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Enterprises often acquire technologies from external sources which are geographically dispersed. Although previous literatures have discussed the role of external technology acquisition (ETA) in enterprises' innovation performance, how innovation is affected by the breadth and depth of ETA is less investigated, and little is known about how geographical distance (GD) is involved. Therefore, this paper first analyses the relationship between the breadth, depth of ETA and enterprises' innovation performance with patent transaction data of listed manufacturing enterprises in China. Then we further investigate how GD moderates the relationship. Results show that both the breadth and depth of ETA positively affect enterprises' innovation performance. GD has no moderating effect on the relationship between the breadth of ETA and enterprises' innovation performance, but negatively moderates the relationship between the depth of ETA and enterprises' innovation performance. Our results have implications for enterprises' ETA strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Independent directors are an important internal governance mechanism, and the characteristics of independent directors influence the strategic decisions of the company. With the emergence of research on the impact of geographical location on economic entities, geographical distance is gradually gaining attention in corporate governance. However, relatively few studies in emerging markets have analysed the effectiveness of independent directors' performances in terms of geographical location factors. We determine the location of independent directors by manually searching their biographies, annual reports, and news reports, calculate the geographical distance between the location of independent directors and listed companies, analyse the relationship between the geographical distance of independent directors and firm innovation, and test the moderating effect of high-speed rail (HSR) construction. The test results show that the geographical distance between independent directors and the companies they work for can inhibit corporate innovation and that the construction of HSR in the cities where listed companies are located can mitigate this inhibiting effect. We extend the study of geographical location characteristics influencing economic behaviour to the field of independent directors, enriching the study of factors influencing corporate innovation in emerging markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Online reviews reflect consumer needs and generate an electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) effect influencing businesses' financial performance. Existing literature on online reviews largely assumes consumers have a consistent conversion rate of writing and posting online reviews after a consumption experience. Using dual-source data of consumers' footprints and online restaurant reviews, we challenge this assumption and quantify the online review conversion rate by depicting a comprehensive pathway from consumers' visitation to their review writing. We find that consumer overall satisfaction has a nonlinear impact on the online review conversion rate. Extremely dissatisfied consumers are more likely to post online reviews to complain than generally dissatisfied consumers. In contrast, generally satisfied consumers are more likely to post online reviews than extremely satisfied consumers. Additionally, consumer engagement in the platform stimulates their online review behavior. Further, consumers' geographical distance from providers has a U-shaped impact on online review conversion rate. Local nearby consumers and consumers from a relatively long distance have a higher chance to post online reviews than consumers from a moderate distance. Moreover, price promotions from providers facilitate consumers' review behavior. The findings guide businesses to prioritize reading and responding to online consumer reviews based on these influential factors. Companies thus can use more targeted actions to encourage consumers to post positive reviews and spread a positive eWOM effect to attract consumers and enhance financial performance [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Eclampsia and pre-eclampsia rank as the third leading causes of maternal death in Ecuador, following pre-existing chronic diseases and postpartum haemorrhage, as reported by the Ecuadorian National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC). In contrast, HELLP (Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelet count) syndrome remains underexplored epidemiologically, not only in Latin America but globally. This study marks the first population-based investigation into HELLP syndrome incidence and mortality in Ecuador, examining geographical variations, altitude influences and ethnic backgrounds. Methods: Conducted as a retrospective population-based cohort study from 2015 to 2017, this research delves into the incidence, risk factors and maternal mortality associated with HELLP syndrome in Ecuador. Utilising data from INEC and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health, we identified HELLP syndrome cases through ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision) coding in hospitalised individuals. Logistic regression analysis was employed to explore association, whilst geospatial statistical analysis focused on cantons to identify significant spatial clusters. Primary outcome measures include HELLP syndrome incidence and maternal mortality, supplying crucial insights into the syndrome's impact on maternal health in Ecuador. Results: The incidence of HELLP syndrome is 0.76 (0.69–0.84)/ 1000 deliveries. Afro-Ecuadorian communities have a higher risk (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.18 (1.03–4.63)) compared to Indigenous Ecuadorian communities. Living at mid-level or high altitude is a significant risk factor OR of 2.79 (2.19–3.55) and an OR 3.61 (2.58–5.03), respectively. Being an older mother was also identified as a risk factor. Women living more than 20 km from the obstetric unit have an OR of 2.55 (2.05–3.18). Moreover, we found that cantons with higher crude HELLP syndrome incidence also have lower numbers of physicians (R = 0.503, p-value < 0.001). The mortality incidence of women with HELLP syndrome is 21.22 (12.05–20.59)/1000 deliveries with HELLP syndrome diagnoses. Conclusions: High altitude, advanced maternal age and geographical distance between residence and health centres are risk factors for HELLP syndrome. Maternal mortality in women with HELLP syndrome is higher than pre-eclampsia and eclampsia but comparable with previous reports in other countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the impact of two dimensions of technological relatedness, namely technological similarity and complementarity, on collaborative performance, plus the mediating role of collaboration network stickiness and the moderating role of partner expertise and geographical distance in interfirm collaboration contexts. Design/methodology/approach: This study takes Chinese Scientific and Technological Achievements (STA) of inter-firm collaboration in five high-tech fields in 