Different Levels Of Protection Research Articles

An Empirical Study of How Tribunals Interpret Stand-Alone FET Clauses regarding Their Relationship with the MST and How It Impacts Findings on Liability

This article provides the first empirical survey since the 2012 UNCTAD Report of how tribunals have addressed a specific type of Fair and Equitable Treatment (FET) clause: stand-alone clauses containing no reference to international law or any other standard. The vast majority of awards did not take a position on the issue of whether that standard offers the same or different level of protection compared to the Minimum Standard of Treatment (MST) under custom. Yet, those that did have overwhelmingly concluded that the clause must be interpreted to have an autonomous character, not related to the MST. These tribunals have also given broad interpretation of the scope and content of the clause which, in turn, had an impact on how they have addressed matters of liability and compensation. The success rate of FET claims is higher for tribunals which have expressly stated that a stand-alone FET clause has an ‘autonomous’ character compared to others which did not take a position on this question (two-thirds versus 50%). Notably, the overall success rate of FET claims under a stand-alone clause (50%) is much higher compared to that of awards examining FET clauses where the standard is expressly linked to the MST.

Design and analysis of an adaptive radiation resilient RRAM subsystem for processing systems in satellites

AbstractAmong the numerous benefits that novel RRAM devices offer over conventional memory technologies is an inherent resilience to the effects of radiation. Hence, they appear suitable for use as a memory subsystem in a computer architecture for satellites. In addition to memory devices resistant to radiation, the concept of applying protective measures dynamically promises a system with low susceptibility to errors during radiation events, while also ensuring efficient performance in the absence of radiation events. This paper presents the first RRAM-based memory subsystem for satellites with a dynamic response to radiation events. We integrate this subsystem into a computing platform that employs the same dynamic principles for its processing system and implements modules for timely detection and even prediction of radiation events. To determine which protection mechanism is optimal, we examine various approaches and simulate the probability of errors in memory. Additionally, we are studying the impact on the overall system by investigating different software algorithms and their radiation robustness requirements using a fault injection simulation. Finally, we propose a potential implementation of the dynamic RRAM-based memory subsystem that includes different levels of protection and can be used for real applications in satellites.

The sufficiency of the State’s economic capabilities to ensure the necessary level of defense needs forecasting improving method

The concept of sufficiency is closely related to the economic forecasting ability to set realistic and achievable goals for the economy as a whole development. Forecasting opportunities is a critically important tool that takes into account the current State of the economy, sets goals for future development, and also determines the necessary tools of State regulation to achieve them. Ultimately, the adequacy of economic opportunity can be assessed using these forecasting approaches because they aim to balance what is realistically achievable against the current State of the economy. The initial step in this process involves the formation of conceptual approaches that pave the way to the creation of acomprehensive system of forecasting the economic capabilities of the State to ensure the necessary level of defense needs. The article presents the results of the assessment of the individual economic capabilities of such countries as Norway, France, Finland, the USA, Sweden, Great Britain and Israel, taking into account the level of economic stability of the countries and the coefficients of stability of changes. By means of an expert survey, a list of possible threats and scope of implementation of different levels of protection was determined, taking into account the dependence of defense needs on the stability of funding and the stability of its changes. The averaged values of the limits of the corresponding levels of defense needs until 2033 inclusive are also determined. To predict the sufficiency of the State's economic capabilities ensuring the necessary level of defense needs, the Lagrange interpolation method was used, with the help of which 5possible directions of the development of the situation were identified. The results of using the appropriate method were the provision of recommendations based on the following characteristics: for countries that do not meet the selection criteria (Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Germany, Hungary and Poland); for countries with a "wave-like" trend, which characterizes the instability of State policy (France and Finland); for countries with a "wave-like" trend and a high potential for self-sufficiency and characterized by the instability of State policy (Norway); for countries that have the potential for gradual growth, using their own economic opportunities; may be characterized by over Stated defense needs (USA, Sweden and Great Britain); for countries with a high potential of their own capabilities (Israel). Thanks to this distribution, it is possible to examine potential future trends in the development of economic capabilities of countries and compare them with the determined levels of defense needs.

