A cell analysis apparatus including: a cell image acquisition unit that acquires an image of cells in a culture vessel in which cells are cultured; a smoothing processing unit that smooths luminance values in the image acquired by the cell image acquisition unit; a minimum-value detecting unit that detects minimum values of the luminance values smoothed by the smoothing processing unit; a smallest-minimum-value extracting unit that extracts smallest minimum values which are the smallest in regions according to the sizes of the cells, from the minimum values detected by the minimum-value detecting unit; a counting unit that counts the number of smallest minimum values extracted by the smallest-minimum-value extracting unit; and a cell-count calculating unit that calculates the number of cells in the culture vessel on the basis of the number of smallest minimum values counted by the counting unit.

Cell counting device A cell counting device and a method of using a cell counting device are disclosed. The cell counting device comprises a chamber for receiving a sample, at least one light source to emit light towards a section of the chamber. The section of the chamber comprises a sub-sample of the sample. The cell counting device also comprises a light detector to receive a light emitted from the section of the chamber and to generate an electronic signal associated with the received light, and a controller. The controller is configured to estimate the number of photoactive cells in the sample by calculating the distribution of variable fluorescence [F.sub.v] values of a predetermined number of sub-samples about the mean F.sub.v value.

System and methods for monitoring the growth of an aquatic plant culture and detecting real-time characteristics associated with the aquatic plant culture aquatic plants. The systems and methods may include a control unit configured to perform an analysis of at least one image of an aquatic plant culture. The analysis may include processing at least one collected image to determine at least one physical characteristic or state of an aquatic plant culture. Systems and methods for distributing aquatic plant cultures are also provided. The distribution systems and methods may track and control the distribution of an aquatic plant culture based on information received from various sources. Systems and methods for growing and harvesting aquatic plants in a controlled and compact environment are also provided. The systems may include a bioreactor having a plurality of vertically stacked modules designed to contain the aquatic plants and a liquid growth medium.

A laser processing machine for killing specific cells from a group of cells on a surface of a layer containing an ingredient capable of absorbing laser light, the laser processing machine being configured to: control a laser light source to output laser light at 5W or less and at a wavelength of 380 nm or greater such that the laser light source is applied to a second area on a second surface of the layer opposed to the first surface; and control an actuator to provide a relative movement between the second area where the laser light is applied and the layer at a rate of 2000 mm/sec or less such that the irradiated second area absorbs energy to generate heat that kills unwanted cells on a first area of the first surface and the laser light does not instantly kill the specific cells on the first area upon irradiation.

A reaction container including a transparent base having a first surface having at least one region where recessed portions are formed and recessed from the first surface, and a cover member positioned such that the cover member forms a gap from the first surface inside the region and is welded to the transparent base outside the region. The cover member absorbs infrared light and transmits light having a wavelength within a range of visible light.

System and methods for monitoring the growth of an aquatic plant culture and detecting real-time characteristics associated with the aquatic plant culture aquatic plants. The systems and methods may include a control unit configured to perform an analysis of at least one image of an aquatic plant culture. The analysis may include processing at least one collected image to determine at least one physical characteristic or state of an aquatic plant culture. Systems and methods for distributing aquatic plant cultures are also provided. The distribution systems and methods may track and control the distribution of an aquatic plant culture based on information received from various sources. Systems and methods for growing and harvesting aquatic plants in a controlled and compact environment are also provided. The systems may include a bioreactor having a plurality of vertically stacked modules designed to contain the aquatic plants and a liquid growth medium.

The method is provided for characterizing agglomeration of particles in a liquid containing an analyte, including introducing liquid into a fluid chamber; mixing the liquid with a bifunctional reagent, lighting the fluid chamber using an excitation light beam extending through the fluid chamber in a longitudinal direction (X); acquiring at least one image using a matrix photodetector, each image including pixels (I.sub.n(x,y), x,y representing the coordinates of a pixel of an image, the image (I(x,y)) being formed by radiation transmitted by the lighted fluid chamber; and calculating from at least one acquired image (I(x,y)), at least one indicator (Ind2) characterizing the particle agglomeration. The photodetector can be positioned less than 1 cm from the fluid chamber, and during the calculation step, the calculated indicator (Ind2) is representative of the intensity of the pixels of the image. The method advantageously allows for characterizing the agglomeration of particles in a liquid.

The present invention provides methods for determining the antimicrobial susceptibility of a microorganism in a clinical sample said method comprising removing a test aliquot from a clinical sample culture before the culture reaches 0.5 McFarland units, isolating the microbial cells and transferring the cells into a suitable culture medium for microbial growth, and performing an AST assay using the isolated microbes, wherein the concentration of microbial cells in the microbial cells used to set up the AST assay is measured before the degree of microbial growth in the different growth conditions of the AST assay is measured. Devices for determining the antimicrobial susceptibility of a microorganism in a clinical sample are also provided.

System and methods for monitoring the growth of an aquatic plant culture and detecting real-time characteristics associated with the aquatic plant culture aquatic plants. The systems and methods may include a control unit configured to perform an analysis of at least one image of an aquatic plant culture. The analysis may include processing at least one collected image to determine at least one physical characteristic or state of an aquatic plant culture. Systems and methods for distributing aquatic plant cultures are also provided. The distribution systems and methods may track and control the distribution of an aquatic plant culture based on information received from various sources. Systems and methods for growing and harvesting aquatic plants in a controlled and compact environment are also provided. The systems may include a bioreactor having a plurality of vertically stacked modules designed to contain the aquatic plants and a liquid growth medium.

A method of killing specific cells from among a group of cells cultured in a culture vessel by quick and brief laser treatment, the cell culture vessel comprising a main body and a to-be-irradiated layer attached to the main body, the to-be-irradiated layer containing an ingredient capable of absorbing laser light upon laser irradiation, the group of cells being cultured on the surface of the to-be-irradiated layer, the method comprising: applying laser light to a partial area of the to-be-irradiated layer directly below the specific cells.