bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Mechanism of smart city policy on the carbon emissions of construction enterprises in the Yangtze River Economic Belt: a perspective of the PESTEL model and the pollution halo hypothesis
Authors: Li Xingwei , Huang Yicheng , Li Xiangxue , Liu Xiang 
Published: September 2023

AbstractMost of the current studies on carbon emission reduction have been focusing on the urban and industrial levels, overlooking policy assessment studies on the carbon emissions of construction enterprises in the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB). To explore the impact of smart city policy (SCP) on the carbon emissions of construction enterprises, this paper constructs a theoretical framework model for evaluating SCP based on the Political-Economic-Sociocultural-Technological-Environmental-Legal (PESTEL) model and the perspective of the pollution halo hypothesis. In addition, this paper adopts panel data of 110 cities covered by the YREB from 2004 to 2021 and verifies the SCP impact mechanism on the carbon emissions of construction enterprises in the YREB through the difference-in-differences (DID) method, the propensity score matching (PSM) method, and the analysis of mediating effects and moderating effects. The conclusions are as follows: (1) the SCP significantly curbs the carbon emissions of the construction enterprises in the YREB pilot cities; (2) the SCP has a regional qualitative effect on the carbon emissions of the construction enterprises in the YREB and it curbs the carbon emissions of the construction enterprises in the upstream and downstream regions; (3) R&D and FDI are important transmission mechanisms; and (4) new urbanization construction has a positive moderating effect on the carbon emission reduction effect of the SCP on construction enterprises. As a research precedence, this paper reveals for the first time the mechanism of the SCP on the carbon emissions of construction enterprises in the YREB through the lens of the PESTEL model and the pollution halo hypothesis; the paper not only enriches the research related to urban policies but also provides new evidence from Chinese construction enterprises for assessing the impacts of pilot cities.
Inefficacy, Pre-emption and Structural Injustice
Authors: Venkatesh Nikhil 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Many pressing problems are of the following kind: some collection of actions of multiple people will produce some morally significant outcome (good or bad), but each individual action in the collection seems to make no difference to the outcome. These problems pose theoretical problems (especially for act-consequentialism), and practical problems for agents trying to figure out what they ought to do. Much recent literature on such problems has focused on whether it is possible for each action in such a collection to make such a tiny impact on the world that it makes no expected difference to the outcomes with which we’re concerned. I argue that even if this is impossible, there are cases in which each action makes no difference, not because it has such a tiny effect on the world, but because if it were not performed, a similar action would be. This recognition allows us to connect these problems with discussions of structural injustice.
Effectiveness of a New Enzyme-Free Method for the Preparation of a Decellularized Adipose-Derived Matrix
Authors: Qi Jun , Li Zifei , Li Shangshan , Fu Su , Luan Jie 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Background
Decellularized adipose-derived matrix (DAM) represents a new alternative to tissue fillers. The function of DAM is closely associated with the decellularization technique used for its preparation. However, most techniques are time-consuming and expensive, and this might reduce the popularity of DAM.

Objectives
The study aimed to investigate an enzyme-free adipose decellularization method and generate a DAM capable of adipose tissue regeneration.

Methods
DAMs prepared by the enzyme-free and Flynn's methods were compared and co-cultured with human adipose-derived stem cells (hADSCs) to investigate cytocompatibility. Adipose tissue formation was evaluated by injecting the DAMs into the backs of nude mice over 4 weeks. Samples were harvested for gross and perilipin immunohistochemistry analysis at 1 and 4 weeks.

Results
The enzyme-free method is effective for adipose decellularization because it removes adipocytes and preserves the microstructure. In vitro, the DAM made by the enzyme-free method could support the attachment, growth, proliferation, and differentiation of hADSCs, and promote the enhanced secretion of vascular endothelial growth factor by hADSCs; this DAM also induced the formation and maturity of adipocytes in vivo.

Conclusions
This study describes a highly effective enzyme-free method for adipose tissue decellularization that also promotes adipocyte formation and adipose tissue volume stability in vitro and in vivo, resulting in a new alternative tissue filler.
Novel Use of Wound Matrix in Mastopexy Complicated by Pyoderma Gangrenosum
Authors: Ragsdale Louisa B , Sarhaddi Deniz , Nathan Charles 
Published: September 2023

Abstract

Pyoderma gangrenosum (PG) is a relatively uncommon inflammatory skin disorder that is characterized by rapid onset, ulcerative lesions, and often triggered by trauma or surgery. Although rare, PG of the breast has been well described in the plastic surgery literature, most often reported following breast reductions and reconstructions. The authors present a case of PG that developed in a 56-year-old patient, with a history of essential thrombocytosis, following mastopexy. Her significant full-thickness skin loss was successfully treated with steroids and then reconstructed via serial applications of porcine placental extracellular matrix grafts. Her wounds were completely healed in 3.5 months for the left, and 5 months for the right breast. To the best of the author's knowledge, this is the first published case in which placental grafts have been successfully used to reconstruct pyoderma wounds of the breast. Given their advantageous scarring and lack of donor-site morbidity, placental grafts should be considered for all breast surgery patients afflicted by PG.

