Commercial Chamber Research Articles

Optimizing phosphine fumigation efficiency in hazelnut industry: Determining optimal exposure time for stored product pest control

Hazelnut, as with many other stored products, are susceptible to infestation by a variety of stored insect pests. Phosphine fumigation is a widely used method to control pests in stored products, including hazelnut kernels. This study aimed to determine the optimal exposure time for phosphine fumigation for management of stored product pests in hazelnuts. Four treatments with different exposure times (3, 4, 5, and 6 days) were conducted using various development stages of Oryzaephilus surinamensis (L.) (Coleoptera: Silvanidae), Tribolium confusum Jaqcquelin du Val, (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Tribolium castaneum (Herbst) (Coleoptera: Tenebrionidae), Ephestia kuehniella Zeller (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae), and Plodia interpunctella (Hübner) (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) together with the control group. The trials were conducted in a commercial chamber of a hazelnut processing facility. The insects were placed in plastic containers within jute sacks filled with hazelnuts, fumigations were done under gas-proof sheet and the survival rate was assessed after treatments. The results showed that a 3-day exposure period was sufficient to fully eradicate the pupal and adult stages of O. surinamensis. For T. castaneum, 100% mortality was achieved in both larvae and adults from 3 days of exposure, but the pupal stage required at least 5 days. For T. confusum, all larvae and adults died in all exposure periods, but the pupal stage required at least 4 days. In the case of the moth species, a 100% mortality rate was achieved in the larval and pupal stages of both E. kuehniella and P. interpunctella at all exposure periods. The mortality rate of E. kuehniella eggs was 99% after 3 and 4 days of exposure, and a fumigation period of 5 days was required to control the entire population. However, only 67% of P. interpunctella eggs were controlled after 3 days of exposure. The time and stage factors were found to be significant in the egg stage of P. interpunctella. The results suggest that a 5-day exposure period is the most effective for controlling tested stored product pests in hazelnuts.

Emission of Terpenoid Compounds from Rice Plants

The global cultivation area of rice is equivalent to 4% of the world’s forest area and may be an important sink and source of trace gases. To produce a precise terpenoid emission inventory, it is essential to obtain reliable data of terpenoid emission from rice plants. In the present study, terpenoid emissions from various rice species were measured using flow-through chamber and tower flux measurement methods. In the flow-through chamber measurement, linalool was emitted from the above-ground parts of the three rice cultivars “Koshihikari”, “Nipponbare” and “IR72”. The emission rates gradually decreased (<0.1 µg gDW−1 h−1) within two days during the measurement periods. As the touching stimulus might have enhanced linalool emission, a non-contact measurement method, i.e., the tower flux measurement method, was applied to a “Koshihikari” paddy. Linalool was not detected, but α-pinene was detected in the atmosphere above the rice paddy. The α-pinene flux (mean ± 95% confidence interval) was 0.006 ± 0.004 nmol m−2 s−1 on a land-area basis. The flux was 1/200 of the previously reported monoterpene emission rate of the rice plants measured in a commercial chamber, but was not largely different from three other reports. We provide terpenoid flux data above a rice paddy for the first time, which is more reliable because the tower flux measurement method can avoid stimuli to rice leaves and stems. Although the obtained terpenoid emission rate is very low, the obtained values can contribute to the establishment of a precise BVOC inventory in Asia.

Capitalism and Confucianism: Was Weber Right?

Max Weber claimed that capitalism failed to develop in imperial China due to the incompatibility between Confucianism and modern capitalism. To examine Weber’s China thesis, I investigate the causal relationship between capital and the degree of Confucian influence in Chinese localities. Since formal banking sector and civil law were both absent in imperial China, I use county level data on money business and historical keju statistics to represent capital formation and local Confucian influence respectively. In particular, I use 1914 county level numbers of money business (Qianye) as historical local intensity of informal finance, to regress contemporary county level amount of capital of micro-credit companies to examine the persistence of informal finance. Using the number of issues discussed by local commercial chambers to instrument historical finance, I find that the persistence is significant and strong. I also investigate if Confucianism determined informal institution. To implement, I use the numbers of Jinshi as a proxy of Confucian tradition to instrument dispute resolution institution, and find Confucian influence is conducive to the development of informal institution, which in turn, facilitated the development of informal finance.

