Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating carbon nanostructures by low voltage near-field electromechanical spinning (LV-NFEMS). Processes described herein can produce ˜2-5 nm carbon nanowires with ultrahigh electrical conductivity using top-down and controlled reductive techniques from a polymer. Configurations are also provided to allow for deposition control and fiber elongation/alignment. One embodiment uses a low voltage near-field electromechanical spinning process to produce a polymer fiber from a polymer solution. Another embodiment of the method uses pyrolysis to convert the produced polymer fiber into a ˜2-5 nm carbon nanowire. System configurations provide advancements in polymer droplet control and control of a sustained jet of polymer solution with the use low voltages. Systems and processes described herein can include use of an array of polymer precursor nanofibers suspended onto a silicon substrate and converted to carbon nanowires.

Abstract: There is described a system for growing a microorganism in liquid culture, the system comprising: a driving apparatus configured to house and oscillate a microfluidic cartridge; and a microfluidic cartridge comprising at least one incubation chamber, such that when the system is in use, the incubation chamber may be oscillated back and forth along an oscillation path using a preferred oscillation protocol. There is also described a method of growing a microorganism in liquid culture, the method comprising disposing a microorganism and suitable growth medium into an incubation chamber; and mixing the microorganism and growth medium by oscillating the incubation chamber back and forth along an oscillation path using a preferred oscillation protocol. There is also described a microfluidic cartridge that may be used to grow microorganisms using the system and methods described above.

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 present invention is directed to a recirculation system for use in microfluidic centrifugal disc platforms for reusing and mixing an entire sample. The present invention features a system comprising a reservoir, an input channel, a detection array, a pressure chamber, and a recirculation channel connecting the pressure chamber to the reservoir. The recirculation channel may have a resistance lower than the channel upstream resistance. When the CD platform spins at a high RPM, the liquid may be directed from the reservoir into the pressure chamber. When the RPM of the CD platform decreases rapidly, the liquid may be from the pressure chamber through the channel and through the recirculation channel to the reservoir, such that the liquid travels through the recirculation channel faster than the liquid travels through the channel.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to an apparatus and method of fabricating a sealed storage system for environmentally sensitive aqueous materials with liquid flow control and on-demand distribution. The present invention features a sealed storage apparatus capable of compactly containing a liquid reagent with liquid control capabilities. The apparatus may comprise a liquid-impermeable, air-impermeable, resistant to force-induced tearing pouch body capable of being penetrated through the application of a laser. The apparatus may further comprise a pouch cavity disposed within the pouch body for holding the liquid reagent. The apparatus may further comprise a liquid-impermeable, air-impermeable, and resistant to force-induced tearing sealing adhesive disposed over the pouch cavity to seal the liquid reagent within the pouch body capable of being penetrated through the application of the laser.

Abstract: The illustrated embodiments of the invention include an automated method of assaying a viral and antibody analyte in a sample in a portable, handheld microfluidic reader having a SAW detector with a minimal mass sensitivity limitation. The automated method includes the steps of automatically performing the assay with the SAW detector with enhanced sensitivity as in Optikus I, but also includes the steps of automatically disposing a second portion of the sample on a microarray, selectively automatically probing the second portion of the sample for antibodies corresponding to the at least one selected virus using the microarray, and automatically reading the microarray using a fluorescent camera to identify antibodies in the second portion of the sample.

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: The illustrated embodiments of the invention include an automated method of assaying a viral and antibody analyte in a sample in a portable, handheld microfluidic reader having a SAW detector with a minimal mass sensitivity limitation. The automated method includes the steps of automatically performing the assay with the SAW detector with enhanced sensitivity as in Optikus I, but also includes the steps of automatically disposing a second portion of the sample on a microarray, selectively automatically probing the second portion of the sample for antibodies corresponding to the at least one selected virus using the microarray, and automatically reading the microarray using a fluorescent camera to identify antibodies in the second portion of the sample.

Abstract: A portable pathogen analysis system (PPAS) designed to detect microbial pathogens at the point-of-sample collection. The system comprises a concentration tube used for the concentration of microbes in large volumes of water samples using super absorbent polymer (SAP) beads and a hand-powered centrifuge; and a processing component, which functions as a portable lab-on-a-disc droplet digital nucleic acid amplification system, which integrates DNA extraction, nucleic acid amplification, and post-amplicon analysis in a single unit. The present invention provides a fast, cost-effective, and user-friendly solution for microbial water quality analysis in low-resource settings.

