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Simple Summary: Utilizing food industry by-products for animal feed is challenging due to their low nutrient content. Citric acid by-products have potential as feed, but their high fiber content limits their use. In this study, we used Bacillus subtilis I9 to improve citric acid by-product quality. Fermentation reduced fiber, increased protein by 21.89%, and improved amino acid ratios. Structural changes were observed using scanning electron microscopy. Using B. subtilis I9 to process citric acid waste enhances its nutritional value, making it a healthier choice for animal consumption and aiding sustainability. Citric acid by-products in animal feed pose a sustainability challenge. Bacillus species are commonly used for fermenting and improving the nutritional quality of feedstuffs or by-products. An experiment was conducted to enhance the nutritional value of citric acid by-products through fermentation with Bacillus subtilis I9 for animal feed. The experiment was carried out in 500 mL Erlenmeyer flasks with 50 g of substrate and 200 mL of sterile water. Groups were either uninoculated or inoculated with B. subtilis I9 at 107 CFU/mL. Incubation occurred at 37 °C with automatic shaking at 150 rpm under aerobic conditions for 0, 24, 48, 72, and 96 h. Inoculation with B. subtilis I9 significantly increased Bacillus density to 9.3 log CFU/mL at 24 h (p < 0.05). CMCase activity gradually increased, reaching a maximum of 9.77 U/mL at 72 h. After 96 h of fermentation with inoculated B. subtilis I9, the citric acid by-product exhibited a significant decrease (p < 0.05) in crude fiber by 10.86%, hemicellulose by 20.23%, and cellulose by 5.98%, but an increase in crude protein by 21.89%. Gross energy decreased by 4% after inoculation with B. subtilis in comparison to the uninoculated control (p < 0.05). Additionally, the non-starch polysaccharide (NSP) degradation due to inoculation with B. subtilis I9 significantly reduced (p < 0.05) NSP by 24.37%, while galactose, glucose, and uronic acid decreased by 22.53%, 32.21%, and 18.11%, respectively. Amino acid profile content increased significantly by more than 12% (p < 0.05), including indispensable amino acids such as histidine, isoleucine, lysine, methionine, phenylalanine, tryptophan, and valine and dispensable amino acids like alanine, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, glutamine, glycine, proline, and tyrosine. Furthermore, citric acid by-products inoculated with B. subtilis I9 exhibited changes in the cell wall structure under scanning electron microscopy, including fragmentation and cracking. These results suggest that fermenting citric acid by-products with B. subtilis I9 effectively reduces dietary fiber content and improves the nutritional characteristics of citric acid by-products for use in animal feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The ability to fabricate bimetallic clusters with atomic precision offers promising prospects for elucidating the correlations between their structures and properties. Nevertheless, achieving precise control at the atomic level in the production of clusters, including the quantity of dopant, characteristic of ligands, charge state of precursors, and structural transformation, have remained a challenge. Herein, we report the synthesis, purification, and characterization of a new bimetallic hydride cluster, [AuCu11(H){S2P(OiPr)2}6(C≡CPh)3] (AuCu11H). The hydride position in AuCu11H was determined using DFT calculations. AuCu11H comprises a ligand-stabilized defective fcc Au@Cu11 cuboctahedron. AuCu11H is metastable and undergoes a spontaneous transformation through ligand exchange into the isostructural [AuCu11(Cl){S2P(OiPr)2}6(C≡CPh)3] (AuCu11Cl) and into the complete cuboctahedral [AuCu12{S2P(OiPr)2}6(C≡CPh)4]+ (AuCu12) through an increase in nuclearity. These structural transformations were tracked by NMR and mass spectrometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A growing body of literature investigates the labor market implications of scaling up “green” policies. Since most of this literature is focused on developed economies, little is known about the labor market consequences for developing countries. This paper contributes to filling this gap by providing new stylized facts on the prevalence of green occupations and sectors across countries at varying levels of economic development. Green occupations are defined using the Occupational Information Network, and green sectors are those with relatively lower greenhouse gas emissions per worker. The paper offers an initial assessment of how the implementation of green policies—aimed at expanding green sectors and strengthening the relative demand for green skills—may affect workers in developing economies. It finds that the share of green jobs is strongly correlated with the level of gross domestic product per capita across countries. When controlling for unobserved heterogeneity, a 1 percent increase in gross domestic product per capita is associated with 0.4 and 4.1 percentage point increases in the shares of new and emerging, and enhanced skills green jobs, respectively. The paper then focuses on Latin America and finds that only 9 percent of workers have a green job with respect to both occupation and sector. The findings show that within countries, workers with low levels of income and education are more likely to be employed in non-green sectors and occupations, and to lack the skills for a greener economy. This evidence suggests that complementary policies are needed to mitigate the potential role of green policies in widening income inequality between and within countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vigorous development of the digital economy, alongside the collaborative promotion of enterprise digital transformation and low-carbon supply chains, has emerged as a critical pathway for achieving green and high-quality development in enterprises. In this paper, we utilize a mathematical model framework to empirically investigate the mechanisms and impacts of enterprise digital transformation on the low-carbon effect of supply chains, employing data from A-share-listed companies spanning 2011 to 2021. The findings indicate that (1) enhancing the degree of enterprise digital transformation can significantly decrease the carbon emission intensity of upstream suppliers, thereby promoting low-carbon supply chains. (2) "Innovation-driven" and "structural transformation" mechanisms are vital channels by which enterprise digital transformation promotes carbon reduction in supply chains. (3) The diffusion mechanism effect and demonstration effect exhibit heterogeneity in the process of enterprise digital transformation, driving low-carbon emission reductions in supply chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Energy resources play a vital role in the process of urbanization, and the high level of energy consumption has significantly created an alarming situation for environmental degradation. Increased demand for energy consumption in the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) zone is a core concern for decreasing the existing reserves of energy, especially nonrenewable energy, when the growth of urbanization is increasing also. This study investigates the impacts of urbanization on energy consumption in this region by identifying factors that influence energy use. We employed globally used econometric techniques to examine the relationship between energy use and urbanization. The results of the study indicate that all the independent variables used in the model (except urban population growth) were statistically significant with a 99% level of confidence. In addition, the findings of this