The purpose of Microquant is to perform statistical analysis of results of biological assays and tests as described in the European Pharmacopoeia (Ph. Eur. 2000). Most parallel-line assays as for example agar diffusion or turbidometric assays of antibiotics can be analyzed with Microquant. This software should be tested before use with sets of adequate sample data, as for instance provided by the pharmacopoeia.
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This free demo may only be used for non-commercial and evaluation purposes. Save and Print functions are disabled. A commercial version is available on request.
Assay Design: The assay design as described in the pharmacopeia.
Number of samples (excl. standard): The number of samples tested.
Number of replicas: The number of times each test was performed. Minimum is 2.
Number of dilutions: The number of different dilutions tested for each sample.
Dilution factor: The concentration ratio between two adjacent dilutions.
Potency of standard: The potency of the undiluted standard in units or micrograms per milligram, as stated on the label of certificate.
Linearization: Some data needs to be transformed to be linear. Angular transformation is used to linearize data from turbidometric antibiotic assays (W. Hewitt, Microbiological Assay, 1977). You have to enter the minimal (negative control) and maximal (positive control) absorbances. ln is the natural logarithm.
Comment: Use this field to document sample IDs, lot number of the standard, additional test information etc. Up to 450 characters can be entered.
The Edit Command will open the Raw Data Window:
Table: Each dilution is entered as a line, each replica as a column. Latin square: Results have to be entered twice: once with the rows grouped as replica, and once with the columns grouped as replica. The arrows switch between standard and the different samples.
Sample weight: The weight of your sample or standard you used for the preparation of the stock solutions, assuming, they are diluted to the same volume. Alternatively, you can enter the gravimetric concentrations (%w/v or mg/ml) of the stock solutions. The stock solution is the solution used to prepare the test solutions. All stock solutions must be treated in the same way to prepare the test solutions. In this case, results will have the same units as the sample potency.
When analyzing liquid samples, you should enter the amount of sample in ml you used to prepare the stock solution. The sample weight of the standard should in this case be entered in mg. (Assuming again equal stock solution volumes and equal further dilutions of the stock). You will then get a result in units per ml.
The Analyze command will open the Results Window:
Significance of regression: The probability that the observed slope is coincidental. This should be below 0.05 (5%). For details see the pharmacopoeia.
Non-parallelism: The probability, that the observed deviation from parallelism is coincidental. This should be above 0.05. Non-parallelism does not necessarily mean an invalid test.
Non-linearity: The probability that the observed
deviation from linearity is coincidental. This should be above 0.05.
Problematic validity results are displayed in red.
Potency: The estimation of the potency of the sample expressed in the units of the standard.
% of Standard: The estimation of the potency of the sample expressed in percent of the potency of the standard.
Lower/Upper Confidence Limit: The estimation of the upper and lower 95% confidence limits, expressed in the units of the standard.
± %: Difference from Lower and Upper Confidence Limits to the estimated potency in percent of the potency.
Several examples from the pharmacopoeia are provided with this distribution and are located in the program directory.
Email: microquant@swissonline.ch