Abstract: A fiber comprising a carbon chain backbone and amidoxime, carboxylate, and nitrile pendant groups. The fiber may be used for removing uranium from seawater and toxic metals from drinking water.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a system for treating water. The system comprises a biochar inlet, and optionally a metal salt inlet, ozone inlet, organic carbon compound inlet or any combination thereof. The biochar may be produced by biomass pyrolysis and the pyrolysis may be coupled to energy generation. The system also comprises a filtration device, such as a reactive filtration device. The system produces a treated water stream and a reject stream, which may be further separated into a recycled water stream and a solid product. The solid product may be suitable as a soil amendment for application to agricultural land, or for recycling. A method for using the system to treat water also is disclosed.

Abstract: Three-dimensional antennas incorporate a stack of planar wiring boards, with conductive metallization on each board and electrical connectivity between conductive regions on adjacent boards. In one example of the disclosed technology, a three-dimensional antenna is formed from a stack of planar wiring boards, where each includes one or more disjoint metallizations in electrical contact with at least one disjoint metallization on an adjacent one of the planar wiring boards. Associated methods and variants are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a system for treating water. The system comprises one or more inlets for introducing biochar and polyamine to the water, such as a biochar inlet and a polyamine inlet, or a biochar/polyamine mixture inlet. The system may optionally also include a metal salt inlet, ozone inlet, an additional organic carbon compound inlet, or any combination thereof. The biochar and polyamine may optionally be premixed prior to addition to the water. The system also comprises a filtration device, such as a reactive filtration device. The system produces a treated water stream and a reject stream, which may be further separated into a recycled water stream and a solid product. The solid product may be suitable as a soil amendment for application to agricultural land, or for recycling. A method for using the system to treat water, particularly nitrate-contaminated water, also is disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a method for using estrogenic compounds to manipulate the bacterial composition of vaginal communities of female subjects. The method may include titrating a dose of an estrogenic compound to provide a female subject with a personalized effective dose, such as a minimum effective dose, sufficient to attain and/or maintain one or more determined target values of a relative abundance of vaginal Lactobacillus in the vaginal microbiota, an absolute abundance of vaginal Lactobacillus in the vaginal microbiota, a vaginal pH, a vaginal lactic acid concentration, or any combination thereof.

Abstract: Three-dimensional antennas incorporate a stack of planar wiring boards, with conductive metallization on each board and electrical connectivity between conductive regions on adjacent boards. In one example of the disclosed technology, a three-dimensional antenna is formed from a stack of planar wiring boards, where each includes one or more disjoint metallizations in electrical contact with at least one disjoint metallization on an adjacent one of the planar wiring boards. Associated methods and variants are also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed are embodiments of a method of using mustard meal or mustard meal extract. Certain embodiments concern controlling vegetable sprouting, such as potato sprouting. Vegetables, such as potatoes, may be exposed to products resulting from mustard meal, or an extract thereof, contacting water. Other embodiments concern a process for controlling plant pests, such as insects, nematodes, fungi, weeds, and combinations thereof, with specific embodiments being particularly useful for weed suppression. Certain embodiments comprises extracting glucosinolates from plant material, or processed plant material, selected from the family Brassicaceae, particularly from the genera Brassica and Sinapis. Extracted glucosinolates can be hydrolyzed to form active compounds, or alternatively, they can be hydrolyzed in situ, by applying simultaneously or sequentially applying myrosinase. The extract can be applied to plants, to the soil adjacent to the plant.

Abstract: Disclosed embodiments concern a probe comprising one or more pairs of monomers capable of targeting a nucleic acid target. The pair of monomers may be arranged in a manner that promotes thermoinstability of the probe complex, thus producing a probe capable of locating and/or detecting a target. The probe also may comprise one or more natural or non-natural nucleotides capable of Watson-Crick base pairing with an isosequential nucleic acid target. Particular disclosed embodiments concern a method of using the disclosed probe to target nucleic acids. In particular disclosed embodiments, the probe may be incubated with a target nucleic acid and then be detected.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of an electrochemical device comprising graphene material made using embodiments of the method disclosed herein. Also disclosed is a graphene electrode comprising the graphene material made using embodiments of the method disclosed herein. The graphene material disclosed herein for use in the disclosed electrochemical devices has superior properties and activity compared to carbon-based materials known and used in the art. The disclosed graphene material can be used in multiple different technologies, such as water treatment, batteries, fuel cells, electrochemical sensors, solar cells, and ultracapacitors (both aqueous and non-aqueous).

