Abstract: The invention refers to a distillation apparatus (100) for extraction of volatile components from biological material (50), especially from plants, comprising a housing (10) defining a sample chamber (S), a drum (30) arranged in the sample chamber (S), the drum (30) defining a receiving chamber (R) for receiving the biological material (50), and at least one microwave generator (70) for irradiating the biological material (50) with microwave radiation when received in the drum (30); wherein the drum (30) is rotatably arranged in the sample chamber (S) about a rotation axis (H) which is oriented substantially horizontally.

Abstract: The invention relates to a valve (1) for mounting to a surface (2) and for use in a flow path, which flows through said surface (2), for permitting flow in said flow path in a first direction and for preventing flow in said flow path in a second direction being opposite to the first direction. The valve (1) comprises: one or more ports (21) defined by a plurality of lips (22), wherein each lip (22) is resiliently deformable from a first position, in which the lips (22) are in contact with one another in order to close the respective port (21), to a second position, in which the respective port (21) is opened in order to permit flow in the first direction, and one or more contacting structures (30) arranged to mechanically contact the surface (2), when the valve is mounted to the surface (2), such that the one or more contacting structures (30) bias the lips (22) into the first position.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system (400) for filling a closed container (200) with a fixative solution. The system comprises a container (200) comprising a container body (230) for receiving a biological specimen, a lid (220) for selectively closing the container body (230) and a port (100) forming a unidirectional barrier in a direction from the inside (IC) to the outside (OC) of the closed container (200). The system further comprises a dispensing apparatus (500) having a filling nozzle (300) for dispensing the fixative solution. The filling nozzle (300) is relatively moveable with respect to the container (200) between a retracted position and a filling position to fill the container (200) with the fixative solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pressure vessel (1) having a pressure vessel wall (1a) which completely surrounds a reaction chamber (2) as a pressure space for the initiation and/or promotion of chemical and/or physical pressure reactions of a sample (P) to be heated which is accommodated in the reaction chamber (2), wherein the pressure vessel wall (1a) has an infrared-permeable high-pressure window (30) which extends away outward in a direction from the reaction chamber (2) and which is supported in the pressure vessel wall (1a) with respect to a pressure in the reaction chamber (2), wherein the pressure vessel (1) furthermore has an infrared to temperature sensor (40) which is situated directly opposite the high-pressure window (30), in order to measure the temperature of a sample (P), accommodated in the reaction chamber (2), during a pressure reaction through the high-pressure window (30).

Abstract: The invention relates to a tissue processor (100) for automatically processing histological tissue specimens, the tissue processor (100) comprising a plurality of containers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) each being provided for a respective histological process for processing at least one tissue carrier, a robotic arm (9) for handling a tissue carrier between the containers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) for being processed in each of the containers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7), and a control unit for controlling the histological process in each of the containers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) and for controlling the robotic arm (9), wherein the control unit is configured such that the robotic arm (9) handles a tissue carrier between the containers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) while the histological process in each of the containers (1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7) continues in an uninterrupted fashion, so that the execution of the process for each tissue carrier is independent from the loading order and/or process duration of other tissue carriers being proc

Abstract: The present invention refers to an apparatus (100) for identification of tissue carriers (210) of human or animal tissue that are grouped in a batch (200), wherein the apparatus (100) comprises a working area (110) for receiving the batch (200) of at least two tissue carriers (210); a presence sensor (120) for detecting the presence of each of the tissue carriers (210) of the batch (200) received at the working area (110); an identification device (130) for detecting a unique identifier (220) of each of the tissue carriers (210) of the batch (200) received at the working area (110); and a control unit (140, 141, 142) being configured to identify positions of the working area (110), at which a tissue carrier (210) is detected to be present but no unique identifier (220) is detected and/or at which a unique identifier (220) is detected but no tissue carrier (210) is detected to be present, as identified positions.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method and a system (400) for filling a closed container (200) with a fixative solution. The system comprises a container (200) comprising a container body (230) for receiving a biological specimen, a lid (220) for selectively closing the container body (230) and a port (100) forming a unidirectional barrier in a direction from the inside (IC) to the outside (OC) of the closed container (200). The system further comprises a dispensing apparatus (500) having a filling nozzle (300) for dispensing the fixative solution. The filling nozzle (300) is relatively moveable with respect to the container (200) between a retracted position and a filling position to fill the container (200) with the fixative solution.

