Abstract: Automated cell staining systems and methods are disclosed herein. In particular, the staining systems disclosed herein provide low-volume, automated bench top staining systems for staining biological samples contained on a cytological slide.

Abstract: A device is provided comprising a receiving chamber for receiving a patient's sample, a first reagent reservoir and a second reagent reservoir. The receiving chamber may be configured for receiving at least an end portion of a sample collecting element, with the patient's sample being collected by that sample collecting element. The first reagent reservoir may generally be configured to accommodate a liquid reagent which may include a lysing agent, i.e. the liquid may be a kind of a lysis buffer. Likewise, the second reagent reservoir may generally be configured to accommodate a dry reagent which may include magnetic particles. The device may further comprise at least one of the following two actuators, a first actuator for supplying a first reagent from the first reagent reservoir to the sample and a second actuator for supplying a second reagent from the second reagent reservoir to the resulting mixture.

Abstract: A system includes a fluidic device, a flow control valve, a first reagent fluid reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, a first fluid buffer reservoir fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve, and a common fluid buffer source fluidly connectable to the fluidic device by the flow control valve. The flow control valve permits flow comprising: (i) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, (ii) flow from the common fluid buffer source to the fluidic device, (iii) flow from the fluidic device to the first fluid buffer reservoir, (iv) flow from the first reagent fluid reservoir to the fluidic device, and (v) flow from the first fluid buffer reservoir to the fluidic device.

Abstract: A method of operating a tissue processor for processing tissue samples. The tissue processor includes at least one retort for receiving tissue samples, at least one container for storing a reagent, and at least one sensor arranged for fluid communication with one or both of the at least one container and the at least one retort for measuring a measured purity level of a reagent. The method includes conducting reagent from the at least one container or the at least one retort to the at least one sensor, automatically measuring a measured purity level of the reagent, checking whether the measured purity level meets a predetermined purity level of the reagent associated with the at least one container, and thereby automatically determining whether the reagent is suitable for processing tissue samples in the tissue processor. Also, a tissue processor for processing tissue samples and a container for storing tissue samples.

Abstract: A specimen collection, storage, transport, and testing device can include an outer vessel containing an internal cup having an openable drain having a brim raised above the bottom floor of the cup. Once opened the drain allows a portion of liquid specimen to flow from the cup into a lower chamber of the vessel containing a number of chromatographic assay strips. A lid sealing the vessel can include a downwardly projecting guide tube having first barrier sealing a bottom aperture. An oblong initiator can axially engage the guide tube, break the first barrier and open the drain to initiate the test while retaining a pool of liquid specimen in the cup for subsequent confirmatory testing.

Abstract: An analysis device includes a guide-in section, a piercing member, an airtight member, a gas introduction member, and a measurement member. The guide-in section is configured to guide a rectangular block shaped analysis kit containing a sample. The piercing member pierces a sealing film at an upper face of a liquid reservoir formed in the analysis kit. The airtight member forms an airtight space against the analysis kit at the periphery of a location pierced by the piercing member. The gas introduction member introduces gas into the airtight space. The measurement member measures a component present in the sample in the analysis kit guided into the guide-in section.

Abstract: A power off delay system and method is configured to delay termination of electrical power to a digital pathology device in a power off condition. If the apparatus includes a UPS, the power off delay system and method delays termination of electrical power when a power switch is turned off and when a catastrophic power failure occurs. During the delay of the termination of electrical power, the digital pathology device is configured to control the scanning stage system and the glass slide conveyor system and the slide rack conveyor system to place each of these systems into a known state and position all glass slides into a known position prior to the termination of electrical power to the digital pathology device. This allows the digital pathology device to resume normal operation upon power up.

Abstract: Presently disclosed is a way to provide a measuring device capable of easily detecting measurement abnormality without increasing load in hardware. The measuring device may include: an emission means that may emit light to a measurement target region; a light measurement means that may measure light output from the measurement target region by emission with the emission means; a driving means that may move a position of at least one of the measurement target region and the emission means; and a determination means that may compare measurement values of the light measured a plurality of times by the light measurement means while changing positions of the measurement target region by the driving means and thereby determines abnormality of a measurement result.

Abstract: A pretreatment apparatus includes a pretreatment container placement section where a pretreatment container which is housing a specimen holding member including a microchannel for holding a specimen is placed; a carrying mechanism for carrying the pretreatment container that is placed at the pretreatment container placement section; and a pretreatment section including a port where the pretreatment container that is carried by the carrying mechanism is placed, the pretreatment section being configured to perform pretreatment including a shaking process of shaking the pretreatment container to extract the specimen from the specimen holding member in the pretreatment container that is placed in the port.

Abstract: A disposable cartridge comprises a cartridge body defining at least one syringe barrel having an barrel port configured to inject and aspirate assay fluids by displacement of a barrel plunger and at least one reaction chamber configured to receive and perform diagnostic testing on the assay fluids. The disposable cartridge also includes at least two rotors mounted for rotation to the cartridge body, each of the rotors defining a plurality of ports in fluid communication with at least one of the assay chambers of a respective one of the rotors. The rotors are selectively rotated such that a port of one rotor aligns with a port of the other rotor. At least one of the rotors is disposed in fluid communication with the syringe port of the syringe barrel such that assay fluids may flows from at least one of the assay chambers through the ports of the rotors by displacement of the barrel plunger.

