A method measuring the phase transition characteristics of a macromolecule, the method comprising: generating a stream of micro-droplets comprising at least one constituent, of which one constituent comprises the macromolecule, varying the conditions in the micro-droplets; and measuring the relative concentrations of the constituents of, and the phases of the macromolecule present in, the micro-droplets.

A method for operating an analysis device for carrying out an analysis process, more particularly by using a polymerase chain reaction, includes providing a cartridge having a microfluidic channel-and-chamber structure. At least one film bag containing a process liquid is disposed in a stick-pack chamber of the cartridge. In an opening step the stick-pack chamber or stick-pack chambers are heated to a temperature of 80 to 130 degrees Celsius, and in the opening step the cartridge rotates at a rotational speed of 20 to 80 Hz. A cartridge and an analyzer are also provided.

The present invention provides methods and devices for simple, low power, automated processing of biological samples through multiple sample preparation and assay steps. The methods and devices described facilitate the point-of-care implementation of complex diagnostic assays in equipment-free, non-laboratory settings.

Disclosed are devices and methods useful for confined-channel digital microfluidics that combine high-throughput droplet generators with digital microfluidic for droplet manipulation. The present disclosure also provides an off-chip sensing system for droplet tracking.

The invention is directed to devices and methods for performing rapid low-cost bioassays in self-contained disposable cartridges that provide efficient mixing of sample and reactants under a layer of liquid wax. Some embodiments additionally use gravity assisted distribution of sample and assay reagents in conjunction with an appliance containing all necessary valves, pneumatic sources, heat sources and detection stations.

The present disclosure provides a cartridge for use in nucleic acid extraction and a nucleic acid extraction method which can simplify a nucleic acid extraction process and can be applicable to a point-of-care testing (POCT). The cartridge includes a chamber module, an air valve module, and a liquid valve module. The chamber module includes a plurality of chambers for extracting nucleic acids from a sample including a pretreatment chamber in which the sample is crushed and homogenization, cell disruption, and purification are performed. The air valve module is installed on the chamber module to control a pressure required to move a fluid between the plurality of chambers. The liquid valve module is installed below the chamber module to move the fluid between the plurality of chambers.

An analytical toilet comprising: a bowl for collecting feces from a user; a comminutor that comminutes at least a portion of the feces; a processing fluid driver that causes a processing fluid to mix with and transport at least a portion of the comminuted feces to an analytical station in the toilet; a separator that separates a sample of the at least a portion of the comminuted feces to be analyzed; and a wash fluid driver that causes a wash fluid to wash the feces out of the bowl.

Disclosed herein are detection methods that use magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) to allow molecules to be identified. Embodiments of this disclosure include methods of using magnetic sensors (e.g., magnetoresistive sensors) to detect temperature-dependent magnetic fields (or changes in magnetic fields) emitted by MNPs, and, specifically to distinguish between the presence and absence of magnetic fields emitted, or not emitted, by MNPs at different temperatures selected to take advantage of knowledge of how the MNPs' magnetic properties change with temperature. Embodiments disclosed herein may be used for nucleic acid sequencing, such as deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) sequencing.

A disposable microbe-collecting carrier cartridge and a carrier treating apparatus which efficiently convert microbes collected on a carrier into a solution and prevent variations in the amount of retrieval of microbes upon concentration on a filter are provided. A cartridge formed of an upper lid having a plurality of through holes, a container in an inverted-cone shape having both of a liquid storage sink unit having a filter at the bottom and an air suction path, and a support base for setting up a thermoplastic carrier, and a carrier treating apparatus formed of a dispensing nozzle for liquid supply, a liquid supply mechanism, a liquid heating mechanism, and a suction pump for filtration are prepared. Warm water is supplied onto the filter set up on a bottom surface of the inverted-cone-shaped. The contact with the warm water causes the carrier to be solated filtered through the filter.

A generic point of care based portable device and method thereof as a platform technology for detecting pathogenic infection via nucleic acid based testing achieving sample-to-result integration, comprising the following interconnected stand-alone modules: a thermal unit for executing piece-wise isothermal reactions in a pre-programmable concomitant fashion without necessitating in-between operative intervention; a colorimetric detection unit seamlessly interfaced with smartphone-app based analytics for detecting the target analyte. The said platform technology is thus capable of detecting targeted pathogen-associated RNA by coupling additional complementary DNA probe hybridization combined with isothermal reaction purposed for reverse transcription of RNA followed by amplification of the resulting c-DNA as well as subsequent specific binding of the same in a single user-step in a concomitant fashion and its smartphone-enabled interpretation, in a generic modular format that renders operative suitability outside controlled laboratory environment in a user-friendly manner, with predictive accuracy favorably comparable with gold standard RT-PCR tests.