Commercial Trade Research Articles

Analysis of influencing factors of HPV vaccination willingness of female sex workers in urban entertainment venues based on the IMB model in Guangxi, China

ObjectiveUnderstanding HPV vaccination willingness and its influencing factors among female sex workers (FSWs) in entertainment venues in an urban area of Guangxi, China.MethodsFrom 15 August to 15 October 2022, FSWs in entertainment venues with commercial sex trade in an urban area of Guangxi were selected as the study subjects for the questionnaire survey using the method of intentional sampling. The questionnaire based on the information-motivation-behavior (IMB) skills model was used to collect the basic characteristics, HPV and HPV vaccine-related information and cognition, motivation to vaccinate, behavioral skills and willingness to vaccinate from the research targets. A multifactor logistic regression model was used to analyze the factors influencing the research targets' willingness to receive HPV vaccination.ResultsOf the 921 research targets, 712 (77.31%) were willing to receive HPV vaccination. The higher the level of knowledge regarding HPV and HPV vaccine-related information, the higher the motivation for HPV vaccination. In addition, the higher the behavioral skills score, the higher the willingness of FSWs in entertainment venues to receive HPV vaccination (P<0.001). FSWs in entertainment venues with lower venue grades [OR(95% CI)=0.693 (0.539, 0.891), P=0.004] were more reluctant to receive HPV vaccination. Those who favored the effectiveness of the vaccine in preventing the disease [OR(95% CI)=2.144 (1.449, 3.174), P<0.001] and those who had heard of HPV vaccine [OR(95% CI)=2.105 (1.451, 3.054), P<0.001], were able to perceive the benefits of HPV vaccination [OR(95% CI)=1.134 (1.045, 1.230), P=0.002]. These individuals acquired greater behavioral skills i.e., self-decision making for HPV vaccination [OR(95% CI)=1.130 (1.008, 1.267), P=0.036] and self-efficacy [OR(95% CI)=1.135 (1.081, 1.191), P<0.001] and they were more willing to receive HPV vaccine.ConclusionsThere was a relatively high HPV vaccination willingness among FSWs in entertainment venues in an urban area of Guangxi, China. Attention should be focused on introducing the benefits of primary prevention measures such as the HPV vaccine for individuals and behavioral skills for HPV vaccination in order to increase their willingness to be vaccinated thus increasing their HPV vaccination rate.

A synthesis of wild animal-related trade laws in some of the world's most biodiverse countries

We examined the laws and legal provisions governing the commercial trade of terrestrial wild fauna across the trade chain in some of the world's megadiverse countries and how these relate to key animal welfare and conservation concerns. Over the past century, an increase in the quantity and complexity of laws related to commercial wildlife trade has been observed in the 11 focal countries examined. Our review identified 95 laws with 560 provisions adopted since 1910 across these countries. Surprisingly, the level of biological diversity in a country does not correlate with the extent of legislation addressing wildlife trade. Moreover, legislation is unevenly distributed across different stages of the wildlife trade chain, with more provisions on extraction and transportation compared to captive management. Notably, animal welfare considerations are relatively underrepresented in legislation related to wildlife trade, despite their broad implications for public health and economies. Urgent legislative action is needed to meet global biodiversity targets and respond to the challenges posed by the growing scale and complexity of the wildlife trade. Recommendations are made to streamline legislation, consider the legal status of wild animals, and address gaps in enforcement mechanisms. We conclude that alignment of national and international regulations is crucial for the effective protection of both wild animal populations and individual animals' welfare in the context of commercial trade. Further research is needed to assess the effectiveness of existing laws, bridge legal gaps, and address diverse concerns related to wildlife trade, including public health and the rights of local communities.

Impact of air connectivity on bilateral service export and import trade: The case of China

This paper examines the effect of bilateral air connectivity on bilateral service trade flows. Our service trade data includes ‘commercial’, ‘transport’, ‘travel’, and ‘government’ services. We developed a reduced-form gravity-type model using the Chinese data. An instrument variable (IV) approach is adopted to address the endogeneity issue between bilateral air connectivity and the service trade variables. Our key results are: (a) increasing the number of direct routes can significantly promote bilateral service export and import trades; (b) the average route-level traffic density has only marginal positive effects; (c) improving air connectivity would enlarge China's overall service trade deficit, because the transport and travel services imports are promoted more than their exports; (d) The ‘commercial’ service exports can be stimulated more than the imports, making China achieve larger commercial service trade surplus by improving bilateral air connectivity.