2010–2020 as the sample and uses OLS regression to test the hypothesis. Findings: Technological similarity and complementarity positively affect collaborative performance. Partner expertise negatively moderates the relationship between similarity, complementarity and collaborative performance. Geographical distance positively moderates the relationship between similarity and collaborative performance while negatively moderates that between complementarity and collaborative performance. Collaboration network stickiness partly mediates the relationship between similarity and collaborative performance. Originality/value: This study expands literature on inter-firm collaboration, especially research on the antecedents of collaborative performance. Moreover, this study not only compensates for lack of empirical analysis in partner selection research, but also utilizes second-hand data to enhance the objectivity of analysis. Additionally, we enrich the research on the moderating role of partner expertise and geographical distance as well as the mediating role of collaboration network stickiness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Introduction Chronic heart failure patients experience large disparities in quality of and access to treatment, with rural populations receiving lower levels of care. Telemonitoring of patients is increasingly being used as an important tool for improving patient management and care and might reduce geographical inequities in healthcare. Methods We investigate the presence and magnitude of a geospatial interaction effect on the health benefit of a supplementary telemedicine intervention, by analyzing the relationship between distance to regular place of treatment and the benefit of telemedicine in a secondary analysis of data from a previously conducted RCT. We use change in EQ5D health status, SF-36 Physical component score and SF-36 Mental component score as the outcomes. In the unadjusted analysis, intervention group and distance group and the interaction term are included as the independent variables, in the adjusted analysis, multiple socioeconomic and health related variables are included to account for potential confounders. Results We find evidence of a significant interaction between the effects of telemedicine and long distance to treatment for change in EQ5D health status (unadjusted: p = 0.016, adjusted p = 0.009) and unadjusted but not adjusted mental component score (unadjusted: p = 0.013, adjusted p = 0.0728), for the change in physical component score the interaction term was not significant (unadjusted: p = 0.118, adjusted p = 0.092). Conclusion In our study we find that supplementary telemedicine is likely to reduce the health access inequities associated with geographical distance for chronic heart failure patients. However, our sample size was modest and further research is needed to confirm these findings.

Abstract Background Eclampsia and pre-eclampsia rank as the third leading causes of maternal death in Ecuador, following pre-existing chronic diseases and postpartum haemorrhage, as reported by the Ecuadorian National Institute of Statistics and Census (INEC). In contrast, HELLP (Haemolysis, Elevated Liver enzymes, Low Platelet count) syndrome remains underexplored epidemiologically, not only in Latin America but globally. This study marks the first population-based investigation into HELLP syndrome incidence and mortality in Ecuador, examining geographical variations, altitude influences and ethnic backgrounds. Methods Conducted as a retrospective population-based cohort study from 2015 to 2017, this research delves into the incidence, risk factors and maternal mortality associated with HELLP syndrome in Ecuador. Utilising data from INEC and the Ecuadorian Ministry of Health, we identified HELLP syndrome cases through ICD-10 (International Classification of Diseases, tenth revision) coding in hospitalised individuals. Logistic regression analysis was employed to explore association, whilst geospatial statistical analysis focused on cantons to identify significant spatial clusters. Primary outcome measures include HELLP syndrome incidence and maternal mortality, supplying crucial insights into the syndrome’s impact on maternal health in Ecuador. Results The incidence of HELLP syndrome is 0.76 (0.69–0.84)/ 1000 deliveries. Afro-Ecuadorian communities have a higher risk (Odds Ratio (OR) = 2.18 (1.03–4.63)) compared to Indigenous Ecuadorian communities. Living at mid-level or high altitude is a significant risk factor OR of 2.79 (2.19–3.55) and an OR 3.61 (2.58–5.03), respectively. Being an older mother was also identified as a risk factor. Women living more than 20 km from the obstetric unit have an OR of 2.55 (2.05–3.18). Moreover, we found that cantons with higher crude HELLP syndrome incidence also have lower numbers of physicians (R = 0.503, p-value

This study investigates how language‐internal constraints regulate the future temporal reference (FTR) alternation across nine varieties of English around the world. We specifically marshal Variation‐Based Distance & Similarity Modeling (VADIS) to calculate distances between the varieties under study as a function of the non‐correspondence of the ways in which language users choose between FTR variants. Our linguistic data come from the spoken component of the International Corpus of English: the dataset covers 500 future marker observations per variety of English (Ntotal = 4500), richly annotated for seven language‐internal constraints (such as polarity and sentence type). VADIS uncovers a number of probabilistic grammar differences between the varieties of English under study, which are subsequently correlated with four language‐external distance measures: geographical distance, travel time distance, population size and GDP per capita. Mantel correlation analysis shows that language‐internal distances do not correlate with language‐external distances. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper argues that existing quantitative studies mistakenly assume that all nuclear states can impose nuclear destruction on opponents by simply distinguishing nuclear states from non-nuclear states. This practice, however, does not capture variation in 1) nuclear states' possession of delivery capabilities, 2) the range of deployed nuclear delivery systems, and 3) the geographic distance between nuclear states and their dyadic counterparts. Instead of this monadic nuclear statehood approach, I propose the dyadic nuclear reach approach, which uses a new dyad-specific measure of states' strategic nuclear delivery capabilities. It codes whether a nuclear state can launch a nuclear strike against a given opponent by using the information about the estimated range of each nuclear state's strategic nuclear delivery platforms, nuclear operation bases, and states' capital cities. An empirical application shows that using an appropriate measure of nuclear capabilities does significantly alter existing empirical knowledge of nuclear weapons and international conflict. