Theoretical Estimates Research Articles

Theoretical estimation of sonochemical characteristics in a single cavitation bubble under various static pressure conditions

Cavitation bubbles can be generated by introducing ultrasonic waves into the liquid. The growth and collapse of the bubbles transfer energy from ultrasonic waves to the gas mixture, resulting in the formation of an extreme environment with local high pressure and temperature, and then, multiple products (H2, ·OH, H·, O, H2O2, and so on) are produced. In the present study, the sonochemical characteristics inside an oxygen bubble have been investigated by using single bubble dynamics equations taking mass transfer, heat exchange, and chemical reactions into account. The effects of the equilibrium radius and static pressure on the temperature and the yields of H2, ·OH, and total oxidants inside the bubble are analyzed. There are optimal equilibrium radii that maximize gas temperature and the amounts of H2, ·OH, and total oxidants under different static pressures. The results of this paper are in good agreement with the previous results and can be used to explain sonochemical phenomena observed in experiments.

Capillary‐Driven Backflow During Salt Precipitation in a Rough Fracture

AbstractSalt precipitation is a crucial process occurring during CO2 injection into saline aquifers. It significantly alters the porous space, leading to reduced permeability and impaired injectivity. While the dynamics of precipitation have been studied within porous media, our understanding of precipitation patterns and permeability evolution within rough fractures remains inadequate. Here, we conduct flow‐visualization experiments on salt precipitation, wherein dry air invades brine‐filled rough fractures under various flow rate conditions. Our observations reveal that the precipitation pattern shifts from ex situ precipitation to homogeneous form as the flow rate (capillary number Ca) increases. Through real‐time imaging of the salt precipitation process, we determine that ex situ precipitation is due to capillary‐driven backflow. This backflow phenomenon occurs when previously precipitated salt, acting as a hydrophilic porous medium, attracts the brine flow backward. As a result, precipitation occurs at a location different from the original site. We further show that the impact of capillary‐driven backflow is significant at low flow rates and is gradually suppressed as the flow rate increases. We provide a theoretical estimation for the critical Ca for the occurrence of capillary‐driven backflow. As Ca is smaller than this critical value, backflow‐precipitation positive feedback causes fracture voids to become completely clogged, thereby leading to a more substantial permeability reduction. In contrast, a homogeneous precipitation pattern tends to only partially clog the fracture voids, causing a relatively smaller permeability reduction. This study enhances our understanding of the role of capillary‐driven backflow in controlling salt precipitation and permeability reduction in fractures.

Secondary organic aerosol formed by Euro 5 gasoline vehicle emissions: chemical composition and gas-to-particle phase partitioning

Abstract. In this study we investigated the photo-oxidation of Euro 5 gasoline vehicle emissions during cold urban, hot urban and motorway Artemis cycles. The experiments were conducted in an environmental chamber with average OH concentrations ranging between 6.6 × 105–2.3 × 106 molec. cm−3, relative humidity (RH) between 40 %–55 % and temperatures between 22–26 °C. A proton-transfer-reaction time-of-flight mass spectrometer (PTR-ToF-MS) and the CHemical Analysis of aeRosol ON-line (CHARON) inlet coupled with a PTR-ToF-MS were used for the gas- and particle-phase measurements respectively. This is the first time that the CHARON inlet has been used for the identification of the secondary organic aerosol (SOA) produced from vehicle emissions. The secondary organic gas-phase products ranged between C1 and C9 with one to four atoms of oxygen and were mainly composed of small oxygenated C1–C3 species. The SOA formed contained compounds from C1 to C14, having one to six atoms of oxygen, and the products' distribution was centered at C5. Organonitrites and organonitrates contributed 6 %–7 % of the SOA concentration. Relatively high concentrations of ammonium nitrate (35–160 µg m−3) were formed. The nitrate fraction related to organic nitrate compounds was 0.12–0.20, while ammonium linked to organic ammonium compounds was estimated only during one experiment, reaching a fraction of 0.19. The SOA produced exhibited log C∗ values between 2 and 5. Comparing our results to theoretical estimations for saturation concentrations, we observed differences of 1–3 orders of magnitude, indicating that additional parameters such as RH, particulate water content, aerosol hygroscopicity, and possible reactions in the particulate phase may affect the gas-to-particle partitioning.

