A simulation device for analyzing behavior of a granular material that includes a plurality of particles includes a first parameter acquisition unit that acquires a first parameter including a parameter relating to the granular material, a second parameter calculation unit that calculates a second parameter, when a particle group including the plurality of particles is coarsely viewed as a single coarse-view particle, the second parameter relating to the coarse-view particle, and a coarse-view particle behavior analysis unit that analyzes a behavior of the coarse-view particle based on the first parameter and the second parameter. The second parameter calculation unit calculates the second parameter by solving a characteristic equation that uses a relationship between an elastic energy of the particle group and an elastic energy of the coarse-view particle.

A microorganism evaluation system comprising a viewing section for image acquisition, the viewing section comprising a viewing port configured to accommodate a fluid flow, at least one independently controlled imaging light source operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively illuminate the viewing port, and at least one independently controlled light stimulation device operably installed in the viewing section and configured to selectively emit light for invoking a motile response in a microorganism within the fluid flow in the viewing port, whereby the system synchronizes illumination of the at least one imaging light source and the at least one light stimulation device of the viewing section.

The present invention provides a method for improving an identification degree of low-luminosity dispersed-phase particles in a multiphase system. The method comprises: adding additive particles into a multiphase system containing low-luminosity dispersed-phase particles before photographing the multiphase system to obtain an image including the low-luminosity dispersed-phase particles, wherein the refractivity of the additive particles is greater than that of the low-luminosity dispersed-phase particles. The method can enhance the luminosity of the continuous phase in the multiphase system, thereby causing a large gray difference between the continuous phase and the dispersed-phase particles, improving the identification degree of the low-luminosity dispersed-phase particles in the image for conducting accurate identification by image analysis software and further being capable of accurately measuring needed parameters such as particle size, concentration or speed and the like of the dispersed-phase particles in a multiphase reactor.

Stationary devices employing quadrature phase analysis light scattering are provided, to aid in the determination of the magnitude and polarity of electrophoretic mobility and zeta potential of particles in colloids. The devices use an optical quadrature interferometer with an electrophoresis sample chamber containing sample particles undergoing electrophoresis, the optical quadrature interferometer being configured to generate a quadrature signal. The phase of the quadrature signal may be analyzed at the frequency of the sample chamber electric field to estimate displacements and directions of the particles. The estimates can be used to determine a central value of the magnitude of the electrophoretic mobility, as well as its polarity. Particles having low electrophoretic mobility, or that may be adversely affected by high electric fields, can be analyzed, and constraints on vibration and light source coherence length may be relaxed. A phase modulator or frequency shifter is not required.

Disclosed herein is a system for diagnosing male infertility including a microfluidic chip, wherein the microfluidic chip includes a first chamber cover having an injection port allowing a medium and a sperm sample to be injected therethrough, and a chamber coupled to a lower portion of the first chamber cover and provided with a plurality of microfluidic channels, the plurality of microfluidic channels being arranged to converge in a direction in which spermatozoa progress.

A system comprises a particle sensor assembly, which includes a light source that transmits a light beam into an external interrogation air region; a set of receive optics that provides a receive channel, the receive optics configured to collect a scattered portion of the light beam from a particle in the interrogation air region; and an optical detector that receives the collected scattered portion. The optical detector measures a signal intensity as a function of time from the scattered portion, with the signal intensity indicating a particle size and a signal duration indicating motion of the particle through the interrogation air region. A processor is in communication with the optical detector and is operative to determine a transit time of the particle through the interrogation air region based on the signal duration, and compute an airspeed based on parameters comprising the transit time and a size of the light beam.

A method for sorting motile cells includes introducing an initial population of motile cells into an inlet port of a microfluidic channel, the initial population of motile cells having a first average motility; incubating the population of motile cells in the microfluidic channel; and collecting a sorted population of motile cells at an outlet port of the microfluidic channel. The sorted population of motile cells has a second average motility higher than the first average motility.

The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for performing particle analysis through flow cytometry at comparatively high event rates and for gathering high resolution images of particles.

A method of determining a charge of at least one test particle (as herein defined), comprising: applying one of an electric current or a voltage across an aperture connecting two chambers, whereby the chambers are at least partially filled with electrolyte and whereby the at least one test particle is suspended in the electrolyte of at least one of the chambers; measuring a value indicative of the other of the electric current or voltage across the aperture; determining a time interval between a first and a second point in time, the second point in time corresponding to a point in time when the measured current or voltage has reached a specific proportion of the measured current or voltage at the first point in time; and determining the charge of the at least one test particle by: determining a value indicative of an electrical velocity component of a total velocity of at least one calibration particle having a known charge, taking into account that the total velocity of the at least one calibration particle comprises a non zero-convective velocity component and the electrical velocity component; determining a value indicative of an electrical velocity component of a total velocity of the at least one test particle, taking into account that the total velocity of the at least one test particle comprises a non-zero convective-velocity component and the electrical velocity component; and using the determined values indicative of the electrical velocity components of the test particle and the calibration particle to calibrate the quantitative relationship between the charge of the at least one test particle and the determined time interval.

Electrophoresis device including: a first flow passage extending in a first direction and through which a sample and a buffer solution flow; a sample collecting part provided at an end portion of the first flow passage and configured to collect the sample; electrodes disposed at both sides of the first flow passage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and configured to apply a voltage to the first flow passage in the second direction; second flow passages communicating with both sides of the first flow passage in the second direction, configured to accommodate the electrodes, and through which a second buffer solution flows; and partition walls fixed to communicating portions between the first and second flow passages with a predetermined bonding strength and configured to block movement of substances between the first and second flow passages. The partition walls are formed of a gel material having ion permeability.