Effects Of Competition Research Articles

Valorization of animal waste proteins for agricultural, food production, and medicinal applications

IntroductionAnimal waste proteins have been increasing in the past decade, along with consumer demands. Their huge volume and the environmental issues caused by improper treatment probably pose a massive threat to human health. These animal waste proteins contain many valuable bioactive peptides and can be used not only as nutrient substances but also as primary functional ingredients in many industries, including agriculture, food, and pharmaceuticals. However, the advancement of the value-added application of animal waste proteins within the past 10 years has not been elucidated yet. In this regard, this paper scrutinized the studies on the applications of hydrolysates and peptides from animal waste proteins throughout the last decade, hoping to display a whole picture of their value-adding applications.MethodsThe Web of Science and Google Scholar were searched from January 1, 2013, to December 12, 2023. This review included field trials, in vitro and in vivo assays, and in silico analysis based on literature surveys or proteolysis simulation. The quality of the included studies was evaluated by Journal Citation Reports, and the rationality of the discussion of studies included.ResultsNumerous studies were performed on the application potential of hydrolysates and peptides of animal waste proteins in agricultural, food, and medicinal industries. Particularly, due to the nutritional value, safety, and especially competitive effects, the peptide with antioxidant, antimicrobial, antihypertensive, antidiabetic, or antithrombotic activities can be used as a primary functional ingredient in food and pharmaceuticals.DiscussionThese value-added applications of animal waste proteins could be a step towards sustainable animal by-products management, and simultaneously, open new avenues in the rapid development of nutraceuticals and pharmaceuticals. However, further studies on the bioavailability and structure-activity relationship are required to verify their therapeutic effects.

Porous Supramolecular Crystalline Probe that Detects Non-Covalent Interactions Involved in Molecular Recognition of Furanic Compounds.

Selective separation and conversion of furan-based biomass-derived compounds, which are closely related to biorefineries, is currently an important issue. To improve their performance, it is important to deepen the understanding of non-covalent interactions that act on the molecular recognition of furanic compounds on separation or catalyst matrices. Here, a new method is reported to comprehensively visualize such intermolecular interactions using a porous supramolecular crystalline probe with polar and non-polar binding sites within a low-symmetric nanochannel consisting of four isomeric PdII 3-macrocycles. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis of the crystals including 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, furfural, furfuryl alcohol, or 2-acetylfuran reveals a variety of interactions involving their furan rings and polar substituents. It is also found that cooperative and competitive effects between guest and solvent molecules significantly change their recognition mode.

Evaluation of the adjuvant effect of imiquimod and CpG ODN 1826 in chimeric DNA vaccine against Japanese encephalitis

Vaccines represent a significant milestone in the history of human medical science and serve as the primary means for controlling infectious diseases. In recent years, the geographical distribution of Japanese encephalitis viruses (JEV) of various genotypes has become increasingly complex, which provides a rationale for the development of safer and more effective vaccines. The advent of subunit and nucleic acid vaccines, especially propelled by advancements in genetic engineering since the 1980s, has accelerated the application of novel adjuvants. These novel vaccine adjuvants have diversified into toll-like receptor (TLR) agonists, complex adjuvants, nanoparticles and so on. However, the efficacy of adjuvant combinations can vary depending on the host system, disease model, or vaccine formulation, sometimes resulting in competitive or counteractive effects. In our previous study, we constructed a pJME-LC3 chimeric DNA vaccine aimed at inducing an immune response through autophagy induction. Building on this, we investigated the impact of the TLR7/8 agonist imiquimod (IMQ) and the TLR9 agonist CpG ODN 1826 as adjuvants on the immunogenicity of the Japanese encephalitis chimeric DNA vaccine. Our findings indicate that the combination of the pJME-LC3 vaccine with IMQ and CpG ODN 1826 adjuvants enhanced the innate immune response, promoting the maturation and activation of antigen-presenting cells in the early immune response. Furthermore, it played a regulatory and optimizing role in subsequent antigen-specific immune responses, resulting in effective cellular and humoral immunity and providing prolonged immune protection. The synergistic effect of IMQ and CpG ODN 1826 as adjuvants offers a novel approach for the development of Japanese encephalitis nucleic acid vaccines.

