Abstract: Computer implemented systems store descriptions of multiple different types of marketplace items as a collection of parameter-value pairs, using a table having a plurality of rows and columns, wherein values for at least two of the items are stored in cells of first and second ones of the rows, respectively; keys that provide information that can be used to decipher differential mappings of a plurality of the columns to a plurality of parameters in different ones of the rows; and one or more interfaces that collectively display previously stored parameters and values to a human end-user.

Abstract: Improvements for parametized storage and retrieval of multiple different types of marketplace items include: (a) providing lists recommended parameters to guide users' entry and searching of data; (b) limiting users to suggesting additions of new parameters to the system; (c) an item classification based in whole or in part upon a trademark classification; (d) a data structure in which value data is stored in cells of a table for which a given column can represent multiple different parameters; (e) values can comprise links that resolve to particular items of data other than a file, a web site, and an email address; data is loaded en masse, and then distributed to edge cache databases; and (f) users can privatize individual records and values within their loaded data.

Abstract: Methods for improving the specificity of assays for botulinum neurotoxins are described. Reporting constructs are provided that include cleavable linker sequence with genetically modified recognition and/or cleavage sites. These linker sequences act as a substrate for a botulinum neurotoxin, with cleavage of the reporting construct providing a detectable signal. When first and second neurotoxins have activity with the same substrate protein, mutation and/or deletion of a recognition and/or cleavage site associated with the second neurotoxin improves the specificity of the detectable signal for the first neurotoxin.

Abstract: Personal companions crowd-source and/or crowd-share characterizations, and optionally raw data, from real-world, virtual and/or mixed-reality experiences. Characterizations can advantageously be stored in one or more self-evolving, structured databases, and can be organized according to objects, actions, events and thoughts. Characterizations can be weighted differently for different users, and “forgotten” over time, especially in favor of maintaining higher level characterizations. Personal companions can be used to obtain additional information, and conduct interpersonal, commercial, or other interactions or transactions.

Abstract: Improvements for parametized storage and retrieval of multiple different types of marketplace items include: (a) providing lists recommended parameters to guide users' entry and searching of data; (b) limiting users to suggesting additions of new parameters to the system; (c) an item classification based in whole or in part upon a trademark classification; (d) a data structure in which value data is stored in cells of a table for which a given column can represent multiple different parameters; (e) values can comprise links that resolve to particular items of data other than a file, a web site, and an email address; data is loaded en masse, and then distributed to edge cache databases; and (f) users can privatize individual records and values within their loaded data.

Abstract: Methods for the identification of inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxins are described. Cells are provided that are genetically engineered to express peptides that act as a substrate for a botulinum neurotoxin and the provide reporting groups. Spacer sequences between the reporting groups serve to optimize energy transfer between the reporting groups. Characterization of the energy transfer-dependent signal prior to and following exposure to a botulinum neurotoxin in the presence of a candidate inhibitor provides a measure of the effectiveness of the candidate inhibitor.

Abstract: The present invention provides systems and methods for increasing 3rd party advertising on an interactive site, by assigning characteristics to portions of a website, and using those characteristics to personalize presentation of the website by according to personas of visitors. Persona characteristics can represent any distinguishing feature of interest, including for example, gender, marital status, occupation, interests, race, hobbies, business interests, religious interests, etc. In preferred embodiments a service company handles the creation and maintenance of visitors' personas. The company stores relevant information on the computers of users, and then cooperates with the website operator to access that stored information as needed. In a particularly preferred embodiment personalization can be used to assist in deciding what advertisements to display or not display on a website.

Abstract: An item of information (212) is transmitted to a distal computer (220), translated to a different sense modality and/or language (222), and in substantially real time, and the translation (222) is transmitted back to the location (211) from which the item was sent. The device sending the item is preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone (210). The device receiving the translation is also preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone, and may advantageously be the same device as the sending device. The item of information (212) preferably comprises a sentence of human of speech having at least ten words, and the translation is a written expression of the sentence. All of the steps of transmitting the item of information, executing the program code, and transmitting the translated information preferably occurs in less than 60 seconds of elapsed time.

Abstract: A search engine provides summary context information for search terms across many or all of the matched records. The summary information can include additional terms including single words, phrases, pairs or other groupings of words, as well as tags or other information having special meaning. Search engines or other providers can allow users to click on or otherwise select one or more of the additional terms. Such selection can be used to add the selected term(s) to a subsequent search, and/or display to the searcher examples of the selected term(s) in context of at least one of selected ones of the plurality of records.

Abstract: An item of information (212) is transmitted to a distal computer (220), translated to a different sense modality and/or language (222), and in substantially real time, and the translation (222) is transmitted back to the location (211) from which the item was sent. The device sending the item is preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone (210). The device receiving the translation is also preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone, and may advantageously be the same device as the sending device. The item of information (212) preferably comprises a sentence of human of speech having at least ten words, and the translation is a written expression of the sentence. All of the steps of transmitting the item of information, executing the program code, and transmitting the translated information preferably occurs in less than 60 seconds of elapsed time.

