Abstract: A hydroponic apparatus configured to grow a plant having a taproot and a branch root includes: a plant support body configured to support the plant; a taproot irrigation part configured to spray a liquid in a form of mist onto the taproot; a deep-flow nutrient solution in which the branch root is soaked; and a liquid fertilizer concentration management sensor configure to detect a concentration of the deep-flow nutrient solution. Referring to the detected concentration, the hydroponic apparatus controls at least one a concentration of the liquid sprayed from the taproot irrigation part and the concentration of the deep-flow nutrient solution.

Abstract: Ring backs are provided for calls. When a call is placed to a called address, a ring back may be provided to a calling address. However, the ring back may be personalized to appeal to the calling address and/or to the called address.

Abstract: A lock mechanism for a motor vehicle ignition switch comprises a housing defining a barrel and a locking cylinder fitted for rotation in the barrel. A cap is fitted over one end of the housing capturing a frangible lock insert between the housing and cap. The frangible lock insert includes an electrically conductive pathway between radially displaced connection points on the rim of the insert. A circuit includes the electrically conductive pathway which is interrupted by disintegration of the frangible lock insert. Such disintegration occurs upon efforts to tamper with the lock mechanism or application of brute force to the sensor.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and products determine electromagnetic reflective characteristics of ambient environments. A wireless communications device sends a cellular impulse and receives reflections of the cellular impulse. The cellular impulse and the reflections of the cellular impulse may be compared to determine the electromagnetic reflective characteristics of an ambient environment.

Abstract: Pre-delivery authentication may be required prior to routing and delivery of electronic content. A sender of the electronic content, for example, may require that a recipient authenticate to ensure legitimate use or identity. Should pre-delivery authentication be required, the electronic content is held at any networked device while the recipient authenticates. If the recipient correctly authenticates, then the electronic content is released for delivery.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods are disclosed. An agent resides in a mobile communication device. The agent detects Proximity-based Mobile Malware Propagation. The agent injects one or more trigger network connections in the candidate connection list. These connections appear as legitimate networks and devices, but instead trigger connection to an agent server on a service provider's network. By attempting to connect through the trigger network connection, the malware reveals itself. The system helps collect the malware signature within a short period of time after the malware outbreak in local areas, though such attacks typically bypass network based security inspection in the network.

Abstract: This disclosure provides a method and system for determining recommendations for vehicle operation that reduce soot production in view of a diesel particulate filter (DPF) of an exhaust aftertreatment system. Recommendations generated can reduce excessive particulate matter (PM) production during transient engine events and provide for operating conditions favorable for passive regeneration. In this way, less frequent active regeneration of the DPF is needed and/or more opportunities are provided for passive regeneration. The system and method can utilize location and terrain information to anticipate and project a window of operation in view of reducing soot production and soot loading of the DPF, or provide the operator with instruction when such opportunities are present or will soon be encountered.

Abstract: A method is provided for redirecting a call initiated from a portable communication device. The method includes screening calls initiated from the portable communication device, and on the portable communication device, automatically redirecting the call initiated from the portable communication device from a normal communication network to a specified service provider communication network when the screening determines that the call matches predetermined criteria. The method also includes authenticating a user account, executing a visual IVR application that visually interacts with a user of the portable communication device upon authentication of the account, and forwarding the redirected call via a communication network to an alternate system when the authentication of the account fails.

Abstract: Prognostic and diagnostic methods based on somatic microsatellite variability measurements are described. Somatic microsatellite variability measurements can be used to identify defects in DNA repair pathways in a biological sample and to predict or identify one or more pathologies. The methods may statistically compare somatic microsatellite variability between a sample from a cell line or subject with that of a reference sample with defined pathological characteristics and/or defined lesions in DNA repair pathways. The methods are useful for determining the probability that an individual may develop a pathology, such as a cancer, within a specific time frame, and/or are useful as a diagnostic test. The methods have clinical utility in that somatic variability can be evaluated and/or measured as an indication of the amount of genomic instability (e.g., microsatellite and non-microsatellite/SNP), which can then be used as a clinical diagnostic to make clinical decisions, especially in the area of cancer.

Abstract: A non-secure display area and a secure display area are set on a screen of a display section of a touch panel TP. A non-secure input area and a secure input area are set on a detection surface of a touch input detector of the touch panel TP. In settlement processing, in a display area where the non-secure display area and the secure display area are overlapped, amount information is displayed. A message for urging authentication information input and a PIN pad are displayed in the secure display area. An operator can safely input PIN information to secure the input area through the PIN pad displayed in the secure display area. Even when the secure portion and the non-secure portion are present together, the settlement terminal device can secure the security of input authentication information or the like to suppress the operator's mistake or incorrect operation.