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the context of achieving the goals of reaching peak carbon emissions and carbon neutrality, mandatory corporate environmental information disclosure has begun to be implemented. According to the theory of geographical economics, the closer the geographical distance between enterprises and ecological environmental regulatory authorities, the more likely it is to form a 'deterrence' (the 'distance attenuation effect' of supervision costs) or a 'reliance' (the 'distance attenuation effect' of rent-seeking costs) for enterprises. Based on the data of listed companies with major pollutants from 2015 to 2020, this study empirically tested the directions and paths of the impact of the geographical distance between enterprises and ecological environmental regulatory authorities on the quality of corporate environmental information disclosure using fixed effects model and mediating effects model. The study showed that: 1 The closer the geographical distance between enterprises and ecological environmental regulatory authorities, the higher the quality of corporate environmental information disclosure, which supported the 'distance attenuation effect' hypothesis of supervision costs. 2 The impact of geographical distance on the quality of corporate environmental information disclosure was realized through the intensity of supervision and monitoring at the provincial level and the intensity of law enforcement at the prefecture level. 3 The strengthening of environmental governance intensity, the improvement of regional digitalization level, and the increase in media attention suppressed the 'distance attenuation effect' of supervision costs. It is concluded that in order to achieve a balanced development of the quality of corporate environmental information disclosure in the whole region, it is necessary to strengthen environmental governance intensity, improve regional digitalization level, and increase media attention. From the perspective of geographical economics, this paper expands the influencing factors of corporate environmental information disclosure quality, enriches the theoretical practice of the 'distance attenuation effect' in geographical economics, and provides solutions and theoretical bases for promoting the balanced development of corporate environmental information disclosure quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to explore the mechanisms constructing and maintaining the diversity of fungal communities, this study used pure culture methods to isolate and purify fungi collected in four hot springs located in Yunlong County, Dali Prefecture. The species were identified by ITS sequence alignment, and the differences of fungal community structure in the four hot springs were compared. At the same time, the effects of contemporary factors (environmental factors) and historical factors (geographical distance of each hot spring) on fungal community structure in the hot springs were analyzed by using the generalized linear model and Mantel test. A total of 34 species of fungi belonging to 22 genera were detected in the four assessed hot springs. We found significant differences between the fungal community structure of the four hot springs, but no obvious correlation between contemporary factors, historical factors, and the fungal community structure. Both contemporary and historical factors could not explain the construction and maintenance mechanisms of the fungal community diversity in these four hot springs. However, the independent historical origin of each hot springs might be the main reason for the great diversity of fungal communities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 1990s, the European Commission has paid great attention to innovation processes and knowledge transfer, stimulating and financing several research and cooperation programs. Recent geopolitical transformations have shifted attention towards the integrations between the European Member States and the Neighboring Countries. Literature produced many contributions over the past two decades with a focus on knowledge sharing, space dimension, and the role played by each actor involved within networks analyzed, but a lack remains in the field of cross-border cooperation. This research gap is addressed in this paper by investigating the main dynamics that led to new partnerships and networks of collaboration. Spatial proximity, social distance, and the individual characteristics are analyzed taking into account the relations that influence the decision to cooperate. Data are collected considering the first call for proposal of the Interreg IPA CBC Italy Albania-Montenegro Programme, analyzing both the effects of social and geographical distance, beyond the effects of individual characteristics of each partner involved. The results suggest that network effects are present; social closeness is significantly associated with partners' choice and this indicates that connections within a network are influenced by the position that each node assumes; consequently, the network effects are more relevant than the spatial one. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The authors investigate how the geographical distance between online users is associated with electronic word-of-mouth (eWOM) effectiveness. Their research leverages variation in the visibility of eWOM messages on the social media platform of Twitter to address the issue of correlated user behaviors and preferences. The study shows that the likelihood that followers who are exposed to users' WOM subsequently make purchases increases with followers' geographic proximity to the users. The authors propose social identification as a potential mechanism for why geographical distance still matters online in eWOM: because consumers may form a sense of social identity based on their physical location, information regarding the spatial proximity of users could trigger online social identification with others. The findings are robust to alternative methods and specifications, such as further controlling for latent user homophily by incorporating user characteristics and embeddings based on advanced machine-learning and deep-learning models and a corpus of 140 million messages. The authors also rule out several alternative explanations. The findings have important implications for platform design, content curation, and seeding and targeting strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper examines the relationship between air pollution levels and regulators’ enforcement levels and observes that air pollution levels in firms’ locations reduce enforcement from regulators. Moreover, regulators are more likely to suffer from type II errors when air pollution levels in firms’ locations are higher, verifying the effect of regulators’ unwillingness to travel due to air pollution. The cross-sectional analysis suggests that enforcement from regulatory authorities in areas with lower air pollution levels than in firms’ locations, positioned at great distances from firms’ locations, and with greater workloads is less strict when air pollution levels in firms’ locations are higher. We further test whether air pollution levels reduce the efficiency of regulators and find that firms with lower earnings quality and weaker corporate governance are less likely to be subjected to enforcement by regulators when air pollution levels in the firms’ locations are higher.

