| Class / Patent application number | Description | Number of patent applications / Date published |
|---|
| 204451000 |
Capillary electrophoresis
| 421 |
| 204456000 |
Gel electrophoresis
| 215 |
| 204518000 |
Barrier separation (e.g., using membrane, filter paper, etc.)
| 203 |
| 204547000 |
Dielectrophoresis (i.e., using nonuniform electric field)
| 142 |
| 204471000 |
Coating or forming of object
| 90 |
| 204549000 |
Isotachophoresis (i.e., displacement electrophoresis) or measurement of ion or particle mobility
| 41 |
| 204548000 |
Isoelectric focusing (i.e., using pH variation)
| 20 |
| 204545000 |
With use of nonelectrical field or force to separate (e.g., magnetic, centrifugal, etc.)
| 9 |
| 204550000 |
Ionophoresis
| 8 |
| 204553000 |
Bulk separation of solids and liquids (e.g., dewatering solids, clarifying water, etc.) | 5 |
| 20110000790 | TURBOELECTRIC COAGULATION APPARATUS - An apparatus and method for removing contaminant species from water by electrocoagulation are described. Alternating grounded, rotating, planar circular electrodes and stationary planar electrodes function as a Tesla fluid pump when placed in contact with the contaminated water, causing the water to flow between the rotating and stationary electrodes. An insoluble abrasive material introduced into the water removes scale from the electrodes while the water is pumped thereby. A direct electric current is caused to flow between each pair of rotating and stationary electrodes, thereby producing electrocoagulation of the contaminants in the water flowing therebetween. The electrocoagulated materials may be separated from the treated water by filtration or by permitting the treated water to stand for a chosen period. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20120055797 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR INCREASING THE EFFICIENCY OF ELECTRO-DEWATERING - It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved method of electro-dewatering substances by increasing the efficiency with which water is removed from the substances, thus permitting substances to attain higher dryness levels with the same energy input and surface area, or to attain similar dryness levels with less energy input or less surface area. The method comprises placing the substance between at least two electrodes, at least one of which is adapted to allow fluid evacuation, depositing an electrolyte at the interface between the substance and one of the electrodes, wherein the two previous steps can be performed in any order, and, before impregnation of the electrolyte into the substance can occur, submitting the substance to a combination of pressure and electrical current so as to remove liquid from the substance; wherein the electrolyte should be added in sufficient quantity to substantially reduce or prevent the voltage drop that occurs near the at least one electrode and in sufficient volume to allow dispersion over the entire surface of the substance. | 03-08-2012 |
| 20130112561 | DEWATERING OIL SAND TAILINGS - Described herein, is a method of dewatering a slurry, the slurry being tailings from bitumen extraction of mined oil sand. The slurry is passed through at least one electro-kinetic thickener having a voltage gradient to separate water from the slurry to produce a dewatered slurry. The electro-kinetic thickener may comprise an auger to move the slurry downstream. The auger has a conductive component in the form of a wire, ribbon or rod as an anode (positive electrode) to attract negatively-charged slurry particles and to repel the positively-charged cations and associated water. The auger is shafted or shaftless. The electro-kinetic thickener may also comprise a porous drum having the auger disposed therein. The porous drum is a cathode (negative electrode) to repel the negatively-charged slurry particles, attract the positively-charged cations and associated water, and allow the water to pass through the porous drum. | 05-09-2013 |
| 20150008128 | BEAD MANIPULATION TECHNIQUES - The invention provides a method of redistributing magnetically responsive beads in a droplet. The method may include conducting on a droplet operations surface one or more droplet operations using the droplet without removing the magnetically responsive beads from the region of the magnetic field. The droplet operations may in some cases be electrode-mediated. The droplet operations may redistribute and/or circulate the magnetically responsive beads within the droplet. In some cases, the droplet may include a sample droplet may include a target analyte. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads may cause target analyte to bind to the magnetically responsive beads. In some cases, the droplet may include unbound substances in a wash buffer. The redistributing of the magnetically responsive beads causes unbound substances to be freed from interstices of an aggregated set or subset of the magnetically responsive beads. | 01-08-2015 |
| 20150321200 | Reclamation of Metals from a Fluid - A system for extracting metals (e.g. precious metals or dangerous metals) from a substrate material such as sludge from a lake bed or sewage treatment facility includes processing the substrate material and metals by exposing the substrate material and metals to the plasma of an electric arc. Then, the exposed substrate material and metals are passed through an electrically charged collection grid in which the metals, now electrically charged, are attracted to the collection grid and hold to the collection grid and the substrate material exits the collection grid with less concentrations (or none) of the metals. In some embodiments, in addition to recovering the metals (e.g. precious metals, dangerous metals, etc.), a flammable gas is produced. | 11-12-2015 |
| 204515000 |
Inorganic siliceous or calcareous material prepared, separated, or treated (e.g., clay, earth, concrete, asbestos, glass, etc.) | 5 |
| 20140339086 | APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR ELECTROKINETIC IN-SITU LEACHING REMEDIATION OF SOIL - This invention relates to environment protection, and discloses apparatus and method for electrokinetic in-situ leaching remediation of contaminated soil. The apparatus includes a DC electrical source, electrode chambers, electrodes, permeable reactive barriers (PRBs), electrode solution pH testers, electrode solution extraction tubes, a heating pipe network, a heat exchanger, leacheate sprayers, acid-base adjusting solution sprayers, a multichannel peristaltic pump, automatic control devices, an electrode solution storage tank, an electrode solution treatment pond, an in-line pump, single-channel peristaltic pumps, a flowmeter, a time control device, a leacheate storage tank, an acid solution storage tank, an alkali solution storage tank, and soil pH testers. Through electrokinetic enhanced leaching, heating pipe network and PRBs to optimize remediation and accelerate remediation rate, and automatic control devices and recycling of electrode solution to elevate the automation level and increase resource recycling rate, a faster and better remediation at a lower cost can be achieved. | 11-20-2014 |
| 20160101388 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF A SLURRY - The present invention relates to a system and a method for the concentration of slurry, especially mineral containing slurry. The invention provides a system comprising an electrophoresis unit and a separation unit, where the separation unit comprises a recipient, preferably of half cylindrical form, with adjusted flanks for separating the solid material or cake from the rotating anodes and a sliding carriage suitable for closing the recipient and stripping resting solid material from the flanks into the recipient before the solid material or cake is pressed out of the recipient by a piston. | 04-14-2016 |
| 20120292186 | Clarification of Tailing Ponds Using Electrophoresis - A system for clarifying fine tailings in an aqueous suspension in oil sands tailing ponds uses electrophoresis to collect fine tailings on respective electrodes during application of a first electrical potential to the electrodes. The collected fine tailings can then be deposited from the electrodes to a collection area below the electrodes during application of a second electrical potential of opposing polarity. The first and second electrodes are continued to be alternately applied to the electrodes until the fluid is substantially clarified of fine tailings in suspension. | 11-22-2012 |
| 20120325663 | COMPLEX ELECTROKINETIC DECONTAMINATION EQUIPMENT FOR DECONTAMINATING RADIONUCLIDE AND DECONTAMINATION METHOD USING THE SAME - A complex electrokinetic decontamination equipment is disclosed, which removes a radionuclide from contaminated soil with a high efficiency, using a combination of a washing decontamination method performed in an electrokinetic unit using electrolyte and an electrokinetic decontamination method performed by the electrokinetic unit. pH values in an anode chamber and a cathode chamber are optimally controlled by a pH control unit, thereby reducing quantity and size of metal oxide particles. In addition, a water level of the electrolyte in the electrokinetic unit may be automatically controlled by an electrolyte supply controller. | 12-27-2012 |
| 20130192991 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR THE CONCENTRATION OF A SLURRY - The present invention relates to a system and a method for the concentration of slurry, especially mineral containing slurry. The invention provides a system comprising an electrophoresis unit and a separation unit, where the separation unit comprises a recipient, preferably of half cylindrical form, with adjusted flanks for separating the solid material or cake from the rotating anodes and a sliding carriage suitable for closing the recipient and stripping resting solid material from the flanks into the recipient before the solid material or cake is pressed out of the recipient by a piston. | 08-01-2013 |
| 204551000 |
Solid sorption or desorption | 3 |
| 20120273358 | METHOD OF TREATMENT OF CELLULOSIC OBJECTS - The invention provides a method of inhibiting biological damage to a cellulosic structural element exposed to environmental moisture, said method comprising applying a pulsed asymmetric electrical voltage to a decay-prone region of a said element over a prolonged time period. | 11-01-2012 |
| 20130284600 | THIN FILMS FOR CONTROLLED PROTEIN INTERACTION - A medium for isolating or releasing an electrostatically charged component from or into an aqueous composition. The medium has a polyelectrolyte film on at least one surface of an article wherein the polyelectrolyte film is characterized by an interpenetrating network of a predominantly positively charged polymer and a predominantly negatively charged polymer. The predominantly positively charged polymer, the predominantly negatively charged polymer or both contain (i) a pH sensitive imidazole repeat unit having a pKa between 3 and 9, or (ii) a redox sensitive repeat unit selected from the group consisting of quaternized bipyridine repeat units, coordinated metal repeat units, pyrrole repeat units, aniline repeat units, thiophene repeat units and combinations thereof having a redox potential between +1.2 volts and −1.2 volts versus a standard hydrogen electrode. | 10-31-2013 |
| 20150336819 | ION ABSORPTION/DESORPTION DEVICE AND A METHOD THEREOF AS WELL AS A PH ADJUSTOR - The present invention provides an ion absorption/desorption device and a corresponding method. The ion absorption device may comprise: an electrode pair ( | 11-26-2015 |
| 204546000 |
Absorbent strip electrophoresis (e.g., using cellulose acetate or paper strip, etc.) | 2 |
| 20090314641 | METHODS AND APPARATUS FOR LOW RESISTANCE ELECTROPHORESIS OF PRIOR-CAST, HYDRATABLE SEPARATION MEDIA - Methods and apparatus are presented that facilitate electrophoresis of prior-cast, hydratable separation media, usefully immobilized pH gradient (IPG) strips. The method exploits the swelling of prior-cast, hydratable separation media upon rehydration to help lodge the media in an enclosing member that permits spaced electrical communication with the enclosed separation media. The electrical communication permits a voltage gradient to be established in the enclosed separation medium sufficient to effect separation of analytes therein. Cassettes, buffer cores, electrophoresis systems and kits are presented for effecting the methods of the invention. | 12-24-2009 |
