Full Removal Research Articles

Decommissioning Offshore Wind Fixed Steel Pile Foundations: A Critical Review

Offshore wind has rapidly developed over the past three decades, with over 6000 fixed-bottom substructures installed in Europe alone as of 2022. Despite this progress, there has been limited focus on the end-of-life stages, particularly decommissioning, which is currently the default option. Sustainable offshore wind development hinges on effective decommissioning strategies for fixed-steel pile foundations. This review critically examines state-of-the-art pile-foundation-decommissioning methods recently tested in industry and academia, including partial-removal techniques like internal cutting and external cutting and full-removal approaches such as excavation and novel extraction methods. Key factors influencing decommissioning decisions, such as seabed disturbance, environmental impact, reuse potential, and cost, are discussed. Analyses reveal that current partial-removal strategies could render vast swaths of marine areas inaccessible for future development. In contrast, full removal through extraction may enable complete recycling and minimise post-decommissioning monitoring. However, significant knowledge gaps remain regarding novel extraction methods’ scalability, technical feasibility, and economics. Extensive research encompassing engineering, environmental, and economic dimensions is essential to develop holistic pile-foundation-decommissioning solutions that facilitate the sustainable long-term growth of offshore wind.

Circumferential Labral Reconstruction With Knotless All-Suture Anchors Restores Hip Distractive Stability: A Cadaveric Biomechanical Analysis.

The essential component of managing femoroacetabular impingement involves restoration of the original labral function. Circumferential labral reconstruction (CLR) has shown positive results. However, biomechanical studies of CLR are limited and have not established the efficacy of the modern knotless all-suture anchor (ASA) pull-through technique. (1) CLR with knotless ASA fixation will restore native labral suction seal biomechanics; (2) tensioning the ASA to a high-tension state will increase the peak distractive force. Controlled laboratory study. Eight fresh-frozen human cadaveric hips were dissected free of all soft tissue except the native labrum and transverse acetabular ligament. On an electromechanical testing system, the hips were compressively loaded to 250 N to initiate a suction seal and distracted at a rate of 10 mm/s until rupture of the suction seal. Hips were tested in 4 states: intact labrum, full labral removal, knotless CLR with moderate anchor tension, and CLR with high anchor tension. Peak distractive force (in newtons) was compared using repeated measures analysis of variance (P < .05). Acetabular bevel angles (θ) were measured at labral clockface positions outside the transverse acetabular ligament using a 3-dimensional digitizer stylus after rim preparation. Linear regression plots compared θ and peak distractive force in the CLR state. Peak force values were 138.5 ± 13.6 N (mean ± SE) for the intact labrum, 18.4 ± 2.79 N for labral excision, 95.4 ± 23.3 N for moderate-tension CLR, and 126.2 ± 27.3 N for high-tension CLR. Significant differences were observed only when full labral removal was compared with the other conditions: intact (P < .001), moderate-tension CLR (P = .016), and high-tension CLR (P = .002). Steeper acetabular bevel angles (smaller θ) were correlated with greater suction seal restoration (P < .05). CLR restored distractive stability on average to 82.0% of the intact value after labral deficiency. Retensioning did not significantly increase peak distractive forces. These findings provide biomechanical validation supporting CLR using knotless ASAs in an effort to minimize volumetric bone loss and provide other surgical advantages. The prepared rim's bevel angle may be an important variable to optimize for improved suction seal restoration.

The second primary molar in the lower jaw in cases of agenesis of the second premolar; use it or break it?

In cases of agenesis of the mandibular second premolar, a choice can be made from among several treatment options. Besides preserving the second primary molar, it can be decided to close the diastema orthodontically, following extraction of the primary molar. This can be done in several ways: full or partial (hemisection) removal of the primary molar. The procedure for a hemisection initially consists of removing only the distal part of the relevant primary molar, in order to preserve the breadth of the alveolar process and to enable spontaneous mesialization of the first permanent molar. Secondly, the mesial part of the primary molar is removed.

Vision Is Not Required to Elicit Balance Improvements From Beam Walking Practice.

