Abstract: The invention relates to a method and a computer program for estimating a bilirubin level of a neonate, composed of the steps of: Acquiring a series of bilirubin levels estimated at different time points from a sample obtained from a neonate, Acquiring a plurality of covariates from the neonate, each composed of an information about a neonatal property, Providing a pre-defined bilirubin model function, wherein the bilirubin model function is configured to describe a time course of a bilirubin level of a neonate, Determining a plurality of model parameters of the bilirubin model function, wherein each model parameter is estimated from at least one covariate of the plurality of covariates and an associated population model parameter, Determining from the series of acquired bilirubin levels and the bilirubin model function with the determined model parameters an expected bilirubin level of the neonate for a time particularly later than a lastly acquired bilirubin level of the series of bilirubin levels.

Abstract: Methods are provided for end users of diagnostic measurement procedures to prepare quality controls having desired analyte recoveries, estimate recoveries of quality controls already prepared, and compare estimated and measured recoveries. To prepare a quality control containing a particular analyte, a desired recovery of a measurement procedure for the analyte can be scaled by a correlation factor to obtain a target nominal concentration of the analyte in the quality control. Alternatively, the nominal concentration of an analyte in a quality control can be scaled by a correlation factor to obtain a predicted recovery of a measurement procedure for the analyte. The correlation factors can be based on recovery data previously obtained using the measurement procedure and optionally one or more reference procedures, and can be calculated using regression analysis of these data.

Abstract: In various embodiments, players around the casino may predict cards to be dealt in a game of blackjack.

Abstract: A control solution packet for calibrating a bodily fluid sampling device includes a container, a control solution pressurized within the container, and a membrane for covering and sealing the container. The control solution can be pressurized before or during calibration so as to ensure the appropriate amount of control solution is delivered to the bodily fluid sampling device. The control solution is manufactured to have a viscosity that controls delivery of the control solution to the device. The membrane is permeable by a piercing device of the bodily fluid sampling device and seals around the piercing device during calibration. In another aspect, the container is in the form of a capsule or dosing attachment that contains the control solution along with a sponge-like material.

Abstract: What is described is a single reference material and method of making useful for calibrating or qualifying instruments that are diagnostic spectroscopically for bilirubin, hemoglobin, and hemoglobin fractions, and, optionally, diagnostic for other blood analytes by sensor means.

Abstract: It is intended to clarify a transportation system participating in the uric acid uptake in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) and provide a novel remedy, a preventive or a treating agent for vascular disorders, hypertension and renal disorders with the use of a drug participating in this transportation system. It is also intended to provide a novel screening system for a remedy, a preventive or a treating agent for vascular disorders, hypertension and renal disorders with the use of such a transportation system.

Abstract: What is described is a single reference material and method of making useful for calibrating or qualifying instruments that are diagnostic spectroscopically for bilirubin, hemoglobin, and hemoglobin fractions, and, optionally, diagnostic for other blood analytes by sensor means.

Abstract: Control and calibration solutions are described that provide control and calibration data that is recognized by a test meter allowing the meter to segregate the control and calibration data from regular test data. Recognition and segregation of the control and calibration data can occur automatically with no additional input from the meter's user. Methods for use of the solutions are also provided.

Abstract: A control solution packet for calibrating a bodily fluid sampling device includes a container, a control solution pressurized within the container, and a membrane for covering and sealing the container. The control solution can be pressurized before or during calibration so as to ensure the appropriate amount of control solution is delivered to the bodily fluid sampling device. The control solution is manufactured to have a viscosity that controls delivery of the control solution to the device. The membrane is permeable by a piercing device of the bodily fluid sampling device and seals around the piercing device during calibration. In another aspect, the container is in the form of a capsule or dosing attachment that contains the control solution along with a sponge-like material.

Abstract: A system for checking measurement results is provided with a urine qualitative analyzer for measuring the specific gravity of a urine, urinary particle analyzer for measuring urine conductivity, and a computer. The urine specific gravity measured by the urine qualitative analyzer, and the urine conductivity measured by the urinary particle analyzer are respectively transmitted to the computer. The correlative relationship between urine specific gravity and urine conductivity is stored in the memory of the computer, and the computer determines whether or not the received urine specific gravity and conductivity match the correlative relationship, and this determination result is output.

