The capabilities of using gold nanoparticle as surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) substrate to obtain cervical smear harvested cells biochemical information for non-invasive cervical precancerous detection were presented in this patent document. A SERS reagent and a platform has been developed and optimized for the generation of a differential spectral fingerprinting for cervical cancer detection. SERS measurements were performed on three group's cervical exfoliated cell samples: one group from patients (n=36) with pathologically confirmed cervical cancer and another group with high-grade squamous intraepithelial lesion (HSIL) (n=41) and the last group from healthy volunteers (control subjects, n=47). Tentative assignments of the Raman bands in the measured SERS spectra suggested interesting cancer specific biomolecular changes, including an increase in the relative amounts of amino acids, nucleic acid, carotenoid contents in the cell samples of cervical cancer patients as compared to that of healthy subjects. The results from this study demonstrated that gold nanoparticle based SERS substrate harvested exfoliated cervical smear cell analysis has tremendous potential for the non-invasive detection of cervical precancerous lesions.

A method and device performing the method for estimation of cell count, such as sperm cell count, is disclosed. The device may be a kit including a cartridge configured to hold fluid, such as seminal fluid, and an instrument configured to centrifuge the cartridge. The cartridge and instrument are configured such that, during operation or centrifugation, they are securely attached to each other. The cartridge has a component with a defined cross-sectional volume. The defined cross-sectional volume is used to mark the component with markings, allowing a user of the device to read the markings and estimate cell volume and, thus, concentration. Various embodiments of the device are disclosed.

Bodily fluid sample collection systems, devices, and method are provided. The sample is collected at a first location and subjected to a first sample processing step. The sample may be shipped to a second location and subjected to a second sample processing step that does not introduce contaminants into a plasma portion of the sample formed from the first processing step. The sample may also be mixed with other material(s) in the collection device.

Multi-component separation devices configured to separate components of a liquid sample by centrifugation are provided. Aspects of the separation devices include a container having a distal end and a proximal end and a buoy configured to be displaced along a longitudinal axis within the container where the buoy includes one or more sealed chambers. Also provided are methods of using the subject devices to separate components of a multi-component liquid sample such as whole blood, bone marrow aspirate or stromal vascular fraction as well as systems suitable for practicing the subject methods.

Disclosed are methods, materials and devices for approximation of blood volume in a fluid, such as in a biological fluid collected during a surgical procedure. The method and devices include the use of a RBC flocculant, such as polyDADMAC, and an approximate blood hematocrit for the type of animal, as well as a calculated RBC packing ratio corresponding to the collection device being used. Also provided is a Blood Indicator Panel (BIP), comprising a series of markings calculated from an observed red blood settlement volume, the average animal type hematocrit, and a calculated RBC packing ratio “η” value for the collection device. Pediatric (about 200 ml or 250 ml size container), adult human (about 1,000 ml-1,500 ml) and veterinary (about 500 ml-2,500 ml) collection containers are also disclosed, that include a RBC flocculant, for use in approximating blood volume in a fluid.

The sample preparation apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to measure a sample containing particles and detect measurement target particles in the sample, a sample preparation unit capable of adjusting the concentration of measurement target particles in a sample and configured to prepare a measurement sample by mixing a sample and a plurality of types of particle detection reagents, and a control unit configured to generate concentration information of the measurement target particles in the sample based on the measurement data of the measurement unit and adjust the concentration of the measurement target particles in the sample according to the generated concentration information and the type of particle detection reagent.

To provide a device for concentration and separation of circulating tumor cells, capable of recovering circulating tumor cells in a blood-derived specimen simply, at a high recovery rate, and with low invasion of the tumor cells. A device for concentration and separation of circulating tumor cells present in a blood-derived specimen, in which a cell separating agent with thixotropic property having a specific gravity ranging from 1.050 to 1.080 and enabling the separation of tumor cells and blood cells other than the tumor cells by a centrifugal operation is housed in a bottomed tube-shaped container closed at one end and opened at the other end.

A method and system for processing particles contained in a liquid biological sample is presented. The method uses a rotatable vessel for processing particles contained in a liquid biological sample. The rotatable vessel has a longitudinal axis about which the vessel is rotatable, an upper portion having a top opening for receiving the liquid containing the particles, a lower portion for holding the liquid while the rotatable vessel is resting, the lower portion having a bottom, and an intermediate portion located between the upper portion and the lower portion, the intermediate portion having a lateral collection chamber for holding the liquid while the rotatable vessel is rotating. The method employs dedicated acceleration and deceleration profiles for sedimentation and re-suspension of the particles of interest.

The present invention relates to methods for diagnosing Respiratory Distress Syndrome of newborn.

A mechanical separator for separating a fluid sample into first and second phases within a collection container is disclosed. The mechanical separator may have a separator body having a through-hole defined therein, with the through-hole adapted for allowing fluid to pass therethrough. The separator body includes a float, having a first density, and a ballast, having a second density greater than the first density. A portion of the float is connected to a portion of the ballast. Optionally, the float may include a first extended tab adjacent a first opening of the through-hole and a second extended tab adjacent the second opening of the through-hole. In certain configurations, the separator body also includes an extended tab band disposed about an outer surface of the float. The separator body may also include an engagement band circumferentially disposed about at least a portion of the separator body.