This paper examines the relationship between air pollution levels and regulators' enforcement levels and observes that air pollution levels in firms' locations reduce enforcement from regulators. Moreover, regulators are more likely to suffer from type II errors when air pollution levels in firms' locations are higher, verifying the effect of regulators' unwillingness to travel due to air pollution. The cross-sectional analysis suggests that enforcement from regulatory authorities in areas with lower air pollution levels than in firms' locations, positioned at great distances from firms' locations, and with greater workloads is less strict when air pollution levels in firms' locations are higher. We further test whether air pollution levels reduce the efficiency of regulators and find that firms with lower earnings quality and weaker corporate governance are less likely to be subjected to enforcement by regulators when air pollution levels in the firms' locations are higher. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Background Lichens are symbiotic organisms composed of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, which are key ecological bioindicators due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. The endolichenic fungi (ELF) living inside lichen thalli, are an important but understudied component of playing crucial ecological roles such as nutrient cycling and protection against environmental stressors. Therefore ELF community investigation is vital for fostering sustainable ecosystems and leveraging their ecological benefits. Deciphering the intricate relationships between ELF and their lichen hosts, alongside the influence of environmental factors on these communities, presents a significant challenge in pinpointing the underlying drivers of community structure and diversity. Results Our research demonstrated that locational factors were the main drivers of the ELF community structure, rather than host haplotype. Several climatic factors affected the diversity of the ELF community and contributed to the prevalence of different types of fungal residents within the ELF community. A decrease in isothermality was associated with a greater prevalence of pathotrophic and saprotrophic fungi within the ELF community, resulting in an overall increase in community diversity. By conducting a structural equation modeling analysis, we identified a robust link between climatic variables, fungal trophic mode abundance, and the species diversity of the ELF community. Conclusion This study’s discoveries emphasize the significance of examining climate-related factors when investigating ELF’s structure and function. The connection between fungi and climate is intricate and complex, and can be influenced by various other factors. Investigating the potential for ELF to adapt to changing climatic conditions, as well as the potential effects of changes in ELF communities on lichen function, would be valuable research areas. We anticipate that our research results will establish a basis for numerous future ELF research projects and have a significant impact on the field.

Background: Lichens are symbiotic organisms composed of a fungus and a photosynthetic partner, which are key ecological bioindicators due to their sensitivity to environmental changes. The endolichenic fungi (ELF) living inside lichen thalli, are an important but understudied component of playing crucial ecological roles such as nutrient cycling and protection against environmental stressors. Therefore ELF community investigation is vital for fostering sustainable ecosystems and leveraging their ecological benefits. Deciphering the intricate relationships between ELF and their lichen hosts, alongside the influence of environmental factors on these communities, presents a significant challenge in pinpointing the underlying drivers of community structure and diversity. Results: Our research demonstrated that locational factors were the main drivers of the ELF community structure, rather than host haplotype. Several climatic factors affected the diversity of the ELF community and contributed to the prevalence of different types of fungal residents within the ELF community. A decrease in isothermality was associated with a greater prevalence of pathotrophic and saprotrophic fungi within the ELF community, resulting in an overall increase in community diversity. By conducting a structural equation modeling analysis, we identified a robust link between climatic variables, fungal trophic mode abundance, and the species diversity of the ELF community. Conclusion: This study's discoveries emphasize the significance of examining climate-related factors when investigating ELF's structure and function. The connection between fungi and climate is intricate and complex, and can be influenced by various other factors. Investigating the potential for ELF to adapt to changing climatic conditions, as well as the potential effects of changes in ELF communities on lichen function, would be valuable research areas. We anticipate that our research results will establish a basis for numerous future ELF research projects and have a significant impact on the field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: Lineages colonizing subtropical oceanic islands often have to overcome geographical isolation and novel climate stressors to found new populations. Historical and ecological factors influence the success of colonization and subsequent diversification, leaving a signal in the genetic constitution of the diverged, range‐restricted taxa. Here, we examined the historical biogeography of endemic marine fishes to quantify the role of geographical proximity and climate differences in determining colonization, and the underlying mechanisms of speciation. Location: Subtropical islands of the Southwest Pacific. Taxa: Thirty endemic marine ray‐finned fishes from 17 genera. Methods: Using parametric biogeographical history models, we estimated the ancestral geographical ranges for 144 species based on time‐calibrated phylogenies that included endemic species and their closest sister taxa, linking terminal nodes with geographical distribution classified into 14 biogeographical areas. Results: Ancestral range estimations revealed most species originated in Australia (66%), while only 10% and 7% originated in northern tropical Pacific locations and the East Pacific respectively, with 17% of species‐range estimations being inconclusive. Vicariant events alone were identified as the most likely process shaping range evolution in 57% of the 14 best‐fitting models, dispersal alone was favoured for 14% of species and both processes had a role for the remaining 29% of species. Across all phylogenies, likelihood‐ratio tests confirmed that geographical distance and climatic differences constrained dispersal in 73% and 33% of species, respectively. Main Conclusions: Marine fishes endemic to subtropical islands of the Southwest Pacific originated by vicariant and jump‐dispersal events mainly from ancestral populations in mainland Australia. Geographical distance and climatic differences are significant taxon‐specific factors influencing the dispersal of marine fishes in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

