Solar wind turbulence at 0.72 AU and solar minimum

We investigate Venus Express (VEX) observations of magnetic field fluctuations performed systematically in the solar wind at 0.72 Astronomical Units (AU), between 2007 and 2009, during the deep minimum of the solar cycle 24. The Power Spectral Densities (PSD) of the magnetic field components have been computed for the time intervals that satisfy data integrity criteria and have been grouped according to the type of wind, fast and slow defined for speeds larger and respectively smaller than 450 km/s. The PSDs show higher levels of power for the fast than for the slow wind. The spectral slopes estimated for all PSDs in the frequency range 0.005-0.1 Hz exhibit a normal distribution. The average value of the trace of the spectral matrix is -1.60 for fast solar wind and -1.65 for slow wind. Compared to the corresponding average slopes at 1 AU, the PSDs are shallower at 0.72 AU for slow wind conditions suggesting a steepening of the solar wind spectra between Venus and Earth. No significant time variation trend is observed for the spectral behavior of both slow and fast wind

Research on emissions from large combustion plants (LCP). Case Study

According to Directive 2010/75 / EU and Law 278/2013 on industrial emissions, operators of large combustion plants (IMA) must carry out continuous self-monitoring of pollutant emissions and are required to perform parallel measurements with accredited laboratories, to certify results. Thus, INCD INSEMEX Petroșani, through the Testing Laboratories Group, accredited by RENAR, offers these type services to various economic agents. The curent paper presents measurements performed at two IMA exhaust chimneys, in two different stages, to quantify pollutants released into the atmosphere and to establish the impact they generate on health of population in the area of the study. Analysis of results showed that the maximum allowed value for the SO2 was exceeded, so that, at the end of this paper, some recommendations were reviewed, according to BAT (Best Available Techniques), to support the economic agent and inhabitants of the area in haveing a cleaner environment

Interlaboratory comparisons to demonstrate the competence of two similar mobile laboratories

In order to maintain the RENAR (Romanian Accreditation Association) accreditation, each accredited laboratory must periodically participate in interlaboratory testing programs carried out with specialized providers or similar laboratories. In December 2021, an interlaboratory comparison in the field of environmental protection was organized by INCD ISEMEX PETROȘANI. The current paper examines the similarity of results of two auto-laboratories, in similar sampling points to demonstrate the competence of accredited laboratories. During the interlaboratory test session, immission measurements (nitrogen dioxide, nitrogen monoxide, carbon monoxide and sulphur dioxide), ambient noise measurements and determination of suspended dust concentration were performed. The main objective of the interlaboratory tests is to comply with limits established by the bilateral testing protocol, and all these results can be processed and achieved in situ due to systems endowing the auto-laboratories, which integrate all the measurements performed in situ. Results of the study indicate very close values found by the two mobile laboratories, which leads to the performance requirement for all components analysed, namely coefficients of variation below 20%

Az ischaemiás eredetű balkamra-aneurysma sebészi rekonstrukciója. Két sebészi technika korai és középtávú eredményei = Surgical ventricular reconstruction for ischemic left ventricular aneurysm. Early and medium-term outcomes for two surgical techniques

