Indirect Route Research Articles

Impact of truck contamination and information sharing on foot-and-mouth disease spreading in beef cattle production systems.

As cattle movement data in the United States are scarce due to the absence of mandatory traceability programs, previous epidemic models for U.S. cattle production systems heavily rely on contact rates estimated based on expert opinions and survey data. These models are often based on static networks and ignore the sequence of movement, possibly overestimating the epidemic sizes. In this research, we adapt and employ an agent-based model that simulates beef cattle production and transportation in southwest Kansas to analyze the between-premises transmission of a highly contagious disease, foot-and-mouth disease. First, we assess the impact of truck contamination on the disease transmission with the truck agent following an independent clean-infected-clean cycle. Second, we add an information-sharing functionality such that producers/packers can trace back and forward their trade records to inform their trade partners during outbreaks. Scenario analysis results show that including indirect contact routes between premises via truck movements can significantly increase the amplitude of disease spread, compared with equivalent scenarios that only consider animal movement. Mitigation strategies informed by information sharing can effectively mitigate epidemics, highlighting the benefit of promoting information sharing in the cattle industry. In addition, we identify salient characteristics that must be considered when designing an information-sharing strategy, including the number of days to trace back and forward in the trade records and the role of different cattle supply chain stakeholders. Sensitivity analysis results show that epidemic sizes are sensitive to variations in parameters of the contamination period for a truck or a loading/unloading area of premises, and indirect contact transmission probability and future studies can focus on a more accurate estimation of these parameters.

Improved Norfloxacin degradation by urea precipitation Ti/SnO2–Sb anode under photo-electro catalysis and kinetics investigation by BP-neural-network-physical modeling

The photo-electro catalysis has emerged as efficient and sustainable degradation method for antibiotics, where metal oxide anode plays a critical role. Exploring novel preparation method for anodes catalysis to achieve larger active sites and diverse oxidants production can directly enhance the degradation performance. Therefore, in this work, a new urea precipitation method for anode formation was studied. Both novel urea precipitation Ti/SnO2–Sb anode (TSSA-U) and traditional electro-deposition Ti/SnO2–Sb anode (TSSA-E) were prepared for Norfloxacin degradation by photo-electro catalysis in saline water. A unique tubular Ti/SnO2–Sb units formatted by urea precipitation resulted in higher porosity. This led to dominating advantage for TSSA-U on photo/electrochemical activity and degradation performances by individual photo/electro catalysis, compared to TSSA-E. However, this gap of degradation performances shrank when synergistic effect of photo-electro catalysis involved. The highest TOC removal ratio of 91.1% was obtained from TSSA-U under photo-electro catalysis. Besides, a novel BP-neural-network-physical modeling (BP-ANN-P) was developed for analysis. According to this modeling, both direct (adsorption-degradation, radiation, etc.) and indirect (mainly •Cl) routes contributed significantly in degradation work by TSSA-U, where indirect route shared 41.8–90.1% of total degradation ratio. An increasing of current density (from 5 to 25 mA cm−2) enhanced the kinetics for both routes. Indirect route preferred pH = 3–7 with direct route enhanced by neutral condition. Moreover, indirect route also showed better adaptability with higher initial NOR loadings.Both urea precipitation and BP-ANN-P have shown their value for high performance material formation and data analysis, respectively. Notably, higher catalysis performance and better analysis connect to low energy cost, shorter running time and more efficient judgement and selection, which meets the requirement of cleaner production and environmental sustainability.

How psychology helps us to understand word reading

ABSTRACT This paper presents an overview of evidence from psychological research, which enables us to understand the processes involved in word reading, how children develop word reading skills and how to teach them to read words successfully. Psychological models of reading in alphabetic orthographies propose two routes to word reading: an indirect route requiring mapping of letters and sounds using phonological processes and a direct route, mapping visual identities of words onto meaning using visual processes and memory. The dual route paves the way to an understanding of what children need to achieve to be able to read words. Evidence about how people read words successfully has led to the development of effective teaching programmes and of tests to identify deficits when word reading does not develop optimally.

