Abstract: A method of order placement and product delivery between a healthcare facility and a third party payor, such as an insurance provider, in which a transaction facilitator submits the order for a prescribed medical device and generates a claim from the transaction facilitator to the insurance company. The healthcare facility initially contacts the insurance provider to obtain authorization for a prescribed medical device and medical procedure. Upon granting authorization, the insurance provider contacts the transaction facilitator to select the medical device. The transaction facilitator orders the medical device and arranges for delivery from manufacturer to the healthcare facility. Upon implantation, the transaction facilitator bills the insurance provider. At no time does the healthcare facility receive a bill from the manufacturer, thereby eliminating the bill for the medical device from the healthcare facility to the insurance provider.

Abstract: The invention relates to systems and methods for determining and evaluation insurance policy premiums based on risks associated with class action lawsuits and non-class action lawsuit related risks.

Abstract: A life expectancy management system which comprises: a storage means which is capable of storing data, such as genetic data, birth data, lifestyle data, pediatric health data, and adulthood health data; a means for altering the data based upon the occurrence of at least one event selected from the group consisting of: chronic and routine health events, emergency health events, pregnancy data and medical advancements; and a prediction modeling logic which provides a predetermined life expectancy that can be reduced by deviations from expectations which are calculated from the data and altered or adjusted data. Optionally, a means for providing recommended goals based upon the life expectancy predicted and the predetermined life expectancy.

Abstract: The invention provides a system and method for multiple death life insurance in the event of simultaneous or coincident death of two or more insured parties, or a defined group of two or more insured parties. More particularly, embodiments of the invention provide a computer system and method for providing simultaneous multiple death life insurance designed to provide benefits to alleviate the financial burden experienced by beneficiaries as a result of simultaneous or coincident of two or more insured parties. Simultaneous multiple death life insurance according to the invention may be obtained through the internet by remote computers and internet access devices well known in the art.

Abstract: Method and system to track, reconcile and administer the values of life insurance policies in separate accounts, including Stable Value Protected funds. Accordingly, targeted returns are translated into unit values on a daily basis for each fund. Additionally the system tracks restrictions (e.g., timing, amount of withdrawal and amount of reallocations) on a premium-by-premium basis, and tracks the book value, market value, duration and targeted return on a client-by-client basis. The system calculates and tracks the payments and credits applicable to a withdrawal or reallocation request, in addition to the liquidation schedules for each fund based on the payment amounts and credits of specific funds. Additionally, daily unit values are calculated given a periodic targeted return (i.e., a quarterly targeted return).

Abstract: A method of underwriting group disability insurance for a policy period includes collecting medical claims data for the group to be underwritten, where each medical claim being related to a particular employee of the group. Morbidity categories are provided that categorize the medical claims in the medical claims data. A conditional probability model is developed and applied to the morbidity categories for each employee in the group using his medical claims, thereby calculating the expected conditional probability for each employee of incurring a disability during the policy period. A further statistical model of the estimated cost of the disability is developed and applied based on the employees' morbidity categories from the medical claims data. For each employee, an estimate of the expected cost of incurring a disability given their morbidity categories is derived from his medical claims data.

Abstract: A business volume and workforce requirements forecaster includes a business structure, a forecast structure, certain hierarchical levels which map to corresponding levels in the business structure, a volume forecaster which forecasts business volume responsive to historical data and to the business and forecast structures, and a workforce requirements engine which forecasts workforce requirements responsive to the forecast business volume. Business volume is forecast for a predefined duration, responsive to both a first set of historical data, and to the business and forecast structures. Calculation of workforce requirements includes task level consolidation and resource leveling, and can include dynamic standard assignment, wherein different metrics are selected at different times, and where a task is associated with a plurality of standards. An event calendar is defined, and at least one event is selected from the calendar and considered in the step of forecasting.

Abstract: The present invention provides a system for providing support and care to persons considering or undergoing a medical procedure. The system includes a means for a provider to receive, process, and provide information regarding the persons to and from the persons and medical practitioners. Similarly, means for the provider to; provide information and positive reinforcement to the persons regarding said medical procedure being considered or undergone; to schedule and coordinate medical consultations and said medical procedure between said persons and said medical practitioners, and to receive, process, and deliver care orders and medicaments from said medical practitioners to said persons are also includes.

Abstract: Noncorroding reinforcing steel, and steel reinforced concrete, which has an adherent bond with hydrated concrete formed by a thermally sprayed hydraulically reactive layer of a material such as blast furnace slag on the steel surface.

Abstract: Process for making metallic microcylinders from pre-treated diacetylenic lipid tubules which includes placing the tubules into an electroless plating bath containing a metal plating reagent, depositing by electroless plating on the surfaces of the tubules enough of a metal to make the tubules electrically conducting, separating the tubules from the plating bath, treating the tubules to remove the lipid and form the metal microcylinders, washing and drying the microcylinders to produce the metal microcylinders having aspect radio of about 12, weight average length of about 20?, weight average outside diameter of about 1.5?, and weight average wall thickness of about a quarter of one micron.

Abstract: A master disc capable of conducting a preformat recording by a magnetic transcription without causing any unevenness over an entire magnetic disc is provided. The master disc is provided with a radial land portion where an array of ferromagnetic thin films is formed and a concave portion against the land portion. The land portion and the concave portion are formed such that the land portion is joined with the surface of the magnetic disc when the present magnetic disc is overlapped on the magnetic disc, and that the concave portion is not contacted with the surface of the magnetic disc, and also that a space surrounded by the surface of the magnetic disc and the concave portion is open to air at a peripheral end portion of the magnetic disc.

