Abstract: The present invention discloses a cell culturing system that cultures predetermined cells collected from a patient and supplies cultured cells to the original patient, which together with enabling correlations between the cultured cells and the supplier of the cells to be managed accurately and easily at all times, allows cultured cells and patients to be collated rapidly.

Abstract: Plural types of cells having different dielectrophoretic properties are separated using a simple structure. There is provided a cell separation device including: a flow path through which a cell suspension flows, the cell suspension containing plural types of cells which have different dielectrophoretic properties; electrodes disposed to face each other in a direction intersecting a flow direction of the cell suspension flowing in the flow path; an electric field gradient forming portion which generates an electric field strength gradient between the electrodes; and a power supply applying an alternating voltage having a direct current component across the electrodes.

Abstract: Contamination by dust particles, bacteria and so forth in each processing step can be reduced by a simple constitution. A culture vessel is used in which a medium vessel in which a medium is sealed and a waste medium vessel capable of housing the fluid in a main culture vessel are connected to the main culture vessel by connecting lines capable of restricting the flow of fluid between them in a state in which they are sealed from the outside. A culture apparatus is composed in which the inner volume of each vessel is variable, and is provided with a case provided with indentations for housing each vessel, and a pressing means that contracts the vessels housed in the indentations by applying external pressure.

Abstract: Contamination into other culture containers by airborne matter which had been spattered when a predetermined treatment is performed on a specimen in a culture container is prevented. There is provided a culture treatment apparatus comprising: a treatment chamber in which is stored a treatment device (19) which opens a lid (3b) of a culture container (3) storing a specimen to perform a predetermined treatment on the specimen inside of the culture container (3); and a sheet member (45) arranged below the culture container (3), which cover the top surface of the treatment device (19).

Abstract: There are provided a culture treatment apparatus and an automatic culture apparatus capable of taking quick and appropriate action even if there is a change in the state of a space where cells stored in a container, such as a culture vessel, for the automatic culture apparatus are subjected to predetermined treatment. The culture treatment apparatus includes a treatment section for applying predetermined treatment to cells stored in an openable container for the automatic culture apparatus in a partitioned space; a detection section for detecting a predetermined state of the space, the detection section being in the space or in the vicinity of the space; and a control section for controlling the treatment section to close the container if the detection section detects the predetermined state with the container opened.

Abstract: An identification circuit (131) recognizes optical probes (112A, 112B) of different scanning types that are connected to a light source unit (113) and a control device (114), the frequency of the drive signal of a control circuit (130) for driving a scanner inside the optical probe is varied by this recognition signal, corresponding drive signals are applied to the optical probes connected, the scanner of each probe is scanned, and two-dimensional optical information is imaged by an imaging device (115) and displayed on a monitor (116).

Abstract: Contamination by dust particles, bacteria and so forth in each processing step can be reduced by a simple constitution. A culture vessel is used in which a medium vessel in which a medium is sealed and a waste medium vessel capable of housing the fluid in a main culture vessel are connected to the main culture vessel by connecting lines capable of restricting the flow of fluid between them in a state in which they are sealed from the outside. A culture apparatus is composed in which the inner volume of each vessel is variable, and is provided with a case provided with indentations for housing each vessel, and a pressing means that contracts the vessels housed in the indentations by applying external pressure.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a cell culturing system that cultures predetermined cells collected from a patient and supplies cultured cells to the original patient, which together with enabling correlations between the cultured cells and the supplier of the cells to be managed accurately and easily at all times, allows cultured cells and patients to be collated rapidly. In a cell culturing system 20 that carries in cells containing stem cells and contains them in an incoming transport container to which is attached unique identification information, transfers the transported cells to and cultures them in a culture container to which is attached unique identification information, and carries out the cultured cells by transferring them to an outgoing transport container to which is attached unique identification information, ID numbers attached to the containers before and after transfer are input from a barcode reader 31 whenever the cells are transferred to a different container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a culturing system capable of culturing viable cells while reducing opportunities for infection by bacteria and other microorganisms. This culturing system comprises, in a sterile chamber, a storage unit that respectively stores media and body tissue filler, a cell extraction unit that extracts cells to be cultured from collected body fluid, cell culturing units that are connected to the storage unit and the cell extraction unit, and culture extracted cells in media to produce a body tissue filling composed of cultured cells and body tissue filler, and a sealing unit that seals the produced body tissue filling in a vessel.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cell culturing method that allows the growth status of cells for transplant to be accurately determined without directly contacting the cells. This cell culturing method is comprised of a step in which cells for transplant 200 and cells for examination 300 are respectively and separately housed in a culture vessel 100 having partitions for separately housing a plurality of samples in a single vessel, a step in which cells for transplant 200 and cells for examination 300 are cultured under identical conditions, and a step in which the growth status of cells for transplant 200 is assessed according to the growth status of cells for examination 300.

Abstract: A light scanning device has a tip structure which includes a light scanning part connected to a light source, and which is insertable into a body cavity and is formed so as to be water-tight. A controlling part controls the light scan through the tip structure, and the tip structure and the controlling part are also connected to each other in a water-tight manner by a slender tube through which a plurality of electrical cables pass. An electric connector is fixed with the proximal end portion of the tube in a water-tight manner, and is electrically connectable so as to be water-tight with and removable from this controlling part.

