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A rise in pinniped-fisheries interactions has been observed due to the global decline in fish populations primarily attributed to overfishing, and/or due to the recent population recovery of several pinniped species. Although many studies have quantified these interactions, a limited number delve into their behavioral aspects. We consulted 374 studies on pinniped-fisheries interactions from 1980 to 2020 and analyzed which of them addressed the interaction from a behavioral perspective. Additionally, we examined the role of learning in pinnipeds and their ability to capture prey from fishing gear. The stimulus-reward relationship in operational interactions was addressed in 51 (14%) studies, involving 10 (19%) of the world's 54 pinniped species or subspecies. Depredation behavior (43%) and attack behavior (35%) were frequently reported during fishing interactions. Understanding associative and non-associative learning mechanisms has the potential to reduce economic losses from fishing activity, advance efficient mitigation measures to minimize conflicts, and establish pragmatic conservation priorities based on a better understanding of the behavioral aspects of these interactions. More research is needed to explore the effectiveness of deterrents in different species, improve methods of reducing habituation, and evaluate long-term behavioral effects, fostering effective strategies for minimizing conflicts and promoting coexistence between humans and pinnipeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gas film floating ring seals are extensively utilized in aircraft engines, and precise analysis of gas film performance is crucial for ensuring reliable seal design. For this reason, this paper proposes the Reynolds–Bernoulli small-perturbation (RBSP) model to analyze the performance of the gas film based on the conservation of mechanical energy. Through experimental verification and comparison with other analytical models, the results of the RBSP model calculations are both reliable and more broadly applicable. Analyses using the finite element method revealed that the differential pressure effect of Poiseuille flow and the dynamic pressure effect of Couette flow are the primary factors enabling the floating ring to overcome resistance and establish a non-contact seal. Additionally, an appropriate sealing clearance and an increased width of the floating ring could significantly enhance the dynamic performance of the seal. The research findings offer a dependable performance analysis method for designers of gas film floating ring seals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clay sealings (cretulae) have traditionally been assumed to have been used in ancient administrative systems to secure the shipment of commodities and to account for their receipt. However, research in Western Asia has revealed that they were primarily used as a complex administrative tool in the management of storehouses and the goods they contained, ensuring the personal accountability of the individuals under whose seal or combination of seals particular items were stored. Although stamp seals are relatively common finds in the Indus Civilization, clay sealings are not as numerous as in contemporaneous sites throughout Western Asia. This rarity has led to speculation about the actual use of seals in the Indus Civilization. However, the study of an exceptional assemblage of clay sealings found at the Indus site of Lothal in Gujarat, India, has shed light on the function and use of these objects in the Indus Civilization. In particular, the stratigraphic analysis of the discovery context has made it possible to consider the existence of an administrative archive comparable to those excavated in Western Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetically diverse avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are maintained in wild aquatic birds with increasingly frequent spillover into mammals, yet these represent a small proportion of the overall detections. The isolation of AIVs in marine mammals, including seals, has been reported sporadically over the last 45 years. Prior to 2016, all reports of AIVs detected in seals were of low-pathogenicity AIVs. In spite of this, the majority of reported AIV outbreaks caused fatal respiratory diseases, with harbor seals particularly susceptible to infection. The H5 clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) was detected in seals for the first time in 2016. Recently, many cases of mass seal die-offs have occurred because of 2.3.4.4b HPAIV and are attributed to spillover from wild bird species. The potential for seal-to-seal transmission has been considered after the mass mortality of southern elephant seals off the coast of Argentina. Close contact between seals and wild birds, the rapid evolution of H5N1 AIVs, and the possibility of efficient mammal-to-mammal transmission are increasing concerns due to the potential for the establishment of a marine mammal reservoir and public health risks associated with the pandemic potential of the virus. This manuscript details the detection of AIVs in the seal population, comparing interesting features of various subtypes with an emphasis on avian-to-mammal-to-mammal transmission. Phylogenetic characterizations of the representative seal isolates were performed to demonstrate the relationships within the different virus isolates. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the reassortment events between different LPAIVs occurred before and after the viruses reached the seal population. The reassortment of viral segments plays an important role in the evolution of influenza viruses. Taken together, these data report on the 45 year history between seals and AIVs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly pathogenic avian influenza A(H5N1) virus was detected in dead seals on Tyuleniy Island in eastern Russia, in the Sea of Okhotsk. Viruses isolated from dead northern fur seals belong to clade 2.3.4.4b and are closely related to viruses detected predominantly in the Russian Far East and Japan in 2022–2023.

Failures in hydraulic systems in offshore wind turbines represent an enormous challenge for manufacturers and operators, as the pitch system statistically is one of the subsystems contributing the most to the downtime of the turbines, which is the case for both electrical and hydraulic pitch systems. However, the complex failure mechanisms of the various different hydraulic components mean that, typically, the critical components of hydraulic systems must be tested to better understand the failure mechanisms. Nonetheless, conventional testing procedures are lengthy and costly. Accelerated testing plays a critical role as it can mimic hydraulic system failure mechanisms in a shorter period. However, the lack of standardized test methods and detailed knowledge about the failure-accelerating effects complicates the process. Therefore, this paper offers a comprehensive examination of approaches applicable to conducting accelerated tests on hydraulic systems. It identifies and discusses five primary component types or sub-components related to the acceleration of testing in hydraulic systems: pumps, cylinders, seals, valves, and hoses. Each section references studies that delve into accelerated testing methodologies for these individual components. Furthermore, within each component, a concise overview of the current techniques is provided, followed by a discussion and summary based on the state of the art.

