Accessible Area Research Articles

The Cerebral Aqueduct Compliance: A Simple Morphometric Model.

This work aimed to identify different configurations of the adytum of the cerebral aqueduct suggesting its safe neuroendoscopic navigation. This concept is intimately connected to the physiological aqueductal dilatability or compliance, which is relatively ignored in the literature. A better knowledge of the extent of physiological aqueductal dilatability might better define the ideal diameter and safer features of dedicated flexible endoscopes. The study includes 45 patients operated on using a flexible scope with a 3.9-mm diameter, where the structural elements of the adytum of the cerebral aqueduct are clearly visible. Patients were grouped according to the pathology (colloid cyst/normal anatomy, intraventricular hemorrhage, tetraventricular obstructive hydrocephalus, normal pressure hydrocephalus, and distal membranous aqueductal stenosis). A simple geometrical scheme was applied to the endoscopic anatomy of the aqueductal adytum in relation to the posterior commissure to measure its pathologic deformations. Eventual damages to the aqueduct walls caused by the endoscope were also reported. Proceeding from normal anatomy to hydrocephalic condition, the ratio between the commissure and the aqueductal access area progressively decreases, while the vertex angle increases. Interestingly, the entity of the ependymal damages due to the passage of the endoscope correlates with such measures. The cerebral aqueduct, excluding atrophic processes, is provided with a certain degree of dilatability, which we estimate to be around a diameter of 4 mm. This represents the maximum size for a flexible neuroendoscope for a safe aqueductal neuronavigation. The schematic model of the aqueductal adytum as a triangle defines 3 different aqueductal patterns and can be helpful when an intraoperative decision on whether to navigate the aqueduct must be taken.

Mapping global distributions of clay-size minerals via soil properties and machine learning techniques

Clay-size mineral is a vital ingredient of soil that influences various environment behaviors. It is crucial to establish a global distribution map of clay-size minerals to improve the recognition of environment variations. However, there is a huge gap of lacking some mineral contents in poorly accessible remote areas. In this work, machine learning (ML) approaches were conducted to predict the mineral contents and analyze their global abundance changes through the relationship between soil properties and mineral distributions. The average content of kaolinite, illite, smectite, vermiculite, chlorite, and feldspar were predicated to be 28.69 %, 22.30 %, 12.42 %, 5.43 %, 5.03 %, and 1.44 % respectively. Model interpretation showed that topsoil bulk density and drainage class were the most significant factors for predicting all six minerals. It could be seen from the feature importance analysis that bulk density notably reflected the distribution of 2:1 layered minerals more than that of 1:1 mineral. High drainage favored secondary minerals development, while low drainage was more benefited for primary minerals. Moreover, the content variation of different minerals aligned with the distribution of corresponding soil properties, which affirmed the accuracy of established models. This study proposed a new approach to predict mineral contents through soil properties, which filled a necessary step of understanding the geochemical cycles of soil-related processes.

Mobile money, food security and coping strategies in a post-conflict and fragile context: evidence from Burundi

PurposeAttaining the Sustainable Development Goal 2 (SDG2) of zero hunger continues to be a challenge in most parts of Sub-Saharan Africa. However, financial inclusion is seen as a potential pathway for reducing food insecurity among poor households. Mobile money is a financial inclusion instrument that is easily accessible to poor households and has the potential to increase the level of financial inclusion. This paper contributes to the literature by examining the determinants of mobile money adoption, its effects on household food security and the choice of coping strategies in Burundi, a post-conflict and fragile country.Design/methodology/approachUsing survey data that involved 860 households in Burundi, we adopted the Household Hunger Scale (HHS) developed under the Food and Nutrition Technical Assistance Project to measure household food security. We further employ the endogenous switching regression treatment effects model for ordered outcomes and the multivariate probit model to achieve our aims.FindingsThe results of our study reveal that the adoption of mobile money is influenced by factors such as gender, marital status, age, formal education, membership in a social network, area of residence and access to a tarred road network. Additionally, the food security status of a household was determined by marital status, formal education, social network membership, access to tarred roads, off-farm income, access to credit and land tenure security. We confirm that mobile money adoption has a significantly positive effect on the food security status of households with heterogeneity in gender and area of residence. We also find that mobile money adoption reduces the likelihood of households adopting consumption-related coping strategies.Practical implicationsThe promotion of mobile money should, therefore, be included in Burundi’s national food security policies.Originality/valueThis study contributes to the literature by providing empirical evidence on the effect of mobile money adoption on household food security and the choice of coping strategies in a post-conflict context.

