Urine testing system and procedure

Abstract

A urine examination system has a storage unit and a control unit. The storage unit stores kidney disease information related to a relationship between a level of a D-amino acid in urine of a feline animal and a degree of a kidney disease of the feline animal. The control unit receives D-amino acid information indicating the level of the D-amino acid in the urine collected from the feline animal from a user terminal possessed by a feeder or an examination institution of the feline animal. Also the control unit estimates the degree of the kidney disease of the feline animal based on the received D-amino acid information and the kidney disease information, and transmits kidney disease degree information indicating the estimated degree of the kidney disease to the user terminal.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This invention relates to a urine testing system and procedure for estimating the stage of kidney disease based on urine examination information from felines and for providing such information to owners. Background Technology

[0002] It has long been known that technology can be used to determine the health status of pets based on the composition of their urine. Patent Document 1 discloses a pet management system comprising: a pet toilet; a urine composition acquisition unit that acquires urine composition information of a pet (cat) and generates information representing this urine composition; a health status determination unit that determines the pet's health status based on the urine composition information and generates health status information representing the pet's health status; and a display control unit that receives the health status information and displays the pet's health status.

[0003] [Existing Technical Documents]

[0004] [Patent Documents]

[0005] [Patent Document 1] JP Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2021-182920 Summary of the Invention

[0006] [The problem the invention aims to solve]

[0007] However, in the technology of the aforementioned Patent Document 1, the determination and display of whether the pet's health status is normal or abnormal does not provide the owner with information indicating the extent of disease progression in the case of an abnormality.

[0008] The subject of this invention relates to a urine testing system and procedure that can easily provide information indicating the degree of kidney disease in felines.

[0009] [Methods used to solve problems]

[0010] One aspect of the present invention relates to a urine testing system comprising a storage unit and a control unit. The storage unit stores kidney disease information relating to the level of D-amino acids in the urine of a feline and the severity of kidney disease in the feline. The control unit receives D-amino acid information, representing the level of D-amino acids in the urine collected from the feline, from a user terminal owned by the feline's owner, veterinarian, or examination institution. Furthermore, based on the received D-amino acid information and the kidney disease information, the control unit estimates the severity of the feline's kidney disease and sends kidney disease severity information, representing the estimated severity of kidney disease, to the user terminal.

[0011] Other aspects of the present invention relate to a procedure that causes the information processing device to perform the following steps:

[0012] The system stores kidney disease information, which is related to the level of D-amino acids in the urine of felines and the degree of kidney disease in the felines.

[0013] Receive D-amino acid information, representing the level of D-amino acids in urine collected from the feline, from a user terminal owned by the breeder, veterinarian, or examination institution of the feline.

[0014] The degree of kidney disease in the feline is estimated based on the received D-amino acid information and the kidney disease information.

[0015] The kidney disease severity information, indicating the presumed severity of kidney disease, is sent to the user terminal.

[0016] [The effects of the invention]

[0017] According to one aspect of the present invention, a urine testing system can easily provide information indicating the degree of kidney disease in felines. However, this effect does not limit the invention. Attached Figure Description

[0018] Figure 1 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of a cat urine testing system according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0019] Figure 2 This is a diagram illustrating the hardware structure of a cat urine testing server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0020] Figure 3 This is a diagram illustrating the structure of the database of a cat urine testing server according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0021] Figure 4 This is a table showing the cats that were subjects of an enzymatic test for D-amino acid determination in cat urine, implemented according to one embodiment of the present invention, and the determined stage of kidney disease.

[0022] Figure 5 This is a graph showing the results of an enzymatic assay for D-amino acids in cat urine, performed according to one embodiment of the present invention.

[0023] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating a process for accepting and processing a simplified home examination application executed by a cat urine examination server, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0024] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating a process of accepting and processing an external inspection agency's inspection application, executed by a cat urine inspection server, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0025] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating a process for providing kidney disease stage information, performed by a cat urine testing server, according to an embodiment of the present invention.

[0026] Figure 9 This is a graph showing the results of an enzymatic assay for D-amino acids in the urine of zoo felines, performed according to other embodiments of the invention. Detailed Implementation

[0027] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0028] [System Structure]

[0029] This system is designed to examine the levels of D-amino acids in cat urine and provide cat owners with information on the stage of kidney disease in their cats.

[0030] like Figure 1 As shown, the cat urine examination system involved in this embodiment includes a cat urine examination server 100 on the Internet 50, multiple breeder terminals 200, examination agency terminals 300 of examination institutions (including medical institutions), and veterinary terminals 400 of veterinarians.

[0031] The cat urine testing server 100 provides cat owners with information on the stage of feline kidney disease (cat urine testing) to users of the breeder terminal 200. The cat urine testing server 100 is connected to multiple breeder terminals 200, testing agency terminals 300, and veterinary terminals 400 via the Internet 50.

[0032] The cat urine testing server 100 estimates the stage of the cat's kidney disease based on D-amino acid information indicating the level of D-amino acids in the cat's urine, which is received from the breeder terminal 200 or the testing institution terminal 300, and sends the kidney disease stage information indicating the stage of the kidney disease to the breeder terminal 200 or the testing institution terminal 300.

