Abstract: A method of performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) on a sample uses a reader device that mounts on a mobile phone having a camera. A microtiter plate containing wells preloaded with the bacteria-containing sample, growth medium, and drugs of differing concentrations is loaded into the reader device. The wells are illuminated using an array of illumination sources contained in the reader device. Images of the wells are acquired with the camera of the mobile phone. In one embodiment, the images are transmitted to a separate computing device for processing to classify each well as turbid or not turbid and generating MIC values and a susceptibility characterization for each drug in the panel based on the turbidity classification of the array of wells. The MIC values and the susceptibility characterizations for each drug are transmitted or returned to the mobile phone for display thereon.

Abstract: A system for detecting the presence of and/or quantifying the amount or concentration of one or more analytes in a sample includes a flow assay cartridge having a multiplexed sensing membrane that has immunoreaction or biological reaction spots of varying conditions spatially arranged across the surface of the membrane defining an optimized spot map. A reader device is provided that uses a camera to image the multiplexed sensing membrane. Image processing software obtains normalized pixel intensity values of the plurality of immunoreaction or biological reaction spots and which are used as inputs to one or more trained neural networks configured to generate one or more outputs that: (i) quantify the amount or concentration of the one or more analytes in the sample; and/or (ii) indicate the presence of the one or more analytes in the sample; and/or (ii) determines a diagnostic decision or classification of the sample.

Abstract: A micro-plate reader for use with a portable electronic device having a camera includes an opto-mechanical attachment configured to attach/detach to the portable electronic device and includes an array of illumination sources. A slot in the opto-mechanical attachment is dimensioned to receive an optically transparent plate containing an array of wells. Optical fibers are located in the opto-mechanical attachment and transmit light from each well to a reduced size header having, wherein the fiber array in the header has a cross-sectional area that is ?10× the cross-sectional area of the wells in the plate. A lens located in the opto-mechanical attachment transmits light from the header fibers to the camera. Software executed on the portable electronic device or other computer is used to process the images to generate qualitative clinical determinations and/or quantitative index values for the separate wells.

Abstract: A multiplexed vertical flow serodiagnostic testing device for diseases such as Lyme disease includes one or more multi-piece cassettes that include vertical stacks of functionalized porous layers therein. A bottom piece of the cassette includes a sensing membrane with a plurality of spatially multiplexed immunoreaction spots or locations. Top pieces are used to deliver sample and/or buffer solutions along with antibody-conjugated nanoparticles for binding with the immunoreaction spots or locations. A colorimetric signal is generated by the nanoparticles captured on the sensing membrane containing disease-specific antigens. The sensing membrane is imaged by a cost-effective portable reader device. The images captured by the reader device are subject to image processing and analysis to generate positive (+) or negative (?) indication for the sample. A concentration of one or more biomarkers may also be generated.

Abstract: A multi-well plate reader device includes an opto-mechanical attachment configured to attach/detach to a portable electronic device having a camera. The reader includes a plurality of excitation illumination sources and a slot that receives a well plate. Excitation and emission filters are incorporated into the housing. Optical fibers are located in the attachment and transmit fluorescent light emitted from the wells of the well plate through an optional lens and into the camera. The optical fibers have an input end adjacent to the wells and an output end formed in a header, wherein, in one embodiment, multiple optical fibers are positioned within a cross-sectional area projection defined by the wells and wherein the output ends of optical fibers are mounted in the header. The pattern of the optical fibers is mapped to individual wells in a calibration operation and stored in a fiber map.

Abstract: A method of performing antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) on a sample uses a reader device that mounts on a mobile phone having a camera. A microtiter plate containing wells preloaded with the bacteria-containing sample, growth medium, and drugs of differing concentrations is loaded into the reader device. The wells are illuminated using an array of illumination sources contained in the reader device. Images of the wells are acquired with the camera of the mobile phone. In one embodiment, the images are transmitted to a separate computing device for processing to classify each well as turbid or not turbid and generating MIC values and a susceptibility characterization for each drug in the panel based on the turbidity classification of the array of wells. The MIC values and the susceptibility characterizations for each drug are transmitted or returned to the mobile phone for display thereon.

Abstract: A fluorescent dye and quencher mixture for reporting on nucleic acid amplification from a sample includes a fluorescent intercalating dye, a dye sequestering or quenching agent such as hydroxynapthol blue (HNB) or caffeine, and primers, dNTPs, and a nucleic acid polymerizing enzyme or fragment thereof. The presence of the dye in combination with the dye sequestering or quenching agent improves the overall dynamic range of the fluorescent signal as well as shortens the time needed for visualization or image capture of amplified nucleic acid. The fluorescent dye and quencher mixture also enables the detection of nucleic acids in samples having low copy numbers.

Abstract: A micro-plate reader for use with a portable electronic device having a camera includes an opto-mechanical attachment configured to attach/detach to the portable electronic device and includes an array of illumination sources. A slot in the opto-mechanical attachment is dimensioned to receive an optically transparent plate containing an array of wells. Optical fibers are located in the opto-mechanical attachment and transmit light from each well to a reduced size header having, wherein the fiber array in the header has a cross-sectional area that is ?10× the cross-sectional area of the wells in the plate. A lens located in the opto-mechanical attachment transmits light from the header fibers to the camera. Software executed on the portable electronic device or other computer is used to process the images to generate qualitative clinical determinations and/or quantitative index values for the separate wells.