Museum specimens preserve genetic information that can help resolve phylogenetic relationships of now extinct species. The Caribbean monk seal, Neomonachus tropicalis, is the only marine mammal driven to extinction in tropical seas and one of the few marine mammals to go extinct in historical times. Prior to 1700 it was widely distributed throughout the coasts of North, Central and South America, and in the Bahamas, Greater and Lesser Antilles. The species was first taxonomically placed in the genus Monachus, along with the Hawaiian and Mediterranean monk seals and it was later moved together with the Hawaiian monk seal into the newly described genus Neomonachus. Here, we present the complete mitochondrial genome of the Caribbean monk seal and a phylogenetic reconstruction, confirming its sister taxa relationship with the Hawaiian monk seal, and thus the monophyly of the genus Neomonachus. Our estimates of divergence times are contemporaneous with or predate the emergence of the Isthmus of Panama. We also identify limited genetic variation among five specimens of Caribbean monk seal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For DanaIt is often forgotten that a variety of French peculiar to the British Isles, known as Anglo-Norman was, for more than four centuries post-Conquest, the default language for inscriptions of an amatory nature, on jewellery especially. The large number of inscribed rings, brooches and seal matrices unearthed by metal-detectorists in recent decades whose finds are recorded in detail on the Portable Antiquities Scheme (PAS) database have prompted this consideration of these legends — often simple rhyming couplets or 'posies' — especially in the context of that set of romantic conventions retrospectively termed 'Courtly Love'.1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper considers the appearance and meaning of city walls on ducal and municipal seals in 13th-century Poland. Despite the great popularity of the motif, actual stone or brick fortifications, both of towns and castles, were rare in Poland at the time. It is especially striking that in the area of Kuyavia, where local dukes introduced the motif onto their seals at an early stage, such architectonic structures were almost entirely absent. Several towns also employed images of stone walls on their seals before they gained the real fortifications. The motif of fortification is examined here as a symbol of civilization in a wider sense, and particularly that of the communal town. The final section the paper explores ways in which Polish society might have come to understand this symbolism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the tribological behaviour of copper-impregnated carbo-graphite (ICG) compared to plain carbo-graphite (CG) under various parameter-product (PV) values and temperatures. Impregnation significantly enhanced ICG's hardness (70%) and reduced porosity (98.6%) compared to CG. The CoF for CG was lower than that for ICG attributed to the formation of a lubricating graphite-rich tribo-film that facilitated easy shearing at the contact interface. The wear mechanisms for CG at elevated temperatures were identified as adhesion, oxidation and delamination, likely exacerbated by the material's softening. In contrast, ICG exhibited superior wear resistance, attributed to its higher hardness and the formation of a protective tribo-layer containing copper and graphite. This tribo-layer offered a low-shear interface at lower PV values, reducing friction. However, at higher PV values, ICG wear increased due to abrasion and adhesion. Overall, copper impregnation offers a promising strategy to improve the wear resistance of carbo-graphite, particularly at elevated temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Failures in hydraulic systems in offshore wind turbines represent an enormous challenge for manufacturers and operators, as the pitch system statistically is one of the subsystems contributing the most to the downtime of the turbines, which is the case for both electrical and hydraulic pitch systems. However, the complex failure mechanisms of the various different hydraulic components mean that, typically, the critical components of hydraulic systems must be tested to better understand the failure mechanisms. Nonetheless, conventional testing procedures are lengthy and costly. Accelerated testing plays a critical role as it can mimic hydraulic system failure mechanisms in a shorter period. However, the lack of standardized test methods and detailed knowledge about the failure-accelerating effects complicates the process. Therefore, this paper offers a comprehensive examination of approaches applicable to conducting accelerated tests on hydraulic systems. It identifies and discusses five primary component types or sub-components related to the acceleration of testing in hydraulic systems: pumps, cylinders, seals, valves, and hoses. Each section references studies that delve into accelerated testing methodologies for these individual components. Furthermore, within each component, a concise overview of the current techniques is provided, followed by a discussion and summary based on the state of the art. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly pathogenic influenza A virus (HPIAV) H5N1 within the genetic clade 2.3.4.4b has emerged in wild birds in different regions of the world, leading to the death of >70 million birds. When these strains spread to pinniped species a remarkable mortality has also been observed. A detailed genetic characterization of HPIAV isolated from pinnipeds is essential to understand the potential spread of these viruses to other mammalian species, including humans. To gain insight into these matters a detailed phylogenetic analysis of HPIAV H5N1 2.3.4.4b strains isolated from pinniped species was performed. The results of these studies revealed multiple transmission events from birds to pinnipeds in all world regions. Different evolutionary histories of different genes of HPIAV H5N1 2.3.4.4b strains gave rise to the viruses infecting pinnipeds in different regions of the world. European strains isolated from pinnipeds represent a completely different genetic lineage from strains isolated from South American ones. All strains isolated from pinnipeds bear characteristics of a highly pathogenic form for of avian influenza in poultry. Amino acid substitutions, previously shown to confer an adaptive advantage for infecting mammals, were observed in different genes in all pinniped species studied.

