Abstract: An insert for a liquid-holding container includes a body comprising a wall, open first and second ends, and a lumen extending from the open first end to the open second end. A plurality of first openings are formed in the wall, each of the first openings defining an area, and one or more second openings are formed in the wall, each of the one or more second openings defining an area that is greater than the area defined by any of the first openings. The first openings are arranged in a first row of at least three first openings in axial alignment and a second row of at least three first openings in axial alignment. At least one of the one or more second openings is situated closer to the first end than any of the first openings, and each of the first and second openings is sized to permit the passage of a liquid.

Abstract: An insert for a liquid-holding container may include a body comprising a wall, an open top end and a bottom end, and a generally tubular lumen extending from the open top end to the open bottom end. The insert may include a plurality of first openings formed in the wall, the first openings being situated between the top and bottom ends, wherein each of the plurality of first openings defines an area, and wherein the plurality of first openings have substantially the same dimensions. The insert may include one or more second openings formed in the wall, the one or more second openings being situated between the top and bottom ends, wherein each of the one or more second openings defines an area that is greater than the area defined by any of the first openings, wherein the one or more second openings have substantially the same dimensions.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for diagnosing Bacterial Vaginosis in a subject comprising performing an assay for the detection of any one or more of Lactobacillus sp., Atopobium vaginae, and Gardneralla vaginalis in a subject sample. Also disclosed are compositions and methods for detecting Lactobacillus sp., Atopobium vaginae, and/or Gardneralla vaginalis nucleic acid in a sample.

Abstract: An apparatus for performing nucleic acid amplification reactions includes a thermally-conductive receptacle holder that includes multiple receptacle wells. Each well can receive a receptacle and has a through-hole extending from an inner surface of the well to an outer surface of the holder. The apparatus includes multiple optical fibers, and each optical fiber has a first end in optical communication with an associated well and a second end in optical communication with an excitation signal source and/or an emission signal detector. The first end of each optical fiber is moveable with respect to the through-hole. A cover is movable between an open position and a closed position relative to the receptacle holder, and the first end of each optical fiber moves with respect to the through-hole of the associated well as the cover moves to the open or closed position or when the cover moves into or out of contact with any receptacles within the wells.

Abstract: A receptacle delivery system for an instrument of a plurality of instruments comprises a carriage supporting a puck. The carriage is configured to move with the puck from a first location to a second location within the instrument. The first location is a location where a receptacle supported by a carrier is positioned to be transferred to the puck supported by the carriage, and the second location being a location where the receptacle seated in the puck is positioned so that fluid from the receptacle can be drawn into a tip associated with a fluid extraction device of the instrument.

Abstract: A microfluidic cartridge for detecting one nucleic acid of a sample, including a plurality of functional volumes split into functional areas and a fluidic network of microchannels. At least three functional areas are fluidly connected to a central distribution hub of fluids by one or more hub-connected microchannels, the central distribution hub being capable of pumping and injecting fluids from a first functional area to a second functional area by passing through the central distribution hub; and at least three valves of hub-connected microchannels are arranged so that the at least three valves are adapted to be actuated mechanically by a single external cam-driven actuator.

Abstract: Compositions, methods and kits for detecting Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) nucleic acids are for detecting very low levels of the viral nucleic acids using nucleic acid amplification. The kit includes a first primer up to 100 bases long and includes a target-complementary 3? terminal sequence of 15-48 contiguous bases. The first primer optionally may include a first primer 5? sequence (i.e., an upstream sequence) that is not complementary to CHIKV nucleic acids.

Abstract: A kit includes a vessel having a plasma-treated interior surface, solid composition adhered to the plasma-treated interior surface, and a reconstitution liquid. The solid composition has a mass ranging from about 600 micrograms to about 20 grams and is in the form of a lyophilized pellet adhered to the plasma-treated interior surface. The solid composition is macroscopic in three orthogonal dimensions, such that the solid composition is not a coating and has a length, a width, and a height of greater than 1 mm.

Abstract: A container including a top wall and a fluid vessel depending from the top wall. The fluid vessel extends from a top wall aperture formed in the top wall to a bottom end of the fluid vessel. The container further includes gripping structures configured to enable an automated gripping mechanism to securely grip the container in a repeatable position and orientation with respect to the container-gripping components of the gripping mechanism.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for freezing a liquid droplet includes dispensing, by a liquid dispenser, a droplet of liquid into a fluid chamber containing a freezing fluid. The droplet of liquid is allowed to dwell in the freezing fluid for at least a predetermined dwell time so that the droplet of liquid freezes to a frozen droplet. The method and apparatus further includes injecting, by a gas injector, a stream of gas transversely to a surface of the freezing fluid at about where the frozen droplet is located along the surface of the freezing fluid contained in the fluid chamber so that the frozen droplet sinks in the freezing fluid.