If supplier firms motivate their major customers to boost sales performance, they can gain a significant competitive advantage. This study draws on the signaling theory and the strategic CSR literature to explore how and when supplier CSR practices affect their sales performance with major customers. Using data from 1,294 Chinese publicly listed firms for the period from 2010 to 2019, this study indicates that supplier CSR practices increase sales performance with major customers. This association is stronger when major customers also proactively engage in CSR. Furthermore, the interaction effect between supplier and customer CSR practices is strengthened when the geographical distance between supplier and customer firms is greater and when industry competition is strong. The findings provide theoretical and managerial implications for the strategic role of CSR in supplier–customer relationships in B2B markets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By adjusting the spatial and temporal distance between small and medium-sized cities and provincial capital cities, high-speed rail has reshaped the distribution of innovation resources, and eventually significantly affected China's economy. Employing data from 284 Chinese prefecture-level cities for the period of 2005 to 2015, this paper uses the propensity score matching model (PSM-DID) to analyze the relationship between the high-speed rail opening and urban innovation in China. Our empirical results show that: 1) the opening of high-speed rail significantly improves the overall level of urban innovation in China, but affected by "the distance from provincial capital" which present a "∽"-type structural feature 2) the mechanism of the effect of high-speed rail on urban innovation is mainly to promote economic agglomeration; and 3) the impact of high-speed rail opening on urban innovation has gradually declined characteristics based on opening time and regional economy heterogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have been published during the past decades highlighting the role played by diasporas in conflicts raging in their home countries and on the links between diasporas and international terrorism. Contemporary literature treats the links between diasporas and conflicts in a simplistic manner. For instance, little space is dedicated to determining the effect of diaspora on political instability in the home country. The current study aims to assess the effect of diasporas on political instability in Africa, taking into consideration the role of geographical distance when choosing the destination countries. To achieve this goal, we use two models to test our hypothesis. First, we deploy a gravity model to investigate the destination choice of migrants who build a diaspora. Based on their destination, we then use a fixed effects model and the generalised method of moment (GMM) to analyse the effects of the diaspora on political instability. Overall, we aim to research whether there is a correlation between migrant communities and the political stability in their origin countries. Our findings suggest that diaspora can act as a feedback factor to existing situations by either increasing or decreasing political instability dependent on the initial state the country was in, even though the greatest contribution of diasporas is in terms of peace not of war. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate people's preferences for the geographical distance between residential locales and two types of urban agricultural land, namely, traditional agricultural land and a more complex and intensive agricultural landscape called "satoyama" and to evaluate the heterogeneity in people's preferences. The enhancement of urban sustainability is a crucial issue in sustainable development that can be potentially improved by urban agriculture. However, urban residents' perceptions and preferences regarding the distance between urban agricultural land and their locales remain unclear, and concrete measures to maintain and expand urban agriculture are still vague. Therefore, an online survey and choice experiment was conducted, with respondents from Ishikawa Prefecture in Japan, who are assumed to be familiar with the agricultural context. Mixed logit and latent class logit models were employed to evaluate urban residents' heterogeneous perceptions and preferences. The results reveal that: (1) urban residents generally prefer urban agricultural land in areas away from their residence; (2) preferences are diverse, and those who are relatively young, with higher income, and more environmentally conscious favor dwelling near urban agricultural land; (3) there is a quadratic relationship between the distance connecting people's locales and urban agricultural land, and thus, the most desirable distance exists; and (4) there is a difference in the proximity that people prefer between traditional agricultural land and satoyama. Based on the results, policy implications for urban planners and policymakers include implementing urban agriculture in peri-urban areas and handling a tradeoff between residential opposition and the intensity of urban agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intraspecific morphological variation may reflect phenotypic plasticity or adaptive divergence. While adaptive shape divergence may occur more likely among isolated populations with reduced gene flow, phenotypic plasticity may reflect morphological responses to heterogeneous environments, even in spatially connected populations. We evaluated both processes while examining morphological variations among seven wild populations of snakehead fish (Parachanna obscura) along climate and habitat gradients in Côte d'Ivoire, West Africa. Morphological variations were studied by multivariate canonical variate analysis (CVA) as based on geometric morphometrics of 15 fish body landmarks. Correlations between shape variations among populations and climate and habitat characteristics and between morphological and geographic distances were calculated. We found significant morphological variations among the seven populations. The variations in fish shape were concentrated on landmarks related to swimming and feeding, suggesting a contribution of environmental variation to morphological differentiation. However, we did not detect significant effects of climate and habitat variables on fish shape. The trend between geographical and morphological distances was likewise not significant. Therefore, a mechanistic understanding of the factors causing shape variation among P. obscura populations in West Africa could not yet be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

International purchasing and supply management (PSM) teams have long faced the visibility and understandability challenges of managing geographically dispersed and culturally distant suppliers. Problems arising from inadequate monitoring and control over suppliers can be attributed to geographical and cultural distance, capability gaps, weak institutions, and supply market dynamism. With transaction costs theory as our lens, we examine how international geographically and culturally distant purchasing and supply management (PSM) teams control emerging economy suppliers with formal management controls. We use interview survey data on 339 international customer-Chinese supplier relationships using supplier perceptions of the extent to which performance measurement and monitoring practices are used by their primary customer in the purchase reorder decision and control. The results demonstrate that the cultural and, to a lesser extent, geographical distance between the customer and the supplier is associated with more extensive use of formal management controls. Also, we find the relationship between geographical or cultural distance and the importance of performance measurement is strengthened for suppliers of complex components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Malus sieversii (Ldb.) Roem. is the original species of modern cultivated apple and a key national essential conservation plant in China. In recent years, degradation and death of wild apple has been exacerbated by imbalances in the rhizosphere micro-ecosystems of wild apple forests due to soil nutrient loss, grazing, climate change and pest and disease outbreaks. However, the structure, diversity and response to environmental factors of wild apple rhizosphere microbial communities are so far unclear. In this study, the rhizosphere bacterial and eukaryotic communities of M. sieversii (Ldb.) Roem. in eight regions of the Yili River were analyzed using 16S/18S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology. The results indicated that the bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs), Shannon index, and community composition were significantly lower in regions A, E, and F than in other regions. By contrast, the dominant eukaryotic communities in all regions were relatively similar in composition and differed less than the relative abundance of bacterial communities. Geographical and climatic distance were found to be key factors influencing the composition and diversity of wild apple rhizosphere microbial communities through mantel analysis. Moreover, these factors above were more correlated with bacterial diversity than with eukaryotes. This study identified the structure of wild apple rhizosphere microbial communities in Xinjiang and their interaction mechanisms under geographical and environmental gradients. It provides guidance for the sustainable management and ecological construction of wild apple forests in China.

