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The spillover effect of university-based agricultural research and development (R&D) has been recognized as a crucial factor contributing to the enhanced performance of the agricultural industry. Nonetheless, the psychological impact of organizational inertia on individuals and groups may shape the influence of such spillovers for agribusiness firms. To date, there has been limited exploration of the interplay between university agricultural R&D spillovers and agribusiness firms. Utilizing panel data from Chinese listed agribusiness firms between 2009 and 2019, our empirical investigation reveals a negative short-term relationship between university agricultural R&D spillovers and agribusiness firm performance due to the similarity in knowledge backgrounds. In the short term, organizational inertia, stemming from familiar and parallel knowledge, renders university agricultural R&D spillovers unfavorable to agribusiness firm performance, thereby reducing their value to the enterprises. Conversely, the long-term influence of university agricultural R&D spillovers on agricultural enterprise performance is positive, as organizational inertia dissipates over time. Additionally, our findings indicate that university non-agricultural R&D spillovers serve to positively moderate the relationship between agricultural R&D spillovers and agribusiness firm performance in the short term, while exerting a negative moderating effect in the long term. Lastly, our analysis reveals a negative correlation between the effect of university agricultural R&D spillovers and the geographical distance between agribusiness firms and universities. This suggests that proximity to academic institutions may play a role in shaping the impact of R&D spillovers on agribusiness performance. In summary, our study highlights the complex dynamics between university agricultural R&D spillovers and agribusiness firm performance, revealing both short-term and long-term effects. We also underscore the importance of considering the influence of organizational inertia and the moderating role of non-agricultural R&D spillovers. Understanding these relationships is crucial for informing strategic decisions and fostering innovation within the agricultural industry.

The study examined the role of perceived CSR in deriving customer loyalty by exploring direct and mediated effects of corporate reputation and customer satisfaction in Pakistan’s food chains. The data were collected through a survey method from 322 customers of McDonald’s in Pakistan during October 2019 and January 2020. The collected information was then analyzed through the Partial Least Square Structural Equation Modeling (PLS-SEM) technique to test the hypothesized relationships. The results revealed a significant positive impact of perceived CSR on customer loyalty, corporate reputation, and customer satisfaction. Further, customer satisfaction and corporate reputation appeared to mediate the relationship between perceived CSR and customer loyalty.

Using a trilingual parallel corpus, this article investigates the translation of Chinese political speeches in Italian and English, with the aim to explore cross-linguistic variations regarding translation shifts of key functional elements in the genre of political speeches. The genre-based methodology includes a rhetorical move analysis, which is used to highlight key functional elements of the genre, and a functional grammar analysis of translation shifts of the lexico-grammatical elements identified in the previous stage. The findings show that the core communicative function of the genre is “Proposing deontic statements,” and modality of obligation is essential for the realization of this rhetorical function. Afterwards, the analysis of translation shifts of deontic modality reveals that the English translation is characterized by higher modality value shifts in comparison to the Italian translation. This difference may be related to the degree of autonomy in translation choice and understanding of the communicative purposes of the translation genre. In terms of methodological implications, this functionalist approach attempts to providing insights into the communicative purposes of the translation genre by focusing on how key functional elements are translated.

Tin–lead mixed perovskite-based tandem solar cells show promise. However, the inherent oxidation of tin remains a challenge for achieving high power conversion efficiency and device stability. In this study, we present an approach to address this challenge by developing an electron-withdrawing chloromethyl phosphonic acid ligand based on the substituent effect, designed to mitigate tin oxidation in tin–lead mixed perovskite materials. The introduction of this electron-withdrawing ligand improves the redox potential of the tin adduct. Furthermore, it leads to a substantial increase in the ionization potential of the perovskite structure. Through comparative analysis with conventional coordinating molecules, we reveal that the electron-withdrawing ligand is more effective in suppressing tin oxidation and reducing the defect density within the tin-based perovskite film. Using our approach, we demonstrate certified efficiency of 26.96% for all-perovskite tandem solar cells. Tin oxidation limits the efficiency of low bandgap perovskite solar cells. Yu et al. synthesize electron-withdrawing chloromethyl phosphonic acid ligand that suppresses tin oxidation, enabling 27%-efficiency perovskite tandem solar cells.

ESG uncertainty refers to the discrepancies in ratings by multiple third-party ESG rating agencies, challenging investors in assessing a company’s true ESG status. This study integrates ESG rating data from six major Chinese agencies to construct an ESG Uncertainty Index. Using a PVAR model, it explores the bidirectional relationships among ESG uncertainty, investor attention, and stock price crash risk in the Chinese capital market. The findings reveal no direct causal relationship between ESG uncertainty and stock price crash risk. However, there is a bidirectional Granger causality between ESG uncertainty and investor attention, as well as between stock price crash risk and investor attention. This suggests that increased ESG uncertainty and stock price crash risk attract more investor attention, which in turn amplifies these issues. The study implies that investor attention mediates the relationship between ESG uncertainty and stock price crash risk, indirectly affecting the latter. These findings highlight the importance of enhancing information disclosure regarding ESG factors to improve market transparency and stability.

The genetic model plant Arabidopsis thaliana, like many plant species, experiences a range of edaphic conditions across its natural habitat. Such heterogeneity may drive local adaptation, though the molecular genetic basis remains elusive. Here, we describe a study in which we used genome-wide association mapping, genetic complementation, and gene expression studies to identify cis-regulatory expression level polymorphisms at the AtHKT1;1 locus, encoding a known sodium (Na+) transporter, as being a major factor controlling natural variation in leaf Na+ accumulation capacity across the global A. thaliana population. A weak allele of AtHKT1;1 that drives elevated leaf Na+ in this population has been previously linked to elevated salinity tolerance. Inspection of the geographical distribution of this allele revealed its significant enrichment in populations associated with the coast and saline soils in Europe. The fixation of this weak AtHKT1;1 allele in these populations is genetic evidence supporting local adaptation to these potentially saline impacted environments.

