Abstract: The present invention relates to a fluidized bed system having a sparger capable of minimizing a blockage by solids and controlling method thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a product container for a fluidized bed installation (1) having a product container wall (12), a product container bottom (13), a product container opening (14) opposite the product container bottom (13), a distributor bottom (20) between the product container bottom (13) and the product container opening (14), and at least one volume-reducing element (40) which can be releasably attached to the distributor bottom (20), on that side (20-1) of the distributor bottom (20) oriented toward the product container opening (14), and by means of which the free volume of the product container (10) between the distributor bottom (20) and the product container opening (14) is reduced.

Abstract: Concentric flow focusing encapsulation devices and methods for production of microencapsulated droplets of a first core material surrounded by a second shell material include assessment of non-dimensional fluid dynamic parameters that are related to the characteristics of produced droplets. The parameters are specifically related to characteristics such as homogenous or non-homogenous modes of concentric droplet breakup, density distribution of various droplet sizes, and qualities such as monodispersity of droplets produced. By identifying control parameters in specific regions, control variables may be selected to produce droplets or particles with desired qualities.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention are directed to an apparatus and methods for making nucleic acid loaded nanosomes. One embodiment of the present invention directed to an apparatus comprises a first containment means for containing a mixture of an aqueous solution of nucleic acid and a phospholipid solution with a supercritical, critical or near critical fluid. The apparatus further comprises injection means in fluid communication with said first containment means for receiving the mixture and releasing the mixture as a stream into a decompression liquid. The apparatus further comprises a decompression vessel in fluid communication with the injection means for holding a decompression liquid and receiving the mixture as a stream. The stream forms one or more nanosomes loaded with a nucleic acid in the decompression liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a hybrid capsule containing an oil core having an active material such as a fragrance, and a capsule wall encapsulating the oil core. The hybrid capsule has a particle size of 0.1 to 1000 microns. The capsule wall is formed of a first polymer and a second polymer, in which the ratio between the first polymer and the second polymer is 1:10 to 10:1. The first polymer is a sol-gel polymer, and the second polymer is polyacrylate, polyacrylamide, poly(acrylate-co-acrylamide), polyurea, polyurethane, starch, gelatin and gum Arabic, poly(melamine-formaldehyde), poly(urea-formaldehyde), or a combination thereof. Also disclosed are a method of preparing the hybrid capsule and a consumer product containing the hybrid capsule.

Abstract: A system and method for a first reactor to produce a transfer slurry having a first polyolefin polymerized in the first reactor, a heat-removal zone to remove heat from the transfer slurry, and a second reactor to receive the transfer slurry cooled by the heat-removal zone, the second reactor to produce a product slurry having a product polyolefin which includes the first polyolefin and a second polyolefin polymerized in the second reactor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a film deterioration preventing material for using together with a record storage film having a triacetyl cellulose film as the base film thereof, wherein the material includes an alkali metal carbonate or an alkali metal hydrogen carbonate as an acetic acid gas removing agent to remove the acetic acid gas in an atmosphere. The present invention also provides an acid gas removing agent to remove the acid gas in an atmosphere, wherein the acid gas in the atmosphere is removed by an alkali metal carbonate or an alkali metal hydrogen carbonate.

Abstract: A gas separator of an embodiment includes: a honeycomb base having a plurality of through holes juxtaposed and made apart from one another by partition walls extending between a first face and a second face; and porous aggregates of inorganic material particles filled in the through holes and each having a third face and a fourth face. The porous aggregates each include pores passing from the third face to the fourth face among the inorganic material particles, and air permeability of the porous aggregates from the third faces to the fourth faces is not less than 1×10?14 m2 nor more than 1×10?11 m2.