Using numbers in CSR communication and their effects on motive attributions

PurposeThis study aims to investigate how judgments of firms’ underlying motives are affected by corporate social responsibility (CSR) communication which features percentages of profit allocations to CSR causes. It also examines how firm size interacts with CSR spending allocations affecting motive attributions for firms of different sizes.Design/methodology/approachTwo experiments were carried out manipulating CSR spending allocations (smaller vs larger percentage of profit) and firm size (small vs large firm).FindingsA larger percentage of profits allocated to CSR enhanced value-driven motives and inhibited inferences of manipulative intent, which produced lower egoistic-driven motives. Large firms allocating smaller percentages to CSR were judged as less value-driven and were more prone to elicit manipulative intent.Originality/valueTwo routes of motive attributions were identified – a direct route, contingent on CSR spending allocations and firm size; and an indirect route via inferences of manipulative intent, which inhibited favorable motives and prompted unfavorable ones. Both routes resulted from numerical cognition associated with the processing of numbers. Managerial implications include suggestions for firms wishing to overcome negative consumer bias arising from communication featuring CSR spending allocations and firm size.

Staging of di-methyl-ether (DME) synthesis reactor from synthesis gas (syngas): Direct versus indirect route

Di-methyl-ether (DME) has been received much attention because of its key features. It can be produced from any carbon-rich feedstock through the conversion of carbonaceous material to synthesis gas (syngas) and then to DME via indirect or direct route.In the current paper, the DME reactor is modeled and the effect of reactor staging on the reactor productivity and a measure of annual profit is investigated. Different number of stages, inlet syngas composition, and direct/indirect DME synthesis routes from syngas was considered.For the direct DME synthesis with an inlet syngas H2/(CO+CO2) of 2.33 and maximization of DME production as the objective function, staging of a DME reactor (with total volume of 100m3) to two and three stages increases the reactor productivity by 23.4% and 26.9%, respectively. In each case, the volumes of stages are included in the optimization. If the volumes of stages set to be equal (2×50m3 or 3×33.33m3), the reactor productivity of the two- and three-stage systems becomes 17.3% and 22.5% higher than the single-stage reactor. When the inlet H2/(CO+CO2) is set to 1, sectioning the DME reactor to stages increases the reactor productivity as well.For the indirect DME production route, the optimization results indicate that the DME production rates of the two- and three-stage cases are lower than the direct route.The profitability index of the two- and three-stage reactor systems is 65.53% and 72.35% higher than the single-stage reactor. This is because of higher DME production and lower heat transfer area requirement of the staged configurations.

Environmental Disinfection Strategies to Prevent Indirect Transmission of SARS-CoV2 in Healthcare Settings

(1) Introduction: The novel respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), also called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), is rapidly spreading in many countries and represents a public health emergency of international concern. The SARS-CoV-2 transmission mainly occurs from person-to-person via respiratory droplets (direct transmission route), leading to the onset of mild or severe symptoms or even causing death. Since COVID-19 is able to survive also on inanimate surfaces for extended periods, constituting an indirect transmission route, healthcare settings contaminated surfaces should be submitted to specific disinfection protocols. Our review aimed to investigate the existing disinfection measures of healthcare settings surfaces, preventing the nosocomial transmission of SARS-CoV-2. (2) Materials and Methods: We conducted electronic research on PubMed, Scopus, Science Direct, and Cochrane Library, and 120 items were screened for eligibility. Only 11 articles were included in the review and selected for data extraction. (3) Results: All the included studies proposed the use of ethanol at different concentrations (70% or 75%) as a biocidal agent against SARS-CoV-2, which has the capacity to reduce the viral activity by 3 log10 or more after 1 min of exposure. Other disinfection protocols involved the use of chlorine-containing disinfectant, 0.1% and 0.5% sodium hypochlorite, quaternary ammonium in combination with 75% ethanol, isopropyl alcohol 70%, glutardialdehyde 2%, ultraviolet light (UV-C) technology, and many others. Two studies suggested to use the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)-registered disinfectants, while one article chooses to follow the WST-512-2016 Guidance of Environmental and Surfaces Cleaning, Disinfection and Infection Control in Hospitals. (4) Conclusion: Different surface disinfection methods proved to reduce the viral activity of SARS-CoV-2, preventing its indirect nosocomial transmission. However, more specific cleaning measures, ad hoc for the different settings of the healthcare sector, need to be formulated.

