Abstract: A new miniature rose plant that has abundant, pink flowers and attractive foliage. The variety successfully propagates from softwood cuttings and is suitable for year-round production in commercial glasshouses. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of rose with long lasting, novel apricot flowers, and attractive foliage. It exhibits upright to bushy growth with abundant flowers. The new variety propagates well by grafting. This new and distinct variety has shown to be uniform and stable in the resulting generations from asexual propagation.

Abstract: A new and distinct Floribunda rose plant is provided that commonly commences blooming early in the season and forms abundantly and substantially continuously attractive red semi-double blossoms. The growth habit is low, compact, and bushy. Strong vegetation is formed. The plant commonly displays a well-ordered overall appearance until late in the season. The vegetation is dense and bears a glossy aspect on the upper surface. No particular disease problem has been observed. The plant is particularly well suited for providing attractive ornamentation in parks and gardens.

Abstract: A new and distinct variety of peach tree (Prunus persica). The following features of the tree and its fruit are characterized with the tree budded on ‘Nemaguard’ Rootstock (non-patented), grown on Handford sandy loam soil with Storie Index rating 95, in USDA Hardiness Zone 9, near Modesto, Calif., with standard commercial fruit growing practices, such as pruning, thinning, spraying, irrigation and fertilization. Its novelty consist of the following combination of desirable features: 1. Tree with vigorous, upright growth. 2. Regular and productive bearer of large size fruit. 3. Fruit with attractive red skin color. 4. Fruit with firm, white flesh. 5. Fruit with good flavor and eating quality. 6. Fruit with good storage and handling quality.

Abstract: The present invention is a new and distinct primocane fruiting red raspberry cultivar named ‘Autumn Glory’, which is capable of producing consistent sized, attractive, flavorful and firm fruit that has exceptional consumer appeal characteristics. The cultivar is characterized by its flower truss pattern at the apex of its primocanes, its fruit glossiness and color, and several morphological characteristics including: thorn shape and pattern, leaf vein and margin characteristics, and its compact plant size and fruiting seasons.

Abstract: The present invention is a new and distinct floricane fruiting red raspberry cultivar named ‘Sapphire’, which is capable of producing large, attractive, flavorful and firm fruit which has exceptional consumer appeal characteristics. The cultivar is characterized by its thorniness throughout the plant, as described herein, lack of fall or primocane fruiting, its strong and distinctive flavor and firmness and its very large fruit size, weight and morphology, specifically its truncated conic, very uniform, fruit shape with minimal bulginess in its basal region or on its receptacle. ‘Sapphire’ plants are very productive in regions having sufficient chilling to produce sufficient spring bud break. Its high yield, firmness, storage ability and large size make ‘Sapphire’ economical to pick mid to mid late season floricane variety for shipping.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Hebe, ‘Tulpink’, characterized by its compact and rounded plant habit, its foliage that is dark green with a thin red margin and red midrib, its cerise pink flowers and its ability to consistently produce healthy plants.

Abstract: A new and distinct Lantana cultivar named ‘MANUEL'S RED’ is disclosed, characterized by distinctive variegated foliage and solid red flowers. The new variety is a Lantana, normally produced as an outdoor garden or container plant.

Abstract: A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Zola’ particularly characterized by flowers which are white with some yellow in the labellum; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

Abstract: A new and distinct Phalaenopsis plant named ‘Mamamia’ particularly characterized by flowers which are purple/violet with a small white edge; plants which may be propagated economically and uniformly using tissue culture; plants which produce more than one inflorescence; long and sturdy inflorescences; and relatively short, dark-green foliage.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Hosta plant named ‘MonLisa’, characterized by its medium-sized plant with uniformly mounding plant habit; vigorous growth habit; medium bluish green-colored leaves with wide creamy white-colored borders; pale lavender-colored flowers positioned on strong peduncles; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new petunia plant particularly distinguished by having single, light blue colored flowers, and an upright mounding, medium-compact vigour plant habit, is disclosed

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant named ‘Garsophie Imp.’, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous inflorescences with red-colored ray florets arranged on upright and strong scapes; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Gerbera plant named ‘Garjasmina Imp.’, characterized by its compact, broadly upright and uniformly mounding plant habit; dense and bushy appearance; numerous inflorescences with red and red purple-colored ray florets arranged on upright and strong scapes; and good garden performance.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Lomandra plant named ‘Roma 13’ that is characterized by a compact habit, arching narrow flat variegated leaves that are grey-green with a white center stripe and white margins.

