Abstract: A method for holographic characterization of a particle contained in a sample, based on an image, or hologram, of the sample obtained by an image sensor when the sample is illuminated by a light source. The hologram is the subject of a holographic reconstruction, to obtain a reference complex image, representative of the light wave transmitted by the sample in a reconstruction plane. A holographic propagation operator is applied to the reference complex image, to obtain a plurality of secondary complex images, from which a profile is determined describing the change in an optical feature of the light wave transmuted by the sample along the axis of propagation of the light wave.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for triggering a pulsed light source, wherein it comprises at least one iteration of the following steps: receiving a control signal; determining what is called a separation time between the reception of said control signal and at least one preceding control signal; adjusting at least one control parameter of said pulsed light source depending at least on said separation; generating at least one electrical signal for triggering the pulsed light source depending on said at least one control parameter adjusted during the preceding step; and triggering the pulsed light source depending on said at least one triggering electrical signal.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sampling valve and to a device equipped with such a valve notably allowing haematology measurements to be taken from a blood sample. The valve comprise two external parts, one internal part clamped between said external parts, and means for regulating the relative angular position of these parts about an axis of rotation. The internal part has opposite surfaces pressing in a sealed and sliding manner against adjacent surfaces of the external parts. The external parts comprise orifices, loops and ducts, said loops and said ducts being arranged in such a way as to communicate selectively with orifices passing through the internal part. The valve parts have no aliquot return groove or recess or labyrinth, thereby eliminating regions of turbulence. The valve is characterized in that two of the parts are able to rotate about the axis of rotation with respect to one of the said parts which is stationary, the rotary parts preferably being the external parts.

Abstract: A device for agitating and collecting biological liquid samples comprises an agitator of racks of tubes and a sampling apparatus capable of collecting a biological liquid sample in a tube. The device also comprises a scheduler arranged to specify an order of sampling from the tubes independently of the order in which the tubes are positioned in the respective racks and the order in which the racks are inserted into the device. The scheduler is arranged to control the agitator and the sampling apparatus to process the tubes in accordance with the sampling order.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a flow assay method in a liquid medium for an object (or element) of interest via the formation of aggregates of particles that are surface-functionalized by at least one functionalizing molecule, or receptor, specific for said object of interest.

Abstract: The present invention concerns a device for analyzing biological parameters from a sample (6) comprising (i) first transferring means (5, 20, 25), (ii) first preparing means (7), (iii) means for measuring cellular components (8), (iv) second preparing means (10, 11, 22, 23, 24) capable of carrying out, on a sample from the first preparing means (7), at least one dilution with an assay reagent (R3) comprising particles functionalized at the surface with at least one ligand specific to at least one analyte of interest, (v) immunodetection measurement means (30, 31) capable of assaying at least one analyte of interest by measuring the aggregation of functionalized particles, said device further comprising (i) second transferring means (4, 21, 22, 26) at least partially separate from the first transferring means (5, 20, 25) and (ii) means for applying a magnetic field (28) capable of causing, by magnetic interaction, an acceleration of the aggregation of said functionalized particles, which comprise magnetic coll

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of preparing analyses of total blood samples and to a device that is useful for implementing the method, said samples being conserved in tubes including at least one identification means for identifying the sample, the device comprising: at least one compartment constituting a said storage zone for storing said tubes before and after analysis; and at least one said read means for reading said identification means of said tubes; and at least one preparation zone for preparing said blood samples prior to analysis and including means for verifying and/or treating said tubes containing said samples, and in particular at least one agitator means for agitating said tubes; and at least one access zone giving access to at least one automatic analyzer of total blood, said access zone enabling a said tube to be placed in said analyzer; and robotic gripper and displacement means controlled by an automatic controller and suitable for taking hold of and replacing said tubes ind

Abstract: A method for identifying a particle contained in a sample, including illuminating the sample using a light source, the light source producing an incident light wave propagating toward the sample, then acquiring, using a matrix-array photodetector, an image of the sample, the sample being placed between the light source and the photodetector such that the matrix-array photodetector is exposed to a light wave that is the result of interference between the incident light wave and a diffraction wave produced by each particle. The method further includes applying a numerical reconstruction algorithm to the image acquired by the photodetector, to estimate a characteristic quantity of the light wave reaching the detector, at a plurality of distances from the detector. The variation in the characteristic quantity as a function of distance allows the particle to be identified.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for compensating for the breakdown of a reagent stored in an aqueous phase comprising at least one fluorescent compound and enabling the identification of particles, including the steps of: (i) measuring the fluorescence level FLUOm(t) of particles marked with said reagent; (ii) measuring the absorbance at at least one wavelength of a solution of said reagent, at a time t close to the time of said fluorescence level FLUOm(t) measurements, so as to determine at least one current optical density DO(t) of the reagent; and (iii) calculating a correction of the fluorescent level measurements using said at least one current optical density DO(t) and at least one initial optical density DO(0) of the reagent that has not been broken down. The invention also relates to a biological analysis device implementing the method.

