Provided herein is technology relating to collecting and preparing samples. For example, the technology relates particularly, but not exclusively, to devices, systems, and kits that allow a subject to collect and prepare a sample for analysis.

In alternative embodiments, the invention provides compositions, e.g., formulations, used for gastric, gastrointestinal and/or colonic treatments or lavage, e.g., orthostatic lavage, e.g., for inducing the purgation (e.g., cleansing) of a gastrointestinal (GI) tract, including a colon; and methods for making and using them. In alternative embodiments, compositions and methods of the invention are used for the stabilization, amelioration, treatment and/or prevention of constipation, for the treatment of abdominal pain, particularly non-specific abdominal pain, and diarrhea, including diarrhea caused by a drug side effect, a psychological condition, a disease or a condition such as Crohn's Disease, a poison, a toxin or an infection, e.g., a toxin-mediated travelers diarrhea, or C. difficile or the pseudo-membranous colitis associated with this infection. In alternative embodiments, the invention provides pharmaceuticals and products (articles) of manufacture for delivering these compositions and formulations to an individual, e.g., a human or an animal. The invention also provides devices for delivering a fecal material to a patient.

Provided herein is technology relating to collecting and containing samples and particularly, but not exclusively, to technology for collecting and containing a stool specimen. The technology provides a device for collecting and containing a stool specimen, the device comprising ergonomic features optimized for a geriatric user. The technology also provides an enclosing holder for securing the ergonomic stool specimen container in a leak-proof manner e.g., during mechanical shaking.

The present invention relates to a device for sampling internal substance(s) in the gastrointestinal tract of an animal composed of at least one wall which is partially expandable. The invention also relates to a method of orally administering the device to an animal and recovering the device from the stool to carry out analysis on the collected sample for diagnosing the health of the gastrointestinal tract and determining nutrient absorption and digestibility.

A sampling method using a sampling device (2) comprising a container (5) comprising a body (6) consisting of a soft pouch, and a lid (30), in which at least one among the container (5) and the lid (30) is provided with a discharging member (40) suitable for, in an open state, discharging at least one part of the gases contained in the internal space (7) of the body (6) of the container (5), wherein the sampling method comprises the steps consisting in: —collecting a biological material in the body (6) of the container (5), and assembling the lid (30) on the neck (10) of the container (5), —and placing an internal space (7) of the body (6) of the container (5) under anaerobic conditions by placing the discharging member (40) in the open state, by compressing the body (6) of the container (5) and by placing the discharging member (40) in a closed state.

A device for the extraction of an analyte from a fecal sample, the device comprising a housing comprising a detachable cap with an integral spatula, within the housing is an extraction buffer that solubilizes feces into a liquid phase and a solid phase and a separation gel that is submerged within the extraction buffer and positioned at a bottom of the housing, wherein the separation gel when under a sufficient centrifugal force has a separating density that is equal to or greater than a liquid phase density of the liquid phase and less than a solid phase density of the solid phase, thereby permitting separation of the liquid and solid phases, further wherein the separating density is between 0.098 and 1.08 g/cm.sup.3.

A handheld occult blood testing device is disclosed. The occult blood testing device includes a hemoglobin sensor, at least one elastic clip and a sleeve. The elastic clip is disposed on the surface of the hemoglobin sensor and the sleeve is sleeved over the hemoglobin sensor, wherein a plurality of through holes are disposed on the surface of the sleeve for the elastic clip to pass through and be exposed from the surface of the sleeve. The sleeve is movable relative to the hemoglobin sensor between a first position and a second position, wherein the sleeve at the first position does not press the elastic clip such that the elastic clips a filter unit to the hemoglobin sensor, and the sleeve at the second position compresses the elastic clip such that the elastic clip releases the filter unit on the hemoglobin sensor.

An animal health risk evaluation system includes an examination value acquisition unit that acquires an examination value as a result of an examination executed on an animal, a breed data acquisition unit that acquires breed data as information for specifying a breed of the animal, a storage unit that stores the breed data in association with the examination value, and a risk evaluation unit that evaluates a future risk pertaining to health of a specific animal as an evaluation target using the breed data and the examination value of the specific animal.

A colon cleanliness indicating device comprises a forward toilet-secured receiving section configured with a recessed receptacle for receiving colonic effluent and a rearward indicating section for indicating a degree of colon cleanliness, wherein said indicating section is formed with one or more channels in fluid communication with said receptacle through which said received colonic effluent is flowable and by which said received colonic effluent is able to be visualized in order to assess a degree of colon cleanliness.

This invention provides a stool specimen test device comprising: a suction port of a sample comprising a stool suspension; a sampling verification section that detect a specimen without the collected stool sample based on the absorbance of the stool suspension measured at the first wavelength; and a sample measurement section that performs measurement based on the absorbance measured at the second wavelength. This invention can improve the test accuracy by detecting a specimen without the collected stool sample in the stool specimen test.