Abstract: ‘Maluma’ avocado (Persea americana Mill.) is notable for its early bearing, precociousness and high yield. The fruit of ‘Maluma’ is larger and slightly more pyrifom than ‘Hass’, and is less prone to skin blemishes.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Berberis plant named ‘FIREBALL’ that is characterized by semi prostrate habit and bright red foliage. In combination these traits set ‘FIREBALL’ apart from all other existing varieties of Berberis known to the inventor.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Hydrangea macrophylla named ‘Lapis Lazuli’ that is characterized by its strong blooming habit, its ability to re-bloom on new growth after deadheading, its consistently formed, hortensia type inflorescences with sterile flower sepals that are rounded to broadly ovate in shape and dark blue in color with a white central area when grown under acidic soil conditions and bright pink in color with a white central area when grown under alkaline soil conditions, its compact growth habit with strong stems that enable pot culture without the need for staking, its dark green glossy foliage and its hardiness at least in U.S.D.A. Zones 5 to 9.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Ipomoea plant named ‘Kyuikukan 5’, characterized by its compact and trailing growth habit and cordate-shaped leaves that are light green when developing and becoming dark purple with further development.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Nicotiana plant named ‘Suntabapapi’, characterized by its upright and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; light violet-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Nicotiana plant named ‘Suntabare’, characterized by its upright and bushy plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Chrysanthemum, ‘Taihang's Galaxy’, characterized by it's late season blooming habit with single daisy-type fragrant inflorescences with white ray florets and gold disk florets, its hybrid vigor, its prostrate to cascading growth habit after one or two years of growth, its massive floral display, and its cold hardiness to at least U.S.D.A. 5.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Anastasia Dark Green’, characterized by its large double-type inflorescences with incurved quilled green-colored ray florets; strong and erect flowering stems; low number of lateral branches; dark green-colored leaves; quick flowering response; and good postproduction longevity.

Abstract: A new poinsettia plant particularly distinguished by a medium early flowering season, medium vigor, with medium to large bracts, thick and upright v-shaped stems and a brilliant bract color is disclosed.

Abstract: A new and distinct Verbena plant is provided that is a newly found seedling of unknown parentage. Over an extended period of time attractive fragrant blossoms that are purple in coloration are produced. The growth habit is moderately vigorous and trailing and spreading. Attractive medium green foliage is formed that contrasts nicely with the blossom coloration. The plant has been found to be hardy to U.S.D.A. Hardiness Zone No. 6 and also is hardy in Zone No. 5 with the use of protection. The plant can be grown to advantage to provide attractive ornamentation in parks and gardens.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Ditomsur’, characterized by its compact and upright plant habit; strong stems; dark-colored stems and leaves; large red purple-colored flowers; and tolerance to Downy Mildew.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Sunphlosupapi’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering habit; long flowering period; light pink-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Phlox plant named ‘Sunphlorozu’, characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading plant habit; vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering habit; long flowering period; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Dueimgab’, characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves with distinct zonation pattern; freely flowering habit; semi-double salmon pink-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Pelargonium named ‘KLEPZ08231’ particularly characterized by shiny purple-pink inflorescences, a medium to strong and harmonic growth habit, and produces a large number of cuttings for propagation, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Zonal Geranium plant named ‘Duetemefi’, characterized by its upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; freely basal branching habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely flowering habit; semi-double dark red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Pelargonium named ‘KLEPP08207’ particularly characterized by ivy pelargonium with brilliant red inflorescences, good, medium growth, good branching, and excellent tolerance to heat and rain, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new distinct cultivar of Aster plant named ‘DASDEM’, characterized by its upright plant form with somewhat outward spreading plant habit; bright yellow-green foliage; decorative, composite-type inflorescence with about 250 violet-blue colored ray florets; and only about 10 to 20 green-colored disc florets per inflorescence (almost 100% filled capitulae).

Abstract: A new distinct cultivar of Aster plant named ‘DASJES’, characterized by its upright and inverted conical plant habit; green and gray-green foliage; decorative, composite-type inflorescence with about 250 white colored ray florets; and only about 5 to 10 disc florets per inflorescence which are white in color with green margin (almost 100% filled capitulae).

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘MP3’, characterized by its compact and outwardly spreading plant habit; freely and continuous branching habit; small leaf size; numerous small dark violet-colored flowers; and resistance to Botrytis and Powdery Mildew.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Xerochrysum named ‘KLEBB08398’ particularly characterized by a very early flowering response, brilliant orange inflorescences, and an upright, compact and harmonic growth habit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Xerochrysum named ‘KLEBB08392’ particularly characterized by a very early flowering response, clear yellow inflorescences, stable and healthy foliage, and an upright, compact and harmonic growth habit, is disclosed.

