Growth Advantage Research Articles

Impact of BMI on childhood growth, pubertal timing, and bone maturation: A comprehensive review and clinical implications

Introduction: Childhood obesity and undernutrition significantly affect growth patterns, pubertal timing, and bone maturation, leading to long-term health implications. Materials and Methods: A comprehensive literature review was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and Scopus. Twenty-four studies, including a total of 40,732 patients, were analyzed from two tables examining the impact of BMI, growth patterns, pubertal timing, and bone maturation. Results: Children with high BMI exhibit accelerated linear growth during early childhood, that may be driven by elevated leptin levels, which stimulate growth before puberty. Despite early growth advantages, these children experience reduced height gain during adolescence due to advanced bone maturation and earlier closure of growth plates. High BMI is strongly linked to early puberty, especially in girls, as increased adipose tissue raises leptin levels, triggering early pubertal onset. Boys, however, show variability in pubertal timing, with severe obesity sometimes delaying puberty. In contrast, children with low BMI or undernutrition demonstrate delayed linear growth and delayed puberty. Nutritional deficits lead to reduced growth velocity, delayed pubertal onset, and extended pubertal periods due to a lack of adipose tissue and hormonal deficiencies in leptin and kisspeptin. Nutritional rehabilitation promotes catch-up growth, allowing for extended growth potential by delaying growth plate closure. However, full recovery may not occur in cases of prolonged or severe undernutrition. Advanced bone age in high BMI children shortens the pubertal growth spurt, while delayed bone maturation in undernourished children offers a prolonged period for potential growth, contingent on timely nutritional support. Conclusion: Timely interventions for childhood obesity and undernutrition are critical to improving growth outcomes and preventing long-term developmental delays. Early identification, nutritional rehabilitation, and lifestyle modifications can help optimize growth and pubertal development by addressing both advanced and delayed growth trajectories.

Isolation and identification of hybrid snakehead rhabdovirus (HSHRV) and its immune response in the hybrid Snakehead((male Channa argus × female Channa maculata)

Hybrid snakehead is an emerging aquaculture species obtained from the mating of Channa argus (♂) and Channa maculate (♀). It has the advantages of fast growth and strong disease resistance. Viral diseases caused by hybrid snakehead rhabdovirus (HSHRV) critically affect the hybrid snakehead industry. We isolated and identified a highly virulent strain of HSHRV from a naturally occurring hybrid snakehead, namely HSHRV-GZ22. It showed clinical signs of sinking, superficial blackening, spinning, acute internal congestion, and hemorrhage, along with blackening and enlargement of the liver, spleen, and kidneys. Histopathological analysis showed multiple tissue lesions in the liver, spleen, and kidneys, characterized mainly by massive inflammatory cell infiltration, interstitial hemorrhage, and partial cell necrosis. Pathogen analysis identified the virus as HSHRV. Immunofluorescence analysis (IFA) with HSHRV-specific antibodies confirmed the virus and electron microscopic observation showed that the bullet-like virus particles had a size of approximately 150 nm. The replication efficiency of HSHRV was 107.33 TCID50/mL. The glycoproteins of the isolates were cloned and sequenced, and a phylogenetic tree was constructed. The HSHRV-GZ22 isolates clustered into a single branch with the reported HSHRV-C1207, and it had a high degree of homology with Siniperca chuatsi rhabdovirus (SCRV). HSHRV-GZ22 was regressively infected, clinical and pathological symptoms were similar to naturally occurring fish, with a fatality rate of about 85 %. qRT-PCR was performed to determine the viral replication in different tissues of hybrid snakehead, and the viral copies were found to be highly expressed in the liver, spleen, kidney, and intestine. HSHRV-GZ22 activated the antiviral immune pathway in hybrid snakeheads during infection, and the expressions of IgM, IRF7, ISG12, and IFNγ were significantly altered. In this study, we isolated a strong virulent strain of HSHRV and characterized it; in addition, it provided insights into the pathogenesis of HSHRV and immune response in hybrid snakehead, while also advancing the methods for diagnosing and preventing diseases caused by HSHRV.

