Abstract: Disclosed here are kits comprising pre-packed stabilizing solutions for stabilizing combinations of biomarkers demonstrating sufficient accuracy and specificity for identifying kidney injuries. Such kits can be better adapted for sample collection at a subject's dwelling, thus easing the burdensome requirement of continuous monitoring for kidney injury.

Abstract: A filter insert, a sample vial incorporating a filter insert, a method of using a sample vial containing a filter insert for chemical analysis, and a sample vial kit including a filter insert. The filter insert includes a cylindrical body having a proximal end, a protrusion extending radially from the proximal end of the cylindrical body and configured to set on the open end of a sample vial, a distal end, a cavity extending longitudinally through the cylindrical body from the proximal end to the distal end, and a filter assembly coupled with the distal end of the cylindrical body.

Abstract: A biological false bottom transport tube system includes a top section manufactured from a top section material and a bottom section below an interior floor. The top section material is transparent to both visible and infrared light, the bottom section fits within the bottom of the top section. The bottom section material is not transparent to either visible or infrared light.

Abstract: The present invention reduces the turnaround time of an automated analyzer. During a period when cyclic measurement by a measurement unit is unnecessary, a controller washes a reaction vessel using a washing cycle having a cycle time shorter than that of an analysis cycle. A single analysis cycle and a single washing cycle both include a reaction disc stopping period and rotation period. In the washing cycle, there is no time during the stopping period when a sample dispensing mechanism, reagent dispensing mechanism, or stirring mechanism operates but there is a time when a washing mechanism operates. The washing cycle stopping period is shorter than the analysis cycle stopping period. The amount of rotation of the reaction disk in the analysis cycle rotation period is the same as the amount of rotation of the reaction disk in the washing cycle rotation period.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a horizontal-flow-type apparatus for automatically transporting reagent cartridges. The apparatus includes: a magazine (110) in which a plurality of reagent cartridges (1) is stacked; a conveyer belt (120) having a plurality of separating projections (121) arranged in a conveying direction to horizontally separately convey the reagent cartridges (1); a driving motor (130) for driving the conveyer belt (120); a feeding unit (140) for feeding the reagent cartridges (1) stacked in the magazine (110) onto the conveyer belt (120); an examining unit (150) disposed over the front end of the conveyer belt (120) to examine the reagent cartridges (1); and reagent cartridge aligning members (161, 162) disposed in the conveying line of the conveyer belt (120), opposite to the examining unit (150), to align the reagent cartridges (1) in position.

Abstract: A female urinary diagnostic device including a urine stream collection container having a discharge opening and a stream collection opening, the stream collection opening being configured to surround and isolate a urethral opening, a probe guide passage configured for interior engagement with a vaginal opening for placement of the stream collection opening relative to the urethral opening, and an internal baffle that defines an interior wall of the urine stream collection container that provides a spillway from the stream collection opening to the discharge opening and cooperates with at least a urine sensing device, where the spillway provides urine passage to the urine sensing device and a collection tank, wherein the internal baffle forms at least a portion of the probe guide passage and defines a sounding probe guide surface that positions a sounding probe within the vaginal opening.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a system for access and retrieval of screw-top containers. In one embodiment, the system includes a tray with a plurality of apertures, the tray adapted to receive containers having a cap and a body such that each cap of each container pressed into the tray rests above a respective aperture in the tray and each body is suspended below the tray. The system also includes a rotary tool having a cavity extending from an opening at one end, the cavity defined by an interior surface that includes engagement features. The engagement features on the interior surface of the rotary tool are adapted to engage onto at least a portion of the body of the container surface defined by complementary engagement features when the rotary tool is inserted over the body of the container from below the tray.

Abstract: A multilayer electrode on a substrate (10) comprising titanium (20) and titanium-rich titanium nitride (30) and titanium-poor titanium nitride (40), particularly suitable for the application to thermoplastic substrates, in particular for the purpose of the impedance measurement in aqueous biological media, and method for the production thereof.

Abstract: One variation of a pathogen detection system includes an air sampler and a cartridge. The air sampler includes: a housing defining an inlet and an outlet; a tunnel arranged within the housing and extending between the inlet and the outlet; a charge electrode arranged within the tunnel proximal the inlet; a cartridge receptacle arranged proximal the outlet and comprising a cartridge terminal; and a power supply configured to drive a voltage between the charge electrode and the cartridge terminal. The cartridge includes: a substrate; a collector plate arranged on the substrate and configured to collect charged bioaerosols moving through the tunnel; and a connector configured to transiently engage the cartridge receptacle to locate the substrate and the collector plate within the tunnel and electrically couple the collector plate to the cartridge terminal.

Abstract: Systems and methods for conducting designated reactions utilizing a base instrument and a removable cartridge. The removable cartridge includes a fluidic network that receives and fluidically directs a biological sample to conduct the designated reactions. The removable cartridge also includes a flow-control valve that is operably coupled to the fluidic network and is movable relative to the fluidic network to control flow of the biological sample therethrough. The removable cartridge is configured to separably engage a base instrument. The base instrument includes a valve actuator that engages the flow-control valve of the removable cartridge. A detection assembly held by at least one of the removable cartridge or the base instrument may be used to detect the designated reactions.

