Abstract: Methods of forming graphene may include reacting a dispersed mixture, comprising fly ash, a charged heteroaromatic compound, particularly a pyridinium compound, such as a 1-(4-pyridyl)-pyridinium salt, and a solvent, particularly an alcohol, such as ethanol, with a polymeric oxidizing agent, preferably polymer-supported pyridinium chlorochromate, to form a second mixture; and contacting the second mixture at a temperature of 120 to 180° C. with a gas stream comprising at least 0.1 vol. % CH4 and at least 10 vol. % H2 to form graphene on the fly ash. Methods of managing waste may comprise using fly ash waste to produce graphene. Devices for implementing such methods may involve steel cylindrical reaction vessels including a cover through which a valve-stoppable pipe is fed, which reaction vessel is at least partially surrounded by a heating device, and suitable for handling solvent and fly ash, as well as for receiving gas inflow through the pipe.

Abstract: Three dimensional (3D), porous, Sr(II)/Ir(III) layered double hydroxide materials with a spherical/balls like shape, are composed of nanohexagonal sheets intercalated with 1-(1-hydroxy-4-methyl-2-phenylazo)-2-naphthol-4-sulfonic acid have a number of uses including removing undesirable organic compounds and materials from polluted water. This removal can be accomplished without disturbing the pH of the water, and with high absorption capacity (2000 mg of pollutants/1 mg of LDH). The spherical/ball like materials are easily cleaned and are amenable to being reused several times.

Abstract: A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula TlxGd1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

Abstract: Methods of forming graphene may include reacting a dispersed mixture, comprising fly ash, a charged heteroaromatic compound, particularly a pyridinium compound, such as a 1-(4-pyridyl)-pyridinium salt, and a solvent, particularly an alcohol, such as ethanol, with a polymeric oxidizing agent, preferably polymer-supported pyridinium chlorochromate, to form a second mixture; and contacting the second mixture at a temperature of 120 to 180° C. with a gas stream comprising at least 0.1 vol. % CH4 and at least 10 vol. % H2 to form graphene on the fly ash. Methods of managing waste may comprise using fly ash waste to produce graphene. Devices for implementing such methods may involve steel cylindrical reaction vessels including a cover through which a valve-stoppable pipe is fed, which reaction vessel is at least partially surrounded by a heating device, and suitable for handling solvent and fly ash, as well as for receiving gas inflow through the pipe.

Abstract: A luminescent nanocomposite is provided comprising nanosheets comprising a transition metal selected from the group consisting of molybdenum and tungsten; a chalcogen element; and a rare earth element; and a beta-lactam dye disposed upon a surface of the nanosheets. Methods of using the luminescent nanocomposite to detect and remove mercury (II) ions from a fluid sample are also provided.

Abstract: Methods of forming graphene may include reacting a dispersed mixture, comprising fly ash, a charged heteroaromatic compound, particularly a pyridinium compound, such as a 1-(4-pyridyl)-pyridinium salt, and a solvent, particularly an alcohol, such as ethanol, with a polymeric oxidizing agent, preferably polymer-supported pyridinium chlorochromate, to form a second mixture; and contacting the second mixture at a temperature of 120 to 180° C. with a gas stream comprising at least 0.1 vol. % CH4 and at least 10 vol. % H2 to form graphene on the fly ash. Methods of managing waste may comprise using fly ash waste to produce graphene. Devices for implementing such methods may involve steel cylindrical reaction vessels including a cover through which a valve-stoppable pipe is fed, which reaction vessel is at least partially surrounded by a heating device, and suitable for handling solvent and fly ash, as well as for receiving gas inflow through the pipe.

Abstract: A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula TlxGd1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.

Abstract: A method for classifying subject activities in videos includes learning latent (previously generated) concepts that are analogous to nodes of a graph to be generated for an activity in a video. The method also includes receiving video segments of the video. A similarity between the video segments and the previously generated concepts is measured to obtain segment representations as a weighted set of latent concepts. The method further includes determining a relationship between the segment representations and their transitioning pattern over time to determine a reduced set of nodes and/or edges for the graph. The graph of the activity in the video represented by the video segments is generated based on the reduced set of nodes and/or edges. The nodes of the graph are represented by the latent concepts. Subject activities in the video are classified based on the graph.

Abstract: In relational database concepts, query procedures suffer either from logically incomplete query results or lack of query time efficiency. The present invention provides efficient methods that optimize relational database systems in their query procedures so that the response procedure experiences an increase in efficiency in terms of speed and memory requirements without sacrificing logical conditions. In order to increase the efficiency of the query methods, a logically complete and at the same time efficient ontological level is introduced, which makes it possible to derive and/or evaluate application-specific constraints both, deductively and inductively.

Abstract: A method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus for zero-exemplar event detection are provided. The apparatus may receive a plurality of text blocks, each of which may describe one of a plurality of pre-defined events. The apparatus may receive a plurality of training videos, each of which may be associated with one of the plurality of text blocks. The apparatus may propagate each text block through a neural network to obtain a textual representation in a joint space of textual and video representations. The apparatus may propagate each training video through the neural network to obtain a visual representation in the joint space. The apparatus may adjust parameters of the neural network to reduce, for each pair of associated text block and training video, the distance in the joint space between the textual representation of the associated text block and the visual representation of the associated training video.

