Effects Of Competition Research Articles

The effect of visual competition on saccadic behavior in a stop signal task

The effect of visual competition on saccadic behavior in a stop signal task

Dispersal of the Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis)

Abstract Dispersal is common in mammals and can have an important role in shaping demography, genetics, distribution, and social structure. Dispersal entails potential costs but also potential benefits, and the dispersal decision is thought to be conditional; the potential disperser assesses prospects for success at its current location and disperses to improve its fitness. However, the costs and benefits of dispersal, as well as factors influencing the dispersal decision, are not well known. We used trapping and observation to study dispersal in the Golden-mantled Ground Squirrel (Callospermophilus lateralis), a species for which dispersal is largely unknown. We characterized the dispersal process by evaluating dispersal timing and distance, assessed factors that might influence the dispersal decision, and analyzed the fitness cost of dispersal after settlement. We found that most dispersal occurred during the summer of birth, as is expected for a small-bodied sciurid. However, some squirrels delayed dispersal until early in their yearling summer. Dispersal was male-biased in dispersal tendency, and it was also male-biased in dispersal distance, but only over shorter dispersal distances. The dispersal decision for juvenile females appeared to originate as soon as 10 days after they emerged from the natal burrow, and the decision was not associated with body mass or several measures of competition. Instead, dispersal of juvenile females was associated with the number of littermate sisters, with each sister present increasing the likelihood of dispersal by 26%. Littermate sisters might be a cue foretelling the effects of kin competition the following year. We did not find a significant difference in lifetime reproductive success between philopatric and dispersing females after settlement, suggesting that for golden-mantled ground squirrels, any cost of dispersal is experienced primarily during the transience phase.

Multicomponent adsorption mechanism of CO2, SO2, NO, and C7H8 from flue gases on nitrogen-doped biochar: Experimental and computational insights

The comprehensive control of CO2 and gaseous pollutants in coal-fired flue gas is urgent and difficult. As a green low-cost adsorbent, nitrogen-doped biochar has potential application in the control technology of flue gas pollutants. Still, its multi-component adsorption characteristics for flue gas are unclear. In this study, the multi-component adsorption characteristics of CO2, SO2, NO, and C7H8 on nitrogen-doped biochar were explored at different temperatures (25–120 °C), and the competitive mechanism of multi-component adsorption was revealed through continuous adsorption experiments and numerical calculation. The adsorption capacities of CO2, SO2, NO, and C7H8 by nitrogen-doped biochar can reach 38.1, 78.9, 3.1, and 245.2 mg/g, among which CO2, SO2, and C7H8 show strong competitive effects. Their adsorption capacities are decreased by 42 % (CO2), 28 % (SO2), and 27 % (C7H8) respectively compared with the single-component adsorption. This is because there are not only more C7H8 adsorption sites on nitrogen-doped carbon, but also C7H8 can partially occupy the adsorption sites of SO2 and CO2 during multi-component adsorption. Combined with the calculation results of density functional theory, the competitive ability of the three gases can be ranked as follows: C7H8 > SO2 > CO2.

