Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing and an actuator. The housing, which defines a reagent volume that can receive a reagent container, can be removably coupled to a reaction chamber. The housing includes a puncturer that defines a transfer pathway in fluid communication with the reagent volume. A delivery portion of the housing defines a delivery pathway between the transfer pathway and the reaction chamber when the housing is coupled to the reaction chamber. The actuator has a plunger portion disposed within the reagent volume. An engagement portion of the actuator can be manipulated to move the plunger portion within the reagent volume to deform the reagent container. The puncturer can pierce a frangible portion of the reagent container to convey a reagent from the reagent container into the reaction chamber via the transfer pathway and/or the delivery pathway.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing and an actuator. The housing, which defines a reagent volume that can receive a reagent container, can be removably coupled to a reaction chamber. The housing includes a puncturer that defines a transfer pathway in fluid communication with the reagent volume. A delivery portion of the housing defines a delivery pathway between the transfer pathway and the reaction chamber when the housing is coupled to the reaction chamber. The actuator has a plunger portion disposed within the reagent volume. An engagement portion of the actuator can be manipulated to move the plunger portion within the reagent volume to deform the reagent container. The puncturer can pierce a frangible portion of the reagent container to convey a reagent from the reagent container into the reaction chamber via the transfer pathway and/or the delivery pathway.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing and an actuator. The housing, which defines a reagent volume that can receive a reagent container, can be removably coupled to a reaction chamber. The housing includes a puncturer that defines a transfer pathway in fluid communication with the reagent volume. A delivery portion of the housing defines a delivery pathway between the transfer pathway and the reaction chamber when the housing is coupled to the reaction chamber. The actuator has a plunger portion disposed within the reagent volume. An engagement portion of the actuator can be manipulated to move the plunger portion within the reagent volume to deform the reagent container. The puncturer can pierce a frangible portion of the reagent container to convey a reagent from the reagent container into the reaction chamber via the transfer pathway and/or the delivery pathway.

Abstract: An apparatus includes a housing and an actuator. The housing, which defines a reagent volume that can receive a reagent container, can be removably coupled to a reaction chamber. The housing includes a puncturer that defines a transfer pathway in fluid communication with the reagent volume. A delivery portion of the housing defines a delivery pathway between the transfer pathway and the reaction chamber when the housing is coupled to the reaction chamber. The actuator has a plunger portion disposed within the reagent volume. An engagement portion of the actuator can be manipulated to move the plunger portion within the reagent volume to deform the reagent container. The puncturer can pierce a frangible portion of the reagent container to convey a reagent from the reagent container into the reaction chamber via the transfer pathway and/or the delivery pathway.

Abstract: A method is provided for using magnetic nanoparticles to enhance microwave therapies for treating cells and tissues. The nanoparticles are designed to transduce microwave radiation into heat and furthermore, the nanoparticles may include specific tissue targeting and other functionality for enhancing in situ effects. In one embodiment, nanoparticles are introduced into a tissue system and a microwave field is applied. The nanoparticles react to the microwave energy by releasing heat thus heating the tissue and inducing hyperthermia (below 50° C.) or thermotherapy (above 50° C.). The nanoparticles can be designed for optimal heat production response at specific microwave frequencies and/or ranges of microwave frequencies where these frequencies may span the entire microwave spectrum, namely 300 MHz (3108 Hz) to 300 GHz (31011 Hz).

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention relate to selective organism detection, and, more particularly to recombinant bacteriophages and the use of such recombinant bacteriophages to detect target bacteria and to detect specific nucleic acid sequences within said target bacteria thus allowing for the detection of phenotypic characteristics of said bacteria such as determining drug(s) to which such target bacteria are resistant. The present invention further relates to sample preparation apparatuses for preparing samples for detection and analysis using bacteriophage-based techniques, that are low in cost, easy to use, and do not require technical expertise or any additional laboratory infrastructure to perform.