Gap In Market Research Articles

Development of a prototypic, field-usable diagnostic tool for the detection of gram-positive cocci-induced mastitis in cattle

BackgroundBovine mastitis is one of the most widespread diseases affecting cattle, leading to significant losses for the dairy industry. Currently, the so-called gold standard in mastitis diagnosis involves determining the somatic cell count (SCC). Apart from a number of advantages, this method has one serious flaw: It does not identify the etiological factor causing a particular infection, making it impossible to introduce targeted antimicrobial therapy. This can contribute to multidrug-resistance in bacterial species. The diagnostic market lacks a test that has the advantages of SCC and also recognizes the species of pathogen causing the inflammation. Therefore, the aim of our study was to develop a lateral flow immunoassay (LFIA) based on elongation factor Tu for identifying most prevalent Gram-positive cocci responsible for causing mastitis including Streptococcus uberis, Streptococcus agalactiae and Staphylococcus aureus.ResultsAs a result, we showed that the assay for S. uberis detection demonstrated a specificity of 89.02%, a sensitivity of 43.59%, and an accuracy of 80.3%. In turn, the second variant - assay for Gram-positive cocci reached a specificity of 95.59%, a sensitivity of 43.28%, and an accuracy of 78.33%.ConclusionsOur study shows that EF-Tu is a promising target for LFIA and we have delivered evidence that further evaluation could improve test parameters and fill the gap in the mastitis diagnostics market.

How effective is equality regulation in reducing gender gaps in the labor market?☆

The gender gap in both employment and labour participation has narrowed markedly in recent decades in Spain. However, this decline seems to have slowed and shows a certain persistence. The solution to this problem can respond to different regulatory or non-regulatory policies. This article studies the evolution of the regulatory framework for the formulation of possible policy recommendations. We identify and quantify for the first time when, at what rate and in what regions, Spanish administrations have adopted regulations aimed at combating discrimination against women, achieving gender equality or approved measures related to the work-life balance. The study is based on a text analysis of 297,402 regulations adopted in the period 1996–2022. The indicators reveal the high degree of heterogeneity in terms of the legislation. Non-discrimination legislation was the most developed and frequent, with 11,228 regional regulations and 2590 central administration regulations adopted. We show that the volume of new regulations, mainly those related to discrimination and work-life balance, has contributed to the reduction in gender gaps. Policy actions by administrations should concentrate on these two modes of intervention. The general analysis of regulation in this area also allows for some recommendations in terms of “better regulation” policies, such as the introduction of gender equality assessments (specific regulatory impact reports).

Employment discrimination and labor market protections for sexual minorities in Brazil

This study estimates the impacts of an employment non-discrimination act (ENDA) for sexual minorities in Brazil. We contribute new evidence on ENDA impacts for sexual minorities in a distinct context from the current literature. Additionally, this is one of few studies to document labor market gaps by sexual orientation in Latin America. In this paper, we first present evidence of labor market gaps in employment, formal sector employment, hours worked, income and hourly earnings for lesbian and gay individuals in Brazil. For the same groups, we then estimate the impact of Brazilian legislation forbidding employment discrimination based on sexual orientation on these same labor market outcomes. Regarding initial pre-policy labor market gaps, conditioning on individual and work-related controls, we see that lesbian women experience wage premiums compared to straight women, while gay men experience wage penalties compared to straight men. We then estimate robust evidence that the implementation of employment protections increased income for gay men. For lesbian women, we estimate evidence of post-policy reductions in employment, but higher income and hourly earnings for those still working. Focusing on a Latin American country, we find many impacts consistent with the more recent existing evidence on ENDAs for sexual minorities.

Perception of the University Students on Entrepreneurship Education

This study focused on the perception of the students on entrepreneurship education. Entrepreneurship education is considered an effective tool for influencing students’ learning orientation and expression. This study examined the effects of entrepreneurship education and learning on the entrepreneurial implementation intentions of students at the Universities. This study employed an explanatory method. For the study, 600 questionnaires were collected from north Indian university students. Multiple regression was used for the analysis of the study. The results showed that teaching methods significantly impact entrepreneurship stimulate students’ interest and enhance students’ knowledge innovation for business start-ups. The findings of the analysis also revealed that practical activities are mainly based on vocational skill activities, the teaching methods should contain extensive attention to critical thinking and idea generation activities as graded mechanisms of the degree program. It was also recommended that engagement of students with entrepreneurial development initiatives provided by institutions should involve students across all degree levels. Therefore, to increase the prospect of assignation in entrepreneurial activities after graduation students should generate viable business ideas, identify market gaps, engage in business startups, and practical business plans, and engage in invention and innovations. Keywords: entrepreneurship, education, teaching, perceptions, university, students