The Bank Concentration and Risk Exposure: Empirical Insights from Asian Countries

Background: The relationship between bank rivalry and stability is a subject of discussion in both theoretical and empirical research. The two competing theories, the (1) competition-stability and (2) competition-fragility theories, provide an alternate explanations, leading to controversy over the merger and acquisition policies implemented by Asian governments. This study examines the influence of bank rivalry, profitability, diversity, efficiency, and liquidity on bank stability in Asian countries. Methods: This study used annual data from 11 Asian countries spanning 14 years (2007-2020) and comprising 154 observations. The secondary data were extracted from the Global Financial Development Database (2023). The unit root test, cointegration test, and random effect model were the main methods employed in this work to assess stationarity, long-term relationships, and the influence of bank competition on stability in Asian nations, respectively. Results: The findings revealed that the bank concentration ratio (β = 1.975, p < .01) and cost-to-income ratio (β = -.375, p < .01) negatively affect bank stability, while the noninterest income-to-total income ratio (β = .180, p < .05), credit-to-deposit ratio (β = .346, p < .01), liquid assets-to-deposit ratio (β = .087, p < .05), and net interest margin (β = .036, p < .05) positively affect bank stability in Asian countries. Conclusion: This study concludes that bank competition and efficiency negatively affect bank stability, while income diversification, profitability, and liquidity positively affect bank stability in Asian countries. Novelty: Using a more recent dataset, this study analyzes the effects of competition on stability through cross-country analysis. This also offers extensive literature on the Asian context.

Is bank competition conducive to corporate ESG performance?

Financial support is essential for the sustenance and growth of corporations. In the contemporary corporate landscape, the importance of integrating Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) principles into strategic frameworks is increasingly recognized, with the role of bank competition in shaping corporate ESG performance becoming especially significant. This paper selects the data of A-share listed companies in China from 2010 to 2022 as a sample to empirically test the impact of bank competition on ESG performance and its mechanism. The study found that bank competition could improve the ESG performance of enterprises, a conclusion that holds enterprise after conducting a battery of robustness tests. The promotion effect is more significant in non-state-owned enterprises, small enterprises and enterprises in the central and eastern regions. Mechanism test shows that bank competition exerts its influence through “credit channel”, “investment channel” and “information channel.” Furthermore, increased marketization and enhanced corporate reputation are shown to amplify the positive effects of bank competition on ESG performance. This paper provides micro-level evidence for bank competition to enhance ESG performance of enterprises, and has implications for stimulating bank competition to promote enterprises to practice ESG performance and achieve sustainable development.

Product market competition, debt rollover risk and financial default risk: evidence from Indian corporates

PurposeThe study investigates the impact of the interaction effect of product market competition and rollover risk on the default risk of the firms.Design/methodology/approachThe study used the sample of unbalanced panel data from Indian corporates without any survivability bias over the period from 2009 to 2020 consisting of 30,396 firm-year observations of 6,718 firms spread across 143 industry groups. The panel data regression tests the interaction effect in the context of the asset substitution problem, predation threat theory, competitive shock, and competitive risk.FindingsThe empirical results highlighted the dominance of the predatory effect of competition over the disciplinary advantage of short-term debts. The competitive shock to the industry results in a higher credit spread for refinancing short-term debt and significantly increases rollover risk for firms. Smaller firms have higher default risk from rollover losses than larger firms in the face of competition due to asset-substitution problems and strong rivalry. For firms with weaker fundamentals, the interaction effect of rollover risk and competition exacerbates the flight-to-quality problem, resulting in a systemic event.Practical implicationsThe investors can benefit by factoring ex-ante the interdependence of competition, debt market illiquidity, and default premia while calculating the credit risk. The shareholders of competitive firms can reduce the moral hazard of refinancing the rollover losses and defaulting at a higher fundamental default threshold, by reducing sub-optimal utilization of funds by managers and agency costs.Originality/valueAs per the best of author knowledge, the present study is the first to study the moderating effect of product market competition in exacerbating default risk through the rollover channel.

