Abstract: A fluid mixing system includes a flexible bag having a first end, an opposing second end, and an interior surface bounding a compartment; a retainer coupled to the second end of the flexible bag, the retainer having a retention cavity formed thereon that communicates with the compartment of the flexible bag; and an elongated member having a first end rotatably coupled to the first end of the flexible bag and an opposing second end freely disposed within the retention cavity of the retainer so that the second end of the elongated member can rotate within the retention cavity relative to the retainer.

Abstract: A coupling assembly includes: a tubular compression collar having a tubular body made of a resiliently flexible polymeric material and having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface; an end of a tube disposed within a throughway of the compression collar; and a tube fitting disposed within the passageway of the tube. The tube fitting includes: a tubular stem; a flange radially outwardly projecting from an exterior surface of the stem; and an annular barb encircling and radially outwardly projecting from the exterior surface of the stem, the annular barb including a frustoconical outside face that extends along and outwardly slopes away from the stem as the outside face extends toward the flange. The compression collar radially inwardly compresses the tube against the annular barb of the tube fitting so that a liquid tight seal is formed between the tube and the tube fitting.

Abstract: A method for coupling a tube to a tube fitting includes radially outwardly expanding a tubular compression collar from a constricted state to an expanded state, the compression collar having a throughway extending there through and being made of a resiliently flexible material. An end of the tube is inserted within the throughway of the expanded compression collar, the tube bounding a passage. A tube fitting is inserted within the passage of the tube. The compression collar is allowed to resiliently rebound back towards the constricted state so that the compression collar pushes the tube against the tube fitting.

Abstract: A method for separating microcarriers from a medium includes transferring a suspension that includes medium, microcarriers and cells into a compartment of a filter assembly. The filter assembly includes: a container having an interior surface bounding the compartment; and a filter having a tubular stem with an encircling sidewall extending between a first end and an opposing second end, the first end being secured to the interior surface of the container and the second end projecting into the compartment of the container, a plurality of openings extend through the sidewall of the stem that are large enough to allow the medium and cells to pass therethrough while preventing the microcarriers from passing therethrough. The medium and cells within the compartment are allowed to pass through the plurality of openings of the filter while the microcarriers are retained within the compartment of the container.

Abstract: A method for coupling a tube to a tube fitting includes radially outwardly expanding a tubular compression collar from a constricted state to an expanded state, the compression collar having a throughway extending there through and being made of a resiliently flexible material. An end of the tube is inserted within the throughway of the expanded compression collar, the tube bounding a passage. A tube fitting is inserted within the passage of the tube. The compression collar is allowed to resiliently rebound back towards the constricted state so that the compression collar pushes the tube against the tube fitting.

Abstract: A coupling assembly includes: a tubular compression collar having a tubular body made of a resiliently flexible polymeric material and having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface; an end of a tube disposed within a throughway of the compression collar; and a tube fitting disposed within the passageway of the tube. The tube fitting includes: a tubular stem; a flange radially outwardly projecting from an exterior surface of the stem; and an annular barb encircling and radially outwardly projecting from the exterior surface of the stem, the annular barb including a frustoconical outside face that extends along and outwardly slopes away from the stem as the outside face extends toward the flange. The compression collar radially inwardly compresses the tube against the annular barb of the tube fitting so that a liquid tight seal is formed between the tube and the tube fitting.

Abstract: A filter assembly for separating microcarriers from a fluid medium includes a collapsible container bounding a sterile compartment adapted to hold a fluid. An inlet port is attached to the container through which fluid flows into the compartment. An outlet port is attached to the container through which fluid flows out of the compartment. A filter is disposed within the compartment, the filter dividing the compartment into an inlet chamber that is fluidly coupled with the inlet port and an outlet chamber that is fluidly coupled with the outlet port, the filter allowing a medium to pass therethrough but preventing microcarriers disposed in the medium from passing therethrough.

Abstract: A fluid manifold system includes a first manifold having portions of opposing flexible sheets welded together to form a fluid flow path therebetween, a fluid inlet communicating with the fluid flow path. The fluid flow path of the first manifold includes: a primary flow path communicating with the fluid inlet of the first manifold; and a plurality of spaced apart secondary flow paths that branch off of the primary flow path. Each secondary flow path has a first end communicating with the primary flow path and an opposing second end, each secondary flow path having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the primary flow path. The fluid manifold system also includes a plurality of tubular connectors with each tubular connector being secured to the first manifold at the second end of a corresponding one of the secondary flow paths.

Abstract: A fluid manifold system includes a first manifold having portions of opposing flexible sheets welded together to form a fluid flow path therebetween, a fluid inlet communicating with the fluid flow path. The fluid flow path of the first manifold includes: a primary flow path communicating with the fluid inlet of the first manifold; and a plurality of spaced apart secondary flow paths that branch off of the primary flow path. Each secondary flow path has a first end communicating with the primary flow path and an opposing second end, each secondary flow path having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the primary flow path. The fluid manifold system also includes a plurality of tubular connectors with each tubular connector being secured to the first manifold at the second end of a corresponding one of the secondary flow paths.

Abstract: A reactor system includes a support housing having an interior surface bounding a chamber, the chamber having a vertically extending central longitudinal axis. A flexible bag is disposed within the chamber of the support housing and has an interior surface bounding a compartment. A mixing element is disposed within the compartment of the flexible bag. A drive element, such as a drive shaft, is secured the mixing element, wherein the mixing element is laterally offset from and/or is angled relative to the vertically extending central longitudinal axis of the support housing.

