Abstract:
The present invention provides a method for determining thrombotic risk in an individual. The method involves determining the activity of Protein C and Protein S in the plasma of the individual thought to be at thrombotic risk by adding to a plasma sample obtained from the individual: (i) a first reagent in an amount sufficient to induce or activate coagulation in the plasma, (ii) a second reagent which activates endogenous protein C in the plasma, and (iii) a third reagent comprising calcium salts, phospholipids or tissue thromboplastin, or a combination thereof. To a second plasma sample from the same subject is added a reagent which induces or activates coagulation, and a buffer or other material which does not activate protein C, and a third reagent as described above. The time, rate or both, necessary for the conversion of endogenous fibrinogen to fibrin in both the first and second samples is measured. The same steps are performed on normal control plasma, and the difference or ratio in the times, rates, or both, obtained above are determined. The difference or ratio is indicative of the thrombotic risk in the subject. A kit adapted to carry out the method also is the subject of the present invention. The methods and kits of the invention in other embodiments may comprise a first reagent comprising a synthetic substrate, a second reagent which in the first sample from the subject activates protein C, and in the second sample, a second reagent which does not activate protein C. In these embodiments, the rates of hydrolysis of the synthetic substrates are measured and compared.
Abstract:
A method for producing a liquid phase substance having a pre-established concentration of CO₂ suitable for calibrating analytical instruments such as hemogasanalyzers consists in:
preparing an aqueous solution of precisely known strength of a water-soluble salt of carbonic acid (bicarbonate or alkaline carbonate), then transferring said solution to a flow reactor containing a cation exchange resin in hydrogenionic form, passing the aforesaid solution of carbonic acid salt through the aforesaid cation resin, thereby achieving the reaction of producing a pre-established quantity of CO₂, and transferring the eluate thus obtained directly to the analytical instrument for calibration.
Abstract:
The stabilization of glucose oxidase in liquid reagent compositions for laboratory use is attained by having a phosphate buffer in a concentration of 400 to 3500 mM per liter of the liquid reagent. Such phosphate concentration exceeds by a least 100% that normally used to buffer the pH value.