Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an electrode for CO2 electroreduction in an acidic electrolyte comprising cation species, the electrode comprising: a substrate, a metal-based catalyst material, and a cation-augmenting material; wherein the cation-augmenting material comprises an acidic group exchanging protons with the cation species of the acidic electrolyte so as to increase a concentration of the cation species at a surface of the electrode.

Abstract: A self-cleaning CO2 reduction strategy is proposed herein including alternating operation and regeneration of the CO2 electrolysis system. The strategy includes application of short and periodic reductions in applied voltage, thereby avoiding saturation and prevention of carbonate salt formation.

Abstract: The disclosure discloses a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) for electrochemically converting carbon monoxide (CO) into ethylene (C2H4) under applied current density, the MEA comprising: a cathode; an anode; an anion-exchange membrane (AEM) to separate the cathode from the anode; an anolyte; a reactant inlet in fluid communication with the cathode to provide a CO-enriched gas component; and a product outlet in fluid communication with the cathode to release a product mixture comprising C2H4; wherein the cathode comprises: a first layer including adsorption sites to adsorb CO as CO* intermediates; a second layer that facilitates stabilization of the CO* intermediates for adsorption onto the adsorption sites of the first layer; and a third layer that facilitates diffusion of CO to the adsorption sites of the first layer.

Abstract: There are provided devices and methods for automated production of a purified target biomolecular product. The device can be portable, and can include a purification compartment, a wash buffer compartment, an elution buffer compartment, fluidic channels, a fluidic system and a processor powerable by a power source and operatively connected to the fluidic system for controlling the automated production of the purified target biomolecular product. The purification compartment can be configured to contain purification components and receive a raw biomolecular products mixture therein for binding a target biomolecular product and produce the purified target biomolecular product. The fluidic channels can be configured to successively introduce the raw biomolecular products mixture, a washing buffer and an elution buffer into the purification compartment.

Abstract: An abrupt interface electroreduction catalyst includes a porous gas diffusion layer and a catalyst layer providing a sharp reaction interface. The electroreduction catalyst can be used for converting CO2 into a target product such as ethylene. The porous gas diffusion layer can be hydrophobic and configured for contacting gas-phase CO2 while the catalyst layer is disposed on and covers a reaction interface side of the porous gas diffusion layer. The catalyst layer has another side contacting an electrolyte and can be hydrophilic, composed a metal such as Cu and is sufficiently thin to prevent diffusion limitations of the reactant in the electrolyte and enhance selectivity for the target product. The electroreduction catalyst can be made by vapor deposition methods and can be used for electrochemical production of ethylene in reaction system.

Abstract: A transaction device is described. The device comprises storage configured to store a first data record comprising first value data and a unique identifier associated with one other device; communications circuitry configured to receive an identifier and second value data from a device; and control circuitry configured to compare the received identifier with the unique identifier and in the event of a positive comparison, the control circuitry is further configured to update the stored first value data in accordance with the exchanged second value data.

Abstract: The disclosure provides in its first aspect a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of a reactant gas to form a product in an aqueous medium, the catalyst system comprising a catalytic material; an ion-conducting polymer layer provided on the catalytic material and comprising an ion-conducting polymer that includes hydrophilic and hydrophobic groups. Said catalyst system is remarkable in that the ion-conducting polymer layer has a thickness of 2 nm to 50 nm measured by transmission-electron microscopy. In its second aspect, the disclosure provides a method of manufacturing a catalyst system for gas-phase electrolysis of reactant gas to produce a product in an aqueous medium preferably according to the first aspect. The use of the catalyst system in accordance with the first aspect in the electrochemical production of at least one multi-carbon compound from a carbon-containing gas or of at least one product from a reactant gas is also disclosed.

Abstract: Various implementations described herein are directed to a method for providing identity, payment and/or access. A primary account number (PAN) is read from a card or token. A hashed PAN is generated. A transaction result is determined based on the hashed PAN.

Abstract: A microfluidic injection and manifold assembly includes a microfluidic chip having at least a first fluid port and a second fluid port, and a fluid pathway between the first fluid port and the second fluid port. A manifold has a seat on which the microfluidic chip is received, and at least a first fluid channel. The fluid channel has an external fluid port spaced from the seat and an internal fluid port in the seat and connected in fluid communication with the first fluid port of the microfluidic chip. At least a first injector is secured to the manifold and has a plunger and a drive assembly. The drive assembly is activatable to force the plunger into the external fluid port of the manifold to force fluid from the first fluid channel of the manifold into the fluid pathway of the microfluidic chip.

Abstract: A device for selecting sperm includes a stack of a plurality of layers of a material. The stack has an inlet end and an outlet end. Each layer of the material includes a plurality of sperm selection microchannels. Each sperm selection microchannel has a respective microchannel inlet at the inlet end of the stack and extends to a respective microchannel outlet at the outlet end of the stack.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a low cost and rapid microfluidic based method and test device for quantifying male fertility potential. The device can simultaneously measure three critical semen parameters rapidly, namely live sperm concentration, motile sperm concentration, and sperm motility. The device includes a transparent substrate and a top sheet with two holes therethrough and an intermediate sheet sandwiched between the substrate and the top sheet. The wells formed by holes form a concentration measuring well (C) and a motility well (M) formed by the top sheet with these two holes bonded to the intermediate sheet. A colorimetric agent is located on the top surface of the intermediate sheet at the bottom of each well which changes color when in contact with sperm. In the motility well a porous membrane is located on top of the colorimetric agent and a liquid buffer may be placed on the top surface of the porous membrane.

