Apparatus and methods for measuring the concentrations of organic and inorganic carbon, or of other materials in aqueous samples are described, having a reactor that is resistively heated by passing an electric current through the reactor.

Microfluidic devices and methods of quantifying fatty acids and/or specialized pro-resolving mediators and/or fatty acid metabolites present in a fluid sample on a microfluidic device are described herein. The methods include extracting fatty acid esters containing fatty acids from the fluid sample, combining the extracted fatty acid esters with a hydrolyzing agent to cleave the fatty acids from the extracted fatty acid esters and form free fatty acids, and quantifying the free fatty acids by performing a bioassay specific to the free fatty acids. Microfluidic devices and methods of quantifying fatty acid metabolites present in a fluid sample on a microfluidic device are also described herein.

A sample plate for a thermal cycler suitable for performing a polymerase chain reaction (PCR) procedure includes a base plate and a number of reaction vessels extending upward from the base plate. The sample plate further includes a vertical wall surrounding an outer perimeter defined by the reaction vessels. The vertical wall can be a continuation vertical wall, an intermittent vertical wall, or a perforated vertical wall. The intermittent vertical wall can include a plurality of wall portions, each of which plurality of wall portions is separated from other wall portions via a plurality of gaps.

In example implementations, an apparatus is provided. The apparatus includes a channel, an energy source, and a transfection chamber. The channel includes an indentation to hold a cell. The energy source is to apply a shockwave to the cell in the channel to porate the cell. The transfection chamber is to store a reagent to be inserted into the cell after the cell is porated.

A microfluidic system for separating biological entities includes a cooling device including a thermoelectric heat pump, a first fan, and a first heat exchanger disposed between the first fan and the thermoelectric heat pump; a first housing structure having a first shell that encases the first fan and the first heat exchanger; a microfluidic device and one or more piezoelectric transducers attached thereto; and a second housing structure reversibly attached to the first housing structure and having a second shell that encloses therein the microfluidic device and the one or more piezoelectric transducers. When the first and second housing structures are coupled, a first air passage is formed between a side of the first heat exchanger and an end of the microfluidic device, a second air passage is formed between the first fan and the piezoelectric transducers, thereby allowing air to circulate between the first and second air passages.

A method for reducing sequencing by synthesis cycle time using a microfluidic device is provided. The microfluidic device comprises a flow cell having an inlet port, an outlet port, and a flow channel extending between the inlet port and the outlet port, wherein the flow channel receives an analyte of interest and one or more reagents for analyzing and detecting molecules. To aid in the acceleration of the reactions, the microfluidic device comprises a mixing device to increase the rates of diffusion of the reagents from the fluid bulk to an active surface of the flow cell. The mixing device comprises at least one of an electrothermal mixing device, an active mechanical mixing device, and a vibrational mixing device.

Devices and methods are provided for electrically lysing cells and releasing macromolecules from the cells. A microfluidic device is provided that includes a planar channel having a thickness on a submillimeter scale, and including electrodes on its upper and lower inner surfaces. After filling the channel with a liquid, such that the channel contains cells within the liquid, a series of voltage pulses of alternating polarity are applied between the channel electrodes, where the amplitude of the voltage pulses and a pulse width of the voltage pulses are effective for causing irreversible electroporation of the cells. The channel is configured to possess thermal properties such that the application of the voltage produces a rapid temperature rise as a result of Joule heating for releasing the macromolecules from the electroplated cells. The channel may also include an internal filter for capturing and concentrating the cells prior to electrical processing.

The present invention provides novel methods and devices that employ microfluidic technology to generate molecular melt curves. In particular, the devices and methods in accordance with the invention are useful in providing for the analysis of PCR amplification products.

A method and a device for determining a nucleotide sequence are proposed. The method comprises immobilizing circularized fragments of a nucleic acid and a polymerase on a sensor surface and adding a mixture of unlabeled nucleotides onto the sensor surface. Moreover, in the mixture added, the nucleotides of each type are present in their own concentration, which differs from the concentrations of the other three types of nucleotides. The time intervals between each of the charge separation events are determined and the registration steps for each nucleotide are repeated, regardless of the type of nucleotides. The nucleotide sequence of a nucleic acid molecule is determined by the analysis of the time intervals between each of the charge separation events registered, which result from the insertion, facilitated by the polymerase, of said unlabeled nucleotides into the growing nucleic acid chain. The device comprises a matrix having a plurality of sensor cells, and a digital-analog circuit, a microfluidic apparatus for feeding working solutions to the sensors, and data processing and display means.

The present invention provides novel methods and devices that employ microfluidic technology to generate molecular melt curves. In particular, the devices and methods in accordance with the invention are useful in providing for the analysis of PCR amplification products.