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A palynological investigation of the Early-Middle Devonian transition and associated Choteč Event in Northern Spain
Get PDFIn Northern Spain there is a near complete sequence of Devonian rocks that accumulated around a relatively isolated land mass, the Armorican Terrane Assemblage, which was separated from Gondwana to the south and Laurussia to the north. The Lower to Middle Devonian transition records a dramatic facies change from carbonate to siliciclastic sedimentation. The Choteč Event, a global anoxic pulse that occurs just above the Lower-Middle Devonian boundary (392.5–393.1 Ma), has been identified within this transition. These strata are included in the Moniello and Naranco fms in Asturias and the equivalent Santa Lucía and Huergas fms in Leon. They are independently age-contrained based on conodont and invertebrate biotas. For the first time we describe palynomorph assemblages recovered from the Lower to Middle Devonian transition in Northern Spain. The assemblages contain terrestrial (spores) and marine (acritarchs, prasinophycean cysts, chitinozoans) elements, thus recording primary productivity on both the land and in the oceans. The older assemblages belong to the annulatus–sextantii Spore Zone and the younger assemblages the douglastownensis–eurypterota Spore Zone, which is concordant with the independent age constraints. Our analysis of the distribution and diversity of marine and terrestrial palynomorphs supports interpretations of the facies change associated with the Choteč Event as being related to a change to increased rainfall and terrestrial runoff. However, this change is associated with only limited taxon turnover in both land plant spores and marine phytoplankton and chitinozoans
What drives global value chains of FDI at sub-national regions? Roles of agglomeration economies
Get PDFThis study explores the intricate relationship between Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) and spatial knowledge within the European Union (EU) subnational regions. While existing research has examined this relationship, it often oversimplifies the complexities involved. This study aims to fill this gap by dissecting various types of inward FDI based on sectors, investor origins, and spatial knowledge forms. Using extensive data spanning over 13 years, the study employs negative binomial regression analysis to investigate 223 EU subnational regions. The findings reveal that localized specialization, urbanization, and population density play significant roles in attracting FDI, particularly in manufacturing and logistics. Conversely, capital cities tend to deter manufacturing-related FDI due to resource constraints. Moreover, the study identifies the importance of agglomeration economies, measured by urbanization, in driving FDI across different models given the knowledge spillovers and technological externalities found in densely populated areas. In light of these findings, tailored policies that account for diverse factors – such as regional agglomeration economies and strategic value chain activities – are essential. Recognizing the complexity of multinational business activities is crucial for designing effective policies aimed at reducing regional disparities within the EU
Monitoring terrestrial rewilding with environmental DNA metabarcoding: a systematic review of current trends and recommendations
Get PDFIntroduction: Rewilding, the facilitation of self-sustaining and resilient ecosystems by restoring natural processes, is an increasingly popular conservation approach and potential solution to the biodiversity and climate crises. Outcomes of rewilding can be unpredictable, and monitoring is essential to determine whether ecosystems are recovering. Metabarcoding, particularly of environmental DNA (eDNA), is revolutionizing biodiversity monitoring and could play an important role in understanding the impacts of rewilding but has mostly been applied within aquatic systems.Methods: This systematic review focuses on the applications of eDNA metabarcoding in terrestrial monitoring, with additional insights from metabarcoding of bulk and ingested DNA. We examine publication trends, choice of sampling substrate and focal taxa, and investigate how well metabarcoding performs compared to other monitoring methods (e.g. camera trapping).Results: Terrestrial ecosystems represented a small proportion of total papers, with forests the most studied system, soil and water the most popular substrates, and vertebrates the most targeted taxa. Most studies focused on measuring species richness, and few included analyzes of functional diversity. Greater species richness was found when using multiple substrates, but few studies took this approach. Metabarcoding did not consistently outperform other methods in terms of the number of vertebrate taxa detected, and this was likely influenced by choice of marker, sampling substrate and habitat.Discussion: Our findings indicate that metabarcoding, particularly of eDNA, has the potential to play a key role in the monitoring of terrestrial rewilding, but that further ground- truthing is needed to establish the most appropriate sampling and experimental pipelines for the target taxa and terrestrial system of interest
