Abstract:
A centrally tracked artificial currency is provided within the context of an enterprise. This currency serves as a unit of account, medium of exchange, and store of value in a corporate “attention economy.” Users (typically coworkers) in the enterprise are allotted a base number of currency units, which they can earn, exchange, and spend in a variety of ways to signal importance and “purchase” attention of others, or priority for other organization resources. In one aspect, senders of messages can specify an amount of currency to be associated with the message, so that recipients can see the specified amount before deciding whether to read the message. Once such a system is in use, it facilitates exchange of value based on user-created transactions regarding behavior, communication, resources, incentives, and priorities.
Abstract:
A composite material and a method of making a composite material that includes: a polyolefin; polyvinyl chloride and a compatibilizer, preferably a nanoclay. The polyolefins is preferably polypropylene or polyethylene. In a preferred embodiment, the composite material includes a polypropylene, a polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride and a nanoclay. The nanoclay includes a quaternary ammonium salt based organic group and exfoliates when heated and is most preferably bentonite, smectite, hectorite, sepiolite or montmorillonite.
Abstract:
A centrally tracked artificial currency is provided within the context of an enterprise. This currency serves as a unit of account, medium of exchange, and store of value in a corporate “attention economy.” Users (typically coworkers) in the enterprise are allotted a base number of currency units, which they can earn, exchange, and spend in a variety of ways to signal importance and “purchase” attention of others, or priority for other organization resources. In one aspect, senders of messages can specify an amount of currency to be associated with the message, so that recipients can see the specified amount before deciding whether to read the message. Once such a system is in use, it facilitates exchange of value based on user-created transactions regarding behavior, communication, resources, incentives, and priorities.
Abstract:
The phytoremediation process for removing hazardous metals, such as Be, Cr, Co, Mn, and Ra, from contaminated soil and/or coal fly ash, e.g. in a landfill, includes growing plants in the soil and/or fly ash; incorporating a root growth inducing auxin in the soil and/or fly ash in the vicinity of the growing plants and subsequently cultivating the plants until a predetermined increase in root mass of the plant roots has occurred. The preferred auxin is 3-4-deoxy-glucosamine, which was found to increase plant root mass by 200% to 800%. An organic synthesis using glucosamine as starting material or a bioengineering process starting with commercial micronized shrimp meal and/or crab meal moistened with water can provide the 3-4-deoxy-glucosamine. Economical embodiments of the process use plants that produce marketable products and recovers valuable metals.
Abstract:
Compatibilized blends of two or more polymers may be formed using a quaternary amine treated organoclay. The quaternary amine treated organoclay may be a cloisite. A wide variety of polymeric blends may be formed. Such blends may include polyvinylchloride, ethylene vinyl, acetate, polymethyl methacrylate, styrene acrylonitrile copolymer, polycaprolactone, etc.
Abstract:
A method for controlling the growth of destructive insects and microorganisms in ground soil, includes the step of adding chitin to ground soil for inducing bacteria in the ground soil to synthesize chitinase for controlling the spread of destructive insects and microorganisms therein. The chitin may be added to the ground soil by distributing it on the upper surface of the soil or, preferably, by incorporating into the soil. In a preferred embodiment, the step of deacetylating the carbohydrate chains of the chitin for is carried out before adding to the ground soil for increasing the aqueous solubility of the chitin by producing smaller polymeric units or by increasing the availability of polar hydroxyl groups on glucosyl moieties thereof. Various bacterial cultures may also be added to the chitin prior to its distribution on, or incorporation in, the ground soil. A method for using dried shrimp shells for the production of an economically-viable non-genetically-modified organism-based chitinase lawn and garden fermentation broth, for eventual addition to ground soil for controlling the growth of destructive insects and microorganisms in ground soil, is also provided.
Abstract:
Blends of a non-halogenated, formaldehyde-cured silicone rubber are described. The blend includes magnesium oxide and zinc borate. The compositions exhibit thermal stability at high temperatures as well as improved chemical resistance.
Abstract:
In one embodiment, the invention provides an air movement device having a matrix polymer and nanoparticles. In another embodiment, the invention provides a method of manufacturing an air movement device having dry-mixing about 30% to about 80% by weight matrix polymer and about 2% to about 15% by weight layered clay to form a dry mixture, extruding the mixture to form a polymer nanocomposite, and molding the polymer nanocomposite into an air movement device. In yet another embodiment, the invention provides an air movement device having about 30% to about 80% by weight polypropylene, about 3% to about 10% by weight layered clay, and about 1% to about 10% by weight maleic anhydride grafted polystyrene, wherein the air movement device has a UL 94 5VA flame retardant rating.
Abstract:
A centrally tracked artificial currency is provided within the context of an enterprise. This currency serves as a unit of account, medium of exchange, and store of value in a corporate “attention economy.” Users (typically coworkers) in the enterprise are allotted a base number of currency units, which they can earn, exchange, and spend in a variety of ways to signal importance and “purchase” attention of others, or priority for other organization resources. In one aspect, senders of messages can specify an amount of currency to be associated with the message, so that recipients can see the specified amount before deciding whether to read the message. Once such a system is in use, it facilitates exchange of value based on user-created transactions regarding behavior, communication, resources, incentives, and priorities.
Abstract:
Streptobacillus is grown on purified chitin obtained by fermentation of micronized shrimp or crab shell material and purification using alkaline media. The chitin is biodegraded by the Streptobacillus and produces plant growth hormones or auxins. From 25 to 50% of the biomass is converted to the auxins. Since the soil amendment including the auxins has a low trace metal content, the soil amendment does not contribute to metal uptake by the treated growing plants. For example, Cannabis plants with a reduced trace metal content can be grown in soil media provided with the soil amendment with an 8 to 10 fold increase in root mass and root growth rates in order to comply with legal limits on the content of trace metals in the plants.