Search Results (1,960)

The rapid expansion of the digital economy is reshaping the global production and trade system, bringing new opportunities for developing economies seeking to enhance their international competitiveness, while also posing structural challenges. This study focuses on China, a typical emerging economy, and uses provincial panel data from 2015 to 2024 to empirically examine how digital transformation and technological innovation jointly affect foreign trade competitiveness. The core variables are measured as follows: The digitalization level is constructed using principal component analysis (PCA) based on three dimensions: digital infrastructure, digital industrialization, and industrial digitization; technological innovation is proxied by the logarithm of technology market transaction volume. This study employs a fixed-effects model with interaction terms to estimate the independent effects of digitalization and technological innovation and to explore their interaction within the framework of the digital economy. The empirical results show that both digital transformation and technological innovation have a significant positive impact on foreign trade competitiveness. Specifically, a 10-point increase in the digitalization index is associated with an approximately 0.10-unit increase in the trade competitiveness index, and a 1% increase in technological innovation input is associated with an increase of 0.032–0.042 units. However, their interaction coefficient is significantly negative (−0.001, p < 0.01), indicating a substitution effect: an increase in technological innovation investment weakens the marginal contribution of digitalization to export competitiveness, and vice versa. Further heterogeneity analysis shows that the direct effects of digital transformation and technological innovation are more significant in less developed regions, while the substitution effect is stronger in economically developed regions. The findings suggest that policies promoting digital transformation and technological innovation should avoid a uniform approach and instead adopt coordinated and phased strategies that are suitable for regional development conditions. By providing new empirical evidence on the interaction between digital economy development and innovation investment, this study enriches the existing literature and offers policy implications for emerging economies seeking to achieve sustainable foreign trade development under increasing global trade uncertainty. Full article

The rapid expansion of China’s livestock husbandry has boosted the supply of meat, eggs, and dairy products, while concurrently giving rise to environmental pollution issues. Research on the effects of various environmental regulations on the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of the livestock sector and their underlying mechanisms is still lacking, despite the Chinese government’s implementation of corresponding environmental regulatory policies to address this practical challenge. As a key instrument for fostering green economic transformation, examining the relationship between environmental regulation and the green total factor productivity (GTFP) of animal husbandry is crucial for the sector’s sustainable development. In order to estimate the GTFP of China’s livestock sector for the years 2010–2022, this study uses the super-slack-based measure (Super-SBM) methodology. It conducts an empirical analysis to examine the mechanisms through which different environmental regulations influence livestock GTFP, alongside an investigation of regional heterogeneity. The results show that different environmental regulations have different effects on animal husbandry GTFP, with notable regional differences. Specifically, incentive-based environmental regulations enhance livestock GTFP by facilitating technological innovation; however, the level of regional economic development negatively moderates the association between incentive-based environmental regulations and livestock GTFP. The findings confirm that incentive-based environmental regulations are successful in encouraging livestock GTFP through technical innovation. They further emphasize that regions should formulate context-specific environmental regulatory policies to balance environmental protection and industrial development, thereby supporting the green and sustainable growth of China’s livestock industry. Full article

Green finance seeks to reconcile economic expansion with environmental protection and may, by relaxing financing constraints on clean-energy projects, contribute to lower energy poverty. Using provincial panel data from China over 2010–2019, this study examines the relationship between green finance development and energy poverty and evaluates potential spatial spillovers. The results show that green finance development is negatively associated with energy poverty, and this relationship remains statistically robust in dynamic-panel specifications estimated using system generalized method of moments (system GMM). Mechanism analyses further provide suggestive evidence that this negative association may operate partly through greater energy-supply investment and improved energy-infrastructure conditions. Spatial econometric evidence also indicates the presence of spillover effects: improvements in green finance in one province are associated with lower energy poverty in neighboring provinces. These findings imply that efforts to eradicate energy poverty should explicitly incorporate green finance, recognize regional heterogeneity in green finance development, and improve the transmission of green finance into tangible investment in clean energy and energy infrastructure. Interprovincial policy coordination is also warranted given spatial interdependence. Full article