Absztrakt: Bevezetés: A balkamra-aneurysma az akut myocardialis infarctus súlyos szövődménye; jelentősen növeli a morbiditást, mortalitást. A sebészi korrekciós technikák fejlődése ellenére számtalan kérdőjel van e kórkép kezelésének optimális megközelítésével kapcsolatban. Célkitűzés: Tanulmányunk célja az ischaemiás eredetű balkamra-aneurysma két különböző sebészi technikával (endoventriculoplastica és lineáris varrat) végzett műtéti rekonstrukciója rövid és középtávú eredményeinek vizsgálata annak érdekében, hogy meghatározzuk, melyik eljárás előnyösebb. Módszer: A vizsgálatba 117 beteget vontunk be, 48 esetben (41%) endoventriculoplasticával (1. csoport), 69 betegnél (59%) lineáris varrattal (2. csoport) végeztük a balkamra-rekonstrukciót. 113 betegnél (96,5%) egy időben más eljárás is szükséges volt: 108 esetben műtéti myocardialis revascularisatio, 8 betegnél kamrai septumsutura, 18 esetben mitralisbillentyű-plastica történt. A rövid és középtávú morbiditást és mortalitást, az ejekciós frakció változásait és a szívelégtelenség súlyosságát (NYHA) elemeztük. Eredmények: A perioperatív mortalitás 11,11% volt, 4,2% az endoventriculoplasticás csoportban, 15,9% a lineárisvarrat-csoportban (p = 0,03). Az 5 éves túlélés 78,5% volt (88,7% az 1. csoportban és 71,2% a 2. csoportban). Mindkét csoportban javult a bal kamra ejekciós frakciója, a szív funkcionális osztályba sorolása (NYHA); az eredmények szignifikánsan jobbak voltak az endoventriculoplasticával műtött betegek csoportjában. Következtetések: A bal kamra műtéti rekonstrukciója jó korai és középtávú eredményeket mutató eljárás az ischaemiás balkamra-aneurysma korrigálására; az endoventriculoplastica jobb eredményeket biztosít a korai és középtávú mortalitás, az ejekciós frakció és a NYHA funkcionális osztály szempontjából. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(51): 2167–2174. | Abstract: Introduction: Left ventricular aneurysm is a severe complication of acute myocardial infarction, which contributes significantly to mortality and morbidity associated with this pathology. Despite the progress of correction techniques, there are still controversies about the optimal approach addressing this pathology. Aim: The aim of this study was to analyse short and medium term outcomes of left ventricular reconstruction for ischemic left ventricular aneurysm using two surgical techniques (endoventricular patch plasty and liniar suture) in order to determine if one of these techniques has supperior results. Method: 117 patients were included in the study, 48 patients (41%) underwent left ventricular reconstruction with endoventricular patch (Group 1), 69 patients (59%; Group 2) had linear reconstruction. 113 patients (96.5%) required associated procedures: 108 surgical myocardial revascularization, 18 mitral valvuloplasty and 8 ventricular septal defect closure. Short and medium term morbidity, mortality, alteration of ejection fraction and NYHA class were analysed. Results: Perioperative mortality was 11.11%, 4.2% in the endoventricular patch group, and 15.9% in the linear suture group (p = 0.03). The overall 5-year survival was 78.5% (88.7% in Group 1 and 71.2% in Group 2). The left ventricular ejection fraction and NYHA functional class improved in both groups, with greater improvement in the endoventricular patch group. Conclusions: Surgical ventricular reconstruction is a procedure performed for the correction of ischemic left ventricular aneurysm with good early and medium-term results, but with better results with the endoventricular patch technique regarding early and medium-term mortality, ejection fraction and NYHA functional class improvement. Orv Hetil. 2018; 159(51): 2167–2174

Characterization of biobriquettes produced from vineyard wastes as a solid biofuel resource

The large amount of biomass waste generated by vineyard pruning causes many environmental concerns. The production of briquettes represents an alternative to obtaining a value-added product. The transformation of vineyard wastes into briquettes could produce a densified product having high energy potential. The study investigates the production and chemical, structural, and thermal characterization of briquettes. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) shows that the briquettes have different stages of decomposition depending on temperature, such as drying, heating, devolatilization, and char aggregation. All the briquettes are decomposed around 600 C. The analysis by X-ray diffraction (XRD) shows the crystallinity of briquettes. The pollutant emissions resulted from briquettes burning were measured as 444.7 mg N1m1 nitrogen oxide (NOX), 157.0 mg N1m1 sulphur dioxide (SO2) and 2165.0 mg N1m1 carbon monoxide (CO). The flue gases are below the admitted limits, with the exception of carbon monoxide content due to the incomplete combustion and high lignin content. Therefore, it can be concluded that briquettes produced from vineyard wastes have similar properties to briquettes produced from wood. This study demonstrates the potential of the obtained briquettes to replace the wood or charcoal through a desulphurization method

Sustainable biomass pellets production using vineyard wastes

Vineyards waste has a great importance as biomass, a renewable source of energy. In this paper eight vine shoot varieties were used for the production of pellets by densification of feedstock materials with four ranges of moisture contents (6–8%, 8–10%, 10–12% and 12–15%). A moisture content of 10% gave durability higher than 97.5% and a calorific value greater than 17 MJ kg−1 and the small durability was obtained for 6–8% moisture. The study shows the significant influence of water during densification. The physicochemical and energetic properties of pellets were evaluated in accordance with ISO 17225-6 (2014). The obtained pellets were also structurally characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). SEM analysis showed the formation of carbon microsphere after pelletization, due to the increase of bulk density and durability of pellets. Also, XRD analysis revealed the crystallinity of cellulose, while TGA analysis showed a total decomposition of pellets. The obtained pellets were burned in a domestic boiler and the flue gases were measured. The preliminary results showed that the vineyard residues had higher emissions, but below the admitted limits, with the exception of carbon monoxide content. The obtained results suggested that the biomass wastes can be used for the production of pellets, aiming to enhance the research for the manufacturing of these sustainable biofuels with some remarks regarding risk of corrosion and slag formation during prolonged use