Level of Evidence: 5
A novel endo-type chitinase possessing chitobiase activity derived from the chitinolytic bacterium, Chitiniphilus shinanonensis SAY3T
Authors: Okazaki Sayaka , Komatsu Akane , Nakano Moe , Taguchi Goro , Shimosaka Makoto 
Published: September 2023

ABSTRACT
One of the chitinases (ChiG) derived from the chitinolytic bacterium Chitiniphilus shinanonensis SAY3T exhibited chitobiase activity cleaving dimers of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine (GlcNAc) into monomers, which is not detected in typical endo-type chitinases. Analysis of the reaction products for GlcNAc hexamers revealed that all the five internal glycosidic bonds were cleaved at the initial stage. The overall reaction catalyzed by chitobiases toward GlcNAc dimers was similar to that catalyzed by N-acetyl-D-glucosaminidases (NAGs). SAY3 possesses two NAGs (ChiI and ChiT) that are thought to be important in chitin catabolism. Unexpectedly, a triple gene-disrupted mutant (ΔchiIΔchiTΔchiG) was still able to grow on synthetic medium containing GlcNAc dimers or powdered chitin, similar to the wild-type SAY3, although it exhibited only 3% of total cellular NAG activity compared to the wild-type. This indicates the presence of unidentified enzyme(s) capable of supporting normal bacterial growth on the chitin medium by NAG activity compensation.
Inferring single-cell gene regulatory network by non-redundant mutual information
Authors: Zeng Yanping , He Yongxin , Zheng Ruiqing , Li Min 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Gene regulatory network plays a crucial role in controlling the biological processes of living creatures. Deciphering the complex gene regulatory networks from experimental data remains a major challenge in system biology. Recent advances in single-cell RNA sequencing technology bring massive high-resolution data, enabling computational inference of cell-specific gene regulatory networks (GRNs). Many relevant algorithms have been developed to achieve this goal in the past years. However, GRN inference is still less ideal due to the extra noises involved in pseudo-time information and large amounts of dropouts in datasets. Here, we present a novel GRN inference method named Normi, which is based on non-redundant mutual information. Normi manipulates these problems by employing a sliding size-fixed window approach on the entire trajectory and conducts average smoothing strategy on the gene expression of the cells in each window to obtain representative cells. To further alleviate the impact of dropouts, we utilize the mixed KSG estimator to quantify the high-order time-delayed mutual information among genes, then filter out the redundant edges by adopting Max-Relevance and Min Redundancy algorithm. Moreover, we determined the optimal time delay for each gene pair by distance correlation. Normi outperforms other state-of-the-art GRN inference methods on both simulated data and single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq) datasets, demonstrating its superiority in robustness. The performance of Normi in real scRNA-seq data further reveals its ability to identify the key regulators and crucial biological processes.
Sustainability assessment of community-based enterprises in selected fragile and conflict-affected areas in the Southern Philippines
Authors: Samama Norkaina C , Bidad Wilfred D 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Community-based enterprises (CBEs) are generally perceived as a sustainable poverty reduction strategy in marginalized communities. In the southern Philippines, it has become widely used in poverty alleviation and rebuilding efforts in fragile and conflict-affected areas. Engaging economically disadvantaged sectors in community-based entrepreneurship is often more likely to be sustainable than participating in conventional poverty reduction programmes, but this is rarely explored. This study aimed to assess the sustainability of CBEs in terms of their social and economic benefits and operational durability. The study reveals that both contextual challenges and opportunities drive the emergence of CBEs. Most CBEs are engaged in producing and marketing agricultural products and eventually diversify into offering service-oriented entrepreneurial activities. CBEs’ locally embedded internal capacity and established external linkages that fostered ‘connections’ facilitated their operational durability. CBEs provide economic benefits through livelihood opportunities and income, expand members’ livelihood network, and create profitable products from local resources. The social benefits include addressing personal and collective concerns, enhancing collaborative problem-solving, and improving access to institutional services. This study concludes that the CBE’s social and economic benefits serve as a safety net and social protection, a buffer to drowning into a deeper poverty level. This study provides empirical evidence on the sustainability of CBEs in fragile and conflict-affected areas.
Larval competition analysis and its effect on growth of Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae) at natural conditions in Northeast China
Authors: Liu Jia-Li , Feng Xiao , Abbas Arzlan , Abbas Sohail , Hafeez Faisal , Han Xiao , Romano Donato , Chen Ri Zhao 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
