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Background: The mechanism of action of fractional carbon dioxide (CO2) laser in the management of skin scarring is stimulation of collagen and fibroblasts in the dermis, resulting in remodeling and shrinking of the skin. Objective: The purpose of this research is to assess the safety and performance of a new CO2 laser scanner for treatment of acne scars. Methods: The study was carried out on 20 patients of both sexes, with a mean age of 25.7 - 6.7 years. To assess the performance and safety of this new CO2 scanner, a preclinical histological evaluation was done. A clinical evaluation of acne scars was performed using Goodman and Baron's quantitative global acne scarring grading system (GBQGASGS) and a crusting scale where crusting scores ranged from 1 = none to 4 = severe. Digital photographs were taken to obtain esthetic results. Results: GBQGASGS showed a significant improvement in patients' scars and the treatment was well tolerated, with no lasting side effects. Conclusions: The new scanner seems to be an effective and safe device for skin scarring treatment, speeding up the healing time of scars. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a novel treatment for removal of SL that is efficient and enables removal or lesions not immediately visible. Kleresca® FLE technology combined with picosecond laser treatment removes SL lesions and improves skin quality and appearance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the development and implementation of an on-line technique for the identification of the stator resistance and permanent magnet flux linkage on three-phase, open-end winding, permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drives. The stator resistance and permanent magnet flux linkage are independently determined by exploiting a special current vector control strategy, which holds one of the phase currents at zero while suitably modifying the other two in order to keep the magnetomotive force unchanged. As will be demonstrated, no additional sensors or special tests are required by the proposed technique; moreover, motor electrical parameters can be on-line estimated in a wide operating range, avoiding any detrimental impact on the torque capability of the PMSM drive. Finally, the electrical machine thermal status can be also estimated from obtained values of the stator resistance and permanent magnet flux linkage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the performance of a three-phase permanent magnet synchronous motor (PMSM) drive operating under a single fault, adopting a low cost and fault-tolerant control based on deadbeat-direct torque and flux control (DB-DTFC). Under faulty operation, this fault-tolerant DB-DTFC offers an independent regulation of the electromagnetic torque and the stator flux linkage by using the same torque line equation, stator flux linkage, and current observers adopted during healthy conditions, requiring very limited hardware reconfigurations. In particular, it has been demonstrated that in a fault situation, the same drive model equations adopted for the healthy electric drive can be exploited with very limited detrimental effects on the drive performance simply by applying a suitable reference frame transformation set in the torque and flux control structure. The proposed fault-tolerant DB-DTFC has been validated by experimental tests, confirming that the proposed fault-tolerant DB-DTFC ensures satisfactory faulty operations and drive stability, without significant degradation of parameter sensitivity, keeping limited the increment of computational efforts. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The paper deals with the analysis and implementation of a vector control strategy devoted to integrated multidrive systems used in starter alternator applications with several dc buses at different voltage levels. The electromechanical system of the considered multidrive topology is obtained by splitting the conventional stator winding of an induction machine into different n three-phase subunits, maintaining the same magnetomotive force distribution and sharing the same rotor. Each stator unit together with rotor can be considered a submotor, thus the entire electromagnetic system behavior can be considered as the combination of all submotors contributions. The submotors are suitably supplied through standard three-phase inverters whose technical specifications are also established according to the storage unit voltage levels. First, a detailed mathematical representation of the electromagnetic system has been developed, then the conditions to carry out the field orientation in each generic subdrive are determined. Addressing a starter-alternator system, the integrated multidrive configuration has been experimentally tested, highlighting the capability of the proposed approach to efficiently handle multidirectional power flows among the storage units and mechanical system while ensuring high dynamic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Key Clinical Message: Treating solar lentigines using picosecond‐switched lasers that selectively remove the excess pigment was combined with Kleresca® biophotonic treatment. This therapy uses fluorescent light energy to stimulate healing by increasing collagen production and reducing inflammation. Combining these therapies successfully removed solar lentigines and achieved normalized and rejuvenated treated skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to their inner structural redundancy, ac multidrive systems (MDSs) can achieve a fault-tolerance capability with minor circuit modifications. However, some additional components are generally required in order to create emergency current paths. According to a recently presented approach, the amount of additional components can be reduced by exploiting healthy drives to support faulty drives. This can be obtained by connecting together the neutral points of motor stator windings and suitably sharing the neutral current of faulty units among some, or all, healthy units. Following such an approach, three current-sharing methodologies for fault-tolerant MDSs are presented in this paper, which are able to cope with single or multiple failures. They are first theoretically introduced and then validated by mean of simulations and experimental test results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The northern and central Adriatic Sea represents an important spawning and aggregation area for common sole (Solea solea) and provides for around 20% of the Mediterranean landings. In this area, this resource is mainly exploited with rapido trawl and set nets. The stock is not yet depleted and faces a situation of growth overfishing. The comparison between the spatial distribution by age of S. solea and the geographic patterns of the rapido trawl fishing effort evidenced an overlapping of this fishing activity with the area where juveniles concentrate (age groups 0–2). The majority of spawners inhabits specific offshore areas, here defined as ‘sole sanctuaries’, where high concentrations of debris and benthic communities make difficult trawling with rapido. The aim of this