A container (1) for biologic samples has a lower receptacle (2), an upper receptacle (3) for a toxic liquid (LF) or considered as such, having a radial ring (63), and a connecting sleeve (4) with a circumferential rim (54) and a transversal septum (40), provided with a central vent opening (55) and with a plurality of transfer openings (51) for the transfer of toxic liquid (LF). The toxic liquid (LF) is sealed between the upper receptacle (3) and the transversal septum (40) before unscrewing the upper receptacle until its radial ring (63) touches the circumferential rim (54). When unscrewing the upper receptacle (3), the toxic liquid (LF) reaches and passes through the plurality of transfer openings (51), and air contained in the lower receptacle (2) flows into the upper receptacle (3) through the central vent opening (55), without any exit of gases and liquids from the container (1).

Methods and apparatuses relating to measuring sample parameters and cell parameters (e.g., cell size, cell shape) are provided herein. The present disclosure provides additional methods, systems and techniques for improving osmotic gradient generating systems for vise in technologies to accurately determine red blood cell volume and the osmolality at which cells achieve a maximum volume.

Chemical delivery systems, device and methods are provided. A chemical delivery system may include a vessel and a chip. The vessel may include a groove configured to hold a solution. The groove includes an open surface, the open surface having a first surface area. The solution includes a target material. The chip includes a first side, a second side opposing the first side, and a bottom side. The chip includes one or more chambers configured to hold one or more chemicals, the one or more chambers including a bottom surface having a second surface area. The second surface area is greater than the first surface area. When one of the one or more chambers is positioned over the groove, the respective chemical in the chamber moves into the solution in the groove. The system increases the ease, stability, and reliability of a chemical delivery process.

Aspects relate to systems and methods for fluid sensing using passive flow. An exemplary system includes a microfluidic device, the microfluidic device including at least a reservoir configured to contain at least a fluid and at least a passive flow component in fluidic communication with the at least a reservoir and configured to flow the at least a fluid with predetermined flow properties, at least an sensor device configured to be in sensed communication with the at least a fluid and detect at least a sensed property; and at least an sensor interface configured to wet at least a surface of the at least a sensor device with the at least a fluid.

Methods and systems for processing polynucleotides (e.g., DNA) are disclosed. A processing region includes one or more surfaces (e.g., particle surfaces) modified with ligands that retain polynucleotides under a first set of conditions (e.g., temperature and pH) and release the polynucleotides under a second set of conditions (e.g., higher temperature and/or more basic pH). The processing region can be used to, for example, concentrate polynucleotides of a sample and/or separate inhibitors of amplification reactions from the polynucleotides. Microfluidic devices with a processing region are disclosed.

A method for determining the activity of creatininase includes providing an amount of creatininase to be measured for enzyme activity and providing an excess amount of creatinine, the excess amount being greater than an amount that will ordinarily react with the amount of creatininase. The method further includes reacting the amount of creatininase with the excess amount of creatinine to produce creatine. The method further includes reacting the creatine with diacetyl and 1-naphatol and producing a pink color. The method further includes measuring an intensity of the pink color and determining an amount of the creatine that was created based on the intensity. The method further includes calculating a specific activity of the creatininase based on the amount of creatine.

An apparatus for gene amplification includes a gene amplification chip including a well configured to accept a sample that is loaded into the well; the gene amplification chip being configured to: thermally dissolve the sample in the well so that a microbe present in the sample is thermally dissolved in the well to release genes in the microbe; and amplify the released genes in the well. The apparatus for gene amplification also includes a temperature controller configured to control a thermal dissolution temperature and a gene amplification temperature of the well.

This disclosure describes single-use test cartridges, cell analyzer apparatus, and methods for automatically performing microscopic cell analysis tasks, such as counting and analyzing blood cells in biological samples. A small measured quantity of a biological sample, such as whole blood, is placed in a mixing bowl on the disposable test cartridge after being inserted into the cell analyzer. The analayzer also deposits a known amount of diluent/stain in the mixing bowl and mixes it with the blood. The analyzer takes a measured amount of the mixture and dispenses in a sample cup on the cartridge in fluid communication with an imaging chamber. The geometry of the imaging chamber is chosen to maintain the uniformity of the mixture, and to prevent cells from crowding or clumping as it is transferred into the imaging chamber by the analyzer. Images of all of the cellular components within the imaging chamber are counted and analyzed to obtain a complete blood count.

Systems and methods for conducting designated reactions utilizing a base instrument and a removable cartridge. The removable cartridge includes a fluidic network that receives and fluidically directs a biological sample to conduct the designated reactions. The removable cartridge also includes a flow-control valve that is operably coupled to the fluidic network and is movable relative to the fluidic network to control flow of the biological sample therethrough. The removable cartridge is configured to separably engage a base instrument. The base instrument includes a valve actuator that engages the flow-control valve of the removable cartridge. A detection assembly held by at least one of the removable cartridge or the base instrument may be used to detect the designated reactions.

An automated microscope slide staining system and staining apparatus and method that features a plurality of individually operable miniaturized pressurizable reaction compartments or a pressurizable common chamber for individually and independently processing a plurality of microscope slides. The apparatus preferably features independently movable slide support elements each having an individually operable heating element.