Relevant Length Research Articles

Learning Curves in Establishing a New Minimally Invasive Pancreas Program.

Robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (rPD) is a complex operation with a reported learning curve of 80 cases. Two recent graduates of a formal robotic complex general surgical oncology training program have been performing rPD at our institution since 2016, which had no previous institutional experience with rPD. To evaluate the learning curve associated with developing a new robotic pancreaticoduodenectomy (rPD) program by fellowship trained surgeons with institutional support. Sixty patients undergoing rPD from 2016 to 2022 were reviewed for and compared with proficiency benchmarks set by the University of Pittsburg experience. By 30 cases, operative time met the proficiency benchmark of 391minutes. Additionally, the entire cohort had comparable rates of clinically relevant postoperative pancreatic fistula (6.7% vs 3%, P = .6), 30-day mortality (0% vs 3%, P = .18), major complications (Clavien >2; 23% vs 17%, P = .14), and length of stay (6 vs 7days, P = .49) when compared to the benchmark. Perioperative outcomes were comparable to proficiency benchmarks from initiation of the new rPD program, and operative time reached proficiency benchmark by 30 cases. This data suggests that graduates of formal rPD training programs can safely establish new minimally invasive pancreas programs at sites with no previous institutional rPD experience.

Downregulation of YAP Activity Restricts P53 Hyperactivation to Promote Cell Survival in Confinement.

Cell migration through confining three dimensional (3D) topographies can lead to loss of nuclear envelope integrity, DNA damage, and genomic instability. Despite these detrimental phenomena, cells transiently exposed to confinement do not usually die. Whether this is also true for cells subjected to long-term confinement remains unclear at present. To investigate this, photopatterning and microfluidics are employed to fabricate a high-throughput device that circumvents limitations of previous cell confinement models and enables prolonged culture of single cells in microchannels with physiologically relevant length scales. The results of this study show that continuous exposure to tight confinement can trigger frequent nuclear envelope rupture events, which in turn promote P53 activation and cell apoptosis. Migrating cells eventually adapt to confinement and evade cell death by downregulating YAP activity. Reduced YAP activity, which is the consequence of confinement-induced YAP1/2 translocation to the cytoplasm, suppresses the incidence of nuclear envelope rupture and abolishes P53-mediated cell death. Cumulatively, this work establishes advanced, high-throughput biomimetic models for better understanding cell behavior in health and disease, and underscores the critical role of topographical cues and mechanotransduction pathways in the regulation of cell life and death.

Measuring Expiratory Diaphragm Activity: An Electrifying Tool to Guide Positive End-Expiratory Pressure Strategy in Critically Ill Children?

Measuring Expiratory Diaphragm Activity: An Electrifying Tool to Guide Positive End-Expiratory Pressure Strategy in Critically Ill Children?

Lipid packing in biological membranes governs protein localization and membrane permeability

Plasma membrane (PM) heterogeneity has long been implicated in various cellular functions. However, mechanistic principles governing functional regulations of lipid environment are not well understood due to the inherent complexities associated with the relevant length and timescales that limit both direct experimental measurements and their interpretation. In this context, computer simulations hold immense potential to investigate molecular-level interactions and mechanisms that lead to PM heterogeneity and its functions. Herein, we investigate spatial and dynamic heterogeneity in model membranes with coexisting liquid ordered and liquid disordered phases and characterize the membrane order in terms of the local topological changes in lipid environment using the nonaffine deformation framework. Furthermore, we probe the packing defects in these membranes, which can be considered as the conjugate of membrane order assessed in terms of the nonaffine parameter. In doing so, we formalize the connection between membrane packing and local membrane order and use that to explore the mechanistic principles behind their functions. Our observations suggest that heterogeneity in mixed phase membranes is a consequence of local lipid topology and its temporal evolution, which give rise to disparate lipid packing in ordered and disordered domains. This in turn governs the distinct nature of packing defects in these domains that can play a crucial role in preferential localization of proteins in mixed phase membranes. Furthermore, we observe that lipid packing also leads to contrasting distribution of free volume in the membrane core region in ordered and disordered membranes, which can lead to distinctive membrane permeability of small molecules. Our results, thus, indicate that heterogeneity in mixed phase membranes closely governs the membrane functions that may emerge from packing-related basic design principles.