The Asian corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis, Lepidoptera, Crambidae) and Oriental armyworm (Mythimna separata, Lepidoptera, Noctuidae) are 2 major lepidopteran pests of the maize plant, especially the whorls and tassels. The aim of this study was to investigate competition between 2 lepidopteran pests of maize. Intraspecific and interspecific competition occurs when O. furnacalis and M. separata larvae interact with various stages of the maize plant. Therefore, determining whether this competition can decrease larval damage by causing adverse effects on larval growth is crucial. During the maize growing season of 2022, the interaction of these species was assessed in the experimental field of Jilin Agricultural University, China. Interspecific and intraspecific competition of larvae in different maize tissues and the influence of competition on larval development was determined in the fields. The results showed that first, probing behavior was significantly frequent in O. furnacalis larvae; intraspecific and interspecific attack was significant at 4th instar (with leaf, silk, and kernel). Interspecific defense behavior was significant at 3rd instar (without food). O. furnacalis larvae showed attack behavior toward M. separata larvae frequently. Second, competition increased the mortality rate of O. furnacalis larvae (intraspecific, 67%; interspecific, 33%) and decreased pupation emergence rate. Thus, intraspecific and interspecific competition might affect the competitive displacement of pest species sharing the same ecological niche, as well as the prevalence and population dynamics of pests, and help to develop integrated pest management strategies.
Survival and nutritional requirements for overwintering Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae) in Kentucky
Authors: McCabe Eleanor A , Unfried Laura N , Teets Nicholas M 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
The ability to cope with novel climates is a key determinant of an invasive species’ success. Drosophila suzukii (Matsumura, 1931) is an invasive fruit pest, and its seasonality varies across its range. Current evidence suggests that D. suzukii occurs year-round in warmer climates but has low overwintering survival in colder climates and relies on refuges or reinvades each spring. Here, we assessed the capacity of D. suzukii ability to overwinter in Kentucky, a temperate mid-latitude state with relatively mild but variable winters. We tracked year-round population changes for 3 yr and observed the highest populations in early winter months. Following an annual population crash in winter, small numbers of flies remained through the late winter and spring. We also conducted outdoor cage studies to determine the extent to which food resources and microhabitat impact survival and postwinter fecundity under natural conditions. Flies with no food had poor survival during the warmest periods of winter, and flies in all treatments had lower survival in the coldest month. Provisioning flies with either artificial diet or wild berries improved survival. As a follow-up, we determined whether D. suzukii could survive and reproduce after long-term exposure to a typical winter temperature on various wild berries. Drosophila suzukii had the highest survival on privet (Ligustrum sp.), but all berry types yielded higher survival than flies without food. Our results suggest that noncrop berries play an important role for overwintering D. suzukii, and as winters warm the availability of wild berries could influence early-season populations.
Unraveling the effect of land use on the bacterioplankton community composition from highly impacted shallow lakes at a regional scale
Authors: Sagua Mara I , Nuozzi Guillermina , Sánchez María L , Huber Paula , Perdomo Santiago , Schiaffino María R 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Bacterioplankton communities play a crucial role in global biogeochemical processes and are highly sensitive to changes induced by natural and anthropogenic stressors in aquatic ecosystems. We assessed the influence of Land Use Land Cover (LULC), environmental, and geographic changes on the bacterioplankton structure in highly connected and impacted shallow lakes within the Salado River basin, Buenos Aires, Argentina. Additionally, we investigated how changes in LULC affected the limnological characteristics of these lakes at a regional scale. Our analysis revealed that the lakes were ordinated by sub-basins (upper and lower) depending on their LULC characteristics and limnological properties. In coincidence, the same ordination was observed when considering the Bacterioplankton Community Composition (BCC). Spatial and environmental predictors significantly explained the variation in BCC, although when combined with LULC the effect was also important. While the pure LULC effect did not explain a significant percentage of BCC variation, the presence of atrazine in water, an anthropogenic variable linked to LULC, directly influenced both the BCC and some Amplicon Sequence Variants (ASVs) in particular. Our regional-scale approach contributes to understanding the complexity of factors driving bacterioplankton structure and how LULC pervasively affect these communities in highly impacted shallow lake ecosystems from the understudied Southern Hemisphere.
Type II bacterial toxin–antitoxins: hypotheses, facts, and the newfound plethora of the PezAT system
Authors: Chan Wai Ting , Garcillán-Barcia Maria Pilar , Yeo Chew Chieng , Espinosa Manuel 
Published: September 2023

