bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
Small grant subsidy application effects on productivity improvement: evidence from Japanese SMEs
Authors: Takahashi Kohei , Hashimoto Yuki 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
This study examines the effects of a small grants subsidy on small- and medium-sized enterprises’ (SMEs) productivity. Using rich Japanese firm-level data, we analyze the effects of both applying for and receiving subsidies. We employ a sharp regression discontinuity design for the receipt effects and a difference-in-differences (DID) design for the application effects. The result shows that there are no statistically significant changes in likelihood after receiving the subsidy. By contrast, applicants experienced higher productivity and sales growth than non-applicants. These positive effects are most obvious in post-entry firms whose operating years are 6–10 years in the service sector. These results are robustly confirmed using a DID model with propensity score matching, controlling for both pre-intervention levels and trends in the outcome. Our findings imply that the subsidy application process with external support fosters entrepreneurship for firms that have survived the first 5 years after start-up, leading to their growth.
Identification of genes associated with environmental persistence in Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli isolates from processing in a broiler abattoir
Authors: Carbonero A. , Maldonado-Iniesta A. , Trujillo Y. , Perea J. , Riofrío M. , Garcia-Bocanegra I. , Borge C. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe aim of this study was to determine the prevalence of the htrA, htrB and ppk1 genes -all of which are related to environmental persistence- in C. jejuni and C. coli isolates obtained from abattoir samples at the arrival of broilers (initial stage) and in meat products after processing (final stage). A total of 119 DNA extracts (55 C. jejuni and 64 C. coli) were included in the study. Identification of genes was performed by conventional PCR (one for each gene). The overall prevalence was 40.3%, 93.3% and 68.9% for the htrA, htrB and ppk1 genes, respectively. Statistically significant differences were found (p < 0.05) between prevalence of C. jejuni and C. coli for all three genes. In C. coli the prevalence was significantly higher for the htrA (p = 0.007) and htrB (p = 0.015) genes, while ppk1 gene prevalence was significantly higher in C. jejuni (p < 0.001). In addition, statistically significant increase in the frequency of htrA (p = 0.007) and htrB (p = 0.013) genes in the final product compared to broilers on arrival at the abattoir was observed in C. jejuni, but not in C. coli. These results suggest that htrA and htrB genes are involved in environmental persistence of Campylobacter jejuni.
Win-Win: Anthropogenic circularity for metal criticality and carbon neutrality
Authors: Zeng Xianlai 
Published: September 2022

AbstractResource depletion and environmental degradation have fueled a burgeoning discipline of anthropogenic circularity since the 2010s. It generally consists of waste reuse, remanufacturing, recycling, and recovery. Circular economy and “zero-waste” cities are sweeping the globe in their current practices to address the world’s grand concerns linked to resources, the environment, and industry. Meanwhile, metal criticality and carbon neutrality, which have become increasingly popular in recent years, denote the material’s feature and state, respectively. The goal of this article is to determine how circularity, criticality, and neutrality are related. Upscale anthropogenic circularity has the potential to expand the metal supply and, as a result, reduce metal criticality. China barely accomplished 15 % of its potential emission reduction by recycling iron, copper, and aluminum. Anthropogenic circularity has a lot of room to achieve a win-win objective, which is to reduce metal criticality while also achieving carbon neutrality in a near closed-loop cycle. Major barriers or challenges for conducting anthropogenic circularity are deriving from the inadequacy of life-cycle insight governance and the emergence of anthropogenic circularity discipline. Material flow analysis and life cycle assessment are the central methodologies to identify the hidden problems. Mineral processing and smelting, as well as end-of-life management, are indicated as critical priority areas for enhancing anthropogenic circularity.
Georgia and the Black Sea: Risks, Resilience and Opportunities
Authors: Khokrishvili Elguja , Lebanidze Bidzina 
Published: September 2022

AbstractBy unpacking major views of and dynamics towards the Black Sea region from the Georgian perspective, this analysis addresses two questions: What are Georgia’s key perceptions of the Black Sea region? And which role does the Black Sea play in strengthening Georgia’s economic and security resilience in a quickly changing environment marked by geopolitical and geo-economic competition? The article concludes with thoughts on the region’s future and the role of the EU, Georgia’s closest partner, in it.
