Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a sample preparation apparatus for grinding or homogenizing test samples. More specifically, the disclosure relates to grinding samples using rotational and linear motion. Grinding samples can be accomplished with an apparatus with a slider-crank mechanism that is attached to an oscillating connecting linkage. The amplitude of oscillatory motion can be greater than or equal to a length of a sample processing chamber.

Abstract: A method for determining the susceptibility of bacteria in a clinical sample comprising urine or an inoculant derived therefrom to an antibiotic agent may include the steps of a) inoculating a test portion of the clinical sample in a medium containing a predetermined concentration of the antibiotic agent; b) inoculating a control portion of the clinical sample in a medium that does not contain the antibiotic agent; c) incubating the test portion for an incubation period; d) incubating the control portion for the incubation period; e) determining a quantity of RNA in the test portion and a quantity of RNA in the control portion at the conclusion of the incubation period that is less than 480 minutes after the completion of step a); and f) determining a susceptibility of the bacteria to the antibiotic agent by comparing the quantity of RNA in the test portion to the quantity of the RNA in the control portion.

Abstract: There is described a method for extracting a target chemical compound from a cellular material in a sample. The method comprising the steps of: subjecting the sample to mechanical lysis to cause disruption of a cellular membrane in the cellular material; contacting the sample with an alkaline material to produce a lysate composition comprising the target chemical compound; and recovering the lysate composition from the sample. There is also described a method for producing a lysate composition comprising RNA from a mammalian bodily fluid sample comprising a cellular material. There is also described a method for extracting a nucleic acid from a cellular material in a bodily fluid or an inoculant derived therefrom.

Abstract: The disclosure is directed to a sample preparation apparatus for grinding or homogenizing test samples. More specifically, the disclosure relates to grinding samples using rotational and linear motion. Grinding samples can be accomplished with an apparatus with a slider-crank mechanism that is attached to an oscillating connecting linkage. The amplitude of oscillatory motion can be greater than or equal to a length of a sample processing chamber.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, apparatuses, and methods for grinding of samples. A method includes securing a sample vial in a holder attached to a connecting linkage, the sample vial having a grinding media in the sample vial. The method includes rotating a crank that is operatively coupled to a proximal end of the connecting linkage at a proximal pivot point so that the proximal pivot point undergoes rotational motion. The method includes restricting a distal pivot point of the connecting linkage to a linear path, the distal pivot point near a distal end of the connecting linkage. A result being that the sample vial undergoes a combination of rotational and linear motion.

Abstract: An automated system communicated to a remote server for diagnostically field testing a sample taken from a patient using an automated portable handheld instrument to determine the presence of Covid-19 and/or antibodies thereto includes microfluidic circuits defined in a rotatable disk for performing a bioassay using a microarray to generate an electrical signal indicative of a bioassay measurement; the microarray operationally positioned in the microfluidic circuit; one or more lasers; one or more positionable valves in the microfluidic circuit; and a backbone unit for rotating the disk according to a protocol to perform the bioassay, for controlling the lasers to selectively open the positionable valves in the microfluidic disk, for operating the microarray to generate a digital image as a bioassay measurement; for communicating the bioassay measurement to the remote server, and for associating the performed bioassay and its corresponding bioassay measurement to the patient.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are an apparatus, system, and methods related to a portable microfluidic system for biological and analytical testing of biological fluids. In particular, the system comprises the use of a rotating microfluidic platform technology to manipulate and perform sample-to-answer assays on biological fluids. More particularly, the system described herein may be capable of performing bacteria identification/quantification (IDQ) and/or antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST).

Abstract: There is described a method for extracting a target chemical compound from a cellular material in a sample. The method comprising the steps of: subjecting the sample to mechanical lysis to cause disruption of a cellular membrane in the cellular material; contacting the sample with an alkaline material to produce a lysate composition comprising the target chemical compound; and recovering the lysate composition from the sample. There is also described a method for producing a lysate composition comprising RNA from a mammalian bodily fluid sample comprising a cellular material. There is also described a method for extracting a nucleic acid from a cellular material in a bodily fluid or an inoculant derived therefrom.