Abstract: A method of monitoring calibration of a spectrophotometric apparatus that includes one or more than one calibration algorithm for one or more than one analyte, involves measuring absorbance of a quality control material with the apparatus to obtain a measurement, calculating one or more than one value from the measurement using the one or more than one calibration algorithm, and comparing the one or more than one value with an assigned value given to the quality control material for each of the one or more than one analyte. The quality control material exhibits an absorbance spectrum having a negative slope for a continuous spectral segment from about 5 nm to about 200 nm in length, and the spectral segment includes a principal calibration wavelength for the one or more than one analyte. A reagentless method for determining the concentration of one or more than one analyte in a sample in a spectrophotometric apparatus having at least one primary calibration algorithm is also disclosed.

Abstract: A method of monitoring calibration of a spectrophotometric apparatus having one or more than one calibration algorithm for one or more than one analyte. This method involves measuring an absorbance of a quality control material to obtain a measurement, calculating one or more than one concentration value from the measurement using the one or more than one calibration algorithm, and comparing the one or more than one concentration value with an assigned value given to the quality control material for each of the one or more than one analyte. The quality control material exhibits an absorbance spectra having a negative slope for a continuous spectral segment from about 5 nm to about 400 nm in length, or a wavelength therebetween. A reagentless method for determining the concentration of one or more than one analyte in a sample in a spectrophotometric apparatus containing one or more than one primary calibration algorithm is also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of monitoring calibration of a spectrophotometric apparatus that comprises one or more calibration algorithms for one or more analytes. This method comprises measuring absorbance of a quality control material with the apparatus to obtain a measurement, where the quality control material exhibits an absorbance spectra characterized as having a negative slope for a continuous spectral segment from about 5 nm to about 200 nm in length, and where the spectral segment includes a principal calibration wavelength for the one or more analytes. The method then involves calculating on or more concentration values from the measurement using the one or more calibration algorithms, followed by comparing the one or more concentration values with an assigned value given to the quality control material for each of the one or more analytes, and determining if there is a violation of a pre-established quality control rule.

Abstract: Compositions and methods are disclosed for use in the analysis and quantitation of conjugated and unconjugated bilirubin in patient or other samples. The compositions have the general formula: wherein: R1 and R2 are independently selected from alkyl and aryl, R3 and R4 are independently selected from hydrogen, alkyl, alkenyl, tauryl, aryl, and glucoronyl, and R5, R6, R7, R8, R9 and R10 are each independently selected from hydrogen and alkyl, and are resistant to oxidation, as occurs in bilirubin upon exposure to light and air. These properties make them ideal for use in calibration and control solutions for use in medical and research bilirubin analysis, or other applications where stable reagents for bilirubin analysis is desirable.

Abstract: The invention provides a cDNA which encodes tapasin-like protein. It also provides for the use of the cDNA, protein, and antibody in the diagnosis, prognosis, treatment and evaluation of therapies for cancer. The invention further provides vectors and host cells for the production of the protein and transgenic model systems.

Abstract: A method and device for performing fluid analysis by separating cells and/or particles from a fluid, such as a biological, vehicular or industrial fluid. The device is a micromachined filtering device comprising a substrate with through-thickness vias having approximately equal diameters that prevent passage through the substrate of a first material while permitting passage through the substrate of other materials having diametrical dimensions less than the diameter of the vias. Electrodes are located on a surface of the substrate between vias so that as the first material collects at the surface of the substrate, the electrodes become electrically connected to produce an output signal in some proportion to the amount of the first material collected. The device can incorporate multiple micromachined substrates, yielding an analysis system that produces an electrical output for each of a number of properties or parameters.

Abstract: The antioxidant power of an organic or inorganic liquid is determined by causing it to enter into competition with bathocuproine (BC) in a copper sulphate solution. Bathocuproine (BC) forms stable complexes with the monovalent Cu. Such a reaction is specific for Cu(I) and not for divalent Cu(II). Cu(II) in solution can be reduced to Cu(I) by a number of reducing compositions belonging to a class of compositions consisting prevailingly of both liposoluble and water soluble non-enzymatic antioxidants. When the reaction occurs in a bathocuproine (BC) buffer, the complex being formed is characterized by the concentration of the reducing agents and then, by good approximation, of the antioxidants present in the system. The quantitative analysis of such a reaction can be easily made by spectrophotometry at 480 nm both by macro- and micromethods with the use of a number of reducing standard compositions with known concentrations.

Abstract: The present invention relates to methods for the production of a stable troponin preparation and its use as a calibrator and/or control in immunoassays. The formulation is prepared from mammalian, preferably bovine, heart tissue which provides a calibrator/control composition which remains stable over a long period of time.

