Importance

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Abstract

A method of immunoassay for analyzing a bodily fluid for the presence of an analyte relies on observing substantially the entire course of a precipitin reaction from initiation to substantial completion of the precipitation, defining a mathematical function which represents the amount of precipitation versus time and contains constants which can be adjusted so that the function matches the observed precipitation versus time curve, and fitting the observed data to the mathematical function by adjusting the constants so that the mathematical function matches the observed precipitation versus time curve as closely as possible. Values for the maximum rate of precipitation and for the time interval from initiation of the precipitation to the time of maximum rate of precipitation are calculated from the mathematical function. A reference curve is generated using standard containing known concentrations of analyte according to conventional analytical procedures. The values so calculated for the parameters of the precipitation can then be used to determine whether a given sample presents a condition of antigen (analyte) excess and must be discarded or a condition of antibody excess which can be used in conjunction with the reference curve to report a valid concentration of analyte.

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First Claim