bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Are institutional investors “in love” with the sustainable development goals? Understanding the idyll in the case of governments and pension funds
Authors: García‐Sánchez Isabel‐María , Aibar‐Guzmán Cristina , Núñez‐Torrado Miriam , Aibar‐Guzmán Beatriz 
Published: March 2022

AbstractConsidering the key role that companies must play to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), this paper aims to analyze the effect of the presence of two types of institutional investors (governments and pension funds) in large companies' ownership structure on the alignment of their sustainability strategy towards the 2030 Agenda as well as the moderating effect that firm internationalization and industry's sensitivity to stakeholder pressures have on the influence of these two institutional investors on business commitment to the SDGs. For a sample of 4089 multinational companies from 2015 to 2018, the results show that institutional ownership does matter for business commitment to the SDGs, but in a different way depending on the type of investor. Specifically, ownership by government favors commitment to the SDGs, while ownership by pension funds has a negative impact, which is partially corrected in the case of globalized companies as well as in those firms belonging to industries, which are highly sensitive to stakeholder pressures. These findings seem to suggest that institutional investors' support the implementation of the SDGs by the companies in which they invest is mainly driven by corporate complexity.
Solvent‐Free Microwave‐Assisted Multicomponent Synthesis of 4H‐Chromenes Using Fe3O4‐Based Hydrotalcites as Bifunctional Catalysts
Authors: Nope Eliana , Sathicq Ángel G. , Martínez José J. , Rojas Hugo , Macías Mario A. , Castillo Juan‐Carlos , Romanelli Gustavo 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMagnetic Fe3O4‐based hydrotalcites were used as bifunctional catalysts for the microwave‐assisted solvent‐free synthesis of 4H‐chromene derivatives by a three‐component reaction from (hetero)aromatic aldehydes, malononitrile, and naphthol derivatives. Structures of 4H‐chromenes 4 d and 4 g were studied and confirmed by single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction analysis. The heterogeneous catalysts were synthesized by the co‐precipitation method incorporating divalent metal cations such as Ni2+ or Co2+ in LDH−Mg. This multicomponent protocol allows the synthesis of diverse 4H‐chromenes in 88–95 % yields, reduced reaction time, high atom economy, broad substrate scope, and operational simplicity. The reusability of the catalyst up to five recycles without appreciable loss of its catalytic activity, make the present protocol sustainable and advantageous compared to conventional methods.
Electronic Structure Modulation of Ag2S by Vacancy Engineering for Efficient Bacterial Infection
Authors: Kim JongGuk , Sun Jingyu , Zhao Yan , Wen Jinghong , Zhou Bo , Zhang Ze , Mo Shudi , Wang Jianling , Liu Huajie , Wang Guichang , Yu Qilin , Liu Mingyang 
Published: March 2022

