Abstract: The invention relates to protected filter units for safety filtration, in which the filter units are at least double-packed with different packaging materials and to a method for producing the protected filter units. In this case, the first packaging material is permeable to gases but impermeable to microorganisms and the at least second packaging material is impermeable to gases. The first packaging material fixes the at least one filter unit, and so no abrasion can take place during transport and handling. The filter units according to the invention are suitable for sterile filtration processes and for filtration processes under clean-mom conditions.

Abstract: An agitator apparatus for a mixing vessel having a rotating member and one or more impellers coupled to the rotating member, at least one of the impellers being collapsible so that the collapsible impeller is movable from a collapsed orientation to a deployed orientation relative to the rotating member. A limiting member may be used to prevent the collapsible impeller from opening beyond its fully deployed orientation.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for agitating media (1), which are located on a platform (3). Said device consists of a housing (2) with an agitation mechanism, which is used to agitate the platform (3) and at least one sensor (4, 5), which is connected to a control unit (7) that is equipped with an electronic sensor system (6). According to the invention, the sensor(s) (4, 5) and the electronic sensor system (6) are located on the platform (3) and communicate in a wireless manner with the fixed control unit (7).

Abstract: An adapter is provided for fastening a filter element in a cylindrical receiving opening of a bottom part of a lower piece of a filter housing. The adapter has at least one seal arranged in a peripheral groove on the circumference of the adapter to permit fluid-tight separation of a non-filtrate chamber, which surrounds the external jacket of the filter and from which medium to be filtered can be delivered to the filter, from a filtrate chamber into which the filtrate can be introduced from the filter. The seal is connected by injection molding to a base surface of the peripheral groove and is at a distance from at least one side wall delimiting the base surface of the groove.

Abstract: A system for use in storing biopharmaceutical materials includes a holder and a container for holding biopharmaceutical materials therein. The container includes a storage portion and a sampling portion connected to each other by a connecting portion. The holder has a storage cavity receiving the storage portion and a sampling cavity receiving the sampling portion. The holder includes a first portion and second portion. The container is received between the first portion and the second portion to connect the container to the holder. The holder includes an interior storage cradle bounding the storage cavity of the holder. The holder includes an interior sampling cradle bounding the sampling cavity. The sampling cradle is separated from the storage cradle and connected to the storage cradle by a passage receiving the connecting portion connecting the storage portion to the sampling portion. An outer rim of the holder is connected to the cradle and separated from the cavity.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for purification of Vaccinia viruses (VV) and/or Vaccinia virus (VV) particles, which can lead to highly pure and stable virus preparations of predominantly biologically active viruses. The invention encompasses purifying a virus preparation in a sterilized way with high efficiency and desirable yield in terms of purity, biological activity and stability, aspects advantageous for industrial production.

Abstract: A disposable container is provided for mixing media. The container has at least one closable opening for introducing and/or removing media and has sensor mounts at spaced apart locations on the wall of the container. Each sensor mount has a front surface facing into the container and a rear surface sealed against the wall of the container. Sensors are embedded in the respective sensor mounts at positions adjacent the front surfaces. The sensors measure at least one specified parameter of the media at spaced apart locations in the container. The seals between the rear surfaces of the sensor mounts and the wall of the container ensure sterility for the media in the container.