Beam walking is a highly studied assessment of walking balance. Recent research has demonstrated that brief intermittent visual rotations and occlusions can increase the efficacy of beam walking practice on subsequent beam walking without visual perturbations. We sought to examine the influence of full vision removal during practice walking on a treadmill-mounted balance beam. Although visual disruptions improved performance of this task, we hypothesized that removing visual feedback completely would lead to less balance improvements than with normal vision due to the specificity of practice. Twenty healthy young adults trained to walk at a fixed speed on a treadmill-mounted balance beam for 30min, either with, or without, normal vision. We compared their balance pre-, during, and posttraining by calculating their step-offs per minute and the percentage change in step-offs per minute. Balance improved in both groups after training, with no significant difference in percentage change in step-offs between the normal vision and the no vision participants. On average, the no vision participants had twice as many step-offs per minute as the normal vision group during training. Although previous experiments show that intermittent visual perturbations led to large enhancements of the effectiveness of beam walking training, completely removing visual feedback did not alter training effectiveness compared with normal vision training. It is likely a result of sensory reweighting in the absence of vision, where a greater weight was placed on proprioceptive, cutaneous, and vestibular inputs.

Mechanisms determining water permeability and ion selectivity of multilayered glycine-functionalized graphene oxide membranes in saline water reverse osmosis processes: A computational investigation

Non-Equilibrium Molecular Dynamics simulations were performed to examine in detail the mechanisms involved in a reverse osmosis process for the removal of monovalent (Na+, Cl−) and divalent (Mg2+) ions from saline water, using multilayered glycine-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) membranes. We varied parameters such as the degree of functionalization of the GO flakes and the structural flexibility of the membranes and examined their performance in a wide range of applied pressure gradients. In all models examined, water permeability was found to be almost 2 orders of magnitude larger compared to that in conventional reverse osmosis (RO) membranes. High structural flexibility of the membranes was found to increase water permeability due to the formation of additional nanochannels that favor faster water transport. Functionalization of the GO flakes by the glycinate groups resulted in a decrease in water permeability due to the formation of a denser hydrogen-bonding network within the membranes. Three main mechanisms were identified regarding ion selectivity. Due to the overall negative charge of the membranes, the strong adsorption of the Mg2+ ions onto the GO flakes resulted in their full rejection. Weaker adsorption of the Na+ ions led only to their partial rejection. At the same time, the electrostatic repulsion of the Cl− ions by the membranes was found to result in almost full removal levels at high pressure gradients. The rejection of the monovalent ions was found to decrease with the structural flexibility of the membranes and increase with the functionalization of the GO flakes, in response to the changes observed in water permeability on these membrane modifications. The pressure-dependent deformability of the structurally flexible membranes combined with charge accumulation close to the membrane's entrance, resulted in a non-monotonic dependence of the monovalent ion rejection on the applied pressure difference.

Influence of reinforcement reductions on the response of reinforced concrete half-joints

Reinforced concrete half-joints are susceptible to deterioration mechanisms primarily due to the leakage of surface water, often contaminated with chlorides from de-icing salts, through the expansion joint. Due to the joint geometric form, favourable conditions can be created inside the joint for the corrosion of steel reinforcement. To this end, seven reinforced concrete half-joints were tested to failure under three-point bending to investigate the effect of reinforcement reductions that simulate common deterioration scenarios arising from the corrosion of reinforcement. The results were then compared to the predictions of nonlinear finite element analyses and the strut-and-tie method. The results demonstrated that a reduction in the amount of reinforcement close to the re-entrant corner has major influence on the load-deflection response of reinforced concrete half-joints. The largest reductions in load-carrying capacity were obtained from the half-joints with a full removal of diagonal bars and a combined removal of diagonal and U-bars, both showing reductions in load capacity of more than 50 %. The failure mode in each case of simulated deterioration scenarios involved a shear failure at the nib, except one case which displayed a shear failure in the full depth section due to the reduced anchorage of the bottom reinforcement. Furthermore, it was shown that nonlinear finite element analyses provide accurate predictions of the load-deflection response and failure crack patterns. The strut-and-tie method was found to result in overly conservative predictions, with an average observed-to-predicted load ratio of 1.48 and a coefficient of variation (COV) of 10.2 %. This is considerably higher than an average load ratio of 1.05 and a COV of only 3.1 % obtained from the nonlinear finite element analyses.