AbstractVacancy engineering can modulate the electronic structure of the material and thus contribute to the formation of coordination unsaturated sites, which makes it easier to act on the substrate. Herein, Ag2S and Ag2S‐100, which mainly have vacancy associates VAgS and VAgSAg, respectively, are prepared and characterized by positron annihilation spectroscopy. Both experimental and theoretical calculation results indicate that Ag2S‐100 exhibits excellent antibacterial activity due to its appropriate bandgap and stronger bacteria‐binding ability, which endow it with a superior antibacterial activity compared to Ag2S in the absence of light. The in vivo antibacterial experiment using a mouse wound‐infection model further confirms that Ag2S‐100 has excellent antibacterial and wound‐healing properties. This research provides clues for a deeper understanding of modulating electronic structures through vacancy engineering and develops a strategy for effective treatment of bacterial infections.
Exit bans when doing business in China
Authors: Carr Chris , Wroldsen Jack 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThis article investigates and measures the frequency, fairness, and efficacy of exit bans in China. We limit our definition of “exit bans” to civil business disputes between a foreign businessperson and his or her local Chinese counterpart, where the foreigner is prevented from leaving China. A traveler typically learns of an exit ban at the airport when he or she is not allowed to board a flight; accordingly, an exit ban is distinct from a debt hostage situation in which the foreigner's freedom of movement within the country is restricted. To conduct our study, we submitted Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests (or their equivalents) to six Western governments of countries that engage in significant trade with China and whose citizens were subjected to an exit ban preventing them from leaving China. We also conducted a separate content search and analysis of English and Mandarin media articles that discuss exit ban situations in China. Our analysis yields four primary findings. First, the data reveal at least 128 total cases, and approximately one‐third of the cases were driven by business disputes. It is likely that many more of the 128 cases were caused by business disputes, but because much of the data we received from government agencies was provided in aggregate form, we were unable to verify the driving force behind such cases. Second, in the business‐related cases, Chinese authorities generally appeared to follow applicable exit ban laws and application processes, thereby pushing back on the narrative that local norms and a culture of ignoring the law trump the legal mandates issued from Beijing. Third, most exit bans took place in Tier 1 cities or coastal regions (where more foreign business activity is concentrated), although scattered cases occurred in more remote locations, thus indicating that foreign business interests may be at risk in cities of diverse sizes throughout China. Last, the concern within the international business community that the term “responsible person” under Chinese exit ban law would be abused by authorities to also restrict the movement of non‐senior level businesspeople finds some limited confirmation in our data, although most exit ban cases we located were brought against senior‐level executives. Relying on these findings, the article concludes with four practical recommendations that business leaders can use to better evaluate and manage exit ban risks in China.
Removal of stormwater dissolved organic nitrogen through biotransformation using activated carbon
Authors: Mohtadi Mehrdad , James Bruce R. , Krasnoff Gregory R. , Davis Allen P. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractConventional bioretention systems are not effectively designed to remove stormwater dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). Biotransformation study on five organic nitrogenous compounds with different values for adsorption on coal activated carbon (AC) and bioavailability revealed that adsorption is a greater controlling factor for ammonification than bioavailability. This study also showed three apparent benefits: enhancement of the ammonification rate, ammonification of the bio‐recalcitrant organic nitrogenous compounds, for example, pyrrole, and bio‐regeneration of the adsorbent (coal AC). Low temperature (4°C) did not impact ammonification of leucine at a velocity of 34 cm/h, but negatively affected it at 61 cm/h. It was also observed that bed media height > 30 cm would not appreciably increase ammonification. Under intermittent wetting/draining conditions, the DON removal efficiency was more than 90%, indicating that DON was successfully removed through concurrent adsorption/ammonification, although generated ammonium in the effluent must be properly addressed.Practitioner Points

Coal activated carbon appears a better material for DON ammonification compared with charcoal and quartz sand.
A temperature as low as 4°C may not adversely impact DON ammonification at a velocity of 34 cm/h or less.
A bed media depth of 30 cm is considered as adequate to promote DON ammonification. A larger depth may not be expected to improve ammonification.
Ammonification of the bio‐recalcitrant organic nitrogenous compounds, for example, pyrrole, and bio‐regeneration of the adsorbent, for example, coal activated carbon, may be achieved.
K → μ+μ− beyond the standard model
Authors: Dery Avital , Ghosh Mitrajyoti 
Published: March 2022

Abstract
We analyze the New Physics sensitivity of a recently proposed method to measure the CP-violating $$ \mathcal{B} $$
B
(KS → μ+μ−)ℓ=0 decay rate using KS− KL interference. We present our findings both in a model-independent EFT approach as well as within several simple NP scenarios. We discuss the relation with associated observables, most notably $$ \mathcal{B} $$
B
(KL → π0$$ \nu \overline{\nu} $$
ν

