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We have reached a critical juncture for addressing climate change and must find ways to urgently and dramatically reduce our carbon emissions. Extraction of energy from offshore renewable energy sources is seen as one of the key measures that will enable this reduction. The EU highlights offshore renewable energy as a key enabler for achieving its carbon neutrality ambitions by 2050, as outlined in the EU Green Deal. However, to achieve the EU Green Deal vision, offshore renewable energy capacity in European must increase 30-fold compared to current installed capacity. Several offshore renewable energy extraction technologies are already reaching high levels of maturity, and this need for significant expansion of offshore renewable energy is also driving innovation in less established technologies. However, in the rush to develop and install new offshore renewable energy devices across the European sea basins, we cannot ignore the potential environmental and societal impacts that they could have. We must take steps to ensure that the expansion of this sector is managed sustainably, responsibly and equitably. Building on the recommendations made in EMB Vision Document No. 2 on Marine Renewable Energy from 2010, and at a critical juncture for the industry, Future Science Brief No. 9 provides an overview of the current offshore renewable energy technology, and the extent of European deployment to date. It discusses the environmental and socioeconomic considerations that must be considered throughout the lifetime of an offshore renewable energy system. The publication presents the key knowledge, research, and capacity gaps that must be addressed to ensure sustainable delivery of the EU Green Deal objectives. It closes with key policy, research, capacity, and data recommendations to take the sector forward.

This paper describes the activities related to the design, manufacturing and commissioning of an innovative Hardware-In-the-Loop test rig for linear Power Take-Off testing within the Horizon 2020 IMAGINE project. The rig is characterised by a fully coupled architecture in which three electro-mechanical units integrating a ballscrew and an electrical machine can actuate on a linear axis, either as motor or generator. A preliminary mechanical design of the test rig was carried out by identifying the most demanding conditions. The electrical and mechanical designs were assessed through a de-risking simulation of the overall test rig set-up, considering faults between the motors and respective power converters. The resulting rig setup includes a structure that embeds the three units, an electrical control panel and a control system. The use of electro-mechanical units increases the flexibility of the setup and simplifies the test of extreme conditions such as maximum output power or actuation force. Moreover, it allows reusing the power produced by the generating devices, thus reducing operational costs of the tests. The control system integrates a real-time hardware-in-the-loop simulation platform, a supervisory control and data acquisition systems. Those offer not only the possibility of easily tuning parameters but also testing new control strategies, operational situations, and failures of a power-take-off system in very realistic conditions.

According to Hamilton’s Selfish Herd Theory, a crucial survival benefit of group living is that it provides a ‘risk dilution’ function against predation. Despite a large literature on group living benefits in animals, few studies have been conducted on how group size alters subjective fear or threat perception in humans, and on what factors drive preferences for being in groups when facing threats. We conducted seven experiments (N=3,838) to test (A) if the presence of others decreases perception of threat under a variety of conditions. In studies 1 to 3, we experimentally manipulated group size in hypothetical and real-world situations, to show that fear responses decreased as group size increased. In studies 4 to 7 we again used a combination of hypothetical, virtual and real-world decisions to test (B) how internal states (e.g. anxiety) and external factors (e.g. threat level, availability of help) affected participants’ preference for groups. Participants consistently chose larger groups when threat and anxiety were high. Overall, our findings show that group size provides a salient signal of protection and safety.

While fenestration and duplication are relatively common in the arteries, they are extremely rare in the venous compartment: internal jugular vein fenestration has been reported occurring in 0.4% of unilateral neck dissections. Familiarity with these morphological anomalies is important for the radiologist and for the surgeon to prevent neurovascular injury, especially in neck surgery and interventional catheterization. We present the case of a patient harboring a fenestration of the left internal jugular vein, diagnosed by magnetic resonance angiography, and a systematic review of the literature. To our knowledge, from 1985 until 2016 only 36 patients (including the present) were diagnosed as having an internal jugular vein morphological anomaly. Out of 36 patients, only 11 (30,5%) were diagnosed using radiological imaging; the high rate of intra-operative diagnoses (22/36, 62,5%) is likely related to the limited use of diagnostic imaging or to misdiagnosis/misinterpretation of a relatively unknown and rare morphological anomaly. A contrast enhanced computed tomography or magnetic resonance angiography should be considered in case of vascular procedures in a patient with known internal jugular vein anomaly.

This report describes endovascular approaches for occlusion of vertebro-vertebral arteriovenous fistula (W-AVF) in a series of three cases and a review of the literature. Complete neuroimaging assessment, including CT, MR and DSA was performed in three patients (two female, one male) with W-AVF. Based on DSA findings, the W-AVF were occluded by endovascular positioning of detachable balloons (case 1), coils (case 2), or a combination of both (case 3) with parent artery patency in two out of three cases. In this small series, endovascular techniques for occlusion of W-AVF were safe and effective methods of treatment. To date, there are no guidelines on the best treatment for W-AVF. Detachable balloons, endovascular coiling, combined embolization procedures could all be considered well-tolerated treatments.

PURPOSE: To identify age-stratified normal light sensitivity values for microperimetry (fundus perimetry) and to evaluate the short-term repeatability of the MP1 microperimeter in normal volunteers.DESIGN: Multicenter, prospective, observational study.PARTICIPANTS: One hundred ninety subjects.METHODS: One hundred ninety eyes of 190 healthy volunteers (age range, 20-75 years) underwent automatic, full-threshold microperimetry of the central field (20 x 20 degrees, 77 stimulated points) with the MP1 microperimeter (Nidek Technologies, Gamagori, Japan). Fixation was documented simultaneously. A subgroup of 10 subjects was retested after 1 hour and 1 week to determine the repeatability of this technique.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: By linear regression analyses, light sensitivity values were obtained from 4 fundus areas and were analyzed for differences related to region, age, and, in a subset of subjects, repeat testing over time and right and left eye variability. Short-term repeatability for each area was evaluated by calculating intraclass correlation coefficients.RESULTS: Linear regression analysis showed a significantly greater (P

Description of the role of current neuroimaging tools for the study of epilepsy, and overview of potential proggresses.

International audience; The goal of this paper is to assess the impact on the local power system of a wave farm based on point absorbers in heave; presented analyses can be easily compared and complemented by those included in a companion paper focusing on oscillating water column devices. Two real case studies are considered here; the first one refers to the BIscay Marine Energy Platform (bimep), located in Spain, which represents a relatively strong electric grid while the second one models the Atlantic Marine Energy Test Site (AMETS) of the Republic of Ireland, which is a relatively weak grid. Comparative analyses will be performed under unfaulted conditions, taking into consideration power quality issues such as voltage stability and flicker problems. As a second step, the effects of the introduction of energy storage on the aforementioned issues will be analysed. Different storage ratings are studied. A simplified storage model has been implemented to keep the scope of the investigation as broad as possible. Simulation models are implemented in DIgSILENT PowerFactory.

Osteogenesis Imperfecta is a genetic disorder of increased bone fragility and low bone mass. Most cases are caused by a mutation in one of the two genes coding for the type I collagen protein. The correct clinical diagnosis of OI can be difficult sometimes, because of the wide phenotypic range. Therefore collagen I genes mutation identification can be helpful. We screened 23 patients by direct sequencing of the exons encoding the collagen protein. We identified 18 different mutations, while 5 cases were negative because of an uncertain clinical diagnosis or an atypical form of OI not related to collagen I genes. The current medical and pharmaceutical treatments are only symptomatic and do not alter the course of collagen mutations. Cells and gene therapies as potential treatments for OI have therefore to be actively investigated.