Aim: Understanding the mechanisms underlying the structure and connectivity of ecological communities is a central issue in biogeography. Dispersal syndromes are tightly woven into organisms' life history seen across populations and communities, but measuring dispersal is still complicated in practice. We investigated the role of dispersal syndromes (here, associated with body size, adult flying ability and voltinism) to predict phylogenetic distance decay relationships (DDRs) of aquatic insect assemblages in dendritic stream networks. Location: Du River Basin, China. Taxon: Aquatic insects (Coleoptera, Diptera, Ephemeroptera, Hemiptera, Lepidoptera, Megaloptera, Odonata, Plecoptera and Trichoptera). Methods: We applied multiple methods (i.e. deconstruction approach, null models, Mantel tests and partial Mantel tests) to enhance our basic understanding of phylogenetic distance decay patterns. To provide additional insights into correlates of phylogenetic dissimilarity between stream sites, we modelled potential dispersal routes based on overland, watercourse and cost distances. Results: Overland distances were among the main correlates of phylogenetic distance decay in the stream networks studied, suggesting that aquatic insects disperse overland seeking for habitats suitable for survival and reproduction. However, local environmental filtering was generally more important for phylogenetic DDRs than geographical distances alone. The interaction between environmental vs. dispersal processes in driving spatial patterns of phylogenetic dissimilarity was contingent on different dispersal syndromes. More specifically, significant phylogenetic DDRs were detected only for subsets of large‐bodied, univoltine taxa with strong adult flying abilities, such as dragonflies. Main Conclusions: Overall, historical constraints affect the phylogenetic DDRs in aquatic insects. Dispersal syndromes associated with body size, adult flying ability and voltinism are key features underlying distance decay in phylogenetic assemblage similarity and the evolutionary legacies of aquatic insects in dendritic stream networks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By presenting antigen peptides, HLA‐DRB1 plays an important role in the immune system. However, the allele frequency of HLA‐DRB1 exon 2 across China has not been comprehensively studied, especially in minority populations. We sampled 3757 individuals from 59 population. The HLA‐DRB1 region from 212 to 463 bp (NM_002124.4 exon 2) in each population was sequenced by Sanger sequencing and genotyped via SBTengine® software, and the allele frequency was calculated by GenAlEx 6.5. Eighty‐two DRB1 alleles were identified. The expected heterozygosity of DRB1 was lower in the south than in the north, which was inconsistent with the Y chromosome and mitochondrial DNA results. The Mantel test and nonparametric correlation analysis showed that the correlations of the genetic distance with geographical distance and of DRB1 allele frequencies with latitude weakened after the southern and northern groups were considered separately. Principal coordinate analysis showed that populations speaking the same languages were not codistributed. Compared with other genetic markers, the distribution of DRB1 seems less affected by geographic distance and ethnic origin. Local factors such as gene flow with neighbouring populations, geographic isolation or natural selection are important forces shaping the DRB1 gene pool of local populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper estimates the impact of bank-borrower geographical distance on the access of farming households using a primary dataset on 1,234 rice farming households in Vietnam. Despite tremendous progress in the internet and telecommunication infrastructures for e-banking that helps relieve information asymmetry and transaction costs, the geographical distance still negatively affects the access of farming households to bank credit. Moreover, the distance from their locations to the nearest provincial roads aggravates this effect. We also find that collateral and the length of credit relationships relieve the adverse restraints on their access to bank credit, as do family members who are bank officers or rice traders or are friends of those agents. The main findings of this paper point to the importance of banks expanding their branch networks and the conversion of local roads to provincial roads by the government in terms of enhancing rice farming households' access to bank credit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geographic distance between a child and their non-resident parent is a key aspect of the reorganization of the family following parental separation. The increasingly equal involvement of both parents in the upbringing of their children is expected to translate into increasing geographic proximity between children and non-resident parents. So far, there has been no evidence about the time trends in geographical distances between minor children and non-resident parents outside of the Swedish context. In this study, we investigate these trends across Belgian separation cohorts from 1992 to 2018 and the extent to which they differ according to parental socioeconomic status and child’s age at separation. Overall, we observed a very small decrease in distance between children and their non-resident fathers and a somewhat larger decrease for non-resident mothers. The distance increased for very young children (0–2 years) and children with low-educated fathers. These findings point to inequalities in certain parent–child dyads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Research question/issue This study examines whether geographic proximity produces a proximity preference as interlocking firms observe each other and learn innovative behaviors through information transmission among interlocking directors. Research findings/insights We study the performance of A-share-listed companies in China from 2007 to 2017 on the basis of resource dependence theory, agglomeration effect theory, and Porter’s competitive theory. When target firms learn about research and development–related innovation behaviors from interlocking firms closer to them, they experience more efficient learning effects and have improved convergent traits. Moreover, this proximity advantage increases the willingness of the target firm to communicate with and learn from interlocking firms closer to them. Highly developed areas and research and development–intensive industries positively affect the learning efficiency of interlocking firms. Theoretical/academic implications Our conclusion is consistent with resource dependence theory; target firms in highly developed areas are more willing to imitate and study nearby interlocking firms to maintain their peer relations, innovation potential, and competitiveness. Our conclusion is also consistent with competition theory, which states that the exchange of information between target firms in highly research and development–intensive industries and distant interlocking firms increases innovation differentiation, innovation potential, and competitiveness, even when such exchange has a high cost. Practitioner/policy implications The results support resource dependence theory and peers' effects. The information obtained by interlocking directorates through external social relations guides firm decision-making, and closer distances reveal more obvious effects.

