Abstract: Conventional countermeasures to Distributed Denial of Service (DDoS) attacks typically focus on practices and rules for organizing a robust, DDoS-resilient network which anticipates proactive cooperation of users. Such measures involve widespread implementation cooperation and may be difficult or problematic to enforce in a large organization. Configurations of the invention employ the attacker's technique preventatively against the attack to identify sources likely to be employed for DDoS attacks. Crawlers scan web sites for identifying pages likely to be exploited as launch pads by DDoS attackers. A scanner device dispatches robots for sending probe messages from the launch pads which emulate an actual attack. Each of the probe messages are sent to a known, predetermined destination for determining identifying characteristics of such a message. The identifying characteristics define a signature of messages emanating from the launch pad.

Abstract: An audio encoder or encoding method receives a plurality of input channels and generates one or more audio output channels and one or more parameters describing desired spatial relationships among a plurality of audio channels that may be derived from the one or more audio output channels, by detecting changes in signal characteristics with respect to lime in one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, identifying as auditory event boundaries changes in signal characteristics with respect to lime in the one or more of the plurality of audio input channels, an audio segment between consecutive boundaries constituting an auditory event in the channel or channels, and generating all or some of the one or more parameters al least partly in response to auditory events and/or the degree of change in signal characteristics associated with the auditory event boundaries. An auditory-event-responsive audio upmixer or upmixing method is also disclosed.

Abstract: A presence server provides presence information to content subscribers via unicast transmission of the presence information. In the case where the presence server receives, from a subscriber, a subscription request for presence information having a relatively large number of subscribers, the presence server directs the content subscriber to a multicast transmission channel. The content subscriber, in turn, accesses the presence information via the multicast transmission channel. By directing content subscribers toward the multicast transmission channel, the presence server conserves connection resources associated with the presence system, thereby allowing the presence system to distribute presence information with a relatively high level of speed and efficiency. Furthermore, by directing content subscribers toward the multicast transmission channel, the presence server minimizes the costs associated with adding new subscribers to the presence system.

Abstract: An audio signal is conveyed more efficiently by transmitting or recording a baseband of the signal with an estimated spectral envelope and a noise-blending parameter derived from a measure of the signal's noise-like quality. The signal is reconstructed by translating spectral components of the baseband signal to frequencies outside the baseband, adjusting phase of the regenerated components to maintain phase coherency, adjusting spectral shape according to the estimated spectral envelope, and adding noise according to the noise-blending parameter. Preferably, the transmitted or recorded signal also includes an estimated temporal envelope that is used to adjust the temporal shape of the reconstructed signal.

Abstract: A method of model development for use in underwriting group life insurance for a policy period includes collecting medical claims data for the group to be underwritten, where each medical claim being related to a particular employee of the group. Morbidity categories are provided that categorize the medical claims in the medical claims data. A conditional probability model is developed and applied to the morbidity categories for each employee in the group using his medical claims, thereby calculating the expected conditional probability for each employee dying during the policy period. For each employee, an estimate of the expected life claim cost is estimated using an index of the life coverage to salary. Combining the expected conditional probability for each employee dying during the policy period with the estimate of the expected claim cost of death gives an estimate of the group's total life exposure.

Abstract: A method of underwriting group life insurance for a policy period includes collecting medical claims data for the group to be underwritten, where each medical claim being related to a particular employee of the group. Morbidity categories are provided that categorize the medical claims in the medical claims data. A conditional probability model is developed and applied to the morbidity categories for each employee in the group using his medical claims, thereby calculating the expected conditional probability for each employee dying during the policy period. For each employee, an estimate of the expected life claim cost is estimated using an index of the life coverage to salary. Combining the expected conditional probability for each employee dying during the policy period with the estimate of the expected claim cost of death gives an estimate of the group's total life exposure.

Abstract: A receiver in an audio coding system receives a signal conveying frequency subband signals representing an audio signal. The subband signals are examined to assess one or more characteristics of the audio signal including temporal shape. Spectral components are synthesized having the one or more assessed characteristics, integrated with the subband signals and passed through a synthesis filterbank to generate an output signal.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compounds that are inhibitors of PDE1A, a phosphodiesterase that is involved in the modulation of the degradation of cartilage, joint degeneration and diseases involving such degradation and/or inflammation.

Abstract: A receiver in an audio coding system receives a signal conveying frequency subband signals representing an audio signal. The subband signals are examined to assess one or more characteristics of the audio signal including temporal shape. Spectral components are synthesized having the one or more assessed characteristics, integrated with the subband signals and passed through a synthesis filterbank to generate an output signal.