The sword of damocles: Debt and depression
No full textThis paper investigates the heterogeneous effects of formal and informal debt on mental health. We use unique data on Chinese households between 2014 and 2018 to examine the relationship between household debt obtained from different sources and the possibility of suffering from depression. Our main findings indicate that indebtedness is linked to depression and impairs borrowers’ mental health and other health conditions. Furthermore, we suggest that this negative impact is mainly due to borrowing from informal creditors, whereas debt obtained from formal sources has a negligible impact on depression
Attention allocation: An empirical analysis of the asymmetric market responses to information shocks in China
No full textAttention allocation—investors allocate their attention disproportionately within a day—has implications on how the market responds to information. Using high-frequency jumps detected in China, we show that the market underreacts to overnight information shocks, and the underreaction stems mainly from the short-leg stocks with highly negative overnight jumps. In comparison, the market overreacts to intraday information shocks, and the overreaction stems mainly from the long-leg stocks with highly positive intraday jumps. Moreover, the underreaction pattern strengthens while the overreaction pattern attenuates during market crashes, as investors pay limited attention when market performance is poor. Overall, these patterns are consistent with the interplay between attention allocation and investor sophistication in reshaping the asymmetric market reactions to information
Strategic Design, Synthesis, and Computational Characterization of Hole Transport Materials for Lead-Free Perovskite Solar Cells
Get PDFLead-free perovskites based on nontoxic titanium(IV) are promising candidates for photovoltaic applications due to their improved intrinsic/environmental stability compared to the lead analogues in metal halide perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, their yet lower power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) predominantly owing to a lack of compatible charge transport layers limit their commercial viability. Here, we synthesized and characterized two series of hole-transporting materials (HTMs) based on fluorene and benzothiadiazole cores functionalized with halogen-substituted indoloquinoxaline arms. Employing experimental and first-principles density functional theory calculations, the structure–property relationships and electrochemical, optical, and charge transport characteristics of these HTMs were examined. The synthesized HTMs showed low-lying highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels at −5.73 to −6.04 eV having ideal band alignment with the cesium titanium(IV) bromide (Cs2TiBr6) perovskite material. The HTMs exhibited minimal absorption in the visible region (λmaxabs ≤ 422 nm) with negligible overlap with the photoactive perovskite absorber Cs2TiBr6. Computational analysis further revealed the HTMs’ ability to possess high charge separation and transfer potential, characterized by high charge hopping rates, robust mobility, and lower exciton binding energy compared to benchmark Spiro-OMeTAD. Photovoltaic device simulations using SCAPS-1D software projected promising performance for PSCs incorporating these HTMs, with open-circuit voltage (VOC) ranging between 1.29 and 1.32 V and predicted PCE surpassing 18%. The study introduces a new class of HTM candidates with low-lying HOMOs and tailored electronic properties, presenting a compelling alternative to Spiro-OMeTAD for lead-free PSCs
"I'm living in a 'no' world now…"- A qualitative study of the widespread impact of living with chronic breathlessness, and experiences of identification and assessment of this symptom in an older, frail community-based population
