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 disposable cartridge comprising a sample receiving chamber for receiving a human or animal sample and an analysis unit (AU) having a multiplicity of reaction sites for providing a detectable indication of the presence in said sample of (a) one or more viral or bacterial nucleic acid sequences; and (b) one or more defined single nucleotide polymorphisms in the human or animal genome.

The present invention provides a method for producing dried and stable reagent:substrate complexes suitable for use in various types of assays. Also provided are dried reagent:substrate complexes produced by the method of the invention, as well as methods for their use to perform an assay.

A device for separating blood plasma from whole blood includes a first reservoir and a second reservoir. The first reservoir is configured to receive a sample of whole blood including red blood cells and includes a collection region and a constricted region. The second reservoir is fluidically connected to the constricted region of the first reservoir, such that, responsive to centrifugal force applied to the device, the sample of whole blood disposed within the first reservoir separates into a first fraction and a second fraction. The first fraction is located in the collection region and includes blood plasma from which substantially all red blood cells have been removed. The second fraction is located in the second reservoir and includes blood plasma and red blood cells that have been removed from the first fraction by the centrifugal force. The constricted region inhibits the second fraction from entering the collection region.

A qualitative and quantitative heavy metal analysis device and, more particularly, a qualitative and quantitative heavy metal analysis device implemented by a rotary platform are provided. The rotary platform device includes a main injection part which is positioned near a rotating shaft of a rotary platform, wherein the main injection part is configured to receive a fluid sample containing heavy metals, a pH adjusting part configured to adjust pH of the fluid sample, a detecting part coated with a chelating agent configured to initiate a color reaction with heavy metals in the fluid sample by spreading the pH-adjusted fluid sample into the detecting part, and a ruler for measuring a spreading distance of the color reaction, wherein the fluid sample moves from the main injection part through the pH adjusting part to the detecting part by a rotation of the rotary platform device.

Magnetic beads having cell components of interest are translated between a sequence of processing wells in a tray without need for pipetting. The circular tray contains one or more sequences of wells each interconnected by a respective channel. The tray is rotated about a central axis and a magnet, an agitator, and a heater provided external to the tray enable magnetic bead translation, mixing, and incubation, respectively. The magnet proximate a well forms a cluster of beads. Manipulation of the tray in rotation and elevation results in translation of the cluster from one well, through a channel, and into an adjacent well. The well containing a cluster may be rotationally positioned in front of the agitator, the agitator extended into contact with the well, followed by mechanical agitation. The heater, disposed beneath the tray, may accept a well lowered thereto for selective heating.

Biological chemicals, potentially found in blood are measured by collecting sweat and determining the concentration or meaning of the selected chemical in sweat. The sweat can be collected using a time based, interval collector and analyzed using an external device. It can also be collected on a one time basis, using a flexible, chemical capacitor, or on a continuous basis using a chemical, field effect transducer.

The present disclosure describes a disc-like apparatus and method of its use allowing for the one-step concentration and separation of therapeutic factors found in mammalian body fluid.

A modular cassette is provided for separating a composite fluid into at least two component parts thereof during centrifugation. The modular cassette includes: a housing defining a fluid inlet, a fluid outlet, and a chamber for fluid separation; a fluidic channel configured to provide fluid communication between at least two components of the modular cassette; a heat expanding valve including: a flow pathway including undulations configured to facilitate closing of the fluidic channel, wherein the heat expanding valve occludes one or more of the undulations of the flow pathway to close the fluidic channel; and a heating element configured to actuate the heat expanding valve.

The invention relates to a method for preparing a substrate (105a) comprising a sample reception area (110) and a sensing area (111). The method comprises the steps of: 1) applying a sample on the sample reception area; 2) rotating the substrate around a predetermined axis; 3) during rotation, at least part of the liquid travels from the sample reception area to the sensing area due to capillary forces acting between the liquid and the substrate; and 4) removing the wave of particles and liquid formed at one end of the substrate. The sensing area is closer to the predetermined axis than the sample reception area. The sample comprises a liquid part and particles suspended therein.