Competitive peak regulation optimization and tracing-based cost allocation model for high-proportion renewable energy power systems

The AAA+ ATPase CDC48A is a central regulator of proteostasis in plants, functioning through interactions with a diverse set of cofactors. Among these, the plant-specific ubiquitin regulatory X (UBX) domain-containing proteins (PUX) are key adaptors that direct CDC48A to specific substrates and pathways. The molecular basis of PUX-CDC48A interactions remains incompletely understood. Here, we combine structural, biophysical, and computational approaches to dissect the binding modes of representative PUX proteins from different subfamilies in Arabidopsis thaliana. Although all PUX proteins tested exhibit low micromolar affinities for CDC48A, they form unexpectedly stable complexes, suggesting additional mechanisms of interaction. We identify two distinct strategies for complex stabilisation, producing different dynamic features. One relies on combining two weak associations: PUX5 employs a SHP-UBX module that engages the CDC48A N domain at two proximal sites, whereas PUX2 uses a SHP motif and a distant PUB domain to engage the N- and C-termini of CDC48A. In contrast, PUX6, PUX7, and PUX9 allosterically stabilise the association between their UBX domain and the CDC48A N domain. These multi-pronged strategies likely enable durable yet reversible associations, facilitating fine-tuned competitive regulation of CDC48A activity across diverse cellular contexts. Our findings provide a mechanistic framework for understanding how PUX proteins achieve specificity, stability, and regulatory flexibility in directing CDC48A function.

This study explores the impact of competition on innovation in Vietnam, using a probit model with a binary dependent variable to measure product innovation outcomes. The competition variable is calculated using the adjusted Herfindahl-Hirschman Index. The study uses data from the 2021 enterprise survey, which includes 200,059 manufacturing firms. The model estimation results and the calculation of the marginal effect of competition provide several key findings: first, there is an inverted U-shaped relationship between competition and innovation; second, an optimal competition threshold is identified, where the marginal effect of competition on innovation is maximized. However, the competition level in the sample exceeds this optimal level, leading to a diminishing marginal effect of competition on innovation; third, a competition threshold is identified, beyond which competition no longer stimulates innovation. These findings offer valuable insights for policymakers and business leaders to develop effective competition regulation strategies, fostering an environment that supports innovation.

The development of high-throughput sequencing has expanded the possibilities for studying the regulation of gene expression, including the reconstruction of gene regulatory networks and transcription factor regulatory networks (TFRNs). Identifying the molecular aspects for regulation of biological processes via these networks remains a challenge. Solving this problem for plants will significantly advance the understanding of the mechanisms shaping agronomically important traits. Previously, we developed the PlantReg program to reconstruct the transcriptional regulation of biological processes in the model species Arabidopsis thaliana L. The links established by this program between TFRNs and the genes regulating biological processes specify the type of regulation (activation/suppression). However, the program does not determine whether activation/suppression of the target gene is due to the cooperative or competitive interaction of transcription factors (TFs). We assumed that using information on the mutual arrangement of TF binding sites (BSs) in the target gene promoter as well as data on the activity type of TF effector domains would help to identify the cooperative/competitive action of TFs. We improved the program and created PlantReg 1.1, which enables precise localization of TF BSs in extended TF binding regions identified from genome-wide DAP-seq profiles (https://plamorph.sysbio.ru/fannotf/). To demonstrate the capabilities of the program, we used it to investigate the regulation of target genes in previously reconstructed TFRNs for auxin response and early reaction to salt stress in A. thaliana. The study focused on genes encoding proteins involved in chlorophyll and lignin biosynthesis, ribosome biogenesis, and abscisic acid (ABA) signaling. We revealed that the frequency of competitive regulation under the influence of auxin or salt stress could be quite high (approximately 30 %). We demonstrated that competition between bZIP family TFs for common BS is a significant mechanism of transcriptional repression in response to auxin, and that auxin and salt stress can engage common competitive regulatory mechanisms to modulate the expression of some genes in the ABA signaling pathway.