Self‐organised pattern formation promotes consumer coexistence by fluctuation‐dependent mechanisms

Abstract In spatially extended ecosystems, habitat heterogeneity facilitates coexistence of species if each competitor experiences environmental conditions in a particular habitat that provide a growth advantage compared to other species, thereby making it locally competitively superior. If the competitive hierarchy among species is the same everywhere, heterogeneity‐facilitated coexistence is possible provided that superior competitors disperse maladaptively towards unfavourable habitats or if they hedge insufficiently against fluctuating environmental conditions. We use a generic two‐patch metacommunity model to show that the latter mechanisms also operate in metacommunities with homogeneous habitat quality when heterogeneous biomass distributions emerge from self‐organised pattern formation. The model consists of an abiotic resource, an autotroph producer and two competing heterotroph consumer species of which one is always competitively inferior to the other, irrespective of resource availability. If the induced biomass patterns are static in time, a lower dispersal rate can allow the inferior competitor to avoid competitive exclusion by retaining most of its biomass in the patch with the higher resource density. However, if the biomass patterns fluctuate spatio‐temporally, the inferior competitor must adopt a higher dispersal rate than the superior competitor to persist. This increased movement enables the inferior competitor to effectively distribute its biomass across space, thereby achieving a higher growth rate during periods of recovery from local population minima. Strikingly, we find a novel coexistence mechanism that emerges if the competitors differ in their abilities to induce pattern formation. Similar to relative nonlinearity in resource use (based e.g. on a gleaner–opportunist trade‐off), the dominant species modifies the spatial or spatio‐temporal variation in the distribution of the resource in a way that favours its competitor. This prevents competitive exclusion due to differently effective dispersal strategies. We conclude that while temporal instabilities that cause, for example, predator–prey oscillations are usually regarded as jeopardising species' persistence, spatial instabilities that give rise to self‐organised pattern formation should be interpreted more positively, as they provide a generic mechanisms for maintaining diversity in metacommunities without requiring a priori habitat heterogeneity. Read the free Plain Language Summary for this article on the Journal blog.

Live weight peculiarities of the Tsigai breed young sheep during the suckling period in connection with the terms of sheep ewes’ gestation

The correlation of the Tsigai breed ewes’ gestation period with the patterns of growth and development of the sheep growing stock during the suckling period was explored in the article. The dates of inseminations and calvings were selected for analysis to calculate the duration of ewes' gestation and indicators of live weight of young animals at birth and at weaning with subsequent calculation of correlations between these traits. The average duration of the ewes’ gestation period is 157.76 ± 0.61 days (Cv=7.6%). The single-born ewe lambs of the No. 01684 line were higher in live weight by 6.9% (р ≤ 0.001), and higher in average daily gain by 6.0% (р ≤ 0.001) than the sample averages at weaning. The single-born ram lambs the No. 80077 line have a significant advantage in terms of live weight at weaning by 9.1% (р ≤ 0.01), and in terms of average daily gains by 11.8% (р ≤ 0.05). Single-born ram lambs of the No. 01684 and No. 66796 lines with a reduced live weight at birth grow more intensively: a significant advantage in terms of live weight at weaning and average daily growth, respectively, is 12.1% (р ≤ 0.001) and 9.6 % (р ≤ 0.01) higher in comparison with the average sample values. Twin ewe lambs of the No. 80077 line with a lower live weight at birth by 0.2% and an increased weight at birth by 0.4, the difference of which is also not reliable, nevertheless have a significant advantage in average daily growth compared to the average – by 9.1% (р ≤ 0.001), while the twin ram lambs have no significant difference in the indicators of the suckling period. Milkiness is negatively associated with the duration of pregnancy of ewes and positively with the lambs live weight at weaning period. In order to establish a line for increased multiplicity, it is necessary to select ewe lambs to be used in the replacement stock from twin litters in the line No. 80077. The increased live weight of young animals from single litters is formed by the parent livestock of No. 01684, 20832, 65204 and 80077 lines. The advantage of twin ram lambs in terms of live weight over the average values has not been proven.

