bluuebunny/crossref_metadata_2025 huggingface dataset:
Native Rhizobia Improve Plant Growth, Fix N2, and Reduce Greenhouse Emissions of Sunnhemp More than Commercial Rhizobia Inoculants in Florida Citrus Orchards
Authors: Castellano-Hinojosa Antonio , Mora Christoph , Strauss Sarah L.
Published: November 2022

Sunnhemp (Crotalaria juncea L.) is an important legume cover crop used in tree cropping systems, where there is increased interest by growers to identify rhizobia to maximize soil nitrogen (N) inputs. We aimed to isolate and identify native rhizobia and compare their capabilities with non-native rhizobia from commercial inoculants to fix atmospheric dinitrogen (N2), produce and reduce nitrous oxide (N2O), and improve plant growth. Phylogenetic analyses of sequences of the 16S rRNA and recA, atpD, and glnII genes showed native rhizobial strains belonged to Rhizobium tropici and the non-native strain to Bradyrhizobium japonicum. Plant nodulation tests, sequencing of nodC and nifH genes, and the acetylene-dependent ethylene production assay confirmed the capacity of all strains to nodulate sunnhemp and fix N2. Inoculation with native rhizobial strains resulted in significant increases in root and shoot weight and total C and N contents in the shoots, and showed greater N2-fixation rates and lower emissions of N2O compared to the non-native rhizobium. Our results suggest that native rhizobia improve plant growth, fix N2, and reduce greenhouse emissions of sunnhemp more than commercial rhizobia inoculants in Florida citrus orchards.
Water Stress, Cadmium, and Plant Genotype Modulate the Rhizosphere Microbiome of Pisum sativum L.
Authors: Kichko Arina A. , Gladkov Grigory V. , Ulianich Pavel S. , Safronova Vera I. , Pinaev Alexander G. , Sekste Edgar A. , Belimov Andrey A. , Andronov Evgeny E.
Published: November 2022

Drought and heavy metals seriously affect plant growth and the biodiversity of the associated rhizosphere microbiomes, which, in turn, could be involved in the adaptation of plants to these environmental stresses. Rhizosphere soil was collected from a three-factor pot experiment, where pea line SGE and its Cd-tolerant mutant SGECdt were cultivated under both optimal and limited water conditions and treated with a toxic Cd concentration. The taxonomic structure of the prokaryotic rhizosphere microbiome was analyzed with the high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA amplicon libraries. A permutation test demonstrated statistically significant effects of Cd and water stress but not of pea genotype on the rhizosphere microbiome structure. Phylogenetic isometric log-ratio data transformation identified the taxonomic balances that were affected by abiotic factors and pea genotypes. A small number of significant (log ratio [−3.0:+3.0]) and phylogenetically deep balances characterized water stress, while a larger number of weak (log ratio [−0.8:+0.8]) phylogenetically lower balances described the influence of the plant genotype. Stress caused by cadmium took on an intermediate position. The main conclusion of the study is that the most powerful factor affecting the rhizosphere microbiome was water stress, and the weakest factor was plant genotype since it demonstrated a very weak transformation of the taxonomic structure of rhizosphere microbiomes in terms of alpha diversity indices, beta diversity, and the log ratio values of taxonomic balances.
Effects of Hydration during Drilling on Fracability of Shale Oil Formations: A Case Study of Da’anzhai Section Reservoir in Sichuan Basin, China
Authors: Zhang Guangfu , Wang Haibo , Li Fengxia , Wang Di , Li Ning , He Shiming
Published: November 2022

Accurate evaluation of shale oil reservoir fracability helps avoid blind fracturing and ensures efficient fracturing. However, the current evaluation of the fracability index rarely considers the impact of hydration caused by drilling fluid invasion during drilling. The results of a rock triaxial mechanical test conducted to evaluate the mechanical properties of shale oil reservoirs are reported in this paper. Based on the results, we developed a comprehensive evaluation method of shale oil reservoir fracability that considers hydration; the effects of the brittleness index, horizontal difference stress, and fracture toughness; and the law of water phase intrusion into shale oil reservoirs. The research results show that the average compressive strength decreased by 37.99%, the average elastic modulus decreased by 53.36%, and the average Poisson’s ratio increased by 68.75% after being soaked for 48.00 h at 80 °C and 30.00 MPa. The water saturation rate at the borehole wall was the highest; with the extension to the stratum, it gradually decreases to the original water saturation rate of the formation, while the fluctuation radius gradually increases with time. The Young’s modulus and fracture toughness decrease, the Poisson’s ratio increases, and the fracability index reaches a maximum value at the wellbore (i.e., the highest water saturation rate), indicating that the strength of the hydrated rock decreases and it can be easily fractured. The case analysis shows that the optimal fracturing position of the Da’anzhai Section of Well NC2H is around 2600 m deep. After the hydration occurs, the fracture initiation pressure of the formation is reduced from the original value of 72.31 MPa to 66.80 MPa. This indicates that when hydration decreases, the formation fracture pressure also increases. The research presented in this paper can be used to optimize fracture location and set a reasonable fracturing pressure.
Analysis of Hydrothermal Solid Fuel Characteristics Using Waste Wood and Verification of Scalability through a Pilot Plant
Authors: Shin Tae-Sung , Yoo Seong-Yeun , Kang In-Kook , Kim Namhyun , Kim Sanggyu , Lim Hun-Bong , Choe Kangil , Lee Jae-Chul , Yang Hyun-Ik
Published: November 2022

