The present invention relates to the field of degradation with hyperthermophilic organisms, and in particular to the use of hyperthermophilic degradation to produce heat from a biomass. In some embodiments, a biomass is fermented in the presence of hyperthermophilic organisms to produce heat. The heat is used to heat a liquid which is used directly in a heat pump or radiant heat or to produce electricity or drive a steam turbine.

The invention features a bioreactor for the growth of macroalgae and methods for using the bioreactor to maintain optimal nutrient levels for the organisms in an aquarium or aquaculture system. The devices and methods of the invention provide for the bioremediation of excess nutrients in order to maintain nutrient balance in an aquarium or aquaculture system that facilitates growth and/or health of one or more of the organisms that reside therein.

The present invention relates to the field of degradation with hyperthermophilic organisms, and in particular to the use of hyperthermophilic degradation to produce heat from a biomass. In some embodiments, a biomass is fermented in the presence of hyperthermophilic organisms to produce heat. The heat is used to heat a liquid which is used directly in a heat pump or radiant heat or to produce electricity or drive a steam turbine.

A test vessel includes one or more test locations configured to contain a medium suitable for culturing a live substance. A thermochromic material is thermally coupled to the one or more test locations. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a spectral shift in light emanating from the thermochromic material in response to an increase or decrease in energy conversion by the live substance that causes a change in temperature of the thermochromic material.

The invention features a bioreactor for the growth of macroalgae and methods for using the bioreactor to maintain optimal nutrient levels for the organisms in an aquarium or aquaculture system. The devices and methods of the invention provide for the bioremediation of excess nutrients in order to maintain nutrient balance in an aquarium or aquaculture system that facilitates growth and/or health of one or more of the organisms that reside therein.

Disclosed herein are bioreactors that include a container for holding fluid aligned on a vertical axis, wherein at least a portion of the container is oriented at an angle relative to the vertical axis, wherein the angle is from about 0 to 90. In some embodiments, the container is placed on a support structure with portions of the container oriented at alternating angles. The system is essentially closed except for at least one opening (for example an opening at the bottom edge) that allows for the introduction of gases and/or nutrients. The gas and/or nutrients are introduced in such a way as to provide mixing and aeration of a cell culture in the bioreactor. Also disclosed are methods of culturing cells (such as microalgae, macroalgae, bacteria, fungi, insect cells, plant cells, animal cells, or plant or animal tissue or organs) using a bioreactor described herein.

A yogurt maker device comprises an outer shell to house a yogurt vessel that receives milk and a culture container that receives yogurt culture. A processor within the outer shell controls a heating element to boil milk within the yogurt vessel using a temperature sensor as feedback and for maintaining a predefined boiling temperature for a predefined period of boiling time and a stirring device to continuously stir boiling milk within the yogurt vessel while boiling and also while cooling to a cooling predefined temperature until fermentation temperature is reached. The processor also controls a culture container base holding the culture container and having a motor to automatically pour the yogurt culture when the fermentation temperature is reached. Finally, a cooling mechanism automatically provides cooling to contents of the yogurt vessel once fermentation is complete.

According to one embodiment of the present invention, a multiplex PCR device is disclosed. The multiplex PCR device comprises a multiplex PCR chip simultaneously carrying a plurality of mutually different nucleic acid molecules, and the invention may be characterised in that, attached spaced apart from each other on the multiplex PCR chip, there are a plurality of probes used for hybridization reactions whereby hybridization takes place specifically with mutually different amplified sequences of the nucleic acid molecules.

A method for contamination control when growing yeasts is provided. Bacterial contamination is controlled by using urea as the primary nitrogen source while simultaneously limiting the amount of nickel available to contaminating bacteria. Bacteria require nickel as a cofactor for urease enzymes in order to use urea for growth while yeasts do not require nickel as a cofactor for any enzymes. Nickel is limited by using titanium in plate heat exchangers instead of stainless steel. Ethyl carbamate is limited by using a carbon/nitrogen ratio that consumes all urea during fermentation and by separating co-products after fermentation and before distillation. Yeast recycling is performed by using either single-step or two-step centrifugation, without acid washing. This method enables yeast recycling with sugarcane ethanol and sugar beet ethanol production. This method also enables yeast recycling with corn ethanol and grain ethanol production with coproduct recovery after fermentation and before distillation.

The present disclosure relates to systems, devices, and methods for automated cell processing within a cell processing system. In an embodiment, the present disclosure relates to a cartridge comprising a bioreactor module comprising a bioreactor, a first thermal compartment positioned adjacent the bioreactor, and a second thermal compartment positioned adjacent the bioreactor, and a fluidic manifold coupling the first and second thermal compartments to the bioreactor.