A retrospective assessment of forecasting the peak of the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.1 wave in England.

We discuss the invasion of the Omicron BA.1 variant into England as a paradigm for real-time model fitting and projection. Here we use a mixture of simple SIR-type models, analysis of the early data and a more complex age-structure model fit to the outbreak to understand the dynamics. In particular, we highlight that early data shows that the invading Omicron variant had a substantial growth advantage over the resident Delta variant. However, early data does not allow us to reliably infer other key epidemiological parameters-such as generation time and severity-which influence the expected peak hospital numbers. With more complete epidemic data from January 2022 are we able to capture the true scale of the epidemic in terms of both infections and hospital admissions, driven by different infection characteristics of Omicron compared to Delta and a substantial shift in estimated precautionary behaviour during December. This work highlights the challenges of real time forecasting, in a rapidly changing environment with limited information on the variant's epidemiological characteristics.

Selective loss of Y chromosomes in lung adenocarcinoma modulates the tumor immune environment through cancer/testis antigens.

There is increasing recognition that the sex chromosomes, X and Y, play an important role in health and disease that goes beyond the determination of biological sex. Loss of the Y chromosome (LOY) in blood, which occurs naturally in aging men, has been found to be a driver of cardiac fibrosis and heart failure mortality. LOY also occurs in most solid tumors in males and is often associated with worse survival, suggesting that LOY may give tumor cells a growth or survival advantage. We analyzed LOY in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) using both bulk and single-cell expression data and found evidence suggesting that LOY affects the tumor immune environment by altering cancer/testis antigen expression and consequently facilitating tumor immune evasion. Analyzing immunotherapy data, we show that LOY and changes in expression of particular cancer/testis antigens are associated with response to pembrolizumab treatment and outcome, providing a new and powerful biomarker for predicting immunotherapy response in LUAD tumors in males.

Specialized Listeria monocytogenes produce tailocins to provide a population-level competitive growth advantage.

Tailocins are phage tail-like bacteriocins produced by various bacterial species to kill kin competitors. Given that tailocin release is dependent upon cell lysis, regulation of tailocin production at the single-cell and population level remains unclear. Here we used flow cytometry, competition assays and structural characterization of tailocin production in a human bacterial pathogen, Listeria monocytogenes. We revealed that a specialized subpopulation, constituting less than 1% of the total bacterial population, differentiates to produce, assemble and store thousands of tailocin particles. Tailocins are packed in a highly ordered manner, clustered in a liquid crystalline phase that occupies a substantial volume of the cell. Tailocin production confers a competitive growth advantage for the rest of the population. This study provides molecular insights into tailocin production as a form of altruism, showing how cell specialization within bacterial populations can confer competitive advantages at the population level.

Spatial structure and individual competition characteristics of secondary Mongolian oak mature forests in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning Province, China.

The community structure of natural mature forests is determined by long-term forest succession, characterized by rational structure, rich biodiversity, and high ecological function. Understanding the spatial structure and formation mechanisms of mature forests is a fundamental prerequisite for forest management. We analyzed four structure parameters, including diameter structure, angular scale, size ratio, and mixture degree, as well as the Hegyi competition index, of secondary Quercus mongolica (Mongolian oak) mature forests in the mountainous area of eastern Liaoning Province. The results showed that Q. mongolica predominated the tree layer. In the sapling layer, Q. mongolica, Tilia amurensis, and Acer pictum were the dominant species. In the seedling layer, Acer pseudosieboldianum, T. amurensis, and A. amurensis dominated, with very few Q. mongolica seedlings. The overall diameter distribution of the stand showed an inverse "J" shape, while the diameter distribution of Q. mongolica, the dominant tree species, followed a normal distribution. The horizontal spatial structure of the stand was generally randomly distributed, with an average angle scale of 0.505, size ratio of 0.219, and mixture degree of 0.670 for Q. mongolica. From the perspective of spatial structure binary distribution, Q. mongolica individuals which had a random distribution exhibited greater growth advantages and higher levels of mixing, in comparison to other distribution types. Randomly distributed dominant and subdominant individuals made up nearly half individuals in the stand, and showed a high degree of mixing with surrounding trees. The stand-level individual tree competition index decreased with increasing diameter classes. When the diameter at breast height exceeded 20 cm, the competition index tended to stabilize (ΔCI<2). The competitive radius of individual Q. mongolica trees was 8 m, with intraspecific competition as the main pressure. Other species experienced competition pressure primarily from interspecific sources. Our results suggested that competition played an important role in shaping the spatial structure of secondary Q. mongolica mature forests.