| 20150096892 | METHOD AND APPARATUS TO MEASURE BLOOD THICKNESS LEVEL AND BLOOD CONSTITUENT CONCENTRATION - In described embodiment a method and an apparatus are provided for blood characterization. A closed loop electrical circuit employs as part of the circuit, a time varying resistive path that is made out of blood constituents and other chemicals. As the blood characteristics are changing, the resistance of the electrical path is also changing. The resistance change over a predefined time window is used to determine the blood thickness information. The resistance value change over another predefined time window is used to determine the blood density information. Presence as well as absence of blood constituents is determined from the resistance change over a pre-defined time window. | 04-09-2015 |
| 204513000 |
Hydrocarbon oil separated or purified | 2 |
| 20150075989 | DEVICES AND METHODS USING POROUS MEMBRANES FOR OIL-WATER EMULSION SEPARATION - The invention provides methods and devices that use membranes to separate oil/water mixtures. The methods and devices have a wide range of applications, including deep seep oil exploration, oil purification, and oil spill cleanup. In some embodiments, at least one first membrane is provided, the first membrane being hydrophilic and oleophobic. The first membrane allows passage of water therethrough In some embodiments, a second membrane that is hydrophobic and oleophilic is provided in addition to the first membrane. The second membrane allows passage of oil therethrough. | 03-19-2015 |
| 20140332385 | ELECTRO-SEPARATION OF OIL-BASED DRILLING FLUIDS - A method and apparatus for separating drilling fluid is provided. A housing is provided with a number of vertical parallel spaced apart electrode plates within. The housing is filled with a batch of drilling fluid so that the drilling fluid fills up the spacings between the electrode plates and the drilling mud is subjected to an electro-separation cycle by placing a DC voltage across the electrode plates so that adjacent plates have opposite polarity and an electric field is created in the drilling fluid in the spacings between the electrode plates. During the electro-separation cycle, periodically subjecting the drilling fluid to a vibration cycle by inducing vibrations in the drilling fluid. When the treatment of the drilling fluid is completed, removing an upper layer of fluid from the housing. | 11-13-2014 |
| Entries |
| Document | Title | Date |
|---|
| 20080210558 | Electrowetting Pumping Device And Use For Measuring Electrical Activity - The invention relates to a method for pumping through an orifice ( | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080210559 | High energy density electro-osmotic pump and actuator - An electro-osmotic pump includes a pump chamber having a wall fabricated of an electric double layer material, the surface area of the electric double layer material being high relative to the volume of the chamber. An electric potential applied across the material causes a fluid in the chamber to be transported through the wall. | 09-04-2008 |
| 20080217176 | Portable oxygen maintenance and regulation concentrator apparatus - The fast and convenient usage of clean and pure oxygen supply devices will meet the requirements of medical application and special environment safety issues. The electrochemical oxygen concentration is a device by using an electrochemical reactor of one electrode of oxygen reduction and another electrode of oxygen generation. The operation of electrochemical reactor can achieve the easy control of air oxygen from one side to another side of this thin mask structure and the materials, design and engineering of this electrochemical oxygen concentration is workable for medical application. | 09-11-2008 |
| 20080230386 | Sample Processing Droplet Actuator, System and Method - Sample processing droplet actuators, systems and methods are provided. According to one embodiment, a stamping device including a droplet microactuator is provided and includes: (a) a first plate including a path or network of control electrodes for transporting droplets on a surface thereof; (b) a second plate mounted in a substantially parallel orientation with respect to the first plate providing an interior volume between the plates, the second plate including one or more stamping ports for transporting some portion or all of a droplet from the interior volume to an exterior location; (c) a port for introducing fluid into the interior volume between the plates; and (d) a path or network of reference electrodes corresponding to the path or network of control electrodes. Associated systems and methods including the stamping device are also provided. | 09-25-2008 |
| 20080264791 | ELECTROPHORETIC MEDIUM AND PROCESS FOR THE PRODUCTION THEREOF - A two-phase electrophoretic medium comprises a continuous phase and a discontinuous phase. The discontinuous phase comprises a plurality of droplets, each of which comprises a suspending fluid and at least one particle disposed within the suspending fluid and capable of moving through the fluid upon application of an electric field to the electrophoretic medium. The continuous phase surrounds and encapsulates the discontinuous phase. To reduce the humidity sensitivity of the medium, a non-ionizable or crystalline polymer may be used as the continuous phase. | 10-30-2008 |
| 20080271999 | Composite Conductive Material - A composite conducting material is described comprising a non-conductive polymeric base material, and for example a geosynthetic or like material, in association with at least one primary conducting electrode element comprising a metallic core element coated with a coating of mixed metal oxides such as oxides and/or suboxides of tantalum, niobium, iridium, palladium, ruthenium, rhodium, titanium and mixtures thereof. The material disposed as an electrode, for example in an electrokinetic circuit, for the treatment of materials such as highly watered and/or highly saline substrates by electroosmosis, is also described. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080272000 | Methods for Forming Small-Volume Electrical Contacts and Material Manipulations With Fluidic Microchannels - A microfabricated device employing a bridging membrane and methods for electrokinetic transport of a liquid phase biological or chemical material using the same are described. The bridging membrane is deployed in or adjacent to a microchannel and permits either ionic current flow or the transport of gas species, while inhibiting the bulk flow of material. The use of bridging membranes in accordance with this invention is applicable to a variety of processes, including electrokinetically induced pressure flow in a region of a microchannel that is not influenced by an electric field, sample concentration enhancement and injection, as well as improving the analysis of materials where it is desired to eliminate electrophoretic bias. Other applications of the bridging membranes according to this invention include the separation of species from a sample material, valving of fluids in a microchannel network, mixing of different materials in a microchannel, and the pumping of fluids. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080272001 | PRODUCTION LINE TREATMENT FOR ORGANIC PRODUCT - A fluid from a fermentation process or the like is passed or circulated through chambers of a bipolar membrane electrodialysis unit to separate an ionizable organic acid stream and at least one co-ion or residual stream. The organic acid stream is preferably concentrated (e.g., by recirculation, dewatering or both), and a product is recovered from the concentrated stream, for example by crystallization, and other outputs from the electrodialysis unit may be integrated with overall treatment and applied elsewhere in the treatment system. Depleted feed may be returned upstream to enhance yield, condition the medium or form a by-product. Treatment systems of the invention may replace a cation exchange bed and/or various filter arrangements, and recirculation of the feed and product flows through the unit enhance recovery, separation and quality of the target species. An ED chamber may include a filling of ion exchange beads to maintain a desired operating efficiency as the feed is depleted, and the straight-through operation effectively operates as pre-filtration stage to provide downstream product-bearing flows with processing characteristics for enhanced treatment, recovery and product quality. When operated to treat a downstream waste, systems allow additional recovery of value in the form of product, unexpended nutrients, co-factors and/or other components present in the waste. | 11-06-2008 |
| 20080302662 | Method And Apparatus Of Concentration And Purification Of Nucleic Acid - In a method for concentration and purification method of nucleic acids using electrophoresis, cationic surfactant is added to a sample containing nucleic acids so as to adjust electric charge of impurities in the sample, and then the sample is placed in an electric field for electrophoresis so as to concentrate and purify the nucleic acids. The cationic surfactant ( | 12-11-2008 |
| 20080308422 | Protein Sample Preparation - In one aspect, the invention provides methods for protein sample preparation for electrophoretic separation. The method comprises a step of providing a protein sample in solution, adding a chaotrope to the protein sample, adding a surfactant to the protein sample, wherein the final concentration of the surfactant in the solution is less than critical micelle concentration of the surfactant. In another aspect, the invention also provides methods of electrophoretic separation of protein samples that includes the protein sample preparation method as described herein. In yet another aspect, the invention provides a loading buffer solution composition for protein sample preparation that includes a surfactant in solution at a final concentration that is less than critical micelle concentration of the surfactant, and; a chaotrope. | 12-18-2008 |
| 20080314749 | Microelectronic Device with Magnetic Excitation Wires - The invention relates to a microelectronic device ( | 12-25-2008 |
| 20090020426 | Microscale Fluid Transport Using Optically Controlled Marangoni Effect - Low energy light illumination and either a doped semiconductor surface or a surface-plasmon supporting surface are used in combination for manipulating a fluid on the surface in the absence of any applied electric fields or flow channels. Precise control of fluid flow is achieved by applying focused or tightly collimated low energy light to the surface-fluid interface. In the first embodiment, with an appropriate dopant level in the semiconductor substrate, optically excited charge carriers are made to move to the surface when illuminated. In a second embodiment, with a thin-film noble metal surface on a dispersive substrate, optically excited surface plasmons are created for fluid manipulation. This electrode-less optical control of the Marangoni effect provides re-configurable manipulations of fluid flow, thereby paving the way for reprogrammable microfluidic devices. | 01-22-2009 |
| 20090032398 | SMALL VOLUME LIQUID MANIPULATION, METHOD, APPARATUS AND PROCESS - An apparatus, a method and a process to achieve manipulation of particles and/or solutions through the use of electrokinetic properties are disclosed. The manipulation is performed using a disposable device positioned on top of a stage for purposes of powering the electrodes. The fluidic solution is brought into contact with the active part of the device and then manipulated. | 02-05-2009 |
| 20090038942 | PARTICLE FOCUSING APPARATUS AND METHOD FOR FOCUSING PARTICLES BY USING THE SAME - In a particle focusing apparatus and a method for focusing particles, the particle focusing apparatus includes a channel, a fixing member, a fluid feeding portion and a power supply. The channel has first and second ends and extends substantially in a line. The fixing member includes a first fixing portion connected to and fixing the first end, and a second fixing portion connected to and fixing the second end. The fluid feeding portion feeds fluid having particles into the channel. The power supply has first and second terminals. The first terminal passes through the first fixing portion and is electrically connected to an anode of the power supply. The second terminal passes through the second fixing portion and is electrically connected to a cathode of the power supply. Thus, particles fed into the channel may be more easily and efficiently focused to a central region inside the channel. | 02-12-2009 |
| 20090045057 | ELECTROPHORESIS CHIP, ELECTROPHORESIS APPARATUS, AND METHOD FOR ANALYZING A SAMPLE - A sample which contains protein is stably maintained in a liquid state during electrophoresis. Electrophoresis chip | 02-19-2009 |
