Abstract: An apparatus comprises a thermally conductive receptacle holder including a plurality of receptacle wells configured to receive receptacles, a plurality of optical fibers having first and second ends, wherein each first end is in optical communication with one of the receptacle wells and each second end is in optical communication with an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector, one or more thermal elements positioned proximal to the receptacle holder for altering the temperature of the receptacle holder, a heat sink in thermal communication with the receptacle holder, and one or more thermal devices disposed within the heat sink for pre-heating the heat sink.

Abstract: An apparatus for incubating a plurality of receptacles includes one or more thermally-conductive receptacle holders, each comprising a plurality of receptacle wells. A thermally-conductive support is associated with each of the receptacle holders, and a thermal element is positioned between the associated support and the receptacle holder. A heat sink is in thermal communication with the support and comprises a plurality of spaced-apart fins. An optical fiber associated with each receptacle well has a first end positioned adjacent to or within a through-hole formed in the receptacle well and extends through through-holes formed in the support and the heat sink aligned with the through-hole of the receptacle well. Each of the optical fibers is positioned between two adjacent fins of the plurality of fins.

Abstract: This disclosure concerns amplification primers, hybridization assay probes, compositions containing such primers and probes, and associated reagents, kits, and methods, that can be used to analyze samples for the presence of Influenza A virus, Influenza B virus, Respiratory Syncytial Virus A, and/or Respiratory Syncytial Virus B target nucleic acids.

Abstract: A sample processing station includes two or more container holders on a platform that is rotatable about a central axis of rotation. Each holder is configured to rotate about a secondary axis of rotation. The station includes a capping/decapping mechanism to cap or decap a container held in one of the container holders and an elevator with a chuck guide that contact the container holder as the chuck is lowered by the elevator to positon the chuck with respect to the cap of the container held in the holder and to hold jaws of the container holder in a closed position. In embodiment, the chuck guide includes a yoke with opposed arms and spindles located near distal ends of the arms that engage beveled shoulders of the container holder.

Abstract: A carrier support moveable between a first position and a second position is configured to hold a carrier for holding a plurality of receptacles. The carrier support includes a carrier locking mechanism to lock the carrier with respect to the carrier support when the carrier support is in the second position and to release the carrier when the carrier support is in the first position to permit the carrier to be removed from the carrier support when the carrier support is in the first position. The carrier locking mechanism includes a pivoting latch configured to pivot between a first position not engaged with a portion of the carrier and a second position engaged with a portion of the carrier and a slide latch configured to translate linearly between a first position not engaged with a portion of the carrier and a second position engaged with a portion of the carrier.

Abstract: An input module includes a carrier shelf for supporting a receptacle carrier, a retrieval dock configured to receive one receptacle from a carrier supported on the carrier shelf and present the receptacle for removal by a receptacle transport apparatus, and a pusher configured to push receptacles on the carrier to one end of the carrier and to push one receptacle at a time off the end of the carrier and onto the retrieval dock. A method for determining a number of receptacles on a carrier includes placing the carrier on a carrier shelf, pushing receptacles on the carrier to one end of the carrier with a packer, detecting a position of the packer the receptacles have been pushed to the end of the carrier, and determining the number of receptacles on the carrier from the position of the packer.

Abstract: A first time/temperature data set includes temperatures and time stamps recorded at time intervals during a first thermal cycling process and a time stamp for each time interval, and a second time/temperature data set includes temperatures and time stamps recorded at time intervals during a second thermal cycling process. Signal emissions at different signal detecting positions are sequentially measured at different time intervals to generate first and second time/signal emission data sets for receptacles subject to the first and second thermal cycling processes, respectively. Signal emissions of receptacles subject to the first thermal cycling process are synchronized with specific temperatures of the first thermal cycling process by comparing time stamps of the first time/signal emission data set for each receptacle with the time stamps of the first time/temperature data set that correspond with the specific temperature.

Abstract: There is disclosed a composition of an aqueous solution comprising, consisting or consisting essentially of a flap endonuclease, a bulking agent and an organic buffer, wherein the aqueous solution has an inorganic salt concentration of 5 mM or less and wherein the composition is substantially free of glycerol.

Abstract: A method for controlling a printing process by which a print head prints an image onto predetermined printable area of a label.

Abstract: A kit includes a vessel having a plasma-treated interior surface, solid composition adhered to the plasma-treated interior surface, and a reconstitution liquid. The solid composition has a mass ranging from about 600 micrograms to about 20 grams and is in the form of a lyophilized pellet adhered to the plasma-treated interior surface. The solid composition is macroscopic in three orthogonal dimensions, such that the solid composition is not a coating and has a length, a width, and a height of greater than 1 mm.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions, kits, and methods for detecting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nucleic acids. In some embodiments, the compositions, kits, and methods can be used to detect one or more of type i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, xii, xiii, xiv, xv, or xxi SCCmec right extremity junction (MREJ) MRSA nucleic acids and one or more of mecA, mecC, and/or an additional S. aureus-specific gene.