Abstract: A quality control material is disclosed which is used to monitor the calibration or used for recalibration of instruments used to screen for interferents in serum or plasma specimens. In particular, the quality control material disclosed is used to monitor instrument calibrations or used for recalibration for instruments which assess the amount of hemolysis, turbidity, bilirubinemia and biliverdinemia, either separately, or any two, or any three, or all four simultaneously, in plasma or serum samples. The quality control material does not contain any blood products such as plasma lipids, bile pigments, or hemoglobin, is stable at room temperature, and is ready for use with up to four constituents.

Abstract: Method for detecting total bilirubin in urine using a chemical detection means with an indicator that will produce a detectable quantitative response in the presence of bilirubin in urine on an automated analyzer.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the determination of unconjugated and unbound bilirubin in a sample.

Abstract: Diazonium ions which are useful as reagents for the assay of bilirubin content in a sample, such as a body fluid sample, are provided. In one preferred embodiment, 2-methyl-3-nitroaniline diazonium ion is provided, having the structure: ##STR1## Also provided are reagent compositions including the diazonium ions. The reagent compositions may be in liquid or solid form, and further may include other components, such as buffers, carriers, and solubilizers. Salts including the diazonium ion and a counteranion also are provided. Also provided are methods of using the diazonium ions in assays to detect or quantitate bilirubin present in a sample such as a body fluid sample. Using the assays, the amount of direct, indirect, and total bilirubin in a sample may be accurately and reproducibly detected, and optionally correlated with the presence or absence of any of a variety of diseases or disorders of organs such as the liver, gall bladder or intestines.

Abstract: The present invention addresses the need to ensure that clinical tests for urobilinogen in urine are properly working. The invention specifically provides a novel liquid urobilinogen composition which remains stable in liquid form for eighteen months and a method for making the same.

Abstract: A method for detecting an analyte in a sample uses both the specificity of an enzymatic reaction and the separation power of capillary electrophoresis.

Abstract: The invention concerns a stable control serum or calibration serum containing bilirubin to analytically examine the methodical accuracy of individual parameters in human sera or patients. The control serum or calibration serum according to the invention is used to stabilize bilirubin in solutions and to generally increase the stability of control sera or calibration sera.

Abstract: In high volume laboratory analysis of patient medical specimens, control materials are inserted at periodical intervals (e.g. once per eight hours) and analyzed. If the results of the analysis deviate from the mean according to statistical rules, the run of analyses prior to the insertion of control materials has in the past been rejected, often causing a substantial loss of results because the control materials were not inserted sufficiently frequently. According to the invention the patient mean of a test is determined, and when the mean deviates from the predetermined mean by more than a selected amount, this determination is used, not to reject the run, but rather to trigger insertion and analysis of control materials. If the analysis of control materials shows that the run is in control, the analyses made prior thereto are reported and the run is resumed. If the control material analysis shows that the run is out of control, then the prior analyses are rejected.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to the assay and purification of proteins, and particularly to the non-radioactive assay and purification of protein kinases, phosphatases and protease by incubating the enzyme with a substrate modified peptide to form a product modified peptide under conditions where the enzyme is active. The product modified peptide and substrate modified peptide are then separated, and the product modified peptide is measured. The present invention is also directed to kits and bioreagents for performing the assays.

Abstract: The method is directed to assaying for biological components in a sample comprising step (A) generating an oxidase substrate in the presence of an amphoteric surfactant and in the absence of ferrocyanide; (B) initially generating hydrogen peroxide through said oxidase reaction on said substrate of oxidase with subsequent detection of the generated hydrogen peroxide using peroxidase and a color developer capable of being oxidized in the presence of amphoteric surfactant and ferrocyanide; and (C) correlating the amount of color developed to the amount of biological components in the biological sample. Even when the biological component to be detected is present in a very small amount, the interference of bilirubin can be eliminated in assays of biological components in which peroxidase generated from an enzymatic reaction is detected using peroxidase and a color developer capable of being oxidized.

Abstract: An aqueous dispersion used for control or calibration of a dry analysis element comprising at least one color producing reagent and a porous layer, which comprises water-insoluble liquid particles having a mean particle size of from about 0.01 to about 10 .mu.m selected from the group consisting of phthalates, trimellitates, phosphates, benzoates, amides, phenols, aliphatic esters, hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, adipates, sebacates and natural polymers dispersed therein and a substance which is the same as or similar to the analyte to be determined wherein said substance is selected from the group consisting of glucose, urea, uric acid, creatinine, bilirubin, hemoglobin, triolein, glycerine, cholesterol, triglyceride, (NH.sub.4).sub.2 SO.sub.4, NH.sub.4 Cl, CaCl.sub.2, Ca(NO.sub.3).sub.2, MgCl.sub.2, NaCl, KCl, K.sub.2 HPO.sub.4, (NH.sub.4).sub.2 SO.sub.4, Ca(NO.sub.3).sub.2, and NaNO.sub.3.

