Abstract: An analyte detection system and method for the detection of one or more analytes in a sample, the analytes selected from the group consisting of explosives, narcotics, gunshot residue, organophosphate reagents, and toxic industrial chemicals, based on a capillary action in a sample card. The sample card includes a housing with at least one cavity made of flexible material, a sample substrate for collecting the sample with a portion of the substrate exposed from outside the housing, at least one test capsule in the cavity and an absorbent pad. The test capsule(s), the sample substrate, and the absorbent pad comprise at least one or more reagents. The test capsule(s) is ruptured with a rupture mechanism upon inserting the sample card into a reader device. The absorbent pad absorbs a liquid from the test capsule and delivers the same to the sample substrate.

Abstract: The present invention generally relates to emissive materials, devices, and related methods. In some cases, the present invention provides sensors and methods for the determination of analytes, wherein the analytes may be determined by monitoring, for example, a change in an optical signal of an emissive material upon exposure to an analyte. The analyte and the emissive material may interact via a chemical reaction, such as an oxidative addition reaction, or other chemical, biochemical or biological interaction (e.g., recognition), to form a new emissive species. In some cases, the present invention may be useful in the detection of a wide variety of analytes, such as toxins, chemical warfare agents, and explosives. The present invention also provides emissive compounds, and related methods, including metal complexes that are capable of interacting with an analyte to produce a change in the emission of the compound.

Abstract: A method of indexing and excising a test sensor from a test-sensor cartridge including rotating an indexer in a first direction such that a flexible pawl thereon is positioned between a first and second notch of the test-sensor cartridge. Rotating the indexer in a first direction, but not in a second generally opposite direction, likewise rotates the cartridge. The method further includes rotating the indexer in the second direction such that the flexible pawl is positioned between the second notch and a third notch, and an aperture of the indexer face is generally aligned with a first cavity of the test-sensor cartridge. The method further includes moving an excise mechanism such that a push rod extends through the second aperture and through the first cavity until the first test sensor is excised through an opposing end of the first cavity into a read position.

Abstract: A test apparatus in which detectors and objects to be detected are rotated at the same speed, and a control method thereof are provided. The test apparatus includes a rotation driving unit that includes a rotary shaft; a microfluidic device that is loaded on the rotary shaft and includes at least one object to be detected; a rotating member that is mounted on the rotary shaft and includes at least one detector to detect the objects of the microfluidic device; and a controller configured to operate the rotation driving unit such that the microfluidic device and the rotating member are rotated at the same speed on the rotary shaft.

Abstract: This invention relates to the preparation of N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine (“glyphosate”) from N-(phosphonomethyl)iminodiacetic acid (“PMIDA”), and more particularly to methods for control of the conversion of PMIDA, for the identification of reaction end points relating to PMIDA conversion and the preparation of glyphosate products having controlled PMIDA content.

Abstract: A system for in-situ spectroscopic measurements in heterogeneous catalytic reactors includes a reactor having a reactor chamber, a device for collecting a sample, and a device for collecting spectroscopic information. The device for collecting the sample includes a sampling capillary having an orifice situated inside the reactor chamber. The device for collecting spectroscopic information includes at least one optical radiation guide for guiding optical radiation onto the sample for excitation and for collecting optical radiation emitted, absorbed, reflected or scattered by the sample. The at least one optical radiation guide may be inserted into the sampling capillary, such that a tip of the at least one optical radiation guide is proximate to the orifice. A method for analyzing a reactor state including the steps of providing a reactor; collecting spectroscopic information from a sample inside the reactor chamber; and analyzing the collected spectroscopic information is also provided.

Abstract: A specimen processing apparatus comprising: a specimen processing section which includes a movable section and processes a specimen by moving the movable section; and a controller for determining whether the movable section was moved while a specimen processing operation by the specimen processing section was stopped, and controlling the specimen processing section to perform a preparing operation for starting the specimen processing operation based on the determination result, is disclosed. A control method for a specimen processing apparatus is also disclosed.

Abstract: Polymer sequencing is facilitated. According to an example embodiment of the present invention, a polymer sequencing approach is implemented using a multitude of polymer specimens for a particular polymer type is implemented. For each step in a polymer sequencing test, non-idealities are categorized using data obtained from the polymer sequencing test, and in response to the categorized non-idealities, a polymer sequence is identified for a corresponding step of the polymer sequencing test. With this approach, read lengths achieved with a particular polymer sequencing method can be improved.

Abstract: Provided is a fluidic device including a main channel, wherein a first inlet fluidly connects to an upstream end of the main channel and introduces magnetic beads into a first side of the main channel. A second inlet is fluidly connected to the upstream end of the main channel and introduces a sample stream into a second side of the main channel. A magnet disposed adjacent to the second side of the main channel pulls the magnetic beads towards a sidewall of the second side, and thus into the sample stream. The beads continue through an extended incubation channel before entering a return channel. The return channel includes a detection region. Also provided is a multi-layer micro-fluidic assay device. An assay method that utilizes a microfluidic assay device is provided as well.

