Abstract: Items of an item set may be stored by an item server (e.g., mail messages comprising a mailbox stored by a mail server) that supports the application of actions, but only within a constraint (e.g., a maximum duration or computational resources consumed by the action). The application of complex actions to large item sets may exceed the constraint if performed in one request. Moreover, the request may be made by a user interface of a user device, but the user interface may stall while interoperating with the item server to perform the action. Instead, a background process may issue a sequence of requests applying the action to respective batches of items within the constraint. This architecture may enable the user interface to remain responsive to the user while the action is performed, and even to be terminated without jeopardizing the completion of the action upon the item set.

Abstract: An application using one version of a schematized XML protocol communicates with another application using a different version of the schematized XML protocol. The different versions may correspond to different deployments or releases of the protocol. Each application generates messages to be sent using two data sets. A first data set is incorporated into the message using elements available in a standard XML protocol schema. A second data set is incorporated into the message using XML annotation elements. The receiving application processes the message using the schematized XML protocol to parse out the first data set. The receiving application further parses the message to identify the second data set that is carried by enhanced XML annotation elements. Extension or annotations are flexibly added to the XML protocol without requiring the client application to request—or the server application to respond to—a pre-negotiated number or type of annotations.

Abstract: A recorder device, such as a VCR, digital video recorder, or the like, that can be programmed from a remote computing device, such as a personal computer mobile personal digital assistant, or cell phone, over a wired and/or wireless network is disclosed. The recording device includes a recording medium configured to record audio and/or video content. A controller, which is coupled to the recording medium, is configured to control the writing of audio and/or video content onto the recording medium and to control the reading of audio and/or video content stored on the recording medium. The recording apparatus also includes a network interface configured to receive recording commands generated by a remote computer and transmitted via a network coupled to the network interface and to provide the received recording commands to the controller, the recording commands defining a selected programming content to be recorded on the recording medium.

Abstract: The subject invention provides a method for diagnosing prostate cancer and determining preoperatively the pathological stage in patients with prostate cancer. The methods described herein can be used for prediction of margin positivity, seminal vesicle (S.V.) involvement, and lymph nodal (L.N.) involvement in patients with clinically localized prostate cancer. The method includes use of a neural network which provides prostate cancer stage information for a patient based upon input data which includes the patient's preoperative serum PSA, biopsy Gleason score, and systemic biopsy-based information. Its positive predictive value (PPV), negative predictive value (NPV), and accuracy are superior to that of current nomograms in use. Use of this method can result in enormous cost savings by accurately diagnosing patients with prostate cancer and by avoiding multiple imaging tests and expensive surgery in unindicated patients.