bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025_split huggingface dataset:
The Impact of Covid-19 Pandemic towards the Resilience of Small Medium Enterprises (SMEs) in Malaysia
Authors: Rashid M F , Yusoff N S , Kamarudin K H 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The Covid-19 pandemic has impacted the entire world dramatically. The unprecedented Covid-19 pandemic has widely impacted on Malaysia’s economy, especially towards the small-scale economic activities related to the small medium enterprises (SMEs). Therefore, this paper aims to determine the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic towards the resilience of SMEs in Johor, Malaysia. The research methodology employed a quantitative method through a survey method via questionnaire sampling of 60 owners involved in SMEs operators across the case study. The research finding indicated that the Covid-19 pandemic had a massive influence on the economy of the majority of SMEs operators, especially on their income generations which average losses in revenue of more than 50 percent during the Covid-19 pandemic compared to 2019. This resulted from the shutdown of their business activities to curb the spread of the Covid-19 pandemic. Other findings highlighted that the government’s initiatives to address the economic impact of SMEs yet insufficient to sustain business activities and income generations for instance access to financing facilities, product marketing opportunities and others. Therefore, required immediate initiatives should be made by all the stakeholders to reduce the economic impacts among the SMEs.
Disabled-Friendly Public Spaces in Covid 19 Pandemic: Improving Service Facilities and Accessibility based on the User‘s Perception in Alun-Alun Batu City
Authors: Purnamasari Wulan Dwi , Hanun Izdihar Farah , Sasongko Wisnu , Parlindungan Johannes 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
An inclusive and easily accessible public space, including for persons with disabilities, is one of the goals contained in the SDGs by 2030. The Batu City Government has tried to create a friendly public space by providing facilities and utilities that make it easier for people with disabilities to access it seen on Alun-Alun Batu. The ongoing covid 19 pandemic causes limited visits to Alun-Alun Batu and affects the condition of existing facilities. This research aims to develop the concept of facilities and accessibility based on the perception of disabled users. The analytical methods in this research are the perception assessment of disabled users with IPA analysis and the conformity assessment method according to the current pandemic conditions. The results show that out of 16 facilities, half of the facilities are in unsuitable condition and other facilities are not suitable for disabled users. The priority of upgrading facilities are objects in quadrants I IPA which consists of toilets, traffic parks, carousel, and gazebos/smoking areas. The second priority is facilities located in quadrant II such as parking lots, playgrounds, Ferris wheels, and offices. And the third priority is for facilities located in quadrant III IPA such as dancing fountains, stage performances, seats, rubbish bin, and tourism information.
The role of printed electronics and related technologies in the development of smart connected products
Authors: Buga C S , Viana J C 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
The emergence of novel materials with flexible and stretchable characteristics, and the use of new processing technologies, have allowed for the development of new connected devices and applications. Using printed electronics, traditional electronic elements are being combined with flexible components and allowing for the development of new smart connected products. As a result, devices that are capable of sensing, actuating, and communicating remotely while being low-cost, lightweight, conformable, and easily customizable are already being developed. Combined with the expansion of the Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, and encryption algorithms, the overall attractiveness of these technologies has prompted new applications to appear in almost every sector. The exponential technological development is currently allowing for the ‘smartification’ of cities, manufacturing, healthcare, agriculture, logistics, among others. In this review article, the steps towards this transition are approached, starting from the conceptualization of smart connected products and their main markets. The manufacturing technologies are then presented, with focus on printing-based ones, compatible with organic materials. Finally, each one of the printable components is presented and some applications are discussed.
Multi-round QAOA and advanced mixers on a trapped-ion quantum computer
Authors: Zhu Yingyue , Zhang Zewen , Sundar Bhuvanesh , Green Alaina M , Huerta Alderete C , Nguyen Nhung H , Hazzard Kaden R A , Linke Norbert M 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Combinatorial optimization problems on graphs have broad applications in science and engineering. The quantum approximate optimization algorithm (QAOA) is a method to solve these problems on a quantum computer by applying multiple rounds of variational circuits. However, there exist several challenges limiting the application of QAOA to real-world problems. In this paper, we demonstrate on a trapped-ion quantum computer that QAOA results improve with the number of rounds for multiple problems on several arbitrary graphs. We also demonstrate an advanced mixing Hamiltonian that allows sampling of all optimal solutions with predetermined weights. Our results are a step toward applying quantum algorithms to real-world problems.
Analog quantum approximate optimization algorithm
Authors: Barraza Nancy , Alvarado Barrios Gabriel , Peng Jie , Lamata Lucas , Solano Enrique , Albarrán-Arriagada Francisco 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
We present an analog version of the quantum approximate optimization algorithm suitable for current quantum annealers. The central idea of this algorithm is to optimize the schedule function, which defines the adiabatic evolution. It is achieved by choosing a suitable parametrization of the schedule function based on interpolation methods for a fixed time, with the potential to generate any function. This algorithm provides an approximate result of optimization problems that may be developed during the coherence time of current quantum annealers on their way toward quantum advantage.
High-resolution real-space evaluation of the self-energy operator of disordered lattices: Gade singularity, spin–orbit effects and p-wave superconductivity
Authors: João S M , Viana Parente Lopes J M , Ferreira Aires 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Disorder is a key factor influencing the behavior of condensed states of matter, however the true extent of its impact is generally difficult to determine due to the prominent roles played by quantum interference, entanglement between spin and orbital degrees of freedom and proximity to quantum critical points. Here we show that the one-particle disorder self-energy—a direct probe of the renormalization of low-energy excitations due to defects and impurities distributed randomly in a crystal—can be obtained by means of unbiased spectral expansions of lattice Green’s functions in a computationally expedient manner. Our scheme provides a powerful framework to map out the frequency and wavevector dependence of electronic excitations in unprecedented large tight-binding systems, up to 109 orbitals, with energy resolution only limited by the mean level spacing. We demonstrate the versatility of our approach in three distinct problems: (i) the Gade singularity in honeycomb layers with dilute topological defects; (ii) the rich landscape of impurity resonances in a spin–orbit-coupled ferromagnet; and (iii) the tailoring of emergent s-wave and p-wave superconducting phases in graphene via atomic defects. These examples reveal rich features in the disorder self-energy