Influencing the surface quality of free-standing wurtzite gallium nitride in ultra-high vacuum: Stoichiometry control by ammonia and bromine adsorption

Gallium nitride (GaN), a wide bandgap semiconductor with absorption and emission in the ultraviolet/visible range, is proposed as an alternative to metallic surfaces for assembling organic molecular structures aiming at optoelectronic applications. However, the formation of a persistent surface oxide layer in air considerably limits the use of GaN for well-defined interfaces. In this work, we have investigated, characterized and processed n-type free-standing c-plane hexagonal wurtzite GaN crystals grown by hydride vapor phase epitaxy and ammonothermal growth methods. Surface cleaning and full removal of the oxide layer on GaN surfaces could be reproducibly achieved via sputtering and annealing cycles, as evidenced by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and low-energy electron diffraction. Scanning tunneling microscopy, however, indicated substantial roughening of the GaN surface and the formation of unwanted Ga-rich islands and clusters. Although ammonia (NH3) and bromine (Br) treatments compensated the N/Ga atoms ratio reduced by sputtering, the surface morphology remained rough, exhibiting randomly shaped and distributed hillocks. In addition, we studied the effect of electron bombardment on the surface quality of GaN during NH3 annealing, on-surface debromination and polymerization of 1,3,5-tris(4-bromophenyl) benzene on GaN, and the removal of Ga atoms by Br atoms during the desorption.

Full runner removal theorem for Ariki-Koike algebras

We consider the representation theory of the Ariki-Koike algebra, a q-deformation of the group algebra of the complex reflection group Cr≀Sn. We define the addition of a runner full of beads for the abacus display of a multipartition and investigate some combinatorial properties of this operation. We focus our attention on the v-decomposition numbers, i.e. the polynomials arising from the Fock space representation of the quantum group Uv(slˆe). Using Fayers' LLT-type algorithm for Ariki-Koike algebras, we relate v-decomposition numbers for different values of e for the class of e-multiregular multipartitions, by adding a full runner of beads to each component of the abacus displays for the labelling multipartitions.

Trends and factors influencing the mental health of college students in the post-pandemic: four consecutive cross-sectional surveys.

The long-term impact of COVID-19 on the mental health and well-being of college students, specifically trends over time after full removal of COVID-19 restrictions, has not been well-studied. Four consecutive cross-sectional surveys were conducted in December 2022 (N = 689), March 2023 (N = 456), June 2023 (N = 300), and November 2023 (N = 601) at a university in Sichuan Province, China. The proportion of students with COVID-19 panic decreased from 95.1 to 77.3% (p < 0.001). The prevalence of moderate anxiety and above decreased from 18 to 13.6% (p < 0.001), and the prevalence of moderate and above depression decreased from 33.1 to 28.1% (p < 0.001), while the prevalence of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) increased from 21.5 to 29.6% (p < 0.005). Further, the proportion of suicidal thoughts increased from 7.7 to 14.8% (p < 0.001). Suicidal thoughts and self-injuries were significantly associated with COVID-19 panic, depression, anxiety, and PTSD. Students who reported being in close contact with COVID-19 patients in the past were more likely to develop PTSD. Further, COVID-19-induced panic was a risk factor for self-injury. One year after the COVID-19 pandemic, the overall mental health of college students was not optimal. Hence, we can conclude that the long-term impacts of COVID-19 on the mental health of college students may have already occurred. To mitigate this impact and prepare for the next major public health event, strengthening college students' mental health curricula and promoting healthy behaviors among college students should be a priority for universities and education authorities.

The influence of benzene on the composition, diversity and performance of the anodic bacterial community in glucose-fed microbial fuel cells.

