Abstract: Methods, materials, and kits for distinguishing a population of cells or organisms truly present in a clinical specimen from contaminating cells or organisms is disclosed. The methods and kits use a suppressor to avoid false positive detection of contaminants in nucleic acid amplification reactions.

Abstract: Methods, materials, and kits for distinguishing a population of cells or organisms truly present in a clinical specimen from contaminating cells or organisms is disclosed. The methods and kits use a suppressor to avoid false positive detection of contaminants in nucleic acid amplification reactions.

Abstract: Methods, materials, and kits for distinguishing a population of cells or organisms truly present in a clinical specimen from contaminating cells or organisms is disclosed. The methods and kits use a suppressor to avoid false positive detection of contaminants in nucleic acid amplification reactions.

Abstract: Methods, materials, and kits for distinguishing a population of cells or organisms truly present in a clinical specimen from contaminating cells or organisms is disclosed. The methods and kits use a suppressor to avoid false positive detection of contaminants in nucleic acid amplification reactions.

Abstract: A slide conditioning system comprises a basin, suitable to retain fluids therein, and a slide carrier having a bidirectional valve formed therein, the slide carrier adapted to carry a plurality of slides therein. A rotor arm is rotatable relative to the basin, the rotor arm being capable of carrying the slide carrier and applying centrifugal forces to the slide carrier as the rotor arm rotates. A fluidics system is also provided and a fluid coupling port is operable to selectively and fluidly mate with the bidirectional valve of the slide carrier while the slide carrier is carried by the rotor arm to fluidly couple the slide carrier to the fluidics system.

Abstract: The present invention provides methods and systems for selectively eluting biological material from a distinct spatial location on a microarray slide. In one aspect, for example, a method for recovering biological material coupled to a microarray slide can include selecting a biological material to be recovered from the microarray slide, finding the biological material within a distinct spatial region on the microarray slide surface, and eluting at least a portion of the selected biological material from the distinct spatial region without eluting substantial amounts of non-selected biological material from regions of the microarray slide that are not within the distinct spatial region.