Abstract: Project management systems and methods to streamline project planning, task management, time management, and other similar applications. The method includes filing a request to start a project on a project management system. The method further includes receiving notice that role handlers have been assigned to a plurality of tasks required to complete the project. The method further includes performing at least one task of the plurality of tasks. The method further includes receiving notice that the at least one task has been reviewed by at least one of the assigned role handlers.

Abstract: A symmetrically substituted cationic monomer and its corresponding cationic polyelectrolyte (CPE) (+) bearing two identical (diethoxyphosphoryl)propyl pendent groups on repeating pyrrolidinium units. Phosphonate ester hydrolysis in (CPE) (+) forms a pH-responsive cationic polyacid (CPA) (+). The (CPA) (+) is converted under pH-induced transformation into a polyzwitterion acid (±) (PZA) or a polyzwitterion/anion (±?) (PZAN) or a polyzwitterion/dianion (±=) (PZDAN) or a polyzwitterion/trianion (±?) (PZTAN).

Abstract: A method and adsorbent composition for removing heavy metals from contaminated water, comprising passing a stream of water having a concentration of one or more heavy metals through an adsorbent comprising granules of a mixture of from about 1 wt % to about 15 wt % clay and a thermoplastic polymer matrix; and collecting water having a reduced concentration of said heavy metal(s) downstream of said adsorbent.

Abstract: The system and method for joint compensation of power amplifier's distortion provides a linearization scheme for transmitter power amplifiers driven by orthogonal frequency division multiplexing signals. A pre-compensated over-driven amplifier is employed at the transmitter. The over-driven amplifier's distortions are considered as a sparse phenomenon and compressive sensing (CS) algorithms are employed at the receiver to estimate and compensate for these distortions. A bandwidth efficient data aided scheme which does not require reserving subcarriers specifically for CS measurements is utilized.

Abstract: A method and process to remove sulfur compounds from a real fuel product of straight-run diesel (SRD) by the action of ozone bubbling and ter-butyl hydroperoxide (t-BUOOH) under normal laboratory conditions is disclosed. Slight desulfurization is taken place after ozone bubbling process which may be assigned to a removal of sulfur compounds in a gaseous form (SOx). Most of the organically bound sulfur and/or elemental sulfur and hydrogen sulfide still exist in the ozonized samples. Sulfur removal from SRD samples was achieved by combining ozone bubbling with extraction by using different solvents to remove the oxidized sulfur compound (polar) from ozonized samples. This method provides a considerable level of total sulfur reduction where the reduction of sulfur reaches 93%.

Abstract: A series of new 6-piperazinyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2(1H)-ones have been synthesized. The compounds are structurally related to adoprazine, a potential atypical antipsychotics bearing potent D2 receptor antagonist and 5-HT1A receptor agonist properties. Buchwald-Hartwig coupling of suitably modified aryl bromides with tert-butyl piperazine-1-carboxylate afforded the advanced intermediate piperazinyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2(1H)-one. The reductive amination of the latter with appropriately designed biarylaldehydes accomplished the synthesis of these compounds.

Abstract: An electrocatalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide to hydrocarbons is provided. The electrocatalyst for the electrochemical conversion of carbon dioxide includes copper material supported on carbon nanotubes. The copper material may be pure copper, copper and ruthenium, copper and iron, or copper and palladium supported on the carbon nanotubes. The electrocatalyst is prepared by dissolving copper nitrate trihydrate in deionized water to form a salt solution. Carbon nanotubes are then added to the salt solution to form a suspension, which is then heated. A urea solution is added to the suspension to form the electrocatalyst in solution. The electrocatalyst is then removed from the solution. In addition to dissolving the copper nitrate trihydrate in the deionized water, either iron nitrate monohydrate, ruthenium chloride or palladium chloride may also be dissolved in the deionized water to form the salt solution.