As the key technology of space exploration, space power has been a major area of international research focus. A lot of research work has been carried out around the world for the space nuclear reactor using the heat pipe, liquid metal and gas cooling methods. With the development of molten salt reactor in the Generation IV reactor system, molten salt dissolving fissile material and acting as a coolant at the same time has become a new cooling scheme, which provides new ideas for the design of space nuclear reactors. In this study, a novel reactor, the liquid-solid dual-fuel space nuclear reactor (LSSNR) was preliminarily proposed, combining the molten salt fuel and cross-shaped spiral solid fuel to achieve the design goals of 30-year lifetime and an active core weight of less than 200 kg. Monte Carlo neutron transport code OpenMC based on ENDF/B-VII.1 library was employed for neutronics design in the aspect of fuel type, cladding material, reflector material and the spectral shift absorber. Then, the thickness of the control drum absorber was optimized to meet the requirement of the sufficient shutdown margin, lower solid fuel enrichment, and 30-effective-full power-years (EFPY) operation lifetime. Finally, UC solid fuel with U-235 enrichment of 80.98 wt.% and B₄C thickness of 0.75 cm were adopted in LSSNR, and BeO was adopted as the reflector and the matrix material of the control drum. A spectral shift absorber Gd₂O₃ was used to avoid the subcritical LSSNR returning to criticality in a launch accident. The k_eff with the control drum in the innermost position is 0.954949, and the k_eff reaches 1.00592 after 30 EFPY of operation. The total mass of the active core is 158.11 kg. In addition, the thermal-hydraulic feasibility of LSSNR using cross-shaped spiral fuel was analyzed based on a 4/61 reactor core model. The structure of cross-shaped spiral fuel achieves enhanced heat transfer by generating turbulence, which leads to a uniform temperature distribution of the coolant flow field and reduces local temperature peaks. Based on the LSSNR scheme, some neutronic characteristics were analyzed. Results demonstrate that the LSSNR has strongly negative reactivity coefficients due to the thermal expansion of liquid fuel, and the fission gas-induced pressure meets safety requirements. One hundred years after the end of core life, the total radioactivity of reactor core is reduced by 99% and is 7.1305 Ci. Full article

The expansion and ongoing refinement of control solutions for three-phase microgrids are key enablers in the transition from conventional distribution networks to smart microgrids. By integrating distributed generation, a microgrid can operate in either grid-connected or island mode. One of the major technical challenges in microgrid operation is mitigating or eliminating phase power unbalances. Unbalanced single-phase loads, combined with unbalanced and intermittent single-phase generation, can produce adverse effects on both energy efficiency and power quality. Unlike conventional distribution networks, microgrids may exhibit bidirectional power flows, which can occur simultaneously on all phases or differ from phase to phase. This paper introduces new analytical expressions for sizing a balancing capacitive compensator (BCC) for three-phase four-wire systems and derives a simplified sizing algorithm. The approach is validated through a numerical study using a Matlab/Simulink model of a low-voltage three-phase microgrid with high penetration of single-phase loads and single-phase distributed sources. The BCC is installed at the point of common coupling (PCC) between the microgrid and the main grid. Three operating regimes (cases) of the microgrid were analyzed, considering three compensation scenarios (sub-cases) for each: 1—without compensation, 2—with balanced capacitive compensation (classical), and 3—with unbalanced capacitive compensation (with BCC). For each of the three regimes (cases), the use of the BCC determines, at the PCC, in addition to the cancellation of the reactive component of the positive sequence current, the cancellation of the negative- and zero-sequence currents. In other words, the BCC–microgrid assembly is seen from the main grid either as a perfectly balanced active power load or as a perfectly balanced active power source. Thus, the BCC prevents the propagation of the unbalance disturbance in the main grid; in the considered case study, this also results from the cancellation of the negative- and zero-sequence components of the phase voltages measured at the PCC. The results show that the load-balancing capability of the BCC can be extended to power-flow balancing in any network section, including cases where the phase power directions differ. Implemented as a BCC-type SVC or as an automatically adjustable variant (ABCC), the proposed unbalanced shunt capacitive compensation method is effective for mitigating or eliminating bidirectional phase power-flow unbalances. Full article