2nd order approximate Noether and Lie symmetries of Gibbons–Maeda–Garfinkle–Horowitz–Strominger charged black hole in the Einstein frame
Authors: Liaqat Asia , Hussain Ibrar 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIn this paper, approximate Noether and Lie symmetries of 2nd order for Gibbons–Maeda–Garfinkle–Horowitz–Strominger (GMGHS) charged black hole in the Einstein frame are analyzed comprehensively. To explore the approximate Noether symmetries of 2nd order, Noether symmetries of Minkowski spacetime are used which forms a 17 dimensional Lie algebra. It is observed that no new approximate Noether symmetry is obtained at 1st and 2nd order. To examine the 1st and 2nd order approximate Lie symmetries of the GMGHS black hole spacetime, 35 Lie symmetries (exact) of the Minkowski spacetime are used which forms an algebra sl(6, R). It is shown that no new approximate Lie symmetry exists at 1st and 2nd order and only exact 35 symmetries are recouped as trivial approximate Lie symmetries at both orders. Furthermore, no energy rescaling factor is seen in this spacetime.
Monitoring Progression of Diabetic Nephropathy Using T1- and T2-Weighted Imaging: An Animal Study
Authors: Huang Chen-Hui , Hung San-Ho , Chen Po-Chou , Tsai Ling-Jen , Kuo Shyh-Ming , Hwang Lian-Chyr 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Purpose
Currently, diabetes and the consequent DN are considered a major public health issue. However, the mechanism of DN and its treatment require further clarification. This study proposed noninvasive T1-weighted (T1W) and T2-weighted (T2W) MRI protocols for the longitudinal assessment of kidney disease progression after DN induction in Sprague Dawley (SD) rats.

Methods
The changes in MRI image indices over time between control and DN SD rats were investigated. The volumes of the bilateral kidneys and the signals intensities (SIs) of the bilateral kidneys, renal pelvis, renal cortex, and renal medulla on turbo spin echo T1W and T2W images were obtained to observe DN progression in the rat kidneys.

Results
The results indicated that the edges of kidneys were clearer and sharper in the DN rats than in the control rats. The time-varying SIs of the bilateral whole kidneys, renal cortex, renal pelvis, and renal medulla on T1W and T2W images were significantly larger in the DN rats than in the control rats. Moreover, the volumes of both the left and right kidneys were significantly larger in the DN rats than in the control rats.

Conclusion
High-quality T1W and T2W images can be used to assess DN progression in SD rats’ kidney. Our results might be applicable to clinical routine diagnostic examinations that may improve diagnostic accuracy. Further development of the MRI technology for early DN detection and treatment is warranted.
A Middle Pleistocene Butchery Site at Great Yeldham, Essex, UK: Identifying Butchery Strategies and Implications for Mammalian Faunal History
Authors: Parfitt Simon A. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThis paper discusses the evidence relating to an assemblage of Pleistocene bones and teeth discovered in a brick pit at Great Yeldham, Essex, in the late nineteenth century. Surviving elements from this collection, which include a bison foot bone with cut-marks, are now in the British Geological Survey Museum, Keyworth. A re-examination of this collection suggests that humans were present at the site during a temperate period in the earlier part of the late Middle Pleistocene. The cut-marks suggest that the hind foot was detached and discarded as butchery waste at the death site. Finally, the paper discusses the implications of humanly modified bones for understanding aspects of early human behaviour and distribution in Britain, which have hitherto largely centred around the study of stone tools.