The indirect route of securing interest of consumers and competitors under the EU competition law

The theme of the present article is to deliver the notion that in order to enforce competition rules which, are aimed at maintaining a balance between profitability of the competitors and welfare of the consumers, the crucial aspect in attainting it is a healthy competitive market. Therefore, an attempt is made to analyses the role and practice of the European Courts and the Commission in protecting the structure of the competitive market as a means to secure the interests of the consumers and competitors. To convey the notion of the paper, sustenance from one of the imperative decisions given by the European Court of Justice purporting the predominant idea has been taken from the case of GlaxoSmithKline v Commission1 and other relevant cases from the locales of Article 101 coupled with Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union. The idea is to critically discuss the rationale of the decision delivered by the hierarchy of courts, the object-effect dichotomy under Article 101(1) for apprehending anti- competitive conduct, and to reflect upon the Commission guidelines.

A-7 nAchR Macrophages and Nicotine Approach in Neuroprotection to COVID-19 4 Variables Equation?

Could COVID-19 infection be treated without any antivirals? The cholinergic pathway is long implicated in inflammation regulation. ACE2 is the first known receptor implicated in SARS-coV2 entry and probably upregulated in smoking patients classifying smoking behavior to be a risk factor of COVID-19 severity. SARS-coV2 as SARS-coV induces micro-hypoxia states leading to inflammation processes that aggravate to ARDS in lung and ACVD in brain. Less attention is based on nAchRs as it could be activated in the cholinergic pathway and be the source of many inflammation syndromes. α-7 nAchR macrophages are key ubiquitous innate immune messengers could also be initiators of preinflammation state as they co-express both ACE2 R on cell membrane and α-7 nAchR. The same mechanism is supposed to be applied to CNS and leading to indirect route and brain damages. Order of organs targeted and mechanisms involved by SARS-CoV2 are in actual debate. Lungs are first direct target of the virus but correlations between other targeted organs such as heart, kidney, intestine, liver, bone marrow and brain differ with patients. Focusing on dual lung induced neurologic disorders and plausible risk factors that leads to ARDS and ACVD, we propose a nicotinic approach leading to a possible source of MAS involved : key nexus HIF-1α. Also in COVID-19, many cases reported an hypoxemic debut in brain. HIF-1a is a proven connector in lung and contribute to angiogenesis and cell survival via VEGF pathway. Preventing cytokine storm probably involves HIF-1α synthesis via macrophage TLR4 possible upregulation. Nicotine and α-7 nAchR agonists could participate in reducing LPS-induced TNFa and cytokine release via macrophage TLR4 relay and lead to neuroprotection. As oxidized low-density lipoprotein can induce blood vessels inflammation and promote atherosclerosis. HIF-1α protein accumulation in human macrophages through a mechanism involving ROS production could explain cardiovascular risks factors observed in COVID-19. Thus, COVID-19 resolution is probably a 4 variables equation including first, the imbalance ACE2/ACE. Second, the imbalance TLR2/TLR4. Third, HIF-1a induced connector regulation. Fourth, α-7 nAchR finest regulation.

Multi-route respiratory infection: When a transmission route may dominate

The exact transmission route of many respiratory infectious diseases remains a subject for debate to date. The relative contribution ratio of each transmission route is largely undetermined, which is affected by environmental conditions, human behaviour, the host and the microorganism. In this study, a detailed mathematical model is developed to investigate the relative contributions of different transmission routes to a multi-route transmitted respiratory infection. The following transmission routes are considered: long-range airborne transmission, short-range airborne transmission, direction inhalation of medium droplets or droplet nuclei, direct deposition of droplets of all sizes, direct and indirect contact route. It is illustrated that all transmission routes can dominate the total transmission risk under different scenarios. Influential parameters considered include the dose-response rate of different routes, droplet governing size that determines pathogen content in droplets, exposure distance, and pathogen dose transported to the hand of infector. Our multi-route transmission model provided a comprehensive but straightforward method to evaluate the probability of respiratory diseases transmission via different routes. It also established a basis for predicting the impact of individual-level intervention methods such as increasing close-contact distance and wearing protective masks.

