Abstract: A model-based method for quantifying a specimen. The method includes providing a specimen, capturing images of the specimen while illuminated by multiple spectra at different nominal wavelengths, and exposures, and classifying the specimen into various class types comprising one or more of serum or plasma portion, settled blood portion, gel separator (if used), air, tube, label, or cap; and quantifying of the specimen. Quantifying includes determining one or more of: a location of a liquid-air interface, a location of a serum-blood interface, a location of a serum-gel interface, a location of a blood-gel interface, a volume and/or a depth of the serum or plasma portion, or a volume and/or a depth of the settled blood portion. Quality check modules and specimen testing apparatus adapted to carry out the method are described, as are other aspects.

Abstract: A clinical diagnostics system provides at least one biochemical analyzer and a track with one or more carriers for clinical samples, wherein the track and carriers are configured to effect carrier motion in a horizontal plane and the biochemical analyzer is arranged above the track and the one or more carriers.

Abstract: Compositions, devices, kits, and methods for calibrating at least one oxygen sensor in a blood gas, electrolyte, and/or metabolite instrument utilizing a calibration fluid comprising a pyrogallol oxygen scavenger.

Abstract: An embodiment of the disclosure is a rack adapted to engage a rack handler. The rack includes a rack body. The rack body has a bottom, a top opposite the bottom, and a receptacle that extends from the top toward the bottom. The receptacle is sized to receive the sample collection unit. The rack body has a first interior surface that extends from the bottom toward the top, and a second interior surface that extends from the bottom toward the top. The second interior surface is opposite to the first interior surface so as to at least partially define a slot along the bottom. The rack body also includes an interference groove in the slot along at least one of the first interior surface and the second interior surface. The slot and the interference groove are sized to engage a portion of the rack handler.

Abstract: Magnetic beads having cell components of interest are translated between a sequence of processing wells in a tray without need for pipetting. The circular tray contains one or more sequences of wells each interconnected by a respective channel. The tray is rotated about a central axis and a magnet, an agitator, and a heater provided external to the tray enable magnetic bead translation, mixing, and incubation, respectively. The magnet proximate a well forms a cluster of beads. Manipulation of the tray in rotation and elevation results in translation of the cluster from one well, through a channel, and into an adjacent well. The well containing a cluster may be rotationally positioned in front of the agitator, the agitator extended into contact with the well, followed by mechanical agitation. The heater, disposed beneath the tray, may accept a well lowered thereto for selective heating.

Abstract: A sample transport system has a carrier configured to hold a sample tube for a sample to be transported and mixed, a transporter configured to support the carrier, a guide portion configured to impart motion to the carrier on the transporter and deliver the carrier to a destination location, and a controller. The controller is configured to identify instructions associated with the sample, the instructions including a movement profile configured to cause mixing of the sample, communicate with the guide portion to cause the carrier to follow the movement profile on the transporter to cause the mixing of the sample, and deliver the sample to the destination location.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for analyzing log files generated by complex physical equipment includes receiving one or more log file generated by one or more components of physical equipment. Each of the log files comprises one or more log entries. A plurality of templates are extracted from each log file describing fixed portions of the log entries. The log entries are grouped in log files into a plurality of instances. Each instance corresponds to one of a plurality of partitions along one or more dimensions describing data in the log entries. A representation of each instance is created that describes a set of the templates included in the instance. A plurality of clusters are generated by applying a clustering process to the representations of the instances. A visual depiction of the clusters and the instances may then be created in a graphical user interface (GUI).

Abstract: A transport medium is disclosed that can be utilized for both sample collection and molecular diagnostic applications. The transport medium can be utilized with multiple types of biological samples and maintains the stability of nucleic acid present in the biological samples so that one or more nucleic acid assay target(s) present in the biological sample is not substantially degraded during storage and shipping. Also disclosed are kits containing the transport medium, mixtures that include a biological sample disposed in the transport medium, and methods of producing and using the medium.

Abstract: A random access automated molecular testing system and method is used with a planar polymerase chain reaction (PCR) chip to provide molecular detection covering a wide variety of assays/tests in a small footprint. An automated transport mechanism moves the PCR chip between a pipette loading station, a sealing station and an amplification and detection module to provide batchless and random-access amplification and detection of a biological sample fluid. The PCR chip a planar rectangular body, a U-shaped channel for receiving sample fluid from an inlet port and a gripping feature laterally extending from an upper surface of the body above the inlet port for use by the automated transport mechanism. An amplification and detection module includes a heating block, a clip with a viewing window for retaining the PCR chip and a detection platform for identifying a content characteristic of interest of the sample fluid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are compositions and methods for using modified liposomes comprising (i) an encapsulated hydrophilic acridinium ester (AE), and (ii) a first agent encapsulated by the liposomes and/or (iii) a second agent on the surface of the liposomes. Specifically, the disclosed methods provide methods of labeling a target of interest, assaying a biological sample for a target antigen, and detecting a target antigen in a biological sample. Further disclosed herein are methods for increasing the strength of a signal detected by an imaging modality.

