Search Results (2,391)

It is essential to hunt for new technologies that promote sustainable practices for agroecosystems; thus, the bioprospecting of beneficial microorganisms complementing with mutation induction techniques to improve their genomic, metabolic, and functional traits is a promising strategy for the development of sustainable microbial inoculants. Bacillus cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii strain TE3^T, a previously recognized plant growth-promoting and biological control agent, was subjected to UV mutation induction to improve these agro-biotechnological traits. Dilutions were made which were spread on Petri dishes and placed under a 20 W UV lamp at 10-min intervals for 60 min. After the UV-induced mutation of this strain, 27 bacterial colonies showed morphological differences compared to the wild-type strain; however, only a strain named TE3^T-UV25 showed an improvement in 53.6% of the biocontrol against Bipolaris sorokiniana vs. the wild-type strain, by competition of nutrient and space (only detected in the mutant strain), as well as diffusible metabolites. Furthermore, the ability to promote wheat growth was evaluated by carrying out experiments under specific greenhouse conditions, considering un-inoculated, strain TE3^T, and strain TE3^T-UV25 treatments. Thus, after 120 days, biometric traits in seedlings were quantified and statistical analyses were performed, which showed that strain TE3^T-UV25 maintained its ability to promote wheat growth in comparison with the wild-type strain. On the other hand, using bioinformatics tools such as ANI, GGDC, and TYGS, the Overall Genome Relatedness Index (OGRI) and phylogenomic relationship of mutant strain TE3^T-UV25 were performed, confirming that it changed its taxonomic affiliation from B. cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii to Bacillus subtilis. In addition, genome analysis showed that the mutant, wild-type, and B. subtilis strains shared 3654 orthologous genes; however, a higher number of shared genes (3954) was found between the TE3^T-UV25 mutant strain and B. subtilis 168, while the mutant strain shared 3703 genes with the wild-type strain. Genome mining was carried out using the AntiSMASH v7.0 web server and showed that mutant and wild-type strains shared six biosynthetic gene clusters associated with biocontrol but additionally, pulcherriminic acid cluster only was detected in the genome of the mutant strain and Rhizocticin A was exclusively detected in the genome of the wild-type strain. Finally, using the PlaBase tool, differences in the number of genes (17) associated with beneficial functions in agroecosystems were detected in the genome of the mutant vs. wild-type strain, such as biofertilization, bioremediation, colonizing plant system, competitive exclusion, phytohormone, plant immune response stimulation, putative functions, stress control, and biocontrol. Thus, the UV-induced mutation was a successful strategy to improve the bioactivity of B. cabrialesii subsp. cabrialesii TE3^T related to the agro-biotecnology applications. The obtained mutant strain, B. subtilis TE3^T-UV25, is a promising strain to be further studied as an active ingredient for the bioformulation of bacterial inoculants to migrate sustainable agriculture. Full article

Strategic entrepreneurship behaviors enhance business performance and sustainability in Turkish SMEs by fostering innovation and leveraging competitive intensity for sustained growth. Employing strategic leadership theory, this study examines the effect of strategic entrepreneurial behaviors on business performance through the mediation role of business model innovation (BMI) and the moderation effect of competitive intensity. A quantitative approach was used, and data from 313 managers and business owners in Turkish small and medium enterprises (SMEs) were collected using a structured questionnaire. The results have shown that strategic entrepreneurial behavior significantly and positively impacts business performance and business model innovation. Business model innovation, in turn, positively affects business performance. Competitive intensity moderates the relationship between strategic entrepreneurial behavior and business model innovation, strengthening it under higher competitive pressure levels. However, competitive intensity does not moderate the direct link between strategic entrepreneurial behavior and business performance. At higher levels of competitive intensity, the conditional indirect effect of strategic entrepreneurial behavior on business performance through business model innovation becomes more prominent. The findings of this study offer actionable insights for enhancing SME performance through strategic entrepreneurship, innovative business models, and competitive strategy adaptation. Full article