An economic and legal analysis of the regulation of protection against unfair competition in the digital economy, its impact on innovation, competition and consumers was conducted, threats were identified and measures to counter them were recommended. It was shown that unfair competition in digital markets covers a wide range of aggressive commercial practices aimed at misleading consumers and distorting competitive conditions, which ultimately undermines consumer trust. Such actions are manifested through misleading advertising, data manipulation and violation of intellectual property rights (IP). These practices harm bona fide enterprises, create an imbalance in the market, which leads to a decrease in the level of innovation and an increase in prices for end consumers. The features of the digital market and digital platforms in the field of IP, their functions and types, and their significance for consumers and innovation are studied. The analysis includes search engine manipulation (SEO spam, keyword stuffing), the use of bots to manipulate reviews and ratings, and the impact of AI on competitive behavior (algorithmic collusion). Challenges for competition law and regulation of digital platforms in Ukraine are identified. It is concluded that an integrated approach, adaptation of legislation, strengthening of law enforcement, development of technologies for detecting abuse, and active international cooperation are necessary to effectively combat unfair competition in the digital sphere. Ensuring fair and open digital markets is critical to stimulating innovation, protecting consumers, and supporting a healthy economic environment.

The article addresses the boundaries for the use of explicit environmental claims, which are a prevalent instrument in the communication between competitors and consumers. However, these claims frequently exhibit indications of greenwashing. In the first part of the article, the occurrence and potentially problematic nature of environmental claims are presented, as reflected in the decision-making practice of courts and competent authorities of European Union Member States, particularly in the Federal Republic of Germany. In the second part of the article, this is followed by an analysis of the Czech legal framework, which, despite the absence of explicit regulation, enables the addressing of misleading claims through the regulation of unfair commercial practices and unfair competition. The third part of the article is devoted to an examination of the amendment to the Unfair Commercial Practices Directive and the proposal for a Green Claims Directive. The fourth part of the article focuses on climate claims, a subset of environmental claims. These claims are subject to stricter requirements under legislation of European Union and German case law. These requirements may also serve as a point of inspiration for the Czech legal context.

ABSTRACT We study how regulatory competition and learning shape bureaucratic behaviors under regulatory federalism in the US, focusing on Clean Air Act enforcement within intra‐firm networks. Using facility‐level panel data on inspections from 2005 to 2017, we examine how sibling facility violations influence state regulators' scrutiny of focal facilities. These mechanisms predict opposite effects: learning increases scrutiny, while competition decreases it. Our findings provide evidence for both mechanisms, with their relative strength varying under different conditions. Regulators increase scrutiny following violations by same‐state sibling facilities, highlighting strong learning effects when information is accessible and accountability pressures are high. Conversely, scrutiny decreases after violations by same‐industry siblings in competitor states, demonstrating competitive incentives when business opportunities are relevant. These results clarify the interplay between competition and learning in regulatory federalism and offer practical insights for mitigating adverse competition dynamics and strengthening learning to enhance decentralized regulatory systems.

Under the civil-military integration initiative, the defense industry is transitioning from traditional closed monopoly models to civil-military collaboration. However, prolonged lack of competition and policy protection has left military supply chains with inadequate risk resilience. In this context, defense enterprises face both market efficiency pressures and complex risk challenges, making supply chain resilience enhancement crucial for national security and industrial upgrading. This study examines a 2025 solid rocket engine supply chain optimization project at a domestic aerospace institution. Through literature review and expert interviews, it identifies critical factors affecting military supply chains, employs DEMATEL (Decision-Making Trial and Evaluation Laboratory) to quantify inter-factor influence matrices, and combines ISM (Interpretive Structural Modeling) to construct a multi-level hierarchical structure, ultimately screening core drivers and revealing tiered dependency relationships and operational mechanisms. Under the civil-military integration context, the risk influencing factors of military-industrial enterprise supply chains mainly comprise four modules with sixteen elements: supplier factors (raw material disruption, supply chain stability, supplier capability), production factors (process stability, raw material quality, production safety, manufacturing complexity), technological environment (technical substitutability, R&D capability, talent pool), and market environment (demand fluctuation, price volatility, industry competition fluctuation). Process stability, raw material quality, and demand fluctuation are identified as core factors, while price volatility (F12), industry competition fluctuation (F13), and policy and regulation fluctuation (F14) exhibit high centrality. By integrating DEMATEL and ISM to analyze factor hierarchies and interaction pathways, this study further distinguishes between causal factors and resultant factors, providing both theoretical and practical guidance for enhancing risk resilience in military supply chains. The study focuses on military-industrial products that have received relatively limited research attention, analyzing the sources of their supply chain risks to provide theoretical insights for understanding the influencing factors and mechanisms of military-industrial supply chains.

