The present disclosure provides a chip, a microfluidic device including the chip, and a method for sorting target droplets. The chip includes a first container for accommodating a first fluid, a second container for accommodating a second fluid, a delivery channel including a first flow channel communicating with the first container and a second flow channel communicating with the second container, the first flow channel and the second flow channel intersecting and communicating with each other at a junction, and at least one collector. A portion of the first flow channel includes the junction and is divided into two sections by the junction, in each section, the section thickens gradually along a first direction away from the junction. The second flow channel includes the junction and is divided into two sections by the junction, in each section, the section thickens gradually along a second direction away from the junction.

The invention relates to a direct sample collection pad for assay diagnosis of a sample without introducing an additional sampling device into the assay method. This simplifies the system and method of sample collection and assay diagnosis, thus reducing waste and potential for patient irritation or injury during diagnosis.

The present invention relates to provide, among other things, the methods, devices, and systems that can simply and quickly collecting and analyzing a tiny amount of vapor condensates (e.g. exhaled breath condensate (EBC)).

Provided herein, among other aspects, are methods and apparatuses for analyzing particles in a sample. In some aspects, the particles can be analytes, cells, nucleic acids, or proteins and contacted with a tag, partitioned into aliquots, detected by a ranking device, and isolated. The methods and apparatuses provided herein may include a microfluidic chip. In some aspects, the methods and apparatuses may be used to quantify rare particles in a sample, such as cancer cells and other rare cells for disease diagnosis, prognosis, or treatment.

An apparatus and method to detect disease-specific antigens assists in disease diagnosis. Point-of-care (POC) micro biochip incorporates at least one hydrophilic microchannel for controlled and self-driven flow of body fluid. Metallic nano-interdigitated electrodes disposed within the channels give enhanced sensitivity detection. Microchannel controls flow and amplifies a capillary effect. Electrodes are fabricated on microchannel surface to detect biomolecular interactions. When a sample flows through microchannel, disease-specific antigens from the sample form antigen-antibody complex with antibodies immobilized on electrodes. Antigen-antibody interaction is detected via an electrical change in the biochip's nano circuit. Each electrode may include a different antibody to detect different antigens. Capacitance during antigen-antibody interaction without microfluidic flow is higher than with microfluidic flow due to immobilized antibodies instability on sensing surface caused by shear stress. POC biochip provides nano level detection of many disease-specific antigens of any type based on micro volume or single drop sized sample.

A microfluidic sealing valve 1 comprises a primary channel 2, a valve channel 4, and a geometry that permits liquid in the primary channel 2 to flow into the valve channel 4 through an inlet 5. Liquid in the primary channel 2 is inhibited from flowing through a first port 8 into the void volume 7. A meniscus 9 moved by a flow of liquid in the primary channel 2 is restrained at the first port 8. A flow of liquid through the primary channel 2 generates a capillary force that causes the flow of liquid to flow into the valve channel 4. A capillary force generated by the flow of liquid through the valve channel 4 causes the meniscus 9 to expand from the first port 8 into the primary channel, to inhibit flow of liquid in the primary channel 2 past the first port 8.

There is provided a system and method for angstrom confinement of trapped ions. The method including: receiving water molecules and ionic compounds in a first reservoir, an angstrom confinement assembly is positioned between the first reservoir and a second reservoir, the angstrom confinement assembly defining angstrom conduits; and repeatedly applying an electric field across a first electrode and a second electrode, the first electrode on a same side of the angstrom confinement assembly as the first reservoir and the second electrode on a same side of the angstrom confinement assembly as the second reservoir, the electric field applied such that, when the electric field is applied, positive ions of the ionic compounds are induced to flow through the angstrom conduits, and wherein, when the electric field is not applied, water molecules flow into the angstrom conduits due to capillary forces to confine the positive ions in the angstrom conduits.

In some embodiments, the present invention is a device, including: a swab including an absorptive component attached to a stem, an extraction chamber configured to receive the swab and position the absorptive component of the swab configured to be in fluid communication with an extraction reagent, a test strip configured to be brought in fluid communication with the extraction reagent following extraction of the analyte from the biological sample, including: a sample receiving portion configured to accept a sample, a site on the strip where the analyte-specific labeled reagent has been incorporated, such reagent configured to bind the analyte from the biological sample, a capture portion configured to receive: the analyte from the biological sample and the analyte-specific labeled reagent so as to result in displaying a positive or negative result at the completion of the assay, and an adsorbent pad attached to the test strip.

A liquid evaluation system can include a cartridge including a channel configured to pull a liquid into the channel by capillary action. The cartridge can include a first plate and a second plate located in close proximity to the first plate. An internal facing surface of each plate can include a corresponding region forming the channel. Each of the regions can have an affinity for the liquid. The close proximity of the plates and the regions having an affinity for the liquid cause the liquid to be pulled into the channel by capillary action. The cartridge can include one or more additional attributes and/or the system can include one or more additional components for performing the evaluation.

Methods are provided for separating magnetically responsive beads from a droplet in a droplet actuator. Droplet operations electrodes and a magnet are arranged in a droplet actuator to manipulate a bead-containing droplet and position it relative to a magnetic field region that attracts the magnetically responsive beads. The droplet operations electrodes are operated to control the droplet shape and transport it away from the magnetic field region to form a concentration of beads in the droplet. The continued transport of the droplet away from the magnetic field causes the concentration of beads to break away from the droplet to yield a small, concentrated bead-containing droplet immobilized by the magnet.