , Briani Chiara , Vadalà Rita , Marzi Claudia , De Luca Maria , Caltagirone Carlo , Santangelo Valerio 
Published: July 2021

AbstractA typical consequence of stroke in the right hemisphere is unilateral spatial neglect. Distinct forms of neglect have been described, such as space-based (egocentric) and object-based (allocentric) neglect. However, the relationship between these two forms of neglect is still far from being understood, as well as their neural substrates. Here, we further explore this issue by using voxel lesion symptoms mapping (VLSM) analyses on a large sample of early subacute right-stroke patients assessed with the Apples Cancellation Test. This is a sensitive test that simultaneously measures both egocentric and allocentric neglect. Behaviourally, we found no correlation between egocentric and allocentric performance, indicating independent mechanisms supporting the two forms of neglect. This was confirmed by the VLSM analysis that pointed out a link between a damage in the superior longitudinal fasciculus and left egocentric neglect. By contrast, no association was found between brain damage and left allocentric neglect. These results indicate a higher probability to observe egocentric neglect as a consequence of white matter damages in the superior longitudinal fasciculus, while allocentric neglect appears more “globally” related to the whole lesion map. Overall, these findings on early subacute right-stroke patients highlight the role played by white matter integrity in sustaining attention-related operations within an egocentric frame of reference.
Spectra and ergodic properties of multiplication and convolution operators on the space $${\mathcal S}({\mathbb R})$$
Authors: Albanese Angela A. , Mele Claudio 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIn this paper we investigate the spectra and the ergodic properties of the multiplication operators and the convolution operators acting on the Schwartz space $${\mathcal S}({\mathbb R})$$

S
(
R
)

of rapidly decreasing functions, i.e., operators of the form $$M_h: {\mathcal S}({\mathbb R})\rightarrow {\mathcal S}({\mathbb R})$$

M
h

:
S

(
R
)

→
S

(
R
)

, $$f \mapsto h f $$

f
↦
h
f

, and $$C_T:{\mathcal S}({\mathbb R})\rightarrow {\mathcal S}({\mathbb R})$$

C
T

:
S

(
R
)

→
S

(
R
)

, $$f\mapsto T\star f$$

f
↦
T
⋆
f

. Precisely, we determine their spectra and characterize when those operators are power bounded and mean ergodic.
Analyses of depositional environments of the Marcellus formation in New York using biomarker and trace metal proxies
Authors: Blocho Reilly M. , Smith Richard W. , Noll Mark R. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe purpose of this study was to observe how the composition of organic matter (OM) and the extent of anoxia during deposition within the Marcellus Formation in New York varied by distance from the sediment source in eastern New York. Lipid biomarkers (n-alkanes and fatty acids) in the extractable organic component (bitumen) of the shale samples were analyzed, and proxies such as the average chain length (ACL), aquatic to terrestrial ratio (ATR) and carbon preference index (CPI) of n-alkanes were calculated. Fatty acids were relatively non-abundant due to the age of the shale bed, but n-alkane distributions revealed that the primary component of the OM was terrigenous plants. The presence of shorter n-alkane chain lengths in the samples indicated that there was also a minor component of phytoplankton and algal (marine) sourced OM. Whole rock analyses were also conducted, and cerium anomalies were calculated as a proxy for anoxia. All samples had a negative anomaly value, indicating anoxic conditions during deposition. Two samples, however, contained values close to zero and thus were determined to have suboxic conditions. Anoxia and total organic matter (TOM) did not show any spatial trends across the basin, which may be caused by varying depths within the basin during deposition. A correlation between nickel concentrations and TOM was observed and indicates that algae was the primary source of the marine OM, which supports the lipid biomarker analysis. It was determined that the kerogen type of the Marcellus Formation in New York State is type III, consistent with a methane-forming shale bed.
Post-COVID-19 acute sarcopenia: physiopathology and management
Authors: Piotrowicz Karolina , Gąsowski Jerzy , Michel Jean-Pierre , Veronese Nicola 
Published: July 2021