Attraction Agglomeration and Destination Agglomeration: The Case of Chinese National Scenic Areas

We examine the effect of attraction and destination agglomerations on tourism revenues and tourist flows. Using data from 184 national scenic areas in China for the 2012 to 2017 period as the case study for our two-level agglomeration model, we find that the attraction agglomeration yields cooperative competition at the micro level of tourist districts. This co-existence of compatible and competitive effects determines not only individual national scenic areas’ tourism revenues and tourist flows but also the attractiveness of tourist districts where these national scenic areas are located. At the macro level of tourism destinations, we find that the destination agglomeration only yields a competitive effect, adversely affecting the tourism revenues and tourist flows of individual national scenic areas inside these tourism destinations. Our results suggest that policymakers must consider cooperative competition when managing existing tourist attractions and planning for future ones.

The evolution of cooperation and global synchronization in the evolutionary Kuramoto dilemma combined with the prisoner's dilemma

In this work, we have studied the evolution of the cooperation and the global synchronization on the Kuramoto model upon random networks with two games, in which one is the evolutionary Kuramoto dilemma and the other is the weak prisoner's dilemma. Agents can gain their payoffs from these two games synchronously. In the evolutionary Kuramoto game, cooperators prefer the formation of local synchronization but pay less cooperative cost. Cooperators in weak prisoner's dilemma can form cooperator clusters because of the network reciprocity. Combining these two games shows a mutual promotion effect upon the order of the global synchronization but a competition effect on the cooperation level. The global synchronization begins to rise only when most agents choose cooperation. It is manifested by the fact that the optimal coupling strength for the highest cooperation level is smaller than that for the highest synchronization level. The high cooperation cost makes defection the most advantageous strategy when the coupling strength reaches rather high, which diminishes the effect of cooperator clusters, and ultimately results in the absence of both cooperators and global synchronization. When agents have more neighbors in the random network, it is observed that cooperation is consistently hindered unless the coupling strength is relatively small. Additionally, there is always an optimal average degree that allows for global synchronization.

A novel fluorescent and photothermal probe based on nanozyme-mediated cascade reaction for detecting organophosphorus pesticide residues

In this study, a nanozyme (ZIF-Co-Cys) with high oxidase-like catalytic activity was prepared, and a ratiometric fluorescent/photothermal dual-mode probe was constructed for organophosphorus pesticides (OPs) detection based on the competitive effect of ZIF-Co-Cys and the enzymatic reaction product of acid phosphatase (ACP) on o-phenylenediamine and the inhibition effect of OPs on ACP activity. Using dimethyl dichloroviny phosphate (DDVP) as the model, both the fluorescence intensity ratio and the temperature change of the probe solution exhibited an excellent correlation with OPs concentration. The detection limits were 1.64 ng/mL and 0.084 ng/mL, respectively. Additionally, the detection of DDVP residues in real samples verified the outstanding anti-interference and accuracy of the probe. This work not only provided a complementary dual-mode method for the accurate and rapid detection of OPs residues in complex samples, but also supplied a new insight into the design of a multi-mode sensing platform based on the cascade reaction of nanozyme.

The audiovisual competition effect induced by temporal asynchronous encoding weakened the visual dominance in working memory retrieval

ABSTRACT Converging evidence suggests a facilitation effect of multisensory interactions on memory performance, reflected in higher accuracy or faster response time under a bimodal encoding condition than a unimodal condition. However, relatively little attention has been given to the effect of multisensory competition on memory. The present study adopted an adaptive staircase test to measure the point of subjective simultaneity (PSS), combined with a delayed matched-to-sample (DMS) task to probe the effect of audiovisual competition during the encoding stage on subsequent unisensory retrieval. The results showed that there was a robust visual dominance effect and multisensory interference effect in WM retrieval, regardless of the subjective synchronous or subjective asynchronous audiovisual presentation. However, a weakened visual dominance effect was observed when the auditory stimulus was presented before the visual stimulus in the encoding period, particularly in the semantically incongruent case. These findings revealed that the prior-entry of sensory information in the early perceptual stage could affect the processing in the late cognitive stage to some extent, and supported the evidence that there is a persistent advantage for visuospatial sketchpad in multisensory WM.