Abstract: The present invention discloses novel porous polymeric compositions comprising random copolymers of amides, imides, ureas, and carbamic-anhydrides, useful for the synthesis of monolithic bimodal microporous/macroporous carbon aerogels. It also discloses methods for producing said microporous/macroporous carbon aerogels by the reaction of a polyisocyanate compound and a polycarboxylic acid compound, followed by pyrolytic carbonization, and by reactive etching with CO2 at elevated temperatures. Also disclosed are methods for using the microporous/macroporous carbon aerogels in the selective capture and sequestration of carbon dioxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a complex comprising a covalent organic framework (COF) synthesized on the surface of a carbon structure, a preparation method therefor, and use thereof, and specifically to a complex of a carbon structure and a covalent organic framework, wherein the specific surface area or pore volume of the covalent organic framework synthesized on the surface of the carbon surface is larger than the specific surface area or the pore volume of the covalent organic framework prepared without the carbon structure; a preparation method therefor; and use thereof.

Abstract: The disclosure provides for diamine-appended metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), methods of making thereof, and methods of use thereof.

Abstract: A metal-organic framework (MOF) structure comprising at least one metal ion and at least one multidentate organic ligand which is coordinately bonded to said metal ion, and a scaffold.

Abstract: A porous ceramic particle may have a particle size of at least about 200 microns and not greater than about 4000 microns. The porous ceramic particle may further have a particular cross-section that may include a core region and a layered region overlying the core region. The layered region may include overlapping layered sections surrounding the core region. The core region may include a core region composition and a first layered section may include a first layered section composition. The first layered section composition may be different than the core region composition.

Abstract: The subject matter of the invention is a method for producing composites comprising aluminum oxide and cerium/zirconium mixed oxides, hereinafter referred to briefly as Al/Ce/Zr oxide composite(s) using boehmite and soluble cerium/zirconium salts. Al/Ce/Zr oxide composites produced in this way have an increased thermal stability.

Abstract: There is provided a catalyst that exhibits a high denitration efficiency at a relatively low temperature and does not cause oxidation of SO2 in a selective catalytic reduction reaction that uses ammonia as a reducing agent. A denitration catalyst contains 3.3 wt % or more of vanadium oxide in terms of vanadium pentoxide and has a BET specific surface area of 10 m2/g or more.

Abstract: A process for the preparation of an unsupported hydrogenation catalyst wherein a catalyst precursor comprising one or more cations selected from a group consisting of chromium and groups 8, 9, 10 and 11 of the periodic table is contacted in a reactor with hydrazine to convert the catalyst precursor into the unsupported hydrogenation catalyst.

Abstract: A platinum-carbon electrocatalyst material comprising a carbon support having a minimum BET surface area of 1000 m2/g, a nitrogen content of at least 2.5 weight percent, which is present in the form of pyridine, pyridone or pyrrole, a phosphorous content of at least 3 weight percent, which is present in the form of phosphate and phosphonate, and a plurality of platinum nanoparticles dispersed on the carbon support having a maximum average particle diameter of 1.5 nm.

Abstract: A method of producing a hydrogenation catalyst, for example, a phthalate hydrogenation catalyst, comprising contacting a silica support having a medium pore size of at least about 10 nm with an acid to produce a treated silica support, and depositing a noble metal, preferably ruthenium, on the treated silica support to produce a noble metal-containing silica support, and optionally contacting the noble metal-containing silica support with a chelating agent to form the hydrogenation catalyst; a hydrogenation catalyst prepared by that method; and a method of hydrogenating unsaturated hydrocarbons, such as, phthalates, in which an unsaturated hydrocarbon is contacted with hydrogen gas in the presence of the hydrogenation catalyst of the invention.

Abstract: A dry reforming methane to synthesis gas catalyst is provided. The catalyst has a primary metal of magnesia (MgO). A secondary metal is mixed with the primary metal. The primary metal and the secondary metal have crystalline structures that are close to one another so as to be in solid solution with the support and form a mono-crystalline structure.

