A method for automatic sampling of immune cells from a biological fluid sample, e.g., whole blood, deposited in a well of a microwell plate. The sample contains red blood cells (RBCs) and magnetic beads which are designed to bind to the RBCs. The microwell plate is placed on a shaker having a magnetic adapter including at least one magnet. The magnet causes the RBCs bound to the magnetic beads to be attracted to and migrate to a wall of the well (e.g., the bottom or side wall) and be held against the wall. The shaker is then operated to shake the microwell plate in a manner and for a time period so as to suspend substantially evenly or homogeneously the immune cells in the biological fluid sample within a region of the well but still retain the holding of the RBCs to the wall of the well such that the immune cells are substantially isolated from the RBCs in the region of the well. During or after shaking, a sample probe is then lowered into the region of the well to withdraw a portion of the sample containing the immune cells.

The present invention relates to a system for performing assays on a solid phase to measure the level of analyte in a sample. Such a system may perform immunoassays using electrochemiluminescence (ECL) including a counterbalanced orbital shaking apparatus for assay consumables. The counter-balanced orbital shaking apparatus also incubates the assay consumables, and has a cooling system to maintain a preset temperature within the shaking apparatus.

A pretreatment device for food safety detection, including: a base; a vortex oscillator disposed on the base; and a container holding mechanism disposed on the base and configured to hold a container such that the container is positioned above the vortex oscillator, wherein the vortex oscillator is configured to cooperate with the container holding mechanism to treat materials contained in the container. The present disclosure further provides a pretreatment method for food safety detection. By means of the pretreatment device and the pretreatment method according to the present disclosure, it can perform pretreatment work of food safety detection efficiently and simply, and save labor costs.

A clamping platform for a mechanical shaker, which allows automated release and fastening of microtiter plates that are subject to tolerances, includes at least two mounts arranged pairwise for the releasable fastening of the microtiter plates. The platform includes clamping jaws, on which a compression spring acts, actuatable with a link control having a linear drive. In conjunction with the compression spring, the geometry of the guide links allows compensation for the dimensional tolerances of the microtiter plates that are to be fixed by clamping. The spring force of the compression spring is determined such that the clamping jaws that are loaded by the compression spring exert the required clamping force in the deployed position onto the microtiter plates to be fixed.

A clamping platform for a mechanical shaker, which allows automated release and fastening of microtiter plates that are subject to tolerances, includes at least two mounts arranged pairwise for the releasable fastening of the microtiter plates. The platform includes clamping jaws, on which a compression spring acts, actuatable with a link control having a linear drive. In conjunction with the compression spring, the geometry of the guide links allows compensation for the dimensional tolerances of the microtiter plates that are to be fixed by clamping. The spring force of the compression spring is determined such that the clamping jaws that are loaded by the compression spring exert the required clamping force in the deployed position onto the microtiter plates to be fixed.

A method for enhancing mixing and aeration of a liquid reaction medium in a toroidal bioreactor vessel includes dispensing a liquid reaction medium into an interior of a toroidal bioreactor vessel, the interior being bounded by an inner surface, a textured surface being arranged on at least a portion of the inner surface, the textured surface having a plurality of upstanding protuberances. The toroidal bioreactor vessel is rotated in an orbital motion such that there is a resonant frequency traveling wave of the fluid orbiting in one direction in the interior of the toroidal bioreactor vessel when a particular orbital speed is imparted to the toroidal bioreactor vessel.

An insert for a liquid-holding container may include a body comprising a wall, an open top end and a bottom end, and a generally tubular lumen extending from the open top end to the open bottom end. The insert may include a plurality of first openings formed in the wall, the first openings being situated between the top and bottom ends, wherein each of the plurality of first openings defines an area, and wherein the plurality of first openings have substantially the same dimensions. The insert may include one or more second openings formed in the wall, the one or more second openings being situated between the top and bottom ends, wherein each of the one or more second openings defines an area that is greater than the area defined by any of the first openings, wherein the one or more second openings have substantially the same dimensions.

An automated pan shaker has a central longitudinal axis and a central lateral axis. The automated pan shaker includes a shaker assembly that has a carriage assembly, a clamping assembly supported by the carriage assembly and an actuation assembly. The actuation assembly further includes an actuator post connected to the carriage assembly, a first actuator assembly that includes a first actuator linkage connected to the actuator post, and a second actuator assembly that includes a second actuator linkage connected to the actuator post. Also disclosed is a method for inducing orbital movement in a bakery pan using a plurality of offset actuation assemblies.

A nucleic acid separating apparatus includes: a stirring mechanism that stirs and resolving-processes a specimen and a reagent injected into a process tube; a pressurized gas supply mechanism that supplies a pressurized gas to a filter cartridge having a specimen liquid including nucleic acid, the specimen liquid being injected in the filter cartridge after the resolving-process, to separate and collect nucleic acid from the specimen liquid; a dispensing mechanism that injects the specimen, a reagent, or the specimen liquid after the resolving-process into the process tube and the filter cartridge; and a move mechanism that moves the pressurized gas supply mechanism and the dispensing mechanism, wherein the dispensing mechanism includes: a suction and discharge mechanism that is capable of attaching a dispensing chip to the suction and discharge mechanism and detaching the dispensing chip from the suction and discharge mechanism, the suction and discharge mechanism being capable of suctioning and discharging a liquid through the dispensing chip; and a liquid supply mechanism that discharges a liquid from a nozzle.

The disclosure provides example rinse station apparatus, cartridges, and methods for flow cytometry. The rinse station apparatus includes: (a) a cartridge docking station having a base with a recessed receptacle for a cartridge, a vertical support coupled to the base's first end and a top support coupled to the vertical support and cantilevered over the base, the top support has an opening that aligns with the cartridge's opening, (b) a locking arm coupled to the base's second end, the locking arm's free end has a ridge to cooperate with a detent coupled to the cartridge's rear wall to retain the cartridge in place, (c) a spring coupled to the vertical support's front face to apply force to the cartridge's front wall to bias the cartridge toward the locking arm, and (d) a load cell coupled to the base of the cartridge docking station, the load cell measure's the cartridge's weight.