[0033] The breeder terminal 200 (200A, 200B, 200C...) is a terminal used by the breeder mentioned above, such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet PC (Personal Computer), laptop PC, desktop PC, etc.

[0034] The pet owner terminal 200 sends a request for a cat urine test (kidney disease stage information) along with D-amino acid information to the cat urine test server 100. It receives the kidney disease stage information from the cat urine test server 100 and displays it on a screen via a browser or similar means. Alternatively, if the pet owner terminal 200 has an application corresponding to the cat urine test service installed (hereinafter referred to as the cat urine test application), it can also send a cat urine test request to the cat urine test server 100 through this application to display the kidney disease stage information.

[0035] The testing terminal 300, such as a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet PC, laptop PC, or desktop PC, analyzes cat urine samples obtained from owners via mail or other means and obtains D-amino acid information, which is then sent to the cat urine testing server 100.

[0036] The veterinary terminal 400 can be, for example, a smartphone, mobile phone, tablet PC, laptop PC, or desktop PC. When the cat urine examination server 100 sends the aforementioned kidney disease stage information to the breeder terminal 200, the veterinarian-generated suggestion information is sent to the cat urine examination server 100 as needed based on the kidney disease stage information.

[0037] D-amino acids (D-isomers) have a mirror image relationship with L-amino acids (L-isomers), which are major building blocks of organisms. In recent years, their application value in various fields, primarily as biomarkers for various diseases, has been anticipated. While attempting to validate renal indicators based on chiral amino acid metabolomics (a method for separating and quantifying mirror image isomers of amino acids) in cat urine, the inventors discovered a large number of previously thought to be trace amounts of D-amino acid molecules in cat urine.

[0038] Furthermore, it is believed that as renal function declines in cats, the levels of D-amino acids in urine of various molecular types, the ratio of Ⅾ isomers to L-isomers, the ratio of Ⅾ isomers to (Ⅾ isomers + L-isomers), and even the total amount of D-amino acids decrease, thus suggesting the possibility that these indicators of renal severity and ultra-early stages could be useful as alternatives to blood indicators.

[0039] Furthermore, the inventors have discovered the possibility of a simple determination of D-amino acids based on oxidases. This involves using an enzyme (D-amino acid oxidase) to induce a colorimetric reaction, thereby visualizing the decline in renal function (hereinafter also referred to as the "enzymatic method"). Compared with existing chromatographic methods (LC-MS) (mass analysis, fluorescence detection methods), this method is expected to reduce initial investment and maintenance costs.

[0040] In this embodiment, there are two methods and approaches for the examination: The owner mails samples of cat urine (urine, cat litter, pee pads, etc.) collected from the cat to the testing agency, which then performs the examination using the aforementioned enzymatic method or chromatographic method and sends the results to the cat urine testing server 100; or the owner performs the examination at home using a simple enzyme-based testing kit and sends the resulting image (hereinafter also referred to as a "cat urine test image") of the colorimetric reaction to the cat urine testing server 100.

[0041] The test kit consists of urine collection equipment and urine testing instruments. Urine testing instruments are generally used for urine testing in cats and employ methods such as chromatography and enzymatic methods. In addition, urine collection equipment can also be used as urine testing instruments.

[0042] The so-called simplified test kit is a kit that uses urine collection equipment as a urine test instrument. Examples include electrochemical devices (toilet systems) that use the above-mentioned enzymes, color beads (cat litter), and simple test strips (urine pads).

[0043] The test kit includes, for example, items related to enzymatic methods, such as pipette tips for sample collection, enzyme reaction solution, and syringes for collection (including spare syringes), water collection droppers, cuvettes, cuvette holders, cuvette caps, dilution tubes, colorimetric cards, and colorimeters.

[0044] In this embodiment, the term "cat" refers to animals of the Felidae family, that is, mammals of the order Carnivora. More specifically, cats belonging to the genus Feliforme of the subfamily Feliinae include domestic cats, grey cats, Libyan wildcats, desert cats, black-footed cats, European wildcats, etc., but their breeds are not particularly limited.

[0045] In this embodiment, "kidney disease" refers to a state in which abnormalities occur in the kidneys, resulting in impaired kidney function, primarily referring to chronic kidney disease, which is common in cats. Chronic kidney disease means that kidney function gradually declines, leading to kidney failure.

[0046] Traditionally, feline kidney disease has been diagnosed through a comprehensive assessment by veterinarians based on IRIS (International Study of Veterinary Kidney Disease) guidelines, physical examinations (color, urine volume, urine specific gravity, pH), and medical history taking. Specifically, the stages of kidney disease are classified according to the IRIS guidelines (2023 revision) as follows, and the kidney disease stage information provided by the urine testing server 100 in this embodiment is also based on this classification. Furthermore, this kidney disease stage is one example of information indicating the severity of kidney disease (kidney disease severity information), and the severity of kidney disease can also be classified in a different way than the stages described below.

[0047] Normal: Serum creatinine level less than 1.6 (mg / dL), or symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) level less than 14 (μg / dL).

[0048] • Stage I (initial stage): Serum creatinine level less than 1.6 (mg / dL), or symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) level 14~17 (μg / dL).

