Abstract: A single use sampling and sample delivery device for a test kit includes a strip having a first part and a second part. The first part has a first side and a second side, each side having a surface to serve as a spatula for collecting and placing a sample into a test kit. The second part serves as a handle for manipulating the first part. The first part which contains the sample may be readily separated from the second part, then left in the container. Alternate embodiments of the device include addition of an adhesive coating or a foam and adhesive coating to the first part, both employing a release covering to protect the sample surface from contamination prior to use. The device may be individually packaged or supplied in a pack containing a plurality of strips.

Abstract: A coder/decoder selects one of a set of look-up tables for encoding/decoding a symbol. Each look-up table contains boundary values that result from an arithmetic coding model partitioning a first interval. A second interval contains an arithmetic code. During encoding, look-up table entries for a symbol value are converted to the scale of the second interval. The scaled values indicate a smaller interval containing the arithmetic code. Code bits are generated when most significant bits of upper and lower scaled values are equal. During decoding, a code word, which is a part of an arithmetic code, is normalized from the scale of the second interval to the scale for a look-up table and then compared to entries of the look-up table. When a segment containing the code word is identified, a decoded symbol value is known. A scaling circuit converts boundary values for the segment to the scale of the second interval then changes the second interval.