The invention relates to methods for spectrometric characterization of a test cell substrate. The characterization comprises taxonomic classification and determination of a property of interest of the test cell substrate. The characterization may be based on mass-spectrometric measurement data. The property of interest may be a resistance or susceptibility to a growth-influencing factor. After comparing first spectrometric measurement data of the test cell substrate with a provided reference library, a sub-library is created comprising those reference datasets from the reference library that are classified as allowing a taxonomic classification of the test cell substrate. Second spectrometric measurement data after a second preparation of the test cell substrate under conditions that serve to determine a property of interest of the test cell substrate is compared with the sub-library and allow a reliable determination of the property of interest.

The invention relates to methods for spectrometric characterization of a test cell substrate. The characterization comprises taxonomic classification and determination of a property of interest of the test cell substrate. The characterization may be based on mass-spectrometric measurement data. The property of interest may be a resistance or susceptibility to a growth-influencing factor. After comparing first spectrometric measurement data of the test cell substrate with a provided reference library, a sub-library is created comprising those reference datasets from the reference library that are classified as allowing a taxonomic classification of the test cell substrate. Second spectrometric measurement data after a second preparation of the test cell substrate under conditions that serve to determine a property of interest of the test cell substrate is compared with the sub-library and allow a reliable determination of the property of interest.

A test vessel includes one or more test locations configured to contain a medium suitable for culturing a live substance. A thermochromic material is thermally coupled to the one or more test locations. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a spectral shift in light emanating from the thermochromic material in response to an increase or decrease in energy conversion by the live substance that causes a change in temperature of the thermochromic material.

A test vessel includes one or more test locations configured to contain a medium suitable for culturing a live substance. A thermochromic material is thermally coupled to the one or more test locations. The thermochromic material is configured to exhibit a spectral shift in light emanating from the thermochromic material in response to an increase or decrease in energy conversion by the live substance that causes a change in temperature of the thermochromic material.

The present invention relates to a method for assessing cell viability of bacterial and fungal cells and to a method for the detection of bacterial and fungal cells with specific enzyme activities. The methods of the present invention rely on the real-time measurement of the level of luminescence signal from a luciferase enzyme directly from a growing culture of bacterial or fungal cells. Furthermore, the present invention relates to a method for assessing susceptibility of bacterial cells to antibiotics by measuring ATP levels using a luciferase assay system.

A cell population (55) is cultured on a cell culture substrate (50) while agents contained in agent reservoirs (31, 33, 35) at predefined positions in a culture container (10) diffuse through the substrate (50) and form at least partly overlapping concentration gradients in the substrate (50) within combination areas (41, 43, 45) and substantially non-overlapping concentration gradients in the substrate (50) peripheral to an outer boundary of the agent reservoirs (31, 33, 35). Inhibition end points (61, 63, 65) of respective inhibition zones (60, 62, 64) substantially lacking any growth of the cell population (55) peripheral to the outer boundary of the agent reservoirs (31, 33, 35) and growth end points (71, 73, 75) of respective growth zones (70, 72, 74) comprising growth of the cell population (55) within the combination areas (41, 43, 45) are determined and used to determine interaction effects between the agents on the cell population (55).

The invention relates to an aerosol product exposure system comprising an exposure chamber intended to receive an aerosol product, an aerosol product diffusion device comprising a source of aerosol product to be sprayed connected to an aerosol generator, said aerosol generator cooperating with a desiccator so as to at least partially eliminate the moisture from the aerosol product, at least one supply duct intended to bring the aerosol product into the exposure chamber. Such a system can in particular be used to test the integrity of a container and/or the antimicrobial activity of a product of interest.

The invention relates to an aerosol product exposure system comprising an exposure chamber intended to receive an aerosol product, an aerosol product diffusion device comprising a source of aerosol product to be sprayed connected to an aerosol generator, said aerosol generator cooperating with a desiccator so as to at least partially eliminate the moisture from the aerosol product, at least one supply duct intended to bring the aerosol product into the exposure chamber. Such a system can in particular be used to test the integrity of a container and/or the antimicrobial activity of a product of interest.

Certain embodiments are directed to finite step emulsification device and/or methods that combine finite step emulsification with gradients of confinement for the formation of a 2D monolayer array of droplets with low size dispersion.

Certain embodiments are directed to finite step emulsification device and/or methods that combine finite step emulsification with gradients of confinement for the formation of a 2D monolayer array of droplets with low size dispersion.