Disclosed here are kits comprising pre-packed stabilizing solutions for stabilizing combinations of biomarkers demonstrating sufficient accuracy and specificity for identifying kidney injuries. Such kits can be better adapted for sample collection at a subject's dwelling, thus easing the burdensome requirement of continuous monitoring for kidney injury.

This invention provides compositions and methods for detecting differences in copy number of a target polynucleotide. In some cases, the methods and compositions provided herein are useful for diagnosis of fetal genetic abnormalities, when the starting sample is maternal tissue (e.g., blood, plasma). The methods and materials described apply techniques for allowing detection of small, but statistically significant, differences in polynucleotide copy number.

A microfluidic group includes a female connector and a male needle connector. The female connector has a connector chamber in a containment body; a duct extending in the containment body to a duct opening on a first face of the connector chamber; a needle entry hole extending from a lateral face of the containment body to a second face, not facing the first face of the connector chamber; and a gasket arranged in the connector chamber. The gasket has a side wall internally delimiting a cavity and extending in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber. The cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber.

A microfluidic group includes a female connector and a male needle connector. The female connector has a connector chamber in a containment body; a duct extending in the containment body to a duct opening on a first face of the connector chamber; a needle entry hole extending from a lateral face of the containment body to a second face, not facing the first face of the connector chamber; and a gasket arranged in the connector chamber. The gasket has a side wall internally delimiting a cavity and extending in part adjacent to the second face of the connector chamber. The cavity of the gasket faces the first face of the connector chamber.

An in vitro diagnostic analyzer and a reagent card. The reagent card includes a reagent card body and a mounting body. The mounting body includes a mounting hole configured to be sleeved on receive a sample tube, a hollow needle disposed in the mounting hole, a sealing portion disposed in the mounting hole, and a gas inlet channel. An end of the hollow needle is capable of being inserted into the sample tube. The sealing portion is capable of being in sealing fit with an outer wall of the sample tube. The gas inlet channel includes a gas outlet hole, a gas inlet hole, and a first flow-stopping structure. The gas inlet hole is disposed in a surface of the reagent card body. The first flow-stopping structure is disposed between the gas outlet hole and the gas inlet hole. The gas outlet hole is configured to be in fluid communication with the sample tube mounted on the mounting hole. The reagent card body includes a sample feeding channel, a test chamber, and a venting end. The sample feeding channel is in fluid communication with a liquid outlet end of the hollow needle. The sample feeding channel and the venting end are both in fluid communication with the test chamber

The present invention relates to devices and methods for collecting liquid samples such as for removing a target liquid sample fraction from a larger liquid sample, e.g., from a biological sample. These devices and methods are particularly useful for rapidly and cost-effectively removing the buffy coat layer from an anticoagulated blood sample. These devices and methods have the advantage that the removal can be made on blood sample processed by ordinary centrifugation and do not require more complicated or costly processing techniques such as density gradient centrifugation.

A method is provided that includes introducing a fluid sample (19) into a fluid container (2, 502, 702) of a filtration assembly (20, 500, 720) and passing the fluid sample (19) through a porous filter (5, 705) by distally advancing a plunger (3, 610, 703) within the fluid container (2, 502, 702), thereby capturing, on or within the porous filter (5, 705) at least a portion of any particulate present in the fluid sample (19). Thereafter, a cavity (28, 628, 728) is created within the fluid container (2, 502, 702) between a distal end of the plunger and a distal end (49, 549, 749) of the fluid container (2, 502, 702) by proximally partially withdrawing the plunger (3, 610, 703) within the fluid container (2, 502, 702), while one or more vacuum-prevention openings (11, 711) are open. An extraction liquid (30) is prepared by introducing one or more extraction reagents (29) into the cavity (28, 628, 728) and bathing the porous filter (5, 705). The extraction liquid (30) is tested for the presence of a biological target. Other embodiments are also described.

A melting device is provided that melts a bio-derived frozen product contained in a container including a heat transfer section comprising at least two heating bags, each of which is filled with a heating liquid and is capable of sandwiching the container between the at least two heating bags and a suction mechanism that sucks air from a space between the at least two heating bags and surrounding the container.

Method of analysis. In the method, a first emulsion and a second emulsion substantially separated from one another by a spacer fluid may be formed. The first emulsion, the spacer fluid, and the second emulsion may be flowed in a channel from a fluid inlet to a fluid outlet of a heating and cooling station having two or more temperature-controlled zones, such that each emulsion is thermally cycled to promote amplification of a nucleic acid target in droplets of the emulsion. Amplification data may be collected from individual droplets of each emulsion downstream of the heating and cooling station. A level of the nucleic acid target present in each emulsion may be determined based on the amplification data collected from the individual droplets of the emulsion.

A microfluidic device can include a microfluidic circuit that comprises an inlet port, a reagent-containing chamber configured to receive fluid from the inlet port, a non-aqueous-liquid-containing reservoir configured to receive liquid from the chamber, and a droplet-generating region configured to receive and produce droplets of liquid from the reservoir. The circuit can also include first and second valves or frangible members. The first valve or frangible member can have closed position in which fluid is prevented from entering or exiting the chamber therethrough and an open position in which fluid is permitted to enter or exit the chamber therethrough. The second valve or frangible member can have a closed position in which fluid is prevented from flowing between the chamber and the reservoir therethrough and an open position in which fluid is permitted to flow between the chamber and the reservoir therethrough.