Abstract: A system and method for lysing of whole blood for CO-Ox measurement uses a lysing chamber for acoustic lysing of whole blood in a module in which the lysing chamber is separate from a CO-Ox measurement chamber. The disclosed acoustic lysing system and method avoids the expense and complexity of chemical lysing methods and allows the whole blood sample to be lysed while under continuous flow through the lysing chamber. The acoustic lysing chamber is provided upstream from a CO-Ox measurement chamber. The separation of the lysing chamber from the Co-Ox measurement chamber provides freedom to arrange and orient various optical components and/or other CO-Ox measuring components around the CO-Ox measurement chamber. The decoupling of the lysing chamber from the CO-Ox measurement chamber allows for more efficient design of the ultrasonic lysing transducer and CO-Ox measurement optics.

Abstract: Systems and methods for probe tip heating are disclosed. An exemplary system for probe tip heating can include an enclosure enclosing a probe tip, a heating device, and a fan. The probe tip can be configured to access an internal volume of a stoppered container and to aspirate or dispense a material from or to the internal volume of the stoppered container. The heating device can be configured to heat air circulating within the enclosure.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions for permeable outer diffusion control membranes for creatinine and creatine sensors and methods of making such membranes.

Abstract: A cleaning device, and method of using the same, for cleaning a probe. The device includes a body defining an inner chamber. An air intake is connected to at least one air channel through the body, the at least one air channel configured to allow air from the air intake to flow into the inner chamber and towards the inner chamber. A liquid intake is connected to at least one liquid channel through the body, the at least one liquid channel configured to allow liquid from the liquid intake to flow into the inner chamber.

Abstract: The embodiments of the present disclosure provide a pierceable stopper, comprising a plug portion, and a disk portion disposed on top of the plug portion and comprising a flange extending radially beyond an outer diameter of the plug portion. The embodiments also provide a lyophilization stopper, comprising a body comprising an integral hinge means, and a flange extending radially beyond an outer diameter of the body. Additionally, the embodiments provide a probe assembly, comprising a first needle comprising a hollow cavity and a pointed tip, and a second needle disposed inside the hollow cavity and comprising a rounded tip. The embodiments further provide a cartridge assembly, comprising a first housing comprising a first set of cavities configured to accommodate one or more containers, and a second housing comprising a second set of cavities corresponding to the first set of cavities when the second housing is coupled to the first housing.

Abstract: Aspects of the present disclosure include a titration probe that mitigate the occurrences of titration probe clots. A bar such as segment of music wire, is extended across the tip of a titration probe and attached at both ends to the titration probe. The bar is configured to catch clots and prevent the clots from being collected along with a blood sample to be analyzed. The bar effectively reduces the cross sectional area of the titration probe tip.

Abstract: A fluid aspiration probe apparatus for automatic fluid testing equipment includes a pair of electrodes mounted on a distal probe tip. The electrodes are coupled to an impedance measurement apparatus via conductive pathways along the probe. The impedance measurements and probe tip height are monitored as the probe tip is lowered into a fluid sample. Boundaries between layers of fluid in the container are detected by recognizing sudden changes in the impedance measurements and heights of the boundaries are determined by tracking the position of probe tip when the sudden changes of impedance occur.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method of performing an optical or electrical measurement in a sample of a disperse fluid, the sample comprising particles and a fluid. The method comprises the steps of: a) positioning the sample in a microfluidic cavity having a resonance frequency, b) subjecting the sample, in the cavity, to an acoustic standing wave configured for causing the particles to congregate in at least one first region of the cavity, thereby causing the fluid to occupy at least one second region of the cavity, wherein the frequency of the acoustic standing wave is varied between a frequency below the resonance frequency and a frequency above the resonance frequency, and c) performing an optical or electrical measurement in the fluid in at least one of the at least one second region of the cavity. Varying the frequency ensures reproducible results. The invention also relates to a system therefore and a method and system for measuring hematocrit.

Abstract: Disclosed is a urea biosensor that is stable at ambient temperature, and methods of making thereof.