The effect of corporate social responsibility on customer engagement and citizenship behavior

AbstractDue to the hybrid‐competitive market and the economic crisis, consumers are more ethically concerned about companies failing to adhere to environmental and human rights standards. Thus, companies have implemented corporate social responsibility (CSR) initiatives to improve their ethical performance and establish the groundwork for sustainable growth and competitive advantage. Relationship marketing orientation (RMO) contributes to strengthen customers relationships and value co‐creation. Drawing from the stakeholder theory, this study aims to examine how CSR initiatives, that is, customer‐oriented and employee‐oriented, affect customer participation behavior (CPB) and customer citizenship behavior (CCB) in the banking sector. The main findings highlight a significant correlation between the CSR initiatives and customer value co‐creation behavior. Finally, by triangulating CSR, RMO, and value co‐creation, this study aims to provide more insights on RMO and CSR strategies for academicians and practitioners.

The Impact of Cloud Technology on Entrepreneurship in the Hospitality Industry

Purpose: Cloud technology has significantly transformed modern business operations, particularly within the hospitality industry, by offering scalable, cost-effective, and flexible computing solutions. This paradigm shift has democratized access to advanced tools and services, thereby enhancing operational efficiency and competitive capability for entrepreneurs. This integrative paper examines the impact of cloud computing on entrepreneurship within the hospitality sector, focusing on operational efficiency, cost structures, scalability, and innovation. Materials and Methods: By employing the Resource-Based View (RBV) and Innovation Diffusion Theory (IDT), this integrative study provides a framework for understanding how cloud technology enhances competitive advantage and adoption patterns. Findings: Through a comprehensive review of literature and case studies, this study identifies and addresses critical research gaps, including the limited empirical evidence on the long-term effects of cloud technology on business growth, sustainability, and competitive advantage. It also highlights the need for further exploration of regional differences in cloud technology adoption, particularly in emerging markets, and underscores the insufficient exploration of security and privacy concerns, advocating for more detailed research on cloud security models. Moreover, the study seeks to bridge gaps in understanding how cloud technology drives innovation in service delivery and customer experience. Implications to Theory, Practice and Policy: Policy contributions from this study include recommending targeted guidelines for secure cloud adoption, strategies for addressing regional disparities in cloud technology implementation, and policy frameworks that support innovation while safeguarding data privacy. Recommendations for entrepreneurs include strategically adopting cloud solutions, investing in staff training, and continuously monitoring cloud-related expenses. This study ultimately contributes to a nuanced understanding of cloud technology’s role in shaping entrepreneurial practices and policies within the hospitality sector.

Abstract C035: MAGEA6 Oncogene Upregulates MAPK and AMPK Signaling Pathways in Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Promote Survival under Nutrient Stress: Resistance to Glycolysis Inhibition and Increased Susceptibility to Glutamine Depletion