217 Effect of within-litter competition on lamb survivability

Abstract The objective of this study was to evaluate the influence of lamb and littermate competition on lamb survivability to weaning. Litter sex composition and litter birth weight variation were the primary considerations for influencing competition. Records from maternal dual-purpose (Polypay, Rambouillet, and Targhee) and terminal breeds [Suffolk and Paternal Composite (PC; 3/8 Columbia, 3/8 Suffolk, 1/4 Texel)] were used, with 18,654 single and 56,324 twin records from all breeds and 11,082 triplet records from the 3 maternal breeds. Records were reported from 1980 to 2023, except for the PC, which began inter se mating in 2009. Lamb survivability to 90 d was analyzed using a Bayesian logistic regression model with the logit link function. Lamb survivability was assumed binomially distributed and influenced by age of dam, birth year, lamb sex, and sex of littermates as fixed effects. The relationship among littermates was also accounted for. Least squares means were transformed from the log odds scale to the probability scale. Birth weight was assumed normally distributed and influenced by the same fixed effects as lamb survival and was analyzed using a linear mixed model. Lamb survivability was also analyzed using the same model described above but including mean litter weight and individual birth weight deviation as linear covariates. Accounting for mean litter birth weight and individual birth weight deviation removed the birth weight differences between the sexes, leaving only true sex differences between lambs for survivability. For single births, females tended to have greater survivability than males when adjusted for birth weight for all breeds but was only significant (P < 0.05) for Rambouillet and Targhee. For maternal breeds, females in twin litters had significantly greater survivability (P < 0.05) than their male counterparts when adjusted for birth weight; differences in terminal breeds were not significant (Table 1). Males in twin litters had heavier birth weights than females (P < 0.05) for all breeds. Triplet born females for all litter-sex combinations had significantly higher survival than males (P < 0.05) for Polypay when adjusted for birth weight. Females in female-female-male (FFM) litters had 76.4% survival versus 58.9% for males while females in female-male-male (FMM) litters had 75.9% versus 66.7% for males. When lamb survivability was adjusted for birth weight, Rambouillet females in FFM litters had 72.2% survival compared with 59.9% for males (P < 0.05) and females in FMM litters had 73.0% survival compared with 63.8% for males. Similar significant differences were observed for FFM and FMM Targhee litters. This study suggests lamb performance is influenced by its littermate(s). Changes in postnatal management of mixed-sex litters may benefit overall lamb survival. USDA is an equal opportunity provider and employer.

Combined effects of food quality and temperature on competitive interactions between small- and large-bodied cladoceran species

Competition is one of the main drivers of population dynamics of cladoceran species. According to the Size Efficiency Hypothesis, large-bodied cladocerans are superior competitors over small-bodied species because they are more effective filter-feeders and can consume a wider size spectrum of food particles. However, we hypothesized that food quality in terms of phosphorus (P) and/or polyunsaturated fatty acid (PUFA) content can alter competitive interactions, and these potential effects can be modified by temperature. Since large-bodied cladocerans are more vulnerable to poor food quality and are regarded as less adaptive to high temperatures, we hypothesized that large-bodied species would be superior competitors at low temperature and/or high food quality, while small-bodied cladocerans would be competitively superior at enhanced temperature and/or poor food quality. To verify this hypothesis, we conducted laboratory experiments with the small-bodied D. longispina and large-bodied D. magna fed with three different types of food: (1) P-poor and PUFA-rich green algae (low phosphorus or LP-treatment), (2) PUFA-poor-cyanobacteria treatment (CYANO) and (3) P-rich and PUFA-rich green algae (high phosphorus or HP-treatment) at 18°C and 24°C. We found that D. magna had a stronger suppressive competitive effect on D. longispina in all food quality and temperature treatments. Nevertheless, food quality and temperature modified competitive interactions between the small- and large-bodied Daphnia. In HP and CYANO, both Daphnia species were more strongly suppressed by competitor presence at high than low temperatures, whereas in LP mutual suppression was relatively weaker at higher temperatures. This phenomenon was attributed to higher requirement for P at enhanced temperature which created constraints for population growth thus decreasing competitive interactions at higher temperatures. Mutual competitive suppression in CYANO was weaker than in the HP treatment although cyanobacteria had the greatest negative impact on the abundance of both Daphnia species. In general our results show that the outcome of competition between large and small-bodied cladoceran species was not affected by food quality and/or temperature, yet, these factors markedly altered competitive interactions between species.

Effect of competition, with exotic invasive Bromus inermis and native Quercus stellata, and soil amendment on the performance of native invasive Juniperus virginiana

Effect of competition, with exotic invasive Bromus inermis and native Quercus stellata, and soil amendment on the performance of native invasive Juniperus virginiana

Efficiency versus market power in the rail industry

Although an extensive literature exists that examines efficiency in rail markets, analyses that also study the market power of rail operators are scarce. We examine the effects of competition and vertical separation on efficiency and price-cost margins. In doing so we propose a two-stage procedure. Firstly, efficiency and Lerner indexes will be obtained for a sample of rail operators for the period 2000–2016. Secondly, the determinants of both indexes are jointly estimated. Results indicate that integrated incumbents not facing competition perform worst and exert the highest market power. Vertically separated and specialized in passenger services operators display the strongest improvements in efficiency levels, while integrated incumbents facing competition show the lowest market power indexes. Finally, more efficiency translates to smaller values of the Lerner index.