AbstractIn this review, we discuss the pathophysiologic and management aspects of acute sarcopenia in relation to SARS-CoV-2 infection. COVID-19 is as a multi-organ infectious disease characterized by a severe inflammatory and highly catabolic status, influencing the deep changes in the body build, especially the amount, structure, and function of skeletal muscles which would amount to acutely developed sarcopenia. Acute sarcopenia may largely impact patients’ in-hospital prognosis as well as the vulnerability to the post-COVID-19 functional and physical deterioration. The individual outcome of the COVID-19 and the degree of muscle mass and functional loss may be influenced by multiple factors, including the patient’s general pre-infection medical and functional condition, especially in older adults. This paper gathers the information about how the SARS-CoV-2 hyper-inflammatory involvement exacerbates the immunosenescence process, enhances the endothelial damage, and due to mitochondrial dysfunction and autophagy, induces myofibrillar breakdown and muscle degradation. The aftermath of these acute and complex immunological SARS-CoV-2-related phenomena, augmented by anosmia, ageusia and altered microbiota may lead to decreased food intake and exacerbated catabolism. Moreover, the imposed physical inactivity, lock-down, quarantine or acute hospitalization with bedrest would intensify the acute sarcopenia process. All these deleterious mechanisms must be swiftly put to a check by a multidisciplinary approach including nutritional support, early physical as well cardio-pulmonary rehabilitation, and psychological support and cognitive training. The proposed holistic and early management of COVID-19 patients appears essential to minimize the disastrous functional outcomes of this disease and allow avoiding the long COVID-19 syndrome.
A multidimensional generalized many-facet Rasch model for rubric-based performance assessment
Authors: Uto Masaki 
Published: July 2021

AbstractPerformance assessment, in which human raters assess examinee performance in a practical task, often involves the use of a scoring rubric consisting of multiple evaluation items to increase the objectivity of evaluation. However, even when using a rubric, assigned scores are known to depend on characteristics of the rubric’s evaluation items and the raters, thus decreasing ability measurement accuracy. To resolve this problem, item response theory (IRT) models that can estimate examinee ability while considering the effects of these characteristics have been proposed. These IRT models assume unidimensionality, meaning that a rubric measures one latent ability. In practice, however, this assumption might not be satisfied because a rubric’s evaluation items are often designed to measure multiple sub-abilities that constitute a targeted ability. To address this issue, this study proposes a multidimensional IRT model for rubric-based performance assessment. Specifically, the proposed model is formulated as a multidimensional extension of a generalized many-facet Rasch model. Moreover, a No-U-Turn variant of the Hamiltonian Markov chain Monte Carlo algorithm is adopted as a parameter estimation method for the proposed model. The proposed model is useful not only for improving the ability measurement accuracy, but also for detailed analysis of rubric quality and rubric construct validity. The study demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed model through simulation experiments and application to real data.
Provenance and tectonic setting of the Triassic clastic deposits in the Napo basin, South China: evidence from petrography, whole-rock geochemistry and detrital zircon U–Pb geochronology
Authors: Xia Lei , Yan Quan-Ren , Xiang Zhong-Jin , Zheng Hong-Bo , Hou Quan-Lin , Wei Wei , Xia Wen-Jing 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe provenance and tectonic setting of the Lower–Middle Triassic clastic sediments from the Napo basin, South China, have been examined here using detrital modes, whole-rock geochemistry and detrital zircon U–Pb ages. Field investigations indicate that these sediments consist of fan delta, slope and turbidity fan facies with dominantly southward palaeocurrent directions. Detrital modes and geochemical characteristics of the clastic rocks indicate that they were derived from mixed magmatic arc and Palaeozoic successions in a continental island arc setting, with no significant sediment recycling. The U–Pb age spectra of sandstone detrital zircons from different stratigraphic positions are similar, with one major group (300–230 Ma), two subordinate groups (400–320 Ma and 480–420 Ma, respectively) and two scattered groups (1200–800 Ma and 2000–1700 Ma, respectively). Thus, we consider that the north late Permian – Middle Triassic volcanic rocks and the uplifted Palaeozoic sedimentary/volcanic sequences constituted the predominant sources. The detritus derived from the late Permian Emeishan mafic rocks is subordinate and limited. The pre-Devonian zircons are likely sedimentary-recycled or magmatic-captured instead of directly derived from the early Palaeozoic orogen (e.g. Yunkai massif) and Neoproterozoic Jiangnan orogen because of the topographic barrier of a magmatic arc and carbonate platform. Considering the spatial and temporal distribution characteristics of the volcanic arc and ophiolite, we suggest that the Triassic Napo basin was a fore-arc basin within a continental island arc setting, which developed in response to the northward subduction of the Babu–Cao Bang branch ocean beneath the South China Block.
Nematodes from the Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii(Boitard)), with the description ofSarcophiloxyuris longusn. gen. and n. sp. (Oxyuridae)
Authors: Barton D.P. , Smales L. , Lee V. , Zhu X. , Shamsi S. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractThe Tasmanian devil (Sarcophilus harrisii(Boitard)) is an endangered carnivorous marsupial, limited to the islands of Tasmania in southern Australia. The parasites of the Tasmanian devil are understudied. This study aimed to increase the knowledge of the nematode fauna of Tasmanian devils. Ten Tasmanian devils were examined for parasites from northern and southern Tasmania. Nematodes that were collected were morphologically characterized as two separate species. Molecular sequencing was undertaken to verify the identity of these species. A new genus and species of oxyurid nematode was collected from a single Tasmanian devil from the northern part of Tasmania. The nematode is differentiated from oxyurids described from other Australian amphibians, reptiles and marsupials by the characters of the male posterior end – that is, in having three pairs of caudal papillae, two pairs peri-cloacal, one large pair post-cloacal, a long tapering tail, a stout spicule and a gubernaculum and accessory piece, as well as its much larger overall size. Molecular sequencing was unsuccessful. The remaining nematodes collected from the Tasmanian devil in this study were all identified asBaylisascaris tasmaniensisSprent, 1970, through morphology and molecular sequencing. This paper presents the first description of a new genus and species of oxyurid nematode from the Tasmanian devil,Sarcophiloxyuris longusn. gen., n. sp. The need to undertake more sampling of the parasites of endangered hosts, such as the Tasmanian devil, to assist with a better understanding of their conservation management, is discussed.
Polycauliona comandorica, a new fruticulose species in the family Teloschistaceae from the Commander Islands, Russia
Authors: Frolov Ivan V. , Himelbrant Dmitry E. , Stepanchikova Irina S. , Prokopiev Ilya A. 
Published: July 2021