Early Results of Elective Endovascular Repair of Infrarenal Abdominal Aortic Aneurysms With the MinosTM Stent-Graft System.

A variety of last-generation endografts are currently available for standard endovascular repair (EVAR) of infrarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAAs). The purpose of this study is to report the preliminary clinical outcomes of the Minos trimodular stent-graft system, which was recently introduced to the European market. Between February 2020 and 2022, we treated 41 consecutive AAA patients (mean age 72.2±8.5, 37 males) with elective standard EVAR using the Minos. The mean maximum diameter of AAAs was 54.7±6.6 mm, the mean proximal neck's (PN) diameter was 24.8±2.7 mm, while the relevant length and angulation were 16.0 mm and 21.7°, respectively. Overall, 22 (53.6%) patients presented with shorter and angulated PN, according to the stent-graft's instructions of use, and in 6 (14.6%) patients the PN angulation >60° was combined with concomitant iliac angulation >60°. Eleven (26.8%) EVARs were performed with concomitant enormous iliac artery narrowing and tortuosity. Finally, in 19 (46.3%) AAAs, the distal iliac landing zone was aneurysmatic and they were treated with the bell-bottom technique in 17 patients and with limb extension to the external iliac artery in two cases. We evaluated technical and clinical success of the index procedures, which was based on the combination of five factors: freedom from EVAR-related mortality, from graft-related endoleak of any type, from migration at any part of graft as well the absence of notable increase AAA's sac maximum diameter and the patency of bifurcated stent-graft and of access vessels. Primary technical and clinical success of index procedures was 100%. During a median 12-month radiological follow-up the clinical success remained 100%. No type I or III endoleak, stent-graft migration, EVAR-related death, AAA rupture, or graft-related adverse events or reinterventions were documented. Four (9.8%) type II endoleaks were detected with stable AAA sac diameter. The overall incidence of sac regression was 34.1% (n=14). The preliminary results of our series showed that Minos provided excellent feasibility and safety features even through angulated and tortuous iliac vessels and in short and angulated PNs. The overall clinical success at 1 year suggests that performance of Minos follows very high standards. Further validation of these promising results with long-term data is acquired to complete the evaluation of this recently introduced stent-graft system. The current study explored the clinical performance of a new in market ultra-low profile bifurcated abdominal aortic stent-graft, the MINOS. The early and 12-month results of study suggest that implantation of this stent-graft in standard EVAR, even in hostile proximal aortic neck and iliac vessels conditions, follows very high clinical standards and encourage the further clinical use of MINOS.

Overset meshing in combination with novel blended weak-strong fluid-structure interactions for simulations of a translating valve in series with a second valve

Mechanical circulatory support (MCS) devices can bridge the gap to transplant whilst awaiting a viable donor heart. The Realheart Total Artificial Heart is a novel positive-displacement MCS that generates pulsatile flow via bileaflet mechanical valves. This study developed a combined computational fluid dynamics and fluid-structure interaction (FSI) methodology for simulating positive displacement bileaflet valves. Overset meshing discretised the fluid domain, and a blended weak-strong coupling FSI algorithm was combined with variable time-stepping. Four operating conditions of relevant stroke lengths and rates were assessed. The results demonstrated this modelling strategy is stable and efficient for modelling positive-displacement artificial hearts.