Abstract: An Osteospermum cultivar named ‘KLEOE08161’ particularly distinguished by deep yellow-orange inflorescences, umbrella-type flowers with narrow-shaped petals, and a compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Osteospermum plant named ‘Balvoyelo’, characterized by its bright yellow-colored flowers, medium green-colored foliage, and moderately vigorous and mounded growth habit that becomes spreading in the garden, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new Angelonia plant named ‘Cas Lavener’, articularly distinguished by the purple-violet flower color, slightly upright and semi-trailing habit with dense foliage and branching, exceptional heat tolerance, and good vigor.

Abstract: A new Bidens plant named ‘Fisbicom’, particularly distinguished by the yellow inflorescence color, relatively small inflorescence with 5 ray florets, medium to deep green foliage, medium or weak to medium, vigor, very well branching, tight, mounding, relaively low plant habit, and early to medium flowering response.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Calibrachoa plant named ‘Suncalkuki’, characterized by its trailing plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely branching and flowering plant habit; long flowering period; yellow-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Helleborus plant named ‘Emma’, characterized by its upright, outwardly spreading and mounded plant habit; dark green-colored leaves; early and freely flowering habit; long flowering period; and light green-colored flowers.

Abstract: A new Lobelia plant named “Loplipw08,’ particularly distinguished by the spreading to upright plant habit, medium vigor, early flowering and purple-violet flower color.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Lobelia named ‘KLELE08621’ particularly characterized by small, white flowers, and a compact and trailing growth habit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Lobelia named ‘KLELE08623’ particularly characterized by vibrant blue flowers, and a uniform and semi-trailing growth habit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Nemesia plant named ‘Innsuntama’ that is characterized by orange red flowers, good cold temperature tolerance, and an upright compact habit.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Nemesia named ‘KLENH08459’ particularly characterized by vibrant yellow flowers, and large, fully-opened flowers, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new and distinct Sutera roth plant named ‘Sumsut 05’ with violet colored double flowers and a compact growth habit.

Abstract: A new and distinct Sutera roth plant named ‘Sumsut 04’ with purple colored double flowers and a compact growth habit.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Zantedeschia plant named ‘Flamingo’, characterized by its upright plant habit; glossy medium green-colored leaves; large pink-colored spathes that are positioned above and beyond the foliage on erect scapes; and good inflorescence longevity.

Abstract: A method is provided to select appropriate material properties for turbulent friction drag reduction, given a specific body configuration and freestream velocity. The method is based on a mathematical description of the balance of energy at the interface between the viscoelastic surface and the moving fluid, and permits determination of the interaction of turbulent boundary layer fluctuations with a viscoelastic layer by solving two subtasks—i.e., a hydrodynamic problem and an elasticity problem, which are coupled by absorption and compliancy coefficients. Displacement, velocity, and energy transfer boundary conditions on a viscoelastic surface are determined, and a Reynolds stress type turbulence model is modified to account for redistribution of turbulent energy in the near-wall region of the boundary layer. The invention permits drag reduction by a coating with specified density, thickness, and complex shear modulus to be predicted for a given body geometry and freestream velocity.

Abstract: A technique to stabilize subcarrier generation in a line-locked digital video system, caused by simultaneous locking of the genlock device causing continuous changing of a shared clock signal, by calculating a time shift occurring in an output waveform, converting the time shift into an equivalent phase shift and sending a corresponding phase correction number to a waveform generator block to correct the time shift, and thus stabilize subcarrier generation.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an image processing technique, and in particular to a method for restoring a compressed image by using a hybrid motion compensation discrete cosine transform (hybrid MC/DCT) mechanism, including: a step of defining a smoothing functional having a smoothing degree of an image and reliability for an original image by pixels having an identical property in image block units; and a step of computing a restored image by performing a gradient operation on the smoothing functional in regard to the original image, thereby preventing the blocking artifacts and the ringing effects in regard to the pixels having an identical property in image blocks. In one embodiment, the method includes obtaining a pixel value in a current block and at least one adjacent pixel value, obtaining a difference value between the pixel value in the current block and the adjacent pixel value, and obtaining a smoothing value of the current image based on the difference value.