Legal Certainty Of The Rights Of Children Born Out Of Wedlock To Their Biological Fathers

Children are both a divine gift and a solemn duty bestowed by the Supreme Being. Law Number 1 of 1974, which has been amended by Law Number 16 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning marriage, distinguishes between two categories of child status. Article 2 pertains to legitimate children, while Article 43 addresses children born out of wedlock. Illegitimate children are commonly used to refer to children born outside of marriage in a broader context. They are born due to a extramarital relationship between a woman and a man. The relationship between the two is biological, without legal recognition, such as a marriage officially registered by the state. Facing issues surrounding the existence of illegitimate children, According to Article 43 of Law Number 1 of 1974, which has been amended by Law Number 16 of 2019 concerning Amendments to Law Number 1 of 1974 concerning marriage, it is stated that individuals do not possess a formal legal bond with their biological father. The impact is that they do not receive financial security, education, or inheritance rights. In addition, society tends to assess children born out of marriage negatively, considering them different from legitimate children. If the child is legally recognized as illegitimate, then the family relationship is civilly terminated; for the child, they are only bound to his mother. This situation causes discrimination against the legal entitlements of children born out of wedlock. This article explores legal clarity on the rights of children born from extramarital partnerships. The author uses a normative methodological approach in this research, utilizing secondary data and data collection strategies such as document studies, theoretical ideas, and existing principles. Data analysis in this research involves deductive analysis using a statutory approach and conceptual framework.

Features of Pedagogical Modeling of the Educational Process in the System of Additional Professional Education of Medical Workers

The modern system of additional professional education offers new principles and approaches to organising the pedagogical process. In this regard, the issue of choosing the most appropriate technologies and tools for organising training and building an effective model of the educational process in the system of additional professional education of medical workers is relevant. The purpose of the study is to identify the features of pedagogical modeling of the educational process in the system of additional professional education of medical workers. Research methodology and methods. The article discusses theoretical and conceptual modeling ideas presented in domestic and foreign literature. The study was conducted on the basis of the Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Novosibirsk State Medical University” of the Ministry of Health of Russia in the Centre for Distance Educational Technologies of the Department of Postgraduate Education. Research Results. During the study, it was revealed that pedagogical modeling of the educational process in the system of additional professional education of medical specialists has its own characteristics. Conclusion. When modeling the educational process in the system of additional professional education, the current requirements and needs of medical specialists must be taken into account, which makes it possible to adapt the content and methodology of training to specific professional tasks. Besides, it is important to consider the practice-focused nature of medical education: internships, training practical skills on simulators, active use of digital educational technologies, the possibility of individualising training so that all students could develop their professional skills according to their needs. The system is for assessing academic performance and monitoring student satisfaction with training, which allows to adjust the educational process and ensure high quality education is an important part of pedagogical modeling.

Micro‐scale mechanical properties of surface layer in ion‐exchanged glass

AbstractToday, ion‐exchanged or chemically strengthened glass is ubiquitously used all over the world, typically for scratch‐free display cover of personal mobile phones. It has been known that the strengthening is due to developments of high compressive stress in the surface layer by its internally constrained dilation . We investigated micro‐scale mechanical properties of the surface layer itself of a Na+‐to‐K+ ion‐exchanged soda lime silicate glass, revealing that the strength of the layer increased nearly 40% by the ion‐exchange with little compression effect from the interior. The fracture toughness, however, was comparable before and after the ion‐exchange, indicating that the ion‐exchange reduces the crack size of the fracture origin. Theoretical estimates of fracture surface energies verified the measured fracture toughness. It was presumed that the observed crack‐size reduction is due to crack healing effects enhanced by the ion‐exchange.

