The present disclosure describes an apparatus and method of improving temperature uniformity and suppressing well plate warping. In an embodiment, the apparatus includes a barrier configured to be positioned above at least one well configured to contain a liquid sample, where a vessel includes the at least one well, where the vessel is transparent and is configured to be placed within a measurement chamber, where a light measurement apparatus includes the measurement chamber, where the light measurement apparatus is configured to measure light scattered from the liquid sample, where the barrier is configured to seal the at least one well from the measurement chamber, and a weighted lid configured to press a bottom surface of the vessel against a well plate retainer of the measurement chamber, thereby spreading heat among the at least one well and preventing the vessel from warping.

An optofluidic diagnostic system and methods for rapid analyte detections. The system comprises an optofluidic sensor array, a test plate and an optical detection cartridge. The sensor array supports one or more distinct sensor units, each having a reactor section designed to temporarily enter a series of different kinds of wells in the test plate. One kind of well is a sample reservoir that holds reagent solution to be transferred into the reactor section. Another kind of well is a drainage chamber that removes reagent solution from the reactor section. A third kind of well is a colorant reservoir that holds a colorant reagent transferable into a reactor section. Finally, the sensor unit is transferred to the optical detection cartridge where it is placed into an isolation booth during the optical detection process so that its flat observation face is stationed in a viewing window opposite an optical detector lens.

An optofluidic diagnostic system and methods for rapid analyte detections. The system comprises an optofluidic sensor array, a test plate and an optical detection cartridge. The sensor array supports one or more distinct sensor units, each having a reactor section designed to temporarily enter a series of different kinds of wells in the test plate. One kind of well is a sample reservoir that holds reagent solution to be transferred into the reactor section. Another kind of well is a drainage chamber that removes reagent solution from the reactor section. A third kind of well is a colorant reservoir that holds a colorant reagent transferable into a reactor section. Finally, the sensor unit is transferred to the optical detection cartridge where it is placed into an isolation booth during the optical detection process so that its flat observation face is stationed in a viewing window opposite an optical detector lens.

The method of analyzing absorbance of one or more liquid samples (3) arranged in the wells (2) of a microplate (1) comprises the steps of setting a desired wavelength falling within the wavelength range of 380 nm-750 nm for absorbance measurement (101), illuminating the samples (3) using electromagnetic radiation having a bandwidth of at most 20 nm around the set wavelength (102), measuring radiant flux transmitted through each sample (3) (103), on the basis of measured radiant flux values, determining an absorbance value for each sample (3) (104), and visualizing the absorbance values on a display (12) as a matrix comprising a plurality of cells (23), each cell (23) corresponding to a well (2) of the microplate (1) (105). The set wavelength is used as an input for determining the visual properties of the cells (23).

Systems and methods for antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) are provided in which variances in anionic charge of microbes are taken into account. Cationic surfactants may be used to sensitize otherwise resistant microorganisms to polycationic antibiotics, such as polymyxins. Since microorganisms gain polycationic antibiotic resistance through mutations that decrease surface anionic charge, the susceptibility of a microorganism to a polycationic antibiotic may be indicative of its surface charge. In order to enable electrostatic interactions with the microorganism surface, a cationic surfactant may be applied to increase the anionic charge of the microorganism.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method of defining a Raman signature of a culture component, the method comprising: obtaining a Raman spectrum of a culture component in a non-interfering or minimally-interfering solution, identifying peaks in the Raman spectrum that are associated with the culture component, obtaining a Raman spectrum of a culture medium comprising the culture component, and, removing peaks of the culture component in the Raman spectrum of the culture medium that are distorted compared to the peaks identified in the Raman spectrum of the culture component in a non-interfering or minimally-interfering solution.

The present disclosure provides an automated sample analyzer having a continuous scanning optical assembly for performing an assay. The optical assembly allows for robust detection of light emitted from a reaction mixture in a dynamically changing environment, such as detection of light from a reaction mixture that is being rotated about an axis at high rotational velocity.

In one aspect an imaging system includes: an illumination system including an array of light sources; an optical system including one or more lens arrays, each of the lens arrays including an array of lenses, each of the lenses in each of the one or more lens arrays in alignment with a corresponding set of light sources of the array of light sources; an imaging system including an array of image sensors, each of the image sensors in alignment with a corresponding lens or set of lenses of the one or more lens arrays, each of the image sensors configured to acquire image data based on the light received from the corresponding lens or set of lenses; a plate receiver system capable of receiving a multi-well plate including an array of wells, the plate receiver system configured to align each of the wells with a corresponding one of the image sensors; and a controller configured to control the illumination of the light sources and the acquisition of image data by the image sensors, the controller further configured to perform: an image acquisition process including a plurality of scans, each scan associated with a unique pattern of illumination, each of the image sensors configured to generate an image for a respective one of the wells during each scan; and an image reconstruction process during which the controller performs a fourier ptychographic operation to generate a reconstructed image for each of the wells based on the image data captured for the respective well during each of the scans.

In a sample analyzing apparatus, an injector assembly injects a reagent onto a sample, and luminescent light from the sample is transmitted to a detector. The assembly may be movable toward and away from the sample. The assembly may include one or more needles that communicate with one or more reservoirs supplying reagent or other liquids. The assembly may include a light guide for communicating with the detector. A cartridge may be provided in which the assembly, one or more reservoirs, and one or more pumps are disposed. The cartridge and/or the apparatus may be configured for enabling rinsing or priming to be done outside the apparatus. The cartridge and/or the apparatus may include one or more types of sensors configured for detecting, for example, the presence of liquid or bubbles in one or more locations of the apparatus and/or the cartridge.

In one aspect, the disclosure provides a method of defining a Raman signature of a culture component, the method comprising: obtaining a Raman spectrum of a culture component in a non-interfering or minimally-interfering solution, identifying peaks in the Raman spectrum that are associated with the culture component, obtaining a Raman spectrum of a culture medium comprising the culture component, and, removing peaks of the culture component in the Raman spectrum of the culture medium that are distorted compared to the peaks identified in the Raman spectrum of the culture component in a non-interfering or minimally-interfering solution.