Abstract: ‘HEGHE02’ is a distinctive variety of Hemigraphis alternata which is characterized by yellow and green leaf variegation, large leaf size, and a dense growth habit.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Nephrolepis plant named ‘BRAVIT2621’ characterized by its compact, upright to outwardly spreading plant habit; dark green-colored pinnae; relative drought tolerance; and good interiorscape performance.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Nephrolepis plant named ‘BRAVIT2626’ characterized by its upright to outwardly arching plant habit; dark green-colored pinnae; and good postproduction performance.

Abstract: A new cultivar of Agapanthus plant named ‘Brilliant Blue’ that is characterized by flowers having dark blue petals with a darker blue center stripe, a compact dwarf habit, a long flowering season, short peduncles and short pedicels.

Abstract: A new and distinct Agapanthus cultivar named ‘DUNAGA02’ is disclosed, characterized by reliable flowering, variegated leaves and small growth form. The new variety is tolerant of glyphosate and sterile. The new variety is a Agapanthus, typically produced as an outdoor ornamental plant.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Helenium plant named ‘Sombrero’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; inflorescences with yellow-colored ray florets; and strong peduncles that hold the inflorescences above the foliar plane.

Abstract: A new and distinct cultivar of Helenium plant named ‘Siesta’, characterized by its compact and broadly upright plant habit; moderately vigorous growth habit; freely flowering habit; inflorescences with orange red-colored ray florets; and strong peduncles that hold the inflorescences above the foliar plane.

Abstract: A method of stuffing natural casings with emulsion involves slidably mounting a collar element on the stuffing tube of the machine adjacent an end of the stuffing tube opposite to the discharge end thereof. The collar is slidably advanced towards the discharge end of the tube to telescope the casing into a shirred condition while leaving a non-shirred portion downstream thereof. The non-shirred portion of the casing is progressively advanced while the casing is filled with emulsion from the tube. A sensor is placed in the proximity of the non-shirred portion of the casing to detect whether shirred or non-shirred casing is present. The sensor is connected to a controller so that the collar will be advanced to slide the casing material on the tube when the non-shirred casing is detected, and the advance of the collar is stopped when shirred casing material is detected. A machine includes the foregoing components to accomplish the method.

Abstract: A posterior spinal fusion system may include a plurality of cannulas that mate with cages polyaxially coupled to pedicle screws. The cannulas maintain access to the pedicle screws to facilitate percutaneous insertion of a fusion rod into engagement with the cages. Each cannula has a pair of blades that may be held together by an abutment member that at least partially encircles the blades. Each abutment member abuts the skin to define a variable subcutaneous length of the corresponding cannula. Each abutment members is also lockably removable from the corresponding blades to enable the blades to pivot with respect to the connecting element to a position in which they can be withdrawn from the connecting element. The blades of each cannula are spaced apart to provide first and second slots of each cannula, through which the fusion rod can be percutaneously inserted.

Abstract: An anti-glare protection device for a welding mask includes a transmission control circuit for determining a darkening signal from a control signal, a welding activity detection circuit (6) for detecting a welding activity, based on the output of a first sensor circuit. The welding activity detection circuit is arranged to control, via an activation switch, whether either the darkening signal or a signal corresponding to an undarkened optical filter is input to a filter drive circuit. The filter drive circuit drives a controllable optical filter to a transmission value according to the signal input to the filter drive circuit. A manual input device allows a user to manually adjust a user selected signal. A second sensor circuit determines a sensed signal. A manually operable mode selection switch for selecting either, in a manual mode, the user selected signal or, in an automatic mode, the sensed signal to be used as the control signal to the transmission control circuit.

