Abstract: A lithium air battery may include an electrolyte with a donor number of 10 to 40; and a quinone-based liquid catalyst which added to the electrolyte to induce a discharge in the solution.

Abstract: A method includes receiving multiple compound muscle action potential values (CMAPs), wherein each CMAP is an onset latency, a peak latency, a conduction velocity, or a response amplitude measured from a baseline; for each of the CMAPs and for each of a number parameters calculated from the CMAPs, determining a corresponding demyelinating boundary value using a normal value from a preselected population; determining whether each of the CMAPs and each of the parameters exceeds the corresponding demyelinating boundary value; determining one or more demyelinated nerve pathways based on which of the CMAPs and the parameters exceeds the corresponding demyelinating boundary value; indicating on a display which of the CMAPs and the parameters exceed the corresponding demyelinating boundary value; and displaying, in pictorial form, an anatomical diagram indicating the demyelinated nerve pathways.

Abstract: A method of preparing a metal/metal oxide material can make use of a nanostructure that includes a first metal to form the metal oxide, and a reaction surface with a reducing agent on the reaction surface. A second metal is deposited onto the reaction surface to form a bimetallic product. The bimetallic product is calcined to form the metal/metal oxide material.

Abstract: A charging device according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention may include: a battery adapted and configured to store a DC voltage, first and second motors adapted and configured to operate as a motor or a generator, first and second inverters adapted and configured to operate the first and second motors, a voltage transformer adapted and configured to boost the DC voltage of the battery to supply it to the first and second inverters and boosts the DC voltage of the inverter to supply it to the battery, and a charging controller adapted and configured to operate the first and second inverters as a booster or operate the voltage transformer as a buck booster according to a voltage that is input through a neutral point of the first and second motors and the voltage of the battery.

Abstract: A modified graphite electrode comprising a coating of electrochemically reduced graphene oxide. The modified graphite electrode may be employed in detecting of uric acid. A sensing device comprising the modified graphite electrode and a method of making the modified graphite electrode are described herein.

Abstract: This invention relates to the in vitro production of cyclic peptides using cyanobacterial enzymes, such as patellamide biosynthesis enzymes. Linear peptide substrates are cyclized using an isolated cyanbacterial macrocyclase, such as PatG from Prochloron spp. Before cyclization, residues in the linear peptide substrates may be heterocyclized using isolated cyanbacterial heterocyclasses, such as PatD or TruD heterocyclase. Methods of the invention may be useful, for example, for the production of cyclic peptidyl molecules, including cyclotides, such as katalas, and cyanobactins, such as patellamides and telomestatins, for example for use in the development of therapeutics.

Abstract: A superhydrophobic and self-cleaning surface including a substrate and a superhydrophobic layer. The superhydrophobic layer having a reacted form of octadecyltrichlorosilane. The octadecyltrichlorosilane is disposed on and crosslinked to a surface of the substrate via surface hydroxyl groups. The surface exhibits a rms roughness of 40 nm to 60 nm, a water contact angle of 155° to 180°, and a contact angle hysteresis of less than 15°. A method of preparing the substrate with a superhydrophobic and self-cleaning surface including treating a substrate with a plasma treatment, contacting the substrate with water or an alcohol to form an hydroxylated substrate, contacting the hydroxylated substrate with a solution of octadecyltrichlorosilane in an alkane solvent at a concentration in the range of 0.05 M to 0.3 M, and drying the solution on to the substrate under ambient air to form the superhydrophobic and self-cleaning surface on the substrate.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for ensuring data integrity and security for communications over a wide area network in smart power systems are provided. These can be particularly helpful in sub station-to-sub station and sub station-to-control-center communications, for example when a fast and secure method is required to transfer critical messages over the network such as generic object oriented substation event messages. In addition to guaranteeing data integrity, methods and apparatuses provide reliable security algorithms based on the concept of sequence hopping.

Abstract: Forming a photocatalyst/aerogel composite includes contacting an aerogel including a porous carbon nanotube network with a solution including a photocatalyst precursor to yield a wet gel. The porous carbon nanotube network includes carbon nanotubes, nodes, and struts. Each node is defined by a region in which two of the carbon nanotubes are in direct contact with each other, and each strut is defined by one of the carbon nanotubes extending between a first node and a second node. Forming the photocatalyst/aerogel composite further includes initiating a chemical reaction in the wet gel to form, on the nodes and struts, photocatalyst nanoparticles from the photocatalyst precursor, and removing liquid from the wet gel to yield an aerogel composite defining pores and including the photocatalyst nanoparticles. The photocatalyst nanoparticles are covalently bonded to the nodes and the struts throughout the porous carbon nanotube network.

