348 results about "Fluid specimen" patented technology

An improved multi-layered diagnostic sanitary test strip for receiving a heterogenous fluid, such as whole blood, to test for presence and/or amount of a suspected analyte in the fluid by facilitating a color change in the strip corresponding to the amount of the analyte in the fluid, wherein the test strip includes fluid volume control dams to prevent spillage of the fluid from the strip and a chemical reagent solution that facilitates end-point testing. The improved test strip comprises no more than two operative layers and: (a) a reaction membrane containing a reagent capable of reacting with the analyte of interest to produce a measurable change in said membrane; (b) an upper support layer defining a sample receiving port for receiving the fluid sample thereat; (c) one or more structures for directing the sample containing the analyte of interest through at least a portion of said reaction membrane; and (d) a lower support layer having a reaction viewing port in vertical alignment with said membrane for displaying said measurable change, said lower support being associated with said upper support to secure said reaction membrane in said test strip.

Some embodiments of the invention provide a meter and a disposable cartridge for analyzing a fluid sample confined to the disposable cartridge. The fluid sample, particularly blood, is drawn into the cartridge by capillary action, negative pressure, positive pressure, or combination thereof. The cartridge has at least one flow path, which includes at least one optical chamber for spectroscopic measurement, and at least one biosensor for biosensor measurement. The meter has a sample slot for receiving the disposable cartridge. The cartridges have electrical output contacts, and the meter slot has electrical input contacts. When the output contacts mate with the input contacts, the optical chamber becomes positioned for spectroscopic measurement. Neither biosensors nor spectroscopy can be used alone to measure key analytes in blood for effective patient care. The present invention provides joint-diagnostic spectroscopic and biosensor measurements. Optionally, plasma can be extracted from whole blood, for measuring analytes that cannot be measured accurately in whole blood. The invention provides a wider panel of blood analytes using as little as a drop of blood, at the point of patient care.

A device and method for lancing a patient, virtually simultaneously producing and collecting a small fluid sample from a body. The device comprises a blood collection system including a lancing needle (16), drive mechanism (11), kneading or vibration mechanism (25), optional suction system (7), and sample ejection mechanism. The device is preferably sized to be hand-held in one hand and operable with one hand. The device can optionally contain integral testing or analysis component (83) for receiving the sample and providing testing or analysis indication or readout for the user. A method involves piercing the skin at a rapid rate, kneading the surrounding area by ultrasonic action, piezoelectric or mechanical oscillation to stimulate the blood flow from the wound, drawing the fluid using a pumping system.

A valve for connecting a fluid sampling device to a fluid source is provided that includes a body adapted to be secured to the fluid source and a valve member moveably disposed within the body. The body includes a coupling interface configured to sealingly mate with the sampling device. The valve member is actuated by the sampling device during attachment of the sampling device to the valve body. The sampling device actuated valve member is moveable between a first position in which a flow path between the fluid source and the sampling device is closed and a second position in which the flow path between the fluid source and the sampling device is open. When the fluid flow path is open, the sampling device can withdraw a fluid sample for inspection and return the fluid sample to the fluid source without exposing the fluid to the surrounding environment.

Diagnostic products having multiple test strips within a unitary diagnostic test device, or test icon, are described herein. In the preferred embodiments of the diagnostic test device of this invention, a fluid sample distribution system is provided wherein a sample collection and distribution port is provided in the housing for receipt of a biologic fluid sample and the channeling of such sample onto a sample receiving web. The sample receiving web, which is located within the test device, is in fluid communication with an array of test strips, and is configured to deliver an aliquot of biologic fluid sample to the test site of each such test strip at essentially the same rate. In the preferred embodiments of this invention, the sample receiving web comprises at least one base segment and at least one branched segment. Each of the base and branched segments can be formed or cut from a common sheet of material or from separate sheet material and thereafter placed in contiguous relationship one another. The relative placement of the sample receiving web within the test device is coincident with a portion of each test strip and designed to effect the balanced distribution and delivery of an aliquot of the biologic fluid sample to the test site of each of the test strips within the test device.

A single, integrated device in which a body fluid (e.g., blood) of a human or animal can be both collected and analyzed easily and without risk of contamination is disclosed. The collection portion and analysis portion of the device are permanently joined to permit movement of small quantities of body fluid under controlled conditions, to minimize any waste of the body fluid, to ensure that no contamination reaches the main body fluid volume, and to create a permanent physical record of the results of the analysis in association with the fluid sample itself: A wide variety of different body fluid components which may be indicative of various diseases, dysfunctions and abnormalities of the human or animal or the body fluid itself can be tested for. The device includes a container for collecting human or animal body fluid, one or more testing chambers containing one or more analysis units activated by body fluid; a transfer pump or vacuum assembly to transfer one or more samples into the analysis units; and one-way valves or the equivalent to prevent any portion of the withdrawn sample from being returned to the collection container. The body fluid acted upon may be blood, blood plasma, urine, bile, pleural fluid, ascites fluid, stomach or intestine fluid, colostrom, milk or lymph.

