Amendments to the Claims:
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`This listing of claims reflects all claim amendments and replaces all prior
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`versions, and listings, of claims in the application.
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`In brief, the present communication
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`cancels original claims 21 -40, without prejudice.
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`1.
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`(Original) A method of analysis, the method comprising:
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`selecting a device having a port connected to a chamber;
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`placing a sample-containing fluid into the port;
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`creating a pressure differential that drives the sample-containing fluid from the
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`port to the chamber and separates the sample-containing fluid into droplets;
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`forming a two-dimensional monolayer of the droplets in the chamber; and
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`imaging at least a portion of the monolayer.
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`2.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of placing includes a
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`step of placing the sample-containing fluid as a continuous phase into a well of the
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`device.
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`3.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the droplets are aqueous
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`droplets that are separated from one another by an immiscible carrier liquid.
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`4.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of forming includes a
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`step of collecting the droplets in a chamber having a height corresponding to a diameter
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`of the droplets.
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`Preliminary Amendment;
`Serial No. 15/707,908; Atty. Docket No. QLI3A05
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`5.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of creating a pressure
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`differential includes a step of applying positive gas pressure or negative gas pressure to
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`a port of the device.
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`6.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, further comprising a step of thermally
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`cycling the monolayer to promote nucleic acid amplification in a subset of droplets of the
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`monolayer.
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`7.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of imaging includes a
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`step of detecting fluorescence from the monolayer.
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`8.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the step of imaging creates one
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`or more images of droplets of the monolayer, wherein only a subset of the droplets
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`contain an analyte, and wherein the one or more images indicate whether the analyte is
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`present in individual droplets.
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`9.
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`(Original) The method of claim 8, further comprising a step of determining
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`a number of droplets containing the analyte using the one or more images.
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`10.
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`(Original) The method of claim 8, wherein the analyte is a nucleic acid
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`target,
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`further comprising a step of amplifying the nucleic acid target within the
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`monolayer.
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`Preliminary Amendment;
`Serial No. 15/707,908; Atty. Docket No. QLI3A05
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`11.
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`(Original) The method of claim 10, wherein the step of amplifying includes
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`a step of thermally cycling the monolayer to promote nucleic acid amplification in
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`droplets thereof.
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`12.
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`(Original) The method of claim 10, wherein the droplets contain an
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`intercalating dye or a probe, wherein the probe includes an oligonucleotide labeled with
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`a fluorophore, and wherein the step of imaging includes a step of detecting fluorescence
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`from the intercalating dye or the fluorophore.
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`13.
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`(Original) The method of claim 1, wherein the chamber lies in a plane and
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`defines an area of the plane, and wherein the step of forming includes a step of
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`covering a majority of the area with droplets.
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`Preliminary Amendment;
`Serial No. 15/707,908; Atty. Docket No. QLI3A05
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`14.
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`(Original) A method of analysis, the method comprising:
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`selecting a device having a chamber connected separately to a port and a vent;
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`placing an aqueous fluid into the port;
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`applying gas pressure to the device to drive the aqueous fluid from the port to the
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`chamber and form partitions of the aqueous fluid, the partitions being separated from
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`one another by a carrier liquid;
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`amplifying a nucleic acid target in only of a subset of the partitions while the
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`partitions are arranged in a two-dimensional monolayer in the chamber;
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`imaging at least a portion of the monolayer to create one or more images; and
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`determining whether individual partitions of the monolayer contain the nucleic
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`acid target using the one or more images.
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`15.
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`(Original) The method of claim 14, wherein the chamber has a top wall
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`facing a bottom wall, and wherein the chamber has a height measured between the top
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`and bottom walls corresponding to a diameter of the partitions.
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`16.
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`(Original) The method of claim 14, wherein the chamber lies in a plane
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`and defines an area of the plane, and wherein the step of amplifying is performed while
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`a majority of the area is covered with partitions.
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`17.
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`(Original) The method of claim 14, wherein the port includes a well, and
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`wherein the step of placing an aqueous fluid includes a step of placing the aqueous fluid
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`into the well.
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`Preliminary Amendment;
`Serial No. 15/707,908; Atty. Docket No. QLI3A05
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`18.
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`(Original) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of imaging includes a
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`step of detecting fluorescence from the monolayer.
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`19.
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`(Original) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of amplifying includes
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`a step of thermally cycling the monolayer.
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`20.
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`(Original) The method of claim 14, wherein the step of applying gas
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`pressure includes a step of applying positive gas pressure or negative gas pressure to
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`the device.
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`21 -40. (Canceled)
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`Preliminary Amendment;
`Serial No. 15/707,908; Atty. Docket No. QLI3A05
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