When an electric field reversal test is performed using water (W1) containing bubbles (10), in which the bubbles (10) are alternately attracted to an anode and a cathode, the bubbles (10) exhibit a behavior in which the bubbles (10) have charges of opposite signs between a slow filed reversal and a fast field reversal in which the electric field is reversed in a shorter period than in the slow field reversal.

A surface-confined aqueous reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer (SCARAFT) polymerization method was developed to coat capillaries for use in capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE). This coating produced an electroosmotic an order of magnitude lower than that of commercial linear polyacrylamide (LPA)-coated capillaries. Coated capillaries were evaluated for bottom-up proteomic analysis using CZE. The very low electroosmotic mobility results in a 200 min separation and improved single-shot analysis. Various types of coatings were prepared by simply changing the functional vinyl monomers in the polymerization mixture.

The invention relates generally to polymers and copolymers comprising N-vinylamide-type monomers, their preparation, and compositions, such as electrophoresis separation media, containing the same; to supports, such as capillaries, containing these polymers; and methods for separating a mixture of biomolecules, especially polynucleotides, using capillary electrophoresis. Separation media comprising such polymers yield advantageous performance in the analysis and separation of biomolecules by capillary electrophoresis.

A system for assaying a biological sample for a presence of a target analyte includes an assaying device and a computer controller. The assaying device includes a housing, a receptacle disposed in the housing, and a source of activation energy. The receptacle is configured to accept an electrophoresis cell. The electrophoresis cell has a recess area configured to accept a chip configured to accept the biological sample. The chip includes a polymeric separation medium with activatable functional groups that covalently bond to the target analyte when activated. The source of activation energy is configured to supply activation energy to activate the activatable functional groups. The computer controller is operably coupled to the source of activation energy and is configured to activate the source of activation energy to direct an application of activation energy to the polymeric separation medium to activate the activatable functional groups.

A sensing device and a sensing method for operating the same are disclosed. An analytical sample is subjected to an electric field within a sample chamber using at least two electrodes. Initially, a holding voltage is provided such that the analyte in the analytical sample polarizes and diffuses towards one of the electrodes forming an electrode-electrolyte interface. Subsequently, a pulsating sweep voltage is provided across the two electrodes. A current-voltage profile and/or a capacitance-voltage profile of the analytical sample are determined. The analyte is identified and quantified based on the current-voltage profile and capacitance-voltage profile respectively.

The invention relates generally to polymers and copolymers comprising N-vinylamide-type monomers, their preparation, and compositions, such as electrophoresis separation media, containing the same; to supports, such as capillaries, containing these polymers; and methods for separating a mixture of biomolecules, especially polynucleotides, using capillary electrophoresis. Separation media comprising such polymers yield advantageous performance in the analysis and separation of biomolecules by capillary electrophoresis.

A method and device for optically detecting particles (23) have the following features: (a) a cell wall (9) of rectangular cross-section, made of black glass, is fitted on a longitudinal surface and adjoining transverse surface with an L-shaped heating and cooling element (1); (b) the centre of the transverse surface of the cell wall (9) opposite the transverse surface which forms the support of the cell wall (9) is irradiated by an irradiation device and is observed at right angles to the optical axis of the irradiation device by means of an observation device; (c) the focus of the irradiation device and the focus of the observation device can be moved by a motor to any point in the three-dimensional inner region defined by the cell wall (9) by means of a control device; (d) the surface of the cell wall (9) opposite the optical glass window (11) through which the radiation from the irradiation device enters comprises another optical glass window (11) in the centre thereof; (e) the temperature of the surface of the cell wall (9) is monitored by means of two thermistors (8).

The invention relates generally to methods and apparatus for conducting analyses, particularly microfluidic devices for the detection of target analytes.

The invention relates to new methods of controlling the movement of polynucleotides through transmembrane pores. The invention also relates to new methods of characterising target polynucleotides using helicases.