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

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

Abstract: A structure and method for chemical sensing utilizing microassays. Microcavities or micropores are combined with assay techniques to provide a very fast and very sensitive means of detecting chemical compounds. Assay techniques are modified to include a metal ion binding carrier species especially suitable for use in conjunction with the electrochemical detection. This allows assays to be combined with electrochemical analysis, thus allowing the high speed ease and hypersensitivity available in the invention disclosed herein.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to herbicide resistant N2 fixing bacteria. The bacteria are useful for effecting N2 fixation, nodulation, growth and yield of herbicide resistant or tolerant leguminous plants treated with herbicide. The bacteria are particularly useful for providing competitive advantage to superior N2 fixing rhizobial strains over non-resistant indigenous rhizobia for nodulation of herbicide resistant or tolerant leguminous plants.

Abstract: There is disclosed a partially transparent, directional viewing sheet formed of plastic material with convex and concave lenses of elliptical cross-section, preferably lenticular lenses, formed respectively on the front and back surfaces of the sheet, there being intervening spaces with convex surfaces between the concave lenses which spaces are not transparent to images and may be imprinted with an image that is viewable through the sheet from some directions. Preferably the concave lens focal length is typically about one-half of the focal length of the convex lens. Elliptical cross-section of the lenses minimizes spherical aberration and sharpens the focus. The thickness of the sheet causes focal points of the lenses to substantially coincide producing the effect of a tiny Galilean telescope.

Abstract: Microfluidic channels utilizing magnetohydrodynamics are used to pump very small volumes of solution. The channels have electrodes along the walls of the channel and a current carrying species within the solution carries the current through the solution. The electric field generated by the use of the current carrying species is perpendicular to a magnetic field applied to the channel. The combination of the electric and magnetic fields causes the solution to flow through the channel.

Abstract: The invention addresses the above referenced need in the art. In particular, the invention provides an improved method for automatic chick sexing. Under regular lighting, the color intensity of down and feather of baby chicks are essentially the same and it is difficult to separate the feathers in the image. By using UV light, the optical system significantly enhanced the feathers by suppressing the downs in images. It produced clear feather signals for subsequent identification and allocation of feathers in the image. The feather image segments could be obtained through thresholding with any value from 200 to 230 on the 255 maximum intensity scale. Important features of the invention include a video camera, special lighting, an image processing system and a computer for analysis. The digital video camera captures a clear image of chick wings using selected light wavelengths including long UV wavelengths) and particularly wavelengths from 250 nanometers to 450 nanometers.

Abstract: There is disclosed a partially transparent, directional viewing sheet formed of plastic material with convex and concave lenses of elliptical cross-section, preferably lenticular lenses, formed respectively on the front and back surfaces of the sheet, there being intervening spaces with convex surfaces between the concave lenses which spaces are not transparent to images and may be imprinted with an image that is viewable through the sheet from some directions. Preferably the concave lens focal length is typically about one-half of the focal length of the convex lens. Elliptical cross-section of the lenses minimizes spherical aberration and sharpens the focus. The thickness of the sheet causes focal points of the lenses to substantially coincide producing the effect of a tiny Galilean telescope.

Abstract: There is disclosed a solar energy control film and a siding panel to which such film is applied, the film having a multiplicity of lenticular lenses formed on one side thereof which are preferable about one-tenth to one millimeter wide and having on the surface opposite to that with the lenticular lenses an array of masking indentations in register with the lenticular lenses so that the film is effectively transparent for the passage of light (solar radiation passing through to an absorbing heat collector) only for rays impinging on a structure at prescribed elevation angles. Typically the masking indentations would be arranged to pass light at a low elevation angle corresponding to wintertime solar elevation at the latitude at which the structure is located. In particular embodiments, the indentations in the film are rendered non-transparent by being filled with a liquid or semi-liquid material including pigments or dyes to impart opacity, and in most cases reflectivity, to the material.

Abstract: A steering system in an all-terrain four-wheeled vehicle with independent suspension wherein necessary forces for wheels to respond to steering control is supplied by fluid pressure or electrical actuators mounted parallel to the suspension arm between vehicle frame and wheel control arm, steering control by the driver being by manipulation of right and/or left steering levers eliminating the need of steering wheel and steering column in front of the driver. The steering actuators are independent and there is no tracking rod or other linkage for coordinating their turning angles; rather, close coordination of the wheel turning angles for achieving the Ackerman angle relation or other non-linear turning angle relation between the wheels is by a now-linear linkage between left and right steering levers or elsewhere or by a computer control for electric actuators.

Abstract: There is disclosed a partially transparent, directional viewing sheet formed of plastic material with lenses, preferably lenticular lenses, formed on both the front and the back surfaces of the sheet, there being on at least one of the surfaces intervening spaces between the lenses which spaces are not fully transparent and may be imprinted with an image that is viewable through the sheet from some directions. Preferably such lenses separated by non-transparent intervening spaces are concave lenses with a radius of curvature which is less than the radius of curvature of convex lenses, on the other surface, causing the concave lens focal length to be less than, typically about one-half of, the focal length of the convex lenses. The thickness of the sheet and hence the spacing between each concave lens and a corresponding convex lens causes the lenses axial spacing to be about the difference in focal lengths of the lenses producing the effect of a tiny Galilean telescope.