Abstract: A telephony server, comprising an application program executing under an operating system, communicating directly with telephony hardware to implement telephony system control, having an application programming interface including a call to an external program also executing under the operating system, the application program supporting a plurality of instances of the external programs simultaneously, each external program implementing call handling logic for at least one voice communications channel. The application program may communicate with a Web server, wherein said server proactively communicates with the user in dependence on an automated analysis of a status of a user's shopping cart, representing items of interest having an unconcluded transaction status, requesting establishment of an interactive voice communication session.

Abstract: The present invention includes a hand-held food immersing apparatus to allow a user to immerse a food item in a container having liquid. The apparatus includes a handle portion adapted to facilitate the user's grip on the apparatus and a plurality of flexible, elongated, and outwardly curved members adapted to firmly grasp the food item between these curved members. The apparatus can be made from a single piece of material, such as plastic, polymer, resign, wood, or metal, with a resistance to deformation such that the apparatus provides pressure to retain the food item between the curved members. The curved members can be aligned symmetrically with respect to the main member. The curved members can have a bow shape and the distal ends of the members can be adapted to apply pressure to the food item and facilitate the alignment of food placed between them.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for screening, diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer's disease, for monitoring the effectiveness of Alzheimer's disease treatment, and for drug development. Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Features (AFs), detectable by two-dimensional electrophoresis of cerebrospinal fluid, serum or plasma are described. The invention further provides Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Protein Isoforms (APIs) detectable in cerebrospinal fluid, serum or plasma, preparations comprising isolated APIs, antibodies, pharmaceutical compositions, diagnostic and therapeutic methods, and kits comprising or based on the same.

Abstract: A method and system for representing a low-order connection and a high-order connection as a single circuit are disclosed. The method includes creating a low-order listener object and a low/high listener object at each end point of the low-order connection and creating a high-order listener object at each end point of the high-order connection. The low/high listener objects are matched with the high-order listener objects to create a link and represent the connections as a single circuit.

Abstract: A beverage container for immersing food including an open container, a holder defining an area adapted to hold food and a handle. The holder fits within the open container and has a first magnetic portion such that when the holder is in the container, the first magnetic portion is adjacent an interior part of the walls of the container. The handle has a second magnetic portion such that when the second magnetic portion of the handle is placed adjacent an exterior part of the walls of the container near the first magnetic portion of the holder, a magnetic bond formed between the first and second magnetic portions permits movement of the handle to control movement of the holder. The holder can take many forms such as a basket. Channels and/or tracks may be added to guide the holder and/or handle during movement. A retrofit kit is also claimed.

Abstract: The present invention includes a food immersing apparatus adapted to be retrofit onto an open beverage container having walls continuously connected to a substantially horizontal base. The apparatus includes a holder defining an area adapted to hold food that fits within the container. An elongated member couples a handle to the holder. The elongated member extends out of the container, over its walls and down at least a portion of an exterior part of its walls. The handle can be attached to the elongated member at the top of the container or along the part that extends downward. The holder may include a basket defining drainage holes to allow liquid to drain from the basket upon removal from the container. A restraint or lid member may be added atop the food holder to secure the food during immersion in the liquid.

Abstract: A medical device sheath apparatus including: a fitting being suitable for receiving the medical device in a self sealing manner; a first sheath for receiving the medical device as it passes through the fitting; a second sheath surrounding the first sheath; a dilator defining a treatment area, coupled to at least the second sheath, and being suitable for dilating a bodily cavity and passing therapeutic or diagnostic energy in such forms as electromagnetic radiation or acoustic energy there through; and, a window operatively positioned with respect to the first sheath so as to enable viewing of an area substantially adjacent the second sheath upon insertion of the medical device into the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and compositions for screening, diagnosis and prognosis of Alzheimer's disease, for monitoring the effectiveness of Alzheimer's disease treatment, and for drug development. Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Features (AFs), detectable by two-dimensional electrophoresis of cerebrospinal fluid, serum or plasma are described. The invention further provides Alzheimer's Disease-Associated Protein Isoforms (APIs) detectable in cerebrospinal fluid, serum or plasma, preparations comprising isolated APIs, antibodies immunospecific for APIs, pharmaceutical compositions, diagnostic and therapeutic methods, and kits comprising or based on the same.

Abstract: The invention provides methods and compositions for analyzing modification-mediated signaling pathways.