Drone imagery and deep learning for mapping the density of wild Pacific oysters to manage their expansion into protected areas

The recent expansion of wild Pacific oysters already had negative repercussions on sites in Europe and has raised further concerns over their potential harmful impact on the balance of biomes within protected areas. Monitoring their colonisation, especially at early stages, has become an urgent ecological issue. Current efforts to monitor wild Pacific oysters rely on “walk-over” surveys that are highly laborious and often limited to specific areas of easy access. Remotely Piloted Aircraft Systems (RPAS), commonly known as drones, can provide an effective tool for surveying complex terrains and detect Pacific oysters. This study provides a novel workflow for automated detection, counting and mapping of individual Pacific oysters to estimate their density per square meter by using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) applied to drone imagery. Drone photos were collected at low tides and altitudes of approximately 10 m across a variety of cases of rocky shore and mudflats scenarios. Using object detection, we compared how different Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs) architectures including YOLOv5s, YOLOv5m, TPH-YOLOv5 and FR-CNN performed in the detection of Pacific oysters over the surveyed areas. We report the precision of our model at 88% with a difference in performance of 1% across the two sites. The workflow presented in this work proposes the use of grid maps to visualize the density of Pacific oysters per square meter towards ecological management and the creation of time series to identify trends.

Navigating urban challenges: Quantifying emergency service accessibility and robustness amid meteorological disasters

The frequent occurrence of meteorological disasters presents a significant challenge to the effective functioning of urban public services. This paper seeks to assess the response capacity of urban emergency services during such disasters by integrating perspectives on accessibility and robustness. Through a case study on emergency medical services (EMS), we develop a framework for evaluating the EMS system in downtown Shanghai under the scenario of typhoon In-Fa. This framework encompasses the calculation of both the accessible area of ambulance vehicles and the accessibility to each resident address. Our findings indicate that under normal conditions, the majority of residential areas in downtown Shanghai can access nearby medical services within 10 min. However, accessibility decreases by 28.85 % and 43.83 % under moderate and severe flooding conditions, respectively. Furthermore, by analyzing changes in the robustness of the service supply network, we identify warning and critical points, offering valuable insights for the formulation of disaster warning and response strategies. This study integrates system-level robustness and address-level accessibility to establish a comprehensive framework for evaluating urban emergency service performance under meteorological disaster scenarios. The proposed approach holds promise for evaluating other types of public services by adapting the framework to account for specific supply and demand dynamics.

Red-Wattled Lapwing (Vanellus indicus): A Traditional Rain Forecaster for Tribal Farmers of Southwestern Rajasthan

Abstract An intensive survey was carried out over the past 8 years in tribal-dominated areas of southwestern Rajasthan to document red-wattled lapwing (Vanellus indicus) behavior as a rain forecaster, relevant to farm planning and better crop production. The present study included tribal farmers, agriculture scientists, extension workers, ornithologists, and farm workers. The precision of their observations was compared with a contemporaneous study of 10–15 red-wattled lapwing nests across the 46-ha operational area of the Agricultural Research Sub-Station (ARSS) and Adaptive Trial Center (ATC), Sumerpur, Pali, Rajasthan (25.1526°N latitude, 73.0823°E longitude). Local knowledge was gathered through surveys and focus group discussions with the respondents to discuss lapwing behavior as a rain prediction indicator. Meteorological data were gathered from the ATC farm observatory. The findings revealed that the older tribal farmers have an assortment of knowledge about the behavior of red-wattled lapwing as rain prediction indicators such as nesting sites, egg position, egg arrangement, nesting material, numbers of eggs, and egg-laying patterns. These predictions have a direct correlation with modern meteorological observations. It was also noted that the elder tribal farmers planned their farms using lapwing indicators in order to increase crop production, whereas younger generations overlook the traditional rain prediction indicators and have significant knowledge about meteorological data-based weather forecasting. Both the elder and younger tribal farmers were equally interested in meteorological weather forecast announcements, but due to network connectivity challenges, residents in some remote places were unable to access modern meteorological information. Long-term accurate rain forecasting is needed for better agricultural planning and to secure crop production. Rain forecasting can be improved by blending modern meteorological information with traditional proven indications. Farmers who have considerable traditional knowledge along with modern technological updates are capable of using both sources of information in suitable and successful farm planning for better crop production. Significance Statement The purpose of this study is to examine red-wattled lapwing behavior as rain measurements and compare its reliability with modern rain forecasting methods. We also develop a theoretical framework for understanding traditional and modern rain forecasting methods for disaster management in remote and accessible areas, to assist resource management and to minimize costs of cultivation. Our results provide a guideline for blending both types of knowledge and for providing relevant information to remote tribal areas at appropriate times for better farm planning and crop production.