Abstract: A method is provided for mixing media in a container. The method includes introducing a first media into the container and then introducing a second media into the container while mixing the media to form a mixture. The method continues by measuring the values of two parameters of the mixture at spaced apart locations in the container. The introduction of the second media into the container may be interrupted based on a comparison of the measured values to a preselected intended value.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for detecting a sample in a longitudinal sample container (10), comprising a sample container holder (30) for holding the sample container in a housing. Said sample container holder comprises a side viewing window in the region of at least one longitudinal side of the sample container, and a front viewing window (35) in the region at least one front side of the sample container. Said device also comprises a first illumination arrangement for illuminating the sample container through the front viewing window, a second illumination arrangement for illuminating the sample container through the side viewing window, and an imaging photodetector for detecting a first image of the sample illuminated by means of the first illumination arrangement, and a second image of the sample illuminated by means of the second illumination arrangement. Said detection takes place through the side viewing window.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for dynamically checking the weight of objects (18a-c) which are guided across a weight-sensitive zone (14) of a weighing device (12) at an adjustable conveying rate by a conveying mechanism (20a-c). At regular intervals, the weight-sensitive zone (14) supplies individual measured weight values (E1, . . . , En) from which resultant weight values are derived in a digital evaluation unit (16) by averaging. The evaluation unit (16) includes a plurality of cascaded averaging filters (24a-e) which have different filter lengths that are varied by a common scaling factor depending on the conveying rate.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for determining the viability of cells in cell cultures, said method comprising the steps of: coloring the sample with a dye which can penetrate into individual cells depending on the viability of the latter, determining the proportions of cells which are colored to differing extents. The invention is distinguished by virtue of the fact that a cell suspension of the colored cells is centrifuged as a sample in a sample vessel (10) until the solid content present in the sample has settled as a compressed cell cake (13), and, in order to determine the proportions, the volumes of differently colored sections (131, 132, 133) of the compressed cell cake (13) are determined as a measure of the proportions of cells of different viability.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for metering media (2) and comprises at least one storage vessel (3), a measuring vessel (14) and a target vessel (14) that are interconnected to give one unit. By the exertion of force on the media (2) to be metered they can communicate between the storage vessel (3) and the measuring vessel (4) and can then be transferred to the target vessel (14). The metering volume is determined by the geometry of the measuring vessel (4). The target vessel (14) can be separated from the measuring vessel (4) by severing (welding, gluing, cutting) the connection between (14) and (4). The invention also relates to a method for metering media using the device (1) according to the invention. The device is suitable as a disposable unit and for the sterile metering of media in a non-sterile environment.

Abstract: A device and a method for determining material moisture by thermogravimetry. Included in the device are: a test chamber (2) delimited by a chamber cover (8); a microwave field that can be generated by a magnetron (5) and supplied to the test chamber by a waveguide (4); a tuning rod (22) arranged in the test chamber; a sample carrier (3) which is operatively connected to a weighing module (6) mounted upstream of the test chamber; and at least one sensor (24) arranged in the test chamber. The tuning rod is arranged centrally on the chamber cover, above the sample carrier, and the at least one sensor is arranged on the free end of the tuning rod, opposing the chamber cover.

Abstract: A system for use in freezing, storing and thawing biopharmaceutical materials includes a flexible sterile container means for holding biopharmaceutical material therein and a holder more rigid than said container means. The container means is received in a cavity of the holder and the holder extends along a perimeter of the container means. The holder is fixedly connected to the container means. The holder includes opposing sides defining an opening and the container means extends between the opposing sides of the holder defining the opening. The container means includes a substantially smooth exterior surface extending between the opposing sides.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for carrying out integrity tests of at least one filter element, arranged within a filter housing, with porous filter materials. Sensors are provided for measuring the sound generated by a test fluid when it flows through the filter element. The method includes applying a test fluid to a first side of the filter materials of the filter element while maintaining a constant fluid pressure, measuring the body-borne sound and/or the vibrations caused by test fluid flowing through the filter materials by sensors, and comparing the body-borne sound and/or the vibrations with the body-borne sound and/or the vibrations of an integral, identical filter element, measured under identical conditions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for purification of Vaccinia viruses (VV) and/or Vaccinia virus (VV) particles, which can lead to highly pure and stable virus preparations of predominantly biologically active viruses. The invention encompasses purifying a virus preparation in a sterilized way with high efficiency and desirable yield in terms of purity, biological activity and stability, aspects advantageous for industrial production.

Abstract: An electronic scale having a measuring sensor (1 . . . 16), a digital signal processing unit (18), a digital display (19), a bubble level (20), which includes a container (21) that is partially filled with a liquid (22) while forming a gas bubble (23), and circuit component or program routine in the digital signal processing unit (18) for detecting a displacement of the gas bubble (23). An additional circuit component or program routine detects the diameter of the gas bubble (23). The diameter of the gas bubble changes due to vertical vibrations of the scale. The signal from the measuring sensor (1 . . . 16) falsified by vibrations can thus be corrected by the digital signal processing unit (18) by calculation, making use of the diameter signal.

Abstract: A current-limiting circuit (100), which limits an electrical current from a voltage source to a consumer to a predetermined maximum current. A measuring resistor (110) is coupled into a current lead (103) between a circuit input (102) and a circuit output (104). A transistor (106) of the circuit is coupled into the current lead (103) with its collector-emitter path in series with the measuring resistor (110), and its base is connected to the current lead (103) through a series resistor (108). A shunt regulator (116) of the circuit has an anode, a reference input and a cathode, wherein the cathode is connected to the base of the transistor (106), and the anode and the reference input form a voltage tap across the measuring resistor (110).