Leica Microsystems

A liquid storage plate (106) is configured to be used in a liquid handling system (100) having a syringe (104) with a needle (118) for liquid transfer. The liquid storage plate (106) comprises a substantially planar carrier (218) defining a top side (234), and a plurality of container cavities (220) arranged on the carrier (218). Each container cavity (220) extends downwards from the top side (234) and is configured to store a liquid (230). At least one of the container cavities (220) forms a aspiration-optimized cavity (220b-220f) having an opening (232) at the top side (234) and a lowermost liquid collection portion (236) arranged opposite to the opening (232). The liquid collection portion (236) is narrowed in relation to the remainder of the aspiration-optimized cavity (220b-220f) to allow collection of residual liquid and insertion of the needle (118) for aspiration of the residual liquid.

A liquid container arrangement (106) is configured to be used in a robotic liquid handling system (100) for handling liquids which are to be applied to a sample (110). The liquid container arrangement (106) comprises a plurality of container sub-units (220), with at least some of the container sub-units (220a, 220b, 220c) having different liquid storage capacities. The liquid container arrangement (106) comprises a one-piece frame element (218) having said plurality of container sub-units (220) formed therein.

In a first aspect, a method for detecting edge defects (208a, 208b, 400) on at least one workpiece (200) is provided. The method comprises the steps of providing imaging data of at least part of an edge (202, 402) of the at least one workpiece (200), generating an edge intensity image based on the imaging data and generating a colour difference image based on the imaging data. Further, the method comprises the steps of segmenting the edge intensity image and the colour difference image to generate a respective binary edge intensity image or mask and a respective binary colour difference image or mask, and combining the binary edge intensity image and the binary colour difference image and generating a combined binary mask. Further steps of the method are fitting a curve (206) to the at least part of an edge (202, 402) based on the combined binary mask, and detecting edge defects (208a, 208b, 400) on the at least part of an edge (202, 402) of the at least one workpiece (200) based on the curve (206) fitted to the at least part of an edge (202, 402). In a further aspect a system (500) for detecting edge defects (208a, 208b, 400) on at least one workpiece (200) is provided.

In a first aspect, a method for characterising at least one edge defect (100) of a workpiece is provided. The method includes the step of determining a Feret diameter of the at least one edge defect (100). The method further includes the step of characterising the at least one edge defect (100) based on the determined Feret diameter. In a further aspect, a corresponding system (300) is provided.

A first aspect of the present disclosure is related to a device for generating post-operational data of an imaging device, configured to: - obtain operational data of an imaging device; - determine instruction data based on: -- the operational data; and - determine a post-operational data set based on: -- the instruction data; and -- the operational data.

A label for analysing a biological sample is provided. The label comprises a first label part comprising a first nucleic acid strand (106) and a second label part comprising a second nucleic acid strand (110). The first nucleic acid strand (106) and the second nucleic acid strand (110) are configured to form a duplex. The label further comprises at least one first labelling moiety (108) and at least one second labelling moiety (112), and the label further comprises at least one blocking nucleic acid strand (126, 128). In further aspects, a marker (100, 500, 600, 700, 1000) comprising the label and a respective method are provided.

A modular capture construct (100, 900, 1000) for capturing a plurality of analytes (402, 504, 604, 706) of a biological sample (1300, 1408) is provided. The modular capture construct (100, 900, 1000) comprises a plurality of modules (102a, 102b, 102c), and at least a first dye (112) and a second dye (114) arranged on the capture construct (100, 900, 1000) to provide an orientation indication. The modular capture construct further comprises at least a first plurality of capture regions (108a, 108b, 108c, 108d, 108e, 108f), each capture region (108a, 108b, 108c, 108d, 108e, 108f) comprising at least one affinity capture reagent (400, 502, 602, 702, 704) configured to capture one of the analytes (402, 504, 604, 706), wherein each module (102a, 102b, 102c) comprises at least one of the capture regions (108a, 108b, 108c, 108d, 108e, 108f) of the first plurality of capture regions (108a, 108b, 108c, 108d, 108e, 108f). Each module (102a, 102b, 102c) comprises a nucleic acid backbone (201). Further, each of the modules (102a, 102b, 102c) is hybridised to at least another one of the modules (102a, 102b, 102c). In a further aspect, a method for detecting a plurality of analytes of a biological sample by means of the modular capture construct is provided.

A first aspect of the present disclosure is related to a device for image acquisition, configured to: - select a plurality of excitations for exciting a sample, - adjust in a first step: -- a configuration of one of the selected excitations or; -- a configuration of a global excitation , wherein the global excitation is based on one or more of the selected excitations; - adjust in a second step and based on the configuration adjusted in the first step: -- a configuration of one or more of the non-adjusted, selected excitations; and/or -- a configuration of the global excitation, respectively; - providing the adjusted configurations for performing an excitation of the sample.

A first aspect of the present disclosure is related to an imaging device for determining a thickness of a layer comprised in an image,configured to:- obtain an image of a sample with one or more layers ;- obtain from a user interface a first estimation information indicating a location of a first edge of a layer;- obtain from the user interface a second estimation information indicating a location of a second edge of the layer;- determine the first edge of the layer based on the first estimation information;- determine the second edge of the layer based on the second estimation information;- determine a distance between the first edge and the second edge.

In a first aspect, a microscope stage (100, 500, 600) is provided comprising a receiving surface (102) configured to receive at least a first sample carrier (104, 200) with a plurality of sample areas (202, 204), an imaging area (206), and a surface moving device (118) configured to move the receiving surface (102) along at least two directions, wherein the surface moving device (118) has a range of movement along the at least two directions such that any one of the sample areas of the plurality of sample areas (202, 204) is alignable with the imaging area (206). The microscope stage further comprises at least one liquid handling head (106, 502, 602) configured to dispense fluids onto the sample carrier (104, 200), and a head moving device (108, 110, 112) configured to move the at least one liquid handling head (106, 502, 602) along at least two directions, wherein the head moving device (108, 110, 112) has a range of movement along the at least two directions such that the at least one liquid handling head (106, 502, 602) is alignable with any one of the sample areas (202, 204) of the plurality of sample areas (202, 204). In further aspects a corresponding microscope and method are provided.