Abstract: A variable stride exercise apparatus is described. A variable stride exercise apparatus may include a frame. A crank system may be coupled to the frame. A foot member may be coupled to the crank system. The foot member may include a footpad. A variable stride system may be coupled to the foot member. The variable stride system and the foot member may be coupled such that at least a portion of the variable stride system is under at least a portion of the footpad. The variable stride system may allow a user of the apparatus to vary the length of the user's stride during use of the apparatus. The foot of the user may travel in a substantially curvilinear path during use of the apparatus. At least a portion of the apparatus may remain substantially stationary during use.

Abstract: A novel soybean cultivar, designated 0053840, is disclosed. The invention relates to the seeds of soybean cultivar 0053840, to the plants of soybean 0053840 and to methods for producing a soybean plant produced by crossing the cultivar 0053840 with itself or another soybean variety. The invention further relates to hybrid soybean seeds and plants produced by crossing the cultivar 0053840 with another soybean cultivar.

Abstract: This invention relates to an apparatus and method for real-time testing of television picture colors. It can conduct real-time testing and adjusting of colors at various pixels to make tree and grass greener. The apparatus in accordance with the present invention includes a chromatic-coordinate testing circuit and a chromatic-coordinate bias circuit for each set color and configuring them between the television signal output and the video-driving amplifier. The pixel identified by the chromatic-coordinate testing circuit is the pixel to be adjusted. The chromatic-coordinate bias circuit controls and changes the bias current or bias voltage output to the video-driving amplifier in color television sets so that the connected three-color electron gun produces color bias effects on the monitor screen.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pet food product which comprises chicory in an amount which maintains good faeces quality or improves the faeces quality of a pet and/or maintains good gastrointestinal tract health or improves the gastrointestinal health of a pet. It also relates to the use of chicory in achieving these results, a method for achieving them and a process for the preparation of such a pet food product.

Abstract: Disclosed is a smooth muscle cell specific promoter, the SM22&agr; gene promoter as well as the murine cDNA and genomic SM22&agr; nucleic acid sequences. Also disclosed are methods of preventing restenosis following balloon angioplasty and methods of treating asthma based on inhibition of smooth muscle cell proliferation by expressing cell cycle control genes, or contraction inhibiting peptides in smooth muscle cells, under the control of the SM22&agr; promoter.

Abstract: The invention concerns the combined production of sodium peroxide disulphate and soda lye from sodium sulphate. According to the invention, electrolysis is carried out in at least one two-chamber electrolysis cell with cathode and anode chambers separated by a cation-exchanger membrane. The electrolysis temperature is set at between 30 and 70.degree. C., a sodium sulphate solution which is at least 75% saturated at this temperature is introduced into the anode chamber, the sodium ion concentrations are maintained in the range of between 4.5 and 6.0 mol/l and soda lye is extracted from the cathode chamber.