A mixer apparatus for mixing a high-viscosity fluid has a mixer shaft with a plurality of blades affixed thereto, a hydraulic motor drivingly connected to the mixer shaft so as to rotate the mixer shaft, a hydraulic pump connected by a fluid circuit to the hydraulic motor so as to deliver hydraulic fluid under pressure to the hydraulic motor, an electric motor drivingly connected to the hydraulic pump, and a hydraulic fluid reservoir connected to the fluid circuit so as to supply hydraulic fluid to the hydraulic pump. The plurality of blades are pivotally mounted to the mixer shaft.

The present invention generally relates to droplets and/or emulsions, such as multiple emulsions. In some cases, the droplets and/or emulsions may be used in assays, and in certain embodiments, the droplet or emulsion may be hardened to form a gel. In some aspects, a heterogeneous assay can be performed using a gel. For example, a droplet may be hardened to form a gel, where the droplet contains a cell, DNA, or other suitable species. The gel may be exposed to a reactant, and the reactant may interact with the gel and/or with the cell, DNA, etc., in some fashion. For example, the reactant may diffuse through the gel, or the hardened particle may liquefy to form a liquid state, allowing the reactant to interact with the cell. As a specific example, DNA contained within a gel particle may be subjected to PCR (polymerase chain reaction) amplification, e.g., by using PCR primers able to bind to the gel as it forms. As the DNA is amplified using PCR, some of the DNA will be bound to the gel via the PCR primer. After the PCR reaction, unbound DNA may be removed from the gel, e.g., via diffusion or washing. Thus, a gel particle having bound DNA may be formed in one embodiment of the invention.

The present invention provides a fluidic device in which solutions of different concentrations can be easily obtained. The fluidic device includes: a first substrate and a second substrate which are stacked in a thickness direction; an undiluted solution introduction flow path which has an undiluted solution introduction port and which is constituted of a groove part provided on at least one of the first substrate and the second substrate; a first circulation flow path which is constituted of a groove part having an annular shape and having a shared part that shares part of a flow path with the undiluted solution introduction flow path and a non-shared part which is not shared with the undiluted solution introduction flow path and which is connected to a diluting solution introduction port; a second circulation flow path which is provided independently of the first circulation flow path and which is constituted of a groove part having an annular shape and having a shared part that shares some flow path with the undiluted solution introduction flow path and a non-shared part which is not shared with the undiluted solution introduction flow path and which is connected to a diluting solution introduction port; and/or a third circulation flow path which is constituted of a groove part having an annular shape and having a shared flow path that shares part of a flow path with the first circulation flow path and a non-shared flow path which is not shared with the first circulation flow path and which is connected to a diluting solution introduction port, wherein the undiluted solution introduction flow path includes a valve at both ends of the shared part.

The methods described herein provide an improved approach for generating monodispersed droplets. Monodispersed droplets may be effectively obtained by using a plurality of particles to trigger the breakup of a jet, which can include, e.g., flowing in a channel of a microfluidic device a first fluid into a second fluid under stable jetting conditions to provide a jet of the first fluid in the second fluid, wherein the first fluid is immiscible with the second fluid; and introducing a plurality of particles into the jet of the first fluid triggering break-up of the jet of the first fluid and encapsulation of the plurality of particles in a plurality of monodispersed droplets of the first fluid in the second fluid.

Described is an automated reagent mixing container for separately storing and automatically mixing together at least two stored reagent components.

Biomaterials, in particular bone foams, a process for preparing such materials as well as an applicator for applying the biomaterials directly to the patient's application site, and the use of a composition comprising water, a surfactant and a propellant in the preparation of a bone foam for the preparation of a calcium phosphate foam wherein the foam is obtainable by the mixture of at least two phases, a first phase comprising water and optionally a propellant, a second phase comprising one or more sources for calcium and/or phosphate, and wherein the foaming is performed during the mixture of the at least two phases to provide an improved calcium phosphate foam, process for the preparation of a calcium phosphate foam, use of a composition, solid state structure, calcium phosphate cement foam and bone foam applicator.

The invention generally relates to methods for quantifying an amount of enzyme molecules. Systems and methods of the invention are provided for measuring an amount of target by forming a plurality of fluid partitions, a subset of which include the target, performing an enzyme-catalyzed reaction in the subset, and detecting the number of partitions in the subset. The amount of target can be determined based on the detected number.

A surgical system including a surgical tool and a navigation system for tracking the position of the surgical tool. The surgical tool comprising a housing including a variable speed motor and control module disposed within the housing. The navigation system comprising a navigation console in communication with the control module of the surgical tool, the navigation console may be configured to communicate instructions to the control module of the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to a defined zone. The navigation console may be configured to deactivate the surgical tool based on the position of the surgical tool relative to the defined zone. The navigation console may also be configured to provide a user-selectable override option to allow continued operation of the surgical tool within the defined zone.

A beverage apparatus, the beverage apparatus being hand-holdable by a user of the beverage apparatus to be portable, can include a beverage chamber housing that includes a chamber for storing a consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include a dispensing assembly that includes a receptacle. The receptacle can retain a vessel. The vessel can include an electronic tag and can contain an additive. The dispensing assembly can be operatively controllable by a controller to output the additive from the vessel into the consumable liquid. The beverage apparatus can include one or more sensors, devices, or assemblies that can be used to detect a volume of liquid in the chamber or a liquid level in the chamber. The beverage apparatus can include an apparatus computer processor portion (ACP) and an apparatus database portion. The beverage apparatus can include various additional features.

The present inventions are generally directed to surface aerators for aerating water or wastewater in a basin, lagoon or tank. In particular, the present inventions relate to flow straightening vanes incorporated into an aerator volute tube that straighten the intake and discharge flow thereby minimizing or eliminating torque on the unit and on the mooring components of the aeration assembly. The present inventions also improve mixing and aeration.