Xanthomonas citri pv. citri Findings in Citrus Fruits Imported in the Netherlands

Xanthomonas citri pv. citri and pv. aurantifolii are responsible for citrus bacterial canker. The trade of citrus fruit is recognized as one of the seven X. citri pv. citri introduction pathways. Under the current European Union phytosanitary measures, the likelihood of these X. citri pathovars being introduced into the Mediterranean region via infected fruit is rated as unlikely. To closely monitor the commercial trade flow of citrus fruit, imported lots that contained fruits with citrus bacterial canker symptoms were quarantined, and a sample was sent for laboratory analysis. Survey results revealed the presence of viable and highly pathogenic X. citri pv. citri isolates in 97 infected lots between 2013 and 2022, whereas X. citri pv. aurantifolii was never found. These X. citri pv. citri-infected lots primarily concerned Citrus latifolia (64), C. hystrix (17), and C. grandis (11) fruits, mainly from South America but also from several Asian countries. Additionally, a genetic characterization of these X. citri pv. citri isolates demonstrated that, although they originated from different countries, years, and Citrus species, they were all highly related, with average nucleotide identity scores ranging from 99.98 to 100%. These intercepted lots containing symptomatic citrus fruits due to the presence of X. citri pv. citri underlines the importance of continued vigilance by both the exporting and importing countries. Import inspections of the citrus fruit trade flow for the presence of citrus bacterial canker symptoms and subsequent laboratory testing remain significant tools for assessing the long-distance dispersal of X. citri pv. citri.

Risk assessment for commercial crime and legal protection based on modularity-optimized LM and SCA-optimized CNN

With the Internet of Things (IoT) making significant strides in recent years, the challenges associated with data collection and analysis have emerged as a pressing concern in public security. When employed to tackle extensive criminal networks, the conventional deep learning model encounters issues such as heightened computational complexity, sluggish operational efficiency, and even system failures. Consequently, this research article introduces an intricately devised framework for detecting commercial offenses, employing a modularity-optimized Louvain-Method (LM) algorithm. Additionally, a convolutional neural networks (CNN)-based model is formulated to determine the feasibility of extending legal aid, wherein feature transformation is facilitated by utilizing TFIDF and Word2vec algorithms aligned with diverse legal text corpora. Furthermore, the hyper-parameter optimization is accomplished using the sine cosine algorithm (SCA), ultimately enabling the classification of relevant legal guidance. The experimental outcomes comprehensively affirm the exceptional training effectiveness of this model. The commercial crime identification model, grounded in modular optimization as proposed in this article, adeptly discerns criminal syndicates within the commercial trading network, achieving an accuracy rate exceeding 90%. This empowers the identification of such syndicates and bestows the judicial sphere with pertinent legal insights.

Experimental study of 3D printed carbon fibre sandwich structures for lightweight applications

Honeycomb sandwich structures are widely used in lightweight applications. Usually, these structures are subjected to extreme loading conditions, leading to potential failures due to delamination and debonding between the face sheet and the honeycomb core. Therefore, the present study is focused on the mechanical characterisation of honeycomb sandwich structures fabricated using advanced 3D printing technology. The continuous carbon fibres and ONYX-FR matrix materials have been used as raw materials for 3D printing of the specimens needed for various mechanical characterization testing; ONYX-FR is a commercial trade name for flame retardant short carbon fibre filled nylon filaments, used as a reinforcing material in Morkforged 3D printer. Edgewise and flatwise compression tests have been conducted for different configurations of honeycomb sandwich structures, fabricated by varying the face sheet thickness and core cell size, while keeping the core cell thickness and core height constant. Based on these tests, the proposed structure with face sheet thickness of 3.2 mm and a core cell size of 12.7 mm exhibited the highest energy absorption and prevented delamination and debonding failures. Therefore, 3D printing technology can also be considered as an alternative method for sandwich structure fabrication. However, detailed parametric studies still need to be conducted to meet various other structural integrity criteria related to the lightweight applications.