A robust optimization approach for placement of applications in edge computing considering latency uncertainty

Edge computing brings computing and storage resources close to end-users to support new applications and services that require low network latency. It is currently used in a wide range of industries, from industrial automation and augmented reality, to smart cities and connected vehicles, where low latency, data privacy, and real-time processing are critical requirements. The latency of accessing applications in edge computing must be consistently below a threshold of a few tens of milliseconds to maintain an acceptable experience for end-users. However, the latency between users and applications can vary considerably depending on the network load and mode of wireless access. An application provider must be able to guarantee that requests are served in a timely manner by their application instances hosted in the edge despite such latency variations. This article focuses on the placement and traffic allocation problem faced by application providers in determining where to place application instances on edge nodes such that requests are served within a certain deadline. It proposes novel formulations based on robust optimization to provide optimal plans that protect against latency variations in a configurable number of network links. The robust formulations are based on two different types of polyhedral uncertainty sets that offer different levels of protection against variations in latency. Extensive simulations show that our robust models are able to keep the number of chosen edge nodes low while reducing the number of latency violations as compared to a deterministic optimization model that only considers the average latency of network links.

Anti-aging effect of TMQ on EPDM for Various Cure Systems

Ethylene propylene diene rubber (EPDM) is a common raw material for weather resistant rubber products used in lots of areas such as cable, automotive, marine industry and aviation applications. Superior processing behaviour, electrical properties and moderate high temperature resistance also make EPDM an attractive raw material for a wide range of further industrial performance requirements. As well as the other general purpose rubbers, EPDM needs to be protected against thermo-oxidative aging. Short and long term aging behaviour of both sulphur and peroxide cured EPDM has been studied in literature. However, to the authors’ best knowledge, there is not any study in literature systematically evaluating a common rubber antioxidant 2,2,4-trimethyl-1,2-dihydroquinoline (TMQ) for investigating theoretical life-time of EPDM based materials that were vulcanized with different crosslinking systems. In this study, effects of TMQ on the thermo-oxidative resistance of EPDM has been studied for conven-tional and efficient sulphur vulcanization systems as well as peroxide vulcanization system. Aging mechanism for different cases has been investigated by using structural, rheological and mechanical tests. Thermo-oxidative aging has been monitored by carbonyl index and activation energy. Arrhenius based life-time estimation methodology has also been employed to evaluate aging behaviour of the reference and TMQ containing (-T) compounds. TMQ was found to exhibit different levels of protection against thermo-oxidative aging for all the curing systems and at all aging conditions. Higher aging activation energy for -T compounds has been attributed to extended service life of the material in the presence of TMQ.

Cleaning symbiosis in coral reefs of Jardines de la Reina National Park

Background Cleaning symbiotic interactions are an important component of coral reef biodiversity and the study of the characteristics of these interacting species networks allows to assess the health of communities. The coral reefs of Jardines de la Reina National Park (JRNP) are subject to a protection gradient and there is a lack of knowledge about the effect of different levels of protection on the cleaning mutualistic networks in the area. The present study aims to characterize the mutualistic cleaning networks in the reefs of JRNP and to assess the potential effect of the protection gradient on their characteristics. Methods We visited 26 reef sites distributed along the National Park and performed 96 band transects (50 m × 4 m). Low, medium and highly protected regions were compared according to the number of cleaning stations and the abundance and number of species of clients and cleaners associated with them. Additionally, we built interaction networks for the three regions and the entire archipelago based on a total of 150 minutes’ video records of active cleaning stations. We assessed ecological networks characteristics (specialization, nestedness) using network topological metrics. Results We found a high diversity and complex cleaning interaction network with 6 cleaner species and 39 client species, among them, the threatened grouper Epinephelus striatus was one of the most common clients. No clear effect of the protection level on the density, abundance or diversity of cleaners and clients was detected during this study. However, we found that the network structure varied among regions, with the highly protected region being more specialized and less nested than the other regions. Our research reveals some patterns that suggest the effect of fishing pressure on cleaning symbiosis, as fishing may reduce the abundance and composition of client species, especially those that are targeted by fishers. However, fishing pressure may not be the main factor influencing cleaning symbiosis inside of the National Park, as other factors, such as habitat quality or environmental conditions may have stronger effects on the demand for cleaning services and the interactions between cleaners and clients. Our research provides insights into the factors that influence cleaning symbiosis and its implications for coral reef conservation and management.

