Abstract: A filter mask for filtering air inhaled and exhaled from the mouth and nostrils while providing a secure fit and comfort to the wearer is provided. The filter mask has upper and lower edges which are provided with at least one malleable stiffener for conforming to the shape of the wearer's nose and cheek area and/or the lower jaw and chin area. In some embodiments, the filter masks further comprises a malleable stiffening member configured to conform the filter material to at least a chin portion and a jaw portion of the face. In some embodiments, the malleable stiffener can have a bend portion, which allows the wearer of the mask to know which part, center and side of the mask is to be properly placed on the nose and cheek area. The masks provide excellent filtration and provide a secure and comfortable fit to the wearer.

Abstract: Assemblies for supporting a load relative to a roof of a vehicle, and vehicle roof tray assemblies are disclosed. Disclosed assemblies include an elongate member and an engaging mechanism. The elongate member defines a support surface for supporting the load, and has a pair of opposed, diverging retention surfaces extending away from the support surface. The engaging mechanism is configured to abut the retention surfaces to engage the elongate member. A slat for a vehicle roof tray is also disclosed.

Abstract: A sensor device for detecting voltage in a conductor cable includes a sense electrode to be disposed over a surface of the conductor cable to cover a sense region having a sense axial width and a sense circumferential length and a reference electrode to be disposed over the surface of the conductor cable to cover a reference region. The reference region has an axial position adjacent the axial position of the sense region and has a reference circumferential length greater than the sense circumferential length. The sensor device further includes a charge measurement circuit connected in series between the sense electrode and the reference electrode to measure a charge measurement and circuitry to compare the charge measurement to a threshold to detect a presence of the voltage in the conductor cable.

Abstract: A filter mask for filtering air inhaled and exhaled from the mouth and nostrils while providing a secure fit and comfort to the wearer is provided. The filter mask has upper and lower edges which are provided with at least one malleable stiffener for conforming to the shape of the wearer's nose and cheek area and/or the lower jaw and chin area. In some embodiments, the filter masks further comprises a malleable stiffening member configured to conform the filter material to at least a chin portion and a jaw portion of the face. In some embodiments, the malleable stiffener can have a bend portion, which allows the wearer of the mask to know which part, center and side of the mask is to be properly placed on the nose and cheek area. The masks provide excellent filtration and provide a secure and comfortable fit to the wearer.

Abstract: Processes for the preparation of composite membranes are disclosed, as well as the composite membranes obtainable by these processes. The processes employ a step of roller coating a porous support substrate with an essentially solventless coating mixture containing a cationically UV curable compound, which can then be cured in an oxygen-containing atmosphere. The process thereby dispenses with—or greatly reduces the impact of—a number of the prominent processing constraints of prior art techniques, thereby affording a more streamlined and less energetically burdensome membrane manufacturing process.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite membrane for gas separation and/or nanofiltration of a feed stream solution comprising a solvent and dissolved solutes and showing preferential rejection of the solutes. The composite membrane comprises a separating layer with intrinsic microporosity. The separating layer is suitably formed by interfacial polymerisation on a support membrane. Suitably, at least one of the monomers used in the interfacial polymerisation reaction should possess concavity, resulting in a network polymer with interconnected nanopores and a membrane with enhanced permeability. The support membrane may be optionally impregnated with a conditioning agent and may be optionally stable in organic solvents, particularly in polar aprotic solvents. The top layer of the composite membrane is optionally capped with functional groups to change the surface chemistry. The composite membrane may be cured in the oven to enhance rejection.

Abstract: A combustion pre-chamber assembly includes pre-chamber device body defining an annular plenum that is in fluid communication with the at least one bore that extends through the spark plug shell. The annular plenum is also in communication with at least one purging passage that extends from the annular plenum to an end surface of the pre-chamber device body. Residual exhaust gases in the annular volume of the spark plug are purged by fresh charge flow from the main combustion chamber as the piston approaches top dead center. The fresh charge flow that is provided to the annular plenum through the at least one purging passage and into the annular volume of the spark plug through the at least one bore through the spark plug shell.

Abstract: 2-dimensional carbon thin films are described, as well as their processes of preparation, and their specific uses. The 2-dimensional carbon thin films are fabricated by preparing an organic polymeric thin film precursor, which is then subjected to a carbonisation process to remove at least some of the non-carbon atoms. Using the disclosed process, 2-dimensional carbon thin films having improved dimensional characteristics can be reliably prepared, which presents clear advantages in applications which have until now been restricted to the use of 2-dimensional carbon thin films having less useful dimensions.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for embedding a tissue sample into an embedding medium. In a first step the tissue sample is held in an intended orientation in a container by means of a holding element that presses the tissue sample against a base of the container. In a further step a liquid embedding medium that has a temperature above 64 degrees Celsius, in particular in the range from 65 degrees Celsius to 67 degrees Celsius, or a temperature of 66 degrees Celsius, is poured into the container, and the base of the container is cooled.

