Disclosed herein is a method for the detection of the presence of sperm DNA fragmentation in a semen sample. The method comprises a step of embedding the semen sample containing sperm cells in a gel comprising acrylamide, acrylic acid, methacrylic acid, N-isopropylacrylamide (NIPAM), alginate, or polyethylene glycol (PEG), to obtain a sperm cells-embedded gel. A kit for detecting sperm DNA fragmentation in a semen sample is also disclosed.

An apparatus for imaging examination of cells on a surface of living tissue using moxifloxacin includes: a light source emitting light towards living tissue stained with moxifloxacin; a photographing unit photographing the living tissue subjected to fluorescence excitation by the light emitted from the light source; a lens unit controlling the light emitted from the light source or a fluorescence path of moxifloxacin excited by the light; an objective lens controlling a focus of the photographing unit; an active lens disposed between the objective lens and the photographing unit and changing a focal position on the living tissue; and an image generator performing image processing of a cell image of the living tissue photographed by the photographing unit to generate an in-focus image, in which the entirety of the cell image is in focus.

A sample processing assembly for treatment of a sample on a substrate includes a mounting surface for the substrate and a closure body configured to releasably retain a cover member. The closure body is movable between an open position and a substantially closed position. When a substrate is placed in the assembly and the closure body is in the substantially closed position while retaining a cover member, a reaction chamber is formed for processing a sample. A cover member for use with the sample processing assembly is also provided.

An RNA fluorescent probe for rapidly distinguishing cancer tissue from normal tissue based on nucleolar morphological changes, the probe being (E)-1-(3-aminopropyl)-4-(2-(9-ethyl-9H-carbazol-3-yl)vinyl)pyridine-1-ium dibromide, abbreviated as CAPY-AP. The probe can target RNA in culture cells and normal tissue as well as cancer tissue and then display nucleolar morphology. The judging criteria of distinguishing the cancer tissue from the normal tissue based on the nucleolar morphological changes is only single and unconspicuous nucleolus in most cells of normal tissue, while the enlarged nucleoli and/or multiple nucleoli exist in many cells of cancer tissue. Compared with other existing RNA probes, the probe has super-high RNA affinity and super-high permeability, and can rapidly image the RNA and nucleoli in tissue sections. Additionally, the probe has characteristics of good membrane permeability, strong fluorescence and good photostability, and is expected to be applied in preparation of intraoperative pathological diagnostic reagents for tumors.

Coating materials such as MALDI matrix solutions are aerosolized and are used to coat analyte particles in an acoustic coater. Methods and devices for coating analyte particles in real time are disclosed. The coating improves the detection and quantification of the analyte particles using analytical instruments such as an aerosol time of flight mass spectrometer.

Devices and methods for the deposition of reagents onto cells or tissue samples are disclosed. Also disclosed are reagent compositions suitable for dispensing via a droplet-on-demand system.

The present invention relates to a method and a kit for rendering a biological material containing melanin suitable for microscopy analysis.

The invention relates to a compound characterized by general formula (100), wherein R.sup.1 and R.sup.6 are H or F, R.sup.2, R.sup.3, R.sup.4 and R.sup.5 can be any substituent, R.sup.7, R.sup.8, R.sup.N1, R.sup.N2, R.sup.N3 and R.sup.N4 are a hydrocarbon moiety, one of R.sup.9 and R.sup.10 is hydrogen and the other one is hydrogen or a saturated carbon atom connected to any substituent, and its use in staining and live cell fluorescence imaging.

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A staining method includes staining a biological sample with a coumarin fluorescent dye to provide a fluorescent-stained sample, and bringing the fluorescent-stained sample into contact with osmium tetroxide, further embedding the sample in an epoxy resin, and subsequently slicing the sample to provide a section sample including the fluorescent-stained sample.

The invention is directed to a conjugate characterized by high brightness to enable detection of rarely expressed epitopes and release of the label from the epitope to enable downstream applications such as sequential imaging or cell sorting and with the general formula (I) Yn−P1(P2−X.sub.m).sub.o, with X: detection moiety; P1: first enzymatically degradable spacer; P2: second enzymatically degradable spacer; Y: antigen recognizing moiety and n, m, o integers between 1 and 100 with the provision that first spacer P1 and second spacer P2 are not degradable by the same enzyme.