Abstract: A biosample autoanalyzer including: a sample supply unit having a plurality of biosamples; a first measuring unit fitted with a first optical measuring device; a sample transport capable of transporting the biosamples from the sample supply unit to the reaction cuvettes on the first measuring unit; a second measuring unit fitted with a second optical measuring device; a cuvette transfer device capable of transferring the reaction cuvettes to the second measuring unit; a reagent supply unit having reagents; and (7) a reagent transport device capable of transporting reaction reagents to the reaction cuvettes. The analyzer is operated wherein the reaction cuvettes on the second measuring unit are dispensed with the biosamples on the first measuring unit, subsequently transferred from the first measuring unit to the second measuring unit by the cuvette transfer device, such that different measurements are carried out by the first measuring unit and the second measuring unit.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a cartridge for automatic measurement used in an automatic measuring device, capable of automatically performing measurement including heat treatment of a sample, and a measuring device using the cartridge. The present invention relates to a cartridge for use in measuring a component to be measured contained in a sample, comprising: at least a heat-treatment well for performing heat treatment of the sample; and a reaction well for reacting the component to be measured in the sample with a material specifically reacting therewith.

Abstract: A method of detecting thrombosis or the degree of thrombophilia by measuring a von Willebrand factor cleaving protease, and a kit for detecting thrombosis or the degree of thrombophilia, comprising an antibody or a fragment thereof specifically binding to a von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, are disclosed. The detection method and the detection kit have an excellent convenience, rapidity, and specificity.

Abstract: A process for producing polymer particles having an antigen or an antibody introduced into the surface thereof, by carrying out miniemulsion polymerization using a monomer, a radical polymerization initiator, an emulsifier, and a hydrophobe in the presence of the antigen or antibody to thereby produce the polymer particles, is disclosed. According to the process, it is possible to provide a reagent for immunological analysis having an excellent detection sensitivity and capable of avoiding a nonspecific reaction which occurs in conventional methods.

Abstract: A reagent for immunological analysis, comprising a suspension of latex particles having an antigen or an antibody specific for a substance to be analyzed introduced into the surface of the latex particles, produced by polymerizing a monomer in the presence of the antigen or antibody to thereby synthesize the latex particles; and a method for immunological analysis, comprising the step of bringing, in a liquid, (1) a sample suspected of containing a substance to be analyzed, into contact with (2) latex particles having an antigen or an antibody specific for the substance introduced into the surface of the latex particles, produced by polymerizing a monomer in the presence of the antigen or antibody to thereby synthesize the latex particles; are disclosed. The reagent and the method have an excellent detection sensitivity, and can avoid a nonspecific reaction which occurs in conventional methods.

Abstract: An immunological latex turbidimetry method for analyzing an antigen or antibody in a sample, comprising the steps of: (1) bringing a sample which may contain the antigen or antibody to be analyzed into contact with a protease-treated albumin; and (2) bringing a mixture obtained in the above step (1) into contact with latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with the antigen or antibody to be assayed, and analyzing a turbidity caused by a latex agglutination reaction, is disclosed. Further, an immunological latex turbidimetry reagent comprising (1) a first component containing a protease-treated albumin, and (2) a second component containing latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with an antigen or antibody to be assayed is also disclosed.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to provide an analysis apparatus that makes it possible to detect lights from a plurality of spots formed on an analysis chip without the lack of positioning accuracy while detecting the lights and the instability of holding the samples in spite of the downsized construction thereof. To achieve such an object as mentioned above, the analysis apparatus of the present invention for analyzing samples by means of detecting lights from a plurality of spots formed on an analysis chip so as to hold the samples comprising: a chip holder for holding the analysis chip; a light-sensitive detector for detecting lights from the spots; and a selectively light-transmitting unit for transmitting lights selectively from the desired spots to the light-sensitive detector, in a state where the analysis chip is held by the chip holder.

Abstract: A method for detecting a condition in a patient with disturbance of consciousness, by analyzing an amount and/or activity of a von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, and a kit for detecting a condition in a patient with disturbance of consciousness, comprising an antibody or a fragment thereof which specifically binds to a von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, or a von Willebrand factor or a fragment thereof, are disclosed. Examples of the detection of a condition include a detection of cerebrovascular disease, a detection of arteriosclerotic vascular disease, and a detection or prediction of severity.

Abstract: An immunological latex turbidimetry method for analyzing an antigen or antibody in a sample, comprising steps of: (1) bringing a sample which may contain the antigen or antibody to be analyzed into contact with a protease-treated albumin; and (2) bringing a mixture obtained in the above step (1) into contact with latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with the antigen or antibody to be assayed, and analyzing a turbidity caused by a latex agglutination reaction, is disclosed. Further, an immunological latex turbidimetry reagent comprising (1) a first component containing a protease-treated albumin, and (2) a second component containing latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with an antigen or antibody to be assayed is also disclosed.

Abstract: An immunological latex turbidimetry method for analyzing an antigen or antibody in a sample is disclosed, comprising steps of (1) bringing a sample which may contain the antigen or antibody to be analyzed into contact with a protease-treated albumin, and (2) bringing a mixture obtained in the above step (1) into contact with latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with the antigen or antibody to be assayed, and analyzing a turbidity caused by a latex agglutination reaction. Also disclosed is an immunological latex turbidimetry reagent comprising (1) a first component containing a protease-treated albumin, and (2) a second component containing latex particles carrying an antibody or antigen specifically reacting with an antigen or antibody to be assayed.

