Abstract: A closure assembly is provided. The closure assembly includes a cap portion, a tubular neck extending from a top surface of the cap portion, and at least one reinforcing member extending between the top surface of the cap portion and an exterior surface of the tubular neck, wherein the cap portion, the tubular neck and the at least one reinforcing member are a unitary integral piece. The closure assembly design provides stability to the tubular neck and the cap portion when a force is applied to either one or both of the tubular neck and the cap portion.

Abstract: A perfusion bioreactor and a method for using the perfusion bioreactor for performing a continuous cell culture are disclosed. The perfusion bioreactor includes an outer vessel having a housing with a gas permeable membrane, an opening and a cavity; an inner vessel within the cavity; and a lid to cover the opening. A porous membrane within the cavity divides the cavity into inner and outer compartments. A fresh media port extends through the outer vessel or the at least one lid to receive a fresh media tube that has an end located in the inner compartment. A spent media port extends through the outer vessel or the at least one lid to receive a spent media tube that has an end located in the outer compartment. A mixer is within the inner compartment, and the porous membrane is attached to an opening within the inner vessel.

Abstract: A 5-liter bioreactor vessel enables a substantial increase in the volume of biological media that can be cultivated in the vessel compared to conventional designs. Moreover, when agitated at 1.5× the shaking frequency of a conventional 3-liter bioreactor (i.e., 90 rpm versus 60 rpm), the 5-liter vessel achieves a 19% increase in cell aeration without exceeding the maximum shear stress limit for cell viability. The 5-liter vessel optionally includes a plurality of internal baffles configured to disrupt the liquid vortex and reduce the maximum shear stress transferred to biomedia contained within the vessel.

Abstract: A closure assembly is provided. The closure assembly includes a cap portion, a tubular neck extending from a top surface of the cap portion, and at least one reinforcing member extending between the top surface of the cap portion and an exterior surface of the tubular neck, wherein the cap portion, the tubular neck and the at least one reinforcing member are a unitary integral piece. The closure assembly design provides stability to the tubular neck and the cap portion when a force is applied to either one or both of the tubular neck and the cap portion.

Abstract: A pipette tip includes a proximal end having an aperture and a proximal body region having a first internal cavity that receives a pipette member, and a distal end having an aperture and a distal body region having a second internal cavity that in operation receives and discharges a liquid aspirated by the pipette member, where the ratio of the proximal half weight of the pipette tip to the distal half weight of the pipette tip normalized to the total weight of the pipette tip has a value, defined as a thinning constant, wherein the pipette tip has a wall thickness of less than 0.022 inches over the distal region.

Abstract: A 5-liter bioreactor vessel enables a substantial increase in the volume of biological media that can be cultivated in the vessel compared to conventional designs. Moreover, when agitated at 1.5× the shaking frequency of a conventional 3-liter bioreactor (i.e., 90 rpm versus 60 rpm), the 5-liter vessel achieves a 19% increase in cell aeration without exceeding the maximum shear stress limit for cell viability. The 5-liter vessel optionally includes a plurality of internal baffles configured to disrupt the liquid vortex and reduce the maximum shear stress transferred to biomedia contained within the vessel.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods for determining the concentration of an analyte gas in a gas stream with a sensor are described. The analyte gas sensor may include a mass-sensitive resonator and a diffusion barrier. The mass-sensitive resonator may be coated with an absorptive material which is reactive with an analyte gas, such as NOx. The diffusion barrier may be positioned to limit a gas flow with the analyte gas towards the absorptive material, and a ratio of the diffusion time of the gas flow through the diffusion barrier to the reaction time of the analyte gas with the absorptive material may be from about 0.1 to about 100.