Abstract: A method of screening for a substance that acts on a cell mass includes producing a cell mass by three-dimensional culture of primary cancer cells using a tumor tissue, adding a test substance to the cell mass, and evaluating an action of the test substance on the cell mass. The cell mass is produced by culturing cells obtained from the tumor tissue in a medium containing a 5% v/v or less extracellular matrix on a substantially low-adhesive cell culture substrate and producing the cell mass of the primary cancer cells.

Abstract: Provided is a method for assisting in grasping the status of platelet activation, by developing a biomarker that more accurately reflects platelet activation in vivo, said method being usable in testing for thrombotic hemostatic diseases. The method for assisting in grasping the status of platelet activation comprises (1) measuring the concentration of soluble CLEC-2 and a platelet count in a sample obtained from a subject, and (2) calculating a value of [soluble CLEC-2 concentration]/[platelet count] by dividing the soluble CLEC-2 concentration by the platelet count. If desired, the method may further comprise (3) comparing the value with a value of [soluble CLEC-2 concentration]/[platelet count] obtained by using samples from healthy persons.

Abstract: A method of producing a cell mass by three-dimensional culture of primary cancer cells having proliferative ability and properties of handleability, versatility, and high-throughput performance, in which a tumor tissue is used as a starting material, proliferation of cells such as fibroblasts other than cancer cells is inhibited, and the cell mass includes primary cancer cells as a main component. The object is achieved by providing a method of producing a cell mass by three-dimensional culture of primary cancer cells using a tumor tissue, including: a three-dimensional culture step of culturing cells obtained from the tumor tissue in a medium containing a 5% v/v or less extracellular matrix on a substantially low-adhesive cell culture substrate.

Abstract: Regardless of the type of specimen, such as a serum or heparinized plasma containing different anticoagulants, which are widely used in general, when a substance to be measured (for example, sIL-2R) in a biological sample is immunologically detected, a measuring method and a kit capable of stably obtaining with high accuracy, unaffected by interfering substances in the specimen, are provided. An immunocomplex between the substance to be measured and an antibody that specifically binds to the substance to be measured is formed in the presence of a sulfated polysaccharide. The kit comprises an antibody that specifically binds to the substance to be measured, and a buffer containing a sulfated polysaccharide.

Abstract: Provided is a reagent for assaying a thrombin-antithrombin complex (TAT) in a blood sample from a subject by latex agglutination assay. The reagent includes a polycation. As a result, TAT complexes can be precisely assayed while circumventing the effect of heparin.

Abstract: A method for measuring TAT complexes in a sample separated from a living body includes measuring TAT by performing latex immunoagglutination reaction under a condition of pH 5.8 to 6.6 using a TAT assay reagent. The TAT assay reagent includes a first antibody bound to a first latex particle, which binds to the antithrombin part of the TAT complex and recognizes the complex, and a second antibody bound to a second latex particle, which binds to the thrombin part of the TAT complex and recognizes the complex.

Abstract: Provided are: a photocoupling method that overcomes the problem of the stagnation of photocoupling with a target nucleotide using a probe containing a photo-responsive nucleotide, and that improves the photocoupling efficiency; and a photocoupling kit. The photocoupling method is characterized by hybridizing a target site present in a nucleic acid sample with a first probe having a sequence complementary to the target site and containing a photo-responsive nucleotide, in a reaction solution, and carrying out photocoupling by photo-irradiation, wherein self-assembly caused by the photo-responsive nucleotide contained in the first probe is suppressed. The photocoupling kit is characterized by comprising a first probe having a sequence complementary to a target site present in a nucleic acid sample, and containing a photo-responsive nucleotide; and a second probe being highly complementary to the first probe.

Abstract: Provided is a specimen slide for genetic testing, by which: (1) a step for scraping off an FFPE section from an unstained slide can be simplified without affecting the subsequent nucleic acid extraction step; (2) the risk of contamination when scraping off can be avoided; and (3) a cancer site can be selectively separated by an inexpensive and simple means. The specimen slide for genetic testing is a specimen slide for genetic testing on which a specimen section is to be mounted, wherein part of the slide can be separated, together with the specimen section to be separated, from the rest of the slide, while maintaining an upper surface and a lower surface of the slide.

Abstract: Provided is a non-specific reaction inhibitor for achieving the accurate detection and quantitation of a trace component (a target substance) contained in a sample, in an immunoassay, by simply and effectively inhibiting a non-specific reaction associated with the measurement. The non-specific reaction inhibitor comprises a substance of the formula I: wherein R1 and R2 together form a double bond between carbons, to which they are respectively bonded directly, or R1 is a hydrogen atom and R2 is a group formed by removing H from an SH-group-containing compound, B is a support, and L is a spacer arm portion.

