Predicting a future property using reagents by measuring properties at points in time
A method for measuring specific substances and extracting objective information from the measurements that is especially applicable in immunoassays but can also be used in other assays which rely on affinity between binding partners. The invention overcomes problems and difficulties caused by disturbing or interfering phenomena by exploiting a mathematical algorithm which predicts the target value from a series of measurements performed during the reaction. The mathematical method of linear prediction is used for this purpose.
1. A method of predicting a future property of a system comprising one or more reagents, said reagents undergoing a process, the method comprising:
measuring a plurality of properties of said system at a plurality of points in time to generate a plurality of measurements for each property over a period of time; and
predicting said future property by generating a combination of said plurality of measured properties by combining said properties using predetermined weights for each measured property for each point in time, wherein said predicting comprises summing said plurality of measured properties multiplied by said predetermined weights at each point in time to generate a respective scalar product at each point in time, followed by summing said scalar products, wherein the method further comprises calculating said predetermined weights by analyzing a population of said system of said one or more reagents undergoing said process with a known said future property at said plurality of points in time and measurements of said properties from said population.
2. A method according to claim 1 wherein said combination of said plurality of measured properties is a linear combination of said plurality of measured properties.
3. A method according to claim 1 wherein said predetermined weights are calculated by minimising the difference between said known future property and the future property predicted using said predetermined weights.
4. A method according to claim 3 wherein said predetermined weights are calculated by applying a least means squares method.
5. A method according to claim 1 wherein each of said measured properties is measured at the same said plurality of point in time to generate a plurality of measurements at each point in time.
6. A method according claim 1 wherein the measured properties comprises any known physical property.
7. A method according to claim 1 wherein one of said measured properties of the system is the future property to be predicted.
8. A method according to claim 1 wherein said method predicts the future property of a system comprising an analyte and a binding substance.
9. A method according to claim 1 wherein said method predicts a future property of said system when said process is complete.
10. A method according to claim 1 wherein at least one of said measured properties is the absorbance of light at a predetermined wavelength.
11. A method according to claim 1 when said future property is the absorbance of light at a predetermined wavelength.
12. A method according to claim 1 wherein one or more products comprises a bodily fluid or hygiene sample.
13. A method of predicting a quantity of a product wherein said product is the product of said process between said reagents, said method comprising a method according to claim 1 and further comprising determining the quantity of said product from said predicted future property.
14. A method according to claim 1 , wherein said process comprises an immunological reaction.
15. A method according to claim 14 , wherein said immunological reaction comprises a reaction between a ligand and an anti-ligand.
16. A method according to claim 15 , wherein said ligand and anti-ligand comprises an antibody and antigen.
17. A method according to claim 15 , wherein either one of said ligand or anti-ligand is coupled to a solid support.
18. A method according to claim 17 , wherein said solid support comprises a particle.
19. A method according to claim 18 , wherein said particle comprises latex, gold sol or magnetic or fluorescent particle.
20. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the method predicts the future property of a process comprising an immunological reaction occurring in a turbidimetric or nephelometric assay.
21. A non-transitory computer readable storage medium having recorded thereon program code to predict a future property of a system comprising one or more reagents undergoing a process that, when executed on a computer system, instructs a computer system to carry out the steps according to claim 1 .
22. An analysing tool to predict a future property of a system comprising one or more reagents undergoing a process, the analysing tool comprising:
means for measuring a plurality of properties of said system comprising said one or more reagents; and
a processor configured to carry out the steps according to claim 1 .