Abstract: An adsorbent that enables solid phase extraction with high efficiency and good selectivity of solutes having a broad chromatographic polarity range including high-polarity solute molecules while suppressing adsorption of impurities, and a solid phase extraction method therefor are provided. A heterocyclic-ring-containing copolymer adsorbent that is provided herein comprises a copolymer that comprises: a multifunctional heterocyclic-ring-containing monomer having a heterocyclic ring containing at least two heteroatoms in the ring system; and a monomer that is copolymerizable with the multifunctional heterocyclic-ring-containing monomer, wherein the multifunctional heterocyclic ring constitutes the main chain structure.

Abstract: Disclosed is an analysis device which can analyze substances with low blood concentration with high precision without having to make the device larger. The analysis device is composed of: a specimen disk equipped with specimen containers; a reagent disk equipped with reagent containers; a first disk equipped with first containers where purification of the subject component to be measured in the specimen is carried out; a second disk equipped with second containers where purification of the sample purified in the first container is carried out; and a mass spectrometry unit which measures the specimen purified in the second container.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pretreatment apparatus that performs concentration and separation of a sample, and in particular, in order to provide a sample pretreatment apparatus using a solid-phase extraction column, and a mass spectrometer using the same, which is particularly suitable for clinical analysis in which qualitative/quantitative analysis of a biological sample such as blood is performed, according to each operational step for a solid-phase extraction treatment, for example, a collection device serving as flow passages or containers for collection of waste liquid or extracted matter is installed on a bottom face of the solid-phase extraction column, and the extracted matter is separately collected without being mixed with waste liquid by switching the positions of the collection device.

Abstract: Provided herein are an examination device and an examination method that can efficiently perform examination even when both whole blood and serum/blood plasma specimens are to be examined. A solid-phase extraction cartridge or a filter is placed on a continuous track of a cartridge table. A cup table is disposed below the cartridge table. A cup is placed on a continuous track of the cup table to receive a sample purified by the filter. When viewed from above, the continuous track of the cartridge table and the continuous track of the cup table cross each other at a position “m”, and each of the tracks crosses a position at which a sample probe operates. A pretreatment for serum/blood plasma is completed in one rotation of the cartridge table. A pretreatment for whole blood is completed in two rotations of the cartridge table.

Abstract: Disclosed is a specimen processing system that includes means 91 circularly disposed to carry a reaction vessel 2 used for separating and extracting desired substances from a specimen to be processed, a plurality of processing steps, executed as processing progresses along a transport line for the reaction vessel 2 on the transport means 91, for conducting various processes upon the specimen to be processed that is accommodated in the reaction vessel 2, suctioning and discharging means 94 that dispenses the specimen from a specimen container 1 supplied to the system, into the reaction vessel 2, and a filtering vessel section 2b provided as a part of the reaction vessel 2. This system configuration allows realization of a rapid preprocessing system capable of reducing the number of disposable parts of a low carry-over type, suppressing a decrease in cost performance, operating with high collection efficiency, and employing compact devices.

Abstract: A clinical laboratory apparatus includes a pretreating apparatus having a high separation capability and providing high data reproducibility and reliability and a mass spectrometer is provided which executes fully automatic processing from pretreatment to detection. The pretreating apparatus that includes a cartridge for holding an extraction agent for solid-phase extraction, a pressure-loading unit for applying a pressure load to any cartridge mounted on the solid-phase extraction cartridge-retaining unit, a receiving tray mechanism for receiving a sample extracted from the cartridge, and a liquid-level sensor for detecting liquid levels in the receiving tray as well as in the cartridge, conducts feedback control for the pressure-loading unit to open its pressure release valve upon the liquid-level sensor detecting that the liquid level in the receiving tray mechanism has reached a preset liquid-level position.

Abstract: A biological sample preprocessing apparatus includes solid-phase extraction cartridges which purify/concentrate specific constituents of a biological sample, cartridge holders which hold one of the solid-phase extraction cartridges, a cartridge transport that carries the cartridge holders along a continuous track surface, a sample probe that discharges the biological sample into the solid-phase extraction cartridge held in the cartridge holders, a water-based solvent probe that discharges a water-based solvent into the solid-phase extraction cartridge held in the cartridge holder, an organic solvent probe that discharges an organic solvent into the solid-phase extraction cartridge held in the cartridge holder, a pressure loader that applies an air pressure load to the solid-phase extraction cartridge held in the cartridge holder, and a control unit that controls operation of the cartridge transport, the sample probe, the solvent probes, and the pressure loader, wherein sample addition and solvent addition alt