Abstract: A microfluidic injection and manifold assembly includes a microfluidic chip having at least a first fluid port and a second fluid port, and a fluid pathway between the first fluid port and the second fluid port. A manifold has a seat on which the microfluidic chip is received, and at least a first fluid channel. The fluid channel has an external fluid port spaced from the seat and an internal fluid port in the seat and connected in fluid communication with the first fluid port of the microfluidic chip. At least a first injector is secured to the manifold and has a plunger and a drive assembly. The drive assembly is activatable to force the plunger into the external fluid port of the manifold to force fluid from the first fluid channel of the manifold into the fluid pathway of the microfluidic chip.

Abstract: An abrupt interface electroreduction catalyst includes a porous gas diffusion layer and a catalyst layer providing a sharp reaction interface. The electroreduction catalyst can be used for converting CO2 into a target product such as ethylene. The porous gas diffusion layer can be hydrophobic and configured for contacting gas-phase CO2 while the catalyst layer is disposed on and covers a reaction interface side of the porous gas diffusion layer. The catalyst layer has another side contacting an electrolyte and can be hydrophilic, composed a metal such as Cu and is sufficiently thin to prevent diffusion limitations of the reactant in the electrolyte and enhance selectivity for the target product. The electroreduction catalyst can be made by vapor deposition methods and can be used for electrochemical production of ethylene in reaction system.

Abstract: The present invention provides a microfluidic device with a confined geometry for isolating a slither-capable subpopulation of sperm which is of higher quality than the raw sperm population. The proposed device isolates slither-capable sperm based on their ability to enter and traverse a confined region where 3D locomotion is restricted. The DNA integrity of the selected sperm was higher than that of the corresponding raw samples by 55% and 122% for donors and patients, respectively. In side-by-side testing this method outperforms current clinical selection methods, density gradient centrifugation and swim-up, as well as sperm selected via general motility. Slithering represents a viable selection mechanism, readily applicable to clinical workflows with the potential to improve outcomes for couples and offspring.

Abstract: A transaction device is described. The device comprises storage configured to store a first data record comprising first value data and a unique identifier associated with one other device; communications circuitry configured to receive an identifier and second value data from a device; and control circuitry configured to compare the received identifier with the unique identifier and in the event of a positive comparison, the control circuitry is further configured to update the stored first value data in accordance with the exchanged second value data.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a low cost and rapid microfluidic based method and test device for quantifying male fertility potential. The device can simultaneously measure three critical semen parameters rapidly, namely live sperm concentration, motile sperm concentration, and sperm motility. The device includes a transparent substrate and a top sheet with two holes therethrough and an intermediate sheet sandwiched between the substrate and the top sheet. The wells formed by holes form a concentration measuring well (C) and a motility well (M) formed by the top sheet with these two holes bonded to the intermediate sheet. A colorimetric agent is located on the top surface of the intermediate sheet at the bottom of each well which changes color when in contact with sperm. In the motility well a porous membrane is located on top of the colorimetric agent and a liquid buffer may be placed on the top surface of the porous membrane.

Abstract: A microfluidic fuel cell with flow-through architecture is provided. The anode and the cathode are porous electrodes and comprise an interstitial pore network. A virtual insulator is located between the electrodes, in an electrolyte channel. The virtual insulator is comprised of a co-laminar flow of an electrolyte. An inlet directs substantially all the flow of liquid reactant through the porous electrode.

Abstract: A method of configuring a transaction device (102, 160) for use within a closed loop transaction system (12), the closed loop transaction system comprising a point-of-interaction terminal (24) for processing transactions with the transaction device, the method comprising: receiving an instruction to set a field within a device data store on the transaction device to use a predetermined currency code specified by the terminal; receiving, at the transaction device, a transaction amount available for transactions with the closed loop terminal system; storing (202) the transaction amount on the transaction device; receiving an unique identifier associated with the closed loop terminal system for use in transactions with the point-of-interaction terminal within the system; storing (206) the unique identifier on the transaction device.

Abstract: Methods and apparatuses for determining a material characteristic of a sample material are disclosed. A sample material is loaded to a plurality of cells. An interference material is disposed relative to the sample material such that the interference material at least retards the transport of the sample material from a one of the cells to at least another one of the cells. For each one of the cells, independently: a stimulus is applied to the sample material in the cell such that a conditioned sample material is obtained; and a material characteristic of the conditioned sample material is sensed.

Abstract: Fiber optic sensors include sensor regions in which an optical phase is modulated by an analyte to be detected. A long period fiber grating (LPG) is coupled to a coating that is arranged to selectively interact with the analyte. The resulting phase change is detected based on a transmission spectrum associated with the LPG so that analyte is detected and quantified. A plurality of such sensors is distributed along a fiber to form a sensor array that can be situated to detect analyte at a plurality of discrete regions.