Abstract: Provided is a liposome-containing liquid reagent for measuring blood coagulation ability with a small difference in production lots. In the reagent, the cumulative integrated value of liposomes with particle size of 351 nm to a maximum particle size is 0% or more and less than 35% relative to the cumulative integrated value of the total liposomes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a prediction method for the prognosis of sepsis comprising measuring an sCD14-ST level in a sample. sCD14-ST, to be measured in the present invention, is a marker superior to procalcitonin, known as a marker to predict the prognosis in sepsis patients.

Abstract: For collecting magnetic particles, there is used a magnetic material including a plurality of magnets that are arranged in contact one with another in parallel to a direction of magnetization in such a manner that south and north poles of adjacent magnets are reversed alternately or a magnetic material having at least one peak of a magnetic force in a magnetic pole surface, and the peak magnetic force is 600 gausses or more.

Abstract: For collecting magnetic particles, there is used a magnetic material including a plurality of magnets that are arranged in contact one with another in parallel to a direction of magnetization in such a manner that south and north poles of adjacent magnets are reversed alternately or a magnetic material having at least one peak of a magnetic force in a magnetic pole surface, and the peak magnetic force is 600 gausses or more.

Abstract: Disclosed are a method for immunologically measuring cardiac troponin in a biological sample, in which the formation of an immunological complex of cardiac troponin with an antibody specifically binding thereto is performed in the presence of a divalent cation at 4 mmol/L or more; and a kit for measuring cardiac troponin, comprising an antibody specifically binding to cardiac troponin, and a buffer containing a divalent cation at a high concentration. According to the method or the kit, a stable and highly-accurate measured value can be obtained without being affected by interfering substances in a specimen regardless of the type of specimen.

Abstract: Provided are novel polymer particles for carrying a physiologically active substance and a method of preparing the same. The polymer particles for carrying a physiologically active substance can provide an analytical reagent, which has high analytical precision and sensitivity and can be stably prepared; can easily and precisely control the amount of functional groups carrying the physiologically active substance; can introduce, onto the surface of latex particles, a hydrophilic compound for inhibiting a nonspecific reaction; and can be prepared to have a narrow and uniform particle size distribution.

Abstract: Provided are a reagent and a method that allows a more accurate measurement of plasmin degradation products of cross-linked fibrin (XDP). The measurement reagent of the present invention comprises (1) an anti-XDP antibody that reacts with XDP, but does not react with fibrinogen, and fragment X, fragment Y, fragment D1, and fragment E3, which are plasmin degradation products of fibrinogen, and (2) a calcium chelating agent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for diagnosis of a cardiovascular disease or condition or atherosclerosis and for a method for evaluating the risk of a subject of developing the same. Methods are further provided for evaluating a subject's risk of mortality, for evaluating whether a subject will benefit from a certain treatment or whether a subject needs to be hospitalized or whether a subject may be discharged. The present invention provides sCD14 or a fragment or derivative thereof (including in particular sCD14-ST) as a novel marker for cardiovascular risk in general, more specifically as a marker for cardiovascular disease or condition, or atherosclerosis.

Abstract: Regardless of the type of specimen, such as a serum or heparinized plasma containing different anticoagulants, which are widely used in general, when a substance to be measured (for example, sIL-2R) in a biological sample is immunologically detected, a measuring method and a kit capable of stably obtaining with high accuracy, unaffected by interfering substances in the specimen, are provided. An immunocomplex between the substance to be measured and an antibody that specifically binds to the substance to be measured is formed in the presence of a sulfated polysaccharide. The kit comprises an antibody that specifically binds to the substance to be measured, and a buffer containing a sulfated polysaccharide.

Abstract: In a known method of measuring a target substance, comprising: providing a sample solution containing the target substance, a first reaction solution, and a second reaction solution; sequentially aspirating the sample solution and the first reaction solution, using a measuring apparatus equipped with a dispensing unit, into the dispensing unit; discharging them at a time from the dispensing unit, to bring them into contact with the second reaction solution, and to form a complex of the target substance and a first partner which is contained in at least one of the first reaction solution or the second reaction solution and reacts specifically with the target substance; and analyzing the resulting complex, an improved method capable of inhibiting a reaction which adversely affects measurement results is provided.

Abstract: Disclosed is a non-specific reaction inhibitor for use in an immunological measurement, comprising a complex of an antibody or a fragment of the antibody capable of specifically binding to a non-specific reaction factor, and a polymer. The non-specific reaction inhibitor can inhibit a non-specific reaction which may interfere with the accurate detection or quantification of a trace substance in an immunological measurement method.