Phonon sidebands of color centers in hexagonal boron nitride

Low temperature photoluminescence spectra of a color center in hexagonal boron nitride are analyzed. The acoustic phonon sideband can be described by a deformation coupling proportional to strain to a phonon bath that is effectively two dimensional. The optical phonon band is described by Frohlich coupling to the LO-branches, and a deformation coupling proportional to lattice displacement for the TO-branch. The resonances expressed in the optical band vary from defect to defect, in some emitters, coupling to out-of-plane polarized phonons is reported.Comment: 7 pages, 4 fig

Smart Asset Management for Electric Utilities: Big Data and Future

This paper discusses about future challenges in terms of big data and new technologies. Utilities have been collecting data in large amounts but they are hardly utilized because they are huge in amount and also there is uncertainty associated with it. Condition monitoring of assets collects large amounts of data during daily operations. The question arises "How to extract information from large chunk of data?" The concept of "rich data and poor information" is being challenged by big data analytics with advent of machine learning techniques. Along with technological advancements like Internet of Things (IoT), big data analytics will play an important role for electric utilities. In this paper, challenges are answered by pathways and guidelines to make the current asset management practices smarter for the future.Comment: 13 pages, 3 figures, Proceedings of 12th World Congress on Engineering Asset Management (WCEAM) 201

Morphea (Localized Scleroderma) Presenting With Recurrent Skin and Soft Tissue Infections: A Diagnostic Dilemma.

Morphea or localized scleroderma is reported to be triggered through diverse stimuli. We present a case of morphea that presented as a non-healing wound with superimposed methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus (MSSA) infection. In our case, morphea was thought to have been potentially triggered by a post-surgical infection. We discuss the potential infectious triggers and common infections that may confound the diagnosis

Enhanced Removal Efficiency of Arsenic and Copper from Aqueous Solution Using Activated Acorus calamus Based Adsorbent

Water security, due to heavy metal pollution in water resources, has become a serious problem in modern urbanized society. Plants with a good source of cellulose, hemicellulose, pectin, lignin, etc., are the most promising adsorbents for the removal of heavy metals from water. In this work, for the first time, a low-cost local plant named Acorus calamus (AC; flag root or sweet flag) and citric acid modified AC root powder (CAMAC) were used as potential adsorbents. The samples were characterized by SEM, FT-IR, XRD, and the sorption properties were investigated by different parameters, such as solution pH, batch kinetic study, batch isotherm, effect of adsorbent dose, effect of initial concentration, and effect of contact time. The results of ACRP on removal efficiency of copper (II) and arsenic (III) in an aqueous solution showed an excellent adsorption behavior (~ 80 % adsorption efficiency). This study opens up an easy and economical method for the decontamination of harsh polluting metal ions from water. This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Estimating the furrow infiltration characteristic from a single advance point

Management and control of surface irrigation, in particular furrow irrigation, is limited by spatio-temporal soil infiltration variability as well as the high cost and time associated with collecting intensive field data for estimation of the infiltration characteristics. Recent work has proposed scaling the commonly used infiltration function by using a model infiltration curve and a single advance point for every other furrow in an irrigation event. Scaling factors were calculated for a series of furrows at two sites and at four points down the length of the field (0.25 L, 0.5 L, 0.75 L and L). Differences in the value of the scaling factor with distance were found to be a function of the shape of the advance curves. It is concluded that use of points early in the advance results in a substantial loss of accuracy and should be avoided. The scaling factor was also strongly correlated with the furrow-wetted perimeter suggesting that the scaling is an appropriate way of both predicting and accommodating the effect of the hydraulic variability