study was to evaluate existing spatial management regimes and potential new spatial and temporal closures in the northern and central Adriatic Sea using a simple modelling tool. Two spatial simulations were carried out in order to verify the effectiveness of complementary methods for the management of fisheries: the ban of rapido trawling from October to December within 6nautical miles and 9nautical miles of the Italian coast. The focus of the simulation is that the effort of the rapido trawl is moved far from the coast during key sole recruitment periods, when the juveniles are moving from the inshore nursery area toward the offshore feeding grounds. The management scenarios showed that a change in selectivity would lead to a clear increase in the spawning stock biomass and an increase in landings of S. solea in the medium-term. The rapido trawl activity could be managed by using a different logic, bearing in mind that catches and incomes would increase with small changes in the spatial pattern of the fishing effort. The present study highlights the importance of taking into account spatial dimensions of fishing fleets and the possible interactions that can occur between fleets and target species, facilitating the development of control measures to achieve a healthy balance between stock exploitation and socio-economic factors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The common sole (Solea solea) is one of the most important demersal resources in the northern and central Adriatic Sea (GFCM GSA 17). Landings from this basin make up around 23% of the overall Mediterranean and Black Sea production. Despite the economic relevance of sole in the Adriatic Sea, and its inherent property of being shared among three countries (i.e. Italy, Slovenia and Croatia), studies on its spatial distribution are scarce and aged. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to assess the spatial distribution and investigate the dynamics of this species in the GSA 17. Samples of common sole were collected in the framework of yearly rapido trawl surveys (SoleMon), during late autumn, from 2005 to 2010, i.e. the spawning season of common sole in the Adriatic. Results highlighted that juveniles are mostly concentrated in shallow water (0–30m depth) along the Italian coast and their spatial distribution persisted along the sampled years. By contrast adults were mainly distributed in the central/eastern part of the basin at depths >30m. As a result of the different spatial distributions, juveniles are exploited exclusively by Italian vessels, especially by beam trawlers (i.e. rapido trawl), while adults are caught by Croatian and Slovenian fishing fleets in their respective national waters and by the Italian fleet operating in international waters. These results, while shedding light on the common sole spatial ecology in the Adriatic, represent crucial information for the setting of international collaboration for a rational spatial-based management of the resource. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The main goals of this project were to evaluate if artificial reefs are suitable sites for releasing hatchery-reared sea bass and if intensively and extensive large-volume cultured sea bass are suitable to be released into the wild for stock enhancement purposes. Large-volume cultured bass were reared in lower densities compared to intensively cultured ones and, when fry were about 90days old, were transferred into external ponds connected to the channels of the surrounding marsh, where that they could integrate pellet food sources with live prey. Intensively cultured bass were fed for 55days with Artemia salina (Linnaeus, 1758) and then with pellets. Underwater visual census (UVC) and fishing sampling were carried out to verify the presence of the tagged specimens at the artificial reef. A low mortality rate after tagging was observed and good tag retention was recorded. Individuals dead after tagging were statistically smaller than survivors. A total of 45 tagged bass (42 large-volume and 3 intensively cultured) were returned by fishers and 16 specimens were observed during UVC (15 large-volume and 1 intensively cultured). The majority of recaptured bass concentrated in the surroundings of river mouths and harbours suggesting that, after release, sea bass migrated towards shallower and brackish waters. Subsequently, as they grew, they came back towards deeper waters and tended to aggregate around artificial structures. Analysis of stomach contents of returned individuals confirmed their dependence on hard-substrate food items. The study provides evidence to support the suitability of large-volume juveniles for restocking purposes, due to their ability to prey on wild food and their endurance to the stress caused by release operations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes different aspects of the maximum-torque-per-ampere (MTPA) vector control of interior permanent-magnet synchronous motors at steady state and transient. Two different implementations are considered: a nonlinear-model-based MTPA profile including saturation and cross-saturation effects and a technique based on the maximization of the motor input power versus stator current. Furthermore, this paper analyzes the torque evolution during a transient under an MTPA control strategy on motors with different characteristics. Useful modifications of the current loop are suggested to improve the drive performance. The effects of the torque transient on the sensorless rotor position estimation are also taken into consideration, in case a sensorless MTPA implementation is required. Experimental results confirm the theoretical analysis, showing the benefits of the new control schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent articles demonstrate that sensorless drives for induction motors can operate at zero-electrical and mechanical frequencies with the aid of high-frequency signal injection techniques and processing the zero-sequence voltage signals. The paper presents some practical implementation issues affecting the performance of such a technique and shows how to improve the quality of the estimated angle. All the assessments are experimentally proved and have a general value that can be extended to other sensorless techniques injecting high-frequency signal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, the rotor position of a synchronous reluctance motor is estimated exploiting the natural saliency of the machine through an addition of a small high-frequency sinusoidal voltage to the stator voltage reference. Due to rotor saliency, a stator voltage component is generated orthogonal to the added signal, whose amplitude depends on the phase displacement between the d-axis and the direction of the injected signal. A robust rotor position tracking can be accomplished by adjusting the direction of the carrier voltage in order to minimize the amplitude of the generated orthogonal voltage. The proposed technique allows zero-speed operation, does not require additional voltage or current sensors, and can easily correct the influence of the armature reaction. Experimental results confirm the validity of the proposed sensorless technique. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GLO:HYQ/01mar20:phpp12518-fig-0001.jpg PHOTO (COLOR): Standardized pictures obtained using a Visia camera system (Candfield); before the Kleresca® pre-post treatment (A), 1 wk after the second Kleresca® session and immediately prior to the treatment with the QS-ruby laser (B), and 3 wk after the QS-ruby laser treatment (C) were used to track the changes in pigmentation. Showing the percentage change in pigmentation calculated following the Kleresca® treatment compared with baseline (before any treatment) and following the subsequent laser treatment compared with baseline Kleresca® pre-post treatment is a useful adjunct therapy preparing the skin before and rejuvenating the skin after more invasive therapies, favoring a fast recovery, and enhancing the overall esthetic results. [Extracted from the article]

