Abstract: An ultrasound image system includes: an ultrasound probe; a signal-transmitting-and-receiving section for transmitting signals to the ultrasound probe and receiving signals from the ultrasound probe; and an image-displaying section for displaying an ultrasound image obtained by means of the signal-transmitting-and-receiving section, wherein the ultrasound probe includes: a tip section which is provided with: a plurality of ultrasound-wave-transmitting sections for transmitting ultrasound waves to an tissue; and a plurality of ultrasound-wave-receiving sections for receiving signals reflected by the tissue and obtained by means of the ultrasound-wave-transmitting section; and a flexible catheter tube provided with: a first lumen capable of inserting an instrument for treating the tissue from a proximal end section of the ultrasound probe therethrough and exposing the instrument at a position facing the tip section; and a second lumen having an maneuvering wire inserted therethrough and being capable of moving

Abstract: Motile particles are sorted from non-motile particles in a microfluidic sorting device wherein a stream of sort fluid containing motile and non-motile particles is caused to flow adjacent a media stream in non-turbulent fashion through a sort channel, during which flow motile particles cross the interface between the adjacent flow streams, entering the media stream, and forming a motile particle-depleted sort stream. The sorting devices are easily and inexpensively fabricated and have numerous uses, in particular sorting of motile from non-motile sperm.

Abstract: The first, second, and third operating units 441 to 443 each perform a predetermined operation according to an instruction before a point of time partway through a clock cycle. When having performed a comparison operation, each operating unit outputs a result value to the condition flag operating unit 51. The condition flag operating unit 51 calculates a new condition flag value by performing a logical operation on either (a) a value that has been read from the condition flag register 46 and the result value or (b) the result values themselves. The condition flag operating unit 51 outputs, before the clock cycle ends, the new condition flag value to one of the first, second, and third gates 451 to 453 that is related to a conditional instruction so as to control nullification of the conditional new condition flag value.

Abstract: The invention relates to microfluidic devices and methods for using the same. In particular, the present invention provides a multiplexed hydraulic valve actuation device, systems utilizing the device, and methods of using such devices.

Abstract: Gas focusing flow cytometers are fabricatable employing simple and inexpensive manufacturing techniques. When such cytometers or conventional cytometers are combined with fiber optical light paths and laser diode and semiconductor photodetectors, light weight and handheld, optionally disposable devices which maintain high performance are possible.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices having active features such as valves, peristaltic pumps, and mixing portions are fabricated to have a thin elastomeric membrane over the active features. The active features are activated by a tactile actuator external to the membrane. A computer executes software for controlling the actuators. The software may include a process manager that executes processes selected by a user from a process library.

Abstract: A microfluidic cell culture media may have an initial concentration of an active material less than a therapeutic window of concentration necessary to provide a cellular mass a therapeutic environment.

Abstract: A compiling unit (110) generates indefinite branch information showing that an instruction set to be selected is indefinite, instead of generating a branch instruction. A linking unit (130) generates an appropriate direct addressing branch instruction by judging whether an instruction set used at a branch source and an instruction set used at a branch destination are the same. Also, one reference instruction set is determined. The compiling unit (110) adds a mode adjusting instruction that belongs to the reference instruction set and that is for causing a branch to an instruction placed at a branch destination and for selecting the instruction set that is originally to be selected. The mode adjusting instruction provides an alternative branch destination corresponding to an original branch destination, and the compiling unit (110) generates an indirect addressing branch instruction for causing a branch to the alternative branch destination and for selecting the reference instruction set.

Abstract: This invention makes debugging more efficient when an object program is intended for processing a loop made up of n groups of iteration-forming instructions. Instructions in the secondary assembler program each has a combination of a line number “;lx” and an iteration identifier “;ix” attached thereto. The line number “;lx” specifies a source code from which the instruction is generated, and the iteration identifier “;ix” specifies an iteration to which the instruction belongs. When the user sets a breakpoint at an instruction, displayed in the windows are (a) a source code for generating the instruction at the breakpoint and (b) another source code for generating another instruction that belongs to a different group of iteration-forming instructions than the breakpoint instruction.

