Attractiveness Index Research Articles

Mechatronics Research Output: A Comparative Study of Global and G5 Contributions (2001-2020)

This research examines the output productivity of mechatronics through a quantitative and qualitative analysis from 2001 to 2020, covering a total of 20 years. Data were downloaded from the Web of Science (WOS). Globally, 3,359 papers with 46,043 citations were published, while in G5 countries, 599 papers with 5,942 citations were published in the field of mechatronics. Compared to other subjects in science and technology, the field of mechatronics has seen a considerably lower number of publications. Statistics show that approximately 1% of global publications are in mechatronics, compared to 30-35% in other fields. In 2007, a total of 5,010 highly cited papers were published, with an average of 35.79 citations per paper and an h-index of 36. The highest Activity Index (AI) of 381 was recorded for South Africa in 2008, and South Africa also had the highest Attractive Index (AAI) of 706 in 2012. The maximum Relative Quality Index (RQI) for South Africa was 2.00, while China's RQI was lower than the global average, at 0.87. In the coming years, it is expected that G5 countries and the global research area of mechatronics literature will see an increase in production.

MIGRATION IN THE NORTH AND THE SOUTH CAPITALS OF KAZAKHSTAN: THEORY, FACTORS AND ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS

The article reveals the theoretical positions that influenced the development of migration processes in the Northern and the Southern capitals of Kazakhstan during 2001-2021. The novelty of the work lies in the comparative analysis of the main causes or factors that influenced migration processes in the both capitals of the country. As part of the mathematical formalization of the social attractiveness of the immigration city, the Social Attractiveness Index has been developed and proposed for use. The main tool of research and analysis was econometric data analysis based on Pooled OLS model using the STATA program. As a result, conclusions were drawn that an important factor immigration to the Northern capital was the geographical factor or the close distance of the city of Karaganda. An important factor immigration to the Southern capital was a relatively high index of attractiveness of social infrastructure or the presence of a more numerous and developed educational infrastructure (schools, universities, colleges and healthcare systems (medical institutions, hospitals).

Rural Attractiveness Index and Its Visualization as Tools to Support Local and Regional Decision-Making

Promoting rural regions is crucial for societies all over the world. Prosperous and vital rural regions can contribute to solving many pressing problems that threaten humanity, such as climate change, poverty, hunger, health or clean energy. The attractiveness of rural regions can be improved through targeted measures and support. For the design of such targeted interventions, high-quality assessments of rural attractiveness can provide a solid information basis. However, the attractiveness of rural regions is a complex construct and therefore difficult to assess. Thus, in this paper, we present tools for the assessment of rural attractiveness that address these complexities and support use and interpretation of the results of rural attractiveness assessments by stakeholders: First, we develop a Rural Attractiveness Index (RAI) which provides a general blueprint for assessing rural attractiveness, yet still is flexible and adaptable to each specific context. As integrated measure of rural attractiveness it also facilitates interpretation by stakeholders. Second, to further enhance interpretation and communication, we propose to visualize the RAI in map-based form. We demonstrate the application of these tools through an illustrative showcase in a European context. We discuss strengths, limitations and challenges of the presented tools and highlight directions for future research.

MCI모형을 이용한 중국 옌타이시 대형소매점 매출예측 및 상권영향분석

Recent research on GIS analysis, spatial interaction models, and site selection for large retail stores is actively underway in China both domestically and internationally. However, most studies tend to rely on secondary data provided by government agencies, neglecting research based on actual consumer survey data. Therefore, this study aimed to improve methods for analyzing commercial areas of large-scale retail stores in China by proposing the use of consumer data to enhance existing spatial interaction models. Specifically, by conducting surveys among consumers who actually visit large-scale retail stores, basic data such as store visit rates and visitor travel distances were collected to construct the MCI model. Through this approach, the study estimated the visit probability and market share of large-scale retail stores, and analyzed the impact of market environmental changes on commercial areas. Firstly, based on address data from 279 Chinese consumers, the study area was divided into 44 regions. These regions were combined with information on consumer shopping patterns and store details to construct a matrix of interactions between regions and large-scale retail stores. Secondly, important parameters in the MCI model, such as store attractiveness index and distance sensitivity, were estimated through OLS regression analysis. Findings revealed that the store type (regional large-scale retail, urban large-scale retail) did not significantly impact on consumers’ store preferences. Instead, customer visits exhibited an inverse relationship with distance and a direct relationship with store size. These estimated results were consistent with the theoretical perspectives of spatial interaction models. Thirdly, to examine how changes in the retail environment may affect retail businesses within commercial areas, the study focused on changes in sales and market share of surrounding retail businesses when a specific store expanded its area or entered a new region. The results showed that both expanding store area and entering new regions had negative impacts on other existing stores.

