Abstract: A method of manufacturing a nanoparticle chain is disclosed. The method comprises the steps of: providing a single-stranded circular primer with a determined length, and amplifying the single-stranded circular primer into single-stranded DNA nanotemplate by an isothermal nucleotide amplification reaction such that an end of the single-stranded DNA nanotemplate is fixed to a surface of a substrate; and adding a single-stranded DNA probe conjugated with nanoparticle at one end of which, and attaching the single-stranded DNA probe to the corresponding sequence on the single-stranded DNA nanotemplate to form a nanoparticles chain. The method of manufacturing a nanoparticle chain further comprises providing a fluid, and the flowing direction of the fluid controls the aligning direction of the nanoparticle chain. Wherein, the inter-nanoparticle distance of the nanoparticle chain can be adjusted by adjusting a reaction temperature or adding the single-stranded DNA probe without conjugating with nanoparticles.

Abstract: A method that modifies surface properties of a substrate by manipulating the immobilized biomolecules in mild biological condition. The manipulation comprised steps of: providing a biomolecule combined with at least one ssDNA combined with a first protein through an affinity binding tag; adding a second ssDNA conjugated with a second protein with a concentration greater than that of the first protein; and replacing the first protein on the ssDNA with the second protein through chemical competitive principle. The invention may comprise the steps with proper design of biotinylated DNA probes, the functionalized ssDNA nanotemplates can be recovered to its unbound state through a thermodynamic principle.

Abstract: A highly efficient thermoelectric material with one end coated in silver adhesive and placed in a high temperature furnace to heat and diffuse the silver adhesive into the homogeneous thermoelectric material, thereby producing an non-uniform thermoelectric material one-side doped thermoelectric material. The non-uniform thermoelectric material one-side doped thermoelectric material is able to achieve a high thermoelectric figure of merit.

Abstract: A liquid dielectrophoretic device comprises: a first container unit defining a first micro containing space including an electrode pair for generating a dielectrophoretic force; a second container unit defining a second micro containing space and including an electrode pair for generating a dielectrophoretic force; and a fluid channel unit defining a micro-channel between the first and second micro containing spaces and including an electrode pair having a middle region layer that has first and second enlarged sections and a middle section disposed between the first and second enlarged sections. The first and second enlarged sections are enlarged gradually from the middle section to the first and second micro containing spaces. A method for controllably transporting a liquid using the liquid dielectrophoretic device is also disclosed.

Abstract: The embodiments described herein relate to photosensitizer dyes for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) devices. In one example, a series of photosensitizer dyes for DSSC devices that have a high absorption coefficient and conversion efficiency, lower cost and better safety, are provided. The photosensitizer dyes are porphyrin-based zinc (Zn) complexes.

Abstract: A resistor-capacitor (“RC”) plasma jet device, produces a safe plasma for human contact. In an example embodiment, the RC plasma jet device includes a power supply, a gas supply and an electrode. A working gas can be injected into the gas inlet of the electrode from the gas supply. The electrode, is connected to the power supply through a resistance and a capacitance. The electrode may be a hollow tube with a gas inlet and a gas outlet. The device can be portable, safe, easy to operate, and inexpensive. By changing the values of the capacitor (s) and resistor (s), and using different excitation sources and working gas, the intensity and gas temperature of the plasma jet can be adjusted. When the gas temperature is close to room-temperature, the plasma jet is touchable by a human hand without an arcing risk.

Abstract: This invention relates to photosensitizer dyes for dye-sensitized solar cells. The photosensitizer dyes are porphyrin-based zinc complexes represented by the following general formulae (100) and (200). wherein A is represented by one of the following formulae (111)˜(118), wherein Z1˜Z10 independently represent a hydrogen atom (H), lithium (Li), sodium (Na), or tetra-alkyl ammonium group (as represented by the following general formula (120)), wherein X1˜X4 independently represent CmH2m+1 (m=1˜6), and B, C, D, and E independently represent one of the following formulae (131)˜(140), wherein Ra˜Rz are independently selected from the group consisting of H, CmH2m+1 (m=1˜15), OCpH2p+1 (p=1˜15), CH2[OC2H4]nOCH3 (n=1˜30), and [OC2H4]qOCH3 (q=1˜30).

Abstract: A method for controlling read velocity in a disk device is provided. When reading data on the disc, the method first reads each SYNC of blocks to form an ECC code, read data to decode, and checks and corrects decoded data to generate decoded errors. The type of decoded errors are classified and counted to form reference parameters of a rule base. A fuzzy engine checks if the counting number exceeds the threshold of the parameter, and executes the operation of the rule to control read velocity and enhance the data transfer rate in the disk device.

Abstract: A method and a circuit for extracting current-voltage characteristics employ two pulse signals with different duty cycles into a device to be measured in order to extracting current-voltage characteristics of the device to be measured. The present invention may reduce the self-heating effect of the device to be measured and increase the measurable range of the device to be measured.

Abstract: A method and a circuit for extracting current-voltage characteristics employ two pulse signals with different duty cycles into a device to be measured in order to extracting current-voltage characteristics of the device to be measured. The present invention may reduce the self-heating effect of the device to be measured and increase the measurable range of the device to be measured.

Abstract: A method for controlling read velocity in a disk device is provided. When reading data on the disc, the method first reads each SYNC of blocks to form an ECC code, read data to decode, and checks and corrects decoded data to generate decoded errors. The type of decoded errors are classified and counted to form reference parameters of a rule base. A fuzzy engine checks if the counting number exceeds the threshold of the parameter, and executes the operation of the rule to control read velocity and enhance the data transfer rate in the disk device.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for routing shipments according to criticality includes accessing an initial solution to an optimization problem of routing multiple shipments to multiple locations using multiple vehicles, the initial solution including multiple loads such that each shipment is routed within exactly one load and a global cost across all loads is minimized, the initial solution being generated independent of the criticality of the shipments. Into each of one or more critical loads in a current solution, one or more non-critical shipments are inserted that are within a neighborhood of the critical load, a critical load being a load containing at least one critical shipment.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for routing shipments according to criticality includes accessing an initial solution to an optimization problem of routing multiple shipments to multiple locations using multiple vehicles, the initial solution including multiple loads such that each shipment is routed within exactly one load and a global cost across all loads is minimized, the initial solution being generated independent of the criticality of the shipments. Into each of one or more critical loads in a current solution, one or more non-critical shipments are inserted that are within a neighborhood of the critical load, a critical load being a load containing at least one critical shipment.