| 20090090627 | Method of providing a charge barrier flow-through capacitor system - Flow-through capacitors are provided with one or more charge barrier layers. Ions trapped in the pore volume of flow-through capacitors cause inefficiencies as these ions are expelled during the charge cycle into the purification path. A charge barrier layer holds these pore volume ions to one side of a desired flow stream, thereby increasing the efficiency with which the flow-through capacitor purifies or concentrates ions. | 04-09-2009 |
| 20090101505 | HARVESTING OF PROCESSED CARBON NANOTUBES - A method of harvesting carbon nanotubes (CNTs) is provided. According to this method, CNT bundles, comprising CNTs associated with metallic catalysts and having amorphous carbon coatings are agitated in an aqueous liquid containing a dispersant with free-flowing grit particles to disassociate the CNTs from the metallic catalysts, remove the amorphous carbon of the amorphous carbon coatings and shorten the CNTs via shearing. | 04-23-2009 |
| 20090134027 | Method for Controlling a Communication Between Two Areas By Electrowetting, a Device Including Areas Isolatable From Each Other and Method for making Such a Device - Device for displacing drops of liquid by electrowetting, and a method for isolating two areas delimited by at least one wall including a step for:
| 05-28-2009 |
| 20090139866 | DEVICE FOR SEPARATING MICRO PARTICLES AND A METHOD FOR FABRICATING THE DEVICE - A device for separating micro particles is provided. The separating device comprises a sample inlet into which a sample containing micro particles is injected; fluid inlets into which fluid is injected to form a flow sheath for the sample; a plurality of outlets through which the micro particles are separated and discharged out; a channel through which the sample and the fluid flow; and a first electrode and a second electrode longitudinally disposed in parallel in the channel. The first and the second electrodes are provided in such a manner that an electrode gap between the first and the second electrodes has a curved shape. The micro particles in the sample are easily separated using a dielectrophoresis characteristic. | 06-04-2009 |
| 20090188793 | Method of Error Reduction in Nucleic Acid Populations - A method is disclosed for the direct synthesis of double stranded DNA molecules of a variety of sizes and with any desired sequence. The DNA molecule to be synthesis is logically broken up into smaller overlapping DNA segments. A maskless microarray synthesizer is used to make a DNA microarray on a substrate in which each element or feature of the array is populated by DNA of a one of the overlapping DNA segments. The complement of each segment is also made in the microarray. The DNA segments are released from the substrate and held under conditions favoring hybridization of DNA, under which conditions the segments will hybridize to form duplexes. The duplexes are then separated using a DNA binding agent which hinds to improperly formed DNA helixes to remove errors form the set of DNA molecules. The segments can then be hybridized to each other to assemble the larger target DNA sequence. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090188794 | Device for Fluid Spreading and Transport - A fluidic device includes a porous substrate, a wetting region extending through a first portion of the porous substrate from a first side of the substrate, in which the wetting region is permeable to fluid transport, and a non-wetting region extending through a second portion of the porous substrate from a second side of the substrate, in which the non-wetting region is operable to switch between a first state impermeable to fluid transport and a second state permeable to fluid transport. | 07-30-2009 |
| 20090218221 | Method And Apparatus For The Manipulation Of Particles In Conductive Solutions - The present invention relates to a method and apparatus for manipulation and/or control of the position of particles by means of fields of force of an electrical nature in electrically conductive solutions. The fields of force can be of (positive or negative) dielectrophoresis, electrophoresis, electrohydrodynamics or electrowetting on dielectric, characterized by a set of points of stable equilibrium for the particles. Each point of equilibrium can trap one or more particles within the attraction basin. Said forces dissipate by the Joule effect an amount of power proportional to the square of the voltages applied, causing in a short time the death of the biological particles contained in the specimen. According to the present invention, the dissipated power can be removed through at least one of the substrates in order to maintain the temperature in the liquid suspension constant or reduce it during the entire step of application of the forces. According to the present invention, the amount of heat to be extracted can be controlled by means of a temperature sensor internal to the microchamber or external thereto, which supplies information on the temperature of the system in order to establish a feedback control on the heat pump. In a second embodiment of the method, a flow constantly replaces the buffer, transporting by convection the heat outside the microchamber. Forming the subject of the present invention is likewise a method for minimizing the dissipated power given the same levels of performance by dividing the forces into classes, falling within one of which classes are the forces used for controlling particles in a static way whilst falling within a further class are the forces necessary for displacement of the particles. This can occur in a practical way by increasing the number of potentials that supply the electrodes of the device or else by appropriately modulating the amplitudes of the applied phases or by means of a timed management of the phases. Forming the subject of the present invention are likewise some practical implementations of the method that leads to an apparatus for manipulation of particles in conductive solutions. Said apparatus requires the use of a heat pump, which can be obtained by means of a Peltier-effect device or by means of the convective transport of the flow of heat absorbed by the substrate. Said convective flow uses a liquid or a gas. Forming the subject of the present invention is likewise an apparatus that exploits the gas law for reducing the temperature by varying the pressure of the gas having the function of performing the convective transport or by means of a change of phase from vapour to liquid or vice versa. | 09-03-2009 |
| 20090260988 | Methods for Manipulating Droplets by Electrowetting-Based Techniques - Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode. | 10-22-2009 |
| 20090288950 | LIQUID ELECTRO-MECHANICAL PRIME MOVER - A liquid prime mover is provided that includes a support member for holding a contiguous liquid entity (e.g. a water droplet) having a defined dimension “d”. An ion permeable exchange membrane is mounted on the support member. Also, a positive electrode and a negative electrode are mounted on the support member with a distance between them. Importantly, the ion permeable membrane is positioned between the respective electrodes and the liquid entity. A voltage source is connected between the electrodes to establish an ion flow passing through the exchange membrane, and through the liquid entity when “d” overlays the distance between the electrodes, to thereby move the liquid entity on the support member. | 11-26-2009 |
| 20090294286 | Ionic Liquid Apparatus and Method for Biological Samples - Apparatus and method for handling biological samples. Segments of ionic liquid can provide voltage across segments of immiscible liquid to concentrate or separate charged species in the biological samples. Reactants in biological samples can be contacted and reacted in segments of immiscible liquid. | 12-03-2009 |
| 20100018861 | ELECTROMOTIVE LIQUID HANDLING METHOD AND APPARATUS - An apparatus and method to achieve manipulation of particles and/or solutions through the induction of electromagnetic fields inside liquid contained inside vessels are disclosed. A “vessel” denotes specifically either a microtitter plate (microplate or well-plate, 1536, 3456 or any other format) well or hybridization solution placed on microarrays for hybridization experiment purposes or more generally any volume containing liquid solution. The manipulation is performed by bringing the active part of the device into contact with the fluidic solution, wherein electromagnetic fields and/or induced fluid flow are used to perform specific manipulations including transport, separation, concentration, mixing, reaction and electroporation. The invention can be used to enhance processing in a number of standard assays and protocols, including the Polymerase Chain Reaction, kinase-based assays, ELISA assays and electroporation. | 01-28-2010 |
| 20100025242 | APPARATUSES AND METHODS FOR MANIPULATING DROPLETS - Apparatuses and methods for manipulating droplets are disclosed. In one embodiment, an apparatus for manipulating droplets is provided, the apparatus including a substrate, multiple arrays of electrodes disposed on the substrate, wherein corresponding electrodes in each array are connected to a common electrical signal, and a dielectric layer disposed on the substrate first side surface and patterned to cover the electrodes. | 02-04-2010 |
| 20100032293 | Droplet Dispensing Device and Methods - The invention provides nonlimiting examples of structures for and methods of dispensing droplets in a droplet actuator. The droplet actuator structures and methods of the invention exhibit numerous advantages over droplet actuators of the prior art. In various embodiments, the structures and methods of the invention provide, among other things, improved efficiency, throughput, scalability, and/or droplet uniformity, as compared with existing droplet actuators. Further, in some embodiments, the droplet actuators provide configurations for improved methods of loading and/or unloading fluid and/or droplets. In yet other embodiments, the droplet actuators provide fluid loading configurations for loading numerous fluid reservoirs in a substantially simultaneous and/or substantially sequential manner. | 02-11-2010 |
| 20100044227 | SEPARATION OF A MIXTURE - Apparatus and techniques for separating a mixture including at least two substances having different dielectric constants are provided. A separation apparatus may include one or more separation channels associated with at least one set of two electrodes and one or more recycle channels configured to form one or more recycle loops in communication with the one or more separation channels. | 02-25-2010 |
| 20100051459 | Denaturant-Free Electrophoresis of Biological Molecules Under High Temperature Conditions - The present invention relates to a method of separating a sample comprising biological compounds, such as nucleic acids. The nucleic acids are subjected to electrophoresis using a matrix that is essentially free of denaturants and having at least one random, linear copolymer comprising a first comonomer of acrylamide and at least one secondary comonomer. A temperature of at least a portion of the matrix is at least about 80° C. | 03-04-2010 |
| 20100096265 | MACROSCOPICALLY MANIPULABLE NANOSCALE DEVICES MADE FROM NANOTUBE ASSEMBLIES - This invention relates generally to cutting single-wall carbon nanotubes (SWNT). In one embodiment, the present invention provides for preparations of homogeneous populations of short carbon nanotube molecules by cutting and annealing (reclosing) the nanotube pieces followed by fractionation. The cutting and annealing processes may be carried out on a purified nanotube bucky paper, on felts prior to purification of nanotubes or on any material that contains single-wall nanotubes. In one embodiment, oxidative etching with concentrated nitric acid is employed to cut SWNTs into shorter lengths. The annealed nanotubes may be disbursed in an aqueous detergent solution or an organic solvent for the fractionation. Closed tubes can also be derivatized to facilitate fractionation, for example, by adding solubilizing moieties to the end caps. | 04-22-2010 |