A multidimensional financial attractiveness index: Scoring and classification of financial systems

This research paper aims to benchmark the characteristics of financial systems for 102 countries worldwide from the period of 2005 to 2017. The financial systems’ database encompasses four main dimensions, each consisting of several variables for every indicator: (a) financial depth, (b) financial efficiency, (c) financial access, and (d) financial stability. The objective is to closely analyse the different factors that contribute to the attractiveness of financial and economic systems globally. Furthermore, this paper employs a literature review and an empirical modelling and classification of financial systems worldwide to assess their attractiveness. The modelling process utilizes two statistical analysis methods: discriminant analysis (PCA) and neural analysis. By doing so, this research paper aims to identify the most appropriate measures to strengthen these systems and economies. The main conclusion of the research is to establish a ranking of the world’s best countries and also the validation of the hypothesis that macroeconomic conditions are the effective determinants of the classification dimensions of financial systems.

How can we measure resource quality when resources differ in many ways? Deconstructing shelter quality in a social fish.

Resource quality is an important concept in ecology and evolution that attempts to capture the fitness benefits a resource affords to an organism. Yet "quality" is a multivariate concept, potentially affected by many variables pertaining to the resource, its surroundings, and the resource chooser. Researchers often use a small number of proxy variables to simplify their estimation of resource quality, but without vetting their proxies against a wider set of potential quality estimators this approach risks overlooking potentially important characteristics that can explain patterns of resource use in their study systems. Here we used Neolamprologus multifasciatus, a group-living cichlid fish that utilizes empty snail shells as shelter resources, to examine how shells were used by, and partitioned among, group members in relation to a range of attributes, including shell size, intactness, texture, spatial position, and usage by heterospecifics. This approach generated a comprehensive picture of what characteristics contribute to the attractiveness and quality of each shell resource, confirming the importance of two previously proposed shell characteristics, size and intactness, but highlighting the influences of other unexplored variables, including shell spatial position and usage by heterospecifics. We also present a generally applicable "resource attractiveness index" as a means to estimate resource quality based on resource choice data. This index incorporates information from any number of resource characteristics and is of particular use when researchers wish to quantify resource value, but many characteristics jointly contribute to the value and attractiveness of the resource.

Reassessing urban park accessibility: an improved two-step floating catchment area method based on the physical activity services perspective

Urban parks, as important carrier of outdoor physical activity, can effectively reduce the incidence of chronic diseases and promote public health. The accessibility of parks directly affects residents’ levels of physical activity. However, current accessibility assessments do not consider physical activity needs into account and are unable to adapt to the current developmental needs of a healthy China. We propose a framework for evaluating park accessibility oriented towards a physical activity service perspective. First, we introduced a park attractiveness index based on physical activity preferences. The index encompasses not only objective park features but also subjective environmental perception features, which are evaluated using deep-learning techniques. Furthermore, the size of the park catchment area was correlated with the park attractiveness index, and the likelihood of park selection based on people's physical activity preferences was computed. Fuzhou City's Gulou District was selected for this case study. The results show the following: (1) Our proposed evaluation model can identify more underserved neighborhoods in scenarios geared toward physical activity requirements than traditional approaches. (2) The distribution of parks in the Gulou District was not sufficiently balanced, with the accessibility value at the 90th percentile only slightly higher than the average value of 6.35. There was obvious spatial differentiation, with a pattern of high values in the central area and low values in the surrounding areas. (3) Approximately 12.70 % of the population is located within service-blind zones and the overall level of accessibility is poor. This study offers novel ideas and approaches for optimizing the spatial layout of urban parks within a health-oriented framework. This aids planners and policymakers in enhancing the spatial layout of parks and ensuring equitable access to urban parks that foster physical activity.

