Regulation of UVR8 photoreceptor dimer/monomer photo-equilibrium in Arabidopsis plants grown under photoperiodic conditions

The UV RESISTANCE LOCUS 8 (UVR8) photoreceptor specifically mediates photomorphogenic responses to UV-B. Photoreception induces dissociation of dimeric UVR8 into monomers to initiate responses. However, the regulation of dimer/monomer status in plants growing under photoperiodic conditions has not been examined. Here we show that UVR8 establishes a dimer/monomer photo-equilibrium in plants growing in diurnal photoperiods in both controlled environments and natural daylight. The photo-equilibrium is determined by the relative rates of photoreception and dark-reversion to the dimer. Experiments with mutants in REPRESSOR OF UV-B PHOTOMORPHOGENESIS 1 (RUP1) and RUP2 show that these proteins are crucial in regulating the photo-equilibrium because they promote reversion to the dimer. In plants growing in daylight, the UVR8 photo-equilibrium is most strongly correlated with low ambient fluence rates of UV-B (up to 1.5 µmol m−2 s−1), rather than higher fluence rates or the amount of photosynthetically active radiation. In addition, the rate of reversion of monomer to dimer is reduced at lower temperatures, promoting an increase in the relative level of monomer at approximately 8–10 °C. Thus, UVR8 does not behave like a simple UV-B switch under photoperiodic growth conditions but establishes a dimer/monomer photo-equilibrium that is regulated by UV-B and also influenced by temperature

Control and Instrumentation Topologies for an Integrated Wave Energy Array

SubmittedControl and Instrumentation (C&I) systems provide the framework for monitoring critical data streams and implementing control functions during the operation of a wave energy converter. However, cost and power constraints of wave energy converters present a challenge in designing a C&I architecture that is appropriate for the application. This study describes the design of a C&I system for an integrated wave en-ergy array. A specification is first developed by defining operational requirements and design principles, measurement and control priorities are then identified, incorporating a failure mode and effects analysis. Available instrumentation options in the industry are reviewed and C&I topologies are presented. A distribut-ed control system is proposed for the Albatern WaveNET Array, allowing for the implementation of control and protection strategies and condition monitoring. Improved C&I allows for the reduction of unplanned maintenance, maximising device availability for energy production.The author would like to thank the industrial and academic supervisors, in addition to many industrial representatives whom provided valuable input to this paper. The support of the ETI and RCUK Energy Programme funding for IDCORE (EP/J500847/1) is gratefully acknowledged

Phosphoproteomics identifies a bimodal EPHA2 receptor switch that promotes embryonic stem cell differentiation

Embryonic Stem Cell (ESC) differentiation requires complex cell signalling network dynamics, although the key molecular events remain poorly understood. Here, we use phosphoproteomics to identify an FGF4-mediated phosphorylation switch centred upon the key Ephrin receptor EPHA2 in differentiating ESCs. We show that EPHA2 maintains pluripotency and restrains commitment by antagonising ERK1/2 signalling. Upon ESC differentiation, FGF4 utilises a bimodal strategy to disable EPHA2, which is accompanied by transcriptional induction of EFN ligands. Mechanistically, FGF4-ERK1/2-RSK signalling inhibits EPHA2 via Ser/Thr phosphorylation, whilst FGF4-ERK1/2 disrupts a core pluripotency transcriptional circuit required for Epha2 gene expression. This system also operates in mouse and human embryos, where EPHA receptors are enriched in pluripotent cells whilst surrounding lineage-specified trophectoderm expresses EFNA ligands. Our data provide insight into function and regulation of EPH-EFN signalling in ESCs, and suggest that segregated EPH-EFN expression coordinates cell fate with compartmentalisation during early embryonic development