Examining the fire risk in London dwellings using the London Fire Brigade Incident database

AbstractAnalysis of the Fire Brigade's database of fires in London between 2009 and 2020 provided insight into the level of fire safety in the city and how it varies across different types of dwellings and different levels of protection. Regarding the number of fires, fatalities, and injuries, fire safety in London has significantly improved on average over these years. However, average trends cannot analyze catastrophic fires with multiple fatalities, like at Grenfell Tower in 2017, as these events are too rare to form a suitable sample size. Dwelling fires are the most lethal in London: despite accounting for only 28% of fires, they lead to 87% of fatalities and 83% of injuries. The odds of a dwelling fire becoming fatal in London fell from 1 in 174 in 2009 to 1 in 208 in 2019, a decrease of 16%. The total number of fires has decreased over this period, and the number of fires where an alarm was raised has increased, suggesting that the prevention and detection layers of fire safety have improved, while our analysis suggests that the level of protection from the compartmentation and evacuation layers has remained constant over time. An analysis of the different layers of fire protection suggests that compartmentation was the most impactful layer, with a failure in compartmentation increasing the odds of a fire being fatal by 1.5 to 5 times. Overall, this analysis shows that the fire hazard to Londoners in general is low and the lowest since 2009; however, there is still a threat that should not be understated.

Newcastle disease virus (NDV) recombinant expressing Marek’s disease virus (MDV) glycoprotein B significantly protects chickens against MDV and NDV challenges

Marek’s disease (MD) is a highly contagious viral neoplastic disease of chickens caused by Marek’s disease virus (MDV), resulting in significant economic losses to the poultry industry worldwide. The commonly used live and/or vectored MDV vaccines are expensive to produce and difficult to handle due to the requirement of liquid nitrogen for manufacturing and delivering frozen infected cells that are viable. In this study, we aimed to develop a Newcastle disease virus (NDV) vectored MDV vaccine that can be lyophilized, stored, and transported at 4 °C. Four NDV LaSota (LS) vaccine strain-based recombinant viruses expressing MDV glycoproteins gB, gC, gE, or gI were generated using reverse genetics technology. The biological assessments showed that these recombinant viruses were slightly attenuated in vivo yet retained similar growth kinetics and virus titers in vitro compared to the parental LaSota virus. Vaccination of leghorn chickens (Lines 15I5x71 F1 cross) with these recombinant viruses via intranasal and intraocular routes conferred different levels of protection against virulent MDV challenge. The recombinant expressing the MDV gB protein, rLS/MDV-gB, protected vaccinated birds significantly against MDV-induced tumor formation when challenged at 14 days post-vaccination (DPV) but moderately at 5 DPV. Whereas the other three recombinants provided little protection against the MDV challenge. All four recombinants conferred complete protection against the velogenic NDV challenge. These results demonstrated that the rLS/MDV-gB virus is a safe and efficacious dual vaccine candidate that can be lyophilized and potentially mass-administered via aerosol or drinking water to large chicken populations at a meager cost.

Long distance dispersal and oceanographic fronts shape the connectivity of the keystone sponge Phakellia ventilabrum in the deep northeast Atlantic

