Abstract: System for gas treatment of cellular implants. The system enhances the viability and function of cellular implants, particularly those with high cellular density, for use in human or veterinary medicine. The system utilizes a miniaturized electrochemical gas generator subsystem that continuously supplies oxygen and/or hydrogen to cells within an implantable and immunoisolated cell containment subsystem to facilitate cell viability and function at high cellular density while minimizing overall implant size. The cell containment subsystem is equipped with features to allow gas delivery through porous tubing or gas-only permeable internal gas compartments within the implantable cell containment subsystem. Furthermore, the gas generator subsystem includes components that allow access to water for electrolysis while implanted, thereby promoting long-term implantability of the gas generator subsystem.

Abstract: A bioreactor system comprising a base station comprising a control system, a tray arranged to be provided on the base station and arranged to house a bioreactor bag, wherein said base station comprises at least one temperature sensor means and in that said tray comprises at least one opening for receiving said temperature sensor means such that it will contact a surface of a bioreactor provided in the tray.

Abstract: Embodiments provide a distributed bioreactor system in which a plurality of modular bioreactors are operated in parallel to produce and maintain a biological cell culture. A central or nurse perfusion bioreactor produces and maintains a cell culture and transfers portions of the cell culture to a plurality of modular peripheral perfusion bioreactors, each of which produces and maintains the cell culture in turn. In order to prevent contamination and facilitate segregation of particular peripheral bioreactors, the distributed system is configured such that one-way fluid communication is established from the central/nurse bioreactor to each of the peripheral bioreactors while maintaining fluid isolation among the peripheral bioreactors. Each modular peripheral bioreactor unit has a plug-and-play configuration and may be plugged into or otherwise coupled to the central/nurse bioreactor to scale up the overall size of the cell culture without requiring sterilization or redesign or reconfiguration of the system.

Abstract: Various inserts, called shapers and spacers, are provided for controlling tissue engineered heart valve (TEHV) leaflet geometry during culture. These inserts will prevent TEHV leaflet retraction during culture, be able to control the leaflet geometry during culture, enable culturing TEHV leaflets with a larger coaptation area, control the height of the coaptation area, maintain TEHV leaflet curvatures, and/or enable possibilities to culture TEHV leaflets in open configuration.

Abstract: In some embodiments the present invention provides perfusion bioreactors and cell culture scaffolds suitable for the preparation of tissue grafts, such as bone tissue grafts. In some embodiments, the perfusion bioreactors comprise a graft chamber and/or a graft chamber insert configured to hold a tissue graft having a certain shape and/or certain dimensions, and/or to allow culture of such tissue grafts under press-fit direct perfusion conditions. In some embodiments, the perfusion bioreactors comprise an equilibration chamber.

Abstract: A method for culturing suspended photosynthetic organisms is provided, comprising culturing the photosynthetic organism in a flowing thin film photobioreactor, wherein the flowing thin film photobioreactor comprises a light source and a trickle-film insert comprising screen material. In a preferred embodiment, the organism is Rhodobacter grown anaerobically; In an additional preferred embodiment, the organism is Botryococcus braunii.

Abstract: A sample preparation container, preferably for use in sterility testing, comprising a housing (1) having a housing wall (2) defining an inside space (3), a support on which a membrane filter is placed or is to be placed so as to get in contact with a sampling fluid to be introduced into the inside space (3), and at least one inlet opening (4) to the inside space (3) and at least one outlet opening from the inside space (3). A sampling port (5) is provided for allowing access from the outside to the inside space (3), wherein said sampling port (5) is closed by a septum (6) and the septum (6) is separated from the inside space (3) by a barrier wall (7) which is preferably piercable or breakable on application of an external force, preferably applied through a sampling instrument like a needle (8).

Abstract: A blade tip-provided micropipette holding apparatus has a tubular micropipette holder so constructed that a blade tip-provided micropipette to be inserted into a living cell can be mounted on a front-end portion thereof and a holder-holding device for holding the micropipette holder. The holder-holding device has a base member and a tubular rotating member which is rotatably held by the base member and into which the tubular micropipette holder can be penetrated. The tubular rotating member has holder position adjusting mechanisms each composed of a plurality of side holes formed on a side surface of the tubular rotating member at different positions of the side surface thereof in a circumferential direction thereof and holder position adjusting members each capable of entering into the tubular rotating member from the side holes and contacting an outer surface of the micropipette holder penetrating through the tubular rotating member.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides methods and hardware for real-time amplification and detection of nucleic acid molecules.

Abstract: An apparatus for culturing cells of the present invention is an apparatus for culturing cells using a culture medium in a culture vessel. The apparatus includes: pump connected to pipet held by first holder; first shifter configured to shift first holder; second holder configured to hold culture vessel; second shifter configured to grip and shift culture vessel; and controller. Controller is programmed to, when pipet draws a liquid in culture vessel or discharges a liquid into culture vessel, control second shifter to translationally shift lid of culture vessel in a horizontal direction.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device and a method for compressing a hydrogel layer (H), wherein a separate piston (600) that is designed to be connected to a second component (400) of the device in a releasable manner in an operating mode of the device, particularly by means of a latching connection, presses along a compression direction (C) against said hydrogel layer (H) residing on a membrane bottom (501) of a graft frame (500) so as to compress the hydrogel layer (H) between the piston (600) and the membrane bottom (501).