Abstract Introduction: Melanoma-associated antigens (MAGEs) are linked to aggressive disease progression and treatment resistance in many cancers, but their role in pancreatic cancer is not well understood. Our preliminary TCGA data analysis suggested that 10% of pancreatic tumors express MAGEA3/6 and potentially help pancreatic cancer cells survive and grow under nutrient stress. This study aims to uncover the molecular mechanisms of MAGEA3/6 function in pancreatic cancer cell metabolism and disease progression under nutrient-poor conditions. Methods: To understand the role of highly homologous genes MAGEA3 and MAGEA6 in pancreatic cancer, we expressed them in highly glycolytic MIA PaCa-2 pancreatic cancer cells. Cells were then exposed to cancer-related nutritional stressors, including glycolysis inhibition by 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2DG) treatment and glutamine depletion. We analyzed the effect of MAGEA6 expression on cell viability and cell metabolism by Alamar Blue viability assay (BioRad), Seahorse (Agilent), Phenotype MicroArray Mammalian analysis (Biolog), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and RNA sequencing. To confirm our results, we performed loss-of- function studies in MAGEA3/6-positive cells, including PANC1. Results: We found that, compared to control GFP-expressing cells, MAGEA6-expressing MIA PaCa-2 cells were resistant to glycolysis inhibition with 2-DG. In contrast, they were more susceptible to glutamine depletion, suggesting the important role of MAGEA3/6 in metabolic phenotype and adaptations of pancreatic cancer cells. Further, we showed that MAGEA6-expressing cells exhibited increased ATP production and mitochondrial oxidative phosphorylation, especially under 2DG stress. After 48 hours of 2DG treatment, TEM images revealed significant differences in nuclear, mitochondrial, and ribosomal structures in MAGEA6-cells, further suggesting MAGEA6's role in metabolic adaptation. The Phenotype MicroArray assay demonstrated that α-D-Glucose is the primary nutrient source consumed by both GFP and MAGEA6-expressing cells among the 93 nutrients tested. Additionally, A6 cells utilize Pyruvic Acid as an alternative nutrient source more than GFP cells. To uncover molecular underpinning, we performed RNA sequencing and found that MAGEA6 expression affects transcriptome under glutamine depletion and 2DG treatment. Intriguingly, one of the major differentially regulated biological processes was associated with the upregulation of several signaling pathways, including MAPK and AMPK. Conclusion: Our findings suggest that in pancreatic cancer, MAGEA6 recruits stress and growth factor- dependent MAPK and AMPK pathways to overcome glycolysis inhibition, even in glutamine- depleted conditions, providing a growth advantage. This implies that patients with MAGEA6- positive tumors may benefit from combination therapy targeting metabolism and signaling pathways. Citation Format: Sima Tozandehjani, Barbara Breznik, Klementina Fon Tacer, Miloš Vittori, Juan Sebastian Solano, Sara Uhan. MAGEA6 Oncogene Upregulates MAPK and AMPK Signaling Pathways in Pancreatic Cancer Cells to Promote Survival under Nutrient Stress: Resistance to Glycolysis Inhibition and Increased Susceptibility to Glutamine Depletion [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference in Cancer Research: Advances in Pancreatic Cancer Research; 2024 Sep 15-18; Boston, MA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2024;84(17 Suppl_2):Abstract nr C035.

Aryl hydrocarbon receptor restricts axon regeneration of DRG neurons in response to injury.

Injured neurons sense environmental cues to balance neural protection and axon regeneration, but the mechanisms are unclear. Here, we unveil aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR), a ligand-activated bHLH-PAS transcription factor, as a molecular sensor and key regulator of acute stress response at the expense of axon regeneration. We demonstrate responsiveness of DRG sensory neurons to AhR signaling, which functions to inhibit axon regeneration. Conditional Ahr deletion in neurons accelerates axon regeneration after sciatic nerve injury. Ahr deletion partially mimics the conditioning lesion in priming DRG to initiate axonogenesis gene programs; upon peripheral axotomy, Ahr ablation suppresses inflammation and stress signaling while augmenting pro-growth pathways. Moreover, comparative transcriptomics revealed signaling interactions between AhR and HIF-1α, two structurally related bHLH-PAS α units that share the dimerization partner Arnt/HIF-1β. Functional assays showed that the growth advantage of AhR-deficient DRG neurons requires HIF-1α; but in the absence of Arnt, DRG neurons can still mount a regenerative response. We further unveil a link between bHLH-PAS transcription factors and DNA hydroxymethylation in response to peripheral axotomy, while RNA-seq of DRG neurons and neuronal single cell RNA-seq analysis revealed a link of AhR regulon to RNA regulation and integrated stress response (ISR). Altogether, AhR activation favors stress coping and inflammation at the expense of axon regeneration; targeting AhR has the potential to enhance nerve repair.