Little is known about dispersal in deep-sea ecosystems, especially for sponges, which are abundant ecosystem engineers. Understanding patterns of gene flow in deep-sea sponges is essential, especially in areas where rising pressure from anthropogenic activities makes difficult to combine management and conservation. Here, we combined population genomics and oceanographic modelling to understand how Northeast Atlantic populations (Cantabrian Sea to Norway) of the deep-sea sponge Phakellia ventilabrum are connected. The analysis comprised ddRADseq derived SNP datasets of 166 individuals collected from 57 sampling stations from 17 different areas, including two Marine Protected Areas, one Special Area of Conservation and other areas with different levels of protection. The 4,017 neutral SNPs used indicated high connectivity and panmixis amongst the majority of areas (Ireland to Norway), spanning ca. 2,500-km at depths of 99–900 m. This was likely due to the presence of strong ocean currents allowing long-distance larval transport, as supported by our migration analysis and by 3D particle tracking modelling. On the contrary, the Cantabrian Sea and Roscoff (France) samples, the southernmost areas in our study, appeared disconnected from the remaining areas, probably due to prevailing current circulation patterns and topographic features, which might be acting as barriers for gene flow. Despite this major genetic break, our results suggest that all protected areas studied are well-connected with each other. Interestingly, analysis of SNPs under selection replicated results obtained for neutral SNPs. The relatively low genetic diversity observed along the study area, though, highlights the potential fragility of this species to changing climates, which might compromise resilience to future threats.

Flax genotypes with horizontal resistance to pasmo (septoria) for breeding purposes

Relevance. Flax pasmo currently belongs to the most common diseases in the flax-growing regions of the Russian Federation. In the years of epiphytotics, losses from the disease can increase up to 25–30%. Purposeful breeding work for resistance to pasmo is restrained, first of all, by the absence of highly resistant to the disease of the initial forms of long-lived flax. The purpose of our research was to search for genotypes with horizontal resistance to flax pasmo for use in breeding programs for disease resistance.Methods. The total assessment of the harmfulness of the disease was the criterion «area under the disease development curve», the stability index of each sample was calculated.Results. In the conditions of Tver region (2019–2021) in an infectious nursery on an artificially provocative background to pasmo in the field, the stability of the collection and breeding material of long-lived flax was determined in dynamics. During the years of research, 731 flax genotypes were analyzed, the level of horizontal stability of each genotype was calculated. During the study, 61 genotypes with different levels of protection were identified, characterized by a delayed type of pasmo development. The stability index was 0.26–1.8 cu. The greatest breeding and immunological value is represented by 29 genotypes (L-2815-7-1, L-2808-8-5, L-2633-8-1, 0-15157-6-4, 0-15157-6-14, 0-15157-6-4, 0-13606-8-7, L-2815-7-1, L-3003-6-4, r-311-538-9, r-61-523-9, L-2947-6-3 etc.) in view of the high stability index. Тhe highlighted Selected samples with a horizontal type of stability should be used for flax breeding programs. These samples for two to three years showed a high and average index (0.26–0.6 cu) of stability.

The contributions of mitochondrial and nuclear mitochondrial genetic variation to neuroticism

Neuroticism is a heritable trait composed of separate facets, each conferring different levels of protection or risk, to health. By examining mitochondrial DNA in 269,506 individuals, we show mitochondrial haplogroups explain 0.07-0.01% of variance in neuroticism and identify five haplogroup and 15 mitochondria-marker associations across a general factor of neuroticism, and two special factors of anxiety/tension, and worry/vulnerability with effect sizes of the same magnitude as autosomal variants. Within-haplogroup genome-wide association studies identified H-haplogroup-specific autosomal effects explaining 1.4% variance of worry/vulnerability. These H-haplogroup-specific autosomal effects show a pleiotropic relationship with cognitive, physical and mental health that differs from that found when assessing autosomal effects across haplogroups. We identify interactions between chromosome 9 regions and mitochondrial haplogroups at P < 5 × 10−8, revealing associations between general neuroticism and anxiety/tension with brain-specific gene co-expression networks. These results indicate that the mitochondrial genome contributes toward neuroticism and the autosomal links between neuroticism and health.

