A detection device and a detection method for distinguishing types of particles in an aqueous solution are provided. The detection device includes a detection chip, a signal source and a processing device. The detection chip includes a substrate, a coplanar waveguide transmission line and a super-hydrophobic film mask. When a to-be-detected aqueous solution that contains to-be-detected particles is provided on the detection chip, the super-hydrophobic film mask of the detection chip can confine the to-be-detected aqueous solution in a detection area. The processing device controls the signal source to provide detection microwave signals with different detection frequencies, simultaneously measures a first output signal and a second output signal at the different detection frequencies to generate a to-be-detected absorption spectrum, and compares the to-be-detected absorption spectrum with historical absorption spectra, so as to determine types of the to-be-detected particles.

A detection device and a detection method for distinguishing types of particles in an aqueous solution are provided. The detection device includes a detection chip, a signal source and a processing device. The detection chip includes a substrate, a coplanar waveguide transmission line and a super-hydrophobic film mask. When a to-be-detected aqueous solution that contains to-be-detected particles is provided on the detection chip, the super-hydrophobic film mask of the detection chip can confine the to-be-detected aqueous solution in a detection area. The processing device controls the signal source to provide detection microwave signals with different detection frequencies, simultaneously measures a first output signal and a second output signal at the different detection frequencies to generate a to-be-detected absorption spectrum, and compares the to-be-detected absorption spectrum with historical absorption spectra, so as to determine types of the to-be-detected particles.

Disclosed is a method for assisting prediction of onset of cerebral infarction, based on the number of red blood cells contained in a blood sample collected from a subject, comprising the steps of: calculating an exponent value for the prediction from a first measured value indicating red blood cell count measured by electrical resistance measurement method and a second measured value indicating red blood cell count measured by optical measurement method,
comparing the exponent value with a reference range, and
suggesting that the subject develops cerebral infarction when the exponent value is outside the reference range.

This relates to acoustic microfluidic systems that can generate emulsions/droplets or encapsulate particles of interest (including mammalian cells, bacteria cells, or other cells) into droplets upon detection of the particles of interest flowing in a stream of particles. The systems operate on the detect/decide/deflect principle wherein the deflection step, in a single operation, not only deflects particles of interest from a stream of particles but also encapsulates the particles of interest in an emulsion droplet. The microfluidic systems have an abrupt transition in the channel geometry from a shorter channel to a taller channel (i.e., in the shape of a ‘step’) to break the stream of the dispersed phase into a droplet upon acoustic actuation. When there is no acoustic wave present, no droplets/emulsions are generated and the stream of particles proceeds uninterrupted. The rapid actuation and post-actuation recovery employed by the microfluidic systems taught herein ensure that the vast majority of selected particles are properly deflected, that few or no empty droplets are produced, and that total throughput remains high.

A particle sizing method which allows for counting and sizing of particles within a colloidal suspension flowing through a single-particle optical sizing sensor SPOS apparatus using pulse height detection and utilizing non-parallel and non-uniform illumination within the sensing region of the flow cell. The method involves utilizing a deconvolution process which requires the SPOS apparatus to be characterized during a calibration phase. Once the SPOS apparatus has been characterized, the process of deconvolution after a data collection run, recursively eliminates the expected statistical contribution to the pulse height distribution PHD histogram in all the lower channels from the highest channel height detected, and repeating this for all remaining channels in the PHD, removing the contributions from largest to smallest sizes.

Methods and systems for automated slide handling for imaging applications are described herein. In certain aspects, an automated slide handler may be operatively coupled to a slide hotel and/or one or more imaging systems described herein. The automated slide handler may be a robotic arm with up to 6 degrees of freedom. Automated slide handling may include sample preparation, such as sectioning and staining. Suitable imaging systems include a fluorescence microscope or an imaging mass cytometer. Methods and systems disclosed herein enable high throughput profiling of tissue sections.

The disclosed flow cytometer includes a wavelength division multiplexer (WDM). The WDM includes an extended light source providing light that forms an object, a collimating optical element that captures light from the extended light source and projects a magnified image of the object as a first light beam, and a first focusing optical element configured to focus the first light beam to a size smaller than the object of the extended light source to a first semiconductor detector. The disclosed flow cytometer further includes a composite microscope objective to direct light emitted by a particle in a flow channel in a viewing zone of the composite microscope to the extended light source, a fluidic system and a peristaltic pump configured to supply liquid sheath and liquid sample to the flow channel, and a laser diode system to illuminate the particle in the flow channel.

In one example in accordance with the present disclosure, a cell preparation system is described. The cell preparation system includes a fluidic channel to transport cells in single file past multiple detection devices. The cell preparation system also includes a series of detection devices. Each detection device includes 1) a constriction to deform a cell found therein and 2) a sensor to measure a state within the constriction. The cell preparation system also includes a controller. The controller analyzes outputs from multiple sensors to 1) verify a single file transport of cells through the system and 2) identify a cell that passes through the fluidic channel.

Cell-separation systems and methods utilizing cell-specific microbubble tags and ultrasound-based separation are described. The methods are useful for simplification of time-consuming and costly cell purification procedures and real time apoptosis detection.

An exemplary mobile impedance-based flow cytometer is developed for the diagnosis of sickle cell disease. The mobile cytometer may be controlled by a computer (e.g., smartphone) application. Calibration of the portable device may be performed using a component of known impedance value. With the developed portable flow cytometer, analysis may be performed on two sickle cell samples and a healthy cell sample. The acquired results may subsequently be analyzed to extract single-cell level impedance information as well as statistics of different cell conditions. Significant differences in cell impedance signals may be observed between sickle cells and normal cells, as well as between sickle cells under hypoxia and normoxia conditions.