Abstract: A fluidic probe comprising a plurality of oriented fibers with individual fibers having nano-pores in the fiber bodies, the oriented fibers being twisted together, wherein the twisted oriented fibers form micro-pores between the individual fibers, is disclosed. The fluidic probe exhibits excellent flexibility, deployability and absorptive capacity. The enhanced absorptive capacity is due to the fluid absorption via capillary action of the nano-pores and fluid transport via the micro-pores. The probes can also be formed so as to be remotely controlled by electromagnetic fields and thus be used in a hands-free fashion. With these probes, the paradigm of a stationary microfluidic platform can be shifted to include flexible structures that can include multiple microfluidic sensors in a single fibrous probe.

Abstract: A system for measuring an evanescent wave phenomenon at total internal reflection, the system comprising: a) a sensing surface comprising a plurality of areas of interest; b) an illumination sub-system comprising a light source, which illuminates each area of interest on the sensing surface over a range of angles of incidence; c) a detector which responds differently to an intensity of light received by it at different locations; and d) projection optics comprising primary optics and a plurality of secondary elements, the primary optics projecting an image of the illuminated sensing surface onto the secondary elements, which project their received light onto the detector in such a way that it is possible to determine, from the response of the detector, how much light is reflected from each area of interest, as a function of angle of incidence over the range of angles for that area.

Abstract: An analytical device, in particular, a paper analytical device (PAD), for detection of at least two chemical components indicative of a low quality pharmaceutical product is provided. The analytical device can include a porous, hydrophilic medium, at least two assay regions associated with the porous, hydrophilic medium, at least one assay reagent or precursor thereof in the assay regions, and at least one optically readable information zone.

Abstract: The present invention is based on the discovery that drug resistance in microorganisms can be rapidly and accurately determined using mass spectrometry. A mass spectrum of an intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in drug containing, isotopically-labeled media is compared with a mass spectrum of the intact microorganism or one or more isolated biomarkers from the microorganism grown in non-labeled media without the drug present. Drug resistance is determined by predicting and detecting a characteristic mass shift of one or more biomarkers using algorithms. The characteristic mass shift is indicative that the microorganism is growing in the presence of the drug and incorporating the isotopic label into the one or more biomarkers, resulting in change in mass.

Abstract: A mixing vial is provided for an automated biological reaction apparatus typically used for staining tissue samples in Immuno-histological and in-situ hybridisation reactions. The mixing vial allows reagents placed on the apparatus to be mixed together to form additional or blended reagents. A reagent dispenser mounted on a robotic arm withdraws reagent from the reagent containers and deposits it into one of the mixing vials. Several reagents can be deposited into each vial. Mixing is undertaken by withdrawing the reagents in a vial and re-dispensing the reagent back into the vial. Mixing may take place between the operation of other tasks performed by the apparatus, and a scheduler is used to ensure blended reagent is provided before it is required in one of the processes undertaken on the apparatus. The apparatus is able to automatically identify which blended reagents are required and when they must be applied to provide an appropriate schedule that minimises time taken to stain samples.

Abstract: In the field of automatic analyzers, as items to be analyzed are increase, various reagents differing in such properties as liquid viscosity and contact angle are being used more frequently, and this trend is expected to continue. Also, reagents now take various forms (e.g., a concentrated reagent to be diluted by the water of an automatic analyzer), and so does dilution water. Such being the case, the invention provides an automatic analyzer capable of sufficient stirring regardless of items to be analyzed. To sufficiently stir a substance to which a reagent has been added, the automatic analyzer is designed to alter stirring conditions after a given amount of time has passed since the addition of that reagent.

Abstract: Systems and methods for measuring a target in a sample, the target being capable of generating an emitted light in response to an excitation light. In an example system, an excitation light source generates the excitation light along an excitation optical path. An attenuation filter arrangement selectively adds an attenuation filter to the excitation optical path. The attenuation filter attenuates the excitation light by a corresponding attenuation factor. The excitation light exits the attenuation filter arrangement along the excitation optical path to illuminate the sample. A light energy detector receives the emitted light generated in response to the excitation light, and outputs a measured signal level corresponding to an emitted light level. If the light energy detector indicates an overflow, signal measurement is repeated with attenuation filters of increasing attenuation factors until the measured signal level does not overflow.

Abstract: The present invention concerns storage containers for storing diagnostic elements having a hydrophilic or hydrophilically coated surface. Furthermore, the invention concerns analytical measuring devices which comprise storage containers of this type, and the use of an absorption material for selectively absorbing hydrophobic, volatile substances in such storage containers.

Abstract: The present invention provides microfabricated substrates and methods of conducting reactions within these substrates. The reactions occur in plugs transported in the flow of a carrier-fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed is a card type battery that has both functions of a smart card and a battery. The card battery can prevent a short caused by contact with an external device, reduce a total thickness of the battery and improve bonding strength between internal elements of the battery.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for studying transport of an agent across a membrane comprising the steps a) providing at least one surface with a bilayer structure tethered to the surface, said bilayer structure comprising a detection volume, b) contacting the bilayer with at least one agent to be analyzed, and c) detecting a change in refractive index in the detection volume resulting from transportation of the agent across the membrane. Further there is provided a device comprising a) at least one surface, b) at least one bilayer structure tethered to the surface, and c) at least one sensor capable of detecting a change in refractive index in a detection volume, wherein the bilayer structure encloses a first volume of the detection volume and wherein the volume not enclosed by the bilayer structure but within the detection volume is a second volume and wherein the ratio between the first volume and second volume is above about 0.001.