This paper exploits the interaction between the low-frequency and the high-frequency fields created by signal-injection techniques during sensorless estimation of the air-gap flux position in induction machines. Such an interaction causes new phenomena that can be summarized in a modulation of the machine saturation level and creation of harmonics that contain information about the position of the flux. This paper analyzes the issues related to the presence of additional fields and predicts the resulting harmonic content using three different approaches such as analytical calculations, computer simulation, and finite element analysis. Experimental measurements confirm the conclusions of this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a method to compute the air-gap flux position in induction motors at very low including zero-stator frequency. A low-frequency (50 ÷ 100 Hz) sinusoidal stationary signal is added to the normal stator variables to provide the machine with a suitable permanent excitation. Such an additional excitation modulates the saturation level of the magnetic core of the machine according to the angular position of the air-gap flux. As a result, a new zero-sequence stator-voltage component is generated that contains useful information about the position of the air-gap flux unaffected by load variation. Such a zero-sequence voltage can be easily employed to provide a wide bandwidth measurement of the air-gap flux position. A key feature of the proposed approach is that a low-frequency (0 ÷ 5 Hz) signal is demodulated, thus avoiding any drawback featured by previous sensorless techniques operating with high-frequency signal injection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a new technique to detect the slip angular frequency in induction motor drives with indirect field-oriented control (IFOC). Slip frequency is calculated by processing the effects exerted by an additional high-frequency signal on the zero-sequence stator voltage. By measuring such a zero-sequence voltage, it is possible to evaluate the air-gap flux and detect the slip frequency in order to implement an IFOC algorithm. According to the proposed approach, rotor time constant errors are not influent as in conventional field-oriented control schemes, thus, complex tuning or compensation techniques are not required. Simulations and experimental tests are performed to evaluate, the consistency of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper aims to demonstrate that, exploiting the sensorless zero-sequence (SZS) air-gap flux estimation technique, it is possible to realize field-oriented induction motor drives without speed and current sensors, able to operate down to zero speed. According to the SZS technique a zero-sequence stator voltage component is generated as a result of the injection of a suitable high-frequency signal on the stator voltage. By manipulation of such a zero-voltage component, that is unaffected by speed and load changes, it is possible to detect both the amplitude and the angular position of the air-gap flux. In the present paper, it is shown that such a technique allows for the estimation of the motor speed and the phase currents, enabling implementation of a field-oriented control as well as speed and current closed control loops using a simple hardware which, with minor modifications, resembles that of an inexpensive constant Volt/Hertz drive. Experimental tests are shown in order to practically confirm the expected features of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although sensorless techniques are among the preferred topics of many researchers around the world, the challenge they represent in terms of finding a robust and effective solution for sensor elimination in ac machine drives has not yet been completely solved. This is especially true for induction motor (IM) drives that still remain the "drive choice" for most of the low- and mediumperformance applications. This paper discusses how standard control methods of IM drives can be improved by adopting a sensorless flux estimation procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a new and straightforward approach to estimate the air-gap flux position in induction machines. The proposed scheme is based on the injection of a high-frequency oscillating stator voltage instead of a three-phase high-frequency voltage, thus allowing a reduction in audible noises and torque ripple. The main feature of the proposed approach is that a simple air-gap flux tracking algorithm is developed using the amplitude variation of the high-frequency component of the zero-sequence voltage. Moreover, the zero-sequence voltage is sensed at the output of the inverter rather than at motor terminals. The estimated position is not influenced by load and parameter variation and can be performed at any frequency, including low and zero frequency. An experimental prototype has been implemented showing the performance of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents information on a study which proposed a novel approach to estimate the instantaneous position of the air-gap flux in standard induction machines at low and zero speed. Classes of induction motor drives; Sensorless vector control (SVC) of induction motors; Air-gap flux position measurement from the stator voltage zero-sequence component; Proposed SVC scheme; Experimental results.