Abstract: Novel fused pyrazine compounds are disclosed that have a formula represented by the following: The compounds may be prepared as pharmaceutical compositions, and may be used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions in mammals including humans, including by way of non-limiting example, inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis and others.

Abstract: Thiophenepyrimidinone compounds and their use in therapy, especially for use in the treatment and/or prevention of a steroid hormone dependent diseases or disorders, such as steroid hormone dependent diseases or disorders requiring inhibition of 17?-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes.

Abstract: Analysis and synthesis filter banks such as those used in audio and video coding systems are each implemented by a hybrid transform that comprises a primary transform in cascade with one or more secondary transforms. The primary transforms for the filter banks implement an analysis/synthesis system in which time-domain aliasing artifacts are cancelled. The secondary transforms, which are in cascade with the primary transforms, are applied to blocks of transform coefficients. The length of the blocks is varied to adapt the time resolution of the analysis and synthesis filter banks.

Abstract: A control signal is provided to a video data acquisition system that generates video data. In response to receiving the control signal, the video data acquisition system modifies at least a portion of the video data to produce an output signal. Authenticity of the output signal from the video data acquisition system is verified by checking that the video data includes modifications according to the control signal. If the video data does not include such modifications, it is known that the video data acquisition system needs to be checked for tampering or system failures.

Abstract: Novel [1.2.4]triazolo[1,5-a]pyrazine compounds are disclosed that have a formula represented by the following: The compounds may be prepared as pharmaceutical compositions, and may be used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions in mammals including humans, including by way of non-limiting example, pain, inflammation, and others.

Abstract: A method of extracting phytoprogestogenic compounds from herbs and their use in preparing a medicament for treating humans requiring progesterone replacement or supplement. Assay systems to quantify progesterone and progestogenic receptor activity and a method for assembling a kit for the assays are also provided.

Abstract: A computer-implemented process of developing a person-level cost model for forecasting future costs attributable to claims from members of a book of business, where person-level data are available for a substantial portion of the members of the book of business for an actual underwriting period, and the forecast of interest is for a policy period is disclosed. The process uses development universe data comprising person-level enrollment data, historical base period health care claims data and historical next period claim amount data for a statistically meaningful number of individuals. The process also provides at least one claim-based risk factor for each historical base period claim based on the claim code associated with the health care claim and provides at least one enrollment-based risk factor based on the enrollment data.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a compound of formula (I): wherein: R1 is an aryl or heteroaryl ring; R2 is hydroxy, C1-6 alkoxy, C1-6 alkyl, amino, NR?R? or C1-6 alkyl-NR?R? where R? and R? are independently chosen from hydrogen and C1-4 alkyl and where R? and R?, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a saturated nitrogen-containing 3-7 membered heterocycle optionally containing a further nitrogen atom and optionally substituted by NR?R? as defined above or R2 is C1-6 alkoxy substituted by NR?R? as defined above; R3 is hydrogen or C1-6 alkyl; R4 is hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C2-8 alkenyl, C2-8 alkynyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, aryl or aryl C1-6 alkyl; R5 is hydrogen, C1-8 alkyl, C2-8 alkenyl, C2-8 alkynyl, C3-8 cycloalkyl, aryl, aryl C1-6 alkyl or C1-6 alkoxycarbonyl; or R4 and R5, together with the nitrogen atom to which they are attached, form a C3-C10 mono- or bicyclic saturated ring; X and Y are independently chosen from hydrogen, hydroxy, nitro, amino, cyano, CF3, halogen and C1-4 alkyl; o

Abstract: Novel fused pyrazine compounds are disclosed that have a formula represented by the following: The compounds may be prepared as pharmaceutical compositions, and may be used for the prevention and treatment of a variety of conditions in mammals including humans, including by way of non-limiting example, inflammation, rheumatoid arthritis and others.

Abstract: Mechanisms are known that allow receivers to control loudness of speech in broadcast signals but these mechanisms require an estimate of speech loudness be inserted into the signal. Disclosed techniques provide improved estimates of loudness. According to one implementation, an indication of the loudness of an audio signal containing speech and other types of audio material is obtained by classifying segments of audio information as either speech or non-speech. The loudness of the speech segments is estimated and this estimate is used to derive the indication of loudness. The indication of loudness maybe used to control audio signal levels so that variations in loudness of speech between different programs is reduced. A preferred method for classifying speech segments is described.

Abstract: Audio coding processes like quantization can cause spectral components of an encoded audio signal to be set to zero, creating spectral holes in the signal. These spectral holes can degrade the perceived quality of audio signals that are reproduced by audio coding systems. An improved decoder avoids or reduces the degradation by filling the spectral holes with synthesized spectral components. An improved encoder may also be used to realize further improvements in the decoder.