Analysis of a Measurement Method and Test System for Pressure Change Rates in Commercial Vehicle Brake Chambers.

The pressure change rate (PCR) of the brake chamber is the key control parameter and evaluation index in the pneumatic braking system for intelligent braking. The PCR threshold value of commercial vehicle brake chambers for braking comfort is analyzed. The PCR measurement method based on a laminar flow resistance tube is proposed, and the PCR test system is designed. The simulation model of a PCR test system for commercial vehicle brake chambers is presented. By analyzing the simulation and experimental results, it is validated that the PCR test system of commercial vehicle brake chambers has the function of measuring PCR in real time. Finally, according to the MSA (Measurement System Analysis) evaluation method, the performance of the PCR test system for commercial vehicle brake chambers is analyzed, and the correctness and applicability of the test system are verified.

Legal Position of Administrative Courts in Poland

Abstract The article concerns the administrative judiciary in Poland. Firstly, the Author discusses the legal bases (in particular, the constitutional bases) and the scope of competence of Polish administrative courts, that is to say the ‘voivodeship’ administrative courts (courts of first instance) and the Supreme Administrative Court (court of second instance). Administrative courts in Poland are, in general, the “courts of cassation”, which means they may only control the legality of administrative decisions and may not determine the state of facts, nor replace administrative decisions by their judgments. Administrative courts are vested with the competence to apply the Constitution and they actively cooperate with the Constitutional Tribunal (in particular, by addressing ‘questions of law’ to the Tribunal). Secondly, the Author presents the scope of competence of the Commercial and Financial Chambers of the Supreme Administrative Court and considers selected legal problems in the administrative courts’ jurisprudence in commercial and financial cases.

Comparison of Fluctuating Thermal Regimes and Commercially Achievable Constant-Temperature Regimes for Short-Term Storage of the Alfalfa Leafcutting Bee (Hymenoptera: Megachilidae).

Interrupting the spring incubation of Megachile rotundata (F.) with a period of low-temperature storage for synchronizing the bees' emergence with crop bloom is an essential part of M. rotundata management. Previously, we demonstrated that bees exposed to thermoperiods (TPs) during low-temperature storage have higher survival rates than bees exposed to constant temperatures. But changing the temperature in the large mass of bees commonly found in most commercial settings would place considerable stress on the chambers' refrigeration system. Reducing the difference between a TP's cryophase and thermophase would decrease the stress on the refrigeration system. Therefore, we investigated a range of TPs with cryophases (12 h) of 6, 12, or 15°C and thermophases (12 h) of 15 or 18°C and compared the survival rates of these bees against bees exposed to constant temperatures of 12, 15, or 18°C. For eye-pigmented pupae, the TP 6-18°C and the control fluctuating thermal regime (FTR; 6°C with a daily 1-h pulse at 20°C) had the highest survival rates for the 2 yr tested. For the constant-temperature storage protocols, constant 15 and 18°C were either equivalent or lower survival than the control FTR. For emergence-ready adults, the 6-18°C TP had the highest survival rates. The constant 15°C and the control FTR had equivalent survival rates. Under the current constraints imposed by a commercial chamber's refrigeration system, interrupting M. rotundata spring incubation by exposing the developing bees to constant temperatures of 15-18°C is currently the best option for commercial operations.

