A Highly Flexible, Automated System Providing Reliable Sample Preparation in Element- and Structure-Specific Measurements.

Life science areas require specific sample pretreatment to increase the concentration of the analytes and/or to convert the analytes into an appropriate form for the detection and separation systems. Various workstations are commercially available, allowing for automated biological sample pretreatment. Nevertheless, due to the required temperature, pressure, and volume conditions in typical element and structure-specific measurements, automated platforms are not suitable for analytical processes.

Local regression: a new approach for measurement system comparison analysis.

A new graphical approach for analysis of measurement system comparison studies is proposed. Unlike the established linear regression and Bland-Altman analysis, it does not depend on the assumption of a linear relationship. We review the established analysis approaches and propose a difference plot with non-parametric regression as an adequate tool to describe the relationship between two measurement systems.

A new method of measuring C-reactive protein, with a low limit of detection, suitable for risk assessment of coronary heart disease.

A new indication has been proposed for C-reactive protein (CRP) as a prognostic risk marker of coronary heart disease (CHD). The new indication calls for accurate (true and precise) measurement of CRP within the conventional reference range (< 5 mg/L). The existing turbidimetric and nephelometric methods do not cover the required measuring range and thus time-consuming and labour-intensive enzyme immunoassays have been used for the clinical studies focusing on CHD risk.

Crystal structure to 2.45 A resolution of a monoclonal Fab specific for the Brucella A cell wall polysaccharide antigen.

The atomic structure of an antibody antigen-binding fragment (Fab) at 2.45 A resolution shows that polysaccharide antigen conformation and Fab structure dictated by combinatorial diversity and domain association are responsible for the fine specificity of the Brucella-specific antibody, YsT9.1.