Abstract: A measurement instrument reads information on the guarantee number-of-measurements issued depending on the payment of purchased consumables from a magnetic card (21), stores the information in a guarantee number of measurements storage unit (31), stores the actual number of measurements in a number of measurements storage unit (32), stores the remainder of subtraction of the actual number of measurements stored in the number of measurements storage unit (32) from the guarantee number of measurements stored in the guarantee number of measurements storage unit (31) in a remainder storage unit (33). When the remainder reaches a predetermined value, the measurement instrument outputs a message to invite to purchase a new magnetic card to a display unit (4).

Abstract: A method for taking a sample according to the present invention includes the steps of drawing blood B1 into a vacuum blood collection tube Cn and transferring at least part of the blood B1 from the vacuum blood collection tube Cn to a sample storage space 10a of a dropper A1. The vacuum blood collection tube Cn includes a sample storage portion Sr and a stopper St sealing the sample storage portion, and the drawing is performed by stabbing a hollow needle into the stopper St. The dropper A1 includes an internal space 10 at least part of which is the sample storage space 10a for storing a sample and which includes a volume changeable space 10b defined by an elastically deformable portion 12 having flexibility. The dropper further includes an insertion portion 21 including a through-hole 21a connected to the internal space 10, and the transfer of the sample is performed by inserting the insertion portion 21 into a through-hole H1 formed in the stopper by the stabbing of the hollow needle into the stopper.

Abstract: A primer set for amplifying a region including sites to be detected of SULT1A1*2 and SULT1A1*3 in the SULT1A1 gene by a gene amplification method is provided, wherein the primer set can amplify the region specifically. A pair of primer set is used including a forward primer consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 7 as well as a reverse primer consisting of the base sequence of SEQ ID NO: 18. The use of this primer set makes it possible to specifically and efficiently amplify, a region including both sites where two types of polymorphisms (SULT1A1*2 and SULT1A1*3) of the SULT1A1 gene are generated.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a protein-immobilized membrane (14) including a cell membrane homologous layer (14A) and a protein (14B) immobilized to the cell membrane homologous layer (14A), where the protein contains cytochrome or a cytochrome complex. The present invention also relates to a method for forming a protein-immobilized membrane (14), and an enzyme-immobilized electrode and a biosensor (X1) provided with a protein-immobilized membrane (14). Preferably, the cell membrane homologous layer (14A) may contain a phospholipid polymer, and the protein (14B) may be CyGDH including an ? subunit having a glucose dehydrogenase activity and cytochrome C having a function of electron transfer.

Abstract: A method for detecting Chlamydia trachomatis comprising performing PCR using DNA obtained from a sample as a template and detecting an amplification product, wherein a primer pair used for PCR is designed on the basis of the nucleotide sequences of the regions corresponding to the nucleotide numbers 5157 to 5201 and 5245 to 5276 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 so that the nucleotide sequence between the two regions can be amplified. A method for quickly detecting Chlamydia trachomatis with superior sensitivity and specificity is provided.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for causing the temperature of a liquid component retained in an analytical tool (1) to be adjusted to a target temperature, wherein the analytical tool (1) is used for analyzing the sample. According to the present invention, the temperature of the liquid component (10) is raised by heating the liquid component utilizing light energy from a light source (23). The temperature raising of the liquid component may be performed by supplying the light energy directly to the liquid component. Alternatively, the temperature raising of the liquid component may be performed by thermal energy transferred from a temperature raise region adjacent to the liquid component to which the light energy supplied. Preferably, as the light source (23) for raising temperature, use may be made of a laser diode or a light-emitting diode.

Abstract: A lancet device includes a shot prevention mechanism for preventing re-shooting using a used lancet, that inhibits movement to a shot-ready completion state where a puncture body is held at different positions within a casing before and after use. A holding position of the puncture body within the casing before use is different than a holding position after use. When the used lancet is fitted to a main body, a stopper plate does not operate, and a setting release button remains in a depressed state and does not pushed up.

Abstract: The present invention provides a lancet (X1) which includes a case (1) including an internal space (10), and a lancing unit (2) which includes a lancing needle (20) and which is movable within the internal space (10) in an advancing direction from a wait position to an advanced position. The case (1) includes a main body (11) accommodating the lancing unit (2), and a cap (12) which is molded integral with the main body (11) and detachable from the main body (11). The lancing unit (2) includes a cover portion (22) for covering a portion of the lancing needle (20) on the advancing side, for example. The cover portion (22) is detachable together with the cap (12) by exerting a rotational force for rotating the cap (12) and a pulling force for causing relative movement of the cap (12) in the advancing direction for exposing a front end of the lancing needle (20).

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: A sensor cartridge (1) for use on a sensor feeder includes a cartridge body (10) and a mold (12). The cartridge body (10) has an upper surface (10a), a front (10c) extending continuously from the upper surface, and a plurality of sensor-holding slots (11). Each of the sensor-holding slots (11) includes a first opening formed in the upper surface (10a) and a second opening formed in the front (10c) and communicating with the first opening. The mold (12) closes the first opening and second openings in case sensors are charged in the sensor-holding slots (11).

