Abstract: An object of the present invention is directed to a method for assaying the severity of an illness in real time and is to provide a testing method capable of assessing the severity of an illness in more detail than the conventional APACHE II and SOFA scores. The established method can accurately measure an ATP level in a sample, thereby accurately and quickly deducing the “state of intracellular energy required for living organisms” from the ATP level, and by extension, determining the severity of an illness. The present invention further provides a novel biomarker ATP-lactate energy risk score (A-LES) value that is capable of determining the severity of an illness by the reevaluation, with the ATP concentration as an index (specifically, on the basis of a lactic acid level (mM)/ATP concentration (mM) ratio), of the level of lactic acid that accumulates in the sample due to the breakdown of in vivo metabolic balance accompanied by the increased severity of the illness.

Abstract: A container inspection apparatus inspects sealing performance of a closure of a container such as a bottle filled with effervescent beverage. The apparatus include a plurality of support members for placing a container thereon and movable along a certain path, a plurality of ultrasonic transducers fixed to one of the support members for generating ultrasonic vibration, and a supply device for supplying liquid to an upper surface of the support member. The ultrasonic vibration of the support member caused by the ultrasonic transducer is transmitted to a bottom of the container through liquid interposed between the bottom of the container and the upper surface of the support member. After vibrating the bottom of the container, beverage in the container is imaged by an imaging unit to detect a defective container which is not sealed properly.

Abstract: The monoclonal antibodies of the present invention makes it possible to separate basophils suitable for the IgE-mediated specific chemical mediator release test, because it retains its reactivity with basophils even after being immobilized onto a solid carrier, and because it does not inhibit release of chemical mediators induced by allergens or anti-IgE antibody, and does not induce nonspecific release of chemical mediators. Also, the method for separating basophils of the present invention simplifies the separation of basophils from blood, and by using this method, the histamine release test which otherwise requires complex procedures can be simplified. Further, the group of cells obtained by the method for separating basophils of the present invention can easily be utilized in the release tests for chemical mediators released from basophils such as leukotriene and PAF, which otherwise require expertise for handling.

Abstract: An assay for an immunologically active substance (B) in a biologically derived test sample comprising using an immuno-active membrane of a hydrophobic polymer sheet having numerous hydrophilic spots, on which a prefixed amount of an immuno-active substance (A) or (B) has been immobilized, and a coloring-membrane having numerous spots which contain a color-producing reagent being capable of developing color by the catalytic effect of an enzyme at the corresponding positions to those of the immuno-active membrane, and making contact the immuno-active membrane with said test sample in the presence of an enzyme-labeled immuno-active substance (A') or (B') and a substrate for reacting the substance (A), substance (B) and enzyme-labeled substance (A') or (B') competitively or non-competitively, and superposing the coloring-membrane of on the immuno-active membrane, followed by colorimetrically measuring the resulting color and thereby determining the amount of the substance (B) in the test sample.