The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for detecting polynucleotides in a sample and for quantifying polynucleotide load in a sample. The polynucleotides can be associated with a disease, disorder, or condition. In some applications, methylated DNA is quantified, e.g., in order to determine the load of polynucleotides in a sample. The present disclosure also provides methods and compositions for determining the load of fetal polynucleotides in a biological sample, e.g., the load of fetal polynucleotides (e.g., DNA, RNA) in maternal plasma. The present disclosure provides methods and compositions for detecting cellular processes such as cellular viability, growth rates, and infection rates. This disclosure also provides compositions and methods for detecting differences in copy number of a target polynucleotide. In some embodiments, the methods and compositions provided herein are useful for diagnosis of fetal genetic abnormalities, when the starting sample is maternal tissue (e.g., blood, plasma). The methods and materials described apply techniques for allowing detection of small, but statistically significant, differences in polynucleotide copy number.

The present invention discloses a nanoparticle control and detection system and operating method thereof. The present invention controls and detects the nanoparticles in the same device. The device comprises a first transparent electrode, a photoconductive layer, a spacer which is deposed on the edge of the photoconductive layer and a second transparent electrode. The aforementioned device controls and detects the nanoparticles by applying AC/DC bias and AC/DC light source to the transparent electrode.

Systems, devices, compositions and methods for positioning and/or processing a target are provided. The invention includes systems, devices, methods and related compositions useful, for example, for the separation, isolation, purification, identification, detection and quantification of materials. Also provided are systems and methods for isolation, and/or detection and/or quantification of a target or analyte in a sample. Some systems, devices, compositions and methods comprise oil and aqueous phases stabilized in close proximity to each other. Some systems, devices and methods use a magnetic force to draw a target or carrier-bound through multiple layers. In some embodiments, systems and devices comprise reagents for detection of a target or analyte.

This invention provides compositions and methods for detecting differences in copy number of a target polynucleotide. In some cases, the methods and compositions provided herein are useful for diagnosis of fetal genetic abnormalities, when the starting sample is maternal tissue (e.g., blood, plasma). The methods and materials described apply techniques for allowing detection of small, but statistically significant, differences in polynucleotide copy number.

A microfluidic group includes a female connector and a male needle connector. The female connector has a connector chamber in a containment body; a duct extending in the containment body to a duct opening on a first face of the connector chamber; a needle entry hole extending from a lateral face of the containment body to a second face, not facing the first face of the connector chamber; and a gasket arranged in the connector chamber. The gasket has a side wall internally delimiting a cavity and extending in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber. The cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber.

A microfluidic group includes a female connector and a male needle connector. The female connector has a connector chamber in a containment body; a duct extending in the containment body to a duct opening on a first face of the connector chamber; a needle entry hole extending from a lateral face of the containment body to a second face, not facing the first face of the connector chamber; and a gasket arranged in the connector chamber. The gasket has a side wall internally delimiting a cavity and extending in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber. The cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber.

Microscale and/or mesoscale condenser arrays that can facilitate microfluidic separation and/or purification of mesoscale and/or nanoscale particles and methods of operation are described herein. An apparatus comprises a condenser array comprising pillars arranged in a plurality of columns, wherein a pillar gap greater than or equal to about 0.5 micrometers is located between a first pillar of the pillars in a first column of the columns and a second pillar of the plurality of pillars in the first column, and wherein the first pillar is adjacent to the second pillar. The first ratio can be characterized by D.sub.x/D.sub.y is less than or equal to a first defined value, wherein D.sub.x represents a first distance across the lattice in a first direction, wherein D.sub.y represents a second distance across the lattice in a second direction, and wherein the first direction is orthogonal to the second direction.

Devices and methods for characterization of analyte mixtures are provided. Some methods described herein include performing enrichment steps on a device before expelling enriched analyte fractions from the device for subsequent analysis. Also included are devices for performing these enrichment steps.

The cell handling device includes a container having a section to store cells; a cell detection unit for detecting a cell stored in the section; a head device for conducting picking of cells, and transfer and release of the picked cells; a control unit; and a determination unit for making a determination of a cell state including at least one of the number, properties, and arrangement of the cells based on a detection result of the cell detection unit. The control unit causes the head device to execute, according to a state determination result obtained by the determination unit, one operation selected from among operation of picking all the cells stored in the section, operation of picking a part of the cells stored in the section, operation of picking a new cell and releasing the cell in the section, and operation of terminating processing of the section.

Provided herein is a method of loading wells with a liquid droplet, or a portion thereof, wherein each liquid droplet comprises solid supports and a detergent or surfactant, such that the detergent or surfactant reduces the contact angle between the liquid droplet and the wells. Also provided is a method of detecting and quantifying an analyte of interest in a sample, which involves loading wells in an array with a liquid droplet according to aforementioned method, wherein the liquid droplet comprises an analyte captured on a solid support.