study recognized three long-run causalities running from the GDP (gross domestic product) to energy consumption, energy consumption to GDP, and energy consumption to the industry's share of the countries' GDP. We recommend (i) taking the initiative to invest in renewable energy, (ii) implementing green energy-efficient technologies in the industrial sector, and (iii) raising public awareness of the negative effects of energy use on the environment through education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the effects of economic opportunities created by structural transformation, such as income from labor employment and income from nonlabor sources, on the incidence, depth, and severity of rural poverty using the 2018/2019 Ethiopian Socioeconomic Survey data. The effects of rural transformations in terms of nonfarm self‐employment and improved farming systems on poverty are also investigated. Ordinary least square, Probit, Instrumental Variable Probit model, and two stage least square estimation methods are used depending on the nature of outcome variables and the Wald test of exogeneity. The findings show that labor income (especially regular salaried income) and nonlabor income (especially remittance from international sources) are crucial in reducing the incidence of rural poverty. Improvements in crop and livestock practices, on the other hand, reduce the incidence as well as depth and severity of rural poverty. The findings suggest that more attention should be given to enhancing the modernization of crop and livestock sectors by expanding access to farm credit and improved extension systems, among other things. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Lithium cobalt phosphate (LiCoPO 4) has great potential to be developed as a cathode material for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) due to its structural stability and higher voltage platform with a high theoretical energy density. However, the relatively low diffusion of lithium ions still needs to be improved. In this work, Fe and Zn co-doped LiCoPO 4 : LiCo 0.9-x Fe 0.1 Zn x PO 4 /C is utilized to enhance the battery performance of LiCoPO 4. The electrochemical properties of LiCo 0.85 Fe 0.1 Zn 0.05 PO 4 /C demonstrated an initial capacity of 118 mAh/g, with 93.4 % capacity retention at 1C after 100 cycles, and a good capacity of 87 mAh/g remained under a high current density of 10C. In addition, the diffusion rate of Li ions was investigated, proving the improvement of the materials with doping. The impedance results also showed a smaller resistance of the doped materials. Furthermore, operando X-ray diffraction displayed a good reversibility of the structural transformation, corresponding to cycling stability. This work provided studies of both the electrochemical properties and structural transformation of Fe and Zn co-doped LiCoPO 4 , which showed that 10 % Fe and 5 % Zn co-doping enhanced the electrochemical performance of LiCoPO 4 as a cathode material in LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The new economic regime in India has had a cascading impact on resource allocation and the redistribution of employment. Previous research has examined the general effects of economic shifts but lacks an exhaustive analysis of its impact on sector-specific female labour force participation (FLFP). This paper analyses structural breaks in sectoral FLFP in India using yearly data from 1991 to 2022, exploring the dynamic relationship among gross domestic product (GDP) contribution, education and FLFP across sectors and analysing inter-sectoral female labour movement. Results reveal that females engaged in the agriculture sector in India witnessed the highest structural breaks compared to other sectors. New economic reform of 1991, government policies, urbanisation and mechanisation, could be attributed to these breaks. Further, results revealed sectoral contribution to GDP and female education as an important determinant of FLFP. Along with this, the results of the Impulse Response Function show a significant shift in FLFP from agriculture to services. However, Variance Decomposition has provided evidence that the agriculture sector remains a fallback option for women in India. Based on these findings, the paper suggests that policymakers should promote higher education among women to enhance FLFP in the service sector. Furthermore, the study proposes strategies to attract and retain FLFP in the industrial sector, thereby alleviating labour pressures in agriculture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article analyzes the link between urbanization and the process of structural transformation (ST) in developing countries, taking into account the mediating role that FDI can play. We use secondary data from 2000 to 2023 to determine if FDI positively or negatively influences the ST process in these countries, thereby, altering urbanization patterns. By estimating the Generalized Method of Moments (GMM), the study explores the relationship between urbanization, the ST process, and the mediating role played by FDI. In addition, it takes into account control variables such as gross fixed capital formation (GFCF), gross domestic product per capita (GDPPC), and diversification of production structure (DPS) to analyze their effect on urbanization and, more specifically, on the ST process. The econometric results showed a negative correlation between FDI flows and urbanization, demonstrating that FDI could hinder the success of the ST process in developing countries. On the contrary, econometric results showed that the control variables, GFCF, GDPPC, and DPS, positively influence urbanization in developing countries, indicating that these variables are more conducive to a successful ST process than FDI. Based on the econometric results, policymakers in developing countries are called upon to strengthen urbanization in these countries, by encouraging local investment and the diversification and sophistication of production and export structures, rather than relying solely on FDI. Over the period studied, FDI has not contributed as expected to advancing the urbanization process, a crucial element in the ST process in developing countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a large panel of countries, this paper studies whether, or not, democracies can disproportionately produce better economic outcomes for the poor than non-democracies. To deal with the endogeneity of democracy and inequality, a regional democratisation wave is used to isolate the exogenous variation in country-level democracy. Our main finding is that the exogenous component of democracy significantly and robustly decreased inequality in the long run, after controlling for key inequality determinants. We identify that the two potential mechanisms through which democracy affects inequality are structural transformation and middle-class bias channels. However, we find that this negative democracy-inequality link is reversed in the short run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many countries in Asia and the Pacific have experienced rapid economic growth and structural transformation in recent decades. Yet, some countries are still at an early stage of this structural transformation and face external conditions less favorable than those faced by the first movers when they were at a similar early stage in their transformation. The external environment is less auspicious, with trade tensions and “friend-shoring” leading to possible deglobalization, while demographic headwinds could also lower sustainable growth rates and induce technological changes, such as the increased use of robots, that reduce the possibility of relying upon labor-intensive development strategies.