Metastable phases and "metastable" phase diagrams

The work discusses specifics of phase transitions for metastable states of substances. The objects of condensed media physics are primarily equilibrium states of substances with metastable phases viewed as an exception, while the overwhelming majority of organic substances investigated in chemistry are metastable. It turns out that at normal pressure many of simple molecular compounds based on light elements (these include: most hydrocarbons; nitrogen oxides, hydrates, and carbides; carbon oxide (CO); alcohols, glycerin etc) are metastable substances too, i.e. they do not match the Gibbs' free energy minimum for a given chemical composition. At moderate temperatures and pressures, the phase transitions for given metastable phases throughout the entire experimentally accessible time range are reversible with the equilibrium thermodynamics laws obeyed. At sufficiently high pressures (1-10 GPa), most of molecular phases irreversibly transform to more energy efficient polymerized phases, both stable and metastable. These transformations are not consistent with the equality of the Gibbs' free energies between the phases before and after the transition, i.e. they are not phase transitions in "classical" meaning. The resulting polymeric phases at normal pressure can exist at temperatures above the melting one for the initial metastable molecular phase. Striking examples of such polymers are polyethylene and a polymerized modification of CO. Many of energy-intermediate polymeric phases can apparently be synthesized by the "classical" chemistry techniques at normal pressure.Comment: 5 pages, 4 figure

Development of a Condition Monitoring System for an Articulated Wave Energy Converter

ESREL 2016: European Safety and Reliability Conference 2016, Glasgow, UK, 25-29 September, 2016This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from the publisher.Condition monitoring systems (CMS) in renewable energy devices allow for the detection of oncoming faults, providing data to undertake pre-emptive maintenance. By defining a systems functional re-quirements and identifying of critical failure modes, proactive maintenance strategies to be produced. The lack of operational data in the marine energy industry, and lack of consensus in operating principles between devic-es, means that a non-standardised CMS package is available for wave energy converters (WECs). In this study a Failure Modes and Effects Analysis (FMEA) is undertaken in order to identify the critical failure modes of an articulated WEC, measurement priorities are identified and a set of monitoring solutions provided. Installing a CMS provides the framework for collecting quality component reliability data, however further development is required for building a proactive maintenance strategy and for continuous reliability improvement

Lessons Learned from 3 Years of Failure: Validating an FMEA with Historical Failure Data

This is the author accepted manuscript. The final version is available from EWTEC via the link in this record.Device reliability is often considered essential to the performance of a wave energy converter. Developers may undertake a Failure Mode and Effects Analysis (FMEA) as a design process to evaluate the high priority failure modes of a prototype to approximate device reliability. However, failures identified by this process are typically predicted, and often lack validation from actual marine operations history. In view of this, an FMEA undertaken for the Albatern Squid 6 Series Wave Energy Converter (WEC) has been validated using historical failure rate and marine operations data. Results indicate that a high volume of major structural and hydraulic failures occurred in the initial stages of deployment, whilst minor electrical and instrumentation failures occurred towards the latter. A notable observation is that human driven failures constituted a much larger portion of failure occurrences than the FMEA predicted. As a general observation, the retrospective analysis of failure rate requires consistent data recording procedures, especially given the introduction of new innovations, which may cause a resurgence of early-stage faults. Lessons learned in the operation of a redundant, modular and accessible array are discussed in the view of designing devices that are not immune, but resilient to failure.The author gratefully acknowledges the support of the ETI and RCUK Energy Programme funding for IDCORE (EP/J500847/1), and the support of Wave Energy Scotland during the installation and commissioning of the Mingary Bay wave array

An ambipolar BODIPY derivative for a white exciplex OLED and cholesteric liquid crystal laser toward multifunctional devices

A new interface engineering method is demonstrated for the preparation of an efficient white organic light-emitting diode (WOLED) by embedding an ultrathin layer of the novel ambipolar red emissive compound 4,4-difluoro-2,6-di(4-hexylthiopen-2-yl)-1,3,5,7,8-pentamethyl-4-bora-3a,4a-diaza-s-indacene (bThBODIPY) in the exciplex formation region. The compound shows a hole and electron mobility of 3.3 × 10–4 and 2 × 10–4 cm2 V–1 s–1, respectively, at electric fields higher than 5.3 × 105 V cm–1. The resulting WOLED exhibited a maximum luminance of 6579 cd m–2 with CIE 1931 color coordinates (0.39; 0.35). The bThBODIPY dye is also demonstrated to be an effective laser dye for a cholesteric liquid crystal (ChLC) laser. New construction of the ChLC laser, by which a flat capillary with an optically isotropic dye solution is sandwiched between two dye-free ChLC cells, provides photonic lasing at a wavelength well matched with that of a dye-doped planar ChLC cell

