Acea RTCA SP Instrument - Page 39

39
Operation
C
C

Set up the Schedule page
This page is used to program the experimental procedure. Generally, experiments can
be divided into multiple steps, and each step consists of one or multiple sweeps.
Each sweep is one measurement across all the selected wells. There is a pre-
determined time interval between neighboring sweeps within a step. After starting
a current sweep, the RTCA SP Instrument automatically starts to count down the
time interval and starts the next sweep.
After completing all of the sweeps within a step, the RTCA SP Instrument does not
move on to the next step until it is manually instructed to do so.
A manual intervention is always necessary to move from one step to the next one.
Generally, there should be a separate step each time an E-Plate 96 is removed.
Users can manually stop a current step at any time before the system completes all
pre-set sweeps and proceed to the next step. However, a current step cannot be
manually stopped in the middle of a measurement sweep. Doing so may cause system
instability and data loss.
 Step 1 is typically used for background tests, where no cells are present in the wells.
It is set as One sweep, One minute by default. The Step Status is idle, and all other
buttons are blank.
The sweep number and sweep interval for the Step 1 is pre-set to be one
sweep with an interval of one minute by the software. This step is used for
background measurement and should not be changed.
 Step 2 is typically the fi rst step after cell addition.
To add Step 2, move the mouse to the Steps column on the left side of the page.
Left click the Add a Step Icon , or go to the pull-down Steps menu and select
Add a Step. Step 2 is added. Edit the Interval and Sweeps section by entering the
appropriate numbers. Select the Interval Units in hours or in minutes. Click Apply,
and the appropriate time intervals, with corresponding unit and sweeps are added.
The Sweep Status is automatically set to 0. Step Status displays Idle before the start
of the step and as Test while the experiment is in progress. When the step is com-
pleted, Done will be displayed. The Sweep Status section is updated and displays
the number of sweeps that have been completed.
Depending on the specifi c experiment, appropriate sweep numbers and time
intervals can be set (for example, 48 sweeps, and 30-minutes intervals result in
a period of 24 hours).
It is recommended to program some sweeps in excess rather than to give
a precise number, because a step can be stopped before all sweeps are
completed.

Preparing and Starting a Run on the RTCA SP Instrument
Running a Quick Experiment
39
Operation
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C
C

Set up the
Schedule
page
Schedule page Schedule
This page is used to program the experimental procedure. Generally, experiments can
be divided into multiple steps, and each step consists of one or multiple sweeps.
Each sweep is one measurement across all the selected wells. There is a pre-
determined time interval between neighboring sweeps within a step. After starting
a current sweep, the RTCA SP Instrument automatically starts to count down the
time interval and starts the next sweep.
After completing all of the sweeps within a step, the RTCA SP Instrument does not
move on to the next step until it is manually instructed to do so.
A manual intervention is always necessary to move from one step to the next one.
Generally, there should be a separate step each time an E-Plate 96 is removed.
Users can manually stop a current step at any time before the system completes all
pre-set sweeps and proceed to the next step. However, a current step cannot be
manually stopped in the middle of a measurement sweep. Doing so may cause system
instability and data loss.

Step 1
is typically used for background tests, where no cells are present in the wells.
It is set as One sweep, One minute by default. The Step Status is idle, and all other
buttons are blank.
The sweep number and sweep interval for the Step 1 is pre-set to be one
sweep with an interval of one minute by the software. This step is used for
background measurement and should not be changed.

Step 2
is typically the fi rst step after cell addition.
Step 2 is typically the fi rst step after cell addition. Step 2
To add Step 2, move the mouse to the
Steps
column on the left side of the page.
Left click the
Add a Step
Icon
Add a Step Icon Add a Step
, or go to the pull-down
Steps
menu and select
Steps menu and select Steps
Add a Step
. Step 2 is added. Edit the
Interval
and
Sweeps
section by entering the
appropriate numbers. Select the Interval
Units
in hours or in minutes. Click
Units in hours or in minutes. Click Units
Apply
,
Apply, Apply
and the appropriate time intervals, with corresponding unit and sweeps are added.
The
Sweep Status
is automatically set to 0.
Sweep Status is automatically set to 0. Sweep Status
Step Status
displays
Step Status displays Step Status
Idle
before the start
Idle before the start Idle
of the step and as
Test
while the experiment is in progress. When the step is com-
Test while the experiment is in progress. When the step is com-Test
pleted,
Done
will be displayed. The
Done will be displayed. The Done
Sweep Status
section is updated and displays
Sweep Status section is updated and displays Sweep Status
the number of sweeps that have been completed.
Depending on the specifi c experiment, appropriate sweep numbers and time
intervals can be set (for example, 48 sweeps, and 30-minutes intervals result in
a period of 24 hours).
It is recommended to program some sweeps in excess rather than to give
a precise number, because a step can be stopped before all sweeps are
completed.

Preparing and Starting a Run on the RTCA SP Instrument
Running a Quick Experiment