Abstract: A method for preparing a modular planar interconnect plate for a solid oxide fuel cell includes the steps of: (a) providing a metal blank sheet, (b) stamping a main region of the metal blank sheet to form a plurality of columns of upper protrusions on an upper surface of the main region of the metal blank sheet and a plurality of columns of lower depressions on a lower surface of the main region of the metal blank sheet, and (c) stamping the main region of the metal blank sheet to form a plurality of rows of lower protrusions on a lower surface of the main region of the metal blank sheet and a plurality of rows of upper depressions on the upper surface of the main region of the metal blank sheet.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a communication time allocation method using reinforcement learning for a wireless powered communication network and a base station. The method includes: determining a communication time allocation corresponding to the t-th time block according to an objective function associated with the total estimated throughput of the communication nodes; requesting each communication node to perform specific communication behaviors according to the corresponding communication time interval in the t-th time block; obtaining the actual throughput of each communication node in the t-th time block; generating the weight vector of each communication node in the (t+1)-th time block according to the actual throughput, the weight vector, and the estimated throughput of each communication node in the t-th time block.

Abstract: A method of removing an organic pollutant from water by contacting the water with a ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder to adsorb the organic pollutant onto the ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder. A method of producing a ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder involving ball milling oil fly ash to provide ball milled oil fly ash particles with an average particle size of less than 1 ?m and sonicating the ball milled oil fly ash particles in an aqueous medium to form the ball milled and sonicated oil fly ash powder. A method of improving recovery of valuable metals/elements from oil fly ash.

Abstract: Compositions comprising Group V/III nanowires, and methods of making such nanowires are described. Some compositions comprise one or more core-shell nanowires comprising a core and a first shell surrounding or substantially surrounding the core. The core is formed from GaAs(1-y)Sby, where y=about 0.03-0.07 and the first shell is formed from GaAs(1-x)SbxN, where x=0.27-0.34. The nanowires have an average emission maximum of 1.4-1.7 ?m. Some nanowires further comprise a second shell surrounding or substantially surrounding the first shell. The second shell is formed from a Group V/III material such as Ga1-mAlmAs, where m=0-0.2. Some nanowires have the structure GaAs(0.93-0.97)Sb(0.03-0.07)/GaAs(0.66-0.73)Sb(0.27-0.34)N/Ga(0.8-1)Al(0-0.2)As.

Abstract: Described herein are Uranium silicide materials as advanced nuclear fuel replacements for uranium dioxide fuel in light water reactors (LWRs) that have advantages over currently used uranium dioxide (UO2) via a substantially higher thermal conductivity and, thus, are capable of operating in a reactor at significantly lower temperatures for the same level of power production, plus the heat capacity of a silicide is lower than that of an oxide so that less heat is stored in the fuel that would need to be removed under accident conditions.

Abstract: Systems and methods for screening enzyme variants are described, wherein the enzyme variants may catalyze a reaction that is cofactor-dependent or cofactor-independent.

Abstract: Provided is a non-invasive method of detecting or screening for a cancer in a subject specimen originating in a tissue outside of the lung. The method includes detecting elevated levels of one or more carbonyl-containing volatile organic compounds (VOCs) that are biomarkers for the cancer in exhaled breath from the subject specimen. The method may further include obtaining exhaled breath from the subject specimen; forming adducts of the carbonyl-containing VOCs with a reactive chemical compound; quantifying the adducts of the carbonyl-containing VOCs to establish a subject value for each of the adducts; and comparing each subject value to a threshold healthy specimen value for each of the adducts of the carbonyl-containing VOCs. One or more subject values at quantities greater than threshold healthy specimen values are also useful for screening for the cancer in the subject specimen.

Abstract: The present disclosure discloses a core-shell structured NiSe2@NC electrocatalytic material having a general formula of NiSe2@NC. The present disclosure also provides a preparation method and use of the catalytic material. In the present disclosure, hydrazine hydrate is used as a reducing agent, selenium powders are used as a source of selenium, and a metal-organic framework (MOF) is used as a precursor. Selective selenization of mixed-linker MOFs based on mixed ligands is carried out through a hydrothermal reaction. Then, a series of adjustable N-doped carbon-coated NiSe2 nano-octahedrons are prepared through a one-step calcination reaction. By adjusting the types of mixed ligands in the MOF, carbon-coated nickel diselenide composites doped with different pyridinic-N contents can be obtained. Corresponding electrochemical tests prove that, the electrocatalytic activity has a strong correlation with the content of pyridinic-N.

Abstract: An exoskeleton leg is wearable by a person. The exoskeleton includes a thigh link configured to move in unison with the thigh of the person, a shank link rotatably coupled to the thigh link and comprising at least one tooth, and a locking block coupled to the thigh link and comprising a locking face. Moreover, when the at least one tooth of the shank link contacts with the locking face, the shank link is prevented from flexion motion relative to the thigh link, but is allowed to extend relative to the thigh link.

