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We report on the discovery and validation of TOI 813b (TIC 55525572 b), a transiting exoplanet identified by citizen scientists in data from NASA's Transiting Exoplanet Survey Satellite (TESS) and the first planet discovered by the Planet Hunters TESS project. The host star is a bright (V = 10.3 mag) subgiant ($R_\star=1.94\,R_\odot$, $M_\star=1.32\,M_\odot$). It was observed almost continuously by TESS during its first year of operations, during which time four individual transit events were detected. The candidate passed all the standard light curve-based vetting checks, and ground-based follow-up spectroscopy and speckle imaging enabled us to place an upper limit of $2 M_{Jup}$ (99 % confidence) on the mass of the companion, and to statistically validate its planetary nature. Detailed modelling of the transits yields a period of $83.8911_{ - 0.0031 } ^ { + 0.0027 }$ days, a planet radius of $6.71 \pm 0.38$ $R_{\oplus}$, and a semi major axis of $0.423_{ - 0.037 } ^ { + 0.031 }$ AU. The planet's orbital period combined with the evolved nature of the host star places this object in a relatively under-explored region of parameter space. We estimate that TOI-813b induces a reflex motion in its host star with a semi-amplitude of $\sim6$ ms$^{-1}$, making this system a promising target to measure the mass of a relatively long-period transiting planet., Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRAS (16 pages, 10 figures, 3 tables)

Stimulated surface- and edge-emission were investigated for ZnO thin films grown epitaxially by pulsed laser deposition. The lasing threshold was 0.32 MW/cm2 for surface pumping and 0.5 MW/cm2 for edge pumping, which is significantly lower than thresholds observed previously. A modified variable stripe length method was used to measure the gain, which was 1369 cm-1 for N-band emission. Losses were measured using the shifting excitation spot method and values of 6.2 cm-1 and 6.3 cm-1 were found for the N-band and P-band, respectively. The measured gain and loss were the highest and lowest (respectively) ever reported for ZnO films.

Zinc Oxide thin films were grown on c-sapphire substrates using pulsed laser deposition. Pump power dependence of surface emission spectra, acquired using a quadrupled 266 nm laser, revealed room temperature stimulated emission (threshold of 900 kW/cm2). Time dependent spectral analysis plus gain measurements of single-shot, side-emission, spectra pumped with a nitrogen laser revealed random lasing indicative of the presence of self-forming laser cavities. It is suggested that random lasing in an epitaxial system rather than a 3-dimensional configuration of disordered scattering elements, was due to waveguiding in the film. Waveguiding causes light to be amplified within randomly-formed closed-loops acting as lasing cavities.

Emerging infectious diseases pose a growing threat to human populations. Many of the world's epidemic diseases (particularly those transmitted by intermediate hosts) are known to be highly sensitive to long-term changes in climate and short-term fluctuations in the weather. The application of environmental data to the study of disease offers the capability to demonstrate vector-environment relationships and potentially forecast the risk of disease outbreaks or epidemics. Accurate disease forecasting models would markedly improve epidemic prevention and control capabilities. This chapter examines the potential for epidemic forecasting and discusses the issues associated with the development of global networks for surveillance and prediction. Existing global systems for epidemic preparedness focus on disease surveillance using either expert knowledge or statistical modelling of disease activity and thresholds to identify times and areas of risk. Predictive health information systems would use monitored environmental variables, linked to a disease system, to be observed and provide prior information of outbreaks. The components and varieties of forecasting systems are discussed with selected examples, along with issues relating to further development.

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Soybean Breeding Program continuously collects exotic germplasm to build a diverse pool with excellent genes and traits for soybean breeding and genetic research. These diverse genetic traits are being introduced into Arkansas cultivars and breeding lines using classic and molecular breeding selection schemes to enhance the genetic diversity of Arkansas germplasm. Important traits such as yield, maturity group (MG) 4, and disease resistance from diverse genetic sources are used to improve Arkansas breeding lines and develop and release elite varieties and germplasm. In 2021, 8 pre-commercial lines, R18-13333, R18C-1450, R18-14142, R18-14147, R18-5783, R15-7063, R18-4614, and R13-11034, developed utilizing diverse, exotic germplasm, were evaluated for yield in multiple regional trials. Two lines, R18-13333 and R18-14147, were selected for further yield evaluation and other agronomic traits in a 2022 regional trial and advanced Arkansas yield trials for potential cultivar and germplasm releases. Additionally, 32 advanced, and 258 preliminary lines with exotic high-yielding, early maturity (MG 4), and disease resistance pedigrees were evaluated for yield in multiple Arkansas locations. Furthermore, 25 MG 5 lines derived from exotic pedigrees were visually selected and hand-harvested from 393 progeny lines. Multiple breeding populations were developed from new crosses between Arkansas elite varieties/lines and diverse exotic germplasm in the summer of 2021. All these breeding efforts effectively enhance the genetic diversity of Arkansas germplasm and support varietal development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The University of Arkansas System Division of Agriculture's Soybean Breeding Program has been working towards developing conventional and non-conventional high-yielding maturity group (MG) 4 and 5 soybean cultivars. These cultivars have a complete disease package and are widely adapted to Arkansas' environment. The Soybean Breeding Program has previously released several conventional and glyphosate-tolerant cultivars. Our breeding pipeline begins with the combination of elite lines crossed to exotic materials that are new, previously developed in our program, or identified in external breeding programs. Additionally, crosses may include materials developed by other breeding programs in the southern states, often including essential disease and pest tolerance traits. After completing the initial crosses, 4-generation advancements are conducted until reaching plant homozygosity. Single plant selections are performed based on plant architecture and physiological traits. Afterward, entries resulting from individual plant selections with the best performance are advanced and evaluated for 3 consecutive years in multi-location yield trials. Only lines with excellent adaptation, high yield performance, and an adequate disease package are selected and advanced to the next cycle each year. Finally, promising lines are further evaluated in the Arkansas State Variety Testing, the United States Department of Agriculture Uniform Soybean Tests, and other southern states' official variety testing programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]