Abstract: Devices, systems, and methods for non-volatile storage include a well activation device operable to modify one or more wells from a plurality of wells of a flow cell to provide a set of readable wells. Readable wells are configured to allow exposure of a well to substances from nucleotide sequencing fluids, and prevent exposure to other substances and fluids, such as nucleotide synthesizing fluids. The well activation device may also modify wells to provide a set of writeable wells. This set of wells is configured to allow exposure to the nucleotide synthesizing fluids and substances; and prevent exposure to the nucleotide sequencing fluids and substances. There may also be provisions made for risk mitigation for data errors such as generating commands to write specified data to a nucleotide sequence associated with a particular location in a storage device, reading the nucleotide sequence and performing a comparison.

Abstract: A cuvette for arrangement in an optical measuring device includes a receiving chamber for a measuring medium having an inlet. The receiving chamber is delimited at least in some regions by two opposing plane-parallel side surfaces. Two opposing metallic electrodes are arranged in the receiving chamber on the opposing side surfaces.

Abstract: A system for transporting a sample in a clinical analysis system includes a sample container holding the sample, a ferromagnetic base connected to a bottom portion of the sample container, and a puck. The puck is used for transporting the sample container in the clinical analysis system. The puck comprises an embedded magnet for securing the sample container to the puck using the ferromagnetic base.

Abstract: Systems and methods provide for detection and controlled interaction with one or more objects. The system can include an imaging subsystem (20), a tool subsystem (26) containing one or more tools, a stage subsystem (16) and a control system (40). The control system (40) can integrate controls for each of the other subsystems, which controls can be implement desired functions over a variety of process parameters to perform the controlled interaction.

Abstract: A method for testing catalysts in a fluidized bed reactor comprises enclosing catalyst material in capsules having pores or holes smaller than the catalyst material, inserting the capsules filled with catalyst material to into a port of the fluidized bed reactor and recovering at least a portion of the catalyst capsules from the fluidized bed reactor after use through an additional port of the fluidized bed reactor, wherein the capsules move with a flow of uplifted fluid and gas in the fluidized bed reactor.

Abstract: A microfluidic device includes a silicon device and a metallic component. The silicon device and the metallic component are attached by preparing a surface of a silicon device to be solderable, preparing a corresponding surface of a metallic component to be solderable, and soldering the prepared surface of the silicon device to the corresponding prepared surface of the metallic component with a solder of a pre-defined composition and thickness to accommodate strain due to co-efficient of thermal expansion (CTE) mismatch between the silicon device and the metallic component.

Abstract: The present invention relates to compositions and methods for preserving and extracting nucleic acids from saliva. The compositions include a chelating agent, a denaturing agent, buffers to maintain the pH of the composition within ranges desirable for DNA and/or RNA. The compositions may also include a reducing agent and/or antimicrobial agent. The invention extends to methods of using the compositions of the invention to preserve and isolate nucleic acids from saliva as well as to containers for the compositions of the invention.

Abstract: The current invention generally relates to apparatus and method to analyze and separate biological entities, including cells, bacteria and molecules from human blood, body tissue, body fluid and other human related biological samples. The claimed apparatus and method analyze, or detect, biological entities based on optical signals received from said entities by using optical detectors. The claimed apparatus and method further separate biological entities with using micro-actuator activated sorting devices.

Abstract: A method of controlling a needle actuator to interact with a cell is provided, the method comprising: providing an actuator comprising a tower, a stage and a needle, wherein the needle is mounted on the stage; applying an electrostatic potential between the tower and the stage to retract the needle; moving the actuator towards the cell; reducing the potential so as to allow the stage and needle to move towards the cell; applying calibration data to detect when the needle has pierced the cell; and reducing the potential further once it has been detected that the needle has pierced the cell. The cell can be a biological cell. The needle can be a micro-needle and the stage can be a micro-stage.

Abstract: The present patent of invention relates to a reader device for biological samples used in the field of remote laboratory tests (TLR), for clinical diagnostic purposes, based on an optimized design constituted by a cowling (C) with inlet port (OE) and with switch (I); by a holding support (SS) containing a mirror (ES), two batteries (BT), two reading illumination arrays (BIL), operational status illumination arrays (BIS) and an elevator support (SE); by an elevator (EL); by an electronics board (PE) with energy loading circuit (PE-1), with supply circuit (PE-2), with processor (PE-3), with Bluetooth® device (PE-4) and with position sensor (PE-5); and by a base (BA) with software that reads various types of biological samples, the present invention providing the advantages of: ease of use, optimized operating flows, ease of training, modularity, compactness, reduced size, portability, lightness of weight, ergonomic design, used-friendliness, enhanced practically and low cost.