The working processes and integral characteristics of piston long-stroke low-speed compressor stages are considered. Well-known technologies for increasing the feed rate are considered as objects of comparison: selection of the main dimensions and parameters of the stage; changing the size and design of valves, using elastomeric structural materials; change in the design of the cylinder-piston seal; changing the layout of the suction valve in the working chamber. Indicator efficiency, supply coefficient and tightness coefficient, as well as discharge temperature are considered as integral indicators. The following independent parameters are considered: parameters of the state of the working fluid at suction, discharge pressure, main dimensions and parameters of the stage, distance from the suction valve to the top dead center, seat diameters of the suction and discharge valves, as well as physical and mechanical properties of structural materials. A comparative analysis of the efficiency of the working process of the stage under consideration is carried out using various technologies for reducing the intensity of mass transfer through leaks in the working chamber of a low-speed, long-stroke piston stage. An assessment is made of the achievable value of the feed coefficient with the combined use of various technologies. The features of the working processes of the object under consideration and the relationship between the intensity of mass flows of working gas through leaks in the working chamber of the stage and the technologies used have been studied. The presented results of the theoretical analysis reflect the nature of the change in the integral characteristics of the stage depending on the technologies used to reduce the intensity of mass transfer through leaks in the working chamber of the stage under consideration.

Social identity influences policy preferences and actions regarding wildlife. Using data from a survey of residents, commercial fishers, and tourists on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this study examined the relationships between self-selected social identities (i.e., animal protection, environmental, hunter, and angler) within these stakeholder groups and ocean management priorities, support for the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and acceptance of lethal management of seals and white sharks. Results revealed three social identity clusters: (1) identification with environmental and animal protection groups (non-consumptive), (2) identification with both non-consumptive (environmental, animal protection) and consumptive (angler, hunter) groups, and (3) identification with none of the groups. Residents were a mix of identities; tourists primarily identified with the non-consumptive and, to a lesser extent, no identification clusters; and commercial fishers identified with the mixed nonconsumptive/consumptive and no identification clusters. The overlap between consumptive and non-consumptive identifications illustrates the heterogeneity of social identity. Participants in the non-consumptive cluster favored policies prioritizing wildlife, the environment, and marine mammal protections more strongly than those in other clusters. Findings contribute to research examining social identity theory to improve understanding of public wildlife management preferences, within the novel context of rebounding populations of marine predators such as pinnipeds and white sharks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bijapur, now a district headquarters in Karnataka, was formerly the seat of the Adil Shahi kingdom of the Deccan which ruled the region for nearly two centuries (1489-1686 AD). The founder of the Adilshahi dynasty, Sultan Yusuf Adil Shah made Bijapur, or Vijyapur the capital of the Bijapur kingdom. The rulers of the Adilshahi dynasty ordered their engravers to engrave the seals in their names. We find many seals of this dynasty representing different rulers, princes, princesses, or officials. The seals of the Adil Shahi dynasty are very peculiar in many facets. Some important seals of the same period will be studied in this small article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding the tribological behavior of elastomers in dry conditions is essential for sealing applications, as dry contact may occur even in lubricated conditions due to local dewetting. In recent decades, Persson and co-authors have developed a comprehensive theory for rubber contact mechanics and dry friction. In this work, their model is implemented and extended, particularly by including static friction based on the bond population model by Juvekar and coworkers. Validation experiments are performed using a tribometer over a wide range of materials, temperatures and speeds. It is shown that the friction model presented in this work can predict the static and dynamic dry friction of various commercial rubber materials with different base polymers (FKM, EPDM and NBR) with an average accuracy of 10%. The model is then used to study the relevance of different elastomer friction contributions under various operating conditions and for different roughness of the counter surface. The present model will help in the development of novel optimized sealing solutions and provide a foundation for future modeling of lubricated elastomer friction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There exists widespread evidence that the Near Eastern societies manufactured seals. However, among these, South Arabian seals remain largely neglected while performing various particularly revealing functions. For instance, the practice of sealing allowed for the explicit expression of ownership as well as the act of witnessing in legal matters. More broadly, seals were a means of articulating individual identities and reinforcing communal belonging. This paper is the first study on the seals of ancient South Arabia after the unpublished Ph.D. dissertation by Diana P. Wong (1999. "Stamp Seals of the Ancient Yemen." Unpublished PhD diss., Berkely). It investigates a corpus comprising 85 published seals currently held in museums and private collections across three continents. After providing a brief survey of the region's history, this article analyses the epigraphic and iconographic content carved on the corpus, offering some reflections on the typology and characteristics of the seals, as well as on the society of ancient South Arabia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Genetically diverse avian influenza viruses (AIVs) are maintained in wild aquatic birds with increasingly frequent spillover into mammals, yet these represent a small proportion of the overall detections. The isolation of AIVs in marine mammals, including seals, has been reported sporadically over the last 45 years. Prior to 2016, all reports of AIVs detected in seals were of low-pathogenicity AIVs. In spite of this, the majority of reported AIV outbreaks caused fatal respiratory diseases, with harbor seals particularly susceptible to infection. The H5 clade 2.3.4.4b highly pathogenic AIV (HPAIV) was detected in seals for the first time in 2016. Recently, many cases of mass seal die-offs have occurred because of 2.3.4.4b HPAIV and are attributed to spillover from wild bird species. The potential for seal-to-seal transmission has been considered after the mass mortality of southern elephant seals off the coast of Argentina. Close contact between seals and wild birds, the rapid evolution of H5N1 AIVs, and the possibility of efficient mammal-to-mammal transmission are increasing concerns due to the potential for the establishment of a marine mammal reservoir and public health risks associated with the pandemic potential of the virus. This manuscript details the detection of AIVs in the seal population, comparing interesting features of various subtypes with an emphasis on avian-to-mammal-to-mammal transmission. Phylogenetic characterizations of the representative seal isolates were performed to demonstrate the relationships within the different virus isolates. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the reassortment events between different LPAIVs occurred before and after the viruses reached the seal population. The reassortment of viral segments plays an important role in the evolution of influenza viruses. Taken together, these data report on the 45 year history between seals and AIVs.

