Abstract: The present invention provides a melting curve analyzing method that can automatically analyze whether or not a peak is present in at least one of two temperature ranges. A signal differential value (A) having a maximum absolute value is searched for among signal differential values at respective temperatures. When a temperature (t1) indicating (A) is included in a temperature range (T1) that is either one of a predetermined temperature range TH and a predetermined temperature range TL, it is determined that (A) is a first peak. Further, a signal differential value (C) that is a first signal differential value after the absolute value changed from decreasing to increasing and a signal differential value (D) having an absolute value that is greatest next to the absolute value of (A) are searched for.

Abstract: This aims to provide an analyzing tool including a substrate, a first electrode formed on the substrate and having an action pole, a second electrode formed on the substrate and having an opposed pole, and a first regulating element for regulating such a contact area in the action pole as to contact a specimen. The analyzing tool further comprises second regulating elements for regulating the effective area for electron transfers in at least one of the action pole and the opposed pole.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an analyzing device to be used by inserting an analytical instrument 2 comprising a plurality of terminal portions 25A to 28A therein, the device including a plurality of terminals 42 and 43 having a shape of a flat spring to be in contact with the plurality of terminal portions 25A to 28A, and a disposal mechanism for disposing of the analytical instrument 2 after completing an analysis. Contact portions 46 and 47 in the plurality of terminals 42 and 43 having a flat-spring shape to be in contact with the plurality of terminal portions 25A to 28A are placed to be in non-parallel with a direction orthogonal to a disposal direction D1 of the analytical instrument 2 in planar view. The portions 46 and 47 in the plurality of terminals 42 and 43 having the flat-spring shape are preferably placed so as to have a symmetrical or substantially symmetrical positional relationship relative to a center line L1 of the analytical instrument 2 extending along the disposal direction D1.

Abstract: A user of devices (1) to (3) pays a predetermined accumulated fee to a device maker through a finance company every month. For each device of each user, a server (B) of the maker converts the sum of the accumulative fee into maintenance points and stores them in a point management table (6). After maintenance, the server (B) subtracts the points corresponding to the maintenance charge from the maintenance points to settle the maintenance cost. Service points are given according to an operation record sent from the devices (1) to (3) through a communications network (5) and a discount is given corresponding to the service points when the maintenance cost is settled.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for measuring a glucose level by utilizing a reaction system containing an enzyme and an electron carrier. In accordance with the glucose level measuring method of the present invention, glucose dehydrogenase with cytochrome C attached thereto or glucose dehydrogenase derived from a microorganism belonging to a burkholderia genus is used as the enzyme, and a Ru compound is used as the electron carrier. The present invention further provides a glucose sensor in which glucose dehydrogenase with cytochrome C attached thereto or glucose dehydrogenase derived from derived from a microorganism belonging to a burkholderia genus is used as the enzyme, and a Ru compound is used as the electron carrier.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an analyzing instrument (X1) provided with a capillary (5) for moving a sample liquid. The analyzing instrument (X1) includes a dehumidification region for maintaining a constant moisture content in the capillary (5). Preferably, the dehumidification region has a hygroscopicity of no less than 2%. Preferably, at least part of an inner surface of the capillary (5) extends in the moving direction of the sample liquid and is a water-insoluble high-wettability region having a wettability of no less than 57 mN/m. The dehumidification region and the high-wettability region may be made of Vinylon, for example. Preferably, the analyzing instrument (X1) includes a liquid pooling portion (4) communicating with the capillary (5) and having a portion wider than the capillary (5).

Abstract: The present invention provides an amplification determining method that can determine whether or not an objective nucleic acid has been amplified with respect to a sample treated so as to amplify the nucleic acid. Signal values showing molten states of the treated sample at respective temperatures are provided, and the maximum signal value (A) is searched for. Further, signal differential values at the respective temperatures are calculated by differentiation of the signal values at two successive points, and second-order differential values of the differential values are calculated by differentiation at four successive points. Among the second differential values, from those in a predetermined temperature range including a Tm value of the objective nucleic acid, the maximum second differential value (Dmax?) and the minimum second differential value (Dmin?) are selected. Then, the maximum difference (B) is calculated based on the formula (B)=(Dmax?)?(Dmin?).