A Fair Investment Environment: The Impact of the Shadow Economy, the Harshness of the Courts Against Corrupt Officials, Tax Pressure and Restrictions on Business

Creating a fair investment environment is crucial for economic growth and attracting domestic and foreign investors. The purpose of this study is to find out how the shadow economy, harshness of courts against corrupt officials, tax pressure, and restrictions on business affect the fair investment environment. Therefore, two economic-mathematical models are built using multiple least squares regression analysis, in which the outcome variables are: in model 1 ‒ control over corruption, which is a component of the Global Governance Index; in model 2 ‒ the European Business Association’s Investment Attractiveness Index. The composition of the factor attributes in both models is the same: Corruption Perceptions Index by Transparency International; level of shadow economy according to the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine; the number of criminal cases in courts under the article “Acceptance of an offer, promise or receipt of an undue benefit by an official” using open data from the Unified State Register of Court Decisions; total tax and fee rate, which reflects taxes and mandatory payments as a percentage of commercial profit, determined by the World Bank Group methodology; assessment of “Starting Business” by Doing Business, according to the methodology of the World Bank Group. The modeling is based on the example of Ukraine for 2012‒2022. Calculations based on Model 1 show that restrictions on business have the greatest impact on the corruption control indicator (a 10% reduction in restrictions leads to a 3-point reduction in the need to control corruption), the shadow economy and tax pressure have an average impact (a one-point increase in them will increase the level of corruption by 0.4 points). The harshness of the courts against corrupt officials has the least impact (most corruption cases in Ukraine do not reach the courts). Calculations based on Model 2 show that the complexity of starting a business exerts the greatest impact on investment attractiveness (if it decreases by 15%, investment attractiveness will increase by almost 1 unit). The average impact is exerted by the increase in the shadow economy (a 10% increase in the shadow economy leads to a rise in investment attractiveness by 0.4 units). The insignificant impact is exerted by the tax burden and judicial punishment of corrupt officials.

Facility layout design of bag and apparel factory with systematic layout planning and computerized relative allocation of facilities technique method

The high market attractiveness index and competitive position made Dewi Media Lestari invest in building a new factory. The factory specifically is used to produce convection products and apparel. Development is carried out using a systematic layout planning and computerized relative allocation of facilities technique. The objective of this research is to obtain an ideal layout that can minimize the distance between departments. As a result, there are nine departments with a total area of 385 m2 consisting of 18 m2loading dock department, 36 m2 raw material department, 86 m2cutting department, 42 m2 branding department, 21 m2 screen printing department, 105 m2 sewing department, 28 m2 finishing department, 28 m2 packing department, and 21 m2 warehouse department. Material handling costs for the initial layout produced using the systematic layout planning method are IDR 29,808.95 per day. After adjusting with Computerized Relative Facility Allocation Technique, the most ideal final layout was produced with minimal material handling costs of IDR 24,411.40 per day.

Small airport business governance and regional development.

Purpose: Small airports business have strategic relevance for national integration and the regional development of a country. Therefore, this study considers the main variables and governance form that make small airports competitive. Method/approach: Twenty-five small Brazilian airports are evaluated as the study objects using different analytical methods, as DEA and EATWOS. Main findings: The results provide inputs for the regressions, which relate the organizational characteristics and classify them by their significance. Finally, GDP per capita, population, the closest distance to the airport in relation to the municipality served, delayed flights, and attraction index for airports are significant characteristics that can contribute to regional and national development. Theoretical, practical/social contributions: The main contributions of the study are associated with the efficiency analyses of small airports from different methods and forms of governance of these businesses considered as references. Originality/relevance: The study is relevant for considering both the literature and the practical aspects related to the governance of small airports, given their significant role in air transportation and regional development.

Destigmatizing urban villages by examining their attractiveness: Quantification evidence from Shenzhen

While existing social and political research has qualitatively discussed the stigmatization of urban villages (UVs), there's a lack of quantitative support. This study innovatively attempts to provide quantitative evidence, employing a spatial perspective for the destigmatization of UVs. We integrated population trajectory, GDP data, employment and residential points of interest, and developed a spatial gravity model to derive the spatial attractiveness index. Concurrently, we selected environmental, spatial structure, and housing economic indicators to construct a regression analysis. Our findings revealed that urban villagers exhibit a preference for shorter daily commutes, underscoring the positive role of UVs in promoting job-housing balance and providing diverse services. The high-frequency mobility of villagers accelerates the categorization of UVs and enhances intra-area circulation. We further discussed the interaction between UV renewal and its destigmatization. To counter spatial stigmatization, enhancing the spatial quality and infrastructure of UVs, as well as promoting diversified land use can reduce the public's stereotypical impressions. Moreover, prioritizing affordable housing and equitable distribution of facilities, along with fostering synergies between urban capital and UVs, can facilitate the destigmatization process. Stigmatization in informal settlements is a widespread issue. Our quantitative approaches, as well as targeted renovation and policy recommendations, can serve as a blueprint for addressing similar challenges in informal settlements globally.

