A microchannel device, including a homogenization chamber, a deceleration-cooling channel, an acidity regulation channel, a microchannel reaction chamber, and an ultrafiltration desalination chamber. A method for preparing high-oil-load microcapsules using the aforementioned microchannel device, including: preparing an aqueous phase and an oil phase; feeding the aqueous phase and the oil phase to the homogenization chamber to form a first emulsion; cooling the first emulsion; adjusting pH of the first emulsion with dilute hydrochloric acid; feeding the first emulsion to the microchannel reaction chamber to form a second emulsion with a core-shell structure; removing Na.sup.+ and Cl.sup.− from the second emulsion; and subjecting the second emulsion to spray drying to obtain the high-oil-load microcapsule powder.

A processor includes a first die, a second die connected to the first die with a microfluidic volume positioned between the first die and the second die, at least one pin fin positioned in the microfluidic volume, and a boiling enhancement surface feature positioned on a pin surface of the pin fin.

An apparatus (1) for cooling containers, in particular vials, comprising at least one first cooling zone (200) for receiving containers, with a cooling zone base and a cooling zone wall (201), and a cooling device (300) for cooling air, and a first duct (113) for conducting the cooled air from the cooling device (300) into the cooling zone (200), wherein an outlet of the first duct (113) is spaced apart from the cooling zone base.

An analysis container includes an outer tube and a plurality of inner tubes. The outer tube defines a buffer volume that is configured to receive a buffer material. The plurality of inner tubes is disposed within the buffer volume. Each inner tube has an inner diameter equal to or less than 6 mm and is configured to receive a biopharmaceutical composition therein. The outer tube is configured such that the buffer material and the biopharmaceutical composition are axially frozen.

Systems, methods, and collection devices are disclosed for rapid, local PCR testing. The system may include a PCR testing module, memory configured to store computer-executable instructions, and at least one computer processor configured to access the memory and execute the computer executable instructions to: (i) receive an order for a PCR diagnostic test; (ii) associate a sample collection device (SCD) received by the PCR testing module with the order for a PCR diagnostic test; (iii) instruct the PCR testing module to conduct the PCR diagnostic test on a biological specimen in the SCD received by the PCR testing module; and (iv) cause presentation of results of the PCR diagnostic test.

Systems and methods are disclosed for rapid PCR testing. Example embodiments may include a PCR testing module that includes a housing having a PCR machine disposed therein; a sample input station on the housing, wherein the sample input station is configured to receive a sample collection device (SCD) comprising a biological specimen sample provided by the patient; an SCD processing mechanism configured to transfer a lysed microportion of the biological specimen sample into a PCR sample tube attached to the SCD; at least one mechanism configured to separate the PCR sample tube from the SCD and transfer the PCR sample tube to the PCR machine; and a controller configured to (i) use the PCR machine to conduct a PCR test on contents of the PCR sample tube, and (ii) generate results of the PCR test.

Systems and methods here may be configured for cooling and examining materials. In some example embodiments, the system may include a main thermoconductive body with indentations on the top surface, a bottom surface having legs structures along the edge, wherein the bottom surface and the plurality of leg structures form a partially enclosed bottom chamber, and a center channel connecting the top surface and the bottom chamber.

Digital microfluidic (DMF) apparatuses and methods for optically-induced heating and manipulating droplets are described herein. DMF apparatuses employing photonic heating as described herein provide radical simplification of routing droplets/reagents in complex, multistep protocols and/or highly plexed workflows.

A sensor for detecting a target pathogen (e.g., a virus or a bacterium) in a specimen is disclosed, which includes at least two sensing units one of which is configured to detect at least one protein (such as a structural protein) associated with the target pathogen and another one is configured to detect at least one genetic component (e.g., an RNA or a DNA segment) associated with that pathogen (e.g., an RNA segment that is unique to that pathogen).

Cryogenic devices are provided in which solid carbon dioxide (dry ice) is used to maintain a temperature zone in which samples can be manipulated under conditions in which the sample is maintained at a temperature below −50° C.