Abstract: The present invention provides a method producing a modified assembly line, such as those that produce non-ribosomal peptides and polyketides. The modified assembly lines of the invention can be used to produce novel compounds with therapeutic activities. The invention also provides organisms containing modified assembly lines and libraries of modified assembly lines.

Abstract: The invention relates to methods and apparatuses for guiding and emitting electromagnetic radiation from a fluid waveguide. Various methods for changing optical properties (e.g., refractive index, absorption, and fluorescence) and/or physical properties (e.g., magnetic susceptibility, electrical conductivity, and temperature) of either the waveguide core or the cladding, or both, are provided herein. In one embodiment, electromagnetic radiation is guided and/or emitted at multiple distinct wavelengths, including emission in the form of an essentially continuous band, in some cases covering at least 150 nanometers. In another embodiment, methods for splitting a waveguide core and/or the joining of at least two waveguide cores in a waveguide are provided. In yet another embodiment, the invention includes the use of thermal gradients to generate a waveguide and/or to change the properties of waveguides. Embodiments of the waveguides may be used for optical detection or spectroscopic analysis.

Abstract: The present invention relates generally to microfluidic systems and, more specifically, to apparatuses and methods associated with mixing in microfluidic systems. In some embodiments, a mixer is constructed and arranged to mix at least a portion of a first and a second fluid component. The mixer may include a channel having an inlet that separates into at least two branches, the branches then recombining into a single outlet. In some cases, plugs of fluid (e.g., a gas) are flowed into the branches, which causes changes in resistance, and thus the amount of fluid flow, in each of the branches. The motion of the plugs through the network of branched channels can create unsteady mixing flows. For instance, for two fluid components, e.g., two streams of fluid flowing laminarly in the channel, these changes in resistance can cause the crossing of laminar streamlines of the fluid, which can lead to exponential stretching and folding of the interface between the two unmixed streams.