| 20100101951 | ELECTROPHORESIS SYSTEM AND METHOD - Electrophoresis systems and methods comprise an electrophoresis device, wherein the electrophoresis device comprises a loading channel, an injection channel, and a separation channel. The loading channel is in fluid communication with a first and second sample port. The injection channel is connected to the loading channel to form a first intersection. The separation channel is connected to the injection channel to form a second intersection and in fluid communication with a first and second reservoir, and wherein the injection channel is in fluid communication with a third reservoir. The electrophoresis system further comprises electrodes coupled to the first sample port and the third reservoir, and the first reservoir and the second reservoir, respectively, that are adapted to move the sample into the loading channel towards the third reservoir and form a sample plug in the second intersection, and to further move the sample plug into the separation channel towards the second reservoir. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100101952 | ELECTROPHORETIC CELL AND METHOD EMPLOYING DIFFERENTIAL MOBILITY - An electrophoretic cell and methods of switching an electrophoretic cell and moving charged species in an electrophoretic cell employ differential electrophoretic mobilities and a time-varying electric field. The methods include providing first and second charged species that are oppositely charged and have different mobilities. The method of switching further includes inducing a net motion of both of the charged species using the time-varying applied electric field. The induced net motion results in either the first charged species being moved toward the electrode and the second charged species remaining essentially motionless or both of the charged species being moved toward the same electrode. The electrophoretic cell includes the first and second charged species with opposite charge and different mobilities, and further includes the time-varying applied electric field that provides the net motion of the charged species. | 04-29-2010 |
| 20100116656 | FLUID SEPARATION STRUCTURE AND A METHOD OF MANUFACTURING A FLUID SEPARATION STRUCTURE - An electrophoretic fluid separation structure ( | 05-13-2010 |
| 20100122906 | Biochemical concentrator and drug discovery - A novel label-free sensitive detection method by employing a novel sensitive charge sensor is provided. Dissociation constant information is provided by a simple measurement of the dissociation of the target molecule form the target's receptor. The later process is affected by a novel system and its configuration as described herein. Basic objectives are to provide a drug discovery and characterization system that is an improvement over the current state of the art, low cost, highly sensitive, accurate, fast and easy to use. This invention involves both a physical system and a methodology. | 05-20-2010 |
| 20100126860 | PCB Droplet Actuator Fabrication - Alternative approaches to fabricating printed circuit boards for use in droplet actuator operations are provided. In one embodiment, a method of manufacturing a droplet actuator for conducting droplet operations includes positioning a dielectric material between a first metal layer configured to include an electrode and a second metal layer configured to include an interconnect pad. The method additionally includes forming a connection between the first and second metal layers. Droplet actuators and methods of fabricating and supporting printed circuit boards of droplet actuators are also provided. | 05-27-2010 |
| 20100133104 | Fluid processing device including size-changing barrier - A diagnostic device is provided that includes a plurality of retainment regions interconnected through at least one fluid processing passageway or separated by at least one barrier. A fluid flow modulator can be provided in the fluid processing passageway if a fluid processing passageway is provided. The barrier and/or fluid flow modulator can comprise a polysaccharide, a derivative of a polysaccharide, or a combination thereof. For example, the barrier can comprise a chitosan material. | 06-03-2010 |
| 20100147686 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING PARTICLES - Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100147687 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR TRANSPORTING PARTICLES - Various particle transport systems and components for use in such systems are described. The systems utilize one or more traveling wave grids to selectively transport, distribute, separate, or mix different populations of particles. Numerous systems configured for use in two dimensional and three dimensional particle transport are described. | 06-17-2010 |
| 20100181194 | MICROELECTRONIC DEVICE WITH POWER LINES AND SIGNAL LINES - The invention relates to a microelectronic device for manipulating a sample, the device comprising an array of actuator units (AU) and an array of sensitive units (SU). The actuator units (AU) may particularly exert dielectrophoretic forces on a sample ( | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100181195 | MICROFLUIDIC CHIP FOR AND A METHOD OF HANDLING FLUIDIC DROPLETS - A micro fluidic chip ( | 07-22-2010 |
| 20100206730 | Internal Calibration Standards for Electrophoretic Analyses - The present teachings relate, among other things, to polynucleotide sequencing, fragment analysis and sample/lane tracking, and to polynucleotide sequencers and analyzers that employ optical detection techniques. Embodiments of the present teachings are described which include, for example, the addition of a calibration standard to a sequencing reaction. Information such as peak spacing and peak shape can be extracted from the standard. | 08-19-2010 |
| 20100213059 | TRANSIENTLY BONDING DRAG-TAGS FOR SEPARATION MODALITIES - The invention relates transiently attaching drag-tags to molecules during electrophoresis. The invention includes running buffers having drag-tags that transiently attach to lipophilic moieties attached to the molecules. The lipophilic moieties can be covalently or ionically bonded to the molecules. One particular aspect of the invention is a nucleoside analog or a nucleic acid analog comprising a lipophilic moiety. The invention is also directed to methods of separating molecules that comprise a lipophilic moiety. The methods generally comprise transiently attaching a drag-tag to the lipophilic moiety during a separation modality. These methods can be used to separate the molecules by size or weight, to measure a hydrodynamic radius of a drag-tag, or to separate a plurality of drag-tag by their hydrodynamic radius. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100213060 | AQUEOUS TRANSFER BUFFER - The present invention relates to an aqueous transfer buffer that provides superior efficiency in transferring polypeptides of a broad range of molecular weight from a matrix used in electrophoresis to another immobilized surface. Also disclosed are electrophoretic methods and devices in which the aqueous transfer solution of this invention is used. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100213061 | ION MOBILITY ANALYSIS OF LIPOPROTEINS - A medical diagnostic method and instrumentation system for analyzing noncovalently bonded agglomerated biological particles is described. The method and system comprises: a method of preparation for the biological particles; an electrospray generator; an alpha particle radiation source; a differential mobility analyzer; a particle counter; and data acquisition and analysis means. The medical device is useful for the assessment of human diseases, such as cardiac disease risk and hyperlipidemia, by rapid quantitative analysis of lipoprotein fraction densities. Initially, purification procedures are described to reduce an initial blood sample to an analytical input to the instrument. The measured sizes from the analytical sample are correlated with densities, resulting in a spectrum of lipoprotein densities. The lipoprotein density distribution can then be used to characterize cardiac and other lipid-related health risks. | 08-26-2010 |
| 20100236926 | TEST CHIP WITH PLUG FOR MEASURING THE CONCENTRATION OF AN ANALYTE IN A LIQUID, HOUSING FOR TEST CHIP AND SOCKET FOR PLUG - Measurement device ( | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100236927 | Droplet Actuator Structures - A droplet actuator comprising a substrate comprising an electrode coupled to a voltage source, wherein the droplet actuator is configured such that when voltage is applied to the electrode, an electrostatic energy gradient is established at a surface of the substrate which causes a droplet to be transported in a direction established by the energy gradient. Related methods and other embodiments are also provided. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100236928 | Multiplexed Detection Schemes for a Droplet Actuator - A droplet actualor having electrodes configured for ejecting droplet operations transporting droplets on a surface, and a sensor arranged in proximity to one or more of the electrodes establishing a detection window on the surface for detection of one or more properties of one or more droplets on the surface, wherein the electrodes establish at least two pathways for transport of droplets into the detection window. Also provided is, A method of detecting a property of a target droplet, including using droplet operations to modulate signals from a droplet set comprising the target droplet, detecting the modulated signals of the droplet set, demodulating the modulated signals to identify the signal produced by one or more individual droplets of the set Related methods and alternative embodiments are also provided. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100236929 | Droplet Actuators, Systems and Methods - A droplet actuator with arrays of electrodes electrically coupled to a number of controllable voltage sources that is less than the number of electrodes. A method of defining partitions for pin layouts in a droplet actuator for a specific assay, the method including: defining droplet traces for the assay; and defining a guard ring along the traces. Other methods, systems, droplet actuators, and algorithms are also provided. | 09-23-2010 |
| 20100243448 | DIRECT OPTICAL INTERROGATION OF AGENTS IN MICRO-FLUIDIC CHANNELS UTILIZING WHISPERING GALLERY RESONATOR APPROACH - A whispering gallery mode resonator based optical sensor assembly comprises a flow channel permeable to optical energy and first and second optical waveguides adjacent to a section of the flow channel and adapted to be in first and second evanescent field couplings respectively with the section such that the section forms a whispering gallery mode resonator. The resonator is responsive to an optical signal conveyed in the first optical waveguide and communicates a second optical signal to the second optical waveguide indicative of a resonance wavelength of the whispering gallery mode resonator. A detector optically coupled to the second optical waveguide detects the output signal. A signal processor detects a shift in the output signal responsive to an analyte fluid flowing through the flow channel. The shift is indicative of the identity of at least one constituent of the analyte fluid. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100243449 | DEVICES AND METHODS FOR ANALYZING BIOMOLECULES AND PROBES BOUND THERETO - Devices and methods for sequencing biomolecules include improving signal-to-noise ratio of detection of relative positions of probes hybridized to a biomolecule by coating at least a portion of the biomolecule with a protein prior to its translocation through a structure defining a nanopore, microchannel or nanochannel. | 09-30-2010 |
| 20100270156 | Droplet Actuator Configurations and Methods of Conducting Droplet Operations - A droplet actuator with a droplet formation electrode configuration associated with a droplet operations surface, wherein the electrode configuration comprises one or more electrodes configured to control volume of a droplet during formation of a sub-droplet on the droplet operations surface. Methods of making and using the droplet actuator are also provided. | 10-28-2010 |
| 20100282607 | Hemoglobin determination method - An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring hemoglobin using electrophoresis, in particular a method for measuring hemoglobin that enables high accuracy measurement of stable hemoglobin A1c and a method for simultaneously measuring stable hemoglobin A1c and abnormal hemoglobins. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100282608 | Droplet Actuator with Improved Top Substrate - The invention provides a droplet actuator comprising a base substrate and a top substrate separated to form a gap, wherein: (a) the base substrate comprises electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations in the gap; and (b) the top substrate comprises a first portion coupled to second portion, where the second portion comprises one or more openings establishing a fluid path extending from an exterior of the droplet actuator and into the gap. The invention also provides related methods of manufacturing the droplet actuator, methods of using the droplet actuator, and methods of loading the droplet actuator. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100282609 | Reagent Storage and Reconstitution for a Droplet Actuator - On-board reagent storage, handling, and dispensing apparatuses and methods for droplet actuator systems are provided. In one embodiment, a fluidic analyzer is provided and includes a droplet actuator including a substrate including a plurality of electrodes configured to actuate a droplet and a reagent storage component in selective fluid communication with the droplet actuator and including a reagent configured to combine with a solvent at a time of use. In another embodiment, a method of conducting fluidic analysis is provided and includes storing a reagent within a reagent storage component in fluid communication with a droplet actuator including a plurality of electrodes configured to actuate a droplet and combining the reagent with a solvent at a time for use within the droplet actuator. | 11-11-2010 |
