Abstract: An investment company receives funds from a plurality of unaffiliated capital markets investors. The investors receiving in return a debt claim against the investment company. The investment company invests a substantial majority of the invested funds from the investment company directly into operating companies as debt obligations of the operating companies for essentially unrestricted use by the operating companies, the terms providing at least one year of relief from repayment of the debt. The investment company receives a security interest in substantially all assets of the operating companies. Out of the invested funds, the investment company purchases an insurance policy for the benefit of the investors. The insurance policy covers the investment company against default by the operating companies and insures repayment to the investor of the funds invested. The insurer of the insurance policy receives benefit of debt and equity interests in the operating companies.

Abstract: Methods for preparing semiconductor wafers are disclosed. A method includes rotating a semiconductor wafer in a vertical orientation, and the wafer having first and second opposing surfaces. The method further includes contacting each of the first and second opposing surfaces of the wafer with a cylindrical wafer preparation member so as to define a substantially linear contact area. The cylindrical wafer preparation members are disposed in an opposing relationship such that the contact areas are defined at corresponding locations on the first and second opposing surfaces. Then, the method includes controlling at least one wafer preparation parameter to obtain a variable wafer material removal rate as the contact areas defined on the first and second opposing surfaces are moved from a first position to a second position. The variable wafer material removal rate being formulated to provide the wafer with a substantially uniform thickness.

Abstract: A system and methods for substrate preparation are provided. In one example, a wafer processing system includes a system enclosure that contains wafer processing apparatus within an isolated wafer processing environment. The wafer processing apparatus include a pair of immersion tanks in the lower front region of the system with a pair of wafer pickers behind the immersion tanks to extract wafers from the tanks. In the rear of the system, a pair of brush boxes are located in a lower region with a pair of dryer units positioned above the brush boxes. A robot arm is positioned between the pair of immersion tanks and the pair of brush boxes in a middle region of the system, and is configured to transition wafers between the processing apparatus. A pair of output shelves holding output cassettes is positioned over the immersion tanks. The output cassettes receive clean wafers after processing. In another example, a method for preparing a substrate is provided.

Abstract: New and improved methods and products are disclosed relating to increasing the softness of paper sheets, without effecting their wetability. Increased softness, without loss of wetability is obtained by adding deactivated ketene dimer sizing agents to the sheet.

Abstract: The invention relates to a new system and method for high-speed testing of semiconductor devices. The system utilizes bi-directional switches to hide the delay related to the distance signals have to travel between the test head electronics and the device under test. The effect of the present invention is to increase the frequency with which a prior art tester can test a device.

Abstract: Liquid is removed from disks by apparatus and methods for drying a disk that has been wet in a liquid bath. The disk and the bath are separated at a controlled rate to form a monolayer of liquid on the disk as the disk is positioned in a gas-filled volume. The separation may be by moving the disk out of the liquid bath, and the controlled rate is generally not less than the maximum rate at which a meniscus will form between the liquid bath and the surface of the disk when the liquid bath and the disk are separated. The gas-filled volume is defined by a hot chamber that continuously transfers thermal energy to the disk in the gas-filled volume. Hot gas directed into the volume and across the disk and out of the volume continuously transfers thermal energy to the disk. The directing of the gas out of the volume is independent of the separation of the bath and the disk.

Abstract: The invention relates to a novel tumor necrosis factor (TNF) homolog designated herein as TNF-related death ligand (TRDL). Isolated nucleic acid molecules are provided which encode TRDL. TRDL polypeptides are also provided, as are methods for identifying agonists and antagonists of TRDL activity.

Abstract: A substrate polishing system includes two hollow drums and motors for driving the drums in a reciprocating manner. An abrasive tape wound on supply and takeup rollers is introduced, with the supply roller mounted inside one of the drums and the takeup roller mounted inside the other drum. The abrasive tape exits the interior of each drum through a slot in the surface of the drum. Between the drums the abrasive tape passes over a platen having a bearing surface. A substrate is mounted in a carrier and forced against the abrasive tape where it overlies the bearing surface. The drums are rotated reciprocally, thereby causing the abrasive tape to move back and forth over the platen and polishing the substrate. After a substrate has been polished the tape is advanced a selected distance by indexing motors that are connected to the supply and takeup rollers.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a class of acrylic and propionic acid compounds and their use in the treatment of post-menopausal symptoms and restenosis. In other embodiments, the invention is directed to intermediates and to processes for the preparation of the acrylic and propionic acid compounds.