Abstract: A magnetic head suspension assembly is fabricated with an integral piece which includes a load beam section, a flexure section, a rear mount section and a leaf spring section between the load beam and rear mount. A tongue extends from the load beam to the flexure and has a down-facing load dimple which contacts the non-air bearing surface of an attached air bearing slider. The flexure includes narrow thin legs adjacent to a cutout that delineates the load beam tongue. The head suspension is characterized by a high first bending mode frequency and low pitch and roll stiffness.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a block effect and a ring effect appearing in a compression-coded image is disclosed. The present invention is especially applicable to an image compression-coded at a low bit rate. In particular, the present invention includes a variety of masks for the removal of the block/ring effect. Thus, one mask is select for a pixel to be filtered. Moreover, candidate pixels to be averaged with the pixel to be filtered is selected from the pixels of the selected mask to better maintain the details of the image, and a weight is applied to improve the calculation speed of the averaging operation. More particularly, the masks according to the present invention have longer tabs toward adjacent blocks at boundaries of the given block to remove the block and ring effect. In one embodiment of the present invention, a pixel of an image is filtered according to a filtering methodology.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a block effect and a ring effect appearing in a compression-coded image is disclosed. The present invention is especially applicable to an image compression-coded at a low bit rate. In particular, the present invention includes a variety of masks for the removal of the block/ring effect. Thus, one mask is select for a pixel to be filtered. Moreover, candidate pixels to be averaged with the pixel to be filtered is selected from the pixels of the selected mask to better maintain the details of the image, and a weight is applied to improve the calculation speed of the averaging operation. More particularly, the masks according to the present invention have longer tabs toward adjacent blocks at boundaries of the given block to remove the block and ring effect. In the method, a pixel of an image is filtered according to a filtering methodology. The filtering methodology includes selecting at least four pixels of successive pixels according to a position of a pixel to be filtered.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a block effect and a ring effect appearing in a compression-coded image is disclosed. The present invention is especially applicable to an image compression-coded at a low bit rate. In particular, the present invention includes a variety of masks for the removal of the block/ring effect. Thus, one mask is select for a pixel to be filtered. Moreover, candidate pixels to be averaged with the pixel to be filtered is selected from the pixels of the selected mask to better maintain the details of the image, and a weight is applied to improve the calculation speed of the averaging operation. More particularly, the masks according to the present invention have longer tabs toward adjacent blocks at boundaries of the given block to remove the block and ring effect. In one embodiment, the filtering unit is configured to select at least four pixels of successive pixels according to a position of a pixel to be filtered. The selected at least four pixels include the pixel to be filtered.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a block effect and a ring effect appearing in a compression-coded image is disclosed. The present invention is especially applicable to an image compression-coded at a low bit rate. In particular, the present invention includes a variety of masks for the removal of the block/ring effect. Thus, one mask is select for a pixel to be filtered. Moreover, candidate pixels to be averaged with the pixel to be filtered is selected from the pixels of the selected mask to better maintain the details of the image, and a weight is applied to improve the calculation speed of the averaging operation. More particularly, the masks according to the present invention have longer tabs toward adjacent blocks at boundaries of the given block to remove the block and ring effect. In an embodiment, the filtering unit is configured to select at least four pixels of successive pixels according to a position of a pixel to be filtered. The four pixels include the pixel to be filtered.

Abstract: A method and apparatus to remove a block effect and a ring effect appearing in a compression-coded image is disclosed. The present invention is especially applicable to an image compression-coded at a low bit rate. In particular, the present invention includes a variety of masks for the removal of the block/ring effect. Thus, one mask is select for a pixel to be filtered. Moreover, candidate pixels to be averaged with the pixel to be filtered is selected from the pixels of the selected mask to better maintain the details of the image, and a weight is applied to improve the calculation speed of the averaging operation. More particularly, the masks according to the present invention have longer tabs toward adjacent blocks at boundaries of the given block to remove the block and ring effect. In the apparatus, a pixel of an image is filtered by a filtering unit. The filtering unit is configured to select at least four pixels of successive pixels according to a position of a pixel to be filtered.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for accomplishing a requested operation selectively based upon features of other equipment between equippments connected through a digital interface such as the IEEE 1394.

Abstract: A method of effectively treating pain in humans is achieved by administering buprenorphine in accordance with first order kinetics over an initial three-day dosing interval, such that a maximum plasma concentration from about 20 pg/ml to about 1052 pg/ml is attained, and thereafter maintaining the administration of buprenorphine for at least an addition two-day dosing interval in accordance with substantially zero order kinetics, such that the patients experience analgesia throughout the at least two-day additional dosing interval.

Abstract: A device for processing flesh includes at least one transport belt, at least one element for position detection as well as at least one separating device and at least one control device, wherein the separating device communicates via the control device with the element for position detection which provides information to be recorded and processed into geometric data of the flesh and image data of the flesh so that separating cuts based on the geometric and image data can be made with the separating device.

Abstract: If a driver of a vehicle has slowed-down the vehicle, a deceleration controller does not apply deceleration to the vehicle within a specified time after the driver has finished slowing-down of the vehicle. The deceleration controller is a device that automatically decelerates the vehicle if a distance between the vehicle and another vehicle running in front of the vehicle is less than a specific distance to avoid collision of the two vehicles.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system and method for filtering unsolicited electronic commercial messages. A system and method according to the present invention for screening out unsolicited commercial messages comprises the steps of receiving a message from a sender, sending a challenge back to the sender, receiving a response to the challenge, and determining if the response is a proper response.