Exploring the effects of protected area networks on the European land system

The European Union's Biodiversity Strategy for 2030 seeks to protect 30% of land, with 10% under strict protection, while building a transnational nature network. We explore the effects of the Biodiversity Strategy targets for land use and ecosystem services across the European land system. To do so, we propose a novel approach, combining a methodological framework for improving green network connectivity with an EU-wide land system model. We identify an improved network of EU protected areas consistent with the 2030 targets, and explore its effects under different levels of protection and in a range of paired climatic and socio-economic scenarios. The existing network of protected areas is highly fragmented, with more than one third of its nodes being isolated. We find that prioritizing connectivity when implementing new protected areas could achieve the strategy's targets without compromising the future provision of ecosystem services, including food production, in Europe. However, we also find that EU-wide distributions of land uses and ecosystem services are influenced by the protected area network, and that this influence manifests differently in different climatic and socio-economic scenarios. Varying the strength of protection of the network had limited effects. Extractive services (food and timber production) decreased in protected areas, but non-extractive services increased, with compensatory changes occurring outside the network. Changes were small where competition for land was low and scenario conditions were benign, but became far larger and more extensive where competition was high and scenario conditions were challenging. Our findings highlight the apparent achievability of the EU's protected area targets, but also the need to account for adaptation in the wider land system and its consequences for spatial and temporal patterns of ecosystem services provision now and in the future.

Airborne transmission of SARS-Cov2: What consequences for digestive endoscopy?

The SARS-Cov-2 disease disrupted essential hospital procedures, such as gastrointestinal (GI) endoscopy, due to concerns about air transmission and the risk of exposing health care workers. With the spread of the pandemic, air transmission was considered as the main source of SARS-Cov2 transmission. This raised the problem of transmission by aerosolization of viral particles in operating rooms as well as endoscopy units. This is in line with the known airborne transmission of many other respiratory viruses. The risk of SARS-Cov-2 transmission during GI endoscopy was initially reduced by controlled measures, involving personal protections (mask…), restricted access to endoscopy rooms, and detection of infected patients. Gastrointestinal endoscopy generates aerosols, which may carry viruses. In addition, the endoscopy system may facilitate the diffusion of virus particles or fomites considering the forced-air cooling system used to maintain a stable temperature inside the box (25°C). The volume of air that goes through the light source box is high (240-300m3 for a 1-h period). Moreover, the light system contains an air pump to inflate air inside the gut lumen. In order to isolate people from hazard, different levels of protection and solutions to avoid airborne transmission of microorganisms should be proposed, such as the reinforcement of personal protective equipment, the change in the way people work and engineering control of the risk.

Evaluation of differential white blood cell count and cheek pouch epithelium in 7,12-dimethylbenza[a]anthracene hamster carcinogenesis model, managed with three phytochemicals

Objectives: Nigella sativa (NS), thymoquinone (TQ), and epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) are phytochemicals that might have antioxidant protective potentials on the hamster cheek pouch epithelium (HCPE). We aimed at evaluating and comparing the potential therapeutic outcomes of these 3 phytochemicals by analysis of peripheral white blood cells (WBCs) counts. Materials and Methods: NS whole oil, TQ and EGCG were administered before, with or after 7,12-dimethylbenza[a]anthracene (DMBA) painting the hamster left cheek pouch. Before sacrificing each animal, 2 ml of blood was withdrawn into a fine heparin-containing tube to estimate the total WBCs, lymphocytes, MID cells, and granulocytes counts by an automatic count system. All cheek pouches were surgically excised and examined with light microscope. Results: Severe epithelial dysplasia was evident after 6 weeks of DMBA administration, and when NS was given for 2 weeks followed by DMBA for 6 weeks. When NS or EGCG were given for 2 weeks then continued with DMBA for 6 weeks, mild dysplasia was seen. When DMBA was given for 6 weeks followed by NS or TQ for 6 weeks, mild dysplasia was noted. Administration of DMBA for 6 weeks resulted in significant reduction in total WBCs and lymphocytes counts compared to healthy controls. Administration of NS or TQ for 2 weeks resulted in significant elevation in lymphocytes count compared to healthy controls. Significant elevation in total WBCS and lymphocytes counts was noted when EGCG was given for 2 weeks and continued with DMBA for other 6 weeks. Similar results were noted when DMBA was given for 6 weeks followed by TQ for 6 weeks when compared to NS, DMBA or healthy controls. Discussion: The three phytochemicals showed different levels of protection against DMBA carcinogenic activity, more specifically, TQ and NS had higher therapeutic potential and might be used for treatment and/or preventive management of oral cancer in the future. Conclusion: However, further investigations are required to address the mechanism of action and feasibility of clinical application of each phytochemical.

