Abstract: Disclosed is a specimen measurement apparatus comprising: a measurement unit configured to suction a specimen from a specimen container and measure the suctioned specimen; and a specimen transport unit configured to transport the specimen container to the measurement unit, wherein the specimen transport unit includes a rack setting part configured to allow a specimen rack to be set thereon, the specimen rack holding the specimen container that has not been subjected to specimen suction by the measurement unit, a rack collection part configured to collect the specimen rack holding the specimen container that has been subjected to specimen suction by the measurement unit, and an interruption specimen setting part configured to allow the specimen rack to be set thereon, the specimen rack holding the specimen container that is to be subjected to specimen suction by the measurement unit in preference to the specimen container held by the specimen rack having been set on the rack setting part, and the interruption

Abstract: Disclosed is an optical system including: a light source configured to emit light; an irradiation optical system including a diffractive optical element on which the light is incident, the irradiation optical system being configured to apply illumination light in which a plurality of diffracted lights generated by the diffractive optical element are distributed; a flow cell in which a sample containing cells is caused to flow to a position at which the illumination light is applied by the irradiation optical system; and a light receiver configured to receive light generated from each cell flowing in the flow cell, upon application of the illumination light by the irradiation optical system. The illumination light includes zero-order diffracted light whose relative intensity relative to another diffracted light is not greater than 10 times. The irradiation optical system applies the illumination light to a position through which the cell in the flow cell passes.

Abstract: Disclosed is a specimen measurement apparatus comprising: a measurement unit configured to suction a specimen from a specimen container and measure the suctioned specimen; and a specimen transport unit configured to transport the specimen container to the measurement unit, wherein the specimen transport unit includes a first transport part including a first placement surface configured to allow a specimen rack to be placed thereon, the first transport part being configured to transport a plurality of the specimen racks, each holding the specimen container, on the first placement surface, and a second transport part disposed above the first transport part and including a second placement surface configured to allow the specimen rack to be placed thereon, the second transport part being configured to transport a plurality of the specimen racks on the second placement surface, and at least one of the first transport part and the second transport part is configured to allow the specimen rack to be taken out there

Abstract: The sample preparation apparatus includes a measurement unit configured to measure a sample containing particles acquired from a sample container and detect measurement target particles in the sample, a sample preparation unit capable of adjusting the concentration of measurement target particles in a sample acquired from a sample container and configured to prepare a measurement sample by mixing a sample and any of a plurality of types of particle detection reagents including a particle labeling substance, and a control unit for controlling the sample preparation unit so as to generate concentration information of the measurement target particles in the sample in the sample container based on the measurement data of the measurement unit and adjust the concentration of the measurement target particles in the sample acquired from the sample container according to the generated concentration information and the type of particle detection reagent used for preparing the measurement sample.

Abstract: An ion sensor is disclosed that includes an ion selective electrode including a first internal solid layer including a first insertion material, and a first ion conductive ceramic, an ion selective membrane provided on the first internal solid layer, a reference electrode including a second internal solid layer including a second insertion material, and a second ion conductive ceramic, an ionic liquid containing membrane provided on the second internal solid layer, and an insulator on which the ion selective electrode and the reference electrode are arranged.

Abstract: Disclosed is a cell classification method, to be executed by an analyzer, for classifying cells contained in a specimen, including: preparing a first measurement sample by treating a specimen under a first preparation condition; obtaining a first signal from the prepared first measurement sample; classifying, by using the first signal, cells contained in the first measurement sample; preparing a second measurement sample by treating the specimen under a second preparation condition different from the first preparation condition; obtaining a second signal from the prepared second measurement sample; classifying, by using the second signal, cells contained in the second measurement sample; and comparing a result of the cell classification performed by using the first signal and a result of the cell classification performed by using the second signal, with each other, and outputting an analysis result including a number of cells on the basis of a result of the comparison.

Abstract: Disclosed is a calibration curve setting method for setting a calibration curve, the calibration curve setting method including: creating a first calibration curve on the basis of a measurement value obtained by measuring a standard sample for which a concentration of a predetermined component is known; creating a second calibration curve by correcting the created first calibration curve; displaying a screen configured to support an operator for restoring the second calibration curve to the first calibration curve; receiving an instruction of restoring the second calibration curve to the first calibration curve; and displaying the first calibration curve upon receiving the instruction of restoring.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method of using a computer to support an expert meeting for interpretation of genetic information of a patient by a plurality of medical persons, the method including acquiring a test result of gene panel testing that analyzes genetic information of the patient; and outputting an operation screen that enables schedule setting of the expert meeting, based on meeting time according to the test result.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for measuring an activity of alkaline phosphatase contained in an extracellular vesicle in a sample, including acquiring an activity value of alkaline phosphatase contained in an extracellular vesicle in a sample using a calibrator, in which the calibrator contains a conjugate in which a polypeptide having alkaline phosphatase activity and a polypeptide including an amino acid sequence of a membrane protein present on a surface of the extracellular vesicle are covalently bound.

Abstract: A sample measurement system and method of transporting of racks are provided that collectively supply the consumables to the sample measurement units. The sample measurement system includes: sample measurement units that perform measurement on samples by using consumables; a setting part in which a user sets consumable racks housing the consumables; a first transport path that supplies the consumable racks set in the setting part to one of the sample measurement units; a collector that is arranged adjacent to the setting part and that collects empty racks that are emptied after being transported to at least one of the sample measurement units; and a second transport path that transports the empty racks to the collector.