Investigating sensory-classified roasted arabica coffee with GC × GC-TOFMS and chemometrics to understand potato taste defect

The presence of flavor defects in coffee beans can negatively impact quality, the consumer experience, and commercial trade. Potato taste defect (PTD), a flavor defect specific to East African coffee, is often characterized by a musty, vegetable-like aroma. While previous work has correlated PTD with the presence of 2-isopropyl-3-methoxypyrazine (IPMP), additional changes in the volatile profile of these beans can further amplify the distinct odor of this defect. The aim of this work was to develop a volatile fingerprint of PTD in roasted arabica coffee using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled to comprehensive two-dimensional gas chromatography with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (HS-SPME-GC × GC-TOFMS) and chemometrics. Examination of the HS-SPME-GC × GC-TOFMS data with tile-based Fisher ratio (F-ratio) analysis discovered 359 analytes that differentiated clean coffee samples from those impacted by severe PTD (p-value < 0.01). It was determined that 327 of the identified analytes were more prevalent in the clean coffee samples while 32 analytes, including IPMP, exhibited higher signals in the impacted coffee samples. Principal components analysis (PCA) of the F-ratio results demonstrated that the coffee samples clustered based on the presence of PTD. Partial least squares (PLS) regression modeling further demonstrated that the compounds discovered by F-ratio analysis were correlated with PTD by accurately predicting the concentration of IPMP in the samples. Investigation of the compounds highly weighted in both the PCA and PLS loadings suggest that the presence of microorganisms on coffee beans after antestia bug damage could be a potential pathway for PTD. This damage results in an overall decrease of analytes that are known to have positive sensory contributions to coffee aroma. Collectively, the volatile fingerprint shown herein illustrates that PTD alters the biochemical process in coffee beans.

Rustling and Human Security in Nigeria - An Analysis of Ecowas Response

This study analyses ECOWAS response to rustling and human security in Nigeria. The central theme of the argument in the study is that rustling poses a significant threat to human security in Nigeria. This implies that diaries and beef consumption are altered by the activities of rustlers, insurgents, terrorists, kidnappers, and bandits. This, in turn, also poses a significant risk to animal life, human security, and food security in Nigeria. Thus, in line with mainstream submissions in the extant literature, the study’s findings indicate that rustling threatens human and food security in Nigeria. To address these security issues, the study recommends that the government should come out with a new dimension to national security, secure the national borders by documenting and using forensic technology to record the details of people and commercial trade activities at the wall, and also seek sub-regional cooperation with ECOWAS member states.

Dynamic risk spillover effect and path of risk transmission across industrial sectors in China during COVID-19 epidemic.

Understanding the dynamic link between the development of COVID-19 pandemic and industry sector risk spillovers is crucial to explore the underlying mechanisms by which major public health events affect economic systems. This paper applies ElasticNet method proposed by Diebold and Yilmaz (2009, 2012, 2014) to estimate the dynamic risk spillover indicators of 20 industrial sectors in China from 2016 to 2022, and systematically examines the impact of industry risk network fluctuations and the transmission path caused by COVID-19 shock. The findings reveal that risk spillovers of Chinese industries show a dynamic change of "decline-fluctuation-rebound" with the three phases of COVID-19 epidemic. At the beginning of the epidemic, machinery and equipment, paper and printing, tourism and hotels, media and information services, and agriculture were the exporters of epidemic risk, while materials, transportation equipment, commercial trade, health care, and environmental protection were the importers of epidemic risk; However, as the epidemic developed further, the direction and effect of risk transmission in the industry was reversed. Examining the network characteristics of the pair sectors, we found that under the epidemic shock, the positive risk spillover from tourism and hotels, culture, education and sports to consumer goods, finance, and energy industries was significantly increased, and finance and real estate industries were affected by the risk impact of more industries, while the number of industries affected by information technology and computer industry was significantly reduced. This paper shows that there is inter-industry risk transmission of the COVID-19 epidemic shock, and the risk transmission feeds back in a cycle between industries as the epidemic develops, driving the economy into a vicious circle. The role of the service sector in blocking the spread of negative shocks from the epidemic should be emphasized and brought into play to avoid increasing the overall economic vulnerability. This study will help to deepen the understanding of scholars and policy makers on the network transmission effects of the epidemic.