Get PDFChronic breathlessness is a debilitating symptom with detrimental impact on individuals and carers. However, little is known about the experiences of community-dwelling, frail, older adults living with chronic breathlessness. To explore, (i) the psychological impact of living with chronic breathlessness, (older frail adult patients, carers) and (ii) how patients, carers, and clinicians experience identification and assessment of chronic breathlessness in the primary care setting. In-depth semi-structured interviews with eligible older adults (≥65 years; moderate to severe frailty [electronic Frailty Index >0.36]), and carers recruited from a community-based Integrated Care Centre in England. Clinicians were recruited from the Centre and affiliated GP practices. Recorded in-person interviews were transcribed and subjected to reflexive thematic analysis using Total Dyspnoea and Breathing Space conceptual frameworks. 20 patients (9 females), carers (4 spouses, 1 daughter), and clinicians (5 GPs, 3 advanced clinical practitioners, 2 nurses) were interviewed. Four themes were identified: (1) Widespread negative impact of chronic breathlessness. Breathlessness adversely impacts physical and psychological wellbeing. (2) Barriers to optimal health-seeking and identification of chronic breathlessness. Breathlessness is 'one of many' symptoms, and not prioritised in 'one appointment, one problem' consultations. Clinicians do not routinely ask about breathlessness. Patients are unaware of breathlessness-specific therapies. (3) Variations in chronic breathlessness management. Management is limited; few are offered evidence-based treatments (e.g., handheld fan) and patients find their own strategies. (4) Need for education and information. Clinicians felt helpless about breathlessness management, and patients lacked understanding and had low expectations of receiving help for this symptom. Breathlessness adversely impacts the psychological wellbeing of older frail adults. Chronic breathlessness in older, frail adults is invisible, unidentified and unmanaged in primary care. Evidence-based breathlessness interventions are available, but not routinely implemented with few patients accessing them. Proactive identification, assessment and management of breathlessness in primary care is needed to support adults living with chronic breathlessness
Dynamic co-evolution of transposable elements and the piRNA pathway in African cichlid fishes
Get PDFBACKGROUND: East African cichlid fishes have diversified in an explosive fashion, but the (epi)genetic basis of the phenotypic diversity of these fishes remains largely unknown. Although transposable elements (TEs) have been associated with phenotypic variation in cichlids, little is known about their transcriptional activity and epigenetic silencing. We set out to bridge this gap and to understand the interactions between TEs and their cichlid hosts. RESULTS: Here, we describe dynamic patterns of TE expression in African cichlid gonads and during early development. Orthology inference revealed strong conservation of TE silencing factors in cichlids, and an expansion of piwil1 genes in Lake Malawi cichlids, likely driven by PiggyBac TEs. The expanded piwil1 copies have signatures of positive selection and retain amino acid residues essential for catalytic activity. Furthermore, the gonads of African cichlids express a Piwi-interacting RNA (piRNA) pathway that targets TEs. We define the genomic sites of piRNA production in African cichlids and find divergence in closely related species, in line with fast evolution of piRNA-producing loci. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest dynamic co-evolution of TEs and host silencing pathways in the African cichlid radiations. We propose that this co-evolution has contributed to cichlid genomic diversity
Parents’ wellbeing: perceptions of happiness and challenges in parenthood in Latin America
Get PDFTraditional research on parenthood and wellbeing often employs a positivist perspective and focuses on non-LA samples -limiting our knowledge and understanding of the influence that strong components of the LA culture such as Machismo and Marianismo, have in parents’ wellbeing. This study explored how Latin American (LA) parents’ wellbeing is influenced by parenthood in a culture strongly influenced by such gender-based perspectives. An interpretative perspective was employed to explore fifteen LA parents’ lived experiences. An eight-questions interview was developed and data were analysed via Thematic Analysis. The American Psychological Association’s Journal Article Reporting Standards for Qualitative Research (JARS-Qual), was followed to compile this paper. Results showed that socio-economic factors such as crime, violence, and economic inequality, negatively influence parents wellbeing -emotions experienced and life satisfaction. Notably, parents seem to find joy in sharing their own personal experiences with their children and passing on gender-based models. However, parents perceive family pressure as a “burden” since they are expected to follow principles of Machismo/Marianismo. Similar to Asian, but unlike European parents, LA parents experience a mixture of positive and negative emotions throughout the parenting journey although strongly shaped by Machismo and Marianismo. This study makes a unique contribution by uncovering the unique influence of LA socio-economic challenges and cultural impositions and expectations and its influence on parental wellbeing