ЗАЛУЧЕННЯ ІНОЗЕМНИХ ІНВЕСТИЦІЙ В ЕКОНОМІКУ УКРАЇНИ: ТЕНДЕНЦІЇ, ПРОБЛЕМИ ТА ПЕРСПЕКТИВИ ПОВОЄННОГО ВІДНОВЛЕННЯ

The global environment for international business and cross-border investment remains challenging in 2023. Although the economic obstacles that shaped investment trends in 2022 have subsided somewhat, they have not disappeared. Commodity prices, which spiked during the war in Ukraine, have come down, but the war continues and geopolitical tensions remain high. Recenupheavals in the financial sector in some developed countries are adding to investor uncertainty. The purpose of the study is to identify trends, diagnose problems, and develop promising directions for attracting foreign investment to the economy of Ukraine. In order to solve the set goal, the following scientific tasks were solved in the course of the study: the dynamics of the inflow of foreign investments and the structure of FDI into the national economy were analyzed by regional characteristics and by types of economic activity; the deterioration of the investment attractiveness of the national economy due to the reduction of the stock of FDI of Ukraine and the decrease of the index of investment attractiveness is substantiated; identified the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of attracting foreign investments to the economy of Ukraine based on the results of the SWOT analysis. In order to solve the set goal, the research determined FDI trends in the national economy and made conclusions about "investment shocks" associated with the global financial crisis of 2008, the start of the war in Donbas, COVID-19 and the full-scale war in Ukraine. This conclusion was reached by comparing the dynamics of the Investment Attractiveness Index of Ukraine with the flow of FDI into Ukraine, the trends of which were synchronized. For greater thoroughness of the research, the main foreign investors in the corporate segment were identified by the authors as companies (brands) that already had facilities in Ukraine at the time of the full-scale war and corporations that announced their intention to reinvest funds in Ukraine to support their assets. The authors substantiated the strengths and weaknesses, opportunities and threats of attracting foreign investments to the economy of Ukraine based on the results of a SWOT analysis.

The role of renewable energy and total factor productivity in reducing carbon emissions: A case of top-ranked nations in the renewable energy country attractiveness index

On the one hand, economies, particularly developing ones, need to grow. On the other hand, climate change is the most pressing issue globally, and nations should take the necessary measures. Such a complex task requires new theoretical and empirical models to capture this complexity and provide new insights. Our study uses a newly developed theoretical framework that involves renewable energy consumption (REC) and total factor productivity (TFP) alongside traditional factors of CO2 emissions. It provides policymakers with border information compared to traditional models, such as the Environmental Kuznets Curve (EKC), being limited to income and population. Advanced panel time series methods are also employed, addressing panel data issues while producing not only pooled but also country-specific results.20 Renewable Energy Country Attractiveness Index (RECAI) nations are considered in this study. The results show that REC, TFP, and exports reduce CO2 emissions with elasticities of 0.3, 0.4, and 0.3, respectively. Oppositely, income and imports increase emissions with elasticities of 0.8 and 0.3. Additionally, we show that RECAI countries are commonly affected by global and regional factors. Moreover, we find that shocks can create permanent changes in the levels of the factors but only temporary changes in their growth rates.The main policy implication of the findings is that authorities should implement measures boosting TFP and REC. These factors are driven mainly by technological progress, innovation, and efficiency gains. Thus, they can simultaneously reduce emissions while promoting long-run green economic growth, which addresses the complexity mentioned above to some extent.