The efficiency of quarry hydraulic excavators will depend on several factors, namely the climatic conditions of the area where hydraulic excavators are used, the degree of air pollution (pollination), the performance of the structural parts of the excavator, the reliability of the hydraulic system, the performance and cleanliness of the hydraulic working fluid. In this area, research was carried out on the performance of seals used in the hydraulic system of quarry excavators. The article presents the results of experimental tests of the existing type of oil seal a and b, as well as the proposed oil seal type c, shown in Fig. 1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under the Marine Mammal Protection Act of 1972, seals have recolonized historic ranges along the New England coast after near extirpation from bounty hunting in the 19th and 20th centuries. On Cape Cod, Massachusetts, concerns that rebounding seal populations damage fisheries and draw great white sharks have led some to call for a seal cull. Surveys on Cape Cod found strong opposition to lethal management among residents and tourists, and neutrality, on average, among commercial fishers. For all three samples, lethal management support was substantially explained by general attitudes toward seals and partially mediated by specific ecological benefits and risks associated with seals. Positive attitudes toward seals and perceived ecosystem benefits reduced support for lethal management among residents, tourists and commercial fishers. Negative attitudes and perceived ecological risks of seals increased lethal management support. These findings suggest communication of the ecological benefits of species can enhance continued marine mammal conservation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article deals with the question of the extent to which the Teutonic Order, as a clerical order of knights founded during the Third Crusade, succeeded in expressing its self-confidence and identity by means of its seal. The "geographical" area of investigation extends to the bailiwicks of Franconia, Alsace–Burgundy, Lorraine, Austria, An der Etsch and in the mountains (South Tyrol) as well as the so-called Deutschmeistertum, whereby the terms mentioned do not necessarily correspond to the present-day areas of that designation. The time frame is within the Middle Ages. Due to the large number of surviving seals of the Teutonic Order, however, only a small insight from a larger study can be provided here. Selected seals of the Order's various internal leadership strata are therefore presented, compared and examined to determine whether and to what extent they express a form of self-confidence and identity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in-pipe robot is the most commonly used technique in offshore pipelines. The use of rubber sealing discs is important for in-pipe robots to ensure that the robots are moved by fluid pressures inside offshore pipelines. This paper focuses on the measuring and modeling of the wax–oil gel-breaking process at the soft frictional area between sealing discs and the pipe wall. In this study, a detailed characterization of the gel-scraping process and in situ probing portable microscopy are performed. Two contributions are made in this study. First, a direct observation of wax–oil deposition breaking is employed to detect the minute changes at the in-pipe robot. Second, we find that a simple function is possible to describe the relationship between the wax contents and dewaxing efficiency, in which the debris material removal ratio (DRR) is discussed. Thus, the gel deposition-breaking phenomena are quite different under the influence of rubber sealing discs. This result is further confirmed by the real contact ratio measurements. It is important to research the sealing disc further and apply it more in the petroleum industry, especially in in-pipe robots for deepwater pipeline systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social identity influences policy preferences and actions regarding wildlife. Using data from a survey of residents, commercial fishers, and tourists on Cape Cod, Massachusetts, this study examined the relationships between self-selected social identities (i.e., animal protection, environmental, hunter, and angler) within these stakeholder groups and ocean management priorities, support for the Marine Mammal Protection Act (MMPA), and acceptance of lethal management of seals and white sharks. Results revealed three social identity clusters: (1) identification with environmental and animal protection groups (non-consumptive), (2) identification with both non-consumptive (environmental, animal protection) and consumptive (angler, hunter) groups, and (3) identification with none of the groups. Residents were a mix of identities; tourists primarily identified with the non-consumptive and, to a lesser extent, no identification clusters; and commercial fishers identified with the mixed non-consumptive/consumptive and no identification clusters. The overlap between consumptive and non-consumptive identifications illustrates the heterogeneity of social identity. Participants in the non-consumptive cluster favored policies prioritizing wildlife, the environment, and marine mammal protections more strongly than those in other clusters. Findings contribute to research examining social identity theory to improve understanding of public wildlife management preferences, within the novel context of rebounding populations of marine predators such as pinnipeds and white sharks.

