The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods involving a spotter apparatus for depositing a substance from a carrier fluid onto a deposition surface in an ordered array. The spotter apparatus includes a loading surface, including a first well and a second well, and a different outlet surface, including a first opening and a second opening, where a first microconduit fluidly couples the first well with the first opening and a second microconduit fluidly couples the second well with the second opening. An overlay is sealed to the outlet surface and penetrated by a deposition channel that is situated to communicate carrier fluid among the first opening, the second opening, and the deposition surface when the overlay is pressed against the deposition surface.

The present techniques provides methods for use in conjunction with an article of manufacture having a plurality of sample sites of an array and to identify sample sites based on image data. The array may be divided into a series of domains with each domain having patterns of sample sites. Neighboring domains may be oriented at different angles such that each domain does not have the same pattern orientation.

The present disclosure provides apparatuses, systems, and methods involving a spotter for depositing a substance on a submerged surface. The spotter comprises an outlet cavity defined at least in part by a spotting orifice, a first opening, and a second opening. The spotter also comprises a first conduit fluidly coupled to the first opening and a second conduit fluidly coupled to the second opening. The spotter is adapted so that fluid flowing through the first conduit and the second conduit is communicated among the first opening, the second opening, and a submerged deposition surface when the sealing orifice is sealed against the submerged deposition surface to form a deposition spot on the submerged deposition surface. The submerged deposition surface is within a liquid such that the liquid covers the deposition spot upon removal of the orifice from the deposition surface.

A device comprising a rigid substrate, a flexible cover element at least partially covering the substrate, a first structure formed in the substrate, adapted for accommodating liquids and adapted for releasing contents of one or more cells, spores, or viruses, the contents including the target molecules, a second structure formed in the substrate, adapted for accommodating liquids and comprising at least one binding member adapted for capturing the target molecules and for determining a value indicative of the presence and/or amount of the target molecules, a micro fluidic network interconnecting at least the first structure and the second structure, and an actuator member adapted for effecting a fluid flow between the first structure and the second structure by pressing the flexible cover element against the substrate to selectively close a portion of the micro fluidic network.

A method of preparing a sample may include depositing an aqueous solution comprising copies of a primer into a layer of hydrophobic liquid on a substrate with a thermal inkjet device. A sample may include: a substrate; a layer of hydrophobic liquid on the substrate, the layer of hydrophobic liquid comprising a plurality of droplets of aqueous solution distributed in the layer, wherein the plurality of droplets contain: primers; a polymerase enzyme; deoxynucleotide triphosphates (dNTPs); and a target sequence for replication; and a cover, the cover contacting and covering the layer of hydrophobic liquid.

A method of characterizing candidate agents including steps of (a) providing a library of candidate agents attached to nucleic acid tags; (b) contacting the library with a solid support to attach the candidate agents to the solid support, whereby an array of candidate agents is formed; (c) contacting the array with a screening agent, wherein one or more candidate agents in the array react with the screening agent; (d) detecting the array to determine that at least one candidate agent in the array reacts with the screening agent; (e) sequencing the nucleic acid tag to determine the tag sequences attached to candidate agents in the array; and (f) identifying the at least one candidate agent in the array that reacts with the screening agent based on the tag sequence that is attached to the at least one candidate agent.

Apparatus and methods for using a flow cell array are provided herein. An apparatus includes an array comprising one or more pixels, wherein each of the one or more pixels comprises multiple reaction sites openings; a first set of one or more sub-surface channels, wherein each of the multiple reaction site openings is connected to a sub-surface channel from the first set of one or more sub-surface channels; a second set of two or more sub-surface channels; and multiple vias connecting each channel from the first set of one or more sub-surface channels to (i) a first sub-surface channel from the second set of two or more sub-surface channels and (ii) a second sub-surface channel from the second set of two or more sub-surface channels.

Apparatus and methods for using a flow cell array are provided herein. A method includes determining placement of one or more reaction sites on a first component; providing a material for the one or more reaction sites in one or more surface channels of the first component; connecting the first component to a second component to form an array, wherein the one or more surface channels of the first component connect the one or more reaction sites with one or more vias, and wherein the second component comprises the one or more vias connected to multiple sub-surface channels; and aligning the one or more surface channels of the first component with the one or more vias of the second component to form a connection between the first component and the second component.

Metal oxide catalysts comprising various dopants are provided. The catalysts are useful as heterogenous catalysts in a variety of catalytic reactions, for example, the oxidative coupling of methane to C2 hydrocarbons such as ethane and ethylene. Related methods for use and manufacture of the same are also disclosed.

Screening assays and methods of performing such assays are provided. In certain examples, the assays and methods may be designed to determine whether or not two or more species can associate with each other. In some examples, the assays and methods may be used to determine if a known antigen binds to an unknown monoclonal antibody.