Abstract: The present invention is provided with: an automatic analysis device 200 for performing an analysis process to analyze a specimen that is to be analyzed; a specimen pre-processing module 100 for performing pre-processing to cause the specimen to enter a state in which the analysis process can be performed; a main conveyance line 161 for conveying a specimen container carrier 10 which accommodates the specimen that is to be analyzed and in which at least one specimen container can be mounted; and annular conveyance lines 111, 121, 131, 141, 151, 411 that are disposed adjacent to the main conveyance line 161 and that are moreover disposed so as to be capable of transferring the specimen container carrier 10 to and from the main conveyance line 161, the annular conveyance lines 111, 121, 131, 141, 151, 411 being capable of circulating and conveying the specimen container carrier 10 separately without the use of another conveyance line (e.g., a return line 162).

Abstract: A method includes engaging a well of a cartridge with a flow sensor of an instrument. The cartridge includes: a rotary valve including a rotatable port and a center port; the well in fluid communication with a channel, the channel including a channel port that the rotatable port is to align to in order to receive fluid from the well; and a flowcell including an inlet gasket in fluid communication with the center port. A source of pressurized air is connected to the flow sensor in order to establish a mass flow of air through a flow path. The flow path extends through one of the flow sensor, the channel, the rotary valve, and the flowcell. The mass flow of air through the flow path is measured with the flow sensor. It is determined if there is one of an air leak and an air blockage within the flow path.

Abstract: Assay systems including assay apparatus and handheld assay devices for use therewith for obtaining diagnostic information of a bodily specimen. Assay devices include a cartridge housing snugly accommodating a specimen slide intended for elevation from an initial lowermost specimen introduction position to a final uppermost specimen examination position in which a bodily specimen is compressed between a cartridge housing top face and a specimen slide. Assay devices preferably include a liquid reagent dispensing arrangement for dispensing liquid reagent on a specimen slide for reacting with a bodily specimen.

Abstract: An assay preparation device is an apparatus that is used to contain a variety of reagents and samples, to combine these fluids in a desirable order, to agitate the fluids through rotation of adsorbent petals, to contain the resulting waste products, and to allow for wavelength analysis of the results. The apparatus includes a reaction chamber, an intake port, a sample-retaining spinner, a first reading slit, a plurality of fluid-retaining receptacles, a plurality of input valves, and a waste valve. The plurality of input valves is connected to the plurality of fluid-retaining receptacles, allowing the user to control fluid flow into the reaction chamber. The sample-retaining spinner collects the fluids in the reaction chamber. Upon reaction completion, the waste valve is opened to allow for removal of fluids from the reaction chamber. The first reading slit provides a window for wavelength examination tools to examine and analyze the reaction results.

Abstract: An analysis device includes a guide-in section, a placement section, an illumination member, a pressing member, and a measurement member. The guide-in section is configured to guide a rectangular block shaped analysis kit containing a sample. The analysis kit is placed on the placement section in the guide-in section. The illumination member is inserted into an insertion hole formed in the analysis kit, contacts a bottom of the insertion hole, and illuminates light onto the sample. The pressing member is configured by a separate body to the illumination member and presses the analysis kit such that the analysis kit placed on the placement section is sandwiched between the pressing member and the placement section and retained at a predetermined position. The measurement section measures a component present in the sample using light illuminated from the illumination member onto the sample in the analysis kit placed on the placement section.

Abstract: Temperature uniformity of a reaction liquid in a plurality of reaction containers of an automatic analysis device is maintained by a heat block. A strip-shaped heater heats the heat block, and is wound and attached on an outer circumference of the heat block so that both end regions of the strip-shaped heater are adjacent to each other. The strip-shaped heater includes a heat generating resistor that is heated by applying an electric current, an insulating film sandwiching the heat generating resistor, and first and second electrical feed lines that are attached to both end portions of the heat generating resistor and supply power to the heat generating resistor. The width of the heat generating resistor in both end regions of the strip-shaped heater is formed to be narrower than the width of the heat generating resistor in the other region thereof.

Abstract: A clamping device includes: an operating member; a wedge having a first inclined surface; a clamping member having a second inclined surface movable relative to the first inclined surface, the first and second inclined surfaces being provided in a face-to-face arrangement; and a housing having a first guiding part, a second guiding part and a chamber. The operating member is mounted in the first guiding part, the clamping member is mounted in the second guiding part, and the wedge is disposed in the chamber; the operating member is operated to move towards the wedge, such that the operating member contacts and pushes the wedge to move, and further the first inclined surface contacts and moves along the second inclined surface; whereby a pushing force of the operating member in a first direction is converted into a clamping force of the clamping member in a second direction.

Abstract: A sampling device for plants having a lower section with a plurality of sample containers, an upper section with a plurality of cultivation containers, a cutter and a cutting tip, wherein a base opening is formed in each cultivation container and corresponds to a sample container opening of one of the sample containers, and wherein the cutter and cutting tip are arranged, when the sampling device is in a usage position, between the upper section and the lower section such that a part of a plant protruding out through the base opening of the cultivation container and in through the sample container opening into the sample container can be severed by the cutter and cutting tip.

Abstract: A platform and method for conducting multi-variable combinational interactions are provided. An array of multiplexing chambers in formed in a body. The body also includes a common well communicating with each multiplexing chamber of the array of multiplexing chambers and a plurality of variable wells. Each of variable wells communicates with at least one multiplexing chamber of the array of multiplexing chambers. The common well is loaded with a first variable and different variables are loaded in each of the plurality of variable wells. The interaction of the first variable with at least one of the different variables in each multiplexing chamber of the array of multiplexing chambers is observed.

Abstract: A multilevel, disposable cartridge may have a plurality of fluid wells or reservoirs holding a plurality of reagents, and a sample viewing area to view a biological sample. The reagents may be applied sequentially to the sample by opening a specific valve formed in an elastomeric, flexible layer under the fluid well. The fluid channels may be formed in a first rigid plastic layer to conduct the reagent to the sample. Pneumatic channels for applying suction or pressure to the valves may be formed in a second rigid, plastic layer.