Abstract: A bioreactor system according to one embodiment of the present invention is provided for producing and processing a biological material in an aseptic environment. For example, the system includes at least one culture tube configured to hold a liquid media containing a biological material and at least one flexible bag for promoting growth of the biological material therein. The liquid media and biological material are configured to be transferred from the culture tube to the flexible bag aseptically in an unclassified area. The system also includes at least one flexible harvest bag configured to be in flow communication with the flexible bag, wherein the flexible harvest bag is configured to separate biological material grown in the flexible bag from the liquid media aseptically in an unclassified area.

Abstract: A multiple well plate and method for media exchange, including a body defining a plurality of cell wells each connected via a channel to one of a plurality of aspiration holes, is provided. The cell wells contain a porous, hydrophilic frit which is suspended on a ledge above a reservoir of fluid media and supports a tissue sample. The properties of the frit wick the fluid media upwards to supply the tissue sample with nutrients for growth and proliferation. Old media is aspirated from the wells by a liquid handling device which inserts a pipette tip into the aspiration holes. The pipette tip applies a suction pressure which draws the media out of the cell well, through the channel, into the aspiration hole and out through the pipette tip. New media is dispersed through the pipette tip and directly into the cell well.

Abstract: A multiple well plate and method for media exchange, including a body defining a plurality of cell wells each connected via a channel to one of a plurality of aspiration holes, is provided. The cell wells contain a porous, hydrophilic frit which is suspended on a ledge above a reservoir of fluid media and supports a tissue sample. The properties of the frit wick the fluid media upwards to supply the tissue sample with nutrients for growth and proliferation. Old media is aspirated from the wells by a liquid handling device which inserts a pipette tip into the aspiration holes. The pipette tip applies a suction pressure which draws the media out of the cell well, through the channel, into the aspiration hole and out through the pipette tip. New media is dispersed through the pipette tip and directly into the cell well.

Abstract: A multiple well plate and method for media exchange, including a body defining a plurality of cell wells each connected via a channel to one of a plurality of aspiration holes, is provided. The cell wells contain a porous, hydrophilic frit which is suspended on a ledge above a reservoir of fluid media and supports a tissue sample. The properties of the frit wick the fluid media upwards to supply the tissue sample with nutrients for growth and proliferation. Old media is aspirated from the wells by a liquid handling device which inserts a pipette tip into the aspiration holes. The pipette tip applies a suction pressure which draws the media out of the cell well, through the channel, into the aspiration hole and out through the pipette tip. New media is dispersed through the pipette tip and directly into the cell well.

Abstract: A multiple well plate and method for media exchange, including a body defining a plurality of cell wells each connected via a channel to one of a plurality of aspiration holes, is provided. The cell wells contain a porous, hydrophilic frit which is suspended on a ledge above a reservoir of fluid media and supports a tissue sample. The properties of the frit wick the fluid media upwards to supply the tissue sample with nutrients for growth and proliferation. Old media is aspirated from the wells by a liquid handling device which inserts a pipette tip into the aspiration holes. The pipette tip applies a suction pressure which draws the media out of the cell well, through the channel, into the aspiration hole and out through the pipette tip. New media is dispersed through the pipette tip and directly into the cell well.

Abstract: A multiple well plate and method for media exchange, including a body defining a plurality of cell wells each connected via a channel to one of a plurality of aspiration holes, is provided. The cell wells contain a porous, hydrophilic frit which is suspended on a ledge above a reservoir of fluid media and supports a tissue sample. The properties of the frit wick the fluid media upwards to supply the tissue sample with nutrients for growth and proliferation. Old media is aspirated from the wells by a liquid handling device which inserts a pipette tip into the aspiration holes. The pipette tip applies a suction pressure which draws the media out of the cell well, through the channel, into the aspiration hole and out through the pipette tip. New media is dispersed through the pipette tip and directly into the cell well.