Spatial fisheries management is widely used to reduce overfishing, rebuild stocks, and protect biodiversity. However, the effectiveness and optimization of spatial measures depend on accurately identifying ecologically meaningful areas, which can be difficult in mixed fisheries. To apply a method generally to a range of target species, we developed an ensemble of species distribution models (e‐SDM) that combines general additive models, generalized linear mixed models, random forest, and gradient‐boosting machine methods in a training and testing protocol. The e‐SDM was used to integrate density indices from two scientific bottom trawl surveys with the geopositional data, relevant oceanographic variables from the three‐dimensional physical‐biogeochemical operational model, and fishing effort from the vessel monitoring system. The determined best distributions for juveniles and adults are used to determine hot spots of aggregation based on single or multiple target species. We applied e‐SDM to juvenile and adult stages of 10 marine demersal species representing 60% of the total demersal landings in the central areas of the Mediterranean Sea. Using the e‐SDM results, hot spots of aggregation and grounds potentially more selective were identified for each species and for the target species group of otter trawl and beam trawl fisheries. The results confirm the ecological appropriateness of existing fishery restriction areas and support the identification of locations for new spatial management measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Treatment of actinic keratosis (AK) and field cancerization with photodynamic therapy (PDT) is an effective therapeutic approach with a significant reduction in the number of AK lesions (-75% or more) associated with a significant cosmetic improvement of the photodamaged skin. Recently, also, the daylight PDT (DL-PDT) has proven to be as effective as the conventional PDT (C-PDT), but with a better tolerability. After C-PDT and DL-PDT it is advised to use photoprotection strategies to improve the clinical evolution and prevent the appearance of new AK lesions that usually appear 3-6 months after the last phototherapy session. However, there are no robust clinical data regarding the type of photoprotection to be used (SPF level, duration of treatment, etc.) after successful PDT.Study aim: The present study (ATHENA trial) evaluated the efficacy and tolerability of a topical product based on 0.8% piroxicam and 50+ solar filters (ACTX), applied twice a day as sequential therapy after C-PDT or DL-PDT on the evolution of AK lesions number compared to the use of very high photoprotection products commonly used in this clinical setting (SPF50+ or SPF100+ associated with photolyase) (Standard Sunscreens: SS group). Subjects and methods: This was a multicenter, randomized, two-arm, prospective controlled, assessor-masked outcome evaluation, parallel group (1:1), pragmatic study of 6 months duration in patients with multiple AK lesions suitable for photodynamic therapy. The objectives of the study were the evaluation of the evolution of the number of AK lesions during the period of treatment/application of the study products, and the Investigator global clinical assessment score (IGA score; 4: marked improvement, 3: good, 2: moderate; 1 no improvement; 0: worsening) 2, 3, and 6 months after the last PDT session. A total of 68 subjects (50 men, 18 women; mean age 70 years), 34 assigned to treatment with ACTX and 34 to treatment with SS (17 treated with a SPF50+ and 17 with a photolyase-containing SPF100+ products), were enrolled in the study.Results: The number of AK lesions present before C-PDT/DL-PDT was 11.8 ± 5.8 in the ACTX group and 12.4 ± 6.9 in the SS group. In both groups, there was a progressive reduction of AK lesions observed at baseline (-86% and -87% after 2 months and -88% and -83% at month 3 in ACTX and in the SS group, respectively). At month 6, AK mean lesion number was 1.8 ± 1.6 in the ACTX and 3.2 ± 2.3 in the SS group; this difference was statistically significant (p = 0.03). The IGA score at the end of the study was 3.2 in the ACTX and 2.7 in the SS group (p = 0.05). The percentage of subjects with an IGA score of 4/3 (very good or good) was 81% in the ACTX and 55% in the SS group (p = 0.06).Conclusion: In subjects with AK treated with C-PDT or DL-PDT, a "medicalized" photoprotection treatment is associated with a favorable clinical outcome with progressive reduction of lesions. In contrast to a very high photoprotection (SPF50+ or SPF100+/photolyase), the use of piroxicam 0.8%/SPF 50+ is associated with a significantly greater improvement in clinical evolution of AK lesions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reformed Common Fisheries Policy [Regulation (EU) 1380/2013] introduces the obligation to land unwanted catches gradually from 2015 to 2019 with the aim to reduce discards. The ecological and economic consequences of this controversial regulation are evaluated here using an ecosystem model for the North-Eastern Adriatic Sea to quantify the long-term stocks' biomass, landings, and fisheries revenues under future scenarios with and without landing obligation. Results indicate that landings will increase by +13%, causing an increase in fishermen workload, reduction of biomasses at sea (∼−0.20%) for species of both commercial and non-commercial interest, thus a small decrease in fisheries revenue (∼−0.50%). Selling landed unwanted catches for fishmeal production will not compensate the economic losses. Additional adaptation scenarios were tested: (i) introduction of quotas for small pelagics, (ii) reduction of effort for bottom trawlers, (iii) improvement of gear selectivity, and (iv) a combination of (i) and (iii). Improving selectivity and introducing quotas resulted the best alternative but none of the adaptation scenarios compensated the adverse effects of the landing obligation, suggesting that this management measure has ecological and economic negative effects in systems where fisheries are not regulated by quota such as the Mediterranean Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This two-year study evaluates the effects of new management strategies directed at helping the recovery of Adriatic cuttlefish populations. The ability of three specially developed artificial spawning devices–seagrass collectors (SC; deployed on artificial reefs), longline collectors (LC; deployed at mussel farms), and trap collectors (TC; delivered to 19 professional and 54 recreational trap fishermen together with a dedicated logbook)–to attract egg deposition was tested. All devices were provided with a polyethylene floating rope 8 mm in diameter that served as a collector for egg deposition. Total rope length was 1,440 m in SC (2,880 segments of 0.5 m), 250 m in LC (500 segments of 0.5 m), and 250 m in TC (10 m per trap). Although the sites where SC and LC were deployed were sheltered from the action of destructive fishing gears, heavy winter storms destroyed the SC after a year. Most recreational fishermen and none of the professional fishermen provided detailed information on percent egg coverage on their collectors. The collectors attached to the three devices proved highly suitable for cuttlefish spawning, collecting more than 500,000 eggs on 2,440 m of rope. The analysis of egg diameter distribution suggested three laying events during the spawning season. The logbook data showed that egg number peaked in June. The present approach, combining habitat reconstruction and participatory research, has the potential to contribute to the recovery of cuttlefish stocks in the framework of a broader management plan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical batteries used in energy storage systems provide a significant contribution to the development of smart grids and green transportation. In recent years, intensive research activities have been oriented to the optimal management of energy storage systems for power electronics applications in fast growing industrial sectors as EVs and HEVs. The accurate modeling of electrochemical batteries is fundamental in the design