Globalization and taxation: Implications on national tax policies and international tax competition

This review examines the profound impact of globalization on national tax policies and the ensuing tax competition among countries. Globalization, characterized by increased economic integration and cross-border capital and labor mobility, has significantly influenced national tax structures and policies. Countries are compelled to adapt their tax systems to remain competitive in attracting and retaining investments, leading to a shift from traditional income taxes to consumption-based taxes and adjustments in corporate tax rates. This competition often results in a "race to the bottom," where countries continuously lower tax rates to outbid each other, thereby affecting government revenues and public service funding. The review explores how globalization erodes traditional tax bases, creating challenges for national policymakers who must balance the need for competitiveness with revenue requirements and equity considerations. Through case studies, the effects of tax competition are analyzed, highlighting the outcomes of various national strategies in attracting global capital. Additionally, the role of international tax treaties and agreements in shaping global taxation dynamics is scrutinized. Treaties aimed at avoiding double taxation and preventing tax evasion, such as those orchestrated by the OECD’s Base Erosion and Profit Shifting (BEPS) initiative, and EU tax policies, are pivotal in harmonizing tax rules and reducing tax arbitrage opportunities. These agreements foster international cooperation, attempting to create a more stable and fair global tax environment. The interaction between national tax policies and global agreements is complex, involving coordination and occasional conflict. The effectiveness of these international efforts in addressing the challenges posed by globalization is assessed, considering both successes and limitations. Emerging trends, such as the taxation of the digital economy and the increasing involvement of developing countries in global tax discussions, are also explored. The review provides insights into the dynamic interplay between globalization and taxation, offering recommendations for policymakers to navigate the intricate global tax landscape. Future challenges and opportunities are discussed, emphasizing the need for continued international cooperation and adaptive national policies. Keywords: Globalization, National Tax Policies, Tax Competition.

ESG rating disagreement and corporate green innovation bubbles: Evidence from Chinese A-share listed firms

Environmental, social and governance (ESG) plays a significant role in environmental governance of enterprises, while the sustainability of this function is uncertain in the absence of unified disclosure and scoring standards. Based on a set of data from Chinese A-share listed firms over the period 2015-2021, this paper describes how ESG rating disagreement affects the green innovation bubbles of corporations. The empirical result implies that ESG divergence significantly aggravates corporate green innovation bubbles. Our finding indicates that the managerial myopia is the potential influential mechanism. In addition, from the perspective of external pressure and internal governance, this study concludes that industry competition, media attention and internal control effectiveness would attenuate the positive relationship between ESG disagreement and green innovation bubbles of companies. This study investigates the economic consequences of ESG disagreement from the perspective of corporate green innovation bubbles, expanding the nascent stream of research on the relationship between ESG disagreement and corporate behaviors.

On‐Chip Room‐Temperature Operated Short‐Wavelength‐Infrared Si:S Photodetector with a Vertical Junction

AbstractSilicon (Si)‐based photodetectors are cost‐effective, eco‐friendly, and compatible with on‐chip complementary metal‐oxide‐semiconductor (CMOS) technology. However, expanding their photoresponse into the short‐wavelength‐infrared region beyond 1.1 µm remains challenging because of the intrinsic bandgap of Si. In this study, an ion implantation sulfur‐doped Si‐based infrared photodetector featuring a blocked impurity band (BIB) structure is investigated. The detector achieves an extended sub‐bandgap infrared response up to 2 µm through impurity band transitions, facilitated by the artificial creation of a deep‐level impurity band within the Si bandgap. The device exhibited a competitive photodetection effect with a high responsivity of 107.3 mA W−1 and an external quantum efficiency of 10.2%. Notably, the detector yielded an enhanced response speed with a raising time of 46 µs and a decay time of 135 µs at 1310 nm under room temperature. Finally, the versatile applications of this detector is presented in a multitude of scenarios encompassing material composition identification, multi‐band imaging, and optical communication. The proposed investigation not only proposed a method for Si‐based infrared detectors but also constituted a contribution to the advancement of silicon photonics.

Increasing and fluctuating resource availability enhances invasional meltdown.