Increases in energy demand and waste are a major cause of natural resource depletion and environmental pollution, and technology capable of processing waste to convert it into energy is required to mitigate this issue. Hydrothermal carbonization (HTC) is an example of this technology that can convert waste into energy, and various studies have been conducted using it for fuel conversion. This study focused on the production of a solid fuel equivalent to coal for power generation through HTC processes using waste wood. Unlike previous work, which consists only of laboratory-scale HTC experiments, we confirmed scalability through pilot-scale HTC experiments. Overall, it was possible to convert waste wood into HTC solid fuel with a calorific value of over 27,000 kJ/kg through the pilot plant HTC process. Additionally, heavy metal and hazardous substance analyses proved that it can be used as a biosolid fuel.
Differential Evolution with Adaptive Grid-Based Mutation Strategy for Multi-Objective Optimization
Authors: Ghorbanpour Samira , Jin Yuwei , Han Sekyung
Published: November 2022

Differential Evolution (DE) has been extensively adopted for multi-objective optimization due to its efficient and straightforward framework. In DE, the mutation operator influences the evolution of the population. In this paper, an adaptive Grid-based Multi-Objective Differential Evolution is proposed to address multi-objective optimization (ad-GrMODE). In ad-GrMODE, an adaptive grid environment is employed to perform a mutation strategy in conjunction with performance indicators. The grid reflects the convergence and diversity performance together but is associated with the user-specified parameter “div”. To solve this problem, we adaptively tune the parameter “div”. Among the DE mutation strategies, “DE/current-to-best/1” is applied extensively in single-objective optimization. This paper extends the application of “DE/current-to-best/1” to multi-objective optimization. In addition, a two-stage environmental selection is adopted in ad-GrMODE, where in the first stage, one-to-one selection between the parent and its corresponding offspring solution is performed. In addition, to preserve elitism, a stochastic selection is adopted with respect to performance metrics. We conducted experiments on 16 benchmark problems, including the DTLZ and WFG, to validate the performance of the proposed ad-GrMODE algorithm. Besides the benchmark problem, we evaluated the performance of the proposed method on real-world problems. Results of the experiments show that the proposed algorithm outperforms the eight state-of-the-art algorithms.
An Optimization Method for Distributing Emergency Materials Which Balances Multiple Decision Criteria
Authors: Wang Yanyan
Published: November 2022

In emergency rescue operations, it is very important for emergency management to arrange emergency materials scientifically and reasonably according to emergency needs. However, the decision criteria for emergency material distribution are often diverse, coupled with the lack of information acquisition due to the suddenness and development complexity of disasters, which makes the scientific decisions about emergency material distribution face great challenges. This paper proposes a multi-criteria decision optimization model of emergency material distribution under uncertainty that combines the 4E criteria of performance evaluation (economic criterion, efficiency criterion, effectiveness criterion and equity criterion). Then, the solution method of the multiple decision criteria model is designed. Finally, a case study of emergency medical material distribution during COVID-19 in China was conducted for model verification. The results show that different decision criteria have an important impact on the distribution of emergency materials, and the proposed model has significant advantages in the allocation of large-scale disaster relief materials, which can provide a useful reference for emergency material distribution under uncertain information conditions.
The Feasibility Assessment of Power System Dispatch with Carbon Tax Considerations
Authors: Lin Whei-Min , Tu Chia-Sheng , Lin Sang-Jyh , Tsai Ming-Tang
Published: November 2022

Traditional economic dispatch methods, which are used to minimize fuel costs, have become inadequate because they do not consider the environmental impact of emissions in the optimization process. By taking into account the horizon year load and carbon taxes, this paper examines the operation and dispatch of power units in a power system. The objective function, including the cost of fuels and the cost of carbon taxes, is solved by the modified particle swarm optimization with time-varying acceleration coefficient (MPSO-TVAC) method under operational constraints. Based on different load scenarios, the influences of various carbon taxes for the dispatch of units are simulated and analyzed. The efficiency and ability of the proposed MPSO-TVAC method are demonstrated using a real 345KV system. Simulation results indicate that the average annual CO2 emissions are 0.36 kg/kwh, 0.41 kg/kwh, and 0.44 kg/kwh in 2012, 2017 and 2022, respectively. As the capacity of gas-fired plants was increased in 2017 and 2022, the average cost in 2017 and 2022 doubled or tripled compared with the average cost in 2012. Reasonable solutions provide a practical and flexible framework for power sectors to perform feasibility assessments of power system dispatch. They can also be used to assist decision-makers in reaching minimal operation cost goals under the policies for desired emissions.
ADHD Assessment Recommendations for Children in Practice Guidelines: A Systematic Review
Authors: Power Caroline , Freeman Nerelie C. , Costello Shane
Published: November 2022