Abstract: A low coherence beam emitted by a low coherence light source is split into two portions. One portion is transmitted from the outward end of a first single mode fiber via a detachable connector to a beam scanning probe, and then to a biological tissue; and the other is transmitted from an optical coupler placed midway along the light path via a second single mode fiber to a light path modifier. The light path modifier includes a galvanometer mirror to modify the light path length in accordance with a scan range, and a uniaxial stage to adjust the light path length to absorb the variation in lengths of different beam scanning probes. The light path is adjusted by the uniaxial stage such that the beam interference is detected for the scan range, to ensure stable acquisition of tomographic images.

Abstract: An endoscope system having an endoscope, a scope holder holding the endoscope, a magnetic three-dimensional position sensor, and a TV monitor. The sensor detects the position of an object and generates data representing this position. According to the data, the view field of the endoscope is switched.

Abstract: In an endoscope system including an endoscope having an insertion section to be inserted into a cavity under inspection, a bending portion which is provided in the insertion section near a distal end thereof and is bent in at least up and down directions and an operation section to which a proximal end of the insertion section is connected and a disposable protection cover having an insertion section dover for covering the insertion section of the endoscope and having formed therein an insertion section inserting channel into which the insertion section of the endoscope is insertable and conduit channels, the insertion section inserting channel and conduit channels are both crossed by a line which is parallel with the up and down directions, so that the distal end of the insertion section can be correctly bent in the up and down directions without being influenced by the conduit channels.

Abstract: A curvature section provided in an insertable section is curved in response to a curving instructing signal output by the operation of a curving operating switch. In case the curving operating switch is of a joy stick type having an operating lever, in response to the operation of a switching switch, a mode in which the inclination angle of the operating lever is held and a mode in which the inclination angle of the operating lever is returned to a neutral position in which it is zero will be switched and the curvature section will be of a curvature angle following the inclination angle of the operating lever.In case the curving operating switch is of a joy pad type comprising a plurality of on/off switches, in response to the operation of the switching switch, the curvature instructing signal will be held or reset.

Abstract: In an endoscope, a curvature indicating element for curvature-indicating a curvable curvature section provided adjacent to a distal end of an elongated inserting section having elasticity is arranged at a location close to a thumb of a hand grasped by an operator in the operating section provided at a proximal end portion of an inserting section. An operating element for controlling operation of fluid such as outflow, inflow or the like is arranged at location opposite to the curvature indicating element in the operating section. Thus, operations of the curvature operation, outflow and inflow of the fluid and the like can be executed simultaneously under a condition where the operating section is grasped.

Abstract: An endoscope apparatus according to the present invention includes a warping velocity control device which receives an angle of warp detected by an angle detection device and a value of an electric current realized at this angle of warp and detected by an electric current detection device. The control device makes comparisons between the angle of warp and the value of the electric current and data about a normal state stored in a storage device. If the result is larger than data for the normal state by a predetermined value, the warping velocity is lowered while a discrimination is made that an abnormal state (the warp-enabled portion has come in contact with the body wall) takes place. Additionally, the apparatus could include a time detecting device for detecting a time in which an electric quantity supplied to a drive means is larger than a predetermined time. The warping velocity control device controls the warping velocity according to the comparison made by the time detecting device.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a surgical device for applying surgical fasteners to body tissues in order to fasten the body tissues together. The device comprises an operation section having a housing having an inner space completely sealed from the outside, drive elements electrically driven and arranged in the inner space of the operation section, an insertion section including a housing which has a first end portion containing the fasteners and having an opening through which the fasteners are to be applied, and a second end portion removably coupled to the housing of the operation section, fastener-applying elements located in the housing of the insertion section, for applying the fasteners from the opening to body tissues, and force-transmitting elements for transmitting drive force from the drive elements to the fastener-applying elements.

Abstract: There is provided an apparatus for receiving nuclear magnetic resonance signals by applying high frequency energy to a living body placed in a static magnetic field. The distal end portion of the insertion section of the endoscope has a rigid distal end portion and a bendable portion. A housing portion for housing a high frequency coil is provided between the rigid distance portion and the bendable portion. This structure makes it possible to assemble the high frequency coil into the endoscope in a compact manner and can reduce a patient's burden when the insertion section is inserted in the body cavity of the patient.

Abstract: A diagnostic system using a nuclear magnetic resonance phenomenon comprises an external magnetic field generator, provided externally, for generating a magnetic field in a living body, a thin diameter member capable of being inserted into a body cavity and having flexibility, a high frequency coil, provided at a top end of the thin diameter member, for transmitting and receiving a high frequency, a nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device for receiving a nuclear magnetic resonance signal from the living body, and a transformer, provided between the high frequency coil and the nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device, for electrically isolating and separating the high frequency coil from the nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device in a manner such that the nuclear magnetic resonance signal is transmittable between the high frequency coil and the nuclear magnetic resonance signal measuring device.