Abstract: A method comprises loading a sample portion into a first porous structure, subjecting the sample portion to an amplification step, and determining whether the sample portion contains at least one molecule of a target nucleic acid. If the sample portion contains a single molecule of the target nucleic acid, the sample portion would attain a detectable concentration of the target nucleic acid after a single round of amplification. Also, a microfluidic device comprising a porous sample structure and a sample portion positioned in the porous sample structure. Also, a microfluidic device comprising a porous sample structure and an amplification targeting reagent positioned in the porous sample structure.

Abstract: A method comprising loading sample into at least two sample chambers, subjecting the sample portions in each sample chamber to at least a first amplification step, and determining whether each sample portion contains at least one molecule of a target nucleic acid. If a sample portion contains at least a single molecule of the target nucleic acid, it would attain a detectable concentration of the target nucleic acid after a single round of amplification. Also, a method for detecting whether at least one molecule of a first target nucleic acid is present in a first sample and detecting whether at least one molecule of a second target nucleic acid is present in a second sample. Also, a microfluidic device comprising sample chambers comprising respective ingredients which will react with respective target nucleic acids if contacted with the target nucleic acids and subjected to a round of amplification.

Abstract: A method comprising loading a sample into a microfluidic device which comprises plural sample chambers, subdividing the sample into a plurality of sample portions, such that respective sample portions are positioned in each of a plurality of the sample chambers, and subjecting the sample portions loaded into the respective sample chambers to at least a first amplification step. Each of the sample chambers has a respective volume such that if a sample portion positioned in the sample chamber comprises at least one molecule of a target nucleic acid, the target nucleic acid would attain a detectable concentration in the sample chamber after a single round of amplification.

Abstract: A device into which a razor is placed includes a chamber through which water is circulated to clean the razor. Water jets are included to direct water against the razor. The device further includes a holder for razors after cleaning.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a fluorinated component and an adhesion promoter compound. The adhesion promoter compound can include an alkoxy group, a furfuryl-containing ring structure, and a reactive group.

Abstract: A miniaturized assembly is provided whereby a fluid sample can be divided into a plurality of sample portions in retaining wells and the sample fluid can be displaced from open ends of the wells while simultaneously being sealed in the wells. A method of dividing a fluid sample using the assembly is also provided.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a trifluoromethyl-containing component and a hardenable material. Weatherable coatings are also provided by compositions comprising a mobile non-volatile fluorinated component and a hardenable material. Processes are also provided for forming hydrophobic coatings on articles.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a trifluoromethyl-containing component and a hardenable material. Weatherable coatings are also provided by compositions comprising a mobile non-volatile fluorinated component and a hardenable material. Processes are also provided for forming hydrophobic coatings on articles.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a fluorinated component and an adhesion promoter compound. The adhesion promoter compound can include an alkoxy group, a furfuryl-containing ring structure, and a reactive group.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a trifluoromethyl-containing component and a hardenable material. Processes are also provided for forming hydrophobic coatings on articles without any substantial loss of fluorocarbon solvent used in the coating composition. Articles are coated on a surface thereof with a hydrophobic coating reactant or reaction product which forms a coating having an exposed surface populated with 30% by area or more terminal trifluoromethyl groups.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a trifluoromethyl-containing component and a hardenable material. Processes are also provided for forming hydrophobic coatings on articles without any substantial loss of fluorocarbon solvent used in the coating composition. Articles are coated on a surface thereof with a hydrophobic coating reactant or reaction product which forms a coating having an exposed surface populated with 30% by area or more terminal trifluoromethyl groups.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a trifluoromethyl-containing component and a hardenable material. Weatherable coatings are also provided by compositions comprising a mobile non-volatile fluorinated component and a hardenable material. Processes are also provided for forming hydrophobic coatings on articles.

Abstract: A miniaturized assembly is provided whereby a fluid sample can be divided into a plurality of sample portions in retaining wells and the sample fluid can be displaced from open ends of the wells while simultaneously being sealed in the wells. A method of dividing a fluid sample using the assembly is also provided.