Objective: The current review sought to synthesise and evaluate ADHD guidelines to identify recommended procedures for co-occurring and differential diagnosis for ADHD assessments of school aged children. Method: A systematic literature review was conducted by searching PsycInfo, Medline, CINAHL and Web of Science. A grey literature search was also performed. ADHD guidelines that described a diagnostic process for school aged children, published between 2013 and 2021, by Government organisations or a national professional association, and written in English were included. Results: Each of the six included guidelines were produced by panels consisting primarily of paediatricians and psychiatrists. All guidelines recommended assessing for co-occurring conditions. Five of the guidelines recommended consideration of a differential diagnosis. Five guidelines also recommended referral to a specialist, mental health clinician or psychologist when diagnostic uncertainty exists. Conclusions: Guidelines to assist in the assessment of referred cases were not discovered. There is a need for recommendations to be developed to supplement existing guidelines to aid psychologists and mental health clinicians in a systematic ADHD assessment process, particularly in complex cases.
The Nose Knows: Aroma, but Not THC Mediates the Subjective Effects of Smoked and Vaporized Cannabis Flower
Authors: Plumb Jeremy , Demirel Shaban , Sackett Jeremy L. , Russo Ethan B. , Wilson-Poe Adrianne R.
Published: November 2022

Previous studies have shown that cannabis consumers are willing to pay more money for higher-quality products; however, the definition of “quality” cannabis has not been defined. Despite the known health risks of THC overuse, THC potency has been adopted as the primary market-driving feature of cannabis products. The purpose of this study was to objectively identify features of cannabis that contribute to its appealing subjective effects. In the course of conducting cannabis competitions, commercially available cannabis inflorescences were distributed to healthy volunteers (“judges”) in a randomized, double-blind fashion. Anonymous online survey data about the subjective effects of each cannabis sample were analyzed independently, by researchers not involved with the competitions. Pleasant subjective aroma (but not terpene expression, THC potency, or THC dose) was positively correlated with pleasant subjective effects. There was also a moderate but significant negative association between the amount of cannabis consumed and subjective appeal. These results suggest that, unlike THC potency, pleasant aroma is predictive of pleasant subjective effects. Similar to other agricultural commodities such as coffee and tea, aroma appears to be a robust indicator of the quality of cannabis inflorescence. These findings have wide-reaching public health implications, given the well-established health risks of THC overuse.
How Do Industrial Ecology, Energy Efficiency, and Waste Recycling Technology (Circular Economy) Fit into China’s Plan to Protect the Environment? Up to Speed
Authors: Sasmoko Sasmoko , Akhtar Muhammad Zaheer , Khan Haroon ur Rashid , Sriyanto Sriyanto , Jabor Mohd Khata , Rashid Awais , Zaman Khalid
Published: November 2022

The challenges of environmental protection are especially prevalent in South and Southeast Asian nations, which adversely affects their sustainable developmental goals. During the last two decades, increased industrialization and urbanization have caused massive air pollution, particularly in the most industrialized and densely populated countries. Due to China’s fast economic expansion and development, the demand for natural resources has increased, resulting in climate change, biodiversity loss, soil degradation, and environmental risks. China’s ecological footprint has been the subject of little investigation on the premises of a circular economy. This study used a literature review methodology on the critical key factors that hinder or facilitate the transition of a linear economy towards a circular economy. Further, based on the literature review, this study used industrial ecology, energy efficiency, and waste recycling technology factors to analyze the role of the circular economy on the country’s environmental sustainability agenda for the period of 1975–2020. The results show that in the short run, the link between ecological footprints and per capita income is monotonically decreasing; however, in the long run, the relationship is U-shaped. In both the short and long run, waste recycling technology and cleaner manufacturing significantly decrease ecological footprints. Renewable energy consumption increases ecological footprints in the short run but decreases them in the long run. The management of natural resources reduces ecological footprints to support the ‘resource blessing’ hypothesis. The Granger causality corroborated the unidirectional relationship between ecological footprints, oil rents, and urbanization and ecological footprints. In addition, economic growth Granger causes industrialization and waste recycling technology while green energy Granger causes economic growth, industrialization, and recycling technology. The two-way link between economic development and urbanization exists within a nation. The variance decomposition analysis (VDA) predicts that in the future, China’s natural resources, green energy demand, and technological spillover will limit its ecological footprint through material and technology efficiency.
Optimal Investment Strategy for DC Pension Schemes under Partial Information
Authors: Ban Manli , He Hua , Liang Xiaoqing
Published: November 2022

We consider a defined-contribution (DC)-pension-fund-management problem under partial information. The fund manager is allowed to invest the wealth from the fund account into a financial market consisting of a risk-free account, a stock and a rolling bond. The aim of the fund manager is to maximize the expected utility of the terminal wealth. In contrast to the traditional literature, we assume that the fund manager can only observe the stock-price process and the interest-rate process, but the expected return rate of the stock is unobservable, following a mean-reverting stochastic process. We apply a martingale approach and Clark’s formula to solve this problem and the closed-form representations for the optimal terminal wealth and trading strategy are derived. We further present the results for the constant relative risk aversion (CRRA) function as a special case.
Trading Binary Options Using Expected Profit and Loss Metrics
Authors: Venter Johannes Hendrik , De Jongh Pieter Juriaan
Published: November 2022

