Method and compositions using transition metal salts and/or ammonium chloride to liberate toxins and other molecules from cyanobacteria, useful for assaying for total cyanobacterial toxins in lakes, reservoirs and other waters.

Systems and methods are provided for sample processing. A device may be provided, capable of receiving the sample, and performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing multiple assays. The device may comprise one or more modules that may be capable of performing one or more of a sample preparation, sample assay, and detection step. The device may be capable of performing the steps using a small volume of sample.

A sample preparation cartridge for use with a sample preparation device, the cartridge includes a housing defining plural separate segments, at least one of said segments comprising a fixed section of a pipette component; and a moveable head comprising a pipette tip, the head being configured, in use, to be moved between a position in which the pipette tip is in sealed engagement with the fixed section of pipette component and a position in which pipette tip is positioned adjacent to another of said plural segments. With the present invention a disposable sample preparation cartridge and corresponding analytical reader can be provided in a very cost effective and simple manner.

An analysis container comprises a main body; a first chamber that is provided inside the main body and holds a liquid sample; a second chamber; a liquid passage; and an air passage. The liquid passage connects the first chamber and the second chamber, and moves the liquid sample from the first chamber to the second chamber. The air flow chamber connects the first chamber and the second chamber, and moves air from the second chamber to the first chamber.

An automatic analyzing apparatus includes a stirring mechanism. The stirring mechanism is provided with: a fixed member fixed to an apparatus body; a motor attached to the fixed member; a drive-side helical gear provided on a drive shaft of the motor; bearings provided to the fixed member with the center shaft held parallel to the drive shaft of the motor; a support member of circular column shape, supported so as to be capable of receding from one side relative to the bearings; a driven-side helical gear fixed to an end of the support member coaxially with respect to the support member such that the driven-side helical gear is fitted together with the drive-side helical gear with the support member recessed into the bearings; and a stirring rod extending coaxially with the support member from the end of the support member opposite to the end provided with the driven-side helical gear.

A system and method are described for the purpose of automated sample pretreatment operations for peptide mapping analysis. The system processes fluid samples by some or all of the following operations: purification, denaturation, reduction, alkylation, desalting and enzymatic digestion. In some of the presented configurations, UV absorbance monitoring is used to estimate the efficiency of the purification or desalting steps. The processed sample is delivered to a High Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC) instrument for separation and analysis.

The system and method are unique in administering the automated chemical treatment of the sample in such a way that the sample and reagent(s) are combined as homogeneous mixtures. Another previously unknown feature is the option of in-line UV absorbance measurements to monitor the purification and desalting steps.

To provide a control method of a sample pretreatment apparatus capable of maintaining measurement precision in a mass spectrometer without newly installing a component part and without largely changing a measurement process by an automatic analyzer. A control method of a sample pretreatment apparatus 1 of a sample inspection automation system to which a sample pretreatment apparatus applying pretreatment to a sample used in mass spectrometry, a mass spectrometer, and another automatic analyzer are connected, includes: determining serum information by referring to a measurement result of the sample by the other automatic analyzer or previous value information; determining conditions of a washing process of eliminating impurities contained in the sample at the time of the sample pretreatment based on the serum information; and dispensing a cleaning fluid into a reaction container for mixing the sample and a reagent based on the conditions.

A method is disclosed for determining a parameter dependent on the concentration of a substance in a sample liquid. The method includes determining a first measured value representing a value of the parameter in a first standard solution using the automatic analysis apparatus, wherein the value of the parameter in the first standard solution is known, and determining a second measured value representing a value of the parameter in a second standard solution using the automatic analysis apparatus, wherein the value of the parameter in the second standard solution is known and differs from the value of the parameter in the first standard solution. The first standard solution or the second standard solution is automatically produced using the analysis apparatus by mixing a predetermined volume of a stock solution containing the substance and a predetermined volume of a dilution liquid.

Provided is an in-vitro diagnostic apparatus having a cartridge. The cartridge includes a body to which a biochip is detachably coupled, and the body includes a plurality of sample accommodating chambers. The disc member includes a cylinder portion and a sample mixing chamber, wherein the cylinder portion has a hollow tube form and is coupled to the body, and the sample mixing chamber is disposed under the cylinder portion. A fluid input/output port is provided in a bottom portion of each of the sample accommodating chambers. The sample mixing chamber includes a fluid path and an injection path, the fluid path selectively connectable to the fluid input/output port, and the injection path connecting the sample mixing chambers with the biochip. A syringe piston is coupled to the cylinder portion and configured to slidably elevate along the cylinder portion.

An automatic analyzer is provided which is easier to investigate when some troubles such as data abnormality occur in a sample analysis result as compared with an automatic analyzer according to the related art. The automatic analyzer includes: analysis units that perform analysis and quality control analysis for ensuring quality of the analysis; a storage medium that stores quality control results of the quality control analysis performed by the analysis units; a monitor that displays the quality control results; and a control PC that controls an operation of the analysis units (8, 9, and 16), executes, when an arbitrary result is selected from the quality control results stored in the storage medium, based on the selected quality control result, statistical calculation of the selected result and a quality control result performed in the past, and causes the monitor to display a statistical calculation screen as a statistical calculation result.