Triploid eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) display high susceptibility to microbial infections but only during early ontogenetic stages

Over the last two decades, oyster aquaculture has largely shifted from the use of diploids to the near-exclusive use of triploids in many regions, with some hatcheries now producing >90 % triploid oyster spat. The increased demand for triploids is primarily driven by substantial growth advantages and more consistent meat quality associated with sterile triploid animals, with most data suggesting triploids and diploids display comparable adult survivorship. Although adult performance appears similar, anecdotal reports from farmers have suggested that triploids may exhibit greater frailty during earlier age classes, particularly in response to bacterial infections. Due to the extent of triploid production now taking place, the possibility of early ontogenetic frailty in triploids could pose a significant risk to oyster aquaculture production. To evaluate these claims, two cohorts of half-sibling diploid and triploid eastern oyster lines were generated in 2020 and 2021. A subset of larvae and juveniles from these lines were then exposed to a cocktail of bacterial (Vibrio) pathogens and monitored for viability. The remaining oysters were then allowed to grow for another 2 months before being deployed in either Peconic Bay, New York (2020), or Patuxent River, Maryland (2021), where their survivorship was followed for another year. Results showed that triploids were at significantly greater risk of mortality during the larvae and juvenile stages, though differential mortality decreased with age. These trends were consistent across the two spawning events, and the extent of early ontogenetic triploid frailty was observed to vary between the lines tested. This work provides valuable data for hatchery managers and farmers alike and suggests areas where specific attention and further work are required.

Recurrent SARS-CoV-2 spike mutations confer growth advantages to select JN.1 sublineages

ABSTRACT The recently dominant SARS-CoV-2 Omicron JN.1 has evolved into multiple sublineages, with recurrent spike mutations R346T, F456L, and T572I, some of which exhibit growth advantages, such as KP.2 and KP.3. We investigated these mutations in JN.1, examining their individual and combined effects on immune evasion, ACE2 receptor affinity, and in vitro infectivity. F456L increased resistance to neutralization by human sera, including those after JN.1 breakthrough infections, and by RBD class-1 monoclonal antibodies, significantly altering JN.1 antigenicity. R346T enhanced ACE2-binding affinity and modestly boosted the infectivity of JN.1 pseudovirus, without a discernible effect on serum neutralization, while T572I slightly bolstered evasion of SD1-directed mAbs against JN.1's ancestor, BA.2, possibly by altering SD1 conformation. Importantly, expanding sublineages such as KP.2 containing R346T, F456L, and V1104L, showed similar neutralization resistance as JN.1 with R346T and F456L, suggesting V1104L does not appreciably affect antibody evasion. Furthermore, the hallmark mutation Q493E in KP.3 significantly reduced ACE2-binding affinity and viral infectivity, without noticeably impacting serum neutralization. Our findings illustrate how certain JN.1 mutations confer growth advantages in the population and could inform the design of the next COVID-19 vaccine booster.

Acceptance of artificial intelligence technologies in business management, finance, and e-commerce: factors, challenges, and strategies

This research investigates the comprehensive acceptance of artificial intelligence (AI) in business management, finance, and e-commerce, focusing on the factors driving its adoption, the obstacles encountered, and strategies for enhancing integration. AI technologies have transformed these sectors, delivering exceptional efficiencies, predictive analytics, and personalized customer experiences. However, their acceptance is influenced by various factors, including technological readiness, organizational culture, and perceived benefits. In business management, AI improves decision-making processes, optimizes operations, and fosters innovation. Financial institutions utilize AI for risk management, fraud detection, and personalized banking services, while the e-commerce sector gains from AI through enhanced customer service, dynamic pricing, and inventory management. Despite these benefits, challenges such as data privacy concerns, high implementation costs, and resistance to change impede widespread adoption. Additionally, ethical considerations and the need for regulatory compliance add layers of complexity. This paper identifies key strategies to address these challenges, such as promoting a culture of innovation, investing in AI education and training, and developing robust data governance frameworks. Strategic partnerships and collaborations with AI experts and tech firms are also essential for navigating the AI landscape. By comprehensively addressing these factors and challenges, businesses can unlock AI's full potential, driving sustainable growth and competitive advantage. This study contributes to understanding AI acceptance in critical sectors, providing a roadmap for successful AI implementation and emphasizing the importance of strategic planning and stakeholder engagement.