Determination of the porosity characteristics by pycnometric methods

Data on pore size distribution in solids are obtained by pycnometric density-based methods for measuring the pore structure of materials. The results of measuring open porosity by weighing a dry sample followed by evacuation and saturation with distilled water at atmospheric pressure, impregnation with water under pressure using a hydrostat and mercury porosimetry are presented. The samples of porous nickel obtained using powder technology by sintering of the compacts from mixtures of nickel nanopowder with powder ammonium bicarbonate NH4HCO3 (a blowing agent), the volume fractions of which were 80 and 20%, respectively, were studied. A powder blowing agent with a particle size of 63 – 125, 140 – 200, and 250 – 315 μm was used. A theoretical estimation of the pore size available for the penetration of the impregnating liquid was carried out for three methods used for the determination of open porosity. It is shown that upon water saturation after evacuation the liquid can penetrate only into pores larger than 3 μm. Moreover, in porous structures with a large fraction of submicron pores, the actual values of the open porosity are significantly underestimated when using the method of saturation with distilled water after evacuation. The higher the fraction of fine pores in the material, the lower the open porosity value. The difference between the open porosity values determined by methods of water impregnation using a hydrostat and mercury porosimetry was negligible. It has been established that among three considered methods for measuring open porosity, only the method of saturation with distilled water after evacuation cannot be used in analysis of structures with submicron pores. The results obtained can be used to develop porous functional materials and products with a given porosity structure.

PERSPECTIVES OF SEARCH FOR RAW HYDROCARBON AND SOLID MINERALS DEPOSITS IN THE EASTERN HALF OF PRECASPIAN DEPRESSION (AKSAI – NORTH MAKAT AREA)

The possibility of identifying deep and ultra-deep raw hydrocarbon deposits and also the deposits of solid minerals in eastern part of Precaspian basin within Aksai-Northern Makat section totaling 70,000 sq.km. has been studied on the basis of the analysis of isodata, geological, tectonic, geophysical maps, mineral resources maps, specialized mineragenic studies, as well as new ideas on geodynamic development of Kazakhstan and, most crucial, taking into account theoretical and practical ideas about origin of abiogenic raw hydrocarbon deposits associated with formation of volcanic hydrogen, referring to the deliverables of gravity study and prospecting work, primarily magnetic prospecting. At the same time, a keen attention has been paid to the deep structure and morphology of Precaspian rift, providing significant impact on the deposits` formation. The analysis resulted with identification of, for the first time ever, several highly promising magnetic anomalies where new shallow, medium and deep petroleum and gas deposits may concentrate, including potential deposits of ferrous, non-ferrous, rare, rare earth and radioactive metals. A considerable effort has also been made to the perspectives of search for oil shale and light tight oil which are potential sources for multiple augmentation of the reserves of natural raw hydrocarbons.

Determinants for 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride-induced modulation of thermodynamic stability and CO-association dynamics of horse ferrocytochrome c

This manuscript determines the factors by which the water-miscible ionic liquid (IL), 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Rmim]Cl affects the thermodynamic stability and CO association dynamics of horse ferrocytochrome c (Cyt cII) at pH 7. Investigation of rate constant and activation thermodynamic parameters for CO-association reaction of Cyt cII measured at different concentrations of [Rmim]Cl (1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Emim]Cl, 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Bmim]Cl, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride [Hmim]Cl) revealed that the hydrophobicity of alkyl group of [Rmim]Cl modulates the CO-association dynamics of Cyt cII. The CO-association association kinetic results were further supported by intermolecular docking studies between the Cyt cII and [Rmim]+ ([Hmim]Cl, [Bmim]Cl, [Emim]Cl). Analysis of thermodynamic parameters calculated from thermal denaturation transitions of Cyt cII at different concentrations of [Rmim]Cl ([Hmim]Cl, [Bmim]Cl, [Emim]Cl) revealed that the [Rmim]Cl decreases the denaturation free energy in the order: [Hmim]Cl > [Bmim]Cl > [Emim]Cl, which suggests that the hydrophobicity of alkyl group of [Rmim]Cl modulates the [Rmim]Cl-induced decrease in thermodynamic stability of Cyt cII. Analysis of entropy − enthalpy plots showed that in addition to the hydrophobic effect, the enthalpic effect of [Rmim]Cl also decreases the thermodynamic stability of the protein. The dependence of unfolding free energy on [Rmim]Clconcentration was also translated into preferential interaction coefficients, Γ23. Experimental and theoretical estimations of Γ23 for Cyt cII provided the positive values of Γ23 at all across the [Rmim]Cl concentrations, indicating a robust and favorable interaction between the [Rmim]Cl and Cyt cII. Furthermore, the [Rmim]Cl-mediated increase in Γ23 typically follows the order: [Hmim]Cl > [Bmim]Cl > [Emim]Cl. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulation studies of Cyt cII performed at different concentrations of [Rmim]Cl ([Emim]Cl, [Bmim]Cl, and [Hmim]Cl) further showed that the hydrophobicity of the alkyl group modulates the structural stability and conformational-fluctuations of the Cyt cII.