Tourism eco-efficiency (TEE) is a pivotal metric for assessing tourism’s sustainability and the balance between human activities and the environment, significantly influencing regional economic growth (RGDP). This research utilizes a comprehensive analytical framework, combining the Super SBM-DEA model, the Malmquist index, and spatial econometric models, to analyze the spatial interplay between TEE and RGDP within the Yangtze River Economic Belt (YREB) from 2009 to 2021. The results show that (1) TEE in the YREB exhibits a generally upward trajectory with fluctuations, with upstream and downstream regions consistently outperforming the midstream areas in terms of efficiency; (2) technological progress is identified as the primary driver behind efficiency variations; (3) and there exists a symbiotic relationship between local TEE and RGDP, where the economic prosperity of adjacent regions exerts a competitive pull on local TEE, while the TEE of neighboring areas can slow down local economic growth. The study concludes with strategic recommendations aimed at fostering regional collaborative advancement, offering valuable insights for the sustainable development agenda of nations and regions. Full article

To address the challenges posed by the living environment and promote sustainable development, the Chinese government implemented a new environmental protection law in 2015. Based on the provincial panel data of 30 provinces, autonomous regions, and municipalities in China from 2010 to 2019, the spatial Durbin model is used to investigate the impact of environmental regulation on the employment effect of high-tech industries, and the spatial effect decomposition is used to further clarify the specific impact of environmental regulation on the employment of high-tech industries. The research finds that: Firstly, at the present stage, environmental regulation in China remains at a relatively low level. The employment generation effect of environmental regulation on high-tech industries is insufficient to offset the employment loss effect. Strengthening environmental regulation in the short term is unfavorable for employment in high-tech industries. Secondly, adjacent regions adopt a strategy of competitive differential environmental regulation between governments. The local government relaxes environmental regulation to increase employment, while the neighboring government strengthens environmental regulation to promote industrial upgrading. This approach benefits local employment in high-tech industries in the short term but hinders the sustainable development of high-tech industries. Thirdly, environmental regulation exhibits significant negative spatial spillover effects. Strengthening local environmental regulation will suppress the growth of high-tech industry employment in neighboring areas, and the spatial spillover effect of environmental regulation is primarily influenced by geographic location. Full article

In recent years, China has been steadily implementing its innovation-driven development strategy, underscoring the vital importance of attracting innovative talents to cities. Major cities have come to realize that securing such talent is essential for maintaining sustainable urban competitiveness in the future. This article takes a novel perspective by focusing on the role of urban scenes, with a particular emphasis on the cultural, lifestyle, and quality-of-life factors that are crucial for attracting and retaining innovative talent, which is essential for sustainable urban growth. Utilizing ridge regression analysis, this study scrutinizes the scores across various sub-dimensions of urban ambiance and the location quotient of innovative talent in 54 cities nationwide. We report several findings. Firstly, urban scenes play a pivotal role in talent agglomeration, a critical factor for sustainable development. Secondly, both rational and transgressive scenes positively impact the gathering of scientific and financial talents, with transgressive scenes having a more pronounced effect. Thirdly, self-expressive scenes may counterintuitively impede the clustering of scientific and cultural talents, a finding that contrasts with international research outcomes. In conclusion, this study sheds light on how urban scenes drive the sustainable concentration of innovative talents, thus contributing to the enrichment of theoretical understanding of sustainable talent development and practical insights for policymakers aiming to create urban environments that foster innovation and sustainability. Full article

One new factor driving the banking industry towards long-term, high-quality growth is digital marketing, which has arisen within the framework of the digital economy. The purpose of this research is to examine the effect of digital marketing on the financial results of MENA banks from 2010 to 2023. The research examines the impact of digital marketing techniques on the effectiveness of financial institutions through Tobit regression analysis, taking into account and controlling for sustainable practices (ESG), bank-specific characteristics (capital adequacy, bank size, liquidity, and cost efficiency), and macroeconomic variables (GDP and inflation). This empirical paper managed to collect the data for eleven countries in the MENA from the Refinitiv Eikon platform, world bank database, and the annual reports of relevant banks in the different stock markets. The final sample included 78 banks out of 120 listed banks. The results show that there is a clear association between the presence of digital marketing campaigns and improved profitability and market share growth for banks. Aligning digital initiatives with ESG principles is crucial for long-term value development, and sustainable practices increase these beneficial benefits even more. The research also shows that macroeconomic factors and bank-specific characteristics affect how effective digital marketing campaigns are. The significance of digital transformation and ESG integration in promoting competitive advantages and long-term growth in the MENA banking sector is highlighted by these findings, which have important implications for policy, investors, and bank executives. Full article