The Moderated Mediation of Product Innovation and New Product Development in Relationship Between Organizational Learning and Marketing Capability, in Community Enterprise Management of Khid Clothing: Upper Northeastern of Thailand

Objective: The purpose of this research was to analyze the impact of the organizational learning (OL) on marketing capability (MC), the mediating of product innovation on the relationship between OL and MC, and the moderated mediation of product innovation and new product development in the relationship between OL and MC in community enterprise of Khid clothing in Thailand. Theoretical Framework: The theoretical framework for this research provides a comprehensive understanding of the interplay between organizational learning, product innovation, new product development and marketing capability within the context of community enterprises. Method: This report is a part of a larger exploratory study. Information was gathered from 389 people involved in silk-weaving cooperatives in the provinces of UdonThani and Nong Bua Lamphu through the use of questionnaires. Results and Discussion: The data demonstrates a link between strategic organizational learning and competitive advantage. Product innovation and the knowledge gained by an organization about how the market works go hand in hand. Lastly, the impact of product innovation on the link between organizational learning and market capability was tempered by the introduction of a new product. Research Implications: For Khid Clothing, integrating these theoretical perspectives can provide a comprehensive strategy for sustained growth and competitive advantage. The interplay between organizational learning, product innovation, new product development, and marketing capabilities creates a robust framework for the company to thrive in the competitive fashion industry. Originality/Value: The theoretical contributions of organizational learning, product innovation, new product development, and marketing capabilities provide Khid Clothing with a comprehensive approach to enhance its competitive edge, adapt to market changes, and achieve long-term success. By leveraging these theories, Khid Clothing can strategically position itself in the fashion industry, meet evolving customer demands, and drive sustainable growth.

Vertical Green Wall Systems for Rainwater and Sewage Treatment

Rainwater and sewage are important pollution sources for surface water bodies. Vertical greening systems (VGSs) are extensively employed for these wastewater treatments due to the green and sustainable characteristics, as well as their high-efficiency in pollutant (organic matter, nitrogen, and phosphorus) removal. At present, more and more VGSs are designed with green buildings, serving city ecosystems. This study provides an overview of different kinds of VGSs for rain and sewage treatment, emphasizing their types, design, mechanisms, selection of plants, and growth substrate. Plants play a crucial role in pollutant removal, and different plants usually obtain different efficiencies of water treatment. Climbing plants and ornamental plants with fast growth rates are priority selections for VGSs, including Canna lilies, Jasmine, Grape vine, Boston ivy, Pittosporum tobira, Pelargonium australe, Mentha aquatica, and Lythrum salicaria. The substrate is the most critical part of the VGS, which plays an important role in regulating water flow, supporting plant growth, promoting biofilm growth, filtering pollutants, and adsorbing nutrients. The single substrate either has a blockage problem or has a short holding time. Therefore, a number of studies have mixed the substrates and integrated the advantages of the substrates to form a complementary effect, thereby improving the overall purification efficiency and stability. Novel substrates (sand, spent coffee grounds, date seeds, coffee grinds, reed-based, etc.) are usually mixed with coco coir, light-weight expanded clay, growstone, or perlite at a certain ratio to obtain optimum treatment performance. Moreover, plants in clay show more significant growth advantages and health statuses than in zeolite or soil. Operating parameters are also significant influences on the treatment performance. This review provides theoretical and technical support for designing sustainable, environmentally friendly, and cost-effective VGSs in treating rainwater and sewage.

