A specimen extraction kit includes a flexible tubular container configured to contain an extraction liquid, two holding portions opposed to each other and arranged at opposite sides of the tubular container, a coupling portion that couples the opposing holding portions, and a bending rib arranged on each of the opposing holding portions and configured to bend the tubular container and an extraction subject.

Apparatus for distributing a solid, gel, powder, granular, liquid or viscous liquid test substance in an extraction fluid comprises: a) a flow cell for holding the test substance comprising an extraction chamber of uniform cross-sectional area, a grinding surface, an extraction fluid inlet and an extract outlet; b) a grinding head disposed within the extraction chamber and adapted to reciprocate therein; and c) a recirculating pump for driving extraction fluid: (i) into the flow cell via the extraction fluid inlet; (ii) through the extraction chamber; and (iii) back to the flow cell via the extract outlet.

A cross-contamination free and efficient laboratory sample grinder is disclosed which includes: a first housing unit having a plurality of pestle ejecting pins arranged in a fixed position, a second housing unit containing a planetary gear system connected to operate an array of mortars and pestles, and a third housing unit containing a single motor and controllers; when the first housing unit is in lock position with the second housing unit, and a third housing unit containing a single motor and controllers. The first housing unit, the second housing unit, and the third housing unit are geometrically configured and dimensioned so that when they are stacked on top of one another they are in lock position and consequently the array of pestle ejecting pins are lined up with the plurality of pestle ejecting pins.

A solution for extracting substantially pure RNA from a biological sample is disclosed. The solution for extracting RNA from a biological sample containing RNA and at least DNA comprises: (a) phenol in an amount of more than 50% by volume based on the total amount of the solution; (b) a polyol in an amount of 3 to 10% by volume based on the total amount of the solution; (c) a guanidinium salt at a concentration of 0.5 to 2.0 M based on the total amount of the solution; (d) a thiocyanate at a concentration of 0.1 to 0.5 M based on the total amount of the solution; and (e) a buffer for maintaining the pH of the solution at 4 to 6.

An example system to monitor lab equipment includes: lab devices configured to perform sectioning, grinding, mounting, polishing, imaging, and/or hardness testing, of specimens; and an equipment monitoring system configured to: receive the data from the lab devices, the data comprising identifiers of the lab devices, operating statuses of the lab devices, current operating cycle information for the lab devices, error codes, and parameters of the operating cycles performed by the lab devices, wherein the lab devices are configured to transmit the data to the equipment monitoring system via a network; based on the error codes, output operator-readable information associated with the lab devices from which the error codes were received; and in response to at least one of the operating statuses, the current operating cycle information, the error codes, or the parameters satisfying an event definition, output an operator-readable notification identifying an operator action item based on the event definition.

A device and method for lysing biological species present in a fluid includes implementing a rough surface against which the objects to be lysed are crushed by a shearing motion. A device for mechanically lysing biological species has a first and second wall mounted movable relative to each other, between an initial position in which the walls are separated from each other, and a lysing position in which the first wall presses against the second wall. The first and second walls also are mounted shearingly movable relative to each other in the lysing position. At least one of the first or second walls has a rough bearing surface against the other wall and has a mean surface roughness parameter Ra of between 0.2 μm and 10 μm, and preferably between 0.2 μm and 3 μm.

A method for preparing a sample by utilizing a shearing force in the presence of a size stabilizer to break apart the sample to obtain nucleic acid molecules in a usable size range. Once nucleic acid molecules are obtained, magnetic nanoparticles are used to concentrate and clean the nucleic acid molecules for further testing.

The invention relates to methods of extracting DNA from seeds, said method comprising pretreating said seeds by soaking the seeds in a pretreatment solution comprising an alkali in a concentration sufficient to soften said seed; crushing said seeds; extracting said DNA from said crushed seeds. Methods also relate to the use of pretreatment solutions which further comprise an osmoticum. A method of fragmenting plant material such as seed, a method of recovering extraction medium from seed fragmentation and a process of extracting a seed component from crushed seed material are also described.

A device for analyzing a biological sample which includes a separation and detection chamber into which an injection channel and a discharge channel open, a filter separating the chamber into two distinct spaces so as to define a first space into which the injection channel opens and a second space into which the discharge channel opens, the filter having a porosity suitable for the separation to be carried out, a rough bearing surface having a surface roughness parameter suitable for carrying out a mechanical lysis of the biological species present in the sample, the bearing surface being arranged in the first space, a flexible membrane arranged opposite the rough bearing surface relative to the filter and blocking an opening made through the housing.

A unit for grinding biological samples, comprising a grinding device including at least two tubes having different volumes, suitable for being mounted on a support of the grinding device, each tube comprising an inner space having a height (h) along the axis of the corresponding tube, and being intended to contain samples to be ground, means for driving the support in a precession movement, the support having an axis the position of which varies by describing a cone, each tube being subjected to a movement (d) defined by the projection, onto the axis of said cone, of the distance between the extreme positions of a same point of the tube during the precession movement.