Abstract: A method and a device for image producing measurement of fluorescent light, according to which a sample containing fluorophores of different species is irradiated with excitation light of at least one excitation channel defined by its spectral properties. The fluorescent light emitted by the sample is received by at least one detection channel defined by its spectral detection characteristic, and is converted into a digital signal, which is stored for further processing The properties of a number of measuring channels, respectively defined as specific combinations consisting of an excitation channel and a detection channel, are automatically set before conducting the measurement according to the result of a mathematical optimization process, which takes into account the fluorescence characteristics of at least some of the fluorophores presumed by the user to be in the sampler.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method for conducting the spectral differentiating, imaging measurement of fluorescent light, according to which a sample containing fluorophores of different species is irradiated with excitation light of at least one excitation channel that is defined by its spectral properties and/or the excitation time. The fluorescent light emitted by the sample is received by at least one detection channel, which is defined by its spectral detection characteristic and/or the detection time, and is converted into a digital signal. The digital signal is stored for further processing in a memory unit of a digital data processing system.

Abstract: A method for moving an object such that a location coordinate of the object is adapted at least in one periodic sub-interval to a aim function y<<(t) comprises parameterizing the aim function as a series expansion in acconce with ##EQU1## determining n command parameters a.sub.1, a.sub.2, . . . a.sub.n, for which an optimization criterion is satisfied in the periodic sub-interval for a command function ##EQU2## and signalling the object such that the location coordinate thereof corresponds to the command function. In a closed loop method for setting a controlled variable for a driver function of an engine with amplitude attenuating and phase delay the driver function is formed with amplitude/phase compensation parameters.

Abstract: An apparatus for coating and polishing a micropipette for patch recording comprises an inverse microscope having a stage for supporting a micropipette to be processed, and a pair of objectives of relatively low and relatively high magnification, respectively, which are adapted to be selectively placed into the optical path of the microscope. An air gun is positioned to supply an air jet to a pipette supported on the stage, said gun comprising heating means for selectively producing a hot and a cold air jet. An attchment comprising an electricially heatable filament is associated to the objective of relatively high magnification. The micropipette is positioned and coated under observation with the aid of the objective of low magnification and then the coating is cured by applying the hot air jet. Subsequently, the tip of the pipette is polished by the heated filament under observation with the aid of the objective of high magnification.

Abstract: A precision circuit for measuring electrical currents, of the order of only a few pico-amperes, in the individual ionic channels of biological membranes, comprising a pipette engaging a membrane and having an internal electrode connected to a current-to-voltage converter; the converter output is integrated and fed back to a reference potential source for the converter to control that reference potential so that the average pipette electrode is maintained at zero over a predetermined time interval. In the preferred construction the time constant of the feedback integrator is adjustable between a "slow" value and a "fast" value; at the "slow" setting the long-term average of the pipette current is forced to be zero, whereas at the "fast" setting it is possible to measure the potential at the pipette tip at zero current.