Trading in binary options is discussed using an approach based on expected profit (EP) and expected loss (EL) as metrics of reward and risk of trades. These metrics are reviewed and the role of the EL/EP ratio as an indicator of quality of trades, taking risk tolerance into account, is discussed. Formulas are derived for the EP and EL of call and put binaries assuming that the price of the underlying asset follows a geometric Brownian motion. The results are illustrated with practical data from the Nadex trading platform. The Black–Scholes notion of implied volatility is extended to wider notions of implied drift and volatility of the price process of the underlying asset. Illustrations show how these notions can be used to identify attractive binary trades, taking anticipated price movement into account. The problem of selecting portfolios of call and put binary options which maximize portfolio EP while constraining the portfolio EL to satisfy risk tolerance and diversification requirements, is formulated and solved by linear programming. This is also illustrated with the Nadex data under various scenarios.
A Neglected Issue: Stationary Phase Retention Determination of Classic High-Speed Counter-Current Chromatography Solvent Systems
Authors: Li Sha , Li Tiandan , Hu Xiaochao , Yang Yong , Huang Yangyi , He Kai
Published: November 2022

Obtaining an ideal solvent system for target compounds is still an obstacle to the wide application of high-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC). The partition coefficient and retention of the stationary phase are two key parameters for solvent system selection. The retention of the stationary phase of the solvent system is roughly judged by settling time using a test tube, which is subjective and inaccurate. In this study, we demonstrated that high-resolution separation of HSCCC is tightly connected with the retention of the stationary phase. Notably, unlike the in vitro test of settling time, we investigated the retention of the stationary phase of classical biphasic solvent systems by a TBE300C HSCCC apparatus. Our results revealed that settling time is not always inversely proportional to the retention of the stationary phase. The n-hexane–ethylacetate–methanol–water solvent systems showed the highest correlation coefficient of settling time and retention of the stationary phase (r = −0.91, n = 16). N-heptane–n-butanol–acetonitrile–water solvent system showed the lowest correlation coefficient (r = −0.26, n = 7). These results may be helpful for HSCCC solvent system selection and accelerate the application of this technique.
Modular Multi-Input DC/DC Converter for EV Fast Charging
Authors: Gabbar Hossam A. , Elshora Abdalrahman
Published: November 2022

In this paper, a modular multi-input, single output DC/DC converter is proposed to enhance the energy management of a fast-charging station for electric vehicles (EVs). The proposed bidirectional converter can work in different modes of operation with fewer components and a modular design to extend the input power sources and increase the charging power rate. The converter has several merits compared to the conventional converters, such as centralizing the control, reducing power devices, and reducing power conversion stages. By using MATLAB/Simulink, the converter was tested in many operation modes and was used to charge a Nissan Leaf EV’s battery (350 V, 60 Ah) from hybrid sources simultaneously and individually in power up to (17 kW). In addition, it was tested on a hardware scale at a low power rate (100 W) for the validation of the simulation work and the topology concept. In addition, its different losses and efficiency were calculated during the different operation modes.
Pulmonary Fibrosis Induced by CdSe Nanorods and the Therapy with Modified Procyanidinere
Authors: Yue Zongkai , Zhou Ruiren , Li Qingzhao , Ouyang Shaohu , Liu Lu , Zhou Qixing
Published: November 2022

The CdSe nanorod as a one-dimensional nanostructure has an excellent performance in many fields, such as healthcare, new energy, and environmental protection. Thus, it is crucial to investigate its potential adverse health effects prior to their wide exposure. The lung tissue would be the main target organ after CdSe nanorods enter living systems. Here, we showed that pulmonary instillation of CdSe nanorods could decrease the vitality of T-SOD and T-AOC in lung tissues of a rat, increase MDA and hydroxyproline levels and lipid peroxidation products, induce mitochondrial cristae breakage and vacuolization, cause inflammatory responses, and finally induce pulmonary fibrosis. The oral administration of modified procyanidinere could significantly increase the content of antioxidant enzymes, scavenge free radicals, reduce lipid peroxidation, and have protective effects on CdSe nanorods-induced pulmonary fibrosis. The benefit is not only in the early inflammatory stage but also in the later stages of the CdSe nanorods-induced pulmonary fibrosis.
The “Big Six”: Hidden Emerging Foodborne Bacterial Pathogens
Authors: Alharbi Mona G. , Al-Hindi Rashad R. , Esmael Ahmed , Alotibi Ibrahim A. , Azhari Sheren A. , Alseghayer Mazen S. , Teklemariam Addisu D.
Published: November 2022

Non-O157 Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) are emerging serogroups that often result in diseases ranging from diarrhea to severe hemorrhagic colitis in humans. The most common non-O157 STEC are O26, O45, O103, O111, O121, and O145. These serogroups are known by the name “big six” because they cause severe illness and death in humans and the United States Department of Agriculture declared these serogroups as food contaminants. The lack of fast and efficient diagnostic methods exacerbates the public impact of the disease caused by these serogroups. Numerous outbreaks have been reported globally and most of these outbreaks were caused by ingestion of contaminated food or water as well as direct contact with reservoirs. Livestock harbor a variety of non-O157 STEC serovars that can contaminate meat and dairy products, or water sources when used for irrigation. Hence, effective control and prevention approaches are required to safeguard the public from infections. This review addresses the disease characteristics, reservoirs, the source of infections, the transmission of the disease, and major outbreaks associated with the six serogroups (“big six”) of non-O157 STEC encountered all over the globe.
Modeling of the Wind/Disk Outflow from Be Stars II: Formation of the Keplerian Disk
Authors: Bogovalov Sergey , Petrov Maxim
Published: November 2022

