A device (1) comprising an optical apparatus (2) for monitoring bacterial growth of a drug-dosed liquid biological sample. A sample container port for receiving a sample container (6), in use, is provided in the device, the sample container (6) having at least one detection chamber (20) for containing the drug-dosed sample. The optical apparatus (2) comprises a light source (22) configured to emit light along an incident beam axis that, in use, intersects with at least one detection chamber (20) of the sample container (6), and to illuminate the drug-dosed sample contained within the detection chamber (20). The optical apparatus (20) comprises a first photodetector (26) configured to receive light scattered by bacteria in the sample. The optical apparatus (2) comprises a light collection arrangement (24) configured to collect light exiting the detection chamber (20) that has been scattered in a forward direction by bacteria in the sample, in a range of scattering angles between about +/−4 and +/−20 degrees relative to the incident beam axis, and to direct the collected scattered light to the first photodetector (26); and prevent non-scattered light travelling parallel to the incident beam axis and exiting the detection chamber (20) from reaching the first photodetector (26). The optical apparatus (2) comprises at least one processor configured to: measure an intensity of the scattered light received by the first photodetector (26); determine a corresponding representative amount or concentration of bacteria present in the sample based on the intensity of the scattered light; repeat the measuring and determining steps at a series of pre-determined intervals to determine changes in the representative amount or concentration of bacteria present in the sample as a function of time; and determine a corresponding susceptibility of the bacteria in the sample to the respective drug.

A device (1) comprising an optical apparatus (2) for monitoring bacterial growth of a drug-dosed liquid biological sample. A sample container port for receiving a sample container (6), in use, is provided in the device, the sample container (6) having at least one detection chamber (20) for containing the drug-dosed sample. The optical apparatus (2) comprises a light source (22) configured to emit light along an incident beam axis that, in use, intersects with at least one detection chamber (20) of the sample container (6), and to illuminate the drug-dosed sample contained within the detection chamber (20). The optical apparatus (20) comprises a first photodetector (26) configured to receive light scattered by bacteria in the sample. The optical apparatus (2) comprises a light collection arrangement (24) configured to collect light exiting the detection chamber (20) that has been scattered in a forward direction by bacteria in the sample, in a range of scattering angles between about +/−4 and +/−20 degrees relative to the incident beam axis, and to direct the collected scattered light to the first photodetector (26); and prevent non-scattered light travelling parallel to the incident beam axis and exiting the detection chamber (20) from reaching the first photodetector (26). The optical apparatus (2) comprises at least one processor configured to: measure an intensity of the scattered light received by the first photodetector (26); determine a corresponding representative amount or concentration of bacteria present in the sample based on the intensity of the scattered light; repeat the measuring and determining steps at a series of pre-determined intervals to determine changes in the representative amount or concentration of bacteria present in the sample as a function of time; and determine a corresponding susceptibility of the bacteria in the sample to the respective drug.

The invention relates to a method, to a device, and to a system for the automated determination of optical densities or of the change in optical densities of reaction mixtures in shaken reactors during shaking operation. Methods and devices currently used therefor are often unreliable, are susceptible to environmental and process factors, or require interruptions to the shaking operation that impair the process control. The problem addressed by the invention is that of specifying a method and a device for the automated determination of optical densities or of the change in optical densities of reaction mixtures in shaken reactors during shaking operation that operate reliably under various environmental and process conditions. This problem is solved by means of a new measurement method, wherein the reaction mixture distribution, which periodically fluctuates because of the shaking action, is used to record measurement points (20/21) of transmission/scattered-light measurements, which measurement points fluctuate periodically as a result of shaking. All measurement points (20/21) of a measurement operation are combined into a measurement series (34), from which the optical density and/or the change in the optical density, and other process parameters, can be determined with high reliability by means of suitable mathematical methods. The invention is suitable in particular for biotechnological, pharmaceutical, chemical, and biochemical screening and optimization and process-monitoring applications.

The present disclosure describes an apparatus and method of improving temperature uniformity and suppressing well plate warping. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a barrier configured to be positioned above at least one well configured to contain a liquid sample, where a vessel includes the at least one well, where the vessel is transparent and is configured to be placed within a measurement chamber, where a light measurement apparatus includes the measurement chamber, where the light measurement apparatus is configured to measure light scattered from the liquid sample, where the barrier is configured to seal the at least one well from the measurement chamber, and a weighted lid configured to press a bottom surface of the vessel against a well plate retainer of the measurement chamber, thereby spreading heat among the at least one well and preventing the vessel from warping.

