Abstract: ‘PLMAS98’ is a new apple tree that originated as a limb sport mutation of ‘Cripps Pink’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,880). The new variety is notable for its early maturity. Fruit of the new variety is mature and ready for harvest at least 15 days earlier than fruit of ‘Cripps Pink.

Abstract: A new and distinct Malus domestics (Borkh.) apple tree variety is provided which exhibits a columnar tree type, compact growth, predominant bearing on spurs and Vf-resistance against scab. The new variety yields late maturing, medium-sized, generally globose to obloid yellow-colored apple fruits having a firm and crispy flesh with very good eating and keeping qualities.

Abstract: A new and distinct grapevine plant particularly distinguished by having green, large, seedless berries, with flavor characteristics described as sweet and neutral, is disclosed.

Abstract: This invention relates to a new and distinct variety of strawberry plant named ‘RELIANCE’. This new strawberry plant named ‘RELIANCE’ is primarily adapted to the growing conditions of the central coast of California, and is primarily characterized by its large to very large fruit size; red to dark red fruit color; high productivity; medium sized plant; calyx that tends to be more equal to the diameter of the fruit; uniformly shaped, conical berries with good flavor; and relatively short fruiting trusses.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Cupressus leylandii tree is described herein. The new variety is resistant to fungus and possesses increased growth rate (e.g., height, spread, trunk) compared to the commercially-available Leyland Cypress ‘Leighton Green’.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Rhaphiolepis named ‘FIESTA’ that is characterized by evergreen foliage which is marginally variegated cream-white and green, and whose flowers are light pink in bud, opening to white. In combination, these characteristics distinguish ‘FIESTA’ from all other varieties of Rhaphiolepis known to the inventor.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Dianthus plant named ‘WP08 NIK03’ that is characterized by extremely compact habit and early-blooming large fully double magenta-colored flowers. In combination these traits set ‘WP08 NIK03’ apart from all other existing varieties of Dianthus known to the inventor.

Abstract: A new Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Bold Yonew York,’ particularly distinguished by the decorative flower form with bold red-purple colored immature ray florets and pink mature ray florets, uniform spreading habit and flowering response, and good shelf life.

Abstract: A new Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Yoapple Valley,’ particularly distinguished by the single flower form with large red-purple and white bicolored ray florets, uniform habit and flowering response that is early, extremely strong stems, medium green foliage color, and excellent shelf life.

Abstract: A new Chrysanthemum plant named ‘White Yomistique,’ particularly distinguished by the small single white ray florets, compact and short, uniform habit with excellent branching, and dark, glossy small foliage.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Phalaenopsis plant named ‘P. Ho's Colourful Bubbles’, particularly characterized by its attractive and unique light green flowers with light pink shaded petals, freely flowering habit, freely branching and thick flowering stems, and strong growth ability.

Abstract: A new and distinct Petunia cultivar named ‘PetPre01’ is disclosed, characterized by having a dense, mat forming plant, small, semi-double flowers and dense, non-sticky foliage. Additionally, the new variety shows excellent tolerance to drought conditions, showing no negative effects at 50% of the water consumption of typical, similar Petunia varieties known to the inventor. The new variety is a Petunia, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Abstract: A new and distinct Spathiphyllum cultivar named ‘DELTA’ is disclosed, characterized by moderate spathe production, very large, pure white spathe color, without cream coloration. The new variety is commercially suitable for indoor plant production.

Abstract: A new and distinct Rhipsalidopsis plant named ‘PKMRH02’ particularly characterized by its large upright to vertical flowers which are red-purple in color; buds in red-purple color; freely branching growth habit; and ovoid to lanceolatoid in shape buds.

Abstract: The present culivar ‘TMX’ (Zoysia matrella Merr.) advantageously has a very slow growing rate in terms of plant height as compared with existing cultivars and requires mowing not more than once a year so as to be maintained in fair condition and allows the amount of fertilizer to be reduced. It also has a high-level of shade tolerance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq. named ‘Bethlehem’ originated as a controlled cross between the commercial cultivar Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq. ‘Chesapeake Snowflake’ and an unnamed Ornithogalum thyrsoides Jacq. cultivar. The cultivar ‘Bethlehem’ has R.H.S. 155 C (white group) tepals at maturity and is distinguished from other similar cultivars of which the inventor is aware by its tall racemes, wide leaves and suitability for growth in pots.