[0049] • Stage II (mild): Serum creatinine level is 1.6-2.8, or symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) level is 18-25.

[0050] • Stage III (moderate): Serum creatinine level 2.9-5.0, or symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) level 26-38.

[0051] Stage IV (severe): Serum creatinine level exceeding 5.0 or symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) level exceeding 38.

[0052] In this embodiment, the D-amino acid level measured is, for example, the concentration of each D-amino acid selected from D-tyrosine, D-methionine, D-tryptophan, D-ornithine, and D-histidine, but is not limited to this. For example, it can also be the ratio of the amount of D-amino acid to L-amino acid (Amount of D-amino acid / Amount of L-amino acid), the chiral balance of the D-amino acid (Amount of D-amino acid / (Amount of D-amino acid + Amount of L-amino acid) × 100), or the total amount of D-amino acids (hereinafter referred to as "DAA"). DAA, D-serine, D-alanine, total L-amino acids, creatinine, etc. are preferred from the perspective of ease of application of enzymatic methods, and DAA is more preferred from the perspective of accuracy of colorimetric reaction.

[0053] [Hardware structure of the cat urine detection server]

[0054] Figure 2 This is a diagram showing the hardware structure of the cat urine inspection server 100.

[0055] Such as Figure 2 As shown, the cat urine testing server 100 includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit) 11, a ROM (Read Only Memory) 12, a RAM (Random Access Memory) 13, an input / output interface 15, and a bus 14 that connects them to each other.

[0056] CPU 11 is a control unit that appropriately accesses RAM 13 and other components as needed, and comprehensively controls the various modules of the cat urine inspection server 100 while performing various calculations. Multiple CPUs 11 can also be configured according to processing requirements. ROM 12 is a non-volatile memory that permanently stores the firmware such as the OS, programs, and various parameters that enable the CPU 11 to execute. RAM 13 serves as the working area of ​​the CPU 11, temporarily holding the OS, various running applications, and various processed data.

[0057] The display unit 16, operation receiving unit 17, storage unit 18, communication unit 19, etc. are connected to the input / output interface 15.

[0058] The display unit 16 employs a display device such as LCD (Liquid Crystal Display), OELD (Organic Electro-Luminescence Display), or CRT (Cathode Ray Tube).

[0059] The operation receiving unit 17 can be a positioning device such as a mouse, a keyboard, a touch panel, or other input device. When the operation receiving unit 17 is a touch panel, the touch panel can be integrated with the display unit 16.

[0060] Storage unit 18 is a non-volatile memory such as HDD (Hard Disk Drive), flash memory (SSD; Solid State Drive), or other solid-state storage. Storage unit 18 stores the aforementioned operating system or various applications and various data.

[0061] Although described later, in particular in this embodiment, the storage unit 18 includes, in addition to the applications and other programs required for providing and processing kidney disease stage information as described later, a user information database, a urine collection and examination equipment information database, a kidney disease information database, and a kidney disease stage information database.

[0062] The communication unit 19 consists of various modules for wireless communication, such as a NIC (Network Interface Card) for Ethernet or a wireless LAN, and is responsible for communication processing with the aforementioned breeder terminal 200, inspection agency terminal 300, and veterinary terminal 400.

[0063] In addition, although not shown in the figure, the basic hardware structure of the breeder terminal 200, the inspection agency terminal 300 and the veterinary terminal 400 is roughly the same as that of the cat urine inspection server 100 mentioned above.

[0064] [Database structure of the cat urine detection server]

[0065] like Figure 3 As shown, the cat urine testing server 100 has a user information database 31, a urine collection and testing equipment information database 32, a kidney disease information database 33, and a kidney disease stage information database 34 in the storage unit 18. In addition, these databases can be stored not only in the storage unit 18, but also in storage devices or servers connected externally to the cat urine testing server 100.

[0066] User information database 31 stores attribute information for each user, including the aforementioned pet owners and their pet cats, of members who provide information services related to the stage of kidney disease. User attribute information includes general information such as name, user ID used to identify the user, date of birth, address, gender, and email address, as well as information such as frequently visited veterinarians and the number of pets currently owned. Cat attribute information includes name, pet ID, breed, gender, age, weight, microchip identification number, symptoms of illness, and an image of the cat.

[0067] The urine collection and testing equipment information database 32 stores information for each device used to collect cat urine, as well as information related to the simplified D-amino acid testing kit based on the above-mentioned enzymatic method used after the urine collection (product number, product name, price, manufacturer name, sales website URL, etc.).

[0068] Urine collection devices are instruments that can hold or contain urine. Examples include urine collection pads, urine collection containers, cat litter boxes, urine collection sponges, non-clumping cat litter (silica gel, wood, zeolite, paper, etc.), dropper containers for mailing, urine collection spoons, and plastic urine-absorbing pads. A list of urine collection devices (urine collection device information) is created by combining two or more of these items. As for simple test kits, examples include, as mentioned above, enzyme-based electrochemical devices (toilet systems), color beads (cat litter), and simple test strips (urine pads).

