Abstract: A method of washing an aspiration probe of an in-vitro diagnostic system is disclosed. The aspiration probe comprises an outer surface and an inner surface forming an inner space for receiving a fluid. The method comprises dipping the aspiration probe into a first wash fluid so that the outer surface is immersed at least in part into the first wash fluid, aspirating an amount of the first wash fluid into the inner space of the aspiration probe, propagating an ultrasonic vibration to the outer surface of the aspiration probe via the first wash fluid, and rinsing the outer surface and the inner surface of the aspiration probe with a second wash fluid. Further, an in-vitro diagnostic method and an in-vitro diagnostic system are disclosed.

Abstract: A laboratory apparatus for use in a laboratory sample handling system, wherein the apparatus comprises a cap waste disposal catcher, wherein the catcher is designed to catch a laboratory cap removed from a laboratory sample container containing a laboratory sample, and an electric field generator, wherein the generator is designed to generate an electric field to attract a residue of the sample released by the cap to the catcher.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a method for diagnosing preeclampsia or a preeclampsia-related condition in a pregnant subject. The method is based on the measurement of the amount of the biomarker IGFBP-7 (Insulin-like Growth Factor Binding Protein 7) in a sample from the subject and on the comparison of the measured amount to a reference. Also disclosed are methods for assessing the severity of preeclampsia or a preeclampsia-related condition and methods for monitoring a preeclampsia or a preeclampsia-related condition in a pregnant subject. The present disclosure further relates to the use of the biomarker IGFBP-7 or of an agent that specifically binds to IGFBP-7 in a sample from a pregnant subject for diagnosing, for monitoring or for assessing the severity of preeclampsia or a preeclampsia-related condition. Finally, the present disclosure relates to a device or kit adapted to carry out the method of the present invention.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a computer implemented method of managing sample processing priorities in a diagnostic laboratory comprising at least one sample processing device connected to a host system. The method comprises generating a communication message between the host system and the at least one sample processing device related to a sample processing order received in association with a sample, the message comprising one of at least two priority identifiers (R, S) indicative of respective sample processing priorities from lower priority to higher priority according to the received sample processing order. The method further comprises identifying the sample by the at least one sample processing device and processing the sample by the at least one sample processing device according to the sample processing priority (S, R) in the message.

Abstract: A method of operating an analytical laboratory is presented. The method comprises the steps of: setting a load limit for each laboratory instrument at maximum instrument capacity; dispatching biological samples to laboratory instrument(s) at a dispatch rate not greater than the instrument load limit; each laboratory instrument sending test order queries to the laboratory middleware upon identifying a biological sample; in response to the test order queries transmitting test orders to the laboratory instruments corresponding to the biological samples; the laboratory middleware monitoring a query rate of the plurality of laboratory instruments in order to determine an effective flow rate corresponding to each laboratory instrument; decreasing the load limit of a first laboratory instrument if its effective flow rate is lower than the dispatch rate; increasing the load limit for the first laboratory instrument if its effective flow rate is greater than or equal to the dispatch rate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to reagents which are suitable to be used in mass spectrometry as well as methods of mass spectrometric determination of analyte molecules using said reagents.

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 method for determining system resistance of at least one power supply of a handheld medical device, the method including: a) generating at least one excitation voltage signal, wherein the excitation voltage signal comprises at least one direct current (DC) voltage signal, wherein the excitation voltage signal has a fast transition DC flank of 20 ns or less; b) applying the excitation voltage signal to at least one reference resistor having a predetermined or pre-defined resistance value, wherein the reference resistor is arranged in series with the power supply; c) measuring a response signal of the power supply; d) determining a signal flank from the response signal and determining an ohmic signal portion from one or both of shape and height of the signal flank; and e) determining the system resistance of the power supply from the ohmic signal portion.

Abstract: A column device for an automatic analyser. The automatic analyzer comprises a high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) module. The HPLC module comprises a fixation device configured to automatically fix and release a chromatographic column. The column device comprises a column jacket and a capillary. The capillary comprises predetermined dimensions and is disposed within the column jacket. The column device is configured to be installed at the HPLC module using the fixation device. Further, an automatic analyzer is disclosed.

Abstract: The disclosure relates to a sample container holding and/or transporting device having an aperture with a longitudinal axis, which aperture is configured for receiving a sample container, wherein a biasing structure is provided in the aperture, which comprises a plurality of elastically deflectable nubs, wherein the nubs are distributed spatially discrete along the longitudinal axis of the aperture. The disclosure further relates to a use of a structure having nubs as a biasing structure in a sample container holding and/or transporting device, and to a laboratory automation system comprising a sample container holding and/or transporting device.

Abstract: A gripping apparatus for gripping a sample container comprising: a gripper body comprising a gripper actuator; at least two gripper fingers each comprising a gripping surface, wherein at least one of the gripper fingers is movably coupled to the gripper body, and wherein the gripping apparatus is designed for gripping a sample container with the gripping surfaces of the at least two gripper fingers by moving the at least one movable gripper finger; and characterized in that the gripping apparatus comprises at least one elastically mounted contacting surface for elastically contacting a sample container about to be gripped by the gripping apparatus.