Abstract: Methods for the identification of inhibitors of botulinum neurotoxins are described. Cells are provided that are genetically engineered to express peptides that act as a substrate for a botulinum neurotoxin and the provide reporting groups. Spacer sequences between the reporting groups serve to optimize energy transfer between the reporting groups. Characterization of the energy transfer-dependent signal prior to and following exposure to a botulinum neurotoxin in the presence of a candidate inhibitor provides a measure of the effectiveness of the candidate inhibitor.

Abstract: A search engine provides summary context information for search terms across many or all of the matched records. The summary information can include additional terms including single words, phrases, pairs or other groupings of words, as well as tags or other information having special meaning. Search engines or other providers can allow users to click on or otherwise select one or more of the additional terms. Such selection can be used to add the selected term(s) to a subsequent search, and/or display to the searcher examples of the selected term(s) in context of at least one of selected ones of the plurality of records. Searchers can advantageously be given an ability to set the size of the window from which the additional terms are drawn, the number of records searched.

Abstract: Template identification techniques for control of testing are described. In one or more implementations, a method is described to control testing of one or more services by one or more computing devices using inferred template identification. Templates are inferred, by the one or more computing devices, that are likely used for documents for respective services of a service provider that are available via corresponding universal resource locators (URLs) to form an inferred dataset. Overlaps are identified by the one or computing devices in the inferred dataset to cluster services together that have likely used corresponding templates. Testing is controlled by the one or more computing devices of the one or more services based at least in part on the clusters.

Abstract: A small volume capacity pump is used to pressurize a small air tank, and the tank is used to top off pressure in an automobile tire or other receptacle. The tank preferably has a reservoir measuring 200-300 cc, and is pressurized to at least 500 psi. The pump preferably has a low volume capacity of 200-300 cc/min, thus requiring at least 15-45 minutes to refill the reservoir to its full operating pressure when empty. A pump can be operated by a DC or AC motor, which can be housed along with, or separately, from the pump. Especially preferred embodiments also include an automatic pressure regulator that can be set to deliver a desired pressure to a receiving device, and a trigger that controls release of air from the tank to the regulator.

Abstract: A molecular construct comprises a donor label, an acceptor label, a linker peptide disposed between the donor and the acceptor, the linker having a cleavage site sequence, and a spacer between at least one of (a) the donor and the cleavage site sequence and (b) the acceptor and the cleavage site sequence. Preferably, the construct is selected from the group consisting of CFP-(SGLRSRA)(SEQ ID NO. 9)-SNAP-25-(SNS)-YFP, and CFP-(SGLRSRA)(SEQ ID NO. 9)-synaptobrevin-(SNS)-YFP. In preferred embodiments, the linker peptide is a substrate of a botulinum neurotoxin selected from the group consisting of synaptobrevin (VAMP), syntaxin and SNAP-25, or a fragment thereof that can be recognized and cleaved by the botulinum neurotoxin. Advantageously, the spacer increases the electronic coupling between the donor label and the acceptor label relative to a corresponding construct without the spacer.

Abstract: Personal companions crowd-source and/or crowd-share characterizations, and optionally raw data, from real-world, virtual and/or mixed-reality experiences. Characterizations can advantageously be stored in one or more self-evolving, structured databases, and can be organized according to objects, actions, events and thoughts. Characterizations can be weighted differently for different users, and “forgotten” over time, especially in favor of maintaining higher level characterizations. Personal companions can be used to obtain additional information, and conduct interpersonal, commercial, or other interactions or transactions.

Abstract: A behavior change detection system collects behavior from a service, such as an online service, and detects behavior changes, either permanent or transient, in the service. Machine learning hierarchical (agglomerative) clustering techniques are utilized to compute deviations between clustered data sets representing an “answer” that the service presents to a series of requests.

Abstract: An item of information (212) is transmitted to a distal computer (220), translated to a different sense modality and/or language (222), and in substantially real time, and the translation (222) is transmitted back to the location (211) from which the item was sent. The device sending the item is preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone (210). The device receiving the translation is also preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone, and may advantageously be the same device as the sending device. The item of information (212) preferably comprises a sentence of human of speech having at least ten words, and the translation is a written expression of the sentence. All of the steps of transmitting the item of information, executing the program code, and transmitting the translated information preferably occurs in less than 60 seconds of elapsed time.

Abstract: An item of information (212) is transmitted to a distal computer (220), translated to a different sense modality and/or language (222), and in substantially real time, and the translation (222) is transmitted back to the location (211) from which the item was sent. The device sending the item is preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone (210). The device receiving the translation is also preferably a wireless device, and more preferably a cellular or other telephone, and may advantageously be the same device as the sending device. The item of information (212) preferably comprises a sentence of human of speech having at least ten words, and the translation is a written expression of the sentence. All of the steps of transmitting the item of information, executing the program code, and transmitting the translated information preferably occurs in less than 60 seconds of elapsed time.

Abstract: Template identification techniques for control of testing are described. In one or more implementations, a method is described to control testing of one or more services by one or more computing devices using inferred template identification. Templates are inferred, by the one or more computing devices, that are likely used for documents for respective services of a service provider that are available via corresponding universal resource locators (URLs) to form an inferred dataset. Overlaps are identified by the one or computing devices in the inferred dataset to cluster services together that have likely used corresponding templates. Testing is controlled by the one or more computing devices of the one or more services based at least in part on the clusters.