Abstract: This acquisition device for acquiring an image of a sample comprises: a receiving support for receiving the sample, the receiving support having a transparent surface, and an image sensor, configured for acquiring an image of the sample, the image sensor being disposed in front of said transparent surface. The acquisition device furthermore comprises a heating module for heating the receiving support, a temperature sensor configured for measuring a temperature of the receiving support and a regulating unit for regulating the heating of the receiving support, based on the temperature measured by the temperature sensor.

Abstract: A microfluidic valve including a microchannel, a membrane arranged so as to seal off the microchannel and equipped with resistive units, characterized in that at least one face of the membrane includes at least one groove, and in that the resistive units are arranged in the groove and are capable, when an electric control current flows through them, of expanding sufficiently under the effect of the heat produced by the flow of the electric current to cause the rupture of at least one part of the membrane.

Abstract: This method for estimating the quantity of an analyte contained in a liquid includes the following steps: introducing the liquid into a fluid chamber; mixing the liquid with a bi-specific reagent, the bi-specific reagent being configured for grafting on both a particle and an analyte present in the liquid; lighting the fluid chamber using an excitation beam emitted by a light source, the beam extending through the fluid chamber; acquiring at least one image using a matrix photodetector, the image being formed by radiation transmitted by the lighted fluid chamber; and estimating, from at least one acquired image, the quantity of said analyte in the liquid.

Abstract: Disclosed herein is a device for sampling blood by capillarity for separating a plasma phase of the blood from the cell phase. The device is a strip and includes a filter having a membrane with no clumping agents, a prefilter for spreading blood over the surface of the membrane; and an absorbent paper downstream from the filter. The membrane is dimensioned to cover only a part of the surface of the prefilter and the migration of blood by capillarity within the prefilter takes place essentially lengthwise relative to the strip before blood comes into contact with the membrane.

Abstract: This method for observing at least one object is applied by means of an imaging system. It includes the following steps: illuminating the object(s), with a light source, acquiring, by means of a photodetector array, a diffraction pattern, the diffraction pattern corresponding to an image of the waves diffracted by the object(s) when they are illuminated along an illumination direction, the object(s) such as biological entities, being positioned between the light source and the photodetector array along the illumination direction. The method further comprises, prior to the illumination step, addition of at least one marker in contact with the object(s), said or each marker being adapted to bind onto a corresponding object, the binding of said marker onto said object being adapted for increasing at least one characteristic quantity from among the absorption and the optical phase shift of said object.

Abstract: A method for dividing an analyte present in a solution and that is fixed on magnetic particles, and devices to be used in the method and systems for implementing the method. The method includes sedimentation of the magnetic particles together with separation into a plurality of residues. One implementation: forms at least a residue of magnetic particles in a first receptacle; and displaces the at least the residues towards a plurality of second receptacles, preferably by relative translation of a magnetic system. The second receptacle is connected to the first receptacle through a fluid channel.

Abstract: Gluing process for micro-structured substrates. The invention is applicable particularly to the fabrication of micro-fluidic components. In order to glue a micro-structured substrate having upper coplanar plane areas and recesses between them, a grid is placed above the substrate, the grid is coated with a glue, using a tool that presses on the grid and locally brings it into contact with the areas, so as to deposit a film of glue droplets on them, and the grid is removed. Furthermore, the upper coplanar plane areas are treated before the film of glue droplets is deposited, this treatment being designed to adapt wettability of these areas to the glue.

Abstract: A device for interconnecting a card including at least one first fluid channel, emerging from a connection side parallel to a support side, the interconnection device including: a first surface configured to receive the support side of the card; a second surface parallel to the first surface, from which a second fluid channel emerges; and a mechanism to hold the card in place, configured to hold a connection side of the card pressed against the second surface of the device, such that first fluid channel is in fluid connection with the second fluid channel.

Abstract: The method according to the invention is capable of characterizing a variation in the speed of particles or agglomeration of particles, the particles, such as blood particles, being contained in a liquid (12). The characterization method includes the following steps: introducing the liquid (12) into a fluid chamber (14); lighting the fluid chamber (14) using an excitation laser beam (18) emitted by a light source (16), the laser beam (18) extending through the fluid chamber (14) in a longitudinal direction (X); acquiring at least one image using a matrix photodetector (20), the image being formed by radiation transmitted by the lighted fluid chamber (14); and calculating, from at least one acquired image, at least one indicator characterizing the variation of the speed or agglomeration of the particles. During the acquisition step, the photodetector (20) is positioned at a distance (D2) smaller than 1 cm from the fluid chamber (14) in the longitudinal direction (X).

