A method, system and computer-readable medium for assessing a disease condition of a cancer of a subject, including: receiving a blood sample from the subject; isolating a plurality of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from the blood sample; measuring at least one of cell or cell nucleus sizes of each of the plurality of CTCs; determining a measured CTC size distribution of the plurality of CTCs based on the measuring; comparing the measured CTC size distribution to a reference CTC size distribution using a computer; and assigning the disease condition of the cancer of the subject based on the comparing.

Embodiments include methods, systems and computer program products for communicating the presence of a target DNA or RNA sequence. Aspects include receiving a plurality of images of a sample taken by a portable video capture device. Aspects also include calculating a change in position over time of microscopic beads coated with DNA probe sequence in a sample containing genetic material. Aspects also include determining whether the beads are displaying Brownian motion. Aspects also include, based upon a determination of that the beads are displaying Brownian motion, generating a negative output message and sending the negative output message to a portable display. Aspects also include, based upon a determination of that the beads are not displaying Brownian motion, generating a positive output message and sending the positive output message to a portable display.

Provided is a canceration information providing method capable of presenting information related to canceration of cells with high reliability. A cell in which an amount of DNA is greater than or equal to an amount of DNA of a normal cell in a S period is extracted from a cell group of V11≦N/C ratio≦V12 (first counting step). If a number of cells obtained in the first counting step is greater than or equal to a threshold value S1 (S107: YES), “Cancer” is set to a flag 1. A cell in which an amount of DNA is 2C is extracted from a cell group of V13≦N/C ratio<V11 (second counting step). A ratio of a number of cells obtained in the first counting step and a number of cells obtained in the second counting step is calculated, and “Cancer” is set to a flag 2 if the ratio is greater than or equal to a threshold value S2 (S111: YES). If either one of the flags 1, 2 is “Cancer” (S113: YES), retest necessary is displayed.

A method of measuring a characteristic optionally a clinical characteristic of a cancer test cell sample comprising: characterizing nuclear organization of DNA of the test cell sample: obtaining DNA image data of the cancer test cell sample nuclei using microscopy, processing the image data using granulometry to obtain one or more data points corresponding to DNA occupied space and/or DNA low space; and quantifying a feature of the DNA occupied space and/or a feature of the DNA low space.

Systems and methods for analyzing blood samples, and more specifically for performing a white blood cell (WBC) differential analysis. The systems and methods screen WBCs by means of fluorescence staining and a fluorescence triggering strategy. As such, interference from unlyzed red blood cells (RBCs) and fragments of lysed RBCs is substantially eliminated. The systems and methods also enable development of relatively milder WBC reagent(s), suitable for assays of samples containing fragile WBCs. In one embodiment, the systems and methods include: (a) staining a blood sample with an exclusive cell membrane permeable fluorescent dye, which corresponds in emission spectrum to an excitation source of a hematology instrument; (b) using a fluorescence trigger to screen the blood sample for WBCs; and (c) using measurements of (1) axial light loss, (2) intermediate angle scatter, (3) 90° polarized side scatter, (4) 90° depolarized side scatter, and (5) fluorescence emission to perform a differentiation analysis.

Systems and methods for analyzing blood samples, and more specifically for performing a nucleated red blood cell (nRBC) analysis. The systems and methods screen a blood sample by means of fluorescence staining and a fluorescence triggering strategy, to identify nuclei-containing particles within the blood sample. As such, interference from unlysed red blood cells (RBCs) and fragments of lysed RBCs is substantially eliminated. The systems and methods also enable development of relatively milder reagent(s), suitable for assays of samples containing fragile white blood cells (WBCs). In one embodiment, the systems and methods include: (a) staining a blood sample with an exclusive cell membrane permeable fluorescent dye; (b) using a fluorescence trigger to screen the blood sample for nuclei-containing particles; and (c) using measurements of light scatter and fluorescence emission to distinguish nRBCs from WBCs.

Holograms of colloidal dispersions encode comprehensive information about individual particles' three-dimensional positions, sizes and optical properties. Extracting that information typically is computation-ally intensive, and thus slow. Machine-learning techniques based on support vector machines (SVMs) can analyze holographic video microscopy data in real time on low-power computers. The resulting stream of precise particle-resolved tracking and characterization data provides unparalleled insights into the composition and dynamics of colloidal dispersions and enables applications ranging from basic research to process control and quality assurance.

Provided herein are cell assay devices, methods of assaying the activity of immune cells on target cells, and methods of selecting a treatment for a subject having cancer. Described herein are cell assay devices comprising a biocompatible substrate having an upper surface supporting a plurality of arrays of spots comprising an adhesion-promoting material; a biocompatible membrane having top and bottom surfaces and positioned adjacent to the upper surface of the substrate and defining a plurality of chambers within the membrane between the top surface and the bottom surface of the membrane, wherein the membrane comprises at least two openings in the top surface of the membrane into each chamber to provide access to the chambers.

Described herein are apparatuses for analyzing an optical signal decay. In some embodiments, an apparatus includes: a source of a beam of pulsed optical energy; a sample holder configured to expose a sample to the beam; a detector comprising a number of spectral detection channels configured to convert the optical signals into respective electrical signals; and a signal processing module configured to perform a method. In some embodiments, the method includes: receiving the electrical signals from the detector; mathematically combining individual decay curves in the electrical signals into a decay supercurve, the supercurve comprising a number of components, each component having a time constant and a relative contribution to the supercurve; and numerically fitting a model to the supercurve.

Tyndallized, intact and immunologically active bacterial cells of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) is described. A method for preparing the same, as well as an analytical method for the qualitative and quantitative determination of tyndallized, intact and immunologically active bacterial cells of Lactobacillus rhamnosus GG (ATCC 53103) is also described.