Abstract: A DDS circuit arranged to provide a selectable spread spectrum based output clock signal is described. The synthesizer includes a phase accumulator circuit, a reference clock source coupled to the phase accumulator circuit arranged to provide a reference clock signal, a frequency shifter unit coupled to the phase accumulator, a nominal phase source coupled to the phase accumulator coupled to the frequency shifter unit arranged to provide a nominal phase signal, and a modulated phase source coupled to the frequency shifter unit arranged to provide a modulation signal. The frequency shifter unit combines the nominal phase signal and the modulation signal to form a frequency shift signal as input to the phase accumulator which uses the frequency shift signal to sample the reference clock signal so as to produce the output clock signal having a central frequency and a frequency spread based upon the modulation signal.

Abstract: The invention is an apparatus and method for testing the residual seal force of the closure of a container, particularly a container for parenteral pharmaceutical products. An automated and instrumented press collects stress and strain data for a closure of a container for parenteral pharmaceutical products. An algorithm is automatically applied to the resulting data set, determining candidate residual seal forces for several data smoothing spans. Confidence levels are determined for each of the candidate residual seal forces. The candidate residual seal force corresponding to the highest confidence level is selected. The process is repeated and the results averaged to determine a final residual seal force.

Abstract: A case locking system (10) includes two pairs of independently movable split levers (16). Split levers (16) are connected to top (12) and form more than two separate latches (20 and 22) movable between an open position and a closed position. Latch receivers (34) are connected to bottom (14) and are conformed to independently receive and retain each separate latch (20 and 22). In a preferred embodiment, two pairs of independently movable split levers (16) form four separate latches (20 and 22). In a further preferred embodiment, locking ramps (36) are connected to bottom (14) for automatically opening latches (20 and 22) when the top (12) is placed on to the bottom (14). In a further embodiment, alignment guides (56) and alignment posts (48) are utilized to automatically position latches (20 and 22) and latch receivers (34) when the top (12) is placed on the bottom (14).

Abstract: Methods and compositions for the modification of immune response by modulating of the Notch signaling pathway are provided, together with methods for the treatment of disorders characterized by the presence of an unwanted immune response. Such compositions comprise components derived from Mycobacteria, such as Mycobacterium vaccae.

Abstract: Isolated fibroblast growth factor receptor polypeptides and polynucleotides encoding such polypeptides are provided, together with expression vectors and host cells comprising such isolated polynucleotides. Methods for the use of such polypeptides and polynucleotides are also provided.

Abstract: An automated dialer for a call center maximizes agent efficiency in two different ways. In a first method overdial probability is expressed as a probability function of number of agents and total traffic volume; the probability function is set equal to a maximum allowable overdial probability; and the resulting equation is solved for maximum total traffic volume producing the maximum overdial probability. The maximum total traffic volume is then used to determine a new dialing rate by dividing the difference between the calculated maximum traffic volume and known inbound traffic volume by the product of average call length and hit rate, where hit rate is the percentage of connected calls to total dialed outbound calls. In a second method a maximum total traffic volume is calculated from total number of agents times a desired agent utilization factor, and the total traffic volume is used as in the first method to calculate and set a new dialing rate for outbound calls.

Abstract: Novel isolated plant polynucleotide promoter sequences are provided, together with genetic constructs comprising such polynucleotides. Methods for using such constructs in modulating the transcription of DNA sequences of interest are also disclosed, together with transgenic plants comprising such constructs.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for reducing the appearance of moiré in a digitally resized image wherein each input pixel value is mapped to a new value by means of a first correction function prior to being resized. At the output of the resizing engine, each pixel in the resized image is mapped to a further new value by means of a second correction function prior to being displayed. The second correction function is chosen such that the intensity of light output from the display device is substantially proportional to the value of the signal from the resizing engine, taking into account the combined transfer functions of the second correction means and the physical display device (i.e. the second correction function is substantially the inverse of the display transfer characteristic).

Abstract: An Internet Protocol-capable call center system has a managing computer connected to a plurality of PCs at agent stations on a local area network. The managing computer is adapted to receive and route Internet Protocol Network Telephony calls to the agent stations according to predetermined routing rules. A statistics server (stat-server) in the call center provides status of call center objects, among multiple status possibilities, to requesting applications in the processes of routing calls. Requesting applications, in addition to requests for object states, provide priority indications of object states desired. The stat-server provides the highest priority state to a requesting application. In the absence of a priority indication the stat-server provides status of objects according to a default indication.