[0069] The kidney disease information database 33 stores information that establishes a correspondence between color information obtained from a colorimetric test involving cat urine and the aforementioned enzymes and the stages of kidney disease according to the IRIS guidelines. As different color information corresponding to each stage of kidney disease, a correspondence can be established either between different hues for each stage of kidney disease, or between colors of the same hue but different concentrations (color concentration information) for each stage of kidney disease (e.g., a deeper purple is closer to normal, and a lighter purple indicates a more severe stage of kidney disease).

[0070] Furthermore, the kidney disease information database 33 also stores information indicating the relationship between examination conditions and the aforementioned color information. These examination conditions include at least one of the following: reaction time of the colorimetric test, the location of the test, the urine testing instrument used (electrochemical device, colorimetric beads, test strips, etc.), the temperature during the test, and the number of retries. This is because the color displayed in the cat urine examination image received from the owner's terminal 200 may differ depending on the examination conditions, requiring correction. Specifically, for example, color information may be stored for each different examination condition, or a correction value relative to a reference color value may be stored. As described above, when the urine testing instrument also functions as a urine collection device, the examination conditions may also include information about the urine collection device.

[0071] The kidney disease information database 33 may also store treatment information (including information related to treatment drugs) that corresponds to the stage of the aforementioned kidney disease, as well as prevention information (including information on effective pet food, etc.) that represents the prevention of kidney disease in normal conditions.

[0072] The kidney disease stage information database 34 stores, on a per-user (and per-pet) basis, cat urine examination images received from the breeder terminal 200 or examination result information received from the examination institution terminal 300, and kidney disease stage information generated based on this information. Furthermore, the kidney disease stage information database 34 may also store, corresponding to the kidney disease stage information, veterinary recommendations received from the veterinary terminal 400.

[0073] In addition, the storage department also stores information related to external inspection agencies (agency name, agency ID, address, telephone number, email address, etc.) and information related to veterinarians (hospital name, veterinarian name, veterinarian ID, address, telephone number, email address, etc.).

[0074] These databases are used, as needed, in the process of providing information on the stage of kidney disease performed by the cat urine examination server 100, as described later.

[0075] [Experimental Example: Determination of D-Amino Acids in Cat Urine Based on Enzymatic Method]

[0076] The inventors conducted an experiment as follows, using an enzymatic method to determine the total concentration of D-amino acids in cat urine for a simple examination in the home of a pet owner, which is described in this embodiment.

[0077] (1) Experimental overview

[0078] The study included cats in the normal group (N=16) and the group with decreased renal function (N=14, hereinafter referred to as the kidney disease group). Figure 4Correlation analysis of renal function and urine composition was performed. After urine collection, the urine was classified based on the aforementioned IRIS guidelines, which are the current standard, and the comprehensive judgment of the veterinarian's consultation. As auxiliary tests for feline urine, pH (LAQUAtwin compact pH meter manufactured by Horiba Corporation), urine specific gravity (USG) (PAL-canine and feline urine hydrometer manufactured by Aitek Corporation), and urine creatinine (CRE) (thinka RT-4010 urine chemical analysis device manufactured by Aikelai Co., Ltd.) were also measured.

[0079] (2) Determination of total D-amino acid concentration (DAA) in cat urine (creation of calibration curve and calculation of quantitative value)

[0080] Following the instructions of the D-Amino Acid Assay Kit (MET-5136, colorimetric method, manufactured by CellBiolabs), pre-prepared calibration curves were plotted for the kit's built-in standard (D-Alanine) at concentrations of 0, 1.56, 3.13, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μM. DAA determination in cat urine was performed (the purple color reaction progresses with increasing D-amino acid content, eventually resulting in an observable color change).

[0081] Specifically, 10 μL of cat urine was placed in a 10 mL screw-top test tube (Spitch Glass) (trade name: reinforced hard screw-top test tube), mixed with 90 μL of the test kit's built-in Assay buffer, and then centrifuged at 2130 × g (3000 rpm) for 5 minutes at 4°C to remove proteins and collect the amino acids from the supernatant.

[0082] Next, 50 μL of the pre-prepared standard solution and 50 μL of cat urine were added to a 96-well microplate (No. 655801, manufactured by Greiner bio-one).

[0083] Next, 50 μL of the enzyme reaction solution (Colorimetric Probe, HRP, D-AminoAcid Oxidase mixture) built into the kit was added, and the mixture was immediately mixed under the cover of light and incubated at 37°C for 1 hour (D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) reaction).

[0084] Finally, the DAA in the enzyme reaction solution was measured using an ELISA reader (SH-9000 Lab, manufactured by Corona Electric Co., Ltd.) at a wavelength of 570 nm.

[0085] (3) Data analysis (analysis and visualization of total D-amino acid concentration (DAA) in cat urine)

[0086] like Figure 5 As shown, it is believed that DAA in cat urine, based on an enzyme-based method, decreases with declining kidney function (deterioration of kidney stage) (the purple color becomes lighter). The DAA ranges corresponding to each stage are: Normal >420 μM, Stage I (300-420 μM), Stage II (200-300 μM), Stage III (100-200 μM), and Stage IV <100 μM. This technology can also be installed in homes, medical testing facilities, etc. (including, for example, DAA test strips (color samples) using enzymes, simplified numericalization based on image analysis, and multiple visualizations based on biosensors that incorporate multiple enzymes), and can also become a more precise kidney monitoring method by combining it with other promising indicators.

