A printed energy storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first and the second electrode. At least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator includes frustules, for example of diatoms. The frustules may have a uniform or substantially uniform property or attribute such as shape, dimension, and/or porosity. A property or attribute of the frustules can also be modified by applying or forming a surface modifying structure and/or material to a surface of the frustules. A membrane for an energy storage device includes frustules. An ink for a printed film includes frustules.

Provided herein includes a method for characterizing a target cell-free nucleic acid (cfNA) molecule present in a biological sample such as a urine sample. It comprises isolating total cfNAs from the biological sample without prior preprocessing such as centrifugation to remove cell debris, and characterizing the target cfNA molecule based on the isolated total cfNAs. When the target cfNA is a low molecular weight (LMW) molecule, the method additionally comprises a fractionation step to obtain LMW nucleic acids from the total cfNAs before characterization. The method can detect significantly more copies of the target cfNA molecule compared with existing methods which typically discard the cell debris from the biological sample. Another method is also provided, which substantially recovers cfNAs from the usually discarded cell debris, thus also capable of detecting significantly more copies of the target cfNA molecule.

A printed energy storage device includes a first electrode, a second electrode, and a separator between the first and the second electrode. At least one of the first electrode, the second electrode, and the separator includes frustules, for example of diatoms. The frustules may have a uniform or substantially uniform property or attribute such as shape, dimension, and/or porosity. A property or attribute of the frustules can also be modified by applying or forming a surface modifying structure and/or material to a surface of the frustules. A membrane for an energy storage device includes frustules. An ink for a printed film includes frustules.

The disclosed apparatus, systems and methods relate to sample preparation and shipping technologies in a single shippable container. The shipping container contains a single use centrifuge. The centrifuge can be temperature controlled and meets all standards and regulations for the shipping and transport of biological specimens.

The invention relates to a system, comprising: a) a sample processing unit, comprising an input port and an output port coupled to a rotating container having at least one sample chamber, the sample processing unit configured provide a first processing step to a sample or to rotate the container so as to apply a centrifugal force to a sample deposited in the chamber and separate at least a first component and a second component of the deposited sample; and b) a sample separation unit coupled to the output port of the sample processing unit, the cell separation unit comprising separation column holder (42), a pump (64) and a plurality of valves (1-11) configured to at least partially control fluid flow through a fluid circuitry and a separation column (40) positioned in the holder, the separation column configured to separate labeled and unlabeled components of sample flowed through the column.

A closed loop extraction system for extracting desired components from raw plant matter and method of use is disclosed. The closed loop extraction system features a solvent source, a chill tank, a wash tank, a rinse tank, a centrifuge, and a feed tank all in fluid communication via a series of interconnected pump systems. The method of extracting the desired products from raw plant matter uses this system to perform the extraction with a reduced amount of solvent in an energy-efficient manner.

The present invention provides a nanoparticle mass purification system capable of purifying nanoparticles at high yield and high purify from a nanoparticle synthesis stock solution synthesized in large quantities, and reusing the used solvent by recovery, and a nanoparticle mass purification method using same.

Sample collection tubes and methods of producing the same are provided. Contemplated collection tubes comprise a tube having a separator substance disposed therein. In some aspects, the separator substance preferably maintains a predetermined flowability during irradiation or heat sterilization, and can subsequently polymerize upon exposure to a UV light or other suitable source. In other aspects, the separator substance preferably includes a soft gel component (thixotropic gel), and a photocurable sealant component that is formulated to polymerize and form a solid barrier between fractions of a liquid.

Embodiments relate to systems, chambers, and methods for processing particles by washing, concentrating, and/or treating the particles. Some embodiments provide for the processing of cells that may be in a liquid medium (e.g., a liquid in which the cells were grown) and are processed by being washed and concentrated for later use in research or other therapies.

A separation container includes a separation tube receiving a sample therein, a first sedimentation part connected to an end portion of the tube, a particle in the sample being deposited by a centrifugal or agitating force, and a separating part provided in the tube and including at least one separating layer which selectively opens and closes the tube.