Abstract: Disclosed is a plasticized cellulose ester composition. The plasticized cellulose ester composition of the present invention includes at least one cellulose ester; a plasticizer system including one or more aliphatic plasticizers; and a benzotriazole ultraviolet absorber. A flooring article with at least one layer formed from the composition is also described.

Abstract: A thermal battery system may be provided comprising: a vessel comprising a phase change material and a gas; a heat exchanger configured to transfer heat to and/or from the phase change material; a temperature sensor configured to detect an indication of a temperature of the gas; a pressure sensor configured to detect an indication of a pressure of the gas; and a processor configured to determine a state of charge of the thermal battery system from the indication of the pressure and the indication of the temperature of the gas.

Abstract: A portable, personal apparatus for treating drinking water comprises a generally tubular or cylindrical filter housing containing filtration media and water-permeable screen or mesh or felt or membrane or netting layer at the top and bottom ends of the filter. The design of the apparatus involves the bottle exterior and interior contouring to the filter and enables the efficient and rapid gravity flow of water in through the filter. The apparatus may be configured such that water is first passed through a top reservoir designed to receive water, followed by a porous mesh, followed by granular filtration and antimicrobial media agitated by turbulent motion of influent water, followed by a porous mesh before reaching a durable and reusable water containment vessel.

Abstract: A portable, personal apparatus for treating drinking water comprises a generally tubular or cylindrical filter housing containing filtration media and water-permeable screen or mesh or felt or membrane or netting layer at the top and bottom ends of the filter. The design of the apparatus involves the bottle exterior and interior contouring to the filter and enables the efficient and rapid gravity flow of water in through the filter. The apparatus may be configured such that water is first passed through a top reservoir designed to receive water, followed by a porous mesh, followed by granular filtration and antimicrobial media agitated by turbulent motion of influent water, followed by a porous mesh before reaching a durable and reusable water containment vessel.

Abstract: A delivery system for an implantable vaso-occluding device. A non-planar heating chamber is disposed proximate to a distal end of an advancing member. Protruding from an interior surface of the non-planar heating chamber is a detachment fiber made from a polymeric material and having a closed distal end. At least one heating element is disposed on the interior surface of the non-planar heating chamber to produce sufficient heat to sever the detachment fiber. An articulation point is established between the vaso-occluding device and the delivery system. The vaso-occluding device remains at all times substantially self-centered while being advanced.

Abstract: A method of modifying a coating material includes applying a fluid including a population of particles to a wet coating material disposed on a substrate. The method also includes drying the wet coating material so as to give rise to a coated article, where the particles are at least partially embedded in a surface of the dried coating material. The particles can be metallic nanowires, and a loading of the metallic nanowires in the dried coating material can be above an electric percolation threshold.

Abstract: Inductive wireless charging for mobile devices are described that utilize resonant inductive coupling between a wireless inductive charging device and the battery of the mobile device. The power transfer from the charging device to the mobile device is adjustable. Signals are sent between the devices to determine power transfer efficiency and to adjust settings to approach or achieve a desired target efficiency.

Abstract: Active or functional additives are embedded into surfaces of host materials for use as components in a variety of electronic or optoelectronic devices, including solar devices, smart windows, displays, and so forth. Resulting surface-embedded device components provide improved performance, as well as cost benefits arising from their compositions and manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A delivery system for an implantable vaso-occluding device. A non-planar heating chamber is disposed proximate to a distal end of an advancing member. Protruding from an interior surface of the non-planar heating chamber is a detachment fiber made from a polymeric material and having a closed distal end. At least one heating element is disposed on the interior surface of the non-planar heating chamber to produce sufficient heat to sever the detachment fiber. An articulation point is established between the vaso-occluding device and the delivery system. The vaso-occluding device remains at all times substantially self-centered while being advanced.

Abstract: An apparatus for deploying and retrieving a self-expanding intravascular stent includes an intravascular delivery wire and floating marker band movably retained over the intravascular stent delivery wire and releasably mounting the self-expanding intravascular stent. The floating marker band is movably retained to a fixed marker band, and a distance between the fixed marker band and the floating marker band is variable and self-adjusting. One or more struts of the self-expanding intravascular stent are releasably constrained between a catheter wall and one or more sides of the floating marker band.

Abstract: A patterned transparent conductor includes: (1) a substrate; (2) first additives at least partially embedded into a surface of the substrate within a first area of the surface corresponding to a lower sheet resistance portion; and (3) second additives at least partially embedded into the surface of the substrate within a second area of the surface corresponding to a higher sheet resistance portion. A sheet resistance of the higher sheet resistance portion is at least 100 times a sheet resistance of the lower sheet resistance portion.

Abstract: A portable, personal apparatus for treating drinking water comprises a generally tubular or cylindrical filter housing containing filtration media and water-permeable screen or mesh or felt or membrane or netting layer at the top and bottom ends of the filter. The design of the apparatus involves the bottle exterior and interior contouring to the filter and enables the efficient and rapid gravity flow of water in through the filter. The apparatus may be configured such that water is first passed through a top reservoir designed to receive water, followed by a porous mesh, followed by granular filtration and antimicrobial media agitated by turbulent motion of influent water, followed by a porous mesh before reaching a durable and reusable water containment vessel.

Abstract: The invention relates to an optical detection system for a thermal cycling device including at least one light source, a light detection device for detecting light received from a plurality of biological samples, and a lens having first and second surfaces formed on the lens, the second surface substantially opposed to the first surface. The first surface may be configured to collimate light and the second surface may be configured to direct light into each of the plurality of biological samples.

Abstract: Active or functional additives are embedded into surfaces of host materials for use as components in a variety of electronic or optoelectronic devices, including solar devices, smart windows, displays, and so forth. Resulting surface-embedded device components provide improved performance, as well as cost benefits arising from their compositions and manufacturing processes.

Abstract: Inductive wireless charging for mobile devices are described that utilize resonant inductive coupling between a wireless inductive charging device and the battery of the mobile device. The power transfer from the charging device to the mobile device is adjustable. Signals are sent between the devices to determine power transfer efficiency and to adjust settings to approach or achieve a desired target efficiency.

Abstract: Nanostructure morphologies are controlled by incorporating an agitation mechanism that imparts low shear mixing along with purification of a resulting nanostructure product to effectively remove agglomerates and other components of a reaction mixture. In such manner, higher yields and higher batch-to-batch consistency in the production of nanostructures can be achieved.

Abstract: Active or functional additives are embedded into surfaces of host materials for use as components in a variety of electronic or optoelectronic devices, including solar devices, smart windows, displays, and so forth. Resulting surface-embedded device components provide improved performance, as well as cost benefits arising from their compositions and manufacturing processes.

Abstract: A system may include a platform manager device including a memory and a platform application installed thereon. The platform application may be configured to cause the platform manager device to identify a last known location of a tracked device according to a detection of a disconnection of the tracked device due to lack of receipt of presence indications; identify an owner communications device, among a plurality of communications devices, to receive a platform notification message indicative of the disconnection of the tracked device according to device associations of the tracked device and the communications devices; and send the platform notification message to the identified owner communications device informing of the detected disconnection.

Abstract: A cover for a biological sample well tray, comprising a cap for sealing a sample well. The cap comprises a well lens for focusing light into the sample well and collecting light from the sample. In another aspect, the cap comprises an elongate portion configured to permit incoming light to pass into the sample well and out of the sample well. Various other aspects comprise a microcard for biological material, and an apparatus for a plurality of sample well strips. A method for testing a biological sample is also provided.