Exotic plant invaders can promote others via direct or indirect facilitation, known as "invasional meltdown." Increased soil nutrients can also promote invaders by increasing their competitive impacts, but how this might affect meltdown is unknown. In a mesocosm experiment, we evaluated how eight exotic plant species and eight Eurasian native species responded individually to increasing densities of the invasive plant Conyza canadensis, while varying the supply and fluctuations of nutrients. We found that increasing density of C. canadensis intensified competitive suppression of natives but intensified facilitation of other exotics. Higher and fluctuating nutrients exacerbated the competitive effects on natives and facilitative effects on exotics. Overall, these results show a pronounced advantage of exotics over native target species with increased relative density of C. canadensis under high nutrient availability and fluctuation. We integrate these results with the observation that exotic species commonly drive increases in soil resources to suggest the Resource-driven Invasional Meltdown and Inhibition of Natives hypothesis in which biotic acceleration of resource availability promotes other exotic species over native species, leading to invasional meltdown.

Digital infrastructure expansion and carbon intensity of small enterprises: Evidence from China

While the growth of digital infrastructure theoretically offers increased opportunities for enterprises, the policy implications may vary depending on the firm size. We utilize the pilot policy of the Broadband China Strategy as an exogenous shock for firms and adopt a unique dataset from the National Tax Survey to investigate the impact of digital infrastructure expansion on the carbon intensity of small enterprises. The results indicate that digital infrastructure expansion leads to a notable increase of 9.04% in small firm's carbon intensity. These results exhibit resilience, withstanding rigorous testing through various robustness checks. This increase is primarily attributed to two channels: the competition effect, which results in a decline in small firm's output, and the change in energy structure, which leads to an increase in small firm's carbon emissions. Heterogeneity analysis reveals a more pronounced increase for small enterprises located in regions with less stringent environmental regulations and in industries with higher degree of market concentration. Our conclusion suggests that the government should pay attention to the survival and development of small enterprises. This entails ensuring fair market competition on digital platforms and preventing the dominant enterprises from abusing their information advantages to jeopardize the interests of small enterprises.

Design of quaternary FeSiCoNi soft magnetic alloys towards large-power and high-frequency applications

The growing trend of large power and high frequency in electromagnetic conversion applications urges advancements in the saturation magnetization (Ms), effective permeability (μe) and core loss (Pcv) of soft magnetic composites (SMCs). Such performance depends largely on the Ms and coercivity (Hc) of the magnetic alloys as the main component of the SMCs. It is however, difficult to simultaneously achieve large Ms and low Hc via binary and ternary alloy systems. Here, quaternary Fe81-xSi15Co4Nix (x = 0, 3, 6 at%) soft magnetic alloys have been designed with the effect of Ni addition on the microstructure and magnetic properties of the alloy revealed. On one hand, rational incorporation of Co and Ni maintains the relatively large Ms. On the other hand, the Ni enters into the A2 lattice and promotes its transition into DO3 ordered phase as confirmed by both experimental characterization and first-principles calculations. Such microstructural evolution gives rise to initially decreased magnetocrystalline anisotropy (K1) followed by increasing due to the competitive reduction effect of Ni addition and increment effect of DO3 formation. The magnetostriction constants (λs) increases monotonously from negative to positive values with raised Ni content. This is accompanied with the decrease in 90° domain walls and increase in 180° domain walls as revealed by Lorentz microscopy. Combined lowest K1 and λs as well as optimized domain structure result in the lowest Hc for the Fe78Si15Co4Ni3 alloy. The corresponding SMCs exhibit excellent performance with the μe of 160.6 and the Pcv of 288.4 mW/cm3 (50 mT, 100 kHz) combined with high Ms of 177.3 emu/g, superior to other FeSi-based SMCs.

Seasonal Variations in Performance and Asymmetry Data for Jump and Change of Direction Abilities in Female Soccer Players.

