Abstract: A new and distinct variety of apple tree is described and which is somewhat similar in its overall characteristics to that of the ‘Honeycrisp’ apple tree (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 7,197), but which is distinguishable therefrom by producing a fruit which is ripe for harvesting and shipment about 5 days earlier than the ‘Honeycrisp’ apple tree when grown under the prevailing ecological conditions which occur near Ephrata, Wash.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry variety designated as ‘Ginza’ (a.k.a. ‘102011’).

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry variety designated as ‘Bob’ (a.k.a., ‘105626’).

Abstract: The present invention provides a new and distinct strawberry variety designated as ‘Zarina’ (105218).

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Atomic White’, particularly distinguished by light pink to white colored flowers, floriferous with healthy foliage, good mildew resistance, and well-branched, compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Veronica plant named ‘Atomic Silvery Pink Ray’, particularly distinguished by pink colored flowers, floriferous with healthy foliage, good mildew resistance, and well-branched, compact growth habit, is disclosed.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant named ‘Tortuga Wind’, characterized by its upright, somewhat outwardly spreading, uniformly mounded and dense plant habit appropriate for container production; glossy dark green-colored leaves; uniform, freely and early flowering habit; bright red-colored flowers; and good postproduction and garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Hibiscus plant named ‘Tobago Wind’, characterized by its upright, uniformly mounded and dense plant habit appropriate for container production; glossy dark green-colored leaves; uniform, freely and early flowering habit; white-colored flowers with red purple-colored centers; and good postproduction and garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of winter hardy Hibiscus plant named ‘Copper Queen’ is the result of a unique hybridization. This new and distinct cultivar is characterized primarily as to its novelty by its extreme cold hardiness to Zone 4, its large thick-textured and heavily streaked flowers of red, pink and white and its ovate to “Maple-shaped” foliage with its reddish-purple coloration, compactness of approximately 2½ feet, its vigorous and uniform breaking habit and its floriferous nature from midsummer until frost.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Poinsettia plant named ‘BKPONCH’, characterized by its upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; smooth, flat and horizontal flower bracts; large inflorescences with bright red-colored flower bracts; relatively large cyathia; and excellent post-production longevity.

Abstract: A new and distinct Impatiens cultivar named ‘DHAR319’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive large purple flowers, good branching and sun resistance. The new variety is an Impatiens normally produced as an outdoor ornamental plant for containers or gardens.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Duemagsal’ characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; relatively vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; large light red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Duemagpea’ characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; relatively vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; large light orange red-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Duepetnn11’ characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Impatiens plant named ‘Duemagbu’ characterized by its upright and outwardly spreading growth habit; mounded plant habit; freely branching habit; relatively vigorous growth habit; dark green-colored leaves; freely and early flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Duegppur’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers with dark purple-colored venation; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Petunia plant named ‘Duegpros’, characterized by its compact, semi-upright to trailing and mounding plant habit; freely branching habit; early and freely flowering habit; large red purple-colored flowers; and good garden performance.

Abstract: ‘AU807’ is a distinctive variety of Lomandra fluviatilis which is characterized by a combination of improved vigor, short plant height, long and arching foliage and a high number of inflorescences borne on long peduncles.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Sedum plant, ‘Noniw’, characterized by its evergreen foliage that emerges bright yellow matures to light green during summer, and then during fall and winter the tips of the leaves turn red. Its flowers of late early summer are greenish yellow upon erect flat-topped inflorescences, atop stout, leafy, upright floral stems that emerge from a low-growing procumbent plant habit.

Abstract: A drum type washing machine is provided, in which vibration is efficiently attenuated, by a maximum capacity within a size-fixed cabinet is provided, and by which a user does not bend over or sit down to load laundry into the washing machine. The drum type washing machine includes a cabinet forming an exterior of the drum type washing machine, a tub fixed within the cabinet, the tub having a laundry loading entrance at an outer circumference of the tub, a drum rotatably provided within the tub, the drum having an opening on a lateral side of the drum to communicate with the laundry loading entrance of the tub, a motor assembly provided next to one side of the drum to rotate the drum, and a suspension assembly provided to support a weight of the drum and attenuate vibration of the drum.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for controlling the partitioning of a recombinant protein between the supernatant and the periplasm in E. coli host cell cultures wherein expression of the recombinant protein by said cells is under the control of an inducible system, which method comprises: a) providing an E. coli host cell culture b) changing the growth rate of the E. coli host cells c) inducing expression of the recombinant protein wherein steps (b) and (c) can be performed in any order or simultaneously; and subsequently d) determining the yield of recombinant protein in the culture supernatant and the E. coli host cell periplasm e) comparing the yield determined in step (d) with the yield determined when at least one other growth rate has been used in step (b) f) selecting a growth rate from the comparison made in step (e) in which the partitioning of the recombinant protein between the supernatant and the periplasm is most suited to the primary recovery of the recombinant protein.

