Abstract: A liquid desiccant system for controlling a temperature inside an enclosure includes an evaporative cooler system configured to cool an air stream AA entering the enclosure during day time; a liquid desiccant night cooler (LDNC) system configured to cool down and dry an inside air stream AE of the enclosure by using a liquid desiccant during the night; and a controller configured to switch on the LDNC system during the night.

Abstract: A microfluidic chip includes a substrate; plural layers formed on top of each other over the substrate; a top layer formed over the plural layers; a first input port formed into the top layer; a second input port formed into the top layer; a first output port formed into a first layer of the plural layers; and a second output port formed into a second layer of the plural layers. The second layer is formed over the first layer.

Abstract: An integrated system for detecting a red palm weevil (RPW), farm fire, and soil moisture includes an optical fiber configured to be extending to a tree, and a distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) box connected to the optical fiber. The DAS box is configured to process first to third different optical signals reflected from the optical fiber, to determine a presence of the RPW from the first optical signal, a temperature at a location along the optical fiber from the second optical signals, and a moisture at a location around the tree from the third optical signal.

Abstract: A fiber optic distributed acoustic sensing (DAS) system for detecting a red palm weevil (RPW) includes an optical fiber configured to be wrapped around a tree and a DAS box connected to the optical fiber. The DAS box includes a processing unit that is configured to receive a filtered Rayleigh signal reflected by the optical fiber, and run the filtered Rayleigh signal through a neural network system to determine a presence of the RPW in the tree.

Abstract: Methods of labeling, amplifying, and sequencing mitochondrial DNA are provided. The labeling methods typically include using polymerase-based extension of one or more unique molecular identifier (UMI) primers along a target mitochondrial DNA template, each UMI primer including a universal primer sequence, a unique molecular identifier sequence, and a mitochondrial DNA binding sequence. Amplification of the labeled-target mitochondrial DNA can include, for example, polymerase chain reaction (e.g., high-fidelity long-range). Methods of determining the sequence of labeled-target mitochondrial DNA can include use of a long-read sequencing platform. The methods may further including one or more of grouping sequences having the same UMI into one of more groups, determining the sequence of each labeled-target mitochondrial DNA by determining the consensus sequence of each group, and identifying polymorphisms in one or more of the labeled-target mitochondrial DNA.

Abstract: A photodetection device is configured to detect light and the photodetection device includes a substrate having a largest surface; a dielectric formed over the largest surface of the substrate; a first metallic electrode formed on the dielectric; a second metallic electrode formed on the dielectric, at a given distance from the first metallic electrode, to form a channel; and a single-crystal linear-chain polyfluorinated dibromo-platinum(II) diimine complex located in the channel.

Abstract: A composition of an indium oxide catalyst including an alkali dopant and a method for producing an indium oxide catalyst including an alkali dopant. The alkali dopant may include a cation of Li+, Na+, K+, Rb+, Cs+, and Fr+. The method for producing the indium oxide catalyst including an alkali dopant includes mixing a solution of an indium salt with a base to form precipitated indium hydroxide, contacting the precipitated indium hydroxide with a solution including an alkali metal salt to produce an indium hydroxide solution, and calcinating the indium hydroxide solution to form indium oxide; thereby forming the indium oxide catalyst including an alkali dopant.

Abstract: A sand aggregate includes plural aggregate grains, wherein at least one aggregate grain of the plural aggregate grains includes, desert sand grains that are too small to be used in concrete applications, carbonate particles distributed on an external surface of the desert sand grains, and a sand-based glue that aggregates the desert sand grains together. The at least one aggregate grain has a size comparable to river sand grains, while the desert sand grains have a size smaller than the river sand grains so that the at least one aggregate grain is suitable for concrete applications.

Abstract: Imaging of complex, non-stationary three dimensional (3D) flow velocities is achieved by encoding depth into color. A flow volume 22 is illuminated with a continuum 40 of light planes 42 whereby each depth corresponds to a respective light plane 14 having a specific wavelength of light. A diffractive component 46 in the camera 24 optics, which records the trajectories of illuminated particles 20 within the flow volume 22, ensures that all light planes 42 are in focus simultaneously. The setup permits a user to track 3D trajectories of particles 20 within the flow volume 22 by combining two dimensional (2D) spatial and one dimensional (1D) color information. For reconstruction, an image formation model for recovering stationary 3D particle positions is provided. 3D velocity estimation is achieved with a variant of a 3D optical flow approach that accounts for both physical constraints as well as the color (rainbow) image formation model.