Abstract: A catalytic composition is built up from a ceramic material including a catalytic material and a first inorganic binder and a second inorganic binder and a catalytic structure made thereof. Preferably, the structure is made by a colloidal ceramic shaping technique. The structure is usable for catalytic or ion exchange applications as well. It is demonstrated that the catalytic structures have excellent mechanical, physicochemical and catalytic properties.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to an additive and a catalyst composition for a catalytic cracking process of vacuum gas oil for preparing cracked run naphtha having reduced liquid olefin content, and increased propylene and butylene yields in the LPG fraction. The process makes use of a catalyst composition which is a mixture of an FCC equilibrated catalyst and an additive comprising a zeolite, phosphorus and a combination of metal promoters. The process is successful in achieving high propylene and butylene yields in the LPG fraction along with a lower liquid olefin content and increased aromatic content with increase in RON unit in the resultant cracked run naphtha, as compared to that achieved using an FCC equilibrated catalyst alone.

Abstract: The invention relates to perfluoroalkyl group-containing bismuth compounds as Lewis acid catalysts, to specific compounds, and to the method for the production thereof.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a catalyst composition including a phosphorous-based ligand, and a hydroformylation method using the catalyst composition. More particularly, the present invention relates to a catalyst composition, which includes two different kinds of monocoordinated phosphine ligands and a transition metal catalyst, and a hydroformylation method using the catalyst composition. In accordance with the present invention, a catalyst composition lowering a selection ratio of normal aldehyde to iso aldehyde (n/i ratio), which are generated during hydroformylation of an olefinic compound, and exhibiting superior catalytic activity and stability, and a method of hydroformylating an olefinic compound using the catalyst composition are provided.

Abstract: A process removing ionic liquid from a process stream is described. The process stream is introduced into a coalescer to form an ionic liquid stream and a first treated process stream which has less ionic liquid than the process stream. The first treated process stream is introduced into a separator to form a second treated process stream. The second treated process stream has less ionic liquid than the first treated process stream. The separator is selected from a filtration zone comprising sand or carbon, an adsorption zone, a scrubbing zone, an electrostatic separation zone, or combinations thereof.

Abstract: A plugged honeycomb structure, including: a plurality of honeycomb segments, a bonding layer and a circumferential wall disposed to surround circumference of a honeycomb segment bonded body where the plurality of honeycomb segments are bonded, wherein in the bonding layer, the bonding layer at a part that bonds the honeycomb segments disposed in contact with the circumferential wall is a circumferential bonding layer, and the bonding layer at a part that bonds the honeycomb segment including a center of gravity in a cross section orthogonal to the extending direction of cells of the honeycomb segment bonded body or at a position closest to the center of gravity and another honeycomb segment adjacent to the honeycomb segment is a center bonding layer, and a bonding strength A1 of the circumferential bonding layer is larger than a bonding strength A2 of the center bonding layer.

Abstract: Provided is a cell treatment apparatus including an isolator that is configured to treat cells in the inner space maintained in aseptic conditions, and a pass box that is configured to carry an article for use in treatment of cells in the inside of the isolator or a reagent container with a reagent therein into the inside of the isolator. The pass box includes a clean bench chamber that includes an opening and closing door to enable the article to be carried thereinto and decontaminate the article, and a decontamination chamber that has a decontamination capability and is configured to be able to carry the article from the clean bench chamber into the inner space of the decontamination chamber and carry the article from the inner space of the decontamination chamber into the inside of the isolator.

Abstract: A container for a specimen is disclosed. According to the present invention, in the container for a specimen, a specimen is stored in a first container, and a fixative is sealed and stored by a second container and a barrier film. In addition, a fixative of the second container flows into the first container in a state in which the first container and the second container are coupled to each other by means of a connection member, and thus the fixative does not leak to the outside when the fixative flows into the first container in which the specimen has been placed. Therefore, fixative leakage is relatively inhibited compared with that of a conventional specimen container in which a fixative leaks to the outside, when a specimen is put into a container main body or taken out from the container main body, and thus the present invention can have effects of enabling damage to a worker's health to be prevented as much as possible and environmental pollution to be prevented as much as possible.