Insight into the role of Fe5C2 in CO2 catalytic hydrogenation to hydrocarbons

Iron-based catalysts have been widely used to synthesize value-added hydrocarbons through CO2 hydrogenation. Fe carbide, Fe5C2, was proposed as the active phase responsible for CC coupling during the chain growth. However, the reaction mechanism over iron-based catalysts is still under debate due to the presence of multiple phases of Fe species. In this work, Fe5C2 and K-modified Fe5C2 were prepared and used to study the relationship between the Fe phase, catalytic performance and reaction pathways. CH4 and CO selectivities of 46.1 C-mol% and 2.8 C-mol% were obtained on Fe5C2 at a CO2 conversion of 49.8 %, with the main hydrocarbon products being alkanes. With the addition of the promoter K, the C2-C4= selectivity increased to above 38.0 C-mol%, and the selectivity to C5+ hydrocarbons increased to 23.9 C-mol% at a similar CO2 conversion. CH4 and C2+ hydrocarbons formed through the CO2→CO→hydrocarbons (indirect) route over K-modified Fe5C2, whereas the direct hydrogenation route occurred on unmodified Fe5C2 in addition to the indirect route of CO2 to CO to hydrocarbons through Fischer-Tropsch synthesis (FTS) processes. This work offers insights in direct CO2 hydrogenation over Fe5C2 and Fe3O4-Fe5C2 catalysts, which advances the understanding of the functions of active phases and reaction pathways of CO2 hydrogenation over iron-based catalysts.

Indirect exposure to novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2): an overview of current knowledge

This review chronicles the indirect transmission method which seems to be overlooked by most people and makes attempts to document the various transmission ways with a hope that such information may strengthen the knowledge base of researchers towards methods of eradicating the pandemic. Current knowledge of transmission and exposure of SARS-CoV-2 has been explained. Various researchers have put forward different ways of exposure and transmission. Literature does not reveal whether the indirect transmission route is the dominant one. However, total lockdown could be a veritable means to reduce both direct and indirect transmission routes. In many countries where the indirect transmission has been reduced, the scourge of the virus is less. The work creates awareness on the need to watch out for those routes of transmissions that may not be popular and suggested vital knowledge gaps that need to fill.

Placenta-specific 8 limits IFNγ production by CD4 T cells in vitro and promotes establishment of influenza-specific CD8 T cells in vivo.

During type 1 immune responses, CD4 T helper 1 (Th1) cells and CD8 T cells are activated via IL-12 and contribute to the elimination of intracellular pathogens through interferon gamma (IFNγ) production. In this study, we identified Placenta-specific 8 (Plac8) as a gene that is uniquely expressed in Th1 CD4 T cells relative to other CD4 T cell subsets and hypothesized that Plac8 may represent a novel therapeutic target in Th1 CD4 T cells. First, we determined that Plac8 mRNA in CD4 T cells was induced following IL-12 stimulation via an indirect route that required new protein synthesis. Upon evaluating the functional relevance of Plac8 expression in Th1 CD4 T cells, we discovered that Plac8 was important for suppressing IFNγ mRNA and protein production by CD4 T cells 24 hours after IL-12 stimulation, however Plac8 did not contribute to pathogenic CD4 T cell function during two models of intestinal inflammation. We also noted relatively high basal expression of Plac8 in CD8 T cells which could be further induced following IL-12 stimulation in CD8 T cells. Furthermore, Plac8 expression was important for establishing an optimal CD8 T cell response against influenza A virus via a T cell-intrinsic manner. Altogether, these results implicate Plac8 as a potential regulator of Th1 CD4 and CD8 T cell responses during Th1 T cell-driven inflammation.

Modeling and Analysis of the Multiannual Cholera Outbreaks with Host-Pathogen Encounters

Re-emergence of cholera threatens people’s health globally. However, its periodic re-emerging outbreaks are still poorly understood. In this paper, we develop a simple ordinary differential equation (ODE) model to study the cholera outbreak cycles. Our model involves both direct (i.e. human-to-human) and indirect (i.e. environment-to-human) transmission routes, due to the multiple interactions between the human host, the pathogen, and the environment. In particular, we model the pathogen searching distance as a Poisson point process, and then formulate the host-pathogen encounter (HPE) rate. A thorough mathematical analysis is performed to investigate local and global dynamics of the model. Necessary and sufficient condition under which the backward bifurcation occurs is derived. Fold, Hopf, and Bogdanov–Takens bifurcations are studied with original model parameter values to reveal their relations with model behaviors. One- and two-dimensional bifurcation diagrams are provided to categorize model dynamics with respect to its parameter values. Analytical and numerical analyses show that our simple model is sufficient to exhibit complex epidemic patterns of cholera dynamics including bistability and annual and multiannual periodic outbreaks. Our result regarding the backward bifurcation and complex dynamics of cholera epidemics highlight the challenges in the prevention and control of the disease.