Computer modeling of the outflow from Be stars is performed. In our approach, processes of turbulence excitation and turbulent viscosity are added to the conventional model of the radiation driven winds. The objective of our study is to reproduce from the first principles the main features of the outflow from Be stars: a fast polar wind and a slow viscous Keplerian disk at the equator. At sub-critical velocity of rotation up to 0.999 of the critical velocity, our model reproduces the formation of the fast polar wind together with a slow highly turbulent outflow at the equatorial region. This outflow, however, does not reassemble a Keplerian disk. We link this to the absence of the angular moment transfer from the star to the disk. This process provides an increase of the angular momentum of the disk matter with radius. We consider a star with super critical rotation as the simplest way to supply the angular momentum to the disk. In this case, the star surface has a higher azimuthal speed than the matter at the inner edge of the disk. The angular momentum transfer becomes unavoidable. Already at rotation velocity 0.5% above the critical one, a quasi Keplerian disk at the equator is formed with size ∼10 stellar radius. At rotation 1% higher than the critical speed, the disk reaches ∼15 stellar radius. The main conclusion following from our work is that the conventional model of the radiation driven winds is able to reproduce the main features of the outflow from Be stars provided that the process of turbulence excitation and a process of angular momentum supply of the disk from the central source are added in to this model.
Limited T-Cell-Stimulating Effect of Cytochalasin-B-Induced Membrane Vesicles Isolated from Artificial Antigen-Presenting Cells
Authors: Kim Yeongwon , Kim Sueon , Hong Cheol-Hwa , Hyun You-Seok , Baek In-Cheol , Kim Tai-Gyu
Published: November 2022

Artificial antigen-presenting cells (aAPCs) that stably express particular HLA and co-stimulatory molecules by gene transfer have been developed to effectively stimulate T cells. To investigate whether cytochalsin-B-induced membrane vesicles derived from aAPCs (AP-CIMVs) have similar antigen-presenting functions as a cell-free system, T cell responses to different types of antigen presentation were measured using Jurkat reporter cells. First, the aggregation of AP-CIMV, which affects the measurement of function, was inhibited by nuclease treatment to produce uniform AP-CIMVs. The Green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in Jurkat reporter cells was induced in a dose-dependent manner in groups stimulated with anti-CD3 antibody-coated AP-CIMVs and aAPCs, and anti-CD3/CD28 Dynabead. When Jurkat reporter cells expressing specific T cell receptors were stimulated by AP-CIMVs and aAPCs loaded with CMV pp65 peptide, AP-CIMVs showed similar stimulatory effects to that by aAPC. However, when these Jurkat reporter cells were stimulated by aAPCs endogenously expressing CMV pp65 antigen and their AP-CIMVs, the GFP expression rate by AP-CIMVs was 8.4%, which was significantly lower than 53.2% by aAPCs. Although this study showed a limited T-cell-stimulating effect of AP-CIMVs on endogenously processed antigen presentation, these results provide useful information for the development of improved cell-free systems for T cell stimulation in the future.
Effectiveness of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) Vaccine in Children and Adolescents: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis
Authors: Sabu Jewel Maria , Zahid Izza , Jacob Namitha , Alele Faith O. , Malau-Aduli Bunmi S.
Published: November 2022

Efforts to control the COVID-19 pandemic have expanded to the vaccination of children and adolescents. This systematic review assesses the utility of the BNT162b2 (Pfizer-BioNTech) vaccine in children and adolescents aged 5–18 years, considering its effectiveness against COVID infection, hospital and intensive care admission and duration of effectiveness after vaccination. Six databases were searched following the PRISMA guidelines. Pooled estimates and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using meta-analysis. Fifteen studies were included in the systematic review, while 12 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Evidence suggests that the two-dose vaccination regime provided high effectiveness of 92% (95% CI, 86–96) against COVID infection. Vaccination also conferred high protection against hospitalisation (91%) and intensive care admission (85%). The vaccine was highly protective against the Delta variant of the virus, but showed a lower protection against the Omicron variant. Most adverse effects were transient and mild, commonly including pain at the injection site, fatigue and headache. Current findings are suggestive of waning immunity over time; however, further research is needed to investigate the relevance of booster doses in this age group. In summary, the Pfizer-BioNTech BNT162b2 vaccine demonstrated high levels of protection against COVID-19 infection and its complications while maintaining an adequate safety profile in children and adolescents.
Evaluation of a Point-of-Care Feline Immunodeficiency Virus (FIV) Test Kit (RapidSTATUS™ FIV) to Determine the FIV Status of FIV-Vaccinated and FIV-Unvaccinated Pet Cats in Australia
Authors: Cheang Ashley , Westman Mark E. , Green Jennifer
Published: November 2022

