Abstract: A system and method for characterizing a rheological property of a particulate or powdered pharmaceutical composition having a sensor that measures the force imparted to a powder interacting member disposed within a quantity of moving powder. The measured force is related to a rheological property of the pharmaceutical composition, such as viscosity, flowability or compressibility. Information regarding the pharmaceutical composition's rheological properties allows increased performance in the automated loading of precise amounts of a powdered drug into a dry powder inhaler.

Abstract: A method of marking a biological sample carrier by transferring information from a first information medium forming part of the sample carrier to a second information medium. The first information medium is optically readable and the second information medium is electronically readable. The method comprises the steps of determining first information from the first information medium, associating the first information with the second information medium and storing the sample carrier with the second information medium attached to the sample carrier.