Abstract: A host for executing an operation requested by a requestor, the host comprising a memory configured to store information identifying the requestor and information related to the operation requested by the requestor, and processing means for determining the presence of the requestor and for deleting the operation and freeing resources associated with that operation if the requestor is not determined to be present and authenticated.

Abstract: Liquid is removed from batches of substrates by apparatus and methods for drying substrates that have been wet in an elongated liquid bath. The substrates are moved relative to the bath and an elongated gas-filled volume at rates of movement selected according to the location of the batches of substrates in the bath or the volume. As an example, the substrates and the bath are separated at a controlled rate to form a thin layer of liquid on each substrate as each substrate enters the gas-filled volume. The gas-filled volume is defined by an elongated hot chamber and hot gas directed into the volume and across the substrates and out of the volume continuously transfers thermal energy to the substrates. The flow rate of the gas into the volume is related to introduction of the substrates into the bath to avoid disturbing the liquid in the bath.

Abstract: A self-aligning mandrel assembly is provided. The assembly includes a cylindrical inner core and a fulcrum disposed on an outer surface of the cylindrical inner core. A mandrel shell surrounds the cylindrical inner core. The mandrel shell has a wafer preparation material affixed to an outer surface thereof, and the mandrel shell is pivotably supported by the fulcrum such that the mandrel shell aligns with a surface of a substrate when the wafer preparation material contacts the surface of the substrate.

Abstract: A blood collection assembly includes a tube having an open end with a puncturable stopper therein. A thixotropic gel for separating blood components is in the tube and a layer of additive particles is spray dried from an air nozzle onto the inside tube wall. The invention includes a method to make the tube.

Abstract: New and improved methods and products are disclosed relating to increasing the softness of paper sheets, without effecting their wetability. Increased softness, without loss of wetability is obtained by adding ketene dimer sizing agents and a surface active agent to mask the sizing of the sheet.

Abstract: New and improved methods and products are disclosed relating to increasing the softness of paper sheets, without effecting their wetability. Increased softness, without loss of wetability is obtained by adding deactivated ketene dimer sizing agents to the sheet.

Abstract: The present invention relates to switching modes of an input device based on events. The invention detects events that suggest that the user does not want to continue with a present mode of the input device and switches to another operation mode. The detection and response to user inputs simplifies the user's interactions with the system. In some embodiments, the user may be asked prior to switching modes for confirmation. The present invention may be used with limited input devices including styluses.

Abstract: A computer system and method for providing user feedback when creating, modifying, or editing electronic documents. An insertion point icon is placed in a document at a position for insertion and/or deletion of text, graphics, data, etc. Upon receiving an user input indicating movement, the insertion point icon is divided into two icons, one stationary at the position, and one moving with user input. When movement is complete, space contained between the icons may be deleted or inserted. The system may be used to shift handwritten text to subsequent lines on an electronic document containing handwritten text, and may be used to bring two groups of text together, deleting space in between. A connection line may be displayed between the icons to provide feedback regarding the action to be taken.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system, method and medium for receiving and acting upon user input. In one embodiment, the user may only have access to a limited input device, like a stylus. Using the present invention, a user is provided with intuitive responses from the system based on inputs from the limited input device.

Abstract: A method for enhancing the bit rate and/or margin at which quadrature amplitude modulation (QAM) communication is performed includes the steps of varying a spectral allocation and constellation size with which communication is performed, so as to define a combination of spectral allocation and constellation size at which the bit rate and/or margin are enhanced. The spectral allocation can be varied by varying a stop frequency thereof, while maintaining a substantially constant start frequency, so as to mitigate undesirable high frequency content of the bandwidth. Alternatively, both start and stop frequencies may be varied.

Abstract: An apparatus for preparing a semiconductor wafer is provided. The apparatus includes a wafer drive assembly having a pair of wafer drive rollers for rotating a semiconductor wafer in a vertical orientation. The wafer drive assembly is configured such that the wafer drive rollers are controllably movable from a first position to a second position. Also provided as part of the apparatus is a pair of wafer preparation assemblies movably disposed in an opposing relationship above the wafer drive assembly. Each of the wafer preparation assemblies has a first wafer preparation member and a second wafer preparation member. The wafer preparation assemblies being movable into a first position in which each of the first wafer preparation members is position to perform a first wafer preparation operation on the wafer and into a second position in which each of the second wafer preparation members is positioned to perform a second wafer preparation operation on the wafer.