Can astronomical observations be used to constrain crucial chemical reactions? The methoxy case. SOLIS XVIII

ABSTRACT To understand the origin of interstellar molecules we rely on astrochemical models, the gas-phase networks of which contain ≥7000 reactions. However, just a tiny fraction of them have parameters derived in laboratory experiments. Theoretical quantum mechanical (QM) calculations can also provide this information. Unfortunately, sometimes theoretical predictions and experimental values disagree, as is the case for the paradigmatic reaction CH3OH + OH → CH3O + H2O. Both laboratory experiments and QM calculations found an unexpected increase in the rate coefficients with decreasing temperature. However, experimental and theoretical estimates of the rate coefficients diverge by up to two orders of magnitude at the low temperatures of interest in interstellar chemistry. This work aims to test whether astronomical observations can help untangle this confusing situation. To this end, we first carried out new QM calculations to derive the rate coefficients of the major destruction reaction of the methoxy radical, CH3O + H, and then we compared astronomical observations from the IRAM/NOEMA Large Programme SOLIS with astrochemical model predictions. Our new rate coefficient for the CH3O + H reaction is 5–10 times larger than that in the astrochemical data base KIDA in the 10–100 K range. When including the new methoxy destruction rate coefficients, the comparison between observations and model predictions favours the rate coefficients of the CH3OH + OH reaction from QM calculations. We conclude that QM calculations are an important alternative to laboratory experiments when it comes to the harsh conditions of interstellar objects and that astronomical observations can be used to constraint the rate coefficients of relevant reactions.

Resistance bias estimation of a liquid column in a cylindrical conductivity cell with lateral liquid supply

The article shows a physical model of a cylindrical two-electrode conductivity cell with inlet and outlet holes for filling located perpendicular to the cell axis. Based on the finite element method (FEM), the non-uniformity of the current density distribution inside the cell was determined. For a range of geometrical parameters of the cell, the resistance biases of the liquid column with respect to the idealized model—a cell with a uniform current density distribution (without holes) are calculated. A mathematical expression is given that describes calculating the electrolytic conductivity value using the geometrical parameters of a conductivity cell, taking into account the field distortion caused by holes for filling. It has also been found that at the ratio of the cell diameter to the hole diameter D/d ≥ 5, the entire field distortion inside the cell is provided by a liquid column in the holes with a length of only (h ≤ d) mm. Theoretical estimates and mathematical models covered in this article were used to create the primary differential conductivity cell. Structurally, such a cell consists of two tubes of the same diameter but of different lengths, at the edges of which platinized electrodes are placed.

