An apparatus and associated method are provided for sensing an analyte, such as acetone, in breath. The apparatus includes a sorbent material that extracts the analyte from a dehumidified breath sample, and a nanoparticle-based sensor. The apparatus produces first and second gas streams that flow over the nanoparticle-based sensor. The first gas stream is used to generate a baseline signal, and the second gas stream is used to carry the extracted analyte from the sorbent material to the nanoparticle-based sensor. Various additional designs of analyte sensing devices are also disclosed.

A liquid injection port including a liquid input block defining a liquid input conduit; a compression block adapted to mate with the liquid input block; and a septum including a deformable material mounted in a septum retainer, the septum defining a central perforation, and forming a seal between the liquid input block and the compression block. The septum defines a conical deformation toward the liquid input conduit. A method for delivering fluid from a pipette tip includes a) introducing the fluid into the pipette tip; b) inserting the pipette tip into a pipette conduit defined by a compression block; c) inserting the pipette tip through a septum mounted in the compression block; and d) releasing the fluid in the pipette tip into a liquid input conduit defined in a liquid input block, the septum defining a conical deformation toward the liquid input conduit while maintaining a seal.

A distillation head of embodiments of the disclosed technology has a vertical tube which extends to and partially through a fraction collector. The vertical tube is mostly filled with a distillation key which is attached to a top side of the fraction collector and extends downwards through the vertical tube without coming into contact with same. A class housing or shell surrounds the vertical tube, which in turn, surrounds the distillation key or, at least a majority of each while the vertical tube extends past an area circumscribed by the shell and the distillation key extends past an area circumscribed by the vertical tube in some embodiments of the disclosed technology.

A system for separating an analyte from other components of a sample includes a receptacle holding station and a magnetic separation station. The receptacle holding station includes one or more stationary, permanent magnets positioned to apply a magnetic field to the contents of a receptacle held stationary within the receptacle holding station. The magnetic separation station includes one or more permanent magnets and is configured to perform a magnetic separation procedure on the contents of a receptacle transported from the receptacle holding station to the magnetic separation station. The magnetic separation procedure includes isolating an analyte immobilized on a magnetically-responsive solid support within the receptacle and removing other components of the sample from the receptacle. The magnetic separation station is configured to provide relative movement between the receptacle and the one or more permanent magnets after the receptacle is transported to the magnetic separation station.

The present invention discloses a device for measuring adsorption/desorption of contaminants onto surface bed sediments and a method of using the device. The measurement device includes a sediment sample disc, a sample holder, a reaction cylinder, a liquid collection cylinder, and a liquid circulating member from inside to outside, the liquid circulating member consisting of rubber pipes and a peristaltic pump. According to the method of using the device for measuring the adsorption/desorption of contaminants onto surface bed sediments, the full contact of bed sediments with pore water and the full exchange of overlying water with pore water are realized through liquid circulation without changing the arrangement modes of the bed sediments; any thickness of bed sediments can be performed on experiments, particularly for thin-layer bed sediments; and natural permeation and accelerated permeation of pore water through bed sediments can be switched simply by adjusting the flow rates of the peristaltic pump and by opening/closing of vent holes. Adsorption characteristic parameters obtained through the device and the method provide, for water quality models, data support which conforms to the natural existing condition of bed sediments and is more scientific and reasonable, and the device and the method achieve significant environmental benefits.

Provided herein, among other aspects, are methods and apparatuses for analyzing particles in a sample. In some aspects, the particles can be analytes, cells, nucleic acids, or proteins and contacted with a tag, partitioned into aliquots, detected by a ranking device, and isolated. The methods and apparatuses provided herein may include a microfluidic chip. In some aspects, the methods and apparatuses may be used to quantify rare particles in a sample, such as cancer cells and other rare cells for disease diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment.

Embodiments of the invention provide a filter kit including filters for processing a biological sample. Some embodiments include a filter cap in a tube kit with a first tube containing a buffer solution and a second tube containing a lyophilized master mix. Some embodiments include a method of processing a sample using the kit including mixing a biological sample in a first tube with the buffer solution, positioning the filter cap in the first tube, positioning a second tube on the filter cap, flipping the first tube, the filter cap, and the second cap to filter the biological sample and buffer solution mixture with the filter cap as it flows from the first tube to the second tube. Some embodiments include structure enabling transfer of materials through inline flow between the tubes. Some further embodiments include integrated structure for sample pulverization with integrated buffer and lyophilized master mix.

A fluidic bridge device for transport of a fluid sample between a first sample processing device and a second sample processing device. The fluidic bridge may include one or more fluid channels extending between fluid-tight couplings attachable to transfer ports of the first and second sample processing device. In one aspect the first device is a sample preparation device and the second device is an assay device. The fluidic bridge can include at least two fluid conduits, at least one for transport of the prepared sample, and at least one other to facilitate displacement of air to allow flow of the prepared sample through the other fluid conduit. The fluid channels can include one or more of an amplification chamber, a processing chamber, a gas-permeable vent, a bubble trap, a filter, and an external port. Methods of preparing and transporting a fluid sample between devices are provided herein.

A container includes a lower portion and a lid to connect with the lower portion. The lid includes a fluidic interface, a swing bar, and a counter structure disposed on an opposite side of the fluidic interface relative to the swing bar. The fluidic interface includes a first liquid port, a second liquid port, a gas port, and a seal ring disposed around the first liquid port, the second liquid port, and the gas port, the first liquid port disposed along a center axis of the container.

A sample adding system for automatically adding a sputum digestion liquid includes a weighing device provided with a weight sensor and a sample adding device. A liquid inlet of a sample adding tube goes deep into the sputum digestion liquid reagent bottle, and a liquid outlet of the sample adding tube extends to a position above the weighing device. A sample adding needle is connected to the liquid outlet of the sample adding tube. The sample adding tube is equipped with a quantitative sample adding pump. A signal output end of the weight sensor is electrically connected to a signal input end of a single-chip microcomputer, and a control output end of the single-chip microcomputer is electrically connected to a control input end of the quantitative sample adding pump.