Structural, spectral and photoluminescence analyses of Fe3+ doped methyl hydroxy(diphenyl)ethanoate (MHE) crystal

Methylhydroxy(diphenyl)ethanoate (MP=75.7 °C, BP=275.7 °C) solid ester has been synthesized by a facile reaction of benzilic acid and methanol in the presence of FeCl3 as Lewis acid catalyst. The compound has been characterized by XRD, FT-IR, UV–Vis, SEM-EDAX and Photoluminescence studies. Single crystal analysis indicated P21/n space group with no hydrogen bonding. The relevant bond lengths and bond angles indicated the ester formation. FT-IR spectrum confirms the presence of functional groups such as OH, CH, and C=O. UV–Visible analysis confirms the presence of traces of Fe3+ giving rise to 6A1g (S) → 4T2g (G); 6A1g(S) → 4A1g (G), 6A1g(S) → 4Eg (G); 6A1g (S) → 4T2g (D) and 6A1g (S) → 4Eg (D) transitions. The Fe3+ doped methyl hydroxy(diphenyl)ethanoate showed blue and green emissions at 459 nm (λex=405 nm) and 546 nm (λex=473 nm) due to vibrational relaxation and shows a potential application for OLED. EPR analysis confirms the presence of Fe3+ in the crystal lattice by a strong and broad signal at g = 2.026 due to magnetic interaction and peak at g = 4.224 due to free Fe3+ in the rhombic symmetry.

Chemo-mechanical-microstructural coupling in the tarsus exoskeleton of the scorpion Scorpio palmatus.

The multiscale structure of biomaterials enables their exceptional mechanical robustness, yet the impact of each constituent at their relevant length scale remains elusive. We used SAXD analysis to expose the intact chitin-fiber architecture within the exoskeleton on a scorpion's claw, revealing varying orientations, including Bouligand and unidirectional regions different from other arthropod species. We uncovered the contribution of individual components' constituent behavior to its mechanical properties from the micro- to the nanoscale. At the microscale, in-situ micromechanical experiments were used to determine site-specific stiffness, strength, and failure of the biocomposite due to fiber orientation, while metal-crosslinking of proteins is characterized via fluorescence maps. At the constituent level, combined with FEA simulations, we uncovered the behavior of fiber-matrix deformation with fiber diameter <53.7nm and protein modulus in the range 1.4-11MPa. The unveiled microstructure-mechanics relationship sheds light on the evolved structural functionalities and constituents' interactions within the scorpion cuticle. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The pincer exoskeleton is a fundamental part of the scorpion's body due to its multifunctionality. Precise structural and compositional analysis within the hierarchy is paramount to understand the fundamentals of the mechanical properties of the composite exoskeleton. Here, we expose the intact chitin-fiber architecture of the pincer exoskeleton using nondestructive analysis. In-situ mechanical characterization was performed at nanometer levels within the exoskeleton hierarchy, which complemented with simulations, uncovered the elastic modulus of the protein matrix. Our findings confirm the presence and distribution of metal ions and their role as reinforcements in the protein matrix via ligand coordinate bonds. In future work, these findings can be of great potential to inspire the design of composite materials.

Influence of Geometry on Quasi-Ballistic Behavior in Silicon Nanowire Geometric Diodes