Abstract: Handheld radiotelephones are provided with battery packs that facilitate the transmission of a person's voice to internally mounted microphones. A radiotelephone housing end portion is provided with an aperture that is in acoustic communication with an internally mounted microphone. A passageway extends through a battery pack from a sound inlet in a front portion thereof to a sound outlet in an end portion thereof. The sound outlet is in acoustic communication with the aperture when the battery pack is removably secured to the housing end. Accordingly, the sound inlet is in acoustic communication with the microphone via the passageway.

Abstract: Hydrophobic coating compositions are provided as are processes to coat articles with the compositions. Extremely hydrophobic coatings are provided by the compositions. Durable, weatherable and scratch-resistant coatings are provided by compositions comprising a trifluoromethyl-containing component and a hardenable material. Processes are also provided for forming hydrophobic coatings on articles without any substantial loss of fluorocarbon solvent used in the coating composition. Articles are coated on a surface thereof with a hydrophobic coating reactant or reaction product which forms a coating having an exposed surface populated with 30% by area or more terminal trifluoromethyl groups.

Abstract: Methods of detecting and quantifying genomic nucliec acid molecule sequences are provided using the simultaneous amplification of a plurality of discrete nanoliter-sized samples. A miniaturized closed assembly is also provided for carrying out amplification of a nucleic acid molecule by polymerase chain reaction in multiple nanoliter-sized samples. Methods of filling miniaturized sample chambers are also provided as are methods for determining the number of template molecules in a sample by conducting replicate nucleic acid sequence amplification reactions on a set of terminally diluted samples and counting the number of positive amplification reactions. The methods can be used to detect a single starting nucleic acid target molecule.

Abstract: A coating formulation for making a porous coating on a laboratory apparatus is provided. The formulation comprises 100 parts by weight hardenable resinous material, and from about 0.1 to about 50 parts by weight blowing agent based on the 100 parts by weight resinous material. The resinous material has a hardening time which is sufficiently short such that gas generated by the blowing agent is entrapped within the resinous material. The coating formulation is hardenable upon application to a surface of a laboratory apparatus to form a porous coating which is used for marking purposes or for the retention of biological samples. Methods of retaining a biological sample on a coated laboratory apparatus having a surface made of the coating formulation are also provided.

Abstract: A system and method are disclosed whereby, in order to achieve a desired receive audio dynamic range compression factor (e.g., 2:1) at higher background noise levels, an analog mobile station's receiver is inhibited from expanding the received compressed signal. In other words, the received audio signal remains compressed for local background noise levels above a predetermined threshold level. Also, a digital mobile station's audio receiver (or mobile station's receiver that uses digital signal processing for audio) is enabled to achieve a 2:1 compression directly on an uncompressed receive audio signal using a compression software algorithm. In other words, the received (uncompressed) audio signal is compressed in the digital receiver for local background noise levels above a predetermined threshold level, in order to achieve a desired dynamic range.

Abstract: A coating formulation for making a porous coating on a laboratory apparatus is provided. The formulation comprises 100 parts by weight hardenable resinous material, and from about 0.1 to about 50 parts by weight blowing agent based on the 100 parts by weight resinous material. The resinous material has a hardening time which is sufficiently short such that gas generated by the blowing agent is entrapped within the resinous material. The coating formulation is hardenable upon application to a surface of a laboratory apparatus to form a porous coating which is used for marking purposes or for the retention of biological samples. Methods of retaining a biological sample on a coated laboratory apparatus having a surface made of the coating formulation are also provided.

Abstract: A coating formulation for making a porous coating on a laboratory apparatus is provided. The formulation comprises 100 parts by weight hardenable resinous material, and from about 0.1 to about 50 parts by weight blowing agent based on the 100 parts by weight resinous material. The resinous material has a hardening time which is sufficiently short such that gas generated by the blowing agent is entrapped within the resinous material. The coating formulation is hardenable upon application to a surface of a laboratory apparatus to form a porous coating which is used for marking purposes or for the retention of biological samples. Methods of retaining a biological sample on a coated laboratory apparatus having a surface made of the coating formulation are also provided.