This study makes a valuable contribution to the existing literature by examining the impact of structural transformation on poverty reduction in 13 emerging economies during the period 2008-2018. The research utilizes a generalized method of moments (GMM) dynamic panel regression technique to identify the key drivers of poverty and inequality reduction. The findings reveal that structural change significantly contributes to poverty and income inequality reduction in the emerging economies under consideration. Specifically, the service sector and industry sector play pivotal roles in eradicating poverty and income inequality in these countries. However, the results suggest also that the agricultural sector may not be the most efficient means of reducing poverty and inequality in emerging economies. To increase its impact on poverty reduction, it is crucial to modernize and transform the agricultural sector into an agribusiness.

How do transportation upgrades affect structural transformation in the labor market in developing countries? We focus on a specific case, Benin’s Djougou-N’dali Road Improvement Project conducted between 2004 and 2010, and estimate its effects on changes in the composition of workers by sector. Our difference-in-differences estimates suggest evidence of structural transformation in the labor market: the road improvement project leads to a relative increase in the proportion of workers in the industrial sector by 3.9 percentage points, representing a 30-percent increase. This is accompanied by a sharp decrease in the proportion of agricultural workers and an overall insignificant decrease in the proportion of service workers. These labor market effects are spatially heterogeneous: changes in agricultural workers and service workers are significant only in rural and urban areas, respectively, while both two types of areas see an increase in the proportion of industrial workers. Besides, these effects are significant only for female workers. Our findings present direct labor market effects of transportation upgrades through job switches across sectors, while other labor market mechanisms cannot explain structural transformation.

The present research is focused on how lifelong gender inclusive education moderates the effect of governance on structural transformation. It is based on a sample of forty-one countries in Africa for the period 2004 to 2021 and the adopted empirical strategy is the generalized method of moments (GMM). The estimation exercise is tailored such that lifelong gender inclusive education is interacted with political (i.e., political stability/no violence and voice & accountability), economic (i.e., government effectiveness and regulatory quality) and institutional (i.e., corruption-control and the rule of law) governance dynamics in order to affect manufacturing value added. Lifelong gender inclusive education is understood as the combined knowledge acquired in terms of gender parity education in primary, secondary and tertiary schools. The following findings are established. (i) Gender inclusive lifelong learning does not effectively moderate political governance and associated components (i.e., political stability/no violence and voice & accountability) as well as institutional governance and associated components (i.e., corruption-control and the rule of law) in order to improve manufacturing value added. (ii) Gender inclusive lifelong learning effectively moderates economic governance and associated dimensions (i.e., government effectiveness and regulatory quality) to improve manufacturing value added. However, only the thresholds corresponding to government effectiveness and economic governance are within policy range. Robustness of the findings is broadly confirmed, especially within the remits of additional elements in the conditioning information set and general governance. Policy implications are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose – This study aims to examine the effect of structural transformation on poverty alleviation in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) countries with a higher share of services as a percentage of gross domestic product (GDP). The study specifically focuses on the value-added share as a percentage of GDP in the agricultural, manufacturing, industrial, and service sectors using time series data from 1988 to 2019. Design/methodology/approach – The study utilizes the autoregressive distributive lag (ARDL) bound test framework for estimation, based on the conclusions drawn from the augmented Dickey-Fuller and Phillips–Perron unit root tests, which provide evidence of a mixed order of integration. Findings – The result reveals that agriculture value-added (AVA), manufacturing value-added (MVA), industrial value-added (IVA), and services value-added (SVA) have a positive and significant impact on poverty alleviation in both the short and long run. However, the agriculture sector is found to be more effective in reducing poverty compared to the other sectors examined in this study. Additionally, this study challenges the notion that SSA countries have undergone an immature structural transformation. Instead, it reveals a pattern of stagnant structural transformation, as indicated by the lack of growth in the industrial and manufacturing value-added shares of GDP. Practical implications – To enhance productivity and reduce poverty, SSA economies should adopt a development strategy that prioritizes heavy manufacturing and industrial sectors, leading to a transition from the agricultural to the secondary and tertiary sectors. Originality/value – The study contributes to the emerging literature on structural transformation by investigating which sector is more efficient in reducing poverty in SSA countries, using the value-added share as a percentage of GDP for agricultural, manufacturing, industrial, and service sectors. The study also aims to determine if SSA countries have experienced immature structural transformation due to the growing share in the service sector.