Bioelectrochemical systems offer unique opportunities to remove recalcitrant environmental pollutants in a net positive energy process, although it remains challenging because of the toxic character of such compounds. In this study, microbial fuel cell (MFC) technology was applied to investigate the benzene degradation process for more than 160 days, where glucose was used as a co-metabolite and a control. We have applied an inoculation strategy that led to the development of 10 individual microbial communities. The electrochemical dynamics of MFC efficiency was observed, along with their 1H NMR metabolic fingerprints and analysis of the microbial community. The highest power density of 120 mW/m2 was recorded in the final period of the experiment when benzene/glucose was used as fuel. This is the highest value reported in a benzene/co-substrate system. Metabolite analysis confirmed the full removal of benzene, while the dominance of fermentation products indicated the strong occurrence of non-electrogenic reactions. Based on 16S rRNA gene amplicon sequencing, bacterial community analysis revealed several petroleum-degrading microorganisms, electroactive species and biosurfactant producers. The dominant species were recognised as Citrobacter freundii and Arcobacter faecis. Strong, positive impact of the presence of benzene on the alpha diversity was recorded, underlining the high complexity of the bioelectrochemically supported degradation of petroleum compounds. This study reveals the importance of supporting the bioelectrochemical degradation process with auxiliary substrates and inoculation strategies that allow the communities to reach sufficient diversity to improve the power output and degradation efficiency in MFCs beyond the previously known limits. This study, for the first time, provides an outlook on the syntrophic activity of biosurfactant producers and petroleum degraders towards the efficient removal and conversion of recalcitrant hydrophobic compounds into electricity in MFCs.

Traditional Versus Advanced Pulp Capping Materials in Primary Teeth.

In situations where pulp degeneration and carious lesions may coexist, pulp therapy is a regularly employed method. Mineral trioxide aggregate, a material that is now utilized for indirect pulp treatment (IPT), is nontoxic and nonmutagenic. There is proof that the restoration margin can be sealed to manage the caries lesion. In terms of the clinical and radiological outcome, it has been demonstrated that IPT is more effective and secure than direct pulp capping and pulpotomy. The pulp capping treatment's goal is to protect the pulp from microorganisms as well as from thermal, electrical, chemical, and physical stimulation. There is evidence that suggests targeted caries clearance and composite restoration may stop caries lesions more effectively than full dentin removal. Various pulp capping materials that are available in the market were highlighted in this review, and the discussion of each material was expanded to demonstrate its clinical efficacy. Articles were specifically selected and discussed for the materials used for the IPT in the primary teeth as very few studies have been done so far in relation to this subject. A literature search in various libraries, including PubMed, Cochrane, ResearchGate, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and other libraries, was done for several available materials that have been used for the IPT procedure in primary dentition in the last 20 years.

Mass Transfer Performance of a Rotating Spiral: Comparison with Conventional Contacting Methods

Previous work by the authors develops a novel technology for counter-current contacting of immiscible fluid phases based on a rotating spiral channel. The work has established theoretical modelling allowing prediction of mass transfer rates for physical absorption and desorption of dilute solute species and has verified the main hydrodynamic elements of the theory, with experimental measurements over a wide range of flow rates and liquid viscosity. A key feature of rotating spiral contacting is that the relative thicknesses of the phase layers is constant throughout the contacting process and, along with the relative phase flow rates, can be varied regardless of phase and solute properties to produce optimum conditions for the contacting. It has been shown that there are two criteria that determine the optimum. First, the flow rate ratio of the phases is matched to the equilibrium distribution of the solute between the two phases, so that sufficient solvent phase flows to allow full removal of solute from the processed stream. Second, the relative layer thicknesses should maximise specific throughput, i.e. the flow rate of the processed stream per device volume. These ideas of optimum contacting guide a comparison here of recent mass transfer data for the spiral with corresponding literature data for the packed column and rotating packed bed.

Zinc/Magnesium Ferrite Nanoparticles Functionalized with Silver for Optimized Photocatalytic Removal of Malachite Green.