Abstract: A new and distinct Salvia cultivar named ‘MELEN’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive yellow calyx and dark brown corolla, large individual flower size and early flowering. ‘MELEN’ is highly floriferous and has an upright plant habit. The new variety is a Salvia, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Abstract: A ramp constructed of an expanded plastic foam parallelepiped core encased in a thick coating of polyurea provides a lightweight, stable ramp suitable for vehicle servicing. A low angle, long length ramp of a low weight is provided. Heavy duty versions have on edge panels embedded in the core.

Abstract: A scribing head 1 of this invention raises and lowers a scribing cutter by rotation of a servomotor 3. As a scribe pressure, a rotational torque of the servomotor 3 is transmitted to the scribing cutter. To form a scribe line across another scribe line which is formed earlier, the scribe pressure is raised temporarily when the scribing head passes the scribe line which is formed earlier. The rotational torque of the servomotor 3 is controlled at any of preset limits while the position of a cutter 6 of the scribing head shifts on the brittle substrate. The servomotor 3 is driven under position-control mode.

Abstract: Telescoped excavating support and wear members are releasably retained in their telescoped relationship by a connector pin assembly removably received in aligned connector openings in the members. A body portion of the pin assembly blocks removal of the wear member from the support member, and a lock member portion of the assembly is rotatable relative to the body, toward and away from a locking orientation, to releasably lock the body within the connector openings. A resilient detent member carried by the lock member slidingly and deformably engages a polygonally shaped interior side surface section of a body passage that rotatably receives the lock member, the detent member yieldingly resisting rotational movement of the lock member away from its locking orientation.

Abstract: A movable mass forming a seismic mass is formed starting from an epitaxial layer and is covered by a weighting region of tungsten which has high density. To manufacture the mass, buried conductive regions are formed in the substrate. Then, at the same time, a sacrificial region is formed in the zone where the movable mass is to be formed and oxide insulating regions are formed on the buried conductive regions so as to partially cover them. An epitaxial layer is then grown, using a nucleus region. A tungsten layer is deposited and defined and, using a silicon carbide layer as mask, the suspended structure is defined. Finally, the sacrificial region is removed, forming an air gap.

Abstract: A cutting device includes a base, a swivel seat rotatably mounted on the base and having a first end and a second end, and a blade holder releasably engaged with the second end of the swivel seat. A blade is rotatably held by the blade holder. The blade holder is pivotable relative to the swivel seat for cutting when the blade holder is engaged with the second end of the swivel seat. An inclination of the blade relative to the swivel seat is adjustable when the blade holder is disengaged from the second end of the swivel seat. An operative rod is mounted to the first end of the swivel seat and operably connected to the blade holder for controlling releasable engagement between the blade holder and the swivel seat.

Abstract: A pearlescent pigment based on a metal oxide-coated, platelet-shaped substrate and a top layer on the metal oxide layer, where the top layer comprises silicon dioxide, at least one further metal hydroxide or metal oxide hydrate and at least one organic coupling reagent. The further metal hydroxides or metal oxide hydrates are hydroxides or oxide hydrates of cerium, aluminum or zirconium, or mixtures thereof. The coupling reagents employed are organofunctional silanes, zirconium aluminates or metal acid esters.

Abstract: Aquatic nuisance species (ANS) in ship's ballast water are killed by permeating to equilibrium a gaseous mixture consisting essentially of, preferably, ?84% nitrogen, ?11% carbon dioxide and ?4% oxygen through ship's ballast water until the ballast water itself becomes (i) hypercapnic to ?20 ppm carbon dioxide, and, by association, (ii) acidic to pH?7, while preferably further, and also, being rendered (iii) hypoxic to ?1 ppm oxygen. The permeating is preferably realized by bubbling the gaseous mixture preferably obtained from an inert gas generator through the ballast water over the course of 2+ days while the ballast water is continually maintained a pressure less than atmosphere, preferably ?2 p.s.i. or less.

