Abstract: This invention provides methods for concentration of analyte from biological sample, or various liquid samples and methods for identification of the analyte. The method includes providing silica beads conjugated with analyte recognition element for concentration of analyte from sample, packaging the beads into a cartridge, and attaching the cartridge to a sample holder. After the analyte concentration, additional steps can be implemented to identify the analyte to provide visual positive/negative, qualitative or quantitative results. Another exemplary embodiment of the present invention provides a system for concentration of analyte from biological sample or other various liquid samples using silica beads. According to an exemplary implementation, the system includes a cartridge comprising silica beads conjugated with analyte recognition element to concentrate at least one analyte from the sample, and a sample holder having the cartridge attached thereto. A sample is passed through the cartridge.

Abstract: A method of detecting target cells and pathogens in a test sample concentrates to target cells in solution by filtering or capturing the target cells on a solid support. The target cells are tagged with a fluorescent dye and dispersed in a solution or suspension. The resulting solution or suspension are introduced to a fluorometer to specifically identify and quantitate the target cells. The target cells can be lysed or whole when introduced to the fluorometer.

Abstract: A luminometer is provided comprising a waveguide sample holder and one or more detectors. The waveguide sample holder may include a hollow region to hold the sample. The waveguide sample holder can be made of material that guides emission light to a bottom end of the waveguide sample holder. One or more detectors may be provided which detect the emission light coming out of the bottom of the waveguide sample holder. A fluorometer/photometer is also provided that comprises a waveguide sample holder, one or more excitation light sources, and one or more optical detectors. The waveguide sample holder has a hollow region to hold the sample. The excitation light is introduced at an angle or perpendicular to one surface of the waveguide sample holder. The waveguide sample holder is made of material that can guide emission light to the bottom end of the waveguide sample holder. There are one or more detectors that detect the emission light coming out of the bottom of the waveguide sample holder.

Abstract: A luminometer is provided comprising a waveguide sample holder and one or more detectors. The waveguide sample holder may include a hollow region to hold the sample. The waveguide sample holder can be made of material that guides emission light to a bottom end of the waveguide sample holder. One or more detectors may be provided which detect the emission light coming out of the bottom of the waveguide sample holder. A fluorometer/photometer is also provided that comprises a waveguide sample holder, one or more excitation light sources, and one or more optical detectors. The waveguide sample holder has a hollow region to hold the sample. The excitation light is introduced at an angle or perpendicular to one surface of the waveguide sample holder. The waveguide sample holder is made of material that can guide emission light to the bottom end of the waveguide sample holder. There are one or more detectors that detect the emission light coming out of the bottom of the waveguide sample holder.

Abstract: Micro- and nanofilters have a wide range of applications in many fields, including medical diagnostics, drug delivery, medical implants, and hemodialysis. Some issues that limit commercial application of current nanofilters in medicine are low pore density, non-uniform pore size, and the use of materials that are not biocompatible. A method is described to fabricate high porosity polymer and diamond micro- and nanofilters producing smooth, uniform and straight pores of high aspect ratio. Pore size, density, and shape can be predetermined with a high degree of precision by masks and controlled etch. The method combines energetic neutral atom beam lithography and a mask. This technology allows etching polymeric materials in a clean, well-controlled, and charge-free environment, making it very suitable for fabricating nanofilters and other components for biomedical applications.

Abstract: A method of detecting fluorescence/absorbance/luminescence from 24-well, 48-well, 96-well, 384-well and 1536-well microplates and other sample containers. The sample is pumped into a waveguide. The waveguide efficiently gathers and guides the emission light to the end of the waveguide. The emission light exits the ends of the waveguide and is focused into a detector. To minimize background caused by the excitation light used for fluorescence, the excitation illuminates the waveguides at 90 degrees. To facilitate reuse, the waveguide assembly can be configured to be washed by an appropriate wash solution.

Abstract: A luminometer is provided comprising a flow through waveguide and one or more detectors. The flow through waveguide has at least two openings and the sample is free to enter from one opening and exit from the other. The flow through waveguide can be made of material that guides emission light to a bottom end of the flow through waveguide. One or more detectors may be provided which detect the emission light coming out of the bottom of the flow through waveguide. A fluorometer/photometer is also provided that comprises a flow through waveguide, one or more excitation light sources, and one or more optical detectors. The flow through waveguide has a hollow region to hold the sample. The excitation light is introduced at an angle or perpendicular to one surface of the flow through waveguide. The flow through waveguide is made of material that can guide absorption and/or emission light to the bottom end of the flow through waveguide.

Abstract: Grids and collimators, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, include at least a metal layer that is formed, for example, by electroplating/electroforming or casting. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and has a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls.

Abstract: A luminometer is provided comprising a flow through waveguide and one or more detectors. The flow through waveguide has at least two openings and the sample is free to enter from one opening and exit from the other. The flow through waveguide can be made of material that guides emission light to a bottom end of the flow through waveguide. One or more detectors may be provided which detect the emission light coming out of the bottom of the flow through waveguide. A fluorometer/photometer is also provided that comprises a flow through waveguide, one or more excitation light sources, and one or more optical detectors. The flow through waveguide has a hollow region to hold the sample. The excitation light is introduced at an angle or perpendicular to one surface of the flow through waveguide. The flow through waveguide is made of material that can guide absorption and/or emission light to the bottom end of the flow through waveguide.