Abstract: The present disclosure relates to a laboratory data management system 100 comprising a data source layer 10 comprising at least one laboratory device 11, 12, 13, 14, 15 as a data source, a data adapter layer 20 comprising at least one data source agent 21, 22, 23, 24, 25 configured to obtain data from the at least one data source and to convert the data from a data source format to a data-source independent format, a consumer layer 30 configured for installation and/or execution of consumer application software 31, 32, 33, 34, and a data management layer 40 between the data adapter layer 20 and the consumer layer 30.

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 for processing data of an analytical instrument for analyzing biological samples is presented. The method comprises receiving instrument data from the analytical instrument at a data processing module communicatively connected with the analytical instrument, generating metadata from the received instrument data at the data processing module, applying a first encryption to the instrument data at the data processing module, applying a second encryption to the generated metadata at the data processing module, and transmitting the encrypted metadata and encrypted instrument data to a remote server. The remote server and the data processing module are communicatively connected. The method also comprises removing the second encryption from the metadata at the remote server and forwarding the instrument data encrypted by the first encryption from the remote server to a management system of the analytical instrument.

Abstract: The disclosure includes a method for determining an analyte in a sample in an interaction assay, including contacting a sample with an interaction modulator, wherein the interaction modulator is Poly-(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) (PSSM), aminodextran, carboxymethyldextran, Poly-(2-acrylamido-2-methyl-1-propanesulfonic acid (PAMPS), triethylamine, triethanolamine, taurine, or dodecylsulfate. The disclosure includes a method for determining an analyte in an interaction assay, including contacting the sample with an interaction modulator, wherein the interaction modulator is an enhancer of the interaction assay at low analyte concentrations and is a retarder of the interaction assay at high analyte concentrations and wherein the interaction modulator is Poly-(4-styrenesulfonic acid-co-maleic acid) (PSSM) and/or Polyacrylic acid (PAA). The disclosure further relates to a kit having a detection agent specifically detecting an analyte and at least one interaction modulator.

Abstract: Described is an electrochemiluminescence method of detecting an analyte in a liquid sample using a measuring cell having a working electrode for detecting the analyte using an electrochemiluminescence measurement cycle, involving a. carrying out the measurement cycle in a calibration process using a liquid sample without analyte and performing a first electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, EIS, at a given point of the measurement cycle, the first EIS being performed using the working electrode, b. carrying out the measurement cycle in an analysis process using the liquid sample containing the analyte and performing a second EIS at the given point of the measurement cycle, the second EIS being performed using the working electrode, c. comparing the result of the first EIS and the second EIS, providing an indication indicating if the comparison results show a deviation between the first EIS and the second EIS exceed a predefined threshold.

Abstract: The properties of certain glycosyltransferase variants having N-terminal truncation deletions or internal deletions are disclosed. Particularly, mutants that exhibit ?-2,6-sialyltransferase enzymatic activity in the presence of CMP-activated sialic acid as co-substrate, and in the presence of a suitable acceptor site, are disclosed. A fundamental finding documented in the present disclosure is that enzymes are not only capable of catalyzing transfer of a sialidyl moiety but they are also capable of catalyzing hydrolytic cleavage of terminally bound sialic acid from a glycan.

Abstract: A Reagent container cap (116) is adapted to being mounted to a reagent container and to being adjustable, at least after an initial opening of the cap (116), between an opened state and a closed state, wherein the reagent container cap (116) defines a cap interior space (109) and has a cap opening (116o) allowing access to the cap interior space (109) from above when the cap (116) is in the opened state; and wherein, in the closed state of the cap (116), the cap interior space (109) is open only towards a bottom side (116b), wherein the reagent container cap (116) comprises a main portion (116m) and an insert portion (116i) that are fixedly connected to each other and made from different materials, wherein, when the cap (116) is in the closed state, the cap interior space (109) comprises a region (109t) which is delimited circumferentially and towards the upper side of this region completely and exclusively by surfaces of the insert portion (116i).

Abstract: A reaction vessel for a diagnostic analyzer comprising a plurality of processing stations. The reaction vessel comprises at least one sensor configured to measure at least one physical parameter associated with at least one of the processing stations of the diagnostic analyzer when disposed at the at least one of the processing stations, a memory configured to at least temporarily store at least one measurement value indicating the physical parameter provided by the sensor, a processing unit configured to control the sensor and to output measurement data including the measurement value from the memory, an interface configured to provide communication of the processing unit with an external electronic device, a power source configured to supply electric power to the sensor, the processing unit and the memory. The reaction vessel defines an internal volume. The sensor, the processing unit, the memory and the interface are arranged within the internal volume.

Abstract: A method for determining a concentration of at least one analyte in bodily fluid, comprising: a signal generation step, wherein an excitation voltage signal is generated by a signal generator, wherein the excitation voltage signal comprises a poly frequent alternating current (AC) voltage and a direct current (DC) voltage profile, wherein the poly frequent AC voltage comprises at least two frequencies; a signal application step, wherein the excitation voltage signal is applied to at least two measurement electrodes; a measurement step, wherein a response is measured by using the measurement electrodes; an evaluation step, wherein an AC current response for each frequency and a DC current response are evaluated from the response; a determination step, wherein the concentration of the analyte is determined from the DC current response and from one or both of the phase and impedance information by using at least one predetermined relationship.