AbstractA new fruticulose species, Polycauliona comandorica, is described from the supralittoral zone of the Commander Islands in the Russian Far East. This growth form is very rare in the family Teloschistaceae where the new species belongs. It is the only fruticulose species of the family that forms vegetative propagules (soredia and blastidia). Polycauliona comandorica is similar to the North American P. thamnodes but differs in having a lighter yellow to grey thallus, longer and thicker branches with a rough surface, soredia and blastidia, and in lacking apothecia. Two fruticulose-lobate pairs of species in Polycauliona are briefly discussed: P. comandorica-P. verruculifera and P. thamnodes-P. brattiae.
Gibbosporina cyanea (Pannariaceae), a new bipartite cyanolichen from Sri Lanka with comparisons to related palaeotropical cyanogenera
Authors: Elvebakk Arve 
Published: July 2021

AbstractGibbosporina cyanea is described here as new to science, based on its holotype collected in Sri Lanka in the 1860s. The species is a bipartite cyanolichen in contrast to all other known Gibbosporina species, which are tripartites. The species appears to have evolved through cephalodia emancipation followed by divergence. Phyllidia indicate a cephalodiate evolutionary origin with a continued function similar to vegetative propagules. The species is considered to represent a relatively young speciation within an evolutionary old genus and G. sphaerospora is discussed as a possible candidate for being its closest known relative based on spore morphology. As the species appears to be so different from the remaining Gibbosporina species, it is compared here to representatives of other related palaeotropical cyanogenera, such as Leightoniella, Lepidocollema, Pannaria and Physma. Perispore structure is shown to be a useful character in separating these genera, including distinct clades of the non-monophyletic genera Physma and Lepidocollema. Leightoniella zeylanensis is reported here as new to Japan, and it is concluded that Pannaria lurida needs to be restudied in India and Sri Lanka.