Abstract:
A vertical beam spectrophotometer for measuring the light absorption of an assay prepared using standard wet chemistry procedures and conventional solid phase coated bead technology is disclosed. The spectrophotometer measures the absorption of the assay in a conventional reaction cuvette with the bead remaining in the cuvette. The light source of the spectrophotometer illuminates the bead, which diffuses the light into the surrounding assay solution. A lense projects the diffused light onto a photocell which converts it into an electrical signal having magnitude related to the light absorption of the assay. The signal is processed in a known manner by conventional processing circuitry to obtain an absorption value.
Abstract:
A system for conducting an assay comprises a power source (16), a controller (13) for controlling the assay and a plurality of assay units (14) operatively connected to one another such that the controller can communicate with the assay units and the system is capable of conducting the assay. An assay device comprises a substantially circular body (24) having a plurality of chambers in fluid connection such that fluid can pass between said chambers and a central hub (200) having a sample inlet (202) disposed therein for receiving a sample.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a microarray having a plurality of micro-locations for confining selected photophores, for example, biological molecules exhibiting fluorescence spectra. The microarray can further include an array of optoelectronic photodetectors each of which is optically coupled with at least one of the micro-locations to detect radiation, for example, fluorescence radiation, that is emitted from the photophores confined in that micro-location. Each photodetector includes a resonant cavity that is formed of a front reflector and/or a back reflector having distributed Bragg reflector structures and a photo-detecting element disposed in the resonant cavity. The microarray can utilize either external optical excitation sources, such as lasers, LEDs, or can contain its own excitation sources in an integrated structure containing both optical radiation emitters, such as, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers or resonant cavity LEDs, and resonant cavity photodetectors. The integrated emitters and detectors can be either coaxially or adjacently located. Further, the microarray can include either separate sample array and excitation/detector array plates, or a single sample/excitation/detector array plate in which the photophore-containing sample molecules can be deposited directly on the excitation/detector array.
Abstract:
The present invention provides a microarray having a plurality of micro-locations for confining selected photophores, for example, biological molecules exhibiting fluorescence spectra. The microarray can further include an array of optoelectronic photodetectors each of which is optically coupled with at least one of the micro-locations to detect radiation, for example, fluorescence radiation, that is emitted from the photophores confined in that micro-location. Each photodetector includes a resonant cavity that is formed of a front reflector and/or a back reflector having distributed Bragg reflector structures and a photo-detecting element disposed in the resonant cavity. The microarray can utilize either external optical excitation sources, such as lasers, LEDs, or can contain its own excitation sources in an integrated structure containing both optical radiation emitters, such as, vertical cavity surface emitting lasers or resonant cavity LEDs, and resonant cavity photodetectors. The integrated emitters and detectors can be either coaxially or adjacently located. Further, the microarray can include either separate sample array and excitation/detector array plates, or a single sample/excitation/detector array plate in which the photophore-containing sample molecules can be deposited directly on the excitation/detector array.
Abstract:
An improved control system for a stepper motor coil (190) includes a flyback circuit (192) that dissipates coil energy slowly while the coil is energized and operated in the chopping mode, while dissipating coil energy rapidly when the coil is switched to its de-energized phase.
Abstract:
A system (10) uses a photometer that establishes an optical channel between a light emitter (102) and a light detector (106). The photometer analyzes a specimen while it occupies a well (48) in a tray (12). A movable platform (74) transports the tray (12) to the optical channel for analysis and removes the tray (12) from the optical channel after analysis. The system calibrates the movable platform (74) to assure proper alignment between the specimen and the photometric apparatus used to analyze the specimen. The system also calibrates the optical channel without use of an external reference.
Abstract:
A sample handling system for an optical evaluation instrument. A cuvette storage mechanism (10) is provided for storing a plurality of cuvettes (50), each of which has a plurality of reaction wells. A temperature controlled housing (26) is provided for storing a plurality of reagent containers each containing a respective reagent, and a plurality of sample collection tubes, containing a fluid sample and each presenting an optically scannable code identifying the sample and a test to be performed on the sample. A programming station (30) is provided for optically reading the code (32) presented by the respective sample collection tubes for programming the instrument with a test to be performed. A sample insertion station (14) includes a mechanism (36) for aspirating a portion of the sample from a sample collection tube and for dispensing the aspirated sample portion into a reaction well of a cuvette. A first transporter (28) transports the sample collection tubes first to the programming station (30) and then to the sample insertion station (14). A second transporter (12) transports the cuvettes through the sample insertion station (14) and the reagent station (16, 18 and 20) and onto the monitoring means (22).
Abstract:
The method is a method of photometric in vitro determination of the content of an analyte in a sample of whole blood. The blood sample is transferred from an in vivo locality directly to the sample container of a sampling device. The sample container comprises a measuring chamber wherein there is provided a transparent body the radiation transmission characteristics of which vary with the content of analyte in the environment of the body. The transparent body is equilibrated with the sample and thereafter the measuring chamber is deformed in a controlled manner while the portion of the measuring chamber located in the radiation transmission path is drained for blood sample. The analyte content is determined on the basis of detection of the radiation transmitted from the radiation source through the deformed measuring chamber and the transparent body and to the radiation detector. A sampling device and an analyzer for use in photometric in vitro determination of the content of an analyte in a blood sample is also described.
Abstract in simplified Chinese:本发明描述用于侦测实时PCR(聚合连锁反应)中之多个目标物质之技术。举例而言,一系统包含:一数据获取设备;及一侦测设备,其耦接至该数据获取设备。该侦测设备包括一具有复数个处理腔室之旋转圆盘,该等处理腔室具有以不同波长发射萤光之复数个物质。该设备进一步包括复数个可移除光学模块,该等可移除光学模块经光学组态以激发该等物质且攫取由该等物质以不同波长发射之萤光。一耦接至该复数个可移除光学模块之光纤束将该萤光自该等光学模块发送至一单一侦测器。此外,该设备可借由找到隔开腔室之各阀且使用一激光来加热该等阀而选择性地开启该等阀来控制该圆盘中之流体的流动。
Abstract in simplified Chinese:本发明描述了用于侦测实时PCR(聚合链反应)中之多个目标物质的技术。举例而言,一系统包含:一数据截取设备;及一侦测设备,其耦接至该数据截取设备。该侦测设备包括一具有复数个处理腔室之旋转圆盘,该等处理腔室具有以不同波长发射萤光之复数个物质。该设备进一步包括复数个可移除光学模块,该等可移除光学模块经光学组态以激发该等物质,且捕获由该等物质以不同波长发射之萤光。一耦接至该复数个可移除光学模块之光纤束将该萤光自该等光学模块发送至一单一侦测器。该设备进一步包括一用于加热在该圆盘上之一或多个处理腔室之加热单元。此外,该设备可借由定位隔开腔室之阀且使用一激光来加热该等阀而选择性地开启该等阀来控制该圆盘中之流体的流动。