Disclosed is a slide assembly for a cytospin. The slide assembly includes: a slide having a hole formed in a predetermined position and including a mesh filter installed on a lower surface of the slide in alignment with the hole, the mesh filter having a plurality of filtering holes; and a filter card disposed below the slide so as to make contact with the lower surface of the slide. The slide assembly has an effect of preventing a loss of cells to be inspected and an effect of enabling accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of inspection targets.

Disclosed is a slide assembly for a cytospin. The slide assembly includes: a slide having a hole formed in a predetermined position and including a mesh filter installed on a lower surface of the slide in alignment with the hole, the mesh filter having a plurality of filtering holes; and a filter card disposed below the slide so as to make contact with the lower surface of the slide. The slide assembly has an effect of preventing a loss of cells to be inspected and an effect of enabling accurate qualitative and quantitative analysis of inspection targets.

Methods and apparatus for reacquiring a target on a slide in the field of view of a microscope are provided. The methods and apparatus include a housing, a linear potentiometer positioned in the housing, a contact slidably mounted in the housing and adapted to selectively contact the linear potentiometer, wherein a position of the contact on the linear potentiometer determines the signal output by the linear potentiometer; a linkage having a first end operatively connected to the contact and a second end operatively connected to the slide having the target, wherein the slide is translatable in a first direction; and a receiver adapted to receive a signal output by the linear potentiometer and, using the signal, determine a position of the slide. The linear potentiometer may be a membrane-type linear potentiometer. Aspects also include methods and devices for re-positioning a slide on a stage in a predetermined position.

Methods and apparatus for reacquiring a target on a slide in the field of view of a microscope are provided. The methods and apparatus include a housing, a linear potentiometer positioned in the housing, a contact slidably mounted in the housing and adapted to selectively contact the linear potentiometer, wherein a position of the contact on the linear potentiometer determines the signal output by the linear potentiometer; a linkage having a first end operatively connected to the contact and a second end operatively connected to the slide having the target, wherein the slide is translatable in a first direction; and a receiver adapted to receive a signal output by the linear potentiometer and, using the signal, determine a position of the slide. The linear potentiometer may be a membrane-type linear potentiometer. Aspects also include methods and devices for re-positioning a slide on a stage in a predetermined position.

A testing method using a micro flow path device configured for a test liquid containing a specimen to be brought into contact with a drug therein and for a test on an action of the drug on the specimen includes: preparing the micro flow path device including: a plurality of micro flow paths, first and second openings which are disposed at both ends of each of the plurality of micro flow paths and communicate with an outside, a storage unit which is provided in each of the plurality of micro flow paths and stores the drug, and a gas-permeable membrane covering the first opening; applying a fluid pressure higher than an external pressure to the test liquid through the second opening from a syringe pump connected to the second opening to pressure-feed the test liquid to the storage unit; and observing a target region set in the micro flow path.

The invention is directed to method for positioning and aligning a preferably biological sample in the detection area of the objective of a microscope arrangement. According to the invention, the method mentioned above has the following method steps: a sample is introduced into a transparent medium, preferably agarose gel, which is initially liquid; the medium is changed from the liquid state to the solid state, wherein the sample is fixated within the medium, but the transparency of the medium is retained; the solidified medium is positioned in the microscope arrangement in such a way that the sample enclosed therein is situated in the detection area of the objective. Further, a device is proposed for positioning and aligning a preferably biological sample in the detection area of the objective of a microscope arrangement.

The invention is directed to method for positioning and aligning a preferably biological sample in the detection area of the objective of a microscope arrangement. According to the invention, the method mentioned above has the following method steps: a sample is introduced into a transparent medium, preferably agarose gel, which is initially liquid; the medium is changed from the liquid state to the solid state, wherein the sample is fixated within the medium, but the transparency of the medium is retained; the solidified medium is positioned in the microscope arrangement in such a way that the sample enclosed therein is situated in the detection area of the objective. Further, a device is proposed for positioning and aligning a preferably biological sample in the detection area of the objective of a microscope arrangement.

Evanescently-coupled planar waveguides for enhancing total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy are disclosed. The waveguides include multiple thin layers of one or more materials on a cover slip arranged resonantly enhance the optical field at the surface of the layer stack by evanescently coupling to a leaky guided mode.

Evanescently-coupled planar waveguides for enhancing total internal reflection fluorescence microscopy are disclosed. The waveguides include multiple thin layers of one or more materials on a cover slip arranged resonantly enhance the optical field at the surface of the layer stack by evanescently coupling to a leaky guided mode.

In a light microscope (1) for cryomicroscopy, encompassing at least an objective (2) and a sample stage (3) having a cutout (7) for a coolable holder (8) for a sample carrier mount, the cutout (7) being covered by a cover (6), the sample stage (3) is displaceable in two horizontal directions (4). The cover (6) rests floatingly on the sample stage (3), and the objective (2) passes through a cutout (12), corresponding to the objective (2), in the cover (6). The method for cooling a holder (8) for a sample carrier mount in a light microscope (1) for cryomicroscopes, by means of a flow of liquid nitrogen through a cooling conduit (15), open at at least one end, in the holder (8), is notable for the fact that the quantity of liquid nitrogen is dimensioned so that all of the nitrogen is present in gaseous form at at least one open end (16) of the cooling conduit (15).