Abstract: Methods of using individually distinctive patterns of voice characteristics to identify a speaker include computing the reassigned spectrogram of each of at least two voice samples, pruning each reassigned spectrogram to remove noise and other computational artifacts, and comparing (either visually or with the aid of a processor) the strongest points to determine whether the voice samples belong to the same speaker.

Abstract: A fluid control apparatus comprising a housing having a plurality of discrete ports; conduits individually interconnecting the ports and discrete sources of, and receptacles for, fluid; and a valve member positionable in the housing in preselected fluid transferring positions relative to said ports whereby, in a first fluid transferring position, fluid can be transferred by the valve member from one of the fluid sources to one of the fluid receptacles through the ports thereof and, in a second fluid transferring position, fluid can be transferred by the valve member from the one of the fluid receptacles to a second of the fluid receptacles through the ports.

Abstract: An apparatus for collecting material from a mass of the material, the apparatus having a housing for receiving the material; a container for holding the material; and an assembly mounting the housing for movement along a path through the mass of material, for the receipt of a portion of the material within the housing, and toward the container, for the release of the portion of the material into the container.

Abstract: A method for dehydrating vegetive matter including the steps of heating a liquid medium to a predetermined temperature; applying negative pressure to the liquid medium; and placing the matter to be dehydrated in the liquid medium to cause dehydration thereof. An apparatus for dehydrating matter having a vessel having an internal vacuum chamber adapted to receive a liquid medium; a system for applying a negative pressure to said liquid medium; a system for heating the liquid medium; and an assembly for placing matter to be dehydrated in the liquid medium to cause dehydration thereof.

Abstract: A method for collecting percolating fluids including selecting a first location in the formation at which the fluids are to be collected, accessing a second location in the formation laterally disposed relative to the first location, forming a passage extending from the second location into the first location and collecting fluid percolating from the formation into the passage.An apparatus for collecting percolating fluids in a formation including a conduit having an internal passage, a distal end portion and an opposite proximal end portion and at least one opening extending through the conduit into communication with the internal passage.

Abstract: A new and distinctly salt and boron tolerant cultivar of prickly pear (Opuntia ficus-indica), named ‘Seleno-Orange’ is particularly distinguishable by its ability to tolerate and grow in high concentration of salt, boron and selenium-laden soil. The cultigen was originally discovered by stringent selection of randomly harvested cladodes (modified stems) and potentially from isolation of a single unique cladode or sport that exhibited high levels of salt and boron tolerance necessary for survival, and then propagated into the ‘Seleno-Orange’ cultivar. The cladodes were originally randomly harvested from different individual plants and screened from within a naturally segregating wild population or accession. The ‘Seleno-Orange’ cultivar has yellow flowers, mature green cladodes without glochids, and orange fruit.