Abstract: An apparatus for reducing noxious gases in the exhaust emissions of an automobile is disclosed. During engine cold start, a cold start injector having a heater downstream of the injector outlet vaporizes fuel so that a leaner air-fuel mixture can be used, thereby reducing engine emissions before the engine and catalytic converter warm up. The heater includes various configurations for swirling the fuel and exposing it to large surface areas for improving the vaporization of the fuel. A tapered bore surrounding the throttle allows for precise air flow control into the cold start device during engine warm-up.

Abstract: A decouple check-relief valve for use in a hydraulic fluid circuit is provided that has a cylinder guide housing which travels during the check function of the valve. The cylindrical guide housing has a clearance parameter, allowing for the selection of an optimal check response time. A dampening disk is provided inside the cylindrical guide housing, traveling within the guide during the relief function of the valve. The dampening disk has a separate clearance parameter, allowing for the selection of an optimal dampening capacity and fluid circuit stability. As such, the check and relief clearance parameters are independent of each other to allow both the check and relief functions of the valve to be optimized.

Abstract: Method of producing a shielding casing (4) in which there is provided a sealing and shielding profile section (9) which fills a gap between first and second adjoining casing portions (1, 2) and which comprising pasty material is applied under pressure from a coordinate-controlled applicator device (5) having an applicator needle or nozzle directly on to onto the first casing portion and then sets there elastically adhering thereto in self-supporting relationship, wherein the sealing and shielding profile section is produced by simultaneously applying at least one first material (8a) with material properties adapted for a good sealing action and a second material (8b) with material properties adapted to a good shielding action, from the applicator needle or nozzle (6) provided with at least a first and a second passage (6a, 6b), whereby the second material firmly adheres to the first material.

Abstract: A floor grommet for use in building and office structures supplied with air conditioning via under floor plenum. Directed flow of conditioned air is optimized by limiting the escape of air from the plenum into the space above the floor by leakage through floor openings provided for power cables, data cables and the like. Specialized floor grommets installed in the cable openings are comprised of a surrounding frame mounting sealing elements comprised of thin, flexible elements which are anchored at one end in the grommet frame and extend toward the center of the opening, from each side, to effectively close the opening against significant flow of conditioned air from the plenum below. Cables passing through the grommet opening cause minimal deflection of the flexible elements to limit the escape of conditioned air. Preferably, the resilient, flexible elements are filamentary in nature.

Abstract: In a spray nozzle (10), a carrier (12) defines a spray aperture (20), a groove (30) surrounding the spray aperture for receiving an o-ring (32), a first locating bore (26) for slidably receiving an orifice plate (14) seated against the o-ring (32) and for aligning the orifice plate with the spray aperture, and a second locating bore (28) for slidably receiving a swirl unit and aligning the swirl unit (16) with the orifice plate and spray aperture. The swirl unit (16) defines on its peripheral surface a recessed flat (58) forming a fluid passageway between the swirl unit and carrier. The swirl unit (16) includes a swirl chamber (60) defined by a curvilinear surface (62) formed within the swirl unit, and an inlet port (64) formed in fluid communication between the swirl chamber and fluid passageway. The nozzle body (18) is threadedly received within the carrier (12) behind the swirl unit (16) to axially press the swirl unit, and in turn press the orifice plate (14) against the adjacent surface of the carrier.

Abstract: A CMOS image sensor performing an analog correlated double sampling is disclosed. The CMOS image sensor may include an image capture device for capturing an image for analog image signal from an object an analog-to-digital converter for converting the analog image signal to a digital value using a ramp signal. In such an arrangement the analog-to-digital converter may includes a chopper-type comparator receiving the analog image signal and the ramp signal and a capacitor for receiving a start voltage of the ramp signal and charging a voltage level corresponding the start voltage of the ramp signal in a reset mode and for receiving a down-ramping signal of the ramp signal in a count mode in order to remove an device offset voltage. The analog-to-digital converter may also include a ramp signal generator providing the ramp signal to the analog-to-digital converter.