Statistical analysis and open innovation in economic growth of scottish business SMEs for sustainable development

The propulsion of economic growth is a multifaceted construct, influenced by technology, capital, and resource management, with Small and Medium-sized Enterprises (SMEs) being a significant contributors to innovation and employment. This study examines the growth of Scottish SMEs across four sectors over a 14-year period (2008–2021) by employing a novel statistical approach to understand their development trajectories within the framework of open innovation. The paper engaged in a longitudinal analysis to assess trends and inform policy for sustainable growth by the utilization of open-access data. Theoretical metrics such as the Average Growth Rate, Compound Average Growth Rate (CAGR), and Year-Over-Year (YoY) Growth were applied to evaluate sectoral performance. The findings revealed varied growth patterns; the information technology sector exhibited a robust increase, while the telecommunications sector showed significant percentage growth. Conversely, the Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) sector experienced a decline that suggests a potential market gap. An affirmative trajectory in CAGR was observed in most sectors except ICT, which corroborates a shift in technological evolution and market needs. The study illuminates the dynamic economic landscape of Scottish SMEs, with telecoms emerging as the most prosperous sector in terms of growth rates, thus indicates a shifting economic focus. The study’s limitations are briefly discussed, in addition to the need for updated databases and further research employing predictive modeling with machine learning to enhance forecasting capabilities and foster open innovation for sustainable economic development.

Discovery of Natural Products Alleviating Renal Fibrosis with a Viscosity-Responsive Molecular Probe.

Renal fibrosis poses a significant threat to individuals suffering from chronic progressive kidney disease. Given the absence of effective medications for treating renal fibrosis, it becomes crucial to assess the extent of fibrosis in real time and explore the development of novel drugs with substantial therapeutic benefits. Due to the accumulation of renal tissue damage and the uncontrolled deposition of fibrotic matrix during the course of the disease, there is an increase in viscosity both intracellularly and extracellularly. Therefore, a viscosity-sensitive near-infrared fluorescence (NIRF) and photoacoustic (PA) imaging probe, BDP-KY, was developed to detect aberrant changes in viscosity during fibrosis. Furthermore, BDP-KY has been applied to screen the effective components of herbal medicine, rhubarb, resulting in the identification of potential antirenal fibrotic compounds such as emodin-8-glucoside and chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside. Ultrasound, PA, and NIRF imaging of a unilateral uretera obstruction mice model show that different concentrations of emodin-8-glucoside and chrysophanol 8-O-glucoside effectively reduce viscosity levels during the renal fibrosis process. The histological results showed a significant decrease in fibrosis factors α-smooth muscle actin and collagen deposition. Combining these findings with their pharmacokinetic characteristics, these compounds have the potential to fill the current market gap for effective antirenal fibrosis drugs. This study demonstrates the potential of BDP-KY in the evaluation of renal fibrosis, and the two identified active components from rhubarb hold great promise for the treatment of renal fibrosis.

Award-Winning Women Business Operators in Kandy District of Sri Lanka: Entrepreneurial Bricolage

Women entrepreneurship has been identified as a crucial factor in closing the gender gap in the labor market and women empowerment. However, there is a significant gender gap in the SME sector in Sri Lanka. Also, Literature supports that Sri Lankan women are living in a socially and economically constrained environment. In this study entrepreneurial bricolage has been used as a theoretical lens to understand the entrepreneurial actions of women business operators because bricolage links means and ends in a resource-constrained environment. Since women business operators in Sri Lanka are in a constrained environment and operating with limited resources, the main purpose of this study to understand how Award-winning women business operators have applied Bricolage approach in their entrepreneurship process. Qualitative multiple case study research design was used to achieve the research objectives. In-depth interview method was adopted as the main data collection method and 30 women awardees were selected by using the purposive sampling method. The findings illustrate that these women business operators have used the 'Bricolage' approach in the form of 'selective bricolage'. They have used it as a one-off practice to find solutions for problems and opportunities they faced in their businesses.

