Abstract: A maintenance method for a laboratory system comprising a first and second group of laboratory instruments for processing biological samples, data collection components connected to the groups of instruments, and a remote maintenance system connected to the data collection components is presented.

Abstract: A method of determining an analyte concentration in a sample by a sensor is disclosed. The method includes analyzing a sample signal generated by the sensor for an analyte being measured. If the sample signal is normal, the method includes comparing the sample signal with a first reference signal of a reference solution measured prior to measuring the sample in order to determine the analyte concentration. If the sample signal is abnormal, the method includes comparing the sample signal with a calculated reference signal point obtained by interpolation between the first reference signal and a second reference signal of the same reference solution measured after measuring the sample. Various methods of determining and handling errors based on signal patterns are also disclosed.

Abstract: A loading device for loading a reagent rotor of an analytical instrument with reagent vessels is disclosed. The loading device comprises a tray to receive reagent vessels. The tray moves within a first plane at least between a loading position, at which the tray is loadable with the reagent vessels, and an unloading position, at which the reagent vessels are unloadable from the tray. The loading device also comprises a transporting device for transporting the reagent vessels from the tray to the reagent rotor of the analytical instrument. The tray is formed such that the transporting device is linearly moveable within a second plane from the unloading position of the tray to the reagent rotor and/or from the reagent rotor to the unloading position of the tray. The first plane and the second plane are different from one another. The tray is formed as a circular ring segment.

Abstract: A compartment comprising at least one target area susceptible to condensed water formation includes at least one condensed water collector is presented. The condensed water collector comprises at least a first portion arranged to collect condensed water from the at least one target area and at least a second portion outside of the at least one target area. A porous material is arranged between the first portion and the second portion. The condensed water collector is configured to transport the collected condensed water. The compartment further including a condensed water remover configured to remove condensed water from the second portion thereby facilitating transportation of condensed water from the first portion to the second portion via the porous material.

Abstract: A method of operating a laboratory sample distribution system is presented. The system comprises container carriers, a transport plane, and drive elements. The container carriers carry sample containers. The transport plane supports the container carriers. The drive elements move the container carriers on the transport plane. The method comprises planning a movement path for a container carrier from a start to a goal on the transport plane modelled by nodes. The nodes are free for one time-window or reserved for one-time window. The planning comprises analyzing the reachability out of a free time-window of one node to free time-windows of a next node and an over-next node such that planned movement of the container carrier is nonstop. The method comprises reserving the planned movement path comprising a sequence of time-windows of nodes and moving the container carrier along the reserved movement path on the transport plane by a drive element.

Abstract: A method of operating an analytical laboratory is presented. The method comprises recording time at which samples are first identified; retrieving an order list comprising test orders for the samples; retrieving a degradation limit to each test order; determining workflows for each sample; instructing the laboratory instruments to carry out the test orders according to the workflows. Determining the workflows comprises i) determining target instruments capable of carrying out the test orders; ii) determining a sequence/timing of the test orders; iii) calculating an estimated completion time for each test order; iv) determining a lead time for each sample and test order; v) prioritizing test orders if the lead time exceeds the degradation limit. Steps ii) to v) are repeated until the lead time doesn't exceed the degradation limit for any of the test orders; or until steps ii) to v) have been repeated for a number N of iterations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining an analyte in a sample, comprising a) contacting said sample with at least a first and a second detector compound; b) determining the amount of complexes comprising at least one detector compound; and, c) determining said analyte in a sample based on the result of step b), wherein said first detector compound comprises a first binding moiety and a first label, and said second detector compound comprises a second binding moiety and a second label, and wherein the first label and the second label are non-identical.

Abstract: A method to provide control samples for validating a diagnostic test within a laboratory system is presented. The laboratory system comprises an aliquoting device, a storage, a transport system, at least two analyzers, and a control unit. A total number of control sample aliquots and an aliquot volume for each control sample aliquot is determined based on a validation time schedule. A provided total control sample volume is aliquoted into the determined total number of control sample aliquots with the determined aliquot volumes. The generated control sample aliquots are transported to one or more of the at least two analyzers according to the validation time schedule.

Abstract: The present description relates to a liquid composition having at least one immune-modulatory macrolide compound and an essentially cell-free blood hemolysate. The present description further relates to a method for manufacturing a stabilized immune-modulatory macrolide calibration solution, by a) preparing a solution comprising an essentially cell-free blood hemolysate, b) admixing a predetermined amount of at least one immune-modulatory macrolide into said solution comprising an essentially cell-free blood hemolysate, and, thereby c) manufacturing a stabilized immune-modulatory macrolide calibration solution. Furthermore, the present description relates to kits, uses, devices, methods and to an immune-modulatory macrolide compound calibration solution related thereto.

Abstract: A method of dispensing a particle mixture and a reagent fluid cartridge are presented. The cartridge comprises a first reservoir partially filled with reagent fluid, a second reservoir partially filled with particles, a pumping chamber, a first pumping chamber conduit connecting the first reservoir and the pumping chamber, a second pumping chamber conduit connecting the second reservoir and the pumping chamber, an outlet for dispensing reagent fluid and particles from the cartridge, an outlet conduit connecting the outlet to the pumping chamber, and a valve sealing the outlet conduit. The method comprises closing the valve, applying a force to the plunger to transport a first defined volume of reagent fluid and second defined volume of particles into the pumping chamber to form a mixture of reagent fluid and particles, opening the valve, and forcing the mixture from the pumping chamber using the plunger to dispense the mixture from the outlet.

