Disclosed are a reaction tube for nucleic acid amplification capable of controlling a liquid circulation path, a reaction apparatus for nucleic acid amplification comprising the reaction tube, and a method for amplifying nucleic acid comprising a step of using the reaction tube. Also disclosed are a kit comprising the reaction tube, and use of the reaction tube in preparation of a kit.

A random access, high-throughput system and method for preparing a biological sample for polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing are disclosed. The system includes a nucleic acid isolation/purification apparatus and a PCR apparatus. The nucleic acid isolation/purification apparatus magnetically captures nucleic acid (NA) solids from the biological sample and then suspends the NA in elution buffer solution. The PCR testing apparatus provides multiple cycles of the denaturing, annealing, and elongating thermal cycles. More particularly, the PCR testing apparatus includes a multi-vessel thermal cycler array that has a plurality of single-vessel thermal cyclers that is each individually-thermally-controllable so that adjacent single-vessel thermal cyclers can be heated or cooled to different temperatures corresponding to the different thermal cycles of the respective PCR testing process.

Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids and reactions are provided. Such structures and methods may involve positioning fluid samples, e.g., in the form of droplets, in a carrier fluid (e.g., an oil, which may be immiscible with the fluid sample) in predetermined regions in a microfluidic network. In some embodiments, positioning of the droplets can take place in the order in which they are introduced into the microfluidic network (e.g., sequentially) without significant physical contact between the droplets. Because of the little or no contact between the droplets, there may be little or no coalescence between the droplets. Accordingly, in some such embodiments, surfactants are not required in either the fluid sample or the carrier fluid to prevent coalescence of the droplets. Structures and methods described herein also enable droplets to be removed sequentially from the predetermined regions.

The invention provides a method of thawing a sample comprised in a container, the method comprising the steps of: a) calculating an agitation program as a function of either or both of the sample volume and the type of the container, and the ice fraction in the sample, and optionally the thermal conductivity of the sample container; b) agitating said sample according to the program to agitate at least one region of the sample; and c) changing the agitation program applied to at least one region of the sample in response to changes in the sample volume and/or sample ice fraction. The invention further provides a method of reducing shearing to cells during a method of agitation, and methods for thawing a sample wherein a sample container is differentially heated. An apparatus for use in the methods is also provided, as is an apparatus for thawing and/or cooling a sample which comprises a resilient vessel wall.

A method of fabricating an elastomeric structure, comprising: forming a first elastomeric layer on top of a first micromachined mold, the first micromachined mold having a first raised protrusion which forms a first recess extending along a bottom surface of the first elastomeric layer; forming a second elastomeric layer on top of a second micromachined mold, the second micromachined mold having a second raised protrusion which forms a second recess extending along a bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer; bonding the bottom surface of the second elastomeric layer onto a top surface of the first elastomeric layer such that a control channel forms in the second recess between the first and second elastomeric layers; and positioning the first elastomeric layer on top of a planar substrate such that a flow channel forms in the first recess between the first elastomeric layer and the planar substrate.

A microscope slide staining system has a chamber, a plurality of slide support elements, a plurality of spreading devices positionable in association with microscope slides supported on the slide support elements so the spreading devices define a gap between the spreading device and the microscope slide and so the spreading device and the microscope slide are movable relative to one another to spread at least one reagent on the microscope slide independent of the other spreading devices and microscope slides.

An apparatus for spreading at least one reagent on at least a portion of a microscope slide includes a spreading device positionable in association with a microscope slide in a way that the spreading device defines a gap between the spreading device and the microscope slide and in a way that the spreading device and the microscope slide are movable relative to one another to spread at least one reagent on at least a portion of the microscope. The spreading device has a reservoir in which the at least one reagent is stored in a way that the at least one reagent is dischargeable from the reservoir onto the microscope slide when the spreading device is positioned in association with the microscope slide.

The present invention relates to a detection mechanism for polymerase chain reaction and a polymerase chain reaction device, wherein the detection mechanism comprises at least one excitation module group, each of the excitation module groups comprising two excitation modules for providing excitation light with two wavelengths; an excitation optical fiber, connected to the excitation modules, the excitation optical fiber transmitting the excitation light to at least one reaction tube, each of the reaction tubes receiving excitation light with two wavelengths; a receiving optical fiber, for collecting and transmitting a fluorescent signal from the reaction tube; at least one receiving module group, connected to the receiving optical fiber, each of the receiving module groups comprising two receiving modules, to respectively receive the fluorescent signal of two wavelengths from the same said reaction tube, and convert the fluorescent signal into an electrical signal for output; the detection mechanism is configured to detect the reaction tube in a time division manner, and multiplex the receiving module group to obtain an output result.

At least one exemplary embodiment of the invention is directed to a molecular diagnostic device that comprises a cartridge configured to eject samples comprising genomic material into a microfluidic chip that comprises an amplification area, a detection area, and a matrix analysis area.

Embodiments of the current disclosure are directed towards apparatus, methods and systems configured for dynamic flux amplification of samples in reaction vessels. In some embodiments, an apparatus comprising a reaction vessel and a heat source is disclosed. The reaction vessel may include a first wall and an opposing second wall positioned so as to define a sample chamber therebetween, a width of the sample chamber being less than about 2 mm. The heat source may be configured to vary a first temperature of the first wall and a second temperature of the second wall such that a temperature difference between the first temperature and the second temperature induces thermal cycling in a solution contained within the sample chamber of the reaction vessel.