Abstract: A multiple well plate and method for media exchange, including a body defining a plurality of cell wells each connected via a channel to one of a plurality of aspiration holes, is provided. The cell wells contain a porous, hydrophilic frit which is suspended on a ledge above a reservoir of fluid media and supports a tissue sample. The properties of the frit wick the fluid media upwards to supply the tissue sample with nutrients for growth and proliferation. Old media is aspirated from the wells by a liquid handling device which inserts a pipette tip into the aspiration holes. The pipette tip applies a suction pressure which draws the media out of the cell well, through the channel, into the aspiration hole and out through the pipette tip. New media is dispersed through the pipette tip and directly into the cell well.

Abstract: A fiber optic module has a PCB with high frequency tracks. The PCB is housed within a housing having top and bottom parts, each having a series of metallized ridges. The PBC has through holes filled with solder. Thus, there is a series of electrical interconnections through the PBC, and the total length of any enclosed periphery is much shorter than the full periphery of the board so that high frequencies are attenuated.

Abstract: A subassembly apparatus includes a substantially shieldable interior chamber for housing at least one source of electromagnetic radiation, a connector plane external to the interior chamber for locating an end surface of a connector, and a launch window for locating an end surface of a waveguide, where the launch window is in or adjacent the connector plane. The apparatus also includes an internal propagation path extending from the interior chamber to the launch plane including a barrier of electrically conductive material disposed in the propagation path, the barrier being arranged to shield a planar region from electromagnetic radiation emitted from within the interior chamber, the planar region including substantially the connector plane substantially excluding the launch window.

Abstract: A bioreactor assembly of the present invention is provided for holding a media and supporting growth of a plurality of plants. The assembly includes a light source and a container having a light transmissive wall structure and defining a reservoir. A major axis of the reservoir is substantially horizontal allowing the reservoir to be filled with media to a partial level and to define a relatively large surface area for support of the plants. The assembly may also include clamps to secure and seal separate wall structure portions of the container together, and end caps to the wall portions, to define an aseptic environment. As another option, the clamps may define openings therethrough that allow passage of various devices for measuring and controlling bioreactor function such as a gas supply nozzle, a gas exit nozzle, an air temperature probe, a pH probe, a sampling drain, a gas composition probe and a media temperature probe.

Abstract: A bioreactor assembly of the present invention for holding a media and supporting growth of a plurality of plants. The assembly includes a light source and a container having a light transmissive wall structure and defining a reservoir. A major axis of the reservoir is substantially horizontal allowing the reservoir to be filled with media to a partial level and to define a relatively large surface area for support of the plants. The assembly may also include clamps to secure and seal separate wall structure portions of the container together, and end caps to the wall portions, to define an aseptic environment. As another option, the clamps may define openings therethrough that allow passage of various devices for measuring and controlling bioreactor function such as a gas supply nozzle, a gas exit nozzle, an air temperature probe, a pH probe, a sampling drain, a gas composition probe and a media temperature probe.

Abstract: A bioreactor assembly of the present invention for holding a media and supporting growth of a plurality of plants. The assembly includes a light source and a container having a light transmissive wall structure and defining a reservoir. A major axis of the reservoir is substantially horizontal allowing the reservoir to be filled with media to a partial level and to define a relatively large surface area for support of the plants. The assembly may also include clamps to secure and seal separate wall structure portions of the container together, and end caps to the wall portions, to define an aseptic environment. As another option, the clamps may define openings therethrough that allow passage of various devices for measuring and controlling bioreactor function such as a gas supply nozzle, a gas exit nozzle, an air temperature probe, a pH probe, a sampling drain, a gas composition probe and a media temperature probe.

Abstract: A fibre optic module has a PCB with high frequency tracks. The PCB is housed within a housing having top and bottom parts, each having a series of metallized ridges. The PBC has through holes filled with solder. Thus, there is a series of electrical interconnections through the PBC, and the total length of any enclosed periphery is much shorter than the full periphery of the board so that high frequencies are attenuated.