Abstract: A descent control device is disclosed manufactured with a bar having holes for guiding a rope used in descent, and a lever designed to pivot or move relative to the bar and compress the opening of one of the holes. Compressing the opening increases friction and slows or stops descent. Control can be from manually moving the lever or by connecting the lever to the descending weight, thereby automatically moving the lever. Hole and pivot geometry may be altered to provide multiple braking options, accommodate varying ropes, and alter normal operating friction.

Abstract: A casino style game apparatus preferably having a table layout for playing a roulette or roulette-like game without a roulette wheel. The preferred embodiment uses a ball blower to select a numbered ball from a set of thirty-eight numbered balls. A monitor displays the selected ball as viewed from a video camera mounted above the ball blower. The number displayed constitutes the random number decision generation replacing the use of a roulette wheel. An additional embodiment uses a random number generator to select a number from one to thirty-eight for random number decision generation. Another embodiment uses a shuffled thirty-eight card deck from which a numbered card is selected constituting the random number decision generation. An additional embodiment uses a remote control activated by a player to initiate the random number generator for selection of a number from one to thirty-eight to constitute the random number decision generation.

Abstract: A multiple joint pliers having a transversely retaining branch (2), a transversely retained branch (3), and a plate (4). The transversely retaining branch (2) which includes a first jaw (6), a first articulating intermediate zone (9) and a first handle (10). The first articulating zone defines a recess (12), and on either side thereof, a stepped portion (14). The transversely retained branch (3) includes a second jaw (21), a second articulating intermediate zone (23) and a second handle (22). The second articulating zone being received mobile in rotation, and selectively in translation, in the recess. The plate (4) maintaining the second articulating zone in the recess. The ends (27) of the plate are positioned on the respective stepped portions. The plate (4) is generally ?-shaped when viewed laterally.

Abstract: A tool changer comprising a master module and a tool module includes a rapid-connect communication bus between the master and tool modules. A unique tool identification number, along with other tool-related information, may be transmitted from the tool module to the master module within about 250 msec of the master and tool modules coupling together. The master module includes a robotic system communications network node connected to the rapid-connect communication bus, and operative to transmit data between the tool and the network via the communication bus. The need for a separate network node in the tool module is obviated, reducing cost and reducing the start-up time required to initialize such a network node upon connecting to a new tool. The rapid-connect communication bus may be a serial bus.

Abstract: A pair of laminated panels are simultaneously manufactured in a single panel press. A thermal band is stacked between two panel sets and then the two panel sets are simultaneously heated and compressed together in a common stack with the band, with the band being separately heated.

Abstract: There is provided a printing device configured to eject a dispersed body containing a solid particle and a liquid. The printing device includes a film and an acoustic head. The film has a first major surface and a second major surface on an opposite side of the first major surface. The first major surface is provided with a first recess accommodating the liquid and a second recess provided on a bottom face of the first recess and accommodating the solid particle. The acoustic head focuses an acoustic wave from a side of the second major surface toward the first recess and the second recess. Thus, even in the case of discharging a dispersed body containing solid particles, it is possible to uniformize the amount of solid particles contained in ejected droplets and it is possible to uniformly make a print.

Abstract: The invention relates to a quick release assembly for a bicycle, wherein the assembly comprises an axle having a first non-cylindrical end portion, a cylindrical central portion, and a second non-cylindrical end portion, wherein a diameter of one of the non-cylindrical end portions is larger than the diameter of the cylindrical central portion. The quick release assembly further comprises an insert having a non-cylindrical outer profile configured to be retained in a non-cylindrical opening and having a cam surface disposed therein, wherein the insert is sized to retain one of the non-cylindrical end portions of the axle therein. The assembly also includes a shaft sized to pass through the axle and having a cam follower on a first end and a handle on a second end, wherein the cam follower is configured to form a locking engagement with the cam surface upon an axial rotation of the handle.

Abstract: Isoindolin-1-one and Isoindoline-1,3-dione substituted in the 2-position with an ?-(3,4-disubstituted phenyl)alkyl group and in the 4- and/or 5-position with a nitrogen-containing group are inhibitors of, and thus useful in the treatment of disease states mediated by, TNF? and phosphodiesterase. A typical embodiment is 2-[1-(3-ethoxy-4-methoxyphenyl)-2-methylsulfonylethyl]-4,5-diaminoisoindoline-1,3-dione.

