Abstract: A chin strap includes a protective shell including a curved and convex contour extending between lengthwise ends of the shell, the shell further including a first curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell and a second curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell. A cross-section along a lengthwise central axis of the chin strap defines a first shell portion including the first curved edge and a second shell portion including the second curved edge. The first shell portion of the cross-section defines a first surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the first curved edge, and the second shell portion of the cross-section defines a second surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the second curved edge, where the first surface area is less than the second surface area.

Abstract: A chin strap includes a protective shell including a curved and convex contour extending between lengthwise ends of the shell, the shell further including a first curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell and a second curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell. A cross-section along a lengthwise central axis of the chin strap defines a first shell portion including the first curved edge and a second shell portion including the second curved edge. The first shell portion of the cross-section defines a first surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the first curved edge, and the second shell portion of the cross-section defines a second surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the second curved edge, where the first surface area is less than the second surface area.

Abstract: A chin strap includes a protective shell including a curved and convex contour extending between lengthwise ends of the shell, the shell further including a first curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell and a second curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell. A cross-section along a lengthwise central axis of the chin strap defines a first shell portion including the first curved edge and a second shell portion including the second curved edge. The first shell portion of the cross-section defines a first surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the first curved edge, and the second shell portion of the cross-section defines a second surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the second curved edge, where the first surface area is less than the second surface area.

Abstract: An exemplary aspect comprises an apparatus, comprising: a cord component connected to a plug component at a first end; a power strip component connected to the cord component at a second end of the cord component; the power strip component comprising one or more USB dedicated charge ports and one or more AC outlets; a charging cavity within the power strip component suitable to receive a removable battery having a battery electrical contact; and a power strip electrical contact located in the charging cavity that connects with the battery electrical contact and charges the battery when the battery is inserted into the charging cavity of the power strip component.

Abstract: A chin strap includes a protective shell including a curved and convex contour extending between lengthwise ends of the shell, the shell further including a first curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell and a second curved edge extending between the lengthwise ends of the shell. A cross-section along a lengthwise central axis of the chin strap defines a first shell portion including the first curved edge and a second shell portion including the second curved edge. The first shell portion of the cross-section defines a first surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the first curved edge, and the second shell portion of the cross-section defines a second surface area between the lengthwise central axis and the second curved edge, where the first surface area is less than the second surface area.

Abstract: An exemplary aspect comprises an apparatus, comprising: a cord component connected to a plug component at a first end; a power strip component connected to the cord component at a second end of the cord component; the power strip component comprising one or more USB dedicated charge ports and one or more AC outlets; a charging cavity within the power strip component suitable to receive a removable battery having a battery electrical contact; and a power strip electrical contact located in the charging cavity that connects with the battery electrical contact and charges the battery when the battery is inserted into the charging cavity of the power strip component.

Abstract: A food ricer including a hopper, a first plate having a first pattern of apertures defining a bottom of the hopper, and a second plate having a second pattern of apertures rotatably coupled to the bottom of the hopper. The second plate is preferably rotatable with respect to the first plate. The first and second patterns of apertures being eccentric or non-concentric with respect to each other to allow for the geometric orientation of one pattern of apertures to be quartered, bifurcated, and aligned with respect to the other pattern of apertures for achieving varying degrees of coarseness upon rotation of the second plate with respect to the first plate.

Abstract: A food ricer including a hopper, a first plate having a first pattern of apertures defining a bottom of the hopper, and a second plate having a second pattern of apertures rotatably coupled to the bottom of the hopper. The second plate is preferably rotatable with respect to the first plate. The first and second patterns of apertures being eccentric or non-concentric with respect to each other to allow for the geometric orientation of one pattern of apertures to be quartered, bifurcated, and aligned with respect to the other pattern of apertures for achieving varying degrees of coarseness upon rotation of the second plate with respect to the first plate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a highly efficient, high-throughput method for the identification and elimination of redundancy in a population of nucleic acid molecules using microarrays. This method involves a reiterative subtraction protocol that creates a library that becomes more biased toward unknown genes with each successive round. The removal of repetitive and previously characterized nucleic acids from the library allows the identification of low-abundance mRNA from sources of interest and enhances the rate of novel gene discovery. The present invention is also useful for the removal of contaminating nucleic acids from cloning libraries.