| 20100307917 | Droplet Actuator Configurations and Methods - Droplet actuators for conducting droplet operations, such as droplet transport and droplet dispensing, are provided. In one embodiment, the droplet actuator may include a substrate including, droplet operations electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; and reference electrodes associated with the droplet operations electrodes and extending above the surface of the substrate. Other embodiments of droplet actuators and methods of loading and using such droplet actuators are also provided. | 12-09-2010 |
| 20110000786 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRET FINE PARTICLES - The subject invention provides a method which enables easy and efficient production of fine electret fine particles without the conventional pulverization or screening process. | 01-06-2011 |
| 20110005930 | FFE MEDIA AND FFE METHODS COMPRISING VOLATILE SEPARATION MEDIA - The present invention provides methods and separation media for separating analytes of interest via free flow electrophoresis (FFE) using volatile buffer systems. The separation media provided herein allow a convenient separation of the analytes by electrophoresis, and offer the additional advantage that the buffer compounds and the solvent can be easily and residue-free removed after the electrophoretic separation step. Furthermore, methods for mass spectrometric analysis of analytes comprising an FFE method and kits for carrying out FFE separations with volatile buffer systems are also provided. Preferably, the volatile buffer system is TRIS acetate. | 01-13-2011 |
| 20110079512 | PRIMER AND PROBE FOR DETECTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM INTRACELLULARE, AND METHOD FOR DETECTION OF MYCOBACTERIUM INTRACELLULARE USING THE PRIMER OR THE PROBE - The present invention relates to an oligonucleotide, comprising a part or the entire of the nucleotide sequence shown in any of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 15, or a part or the entire of the sequence complementary to the nucleotide sequence shown in any of SEQ ID NO: 1 to SEQ ID NO: 15, wherein the oligonucleotide is capable of hybridizing with the nucleotide sequence of | 04-07-2011 |
| 20110100816 | BLOOD SERUM MARKER FOR DETECTION AND DIAGNOSIS OF ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE - The present invention relates to a blood marker for early detection and diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease. More specifically, it relates to an analysis of the protein glycan profile in the blood, and the identification of specific peak ratio's when compared to healthy aged matched subjects that are typical for Alzheimer's dementia. | 05-05-2011 |
| 20110114485 | ELECTROPHORESIS APPARATUS AND ELECTROPHORESIS METHOD - An electrophoresis apparatus includes a sample separating section for containing a sample separating medium for separating a sample in a horizontal direction, the sample separating section containing the sample separating medium in such a manner that the sample separating medium has an exposed portion at least one end of a surface of the sample separating medium, the surface being in parallel with the horizontal direction; and medium connecting means for connecting a sample containing medium to the sample separating medium at a connecting region, the sample containing medium containing a sample, and the connecting region satisfying a particular equation. By this, an electrophoresis technique with better accuracy than conventional arts can be provided. | 05-19-2011 |
| 20110132760 | Nucleic Acid Marker Ladder for Estimating Mass - The invention relates to a nucleic acid marker ladder which is a restriction endonuclease digest, wherein a nucleic acid restriction endonuclease digest is a collection of nucleic acid fragments resulting from complete digestion of one or more nucleic acids by one or more restriction endonucleases; the restriction endonuclease digest contains at least 3 fragments; and the size of the fragments in base pairs is a multiple of an integer, wherein the integer is 10 or more. | 06-09-2011 |
| 20110147215 | METHOD AND DEVICE FOR MANIPULATING AND OBSERVING LIQUID DROPLETS - A device for manipulating and observing suspended particles in a liquid. The device includes: a first substrate including at least one first orifice forming an inlet site for the liquid, an observation site for observing the suspended particles, and a mechanism displacing the liquid from the inlet site to the observation site. The first substrate includes a first hydrophobic layer. The liquid is electrically conducting. The liquid can be displaced as a droplet by electrowetting, the droplet being in contact with the hydrophobic layer. | 06-23-2011 |
| 20110155572 | INTEGRATED BIO-ANALYSIS AND SAMPLE PREPARATION SYSTEM - An integrated bio-analysis system incorporates built-in sample preparation capabilities. In one aspect of the present invention, a bio-analysis instrument is provided with a built-in sample preparation device based on PCR (or thermal cycling block/module). In one embodiment of the present invention, a peltier unit in the sample preparation device provides thermal cycling of samples supported in a multi-well tray. In another aspect of the present invention, a CE instrument is provided with a built-in sample preparation capability, which may comprise a sample preparation (bio-molecular reaction) device based on thermal cycler type. In another aspect of the present invention, a PCR device is provided with a built-in analysis device, such as a CE device, for verifying the results of the PCR (bio-molecular reaction) process. | 06-30-2011 |
| 20110174619 | Nonoscopic wired-based devices and arrays - Electrical devices comprised of nanoscopic wires are described, along with methods of their manufacture and use. The nanoscopic wires can be nanotubes, preferably single-walled carbon nanotubes. They can be arranged in crossbar arrays using chemically patterned surfaces for direction, via chemical vapor deposition. Chemical vapor deposition also can be used to form nanotubes in arrays in the presence of directing electric fields, optionally in combination with self-assembled monolayer patterns. Bistable devices are described. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110174620 | ULTRA HIGH SPEED AND HIGH SENSITIVITY DNA SEQUENCING SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR SAME - The present system relates to a system architecture that uses a single electron transistor (SET) to analyze base sequences of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) at ultra high speed in real time. DNA represents the entire body of genetic information and consists of nucleotide units. There are a total of four types of nucleotides, and each nucleotide consists of an identical pentose (deoxyribose), phosphate group, and one of four types of bases (Adenine: A, Guanine: G, Cytosine: C, Thymine: T). A and G are purines having a bicyclic structure while C and T are pyrimidines having a monocyclic structure. Each has a different atomic arrangement, which signifies a different charge distribution from one another. Therefore, a system comprising a single electron transistor that is very sensitive to charges, a probe of a very small size that reacts to one nucleotide very effectively, and an extended gate that connects the SET with the probe, can be used to analyze DNA base sequences at ultra high speed in real time. | 07-21-2011 |
| 20110180407 | APPARATUS, COMPOSITIONS AND METHODS FOR RAPID COMPETITIVE HOMOGENEOUS ASSAY - Embodiments herein concern systems, methods, compositions and apparatus for detection and/or determination of the presence and/or concentration of target molecules in a sample. In certain embodiments, target molecules can be separated and analyzed using non-gel electrophoresis technologies. | 07-28-2011 |
| 20110198224 | PROCESS FOR PRODUCING ELECTRET COARSE POWDER - The subject invention provides a process for efficiently producing electret coarse powder useful as electrophoretic particles for a large-screen display. | 08-18-2011 |
| 20110209998 | Droplet Actuator and Methods - A series of microactuators for manipulating small quantities of liquids, and methods of using these for manipulating liquids, are disclosed. The microactuators are based on the phenomenon of electrowetting and contain no moving parts. The force acting on the liquid is a potential-dependent gradient of adhesion energy between the liquid and a solid insulating surface. | 09-01-2011 |
| 20110226620 | Highly Homogeneous Molecular Markers for Electrophoresis - The invention relates to marker molecules for identifying physical properties of molecular species separated by the use of electrophoretic systems. The invention further relates to methods for preparing and using marker molecules. | 09-22-2011 |
| 20110247934 | MICROELECTRODE ARRAY ARCHITECTURE - Disclosed herein is a device A device of the microelectrode array architecture, comprising: (a) a bottom plate comprising an array of multiple microelectrodes disposed on a top surface of a substrate covered by a dielectric layer; wherein each of the microelectrode is coupled to at least one grounding elements of a grounding mechanism, wherein a hydrophobic layer is disposed on the top of the dielectric layer and the grounding elements to make hydrophobic surfaces with the droplets; (b) a field programmability mechanism for programming a group of configured-electrodes to generate microfluidic components and layouts with selected shapes and sizes; and, (c) a system management unit, comprising: (i) a droplet manipulation unit; and (ii) a system control unit. | 10-13-2011 |
| 20110290647 | SYSTEM AND INSTRUMENT FOR PROCESSING BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES AND MANIPULATING LIQUIDS HAVING BIOLOGICAL SAMPLES - A biological sample processing system comprises a container for large volume processing, a flat polymer film having a lower surface and a hydrophobic upper surface, which is kept at a distance d to the base side of the container by the protrusions. The distance d defines at least one gap when the container is positioned on the film. A liquid droplet manipulation instrument comprises at least one electrode array for inducing liquid droplet movements; a substrate supporting the at least one electrode array; and a control unit is characterized in that the container and the film are reversibly attached to the liquid droplet manipulation instrument. The system thus enables displacement of at least one liquid droplet from the at least one well through the channel of the container onto the hydrophobic upper surface of the flat polymer film and above the at least one electrode array; wherein the liquid droplet manipulation instrument controls a guided movement of the liquid droplet on the hydrophobic upper surface of the flat polymer film by electrowetting and to process there the biological sample. | 12-01-2011 |
| 20110303541 | CONTROLLED FLOW OF A THIN LIQUID FILM BY ELECTROWETTING - Apparatus and methods for controllably wetting a microstructured surface. | 12-15-2011 |
| 20110308948 | DEVICE FOR CRYSTALLIZING BIOPOLYMER, CELL OF SOLUTION FOR CRYSTALLIZING BIOPOLYMER, METHOD FOR CONTROLLING ALIGNMENT OF BIOPOLYMER, METHOD FOR CRYSTALLIZING BIOPOLYMER AND BIOPOLYMER CRYSTAL - The subject is providing a crystallizing device of a biopolymer, which made to form biopolymer crystal efficiently in crystallization solution of a small amount of biopolymers by applying a low voltage and not to make an electrode disturb but observable a state of crystal formation. As an electrode for applying an electric field to a biopolymer solution, a transparent conductor, which does not disturb crystal formation, is used. Between the transparent conductor electrodes | 12-22-2011 |