Abstract: A nanostructured material having a coral reef morphology of nanoflake walls is described. The nanostructured material comprises a Fe(II)/Fe(III) layered double hydroxide intercalated with an azo dye, and a synthesis method is discussed. The nanostructured material may be used to remove a contaminant from a solution by adsorption. The nanostructured material may be cleaned and reused with high adsorption efficiency.

Abstract: A star-shape nanoparticle that adsorbs arsenic in a solution, a method of producing the star-shape nanoparticle, and a method of determining an arsenic concentration in an arsenic-containing solution via the star-shape nanoparticle and fluorescence spectroscopy are provided. Various embodiments of the star-shape nanoparticle, the method of producing thereof, and the method of using thereof to determine an arsenic concentration in a solution are also provided.

Abstract: A star-shape nanoparticle that adsorbs arsenic in a solution, a method of producing the star-shape nanoparticle, and a method of determining an arsenic concentration in an arsenic-containing solution via the star-shape nanoparticle and fluorescence spectroscopy are provided. Various embodiments of the star-shape nanoparticle, the method of producing thereof, and the method of using thereof to determine an arsenic concentration in a solution are also provided.

Abstract: A nanostructured material having a coral reef morphology of nanoflake walls is described. The nanostructured material comprises a Fe(II)/Fe(III) layered double hydroxide intercalated with an azo dye, and a synthesis method is discussed. The nanostructured material may be used to remove a contaminant from a solution by adsorption. The nanostructured material may be cleaned and reused with high adsorption efficiency.

Abstract: A method, a computer-readable medium, and an apparatus for zero-exemplar event detection are provided. The apparatus may receive a plurality of text blocks, each of which may describe one of a plurality of pre-defined events. The apparatus may receive a plurality of training videos, each of which may be associated with one of the plurality of text blocks. The apparatus may propagate each text block through a neural network to obtain a textual representation in a joint space of textual and video representations. The apparatus may propagate each training video through the neural network to obtain a visual representation in the joint space. The apparatus may adjust parameters of the neural network to reduce, for each pair of associated text block and training video, the distance in the joint space between the textual representation of the associated text block and the visual representation of the associated training video.

Abstract: A method of transferring a graphene sheet comprising one or more layers of graphene formed on a metal film, such as a copper film, coating a surface of a metal or alloy substrate onto a target substrate. The method includes fixedly contacting the graphene sheet with a contacting surface of the target substrate by applying substantially uniform pressure and heat on a layered assembly. The layered assembly comprises the metal or alloy substrate, the graphene sheet, and the target substrate. At least one layer of graphene of the graphene sheet formed on the copper film coating the surface of the metal or alloy substrate is transferred onto the contacting surface of the target substrate by the substantially uniform pressure and heat, and the at least one layer of graphene forms a graphene film on the contacting surface of the target substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing pristine graphene of controllable thickness including monolayer, bilayer and multilayer graphene via microwave irradiation assisted intercalation of graphite with dicarboxylic acids of various molecular chain lengths and subsequent exfoliation is disclosed. The average thickness of the graphene and the number of layers in the graphene produced by the method can be controlled by the molecular chain length of the dicarboxylic acid used for intercalation.

Abstract: New methods to represent variables as parts of the classical truth table lead to complete evaluation methods that generate a compiled, efficient version of logical expressions. The new methods are suitable for use in, e.g., relational database applications in which both, efficient query times as well as logical completeness and consistency are required in the context of general constraint treatments. Input/output operations remain linear in the length of the input character strings regardless of the complexity of the logical theory. A new processing method of formulas is described as the basis for the efficiency increase. In order to find a specific truth-value, pattern trees are used representing the extension of the logical theory.

Abstract: A method of transferring a graphene sheet comprising one or more layers of graphene formed on a metal film, such as a copper film, coating a surface of a metal or alloy substrate onto a target substrate. The method includes fixedly contacting the graphene sheet with a contacting surface of the target substrate by applying substantially uniform pressure and heat on a layered assembly. The layered assembly comprises the metal or alloy substrate, the graphene sheet, and the target substrate. At least one layer of graphene of the graphene sheet formed on the copper film coating the surface of the metal or alloy substrate is transferred onto the contacting surface of the target substrate by the substantially uniform pressure and heat, and the at least one layer of graphene forms a graphene film on the contacting surface of the target substrate.

Abstract: A method for producing pristine graphene of controllable thickness including monolayer, bilayer and multilayer graphene via microwave irradiation assisted intercalation of graphite with dicarboxylic acids of various molecular chain lengths and subsequent exfoliation is disclosed. The average thickness of the graphene and the number of layers in the graphene produced by the method can be controlled by the molecular chain length of the dicarboxylic acid used for intercalation.