Abstract: Modified zeolites may include a microporous framework including a plurality of micropores having diameters of less than or equal to 2 nm. The microporous framework may include at least silicon atoms and oxygen atoms. The modified zeolite may include a plurality of mesopores having diameters of greater than 2 nm and less than or equal to 50 nm, wherein the plurality of mesopores are ordered with cubic symmetry. The modified zeolite may include a plurality of titanium atoms each bonded to four bridging oxygen atoms, wherein each of the bridging oxygen atoms bonded to the titanium atoms bridges one of the plurality of the titanium atoms and a silicon atom of the microporous framework.

Abstract: A functionalized fibrous hierarchical zeolite includes a framework comprising aluminum atoms, silicon atoms, and oxygen atoms, the framework further comprising a plurality of micropores and a plurality of mesopores. The functionalized fibrous hierarchical zeolite is functionalized with at least one terminal amine bonded to a silicon atom. Terminal organometallic functionalities are bonded to a nitrogen atom of the at least one terminal amine, the terminal organometallic functionalities comprising a platinum atom.

Abstract: A method for manufacturing a soft stamp includes providing a substrate having a first electrode and a second electrode, the second electrode being formed at a distance less than 100 nm from the first electrode so that a nanogap Ng is formed between the first and second electrodes; pouring a curable substance over the first and second electrodes and into the nanogap Ng; curing the curable substance to form a soft stamp; and removing the soft stamp from the first and second electrodes. The soft stamp has a nano-feature having a size less than 100 nm.

Abstract: Expression vectors and methods of protein purification, which allow for selection of full length protein over truncated forms of the protein being purified, are disclosed. The methods express a target protein as a three domain fusion, represented by formula I:A-[Li]-B-[L2]-C, where A is a first purification tag domain, C is the second purification tag domain and B is the target protein domain. A, B and C are preferably covalently linked by linkers, L1 and L2 may be optional. The purification tags at the N and C termini are different. The purification tags at the N and C termini are different. Expression vectors including nucleic acid sequences which encode the fusion protein represented by formula I are also disclosed. The vectors are used with host expression systems such as insect, yeast, or mammalian cells to express the target protein, which is subsequently purified as a function of the different affinity tags.

Abstract: A method for determining tree infestation includes placing an optical fiber around a trunk of a tree; recording with a distributed acoustic sensor (DAS) box a Rayleigh signal reflected from the tree, along the optical fiber; processing the Rayleigh signal to obtain a processed signal; calculating a signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) of the processed signal for the tree; and comparing the SNR to a threshold value and counting an alarm if the SNR is larger than the threshold value. The SNR is defined as a ratio between (1) a maximum value of a processed signal and (2) a minimum value of the processed signal.

Abstract: A method may include obtaining fracture image data regarding a geological region of interest. The method may further include determining various fractures in the fracture image data using a first artificial neural network and a pixel-searching process. The method may further include determining a fracture model using the fractures, a second artificial neural network, and borehole image data. The method may further include determining various fracture permeability values using the fracture model and a third artificial neural network. The method may further include determining various matrix permeability values for the geological region of interest using core sample data. The method may further include generating a coarsened grid model for the geological region of interest using a fourth artificial neural network, the matrix permeability values, and the fracture permeability values.

Abstract: A blend for lubricating a surface includes a lubricant and a polyepoxide terpolymer additive mixed with the lubricant. The polyepoxide terpolymer additive includes a first block having a group R1, a second block having a group R2, and a third block having a group R3. Group R1 includes C4H9 or C6H13, group R2 includes CH3, and group R3 includes C6H5.

Abstract: A functionalized fibrous hierarchical zeolite includes a framework comprising aluminum atoms, silicon atoms, and oxygen atoms, the framework further comprising a plurality of micropores and a plurality of mesopores. The functionalized fibrous hierarchical zeolite is functionalized with at least one amine. A plurality of nanoparticles comprising nickel are immobilized on the framework.

Abstract: A method for forming CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals into a two-dimensional (2D) nanosheet includes providing CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals; mixing the CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals into a mixture of a first solvent and a second solvent, to form a solution of the CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals, the first solvent, and the second solvent; and forming an optoelectronic device by patterning the CsPbBr3 perovskite nanocrystals into a nanosheet, between first and second electrodes. The first solvent is selected to evaporate before the second solvent.

Abstract: A visible-light communication and illumination array includes a substrate and plural surface-emitting superluminescent diodes, SLDs, distributed across the substrate. A first set of SLDs of the plural SLDs generates a first light beam having substantially a first wavelength, a second set of SLDs of the plural SLDs generates a second light beam having substantially a second wavelength, and a third set of SLDs of the plural SLDs generates a third light beam having substantially a third wavelength. The array further includes a controller configured to encode at least one of the first light beam, the second light beam and the third light beam to transmit information. A combination of the first light beam, the second light beam and the third light beam produces white light.