A disposable diagnostic device includes a body having a first channel and a second channel spaced from the first channel. A shroud is operably fixed to the body and encloses a chamber which is configured in a hermetically sealed-off relation from the first and second channels when the device is in a non-activated first state and is in open communication with at least one of the first and second channels when the device is in an activated second state. A reactant and an inert gas are disposed in the chamber such that the inert gas protects the reactant from being exposed to contaminants when the device is in said non-activated first state. A method of constructing a disposable diagnostic device is also disclosed.

A centrifugal reaction microtube, centrifugal reaction device and its centrifugal examination method are provided to achieve easy, quick operation, safety, energy saving, precision, cost effectiveness, and prevention of contamination by controlling a centrifugal force and using a uni-directional valve in the centrifugal reaction microtube.

The present disclosure relates to systems and methods for measuring glycated A1c hemoglobin. A glycated hemoglobin level measuring system includes a sample testing apparatus having a microchannel that compresses a blood sample traveling through, a first pair of electrodes coupled to the microchannel, and a second pair of electrodes coupled to the microchannel. The glycated hemoglobin level measuring system further includes an analysis apparatus having sensors coupled to the first and second pairs of electrodes and configured to calculate a travel time taken by a red blood cell to pass through the first and second pairs of electrodes. The glycated hemoglobin level measuring system can use the travel time to measure a rigidity of the red blood cells and the corresponding glycated hemoglobin level.

Microfluidic structures and methods for manipulating fluids, fluid components, and reactions are provided. In one aspect, such structures and methods can allow production of droplets of a precise volume, which can be stored/maintained at precise regions of the device. In another aspect, microfluidic structures and methods described herein are designed for containing and positioning components in an arrangement such that the components can be manipulated and then tracked even after manipulation. For example, cells may be constrained in an arrangement in microfluidic structures described herein to facilitate tracking during their growth and/or after they multiply.

The disclosure describes an integrated fluid sample test strip comprising: an inlet for receiving solutions comprising a fluid sample and a substrate solution, the inlet comprising a retention valve for temporarily retaining each solution to thereby reduce air flow through the valve; a reaction chamber to receive the solutions via the retention valve, the chamber functionalized with bioreceptor(s); a capillary pump to receive from the reaction chamber the solution(s), the pump comprising vent hole(s); a test chamber to receive the substrate solution from the reaction chamber, the test chamber comprising test electrodes for a biosensing test of the substrate solution; a hydrophobic vent hole coupled to the test chamber to allow a flow of solution from the reaction chamber into the test chamber when the vent hole is unsealed and to allow a flow of solution from the reaction chamber to the capillary pump when the vent hole is sealed.

The present inventive concept relates to a method for measuring analyte concentration in a sample fluid, comprising: receiving dilution fluid or sample fluid comprising analyte in a microfluidic channel, wherein the dilution fluid or sample fluid further comprises a molecule which is different from the analyte; performing a first affinity-based assay in a first detection zone of the microfluidic channel to measure a signal indicative of the concentration of the molecule in the dilution fluid or sample fluid; mixing the dilution fluid or sample fluid in the microfluidic channel with another of the dilution fluid or sample fluid to obtain a diluted sample fluid; performing a second affinity-based assay in a second detection zone of the microfluidic channel to measure a signal indicative of the concentration of the molecule in the diluted sample fluid; performing a third assay in the second detection zone to measure a signal indicative of the concentration of the analyte in the diluted sample fluid; determining a concentration of the molecule in the received dilution fluid or sample fluid, based on the measured signal of the first affinity-based assay; determining a concentration of the molecule in the diluted sample fluid, based on the measured signal of the second affinity-based assay; and determining the analyte concentration in the sample fluid on basis of the measured signal indicative of the concentration of analyte in the diluted sample fluid and a ratio between the determined concentration of the molecule in the received dilution fluid or sample fluid and the determined concentration of the molecule in the diluted sample fluid. The present inventive concept further relates to a microfluidic arrangement for facilitating measurement of analyte concentration in a sample fluid, and to a system for measuring analyte concentration in a sample fluid, comprising the microfluidic arrangement, and to a diagnostic system comprising the microfluidic arrangement.

In biosciences and related fields, it can be useful to study cells in isolation so that cells having unique and desirable properties can be identified within a heterogenous mixture of cells. Processes and methods disclosed herein provide for encapsulating cells within a microfluidic device and assaying the encapsulated cells. Encapsulation can, among other benefits, facilitate analyses of cells that generate secretions of interest which would otherwise rapidly diffuse away or mix with the secretions of other cells.

Provided herein are magnetofluidic cartridges of use in a wide variety of sample analysis applications, including nucleic acid amplification assays. The magnetofluidic cartridges include sample inlet wells and sample analysis wells. Temperature sensitive materials are used to separate the sample inlet wells and sample analysis wells from one another prior to performing a given sample analysis application. Related magnetofluidic devices, kits, and methods are also provided.

Methods and devices for liquid-liquid extraction using digital microfluidic arrays are provided. A polar droplet is transported to a separation region containing a substantially non-polar solvent, where non-polar impurities may be extracted from the polar droplet while maintaining a distinct phase separation. In a preferred embodiment, biological samples containing hormones are dried on a digital microfluidic array, lysed by a lysing solvent, dried, subsequently dissolved in a polar solvent, and further purified in a separation step in which droplets are transported through a volume of non-polar solvent. The method disclosed herein provides the distinct advantage of an automated sample preparation method that is capable of extracting hormones from low sample volumes with high precision and recovery.

Embodiments described herein related to devices and methods for the collection and/or determination of analytes, such as illicit substances including military explosives, explosives, and precursors thereof. In some cases, the device may be a disposable device that incorporates highly efficient sample collection in combination with microfluidic-based chemical analysis resulting in the rapid detection and identification of unknown materials. In some cases, multiple colorimetric detection chemistries may be employed, and the resulting “barcode” of color changes can be used to positively identify the presence and/or identity of the analyte.