Abstract: The present invention provides dyes of the general formula (I) where D, R1 to R7 and n are each as defined in claim 1, processes for their preparation and their use.

Abstract: A plating apparatus can form a bump having a flat top or can form a metal film having a good in-plane uniformity even when the plating of a plating object (substrate) is carried out under high-current density conditions. The plating apparatus includes a plating tank for holding a plating solution; an anode to be immersed in the plating solution in the plating tank; a holder for holding a plating object and disposing the plating object at a position opposite the anode; a paddle, disposed between the anode and the plating object held by the holder, which reciprocates parallel to the plating object to stir the plating solution; and a control section for controlling a paddle drive section which drives the paddle. The control section controls the paddle drive section so that the paddle moves at a velocity whose average absolute value is 70 cm/sec to 100 cm/sec.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sewer system including a sewage receptacle, sewer piping connected to the sewage receptacle by means of a discharge valve, a mechanism for generating vacuum in the sewer piping, and a control mechanism for controlling the discharge valve. In order to achieve a more rapid closing of the discharge valve after discharge of the sewage from the sewage receptacle, the vacuum sewer system further comprises an aeration device in direct fluid communication with the discharge valve. The control mechanism is arranged to control the aeration device. Also disclosed is a discharge valve (2) for such a vacuum sewer system.

Abstract: A swept turbomachinery blade for use in a cascade of such blades is disclosed. The blade (12) has an airfoil (22) uniquely swept so that an endwall shock (64) of limited radial extent and a passage shock (66) are coincident and a working medium (48) flowing through interblade passages (50) is subjected to a single coincident shock rather than the individual shocks. In one embodiment of the invention the forwardmost extremity of the airfoil defines an inner transition point (40) located at an inner transition radius rt-inner. The sweep angle of the airfoil is nondecreasing with increasing radius from the inner transition radius to an outer transition radius rt-outer, radially inward of the airfoil tip (26), and is nonincreasing with increasing radius between the outer transition radius and the airfoil tip.

Abstract: A damping structure for a turbomachine rotor. The damping structure including an elongated snubber element including a first snubber end rigidly attached to a first blade and extending toward an adjacent second blade, and an opposite second snubber end positioned adjacent to a cooperating surface associated with the second blade. The snubber element has a centerline extending radially inwardly in a direction from the first blade toward the second blade along at least a portion of the snubber element between the first and second snubber ends. Rotational movement of the rotor effects relative movement between the second snubber end and the cooperating surface to position the second snubber end in frictional engagement with the cooperating surface with a predetermined damping force determined by a centrifugal force on the snubber element.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a fast, nondestructive measurement method for determining the contents of solid, liquid and/or suspended flowing organic compounds. The arrangement according to the invention comprises a sample vessel, a pump, and a measurement cell which form a unit together with a spectroscopic measurement head. The measurement cell is connected to the pump, which can be regulated to vary the flow rate, and to the sample vessel by a pipe, and the spectroscopic measurement head and the regulatable pump have electrical connections to a controlling and evaluating unit. Due to its compact construction, the solution which makes use of the principle of transflection is also particularly suited to mobile use, for example, to determine the components of liquid manure while the latter is being dispensed. In principle, the solution can be transferred to any applications with suspensions or pumpable, homogeneous and inhomogeneous materials.

Abstract: An automatic focusing apparatus performs focusing using a first automatic focusing method in which lens drive control is performed based on a focus signal so that a focus lens is moved to an in-focus point, and a second automatic focusing method in which lens drive control is performed based on information corresponding to an object distance so that the focus lens is moved to an in-focus point. The direction in which the focus lens is moved to the in-focus point according to the second automatic focusing method is compared with the direction in which the focus lens is moved to the in-focus point according to the first automatic focusing method. Based on the result, it is determined whether to perform the lens drive control according to the second automatic focusing method.