Abstract: A Cross-Platform Single Sign On (CP-SSO) experience is provided herein to enable users to access multiple services via a single login when working across different platforms. A user may work across different platform when using multiple devices, when using multiple browsers on a single device, or when an integrated application requires a separate login for access within a host web application or portal service. A proxy token service manages login requests and authentication tokens after a given service has been logged into once by a user, so that the user does not need to provide login credentials on subsequent requests for the given service. By enabling a CP-SSO experience, network efficiency is improved, and the user experience is also improved as users do not need to supply authentication credentials as frequently and may freely choose to use multiple platforms instead of limiting usage to a single platform.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite membrane for gas separation and/or nanofiltration of a feed stream solution comprising a solvent and dissolved solutes and showing preferential rejection of the solutes. The composite membrane comprises a separating layer with intrinsic microporosity. The separating layer is suitably formed by interfacial polymerization on a support membrane. Suitably, at least one of the monomers used in the interfacial polymerization reaction should possess concavity, resulting in a network polymer with interconnected nanopores and a membrane with enhanced permeability. The support membrane may be optionally impregnated with a conditioning agent and may be optionally stable in organic solvents, particularly in polar aprotic solvents. The top layer of the composite membrane is optionally capped with functional groups to change the surface chemistry. The composite membrane may be cured in the oven to enhance rejection.

Abstract: A spark plug is disclosed that includes at least one bore extending through a shell of the spark plug in order to form a passageway between an annular volume around the spark plug insulator nose and a pre-chamber volume of a pre-chamber device, thus directing a purge of exhaust gases trapped in the annular volume to a space formed by the exterior of the spark plug body and the interior of the pre-chamber device.

Abstract: A Cross-Platform Single Sign On (CP-SSO) experience is provided herein to enable users to access multiple services via a single login when working across different platforms. A user may work across different platform when using multiple devices, when using multiple browsers on a single device, or when an integrated application requires a separate login for access within a host web application or portal service. A proxy token service manages login requests and authentication tokens after a given service has been logged into once by a user, so that the user does not need to provide login credentials on subsequent requests for the given service. By enabling a CP-SSO experience, network efficiency is improved, and the user experience is also improved as users do not need to supply authentication credentials as frequently and may freely choose to use multiple platforms instead of limiting usage to a single platform.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite membrane for nanofiltration of a feed stream solution comprising a solvent and dissolved solutes and showing preferential rejection of the solutes. The composite membrane comprises a thin polymeric film formed by interfacial polymerization on a support membrane. The support membrane is further impregnated with a conditioning agent and is stable in polar aprotic solvents. The composite membrane is optionally treated in a quenching medium, where the interfacial polymerization reaction can be quenched and, in certain embodiments, membrane chemistry can be modified. Finally the composite membrane is treated with an activating solvent prior to nanofiltration.

Abstract: An apparatus for holding a tissue sample including a retaining member having a first tissue engaging surface and at least one biasing element, the first tissue engaging surface being moveably attached to the retaining member by said biasing element; and a base having a second tissue engaging surface and configured to engage the retaining member to form an interior area with the first and second tissue engaging surfaces facing each other, wherein the at least one biasing element urges the first tissue engaging surface toward the second tissue engaging surface to retain the tissue sample therebetween in the interior area.

Abstract: Improved integrally skinned asymmetric membranes for organic solvent nanofiltration, and their methods of preparation and use are disclosed. Membranes are formed from polybenzimidazoles by phase inversion and are then crosslinked by addition of crosslinking agents. These stabilize the membranes and allow solvent nanofiltration to be maintained even in the solvents from which the membranes were formed by phase inversion, and in strongly acidic and strongly basic solvents.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a process for preparing an asymmetric integrally skinned membrane for the separation of at least one solute from a solution, comprising the steps of: (a) preparing a polybenzimidazole dope solution comprising: (i) a polybenzimidazole polymer, and (ii) a solvent system for said polybenzimidazole which is water miscible; (b) casting a film of said dope solution onto a support; (c) immersing the film cast on the support into a coagulating medium to form an asymmetric integrally skinned membrane; (d) treating the membrane from step (c) with a cross-linking agent; (e) treating the membrane from step (d) with a cross-link modification agent. Further aspects relate to an asymmetric integrally skinned membrane and uses thereof.

Abstract: A process for preparing non-naturally-occurring defined monomer sequence polymers is provided, and in which a high degree of synthetic control is obtained by the use of solvent resistant diafiltration membranes. Also provided is a process for separating non-naturally-occurring defined monomer sequence polymers from synthetic by-products or excess reagents using solvent resistant diafiltration membranes, and a use of a solvent resistant diafiltration membrane in processes for preparing and separating non-naturally-occurring defined monomer sequence polymers.

Abstract: An intake manifold is provided that controls swirl on entry to a combustion chamber. Each intake manifold includes a fin or rib portion positioned to reduce or eliminate swirl induced by the configuration of the intake manifold, particularly when used in a large engine having a left bank and a right bank of combustion chambers. By controlling swirl induced by the intake manifold, charge motion consistency is improved between engine cylinders and between the left bank and the right bank, thereby improving the consistency of combustion and power output, improving efficiency and reducing emissions (e.g., decreased particulate emissions (also described as smoke), hydrocarbon emissions, and NOx emissions), and further including an improved knock margin, improved fuel economy, wider rich and lean limits, etc.

Abstract: 2-dimensional carbon thin films are described, as well as their processes of preparation, and their specific uses. The 2-dimensional carbon thin films are fabricated by preparing an organic polymeric thin film precursor, which is then subjected to a carbonisation process to remove at least some of the non-carbon atoms. Using the disclosed process, 2-dimensional carbon thin films having improved dimensional characteristics can be reliably prepared, which presents clear advantages in applications which have until now been restricted to the use of 2-dimensional carbon thin films having less useful dimensions.