321 results about "Bio-Specimen" patented technology

The present invention provides devices and methods for collecting, storing or transporting liquid suspension of biological specimens containing analytes of interest in a dry state. The dried biological specimens containing analytes of interest are reconstituted and released for subsequent analysis by compressing the matrix in the device. Also provided are kits for collecting, storing, transporting and recovering biological specimens containing analytes of interest.

The invention provides in situ nucleic acid sequencing to be conducted in biological specimens that have been physically expanded. The invention leverages the techniques for expansion microscopy (ExM) to provide new methods for in situ sequencing of nucleic acids as well as new methods for fluorescent in situ sequencing (FISSEQ) in a new process referred to herein as “expansion sequencing” (ExSEQ).

The methods and reagents described in this invention are used to analyze circulating tumor cells, clusters, fragments, and debris. Analysis is performed with a number of platforms, including flow cytometry and the CellSpotter® fluorescent microscopy imaging system. Analyzing damaged cells has shown to be important. However, there are two sources of damage: in vivo and in vitro. Damage in vivo occurs by apoptosis, necrosis, or immune response. Damage in vitro occurs during sample acquisition, handling, transport, processing, or analysis. It is therefore desirable to confine, reduce, eliminate, or at least qualify in vitro damage to prevent it from interfering in analysis. Described herein are methods to diagnose, monitor, and screen disease based on circulating rare cells, including malignancy as determined by CTC, clusters, fragments, and debris. Also provided are kits for assaying biological specimens using these methods.

A method for determining the quality of focus of a digital image of a biological specimen includes obtaining a digital image of a specimen using a specimen imaging apparatus. A measure of image texture is calculated at two different scales, and the measurements are compared to determine how much high-resolution data the image contains compared to low-resolution data. The texture measurement may, for example, be a Brenner auto-focus score calculated from the means of adjacent pairs of pixels for the high-resolution measurement and from the means of adjacent triples of pixels for the low-resolution measurement. A score indicative of the quality of focus is then established based on a function of the low-resolution and high-resolution measurements. This score may be used by an automated imaging device to verify that image quality is acceptable. The device may adjust the focus and acquire new images to replace any that are deemed unacceptable.

The present invention provides a method of propagating cells of interest obtained from a biological specimen by enriching the cells under conditions that maintain sufficient cell viability; and propagating the cells under conditions effective to allow cell viability, proliferation and integrity.

A biological material test strip and adjacently-located reference color chart are affixed to a lid portion of an all-in-one specimen cup to perform color-based reaction testing of collected biological specimens in an uncalibrated environment. After specimen collection, the lid portion is secured to a container portion of the specimen cup. The cup may then be rotated into an upside down position causing the specimen, under the force of gravity, to pass from the container portion and into a volume of the lid portion, such that the test strip is exposed to the specimen as it is received into the volume of the lid portion. An image of the exposed test strip and adjacently-located reference color chart may then be captured and processed to identify any color matches between the individual test pads on the test strip and the corresponding sequences of reference color blocks on the reference chart.

A method and apparatus for minimizing diagnostic errors due to transposition of biological specimens among subjects provides for independent biometric confirmation that a given specimen is from a given donor. In certain embodiments, a biological specimen confirmation kit comprises a portable and openable case housing components of the kit, at least one biological specimen container adapted to receive a biological testing specimen from a donor, and at least one reference sample device adapted to receive a biological reference specimen from the same donor, such that the testing and reference specimens can later be compared for donor match verification by a reference verification entity.

A device and method of securing the original biological specimen collection absorbent within a holder to permit use of the absorbent within automatic specimen analysis devices and to permit continuance of a chain of custody is provided.

The present invention provides a rapid and sensitive method for the detection of a West Nile virus (WNV), Japanese encephalitis virus (JEV), St. Louis encephalitis virus (SLEV) and Dengue virus (DENV) and antibodies directed against thereof involving contacting a biological specimen suspected of being infected with WNV, JE, SLE or DEN with a substantially purified and isolated WNV E glycoprotein or subfragment thereof having a native conformation wherein the E glycoprotein or subfragment thereof has a reactivity with antibodies against WNV and a cross-reactivity with antibodies against JEV, SLEV and DENV. The instant invention further provides a rapid, sensitive, and consistent method for the specific detection of WNV by employing diagnostic assays having the antigen NS5 which is specifically reactive with anti-WNV antibodies but not cross-reactive with antibodies against other flaviviruses such as JEV, SLEV, or DENV. The present invention also provides a rapid, sensitive, and consistent method for the specific detection of DENV by employing diagnostic assays having the antigen NS5 which is specifically reactive with anti-DENV antibodies but do not cross-react with antibodies against other flaviviruses such as JEV, SLEV, or WNV. Further, the DENV NS5 antigens are serospecific and do not cross react with antibodies to other DENV strains. Thus, the method of the present invention provides a manner by which to discriminate infections by each DENV strain. Further, diagnostic kits for carrying out the methods are provided. The methods and kits for carrying out the methods of the invention are rapid and require as little as 10 minutes to detect a result. The invention also provides monoclonal antibodies against WNV NS5 and DENV NS5 antigen and their use in detecting WNV and DENV infections in a biological sample.

A method and system for constructing a digital image of a three-dimensional biological specimen that displays diagnostically important information—substantially to the exclusion of unimportant information. The system de-enhances features in a cellular specimen which are not diagnostically important and enhances those which are The system selects the sharpest pixel for each pixel location from among a stack of image slices and copies them into a composite image

Nucleic acid oligomers specific for human parvovirus B19 genomic DNA are disclosed. An assay for amplifying and detecting human parvovirus B19 nucleic acid in biological specimens is disclosed. Compositions for detecting the presence of parvovirus B19 genomic DNA in human biological specimens are disclosed.

Disclosed are compositions for collecting, storing, and transporting populations of nucleic acids from biological specimens, and clinical, forensic, or environmental samples. Also disclosed are methods for using these compositions as one-step formulations for killing pathogens, inactivating nucleases, and releasing polynucleotides from other cellular components within the sample, and stabilizing the nucleic acids prior to further processing or assay. In particular embodiments, the invention provides a single, one-step, sample collection / transport / storage formulation containing a known quantity of a non-genomic, nucleic acid carrier molecule that serves as an internal reference control to monitor the fidelity of the collection / transportation medium, and measure the integrity of nucleic acids subsequently isolated and purified from the processed sample.

An automated laboratory slide management and interpretation system and method in which slides are stained and then digitally imaged and the images are interpreted prior to referral to a diagnostician or placement in storage. The interpretation of the images involves the application of pattern recognition principles to compare the digitized images to known sample patterns from a variety of sources. Additionally, based on the results of the interpretation, the slide may undergo additional testing or staining, and additional samples may be prepared and tested. The specimens may be delivered to the diagnostician along with a tentative diagnosis.

Disclosed are oligonucleotide amplification primers and detection probes specific for the amplification and detection of pathogenic organisms, including for example, specific Influenza A H1N1 viral isolates. Also disclosed is a biological organism identification kit including the disclosed nucleic acid probes and primers, as well as thermal cycling reagents that is both portable and durable, and may also be self-contained for remote, or in-field analysis and identification of particular influenza isolates from a variety of biological specimen types.