Abstract: Nanoparticles having a plurality of PVP chains covalently bonded to a surface of the nanoparticle are provided, along with their methods of formation and the RAFT agents for the polymerization of the PVP chains. RAFT agents are generally provided, along with their methods of formation and use. Methods are also generally provided for grafting a PVP polymer onto a nanoparticle. In one embodiment, the method includes: polymerizing a plurality of monomers in the presence of a RAFT agent to form a polymeric chain covalently bonded to the nanoparticle.

Abstract: Biodegradable composite membranes with antimicrobial properties consisting of nanocellulose fibrils, chitosan, and S-Nitroso-N-acetylpenicillamine (SNAP) were developed and tested for food packaging applications. Nitric oxide donor, SNAP was encapsulated into completely dispersed chitosan in 100 mL, 0.1N acetic acid and was thoroughly mixed with nanocellulose fibrils (CNF) to produce a composite membrane. The fabricated membranes had a uniform dispersion of chitosan and SNAP within the nanocellulose fibrils, which was confirmed through Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) micrographs and chemiluminescence nitric oxide analyzer. The membranes prepared without SNAP showed lower water vapor permeability than that of the membranes with SNAP. The addition of SNAP resulted in a decrease in the Young's modulus for both 2-layer and 3-layer membrane configurations.

Abstract: Apparatus and methods for optical emission detection comprising scintillating proximal sensors.

Abstract: The present invention relates to mesoporous silica coated nanoparticles comprising a metal oxide nanoparticle core; and a mesoporous silica shell encapsulating metal oxide core; wherein said mesoporous silica shell and the metal oxide core are not in full contact. The nanoparticles of the invention are useful as diagnostic and therapeutic agents.

Abstract: A desalination and climate control system including a vapor-compression system having an evaporator, a condenser, and a working fluid that circulates between the evaporator and the condenser to transfer heat from the condenser to the evaporator, and a desalination system coupled with the desalination system having a humidifier that encloses the condenser, receives air and saline fluid, passes the saline fluid through the condenser to extract the heat and vaporizes the saline to provide humidified air and brine fluid, and a dehumidifier that encloses the evaporator, condensates the humidified air, and provides the air and demineralized fluid.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing nitrogen-doped graphene, comprising: mixing at least one solid-state nitrogen containing precursor with a graphene to form a mixture, and sintering the mixture under a reducing atmosphere to obtain the nitrogen-doped graphene. The present invention further provides a method of producing a composite heat dispatching plate coated with nitrogen-doped graphene film, comprising: mixing a nitrogen-doped graphene obtained aforementioned with a polymer bonding agent to form a mixture slurry, coating the mixture slurry onto at least one surface of a metal substrate to form a composite material, drying the composite material, and obtaining the composite heat dispatching plate with a film of nitrogen-doped graphene. Structural defects of graphene lattices are reduced during doping process so that crystallinity and thermal conductivity are improved.

Abstract: The invention generally relates to novel polymers and polymeric nanogels having biodegradable polymeric backbones, and compositions and methods of preparation and use thereof, for example, as guest-host polymer nano-assemblies and nano-delivery vehicles, which offer utilities in diverse fields including drug delivery, diagnostics and specialty materials.

Abstract: Coupling can be reduced between electromagnetic components in system where negative uniaxial metamaterial (MUM) can be utilized between the components and can be configured to reduce coupling. The HUM can be configured in a shape selected according to an electromagnetic field causing the coupling or by calculating a fictitious electrostatic field. An array of electromagnetic components can be decoupled using an array of spatially-variant anisotropic metamaterial. A method for decoupling electromagnetic components can include steps of determining a fictitious electrostatic field surrounding the components disposed in an environment, mathematically transforming the electromagnetic fields into a grating vector function, forming at least one spatially-variant anisotropic metamaterial according to the grating vectors, and inserting the spatially-variant anisotropic metamaterial in the environment in order to decouple the electromagnetic components.

Abstract: A method for determining locations of supporting points for a machine tool is proposed. Multiple test coordinate sets in relation to the machine tool are used in cooperation with corresponding deformation index values for multiple components of the machine tool to obtain a deformation index equation that relates to assessed deformation of the components in response to different coordinates for the supporting points. The deformation index equation is used to acquire an optimal coordinate set for the supporting points.

Abstract: A rapid, scalable methodology for graphene dispersion with a polymer-organic solvent solution and subsequent solvent exchange, as can be utilized without centrifugation, to enhance graphene concentration.

Abstract: A charging system for improving a power factor and a current quality in a grid stage is provided. The charging system includes a rectifying circuit that is configured to rectify a grid power and a converter that is configured to receive a voltage-current rectified by the rectifying circuit and convert the voltage-current into a charge voltage-current to be provided to a battery. A capacitor is connected across a connection end of the rectifying circuit and the converter. The converter includes a first high frequency switching circuit, a transformer, and a second high frequency switching circuit.