Abstract: The subject invention pertains to the application of GI slow-wave network analysis to profile GI side effects for applications including high-throughput drug screening on a microelectrode array (MEA) platform. Slow-wave data can be obtained, evaluated, interpreted, and used to build a comprehensive database based on the effects of specified drugs on GI pacemaker activity for predictive and classification purposes. In one example, pacemaker potentials were recorded extracellularly on a 60-channel MEA system using full-thickness GI segments isolated from Suncus murinus. Basic slow-wave parameters, including frequency, amplitude, slope, period, and power partitions, were derived. Signal regularity was also evaluated using detrended fluctuation analysis and sample entropy analysis. Signal propagation, velocity, and activation time patterns were also constructed and compared before and after treatment with dopamine (0.1-100 ?M).

Abstract: A composition for making composite adsorbents from a mixture of geopolymer, zeolite and activated carbon wherein a geopolymer material, a carbonaceous material, and an alkali activating agent are the components of the mixture. The alkali activating agent to carbonaceous material solid mass ratio is at least 0.25:1, respectively. A process for producing shaped composite adsorbents from the composition is done using conventional means such as mixing, shaping, extrusion and other methods. Alkali activation is used to convert the carbonaceous material to activated carbon, followed by hydrothermal treatment to convert the geopolymer material to zeolites. Shaped composite adsorbents fabricated from the composition of the instant invention are used for adsorption, purification, or other separation applications of liquids and gases.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing geopolymer tubes comprises forming a geopolymer composition comprised of an aluminosilicate source and an alkali activator, wherein the geopolymer composition has a fluid consistency and a shear thinning index of greater than 1.05, transferring the geopolymer composition into a tubular mold, rotating the mold to shear and distribute the composition onto the inner wall of the mold until the geopolymer composition reaches non-flowable consistency, and curing the geopolymer in the mold to form geopolymer tubes. A method for making geopolymer tubes with the disclosed geopolymer composition comprises shearing the geopolymer composition in a tubular mold at a high rotational speed to significantly reduce apparent viscosity to form the tubular shape, at least in the initial process stage. A ceramic tube made from the geopolymer composition of the present invention is used as a membrane or adsorbent for filtration applications.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing geopolymer tubes comprises forming a geopolymer composition comprised of an aluminosilicate source and an alkali activator, wherein the geopolymer composition has a fluid consistency and a shear thinning index of greater than 1.05, transferring the geopolymer composition into a tubular mold, rotating the mold to shear and distribute the composition onto the inner wall of the mold until the geopolymer composition reaches non-flowable consistency, and curing the geopolymer in the mold to form geopolymer tubes. A method for making geopolymer tubes with the disclosed geopolymer composition comprises shearing the geopolymer composition in a tubular mold at a high rotational speed to significantly reduce apparent viscosity to form the tubular shape, at least in the initial process stage. A ceramic tube made from the geopolymer composition of the present invention is used as a membrane or adsorbent for filtration applications.

Abstract: An asymmetric membrane having a layer containing a zeolite supported on a geopolymer substrate and methods for making an asymmetric membrane having a layer containing a zeolite supported on a geopolymer substrate. A cross-flow membrane separation method for increasing the concentration of ethanol from a feed mixture comprising water and ethanol, comprising: cross-flowing a feed mixture comprising water and ethanol across the layer comprising a zeolite of the asymmetric membrane of the instant invention to produce a permeate having an ethanol concentration less than the ethanol concentration of the feed mixture and a retentate having an ethanol concentration greater than the ethanol concentration of the feed mixture, the pressure of the feed mixture being greater than the pressure of the permeate.

Abstract: A composition for making composite adsorbents from a mixture of geopolymer, zeolite and activated carbon wherein a geopolymer material, a carbonaceous material, and an alkali activating agent are the components of the mixture. The alkali activating agent to carbonaceous material solid mass ratio is at least 0.25:1, respectively. A process for producing shaped composite adsorbents from the composition is done using conventional means such as mixing, shaping, extrusion and other methods. Alkali activation is used to convert the carbonaceous material to activated carbon, followed by hydrothermal treatment to convert the geopolymer material to zeolites. Shaped composite adsorbents fabricated from the composition of the instant invention are used for adsorption, purification, or other separation applications of liquids and gases.

