Apparatuses and methods for dried blood spot (DBS) sample collection are disclosed. A dried blood spot sampling device is configured to deliver blood through a passage to an absorbent disk in the device and control an amount of blood saturating the absorbent disk. The sampling device may include a manually actuatable component adjustable between a first position, in which an outlet of the passage is not in physical contact with the absorbent disk, and a second position, in which the outlet of the passage is in physical contact with the absorbent disk.

A method for degassing a microfluidic droplet by combining electrowetting and heating to induce formation of gaseous bubbles in the droplet. In an embodiment the methods are carried out on an active matrix of electrowetting electrodes including a hydrophobic coating. A carrier fluid is flowed against the droplet motion propelled by electrowetting to facilitate rapid removal of the gasses departing the droplet.

Apparatuses and methods for dried blood spot (DBS) sample collection are disclosed. A dried blood spot sampling device is configured to deliver blood through a passage to an absorbent disk in the device and control an amount of blood saturating the absorbent disk. The sampling device may include a manually actuatable component adjustable between a first position, in which an outlet of the passage is not in physical contact with the absorbent disk, and a second position, in which the outlet of the passage is in physical contact with the absorbent disk.

Sensor cartridge comprising a wall having an open top end and a lower end and enclosing a space containing porous matrix. The porous matrix is configured for passing analyte molecules of a liquid sample therethrough. A porous collection disk supports and contacts the porous matrix and closes the lower end of the wall. A base cap is attached to the lower end such that the collection disk is sandwiched between the lower end of the wall and the base cap. The sensor cartridge comprises an air channel extending between a first air opening positioned at a top end thereof and a second air opening positioned at a distance above the collection disk. The base cap comprises a base cap air opening positioned opposite the second air opening. The collection disk is positioned between the second air opening and the base cap air opening. At least one of the first air openings and the base cap air opening comprises an air source connection for connecting the cartridge to a source of air under supra-atmospheric pressure or a source of subatmospheric pressure. The second air opening and the base cap air opening are arranged to guide an air flow to specific locations of the porous collection disk for providing localized evaporation in specific spots of the porous collection disk and analyte concentration, as a result of which detection limits are improved.

The present invention provides a non-cryopreservation method that enables inexpensive and stable storage of feces. More specifically, the present invention provides: (A) a storage method of feces, the storage method including drying the feces in the presence of a solid desiccant; (B) a hermetic container including: (a) a solid desiccant; and (b) feces under the non-contact state with the solid desiccant; and (C) a feces fixing article including: (a) one or more members containing or fixing a solid desiccant; and (b) feces under the contact state with the solid desiccant. As the solid desiccant, a water absorbing solid desiccant such as silica Gel is preferred.

The present disclosure relates to an engineered, additively manufactured, microfluidic cellular structure formed from a plurality of cells, wherein the cells are each formed from a plurality of interconnected elements. The cells have voids and each cell is open at upper ends thereof. The cells each communicate at a point below its upper end with a common channel. The cells are each configured to accept a fluid and operate to channel the fluid into the common channel and to hold the fluid received therein for later selective withdrawal from the structure.

The present disclosure relates to a computer aided design (CAD) manufactured lattice structure. The structure may have a plurality of tessellated cells formed from a plurality of interconnected struts, with the interconnected struts formed from a curable resin. The interconnecting struts form voids within each cell, with the voids communicating with one another. The struts may be formed such that the voids have a non-uniform dimension to create a varying porosity within the lattice structure.

A sample preparation system includes a sample input, a first chamber fluidly coupled to the sample input and containing a sample preparation reagent, a second chamber containing a surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensor structure and a third chamber containing a sensor preparation solution. The sample input, the first chamber and the second chamber are fluidly coupled to one another in a series and the third chamber is fluidly coupled to the third chamber outside of the series so as to sequentially direct a sample received by the sample input through the first chamber to the second chamber and out of the second chamber and so as to direct the sensor preparation solution into the second chamber following discharge of the sample out of the second chamber.

A microfluidic system is presented that includes a cartridge and a container. The cartridge includes a plurality of microfluidic channels coupled to one or more chambers. The container holds dry chemicals and includes a housing with a first opening and a second opening smaller than the first opening. The container is designed to be inserted into an opening of the cartridge, such that the container is independently secured within the opening. The insertion of the container allows for the container to be fluidically coupled with a microfluidic channel of the plurality of microfluidic channels via the second opening.

The invention relates to a method for sample preparation on a spectrometric sample support, comprising the steps of: (i) providing the sample support with an arrangement of individual liquid droplets, for example of washing liquid or nutrient solution, each of which has microorganism sediments enclosed in it; (ii) locating a plate of an absorbent material containing cotton fibers, for example, above the sample support; (iii) lowering the plate vertically onto the sample support in such a way that microorganism sediments and plate come into contact, whereby the droplets of liquid are absorbed into the absorbent material; (iv) lifting the plate, which is locally enriched with droplet liquid, off the sample support, thereby exposing the microorganism sediments that are depleted of liquid; and (v) preparing the exposed microorganism sediments for spectrometric measurement, by means of infrared spectrometry or MALDI time-of-flight mass spectrometry, for example.