ν
¯

). We find that simple NP models can significantly enhance $$ \mathcal{B} $$
B
(KS → μ+μ−)ℓ=0, making this mode a very promising probe of physics beyond the standard model in the kaon sector.
Therapy-related myeloid neoplasms following treatment for multiple myeloma—a single center analysis
Authors: Boquoi A. , Banahan S. M. , Mohring A. , Savickaite I. , Strapatsas J. , Hildebrandt B. , Kobbe G. , Gattermann N. , Haas R. , Schroeder T. , Germing U. , Fenk R. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMyelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML) can be late complications following mutagenic treatment. Limited data is available on the outcome of patients developing therapy-related MDS and AML after treatment for multiple myeloma (MM). We identified 250 patients with therapy-associated MDS or AML in the Duesseldorf MDS registry. Of those, 50 patients were previously diagnosed with multiple myeloma (mm-MDS/AML). We compared them to patients with de novo MDS (n = 4862) and to patients with MDS following other underlying diseases (tMDS) (n = 200). mm-MDS patients and tMDS patients showed similar karyotypes and degrees of cytopenia. However, mm-MDS patients had significantly higher blast counts and more often belonged to the high-risk group according to the International Prognostic Scoring System (IPSS) (bothp < 0.05). Although the rate of progression to AML was similar in mm-MDS and tMDS, both transformed significantly more often than de novo MDS (p < 0.05). Median overall survival of patients with mm-MDS (13 months; range: 1–99) and tMDS (13 months; range 0–160) was also similar yet significantly shorter than patients with de novo MDS (32 months; range 0–345 months; p < 0.05). Furthermore, survival of mm-MDS patients was not affected by myeloma activity. Despite significantly more high-risk disease and higher blast cell counts, myeloma-associated MDS-patients show features akin to other tMDS. Survival is similar to other tMDS and irrespective of myeloma remission status or transformation to AML. Thus, patient outcome is not determined by competing clones but rather by MDS governing the stem cell niche.
Inequality, public health, and COVID-19: an analysis of the Spanish case by municipalities
Authors: Amate-Fortes Ignacio , Guarnido-Rueda Almudena 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe main objective of this work is to analyze whether inequality in income distribution has an effect on COVID-19 incidence and mortality rates during the first wave of the pandemic, and how the public health system mitigates these effects. To this end, the case of 819 Spanish municipalities is used, and a linear cross-sectional model is estimated. The results obtained allow us to conclude that a higher level of income inequality generates a higher rate of infections but not deaths, highlighting the importance of the Spanish National Health Service, which does not distinguish by income level. Likewise, early detection of infection measured by the number of primary care centers per 100,000 inhabitants, access to health care for the treatment of the most severe cases, unemployment as a proxy for job insecurity, climatic conditions, and population density are also important factors that determine how COVID-19 affects the population.
The potential role of public gardens as sentinels of plant invasion
Authors: Culley Theresa M. , Dreisilker Kurt , Clair Ryan M. , Schuler Jessica A. , Cavallin Nadia , Gettig Roger , Havens Kayri , Landel Hans , Shultz Brittany 
Published: March 2022

AbstractPublic gardens can help prevent detrimental effects of plant invasions by collecting and sharing data on taxa spreading from cultivation early in the invasion process, thereby acting as sentinels of plant invasion. Existing initiatives have called for public gardens to adopt measures preventing plant invasion, but it is unclear what actions individual gardens are implementing, as there is no formal mechanism for communicating their progress. This study used internal lists of escaping taxa from seven public gardens in the Midwestern United States and Canada to demonstrate how public gardens can collectively contribute data that is critical to assessing potential invasiveness. It also reveals methodological differences in how gardens develop their lists of escaping plants, leading to recommendations for standardization. Data pooled across gardens yielded 769 species spreading from cultivation at one or more gardens. Eight woody species were listed by all gardens despite not consistently being recognized as invasive by states and provinces containing the gardens; some species recorded by multiple gardens did not appear on any invasive lists. While it may be premature to call taxa escaping from cultivation at a few public gardens “invasive” or even “potentially invasive”, these plants should be monitored and evaluated with this information shared to facilitate stronger conclusions about risk. Thus, public gardens have a unique expertise in assisting invasive plant efforts as sentinels, particularly if challenges related to methodological inconsistencies and data sharing are suitably addressed, which is herein recommended through the adoption of a set of standardized guidelines.
Robust output-feedback stabilization for incompressible flows using low-dimensional $$\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$$-controllers
Authors: Benner Peter , Heiland Jan , Werner Steffen W. R. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractOutput-based controllers are known to be fragile with respect to model uncertainties. The standard$$\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$$H∞-control theory provides a general approach to robust controller design based on the solution of the$$\mathcal {H}_{\infty }$$H∞-Riccati equations. In view of stabilizing incompressible flows in simulations, two major challenges have to be addressed: the high-dimensional nature of the spatially discretized model and the differential-algebraic structure that comes with the incompressibility constraint. This work demonstrates the synthesis of low-dimensional robust controllers with guaranteed robustness margins for the stabilization of incompressible flow problems. The performance and the robustness of the reduced-order controller with respect to linearization and model reduction errors are investigated and illustrated in numerical examples.
ScratchThAI: A conversation-based learning support framework for computational thinking development
Authors: Katchapakirin Kantinee , Anutariya Chutiporn , Supnithi Thepchai 
Published: March 2022

