Methods and apparatuses relating to measuring sample parameters and cell parameters (e.g., cell size, cell shape) are provided herein. The present disclosure provides additional methods, systems and techniques for improving osmotic gradient generating systems for vise in technologies to accurately determine red blood cell volume and the osmolality at which cells achieve a maximum volume.

Methods and apparatuses relating to measuring sample parameters and cell parameters (e.g., cell size, cell shape) are provided herein. The present disclosure provides additional methods, systems and techniques for improving osmotic gradient generating systems for vise in technologies to accurately determine red blood cell volume and the osmolality at which cells achieve a maximum volume.

A flow path device comprises a plate-like measurement flow path device and a plate-like separation flow path device. The measurement flow path device includes a first flow path for measuring specific particles on a first fluid and connected to a third flow path and a second flow path for correction and passing a second fluid, not including the specific particles. The separation flow path device includes a fourth flow path for separating and selecting the specific particles from a sample and collecting a fluid. The separation flow path device is on the measurement flow path device's upper surface. The sample passes through a fifth flow path, the upper surface's opening, and flows into the fourth flow path from an opening in the separation flow path device's lower surface. The first fluid passes through the lower surface's opening, and flows into the first flow path from the upper surface's opening.

According to one embodiment, an automatic analyzer includes dispenser, measurer, thermostat, cooler and cleaner. Dispenser dispenses a specimen and a reagent into a reaction vessel. Measurer measures a solution mixture of the specimen and the reagent in the vessel. Thermostat heats the mixture to a first temperature at which thermoresponsive polymers contained in the reagent aggregate. Cooler cools a cleaning fluid used to clean the vessel to a second temperature lower than the first temperature, at which the polymers contained in the reagent disperse. Cleaner cleans the vessel from which the mixture has been drained, using the cooled fluid.

Devices and methods for detecting particulate matter are described herein. One device includes a laser, a reflector, an ellipsoidal reflector, and a detector, wherein the laser is configured to emit a beam, the reflector is configured to reflect the beam toward the ellipsoidal reflector, and the ellipsoidal reflector has a first focal region located on a path of the reflected beam, and a second focal region located at a surface of the detector.

Devices and methods for detecting particulate matter are described herein. One device includes a laser, a reflector, an ellipsoidal reflector, and a detector, wherein the laser is configured to emit a beam, the reflector is configured to reflect the beam toward the ellipsoidal reflector, and the ellipsoidal reflector has a first focal region located on a path of the reflected beam, and a second focal region located at a surface of the detector.

Described here are meters and methods for sampling, transporting, and/or analyzing a fluid sample. The meters may include a meter housing and a cartridge. In some instances, the meter may include a tower which may engage one or more portions of a cartridge. The meter housing may include an imaging system, which may or may not be included in the tower. The cartridge may include one or more sampling arrangements, which may be configured to collect a fluid sample from a sampling site. A sampling arrangement may include a skin-penetration member, a hub, and a quantification member.

The invention relates to a method, to a device, and to a system for the automated determination of optical densities or of the change in optical densities of reaction mixtures in shaken reactors during shaking operation. Methods and devices currently used therefor are often unreliable, are susceptible to environmental and process factors, or require interruptions to the shaking operation that impair the process control. The problem addressed by the invention is that of specifying a method and a device for the automated determination of optical densities or of the change in optical densities of reaction mixtures in shaken reactors during shaking operation that operate reliably under various environmental and process conditions. This problem is solved by means of a new measurement method, wherein the reaction mixture distribution, which periodically fluctuates because of the shaking action, is used to record measurement points (20/21) of transmission/scattered-light measurements, which measurement points fluctuate periodically as a result of shaking. All measurement points (20/21) of a measurement operation are combined into a measurement series (34), from which the optical density and/or the change in the optical density, and other process parameters, can be determined with high reliability by means of suitable mathematical methods. The invention is suitable in particular for biotechnological, pharmaceutical, chemical, and biochemical screening and optimization and process-monitoring applications.

The invention relates to a method, to a device, and to a system for the automated determination of optical densities or of the change in optical densities of reaction mixtures in shaken reactors during shaking operation. Methods and devices currently used therefor are often unreliable, are susceptible to environmental and process factors, or require interruptions to the shaking operation that impair the process control. The problem addressed by the invention is that of specifying a method and a device for the automated determination of optical densities or of the change in optical densities of reaction mixtures in shaken reactors during shaking operation that operate reliably under various environmental and process conditions. This problem is solved by means of a new measurement method, wherein the reaction mixture distribution, which periodically fluctuates because of the shaking action, is used to record measurement points (20/21) of transmission/scattered-light measurements, which measurement points fluctuate periodically as a result of shaking. All measurement points (20/21) of a measurement operation are combined into a measurement series (34), from which the optical density and/or the change in the optical density, and other process parameters, can be determined with high reliability by means of suitable mathematical methods. The invention is suitable in particular for biotechnological, pharmaceutical, chemical, and biochemical screening and optimization and process-monitoring applications.

The present invention provides a characterization system (100) for performing optical characterization of a liquid sample in a process plant, comprising a sample section (103) for holding the liquid sample, an inlet comprising an inlet valve (121) adapted to control a flow of the liquid sample into the sample section (103), an outlet comprising an outlet valve (122) adapted to control a flow of the liquid sample out of the sample section (103), a pressurizer (130) adapted to pressurize the sample section (103), an agitator (140, 800) adapted to agitate at least a part of the liquid sample inside the sample section (103) when the sample section (103) is pressurized by the pressurizer (130), a measuring device (150) adapted to perform optical characterization of the liquid sample inside the sample section (103) while the liquid sample is pressurized and agitated during or after agitation by the agitator, wherein the inlet valve and the outlet valve are connected to a line pipe (202) and the characterization system is adapted to receive the liquid sample from the line pipe through the inlet valve, characterize the liquid sample in the sample section (103), and optionally return at least a part of the liquid sample to the line pipe through the outlet valve.