Abstract: A medical device sheath apparatus including: a fitting being suitable for receiving the medical device in a self sealing manner; a first sheath for receiving the medical device as it passes through the fitting; a second sheath surrounding the first sheath; a dilator defining a treatment area, coupled to at least the second sheath, and being suitable for dilating a bodily cavity and passing therapeutic or diagnostic energy in such forms as electromagnetic radiation or acoustic energy there through; and, a window operatively positioned with respect to the first sheath so as to enable viewing of an area substantially adjacent the second sheath upon insertion of the medical device into the apparatus.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for determining brain functioning in an individual by measuring the amount of either N-acetylaspartate or choline in an individual's brain. The present invention also provides methods for determining a change in an individual's brain functioning due to a change in the concentration of N-acetylaspartate or choline in the individual's brain.

Abstract: A multi-element read-write magnetic recording head for recording information on a magnetic tape and for reading recorded information therefrom is provided. The recording head comprises an equal number of associated read elements and write elements to form a two-gap recording head comprising pairs of read and write elements. The two-gap recording head further comprises a first module and a second module, the first and second modules each comprising a plurality of read and write head elements. A first group of read and write heads is configured to perform in a forward direction of movement of the magnetic tape and a second group of read and write heads is configured to perform in a reverse direction of movement of the magnetic tape.

Abstract: A magneto-resistive read/write tape head is provided for reading and writing to tape media along a tape head face. The tape head comprises a plurality of modules, each module comprising a read element and a write element spaced apart and terminating at the tape head face and formed over a substrate. The read element comprises a soft film bias layer and a hard film bias layer butted against the SFB layer. The write element comprises two pole tips spaced apart by a gap. The tape head further includes a plurality of activating conducting coil turns operatively associated with the write element and covered by a cross-linked photoresist and positioned between the gap and one of the pole tips and set back from the tape head face.

Abstract: An arbitrary pattern write head assembly for writing timing-based servo patterns on magnetic storage media is provided, comprising: (a) a first pole piece comprising a substrate comprising a magnetic material, said substrate having a major surface; (b) a plurality of electrically conducting windings formed on the major surface; and (c) a second pole piece formed on the substrate, with a portion thereof formed above the plurality of electrically conducting windings and electrically insulated therefrom, the second pole piece having at least one opening therethrough defining a gap above the electrically conducting windings and the substrate, the second pole piece comprising at least two layers, each layer comprising a magnetic material. A method of batch fabricating servo writer heads is also provided for batch fabrication of servo writer heads at a very low cost. The method enables fabrication of heads capable of azimuthal recording commonly practiced in the video recording art.

Abstract: Failed circuits (e.g., defects) on each of a plurality of semiconductor wafers (10) in a batch can be characterized for the purpose of identifying defect sources by first mapping the defective ones of the circuits (12.sub.1 -12.sub.n) in each wafer. A determination is made to see if the defects in the defect pattern map associated with each wafer (10) are sufficiently clustered to warrant further study. The defect pattern maps for the wafers in the batch identified as having spatial clustering present are smoothed and thresholded to identify where spatial clusters occur. All such smoothed and thresholded defect pattern maps are separated into groups in accordance with the pattern of defects. The pattern of defects associated with each group is then analyzed to determine if any relationship exists between the pattern and the order of the process steps or one of the patterns in a library of patterns associated with particular failure modes.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for improving the display of objects on an interlaced raster-scan television are disclosed. The invention takes each data point that will appear as a pixel on the screen and makes it appear also at pixel locations displaced by one unit in each of two axes, individually or collectively if desired. The direction of displacement is uniform for any given picture. The additional appearance is not stored as part of the picture data, but instead is generated "on the fly" as part of reading the data and preparing it for presentation on the television screen.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for controlling a stepper motor involves the generation of command currents which drive the stepper motor and provided critical damping of the natural resonance of the stepper motor. Digital error signals are developed by selectively combining a position signal and a digital velocity signal which is derived from a feedback signal proportional to velocity. In one embodiment, the digital error signals are converted into command currents for driving the stepper motor in such a manner as to achieve damping of the motor's natural resonance. In an anternative embodiment, the digital error signals and feed forward acceleration signals and/or feed forward velocity signals are converted into command currents for driving the stepper motor so as to achieve damping of the motor's natural resonance, as well as correction for positional errors induced by either velocity or acceleration.

Abstract: A float controlled valve including a first body having a passage passing through it, the outlet end of the passage defining a valve seat, a co-operating second body having a closure member, the first body and second body being telescopically movable relative to each other while being in sealing contact to define a chamber including the valve seat and the closure member, and an outlet from said chamber, means being provided for moving the second body with closure member axially relative to the first body with valve seat to cause closing of the valve. A stop valve is built into the passage upstream of the valve seat to isolate the valve seat from supply pressure.