A ruggedized display device is disclosed. The ruggedized display device may include an optical stack configured to resist a load up to a load threshold. The optical stack may include an electronic display including a top surface and a bottom surface, and a top protective component coupled to the top surface of the electronic display via a bonding material layer, to shield the electronic display. The top protective component and the bonding material layer may collectively have a first thickness of less than 1.0 millimeters. The optical stack may further include a bottom protective component, coupled to the bottom surface via a resiliently deformable adhesive layer, to support the electronic display from below. The bottom protective component and the adhesive layer may collectively have a second thickness less than 10.0 millimeters.

A liquid crystal display (LCD) device and a backlight module. The backlight module includes a lightbar, a lightbar heat sink, and a light guide panel (LGP). A light coupling distance is set between the lightbar and the LGP. The backlight module further includes a control structure controlling the light coupling distance. The lightbar is configured with a through hole, the control structure penetrating through the through hole is arranged on the lightbar heat sink, and the lightbar heat sink provides a fixing force that controls a position the LGP.

A liquid crystal display device includes a first substrate, a first electrode on the first substrate, a second substrate opposed to the first substrate, and a second electrode on the second substrate. The second electrode corresponds to the first electrode. The liquid crystal display device also includes a liquid crystal structure between the first electrode and the second electrode. The liquid crystal structure includes a plurality of liquid crystal molecules and at least one movement control member. The movement control member in the liquid crystal structure restricts a movement of the liquid crystal molecules.

The present invention provides an optical compensated bending (OCB) mode liquid crystal display (LCD) panel and a method for manufacturing the same. The method comprises the following steps: forming alignment layers on substrate, respectively; forming a liquid crystal layer between the alignment layers to form a liquid crystal cell; applying an electrical signal across the liquid crystal cell; and irradiating light rays to or heating the liquid crystal cell, so as to form a first polymer alignment layer and a second polymer alignment layer, respectively. The present invention can reduce a phase transition time of liquid crystal molecules from a splay state to a bent state.

A liquid crystal display being capable of improving the contrast ratio in the front direction thereof is provided. A liquid crystal display 100 of the present invention includes, in sequence: a light source device 14 that emits a parallel light beam; a back surface-side polarizer 16; a liquid crystal cell 13; a display surface-side polarizer 11; and a light diffusion layer 15. The liquid crystal display 100 further includes: a selective light-shielding layer 12 between the display surface-side polarizer 11 and the light diffusion layer 15 so that the selective light-shielding layer 12 shields light that is generated by being depolarized and scattered in the liquid crystal cell 13 and travels in a direction that is different from a direction in which the parallel light beam travels.

There is provided an optical laminate which comprises: a polarizing film wherein a thin polarizing layer is laminated on one main surface of a substrate; and an optical element (lens array). The thin polarizing layer has a thickness of 8 μm or less. The substrate has a thickness of 20 μm to 80 μm. The optical element is a pattern retardation plate including a plurality of regions having different slow axis directions.

A counter substrate for liquid crystal display includes a transparent substrate, a black matrix, and stripe transparent electrodes. The black matrix divides a plane surface of the transparent substrate into pixel or sub-pixel unit to form a light-shielded area and openings above the plane surface. The stripe transparent electrodes are formed into the pixel unit or the sub-pixel unit above the plane surface. The black matrix includes a frame pattern including two sides facing each other in parallel in the pixel or the sub-pixel unit, and a linear central pattern which is parallel to the two sides of the frame pattern and is formed at a midsection of the pixel or the sub-pixel unit. The transparent electrodes are each parallel to the two sides of the frame pattern and the central pattern and are located symmetrically to the central pattern.

A display device uses a multilayer film (104), which reflects (red) light having wavelengths between about 600 and 800 nm at a 60 degree angle of incidence (114), to protect a liquid crystal panel (102) from heat and sun damage. The film (104) transmits light of the visible band with a wavelength between about 420 and 650 nm at normal incidence (116). The outermost surface (106) of the film (104) may be a hard coat (124). A metal oxide layer (120) and a metal layer (130) may be included to reflect IR light greater in wavelength than about 850 nm.