Studies on the fatigue failure behaviour of novel carbon nanotube–glass composites

Single walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) based glass composites were fabricated through a melt-quench process and their fatigue failure properties were studied using a repeated indentation technique. The SWCNT–glass composites were found to exhibit significantly reduced damage in comparison to their respective base glasses, as corroborated by field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The fatigue resistance parameter (n) of the samples was determined where considerable increment in ‘n’ values in case of composites than that of the base glasses was observed. Moreover, a mathematical equation was also proposed for the theoretical estimation of the percentage enhancement in fatigue resistance parameter (In) of the composites and it was found to be in good agreement with the experimental values. Finally, the superior fatigue resistant behaviour of the SWCNT-glass composites was well elucidated with the help of cushioning effect and enhanced plasticity of the nanotube bundles embedded within the glass structure.

Legal ways and methods of personal data protection in Kazakhstan

Relevance. The relevance of the study lies in the need to develop theoretical ideas about this issue and identify promising areas for implementation in the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan, which today is not perfect in the context of legal regulation of personal data protection.Purpose. The purpose of the study was to study the features of personal data protection in the Republic of Kazakhstan and other countries (European Union countries, the United States of America, and Brazil).Methodology. The methodological basis of the article was the methods of statistical analysis, analogy and generalization, as well as comparative legal, formal legal and formal logical methods.Results. The study revealed the features of the legal regulation of the protection of personal data under the legislation of the Republic of Kazakhstan. In addition, it was found that the legislation of the European Union contains additional obligations that are aimed at maximum protection of personal data. However, the current legislation of Kazakhstan is fragmented and does not fully pay due attention to the protection of personal data. In this regard, it was proposed to revise and update the rules for the protection of personal data for specific industries, taking into account their specifics. In addition, the importance of raising citizens� awareness of the rights and responsibilities in the field of the digital sphere is emphasized, which includes the popularization of knowledge about the safe use of the Internet, means of protecting personal data and cyber hygiene.Conclusions. The role of active cooperation with international partners and organizations is noted, which will help to exchange experience and best practices in the field of digital security and personal data protection. Regular reviews and revisions of existing protection mechanisms, as well as the introduction of new technological solutions and innovations, will help ensure a sustainable and reliable digital ecosystem in the long term.

Satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar, Multispectral, and Infrared Imagery for Assessing Bridge Deformation and Structural Health—A Case Study at the Samuel de Champlain Bridge

A space-borne remote sensing method was applied, validated, and demonstrated in a case study on the Samuel de Champlain Bridge in Montreal, Canada. High-resolution C-band radar satellite imagery was analyzed using the Persistent Scatterer Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar technique to derive bridge displacements and compare them against theoretical estimates. Multispectral and long-wave thermal infrared satellite imagery acquired during the InSAR observation period and historical environmental data were analyzed to provide context for the interpretation and understanding of InSAR results. Thermal deformation measurements compared well with their theoretical estimates based on known bridge geometry and ambient temperature data. Non-thermal deformation measurements gave no evidence of settlement during the 2-year monitoring period, as would normally be expected for a newly constructed bridge with its foundation on bedrock. The availability of environmental data obtained from multispectral and thermal infrared satellite imagery was found to be useful in providing context for the bridge stability assessment. Ambient temperature measurements from thermal infrared satellite imagery were found to be a suitable alternative in cases where data from in situ temperature sensors or nearby weather stations are not available or not fit for purpose. No strong correlation was found between the river conditions and bridge deformation results from the InSAR analysis; this is partly due to the fact that most of these effects act along the river flow in the north–south direction, to which the satellite sensor is not sensitive.

Lifelong learning and skill development for project managers in the dynamic labor market landscape

The purpose of this study is to examine the experiences of project managers working in the distinct environment of clinical trial organizations as project management changes in dynamic labor markets. The literature emphasizes the changing skill set needed for project managers and stresses the value of cognitive flexibility, interpersonal skills, and lifelong learning. Nonetheless, there is still a great deal to learn about how these dynamics appear in the setting of clinical trial organizations. By investigating project managers’ perspectives and involvement in lifetime learning and skill development inside clinical trial organizations, this study seeks to close this gap. To elucidate the nuances of their professional experiences, 64 project managers were interviewed using a qualitative methodology. Key themes emerged from the thematic analysis, including the importance of interpersonal and personal qualities, the dynamic nature of abilities like creativity and critical thinking, and the strategic application of lifelong learning. The findings add new evidence to the body of knowledge by offering a sector-specific understanding of the lifelong learning needs and skill requirements for project managers in clinical trial organizations. The study emphasizes how crucial it is to continuously learn to improve healthcare outcomes and adjust to industry-specific problems. Contextual implications encompass perspectives for entities seeking to maximize training regimens and augment the flexibility of project management groups in clinical trial environments. This work advances theoretical ideas and practical concerns for lifelong learning and skill development in clinical trial organizations. It also adds subtle insights into a specialized domain to the discourse on project management.