The article presents a comprehensive study of the essence and structural foundations of powerlifting as a professional sport. It examines the historical development of powerlifting, tracing its transformation from amateur strength contests into an independent sport discipline with standardized rules, international federations, and a high level of competitive organization. The technical and tactical features of the three core lifts – squat, bench press, and deadlift – are revealed as the foundation of the competition program. The paper analyzes the multi-stage athlete preparation system, including training periodization, specialized nutrition, medical-biological and psychological support. Particular attention is paid to socioeconomic factors influencing the development of powerlifting, such as sponsorship, career opportunities, and media appeal. The main challenges are identified, including ensuring fair competition and combating doping, along with possible solutions. A structural model for the development of professional powerlifting is proposed, encompassing coach training, competition regulation, motivation systems for athletes, advancement of sports science, and promotion of the sport. It is concluded that the further progress of powerlifting is associated with the integration of modern technologies into the training process, globalization of competitions, and increased investment in sports infrastructure.

Dynamic regulation of intermolecular charge-transfer (CT) interactions in the solid state remains a key challenge in developing responsive functional materials. Herein, a dual-mode supramolecular strategy-is reported based on competitive and cooperative host-guest interactions-for constructing dynamic macrocycle-based CT complexes with tunable optical and photothermal properties in response to aliphatic aldehyde vapors. Two pillararene-derived macrocyclic hosts, EtLP6 and EtFLP6, form disordered CT assemblies with F4TCNQ via solvent-free grinding. These CT complexes exhibit chain-length-dependent vapochromic behavior governed by distinct mechanisms: guest-triggered disassembly or reassembly of D-A structures in EtLP6-F4TCNQα (competitive regulation), and aldehyde-assisted ternary CT assembly in EtFLP6-F4TCNQα (cooperative regulation). Single-crystal structures incorporating X-ray powder diffraction and spectral analyses reveal vapor-induced structural transformations that correlate directly with near-infrared (NIR) absorption changes. Notably, such CT-state modulation enables the first vapor-regulated organic photothermal cocrystal system, with conversion efficiency tunable from non-detectable levels to over 11% under 808nm irradiation. This work establishes a versatile framework for designing solid-state supramolecular materials with multi-responsive optical and thermal functions via macrocyclic host-guest chemistry.

Policymakers increasingly take for granted that major private sector investments will be crucial to decarbonizing energy systems. Most decarbonization plans also involve expansion of the electricity grid to accommodate the electrification of processes and technologies currently powered by fossil fuels. Baked into these dominant policies and discourses is the assumption that electricity can and should be treated as a commodity, and must be rendered sufficiently profitable to incentivize large-scale investment to bring about energy transitions. Yet the materiality of renewable energy creates contradictions in this process. Challenges emerge as renewable energy expands, making it harder to continue to grow the industry profitably within market constraints. Building on scholarship which critically examines the neoliberalization of nature and the contradictions inherent to capital accumulation, this paper explores some of these new contradictions and proposed ‘fixes’ in northern Chile. Chile was an early adopter of market-based, competitive electricity regulation in the 1980s, and has been a leader in introducing pro-renewables market reforms. Reforms have successfully sparked an exponential increase in renewable energies, yet variable energies such as the sun and wind introduce new uncooperative characteristics that further complicate efforts to commodify electricity, in some cases rendering prior fixes obsolete. We identify four contradictions that the sun and wind's materiality introduce, related to time, space, pricing and legibility. Though government and corporate actors in Chile are designing various technical interventions to modulate renewables’ uncooperative materialities, including new energy storage and transmission infrastructures, many of these fixes generate new challenges and sometimes contradictions of their own. Ultimately, this paper lays out the socio-environmental and economic risks of today's increasingly hegemonic market-based energy transition strategies – strategies which assume that solar and wind energy can be seamlessly commodified.