Wheelchair Accessibility to Public Buildings in Songea Municipality

Wheelchair accessibility to public buildings is an increasing area of important in research in the field of rehabilitation medicine worldwide, but wheelchair accessibility to public buildings in developing countries is a poorly researched phenomena making the situation unclear. The study assessed wheelchair accessibility of public buildings in Songea Municipality. A descriptive cross sectional survey where by objective assessment of 16 public buildings was performed in Songea Municipality using a standard survey guideline (Americans with Disabilities Act Guideline). Cluster sampling technique was used to sample the available buildings into different clusters and 19 buildings were sampled randomly from each cluster. The overall score of accessibility compliance was 38%.Of the five areas of accessibility assessed, entrance had the highest compliance of 92%, and parking had lowest score of 0%, others were accessible route 31%, ramp 20% and toilet 17% .The buildings which were built before a year 2010 had a mean score of 20.5% and those built after the year 2010 had a mean score of 55.2%. The results of the current study shows that most of public buildings surveyed in Songea Municipal are inaccessible to wheelchair users despite the presence of building regulations and persons with disability act of 2010.The study recommends the enforcement of the law by the government to all public buildings, emphasis to be made on parking, ramps, toilets and accessible routes. The study also recommends remodeling of the available inaccessible elements by the buildings administrators.

WEATHER-DRIVEN FLUCTUATIONS IN DAILY BEACH TOURISM: INSIGHTS FROM COASTAL DESTINATION DYNAMICS IN SPAIN

Tourism dynamics are profoundly influenced by weather conditions, particularly in regions celebrated for their climatic appeal. The Rías Baixas, a renowned coastal destination in northwest Spain, presents an exemplary case for examining this interplay. This study aims to enhance comprehension of how tourists alter their daily activities in response to weather changes, providing valuable insights for improved planning and management in the tourism sector. Faced with the methodological challenge of accurately measuring daily tourist flows, especially in areas such as beaches without entry registers, this study innovatively uses daily vehicle traffic intensity data in access areas to quantify tourist behavior patterns. Positive correlations are observed between the arrival of vehicles and sunshine. For tourism businesses, short-term weather forecast information, as well as a better understanding of travelers’ behavior, is crucial for decision making and operational planning.

Persistent Transmission of Circulating Vaccine-Derived Poliovirus - Somalia, January 2017-March 2024.

Since the launch of the Global Polio Eradication Initiative in 1988, substantial progress has been made in the interruption of wild poliovirus (WPV) transmission worldwide: global eradication of WPV types 2 and 3 were certified in 2015 and 2019, respectively, and endemic transmission of WPV type 1 continues only in Afghanistan and Pakistan. After the synchronized global withdrawal of all serotype 2 oral poliovirus vaccines (OPVs) in 2016, widespread outbreaks of circulating vaccine-derived poliovirus type 2 (cVDPV2) have occurred, which are linked to areas with low population immunity to poliovirus. Officials in Somalia have detected ongoing cVDPV2 transmission since 2017. Polio vaccination coverage and surveillance data for Somalia were reviewed to assess this persistent transmission. During January 2017-March 2024, officials in Somalia detected 39 cVDPV2 cases in 14 of 20 regions, and transmission has spread to neighboring Ethiopia and Kenya. Since January 2021, 28 supplementary immunization activities (SIAs) targeting cVDPV2 were conducted in Somalia. Some parts of the country are security-compromised and inaccessible for vaccination campaigns. Among 1,921 children with nonpolio acute flaccid paralysis, 231 (12%) had not received OPV doses through routine immunization or SIAs, 95% of whom were from the South-Central region, and 60% of whom lived in inaccessible districts. Enhancing humanitarian negotiation measures in Somalia to enable vaccination of children in security-compromised areas and strengthening campaign quality in accessible areas will help interrupt cVDPV2 transmission.