A system for the identification of micro-organisms includes an irradiation unit adapted to sequentially provide coherent electromagnetic radiation of one or more wavelengths along a common optical path. A holder is adapted to retain a substrate having a surface adapted for growth of a micro-organism colony. A beamsplitter is adapted to direct the coherent electromagnetic radiation from the common optical path towards the retained substrate. An imager is arranged opposite the beamsplitter from the retained substrate and is adapted to obtain images of backward-scattered light patterns from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the respective wavelengths of the directed coherent electromagnetic radiation. Some examples provide radiation of multiple wavelengths and include an imager arranged optically downstream of the retained substrate to obtain images of forward-scattered light patterns from the micro-organism colony irradiated by the wavelengths of radiation. Organism identification methods are also described.

The present disclosure describes a method and apparatus of measuring dynamic light scattering of a sample. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a platen, a light source underneath the platen and configured to emit emitted light through the platen and into the sample, collector optics underneath the platen and configured to capture scattered light, and an optical absorber configured to be in contact with the sample, configured to absorb transmitted light, and configured to redirect reflected light away from the collector optics. In an embodiment, the method includes depositing a sample on a platen, emitting emitted light from a light source underneath the platen through the platen and into the sample, capturing via collector optics underneath the platen scattered light, contacting the sample with an optical absorber, absorbing via the absorber transmitted light, and redirecting via the absorber reflected light away from the collector optics.

An apparatus for inspecting transparent cylindrical containers comprising a support and/or gripping device for a cylindrical container adapted to support and make it rotate about a vertical rotation axis, a video camera directed to capture images of a window of a side wall of the cylindrical container, a first collimated lighting device that illuminates said window, a second lighting device that illuminates said window and is arranged opposite the first lighting device in a symmetrical position with respect to the window, a control unit operationally connected to the support and/or gripping device, to the video camera and to said first and second lighting devices, and programmed to capture images of said window at constant angular intervals, alternately activating the first and second lighting devices for each angular range until a complete 360° rotation of the cylindrical container is made, and processing the images obtained.

An apparatus for inspecting transparent cylindrical containers comprising a support and/or gripping device for a cylindrical container adapted to support and make it rotate about a vertical rotation axis, a video camera directed to capture images of a window of a side wall of the cylindrical container, a first collimated lighting device that illuminates said window, a second lighting device that illuminates said window and is arranged opposite the first lighting device in a symmetrical position with respect to the window, a control unit operationally connected to the support and/or gripping device, to the video camera and to said first and second lighting devices, and programmed to capture images of said window at constant angular intervals, alternately activating the first and second lighting devices for each angular range until a complete 360° rotation of the cylindrical container is made, and processing the images obtained.

An apparatus (1) for determining quality of a platelet concentrate (PC) (15) in a PC bag (10) comprises a movable bag holder (2) to carry the PC bag (10), a light system (20) with a light source (21, 24) to direct light (22) into the platelet concentrate (15) in the PC bag (10) for a measurement interval, and a detector system (30) with a light detector (31, 32) configured to detect light (23) from the platelet concentrate 15 during the measurement interval and generate a real-time detection signal. The apparatus (1) also comprises a controller (40) configured to determine platelet swirling based on the real-time detection signal and determine a quality parameter for the platelet concentrate (15) in the PC bag (10) based on the platelet swirling.

An apparatus (1) for determining quality of a platelet concentrate (PC) (15) in a PC bag (10) comprises a movable bag holder (2) to carry the PC bag (10), a light system (20) with a light source (21, 24) to direct light (22) into the platelet concentrate (15) in the PC bag (10) for a measurement interval, and a detector system (30) with a light detector (31, 32) configured to detect light (23) from the platelet concentrate 15 during the measurement interval and generate a real-time detection signal. The apparatus (1) also comprises a controller (40) configured to determine platelet swirling based on the real-time detection signal and determine a quality parameter for the platelet concentrate (15) in the PC bag (10) based on the platelet swirling.