The resurgence of pinniped populations along the West Coast of the United States, a consequence of the Marine Mammal Protection Act, has resulted in unintended ecological and socio-economic repercussions. The conflict between pinniped and fisheries in California, a persistent management challenge for decades, primarily manifests as depredation (the removal or damage of hooked fish) from Commercial Passenger Fishing Vessels (CPFVs). Depredation not only results in stolen fish but also in lost fishing opportunities due to the presence of pinnipeds deterring target fish species or necessitating vessel relocation. Using logbook data from 1994 to 2021, we explored spatiotemporal trends in pinniped depredation of CPFVs in California. Our model, which evaluates the factors predicting the number of fish depredated, revealed a distinct concentration of pinniped depredation in Southern California, with increasing rates of depredation during summer and spring. Over our time series, depredation is decreasing, as our model found a seven percent decrease in the number of fish depredated each calendar year. Correspondingly, changepoint and trend analysis revealed two key trend reversals in 1999 and 2014, exemplified by a rapid peak and ensuing drop in overall depredation. Overall, our study suggests that depredation is shaped by an interplay of environmental factors, the population dynamics of pinnipeds, and the patterns of fishing activities within the California current ecosystem.

Recently, the Institute for Radiological protection and Nuclear Safety (IRSN) has launched VSEAL (Vertical SEALing) project to investigate the impact of gas migration on the long-term performance of bentonite based vertical sealing systems (VSS). The first VSEAL in situ test was emplaced in IRSN's Underground Research Laboratory (URL) in Tournemire (France) in 2019 and was equipped with 76 wired and wireless sensors. The test is still in progress, but the collected set of data provides already valuable information of the hydro-mechanical behavior of VSS during hydration. The swelling core consists of a mixture of high-density pellets and powder of MX80 bentonite in a ratio of 80/20 (in dry mass). An innovative method was adopted to drill a 1-m diameter and ∼10-m deep shaft in order to minimize the rock perturbation at the sidewalls. Because a specific protocol was adopted to install the bentonite mixture together with a careful characterization of the core during construction, VSEAL 1 constitutes the unique in situ sealing test with a well-known initial structural distribution of the pellets and the powder. Some heterogeneities occurred within the experiment during the installation process: a damaged zone developed around the shaft walls due to the interruption of the installation operations caused by COVID19 lockdown in France; a technological gap with a variable thickness between the last pellets layer and the top confining lid and a heterogeneous distribution of the bentonite powder at some layers inducing large inter pellets voids close to the bentonite-rock interface. Artificially injected water volume, relative humidity, water content and swelling pressure in both radial and axial directions were monitored. Comparison of the results showed that the presence of installation-induced heterogeneities led to the generation of preferential flow paths that influenced the swelling pressure evolution at radial and axial directions.

During 2014–2019, the prevalence of Corynosoma spp., a parasite species in great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo spp.) and in Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras), was studied in the Archipelago and the Bothnian Seas of the northern Baltic Sea. These results suggest that cormorants may act as a definitive host for these acanthocephalan parasites. Adults were more infected with the parasites than juveniles, which could be due to their larger size. A lower prevalence of Corynosoma spp. in juveniles may be because smaller cormorants eat smaller fish that have less parasites. We found that the most abundant corynosoma species in both the Baltic herring and cormorants were Corynosoma semerme, whereas only a few individuals of C. strumosum and only one C. magdaleni were found. The prevalence of corynosoma in herring increased from 2014 to 2018, and individuals in the Bothnian Sea were infected less frequently than herring in the Archipelago Sea. Results also showed that infected herring individuals were generally larger than non-infected individuals, which could be explained by their size and their feeding habits. Currently, the changing environment of the Baltic Sea may cause an effect on the herring making them more susceptible to infections. Our results, therefore, emphasize the importance of the regular monitoring of infections and the parasite-host relationships in the Baltic Sea.