Abstract: The liquid feeder includes a liquid feeding pipe having a liquid introduce port and a liquid discharge port, a housing container which holds liquid to be introduced from the liquid introduce port, a liquid feed mechanism which feeds the liquid in the liquid feeding pipe to the liquid discharge port, a gas introduce unit which introduces gas into the liquid feeding pipe, and a liquid level detection unit which detects an advancing liquid level of the liquid to be fed in the liquid feeding pipe. The gas introduce unit is connected to a branch part provided in the liquid feeding pipe on the upstream side of the liquid feed mechanism. The liquid level detection unit is provided on the downstream side of the branch part.

Abstract: This biomass treatment system includes: a hydrothermal decomposition section for decomposing the cellulose, hemicellulose and lignin contained in a biomass as a raw material under high-temperature and high-pressure conditions in a main section, namely a tank having a gas-liquid interface, and thus removing a lignin component and a hemicellulose component from the biomass; a discharge section for discharging a biomass solid (a component insoluble in hot-water) obtained by the decomposition; a slurrying tank which is connected to the discharge section and in which the discharged biomass solid is slurried in water fed thereinto to form a biomass slurry; and a solid-liquid separation apparatus including both a settling tank which is provided on a discharge line for discharging the biomass slurry and in which the biomass slurry is settled and a scooping-up and conveying means for scooping up the biomass solid deposited at the bottom of the settling tank and separating the solid biomass component from water.

Abstract: A media tray system may include a tray having a base wall and a perimeter wall extending upwardly from the base wall and having an upper edge. The system may also include a cover having a top wall and a side wall extending downwardly from the top wall to extend about the perimeter wall of the tray when the cover is in a closed condition with respect to the tray, with the side wall having a lower edge. The system may further include a cover support structure located at the first end of the tray and the first end of the first end of the cover. The cover support structure may be configured to support the cover in an access condition permitting access to the tray interior of the tray through a gap formed between an upper edge of the tray and the lower edge of the cover.

Abstract: A bioreactor and method of forming complex three-dimensional tissue constructs in a single culture chamber. The bioreactor and methods may be used to form multi-phasic tissue constructs having tissue formed from multiple cell types in a single culture chamber. The bioreactor includes at least one translation mechanism to facilitate translation of one or more tissue constructs without direct user intervention, thereby providing a closed, sterile environment for complex tissue fabrication. The bioreactor may be used as a stand-alone device or as part of a large-scale system including many bioreactors. The large-scale system may include a perfusion system to monitor and regulate the tissue culture environment.

Abstract: A microbe quantifying apparatus includes: a filtering mechanism that filters microbes contained in a fluid sample with a filter; a quantifying mechanism that quantifies the microbes with a specified biological material contained in the microbes on the filter as an index; and an anti-drying mechanism that prevents drying of the microbes on the filter.

Abstract: The multi-channel fluorescence detection device includes an illumination module, plural heating chambers, a detection module and a transmission module. The illumination module includes at least one light source, plural different types of excitation filters, and a first rotational drum, wherein the light source provides a broad band illumination, each of the excitation filters passes light at a particular band width for exciting a targeted fluorescent probe, and the first rotational drum drives the excitation filters. The plural heating chambers are adapted for accommodating PCR tubes having samples and the targeted fluorescent probes. The detection module includes plural different types of emission filters, a second rotational drum and at least one photo-detector, wherein each of the emission filters passes light at a particular band width, the second rotational drum drives the emission filters, and the photo-detector receives fluorescent signals and converts the fluorescent signals to electrical signals.

Abstract: In an electronic cigarette, a mesh element is in contact with liquid storage. A heater is spaced apart from the mesh element and positioned to heat air which flows through the mesh element. The heated air vaporizes the liquid in or on the mesh. The vapor is inhaled by the user. A method of vaporizing a liquid in an electronic cigarette includes conducting liquid from a liquid storage to a mesh element. Electric current is supplied to a heater, optionally in response to sensing inhalation on the outlet or mouthpiece of the electronic cigarette. The heater heats air and the heated air is conducted through the mesh element, with the heated air vaporizing liquid on or in the mesh element. The vaporized liquid is entrained with the heated air and may then flow through or around the liquid storage to the mouthpiece.

Abstract: An object-holding device includes a container, a plate, and a dispersing mechanism. The container is configured to store a liquid, and includes an upper opening for charging an object into the stored liquid, and a bottom wall. The plate has an upper surface and a lower surface and is immersed into the liquid in a state in which the lower surface is spaced away from the bottom wall of the container, with this plate including: one or a plurality of holding portions arranged on the upper surface side and configured to carry the object; and a through hole passing through the holding portion from the upper surface to the lower surface. The dispersing mechanism is configured to form, in the through hole, a liquid flow which flows from the lower surface side toward the upper surface side to raise the object carried on the holding portion.

Abstract: A modular biofiltration support system for a bed of organic filter medium, formed of a multiplicity of rectangular bed platform modules or floor tiles, provides for bridging across an air/gas supply trench which can be up to 36 inches or even 48 inches wide. The bridging sections, formed of a mix of recycled plastic materials in a high-pressure molding operation, interconnect with edges of the floor tile assemblies on each side of the trench, and also engage with one another at sides. Each module is a high strength beam.