Abstract: The present disclosure provides a device for preparing and dispensing biological sample. Sampling, mixing of the sample with a specific solution, and loading of the mixture, can be achieved in an accurate and convenient manner.

Abstract: The disclosure provides an attachment structure of a pipette and a fluid injecting attachment, which includes a first cylindrical hole into which a tip end portion having a tapered shape of the pipette is inserted, on one end side of an attachment main body, and a second cylindrical hole that is communicated with the first cylindrical hole and out through which fluid inside the pipette flows, on the other end side, and a step portion between the first cylindrical hole and the second cylindrical hole due to the second cylindrical hole being formed with a smaller diameter than the first cylindrical hole, the tip end portion of the pipette is inserted through the first cylindrical hole, and while the tip end portion is inserted, the second cylindrical hole has a crush allowance farther toward a tip end side than the tip end portion.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a droplet dispensing apparatus includes a droplet ejection array having a plurality of nozzles from which droplets can be ejected into a well opening of a microplate plate on a baseplate, the plurality of nozzles being arranged in columns in a first direction and rows in a second direction that intersects the first direction, a light emitting unit configured to emit light having polarization perpendicular to a third direction oblique with respect to the first direction and the second direction, and a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the light emitting unit, the light receiving unit being on an opposite side of the droplet ejection array from the light emitting unit.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a droplet dispensing apparatus include a droplet ejecting array having a plurality of nozzles from which solution can be ejected into a microplate on a baseplate, a sensor configured to detect a solution amount in the microplate, and a controller configured to detect that a nozzle in the plurality of nozzles is malfunctioning during a solution ejection process based on an initial solution amount in the microplate and a final solution amount in the microplate as detected by the sensor, and control a supplemental droplet dispensing operation in which an additional solution amount is ejected into the microplate based on the initial solution amount and the final solution amount in the microplate.

Abstract: According to one embodiment, a droplet dispensing apparatus includes a droplet ejection array having a plurality of nozzles from which droplets can be ejected into a well opening of a microplate plate on a baseplate, a sensor configured to detect a liquid amount in the microplate, and a controller configured to detect that a nozzle in the plurality of nozzles is not discharging during a droplet ejection process based on an initial liquid amount in the microplate as detected by the sensor and a final liquid amount in the microplate as detected by the sensor during a droplet ejection process in which a predetermined number of droplets are to be ejected from the plurality of nozzles into the microplate.

Abstract: A device for testing the constituent elements of a fluid compound is provided. The device includes a hollow chamber that is filled with a sample fluid. At one end of the hallow chamber, a transfer fluid (such as air) is pumped through a permeable membrane. A portion of the sample fluid permeates the permeable membrane and is absorbed into the transfer fluid. The transfer fluid, with the absorbed sample fluid now in gaseous phase, is sent to a testing device in order to determine the constituent elements of the sample fluid.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a detection apparatus, comprising a base layer, wherein the base layer comprises a groove for containing a testing element and a sample chamber for collecting a fluid sample. The detection apparatus can achieve fast, efficient and accurate detection of analytes in liquid samples, make operators to perform testing conveniently and freely, without causing incorrect results. In some preferred modes, the sample chamber comprises a liquid channel.

Abstract: Described herein is a fluid collection unit comprising: a receptacle for passively collecting a fluid sample; and a fluid flow path in fluid communication with the receptacle, the fluid flow path passing through the unit for directing the fluid sample from the receptacle to an opposing end of the unit.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a microfluidic device, which comprises a substrate with a channel defined therein, on an upper surface of the substrate, wherein a bottom wall of the channel comprises several contiguous steps having an asymmetric profile along a main direction of the channel, so as to form a ratchet topography. The device further comprises a lid, opposite to and at a distance from the upper surface of the substrate, so as to face the bottom wall of the channel. The bottom wall and the lid are designed to allow like sign charges to accumulate thereat, in presence of a polar liquid confined in the channel between the bottom wall and the lid, so as to allow displacement of nanoscale particles in the polar liquid, along said main direction of the channel, under application of an alternating force to said nanoscale particles, in operation of the device.