Human P450 CYP17A1: Control of Substrate Preference by Asparagine 202

CYP17A1 is a key steroidogenic enzyme known to conduct several distinct chemical transformations on multiple substrates. In its hydroxylase activity, this enzyme adds a hydroxyl group at the 17α position of both pregnenolone and progesterone at approximately equal rates. However, the subsequent 17,20 carbon–carbon scission reaction displays variable substrate specificity in the numerous CYP17A1 isozymes operating in vertebrates, manifesting as different Kd and kcat values when presented with 17α-hydroxypregnenlone (OHPREG) versus 17α-hydroxyprogesterone (OHPROG). Here we show that the identity of the residue at position 202 in human CYP17A1, thought to form a hydrogen bond with the A-ring alcohol substituent on the pregnene- nucleus, is a key driver of this enzyme’s native preference for OHPREG. Replacement of asparagine 202 with serine completely reverses the preference of CYP17A1, more than doubling the rate of turnover of the OHPROG to androstenedione reaction and substantially decreasing the rate of formation of dehydroepiandrosterone from OHPREG. In a series of resonance Raman experiments, it was observed that, in contrast with the case for the wild-type protein, in the mutant the 17α alcohol of OHPROG tends to form a H-bond with the proximal rather than terminal oxygen of the oxy–ferrous complex. When OHPREG was a substrate, the mutant enzyme was found to have a H-bonding interaction with the proximal oxygen that is substantially weaker than that of the wild type. These results demonstrate that a single-point mutation in the active site pocket of CYP17A1, even when far from the heme, has profound effects on steroidogenic selectivity in androgen biosynthesis

Positronium reflection and positronium beams

Specular reflection of positronium, Ps was observed and that there is adequate intensity at higher energies to make further study worthwhile was established. The scattering appears to be restricted to the outermost surface with a mean free path of (0.75 + or - 0.15)A for Ps in LiF(100). With a greater intensity Ps beam one should see higher order diffraction beams as the result of the periodicity of the surface. Ps diffraction thus offers the possibility of being a novel and valuable probe to study the outermost surface and to study adsorbants on it. Two methods for producing Ps beams are described

Multi-criteria analysis and ex-ante assessment to prioritize and scale up climate smart agriculture in semi–arid tropics, India

The strategies that integrate food security, adaptation and mitigation options in agriculture are of high importance to manage the increasing risk of climate change in vulnerable semi-arid regions for the livelihood security of poor agriculture-dependent people. To address the growing problems of food security and climate change, multiple institutions and programs have demonstrated evidences for developing Climate-Smart Villages (CSVs) across regions which can act as a sustainable model for adapting to changing climate and improve farmers’ welfare. However, it remain a major challenge to upscale CSV approach. This paper presents a framework and evidence based designing of a strategy for scaling up Climate Smart Agriculture (CSA) in Telangana State of India. Climate risk and vulnerability mapping at disaggregate level; Inventory of CSA practices and respective technical coefficients; multicriteria analysis for participatory prioritization of location specific CSA practices and identification of barriers and incentives; ex-ante impact analysis of potential adoption and investment and infrastructure needs to implement CSA practices at local level and strategy for CSA integration into district level plans have been the key steps of this CSV approach. Local level vulnerability assessments and participatory prioritization based on index calculated for climate smartness and ease of adoption for each proposed practice, formed the basis of prioritizing CSA interventions suitable for particular location. Further the ex-ante impact analysis of selected climate smart interventions in different regions of Telangana was the next step. We also generated relevant geospatial maps for irrigated as well as rainfed major crops under vertisols and light soils. These maps helped in identifying context specificity of CSA interventions. Based on participatory prioritization, five CSA practices such as Ridges and Furrows, Broad bed and furrow for soil and moisture conservation and drainage, Farm pond for critical/supplemental irrigation, Crop residue management (cotton) and drip irrigation system were considered for ex-ante assessment considering district wise actual area and yields of major crops and rainfall level for 5 years from 2010-11 to 2014-15. The proposed framework and different tools help to understand the district wise potential for promotion of CSA practices/technologies, public and private investment needs, economic impacts of the interventions to enable informed decision making for climate smart agriculture. Stakeholders’ consultations during different stages of this process was very important for integrating their perspective and creating ownership. Piloting of evidence based scientific framework guides investments and policy making decisions on scaling up CSA in Telangana state