The dynamic behaviour of metal‐ligand bonding cultivates stimuli‐mediated structural transformations in self‐assembled molecular architectures. The propensity of synthetically designed self‐assembled systems to interchange between higher‐order architectures is increased multi‐fold when the building blocks have higher conformational degrees of freedom. Herein, we report a new ligand, (2,7‐bis(di(pyridin‐4‐yl)amino)‐9H‐fluoren‐9‐one) (L), which, upon self‐assembly with a cis‐[(ethylene‐1,2‐diamine)Pd(NO3)2] acceptor (M), resulted in the formation of a M6L3 trifacial barrel (C1) in water. Interestingly, during crystallization, a rare M12L6 triangular orthobicupola architecture (C2) was generated along with C1. C2 could also be generated in solution via the application of several stimuli. C1 in aqueous media could stabilize one trans‐stilbene (tS) or cis‐stilbene (cS) molecule in its cavity, with a selectivity for the former from their mixture. Moreover, C1 acted as an effective host to prevent the otherwise facile photoisomerization of tS to cS inside its hydrophobic cavity under UV irradiation. Conversely, the visible‐light‐induced reverse isomerization of encapsulated cS to encapsulated tS could be achieved readily due to the better stabilization of tS within the cavity of C1 and its transparency to visible light. A multi‐functional system was therefore designed, which at the same time is stimuli‐responsive, shows isomer selectivity, and photo‐protects trans‐stilbene. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Numerous studies have shown a fact that phase transformation and/or reconstruction are likely to occur and play crucial roles in electrochemical scenarios. Nevertheless, a decisive factor behind the diverse photoelectrochemical activity and selectivity of various copper/silicon photoelectrodes is still largely debated and missing in the community, especially the possibly dynamic behaviors of metal catalyst/semiconductor interface. Herein, through in situ X‐ray absorption spectroscopy and transmission electron microscope, a model system of Cu nanocrystals with well‐defined facets on black p‐type silicon (BSi) is unprecedentedly demonstrated to reveal the dynamic phase transformation of forming irreversible silicide at Cu nanocrystal‐BSi interface during photoelectrocatalysis, which is validated to originate from the atomic interdiffusion between Cu and Si driven by light‐induced dynamic activation process. Significantly, the adaptive junction at Cu−Si interface is activated by an expansion of interatomic Cu−Cu distance for CO2 electroreduction, which efficiently restricts the C−C coupling pathway but strengthens the bonding with key intermediate of *CHO for CH4 yield, resulting in a remarkable 16‐fold improvement in the product ratio of CH4/C2 products and an intriguing selectivity switch. This work offers new insights into dynamic structural transformations of metal/semiconductor junction and design of highly efficient catalysts toward photosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triply interlocked [2]catenane complexes featuring two identical, mechanically interlocked units are extraordinarily rare chemical compounds, whose properties and applications remain open to detailed studies. Herein, we introduce the rational design of a new ligand precursor, L1, suitable for the synthesis of six triply interlocked [2]catenanes by coordination‐driven self‐assembly. The interlocked compounds can be reversibly converted into the corresponding simple triangular prism metallacage by addition of H2O or DMF solvents to their CH3OH solutions, thereby demonstrating the importance of π⋅⋅⋅π stacking and hydrogen bonding interactions in the formation of triply interlocked [2]catenanes. Moreover, extensive studies have been conducted to assess the remarkable photothermal conversion performance. Complex 6 a, exhibiting outstanding photothermal conversion performance (conversion efficiency in solution : 31.82 %), is used to prepare novel photoresponsive elastomer in combination with thermally activated liquid crystal elastomer. The resultant material displays robust response to near‐infrared (NIR) laser and the capability of completely reforming the shape and reversible actuation, paving the way for the application of half‐sandwich organometallic units in photo‐responsive smart materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we construct heterogeneous agent general equilibrium models to investigate the relative importance of labor endowment in driving structural transformation. We aim to explore the following question: beyond the demand-side and supply-side structural transformation driving forces extensively studied in the existing literature, does labor, as a crucial endowment, play a pivotal role in facilitating structural transformation and the energy economy? In contrast to the prevalent partial equilibrium analyses, our study employs a general equilibrium framework to conduct a policy evaluation of college expansion, a significant policy that has altered the labor endowment structure in China. Our approach begins with developing a multi-sector model that integrates a nested CES production function and incorporates workers with different skill levels to assess the macroeconomic impact of college expansion on structural transformation. We calibrate the base model to reflect labor allocations across sectors and skill levels using the simulated method of moments (SMM), ensuring that the model-generated data align closely with actual labor allocation data. Utilizing this calibrated model, we perform counterfactual experiments to assess the impact and relative importance of the college expansion policy. Our counterfactual analysis demonstrates that the policy has resulted in an average decrease of 7.7% in labor allocation in the agricultural sector, alongside an average increase of 8.9% in the industry sector and 28.7% in the services sector. These results highlight the significant, yet often overlooked, contribution of labor in endowment-driven structural transformation. Furthermore, we extend the base model by constructing an industry-level heterogeneous agent general equilibrium model, enabling us to pinpoint which industries have developed as a result of the college expansion policy and recalibrate it at the industry level. This approach allows us to analyze the impact of changes in labor endowment on the energy economy. Counterfactual experiments conducted show that the college expansion policy has prompted a labor shift from industries with low energy efficiency and high pollution to high-end services. This macroeconomic pattern of structural transformation suggests that the college expansion policy has facilitated a transition toward a low-carbon economy by reducing dependency on high energy-consuming industries and promoting high-end services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study elaborates on a methodology that combines industry-level data (exports, HS 4-digits) with country-level indicators to determine which social capabilities are important when explaining patterns of comparative advantage (or structural transformation). The indicators used to characterize these capabilities are associated with different dimensions: economic, institutional, and cultural. Through the product space, we estimate a density measure identifying the proximity between non-competitive products and a country's current export profile, and then unpack the contribution of different relatedness channels to changes in comparative advantage by redefining densities in terms of social affinities between industries. We find that (i) countries can be competitive in certain industries, even if some of these capabilities are not high; (ii) all dimensions, but not all their components, matter in predicting changes in countries' comparative advantages; (iii) structural transformations take some time to materialize; and (iv) the inclusion of social affinities diminishes the influence of a density variable measuring overall relatedness to predict product takeoff. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The literature generally focuses on the impact of robots or artificial intelligence on the employment and wages, but ignores the effect of robotization on the skill structure and its underlying mechanisms and lacks empirical evidence from developing countries. We theoretically develop a task model by introducing the skill structure and empirically investigate the effect of robotization on the skill structure based on Chinese provincial panel data from 2006 to 2018. Results show that: (1) the development of robotization in China is conducive to improving the skill structure, and the baseline conclusion still holds even though adopting multiple indexes of skill structure and controlling the endogeneity bias. (2) Robotization generates not only job displacement effect by displacing unskilled workers with robots but also structural transformation effect by increasing the proportion of technology-intensive industries, which can improve the skill structure. (3) In coastal provinces with strong Internet foundation, information transmission capacity and labour protection intensity, high labour cost and ageing rate, robotization plays a stronger role in improving the skill structure. Moreover, robotization can induce the employment polarization. These conclusions can help avoid technical unemployment and promote the upgrading of the skill structure in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate the key role played by the structural transformation of MOF cocatalyst on BiVO 4 photoanode in PEC water splitting. Owing to the significantly reduced overpotential and enhanced hole extraction, the highest photocurrent density of 4.0 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V RHE have been obtained. [Display omitted] • A facile electrochemical activation method was developed to transform CoZn-MOFs to CoOOH on BiVO 4 photoanode. • CoOOH cocatalyst with rich active sites could significantly enhance the hole extraction and reduce the OER overpotential. • The highest photocurrent density of 4.0 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V RHE have been obtained in this work. • This work provides a new insight in understanding the key role of the structural transformation of MOF cocatalyst. Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting has been widely investigated for solar-to-hydrogen conversion. However, issues like high charge recombination rate and slow surface water oxidation kinetics severely hinder its (PEC) conversion efficiency. Herein, we constructed MOF-derived CoOOH cocatalyst on BiVO 4 photoanode, using a feasible electrochemical activation strategy. The BiVO 4 -based photoanode obtained shows a high photocurrent density of 3.15 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V RHE and low onset potential. Detailed experiments and theoretical calculations show that during the activation of CoZn-MOFs, there was a partial breakage of 2-methylimidazole (mIM) linker, an increase in the oxidation state of Cobalt ion (Co), and increased O2–. The high PEC performance is mainly attributed to the MOF-derived CoOOH, which provides rich active sites for hole extraction and reduces the overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction. Furthermore, when CoZnNiFe-LDHs were decorated on BiVO 4 using the ions exchange method, the photocurrent density of BiVO 4 /CoZnNiFe-LDHs photoanode got to 4.0 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V RHE , accompanied with high stability. This study provides insights into understanding the key role played by the structural transformation of MOF cocatalyst in PEC water splitting processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The transition from disorder to order and structural transformation are distinctive metal‐organic framework (MOF) features. How to adapt or control both behaviors in MOF has rarely been studied. In this case, we demonstrate that our successful synthesis of [Al(OH)(PDA)]n (AlPDA‐53‐DEF, AlPDA‐53‐H, and AlPDA‐68) with H2PDA=4,4′‐[1,4‐phenylenebis(ethyne‐2,1‐diyl)]‐di benzoic acid has shown the intricate world of Aluminum Metal‐Organic Frameworks (Al‐MOFs). It offers profound insights into defect structures to order and transformations. AlPDA‐53‐DEF, in particular, revealed a fascinating interplay of various pore sizes within both micro and mesoporous regions, unveiling a unique lattice rearrangement phenomenon upon solvent desorption. Defects and disorders emerged as crucial impacts of transforming AlPDA‐53‐DEF, with its initially imperfect crystallinity, into the highly crystalline, hierarchically porous AlPDA‐53‐H. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, two atomically precise silver nanoclusters, Ag54 and Ag33, directed by inner anion templates (CrO42− and/or Cl−), are initially isolated as a mixed phase from identical reactants across a wide temperature range (20–80 °C). Interestingly, fine‐tuning the reaction temperature can realize pure phase synthesis of the two nanoclusters; that is, a metastable Ag54 is kinetically formed at a low temperature (20 °C), whereas such a system is steered towards a thermodynamically stable Ag33 at a relatively high temperature (80 °C). Electrospray ionization mass spectrometry illustrates that the stability of Ag33 is superior to that of Ag54, which is further supported by density functional theory calculations. Importantly, the difference in structural stability can influence the pathway of 1,4‐bis(pyrid‐4‐yl)benzene induced transformation reaction starting from Ag54 and Ag33. The former undergoes a dramatic breakage‐reorganization process to form an Ag31 dimer (Ag31), while the same product can be also achieved from the latter following a noninvasive ligand exchange process. Both the Ag54 and Ag33 have the potential for further remote laser ignition applications. This work not only demonstrates how temperature controls the isolation of a specific phase, but also sheds light on the structural transformation pathway of nanoclusters with different stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the surge of outward finance that coalesced into the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), this article examines how the intersection of Ethiopia's industrialisation ambitions, in tandem with Chinese infrastructure investment, can potentially promote processes of structural transformation. Drawing from a comparative case study of the Chinese-built Addis-Djibouti standard gauge railway (SGR) and a subsequent Turkish-built Awash-Weldiya railway, this article highlights the potential channels, and challenges, of railway investment for technology transfer and structural transformation. Railways bring knowledge spillovers through training in construction and operation, though this varies by contractor. We find that, whilst Chinese finance brings a more holistic package of technology transfer, significant barriers remain to long-term capacity building, and spillovers through firm linkages and competitive effects have been weaker. The catalytic potential for rail in Ethiopia's industrialisation also face domestic challenges that are technical, but also deeply structural, throwing into question the impact, and promise, of China's BRI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

