An injector, for injecting a fluidic sample into a flow path between a fluid drive and a sample separation unit, includes a sample accommodation volume, a sample drive, and a fluidic valve switchable to selectively couple the volume with the flow path or decouple the volume from the flow path. In an injection switching state, the fluid drive, the separation unit and the sample drive are coupled by the valve so that fluid driven by the sample drive and flowing from the volume to the separation unit and further fluid driven by the fluid drive and flowing from the fluid drive to the separation unit are combined at a fluidic connection upstream of the separation unit. A control unit controls a pressure of the fluid and/or the further fluid during injecting.

An injector, for injecting a fluidic sample into a flow path between a fluid drive and a sample separation unit, includes a sample accommodation volume, a sample drive, and a fluidic valve switchable to selectively couple the volume with the flow path or decouple the volume from the flow path. In an injection switching state, the fluid drive, the separation unit and the sample drive are coupled by the valve so that fluid driven by the sample drive and flowing from the volume to the separation unit and further fluid driven by the fluid drive and flowing from the fluid drive to the separation unit are combined at a fluidic connection upstream of the separation unit. A control unit controls a pressure of the fluid and/or the further fluid during injecting.

Disclosed herein is a method for analyzing the concentration of a fluorescent compound in the plasma of a patient. The method includes collecting a sample of plasma from a patient, diluting the sample with a solvent and analyzing the diluted sample by HPLC. The sample does not need to be dried down during sample preparation nor is an internal standard required.

The beta 2 subunit of mouse hemoglobin (HBB2) has been identified as soluble factor from mouse lungs that exhibits cytostatic/cytotoxic activity against neuroblastoma lung micrometastases. The beta subunit of human hemoglobin (HBB) has been found to have similar activity. Methods of using these proteins and fragments thereof in the treatment of cancer and inhibition of metastasis are provided, along with methods of screening a subject for micrometastases by detecting HBB in a biological sample.

The beta 2 subunit of mouse hemoglobin (HBB2) has been identified as soluble factor from mouse lungs that exhibits cytostatic/cytotoxic activity against neuroblastoma lung micrometastases. The beta subunit of human hemoglobin (HBB) has been found to have similar activity. Methods of using these proteins and fragments thereof in the treatment of cancer and inhibition of metastasis are provided, along with methods of screening a subject for micrometastases by detecting HBB in a biological sample.

A high-pressure switching valve includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes a plurality of ports where each port is connected at one end to a port connection and having at another end a predetermined port opening cross section at a stator end face of the stator. The rotor includes a rotor end face and at least one or a plurality of grooves. The rotor can be configured to have a rotary position with respect to the stator where two predetermined port opening cross sections connect to one of the grooves in a pressure-tight manner. The rotor and the stator can be pressed together in a sealing manner at the rotor end face and the stator end face in regions away from the port opening cross sections and the at least one or a plurality of grooves. The rotor and the stator each include a hard material. The rotor can be configured to wobble or tilt with respect to a rotational axis of the rotor.

A high-pressure switching valve includes a stator and a rotor. The stator includes a plurality of ports where each port is connected at one end to a port connection and having at another end a predetermined port opening cross section at a stator end face of the stator. The rotor includes a rotor end face and at least one or a plurality of grooves. The rotor can be configured to have a rotary position with respect to the stator where two predetermined port opening cross sections connect to one of the grooves in a pressure-tight manner. The rotor and the stator can be pressed together in a sealing manner at the rotor end face and the stator end face in regions away from the port opening cross sections and the at least one or a plurality of grooves. The rotor and the stator each include a hard material. The rotor can be configured to wobble or tilt with respect to a rotational axis of the rotor.

A supercritical fluid device includes an analytical channel, a liquid delivery part for delivering a mobile phase constituting a supercritical fluid in the analytical channel, a back pressure regulator for controlling a pressure of the analytical channel so as to cause the mobile phase in the analytical channel to reach a supercritical state, a sample injecting device that includes a sample holder for holding a sample and a switching valve for switching between a state where the sample holder is arranged on the analytical channel and a state where the sample holder is not arranged on the analytical channel, a bypass channel whose one end is connected to a position upstream of the sample injecting device and whose other end is connected to a position downstream of the sample injecting device on the analytical channel, and an analytical column for separating a sample introduced by the sample injecting device into individual components, the analytical column is provided downstream of the position to which the other end of the bypass channel is connected on the analytical channel.

A supercritical fluid device includes an analytical channel, a liquid delivery part for delivering a mobile phase constituting a supercritical fluid in the analytical channel, a back pressure regulator for controlling a pressure of the analytical channel so as to cause the mobile phase in the analytical channel to reach a supercritical state, a sample injecting device that includes a sample holder for holding a sample and a switching valve for switching between a state where the sample holder is arranged on the analytical channel and a state where the sample holder is not arranged on the analytical channel, a bypass channel whose one end is connected to a position upstream of the sample injecting device and whose other end is connected to a position downstream of the sample injecting device on the analytical channel, and an analytical column for separating a sample introduced by the sample injecting device into individual components, the analytical column is provided downstream of the position to which the other end of the bypass channel is connected on the analytical channel.

The subject technology is directed to a CO.sub.2-based chromatography system and method for rapid determination of the levels and/or the presence or absence of steroids or steroid derivatives in a sample.