Abstract: In a payment terminal device, a plurality of APIs are called with the execution of a payment application, and have individual functions. Monitor statistics monitor a call procedure of APIs which are used with the execution of the payment application. A statistics accumulator accumulates a history of the call procedure of the APIs. A determiner determines the validity of the call procedure of the APIs monitored by the monitor statistics based on the call history of the APIs accumulated in the statistics accumulator.

Abstract: In a settlement system, a credit card determination unit collates an input card number with negative data of an acquirer or a settlement processor which is accumulated in a negative data table of an acquirer or a settlement processor and store's internal negative data accumulated in a store's internal negative data table, and determines whether or not the settlement process is executable by using the input card number based on the collation result. In a case where a negative data updating unit updates the store's internal negative data by itself, a communication unit distributes the updated store's internal negative data to other settlement terminal devices. In addition, the communication unit receives the updated store's internal negative data from the other settlement terminal devices.

Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for managing a distributed database. A data management application can obtain a query. The data management application can analyze the query to determine a number of data structures relevant to the query. The data management application also can analyze data stores storing the data structures and move or assign data structures to other data stores within a distributed database. The movement of the data structures within the distributed database can be based upon greedy algorithms for moving data and/or executing queries.

Abstract: A vehicle power system includes a plurality of power distribution divisions, a rechargeable energy storage system, switching devices for connection of the power distribution divisions to the rechargeable energy storage system, a plurality of loads energized from the power distribution divisions, a control network including nodes for control over the loads and the switching devices, a mobile transponder and a transceiver which is connected to the controller area network and which provides for communicating with the transponder. Sensors monitored by the controller area network and proximity of the mobile transponder determine a state for vehicle power distribution system.

Abstract: Concepts and technologies are disclosed herein for personal virtual core networks. A processor executing a network access service can determine if the user device should be isolated from a core network that provides devices at a location with connectivity. If the processor determines that the user device should be isolated, the processor can identify resources supporting the connectivity. The resources can include network resources and the core network. The processor can create a virtual core network to support the connectivity, and activate the virtual core network.

Abstract: An audio processing system, includes: an audio collector that collects audio in a non-directivity state using audio collection elements; an operator receives an input of one or more designation directions for audio emphasis for switching from the non-directivity state to a directivity state; an emphasis processor that generates audio data in the directivity state obtained by performing an emphasis process on the audio data in the designation direction from the audio collector using audio data collected by the audio collector according to the input of the designation direction; a volume adjustor that adjusts volume of the audio data in a directivity state; and an audio output that outputs the audio in a non-directivity state collected by the audio collector or the audio in a directivity state after the volume has been adjusted by the volume adjustor.

Abstract: The invention provides herbicide combinations and the use of herbicide combinations for controlling harmful plants in cereal crops wherein the herbicide combination in question comprises (A) a herbicide from the group of glufosinate derivatives of the formula (A1) in which Z represents hydroxyl, —NHCH(CH3)CONHCH(CH3)COOH or —NHCH(CH3)CONHCH[CH2CH(CH3)2]COOH, or an ester or salt thereof, and (B) a herbicide from the group of carboxylic acid derivatives of the formula (B1) in which X represents N or CH and R represents CO2H or a herbicidally active derivative thereof, and the cereal crops are tolerant, if appropriate in the presence of safeners, to the herbicides (A) and (B) present in the combination.

Abstract: The novel active compound combinations comprising 2-[2-(1-chlorocyclopropyl)-3-(2-chlorophenyl)-2-hydroxypropyl]-2,4-dihydro-[1,2,4]-triazole-3-thione of the formula and the active compound of groups (1) to (24) listed in the description have very good fungicidal properties.

Abstract: The pressing tool and the ACF tape cutting device are linked and connected with each other by a link device, and the forcing member is caused to move relatively towards and away from the knife member by lifting up and down the pressing tool so as to form a cut. By allowing the tool lifting device to double as a drive device for causing the forcing member to move relatively towards and away from the knife member, the necessity of the actuator of the ACF tape cutting device which is needed in the related art tape adhering device can be obviated.

Abstract: A method includes receiving from a client device at a client interface application a request to access an application, determining whether the application is external to a communication network, redirecting the request to an external communication server when the application is external to the communication network, sending the request from the external communication server to the application that is external to the communication network, receiving information from the application that is external to the communication network at the external communication server responsive to sending the request, and replicating a screen of the external communication server containing the information received from the application for display at the client interface application.