A method for preparing for preparing a solution comprising a plurality of particles in a vial is disclosed. The method includes agitating the vial at a first predetermined mixing speed. The method also includes dispersing, into the vial, during the agitating, a first volume of buffer solution at a first predetermined dispensing rate to suspend the plurality of particles in the solution, wherein particles of the plurality of particles comprise a unique identifying feature.

Particles of a fluorine-containing polymer used as a transparent solid material in an artificial transparent frozen soil is provided. The fluorine-containing polymer is poly[4,5-difluoro-2,2bis(trifluoromethyl)-1,3-dioxole-co-tetrafluoroethylene], with a refractive index of 1.31 and a density of 2.1-2.3 g/cm.sup.3. The particles have a particle diameter of 0.25-2.0 mm or a particle diameter 0.074 mm, and have irregular shapes. When particles of the fluorine-containing polymer are used as a transparent solid material for preparing a transparent frozen soil, the prepared transparent frozen soil has high transparency, low price, no toxicity and no harm, good similarity with the properties of a natural frozen soil body, can substitute natural frozen soil, is used for simulating complicated geological conditions, and is effectively used in model tests in geotechnical engineering.

The present disclosure provides an oral biofilm model including a substrate including a first surface, a second surface, and a plurality of specimens fixedly attached to the first surface, wherein an oral biofilm is capable of forming on the specimen. The surface roughness of at least one of the specimens of the plurality is less than or greater than a surface roughness of at least a second specimen of the plurality. The oral biofilm model also includes a body having sides and a bottom defining a vessel. The body is adapted to receive the substrate and the plurality of specimens and is further adapted to receive a fluid. Methods of forming oral biofilms and methods for identifying an agent for reducing or inhibiting biofilm formation are also provided.

The invention relates to a method for the mechanical testing of a structure (1, 10) formed as one part, comprising the following steps: a) identifying a sub-element (2, 11) in the structure (1, 10) formed as one part for generating a test element (3, 3′) that is intended to undergo mechanical testing, wherein the sub-element (2, 11) only represents a portion of the structure (1, 10) formed as one part, b) determining the spatial-geometrical structure of the sub-element (2, 11), c) generating the test element (3, 3′) on the basis of the spatial-geometrical structure of the sub-element (2, 11) and at least in part or in full by way of a 3D printing process, d) carrying out at least one mechanical test on the test element (3, 3′) generated. A further subject matter of the present invention is a method for modifying the structural design data of the structure (1, 10) formed as one part, in which the data of the mechanical testing that is obtained from the aforementioned method is used for a modification of the structural design data of the structure (1, 10).

A surface-assisted laser desorption/ionization method according to an aspect includes: a first process of preparing a sample support (2) having a substrate (21) in which a plurality of through-holes (S) passing from one surface (21a) thereof to the other surface (21b) thereof are provided and a conductive layer (23) that covers at least the one surface (21a); a second process of placing a sample (10) on a sample stage (1) and arranging the sample support (2) on the sample (10) such that the other surface (21b) faces the sample (10); and a third process of applying a laser beam (L) to the one surface (21a) and ionizing the sample (10) moved from the other surface (21b) side to the one surface (21a) side via the through-holes (S) due to a capillary phenomenon.

Coal rock three-dimensional strain field visual system and method are provided under a complex geological structure. The system includes a stress condition simulation system and a strain monitoring system. The stress condition simulation system includes a similar simulation experiment rack, a loading system and a circular slideway. The method includes preparing a 3D printing wire, printing a strain visual similar model, simulating a stratum dip angle and a gas-containing condition, applying stress fields, recording a cracking and dyeing condition of microcapsules inside the model, and the like. The system can realize tracing the generation and development of internal cracks in simulation models with complex geological conditions, and tracing the three-dimensional movement of internal ink dots to draw four-dimensional images of displacement fields.

A thin-sample-piece fabricating device is provided with a focused-ion-beam irradiation optical system, a stage, a stage driving mechanism, and a computer. The focused-ion-beam irradiation optical system performs irradiation with a focused ion beam (FIB). The stage holds a sample piece (Q). The stage driving mechanism drives the stage. The computer sets a thin-piece forming region serving as a treatment region, as well as a peripheral section surrounding the entire periphery of the thin-piece forming region, on the sample piece (Q). The computer causes irradiation with the focused ion beam (FIB) from a direction crossing the irradiated face of the sample piece (Q) so as to perform etching treatment such that the thickness of the thin-piece forming region becomes less than the thickness of the peripheral section.

A method of generating a plurality of spatially co-registered data elements, each spatially co-registered data element being associated with and generated from a pair of co-registered tissue sections obtained from adjacent positions of a core taken from a tissue sample and including an image data section and a genomic data section. The method includes, for each pair of co-registered tissue sections: (i) obtaining and storing as part of a data element a plurality of multi to hyperplexed images from the imaging data section of the co-registered tissue section, (ii) generating and storing as part of the data element image data from the plurality of multi to hyperplexed images, and (iii) generating and storing as part of the data element genomic data from the genomic data section of the associated co-registered tissue section.

A test specimen for validating operating parameters of a method for the additive manufacturing of a part by laser melting on powder beds includes at least one upper face, at least one lower face and side faces, including a front side face and a rear side face that are substantially on opposite sides from one another. The test specimen has at least one recess opening onto the front and rear side faces, the recess having a substantially triangular cross sectional shape being delimited by three internal faces, including a first lower internal face oriented upwards, a second upper internal face oriented downwards, and a third upper internal face which defines a narrow wall with one other of the side faces, which is inclined.

Disclosed are calibration techniques that can be implemented by a device that conducts biological tests. In certain embodiments, the device for testing a biological specimen includes a receiving mechanism to receive a carrier, a camera module arranged to capture imagery of the carrier, and a processor. Some examples of the processor can detect a calibration mode trigger. In calibration mode, the processor can divide the captured imagery into segments and selectively perform one or more calibration procedures for each segment. Then, the processor records a calibration result for each segment.