Glandular trichomes (GTs) are epidermal outgrowths that function as “natural cell factories” for the synthesis of specialized metabolites. Beyond their traditional understanding, GTs on cucumber fruits can form an undesirable trait known as bloom, which negatively affects market value. However, the secretory process, metabolite profiles, and genetic regulation underlying GT development in cucumber remain largely unclear. In this study, we employed scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), histochemical staining, multi-omics analyses, and liquid chromatography–mass spectrometry (LC-MS) to systematically investigate GT development. The secretory process was classified into four distinct stages via SEM observations: morphogenesis, active metabolism, head sunken, and metabolite release. TEM revealed progressive ultrastructural changes, including increased organelle abundance and expansion of the periplasmic space, which facilitate metabolite transport and release. This process occurs through an autonomous mechanism involving osmiophilic substances and eventual cell rupture. LC-MS analysis identified 744 metabolites belonging to 11 classes, with phenylpropanoids/polyketides—particularly flavonoids—being the most abundant. While metabolite classes are conserved between European greenhouse and North China ecotypes, specific metabolite contents vary significantly. Multi-transcriptome analysis identified 60 candidate genes associated with GT development. Among these, CsaV4_3G003418 was functionally validated through virus-induced gene silencing (VIGS) to be involved in early GT development. Collectively, this work elucidates the secretory mechanism and metabolic characteristics of cucumber GTs, providing a foundation for future functional studies and biotechnological applications of secondary metabolites. Full article

The expansion of digital connectivity has reshaped contemporary work environments, increasing flexibility while simultaneously blurring the boundaries between work and personal life. In such contexts, employees may experience difficulties in psychologically detaching from work during off-job time. Drawing on the Effort–Recovery model and Conservation of Resources theory, this study examined whether affective work-related rumination indirectly explained the association between Fear of Missing Out (FoMO) and psychological detachment. A cross-sectional survey was conducted with 228 employees from diverse occupational sectors who completed validated measures of FoMO, affective rumination, and psychological detachment. Indirect effect analyses using bootstrapping procedures indicated that FoMO was positively associated with affective rumination, and affective rumination was negatively associated with psychological detachment. The indirect effect was significant, whereas the direct association between FoMO and detachment was not. These findings are consistent with an indirect association pattern whereby FoMO is related to lower psychological detachment through higher levels of affective rumination. However, given the cross-sectional design, the results should be interpreted as correlational evidence rather than as demonstrating a causal mediation process. The model accounted for approximately 10% of the variance in psychological detachment. Overall, the findings suggest that FoMO may be indirectly related to reduced recovery experiences via emotionally charged repetitive thinking that sustains cognitive activation beyond working hours. Addressing rumination and supporting healthier digital boundary management may therefore represent promising avenues for supporting occupational mental health in increasingly connected work environments. Full article

Achieving sustainability requires that energy transition generates measurable environmental benefits beyond the power sector, yet it remains unclear whether renewable electricity expansion is associated with lower waste sector methane intensity, a major source of short-lived climate forcing. Using a global country–year panel and two-way fixed effects, we examine whether this relationship, and its sustainability implications, varies with development stage, institutional quality, and waste system characteristics. We find no robust inverted-U Environmental Kuznets Curve once country and year fixed effects are included. Instead, higher renewable electricity shares are consistently associated with lower waste sector methane intensity, and this association strengthens with income. A 10-percentage-point increase in renewable share corresponds to about 2.7%, 4.2%, and 6.0% lower intensity at the 25th, 50th, and 75th income percentiles. The negative association is stronger in countries with higher governance quality, while waste management capacity and organic waste composition reveal additional heterogeneity in the observed association. Overall, electricity decarbonization alone is not a uniform instrument for reducing diffuse biological emissions; sustainable methane mitigation likely requires coordinated governance linking renewable transition with waste system modernization. Full article

Water scarcity in semi-arid closed-basin systems is increasingly driven by hydrological and land transformation processes. This study integrates multi-temporal remote sensing and physicochemical data to examine spatio-environmental drivers of surface water decline in Lake Manyara. Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) maps derived from dry-season Landsat imagery (July 2015 and July 2025) were used to quantify surface water dynamics, while supervised Maximum Likelihood land use/land cover (LULC) classification provided a characterized existing spatial context of the study area. Physicochemical parameters derived from recent field observations were evaluated using Carlson’s Trophic State Index (TSI). Results indicate a 31.7% reduction in dry-season surface water extent, from 232.4 km² in 2015 to 158.7 km² in 2025, accompanied by a marked spectral shift toward more negative NDWI values, reflecting extensive lakebed exposure. Agricultural expansion and bare land surfaces were spatially associated with stronger negative NDWI patterns (r ≈ −0.64, p < 0.05). Water quality assessment revealed extreme hypereutrophic conditions (TSI = 98.07), characterized by elevated phosphorus, nitrate, and chlorophyll-a, and high ionic concentrations. The findings demonstrate that hydrological contraction, eutrophication, and catchment land transformation are interconnected processes intensifying water scarcity in semi-arid lake systems. Full article

