A spatial gradient-based fluorometer featuring a signal processor or processing module configured to: receive signaling containing information about light reflected off fluorophores in a liquid and sensed by a linear sensor array having a length and rows and columns of optical elements; and determine corresponding signaling containing information about a fluorophore concentration of the liquid a fluorophore concentration of the liquid that depends on a spatial gradient of the light reflected and sensed along the length of the linear sensor array, based upon the signaling received.

The automatic analyzer includes a storage unit storing the reaction containers of cleaning target by day unit in such a manner that all the reaction containers mounted on a reaction disk are to be cleaning target within a plurality of days, and a control unit exerts a control in such a manner that during an operation state after the sample of analysis object is dispensed to the reaction containers, a sample of analysis object in each of the reaction containers is analyzed, and not the sample but a detergent is dispensed to the reaction containers of cleaning target of an appointed day, the reaction containers of cleaning target of the appointed day being stored in the storage unit, to soak and wash the reaction containers for a certain time.

The automatic analyzer includes a storage unit storing the reaction containers of cleaning target by day unit in such a manner that all the reaction containers mounted on a reaction disk are to be cleaning target within a plurality of days, and a control unit exerts a control in such a manner that during an operation state after the sample of analysis object is dispensed to the reaction containers, a sample of analysis object in each of the reaction containers is analyzed, and not the sample but a detergent is dispensed to the reaction containers of cleaning target of an appointed day, the reaction containers of cleaning target of the appointed day being stored in the storage unit, to soak and wash the reaction containers for a certain time.

A culturing device includes a microplate including a plurality of vessels, each of the vessels having a bottom surface having light transmittance and an opening at an upper portion, a lid having light transmittance, and an intermediate plate having light transmittance sandwiched between the lid and the microplate. The intermediate plate has a plurality of convex portions on a surface thereof facing the microplate and provided with a plurality of through holes corresponding to the convex portions that are disposed so that when the intermediate plate and the microplate are overlapped, each of the plurality of convex portions is inserted into each of the plurality of vessels and each of the plurality of through holes coincides with the opening of each of the plurality of vessels. The lid comes into contact with the intermediate plate so as to close the plurality of through holes provided in the intermediate plate.

This determination method comprises the steps consisting of providing a reaction vessel (2) containing a blood sample (33) and a ferromagnetic ball (11) placed on a raceway (9) provided in the bottom of the reaction vessel (2), subjecting the ball (11) to a magnetic field so as to move the ball along the raceway (9) in an oscillatory motion, exposing the blood sample to an incident light beam (36), detecting a light beam (38) transmitted through the reaction vessel (2) and coming from the incident light beam (36) in such a way as to provide a measurement signal, carrying out a first processing of the measurement signal in such a way as to provide a first signal representative of the variation of at least one physical quantity representative of the movement of the ball (11), carrying out a second processing of the measurement signal in such a way as to provide a second signal representative of the variation of at least one optical property of the blood sample, determining a first value of the coagulation time of the blood sample from the first signal, and determining a second value of the coagulation time of the blood sample from the second signal.

A reagent for detection of urine monophenolic metabolites and a method for preparing the reagent are disclosed, in which the monophenolic metabolites, for example, tyrosine, p-hydroxyphenyl alanine, tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid can serve as tumor markers. The reagent for detection of urine monophenolic metabolites is an aqueous solution containing nitric acid, sulfuric acid, mercuric sulfate, mercurous nitrate, nickel nitrate, phosphomolybdic acid and cobalt sulfate. The preparation method includes preparation of solutions A, B, C, D and E, and mixing. The subject matter allows easy availability of raw materials, low cost, a simple preparation process, obtainment of reagents with stable performance which offer the advantages including high versatility, high sensitivity and good specificity when used in cancer detection, a simple detection process, a short detection cycle and easy determination, and is particularly suitable for large population screening, assistance in clinical cancer diagnosis and dynamic follow-up.

A reagent for detection of urine monophenolic metabolites and a method for preparing the reagent are disclosed, in which the monophenolic metabolites, for example, tyrosine, p-hydroxyphenyl alanine, tryptophan and 5-hydroxyindoleacetic acid can serve as tumor markers. The reagent for detection of urine monophenolic metabolites is an aqueous solution containing nitric acid, sulfuric acid, mercuric sulfate, mercurous nitrate, nickel nitrate, phosphomolybdic acid and cobalt sulfate. The preparation method includes preparation of solutions A, B, C, D and E, and mixing. The subject matter allows easy availability of raw materials, low cost, a simple preparation process, obtainment of reagents with stable performance which offer the advantages including high versatility, high sensitivity and good specificity when used in cancer detection, a simple detection process, a short detection cycle and easy determination, and is particularly suitable for large population screening, assistance in clinical cancer diagnosis and dynamic follow-up.

Sensor chips and devices that incorporate localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) sensors are described which are suitable for use in near-patient and point-of-care diagnostic testing. In some embodiments, LSPR sensors are integrated with microfabricated fluidics and other system components to create compact, portable bench-top or hand-held diagnostic testing systems. In some embodiments, all components are packaged in compact, portable wearable devices.

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.

The present invention relates to a method for acquiring information on a cause of prolongation of coagulation time. The present invention also relates to a device, a system and a computer program for analyzing blood coagulation.