Subsea apparatus and a method for sampling and analysing fluid from a subsea fluid flowline proximate a subsea well is provided, wherein the apparatus comprises at least one housing located in close proximity to said subsea fluid flowline; at least one fluid sampling device located in the housing in fluid communication with a said subsea fluid flowline for obtaining a sample of fluid from the subsea fluid flowline; at least one fluid processing apparatus located in the housing in fluid communication with said subsea fluid flowline for receiving and processing a portion of the fluid flowing through said fluid flowline or in fluid communication with the fluid sampling device, for processing the sample of fluid obtained from the subsea fluid flowline for analysis, while keeping the sample of fluid at subsea conditions; a fluid analysis device located in the housing, the fluid analysis device being in fluid communication with the fluid processing device and/or with the fluid sampling device, the fluid analysis device being used for analysing said sample of fluid or the processed sample of fluid to generate data relating to a plurality of properties of said sample of fluid and communicating said data to a surface data processor or to at least one other subsea apparatus; and conveying means included in the housing for conveying the housing means from one subsea fluid flowline to another subsea fluid flowline or for conveying the housing to the surface.

A method for determining properties of a formation fluid including obtaining data related to an optical density at a methane peak and an optical density at an oil peak for a fluid sample at a plurality of times, calculating an apparent gas-oil-ratio of the sample fluid from the optical density of the fluid sample at the methane peak to the optical density of the fluid sample at the oil peak at each of the plurality of times based on the data, selecting a power function of a sampling parameter for a buildup of the apparent gas-oil-ratio, calculating an exponential constant of the power function based on the data, and determining at least one selected from the group consisting of a contamination free gas-oil-ratio and a percent contamination.

An apparatus and methods for acoustically analyzing a fluid sample and determining one or more properties of the sample are disclosed by the present invention. The apparatus comprises a chamber, a transmitter positioned within the chamber for transmitting an acoustic signal through the fluid, a reflector movably positioned within the fluid inside the chamber for reflecting the acoustic signal, and a receiver positioned within the chamber for detecting reflections of the acoustic signal. The methods employ the use of a transmitter, a reflector movably positioned within the fluid inside the chamber, and a receiver to characterize the fluid sample based on one or more of its acoustic properties.

A microfluidic system for performing fluid analysis is described having: (a) a submersible housing having a fluid analysis means and a power supply to provide power to said system; and (b) a substrate for receiving a fluid sample, having embedded therein a fluid sample inlet, a reagent inlet, a fluid sample outlet, and a mixing region in fluid communication with the fluid sample inlet, the reagent inlet, and the fluid sample outlet, and wherein the substrate includes a fluid drive means for moving the fluid sample through the substrate, and wherein the substrate interconnects with the housing. At least a portion of the fluid analysis means may be embedded in the substrate.

A device for collecting a fluid specimen absorbed in an absorption pad, comprises a tube for receiving the pad. The pad is selectively secured to one of the two positions. In the first position, the pad is approximate to a bottom of the tube so that the pad can be immersed in a buffer solution for preserving the specimen. In the second position, the pas is distant from the bottom so that the fluid specimen thrown out from the pad under a centrifugal separating force will not be reabsorbed by the pad.

Apparatus and method for processing specimens, e.g., biological specimens, to extract samples for both liquid (i.e., extracellular) and slide-based (i.e., intracellular) testing. Both types of samples can be obtained from a single fluid specimen. A fluid sampling station removes fluid from a specimen container and places it in a sample receptacle. A specimen acquisition station removes fluid from the container, separates particulate matter (e.g., cells) from the removed fluid, and forms a sample layer of particulate matter, which is transferred to a slide. The two sampling operations can be carried out in any order. The fluid sample receptacle may have a special one-way valve arrangement. The apparatus can be automated so as to process multiple fluid specimens in their respective containers. The machine according to this invention is a "platform instrument" that can produce all required liquid samples and slide-based samples for essentially all cytopathology tests.

The present invention relates to a pipette (12) comprising a body portion (14) for aspirating a fluid sample (36) into a pipette tip (16) when attached thereto, wherein the body portion (14) comprises at least one light source (26), or an entry point for light from at least one light source, providing an optical path of light that passes through the sample (36) in a direction essentially along the longitudinal axis of the pipette tip (16). A method for measuring light output from a fluid sample (36), comprises providing a pipette tip (14) or capillary tube having first and second open ends (46, 68) with the sample (36) to be analysed contained therein, and detecting light output from an open end (46) of the pipette tip (16) or capillary tube. An apparatus and kit are also described. The pipette, apparatus, kit and method allow the accurate analysis and quantitative determination of minute amounts of biological samples.

The present invention provides methods and systems for making measurements associated with a rock formation including a main borehole, a microborehole extending from the main borehole into the rock formation, and one or more sensing devices positioned and arranged to make a measurement at measurement zones being located in the microborehole. A packer can also be installed in the microborehole dimensioned and arranged to hydraulically isolate the measurement zones from conditions present in other parts of the microborehole and/or main borehole. Methods and systems are also provided for taking fluid samples and injecting fluid tracers in a microborehole.