Arctic states, regional and local authorities, NGOs, and Indigenous communities have debated how Arctic seals should be governed for more than a century. This governance discourse covers a wide array of issues, from seal hunting and the sale of animal products to the impacts of pollution and climate change. This article examines the frames used by political entities to discuss the regional governance of Arctic seals in the North American Arctic from 1900-2020, a period defined by landmark agreements on seals. Informed by framing and agenda-setting theory, the article employs textual analysis of policy documents and newspaper articles. These serve as a source of information and space for policy advocacy and debate to study political entities' discourse regarding the issues and policies that shape Arctic seal governance. The analysis focuses on English-language texts from regional and local newspapers and international newspapers of record. The article identifies four dominant frames, namely perceived threats to (a) economic revenue, (b) animal welfare, (c) Indigenous ways of life, and (d) threats emanating from the involvement of NGOs in Arctic regional governance. Each of these frames is associated with one or multiple political entities involved in the regional governance of seals. The article demonstrates how the dominance of these entities and the frames they employ varies over time and corresponds to several anthropogenic threats to seals, including commercial hunting, pollution, and climate change. The article concludes that tensions between local and regional entities and international and non-Arctic entities are reflective of broader Arctic regional governance dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to describe the pathology in seals from which Listeria monocytogenes was isolated and investigate if the lesions' nature and severity were related to the phylogeny of isolates. L. monocytogenes was isolated from 13 of 50 (26%) dead grey seal (Halichoerus grypus) pups, six (12%) in systemic distribution, on the Isle of May, Scotland. Similar fatal L. monocytogenes -associated infections were found in a grey seal pup from Carnoustie, Scotland, and a juvenile harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) in the Netherlands. Whole genome sequencing of 15 of the L. monocytogenes isolates identified 13 multilocus sequence types belonging to the L. monocytogenes lineages I and II, but with scant phenotypic and genotypic antimicrobial resistance and limited variation in virulence factors. The phylogenetic diversity present suggests there are multiple sources of L. monocytogenes , even for seal pups born in the same colony and breeding season. This is the first description of L. monocytogenes isolated from, and detected in lesions in, pinnipeds and indicates that infection can be systemic and fatal. Therefore, listeriosis may be an emerging or overlooked disease in seals with infection originating from contamination of the marine environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The archaeological excavations at Oylum Höyük were started in 1987 by Prof. Dr. Engin Özgen. Since 2012, they have been carried out by Prof. Dr. Atilla Engin. During these excavations, a total of eight seals or seal impressions with Anatolian hieroglyphs were unearthed. This article will discuss a total of five seal or seal impressions that were found during excavations at Oylum Höyük near Kilis between 2011 and 2022. All examples are seals or seal impressions with Anatolian hieroglyphs, which give us information about the names or titles of the respective owners. So far, only a few written artefacts from the second half of the second millennium BC have been found in Oylum Höyük. However, these new finds should prove that considerably more finds are to be expected and that Oylum Höyük played an important role for the Hittites in northern Syria. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The morphological and morphometric parameters of erythrocytes (size, shape, and color) were studied in five species of marine mammals. A comparative assessment of oxygen reserves in the blood of Harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus (Erxleben 1777)) and Grey seal (Halichoerus grypus (Fabricius 1791)) pups during adaptations to the aquatic environment, as well as of Bottlenose dolphins during the period of adaptation to conditions of captivity, is given. The morphometric parameters of red blood cells have been established to vary depending on the age, habitat conditions, and phylogenetic position of the animals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initiation of self-expanding high-temperature synthesis (SHS) in the Al–Ti–C system in the process of spark plasma sintering (SPS) of specimens allows obtaining a material with high density, which contains MAX-phases. A simple rheological theory has been developed, which can describe SHS and SPS processes under certain conditions. Within the framework of this model, the processes of pressing and extrusion at uniaxial pressure are considered. The dependence of the relative density of the powder mixture on time is scaled by the factor of the ratio of pressure to the viscosity of the invariant base of the material. Analytical time dependences of the plunger speed and sample height, as well as the time required to achieve the specified value of the relative density of the Al–Ti–C material, which allows us to predict and analyze the compression of powder mixtures in the SPS process were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An increase in the efficiency of gland seals in compressor cylinders with cast iron rings pressed against the contact surface of the piston rod using a steel spring in reciprocating compressors used in offshore oil and gas-condensate fields for gas-lift oil production systems is considered. Studies of a gas engine reciprocating compressor working directly on the operating gas-lift system have shown that in order to increase the time of normal operation of gland seals, it is necessary to adjust the clearance using lubricant up to 0.1 mm. After increasing the spring stiffness, the serviceability and number of working hours of the gland seal increased twofold, from 850 to 1700 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding how marine animals behave around tidal turbines is essential if we are to quantify how individuals and populations may be affected by the installation of these devices in the coming decades. Our particular interest is in collision risk, and how this may be affected by the fine-scale behaviour of seals and small cetacean species around devices. We report on a study in which multibeam sonar data were collected close to an operational tidal turbine in Scotland continuously over a twelve-month period. The sonars provide high-resolution (a few cm) data over a 120° angle out to a range of 55 m at a rate of 10 frames per second. We describe a system which uses automatic computer algorithms to detect potential targets of interest, verified by human analysts using a sophisticated computer user interface to confirm detections and assign target species. To date, we have identified 359 tracks of marine mammals in the data, as well as several thousand tracks from fish and diving birds. These are currently being parameterised to study how these species react to the moving turbine rotors, and the data are now being used to explore the development of improved automated detection and classification algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We detected a novel poxvirus from a gray seal (Halichoerus grypus) from the North Sea, Germany. The juvenile animal showed pox-like lesions and deteriorating overall health condition and was finally euthanized. Histology, electron microscopy, sequencing, and PCR confirmed a previously undescribed poxvirus of the Chordopoxvirinae subfamily, tentatively named Wadden Sea poxvirus.