Mainer-Pardos, E, Bishop, C, and Gonzalo-Skok, O. Seasonal variations in performance and asymmetry data for jump and change of direction abilities in female soccer players. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-The study aimed to evaluate the progression of the percentage-based change of direction (COD) deficit (%CODD) over a competitive season, along with its correlation with performance tests and to examine the impact of the magnitude and direction of asymmetry at 4 stages of the season. Forty-seven (U-16, U-18, and U-20), highly trained, female soccer players performed unilateral vertical jumping (countermovement jump [CMJ]) and horizontal jumping (HJ), 10-m sprint, and 180° change of direction (COD180) tests. The %CODD was also calculated. Significant group and time effects (p < 0.05) were observed in CMJ, HJ, 10-m sprint, and COD180 tests, with U-20 players generally outperforming the U-18 and U-16 groups. Nonsignificant differences were reported in the %CODD between any time point or groups throughout the season. Moderate or large significant (r = 0.44-0.64; p < 0.05) relationships were found between %CODD and 10 m. The direction of asymmetry within and between tests at all time points was slight to moderate (k = -0.29 to 0.57). Notwithstanding, 51% of the players showed the best performance in the horizontal jump with the same leg throughout the season, whereas only 36% in %CODD. This study highlights the importance of developing strategies to improve %CODD depending on the player's position demands. Finally, individually monitoring the magnitude and direction of asymmetry can help practitioners monitor the effects of training and competition throughout the season.

The Impact of Pedestrian Lane Formation by Obstacles on Fire Evacuation Efficiency in the Presence of Unfair Competition

After a fire breaks out, pedestrians simultaneously move towards the exit and quickly form a crowded area near the exit. With the intensification of pedestrians’ tendencies towards unfair competition, there is an increase in pushing and collisions within the crowd. The possibility of stampedes within the crowd also gradually increases. Analyzing the causes and psychological tendencies behind pedestrian pushing and collisions has a positive effect on reducing crowd instability and improving evacuation efficiency. This research proposes a modified social force model considering the unfair competition tendency of pedestrians. The model considers factors such as the gap between pedestrians’ actual and maximum achievable speed, effective radius, and their distance from the exit. In order to overcome the shortage of “deadlock” in the classical social force model in a high-density environment, this research introduces the feature of variable pedestrian effective radius. The effective radius of pedestrians dynamically changes according to the density of the surrounding crowd and queuing time. Through validation, the evacuation efficiency of this model aligns well with the actual situation and effectively reflects pedestrians’ pushing and squeezing behaviors in high-density environments. This research also analyzes how to strategically arrange obstacles to mitigate the exacerbating effect of unfair pedestrian competition on exit congestion. Five experiments were conducted to analyze how the relative position of obstacles and exits, the number of evacuation paths, and the size of the obstacle-free area before the exit affect evacuation efficiency in the presence of unfair pedestrian competition. The results show that evacuation efficiency can be improved when obstacles play a role in guiding or reducing the interaction of pedestrians in different queues. However, when obstacles hinder pedestrians, the evacuation efficiency is reduced to a certain extent.

Unpacking satellite pixels: UAVs reveal fine-scale drivers of land surface phenology in a winter rainfall shrubland

Land surface phenology (LSP) can reveal important connections between vegetation dynamics and climate but remains poorly understood in evergreen winter-rainfall shrublands globally. Field-based studies have indicated diverse plant functional strategies in shrublands, but further work is required to link LSP to vegetation functional composition in these regions. We analysed time-series of the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) in fynbos shrublands of South Africa using multi-spectral imagery from satellites and unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs). We investigated the climate drivers of seasonal vegetative phenology and long-term NDVI trends at multiple spatial scales ranging from the landscape to individual species. At coarse spatial resolutions, NDVI time-series indicated rainfall-driven vegetation dynamics in fynbos, both at inter and intra-annual time scales. However, high-resolution time-series from UAVs exposed an underlying divergence in vegetative phenology and long-term NDVI trends between shallow and deep-rooted growth forms. Phenophases and NDVI trends of isolated, deep-rooted, overstory shrubs were decoupled from rainfall relative to dense overstory patches and shallow-rooted understory growth forms. Variations in growth form phenology were not detected at coarse spatial scales due to scaling and competitive effects based on the functional composition of the vegetation.

Production or transmission investments? A comparative analysis

AbstractThe European electricity market is moving towards an integration process, and to facilitate that integration and the flow of electricity in that market, the European Transmission System Operator proposes different investments in transmission and production capacities. I develop a model of imperfect competition to study those investments, and I identify the economic forces that determine the equilibrium price and the flow of electricity: The size and the competitive effects. I prove formally when those forces operate simultaneously or independently, and how they determine consumers’ surplus and suppliers’ profits. I prove that an investment in transmission capacity outperforms an investment in production capacity by maximizing consumers’ welfare, but the performance in terms of suppliers’ profits is ambiguous.