A tri-protein complex containing NICD, RBPj and MAML1 binds DNA as monomer or as cooperative dimers to regulate transcription. Mice expressing N otch d imerization- d eficient alleles (NDD) of Notch1 and Notch2 are sensitized to environmental insults but otherwise develop and age normally. Transcriptomic analysis of colonic spheroids uncovered no evidence of dimer-dependent target gene miss-regulation, confirmed impaired stem cell maintenance in-vitro, and discovered an elevated signature of epithelial innate immune response to symbionts, a likely underlying cause for heightened sensitivity in NDD mice. TurboID followed by quantitative nano-spray MS/MS mass-spectrometry analyses in a human colon carcinoma cell line expressing either NOTCH2 DD or NOTCH2 revealed an unbalanced interactome, with reduced interaction of NOTCH2 DD with the transcription machinery but relatively preserved interaction with the HDAC2 interactome suggesting modulation via cooperativity. To ask if HDAC2 activity contributes to Notch loss-of-function phenotypes, we used the HDAC2 inhibitor Valproic acid (VPA) and discovered it could prevent the intestinal consequences of NDD and gamma secretase inhibitors (DBZ or DAPT) treatment in mice and spheroids, suggesting synergy between HDAC activity and pro-differentiation program in intestinal stem cells.

Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a form of synaptic plasticity that results in enhanced synaptic strength. It is associated with the formation and enlargement of dendritic spines—tiny protrusions accommodating excitatory synapses. Both LTP and spine remodelling are crucial for brain development, cognition and the pathophysiology of neurological disorders. The role of microRNAs (miRNAs) in the maintenance of LTP, however, is not well understood. Using next-generation sequencing to profile miRNA transcriptomes, we demonstrate that miR-26a and miR-384-5p specifically affect the maintenance, but not induction, of LTP and different stages of spine enlargement by regulating the expression of RSK3. Using bioinformatics, we also examine the global effects of miRNA transcriptome changes during LTP on gene expression and cellular activities. This study reveals a novel miRNA-mediated mechanism for gene-specific regulation of translation in LTP, identifies two miRNAs required for long-lasting synaptic and spine plasticity and presents a catalogue of candidate ‘LTP miRNAs’. Long-term potentiation (LTP) is a form of synaptic plasticity that results in enhanced synaptic strength. Here, the authors demonstrate that miR-26a and miR-384-5p affect the maintenance, but not induction, of LTP as well as spine enlargement by regulating the expression of RSK3.

Regulatory T cell (Treg) impairment is implicated in the pathogenesis of chronic inflammatory diseases, but relatively little is known about the therapeutic potential of Treg restoration. Here we present clinical evidence for the Treg-selective interleukin-2 receptor agonist rezpegaldesleukin (REZPEG) in two randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled Phase 1b trials in patients with moderate-to-severe atopic dermatitis (AD) (NCT04081350) or chronic plaque psoriasis (PsO) (NCT04119557). Key inclusion criteria for AD included an Eczema Area and Severity Index (EASI) score ≥ 16 and a validated Investigator Global Assessment for Atopic Dermatitis (vIGA-AD) ≥ 3, and for PsO included a Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) score of ≥ 12 and a static Physician’s Global Assessment (sPGA) score of ≥ 3. REZPEG is safe and well-tolerated and demonstrates consistent pharmacokinetics in participants receiving subcutaneous doses of 10 to 12 µg/kg or 24 µg/kg once every 2 weeks for 12 weeks, meeting the primary and secondary objectives, respectively. AD patients receiving the higher dose demonstrate an 83% improvement in EASI score after 12 weeks of treatment. EASI improvement of ≥ 75% (EASI-75) and vIGA-AD responses are maintained for 36 weeks after treatment discontinuation in 71% and 80% of week 12 responders, respectively. These exploratory clinical improvements are accompanied by sustained increases in CD25 bright Tregs. REZPEG thus represents a homeostatic approach to cutaneous disease therapy and holds clinical potential in providing long-term, treatment-free disease control. Impaired interleukin-2 production and regulatory T cell dysfunction is implicated in multiple autoimmune diseases. Here, in two phase lb trials, the authors show that rezpegaldesleukin, a Treg-selective pegylated IL-2, is safe and improves symptoms in patients with atopic dermatitis or psoriasis.

Regulation of perovskite growth plays a critical role in the development of high-performance optoelectronic devices. However, judicious control of the grain growth for perovskite light emitting diodes is elusive due to its multiple requirements in terms of morphology, composition, and defect. Herein, we demonstrate a supramolecular dynamic coordination strategy to regulate perovskite crystallization. The combined use of crown ether and sodium trifluoroacetate can coordinate with A site and B site cations in ABX 3 perovskite, respectively. The formation of supramolecular structure retard perovskite nucleation, while the transformation of supramolecular intermediate structure enables the release of components for slow perovskite growth. This judicious control enables a segmented growth, inducing the growth of insular nanocrystal consist of low-dimensional structure. Light emitting diode based on this perovskite film eventually brings a peak external quantum efficiency up to 23.9%, ranking among the highest efficiency achieved. The homogeneous nano-island structure also enables high-efficiency large area (1 cm 2 ) device up to 21.6%, and a record high value of 13.6% for highly semi-transparent ones.