Abstract: Disclosed is a serum free control reagent formulation useful for the determination of a pre-selected analyte. The formulation involves an aqueous solution of a predetermined amount of the analyte together with a polymerized quaternary salt of di- or mono- allyl, di- or tri- alkyl ammonium characterized by the formulae: ##STR1## where R is straight or branched chain alkyl of 1 to 4 carbon atoms, n is a number of at least 9 and .theta. represents a counteranion. The formulation typically contains a buffer to maintain its pH at a level of about 7.5 and a preservative.

Abstract: A method for control or calibration in a chemical analytical determination using a dry analysis element comprising at least one color-producing reagent and a porous layer, wherein the method comprises applying an aqueous dispersion onto the porous layer and measuring the optical density of the color produced, wherein the aqueous dispersion comprises a substance which is the same as or similar to an analyte to be determined and water-insoluble particles dispersed therein, wherein the particles are particles of a homopolymer, a copolymer, phthalates, trimellitates, phosphates, benzoates, amides, phenols, aliphatic esters, hydrocarbons, halogenated hydrocarbons, adipates, sebacates and natural polymers.

Abstract: A stable liquid control and/or calibration serum for use in clinical diagnostics containing a liquid-stable bilirubin derivative and a known concentration of at least one analyte. The invention further addresses a process for the preparation of the stable liquid serum.

Abstract: In the assaying of direct and indirect bilirubin, it is has been found that organic compounds, capable of undergoing diazotization to products having absorption spectrum substantially identically to bilirubin, can be used as a calibration standard. Typical of these organic compounds is ANS (8-anilino-1-naphthalene-sulfonic acid). However, these compounds do not have the typical yellow color of bilirubin. It was also discovered that this deficiency can be corrected by the addition of methyl or ethyl orange. When combined, these compounds provide a liquid control stable at room temperature for 12 months or more.

Abstract: A method for optical measurement of bilirubin which comprises reacting a bilirubin-containing sample with a zinc compound, a coloring agent and bilirubin oxidase in a buffer, wherein a stable green pigment having a large molecular extinction coefficient is formed by the action of the zinc compound and thereby bilirubin in the sample can be measured specifically, and a reagent useful therefor. Said method and the reagent are useful for clinical test of total bilirubin and direct bilirubin in serum.

Abstract: A novel enzyme of bilirubin oxidase and a conventional enzyme of laccase are found to oxidize bilirubin to biliverdin without formation of hydrogen peroxide, thereby permitting the content of conjugated bilirubin in biological fluid to be quantitatively determined by reacting therewith the bilirubin oxidase of a microorganism of genus Myrothecium origin, and also permitting the content of total bilirubin in biological fluid to be quantitatively determined by reacting therewith such a bilirubin oxidase or laccase in the presence of a specific additive compound.

Abstract: A stable control solution is provided for the determination of urobilinogen. The control solution comprises an aqueous solution of about 3-12% ethylene glycol, about 0.1% protein and preferably about 40-400 mg/dl urobilinogen, said composition buffered to pH about 8.0-9.0 and retained in a hermetically sealed container under a blanket of inert gas.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for the determination of bilirubin which comprises reacting the bilirubin with a compound represented by the formula ##STR1## and determing the pigment thus formed.

Abstract: A stable control solution is provided for the determination of urobilinogen. The control solution comprises an aqueous solution of about 3-12% ethylene glycol, about 0.1% protein and preferably about 40-400 mg/dl urobilinogen, said composition buffered to pH about 8.0-9.0 and retained in a hermetically sealed container under a blanket of inert gas.

Abstract: A stabilized urease solution is disclosed comprising water, buffering agents, a bacteriostat, chelating agent, polyhydroxy organic compound and urease. The preferred buffering agents are selected from low conductivity Zwitterionic buffer salts, such as N-2-hydroxyethyl piperazine-N'-2-ethanesulfonic acid, triethanolamine, tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane, diethanolamine, aminomethyl propanol and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: A urobilinogen control standard composition, control standard device and a method for preparing such composition are disclosed. The composition comprises a substituted indole:nonionic detergent solution which is reactive with p-diethylaminobenzaldehyde and hydrochloric acid. The composition is produced by dissolving the substituted indole in a selected nonionic detergent and diluting the solution to a predetermined level. The device is a carrier matrix impregnated with a solution of a substituted indole and a nonionic detergent.