Disclosed herein is a liquid crystal display device including a plurality of pixels each having a reflecting section and a transmitting section, the pixels each including a plurality of sub-pixels resulting from alignment division, the liquid crystal display device including: an element layer formed on a substrate; an insulating film formed on the substrate so as to cover the element layer; a pixel electrode formed on the insulating film so as to be connected to the element layer; a gap adjusting layer formed on the insulating film on the element layer including a region of connection between the element layer and the pixel electrode; and a dielectric formed on a connecting part for making an electric connection between the sub-pixels.

A liquid crystal display device includes a liquid crystal display element including a first alignment film and a second alignment film and a liquid crystal layer that is provided between the first alignment film and the second alignment film, wherein the first alignment film includes a compound in which a polymer compound that includes a cross-linked functional group or a polymerized functional group as a side chain is cross-linked or polymerized, the second alignment film includes the same compound as the compound that configures the first alignment film, and the formation and processing of the second alignment film is different from the formation and processing of the first alignment film and when a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules which is conferred by the first alignment film is θ1 and a pretilt angle of the liquid crystal molecules which is conferred by the second alignment film is θ2, θ1>θ2.

The present invention provides a display device substrate, a display device substrate manufacturing method, a display device, a liquid crystal display device, a liquid crystal display device manufacturing method and an organic electroluminescent display device that allow suppressing faults derived from occurrence of gas and/or bubbles in a pixel region. The present invention is a display device substrate that comprises: a photosensitive resin film; and a pixel electrode, in this order, from a side of an insulating substrate. The display device substrate has a gas-barrier insulating film, at a layer higher than the photosensitive resin film, for preventing advance of a gas generated from the photosensitive resin film, or has a gas-barrier insulating film, between the photosensitive resin film and the pixel electrode, for preventing advance of gas generated from the photosensitive resin film.

A liquid crystal display device includes a TFT substrate having a display region with first and second electrodes, TFTs, scanning signal lines connected to the TFTs, a counter substrate, a liquid crystal layer sandwiched between the TFT and counter substrates, and sealed by a sealant, scanning line leads connected to the scanning signal lines and formed outside of the display region, video signal line leads connected to the video signal lines and formed outside of the display region and a shield electrode formed on the TFT substrate covering the scanning line leads but not the video signal line leads. The second electrode is connected to one of the TFTs, and liquid crystal molecules of the liquid crystal layer are driven by an electric field, which is generated between the first and second electrodes. The shield electrode is electrically connected to the first electrode and overlapped with the sealant in plan view.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a liquid crystal display device with high transmittance or viewing angle characteristics. A liquid crystal display device of the present invention includes: a first substrate (10) which includes a pixel electrode (30); a second substrate (20) which includes a counter electrode (25); and a liquid crystal layer (21) and a spacer (40) which are provided between the first substrate (10) and the second substrate (20). The pixel electrode (30) includes a first portion which is formed by a plurality of first branch portions (34A) extending in a first direction, a second portion which is formed by a plurality of second branch portions (34B) extending in a second direction, a third portion which is formed by a plurality of third branch portions (34C) extending in a third direction, and a fourth portion which is formed by a plurality of fourth branch portions (34D) extending in a fourth direction. The spacer (40) is provided at a position in the pixel (50) which is surrounded by the first to fourth portions of the pixel electrode (30) when viewed from a direction perpendicular to a plane of the first substrate (10).

In a conventional bistable liquid crystal device, switching characteristics fluctuate among panels and there is a problem in mass productivity. As an intermediate layer, an uneven film is inserted between a low anchoring layer and ITO. The uneven film has an average surface roughness of 2 nm or less, which is measured by an atomic force microscope. In this manner, the low anchoring layer is not affected by the surface shape of the ITO film which differs among panels, and the switching characteristics are stabilized.

An optical switch for performing high extinction ratio switching of an optical signal includes a beam polarizing element and one or more optical elements. The optical elements are configured to direct an optical signal along a first or second optical path based on the polarization state of the optical signal as it passes through the optical elements. The optical switch performs high extinction ratio switching of the optical signal by preventing unwanted optical energy from entering an output port by using an absorptive or reflective optical element or by directing the unwanted optical energy along a different optical path.

