In a pre-processing system, a state in which a sample dispensing probe 20a and a syringe pump 81 communicate with each other through a channel 91 and a state in which the sample dispensing probe 20a and a culture tank 301 communicate with each other through the channels 91, 93, and 94 can be switched by operation of the three-way valves 82 and 83. For this reason, the liquid sample in the culture tank 301 can be automatically discharged from the sample dispensing probe 20a without requiring the user to directly sample the liquid sample. As a result, in the pre-processing system, the user's manual sampling work can be omitted, and the user's work can be simplified.

A laboratory system and a method for separating interfering substances contained in test samples is presented. The laboratory system comprises separation vessels comprising solid surfaces and capturing molecules which are immobilized on the solid surfaces. The capturing molecules of the separation vessels are configured to bind interfering substances of laboratory tests of different analytical methods.

An automated control system including an unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and an input device. The UAV includes: a sensor, a receiver; and memory. The memory includes a task association data including one or more tasks for execution by the UAV. The input device includes a tagging block. The tagging block allows an operator to tag an object of interest and send a tag regarding the object of interest to the UAV, via the receiver, wherein the object of interest is located within a visual field of the UAV. The sensor processes data within the visual field and the input device is configured to communicate the object of interest from the visual field tagged by the operator. The task is selected from the task association data and the UAV executes the task with respect to the object of interest from the visual field.

The invention relates to a method for extracting DNA, comprising the steps of: providing (400) a lysate (11) in a sample vessel (1), feeding (500) an DNA absorbing substance (15) to the sample vessel (1), closing (700) the sample vessel (1) by means of a wash filter element (3), feeding (600) a wash fluid (12) to the sample vessel (1) through the wash filter element (3), and discharging (700) the wash fluid (12) from the sample vessel (1) through the wash filter element (3). The DNA absorbing substance can be retained from the wash filter element (3).

The invention provides columns (including pipette tip columns) and automated methods for the purification of nucleic acids including plasmids. Nucleic acids can be purified from unclarified, clarified or partially-clarified cell lysates that contain cell debris. The columns typically include a bed of medium positioned above a bottom frit and with an optional top frit. Plasmid preparation scales include miniprep, midiprep, maxiprep, megaprep and gigaprep.

In a pre-processing system, a state in which a sample dispensing probe 20a and a syringe pump 81 communicate with each other through a channel 91 and a state in which the sample dispensing probe 20a and a culture tank 301 communicate with each other through the channels 91, 93, and 94 can be switched by operation of the three-way valves 82 and 83. For this reason, the liquid sample in the culture tank 301 can be automatically discharged from the sample dispensing probe 20a without requiring the user to directly sample the liquid sample. As a result, in the pre-processing system, the user's manual sampling work can be omitted, and the user's work can be simplified.

The present invention relates to a filter apparatus (1) for use in an automated system (100) for the preparation of a fluid sample for a chemical or composition analysis. The filter apparatus (1) comprises an inlet portion (2) with a conduit (3) ending in an entry port (4) for receiving the sample in an unfiltered state; a septum (5) held at and closing the entry port (4) of the conduit (3) of the inlet portion (2); an outlet portion (6) with a channel (7) for dispensing the filtered sample to a receptacle (70); and an intermediate portion (8) having a filter chamber (9) in fluid connection with the conduit (3) of the inlet portion (2) and with the channel (7) of the outlet portion (6) and a filter layer (10). The filter chamber (9) of the intermediate portion (8) has a diameter larger than a diameter of the conduit (3) of the inlet portion (2) and than a diameter of the channel (7) of the outlet portion (6). The filter layer (10) extends through the filter chamber (9) such that the conduit (3) of the inlet portion (2) is separated from the channel (7) of the outlet portion (6) by the filter layer (10). The present invention also deals with an automated system (100) for the preparation of a sample for a chemical or composition analysis and with a correlated method of preparing such a sample. The automated system (100) comprises an injection head (50) for the injection of an amount of sample in a receptacle (70) and a filter apparatus (1) as above introduced. The injection head (50) is equipped with a needle (51) adapted to be affixed to the filter apparatus (1) by piercing a septum (5) of the filter apparatus (1).

A device for separating a reagent from a reactor includes a collecting means, provided with a liquid receiving port and a solid receiving port, a holding component disposed above the collecting means and used for placing the reactor, and a rotating mechanism for driving the holding component to rotate. The liquid receiving port and the solid receiving port are arranged at different positions in the circumferential direction of rotation of the holding component, when the holding component passes over the liquid receiving port, reagent in the reactor falls into the liquid receiving port, when the rotating mechanism continues rotating in the original direction until the holding component passes over the solid receiving port, the reactor falls into the solid receiving port from the holding component.

There is provided a piston of a cartridge for extracting nucleic acids comprising: a cylindrical upper body having a hollow; a lower body having two ports; a control rod module combined to the other end of the upper body to seal the other end and move up and down along the hollow; and a rotation control module that is combined to the shaft of the lower body to transmit a driving force to the lower body.

An automated computer-controlled sampling system and related methods for collecting, processing, and analyzing agricultural samples for various chemical properties such as plant available nutrients. The sampling system allows multiple samples to be processed and analyzed for different analytes or chemical properties in a simultaneous concurrent or semi-concurrent manner. Advantageously, the system can process soil samples in the “as collected” condition without drying or grinding. The system generally includes a sample preparation sub-system which receives soil samples collected by a probe collection sub-system and produces a slurry (i.e. mixture of soil, vegetation, and/or manure and water), and a chemical analysis sub-system which processes the prepared slurry samples for quantifying multiple analytes and/or chemical properties of the sample. The sample preparation and chemical analysis subsystems can be used to analyze soil, vegetation, and/or manure samples.