2004-2005 International Whaling Commission-Southern Ocean Whale and Ecosystem Research (IWC-SOWER) Cruise, Area III

We conducted the 27th annual IWC-SOWER (formerly IDCR) Cruise in Area III (000°-070°E) aboard the Japanese Research Vessels Shonan Maru and Shonan Maru No.2. The 65-day cruise departed Cape Town, South Africa on 4 January 2005 and returned to Fremantle, Australia on 9 March 2005. After transiting to the study area, we carried out a minke whale survey and several research experiments from 12 January to 25 February. A systematic minke whale survey was conducted in Area IIIW (000°-035°E) from 12 January until 8 February. The survey design was intentionally similar to that used during the IWC/IDCR second circumpolar series of cruises (CPII) to provide information towards addressing the effect of changing cruise track design on Antarctic minke whale abundance estimates. 000°-020°E was surveyed in two contiguous strata (Northern and Southern), from 64°30'S to the ice edge. Poor weather limited the coverage 020°E-035°E to the Southern Stratum only. A total of 1788.2 nmiles was surveyed (000°-035°E) including 935.5 nmiles in closing mode and 930.3 nmiles in independent observer mode, and a total of 466 minke whales were sighted. Minke whale visual dive time experiments were conducted during the minke whale survey. 35 trials were completed, recording surfacing cues for a total of 45.81 hours. From 10-22 February the ships conducted collaborative studies with the Japanese icebreaker, Shirase to investigate the relationship between minke whale abundance and the sea ice. During this study the SOWER vessels surveyed for minke whales in the near-ice area from 035°-050°E. 575.3 nmiles were covered and a total of 22 minke whales were detected. The Shirase surveyed in the pack ice zone 040°-050°E from 12-15 February. Two methods-testing experiments were carried out during the cruise: Adaptive Line Transect Sampling and ‘BT Mode.’ Adaptive Line Transect Sampling was tested during survey in Area IIIW. BT Mode trials were conducted 22-25 February in the area between 050° and 065°E. A direct electronic data acquisition program was evaluated during the cruise on both ships. Sightings for the entire cruise included: minke whales (237 groups/515 animals); blue whales (13 groups/46 individuals) of which 6 groups (28 individuals) were identified as true blue whales and 3 groups (3 individuals) were identified as pygmy blue whales; fin whales (14/132); humpback whales (251/646); sperm whales (35/49); killer whales (23/217); southern bottlenose whales (32/60); Gray’s beaked whales (1/7); Layard’s beaked whales (2/3); pilot whales (4/265); hourglass dolphins (4/17); striped dolphins (3/435) and common bottlenose dolphins (1/20). Opportunistic research during the cruise included blue whale research on 8 groups/29 animals resulting in 5 biopsies and images of 23 individuals for photo-identification studies. Biopsy samples and photo-ID images were also obtained opportunistically from other species. Biopsies were collected from 6 humpback whales and 1 southern right whale. Photo-ID images were collected from 45 humpback whales, 1 southern right whale and 8 groups of killer whales. Estimated Angle and Distance Training Exercise and Experiment were each completed on both vessels

Research Notes : Soybean cultivar response to manganese

Manganese deficiency of soybeans, Glycine max (L.) Merr., commonly oc-curs in southwestern Ontario. Observation of soybean fields indicated that cultivars differed in degree of Mn-deficiency symptoms. To test this obser-vation, \u27Harosoy 63\u27 and \u27Harman\u27 were grown in 3-replicate tests at six lo-cations in 1963; and, in 1964 and 1965, these cultivars were grown along with \u27Hawkeye 63\u27 and \u27Lindarin 63\u27 in 4-replicate tests at one location

Arctic in Rapid Transition: Priorities for the future of marine and coastal research in the Arctic.

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online