Why non-technical skills matter in surgery. New paradigms for surgical leaders
Authors: Cobianchi Lorenzo , Dal Mas Francesca , Verde Juan Manuel , Garcia-Vazquez Alain , Martellucci Jacopo , Swanstrom Lee , Ansaloni Luca 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe surgical literature is paying more and more attention to the topic of soft or non-technical skills (NTS), defined as those cognitive and social skills that characterize high-performing individuals and teams. NTS are essential in supporting surgeons in dealing with unexpected situations. During the COVID-19 pandemic, NTS have been considered crucial in defining situation awareness, enhancing decision making, communicating among groups and teams, and fostering leadership. With a “looking back and planning forward” approach, the current perspective aims at deepening the contribution of NTS for surgeons to deal with the unexpected challenges posed by the COVID crisis, surgical emergencies, the introduction of new technologies in clinical practice, to understand how such skills may help shape the surgical leaders of the future.
Full classification of dynamics for one-dimensional continuous-time Markov chains with polynomial transition rates
Authors: Xu Chuang , Hansen Mads Christian , Wiuf Carsten 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThis paper provides a full classification of the dynamics for continuous-time Markov chains (CTMCs) on the nonnegative integers with polynomial transition rate functions and without arbitrary large backward jumps. Such stochastic processes are abundant in applications, in particular in biology. More precisely, for CTMCs of bounded jumps, we provide necessary and sufficient conditions in terms of calculable parameters for explosivity, recurrence versus transience, positive recurrence versus null recurrence, certain absorption, and implosivity. Simple sufficient conditions for exponential ergodicity of stationary distributions and quasi-stationary distributions as well as existence and nonexistence of moments of hitting times are also obtained. Similar simple sufficient conditions for the aforementioned dynamics together with their opposite dynamics are established for CTMCs with unbounded forward jumps. Finally, we apply our results to stochastic reaction networks, an extended class of branching processes, a general bursty single-cell stochastic gene expression model, and population processes, none of which are birth–death processes. The approach is based on a mixture of Lyapunov–Foster-type results, the classical semimartingale approach, and estimates of stationary measures.
Feasibility of telemedicine research visits in people with Parkinson’s disease residing in medically underserved areas
Authors: Virmani Tuhin , Lotia Mitesh , Glover Aliyah , Pillai Lakshmi , Kemp Aaron S. , Iyer Anu , Farmer Phillip , Syed Shorabuddin , Larson-Prior Linda J. , Prior Fred W. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIntroduction:Gait, balance, and cognitive impairment make travel cumbersome for People with Parkinson’s disease (PwPD). About 75% of PwPD cared for at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences’ Movement Disorders Clinic reside in medically underserved areas (MUAs). Validated remote evaluations could help improve their access to care. Our goal was to explore the feasibility of telemedicine research visits for the evaluation of multi-modal function in PwPD in a rural state.Methods:In-home telemedicine research visits were performed in PwPD. Motor and non-motor disease features were evaluated and quantified by trained personnel, digital survey instruments for self-assessments, digital voice recordings, and scanned and digitized Archimedes spiral drawings. Participant’s MUA residence was determined after evaluations were completed.Results:Twenty of the fifty PwPD enrolled resided in MUAs. The groups were well matched for disease duration, modified motor UPDRS, and Montreal Cognitive assessment scores but MUA participants were younger. Ninety-two percent were satisfied with their visit, and 61% were more likely to participate in future telemedicine research. MUA participants traveled longer distances, with higher travel costs, lower income, and education level. While 50% of MUA participants reported self-reliance for in-person visits, 85% reported self-reliance for the telemedicine visit. We rated audio-video quality highly in approximately 60% of visits in both groups. There was good correlation with prior in-person research assessments in a subset of participants.Conclusions:In-home research visits for PwPD in MUAs are feasible and could help improve access to care and research participation in these traditionally underrepresented populations.
