An automated microscope slide staining system and staining apparatus and method that features a plurality of individually operable miniaturized pressurizable reaction compartments or a pressurizable common chamber for individually and independently processing a plurality of microscope slides. The apparatus preferably features independently movable slide support elements each having an individually operable heating element.

A reactor system includes a reactor vessel configured to contain a process fluid, and a sparger assembly that operably coupled to the reactor vessel and configured to supply a mixture of a gas and a recirculated process fluid to the reactor vessel. The sparger assembly includes a plurality of sparger chambers. Each sparger chamber includes a process fluid conduit fluidly coupled to a process fluid return of the reactor vessel via a process fluid inlet, wherein the process fluid inlet has a first block and bleed valve assembly. Each sparger chamber includes a sparger conduit fluidly coupled to the process fluid conduit and a sparger disposed within the sparger conduit and fluidly coupled to a gas source via a gas inlet. Each sparger chamber also includes a process fluid-gas mixture outlet that fluidly couples the sparger conduit to a sparger outlet of the reactor vessel.

Disclosed herein is are methods and apparatuses for synthesizing deposited films of compounds (e.g., organic compounds such as a pharmaceutical active ingredient or a new chemical entity) on or in a variety of substrates, where such deposited compounds the desired stability under storage conditions, ease of handling, and yet enhanced dissolution properties when used in various assays. The disclosure further relates to methods of coating substrates, such as medical or diagnostic devices, with deposited films of organic compounds, as well as film-coated substrates.

Apparatuses and a method for plate-based oligonucleotide synthesis are disclosed. In one example, an apparatus used in oligonucleotide synthesis includes a machined block to receive a commercially-available synthesis plate. A keeper is used to apply pressure to the commercially-available synthesis plate, and a sealing element is used to seal the commercially-available synthesis plate to the machined block. Other methods and apparatuses are disclosed.

Reaction chamber and methods of extraction of metal compounds, specifically tools for uranium hexafluoride (UF.sub.6) conversion into uranium dioxide (UO.sub.2) ceramic powder (up to 5% enrichment of U.sup.235) by applying a method of reductive pyrohydrolysis. In one aspect, the reaction chamber is a shell with upper and lower heads, comprising upper filtration area, equipped with metalceramic filters, regenerating nitrogen, the first reaction zone for conversion of uranium hexafluoride into uranyl fluoride, the second reaction zone with gas-distribution grid for building up fluidization layer for reduction of uranyl fluoride to uranium dioxide with a nozzle of steam, and hydrogen and nitrogen supply. On the side walls of the first reaction zone of the reaction chamber shell there are two nozzles located symmetrically for uranium hexafluoride, hydrogen and water steam supply. The chamber is equipped with a device for discharge of powder.

A microscope slide staining system has a chamber, a plurality of slide support elements, a plurality of spreading devices positionable in association with microscope slides supported on the slide support elements so the spreading devices define a gap between the spreading device and the microscope slide and so the spreading device and the microscope slide are movable relative to one another to spread at least one reagent on the microscope slide independent of the other spreading devices and microscope slides.

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.

A method of depositing single particles onto a target comprises the steps of loading a particle suspension to a droplet dispenser having a suspension reservoir and a nozzle section, detecting particles in the nozzle section, testing a single particle condition of the droplet dispenser, wherein it is determined whether an ejection region of the nozzle section includes one single particle, and operating the droplet dispenser for dispensing a droplet, wherein the droplet is dispensed onto the target, if the single particle condition is fulfilled, or the droplet is dispensed into a collection reservoir, if the single particle condition is not fulfilled, wherein the step of testing the single particle condition further includes determining whether a sedimentation region adjacent to the ejection region is free of particles. Furthermore, a dispenser apparatus dispensing single particles onto a target is described.

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.

An automated microscope slide staining system and staining apparatus and method that features a plurality of individually operable miniaturized pressurizable reaction compartments or a pressurizable common chamber for individually and independently processing a plurality of microscope slides. The apparatus preferably features independently movable slide support elements each having an individually operable heating element.