A biometric system is disclosed. The biometric system comprises: a measurement cartridge; and a meter, equipped with the measurement cartridge, for measuring an analyte present in a sample of the measurement cartridge. The measurement cartridge comprises a reagent container, a capillary module, and a reagent rod. The reagent container receives a liquid reagent and has a top sealed with a sealing film. The capillary module comprises a capillary tube which is located on an upper side of the reagent container and collects the sample by a capillary phenomenon, and the capillary tube is introduced into the reagent container by rupturing a contact portion to the sealing film by an applied pressure. The reagent rod comprises a plurality of dry reagent accommodating portions which are located on an upper side of the reagent container and accommodate a drying reagent, and the reagent rod is introduced into the reagent container by rupturing a contact portion to the sealing film by an applied pressure.

An in vitro method for diagnosing Alzheimer's disease (AD) includes determining the content of mercaptoalbumin (HMA) in a sample of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF), and comparing the content determined with the content of HMA in CSF in healthy subjects. If the HMA content is less than that of the healthy subjects, it is indicative of AD.

Provided are a polypeptide and nucleic acid for encoding the polypeptide, a nucleic-acid construct, an expression vector, and a host cell containing the nucleic acid, an antigen-presenting cell presenting the polypeptide on the surface of the cell, and immune effector cell thereof, a pharmaceutical composition containing the polypeptide, a vaccine containing the nucleic acid, the nucleic acid construct, the expression vector, the host cell, the antigen-presenting cell, and the immune effector cell, and an antibody recognizing the polypeptide. Also provided is a therapeutic method using the polypeptide, the nucleic acid, the pharmaceutical composition, the vaccine, and the antibody. Also provided are a diagnosis method and diagnosis apparatus for detecting the described polypeptide. Also provided is an application of the polypeptide in preparing a vaccine, a tumor diagnosis kit, or a pharmaceutical composition, and an application of the polypeptide or the nucleic acid as a test target in tumor diagnosis.

Disclosed is a method comprising acquiring a value relating to VEGF-A of a subject, wherein the value is a measured value of total VEGF-A in a blood sample, or a value obtained by dividing a measured value of VEGF-A.sub.165b in the blood sample by a measured value of total VEGF-A in the blood sample (VEGF-A.sub.165b/total VEGF-A), and the value suggests prognosis of myocardial infarction of the subject or severity of coronary artery disease of the subject.

The presently-disclosed subject matter generally to methods for identifying and analyzing biomarkers to determine group effects. The presently-disclosed subject matter also relates to methods for identifying genes and proteins that increase or decrease in response to ischemic stroke damage. The disclosed subject matter further describes methods of predicting edema and infarct volume in a patient. Also described herein are methods of determining the necessity of intervention for smokers. Further disclosed herein, are methods for testing therapies for ischemic stroke.

The present invention provides biomarkers of oxidative stress in subjects with retinitis pigmentosa, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy, Fuchs' dystrophy, diabetic macular edema (DME), geographic atrophy, Stargardt's disease, or retinal vein occlusion (RVO), and their use in identifying subjects in need of treatment and methods for staging the severity of the disease.

Systems and methods for measuring hemoglobin, G6PD activity, and or bilirubin activity in a sample, including measuring the absorbance of a sample, removing background interfering signals, and quantifying the relevant analyte. Systems and methods for reconstituting a reagent in a droplet actuator. Systems and methods for separating plasma from a whole blood sample on a droplet actuator, including combining a sample droplet with an agglutination reagent droplet and using a novel combination of droplet operations to split the sample into a plasma and an agglutinated red blood cell fraction.

Systems and methods for tracking healing progress of multiple adjacent wounds are provided. In one embodiment, a system may include a processor configured to receive a first image of a plurality of adjacent wounds near a form of colorized surface having colored reference elements, determine colors of the plurality of wounds, correct for local illumination conditions, receive a second image of the plurality of wounds near the form of colorized surface, to determine second colors of the plurality of wounds in the second image, match each of the plurality of wounds in the second image to a wound of the plurality of wounds in the first image, and determine an indicator of the healing progress for each of the plurality of wounds based on changes between the first image and the second image.

Provided herein is the use of measurements of cell-free DNA, protein, and/or metabolite found in biofluid (e.g., urine) for identifying and treating organ injury. Provided herein are methods and compositions for monitoring, detecting, quantifying, and treating kidney injury in subjects suffering from or suspected of having an altered renal status by measuring amounts of cfDNA and one or more other markers, such as inflammation markers, apoptosis markers, protein, and DNA methylation.

A urine sample testing apparatus may include a urine qualitative measuring section configured to acquire a measurement result for each of a plurality of urine qualitative measurement items and a urine sediment measuring section configured to acquire a measurement result for each of a plurality of urine sediment measurement items. The apparatus may also include an operation part that can specify a combination of one of the plurality of urine qualitative measurement items and one of the plurality of urine sediment measurement items. An information processing unit may also be included.