Abstract: A fertility determining system employing hormone level measuring apparatus on selected days in a menstrual cycle to determine the levels of analytes, i.e., estrone-3-glucuronide (“E3G”) and luteinizing hormone (“LH”), in early morning urine. The fertility/infertility signalling algorithm relies upon data characterizing the user earlier in that menstrual cycle, and also upon her analyte pattern in past recent cycles. At a point in a menstrual cycle which is user-dependent, the early morning E3G urine level is compared against the lower E3G level earlier in the cycle. The beginning of the fertile period is signalled when a sufficient E3G increase occurs. The end of the fertile period (and, correspondingly, the reestablishment of a period requiring no contraception) is signalled a period after the LH surge. In the absence of an LH surge in any subject, the end of the fertile phase is signalled a period of time following the peak of the E3G urinary metabolite of estradiol.

Abstract: A fertility determining system employing hormone level measuring apparatus on selected days in a menstrual cycle to determine the levels of analytes, i.e., estrone-3-glucuronide (“E3G”) and luteinizing hormone (“LH”), in early morning urine. The fertility/infertility signalling algorithm relies upon data characterizing the user earlier in that menstrual cycle, and also upon her analyte pattern in past recent cycles. At a point in a menstrual cycle which is user-dependent, the early morning E3G urine level is compared against the lower E3G level earlier in the cycle. The beginning of the fertile period is signalled when a sufficient E3G increase occurs. The end of the fertile period (and, correspondingly, the reestablishment of a period requiring no contraception) is signalled a period after the LH surge. In the absence of an LH surge in any subject, the end of the fertile phase is signalled a period of time following the peak of the E3G urinary metabolite of estradiol.

Abstract: A method of “reading” the result of an assay effected by concentrating a detectable material in a comparatively small zone of a carrier in the form of a strip, sheet or layer through the thickness of which electromagnetic radiation such as visible light is transmissible, wherein at least a portion of one face or the carrier is exposed to incident electromagnetic radiation which is substantially uniform across the entire portion, the portion including the small zone, and electromagnetic radiation emerging from the opposite face of the carrier is measured to determine the assay result. Preferably the radiation is diffuse light.

Abstract: Methods, devices and test kits for monitoring the ovulation cycle, involve testing the body fluid, e.g. urinary, concentration of one or more analytes. Preferably estrone-3-glucuronide and luteinizing hormone are both measured, and a reference concentration for E3G is established at about day 6 of the current cycle. Preferably, disposable testing devices are used, in conjunction with a relatively permanent electronic reader/monitor. The number of “daily” tests required per month can be minimized.

Abstract: A process of manufacturing test strips of the type comprising a length of porous carrier material capable of acting as a liquid flow path for a sample liquid and having at least zone downstream from a first end of the strip which zone contains an immobilized specific binding agent to act as a capture means during an assay to reveal the presence of an analyte in applied sample liquid, and in which process the specific binding agent is deposited onto a sheet of the porous carrier material which is then blocked and subdivided into a plurality of individual identical test strips, wherein blocking of the porous carrier material is achieved by applying a solution of blocking agent to the sheet upstream from the zone in an amount sufficient to ensure that the solution permeates downstream to beyond the zone.

Abstract: An analytical test device useful for example in pregnancy testing, includes a hollow casing (500) constructed of moisture-impervious solid material, such as plastics materials, containing a dry porous carrier (510) which communicates indirectly with the exterior of the casing via a bibulous sample receiving member (506) which protrudes from the casing such that a liquid test sample can be applied to the receiving member and permeate therefrom to the porous carrier, the carrier containing in a first zone a labelled specific binding reagent is freely mobile within the porous carrier when in the moist state, and in a second zone spatially distinct from the first zone unlabelled specific binding reagent for the same analyte which unlabelled reagent is permanently immobilised on the carrier material and is therefore not mobile in the moist state, the two zones being arranged such that liquid sample applied to the porous carrier can permeate via the first zone into the second zone, and the device incorporating an a

Abstract: An analytical test device useful for example in pregnancy testing, includes a hollow casing (500) constructed of moisture-impervious solid material, such as plastics materials, containing a dry porous carrier (510) which communicates indirectly with the exterior of the casing via a bibulous sample receiving member (506) which protrudes from the casing such that a liquid test sample can be applied to the receiving member and permeate therefrom to the porous carrier, the carrier containing in a first zone a labelled specific binding reagent is freely mobile within the porous carrier when in the moist state, wherein the mobility is facilitated by a material comprising sugar, in a amount effective to reduce interaction between the test strip and the labelled reagent, and in a second zone spatially distinct from the first zone unlabeled specific binding reagent for the same analyte which unlabelled reagent is permanently immobilized on the carrier material and is therefore not mobile in the moist state, the two zo

Abstract: A chromatographic test device for detecting the presence of an analyte in a liquid sample and incorporating at least two liquid-conductive zones (3, 4) which form separate liquid flow paths which deliver separate liquid streams to a region (8) in the test device during the test procedure, wherein control of the relative liquid flows in the separate flow paths is achieved, at least in part, by ensuring that at least one of the liquid flow paths is enhanced or made and/or broken or restricted during the course of the test procedure. Preferably such control is achieved by incorporating a liquid-swellable material (11) which is arranged to swell by contact with liquid sample and/or reagent and thereby to make or break contact between two liquid-conductive zones.