Foreign Investments as a Factor Ensuring Economic Security of Ukraine

The article explores the theoretical foundations of the concepts of «security», «national security», «economic security», «investment security», and their interrelations within the components of a state's national security. The necessity of attracting foreign investments while considering economic security is emphasized. The authors propose their interpretation of the definition of «investment security in the sphere of foreign investment». Characteristics of national interests in the field of investment security are provided, and directions for forming a system to ensure it are identified. Sources of threats to attracting foreign investments for the domestic economy are identified. The dynamics of the balance of payments according to the financial account and the volumes of foreign direct investments for the years 2014-2023 are examined, providing insight into the country's investment climate. Attention is drawn to the significance of Ukraine's investment attractiveness index, which has been the lowest in the past decade since the onset of full-scale military aggression. This indicates that the investment climate in Ukraine does not contribute to an increase in foreign investment volumes. The analysis focuses on key indicators of investment security, including the investment attractiveness index and the ratio of net FDI inflows to GDP. It is elucidated that since 2016, there has predominantly been a deficit in the balance of payments, and the share of accumulation of foreign direct investment relative to GDP has not reached the threshold level of the indicator. It is highlighted that apart from state-level security factors, there are those that depend directly on the activities of economic entities, particularly the level of timeliness of accounting and analytical support for foreign investments. The main directions of ensuring economic security in the process of attracting foreign capital are determined.

What makes neighbourhood-level commercial centres attractive for neighbourhood residents?

ABSTRACT Neighbourhood commercial centres (NCC) are dynamic hubs that provide essential goods, promote community bonds and drive economic growth. Despite numerous studies on shopping behaviour, there remains a notable gap in understanding how transportation and shopping centre-related factors collectively shape the attractiveness of the NCCs, especially in developing countries like India. This research aims to understand why some NCCs outperform others in terms of attractiveness. This study proposes the neighbourhood commercial centre attractiveness index (NCCAI), which is developed by collecting 455 samples from 13 NCCs with the help of a primary survey to understand how different factors influence the attractiveness of NCCs in the Indian planned city context. The study used principal component analysis (PCA) and identified five major components that significantly contribute to NCC’s attractiveness. Further, the weightage of the components was determined through two distinct approaches: one based on PCA results and the other utilising the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) with expert opinion data. Finally, the more reliable weights from these two methodologies were selected using analysis of covariance (ANCOVA). The NCCAI can help urban planners, store owners and retail managers, providing data-driven insights to enhance overall NCC attractiveness. The decomposable nature of NCCAI allows for component score breakdown, enabling planners and policymakers to allocate resources strategically.

Analysis of the external attraction of Shanghai urban functions based on the travel characteristics

The external attraction of urban functions refers to the ability of specific urban functional areas to attract foreign populations, which can reflect the importance of urban functions in the regional or even global scope. Existing research tends to discuss urban attraction at the macro level, which is insufficient for understanding the importance of internal city functions. Analyzing the attraction of urban functions from the perspective of travel characteristics can reveal the distribution and preferences of the foreign population, which can help the rational planning of urban functions. In this study, we combine Points of interest (POI) and signaling data to identify Shanghai’s urban functional areas and the external population's distribution patterns. The attraction index is calculated based on cross-city geographic flow to evaluate the external attraction of Shanghai's functions from real fine-level human activities. The results show that both Shanghai’s urban functional area and external population distribution present a “ring-radial” distribution with the city center as the core, high in the Central Business District (CBD), and gradually decreasing outward. The overall external attraction also presents a gradual decrease from the center outward with a similar “ring-radial” distribution. At the same time, the regional subcenter of Shanghai also excels in external attraction. Universities, well-known business districts, industrial districts, and famous tourist spots become the dominant functions with high external attraction. Above all, the economic factor is the most important driver for migration. Our research provides valuable insights into Shanghai’s global city vision and lays a scientific foundation for long-term future urban development and planning.

Determinan Penerimaan Pajak Penghasilan Badan: Studi Negara Amerika Latin

Latin America as a region with great natural resource potential, still has a narrow tax base due to problems of law enforcement, tax incentives and tariff reductions. The corporate income tax that significantly increases revenue in the Latin America/LAC in 2019 around 3.7 percent of GDP is interesting to study. Therefore, this research was conducted to examine the determinants of corporate income tax revenue in the Latin American. This study uses panel data on 12 countries in Latin America in 2008-2018. The statistical method used is a quantitative method with multiple linear regression. Based on testing, the panel-corrected standard error estimation model is the best model. The results show that all independent variables simultaneously affect tax revenue. The variables of economic growth, FDI inflows, land area, and trade openness partially have significant positive effect on corporate income tax revenues. Meanwhile, the tax attractiveness index variable has significant negative effect on corporate income tax revenue in Latin American. Based on the results of this study, it is necessary to review the international trade policies in the Latin American because trade openness still tends to have no effect and even weaken the positive relationship between FDI inflows and corporate income tax revenues.