Σ

dis

(

k

,
ω
)

that are absent from the self-consistent T-matrix approach and other common approximation schemes, which include regimes of nontrivial wavevector dependence and anomalous dependence upon the impurity concentration. Our study unravels puzzling, and so far largely inaccessible, manifestations of strong nonperturbative quantum interference effects in quantum materials and disordered phases of matter.
Physics-AI symbiosis
Authors: Jalali Bahram , Zhou Yiming , Kadambi Achuta , Roychowdhury Vwani 
Published: September 2022

AbstractThe phenomenal success of physics in explaining nature and engineering machines is predicated on low dimensional deterministic models that accurately describe a wide range of natural phenomena. Physics provides computational rules that govern physical systems and the interactions of the constituents therein. Led by deep neural networks, artificial intelligence (AI) has introduced an alternate data-driven computational framework, with astonishing performance in domains that do not lend themselves to deterministic models such as image classification and speech recognition. These gains, however, come at the expense of predictions that are inconsistent with the physical world as well as computational complexity, with the latter placing AI on a collision course with the expected end of the semiconductor scaling known as Moore’s Law. This paper argues how an emerging symbiosis of physics and AI can overcome such formidable challenges, thereby not only extending AI’s spectacular rise but also transforming the direction of engineering and physical science.
The generalised Hausdorff measure of sets of Dirichlet non-improvable numbers
Authors: Bos Philip , Hussain Mumtaz , Simmons David 
Published: September 2022

Let

ψ
:

R

+

→

R

+

\psi :\mathbb {R}_+\to \mathbb {R}_+

be a non-increasing function. A real number

x
x

is said to be

ψ
\psi

-Dirichlet improvable if the system

|

q
x
−
p

|

>
ψ
(
t
)

and

|

q

|

>
t

\begin{equation*} |qx-p|> \psi (t) \ \ {\text {and}} \ \ |q|>t \end{equation*}

has a non-trivial integer solution for all large enough

t
t

. Denote the collection of such points by

D
(
ψ
)

D(\psi )

. In this paper, we prove a zero-infinity law valid for all dimension functions under natural non-restrictive conditions. Some of the consequences are zero-infinity laws, for all essentially sublinear dimension functions proved by Hussain-Kleinbock-Wadleigh-Wang [Mathematika 64 (2018), pp. 502–518], for some non-essentially sublinear dimension functions, and for all dimension functions but with a growth condition on the approximating function.
The effect of spatial and temporal scale on camouflage in North African rodents
Authors: Macedo Tiago , Carlos Campos João , Nokelainen Ossi , Scott-Samuel Nicholas E , Boratyński Zbyszek 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
Background matching, a common form of camouflage, is a widespread anti-predator adaptation that hinders detection or recognition by increasing the resemblance of prey to its environment. However, the natural environment is complex and both spatially and temporally variable, which constrains effective background matching as an anti-predator strategy. Here, using remote sensing data (publicly available satellite imagery), we investigated how variation of habitat parameters predicts background matching in 16 Sahara–Sahel rodent species across spatial and temporal scales. All fur colour parameters (hue, saturation and brightness) strongly matched the respective habitats of the different species. Background matching in terms of hue was best at the microscale, whereas results for saturation and brightness showed more variation across spatial scales among species. Camouflage across the temporal scale (from 1 to 3 years before capture) was variable among species for all colour parameters. These complex interactions suggest that, in desert rodents, colour parameters are differentially sensitive to the respective scale of the habitat, plausibly reflecting the behaviour and life history of the species and the ecological properties determining their activity patterns. Consequently, the division between habitat (camouflage) generalists and specialists might become blurred in temporally changing and spatially variable environments.
Peripheral financialisation and monopoly capitalism in Nigeria: the case of the Dangote Business Group
Authors: Itaman Richard , Wolf Christina 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
This article examines financialisation of non-financial corporations (NFCs) in developing countries using the example of the Dangote Business Group in Nigeria, the largest conglomerate on the Nigeria Stock Exchange (NSE). Our findings suggest that Nigeria is characterised by a financialisation process, where speculative activities expand in banking and capital markets, but not in manufacturing NFCs. Macro-financialisation in banking and capital markets does little to provide finance for Nigeria’s manufacturing NFCs. In the face of insufficient financing from banks and the capital market, NFCs rely on internal funding and trade credit within diversified business groups (DBGs). At the firm level, the financial accounts of Nigerian manufacturing NFCs such as the Dangote Group show weak evidence of speculative financial activities and high levels of investment in productive capacity. This results from a combination of volatile capital markets with excessive risk for NFCs and profitable opportunities in the real economy. While these two factors curtail the negative implications of speculative macro-financial activities, monopoly capitalist concentration processes in DBGs work to undermine effective demand through the disproportionate allocation of profit at the expense of wages.
Big tech and platform-enabled multinational corporate capital(ism): the socialisation of capital, and the private appropriation of social value
Authors: Pitelis Christos 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
I explore the relationship between theory and prediction in political economy and organisational economics, employing the works of Keith Cowling and Stephen Hymer as case examples of prediction-aiding good theory. I develop the insights of the two scholars by leveraging key ideas from classical economics and applying the result to the platform-enabled, market-assisted organisational economy. Based on that I suggest that the emergence and rise of platform-enabled Big Tech, unicorns and the ‘sharing economy’ are both aligned with and partly predictable. I go on to hazard some further predictions about the future of the corporation and capitalism and discuss research opportunities.
The Effects of Tax Changes on Economic Activity: A Narrative Approach to Frequent Anticipations
Authors: García-Uribe Sandra 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
This paper studies the effects of anticipations of tax changes on economic activity through the release of tax news in the media in the United States. I provide a measure of anticipations by exploiting the content of television news. This information typically flows faster than standard measures of gross domestic product, thus I propose a mixed frequency dynamic factor model to estimate both the economic activity latent factor and the effects of anticipated tax shocks on it. I find that one-month-ahead anticipations of tax cuts significantly stimulate current economic activity while those of tax increases produce the opposite effect.
Nonessential tRNA and rRNA modifications impact the bacterial response to sub-MIC antibiotic stress
Authors: Babosan Anamaria , Fruchard Louna , Krin Evelyne , Carvalho André , Mazel Didier , Baharoglu Zeynep 
Published: September 2022