Eradication of Commelina benghalensis in a long-term experiment using a multistakeholder governance model: a case of regulatory concerns defeating ecological management success
Authors: Leon Ramon G. , Creamer Nancy , Reberg-Horton S. Chris , Franzluebbers Alan J. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractTropical spiderwort (Commelina benghalensis L.) is a noxious invasive species and was detected in a long-term experiment in a research farm in Goldsboro, NC. A multistakeholder governance model was used to address the invasion of this species. Regulators insisted on the use of fumigation in all fields, but after intense negotiations, a multi-tier eradication plan was designed and implemented, allowing fumigation outside the long-term experiment and a combination of integrated approaches (including physical removal) and intense monitoring and mapping for long-term experimental fields. In the long-term experiment, C. benghalensis populations decreased logarithmically from more than 50,000 plants in approximately 80 ha in 2005 to 19 plants in less than 1 ha in 2019, with a projection of full eradication by 2024. Despite these results, which were considered to be proof of successful ecological management by university researchers, regulators decided to fumigate the fields containing the remaining 19 plants. This decision was made because regulators considered factors such as professional liability and control efficacy. This created serious disagreements between the different stakeholders who participated in the design of the original plan. Despite the goodwill all parties exhibited at the beginning of the governance process, there were important shortcomings that likely contributed to the disagreements at the end. For example, the plan did not include specific milestones, and there was no clarity about what acceptable progress was based on (i.e., plant numbers or the rate of population decline). Also, no financial limits were established, which made administrators concerned about the financial burden the eradication program had become over time. Multistakeholder governance can effectively address plant invasions, but proper definition of progress and the point at which the program must be modified are critical for success, and all this must be done within a governance model that balances power in the decision-making process.
Consumption of ultra-processed foods and growth outcomes in early childhood: 2015 Pelotas Birth Cohort
Authors: Costa Caroline dos Santos , Buffarini Romina , Flores Thaynã Ramos , Neri Daniela , Freitas Silveira Mariângela , Monteiro Carlos Augusto 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe current study aims to describe the consumption of ultra-processed foods, from 2 to 4 years old, and evaluate its association with growth outcomes during the same period. It is a prospective cohort study using data from the 2015 Pelotas-Brazil Birth Cohort. Outcomes assessed at the 2- and 4-year-old follow-ups were BMI-for-ageZ-score and length/height-for-ageZ-score. The exposure was a score of ultra-processed food consumption calculated at each follow-up by summing up the positive answers for the consumption of nine specific items/subgroups of ultra-processed foods: (i) instant noodles; (ii) soft drink; (iii) chocolate powder in milk; (iv) nuggets, hamburger or sausages; (v) packaged salty snacks; (vi) candies, lollipops, chewing gum, chocolate or jelly; (vii) sandwich cookie or sweet biscuit; (viii) juice in can or box or prepared from a powdered mix and (ix) yogurt. Crude and adjusted analyses between the score of ultra-processed foods and the outcomes were run using generalised estimating equations. Prevalence of consumption of ultra-processed foods increased from 2 to 4 years old, for all evaluated items/subgroups, except yogurt. In prospective analyses, higher scores of ultra-processed food consumption were associated with higher BMI-for-ageZ-score and lower length/height-for-ageZ-score, after adjustment for confounders. Ultra-processed food consumption, measured using a short questionnaire with low research burden, increased from 2 to 4 years old and was related to deleterious growth outcomes in early childhood. These results reinforce the importance of avoiding the consumption of these products in childhood to prevent the double burden of malnutrition and non-communicable chronic diseases throughout the life.
WHAT STATES SAY AND DO ABOUT LEGAL STABILITY AND MARITIME ZONES, AND WHY IT MATTERS
Authors: Anggadi Frances 
Published: September 2022

AbstractStates increasingly refer to ‘legal stability’ in connection with maritime zones, amidst concern to preserve their jurisdictional rights in the face of climate-change induced sea-level rise. Yet such a claim for preservation is at odds with the widely-expressed scholarly view that baselines, and their associated maritime zones, ‘ambulate’ with coastal changes. This article interrogates this tension by focussing on the understudied notion of legal stability as it relates to maritime zones, under the international law of the sea. The article examines the development of the term ‘legal stability’ in the discourse of States (what States say) and contends that a claim for the stability of maritime zones should be seen as an expression of the long-standing value placed on legal stability by States in the system of maritime zones. Further, the article presents the results of a global study of States’ implementation of the normal baseline in domestic legislation (what States do). The results show that many States have taken practical measures to secure legal stability for their normal baselines within their domestic frameworks, suggesting that existing international law may accommodate a greater degree of stability than widely appreciated. The article concludes by asserting that these findings matter not only for how we should receive States’ claims for maritime zone preservation on the basis of legal stability, but also prompts reconsideration of our overall understanding of the existing law on baselines and maritime zones.