The present invention is intended to control the color temperature of white exhibited by a liquid crystal display device. White is produced when light waves emitted through pixels associated with three colors of red, green, and blue have maximum intensities. The amounts of light emitted through the respective pixels are controlled by differentiating the shapes of the pixel electrodes disposed at the respective pixels from one another. Thus, the color temperature of white is controlled. Otherwise, the shapes of interceptive films disposed at the respective pixels are differentiated from one another in order to control light waves emitted through the respective pixels. Thus, the color temperature of white is controlled. The interceptive film may be shaped like the pixel electrode. Otherwise, the interceptive film may be realized with an interceptive pattern other than that of the pixel electrode or one of openings bored in a black matrix.

The invention provides a display device having a slim structure and a small size with enhanced strength. The display device according to an embodiment includes a display panel, a backlight assembly disposed below the display panel, a first support section surrounding lateral sides of the display panel, and a second support section extending from an inner side of the first support section such that the second support section is disposed at lateral sides of the backlight assembly.

It is an object of the present invention to provide a liquid crystal display device which has a wide viewing angle and less color-shift depending on an angle at which a display screen is seen and can display an image favorably recognized both outdoors in sunlight and dark indoors (or outdoors at night). The liquid crystal display device includes a first portion where display is performed by transmission of light and a second portion where display is performed by reflection of light. Further, a liquid crystal layer includes a liquid crystal molecule which rotates parallel to an electrode plane when a potential difference is generated between two electrodes of a liquid crystal element provided below the liquid crystal layer.

The present invention provides a backlight module and a liquid crystal display device using the backlight module. The backlight module includes: a backplane (2), a light guide plate (4) arranged in the backplane (2), a backlight source (6) arranged in the backplane (2), an optic film assembly (8) arranged above the light guide plate (4), and a reflection plate (9) arranged between the backplane (2) and the light guide plate (4). The backlight source (6) includes a PCB (62) and a plurality of LED lights (64) mounted on and electrically connected to the PCB (62). The backplane (2) includes a bottom plate (22) and a plurality of side plates (24) perpendicularly connected to the bottom plate (22). The bottom plate (22) of the backplane (2) includes a snap-engagement structure (220) formed thereon. The PCB (62) is snap-fit into and retained by the snap-engagement structure (220). The reflection plate (9) is directly positioned on and supported by the PCB (62).

The liquid crystal display device includes an island-shaped first semiconductor film 102 which is formed over a base insulating film 101 and in which a source 102d, a channel forming region 102a, and a drain 102b are formed; a first electrode 102c which is formed of a material same as the first semiconductor film 102 to be the source 102d or the drain 102b and formed over the base insulating film 101; a second electrode 108 which is formed over the first electrode 102c and includes a first opening pattern 112; and a liquid crystal 110 which is provided over the second electrode 108.

The liquid crystal display device includes an island-shaped first semiconductor film 102 which is formed over a base insulating film 101 and in which a source 102d, a channel forming region 102a, and a drain 102b are formed; a first electrode 102c which is formed of a material same as the first semiconductor film 102 to be the source 102d or the drain 102b and formed over the base insulating film 101; a second electrode 108 which is formed over the first electrode 102c and includes a first opening pattern 112; and a liquid crystal 110 which is provided over the second electrode 108.

An optical element includes at least two stacked birefringent layers having respective local optical axes that are rotated by respective twist angles over respective thicknesses of the at least two layers, and are aligned along respective interfaces between the at least two layers. The respective twist angles and/or the respective thicknesses are different. The at least two stacked birefringent layers may be liquid crystal polymer optical retarder layers. Related devices and fabrication methods are also discussed.

It is an object of the present invention to apply a sufficient electrical field to a liquid crystal material in a horizontal electrical field liquid crystal display device typified by an FFS type. In a horizontal electrical field liquid crystal display, an electrical field is applied to a liquid crystal material right above a common electrode and a pixel electrode using plural pairs of electrodes rather than one pair of electrodes.

A liquid crystal display device is provided, which includes a thin film transistor including an oxide semiconductor layer, a first electrode layer, a second electrode layer having an opening, a light-transmitting chromatic-color resin layer between the thin film transistor and the second electrode layer, and a liquid crystal layer. One of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a pixel electrode layer which is electrically connected to the thin film transistor, and the other of the first electrode layer and the second electrode layer is a common electrode layer. The light-transmitting chromatic-color resin layer is overlapped with the pixel electrode layer and the oxide semiconductor layer of the thin film transistor.