of control algorithms applied to energy storage systems. Focusing on automotive applications, in this paper a comprehensive analysis of ESS models based on equivalent electric circuits using a multi-criteria approach is presented. An extensive experimental validation has been carried out to evaluate the performance of battery models in automotive applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To obtain a full exploitation of battery potential in energy storage applications, an accurate modeling of electrochemical batteries is needed. In real terms, an accurate knowledge of state of charge (SOC) and state of health (SOH) of the battery pack is needed to allow a precise design of the control algorithms for energy storage systems (ESSs). Initially, a review of effective methods for SOC and SOH assessment has been performed with the aim to analyze pros and cons of standard methods. Then, as the tradeoff between accuracy and complexity of the model is the major concern, a novel technique for SOC and SOH estimation has been proposed. It is based on the development of a battery circuit model and on a procedure for setting the model parameters. Such a procedure performs a real-time comparison between measured and calculated values of the battery voltage while a PI-based observer is used to provide the SOC and SOH actual values. This ensures a good accuracy in a wide range of operating conditions. Moreover, a simple start-up identification process is required based on battery data-sheet exploitation. Because of the low computational burden of the whole algorithm, it can be easily implemented in low-cost control units. An experimental comparison between SOC and SOH estimation performed by suggested and standard methods is able to confirm the consistency of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-sea fishery in the Mediterranean Sea was historically driven by the commercial profitability of deepwater red shrimp (DWRS), and understanding spatiotemporal dynamics of fishing is key to comprehensively evaluate the status of these profitable resources and prevent stock collapse. A 4-year time series of observed monthly patterns and related frequency of trawling disturbance based on an automatic identification system (AIS) is provided with a resolution of 0.01∘×0.01∘ , accounting for the spatial extent and temporal variability in deepwater (DW) bottom-contact fisheries during the period 2015–2018. The dataset was estimated from 370 fishing vessels that were found to perform trawling in deep water (400–800 m) during the study period, and they represent a significant part of the real fleet exploiting these fishing grounds in the study area. The reconstructed deepwater trawling-effort dataset is available at: 10.17882/89150 (Pulcinella et al., 2022). This large-scale and high-resolution dataset may help researchers of many scientific fields, as well as those involved in fishery management and in the update of existing management plans for deepwater red shrimp fisheries as foreseen in relevant recommendations of the General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the importance of lithium-ion (Li-ion) batteries and the attention that the study of their degradation deserves, this work provides a review of the most important battery state of health (SOH) estimation methods. The different approaches proposed in the literature were analyzed, highlighting theoretical aspects, strengths, weaknesses and performance indices. In particular, three main categories were identified: experimental methods that include electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and incremental capacity analysis (ICA), model-based methods that exploit equivalent electric circuit models (ECMs) and aging models (AMs) and, finally, data-driven approaches ranging from neural networks (NNs) to support vector regression (SVR). This work aims to depict a complete picture of the available techniques for SOH estimation, comparing the results obtained for different engineering applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The common sole is one of the most important commercial fish species landed in Europe. In this study, we analysed the trophic ecology of this species at the seasonal scale, coupled with data on its condition (by hepatosomatic and gonadosomatic indices). We observed significant seasonal changes in diet, clearly linked to the reproductive cycle only for females. Both the analysis based on stomach contents and on stable isotopes highlighted a greater contribution of prey of high energetic content before the spawning period, notwithstanding the opportunistic behaviour of this benthophagous species. The common sole, Solea solea, is one the most important commercial species in Europe and, within the Mediterranean, the Adriatic basin is the most crucial area for its production. Although the species is overexploited in the basin, data on its trophic ecology are fragmentary, even though this is one of the most important features within the Ecosystem Approach to Fishery. Here, we analysed temporal variations in the feeding ecology of the species by using an integrated approach of stomach contents and stable isotope analyses coupled with the analysis of some condition indices such as the gonadosomatic and the hepatosomatic indices. Changes in diet and trophic level across the years in adult females were clearly linked to the different energetic requirements facing reproduction. Temporal changes throughout the year were mainly related to changes in food availability. This study confirms the opportunistic behaviour of this benthophagous species and its role as a mesopredator, opening new perspectives for further investigations on the effects of the overexploitation of this important fishery resource on the marine trophic web. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deep-sea fishery in the Mediterranean Sea was historically driven by the commercial profitability of deepwater red shrimps and understanding spatio-temporal dynamics of fishing is key to comprehensively evaluate the status of these profitable resources and prevent stock collapse. A four-year time series of AIS-based observed monthly patterns and related frequency of trawling disturbance are provided with a resolution of 0.01°*0.01°, accounting for the spatial extent and temporal variability in deep water bottom contact fisheries during the period 2015-2018. The dataset was estimated from 370 fishing vessels that were found to perform trawling in deep water (400 m - 800 m) during the study period, and they represent a significant part of the real fleet exploiting this fishing grounds in the study area. The reconstructed deep-water trawling effort dataset is available at: https://doi.org/10.17882/89150 (Pulcinella et al., 2022). This large-scale and high-resolution dataset may help researchers of many scientific fields, as well as those involved in fishery management and in the update of existing management plans for deep-water red shrimp fisheries as foreseen in relevant General Fisheries Commission for the Mediterranean (GFCM) recommendations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-resolution position and velocity estimation