AbstractComputational Thinking (CT) has been formally incorporated into the National Curriculum of Thailand since 2017, where Scratch, a block-based visual programming language, has been widely adopted as CT learning environment for primary-level students. However, conducting hands-on coding activities in a classroom has caused substantial challenges including mixed-ability students in the same class, high student-teacher ratio and learning-hour limitation. This research proposes and develops ScratchThAI as a conversation-based learning support framework for computational thinking development to support both students and teachers. More specifically, it provides learning experiences tailored to individual needs. Students can learn CT concepts and practice online coding anywhere, anytime. Moreover, through its ScratChatbot, students can ask for CT concept explanations, coding syntax or practice exercises. Additional exercises may be assigned to students based on the diagnosed individual learning difficulties in a particular topic to provide possible and timely intervention. Teachers can track learning progress and performance of the whole class as well as of individuals through the dashboard and can take suitable intervention within limited school hours. Deploying ScratchThAI to several Thai schools has enabled this research to investigate its effectiveness in a school setting. The obtained results indicated positive teacher satisfaction, better learning performance and higher student engagement. Thus, ScratchThAI contributes as a possible and practical solution to CT skill development and CT education improvement under the aforementioned challenges in Thailand.
Ecotoxicity and fate of silver nanomaterial in an outdoor lysimeter study after twofold application by sewage sludge
Authors: Hoppe Martin , Köser Jan , Hund-Rinke Kerstin , Schlich Karsten 
Published: March 2022

AbstractThe increasing use of antibacterial silver nanomaterials (AgNM) in consumer products leads to their release into sewers. High amounts of AgNM become retained in sewage sludge, which causes their accumulation in agricultural soils when sewage sludge is applied as fertilizer. This increase in AgNM arouses concerns about toxicity to soil organisms and transfer within trophic levels. Long-term field studies simulating the sewage sludge pathway to soils are sparse, and the effects of a second sewage sludge application are unknown. In this perennial field lysimeter study, a twofold application of AgNM (NM-300K, 2 + 3 mg AgNM/kg dry matter soil (DMS)) and a onefold application of silver nitrate (AgNO3, 2 mg Ag/kg DMS) by sewage sludge to the uppermost 20 cm of the soil (Cambisol) were applied. The response of microorganisms to the applications was determined by measuring the inhibition of ammonium-oxidizing bacteria (AOB). Silver concentration in soil, leachates, and crops were measured after acid digestion by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Almost no vertical Ag translocation to deeper soil layers and negligible Ag release to leachates suggest that soil is a large sink for AgNM and AgNO3. For AgNM, an increase in toxicity to AOB was shown after the second sewage sludge application. The application of AgNO3 resulted in long-term toxicity comparable to the toxicity of AgNM. Low root uptake from both AgNM- and AgNO3-spiked lysimeters to crops indicates their incomplete immobilization, which is why food chain uptake cannot completely be excluded. However, the root-shoot barrier for wheat (9.8 → 0.1 mg/kg) and skin body barrier for sugar beets (1.0 → 0.2 mg/kg) will further reduce the accumulation within trophic levels. Moreover, the applied AgNM concentration was above the predicted environmental concentration, which is why the root uptake might be negligible in agricultural practice.
Exploring the psychological antecedents of private and public sphere behaviours to reduce household plastic consumption
Authors: Heidbreder Lea Marie , Tröger Josephine , Schmitt Manfred 
Published: March 2022