Abstract: A position control apparatus includes a reverse displacement calculation unit configured to calculate a reverse displacement that represents an amount of movement made from a preceding reverse point to a current reverse point by an axis that performs a reversing motion; a reversing-time segmenting number number of consecutive occurrences of reversing motions calculation unit configured to compare the reverse displacement to a predetermined value, and, when the reverse displacement is less than the predetermined value, increase a value of a reversing-time segmenting number of consecutive occurrences of reversing motions, which is a coefficient indicating a number of segments per unit time during a reversing motion, and, when the reverse displacement is greater than or equal to the predetermined value, decrease the value of the reversing-time segmenting number number of consecutive occurrences of reversing motions; and a quadrant inversion compensation unit configured to automatically adjust a quadrant inversio

Abstract: Provided is a character input method and apparatus for automatically switching an input mode in a terminal having a touch screen. If a press event occurs in one of key regions displayed in the touch screen, it is determined whether a drag event occurs prior to occurrence of a release event. According to whether the drag event occurs, one of a separate input mode for inputting one of characters of a corresponding character group and a text input mode for inputting a word including one of the characters of the character group is executed. Thus, a user can easily input a character by rapidly selecting a desired input mode. A character input method in a terminal having a touch screen.

Abstract: An optical disc according to the present invention includes a plurality of recording layers; a receiving section for receiving, from outside an optical disc, a switching instruction for switching a target layer to be targeted for recording or reproducing information among the plurality of the recording layers; and a switching section for switching the target layer among the plurality of recording layers, based on the switching instruction received.

Abstract: An activity-area/time-frame weighting table indicates the likelihood of where a user is most likely to be in a certain time frame, and weighting (the number of points) is set depending on times frames, which are divided into weekdays and weekends. The activity pattern may be obtained through the user's application at the time of registration, or may be obtained by detecting the locations of the user for a predetermined period, such as for one week, using a GPS or PHS. For example, when a user is mostly likely to be on the route to the company from home in the time frame of commuting hours on a weekday, the weighting is set low. Based on an area and time frame in which a corresponding credit card or the like is used, the number of points is determined, and is then used to set an authentication level.

Abstract: Data scrambling techniques implemented externally to a flash memory device are disclosed which can be used in concert with flash memory on-chip copy functionality operating internally to the flash device, thus supporting high performance copying operations. All the data stored in the flash may be scrambled, including headers and control structures. Robust file system operation may be achieved, including the capability to tolerate a power loss at any time, and yet be able to relocate data internally within the flash without having to de-scramble and then re-scramble the data. An exemplary hardware based solution has little or no impact on overall system performance, and may be implemented at very low incremental cost to increase overall system reliability. The data scrambling technique preferably uses a logical address, such as logical block address or logical page address, rather than a physical address, to determine a seed scrambling key.

Abstract: A semiconductor memory device which can reduce the size of a memory cell and increase the packing density is disclosed. Each memory cell comprises a p-type active region, an n-type active region, two word lines, a common gate line and a common gate line. Two memory cells are deviated by, for example, an amount of a half bit in the direction which perpendicularly crosses the word line direction. The memory cells are arranged with one of their parts overlapped with one another in the word line direction. Thus, the size of the memory cell can be reduced in the word line direction.

Abstract: A non-volatile storage system performs programming for a plurality of non-volatile storage elements and selectively performs re-erasing of at least a subset of the non-volatile storage elements that were supposed to remain erased, without intentionally erasing programmed data.

Abstract: Methods and non-volatile storage systems are provided for using compensation that depends on the temperature at which the memory cells were programmed. Note that the read level compensation may have a component that is not dependent on the memory cells' Tco. That is, the component is not necessarily based on the temperature dependence of the Vth of the memory cells. The compensation may have a component that is dependent on the difference in width of individual Vth distributions of the different states across different temperatures of program verify. This compensation may be used for both verify and read, although a different amount of compensation may be used during read than during verify.

Abstract: An implantable magnet that can freely turn in response to an external magnetic field, thus avoiding torque and demagnetization on the implantable magnet. The implantable magnet can be combined with an electric switching function depending on the orientation of an external magnetic field, thus protecting an implanted coil and/or implant electronics against induction of over-voltage or performing an electric switching function for other various purposes. The magnetic switch may further include, for example, a first switching contact and a second switching contact. A magnetically soft body that includes an electrically conductive surface is shiftable between a first position where the body is in simultaneous contact with the first and second switching contacts, and a second position where the body is out of contact with at least one of the first and second switching contacts.