Abstract: Selected compounds, compositions, and methods for inhibiting BACE are presented that have relatively high selectivity towards APP via interaction of the inhibitor with both BACE and APP.

Abstract: Composition and use of macro-minerals to lower postprandial glycemic response and reduce body weight are disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention proposes a method for rapidly dehazing an underground pipeline image based on dark channel prior (DCP). The method includes: preprocessing a hazy underground pipeline image to obtain a dark channel image corresponding to the hazy image; average-filtering the obtained dark channel image to estimate an image transmittance; compensating an offset value for an average filtering result to obtain a rough estimate of the transmittance; using a pixel value of the original image and an average-filtered image to estimate a global atmospheric light value; and using a physical restoration model to restore a dehazed image. The method of the present invention realizes the timeliness of the algorithm while ensuring the dehazing effect, and is suitable for scientific fields such as video monitoring of underground pipeline environment and identification of underground pipeline defects.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are tricyclic compounds, including pyrimido[4?,5?:4,5]thieno[2,3-c]pyridazine-8-amine, pyrido[3?,2?:4,5]thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine-4-amine, pyrazino[2?,3?:4,5]thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-amine, pyrido[3?,2?:4,5]furo[3,2-d]pyrimidin-4-amine, and pyrimido[4?,5?:4,5]furo[2,3-c]pyridazin-8-amine compounds, which may be useful as positive allosteric modulators of the muscarinic acetylcholine receptor M4 (mAChR M4). Also disclosed herein are methods of making the compounds, pharmaceutical compositions comprising the compounds, and methods of treating neurological and psychiatric disorders associated with muscarinic acetylcholine receptor dysfunction using the compounds and compositions.

Abstract: An improved device capable of releasing a drug in response to stimuli such as a glucose concentration is provided. Provided is a drug delivery device, including a porous body such as a hollow fiber having biocompatibility and drug permeability, a stimuli-responsive gel composition filling inside of the porous body, and a drug surrounded by the gel composition inside of the porous body.

Abstract: The methods and systems described herein provide an improved emulsion droplet based nucleic acid amplification method, which allows nucleic acids contained in biological systems to be detected, quantitated and/or sorted based on their sequence as detected with nucleic acid amplification techniques, e.g., polymerase chain reaction (PCR). The nucleic acids can be free floating or contained within living or nonliving structures, including particles, viruses, and cells. The nucleic acids can include, e.g., DNA or RNA.

Abstract: A hybrid stationary power generator is provided. The system is fueled from natural gas and based on SOFCs and high efficiency, internal combustion (IC) engine technologies is conceived to generate electric power at 100-kW scale with an efficiency of 71% and a capital cost of <900 $/kW. This novel system integrates a solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack with a high efficiency stationary engine and balance-of-plant (BOP) equipment to create a hybrid power system.

Abstract: Mixed ligand phosphinogold(I) complexes as anticancer agents. The gold(I) ion of the complexes is coordinated to a phosphine and a dithiocarbamate or halogen ligand. Also described are a pharmaceutical composition incorporating the phosphinogold(I) complex, a method of synthesizing the phosphinogold(I) complex, and a method of treating cancer. The phosphinogold(I) complexes exhibit potent cytotoxicity against lung, cervical, and liver cancer cells.

Abstract: Tridentate platinum, palladium, and gold complexes of Formulas A-I and A-II and tridentate iridium and rhodium compounds of Formulas B-I, B-II, and B-III suitable for delayed fluorescent and phosphorescent or phosphorescent emitters in display and lighting applications.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an encoding apparatus for multi-level signaling, the encoding apparatus including: a candidate pattern generator (1) generating a set of candidate patterns from input data by using symbol-based inversion; a controller (2) generating a cumulated disparity value that is a result of calculating disparity indicating a degree to which transmission data up to previous transmission deviates from DC balance, storing the cumulated disparity value, and determining a transmission control code by using the cumulated disparity value and a set of disparity values that is a result of calculating disparity indicating a degree to which each of the candidate patterns deviates from DC balance; and a data selector (3) selecting one candidate pattern from the set of the candidate patterns as data to be transmitted, according to the determined transmission control code.

Abstract: Systems and methods which provide for interactive haptic proxies for hand-graspable virtual reality (VR) objects using reconfigurable artifacts and facilitated through use of a haptic reconfigurable artifact toolkit are described. Embodiments provide a haptic reconfigurable artifact toolkit including a set of reconfigurable artifacts for use in forming reconfigurable artifact-based haptic proxies, a set of haptic hardware components for use with respect to reconfigurable artifact-based haptic proxies, and a haptic reconfigurable artifact software platform configured to facilitate generation of reconfigurable artifact-based haptic proxies using items of the set of reconfigurable artifacts and the set of haptic hardware components. Reconfigurable artifacts may be shaped to form reconfigurable artifact-based haptic proxies covering a wide range of hand-grasp postures.