Abstract: The present disclosure provides a nucleic acid amplification method. The method comprises forming an enrichment culture by contacting a sample with a nutrient medium having a formulation that does not include a phosphate buffer component; holding the enrichment culture for a period of time at a temperature that facilitates growth of a target microorganism; after holding the enrichment culture, forming an aqueous composition by mixing a first volume of the enrichment culture with a second volume of a lysis buffer; contacting the aqueous composition with an effective amount of a water-insoluble material that sequesters a substance that interferes with a polymerase-mediated nucleic acid amplification reaction; subjecting the aqueous composition to a thermal lysis process; and, after subjecting the aqueous composition to the thermal lysis process, subjecting a portion of the aqueous composition to a nucleic acid amplification process. A composition for a lysis buffer is also disclosed.

Abstract: Devices are described that support, house, and protect an electrical cable monitoring system that is electrically coupled to an electrical cable. An example support structure includes an elongate body including an interior surface extending along and concentric to an axis of the electrical cable. The body is configured to engage a cable accessory disposed on the electrical cable. The support structure includes a first electrode attached to the interior surface and configured to operatively couple to the cable accessory. The support structure includes a second electrode attached to the body and configured to operatively couple to the shielding layer. The support structure includes a monitoring device attached to the interior surface and operatively coupled to the first and second electrodes. The monitoring device is configured to monitor one or more conditions of the electrical cable or the cable accessory.

Abstract: An electrical contact includes a longitudinal first body portion, a longitudinal second body portion, a terminal portion, and a contact portion. The longitudinal first body portion has a terminal end, a first transition end opposite the terminal end, and a major surface generally lying in a first plane. The longitudinal second body portion has a contact end, a second transition end opposite the contact end, and a major surface generally lying in a second plane intersecting the first plane. The contact end is distal to the first transition end. The terminal portion extends from the first body portion at the terminal end. The contact portion extends from the second body portion at the contact end.

Abstract: Protective headgear including an automatic darkening filter with an array of switchable shutters, and including a shutter control system, at least one workview image acquisition device, and at least one eye position monitoring device, wherein the shutter control system is controllably connected to each switchable shutter of the array of switchable shutters so as to control the switching of each of the switchable shutters, and is receivably connected to the at least one workview image acquisition device and to the at least one eye position monitoring device.

Abstract: The invention relates to a dental adhesive composition comprising ethylenically unsaturated component(s) with acidic moiety, ethylenically unsaturated component(s) without acidic moiety, water, sensitizing agent(s), reducing agent(s), a silane composition comprising (meth)acrylate functional silane(s) and amino functional silane(s). This composition is in particular useful for adhesively fixing dental restorations based on lithium disilicate and other glass ceramic materials to dental surfaces.

Abstract: An optically transparent antenna stack includes at least two stacked optically transparent antennas. Each antenna includes an electrically conductive metal mesh including a plurality of interconnected electrically conductive metal traces defining a plurality of enclosed open areas. The metal mesh of each antenna and each lead has a percent open area greater than about 50%. The at least two stacked optically transparent antennas includes a first antenna configured to operate over a first, but not a second, frequency band and a second antenna configured to operate over the second, but not the first, frequency band. The optically transparent antenna stack has an optical transmission of at least about 50% for at least one wavelength in a wavelength range from about 450 nm to about 600 nm.

Abstract: A light control film is disclosed that includes a plurality of spaced apart first regions. Each first region has a substantially low transmission in one or two of a first wavelength range from about 300 nm to about 400 nm, a second wavelength range from about 400 nm to about 700 nm, and a third wavelength range from about 700 nm to about 1200 nm, and a substantially high transmission in the remaining wavelength ranges. The light control film has a viewing angle of less than about 70 degrees along a predetermined first direction.

Abstract: An optical ferrule (200) has opposing major top (10) and bottom (20) surfaces where the bottom surface includes discrete spaced apart first (90) and second (100) platforms arranged along a mating direction of the optical ferrule (200). During a mating of the ferrule (200) with a mating optical ferrule (200?), the first (90) and second (100) platforms of the ferrule (200) slide against corresponding respective first (90?) and second (100?) platforms of the mating ferrule (200?). Upon full mating of the ferrule (200) with the mating ferrule (200?), the second platforms (100, 100?) of the ferrule and the mating ferrule remain in contact with and rest on each other, and the first platform (90, 90?) of neither ferrule makes contact with the other ferrule.

Abstract: A multilayer stack includes a first stretchable layer having a first length, a first adhesive layer disposed on a top surface of the first stretchable layer and having the first length, a second stretchable layer disposed on a top surface of the first adhesive layer and having a second length smaller than the first length, a radio frequency identification tag including an antenna having a spiral form and disposed on a top surface of the second stretchable layer or on a bottom surface of the second stretchable layer, a second adhesive layer disposed on the second stretchable layer and having a third length less than the first length and greater than the second length where the second adhesive layer encapsulates the second stretchable layer, and a third stretchable layer disposed on a top surface of the second adhesive layer and having the third length.