Gender features of human capital development in the Republic of Kazakhstan

The basis of this study was the analysis of the human capital reproductive processes in the Republic of Kazakhstan, considering the gender component. The object was the human capital of Kazakhstan’s regions, and the subject was the gender aspect of human capital development. Mincer’s supplemented human capital assessment model was the primary model for calculating human capital. Factors influencing the effective use of human capital in the regions, considering the gender component, were identified, and their indices were calculated. The analysis showed a persistent gender gap in life expectancy, education level, income, and labour market. Based on the results, leader and outsider regions in terms of the accumulated human capital level were identified. The analysis indicates the responsible attitude of the government of the Republic of Kazakhstan towards developing gender equality. Over the past ten years, Kazakhstan has advanced significantly in its efforts to empower women in the socio-political sphere. The Republic of Kazakhstan has assumed obligations under several international agreements, adopted many laws, and developed government measures critical for increasing women’s participation in government activities.

Impact of Consumer Subsidy Considering Subsidy Threshold on New Energy Vehicle Firms and Environmental Benefits

This paper investigates a competitive market consisting of two new energy vehicle (NEV) firms with a technology gap and consumers with green preferences. By employing a Hotelling model, we obtain the equilibrium outcomes of two competing firms without and with segmented consumer subsidy (SCS) following Nash game theory. We further explore the incentive effect, effective scope of SCS policy and the impacts of subsidy threshold and technology improvement on it, which fills the gap in the literature and provides managerial insights. We find that SCS can only play a role when the threshold is intermediate, and the government can expand the effective scope of subsidies by cultivating consumers’ green preferences and strengthening the intensity of subsidies. Moreover, the government can change the competitiveness and green level gap of two firms through the threshold. When threshold is small (large), increasing it can narrow (expand) the green level gap between two firms but widen (narrow) the market gap. We also find that implementing an SCS policy has a positive impact on environmental benefits and technological improvement is more likely to cause environmental damage. However, the government can effectively decrease the degree and probability of damage by raising the subsidy threshold and reducing the subsidy amount.

Research in the Department of Music Technology and Acoustics of the Hellenic Mediterranean University: An Overview and Prospects

The Department of Music Technology and Acoustics of the Hellenic Mediterranean University offers a unique higher education program in Greece, addressing the growing demand for specialists in music technology, sound technology, and acoustics. It aims to educate specialized professionals in the rapidly advancing scientific fields of music technology and acoustics, mainly driven by the swift progress in electronic technology. The Department aims to address a gap in the professional market by producing highly skilled graduates, capable not only of keeping up with the latest scientific and technological developments but also of leading the way by introducing innovative approaches and methods. The Department combines art, science, and technology, focusing on sound recording, analysis, synthesis, and music production. Music technology encompasses various cutting-edge fields such as network music performance, artificial intelligence in music, and music embodiment. Acoustics refers to fundamental aspects of sound as well as its generation, transmission, and related phenomena. It includes research fields such as physical acoustics, optoacoustics, and vibroacoustics. This overview presents the research activities, methodologies, and results. A discussion of future research works and pointers to future technological evolution towards real-world music and acoustics applications is also provided.

Gender Gap in Indian Labour Market

Gender inequality constitute a shared practice wherein parity between men and women is not upheld. This study endeavours to gauge the extent of gender inequality in the Indian Labour market. Utilizing secondary data sourced from Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFs) 2022-23. The finding reveals a substantial disparity in labour force participation, work involvement, and unemployment rates between females and males.

Do wages underestimate the inequality in workers' rewards? The joint distribution of job quality and wages across occupations

AbstractInformation on both wages and job quality is needed in order to understand the occupational dispersion of wellbeing. We analyse subjective wellbeing in a large UK sample to construct a measure of ‘overall reward’, the sum of wages and the value of job quality, in 90 different occupations. If only wages are included, then labour market inequality is underestimated: the dispersion of overall rewards is one‐third larger than the dispersion of wages. Our findings are similar, and stronger, in data on US workers. We find a positive correlation between job quality and wages in all specifications, both between individuals in the cross‐section and within individuals in panel data. The gender and ethnic gaps in the labour market are larger than those in wages alone, and the overall rewards to education on the labour market are underestimated by earnings differentials alone.