[0087] Furthermore, this method is not limited to any particular urine collection method. It can be used to examine a wide range of urine samples, including natural urine collection, catheter urine collection, bladder puncture urine collection, urine collection pad squeeze fluid, urine collection sponge extract, liquid flowing through non-clumping cat litter (silicone, wood, zeolite, and paper, etc.), mailed urine collection kit fluid, scoop-type collection fluid, and plastic diaper pad collection fluid.

[0088] [Actions of the cat urine inspection server]

[0089] Next, the operation of the cat urine detection server 100 configured as described above will be explained. This operation is performed through the cooperation of the hardware such as the CPU 11 and the communication unit 19 of the cat urine detection server 100 and the software stored in the storage unit 18. In the following description, for convenience, the CPU 11 will be referred to as the main body of the operation.

[0090] (Application and processing of simple home examination)

[0091] Figure 6 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of accepting and processing a simple home examination application executed by the cat urine examination server 100. As a prerequisite for this process and subsequent processes, it is assumed that the owner's information and pet information stored in the aforementioned user information database 31 are sent from the owner's terminal 200 to the cat urine examination server 100, and the user registration process is completed.

[0092] As shown in the figure, the CPU 11 of the cat urine inspection server 100 first determines whether a home check request has been received from the owner's terminal 200 (step 61). The home check request is sent via, for example, an request button displayed in the aforementioned cat urine inspection application.

[0093] If it is determined that a request for a simple examination within the home has been received ("Yes" in step 61), the CPU11 sends the urine collection equipment information representing the urine collection equipment list to the breeder terminal 200 with reference to the urine collection and examination equipment information database 32 (step 62).

[0094] Next, the CPU11 determines whether it has received selection information (urine collection device identification information) from the breeder terminal 200 for selecting any urine collection device (step 63).

[0095] If it is determined that the above selection information has been received ("Yes" in step 63), the CPU11 sends the urine collection equipment list to the breeder terminal 200 with reference to the urine collection and examination equipment information database 32 (step 64).

[0096] Next, the CPU11 determines whether it has received selection information (urine examination device identification information) from the breeder terminal 200 for selecting any urine examination device (step 65).

[0097] If it is determined that the above selection information has been received ("Yes" in step 65), the CPU11 sends the purchase page for the selected urine collection device and urine testing equipment (step 66).

[0098] Next, CPU11 determines whether the checkout process on the aforementioned purchase page has been completed (step 67). If the checkout is completed ("Yes" in step 67), CPU11 sends the home simplified examination application completion screen to the breeder terminal 200 and displays it (step 68). Alternatively, the urine collection device and urine testing instrument can be checked out separately. Furthermore, if a simplified examination kit that can be used as both a urine collection device and a urine testing instrument is selected, the selection and checkout processes for the urine collection device and urine testing instrument in steps 62-68 above are replaced by the selection and checkout processes for the simplified examination kit.

[0099] (Handling of inspection applications from external inspection agencies)

[0100] Figure 7 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of accepting and processing inspection applications from external inspection agencies, executed by the cat urine inspection server 100.

[0101] As shown in the figure, the CPU 11 of the cat urine inspection server 100 first determines whether an external inspection agency inspection request has been received from the owner's terminal 200 (step 71). The external inspection agency inspection request is also sent via, for example, an application button displayed in the aforementioned cat urine inspection application.

[0102] If it is determined that an inspection request from an external inspection agency has been received ("Yes" in step 71), the CPU11 sends a list of external inspection agencies to the breeder terminal 200 (step 72).

[0103] Next, CPU11 determines whether it has received selection information from breeder terminal 200 to select any external inspection agency (step 73).

[0104] If it is determined that the above selection information has been received ("Yes" in step 73), the CPU11 sends the inspection fee settlement page of the selected external inspection agency to the breeder terminal 200 (step 74).

[0105] Next, CPU11 determines whether the settlement on the aforementioned settlement page has been completed (step 75). If the settlement is determined to be completed ("Yes" in step 75), CPU11 sends the urine test request along with the information of the requesting owner and pet to the external testing agency (step 76). Subsequently, the urine collection equipment is mailed from the testing agency to the owner. Furthermore, the settlement of the testing fee is not related to the urine test request to the external testing agency.

[0106] Furthermore, the CPU11 sends the completed inspection application screen from the external inspection agency to the breeder terminal 200 for display (step 77).

[0107] (Information provision and processing for stages of kidney disease)

[0108] Figure 8 This is a flowchart illustrating the process of providing kidney disease stage information performed by the cat urine examination server 100.

[0109] As shown in the figure, the CPU 11 first determines whether a cat urine test request (kidney disease stage information transmission request) has been received from the owner's terminal 200 via, for example, a cat urine test application (step 81). This cat urine test request includes a cat urine test image and test condition information. The owner inputs test condition information through the urine test application, including the reaction time, location, urine test apparatus used (electrochemical device, color beads, test strips, etc.), temperature during the test, number of retries, etc., and uploads a cat urine test image obtained by capturing the color reaction result in the urine test apparatus. In this case, as the cat urine test image, an image capturing both the colorimetric sample and the completed urine test apparatus (beads, pee pad) can also be sent (the urine test application may also indicate this).