Diodes are a basic component of electrical circuits to control the flow of charge, and geometric diodes (GDs) are a special class that can operate using ballistic or quasi-ballistic transport in conjunction with geometric asymmetry to direct charge carriers preferentially in one direction, enabling an electron ratcheting effect. Nanomaterials present a unique platform for the development of GDs, and silicon nanowire (NW)-based GDs─cylindrically symmetric but translationally asymmetric three-dimensional nanostructures─have recently been demonstrated functioning at room temperature. These devices can theoretically achieve a near zero-bias turn-on voltage and rectify up to THz frequencies. Here, we synthesize silicon NW GDs and fabricate single-NW devices from which significant changes in diode performance are observed from relatively minor changes in geometry. To elucidate the interplay between geometry and ballistic behavior, we develop a Monte Carlo simulation that describes the quasi-ballistic behavior of electrons within a three-dimensional NW GD. We examine the effects of doping level, temperature, and geometry on charge carrier transport, revealing the relationships between charge carrier mean free path (MFP), specular reflection at surfaces, and geometry on GD performance. As expected, geometry strongly influences performance by directing or blocking charge carrier passage through the nanostructure. Interestingly, we find that the blocking effect is at least as important as the directing effect. Moreover, within certain geometric limits, the diode behavior is less sensitive to the MFP than might be initially expected because of the short relevant length scales and importance of the blocking effect. The results provide guidelines for the future design of NW GDs and enable the prediction and interpretation of trends in experimental results. An improved understanding of quasi-ballistic transport is crucial to guiding future experiments toward realizing THz rectification for applications in high-speed data transfer and long-wavelength energy harvesting.

Vertical growth dynamics of biofilms

During the biofilm life cycle, bacteria attach to a surface and then reproduce, forming crowded, growing communities. Many theoretical models of biofilm growth dynamics have been proposed; however, difficulties in accurately measuring biofilm height across relevant time and length scales have prevented testing these models, or their biophysical underpinnings, empirically. Using white light interferometry, we measure the heights of microbial colonies with nanometer precision from inoculation to their final equilibrium height, producing a detailed empirical characterization of vertical growth dynamics. We propose a heuristic model for vertical growth dynamics based on basic biophysical processes inside a biofilm: diffusion and consumption of nutrients and growth and decay of the colony. This model captures the vertical growth dynamics from short to long time scales (10 min to 14 d) of diverse microorganisms, including bacteria and fungi.

Performance of Density Functionals and Semiempirical 3c Methods for Small Gold–Thiolate Clusters

In light of the recent surge in computational studies of gold thiolate clusters, we present a comparison of popular density functionals (DFAs) and three-part corrected methods (3c-methods) on their performance by taking a data set named as AuSR18 consisting of 18 isomers of Aun(SCH3)m (m ≤ n = 1-3). We have compared the efficiency and accuracy of the DFAs and 3c-methods in geometry optimization with RI-SCS-MP2 as the reference method. Similarly, the performance for accurate and efficient energy evaluation was compared with DLPNO-CCSD(T) as the reference method. The lowest energy structure among the isomers of the largest stoichiometry from our data set, AuSR18, i.e., Au3(SCH3)3, is considered to evaluate the computational time for SCF and gradient evaluations. Alongside this, the numbers of optimization steps to locate the most stable minima of Au3(SCH3)3 are compared to assess the efficiency of the methods. A comparison of relevant bond lengths with the reference geometries was made to estimate the accuracy in geometry optimization. Some methods, such as LC-BLYP, ωB97M-D3BJ, M06-2X, and PBEh-3c, could not locate many of the minima found by most of the other methods; thus, the versatility in locating various minima is also an important criterion in choosing a method for the given project. To determine the accuracy of the methods, we compared the relative energies of the isomers in each stoichiometry and the interaction energy of the gold core with the ligands. The dependence of basis set size and relativistic effects on energies are also compared. The following are some of the highlights. TPSS has shown accuracy, while mPWPW shows comparable speed and accuracy. For the relative energies of the clusters, the hybrid range-separated DFAs are the best option. CAM-B3LYP excels, whereas B3LYP performs poorly. Overall, LC-BLYP is a balanced performer considering both the geometry and relative stability of the structures, but it lacks diversity. The 3c-methods, although fast, are less impressive in relative stability.

Microscopic versus Macroscopic Glass Transitions and Relevant Length Scales in Mixtures of Industrial Interest.

