A particle counter and classification system and method wherein a first stage magnetometer sensor subsystem for the fluid is tuned to detect and determine the size of ferrous and/or conducting particles in the fluid above a predetermined size. A second stage magnetometer sensor subsystem for the fluid is tuned to detect the overall ferrous and/or conducting particle concentration in the fluid. A pump is configured to drive a volume of the fluid through the first stage magnetometer sensor subsystem and the second stage magnetometer sensor subsystem. A processing subsystem is responsive to the first stage magnetometer sensor subsystem, the second stage magnetometer sensor subsystem, and the pump. The processing subsystem is configured to count the number of ferrous and/or conducting particles above the predetermined size based on the output of the first stage magnetometer sensor subsystem and to determine and report the concentration of the ferrous and/or conducting particles above the predetermined size as a function of the size of the particles, their number, and the volume of the fluid. The processing subsystem further includes automatically determining a wear severity index as a function of the concentration of the particles above the predetermined size and the total ferrous/conducting particle concentration.

A method for obtaining the absorption position, mass and rigidity of a particle deposited on the surface of a resonator based on the relative change in the resonance frequency of said resonator in 3 or 4 flexural vibration modes. The rigidity of the particles is of great interest in the study of cells and other biological compounds that change state without significantly changing the mass.

To provide an exhaust gas analysis apparatus that, without the need to greatly change the flow rate of diluted exhaust gas passing through a filter, can change the flow rate of exhaust gas in the diluted exhaust gas passing through the filter with good followability to reflect weighting, and accurately measure PM, the exhaust gas analysis apparatus is adapted to include: a collection part that collects particulate matter in sampling exhaust gas partially splitting from original exhaust gas or in the diluted exhaust gas resulting from diluting the sampling exhaust gas with diluent gas; and a split flow ratio control mechanism configured to, in accordance with a vehicle driving mode set in compliance with predetermined regulations, change a split flow ratio that is the ratio of the split flow rate of the sampling exhaust gas to the total flow rate of the original exhaust gas.

Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.

Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.

A sorting flow cytometer identifies an undesirable drop charge sequence that is preassigned to adjacent drops before the drops have separated from a fluid stream. An example of an undesirable drop charge sequence is a sequence of adjacent drops that are charged with sufficiently high opposing charges that, after the drops are formed, would result in merging of the adjacent drops. The sorting flow cytometer adjusts the assignment of drop charges to avoid the undesired drop charge sequence.

Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.

A system includes a particulate material sample that contains a fluid medium and a plurality of particles dispersed in the fluid medium. The system further includes a particle analysis apparatus having a sample cell and sample delivery means for delivering the particulate material sample to the sample cell, wherein the particle analysis apparatus is adapted to obtain particle information on at least one particle in that particulate material sample while the at least one particle is in the sample cell. Furthermore, the system also includes fluid manipulation means for manipulating movement of the fluid medium while the particle analysis apparatus is obtaining the particle information on the at least one particle, and a data processing apparatus that is adapted to determine a specific gravity of the at least one particle based on the obtained particle information.

Methods for determining the hardness and/or ductility of a material by compression of the material are provided as a first aspect of the invention. Typically, compression is performed on multiple sides of a geologic material sample in a contemporaneous manner. Devices and systems for performing such methods also are provided. These methods, devices, and systems can be combined with additional methods, devices, and systems of the invention that provide for the analysis of compounds contained in such samples, which can indicate the presence of valuable materials, such as petroleum-associated hydrocarbons. Alternatively, these additional methods, devices, and systems can also stand independently of the methods, devices, and systems for analyzing ductility and/or hardness of materials.

Systems and methods for flowing particles, such as biological entities, in a fluidic channel(s) are generally provided. In some cases, the systems described herein are designed such that a single particle may be isolated from a plurality of particles and flowed into a fluidic channel (e.g., a microfluidic channel) and/or collected e.g., on fluidically isolated surfaces. For example, the single particle may be present in a plurality of particles of relatively high density and the single particle is flowed into a fluidic channel, such that it is separated from the plurality of particles. The particles may be spaced within a fluidic channel so that individual particles may be measured/observed over time. In certain embodiments, the particle may be a biological entity. Such article and methods may be useful, for example, for isolating single cells into individual wells of multi-well cell culture dishes (e.g., for single-cell analysis).