Abstract: What is described is a kit for preparing a liquid thromboplastin reagent for a prothrombin time assay. The kit simplifies and minimizes reagent preparation time and is stable for 2-5 years.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring blood clotting time includes a blood clot detection instrument and a cuvette for use with the blood clot detection instrument. The cuvette includes a blood sample receptor-inlet; a channel arrangement including at least one test channel for performing a blood clotting time measurement, a sampling channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the blood sample receptor-inlet and the at least one test channel, and a waste channel having at least one surface portion that is hydrophilic, communicating with the sampling channel; and a vent opening communicating with the sampling channel. The sampling channel, the vent opening and the waste channel, coact to automatically draw a requisite volume of a blood sample deposited at the blood receptor-inlet, into the sampling channel.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to electrochemical sensors for measuring creatinine and creatine in a patient's blood. More particularly, the disclosure relates to compositions and methods for improving measurement accuracy of electrochemical sensors used for measuring creatinine and creatine.

Abstract: A pierceable self-resealing stopper for a container is disclosed. The disclosed stopper is suitable for sealing a container containing reagents for use in a high-throughput analysis system in which reagents in the container are accessed by an aspirator probe piercing the stopper. The stopper is configured for being pierced and resealing itself a large number of times without degradation of the stopper by coring or fragmentation, for example. A set of protrusions extending from a top surface of the stopper is depressed to stretch a thin diaphragm area between the protrusions prior to and during insertion of the probe. After extraction of the probe, the protrusions are allowed to return to a relaxed state, which discontinues stretching of the diaphragm area and reseals the container.

Abstract: Disclosed are multi-enzyme biosensors that are stable at ambient temperature, and methods of making thereof.

Abstract: An example method detecting a presence of one or more oral anticoagulants or intravenous (IV) direct thrombin inhibitors in a blood sample may include the following operations: receiving parameters that are based on viscoelastic tests; comparing the parameters to predefined threshold values, where the parameters and the predefined threshold values are based on an identity of the one or more oral anticoagulants or the IV direct thrombin inhibitors; and detecting, based on the comparing, the presence of the one or more oral anticoagulants or IV direct thrombin inhibitors in the blood sample. The viscoelastic tests are performed on portions of the blood sample to obtain the parameters. The viscoelastic tests include both a viscoelastic test based on Ecarin activation and a viscoelastic test with low tissue factor activation.

Abstract: An apparatus for measuring hemolysis in a cartridge based automated blood analyzer is described. The apparatus allows hemolysis testing to be performed on a sample which is presented as a whole blood sample for other testing by the cartridge based automated blood analyzer. A disposable module is configured for optically analyzing one or more plasma analytes in a flow cell while red blood cells are acoustically separated from plasma in the flow cell.

Abstract: Described is an automated reagent mixing container for separately storing and automatically mixing together at least two stored reagent components.

Abstract: A linear actuator member applies a vertical force to a vessel or to a holding apparatus in which a vessel is contained. A linear to angular motion constraining member such as a cage structure having a helical track translates linearly directed force and motion applied by the linear actuator member into a combined linear and rotational motion of the vessel. The combined vertical and rotational motion of the vessel in response to the vertical force is repeatable according to a predefined agitation pattern for mixing components in the vessel.

Abstract: This invention relates to an optical system and method for performing turbidity assay, e.g. coagulation of blood or plasma, comprising a standard optical reference, a sample handling structure, a light source and an optical detection unit. The standard optical reference, such as a fluorophore-doped glass, provides constant optical signal under controlled optical conditions. The sample handling structure, such as a microfluidic system with reaction chamber, can be placed beneath or above the standard optical reference. During operation, the coagulating plasma/blood changes its optical absorbance and reflection properties, which results in changes in optical signal that reaches the optical reading unit. The variation of the optical signal, such as fluorescence signal indicates the kinetics of the turbidity varying process, such as plasma/blood coagulation process.

Abstract: The invention described herein relates to a kit for the diagnosis of antiphospholipid syndrome in patients, wherein a coagulation inhibitor and normal pooled plasma mixture reduce the factor deficiency effect of patient plasma, and coagulation inhibitor interference in patient plasma, and increases specificity and the sensitivity for detecting lupus anticoagulants in the patient's blood in a phospholipid-dependent clotting assay.