Coordinated conveyors in an automated system. A system comprises a plurality of conveyors, which each comprise a plurality of segments, and one or more stations. An instruction is received to perform an operation that requires at least one station to process at least a first item held by a first segment of a first conveyor and a second item held by a second segment of a second conveyor. In response to the instruction, one or both of the first and second conveyors are moved, such that the first segment and the second segment are aligned at the station. After alignment, one or more instruments of the station process the first item and the second item.

A sample preparation cartridge for use with a sample preparation device, the cartridge includes a housing defining plural separate segments, at least one of said segments comprising a fixed section of a pipette component; and a moveable head comprising a pipette tip, the head being configured, in use, to be moved between a position in which the pipette tip is in sealed engagement with the fixed section of pipette component and a position in which pipette tip is positioned adjacent to another of said plural segments. With the present invention a disposable sample preparation cartridge and corresponding analytical reader can be provided in a very cost effective and simple manner whilst still ensuring high quality sample preparation for analysis.

A system for automated microorganism identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing comprising a reagent cartridge, a reagent stage, a cassette, a cassette, stage, a pipettor assembly, an optical detection system, and a controller is disclosed. The system is designed to dynamically adjust motor idle torque to control heat load and employs a fast focus process for determining the true focus position of an individual microorganism. The system also may quantify the relative abundance of viable microorganisms in a sample using dynamic dilution, and facilitate growth of microorganisms in customized media for rapid, accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Since a detergent is a consumption article, it is desirable that a use amount of the detergent be as small as possible in a limit that the washing effect is not substantially reduced. Provided is an automatic analyzer which includes a syringe pump which is connected to a probe and performs the body aspiration and discharge, a feed pump which feeds washing water for washing the inside of the probe to the probe via the syringe pump and a controller which controls the dispensing mechanism and the syringe pump, in which the controller, in a case of washing the probe by sucking a detergent in the probe a plurality of times, controls the syringe pump so as to discharge the detergent after sucking the detergent and to suck the next detergent without feeding the washing water to the probe by the feed pump.

An apparatus for processing a biological sample for optical analysis having a cartridge with a sample supply container and a couvette, a cartridge/magazine holding the cartridge, and a cassette fan positioned over the cartridge. A filter cassette is mounted within the cassette fan, wherein the filter cassette has an inlet for receiving a sample from the sample supply container, an outlet for discharging the filter sample into the couvette, and valves therein to manipulate the sample for filtering. A cassette clamp is positioned over the filter cassette to secure the cassette and operate the filter cassette. A method for implementing this apparatus is also described herein. Additionally an apparatus is used for and a method measures waste fluid that passes over a filter element to control the amount of rinse fluid passing over the filter element.

When an automatic analysis apparatus has a mechanism that performs an operation of an arcuate trajectory to access a plurality of positions arranged on a straight line, an arc and a straight line cannot coincide with each other. Thus position adjustment is required to minimize the deviation between the arc and the straight line. An automatic analysis apparatus according to the invention includes a reagent disk which accommodates a plurality of reagent bottles in each of which a plurality of suction ports are arranged along a center line, and which rotates around a central axis to transport a reagent bottle to a desired position; and a reagent dispensing mechanism which rotates around a rotation axis to suck a reagent from the reagent bottle at a predetermined suction position on the reagent disk, in which the reagent disk is provided with, at least one mounting position of the reagent bottle on the reagent disk, first and second marks sandwiching the mounting position of the reagent bottle.

The present invention discloses a method for detecting activities of a thioredoxin reductase, a detection device and an operation method therefor. The detection method comprises: solution preparation: preparing a working solution, an inhibitor solution, and a mixed agent; sample addition: adding the working solution into a control reaction cup, adding the inhibitor solution into an experimental reaction cup, and respectively adding a sample into the control reaction cup and the experimental reaction cup; incubation: putting the control reaction cup and the experimental reaction cup in a dark environment to perform incubation at a predetermined temperature for a first predetermined time; and measurement: adding the mixed agent into the control reaction cup and the experimental reaction cup and measuring the absorbance value at a predetermined wavelength for a second predetermined time. Said detection method and the detection device can achieve fully automated detection of activities of the thioredoxin reductase, being fast and efficient, and saving time and effort.

A system for automated microorganism identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing comprising a reagent cartridge, a reagent stage, a cassette, a cassette, stage, a pipettor assembly, an optical detection system, and a controller is disclosed. The system is designed to dynamically adjust motor idle torque to control heat load and employs a fast focus process for determining the true focus position of an individual microorganism. The system also may quantify the relative abundance of viable microorganisms in a sample using dynamic dilution, and facilitate growth of microorganisms in customized media for rapid, accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

A system for automated microorganism identification and antibiotic susceptibility testing comprising a reagent cartridge, a reagent stage, a cassette, a cassette, stage, a pipettor assembly, an optical detection system, and a controller is disclosed. The system is designed to dynamically adjust motor idle torque to control heat load and employs a fast focus process for determining the true focus position of an individual microorganism. The system also may quantify the relative abundance of viable microorganisms in a sample using dynamic dilution, and facilitate growth of microorganisms in customized media for rapid, accurate antimicrobial susceptibility testing.

Coordinated conveyors in an automated system. A system comprises a plurality of conveyors, which each comprise a plurality of segments, and one or more stations. An instruction is received to perform an operation that requires at least one station to process at least a first item held by a first segment of a first conveyor and a second item held by a second segment of a second conveyor. In response to the instruction, one or both of the first and second conveyors are moved, such that the first segment and the second segment are aligned at the station. After alignment, one or more instruments of the station process the first item and the second item.