Nanoscale Ferroelectricity in Crystalline γ‐Glycine

Ferroelectrics are multifunctional materials that reversibly change their polarization under an electric field. Recently, the search for new ferroelectrics has focused on organic and bio‐organic materials, where polarization switching is used to record/retrieve information in the form of ferroelectric domains. This progress has opened a new avenue for data storage, molecular recognition, and new self‐assembly routes. Crystalline glycine is the simplest amino acid and is widely used by living organisms to build proteins. Here, it is reported for the first time that γ‐glycine, which has been known to be piezoelectric since 1954, is also a ferroelectric, as evidenced by local electromechanical measurements and by the existence of as‐grown and switchable ferroelectric domains in microcrystals grown from the solution. The experimental results are rationalized by molecular simulations that establish that the polarization vector in γ‐glycine can be switched on the nanoscale level, opening a pathway to novel classes of bioelectronic logic and memory devices.     

InRout - A QoS aware route selection algorithm for industrial wireless sensor networks

Wireless sensor networks are a key enabling technology for industrial monitoring applications where the use of wireless infrastructure allows high adaptivity and low cost in terms of installation and retrofitting. To facilitate the move from the current wired designs to wireless designs, concerns regarding reliability must be satisfied. Current standardization efforts for industrial wireless systems lack specification on efficient routing protocols that mitigate reliability concerns. Consequently, this work presents the InRout route selection algorithm, where local information is shared among neighbouring nodes to enable efficient, distributed route selection while satisfying industrial application requirements and considering sensor node resource limitations. Route selection is described as a multi-armed bandit task and uses Q-learning techniques to obtain the best available solution with low overhead. A performance comparison with existing approaches demonstrates the benefits of the InRout algorithm, which satisfies typical quality of service requirements for industrial monitoring applications while considering sensor node resources. Simulation results show that InRout can provide gains ranging from 4% to 60% in the number of successfully delivered packets when compared to current approaches with much lower control overhead.     

An Example of Human-Centric Sensor Network: Be Responsible Platform

The paper addresses the Be Responsible platform, a representative example of human-centric sensing network which, relying on the Info-Communication and Internet of Things concepts, aims to improve the communication between citizens, on one side, and government authorities, on the other side, with the purpose of resolving various problems encountered in a modern society. A widespread network of human-centric smartphone devices and PCs has been used as a valuable source of data collected and processed in order to trigger adequate actions upon problem resolving. In this way, humans acting as sensor operators and data sources become a powerful factor in improving their society. The Be Responsible platform enables the people to report the irregularities in various aspects of their social life (grey economy, misuse of government vehicles, ecology, traffic), and hence to take active part in resolving them. It also promotes positive and responsible social and institutional behavior, which has to be nurtured in any society seeking progress. The number of submitted reports as well as the money collected from the fine revenues and subsequently invested in projects of social good, undoubtedly prove that what could not be achieved through years of traditional government-led policy approach, was achieved in months of citizen engagement.     

The influence of transition metals – Fe,Co, Cu on transformation of organic matters from Domanic rocks in hydrothermal catalytic system

Character of conversion of organic matter from Domanic rocks of Pervomaiskoye field (Tatarstan) of Semiluki horizon of upper Devonian deposits in the hydrothermal-catalytic system at temperature of 300?°C in carbon dioxide medium was studied with the application of complex of oil-soluble precursors of catalysts containing Fe, Co, and Cu. In presence of catalysts complex, content of organic extract increases, in which content of hydrocarbon fractions, saturated and aromatic hydrocarbons, increases 1.5 times, while resins content decreases by two times. As result of kerogen destruction in products of experiments, the content of asphaltenes and carbonaceous substances such as carbenes and carboides increase.     

Special Important Aspects of the Thomson Effect

A comprehensive study of the mechanisms of heating and cooling originating from an electrical current in semiconductor devices is reported. The variation in temperature associated with the Peltier effect is not related to the presence of heat sources and sinks if the heat flux is correctly determined. The Thomson effect is commonly regarded as a heat source/sink proportional to the Thomson coefficient, which is added to the Joule heating. In the present work, we will show that this formulation of the Thomson effect is not sufficiently clear. When the heat flux is correctly defined, the Thomson heat source/sink is proportional to the Seebeck coefficient. In the conditions in which the Peltier effect takes place, the temperature gradient is created, and, consequently, the Thomson effect will occur naturally.     

Relationship between the ambiguity function coordinate transformations and the fractional Fourier transform

It has been shown that the fractional Fourier transform, recently very intensively investigated in mathematics, quantum mechanics, optics and signal processing, can be obtained as a special case of the earlier introduced linear coordinate transformations of the ambiguity function or Wigner distribution. Some applications of the generalized fractional transform on the time-frequency analysis are presented.     

Statistical optimization of a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow system for in-flight particle treatment

There are many input parameters to control a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow system, such as total gas flow rate, central gas flow rate, swirl gas ratio, RF power and DC power. Furthermore, the interactive effects among these parameters should be considered. In the present study, statistical analysis using simple linear model is conducted to clarify the effects of the input parameters and their interactions on the outputs such as particle residence time and average temperature in a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow system. The thermofluid characteristics of a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow are compared with those of an RF plasma flow. It is shown that the plasma characteristics are changed drastically by adding even small DC power. Furthermore, controllability is also improved by optimizing the operating conditions of a DC-RF hybrid plasma flow system.