Feline immunodeficiency virus (FIV) is a retrovirus that can cause immunosuppression, co-morbidities, and neoplasia in infected cats, and is commonly tested for in veterinary clinics and animal shelters in Australia. FIV diagnosis using point-of-care (PoC) kits to detect FIV antibodies in Australia is complicated by the commercial availability of an inactivated whole-FIV vaccine. The aim of this study was to determine the accuracy of the RapidSTATUS™ FIV antibody test kit in FIV-vaccinated and FIV-unvaccinated cats in Australia. Plasma from pet cats of known FIV vaccination and FIV infection statuses (n = 361), comprised of 57 FIV-uninfected cats annually vaccinated against FIV, 10 FIV-uninfected cats with lapsed FIV vaccination histories, 259 FIV-unvaccinated/FIV-uninfected cats, and 35 FIV-infected cats, was tested. RapidSTATUS™ FIV testing had sensitivity of 97.1% (34/35) and specificity of 100% (326/326), with an overall accuracy of 99.7% (360/361). Additional testing was undertaken using plasma from FIV-uninfected cats recently administered a primary FIV vaccination course (n = 12) or an annual booster FIV vaccination (n = 10). RapidSTATUS™ FIV was 98.8% (81/82) accurate and 100% (32/32) accurate in cats recently administered primary or annual FIV vaccinations, respectively. The high level of accuracy of RapidSTATUS™ FIV (98.8–100%) therefore establishes this PoC kit as a DIVA (differentiating infected from vaccinated animals) test. RapidSTATUS™ FIV is recommended to aid animal shelters, veterinarians, and researchers in Australia to accurately determine FIV infection status, irrespective of FIV vaccination history.
Sound Localization Ability in Dogs
Authors: Guérineau Cécile , Lõoke Miina , Broseghini Anna , Dehesh Giulio , Mongillo Paolo , Marinelli Lieta
Published: November 2022

The minimum audible angle (MAA), defined as the smallest detectable difference between the azimuths of two identical sources of sound, is a standard measure of spatial auditory acuity in animals. Few studies have explored the MAA of dogs, using methods that do not allow potential improvement throughout the assessment, and with a very small number of dog(s) assessed. To overcome these limits, we adopted a staircase method on 10 dogs, using a two-forced choice procedure with two sound sources, testing angles of separation from 60° to 1°. The staircase method permits the level of difficulty for each dog to be continuously adapted and allows for the observation of improvement over time. The dogs’ average MAA was 7.6°, although with a large interindividual variability, ranging from 1.3° to 13.2°. A global improvement was observed across the procedure, substantiated by a gradual lowering of the MAA and of choice latency across sessions. The results indicate that the staircase method is feasible and reliable in the assessment of auditory spatial localization in dogs, highlighting the importance of using an appropriate method in a sensory discrimination task, so as to allow improvement over time. The results also reveal that the MAA of dogs is more variable than previously reported, potentially reaching values lower than 2°. Although no clear patterns of association emerged between MAA and dogs’ characteristics such as ear shape, head shape or age, the results suggest the value of conducting larger-scale studies to determine whether these or other factors influence sound localization abilities in dogs.
Total Dissolved Solids (TDS) Less Than 1000 ppm in Drinking Water Did Not Impact Nursery Pig Performance
Authors: Samuel Ryan
Published: November 2022

High concentrations of total dissolved solids (TDS) in water have been reported to increase the incidence of diarrhea and reduce nursery pig growth performance. The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of drinking water with high concentrations of TDS from sulfate salts on nursery pigs. Weaned pigs sorted to equalize gender were placed in 44 pens with 26 pigs per pen. One of four water treatments was randomly assigned to each pen: (1) combination of CaSO4, MgSO4, and NaSO4; (2) CaSO4; (3) MgSO4; (4) NaSO4. Access to water and feed (nursery diets fed in four phases) was unrestricted throughout. The weights of pens were measured, feed remaining on weigh days was calculated, and pen water meters were read on d 0, 7, 21, 35, and 42. Water treatment did not affect (p > 0.07) average daily gain, average daily feed intake, or gut integrity of pigs. Water disappearance tended to be greater (p = 0.10) in pens receiving the CaSO4 water compared to the combination treatment from d 21 to 35. The TDS concentrations from sulfate salts used in this experiment did not impact the growth performance or feed or water disappearance of newly weaned nursery pigs.
Analysis and Roll Prevention Control for Distributed Drive Electric Vehicles
Authors: Chang Xiaoyu , Zhang Huanhuan , Yan Shuai , Hu Shengli , Meng Youming
Published: November 2022

This work presents an approach to improve the roll stability of distributed drive electric vehicles (DDEV). The effect of the reaction torque from the in-wheel motor exerts additional roll moment, which is different from traditional vehicles. The additional roll moment can be achieved by active control of the wheel torque adjustment, which achieves a control effect similar to the active suspension. The anti-roll control strategy of decoupling control of roll motion and yaw motion are proposed. The direct yaw moment is calculated by the linear quadratic regulator (LQR) algorithm while the additional rolling moment is calculated by the sliding mode variable structure. For maneuvering rollover caused by excessive lateral acceleration, an anti-rollover control strategy is designed based on differential braking. A fuzzy control theory is used to decide the yaw moment to be compensated. The distribution method of the braking torque applied to the outer wheel alone, and the lateral load transfer rate is the main evaluation index for simulation verification of typical working conditions. The simulation results show that the proposed control strategy for DDEV is effective.
vinculación Universidad-Empresa, participación de las universidades de Benguela, Angola, un reto y una necesidad
Authors: Cruz Acosta Roberto , Gómez Llata Cázares Enrique Gabriel
Published: November 2022