Abstract: The present invention relates a spectrometer (1) having a lamp (2) that extends in substantially tubular fashion for the purposes of forming a light emission zone (3) that extends in the direction of the tubular extent and between two points to the end of emitting a first light beam (L1) and a second light beam (L2) that have the same origin on the light emission zone (3), a sample container (6) that is arranged in the beam path of the first light beam (L1) for receiving a sample to be measured, a first detection apparatus (D1) that is arranged in the direction of the first light beam (L1) for quantitative and/or qualitative determination of the sample to be measured in the sample container (6) on the basis of an interaction between the sample to be measured and the first light beam (L1), and a second detection apparatus (D2) that is arranged in the direction of the second light beam (L2) for the purposes of referencing the quantitative and/are qualitative determination, on the basis of the second light beam

Abstract: Measuring apparatus (1) for tracking human and/or animal tissues comprising: a working area (2) for receiving a tissue; a detecting unit (5) configured to detect a unique tissue code provided with the tissue placed on the working area (2); a measuring unit (9) configured to automatically measure quantitative properties of the tissue placed on the working area (2); and a processing and storing unit (22) configured to automatically link the quantitative properties with the tissue code and to automatically store the so linked quantitative properties and tissue code such that the quantitative properties can be retrieved based on the tissue code.

Abstract: The invention refers to a container (1) for collecting, transporting and storing biological tissue samples, wherein the container (1) is filled with a first component (3) being a fixative and a second component (4) being a fluid, wherein the second component (3) has a lower specific gravity compared to the fixative (3), and is immiscible with the fixative (3). The second component (4) is stratified on top of the fixative (3) to form a protective film to prevent fixative fumes to escape from the container (1). The invention further relates to a method for collecting, transporting and storing biological tissue samples.

Abstract: A device for the extraction of a compound from a solid material, which includes a microwave unit enclosing an inner vessel that is configured to hold a solid and that is fluidly sealed within an outer vessel configured to hold a solvent to be vaporized, and a condenser that is arranged to condense the vaporized solvent and deliver the condensed solvent to the inner vessel is described. The inner vessel has a solvent outlet configured to deliver condensed solvent that contains an extracted compound back to the outer vessel. The device includes a stirrer within the outer vessel and a stirrer within the inner vessel to provide agitation during the extraction process.

Abstract: A method for automatically dosing a fixative solution in a flexible bag containing at least one biological organic sample comprises placing the bag with the sample in a dosing system (e.g., on a holder or weighing device), computing a required volume or weight of fixative solution as a function of the sample or the bag with the sample, and automatically transferring the computed volume or weight of fixative solution from a storage container into the bag. A system is also described for automatically dosing a fixative solution in a flexible bag containing at least one biological organic sample, a carrier for said flexible bags, and a storage cabinet for storing the carrier.

Abstract: A method for fixation of organic tissue samples includes immersing a tissue sample in a solution of Formalin at a temperature of between 2° C. and 10° C. for a first time period (A), and immersing the tissue sample in a cold fixation dehydrating agent for a second time period (B) following the first time period. An automated tissue fixation system for fixating organic tissue samples in Formalin is also described.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a new method of extraction of solid compounds by microwaves and to the apparatus used in said method.

Abstract: A method for automatically dosing a fixative solution in a flexible bag containing at least one biological organic sample comprises placing the bag with the sample in a dosing system (e.g., on a holder or weighing device), computing a the required volume or weight of fixative solution as a function of the sample or the bag with the sample, and automatically transferring the computed volume or weight of fixative solution from a storage container into the bag. A system is also described for automatically dosing a fixative solution in a flexible bag containing at least one biological organic sample, a carrier for said flexible bags, and a storage cabinet for storing the carrier.

Abstract: A method for processing frozen slices of tissue of biospecimens mounted on or adhered to glass slides, i.e. forming a frozen section (2), and arranged on a carrier (1), has the following steps: a.) immersing the frozen tissue slices in a fixative, b.) staining the tissue slice, c.) dehydrating the tissue slice, and d.) optionally clearing the tissue slice. Steps a.) to d.) are performed by automatically transferring the frozen sections (2) on the carrier (1) between and into and out of at least a container (C1) holding a fixative, at least one or optionally more, preferably two containers (C3, C5) holding a staining solution, a container (C6, C7) holding a dehydrating solution, and optionally a container (C8) holding a clearing solution. The transfer and the time duration during which the tissue slices are in said containers (C) are controlled by a control unit controlling an actuator (10).

Abstract: A method for fixation of organic tissue samples includes immersing a tissue sample in a solution of Formalin at a temperature of between 2° C. and 10° C. for a first time period (A), and immersing the tissue sample in a cold fixation dehydrating agent for a second time period (B) following the first time period. An automated tissue fixation system for fixating organic tissue samples in Formalin is also described.

Abstract: A process for preserving tissues is described which comprises transferring the tissues in a container and evacuating the container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a vessel (1), comprising a recess (6) at the underside of said vessel (1), a radio frequency identification component (10) provided within said recess (6), wherein the radio frequency identification component (10) comprises a radio frequency identification tag (12) embedded into a metal housing (11), and a corrosion protection layer (8) sealing said recess (6). The present invention further relates to a system (30) for performing chemical analysis and using the data stored on the radio frequency identification tag (12) for adapting the processing steps.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the isolation of biological materials by hydrodiffusion by microwave irradiation, to an apparatus suitable for carrying out present method and to a system for carrying out the present method continuously.