Abstract: A system is provided for decoding one or more sequences of sub-word units output by a speech recognition system into one or more representative words. The system uses a dynamic programming technique to align the sequence of sub-word units output by the recognition system with a number of dictionary sub-word unit sequences representative of dictionary words to identify the most likely word or words corresponding to the spoken input.

Abstract: There is provided a method to modulate the differentiation state of embryonic stem cells in culture by the providing ligands which bind receptors in the Notch and Wnt pathways.

Abstract: The functionality of a blade is expanded by the installation of an expansion unit including expansion components. The blade and expansion unit are provided with connectors allowing the blade components to access and utilize the expansion components when the connectors are mated. The blade and expansion unit include elements ensuring that the connectors align properly as the expansion unit is installed onto the blade, making the installation simple and quick. The blade and expansion unit also include elements securing the connection between the two, once made.

Abstract: A fluid pressure generating means (10) for a heart assist device having blood pumping means. The pressure generating means (10) includes a housing (11), defining an interior volume (18), and having a substantially rigid first housing portion (12), a substantially rigid second housing portion (14), a flexible third housing portion (16) extending between the first (12) and second (14) housing portions and an inlet/outlet port (15) adapted for fluid communication with the blood pumping means. The pressure generating means (10) also includes a fluid filling the housing and a motor (20) disposed within the housing (11) and connected between the first (12) and second (14) housing portions. Actuation of the motor (20) moves the first (12) and second (14) housing portions relative to one another to generate fluid pressure changes at the inlet/outlet port (15). A related heart assist device and method for the treatment of congestive heart failure, myocardial ischemia and like conditions are also disclosed.

Abstract: The construction of transgenic animal models of human Alzheimer's disease, and methods of using the models to screen potential Alzheimer's disease therapeutics, are described. The models are characterized by pathologies similar to pathologies observed in Alzheimer's disease, based on expression of all three forms of the &bgr;-amyloid precursor protein (APP), APP695, APP751, and APP770, as well as various point mutations based on naturally occurring mutations, such as the London and Indiana familial Alzheimer's disease (FAD) mutations at amino acid 717, predicted mutations in the APP gene, and truncated forms of APP that contain the A&bgr; region. Animal cells can be isolated from the transgenic animals or prepared using the same constructs with standard techniques such as lipofection or electroporation.

Abstract: A method is provided for forming semiconductor devices using a semiconductor substrate having first and second opposed sides, and at least one device layer on the second side of the substrate, the at least one device layer including first and second device portions. A first trench is formed in the first side of the substrate between the first and second device portions. A second trench is formed in the second side of the substrate between the first and second device portions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method to modulate stem cell differentiation comprising introducing inhibitory RNA (RNAi) into a stem cell to ablate mRNA's which encode polypeptides which are involved in stem cell differentiation; RNAi molecules, DNA molecules encoding said RNAi molecules; and cells obtained by said method.

Abstract: A plastic film having a desirable balance of physical properties is prepared using a pseudohomogeneous linear low density polyethylene (lldpe) resin on a blown film extrusion line. The lldpe used in this invention must have a melt index, I2, of from 0.4 to 0.8 grams per 10 minutes, a base resin density of from 0.915 to 0.919 grams per cubic centimeter and a copolymer/homopolymer (COHO) ratio of from 3 to 9. The film must be prepared under specific extrusion conditions using a specific annular extrusion die. The film of this invention has a dart impact strength of greater than 600 grams per mil and a machine direction tear strength of greater than 350 grams per mil and is suitable for the preparation of packaging and trash bags.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for operating a dishwasher in a variable dry cycle mode is provided. The dishwasher includes a wash chamber, a heater element located within the wash chamber, a rinse aid product dispenser, and a fan unit for circulating air. The method comprises determining a temperature of the wash chamber, determining an amount of rinse aid product in the dispenser, and, based upon the determined temperature and the amount of rinse aid product, determining an optimized heater element cycle and an optimized fan unit cycle.

