Provided herein are systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for collecting and merging two different size droplets using a substrate comprising a plurality of trapping sites. In certain embodiments, provided herein are systems composed of a plurality of larger droplets and smaller droplets and a substrate comprising a plurality of trapping sites where each trapping site is configured to trap only one of the larger droplets and only one of the smaller droplets when the larger droplet is already present at the trapping site. In particular embodiments, the larger and/or smaller droplets are sorted prior to being contacted with the substrate to ensure they contain the desired component (e.g., cell or barcoded bead). In other embodiments, each trapping site is composed of one or multiple fluidically linked capture wells. In some embodiments, collected larger and smaller droplets are merged (e.g., via a demulsifier or electricity).

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for cell and bead processing or analysis. A method for processing a cell or bead may include subjecting a bead to conditions sufficient to change a first characteristic or set of characteristics (e.g., cell or bead size). Such a method may further include subjecting the cell or bead to conditions sufficient to change a second characteristic or set of characteristics. In some cases, crosslinks may be formed within the cell or bead.

The present disclosure provides methods and systems for cell and bead processing or analysis. A method for processing a cell or bead may include subjecting a bead to conditions sufficient to change a first characteristic or set of characteristics (e.g., cell or bead size). Such a method may further include subjecting the cell or bead to conditions sufficient to change a second characteristic or set of characteristics. In some cases, crosslinks may be formed within the cell or bead.

Methods and techniques for controlled printing of a cell sample for karyotyping are provided. The methods can involve matrix printing using on-the-fly printing or dispensing to accurately spread cells within at least one cell sample on a surface in preparation for karyotyping, and further analysis. Advantageously, the methods result in a uniform distribution of chromosomes of the cell suspension or sample on the surface of a substrate which can be substantially discretely identified, and also provide for efficiency in a subsequent staining process and any further analysis of the stained chromosomes using a microscope or other imaging device.

An arrayer for constructing a tissue array includes a recipient block holder having an upper face, a void for accommodating a tissue recipient block, and a guide plate configured to engage with the upper surface of the recipient block holder. The guide plate includes an array of through openings aligned with the void of the recipient blocking holder. The recipient block holder and the guide plate are configured to be secured to each other through securing elements. A kit including the arrayer, and punch pens for creating holes in the recipient block and for transferring tissue to the recipient block holder, is also provided. Methods of using the arrayer and the kit are also provided.

A measuring apparatus for determining the total organic carbon of a sample in a liquid medium includes a reactor block made of a metallic, electrically conductive, and corrosion-resistant material, the reactor block including a housing wall for accommodating a light source, the housing wall including an inlet into and an outlet from the reactor block and a flow chamber in which digestion of the sample for determining the total organic carbon occurs, the flow chamber configured to accommodate the light source and to route the sample to be irradiated with light, wherein the measuring apparatus further includes at least one conductivity measurement device, wherein the reactor block is an external electrode of the conductivity measurement device. A method for determining the total organic carbon of the sample using the measuring apparatus is disclosed.

The present invention discloses a quantitative evaluation method for sensitivity of welding transverse cold cracks in a typical joint of a jacket, including following steps: S1, performing macroscopic analysis, metallographic analysis, fracture analysis and hardness analysis on cracks of a failed component to obtain main causes of cold crack failure; and S2, designing and processing a dedicated sample, and performing rigid restraint crack tests on the dedicated sample at different preheating temperatures to obtain a cracking/non-cracking critical restraint stress σ1cr of the sample. According to the method, a rigid restraint crack test is applied to evaluation of sensitivity of welding transverse cracks, so that external restraint conditions borne by a welding joint can be accurately simulated, a stress state of the welding joint in an actual working condition can be truly reflected, the overall evaluation precision is greatly improved, and a foundation is laid for accurately evaluating sensitivity of welding cold cracks in a tube joint. Furthermore, a welding technology (base material, welding material, welding process and restraint level) is designed to restrain cold cracks from cracking, and the method has important theoretical significance and engineering value.

Devices, systems, and methods for imaging samples. In some examples, a device includes at least two basins for holding a liquid medium, the at least two basins including a sample chamber and a reservoir. The device includes a wedge between the sample chamber and the reservoir, and the wedge protrudes into the sample chamber and defines a space between the wedge and a bottom of the sample chamber. The space is sized for holding one or more biological samples. The device is formed to define a flow channel between the sample chamber and the reservoir, and the flow channel is shaped to allow the passage of the liquid medium from the sample chamber and the reservoir and to block passage of the one or more biological samples between the sample chamber and the reservoir.

A method is proposed for generating a series of ultra-thin sections of a microscopic sample (10), wherein the sections (11) are detached from the sample (10) using an ultramicrotome (100) and wherein the sections (11), which are detached from the sample (10) are caused to float on a liquid surface and are thereafter transferred onto a solid carrier element (20). For at least for some of the sections (11) detached from the sample (10) a position and an orientation on the solid carrier element (20) are determined by monitoring the placement of these sections (11) onto the solid carrier element (20) using a monitoring system (400) comprising a camera (410), obtaining monitoring data. A method (2000) for the three-dimensional reconstruction of a microscopic sample (10), a microtome system and a computer program are also part of the present invention.

A sample processing system and method, and a control system and a cell image analysis device. A smear preparation device prepares a sample smear, the cell image analysis device performs imaging and analysis on the sample smear, and the sample smear is placed in a first smear storage device. After the sample smear is placed in the first smear storage device, the first smear storage device placed with the sample smear is conveyed by a conveyer from the smear preparation device to the cell image analysis device, and the first smear storage device is conveyed by the conveyer from the cell image analysis device to the smear preparation device, so that automatic cycle conveying of the first smear storage device between the smear preparation device and the cell image analysis device is achieved by the conveyer, and unnecessary human-machine interaction operations are reduced, thereby reducing workload of a user.