A method to make it possible to obtain a value related to the amount of DD by FDP measurement. The method includes optically measuring a first calibration sample prepared from an FDP measurement reagent and a first calibrator containing D-dimer (DD) and having a first value relating to the ratio of the content of fibrin/fibrinogen degradation product FDP to the content of DD, acquiring first calculation data based on temporal change of optical information obtained by optical measurement of the first calibration measurement sample, performing optical measurement of a second calibration measurement sample prepared from FDP measurement reagent and a second calibrator containing DD and having a second value that is different from the first value related to the ratio of the content of FDP to the content of DD, acquiring second calculated data based on a temporal change in optical information obtained by optical measurement of the second calibration measurement sample, and acquiring calibration curve information indicating the relationship between the calculation data and the value relating to the amount of DD based on the first calculation data, the second calculation data, the first value, and the second value.

Disclosed is a method for measuring clotting time including: preparing a measurement sample by mixing a blood specimen suspected to contain a lupus anticoagulant, an activator, and a divalent-metal-ion-producing compound for facilitating formation of a phospholipid-containing complex; and measuring a clotting time after adding, to the measurement sample, an aqueous solution of a calcium salt as a coagulation initiator.

The present invention is directed to a cartridge device for a measuring system for measuring viscoelastic characteristics of a sample liquid, in particular a blood sample, comprising a cartridge body having at least one measurement cavity formed therein and having at least one probe element arranged in said at least one measurement cavity for performing a test on said sample liquid; and a cover being attachable on said cartridge body; wherein said cover covers at least partially said at least one measurement cavity and forms a retaining element for retaining said probe element in a predetermined position within said at least one measurement cavity. The invention is directed to a measurement system and a method for measuring viscoelastic characteristics of a sample liquid.

Provided herein are methods and kits for analyzing a biological sample obtained from a subject having, suspected of having, or being at risk for a disease associated with the contact activation system.

In some embodiments, the invention provides methods for detecting an aberrant fibrinolysis condition in a patient. The method includes subjecting a blood sample from the patient to a viscoelastic analysis in the presence of a known amount of a thrombolytic agent, to obtain a coagulation characteristic value of the patient; and comparing the coagulation characteristic value of the patient to a coagulation characteristic value of a healthy individual, the coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual obtained by subjecting a blood sample from a healthy individual to the viscoelastic analysis in the presence of the known amount of the thrombolytic agent, wherein a difference in the coagulation characteristic value of the patient as compared to the coagulation characteristic value of the healthy individual identifies the patent as having aberrant fibrinolysis. In some embodiments, the invention also provides a container adapted for detecting an aberrant fibrinolysis condition in a blood sample using viscoelastic analysis comprising an interior having a coating comprising a thrombolytic agent.

Methods for differentiating full-length high molecular weight kininogen (HMWK) and cleaved HMWK in a sample are provided herein. Such methods may comprise treating a biological sample with a protease to generate a plurality of digested peptides, and measuring one or more signature peptides, which are indicative of cleaved HMWK and/or full-length HMWK.

Provided is a method for assisting in grasping the status of platelet activation, by developing a biomarker that more accurately reflects platelet activation in vivo, said method being usable in testing for thrombotic hemostatic diseases. The method for assisting in grasping the status of platelet activation comprises (1) measuring the concentration of soluble CLEC-2 and a platelet count in a sample obtained from a subject, and (2) calculating a value of [soluble CLEC-2 concentration]/[platelet count] by dividing the soluble CLEC-2 concentration by the platelet count. If desired, the method may further comprise (3) comparing the value with a value of [soluble CLEC-2 concentration]/[platelet count] obtained by using samples from healthy persons.

A sample testing cartridge is usable to perform a variety of tests on a visco-elastic sample, such hemostasis testing on a whole blood or blood component sample. The cartridge includes a sample processing portion that is in fluid communication with a sample retention structure. A suspension, such as a beam, arm, cantilever or similar structure supports or suspends the sample retention portion relative to the sample processing portion in a unitary structure. In this manner, the sample retention portion may be placed into dynamic excitation responsive to excitation of the cartridge and correspondingly dynamic, resonant excitation of the sample contained within the sample retention portion, while the sample processing portion remains fixed. Observation of the excited sample yields data indicative of hemostasis. The data may correspond to hemostasis parameters such as time to initial clot formation, rate of clot formation, maximum clot strength and degree of clot lysis.

Provided are devices, systems and methods for evaluation of hemostasis. Also provided are sound focusing assemblies.

Provided herein is technology relating to microfluidic devices and particularly, but not exclusively, to devices, methods, systems, and kits for imparting stresses on a fluid flowing through a microfluidic device that is designed to mimic a stress profile of a macrofluidic device or pathology.