The present invention is directed to methods and devices capable of target analyte separation and analysis, in particular highly sensitive separation and detection and free-solution analyte detection assays.

In an electrophoresis apparatus using a capillary, electrophoresis using a single capillary sometimes requires replacement of a sieving matrix. Replacement with a different sieving matrix has conventionally required cleaning with sieving matrix cleaning liquid, which has increased costs and time required. An electrophoresis apparatus according to the present invention comprises an anodic capillary head provided at a distal end of the capillary, a sieving matrix container filled with a sieving matrix used for electrophoresis, and a filling mechanism for filling the capillary with the sieving matrix via the sieving matrix container. The filling mechanism fills the capillary, which is already filled with the sieving matrix, with a sieving matrix different from the already-filled sieving matrix without using sieving matrix cleaning liquid.

A determination method includes: using a microchip, including a capillary flow path and a sample reservoir connected to the capillary flow path at an upstream side, to fill the capillary flow path with a first solution for electrophoresis, and supply the sample reservoir with a second solution containing an analyte; applying a voltage between the sample reservoir supplied with the second solution and the inside of the capillary flow path filled with the first solution, to move a component contained in the second solution in the capillary flow path and separate the component in the capillary flow path; optically detecting a value related to a component difference between the first solution and the second solution, other than a value related to the analyte, for the separated component; and determining whether the optical detection is favorable or poor by comparing the optically detected value with a predetermined threshold value.

A digital microfluidic system includes a substrate, a plurality of electrode sets provided on the substrate, wherein each of the electrode sets includes two co-planar interdigitated finger electrodes, and a driving circuit including an AC/DC voltage source and a controller. Each of the electrode sets is individually addressable by the driving circuit under control of the controller such that an AC/DC voltage generated by the AC/DC voltage source may be selectively provided to one or more of the electrode sets. Also, an anti-biofouling electrode for a digital microfluidic system includes an electrode layer, and a slippery liquid infused porous surface structure provided on the electrode layer.

An analysis chip for capillary electrophoresis includes a capillary tube, and a filter that is provided upstream of the capillary tube. The chip can also include an introducing tank connected to one end of the capillary tube, and a discharging tank connected to another end of the capillary tube.

Briefly, a method for verifying the visual perceptibility of a display is provided. An intended message is written to a bistable display. Pixels that comprise portions of the message are measured and evaluated to determine if the message actually displayed on the bistable display was perceptible by a human or a machine. In some cases, information regarding the message actually perceivable from the display may be stored for later use. Responsive to determining that a message is perceivable or not perceivable, alarms may be set, one or more third parties notified, or additional display features may be set.

An analyte selection device can include: a body defining a fluid channel having a channel inlet and channel outlet; a bipolar electrode (BPE) between the inlet and outlet; one of an anode or cathode electrically coupled with the BPE on a channel inlet side of the BPE and the other of the anode or cathode electrically coupled with the BPE on a channel outlet side of the BPE; and an electronic system operably coupled with the anode and cathode so as to polarize the BPE. The fluid channel can have any shape or dimension. The channel inlet and channel outlet can be longitudinal or lateral with respect to the longitudinal axis of the channel. The BPE can be any metallic member, such as a flat plate on a wall or mesh as a barrier BPE. The anode and cathode can be located at a position that polarizes the BPE.

A method of driving an element of an active matrix electro-wetting on dielectric (AM-EWOD) device comprise applying a first alternating voltage to a reference electrode of the AM-EWOD device; and either (i) applying to the element electrode a second alternating voltage that has the same frequency as the first alternating voltage and that is out of phase with the first alternating voltage or (ii) holding the element electrode in a high impedance state. The effect of applying the second alternating voltage to the element electrode is to put the element in an actuated state in which the element is configured to actuate any liquid droplet present in the element, while the effect of holding the element electrode in the high impedance state is to put the element in a non-actuated state.

Various embodiments of the teachings relate to a system or method for sample preparation or analysis in biochemical or molecular biology procedures. The sample preparation can involve small volume processed in discrete portions or segments or slugs, herein referred to as discrete volumes. A molecular biology procedure can be nucleic acid analysis. Nucleic acid analysis can be an integrated DNA amplification/DNA sequencing procedure.

Electrophoresis device including: a first flow passage extending in a first direction and through which a sample and a buffer solution flow; a sample collecting part provided at an end portion of the first flow passage and configured to collect the sample; electrodes disposed at both sides of the first flow passage in a second direction perpendicular to the first direction and configured to apply a voltage to the first flow passage in the second direction; second flow passages communicating with both sides of the first flow passage in the second direction, configured to accommodate the electrodes, and through which a second buffer solution flows; and partition walls fixed to communicating portions between the first and second flow passages with a predetermined bonding strength and configured to block movement of substances between the first and second flow passages. The partition walls are formed of a gel material having ion permeability.