A comparative study on the quality attributes, phenolic content and antioxidant activity of cultivated and wild asparagus as influenced by seasonal variations
Authors: Alan O. , Turk B. , Sen F. 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe wild asparagus Asparagus acutifolius L. is common in the Mediterranean Basin. Wild asparagus spears are an important food source within their native range, and can be used as a sustainable nutrition source. In addition, interest has risen in wild relative species of Asparagus as a source of genetic improvement in Asparagus officinalis L. In this study, the quality traits (spear colour, total soluble solid content, dry matter content and chlorophyll and sugar fractions) and health-related compounds (total phenolics and antioxidant capacity) of fresh spears of wild and cultivated asparagus grown in Turkey were compared using the same three harvest periods for two consecutive years. The results of this study indicated that spears of wild asparagus contained a higher level of greenness (–a*), hue angle, total soluble solid, dry matter, chlorophyll, sugars, total phenolic content and antioxidant activity, compared to cultivated asparagus. Although there was no significant difference in the total soluble solid, glucose, sucrose and antioxidant activity in the contents of the spears of both species throughout the season, the colour, dry matter, chlorophyll, fructose, total sugar and total phenolic content were subject to seasonal variations. Colour, chlorophyll and total phenolic content showed some minor fluctuations over the course of the season, but the patterns of fructose and total sugar differed, which tended to increase throughout the harvest season. The present work suggests greater quality traits and biochemical compounds of the spears of A. acutifolius compared with those of commonly cultivated species.
Caulleryaspis chicosciencei: a new species from Brazil (Annelida, Sternaspidae)
Authors: Craveiro Nykon , Rosa Filho José Souto 
Published: September 2022

AbstractOne new species of Caulleryaspis Sendall & Salazar-Vallejo, 2013 (Annelida: Sternaspidae), C. chicosciencei sp. nov., is described based on material collected in north-eastern Brazil. Specimens were collected in muddy bottoms in the Suape estuary complex in 7–16 m water depth. Caulleryaspis chicosciencei sp. nov. differs from the other known species by the combination of the following characters: small size, abundant cirriform papillae evenly distributed throughout body; chaetigers of introvert with 18–21 falcate hooks per bundle; ventral shield without ribs and undeveloped concentric lines, covered by long cirriform papillae with sediment particles adhered; marginal chaetal fascicles include eight lateral shield chaetae in an oval arrangement, and six posterior shield chaetae in slightly curved pattern. Caulleryaspis chicosciencei sp. nov. is the first species of the genus Caulleryaspis described from Brazil and it increases the number of sternaspids recorded from shallow water in the south-western Atlantic Ocean.
Tourism worlding: Collective becoming in East Greenland
Authors: Chimirri Daniela , Ren Carina 
Published: September 2022

AbstractIn this article, we explore tourism development as an ongoing becoming-with and in the world. We draw on Haraway’s concept of worlding to describe the coming together of tourism not as a solitary or industry-related endeavour, but as entangled. We introduce the analytical concepts of frictions, companions and string figures to exemplify and discuss what this looks like when stepping closer to the tinkering with tourism. The article illustrates and discusses ways to re-conceptualise tourism development not as a simple solution to local problem, but as world-making in tension. We abstain from identifying “good” tourism and claims of how to pursue ways to “fix” tourism, instead tending to how tourism actors imagine and tinker with and around tourism towards more livable futures in a turbulent terrain.