Evaluation of the release, stability and antioxidant activity of Brazilian red propolis extract encapsulated by spray-drying, spray-chilling and using the combination of both techniques

Red propolis, originary from Northeast Brazil, has a unique composition and a great commercial interest. However, due to the presence of ethanol and its remarkable sensory characteristic, its application in food products is challenging. Thus, the aim of this work was to microencapsulate the red propolis extract by spray-drying, spray-chilling, and combining both techniques. The particles loaded with propolis extracts were characterised and evaluated according to the stability of phenolic compounds, flavonoids and formononetin, during 60 days of storage. In addition, the formononetin release was also monitored during the oral, gastric, and intestinal phases in the in vitro digestion process. All produced particles presented matrix-type with size, distribution, shape, hygroscopicity, and dispersibility parameters that varied according to the carrier and encapsulation process applied. The techniques used to fabricate the particles efficiently obtained powdered propolis extract and protected the extract's bioactive compounds, total flavonoids and formononetin throughout the analysed period. The gastrointestinal release study presented distinctive releases in all phases (oral, gastric, and intestinal). The spray-dried particles, for example, released formononetin mainly in the oral stage. While the spray-chilled particles were primarily released in the intestinal phase, and coated particles were released gradually throughout the assay, reaching maximum relief in the intestinal phase. In conclusion, using microencapsulation techniques by spray-drying, spray-chilling, and their combination developed particles with different levels of protection during storage, releases and characteristics, which resulted in a range of possible applications in the food, feed, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical industries.

Freshwater corridors in the conterminous United States: A coarse‐filter approach based on lake‐stream networks

AbstractMaintaining regional‐scale freshwater connectivity is challenging due to the dendritic, easily fragmented structure of freshwater networks, but is essential for promoting ecological resilience under climate change. Although the importance of stream network connectivity has been recognized, lake‐stream network connectivity has largely been ignored. Furthermore, protected areas are generally not designed to maintain or encompass entire freshwater networks. We applied a coarse‐filter approach to identify potential freshwater corridors for diverse taxa by calculating connectivity scores for 385 lake‐stream networks across the conterminous United States based on network size, structure, resistance to fragmentation, and dam prevalence. We also identified 2080 disproportionately important lakes for maintaining intact networks (i.e., hubs; 2% of all network lakes) and analyzed the protection status of hubs and potential freshwater corridors. Just 3% of networks received high connectivity scores based on their large size and structure (medians of 1303 lakes, 498.6 km north–south stream distance), but these also contained a median of 454 dams. In contrast, undammed networks (17% of networks) were considerably smaller (medians of six lakes, 7.2 km north–south stream distance), indicating that the functional connectivity of the largest potential freshwater corridors in the conterminous United States currently may be diminished compared with smaller, undammed networks. Network lakes and hubs were protected at similar rates nationally across different levels of protection (8%–18% and 6%–20%, respectively), but were generally more protected in the western United States. Our results indicate that conterminous United States protection of major freshwater corridors and the hubs that maintain them generally fell short of the international conservation goal of protecting an ecologically representative, well‐connected set of fresh waters (≥17%) by 2020 (Aichi Target 11). Conservation planning efforts might consider focusing on restoring natural hydrologic connectivity at or near hubs, particularly in larger networks, less protected, or biodiverse regions, to support freshwater biodiversity conservation under climate change.