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assaying catalytic plasma enzymes, such as transaminases and NADH-dependent enzymes, in a sample of whole blood, by measuring, in a microfluidic chamber, the decrease in the fluorescence of NADH consumed during the enzymatic reactions catalyzed by the NADH-dependent enzymes.

Abstract: Device for extracting particles from exhaled breath, comprising a cooling system (16) for creating droplets by condensation of the water vapor contained in the exhaled breath; a droplet recovery unit (7) provided with a side wall (2) having a grid form and converging towards an outlet opening (9), allowing the droplets attracted towards said side wall (2) to flow along the latter towards the outlet opening (9); and a discharge electrode (1) mounted inside the droplet recovery unit (7), said side wall (2) of said droplet recovery unit (7) defining a counter electrode to said discharge electrode (1) in order to attract droplet-collecting particles carried by exhaled breath towards said side wall (2).

Abstract: The method for controlling the progression of a fluid, from upstream to downstream, in a microfluidic component comprising for example a plurality of microchannels each comprising a plurality of successive reaction or detection zones and a plurality of passive valves, controls the progression of the fluid in the microchannels by controlling the increase of a pressure difference between upstream and downstream of the component. The method controls the pressure difference increase discontinuously in the form of enabling pulses so as in particular to synchronize passing of the corresponding passive valves of the microchannels. The pressure difference is advantageously adjusted to a zero value between two successive enabling pulses.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a biological analysis device including: means for circulating a fluid to be analyzed, comprising a fluidic chamber, optical detection means based on a semiconductor, including a detection front face, a rear face and pads of electrical contacts located on this rear face.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for assaying catalytic plasma enzymes, such as transaminases and NADH-dependent enzymes, in a sample of whole blood, by measuring, in a microfluidic chamber, the decrease in the fluorescence of NADH consumed during the enzymatic reactions catalyzed by the NADH-dependent enzymes.

Abstract: A biochip, and a device for reading the biochip, the biochip including a plurality of molecular recognition areas distributed with a determined layout to create a format of molecular recognition areas and a mechanism for making optical position marks for each molecular recognition area, distributed with a determined layout to form an optical format. The optical format and the format of recognition areas are formats produced independently of each other. A mechanism is provided determining the relative position of the two formats being provided on the biochip.

Abstract: The invention relates to a device for taking blood by capillarity and incorporating a filter and downstream therefrom, an absorbent material for separating a plasma phase of the blood from a cell phase. The device is characterized in that the filter comprises in succession: a prefilter (6) for spreading the blood over the surface of a first membrane (2) having pores of dimension lying in the range 0.1 ?m to 5 ?m, said membrane having no clumping agent; and said first membrane (2).

Abstract: The present invention relates especially to a process for the localized distribution of drops of a liquid of interest on an active surface. The process comprises the following steps: an introduction of liquid of interest into a box containing the said active surface, and an extraction of liquid of interest from the said box, the said active surface and also the other surfaces inside the box being substantially non-wetting with respect to the liquid of interest, with the exception of several uptake areas localized on the said active surface, which are each suitable for taking up a drop of liquid of interest. The uptake areas may surround working areas. The present invention also relates to processes for the electrochemical and optical detection of at least one analyte in a liquid of interest, and to an electropolymerization process.

Abstract: The invention relates to a microfluidic valve (10) comprising a microchannel (30), a membrane (40) arranged so as to seal off said microchannel (30) and equipped with resistive means (60). Said resistive means (60) are arranged in a groove (50) formed on one face (41) of the membrane (40) and are capable, when an electric control current flows through them, of expanding sufficiently under the effect of the heat produced by the flow of said electric current to cause the rupture of at least one part of said membrane (40).

Abstract: A method of characterizing the coagulation or sedimentation dynamics of a fluid such as whole blood, a blood fraction, or blood plasma, the method comprising: illuminating a sample of said fluid with a beam of coherent light; acquiring a time series of images of a speckle pattern generated by interaction between said sample and said spatially coherent light beam; and processing said time series of images; wherein said processing step includes calculating a function representative of the variation in said speckle pattern between two or more images of the series. The invention also provides a device for implementing such a method.

Abstract: Device for extracting particles from exhaled breath, comprising a cooling system (16) for creating droplets by condensation of the water vapour contained in the exhaled breath; a droplet recovery unit (7) provided with a side wall (2) having a grid form and converging towards an outlet opening (9), allowing the droplets attracted towards said side wall (2) to flow along the latter towards the outlet opening (9); and a discharge electrode (1) mounted inside the droplet recovery unit (7), said side wall (2) of said droplet recovery unit (7) defining a counter electrode to said discharge electrode (1) in order to attract droplet-collecting particles carried by exhaled breath towards said side wall (2).