A cover member for use in the treatment of a sample on a substrate is disclosed. The cover member has fluid flow features and is adapted for use in an instrument, such as a laboratory instrument. The cover member comprises at least one orientation feature detectable by the instrument for ascertaining an orientation of the cover member. An automated method for detecting orientation of a cover member in a sample treatment assembly is also disclosed, in which a processor compares data corresponding to one or more images collected from the sample treatment assembly, with data representing a reference image to determine if a cover member is in the sample treatment assembly.

A device comprises: a receptacle having a bottom wall portion closing a first end of the receptacle to delimit an inner space and having a receptacle opening at an opposite second end; a compartment for holding a lateral flow assay test strip, the compartment having a lower portion located closer to the first end than to the second end; a passageway in fluid communication with the lower portion of the compartment; and a lid configured to overlay the receptacle opening and comprising a body portion. A sample receiving portion is located in said body portion and is arranged in fluid communication with the inner space. The passageway is delimited by a first opening into the lower portion of the compartment and a second opening in the lid.

A microfluidic channel and a preparation method and an operation method thereof. The microfluidic channel includes: a channel structure, including a channel for a liquid sample to flow through and a channel wall surrounding the channel. The channel wall includes an electrolyte layer made of an electrolyte material; and a control electrode layer, at a side of the electrolyte layer away from the channel. The control electrode layer overlaps with the electrolyte layer with respect to the channel.

A rack to be suspended from a support structure includes a hook portion, an upright portion, and a shelf. The hook portion defines a cavity configured to receive an upper edge of a wall of the support structure therein. The upright wall is connected to and extends from the hook portion. The shelf is connected to the upright wall at a location spaced apart from the hook portion along a height of the upright wall. The shelf projects outward from the upright wall to a distal edge of the shelf that is spaced apart from the upright wall. The shelf defines a plurality of slots through the thickness of the shelf. The slots are open along the distal edge and are configured to accommodate one or more of multiple reclosable container caps or multiple tubes connected to the reclosable container caps.

Devices and methods for sampling, detecting and/or characterizing particles, for example, via collection, growth and analysis of viable biological particles such as microorganisms. Devices and methods of the invention include particle samplers and impactors including a sampling head comprising one or more intake apertures, a selectively removable cover, an impactor base connected to the sampling head, and one or more magnets fixed to the sampling head, the selectively removable cover and/or the impactor base. The one or more magnets allow for robotic manipulation of the impactor devices.

A method for sex sorting of mosquitoes generally comprises the steps of: providing a plate that includes multiple wells, with each of the multiple wells configured to receive a mosquito; filling each of the multiple wells with a predetermined volume of water; placing a mosquito in each of the multiple wells; capturing an image of each mosquito in each of the multiple wells; and analyzing each image to determine if each mosquito is male or female. Mosquitoes have distinct anatomical areas for identification, which are captured in the images and are used to determine if a mosquito is male or female. Furthermore, in some implementations, there is an additional step of exterminating each mosquito that is determined to be female.

A sample holder for holding a liquid sample for laboratory processing, such as PCR thermal cycling. The sample holder includes at least one vessel having a bottom and sidewall defining an interior volume and a rim defining an opening to the interior volume. The vessel has a first portion that defines at least a part of the bottom and sidewall of the vessel and is made of a first material, and a second portion that defines the rim of the vessel and is made of a second material different from the first material.

Systems for reconstituting dried reagent compositions are provided. Aspects of the systems include a liquid container with an inner wall having a dried reagent composition and a solid volume displacer configured to be positioned inside of the liquid container to occupy a majority of the liquid container volume below the top of the dried reagent composition. Aspects of the invention further include methods of using the system and kits that include the system.

A fluid device includes a substrate and a gas-liquid separating filter, the substrate has a flow path through which a solution flows, a reservoir, in which the solution is accommodated, connected to the flow path, an injection hole configured to connect the reservoir to the outside, and an air introduction hole branched off from the injection hole and connected to the outside, and the gas-liquid separating filter is disposed in a path of the air introduction hole, allows passage of a gas flowing through the air introduction hole, and prevents passage of a liquid flowing through the air introduction hole.

A fluid testing device may include a fluid interaction element and a fluid chamber to contain a fluid to be sensed by the fluid interaction element. The fluid chamber may form a first gap through which fluid is to be wicked to a second gap that is opposite the fluid interaction element and less than the first gap.