A probe of a target identification system can be extended via a first lumen of a viewing instrument, such as for illuminating an area beyond a distal end of the viewing instrument via an optical path of the viewing instrument. An optical response to the illumination of the area can be received via an optical path of the probe and can be split from other optical signals of the optical path. The optical response information can be used to identify characteristics of a target and to adjust parameters of a working instrument such as a working instrument contemporaneously using the probe.

An endoscope includes an image pickup apparatus, and the image pickup apparatus includes an imager includes an external electrode, a stacked device, a top electrode on a top surface, and a bottom electrode on a bottom surface, a three-dimensional wiring board having a first zone to which the external electrode is bonded, a second zone to which the top electrode or the bottom electrode is bonded, a third zone to which the top electrode or the bottom electrode is bonded, and a fifth zone arranged on a side surface of the stacked device, wherein the top surface, the bottom surface, and at least two side surfaces of the stacked device are covered with the wiring board.

One of two connector receiving parts of a processor for endoscope has a shutter mechanism configured to open a shutter by an external force, the shutter having a gap through which a connector-side connection end section passes, and being configured to partition a recessed space of the connector receiving part with respect to an outside. In addition, the processor for endoscope includes a lock mechanism configured to make the shutter into the locked state during a period when another connection end section on the connector side and a processor-side connection end section are connected, and release the locked state of the shutter when the connection between the other connection end section on the connector side and the processor-side connection end section is released.

A floating optical fiber connector interface generally includes a retention bracket, a translating socket slidingly associated with the retention bracket, and a biasing element positioned between the retention bracket and the translating socket. A tab portion may permit translation of the translating socket with respect to the retention bracket, and an aperture configured to receive a carriage optical fiber connector. The translating socket may translate with respect to the retention bracket within a plane and may further translate in the insertion direction, and the biasing element may resist translation of the translating socket. An alignment plate may be configured to align an instrument interface for connection to a carriage, including a telescoping standoff operable to position the plate at a first position in which the plate is spaced apart from the carriage and to position the plate at a second position in which the plate is adjacent to the carriage.

A method of analysis using mass spectrometry and/or ion mobility spectrometry is disclosed. The method comprises: using a first device to generate smoke, aerosol or vapour from a target comprising or consisting of a microbial population; mass analysing and/or ion mobility analysing said smoke, aerosol or vapour, or ions derived therefrom, in order to obtain spectrometric data; and analysing said spectrometric data in order to analyse said microbial population.

A drive device includes a filter section that includes an optical filter, a transmission section that rotates around a rotation shaft, a first groove portion that is formed to the transmission section, a protruding portion that is formed to the filter section, in contact with the first groove portion, and that moves the filter section from a first position to a second position by moving along the first groove portion in coordination with rotation of the transmission section, and a second groove portion that is formed continuously with the first groove portion, and that is provided along a tangent line direction passing through the protruding portion that is on a circle having the rotation shaft of the transmission section at a center and a radius that is a distance between the rotation shaft and the protruding portion, when the optical filter section is moved to the second position.

There are provided an endoscopic diagnosis apparatus, image processing method, and a non-transitory computer-readable recording medium that enable easy measurement of the size of a lesion portion or the like based on an endoscopic image captured through a normal operation without a special operation. A region detecting unit detects, from a position in an endoscopic image, a region having a periodic structure of living tissue. An imaging size calculating unit calculates, in number of pixels, an imaging size in the endoscopic image equivalent to a period in the periodic structure in the region having the periodic structure. A pixel size calculating unit calculates an actual size corresponding to one pixel of the endoscopic image. A scale generating unit generates scales indicating an actual size of the subject in the endoscopic image. A control unit causes the endoscopic image and the scales to be combined and displayed on a display unit.

An adaptor including: first and second optical systems; a prism comprising a mirror region, first light flux and second light flux from the respective optical systems, being incident on the prism, the light flux passing through the prism at a portion, the second light flux being reflected by a mirror region after passing through the portion, the light flux emitted from the prism to a region; and a light-shield at the region, the light-shield shields one of the first and second light flux and is disposed proximally to the prism relative to an imaging system of the endoscope when the adaptor is attached to an endoscope; the first optical system is disposed such that the first light flux is incident in a direction parallel to an optical axis, the second optical system is disposed so that the second light flux is incident in a direction orthogonal to the optical axis.

A method is disclosed comprising providing a biological sample on a swab, directing a spray of charged droplets onto a surface of the swab in order to generate a plurality of analyte ions, and analysing the analyte ions.