An inexpensive anaerobic chamber for the genetic manipulation of strictly anaerobic bacteria

Strictly anaerobic bacteria are important to both human health and industrial usage. These bacteria are sensitive to oxygen, therefore, it is preferable to manipulate these microbes in an anaerobic chamber. However, commercial anaerobic chambers (CACs) are expensive, making them less accessible to scientists with a limited budget, especially to those in developing countries. The high price of commercial chambers has hindered, at least partially, the progress of research on anaerobes in developing countries. In the research presented here, we developed an inexpensive and reliable anaerobic chamber and successfully achieved routine maintenance of eleven strictly anaerobic bacterial strains. Furthermore, genetic manipulation examples have been set for both Clostridioidesdifficile 630 and Clostridiumbeijerinckii NCIMB 8052 strains to validate that the chamber could applied to advanced genetic engineering of strictly anaerobes. C. difficile and C. beijerinckii were both genetically manipulated in this chamber, showing it’s utility for the genetic engineering of anaerobes. Most importantly, the anaerobic chamber was 76% - 88% less expensive than a CACs and has similar functionality with regards to the cultivation and manipulation of strictly anaerobic bacteria. The anaerobic chamber described in this study will promote the research of anaerobes in developing counties and scientists who have limited research budgets.

Sofregaz v. NGSC (CA Paris)

On June 3, 2020, the International Commercial Chamber of the Paris Court of Appeal (the Court or the Court of Appeal) dismissed the annulment application brought by the Société Française d'Etudes et de Réalisation d'Equipements Gaziers (Sofregaz, now called TCM FR) of an arbitral award rendered in Paris on December 27, 2018, in favor of the Iranian Natural Gas Storage Company (NGSC), pursuant to the Rules of Arbitration of the International Court of Arbitration of the International Chamber of Commerce (ICC Rules). The Court ruled in particular that U.S. sanctions against Iran do not form part of French international public order but that European Union (EU) and United Nations (UN) sanctions do. This ruling provides useful guidance on the interaction between international sanctions and international arbitration.

UN and EU Sanctions Versus US Sanctions: Two Different Yardsticks Commentary on the Decision of the Paris Court of Appeal (International Commercial Chamber) (5th Pole, Chamber 16) of 3 June 2020, No. 21/2020

The Paris Court of Appeal rejected a challenge to an ICC award rendered in favour of an Iranian government-owned company. That challenge was based on allegations of breaches by the tribunal of due process, of the arbitrators’ mandate, and of public policy. Of note, the public policy challenge was based on the tribunal’s alleged failure to take into consideration UN, EU and US sanctions against Iran. This decision of the Paris Court of Appeal is in line with the established French case law regarding its answer to the above mentioned three grounds of challenge, but it drew a peculiar conclusion that US sanctions, contrary to UN and EU sanctions, are not part of French international public policy, even though having the same object. Challenge of the award, French case law, breach of due process-waiver of the right to object, breach of the arbitrators’ mandate and the duty to reason the award-breach of public policy, UN, EU and US sanctions against Iran-international consensus

Traceable calibration of pressure based water level data loggers

This paper investigates accuracy, influence of temperature variations and time drift of water level data loggers, operating on a principle of hydrostatic pressure measurement. The laboratory setup for calibration of such devices, equipped with self-designed pressure chamber and commercial climatic chamber is presented. Calibration procedure for logger’s built-in pressure transducer, with ensured traceability to the primary standards of pressure and temperature, is proposed. Influence of temperature on the pressure reading was examined by conducting calibration at 10 °C, 15 °C and 25 °C.

Customizable live-cell imaging chambers for multimodal and multiplex fluorescence microscopy.

Using multiple imaging modalities while performing independent experiments in parallel can greatly enhance the throughput of microscopy-based research, but requires the provision of appropriate experimental conditions in a format that meets the optical requirements of the microscope. Although customized imaging chambers can meet these challenges, the difficulty of manufacturing custom chambers and the relatively high cost and design inflexibility of commercial chambers has limited the adoption of this approach. Herein, we demonstrate the use of 3D printing to produce inexpensive, customized, live-cell imaging chambers that are compatible with a range of imaging modalities, including super-resolution microscopy. In this approach, biocompatible plastics are used to print imaging chambers designed to meet the specific needs of an experiment, followed by adhesion of the printed chamber to a glass coverslip, producing a chamber that is impermeant to liquids and that supports the growth and imaging of cells over multiple days. This approach can also be used to produce moulds for casting microfluidic devices made of polydimethylsiloxane. The utility of these chambers is demonstrated using designs for multiplex microscopy, imaging under shear, chemotaxis, and general cellular imaging. Together, this approach represents an inexpensive yet highly customizable approach for producing imaging chambers that are compatible with modern microscopy techniques.