Effective or useless? Assessing the impact of park entrance addition policy on green space services from the 15-min city perspective

This study investigates an innovative approach to enhance urban green space access by adding new park entrances rather than expanding the green space itself, aiming for sustainable urban development. Taking Shenzhen as a case study, we first developed a universal framework to identify potential locations for new entrances and used network analysis in ArcGIS to quantify green service improvements. Then, under the 15-min city concept, the impact on green accessibility and equity was assessed using the two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) method and Gini coefficient analysis. Results indicate that (1) new entrances enabled 21.10% of residents to access parks with an average reduced travel distance of 214.71 m, and increased the population within a 15-min walk to parks by 7.34%. (2) This strategy proved cost-effective, serving 27.66% of residents at 1/38 the cost of creating new green spaces. (3) Furthermore, the accessible green area within a 15-min walking or cycling increased by 0.18 km2 and 1.42 km2, respectively, without affecting green equity. Our findings support the policy of adding park entrances as a feasible and efficient urban strategy, supporting Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) 3 and 11, and the policy can be implemented across almost cities.

Can hair snares provide a reliable method for estimating abundance of an exotic ungulate?

Mitigating exotic species invasions requires reliable information on abundance and source-sink dynamics to evaluate effectiveness of control efforts. Despite being present in the southeastern United States for centuries, wild pigs (Sus scrofa) continue to invade new areas, including the Sam D. Hamilton Noxubee National Wildlife Refuge (NNWR) in Mississippi, a forested landscape with an emerging wild pig population. Considering the early stage of invasion, we designed and implemented a non-invasive hair sampling technique to estimate abundance and relatedness of wild pigs within the NNWR. Following 8-week sampling periods in 2021 (n = 160 samples) and 2022 (n = 159 samples), we identified 38 and 26 unique individuals, respectively, although recapture rates were too low to yield precise abundance estimates. We also identified low heterozygosity indicating high relatedness among our population which likely reflected lack of barrier features to gene flow and/or a limited number of external source populations. Finally, we observed positive trends in viable samples collected relative to sampling week, suggesting more optimal sampling period(s) may exist (e.g., autumn). We also acknowledge that use of grain in more accessible areas rather than our remote approach using scent-only attractants may increase hair snare attractiveness and wild pig encounters, while permitting increased sampling frequency. Collectively, these modifications (i.e., altered season, bait type, and access) provide viable pathways to increase precision for abundance estimates. When used concomitantly with ongoing monitoring and control efforts, non-invasive hair sampling will contribute to a more holistic understanding of this exotic species and better inform management actions.

Pengaruh Pertumbuhan Ekonomi, Indeks Pembangunan Manusia (IPM) dan Pengangguran terhadap Kemiskinan di Provinsi Nusa Tenggara Timur

Poverty is a challenge to development in various sectors characterized by deprivation, inability, and lack. People living in poverty often experience nutritional problems, poor health, high illiteracy rates, inappropriate environments, and limited access, both in rural and urban areas, such as in small poor villages or isolated seaside communities. This research is a quantitative study, which uses a statistical approach to test hypotheses. Specifically, this study analyzes the effect of Economic Growth, Human Development Index, and unemployment rate on the poverty rate in East Nusa Tenggara. Statistical analysis was conducted using panel data regression with the help of Eviews10 software processing. The results show that: the Human Development Index (HDI) has a significant effect on poverty in East Nusa Tenggara Province, while Economic Growth and Unemployment have no significant effect on the poverty rate in East Nusa Tenggara Province.

Mapping the road ahead: understanding social factors that shape vehicle residents’ information grounds

Introduction. An estimated one million people currently inhabit vehicles as their primary method of housing in publicly accessible areas across the United States. Few studies have investigated this untraditionally housed population, as separate from traditional homelessness, and no other studies have been found that currently explore vehicle resident’s information behaviours. This paper offers preliminary findings from an ethnographic study that explores vehicle residents’ information practices. Method. This work is based on four months of ethnographic research involving participant observation in Santa Cruz, California, which aimed to understand vehicle residents’ information needs and access and the ways that various factors shaped their information practices. Analysis. Ethnographic field notes were analysed using the constant comparative method. Induction was used to identify and categorize recurring conceptualizations and phenomena. Results. Preliminary findings build upon previous research on information grounds. Initial results indicate that marginalizing policies, and in turn, social exclusion, created vibrant environments for information grounds to develop. Conclusion. Geographic locations and movements influence vehicle residents’ information practices. Gaining a deeper understanding of these practices inform both theoretical implications for the information behaviour field and practical implications for local and federal governments to deliver support rather than create marginalizing policies for vehicle residents.

