Abstract: Provided are interconnect circuits and methods of forming thereof. A method may involve laminating a substrate to a conductive layer followed by patterning the conductive layer. This patterning operation forms individual conductive portions, which may be also referred to as traces or conductive islands. The substrate supports these portions relative to each other during and after patterning. After patterning, an insulator may be laminated to the exposed surface of the patterned conductive layer. At this point, the conductive layer portions are also supported by the insulator, and the substrate may optionally be removed, e.g., together with undesirable portions of the conductive layer. Alternatively, the substrate may be retained as a component of the circuit and the undesirable portions of the patterned conductive layer may be removed separately. These approaches allow using new patterning techniques as well as new materials for substrates and/or insulators.

Abstract: An exchanger conduit permits temperature and/or humidity conditioning of a gas for a patient respiratory interface. In an example embodiment, a conduit has a first channel and a second channel where the first channel is configured to conduct an inspiratory gas and the second channel configured to conduct an expiratory gas. An exchanger is positioned along the first channel and the second channel to separate the first channel and the second channel. The exchanger is configured to transfer a component (e.g., temperature or humidity) of the gas of the second channel to the gas of the first channel. In some embodiments, an optional flow resistor may be implemented to permit venting at pressures above atmospheric pressure so as to allow pressure stenting of a patient respiratory system without a substantial direct flow from a flow generator of respiratory treatment apparatus to the patient during patient expiration.

Abstract: Smoking articles, and methods for forming such smoking articles, such as an electronic smoking article, are provided. An exemplary smoking article comprises a control body portion having a control body engagement end, and having a first control component therein. A cartridge body portion includes a cartridge body engagement end configured to removably engage the control body engagement end of the control body portion. The cartridge body portion further includes a consumable arrangement comprising at least an aerosol precursor composition and at least one heating element operably engaged therewith, and a second control component. At least the consumable arrangement is configured to be in communication with the first control component upon engagement between the cartridge body and control body portions.

Abstract: According to one aspect, an electric toothbrush may include a handle, a brush head, a rechargeable battery, an electric motor, and a pair of electrical contacts. The handle may have a first end region and a second end region defining a longitudinal axis therebetween, the handle defining a volume from the first end region to the second end region. The brush head may include bristles, the brush head releasably securable to the first end region of the handle. The rechargeable battery may be in the volume. The electric motor may be at least partially disposed in the volume, the electric motor in electrical communication with the rechargeable battery, the electric motor in mechanical communication with the brush head. The pair of electrical contacts may be in electrical communication with the rechargeable battery, and the pair of electrical contacts axially and radially spaced from one another, relative to the longitudinal axis.

Abstract: A urinary catheter product comprises a urinary catheter connect to a bag, a connector for connecting the urinary catheter to a bag, and a bag having a port for connection to a urinary catheter.

Abstract: A connector product comprises a conduit connected to a device, a connector for connecting the conduit to a device, and a device having a port for connection to a conduit.

Abstract: Provided are interconnect circuits and methods of forming thereof. A method may involve laminating a substrate to a conductive layer followed by patterning the conductive layer. This patterning operation forms individual conductive portions, which may be also referred to as traces or conductive islands. The substrate supports these portions relative to each other during and after patterning. After patterning, an insulator may be laminated to the exposed surface of the patterned conductive layer. At this point, the conductive layer portions are also supported by the insulator, and the substrate may optionally be removed, e.g., together with undesirable portions of the conductive layer. Alternatively, the substrate may be retained as a component of the circuit and the undesirable portions of the patterned conductive layer may be removed separately. These approaches allow using new patterning techniques as well as new materials for substrates and/or insulators.

Abstract: Methods for forming thin, low resistivity metal layers, such as tungsten (W) and ruthenium (Ru) layers. The methods include depositing a metal material onto a substrate via ion beam deposition with assist in a process chamber at a temperature of at least 250° C. to produce the metal film. A resulting thin tungsten film has large and highly oriented ?(110) grains having a resistivity less than 10 ??-cm and thickness less than 300 ?, with no discernable ?-phase. A resulting thin ruthenium film has a resistivity less than 12 ??-cm and a thickness less than 300 ?.

Abstract: Television tuner emulation techniques are described. In an implementation, a television tuner is emulated through execution of software on a processing system by a computing device, the emulated television tuner includes functionality to obtain television content over an Internet Protocol (IP) based network. The functionality of the emulated television tuner is exposed to one or more applications that are executed by the computing device such that the application is not aware that the television tuner is emulated through execution of the software.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for processing a set of multiple serially acquired magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) free induction decay (FID) frames from a multi-frame MRS acquisition series from a region of interest (ROI) in a subject, and for providing a post-processed MRS spectrum. Processing parameters are dynamically varied while measuring results to determine the optimal post-processed results. Spectral regions opposite water from chemical regions of interest are evaluated and used in at least one processing operation. Frequency shift error is estimated via spectral correlation between free induction decay (FID) frames and a reference spectrum. Multiple groups of FID frames within the acquired set are identified to different phases corresponding with a phase step cycle of the acquisition. Baseline correction is also performed via rank order filter (ROF) estimate and a polynomial fit.

