Abstract: A fluidic device containing a flow through chamber comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid permeable, compressible matrix located in the chamber between said inlet port and said outlet port, and said compressible matrix having a higher flow resistance at higher compressions and a plurality of flow paths leading from said inlet port to said outlet port through said matrix comprising shorter and longer length flow paths, wherein said matrix is compressed in at least one dimension, being more strongly compressed along the shorter length flow paths than along the longer length flow path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a device for piercing a body part and determining whether a sufficient volume of blood has been withdrawn. A lancing element is rapidly inserted into a body part in a forward phase and retracted quickly to a lesser puncturing depth. Subsequently, the lancing element is retracted slower than during the first retraction movement and the distance retracted during the second retraction is shorter than the first retraction movement. During the second retraction movement, body fluid is collected in a collection phase by a capillary structure of the lancing element. Contact between the lancing element and the body fluid is detected after the forward phase at the beginning and the end of a waiting period.

Abstract: Body fluid sampling device comprising a skin-piercing element having a collection zone for receiving body fluid. In one embodiment, the collection zone includes a plurality of holes, e.g., 3 or more holes, or 50 to 100 holes. The hole size may be small, e.g., having a diameter of 0.01 to 0.5 mm. The holes may or may not extend through the lancet. In some embodiments, the holes have a depth of 50 to 500 ?m. In other embodiments, the collection zone is porous, or is a roughened area. The collection zone can take up a very small volume of body fluid, e.g., 3 to 10 nL, in a very short time period, e.g., less than 0.5 seconds. In other embodiments, the device further comprises a fluid receiving means spaced apart from the collection zone so that body fluid in the collection zone will not contact the fluid receiving means initially.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a device for piercing a body part and determining whether a sufficient volume of blood has been withdrawn. A lancing element is rapidly inserted into a body part in a forward phase and retracted quickly to a lesser puncturing depth. Subsequently, the lancing element is retracted slower than during the first retraction movement and the distance retracted during the second retraction is shorter than the first retraction movement. During the second retraction movement, body fluid is collected in a collection phase by a capillary structure of the lancing element. Contact between the lancing element and the body fluid is detected after the forward phase at the beginning and the end of a waiting period.

Abstract: Body fluid sampling device comprising a skin-piercing element having a collection zone for receiving body fluid, and the device further comprising a fluid receiving means remote spaced apart from the collection zone so that body fluid in the collection zone will not contact the fluid receiving means initially. The collection zone takes up a very small volume of body fluid of about 10 to 500 nl in a very short time period of less than 0.5 seconds. The fluid receiving means may have a test zone for performing an analytical reaction. Fluid sample from the collection zone is automatically or manually transported to the fluid receiving means to contact the fluid with the test zone.

Abstract: The invention refers to a disposable sample holding and processing device (1) for being used in an apparatus for analyzing a liquid sample by nucleic acid amplification, especially polymerase chain reaction technique, comprising a device body (2) having a structured surface and a sealing cover (4) which covers the structured surface thereby forming a wall of an amplification chamber (5)), which amplification chamber (5) is designed and intended for performing nucleic acid amplification for analyzing the liquid sample, and a wall of an inlet channel (6) connected to the amplification chamber (5) for providing the amplification chamber (5) with liquid. According to the invention the device body (2) comprises a sheet (20) on which the structured surface forming the inlet channel (6) is arranged, and that the sheet (20) carries at least one rib (34, 35, 36) for increasing the stiffness of the device body (2).

Abstract: The present invention includes a container and a method of separating one or more components of interest bound to magnetic particles using centrifugal forces.

Abstract: The present invention includes a device comprising a lid and a vessel forming an interface that allows transfer of waste from a purification chamber to a waste chamber and method for purification of an analyte are disclosed wherein a supernatant is separated from a solid phase to which an analyte is bound by centrifugation via the lid of the device. The present invention also includes methods for use of the device.

Abstract: An instrument and method is provided that conveniently allows rapid amplification of nucleic acids.

Abstract: Systems, methods and multi-well plates comprising an array of wells for thermal treatment of chemical or biological samples are disclosed. Each of the wells comprises a bottom opening, an upper opening, inner side walls extending from the bottom opening to the upper opening, a protrusion extending from the inner side walls into the well with a first cross-sectional area and located at a height from the bottom opening which is smaller than the height from the upper opening. A sample chamber with a second cross-sectional area is formed between the bottom opening and the protrusion. An upper chamber with a third cross-sectional area is formed between the protrusion and the upper opening, and in which the first cross-sectional area is smaller than the third cross-sectional area and smaller than or equal to the second cross-sectional area.