Plasma surface treatment of amorphous Ga2O3 thin films for solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors

Recently, amorphous gallium oxide (a-Ga2O3) thin films are gaining more and more attention due to their advantages of low cost and low temperature growth. However, a-Ga2O3 solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors are plagued by issues such as slow response speed and high dark current. In this work, radio frequency magnetron sputtering was used for a-Ga2O3 deposition, and a novel approach of plasma treatment (including oxygen, argon and hydrogen plasmas) was employed to tailor the device performance using a plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition system. It is demonstrated that: (i) the oxygen atoms and ions in the oxygen plasma effectively reduce the oxygen vacancy concentration and improve the respond speed of a-Ga2O3 photodetectors; (ii) the argon ions in the argon plasma create additional defects (such as dangling bonds and oxygen vacancies) and improve the responsivity of a-Ga2O3 photodetectors; (iii) the hydrogen atoms in the hydrogen plasma may incorporate into the film and form an ultra-thin passivation layer near the surface, which gives rise to a balance between responsivity and response speed. Finally, through the detailed analysis of the optical emission spectra and photoelectric performance, the underlying physical mechanism based on the energy band diagram has been proposed to interpret the obtained experimental results.

COVID-19 and beyond: economic outcomes in Republican vs. Democratic States

ABSTRACT The policy responses by state and local governments and reactions by individuals to the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic were wide-ranging across the US, often falling along the nation’s political divide. We examine whether Republican states performed better economically, both during the year of the COVID-19 recession and the two years following the recession. We find stronger employment and population growth and smaller increases in unemployment during the COVID-19 recession year in Republican states, though we also find lower per capita income and productivity growth in Republican states during the year of the COVID-19 recession. The employment growth and unemployment advantage in Republican states dissipated during the recovery from the COVID-19 recession such that there was not any longer-term advantage. We compare the COVID-19 and Great Recession years and the periods preceding each recession. The population growth advantage in Republican states during the COVID-19 recession was evident in all expansionary and recessionary periods beginning in 2003, suggesting that the growth advantage was not related to different responses to COVID-19. We conclude that there was not a clear overall economic benefit to the less restrictive COVID-19 policies and lower virus avoidance by individuals in Republican states, particularly in the longer run.

Genetic and environmental considerations for the utilization of Pinus pinaster Ait. provenances across a region lacking proper local genetic materials

Maritime pine (Pinus pinaster Ait.) covers vast areas and is of economic importance in southwestern Europe, particularly in Galicia (NW Spain). Galicia is a heterogeneous region with an Atlantic climate in the coast and a Mediterranean-like climate in the inland, where forest reproductive materials (FRM) with proper adaptation, productivity and timber quality are not available. Thus, there is a need for tailored FRM recommendations for reforestation in this region. P. pinaster is particularly sensitive to environmental variation and shows significant intraspecific genetic variability in this sensitivity, so understanding population responses to environmental variation becomes crucial for proper selection of FRM. Taking advantage of volume growth and stem straightness 13 years after planting, assessed on c. 7500 trees from 25 P. pinaster populations established in seven common gardens across inland Galicia, we analyzed intraspecific variation in sensitivity to climate, geographic, edaphic and site quality factors. We used Mantel correlations and factorial regression models to distinguish the environmental parameters explaining the observed population × site interaction. We also estimated population phenotypic plasticity across sites and the existing genetic relationship between growth and stem straightness to define the optimal selection strategy for productivity purposes. Results showed a quantitatively significant population × site interaction for growth whereas it was almost negligible for stem straightness. In the case of growth, no specific environmental factor was able to explain the population relative performance across test sites, being site quality the only significant factor but with low power to describe the patterns found. Population differences were maximized in higher site quality conditions, where the largest gains from planting selected populations would be expected. Tree growth and straightness were not genetically correlated. Based on these results, subdividing inland Galicia for deployment of P. pinaster FRM throughout specific selections for each subregion is not recommended. Selecting FRM based on average growth and its phenotypic stability should be also avoided, as both properties were negatively correlated. We recommend selecting FRM based on the results from high quality sites, where Atlantic origin populations with high levels of genetic improvement showed the fastest growth. The inclusion of selection criteria based on stem straightness did not alter recommendations given that fast growing FRM showed intermediate or slightly above-average straightness. The limited explanatory power of climate factors for the population × site interaction prevents adjusting recommendations in light of the projected climate change.