We have combined X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction with polarization analysis, small-angle neutron scattering (SANS), neutron elastic fixed window scans (EFWS), and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) to investigate polymeric blends of industrial interest composed by isotopically labeled styrene-butadiene rubber (SBR) and polystyrene (PS) oligomers of size smaller than the Kuhn length. The EFWS are sensitive to the onset of liquid-like motions across the calorimetric glass transition, allowing the selective determination of the "microscopic" effective glass transitions of the components. These are compared with the "macroscopic" counterparts disentangled by the analysis of the DSC results in terms of a model based on the effects of thermally driven concentration fluctuations and self-concentration. At the microscopic level, the mixtures are dynamically heterogeneous for blends with intermediate concentrations or rich in PS, while the sample with highest content of the fast SBR component looks as dynamically homogeneous. Moreover, the combination of SANS and DSC has allowed determining the relevant length scale for the α-relaxation through its loss of equilibrium to be ≈30 Å. This is compared with the different characteristic length scales that can be identified in these complex mixtures from structural, thermodynamical, and dynamical points of view because of the combined approach followed. We also discuss the sources of the non-Gaussian effects observed for the atomic displacements and the applicability of a Lindemann-like criterion in these materials.

Towards a predictive, physics-based friction model for the dynamics of jointed structures

Bolted connections are ubiquitous in mechanical designs and pose a significant challenge to understanding and predicting the vibration response of assembled structures. The present paper develops a physics-based rough contact model of the frictional interactions within a joint. This model sums over the probable interactions of asperities – defined as locally maximum surface features – to determine the contact forces. Here, the tangential contact forces vary smoothly between sticking and slipping and allow the model to better capture the qualitative trends of experimental amplitude dependent frequency and damping than previous studies. Furthermore, the novel model is generalized to allow for arbitrarily varying normal pressure including potential separation to better represent the interfacial dynamics. This includes developing a new, computationally tractable approximation to the analytical Mindlin partial slip solution for tangential loading of contacting spheres. The results highlight the importance of accurately characterizing the as-built topology of the interface, the plastic behavior of the contacting asperities, the relevant length scale of asperities, and the eccentricity of asperities. A predictive friction coefficient based on plasticity provides a poor match to experiments, so fitting the friction coefficient is also considered. Numerical results are compared to experiments on the Brake-Reuß Beam to assess the predictive potential of the models. While blind predictions over-predict the slip limit, the current model presents a significant improvement in physics-based modeling and highlights areas for ongoing research.

Operando magnetic resonance imaging of product distributions within the pores of catalyst pellets during Fischer–Tropsch synthesis

The optimization of a heterogeneous catalytic process requires characterization of the catalyst at industrially relevant conditions and length scales. Here we use magnetic resonance imaging to gain insight into the Fischer–Tropsch synthesis occurring in a pilot-scale fixed-bed reactor operating at 220 °C and 37 bar, for three H2/CO feed ratios. The molecular diffusion and carbon number of the hydrocarbon products are spatially resolved within both the reactor and individual 1 wt% Ru/TiO2 catalyst pellets. These data highlight the importance of mass transfer, in addition to the nanoscale catalyst activity, on catalyst performance. In particular, a start-up time of up to three weeks is required for the steady state to be achieved in the catalyst pores. Further, the average carbon number present in the pores can be as much as double that in the product wax. The operando characterization of water and oxygenates present in the pores is also achieved. The presence of a water-rich liquid at the pore surface is confirmed. The practical optimizations of heterogeneous catalytic processes and reactor engineering are intertwined, but often what occurs inside the reactor remains elusive. Now, the molecular diffusion and carbon number of hydrocarbon products during Fischer–Tropsch synthesis on a Ru/TiO2 catalyst are spatially resolved via magnetic resonance imaging in a pilot-scale fixed-bed reactor.