Abstract: An assembly for promoting the growth of plant tissues that includes a plurality of plates each defining an array of wells wherein each of the wells contains a tissue sample. Support for the plates is provided by a rack having a plurality of vertically stacked shelves that may include one or more register depressions that urge the plates into predetermined positions. Light for the tissue samples is provided by a plurality of light-emitting diode arrays each mounted on a circuit board. Each circuit board is supported by a respective card edge connector of the rack so that the light-emitting diodes are in proximity to the plates supported on one of the shelves therebelow. Preferably, the light-emitting diode array corresponds to the well array supported in the registered position on the shelf therebelow so that each light-emitting diode is centered above a respective one of the wells.

Abstract: A system for controlling operation of an optical source, such as a laser diode for optical communications, by controlling a bias current and a modulation current supplied thereto. With the source there are associated sensors for sensing the radiation generated and the temperature of the optical source to derive therefrom a first signal indicative of the power of the source radiation and a second signal indicative of the source temperature.

Abstract: An electronic module having a configuration for promoting efficient heat dissipation and a circuit board assembly are provided such that when the electronic module is inserted within the circuit board assembly a portion of the electronic module overlaps an EMI shield, with the portion of the electronic module having a configuration for promoting efficient heat dissipation and being external of the EMI shield.

Abstract: A subassembly apparatus includes a substantially shieldable interior chamber for housing at least one source of electromagnetic radiation, a connector plane external to the interior chamber for locating an end surface of a connector, and a launch window for locating an end surface of a waveguide, where the launch window is in or adjacent the connector plane. The apparatus also includes an internal propagation path extending from the interior chamber to the launch plane including a barrier of electrically conductive material disposed in the propagation path, the barrier being arranged to shield a planar region from electromagnetic radiation emitted from within the interior chamber, the planar region including substantially the connector plane substantially excluding the launch window.

Abstract: A bioreactor assembly of the present invention for holding a media and supporting growth of a plurality of plants. The assembly includes a light source and a container having a light transmissive wall structure and defining a reservoir. A major axis of the reservoir is substantially horizontal allowing the reservoir to be filled with media to a partial level and to define a relatively large surface area for support of the plants. The assembly may also include clamps to secure and seal separate wall structure portions of the container together, and end caps to the wall portions, to define an aseptic environment. As another option, the clamps may define openings therethrough that allow passage of various devices for measuring and controlling bioreactor function such as a gas supply nozzle, a gas exit nozzle, an air temperature probe, a pH probe, a sampling drain, a gas composition probe and a media temperature probe.

Abstract: In an optical communications system, it is necessary to control the extinction ratio of a laser device (192) of an optical transmission unit. The laser device (192) is typically used to transmit a signal that can be approximated by a pseudo-random bit stream. The bit stream is monitored by collecting light from a back facet of the laser device (192) using a photodiode (194) in a control loop. Due to band limiting effects of the photodiode (194) and parasitic circuit track capacitances, a feedback signal generated by the photodiode (194) becomes distorted, leading to difficulties in controlling the extinction ratio. The present invention therefore provides an apparatus that simulates a signal generated by the photodiode (194) and subsequent processing of the photodiode signal. The simulated signal and the processed photodiode signal are compared so as to generate a control signal for controlling modulation amplitude of the laser device (192) and hence the extinction ratio.

Abstract: An assembly for promoting the growth of plant tissues that includes a plurality of plates each defining an array of wells wherein each of the wells contains a tissue sample. Support for the plates is provided by a rack having a plurality of vertically stacked shelves that may include one or more register depressions that urge the plates into predetermined positions. Light for the tissue samples is provided by a plurality of light-emitting diode arrays each mounted on a circuit board. Each circuit board is supported by a respective card edge connector of the rack so that the light-emitting diodes are in proximity to the plates supported on one of the shelves therebelow. Preferably, the light-emitting diode array corresponds to the well array supported in the registered position on the shelf therebelow so that each light-emitting diode is centered above a respective one of the wells.