Abstract: The system includes electrolyzers to generate acidic and alkaline effluent streams from saltwater. The electrolyzer include stacked pairs of porous anodes and cathodes that define feed channels into which reactants, e.g., hydrogen and brine, can be pumped to undergo an oxidation-reduction reaction. The porous cathode carries out the HER to generate H2, which floats upwards to the porous anode, where it is oxidized through the HOR. The reaction can thus progress in a self-maintaining manner. The HER creates an alkaline product stream with increased basicity, and the HOR an acidic product stream with increased acidity, compared to the inlet stream. Streams are pumped through the porous electrodes and the electrolyzer to sweep effluent through separate channels before they can combine. The alkaline product stream can have an alkalinity sufficient to drive metal ion precipitation in raw saltwater prior to feeding to the electrolyzer to reduce fouling/degradation of electrolyzer electrodes.

Abstract: A system for treatment of brines includes one or more membrane-less electrolyzers. An influent flow chamber flows an influent stream to a porous anode and cathode. electrochemical reactions at the anode and cathode result in acidic and alkaline effluent streams respectively, including liquid and gaseous streams. The alkaline effluent can be combined with a brine feed stream, resulting in precipitation of alkali earth metals cations by reaction with hydroxyls to form alkali earth metal hydroxides (M(OH)2, M=Mg2+, Ca2+). These M(OH)2 are of interest as a carbon-free feedstock material for cement manufacturing. Additionally, carbon dioxide, such as from flue gas, can be combined with the alkaline effluent to form alkali earth metal carbonates or be concentrated and released upon neutralization of carbon dioxide saturated alkaline effluent with the acidic effluent.

Abstract: A method for performing a calculation operation to grade and catalog the repeatability of an author's technical or instructional publication or some sub-portion thereof, comprising: a first step of collecting data from a user or users with experience in said publication's replication; a second step of converting the elements of the data to numerical quantities; a third step of calculating a weighting function for that user or users and a weighting function for the author; a fourth step of multiplying elements or subsets of the data by a weighting function that may amplify or diminish the value of the data; a fifth step of aggregating the weighted subsets of data into one or more values; and a sixth step of weighting and averaging the data with historical data, if any.

Abstract: A two-handed crank action exercise device includes a crank mechanism that is supported at a spaced elevation above ground level, and features a crank arm radiating outwardly away from a rotational axis and a hand grip carried on the crank arm at a radial distance from the rotational axis for manual grasping by a user to drive rotation of the crank arm. An adjustable resistance mechanism is coupled to the crank mechanism to provide an adjustable amount of resistance to said crank mechanism. The hand grip is of sufficient length to enable simultaneous manual grasping thereof by both hands of said user for two-handed operation of said crank mechanism.

Abstract: A method for performing a calculation operation to grade and catalog the repeatability of an author's technical or instructional publication or some sub-portion thereof, comprising: a first step of collecting data from a user or users with experience in said publication's replication; a second step of converting the elements of the data to numerical quantities; a third step of calculating a weighting function for that user or users and a weighting function for the author; a fourth step of multiplying elements or subsets of the data by a weighting function that may amplify or diminish the value of the data; a fifth step of aggregating the weighted subsets of data into one or more values; and a sixth step of weighting and averaging the data with historical data, if any.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for database virtualization. A virtualized database is designed by receiving a user selection of one or more existing databases for virtualization; receiving a user selection of a target virtualization platform host profile for the virtualized database; receiving a user selection of a target virtualization storage profile for the virtualized database; and providing the user with a comparison of an actual performance of the selected existing database and a projected performance of the existing database on the selected target virtualization platform host. A user can specify a backup and recovery profile for the virtualized database. Metadata affinity can optionally be analyzed for a plurality of the selected existing databases to identify an affinity correlation across the selected existing databases. Templates and/or configuration files can be generated for the selected target virtualization environment (optionally based on rule-based best practices).

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for generating a database layout. A layout for a database is generated by receiving a user specification of a database vendor, purpose and environment for the database; receiving a user configuration of layout options for the database in a context of the given database vendor and purpose and for an indicated protection type; receiving a user selection of a storage profile for the database; and determining a correct size and product model for storing the database with the configured layout based on a quantitative profile factor assigned to the database vendor, purpose and environment and a quantitative layout factor assigned to the protection type. The quantitative profile factor can be based on a target layout complexity factor. The quantitative layout factor can be based on whether specified file types need to be stored on one or more tiers of a tiered storage system.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus are provided for obtaining database performance snapshots. Performance data for one or more databases on a host is obtained by obtaining a host burden rating based on one or more of processing, network and input/out statistics of the host; determining a spawn limit based on the host burden rating; and spawning one or more scripts within the spawn limit, wherein each of the scripts collect performance data for a given database and is selected based on a database type of the given database. The host burden rating is a quantitative measure based on a sum of the processing, network and input/out statistics of the host. The collected performance data can be presented to a user in a graphical user interface and/or stored in a repository. The presented collected performance data for a given database comprises, for example, a score and/or a health assessment indicator based on predefined thresholds.

Abstract: Devices and methods for photovoltaic electrolysis are disclosed. A device comprises a photovoltaic cell element and an electrolysis compartment. The photovoltaic cell element is configured to convert a portion of solar energy into electrical energy and to pass another portion of the solar energy. The electrolysis compartment includes an aqueous electrolyte positioned to receive the other portion of the solar energy and electrodes electrically connected to receive the electrical energy produced by the photovoltaic cell element. A method comprises receiving solar energy with a photovoltaic cell element, converting a portion of the solar energy into electrical energy, passing another portion of the solar energy through the photovoltaic cell element, receiving with an aqueous electrolyte the other portion of the solar energy, transmitting the electrical energy generated by the photovoltaic cell element to a pair of electrodes, and electrolyzing the aqueous electrolyte with the pair of electrodes.

Abstract: Systems and techniques for providing calling information and features to a wireless telephone are described. A server hosting directory information and commands used to implement calling features establishes a packet data connection to a wireless device. The wireless device uses the packet data connection to locate and retrieve desired calling information and commands. The calling information is used by the wireless device initiate a voice connection to a telephone identified by the calling information. The commands are executed by the wireless device in order to implement calling features provided by the system in which the wireless device is used.

Abstract: A system and method for restoring an operating N module redundant NMR) processors when one or more processors is in an out-of-service state. This NMR system comprises N processors each having an individual memory system. An interconnection network is configured to receive data from all N processors, and N voters are connected between the interconnection network and each of the N processors to receive data from the interconnection network and vote on data destined for the N processors. Writes of data from the active processors are rerouted to the interconnection network. Advantageously, there are registers in the interconnection network corresponding to each processor. These registers receive the data from their corresponding processors, and then send the data to all of the voters. The data is voted on and sent to all N processors. Thus, the memories of the out-of-service processors are restored with the active processors while the active processors continue to operate.

Abstract: An I/O interface (24) couples a plurality of I/O devices (29) to a main memory (22) by way of a system bus (23). The I/O interface includes a plurality of buffer blocks (110) permanently associated with one or more memory pages (240). Each page is contiguous within the memory address spectrum and includes a plurality of memory blocks (230). Under control of a sequencer (125), the buffer blocks temporarily store data items being transferred between the memory and the devices. Data items being transferred between any and all devices and a particular memory page are temporarily stored by that page's associated buffer block and no other buffer block. The sequencer accumulates in a buffer block a plurality of data items being transferred by a device to memory by successive write requests, and causes a direct memory access (DMA) conveyance of the buffer contents to the memory upon occurrence of any one of a number of events.