There is evidence to suggest that vascular epiphytes experience low competition for resources (light, water, and nutrients) compared to terrestrial plants. We tested the hypothesis that low resource competition may lead to higher nestedness among vascular epiphyte assemblages compared to trees. We studied the species composition and biomass of epiphytes and trees along an elevation gradient in a tropical dry forest in SW Ecuador. Both life-forms were inventoried on 25 plots of 400 m² across five elevation levels (550–1250 m). Tree species density and total species richness increased with elevation, whereas basal area and biomass did not show significant trends. Epiphyte species density and richness both increased strongly with elevation, in parallel to biomass. Plot-level compositional changes were similarly strong for both life-forms. We attribute elevational increases in the species richness of trees and epiphytes to increasing humidity, i.e., more mesic growth conditions. We attribute the more pronounced elevational increase in epiphyte biomass, species density, and richness—the latter coupled with a higher degree of nestedness—to the greater moisture dependency of epiphytes and relatively low direct competition for resources. Our study provides a first comparison of elevational trends in epiphyte and tree diversity and biomass for a tropical dry forest. Full article

Although there has been a growing interest in understanding the influence of corporate social responsibility (CSR) on business outcomes, the specific mechanisms through which CSR impacts financial performance (FP) and competitive advantage (CA) remain underexplored, particularly in the context of the food industry. This study contributes to the literature by looking into the mediating effect of innovation and the moderating role of CA in the relationship between CSR and FP in Saudi Arabian food industry companies. Employing Partial Least Squares Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM), data were collected from executive managers of these companies to assess how CSR practices foster innovation and, consequently, enhance financial outcomes and competitive positioning. The results reveal that CSR significantly improves FP and CA, primarily when focused on innovation. Moreover, CA does not influence the strength or direction of the relationship between CSR and FP. This research offers essential guidance for food industry managers to integrate CSR into core business strategies, foster innovation, and strengthen stakeholder relationships, thereby achieving sustainable growth and profitability. Full article

Maritime forests are coastal ecosystems that stabilize coastlines, recharge aquifers, and provide protection against storm surges. The range of these forests has been decreasing due to threats such as urban expansion, clearing for agriculture, climate change, and an influx of native but competitive loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) from pine plantations. To restore maritime forests, southern live oak (Quercus virginiana Mill.) should be established as the dominant canopy species; however, knowledge of how to grow live oak in a restoration setting is limited. We planted southern live oak seedlings into a clearcut experimental site that was formerly a loblolly pine plantation. Our goal was to test how planting density (1, 2, or 3 m), mulch, and fertilization at planting impacted the initial growth of seedlings over the course of four growing seasons. The application of fertilizer had an initial positive effect on seedling diameter (36%) after the first growing season. The application of mulch increased seedling height in years 2 through 4 (25.6% to 22.7%), diameter in years 3 and 4 (20.9% to 19.3%), and crown width in year four (8.5%). Planting density had no consistent effect over the first four years. These results demonstrate the potential benefits of incorporating fertilizer and mulch into restoration prescriptions to promote seedling field establishment. Planting density should continue to be monitored through canopy closure for potential effects of plant facilitation. Integrating silvicultural treatments such as planting density, soil amendments, and vegetation control may inform cost-effective management recommendations for maritime forest restoration. Full article