Abstract: A wireless telecommunications carrier operates a commerce platform in a trusted domain, which may store sensitive information associated with a consumer. During a credit card based transaction, a merchant's POS terminal sends transaction information to an acquirer. The acquirer recognizes the transaction type and responds by routing the transaction information to the commerce platform. The commerce platform validates the transaction by verifying the identity of the user. When the transaction is validated, the commerce platform notifies the acquirer, which initiates a clearing process. When the transaction clears, the acquirer notifies the commerce platform and signals the merchant's POS terminal to output a paper receipt. The commerce platform stores a digital receipt of the transaction and signals the wireless device to output a confirmation message to the consumer. The consumer's credit card number and other sensitive information may be restricted to the trusted domain, which excludes the merchant.

Abstract: A device for provisioning, retrieving, and using data guide information transmitted in a digital broadcast signal is disclosed. A receiver receives the digital broadcast signal which includes digital television programming packets multiplexed with data packets and thereafter routes the received signal to a demodulator. The demodulator provides a demodulated signal to a detector which identifies data packets contained therein. A processor then determines the types of data in the data packets, as well as the respective channels on which the identified types of data are transmitted. The processor prepares a menu for a display screen enabling a user to select the channel of interest, and enables the user to be connected accordingly.

Abstract: A guard includes a transparent face shield, a neck strap having one end secured to one side of the guard and a second end secured to the opposite side of the guard, and a neck opening defined by the guard and the neck strap. The guard is worn by user with the user's neck extending through said neck opening such that said guard depends from the user's neck by said neck strap with an edge of said guard in contact with the user's chest and with said face shield extending upwardly in a direction from the user's chest shielding the user's face. The guard, when worn by the user, protects foodstuff handled by the user from contamination by the user sneezing or from other material falling from the user's head and/or face.

Abstract: In one aspect the pregnancy simulation outfit comprises (i) a vest, (ii) a pair of protuberances configured and arranged on an upper portion of a frontal area of the vest for depicting the enlarged breasts of a pregnant woman when the vest is worn, (iii) a weighted element, and (iv) a pouch in a lower portion of the frontal area of the vest accessible from the outside surface of the vest for accommodating insertion and removal of the weighted element into and out from the pouch while the vest is worn without doffing the vest.

Abstract: An exercise suit which includes a resilient band extending through a guide pocket in a first direction along a pant leg or sleeve of the suit. The band engages a direction changing means near the end of the leg or sleeve and at least a portion of the band extends there beyond in a second direction. A free end of the band is releasably engaged with a tension adjustment mechanism provided on the exterior of the leg or sleeve a distance away from the direction changing means. The wearer adjusts the tension in the band by moving a length of the band through the direction changing means and repositioning the free end on the tension adjustment mechanism. A cover is removably disposed over the tension adjustment mechanism to prevent accidental dislodgement of the free end of the band.

Abstract: The subject invention provides materials and methods for convective and/or conductive and/or evaporative cooling of individuals, such as athletes and contestants, for safety, comfort, and enhanced performance. The materials and methods of the subject invention can, advantageously, be used to modify body core temperature or rate of change of temperature. Other uses include heating players or player parts (e.g., a kicker's leg, a pitcher's arm) in cold weather conditions.

Abstract: A pair of golf gloves is provided with indicia that aids in properly gripping a golf club whether the grip employed is a conventional grip or a natural golf grip.

Abstract: A helmet has a ventilated shell, ventilated padding and a ventilated liner of plural cells mounted to the padding for engaging a wearer's head. The liner has top and bottom flexible sheets fused around their perimeter, the bottom sheet having plural round or oval toroidal cells and plural round or oval closed cells, the openings in the toroidal cells extending through the top sheet. Foam at least partly fills each cell. Cells under a crown of the shell are connected in a first circuit with a valve for inflating these cells and a other cells under temporal and occipital portions of the shell are connected in a second inflation circuit with a valve for inflating the second plurality of the cells. Cells under the frontal portion not being inflatable and being substantially filled with foam padding.

Abstract: A helmet padding consists of sets of tubes. An armature and tubes are connected and mounted within the shell. A fastener fastens a cage to the shell allowing sides of the cage to be mounted directly against the shell. The shell is molded with recessed portions receiving two branches of the chin bar on each side where they will be fastened to the shell to provide a smooth transition and reduce weight. An adjustment device includes a star wheel on each side of the helmet attached to an arcuate flexible strip extending rearwardly around the occipital area of the skull. A sliding mechanism attached to the strip allows the strip to be moved forward and backward to allow it to be tightened or loosened, respectively, with respect to the player's head. A ratcheting lateral adjustment device is also disclosed.

