Abstract: A system and method of fluid delivery for providing a surface fluid pattern, the system comprising: a fluid delivery head for fluid flow therethrough, the fluid delivery head comprising: a fluid delivery surface having surface openings defined therein and arranged across the fluid delivery surface as a two-dimensional display; wherein at least some of the surface openings are grouped as a surface opening unit having at least one aspiration opening through which fluid can be provided to the fluid delivery surface and at least one injection opening through which fluid can be moved away from the fluid delivery surface, the surface opening unit comprising at least three surface openings positioned as a two-dimensional display and outwardly of at least one other surface opening.

Abstract: An embodiment for a microfluidic device is provided. The device comprises two areas, arranged side-by-side, and a trigger channel. They include a first area, which is delimited by a first liquid pinning barrier, and a second area, which is delimited by a second liquid pinning barrier. The latter extends parallel to the first liquid pinning barrier to delimit a corridor. The trigger channel extends through the corridor between the two areas. In addition, the trigger channel connects the first liquid pinning barrier with the second liquid pinning barrier, allowing a first liquid pinned at the first liquid pinning barrier and a second liquid pinned at the second liquid pinning barrier to be contacted, each, by a reverse flow of the second liquid in the trigger channel and thereby start mixing at a level of the corridor, in operation. The invention is further directed to related methods of operation.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing a medium-embedded-sample-block. The method comprises obtaining a frame having a plurality of sample wells arranged as a two-dimensional array, the frame having an open face for accessing the sample in the sample wells; placing embedding medium in the sample wells such that the embedding medium immerses the samples in the plurality of sample wells; allowing the embedding medium to form a block of embedding medium including the samples embedded therein; and separating the frame from the block of embedding medium to obtain the medium-embedded-sample-block.

Abstract: A system and method of fluid delivery for providing a surface fluid pattern. The system includes a fluid delivery head for fluid flow therethrough. The fluid delivery head includes a fluid delivery surface having surface openings defined therein and arranged across the fluid delivery surface as a two-dimensional display. Some of the surface openings are grouped as a surface opening unit. The surface opening unit includes at least one aspiration opening through which fluid can be provided to the fluid delivery surface and at least one injection opening through which fluid can be moved away from the fluid delivery surface. The surface opening unit includes at least three surface openings positioned as a two-dimensional display and outwardly of at least one other surface opening.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing a medium-embedded-sample-block. The method comprises obtaining a frame having a plurality of sample wells arranged as a two-dimensional array, the frame having an open face for accessing the sample in the sample wells; placing embedding medium in the sample wells such that the embedding medium immerses the samples in the plurality of sample wells; allowing the embedding medium to form a block of embedding medium including the samples embedded therein; and separating the frame from the block of embedding medium to obtain the medium-embedded-sample-block.

Abstract: An embodiment for a microfluidic device is provided. The device comprises two areas, arranged side-by-side, and a trigger channel. They include a first area, which is delimited by a first liquid pinning barrier, and a second area, which is delimited by a second liquid pinning barrier. The latter extends parallel to the first liquid pinning barrier to delimit a corridor. The trigger channel extends through the corridor between the two areas. In addition, the trigger channel connects the first liquid pinning barrier with the second liquid pinning barrier, allowing a first liquid pinned at the first liquid pinning barrier and a second liquid pinned at the second liquid pinning barrier to be contacted, each, by a reverse flow of the second liquid in the trigger channel and thereby start mixing at a level of the corridor, in operation. The invention is further directed to related methods of operation.

Abstract: A system and method of fluid delivery for providing a surface fluid pattern, the system comprising: a fluid delivery head for fluid flow therethrough, the fluid delivery head comprising: a fluid delivery surface having surface openings defined therein and arranged across the fluid delivery surface as a two-dimensional display; wherein at least some of the surface openings are grouped as a surface opening unit having at least one aspiration opening through which fluid can be provided to the fluid delivery surface and at least one injection opening through which fluid can be moved away from the fluid delivery surface, the surface opening unit comprising at least three surface openings positioned as a two-dimensional display and outwardly of at least one other surface opening.

Abstract: Methods and systems for preparing a medium-embedded-sample-block. The method comprises obtaining a frame having a plurality of sample wells arranged as a two-dimensional array, the frame having an open face for accessing the sample in the sample wells; placing embedding medium in the sample wells such that the embedding medium immerses the samples in the plurality of sample wells; allowing the embedding medium to form a block of embedding medium including the samples embedded therein; and separating the frame from the block of embedding medium to obtain the medium-embedded-sample-block.

Abstract: A dressing aid device comprising a shaft, and a pants supporting head portion coupled to a distal end region of said shaft, wherein the pants supporting head portion is configured to support pants along a waistline portion of the pants and provide an arcuate waistline opening, wherein the arcuate waistline opening is sized and shaped to allow a user to advance at least one leg through the arcuate waistline opening.

Abstract: A dressing aid device comprising a shaft, and a pants supporting head portion coupled to a distal end region of said shaft, wherein the pants supporting head portion is configured to support pants along a waistline portion of the pants and provide an arcuate waistline opening, wherein the arcuate waistline opening is sized and shaped to allow a user to advance at least one leg through the arcuate waistline opening.

Abstract: A system and a method for separating rare earth element compounds from a slurry of mixed rare earth element compounds, comprising flowing the slurry of mixed rare earth element compounds through at least a first channel rigged with at least a first magnet along a length thereof and connected to at least a first output channel at the position of the magnet, and retrieving individual rare earth element compounds and/or groups of rare earth element compounds, separated from the slurry as they are selectively attracted by the magnet and directed in the corresponding output channel according to their respective ratio of magnetic susceptibility (??) to specific density (??).