1-25. (canceled)
26. A method for detecting an analyte in a fluid sample comprising:
(a) mixing said fluid sample with a reagent comprising a capturing agent which is a first member of a binding couple that can bind to an analyte, the analyte being a second member of the binding couple, such that if the analyte is present in the fluid sample, particulates of the binding couple are formed;
(b) treating said mixture so as to form on a solid substrate a thin layer of said particulates, if formed as a result of said mixing;
(c) obtaining an optical image of the thin layer; and
(d) analyzing said optical image so as to determine therefrom the absence or presence of particulates formed as a result of the association between the binding couple, the presence of particulates in the sample indicating the presence of said analyte in the sample; or to determine from said image at least one parameter of said particulates.
27. The method of claim 26, wherein said analyte comprises at least two recognitions sites and said capturing agent comprises at least two capturing moieties, such that particulates of binding couples are formed by association of a recognition site of said analyte with a capturing moiety of said capturing agent.
28. The method of claim 26, wherein said parameter is selected from: particulate size; size distribution of the particulates; particulates’ count; shape of the particulates; or spatial distribution of the particulates.
29. The method of claim 26, wherein said image is a magnified image of said thin layer of said mixture.
30. The method of claim 29, wherein said magnification is achieved by the use of a light microscope lens.
31. The method of claim 26, wherein said analyte is a particle comprising on its surface two or more copies of a recognition site with which a capturing agent can associate, thereby forming particulates of said binding couple.
32. The method of claim 31, wherein said particle is a cell or a microorganism presenting on their surface said recognition sites.
33. The method of claim 32, wherein the recognition site is an antigen and said capturing agent is an antibody having affinity to said antigen.
34. The method of claim 26, wherein said reagent comprises microbeads having a sensing interface, the sensing interface carrying two or more copies of a capturing moiety such that if said analyte is present in the fluid sample, particulates of binding couples are formed by association of said capturing moieties on said microbead with recognition sites of said analyte;
35. The method of claim 34, wherein said sensing interface carries two or more copies of a same capturing moiety.
36. The method of claim 34, wherein said sensing interface carries two or more copies of different capturing moieties.
37. The method of claim 34, wherein said microbeads are affinity microbeads.
38. The method of claim 37, wherein said microbeads are immunobeads.
39. The method of claim 26, wherein said thin layer comprises a monolayer of particulates of said binding couple.
40. A system for performing the method of claim 26, the system comprising:
(a) holding means for holding a solid substrate carrying a thin layer of particulates;
(b) an optical image acquisition device for capturing an image of the thin layer on the solid substrate;
(c) an image analysis device coupled to said image acquisition device and for analyzing an image obtained by the image acquisition device.
41. The system of claim 40, wherein said analyte comprises at least two recognitions sites and said capturing agent comprises at least two capturing moieties, such that particulates of binding couples are formed by association of a recognition site of said analyte with a capturing moiety of said capturing agent.
42. The system of claim 40, wherein said parameter is selected from: particulate size; size distribution of the particulates; particulates’ count; shape of the particulates; or spatial distribution of the particulates.
43. The system of claim 40, wherein said analyte is a particle comprising on its surface two or more copies of a recognition site with which a capturing agent can associate, thereby forming particulates of said binding couple.
44. The system of claim 40, wherein said particle is a cell or a microorganism presenting on their surface said recognition sites.
45. The system of claim 40, wherein the recognition site is an antigen and said capturing agent is an antibody having affinity to said antigen.
46. The system of claim 40, wherein said reagent comprises microbeads having a sensing interface, the sensing interface carrying two or more copies of a capturing moiety such that if said analyte is present in the fluid sample, particulates of binding couples are formed by association of said capturing moieties on said microbead with recognition sites of said analyte;
47. The system of claim 40, wherein said sensing interface carries two or more copies of a same capturing moiety.
48. The system of claim 40, wherein said sensing interface carries two or more copies of different capturing moieties.
49. The system of claim 40, wherein said microbeads are affinity microbeads.
50. The system of claim 40, wherein said microbeads are immunobeads.
51. The system of claim 40, wherein said thin layer comprises a monolayer of particulates of said binding couple.
52. The system of claim 40, further comprising a magnifying device.
53. The system of claim 52, wherein said magnifying device comprises a light microscope lens.
54. The system of claim 53, wherein said magnifying device is a light microscope.
55. The system of claim 40, wherein said optical image acquisition device is a camera.
56. The system of claim 40, wherein said image acquisition device is coupled to a magnifying device.
57. The system of claim 40, wherein the image analysis comprises determination of one or more a parameter of particulates formed within the thin layer, the parameter selected from size of particulates, size distribution of particulates, particulates’ count; particulates’ shape and spatial distribution of the formed particulates.
