Abstract: A cartridge for an electronic vaping device includes an outer housing extending in a longitudinal direction and a reservoir configured to contain a pre-vapor formulation. The reservoir is in the outer housing. The reservoir has a first reservoir end and a second reservoir end. The cartridge also includes a seal at the first reservoir end, a transfer pad at the second reservoir end, and a wick in contact with the transfer pad. The transfer pad includes a plurality of fibers. Each of the plurality of fibers is substantially parallel to the longitudinal direction.

Abstract: A method of maintaining synchronization among multiple databases is provided. The method includes the steps of receiving a data update request for a data record at a database, and comparing a timestamp of the data record to a timestamp of the data update request. The data in the data record is updated with the data update request if the timestamp of the data update request is substantially greater than the timestamp of the data record. Otherwise, the data in the data record is updated with the data update request if the operational priority of the data update request is higher than the operational priority of the data record. Alternatively, the data in the data record is updated with the data update request if the node priority of the data update request is higher than the node priority of the data record.

Abstract: A transmission link is established between remote electrical transducers, e.g., underwater, and a monitoring receiver, e.g., shore-based, over an optical fiber link using integrated optical waveguides. Optical directional couplers with absorber and reflector elements incorporated in the waveguides at respective terminals of the transmission link permit the injection of light into the fiber at the monitoring terminal and the modulation of reflected light at the transducer terminal in accordance with an electrical signal from the transducer. No electrical energy then needs to be transmitted between the monitoring and transducing terminals of the transmission link. The link itself is thus light in weight and free of electrical currents subject to electromagnetic interference.