The use of slime molds as a design guide in urban design, A case of Turkey/İzmir/Karabağlar

Urban design is a complex and challenging process that encompasses many disciplines, such as urban planning, architecture, and landscape. On the urban design scale, it’s important to consider short paths compatible with pedestrian behaviors, especially in public spaces, in terms of designing healthier and more accessible urban areas. But conventional design processes, which are mostly based on the designer’s observations or intuitions, fail to satisfy user behaviors in usage. Studies reveal that P. polycephalum slime molds have the potential to guide good urban planning. However, it is noteworthy that there are not enough studies yet in the disciplines of architecture and urban design on the design of pedestrian ways in small-scale areas, and there is a need for research. In this direction, this study is the first step of a method that is aimed at being developed for the disciplines of architecture and urban design in the long process. The main hypothesis is that a design template can be created as a result of graphical analysis of living slime mold experiments on the map, especially in undesigned empty urban areas, for architects and planners, and it can provide creative suggestions to the designer. In this direction, in this study, a graphic design template proposal was created based on live cell experiments at a site in Izmir, Turkey, which the local government aims to design as a pedestrianized zone and open for competition. Slime molds are used directly as a computer rather than as inspiration for a computer, and a pedestrian-oriented design template proposal develops with the behavioral models of slime molds. Compared to the award-winning designs developed for the same area, it has been shown that even within the framework of simple graphical measurements, it gives better results and creates more optimal routes on main and side roads. It is envisaged that this study can play a pioneering role for studies involving more detailed mathematical models that can begin in the field of architecture and urban design.

Assessing the Determinants of the Usage of Contraceptive in Family Planning in Punjab, Pakistan

Background: Contraceptive use is pivotal for managing birth rates, particularly in regions with high fertility such as Pakistan. This study highlights the role of family planning in controlling population growth by assessing the determinants affecting contraceptive usage in Punjab, a province characterized by diverse demographic and socio-economic conditions. Objective: The research aims to evaluate the impact of education, age, residential area, residential status, and media access on contraceptive use among ever-married women in Punjab, Pakistan. Methods: Data from the 'Annual Contraceptive Performance Report 2019-20' by the Pakistan Bureau of Statistics were analyzed. A total of 78,563 ever-married women were sampled using random stratified techniques. Multiple statistical tests, including logistic regression, chi-square, and independent sample t-tests, were applied to identify key factors influencing contraceptive usage. Results: Educational level, residential area, status, wealth index quintiles, and media access were significantly associated with contraceptive use across Punjab. Statistical analysis showed that women's age and the number of children significantly affected contraceptive use. Key predictors identified include media access, reproductive history, and residential characteristics, with media access and residential area being particularly impactful. Conclusion: This study confirms that socioeconomic and demographic factors significantly influence contraceptive usage in Punjab. Enhanced focus on education and targeted media campaigns could improve family planning outcomes. Effective interventions should consider local cultural and social contexts to increase contraceptive uptake.

Spectroscopic and SERS investigations of (E)-3-[(3-methoxybenzylidene) amino]rhodanine – Experimental, DFT and MD analyses in solvents

Studying the interfacial characteristics of nanoparticles and adsorption behavior of molecules on silver colloids requires application of surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) and density functional theory (DFT). In this research the effects of (E)-3-[(3-methoxybenzylidene)amino]-2-thioxothiazolidin-4-one (MAT) adsorption at various concentrations on silver colloids were investigated. It was shown that the MAT molecule interacted with silver through the oxygen, nitrogen and methyl groups. The computed wavenumbers for the MAT molecule were in agreement with experimental values, proving that DFT approach may be used to assign wavenumbers. It is important to note that when MAT is adsorbed on Ag and MAT is chemisorbed on the metal cluster, the electron density is reallocated and the charge is transferred from molecule to silver atoms. A variation in orientation of MAT molecule with regard to silver colloid changes the nature of adsorption as concentration changes as well. Higher fluctuation during molecular dynamics (MD) simulation gives molecular instability, while smaller fluctuation denotes a biological system that is noticeably stable. Solvent-accessible surface area (SASA) plots showed certain shrinkage for MAT and MAT-Ag6 complexes solvent accessible areas in methanol, while a certain increase of the solvent accessible regions was observed in water for both.

Synthesis of Ni decorated MoOx nanorod catalysts for efficient overall urea-water splitting.