Thermally-modulated shape transition at the interface of soft gel filament and hydrophobic substrate

A liquid filament may pinch off into different shapes on interacting with a soft surface, as modulated by the interplay of inertial, capillary, and viscous forces. While similar shape transitions may intuitively be realized for more complex materials such as soft gel filaments as well, their intricate controllability towards deriving precise and stable morphological features remains challenging, as attributed to the complexities stemming from the underlying interfacial interactions over the relevant length and time scales during the sol–gel transition process. Circumventing these deficits in the reported literature, here we report a new means of precisely-controlled fabrication of gel microbeads via exploiting thermally-modulated instabilities of a soft filament atop a hydrophobic substrate. Our experiments reveal that abrupt morphological transitions of the gel material set in at a threshold temperature, resulting in spontaneous capillary thinning and filament breakup. We show that this phenomenon may be precisely modulated by an alteration in the hydration state of the gel material that may be preferentially dictated by its intrinsic glycerol content. Our results demonstrate that the consequent morphological transitions give rise to topologically-selective microbeads as an exclusive signature of the interfacial interactions of the gel material with the deformable hydrophobic interface underneath. Thus, intricate control may be imposed on the spatio-temporal evolution of the deforming gel, facilitating the inception of highly ordered structures of specific shapes and dimensionalities on demand. This is likely to advance the strategies of long shelf-life analytical biomaterial encapsulations via realizing one-step physical immobilization of bio-analytes on the bead surfaces as a new route to controlled materials processing, without demanding any resourced microfabrication facility or delicate consumable materials.

Temperature-dependent elasticity of single crystalline graphite

Despite its relevance in many high temperature processes, the elastic behavior of single crystalline graphite is so far entirely undocumented away from room temperature conditions. In this work we present a molecular dynamics investigation of graphite’s second order elastic tensor dependence on temperature from 300 to 4000 K, using a series of popular interatomic potentials for carbon. Data and analytic expressions are presented for the elastic tensor under the two limiting situations known as isothermal, or quasi-static, and adiabatic deformation conditions, prevailing in the limits of slow and large deformation rates, respectively. Independently from the potential, we identify a strong non-linearity of elastic constants with respect to temperature. We show that despite conserving an important elastic anisotropy whatever the temperature, the latter is being reduced by a factor of ∼5 when increasing temperature up to 4000 K. Also, we show that elastic anisotropy is about 20 times larger under isothermal conditions than under adiabatic conditions. Finally, we investigate the dynamics of the adiabatic to isothermal stress relaxations occurring right after ultra fast deformations such as those encountered under shock loading, showing that the relevant time and length scales are of the order of a few ps and nm, respectively, for deformations around a percent.

Membrane remodeling and vesicle formation by biomolecular condensates: A coarse grained simulation study.

Intrinsically disordered peptides (IDPs) can undergo liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) which is essential for membrane-less organelle formation and intracellular compartmentalization. Several experimental studies observed LLPS at or near the lipid membrane surface, leading to the alteration of the membrane morphology. Processes such as tubulation, endocytosis, exocytosis, and multilamellar membrane formation have also been observed in recent experiments. However, the molecular mechanisms and the governing molecular interactions remain unclear. Here we employ molecular dynamics simulations with different levels of coarse-graining to understand these long timescale processes. We study the coacervation of oppositely charged polypeptide sequences, namely, poly-glutamate (E30) and poly-lysine (K30) mixtures in the presence of lipid bilayers containing different ratios of POPC and POPG, with Martini 3.0 explicit solvent forcefield. We find that at least 20% anionic lipids are required to observe successful events of adsorption, followed by wetting, of the EK-coacervate on the bilayer. Upon wetting, the coacervate produces negative curvature to the bilayer and induces local demixing of lipids. Interestingly, the number of contacts between the polyelectrolytes decreases, unlike previous suggestions that predicted an increased overlap among the polyelectrolytes as the driving force of negative curvature formation. Next, we investigate the sensitivity of membrane deformation to the sequence (or charge patterns) of the IDPs. We observe that the IDPs with segregated charge patterns can remodel the membrane more prominently than IDPs with well-mixed charges. In order to understand the biologically relevant length- and time-scales, we developed a solvent-free coarse grained model for such systems. By tuning the IDP-lipid and IDP-IDP interactions, we observe endocytosis, exocytosis, and multilamellarity induced by the LLPS droplet into the bilayer vesicle.