Abstract: Example fluidic channels for microfluidic devices are disclosed. In examples disclosed herein, an example microfluidic device includes a body having a microfluidic network. The microfluidic network includes a main fluid channel to transport a biological fluid from a first cavity of the microfluidic network to a second cavity of the microfluidic network. An auxiliary fluid channel is in fluid communication with to the main fluid channel. The auxiliary fluid channel has a first end and a second end. The first end is in fluid communication with the main fluid channel and the second end is spaced from the main fluid channel. A fluid actuator is positioned in the auxiliary fluid channel to induce fluid flow in the main fluid channel.

Abstract: Embodiments of the invention include a microfluidic device, which comprises a substrate with a channel defined therein, on an upper surface of the substrate, wherein a bottom wall of the channel comprises several contiguous steps having an asymmetric profile along a main direction of the channel, so as to form a ratchet topography. The device further comprises a lid, opposite to and at a distance from the upper surface of the substrate, so as to face the bottom wall of the channel. The bottom wall and the lid are designed to allow like sign charges to accumulate thereat, in presence of a polar liquid confined in the channel between the bottom wall and the lid, so as to allow displacement of nanoscale particles in the polar liquid, along said main direction of the channel, under application of an alternating force to said nanoscale particles, in operation of the device.

Abstract: A disposable cartridge and method for measuring one or more properties of a blood sample are provided. The disposable cartridge can receive a sample when it is in an unsealed configuration. After adjusting the cartridge from the unsealed configuration to a sealed configuration, facilitated by a hingedly attached cap, pressurized air from an air bladder may be used to force the blood from a sample storage well into a detection chamber in a regulated manner, so that the one or more properties of the blood sample may then be measured.

Abstract: A cover assembly may include a tray assembly frame, a first cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the first cover extending in a first plane and defining one or more first openings; a second cover supported by the tray assembly frame, the second cover extending in a second plane and defining one or more second openings, wherein the first and second planes are different planes, and wherein the second cover is disposed above the first cover. The cover assembly may include one or more tray holders, each tray holder being configured to hold at least one tray in an upright orientation, wherein each tray holder is moveable between an open position and a closed position, the tray holders being accessible for loading or removing the trays in the open position, and the tray holders being positioned beneath the first and second covers in the closed position.

Abstract: A device for receiving and fluidically contacting a container for fluid, in particular a microfluidic device, includes a receiving unit configured to receive the container. The receiving unit includes at least one first hollow needle extending toward the received container, and at least one fixing element configured (i) to fix the received container at a predetermined distance from the needle, and (ii) such that the container is released in response to a force exceeding a predetermined threshold acting either (a) on the container in the direction of the needle, or (b) on the receiving unit in a direction toward the container. Release of the container enables the container and receiving unit to undergo a predetermined movement relative to each other such that the needle penetrates a shell of the container to fluidically contact the container.

Abstract: A droplet dispensing apparatus includes a droplet ejecting array having a plurality of nozzle groups, each nozzle group including a plurality of nozzles arranged in columns in a first direction and rows in a second direction that intersects the first direction, and the plurality of nozzles being arranged in a third direction, a light emitting unit configured to emit light along an optical path in the third direction oblique with respect to the first direction, a light receiving unit configured to receive light from the light emitting unit, the light receiving unit being on an opposite side of the droplet ejecting array from the light emitting unit, and a controller configured to receive signals from the light receiving unit according to light intensity as detected by the light receiving unit, and adjust ejection timings such that each of the plurality of nozzle groups ejects at a different timing.

