Cartridges for the isolation of a biological sample and downstream biological assays on the sample are provided, as are methods for using such cartridges. In one embodiment, a nucleic acid sample is isolated from a biological sample and the nucleic acid sample is amplified, for example by the polymerase chain reaction. The cartridges provided herein can also be used for the isolation of non-nucleic acid samples, for example proteins, and to perform downstream reactions on the proteins, for example, binding assays. Instruments for carrying out the downstream biological assays and for detecting the results of the assays are also provided.

A fluid mixing system that can be used as a bioreactor or fermentor can include a stand and a support housing pivotably mounted to the stand. The support housing bounds a chamber into which a container assembly is removably disposed. The container assembly includes a flexible bag bounding a compartment adapted to hold a fluid and a mixing element disposed within the compartment. The support housing can be tilted relative to the stand for ease in insertion of the container assembly. The support housing can also be repeatedly rocked relative to the stand form mixing fluid within the container assembly.

A method for mixing a fluid includes: dispensing a first volume of a fluid into a flexible container, the flexible container being at least partially disposed within the chamber of a support housing; repeatedly moving the support housing and the flexible container contained therein so as to mix the first volume of fluid within the flexible container; adding further fluid into the flexible container after moving the support housing to form a second volume of fluid; and manipulating a mixing element within the flexible container so as to mix the second volume of fluid.

Organopolysiloxane emulsions which are stable and of large particle size are produced in controllable fashion using a cylindrical mixer having multiple inlets and axially displaced rotor stator units.

A liquid dispensing system for treating a substrate is provided and includes a flow controller, pressure regulator, mixing node, liquid mixer, temperature sensor, N dispensers, and system controller. The flow controller receives and controls a flow rate of a first liquid. The pressure regulator receives and controls a pressure of a second liquid. The mixing node mixes the first and second liquid output by the flow controller and pressure regulator to provide a first mixture. The liquid mixer mixes the first mixture and a third liquid to provide a second mixture. The temperature sensor measures a temperature of the second mixture. The N dispensers dispense the second mixture at the substrate. The system controller controls the measured temperature to be between the first and second temperatures by adjusting the flow rate based on the measured temperature and independent of a measurement of a flow rate of the second liquid.

The invention provides a method for producing a peroxymonosulfuric acid solution with high stability, including the steps of mixing 35 mass % or more of hydrogen peroxide and 70 mass % or more of sulfuric acid to react them, cooling the reaction solution to 80 C. or lower within five minutes after initiation of the mixing step, and diluting the reaction solution with water four times or more as much as the reaction solution by mass.

The invention generally relates to a mixing device. In certain embodiments, devices of the invention include a fluidic inlet, a fluidic outlet, and a chamber, the chamber being configured to produce a plurality of fluidic vortexes within the chamber.

A chemical treatment apparatus for diluting and activating a polymeric material can include a mixing chamber having a first end, a second end, a first baffle plate positioned between the first end and second end, a high shear mixing zone positioned between the first end of the mixing chamber and the first baffle plate, and a low shear mixing zone positioned downstream from the high shear agitation zone between the second end of the mixing chamber and the first baffle plate. The volume ratio of the high shear mixing zone to the low shear mixing zone can be in the range of 1:2 to 1:10. A method and system for diluting and activating polymeric materials are also disclosed.

A system and method for pumping fluid using a pump cassette is disclosed. The system includes a control assembly for operating the pump cassette. A force assembly having a movable member is capable of applying force to the pump cassette to press the pump cassette against the control assembly. The movable member may be an expandable member, such as a bladder.

The subject of the present invention is a microfluidic circuit in which are defined microchannels able to contain fluids and including at least one device for forming drops of a solution, guiding the drops to a storage zone in which one of the drops can be brought into contact with a drop of another solution, the walls of the microchannel portion forming the first drop-formation device diverging so as to cause drops of the first solution to detach under the effect of the surface tension of the first solution; the first guide include wall portions of the microchannels that diverge so as to cause the drops to move along under the effect of the surface tension of the first solution.