In the context of supply disruption, having a resilient supply chain is crucial for the survival and growth of enterprises. It is also essential for gaining a competitive advantage in a turbulent environment. Enterprises need to invest in supply chain resilience to better deal with future uncertainties. This paper constructs a Stackelberg game model with the manufacturer as the leader and the retailer as the follower. We explored how supply chain-related factors under supply interruption risk affect supply chain resilience investment, and studied how to choose supply chain coordination strategies to improve the effectiveness of manufacturer capacity recovery and mutual profits in the context of supply interruption. The study also analyzes the asymmetrical impact of changes in product order quantity, supply disruption probability, and the capacity recovery coefficient on retailer decision-making and the profits of supply chain members. The results indicate that manufacturer profits are negatively correlated with supply disruption probability, while retailer profits are positively correlated with supply disruption probability when product order quantities are low and negatively correlated when product order quantities are high. The supply chain resilience investment is positively correlated with the supply disruption probability. Furthermore, the effectiveness of the cost-sharing contract is closely related to product order quantity and supply disruption probability. When the product order quantity $d<{\alpha }_L{\displaystyle \frac{-c[\left(1-\xi \right)a_L+\xi a_H]+s{\alpha }_H\xi +w{\alpha }_L(1-\xi )}{k}}$ or ${\alpha }_H{\displaystyle \frac{-c[\left(1-\xi \right)a_L+\xi a_H]+s{\alpha }_H\xi +w{\alpha }_L(1-\xi )}{k}}<d<{\displaystyle \frac{{\alpha }_H[\left(1-\xi \right)a_L+\xi a_H](w-c)}{k}}$, manufacturers can withstand the risk of supply interruption by investing in supply chain resilience alone. But when the product order quantity is ${\alpha }_L{\displaystyle \frac{-c[\left(1-\xi \right)a_L+\xi a_H]+s{\alpha }_H\xi +w{\alpha }_L(1-\xi )}{k}}<d<{\alpha }_H{\displaystyle \frac{-c[\left(1-\xi \right)a_L+\xi a_H]+s{\alpha }_H\xi +w{\alpha }_L(1-\xi )}{k}}$ and ${\displaystyle \frac{{\alpha }_H[\left(1-\xi \right)a_L+\xi a_H](w-c)}{k}}<d$, the use of cost-sharing contracts is more effective. Additionally, when the sensitivity analysis is conducted, the capacity recovery coefficient positively correlates with supply chain profits in a decentralized mode. However, under the cost-sharing contract mode, it exhibits a U-shaped fluctuation pattern, indicating that the impact of improving capacity recovery efficiency on the profits of both parties is not symmetrical and linear. As $\xi$ approaches 0.5, the profits of manufacturers and retailers decrease. Instead, it undergoes an initial decline followed by a subsequent increase, highlighting the nonlinear benefits of capacity recovery strategies under the cooperative approach. Full article

We attained wurtzite Sc_xAl_1−xN (0.16 ≤ x ≤ 0.37) thin films by varying the Sc and Al fluxes at a fixed active nitrogen flux during plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy. Atomic fluxes of Sc and Al sources via measured Sc percentage in as-grown Sc_xAl_1−xN thin films were derived as the feedback for precise determination of the Sc_xAl_1−xN growth diagram. We identified an optimal III/N atomic flux ratio of 0.78 for smooth Sc_0.18Al_0.82N thin films. Further increasing the III/N ratio led to phase separation under N-rich conditions, validated by the observation of high-Sc-content hillocks with energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy mapping. At the fixed III/N ratio of 0.78, we found that phase separation with high-Al-content hillocks occurs for x > 0.37, which is substantially lower than the thermodynamically dictated threshold Sc content of ~0.55 in wurtzite Sc_xAl_1−xN. We postulate that these wurtzite-phase purity degradation scenarios are correlated with adatom diffusion and the competitive incorporation process of Sc and Al. Therefore, the Sc_xAl_1−xN growth window is severely restricted by the adatom kinetics. We obtained single crystalline Sc_0.37Al_0.63N thin films with X-ray diffraction (002)/(102) ω rocking curve full-width at half-maximums of 2156 arcsec and 209 arcsec and surface roughness of 1.70 nm. Piezoelectric force microscopy probing of the Sc_0.37Al_0.63N epilayer validates unambiguous polarization flipping by 180°. Full article

Kelp forests are facing a global decline due to climate change and human-induced stressors, underlining the urgency for proactive interventions. Among the most used restoration methods, “green gravel” has emerged as a promising solution for the recovery of degraded kelp forests. While initial findings suggest its potential effectiveness, green gravel remains a novel approach that requires fine-tuned protocols and optimisation across all stages of the process. In this study, we assessed the performance of two different seeding densities for kelp growth on green gravel to optimise the use of seeding material. Our results show that, while the juveniles in the high-density treatment grew faster, they also had a higher mortality rate during green gravel production. This was a hypothesised outcome, as growing sporophytes reared under laboratory conditions allows for faster production of a large number of individuals, increasing competition for space, which may drive higher mortality rates. Comprehensive experimentation is essential to unlock the full potential of green gravel and ensure its efficiency in all process steps, to achieve successful kelp forest restoration. Well-defined and optimised protocols are indispensable for minimising production costs, simplifying logistics, and allowing future efforts to scale up. Full article

