Abstract: The disclosed embodiments may be used, among others, to extract particles from blood. The particles may include pathogens, viruses, bacteria and other microorganisms present in mammalian blood. An embodiment of the disclosure relates to a system to detect one or more blood-borne pathogens. The exemplary system includes: a transfer assembly having a tube and a hallow needle, the hallow needle centrally located within the transfer assembly tube and configured to communicate a sample material therethrough; a lysing syringe to couple to the transfer assembly, the lysing syringe comprising one or more lysing reagent and a plunger activatable to receive the sample material through the transfer assembly; and a large volume concentrator (LVC) to sealingly couple to the lysing syringe and to separate at least one pathogen from the sample material, the LVC further comprising: a filter support, a membrane, a retainer and a threaded portion.

Abstract: The invention provides stable nucleic acid-tagged ink compositions suitable for printing an ink mark on an object as an identifier or for authentication of goods, and methods of marking an article with such a mark. These ink compositions contain a specific nucleic acid of known length and sequence that can be deposited on an article by inkjet printing or thermal transfer printing to produce a mark, which may be visible or invisible, covert or overt. These ink products are stable and can accurately deliver an amount of nucleic acid tag that can be removed or sampled and analyzed by known DNA analytical methods to detect the specific nucleic acid on the marked article but which cannot be identified without previous knowledge of the nucleic acid sequence in the mark. The invention also provides methods of applying these tagged marks using inkjet printers and printer systems, and the systems for using the tagged ink compositions.

Abstract: A liquid catholyte for a Li—S battery comprises a non-aqueous solution of at least one lithium polysulfide of formula Li2Sx (wherein x is selected from 4, 6, and 8) and an anion receptor compound capable of complexing with polysulfide anion. The non-aqueous solution typically is composed of the Li2Sx and the anion receptor compound dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent (e.g., one or more organic ether or fluorinated ether solvents). The anion receptor compound typically is present in the catholyte at a concentration of about 0.1 M to about 4 M. Li—S batteries comprise a metallic lithium anode; a porous conductive substrate; a separator membrane between the anode and the porous conductive substrate; and the liquid catholyte composition within pores of the substrate.

Abstract: The use of Nucleic Acid Amplification Technologies (NAATs) to rapidly copy a specific fragment of DNA from a few starting molecules has been used to determine the presence of that DNA in a sample. It is of importance for various applications including the identification of a pathogen in a clinical sample. Non-specific DNA amplification occurring in the absence of any input DNA template is frequently observed after many amplification cycles or in the case of isothermal amplification, with time. The disclosed embodiments describe the surprising finding that the amplification of primer-only artefacts is suppressed in reactions where a fraction of the oligos involved in the reaction contain 3? blocked terminal bases that cannot support extension by DNA polymerases.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to biodegradable cleaning compositions, in particular hard surface cleaning compositions, and their use. The compositions according to the invention comprise one or more biosurfactants(s), one or more sorbitan ester(s) and one or more further surfactant(s), which is/are neither a biosurfactant nor a sorbitan ester.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided. The method includes obtaining call information of first users currently in network calls in a network call system. Direct link quality and relay link quality corresponding to each first user are obtained according to the call information. Call link are configured for plural second users, where the plural second users are users whose relay link quality is higher than the corresponding direct link quality among the first users.

Abstract: This application discloses a link decision-making method, applied to a link decision-making system including first and second user equipment that are in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call status, a transit server, and a decision-making computing device. A first link directly connecting the two user equipment and a second link that transits by using the transit server exist between the two user equipment. The decision-making computing device is responsible for making, according to a link quality score of a current sending link between the first and second user equipment, a decision about using the first link or the second link as a subsequent sending link of the first user equipment. According to the link decision-making method provided in this application, it can be ensured that a better link can be selected to transmit a data stream of VoIP, thereby improving the quality of service (QoS) of the VoIP.

Abstract: A liquid catholyte for a Li—S battery comprises a non-aqueous solution of at least one lithium polysulfide of formula Li2Sx (wherein x is selected from 4, 6, and 8) and an anion receptor compound capable of complexing with polysulfide anion. The non-aqueous solution typically is composed of the Li2Sx and the anion receptor compound dissolved in a non-aqueous solvent (e.g., one or more organic ether or fluorinated ether solvents). The anion receptor compound typically is present in the catholyte at a concentration of about 0.1 M to about 4 M. Li—S batteries comprise a metallic lithium anode; a porous conductive substrate; a separator membrane between the anode and the porous conductive substrate; and the liquid catholyte composition within pores of the substrate.

Abstract: A method and apparatus are provided. The method includes obtaining call information of first users currently in network calls in a network call system. Direct link quality and relay link quality corresponding to each first user are obtained according to the call information. Call link are configured for plural second users, where the plural second users are users whose relay link quality is higher than the corresponding direct link quality among the first users.

Abstract: This application discloses a link decision-making method, applied to a link decision-making system including first and second user equipment that are in a Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) call status, a transit server, and a decision-making computing device. A first link directly connecting the two user equipment and a second link that transits by using the transit server exist between the two user equipment. The decision-making computing device is responsible for making, according to a link quality score of a current sending link between the first and second user equipment, a decision about using the first link or the second link as a subsequent sending link of the first user equipment. According to the link decision-making method provided in this application, it can be ensured that a better link can be selected to transmit a data stream of VoIP, thereby improving the quality of service (QoS) of the VoIP.

Abstract: A thermal ink jet ink composition includes one or more volatile organic solvents, wherein the one or more volatile organic solvents comprise a solvent selected from C1-C4 alcohols, C3-C6 ketones, C3-C6 esters, C4-C8 ethers, and mixtures thereof. The one or more volatile organic solvents are present in an amount at least 60% by weight of the ink composition. The ink composition includes one or more binder resins present in an amount from 1% to 10% by weight of the ink composition, and one or more dyes. If water is present, it is present in amount less than 5% by weight of the ink composition. The ink composition includes less than 2% by weight of any humectant and/or wetting agent with a relative evaporation rate less than 0.3. The ink composition is suitable for use in a thermal ink jet printer.

Abstract: A magnetic nanoparticle suitable for imaging a geological structure having one or more magnetic metal or metal oxide nanoparticles with a polymer grafted to the surface to form a magnetic nanoparticle, wherein the magnetic nanoparticle displays a colloidal stability under harsh salinity conditions or in a standard API brine.

Abstract: A magnetic nanoparticle suitable for imaging a geological structure having one or more magnetic metal or metal oxide nanoparticles with a polymer grafted to the surface to form a magnetic nanoparticle, wherein the magnetic nanoparticle displays a colloidal stability under harsh salinity conditions or in a standard API brine.