Abstract: Fluidic multiwell bioreactors are provided as a microphysiological platform for in vitro investigation of multi-organ crosstalks with microbiome for an extended period of time of at least weeks and months. The platform has one or more improvements over existing bioreactors, including on-board pumping for pneumatically driven fluid flow, a redesigned spillway for self-leveling from source to sink, a non-contact built-in fluid level sensing device, precise control on fluid flow profile and partitioning, and facile reconfigurations such as daisy chaining and multilayer stacking. The platform supports the culture of multiple organs together with microbiome in a microphysiological, interacted systems, suitable for a wide range of biomedical applications including systemic toxicity studies and physiology-based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic predictions. A process to fabricate the bioreactors is also provided.

Abstract: Provided herein are methods and devices for controlled metering of a volume of fluid into a bioreactor chamber by use of a thermally-activated actuator that provides simultaneous temperature control and fluidic valve capability. The device may be an elastomeric valve assembly comprising: a thermally-activated actuator, a microfluidic cartridge and an elastomeric membrane operably connected to the thermally-activated actuator. Upon thermal activation of the thermally-activated actuator the elastomeric contact surface is forced into a lumen of the conduit of the microfluidic cartridge to fluidically seal the conduit, while the thermally-activated actuator is in thermal contact with a bioreactor chamber.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and computer program product for a microfluidic channel having a cover opposite its bottom, such that the cover allows visual inspection inside the channel, and having electrodes with patterned planar conducting materials, integrated onto its bottom. Using the planar conducting materials, once a fluid sample with suspended microparticles is applied into the channel, highly localized modulated electric field distributions are generated inside the channel and the fluid sample. This generated field causes the inducing of dielectrophoretic (DEP) forces in such a way that the DEP forces gradually increase along the length of the channel occupied by the electrodes. These DEP forces counteract the hydrodynamic drag of the flow acting on the particles suspended in the fluid.

Abstract: A system for capturing a biomolecule in a single cell includes: a two-dimensional array having single cell capture holes on one surface of a substrate, and biomolecule capture areas inside the substrate each comprising a biomolecule capture member for capturing a biomolecule extracted from individual cells respectively captured by the single cell capture holes; a flow channel for flowing a sample containing cells to be assayed, from a 1st direction parallel to the surface of the substrate; a structure on the surface of the substrate and opposed to the 1st direction on the downstream side of each of the single cell capture holes; a 1st application means applying a 1st flow, and a 1st control means; and a 2nd application means applying a 2nd flow orthogonal to the one surface of the substrate toward each biomolecule capture area from each corresponding single cell capture hole, and a 2nd control means.

Abstract: Biological activity in holding pens in a micro-fluidic device can be assayed by placing in the holding pens capture objects that bind a particular material of interest produced by the biological activity. The biological material of interest that binds to each capture object can then be assessed, either in the micro-fluidic device or after exporting the capture object from the micro-fluidic device. The assessment can be utilized to characterize the biological activity in each holding pen. The biological activity can be production of the biological material of interest. Thus, the biological activity can correspond to or arise from one or more biological cells. Biological cells within a holding pen can be clonal cell colonies. The biological activity of each clonal cell colony can be assayed while maintaining the clonal status of each colony.

Abstract: The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

Abstract: A device for the handling and the low-temperature storage of probe tubes in tube racks comprises a low-temperature compartment (1) having insulated side and bottom walls (2, 3) and at least one opening (6) at a top side. The compartment (1) is used for storing at least one tube rack at a low temperature. The device has a holder apparatus (8) comprising a rack holder (9) for holding a tube rack and a picker apparatus (25) comprising a gripper (26) adapted to remove and insert individual tubes from or into a tube rack held by said holder. The holder apparatus (8) is adapted to displace the rack holder (9) between an upper rack position outside low-temperature compartment (1) above the opening (6) and a lower rack position inside the compartment (1). Similarly, the picker apparatus (25) is adapted to displace the gripper (26) between an upper gripper position outside the compartment (1) above the opening (6) and a lower gripper position inside the compartment (1) below the opening (6).