Abstract: A facility for analyzing user behavior information is described. The facility receives a stream of user behavior information. The facility augments a representation of user behavior in accordance with the received stream of user behavior information. The representation augmented by the facility is a sparse matrix of user behavior facts. The facility analyzes the sparse matrix to obtain an analysis result for the received stream of user behavior.

Abstract: A facility for identifying users that have an interest in a selected subject is described. For each of a number of actual users, the facility establishes a user behavior record describing the behavior of the actual user. The facility also establishes a user behavior record describing behavior of a virtual user. The behavior described by the user behavior record for the virtual user is made up of actions each tending to indicate an interest in the selected subject. The facility identifies a proper subset of the actual users whose user behavior records are most similar to the user behavior record of the virtual user as interested in the selected subject.

Abstract: An ink jet recording element comprising a support having thereon the following layers in the order recited: I) a solvent-absorbing layer of a porous, polyolefin material, and II) an image-recording layer comprising a polymeric binder and colloidal silica having an attached silane coupling agent.

Abstract: A method of locating concentrator switches in an existing network that includes a plurality of sites interconnected by existing links so as to minimize total network cost in terms of transmission cost, equipment cost, and facility cost, while meeting all traffic demands. The method uses a Lagrange relaxation technique to perform the optimization. First, the method assigns to each site j an initial Lagrange multiplier .lambda..sub.j. Then the method selects from the sites a set of core nodes j such that the facility cost v.sub.j for each selected core node j is less than the Lagrange multiplier .lambda..sub.j for the site multiplied by the number of ports k.sub.1 in a concentrator switch, inherently forming a set of remaining source nodes i. Then the method homes the source nodes i to the core node j such that the cost to connect a source node i to a selected core node j plus the Lagrange multiplier .lambda..sub.j for the selected core node j multiplied by the traffic a.sub.

Abstract: A method of processing ATM service requests to a SONET network, wherein the customer requesting the service has specified certain ATM quality of service parameters, by mapping measured SONET performance parameters to predicted ATM quality of service parameters for an end-to-end path or connection through the SONET network. The system compares the predicted ATM quality of service parameters with the specified ATM quality of service parameters. Whenever at least one of the expected ATM quality of service parameters is worse than the corresponding specified ATM quality of service parameter, the system rejects the path or connection. The system may then either test an alternate path through the network or not provide the service.

Abstract: Cyclic poly(aryl ether) oligomers and mixtures thereof, and methods for the preparation thereof in a highly dilute reaction medium under reaction conditions favorable for ring closure at low degrees of polymerization. These oligomers are represented by the general formula ##STR1## where each Y is divalent oxygen or divalent sulfur, each Ar is an aromatic diradical which comprises one or more C.sub.6 to C.sub.20 arylene groups and has at least one electron withdrawing group attached to an aromatic ring, and n is an integer from 1 to about 20 with the proviso that for integer values of n equal to 1 or 2 all linkages between independent aromatic rings comprise at least one atom.

Abstract: Improved structure of the necktie, incorporating an interim gap on top of the cravat section, to permit passage of the strap tongue whereby the suspension length can be adjusted at will; a pair of snatch laps each extending from either corner on the base of the cravat, serving to fix the setting of the necktie to the collar and to shape the cravat; a fastening belt attached to either corner on the top of the cravat, to enclose the nape of the user by button-coupling; permitting convenient adjustment of the standing length of the strap tongue and of the size of the cravat anytime.