China–Malaysia economic engagement has deepened since the 1990s. The scale and scope of this relationship has also expanded significantly following the 2013 announcement of the Belt and Road Initiative. Offering a context-rich, historically-nuanced perspective, this paper analyses how Malaysian policymakers have engaged with economic opportunities opened up by the burgeoning Chinese market. In particular, it examines how Chinese foreign direct investment has contributed to industrial upgrading trajectories in Malaysia. The paper makes two inter-related arguments. First, it uncovers a correlation between closer Chinese–Malaysian economic integration and services liberalization, which results in Malaysia's lower emphasis on manufacturing and 'proper' industrialization. In other words, structural transformation has occurred, but it is geared towards the services sector. Relatedly, Chinese investment entering Malaysia, notwithstanding its relatively recent status, is composed primarily of service industries. The services-heavy nature of Chinese investment results in a relatively modest economic multiplier effect, potentially exacerbating some societal tensions and inequality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lee argues that outbound Chinese state capital (CSC) is distinct from global private capital in terms of a greater willingness to accommodate recipient country priorities. This article uses the cases of Kazakhstan and Bolivia to explore this claim in relation to state-led efforts to foster structural transformation via upgrading in extractive industries (lithium and iron/steel in Bolivia, and petrochemicals in Kazakhstan). We focus particularly on attempts to move into domestic downstream processing. The article explores variation in the degree of accommodation with local demands on the part of CSC and proposes an explanatory framework for these differences, grounded in three axes. These are (i) mix of BRI drivers motivating a particular project from the Chinese side (export of industrial surplus, political relations with partner states and/or concern for resource security); (ii) nature of state-capital investment partnership (the mix of Chinese institutions and firms involved in negotiating and implementing the deal, as well as the time horizon implied by contract type); and (iii) a range of local contextual factors such as availability of alternative sources of capital, host state industrial capacities and local political conditions. Further research will be needed to refine and test this framework across other sectors and developmental goals beyond upgrading in extractives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas is a strategic source of energy and Uzbekistan ranks 11th in the world for mining and 14th for reserves. The article investigates whether and how the BRI and Chinese capital have contributed to Uzbek structural transformation in the gas industry. It argues that although the Chinese BRI seems to adopt an extractive approach to acquire natural resources, its interventions are also an opportunity for multi-directional forms of upgrading in the gas sector, both directly and indirectly. Directly, first the Chinese involvement as a consumer has reconfigured geo-economic power relations around gas. Secondly, there is an unprecedented support by China to national infrastructure development, both as a lender and a producer. Thirdly, China is the main source of machineries to enable energy transmission. Despite these factors, BRI and the Chinese presence are contributing only marginally to upgrading. A coordinated industrial strategy coming from the Uzbek state remains a necessary condition for structural transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrastructure development, central to the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), is crucial for facilitating structural transformation. However, numerous critics contend that the Initiative serves as a tool for China to engage in debt-trap diplomacy, which fails to deliver actual development in Africa. Therefore, assessing whether BRI projects will facilitate the necessary structural transformation in these countries requires meticulous analysis. Given the extended project cycle typical of infrastructure development, evaluating the overall socioeconomic impacts of the BRI is challenging. Nonetheless, these projects are likely to be implemented as part of the expansion of China's existing model for overseas infrastructure projects. This model is characterized by a reliance on concessional loans and credit facilities for financing, and state-owned enterprises as contractors. Contrary to the debt-trap diplomacy narrative, our findings, based on panel data and staggered difference-in-differences analysis, indicate that Chinese projects have positively impacted multiple aspects of Africa's structural transformation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the state of structural transformation, industrialisation, and development in Africa against the backdrop of decades of pursuing sustainable growth and development on the continent. To meet this objective, the author analysed the share of the manufacturing sector to the total economic output, the technological density of the manufactured exports, and other relevant statistics as measures of this process. The secondary sources deployed to meet the article's objective include relevant journal articles and books. This paper maintains that while regional integration was correctly identified as a vehicle for the continent's economic emancipation, there has been a shortfall in translating that overwhelming consensus into action. The failure to implement this critical agenda explains the continent's current poor state of industrialisation and development. This paper contends that this objective will not be realised until the African states are restructured to be deliberate and intentional about the continent's industrialisation by adopting a developmental approach to regional integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this paper is to examine income inequality in the process of economic growth and structural transformation with emphasis on the role of economic openness using a new measure of trade openness (the price convergence index [PCI]), which is an