The present invention relates to a device and a method for building a 3D object by mixing a bioink solution, a buffer solution capable of inducing gelation of the bioink solution and a dispersion containing micro and/or nanoparticles, and ejecting the formed hydrogel out of a nozzle. The present invention further relates to a method of obtaining a hydrogel.

A device and a method for clinically providing a preparation of autologous phages, namely, those that can verifiably be traced back to originating from a very specific person and preferably are also only intended for use in this one specific person includes a phage culturing device which is a fluid line system that is sealed off with respect to the outside environment The phages in the fluid line system obtained after at least one-time culturing are separated from bacteria by way of filtration, and preferably by way of tangential flow filtration. The phages separated by way of filtration are transferred into a collection vessel that is connected to the fluid line system and are preferably removed from the fluid line system, using the collection vessel, as a usable, preferably autologous preparation.

Structures and methods for tissue engineering include a multicellular body including a plurality of living cells. A plurality of multicellular bodies can be arranged in a pattern and allowed to fuse to form an engineered tissue. The arrangement can include filler bodies including a biocompatible material that resists migration and ingrowth of cells from the multicellular bodies and that is resistant to adherence of cells to it. Three-dimensional constructs can be assembled by printing or otherwise stacking the multicellular bodies and filler bodies such that there is direct contact between adjoining multicellular bodies, suitably along a contact area that has a substantial length. The direct contact between the multicellular bodies promotes efficient and reliable fusion. The increased contact area between adjoining multicellular bodies also promotes efficient and reliable fusion. Methods of producing multicellular bodies having characteristics that facilitate assembly of the three-dimensional constructs are also provided.

The present invention provides cell assay systems and its use in cell based assays.

Separating apparatus, comprising a sedimentation settler and a collection vessel disposed underneath and being in fluid communication with the sedimentation settler, the collection vessel forming a receiving chamber having an outlet at or adjacent to the chamber bottom and having an inlet opening, wherein the collection vessel is arranged such the flow direction of the fluid in the area underneath the sedimentation settler is substantially in line with the direction of the channels of the sedimentation settler.

An automatic plant tissue sampler and a method for operating the same are provided. The sampler can include a plant handler configured to transport a plurality of plants to an imager. The imager may be configured to image plants to identify a sampling location. The automatic plant tissue sampler also includes a sampler configured to remove a tissue sample from the sampling location of plants, and a collection vessel configured to receive the tissue samples. The automatic plant tissue sampler may transport a plurality of plants to an imager and images the plurality of plants to identify a sampling location. The automatic plant tissue sampler can remove a tissue sample from the sampling location of the plurality of plants and store the tissue samples in a collection vessel for testing.

The present invention relates to a process for producing a composition comprising an aqueous medium and, disposed in the aqueous medium, a first volume of a first hydrogel, which process comprises: (i) providing a composition comprising a first hydrophobic medium and, disposed in the first hydrophobic medium, a first volume of a first hydrogel; (ii) disposing a volume of an aqueous composition comprising a hydrogel compound around the first volume of the first hydrogel; (iii) allowing the aqueous composition comprising the hydrogel compound to form a gel and thereby forming a hydrogel object, which hydrogel object comprises the first volume of the first hydrogel and a second volume of a second hydrogel, which second volume of the second hydrogel is disposed around the first volume of the first hydrogel; and (iv) transferring the hydrogel object from the first hydrophobic medium to an aqueous medium and thereby producing the composition comprising the aqueous medium and, disposed in the aqueous medium, the first volume of the first hydrogel. The invention further provides a hydrogel object, which hydrogel object comprises a first volume of a first hydrogel and a second volume of a second hydrogel, which second volume of the second hydrogel is disposed around the first volume of the first hydrogel.

According to one broad aspect of this disclosure, a method is provided for producing polyhydroxyalkanoates (PHA) from organic waste. The method comprises homogenizing organic waste to obtain a feedstock that has 1:1 to 3:1 (w/w) water to organic waste ratio. The feedstock is inoculated with an inoculum of acidogenic fermentative bacteria in order to obtain an inoculated feedstock. The inoculated feedstock is incubated for 5 to 10 days, 3 to 10 days, optionally 7 days, optionally 3 days, to obtain a fermentation broth. The fermentation broth comprises volatile fatty acids (VFAs) and undigested organic waste. The fermentation broth is filtered with a filter with a pore size ranging from 0.2 μm to 500,000 NMWC to remove the acidogenic fermentative bacteria and undigested organic waste, to obtain a clarified broth comprising concentrated VFAs. The clarified broth and high-PHA producing bacteria are incubated to produce intracellular PHA granules in the high-PHA producing bacteria. PHA polymers are extracted from the intracellular PHA granules.

A system for converting a biomass into a biofuel including a biomass processing station arranged to receive the biomass from a biomass harvester, output the biomass to a hydrothermal liquefaction (HTL) converter, and receive a processed biomass from the HTL converter. The system includes a conduit arranged to transport the biomass from the biomass processing station to the HTL converter and transport the processed biomass from the HTL converter to the biomass processing station. The HTL converter includes a heat exchanger arranged to transfer thermal energy from a geothermal heat source to the biomass to convert the biomass into the processed biomass. The system also includes a controller arranged to monitor conditions of the biomass at locations along the conduit and adjust operations of components along the conduit to, thereby, adjust the conditions of the biomass at one or more locations along the conduit.

The microfluidic chip according to an embodiment of the present invention may include a plate, a bridge channel formed in intaglio on one side of the plate, an inlet formed through the plate to communicate with one end of the bridge channel, an outlet formed through the plate to communicate with the other end of the bridge channel, and at least one well extending in an outward direction of the plate from the bridge channel to provide a space, wherein the bridge channel may be in the form of a curved line, a bent line, an arc, a circle, a spiral, or a polygon.