Abstract: The systems, methods, and devices can efficiently express breast milk while being visually and audibly discreet, and portable. The breastmilk expression system for extracting milk from a breast of a female may include an interface configured to deliver suction to a nipple of the breast. The system may include a breastmilk storage container configured to store breastmilk The system may include a control device operatively coupled to the breastmilk storage container and the interface. The control device may include one or more pressure reservoirs configured to store negative pressure. The control device may be configured to cause passive suction at the interface to cause extraction of the breast milk by controlling delivery of the negative pressure stored in the one or more pressure reservoirs to the interface.

Abstract: We describe a quantitative PCR (qPCR) instrument for combined qPCR and melt curve (dissociation and/or association curve) analysis. The instrument has at least one optical channel; a fluorescence excitation source; a fluorescence detector; an electronic analog signal amplifier having an input coupled to an output of the fluorescence detector; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having analog input coupled to an output of the analog signal amplifier. The instrument further comprises a quantified automatic gain control (AGC) loop coupled between the signal output of the fluorescence detector and the analog input of the ADC. The AGC loop is configured to apply a determined, numerical gain value to a fluorescence signal for the analog input of the ADC. The instrument also includes a system to scale a digital output of the ADC responsive to the numerical gain value and to provide a digital fluorescence level signal from the scaled digital output.

Abstract: A quantitative PCR (qPCR) instrument for combined qPCR and melt curve (dissociation and/or association curve) analysis, the instrument having at least one optical channel, the instrument comprising: a fluorescence excitation source; a fluorescence detector having a signal output; an electronic analogue signal amplifier having an input coupled to said fluorescence detector signal output; and an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) having analogue input coupled to an output of said analogue signal amplifier; further comprising a quantified automatic gain control (AGC) loop coupled between said signal output of said fluorescence detector and said analogue input of ADC, wherein said AGC loop is configured to apply a determined, numerical gain value to a fluorescence signal for said analogue input of said ADC; and a system to scale a digital output of said ADC responsive to said numerical gain value and to provide a digital fluorescence level signal from said scaled digital output.

Abstract: We describe a quantitative PCR (qPCR) instrument for combined qPCR and melt curve (dissociation and/or association curve) analysis. The instrument has at least one optical channel; a fluorescence excitation source; a fluorescence detector; an electronic analog signal amplifier having an input coupled to an output of the fluorescence detector; and an analog-to-digital converter (ADC) having analog input coupled to an output of the analog signal amplifier. The instrument further comprises a quantified automatic gain control (AGC) loop coupled between the signal output of the fluorescence detector and the analog input of the ADC. The AGC loop is configured to apply a determined, numerical gain value to a fluorescence signal for the analog input of the ADC. The instrument also includes a system to scale a digital output of the ADC responsive to the numerical gain value and to provide a digital fluorescence level signal from the scaled digital output.

Abstract: We describe a quantitative PCR (qPCR) instrument for combined qPCR and melt curve (dissociation and/or association curve) analysis. The instrument has at least one optical channel; a fluorescence excitation source; a fluorescence detector; an electronic analogue signal amplifier having an input coupled to an output of the fluorescence detector; and an analogue-to-digital converter (ADC) having analogue input coupled to an output of the analogue signal amplifier. The instrument further comprises a quantified automatic gain control (AGC) loop coupled between the signal output of the fluorescence detector and the analogue input of the ADC. The AGC loop is configured to apply a determined, numerical gain value to a fluorescence signal for the analogue input of the ADC. The instrument also includes a system to scale a digital output of the ADC responsive to the numerical gain value and to provide a digital fluorescence level signal from the scaled digital output.