A sorting device is provided. The sorting device includes: a carrier substrate; an input unit disposed on the carrier substrate for inputting a biological sample into the sorting device; a porous material disposed on the carrier substrate and adjacent to the input unit, wherein the porous material contains antigen molecules having specificity to a target biological analyte; a driving module generating at least one driving force in the porous material so as to sort the biological sample based on the affinity for the antigen and the driving force; and an output unit disposed on the carrier substrate and adjacent to the porous material for collecting the sorted target biological analyte. A sorting method is also provided.

The present invention provides for lysing systems and methods to rapidly lyse bugs, bacteria, viruses, cells and/or algae in an efficient manner in addition to fragmenting DNA and/or RNA onto smaller pieces. Solutions or gases containing the biological material to be lysed are introduced or pumped (flow) between two or more apexes of metallic triangles with microwave energy focused at the apexes. Subsequently, the rapid heating of fluid between the apexes lyses cells allows for increased collection of the lysate, the inner genetic materials or other components for further purification or isolating thereafter.

A hydrolyzer outfeed system includes a hydrolyzer having a hydrolyzer outlet, an intermediate pressure chamber having a pressure chamber inlet and a pressure chamber outlet, and an expansion chamber. A pressure chamber inlet valve selectively communicates the hydrolyzer outlet with the pressure chamber inlet, the inlet valve having an inlet valve cross-sectional area in a fully open position. A pressure chamber outlet valve selectively communicates the pressure chamber outlet with the expansion chamber. The pressure chamber outlet valve has an outlet valve cross-sectional area in a fully open position. The outlet valve cross-sectional area is smaller than the inlet valve cross-sectional area.

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce a product or intermediate, e.g., energy, a food, a fuel, or a material.

A method to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize cells. A structure comprising a material and particles able to absorb electromagnetic radiation and cells are brought at close distance from each other. Part of the particles embedded in the structure are exposed to the free surface of the structure. The structure and, in particular, the particles in the structure are irradiated with electromagnetic radiation to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize the cells. Furthermore, the disclosure relates to a structure for use in a photothermal process to selectively permeabilize and/or fragmentize cells.

An object of the invention is to provide an electroporation method for treating vesicles with exogenous material for insertion of the exogenous material into the vesicles which includes the steps of: a. retaining a suspension of the vesicles and the exogenous material in a treatment volume in a chamber which includes electrodes, wherein the chamber has a geometric factor (cm.sup.1 ) defined by the quotient of the electrode gap squared (cm.sup.2) divided by the chamber volume (cm.sup.3), wherein the geometric factor is less than or equal to 0.1 cm.sup.1, wherein the suspension of the vesicles and the exogenous material is in a medium which is adjusted such that the medium has conductivity in a range spanning 50 microSiemens/cm to 500 microSiemens/cm, wherein the suspension is enclosed in the chamber during treatment, and b. treating the suspension enclosed in the chamber with one or more pulsed electric fields. With the method, the treatment volume of the suspension is scalable, and the time of treatment of the vesicles in the chamber is substantially uniform.

A phoresis device for moving a target object by dielectrophoresis is realized with use of a thin film transistor substrate. A phoresis device (1) includes a TFT substrate (10) which supports a muscle cell (T1) and a nerve cell (T2) and which is configured to form an electric field that causes dielectrophoresis. In the phoresis device (1), the muscle cell (T1) and the nerve cell (T2) are moved through application of a voltage to part of a plurality of transistors of the TFT substrate (10).

Biomass feedstocks (e.g., plant biomass, animal biomass, and municipal waste biomass) are processed to produce useful products, such as fuels. For example, systems are described that can use feedstock materials, such as cellulosic and/or lignocellulosic materials and/or starchy materials, to produce a product or intermediate, e.g., energy, a food, a fuel, or a material.

An anaerobic digestion system is provided that includes a blend tank operable to control and perform pre-treatment of feedstock. An anaerobic digester is operable to digest the feedstock provided from the blend tank in a totally enclosed oxygen-free environment within a specific temperature range. A bio-mass tank processes liquid digestate from the anaerobic digester. One or more baffles are positioned in the digester, with the one or more baffles providing for plug flow through at least a portion of the digester to create baffled zones that are at least partially operable independently of adjacent baffled zones. A bio-mass tank processes liquid digestate from the anaerobic digester. An energy source is coupled to the anaerobic digester.

An object of the invention is to provide an electroporation method for treating vesicles with exogenous material for insertion of the exogenous material into the vesicles which includes the steps of: a. retaining a suspension of the vesicles and the exogenous material in a treatment volume in a chamber which includes electrodes, wherein the chamber has a geometric factor (cm.sup.1) defined by the quotient of the electrode gap squared (cm.sup.2) divided by the chamber volume (cm.sup.3), wherein the geometric factor is less than or equal to 0.1 cm.sup.1, wherein the suspension of the vesicles and the exogenous material is in a medium which is adjusted such that the medium has conductivity in a range spanning 50 microSiemens/cm to 500 microSiemens/cm, wherein the suspension is enclosed in the chamber during treatment, and b. treating the suspension enclosed in the chamber with one or more pulsed electric fields. With the method, the treatment volume of the suspension is scalable, and the time of treatment of the vesicles in the chamber is substantially uniform.