Abstract: The present invention relates to methods and compositions for monitoring, diagnosis, prognosis, and determination of treatment regimens in subjects suffering from or suspected of having a renal injury. In particular, the invention relates to using assays that detect Chitinase-3-like protein 1 as diagnostic and prognostic biomarker assays in renal injuries.

Abstract: Provided are a novel internal standard useful in the measurement of androgens, a method capable of measuring the androgen in a highly selective and highly sensitive (accurate) manner using liquid chromatography mass spectrometry with simplified pretreatments, and a method for diagnosis of a disease using the androgen measurement method. The novel stable isotope-labeled compound is synthesized by performing reduction reaction in a specific solvent. An androgen is measured using this novel stable isotope-labeled compound as an IS.

Abstract: The present invention is related to a method for diagnosing Farber's disease in a subject, wherein the method comprises detecting C26 ceramide in a sample from the subject.

Abstract: Apparatuses and methods of optically analyzing fluid within a pipette are described herein. In an embodiment, an optical reader subassembly includes a pipette configured to aspirate and hold a fluid sample within its tip, a housing configured to receive at least the tip of the pipette through a reentrant seal so that the tip of the pipette is located in a light tight manner within an internal area, a light source positioned to be in proximity to the tip of the pipette when the tip of the pipette is received by the housing, the light source configured to project light through the tip of the pipette and onto the fluid sample held within the tip, and an optical sensor configured to take a reading of the fluid sample held within the tip of the pipette without any of the fluid sample being injected from the pipette.

Abstract: Low-cost assay test strip readers are disclosed. Such readers enable creation of profiles of analyte reactions detected on an assay test strip utilizing a simple detector fixedly mounted to a body of the reader. The detector may be a single detector, such as a photodetector, which detects an optical signal at a single point. The assay test strip is inserted and/or removed from the test strip reader and the detector detects the optical elements of the strip during such insertion and/or removal. The movement of the test strip with respect to the body enables the detector to scan a length of the test strip, such that a one-dimensional profile of the optical signals can be generated. The reader may convert the detected profile into a displayable indication of analyte concentrations for diagnostic purposes. Moving the test strip relative to an array of detectors enables creation of a two-dimensional profile.

Abstract: A method of testing for an analyte in an individual comprises providing colour information obtained from a digital image of a coloured reagent on an analyte test strip, the coloured reagent having been generated in accordance with analyte in a test sample, converting the colour information from the image into an analyte level, recording the analyte level in association with user-specific information (e.g. a QR code), repeating the above steps to obtain two or more records of analyte levels for the same user at different times and using the records to monitor personal health or to predict the likely development of a disease or condition or to diagnose a disease or condition or to monitor a treatment regime associated with variation in analyte levels in saliva.

Abstract: Provided is a method for quantifying vitamin D, with the vitamin D contained in a biological sample being derivatized with a derivatization reagent and being measured with a mass spectrometer, the method including, a derivatization step of derivatizing n number of samples by using n types of 4-(4?-dimethylaminophenyl)-1,2,4-triazoline-3,5-dione (DAPTAD) isotopologues respectively as derivatization reagents, a mixing step of mixing the n types of derivatization samples obtained in the derivatization step, and a quantitative analysis step of subjecting each of the n types of vitamin D derivatives contained in the mixed sample obtained in the mixing step to quantitative analysis using a mass spectrometer.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present disclosure provide for methods for detecting the presence and/or concentration of anions in a solution, systems for detecting the presence and/or concentration of anions in a solution, anion sensor systems, and the like.

Abstract: A method for detecting for the presence of H2S or HS? anion in a system, comprising contacting a sample from the system with a compound, or a protonate or salt thereof, having a structure represented by: wherein Y represents an aromatic group or a substituted aromatic group; n is 1 or 2; R is independently H, alkyl, substituted alkyl, a polyether moiety, carboxyl, substituted carboxyl, carbamate, substituted carbonate, carbonyloxy, alkoxy, substituted alkoxy, haloalkyl, halogen, nitro, amino, amido, aryloxy, cyano, hydroxyl, or sulfonyl; R1 is H, substituted lower alkyl, lower alkyl, substituted aralkyl or aralkyl; R2 is selected from H, acyl, substituted aralkyl, aralkyl, phosphonyl, —SO2R3; —C(O)R5; —C(O)OR7 or —C(O)NR9R10; R3; R5; R7; R9 and R10 are each independently selected from H, substituted lower alkyl, lower alkyl, substituted aralkyl, aralkyl, substituted aryl or aryl.

Abstract: An automated analyzer for reagent cards having a leading end, a trailing end and a length between the leading end and the trailing end comprises a travel surface assembly having a card travel surface and an edge. A test analyzing mechanism is adjacent to the travel surface, and a waste receptacle is adjacent to the edge below the travel surface. The waste receptacle has a side and a waste cavity. A ramp member positioned below the travel surface has an end and a sloped surface, and is movable between an extended position where the sloped surface extends into the waste cavity, and a retracted position where the end is spaced from the side a distance greater than the length of the reagent card. A moving mechanism operably coupled with the ramp member is configured to move the ramp member between the extended position and the retracted position.

Abstract: Methods are provided for synthesizing mixtures of lipids that are representative of the structural diversity of the lipids present in samples of interest. The complex mixtures of lipids produced according to the methods of the present disclosure can be used as internal standards for detecting and quantifying the lipids in samples of interest. Kits including the internal standards and instructions for their use in the detection and quantification of lipids in samples of interest are also provided.