Abstract: An extruder is disclosed, and more particularly, a twin screw extruder for mixing, compounding, kneading and/or extruding of materials. The twin screw extruder includes a barrel assembly having a housing. The twin screw extruder further includes a first screw provided within the housing and comprising threads. The twin screw extruder further includes a second screw provided within the housing and comprising a threaded portion and a shaft portion devoid of threads. A drive system which drives the first screw and the second screw.

Abstract: A method includes providing a capability to control divergence of a coherent light beam having an axially symmetrical distribution of intensity thereof through an optical divergence controller, and directing an output of the optical divergence controller related to the controlled divergence of the coherent light beam onto a glass prism. The glass prism includes a planar shape onto which a pyramidal structure is formed. The method also includes controlling a distance between maxima of an output light field of the glass prism and intensity thereof through controlling the divergence of the coherent light beam through the optical divergence controller and/or varying a distance between the optical divergence controller and the glass prism, and utilizing the output light field of the glass prism in controlling microparticles in a microtechnology or a nanotechnology application.

Abstract: A method, an apparatus and/or a system of injection locking based power amplifier is disclosed. A method includes inputting a reference signal through an injection circuit of an oscillator circuit that generates an output signal of high power that oscillates at an inherent frequency of oscillation of the oscillator circuit. The method also includes reducing a frequency of the reference signal through a differential transistor pair coupled to the injection circuit of the oscillator circuit. The method further includes locking through a tuning circuit of the oscillator circuit coupled to the differential transistor pair a frequency of the output signal to the reduced frequency of the reference signal based on the power of the reference signal to amplify the power of the reference signal through the oscillator circuit. The frequency of the reference signal is higher than the frequency of the output signal.

Abstract: Commercial thermoplastic clean flame retardant materials in wire and cable insulation are mechanically unstable due to high filler loading. In the present invention, thermoplastic, black color, clean flame retardant composition using carbon nano tubes (CNT) is made. The resultant compositions possess very low smoke and toxicity. CNT with outer diameter of 40-60 nm and length of under 20 ?m are used to increase mechanical properties and flame retardancy. Thermo plastically extruded composition consists of each component by parts by weight as follows: 100 of resin (polyolefin or 100 of polyolefin/ethylene propylene diene monomer (EPDM)), 90-150 of non halogen containing flame retardants, 1-20 of auxiliary secondary flame retardant agents, 2-4 of CNT (outer diameter of 40-60 nm) and length under 20 ?m and 0.2-1.0 of antioxidants. A reliable method for producing thermoplastic black color clean flame retardant insulation material for wire and cable without deterioration of mechanical properties is discussed.

Abstract: An automated headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry for the determination of four N-nitrosoamines in groundwater samples is developed. Response surface methodology technique was employed to investigate the optimized extraction conditions of headspace solid-phase microextraction using CombiPAL autosampler. The method was applied to determine the N-nitrosamine concentrations in groundwater samples.

Abstract: The flexible belt evaporator employs an endless woven textile belt serving as a carrier for saline or otherwise contaminated water for evaporation of the water therefrom, and also serves as the evaporator surface. Mechanical equipment immersed in the saltwater and corresponding maintenance difficulties are largely avoided by placing most or all belt rollers clear of the liquid water tank of the system. Saltwater or contaminated water is sprayed onto the belt from above. The continuing passage of the belt about the exposed rollers results in water evaporation from the belt. Scale and residue buildup on the belt is removed by passing the belt through a wash tank. The wash tank preferably contains an ultrasonic generator to produce ultrasonic energy for removal of residue from the textile belt. The flexible belt evaporator system may be applied to evaporative cooling systems, humidifying systems, and salt or residue recovery systems.

Abstract: An extruder is disclosed, and more particularly, to an integrated single screw extruder and a twin screw extruder for mixing, compounding, kneading and/or extruding of materials. The integrated extruder includes a first barrel assembly and a second barrel assembly. The integrated extruder further includes a first screw having a first threaded portion and a second threaded portion. The first threaded portion is housed within the first barrel assembly and is configured to provide upstream material processing. The second threaded portion is housed within the second barrel assembly and is configured to provide downstream material processing. The integrated extruder further includes a second screw having a non-threaded shaft portion and a threaded portion. The threaded portion of the second screw is housed within the second barrel assembly and is configured to provide the downstream material processing with the second threaded portion of the first screw.