Bear trade in Poland: an analysis of legal and illegal international trade from 2000 to 2021

Commercial trade is one of the leading threats to bears as they are targeted for trophies, food and medicines. While the threat from illegal trade and trafficking has been extensively studied in Asia, understanding of bear trade dynamics outside this region is limited. Poland is an end use destination for wildlife products such as trophies and wildlife-based traditional medicines. To gain an understanding of the bear trade in Poland, we conducted an analysis of (1) seizure data, (2) Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) trade data and (3) online surveys of Polish websites. We found that the trade of bears in Poland predominantly involves a demand for traditional bear-based medicines and, to a lesser extent, trophies. While trade in bear-based medicines and trophies is permissible with appropriate permits, illegal trade in such commodities is occurring in violation of CITES and European Union Wildlife Trade Regulations and in case of brown bear specimens—also national laws. This may possibly be due to a lack of public awareness regarding laws governing the import and export of bear parts and derivatives in which case education and awareness raising programmes might prove beneficial in eradicating trafficking of bear-based medicines and trophies. The use of bear bile for traditional medicine in Eastern Europe has not been previously documented and merits further research as to its scale, the source of bears used for these purposes and the potential impacts to bear populations.

Consumptive and Non-Consumptive Uses of Water Beetles (Aquatic coleopterans) in Sub-Saharan Traditional Rituals.

The use of wild animals in customary rituals and as a sustenance resource is a longstanding tradition within sub-Saharan Africa. The emergence of commercial trade, has, however, created unattainable demands and has led to the overexploitation of animals. These demands are threatening the conservation of animal species exploited in this trade. Comparatively little research effort has been dedicated to invertebrate species, and, specifically, their non-commercial uses. We explored the uses of water beetles in traditional rituals. We investigate the extent to which each of the non-commercial uses of water beetles exhibits consumptive and non-consumptive use features. The concepts are contested as their application for describing human-animal interactions has been challenged because of insufficient physiological and conservation data on the implications for animals of such interactions. The inadequacy of the available data pertaining to the use of animal resources was particularly pronounced. Most research efforts are skewed towards vertebrates at the expense of invertebrates. Regardless, the study shows that most non-commercial exploitation and uses of water beetles were mainly non-destructive and, if consumptive, the uses could be described as mainly non-lethal consumptive or sub-lethal consumptive. Rituals that could be described as lethal-consumptive comprised a smaller fraction of the uses of water beetles.

Wang Jia, Huang Yi, Li Bing and Other Partnership Disputes Case Study Report

Partnership has a long history and lasting vitality. The earliest partnership is the product of capitalism and the result of modern commercial trade development. With the development of human society, partnership continues to improve and improve, with the advantages of simple operation, high credit, flexible forms, etc. Today, partnership has become an extremely important form of economic organization in the market economy, widely existing in free industries such as lawyers and accountants. Because of the advantages of partnership, it is widely used, so that the form of development is gradually complicated, and the disputes involving partnership in economic activities are not uncommon. How to protect their own interests and solve disputes legally and effectively has become a problem widely discussed by many scholars and judicial practitioners.

Viking Age Windows

In the last 25 years a conspicuous amount of plane glass – windowpane fragments – has surfaced on archaeological sites from the Viking Age. These finds have not received scholarly attention as they are not recognised as a genuine prehistoric (i.e. pre-1050 Scandinavia) occurrence. This paper aims to investigate a select group of archaeological localities that all have a significant amount of glass objects and fragments, and which also serve as mainstays for continental influences, commercial trade, as well as ritual activities. It offers the study of the chemical composition of these windowpane fragments, their distribution, provenience, and discusses their potential use as windows in Viking Age Scandinavia. Based on the chemical composition of the analysed plane glass (via LA-ICP-MS) the paper argues, firstly, that the glass most likely should be dated to the 9th to 11th centuries; secondly, that there are two possible import paths of raw material with one recognized at the early emporia based on east Mediterranean types of glass, and another with a continental type of glass found at the aristocratic sites. Finally, the paper argues that the windowpanes very likely could have been used in contemporary glassed windows placed in wooden buildings at these sites.

