The application provides a device for measuring at least one parameter value of a suspended sediment of a fluid. The device includes a backscattering transducer module, a storage unit, and a calculation unit. The backscattering transducer module comprises a source module and a receiver module. The source module transmits at least three acoustic signals with different fixed characterizing measurement frequencies while the receiver module measures at least three echo level values of echo signals, which correspond with the at least three acoustic signals. The storage unit stores a data set of pre-determined echo level values with a data set of pre-determined suspended sediment parameter values. The calculation unit derives at least one suspended sediment parameter value from the data sets and the at least three echo level values.

The application provides a device for measuring at least one parameter value of a suspended sediment of a fluid. The device includes a backscattering transducer module, a storage unit, and a calculation unit. The backscattering transducer module comprises a source module and a receiver module. The source module transmits at least three acoustic signals with different fixed characterizing measurement frequencies while the receiver module measures at least three echo level values of echo signals, which correspond with the at least three acoustic signals. The storage unit stores a data set of pre-determined echo level values with a data set of pre-determined suspended sediment parameter values. The calculation unit derives at least one suspended sediment parameter value from the data sets and the at least three echo level values.

An imaging device for determining particle size distribution including a sample receptacle containing a sample and an imager capable of capturing a plurality of images of the sample in a region of observation. The imaging device further includes a radiation source provided linearly opposite to the imager and a base platform that supports the imager and the radiation source.

An apparatus for detecting liquids or substances from liquids in spatially separate reaction zones using a plug-in module or a chip card for rapid immunological tests, for example, with the help of a reading device. The liquids or substances from liquids are detected by a sensor array and on which at least one diaphragm is arranged. Individual sensors are spatially separated from each other on a plane by means of walls. The diaphragm is filled with liquid that is to be analyzed. Sealed reaction chambers are created when pressure is applied to the diaphragm. Pores in the diaphragm are completely closed in the zone of the walls while the pores are merely reduced in size and liquid can continue to be exchanged in zones directly above the sensors. No liquid can be exchanged between adjacent reaction chambers as long as pressure is applied to and compresses the diaphragm.

The techniques described herein provide for improved efficiency of iPSC production from biological cells. The approach achieves improved iPSC production efficiency by obtaining a set of cells whose cell cycles are synchronized at a specific, desired cell cycle phase, such as mitotic phase (also referred to as M phase). The efficacy with which such synchronized cells can be transformed into iPSCs is higher than for an arbitrary set of cells that comprises cells at a variety of different stages in their cycles. Accordingly, the approaches described herein allow efficient generation of iPSCs, thereby facilitating myriad technologies for personalized and regenerative medicine that rely upon the effective production of iPSCs.

The invention is an image taking method comprising: taking images with a microscope in an analyzing space (40) at focal plane positions (5) shifted with an equal step size; and selecting an image from the taken images for further image processing. The images are taken of a sediment (31) of a liquid filled in the analyzing space (4) located between a transparent upper window portion (11) and a transparent lower window portion (21) of a container (30) adapted for analyzing a liquid, wherein the sediment (31) is centrifuged on an inner flat surface of the lower window portion (21), and wherein the method comprises: taking, in a first spatial region (41) of the analyzing pace (4), a first depth image sequence, and selecting from the first depth image sequence the image with the best contrast for further image processing, and taking, in a second spatial region (42) of the analyzing space (40), a second depth image sequence by taking into account the previous step, wherein the second depth image sequence has fewer images than the first depth image sequence, and selecting from the second depth image sequence the image with the best contrast for further image processing. The invention is further an image analysis method, a method for training an image analysis neural network, and an image analysis neural network based on the above.

The invention provides a method, apparatus and system for separating blood and other types of cellular components, and can be combined with holographic optical trapping manipulation or other forms of optical tweezing. One of the exemplary methods includes providing a first flow having a plurality of blood components; providing a second flow; contacting the first flow with the second flow to provide a first separation region; and differentially sedimenting a first blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components into the second flow while concurrently maintaining a second blood cellular component of the plurality of blood components in the first flow. The second flow having the first blood cellular component is then differentially removed from the first flow having the second blood cellular component. Holographic optical traps may also be utilized in conjunction with the various flows to move selected components from one flow to another, as part of or in addition to a separation stage.

An object of the present claimed invention is to improve cell cooling performance, keep a temperature of a dispersion medium constant, and improve measurement accuracy. The particle size distribution measuring device of this invention comprises a cell holding body 31 that holds a cell 2 housing a measurement sample and that is rotated by a motor 322, a case (C) having a housing space (S) for rotatably housing the cell holding body 31, and a cooling mechanism 8 for cooling the cell 2. The cooling mechanism 8 comprises a cooler 81, and a supply channel 82 that supplies a gas that has been cooled by the cooler 81 to the housing space (S).

A method of aligning a plurality of targets is provided. The method includes generating a plurality of targets. A third phase includes the plurality of targets. The method further includes combining a first phase, a second phase, and the third phase in a volume. The first phase, the second phase, and the third phase are substantially immiscible, and the third phase is in fluid communication with the first phase and the second phase, and the first phase, the second phase, and the third phase are operable to be in a configuration of the third phase between the first phase and the second phase in the volume.

A method of aligning a plurality of targets is provided. The method includes generating a plurality of targets. A third phase includes the plurality of targets. The method further includes combining a first phase, a second phase, and the third phase in a volume. The first phase, the second phase, and the third phase are substantially immiscible, and the third phase is in fluid communication with the first phase and the second phase, and the first phase, the second phase, and the third phase are operable to be in a configuration of the third phase between the first phase and the second phase in the volume.