Author: claimsbot

1. A plastic container comprising:
a tubular sidewall;
a base merging with the sidewall, the base including an annular bearing surface comprising a weak point, and an inner portion for accommodating inner forces tending to collapse the sidewall, the inner portion having a hinge for facilitating the inward collapse of the inner portion, a vacuum panel, and a support ring interposed between the hinge and the vacuum panel to maintain the shape of the vacuum panel as the inner portion collapses.
2. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the vacuum panel extends outward.
3. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the vacuum panel or the inner portion flexes inward when a vacuum is created inside the plastic container.
4. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the annular bearing surface curls inward at the weak point to further facilitate the inward collapse of the inner portion.
5. The plastic container according to claim 3, wherein the inner portion flexes by an amount sufficient to prevent deformation of the annular bearing surface when a vacuum is created inside the container.
6. The plastic container according to claim 4, wherein the inner portion flexes without deforming at least one of the sidewall and the base.
7. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall is substantially cylindrical.
8. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the sidewall is substantially smooth.
9. The plastic container according to claim 1, wherein the plastic container is composed of polyolefin.
10. The plastic container according to claim 9, wherein the polyolefin is polyethylene or polypropylene.
11. A plastic container comprising:
a substantially cylindrical sidewall;
a base merging with the sidewall, the base including an annular bearing surface comprising a weak point, and an inner portion having an annular hinge, a support ring, and a vacuum panel surrounded by the annular hinge and the support ring,
wherein the inner portion extends outward under a first state and flexes inward when a vacuum is created inside the plastic container.
12. The plastic container according to claim 11, wherein the inner portion flexes without deforming at least one of the sidewall and the base.
13. The plastic container according to claim 11, wherein the sidewall is substantially smooth.
14. The plastic container according to claim 11, wherein the plastic container comprises a plastic.
15. The plastic container according to claim 14, wherein the plastic is a polyolefin.
16. The plastic container according to claim 15, wherein the polyolefin is selected from polyethylene and polypropylene.
17. The plastic container according to claim 11, wherein the annular bearing surface curls inward at the weak point to further facilitate the inward collapse of the inner portion.
18. A plastic container comprising:
a substantially smooth, cylindrical sidewall;
a base merging with the sidewall, the base including an annular bearing surface comprising a weak point, and an inner portion having an annular hinge, a support ring, and a vacuum panel surrounded by the annular hinge and the support ring,
wherein the inner portion extends outward under a first state and flexes inward when a vacuum is created inside the plastic container without deforming the at least one of the sidewall and the base.
19. The plastic container according to claim 18, wherein the plastic container is composed of polyolefin.
20. The plastic container according to claim 19, wherein the plastic container is composed of polyethylene.
21. The plastic container according to claim 19, wherein the plastic container is composed of polypropylene.
22. The plastic container according to claim 18, wherein the annular bearing surface curls inward at the weak point to further facilitate the inward collapse of the inner portion.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

What is claimed is:

1. A method of assaying a sample of blood or blood components for the presence of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D comprising:
(a) lowering the pH of the sample to 5.5 or less to dissociate the 25-hydroxy-vitamin D from vitamin D binding proteins; and
(b) determining the concentration of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D in the sample,
wherein the vitamin D binding proteins are not removed from the sample.
2. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the sample is lowered to 5 or less.
3. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the sample is lowered to 4.5 or less.
4. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the sample is lowered to 4 or less.
5. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the sample is lowered to 3 or less.
6. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the sample is lowered to be in the range of from 2 to 5.5.
7. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the sample is lowered to be in the range of from 4.0 to 4.5.
8. The method of claim 1, wherein the pH of the sample is lowered to 5.5 or less by adding a buffer having a pH of less than 5.5.
9. The method of claim 8, wherein the buffer is a citrate, citrate phosphate, or acetate buffer.
10. The method of claim 1, wherein the concentration of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D is determined by immunoassay.
11. The method of claim 1, wherein the sample of blood or blood components is serum or plasma.
12. The method of claim 1, wherein no precipitate is formed.
13. A method of claim 10, wherein a vitamin D tracer is used in the immunoassay.
14. A method of claim 13, wherein the vitamin D tracer is ABEI conjugated to 25-hydroxy-vitamin D.
15. A method of claim 13, wherein the vitamin D tracer is ABEI conjugated to a 22-carboxylic acid derivative of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D by a 2,2-(Ethylenedioxy)diethylamine linker.
16. A method of claim 13, wherein the vitamin D tracer is ABEI conjugated to a 22-carboxylic acid derivative of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D by a polyethylene glycol linker.
17. A method of claim 13, wherein the vitamin D tracer is ABEI conjugated to a 22-carboxylic acid derivative of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D by a dimethyl adipimidate linker.
18. A method of claim 13, wherein the vitamin D tracer is ABEI conjugated to a 22-carboxylic acid derivative of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D by a diamino cyclohexane linker.
19. A method of claim 13, wherein the vitamin D tracer is ABEI conjugated to a 22-carboxylic acid derivative of 25-hydroxy-vitamin D by a diamino C3- to C12-chain linker.