Abstract: Provided herein are compositions, kits, and methods for detecting at least one of a C. difficile tcdA, tcdB, tcdC, cdtA, or cdtB nucleic acid in a sample. In some embodiments, one or more alleles of tcdC such as 117del tcdC or 184T tcdC are detected.

Abstract: Disclosed are compositions, methods, and kits that can be used to Epstein-Ban virus (EBV) in a sample undergoing testing. Nucleic acids of EBV can be isolated, amplified and detected with specificity by real-time PCR, and without interference from non-EBV organisms. In some embodiments, nucleic acids used for amplification are isolated from human blood, or blood products. Nucleic acid isolation, amplification and detection steps can all be carried out using an automated instrument.

Abstract: A method of reading machine-readable labels on sample receptacles. In the method, a sample rack is moved between a first position and a second position within a housing, where the sample rack supports a plurality of sample receptacles, and each sample receptacle has a machine-readable label. An absolute position of the sample rack is measured as the sample rack moves between the first and second positions. An image of the machine-readable label associated with each sample receptacle is acquired as the sample rack moves between the first and second positions. Finally, the acquired image of each machine-readable label is decoded.

Abstract: An apparatus is directed to transporting a sample receptacle carrier coupled to a sample containing receptacle. The apparatus includes a movable dock to support the sample receptacle carrier. The apparatus includes one or more magnets. Each magnet is coupled to the movable dock to magnetically couple with a magnetic portion of the sample receptacle carrier. The one or more magnets secure the sample receptacle carrier to the movable dock.

Abstract: A receptacle delivery system that includes a rail extending between first and second locations of an instrument and a carriage configured to move on the rail between the first and second locations of the instrument. The carriage includes a bracket having opposed first and second sidewalls and a base extending between the first and second sidewalls, where the carriage is configured to support a receptacle. The carriage further includes a pair of opposed support pads, where the pair of support pads are configured to (a) move toward a receptacle supported by the carriage as the carriage moves from the first location toward the second location, and (b) move away from a receptacle supported by the carriage as the carriage moves from the second location toward the first location. The carriage also includes a pair of meshed cam gears rotatably coupled to the first sidewall, where each cam gear is coupled to a different one of the support pads.

Abstract: Disclosed are nucleic acid oligomers, including amplification oligomers and detection probes, for detection of Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis nucleic acid. Also disclosed are methods of specific nucleic acid amplification and detection using the disclosed oligomers, as well as corresponding reaction mixtures and kits.

Abstract: A receptacle delivery system includes a carriage configured to move from a first to a second location of an instrument. The carriage may be configured to removably support a receptacle and may include a receptacle clamping mechanism. The receptacle mechanism may be configured to apply a clamping force to the receptacle as the carriage moves from the first to the second location and release the clamping force as the carriage moves from the second to the first location.

Abstract: A receptacle-supporting puck includes spring-biased fingers arranged about a vertical axis, each finger having a contact surface to contact a receptacle seated in the puck. A supporting disc of the puck includes a disc sidewall projecting from a base and defining a pocket for seating a receptacle, first cavities in the base extending toward the vertical axis, and a puck passageway extending through opposed portions of the disc sidewall transversely to and offset from the vertical axis. Each finger is rotatably coupled to the supporting disc at a corresponding first cavity. A synchronization disc is positioned in the pocket, and each of the fingers is coupled to the synchronization disc such that the contact surfaces of the fingers move synchronously toward and away from the vertical axis. A retaining ring couples the fingers, the supporting disc, and the synchronization disc together.

Abstract: A method of delivering a receptacle to an instrument includes the steps of supporting a receptacle containing a fluid on a carrier, transporting the carrier supporting the receptacle on a conveyor extending adjacent to each of a plurality of instruments, transferring the receptacle from the carrier to a puck supported on a carriage when the carriage is positioned at a first location, moving the carriage with the receptacle seated in the puck from the first location to a second location within an instrument of the plurality of instruments, and drawing at least a portion of the fluid from the receptacle seated in the puck into a tip associated with a fluid extraction device of the instrument when the carriage is positioned at the second location.

Abstract: Disclosed are nucleic acid oligomers, including amplification oligomers and detection probes, for detection of Bordetella pertussis and Bordetella parapertussis nucleic acid. Also disclosed are methods of specific nucleic acid amplification and detection using the disclosed oligomers, as well as corresponding reaction mixtures and kits.