Identifying the Key Role of Plutella xylostella General Odorant Binding Protein 2 in Perceiving a Larval Attractant, (E,E)-2,6-Farnesol.

There is currently a lack of effective olfaction-based techniques to control diamondback moth (DBM) larvae. Identifying behaviorally active odorants for DBM larvae and exploring their recognition mechanisms can provide insights into olfaction-based larval control strategies. Through the two-choice assay, (E,E)-2,6-farnesol (farnesol) was identified as a compound exhibiting significant attractant activity toward DBM larvae, achieving an attraction index of 0.48 ± 0.13. PxylGOBP1 and PxylGOBP2, highly expressed in the antennae of DBM larvae, both showed high affinity toward farnesol. RNAi technology was used to knock down PxylGOBP1 and PxylGOBP2, revealing that the attraction of DBM larvae to farnesol nearly vanished following the knockdown of PxylGOBP2, indicating its critical role in recognizing farnesol. Further investigation into the PxylGOBP2-farnesol interaction revealed the importance of residues like Thr9, Trp37, and Phe118 in PxylGOBP2's binding to farnesol. This research is significant for unveiling the olfactory mechanisms of DBM larvae and developing larval behavior regulation techniques.

Attractiveness of municipalities in Minas Gerais for the installation of forest-based companies

This paper measured the attractiveness of municipalities in the state of Minas Gerais (MG) for projects in the steel, cellulose and paper, furniture, energy and wood panel industry segments. A questionnaire was used to construct an index of attractiveness of the forestry sector for each municipality. As a result, it was found that 40% of the municipalities presented “average” or higher attractiveness. The mesoregions with the greatest potential for forestry development were the Metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Southwest of Minas and Zona da Mata. The steel and cellulose and paper segments found attractive factors in 74.08% and 72.79% of the municipalities, respectively. It was concluded that the methodology applied showed how close a location was to meeting the characteristics of forest-based industries. It is expected to encourage future research and influence strategic planning for the expansion of the forestry sector across the country.

CHEMOTAXIS RESPONSE OF PHASMARHABDITIS CALIFORNICA (FAMILY: RHABDITIDAE) AND PRISTIONCHUS ENTOMOPHAGUS (FAMILY: NEODIPLOGASTERIDAE) TO THE MUCUS OF FOUR SLUG SPECIES.

The chemotaxis responses of soil nematodes have been well studied in bacteriophagic nematodes, plant-parasitic nematodes, entomopathogenic nematodes, and to a lesser extent malacopathogenic nematodes. Free-living stages of parasitic nematodes often use chemotaxis to locate hosts. In this study, we compared the chemotaxis profile of 2 slug-associated nematodes with overlapping host ranges. Phasmarhabditis californica is a facultative parasite that has been shown to express strain-dependent variation in chemoattraction profile. We tested 4 slug species to determine the attraction index of a Canadian strain of Ph. californica and a sympatric necromenic nematode, Pristionchus entomophagus. When tested against a control (distilled water), Ph. californica showed a clear (positive) attraction towards the mucus of slugs Ambigolimax valentianus, Arion rufus, and Arion fasciatus, but not Deroceras reticulatum. However, when given a choice between the mucus of D. reticulatum and Ar. fasciatus in a pairwise test, Ph. californica was strongly attracted to the former. Other pairwise comparisons did not reveal a clear preference for either slug species in the following pairs: D. reticulatum-Ar. rufus, Am. valentianus-Ar. rufus, D. reticulatum-Am. valentianus. The chemotaxis assay for Pr. entomophagus showed an attraction toward D. reticulatum and Ar. fasciatus (tested against controls); the attraction index for Am. valentianus was positive, but this was not statistically significant. In contrast, the attraction index for Ar. rufus was negative, suggesting possible repulsion to the mucus of this slug species. Given that Pr. entomophagus and Ph. californica occupy overlapping habitats, utilize similar hosts, and exhibit similar chemotaxis profiles, there is a potential for direct interaction between these 2 nematodes. Like other members of the genus Pristionchus, Pr. entomophagus may be able to prey upon the co-occurring Ph. californica, such antagonistic interactions could have important implications for the coexistence of these 2 species and Ph. californica in particular as a biocontrol agent against pestiferous slugs.