Abstract: The invention relates to a facility which has a dirty facility area and an adjacent clean facility area, baskets for receiving the dirty articles, and a wall separating the dirty area from the clean area, the dirty area including an entry door for receiving the dirty articles, pre-processing stations with tables for the pre-washing and/or sorting by a human operator, or even by a robotic operator, of the dirty articles and for arranging the pre-washed and/or sorted articles in the baskets, pick-up points at the pre-processing stations for pick-up of the baskets with the pre-washed and/or sorted articles, a plurality of washers, eg.

Abstract: A floating chemical dispenser is provided, which includes: a body portion having a first chamber for receiving solid chemicals, a second chamber for receiving a floating member, and at least one first hole for communicating the first chamber with an external environment, an opening is disposed at one end of the body portion, and the opening is communicated with the first chamber; and a cover, configured to close the opening of the body portion; wherein the cover is detachably connected with the body portion via a first locking mechanism, and the first locking mechanism has a locking position and an unlocking position, and is configured to move between the locking position and the unlocking position via pressing and rotating the cover by a user, so as to control locking or unlocking of the cover and the body portion. Therefore, safety performance of the floating chemical dispenser can be improved.

Abstract: A method of packaging pre-filled medical devices is disclosed. The method comprises producing a packaging having a front panel and a back panel defining a compartment capable of holding one or more medical devices wherein at least one of the front panel or top panel has a portion containing a gas permeable material while the remaining portion of the pouch is gas impermeable. This gas permeable material allows gas to pass through the material and contact the one or more articles contained within the compartment or allows gas to pass through the gas permeable material from the inside of the compartment to the outside of the container. Upon completion of sterilization, the pouch is sealed and the gas permeable portion is cut away leaving the sterilized medical device enclosed in a completely gas impermeable pouch.

Abstract: An apparatus for sterilization of objects or materials comprises an enclosure for containing a gaseous atmosphere; an acoustically transparent platform located within the enclosure for supporting the objects or materials to be sterilized; one or more non-contact ultrasound transducers positioned within the enclosure and spaced from the platform; and an electric power amplifier for exciting the one or more transducers.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for sterilization are presented. An apparatus includes a sterilizing cabinet assembly including a cabinet having an access port and a bottom, the bottom configurable to induce a condensate to flow on the bottom to a vent port. The apparatus further includes a door connected to the cabinet, the door moveable between an open position permitting passage through the access port to an interior of the cabinet and a closed position precluding passage through the access port. The apparatus also includes at least one of the cabinet and the door having the vent port, and a filter overlying the vent port and forming a sealed interface with an adjacent portion of the one of the cabinet and the door.

Abstract: The device for cleaning a hearing aid by contact with a liquid includes a cleaning cavity suitable for receiving the end piece of the hearing aid and that is provided, at the bottom of same, with an opening for discharging the liquid. The cleaning cavity is defined laterally by an inner skin surrounded by an outer skin, the outer skin including an injector for the liquid while the inner skin defines, at the base of same, an opening overhanging the bottom and allowing the liquid to pass into the cleaning cavity. The invention also concerns an assembly includes the cleaning device and a reloading unit, the reloading unit being suitable for filling a tank of the cleaning device.

Abstract: A supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) apparatus is provided that is capable of being operated in a continuous and/or steady-state fashion. The SFE apparatus may include an extraction assembly. The extraction assembly may include a first extraction chamber (FEC) to contain a first amount of source material from which a compound is to be extracted, and a second extraction chamber (SEC) to contain a second amount of the source material. The extraction assembly may include a valve to control a flow of a solvent into the FEC or the SEC. The SFE apparatus may include a collection chamber that is mounted substantially perpendicular to the extraction assembly. Other embodiments are described.

Abstract: A device (1) for generating clean air in a measuring apparatus, comprising: a duct (2) having an inlet and an outlet for the passage of an air flow to be cleaned; a platinum wire (3), positioned inside the duct (2), for intercepting the air flow to be cleaned, the platinum wire (3) is inserted in an electrical circuit (17) connectable to an electricity supply (15) to be operatively crossed by an electrical current.

Abstract: A washing and drying unit configured to perform at least one of washing, drying, and sterilizing, or any combination thereof includes at least one sensor configured to determine a dimension and/or shape of the object, a washing and/or sterilizing apparatus and a drying and/or sterilizing apparatus configured to direct at least one apparatus or spray of a washing and/or sterilizing or a drying and/or sterilizing fluid to the object, at least one robot arm connected to at least one of the apparatuses, and a controller operable to orient and move the at least one robot arm. A separate sterilization apparatus may be included and the sterilization may include using electrified water or water that has been exposed to ultraviolet light. The controller orients the at least one robot arm based on the dimension and/or shape determined by the at least one sensor.

Abstract: There is provided a method or improving the surface sterility of an invertebrate organism having an external cuticle, comprising contacting an outer surface of the organism, or a portion thereof, with an aqueous alcohol solution of less than about 70% v/v for a period of less than 60 seconds. The method is especially useful to provide research-grade organisms which can be utilised in research involving injection of compositions through the external cuticle, by reducing phenotype changes resulting from introduction of surface contaminants into the interior of the organism.