algorithms based on binary Hall-effect sensors for low-cost vector control drives have been the subject of significant research in recent years. While different estimation algorithms have been proposed and analyzed, no contribution so far has dealt with Hall-effect sensor faults and their repercussion on the drive. Here, single and multiple Hall-effect sensor faults are analyzed, and a method to detect, identify, and mitigate such faults is investigated. The method is general, and it ensures proper operation of the drive and is not dependent on the particular estimation algorithm that is used; by way of example, here it will be applied to a vector-tracking observer. Limitations on the performances of the faulty system are discussed, and experimental results are reported to confirm the theoretical analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two non-indigenous invasive bivalve species, Anadara kagoshimensis (Tokunaga, 1906) and Anadara transversa (Say, 1822), were recorded for the first time in the open waters of the eastern Adriatic Sea trawling grounds. Samples of these species were collected in 2008-2011 with modified beam trawl (rapido) during the SoleMon project, a project aimed at investigating the northern and central Adriatic Sea. In the years following its first record in 2008, the abundance of A. kagoshimensis increased in the area of investigation off the Istrian coast. The highest recorded abundance index per station was 1089 N km² in 2011. Species was present at depths from 31 to 41.5 m. Presence of Anadara transversa was recorded only at one station in 2011, in the middle of the open Adriatic between 70 and 72.5 m depth. The possible vectors of invasion of these species, from the western Adriatic coast to the eastern, are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper presents a self-sensing control technique for a special type of multilevel motor drive featuring an Open-end Winding Permanent-Magnet Synchronous Motor fed on one side by a main multilevel inverter (MLI) and on the other side by an auxiliary two-level inverter (TLI). In order to minimize the power losses, the MLI manages the machine active power operating at a low-switching frequency. The TLI instead acts as an active power filter and operates at a higher switching frequency and a lower DC-Bus voltage than the MLI. The current control task is shared between the two inverters, as a predictive action is exerted by the MLI, while a feedback action is accomplished by the TLI. Common sensorless rotor position estimation techniques cannot be straightforwardly applied on such a system, due to the particular drive structure. Therefore, a specific technique has been carried out, able to ensure satisfactory efficiency and control performance in all the operating speed ranges by optimally exploiting the different features of the two inverters. Simulation and experimental results confirm the effectiveness of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the analysis and implementation of a new scalar control technique for industrial interior permanent-magnet synchronous motor drives that exploits energy-saving capability. In particular, the proposed control strategy forces the conditions of maximum torque per ampere (MTPA), flux weakening (FW), and maximum torque per voltage (MTPV) simply by assigning polynomial relationships between the operating angles of the machine. Although the dynamic performance of the drive is worsened compared to that of vector control schemes, the modified scalar control allows us to work in energetic conditions, very close to those obtained with vector-controlled drives exploiting MTPA, FW, and MTPV strategies. The control techniques are implemented without using any speed and voltage measurement and with only a single current feedback. This paper provides a detailed study of the control strategy, showing the effectiveness and limitations of the method through simulations and experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Power generation systems (PGSs) based on hybrid renewable energy are one of the promising solutions for future distributed generation systems. Among different configurations, hybrid photovoltaic-wind turbine (PV-WT) grid connected PGSs are the most adopted for their good performance. However, due to the complexity of the system, the optimal balance between these two energy sources requires particular attention to achieve a good engineering solution. This paper deals with the optimal sizing of PV-WT by adopting different multicriteria decision analysis (MCDA) optimization approaches. Sensitivity of MCDA algorithms has been analyzed, by considering different weighting criteria techniques with different fluctuation scenarios of wind speed and solar radiation profiles, thus highlighting advantages and drawbacks of the proposed optimal sizing approaches. The following study could be assumed as a powerful roadmap for decision makers, analysts, and policy makers. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: The macrozoobenthos living around two offshore gas platforms, Barbara NW (pB) and Calipso (pC) located in the northwestern Adriatic Sea were investigated for three years after their construction to detect eventual effects due to the platforms. The sampling stations were spaced at increasing distance from the platforms up to 1000 m. Both multivariate and univariate analysis showed an initial defaunation (short-term effect) at pB and within a 120 m radius at pC. A general recovery in terms of abundance, species richness and diversity was observed for the benthic communities after one year. During the third monitoring year a mussel mound developed at both the platforms (longer-term effect) extending up to 30 m from pC, whereas similar soft-bottom communities were found at all the other distances. The geographical position plays an important role in the “timing” of the above effects. Moreover, despite the different environmental features, a 3-year monitoring plan can be effective to evaluate the potential impact on benthic communities of offshore gas platforms in the north-central Adriatic Sea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Size selectivity of basket traps for changeable nassa (Nassarius mutabilis) was estimated through comparative fishing trials with traps varying in mesh size and net colour. Selectivity curves of two commercial (19mm white twine and 19mm black twine) and three experimental (23, 26 and 28mm white twine) traps were estimated using SELECT method. In addition, theoretical size-selectivity curves were calculated from morphometric data using a simplified version of Sechin method. Differing from the opinion of fishermen, N. mutabilis did not show any preference for dark coloured twine. Retention curves estimated with SELECT method had a very sharp selectivity and well fitted catch data in all cases. Theoretical size-selectivity curves were very close to size-selectivity curves obtained from experimental data. The two types of curve were very similar in shape, although the theoretical ones were shifted towards larger size classes and showed a slightly steeper slope than SELECT curves. The mesh size commonly used by fishermen is not adequate for rationally exploiting the resource, as catches mainly included undersized specimens, whilst the 23 and 26mm mesh sizes would represent a good compromise between reduced occurrence of undersized individuals and satisfactory yields of commercial product. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to precisely define the harmonic content of the main flux and stator voltage of an induction motor that is fed by a high-frequency carrier in addition to the normal set of stator voltages, this paper performs the analytical calculation of the zero-sequence components of the air-gap flux and stator voltage. The calculations are made by defining suitable winding functions to derive the self- and mutual inductances and by adopting a new inverse air-gap function to model the variation of the saturation level of the machine produced by the additional magnetomotive force. Analysis of the calculated expressions that are confirmed by experimental tests shows that the proposed analytical technique can be suitably applied to quantify the effects of high-frequency carriers on the air-gap flux and offers useful hints to understand sensorless control mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Temperature monitoring is a major issue in induction motor drives, because temperature variations under working conditions may affect the machine lifetime and the control performance as well. The paper presents a technique for on-line monitoring the rotor and stator temperature on field-oriented induction motor drives, based on a new approach to estimate the rotor and stator winding resistances. The proposed approach exploits the injection of small additional current signals to extract the thermal status of the electrical machine, without affecting the normal drive operation. Moreover, it features a low computational effort, does not require other transducers than these already present in a standard field-oriented controlled drive and can be applied on both conventional and sensorless induction motor drives. The stator and rotor temperature estimation can be used either to prevent dangerous overheating and for on-line tuning of the control system. The practical effectiveness of the proposed approach is demonstrated by simulations and experimental tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 pandemic provides a major opportunity to study fishing effort dynamics and to assess the response of the industry to standard and remedial actions. Knowing a fishing fleet's capacity to compensate for effort reduction (i.e., its resilience) allows differentiating governmental regulations by fleet, i.e., imposing stronger restrictions on the more resilient and weaker restrictions on the less resilient. In the present research, the response of the main fishing fleets of the Adriatic Sea to fishing hour reduction from 2015 to 2020 was measured. Fleet activity per gear type was inferred from monthly Automatic Identification System data. Pattern recognition techniques were applied to study the fishing effort trends and barycentres by gear. The beneficial effects of the lockdowns on Adriatic endangered, threatened and protected (ETP) species were also estimated. Finally, fleet effort series were examined through a stock assessment model to demonstrate that every Adriatic fishing fleet generally behaves like a stock subject to significant stress, which was particularly highlighted by the pandemic. Our findings lend support to the notion that the Adriatic fleets can be compared to predators with medium-high resilience and a generally strong impact on ETP species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes a low-power Switched Reluctance motor drive for home appliances featuring close to unity power factor and low cost. The proposed drive includes a compact Power Factor Controller input stage based on a quasiresonant boost topology. The converter structure is suitable for integration and allows one to develop an inexpensive chip implementing all the main functions required by such a drive. Experimental results on a prototype are presented to evaluate the efficiency of the proposed drive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge of connectivity among subpopulations is fundamental in the identification of the appropriate geographical scales for stock status evaluation and management, the identification of areas with greater retention rates, and space‐based fisheries management. Here, an integration of hydrodynamic, biological, and habitat models results is used to assess connectivity and support the definition of essential fish habitats (EFH) in the Adriatic Sea, with reference to Nephrops norvegicus, an important benthic commercial resource, the recruitment of which is strongly related to larval dispersal from spawning to recruitment areas. We explored oceanographic and biological connectivity in the Adriatic Sea under a wide and representative variety of oceanographic conditions (winters 2006–2012) by tracking 3D trajectories of larvae released from different areas. We used a Lagrangian model that features a specific larval behavior module with explicit dependence on environmental parameters (i.e., temperature and sediment type) and that is driven by high‐resolution hydrodynamic and meteorological data. The results were used to partition the area in which Nephrops was observed into 20 homogenous management subareas; to assess the connection between spawning, recruitment, and harvesting grounds; and to identify potential subpopulation boundaries as well as the connectivity among the potential subpopulations. The results suggest the presence of at least three distinct subpopulations, which need to be independently managed and conserved, and confirms that the Jabuka‐Pomo pit is the most important spawning area, but alone it cannot sustain Nephrops populations throughout the Adriatic Sea. The results also show the importance to move from particle‐tracking to approaches based on integrated models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tattoo colorants decompose under solar radiation and when exposed to laser light for their removal, leading to the accumulation in the dermis of toxic products. Aim of this study was to develop lipid microparticles (LMs) loaded with the colorant, Acid Red 87 (C.I. 45380) used in tattoo inks, and to investigate the effect of this system on the photostability of the colorant under simulated sunlight or laser irradiation. LMs loaded with C.I. 45380 were prepared by melt emulsification using tristearin and phosphatidylcholine as excipients. They were characterized by optical microscopy, laser diffraction, X‐ray diffraction and release studies. Free C.I. 45380 and the colorant‐loaded LMs were irradiated with a solar simulator or a Q‐switched laser. Irradiation with a solar simulator demonstrated that photodecomposition of C.I. 45380 was markedly reduced by incorporation of the dye in the LMs, from 20.5 ± 4.6% to 1.3 ± 1.8%. Conversely, the laser‐induced degradation of the colorant (30.1 ± 6.6%) was not significantly influenced by encapsulation in the LMs (the encapsulated C.I. 45380 loss was 27.4 ± 5.5%). Incorporation of C.I. 45380 in lipid microparticles enhances the photostability