Comparison of the safety and immunogenicity of the BNT-162b2 vaccine and the ChAdOx1 vaccine for solid organ transplant recipients: a prospective study

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection and its resulting disease, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), has spread to millions of people worldwide. Preliminary data from organ transplant recipients have shown reduced seroconversion rates after the administration of different SARS-CoV-2 vaccination platforms. However, it is unknown whether different vaccination platforms provide different levels of protection against SARS-CoV-2. To answer this question, we prospectively studied 431 kidney and liver transplant recipients (kidney: n = 230; liver: n = 201) who received either the ChAdOx1 vaccine (n = 148) or the BNT-162b2 vaccine (n = 283) and underwent an assessment of immunoglobulin M/immunoglobulin G spike antibody levels. The primary objective of the study is to directly compare the efficacy of two different vaccine platforms in solid organ transplant recipients by measuring of immunoglobulin G (IgG) antibodies against the RBD of the spike protein (anti-RBD) two weeks after first and second doses. Our secondary endpoints were solicited specific local or systemic adverse events within 7 days after the receipt of each dose of the vaccine. There was no difference in the primary outcome between the two vaccine platforms in patients who received two vaccine doses. Unresponsiveness was mainly linked to diabetes. The rate of response after the first dose among younger older patients was significantly larger; however, after the second dose this difference did not persist (p = 0.079). Side effects were similar to those that were observed during the pivotal trials.

Heavy oil can be more supportive to safe handling in IVF procedures

Background and Aim: Different types of oil can have different levels of toxicity (Otsuki et al 2007) and give different levels of protection against evaporation during extended uninterrupted culture (Swain et al). It has been proposed that a heavier oil can be a better choice for IVF (Swain et al 2019). Oil can also, during handling and preparation, create risks for both embryos and staff through spilling and suboptimal handling properties. Oil can seal the gap between the lid and the culture dish leading to reduced gas exchange and ultimately embryo stress due to wrong pH.

More or less unmarried. The impact of legal settings of cohabitation on labour market outcomes

We study how different levels of protection upon separation affect the labour market behaviour of unmarried cohabiting partners. In Canada, unmarried cohabitation becomes a legal status after one year of relationship. Most provinces automatically expand couples’ rights and responsibilities after several years of cohabitation: some provinces allow cohabiting partners to claim for alimony upon separation, while others consider cohabiting couples to be equal to married couples. Using cross-province variations in legal settings and minimum eligibility duration, we find that eligibility for a regime making cohabiting partners equal to married partners increases men’s labour supply and earnings and decreases women’s while eligibility for a regime allowing for post-separation transfers between ex-partners decreases women’s earnings only. We find that the effect is stronger for couples directly eligible at the time of the reform than for couples who are eligible after the reform and may have anticipated changes in the legal settings. Our results show that eligibility affects within-household allocation of earnings and hours of work, and reinforces existing inequality. Our results contribute to the ongoing public debate regarding the legal recognition and level of protection that should be given to unmarried cohabiting partners.

High dependence on protected areas by the endangered giant armadillo in Argentina

A combination of technics was used to assess landscape variables associated with the presence of the globally vulnerable giant armadillo (Priodontes maximus) in its southernmost distribution in the Chaco region of Argentina. Between 2017 and 2019, 369 km of foot and vehicle transects were run to search and record indirect evidence of the species (burrows and feeding excavations) in areas with different level of protection, including two national parks, three provincial parks, and non-protected areas. Distance sampling was used to estimate density of excavations and effective strip width sampled to estimate the surveyed area. Resource selection functions (RSFs) were used to assess the variables associated to its presence by comparing locations of excavations with available habitat within surveyed areas. In these RSF models covariates that may affect habitat use and survival of giant armadillos were included: three categorical ones: soil type, vegetation cover (forests vs. grasslands), protection level (national park, provincial park, non-protected), and five continuous variables: distance to nearest river, distance to nearest national park, distance to closest protected area, distance to nearest transformed area, and distance to natural grasslands. Habitat use was modelled pooling together burrows and feeding excavations, and models were validated with a pool of records previously excluded from the analysis. A total of 104 records of burrows and 344 of feeding excavations were recorded. The probability of occurrence of giant armadillo excavations was much higher within forests, within or near protected areas, and increased with the distance to rivers, to transformed areas, and to grasslands. In the study area, only 10% of the landscape surveyed has good- to high-probability of occurrence of giant armadillos. The maintenance of large surfaces of native forests and the consolidation, improvement, and connectivity among protected areas seem to be essential for the long-term survival of the endangered giant armadillo in Argentina.