Optimised production of tailored syngas from municipal solid waste (MSW) by sorption-enhanced gasification

Sorption-enhanced gasification (SEG) is a promising indirect gasification route for the production of synthetic fuels since it allows the H2, CO and CO2 content of the resulting syngas to be adjusted. This SEG process has been successfully demonstrated at pilot scale for lignocellulosic biomass and other agricultural and forest waste products, mainly focusing on H2-rich gas production. Within this work, the potential application of the SEG process to a material derived from municipal solid waste (MSW) as feedstock is experimentally demonstrated in a 30 kWth bubbling fluidised-bed (BFB) gasifier. The influence of the sorbent-to-biomass ratio, steam excess and gasification temperature has been carefully analysed in order to understand their effect on SEG performance. Moreover, main conditions able to affect the resulting syngas composition, specifically in terms of H2, CO and CO2 content, have been indicated. Gasification temperature turned out to be the variable that most influenced syngas composition due to the limiting mechanisms associated with the carbonation of the CaO used as bed material. This operating variable also determined biomass conversion, together with solids residence time in the gasifier, resulting in a wide variation of fixed carbon conversion under the studied conditions. Finally, tar yield and composition were evaluated as a function of temperature and the sorbent-to-biomass ratio used, resulting in tar contents as low as 7 g/Nm3 (dry gas), consisting mainly of 1-ring aromatic compounds.

Most self-touches are with the nondominant hand

Self-touch may promote the transfer of microorganisms between body parts or surfaces to mucosa. In overt videography of a post-graduate office, students spent 9% of their time touching their own hair, face, neck, and shoulders (HFNS). These data were collected from 274,000 s of surveillance video in a Chinese graduate student office. The non-dominant hand contributed to 66.1% of HFNS-touches. Most importantly, mucous membranes were touched, on average, 34.3 (SE = 2.4) times per hour, which the non-dominant hand contributed to 240% more than the dominant hand. Gender had no significant effect on touch frequency, but a significant effect on duration per touch. The duration per touch on the HFNS was fitted with a log–log linear distribution. Touch behaviour analysis included surface combinations and a probability matrix for sequential touches of 20 sub-surfaces. These findings may partly explain the observed variation in the literature regarding the microbiome community distribution on human skin, supporting the importance of indirect contact transmission route in some respiratory disease transmission and providing data for risk analysis of infection spread and control.

2-deoxy-d-ribose (2dDR) upregulates vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and stimulates angiogenesis

BackgroundDelayed neovascularisation of tissue-engineered (TE) complex constructs is a major challenge that causes their failure post-implantation. Although significant progress has been made in the field of angiogenesis, ensuring rapid neovascularisation still remains a challenge. The use of pro-angiogenic agents is an effective approach to promote angiogenesis, and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been widely studied both at the biological and molecular levels and is recognised as a key stimulator of angiogenesis. However, the exogenous use of VEGF in an uncontrolled manner has been shown to result in leaky, permeable and haemorrhagic vessels. Thus, researchers have been actively seeking alternative agents to upregulate VEGF production rather than exogenous use of VEGF in TE systems. We have previously revealed the potential of 2-deoxy-d-ribose (2dDR) as an alternative pro-angiogenic agent to induce angiogenesis and accelerates wound healing. However, to date, there is not any clear evidence on whether 2dDR influences the angiogenic cascade that involves VEGF. MethodsIn this study, we explored the angiogenic properties of 2dDR either by its direct application to human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) or when released from commercially available alginate dressings and demonstrated that when 2dDR promotes angiogenesis, it also increases the VEGF production of HAECs. ResultsThe VEGF quantification results suggested that VEGF production by HAECs was increased with 2dDR treatment but not with other sugars, including 2-deoxy-l-ribose (2dLR) and d-glucose (DG). The stability studies demonstrated that approximately 40–50% of the 2dDR had disappeared in the media over 14 days, either in the presence or absence of HAECs, and the reduction was higher when cells were present. The concentration of VEGF in the media also fell after day 4 associated with the reduction in 2dDR. ConclusionThis study suggests that 2dDR (but not other sugars tested in this study) stimulates angiogenesis by increasing the production of VEGF. We conclude 2dDR appears to be a practical and effective indirect route to upregulating VEGF for several days, leading to increased angiogenesis.

Reach agreement on GP safeguarding fees or risk legal action, judge tells local agencies.

