A homogenizer, for homogenizing a tissue sample collected from a living body, comprising: a main body; and a storage cooler, comprising a container holder for holding a sample container, configured to cool a tissue sample in the sample container held by the container holder, the storage cooler being detachably installed to the main body, wherein the main body has a blender for crushing the tissue sample in the sample container held in the storage cooler is disclosed.

A process for processing metal ore includes: reducing a metal ore, particularly a metallic oxide, in a blast furnace shaft; producing furnace gas containing CO.sub.2, in the blast furnace shaft; discharging the furnace gas from the blast furnace shaft; directing at least a portion of the furnace gas directly or indirectly into a CO.sub.2-converter; and converting the CO.sub.2 contained in the furnace gas into an aerosol consisting of a carrier gas and C-particles in the CO.sub.2-converter in the presence of a stoichiometric surplus of C; directing at least a first portion of the aerosol from the CO.sub.2-converter into the blast furnace shaft; and introducing H.sub.2O into the blast furnace shaft. By virtue of the reaction C+H.sub.2O.fwdarw.CO.sub.2+2H, nascent hydrogen is produced in the blast furnace which causes rapid reduction of the metal ore. The speed of reduction of the metal ore is thus increased, and it is possible to increase either the throughput capacity of the blast furnace or to reduce the size of the blast furnace. An aerosol in the form of a fluid is easily introducible into the blast furnace shaft.

An extra-capillary fluid cycling unit for maintaining and cycling fluid volumes in a cell culture chamber includes a housing and a first flexible reservoir extra-capillary fluid reservoir disposed in the housing. The extra-capillary fluid reservoir is in fluid communication with a cell culture chamber. A second flexible reservoir is also located in the housing, the second flexible reservoir being in fluid communication with a pressure source. A sensor plate is movably disposed in the housing between the extra-capillary reservoir and the second reservoir, wherein the second reservoir is pressurized to move the sensor plate in relation to the extra-capillary reservoir to cause fluid cycling and maintain fluid volumes in the cell growth chamber.

A flowcell device, including a flow pathway and an optical subassembly, has a flowcell body that is continuous with a sample being analyzed and a temperature controlled surface. The flowcell body can be disposed between a thermalplate, actively regulated by a thermoelectric cooler, and an insulating member. The flowcell device can be employed in a bioreactor monitoring system.

An automated isolation device for isolation of mitochondria includes an incubation station including a holder for a viable mitochondria solution; and a cooling system, controlled by a processor of the device, for cooling the holder. The device includes a processor-controlled transfer system for transferring solution from the holder to a filtration station; and the filtration station, including a series of filters. The device includes a processor-controlled spectrometry station including a spectrometer positioned to illuminate a cuvette fluidically coupled to an output of the filtration station; and a detector coupled to the processor and positioned on a side of the cuvette opposite the spectrometer. The device includes a processor-controlled transfer system for transferring solution from the spectrometry station to a centrifuge. The centrifuge is processor-controlled and configured to centrifuge the filtrate to separate viable mitochondria from a supernatant.

A method for producing a fuel includes transporting one or more pressure vessels containing pressurized biogas from a first location to a second location, and removing biogas from the one or more pressure vessels at the second location. The fuel production process is improved by controlling the decanting flow rate to provide a total decant time greater than 30-40 minutes, by actively heating biogas contained within the one or more pressure vessels, or some combination thereof.

The feed production device includes a first water tank in which bacteria and plankton are raised, and a second water tank in which the bacteria and plankton that are raised in the first water tank are annihilated to create a feed for leptocephalus.