Is Equality Regulation Effective in Reducing Gender Gaps in the Labor Market? Quantification and Evidence for Spain

Is Equality Regulation Effective in Reducing Gender Gaps in the Labor Market? Quantification and Evidence for Spain

Importance of Different Measured Factors in Accounting for the Levels in the Gender Wage Gap in the China Labour Market

Importance of Different Measured Factors in Accounting for the Levels in the Gender Wage Gap in the China Labour Market

Investigating the Illicit Manufacture of Pharmaceutical Drugs in Sri Lanka-A Case Study on the Underworld of Counterfeit Drugs

The pharmaceutical drug industry is engaged in the research, development, manufacture and marketing of drugs and medications, which plays a major role in the healthcare industry. The global demand for the pharmaceutical drugs is on the rise, and unfortunately there is a concurrent increase in the illicit production of these drugs worldwide. This surge can be attributed to factors such as high demand, potential for profit, weak regulatory oversight and desire to exploit gaps in the legal market. Despite pharmaceutical drugs are intended for the treatment of medical conditions and pain relief, there is growing trend of illicit drug abusers to misusing these substances. Reports indicate a significant number of unlicensed pharmacies in Sri Lanka, but fewer accounts of illicit manufacturing of pharmaceutical drugs. In April 2023, the Police Narcotic Bureau officers arrested a building in a densely populated area in Colombo, Sri Lanka, suspecting it to be a clandestine laboratory for the production of illicit drugs. Subsequently, the Government Analyst of Sri Lanka was tasked with investigating the suspected clandestine laboratory. A team of forensic analysts from Government Analyst’s Department (GAD) visited the site, scrutinized the location, examined the equipment and chemicals and collected samples for further analysis. Although the clandestine laboratory was abandoned at the time of visit, evidence of machinery used for filling capsules, various chemicals, chemical glassware and other equipment were observed. Preliminary tests for illicit drugs and handheld Raman Spectroscopy testing were conducted at the scene. Gas Chromatography – Mass Spectroscopy (GCMS) was performed on the collected samples in the GAD laboratory. The analysis revealed the samples collected from the clandestine laboratory contained the substances considered pharmaceutical drugs namely, Tramadol, Lidocaine, Niacinamide, Menthol and Chlorpheniramine.

Smart Cities: An analysis of publications about Brazilian startups providing digital solutions

This article aims to analyze how Brazilian startups are promoting technological solutions for the development of smart cities. The literature review was based on published material obtained through the survey of startups focused on smart cities in the Smart City Report Distrito 2020 digital archive. In addition, searches were conducted in the Scopus, Science Direct, Scielo, and Web of Science databases, using keyword combinations such as "Technology Transfer," "Startup," and "Smart City." The research resulted in 56 papers, but none of them related to startups promoting digital solutions for smart cities in the Brazilian context. From the analysis of Smart City Report data, it was possible to observe that smart cities are becoming an increasingly growing theme worldwide, especially in the context of digital and urban transformation. However, solutions for municipal governance and administration are less frequent, with only 10% of startups directing their solutions to governments, suggesting that the country is still in an early stage of implementing smart cities. Collaboration between companies and municipal governments is essential to achieve more efficient city management. The theoretical contribution of this work helps to reduce the gap in this topic in the academic field, bringing analyses of data from the Brazilian market. Showing socially stimulating business opportunities so that there is digital entrepreneurship in market gaps. Promoting that the city environment is more developed to meet these smart cities.

Investment tokens as financial market tools

The rapid evolution of the digital financial asset market and its growing integration with traditional financial instruments, coupled with its global reach and unrestricted cross-border capital mobility, necessitate a thorough research of these market instruments. Specifically, it calls for an assessment of their potential as alternatives to conventional financial instruments. At the same time, there are many factors contributing to an increased risk of regulatory gaps in the financial market: structural vulnerability of the market of digital financial assets, high volatility of the value of crypto-assets, low transparency, the possibility of a spillover of risks from the market of digital financial assets to other financial markets, as well as the lack of regulatory consensus among financial regulators in the countries of the world. The research objective is to determine the role of investment tokens in today’s financial market, their utility in attracting investment resources on blockchain-based trading platforms, and the nuances of their classification as securities. The article delves into the core concepts and intricacies of regulating securities tokens and analyses quantitative metrics depicting the development of the investment token market and its relative share in the global financial market compared to other financial assets. Notably, the author outlines key criteria for securities regulators to consider when determining whether tokens should be classified as securities. The article reveals the main models of the initial offering of investment tokens, highlights their features, and shows their adaptability to changing conditions within the digital financial asset market and the evolving needs of market participants. It is evident that all current models for raising funds through investment tokens, including IEO, IDO, and STO sub-models, trace their roots back to the Initial Coin Offering (ICO) model and, fundamentally, do not differ significantly from traditional capital-raising models such as Initial Public Offering (IPO) and Secondary Public Offering (SPO) in traditional financial markets. This substantiates the need for global financial regulators to take actions aimed at officially classifying investment tokens as securities. Expanding securities legislation requirements to encompass issuers of investment tokens, particularly concerning information disclosure, promises to mitigate instances of fraud within the digital financial asset market. Such measures would fortify investor protection and reduce the vulnerability of financial markets as a whole.

