A closure for a container is disclosed. The closure comprises a core member comprising at least one thermoplastic polymer, and at least one peripheral layer at least partially surrounding and intimately bonded to at least one surface of the core member, said peripheral layer comprising at least one styrene block co-polymer, wherein the core member has a density in the range of from about 100 kg/m.sup.3 to 350 kg/m.sup.3 and the peripheral layer has a density in the range of from greater than 350 kg/m.sup.3 to about 1,500 kg/m.sup.3 and a thickness in the range of from 0.15 mm to less than 0.50 mm.

A receptacle includes an upper portion having a cylindrical portion and an open end and a lower portion depending from the upper portion, where the lower portion is tapered and has a closed bottom end. The receptacle may include a radially-extending annular ring with a flat or sloped bottom surface and disposed on an outer surface of the receptacle at a transition between the upper portion and the lower portion and/or a radially-projecting lip circumscribing the open end, which may be configured for inter-locking engagement with a mated cap inserted into the open end of the upper portion. Embodiments may include one or more longitudinally-oriented grooves formed in an inner surface of the upper portion. The receptacle may be a unitary plastic structure.

A cap having a lower portion, an upper portion with an opening formed therein, and a plurality of longitudinally oriented ribs disposed on an inner surface of the cap. The inner surface of the cap is defined by the opening formed in the upper portion of the cap, and each rib is associated with a concave recess disposed directly opposite the rib on an outer surface of the upper portion of the cap. The recess extends along at least part of the length of the rib.

A method of preserving an oxygen sensitive item is disclosed. The method involves injecting at least 0.15 gram of an inert gas into a container comprising the oxygen sensitive item and oxygen, without raising a pressure within the container above 10 psig, to form a barrier layer of the inert gas between the oxygen sensitive item and the oxygen in the container without displacing all of the oxygen from the container.

An apparatus for separating an interlocked cap and receptacle comprises a top wall and a cap removal station. The cap removal station comprises an opening, a raised collar for engaging and releasing interlocking elements of the cap and receptacle, and tabs on a side of the top wall opposite the raised collar for retaining the receptacle within the opening when the cap is separated from the receptacle. A method for separating an interlocked cap and receptacle comprises moving the cap and receptacle in a first direction into a cap removal station, contacting interlocking elements of the cap and receptacle with a raised collar to thereby release the interlocking elements, retaining the receptacle within the cap removal station; and with the interlocking elements released and the receptacle retained within the cap removal station, moving the cap in a second direction opposite the first direction to separate the cap from the receptacle.

A method for reconstituting a lyophilized reagent contained within a reagent well comprises the steps of drawing a diluent into a pipette tip attached to an automated pipettor and dispensing the diluent into the reagent well containing the lyophilized reagent. The reagent well has an internal side wall, a bottom wall, and an open upper end and includes one or more retention features disposed about the periphery of the internal side wall and defining a central opening into the well that permits passage of the pipette tip into the reagent well. The one or more retention features are integrally formed with the internal side wall, and each of the one or more retention features extends over a portion of the lyophilized reagent, thereby retaining the lyophilized reagent within the reagent well.

A method and device for preserving wine or other oxygen sensitive items is disclosed. In some embodiments, the method involves injecting at least 0.15 gram of an inert gas to a closed container comprising wine and oxygen. In some embodiments, the device has a housing, a pressure indicator, a pressure sensor, and a one-way valve. The housing is configured to seal an opening of a wine bottle. The housing has a closure side configured to be in communication with an interior of the wine bottle. The housing has an input channel extending through the housing. The pressure sensor is within the housing and is in communication with the closure side. The one-way valve is in the input channel. The pressure sensor is configured to move the pressure indicator to an indicating position when a predetermined amount of pressure is reached at the sensor.

System, apparatuses, and methods for performing automated reagent-based analysis are provided. Also provided are methods for automated attachment of a cap to a reaction receptacle, and automated removal of a cap from a capped reaction receptacle.