Abstract: A simpler and lower-cost method and associated hardware are described for recovering biopharmaceutical products from cell factories in higher yields by a liquid nitrogen-based pre-treatment of cell factories followed by gentler disintegration of cellular factories by tunable, pressurizing and de-pressurizing cycle with gaseous nitrogen. The cell factories are heterologous expression systems and could be based on plant cells, mammalian cells, algal cells, yeast cells or even bacterial cells. The pre-treatment step with liquid nitrogen softens the tougher cell wall structures thus enabling cells to be disrupted relatively easily during the gaseous nitrogen-based pressurizing/depressurizing cycle. This invention can enhance the yield of biopharmaceutical products from expression systems and reduce the overall cycle-time and further down-stream processing and polishing cost of biopharmaceutical products.

Abstract: A flare holder that is attachable to a traffic cone or other upright support structure for holding a lit flare at an elevation higher than a roadway surface. The flare holder includes a lower portion that is attachable to the upright support structure and an ash receptacle that is pivoted at one end to the lower portion. The ash receptacle is can be pivoted up and over the top of the support structure from a stowed position wherein it is suspended from the pivot to an operative position located between 180° and 270° from the stowed position. In an operative position, the flare holder supports a flare at an upward inclination wherein the ash receptacle has an end portion extending outwardly from the pivot and disposed to receive ashes falling from the lit end of the flare.