Apparatus and method for cell disruption
Granted: February 9, 2006
Application Number:
20060027686
An apparatus for disrupting cells or viruses comprises a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The container includes at least one flexible wall defining the chamber. The apparatus also includes a transducer for impacting an external surface of the flexible wall to generate pressure waves in the chamber. The apparatus also includes a pressure source for increasing the pressure in the chamber. The pressurization of the chamber ensures effective coupling between the…
Apparatus and method for cell disruption
Granted: January 26, 2006
Application Number:
20060019379
An apparatus for disrupting cells or viruses comprises a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The container includes at least one flexible wall defining the chamber. The apparatus also includes a transducer for impacting an external surface of the flexible wall to generate pressure waves in the chamber. The apparatus also includes a pressure source for increasing the pressure in the chamber. The pressurization of the chamber ensures effective coupling between the…
Apparatus for analysis of a nucleic acid amplification reaction
Granted: January 19, 2006
Application Number:
20060014200
An apparatus for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or a time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction comprises a detection mechanism for measuring, at a plurality of different times during the amplification reaction, at least one signal whose intensity is related to the quantity of a nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction. A controller in communication with the detection mechanism is programmed to store signal values defining a growth…
Method for quantitative analysis of a nucleic acid amplification reaction
Granted: November 17, 2005
Application Number:
20050255516
A method for determining an unknown starting quantity of a target nucleic acid sequence in a test sample comprises the steps of amplifying the unknown starting quantity of the target nucleic acid sequence in the test sample and known starting quantities of a calibration nucleic acid sequence in respective calibration samples; and determining a respective threshold value for each of the nucleic acid sequences using a derivative of a growth curve derived for the sequence. The starting…
Method and device for sample preparation control
Granted: November 3, 2005
Application Number:
20050244837
A method for preparing a sample suspected to contain a target nucleic acid sequence for a nucleic acid amplification reaction and for verifying the effectiveness of the sample preparation comprises the step of mixing the sample with sample preparation controls. The sample preparation controls are cells, spores, microorganisms, or viruses that contain a marker nucleic acid sequence. The sample mixed with the sample preparation controls is subjected to a lysis treatment, and nucleic acid…
Method for separating analyte from a sample
Granted: September 8, 2005
Application Number:
20050194316
An analyte is separated from a fluid sample by introducing the sample into a cartridge having a sample port and a first flow path extending from the sample port. The first flow path includes an extraction chamber containing a solid support for capturing the analyte from the sample. The cartridge has a second flow path for eluting the captured analyte from the extraction chamber, the second flow diverging from the first flow path after passing through the extraction chamber. The sample is…
Universal control for nucleic acid amplification
Granted: May 5, 2005
Application Number:
20050095603
The present invention provides a universal internal control system that can be used in a wide variety of amplification reactions, and compositions and methods for performing amplification reactions of nucleic acids.
Lyophilized beads containing mannitol
Granted: March 31, 2005
Application Number:
20050069898
Mannitol in certain weight percentages can be used to produce lyophilized beads of consistent size, consistent morphology, and reduced moisture content. These mannitol-containing lyophilized beads are useful in a variety of biological applications where precise reagent amounts are required or moisture-sensitive components are utilized. PCR technologies represent one biological application where mannitol-containing lyophilized beads can be used.
Cartridge for conducting a chemical reaction
Granted: February 24, 2005
Application Number:
20050042137
A cartridge for conducting a chemical reaction includes a body having at least one flow path formed therein. The cartridge also includes a reaction vessel extending from the body for holding a reaction mixture for chemical reaction and optical detection. The vessel comprises a rigid frame defining the side walls of a reaction chamber. The frame includes at least one channel connecting the flow path to the chamber. The vessel also includes flexible films or sheets attached to opposite…
Controls for primers in multiplex amplification reactions
Granted: January 6, 2005
Application Number:
20050003374
The present invention provides methods and compositions for confirming the integrity of primers and other components of amplification reactions, including multiplex amplification reactions.