This work analyzes a bi-metric cosmological model where two sectors, characterized by their respective scale factors, interact through a deformed Poisson bracket structure. This deformation is based on the Generalized Uncertainty Principle (GUP). Through a numerical analysis, we study how this interaction affects the expansion dynamics. The results indicate that for positive values of the deformation parameter, the coupling induces an acceleration that leads to a Big Rip singularity in finite time, even in the absence of a cosmological constant. A power-law relation is established between the deformation parameter and the critical time of divergence for the scale factors. Finally, the regime with a negative deformation parameter is also investigated. In this case, the symplectic structure becomes singular, leading to the contraction of one sector and the freezing of the other. Full article

Climate extremes are major constraints on agricultural productivity, especially in tropical regions experiencing rapid expansion and intensification of soybean agriculture. This study analyzes spatiotemporal changes in soybean yields in response to droughts and heatwaves across highly productive municipalities in Brazil’s five macroregions from 1989 to 2020. By combining high-resolution meteorological data, satellite-based evapotranspiration estimates, and municipal-level crop yield data, we used standardized drought indices (Standardized Precipitation Index [SPI], Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index [SPEI]) and a heat index (Warm Spell Duration Index [WSDI]) with spatiotemporal linear regression analyses to explore the links between climate variability and soybean yields across Brazil’s diverse agroclimatic zones. The results show a clear rise in the frequency and severity of compound drought–heat events, especially in the Northeast and South frontiers, where yield sensitivity to hydroclimatic stress is highest. Municipal-level linear regression analyses and spatial patterns indicate that short-term dry events, rather than long-term climate trends, are the main drivers of recent yield variability, with notable spatial spillover effects observed across municipalities. Cristalina and Bom Jesus, for example, exhibit significant negative trends (p < 0.05) in both SPEI-6 (−0.04 and −0.03) and SPI-6 (0.04 and −0.03), indicating a consistent drying tendency over time. Over the 30-year period, municipalities accumulated total soybean yield losses of 3292.3 thousand tonnes (kt), corresponding to an average reduction of 3.7% relative to 5-year detrended yield. These findings highlight the increasing vulnerability of rainfed agriculture in Brazil and emphasize the critical role of seasonal timing, crop phenology, and regional climate patterns for effective climate risk management. This study provides empirical evidence linking combined extremes to agricultural performance and presents a scalable framework for early warning systems and for climate-resilient policy development. Full article

Sustainable development increasingly depends on the capacity of entrepreneurial ecosystems (EEs) to generate resilient, inclusive, and self-reinforcing entrepreneurial activity over time. While prior research has predominantly examined entrepreneurial ecosystems in developed economies, limited empirical evidence exists on how ecosystem components function in collectivist cultures and state-driven developing contexts such as Saudi Arabia. This study examines the influence of key entrepreneurial ecosystem elements on startup formation using a large-scale sample of 4032 Saudi entrepreneurs drawn from the Global Entrepreneurship Monitor (GEM), with a focus on human capital, social capital, and institutional support. The results indicate that human capital and social capital significantly increase the likelihood of startup formation, effectively doubling the chances of entrepreneurial action. In contrast, perceived formal institutional support is negatively associated with startup activity, whereas market dynamics and informal institutions show no statistically significant effects. These findings highlight the distinctive nature of Saudi Arabia’s state-driven and socially embedded entrepreneurial ecosystem under Vision 2030, where entrepreneurial activity is shaped more by individual capabilities and social networks than by formal institutional expansion. Adopting a sustainability-oriented entrepreneurial ecosystem perspective, the study demonstrates that sustainable entrepreneurial development in state-driven economies depends on aligning institutional reforms with underlying human and social capacities. The findings provide context-specific insights for policymakers by emphasising the importance of capability building, network formalisation, and culturally aligned regulatory reforms to foster resilient and sustainable entrepreneurship. Full article