Abstract: This invention relates to rotary pumps adapted, but not exclusively, for use as artificial hearts or ventricular assist devices and, in particular, discloses in preferred forms a seal-less shaft-less pump featuring open or closed (shrouded) impeller blades with the edges of the blades used as hydrodynamic thrust bearings and with electromagnetic torque provided by the interaction between magnets embedded in the blades and a rotating current pattern generated in coils fixed relative to the pump housing.

Abstract: A process for the formation of a thread form in a substantially elongate member (1), wherein the thread form includes at least one rib (3) spaced apart from at least one other rib along the elongate member and wherein the thread form has a relatively coarse rib spacing but a fine thread pitch.

Abstract: An improved cochlear implant and method of stimulating are disclosed. The method comprises stimulating an electrode array using a set of current stimuli having different geometries, so as to provide a more regular and monotonic set of pitch percepts for a user.

Abstract: A data structure is provided for annotating data files within a database. The annotation data comprises a phoneme and word lattice which allows the quick and efficient searching of data files within the database, in response to a user's input query for desired information. The phoneme and word lattice comprises a plurality of time-ordered nodes, and a plurality of links extending between the nodes. Each link has a phoneme or word associated with it. The nodes are arranged in a sequence of time-ordered blocks such that further data can be conveniently added to the lattice.

Abstract: An improved cochlear implant and method of stimulating are disclosed. The method comprises stimulating an electrode array using a set of current stimuli having different geometries, so as to provide a more regular and monotonic set of pitch percepts for a user. In one embodiment, this may be achieved by combining different modes of stimulation for a patient, so that some channels utilise one mode and other channels utilise one or more different modes.

Abstract: This invention relates to rotary pumps adapted, but not exclusively, for use as artificial hearts or ventricular assist devices and, in particular, discloses in preferred forms a seal-less shaft-less pump featuring open or closed (shrouded) impeller blades with the edges of the blades used as hydrodynamic thrust bearings and with electromagnetic torque provided by the interaction between magnets embedded in the blades and a rotating current pattern generated in coils fixed relative to the pump housing.

Abstract: Interactive services with multiple interfaces are realized by employing a modular approach to their implementation. Such an approach facilitates supporting natural language understanding interaction with users through use of interfaces that at least allow the user to provide information beyond what is currently being requested by the service, and/or different ordering of inputs, and/or incomplete information, and/or correction of information, and/or the return of control to prior points in the service. This is realized, in an embodiment of the invention, by employing an interactive service logic that uses “reactive constraint graphs”, i.e., a form of event-driven graph in which nodes contain constraints on events, in conjunction with a service monitor. The service monitor manages the communication between the service logic and the multiple user interfaces.

Abstract: Interactive voice response (IVR) services are provided to an end user at a telephone terminal (201) connected to the PSTN (202) through a telephone/IP server (205) that serves as an interface between the PSTN and an IP network (204) such as the Internet. A first IVR service is provided by a web server (203) running a service logic (207) for that service, which produces pages formatted in a phone markup language (PML) in response to an HTTP request sent over the IP network by the telephone/IP server to the web server at the URL address associated with the service. Hyperlinks to a second IVR service offered on a web server (208) at a different URL address are embedded and associated with a specific question or statement in a PML-formatted page produced by the first service.

Abstract: A method of making a mask or an electronic part, for example a printed circuit, comprises the steps of delivering heat in a desired pattern to a precursor of the mask or electronic part, the precursor comprising a surface coated with a coating, the coating comprising a heat-sensitive composition itself comprising an aqueous developer soluble polymeric substance and a compound which reduces the aqueous developer solubility of the polymeric substance, wherein the aqueous developer solubility of the composition is not increased by incident UV radiation but is increased by the delivery of heat; then developing the precursor to remove the heat-sensitive composition in regions to which the heat was delivered. In the case of a printed circuit precursor the surface may be then etched in conventional manner to yield the required printed circuit.

Abstract: A positive working printing form precursor comprises a thermally imagable composition which includes a hydroxyl group-containing polymer, for example a novolak resin. The composition has a weight of less than 1.1 gm−2. It has been found that using a low weight of the composition on the precursor improves the properties of the precursor, in particular by rendering the sensitivity of the precursor to imaging radiation less variable over time.