Implementation of the Energy Justice Concept in Strategies and Projects of Foreign Energy Companies

Introduction. The given article examines the challenges of ensuring energy justice in business models of energy companies. It identifies ways in which organizations and businesses providing energy services locally, regionally and internationally can successfully integrate social justice values into business strategies, ensuring that their operations are aligned with the principles of equitable provision of energy services.Materials and methods. Materials used for the given research include foreign and Russian studies on energy justice issues, statistical data and news sources from the world media. The methodological basis consists of such scientific methods as qualitative and quantitative analysis, synthesis, comparative research and statistical analysis.Results of the study. Analysis of the activities of foreign energy companies suggests that energy justice is a highly effective “tool” not only from the point of view of conceptualizing the theoretical idea of an energy just world and effectively analyzing a wide range of energy-related issues, but can also be considered as a valuable contribution to the actual process of developing energy policy and a framework for assessing the sustainability of energy-related projects and initiatives. The concept of a public interest company based on the principles of energy and social justice can be defined as a set of guidelines aimed at transforming existing business practices to ensure that these practices are consistent with the principles of energy justice.Discussion and conclusions. The given re­search revealed that the degree of adherence to energy justice principles determines whether certain business practices or specific projects are consistent with its paradigm. At the same time, as evidenced by available scientific research on this issue, commercial activity and the creation of social and environmental values are not internally contradictory concepts. On the contrary, energy justice guidelines and aspects can be successfully integrated into various business models at local, subnational, regional and global levels.

Beyond the Shadow of Adults—Youth, Adultism, and Human Rights in the Contemporary Faroe Islands

This article discusses young people’s human rights situation in the Faroe Islands today by addressing youth participation issues from a cultural adultism perspective. It argues that the local cultural values and intergenerational relations in the family influence the multilayered and shifting nature of ‘Faroese adultism’. My purpose is to explore the ways through which young people are challenging adultism in their everyday life practices: what do they intend to change and what do they wish to sustain in their cultural struggle? This article is mainly based on empirical data from focus group discussions with young participants. The findings reveal that young people from the Faroe Islands—located in the Nordic Atlantic—do not consider adultism to have a negative impact on their wellbeing. This article, relying on theoretical scholarship and ideas from youth studies and island studies, contributes to a more nuanced understanding of human rights in the context of a small (family-oriented) island community in cultural and social transformation.

Energetic and Entropic Motifs in Vesicle Morphogenesis in Amphiphilic Diblock Copolymer Solutions

Coarse-grained molecular dynamic simulations are employed to investigate the spatiotemporal evolution of vesicles (polymersomes) via self-assembly of randomly distributed amphiphilic diblock copolymers PB-PEO (Poly(Butadiene)-b-Poly(Ethylene Oxide)) in water. The vesiculation pathway consists of several intermediate structures, such as spherical/rodlike aggregates, wormlike micelles, lamellae, and cavities. The lamella-to-vesicle transition occurs at a constant aggregation number and is accompanied by a reduction in the solvent-accessible surface area. Simulation predictions are in qualitative agreement with the mechanism of vesicle formation in which the unfavorable hydrophobic interactions between water molecules and polymer segments, along the edge of the lamella, are eliminated at the expense of gaining curvature energy. However, rod–lamella–vesicle transition is accompanied by an increase in copolymer packing density. Hence, the change in the surface area accompanying vesiculation predicted by the simulations is significantly lower than theoretical estimates. Changes in information entropy, quantified by the expectation of the logarithm of the probability distribution function of the segmental stretch parameter s, defined as the difference between the maximum and instantaneous segmental extension, are statistically insignificant along the vesiculation pathway. For rods, lamellae, and polymersomes, s follows a log normal distribution. This is explained based on the configurational dynamics of a single diblock chain in water.