Positioning Analysis of AY Field Brand

For a considerable duration, the traditional dairy product market in China has been dominated by a dual oligopoly, primarily led by Mengniu and Yili. Regional brands such as Guangming, Junlebao, and Sanyuan have engaged in staggered competition, contributing to a pattern of feudal separatism among local brands. AY Group, positioned as a significant independent player in the China dairy industry, has strategically extended its reach downstream in the supply chain, establishing the consumer brand AY Field. Despite possessing a robust advantage in self-owned ranches and delivering high-quality products, AY Field grapples with challenges related to unclear market positioning and low brand awareness among final consumers. This study employs a SWOT analysis to delve into identifying a market positioning strategy that best suits the AY Field brand. The research reveals that the current dynamics of competition in the dairy industry market are predominantly concentrated in the high-end and low-end segments, leaving a noticeable gap in the middle market. Leveraging the natural, high-quality, and competitively priced attributes of AY Field milk, the recommended market position involves supplying ambient liquid milk that aligns with the consumption habits of young individuals and office workers. This strategic positioning aims to offer high-quality products at moderate prices, addressing the specific needs of the identified consumer demographic.

Funding gap in the Hungarian venture capital market

Our study investigates the size of the so-called financing gap in the Hungarian venture capital market, i.e. the amount that can potentially be lent out, which is currently not covered by the Hungarian financial intermediary system on a market basis. The relevant literature will be reviewed to assess the performance and characteristics of the Hungarian market. The Hungarian financial intermediation system, traditionally based on banking, underperforms in all segments of capital market financing, even by Central and Eastern European standards. In our research, we sought to find out whether the available sources of venture capital could meet market needs. Both the number and volume of transactions in the domestic venture capital and private equity markets are low by international standards, and the role of the state is below the average for CEE countries. The novelty of our analysis lies in the fact that there is no similar literature available in Hungary. Our estimation based on linear regression revealed a strong relationship between venture capital investment and current GDP. The difference between the estimated potential risk capital stock and the annual averages zrealized clearly shows the market gap. In addition to the public programmes already implemented, the annual amount of risk capital missing from the domestic market is in the order of EUR 12.5-31.6 million, i.e. roughly HUF 5.1-13.3 billion per year at the euro exchange rate at the time of analysis. If this resource were available, domestic startups would have greater growth opportunities. Our analysis suggests that not only a state presence but even an increase in it, seems justifiable (or at least worth exploring). The research was supported by the National Research, Development and Innovation Office (FK-142492).

Palmatine Protects PC12 Cells and Mice from Aβ25-35-Induced Oxidative Stress and Neuroinflammation via the Nrf2/HO-1 Pathway.

Alzheimer's disease is a common degenerative disease which has a great impact on people's daily lives, but there is still a certain market gap in the drug research about it. Palmatine, one of the main components of Huangteng, the rattan stem of Fibraurea recisa Pierre (Menispermaceae), has potential in the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. The aim of this study was to evaluate the neuroprotective effect of palmatine on amyloid beta protein 25-35-induced rat pheochromocytoma cells and AD mice and to investigate its mechanism of action. CCK8 assays, ELISA, the Morris water maze assay, fluorescent probes, calcein/PI staining, immunofluorescent staining and Western blot analysis were used. The experimental results show that palmatine can increase the survival rate of Aβ25-35-induced PC12 cells and mouse hippocampal neurons, reduce apoptosis, reduce the content of TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-6, GSH, SOD, MDA and ROS, improve the learning and memory ability of AD mice, inhibit the expression of Keap-1 and Bax, and promote the expression of Nrf2, HO-1 and Bcl-2. We conclude that palmatine can ameliorate oxidative stress and neuroinflammation produced by Aβ25-35-induced PC12 cells and mice by modulating the Nrf2/HO-1 pathway. In conclusion, our results suggest that palmatine may have a potential therapeutic effect on AD and could be further investigated as a promising therapeutic agent for AD. It provides a theoretical basis for the development of related drugs.