A liquid filling aid that is placed on a plate-shaped member and defines a reaction chamber to be filled with a liquid, the aid includes a main body, a storage section that is formed in the main body and stores the liquid, a reaction section that is a recess formed at a bottom of the main body, a communication aperture for fluid communication between the storage section and the reaction section, and an air vent for communication between the reaction section and outside air, wherein the reaction section and an upper surface of the plate-shaped member define the reaction chamber and a liquid filling method including a step of placing the liquid filling aid on the plate-shaped member, and a step of discharging the liquid in an amount equal to or larger than the volume of the reaction chamber for supply to the storage section.

A microfluidic device includes a platform with a microstructure. The microstructure include a primary channel and a plurality of chambers that open to the primary channel to enable a sample fluid that is loaded into the device via the primary channel to flow into the chambers. Each chamber has a volume that is less than tens of nanoliters and is connected by a vent to a secondary channel of the microstructure. A width of the vent is configured to enable a gas to escape from the chamber to the secondary channel while inhibiting flow of the sample fluid from the chamber into the secondary channel.

A closure for dispensing one or more active agents into a container comprises a sealed or sealable chamber having a breakable wall and a hollow piston slidably mounted in a piston guide. Said hollow piston comprises an outer wall having an end in the chamber and at least one ventilation aperture. Said end has a cutting formation. Said hollow piston is slidable in the piston guide between a ventilation position in which the at least one ventilation aperture allows ventilation of the chamber and a sealed position in which the at least one ventilation aperture is sealed to prevent ventilation of the chamber and a deployed position in which the cutting formation has broken through at least a portion of the breakable wall. The outer wall has a retaining formation which engages with the piston guide to releasably resist sliding of the hollow piston between the ventilation position and the sealed position and the deployed position. The hollow piston may have an outer wall, and said outer wall has an end within the chamber, facing the breakable wall, wherein the cutting end has a first edge having a cutting formation and a gap in said cutting formation.

A filtration system for a liquid comprising a container (2) having an internal container volume (11), a particulate filter portion (10) for allowing passage of the liquid into the internal container volume (11) to forma liquid sample aliquot and a first opening (14) providing access to the internal container volume (11); the filtration system further comprising a non-porous housing (4) configured to provide an internal space (28) for receiving the container (2), the internal space (28) being dimensioned to provide a volume such that the amount left unoccupied by the received container (2) is less than the internal container volume (11).

Devices, methods, and kits directed towards collecting and preparing cells using a separable sample collection layer may be configured to collect or treat cells from a liquid sample with mechanisms for easy transfer of the cells prior to analysis or imaging. The separable sample collection layer may comprise a porous membrane that cells may be collected on, and one or more support layers comprising tape with one or more adhesive coatings and release liner. The devices, methods and kits may be configured with support layers comprising cutouts that form vertically or horizontally oriented microchannels for efficiently removing undesirable liquid. Following collection and/or treatment, cells collected onto the porous membrane may be adhered to another surface for further processing or analysis.

A closure for dispensing one or more active agents into a container comprises a sealed or sealable chamber having a breakable wall and a hollow piston slidably mounted in a piston guide. Said hollow piston comprises an outer wall having an end in the chamber and at least one ventilation aperture. Said end has a cutting formation. Said hollow piston is slidable in the piston guide between a ventilation position in which the at least one ventilation aperture allows ventilation of the chamber and a sealed position in which the at least one ventilation aperture is sealed to prevent ventilation of the chamber and a deployed position in which the cutting formation has broken through at least a portion of the breakable wall. The outer wall has a retaining formation which engages with the piston guide to releasably resist sliding of the hollow piston between the ventilation position and the sealed position and the deployed position. The hollow piston may have an outer wall, and said outer wall has an end within the chamber, facing the breakable wall, wherein the cutting end has a first edge having a cutting formation and a gap in said cutting formation.

The assembly includes a docking console and a manifold. The docking console includes a cartridge support surface having a first end and a second end. The manifold has one or more wells defined therein. The docking console further includes a manifold retention bracket to releasably hold the manifold against a fluid cartridge supported on the cartridge support surface at an interface position such that the one or more wells are in fluid communication with the fluid cartridge and a biased seal bar to press the fluid cartridge against the manifold held by the manifold retention bracket. A hydrophilic porous frit disposed within at least one of the wells and is to permit liquid to flow through the outlet aperture but prevent gas from passing through the outlet aperture.

The invention provides a nucleic acid testing cassette, including a substrate, a liquid storage component, a solid-reagent storage component, and an amplification reaction region, wherein the substrate is connected to the amplification reaction region; the liquid storage component and the solid-reagent storage component are disposed on the substrate, respectively; the liquid storage component is communicated with the solid-reagent storage component through a micro flow channel; and the solid-reagent storage component is communicated with the amplification reaction region through a micro flow channel.

A sample testing apparatus includes a sample tray defining a planar surface and a plurality of wells recessed relative to the planar surface, and a lid member configured to be sealed about the planar surface of the sample tray. The lid member includes an adhesive layer configured to be sealed to the planar surface of the sample tray, a breathable film layer disposed about the adhesive layer, and a backing layer disposed about the breathable film layer. Methods of using the sample testing apparatus for testing a sample and kits to facilitate such testing are also provided.

In one aspect, the present disclosure provides an integrated microfluidic device for nucleic acid amplification and microarray detection. In one aspect, the device comprises: (1) a microchip configured to process reagents, comprising a plurality of reservoirs, channels, valves, and/or fluid interfaces; (2) an amplification chamber for PCR, carried out in a detachable tube assembled on the microchip through a joint; and (3) a microarray chamber comprising a microarray and a reaction chamber. In some embodiments, these features are interconnected to allow transportation of reagents for nucleic acid amplification and hybridization detection functions in a closed system. In one aspect, the integrate device herein overcomes the problem of contamination during the amplification and hybridization reactions.