Abstract: Disclosed is a fluorescence image analyzing apparatus including a light source that emits light to a sample including a plurality of cells labeled with a fluorescent dye at a target site, an imaging unit that captures a fluorescence image of each of the cells that emit fluorescence by being irradiated with the light, a fluorescence image of the cell, and a processing unit that processes the fluorescence image captured by the imaging unit to acquire a bright spot pattern of fluorescence in the fluorescence image. The processing unit selects a reference pattern corresponding to a measurement item of the sample from a plurality of reference patterns corresponding to a plurality of measurement items and generates information used for determination of the sample based on the bright spot pattern of fluorescence in the fluorescence image and the selected reference pattern.

Abstract: A transport system includes a sample rack configured to hold a sample and comprising a notch; a rack storage unit in which the sample rack is stored; a transport path arranged to transport the sample rack moved from the rack storage unit; and a regulating member configured to regulate movement of the sample rack from the rack storage unit toward the transport path, wherein the regulating member is provided at a position corresponding to the notch provided in the sample rack, and enters an interior of the sample rack from the notch and abuts an interior wall of the sample rack as the sample rack moves from the rack storage unit toward the transport path.

Abstract: Provided are a quality control method, a quality control system, a management apparatus, an analyzer, and a quality control abnormality determination method in which measurement results of both a quality control substance and a specimen are sufficiently utilized to improve the quality of quality control. The quality control method used in a management apparatus which is connected via a network to an analyzer installed in each of a plurality of facilities includes obtaining, from an analyzer in each facility via a network, first quality control information obtained by measuring an artificially generated quality control substance, and second quality control information obtained by measuring a plurality of specimens by the analyzer in each facility; and outputting information concerning quality control of an analyzer in at least one facility, based on the obtained first quality control information and second quality control information.

Abstract: Disclosed is a calibration curve creation method performed by an analyzer, the calibration curve creation method including: preparing a plurality of calibrators at different dilution rates by dispensing a calibrator in a container into one or more different containers; obtaining a plurality of measurement values by measuring each of the prepared plurality of calibrators; creating a calibration curve by use of the plurality of measurement values; selecting a first measurement value to be re-measured, among the plurality of measurement values used for the calibration curve; preparing another calibrator at a dilution rate corresponding to a calibrator from which the selected first measurement value is obtained; obtaining a second measurement value by measuring the prepared another calibrator; and creating a new calibration curve by replacing the first measurement value, among the plurality of measurement values, with the second measurement value.

Abstract: Included are: a main body including an installation part in which a cartridge housing a liquid for treating a test substance contained in a specimen is installed and a detector configured to detect the test substance treated with the liquid within the cartridge installed in the installation part; a lid part arranged rotatably on the main body about a shaft so as to open and close the installation part; a biasing part biasing the lid part in an opening direction; and a plurality of regulators each generating resistance against a biasing force in the opening direction at different timing during an opening motion of the lid part.

Abstract: A sample scraping method and a sample scraping device capable of efficiently scraping and collecting a biological tissue section without waste while suppressing contamination is provided. In a sample scraping method for scraping and collecting a biological tissue section held on a slide, the FFPE section held on the slide is heated, and the heated FFPE section is scraped by a blade such that the FFPE section that has been scraped off and remains on the blade is collected in a container.

Abstract: A sample analyzer prepares a measurement sample from a blood sample or a body fluid sample which differs from the blood sample; measures the prepared measurement sample; obtains characteristic information representing characteristics of the components in the measurement sample; sets either a blood measurement mode for measuring the blood sample, or a body fluid measurement mode for measuring the body fluid sample as an operating mode; and measures the measurement sample prepared from the blood sample by executing operations in the blood measurement mode when the blood measurement mode has been set, and measuring the measurement sample prepared from the body fluid sample by executing operations in the body fluid measurement mode that differs from the operations in the blood measurement mode when the body fluid measurement mode has been set, is disclosed. A computer program product is also disclosed.

Abstract: Disclosed is an information processing method to be executed by a computer, for analysis performed by a flow cytometer capable of acquiring a test result through a test using an antibody reagent, the information processing method including: acquiring a first test result obtained through a first test performed by the flow cytometer with respect to a first specimen of a subject; acquiring a second test result obtained through a second test different from the first test with respect to a second specimen of the subject; and displaying the first test result and the second test result in association with each other.

Abstract: A method of supporting an expert meeting of medical specialists to interpret genetic information, may include: accepting a test request for genetic information on a patient; extracting test progress information that is stored in association with the accepted test request and indicates progress of a test for the test request, and schedule information on a schedule of the expert meeting to interpret the genetic information obtained in the test for the test request; and displaying the extracted test progress information and the extracted schedule information on terminal devices of the medical specialists.

Abstract: Disclosed is a sequence analysis method for analyzing nucleic acid sequence, the sequence analysis method including: obtaining a plurality of read sequences read from the nucleic acid sequence; and determining each nucleic acid sequence by aligning each read sequence with reference to a single reference sequence, wherein the reference sequence includes at least a first rearrangement sequence and a second rearrangement sequence that is different from the first rearrangement sequence.