1.-20. (canceled)
21. A method executed on a computing device for managing cross-premises resources, the method comprising:
modeling at least one of a local resource and a remote resource into a single view;
receiving input from a user through the single view for transmission as a message to the at least one local resource and remote resource;
transmitting the message to the at least one local resource and remote resource;
receiving an answer to the message as output from the at least one of the local resource and remote resource; and
integrating the output for display to the user through the single view.
22. The method of claim 21, wherein transmitting the message to the at least one local resource and remote resource further comprises:
detecting a timeout has been reached prior to receipt of an acknowledgment from the at least one local resource and remote resource following the transmission of the message; and
determining whether a maximum number of retries has been reached for transmission of the message.
23. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
in response to determining that the maximum number of retries has not been reached for transmission of the message, re-transmitting the message to the at least one local resource and remote resource.
24. The method of claim 22, further comprising:
in response to determining that the maximum number of retries has been reached for transmission of the message one or more of:
invoking a timeout callback:
transmitting a failed event notification; and
aborting the transmission of the message.
25. The method of claim 24, further comprising
upon transmission of the message, storing the message until detection of at least one of: the receipt of the acknowledgement from the at least one local resource and remote resource and the failed event notification indicating to abort the transmission of the message.
26. The method of claim 21, further comprising:
managing the at least one local resource and remote resource from the single view.
27. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
presenting tools to manage the at least one local resource and remote resource according to a default view; and
determining the default view according to an administrator’s authorization level.
28. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
providing primary navigation controls including at least one from a set of recipients, roles, mail flow, protection, voice, and organization to manage the at least one local resource and remote resource; and
providing secondary navigation controls to augment the primary navigation controls with additional functions and tools.
29. The method of claim 26, further comprising:
providing a search control enabled to interact with the at least one local resource and remote resource.
30. A computing device for managing cross-premises resources, the computing device comprising:
a memory storing instructions; and
at least one processor coupled to the memory, the at least one processor executing a communication application in conjunction with the instructions stored in the memory, wherein the communication application comprises:
a communication interface configured to facilitate transmission of one or more messages from the communication application to at least one of a local resource and a remote resource; and
a cross-site communication module configured to:
model the at least one local resource and remote resource into a single view;
receive input from a user through the single view for transmission as a message to the at least one local resource and remote resource;
transmit the message to the at least one local resource and remote resource;
detect a timeout has been reached prior to receipt of an acknowledgment from the at least one local resource and remote resource following the transmission of the message;
determine whether a maximum number of retries has been reached for transmission of the message; and
re-transmit the message to the at least one local resource and remote resource in response to a determination that the maximum number of retries has not been reached else,
abort the transmission of the message.
31. The computing device of claim 30, wherein the cross-site communication module is further configured to:
receive an answer to the message as output from the at least one of the local resource and remote resource; and
integrate the output for display to the user through the single view.
32. The computing device of claim 30, wherein a local resource includes a unique view and a communication layer.
33. The computing device of claim 30, wherein a remote resource includes a unique view and a communication layer.
34. The computing device of claim 30, wherein the single view includes a plurality of integrated web pages from the at least one local resource and remote resource displayed in a browser window.
35. The computing device of claim 30, wherein the cross-site communication module is further configured to:
integrate a local resource through a local iframe with a remote resource to generate the single view.
36. The computing device of claim 30, wherein the cross-site communication module is further configured to:
integrate a remote resource through a remote iframe with a local resource to generate the single view.
37. The computing device of claim 30, wherein the cross-site communication module is further configured to:
embed at least one from the at least one local resource and remote resource in an iframe;
integrate the iframe into the single view; and
display the single view in a web browser.
38. A computer-readable memory device with instructions stored thereon for managing cross-premises resources, the instructions comprising:
modeling at least one of a local resource and a remote resource into a single view;
receiving input from a user through the single view for transmission as a message to the at least one local resource and remote resource;
transmitting the message to the at least one local resource and remote resource; and one of:
upon detecting receipt of an acknowledgment from the at least one local resource and remote resource following the transmission of the message:
receiving an answer to the message as output from the at least one of the local resource and remote resource; and
integrating the output for display to the user through the single view; and