alternative measure to the widely used trade‐to‐GDP ratio. The analysis is based on a multi‐country panel data covering 48 countries for the period from 1960 to 2010. The results suggest that an increase in the share of employment in manufacturing is associated with a reduction in income inequality. This inequality‐reducing effect is significantly greater for countries with more open trade regimes. In addition, the Kuznets‐type relationship exists between services employment share and income inequality, with inequality first increasing with the movement of workers from agriculture to services and then decreasing. This inequality‐increasing effect of services employment share is also larger for countries with more open trade regimes. The findings withstand the inclusion of relevant explanatory variables, an alternative measure of income inequality, and alternative estimator to address possible endogeneity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mn-redox-based oxides and oxyfluorides are considered the most promising earth-abundant high-energy cathode materials for next-generation lithium-ion batteries. While high capacities are obtained in high-Mn content cathodes such as Li- and Mn-rich layered and spinel-type materials, local structure changes and structural distortions (often lead to voltage fade, capacity decay, and impedance rise, resulting in unacceptable electrochemical performance upon cycling. In the present study, structural transformations that exploit the high capacity of Mn-rich oxyfluorides while enabling stable cycling, in stark contrast to commonly observed structural changes that result in rapid performance degradation, are reported. It is shown that upon cycling of a cation-disordered rocksalt (DRX) cathode (Li1.1Mn0.8Ti0.1O1.9F0.1, an ultrahigh capacity of ≈320 mAh g−1 (energy density of ≈900 Wh kg−1) can be obtained through dynamic structural rearrangements upon cycling, along with a unique voltage profile evolution and capacity rise. At high voltage, the presence of Mn4+ and Li+ vacancies promotes local cation ordering, leading to the formation of domains of a “δ phase” within the disordered framework. On deep discharge, Mn4+ reduction, along with Li+ insertion transform the structure to a partially ordered DRX phase with a β′-LiFeO2-type arrangement. At the nanoscale, domains of the in situ formed phases are randomly oriented, allowing highly reversible structural changes and stable electrochemical cycling. These new insights not only help explain the superior electrochemical performance of high-Mn DRXbut also provide guidance for the future development of Mn-based, high-energy density oxide, and oxyfluoride cathode materials.

Purpose: is to identify state of the art, key aspects and distinctive characteristics of the smart specialization concept based on a study of the current state and the initial prerequisites for its formation, including linkages with other theoretical approaches. Methods: theoretical provisions of regional and spatial economics, innovative development, and economic geography by Russian and foreign scientists were used for conducting the research. Тhe methods of bibliometric, statistical and content analysis of literary sources constituted a methodological framework for the study. A systematization of publications for 2012–2021 was grounded on thematic samples from eLIBRARY.ru, Scopus and Web of Science databases. An analysis of text array content was conducted with the aim of further critical interpretation of the revealed patterns and identifi cation of promising research directions. Results: it was found, that despite the fact that the concept of the smart specialization was based on many previous theoretical approaches, it made a signifi cant contribution to the new political vision of regional development. It is shown how the initially sectoral approach, through the use of the postulates of economic geography, was transformed into the territorial concept. The conducted bibliometric and content analyses of literary sources made it possible to identify the inherent characteristics of the concept, principles and tools for its implementation, as well as formulate the author’s defi nition of the smart specialization approach. Conclusions and Relevance: the importance of smart specialization consists of the following aspects. Firstly, substantiating the need for differentiated regional policy for various types of regional innovation systems. Secondly, scientifi c and practical substantiating the importance of the related diversifi cation approach to regional development to stimulate structural changes that are signifi cant for economic dynamics. Thirdly, focusing on interregional interaction to ensure complementarity of scientifi c and technological regional development.

The aim of the article is to study the trends and features of structural transformations of the IT market of Ukraine over the past decade. Taking into account the consideration that there is still no single statistical base and system of indicators that would fully reflect the state of functioning of the IT market in Ukraine, as is revealed by the analyses of many information sources, the main structural transformations of the IT market of Ukraine as of 2013, 2018 and 2023 were analyzed and researched. As result of the carried out study, it is found out what structural changes took place during these periods in the IT labor market, in the market of IT products, in the economics of the IT business in general, etc. This made it possible to better assess the potential of the national IT market, identify potential threats to its development, competitive environment, and form a systematic view of the state and prospects for the development of the IT sector of the national economy, also to outline the key trends that will determine the development of the IT market in the near future. The factors of national and global scale, under the influence of which the IT market of Ukraine will be formed and function in the future, have been identified. In particular, it is the continuation of hostilities on the territory of Ukraine; irregularity of the process of reservation of critical employees of the IT industry and sending them on business trips abroad; lack of free money in the economy; global recession due to the energy crisis; companies’ attraction to optimize costs for the development along with further development of artificial intelligence. It is found that in 2023, for the first time in a decade, there is a downward trend in the volume of the IT market. This is testified by the departure of IT specialists abroad, a drop in the export of IT services, significant layoffs of IT specialists by companies, a long-term delay in the revision of salaries, a freeze in the increase in the level of compensation and bonus payments, a change in the situation in the talent market not in favor of Ukrainian IT specialists, etc. Prospects for further research in this direction are the substantiation of making appropriate managerial decisions to curb the decline of the IT market and the introduction of additional tools to stimulate its development in the dynamic economic conditions that have developed both within the country and around the world.

