Method of detecting a target nucleic acid. In an exemplary method, at least two thermal zones of different temperature may be created using a heating assembly. A first emulsion and a second emulsion may be formed. The first and second emulsions may be thermally cycled by passing them through tubing in a spaced relation to one another, with the tubing being wound around a central axis of the heating assembly and extending through each thermal zone multiple times. Thermally cycling may promote amplification of the target nucleic acid in droplets of each emulsion. Droplets of each emulsion may be passed through a detection channel located downstream of the tubing. Fluorescence may be detected from the droplets being passed through the detection channel.

An atomizer mixing chamber for a seed treater has a body having first and second inlets for receiving first and second treatment fluids. The atomizer mixing chamber has a first stage cup for receiving and combining the first and second treatment fluids to provide a combined fluid, the first stage cup comprising a first set of holes through which the combined fluid flows. The atomizer also has a second stage cup below the first stage cup for receiving the combined fluid from the first stage cup, wherein the second stage cup further mixes the combined fluid to provide a mixed fluid and wherein the second stage cup comprises a second set of holes through which the mixed fluid flows. The atomizer mixing chamber may include a third stage cup below the second stage cup for receiving the mixed fluid and having a third set of holes through which the mixed fluid exits from the atomizer.

A device for closing a delivery head of a dispensing machine for delivering fluid products includes a stationary support, a drive shaft, which rotates with respect to the stationary support around a vertical axis, and can be moved with respect to the stationary support along the same vertical axis, a cup-shaped closing element carried at the distal end of an arm fixed to a lower end of the drive shaft, and a screw and nut mechanism which controls a translation of the closing element in the direction of the longitudinal axis and a rotation movement to the longitudinal axis using a single actuator.

Fluidic devices and methods associated with mixing of fluids in fluidic devices are provided. In some embodiments, a method may involve the mixing of two or more fluids in a channel segment of a fluidic device. The fluids may be in the form of, for example, at least first, second and third fluid plugs, composed of first, second, and third fluids, respectively. The second fluid may be immiscible with the first and third fluids. In certain embodiments, the fluid plugs may be flowed in series in the channel segment, e.g., in linear order, causing the first and third fluids to mix without the use of active components such as mixers. The mixing of fluids in a channel segment as described herein may allow for improved performance and simplification in the design and operations of fluidic devices that rely on mixing of fluids.

Method of detecting a target nucleic acid. In an exemplary method, at least two thermal zones of different temperature may be created using a heating assembly. A first emulsion and a second emulsion may be formed. The first and second emulsions may be thermally cycled by passing them through tubing in a spaced relation to one another, with the tubing being wound around a central axis of the heating assembly and extending through each thermal zone multiple times. Thermally cycling may promote amplification of the target nucleic acid in droplets of each emulsion. Droplets of each emulsion may be passed through a detection channel located downstream of the tubing. Fluorescence may be detected from the droplets being passed through the detection channel.

Embodiments described herein may be useful for optofluidic devices. For example, optofluidic devices using dynamic fluid lens materials represent an ideal platform to create versatile, reconfigurable, refractive optical components. For example, the articles described herein may be useful as fluidic tunable compound micro-lenses. Such compound micro-lenses may be composed of two or more components (e.g., two or more inner phases) that form stable bi-phase emulsion droplets in outer phases (e.g., aqueous media). In some embodiments, the articles described herein may be useful as light emitting droplets. Advantageously, the plurality of droplets may be configured such that light rays may modified (e.g., via stimulation of the droplets, exposure to an analyte such as a pathogen) to have a detectable emission intensity and/or angle of maximum emission intensity under a particular set of conditions.

Droplet-based methods of analysis. In an exemplary method, a device having a port connected to a chamber may be selected. A sample-containing fluid may be placed into the port. A pressure differential may be created that drives the sample-containing fluid from the port to the chamber and separates the sample-containing fluid into droplets. A two-dimensional monolayer of the droplets may be formed in the chamber. At least a portion of the monolayer may be imaged.

An apparatus for creating an emulsion, including: an inlet chamber; a channel comprising a length L, height H, an inlet and an outlet, and walls having surface energies, the channel inlet adjacent to the inlet chamber. The channel inlet walls have a first surface energy and the outlet walls have a second surface energy substantially different from the first surface energy. An outlet chamber is disposed adjacent to the channel outlet, the outlet chamber height H2 being greater than the channel height H.

An atomizer mixing chamber for a seed treater has a body having first and second inlets for receiving first and second treatment fluids. The atomizer mixing chamber has a first stage cup for receiving and combining the first and second treatment fluids to provide a combined fluid, the first stage cup comprising a first set of holes through which the combined fluid flows. The atomizer also has a second stage cup below the first stage cup for receiving the combined fluid from the first stage cup, wherein the second stage cup further mixes the combined fluid to provide a mixed fluid and wherein the second stage cup comprises a second set of holes through which the mixed fluid flows. The atomizer mixing chamber may include a third stage cup below the second stage cup for receiving the mixed fluid and having a third set of holes through which the mixed fluid exits from the atomizer.

The invention generally relates to methods for forming mixed droplets. In certain embodiments, methods of the invention involve forming a droplet, and contacting the droplet with a fluid stream, wherein a portion of the fluid stream integrates with the droplet to form a mixed droplet.