A method for washing a suspension of cells including a suspension fluid and a plurality of cells is provided. The method includes using centripetal force to generate a layer of wash solution against a cylindrical wall and to generate a cell suspension layer adjacent to the layer of wash solution. The method also includes forcing the cells through the layer of wash solution to generate a layer of clean cells. Devices for performing the method are also provided.

A solenoid valve has a valve member (43) which is operated between: a closed position in which the valve member abuts on a valve seat to block communication between ports (32 and 33); and an open position in which the valve member separates from the valve seat to enable communication between the ports (32 and 33). A fixed iron core (18) and a movable iron core (21), in which the movable iron core reciprocatively moves in axial directions, are disposed in a bobbin (13) of a solenoid (11). In a valve housing (12) provided with ports (31 to 33), a swing member (41) having a valve element is swingably attached, and a pivotal lever (51) is pivotally attached. The pivotal lever (51) is provided with: an actuating portion (53) abutting on one end of the swing member (41); and an effort portion (54) abutting on the tip end of the movable iron core (21), an opening/closing stroke of the valve member (43) is made larger than the moving stroke of the movable iron core (21).

A thermo-gravimetric analysis system includes a chamber having an interior; and a sample crucible connected to and inside of the chamber, the sample crucible configured to hold a sample material. The system further includes a reference crucible connected to and inside of the chamber; and a metal organic framework (MOF) crucible connected to and inside of the chamber, separate from the sample crucible, the MOF crucible including an MOF material.

A fluorescent in-situ hybridization imaging system, including a flow cell to contain a sample to be exposed to fluorescent probes in a reagent; a plurality of reagent reservoirs, each reagent reservoir including a container to hold a liquid reagent; a valve system to control flow from one of a plurality of reagent reservoirs to the flow cell; a pressure source coupled to each of the plurality of reagent reservoirs to apply a positive pressure to liquid reagent in the container and urge the liquid reagent to flow toward the flow cell; and a fluorescence microscope including a variable frequency excitation light source and a camera positioned to receive fluorescently emitted light from the sample.

Provided are a microfluidic chip, and an apparatus and a method for detecting biomolecules by using the microfluidic chip. According to an example embodiment, the microfluidic chip includes: a first storage configured to accommodate a sample, the sample including target materials; a plurality of second storages connected to the first storage, the plurality of second storages including reactants for the target materials; and a plurality of well arrays connected to the plurality of second storages, respectively, and configured to accommodate a solution of the sample, in which the reactants for the target materials are dissolved.

A sample vessel includes a biological sample container and a sample stabilizer container. The biological sample container is configured to receive a biological sample and to store the biological sample. The sample stabilizer container is configured to contain a stabilizer associated with the biological sample. The sample stabilizer container is assembled from a stabilizer vial, an adaptor, and a fluid channel. The stabilizer vial is configured to store an amount of the stabilizer. The adaptor is configured to secure the biological sample container and the stabilizer vial such that the biological sample container and the stabilizer vial form the sample vessel. The fluid channel extends through the adaptor from the stabilizer vial to the biological sample container, the biological sample moving from the biological sample container into the stabilizer vial through the fluid channel.

To shorten the time required to sort target particles with sufficient purity, a particle sorter is provided. A particle sorter 200 including a micro flow path cartridge 10 having a first flow path 10 with a detection area 11 and a sorting area 12, a second flow path 20 for returning the target particle-containing sample 81 upstream from the detection region 11 of the first flow path 10, an installation unit 110 of the micro flow path cartridge 100, a liquid feeding unit 120, a detection unit 130 that outputs a signal corresponding to the target particles 91 passing through the detection region 11, a sorting mechanism 140 configured to perform a sorting operation of the target particle-containing sample 81 in a sorting region 12 based on the signal from the detection unit 130, and a control unit 150 for controlling the liquid feeding unit 120 so as to return the sorted target particle-containing sample 81 upstream of the detection region 11 of the first flow path 10 via the second flow path 20, and controlling the sorting mechanism 140 so as to perform a sorting operation on the returned target particle-containing sample 81.

The present application is directed to a sampling system for sampling a fluid from a vessel, where the sampling system includes a sterile dispenser assembly operatively connected to the vessel, the sterile dispenser assembly including a valve operatively connected to the vessel, a membrane, and a needle, and a detachable sterile sampling container assembly operatively connected to the sterile dispenser assembly, the detachable sterile sampling container assembly including a sampling container, a membrane attached to the sampling container, and a sampling container housing enclosing the sampling container, where the sampling container housing includes a compressible portion having a deflated configuration and an expanded configuration.

A cartridge assembly, and method of using the same, is provided. The assembly includes a sample processing card and a substrate attached thereto. The card has an injection port for receiving a test sample; at least one metering chamber; a mixing material source for introducing mixing material(s) to the metering chamber; fluid communication channels fluidly connecting the injection port and the mixing material source to the metering chamber; and at least one output port for delivering the test sample to a sensor (e.g., GMR sensor). The substrate has associated therewith: the sensor for sensing analytes in the test sample; electrical contact portions for an electrical connection with a reader unit; and a memory chip. The assembly further includes a pneumatic interface with port(s) and corresponding communication channel(s) fluidly connected to card. The interface connects with an off-board pneumatic system and enables application of positive and negative pressurized fluid to the card to move the test sample and one or more mixing materials therein and to the sensor.

A sealing cap seals a sample tube for receiving a liquid, in particular blood. The sealing cap includes a cavity delimited by a membrane and a base having an opening that can be sealed by a non-return valve. In order to reduce the volume of liquid which, during centrifugation of the sample tube sealed by the sealing cap, flows out of the sealing cap through the then open opening into the sample tube, the cavity of the sealing cap has a separating wall that divides the cavity into a first and a second sub-area. Only the second sub-area is above the opening, also meaning that only the volume of liquid in the second sub-area can flow into the sample tube.