With the outstanding growth of Internet of Things (IoT) devices, security and power efficiency of integrated circuits can no longer be overlooked. Current approved standards for cryptographic algorithms are not suitable for constrained environments. In this context, the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) started a lightweight cryptography (LWC) competition to develop new algorithm standards that can be fit into small devices. In 2023, NIST has decided to standardize the Ascon family for LWC. This algorithm has been designed to be more resilient to side-channel and fault-based analysis. Nonetheless, hardware implementations of Ascon have been broken by multiple statistical fault analysis and power analysis. These attacks have underlined the necessity to develop adapted countermeasures to side-channel and perturbation-based attacks. However, existing countermeasures are power and area consuming. In this article, we propose a new countermeasure for the Ascon cipher that does not significantly increase the area and power consumption. Our architecture relies on the nonvolatile feature of the Magnetic Tunnel Junction (MTJ) that is the single element of the emerging Magnetic Random Access Memories (MRAM). The proposed circuit removes the bias exploited by statistical attacks. In addition, we have duplicated and complemented the permutation of Ascon to enhance the power analysis robustness of the circuit. Besides the security aspect, our circuit can save current manipulated data, ensuring energy saving from 11% to 32.5% in case of power failure. The area overhead, compared to an unprotected circuit, is $\times 2.43$. Full article

Enterprise resilience refers to the capacity of businesses to effectively respond to crises and achieve sustainable development over the long term. It serves as a crucial assurance for businesses to attain high-quality growth. The current worry among policy makers and academia revolves around the impact of commercial system change on the resilience of firms. This article examines the reform of the commercial system as a “quasi natural experiment” by comparing manually collected data on the reform with data on Chinese A-share listed companies from 2011 to 2022. It thoroughly analyses the effects and mechanisms of the reform on corporate resilience. The research findings suggest that implementing reforms in the commercial system can improve the ability of firms to withstand and recover from challenges. This is primarily accomplished by decreasing limitations on obtaining funding, minimising expenses associated with institutional transactions, and strengthening the capacity for technological innovation. This conclusion remains strong and reliable even after conducting a series of experiments to ensure its robustness and addressing any potential issues related to endogeneity. Furthermore, the reformation of the commercial system has a more potent impact on bolstering the resilience of private firms, large-scale enterprises, highly competitive enterprises, and high-tech enterprises. The research findings of this article have significant implications for advancing the reform of the commercial system, strengthening enterprise resilience, and achieving high-quality development of firms. Full article

Increasing the planting density of mango orchards appears promising for obtaining higher yields, particularly during the first productive years. However, the challenge is to maintain a good balance between vegetative growth and fruit production in the longer term. The objective of this study was to decipher the effects of planting density, training system and cultivar on young mango trees’ growth and production. The experiment, conducted in North Queensland, consisted of five combinations of planting density and training system applied to the cultivars Keitt, Calypso and NMBP-1243. The planting densities were low (208 tree ha⁻¹), medium (416 tree ha⁻¹) and high (1250 tree ha⁻¹). The closed vase conventional training system was applied at each density. Single leader and espalier on trellis training systems were applied at medium and high densities, respectively. The tree canopy dimensions were measured every 6 months from planting, and tree production was recorded from the third to the fifth years after planting. Vegetative growth and fruit production were the results of complex interactions between planting density, training system, cultivar and/or time. The expected increase in orchard yield with higher planting density was observed from the first productive year, despite lower individual tree production at high planting density. Lower vegetative growth and fruit production at high planting density were probably caused by competition between trees. NMBP-1243 and Keitt showed more rapid vegetative growth. Keitt was the most productive cultivar during the first three productive years. The detailed results of this study provide avenues to further explore the behaviour of mango trees at high planting densities. Full article