Abstract: Dialysis devices include a frame defined by a plurality of sidewalls that are impermeable to a sample being dialyzed, a pair of dialysis membranes that are each associated with an opposing face of the plurality of sidewalls such that the plurality of sidewalls and the pair of dialysis membranes define a sample chamber, an outer shell surrounding at least a portion of the pair of dialysis membranes, and a cap selectively associated with the sample chamber. The cap can be selectively associated with the sample chamber via an attachment mechanism that is configured to provide aural and/or haptic feedback when the cap forms a tight association with the sample chamber. The cap can be a sensor cap having one or more probes for measuring at least one property of fluid inside and/or outside the sample chamber and a transmitter for transmitting data captured at the probe(s) to a destination device.

Abstract: Compositions, kits and methods useful for determining the concentration of proteins or peptides in samples by fluorometric and/or colorimetric detection. Rapid quantitation of proteins and peptides or peptide mixtures by the present compositions, kits and methods provide one or more advantages such as but not limited to, methods that work at room temperature, no requirement for elevated temperatures or long incubation times, high sensitivity, low S/N background, detection in large and small sample volumes, detection in samples containing detergents and organic solvents.

Abstract: Dialysis devices include a frame defined by a plurality of sidewalls that are impermeable to a sample being dialyzed, a pair of dialysis membranes that are each associated with an opposing face of the plurality of sidewalls such that the plurality of sidewalls and the pair of dialysis membranes define a sample chamber, an outer shell surrounding at least a portion of the pair of dialysis membranes, and a cap selectively associated with the sample chamber. The cap can be selectively associated with the sample chamber via an attachment mechanism that is configured to provide aural and/or haptic feedback when the cap forms a tight association with the sample chamber. The cap can be a sensor cap having one or more probes for measuring at least one property of fluid inside and/or outside the sample chamber and a transmitter for transmitting data captured at the probe(s) to a destination device.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing user entered input and providing a response in a system for autonomously processing requests includes rules. For each rule, whether the input is recognized is determined. If it is, a response is sent to the user. To determine recognized input, the method attempts to match the rule to a pattern. If a match is not found, the input is not recognized. If a match is found, the input is recognized and the response is sent. Alternatively, the input is conditionally recognized and a statement validator is executed which queries structured data to determine if a logic statement evaluates to true. Depending on how the statement evaluates: i) the input is recognized and the response is sent, ii) the structured data is queried again for the next statement validator, or iii) the input is not recognized and the method continues to the next rule.

Abstract: Providing shared resources includes receiving modified data that is modified from a data field of a source version of a collection of data and other data of the source version of the collection of data, determining if the other data differs from current data included in a current version of a collection of data that corresponds to the other data, and if the other data does not differ, including the modified data in the current data.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method and system for the use of virtual robots (Bots) to assist in the answering of inquiries from persons over the Internet, telephone, wireless, or other form of electrical, digital, or electronic communication. Such method and system consists of (1) a Bot processor consisting of (a) a connection interface capable of receiving, directly or indirectly, inputs from a user in natural or machine language, which the Bot processor then responds to in natural or machine language, and (b) an engine capable of recognizing an input and providing a response; and (2) a service desk consisting of (a) a human being, (b) a connection interface that connects directly or indirectly to the Bot processor and to the front end, and (c) a display where the human being can see, in humanly comprehensible form, information transmitted by the user and/or the Bot processor.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for processing input entered by a user and providing at least one response maintained by an administrator in a system for autonomously processing requests. A template is provided to the administrator, wherein the template includes at least one field to elicit specific information from the administrator. The information is received from the administrator into the template. The information is saved for use in providing the at least one response in reply to a request from a user. An apparatus for performing this method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for processing user entered input and providing a response in a system for autonomously processing requests includes rules. For each rule, whether the input is recognized is determined. If it is, a response is sent to the user. To determine recognized input, the method attempts to match the rule to a pattern. If a match is not found, the input is not recognized. If a match is found, the input is recognized and the response is sent. Alternatively, the input is conditionally recognized and a statement validator is executed which queries structured data to determine if a logic statement evaluates to true. Depending on how the statement evaluates: i) the input is recognized and the response is sent, ii) the structured data is queried again for the next statement validator, or iii) the input is not recognized and the method continues to the next rule.

Abstract: Displaying characters on a dot-matrix display includes characters for display on a display device and an array of pixel boxes for displaying the characters, where each of the characters is justified against one side of the pixel box included in the array of pixel boxes and occupies a standard width of four pixels in the pixel box.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restoring a system including a hard drive having a main logical disk and a recovery local disk, to a pristine state. The method comprises installing a copy of the master boot record onto the main logical drive of the hard drive and installing operating system information from the recovery drive to the main drive. The method further comprises setting the master boot record to boot from the main local drive, and rebooting the system.

Abstract: Providing shared resources includes receiving modified data that is modified from a data field of a source version of a collection of data and other data of the source version of the collection of data, determining if the other data differs from current data included in a current version of a collection of data that corresponds to the other data, and if the other data does not differ, including the modified data in the current data.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for restoring a system including a hard drive having a main logical disk and a recovery local disk, to a pristine state. The method comprises installing a copy of the master boot record onto the main logical drive of the hard drive and installing operating system information from the recovery drive to the main drive. The method further comprises setting the master boot record to boot from the main local drive, and rebooting the system.