Abstract: Disclosed are methods and compositions for producing xylosylated steviol glycosides that include a xylose residue, or an oligosaccharide moiety including a xylose residue, attached to the 19 carbon of the steviol base. A glycosyltransferase having UDP-xylose:19-steviol xylosyltransferase activity (such as one of SEQ ID NO:1 or a homolog or variant thereof) forms the xylosylated steviol glycoside using a steviol glycoside acceptor having a glucose residue attached to the 19 carbon of the steviol base. Glycosyltransferase variants with increased activity are also described.

Abstract: In some embodiments, a method of distributing toy objects is provided. The method includes: providing a toy object and a task identifier, the task identifier identifying a task; receiving, via a website, task-completion input from a user; associating the user with a profile, the profile being associated with the toy object; updating the profile to indicate that the task had been performed; identifying reward criteria; determining whether the reward criteria was met; and, upon determining that the reward criteria was met, initializing distribution of a physical reward.

Abstract: A tilt mechanism is provided for a communication device enabling the communication device to be placed at a desired angular position during use. The tilt mechanism includes a biasing member that allows the user to consistently and easily set the angular position of the phone and without collapse or shifting of the communication device to another position. In the preferred embodiments, the biasing member is in the form of a leaf spring that biases the movement of a user-controlled component for setting the desired angular position.

Abstract: This invention is a surge material having permanent storage properties that results in faster intake and greater saturation capacity and reduced fluid flowback. More specifically the invention is a surge material with a superabsorbent material printed on in a pattern of discrete regions. The objective of the invention is obtained by printing, or other known application process, a liquid superabsorbent precursor solution containing a crosslinkable composition onto a surge material and then curing the printed surge material to crosslink the polymers to get a surge material having discrete regions of superabsorbent material in the surge material. This invention is also useful in making an absorbent core of an absorbent article with improved strength, increased absorbency, and decreased shedding of superabsorbent material.

Abstract: This invention is a surge material having permanent storage properties that results in faster intake and greater saturation capacity and reduced fluid flowback. More specifically the invention is a surge material with a superabsorbent material printed on in a pattern of discrete regions. The objective of the invention is obtained by printing, or other known application process, a liquid superabsorbent precursor solution containing a crosslinkable composition onto a surge material and then curing the printed surge material to crosslink the polymers to get a surge material having discrete regions of superabsorbent material in the surge material. This invention is also useful in making an absorbent core of an absorbent article with improved strength, increased absorbency, and decreased shedding of superabsorbent material.