Abstract: An MR Spectroscopy (MRS) system and approach is provided for diagnosing painful and non-painful discs in chronic, severe low back pain patients (DDD-MRS). A DDD-MRS pulse sequence generates and acquires DDD-MRS spectra within intervertebral disc nuclei for later signal processing and diagnostic analysis. An interfacing DDD-MRS signal processor receives output signals of the DDD-MRS spectra acquired and is configured to optimize signal-to-noise ratio by an automated system that selectively conducts optimal channel selection, phase and frequency correction, and frame editing as appropriate for a given acquisition series. A diagnostic processor calculates a diagnostic value for the disc based upon a weighted factor set of criteria that uses MRS data extracted from the acquired and processed MRS spectra for multiple chemicals that have been correlated to painful vs. non-painful discs. A display provides an indication of results for analyzed discs as an overlay onto a MRI image of the lumbar spine.

Abstract: A level of busyness of a public place may be represented using content specific to the public place. Images, video, audio, or other content captured at the public place is correlated with busyness information for the public place at the time of capture. Representative content is selected and stored based on a number of factors such as to minimize resources in storing and transmitting the content. The selected representative content may be provided in response to a user request for information related to the public place, such that the user receives an accurate portrayal of how the public place would look, sound, and/or feel at a given time.

Abstract: A safety system for a motor vehicle equipped with a power take-off (PTO) drive assembly includes an electrical circuit coupled to a hazard warning system of the motor vehicle. The hazard warning system includes at least one flasher lamp electrically powered by a battery of the motor vehicle and a control switch for activating and deactivating the at least one flasher lamp. The electrical circuit includes an electrical relay coupled to the actuating or control element in which the electrical relay is triggered only when the flasher lamp(s) are energized. In one version, the control or actuating element is an air solenoid operatively coupled to the electrical relay and further disposed relative to an air line between the cab control and an air shifter of the PTO drive assembly.

Abstract: A safety system for a motor vehicle equipped with a power take-off (PTO) drive assembly includes an electrical circuit coupled to a hazard warning system of the motor vehicle. The hazard warning system includes at least one flasher lamp electrically powered by a battery of the motor vehicle and a control switch for activating and deactivating the at least one flasher lamp. The electrical circuit includes an electrical relay coupled to the actuating or control element in which the electrical relay is triggered only when the flasher lamp(s) are energized. In one version, the control or actuating element is an air solenoid operatively coupled to the electrical relay and further disposed relative to an air line between the cab control and an air shifter of the PTO drive assembly.

Abstract: Methods and systems for garbage collection are described. In some embodiments, Garbage collector threads may maximize local accesses and minimize remote access by copying Young objects and Old objects differently. When copying a Young object, a garbage collector thread may determine the lgroup of the pool that contains the object and copy the object to a pool of the same lgroup. The garbage collector thread may spread Old objects among lgroups by copying Old objects to pools of the same lgroup as the respective garbage collector thread. Additional methods and systems are disclosed.

Abstract: A vehicle seat comprises a seat component having a contour; wherein the contour changes when at least a portion of a user's body is in contact with the seat component and at least one multibend sensor operatively connected to the seat component and adapted to at least partially conform to the contour of the seat component; the at least one multibend sensor comprising a signal generation source adapted to transmit signals and a signal receiver adapted to receive at least some of the transmitted signals. The seat further comprises a signal processor operatively connected to the signal receiver, the signal processor adapted to make at least one measurement associated with the received signals; and, a sensing module operatively connected to the signal processor and configured to use the at least one measurement to determine information regarding the contour of the seat component.

Abstract: A multibend sensor comprises a reference strip having a first plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the first plurality of electrodes is adapted to receive a signal; a sliding strip having a second plurality of electrodes, wherein each of the second plurality of electrodes is adapted to transmit at least one signal, wherein the sliding strip moves with respect to the reference strip; and measurement circuitry adapted to process signals received by the first plurality of electrodes, wherein the processed signals provide information regarding the relative position of the sliding strip to the reference strip.

Abstract: A first run-time environment executing a first instance of an application, and a second run-time environment executing a second instance of the application are established. An indication of an impending commencement of a reduced-capacity phase of operation of the first run-time environment is obtained at a service request receiver. Based at least in part on the indication, the service request receiver directs a service request to the second instance of the application.

Abstract: A multibend sensor is able to provide information regarding bending of the sensor data in a manner able to mitigate error propagation. A reference strip and a sliding strip are separated from each other by a spacer. Electrodes are located on the reference strip and the sliding strip. The bending of the multibend sensor will be reflected in the shifting of the sliding strip with respect to the reference strip and the measurements obtained from the electrodes. A finger may be operably connected to the reference strip, wherein the finger extends in the direction of the sliding strip, wherein movement of the reference strip with respect to the sliding strip is translated through the finger.