This disclosure provides methods for producing a sample of subcellular organelles, particularly nuclei, from a tissue. In some embodiments, this disclosure provides a method of processing a tissue sample involves performing enzymatic/chemical disruption of tissue in a chamber to produce disrupted tissue comprising released cells and/or nuclei and debris; separating the released cells and/or nuclei from the debris therein; and moving the released cells and/or nuclei. In some instances, the method comprises mechanical disruption of the tissue sample.

The present disclosure relates to a nucleic acid analysis apparatus using a cartridge which can simplify the nucleic acid extraction and applicable to a molecular diagnostic POCT equipment. The nucleic acid analysis device includes a stage on which a cartridge is mountable, a nucleic acid extraction unit, and a control unit. The nucleic acid extraction unit performs a nucleic acid extraction through crushing of the sample, the cell disruption, and the nucleic acid purification as well as a nucleic acid amplification. The control unit controls the stage and the nucleic acid extraction unit so that the nucleic acid extraction through the crushing of the sample, the cell disruption, and the nucleic acid purification as well as the nucleic acid amplification are collectively performed.

The invention shows and describes a vibration mill for at least two grinding beakers performing vibrations in the horizontal position, with at least one multi-part pendulum drive, wherein the pendulum drive has at least one eccentric shaft mounted to rotate about a vertical eccentric axis, and at least two rockers each mounted so as to be capable of vibrating about a vertical vibration axis and connected by means of couplers to the eccentric shaft, said rockers holding the grinding beakers. The pendulum drive further has a motor unit coupled to the eccentric shaft as a drive for the eccentric shaft and optionally further components, wherein a rotary movement of the eccentric shaft via the couplers can be converted into a vibrating movement of the rockers. According to the invention, the centre of gravity of the pendulum drive in a horizontal centre of gravity plane is substantially equidistant from both vibration axes.

The invention relates to a rapid method for estimating the dry matter content of a fruit or vegetable. The method comprises drying a sample of the fruit or vegetable on a support and measuring the dry matter content, wherein the whole method can be carried out in less than 2 hours. This compares to the industry standard method for assessing dry matter in horticultural products which typically takes 6-48 hours.

The invention relates to a device for crumbling root crops into substantially equal sized pieces, comprising: a main frame having an inlet side and an outlet side; a root crop supply at the inlet side; at least one crumbling shaft rotatable supported in the main frame, the crumbling shaft being provided with a plurality of curved hooks, which are curved into a direction of rotation of the crumbling shaft; and a non-rotating cutting rake having a plurality of protrusions and recesses and forming a counter blade for the hooks, wherein the hooks are arranged for interlaced movement with said recesses of the non-rotating rake. The invention moreover concerns a system and a corresponding method.

The present disclosure provides a method of separating cellular particles from a tissue sample and then sorting the cellular particles into two or more cellular particle populations.

In an embodiment, a system for measuring soil element concentration in a field in real time is disclosed. The system comprises an extraction apparatus coupled to a mobility component configured to move the system in the agricultural field. The extraction apparatus configured to receive a plurality of soil samples successively from a soil probe coupled to the mobility component, when the mobility component is operating. The extraction apparatus containing an extractant solution that is a solvent of the soil samples. In addition, the extraction apparatus comprising a mixer that is configured to mix the soil samples with the extractant solution, thereby forming a solution mix. The system also comprises a chemical sensor coupled to the extraction apparatus, the chemical sensor configured to measure a concentration level of a soil element in the solution mix. Furthermore, the system comprises a processor coupled to the chemical sensor, the processor configured to calculate a concentration level of the soil element in each of the plurality of soil samples after the soil sample is received by the extraction apparatus and before a successive soil sample is received by the extraction apparatus.

Systems and methods are described for providing a representative, homogeneous, and planarized target for solid sample laser ablation. A method embodiment includes, but is not limited to, removing portions of a solid sample with an abrasive sampling system, the abrasive sampling system including at least one of a plurality of abrasive particles configured to hold the portions of the solid sample on an abrasive substrate between the abrasive particles or a texturized surface configured to hold the portions of the solid sample on the texturized surface; transferring the abrasive sampling system holding the portions of the solid sample to a laser ablation system; and ablating the portions of the solid sample held by the abrasive sampling system with the laser ablation system.

A system, methods, and apparatus are described to collect and prepare single cells, nuclei, subcellular components, and biomolecules from specimens including tissues. The system can perform enzymatic and/or physical disruption of the tissue to dissociate it into single-cells or nuclei in suspension or subcellular components including nucleic acids. In some embodiments, the titer of dissociated cells is monitored at intervals and the viability determined. In some embodiments, the processing is adjusted according to the measurements of the titer and viability. In some embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei in suspension are washed and resuspended in the buffer or media of choice. In some embodiments, the conditions are chosen to produce nuclei. In other embodiments, the single-cells or nuclei are purified by affinity paramagnetic bead processing. In some embodiments, matched bulk nucleic acid to the single-cells is produced. In other embodiments, single-cell libraries, or nuclei libraries, or matched bulk libraries, or bulk libraries are produced. The single cells or nuclei can then be further processed by FACS, DNA sequencing, mass spectrometry, fluorescence, or other methods. In other embodiments, the tissue processing is integrated with an analytical system to produce a sample-to-answer system such as a tissue-to-genomics system.

Methods for rapidly concentrating a food sample for efficient detection of bacteria are disclosed. A microfiltration approach followed by centrifugation was used to concentrate the cells with an enzyme (e.g., a protease) added at the beginning of the process to facilitate more efficient micro-filtering. The enzyme was found to have no significant effect on cell viability.