Abstract: A cloth assembly for making a protective pad for sports includes a plurality of supporting fibers extending between and supporting first and second knitted cloths, providing an elastic air-permeable cloth. A knitted cloth includes a first side having a plurality of loops and a second side bonded to an outer face of the first knitted cloth. A hook tape includes a plurality of hooks on a face thereof. The hook tape is fixed to the first side of the knitted cloth or an outer surface of the second knitted cloth according to the type of the protective pad to be made. When the hook tape is fixed to the knitted cloth, the face of the hook tape having the hooks faces the first side of the knitted cloth having loops. Only a portion of the hook tape overlaps and is fixed to an end of the knitted cloth.

Abstract: A device for reducing a thermal signature of a person includes: a hood sized and configured to cover a head of a person, having an inner substantially waterproof layer, an outer water wicking layer, and at least one tube having a plurality of openings therethrough attached to the inner layer; and a pump in fluid communication with the tubes to urge water into the tubes and cause the tubes to dispense water to the outer water wicking layer via the openings.

Abstract: A carrier or support system for a wall mounted toilet for adequately supporting the weight of a user. A first support assembly has a faceplate, spaced-apart pedestals, two washer plates, a fitting member, a coupling, a first fastener for allowing vertical movement between the pedestals and the faceplate, a second fastener for allowing vertical movement between the fitting member and the faceplate, and a first threaded stud arrangement for mounting the toilet to the wall. A second support assembly has a support member, a second threaded stud arrangement, and an anchor foot for supporting the fitting member on the floor. A third support assembly has a frame and a third threaded stud arrangement mounted to the frame for supporting the frame on the floor. The second and/or third support assemblies may be used with the first support assembly for providing adequate support for bariatric or obese users.

Abstract: An improved toilet plunger for unclogging drains, such as those typically associated with a toilet, preferably comprised of a stem, a bell with a generally oblong opening, and a plurality of baffles attached to said bell. The unique shape of the bell and bell opening, combined with the presence and function of the baffles, make the improved plunger device particularly effective for unclogging modern trough-like toilet drains.

Abstract: A flush toilet device has a toilet body having a bowl section, rim water discharge opening, a jet water discharge opening, and a discharge water trap conduit. A pressurizing pump is provided for pressurizing flush water contained in a cistern to supply it to the jet water discharge opening. A pump controller regulates the operation and rotation speed of the pressurizing pump to regulate the flow speed and flow rate of flush water discharged from the jet water discharge opening so that flush water at a first flow rate for generating a siphon effect is discharged and then at a second flow rate is discharged at the end of the siphon effect generated by the first flow rate. The second flow rate having a flow speed that can carry away human wastes and causes the siphon effect to continue by closing the cross section of any portion of the discharge water trap conduit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to multipurpose furniture which combines a bed and a desk, and is positioned between furniture facing each other. Since a turning apparatus for the multipurpose furniture is simplified, there is a reduction in all kinds of work processes and the work load required for turning of a turning member, of which a table surface and a mattress respectively used as a desk and a bed are formed on top and bottom, and manufacturing cost is decreased. In addition, when the multipurpose furniture is used as a bed, stability during sleep is increased and sleeping in comfort is doubled through minimization of the height from the surface.

Abstract: A playard having an easily and selectively attachable changing table platform including a saddle structure for resting upon upper perimeter frame members of the playard and secured from unintentional removal by a latching mechanism. The latching mechanism includes a connector that is secured to the playard upper perimeter frame members in a manner fixing the vertical separation of the connector and the frame member. The changing table includes a latching member moveable between catch and release positions that engages the connector as the changing table is moved into an operable position and prevents the changing table from being uplifted from the playard. The moveable latching member is biased toward the catch position. Movement toward the release position allows the changing table to be removed from the playard.

Abstract: A patient support apparatus includes a frame, a patient support surface supported in the frame, and a plurality of functional components associated with the patient support surface or the frame. The apparatus further includes a control system, with a controller, incorporated into the patient support surface or the frame and in operative communication with at least one of the functional components for controlling the component. The control system further includes a touch-screen in communication with the controller for controlling the functional component, which is positioned in the barrier around the patient support surface, and accessible at the exterior or interior surface of the barrier for access by a user. The touch-screen is configured to allow the user to select one or more of the functional components and control a parameter associated with the selected functional component.

Abstract: A foot support device applicable to a surgery table for locating and supporting a patient's foot, which includes: a main body; a space being formed in the main body; a bottom end of the main body being connectable to the surgery table; an operation member up and down movably fitted around the main body, the operation member having an insertion pin therein; and a support including a bracket and at least one support body; an insertion hole is formed on the bracket. The bracket is rotatably mounted in the space of the main body. When the operation member is moved downward, the insertion pin is inserted into the insertion hole of the bracket to fix the support. By means of rotating the operation member, the operation member can be latched with the main body.

Abstract: A hand-held tool for individuals who have diminished use of their hands or reduced gripping strength due to infirmity or medical condition that provides a number of shaped spaces for seating and manipulation of various items that would otherwise be difficult or impossible to manipulate. Among the multiple shaped spaces is a space for a writing instrument and a space for an eating utensil enabling a user to write and eat without for example, directly gripping a pencil or a fork.