[0110] If the CPU determines that the above-mentioned cat urine examination request has been received ("Yes" in step 81), the CPU 11 estimates the stage of kidney disease based on the received cat urine examination image, examination condition information, and information from the kidney disease information database 33 (step 82). Specifically, the CPU 11 determines the stage of kidney disease that matches the color information analyzed from the received urine examination image with the above-mentioned examination condition information. For example, the CPU 11 determines the stage of kidney disease by applying the color concentration analyzed from the urine examination image to the corresponding stage of kidney disease set according to each examination condition, or by applying the value of the color concentration corrected according to the above-mentioned examination condition information to the corresponding stage of kidney disease.

[0111] Next, CPU11 sends the suggestion request, along with the information about the presumed stage of kidney disease and the information about the owner and pet of the source of the examination request, to veterinary terminal 400 (step 83). This veterinary terminal 400 may also be the veterinary terminal 400 of a veterinarian who is frequently visited by the owner of the source of the examination request and is associated with the owner in the aforementioned user information database 31.

[0112] Next, CPU11 determines whether it has received a suggestion message from veterinary terminal 400 (step 84).

[0113] If the above-mentioned suggestion information is received ("Yes" in step 84), the suggestion information and the treatment method information (prevention method information under normal circumstances) corresponding to the above-predicted kidney disease stage are combined to generate kidney disease stage information (step 85), and sent to the breeder terminal 200 (step 86). Sending the veterinarian's suggestion information and treatment / prevention method information is not mandatory.

[0114] Additionally, if the owner requests an external examination, the examination results are sent from the examination agency terminal 300 to the urine examination server 100. If the examination results include the aforementioned cat urine examination image and examination condition information, they are then processed via the aforementioned... Figure 8 The same process as the flowchart sends kidney disease stage information to the breeder terminal 200. For example, if the test result is a D-amino acid value, the cat urine test server 100 determines the kidney disease stage corresponding to that D-amino acid value and sends the corresponding kidney disease stage information to the breeder terminal 200.

[0115] As explained above, according to this embodiment, the urine testing system can easily provide information indicating the stage of kidney disease in cats.

[0116] [Variation Example]

[0117] The embodiments of the present invention have been described above, but the present invention is not limited to the above embodiments. Of course, various modifications can be made without departing from the spirit of the present invention.

[0118] In the above-described embodiments, a D-amino acid test is performed at home using a simple enzymatic test kit. The urine test image and test condition information are sent from the breeder's terminal 200 to the urine test server 100. Alternatively, the veterinarian can perform the enzymatic D-amino acid test and send the urine test image and test condition information to the urine test server 100. In this case, urine can be collected using the aforementioned urine collection equipment instead of the breeder, or the veterinarian can collect urine using a catheter or bladder puncture. Furthermore, the kidney disease stage information inferred based on the sent urine test image and test condition information can be sent to the veterinarian's terminal 400 (the sending veterinarian) or to the breeder's terminal 200 associated with a frequently visited veterinarian in the user information database 31.

[0119] The above-described embodiment illustrates an example where the owner collects cat urine at home and mails the sample to a testing facility. Alternatively, after collecting the cat urine at home, the owner can take the sample to an animal hospital (veterinarian) for a D-amino acid test using the aforementioned enzymatic method and other urine testing equipment. The resulting image and test information are then sent to the cat urine testing server 100. In this case, urine can also be collected at the animal hospital instead of at home. Furthermore, after collecting urine at home or at the animal hospital, the sample can be mailed to the testing facility without a D-amino acid test (the subsequent generation of kidney disease stage information is the same as in the above-described embodiment). The kidney disease stage information generated by the urine testing server 100 based on the test results can also be sent to the veterinary terminal 400, or to the owner's terminal 200 associated with a frequently visited veterinarian in the user information database 31.

[0120] In the above-described embodiments, kidney disease stage information based on the IRIS guidelines is provided to the breeder terminal 200 or the examination facility terminal 300 as information indicating the degree of kidney disease. However, the information provided indicating the degree of kidney disease is not limited to this; for example, it may be stage information based on a different classification method than the IRIS guidelines, such as differentiation information corresponding to the range of D-amino acid values, or information on the kidney function score or ranking of the group of cats that have undergone urine tests up to this point.

[0121] In the above-described embodiment, information related to the results of a single examination is sent as kidney disease stage information. However, if the same pet ID has previously sent kidney disease stage information to the same owner terminal 200 as the source of the urine test request, the urine test server 100 may also generate and send progress information for multiple kidney disease stages, including past kidney disease stage information, to the owner terminal 200. In this case, the urine test server 100 associates and stores the same pet ID and urine test date or urine test date and time with the results of each urine test, and generates the aforementioned progress information based on this information.