Abstract: Disclosed is a perpendicular magnetic recording medium, comprising a nonmagnetic substrate, a longitudinal hard magnetic multi-layered film arranged on the nonmagnetic substrate, including a nonmagnetic intermediate layer and a pair of hard magnetic layers laminated one upon the other with the nonmagnetic intermediate layer interposed therebetween, and having at least two hard magnetic layers, a longitudinal soft magnetic layer formed on the longitudinal hard magnetic multi-layered film, and a perpendicular magnetic recording layer formed on the longitudinal soft magnetic layer. The perpendicular magnetic recording medium of the particular construction is capable of suppressing noise and achieves a high recording magnetic field intensity and a high recording resolution.

Abstract: A compact, low electric resistance and high heat-spreading electric circuit substrate, which is suitable for an electric circuit used at microwave of 1 GHz or more as used in the field of wireless communication such as portable telephones or optical communication, is provided. Also provided is a joined body of glass-ceramic with aluminum nitride sintered body, the glass-ceramic containing crystals having the strongest line in the range of 2&thgr;=27.6°-28.2° in powder X-ray diffraction using CuK&agr; line, e.g., anorthite crystals, and having a composition containing 0.5-30 mass % of Zn component in terms of oxide, not more than 10 mass % in total of Ti component and Zr component in terms of corresponding oxides and not more than 5 mass % of Pb component in terms of oxide.

Abstract: A perpendicular magnetic recording medium includes a hard magnetic recording layer and a soft magnetic underlayer adjacent the hard magnetic recording layer. The soft magnetic underlayer includes first and second ferromagnetically coupled multilayer structures and a coupling layer positioned between the first and second multilayer structures for antiferromagnetically coupling the first and second multilayer structures. A magnetic disc drive storage system incorporating such a perpendicular magnetic recording medium and a method of making such a perpendicular magnetic recording medium are also included.

Abstract: An object of this invention is to provide a magnetic recording medium in which its S/Nm (output/medium noise ratio) is improved. This magnetic recording medium is comprised of a first foundation layer made of alloy material composed of mainly Cr with added B, a second foundation layer made of alloy material in which Mo is mixed in Cr, an intermediate layer made of alloy material composed of mainly Co with added Cr and Ta, a lower magnetic layer and an upper magnetic layer made of alloy material composed of mainly Co with added Cr, Pt, B and a protective film composed of mainly C, these layers being formed in this order from the bottom.

Abstract: A wax decoration item is made by the method including the steps of mixing preparing polyethylene wax, cyanide polymer and white wax to be a mixture by way of heating; pouring the mixture in a mold and obtaining a wax item with fixed shape when removing the mold; melting a colloid material to be a transparent liquid and coating the colloid material onto an outer periphery surface of the wax item and the colloid material being not mixed with the wax item; condensing the colloid material which is fixed on the wax item.

Abstract: A semiconductor device structure having a barrier layer comprising a conductive portion and a nonconductive portion is disclosed. The conductive portion includes a metal nitride compound and the nonconductive portion includes a metal oxide, metal oxynitride, metal carbide, or metal carbonitride compound. A method of forming the semiconductor device structure is also disclosed. The method comprises forming a barrier layer over a metallization layer and a dielectric layer in the semiconductor device structure. The barrier layer is formed by depositing a thin, metal layer over the metallization layer and the dielectric layer. The metal layer is exposed to a nitrogen atmosphere and the nitrogen reacts with portions of the metal layer over the metallization layer to form a conductive, metal nitride portion of the barrier layer. Portions of the metal layer over the dielectric layer react with carbon or oxygen in the dielectric layer to produce a nonconductive portion of the barrier layer.

Abstract: An electrical dentifrice dispensing toothbrush using a replaceable bristle unit with a permanent drive head and handle is described. The replaceable bristle unit consists of a rotary bristle element and a stationary bristle element that has an opening for the flow of dentifrice material through the drive head. The bristle unit is snap-on latched to the side walls of the drive head. Opposing tabs which also function as pressure sensors on the bristle unit are pressed toward each other to release the bristle unit. A linkage is used to convert the rotation of the drive shaft to a planar oscillation that enables a compact drive head configuration. The dentifrice dispensing is accomplished by using a rotary solenoid for actuating an internal button that applies pumping pressure to the dentifrice material. As a benefit to arthritis suffers, no external squeezing action is involved.

Abstract: A process for producing a ceramic member for bonding, which comprises: a first step of preparing a lower layer paste with the use of a first mixture comprising nickel, tungsten and molybdenum, applying the lower layer paste to a surface of a ceramic base which is a sintered ceramic, and drying the resultant coating layer to form a lower layer after the applying; a second step of preparing an upper layer paste with the use of a second mixture comprising one of nickel and nickel oxide and at least one of copper, copper oxide, manganese and manganese oxide, applying the upper layer paste to the lower layer, and drying the resultant coating layer to form an upper layer after the applying; and a third step of heating the lower layer and the upper layer to bake the lower layer and the upper layer.

Abstract: Secondary agglomerates of magnetic metal particles containing primary particles having an average major axial diameter of 0.05 to 0.25 &mgr;m, said secondary agglomerates having an average particle diameter of 300 to 800 &mgr;m, an upper limit of particle diameter of 2,000 &mgr;m and a repose angle of 38 to 45°. The secondary agglomerates exhibit not only excellent handing property due to high storage efficiency, high transport efficiency and good flowability thereof, but also excellent kneading property when kneaded with various binder resins and organic solvents in a kneader, and excellent dilution-dispersibility when diluted with an additional amount of the organic solvent, upon the production of coating-type magnetic recording media, so as to more improve a surface smoothness and squareness of a magnetic coating film obtained therefrom, and a process for producing such secondary agglomerates of magnetic metal particles for magnetic recording.