Abstract: A hydroponic system for cultivation and harvesting of floating aquatic plants is provided. The hydroponic system includes an arrangement of a plurality of vertically-stacked cultivation trays, each tray containing an amount of fluent media on which floating aquatic plants are able to grow. The hydroponic system also includes a media reservoir in which fluent media is contained and subject to treatment before being circulated to the cultivation trays and a harvesting reservoir for receiving aquatic plants grown in the cultivation trays and harvested from the same. The hydroponic system further includes an automated control system that manages media flow into and from the trays and aquatic plant harvesting from the trays. A method of cultivating and harvesting floating aquatic plants is also provided.

Abstract: The present application provides a portable biometric monitor (10) comprising a biometric sensor, wherein the housing of said portable biometric monitor is connected to a strap for attaching the portable biometric monitor to a user, the strap comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the strap comprises spacer elements (12, 13, 14, 15) having a first end and a second end, the strap being connected from its two sides at the first end and from its two sides at the second end to two sides at the first end of the housing and to two sides at the second end of the housing via pivots (16, 17, 18, 19) connected to said spacer elements to allow pivoted movement of the housing, wherein the distance of the pivot locations between the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing is in the range of 10-30 mm.

Abstract: A collapsible shelter is provided and is in the form of a self-locking and inverting canopy that can be moved between a collapsed state to an in-use state by applying an inversion force to a central hub.

Abstract: The present application provides a portable biometric monitor (10) comprising a biometric sensor, wherein the housing of said portable biometric monitor is connected to a strap for attaching the portable biometric monitor to a user, the strap comprising a first end and a second end, wherein the strap comprises spacer elements (12, 13, 14, 15) having a first end and a second end, the strap being connected from its two sides at the first end and from its two sides at the second end to two sides at the first end of the housing and to two sides at the second end of the housing via pivots (16, 17, 18, 19) connected to said spacer elements to allow pivoted movement of the housing, wherein the distance of the pivot locations between the first end of the housing and the second end of the housing is in the range of 10-30 mm.

Abstract: A method of creating a link of a connection to a messaging system includes receiving a protocol command message directed to a message entity of the messaging system. The protocol command message is communicated over the connection. The method includes determining that the protocol command message includes a link identifier that is unrecognized by the messaging system and in response to receiving the protocol command message and determining that the protocol command message includes the link identifier that is unrecognized by the messaging system, creating the link for the connection, the link corresponding to the link identifier.

Abstract: A system and method for managing a workbook in a learning environment where a first user receives a book in electronic form, completes the activity embedded in the book and submits the activity to a second user via a server. The second user can then provide feedback regarding the activity to the first user and all inputs can be done without requiring an internet connection.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for delivery of therapeutic RNA molecules are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of creating a link of a connection to a messaging system includes receiving a protocol command message directed to a message entity of the messaging system. The protocol command message is communicated over the connection. The method includes determining that the protocol command message includes a link identifier that is unrecognized by the messaging system and in response to receiving the protocol command message and determining that the protocol command message includes the link identifier that is unrecognized by the messaging system, creating the link for the connection, the link corresponding to the link identifier.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine-readable media for disseminating security metadata from one distributed entity to another in an automated fashion are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for distributing security metadata comprises receiving at a first service a request for security metadata, the request being received from a process associated with a second service. The method further comprises generating an identifier and security metadata for the second service, the identifier and the security metadata being unique to the second service, and storing the identifier and the security metadata in a first memory accessible to the first service. The identifier and the security metadata are then transmitted to the process associated with the second service and stored in a second memory. The second service is configured to access the security metadata stored in the second memory to encrypt a first communication and decrypt a second communication.

Abstract: Compositions and methods for preventing fusarium head blight on target crop plants are disclosed.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and machine-readable media for disseminating security metadata from one distributed entity to another in an automated fashion are disclosed. According to one embodiment of the present invention, a computer-implemented method for distributing security metadata comprises receiving at a first service a request for security metadata, the request being received from a process associated with a second service. The method further comprises generating an identifier and security metadata for the second service, the identifier and the security metadata being unique to the second service, and storing the identifier and the security metadata in a first memory accessible to the first service. The identifier and the security metadata are then transmitted to the process associated with the second service and stored in a second memory. The second service is configured to access the security metadata stored in the second memory to encrypt a first communication and decrypt a second communication.

Abstract: This present invention is a method for converging a plurality of SQL statements into SQL skeletons to enhance database performance analysis and tuning for identifying the most influential SQL skeletons for databases on an RDBMS platform dependent on different standards. In this present invention, the SQL Normalization technique is combined with the accumulation of statistical information, which includes primarily the frequency, along with the cost and number of rows returned by the SQL skeletons. SQL normalization and collection of statistical data are thus the two principal constituents of SQL Convergence. This simple methodology can then be extended to meet various needs depending on the requirements of the RDBMS and the DBA's tuning priorities.

Abstract: An image processing system and method. The image processing system acquires a first set of scan lines in at first field of image data and a second set of scan lines in a second field of image data; the second set of scan lines are interlaced relative to the first set of scan lines and performs a line by line correlation therebetween to provide an error signal or value. The first and second fields are buffered and coupled to a line-to-line correlator. The error signal is used to adjust either the first or the second set of scan lines to correct for skew or blur in the second field of image data.

Abstract: The present invention provides plant-derived agents to interfere with the nonstructural NS1 gene from the influenza A virus subtype H1N1. More particularly, the siRNAs that exhibit strong inhibitory activity towards NS1, which effectively suppress replication of the influenza virus in mammalian cells. The invention further provides methods for production of siRNAs for the suppression of a broad range of influenza viral subtypes with sequence homologies.

Abstract: A novel assay system is disclosed for detecting the presence or amount of selected active proteases in biological samples. The assay system utilizes a chimeric protease detector protein composed of three domains: (1) a repressor domain, (2) a protease cleavage domain specific for the protease to be assayed, and a reporter domain. The reporter domain is not detectable when linked to the repressor domain, but becomes detectable upon release from the repressor domain by protease-mediated cleavage. Thus, the activity of the selected protein can be determined by measuring the amount of detectable reporter in the sample. Methods and test kits for using the novel assay system in a variety of in vitro and in vivo applications are also disclosed.

Abstract: Provided by this invention are transgenic higher plants and cells thereof which have been transformed with the bacterio-opsin (bO) gene to provide greater resistance to pathogen attack. Also, provided are bO vectors for forming the transgenic plants and cells thereof. Additionally, a method for enhancing the resistance of higher plants and cells thereof by attack by one or more pathogens is provided.

Abstract: A transacting DNA binding factor is disclosed. The ASF 1 protein factor specifically binds to the sequence motif TGACG found upstream of the promoter in many plant genes. Coexpression of this protein factor augments the level of expression of the up-regulated promoter containing the TGACG motif.

Abstract: Detection of a cellular factor from pea and tobacco which binds to a repeated pentameric motif of TGACG present in the -90 to -60 region of the CaMV 35S promoter is disclosed. Also disclosed is a 21 bp promoter element which is capable of imparting root expression capability to a rbcS-3A promoter, normally a green tissue specific promoter.

Abstract: A transacting DNA binding factor is disclosed. The ASF-1 protein factor specifically binds to the sequence motif TGACG found upstream of the promoter in many plant genes. Co-expression of this protein factor augments the level of expression of the up-regulated promoter containing the TGACG motif.