An integrated nucleic acid processing apparatus includes a first operation area, a second operation area and a separation wall. The first operation area includes multiple carrying boards for placing objects and reagents for processing nucleic acids in samples, and multiple operation modules for performing operations of nucleic acid processing. The second operation area includes two extraction regions for respectively performing nucleic acid extractions. The separation wall separates the first operation area from the second operation area and includes two openable door sheets spatially corresponding to the two extraction regions. Nucleic acid extraction plates can be moved from the first operation area to the second operation area by means of the carrying boards as the two openable door sheets are opened, and be isolated in the second operation area for performing nucleic acid extractions as the two openable door sheets are closed.

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.

A histologic tissue sample support device includes a tissue cassette, a frame, and a lid. The tissue cassette has a recess including a body with at least one side wall and a bottom wall and is formed of material that can be successfully sectioned in a microtome and is resistant to degradation from solvents and chemicals used to fix, process and stain tissue. The tissue cassette is movably coupled to the frame by a frame-cassette connector. The lid is coupled to a peripheral portion of the frame by a lid-frame connector. The lid and the tissue cassette are capable of moving from a first position to a second position with respect to the frame, and in the second position the bottom wall and at least a portion of the side wall extend beyond a bottom edge of the frame for sectioning in a microtome.

Disclosed are a reagent holder, a testing apparatus assembly, an aqueous humor collection device and an aqueous humor collection method. The reagent holder (9) comprises a holder body and a functional station arranged on the holder body, wherein the functional station comprises a fluid holding tube insertion hole (91) and an elastic component. The elastic component can elastically act on a fluid holding tube (106) in the case where the fluid holding tube (106) is inserted into the liquid holding tube insertion hole (91) so as to enable the fluid holding tube (106) to elastically move in the direction of the central axis of the hole of the fluid holding tube insertion hole (91). By means of using the reagent holder to elastically fix the fluid holding tube (106), the rigid collision between a fluid drawing device and a bottom wall of the fluid holding tube (106) can be converted into an elastic collision, so as to prevent a testing apparatus from triggering a firing pin protection function during the fluid drawing process, such that the depth to which the fluid drawing device can extend into the tube cavity of the fluid holding tube (106) is greatly increased, and the sample extraction amount is thus effectively increased.

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.

This disclosure relates to apparatus and methods for thermally cycling a sample. Particular embodiments comprise a first pivot arm configured to pivot around a first pivot axis; a second pivot arm configured to pivot around a second pivot axis; a first thermal mass and a second thermal mass coupled to the first pivot arm; and a third thermal mass and a fourth thermal mass coupled to the second pivot arm, wherein the first and third thermal masses are proximal to the sample when the first and second pivot arms are in a first position, and the second and fourth thermal masses are proximal to the sample when the first and second pivot arms are in a second position.

The present disclosure provides better aspiration and dispensing by a common innovative mechanism by (i) offsetting the diameter of a bottom piston (tube) with a slightly narrower top piston (rod) when the two are swept together by O-rings to give extremely fine resolution, thereby eliminating the need for any filamentous piston and sealing means, (ii) letting the bottom tube be swept alone without offset to give high flow (iii) using a tapered top rod with thick-walled compliant O-ring seals to increase the resolution multiplier another order or magnitude, (iv) an at-the-ready interpiston space for contact-free blowoff, including viscous samples, (v) dead space filler mandrels and an integrated small valve to reduce or eliminate interpiston and disposable tip space prior to aspiration, and (vi) a mechanism for storing energy during disposable tip pickup to shoot dispensed samples contact-free down into long tubes.

A method for performing a magnetic separation procedure that includes transporting a receptacle containing a fluid medium to a first location of a system, where the fluid medium contains both a sample material and a suspension of magnetically-responsive solid supports. At the first location, the fluid medium is exposed to a first magnetic field for a first dwell period, thereby isolating the solid supports within the receptacle, where no portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle at the first location. The receptacle is then transported from the first location to a second location of the system, where the fluid medium is exposed to a second magnetic field for a second dwell period. Following the second dwell period, at least a portion of the fluid medium is removed from the receptacle. A suspension fluid is then dispensed into the receptacle, and the contents of the receptacle are agitated to suspend the solid supports within the suspension fluid.

A system for biological analysis includes a housing, a block assembly within the housing having a sample block and a baseplate, a heated cover and a cover carrier. The sample block receives a sample holder comprising an RFID tag. A first drive mechanism generates relative movement between the sample block and the baseplate along a first axis. A second drive mechanism generates relative movement between the heated cover and the cover carrier along a second axis that is different from the first axis. Based on a first command the first drive mechanism releasably engages the sample block and operates the second drive mechanism to releasably engage the heated cover with the cover carrier. The system also includes first and second RFID antennas that receive RFID data from the sample holder RFID tag that is read by at least one RFID reader.

A histologic tissue sample support device includes a tissue cassette, a frame, a lid, and a frame-cassette connector. The tissue cassette formed of a first material has a recess including a body with at least one side wall and a bottom wall and is formed of material that can be successfully sectioned in a microtome and is resistant to degradation from solvents and chemicals used to fix, process and stain tissue. The tissue cassette is movably coupled to the frame by a frame-cassette connector. The lid is coupled to the frame. The lid and the tissue cassette are capable of moving from a first position to a second position with respect to the frame, and in the second position the bottom wall and at least a portion of the side wall extend beyond a bottom edge of the frame for sectioning in a microtome.