Local authorities, the police, and clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) could face a mass of civil claims by GPs if they fail to reach agreement locally on whether fees are to be paid for doctors’ safeguarding work, a High Court judge has declared.1 Mr Justice Swift dismissed a judicial review test case brought by the BMA that argued that the local safeguarding arrangements plan in Northamptonshire was unlawful, a breach of the Children Act, or irrational in failing to consider how work undertaken by GPs would be funded. He said it was “unfortunate” that the BMA had taken such an indirect route to try to secure a ruling that GPs should be paid for producing …

Illustration of Different Disease Transmission Routes in a Pig Trade Network by Monopartite and Bipartite Representation

Simple SummaryBesides direct animal movements between farms; indirect transmission routes of pathogens can have an immense impact on network structure and disease spread in animal trade networks. This study integrated these indirect transmission routes between farms via transport companies or feed supply as bipartite networks; which were compared to the monopartite animal movements network representing the direct transmission route. Both bipartite networks were projected on farm level to enable a comparison to the monopartite network. The number of edges increased immensely from the monopartite animal movements network to both projected networks. Thus, farms can be highly connected over indirect connections, although they are not directly trading animals. The ranking of the animals according to their centrality parameters, indicating their importance for the network, showed moderate correlations only between the animal movements and the transportation network. The epidemiological models based on the different network representations revealed significantly more infected farms for the networks including indirect transmission routes compared to the direct animal movements. Indirect transmission routes had an immense impact on the outcome of centrality parameters, as well as on the spreading process within the network. This knowledge is needed to understand disease spread and to establish reliable prevention and control measurements.Besides the direct transport of animals, also indirect transmission routes, e.g., contact via contaminated vehicles, have to be considered. In this study, the transmission routes of a German pig trade network were illustrated as a monopartite animal movements network and two bipartite networks including information of the transport company and the feed producer which were projected on farm level (n = 866) to enable a comparison. The networks were investigated with the help of network analysis and formed the basis for epidemiological models to evaluate the impact of different transmission routes on network structure as well as on potential epidemic sizes. The number of edges increased immensely from the monopartite animal movements network to both projected networks. The median centrality parameters revealed clear differences between the three representations. Furthermore, moderate correlation coefficients ranging from 0.55 to 0.68 between the centrality values of the animal movements network and the projected transportation network were obtained. The epidemiological models revealed significantly more infected farms for both projected networks (70% to 100%) compared to the animal movements network (1%). The inclusion of indirect transmission routes had an immense impact on the outcome of centrality parameters as well as on the results of the epidemiological models.

Both short and long distance migrants use energy-minimizing migration strategies in North American herring gulls

BackgroundRecent studies have proposed that birds migrating short distances migrate at an overall slower pace, minimizing energy expenditure, while birds migrating long distances minimize time spent on migration to cope with seasonal changes in environmental conditions.MethodsWe evaluated variability in the migration strategies of Herring Gulls (Larus argentatus), a generalist species with flexible foraging and flight behaviour. We tracked one population of long distance migrants and three populations of short distance migrants, and compared the directness of their migration routes, their overall migration speed, their travel speed, and their use of stopovers.ResultsOur research revealed that Herring Gulls breeding in the eastern Arctic migrate long distances to spend the winter in the Gulf of Mexico, traveling more than four times farther than gulls from Atlantic Canada during autumn migration. While all populations used indirect routes, the long distance migrants were the least direct. We found that regardless of the distance the population traveled, Herring Gulls migrated at a slower overall migration speed than predicted by Optimal Migration Theory, but the long distance migrants had higher speeds on travel days. While long distance migrants used more stopover days overall, relative to the distance travelled all four populations used a similar number of stopover days.ConclusionsWhen taken in context with other studies, we expect that the migration strategies of flexible generalist species like Herring Gulls may be more influenced by habitat and food resources than migration distance.

The shift from indirect to direct trade between China and South Asia, 1684–1740

AbstractThis article will examine the structural evolution of China’s maritime trade with South Asia from 1684, the year in which the Qing dynasty legalized private commercial voyages, until about 1740. It concludes that, initially, most of the Chinese goods that entered the Indian Ocean destined for South Asian markets were first exported by Chinese merchants to Southeast Asian ports, and were then relayed from there to the Indian Ocean. The two most important hubs in this indirect trading system were Ayutthaya and Johor. However, between about 1715 and 1725, political changes in these two centres, combined with a short-lived Qing ban on Southeast Asian trade, encouraged South Asian-based merchants to increase the number of direct voyages they made to China each year. The result was an expansion of direct trade between South Asia and China at the expense of the indirect routes.