Italian court orders Amazon not to sell luxury cosmetics subject to a selective distribution network

Abstract Case 50977/2018 Sisley Italia et al v Amazon Core Europe et al (Sisley v Amazon) (2019) District Court of Milan, Commercial Law Chamber, Decision of 28 March 2019 In upholding an application for an interlocutory injunction, the District Court of Milan ordered Amazon to refrain from marketing, selling, promoting or advertising on its Amazon Marketplace Sisley high - quality cosmetics. The court considered that offering luxury products alongside low-quality goods on the same Internet site: (i) is incompatible with the qualitative standards, which the members of the selective distribution system covering the said cosmetics have to respect; (ii) constitutes trade mark infringement as the existence of a lawful selective distribution network is a legitimate reason for the non-application of the exhaustion principle.

Italian court finds Ferrari GTO 250 supercar to be a copyright artwork

Abstract Court of First Instance of Bologna, Commercial Chamber, Order of 20 June 2019, Case No 3973/2019, Ferrari Spa v Ares Design Modena Srl In the context of interim proceedings, the Court of First Instance (Tribunale) of Bologna found that the Ferrari GTO 250 supercar is protectable because it meets the statutory conditions of artistic and creative value for copyright to subsist in works of industrial design and, accordingly, awarded the Prancing Horse house an interlocutory injunction blocking the marketing of an imitation.

High-rise housing as a factor of the increase in Investment attractiveness of the city

That is obviously for experts, irrespective of status or quality, high-rise housing is here to stay. No country is in a position to ignore or discard this conspicuous legacy of the post-war and mass housing period. Nevertheless, high-rise residential buildings are still less widespread, than offices. According to the author, there are certain problems and reasons for limitation of high-rise construction in the housing sector. The author summarizes successful experience of high-rise housing construction in the world and considers some social-and-economic prerequisites of its development in the modern city. These concrete examples, given in article, prove that the existing problems are being solved. The most effective option of construction is the combination of inhabited and commercial chambers in the high-rise building and also the creation of specific infrastructure. In that case housing high-rise estates will promote the increase in investment attractiveness and investment activity in the district and in the city as whole.

Statistical review of the insulation capacity of the Geiger-Muller counter

This work considers the manifestation of spontaneous breakdowns of Geiger-Mueller counters. This is an experimental type of work. The reasons leading to the spontaneous breakdowns of Geiger-Mueller counters have been analysed under controlled laboratory conditions. The experiments were carried out under the ?constant voltage?. The tested Geiger-Mueller chambers were commercial chambers of the radial electric field and homogenous electric field. The experimental-statistical methods were used in order to choose the chambers with identical features (with 0.1 % of statistical reliability).The results of experiments showed that the spontaneous breakdown of the Geiger-Mueller counter happens even in the conditions of shielding. They also showed that those breakdowns have cumulative features. The reason for that is a positive feedback between the spontaneous breakdowns. The explanation is confirmed and quantified by the working gas filtering experiments.

Feasibility Study of Using Electrically Conductive Concrete for Electromagnetic Shielding Applications as a Substitute for Carbon-Laced Polyurethane Absorbers in Anechoic Chambers

This paper investigates conductive concrete in electromagnetic shielding applications as a viable alternative to carbon-laced polyurethane, which is used as an absorber material in anechoic chambers. To greatly increase concrete’s electromagnetic shielding performance, carbon black, graphite powder, and steel fibers are introduced to its composition. Samples of conductive concrete have been prepared and its shielding effectiveness is evaluated. The test method is based on using power spectrum analysis to characterize the degree of shielding due to the different mechanisms of reflection and absorption. The tested samples are in the shape of anechoic chambers pyramidal cones, to provide gradual impedance gradient. Slabs with flat surface are also built and tested in order to compare the results. Measured data are then compared with published figures for commercial chamber performances. The range of frequency tested is from 1 to 5.5 GHz. The pyramidal conductive concrete samples yield an excellent shielding effectiveness of approximately 65 dB as opposed to the carbon-laced polyurethane performance of 50 dB.

