Described herein are apparatuses and methods for the processing and/or measurements of chemical or biochemical samples on a digital microfluidic device. Also described are methods to configure and operate the modules for efficient processing and measurements of the samples on the device. The apparatus can be used in applications such as DNA/RNA/protein/cell concentration/purification, real-time PCR, isothermal amplification, immunoassay, cell-based assay, library preparation for NGS sequencing, etc.

A kit for detecting a nucleic acid and a method for preparing the same are provided. The kit includes: a test area which has a lower surface formed as a concave curved surface and includes molecular beacons concentrated on a glass fiber network; a surrounding area which completely surrounds the test area; and a support area which surrounds the surrounding area, wherein the surrounding area includes a hydrophobic polymer on the glass fiber network, the test area does not include the hydrophobic polymer, and a glass fiber in the test area is functionalized.

The purpose of the present invention is to collect a plurality of microscopic objects dispersed in a liquid by light irradiation, and also trap them. A collecting device for bacteria collects a plurality of bacteria dispersed in a sample liquid. The collecting device is provided with a laser beam source that emits laser beam and a honeycomb polymer film constituted so as to be able to hold the liquid. Walls prescribing pores for trapping the plurality of bacteria dispersed in the liquid are formed on the honeycomb polymer film, and also a thin film that includes a material for converting light from the laser beam source to heat is formed on the honeycomb polymer film. The thin film heats the liquid of the sample through the conversion of the laser beam from the laser beam source to heat, thereby causing a convection in the liquid.

A microfluidic device includes a lower casing and an upper casing covering the lower casing. The lower casing includes a lower base wall having a top surface and a plurality of spaced-apart columns that protrude upwards from the top surface. The upper casing includes an upper base wall. A first gap between the upper base wall and a column top surface of each of the columns is large enough to permit passage of large biological particles of a liquid sample, and a second gap between any two adjacent ones of the columns is not large enough to permit passage of the large biological particles and is large enough to permit passage of small biological particles of the liquid sample.

A point of use analyzer includes pump, valve, port, and storage channel. The storage channel may hold multiple assay packets composed of reagent aliquots separated by bounding slugs. The storage channel may define an elongated lumen having two ends with each of the ends coupled to the valve. A sampling device for use with the analyzer engages the port and may include a recurrent coaxial tube having a separation medium. A method of using the analyzer with the sampling device includes steps of pumping a fluid to displace a sample into the separation medium and out through the opposed connection.

A receiving unit for receiving a fluid has a receiving element with a receiving face and at least one micro-cavity that is arranged and formed in the receiving element on the receiving face in order to receive the fluid. The receiving face further has a hydrophilic surface characteristic in at least one subregion adjoining the at least one micro-cavity.

Devices, systems, and methods for imaging samples. In some examples, a device includes at least two basins for holding a liquid medium, the at least two basins including a sample chamber and a reservoir. The device includes a wedge between the sample chamber and the reservoir, and the wedge protrudes into the sample chamber and defines a space between the wedge and a bottom of the sample chamber. The space is sized for holding one or more biological samples. The device is formed to define a flow channel between the sample chamber and the reservoir, and the flow channel is shaped to allow the passage of the liquid medium from the sample chamber and the reservoir and to block passage of the one or more biological samples between the sample chamber and the reservoir.

A method is provided to measure viscosity of an analyte using a microfluidic piezoelectric sensor including a channel on an active area of a piezoelectric resonator substrate. The microfluidic piezoelectric sensor is driven so that the active area of the piezoelectric resonator substrate generates shear motion in a direction of shear motion displacement that is parallel with respect to a first surface of the piezoelectric resonator substrate. A high shear-rate viscosity of the analyte is determined based on a shift in resonance of the microfluidic piezoelectric sensor while driving the microfluidic piezoelectric sensor with the analyte in the channel. A low shear-rate viscosity of the analyte is determined by detecting flow of the analyte through the channel based on tracking shifts in resonance of the microfluidic piezoelectric sensor. Related sensors are also discussed.

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing structural layers for guiding liquid flow on a porous substrate, by printing onto at least one area of at least one surface of the substrate a printing solution containing an aqueous dispersion of a poly(lactic acid)-based copolymer.

The present invention is a specimen preparation method of preparing an observation specimen by placing an observation object on a light transmitting plate, comprising a conveyance step of conveying the observation object by a conveyance mechanism including a placement portion configured to place the observation object, and a transfer step of transferring the observation object from the placement portion of the conveyance mechanism onto the plate at a conveyance terminal end of the conveyance mechanism, wherein in the transfer step, a liquid is supplied to the placement portion on which the observation object is placed, and the observation object is carried by a flow of the liquid and transferred onto the plate.