Abstract: The present disclosure describes a method in which a sample is passed through a fluid flow path of a sensor assembly such that the sample intersects at least one sensor comprising at least three electrodes arranged such that two or more electrodes are opposing and two or more electrodes are beside one another. The sensor is read by a reader monitoring changes to the sensor due to the presence of the sample. The reader measures the presence and/or concentration of one or more analytes within the sample based upon data obtained by the reader.

Abstract: A method and system for determining a concentration of one or more analytes in whole blood is provided. In one aspect of the invention, the system includes a channel configured to carry whole blood. The system further includes a light source configured to emit light on the channel. Additionally, the system includes an actuation module associable with the channel, wherein the actuation module is configured to generate a cell-free plasma layer in the channel. Furthermore, the system includes an optical module associable with the channel.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to oligonucleotide sequences for amplification primers and their use in performing nucleic acid amplifications of HCV, in particular regions that encode the NS3 polypeptide. In some embodiments the primers are used in nested PCR methods for the detection or sequencing of HCV NS3. The oligonucleotide sequences are also provided assembled as kits that can be used to amplify and detect or sequence HCV NS3.

Abstract: A device and method for separating serum or plasma from blood cells in a whole blood specimen. The present invention uses a cap with a reservoir, such that blood cells are packed into the cap when the specimen container is centrifuged. When the cap is removed, the blood cells are also removed, and the serum or plasma is left in the specimen tube where it can be readily extracted by a pipette which is able to reach all the way to the bottom of the specimen tube minimizing the dead volume.

Abstract: A device, interface complex, diagnostic system, kit or method for use in binding analyte of interest, wherein immobilizing is on an aluminum oxide surface. An interface molecule is immobilized on the aluminum oxide surface. Attached to the interface molecule, is a cross linking agent for binding to the analyte, or a biomolecule specific to the analyte. The interface molecule includes a polypeptide having at least one carboxy rich domain providing at least 5 free carboxyl groups within a molecular volume of 2.2-25 nm3, the free carboxyl groups being provided by amino acids containing two or more carboxyl groups, through which the interface molecule is immobilized to the aluminum oxide surface. The biomolecule may be covalently attached to the interface molecule, or the biomolecule may bean engineered antibody attached to the interface molecule through an antigenic determinant or through an Fc fragment.

Abstract: An analyzer system for in vitro diagnostics includes a sample handler module having a robot arm that delivers samples from drawers into carriers on a linear synchronous motor automation track. Samples are delivered via the automation track to individual track sections associated with individual analyzer modules. Analyzer modules aspirate sample portions directly from the sample carriers and perform analysis thereon.

Abstract: A method and system for replenishing refrigerated consumables by a mobile connected autonomous refrigerator includes receiving a notification triggered by a laboratory instrument that a refrigerated consumable used by the laboratory instrument is depleted; autonomously navigating to a refrigerated storage; retrieving the refrigerated consumable and placing it in the mobile refrigerated unit; autonomously moving to the laboratory instrument that triggered the notification; and alerting an operator to retrieve the refrigerated consumable from mobile refrigerated unit and load it into the laboratory instrument.

Abstract: The present invention, in some embodiments thereof, generally relates to methods and devices for determining the health status of a subject, e.g., whether the subject has a disease or other condition. In some embodiments, a plurality or mixture of species may be differentially solubilized in a single two-phase aqueous system, or other multi-phase aqueous system. The nature or degree of the solubilization of the species may be used to determine the health status of a subject. For example, some embodiments are directed to devices and methods for determining a disease or other condition as a function of the changes to the structure of two or more species. The species may be selected based on their differential solubility behavior in a two-phase or other multi-phase aqueous system.

Abstract: A confocal microscope having a scanning head in the form of a hand piece (102) which may be placed at selected locations on the body of a patient. A laser beam is scanned in orthogonal (horizontal and vertical) directions by scanners (128, 130) which drive scan mirrors (128a, 130a), which are closely adjacent to each other. The optics include an objective lens (138) and a single telescope lens (132, 134). The telescope provides sufficient magnification to overfill the entrance pupil of the objective lens (138) over the entire scan angle produced by the scan mirrors (128a, 130a). The telescope images the entrance pupil of the objective in the beam path between the mirrors of the scanners. Scanner (128) represents a pulse driven resonant scanner (7). The pulse duration is controlled to vary the scan angle and obtain dynamic, electronic image zooming without changing the positional relationship of the telescope lenses.

Abstract: Methods of mitigating lipoprotein interference in in vitro diagnostic assays for target hydrophobic analytes are disclosed, as well as compositions, kits, and devices useful in said methods. A pretreatment reagent is utilized that includes at least one enzyme that digests lipoprotein.