The present invention relates to the development and manufacturing of viral vaccines. In particular, the invention relates to the field of industrial production of viral vectors and vaccines, more in particular to the use of avian embryonic stem cells, preferably the EBx® cell line derived from chicken embryonic stem cells, for the production of viral vectors and viruses. The invention is particularly useful for the industrial production of viral vaccines to prevent viral infection of humans and animals.

A method of expanding and maintaining human embryonic stem cells (ESCs) in an undifferentiated state by culturing the ESCs in a suspension culture under culturing conditions devoid of substrate adherence is provided. Also provided are a method of deriving ESC lines in the suspension culture and methods of generating lineage-specific cells from ESCs which were expanded in the suspension culture of the present invention.

Thrombospondin 1 (TSP-1), TSP-2, interleukin 17B receptor (IL-17BR) and heparin-binding epidermal growth factor-like growth factor (HB-EGF) associated with stem cell activity and use thereof.

The present invention relates to the generation of a mucin-producing cell using stem/progenitor cells obtained from the amniotic membrane of umbilical cord and therapeutic uses of such mucin-producing cells.

Methods and devices for separating fluid-suspended plant somatic embryos and embryogenic tissue based on differences in their fluid drag properties are disclosed. Deposition method and device for depositing plant somatic embryos into embryo receiver comprising growth substrate by means of a fluid jet is disclosed. An automated system for processing plant somatic embryos from the bioreactor to the growth substrate is also disclosed.

Methods and compositions for targeted delivery of biotherapeutics are provided. The compositions comprise bile-sensitive St. thermophilus bacteria modified to release a biotherapeutic agent following bile exposure. Biotherapeutic agents released by the St. thermophilus bacteria disclosed herein include AQ and AQR rich peptides. Methods of the invention comprise administering to a subject a St. thermophilus bacterium modified to release a biotherapeutic agent following bile exposure. Administration of the St. thermophilus bacterium promotes a desired therapeutic response. The bacterium may be modified to express and release AQ or AQR rich peptides which subsequently inhibit cellular apoptosis or reduce mucosal damage. Thus, methods of the invention find use in treating or preventing a variety of gastrointestinal disorders including C. difficile infection and antibiotic-associated diarrhea.

A multi-channel system and methods for sorting particles according to one or more characteristics of the particles. The system includes multiple flow cytometry units, each unit can have a nozzle for producing a fluid stream containing a desired population of particles in a mixture of particles. Each of the units may be operable to sort said desired population of particles by interrogating the fluid stream with a beam of electromagnetic radiation and classifying particles based on one or more characteristics of the particles. The system also includes a common fluid delivery system for delivering sheath fluid to each flow cytometer unit for producing respective fluid streams.

The invention discloses novel morphology shifting micelles and amphiphilic coated metal nanofibers. Methods of using and making the same are also disclosed.

Monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) having thyroid stimulating activity (TSAb), especially full or considerably agonistic activity, or thyroid blocking activity (TBAb), which are obtainable by genetic immunization of mice, or fragments (F(ab')2, Fab or Fv) or humanized forms of such monoclonal antibodies or single chain forms (SCA; scFv) of such fragments, which antibodies, or their fragments, compete with bovine TSH for epitopes of the human TSHr, compete with autoantibodies from sera from Graves' patients as well as with autoantibodies from sera from patients harboring blocking autoantibodies for epitopes of the human TSHr, bind to conformational epitopes of the human TSHr located in the first 281 amino acids of the human TSHr, and usually also bind to TSFR receptors (TSHr) from different animals. Various uses of such antibodies, or of peptides corresponding to variable regions of such antibodies, are also described and claimed.

Devices and methods are provided for reducing matrix effects in protein precipitated bioanalytical samples comprising: a support, and a sorbent associated with the support capable of binding matrix interfering agents present in the bioanalytical sample, wherein the device further comprises filtering means for removing precipitated protein particles. The filtering means is a size exclusion filter or a polymeric or inorganic monolith having a maximum pore size less than or equal to the diameter of the particles to be removed from the sample, and can be integral with the sorbent or associated with the sorbent. The sorbent is characterized by sufficient selectivity between the matrix interfering agents and analytes of interest to provide retention of the matrix interfering agents while providing elution of the analytes of interest (e.g., a reversed phase or a polar modified reversed phase). Typical devices incorporating these features include luer syringe filters, individual filter cartridges, multiwell plates, pipette tips, or inline columns for multiple or single use.