The present study aimed to examine the influence of different competition models on the physical performance of under-14 female volleyball players, attending to biological maturity development. A quasi-experimental design was conducted involving 29 regional-level players (mean percentage of predicted adult height [PAH] = 95.38%). Three tournament formats were implemented: Standard Tournament (ST) 1 followed official regulations; Modified Tournament 1 (MD1) featured modified rules including a reduced net height (from 2.10 m to 2.00 m), prohibition of jump serves, and a maximum of two consecutive serves per rotation; and Modified Tournament 2 (MD2) included all prior modifications alongside a reduced court size (from 9 × 9 m to 8 × 8 m). Performance metrics analyzed included the number of accelerations, decelerations, impacts, and jumps (total count, G-force, take-off, and landing characteristics). Measures were gathered using a local positioning system (LPS) device based on UWB technology and an inertial measurement (IMU; WIMU PROTM, Real Track Systems, Almeria, Spain). Significant differences were observed between the tournaments, with Modified Tournament 1 (MD1) and Modified Tournament 2 (MD2) showing higher values in accelerations (p = 0.005), decelerations (p = 0.005), impacts (p < 0.01), and jumps (p < 0.01) compared to Standard Tournament. Notably, the greatest improvements were found between Standard Tournaments (ST) and Modified Tournament 2 (MD2). These findings suggest that modified competition formats enhance kinematic performance in under-14 female volleyball players. The results support the need for age- and maturity-appropriate adjustments to competition regulations in youth volleyball.

Efficient cellulase production is essential for its application in green bioprocessing, yet the transcriptional regulation of cellulase biosynthesis in Talaromyces sp. remains largely uncharacterized. In this study, we elucidate the regulatory functions of TeXlnR and TeAmyR in Talaromyces endophyticus. Our results demonstrate that TeXlnR, as a potent transcriptional activator, enhances enzyme production by over 33 %. RNA-seq analysis shows that TeXlnR overexpression upregulates 33 cellulase genes and 11 hemicellulase genes, while concurrently repressing the expression of the transcription factor TeAmyR. Further investigation identified TeAmyR as a repressor of cellulase production in T. endophyticus. EMSA and yeast one-hybrid analyses confirmed the specific competitive binding of these two transcription factors to the promoter regions of cellulase genes eg5B and eg12A. TeXlnR both directly activates target gene transcription and indirectly promotes cellulase synthesis by downregulating TeAmyR expression to reduce its competitive binding to promoters. These findings provide direct evidence for competitive regulation by transcription factors in Talaromyces sp. and establish a theoretical foundation for the rational engineering of industrial strains with improved cellulase production.

Dual enhancement of mycoprotein nutrition and sustainability via CRISPR-mediated metabolic engineering of Fusarium venenatum.

ABSTRACT Having developed into a market of global size over the past three decades, the Chinese securities market has nonetheless missed many red-chips due to its long-standing taboo on such issuers. Against the backdrop of global regulatory competition and its economic downturn, however, China has recently turned to enfranchise red-chips to float domestically with the introduction of Chinese depositary receipts to serve as the listing and trading instrument, thus catching the spotlight on the functioning and effectiveness of this regulatory shift in promoting market development. This article examines China’s regulatory reform of introducing Chinese depositary receipts to accommodate red-chips, canvassing the functioning of this regulatory shift, exploring the post-reform market landscape based on hand-collected data, looking into the regulatory barriers and seeking policy implications in the context of regulatory competition. This article finds red-chips’ sparse domestic flotation with the use of Chinese depositary receipts in the post-reform era and suggests policymakers relax the market entry regulation and construct a Sino-Hong Kong common securities market based on stock connects to accommodate red-chips.

As a high-intensity, fast-reacting, and continuous confrontation sport, badminton places significant demands on athletes’ psychological qualities and regulation abilities. Psychological regulation, as a core concept in sports psychology, influences athletes’ attention allocation, emotional stability, and motor execution through multidimensional means, including cognition, emotion, and behavior, thereby directly affecting competitive performance. Based on a systematic review of the concept and classification of psychological regulation and an analysis of the psychological characteristics of badminton athletes, this study explores the application patterns of cognitive, emotional, and behavioral regulation strategies and constructs a linkage model between psychological regulation strategies and competitive performance. The findings indicate that different strategies exert differentiated and synergistic effects on technical execution, maintenance of psychological state, and optimization of strategy combinations, providing theoretical support for the scientific application of psychological regulation. This study not only enriches the theoretical understanding of psychological regulation in badminton athletes within sports psychology but also offers innovative references for athletes’ psychological training and enhancement of competitive performance.