Abstract: A wireless communication system including an electrically conductive passive medium capable of simultaneously propagating therealong electromagnetic first and second currents at different respective frequencies F1 and F2, the electrically conductive passive medium including an electrically conductive first passive linear medium portion adjacent an electrically conductive first passive nonlinear medium portion, the first passive nonlinear medium portion capable of generating an intermodulation current based on a nonlinear interaction between the first and second currents, the intermodulation current having a frequency Fi equal to nF1+mF2 and propagating along the first passive nonlinear medium portion, m and n being positive or negative integers; and a first magnetic film disposed proximate an electrically conductive external surface of the first linear medium portion, such that when the first and second currents propagate along the first passive linear medium portion toward the first passive nonlinear medium

Abstract: Radar radiation redirecting tapes (1, 2) include a first plurality of individual radar-reflecting directional antennae (5, 11). Each directional antenna comprises at least three elongate, unevenly spaced antenna conductors (10, 20, 30), arranged with their long extensions parallel to each other in the plane of the tape, such that the directional antenna is operable to reflect incoming radar radiation predominantly in a direction (80) which is orthogonal to the long extension of the antenna conductors and parallel to the plane of the tape.

Abstract: An applicator (100) comprising an elongated hollow body (120) comprising a distal portion (123), a proximal portion (124) having an open end, an exterior surface (127), an interior surface (126), and a filter (135). The interior surface of the applicator defines an internal chamber suitable for receiving an ampoule (160) formed of a frangible material located in the internal chamber proximal to the filter. A spacer (185) having a distal end and a proximal end is provided, and a cap (180) having a proximal portion, a distal portion, an exterior surface, and an interior surface is provided that attaches to the open end of the applicator and maintains the ampoule and spacer in their respective desired positions. The applicator comprises a head (140) including an absorbent component (110) that is capable of absorbing the contents of the frangible ampoule and facilitates applying the contents to the desired surface.

Abstract: Optical films are disclosed that include a plurality of interference layers. Each interference layer reflects or transmits light primarily by optical interference. The total number of the interference layers is less than about 1000. For a substantially normally incident light in a predetermined wavelength range, the plurality of interference layers has an average optical transmittance greater than about 85% for a first polarization state, an average optical reflectance greater than about 80% for an orthogonal second polarization state, and an average optical transmittance less than about 0.2% for the second polarization state.

Abstract: An optical system including one or more optical lenses, at least one retarder layer, a reflective polarizer, and a partial reflector is provided. The at least one retarder layer may include first and second retarder layers having different wavelength dispersion curves. The at least one retarder layer may include a first retarder layer having a non-uniform fast axis orientation and/or a non-uniform retardance.

Abstract: A liquid spray gun nozzle assembly is disclosed comprising a coating liquid inlet portion comprising a liquid connector for connection to an external liquid source; a coating liquid outlet portion comprising a liquid nozzle for spraying a coating liquid fed into the nozzle assembly through the coating liquid inlet portion, the liquid nozzle being disposed along a spray axis; a coating liquid flow path fluidly connecting the coating liquid inlet portion to the liquid nozzle; and a spray gun connection portion opposite the coating liquid outlet portion adapted to connect the liquid spray gun nozzle assembly to a compatible liquid spray gun body. The spray gun connection portion comprises a nozzle assembly sealing surface adapted to seal the liquid spray gun nozzle assembly to the compatible liquid spray gun body, the nozzle assembly sealing surface comprising first and second sealing members that are each circular and concentric with one another.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to polishing pads which include a polishing layer, a porous substrate and an interfacial region. The present disclosure relates to a method of making the polishing pads. The present disclosure relates to a method of polishing a substrate, the method of polishing including: providing a polishing pad according to any one of the previous polishing pads; providing a substrate, contacting the working surface of the polishing pad with the substrate surface, moving the polishing pad and the substrate relative to one another while maintaining contact between the working surface of the polishing pad and the substrate surface, wherein polishing is conducted in the presence of a polishing solution.

Abstract: A method of making a copolymer is disclosed. The method includes copolymerizing components including tetrafluoroethylene and a compound represented by formula CF2?CF—O—(CF2)a—SO2X, wherein “a” is a number from 1 to 4, and X is —NZH, —NZ—SO2—(CF2)1-6—SO2X?, or —OZ, wherein Z is independently a hydrogen, an alkali metal cation, or a quaternary ammonium cation, and wherein X? is independently —NZH or —OZ. The components include at least 60 mole % of tetrafluoroethylene based on the total amount of components. A copolymer prepared by the method is also provided. A method of making a membrane using the copolymer is also provided. The present disclosure also provides a polymer electrolyte membrane that includes a copolymer made by the method and a membrane electrode assembly that includes such a polymer electrolyte membrane.

Abstract: A liquid spray gun nozzle assembly is disclosed comprising a coating liquid inlet portion comprising a liquid connector for connection to an external liquid source; a coating liquid outlet portion comprising a liquid nozzle for spraying a coating liquid fed into the nozzle assembly through the coating liquid inlet portion, the liquid nozzle being disposed along a spray axis; a coating liquid flow path fluidly connecting the coating liquid inlet portion to the liquid nozzle; and a spray gun connection portion opposite the coating liquid outlet portion adapted to connect the liquid spray gun nozzle assembly to a compatible liquid spray gun body. The spray gun connection portion comprises a nozzle assembly sealing surface adapted to seal the liquid spray gun nozzle assembly to the compatible liquid spray gun body, the nozzle assembly sealing surface comprising first and second sealing members that are each circular and concentric with one another.

Abstract: A computerized system processes the speech of a physician and a patient during a patient encounter to automatically produce a draft clinical report which documents the patient encounter. The draft clinical report includes information that has been abstracted from the speech of the physician and patient. The draft report is provided to the physician for review. Producing the draft clinical report automatically, rather than requiring the physician to prepare the draft clinical report manually, significantly reduces the time required by the physician to produce the final version of the clinical report.