Understanding the tribological behavior of elastomers in dry conditions is essential for sealing applications, as dry contact may occur even in lubricated conditions due to local dewetting. In recent decades, Persson and co-authors have developed a comprehensive theory for rubber contact mechanics and dry friction. In this work, their model is implemented and extended, particularly by including static friction based on the bond population model by Juvekar and coworkers. Validation experiments are performed using a tribometer over a wide range of materials, temperatures and speeds. It is shown that the friction model presented in this work can predict the static and dynamic dry friction of various commercial rubber materials with different base polymers (FKM, EPDM and NBR) with an average accuracy of 10%. The model is then used to study the relevance of different elastomer friction contributions under various operating conditions and for different roughness of the counter surface. The present model will help in the development of novel optimized sealing solutions and provide a foundation for future modeling of lubricated elastomer friction.

Arctic states, regional and local authorities, NGOs, and Indigenous communities have debated how Arctic seals should be governed for more than a century. This governance discourse covers a wide array of issues, from seal hunting and the sale of animal products to the impacts of pollution and climate change. This article examines the frames used by political entities to discuss the regional governance of Arctic seals in the North American Arctic from 1900–2020, a period defined by landmark agreements on seals. Informed by framing and agenda-setting theory, the article employs textual analysis of policy documents and newspaper articles. These serve as a source of information and space for policy advocacy and debate to study political entities’ discourse regarding the issues and policies that shape Arctic seal governance. The analysis focuses on English-language texts from regional and local newspapers and international newspapers of record. The article identifies four dominant frames, namely perceived threats to (a) economic revenue, (b) animal welfare, (c) Indigenous ways of life, and (d) threats emanating from the involvement of NGOs in Arctic regional governance. Each of these frames is associated with one or multiple political entities involved in the regional governance of seals. The article demonstrates how the dominance of these entities and the frames they employ varies over time and corresponds to several anthropogenic threats to seals, including commercial hunting, pollution, and climate change. The article concludes that tensions between local and regional entities and international and non-Arctic entities are reflective of broader Arctic regional governance dynamics.

This article examines the involvement of Beatrice, dowager Baroness Roos (d. 1415) in the making of art. Her patronage of masons and tomb-makers, glaziers and seal-makers, is explored in detail, showing her to have commissioned works from two of the most prominent English artists of the late medieval period. Her interest in the inventive use of heraldry and her role in the creation of a major monument in St Paul's Cathedral is established. Her right to be acknowledged as the donor of the St William window in York Minster is reasserted, and her influence on its content and meaning is demonstrated. The gift of this window made Beatrice the single most important secular benefactor of York Minster, a fact that has not been acknowledged before in print, but was recorded by the medieval cathedral chapter in the glazing of the Minster's western choir clerestory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modular gas delivery systems replaced conventional gas panels in the semiconductor capital equipment industry for “dry” manufacturing processes. Modular gas delivery systems were adopted for many benefits over conventional system designs. These benefits include smaller size / footprint, easily customizable configurability, ease of maintenance, and increased equipment productivity. From our position as a gas panel supplier to major dry processing equipment manufacturers we have observed and responded to the customer-driven conversion to modular gas delivery systems. We present here details about the industry’s conversion from conventional to modular architecture and three areas of focus of development on the modular system architecture: serviceability, sealing mechanisms, and contamination control. In parallel to system-level work, the importance of component performance improvement shall not be neglected. From conventional to modular architecture, the use of mixer and mixing performance are critical in wafer manufacturing, yet it is often overlooked in equipment design and characterization. Among all component development and characterization, we would like to highlight our modular mixer development and testing work, including discussion on impact of mixer performance on wafer production processes, our modeling approach in mixer design, and test data for validation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During 2014–2019, the prevalence of Corynosoma spp., a parasite species in great cormorants (Phalacrocorax carbo spp.) and in Baltic herring (Clupea harengus membras), was studied in the Archipelago and the Bothnian Seas of the northern Baltic Sea. These results suggest that cormorants may act as a definitive host for these acanthocephalan parasites. Adults were more infected with the parasites than juveniles, which could be due to their larger size. A lower prevalence of Corynosoma spp. in juveniles may be because smaller cormorants eat smaller fish that have less parasites. We found that the most abundant corynosoma species in both the Baltic herring and cormorants were Corynosoma semerme , whereas only a few individuals of C. strumosum and only one C. magdaleni were found. The prevalence of corynosoma in herring increased from 2014 to 2018, and individuals in the Bothnian Sea were infected less frequently than herring in the Archipelago Sea. Results also showed that infected herring individuals were generally larger than non-infected individuals, which could be explained by their size and their feeding habits. Currently, the changing environment of the Baltic Sea may cause an effect on the herring making them more susceptible to infections. Our results, therefore, emphasize the importance of the regular monitoring of infections and the parasite-host relationships in the Baltic Sea. [Display omitted] • Corynosoma parasites in herring and cormorants were studied in northern Baltic Sea. • In 2014–2019, 7002 herrings and 65 cormorants were examined for parasites by PCR. • DNA analysis revealed three species: C. semerme , C. strumosum , and C. magdaleni. • In herring, Corynosoma infections increased between 2014 and 2018 (mean PR = 0.15). • Of cormorants, PR = 0.29 were infected by Corynosomas , represented only C. semerme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the main methods for calculating seals of hybrid power machines. The analysis of works on the designs of hybrid power machines is carried out. The main types of piston seals of pumps, compressors and hybrid power machines are considered, with an emphasis on the main advantages and disadvantages of each type of seal, as well as recommendations on the choice of seals for hybrid power machines. Based on the analysis of the work on the research of piston seals, the main methods for calculating the seals of hybrid power machines are considered and the most suitable one is determined.

