Abstract: The aim of the invention is to produce alcohol from plant-based raw materials while reducing energy consumption. Said aim is achieved by separating the husk portion of cereals during grinding and feed said husk portion to a dryer (21) which dries distiller's wash as a carrier medium for distiller's wash. The lost heat of said dryer (21) is supplied to the distillation station (15) as process heat. The lost heat of a molecular sieve (45) that drains the raw alcohol is also redirected to the distillation station (15) as process heat.

Abstract: A cell co-culture apparatus and a method of co-culturing and isolating cells using the cell co-culture apparatus to research interactions between cells by direct contact between the cells are provided. The cell co-culture apparatus includes a first substrate including a substrate portion and a plurality of projections provided on a surface of the substrate portion, each of the projections having a top surface for culturing cells, a second substrate including a same number of first channels as a number of the projections such that the channels fit with the projections and substrate surfaces formed between the first channels, and a third substrate including a plurality of second channels corresponding with the top surfaces and a plurality of third channels corresponding with the substrate surfaces.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and devices for adhering cells in a specific and predetermined position with an adhesive control of internal cell organization, methods for preparing such devices, methods for studying modifications of cell shape and global internal cell organization such as the distribution of cellular compartments, centrosome centering, spindle orientation, internal compartmentalization and internal transports, methods for screening compounds of interest which enhance or inhibit specific cell functions.

Abstract: A sample collection system includes a vial and a collection stick. The collection stick includes an elongated handle portion and an absorbent head portion detachably connected to the handle portion. The absorbent head portion is configured to absorb and retain the fluid sample therein prior to insertion of the collection stick within the vial. During the sample collection process, the collection stick is inserted into the vial to express the fluid sample from the absorbent head portion into the vial. The absorbent head portion is retained within the vial in a generally compressed state with the handle portion being detached and removed from the vial.

Abstract: A culture observation apparatus, which is used for observing a cultured cell while culturing the cell, includes a culture device that cultures the cultured cell, and a microscope used for observing the cultured cell. The culture device includes a first space that is controlled to an environment suitable for culture of the cell, and a second space that is controlled to a lower humidity condition in comparison with the first space. The microscope includes an objective optical unit including an objective lens; the objective optical unit having at least one portion located in the second space, and another portion extending into the first space through an opening formed in a partition wall that separates the first space and the second space, with a gap between the objective optical unit and the partition wall being sealed by a sealing member, and the objective lens includes a plurality of lens groups, with mutual spaces among the lens groups vented to the second space.

Abstract: A method and a device (10) for reorganizing the fibers of a matrix in a living tissue sheet (S) by inducing controlled mechanical constraints in the living tissue (S) sheet thus causing the fibers of the matrix to be aligned parallel to the strain orientation. The sheet (S) is held in a stretched state until the fibers set in place.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device (1) for malting cereals comprising a tower (2) consisting a certain number of stories which are separated from each other by storey floors (9, 10), each storey comprising an air-proof carrier plate (13) carrying germinating cereals (24). Said tower also comprises air conditioning means for air conditioning, transfer means provided with a feeding channel and a removing channel for transferring conditioned air by means of the feeding channel which extends from air conditioning means downwards to the bottom of the carrier plate, passes along said carrier plate and a cereal layer arranged thereon in a direction of the top surface of said cereal layer and exits said top surface of the cereal layer by means of the removing channel. The inventive device is characterized in that the feeding channel and/or removing channel extend through a central opening in at least one storey floor.

Abstract: A mobile, modular multi-chamber composting system for the composting of organic material includes a composting unit having a pair of adjacent composting chambers enclosed by sidewalls, a roof, and closure panels, with the chambers delimited by a separation panel, and the first chamber having a uni-directional tilting floor and the second chamber having a bi-directional tilting floor so that organic material can be placed in the first chamber and transferred to the second chamber to facilitate decomposition of the material. Hydraulic mechanisms are interconnected to each floor to facilitate the tilting of the floor and the transference of the material, and the second chamber can transfer the material back to the first chamber or expel the material from the unit or transfer the material to another adjoined composting unit.

Abstract: A microchamber including a glass substrate which is transparent to a specific wavelength, an absorbent region which absorbs the specific wavelength, and a melting substance region which does not absorb the specific wavelength, is solid at room temperature and melts when heated, which regions are layered on the glass substrate. The absorbent region, is irradiated with a focused light beam of the specific wavelength and locally heated in the vicinity of the converging rays, so that the melting substance region is locally melted at a portion adjacent to the absorbent region, thereby forming a cavity as the focused light beam moves. Accordingly, the shape of the microchamber can be arbitrarily changed in accordance with the process of cell culture.

Abstract: A device for wringing a biological mass of cultures has a substantially vertical container having a bottom provided with a discharge opening, a rotor means located under the discharge opening and including at least two rotors which are rotatable toward one another to receive a biological mass therebetween, wherein the rotors are provided with a plurality of substantially radially extending plungers which are displaceable in a radial direction.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a photobioreactor comprising: (a) a tank for containing a liquid microbial culture; (b) a rotating mixing system contained within the tank, the rotating mixing system comprising one or more motors, and one or more shafts connected to the one or more motors, and a plurality of mixing blades attached to the one or more shafts, wherein the mixing blades are capable of mixing the microbial culture throughout the volume of the tank; (c) a lighting system, comprising a light source located outside the tank; a light emitting device mounted on the blades; and a conduit that transfers light from the light source to the light emitting device, wherein the lighting system is capable of providing sufficient light for growth of the microbial culture throughout the volume of the tank. The rotating system may be replaced with an oscillating system, and either system can be mounted on a moveable raceway.