Es un hecho que la integración que exista entre la academia y la empresa es una piedra angular esencial para lograr el desarrollo de un país. El objetivo de esta investigación fue evaluar la vinculación existente entre las universidades y las empresas de Benguela, Angola. Además, ser un referente para los decisores en la proyección de políticas y estrategias encaminadas al fortalecimiento de dicha vinculación. Los resultados de validación evidenciaron el grado de acuerdo entre los jueces respecto al instrumento aplicado, en cuanto a nivel de factibilidad, pertinencia y claridad; se utilizó el coeficiente de validez de Alfa de Cronbach para cuantificar dicho grado de acuerdo, por lo que fue utilizada la metodología cuantitativa. Se demostró la insuficiente vinculación de las instituciones de educación superior y el marcado desinterés sobre su desempeño con las empresas en Benguela, así como su baja producción científica estudiantil y docente. De lo anterior se deriva la urgencia de aplicar políticas y estrategias para fomentar la vinculación con el sector empresarial.
Explotación turística del humedal La Tembladera, incidencia en la comunidad del cantón Santa Rosa, Ecuador
Authors: Baquero Toledo Enrique , Villa Benavides José , Salcedo Muñoz Virgilio Eduardo , Sotomayor Pereira Jorge Guido
Published: November 2022

En Ecuador en los últimos años el turismo se ha convertido en una actividad de gran interés y con gran potencial de generar beneficios socioeconómicos al país, ya que posee gran riqueza natural y diversos paisajes que lo convierten en importante destino turístico a nivel mundial. Esta investigación tuvo como objetivo determinar la explotación turística del Humedal La Tembladera y su determinación en los aspectos socioeconómicos del sitio San José - Santa Rosa – Ecuador. El tipo de investigación aplicada es de carácter descriptivo y de corte trasversal. Mediante el análisis de los resultados se demostró que la explotación turística genera grandes beneficios en los ingresos, con el modelo econométrico obtenido a través de una Regresión Lineal Múltiple y con datos generados de encuestas realizadas a los habitantes del sitio San José se pudo comprobar que el aumento en el consumo turístico produce un impacto positivo en la calidad de vida de los moradores del lugar.
Les lignes d’attribution en droit international public
Authors: Caflisch Lucius
Published: November 2022

Le présent article a pour objet de cerner la notion de lignes d’attribution Résumé : Le présent article a pour objet de cerner la notion de lignes d’attribution («allocation lines » ) qui se distinguent de celles de frontières, («allocation lines » ) qui se distinguent lignes de délimitation et lignes de base qui courent sur l’eau – maritime, fluviale ou lacustre. Ces lignes visent à déterminer quels territoires insulaires relèvent de tel ou tel État. de celles de frontières, lignes de délimitation et lignes de base qui courent sur l’eau – maritime, fluviale ou lacustre. Ces lignes visent à déterminer quels territoires insulaires relèvent de tel ou tel État. Il expose les cas où la technique des lignes d’attribution a été appliquée dans la pratique conventionnelle et celle des États.

notion de lignes d’attribution («allocation lines » ) qui se distinguent de celles de frontières, lignes de délimitation et

lignes de base qui courent sur l’eau – maritime, fluviale ou lacustre. Ces lignes visent

à déterminer quels territoires insulaires relèvent de tel ou tel État. Il expose les cas où la technique des lignes d’attribution a été appliquée dans la pratique conventionnelle et celle des États.
A box of realism : la décision des États-Unis d’Amérique de reconnaître Jérusalem comme capitale d’Israël et d’y transférer leur ambassade
Authors: Fleury Thibaut Charles
Published: November 2022

On December 6th, 2017, Donald Trump, the president of the United States of America, recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel, and decided to move the American embassy in the Holy City. This decision marks a breaking point in the American policy on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and is illustrative of the American administration’s disregard for international law. Indeed, according to conventional and customary rules, and to numerous UN resolutions, Israel is precluded from claiming sovereignty over Jerusalem, which legal status is particularly complex. By recognizing such a claim, the US are violating the international law of occupation and of diplomacy, as well as the obligation not to recognize unlawful situations. But the unclear consequences of those violations encouraged the US to ignore them. This could eventually lead them to be condemned by the ICJ, to which the State of Palestine referred the case in late 2018.
Observations sur la pratique récente de dénonciation des traités
Authors: Dopagne Frédéric
Published: November 2022

Au-delà de quelques retraits retentissants, la pratique récente (2016-2018) en matière de dénonciations révèle une certaine banalité sur le plan de la technique du droit des traités. Des questions n’en apparaissent pas moins concernant la base juridique internationale de la mesure, qu’il s’agisse du caractère dénonçable par nature (et avec effet immédiat) d’un traité de règlement des différends ne contenant pas de clause de dénonciation ou de la possibilité d’assortir la dénonciation fondée sur une clause conventionnelle d’une suspension du traité au titre de l’exception d’inexécution durant le délai de préavis. La pratique examinée soulève en outre la question du pouvoir du juge interne de contrôler la validité de la dénonciation. Elle conduit à s’interroger sur la validité internationale d’une dénonciation opérée en violation d’une règle interne concernant la compétence pour dénoncer les traités. Et elle donne à réfléchir sur le régime de la révocation d’une dénonciation.
La fonction juridictionnelle à l’épreuve de la délimitation territoriale : l’arrêt du 2 février 2018 dans les affaires Délimitation maritime dans la mer des Caraïbes et l’océan Pacifique et Frontière terrestre dans la partie septentrionale d’Isla Portillos (Costa Rica c. Nicaragua)
Authors: Raspail Hélène
Published: November 2022

