Abstract: A method of using a graphite electrode to measure a concentration of glucose or methionine from a biological sample is described. A mechanical pencil lead may be used as the graphite electrode, and the biological sample may come from a patient's serum. The glucose or methionine may produce a peak current response within a range of 0.4-0.8 V when the sample is subjected to linear scan voltammetry.

Abstract: A method for predicting formation permeability by measuring diffusional tortuosity in several directions by pulse gradient NMR. The method comprises evaluating an anisotropic diffusion coefficient by pulsed gradient NMR, determining diffusional tortuosity from the restricted diffusion data, supplementing the NMR results with resistivity and sonic logging data, measuring anisotropic tortuosity and porosity by resistivity and sonic data and combining all components in a single fitting model. The 11-coefficient model is trained to recognize the true values of permeability by comparing the real oil permeabilities measured in a library of oil-carrying rock cores with the NMR, resistivity and sonic correlates. The fitting coefficients are extracted by minimizing the discrepancy between the laboratory measured permeabilities and the predicted values combining all rapid logging information components with the agreement-maximizing weights.

Abstract: A laser light source includes an inner ring and an outer ring. The inner ring includes a semiconductor optical amplifier (SOA), a pair of optical circulators, a first optical filter, and a first optical waveguide connecting those in series. The outer ring includes the SOA, a pair of optical circulators, a second optical filter, an output port, and a second optical waveguide connecting those in series except for a portion shared. The inner ring operates as a gain-clamped SOA with a feedback control light defined by the first optical filter. The outer ring generates a laser output in a gain region of the clamped SOA, and with multiple peak wavelengths defined by the second optical filter, in a range from L Band to U band, applicable to WDM network systems. A WDM network system and a method of controlling the laser light source are also disclosed.

Abstract: A wireless sensor network (WSN) includes a sensor node cluster having a plurality of sensor nodes positioned along a section of a pipeline; a base station; a designated cluster head for the sensor node cluster, the designated cluster head configured to forward sensor data packets towards the base station; and a server having circuitry. The circuitry is configured to determine when the designated cluster head has a battery energy level below a predetermined level, elect a replacement cluster head for the designated cluster head when the battery energy level is below the predetermined level, and forward an energy status of the designated cluster head to the replacement cluster head.

Abstract: A CoVOx composite electrode and method of making is described. The composite electrode comprises a substrate with an average 0.5-5 ?m thick layer of CoVOx having pores with average diameters of 2-200 nm. The method of making the composite electrode involves contacting the substrate with an aerosol comprising a solvent, a cobalt complex, and a vanadium complex. The CoVOx composite electrode is capable of being used in an electrochemical cell for water oxidation.

Abstract: A method for predicting formation permeability by measuring diffusional tortuosity in several directions by pulse gradient NMR. The method comprises evaluating an anisotropic diffusion coefficient by pulsed gradient NMR, determining diffusional tortuosity from the restricted diffusion data, supplementing the NMR results with resistivity and sonic logging data, measuring anisotropic tortuosity and porosity by resistivity and sonic data and combining all components in a single fitting model. The 11-coefficient model is trained to recognize the true values of permeability by comparing the real oil permeabilities measured in a library of oil-carrying rock cores with the NMR, resistivity and sonic correlates. The fitting coefficients are extracted by minimizing the discrepancy between the laboratory measured permeabilities and the predicted values combining all rapid logging information components with the agreement-maximizing weights.

Abstract: A hybrid humidity control and air purification device and method for hybrid humidity control and air purification. The hybrid device is a single unit capable of humidifying dry environmental air, dehumidifying humid environmental air and removing particulates and contaminants from the air. The device controls the outgoing air to a relative humidity setpoint between 35-50% with negligible particulate matter content. Particulate matter is transferred to water, which may be supplied and flushed by an automatic water pumping system.

Abstract: A method, computer software product and system for solving cyclic scheduling problems. Specifically, the present disclosure significantly improves the method in a previous patent (H. K. Alfares, 2011, “Cyclic Combinatorial Method and System”, U.S. Pat. No. 8,046,316), by eliminating a time-consuming combinatorial procedure. A procedure is described which significantly decreases the number of iterations, and hence computational time and cost. The processes of the present disclosure have many applications in cyclic workforce scheduling, cyclic transportation system scheduling, cyclic scheduling of data packet transmitting as applied to networks having a plurality of nodes and cyclic production scheduling.

Abstract: A method and system for compensating for stiction of a control valve in a pneumatically controlled valve system. A digital twin model of the pneumatically controlled valve system is generated. A current segment of data signals is received from a process measurement device connected to the pneumatically controlled valve system. Operation of the pneumatically controlled valve system is monitored by comparing the current segment to the digital twin model. Stiction is detected when the digital twin model directly detects stiction or when the nonlinearity and Gaussian index are above a certain threshold. A severity of the stiction is determined. Instructions for a stiction control device are used to generate control signals to be applied to the actuator to compensate for the severity of the stiction. Further, the digital twin model is displayed with a representation of the severity of the stiction.