Abstract: A method for determining the susceptibility of bacteria in a clinical sample comprising urine or an inoculant derived therefrom to an antibiotic agent may include the steps of a) inoculating a test portion of the clinical sample in a medium containing a predetermined concentration of the antibiotic agent; b) inoculating a control portion of the clinical sample in a medium that does not contain the antibiotic agent; c) incubating the test portion for an incubation period; d) incubating the control portion for the incubation period; e) determining a quantity of RNA in the test portion and a quantity of RNA in the control portion at the conclusion of the incubation period that is less than 480 minutes after the completion of step a); and f) determining a susceptibility of the bacteria to the antibiotic agent by comparing the quantity of RNA in the test portion to the quantity of the RNA in the control portion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, apparatuses, and methods for grinding of samples. A method includes securing a sample vial in a holder attached to a connecting linkage, the sample vial having a grinding media in the sample vial. The method includes rotating a crank that is operatively coupled to a proximal end of the connecting linkage at a proximal pivot point so that the proximal pivot point undergoes rotational motion. The method includes restricting a distal pivot point of the connecting linkage to a linear path, the distal pivot point near a distal end of the connecting linkage. A result being that the sample vial undergoes a combination of rotational and linear motion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, apparatuses, and methods for grinding of samples. A method includes securing a sample vial in a holder attached to a connecting linkage, the sample vial having a grinding media in the sample vial. The method includes rotating a crank that is operatively coupled to a proximal end of the connecting linkage at a proximal pivot point so that the proximal pivot point undergoes rotational motion. The method includes restricting a distal pivot point of the connecting linkage to a linear path, the distal pivot point near a distal end of the connecting linkage. A result being that the sample vial undergoes a combination of rotational and linear motion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, apparatuses, and methods for generating a reciprocating motion for the purpose of grinding or homogenizing samples. An apparatus includes a connecting linkage that extends along a longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes a sample vial holder attached to the connecting linkage. The apparatus includes a crank operatively connected to the proximal end of the connecting linkage, the crank configured to impart rotational motion to the proximal end of the connecting linkage. The apparatus includes a sliding carriage operatively connected to the distal end of the connecting linkage, the sliding carriage configured to restrict the distal end of the connecting linkage to a linear path. The apparatus includes a motor operatively connected to the crank to rotate the crank such that the sample vial holder, in use, moves with a combination of rotational and linear motion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, apparatuses, and methods for grinding of samples. A method includes securing a sample vial in a holder attached to a connecting linkage, the sample vial having a grinding media in the sample vial. The method includes rotating a crank that is operatively coupled to a proximal end of the connecting linkage at a proximal pivot point so that the proximal pivot point undergoes rotational motion. The method includes restricting a distal pivot point of the connecting linkage to a linear path, the distal pivot point near a distal end of the connecting linkage. A result being that the sample vial undergoes a combination of rotational and linear motion.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices, apparatuses, and methods for generating a reciprocating motion for the purpose of grinding or homogenizing samples. An apparatus includes a connecting linkage that extends along a longitudinal axis. The apparatus includes a sample vial holder attached to the connecting linkage. The apparatus includes a crank operatively connected to the proximal end of the connecting linkage, the crank configured to impart rotational motion to the proximal end of the connecting linkage. The apparatus includes a sliding carriage operatively connected to the distal end of the connecting linkage, the sliding carriage configured to restrict the distal end of the connecting linkage to a linear path. The apparatus includes a motor operatively connected to the crank to rotate the crank such that the sample vial holder, in use, moves with a combination of rotational and linear motion.

Abstract: This invention is directed to a sample preparation apparatus for grinding or homogenizing test samples. More specifically, but without restriction to the particular embodiments hereinafter described in accordance with the best mode of practice, this invention relates to a reciprocating apparatus based upon a slider-crank mechanism for grinding or homogenizing of a sample within a sample vial attached to an oscillating connecting linkage that has an amplitude of oscillatory motion equal to or greater than the length of the sample processing chamber.

Abstract: A rotary analytical device for use with a reagent cartridge. The cartridge may have a housing, an axis, analysis chambers spaced from and located circumferentially about the axis, and a magnetically movable element located in and movable within each analysis chamber to mix fluid in the analysis chamber. The rotary analytical device may have a housing with a cavity having an axis, an impeller extending into the cavity and rotatable about the axis to receive and rotate the cartridge, a motor to rotate the impeller, at least one magnetic element near the cavity and offset from the axis, a light source in the housing to direct a beam of light into the cavity and through the analysis chamber of the cartridge, and a light sensor to receive light from the analysis chamber.

Abstract: An analytical cartridge and a rotary analytical device with which the cartridge cooperates. The cartridge may have a housing, an axis, analysis chambers spaced from and located circumferentially about the axis, and a magnetically movable element located in and movable within each analysis chamber to mix fluid in the analysis chamber. The rotary analytical device may have a housing with a cavity having an axis, an impeller extending into the cavity and rotatable about the axis to receive and rotate the cartridge, a motor to rotate the impeller, at least one magnetic element near the cavity and offset from the axis, a light source in the housing to direct a beam of light into the cavity and through the analysis chamber of the cartridge, and a light sensor to receive light from the analysis chamber.

Abstract: An analytical cartridge and a rotary analytical device with which the cartridge cooperates. The cartridge may have a housing, an axis, analysis chambers spaced from and located circumferentially about the axis, and a magnetically movable element located in and movable within each analysis chamber to mix fluid in the analysis chamber. The rotary analytical device may have a housing with a cavity having an axis, an impeller extending into the cavity and rotatable about the axis to receive and rotate the cartridge, a motor to rotate the impeller, at least one magnetic element near the cavity and offset from the axis, a light source in the housing to direct a beam of hat into the cavity and through the analysis chamber of the cartridge, and a light sensor to receive light from the analysis chamber.

Abstract: Methods and devices using a co-radial arrangement of serial siphon structures composed of siphon valves each separated by a capillary valve to save radial space in a fluidic system. Such serial siphon valves allow to sequentially distribute liquids in a fluidic system upon application of successive centripetal accelerations and decelerations applied to a rotary platform.

Abstract: A microfluidic system for processing a sample includes a microfluidic CD in the form a rotatable disc, the disc containing a plurality of separate lysis chambers therein. A magnetic lysis blade and lysis beads are disposed in each of the lysis chambers and a plurality of stationary magnets are disposed adjacent to and separate from the microfluidic CD. The stationary magnets are configured to magnetically interact with each of the magnetic lysis blades upon rotation of the microfluidic CD. Each lysis chamber may have its own separate sample inlet port or, alternatively, the lysis chambers may be connected to one another with a single inlet port coupled to one of the lysis chambers. Downstream processing may include nucleic acid amplification using thermoelectric heating as well as detection using a nucleic acid microarray.