A system includes a microfluidic device having a substrate, a reservoir defined in the substrate a microfluidic channel formed in the substrate, a microheater, and a detector. The reservoir is configured to store a fluid sample to be tested for the presence or absence of a compound. The microfluidic channel extends from the reservoir and includes a first portion fluidically connected to the reservoir, a second portion, and a detection portion fluidically connected between the first and second portions. The microheater is arranged adjacent to the reservoir and is configured to heat the fluid sample to a temperature at which the fluid sample releases a byproduct in response to being heated. The detector is arranged in the detector portion and is configured to indicate a presence or absence of the compound in the byproduct released from the heated sample.

Methods related to forming reaction products on surfaces are generally provided. Some methods comprise applying first and second polyelectrolytes in first and second polyelectrolyte carrier fluids to a surface. The first and second polyelectrolytes may be different, and the first and second carrier fluids may be the same or different. Some methods comprise forming a mixture of the first and second polyelectrolytes in a mixture carrier fluid that comprises the first and/or second carrier fluids. The first and second polyelectrolyte may be removed from the mixture carrier fluid to form a reaction product on the surface. In some embodiments, the mixture carrier fluid comprises a salt with a molecular weight of less than or equal to 1 kg/mol at a concentration within the mixture carrier fluid of from 0.01 M to 0.5 M. In some embodiments, the mixture carrier fluid has a turbidity of greater than or equal to 10 NTU and a viscosity of less than or equal to 1 Pa*s.

An automatic sample injection system (1) includes at least an injector (2). The injector (2) includes a turret (10) comprising a plurality of vial receiving holes (30) that are corresponding to a plurality of types of vials having different sizes, the plurality of vial receiving holes (30) being provided on the same circumference on an upper surface of the turret, the turret being configured to rotate so that the plurality of the vial receiving holes (30) are each moved along a circumferential track, and a controller (22) configured, in a case where a sampler (4) for supplying a vial to the injector (2) is provided, to recognize a size of a target vial to be supplied at the time when the target vial is supplied from the sampler (4) and to arrange the vial receiving hole (30) corresponding to the target vial at a delivery position (P) set on the circumferential track.

A microfluidic system for fluid transport is provided. The microfluidic system includes a microfluidic device. The microfluidic device includes an inlet body including an inlet. The microfluidic device includes a base supporting the inlet body. The base includes a channel in fluid communication with the inlet. The base includes one or more sensors formed on a surface of the channel, or one or more sensors formed in one or more wells formed in the surface of the channel. The channel is configured to facilitate flow of the fluid. The fluid includes a plurality of beads. The fluid includes a plurality of suspended cells. The inlet is configured to receive the fluid at an inlet port. The inlet is configured to output the fluid through an opening in fluid communication with the channel. The inlet is configured to provide substantially uniform flow of the fluid across a substantial portion of a horizontal dimension of the channel. The device is configured to compensate for edge effects otherwise present therein. Related methods, apparatuses, systems, techniques and articles are also described.

Methods for screening a plurality of sample fluids for molecules which can bind to predefined ligands, comprising, selecting one of a plurality of flow cell groups by fluidly connecting the selected flow cell group to a sample delivery unit; injecting a sample fluid to be screened from the sample delivery unit into the flow cells in the selected flow cell group; for each flow cell in the selected flow cell group, recording a signal using a sensor which represents the binding and/or the dissociation of molecules of the sample fluid to/from ligands on the test surface of that flow cell; carrying out a damage assessment step using said recorded signals; if it is determined that the test surface of a flow cell in the selected flow cell group is damaged, then fluidly connecting the other flow cell group to the sample delivery unit. There is further provided assemblies which can be used to implement the afore-mentioned methods.

An apparatus for processing biological material includes a supporting structure, provided with a seat and with a rotation device supplied with constraining means, and a container for biological material, provided with a shaped body, with a base, shaped to match the seat of the supporting structure, with at least one valve (24a) for extracting the biological material, and with movable cutting means equipped with coupling means for coupling to the constraining means of the rotation device, in such a way as to acquire a relative motion relative to the container.

We disclose a chemical sensing device for detecting a fluid. The sensing device comprises: at least one substrate region comprising at least one etched portion; a dielectric region formed on the at least one substrate region, the dielectric region comprising at least one dielectric membrane region adjacent to the at least one etched portion; an optical source for emitting an infra-red (IR) signal; an optical detector for detecting the IR signal emitted from the optical source; one or more further substrates formed on or under the dielectric region, said one or more further substrates defining an optical path for the IR signal to propagate from the optical source to the optical detector. At least one of the optical source and optical detector is formed in or on the dielectric membrane region.

A rigid mask protects selective portions of a chip including a plurality of wells for biochemical reactions. The rigid mask includes a supporting portion and a plurality of legs, where each leg is provided with a rigid stem and a plate. The plurality of legs are arranged and fixed with respect to the supporting portion in a way aligned to the spatial arrangement of the wells, and are configured in such a way that, when each leg is inserted into the corresponding well, the respective plate covers at least in part the bottom of the well, protecting it during a chemical/physical treatment of side walls of the wells.

A bubble removing system and a bubble removing method are provided. The bubble removing system comprises a main bubble removing apparatus which comprises a first enclosed container, a first fluid lead-in pipe, a first fluid lead-out pipe, and a bubble collecting member. The cross section of the inner cavity of the first enclosed container is circular, and the first enclosed container is used for accommodating a fluid substance. The first fluid lead-in pipe passes through a sidewall of the first enclosed container, is tangent to the inner cavity wall of the first enclosed container, and is disposed at the upper part of the first enclosed container. The first fluid lead-out pipe passes through the sidewall of the first enclosed container and is disposed at the lower part of the first enclosed container.

A multi-well fluid container that includes a container body is provided for use in an in vitro diagnostics automation system. The container body includes a first well having a first well size configured to hold a first fluid and an openable first well closure that covers a first well opening. The first well opening provides access to the first fluid in the first well when the openable first well closure is opened. The container body also includes a second well having a second well size configured to hold a second fluid and having an openable second well closure that covers a second well opening. The second well opening provides access to the second fluid in the second well when the openable second well closure is opened. The first well size of the first well is different than the second well size of the second well.