To provide a microchip that is easily handled.

Provided is a microchip having a plate shape and including: a sample liquid inlet into which a sample liquid is introduced; a main flow path through which the sample liquid introduced from the sample liquid inlet flows; and a sorting flow path into which a target sample is sorted from the sample liquid, in which the sample liquid inlet and a terminal end of the sorting flow path are formed on a same side surface. Furthermore, a sample sorting kit including the microchip is also provided. Moreover, a microparticle sorting device on which the microchip is mounted is also provided.

A method of spectrometric analysis comprises obtaining one or more sample spectra for an aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The one or more sample spectra are subjected to pre-processing and then multivariate and/or library based analysis so as to classify the aerosol, smoke or vapour sample. The results of the analysis are used for various surgical or non-surgical applications.

The present disclosure relates to a semiconductor apparatus and a potential measuring apparatus capable of preventing deterioration in signal characteristics due to parasitic capacitance caused by providing a configuration for realizing an electrode plating process when an electrode and an amplifier are provided on the same substrate. When a power source supplies a potential necessary for plating processing and a breaker reads a signal from liquid, and an amplifier amplifies and outputs the signal, the power source required for the plating processing is blocked with respect to the electrode. This is applicable to the potential measuring apparatus.

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.

Certain examples of the disclosure concern an apparatus including a microcarrier configured to receive and support attachment and growth of cells, and a magnetoelastic sensor enclosed by the microcarrier. The magnetoelastic sensor is configured to vibrate in response to an activation magnetic field, and the vibration can produce a return magnetic field having detectable field characteristics associated with the attachment or growth of the cells.

A cell screening device including a bottom plate, a cell placement membrane, a pair of fluid injection parts, and a flow channel, the flow channel being formed between the bottom plate and the cell placement membrane and extending in such a manner that the flow channel end parts respectively reach the fluid injection parts. In the cell placement membrane, a plurality of wells, each having a size capable of housing a single cell, and through holes are formed. In the back side of each lid, i.e., the ceiling face of the flow channel end part, a debubbling surface, which rises in an inclined or step-like manner as getting closer to a fluid injection hole, is formed.

A method for determining a value indicative of the permittivity of a cell population in the context of impedance spectroscopy comprises the following steps: generating an excitation current through the cell population, which oscillates with an excitation frequency; measuring a voltage in the cell population between a first measuring electrode (12) and a second measuring electrode (14); sampling the excitation current, wherein first sampled values for the excitation current are generated; sampling the voltage between the first measuring electrode (12) and the second measuring electrode (14), wherein second sampled values for the voltage between the first measuring electrode and the second measuring electrode are generated; and determining the value indicative of the permittivity of the cell population on the basis of the first sampled values and the second sampled values.

A system for detecting a target bacteria is disclosed. The system comprises a flow cytometer. The flow cytometer is configured to receive a fluid sample, wherein the fluid sample comprises at least a target bacteria and at least a contaminant bacteria. The flow cytometer is also configured to generate a first enumeration of a total bacteria in the fluid sample during a pre-incubation phase. The fluid sample is then incubated during an incubation phase. The flow cytometer then generates a second enumeration of the total bacteria in the fluid sample during a post-incubation phase. A computing device then determines a growth ratio of the total bacteria as a function of the first enumeration and the second enumeration. Finally, the computing device identifies the presence of the at least a target bacteria as a function of the growth ratio.

A marker for determining a mental disease is provided. The marker can be used in an objective diagnosis of such a mental disease. The marker contains one or more enterobacteria of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Lactobacillus brevis, Lactobacillus reuteri subgroup, Lactobacillus sakei subgroup, Atopobium cluster, Bacteroides fragilis group, Enterococcus, Clostridium coccoides group, Clostridium leptum subgroup, Staphylococcus, Clostridium perfringens, and Enterobacteriaceae.

Methods for characterizing mechanical properties of cells at different stress levels. The disclosed inventions can determine the impact of shear stress on cells in bioproduction processes.