Abstract: A method of analyzing an enzyme, comprising (1) bringing a sample suspected of containing an enzyme to be analyzed into contact with an enzyme substrate which is immobilized on an insoluble carrier and can be cleaved by the enzyme, in a liquid, (2) separating the insoluble carrier from the liquid, and (3) analyzing a substrate or a fragment thereof which remains on the insoluble carrier and/or a fragment of the substrate which is released from the insoluble carrier into the liquid; and a kit for analyzing an enzyme, comprising at least an enzyme substrate which is immobilized on an insoluble carrier and can be cleaved by the enzyme, are disclosed.

Abstract: A method of immunologically analyzing plasmin-digested products of stabilized fibrin, characterized by using a combination of a monoclonal antibody (a) which does not react with stabilized fibrin, fibrinogen, and plasmin-digested products of fibrinogen, but reacts with a neoantigen which is newly exposed in a D domain by digesting stabilized fibrin with plasmin, and a monoclonal antibody (b) which recognizes a site different from that recognized by the monoclonal antibody (a), and specifically reacts with plasmin-digested products of stabilized fibrin, wherein one of the monoclonal antibodies (a) and (b) is carried on a magnetic particle, and the other is labeled with an enzyme, and a chemiluminescent substrate is used as a substrate for the enzyme, is disclosed.

Abstract: A method for determining a condition of disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), by analyzing the amount and/or enzyme activity of a von Willebrand factor (vWF)-cleaving protease (ADAMTS13) (preferably also the amount of vWF) in a patient suffering from DIC, and a kit for determining a condition of DIC, comprising an antibody or a fragment thereof which specifically binds to ADAMTS13, are disclosed. According to the present invention, a differential diagnosis of patients with thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) can be carried out from among patients with DIC, which could not be distinguished on the basis of only clinical findings or known markers.

Abstract: A method of diagnosing cerebral infarction comprising the step of measuring the concentration of nick ?2 glycoprotein I in a body fluid sample; and a method of diagnosing cerebral infarction comprising the steps of measuring the nicked ?2 glycoprotein I concentration (N) and the total ?2 glycoprotein I concentration (T) in a body fluid sample, calculating the ratio (N/T) of the nicked ?2 glycoprotein I concentration (N) to the total ?2 glycoprotein I concentration (T), and using the ratio as an indicator, are disclosed.

Abstract: A biosample multiple autoanalyzer characterized by including: (1) a sample supply unit having a plurality of biosamples; (2) a first measuring unit fitted with a first optical measuring means capable of detachably holding, in a mutually independent fashion, a plurality of reaction cuvettes independent from each other; (3) a sample transport means capable of transporting the biosamples from the sample supply unit to the reaction cuvettes on the first measuring unit; (4) a second measuring unit fitted with a second optical measuring means capable of detachably holding, in a mutually independent fashion, a plurality of reaction cuvettes independent from each other; (5) a cuvette transfer means capable of transferring the reaction cuvettes on the first measuring unit to the second measuring unit; (6) a reagent supply unit having reagents for use in measuring by the first measuring unit and measuring by the second measuring unit; and (7) a reagent transport means capable of transporting reaction reagents, in a mut

Abstract: The present invention provides an antibody which specifically recognizes a CNS tau protein but not a peripheral tau protein. More specifically, the present invention provides an antibody obtainable by using a polypeptide comprising an amino acid sequence of a connective portion between the amino acid sequence encoded by Exon 4 of a gene encoding a tau protein and the amino acid sequence encoded by Exon 5 thereof as an epitope specific to the isoform of tau protein predominantly existing in central nervous tissues. The present invention further provides a method of detecting Alzheimer's disease and a reagent kit using the antibody.

Abstract: A method of detecting platelet thrombosis or organ failure in a patient suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC) or systemic inflammatory response syndrome (SIRS), comprising analyzing a von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease and/or a cleaving factor thereof, is disclosed. A kit for detecting platelet thrombosis or organ failure in a patient suffering from DIC or SIRS, comprising an antibody or a fragment thereof which specifically binds to a von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, and/or an antibody or a fragment thereof which specifically binds to a cleaving factor of the von Willebrand factor-cleaving protease, is disclosed.

Abstract: In a method for measuring an analyte, which comprises a reaction step of forming a reaction system including a sample containing whole blood, a first substance carried by a solid carrier and specifically binding to an analyte contained in the sample and a second substance specifically binding to the analyte and allowing the analyte to react with the first and second substances and a measurement step of measuring the formed reaction product, (1) the reaction step is performed in a state that blood cells are not disrupted, and (2) at least the reaction step is performed in the presence of a sufficient amount of a detergent that does not cause hemolysis, does not inhibit reactions of the analyte with the first and second substances specifically binding to the analyte and can prevent influence on the reaction system of a component existing in the reaction system.

Abstract: A method for measuring an analyte in a whole blood sample comprising the steps of (1) bringing the whole blood sample into contact with a first substance which is carried on an insoluble carrier and specifically binds to the analyte to be measured and a second substance which is labeled with an alkaline phosphatase and specifically binds to the analyte to be measured, and (2) measuring a resulting complex on the basis of an enzyme reaction of the alkaline phosphatase, the measuring step (2) being carried out in the presence of an inhibitor of endogenous alkaline phosphatases, is disclosed.

Abstract: A reagent for measuring an alanine aminotransferase activity comprising L-alanine, 2-oxoglutaric acid, lactate dehydrogenase, and reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, characterized by further comprising a substance having an activity of inhibiting lactate dehydrogenase activity is disclosed. Further, a method for measuring an alanine aminotransferase activity, characterized by bringing a sample to be analyzed, which may contain alanine aminotransferase, into contact with L-alanine, 2-oxoglutaric acid, lactate dehydrogenase, reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, and a substance having an activity of inhibiting a lactate dehydrogenase activity is disclosed. According to the reagent and method, an increase in the reagent blank reaction, i.e., an increase in the initial absorbance, can be suppressed.