Abstract: A connector system providing a releasable, liquid-tight seal for a fluid system is provided. The system includes a female connector, having a cylindrical opening, and a male connector, having a tubular end section, which is to be inserted in an insertion direction into the cylindrical opening. Inside the tubular end section, a fluid passage is formed. On an outer circumferential surface of the tubular end section, annular protrusions are integrally formed. When the tubular end section with the annular protrusions is inserted into the cylindrical opening, the intermediate protrusion and the rear protrusion each form a press-fit with the inner circumferential surface of the cylindrical opening, whereby a liquid-tight seal between the male connector and the female connector is generated.

Abstract: A fluid analyzer for analyzing fluid samples comprising one or more analytes and a method of calibrating such. The fluid analyzer includes a control system to control at least one automated valve to pass at least three calibration reagents through a fluid channel to a secondary ion selective electrode, a primary ion selective electrode, and a reference electrode, and determine calibration information using calibration logic from signals generated by a meter, control the at least one automated valve to selectively pass different subsets of the at least three calibration reagents through the fluid channel to the secondary ion selective electrode, the primary ion selective electrode, and the reference electrode, and determine re-calibration information using the signals generated by the meter and at least one of the calibration information and re-calibration logic.

Abstract: The disclosure provides a computer-implemented method for detecting a failure of a device, wherein the device is connected to a sensor, the method comprising: receiving, by a machine learning model, a trace signal from the sensor indicating a status of the device; encoding, by the machine learning model, the trace signal into a plurality of vector representations; and determining, by the machine learning model, whether the trace signal is valid or invalid based on the plurality of vector representations.

Abstract: A method and a kit for detecting one or more analytes in a sample is disclosed. In one aspect, the method includes introducing the sample to a surface bound to at least one portion of a first antibody to form a first antibody-analyte complex. The method further includes incubating the first antibody-analyte complex with a set of second antibodies to form a first antibody-analyte-second antibody complex, wherein one second antibody is conjugated with a nucleic acid fragment comprising an exposed 3? hydroxyl group and another second antibody is conjugated with an exposed 5? phosphate group. Additionally, the method includes ligating the nucleic acid fragment comprising the exposed 3? hydroxyl group and the nucleic acid fragment comprising the exposed 5? phosphate group. Furthermore, the method includes separating the ligated nucleic acid fragments from the first antibody-analyte-second antibody complex.

Abstract: Processes for quantifying an amount of functional groups immobilized on a solid support are described herein. The processes allow for determining whether sufficient functional groups are provided on a solid support for the attachment of a first binding pair member for the detection of a target analyte.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are methods for using modified liposomes or carrier proteins comprising (i) an acridinium ester (AE), and (ii) a first agent encapsulated by the liposomes and/or (iii) a second agent on the surface of the liposomes or the carrier proteins. Specifically, the disclosed methods provide methods of labeling a target of interest, assaying a biological sample for a target antigen, and detecting a target antigen in a biological sample. Further disclosed herein are methods for increasing the strength of a signal detected by an imaging modality.

Abstract: Methods for image-based detection of the tops of sample tubes used in an automated diagnostic analysis system may be based on a convolutional neural network to pre-process images of the sample tube tops to intensify the tube top circle edges while suppressing the edge response from other objects that may appear in the image. Edge maps generated by the methods may be used for various image-based sample tube analyses, categorizations, and/or characterizations of the sample tubes to control a robot in relationship to the sample tubes. Image processing and control apparatus configured to carry out the methods are also described, as are other aspects.

Abstract: Negative outcomes experienced by a user in a live software system can be automatically, deterministically, and contemporaneously traced back to the root conditions that caused those outcomes, by generating causal event entries in a database for those root conditions as they occur, assigning unique causal IDs to those causal events, and propagating causal IDs alongside the software system state changes that are known to produce negative outcomes and which are effected by those root conditions. By selectively passing causal IDs based on the input and output values of the operation, subsequent causal events and negative outcomes can be linked accurately to causal IDs of parent events, making it simpler to trace negative outcomes for the user back to their root cause events in a software system.