| 20110315552 | Systems and Methods for Discovery and Analysis of Markers - A business method for use in classifying patient samples. The method includes steps of collecting case samples representing a clinical phenotypic state and control samples representing patients without said clinical phenotypic state. Preferably the system uses a mass spectrometry platform system to identify patterns of polypeptides in said case samples and in the control samples without regard to the specific identity of at least some of said polypeptides. Based on identified representative patterns of the state, the business method provides for the marketing of diagnostic products using representative patterns. The present invention relates to systems and methods for identifying new markers, diagnosing patients with a biological state of interest, and marketing/commercializing such diagnostics. The present invention relates to systems and methods of greater sensitivity, specificity, and/or cost effectiveness. | 12-29-2011 |
| 20120031757 | SELECTIVE ION TRANSPORT DEVICE - A device for controlled transport of ions comprising a first source element arranged to receive ions of a first class from an ion source, a first target element arranged to release ions of said first class to an ion target, wherein each of said first source element and said first target element comprises an ion selective material, which conducts said first class of ions, a first control element comprising ion selective material, which conducts a second class of ions, wherein said first class is one of cations and anions, and said second class is the other one of cations and anions, a first ion transport element arranged in direct ionic contact with all of said first source element, said first target element and said first control element, wherein said first control element, in use, is arranged to receive a first electrochemical potential which increases the concentration of ions of said second class in said ion transport element, and wherein said first ion transport element, in use, is further arranged to receive ions of said first class from said first source element in response to said increased concentration of ions of said second class, to release ions of said first class to said first target element, in response to a second electrochemical potential difference provided across said ion transport element and said first source element, and to provide an ionic connection for said ions of said first class between said first source element and said first target element. | 02-09-2012 |
| 20120043206 | Device and Method for Improving Sample Injection and Stacking - The invention provides devices and methods for isolating one or more sample components of a sample material following separation of the sample material into a plurality of sample components. A device includes a separation channel having a sample loading well. A low-conductivity buffer is disposed in the loading well, the buffer having a conductivity <0.2 mS/cm. In a method, a buffer is loaded into a loading well in fluid communication with a separation channel of a device. A sample material having a conductivity higher than that of the buffer is then loaded into the loading well such that the sample material is disposed beneath the buffer, the buffer disposed over and covering the sample material. The sample material is separated into a plurality of separated components in the separation channel, and a separated component is collected from a collection well disposed in a collection leg of the device. | 02-23-2012 |
| 20120055792 | MSP NANOPORES AND RELATED METHODS - Provided herein are | 03-08-2012 |
| 20120085644 | FLUID DELIVERY MANIFOLDS AND MICROFLUIDIC SYSTEMS - Embodiments of fluid distribution manifolds, cartridges, and microfluidic systems are described herein. Fluid distribution manifolds may include an insert member and a manifold base and may define a substantially closed channel within the manifold when the insert member is press-fit into the base. Cartridges described herein may allow for simultaneous electrical and fluidic interconnection with an electrical multiplex board and may be held in place using magnetic attraction. | 04-12-2012 |
| 20120097538 | METALLATION ENHANCEMENTS IN TUMOR-IMAGING AND PDT THERAPY - A compound in the form of a metallized tetrpyrollic photosensizer linked to a fluorescent dye where the photosensitizer (PS), is linked by a structure that does not have detrimental radiation emmitance or absorbing characteristics, to a fluorophore, usually a cyanine dye (CD). The photosensitizer in accordance the invention is a metallized analog of porphyrins, chlorins, purpurinimides, bacterio pupurinimides, phthalocyanines, expanded porphyrins, benzoporphyrin derivatives and purpurins. The fluorophore is usually a cyanine dye with varaible substituents. And, A method for determining effectiveness of PDT by comparing proportion of STAT-3 monomer with crosslinked STAT-3 dimer after PDT where the relative proportion of STAT-3 monomer to crosslinked STAT-3 directly correlates to efficacy of the PDT. | 04-26-2012 |
| 20120103809 | METHOD FOR SEPARATING NANOCARBON MATERIAL, SEPARATION DEVICE, AND SEPARATED NANOCARBON DISPERSION SOLUTION - A method for separating a nanocarbon material includes a step in which a dispersion solution of the nanocarbon material which is dispersed into nanocarbon micelle groups having a plurality of different electric charges, and a retaining solution having a different specific gravity from the nanocarbon material, are introduced into an electrophoresis tank to form a layered state disposed in layers in a predetermined direction; and a step separating the nanocarbon micelle groups into at least two nanocarbon micelle groups by means of applying direct current voltage in series across the dispersion solution and the retaining solution which had both been introduced and disposed in layers. | 05-03-2012 |
| 20120138460 | BIOSENSOR DEVICES, SYSTEMS AND METHODS THEREFOR - A sensing apparatus for sensing target materials including biological or chemical molecules in a fluid. One such apparatus includes a semiconductor-on-insulator (SOI) structure having an electrically-insulating layer, a fluidic channel supported by the SOI structure and configured and arranged to receive and pass a fluid including the target materials, and a semiconductor device including at least three electrically-contiguous semiconductor regions doped to exhibit a common polarity. The semiconductor regions include a sandwiched region sandwiched between two of the other semiconductor regions, and configured and arranged adjacent to the fluidic channel with a surface directed toward the fluidic channel for coupling to the target materials in the fluidic channel, and further arranged for responding to a bias voltage. The sensing apparatus also includes an amplification circuit in or on the SOI and that is arranged to facilitate sensing of the target material near the fluidic channel. | 06-07-2012 |
| 20120234678 | QUANTITATIVE FLUORESCENT PROTEIN STANDARDS - The present invention provides dual labeled protein standards useful for the simultaneous determination of the molecular weight of a subject protein as well as the relative mass (i.e., amount) of the subject protein present in an electrophoresis lane. The invention is also directed to methods suitable for the preparation of such dual labeled protein standards and to methods of using such dual labeled proteins to simultaneously determine the molecular weight and the relative amount of a subject protein. Further embodiments are directed to the use dual labeled protein standards to make a more accurate determination of the amount of a protein present in an electrophoresis lane. Yet further embodiments are directed to kits containing the presently described dual protein standards. Dual labeled protein standards made and used in accordance with the embodiments set forth herein may be used to simultaneously determine the molecular weight and the relative amount of a subject protein in real time. | 09-20-2012 |
| 20120261261 | ULTRAFAST SEQUENCING OF BIOLOGICAL POLYMERS USING A LABELED NANOPORE - Methods and systems for sequencing a biological molecule or polymer, e.g., a nucleic acid, are provided. One or more donor labels, which are attached to a pore or nanopore, may be illuminated or otherwise excited. A polymer having a monomer labeled with one or more acceptor labels, may be translocated through the pore. Either before, after or while the labeled monomer of the polymer passes through, exits or enters the pore, energy may be transferred from the excited donor label to the acceptor label of the monomer. As a result of the energy transfer, the acceptor label emits energy, and the emitted energy is detected in order to identify the labeled monomer of the translocated polymer and to thereby sequence the polymer. | 10-18-2012 |
| 20120273352 | Electrowetting mechanism for fluid-application device - A fluid-application mechanism is to cause fluid to be applied onto media. An electrowetting mechanism is to generate an electric field to affect the fluid applied onto the media. | 11-01-2012 |
| 20120285829 | DETECTING ANALYTES - Provided is a method for detecting an analyte, which method comprises:
| 11-15-2012 |
| 20130008788 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ELECTRICAL TREATMENT, AND ANODE USED FOR THE SAME - To provide an anode which can prevent scale from being deposited on the contact surface of the anode with materials to be processed, an apparatus including the anode for electrical treatment, and a method for electrical treatment using the apparatus. An endless conveyor belt | 01-10-2013 |
| 20130062204 | REDUCING ELASTO-CAPILLARY COALESCENCE OF NANOSTRUCTURES WITH APPLIED ELECTRICAL FIELDS - Various methods and systems are provided for reducing elasto-capillary coalescence of nanostructures. In one embodiment, a method includes providing a plurality of wet nanostructures on an electrode with a counter electrode positioned in air opposite the wet nanostructures. An electric field is applied between the counter electrode and the wet nanostructures using a voltage source, thereby reducing aggregation of the nanostructures. In another embodiment, an elasto-capillary coalescence reduction apparatus includes an electrode configured to receive a plurality of wet nanostructures, a counter electrode positioned in air opposite the wet nanostructures, and a voltage source coupled to the electrode and the counter electrode. The voltage source is configured to apply an electric field across the electrode and the nanostructures, which causes each of the nanostructures to repel a neighboring nanostructure. | 03-14-2013 |
| 20130075257 | Flow Step Focusing - Flow step focusing isolates and concentrates a molecule of interest by flowing a liquid comprising a molecule of interest through a main channel having an inlet and an outlet with application of a first pressure at the inlet; applying a voltage along the channel during the flowing, wherein the voltage is configured to have a polarity such that it drives the molecule of interest in a direction opposite the flow of the liquid; controlling the first pressure and/or the voltage in a manner so as to trap and concentrate the molecule of interest in a region of the main channel; and removing the concentrated molecule of interest from the channel by recovering a portion of the liquid from a side channel diverging from the main channel, wherein the side channel is maintained at a pressure lower than the first pressure. Also disclosed is an apparatus for such. | 03-28-2013 |
| 20130118900 | CARTRIDGE AND SYSTEM FOR MANIPULATING SAMPLES IN LIQUID DROPLETS - A cartridge manipulates samples in liquid droplets with an electrode array when a working film is placed on the array. The cartridge has a body with lower surface and wells to hold samples, each with a bottom opening to release liquid. A piercable bottom structure seals the bottom openings. A working film below the body has a hydrophobic upper surface. A peripheral spacer connects the working film to the body and forms a gap is between the body and surface. A top piercing system located in at least one of the wells has a piston and a piercing element, the piston being movable in the well and the piercing element piercing the piercable bottom structure for releasing a sample from a well into the gap. | 05-16-2013 |
| 20130146455 | Droplet Manipulation Device - Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode. | 06-13-2013 |
| 20130153419 | GENERATION OF ENGINEERED MOLECULAR WEIGHT STANDARDS - The invention provides methods of generating physical analog polypeptides, and polypeptides generated employing the methods of the invention, that have the same amino acid composition of a reference protein, but have an unrelated primary sequence. The invention further provides compositions and methods employing such proteins. | 06-20-2013 |