Aging of the Geiger-Muller counter due to particle conductance in an insulating gas

In this paper, the aging effect of commercially available Geiger-Muller counters under working conditions is being considered from both theoretical and experimental point of view. In the experimental part lifetime curves for the commercial Geiger-Muller counter chamber are first recorded. After detection of the aging phenomena, the commercial chamber response to an impulse voltage is tested along with recording of the same response of the Geiger-Muller chamber model with conductive particles included. The law of similarity for the gaseous discharge is fulfilled both by the commercial Geiger-Muller chamber and by the chamber model with conductive particles. The results obtained from the U-test indicate that the aging of the Geiger-Muller chamber is mainly caused by the occurrence of a great number of conductive particles hovering inside the chamber. Some suggestions of how to reduce the aging effect due to conductive particles inside the Geiger-Muller chamber are given in the conclusion.

A Complexity-Based Correction Factor for a Commercial 4-Dimensional Ionization Chamber Array System on IMRT Dosimetry Quality Assurance Measurements

A Complexity-Based Correction Factor for a Commercial 4-Dimensional Ionization Chamber Array System on IMRT Dosimetry Quality Assurance Measurements

Low‐cost fluctuating‐temperature chamber for experimental ecology

Summary Commercially available fluctuating‐temperature chambers are large and costly. This poses a challenge to experimental ecologists endeavouring to recreate natural temperature cycles in the laboratory because the large number of commercial chambers required for replicated study designs is prohibitively expensive to purchase, requires a large amount of space and consumes a great deal of energy. We developed and validated a design for economical, programmable fluctuating‐temperature chambers based on a relatively small (23 L) commercially manufactured constant temperature chamber ($140US) modified with a customized, user‐friendly microcontroller ($15US). Over a 1‐week trial, these chambers reliably reproduced a real‐world fluctuating (13·1–35·5 °C) body temperature regime of an individual frog, with a near‐perfect 1 : 1 fit between target and actual temperatures (y = 1·0036x + 0·1366, R2 = 0·9977, 95% confidence interval for slope = 1·0026, 1·0046). Over 30‐day trials, they also reliably produced a simpler daily fluctuating‐temperature scheme (sine wave fluctuating between 10 and 25 °C each 24 h) and a range of constant temperature regimes. The design is inexpensive and simple to assemble in large numbers, enabling genuine replication of even highly complex, many treatment study designs. For example, it is possible to simultaneously examine in replicate chambers the responses of organisms to constant regimes, regimes that fluctuate following the means experienced by populations and regimes that exactly mimic fluctuations measured over any length of time for particular individuals that differ in behaviour or microhabitat use. These chambers thus vastly expand the pool of resources available for manipulative experiments in thermal biology and ecology.

Marketing strategy of apparel and textile cluster in southwest region of Bulgaria

This paper provides an analysis of marketing activities and marketing organization of the Southwest apparel and textile cluster in Bulgaria. The first section of the paper gives an overview of the organization and functioning of the cluster. The second section focuses on the cluster marketing, analyzing its success to date and identifying the challenges it faces going forward. The purpose of the research report is to present and to analyze the marketing strategy of “Inter Moda Trading Cluster” in the Southwest region of Bulgaria. The sources of data which have been used in the research process are: official trade publications, cluster’s publications (internet site, bulletins, brochures, newsletters etc.), internal documents, depth interviews that were carried out with cluster’s top managers and the Chair of the Commercial Chamber in the city of Kyustendil.