Water pollution is a major environmental challenge. Due to the inefficiency of conventional wastewater treatment plants in degrading many organic complex compounds, these recalcitrant pollutants end up in rivers, lakes, oceans and other bodies of water, affecting the environment and human health. Semiconductor photocatalysis is considered an efficient complement to conventional methods, and the use of various nanomaterials for this purpose has been widely explored, with a particular focus on improving their activity under visible light. This work focuses on developing magnetic and photoactive zinc/magnesium mixed ferrites (Zn0.5Mg0.5Fe2O4) by sol-gel and solvothermal synthesis methods, which are two of the most important and efficient methods used for the synthesis of ferrite nanoparticles. The nanoparticles (NPs) synthesized by the sol-gel method exhibited an average size of 14.7 nm, while those synthesized by the solvothermal method had an average size of 17.4 nm. Both types possessed a predominantly cubic structure and demonstrated superparamagnetic behavior, reaching a magnetization saturation value of 60.2 emu g-1. Due to the high recombination rate of electrons/holes, which is an intrinsic feature of ferrites, surface functionalization with silver was carried out to enhance charge separation. The results demonstrated a strong influence of adsorption and of the deposition of silver. Several optimization steps were performed during synthesis, allowing us to create efficient catalysts, as proved by the almost full removal of the dye malachite green attaining 95.0% (at a rate constant of 0.091 min-1) and 87.6% (at a rate constant of 0.017 min-1) using NPs obtained by the sol-gel and solvothermal methods, respectively. Adsorption in the dark accounted for 89.2% of the dye removal for nanoparticles prepared by sol-gel and 82.8% for the ones obtained by the solvothermal method. These results make mixed zinc/magnesium ferrites highly promising for potential industrial application in effluent photoremediation using visible light.

Nerve-sparing radical prostatectomy using the neurovascular structure-adjacent frozen-section examination (NeuroSAFE): results after 20 years of experience.

To evaluate the long-term oncological outcomes and functional results of the neurovascular structure-adjacent frozen-section examination (NeuroSAFE) during nerve-sparing (NS) radical prostatectomy (RP). A 10-yr survival analysis on 11069 RPs performed with or without the NeuroSAFE, between January 2002 to June 2011 was carried out. In the NeuroSAFE cohort, the neurovascular structure-adjacent prostatic margins are removed and stained for cryo-sectioning during RP. In case of a PSM, partial or full removal of the neurovascular bundle was performed. The impact of NeuroSAFE on biochemical recurrence-free survival (BFS), salvage radiation therapy-free survival, metastasis-free survival, and prostate cancer-specific survival at 10 years was analyzed. 1-year (1-yr) erectile function (EF), 1-yr, and 2-yr continence rates were assessed in propensity score-based matched cohorts. Median follow-up was 121 (IQR: 73, 156) months. No differences in BFS between NeuroSAFE and non-NeuroSAFE were recorded (10-yr BFS: NeuroSAFE vs non-Neurosafe, pT2: 81% vs 84%, p = 0.06; pT3a: 58% vs. 63%, p = 0.6; ≥pT3b: 22% vs. 27%, p = 0.99). No differences were found between the two groups in terms of sRFS (pT2: p = 0.1; pT3a: p = 0.4; ≥pT3b: p = 0.4) (Fig.1B, Table2), and MTS (pT2: p = 0.3; pT3a: p = 0.6; ≥pT3b: p = 0.9). The NeuroSAFE-navigated patients reported a better 1-yr EF than non-NeuroSAFE (68% vs. 58%, p = 0.02) and no differences in 1-yr and 2-yr continence rates (92.4% vs. 91.8%, and 93.4% vs. 93%, respectively). The main limitation is the retrospective study design. While the NeuroSAFE approach did not show significant improvements in long-term oncologic or continence outcomes, it did provide an opportunity for a higher proportion of patients to improve postoperative functional results, possibly through increased nerve-sparing procedures.

Response of ectomycorrhizal fungi to full and selective removal of an invasive tree in riparian woodland

