Abstract: A chuck for testing an integrated circuit includes an upper conductive layer having a lower surface and an upper surface suitable to support a device under test. An upper insulating layer has an upper surface at least in partial face-to-face contact with the lower surface of the upper conductive layer, and a lower surface. A middle conductive layer has an upper surface at least in partial face-to-face contact with the lower surface of the upper insulating layer, and a lower surface.

Abstract: A chuck for testing an integrated circuit includes an upper conductive layer having a lower surface and an upper surface suitable to support a device under test. An upper insulating layer has an upper surface at least in partial face-to-face contact with the lower surface of the upper conductive layer, and a lower surface. A middle conductive layer has an upper surface at least in partial face-to-face contact with the lower surface of the upper insulating layer, and a lower surface.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for use in treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer can include: a molecule having a structure of one of Compounds 1-38, pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or analog thereof; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier containing the compound. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be configured for oral, systemic, transdermal, intranasal, suppository, parenteral, intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration. The compound can be present in the composition in a therapeutically effective amount for treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer. Also, the compound can be present in a therapeutically effective amount for enhancing production of BRCA1.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for use in treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer can include: a molecule having a structure of one of Compounds 1-38, pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or analog thereof; and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier containing the compound. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be configured for oral, systemic, transdermal, intranasal, suppository, parenteral, intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration. The compound can be present in the composition in a therapeutically effective amount for treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer. Also, the compound can be present in a therapeutically effective amount for enhancing production of BRCA1.

Abstract: A pharmaceutical composition for use in treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer can include: a molecule having a structure of one of Compounds 1-38, pharmaceutically acceptable salt thereof, or analog thereof, and a pharmaceutically acceptable carrier containing the compound. The pharmaceutically acceptable carrier can be configured for oral, systemic, transdermal, intranasal, suppository, parenteral, intramuscular, intravenous, or subcutaneous administration. The compound can be present in the composition in a therapeutically effective amount for treating, inhibiting, and/or preventing breast and/or ovarian cancer. Also, the compound can be present in a therapeutically effective amount for enhancing production of BRCA1.

Abstract: A call center includes functionality for dynamically positioning newly received calls within an established call queue. The calls are positioned within the queue based on predefined service objectives for call types supported by the call center and a length of time that other calls have already been waiting in the queue. In a preferred embodiment, when a new call is received by the call center, an analysis is performed for individual queue positions within the queue until a queue position is identified that meets a predetermined selection criterion. The new call is then placed within this queue position and subsequent calls within the queue are moved accordingly.

Abstract: A call center includes functionality for dynamically varying a threshold value associated with each of a number of different call types (i.e., skills) to be handled by the call center. A group of agents and a group of reserve agents are provided within the call center for use in handling incoming calls. A dedicated subgroup of agents is assigned to service each of the call types in the call center. In addition, one or more reserve agents are assigned to service a particular call type when an expected wait time associated with the call type exceeds a threshold value. The threshold value associated with each call type is dynamically adjusted during call center operation based on a measured service level being provided to a corresponding call type. In one embodiment, the threshold value for a call type is adjusted based on a comparison between a measured service level and a predetermined service level target associated with the call type.

Abstract: A call center includes functionality for dynamically varying a threshold value associated with each of a number of different call types (i.e. skills) to be handled by the call center. A group of agents and a group of reserve agents are provided within the call center for use in handling incoming calls. A dedicated subgroup of agents is assigned to service each of the call types in the call center. In addition, one or more reserve agents are assigned to service a particular call type when an expected wait time associated with the call type exceeds a threshold value. The threshold value associated with each call type is dynamically adjusted during call center operation based on the fraction of the target service level for a call type being achieved by the call center. In one embodiment, a dynamically adjusted threshold is calculated by multiplying an administered threshold value for a call type by the fraction of the target service level that a measured service level for the call type represents.

Abstract: The system for automatically routing calls to call center agents in an agent surplus condition provides the call center administrator with an automatic agent assignment paradigm which functions to automatically increase the efficiency of assigning multiple skill agents to contacts. The presence of an agent surplus condition provides the present system with a plurality of choices in the assignment of the agent to process a presently received contact. Since the agents who staff the call center include multiple skill agents, the system must make a determination of not only which of the available agents is the best equipped to handle the present contact, but also how that assignment statistically effects the efficiency of successive assignments of agents to contacts next received, based upon the past performance of the agents and the call center.

Abstract: The system for automatically routing calls to call center agents in an agent surplus condition provides the call center administrator with an automatic agent assignment paradigm which functions to automatically increase the efficiency of assigning multiple skill agents to contacts. The presence of an agent surplus condition provides the present system with a plurality of choices in the assignment of the agent to process a presently received contact. Since the agents who staff the call center include multiple skill agents, the system must make a determination of not only which of the available agents is the best equipped to handle the present contact, but also how that assignment statistically effects the efficiency of successive assignments of agents to contacts next received, based upon the past performance of the agents and the call center.

Abstract: The system for automatically routing calls to call center agents provides the call center administrator with an automatic agent assignment paradigm which functions to automatically increase the efficiency of assigning multiple skill agents to contacts. The presence of an agent surplus condition provides the present system with a plurality of choices in the assignment of the agent to process a presently received contact. Since the agents who staff the call center include multiple skill agents, the system must make a determination of not only which of the available agents is the best equipped to handle the present contact, but also how that assignment statistically effects the efficiency of successive assignments of agents to contacts next received, based upon the past performance of the agents and the call center.