Deciphering the evolution of the interfacial solvation structure represents a critical frontier in unlocking high-performance lithium-ion batteries. While the solvation chemistry of bulk electrolytes has been extensively characterized, the dynamic behavior of interfacial species under electric and concentration fields, as well as its governing role in cathode-electrolyte interphase (CEI) formation, remains elusive. Here, we employ in situ electrochemical spectroscopy to uncover a multistage nonmonotonic evolution of the interfacial Li+ population, which exhibits an "enrichment-depletion-re-enrichment" trend. We introduce a field-flow competitive regulation model wherein the interfacial electric field drives Li+ migration away from the interface, while the delithiation-induced Li+ inflow replenishes the interfacial concentration. This mechanistic framework correlates interfacial solvation configurations with operational parameters (field strength, current density, solvent polarity) and ultimately dictates CEI composition through a phase-controlled solvation stage. Leveraging these insights, we developed a potential-modulated activation protocol to bypass the deleterious Li+/anion-depletion phase, enabling the construction of a mechanically robust CEI. This approach significantly enhances the cycling stability of high-voltage cathodes. By uncovering the principles of dynamic interfacial solvation engineering, this work provides a foundation for the rational design of electrode/electrolyte interfaces in advanced energy storage systems.

Advanced self-standing ionic covalent organic framework membranes (ICOFM) with strong mechanical property and high crystallinity are crucial for expanding the applications of COF membrane, yet it remains a significant challenge. Furthermore, ICOFM, which are often fragile and brittle, typically suffer from trade-off limitation between mechanical strength and high crystallinity, limiting their potential in realms such as separation processes, flexible electronics, and optoelectronics. In this work, a synthetic methodology based on an inorganic ion strategy, a previously underexplored approach, is conceived to prepare hypercrystalline and highly durable ICOFM through electrostatic-assisted interfacial monomers aggregation with enhanced diffusion, reactivity and competitive coordination regulation, fulfilling suitable reaction-diffusion conditions for Turing architecture. The effects of four category inorganic ions, containing (ⅰ) strong acid ions, (ⅱ) weak acid ions, (ⅲ) non-metallic salt ions and (ⅳ) metal cations, on the interfacial polymerization (IP)system are systematically studied through MD simulation, DFT calculation and experimental results. The resulting ICOFM, carrying tunable Turing patterns, demonstrate exceptional mechanical property, asymmetric fluid transport, and molecular sieve capability. These advances will promote future developments in the structural design, efficient synthesis, and high-end applications of COF membrane by reasonably manipulating ion types, offering promising prospects for the advancement of membrane-based technologies.

Abstract Since the early 2000s, imports from China have largely substituted imports from Europe; since the 2010s, Chinese firms are also localizing production activities in African economies. Increasing Chinese investment raises the question of whether the localization of Chinese private capital supports Africa's structural transformation and development objectives, especially as the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is implemented. The policy paper details the evolution in the presence of Chinese private capital in Ghana, where Chinese traders have considerable market presence and more than 400 Chinese-owned manufacturers registered operations between 2004 and 2024. The shift from trade to manufacturing creates opportunities for employment and regional value chain development, but challenges remain around uneven value capture and uncoordinated regulatory frameworks. To harness Chinese private capital, policy should prioritize the embeddedness of investment to support industrialization and broader socio-economic development. The paper offers two sets of recommendations: Ghana: forming a dedicated trade regulatory body to clearly define trading activities and developing a milestone-based incentive regime to link foreign investment to local business development and capacity-building. AfCFTA: harmonizing trade and investment policies to prevent regulatory competition, and ensuring growing labour and environmental standards to avoid a ‘race to the bottom’ and capital flight.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) bind to the 3′ untranslated region of mRNA transcripts, exerting inhibitory activity over gene expression. RNA-binding proteins (RBPs) involved in post-transcriptional regulation also play a pivotal role in modulating mRNA, exhibiting similar binding and regulatory effects to mRNA as miRNAs. This convergence raises the intriguing possibility of coordinated or competitive regulation between miRNAs and RBPs when targeting the common mRNA. However, accurately quantifying the complex regulatory relationship between miRNAs and RBPs remains a challenge. To address this challenge, we here propose a novel multivariate information-based approach to quantitatively capture the nonlinear regulatory relationships between miRNAs and RBPs in the context of shared mRNA targets. Our method integrates the sequence information with gene expression data, unveiling a comprehensive perspective on such an intricate regulatory network. Our findings reveal a prevalent synergistic relationship between miRNAs and RBPs, surpassing instances of competitive relationship. This innovative approach enhances our understanding of the complex interplay between miRNAs and RBPs, shedding light on the cooperative mechanisms that drive post-transcriptional regulation.