Notes on the conservation threats to the western lesser spot-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus petaurista buettikoferi) in the Bijagós Archipelago (Guinea-Bissau, West Africa)

The lesser spot-nosed monkey (Cercopithecus petaurista) is a widely distributed West African guenon, which is generally considered less vulnerable to local extinctions than many sympatric primate species. Guinea-Bissau harbours the westernmost populations of the species, which is thought to be very rare or even extinct on the mainland, but to have putative populations on some islands of the Bijagós Archipelago. However, due to a lack of regional studies, baseline information on these insular populations is missing. We collected baseline data on the anthropogenic activities that possibly threaten the long-term conservation of this primate by using non-systematic ethnographic methodologies. The species was reported to be decreasing in number or rare by locals on two of the islands, and we identified two main conservation threats to it: generalised habitat loss/degradation, and hunting. While subsistence hunting has been recorded before in these areas, we report, to the best of our knowledge for the first time for these islands, the presence of a semi-organised commercial wild meat trade. The carcasses of western lesser spot-nosed monkeys were observed being stored and shipped from seaports to be sold at urban hubs (Bissau and Bubaque Island). The effect of commercial trade on the species could be severe, considering the small, naturally occurring, carrying capacities typical of insular ecosystems. The results of this study highlight the importance of understanding the leading social drivers of wild meat hunting of lesser spot-nosed monkeys on the Bijagós Archipelago, and the need to conduct baseline research on these insular populations, for which qualitative and quantitative methods could be combined.

Monitoring Shrimp Spoilage Using a Paper-based Colorimetric Label Containing Roselle Flower Extract

Background: Intelligent food packaging that can monitor food quality and safety is essential in modern commercial trade. Research on the fabrication of environmentally friendly colorimetric labels that can indicate the freshness of food through color changes are needed. Methods: In this study, paper-based colorimetric labels were prepared using filter paper dipped into a solution of Roselle flower extract, and their performance in monitoring shrimp spoilage was investigated. Results: The labels’ response to ammonia vapor shows a distinct color variation from red to greenish-grey, corresponding to a sharp increase in the total color difference (ΔE = 32). The labels are relatively stable during storage at 4°C for up to 20 days. In shrimp freshness monitoring, the color changes from red to purple, which corresponds to increasing levels of total volatile basic nitrogen (TVB-N), and can be observed easily with the naked eye. Conclusion: This suggests that our paper-based colorimetric labels impregnated with Roselle extract show superior performance in detecting shrimp spoilage.

Detection of native-alien populations of Anisandrus dispar (Fabricius, 1792) in Europe

The human-mediated introduction and movement of alien populations of species within their native range is still a little-explored topic. This phenomenon may cause genetic contamination of local populations and be the introduction pathway of new associated microorganisms and fungi, potentially able to modify the interspecific relationships between insects and host-plants with serious ecological and economic impacts. In the present contribution, we produced the first evidence of a native-alien population of the Palearctic ambrosia beetle Anisandrus dispar occurring in Europe, highlighting that individuals belonging to different populations of a species can disperse via commercial trade within its native biogeographic range resulting in cryptic invasions. Our findings support the idea that the movement of native species within their native distribution range can be more common than previously suspected.

Trade Acceptances, Financial Reform, and the Culture of Commercial Credit in the United States, 1915–1920

This article examines the nationwide campaign by financial reformers in the 1910s to convince businesses across the United States to abandon established commercial credit practices and use trade acceptances—the quintessential “real bill”—in their stead. The creation of the Federal Reserve System (Fed) and the outbreak of World War I offered a powerful coalition of campaigners the opportunity to forcefully argue that by capitalizing open account credit, trade acceptances fostered good business practices and stabilized the banking and financial systems. These campaigners relied on trade associations to disseminate, and the federal government to legitimize, their message. While some firms obliged, many businesses and banks criticized the campaigners’ arguments, casting trade acceptances as a means of financial centralization and as being contrary to the American culture of credit. Trade acceptances did not supplant promissory notes or trade in the open market and were rarely used by banks to access Fed liquidity. Instead, their legacy lies in their adoption by finance companies in the hope of securing financing for the distribution and mass consumption of consumer durables.

Diagnosis of a Rabbit Hemorrhagic Disease Virus 2 (RHDV2) and the Humoral Immune Protection Effect of VP60 Vaccine.