Abstract: An instrument and method is provided that conveniently allows rapid amplification of nucleic acids. The instrument comprises in the following order at least one substantially flat temperature sensor element; a heat conducting substrate and a heater layer, whereby the heat conducting substrate comprises one or more channels permeable for fluid.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a disposable sample holding and processing device (1) dimensioned for being operated in a nucleic acid amplification apparatus for analyzing a liquid sample containing a nucleic acid by a nucleic acid amplification technique. The device (1) comprises chambers (15, 16) and channels (44) designed to perform the steps of capturing, amplification and detection of the nucleic acid within the device (1), and optionally also a lysis chamber (3). The binding chamber (15) contains a solid phase (14) for immobilization of a component of the sample to be analyzed, and the amplification chamber (16) is connected to the binding chamber (15) by a fluid channel (44).

Abstract: The invention refers to a handling kit for analyzing a liquid sample, especially by nucleic acid amplification, comprising a disposable sample holding and processing device (1) dimensioned for use in an apparatus for analyzing a liquid sample, and a sample transfer tip (12) for transferring liquid into the disposable device (1), the disposable device (1) having a sample preparation chamber (10) which has an outlet (9) and an insertion opening (16) which is adapted to receive the sample transfer tip (12), the insertion opening and the sample transfer tip (12) being dimensioned in such a way that inserting the sample transfer tip (12) into an insertion position in the sample preparation chamber (10) causes a tight seal between an outer wall (40) of the sample transfer tip (12) and an inner wall (41) of the sample preparation chamber (10), the disposable device (1) having a vent (31) for venting the sample preparation chamber (10).

Abstract: A device having a protrusion in one of the large side walls of a chamber thereof is disclosed. The device can be used advantageously in reliable analyses in automate procedures.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present invention are directed to an automatic apparatus (55), which is designed for performing nucleic acid analysis, optionally including sample preparation, with integrated disposable sample holding and processing devices (1), which devices (1) comprise a sample to be analyzed with the apparatus (55). The apparatus (55) comprises workstations (17, 40) for receiving, holding and processing such integrated disposable devices (1), a reagents station (56) for reagents (25), transfer means (36) for performing movements of an actuator, fluid actuation means for processing the sample (32) and reagents in said disposable devices (1), temperature control means (37) for heating or cooling, detection means for measuring a property of the processed samples (32), and control means for controlling the sample (32) preparation, the handling of the disposable devices (1) and the sample analysis performed by the apparatus (55).

Abstract: A fluidic device containing a flow through chamber comprising an inlet port, an outlet port, and a fluid permeable, compressible matrix located in the chamber between said inlet port and said outlet port, and said compressible matrix having a higher flow resistance at higher compressions and a plurality of flow paths leading from said inlet port to said outlet port through said matrix comprising shorter and longer length flow paths, wherein said matrix is compressed in at least one dimension, being more strongly compressed along the shorter length flow paths than along the longer length flow path.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and a device for piercing a body part and determining whether a sufficient volume of blood has been withdrawn. A lancing element is rapidly inserted into a body part in a forward phase and retracted quickly to a lesser puncturing depth. Subsequently, the lancing element is retracted slower than during the first retraction movement and the distance retracted during the second retraction is shorter than the first retraction movement. During the second retraction movement, body fluid is collected in a collection phase by a capillary structure of the lancing element. Contact between the lancing element and the body fluid is detected after the forward phase at the beginning and the end of a waiting period.

Abstract: A microfluidic system having a microchannel for the capillary transport of a liquid, in particular a body fluid for analytical purposes. The microchannel is provided with a surface coating comprising at least one hydrophilic substance selected from the group consisting of polyacrylic acid, polyacrylate, dextran sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. The invention also concerns a coating method that is suitable for this.

Abstract: A method for purification of a nucleic acid comprising the steps of (a) adsorbing on a substrate the nucleic acid from a composition containing (i) an aqueous buffer, (ii) salts in a high concentration, (iii) a water-miscible, non-acidic organic compound, and (iv) the nucleic acid; (b) optionally washing with a washing solution the substrate with the adsorbed nucleic acid; (c) contacting the substrate with the adsorbed nucleic acid with a solution containing salts in a lower concentration compared to the composition of step (a), thereby desorbing the nucleic acid from the substrate; (d) separating the solution with the desorbed nucleic acid from the substrate, thereby purifying the nucleic acid; and optionally (e) precipitating the desorbed nucleic acid from the solution of step (d) and isolating the precipitated nucleic acid, thereby further purifying the nucleic acid.

Abstract: Subject of the present invention is a system comprising a cartridge and a device for heating and cooling a mixture in a controlled manner by sensing the temperature of the mixture in said cartridge with at least one sensor element, a device for heating a cartridge comprising a chamber, a method for conducting a thermal profile in a device, and a method for amplifying nucleic acids.