Abstract: An asymmetric membrane having a layer containing a zeolite supported on a geopolymer substrate and methods for making an asymmetric membrane having a layer containing a zeolite supported on a geopolymer substrate. A cross-flow membrane separation method for increasing the concentration of ethanol from a feed mixture comprising water and ethanol, comprising: cross-flowing a feed mixture comprising water and ethanol across the layer comprising a zeolite of the asymmetric membrane of the instant invention to produce a permeate having an ethanol concentration less than the ethanol concentration of the feed mixture and a retentate having an ethanol concentration greater than the ethanol concentration of the feed mixture, the pressure of the feed mixture being greater than the pressure of the permeate.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transmitter has at least one digital signal processing module and at least one power amplifier module. The digital signal processing module includes at least one digital pre-distortion component arranged to receive at least one complex input signal, perform two-dimensional non-uniform mapping of the complex input signal to a first, in-phase, digital pre-distortion control word and a further, quadrature, digital pre-distortion control word, and output the in-phase and quadrature pre-distortion digital control words. The power amplifier module includes a first, in-phase, array of switch-mode power cells and at least one further, quadrature, array of switch-mode power cells. The two-dimensional non-uniform mapping has a pre-distortion profile at least partly based on an input/output relationship for the power amplifier module arranged to generate an analog RF signal based at least partly on the in-phase and quadrature digital pre-distortion control words.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transmitter architecture includes at least one digital signal processing module. The at least one digital signal processing module is configurable to operate in at least a first mode wherein the at least one digital signal processing module is arranged to receive a digital input signal, select, from a reduced set of digital power amplifier (DPA) control values, a plurality of DPA control values based at least partly on the received digital input signal, perform interpolation of the plurality of selected DPA control values to determine a DPA control value from a non-reduced set of DPA control values representative of the received digital input signal, and output to at least one DPA component the determined DPA control value representative of the received digital input signal.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transmitter architecture includes at least one digital signal processing module. The at least one digital signal processing module is configurable to operate in at least a first mode wherein the at least one digital signal processing module is arranged to receive a digital input signal, select, from a reduced set of digital power amplifier (DPA) control values, a plurality of DPA control values based at least partly on the received digital input signal, perform interpolation of the plurality of selected DPA control values to determine a DPA control value from a non-reduced set of DPA control values representative of the received digital input signal, and output to at least one DPA component the determined DPA control value representative of the received digital input signal.

Abstract: A radio frequency (RF) transmitter has at least one digital signal processing module and at least one power amplifier module. The digital signal processing module includes at least one digital pre-distortion component arranged to receive at least one complex input signal, perform two-dimensional non-uniform mapping of the complex input signal to a first, in-phase, digital pre-distortion control word and a further, quadrature, digital pre-distortion control word, and output the in-phase and quadrature pre-distortion digital control words. The power amplifier module includes a first, in-phase, array of switch-mode power cells and at least one further, quadrature, array of switch-mode power cells. The two-dimensional non-uniform mapping has a pre-distortion profile at least partly based on an input/output relationship for the power amplifier module arranged to generate an analogue RF signal based at least partly on the in-phase and quadrature digital pre-distortion control words.

Abstract: A system and method for performing distributed sequential node localization in active sensor deployment is presented. An equilateral orthogonal reference frame is defined. The reference frame includes s+1 anchor nodes that is placed in s-dimensional physical space. New nodes are sequentially placed in a natural sequential ordering within the s-dimensional physical space to form a sequentially well-connected network. For each of the new nodes, location estimates are obtained for the new node from at least s+1 of the anchor nodes previously placed in the s-dimensional physical space. A location is determined for the new node based on the location estimates. The new node are placed in the s-dimensional physical space as a new anchor node proximate to at least one of the s+1 previously-placed anchor nodes upon satisfactory location determination.

Abstract: A method and means within a hierarchical, demand/response DASD subsystem of the passive fault management type in which, upon the occurrence of fault, error, or erasure, a long device busy signal of finite duration is provided to a host CPU. Any DASD storage device subject to the anomaly is isolated from any host inquiry during this interval. These measures permit retry or other recovery procedures to be implemented transparent to the host and the executing application. This avoids premature declarations of faults, errors, or erasures and consequent host application aborts and other catastrophic measures. If the detected anomaly is not resolved within the allotted time, then other data recovery procedures can be invoked including device reset, the status reported to the host, and the next request processed.

Abstract: A system and method for changing the number of logical volumes in a drawer in a rack in a direct access storage device subsystem is disclosed. The method and system are able to change the number of logical volumes without disrupting access to the other logical volumes in the rack. Channel connection addresses, which are logical volume addresses as known by the CPUs, are freed by removing the old drawer and then are mused. If the new drawer has more logical volumes than the old drawer, the next unused channel connection addresses are used with the new drawer. In a subsystem having a storage controller for providing control for a plurality of direct access storage devices, the logical volumes are spread across multiple physical devices. The storage controller maintains configuration data for the entire subsystem in redundant, non-volatile storage locations reserved specifically for its use.