Abstract: A cyclone includes a hollow cylindrical upper portion and a hollow conical lower portion having an inclined wall and a base wall. The base wall and the inclined wall are continuous contact with each other, and the inclined wall of the hollow conical lower portion is in continuous contact with an outer wall of the hollow cylindrical upper portion. A total cyclone height is from about 10 to about 30 millimeters, and a ratio of the total cyclone height to an inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical upper portion is from about 0.7 to about 1.3. An angle between an inner surface of the base wall and an inner surface of the inclined wall is from about 110 to about 130 degrees.

Abstract: A cyclone includes a hollow cylindrical upper portion and a hollow conical lower portion having an inclined wall and a base wall. The base wall and the inclined wall are continuous contact with each other, and the inclined wall of the hollow conical lower portion is in continuous contact with an outer wall of the hollow cylindrical upper portion. A total cyclone height is from about 10 to about 30 millimeters, and a ratio of the total cyclone height to an inner diameter of the hollow cylindrical upper portion is from about 0.7 to about 1.3. An angle between an inner surface of the base wall and an inner surface of the inclined wall is from about 110 to about 130 degrees.

Abstract: Provided is an article for detecting organic amines, wherein the article includes a solid support impregnated with an indicator reagent comprising a metal-organic framework structure. Also provided is a method of detecting organic amines, wherein the method includes the step of exposing an article comprising a solid support impregnated with an indicator reagent to a medium including an organic amine to produce a color change, wherein the indicator reagent includes a metal-organic framework structure.

Abstract: A molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin for selectively removing one or more inorganic ions in a liquid medium is disclosed and described. The exchange resin can include a bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in a liquid medium. A process for preparing a molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin can include (a) polymerizing a polmerizable mixture in the presence of an inorganic ion imprinting complex to form a bead, said inorganic ion imprinting complex including a ligand and an inorganic ion; and (b) removing the inorganic ions from the bead to form the molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin, the bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in an liquid medium.

Abstract: A molecularly-imprinted polymeric material that selectively binds with an explosive compound. The molecularly-imprinted polymeric material comprises a cross-linked, water-soluble polymer having basic functional groups and a binding site capable of selectively binding an explosive compound. The basic functional groups have a pKa that is sufficiently high to react with the explosive compound to result in a visually detectable color change. For example, the basic functional groups may have a pKa in the range of 6.0-9.0. The molecularly-imprinted polymeric material may be used in a variety of applications, such as a projectile for detecting explosives. Also described is a method for making a molecularly-imprinted polymeric material.

Abstract: A molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin for selectively removing one or more inorganic ions in a liquid medium is disclosed and described. The exchange resin can include a bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in a liquid medium. A process for preparing a molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin can include (a) polymerizing a polmerizable mixture in the presence of an inorganic ion imprinting complex to form a bead, said inorganic ion imprinting complex including a ligand and an inorganic ion; and (b) removing the inorganic ions from the bead to form the molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin, the bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in an liquid medium.

Abstract: A molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin for selectively removing one or more inorganic ions in a liquid medium is disclosed and described. The exchange resin can include a bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in a liquid medium. A process for preparing a molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin can include (a) polymerizing a polmerizable mixture in the presence of an inorganic ion imprinting complex to form a bead, said inorganic ion imprinting complex including a ligand and an inorganic ion; and (b) removing the inorganic ions from the bead to form the molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin, the bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in an liquid medium.

Abstract: A molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin for selectively removing one or more inorganic ions in a liquid medium is disclosed and described. The exchange resin can include a bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in a liquid medium. A process for preparing a molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin can include (a) polymerizing a polmerizable mixture in the presence of an inorganic ion imprinting complex to form a bead, said inorganic ion imprinting complex including a ligand and an inorganic ion; and (b) removing the inorganic ions from the bead to form the molecularly imprinted polymer ion exchange resin, the bead having a porous structure and comprising a cross-linked molecularly imprinted polymer having molecular sized cavities adapted to selectively receive and bind a specific inorganic ion in an liquid medium.

Abstract: An assessment system includes interim tests administered at predetermined intervals. Each assessment is designed to test specific concepts, and includes multiple-choice test items, each having an item stem, a correct answer, and several distractors. Preferably at least two of the distractors are directed to disparate cognitive levels. Any distractors selected are automatically correlated for each student, in order to determine a presence of a possible problem in a particular concept. Then an individual focus can be applied to correcting any problems. Any distractors selected by any of the students are automatically correlated for the teacher, to determine the presence of a possible problem for a number of students, for applying focus to improving the understanding of some or all of a class for any problem identified by the correlation. A benchmark assessment is also administered that has a format substantially identical to that of an upcoming high-stakes test.

Abstract: An assessment system includes interim tests administered at predetermined intervals. Each assessment is designed to test specific concepts, and includes multiple-choice test items, each having an item stem, a correct answer, and several distractors. Preferably at least two of the distractors are directed to disparate cognitive levels. Any distractors selected are automatically correlated for each student, in order to determine a presence of a possible problem in a particular concept. Then an individual focus can be applied to correcting any problems. Any distractors selected by any of the students are automatically correlated for the teacher, to determine the presence of a possible problem for a number of students, for applying focus to improving the understanding of some or all of a class for any problem identified by the correlation. A benchmark assessment is also administered that has a format substantially identical to that of an upcoming high-stakes test.

Abstract: The luminescent platinum 1,2-enedithiolates are dual emitters with a short-lived 1ILCT* singlet and long-lived oxygen-sensing 3ILCT* triplet (ILCT; intraligand charge transfer transition) emissive excited states. Since only the triplet is quenched by molecular oxygen, the singlet serves as an internal standard for dioxygen measurements. This allows the concentration of dioxygen to be determined from the ratio of the singlet/triplet emissions. The novel dual emitters are readily polymer encapsulated to allow measurement of dioxygen in a range of settings. These polymer encapsulated dual emitters will serve as a drop-in step-out replacement sensor for currently available dioxygen measuring devices.