Qionghan Zhang,1 Yanwei Shi,2 Alexander Scott English2 1School of Business Administration, Zhejiang Gongshang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of China; 2Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, People’s Republic of ChinaCorrespondence: Alexander Scott English, Department of Psychology and Behavioral Sciences, Zhejiang University, Xixi Campus, Tianmushan road 44, Hangzhou, 310000, People’s Republic of China, Tel +86 15900502194, Email AEnglish@zju.edu.cnPurpose: Vaccination is essential to control the prevalence of COVID-19. However, vaccine hesitancy has been a major issue globally. Some studies have suggested that community outbreaks might boost vaccine uptake. Consistent with that idea, vaccination rates increased dramatically during the first outbreak of the COVID-19 Delta variant in Guangdong, China, in June 2021. Based on the risk perception attitude theory, this study attempted to explore the joint effect of geographical distance to the outbreak and the frequency of talking about the COVID-19 vaccine (vaccine talk) on people’s COVID-19 vaccine uptake.Methods: An anonymous self-report online questionnaire was completed by citizens living in Guangdong Province, China, from June 6 to 11, 2021, during the Delta variant outbreak in that region. The relationship between COVID-19 vaccine uptake, geographical distance to the epicenter of the outbreak, and vaccine talk was analyzed using logistic regression analysis.Results: Data from 350 respondents were included in the final analysis. Results showed a negative association between geographical distance and COVID-19 vaccine uptake. Furthermore, the relationship was moderated by vaccine talk. Specifically, when individuals infrequently discussed vaccine talk with others, close distance to the epicenter of the outbreak served as a motivator for getting vaccinated, whereas for people who frequently discussed the vaccine, geographical distance might have played less of a role in motivating them to get vaccinated.Conclusion: This research highlights the joint effect of geographical distance to the outbreak of COVID-19 and vaccine talk in COVID-19 vaccine uptake. While the findings may only be a starting point for launching a public health awareness campaign, encouraging people to engage in more conversations about vaccines may be a promising solution for future health emergencies, especially among people far from the outbreak.Keywords: COVID-19 vaccination, geographical distance, risk perception attitude, health communication

In sub-tropical and tropical regions, the diversity patterns of soft-sediment macrobenthic communities are still poorly understood, particularly when compared to temperate shelf environments. The present study investigates spatial patterns of variability in macrobenthic distribution along the eastern Red Sea margin, and the role of sediment composition and other explanatory variables in determining such patterns. This study has two main objectives: (i) to produce a baseline characterization of the Saudi Arabian Red Sea macrobenthic infauna, particularly along the central and southern regions, (ii) to assess the relative contribution of two major processes driving macrobenthic communities (i.e., dispersal-based and environmental filtering), based on changes on beta-diversity components (turnover and nestedness) across multiple scales (up to ~600km), using relevant modeling methodologies. Shallow soft-sediment macrobenthic communities in the Red Sea showed extremely high small-scale variability, highlighted by the percentage of rare species (44% of species present at a single sample) and the dominance of turnover (species replacement) over nestedness. Our results also suggest a strong influence of broad- over fine-scale variation in the species composition. However, sedimentary characteristics, particularly grain-size, played a critical role governing the distribution patterns of soft-sediment macrobenthic communities in the Red Sea. Our findings highlight the importance of regional factors in shaping the macrofaunal community composition whilst also highlighting the role of high species diversity at local scales. The current results suggest the need for conservation measures from regional levels (to maintain genetic diversity) to local levels (to preserve the high occurrence of rare species). To our knowledge, no other study investigated the distribution of Red Sea marine species over large spatial scales combining modeling methods and the partitioning of beta-diversity. The current approach applied to soft-sediment macroinvertebrates can be extended to other marine communities since conservation strategies can be more effective when mechanisms governing species distribution are considered.