Abstract: Grids and collimators, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, include at least a metal layer that is formed, for example, by electroplating/electroforming or casting. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and has a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls.

Abstract: An instrument to acquire and methods to obtain three-dimensional (3D) images from a series of two-dimensional (2D) images which are obtained without moving the relative positions of the target, the detector, or the focusing lens is disclosed. The 2D images consist of one centered image obtained with the aperture at the center of optical system, and at least two directional images obtained with apertures at off-axis locations. The images can be obtained simultaneously or sequentially. The blurred 2D images are sectioned by computational method using point spread function of the optical system resulting in a set of decoupled 2D layers of the 3D object. The layered images are then sharpened by deconvolution using point spread function. The 3D reconstructed image is displayed. This technique provides fast data acquisition and fast image reconstruction and eliminates problems associated with motion, phototoxicity and photobleaching.

Abstract: Grids and collimators, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, include at least a metal layer that is formed, for example, by electroplating/electroforming or casting. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and has a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls.

Abstract: The invention provides an integrated biosensor. The integrated bioprocessor consists of an integrated capture chamber having an analyte recognition coating and a structure supporting analyte detection, analyte growth and target nucleic acid detection. The integrated capture chamber can consist of a waveguide, a capillary tube, a mixing flow chamber or an integrated combination thereof. The integrated capture chamber also can contain an antibody or other recognition species as an analyte recognition coating, an illumination source, a radiation detector, a microfluidics handling system, a second chamber for target nucleic acid detection or a combination thereof. Also provided is an integrated biosensor. The integrated biosensor consists of an integrated capture chamber having an analyte recognition coating, an illumination source, a radiation detector and a structure supporting analyte detection, analyte growth and target nucleic acid detection.

Abstract: The invention provides a mixing flow apparatus. The mixing flow apparatus consists of a waveguide and a mixing flow chamber; the waveguide having a higher index of refraction material than its surroundings for propagation of a signal, and the mixing flow chamber having a body forming a flow chamber with an inlet, an outlet, a radiation transmissive wall and a surface positioned to disrupt flow regularity of a sample fluid, the body of the mixing flow chamber surrounding at least a portion of the waveguide, wherein constituents of a sample fluid entering the inlet are mixed by disruption of sample fluid flow regularity prior to discharge at the outlet. Also provided is a detection apparatus.

Abstract: Grids and collimators, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, include at least a metal layer that is formed, for example, by electroplating/electroforming or casting. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and has a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls.

Abstract: A grid, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, includes at least metal layer, which is formed, for example, by electroplating. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls. The projections can be of various shapes and sizes, and are arranged so that a total amount of wall material intersected by a line propagating in a direction along an edge of the grid is substantially the same as another total amount of wall material intersected by another line propagating in another direction substantially parallel to the edge of the grid at any distance from the edge.

Abstract: An instrument to acquire and methods to obtain three-dimensional (3D) images from a series of two-dimensional (2D) images which are obtained without moving the relative positions of the target, the detector, or the focusing lens is disclosed. The 2D images consist of one centered image obtained with the aperture at the center of optical system, and at least two directional images obtained with apertures at off-axis locations. The images can be obtained simultaneously or sequentially. The blurred 2D images are sectioned by computational method using point spread function of the optical system resulting in a set of decoupled 2D layers of the 3D object. The layered images are then sharpened by deconvolution using point spread function. The 3D reconstructed image is displayed. This technique provides fast data acquisition and fast image reconstruction and eliminates problems associated with motion, phototoxicity and photobleaching.

Abstract: Grids and collimators, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, include at least a metal layer that is formed, for example, by electroplating/electroforming or casting. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and has a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls.

Abstract: A grid, for use with electromagnetic energy emitting devices, includes at least metal layer, which is formed, for example, by electroplating. The metal layer includes top and bottom surfaces, and a plurality of solid integrated walls. Each of the solid integrated walls extends from the top to bottom surface and having a plurality of side surfaces. The side surfaces of the solid integrated walls are arranged to define a plurality of openings extending entirely through the layer. At least some of the walls also can include projections extending into the respective openings formed by the walls. The projections can be of various shapes and sizes, and are arranged so that a total amount of wall material intersected by a line propagating in a direction along an edge of the grid is substantially the same as another total amount of wall material intersected by another line propagating in another direction substantially parallel to the edge of the grid at any distance from the edge.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for obtaining a high-resolution digital image of an object or objects irradiated with radiation having a wavelength in the x-ray or gamma ray spectrum generated by a radiation source, or of an object or objects emitting radiation within the x-ray or gamma ray spectrum. The apparatus comprises a detector matrix and a radiation mask. The detector matrix comprises a plurality of detector pixels, each comprising a detection surface having a respective surface area which generates a signal in response to an energy stimulus. The radiation mask has an opaque portion, and a plurality of apertures. The aperture size and position relative to the detector array determines the image resolution not the size of the detector pixels.