Abstract: Flexible devices including conductive traces with enhanced stretchability, and methods of making and using the same are provided. The circuit die is disposed on a flexible substrate. Electrically conductive traces are formed in channels on the flexible substrate to electrically contact with contact pads of the circuit die. A first polymer liquid flows in the channels to cover a free surface of the traces. The circuit die can also be surrounded by a curing product of a second polymer liquid.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a multiphoton imaging method. The method includes a) immersing a semi-submersible microscope objective in a liquid medium that is at least one of scattering or absorbing; b) directing laser light through the semi-submersible microscope objective and into the liquid medium in an image-wise manner under conditions such that multiphoton absorption by the multiphoton absorber occurs, and at least partial polymerization of the polymerizable compound occurs resulting in an article; and c) removing uncured polymerizable compound to clean the article. The liquid medium includes a polymerizable compound, a secondary component, and a multiphoton absorber. An article is also provided. The article includes a material defining one or more tortuous or arcuate channels, one or more internal architectural voids, one or more undercuts, one or more perforations, or combinations thereof, at least one of which exhibits a surface roughness of 1.0 micrometer Ra or less.

Abstract: A method of making a three-dimensional structure including substructures is provided. The method includes directing laser light from a microscope objective through a photopolymerizable material to form a plurality of substructures each having at least one vertical wall directly attached to a vertical wall of an adjacent substructure. The substructures are individually formed in a sequence such that any second substructure that is formed in a location vertically disposed between the microscope objective and a first substructure has a wall that extends horizontally a shorter distance than a wall of the first substructure if a third substructure will subsequently be formed directly attached to the wall of the first substructure. The method is useful for minimizing passing laser light through a portion of an already formed substructure during formation of the three-dimensional structure.

Abstract: A method of manufacturing an optical film includes providing a base film. The base film includes a substrate defining a first surface and a second surface. The base film also includes a plurality of structures defining an upper surface and at least one side surface extending from the corresponding upper surface to a base portion. The method also includes depositing a catalyst material on each of the plurality of structures and the base portion to form a catalyst layer thereon. The method further includes selectively removing the catalyst layer from the upper surface of each of the plurality of structures and the base portion while retaining an activity of the catalyst layer on the at least one side surface of each of the plurality of structures. The method includes forming a metallic layer on the at least one side surface of each of the plurality of structures.

Abstract: A coupling assembly includes: a tubular compression collar having a tubular body made of a resiliently flexible polymeric material and having an interior surface and an opposing exterior surface; an end of a tube disposed within a throughway of the compression collar; and a tube fitting disposed within the passageway of the tube. The tube fitting includes: a tubular stem; a flange radially outwardly projecting from an exterior surface of the stem; and an annular barb encircling and radially outwardly projecting from the exterior surface of the stem, the annular barb including a frustoconical outside face that extends along and outwardly slopes away from the stem as the outside face extends toward the flange. The compression collar radially inwardly compresses the tube against the annular barb of the tube fitting so that a liquid tight seal is formed between the tube and the tube fitting.

Abstract: A method for coupling a tube to a tube fitting includes radially outwardly expanding a tubular compression collar from a constricted state to an expanded state, the compression collar having a throughway extending there through and being made of a resiliently flexible material. An end of the tube is inserted within the throughway of the expanded compression collar, the tube bounding a passageway. A tube fitting is inserted within the passageway of the tube. The compression collar is allowed to resiliently rebound back towards the constricted state so that the compression collar pushes the tube against the tube fitting.

Abstract: A method includes placing an electronic device on a pliable mating surface on a major surface of a mold such that at least one contact pad on the electronic device presses against the pliable mating surface. The pliable mating surface is on a microstructure in an arrangement of microstructures on the major surface of the mold. A liquid encapsulant material is applied over the electronic device and the major surface of the mold, and then hardened to form a carrier for the electronic device. The mold and the carrier are separated such that the microstructures on the mold form a corresponding arrangement of microchannels in the carrier, and at least one contact pad on the electronic device is exposed in a microchannel in the arrangement of microchannels. A conductive particle-containing liquid is deposited in the microchannel, which directly contacts the contact pad exposed in the microchannel.

Abstract: A method for coupling a tube to a tube fitting includes radially outwardly expanding a tubular compression collar from a constricted state to an expanded state, the compression collar having a throughway extending there through and being made of a resiliently flexible material. An end of the tube is inserted within the throughway of the expanded compression collar, the tube bounding a passage. A tube fitting is inserted within the passage of the tube. The compression collar is allowed to resiliently rebound back towards the constricted state so that the compression collar pushes the tube against the tube fitting.

Abstract: A fluid manifold system includes a first manifold having portions of opposing flexible sheets welded together to form a fluid flow path therebetween, a fluid inlet communicating with the fluid flow path. The fluid flow path of the first manifold includes: a primary flow path communicating with the fluid inlet of the first manifold; and a plurality of spaced apart secondary flow paths that branch off of the primary flow path. Each secondary flow path has a first end communicating with the primary flow path and an opposing second end, each secondary flow path having a diameter that is smaller than a diameter of the primary flow path. The fluid manifold system also includes a plurality of tubular connectors with each tubular connector being secured to the first manifold at the second end of a corresponding one of the secondary flow paths.

Abstract: A method of dispensing a fluid includes coupling a manifold to a fluid source, the manifold including at least portions of opposing flexible sheets welded together to form a fluid flow path therebetween; passing a fluid from the fluid source through the fluid flow path of the manifold and into a plurality of flexible bags coupled to the manifold; sealing closed each of the flexible bags; progressively collapsing the fluid flow path along a length of the manifold so as to force a portion of the fluid remaining within the fluid flow path into one of the flexible bags before all of the flexible bags are sealed closed; and removing each sealed bag from the manifold.