In some embodiments, the present disclosure is directed to coatings or thin films comprising a dye or stain embedded within a matrix, e.g. a polymer matrix.

The disclosure is directed at a system and method for rapid detection of low level bacteria in a growth medium. The method is directed at a two-stage process whereby a growth medium is incubated along with a first test formulation component for a predetermined period of time. After the incubation period, a second test formulation component is added to the growth medium to determine if there is a bacteria in the growth medium.

An object of the present invention is to provide a method for measuring an object to be measured in a specimen by an enzymatic method, the measurement method being able to suppress the positive influence of peroxide derived from the specimen. More specifically, an object of the present invention is to provide a measurement method and a measurement reagent that can suppress elevation in value regardless of whether or not the specimen is a catalase-free specimen. Provided is a measurement method that can accurately quantify hydrogen peroxide derived from an object to be measured, without influence derived from a specimen, by contacting the specimen with an enzyme in the presence of at least one compound selected from the group consisting of a compound represented by the following general formula (I), a benzimidazole derivative having an electron-donating substituent at position 2, and histidine, wherein R1 and R2 are the same or different and each represent hydrogen, a linear or branched alkyl group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms and optionally having a substituent, an aryl group optionally having a substituent, or an alkyloxy group having 1 to 6 carbon atoms.

##STR00001##

Reagents, assays, methods, kits, devices, and systems for rapid measurement of cholesterol and cholesterol sub-fractions from a blood sample are provided. Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol can be measured in a single assay using kinetic measurements, under conditions in which cholesterol sub-species are converted to a detectable product at distinct rates. The detectable product is measured at different times after assay initiation. A lipase, cholesterol esterase, cholesterol oxidase and a peroxidase may be used together to produce colored product in amounts directly proportional to the quantity of cholesterol converted. Methods for calculating very-low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by further including triglyceride measurements are disclosed. Assays may be performed in a single reaction mixture, allowing more accurate and precise cholesterol determinations, including ratios of cholesterol sub-fractions to total cholesterol, at less expense, than would be expected by performing several different assays in different reaction mixtures.

A sensing structure is presented for use in testing integrated circuits on a substrate. The sensing structure includes a probe region corresponding to a conductive region for connecting to the integrated circuit. A first sensing region at least partially surrounds the probe region. A plurality of sensing elements connects in series such that a first of the plurality of sensing elements has two terminals respectively connected to the first sensing region and the probe region. And a second of the plurality of sensing elements has two terminals respectively connected to the probe region and a first reference potential.

Reagents, assays, methods, kits, devices, and systems for rapid measurement of cholesterol and cholesterol sub-fractions from a blood sample are provided. Total cholesterol, low density lipoprotein cholesterol, and high density lipoprotein cholesterol can be measured in a single assay using kinetic measurements, under conditions in which cholesterol sub-species are converted to a detectable product at distinct rates. The detectable product is measured at different times after assay initiation. A lipase, cholesterol esterase, cholesterol oxidase and a peroxidase may be used together to produce colored product in amounts directly proportional to the quantity of cholesterol converted. Methods for calculating very-low density lipoprotein cholesterol levels by further including triglyceride measurements are disclosed. Assays may be performed in a single reaction mixture, allowing more accurate and precise cholesterol determinations, including ratios of cholesterol sub-fractions to total cholesterol, at less expense, than would be expected by performing several different assays in different reaction mixtures.

A sensing structure is presented for use in testing integrated circuits on a substrate. The sensing structure includes a probe region corresponding to a conductive region for connecting to the integrated circuit. A first sensing region at least partially surrounds the probe region. A plurality of sensing elements connects in series such that a first of the plurality of sensing elements has two terminals respectively connected to the first sensing region and the probe region. And a second of the plurality of sensing elements has two terminals respectively connected to the probe region and a first reference potential.

A sensing structure is presented for use in testing integrated circuits on a substrate. The sensing structure includes a probe region corresponding to a conductive region for connecting to the integrated circuit. A first sensing region at least partially surrounds the probe region. A plurality of sensing elements connects in series such that a first of the plurality of sensing elements has two terminals respectively connected to the first sensing region and the probe region. And a second of the plurality of sensing elements has two terminals respectively connected to the probe region and a first reference potential.

A method for determining the amount of glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c), in whichif requiredthe erythrocytes in a sample are hemolyzed, the haemoglobin that is then releasedif requiredis contacted with a proteolytic agent and the glycated hemoglobin degradation products obtained in this way or otherwise are quantified is disclosed. In order to provide such a process and reagents employable therein that has/have the property of sufficient stability of the chemical compounds that are essential to the reaction, the provision of the requisite proteolytic agent in the form of an inactivated protease is proposed, which is then only reactivated in situ. For the stabilization of the hemoglobin, which is unfolded at a very low pH in the range from 1 to 3, at least one suitable stabilizer should be present in the hemolysis solution, and, where a leuco dye is used in connection with the determination of the amount of HbA1c, it is proposed that the latter be stabilized with particular phosphine compounds and/or thio compounds.

A method for determining the amount of glycated haemoglobin (HbA1c), in whichif requiredthe erythrocytes in a sample are haemolysed, the haemoglobin that is then releasedif requiredis contacted with a proteolytic agent and the glycated haemoglobin degradation products obtained in this way or otherwise are quantified is disclosed. In order to provide such a process and reagents employable therein that has/have the property of sufficient stability of the chemical compounds that are essential to the reaction, for the stabilization of the haemoglobin which is unfolded at a very low pH in the range from 1 to 3, at least one suitable stabilizer is present in the haemolysis solution. Where a leuco dye is used in connection with the determination of the amount of HbA1c, it is proposed that the latter be stabilized with particular phosphine compounds and/or thio compounds, and, in particular embodiments, the requisite proteolytic agent is to be provided in the form of an inactivated protease which is then only reactivated in situ.