BaWO4:Ce Single Crystals Codoped with Na Ions

Single crystals of BaWO4, BaWO4:0.5at.%Ce; BaWO4:1at.%Ce; BaWO4:0.5at.%Ce,1at.%Na; and BaWO4:1at.%Ce,2at.%Na were grown from an inductively heated iridium crucible by the Czochralski method on a Malvern MSR4 puller. They were investigated using Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR) spectroscopy at helium temperatures. One isolated center of high (D2d or S4) symmetry was found and two or more other centers of lower symmetry were identified, depending on crystal doping. From the fitting using the EPR-NMR program, the following parameters of g-matrix for the high symmetry center were found: gx = 1.505, gy = 1.505, and gz = 2.731. The linewidth vs. temperature revealed an increasing exponential tendency with increasing temperature. It showed one phonon at the lower temperatures and a Raman + Orbach effect at the higher temperatures. Radioluminescence and pulse height spectra showed rather poor scintillation properties, without any contribution from cerium emission

The Fourth Bioelectronic Medicine Summit "Technology Targeting Molecular Mechanisms": current progress, challenges, and charting the future.

There is a broad and growing interest in Bioelectronic Medicine, a dynamic field that continues to generate new approaches in disease treatment. The fourth bioelectronic medicine summit "Technology targeting molecular mechanisms" took place on September 23 and 24, 2020. This virtual meeting was hosted by the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, Northwell Health. The summit called international attention to Bioelectronic Medicine as a platform for new developments in science, technology, and healthcare. The meeting was an arena for exchanging new ideas and seeding potential collaborations involving teams in academia and industry. The summit provided a forum for leaders in the field to discuss current progress, challenges, and future developments in Bioelectronic Medicine. The main topics discussed at the summit are outlined here

Towards illiberal conditioning? New politics of media regulations in Poland (2015–2018)

In this article, we examine how media policy changes aid de-democratisation in Poland. Unfolding the logic underpinning the new politics of media regulations, this article argues that media policy paints a nuanced picture of democratic backsliding. Our Foucault-inspired discourse analysis of media policy archive focuses on the rise of illiberal trends at the cross-roads of the Polish hybrid media system, democracy and society. We find these trends display the features of centralisation of power, cultural politics, political partisanship and social polarisations. We explain these notions, using the concepts of “executive aggrandisement” and “politicisation” of public service media sector

Internet of Things in Sustainable Energy Systems

Our planet has abundant renewable and conventional energy resources but technological capability and capacity gaps coupled with water-energy needs limit the benefits of these resources to citizens. Through IoT technology solutions and state-of-the-art IoT sensing and communications approaches, the sustainable energy-related research and innovation can bring a revolution in this area. Moreover, by the leveraging current infrastructure, including renewable energy technologies, microgrids, and power-to-gas (P2G) hydrogen systems, the Internet of Things in sustainable energy systems can address challenges in energy security to the community, with a minimal trade-off to environment and culture. In this chapter, the IoT in sustainable energy systems approaches, methodologies, scenarios, and tools is presented with a detailed discussion of different sensing and communications techniques. This IoT approach in energy systems is envisioned to enhance the bidirectional interchange of network services in grid by using Internet of Things in grid that will result in enhanced system resilience, reliable data flow, and connectivity optimization. Moreover, the sustainable energy IoT research challenges and innovation opportunities are also discussed to address the complex energy needs of our community and promote a strong energy sector economy

Fortunella margarita Transcriptional Reprogramming Triggered by Xanthomonas citri subsp. citri

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>Citrus canker disease caused by the bacterial pathogen <it>Xanthomonas citri </it>subsp. <it>citri (</it>Xcc) <it>has </it>become endemic in areas where high temperature, rain, humidity, and windy conditions provide a favourable environment for the dissemination of the bacterium. Xcc is pathogenic on many commercial citrus varieties but appears to elicit an incompatible reaction on the citrus relative <it>Fortunella margarita </it>Swing (kumquat), in the form of a very distinct delayed necrotic response. We have developed subtractive libraries enriched in sequences expressed in kumquat leaves during both early and late stages of the disease. The isolated differentially expressed transcripts were subsequently sequenced. Our results demonstrate how the use of microarray expression profiling can help assign roles to previously uncharacterized genes and elucidate plant pathogenesis-response related mechanisms. This can be considered to be a case study in a citrus relative where high throughput technologies were utilized to understand defence mechanisms in <it>Fortunella </it>and citrus at the molecular level.</p> <p>Results</p> <p><b>cDNAs from sequenced kumquat libraries (ESTs) made from subtracted RNA populations, healthy vs. infected, were used to make this microarray</b>. Of 2054 selected genes on a customized array, 317 were differentially expressed (P < 0.05) in Xcc challenged kumquat plants compared to mock-inoculated ones. This study identified components of the incompatible interaction such as reactive oxygen species (ROS) and programmed cell death (PCD). Common defence mechanisms and a number of resistance genes were also identified. In addition, there were a considerable number of differentially regulated genes that had no homologues in the databases. This could be an indication of either a specialized set of genes employed by kumquat in response to canker disease or new defence mechanisms in citrus.</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>Functional categorization of kumquat Xcc-responsive genes revealed an enhanced defence-related metabolism as well as a number of resistant response-specific genes in the kumquat transcriptome in response to Xcc inoculation. Gene expression profile(s) were analyzed to assemble a comprehensive and inclusive image of the molecular interaction in the kumquat/Xcc system. This was done in order to elucidate molecular mechanisms associated with the development of the hypersensitive response phenotype in kumquat leaves. These data will be used to perform comparisons among citrus species to evaluate means to enhance the host immune responses against bacterial diseases.</p

Detekcja uszkodzeń w silniku elektrycznym przy pomocy sztucznych sieci neuronowych

The paper deals with problem model-based of fault detection electrical drive by using neural networks. The multilayer perceptron with tapped delay lines has been applied to model the diagnosed process at the nominal operation conditions. In turn, decision about faults has been performed using simple MultiLayer Feedforward Network (MFN). The electrical drive under consideration (AMIRA DR300) works in the closed loop and is controlled by PID controller. This laboratory electrical drive renders it positive to simulate a several faulty scenarios. In this way the proposed fault detection scheme can be tested on a number of faulty conditions.Artykuł przedstawia problem detekcji uszkodzeń w silniku elektrycznym przy pomocy sieci neuronowych. Do zamodelowania diagnozowanego obiektu pracującego w warunkach normalnych użyto sieci jednokierunkowych z liniami opóźniającymi. Następnie, jako blok decyzyjny o wystąpieniu uszkodzeń zastosowano zwykłe jednokierunkowe sieci wielowarstwowe. Do przeprowadzenia badań wykorzystano silnik prądu stałego firmy AMIRA (DR300). Silnik pracuje w układzie zamkniętym z regulatorem PID i umożliwia symulację pewnych scenariuszy uszkodzeń. Dzięki temu możliwe jest przetestowanie zaproponowanego schematu detekcji uszkodzeń na przykładzie wadliwych warunków pracy obiektu