Rabbit hemorrhagic disease (RHD) is known as rabbit plague and hemorrhagic pneumonia. It is an acute, septic, and highly fatal infectious disease caused by the Lagovirus rabbit hemorrhagic disease virus (RHDV) in the family Caliciviridae that infects wild and domestic rabbits and hares (lagomorphs). At present, RHDV2 has caused huge economic losses to the commercial rabbit trade and led to a decline in the number of wild lagomorphs worldwide. We performed a necropsy and pathological observations on five dead rabbits on a rabbit farm in Tai'an, China. The results were highly similar to the clinical and pathological changes of typical RHD. RHDV2 strain was isolated and identified by RT-PCR, and partial gene sequencing and genetic evolution analysis were carried out. There were significant differences in genetic characteristics and antigenicity between RHDV2 and classical RHDV strain, and the vaccine prepared with the RHDV strain cannot effectively prevent rabbit infection with RHDV2. Therefore, we evaluated the protective efficacy of a novel rabbit hemorrhagic virus baculovirus vector inactivated vaccine (VP60) in clinical application by animal regression experiment. The result showed that VP60 could effectively induce humoral immunity in rabbits. The vaccine itself had no significant effect on the health status of rabbits. This study suggested that the clinical application of VP60 may provide new ideas for preventing the spread of RHD2.

Illegal trade of pangolins in India with international trade links: an analysis of seizures from 1991 to 2022

Pangolins have become one of the most intensely poached and trafficked mammal species, exploited mainly for the food and traditional medicine trade. Intense and continued illegal exploitation for commercial trade has become the leading cause of pangolin declines in parts of Asia and Africa. Recent research has illustrated the growing threat this poses to pangolins in India. India is home to two species of pangolin, the Indian Pangolin Manis crassicaudata and the Chinese Pangolin M. pentadactyla, which have been assessed as endangered and critically endangered respectively. Pangolin seizures in India between 1991 and 2022 were analysed to gain a better understanding of illegal trade dynamics. A total of 426 seizures were collated, involving an estimated 8603 pangolins. The frequency of pangolin seizures increased over time as did the volume of estimated pangolins seized. This could be due to a range of different factors including rising poaching and trade levels, increased law enforcement and reporting, and awareness. Nevertheless, on the ground, investigations by the Wildlife Protection Society of India strongly indicate that the escalating poaching and trade in pangolins is driven by lucrative market demands from beyond India’s borders, with a growing focus on the trade in live pangolins. Enforcement efforts appear to be undermined by low prosecution rates with only 1.4% of recorded seizures resulting in successful convictions. Asian pangolins have rapidly disappeared from their natural range and been locally extirpated in many parts of East and Southeast Asia. India’s pangolin species are at similar risk if poaching and trafficking levels continue unmitigated.

Trends in the global trade of live CITES-listed raptors: Trade volumes, spatiotemporal dynamics and conservation implications

The global legal wildlife trade is worth US$4–20 billion to the world's economy every year. Raptors frequently enter the wildlife trade for use as display animals, by falconers or hobbyists for sport and recreation. Using data from the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora's (CITES) Trade Database, we examined trends in the global, legal commercial trade of CITES-listed raptors between 1975 and 2020. Overall 272 species were traded, totalling 188,149 traded individuals, which increased over time. Hybrid Falcons (N = 50,366) were most commonly traded, comprising more than a third of the global diurnal CITES-listed raptor trade, followed by Gyrfalcons (Falco rusticolus; N = 30,510), Saker Falcons (F. cherrug; N = 21,679), Peregrine Falcons (F. peregrinus; N = 13,390) and Northern White-faced Owls (Ptilopsis leucotis; N = 6725). More than half of wild-caught diurnal raptors were classified as globally threatened. The United Kingdom was the largest exporter of live raptors and the United Arab Emirates was the largest importer. Countries with higher GDPs (US$) imported more raptors than those with smaller GDPs. Larger-bodied diurnal species were traded more relative to smaller-bodied conspecifics. Following the introduction of the European Union's Wild Bird Trade Ban in 2005, the number of traded wild-caught raptors declined. Despite its limitations, the CITES Trade Database provides an important baseline of the global legal trade of live raptors. However, better understanding of illegal wildlife trade networks and smuggling routes, both on-the-ground and online, are essential for future conservation efforts.