upon detecting that a timeout has been reached prior to the receipt of the acknowledgment from the at least one local resource and remote resource following the transmission of the message:
determining whether a maximum number of retries has been reached for transmission of the message; and
re-transmitting the message to the at least one local resource and remote resource in response to a determination that the maximum number of retries has not been reached else,
aborting the transmission of the message.
39. The computer-readable memory device of claim 38, wherein the instructions further comprise:
displaying a single control as a common integration point to access views of the at least one of the local resource and the remote resource through the single view.
40. The computer-readable memory device of claim 38, wherein the instructions further comprise:
displaying one or more customized controls based on a user’s access privileges through the single view.

The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.

1. An system for measuring the fire of a gemstone, comprising:
a hollow tube having an inlet for receiving a portion of light from a wide-angle light source and an outlet for providing spot lighting from the light portion channeled through the tube, the spot lighting having approximately the same spectrum as the light from the light source;
a mask coupled with the tube to shield the outlet from light generated from the light source, other than the channeled light portion, from being incident upon the gemstone; and
a calorimeter positioned near the gemstone to receive colored light returned by the gemstone in response to the incident channeled light portion, and to quantify specific colors of the gemstone’s fire.
2. The system of claim 1, wherein the colorimeter comprises a photodetector.
3. The system of claim 2, wherein the colorimeter further comprises one or more filters for isolating specific wavelengths of visible light.
4. The system of claim 1, wherein the full spectrum light source comprises a wide-angle light source.
5. The system of claim 1, wherein said tube comprises a hollow tube.
6. A system for measuring the fire of gemstone, comprising:
a wide-angle white light source;
a hollow tube having an inlet and an outlet, positioned such that a portion of light from the light source is received at the inlet, channeled through the tube, and provided from the outlet as spot lighting to the gemstone, the spot lighting having approximately the same spectrum as the light from the white light source;
a tray for supporting the gemstone; and
a colorimeter positioned near the gemstone to receive colored light returned by the gemstone in response to the incident channeled light portion, and to quantify specific colors of the gemstone’s fire.
7. The system of claim 6, wherein the colorimeter comprises a photodetector.
8. The system of claim 7, wherein the colorimeter further comprises one or more filters for isolating specific wavelengths of visible light.
9. The system of claim 6, wherein the full spectrum light source comprises a wide-angle light source.
10. The system of claim 6, wherein the white light source is a daylight-approximating halogen lamp.
11. The system of claim 6, further comprising a mask to shield the gemstone from other portions of light from the light source.
12. The system of claim 6, wherein said tube comprises a hollow tube.
13. A method of measuring the fire of a gemstone, comprising:
receiving a portion of light from a wide-angle white light source at an inlet of a hollow tube;
channeling the received portion of light through the tube;
outputting the channeled light as spot lighting from an outlet of the tube, wherein the spot lighting has approximately the same spectrum as the light from the white light source; and
optoelectronically detecting and quantifying specific colors returned by the gemstone in response to channeled light incident upon the gemstone.
14. The method of claim 13, further comprising shielding light generated from the wide angle light source, other than the channeled light portion, from illuminating the gemstone.
15. The method of claim 13, further comprising providing a colorimeter for performing the detecting and quantifying.
16. The method of claim 13, wherein the detecting and quantifying comprises filtering specific wavelengths of visible light and detecting the filtered light.
17. The method of claim 13, wherein the full spectrum light source comprises a wide-angle light source.
18. The method of claim 13, wherein the white light source is a daylight-approximating halogen lamp.