Capillary tube holder, a storage and shipping container in which a loaded capillary tube holder is securely held, a fixture for loading capillary tubes onto a capillary tube holder and a tube transfer fixture for transferring, removing or replacing individual capillary tubes from a loaded capillary tube holder.

A storage assembly for two substances to be mixed prior to use, includes a closable dropper tip (3). A first storage chamber (7) is formed by the closable dropper tip (3) and a first container part (2, 4), the first container part (2, 4) being provided with at least one aperture (43). A second storage chamber (8) is formed by a second container part (5) which includes an open end part (52, 53) that closes off the at least one aperture (43) in a first operational position. The first and second container parts (2, 4; 5, 6) are moveable with respect to each other, and are in fluid communication through the at least one aperture (43) in a second operational position wherein the total flow surface area of the at least one aperture (43) is at least equal to a cross sectional area of the first container part.

The invention provides a version of fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH) in which all the steps are performed at physiological temperatures, i.e., body temperature, to detect and identify pathogenic bacteria in clinical samples. Methods of the invention use species-specific fluorescent probes to label clinically important infectious bacteria. A sample such as a urine sample is loaded into a cartridge, fluorescently labeled, and imaged with a microscope. Labelled bacteria are pulled down onto an imaging surface and a dye cushion is used to keep unbound probes off of the imaging surface. A microscopic image of the surface shows whether and in what quantities the infectious bacteria are present in the clinical sample.

A slide tray assembly for an slide input module or an slide output module of an automated treatment apparatus for treating tissue samples disposed on slides, the slide tray assembly comprising: a slide tray; and a slide tray cover adjacent to the slide tray forming one or more voids between the slide tray and the slide tray cover for receiving slides therein, wherein the slide tray cover comprises an indent at one end of the slide tray cover so that a slide handling robot of the automated treatment apparatus and an operator of the automated treatment apparatus can access the slides in the voids via the indent.

A slide output module for an automated treatment apparatus for treating tissue samples disposed on slides, the slide output module comprising: a slide output tray assembly comprising a slide output tray adjacent to a slide output cover forming one or more voids between the slide output tray and the slide output tray cover for receiving slides therein, wherein the slide output tray cover comprises a first side with a fluid inlet in communication one of the voids, and a second side configured to form a hydration chamber with a slide in said one of the voids to maintain hydration of the slide with fluid received from the fluid inlet for a designated time following treatment of the slide by the automated staining apparatus.

There is provided an automated system for preparing tissue samples that comprises one or more microtomes, a hydration system, and a processor, the processor being programmed to initiate facing, by one or more microtomes, of a first tissue block comprising a first tissue sample embedded in an embedding material, and cause the first tissue block to be hydrated by the hydration system for a first predetermined time, and initiate facing, by one or more microtomes, of a second tissue block while the first tissue block is being hydrated, the second tissue block comprising a second tissue sample embedded in an embedding material, and cause the second tissue block to be hydrated by the hydration system for a second predetermined time, and to initiate the one or more microtomes to begin sectioning of the first tissue block while the second tissue block is being hydrated.

The present disclosure provides an anti-pollution consumable and a method for Clustered Regularly Interspaced Short Palindromic Repeats (CRISPR) molecular diagnosis using the same, belonging to the technical field of nucleic acid detection and molecular diagnostics. The anti-pollution consumable includes an outer reaction tube, a sleeve and an inner reaction tube, where the inner reaction tube includes a second hollow cylindrical upper body and a second-type conical lower body sequentially from top to bottom; a top end of the second hollow cylindrical upper body is externally connected with a fixing ring perpendicular to the second hollow cylindrical upper body; a number of drain holes are provided at a bottom of the second-type conical lower body; the drain hole has a diameter of 0.01-0.8 mm; the drain hole is used for hydrophobic treatment; and the inner reaction tube is fixed inside the outer reaction tube through the sleeve.

A cassette for retaining a specimen of surgically exposed tissue from a patient in an orientation that facilitates optical sectioning of the tissue by a confocal microscopic or other optical imaging microscope. The cassette includes a base member having a rigid optically transparent window upon which a tissue specimen is situated, a pliable membrane locatable over a substantial portion of the base member including the window, and an upper member, having an aperture therethrough, which can cover the base member to provide an enclosed cavity between the membrane and the window sealing the tissue specimen therein. The edges of the tissue specimen may be positioned planar against the window and retained in that position by bonds formed between the membrane and window at multiple points or locations around the tissue specimen. The specimen retained in the cavity is imagable by a microscope through the window of the base member.

A closure for dispensing one or more active agents into a container comprises a sealed or sealable chamber having a breakable wall and a hollow piston slidably mounted in a piston guide. Said hollow piston comprises an outer wall having an end in the chamber and at least one ventilation aperture. Said end has a cutting formation. Said hollow piston is slidable in the piston guide between a ventilation position in which the at least one ventilation aperture allows ventilation of the chamber and a sealed position in which the at least one ventilation aperture is sealed to prevent ventilation of the chamber and a deployed position in which the cutting formation has broken through at least a portion of the breakable wall. The outer wall has a retaining formation which engages with the piston guide to releasably resist sliding of the hollow piston between the ventilation position and the sealed position and the deployed position. The hollow piston may have an outer wall, and said outer wall has an end within the chamber, facing the breakable wall, wherein the cutting end has a first edge having a cutting formation and a gap in said cutting formation.

Disclosed is a filtration device for liquid samples as well as a close and push-through device for said filtration device.