AbstractToxin–antitoxin (TA) systems are entities found in the prokaryotic genomes, with eight reported types. Type II, the best characterized, is comprised of two genes organized as an operon. Whereas toxins impair growth, the cognate antitoxin neutralizes its activity. TAs appeared to be involved in plasmid maintenance, persistence, virulence, and defence against bacteriophages. Most Type II toxins target the bacterial translational machinery. They seem to be antecessors of Higher Eukaryotes and Prokaryotes Nucleotide-binding (HEPN) RNases, minimal nucleotidyltransferase domains, or CRISPR–Cas systems. A total of four TAs encoded by Streptococcus pneumoniae, RelBE, YefMYoeB, Phd-Doc, and HicAB, belong to HEPN-RNases. The fifth is represented by PezAT/Epsilon–Zeta. PezT/Zeta toxins phosphorylate the peptidoglycan precursors, thereby blocking cell wall synthesis. We explore the body of knowledge (facts) and hypotheses procured for Type II TAs and analyse the data accumulated on the PezAT family. Bioinformatics analyses showed that homologues of PezT/Zeta toxin are abundantly distributed among 14 bacterial phyla mostly in Proteobacteria (48%), Firmicutes (27%), and Actinobacteria (18%), showing the widespread distribution of this TA. The pezAT locus was found to be mainly chromosomally encoded whereas its homologue, the tripartite omega–epsilon–zeta locus, was found mostly on plasmids. We found several orphan pezT/zeta toxins, unaccompanied by a cognate antitoxin.
Is the Script of a Television Programme the Crux of Being a Legal Performer?
Authors: Saiz García Concepción 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
Last January, the Spanish Supreme Court dismissed the appeal brought against a judgment of the Madrid Provincial Court rejecting the status of ‘actor’ of one of the characters who, together with the announcer, regularly took part in one of the most famous television quiz shows in Spain during the 1990s: ‘Cifras y Letras’. This was a person who acted as an expert teacher of letters whose role consisted basically in constructing long words of nine letters in response to the answers given by the contestants, conversing with them in a very natural and fluent manner on the basis of the script and the informative help which he was given at the time of the production. The inadmissibility of the appeal lodged by ‘the professor’ deprives us of knowing, for the first time, how the concept of performer in Spanish intellectual property law should be interpreted, and even, enjoying all the requirements of an autonomous concept of European Union law, of knowing what the interpretation of the CJEU would be. However, by giving finality to the Audiencia’s judgment, it provides us with the opportunity to delve deeper into this concept by analysing the legal requirements that the artist and her performance must meet. Considering that a protectable performance gives rise to the neighbouring right including the right to receive an equitable remuneration of compulsory collective management for the public communication of the recording containing her performance, clarifying which performances are protected becomes crucial for the proper functioning of the system.
Reducing loneliness in the community. More Together (‘Flere i Fællesskaber’)—a complex intervention in Denmark
Authors: Lasgaard Mathias , Bo Anne F , Nielsen Lise A , Swane Christine E , Qualter Pamela , Christiansen Julie 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
The mounting evidence that loneliness is a determinant of poor health and well-being underpins the need for effective interventions and community action. ‘More Together’ (MoTo) is a large-scale, complex, multi-component and multi-level intervention for community change that addresses loneliness among young people and older adults in Silkeborg Municipality, Denmark. The intervention is inspired by the Collective Impact framework, and it is practice driven and rooted in an extensive cross-sector partnership. This article outlines (i) the organization of the cross-sector partnership, (ii) the structure of the intervention programme, (iii) the key components and activities of the programme and, finally, (iv) the intervention setting and target population. MoTo aims to create new ways to develop, implement and evaluate loneliness interventions. Experiences gained from MoTo hold the potential to transform our understanding of loneliness interventions and may inform and guide future interventions.
From organizational capabilities to corporate performances: at the roots of productivity slowdown
Authors: Costa Stefano , De Santis Stefano , Dosi Giovanni , Monducci Roberto , Sbardella Angelica , Virgillito Maria Enrica 
Published: September 2023

Abstract
This paper is one of the first attempts at empirically identifying organizational capabilities—in this work concerning Italian firms. Together, it proposes new evidence on the link between capabilities and economic performances. To this aim, we employ the Indagine Multiscopo del Censimento Permanente delle Imprese (IMCPI), a survey carried out by the Italian Statistical Office (ISTAT) in 2019, covering the three-year period 2016–2018, addressing a wide range of organizational characteristics including various organizational routines, human resource management (HRM), internationalization strategies, and many others. Our contribution is threefold: first, we aim at detecting what practices and combinations of them result in underlying different capabilities; second, we propose a taxonomy of the production system, both at firm- and sector-level based on the mapping of such capabilities; and third, we study the performance outcomes of different capability taxa in terms of productivity growth.