Do multinational enterprises’ overseas investment activities promote their green transition performance? Evidence from Chinese listed companies

Enterprises, including multinational ones, play a crucial role in harmonizing economic growth with environmental conservation through green transition efforts. Based on a panel dataset of 1,916 publicly listed Chinese companies, this study investigates how overseas investment activities conducted by multinational enterprises (MNEs) influence their green transition performance. We find that the increase in overseas investment significantly contributes to MNEs’ transition toward greener practices, with this positive effect being particularly pronounced in greenfield investments. Mechanism analysis suggests that overseas investment benefits the green transition performance of MNEs through competitive effects, economies of scale, and profit feedback from overseas subsidiaries. Moreover, reverse technology spillovers derived from overseas investments are effective in promoting MNEs’ greening, an effect amplified when MNEs possess a higher technology absorptive capacity or operate in flexible intellectual property protection.

Digital Economy and Regional Tourism Development: The Mediating Role of Information Search from a Spatial Spillover Perspective

Although studies have confirmed the positive nexus between the growth of the digital economy and regional tourism development, little light has been shed on the mechanism in between. This research made the first attempt to identify the mechanism through which the digital economy affects regional tourism development with consideration of spatial spillover effects using China’s prefecture-level city multisource panel data from 2011 to 2019. The findings reveal that information search is a mediating channel through which the digital economy affects regional tourism development, with significant spillover effects. The spatial spillover effects of the digital economy on regional tourism development become stronger as the distance between cities increases. However, because of competition effects, the information search in neighboring regions may restrict tourism development in the focal region. Results from this study deepen our understanding of the relationship between the digital economy and regional tourism development, thus providing insights for policymakers on regional cooperation in the context of digitalization.

The impact of tax compliance on platform enterprises’ competitive advantage and the role of contract enforcement efficiency

The importance of competitive advantage for platform enterprises' long-term development necessitates explorations of the factors that influence such an advantage. This study empirically investigates the impact of tax compliance on the competitive advantage of platform enterprises, specifically focusing on the efficiency of contract enforcement using online sales data from the WIND database. The findings reveal that platform enterprises' adherence to enterprises' tax compliance enhances the competitive advantage effect. The results of the panel threshold model regression demonstrate that the positive contribution of tax compliance to competitive advantage is contingent on contract enforcement efficiency. Moreover, the promotional effect is more pronounced in regions with superior contract enforcement efficiency, indicating a nonlinear marginal incremental effect. Heterogeneity analysis reveals that the influence of platform firms' tax compliance on competitive advantage effects is constrained by factors such as tax administration strength, information transparency, firm size, and regional variations. These findings deepen our understanding of the relationship between tax compliance and platform enterprises' competitive advantage, offering valuable insights for such enterprises’ decision-making concerning competitive strategies.

Does foreign direct investment affect domestic firms’ social security contributions?

Foreign direct investments (FDI) in developing countries are found to affect local domestic firms by introducing competition and spillover effects. This study investigates the effect of FDI on domestic firms’ social security contributions. It exploits China’s 2002 FDI liberalization and applies the difference-in-differences strategy for a causal identification. Using a Chinese firm-level dataset of the manufacturing industry, the estimates show that foreign investments have a positive effect on domestic firms’ social security contributions as a share of the wage base. The estimated effects are more pronounced in private firms, higher-wage firms, and firms facing lower contribution costs. Evidence also indicates that the increase in firms’ propensity to contribute plays an important role in explaining the overall increase in social security contribution rates. The promotion of social security compliance among domestic firms by FDI inflow suggests that market competition could be an attractive and effective approach to combating non-compliance with social insurance regulations.

Comparative Evaluation of Micellization and Cellular Uptake of β-Carotene Affected by Flavonoids.

