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A fundamental tenet of scientific research is that published results are open to independent validation and refutation. Minimum data standards aid data providers, users, and publishers by providing a specification of what is required to unambiguously interpret experimental findings. Here, we present the Minimum Information about a Flow Cytometry Experiment (MIFlowCyt) standard, stating the minimum information required to report flow cytometry (FCM) experiments. We brought together a crossdisciplinary international collaborative group of bioinformaticians, computational statisticians, software developers, instrument manufacturers, and clinical and basic research scientists to develop the standard. The standard was subsequently vetted by the International Society for Advancement of Cytometry (ISAC) Data Standards Task Force, Standards Committee, membership, and Council. The MIFlowCyt standard includes recommendations about descriptions of the specimens and reagents included in the FCM experiment, the configuration of the instrument used to perform the assays, and the data processing approaches used to interpret the primary output data. MIFlowCyt has been adopted as a standard by ISAC, representing the FCM scientific community including scientists as well as software and hardware manufacturers. Adoption of MIFlowCyt by the scientific and publishing communities will facilitate third-party understanding and reuse of FCM data. ' 2008 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry Key termsimmunology; fluorescence-activated cell sorting; knowledge representation FLOW cytometry (FCM) systems have been available to investigators for over 30 years, and the field continues to advance at a rapid rate. FCM has been responsible for major progress in basic and clinical research by enabling the phenotypic and functional characterization of individual cells in a high-throughput manner. Advances in the technology now allow for automated, multiparametric analyses of thousands of samples per day (1). Each data set can consist of multidimensional descriptions of millions of individual cells, producing data similar in size and complexity to gene expression microarrays. Like the microarray field, the ability to collect FCM data is outpacing the computational means for data handling and analysis. Furthermore, the lack of reporting standardization limits collaboration, independent validation/refutation, and meta-analysis, and thus minimizes the value of the wealth

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Significant multiplexing capacity of optical time-domain coding has been recently demonstrated by tuning luminescence lifetimes of the upconversion nanoparticles called ‘τ-Dots’. It provides a large dynamic range of lifetimes from microseconds to milliseconds, which allows creating large libraries of nanotags/microcarriers. However, a robust approach is required to rapidly and accurately measure the luminescence lifetimes from the relatively slow-decaying signals. Here we show a fast algorithm suitable for the microsecond region with precision closely approaching the theoretical limit and compatible with the rapid scanning cytometry technique. We exploit this approach to further extend optical time-domain multiplexing to the downconversion luminescence, using luminescence microspheres wherein lifetimes are tuned through luminescence resonance energy transfer. We demonstrate real-time discrimination of these microspheres in the rapid scanning cytometry, and apply them to the multiplexed probing of pathogen DNA strands. Our results indicate that tunable luminescence lifetimes have considerable potential in high-throughput analytical sciences.

Analysis of cellular DNA content by cytometry is important in clinical and biological research. Measurements are used widely to assess the relative DNA content of tumor stemlines and to assist in the detection and evaluation of malignant diseases. A review of the literature on DNA measurements in solid tumor and leukemias reveals a confusing variety of terms applied for the description of similar results. In order to facilitate the understanding of data and to standardize the terminology for DNA analysis, a questionnaire was distributed to more than 500 investigators. Subsequently, a workshop on terminology was held at the Combined

raise from delocali~ation, among several BChl molecules, of the charge associated with the oxidized BChl. A delocalization of this sort can be used as the conduction system for separation of charge in the primary quantum conversion act.

No abstract

The flow cytometry data file standard provides the specifications needed to completely describe flow cytometry data sets within the confines of the file containing the experimental data. In 1984, the first Flow Cytometry Standard format for data files was adopted as FCS 1.0. This standard was modified in 1990 as FCS 2.0 and again in 1997 as FCS 3.0. We report here on the next generation flow cytometry standard data file format. FCS 3.1 is a minor revision based on suggested improvements from the community. The unchanged goal of the standard is to provide a uniform file format that allows files created by one type of acquisition hardware and software to be analyzed by any other type. The FCS 3.1 standard retains the basic FCS file structure and most features of previous versions of the standard. Changes included in FCS 3.1 address potential ambiguities in the previous versions and provide a more robust standard. The major changes include simplified support for international characters and improved support for storing compensation. The major additions are support for preferred display scale, a standardized way of capturing the sample volume, information about originality of the data file, and support for plate and well identification in high throughput, plate based experiments. Please see the normative version of the FCS 3.1 specification in Supporting Information for this manuscript (or at http://www.isac-net.org/ in the Current standards section) for a complete list of changes. ' 2009 International Society for Advancement of Cytometry