Environmentally-friendly, aqueous concentrated reagent compositions are provided for dilution and use in suitable hematology analyzers for analyzing blood cells including for enumeration and sizing of blood cells, determination of hemoglobin parameters and differentiation of leukocyte subpopulations in a single blood cell sample.

A system for detecting analytes in a test sample, and a method for processing the same, is provided. The system includes a cartridge reader unit that has a control unit and a pneumatic system, and a cartridge assembly that prepares the samples with mixing material(s) through communication channels. The assembly has a memory chip with parameters for preparing the sample and at least one sensor (GMR sensor) for detecting analytes in the sample. The assembly is pneumatically and electronically mated with the reader unit via a pneumatic interface and an electronic interface such that the parameters may be implemented via the control unit. The pneumatic system is contained within the unit and has pump(s) and valve(s) for selectively applying fluid pressure to the pneumatic interface of the assembly, and thus through the communication channels, to move the sample and mixing material(s) through and to sensor. The control unit activates the pneumatic system to prepare the sample and provide it to the sensor for detecting analytes, and also processes measurements from the sensor to generate test results.

A system for detecting analytes in a test sample, and a method for processing the same, is provided. The system includes a cartridge reader unit that has a control unit and a pneumatic system, and a cartridge assembly that prepares the samples with mixing material(s) through communication channels. The assembly has a memory chip with parameters for preparing the sample and at least one sensor (GMR sensor) for detecting analytes in the sample. The assembly is pneumatically and electronically mated with the reader unit via a pneumatic interface and an electronic interface such that the parameters may be implemented via the control unit. The pneumatic system is contained within the unit and has pump(s) and valve(s) for selectively applying fluid pressure to the pneumatic interface of the assembly, and thus through the communication channels, to move the sample and mixing material(s) through and to sensor. The control unit activates the pneumatic system to prepare the sample and provide it to the sensor for detecting analytes, and also processes measurements from the sensor to generate test results.

Embodiments of a compact portable nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) device are described which generally include a housing that provides a magnetic shield; an axisymmetric permanent magnet assembly in the housing and having a bore, a plurality of magnetic elements that together provide a well confined axisymmetric magnetization for generating a near-homogenous magnetic dipole field B.sub.0 directed along a longitudinal axis and providing a sample cavity for receiving a sample, and high magnetic permeability soft steel poles to improve field uniformity: a shimming assembly with coils disposed at the longitudinal axis for spatially correcting the near homogenous magnetic field B.sub.0; and a spectrometer having a control unit for measuring a metabolite in the sample by applying magnetic stimulus pulses to the sample, measuring free induction delay signals generated by an ensemble of hydrogen protons within the sample; and suppressing a water signal by using a dephasing gradient with frequency selective suppression.

A biosensor detector device is disclosed suitable for use in measuring membrane fluidity or membrane permeability. The biosensor detector device is formed of a solid substrate having a lipid bilayer compatible surface, a multi-lamellar lipid membrane structure derived from a biological cell and localized on the lipid bilayer compatible surface, an aqueous layer interposed between each lipid bilayer of the multi-lamellar lipid membrane structure. The biological membrane is derived from human red blood cells and localized on the lipid bilayer compatible surface. An electrode forming all or part of the lipid bilayer compatible surface may be used to detect disruptions in the multi-lamellar lipid membrane structure and hemolytic activity in a test sample.

A biosensor detector device is disclosed suitable for use in measuring membrane fluidity or membrane permeability. The biosensor detector device is formed of a solid substrate having a lipid bilayer compatible surface, a multi-lamellar lipid membrane structure derived from a biological cell and localized on the lipid bilayer compatible surface, an aqueous layer interposed between each lipid bilayer of the multi-lamellar lipid membrane structure. The biological membrane is derived from human red blood cells and localized on the lipid bilayer compatible surface. An electrode forming all or part of the lipid bilayer compatible surface may be used to detect disruptions in the multi-lamellar lipid membrane structure and hemolytic activity in a test sample.

A method for measuring concentrations of blood cell components is provided. The method comprises: obtaining a blood sample from a subject, the blood sample comprising at least one of red blood cells (RBCs), white blood cells (WBCs), and platelets (PLTs); mixing the blood sample with a non-lysing aqueous solution to form a sample mixture comprising a predetermined tonicity; passing the sample mixture through a flow cell; emitting light towards the flow cell; measuring at least one of an amount of light absorbed by the RBCs to obtain an RBC absorption value, an amount of light scattered by WBCs to obtain a WBC scatter value, and an amount of light scattered by PLTs to obtain a PLT scatter value; and determining a concentration of at least one of the RBCs, WBCs, and PLTs present in the sample mixture.

The invention is concerned with methods for producing a useful and highly uniform optical component which is useful in the construction of an optical sensor. Also discussed are the optical component itself, an optical sensor comprising the optical component, a process for producing the optical sensor and a process for detecting and/or quantifying the amount of an analyte in a sample using the optical sensor.

The invention is concerned with methods for producing a useful and highly uniform optical component which is useful in the construction of an optical sensor. Also discussed are the optical component itself, an optical sensor comprising the optical component, a process for producing the optical sensor and a process for detecting and/or quantifying the amount of an analyte in a sample using the optical sensor.

Aspects of the present disclosure include methods and systems for automated analysis of clinical fluid samples, such as urine, blood, or cerebral spinal fluid, where the number of fluid samples in increased or optimized without negatively impacting the accuracy of the analysis of a given fluid sample.