Abstract: The present invention provides a method and system for the statistical analysis, display and dissemination of financial data over an information network such as the Internet and WWW. The present invention utilizes resampled statistical methods for the analysis of financial data. Resampled statistical analysis provides a meaningful and reasonable statistical description of financial information, which typically escapes modeling using parametric methods (i.e. assumptions of a Gaussian distribution). The present invention provides at least a GUI that provides functionality for user input of statistical queries, a statistical computation engine that performs statistical analysis of financial data and a graphical rendering engine that generates graphical display of statistical distributions generated by the statistical computation engine. According to one embodiment, the present invention employs a parallel processing architecture to speed generation of the resampled statistics.

Abstract: A system for organizing and categorizing purchases made through an Internet based home shopping system is disclosed. Products offered for sale over the Internet are contained in a server's PLU table and are each associated with weights and measures metrics, environmental storage metrics and nutritional content indicia. As items are selected for purchase, and placed in a virtual shopping basket, a user may evaluate the contents of a virtual shopping basket in accordance with any of the physical property, environmental storage, or nutritional content indicia. Goods designated for either pickup or delivery are packaged in accordance with their size and weight criteria and are stored in an appropriate environmental storage facility in accordance with their environmental storage indicia.

Abstract: A prosthesis (13) is provided which includes at least two intersecting cone-like bodies (18,20) whose outer surfaces engage the end of a patient's bone (28). Cavities (180,200) for receiving the cone-like bodies (18,20) can be readily formed in the patient's bone with a high level of precision. Through the use of the two cone-like bodies, the prosthesis can have neutral version and yet be used at various version angles without sacrificing the integrity of the patient's bone or the degree of securement of the prosthesis.

Abstract: An apparatus for endovascular repair of aortic aneurysms is disclosed. In one form, the apparatus includes a tube and an anchoring unit that includes a plurality of thin lines. The tube serves as a conduit for blood flow in an aneurysm of an aorta. First end of the lines are connected to a first end of the tube. Second end of the lines are separated by a distance from the first end of the tube for anchoring the apparatus at a location away from the aneurysm.

Abstract: A smoking cessation method includes the steps of providing a patient with a tamper-resistant, timed release cigarette dispenser, programming the cigarette dispenser to initially release cigarettes from the dispenser one at a time at a first predetermined interval to regularize the smoking habits of the patient, after an initial period, reprogramming the cigarette dispenser to increase the interval at which cigarettes are dispensed to a second predetermined interval which is longer than the first predetermined interval, and continuing to increase the interval at which cigarettes are dispensed by programming the dispenser, until a critical interval is reached. Once the critical interval is reached, the method preferably includes an abrupt cessation of smoking. The time intervals are set by a person other than the patient, and the dispenser is constructed to prevent the patient from programming the time intervals or from obtaining access to the cigarettes therein except at the expiration of the time intervals.

Abstract: Improved nebulizers and aerosol inhalation devices including these nebulizers are provided by this invention. The disclosed nebulizers are suitable for supplying an aerosol mist to a patient and include a liquid inlet for receiving a liquid, a gas inlet for receiving a pressurized gas and an aerosol outlet for providing an aerosol mist. An important aspect of this invention is the addition of gas swirling means or flow controlling means for creating a swirling action or a tangential velocity to the gas forming the aerosol. The nebulizer and other devices of this invention can produce an aerosol mist having an obscuration of at least 10% and a median droplet size of less than 1 .mu.m.

Abstract: A tobacco threshing system of the present invention comprises a housing, a threshing rotor arranged in the housing, and a threshing basket which covers a lower portion of the rotor. The threshing basket includes a plurality of arcuated plates arranged to have threshing gaps therebetween. The tobacco threshing system further comprises an apparatus for adjusting the threshing gaps. The apparatus includes a drive shaft, a plurality of first sliders mounted on the drive shaft, and a plurality of second sliders mounted on the drive shaft to be located between the first sliders. Each of the first sliders has a first right-handed thread portion on one end thereof and a left-handed thread portion on the other end thereof. Each of the second sliders has, on its two ends, second right- and left-handed thread portions to be screwed to the first right- and left-handed thread portions of the adjacent first sliders. The arcuated plates are connected to the first sliders and/or second sliders.