A liquid refining apparatus is disclosed. The liquid refining apparatus includes a substrate, a loader which is formed on the substrate and configured to receive a first liquid, a filter which is configured to reduce a concentration of at least one substance contained in the first liquid to obtain a second liquid with a reduced concentration of the at least one substance, a reactor which is configured to mix the second liquid with a reactant for target substance detection to obtain a third liquid containing, among a plurality of substances contained in the second liquid, a first substance which undergoes a predetermined reaction with the reactant and a second substance which does not undergo the predetermined reaction with the reactant, and a separator which is configured to separate the first substance and the second substance.

The invention relates to a method for detecting a particle in a container filled with liquid, the method having the following steps: dispensing a liquid sample into the container, scanning a partial volume area of the container in order to detect a particle located in the liquid sample, characterized in that an upper limit and a lower limit of the partial volume area is determined in a calibration operation upstream of the dispensing process.

A kit for detecting a nucleic acid and a method for preparing the same are provided. The kit includes: a test area which has a lower surface formed as a concave curved surface and includes molecular beacons concentrated on a glass fiber network; a surrounding area which completely surrounds the test area; and a support area which surrounds the surrounding area, wherein the surrounding area includes a hydrophobic polymer on the glass fiber network, the test area does not include the hydrophobic polymer, and a glass fiber in the test area is functionalized.

A sample carrier is used in a rotation-based method for reproducing or detecting DNA. The sample carrier has a disc-like main part and a plurality of cavities formed in the main part, in which cavities, a sample fluid at least potentially containing DNA is received. A disc side of the main part forms a heat entry side and the flat side facing away therefrom forms a heat discharge side. The cavity or one of a plurality of cavities, as applicable, is formed by an annular channel having a first and a second channel portion, which are fluidically connected at both longitudinal ends by a connection portion in each case. The first channel portion is arranged offset relative to the second channel portion in the thickness direction of the main part.

A method of encapsulating a solid sample in a droplet, the method including flowing a continuous phase through a first fluid channel at a first flow rate; flowing a dispersed phase through a second fluid channel at a second flow rate, the dispersed phase including a plurality of particles, cells or beads; trapping the plurality of particles, cells or beads in a mixing region that receives the dispersed phase and the continuous phase; and reducing the first flow rate to encapsulate the trapped particles, cells or beads in droplets of the dispersed phase generated when the dispersed phase and the continuous phase exit the mixing region through an orifice.

A cell washer is disclosed. The cell washer includes a vessel configured to hold cells. The vessel includes an elongated body including an opening, an inner surface, and a pocket defined by a first inner surface portion of the inner surface disposed between and radially outward relative to a second inner surface portion and a third inner surface portion of the inner surface, and a cavity. The vessel also includes an actuating device capable of causing the vessel to spin about an axis.

Articles of manufacture, including an apparatus for acoustic wave based agglomeration, are provided. The apparatus may include a well and an acoustic wave device. The well may be configured to hold a suspension that includes a plurality of particles. The acoustic wave device may be configured to generate a plurality of acoustic waves. The plurality of acoustic waves inducing acoustic streaming within the suspension. The acoustic streaming agitating the suspension to form an agglomerate comprising at least a portion of the plurality of particles. Methods for acoustic wave based agglomeration are also provided.

A method for detecting biomarkers with shortened test time and maximized precision. A sample from the body fluid is made to flow over a sensor surface coated with a capture antibody to allow binding of a biomarker in the sample to the capture body. An optical method detects and counts the individual binding events along the sensor surface with single molecule resolution, and difference in the binding events along the sensor surface is detected in real time and analyzed to determine the biomarker concentration.

A column-based device and method for retrieving cells of interest were enclosed. The said device comprises a column comprising (i) an inner wall defining an inner chamber with inlet and outlet openings, (ii) a perforated plug disposed adjacent to the outlet opening, (iii) a sleeve insert with a channel and disposed within the chamber and adjacent to the perforated plug, and (iv) a filtering means housed within sleeve insert sandwiched between two sealing means. In particular, Tumor-derived endothelial cell clusters (TECCs) as characterized multiple nuclei, expression of endothelial markers (PECAM1, VWF and CDH5), and non-expression of leukocyte, megakaryocyte and platelets markers, may be retrieved using the disclosed device. Also encompassed are methods, reagents and kits for the diagnosis and prognosis of cancers by detecting for the presence of TECCs isolated from blood samples using the claimed device.

A method for detecting at least one analyte by electrochemical detection, a working electrode of an analyte sensor and an analyte sensor for detecting at least one analyte in a sample by electrochemical detection. The method comprises contacting a fluid sample suspected to comprise the at least one analyte with the surface of an electrode comprising a binding agent capable of binding to the analyte; contacting the fluid sample with a detection agent comprising a further binding agent capable of binding to the analyte and a label, the label comprising a metal nanoparticle with a standard redox potential E° between 0 V and 1.2 V forming a detection complex on the surface of the electrode comprising the binding agent, the detection agent and the analyte precipitating at least a part of the label onto the electrode surface; and detecting the analyte by electrochemical detection.