Abstract: There is disclosed a semiconductor device having an MOS gate for reducing variations in threshold voltage (Vth) with time wherein a surface protective film is not formed in a device area including channels but only in a device peripheral area, thereby reducing the amount of hydrogen atoms migrating to a silicon-silicon oxide interface in a cell area and, accordingly, reducing the number of Si—H chemical bonds at the interface.

Abstract: A MOS image pick-up device including a semiconductor substrate, an imaging region formed on the semiconductor substrate by arraying plural unit pixels, and a peripheral circuit region including a driving circuit for operating the imaging region formed on the semiconductor substrate; the unit pixels include a photodiode, MOS (metal-oxide-semiconductor) transistors and a first device-isolation portion, the peripheral circuit region includes a second device-isolation portion for isolating devices in the driving circuit; wherein each of the first device-isolation portion and the second device-isolation portion is at least one portion selected from an electrically insulating film formed on the substrate in order not to erode the substrate, a electrically insulating film formed on the substrate so as to erode the substrate to a depth ranging from 1 nm to 50 nm, and an impurity diffusion region formed within the substrate. The MOS image pick-up device is incorporated in a camera.

Abstract: A memory cell with a small surface area is fabricated by forming source lines and data lines above and below and by running the channels to face up and down. The local data lines for each vertically stacked memory cell are connected to a global data line by way of separate selection by a molecular oxide semiconductor, and use of a large surface area is avoided by making joint use of peripheral circuits such as global data lines and sensing amplifiers by performing read and write operations in a timed multiplex manner. Moreover, data lines in multi-layers and memory cells (floating electrode cell) which are non-destructive with respect to readout are utilized to allow placement of memory cells at all intersecting points of word lines and data lines while having a folded data line structure. An improved noise tolerance is attained by establishing a standard threshold voltage for identical dummy cells even in any of the read verify, write verify and erase verify operations.

Abstract: In the semiconductor device, a control power MOSFET chip 2 is disposed on the input-side plate-like lead 5, and the drain terminal DT1 is formed on the rear surface of the chip 2, and the source terminal ST1 and gate terminal GT1 are formed on the principal surface of the chip 2, and the source terminal ST1 is connected to the plate-like lead for source 12. Furthermore, a synchronous power MOSFET chip 3 is disposed on the output-side plate-like lead 6, and the drain terminal DT2 is formed on the rear surface of the chip 3 and the output-side plate-like lead 6 is connected to the drain terminal DT2. Furthermore, source terminal ST2 and gate terminal GT2 are formed on the principal surface of the synchronous power MOSFET chip 3, and the source terminal ST2 is connected to the plate-like lead for source 13. The plate-like leads for source 12 and 13 are exposed, and therefore, it is possible to increase the heat dissipation capability of the MCM 1.

Abstract: A thin walled microtube is formed by providing a continuous elongated member having an outer surface. The member is at least partially formed of a water soluble material. A coating material is provided. The coating material may be a silicone compound that is curable such that the coating material cures into a substantial non-porous silicone. The outer surface of the elongated member is coated with a coating material so as to form a substantially uniform and continuous layer of coating material on the outer surface. The layer of coating material is cured so as to form a substantial uniform and continuous layer of substantially non-porous silicone on the outer surface. The elongated member is at least partially dissolved using water and purged from the silicone layer, such that an elongated tube of substantially non-porous silicone is formed.

Abstract: A building alarm system includes addressable notification appliances connected to a system controller, with each notification appliance having a status indicator and an alarm indicator. The status indicator, such as an LED, provides for system test modes that avoid disruption of building occupants. To test the alarm system, the system controller selects which notification appliances to operate in response to a test alarm input and communicates to each selected appliance an instruction to operate its associated status indicator without operating its associated audible or flashing visible alarm indicators. In a troubleshooting mode, the system controller polls each of the notification appliances and receives an answer in response to the poll from any of the appliances. The controller operates the LED indicators of those appliances which answer the poll.

Abstract: When performing the line-sequential addressing for setting the state of each of the cells arranged in rows and columns that constitute a display screen, discharge is generated that has intensity in accordance with display data corresponding to each of all cells belonging to the selected row for each selection of the row. Thus, the priming effect in the following discharge is generated.