58. A kit for use in the method of claim 26, the kit comprising:
(a) at least one reagent comprising a capturing agent being a first member of a binding couple and comprising at least two capturing moieties to which binds an analyte, if present in a tested fluid sample, the analyte being a second member of the binding couple,
(b) a solid substrate for carrying a thin layer of particulates.
59. The kit of claim 58, wherein said solid substrate is a microscope slide or a testing chamber.
60. The kit of claim 58, wherein said solid support is adapted for use in combination with an optical image acquisition device.
61. The kit of claim 58, comprising means for creating said thin layer.
The claims below are in addition to those above.
All refrences to claim(s) which appear below refer to the numbering after this setence.
1. A propulsion unit for propelling a waterborne vessel, comprising:
a) an electric motor for providing propulsion, the motor including a rotor having a cylindrical body mounted upon a shaft having an axis of rotation, the cylindrical body including rotor windings, a first cooling passage being provided between the cylindrical body and the shaft, and a second cooling passage being provided through the rotor windings;
b) a housing for containing the motor and bounding an interior through which a cooling gas is passed longitudinally of the rotor along the first cooling passage in a first direction and along the second cooling passage in a second direction different from, and opposite to, the first direction, the interior being maintained at an increased pressure of above roughly 2 bar to increase a cooling effect of the cooling gas; and
c) a heat exchange region including fins provided on an internal surface of the housing between the first cooling passage and the second cooling passage.
2. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the fins are constituted of a material having a high thermal conductivity.
3. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the fins are associated with the housing such that, in use, water surrounding the housing absorbs heat from the fins.
4. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the fins are integral with the housing.
5. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the fins are provided in an end region of the housing.
6. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the cooling gas flowing in the second direction exits the second cooling passage into the heat exchange region.
7. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the motor also comprises a stator that includes end turns that protrude from the stator, and wherein the unit is arranged such that the cooling gas passing along the cooling passages passes over the end turns.
8. The unit according to claim 7, wherein the stator is mounted in good thermal contact with an inside surface of the housing.
9. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the cooling gas is air.
10. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the pressure within the housing is between roughly 2 bar and roughly 7 bar.
11. The unit according to claim 1, wherein the motor is one of an induction motor and a synchronous motor.
12. The unit according to claim 1, and an agitator for circulating the cooling gas within the housing.
13. The unit according to claim 12, wherein the agitator comprises at least one fan.
14. A propulsion unit for propelling a waterborne vessel, comprising:
a) an electric motor for providing propulsion, the motor including a stator that includes end turns that protrude from the stator, and a rotor having a shaft that has an axis of rotation; and
b) a housing for containing the motor, the housing having an axial end region provided with a heat exchange mechanism arranged to cool a cooling gas passing thereover, the heat exchange mechanism comprising at least one fin provided on an interior surface of the housing such that, in use, water surrounding the housing absorbs heat therefrom, the cooling gas passing over the end turns before passing the heat exchange mechanism.
15. The unit according to claim 14, wherein said at least one fin is constituted of a material having a high thermal conductivity.
16. The unit according to claim 14, wherein said at least one fin is integral with the housing.
17. The unit according to claim 14, wherein the rotor comprises a cylindrical body mounted upon the shaft, and wherein a first cooling passage is provided between the cylindrical body and the shaft.
18. The unit according to claim 17, wherein the cylindrical body mounted upon the shaft comprises rotor windings for the rotor.
19. The unit according to claim 18, wherein the rotor windings have a second cooling passage therethrough.
20. The unit according to claim 19, wherein the cooling gas passes along the first cooling passage in a first direction, and along the second cooling passage in a second direction, different from the first direction.
21. The unit according to claim 20, wherein the first direction is roughly in an opposite direction to the second direction.
22. The unit according to claim 14, wherein the housing has an interior maintained above a pressure of roughly 2 bar.
23. A propulsion unit for propelling a waterborne vessel, comprising:
a) an electric motor for providing propulsion with concomitant generation of heat, the motor including a stator and a rotor rotatable about an axis;
b) a housing for containing the motor, the housing having a front end region which, in use, is submerged in ambient water and is in a heat exchange relationship with the ambient water; and
c) means for circulating a cooling gas within the housing, including means for directing the cooling gas past the motor to absorb the heat generated therefrom, and for directing the cooling gas after heat absorption into the front end region for transferring the heat to the ambient water, the circulating means including fins for directing the cooling gas along the axis, and baffles for deflecting the cooling gas transversely of the axis and into the front end region.
24. The unit according to claim 23, and a plurality of cooling passages extending through the motor along the axis, and wherein the fins and the baffles are located at at least one end of the cooling passages.