Abstract: Methods of predicting failures of in vitro diagnostic instruments include monitoring, with one or more monitoring devices associated with one or more components of the in vitro diagnostic instrument, one or more condition-based maintenance (CBM) parameters of the in vitro diagnostic instrument, providing the one or more condition-based maintenance parameters to a local database, transmitting condition-based maintenance data to a remote service location, storing the condition-based maintenance data at the remote service location, analyzing the condition-based maintenance data according to a failure prediction engine including failure prediction criteria, and performing an action based on predefined deviation from the failure prediction criteria. Apparatus configured to carry out the methods are provided, as are other aspects.

Abstract: Hydrophilic, high quantum yield, chemiluminescent acridinium compounds with increased light output, improved stability, fast light emission and decreased non specific binding are disclosed. The chemiluminescent acridinium esters possess hydrophilic, branched, electron-donating functional groups at the C2 and/or C7 positions of the acridinium nucleus.

Abstract: The invention provides an advanced, modular, intraoperative neurophysiological monitoring (IONM) system, referred to as a “NeuroNet-VII” System, which is the first IONM system designed with a USB hub architecture comprising serially-connected functional “pods which provides multi-modality simultaneous data acquisition which supports all data types useful in operating rooms, diagnostic laboratories, intensive care units, and epilepsy monitoring units. The unique pod architecture makes the IONM system highly modular compared to current systems which typically place components in a limited number of centralized enclosures.

Abstract: A device is disclosed herein that receives image data corresponding to an anatomy of a patient. The device applies the image data to one or more feature models trained using training data that pairs anatomical images to an anatomical feature label, and receives, as output from the one or more feature models, scores for each of a plurality of anatomical features corresponding to the image data. The device applies the scores as input to a treatment model, the treatment model trained to output a prediction of a measure of efficacy of a particular treatment based on features of the patient's anatomy. The device receives, as output from the treatment model, data representative of the predicted measure of efficacy of the particular treatment.

Abstract: A refrigerated carrier device that can maintain biological samples including capillary blood samples at refrigerated temperatures is described herein. The carrier includes an insulated phase change material (PCM) that can be pre-chilled to maintain biological samples at a refrigerated temperature (e.g., 2-8° C.) while the carrier is in transit and/or temporary storage protecting the samples from degradation. The use of PCM enables the temperature to be kept reliably between 2-8° C., avoiding temperature excursions, and eliminating the need for a compressor or thermoelectric device at the point of collection, which can reduce costs and risks related to heat, noise, condensation, and sample degradation due to power outages. The carrier device can be removable from a Sample Preparation system, which enables it to double as refrigerated storage at the point of collection and during transportation.

Abstract: A method of aligning a component to a structure in a diagnostic laboratory system. The method includes aligning a position sensor to the structure; sensing a position of the component using the position sensor; and calculating the position of the component relative to the structure based at least in part on the sensing. Other methods, apparatus, and systems are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of determining a 3D center location of a specimen container on a track. The method includes providing a calibration object on the track; providing an initially calibrated image capture device adjacent to the track; moving the calibration object to at least two different longitudinal positions along the track; capturing a first image with the calibration object located at the first longitudinal position; capturing a second image with the calibration object located at the second longitudinal position; and determining a three-dimensional path trajectory of a center location along the track based at least upon the first image and the second image. The method can be used to determine a 3D center location of a specimen container imaged anywhere within a viewing area. Characterization apparatus and specimen testing apparatus adapted to carry out the methods are described, as are other aspects.

Abstract: Reagents are disclosed for use with potentiometric magnesium ion selective electrodes, along with kits containing same as well as methods of use thereof.

Abstract: Provided is a snapshot spectral domain optical coherence tomographer comprising a light source providing a plurality of beamlets; a beam splitter, splitting the plurality of beamlets into a reference arm and a sample arm; a first optical system that projects the sample arm onto multiple locations of a sample; a second optical system for collection of a plurality of reflected sample beamlets; a third optical system projecting the reference arm to a reflecting surface and receiving a plurality of reflected reference beamlets; a parallel interferometer that provides a plurality of interferograms from each of the plurality of sample beamlets with each of the plurality of reference beamlets; an optical image mapper configured to spatially separate the plurality of interferograms; a spectrometer configured to disperse each of the interferograms into its respective spectral components and project each interferogram in parallel; and a photodetector providing photon quantification.

Abstract: Methods and cartridges for detecting targets are provided. A biological sample is introduced to a cartridge. Targets in the sample are photonically labeled with fluorescent particles in a first liquid layer in the cassette. Photonically-labeled targets are separated out of the sample into a second liquid layer within the cassette, detected, and counted to show presence of the targets in the subject. Cartridges include a receiving reservoir, a mixing well for introducing the sample to photonic labels and magnetic particles, and an imaging well for detecting and counting targets from the sample. The sample may be a human stool sample. A filter may be used to filter particulates out of the sample.