An article for performing a reaction includes a reagent well having a side wall, a bottom wall and an open upper end. A lyophilized reagent is retained within the well by a non-integral retention feature that is inserted into the open upper end of the well and fixed to a side wall above the reagent. An opening in the retention feature is smaller than the diameter of the reagent, but is sized to permit a pipette tip to be inserted into the well. The retention feature may be a collar fixed to the side wall and may include fingers extending axially into the well. The well and the retention feature may be correspondingly tapered. A method for reconstituting a lyophilized reagent includes the steps of drawing into a pipette tip attached to an automated pipettor an amount of a diluent and dispensing the diluent into the reagent well to thereby reconstitute the lyophilized reagent.

Parallel modules for in-line recharging of sorbent materials using alternate duty cycles for a sorbent cartridge. The sorbent cartridge can have two or more modules contained therein having connectors connecting each of the modules. One or more of the modules can be reusable and the sorbent materials therein can be recharged.

In a flow path chip including a first plate, a second plate joined to the first plate, and a porous body disposed between the first plate and the second plate, the flow path chip having a flow path formed by the first plate and the second plate, wherein the flow path includes a storage portion storing the porous body, the storage portion is defined by a first surface formed by part of a surface of the first plate and a second surface formed by part of a surface of the second plate, at least part of the first surface and at least part of the second surface are each a surface of an easily-deformable layer, and the porous body is sandwiched between the first plate and the second plate in a state that at least part of the easily-deformable layer is deformed.

A parallel assembly of chromatography column modules, the assembly having one common assembly inlet and one common assembly outlet, each column module comprising a bed space filled with chromatography medium and each column module comprises integrated fluid conduits which when the column module is connected with other column modules are adapted to connect the bed space of the column module with the assembly inlet and the assembly outlet, wherein the total length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the assembly inlet to one bed space together with the length and/or volume of the fluid conduit from the same bed space to the assembly outlet is substantially the same for all bed spaces and modules installed in the parallel assembly.

A composition, method and device for the preparation of biological samples for subsequent instrumental analyses, such as GC, GC-MS, LC and LC-MS analysis, using a solid phase extraction (SPE) process is described. Through SPE process alone or an integrated combination of protein precipitation, filtration, and SPE using a hydrophobic zirconia-coated chromatographic media, interfering compounds, such as proteins, glycerides and phosphate-containing compounds, are eliminated from the biological, food, environmental and biotechnology samples, affording an enhanced analyte response during the instrumental analysis.

Aspects of the present disclosure include a solid phase sorbent for preparation of analytical samples. The solid phase sorbent includes particles that are surface modified with an -cyclodextrin moiety. Also provided is a method of reducing matrix effects in an analytical sample. In some embodiments, the method includes contacting a sample comprising a matrix-interfering agent and an analyte with -cyclodextrin modified particles to produce a contacted sample wherein the matrix-interfering agent binds to the -cyclodextrin modified particles; separating the -cyclodextrin modified particles from the contacted sample to produce a matrix-reduced composition; and detecting the analyte in the matrix-reduced composition. Systems for practicing the subject methods are provided that include the subject solid phase sorbent.

A vise for column, for attaching a plug to a column tube of a column for chromatography comprising the column tube and the plug to be attached to one end of the column tube, is provided. The vise comprises a column supporter configured to be able to support a part of the column for chromatography, a main body configured to be connected to the column supporter and extending from the column supporter by a predetermined distance, and a column presser configured to be supported at another end of the main body opposite to one end to which the column supporter is connected, and configured to be movable toward and away from the column supporter, and configured to be able to press the plug against the column tube.

In an apparatus for analyzing small number of samples, wasteful consumption of a polymer as a separation Medium is suppressed. The apparatus has a configuration provided with a plurality of capillary units each of which can be attached/detached to/from the apparatus, and performs analysis for capillaries after sealing of a polymer by attaching the capillaries by the number in accordance with the number of samples. Since analysis can be performed by using capillaries by the number identical with that of the samples to be analyzed, wasteful polymer is not used in the capillaries not used for the analysis. In addition, the polymer injection mechanism is unnecessary and the polymer is not necessary for maintenance and upon starting of analysis. An electrophoresis apparatus which is small in the size with no polymer injection mechanism, and with low running cost not wastefully consuming the polymer can be provided.

The present invention relates to a cartridge comprising or consisting of, from top to bottom, the following elements: (a) an inlet; (b) a top volume; (c) at least one optional layer made of a first material; (d) adjacent to (b) or, if present, to (c), at least one layer of chromatographic material; (e) adjacent to (d) at least one layer made of first material; and (f) an outlet; wherein said first material is hydrophobic and porous.

Systems, apparatus, methods, and kits are provided for automated mass spectrometric analysis of small volumes of liquid samples, such as biological samples. The systems, apparatus, and kits may be used in facilities where high throughput of samples, as well as reliable and repeatable assay results with little training of staff, are needed. Such facilities include hospital emergency wards.