Abstract: Systems and methods are provided for fabricating carbon nanostructures by low voltage near-field electromechanical spinning (LV-NFEMS). Processes described herein can produce ˜2-5 nm carbon nanowires with ultrahigh electrical conductivity using top-down and controlled reductive techniques from a polymer. Configurations are also provided to allow for deposition control and fiber elongation/alignment. One embodiment uses a low voltage near-field electromechanical spinning process to produce a polymer fiber from a polymer solution. Another embodiment of the method uses pyrolysis to convert the produced polymer fiber into a ˜2-5 nm carbon nanowire. System configurations provide advancements in polymer droplet control and control of a sustained jet of polymer solution with the use low voltages. Systems and processes described herein can include use of an array of polymer precursor nanofibers suspended onto a silicon substrate and converted to carbon nanowires.

Abstract: There is described a system for growing a microorganism in liquid culture, the system comprising: a driving apparatus configured to house and oscillate a microfluidic cartridge; and a microfluidic cartridge comprising at least one incubation chamber, such that when the system is in use, the incubation chamber may be oscillated back and forth along an oscillation path using a preferred oscillation protocol. There is also described a method of growing a microorganism in liquid culture, the method comprising disposing a microorganism and suitable growth medium into an incubation chamber; and mixing the microorganism and growth medium by oscillating the incubation chamber back and forth along an oscillation path using a preferred oscillation protocol. There is also described a microfluidic cartridge that may be used to grow microorganisms using the system and methods described above.

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 portable pathogen analysis system (PPAS) designed to detect microbial pathogens at the point-of-sample collection. The system comprises a concentration tube used for the concentration of microbes in large volumes of water samples using super absorbent polymer (SAP) beads and a hand-powered centrifuge; and a processing component, which functions as a portable lab-on-a-disc droplet digital nucleic acid amplification system, which integrates DNA extraction, nucleic acid amplification, and post-amplicon analysis in a single unit. The present invention provides a fast, cost-effective, and user-friendly solution for microbial water quality analysis in low-resource settings.

Abstract: Disclosed herein are devices comprising a solid state gas sensor comprising a catalyst and a detection component capable of sensing halogenated gases through an increase or decrease in electrical conductivity. Further disclosed herein are methods of detecting one or more halogenated organic compounds, comprising providing a device comprising a solid state gas sensor comprising a catalyst and a detection component capable of sensing halogenated gases through an increase or decrease in electrical conductivity, and using the device to detect one or more small solid state halogenated organic compounds. Also disclosed herein are various methods of treating asthma in an individual.

Abstract: A microfluidic device, a microfluidic system and a method for controlling a microfluidic test device are provided.

Abstract: A CD-based device for separating plasma from whole blood includes a substrate, a sedimentation chamber disposed in the substrate, and a collection chamber disposed in the substrate and in fluidic communication with the sedimentation chamber through a siphon channel. The sedimentation chamber includes a plurality of finger-like structures disposed along a radially outward edge of the sedimentation chamber, and protruding radially inward relative to the axis of rotation of the substrate. A method for separating plasma from whole blood using the CD-based device includes introducing a blood sample into the sedimentation chamber, rotating the substrate about an axis of rotation at a first rotational speed to separate the plasma from blood cells, and rotating the substrate about the axis of rotation at a second rotational speed, which is lower than the first rotational speed, to move the plasma from the sedimentation chamber into the collection chamber.

Abstract: A nano power cell and method of use are described wherein the nano power cell absorbs electromagnetic energy is nano particles in an optical fluid that flow in microchannels of the nano power cell.

Abstract: A microfluidic device, a microfluidic system and a method for controlling a microfluidic test device are provided.

Abstract: An electrospinning method includes providing a nozzle fluidically coupled to a source of polymer ink and providing a substrate adjacent to the nozzle. A first voltage is applied to the nozzle to initiate electrospinning of the polymer ink onto the substrate, wherein the first voltage is within the range of about 400V to about 1000V. The voltage is then reduced to a second, lower voltage wherein the voltage is within the range of about 600V to about 150V.