AbstractAntimicrobial resistance develops as a major problem in infectious diseases treatment. While antibiotic resistance mechanisms are usually studied using lethal antibiotic doses, lower doses allowing bacterial growth are now considered as factors influencing the development and selection of resistance. Starting with a high-density Tn insertion library in Vibrio cholerae and following its evolution by TN-seq in the presence of subinhibitory concentrations of antibiotics, we discovered that RNA modification genes can have opposite fates, being selected or counter-selected. We, thus have undertaken the phenotypic characterization of 23 transfer RNA (tRNA) and ribosomal RNA (rRNA) modifications deletion mutants, for which growth is globally not affected in the absence of stress. We uncover a specific involvement of different RNA modification genes in the response to aminoglycosides (tobramycin and gentamicin), fluoroquinolones (ciprofloxacin), β-lactams (carbenicillin), chloramphenicol, and trimethoprim. Our results identify t/rRNA modification genes, not previously associated to any antibiotic resistance phenotype, as important factors affecting the bacterial response to low doses of antibiotics from different families. This suggests differential translation and codon decoding as critical factors involved in the bacterial response to stress.
Leucine Intake and Risk of Impaired Physical Function and Frailty in Older Adults
Authors: Vega-Cabello Veronica , Caballero Francisco Felix , Rodriguez-Artalejo Fernando , Lopez-Garcia Esther , Struijk Ellen A 
Published: September 2022

AbstractBackgroundLeucine is suggested to play a central role in age-related physical decline, but the effect of dietary leucine intake on physical functioning is uncertain. We examined the prospective association between dietary leucine intake and impaired lower-extremity function (ILEF) and frailty in older adults.MethodsWe used data from 2 956 adults aged ≥60 and older from the Seniors-ENRICA cohort. At baseline (2008–2010) and in 2012, dietary information was obtained with a validated computerized face-to-face diet history, from which energy-adjusted cumulative leucine intake per body weight was calculated. Participants were followed up through 2017 to assess incident ILEF, ascertained with the Short Physical Performance Battery, and incident frailty, according to the Fried phenotype criteria. Statistical analysis was performed with Cox models adjusted for the main potential confounders.ResultsDuring follow-up, we identified 515 incident cases of ILEF and 241 of frailty. Compared with participants in the lowest tertile of leucine intake (35.5–89.0 mg/kg/d), those in the highest tertile (107.4–372.5 mg/kg/d) had a lower risk of ILEF (fully adjusted hazard ratio [95% confidence interval]: 0.70 [0.53–0.93], p trend: .01) and of frailty (0.63 [0.41–0.96], p trend: .03]. A higher consumption of important sources of leucine in this population, including unprocessed beef, oily and white fish, and bread, were also associated with a lower risk of incident ILEF and frailty.ConclusionsHigher leucine intake was associated with reduced risk of ILEF and frailty. Dietary leucine, obtained from foods rich in high-quality protein, could be a key nutrient to prevent age-related physical function decline in older adults.
An evaluation of the ‘bottom-up’ implementation of the Active at school! programme in Quebec, Canada
Authors: Gosselin Véronique , Robitaille Noémie , Laberge Suzanne 
Published: September 2022