Community transmission events occasionally happened in the long-term pandemic, which led to repeated outbreaks of COVID-19. In addition to potential physical threats, the outbreaks could also lead to psychological stress and influence their health behaviors, especially for vulnerable people. It poses a great challenge to both physical and mental health management. However, little is known about the impacts of discrete outbreak events of COVID-19 on people's reactions to health concerns in the long-term pandemic period. In the current study, we discussed the impact of discrete outbreak events of COVID-19 on health information search for specific symptoms in China from a perceptive of susceptibility. The empirical study was conducted after the first wave of outbreak events ended in China from June to October 2020. Three typical outbreak events happened during this period, and a total of 1800 search index data for 60 cities in China crawled from Baidu search engine were included in the data set. Using the real-world searching data, we conducted a panel data analysis to examine the psychological effect of discrete outbreak events on the symptom search and the moderation effect of the geographical distance. It was found that discrete outbreak events significantly increased the symptom search, and its impacts were various in different regions. More health information search caused by discrete outbreak events was found in cities which were closer to the outbreak area. Implications for healthcare were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigate the influence of different host-country knowledge sources on the quality and generality of multinational corporation (MNC) innovation. We suggest that the quality of MNC innovation increases with the geographical distance from local industrial organizations. We also argue that the generality of MNC innovation increases with the distance from local research institutions, but decreases after a certain threshold. We explain these relationships based on the different cognitive and geographical distances separating MNC innovation activities from industrial organizations and research institutions. We test our arguments on a sample of US Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) patents developed in the United States by foreign semiconductor MNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid growth of OTT platforms, consumption of TV shows is transcending national boundaries. In the vein, this study investigates the similarities between countries in TV show consumption and the role of cultural factors in determining the similarities. We collected data of daily Top 10 TV shows from 80 countries between January 1 and 20 June 2021, on Netflix, provided by Flixpatrol. We applied a two-step approach: First, social network analysis was conducted for estimating similarities between countries in TV show consumption. Second, a regression model was employed using ordinary least squares to investigate the impact of cultural factors that shape TV show audiences. We found that linguistic proximity, geographical distance, and cultural difference are important factors in determining the global audiences of TV shows. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China has a large territory, few studies consider the factor of geographical distance when studying spatial interactions among city-level prices. We study housing price diffusions among seventy medium- and large-sized Chinese cities between July 2005 and August 2017 by using a spatially penalized graphical vector autoregression method that incorporates the intercity geographical distance. Our study reveals that the cities with the largest positive net centrality in each region are Nanchang (Central), Nanjing (Southeast), Changchun (Northeast), Beijing (North), Xiamen (South), Chongqing (Southwest) and Xining (Northwest). Furthermore, our results suggest that the four largest cities do not present the largest net centrality. Instead, many non-top-developed and non-major cities can play a significant role in affecting the regional housing markets. Our findings demonstrate that neglecting the influences of non-major cities may reduce the effectiveness and efficiency of relevant policies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Malus sieversii (Ldb.) Roem. is the original species of modern cultivated apple and a key national essential conservation plant in China. In recent years, degradation and death of wild apple has been exacerbated by imbalances in the rhizosphere micro-ecosystems of wild apple forests due to soil nutrient loss, grazing, climate change and pest and disease outbreaks. However, the structure, diversity and response to environmental factors of wild apple rhizosphere microbial communities are so far unclear. In this study, the rhizosphere bacterial and eukaryotic communities of M. sieversii (Ldb.) Roem. in eight regions of the Yili River were analyzed using 16S/18S rDNA high-throughput sequencing technology. The results indicated that the bacterial operational taxonomic units (OTUs), Shannon index, and community composition were significantly lower in regions A, E, and F than in other regions. By contrast, the dominant eukaryotic communities in all regions were relatively similar in composition and differed less than the relative abundance of bacterial communities. Geographical and climatic distance were found to be key factors influencing the composition and diversity of wild apple rhizosphere microbial communities through mantel analysis. Moreover, these factors above were more correlated with bacterial diversity than with eukaryotes. This study identified the structure of wild apple rhizosphere microbial communities in Xinjiang and their interaction mechanisms under geographical and environmental gradients. It provides guidance for the sustainable management and ecological construction of wild apple forests in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the gravity model is applied via the dynamic generalised methods of moments estimation to assess the role of geographical distance in moderating the impact of culture on outbound tourism flows. The results show that cultural distance has a positive impact on Chinese outbound tourism flow. However, the effect of cultural distance on outbound tourism flow decreases as geographical distance increases since travellers to nearby destinations are more strongly influenced by cultural distance than travellers to more distant markets. These results therefore support the concept of the "diminishing effect of cultural distance" on the Chinese outbound tourism market. In addition, the results of this study serve as a basis for promoting the sustained contribution of Chinese outbound tourism to the development of destination management, which will help with the recovery of international tourism following the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Next point-of-interest recommendation has become an increasingly significant requirement in location-based social networks. Recently, RNN-based methods have shown promising advantages in next POI recommendation due to their superior abilities in modeling sequential transitions of user behaviors. Despite their success, however, exploring complex correlations between POIs and capturing user dynamic preferences are still challenging issues. To overcome the limitations, we propose a novel framework named MPGI (Mining Preferences from Geographical and Interactive Correlations) for next POI recommendation. Specifically, we first design a POI correlation modeling layer to capture geographical distances and interactive correlations between all of POI pairs. Then, we fuse relevant signals from highly correlated POIs into target POI for high-quality POI representations. Furthermore, for user long- and short-term preferences modeling, we propose position-aware attention unites and attention network to dynamically select the most valuable information in check-in trajectories. Experimental results on two real-world datasets demonstrate that MPGI consistently outperforms the state-of-the-art methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social networks change the way and approaches of video spread and promote range and speed of video spread, which results in frequent traffic blowout and a heavy load on the networks. The social and geographical communication efficiency determines the efficiency of video sharing, which enables the eruptible traffic to be offloaded in underlaying networks to relieve the load of networks and ensure the user quality of the experience. In this paper, we propose a novel geo-social-aware video edge delivery strategy based on the modeling of the social-geographical dynamic in urban area (GSVD). By investigating the frequency of sharing behaviors, social communication efficiency, and efficiency of social sub-network consisting of one-hop social neighbors of users, GSVD estimates the interactive and basic social relationship to calculate the closeness of the social relationship between mobile users. GSVD makes use of grid partition and coding subarea to express the geographical location of mobile users and designs a calculation method of coding-based geographical distance. GSVD considers the dynamic update of social distance and geographical location and designs a measurement of video delivery quality in terms of delivery delay and playback continuity. A strategy of video delivery with the consideration of adapting to social-geographical dynamic is designed, which effectively promotes the efficiency of video sharing. Extensive tests show how GSVD achieves much better performance results in comparison with other state of the art solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]