under sunlight of tattoo inks containing this colorant, without affecting its laser‐induced degradation and hence laser removal efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Law of the Sea and regional and national laws and agreements require exploited populations or stocks to be managed so that they can produce maximum sustainable yields. However, exploitation level and stock status are unknown for most stocks because the data required for full stock assessments are missing. This study presents a new method [abundance maximum sustainable yields (AMSY)] that estimates relative population size when no catch data are available using time series of catch-per-unit-effort or other relative abundance indices as the main input. AMSY predictions for relative stock size were not significantly different from the "true" values when compared with simulated data. Also, they were not significantly different from relative stock size estimated by data-rich models in 88% of the comparisons within 140 real stocks. Application of AMSY to 38 data-poor stocks showed the suitability of the method and led to the first assessments for 23 species. Given the lack of catch data as input, AMSY estimates of exploitation come with wide margins of uncertainty, which may not be suitable for management. However, AMSY seems to be well suited for estimating productivity as well as relative stock size and may, therefore, aid in the management of data-poor stocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper deals with the study and implementation of a losses minimization control strategy for an integrated multidrive (IMD) topology used in the drivetrain of parallel hybrid electric vehicles. In this IMD, the stator sections of a multiwinding induction machine are interfaced to the storage units through standard three-phase inverters. The goal of this study is to optimize the management of multidirectional power flows in an IMD configuration, reducing both the power losses of the induction machine and the energy storage units while keeping the computational complexity suitably low. To this aim, the proposed approach consists in a control strategy that continuously searches for the best compromise between the torque response and the power capability of each storage unit while minimizing the overall power losses. Using such an approach, a significant improvement in the overall efficiency is obtained. Simulations and experimental tests confirm the effectiveness of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, it is shown how to obtain a low-cost, high-resolution, and fault-robust position sensing system for permanent-magnet synchronous motor drives operating in safety-critical systems, by combining binary Hall-effect sensors with high-frequency signal injection. It is shown that the position error signal obtained via signal injection can be merged easily into the quantization-harmonic-decoupling vector-tracking observer that is used to process the Hall-effect sensor signals. The resulting algorithm provides accurate, high-resolution estimates of speed and position throughout the entire speed range; compared to the state-of-the-art drives using Hall-effect sensors alone, the low-speed performance is greatly improved in healthy conditions and also following position sensor faults. It is envisaged that such a sensing system can be successfully used in applications requiring IEC 61508 SIL 3 or ISO 26262 ASIL D compliance, due to its extremely high mean time to failure and to the very fast recovery of the drive following Hall-effect sensor faults at low speeds. Extensive simulation and experimental results are provided on a 3.7-kW interior permanent-magnet drive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stock identification studies are essential to understanding fish population structure and connectivity across wide geographical areas, and thus contribute to efficient fisheries management. The blackbelly rosefish, Helicolenus dactylopterus , and European hake, Merluccius merluccius , are two economically important marine fishes, but there are still gaps in knowledge regarding their present stock structure. Our objective was to assess the ability of otolith shape to define stock structure for the two species along the Northeastern Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea, based on samples from eight and seven areas, for blackbelly rosefish and European hake, respectively. Shape analysis was obtained through Wavelet analysis. Canonical analysis of principal coordinates provided significant evidence for different population units with a clear separation between the Atlantic and Mediterranean populations for both species. However, random forest procedures indicated that the discrimination power varied with species and locations. For blackbelly rosefish, various Atlantic populations were more evident than for European hake. Overall, the usefulness of otolith shape to delineate stock structure of two species with distinct life history traits across a broad spatial region from the mid-Atlantic isles to the polar region, as well as the Mediterranean was demonstrated. Moving forward, it will be key to align our growing understanding of population structure with our increasing knowledge on species' biological traits to ensure management units reflect population structure. [Display omitted] • Helicolenus dactylopterus and Merluccius are fishery exploited species. • We used otolith shape to define their stock structure in the Atlantic and Mediterranean. • Wavelet analysis and canonical analysis of principal coordinates revealed diverse population units. • Random forests showed that the discrimination power varied with species and locations. • Results suggest a higher degree of connectivity of M. merluccius in the Atlantic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study presents a new method (LBB) for the analysis of length frequency data from commercial catches. LBB works for species that grow throughout their lives, such as most commercially-important fish and invertebrates, and requires no input in addition to length frequency data. It estimates asymptotic length, length at first capture, relative natural mortality, and relative fishing mortality. Standard fisheries equations can then be used to approximate current exploited biomass relative to unexploited biomass. In addition, these parameters allow the estimation of length at first capture that would maximize catch and biomass for a given fishing effort, and estimation of a proxy for the relative biomass capable of producing maximum sustainable yields. Relative biomass estimates of LBB were not significantly different from the "true" values in simulated data and were similar to independent estimates from full stock assessments. LBB also presents a new indicator for assessing whether an observed size structure is indicative of a healthy stock. LBB results will obviously be misleading if the length frequency data do not represent the size composition of the exploited size range of the stock or if length frequencies resulting from the interplay of growth and mortality are masked by strong recruitment pulses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]