Based on in vitro digestion, micellar synthesis, and Caco-2 cell model, this study investigated the effects of typical flavonoids in citrus (naringenin, naringin, hesperetin, hesperidin, quercetin, and rutin) at different doses on the micellization and cellular uptake of β-carotene. In in vitro digestion, low-dose flavonoids enhanced β-carotene bioaccesssibility by regulating the stability and dispersibility of the intestinal medium, particularly quercetin, which significantly increased the bioaccessibility by 44.6% (p < 0.05). Furthermore, naringenin, hesperetin, hesperidin, and quercetin enhanced the micellar incorporation rate of β-carotene; however, naringin and rutin exhibited an opposite effect, particularly naringin, which significantly reduced it by 71.3% (p < 0.05). This phenomenon could be attributed to the high solubility of naringin and rutin in micelles, resulting in a competitive inhibitory effect on β-carotene. Besides, all treatments significantly enhanced β-carotene cellular uptake (p < 0.05) by promoting the expression of scavenger receptor class B type I and Niemann-Pick C1-Like 1.

Pickering Foam Stabilized by Diacylglycerol-Based Solid Lipid Nanoparticles: Effect of Protein Modification.

Pickering foams have great potential for applications in aerated foods, but their foaming ability and physical stability are still far from satisfactory. Herein, solid lipid particles (SLNs) were fabricated by using diacylglycerol of varying acyl chain lengths with modification by a protein. The SLNs showed different crystal polymorphisms and air-water interfacial activity. C14-DAG SLN with a contact angle ∼ 79° formed aqueous foam with supreme stability and high plasticity. Whey protein isolate and sodium caseinate (0.1 wt %) considerably enhanced the foamability and interfacial activity of SLNs and promoted the packing of particles at the bubble surface. However, high protein concentration caused foam destruction due to the competitive adsorption effect. β-sheet increased in protein after adsorption and changed the polymorphism and thermodynamic properties of SLN. The foam collapsing behaviors varied in the presence of protein. The results gave insights into fabricating ultrastable aqueous foams by using high-melting DAG particles. The obtained foams demonstrated good temperature sensitivity and plasticity, which showed promising application prospects in the food and cosmetic fields.

Competition limits first-year growth and flowering of wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana) at a sandhills restoration site.

Uncertainty in ecosystem restoration can be mitigated by information on drivers of variability in restoration outcomes, especially through experimental study. In southeastern USA pine savannas, efforts to restore the perennial bunchgrass wiregrass (Aristida beyrichiana) often achieve variable outcomes in the first year. Although ecotypic differentiation and competition with other native vegetation are known to influence wiregrass seedling establishment and growth, to our knowledge, no studies have examined interactions between these drivers. We experimentally quantified individual and interactive effects of competition, seed source, and soil type on wiregrass density, size, and flowering culm production in the field. We sowed seeds from dry and wet sites reciprocally into dry and wet soils and weeded half of the plots. We found that competition removal resulted in significantly larger plants and a greater proportion of flowering plants with more culms on average, regardless of seed source or soil type. Seeds sourced from a wet site resulted in more plants per plot than seeds from a dry site, which might have been influenced by the greater number of filled seeds from the wet site. After seedlings become established, competition contributes to variation in growth and reproduction. Although competition removal could help start wiregrass populations, the necessity of mitigation depends on fire management needs.