| 20130175169 | MANIPULATING THE SIZE OF LIQUID DROPLETS IN DIGITAL MICROFLUIDICS - Liquid droplet manipulation instrument has electrode array for inducing movement of a droplet by electrowetting, substrate supporting the array and control with electrode selector connected to a voltage control. The selector selects each electrode and provides each with a controlled voltage. The control includes central processing unit for providing the selected electrode with an individual voltage pulse which is a drive voltage or a ground voltage or a stop voltage. The control defines a path for movement of a liquid portion of a larger volume that covers more than one electrode by the simultaneous selection of a group of two or more subsequent drive electrodes and to provide each selected drive electrode with a drive voltage pulse along the path. The control simultaneously provides a group of two or more electrodes adjacent to or identical with the pulsed drive electrodes, with a ground or stop voltage pulse. | 07-11-2013 |
| 20130206597 | Droplet Actuator Assemblies and Methods of Making Same - The invention provides droplet actuator assemblies and systems and methods of manufacturing the droplet actuator assemblies. In certain embodiments, two-piece enclosures are used to form a droplet actuator assembly that houses a droplet operations substrate. In certain other embodiments, one-piece enclosures are used to form a droplet actuator assembly that houses a droplet operations substrate. In the plastic injection molding process for forming substrates of the droplet actuator assemblies of the present invention may utilize insert molding (or overmolding) processes for forming a gasket in at least one substrate, thereby avoiding the need for providing and installing a separate gasket component. Further, the droplet actuator assemblies may include features that allow ultrasonic welding processes to be used for bonding substrates together. The manufacturing systems of the present invention for fabricating the droplet actuator assemblies may utilize continuous flow reel-to-reel manufacturing processes. | 08-15-2013 |
| 20130220809 | NANOPORE-FACILITATED SINGLE MOLECULE DETECTION OF NUCLEIC ACID - The present invention provides a new and improved oligonucleotide detection method based on the nanopore technology with a probe containing a complementary sequence to the target oligonucleotide and a terminal extension at the probe's 3′ terminus, 5′ terminus, or both termini. The improved nanopore sensor with the probe enables sensitive, selective, and direct detection, differentiation and quantification of target oligonucleotides such as miRNAs. The inventive detection method may also be employed as a non-invasive and cost-effective diagnostic method for cancer detection based on miRNA levels in the patient's blood sample. | 08-29-2013 |
| 20130313112 | CHARACTERIZATION OF INDIVIDUAL POLYMER MOLECULES BASED ON MONOMER-INTERFACE INTERACTIONS - The invention relates to a method for characterizing a target polynucleic acid by providing a surface containing a channel of a dimension sufficient to allow sequential monomer-by-monomer passage of a single-stranded polynucleic acid, but not of a double-stranded polynucleic acid; providing a source of hybridized target polynucleic acid at the surface; inducing passage of the target polynucleic acid through the channel, whereby the target polynucleic acid undergoes base pair separation (melts) prior to its passage; and making one or more measurements over time as the target polynucleic acid moves relative to the channel yielding data suitable to determine a monomer-dependent characteristic of the target polynucleic acid. | 11-28-2013 |
| 20130319859 | ELECTRORHEOLOGICAL FLUIDS INCORPORATED INTO POLYMERIC ARTICLES AND TIRES - A polymeric article includes an electrorheological (ER) fluid in a polymer medium. In some applications, the polymer medium forms a body ply of a tire. The ER fluid can be incorporated into the polymeric article in a number of particular ways. The ER fluid may simply fill a pocket in the polymeric article or may be part of an electrorheological composite or electrorheological microsphere. The ER fluid is responsive to the application of an electric field to change the apparent viscosity or elastic modulus of the polymeric article. | 12-05-2013 |
| 20140027282 | METHOD OF ELECTROPHORESING NUCLEIC ACIDS, METHOD OF CONCENTRATING AND PURIFYING NUCLEIC ACIDS, CARTRIDGE FOR NUCLEIC ACID ELECTROPHORESIS, AND METHOD OF PRODUCING CARTRIDGE FOR NUCLEIC ACID ELECTROPHORESIS - [Object] To provide a method for electrophoresing nucleic acids, which enables highly efficiently concentrating and purifying nucleic acids quickly by simple operation. | 01-30-2014 |
| 20140183040 | METHOD FOR CONTROLLING SUBSTANCE MOVING SPEED AND APPARATUS FOR CONTROLLING THE SAME - The present invention provides a method and apparatus for controlling the moving speed of a substance, both of which can adjust the moving speed of a substance to a desired speed. The control method and control apparatus cause a substance to pass through an internal space, in which an electro-osmotic flow is generated, of a surround electrode formed so as to surround part of the moving path of the substance, whereby the control method and control apparatus change the moving speed of the substance. | 07-03-2014 |
| 20140197028 | EFFICIENT DILUTION METHOD, INCLUDING WASHING METHOD FOR IMMUNOASSAY - A method of droplet manipulation utilizing a droplet manipulation device includes activating elements of the device to bring a first droplet into proximity of a second droplet, controlling the elements of the device to alter the shape of at least one of the first and second droplets, and further controlling the elements of the device to move at least one of the first or second droplets until the droplets are in contact about an aggregate area. The elements are controlled in a manner so as to control the area of contact and the degree of mixing of the fluid between the first and second droplets. The method may be employed to move particles of a particulate suspension from the first droplet to the second droplet. The droplet manipulation device may be an electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD) device, which includes shaping electrodes activated to shape droplets, and a bridging electrode activated to join the droplets to transfer fluid between the shaped droplets | 07-17-2014 |
| 20140216932 | Droplet Actuator with Improved Top Substrate - The invention provides a droplet actuator. The droplet actuator may include a base substrate and a top substrate separated to form a gap. The base substrate may include electrodes configured for conducting droplet operations in the gap; and the top substrate may include a glass substrate portion coupled to a non-glass portion, where the non-glass portion may include one or more openings establishing a fluid path extending from an exterior of the droplet actuator and into the gap. The invention also provides related methods of manufacturing the droplet actuator, methods of using the droplet actuator, and methods of loading the droplet actuator. | 08-07-2014 |
| 20140251806 | WATER TREATMENT ARRANGEMENT FOR STEAM-ASSISTED OIL PRODUCTION OPERATION - A water processing arrangement ( | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140251807 | DROPLET ACTUATOR AND METHODS - A series of microactuators for manipulating small quantities of liquids, and methods of using these for manipulating liquids, are disclosed. The microactuators are based on the phenomenon of electrowetting and contain no moving parts. The force acting on the liquid is a potential-dependent gradient of adhesion energy between the liquid and a solid insulating surface. | 09-11-2014 |
| 20140262782 | METHOD OF MAKING A MICROBEAD ARRAY WITH ATTACHED BIOMOLECULES - A method and apparatus for the manipulation of colloidal particulates and biomolecules at the interface between an insulating electrode such as silicon oxide and an electrolyte solution. Light-controlled electrokinetic assembly of particles near surfaces relics on the combination of three functional elements: the AC electric field-induced assembly of planar aggregates; the patterning of the electrolyte/silicon oxide/silicon interface to exert spatial control over the assembly process; and the real-time control of the assembly process via external illumination. The present invention provides a set of fundamental operations enabling interactive control over the creation and placement of planar arrays of several types of particles and biomolecules and the manipulation of array shape and size. The present invention enables sample preparation and handling for diagnostic assays and biochemical analysis in an array format, and the functional integration of these operations. In addition, the present invention provides a procedure for the creation of material surfaces with desired properties and for the fabrication of surface-mounted optical components. | 09-18-2014 |
| 20140291152 | MICROREACTOR AND METHOD FOR LOADING A LIQUID - A microreactor includes: a substrate ( | 10-02-2014 |
| 20140332380 | Capacitance Detection in a Droplet Actuator - A method, circuit and apparatus for detecting capacitance on a droplet actuator, inter alia, for determining the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at an electrode on a droplet actuator by: (a) providing a droplet actuator comprising: (i) a substrate comprising electrodes arranged on the substrate for conducting droplet operations on a surface of the substrate; (ii) a capacitance detection circuit for detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; (b) detecting capacitance at the droplet operations surface at one or more of the electrodes; and (c) determining from the capacitance the presence, partial presence or absence of a droplet at the droplet operations surface at the electrode. | 11-13-2014 |
| 20140339082 | Droplet Manipulation System and Method - Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode. | 11-20-2014 |
| 20140367258 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR ELECTROWETTING ACTUATION UTILIZING DIODES - An electrowetting system and method for the movement of a droplet across the surface of a substrate, utilizing an applied voltage. The actuation of the droplet is achieved by introducing a diode into the idealized electrical circuit of the electrowetting system. The diode is in parallel with a capacitor (dielectric) and effectively shorts the droplet on the side of a lower potential electrode so that the entire voltage drop is across the dielectric over the higher potential electrode. This difference in potential creates an energy imbalance that is effective in moving the droplet towards the higher potential electrode. If the voltage polarity is reversed, the direction of actuation will also be reversed. | 12-18-2014 |
| 20140374252 | SYSTEMS AND METHODS FOR FORMING A NANOPORE IN A LIPID BILAYER - Techniques for forming a nanopore in a lipid bilayer are described herein. In one example, an agitation stimulus level such as an electrical agitation stimulus is applied to a lipid bilayer wherein the agitation stimulus level tends to facilitate the formation of nanopores in the lipid bilayer. In some embodiments, a change in an electrical property of the lipid bilayer resulting from the formation of the nanopore in the lipid bilayer is detected, and a nanopore has formed in the lipid bilayer is determined based on the detected change in the lipid bilayer electrical property. | 12-25-2014 |
| 20150008123 | ELECTROWETTING ON DIELECTRIC USING GRAPHENE - An electrowetting device and a method of electrowetting may be provided. An electrode may be provided. The electrode has a graphene layer having a first side and a second side that opposes the first side. The electrode also has a dielectric layer disposed on the first side of the graphene layer. A liquid droplet is disposed on the dielectric layer. A voltage is applied through the droplet and the electrode. A contact angle between the dielectric layer and an edge of the liquid droplet contacting the dielectric layer changes in response to the applied voltage. | 01-08-2015 |
| 20150021182 | METHODS OF MAINTAINING DROPLET TRANSPORT - The invention provides a method for reducing or preventing droplet pinning as the droplet is transported across a boundary between a ground electrode region and a non-ground electrode region on a droplet actuator. The invention also provides a method for reducing or preventing droplet super-movement as the droplet is transported across a boundary between a ground electrode region and a non-ground electrode region on a droplet actuator. | 01-22-2015 |
