A culture dish combination for embryo thawing and embryo transfer is provided. The culture dish combination includes a first culture dish and a second culture dish, the first culture dish includes a first dish cavity for thawing and laser-assisted hatching of frozen embryos, and an opening of the first dish cavity is upward. The second culture dish is detachably connected to the first culture dish, and the second culture dish includes a second dish cavity for balancing culture medium before the embryo transfer; the second culture dish further includes a third dish cavity surrounding the second dish cavity, and openings of the second dish cavity and the third dish cavity are upward. The culture dish combination solves problems of complex operations of thawing the frozen embryo, laser-assisted hatching and the embryo transfer, which increases the accuracy of the operation of embryo thawing and improves the stability of the incubator environment.

An automatic processing device of culture plates (2) for microbiological samples, wherein the processing device (1) includes a support frame (3); a slide (4) provided with a seating (5) configured for removably housing a culture plate (2) and movably mounted on the support frame (3) so as to be selectively displaceable between a first loading position, a plurality of image-acquiring positions, and a first unloading; a camera (6) of a linear type, provided with an optic (7) of a telecentric type and a trilinear sensor, and arranged according to a vertical axis (8) such as to acquire, at an image-acquiring zone, a multiplicity of linear images of corresponding linear portions of an upper surface of the culture plate (2), during the displacing of the slide (4); a first lighting device (11) orientated such as to illuminate the linear portions of an upper surface of the culture plate (2); an advancing device (14) of the slide (4) configured such as to enable obtaining a constant and substantially vibration-free advancing speed of the slide (4) in the image-acquiring zone; and an electronic control device (9) of a functioning of the camera (6), of the lighting device and of the advancing device (14).

Structures and methods for tissue engineering include a multicellular body including a plurality of living cells. A plurality of multicellular bodies can be arranged in a pattern and allowed to fuse to form an engineered tissue. The arrangement can include filler bodies including a biocompatible material that resists migration and ingrowth of cells from the multicellular bodies and that is resistant to adherence of cells to it. Three-dimensional constructs can be assembled by printing or otherwise stacking the multicellular bodies and filler bodies such that there is direct contact between adjoining multicellular bodies, suitably along a contact area that has a substantial length. The direct contact between the multicellular bodies promotes efficient and reliable fusion. The increased contact area between adjoining multicellular bodies also promotes efficient and reliable fusion. Methods of producing multicellular bodies having characteristics that facilitate assembly of the three-dimensional constructs are also provided.

Hematopoietic stem cells are extremely difficult to maintain or expand in vitro. Two observations in traditional long-term bone marrow cultures strongly suggest that macrophages may be at the root of the problem: First, micromolar concentrations of hydrocortisone improve the longevity of long-term bone marrow cultures and hydrocortisone is known as a potent inhibitor of macrophage production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, chemokines, enzymes, nitrogen oxide and reactive oxygen species and redirects macrophages to the anti-inflammatory differentiation pathway; Second, the decline of hematopoiesis in long-term bone marrow cultures coincides with the development of large numbers of adherent and non-adherent macrophages including foreign body giant cells. These adherent macrophages and foreign body giant cells exhibit well-spread morphology, contain numerous lysosomes and phagolysosomes in the cytoplasm and are metabolically active. We hypothesize that hydrocortisone fails to suppress all aspects of macrophage pro-inflammatory activation/differentiation, resulting in the production of inhibitors or toxins of hematopoiesis. Macrophage adhesion in cell culture depends on serum proteins pre-adsorbed to the tissue-culture-treated polystyrene (TC-PS), which adsorbs proteins via mostly hydrophilic interactions. TC-PS is used in almost all tissue culture devices currently available. Cellular adhesion provides a strong stimulus for metabolic, mitotic and certain gene activities. Therefore, we seek to reduce macrophage adhesion and activation by culturing bone marrow cells in tissue culture devices composed of or covered with polymers with very different protein-binding characteristics than TC-PS such as polyethylene (PE) and other polyolefins, the latter bind proteins via exclusively hydrophobic interactions. As a result, polyolefins bind different proteins and in lower quantities than TC-PS. Furthermore, PE does not contain additional chemical features like the phenolic rings of polystyrene that might contribute to protein binding and macrophage adhesion/activation. Using these new culture devices, we developed a drastically different long-term bone marrow culture, the Low Macrophage-Adhesion/Activation (LoMAC) bone marrow culture. In LoMAC bone marrow culture, hematopoiesis continues for months to over a year and hematopoietic stem cells are amplified gradually. In stark contrast to traditional long-term bone marrow cultures, de novo erythropoiesis and megakaryocytopoiesis proceed robustly in the LoMAC bone marrow culture and B-lymphocyte and natural killer cell progenitors can b

Process for carrying out an in vitro biochemical reaction for preparing a cell suspension suitable for application to the skin of a patient.

An air sampler that receives an air source through a manifold. The manifold has a restrictor and a vent that opens above a specified pressure. The remaining portion of the air source enters the inlet assembly where it passes through a filter with a removable element then through a one way valve and into an impermeable bag. Excess air in the bag escapes out an outlet one way valve capturing a sample inside the bag. An ambient air sample may delivered via a hand squeeze bulb and a biological sample may be contained inside the bag.

An imaging system and method for microbial growth detection, counting or identification. One colony may be contrasted in an image that is not optimal for another type of colony. The system and method provides contrast from all available material through space (spatial differences), time (differences appearing over time for a given capture condition) and color space transformation using image input information over time to assess whether microbial growth has occurred for a given sample.

An air sampler that receives an air source through a manifold. The manifold has a restrictor and a vent that opens above a specified pressure. The remaining portion of the air source enters the inlet assembly where it passes through a filter with a removable element then through a one way valve and into an impermeable bag. Excess air in the bag escapes out an outlet one way valve capturing a sample inside the bag. An ambient air sample may delivered via a hand squeeze bulb and a biological sample may be contained inside the bag.

A microbiological testing device for testing a liquid to be analysed that is liable to contain at least one microorganism, includes a closed inner space, a microbiological filtration member and an inlet port. The device has a nutritive layer in contact with the filtration member, and in that, in a configuration for providing the device an open/close member of the inlet port is in a closed state; the absolute gas pressure inside the closed inner space is strictly less than the standard atmospheric pressure, such that the device is able to create suction through the inlet port during a first opening of the open/close member.

A culture system includes a dish and a lid. The dish comprises a base, a sidewall extending from the base, and a track extending outwardly from an outer surface of the sidewall. The lid comprises a central horizontal wall and a recess formed by two sidewalls and a top wall. At least one key extends downwardly from the recess. The sidewall of the dish extends into the recess of the lid, and the key engages the track. The track is shaped so that the lid rises or falls relative to the base of the dish when the lid is rotated relative to the dish.