Heat-Driven Iontronic Nanotransistors.

Thermoelectric polyelectrolytes are emerging as ideal material platform for self-powered bio-compatible electronic devices and sensors. However, despite the nanoscale nature of the ionic thermodiffusion processes underlying thermoelectric efficiency boost in polyelectrolytes, to date no evidence for direct probing of ionic diffusion on its relevant length and time scale has been reported. This gap is bridged by developing heat-driven hybrid nanotransistors based on InAs nanowires embedded in thermally biased Na+ -functionalized (poly)ethyleneoxide, where the semiconducting nanostructure acts as a nanoscale probe sensitive to the local arrangement of the ionic species. The impact of ionic thermoelectric gating on the nanodevice electrical response is addressed, investigating the effect of device architecture, bias configuration and frequency of the heat stimulus, and inferring optimal conditions for the heat-driven nanotransistor operation. Microscopic quantities of the polyelectrolyte such as the ionic diffusion coefficient are extracted from the analysis of hysteretic behaviors rising in the nanodevices. The reported experimental platform enables simultaneously the ionic thermodiffusion and nanoscale resolution, providing a framework for direct estimation of polyelectrolytes microscopic parameters. This may open new routes for heat-driven nanoelectronic applications and boost the rational design of next-generation polymer-based thermoelectricmaterials.

Spectral analysis of the evolution of energy-containing eddies

Energy-containing eddies (energy-eddies) are the elementary structures of wall turbulence that carry most of the kinetic energy and momentum. Despite the consensus that energy-eddies can self-sustain at each relevant length scale, their precise origin and spatial evolution are currently not well understood. In this study, we examine the spatial evolution of energy-eddies by quenching them at the inflow of a turbulent channel flow. Our study shows that the eddies involved in the energy cascade cannot be sustained without the energy-eddies. The streamwise velocity spectra of the evolving flow start to recover at a spanwise wavelength of $\lambda _z^+ \simeq 100$ , equal to the near-wall spacing of streaks in the buffer layer located at $y^+ \simeq 15$ , whereas there are no active vortical motions in the streamwise vorticity spectra until the energy at the streak location is re-established. Hence, the present study demonstrates that in a spatially evolving flow, the formation of near-wall streaks is the primary process necessary in the recovery of energy-eddies.

Maritime Delimitation Between China and South Korea in the South Yellow Sea

China and South Korea resumed negotiations on delimiting their maritime boundary in 2015. The overlapping maritime area of China and South Korea requiring delimitation lie mainly in the South Yellow Sea (SYS). This article proceeds on the basis that the two states probably reached a preliminary agreement on the limits of the first-stage maritime delimitation area, in which there are no third-party interests involved. This article selects 37°N and 32°N as the northern and southern limits of the first-stage maritime delimitation area on the basis of public information available. This article proposes that China and South Korea can delimit a single maritime boundary for their exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelves by applying the equidistance/relevant circumstances method, and then following the three-stage approach. After applying the three-stage approach to this case, this author concludes that the adjusted equidistance line/potential delimitation line will probably move toward South Korea, departing from the provisional equidistance line. The potential delimitation line of EEZ/continental shelf between the two states probably extends generally south-southwest-southeast. This author calculates that the coastal length ratio between the two states is approximately 1:2.14 in favor of China and the ratio of the relevant baselines length is approximately 1:1.47 in favor of China. This author deduces that the ratio of the allocated relevant areas is approximately 1:1.17 in favor of China and the ratio of the allocated provisional measure zone (PMZ) of the 2000 China–ROK Fishery Agreement is approximately 1:1.44 in favor of China, both under the adjusted equidistance line scenario, measured by the WGS 1984 Web Mercator.