Isolated polynucleotides and polypeptides and recombinant DNA constructs particularly useful for altering agronomic characteristics of plants under nitrogen limiting conditions, compositions (such as plants or seeds) comprising these recombinant DNA constructs, and methods utilizing these recombinant DNA constructs. The recombinant DNA construct comprises a polynucleotide operably linked to a promoter functional in a plant, wherein said polynucleotide encodes an LNT1 polypeptide.

The invention relates to genes coding for TCP family transcription factors and having a biological role in the development of axillary buds and branch growth. Furthermore, the invention relates to the promoters of the transcription of said genes, to the genetic constructs containing same and to the uses thereof, including the use of agents that modulate the expression of these genes in order to modify plant architecture.

The present invention comprises methods and systems for manipulation of media and particles, whether inert materials or biomaterials, such as cells in suspension cell culture. The methods and systems comprise use of an apparatus comprising a rotating chamber wherein the actions of the combined forces fluid flow force and centrifugal force form a fluidized bed within the rotating chamber.

The invention relates to compounds that specifically bind a T1R1/T1R3 or T1R2/T1R3 receptor or fragments or sub-units thereof. The present invention also relates to the use of hetero-oligomeric and chimeric taste receptors comprising T1R1/T1R3 and T1R2/T1R3 in assays to identify compounds that respectively respond to umami taste stimuli and sweet taste stimuli. Further, the invention relates to the constitutive of cell lines that stably or transiently co-express a combination of T1R1 and T1R3; or T1R2 and T1R3; under constitutive or inducible conditions. The use of these cells lines in cell-based assays to identify umami and sweet taste modulatory compounds is also provided, particularly high throughput screening assays that detect receptor activity by use of fluorometric imaging.

An automated method for detecting the presence of a nucleic acid in a sample, where the method is performed within a housing of a self-contained, stand-alone analyzer. The method includes purifying the nucleic acid after it has been immobilized on a magnetically-responsive solid support. A pipette of the analyzer is used to form a reaction mixture comprising the purified nucleic acid and all reagents required to perform a nucleic acid amplification. Amplification products are synthesized that include a nucleotide sequence contained in the nucleic acid or the complement of the nucleic acid. The amplification products are exposed to a probe in a mixture, where the probe forms a hybrid with one of the amplification products. The formation of the hybrid in the mixture provides an indication of the presence of the nucleic acid in the sample.

Provided herein are methods for making water-soluble nanoparticles comprising a core/shell nanocrystal that is coated with a surface layer comprising enough hydrophilic ligands to render the nanoparticle water soluble or water dispersable. Methods for crosslinking molecules on the surface of a nanoparticle, which methods can be used on the above water-soluble nanoparticles also are provided. Nanoparticle compositions resulting from these methods are also provided.

[Problem to be Solved] The importance of sugar chains having α2,3- or α2,6-linked sialic acid at their non-reducing ends is known. Industrial production has been demanded for these sugar chain compounds. Particularly, the production of glycoprotein drugs or the like inevitably requires producing in quantity sugar chains having homogeneous structures by controlling the linking pattern (α2,6-linkage or α2,3-linkage) of sialic acid. Particularly, a triantennary or tetraantennary N-type complex sugar chain having sialic acid at each of all non-reducing ends is generally considered difficult to chemically synthesize. There has been no report disclosing that such a sugar chain was chemically synthesized. Furthermore, these sugar chains are also difficult to efficiently prepare enzymatically.[Solution]The present inventors have newly found the activity of sialyltransferase of degrading sialic acid on a reaction product in the presence of CMP and also found that formed CMP can be degraded enzymatically to thereby efficiently produce a sialic acid-containing sugar chain. The present inventors have further found that even a tetraantennary N-type sugar chain having four α2,6-linked sialic acid molecules, which has previously been difficult to synthesize, can be prepared at high yields by one-pot synthesis comprising the elongation reaction of a biantennary sugar chain used as a starting material without performing purification after each enzymatic reaction.

The present invention provides a vehicle seat which includes a seat frame, a seat cushion receiving member stretched across the seat frame, and a seat cushion placed on the seat cushion receiving member. In the vehicle seat, the seat cushion has such dimensions as to cover the seat frame as viewed in plan, and a lower surface of the seat cushion has a raised portion in a region covering the seat frame, and the raised portion is raised so as not to contact the seat frame.