The Brazilian pepper tree (Schinus terebinthifolius) is an invasive species that requires significant disturbance to eradicate. Previous studies have identified associations between the Brazilian pepper tree and ectomycorrhizal fungi (EMF). However, limited research has explored the connection between disturbance from removal and the effect on EMF. This study investigated the sensitivity of EMF and the broader fungal community to the full and selective removal of the Brazilian pepper tree. During the selective removal of Brazilian pepper tree, we examined the mycorrhizal community of the Arroyo willow (Salix lasiolepis) to assess the influence of the restoration disturbance on native species. We used ITS2 sequencing to identify the EMF present during the restoration. Our expectation was that both removal efforts would reduce the presence of EMF. Contrary to our predictions, full removal increased EMF richness and relative abundance in the soil. As anticipated, selective removal reduced the richness and relative abundance of EMF associated with soil. Selective removal led to a decrease in the richness of EMF in arroyo willow roots with no effect on relative abundance. Moreover, fungal community composition in soil and roots shifted significantly during selective and full removal. However, the community composition of EMF, specifically, remained constant across treatment types. During full removal efforts, the application of organic soil amendments may have contributed to the increase in the diversity and relative abundance of EMF. Selective removal will require additional measures, such as soil amendments, to curtail the loss of EMF.

Desolvation Inability of Solid Hydrates, an Alternative Expression for the Gibbs Free Energy of Solvation, and the Myth of Freeze-Drying.

The term "desolvation inability" is proposed in order to describe the alteration of the original chemical structure of a solute ("decomposition") prior to the solvent's full removal upon the heating of the solvate. This behavior has been sporadically reported; however, it is much more frequent, and it is the basis of various, seemingly unrelated, effects/processes, e.g., the vinegar syndrome of cellulose acetate cinematographic films, in thermal energy storage. An explanation and a criterion/index for the prediction of this behavior are provided based on the comparison of the Gibbs free energies of decomposition and desolvation. A new approach for the expression of the Gibbs free energy of desolvation is proposed by reversing the roles of the solute and solvent and by regarding water as the solute rather than as the solvent, while the solute is treated as a solid solvent. This approach results in lower solvation/desolvation Gibbs free energy values. Based on the above, the experimentally observed thermal behavior of three inorganic hydrates is predicted and explained. Theoretically and experimentally, it is supported that decomposition is possible at sub-zero (°C) temperatures and the regarded simultaneous drying and protection of heat-sensitive substances by freeze-drying, at least in some cases, e.g., for the case of gallic acid, is an unverified myth.

A path to make well-informed decisions when considering the decommissioning of subsea pipelines

Australia’s law mandates the removal of infrastructure once not in use unless the Titleholder can demonstrate an equal or superior safety and environmental outcome. Around 100 infield and export pipelines in Australian waters, with an approximate total length of 5000 km, are nearing their end-of-life period. Three common decommissioning options are considered for subsea pipelines: complete removal, partial removal, or in-situ abandonment. Decommissioning these pipelines will cost an estimated US$13 billion, ~33% of the cumulative Australian offshore decommissioning liability, should the full removal option be selected. When decommissioning subsea pipelines, it is essential to consider that they have been exposed to hazardous fluids and aggressive environments. Careful assessments should determine the recyclability of recovered materials, decontamination, and the environmental risks associated with each decommissioning option. A holistic approach is needed to identify and quantify contaminants in subsea pipelines. In the early stages of decommissioning, planning, sampling, and laboratory testing are necessary to identify plastic coating types, degradation mechanisms, constituents released to the environment, types and mechanisms related to mercury/naturally occurring radioactive materials, and chemical stability. This paper aims to identify and present effective methods for addressing the impact of pipeline constituents on the Marine Environment Assessment while assessing potential decommissioning options and explains how tools can support decision-making. In summary, decommissioning subsea pipelines requires careful assessment and planning to ensure environmental and safety compliance. The paper provides a guide to understanding the process, highlighting the importance of quality assurance, risk assessment, and the selection of appropriate decommissioning options.

A simple, field-applicable method to increase the infectivity of wild isolates of Plasmodium falciparum to mosquito vectors