Abstract: This disclosure provides oligomers, combinations of oligomers, compositions, kits, uses, and methods for detecting a C1orf43 nucleic acid, such as C1orf43 mRNA, such as human C1orf43 mRNA, in a sample.

Abstract: An assembly for storing sample processing consumables that includes a cover and a tray. The cover includes a flexible panel and a cover wall that extends downward from the perimeter of the panel, where the panel and the cover wall define a cavity. The tray has a top surface that defines a plurality of wells and a side surface that extends downward from the perimeter of the top surface. The panel is situated adjacent the top surface of the tray, where a first portion of the tray is received within the cover cavity, such that a press fit is formed between the side surface of the tray and an inner surface of the cover wall, thereby releasably coupling the cover to the tray. At least a portion of the wells contain a sample processing consumable, and the cover is configured to be decoupled from the tray by applying a force to the panel to overcome the press fit.

Abstract: A method for reconstituting a reagent within a reagent pack including one or more wells and at least one of the wells containing a lyophilized reagent comprises the steps of receiving reagent packs into a reagent pack input carousel, transferring one reagent pack with a rotary distributor from the input carousel to a reagent pack storage carousel, retrieving the reagent pack from the storage carousel with the rotary distributor and placing the reagent pack into a reagent pack loading station, and dispensing a reconstitution reagent with an automated pipettor into the well containing the lyophilized reagent to form a reconstituted reagent.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for freezing a liquid droplet includes dispensing, by a liquid dispenser, a droplet of liquid into a fluid chamber containing a freezing fluid. The droplet of liquid is allowed to dwell in the freezing fluid for at least a predetermined dwell time so that the droplet of liquid freezes to a frozen droplet. The method and apparatus further includes injecting, by a gas injector, a stream of gas transversely to a surface of the freezing fluid at about where the frozen droplet is located along the surface of the freezing fluid contained in the fluid chamber so that the frozen droplet sinks in the freezing fluid.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions includes a thermally-conductive receptacle holder that includes multiple receptacle wells. Each well can receive a receptacle and has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the well to an outer surface of the holder. The apparatus includes multiple optical fibers, and each optical fiber has a first end in optical communication with an associated well and a second end in optical communication with an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. The first end of each optical fiber is moveable with respect to the through-hole. A cover is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, and the first end of each optical fiber moves with respect to the through-hole of the associated well as the cover moves to the open or closed position or when the cover moves into or out of contact with any receptacles within the wells.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for diagnosing Bacterial Vaginosis (BV). The disclosed methods generally include detecting select species of Eggerthella and/or Prevotella, and optionally detecting select species of Lactobacillus. Also disclosed are nucleic acid oligomers and related compositions for detection of a 16S rRNA or its encoding gene from select species of Eggerthella, Prevotella, or Lactobacillus.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for freezing a liquid droplet includes dispensing, by a liquid dispenser (14), a droplet (13) of liquid into a fluid chamber (10) containing a freezing fluid (12). The droplet of liquid is allowed to dwell in the freezing fluid for at least a predetermined dwell time so that the droplet of liquid freezes to a frozen droplet. The method and apparatus further includes injecting, by a gas injector (17), a stream (16) of gas transversely to a surface of the freezing fluid at about where the frozen droplet is located along the surface of the freezing fluid contained in the fluid chamber so that the frozen droplet sinks in the freezing fluid.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions, kits, and methods for detecting methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) nucleic acids. In some embodiments, the compositions, kits, and methods can be used to detect one or more of type i, ii, iii, iv, v, vi, vii, viii, ix, xii, xiii, xiv, xv, or xxi SCCmec right extremity junction (MREJ) MRSA nucleic acids and one or more of mecA, mecC, and/or an additional S. aureus-specific gene.

Abstract: The invention provides methods of determining a consensus sequence from multiple raw sequencing reads of a nucleic acid target. The nucleic acid target includes an anchor segment of known sequence and an adjacent segment of unknown sequence. The anchor segment provides a means to assess the quality of a raw target sequencing read. Raw target sequencing reads meeting or exceeding a threshold are assigned to an accepted class. The consensus sequence of the adjacent segment can be determined from raw target sequencing reads in the accepted class. Successive polling steps determine successive consensus nucleobases in a nascent sequence of the adjacent segment. Raw target sequencing reads can be removed or reintroduced from the accepted class depending on their correspondence to the most recently determined consensus nucleobase and/or the nascent sequence.