Abstract: An analyzer includes a pretreatment device and a mass spectrometer. The pretreatment device includes a solid phase extraction mechanism. The mass spectrometer performs mass spectrometry on a sample pretreated by the pretreatment device and then subjected to ionization. The analyzer also includes a storage unit that stores data on dependence of signal intensities of the analyte substance to be measured and the internal standard upon the concentration of a substance inhibiting ionization in the sample, and that stores data on a recovery rate. The analyzer also includes a correcting unit that corrects measurement results of the sample and the internal standard on the basis of the data stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a pretreatment apparatus that performs concentration and separation of a sample, and in particular, in order to provide a sample pretreatment apparatus using a solid-phase extraction column, and a mass spectrometer using the same, which is particularly suitable for clinical analysis in which qualitative/quantitative analysis of a biological sample such as blood is performed, according to each operational step for a solid-phase extraction treatment, for example, a collection device serving as flow passages or containers for collection of waste liquid or extracted matter is installed on a bottom face of the solid-phase extraction column, and the extracted matter is separately collected without being mixed with waste liquid by switching the positions of the collection device.

Abstract: An immunoanalytical system in which, after a sample such as a patient's serum is subjected to a pretreatment by an immunological pretreatment device, the sample is subjected to light detection by an immunological photometric detection system. Subsequently, the mass spectrometric pretreatment device performs a pretreatment, and the mass spectrometric detection system performs mass spectrometry. The mass spectrometric detection system performs mass spectrometry on components contained in a supernatant. A signal intensity and peak area for each of components are calculated from an obtained chromatograph. A quantitative value measured based on the immunoanalytical method is calculated for each of the components on the basis of the relative ratios of the components.

Abstract: To perform accurate measurement in the analysis of chemical components with low concentration, pretreatment such as concentration and purification of samples is essential. For high-throughput of pretreatment of biological samples, various random clinical testing is encountered, where analytes change from sample to sample. The pretreatment apparatus has a separating agent selectively separating a specific component by allowing a sample solution to flow therethrough. A holding section holds a plurality of housing sections, which house the separating agent therein, and has an endless track. A pressurizing section applies pressure to the housing section in a continuous and random-accessible manner; and an extraction solution receiver mechanism selectively receives an extracted solution from the separating agent housed in the housing section. A mass spectrometer is connected to the pretreatment apparatus. Thus, a large number of specimens can be simultaneously processed.

Abstract: In a liquid chromatography, an electrolytic solution starts to be supplied from an injector toward a specimen in a first separating column to transfer components of the specimen from the first separating column toward one of first and second trap columns after a time period more than zero elapses from a time at which another eluting liquid starts to flow through the other one of the first and second trap columns toward a second separating column.

Abstract: The expression and the phosphorylation level of a target protein are determined without performing complicated operations involving risk; the expression and the phosphorylation level of the target protein are simultaneously determined, by separating and detecting the specific protein from other proteins different from the specific protein, and by specifically detecting a phosphorylated residue of the identified target protein; and finally a ratio of the target protein phosphorylated is calculated to obtain the phosphorylation ratio of the protein.

Abstract: In a liquid chromatography, an electrolytic solution starts to be supplied from an injector toward a specimen in a first separating column to transfer components of the specimen from the first separating column toward one of first and second trap columns after a time period more than zero elapses from a time at which another eluting liquid starts to flow through the other one of the first and second trap columns toward a second separating column.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to promote the efficiency and simplify a sample pretreatment step for analysis of molecules contained in the sample. In the present invention, a plurality of various enzymes necessary for pretreatment of sample for analysis of various molecules contained in the sample are immobilized on a solid phase separately for each kind of enzyme, and the enzyme reactions are carried out simultaneously. That is, a sample is reacted with plural kinds of enzymes under the same conditions, and contamination caused by the enzyme reactions is inhibited and the sample is subjected to a given pretreatment.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide an analytical method and an analytical instrument with high capability of quantitative determination and reproducibility which can be used for detecting the minor difference between expression levels and measuring the protein concentration, for example. An analytical method for a biological sample is disclosed, wherein two or more labels are present in the same area, and the signal intensity of one specific label is used to normalize the signal intensity of other labels. An analytical instrument, a microarray, and an immunoassay are also disclosed.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to conduct function analysis of proteins arranged with high density on a solid phase in a high-throughput manner, regardless of protein varieties. The present invention is characterized in that it immobilizes target proteins on a substrate while maintaining the structures and the functions thereof, and that it carries out interaction analysis of such proteins. For example, target proteins are prepared in a state where one end of each protein is fused to a peptide as a tag or to a polypeptide by genetic engineering methods. Then, the target proteins are bonded to the substrate via a layer formed thereon, comprising anti-tag antibodies. The target proteins are arrayed while they are maintained in a liberated state on a solid phase, and the interaction analysis is carried out. According to the present invention, the interaction analysis of target proteins can be carried out without affecting the unstable structures and the functions thereof.