BackgroundThe direct membrane feeding assay (DMFA), whereby gametocyte-infected blood is collected from human donors and from which mosquitoes feed through a membrane, is proving essential for assessing parameters influencing Plasmodium transmission potential in endemic countries. The success of DMFAs is closely tied to gametocyte density in the blood, with relatively high gametocytaemia ensuring optimal infection levels in mosquitoes. As transmission intensity declines with control efforts, the occurrence of asymptomatic individuals with low gametocyte densities, who can significantly contribute to the infectious reservoir, is increasing. This poses a limitation to studies relying on the experimental infection of large numbers of mosquitoes with natural isolates of Plasmodium. A simple, field-applicable method is presented for improving parasite infectivity by concentrating Plasmodium falciparum gametocytes.MethodsAnopheles gambiae received one of the following 5 blood treatments through DMFA: (i) whole blood (WB) samples from naturally-infected donors; (ii) donor blood whose plasma was replaced with the same volume of Plasmodium-naive AB + serum (1:1 control); (iii) plasma replaced with a volume of malaria-naïve AB + serum equivalent to half (1:1/2), or to a quarter (1:1/4), of the initial plasma volume; and (v) donor blood whose plasma was fully removed (RBC). The experiment was repeated 4 times using 4 distinct wild parasite isolates. Seven days post-infection, a total of 1,095 midguts were examined for oocyst presence.ResultsSubstituting plasma with reduced amounts (1:1/2 and 1:1/4) of Plasmodium-naive AB + serum led to a 31% and 17% increase of the mosquito infection rate and to a 85% and 308% increase in infection intensity compared to the 1:1 control, respectively. The full removal of plasma (RBC) reduced the infection rate by 58% and the intensity by 64% compared to the 1:1 control. Reducing serum volumes (1:1/2; 1:1/4 and RBC) had no impact on mosquito feeding rate and survival when compared to the 1:1 control.ConclusionsConcentrating gametocytic blood by replacing natural plasma by lower amount of naive serum can enhance the success of mosquito infection. In an area with low gametocyte density, this simple and practical method of parasite concentration can facilitate studies on human-to-mosquito transmission such as the evaluation of transmission-blocking interventions.

Offshore oil and gas infrastructure plays a minor role in marine metapopulation dynamics

Decommissioning consequences of offshore oil and gas infrastructure removal on marine population dynamics, including connectivity, are not well understood. We modelled the connectivity and metapopulation dynamics of three fish and two benthic invertebrate species inhabiting the natural rocky reefs and offshore oil and gas infrastructure located in the Bass Strait, south-east Australia. Using a network approach, we found that platforms are not major sources, destinations, or stepping-stones for most species, yet act as modest sources for connectivity of Corynactis australis (jewel anemone). In contrast, sections of subsea pipelines appear to act as stepping-stones, source and destination habitats of varying strengths for all study species, except for Centrostephanus rodgersii (long-spined sea urchin). Natural reefs were the main stepping-stones, local source, and destination habitats for all study species. These reefs were largely responsible for the overall metapopulation growth of all study species (average of 96 % contribution across all species), with infrastructure acting as a minor contributor (<2 % average contribution). Full or partial decommissioning of platforms should have a very low or negligible impact on the overall metapopulation dynamics of the species explored, except C. australis, while full removal of pipelines could have a low impact on the metapopulation dynamics of benthic invertebrate species and a moderate impact on fish species (up to 34.1 % reduction in the metapopulation growth). We recommend that the decision to remove offshore infrastructure, either in full or in-part, be made on a platform-by-platform basis and consider contributions of pipelines to connectivity and metapopulation dynamics.

Para Incisional Quadrant Saving Dissection in Refractive Lenticule Extraction for Myopia by Reverse Pull using Shearing Applied Force Extraction (SAFE)

There is no standard technique of lenticule separation in Refractive Lenticule Extraction (ReLEx) or Small Incision Lenticule Extraction (SMILE) procedure used for spectacle number treatment by Laser. We present a unique method of lenticule dissection using reverse pull by shearing applied force extraction (SAFE) to ensure complete removal of the lenticule with minimal postoperative inflammation. This technique keeps the lenticule under control of the operating surgeon throughout the dissection. Random separation of lenticule may leave a part of the lenticule attached to the periphery. Separated lenticule overrides the attached part of lenticule. This reduced visibility of the attached part makes further separation difficult and causes excessive manipulation, consumes more time, leads to inflammation and may cause incomplete lenticule removal. This new technique ensures safe and full removal of the lenticule irrespective of its thickness (thin lenticule is difficult to identify and separate while thick lenticule tends to get accumulated on one side) and improves postoperative outcome.