Late Bronze Age seals and sealings from Aegean Anatolia (the western part of western Anatolia) are a very heterogeneous collection of finds. Especially widespread are seals belonging to the Aegean tradition, including earlier hard stone seals and later soÁ stone lentoids related to the Mycenaean Mainland Popular Group. Also represented are seals executed in the central Anatolian style, which, however, arrive later to the area of study. In both groups, imports as well as local production are aested, and some seals show individual features. e spread of these objects is related to various factors, such as commercial and cultural exchange, but also political and military impacts. Participation in long-distance trade networks is confirmed by the presence of seals coming from the eastern Mediterranean.

A document containing unique information about the seals on medieval acts that were stored in the early 18th century in the archives of the “Moscow” (i. e. Kremlin) monasteries is examined and published in the article. It has been established that this description was compiled by the Monastyrskii Prikaz in 1709 in response to the request of Tsar Peter I and was attached to the letter of I. A. Musin-Pushkin, the Prikaz’s Head. The document was not found and was considered lost, when the Letters and Papers of Emperor Peter the Great were published in 1709. The description contains information about official seals from the archives of two of the four Kremlin monasteries that existed that time — Chudov and Afanasievsky (the courtyard of the Kirillo-Belozersky monastery). Four seals were discovered, described and drawn in the Chudov archive, and one in the Afanasevsky archive. The author considers the description as the origins of scientific sphragistics, since the compilation of this document is clearly out of the scope of practical tasks (identification of the act in the monastic archive and indication of its proper certification).

Due to the limited battery and computing resource, offloading unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs)’ computation tasks to ground infrastructure, e.g., vehicles, is a fundamental framework. Under such an open and untrusted environment, vehicles are reluctant to share their computing resource unless provisioning strong incentives, privacy protection, and fairness guarantee. Precisely, without strategy-proofness guarantee, the strategic vehicles can overclaim participation costs so as to conduct market manipulation. Without the fairness provision, vehicles can deliberately abort the assigned tasks without any punishments, and UAVs can refuse to pay by the end, causing an exchange dilemma. Lastly, the strategy-proofness and fairness provision typically require transparent payment/task results exchange under public audit, which may disclose sensitive information of vehicles and make the privacy preservation a foremost issue. To achieve the three design goals, we propose SEAL, an integrated framework to address Strategy-proof, fair, and privacy-prEserving UAV computation offLoading. SEAL deploys a strategy-proof reverse combinatorial auction mechanism to optimize UAVs’ task offloading under practical constraints while ensuring economic-robustness and polynomial-time efficiency. Based on smart contracts and hashchain micropayment, SEAL implements a fair on-chain exchange protocol to realize the atomic completion of batch payments and computing results in multi-round auctions. In addition, a privacy-preserving off-chain auction protocol is devised with the assistance of the trusted processor to efficiently protect vehicles’ bid privacy. Using rigorous theoretical analysis and extensive simulations, we validate that SEAL can effectively prevent vehicles from manipulating, ensure privacy protection and fairness, improve the offloading efficiency, and reduce UAV’s energy costs and expenses with low overheads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The impacts of climate change on the health of marine mammals are increasingly being recognised. Given the rapid rate of environmental change in the Arctic, the potential ramifications on the health of marine mammals in this region are a particular concern. There are eleven endemic Arctic marine mammal species (AMMs) comprising three cetaceans, seven pinnipeds, and the polar bear (Ursus maritimus). All of these species are dependent on sea ice for survival, particularly those requiring ice for breeding. As air and water temperatures increase, additional species previously non-resident in Arctic waters are extending their ranges northward, leading to greater species overlaps and a concomitant increased risk of disease transmission. In this study, we review the literature documenting disease presence in Arctic marine mammals to understand the current causes of morbidity and mortality in these species and forecast future disease issues. Our review highlights potential pathogen occurrence in a changing Arctic environment, discussing surveillance methods for 35 specific pathogens, identifying risk factors associated with these diseases, as well as making recommendations for future monitoring for emerging pathogens. Several of the pathogens discussed have the potential to cause unusual mortality events in AMMs. Brucella, morbillivirus, influenza A virus, and Toxoplasma gondii are all of concern, particularly with the relative naivety of the immune systems of endemic Arctic species. There is a clear need for increased surveillance to understand baseline disease levels and address the gravity of the predicted impacts of climate change on marine mammal species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]