Apparatus and method for cell disruption
Granted: October 14, 2004
Application Number:
20040200909
An apparatus for disrupting cells or viruses comprises a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The container includes at least one flexible wall defining the chamber. The apparatus also includes a transducer for impacting an external surface of the flexible wall to generate pressure waves in the chamber. The apparatus also includes a pressure source for increasing the pressure in the chamber. The pressurization of the chamber ensures effective coupling between the…
CARTRIDGE FOR ANALYZING A FLUID SAMPLE
Granted: August 26, 2004
Application Number:
20040166031
A cartridge for analyzing a fluid sample has a body defining at least first and second channels and a cavity separating the channels. An end of the first channel is positioned on a first side of the cavity, and an end of the second channel is positioned on a second side of the cavity. The cavity is defined by a first curved surface positioned adjacent the end of the first channel, a second curved surface positioned adjacent the end of the second channel, and at least a third surface…
System and method for temperature control
Granted: June 24, 2004
Application Number:
20040122559
A system for controlling the temperature of a reaction mixture comprises at least one heating device for heating the mixture and a power regulator for regulating the amount of power supplied to the heating device. A controller in communication with the power regulator includes program instructions for heating the reaction mixture by setting a variable target temperature that initially exceeds a desired setpoint temperature for the mixture. When the heating device reaches a threshold…
Compositions, methods and kits for polynucleotide amplification reactions and microfluidic devices
Granted: May 27, 2004
Application Number:
20040101859
Antifoam agents improve detection of polynucleotide amplification reactions and improve manipulation of fluids in microfluidic devices.
Method for quantitative analysis of a nucleic acid amplification reaction
Granted: May 20, 2004
Application Number:
20040096819
A computer program product for determining a threshold value (e.g., a threshold cycle number or time value) in a nucleic acid amplification reaction tangibly embodies instructions readable by a machine to perform the steps of deriving a growth curve from measurements of a signal whose intensity is related to a quantity of nucleic acid sequence being amplified in the reaction, calculating a derivative of the growth curve, identifying a characteristic of the derivative, and determining a…
Method for fabricating a reaction vessel
Granted: December 4, 2003
Application Number:
20030221771
A reaction vessel having a reaction chamber for holding a sample is fabricated by producing a housing having a rigid frame defining the minor walls of the chamber. The housing also defines a port for introducing fluid into the chamber. At least one sheet or film is attached to the rigid frame to form at least one major wall of the chamber. In preferred embodiments, two sheets or films are attached to opposite sides of the rigid frame to form two opposing major walls of the chamber, the…
Method and apparatus for controlling ultrasonic transducer
Granted: September 4, 2003
Application Number:
20030164658
Method and apparatus for implementing ultrasonic systems that maximize efficiency by dynamically detecting and maintaining peak operational resonance frequency. In one embodiment, the invention dynamically sweeps the output frequency range to locate the peak load current. The resonance frequency corresponding to the peak load current is used as a reference frequency in a control loop. The control loop includes a voltage-controlled oscillator (VCO) that is controlled by a loop controller…
Fluid processing and control
Granted: August 28, 2003
Application Number:
20030162304
A fluid control and processing system for controlling fluid flow among a plurality of chambers comprises a body including a fluid processing region continuously coupled fluidicly with a fluid displacement region. The fluid displacement region is depressurizable to draw fluid into the fluid displacement region and pressurizable to expel fluid from the fluid displacement region. The body includes at least one external port. The fluid processing region is fluidicly coupled with the at least…
Apparatus and reaction vessel for controlling the temperature of a sample
Granted: August 14, 2003
Application Number:
20030152492
This invention provides an apparatus for rapidly heating and/or cooling a sample in a reaction vessel. In some embodiments, the apparatus includes optics for the efficient detection of a reaction product in the vessel. The invention also provides a reaction vessel having a reaction chamber designed for optimal thermal conductance and for efficient optical viewing of reaction products in the chamber.
Apparatus and method for rapid disruption of cells or viruses
Granted: April 10, 2003
Application Number:
20030066915
An apparatus for disrupting cells or viruses comprises a container having a chamber for holding the cells or viruses. The chamber is defined by at least one wall having an external surface for contacting a transducer device. The transducer device has a vibrating surface for contacting the wall and for vibrating at an operating frequency and amplitude sufficient to generate pressure waves or pressure pulses in the chamber. The transducer device is coupled to the wall with a preload force…