AbstractIn the last few years, plastic has become an issue of current interest as tremendous ecological effects from plastic littering have become visible. Taking the role of consumers into account, activities comprising purchasing decisions and political engagement are expected to help prevent plastic pollution. The goal of this study was to examine antecedents of three potential plastic reduction activities: purchasing, activism, and policy support. Based on well-established psychological models of pro-environmental behaviour (i.e. theory of planned behaviour, norm activation model), an online survey (N = 648) was administered and analysed via structural equation modelling. Results revealed that personal norms were a relevant predictor of all three intentions. Whereas sufficiency orientation and collective efficacy predicted only activism intention and policy support intention, perceived behavioural control was the strongest predictor of purchasing intentions. Regarding behaviour, people with high activism intentions and sufficiency orientation were more likely to choose a plastic-free incentive instead of the conventional shopping voucher. This study highlights psychological antecedents of plastic reduction. An integrated model showed that rational cost–benefit considerations as well as morality serve as drivers of reducing plastic consumption. Implications for the promotion of plastic-free consumption are discussed.
Disjunctivism and the Causal Conditions of Hallucination
Authors: Moran Alex 
Published: March 2022

AbstractDisjunctivists maintain that perceptual experiences and hallucinatory experiences are distinct kinds of event with different metaphysical natures. Moreover, given their view about the nature of perceptual cases, disjunctivists must deny that the perceptual kind of experience can occur during hallucination. However, it is widely held that disjunctivists must grant the converse claim, to the effect that the hallucinatory kind of experience occurs even during perception. This paper challenges that thought. As we will see, the argument for thinking that the hallucinatory kind of experience is present even in cases of perception depends on prior acceptance of a ‘non-demanding’ conception of hallucination, on which all it takes to produce an hallucinatory experience is to induce in the subject the right kind of neurological condition. On the view developed here, by contrast, there are substantive causal conditions, going beyond the mere occurrence of the right kind of neurological state, that must be met if an experience of the hallucinatory kind is to occur. By drawing on this view, I argue, disjunctivists can deny that the kind of experience involved in hallucination ever occurs during perception. This then allows disjunctivists to avoid certain important problems they would otherwise face. It also leaves them with considerably more freedom when it comes to theorising about the nature of hallucinatory experience.
Optimization of magnetic properties of BaTiO3/Li0.5Fe2.5O4 multiferroics prepared via modified low-temperature combustion
Authors: Imam N. G. , AbouHasswa Mennatallah , Ali Ahmed I. , Okasha N. 
Published: March 2022

AbstractMultiferroic (x)BaTiO3/(1 − x)Li0.5Fe2.5O4 (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 1) perovskite/spinel nanocomposite was synthesized using a modified citrate auto-combustion method. Both BaTiO3 (BTO) and Li0.5Fe2.5O4 (LFO) phases along with their composites were successfully characterized using X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy, and X-ray absorption fine structure spectroscopy. The nanoscale, morphology, and magnetic properties were imaged and acquired using high resolution transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and vibrating sample magnetometer. Synchrotron radiation-based elemental selective XAFS technique was performed around Fe K-edge to obtain the selective and the detailed local structural information of Li0.5Fe2.5O4 nanoparticles (NPs). The main remarkable result in this work is the enhancement in the coercivity (HC) of LFO NPs after compositing with BTO particularly at x = 0.6, and at x = 0.8. Based on the collected results, BTO/LFO nanocomposite can be seen as a good candidate for different technological applications including magnetically modulated piezoelectric, safety rechargeable batteries, and multilayer ceramic capacitor.