In this research paper, we investigate a Finsler-Randers spacetime in the context of a Bianchi type-V model of universe within the framework of Lyra geometry, employing a modified $f(\mathcal{R},\mathcal{T})$ gravity theory that incorporates a cosmological constant $\mathrm{\Lambda }$. We have derived the corresponding anisotropic Friedmann equations for the Finsler–Randers Bianchi type-V model of universe with modified $f(\mathcal{R},\mathcal{T})$ gravity in Lyra geometry, including the contributions of the cosmological constant and Randers anisotropic terms $b_0\left(t\right)$ and obtained analytical solutions. Further, we have examined the behavior of various dynamical parameters, commonly used in cosmological analysis, both geometrical and graphical interpretations have been provided. Furthermore, we have derived the Raychaudhuri equation in terms of the cosmological constant as a function of the cosmic time t. Our analysis reveals that the shear scalar ${\sigma }^2$ and the scalar expansion $\theta$ decrease with cosmic time and tend to zero at late times, indicating the isotropization of the universe in the presence of the cosmological constant; however, the Hubble parameter approaches a constant value rather than vanishing, while the energy density $\rho$, pressure $\mathcal{P}$, and the Lyra gauge function $\beta$ remain finite and non-zero even at large cosmic times. Ultimately, we conclude that the universe described by this framework exhibits continuous acceleration, as indicated by the negative value of the deceleration parameter q. Full article

Background/Objectives: Avoidable mortality—deaths before age 75 from preventable or treatable causes—is a key indicator of health system performance. In Mexico, nearly two-thirds of municipalities lack hospital beds, yet no study has examined the municipal-level association between healthcare infrastructure and avoidable mortality. This study assessed whether healthcare desert status is independently associated with avoidable mortality after adjusting for social deprivation. Methods: This ecological study analyzed 1891 Mexican municipalities (population ≥ 1000) over 2015–2024. Avoidable deaths were classified per OECD/Eurostat criteria (January 2022 revision). Healthcare desert status was defined by municipal hospital bed availability from 2019 facility data. Negative binomial mixed-effects regression estimated incidence-rate ratios (IRRs) adjusted for social deprivation, age structure, and state-level heterogeneity. Interrupted time-series analysis quantified pandemic disruption. Results: Of 4,960,244 deaths under 75 years, 81.2% were avoidable. Of 1891 municipalities, 1187 (62.8%) lacked hospital beds (healthcare deserts). Desert municipalities had 42.5% higher avoidable mortality (IRR = 1.425; 95% CI: 1.370–1.482; pre-pandemic 2015–2019), which attenuated to 1.353 after age-structure adjustment. Each standard-deviation increase in hospital beds (1 SD ≈ 2.2 beds per 1000) was associated with 7.9% lower mortality (IRR = 0.921). Avoidable mortality exhibited strong spatial clustering (Moran’s I = 0.382) in southern Mexico. By 2024, the desert–adequate mortality gap had widened by approximately five fold (from $\sim$12 to 69 per 100,000 population). Conclusions: Healthcare deserts are independently associated with substantially higher avoidable mortality in Mexico. The COVID-19 pandemic durably amplified pre-existing disparities associated with healthcare infrastructure deficits. Targeted hospital expansion in underserved municipalities is urgently needed, alongside investment in social determinants of health. Full article

Flammulina filiformis is a significant edible and medicinal fungus; however, its industrial expansion has been limited by traditional cultivation practices, highlighting an urgent need for resource-efficient and environmentally friendly alternative substrates. This study investigated the partial replacement of traditional substrates with Cenchrus fungigraminus. Utilizing the simplex-lattice method for optimization, we identified an optimal cultivation formulation, composed primarily of 20% C. fungigraminus and 28% corncobs. This formulation achieved a biological efficiency of 131.92% and enhanced the nutritional content of the fruiting bodies. Monitoring dynamic enzyme activity revealed that the yield was positively correlated with post-primordium cellulase activity, whereas mycelial growth was negatively correlated with cellulase activity during the vegetative stage. Transcriptomic analysis further indicated that key genes involved in carbohydrate metabolism and cellular processes were significantly upregulated in the optimized formulation. These results suggest that the addition of C. fungigraminus enhances nutrient conversion efficiency by regulating the expression of genes associated with carbon and nitrogen metabolism, ultimately leading to an approximately 15% increase in the biological efficiency of fruiting bodies, and a profit increase of 379.37 Chinese Yuan (CNY) per ton of cultivation substrate, demonstrating substantial economic benefits. In summary, this study provides a theoretical and technical foundation for cultivating F. filiformis using C. fungigraminus, contributing to the advancement of the industry toward resource conservation and environmental sustainability. Full article