Abstract: Thermal cycling apparatus for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) of nucleic acid is provided. Bath media in a first bath and a second bath are maintainable at two different temperatures. A transfer means allows the reactor to be in the two baths in a plurality of thermal cycles to alternately attain a predetermined high target temperature THT and a predetermined low target temperature TLT. A florescent imaging means images the reaction material during the thermal cycling. A powder-cleaning device mechanically removes particles of powder that adhere to the reactor, when powder is the bath medium in use in at least one of the baths.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for thermal processing of nucleic acid in a thermal profile. The method employs at least a first bath and a second bath, the method further employing a reactor holder for holding reactor(s) accommodating reaction material containing the nucleic acid. The method includes maintaining bath mediums in the baths at two different temperatures; and alternately allowing the reactor(s) to be in the two baths in a plurality of thermal cycles to alternately attain a predetermined high target temperature THT, and a predetermined low target temperature TLT, wherein the bath medium in at least one of the baths is a high thermal conductivity powder.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermal processing of nucleic acid in a thermal profile. The apparatus employs a reactor holder for holding reactors to accommodate reaction material containing nucleic acid. The apparatus includes at least two baths separated by thermally insulating partition plate(s) where bath mediums are each maintainable at a predetermined temperature; and a transfer means for allowing the reactors to change position once or plurality of times between any two adjacent baths by selectively opening the partition plate(s) and without lifting the reactors out of the baths.

Abstract: Apparatus and method for thermal processing of nucleic acid in a thermal profile is provided. The apparatus employs a reactor holder for holding reactor(s) each accommodating reaction material containing the nucleic acid. The apparatus comprises a first bath; and a second bath, bath mediums in the baths being respectively maintainable at two different temperatures THIGH and TLOW; and a transfer means for allowing the reactor(s) to be in the two baths in a plurality of thermal cycles to alternately attain: a predetermined high target temperature THT, and a predetermined low target temperature TLT, while the apparatus adapts to a temperature-offset feature defined by at least one condition from the group consisting: a) the THT is lower than the THIGH, b) the TLT is higher than the TLOW, and c) the conditions at a) and b).

Abstract: An apparatus for thermally processing reaction material containing nucleic acid is provided. A reaction material is contained in reactors. The apparatus includes a reactor holder for statically holding the reactors; at least two heating means each being maintainable at a user specifiable temperature; and a transport means for positioning the heating means to make a contact with the reactors one at a time for specified duration. The positioning is conductable once or over a plurality of times for thermally processing the reactors between a plurality of temperatures.

Abstract: An apparatus for thermal processing nucleic acid in a thermal profile. The apparatus employs a reactor holder for holding reactor(s) each accommodating reaction material containing the nucleic acid. The apparatus includes a first bath; and a second bath, bath mediums in the baths being respectively maintainable at two different temperatures; and a transfer means for allowing the reactor(s) to be in the two baths in a plurality of thermal cycles to alternately attain: a predetermined high target temperature THT, and a predetermined low target temperature TLT; and reciprocating means to enable relative reciprocating motion between the holder and at least one bath while the reactor(s) is/are placed in the at least one bath, the relative reciprocating motion being executable by shaking the bath or the holder or both.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus for thermal processing of nucleic acid in a thermal profile. The method employs at least a first bath and a second bath, the method further employing a reactor holder for holding reactor(s) accommodating reaction material containing the nucleic acid. The method includes maintaining bath mediums in the baths at two different temperatures; and alternately allowing the reactor(s) to be in the two baths in a plurality of thermal cycles to alternately attain a predetermined high target temperature THT, and a predetermined low target temperature TLT, wherein the bath medium in at least one of the baths is a high thermal conductivity powder.

Abstract: A microfluidic device (100), which has applications in disease detection and analysis, is disclosed. The device comprises a member (102) with a base having at least one well (110), the at least one well in fluid communication with an adjacent space (112), said space being in fluid communication with at least one channel (114, 118); and a vacuum generating device (108) coupled to the at least one channel. The vacuum generating device is configured to generate first and second absolute pressures that are each lower than atmospheric pressure at a first and a second regions of the microfluidic device respectively, wherein the first absolute pressure is higher than the second absolute pressure, thus generating a differential pressure between the first and second region of the microfluidic device to control a speed of a fluid flowing through the space of the device, for filling the at least one well progressively and/or facilitating retention of any material disposed in the at least one well.

Abstract: A method of disposing materials in an emulsion (301) into wells (302) of a device member (304) is disclosed. The method comprises generating the emulsion having droplets of a specific mass and size from a fluid sample and a carrier fluid, the fluid sample being immiscible with the carrier fluid, the fluid sample comprising the materials and each droplet having at least one copy of the materials, wherein the specific mass and size of the droplets enable a force acting on the droplets to speed up the settling of at least a portion of the droplets into some of the wells.