[0122] In the above embodiment, the storage unit 18 may also store weight information representing the weights corresponding to the susceptibility to hereditary kidney diseases for each breed of cat. Specifically, Himalayan, Persian, and American Shorthair cats are considered to be prone to hereditary polycystic kidney disease. Furthermore, although cases of feline amyloidosis are relatively rare, Abyssinian and Somali cats are considered to have a high incidence of this disease. Therefore, for these cat breeds, the risk-related weights for kidney disease are set higher compared to other breeds. When estimating the stage of kidney disease, not only is the estimated stage information provided, but information indicating a higher probability can also be added. Furthermore, even if the estimated stage of kidney disease is Stage I (early stage) or Stage II (mild), a suggestion indicating a risk of severe progression can be added for these cat breeds.

[0123] In the above embodiments, cats (domestic cats) belonging to the Felinae subfamily are cited as examples of felines, but felines are not limited to this. The present invention is also applicable to the examination of urine from animals such as cougars, which are larger than the Felinae subfamily, as well as lions, tigers, jaguars, leopards, etc., which belong to the Pantherinae subfamily.

[0124] The inventors conducted an experiment to determine the concentration of D-amino acids in the urine of large felines kept by the Tennoji Zoo, a local administrative independent agency, as follows.

[0125] (1) Experimental overview

[0126] The study included zoo felines in the normal group (jaguar female (Xiaochun) 3 years old: urine collection dates January 31, 2024 / February 29, 2024 / March 18, 2024; lion male 13 years old (advanced age): urine collection dates January 28, 2024 / February 28, 2024 / March 21, 2024) and the CKD group (Siberian tiger male (Feng) 3 years old: urine collection dates February 27, 2023 / March 1, 2023; cougar female (Mary) 16 years old: urine collection dates March 5, 2023 / April 9, 2023 / April 14, 2023 / May 1, 2023) (see reference). Figure 9 A correlation analysis between renal function and urine composition was conducted. After urine collection, the urine was categorized based on a comprehensive assessment made by the zoo veterinarians.

[0127] (2) Determination of total D-amino acid concentration (DAA) in urine of felines in zoos (creation of calibration curve and calculation of quantitative values)

[0128] Following the procedures outlined in the D-Amino Acid Assay Kit (MET-5136, colorimetric method, CellBiolabs), pre-prepared calibration curves were plotted for the kit's built-in standard (D-Alanine) at concentrations of 0, 1.56, 3.13, 6.25, 12.5, 25, 50, and 100 μM. DAA determination in the urine of zoo felines was performed (the purple color reaction progresses with increasing D-amino acid content, eventually resulting in an observable color change).

[0129] Specifically, 10 μL of zoo feline urine was placed in a 10 mL screw-top test tube (Spitch Glass) (trade name: reinforced hard screw-top test tube), mixed with 90 μL of the test kit's built-in Assay buffer, and then centrifuged at 2130×g (3000 rpm) for 5 minutes at 4°C to remove proteins, and the amino acids in the supernatant were collected.

[0130] Next, 50 μL of the pre-prepared standard solution and 50 μL of zoo feline urine were added to a 96-well microplate (No. 655801, manufactured by Greiner bio-one).

[0131] Next, 50 μL of the enzyme reaction solution (Colorimetric Probe, HRP, D-AminoAcid Oxidase mixture) built into the kit was added, and the mixture was immediately mixed under the cover of light and incubated at 37°C for 1 hour (D-amino acid oxidase (DAO) reaction).

[0132] Finally, the DAA in the enzyme reaction solution was measured (wavelength 570nm) using an ELISA reader (SH-9000 Lab, manufactured by Corona Electric Co., Ltd.).

[0133] (3) Data analysis (analysis and visualization of total D-amino acid concentration (DAA) in the urine of felines in zoos)

[0134] like Figure 9 As shown in (A) Normal group and (B) Kidney Disease (CKD) group in the same figure), it is believed that in the enzymatic method for DAA in the urine of zoo felines, the amount of DAA in the urine also decreases with the decline of renal function (the purple coloration decreases, even in chromatographic and electrochemical sensing methods).

[0135] This technology can also track real-time dynamic changes (including drug intervention dynamics), making it suitable not only for homes and medical testing facilities, but also for a wide range of applications in zoos, from small to large felines (e.g., enzyme-based DAA test strips (colorimetric cards), simplified numerical methods based on image analysis, and multi-enzyme-based biosensors for multiple visualizations (DAA sensing, species-specific detection of D-amino acid molecules)). Furthermore, it can be combined with other promising indicators and testing techniques (mail-in testing, on-site testing in such cases, etc.). Through precise kidney monitoring and treatment interventions, it also contributes to nature conservation (protecting rare wildlife and biodiversity).

[0136] In the above embodiment, the cat urine examination server 100 receives a cat urine examination request from the breeder terminal 200 and sends kidney disease stage information to the breeder terminal 200. However, the source of the cat urine examination request and the destination of the kidney disease stage information are not limited to the breeder terminal 200; they can also be third-party terminals. For example, the cat urine examination server 100 may receive a cat urine examination request from the examination institution terminal 300 or the veterinary terminal 400, and correspondingly send kidney disease stage information to the examination institution terminal 300, the veterinary terminal 400, or the breeder terminal 200. These breeder terminals 200, examination institution terminals 300, and veterinary terminals 400 can all function as "user terminals" that can communicate with the cat urine examination server 100.

