Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for accelerated ergonomic collection of capillary blood. An apparatus and system include a blood collection module with a proximal portion including a vacuum generation chamber, a distal portion including a blood collection chamber, a concave mid portion including a pressure equalization channel configured to equalize reduced air pressure. The apparatus further includes a sealing surface to stably seal the blood collection module to the skin around a collection site and a slide latch actuated by a lengthwise sliding motion. Also included is a lancet carrier with linearly-arranged lancet strips to puncture rows of blood extraction slits in the collection site. The apparatus also includes an angled transfer port with a low-resistance non-microfluidic blood flow channel to a transfer module, then to a plasma separation module with a multilayer laminate and plasma separation membrane. Methods for accelerated ergonomic collection of capillary blood are disclosed.

Abstract: Apparatuses, methods, and systems are disclosed for accelerated ergonomic collection of capillary blood. An apparatus and system include a blood collection module with a proximal portion including a vacuum generation chamber, a distal portion including a blood collection chamber, a concave mid portion including a pressure equalization channel configured to equalize reduced air pressure. The apparatus further includes a sealing surface to stably seal the blood collection module to the skin around a collection site and a slide latch actuated by a lengthwise sliding motion. Also included is a lancet carrier with linearly-arranged lancet strips to puncture rows of blood extraction slits in the collection site. The apparatus also includes an angled transfer port with a low-resistance non-microfluidic blood flow channel to a transfer module, then to a plasma separation module with a multilayer laminate and plasma separation membrane. Methods for accelerated ergonomic collection of capillary blood are disclosed.

Abstract: A small batch canning system, comprising of a jar holder sized to receive and hold a plurality of canning jars and a lifting device having a pair of handles and an engagement surface integral with the pair of handles. The lifting device is vertically moveable about the jar holder from a lower position spaced apart from the jar holder to a raised position engaged with the jar holder.

Abstract: An automatic pressure canning appliance for high-acid recipes has pre-programmed canning recipe programs (i.e., pre-determined times and temperatures) with which it has been programmed to can the high-acid food that the user wishes to can. A user selects the canning recipe program for the food to be canned via a canning recipe program input on a control panel of the appliance. The appliance processes the food to be canned (which is in jars in the appliance) in a pure steam environment for a pre-programmed processing time of the selected canning recipe program.

Abstract: A canning jar band tool for facilitating closure of a home canning jar closure system is provided, wherein the home canning jar closure system includes a disk-shaped lid and a separate annular screw-threaded closure band. The canning closure tool includes a head assembly for releasably gripping a closure band. The canning closure tool also includes a handle assembly. A torsion limit assembly couples the head assembly to the handle assembly. The torsion limit assembly is configured to facilitate selective pivoting movement of the handle assembly relative to the head assembly. The head assembly includes a head tool coupled to the handle assembly. The head assembly also includes a split band compression ring pivotably coupled to the head tool for pivoting between a nested position within the head tool and a deployed position for facilitating positioning of the band compression ring frame around a canning jar closure band.

Abstract: An automatic jam and jelly maker has a base assembly having a motor, a heater subassembly, a user interface, and a control module. The automatic jam and jelly maker also has a pot assembly removably receivable on the base assembly, a stirrer assembly removably receivable in the pot, a colander removably receivable in the pot, and a lid assembly removably receivable on a lip retaining lip of the colander. The automatic jam and jelly maker has a cook mode used to make jam or jelly in which the stirrer assembly is received in the pot and rotated and ingredients are heated. The cook mode includes a jam mode and a jelly mode. The automatic jam and jelly maker may also include a steam mode used to extract juice from fruit.

Abstract: A pair of spring-biased pivoting levers is provided with a pair of flexible elastic grips. Each grip is contoured to conform to the surface of a jar and to elastically deform around a jar as a user squeezes the levers together. Each grip can be formed with an arcuate groove for receiving an annular rib commonly formed on canning jars.

Abstract: A small batch canning system, comprising of a jar holder sized to receive and hold a plurality of canning jars and a lifting device having a pair of handles and an engagement surface integral with the pair of handles. The lifting device is vertically moveable about the jar holder from a lower position spaced apart from the jar holder to a raised position engaged with the jar holder.

Abstract: In one implementation, a system for managing Groups in a Unix environment includes a group management engine and an NIS converter. A group information database stores information about Groups and their Members. The group management engine receives commands from Administrators of a Group to change attributes of Members in the Group. It accesses the database and makes the requested changes. The information in the database is not in an NIS-compatible format. The NIS converter accesses the database and generates an NIS group file that describes a Group and its Members in a format that is NIS-compatible. For example, the NIS group file can be incorporated into the master NIS group map using the #Include# <filename> construct.

Abstract: In one implementation, a system for managing Groups in a Unix environment includes a group management engine and an NIS converter. A group information database stores information about Groups and their Members. The group management engine receives commands from Administrators of a Group to change attributes of Members in the Group. It accesses the database and makes the requested changes. The information in the database is not in an NIS-compatible format. The NIS converter accesses the database and generates an NIS group file that describes a Group and its Members in a format that is NIS-compatible.

Abstract: A pair of spring-biased pivoting levers is provided with a pair of flexible elastic grips. Each grip is contoured to conform to the surface of a jar and to elastically deform around a jar as a user squeezes the levers together. Each grip can be formed with an arcuate groove for receiving an annular rib commonly formed on canning jars.