Effects of Marathon Competition on Economic Aspects in Guangzhou City

Background and Aim: In recent years, participation in Chinese marathons has experienced significant growth, with the number of participants rising from thousands to hundreds of thousands, and even millions. This surge underscores the growing economic impact of marathon events on urban economies, as they attract participants and stimulate various related industries. However, this rapid expansion also presents challenges in organizing and managing these events, particularly in ensuring safety, professionalism, and fairness. Materials and Methods: The objective of this study was twofold: first, to measure the direct economic impact of hosting major marathon events, and second, to develop a guideline for hosting such events in Guangzhou city. The research utilized a descriptive survey method, employing questionnaires to gather data from different stakeholders and participants involved in the Guangzhou Marathon. Subjects were a simple random sampling of 341 participants, including college students, social workers, and marathon enthusiasts. The research instrument was questionnaire development, and four separate questionnaires were designed to address different aspects of the research: 1) "Marathon runners wearing shoe survey". 2) "Consumer Survey of Marathon Participants". 3) "Guangzhou Marathon and the Image of Guangzhou". 4). "Investigation on the Impact of Holding a City Marathon on the City Economy". To ensure the validity and reliability of the questionnaires, the following steps were taken: content and structure evaluation by 10 experts in related fields, pilot testing for validity, with an Index of Item-Objective Congruence (IOC) of 1. Data Analysis: The collected data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, including frequency and percentage. Results: 1) guidelines for the economic aspects of hosting the Guangzhou Marathon, based on the POLC (Planning, Organizing, Leading, and Controlling) theory framework, such as planning: conduct economic impact analysis, set objectives, develop an economic plan, and establish partnerships. Organizing: form an economic committee, develop a marketing plan, coordinate with businesses, engage sporting brands, and facilitate temporary employment. Leading: Provide leadership, maintain communication, foster collaboration, ensure regulatory compliance, and Control: Monitor progress, collect data, conduct reviews, implement quality control, and conduct post-event economic impact analysis. 2) Summary of the new knowledge presented in 4 parts: Marathoners' investments were to prioritize mid-high priced running shoes, purchase dedicated running apparel, invest in watches, headphones, and accessories, and optimize training and performance. Economic benefits included enhanced city visibility and image, driving sporting goods sales, attracting tourism and hospitality revenue, and creating new employment opportunities. Social and cultural impacts were to promote sports participation, foster creativity and cultural expression, increase social cohesion, and enhance city vibrancy and global profile. The Guangzhou Marathon's role was to promote sports culture, boost sponsor brand power and recognition, showcase economic development strengths, and provide perceived multifaceted benefits. Conclusion: The data suggests that hosting a large-scale city marathon can bring about various benefits such as economic growth, social engagement, cultural enrichment, and enhanced city branding, making it an appealing event to organize for cities, as indicated by the respondents surveyed.

The effect of import competition across occupations

We empirically examine the effect of import competition on worker earnings across occupations. To guide our analysis, we develop a stylized model that emphasizes industries using occupations in different intensities. We show that an occupational exposure index summarizes the overall exposure of an occupation to industry-level trade shocks. Proxying these industry-level trade shocks with rising Chinese competition and using nationally representative matched employer-employee French panel data from 1993 through 2015, we obtain evidence consistent with the predictions of the model. We find that workers initially employed in occupations highly exposed to Chinese competition –as measured by our occupational exposure index– experience larger declines in earnings. The magnitude of our estimates implies that the effect of rising Chinese competition on workers’ earnings due to differences in workers’ occupations is of comparable magnitude to the effect of workers’ sector of employment. This finding suggests that accounting for the distributional effects of trade across occupations is quantitatively important.

What is the Reason That the Pharmacological Future of Chemotherapeutics in the Treatment of Lung Cancer Could Be Most Closely Related to Nanostructures? Platinum Drugs in Therapy of Non-Small and Small Cell Lung Cancer and Their Unexpected, Possible Interactions. The Review.

Over the course of several decades, anticancer treatment with chemotherapy drugs for lung cancer has not changed significantly. Unfortunately, this treatment prolongs the patient's life only by a few months, causing many side effects in the human body. It has also been proven that drugs such as Cisplatin, Carboplatin, Oxaliplatin and others can react with other substances containing an aromatic ring in which the nitrogen atom has a free electron group in its structure. Thus, such structures may have a competitive effect on the nucleobases of DNA. Therefore, scientists are looking not only for new drugs, but also for new alternative ways of delivering the drug to the cancer site. Nanotechnology seems to be a great hope in this matter. Creating a new nanomedicine would reduce the dose of the drug to an absolute minimum, and thus limit the toxic effect of the drug; it would allow for the exclusion of interactions with competitive compounds with astructuresimilar to nucleobases; it would also permit using the so-called targeted treatment and bypassing healthy cells; itwouldallow for the introduction of other treatment options, such as radiotherapy directly to the cancer site; and it would provide diagnostic possibilities. This article is a review that aims to systematize the knowledge regarding the anticancer treatment of lung cancer, but not only. It shows the clear possibility of interactions of chemotherapeutics with compounds competitive to the nitrogenous bases of DNA.It also shows the possibilities of using nanostructures as potential Platinum drug carriers, and proves that nanomedicine can easily become a new medicinal product in personalized medicine.