Environmental relationships and anthrax epidemiology: field experiences of host resistance as opposed to dose-dependent experiments

Even though anthrax is a disease of antiquity that has been studied for centuries, serious concerns have been raised about our understanding of its epidemiology. Since the 1960s, we have based the epidemiology of anthrax on the results of dose-dependent experiments, especially those involving cattle at that time. In this species the experiments demonstrated that the severity of infection was dependent upon the numbers of Bacillus anthracis spores ingested. The opinion was that ingesting only a few spores would be insufficient to cause an apparent infection; any infection that resulted would be latent (i.e., unrecognized). Based on the results of these experiments, it was accepted that the ingestion of large numbers of spores was the source of infection for hundreds of anthrax outbreaks. However, many investigations of both human and animal anthrax outbreaks have failed to identify sources of large numbers of spores, suggesting that these outbreaks are only rarely a consequence of ingestion or inhalation of large quantities of spores. This opinion piece builds upon the indirect evidence previously presented in an article focused on the existence of latent infections. Much of the evidence for the existence of latent infections was predicated upon a reduction of host resistance, which revealed how latent infections could be a source of more severe forms of the infection. That is, a latent infection can be the source of a severe infection, but the cause of the severe infection is the reduced host resistance. That first article concentrated on the arguments for latent infections, while this article concentrates on the arguments for host resistance. Host resistance is virtually impossible to measure objectively in the field. To provide a subjective measure of host resistance during anthrax outbreaks, we suggest the use of the opinions of livestock owners and or their veterinary practitioners and or field workers during investigations of anthrax outbreaks. When veterinary personal work in the field they are much like field biologists. In some ways field biologists better appreciate environmental factors, population ecology and other perspectives that are of use to epidemiologists. The more diverse the information the better the epidemiology is understood. To this effect we present our personal anecdotal and theoretical ideas from our experiences as well as a collection of bibliographic observations from others’. Our conclusions are that a combination of latent infections and reduced host resistance based on the host's relationship with its environment would better explain the epidemiology of severe infections in anthrax outbreaks for which large quantities of spores have not been located. This applies especially if the area has a history of the disease and/or if necropsies have shown the presence of latent infections in otherwise normal animals in the area and/or if environmental conditions are considered stressful and include intense insect activity.

Implementation and analysis of a parallel kalman filter algorithm for lidar localization based on CUDA technology.

Introduction: Navigation satellite systems can fail to work or work incorrectly in a number of conditions: signal shadowing, electromagnetic interference, atmospheric conditions, and technical problems. All of these factors can significantly affect the localization accuracy of autonomous driving systems. This emphasizes the need for other localization technologies, such as Lidar. Methods: The use of the Kalman filter in combination with Lidar can be very effective in various applications due to the synergy of their capabilities. The Kalman filter can improve the accuracy of lidar measurements by taking into account the noise and inaccuracies present in the measurements. Results: In this paper, we propose a parallel Kalman algorithm in three-dimensional space to speed up the computational speed of Lidar localization. At the same time, the initial localization accuracy of the latter is preserved. A distinctive feature of the proposed approach is that the Kalman localization algorithm itself is parallelized, rather than the process of building a map for navigation. The proposed algorithm allows us to obtain the result 3.8 times faster without compromising the localization accuracy, which was 3% for both cases, making it effective for real-time decision-making. Discussion: The reliability of this result is confirmed by a preliminary theoretical estimate of the acceleration rate based on Ambdahl's law. Accelerating the Kalman filter with CUDA for Lidar localization can be of significant practical value, especially in real-time and in conditions where large amounts of data from Lidar sensors need to be processed.