A process for determining the viability of a biological indicator includes exposing the biological indicator to a viability detection medium, the biological indicator including test microorganisms, the exposing the biological indicator to the viability detection medium producing a gaseous reaction product when one or more of the test microorganisms are viable. The presence or absence of the gaseous reaction product produced by the biological indicator combined with the viability detection medium is detected with a sensing device, the sensing device comprising an electro-mechanical sensor, wherein the presence of the gaseous reaction product indicates the presence of viable test microorganisms and the absence of the gaseous reaction product indicates the absence of viable test microorganisms. A sterilization detection device includes a container configured to contain the biological indicator, a viability detection medium, and the sensing device.

A process for determining the viability of a biological indicator includes exposing the biological indicator to a viability detection medium, the biological indicator including test microorganisms, the exposing the biological indicator to the viability detection medium producing a gaseous reaction product when one or more of the test microorganisms are viable. The presence or absence of the gaseous reaction product produced by the biological indicator combined with the viability detection medium is detected with a sensing device, the sensing device comprising a capacitive sensor, wherein the presence of the gaseous reaction product indicates the presence of viable test microorganisms and the absence of the gaseous reaction product indicates the absence of viable test microorganisms. A sterilization detection device includes a container configured to contain the biological indicator, a viability detection medium, and the sensing device.

A process for determining the viability of a biological indicator includes exposing the biological indicator to a viability detection medium, the biological indicator including test microorganisms, the exposing the biological indicator to the viability detection medium producing a gaseous reaction product when one or more of the test microorganisms are viable. The presence or absence of the gaseous reaction product produced by the biological indicator combined with the viability detection medium is detected with a sensing device, the sensing device comprising a resistive sensor, wherein the presence of the gaseous reaction product indicates the presence of viable test microorganisms and the absence of the gaseous reaction product indicates the absence of viable test microorganisms. A sterilization detection device includes a container configured to contain the biological indicator, a viability detection medium, and the sensing device.

Methods for diagnosing, treating, and monitoring the treatment of fusariosis or scedosporiosis are described. The methods can include detecting the presence of one or more volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in the breath of subjects suspected of having fusariosis or scedosporiosis.

An apparatus and system for measuring and monitoring fouling parameters in a fluid are provided. The apparatus includes a conduit within a housing, wherein at least a portion of the conduit provides a carbon dioxide permeable membrane through which carbon dioxide in the fluid can permeate in use. A carbon dioxide sensor within the housing is configured to measure carbon dioxide levels at the sensor. The housing further includes a light source that irradiates a portion of the conduit and a light sensor that is configured to measure light transmitted through or reflected by the irradiated portion of the conduit to measure the amount of fouling material within the fluid and attached to the irradiated portion of the conduit in use.

The invention relates to a closing element for closing a container for samples for analysis, particularly biological samples. The invention also relates to an assembly of a container and a closing element connected to the container. The invention also relates to a device for analysing samples, particularly biological samples, by making use of an assembly according to the invention. In addition, the invention relates to a method for analysing samples, particularly biological samples, by making use of an assembly according to the invention.

A device and a method for the analysis of the air exhaled by a subject in order to measure basal metabolism of the subject comprise a main line for a sampling flow of the air exhaled by a subject who breathes spontaneously or a subject undergoing assisted pulmonary ventilation. A mixing mini-chamber is provided for mixing a plurality of air sampling flows exhaled by the subject within a number of respiratory cycles. Sensors for sensing the oxygen concentration and the carbon dioxide concentration respectively measure the oxygen concentration and the carbon dioxide concentration within the air flow in the main line. The device further comprises an electronic control unit which processes signals from the sensors for obtaining a measurement of metabolism of the subject within a number of respiratory cycles. The electronic control unit is further programmed for automatically starting, upon switching on the device, a self-calibration stage of the device, by connecting the main line to a calibration line while causing the calibration flow to pass through a by-pass line by-passing the mixing mini-chamber, so that the calibration can be performed immediately, without requiring a filling of the mixing mini-chamber.

A method for detecting a metastasis state of biological cells is disclosed. The method includes seeding a plurality of biological cells onto an array of electrodes of an electrical cell-substrate impedance sensor (ECIS) by dropping a cell suspension including the plurality of biological cells in a cell culture medium onto the array of electrodes, forming a plurality of cultured biological cells attached onto the array of electrodes by maintaining the ECIS in an incubator, reducing pH value of an extracellular media around the plurality of cultured biological cells to a pH value between 6.2 and 6.7 by dropping an acidic solution onto the array of electrodes, activating an intracellular phenomenon due to reducing pH value of the extracellular media around the plurality of cultured biological cells, monitoring an electrical signal of the plurality of cultured biological cells for a pre-determined period of time, and determining metastasis state of the plurality of biological cells based on the monitored electrical signals. The intracellular phenomenon includes one of autophagy phenomenon in metastatic cells, or cell's proliferation reduction and/or apoptosis in non-metastatic cells. Monitoring the electrical signal of the plurality of cultured biological cells includes applying an electrical voltage to the array of electrodes and extracting a set of time-lapse electrical signals from the array of electrodes. Determining metastasis state of the plurality of biological cells includes identifying a metastatic state for the plurality of biological cells by detecting an increasing trend in the set of time-lapse electrical signals over time, where the increasing trend occurs responsive to activation of the autophagy phenomenon. Determining metastasis state of the plurality of biological cells further includes identifying a non-metastatic state for the plurality of biological cells by detecting a decreasing trend in the set of time-lapse electrical signals over time, where the decreasing trend occurs responsive to activation of the cell's proliferation reduction and/or apoptosis phenomenon.

The application relates to a closing element for closing a container for samples for analysis, particularly biological samples. The application also relates to an assembly of a container and a closing element connected to the container. The application also relates to a device and method for analyzing samples. The closure comprises a vent channel (6) with a bacterial filter (7), a penetrable element (5) and the vent channel is configured to be connected with an analyzer and can be opened and closed.

An apparatus for calibrating a flux analyzer comprises a first frame; a second frame; and a permeable membrane. The first frame and the second frame are connected or integrally formed. A method for calibrating a flux analyzer is provided which uses an artificial standard rather than a biological standard.