A vehicle seat has a longitudinal adjuster, a pair of seat rails, a releasable latching device having at least one actuating pin that projects over the second seat rail, a pivotably arranged actuating lever, and a Bowden cable. A holder is fixed on a rail and supports the actuating lever such as to be pivotable about a pivot axis at one end, and a contact surface is formed on the actuating lever, on which surface the core of the Bowden cable rests in a subarea between the end of the sheath and the end of the core. The holder secures the end of the core of the Bowden cable, and the actuating lever has a Bowden cable support on which the sheath of the Bowden cable is supported directly or indirectly.

A chair including a dynamically-flexible back and seat having a shape that adjusts to the movements of a user seated in the chair to enhance user comfort. Each of the back and seat has an air gap formed therewithin and a resilient frame or liner with a spring memory. The resilient liner is adapted to flex in response to compressive forces that are generated as the user slides his body back or from side-to-side in the chair. Accordingly, some of the chair back and some of the chair seat move into respective air gaps so that the shapes of the back and seat change to conform to the movements of the user. The air gaps also establish air flow ventilation channels which run laterally through the back and seat of the chair.

A chair for facilitating efficient stacking includes a seat element having a seat frame, a plurality of front legs attached to a front portion of the seat element, a plurality of rear legs attached to a back portion of the seat element, and one or more telescopic leg mechanisms disposed on at least one of the front or rear legs, wherein the telescopic leg mechanisms provide for lateral movement of the at least one of the front or rear legs with respect to the seat element.

An ergonomic back support device utilizing one or multiple vertical components that include layers (28,36), pressure distributing layers (34,38,50), and a single notched layer (48). These layers provide primary back support located behind and conforming to the Erector spinae muscles (124). The vertical components form an open channel (24) that is parallel to the prime neurological pathway of the spinal column (100). The vertical conforming support components and open channel facilitate physiological functions that promote health. The device accomplishes support without using any transverse, hard or continuous components across or against the back. Other embodiments include the following additional vertical components: a lateral pressure-adjusting device (14), heating layers (40,46), circulation stimulating layers (42,44), and massage layers (52,54). Embodiments include portable and permanently installed versions that can be utilized in the following applications, including, but not limited to, furniture, vehicles, trains, aircraft, boats, ships, and backpacks.

A fitting for a vehicle seat is disclosed, in particular for a motor vehicle seat. First and second fitting parts are geared with one another via a meshing gearwheel and gear rim. A peripheral eccentric is driven by a drive element for driving a relative rolling movement of the gearwheel and the gear rim, and the first fitting part receives the eccentric which is supported on the second fitting part. A blocking element blocks the eccentric in the non-driven state of the fitting via toothing on the first fitting part, and releases the eccentric when driven. The gear rim is formed on the first fitting part and the gearwheel is formed on the second fitting part.

In a fitting for a vehicle seat, a catch assembly has a pivot axis, and the catch assembly has a catch and a lever which can be pivoted relative to one another about an axis spaced from the pivot axis. The catch has a hook-like contour and in the pivoted-out position of the backrest engages with a catch locking element for locking in a punctiform or linear contact region. The catch cooperates with a spring. The lever is mounted pivotably about the pivot axis and the lever rotatably mounts the catch. In the unloaded pivoted-out position, the perpendicular in the contact region runs on one side of the pivot axis or through the pivot axis. When a return pivoting force is imposed on the backrest in the pivoted-out position, the perpendicular in the contact region runs on the opposing side of or outside of the pivot axis.

One lower end portion of a belt anchor bracket is supported on a lock unit rotatably in a front-rear direction, the other lower end portion of the belt anchor bracket is fixed to a leg, and a seatbelt anchor is supported on an upper end portion of the belt anchor bracket rotatably in the front-rear direction.

A method of making a vehicle seat assembly comprising providing a cushion having an “A” surface, a “B” surface, a central portion, and two bolster areas, with each bolster area being adjacent the central portion, the cushion having a plurality of intrusions extending from the “A” surface towards the “B” surface to form a hardness gradient between at least one of the bolster areas and the central portion of between 8% to 25%, securing the cushion to a frame, and covering cushion with a trim member.