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for amplifying a target sequence while suppressing inhibition of an amplification reaction in nucleic acid amplification in the presence of the probe. At the time of amplifying the target sequence, as the probe caused to coexist in amplification of the target sequence, a probe having a base sequence in which a melting temperature of the double-stranded nucleic acid is equal to or lower than a reaction temperature of the elongation reaction is used. In the presence of such a probe, for example, annealing of a primer and an elongation reaction from the primer are hardly inhibited by the presence of the probe so that amplification of the target sequence can be conducted sufficiently. Therefore, when a polymorphism of a target site in the target sequence is analyzed by a Tm analysis or the like, high reliability can be achieved.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for cleaving a glycated protein to obtain an amino acid or a peptide efficiently with a protease. By treating the glycated protein with the protease in the presence of a compound represented by R—X, the amino acid or the peptide is obtained by the cleavage. The R represents an alkyl compound with a carbon number of 9 or more, and preferably is straight-chain alkyl or straight-chain acyl with a carbon number of 9 to 16, branched-chain alkyl or branched-chain acyl with a carbon number of 10 to 40 and a main-chain carbon number of 9 to 16, or straight-chain alkyl that is substituted by cycloalkyl (a carbon number of the cycloalkyl ranges from 3 to 8, and a carbon number of the straight chain ranges from 4 to 13), where X is a sugar residue. Moreover, the glycated protein is, for example, glycated hemoglobin, and preferably ?-chain N-terminal amino acid or a ?-chain N-terminal peptide is cleaved by the protease treatment.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel test piece for creatinine measurement. The test piece includes a compound expressed by the following formula (1), a metal that forms a colored complex with the compound, and a buffer agent in a porous material. The amount of creatinine is determined by optically measuring a colored complex of the compound and the metal and evaluating the degree of inhibition of the colored complex formation by creatinine. In the formula (1), R1 represents H, SO3X, or COOX. R4 and R6 represent OH, SO3X, or COOX and may be either the same or different. R2, R3, R5, and R7 represent H, OH, Cl, Br, I, NO2, NO, or CH3 and may be either the same or different. Xs in the R1, R4, and R6 represent H, Na, K, or NH4 and may be either the same or different.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of distinguishing between a specimen and a control solution in a system for analyzing a specific component within the specimen using an analysis tool. The distinguishing method includes a first step (S2) of measuring a response value when a voltage is applied between first and second electrodes of the analysis tool, a second step (S3) of comparing a maximum value of the response value or a value associated with the maximum value to a predetermined threshold value, and a third step (S4) of distinguishing between the specimen and the control solution based on the result of the comparison between the maximum value or the associated value and the threshold value.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for analyzing the concentration of a specific component in a sample liquid, such as a method for analyzing a sample. The analyzing method includes a first detection step for irradiating light from a light source (50) onto a reaction system to detect a response from the reaction system (56) as a first detection result. The reaction system contains a sample liquid and a reagent. The method also includes a second detection step for irradiating light onto a reference board (54) to detect a response from the reference board as a second detection result. The response from the reference board under light irradiation is dependent on wavelength. The method further includes a calculation step for calculating the concentration of the specific component in the sample liquid based on the first and second detection results.

Abstract: A test system for measuring the concentration of an analyte in a biological fluid sample comprises: a plurality of test members (16) in a container (10), each test member (16) including reagent means for indicating the catalytic activity of an enzyme when in the presence of a biological fluid containing an analyte acted upon by the enzyme; 0 a test meter (2) for receiving a test member (16), the meter (2) having circuitry for performing a measurement on a test member received therein to produce a measured physical value, means for determining an analyte concentration value for a specified biological fluid from said measured physical value, and means (4) for indicating a determined analyte concentration value; a Container RFID tag (14) associated with the container (10) which includes data specific to said plurality of test members (16); and a Patient RFID tag (28) which includes data specific to a patient; and wherein said test meter (2) includes means for reading and storing data from said Container RFID tag

Abstract: A capillary electrophoresis analysis apparatus is provided for analyzing samples by a capillary electrophoresis method that allows for rapid and highly accurate separation and detection, wherein the apparatus may be used in the diagnosis and/or monitoring of selected diseases.

Abstract: A test apparatus is disclosed for measuring a component. The test apparatus maintains the amount of a specimen to be used for a reaction with a reagent at a constant value by allowing all of a fluid specimen to be measured and thus improves the accuracy and reproducibility of a test. The test apparatus includes a solution storage unit capable of holding a solution beforehand or allowing a solution to be filled therein, a capillary having a first end part and a second end part for storing the fluid specimen, and a test piece for measuring the component to be measured in the specimen. The solution storage unit and the second end part of the capillary are communicable with each other, and the first end part of the capillary is placed so as to be in contact with the test piece.

Abstract: A sample detector B includes a member 6 provided with an aperture 60, as well as a light receiving element 5 which receives two light beams directed from a pair of light sources 40, 41 to a detection area AR and having passed through the detection area and outputs a signal corresponding to the amount of light received, and a determination means 8 for determining whether or not a sample is properly supplied to the detection area AR based on the signal. Two light beams emitted from the paired light sources 40, 41 travel through paths defined by the aperture 60 to regions ARr, ARf of the detection area AR which are positionally deviated from each other. With this arrangement, whether or not a sample is properly supplied to the detection area AR is precisely determined without using an expensive component such as an optical lens.

Abstract: A vessel, which can easily be opened and closed without detaching and attaching a cover, is provided. The vessel of the present invention includes a vessel body 2 and a cover body 1. In a condition where the cover body 1 is contained in a cover body containing portion 23, the cover body 1 is rotated and an inside of a vessel main body 21 is communicated with a side wall opening portion 24 formed on a side wall of the cover body containing portion 23 through the through-hole 11. When the cover body 1 is rotated and the sealing position 12 is placed above an upper open-end 22 of the vessel main body 21, an inside of the vessel main body 21 can be sealed from the outside.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an analysis tool including a reagent portion and electrodes. The electrodes include a porous conductive portion where the reagent portion is formed. The porous conductive section is formed by, for instance, coating at least a part of a surface and an inner surface of a porous body with a conductive film. The porous body is, for instance, an insulating fiber mesh cloth. Preferably, the electrodes are formed in a sheet shape.

Abstract: A pellet 4 for use in spectrometry includes a first powder 41 of a light transmitting material in a compression-molded form, and a second powder 42 which is hydrophilic and water-insoluble and is dispersedly mixed in the first powder. A sample 40 to be subjected to spectrometry is e.g. in a powdery form and dispersedly mixed in the first and the second powders 41 and 42. When the sample 40 is a hydrate, the second powder 42 exerts the effect of accelerating dehydration of the sample 40, so that stable spectrum data on the sample in the dehydrated state is obtained early. This makes it possible to perform a processing such as identification of the sample 40 early and precisely.

Abstract: Substrate specificity for glucose of a glucose dehydrogenase having the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 13 is improved by substituting another amino acid residue for the amino acid residue at position 472 and/or 475.