The global financial system emerged in the aftermath of World War II, playing a crucial role in the global economic and geopolitical landscape dominated by developed nations. However, the world is currently undergoing rapid changes. Developing countries are assuming increasingly important roles and positions in the global economy. The robust resurgence of Russia’s military and political power as a superpower, along with China’s rise in economic, technological, and military domains, is unveiling a new global order. Furthermore, the relentless development of digital technology is profoundly and comprehensively reshaping the economic, social, and political fabric of nations worldwide. Global issues such as climate change and population aging play significant roles in shaping the future of the global economy and finance. The research objective is to reveal and analyze the main factors shaping the future of the global economy and finance. The article employs a qualitative research method with analysis, synthesis and commenting on secondary sources of information from related studies. The authors conclude that six main relevant factors can influence the future of the global economy and finance: (i) the development of digital technology; (ii) geopolitical situation; (iii) the international role of the US dollar; (iv) climate change; (v) population aging; (vi) the inevitability of structural transformation.

As global consumption patterns continue to exert unprecedented pressure on ecological systems, the urgent need for sustainable development frameworks has become increasingly evident. This study explores the critical intersection of structural transformation and environmental quality within the context of Côte d‘Ivoire, as the country navigates its National Development Plan aimed at structural transformation. Specifically, this research explores how structural changes across the agricultural, industrial, and service sectors impact environmental quality in Côte d‘Ivoire. Employing a Nonlinear Autoregressive Distributed Lag (NARDL) model, it investigates the asymmetric effects of sectoral contributions to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the ecological footprint, distinguishing between positive and negative shocks during the period 1961–2021. The findings reveal that positive changes in the agricultural sector’s share reduce the ecological footprint by 0.222% in the long term, with no significant short-term impact. Conversely, a 1% negative shock in the sector results in a 0.391% increase in the ecological footprint in the short term. For the industrial sector, a 1% increase in its share leads to a 0.178% reduction in the ecological footprint over the long term, while negative shocks show no significant impact. The service sector demonstrates a positive environmental outcome, where a 1% increase in value-added reduces the ecological footprint by 0.368% in the long term and by 0.288% in the short term. For policymakers, these results highlight the importance of promoting sustainable practices within the agricultural and industrial sectors to achieve long-term environmental goals in Côte d’Ivoire. These results are critical for the implementation of Côte d‘Ivoire’s National Development Plan, which emphasizes the important role of agriculture and industry in its economic transformation, while addressing environmental sustainability.

ABSTRACTThe study examines the long and short-run impact of different explanatory variables on manufacturing development the time span from 1996 to 2021. The results indicated that economic freedom, FDI inflows, financial development, political instability, corruption control, government effectiveness, the rule of law, voice and accountability, and regulatory qualities significantly expand industrialization at the 1% level in the short-run, whereas they significantly reduced industrialization at the 1% level in the long run. African manufacturing transformation is significantly and positively determined by income per capita in the long and short run. The study suggests that policy measures must be taken to combat corruption and improve government effectiveness to achieve manufacturing growth. Maintaining a sound individual and whole institutional quality is very crucial for manufacturing development in the short run.

Boron nitride (BN) nanosheets in bulk quantity and reproducible quality were generated by a top-down approach from coarse (micron) grade hexagonal boron nitride (m-hBN) via cryo-milling under optimized process conditions followed by sonication. The as-produced boron nitride nanosheets showed a lower average thickness of about 15–25 nm when compared to previously reported low-yield techniques like sonication and specific solvent-induced liquid exfoliation and chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Interestingly, some fraction of the hexagonal boron nitride (hBN) was transformed to rhombohedral BN (rBN) under cryo-milling conditions. Such transition assisted the generation of the layered 2D nanosheet structure due to higher interlamellar spacing of the basal planes in rBN. Thermo-gravimetric and differential scanning calorimetric (TG/DSC) studies showed thermal stability of hBN/rBN nanosheets up to about 800 °C when compared to about 1000 °C in m-hBN, with the formation of BNOx and B2O3 phases. Multiple DSC peaks for oxidation were observed corresponding to different particle size ranges in the powder. Thus, cryo-milling could be an effective route for the bulk production of 2D-BN nanosheets for various applications like high-temperature lubricants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper constructs a unified model on how population growth, technological progress and capital deepening induce structural transformation. We solve analytically the closed-form solution for the model to unearth the mechanisms and crucial assumptions underlying how these factors interact and foster structural transformation. When agricultural productivity growth is fast enough to outweigh the relative price effects contributed by non-agricultural productivity growth, population growth and capital deepening, production factors will move out of agriculture. We clarify the condition to sustain growth in asymptotic growth path. We found empirical validity of the model with sectoral data from the United States in 1970-2020. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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