Abstract: Methods and apparatus for sterilization are presented. An exemplary embodiment includes a sterilizing cabinet assembly. The sterilizing cabinet includes a cabinet having an access port, a door connected to the cabinet, the door moveable between an open position permitting passage through the access port to an interior of the cabinet and a closed position precluding passage through the access port. The sterilizing cabinet assembly also includes at least one of the cabinet and the door having a vent port. The sterilizing cabinet has a primary filter overlying the vent port and forming a sealed interface with an adjacent portion of the one of the cabinet and the door and a secondary filter overlying at least a portion of the primary filter.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods of using biodegradable heterocyclic compounds of relatively low toxicity as corrosion inhibitors. The present method is used to inhibit corrosion of a metal surface in contact with an aqueous system using compounds comprising a purine structure, and provides enhanced protection against corrosion of metals in aqueous systems. The method comprises the use of corrosion inhibitors that are generally resistant to halogen attack and provide good corrosion resistance in the presence of oxidizing halogen-based biocides. Formulations comprising purine-based compounds are also disclosed.

Abstract: A system and method for controlling microbial growth on and in medical devices and implants, especially biofilm infections, involves using pulsed electric fields (PEF). To eradicate at least a portion of a biofilm on a medical implant, for example, 1500 volts can be applied through an electrode system, with pulse duration of 50 ?s and pulse delivery frequency of 2 Hz. In the clinical setting, systemic microbial therapy can be combined with PEF to achieve a synergistic effect leading to improved eradication of infections.

Abstract: System, method and process for disinfection of internal surfaces in aseptic tanks and pipelines by flooding with sanitizing fog in facilities designed to store liquids in general, such system comprising an external equipment with means to generate sanitizing fog, controlling means of gases flow rate, in-line detectors and draining means of gases inside the tank, input means of fog carrying means comprising inert gases. Disinfection process comprises introduction of a sanitizing fog with droplets with a maximum size of 10 ?m, preferably with maximum size of 5 ?m, simultaneously with removal of gases enclosed inside such tanks and pipelines, maintaining a positive pressure inside such tanks and pipelines, such method providing reduction of oxygen concentration inside the tanks in two steps, the first one comprising reduction to near 10% and the second a reduction to a value below 1%, filling the tank with a sanitizing fog during the second step.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating large quantities of potatoes, other tubers, vegetables, produce, and/or other crops are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a crop storage facility configured in accordance with the present technology includes a treatment system configured to distribute a treatment agent configured to inhibit spoilage of the crops. The treatment system can include a combination of two or more chemical compositions configured to release different concentrations of the treatment agent to produce a desired level of the treatment agent in the storage facility.

Abstract: Systems and methods for treating large quantities of potatoes, other tubers, vegetables, produce, and/or other crops are disclosed herein. In one embodiment, a crop storage facility configured in accordance with the present technology includes a treatment system configured to distribute a treatment agent configured to inhibit spoilage of the crops. The treatment system can include a combination of two or more chemical compositions configured to release different concentrations of the treatment agent to produce a desired level of the treatment agent in the storage facility.

Abstract: An apparatus for distillation of feedstock, including a distillation chamber with an inlet for receiving feedstock and an outlet for discharging feedstock, and a plate for supporting the feedstock in the distillation chamber. The plate is positioned parallel to a substantially horizontal plane across a portion of the distillation chamber, and defines a plurality of transverse apertures extending transversely across a substantial portion of the width of the plate. A plurality of heating rods is included for insertion into the apertures of the plate to heat the plate. The apparatus also includes a conveyor enclosed within the distillation chamber and extending longitudinally across the distillation chamber, the conveyor having a plurality of paddles attached thereto that, when driven by the conveyor, move proximate and parallel to the plate to agitate feedstock on the plate, and to drive the feedstock from the inlet to the outlet of the distillation chamber.

Abstract: An at-home sterilization and data acquisition and deposition device including a housing having an opening or series of openings for receiving up to six medical devices, a sterilization chamber formed within the housing that is lined with sterilizing radiation reflecting material, and several sources of sterilizing radiation disposed within the sterilization chamber for sufficient emission of radiation to achieve a significant log reduction of any pathogens present on the medical devices, and an RFID scanner and sensor suite configured into the housing that prevents sterilization of non-system components, radiation emission into the environment, and that can pair with a user's mobile device.

Abstract: Multi-stage acoustophoretic devices for continuously separating a second fluid or a particulate from a host fluid are disclosed. Methods of operating the multi-stage acoustophoretic devices are also disclosed. The systems may include multiple acoustophoretic devices fluidly connected to one another in series, each acoustophoretic device comprising a flow chamber, an ultrasonic transducer capable of creating a multi-dimensional acoustic standing wave, and a reflector. The systems can further include pumps and flowmeters.

Abstract: A device for automatically disinfecting a portion of a medical implement. The device includes a reservoir chamber having a top external opening, a medical implement protruded through a bottom part of the reservoir chamber with the portion to be disinfected exposed inside the reservoir chamber and below the top external opening, two disinfecting pads, and a resilient device. Each disinfecting pad is connected to the reservoir chamber through a mounting member, which permits displacement of the disinfecting pads relative to the reservoir chamber in substantially opposite directions thereby creating a gap between each pad and the portion to be disinfected. The resilient device biases the disinfecting pads such that when the disinfecting pads are displaced from a rest position, wherein they are contacting the portion to be disinfected, to an engaged position, the disinfecting pads are urged to return toward the portion to be disinfected to contact and disinfect the portion.