Summary
The lack of physical activity (PA) amongst children is a public health concern in many industrialized countries. School-based daily physical activity (DPA) policies are a promising intervention for increasing PA levels amongst children. Informed by a logic model framework, this study examines the factors associated with meeting a ‘top-down’ DPA objective in the context of a ‘bottom-up’ implementation of a school-based DPA initiative in Quebec, Canada. An online survey assessing school-level inputs, outputs and outcomes was sent to all participating schools (415). Crude odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using logistic regression to evaluate potential associations between factors (inputs and outputs) and the school’s adherence to providing at least 60 minutes of DPA (outcome). Adjusted ORs (AORs) and 95% CIs were calculated using a multivariate logistic regression to identify the best set of factors to predict adherence to the DPA objective. A total of 404 schools completed the questionnaire, amongst which 71% reported meeting the DPA target by implementing school-tailored activities. Three factors were identified as the best set of school inputs and outputs to predict meeting the objective: financial resources (per student) (AOR = 1.02; 95% CI 1.01–1.03), a shared vision amongst the school-team members that PA benefits learning outcomes (AOR = 1.94; 95% CI 1.04–3.19) and having conducted a detailed situational analysis (AOR = 1.89; 95% CI 1.00–3.58). Given that ‘bottom-up’ implementation might favour the development of policies that are more acceptable to stakeholders, our results should be considered by decision-makers and school administrators when implementing DPA initiatives.
‘Time’ in Refugee Status Determination in Australia and the United Kingdom: A Clear and Present Danger from Armed Conflict?
Authors: Foster Michelle , Gordon Hannah , Lambert Hélène , McAdam Jane 
Published: September 2022

Abstract
‘Time’ plays an important role in refugee status determination (RSD) because whilst fear must be current, the fear relates to present or future risk. This article examines the role of time in RSD and how time impacts upon the granting of refugee protection. Thus it concentrates on the test of a ‘well-founded fear’ in article 1A(2) of the Refugee Convention. Claims from persons fleeing armed conflict raise particular challenges because of the fluidity, unstable conditions, and protracted character of conflicts. Furthermore, the unpredictable nature of conflict means that people are, at times, already fleeing from harm that might well eventuate in the future but that is not yet current.
Drawing on jurisprudence of the senior courts and appeal tribunals in Australia and the United Kingdom (UK), the article shows how these have long engaged with considerations of time in refugee matters. In determining who qualifies for refugee protection, courts and tribunals look backwards and forwards. Hidden within this process are assumptions about time that lie – almost invisibly – at the heart of the protection regime. When assessing whether a person has a ‘well-founded fear’ of being persecuted, the courts in Australia and the UK embrace a future-looking approach; a ‘clear and present danger’ is not required. The timeframe is that of the ‘reasonably foreseeable future’, situated somewhere between the ‘not too remote’ and the ‘present or immediate future’. This necessarily contains a degree of predictive speculation, understood to mean an exercise in prediction falling short of fact-finding. To be sure, foreseeability and certainty of risk are not to be conflated. Yet, at times, conflation between the two has occurred (by courts and tribunals), leading to exclusionary practices and outcomes. This has been the case, for example, where the situation in the country of origin was relatively stable but nevertheless fluid, meaning that while there could be a significant risk in the future, the risk was low at the time the decision was made.
Considering that armed conflict continues to be the main driver for people claiming refugee protection in Australia and the UK, how senior courts and appeal tribunals understand and apply the timeframe of reasonable foreseeability in fluid situations (between peace and conflict) is key. This article highlights some best practices in that regard, including ensuring that this timeframe does not expand and contract with the apparent certainty or uncertainty of a situation.