Eastman-kodak Company

Other

Johnson & Johnson Clinical Diagnostics, Inc.

Jeffrey A Wellman

John Bruce Findlay

Mark J Devaney, Jr

Charles C Hinckley

William Harold Donish

John S Lercher

Paul Nicholas Schnipelsky

Leonard J Seaberg

Richard L Columbus

Jeffrey L Helfer

Johannes J Porte

Bradley A Phillips

Craig A Caprio

A cuvette and a method of use prevent nucleic acid amplified by PCR technology from being released to the atmosphere, while still proceeding to a detection step to determine whether or not the nucleic acid is present. Detection reagents are either pre-incorporated into compartments in the cuvette or added after amplification. In the latter case, a check valve prevents amplified nucleic acid from being released. Transfer of liquids between compartments is achieved via the use of flexible compartment walls and an external pressure source, or via pistons that are part of the cuvette and operate on the compartments as a piston within a piston chamber.

Containment cuvette for PCR and method of use

Sheet collation apparatus and method operate on a random array of seriatim sheets to effect ordered stack collation. An edge guide surface is located along a sheet support surface extending from a sheet ingress to egress. A plurality of conical rollers are configured and relatively overdriven to effect edge alignment and sheet end separations between the sheet ingress and egress.

Apparatus and method for collating random arrays of sheets to ordered

A combination is provided of a reaction vessel and apparatus for processing it. Preferably, the latter features a temperature control device comprising two surfaces to contact a reaction vessel sandwiched between them, a heater element being disposed on one side of one of the surfaces, a cavity being provided at the heater element, and pressure means for delivering cooling gas to the cavity and the heater element and for removing the air after it has cooled the heater element. Most preferably, there is further included means for providing relative movement between the control device and a reaction vessel so sandwiched between the two surfaces.

Temperature control device and reaction vessel

A cuvette and a method of use which prevent nucleic acid amplified by PCR technology from being released to the atmosphere, while still proceeding to a detection step to determine whether or not the nucleic acid is present. Detection reagents are either pre-incorporated into compartments in the cuvette or added after amplification. In the latter case, a check valve prevents amplified nucleic acid from being released. Transfer of liquids between compartments is achieved via the use of flexible compartment walls and an external pressure source, or via pistons that are part of the cuvette and operate on the compartments as a piston within a piston chamber.

An apparatus for transferring liquid from one chamber to another in successive chambers of a chemical reaction pack comprising a support surface and pressure applicators. Temperature control elements are also provided to heat and cool the liquid contained within the chemical reaction pack.

Processing apparatus for a chemical reaction pack

There is disclosed a thermal cycling cuvette constructed with an improved sample fluid thermal time constant. The fluid surface-to-volume ratio, and the cuvette thermal path length and thermal resistance of at least one of the walls that provides a major surface of contact, are selected to provide such a thermal time constant that is no greater than about 10 seconds for a cuvette volume no greater than about 200 .mu.l. Also included in the cuvette are means permitting the introduction and removal of liquid into and from the cuvette. A preferred construction permits ready and substantially complete removal of the liquid.

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Rochester, NY, United States of America

Jeffrey A Wellman