Abstract: A portable preservation apparatus of the cold storage type for a donor organ, comprising a cooling box provided with an organ chamber for receiving a donor organ in preservative fluid and a lid, wherein, on the side which operatively faces the organ chamber, the lid is provided with a connector which is detachably connected to the lid, which connector is provided with passages for one or more connecting pieces connected with the donor organ and one or more pipes connected with at least one perfusion pump, wherein the at least one perfusion pump is a miniature pump mounted at least partly in the lid and wherein the apparatus further comprises at least one oxygenator, an oxygen container, one or more electronic modules and a power supply module.

Abstract: A cell colonies dissecting and transplanting apparatus comprises: a base, a platform, a feeding mechanism having at least three axis feeding means, a movable holder, a cutting means, a transplanting means, and a CCD image capturing means. The platform having the CCD image capturing means therebottom is disposed onto the base, and on the platform is defined with the holder for receiving a plurality of loading trays, so as to the original cell colonies and a plurality of media boards of subculture can be placed on the loading trays of holder, the holder can displace from a first axis feeding means and a second axis feeding means of feeding mechanism to moveably align with a first axis and a second axis.

Abstract: An incubator capable of observing an observed specimen in a dish 220 by a microscope while culturing the specimen, wherein light is radiated from a capacitor(C), passed through a hole 273 in a top plate 271, a hole 275a in a upper side plate 275 and a hole 277a in a lower side plate 277, and let into an objective lens (T), and the specimen put in the dish 220 is observed by the microscope, whereby the change of the specimen with elapse of time can be continuously observed or recorded on a videotape while culturing the observed specimen in the dish 220.

Abstract: The invention provides an incubator 1 wherein stackers 3 having a plurality of microplate accommodating portions are arranged in a chamber 11, and a microplate transport device 5 is arranged for transporting a microplate 31 within the chamber 11 and moving the microplate 31 into or out of a desired microplate accommodating portion. A camera 7 is provided on a position opposed to a microplate accommodating portion of an uppermost stage in the stacker 3. The camera 7 faces said microplate accommodating portion, whereby a sample on the microplate 31 can be photographed.

Abstract: Systems and methods for automatically controlling conditions of a process are disclosed. In one example, a controller is programmed with a sequence of steps and parameters required to carry out a bioreactor process. A sensor system interacts with the bioreactor to receive information related to a condition of the bioreactor and/or receive a sample from the bioreactor, which it analyzes. The sensor system sends data signals related to the information and/or the sample to a controller, which determines a control signal based on the received information. The controller sends the control signal to the sensor system which, based on the control signal, performs an action that affects a condition of the bioreactor or affects the sensor system itself.

Abstract: Accordingly, in one embodiment of the invention, a bioreactor system is presented and includes a disposable container for housing biomaterials for processing, the disposable container including at least one input port, at least one exhaust port, at least one harvest port, and the integrity of the sterile environment is protected with sterile filters attached to all external open ports a structure for supporting the disposable container, one or more sensors for sensing one or more parameters of the biomaterials in the container, a heater for heating the contents of the container, the heater having a thermostat and mixing system arranged with the system such that biomaterials contained in the disposable container are mixed.

Abstract: Disclosed are an apparatus and a method for remotely monitoring and controlling various processes in an incubation/reaction system. Remote control is accomplished via computer network protocol. In a disclosed preferred embodiment, remote observation and control is accomplished via a “web server” program running on a computer attached to or embedded within the body of the system, interfacing with temperature monitoring and control means, digital video camera photomicroscope means, atmospheric monitoring and control means, and other devices for monitoring or affecting contents of the system. The web server sends data to and receives data from any computer running a “web browser” program. Bi-directional communication is possible over secured and unsecured channels and can penetrate firewall software to allow real-time communication between a user and a chamber when each is behind a different firewall.

Abstract: A microarrayer apparatus for constructing arrays of biological material from donor cores obtained from at least one donor block and placing the donor cores in an embedding medium carried by at least one recipient block. The apparatus includes a donor punch, a recipient punch, and a stylus mounted for independent coaxial movement along a common punch axis. The recipient punch cooperates with the stylus when ejecting a donor core from the donor punch to minimize deformation of the donor core.

Abstract: A rotatable sample disk configured for samples of biological material. The sample disk may include a fill chamber for storing a first biological material, a plurality of first sample chambers positioned in the sample disk farther from the rotational axis of the sample disk than the fill chamber, a plurality of second sample chambers, and a plurality of circumferential fill channels. Each of the second sample chambers may be configured to permit fluid communication with a respective first sample chamber. The plurality of circumferential fill conduits may be configured to permit transfer of the first biological material from the fill chamber to the plurality of first sample chambers upon a first rotation of the sample disk about the rotational axis. Methods of loading a plurality of sample chambers in a sample disk are also provided.