Abstract: A gripping device for handling sample containers is presented. The sample containers are closed by caps of a given cap type or are not closed by caps. The gripping device comprises a number of fingers configured to collectively cause gripping of a sample container, a tactile sensor device arranged at at least one of the fingers and configured to sample a longitudinal profile of the sample container and of the cap, if any, being gripped, and a control device coupled to the tactile sensor device. The control device determines if the sample container is closed by a cap or not closed by a cap based on the sampled longitudinal profile.

Abstract: A liquid chromatographic (LC) system and a method of exchanging a liquid in an LC system are disclosed. The LC system includes an LC pump with at least one pump head having a primary and a secondary pump head, each with a syringe-like cylinder body having an inner wall surface and a plunger translatable through the cylinder body leaving an interspace between the inner wall surface and the plunger when the plunger is translated through the cylinder body, an upstream inlet valve configured to allow liquid into the cylinder body and a downstream outlet valve configured to allow liquid out of the cylinder body. The LC system further includes at least one liquid-exchange pump connected either to the upstream inlet valve of the primary pump head or to the downstream outlet valve of the secondary pump head.

Abstract: A system for providing cyber protection to medical devices in a medical environment is presented. The system comprises a medical device comprising software services, a backend server to maintain and provide software updates to medical devices, and an interface proxy box connected to the medical device and in communication with the backend server. The interface proxy box determines the software services resident on the medical device. The interface proxy box installs the software services determined to be resident on the medical device on the interface proxy box and configures the installed software services to match the software services resident on the medical device. The interface proxy box communicates periodically with the backend server and receives and applies security updates to the software services installed and configured on the interface proxy box. The medical device utilizes the updated software services on the interface proxy box.

Abstract: A hospital or laboratory network including analytical devices for performing in-vitro diagnosis and a gateway is proposed. The network is configured to send a data package request including information regarding the analytical devices from the gateway to a remote service platform, receive from the remote service platform information regarding available data packages, determine a selection of the available data packages to be downloaded from the remote service platform specific to the analytical devices in the network, request the selection of the available data packages from the remote service platform, download the requested selection of the available data packages from the remote service platform, and provide the requested selection of the available data packages to the analytical devices.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for predicting the risk of a female subject to develop postpartum HELLP syndrome, postpartum preeclampsia, or postpartum eclampsia. The method is based on the determination of the levels of i) sFlt-1 and PlGF, or ii) Endoglin and PlGF in a first sample obtained from said subject before delivery of baby, and a second sample of from said subject obtained after delivery of baby. Moreover, encompassed by the invention are devices and kits for carrying out the method of the present invention.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for predicting the risk of a subject of rapidly progressing to chronic heart failure and/or of hospitalization due to chronic heart failure and/or death. The method is based on the determination of at least one biomarker selected from the group consisting of a BNP-type peptide, IGFBP7 (IGF binding protein 7), a cardiac Troponin, soluble ST2 (sST2), FGF-23 (Fibroblast Growth Factor 23), and Growth Differentiation Factor 15 (GDF-15), in a sample of a subject. The method may further encompass the assessment of the presence or absence of (i) abnormal midwall fractional shortening or (ii) left ventricular hypertrophy. Further envisaged by the present invention are devices adapted to carry out the present invention.

Abstract: A container for receiving vessels for use in an automated analyzer is presented. The container comprises a wall assembly including a first wall and a second wall. The wall assembly forms a receptacle for receiving a vessel having one or more covers or lids. At least one of the first and second walls moves to provide a first open configuration for receiving the vessel and a second closed configuration. The container further comprises an actuator configured to translate the vessel from a first position after being received in the container to a second position and the wall assembly in the second closed configuration is positioned so that at least one engaging element attached to the wall assembly engages with the covers or lids of the vessel to open the covers or lids while the vessel is being translated by the actuator from the first position to the second position.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to hypercrosslinked magnetic particle with a polymer matrix and at least one magnetic core (M), wherein the polymer matrix has at least one crosslinked polymer having at least one hypercrosslinking bond, wherein the hypercrosslinking bond is a molecule having at least two nitrogen atoms within its structure which are part of the hypercrosslinking bond; and having at least one positive charge. Further, the disclosure relates to a method of preparing the hypercrosslinked magnetic particle and also to hypercrosslinked magnetic particle obtained or obtainable from the method. Also described is the use of the hypercrosslinked magnetic particles for enrichment or purification of at least one analyte as well as to the use of the hypercrosslinked magnetic particles for purification of water.

Abstract: Described is a method aiding in the assessment of the presence of cancer. The method uses the soluble DPPIV/seprase protein complex (DPPIV/seprase) as a universal marker of different cancer types. Measurement of DPPIV/seprase complex can, e.g., be used in the early detection or diagnosis of cancer or in the surveillance of patients who undergo surgery.