Substituting slow oxygen evolution reaction (OER) with thermodynamically favorable urea oxidation reaction (UOR) is considered as one of the feasible strategies for achieving energy-saving hydrogen production. Herein, a uniform layer of NiMoO4 nanorods was grown on nickel foam by a hydrothermal method. Then, a series of Ni-MoOx/NF-X nanorod catalysts comprising Ni/NiO and MoOx (MoO2/MoO3) were prepared through regulating annealing atmosphere and reduction temperature. The optimized Ni-MoOx/NF-3 with a large accessible specific area can act as a bifunctional catalyst for electrocatalytic anodic UOR and cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). At a current density of 100 mA cm-2, the introduction of urea can significantly reduce the overpotential of Ni-MoOx/NF-3 by 210 mV compared to OER. In addition, Ni-MoOx/NF-3 has a higher intrinsic activity than other catalysts. It only requires -0.21 and 1.38V to reach 100 mA cm-2 in HER and UOR, respectively. Such an excellent performance can be attributed to the synergistic function between Ni and MoOx. The presence of metallic Ni and reduced MoOx in pairs is beneficial for improving the electrical conductivity and modulating the electronic structure, resulting in enhancing the electrocatalytic performance. When assembling Ni-MoOx/NF-3 into an overall urea-water splitting system, it can achieve energy-saving hydrogen production and effective removal of urea-rich wastewater.

Rock characterization, UAV photogrammetry and use of algorithms of machine learning as tools in mapping discontinuities and characterizing rock masses in Acoculco Caldera Complex

The use of UAV represents a very useful tool for rock mass characterization, particularly in large, unsafe, and not accessible areas characterized by a complex geometry. This investigation was mainly focused on mapping discontinuities and characterizing rock masses using UAV photogrammetry, machine learning, including different algorithms, and intact rock laboratory analyses, respectively. To this aim different outcrops from those described as a part of the basement of the Acoculco Caldera Complex, composed by a series of folded limestones were selected. The results indicate that geomechanical and physical properties, together with outcrop information are very important to assign suitable properties to large rock units. In turn, the great number of plots of discontinuity orientation extracted from the 3D point cloud data by the used of our code written in python language allowed to easily identify the presence of a total of seven discontinuity sets, some of them related to the bedding sequence and some others related to shear and tensile stress due to folding.

Halogenated Secondary Metabolites from Higher Plants: Potent Drug Candidates for Chikungunya Using in silico Approaches.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) causes a debilitating fever and joint pain, with no specific antiviral treatment available. Halogenated secondary metabolites from plants are a promising new class of drug candidates against chikungunya, with unique properties that make them effective against the virus. Plants produce these compounds to defend themselves against pests and pathogens, and they are effective against a wide range of viruses, including chikungunya. This study investigated the interactions of halogenated secondary metabolites with nsP2pro, a therapeutic target for CHIKV. A library of sixty-six halogenated plant metabolites screened previously for ADME properties was used. Metabolites without violation of Lipinski's rule were docked with nsP2pro using AutoDock Vina. To find the stability of the pipoxide chlorohydrin-nsP2pro complex, the GROMACS suite was used for MD simulation. The binding free energy of the ligand-protein complex was computed using MMPBSA. Molecular docking studies revealed that halogenated metabolites interact with nsP2pro, suggesting they are possible inhibitors. Pipoxide chlorohydrin showed the greatest affinity to the target. This was further confirmed by the MD simulations, surface accessible area, and MMPBSA studies. Pipoxide chlorohydrin, a halogenated metabolite, was the most potent against nsP2pro in the survey.

Research on the mechanism of leader-follower product sales competition based on market access restrictions and forward contract considerations

Market access restrictions have been the focus of attention for various market players, but there are fewer studies on the competitive mechanism of market access restrictions on firms' product sales. This paper investigates the competitive mechanism of leader-follower product sales based on market access restrictions and forward contracts. First, the mechanism of leader-follower sales decisions based on market access restrictions and forward contracts is clarified. Second, it models the forward default risk suffered by followers and the profit rate of leader-follower based on market access restrictions and forward considerations by Bayes' posterior probability method. Moreover, it severely explores the impact mechanisms of the degree of market access restrictions on leaders and followers when followers do not adopt and adopt forwards and makes a simulation analysis. The results show that: (i) When followers do not employ forward contracts, the less restrictive degree of market access increases the supply of leaders, and leaders' competition for product sales further leads to a decrease in the provision of followers. (ii) When followers use forwards, leaders' and followers' expected discounted profit rates decrease with the total supply of products in the market increases. (iii) If the degree of market access restrictions is low, the followers suffer an increased forward default risk, resulting in their rate of revenue decrease. The findings of this paper have some practical significance and policy implications for the regulator to adjust the degree of market access restriction in each restricted access area, to establish a reasonable and efficient competitive environment for product sales, as well as for firms to choose the optimal way of competing for product sales.