Abstract: An implement having a handle, a tang, and a working portion is assembled by snapping the tang into the handle. The tang has prongs that snap into a locking structure within the handle. No attachment hardware such as rivets or adhesives are necessary to secure the tang to the handle. A method of securing the tang to the handle includes snapping the tang into the handle with no further installation steps required. In a preferred embodiment, the implement is a fixed blade knife having a blade with a tang and a sharpened end.

Abstract: A call center is configured to include a capability for generating measures of occupancy for one or more agents. At least one value characterizing an occupancy measure determination for a given agent is stored in a memory associated with the call center, and used in generating an occupancy measure for that agent. In an illustrative embodiment, a set of stored values for the given agent includes an initial occupancy value for the agent, expressed in terms of a percentage. The occupancy measure for the agent may then be set to the initial occupancy value upon a log-in by the agent, so as to avoid undue oscillation in the occupancy measure after log-in. The set of stored values for the given agent may also include, for example, a limit which specifies a maximum amount of time for a designated activity which is to be considered as occupied time in generating the occupancy measure, or a limit which specifies a maximum effect of a designated activity in generating the occupancy measure.

Abstract: A call center includes functionality for dynamically varying a threshold value associated with each of a number of different call types (i.e. skills) to be handled by the call center. A group of agents and a group of reserve agents are provided within the call center for use in handling incoming calls. A dedicated subgroup of agents is assigned to service each of the call types in the call center. In addition, one or more reserve agents are assigned to service a particular call type when an expected wait time associated with the call type exceeds a threshold value. The threshold value associated with each call type is dynamically adjusted during call center operation based on the fraction of the target service level for a call type being achieved by the call center. In one embodiment, a dynamically adjusted threshold is calculated by multiplying an administered threshold value for a call type by the fraction of the target service level that a measured service level for the call type represents.

Abstract: The system for automatically routing calls to call center agents in an agent surplus condition provides the call center administrator with an automatic agent assignment paradigm which functions to automatically increase the efficiency of assigning multiple skill agents to contacts. The presence of an agent surplus condition provides the present system with a plurality of choices in the assignment of the agent to process a presently received contact. Since the agents who staff the call center include multiple skill agents, the system must make a determination of not only which of the available agents is the best equipped to handle the present contact, but also how that assignment statistically effects the efficiency of successive assignments of agents to contacts next received, based upon the past performance of the agents and the call center.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of detecting and diagnosing pre-invasive breast cancer by identifying differentially expressed genes in early, pre-invasive breast cancer tissue. Differentially expressed genes can be used as genetic markers to indicate the presence of pre-invasive cancerous tissues. Microscopically-directed tissue sampling techniques combined with differential display or differential screening of cDNA libraries are used to determine differential expression of genes in the early stages of breast cancer. Differential expression of genes in preinvasive breast cancer tissue is confirmed by RT-PCR, nuclease protection assays and in-situ hybridization of ductal carcinoma in situ tissue RNA and control tissue RNA. The present invention also provides a method of screening for compounds that induce expression of the BRCA1 gene, whose product negatively regulates cell growth in both normal and malignant mammary epithlial cells.

Abstract: Selection of a suitable call-center agent (106-108) to handle a call is based on which available suitable agent's handling of the call will tend to optimize call wait times. When a call needing a particular skill becomes available (200), all skills of agents in the agent queue (131-139) corresponding to the particular skill are determined (202, 204). The agent queues corresponding to the determined skills are checked (206) to determine which ones identify only one agent. For each available agent having the particular skill, the number of agent queues which identify this agent as their only agent is computed (208). The available agent having the lowest computed number is selected (210) to handle the call. This minimizes the number of skills that will be left without an available agent to handle subsequent calls, and thus tends to maximize the probability that a next call will also have a suitable agent already available and not have to wait for one to become available, thereby optimizing call wait times.

Abstract: Therapeutic methods for the treatment of prostate cancer are described. The methods include a gene therapy method for prostate cancer using the BRCA family of genes, including the BRCA1 and BRCA2 genes. The BRCA family of gene products inhibit the growth and tumorigenesis of prostate cancer cells. Therapeutic methods using the BRCA family of gene products are also described.

Abstract: Genetic analysis of familial breast and ovarian cancer indicates that BRCA1 is a tumor suppressor gene. The BRCA1 gene encodes a 190 kDa protein with sequence homology and biochemical analogy to the granin family of proteins. Granins are secreted from endocrine cells via the regulated secretory pathway and are proteolytically cleaved to yield biologically active peptides. BRCA1 protein localizes to secretory vesicles, and was demonstrated to be secreted. Gene transfer of BRCA1 inhibits growth and tumorigenesis of breast and ovarian cancer cells, but not colon or lung cancer cells or fibroblasts, suggesting that BRCA1 encodes a tissue-specific growth inhibitor. Thus, BRCA1 is a secreted growth inhibitor and functions by a mechanism not previously described for tumor suppressor genes. The BRCA2 breast and ovarian cancer gene encodes a protein that also includes a granin region, indicating that the BRCA2 protein is also a secreted tumor suppressor.

Abstract: In a skills-based ACD, an available agent is reserved and assigned to handle calls needing a "rare" skill of the agent and is prevented from handling calls needing a "common" skill of the agent even if calls needing the common skill are waiting to be handled, if not reserving the agent for the calls needing the rare skill would deprive those calls of the last available agent, even if no calls needing the rare skill are available for handling. The agent is reserved only if target performance criteria, such as average speed of answer, for handling the calls needing the common skill are being met. In case of more than one agent being available to handle calls that need the rare skills, one of these agents is selected and reserved and the other agents are freed to serve calls needing "common" skills.