The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods for performing particle analysis through flow cytometry at comparatively high event rates and for gathering high resolution images of particles.

In an apparatus for collecting aerosolised respirable particles of an inhalable medicinal formulation, aerosolised formulation is drawn pneumatically through a dose collection section comprising an inlet orifice (201) and an air-permeable filter (206), the filter being positioned opposed to said orifice, and extending across the pathway (4) for filtering the pneumatic flow so as to retain particulate material therein on the filter, and the orifice (201) being so dimensioned and configured that it has an unimpeded area that is no less than 75% of the area of the filter (201) on which the dose will be collected. In a method using the apparatus, particles (209, 210) collected on the filter may optionally be subjected to a dissolution test. A good correlation is obtainable between in vitro and in vivo doses with improved independence of loading.

Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.

A cell capture system including an array, an inlet manifold, and an outlet manifold. The array includes a plurality of parallel pores, each pore including a chamber and a pore channel, an inlet channel fluidly connected to the chambers of the pores; an outlet channel fluidly connected to the pore channels of the pores. The inlet manifold is fluidly connected to the inlet channel, and the outlet channel is fluidly connected to the outlet channel. A cell removal tool is also disclosed, wherein the cell removal tool is configured to remove a captured cell from a pore chamber.

A quantitative evaluation method for activation energy of pyrolysis of graded diesel particulates is disclosed, relating to the technical field of diesel particulate emission. The present disclosure includes four major steps: grading of particulates, pretreatment of the particulates, thermogravimetry test for the particulates in different particle size ranges, and mathematical analysis on obtained thermogravimetric data by using a Flynn-Wall-Ozawa (FWO) formula. The particulates are collected and treated by using a micro-orifice uniform deposit impactor and a thermogravimetric analyzer, to obtain thermogravimetry/differential thermogravimetry (TG/DTG) curves of the particulates in different particle size ranges, and final activation energy values of pyrolysis of the particulates in different particle size ranges are obtained by linear fitting of the obtained data. The present disclosure can quickly and accurately obtain oxidation activation energy of to-be-tested diesel particulates of different particle sizes, thereby providing effective parameters for regeneration design of a diesel particulate filter (DPF).

A cell capture system including an array, an inlet manifold, and an outlet manifold. The array includes a plurality of parallel pores, each pore including a chamber and a pore channel, an inlet channel fluidly connected to the chambers of the pores; an outlet channel fluidly connected to the pore channels of the pores. The inlet manifold is fluidly connected to the inlet channel, and the outlet channel is fluidly connected to the outlet channel. A cell removal tool is also disclosed, wherein the cell removal tool is configured to remove a captured cell from a pore chamber.

A slurry analysis system (14) for estimating a first characteristic of a slurry (12) having a plurality of particles (18) suspended in a dispersion medium (20) can include a flow restriction assembly (40); a sensor assembly (43) that senses a sensed condition of the slurry (12) as it flows through the flow restriction assembly (40); and a control and analysis system (26) that estimates the first characteristic of the slurry (12) based on the sensed condition. Further, the control and analysis system (26) can select a selected clogging behavior using the sensed condition, and estimate the first characteristic based on the selected clogging behavior.

Methods and systems for detecting barrier blockage in a gas detector are disclosed. In some embodiments, a gas detector comprises a barrier configured to define a sensing chamber of the gas detector. The gas detector further comprises a radiation detection system. The radiation detection system comprises a radiation source and a detector. The radiation detection system may be configured for generating output signals related to radiation transmitted through the barrier. The gas detector comprises a controller operatively connected to the radiation detection system. The controller is configured to: determine an amount of radiation transmitted through the barrier based on the output signals; and determine a condition of the barrier based on the determined amount of radiation, wherein the determined condition indicates whether the barrier is blocked.

A cell capture system including an array, an inlet manifold, and an outlet manifold. The array includes a plurality of parallel pores, each pore including a chamber and a pore channel, an inlet channel fluidly connected to the chambers of the pores; an outlet channel fluidly connected to the pore channels of the pores. The inlet manifold is fluidly connected to the inlet channel, and the outlet channel is fluidly connected to the outlet channel. A cell removal tool is also disclosed, wherein the cell removal tool is configured to remove a captured cell from a pore chamber.

A particulate matter detection device and methods for detecting a particulate matter in the environment. The particulate matter detection device comprising an indicator comprising a detection layer, an optical substance bonded to a detection layer surface, and a graphical target layer viewable through one or more apertures in the detection layer. The adsorption of particulate matter to the optical substance obscures the graphical target layer as viewed through the one or more apertures to indicate the presence of particulate matter. The indicator demountably connected to a support frame comprises a sealed membrane to protect the optical substance. A channeled air modifier forming an enclosure with the support frame discriminates particulate matter from adsorbing onto the optical substance.