A sample examination automation system includes a conveyance line, a large-scale sample carrier buffer, an analyzer coupling unit, and a conveyance managing unit. The conveyance line conveys a sample carrier. One or a plurality of sample containers is mountable on the sample carrier. The large-scale sample carrier buffer stores a plurality of the sample carriers. The analyzer coupling unit, which is couplable to an analyzer, incorporates a sample carrier sub-buffer capable of storing the sample carriers by an amount smaller than an amount of the large-scale sample carrier buffer. The conveyance managing unit has a function of controlling a sample carrier conveyance destination. The conveyance managing unit is configured to determine an amount of the sample carriers supplied to the sample carrier sub-buffer via the large-scale sample carrier buffer according to a storage situation of the sample carriers in the sample carrier sub-buffer.

This disclosure relates generally to detection of concentration of micro and nano particles in a fluid environment. An acoustic transmitter array is selective coated with polymer and receiver array is deployed at a random location in a conduit. The acoustic transmitter array on the conduit is insonified at a predetermined frequency to obtain a plurality of reflected signals. A plurality of key features pertinent to the conduit are extracted from the plurality of reflected signals to obtain a plurality of acoustic signals. A correlation model is configured by inputting, at least one feature associated with the pre-processed acoustic signals. A known concentrations of nano and micro particles are trained with an artificial neural network algorithm and calibrated with ground truth data. The location of the transmitter array and receiver array and the correlation model are finalized for detecting concentration of the particular micro and nano particles in the fluid environment.

A system for detecting mold includes a housing defining a chamber and an opening through a surface. The system includes a movable grate for selectively covering the opening. The system includes a substrate treated to promote mold growth. The system includes a mechanism for moving the substrate to move previously unexposed portions into the chamber. The system includes a thermal control system to maintain predetermined environmental conditions in the chamber. The system includes a sensor configured to detect mold growth in the chamber. The system includes a mold suppressor to kill mold in the chamber when activated. The system includes a controller to coordinate operation of the components to detect mold growth in an environment.

The present invention relates to an improved abnormality determining method for an automatic analyzer and related automatic analyzer that detects abnormalities for a reaction process of a reaction solution. The method for determining the presence of absence of abnormalities in the reaction process and performs the determination by acquiring acquisition conditions for multiple items of measured data, acquiring the measured data detected by a spectral detector that match the acquisition conditions, calculating a feature quantity of the measured data, generating a determination criterion based on the feature quantity, and determining the presence or absence of abnormalities by comparing the feature quantity of the measured data subject to the determination with the determination criterion. The acquisition condition includes information relating to a number of a divisions of a measured value range and information relating to the number of items of data in each divided segment.

The invention relates to an apparatus (10) for placing mixing balls (1) into pharmaceutical containers (2), comprising a transport device (30) for conveying, preferably intermittently, the containers (2), and comprising a feed device (45) for the mixing balls (1), wherein the feed device (45) can be moved between a position for removing mixing balls (1) from a storage means (46) and a position for transferring the mixing balls (1) into the containers (2).

Embodiments described herein relate to an apparatus for positioning and securing an excised biological tissue specimen for imaging and analysis. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes a sample bag defining an inner volume configured to receive a biological tissue sample, and a sealing member coupled to the sample bag. An imaging window is disposed and configured to be placed in contact with at least a portion of the biological tissue sample, and a positioning member is coupled to the imaging window and is configured to be disposed against the sealing member to substantially seal the inner volume. The positioning member includes a vacuum port disposed and configured to be aligned with a vacuum source to withdraw air from the inner volume of the sample bag.

The presence of analytes can be detected in the bodily fluid using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) or Electrochemical Capacitance Spectroscopy (ECS) in devices, such as handheld point-of-care devices. The devices, as well as systems and methods, utilize using Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy (EIS) or Electrochemical Capacitance Spectroscopy (EIS) in combination with an antibody or other target-capturing molecule on a working electrode. Imaginary impedance or phase shift, as well as background subtraction, also may be utilized.

The invention relates to a piezoelectric micropipette, which comprises a capillary tube forming the pipette, and an expansion chamber connected to the capillary tube, the expansion chamber having a flexible element and being connected to a piezoelectric actuator. According to the invention the flexible element of the micropipette is arranged in the expansion chamber, and the flexible element is connected to a rigid displacing element, and a piezoelectric actuator is connected to the rigid displacing element.

Described herein are method of transferring liquid using a robotic liquid handler from a reagent reservoir having a sloped bottom along a length of the reagent reservoir, the sloped bottom defining a shallow end and a deep end of the reagent reservoir, wherein the shallow end is proximal to a first side-wall of the reagent reservoir, wherein the deep end is proximal to a second side-wall of the reagent reservoir opposite the first side-wall.

A control gate for a channel or pond adapted to be installed across a channel for liquids. The control gate includes: at least two panels hingedly connected together, the panels having opposing sides in sealing engagement with side walls of the channel, a lowermost panel being in sealing engagement with the floor of the channel. The panels are substantially vertically aligned in a fully closed position of the control gate. At least one first lifting element is connected to the top of an uppermost panel and is adapted to lower and raise the uppermost panel relative to its hinged connection in a concertina manner to provide an overshot position for the control gate. At least one second lifting element is connected to the bottom of the lowermost panel to raise and lower the lowermost panel from the floor of the channel to provide an undershot position for the control gate.