Le 2 février 2018, la Cour internationale de Justice s’est prononcée sur deux affaires jointes, l’une relative à la Délimitation maritime dans la mer des Caraïbes et dans l’océan Pacifique et l’autre sur la Frontière terrestre dans la partie septentrionale d’Isla Portillos (Costa Rica c. Nicaragua). L’arrêt règle ainsi un contentieux territorial de plus d’un siècle et demi entre les deux États. Il est intéressant en ce qu’il évoque des problématiques de délimitations tant terrestres que maritimes, et ce pour la mer territoriale mais aussi la zone économique exclusive et le plateau continental. Par divers aspects, que ce soit un recours à l’expertise de son propre chef ou encore le choix d’un point fixe en mer comme point de départ de la frontière maritime pour anticiper la montée des eaux, il illustre une réelle faculté d’initiative de la Cour. En appliquant de manière automatique la méthode de délimitation maritime dite de l’équidistance/circonstances pertinentes, il marque en outre une nouvelle étape dans l’affirmation de l’autorité d’un précédent judiciaire.
Fin de la phase préliminaire dans l’affaire des ‘Biens mal acquis’ opposant la Guinée équatoriale et la France devant la Cour internationale de Justice (arrêt du 6 juin 2018)
Authors: They Marine
Published: November 2022

Le 6 juin 2018, la Cour internationale de Justice a rendu son dernier arrêt dans la phase préliminaire de l’affaire des «biens mal acquis » qui oppose la Guinée équatoriale et la France depuis 2016. La Cour a estimé qu’elle n’était pas compétente ratione materiae pour connaître des poursuites judiciaires et de la condamnation en France de M. Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue pour des faits de blanchiment d’argent. En revanche, la CIJ a pu sans peine établir sa compétence pour déterminer si l’hôtel particulier acquis par M. Obiang en France (et ayant fait l’objet de mesures de perquisition et de saisie) pouvait être considéré comme faisant partie des locaux de la mission diplomatique de Guinée et devait, à ce titre, être protégé par l’inviolabilité. Les juges ont également écarté l’exception d’abus de droit et d’abus de procédure soulevée par la France, qui s’explique par le comportement adopté par la Guinée au moment du déclenchement des poursuites pénales à l’encontre de M. Obiang en France.
L’affaire de l’obligation de négocier un accès à l’Océan pacifique (Bolivie c. Chili)
Authors: Clarenc Nathalie
Published: November 2022

In Bolivia v. Chile, this is not the first time that the ICJ has decided on the obligation to negotiate, but this is the first time it has been asked to analyze the way in which such an obligation can result from negotiations between States. International law is rich in techniques that can be used to oppose to a State the conduct expressing its will to oblige itself : the reasoning pursued in the judgment assesses all of the techniques that could theoretically have been the basis of the obligation to negotiate on the soil of negotiations. Soil not very fertile certainly, because it is difficult to identify a will to self-limit in a field perceived as an unlimited space of expression of their sovereignty by the States, but soil not completely sterile either, because we see that most arguments could have reasonably fruited. The opposability of an obligation to negotiate arising from the negotiations is unlikely in the present case, but that does not call into question the theoretical possibility of such an operation.
Le contentieux climatique et l’invocation de la responsabilité internationale en défense d’intérêts collectifs
Authors: Castro nino Natalia
Published: November 2022

La catégorie du contentieux climatique est composée d’un nombre croissant d’actions formées dans le monde entier dans l’objectif de faire face aux causes et conséquences du changement climatique. Du fait de ses caractéristiques, cette catégorie constitue une importante source de pratique en matière d’invocation de la responsabilité internationale par des acteurs non étatiques. Elle témoigne des obstacles de jure auxquels ces actions en justice peuvent être confrontées ainsi que de leur potentiel de facto de protection d’intérêts collectifs gravement menacés par le changement climatique.
Le statut juridique de la mer Caspienne : la Convention d’Aktau du 12 août 2018
Authors: Momtaz Djamchid
Published: November 2022

The elaboration of the new legal status for the Caspian Sea mainly results from the will of the new coastal States created following the dissolution of the USSR. The new

status has been formalized by the Aktau Convention. It seeks to find a balance between those States’ and former coastal States’ concerns. So far as security issues are concerned, its provisions seek to alleviate the threats that could come from both inside and outside the region, while, so far as economic issues are at stake, they reflect the willingness to

guarantee access to the sea for landlocked States of the Caspian region, to share its natural resources between the States concerned as well as to ensure their proper management.
Le nouvel accord commercial entre le Canada, les États-Unis et le Mexique : vers la fin de l’ALENA
Authors: Ghérari Habib
Published: November 2022

Since 1994, Canada, the United States and Mexico have been bound by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA). On November 30, 2018, a new Trade agreement, intended by the United States, was concluded between the same three countries and is aimed to replace NAFTA. While establishing a free trade area, already well advanced as a result of the implementation of NAFTA, this new trade pact introduces changes affecting both the substantive rules and the applicable procedures. It has a twofold characteristic with respect to the doctrine of free trade to the extent that it deepens certain aspects, but attenuates others. It also contrasts with the unilateralism demonstrated by the United States since the election of President D. Trump.