Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided for thermal treatment of poultry appendages, such as chicken feet or paws. In this regard, the apparatus may include a thermal transport assembly that may be structured and dimensioned to be filled with a thermal treatment liquid (e.g., water, or the like) that is regulated at a designated target temperature. The poultry appendages may be pumped from a picker assembly to the thermal transport assembly such that the appendages are at least partially submerged in the thermal treatment liquid while being transported through the thermal transport assembly. The thermal treatment liquid may be maintained at a specified temperature, and the thermal transport assembly may be operated such that the poultry appendages are at least partially submerged in the thermal treatment liquid for a specified amount of time.

Abstract: A crossover for ducting exhaust produced by an engine. The crossover includes a front inside passage and rear outside passage. The front inside passage is configured to direct exhaust from one or more cylinders associated with a front of the engine to an inside volute of a turbocharger turbine. The rear outside passage is configured to direct exhaust from one or more cylinders associated with a rear of the engine to an outside volute of the turbocharger turbine. The inside volute is closer to the rear of the engine than the outside volute is.

Abstract: A crossover for ducting exhaust produced by an engine. The crossover includes a front inside passage and rear outside passage. The front inside passage is configured to direct exhaust from one or more cylinders associated with a front of the engine to an inside volute of a turbocharger turbine. The rear outside passage is configured to direct exhaust from one or more cylinders associated with a rear of the engine to an outside volute of the turbocharger turbine. The inside volute is closer to the rear of the engine than the outside volute is.

Abstract: A communication protocol for establishing real-time, point-to-point communications between computer users over a computer network includes a directory server apparatus for providing the current dynamically assigned Internet Protocol addresses of client processes currently connected to the computer network. The server maintains a list of entries, each entry including the Internet Protocol address of a user currently connected to the network. In response to identification of one of the entries by a requesting client process, the server provides the corresponding Internet Protocol address of the entry to the requesting client process. In accordance with a second aspect of the present invention, the directory server monitors the status of client processes connected to the network via periodic notification from the client processes. The server dynamically modifies the time interval at which client processes notify the server, depending on the demand for server resources.