Abstract: Provided in some embodiments are systems and methods for measuring the water content (or water-cut) of a fluid mixture. Provided in some embodiments is a water-cut sensor system that includes a T-resonator, a ground conductor, and a separator. The T-resonator including a feed line, and an open shunt stub conductively coupled to the feed line. The ground conductor including a bottom ground plane opposite the T-resonator and a ground ring conductively coupled to the bottom ground plane, with the feed line overlapping at least a portion of the ground ring. The separator including a dielectric material disposed between the feed line and the portion of the ground ring overlapped by the feed line, and the separator being adapted to electrically isolate the T-resonator from the ground conductor.

Abstract: Provided in some embodiments are systems and methods for measuring the water content (or water-cut) of a fluid mixture. Provided in some embodiments is a water-cut sensor system that includes a T-resonator, a ground conductor, and a separator. The T-resonator including a feed line, and an open shunt stub conductively coupled to the feed line. The ground conductor including a bottom ground plane opposite the T-resonator and a ground ring conductively coupled to the bottom ground plane, with the feed line overlapping at least a portion of the ground ring. The separator including a dielectric material disposed between the feed line and the portion of the ground ring overlapped by the feed line, and the separator being adapted to electrically isolate the T-resonator from the ground conductor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method whereby a repetitive nucleic acid sequence, such as a short tandem repeat (STR), may be characterized as to its length. Pyrosequencing is used to sequence an STR repetitive region to measure the length of STRs in a rapid manner. A combinatorial approach is disclosed for the addition of multiple nucleotides (e.g., two mononucleotides) at a time by the polymerase, which reduces the sample analysis time by half. In addition, modified nucleic acids, such as peptide nucleic acids, are used as blocking probe to stop polymerization on the flanking region which makes it possible to use pyrosequencing for DNA length measurement both in the case of homozygous or heterozygous samples for varying repeat patterns of different markers. Further, dideoxynucleotides are added to stop polymerization in the flanking region of the STR.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method whereby a repetitive nucleic acid sequence, such as a short tandem repeat (STR), may be characterized as to its length. Pyrosequencing is used to sequence an STR repetitive region to measure the length of STRs in a rapid manner. A combinatorial approach is disclosed for the addition of multiple nucleotides (e.g., two mononucleotides) at a time by the polymerase, which reduces the sample analysis time by half. In addition, modified nucleic acids, such as peptide nucleic acids, are used as blocking probe to stop polymerization on the flanking region which makes it possible to use pyrosequencing for DNA length measurement both in the case of homozygous or heterozygous samples for varying repeat patterns of different markers. Further, dideoxynucleotides are added to stop polymerization in the flanking region of the STR.