Mid-infrared Measurements of Ion-irradiated Carbonaceous Meteorites: How to Better Detect Space Weathering Effects

Remote sensing study of asteroids will soon enter a new era with an increasing amount of data available thanks to the JWST, especially in the mid-infrared (MIR) range that allows identification of mineral species. It will then be possible to establish a taxonomy, as is currently available in the visible–near-infrared range, based on MIR spectral parameters. It had been previously shown that the MIR range is very sensitive to space weathering (SpWe) effects. Thus, it is crucial to determine which spectral changes are involved to disentangle initial composition from surface aging and provide tools to interpret future remote sensing data of asteroids. We present here MIR measurements of a wide variety of ion-irradiated carbonaceous chondrites as a simulation of the solar wind SpWe component. We evaluate several parameters (the Christiansen feature and Reststrahlen band positions, the width of the main Si–O band) and test different measurement conditions (ion energy and geometry of observation). We highlight a dependency of the spectral changes with the initial composition, as hydrated samples are more affected than anhydrous ones. We confirm the role of the geometry in the detection of SpWe effects as already shown in the near-infrared, with a competition effect between the depth probed by photons and the implantation depth of ions (function of the energy used). We will discuss the results in the framework of future observations and Ryugu’s and Bennu’s samples studied in the laboratory.

Closely related species differ in their traits, but competition induces high intra-specific variability.

Theories explaining community assembly assume that biotic and abiotic filters sort species into communities based on the values of their traits and are thus based on between-species trait variability (BTV). Nevertheless, these filters act on individuals rather than on species. Consequently, the selection is also influenced by intraspecific trait variability (ITV) and its drivers. These drivers may be abiotic (e.g., water availability) or biotic (e.g., competition). Although closely related species should have similar traits, many of them coexist. We investigated the relative magnitudes of BTV and ITV in coexisting closely related species and how their individual traits differ under different drivers of ITV. We manipulated conditions in a greenhouse pot experiment with four common Carex species, where individuals of each species originated from four source localities. Individuals were grown in factorial combinations of two moisture levels, with and without a competitor (grass species Holcus lanatus, a frequent competitor). We analyzed the variability of six morphological traits on individuals in the greenhouse and three morphological traits in the source localities. Species identity was the main determinant of differences in most traits. Competition exerted a greater effect than water availability. For leaf dry matter content (LDMC) and vegetative height, competition's effect even exceeded the variability among species. On the contrary, for specific leaf area (SLA) and clonal spread, the interspecific differences exceeded ITV induced by experimental treatments. SLA measured in the greenhouse closely correlated with values measured in field populations, while LDMC did not. The variability caused by source locality of ramets in the greenhouse was small, although sometimes significant. Closely related species differ in their traits, but for some traits, ITV can exceed BTV. We can expect that ITV can modify the processes of community assembly, particularly among coexisting closely related species.

Competition for nutrient niches within the apple blossom microbiota antagonizes the initiation of fire blight infection.

Changes in the plant microbiota composition are intimately associated with the health of the plant, but factors controlling the microbial community in flowers are poorly understood. In this study, we used apple flowers and fire blight as a model system to investigate the effects of floral microbiota and microbial competition on disease development and suppression. To compare changes in microbial flora with the RNA expression patterns of plants, the flower samples were collected in three different flowering stages (Bud, Popcorn, and Full-bloom). Using advanced sequencing technology, we analyzed the data and conducted both in vitro and in vivo experiments to validate our findings. Our results show that the Erwinia amylovora use arabinogalactan, which is secreted on the flowers, for early colonization of apple flowers. Pantoea agglomerans was more competitive for arabinogalactan than E. amylovora. Additionally, P. agglomerans suppressed the expression of virulence factors of E. amylovora by using arabinose, which is a major component of arabinogalactan, which induces virulence gene expression. The present data provide new insights into developing control strategies for diverse plant diseases, including fire blight, by highlighting the importance of nutrients in disease development or suppression.