| 20150027889 | DROPLET ACTUATOR AND METHOD - The invention provides droplet actuators and droplet actuator cassettes including reagent storage capabilities, as well as methods of making and using the droplet actuators and cassettes. The invention also provides continuous flow channel elements and techniques for using electrodes to manipulate droplets in flowing streams. The invention also discloses methods of separating compounds on a droplet actuator. Various other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. | 01-29-2015 |
| 20150053561 | Particle Analyzing Systems and Methods Using Acoustic Radiation Pressure - The present invention comprises methods and systems that use acoustic radiation pressure. | 02-26-2015 |
| 20150053562 | Droplet-Based Particle Sorting - The present invention relates to droplet-based particle sorting. According to one embodiment, a droplet microactuator is provided and includes: (a) a suspension of particles; and (b) electrodes arranged for conducting droplet operations using droplets comprising particles. A method of transporting a particle is also provided, wherein the method includes providing a droplet comprising the particle and transporting the droplet on a droplet microactuator. | 02-26-2015 |
| 20150075983 | METHODS FOR REAL-TIME SAMPLING OF REACTION PRODUCTS - Methods for analyzing reaction products from an assay chamber ( | 03-19-2015 |
| 20150075984 | SYSTEM AND METHOD FOR PRESENTING LARGE DNA MOLECULES FOR ANALYSIS - Systems and methods for presenting nucleic acid molecules for analysis are provided. The nucleic acid molecules have a central portion that is contained within a nanoslit. The nanoslit contains an ionic buffer. The nucleic acid molecule has a contour length that is greater than a nanoslit length of the nanoslit. An ionic strength of the ionic buffer and electrostatic or hydrodynamic properties of the nanoslit and the nucleic acid molecule combining to provide a summed Debye length that is greater than or equal to the smallest physical dimension of the nanoslit. | 03-19-2015 |
| 20150075985 | Droplet Dispensing Device and Methods - The invention provides nonlimiting examples of structures for and methods of dispensing droplets in a droplet actuator. The droplet actuator structures and methods of the invention exhibit numerous advantages over droplet actuators of the prior art. In various embodiments, the structures and methods of the invention provide, among other things, improved efficiency, throughput, scalability, and/or droplet uniformity, as compared with existing droplet actuators. Further, in some embodiments, the droplet actuators provide configurations for improved methods of loading and/or unloading fluid and/or droplets. In yet other embodiments, the droplet actuators provide fluid loading configurations for loading numerous fluid reservoirs in a substantially simultaneous and/or substantially sequential manner. | 03-19-2015 |
| 20150075986 | Techniques and Droplet Actuator Designs for Reducing Bubble Formation - During droplet operations in a droplet actuator, bubbles often form in the filler fluid in the droplet operations gap and interrupt droplet operations. The present invention provides methods and systems for performing droplet operations on a droplet in a droplet actuator comprising maintaining substantially consistent contact between the droplet and an electrical ground while conducting multiple droplet operations on the droplet in the droplet operations gap and/or reducing the accumulation of electrical charges in the droplet operations gap during multiple droplet operations. The methods and systems reduce or eliminate bubble formation in the filler fluid of the droplet operations gap, thereby permitting completion of multiple droplet operations without interruption by bubble formation in the filler fluid in the droplet operations gap. | 03-19-2015 |
| 20150096890 | MANIPULATING THE SIZE OF LIQUID DROPLETS IN DIGITAL MICROFLUIDICS - A biological sample processing system ( | 04-09-2015 |
| 20150101930 | ELECTROOSMOTIC PUMP UNIT AND ASSEMBLY - An electroosmotic pump unit includes at least a first pump element, at least a second pump element, and an electrode. Each pump element includes a tube, an electrically grounded fluid inlet, a fluid outlet electrically coupled to the electrode, and a porous monolith immobilized in the tube and having open pores having net surface charges. When the electrode applies a voltage across the monoliths, a fluid supplied to the first pump element flows through the pump elements in a direction from a fluid inlet of the first pump element toward a fluid outlet of the second pump element. A plurality of electroosmotic pump units may be connected in series in a pump assembly. The electroosmotic pump unit, or pump assembly, may be connected to an apparatus such as a HPLC. | 04-16-2015 |
| 20150107995 | Droplet Actuator Devices and Methods for Manipulating Beads - The invention provides droplet actuators and droplet actuator techniques. Among other things, the droplet actuators and methods are useful for manipulating beads on a droplet actuator, such as conducting droplet operations using bead-containing droplets on a droplet actuator. For example, beads may be manipulated on a droplet actuator in the context of executing a sample preparation protocol and/or an assay protocol. An output of the methods of the invention may be beads prepared for execution of an assay protocol. Another output of the methods of the invention may be results of an assay protocol executed using beads. Among the methods described herein are methods of concentrating beads in droplets, methods of washing beads, methods of suspending beads, methods of separating beads, methods of localizing beads within a droplet, methods of forming emulsions in which droplets include beads, methods of loading beads into a droplet operations gap of a droplet actuator, methods of organizing beads in a monolayer, and methods of capturing, trapping or restraining beads. | 04-23-2015 |
| 20150375170 | TREATMENT SOLUTION SUPPLY METHOD, TREATMENT SOLUTION SUPPLY APPARATUS, AND NON-TRANSITORY COMPUTER-READABLE RECORDING MEDIUM - A treatment solution supply method of supplying a treatment solution to a substrate, the method includes the steps of: applying a DC voltage to the treatment solution; detecting a potential difference between two points in the treatment solution in a state where the DC voltage is applied to the treatment solution; and increasing the DC voltage when the detected potential difference is less than a predetermined reference value. | 12-31-2015 |
| 20160003771 | DEVICE AND METHOD FOR THE DETECTION OF TARGET ENTITIES - A device for the detection of target entities, the device including: a fluidic channel to conduct a liquid sample containing at least one type of target entity to be detected; and mutually spaced electrodes disposed along the fluidic channel; wherein the mutually spaced electrodes are functionalised to selectively bond to the at least one type of target entity and are configured to electro-hydrodynamically pump the liquid sample along the fluidic channel on application of a signal to the electrodes, such that selectivity of attachment of the at least one type of target entity to the electrodes is determined by at least one parameter of the signal. | 01-07-2016 |
| 20160010148 | IDENTIFYING MODIFIED BASES USING HEMI-NATURAL NUCLEIC ACIDS | 01-14-2016 |
| 20160114261 | TWO-PHASE ELECTROEXTRACTION FROM MOVING PHASES - The present invention relates to a process for the electro extraction of molecules from a moving fluid donor phase into an acceptor phase, comprising the steps of: providing an electrically conductive donor phase moving at a first flow velocity and in electrically conductive contact with a first electrode, providing an electrically conductive acceptor phase in direct contact and immiscible with the donor phase, in electrically conductive contact with a second electrode; and providing a supporting or confining phase guide pattern to keep a defined interface between donor phase and acceptor phase, and (d) applying an electrical field between the first and the second electrode. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160114320 | Droplet Manipulation Device - Methods are provided for manipulating droplets. The methods include providing the droplet on a surface comprising an array of electrodes and a substantially co-planer array of reference elements, wherein the droplet is disposed on a first one of the electrodes, and the droplet at least partially overlaps a second one of the electrodes and an intervening one of the reference elements disposed between the first and second electrodes. The methods further include activating the first and second electrodes to spread at least a portion of the droplet across the second electrode and deactivating the first electrode to move the droplet from the first electrode to the second electrode. | 04-28-2016 |
| 20160175839 | DIGITAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES AND METHODS OF DISPENSING AND SPLITTING DROPLETS IN DIGITAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES | 06-23-2016 |
| 20160187290 | METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR ANALYZING A TARGET MATERIAL - Aspects of the subject disclosure may include, for example, an apparatus having a material having a through-hole, a gate coupled to the material for controlling a charge concentration of the material, a sensor, and a controller coupled to the material, the gate and the sensor. The controller can perform operations including applying a first voltage potential to the material to induce a flow of current in the material, applying a second voltage potential to the gate to adjust the charge concentration of the material, and receiving sensing data from the sensor responsive to a change in electrical properties of the material caused by a target traversing the first through-hole of the material. The through-hole causes a plurality of structural portions of the target to be misaligned with a direction of the flow current in the material. Additional embodiments are disclosed. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160187292 | Gene Mutation Analyzer, Gene Mutation Analysis System, and Gene Mutation Analysis Method - An aspect of the present invention includes performing electrophoresis of a nucleic acid sample to be analyzed labeled for each base type, generating waveform data of detected intensity by detecting a label signal for the each base type, selecting another peak position for each peak position of the waveform data for each base type, calculating relative signal intensity of signal intensity in each position relative to the signal intensity in the other selected position, and analyzing existence of each base type in a base sequence coordinate position of the nucleic acid sample by comparing the relative signal intensity of the nucleic acid sample to be analyzed and the relative signal intensity of a known nucleic acid sample in each peak position. Accordingly, acquiring information about a gene mutation in trace amounts existing in a target gene region highly sensitively with high precision is realized. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160187293 | ELECTROPHORESIS SYSTEM - An electrophoresis device where the end of the electrophoresis channel has a part that extends vertically. The electrophoresis channel includes a first access port at one end of the channel and a second port at the other end of the channel, which are in the same horizontal plane. In this way, there is a less than 0.1% hydrostatic pressure differential between two ports and the performance of the device is improved. | 06-30-2016 |
| 20160199832 | MANIPULATION OF DROPLETS ON HYDROPHILIC OR VARIEGATED-HYDROPHILIC SURFACES | 07-14-2016 |
| 20220134344 | DIELECTRIC LAYERS FOR DIGITAL MICROFLUIDIC DEVICES - An electrowetting system is disclosed. The system includes electrodes configured to manipulate droplets of fluid in a microfluidic space. Each electrode is coupled to circuitry operative to selectively apply a driving voltage to the electrode. The system includes a dielectric stack including a first dielectric pair comprising a first layer having a first dielectric constant and a second layer having a second dielectric constant. The second dielectric constant is larger than the first dielectric constant. The dielectric stack includes a second dielectric pair comprising a third layer having a third dielectric constant and a fourth layer having a fourth dielectric constant. The fourth dielectric constant is larger than the third dielectric constant. A ratio of a thickness of the fourth layer to a thickness of the third layer (T | 05-05-2022 |