Abstract: A melting curve analysis is performed for a nucleic acid containing a mutation in a nucleotide sequence resulting in a mutation replacing tryptophan at position 64 in an amino acid sequence of the ?3-adrenergic receptor with arginine (B3AR Trp64Arg), by using a nucleic acid probe of which end is labeled with a fluorescent dye, and in which fluorescence of the fluorescent dye decreases upon hybridization, wherein the nucleic acid probe has a nucleotide sequence starting from the nucleotide number 183 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1 and having a length of 8 to 30 nucleotides, and the 5? end of the probe is labeled with the fluorescent dye, or the nucleic acid probe has a nucleotide sequence ending at the nucleotide number 196 in the nucleotide sequence of SEQ ID NO: 2 and having a length of 7 to 30 nucleotides, and the 3? end of the probe is labeled with the fluorescent dye, and measuring fluorescence of the fluorescent dye, and the mutation is detected on the basis of the result of the melting curve

Abstract: A liquid reagent in which a methylene blue compound color former is stably stored in a liquid state; and a method of stabilizing a methylene blue compound color former in a liquid state. A methylene blue compound color former is stabilized by causing it to coexist with either a quaternary ammonium compound having a C12 or higher hydrocarbon chain or a salt thereof in a liquid medium. Examples of the methylene blue compound color former include 10-(carboxymethylaminocarbonyl)-3,7-bis(dimethylamino) phenothiazine.

Abstract: A measuring apparatus is provided with a light source (4), a first light-receiving element (5) and a second light-receiving element (6) which output signals corresponding to light intensity, a calculating part (12) and a memory part (13). The first light-receiving element (6) and the light source (4) are arranged so that transmitted light emitted from the light source and passed through a sample is received by the first light-receiving element (5). The second light-receiving element (6) is arranged so as to receive light other than the transmitted light emitted from the light source (4). In the memory part (13), a correlation between the output value of the first light-receiving element (5) and the output value of the second light-receiving element (6) when light is emitted from the light source (4) in a state where the sample is not present is stored.

Abstract: A maker of a measuring device provides, on a client support system, a WWW server for providing the operation manual of the measuring device in an HTML format, and an ordered article control server for performing a supply control on the expendables of a measuring device. The measuring device has a browsing function, and a monitor unit monitors the status of a control unit to display a proper page in the operation manual on a monitor by requesting a transfer of a URL to the WWW server (24) according to the status of the control unit at that time. Ordering of expendables is possible by means of an ordering screen incorporated in the operation manual.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a technique for measuring the concentration of a particular component in a sample liquid using a test tool (2). The test tool (2) includes a first through a third detection elements (31a-33a) arranged in the mentioned order in the moving direction of the sample liquid for measuring an electro-physical quantity. The present invention provides a concentration measuring method which includes a first detection step for detecting whether or not liquid conduction is established between the first and the second detection elements (31a, 32a), a second detection step for detecting whether or not liquid conduction is established between the second and the third detection elements (31a, 33a), a measurement step for measuring an electro-physical quantity by using the first through the third detection elements (31a-33a), and a concentration computation step for computing the concentration of the particular component based on the electro-physical quantity.

Abstract: The measurement instrument includes an attribute information output section to output attribute information about the attributes of the measurement instrument as an electric physical value. The attribute information is based on at least one of the conditions including a resistance of the attribute information output section, a location of the attribute information output section, and the size of a region on which the attribute information output section is formed. The attribute information may be used to select the calibration curve suitable for the measurement instrument. The attribute information may be one that relates to a specific measurement standard applied to the measurement instrument.

Abstract: The present invention relates to an analytical tool including a plurality of flow paths 21 each including a detection cell 26 for detecting a particular component contained in a sample and configured to move the sample by capillarity, and a common path 22 connecting the plurality of flow paths 21 to each other. Each of the flow paths 21 includes a water stopper 29 for preventing the sample from flowing into the common path 22. Preferably, the water stopper 29 suppresses the movement of the sample by differentiating a cross sectional area at a target portion in a direction perpendicular to the sample flow direction from a cross sectional area at a portion near the target portion.

Abstract: A lancet device includes a puncture needle that receives a biasing force applied by a coil spring and is projected toward the tip side, and is retracted by the biasing force applied by a return spring. In the lancet device a colliding part and the a collision receiving part are made to collide when the puncture needle is projected, and an abutting stopping member elastically deforms. The colliding part is a part of the lancet holder that holds a puncture needle. The collision receiving part is a part of the abutting stopping member. The contact part of the abutting stopping member moves in the direction of the colliding part and comes into contact with the colliding part by the elastic deformation of this abutting stopping member, and the force that retracts the lancet holder is weakened.

Abstract: A method of stabilizing an oxidation color former in a solution is provided. N-(carboxymethylaminocarbonyl)-4,4?-bis(dimethylamino) diphenylamine sodium salt as an oxidation color former is stabilized by providing it with at least one of a fructosyl amino acid oxidase (FAOD) and a peroxidase (POD) in the solution. The concentration of the FAOD is in the range from 0.01 to 1.0 g/l or 1 to 100 KU/l, and the concentration of the POD is in the range from 0.01 to 1.0 g/l or 1 to 100 KU/l.

Abstract: In a method for concentration and purification method of nucleic acids using electrophoresis, cationic surfactant is added to a sample containing nucleic acids so as to adjust electric charge of impurities in the sample, and then the sample is placed in an electric field for electrophoresis so as to concentrate and purify the nucleic acids. The cationic surfactant (4) adsorbs substance other than the nucleic acids so as to adjust the electric charge of the substance, and the adsorption of the cationic surfactant (4) is adjusted by the added amount of nonionic surfactant (3). Alternatively, nucleic acids are contacted with a separation medium (108), and then recovered by a filter (104) whose cross sectional area is decreased in the direction of migration.