A method of controlling a blood analyzer for measuring platelets is provided. The method comprises: determining a relationship between at least one first measurement value obtained by detecting platelets in at least one previous test by an electrical type detector of the blood analyzer and at least one second measurement value obtained by detecting the platelets in the at least one previous test by an optical type detector of the blood analyzer, and controlling the blood analyzer to prepare the first and/or second measurement sample for a current test according to the determined relationship.

Disclosed are a sample analysis apparatus and method which include: obtaining a first light signal by irradiating a first test sample from blood and a first-channel reagent to differentiate neutrophils, eosinophils, lymphocytes, and monocytes; obtaining a second light signal from a second test sample from the blood and a second-channel reagent; counting the nucleated red blood cells and lymphocytes based on the second light signal; determining accuracy of the lymphocyte result from the first test sample; and if inaccurate, correcting the lymphocyte result based on the lymphocyte result of the second test sample.

The present invention provides systems and methods for determining the cleanliness of a sample, the method including impinging high pressure fluid pulses on a sample disposed in a chamber to liberate particles therefrom and quantifying a number of the liberated particles to determine the cleanliness of the sample.

This application discloses methods for assessing quantities of spherical or substantially spherical lipoprotein particles or portions thereof present in a biological sample based on the measurement of free cholesterol and/or phospholipid content in the lipoprotein particles. Methods of treating a subject at increased risk for cardiovascular disease and/or cardiodiabetes are also disclosed.

Described herein are cartridges and devices for operating said cartridges for analyzing a biological sample, such as a blood or saliva sample. Also described herein is an impedance sensor for analyzing a biological sample. Further described herein are methods of determining a cell count or detecting an analyte in a biological sample, which can include transporting the biological sample through a sensor comprising a channel or pore; applying an electrical current or voltage to the channel or pore; detecting an impedance within the channel or pore; and determining a cell count or detecting the analyte based on the detected impedance. Also described herein is an electrowetting electrode array that is configured to transport aqueous solutions using low voltage, such as about 50 volts or less. Further described herein are methods of transporting an aqueous liquid using electrowetting electrodes.

Systems and methods are provided for counting particles in a fluid flow. In an aspect, coordinates of particles are obtained from video data of particles in a fluid, the video data made up of a sequence of image frames. The particle positions are linked in each pair of consecutive image frames of the video data. The linked particle positions are used to calculate particle trajectories through sequential image frames of the video data, and the particles are counted based on the particle trajectory. In another aspect, the particle positions within each image frame are transformed to estimated positions within a common coordinate frame. The estimated particle positions of a particle are grouped into a cluster center, and the particle count is calculated based on the cluster centers.

A sample analysis system includes one or more sets. Each of the one or more sets include includes a measurement block including measurement units configured to test a sample contained in a sample container, and a transport unit disposed corresponding to the measurement block. The transport unit includes a first transport path along which a sample rack is transported from an upstream side to a downstream side and a second transport path along which the sample rack received from the first transport path is transported to the measurement units in the measurement block. The second transport path is configured to move the sample rack back and forth between the measurement units to distribute the sample containers held on the sample rack to the measurement units.

According to one embodiment, provided is a single particle analyzing device including a measuring vessel, first and second chambers in the vessel defined by an insulating membrane, a pore opening in the membrane to connect the chambers, and first and second electrodes in the chambers. Electric current flows between the electrodes through the pore. Electrical characteristics are measured during migration of the target from the first chamber to the second chamber to measure the size and shape of the target. (a) t<a <d≦100a or (b) s<L, s<d≦100s, t<L and t<d, wherein a, L and s are the diameter, length and width of the target, d is the diameter of the pore, and t is the thickness of the membrane in the proximity to the pore.

A sensor apparatus for use in obtaining information relating to the presence of metal particles within a sample of a substance to be tested includes a substrate comprising an aperture for receiving a sample of a substance to be tested. The sample may be an extracted or dynamic sample. The substrate has an electrically conductive coil printed thereon, which surrounds the aperture. The coil is arranged to generate a magnetic field for application to a sample received in the aperture in use, and may also sense the result of interaction between the generated magnetic field and the sample. The sensed result of the interaction is usable to determine information relating to the presence of metal particles in the sample.

The present invention relates to a station for measuring particle contamination of a transport carrier for conveying and storing semiconductor substrates at atmospheric pressure, said transport carrier comprising a rigid casing (2) containing an aperture and a removable door (3) allowing the aperture to be closed, the measuring station comprising: a controlled environment chamber (4) comprising at least one load port (8) capable of coupling, on the one hand, to the rigid casing (2), and on the other hand, to the door (3) of the transport carrier, in order to move the door (3) into the controlled environment chamber (4) and bring the interior of the rigid casing (2) into communication with the interior of the controlled environment chamber (4); and a measuring module (5) comprising a particle measuring unit (14) and a casing-measuring interface (16) configured to couple to the rigid transport carrier casing (2) coupled to the controlled environment chamber (4) in the place of the door (3), characterized in that said casing-measuring interface (16) comprises a measuring head protruding from a base of the casing-measuring interface, bearing a first sampling orifice (12) connected to the particle measuring unit (14), and at least two injecting nozzles (20) configured to direct a gas jet onto at least two separate locations on the rigid casing (2) coupled to the controlled environment chamber (4), the respective orientations of the injecting nozzles (20) being fixed relative to the coupled rigid casing (2). The invention also relates to a method for measuring particle contamination of a transport carrier for conveying and storing semiconductor substrates at atmospheric pressure.