Abstract: A method of forming substrates, e.g., silicon on insulator, silicon on silicon. The method includes providing a donor substrate, e.g., silicon wafer. The method also includes forming a cleave layer on the donor substrate that contains the cleave plane, the plane of eventual separation. In a specific embodiment, the cleave layer comprising silicon germanium. The method also includes forming a device layer (e.g., epitaxial silicon) on the cleave layer. The method also includes introducing particles into the cleave layer to add stress in the cleave layer. The particles within the cleave layer are then redistributed to form a high concentration region of the particles in the vicinity of the cleave plane, where the redistribution of the particles is carried out in a manner substantially free from microbubble or microcavity formation of the particles in the cleave plane. That is, the particles are generally at a low dose, which is defined herein as a lack of microbubble or microcavity formation in the cleave plane.

Abstract: A rechargeable battery having a photovoltaic device and battery charging circuitry integral therewith. A rechargeable battery such as, for example, a Lithium battery, includes a current regulating circuit interposed between a photovoltaic device mounted on an outer surface of the battery and the terminals of the battery. In order to attain maximum power transfer between the photovoltaic device and the battery, the circuit includes a feed-forward feature that regulates the current flow from the photovoltaic cell to the battery in response to changes in the voltage output of the cell. When the voltage output (V) of the photovoltaic cell drops below a predetermined value, the current (I) flowing from the cell to the battery is decreased in accordance with the equation V=aI+b, where the coefficients a and b are constants having a value depending on the type of rechargeable battery employed.

Abstract: Suppressor tRNA's are used to regulate expression of transgenes that are toxic, or the expression thereof requires a factor that is toxic, to the host cell.

Abstract: Adenovirus vectors replication specific for cells expressing &agr;-fetoprotein (AFP) and their methods of use are provided. By providing for a transcriptional initiating regulation dependent upon AFP expression, virus replication is restricted to target cells expressing AFP, particularly hepatocellular carcinoma cells. The adenovirus vectors can be used to detect and monitor samples for the presence of AFP-producing cells as well as to kill selectively malignant cells producing AFP.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of introducing energetic particles (22) in a selected manner through a surface of a donor substrate (10) to a selected depth (20) underneath the surface, where the particles have a relatively high concentration to define a donor substrate material (12) above the selected depth and the particles for a pattern at the selected depth. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: An efficient algorithm is presented for selecting an agent to service a task in a skills-based routing system. A set X is determined of all states of the boolean variables that contain the required skills for a task. A resume table of available agents is built, organized by the states of the N variables; each agent is represented in each state that includes all skills possessed by the agent. All available and qualified agents are determined from the resume table; those agents associated with a state of the resume table outside of the set X are disqualified. An agent is selected from those remaining. Preferably, an agent is selected having a minimum qualification level to service the task. One preferred way of doing this is to subtract from the number of terms in a canonical form of the required skills expression a number equal to the number of times the agent appears in the set of states X and picking an agent with the lowest result.

Abstract: A technique for forming a film of material (12) from a donor substrate (10). The technique has a step of forming a stressed region in a selected manner at a selected depth (20) underneath the surface. An energy source such as pressurized fluid is directed to a selected region of the donor substrate to initiate a controlled cleaving action of the substrate (10) at the selected depth (20), whereupon the cleaving action provides an expanding cleave front to free the donor material from a remaining portion of the donor substrate.

Abstract: An Internet Protocol Network Telephony call center having a plurality of agents for serving clients also processes e-mails addresses to the call center, but not to specific agents. An e-mail server receives and routes the e-mail, and includes a router and a database storing skill set information regarding agents. The router extracts information from the e-mails, matches key words in the extracted information with key words from the skill sets, and routes the e-mails to appropriate agents having the necessary skills to respond to the service requirements in the e-mails.

Abstract: Isolated polynucleotides encoding polypeptides expressed in mammalian skin cells are provided, together with expression vectors and host cells comprising such isolated polynucleotides. Methods for the use of such polynucleotides and polypeptides are also provided.

Abstract: Novel isolated plant polynucleotide promoter sequences are provided, together with genetic constructs comprising such polynucleotides. Methods for using such constructs in modulating the transcription of DNA sequences of interest are also disclosed, together with transgenic plants comprising such constructs.

Abstract: A look ahead column redundancy circuit provides high speed memory access to both regular memory arrays and redundant memory arrays. In the preferred embodiment of the present invention, the information on both the address bus and the information on the next address bus are decoded by redundant column decoders in parallel. The decoded information from the redundant column decoders is then provided to a redundancy column pathway as the addressing information from the address bus and the next address bus is provided to a main column pathway. The information on the address bus is latched when beginning at a new column address. The information on the next address bus is latched for the next column address when operating in a burst cycle mode. The main column pathway preferably includes a latch, a main column decoder and a main column select circuit.