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of an electrochemical device comprising graphene material made using embodiments of the method disclosed herein. Also disclosed is a graphene electrode comprising the graphene material made using embodiments of the method disclosed herein. The graphene material disclosed herein for use in the disclosed electrochemical devices has superior properties and activity compared to carbon-based materials known and used in the art. The disclosed graphene material can be used in multiple different technologies, such as water treatment, batteries, fuel cells, electrochemical sensors, solar cells, and ultracapacitors (both aqueous and non-aqueous).

Abstract: This application relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting the growth of potato pathogens preventing disease during post-harvest storage and processing conditions.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for monitoring waterbed environment are described. The method may comprise determining a first temperature at a location within the water column of a surface body of water that is representative of the upper thermal boundary condition between surface water and pore water environments, and determining at least a second temperature at the location at a first depth below a waterbed surface. The first and second temperatures are then used to monitor a waterbed environment. Certain embodiments are particularly useful for monitoring spatiotemporal variations of riverbed surface elevations, such as scour and deposition, over a time period. Probe/sensor assemblies are disclosed for practicing the method.

Abstract: This application relates to compositions comprising whole-tissue potato products with enhanced resistant starch (RS) content and reduced estimated glycemic index values. Methods of preparing and using whole-tissue potato products with enhanced resistant starch (RS) content and glycemic index values are also disclosed.

Abstract: This application relates to compositions comprising whole-tissue potato products with enhanced resistant starch (RS) content and reduced estimated glycemic index values. Methods of preparing and using whole-tissue potato products with enhanced resistant starch (RS) content and glycemic index values are also disclosed.

Abstract: This application relates to compositions and methods for inhibiting the growth of potato pathogens preventing disease during post-harvest storage and processing conditions.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are embodiments of a system for treating water. The system comprises a biochar inlet, and optionally a metal salt inlet, ozone inlet, organic carbon compound inlet or any combination thereof. The biochar may be produced by biomass pyrolysis and the pyrolysis may be coupled to energy generation. The system also comprises a filtration device, such as a reactive filtration device. The system produces a treated water stream and a reject stream, which may be further separated into a recycled water stream and a solid product. The solid product may be suitable as a soil amendment for application to agricultural land, or for recycling. A method for using the system to treat water also is disclosed.

Abstract: An analog-to-digital (ADC) converter is disclosed that uses aspects of a single-slope ramp ADC, but with jump steps in the ramp voltage to increase speed. A programmable ramp generator can be used to dynamically modify a voltage level associated with the jump step. By programming a voltage level of the jump, a user can dynamically modify the speed of the ADC during operation.

Abstract: An exemplary two-stroke internal combustion engine can comprise one or more cylinders comprising exhaust ports, one or more pistons configured to cyclically cover and uncover the exhaust ports during reciprocation of the pistons within the cylinders, and one or more rotary exhaust valves associated with each exhaust port. The exhaust valves can be configured to rotate around a valve axis that is substantially parallel to an axis of rotation of a crank shaft of the engine. Each exhaust valve at least partially obstructs the associated exhaust port during a portion of the exhaust valve's rotation about the valve axis while the associated exhaust port is at least partially uncovered by the associated piston, thereby trapping fresh charge within the combustion chamber.

Abstract: The catalytic conversion of glycerol or acetol to alcohols, such as polyhydric alcohols like propylene glycol and simple alcohols like methanol and ethanol, without the addition of external hydrogen, is improved by the use of a transition metal alloy catalyst which, in the case of glycerol, is a nickel alloy catalyst.

Abstract: Embodiments are disclosed herein that involve C5-functionalized nucleic acids, which can be used for detecting a target in a nucleic acid. Particular embodiments disclose methods for making these compounds, wherein the compounds can be formed by coupling of an intermediate with a linker. Certain embodiments disclose the use of these compounds for detecting single nucleotide polymorphisms, and for increasing the thermal affinity of nucleic acid complements as compared to unmodified nucleic acid complements. In addition, the disclosed compounds can decrease enzymatic degradation of nucleic acids.