Abstract: An apparatus and a method for identifying at least one type of white blood cell (WBC) within a whole blood sample is provided. The method includes: adding at least one colorant to the sample; providing at least one fluorescent excitation light and at least one transmission light; receiving both light fluorescing from and transmitted through the sample and producing signals representative thereof; creating at least one image of the sample using the signals; identifying WBCs within the sample image; quantitatively analyzing at least some of the identified WBCs within the image, including determining one or more quantitative values; and identifying at least one type of WBC from the identified WBCs using the quantitative values.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for identifying at least one type of white blood cell (WBC) within a whole blood sample is provided. The method includes: adding at least one colorant to the sample; providing at least one fluorescent excitation light and at least one transmission light; receiving both light fluorescing from and transmitted through the sample and producing signals representative thereof; creating at least one image of the sample using the signals; identifying WBCs within the sample image; quantitatively analyzing at least some of the identified WBCs within the image, including determining one or more quantitative values; and identifying at least one type of WBC from the identified WBCs using the quantitative values.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying one or more target constituents (e.g., white blood cells) within a biological sample is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) adding at least one colorant to the sample; b) disposing the sample into a chamber defined by at least one transparent panel; c) creating at least one image of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber; d) identifying target constituents within the sample image; e) quantitatively analyzing at least some of the identified target constituents within the image relative to one or more predetermined quantitatively determinable features; and f) identifying at least one type of target constituent within the identified target constituents using the quantitatively determinable features.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying one or more target constituents (e.g., white blood cells) within a biological sample is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) adding at least one colorant to the sample; b) disposing the sample into a chamber defined by at least one transparent panel; c) creating at least one image of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber; d) identifying target constituents within the sample image; e) quantitatively analyzing at least some of the identified target constituents within the image relative to one or more predetermined quantitatively determinable features; and f) identifying at least one type of target constituent within the identified target constituents using the quantitatively determinable features.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying one or more target constituents (e.g., white blood cells) within a biological sample is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) adding at least one colorant to the sample; b) disposing the sample into a chamber defined by at least one transparent panel; c) creating at least one image of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber; d) identifying target constituents within the sample image; e) quantitatively analyzing at least some of the identified target constituents within the image relative to one or more predetermined quantitatively determinable features; and f) identifying at least one type of target constituent within the identified target constituents using the quantitatively determinable features.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing white blood cells (WBCs) within a whole blood sample quiescently residing within a chamber is provided. The chamber is defined by at least one transparent panel, and the whole blood sample includes at least one colorant operable to differentially identify at least one WBC type from another WBC type within the sample. The method includes the steps of: a) creating at least one image of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber; b) identifying portions of the sample image, with each portion representing a single WBC; c) compressing the sample image portions using a first compression algorithm; and d) one of compressing a remainder of the sample image not included in the portions using a second compression algorithm, or discarding the remainder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a cell volume of a red blood cell is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) depositing a sample into an analysis chamber, the chamber defined by an first panel interior surface, a second panel interior surface, and a known or determinable height, which height is such that at least one red blood cell subject to a sphering agent assumes a partially compressed spherical shape in contact with the interior surfaces; b) imaging the at least one partially compressed spherical red blood cell contacting the interior surfaces, and producing image signals; c) determining a radius of the partially compressed spherical red blood cell from the image signals; and d) determining a volume of the imaged red blood cell using the determined radius.

Abstract: An organic solvent free method for purifying and refining of a long-chain dicarboxylic acid or a salt thereof is disclosed. This method avoids problems caused by organic solvents which have been used in the purifying process of the prior art. This method reduces effectively the content of such impurities as proteins and coloring materials in the product. The purity of the crystallized long-chain dicarboxylic acid product is greater than 99 wt %.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for analyzing white blood cells (WBCs) within a whole blood sample quiescently residing within a chamber is provided. The chamber is defined by at least one transparent panel, and the whole blood sample includes at least one colorant operable to differentially identify at least one WBC type from another WBC type within the sample. The method includes the steps of: a) creating at least one image of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber; b) identifying portions of the sample image, with each portion representing a single WBC; c) compressing the sample image portions using a first compression algorithm; and d) one of compressing a remainder of the sample image not included in the portions using a second compression algorithm, or discarding the remainder.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for identifying one or more target constituents (e.g., white blood cells) within a biological sample is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) adding at least one colorant to the sample; b) disposing the sample into a chamber defined by at least one transparent panel; c) creating at least one image of the sample quiescently residing within the chamber; d) identifying target constituents within the sample image; e) quantitatively analyzing at least some of the identified target constituents within the image relative to one or more predetermined quantitatively determinable features; and f) identifying at least one type of target constituent within the identified target constituents using the quantitatively determinable features.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for determining a cell volume of a red blood cell is provided. The method includes the steps of: a) depositing a sample into an analysis chamber, the chamber defined by an first panel interior surface, a second panel interior surface, and a known or determinable height, which height is such that at least one red blood cell subject to a sphering agent assumes a partially compressed spherical shape in contact with the interior surfaces; b) imaging the at least one partially compressed spherical red blood cell contacting the interior surfaces, and producing image signals; c) determining a radius of the partially compressed spherical red blood cell from the image signals; and d) determining a volume of the imaged red blood cell using the determined radius.

Abstract: Segmenting a digitized image includes providing a diffusion tensor field image, partitioning the image into 2 regions, each point being assigned to one of the regions, associating a level-set function with each region, the level-set function having a negative value in one region and a positive value in the other region, calculating a mean value of the diffusion tensor field over each of 2 regions, initializing an energy defined as a functional of level-set functions and diffusion tensor field, changing the region membership of each point in the image if the energy functional value decreases as a result of region membership change and updating said mean value of said diffusion tensor field over each of 2 regions, and obtaining a segmentation of the image when the magnitude of the change of the energy function value resulting from changing the region membership of a point is less then a predetermined threshold.

Abstract: Segmentation of White Matter Fiber Tract in DT-MRI images is achieved by using level sets methods including a method which will increase the speed and quality of the surface evolvement. A method system representing a measure of coincidence of the tensor field with the normal of the surface front to increase the speed and quality of a level set method in DT-MRI is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for automatically generating regions of seeding points for fiber tracking in diffusion tensor images. These methods are based on connected region grow. Seeding point selection criteria involving Fractional Anisotropy thresholding and Dominant Eigen Vector similarity are also disclosed.

Abstract: Segmentation of White Matter Fiber Tract in DT-MRI images is achieved by using level sets methods including a method which will increase the speed and quality of the surface evolvement. A method system representing a measure of coincidence of the tensor field with the normal of the surface front to increase the speed and quality of a level set method in DT-MRI is disclosed.

Abstract: The present invention discloses methods for automatically generating regions of seeding points for fiber tracking in diffusion tensor images. These methods are based on connected region grow. Seeding point selection criteria involving Fractional Anisotropy thresholding and Dominant Eigen Vector similarity are also disclosed.

Abstract: Segmenting a digitized image includes providing a diffusion tensor field image, partitioning the image into 2 regions, each point being assigned to one of the regions, associating a level-set function with each region, the level-set function having a negative value in one region and a positive value in the other region, calculating a mean value of the diffusion tensor field over each of 2 regions, initializing an energy defined as a functional of level-set functions and diffusion tensor field, changing the region membership of each point in the image if the energy functional value decreases as a result of region membership change and updating said mean value of said diffusion tensor field over each of 2 regions, and obtaining a segmentation of the image when the magnitude of the change of the energy function value resulting from changing the region membership of a point is less then a predetermined threshold.