Abstract: Nanopatterned devices are easily fabricated, over large surface areas when desired, by forming a multilayer article of deformable substrate, brittle layer, and coating layer, and deforming the multilayer film such that a plurality of cracks are formed therein. The cracks have different physicochemical properties than the non-cracked coating layer, and advantageously serve as attachment points for culturing microorganisms.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices for cell culturing and methods for using the same are disclosed. One device includes a substrate and membrane. The substrate includes a reservoir in fluid communication with a passage. A bio-compatible fluid may be added to the reservoir and passage. The reservoir is configured to receive and retain at least a portion of a cell mass. The membrane acts as a barrier to evaporation of the bio-compatible fluid from the passage. A cover fluid may be added to cover the bio-compatible fluid to prevent evaporation of the bio-compatible fluid.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices for cell culturing and methods for using the same are disclosed. One device includes a substrate and membrane. The substrate includes a reservoir in fluid communication with a passage. A bio-compatible fluid may be added to the reservoir and passage. The reservoir is configured to receive and retain at least a portion of a cell mass. The membrane acts as a barrier to evaporation of the bio-compatible fluid from the passage. A cover fluid may be added to cover the bio-compatible fluid to prevent evaporation of the bio-compatible fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a compiler apparatus for generating an instruction code composed of instruction sets each including an instruction that designates an m-bit immediate value indicating a location of a data item in a memory area. The compiler apparatus sequentially selects, based on one data attribute, a data item from a group X composed of a plurality of data items; and judges, each time a data item is selected, whether the selected data item is allocatable to an n-byte memory area (n?2m). When the judgment is negative, the compiler apparatus specifies, based on a different data attribute, a data item out of all the selected data items and excludes the specified data item from the group X, and repeats the selection until all the data items remaining in the group X after excluding specified data items are judged to be allocatable to the memory area.

Abstract: An integrated microfluidic sperm isolation and oocyte insemination device provides the opportunity to perform in vitro insemination with motilityenhanced sperm samples and with minimal manipulation of fragile oocytes. Sperm sorting is performed in a common sort channel wherein more mobile sperm swim across the interface between co-laminar flows of semen and media fluid.

Abstract: In order to overcome the problem that conditionally executed instructions are executed as no-operation instructions if their condition is not fulfilled, leading to poor utilization efficiency of the hardware and lowering the effective performance, the processor decodes a number of instructions that is greater than the number of provided computing units and judges their execution conditions with an instruction issue control portion before the execution stage, Instructions for which the condition is false are invalidated, and subsequent valid instructions are assigned so that the computing units (hardware) is used efficiently. A compiler performs scheduling such that the number of instructions whose execution condition is true does not exceed the upper limit of the degree of parallelism of the hardware. The number of instructions arranged in parallel at each cycle may exceed the degree of parallelism of the hardware.

Abstract: Gas focusing flow cytometers are fabricatable employing simple and inexpensive manufacturing techniques. When such cytometers or conventional cytometers are combined with fiber optical light paths and laser diode and semiconductor photodetectors, light weight and handheld, optionally disposable devices which maintain high performance are possible.

Abstract: Gas focusing flow cytometers are fabricatable employing simple and inexpensive manufacturing techniques. When such cytometers or conventional cytometers are combined with fiber optical light paths and laser diode and semiconductor photodetectors, light weight and handheld, optionally disposable devices which maintain high performance are possible.

Abstract: Microfluidic devices having active features such as valves, peristaltic pumps, and mixing portions are fabricated to have a thin elastomeric membrane over the active features. The active features are activated by a tactile actuator external to the membrane, for example, a commercial Braille display. The display may be computer controlled, for example by simple text editor software, to activate individual Braille protrusions or a plurality of protrusions to actuate the active portions of the microfluidic device. Integral devices can incorporate the tactile actuators in a single device, but still external to the membrane.

Abstract: When a branch instruction is decoded by the instruction decoders 409a˜409c, the upper 29 bits of the PC relative value included in the branch instruction are sent to the upper PC calculator 411 and the lower 3 bits are sent to the lower PC calculator 405. The lower PC calculator 405 adds the lower 3 bits of the PC relative value and the lower 3 bits of the present lower PC 404 and sends the result to the lower PC 404 as the updated lower PC. The upper PC calculator 411 adds the upper 29 bits of the PC relative value, the upper 29 bits of the present upper PC 403, and a carry that may be received from the lower PC calculator 405, and sends the result to the upper PC 403 as the updated upper PC.

Abstract: In order to overcome the problem that conditionally executed instructions are executed as no-operation instructions if their condition is not fulfilled, leading to poor utilization efficiency of the hardware and lowering the effective performance, the processor decodes a number of instructions that is greater than the number of provided computing units and judges their execution conditions with an instruction issue control portion before the execution stage, Instructions for which the condition is false are invalidated, and subsequent valid instructions are assigned so that the computing units (hardware) is used efficiently. A compiler performs scheduling such that the number of instructions whose execution condition is true does not exceed the upper limit of the degree of parallelism of the hardware. The number of instructions arranged in parallel at each cycle may exceed the degree of parallelism of the hardware.