Abstract: A method of fabricating templated semiconductor nanowires on a surface of a semiconductor substrate for use in semiconductor device applications is provided. The method includes controlling the spatial placement of the semiconductor nanowires by using an oxygen reactive seed material. The present invention also provides semiconductor structures including semiconductor nanowires. In yet another embodiment, patterning of a compound semiconductor substrate or other like substrate which is capable of forming a compound semiconductor alloy with an oxygen reactive element during a subsequent annealing step is provided. This embodiment provides a patterned substrate that can be used in various applications including, for example, in semiconductor device manufacturing, optoelectronic device manufacturing and solar cell device manufacturing.

Abstract: This invention relates a process for preparing MTT zeolites which process includes the preparation of a sol-gel from an aluminate solution, mixing a structure directing agent with the sol-gel to form a structure directing mixture, mixing a silica with the structure directing mixture to form a reaction mixture, heating the reaction mixture in a microwave reactor to form an initial zeolite, and removing the structure directing agent to form the MTT zeolite. The invention also relates to MTT zeolites produced by the process, including ZSM-23 zeolites, as well as zeolite membranes, coating and catalysts.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for separating submicron fraction of carbon nano-materials. The method includes grinding of the carbon nano-materials. Upon grinding, the carbon nano-materials are mixed in water to prepare a mixture. The mixture is then treated in an ultrasonic bath to prepare a suspension. The suspension is allowed to undergo a liquid sedimentation. After the liquid sedimentation, a supernatant is collected and filtered to obtain a solid residue of the submicron fraction of the carbon nano-materials.

Abstract: The dihydroquinone derivatives of piperidine and piperazine are 7-piperazinyl and 7-piperadinyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2(1H)-ones that exhibit D2 and 5-HT1A receptor binding affinities, making them suitable for use as the active ingredient of pharmaceuticals for the treatment of schizophrenia. The derivatives have the general formula: where X is carbon or nitrogen and R is a group selected from a through f having the formula: or a pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof. The piperazine compounds are prepared by condensing 4-bromo-2-nitro-benzonitrile with 1-Boc-piperazine (1-tert-butoxycarbonyl-piperazine) to form an intermediate that is converted to a piperazinyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2(1H)-one. Subsequent reductive amination with the biarylaldehydes a through f completes the synthesis of the 7-piperadinyl-3,4-dihydroquinazolin-2(1H)-ones.

Abstract: The fully integrated DC offset compensation servo feedback loop is an integrator that measures the output signal DC component, and then feeds back and subtracts the measured DC component from the input signal. A larger integrator time constant lowers the high pass corner frequency, which must be very small in order to minimize the loss of the low frequency component of the desired signals. The large time constant is achieved on an integrated circuit by the use of a class-AB fully differential opamp in conjunction with an R-2R ladder as a circuit element to accomplish an integrated large time constant integrator. The R-2R ladder is configured as a digitally programmable resistor.

Abstract: The micro-solid phase extraction of haloacetic acids is a procedure that extracts haloacetic acids from aqueous solution using iron-modified rice husk silica as the stationary phase or sorbent. Rice husks provide an excellent source of silica. The sorbent is prepared by incinerating the husks to produce a powder that is treated with 1.0 M nitric acid for 24 hours to produce rice husk silica. The silica is washed with base, cetyltrimethylammonium bromide is added, and then titrated with a 10% Fe3+ solution to pH 5, which forms a gel. The gel is aged, filtered, dried, and calcined to produce a nitrate-free iron-modified rice husk sorbent. The sorbent is then packaged in porous, heat-sealed polypropylene membrane envelopes and used for extraction of HAAs from water. The HAA analytes are desorbed by ultrasonication in methanol for analysis and quantification.