Abstract: Polydentate polycyclic compounds of various formulas are disclosed herein. The compounds are useful for ratiometric luminescence. Significantly, the compounds will luminesce at different wavelengths/colors, depending on the analyte (metal ion, acid, or boron-containing compound) it is combined with. Thus, a single compound can provide different luminescent outputs based on the analyte, rather than requiring an entire set of structurally different compounds to detect each analyte or to generate a desired color output.

Abstract: A method for performing flexible liquid handling processes among a plurality of consumables includes moving consumables by at least one arm having a magnetic interface device, connecting the at least one arm from the consumables, based on magnetic attraction utilizing said magnetic interface device, and aspirating and dispensing liquids on the consumables by at least one static or quasi-static pipette. The aspiration and dispensing actions are performed without displacement of the pipettes. The method further includes sensing, by the at least one arm, magnetic presence of a matching consumable connector or magnetic vector field modified by a presence of a matching consumable connector. The method includes disconnecting the at least one arm from the consumables based on a repulsive magnetic force.

Abstract: An analysis instrument comprises plural modules connected together over a data network, each module comprising an analysis apparatus operable to perform biochemical analysis of a sample. Each module comprises a control unit that controls the operation of the analysis apparatus. The control units are addressable to select an arbitrary number of modules to operate as a cluster for performing a common biochemical analysis. The control units communicate over the data network, repeatedly during the performance of the common biochemical analysis, to determine the operation of the analysis apparatus of each module required to meet the global performance targets, on the basis of measures of performance derived from the output data produced by the modules. The arrangement of the instrument as modules interacting in this manner provides a scalable analysis instrument.

Abstract: A method for quantifying a content of hydrophobic components contained in a liquid using a contact area diffusion factor (CADF) of a droplet of the liquid to a solid surface is provided. In addition, the obtained content of the hydrophobic components provides information about prediction for possibility of developing a metabolic disease or dementia, or information about the incidence or progression of a metabolic disease or dementia.

Abstract: A blood analyzing method includes optically measuring a first calibration sample prepared from a fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product (FDP) measurement reagent and a first calibrator containing D-dimer (DD) and having a first value relating to the ratio of the content of FDP to the content of DD, acquiring first calculation data based on temporal change of optical information of the first calibration measurement sample, performing optical measurement of a second calibration measurement sample prepared from FDP measurement reagent and a second calibrator containing DD and having a second value that is different from the first value, acquiring second calculated data based on a temporal change in optical information of the second calibration measurement sample, and acquiring calibration curve information indicating the relationship between the calculation data and the value relating to the amount of DD.

Abstract: In a chemiluminescence type nitrogen oxide concentration meter, a mixed gas of air with its moisture adsorbed by an adsorption apparatus and air that through a fifth flow path without the adsorption apparatus in between is flown into an ozone generator. Therefore, ozone can be generated using air of proper humidity in the ozone generator 7. As a result, ozone can be efficiently generated while suppressing occurrence of metal contamination in the ozone generator 7. Then, in the reaction unit 8, nitrogen oxides in the sample gas are made to appropriately show chemiluminescence using the ozone, and in the detector 9, the intensity of light generated in the reaction unit 8 is detected. Furthermore, in the control unit 10, the concentration of nitrogen oxides in the sample gas is measured, based on the intensity of light detected by the detector 9.

Abstract: Fluorescent pH sensors are provided. The fluorescent pH sensor comprises a copolymer for sensing pH and a polymerized form of N-(2-hydroxypropyl)methacrylamide (HPMA) or 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA). The probe for sensing pH has formula (I): wherein R1 and R2 are as defined herein. The fluorescent pH sensors may be used in determining the pH of a sample and detecting extracellular pH in a sample. Methods for preparing the fluorescent pH sensors and the probe for sensing pH are also provided.

Abstract: A reagent management system is disclosed comprising a reagent container section for receiving reagent containers and a reagent reconstitution device for reconstituting dry, or lyophilized, reagents or concentrated reagents in reagent containers in order to carry out in-vitro diagnostic tests with the reconstituted reagents. A controller is programmed to instruct the reagent reconstitution device to automatically reconstitute an initial volume of a selected reagent type in reagent containers. The initial volume is calculated based on an open container stability time (OCS) of the reconstituted reagent type for each reagent container and on a number of tests to be carried out within the OCS of the reconstituted reagent type. A reagent container for use by the reagent management system and methods of automatically reconstituting a dry, or lyophilized reagent, or a concentrated liquid reagent in a reagent container to carry out an in-vitro diagnostic test with the reagent are disclosed.

Abstract: A fluorescent nanocomposite which includes a thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide having formula TlxGd1-xY, wherein x is 0.01 to 0.1, and Y is selected from the group consisting of S, Se, or Te, and a benzothiazolium salt bound to a surface of the thallium doped gadolinium chalcogenide. A method of detecting antimony ions in a fluid sample whereby the fluid sample is contacted with the fluorescent nanocomposite to form a mixture, and a fluorescence emission profile of the mixture is measured to determine a presence or absence of antimony ions in the fluid sample, wherein a reduction in intensity of a fluorescence emissions peak associated with the fluorescent nanocomposite indicates the presence of antimony ions in the fluid sample.