Abstract: Disclosed is a system that can mix deionized water and concentrated sheath fluid to provide sheath fluid in a flow cytometer system having a desired concentration. Flow rates are low, which substantially match the flow rate of sheath fluid through the nozzle, so that turbulence and air bubbles are not formed in the sheath fluid. The available deionized water is then used for back flushing and removal of sample cells and deposited salts from the sheath fluid.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods for improving the specificity of nucleic acid amplification comprising incubating a nucleic acid molecule with a polymerase-Sso7 DNA binding domain conjugate and arginine, spermidine, or spermine. The present invention also provides reaction mixtures and kits for improving the specificity of nucleic acid amplification.

Abstract: System, including methods, apparatus, and compositions, for performing amplification assays with an amplification reporter including a first oligomer and a second oligomer capable of base-pairing with one another below a melting temperature of the reporter. The reporter may have a detectable photoluminescence that is affected, such as reduced, by base-pairing of the first and second oligomers with one another. A target, such as a nucleic acid target sequence, may be amplified in at least one volume, such as a plurality of partitions, above the melting temperature, and photoluminescence of the reporter may be detected from the at least one volume below the melting temperature. A property of the target, such as a concentration of the target, may be determined based on the photoluminescence detected.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sheath delivery system that uses a continuous flow of sheath fluid into a pressurized internal reservoir that substantially matches the outflow of sheath fluid through the nozzle of a flow cytometer. A substantially constant level of the sheath fluid is maintained. If the sheath fluid level falls below a desired level, or goes above a desired level, a dampened control system is used to reach the desired level. In addition, air pressure in the pressurized internal container is controlled so that an external sheath container can be removed and refilled with additional sheath fluid without stopping the sheath delivery system 100. Differences in pressure are detected by a droplet camera, which measures the droplet breakoff point to determine the pressure of the sheath fluid in the nozzle.

Abstract: Modified Protein A, Protein G, Protein L, or Protein A/G that lacks antibody binding activity, and methods of the modified protein's use for purifying antibodies is provided.

Abstract: DNA is extracted from epithelial cells and other cells without cell walls, by use of a DNA extraction buffer that contains a C1-C4 alcohol, a cell lysis detergent, and a buffering agent maintained at a slightly basic pH. The cells are immersed in the buffer and gently agitated at ambient temperature, and DNA extraction and precipitation occur in thirty minutes or less, and often in five minutes or less.

Abstract: Systems, including apparatus and methods, for the microfluidic manipulation, dispensing, and/or sorting of particles, such as cells and/or beads.

Abstract: Provided herein, are droplet mixture compositions and systems and methods for forming mixtures of droplets. The system may comprise two or more droplet generation units. Each unit may include at least one first input well, a second input well, and an output well connected to the first and second input wells by channels that form a droplet generator. The combined droplet populations can be mixed, heated, and collected for multiple uses, such as for use as calibration standards for instrument testing and analysis.

Abstract: Digital assay system, including methods and apparatus, for calculating a level of one or more targets. In an exemplary method, data for amplification of a plurality of targets including a first target may be collected from partitions. A level of the first target may be calculated from only a subset of the data that excludes partitions according to target content.

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: Apparatuses and methods for controlling ionic strength and/or pH of a solution are provided.

Abstract: Systems, apparatuses, and methods can provide parameters of operating results for control products used in biological reactions. For example, automatically updated inserts containing such parameters for clinical quality controls can be provided. A customer can log into a website, provide lot number of quality control products, information about instruments, and tests being performed and then receive updated parameters for the products. The product inserts can be customized for or by a particular customer.

Abstract: Provided herein are assay control materials comprising stable analytes and lyophilized unstable analytes, and methods of making and using the same.

Abstract: A system, including method and apparatus, for generating droplets suitable for droplet-based assays. The disclosed systems may include either one-piece or multi-piece droplet generation components configured to form sample-containing droplets by merging aqueous, sample-containing fluid with a background emulsion fluid such as oil, to form an emulsion of sample-containing droplets suspended in the background fluid. In some cases, the disclosed systems may include channels or other suitable mechanisms configured to transport the sample-containing droplets to an outlet region, so that subsequent assay steps may be performed.

Abstract: Universal reference dye mixtures for quantitative amplification, and uses thereof, are provided.

Abstract: Method of detection for droplet-based assays. In an exemplary method, an open end of a channel network may be placed into an emulsion. Droplets of the emulsion may be driven along a flow path from the open end, through a confluence region where a dilution fluid is introduced into the flow path from at least one dilution inlet channel to increase an average distance between droplets, and through an examination region disposed downstream of the confluence region. Light may be detected from the examination region as droplets pass through. The channel network may include a droplet inlet channel that meets the at least one dilution inlet channel at the confluence region. The droplet inlet channel may form a tapered region that is sized such that droplets leave the tapered region in single file.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a method of preparing a protein sample for mass spectroscopy. The method includes separating proteins of the sample on an electrophoresis gel; contacting the proteins with a halo-substituted organic compound; exposing the gel to UV light; detecting fluorescence emitted from the electrophoresis gel; excising at least one portion of the electrophoresis gel based upon the detected fluorescence, wherein said at least one portion contains proteins of the protein sample; and subjecting proteins from the at least one portion to mass spectroscopy. Using this method, more proteins can be identified by GeLC-MS than when the electrophoresis gel is treated with a protein stain or subjected to the gel handling steps accompanying such treatment.

Abstract: A system for applying a recovery mechanism to a network of medical diagnostics instruments is provided herein. The system includes the following: a plurality of medical diagnostics instruments, each associated with a network connected component; a plurality of communication modules, each associated with a corresponding one of the plurality of network connected components, wherein each one of the plurality of communication modules is arranged to report on malfunctioning components that are network connected with the corresponding component, and a recovery module, configured to: (i) obtain reports from the communication modules; (ii) re-establish the malfunctioning components; and (iii) notify all communication modules of the re-establishment of the malfunctioning components, wherein the communication modules are further configured to re-establish connection between the corresponding components and the re-established components.

Abstract: Polyacrylamide gels that offer high resolution in protein separations and are more stable relative to hydrolysis than conventional polyacrylamide gels that rely on Tris or Tris-Bis as buffering agents are made by incorporating triethanolamine in place of most or all of the Tris or Tris-Bis.

Abstract: Methods, apparatuses, and systems are disclosed for analyzing quality control (QC) strategies that are applied to testing processes an analyte in order to meet an acceptable level of probability of patient harm that could result from incorrect test results. The measure of patient harm takes into account severity of patient harm, as well as its occurrence. Methods include calculating, based on the parameters of the QC strategies and the test apparatus, an expected number of incorrect final results E(Nuf) due to a test system failure. The value of E(Nuf) can be used as part of a calculation of a predicted level of probability patient harm. The ratio of the acceptable level of probability of patient harm to the predicted level of probability patient harm can determine the adequacy of the QC strategies.