Abstract: A method for inoculating a plant with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, said method comprising administering the nitrogen-fixing bacteria to a wound of a growing plant, for example to recently cut grass. Inoculation in this manner leads to enhanced growth characteristics including increased greenness of grass. Novel compositions suitable for use in the method are also described and claimed, together with kits for producing these.

Abstract: A method for inoculating a plant with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, said method comprising administering the nitrogen-fixing bacteria to a wound of a growing plant, for example to recently cut grass. Inoculation in this manner leads to enhanced growth characteristics including increased greenness of grass. Novel compositions suitable for use in the method are also described and claimed, together with kits for producing these.

Abstract: A method for inoculating a plant with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, said method comprising administering the nitrogen-fixing bacteria to a wound of a growing plant, for example to recently cut grass. Inoculation in this manner leads to enhanced growth characteristics including increased greenness of grass. Novel compositions suitable for use in the method are also described and claimed, together with kits for producing these.

Abstract: A strain of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd) characterised by the presence of at least one nucleic acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS 1-10 or variants or paralogues thereof and/or the presence of a single plasmid of about 17566 bp in size. Such strains, exemplified by IMI504853, are useful in agriculture, in particular as they are able to colonise plants intracellularly.

Abstract: A method for inoculating a plant with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, said method comprising administering the nitrogen-fixing bacteria to a wound of a growing plant, for example to recently cut grass. Inoculation in this manner leads to enhanced growth characteristics including increased greenness of grass. Novel compositions suitable for use in the method are also described and claimed, together with kits for producing these.

Abstract: A strain of Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd) characterised by the presence of at least one nucleic acid sequence selected from SEQ ID NOS 1-10 or variants or paralogues thereof and/or the presence of a single plasmid of about 17566 bp in size. Such strains, exemplified by IMI504853, are useful in agriculture, in particular as they are able to colonise plants intracellularly.

Abstract: The invention provides a diagnostic kit comprising means to determine the presence in a sample of preferred strains the nitrogen-fixing bacteria Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus (Gd) which are based upon the finding that such strains comprises unique nucleic acid sequences and other features, that are detectable, even in the presence of plant genomic DNA. Methods for using the kits in agriculture are also described and claimed.

Abstract: A method for introducing a plant growth mediating entity or substance into plants and in particular a nitrogen-fixing bacteria into plant cell, said method comprising administering said plant growth mediating entity or substance into plants to a plant in combination with a strain of Terribacillus. Compositions and bacteria for use in the method form a further aspect of the invention.

Abstract: A method for inoculating a plant with a nitrogen-fixing bacteria such as Gluconacetobacter diazotrophicus, said method comprising administering the nitrogen-fixing bacteria to a wound of a growing plant, for example to recently cut grass. Inoculation in this manner leads to enhanced growth characteristics including increased greenness of grass. Novel compositions suitable for use in the method are also described and claimed, together with kits for producing these.

Abstract: Online betting systems are disclosed in which a number of players may offer and accept bets online on the outcome of events, for example sporting events. Each player may be both offering bets and accepting them. By linking together, in a central server operating the system, databases reflecting betting data relating to bets which have been both offered and accepted, but which are outstanding because the outcome of the event is not yet known, and reflecting account data of the players, a players theoretical exposure at any one time may be calculated, and action taken to update the betting database data if the theoretical exposure would exceed the amount held in the account of the player concerned. By carrying out that calculation ignoring unmatched offers which each player has made, unnecessary restrictions do not need to be placed on the offers made by each player. Once an offer is accepted, however, a fresh calculation is made and this can result in previously existing other offers being deleted.

Abstract: A first printed circuit board has a contact area, and a second printed circuit board has a contact area. An electrically conductive band is to couple the contact area of the first printed circuit board to the contact area of the second printed circuit board. The conductive band may be selected from the group consisting essentially of a band formed from solder, a band coupled by a weld, a band coupled by a wire bond, a band comprising conductive film, and a band comprising conductive rope. The conductive band may couple the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board in a substantially coplanar position.

Abstract: A first printed circuit board has a contact area, and a second printed circuit board has a contact area. An electrically conductive band is to couple the contact area of the first printed circuit board to the contact area of the second printed circuit board. The conductive band may be selected from the group consisting essentially of a band formed from solder, a band coupled by a weld, a band coupled by a wire bond, a band comprising conductive adhesive, a band comprising conductive film, a band comprising conductive tape, and a band comprising conductive rope. The conductive band may couple the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board in a substantially coplanar position.

Abstract: A first printed circuit board has a contact area, and a second printed circuit board has a contact area. An electrically conductive band is to couple the contact area of the first printed circuit board to the contact area of the second printed circuit board. The conductive band may be selected from the group consisting essentially of a band formed from solder, a band coupled by a weld, a band coupled by a wire bond, a band comprising conductive adhesive, a band comprising conductive film, a band comprising conductive tape, and a band comprising conductive rope. The conductive band may couple the first printed circuit board and the second printed circuit board in a substantially coplanar position.

Abstract: A compact expansion card to replace an Extended Industry Standard Architecture (EISA) card. An EISA card has an edge connector of 188 pins of a given width and a given gap between pins, in 5.5 inches, two rows on a front of the EISA card and two rows on a back of the EISA card. The 188 pins include 157 signal pins, 10 pins dedicated to a +5 volt supply, and 18 pins dedicated to ground. The compact expansion card has an edge connector of 162 pins in 4.5 inches in two rows, one row of 81 pins on a front of the compact card and one row of 81 pins on a back of the compact card, a gap between each of the 162 pins being the same as the given gap between pins of the EISA card. The 162 pins include 157 signal pins, one +5 volt pin dedicated to a +5 volt supply, and one ground pin dedicated to ground. The 157 signal pins are of the same given width as the 157 signal pins of the EISA card.

Abstract: A manifold expansion card connector on the motherboard of a personal computer. The computer connector comprises a base, there being a number of pins in the base. An upper portion has three sockets, each socket having connectors therein that are connected to the pins. A first socket is oriented in a plane horizontal to the plane of the pins. A second socket is oriented in a plane vertical to the plane of the pins. A third socket is oriented in a plane at an angle, such as 45 degrees, to the plane of the pins. Two of the connectors placed side by side provide for six add-in cards in a computer that has two different buses, such as a PCI bus and an ISA bus. In a computer with a single bus, such as a PCI bus or an ISA bus, a single manifold expansion card connector provides for seven cards with a single multi-pin connector to the bus.

Abstract: A computer mother board is housed in a chassis that has a number of expansion board guides along a back panel of the chassis and a power supply with a cooling fan. The mother board is rectangular with its short dimension being 8 inches and its long dimension being as 13 inches so that it fits into the chassis of existing computers. The motherboard is positioned in the chassis such that the long dimension is along the back panel of the chassis, which means that the motherboard is rotated 90 degrees from the orientation of conventional motherboards. The short dimension accommodates a number of expansion card connector sockets perpendicular to the long dimension such that the connector sockets are in alignment with the expansion board guides along the back panel of the chassis. A central processing unit socket is located near the power supply fan for more efficient cooling.