Abstract: A surgical system includes a surgical instrument that is sensitive to backlash that would adversely affect the transmission of controlled torque and position to the surgical instrument. The surgical instrument is coupled to motors in a surgical instrument manipulator assembly via a mechanical interface. The combination of the mechanical interface and surgical instrument manipulator assembly have low backlash, e.g., less than 0.7 degrees. The backlash is controlled in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly. From the drive output disk in the surgical instrument manipulator assembly to the driven disk of the surgical instrument, the mechanical interface has zero backlash for torque levels used in surgical procedures.

Abstract: Various aspects of the present invention include validating continuing-education certificates received from participants in a continuing-education course. The certificates are analyzed to determine an identity of a provider of the continuing-education course and validated by comparing the identity of the provider to an authority file. A course credit associated with the continuing-education course may be determined, and a user database may be updated to reflect the course credit.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is an improved anticaking product for use on cheese, especially in the pizza pie industry, wherein the product is economical and has superior functional properties of reducing sticking of chunked, diced or shredded cheeses.

Abstract: In some examples, a PowerPoint slide is created that, when presented at a first location, will provide an animation that has been obtained during the presentation from a second location through the Internet. Creating the slide includes insertion an active object in the slide, the active object enabling a call to the multimedia content at the second location. The animation is expressed in Flash format, and the slide, when presented, includes interactive features for controlling the animation.

Abstract: A food formulation having a reduced level of fat and/or oil is provided. The food formulation is a mixture of a foodstuff and a fragmented, amylopectin starch hydrolysate as a replacement for at least a substantial portion of the fat and/or oil of said food formulation. The fragmented starch hydrolysate is capable of forming an aqueous dispersion at about 20% hydrolysate solids exhibiting a yield stress of from about 100 to about 1,500 pascals. Also provided is a method of formulating a food containing a fat and/or oil ingredient comprising replacing at least a portion of said fat and/or oil ingredient with the fragmented, amylopectin starch hydrolysate. Examples of food formulations include those for margarine, salad dressings (pourable and spoonable), frostings, and frozen novelties.

Abstract: A food formulation having a reduced level of fat and/or oil is provided. The food formulation is a mixture of a foodstuff and a fragmented, amylopectin starch hydrolysate as a replacement for at least a substantial portion of the fat and/or oil of said food formulation. The fragmented starch hydrolysate is capable of forming an aqueous dispersion at about 20% hydrolysate solids exhibiting a yield stress of from about 100 to about 1,500 pascals. Also provided is a method of formulating a food containing a fat and/or oil ingredient comprising replacing at least a portion of said fat and/or oil ingredient with the fragmented, amylopectin starch hydrolysate. Examples of food formulations include those for margarine, salad dressings (pourable and spoonable), frostings, and frozen novelties.