Global maps of soil temperature

Research in global change ecology relies heavily on global climatic grids derived from estimates of air temperature in open areas at around 2 m above the ground. These climatic grids do not reflect conditions below vegetation canopies and near the ground surface, where critical ecosystem functions occur and most terrestrial species reside. Here, we provide global maps of soil temperature and bioclimatic variables at a 1-km² resolution for 0–5 and 5–15 cm soil depth. These maps were created by calculating the difference (i.e., offset) between in-situ soil temperature measurements, based on time series from over 1200 1-km² pixels (summarized from 8500 unique temperature sensors) across all the world’s major terrestrial biomes, and coarse-grained air temperature estimates from ERA5-Land (an atmospheric reanalysis by the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts). We show that mean annual soil temperature differs markedly from the corresponding gridded air temperature, by up to 10°C (mean = 3.0 ± 2.1°C), with substantial variation across biomes and seasons. Over the year, soils in cold and/or dry biomes are substantially warmer (+3.6 ± 2.3°C) than gridded air temperature, whereas soils in warm and humid environments are on average slightly cooler (-0.7 ± 2.3°C). The observed substantial and biome-specific offsets emphasize that the projected impacts of climate and climate change on near-surface biodiversity and ecosystem functioning are inaccurately assessed when air rather than soil temperature is used, especially in cold environments. The global soil-related bioclimatic variables provided here are an important step forward for any application in ecology and related disciplines. Nevertheless, we highlight the need to fill remaining geographic gaps by collecting more in-situ measurements of microclimate conditions to further enhance the spatiotemporal resolution of global soil temperature products for ecological applications

The CMS Phase-1 pixel detector upgrade

The CMS detector at the CERN LHC features a silicon pixel detector as its innermost subdetector. The original CMS pixel detector has been replaced with an upgraded pixel system (CMS Phase-1 pixel detector) in the extended year-end technical stop of the LHC in 2016/2017. The upgraded CMS pixel detector is designed to cope with the higher instantaneous luminosities that have been achieved by the LHC after the upgrades to the accelerator during the first long shutdown in 2013–2014. Compared to the original pixel detector, the upgraded detector has a better tracking performance and lower mass with four barrel layers and three endcap disks on each side to provide hit coverage up to an absolute value of pseudorapidity of 2.5. This paper describes the design and construction of the CMS Phase-1 pixel detector as well as its performance from commissioning to early operation in collision data-taking.Peer reviewe

Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories: a pooled analysis of 2181 population-based studies with 65 million participants

Summary Background Comparable global data on health and nutrition of school-aged children and adolescents are scarce. We aimed to estimate age trajectories and time trends in mean height and mean body-mass index (BMI), which measures weight gain beyond what is expected from height gain, for school-aged children and adolescents. Methods For this pooled analysis, we used a database of cardiometabolic risk factors collated by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1985 to 2019 in mean height and mean BMI in 1-year age groups for ages 5–19 years. The model allowed for non-linear changes over time in mean height and mean BMI and for non-linear changes with age of children and adolescents, including periods of rapid growth during adolescence. Findings We pooled data from 2181 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in 65 million participants in 200 countries and territories. In 2019, we estimated a difference of 20 cm or higher in mean height of 19-year-old adolescents between countries with the tallest populations (the Netherlands, Montenegro, Estonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina for boys; and the Netherlands, Montenegro, Denmark, and Iceland for girls) and those with the shortest populations (Timor-Leste, Laos, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea for boys; and Guatemala, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Timor-Leste for girls). In the same year, the difference between the highest mean BMI (in Pacific island countries, Kuwait, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Chile, the USA, and New Zealand for both boys and girls and in South Africa for girls) and lowest mean BMI (in India, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, Ethiopia, and Chad for boys and girls; and in Japan and Romania for girls) was approximately 9–10 kg/m2. In some countries, children aged 5 years started with healthier height or BMI than the global median and, in some cases, as healthy as the best performing countries, but they became progressively less healthy compared with their comparators as they grew older by not growing as tall (eg, boys in Austria and Barbados, and girls in Belgium and Puerto Rico) or gaining too much weight for their height (eg, girls and boys in Kuwait, Bahrain, Fiji, Jamaica, and Mexico; and girls in South Africa and New Zealand). In other countries, growing children overtook the height of their comparators (eg, Latvia, Czech Republic, Morocco, and Iran) or curbed their weight gain (eg, Italy, France, and Croatia) in late childhood and adolescence. When changes in both height and BMI were considered, girls in South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and some central Asian countries (eg, Armenia and Azerbaijan), and boys in central and western Europe (eg, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, and Montenegro) had the healthiest changes in anthropometric status over the past 3·5 decades because, compared with children and adolescents in other countries, they had a much larger gain in height than they did in BMI. The unhealthiest changes—gaining too little height, too much weight for their height compared with children in other countries, or both—occurred in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand, and the USA for boys and girls; in Malaysia and some Pacific island nations for boys; and in Mexico for girls. Interpretation The height and BMI trajectories over age and time of school-aged children and adolescents are highly variable across countries, which indicates heterogeneous nutritional quality and lifelong health advantages and risks