A nucleic acid inspection apparatus has an installer to install a nucleic acid inspection device, the installer comprising a storage unit to store at least a specimen sample, an amplifier to amplify nucleic acid contained in the specimen sample stored in the storage unit, a first flow passage to move the specimen sample from the storage unit to the amplifier, an inspection unit, and a second flow passage to move the specimen sample from the amplifier to the inspection unit, a first opening/closing unit to open/close the first flow passage, a second opening/closing unit to open/close the second flow passage, a heater to heat the amplifier, and a controller to control the first and second opening/closing units so as to open/close in a predetermined order and to control the heater so as to heat the amplifier in conjunction with opening/closing operations of the first and second opening/closing units.

The present disclosure is directed to an improved method for distinguishing tissue from an embedding medium, such as paraffin in a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sample. The method involves the use of fluorescence of naturally-occurring species in tissue to determine the location of the tissue in the embedded sample. An embedded sample is generally excited by light of a selected wavelength, and the fluorescence emission at an emitted wavelength is used to locate the boundary or location of the tissue in the embedded sample.

An analyzer that has a simple configuration, that is inexpensive, that can improve safety, and that can inhibit proliferation of microorganisms using ultraviolet light is realized. A first electric power switch, a second electric power switch, and a third electric power switch are connected in series between an ultraviolet LED that irradiates an interior of a shared reagent storage container with ultraviolet light and a power supply that supplies electric power to the ultraviolet LED. The first electric power switch, the second electric power switch, and the third electric power switch are configured with two contact points and a connection section that connects and disconnects the two contact points. The first electric power switch is opened when a reagent storage door is opened, and the second electric power switch is opened in response to an action of extracting an ultraviolet irradiation section from a shared reagent storage container. The third electric power switch is opened when an amount of the reagent within the shared reagent storage container is equal to or smaller than a constant value. When one of the first electric power switch, the second electric power switch, and the third electric power switch is opened, supply of the electric power to the ultraviolet LED is intercepted.

Disclosed is a specimen analyzer configured to perform analysis on a specimen for a plurality of measurement items, the specimen analyzer including a measurement section configured to perform a specimen measurement for measuring a measurement sample prepared from a specimen and a reagent corresponding to a measurement item, and configured to perform a quality control measurement for measuring a measurement sample prepared from a quality control substance and a reagent corresponding to a measurement item; and a controller programmed to set a quality control for each measurement item, from a quality control group that includes at least two types of quality controls selected from a first quality control in which the quality control measurement is performed at a predetermined time, a second quality control in which the quality control measurement is performed every time the specimen measurement is performed a predetermined number of times of measurement, and a third quality control in which the quality control measurement is performed every predetermined time interval, the controller being programmed to control the measurement section in accordance with the set quality control.

A diagnostic system and method and an interconnected laboratory system comprising clinical diagnostic systems are presented. The diagnostic system comprises a sample preparation module, a liquid chromatography (LC) separation module coupled to the sample preparation module via a sample preparation/LC interface, a mass spectrometer (MS) module coupled to the LC separation module via an LC/MS interface, and a result calculation module for identifying and/or quantifying analytes or substances of interest contained in the samples and passed through the LC separation and MS modules. The diagnostic system comprises a controller programmed to monitor operational parameters (1-n) indicative of a performance status of the diagnostic system, to trigger a quality control procedure and/or a maintenance procedure whenever one or more parameters (1-n) of the operational parameters (1-n) is out of specification, and to minimize the quality control and/or maintenance procedures as long as the operational parameters (1-n) remains within specification.

A kit and method for evaluation of the quality and the operating parameters of any types of fully automated open ELISA instruments are disclosed. The kit and method can be used to reliably assess quality control parameters including precision, volume removal accuracy, plate reader accuracy, plate reader linearity, plate washer quality, drift absence, and carryover absence. The evaluation can be completed in a timely and cost-effective manner and provide laboratories with the ability to readily validate the operation and performance of a fully automated ELISA instrument.

Reader and plate methods, operations, and systems for imaging/counting biological development on plates are shown and described. One embodiment includes calibrating a plate reader. Calibration may be triggered by detecting a quality control event or the like. The calibration process may include receiving a low and/or high calibrator, counting objects on the calibrator(s), and comparing objects on the calibrator(s) to a predetermined limit. The result is an improved plate reader for observing biological growth, when present, on a growth plate.

An automated analyzer system for biological samples is provided and includes a sample processing system and a controller configured to receive a selection of one of multiple workflows for determining a presence and/or concentration of an analyte in a biological sample and prompt the automated analyzer system to automatically carry out the selected workflow using the sample processing system and output a result classifying the biological sample.

The present disclosure is directed to an improved method for distinguishing tissue from an embedding medium, such as paraffin in a formalin-fixed paraffin-embedded sample. The method involves the use of fluorescence of naturally-occurring species in tissue to determine the location of the tissue in the embedded sample. An embedded sample is generally excited by light of a selected wavelength, and the fluorescence emission at an emitted wavelength is used to locate the boundary or location of the tissue in the embedded sample.

In variants, the method for determining dispensing volume for a liquid handler 110 can include: dispensing a droplet using the liquid hander no, sampling a set of measurements of the droplet, determining the droplet volume based on the set of measurements, and/or any other suitable steps. In variants, the system 100 can include: the liquid handler 110, a droplet vessel 130, a measurement system 150, and/or any other suitable components.