[0137] In the above-described embodiment, only one cat urine testing server 100 is shown, but it is acceptable for the processing performed by the cat urine testing server 100 to be performed on multiple servers. For example, the server that accepts the above-described simple home examination application requests, the examination requests from external examination institutions, and the server that sends kidney disease stage information in response to cat urine examination requests can also exist independently.

[0138] The functions implemented by the structural elements described in the embodiments of the present invention can also be installed in a general-purpose processor, application-specific processor, integrated circuit, ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuits), CPU, conventional circuit, and / or a circuit or processing circuitry including combinations thereof, programmed to implement the described functions, and these functions can function as a control unit. The processor includes transistors and other circuits, and is considered as a circuit or a processing circuit. Furthermore, the processor can also be a programmed processor that executes a program stored in memory. In the embodiments of the present invention, the circuit, component, or unit is hardware programmed to implement the described functions, or hardware that performs the operation. This hardware can also be any hardware disclosed in the embodiments of the present invention, or any known hardware programmed to implement the described functions or perform the operation. In the case where the hardware is considered a circuit-type processor, the circuit, unit, or component is a combination of hardware and software used to constitute the hardware and / or processor.

Claims

1. A urine testing system, comprising: The storage unit stores kidney disease information, which is related to the level of D-amino acids in the urine of felines and the severity of kidney disease in those felines; and Control Department The control unit performs the following processing: Receive D-amino acid information indicating the level of D-amino acids in urine collected from the feline from a user terminal held by the breeder, veterinarian, or examination authority of the feline. Based on the received D-amino acid information and the kidney disease information, the degree of kidney disease in the feline is estimated. The kidney disease severity information, representing the estimated severity of the kidney disease, is sent to the user terminal.

2. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The storage unit stores treatment method information that corresponds to the severity of the kidney disease. The control unit sends the treatment method information corresponding to the degree of kidney disease, along with the degree of kidney disease information, to the user terminal.

3. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The storage unit stores prevention method information related to the prevention method for the kidney disease. If the estimated degree of kidney disease is normal, the control unit sends the prevention method information along with the degree of kidney disease information to the user terminal.

4. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit performs the following processing: The information regarding the severity of the kidney disease is sent to the veterinary terminal held by the veterinarian. The veterinarian receives recommendations from the veterinarian regarding the severity of the kidney disease from the veterinary terminal. The received suggestion information is sent to the user terminal.

5. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit performs the following processing: The urine collection device information, representing a list of urine collection devices used to collect the urine, is sent to the user terminal. The user terminal receives device identification information for identifying a urine collection device selected from the urine collection device information. Purchase information for the urine collection device corresponding to the received device identification information is sent to the user terminal.

6. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit performs the following processing: Information about urine testing devices, representing a list of devices for examining the urine, is sent to the user terminal. The user terminal receives urine testing device identification information, which identifies a urine testing device selected from the urine testing device information. Purchase information for purchasing urine test kits corresponding to the received urine test device identification information is sent to the user terminal.

7. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The storage unit stores information that establishes a correlation between the color information displayed by a colorimetric reaction test involving the urine and a given enzyme and the degree of the kidney disease, serving as information about the kidney disease. The control unit receives image information obtained by capturing the result of a colorimetric reaction test in which the urine reacts with the enzyme as the D-amino acid information, and estimates the degree of the kidney disease based on the color information determined from the image information.

8. The urine testing system according to claim 7, wherein, The storage unit stores information that establishes a correspondence between the color concentration information (which serves as color information) and the severity of the kidney disease, as information related to the kidney disease. The control unit estimates the degree of kidney disease based on the color concentration information determined from the image information.

9. The urine testing system according to claim 7, wherein, The storage unit stores information indicating the relationship between the test conditions and the color information. The test conditions include at least one of the following: reaction time of the colorimetric test, location, urine test equipment used, temperature during the test, and number of retries. The control unit receives examination condition information representing the examination conditions from the user terminal along with the image information, and estimates the degree of the kidney disease based on the color information that matches the examination conditions shown in the received examination condition information.

10. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The control unit performs the following processing: The user terminal receives the breeder identification information and the pet identification information of the feline animal kept by the breeder, along with the D-amino acid information. Determine whether there is past kidney disease severity information corresponding to the owner identification information and pet identification information. If so, generate a progression information of multiple kidney disease severity information, including the past kidney disease severity information, and send it to the user terminal.

11. The urine testing system according to claim 1, wherein, The storage unit stores weight information representing the weights corresponding to the susceptibility to hereditary kidney diseases for each species of the feline. The control unit receives the species information of the feline from the user terminal and uses weight information corresponding to the received species information to send the kidney disease severity information.

12. A program that causes an information processing device to perform the following steps: The system stores kidney disease information, which is related to the level of D-amino acids in the urine of felines and the degree of kidney disease in the felines. Receive D-amino acid information, representing the level of D-amino acids in urine collected from the feline, from a user terminal held by the breeder, veterinarian, or examination authority of the feline. Based on the received D-amino acid information and the kidney disease information, the degree of kidney disease in the feline is estimated; and The kidney disease severity information, representing the estimated severity of the kidney disease, is sent to the user terminal.

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