Abstract: A method for making a titania-polymer nanocomposite by simultaneously forming TiO2 nanoparticles in situ from a TiO2 precursor in the presence of urea and interfacially polymerizing polyamide precursors thereby producing a titania-polymer nanocomposite. A titania-polymer nanocomposite made by this method. A method for removing a dye or metal from water comprising contacting contaminated water with the titania-polymer nanocomposite.

Abstract: A method for analyzing or detecting methimazole (“MTZ”) comprising contacting a sample suspected of containing MTZ with the dendrimer-stabilized silver nanoparticles and performing surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS). Graphene-dendrimer-stabilized silver nanoparticles (G-D-Ag).

Abstract: A supported catalyst having rhodium particles with an average diameter of less than 1 nm disposed on a support material containing magnetic iron oxide (e.g. Fe3O4). A method of producing the supported catalyst and a process of reducing nitroarenes to corresponding aromatic amines employing the supported catalyst with a high product yield are also described. The supported catalyst may be recovered with ease using an external magnet and reused.

Abstract: A method for making a titania-polymer nanocomposite by simultaneously forming TiO2 nanoparticles in situ from a TiO2 precursor in the presence of urea and interfacially polymerizing polyamide precursors thereby producing a titania-polymer nanocomposite. A titania-polymer nanocomposite made by this method. A method for removing a dye or metal from water comprising contacting contaminated water with the titania-polymer nanocomposite.

Abstract: A method of fixating CO2 to form a substituted oxazolidinone is described. The method includes mixing a nickel-based metal-organic framework (Ni-MOF) catalyst of formula [Ni3(BTC)2(H2O)3]·(DMF)3(H2O)3, a cocatalyst, an aromatic amine, and at least one epoxide to form a reaction mixture, and further contacting the reaction mixture with a gas stream containing carbon dioxide to react the carbon dioxide in the gas stream with the epoxide and the aromatic amine to form a substituted oxazolidinone mixture. The method further includes adding a polar protic solvent to the substituted oxazolidinone mixture, centrifuging, and filtering to produce a recovered Ni-MOF; and further washing the recovered Ni-MOF with an organochloride solvent and drying for at least 5 hours to produce a recycled Ni-MOF.

Abstract: A method is described for determining the structure of a surfactant complex formed at an immiscible liquid-liquid interface. The surfactant complex forms and crystallizes at the interface between an aqueous phase comprising a divalent metal salt and a non-aqueous phase comprising an anionic surfactant. The non-aqueous phase may be in the form of a droplet surrounded by the aqueous phase. The structure of the surfactant complex is determined by X-ray crystallography.

Abstract: Catalyst systems suitable for tetramerizing ethylene to form 1-octene may include a catalyst including a chromium compound coordinated with a ligand and a co-catalyst including an organoaluminum compound. The ligand may have a chemical structure: (R1)(R2)A-X—C(R3)(R4). A and C may be phosphorus. X may be B(R5), Si(R5)2, N(R5), wherein R5 is an aryl group substituted with a halogen, halogenated alkyl or a silyl group, and wherein B, or N, or Si is bound to A and C. R1, R2, R3, and R4 may be independently chosen hydrocarbyl groups or heterohydrocarbyl groups.

Abstract: A saltwater corrosion resistant composite coating is described. The coating includes at least one conductive polymer, chitosan, reduced graphene oxide (rGO), and a cured epoxy. The rGO and chitosan are dispersed in particles of the conductive polymer to form a 3D network. At least a portion of the chitosan is covalently bound to the rGO. At least a portion of the conductive polymer is covalently bound to the chitosan, and the 3D network is dispersed in the cured epoxy.

Abstract: A crosslinked polymer that is in the form of a Mannich polycondensation product including reacted units of a cyclic diaminoalkane, an aldehyde, and bisphenol-S or melamine. Also disclosed is a method for removing heavy metals from an aqueous solution by contacting the aqueous solution having an initial concentration of the heavy metal with the crosslinked polymer to form a mixture, and filtering the mixture to obtain an aqueous solution having a reduced concentration of the heavy metal compared to the initial concentration.

Abstract: A simple, one-step method for producing a homogenous CeO2—TiO2 composite thin film using aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”) of a solution containing triacetatocerium (III) and tetra isopropoxytitanium (IV) on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (“FTO”) substrate at a temperature ranging from about 500 to about 650° C. Methods for using the film produced by this method.

Abstract: A simple, one-step method for producing a homogenous CeO2—TiO2 composite thin film using aerosol-assisted chemical vapor deposition (“CVD”) of a solution containing triacetatocerium (III) and tetra isopropoxytitanium (IV) on a fluorine-doped tin oxide (“FTO”) substrate at a temperature ranging from about 500 to about 650° C. Methods for using the film produced by this method.