Abstract: The present application relates to: (i) a sampler device for taking a sample of biological fluid, which comprises a capillary component, and a base rigidly connected to said capillary component and provided with a first connector capable of being reversibly attached in a leaktight manner to a second connector of a dispensing device; (ii) a dispensing device which also comprises means for transferring diluting fluid which open into said second connector. The application also relates to a biological analysis apparatus implementing the sampler and dispensing devices and to a method for sampling and dispensing a biological fluid.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electro-optical device for measurements of flow for the characterization of microparticles, comprising a measurement chamber (CUM) in which there circulates the flow of the fluid to be characterized, at least two luminous sources (S1,S2) of disjoint spectra, a device for measuring resistivity (RES), and at least three other detectors (D1,D2,D3) each allowing the measurement of an optical parameter, the optical parameters being chosen from among fluorescence (FL), extinction (EXT), wide angle diffraction (SSC) and small angle diffraction (FSC).

Abstract: A device for inspecting a biological fluid, including a channel through which the fluid flows, a first inspection module arranged in a first region of the channel, and a second inspection module arranged in a second region of the channel, the device configured to provide a quantity that is representative of output of the second inspection module. The first inspection module is configured to measure at least one electrical property of the fluid passing through the first region. The second inspection module is configured to measure at least one optical property of the fluid passing through the second region. The inspection device also includes a controller connected to the first inspection module and to the second inspection module and configured to control the second inspection module according to the output of the first inspection module.

Abstract: A hematological analyzer on whole blood, for analyzing bloods contained in tubes, wherein the tubes are brought and treated in tube mode by the tube. The analyzer includes a stirring device for receiving a blood tube and stirring the blood tube according to a selected stirring mode, a controller connected to the stirring device for stirring the blood tube under conditions controlled according to specific parameters, and a sampling mechanism for extracting a blood sample in the blood tube previously stirred by the stirring device and transferring the blood sample to an analyzing unit. The analyzer is applicable in particular to hematological analyzers for blood cell count.

Abstract: The invention relates to a sampling valve, for taking samples of fluid from a common collecting vessel in order to perform a plurality of analyses using reagents. The valve of the invention comprises two members that are movable relative to each other, comprising a sampling member having sampling loops, each intended to receiving an aliquot of fluid, and a connection member capable of assuming at least three functional positions relative to the sampling member. These three positions enable the delayed access to two separate sampling circuits in order to fill them and to dispense reagents to the loops that make them up.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a device, to a system, and to a method for the preparation and fractioned dispensing of samples of a fluid. The device of the invention comprises a body having formed therein guide means suitable for receiving a sample-taker member and for guiding it in translation through the device, and at least one preparation chamber enabling an aliquot of a fluid sample dispensed into the chamber by a said sample-taker member to be prepared in a stream of a suitable reagent. The guide means pass through the preparation chamber and communicate therewith to enable an aliquot of fluid to be dispensed into the chamber in a determined position of the sample-taker member in the guide means. The preparation chamber has an introduction orifice for introducing at least one reagent into the chamber for mixing the reagent with an aliquot, and at least one dispensing orifice for dispensing the mixture formed by said aliquot and said reagent to recovery and/or analysis means.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of classifying and flow measuring the refringence of at least two populations of particles present in a fluid. The method uses a light source that has small coherence time, with a coherence length Lc<100 ?m, that is used under extinction conditions at a center wavelength selected as a function of a range of volumes and of a range of refractive indices expected for the particles under consideration. The method uses a device that, together with the light source, forms a converging illuminating beam of aperture angle that is selected as a function of the range of volumes and the range of refractive indices expected for the particles under consideration at the selected center wavelength.

Abstract: The invention relates to an electro-optical device for measurements of flow for the characterization of microparticles, comprising a measurement chamber (CUM) in which there circulates the flow of the fluid to be characterized, at least two luminous sources (S1,S2) of disjoint spectra, a device for measuring resistivity (RES), and at least three other detectors (D1,D2,D3) each allowing the measurement of an optical parameter, the optical parameters being chosen from among fluorescence (FL), extinction (EXT), wide angle diffraction (SSC) and small angle diffraction (FSC).

Abstract: The invention relaters to a device (100) for biological analysis by measurement of photoluminescence in a fluid in a measurement tank (111). This device (100) comprises at least two light sources (121, 131) adapted to emit in different spectral areas respectively appropriate for measurement of absorption and fluorescence, and a sensor device (140) comprising a sensor (141), an optical system (142), and filter means (144), which three elements are mutualized in accordance with the invention to enable absorption and/or fluorescence to be measured. In accordance with the invention the internal gain of the sensor (141) is configurable to enable the fluorescence and absorption measurements to be executed sequentially.

Abstract: A subject of the invention is a method for discriminating between and counting at least two populations of biological elements carrying specific characteristics, optionally present in a sample. The invention allows the clear and unambiguous detection of at least three populations of biological elements by the use of only two detection means, which means that at least two populations of biological elements are detected by one and the same detection means. The invention can be carried out if three different probes are used, each recognizing and becoming fixed to one of the populations of biological elements to be detected, each of the probes being itself rendered detectable by a different marker, two of said markers having two emission spectra having at least one common part (overlapping emission spectra) and the third having an emission spectrum having essentially no part in common with the other two (non-overlapping spectrum).

Abstract: The invention concerns a method for differentiating and counting cellular components present in a biological fluid sample comprising a primary cytological analysis step typically implemented by a flow cytometry equipment (1) to obtain a set of primary results enabling the set of cellular components of the sample to be differentiated and counted in different populations; and a complementary step of cytological analysis of a particular type of cellular components, based on an identified cellular peculiarity, to obtain complementary results enabling at least one cell population or subpopulation of the sample to be differentiated and counted for identification of said cellular peculiarity. The invention is applicable in particular to hematological analyses.