A point-of-care diagnostic system that includes a cartridge and a reader. The cartridge can contain a patient sample, such as a blood sample. The cartridge is inserted into the reader and the patient sample is analyzed. The reader contains various analysis systems, such as a magneto-optical system that measures a light transmission differential through the patient sample in varying magnetic fields. The reader can process data from the various patient sample analysis to provide interpretative results indicative of a disease, infection and/or condition of the patient.

A system for buoyant separation includes a separation container. Additionally or alternatively, the system can include an automated instrument, one or more processing components, and/or any other components. A method for buoyant separation can include any or all of: manipulating the separation container; adding materials to the separation container; removing materials form the separation container; otherwise processing the separation container; and/or any other processes.

A transfer container for a fluid includes a tube, the tube including a conical portion at one end, the tube defining an interior space and one or more fluid passages configured to allow flow of fluid into or out of the interior space of the tube. The transfer container also includes a connector configured to seal the end of the conical portion when the connector is joined only to the conical portion and a pressure control mechanism configured to increase or decrease a pressure in the interior space of the tube. The transfer container can be used in a method including connecting fluid lines to the fluid passages, adding a fluid including cryoprotectant and cells, centrifuging the transfer container, and then connecting the transfer container to a second fluid transfer container containing another fluid. This allows the sterile transfer of fluids and separation of cells from cryoprotectant.

Apparatus is provided including a tube and a plunger sized and shaped to be inserted into the tube. A distal end of the plunger is shaped to define one or more first passageways therethrough, and the plunger is shaped to define one or more compartments in fluid communication with the first passageways. A filter is coupled to the distal end of the plunger. The plunger is shaped to define a second passageway that passes through the plunger from a proximal end of the plunger to the distal end of the plunger, and is positioned to facilitate testing of the filter. The apparatus is configured such that while the plunger is advanced within the tube while fluid is within the tube, the fluid in the tube is pushed through the filter, through the first passageways, and into the one or more compartments. Other embodiments are also described.

The present disclosure provides better aspiration and dispensing of liquids by an innovative mechanism by (i) offsetting the diameter of a bottom tube with a narrower and tapered top piston when the two are moved together in the same chamber to give extremely fine resolution, thereby eliminating the need for any skinny or filamentous piston, (ii) using thick walled compliant O-rings to seal against the different diameters of the tapered piston to given an additional order of magnitude range of resolution, (iii) letting the bottom tube move in the chamber alone without offset to give high Row, and (iv) an at-the-ready space between the tube and piston in the chamber to permit contact-free blowoff, including viscous samples.

A system, mixing-enhanced microfluidic container, and methods for small volume sample collection and/or analysis is disclosed. Namely, the invention is directed to a small volume sample collection system that includes a mixing-enhanced microfluidic container and a durable reusable actuation chuck. The mixing-enhanced microfluidic container is used to collect small volumes of sample fluid and includes a means for mixing the sample fluid with reagents disposed within the microfluidic container. The mixing means utilize an array of surface-attached structures (e.g., a micropost array). The application of an “actuation force,” such as a magnetic or electric field, actuates the surface-attached structures into movement, wherein the actuation chuck in close proximity to the mixing-enhanced microfluidic container provides the “actuation force.”

This invention relates generally to devices, systems, and methods for performing biological assays by using indicators that modify one or more optical properties of the assayed biological samples. The subject methods include generating a reaction product by carrying out a biochemical reaction on the biological sample introduced into a device and reacting the reaction product with an indicator capable of generating a detectable change in an optical property of the biological sample to indicate the presence, absence, or amount of analyte suspected to be present in the sample.

A fluidic card assembly (1) comprises an inlet (20) for introducing a fluid to the fluidic card assembly (1), a turbulent flow portion (30) downstream of the inlet (20), the turbulent flow portion (30) comprising a widening fluid channel (31) whereby a fluid introduced via the inlet (20) channel undergoes turbulence, and a laminar flow portion (40) downstream of the turbulent flow portion (30). The laminar flow portion (40) is configured to allow fluid passing from the turbulent flow portion (30) into the laminar flow portion (40) to establish a laminar flow pattern, and is configured to house a biochip (44) such that a fluid in the laminar flow portion (40) may be in contact with the biochip (44).

In one aspect of the invention, the fluidic device includes a fluidic chip includes a body having a first surface and an opposite, second surface, one or more channels formed in the body in fluidic communications with input ports and output ports for transferring one or more fluids between the input ports and the output ports, and a fluidic chip registration means formed on the first surface for aligning the fluidic chip with a support structure; and an actuator configured to engage with the one or more channels at the second surface of the body for selectively and individually transferring the one or more fluids through the one or more channels from at least one of the input ports to at least one of the output ports at desired flowrates.

The present disclosure provides approaches for reducing tobacco-specific nitrosamines (TSNAs) in tobacco. Some of these approaches include genetically engineering tobacco plants to increase one or more antioxidants, increase oxygen radicle absorbance capacity (ORAC), or reduce nitrite. Also provided are methods and compositions for producing modified tobacco plants and tobacco products therefrom comprising reduced TSNAs.