A radiosynthesis system is disclosed that leverages droplet microfluidic radiosynthesis and its inherent advantages including reduction of reagent consumption and the ability to achieve high molar activity even when using low starting radioactivity. The radiosynthesis system enables the parallel synthesis of radiolabeled compounds using droplet-sized reaction volumes. In some embodiments, a single heater is used to create multiple reaction or synthesis sites. In other embodiments, separate heaters are used to create independently-controlled heating conditions at the multiple reaction or synthesis sites. In one embodiment, a four-heater setup was developed that utilizes a multi-reaction microfluidic chip and was assessed for the suitability with high-throughput radiosynthesis optimization. Replicates of several radiochemical operations including the full synthesis of various PET tracers revealed the platform to have high repeatability (e.g., consistent fluorination efficiency). The system may also be used for synthesis optimization.

An example method includes reacting a first solution and a different, second solution on a flow cell by flowing the first solution over amplification sites on the flow cell and subsequently flowing the second solution over the amplification sites. The first solution includes target nucleic acids and a first reagent mixture that comprises nucleoside triphosphates and replication enzymes. The target nucleic acids in the first solution transport to and bind to the amplification sites at a transport rate. The first reagent mixture amplifies the target nucleic acids that are bound to the amplification sites to produce clonal populations of amplicons originating from corresponding target nucleic acids. The amplicons are produced at an amplification rate that exceeds the transport rate. The second solution includes a second reagent mixture and lacks the target nucleic acids. The second solution is to increase a number of the amplicons at the amplification sites.

Provided is a method of preparing a diester-based material, more particularly, a method of preparing a diester-based material, which is carried out by a continuous preparation process of a diester-based material including a reaction part in which a total of n reaction units from a first reaction unit to an nth reaction unit are connected in series, the reaction unit including a reactor which esterifies dicarboxylic acid and alcohol, including: esterifying dicarboxylic acid and alcohol in a reactor of the first reaction unit to produce a reaction product, and supplying a lower discharge stream including the reaction product to a reaction unit at a rear end through a lower discharge line; and supplying a liquid material through a liquid supply line connected to a lower discharge line of the reactor of the first reaction unit.

The present invention relates to a method of manufacturing a diester-based compound, and, more particularly, to a method of manufacturing a diester-based compound, which is performed using a continuous process including a reaction part in which a total of n reaction units spanning from a first reaction unit to an nth reaction unit are connected in series, wherein each of the reaction units includes a reactor, and the method includes: supplying a feed stream including a dicarboxylic acid and an alcohol into the first reactor; esterifying the feed stream to prepare a reaction product; and supplying a lower discharge stream including the reaction product into the reactor of the rear reaction unit. In this case, a conversion rate of the esterification reaction in the first reactor is controlled in a range of 50 to 80%.

An apparatus is described which includes at least one reactor, at least one linear piston pump, the or each piston pump including a tube, a piston and an arm coupled to the piston, the or each piston pump arranged to inject feedstock to a respective reactor, a beam or plate coupled to the arm(s) of the piston pump(s) configured to linearly drive the piston(s) and a linear actuator for driving the beam or plate. The piston pump has a volume of at least 50 milliliters and an output port having a diameter of at least 5 mm.

Flow control mechanisms control the direction and flow rate of synthesis reagent through one or more synthesis reaction vessels for automated solid phase synthesis. Selectable, known, and reproducible positive or negative pressure differentials (−5 to +10 psi) accomplish controlled, bidirectional (forward and reverse) flow of synthesis reagents through synthesis media contained within the reaction vessels. Venturi-based vacuum apparatus, valves, electronic pressure regulators and compound digital pressure gauge, can be added to automated solid phase synthesis instruments to provide, control, and monitor known, selectable, reproducible negative and positive pressures to one or both valve sealable and un-sealable ends (inlets and outlets) of the reaction vessel as needed to generate and reverse said pressure differentials between the opposite ends of said synthesis reaction vessels, yielding controlled forward and backward flows of synthesis reagents through the synthesis media.

Various embodiments of the teachings relate to a system or method for sample preparation or analysis in biochemical or molecular biology procedures. The sample preparation can involve small volume processed in discrete portions or segments or slugs, herein referred to as discrete volumes. A molecular biology procedure can be nucleic acid analysis. Nucleic acid analysis can be an integrated DNA amplification/DNA sequencing procedure.

Enhanced composite liquid cell (CLC) devices and methods of using the same are provided. The devices find use in, among other applications, CLC mediated nucleic acid library generation protocols, e.g., for use in next generation sequencing applications.

The invention provides a method for preparing a compound or a product having one or more characteristics that meet or exceed a user specification, the process comprising the step of selecting a first combination of chemical inputs, optionally together with physical inputs, and supplying those inputs to a reaction space, thereby to generate a first product; analyzing one or more characteristics of the product generated; comparing the one or more characteristics against a user specification; using a genetic algorithm selecting a second combination of chemical inputs, optionally together with physical inputs, wherein the second combination differs from the first combination, and supplying those inputs to the reaction space, thereby to generate a second product; analyzing one or more characteristics of the second product generated; comparing the one or more characteristics generated against the user specification; repeating the selecting and analyzing steps for further individual combinations of chemical and/or physical inputs, to provide an array of products wherein the flow chemistry system operates continuously to provide the first, second and further products, thereby to identify one or more products meeting or exceeding the user specification.

Flow control mechanisms control the direction and flow rate of synthesis reagent through one or more synthesis reaction vessels for automated solid phase synthesis. Selectable, known, and reproducible positive or negative pressure differentials (−5 to +10 psi) accomplish controlled, bidirectional (forward and reverse) flow of synthesis reagents through synthesis media contained within the reaction vessels. Venturi-based vacuum apparatus, valves, electronic pressure regulators and compound digital pressure gauge, can be added to automated solid phase synthesis instruments to provide, control, and monitor known, selectable, reproducible negative and positive pressures to one or both valve sealable and un-sealable ends (inlets and outlets) of the reaction vessel as needed to generate and reverse said pressure differentials between the opposite ends of said synthesis reaction vessels, yielding controlled forward and backward flows of synthesis reagents through the synthesis media.