Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting the sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a first oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a first signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence complementary to the 3? end of a target nucleic acid; a second oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a second signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the first signal DNA generation sequence of the first oligonucleotide; a third oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a third signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the second signal DNA generation sequence of the second oligonucleotide.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting the sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a first oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a first signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence complementary to the 3? end of a target nucleic acid; a second oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a second signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the first signal DNA generation sequence of the first oligonucleotide; a third oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a third signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the second signal DNA generation sequence of the second oligonucleotide.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting the sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a first oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a first signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence complementary to the 3? end of a target nucleic acid; a second oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a second signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the first signal DNA generation sequence of the first oligonucleotide; a third oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a third signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the second signal DNA generation sequence of the second oligonucleotide.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting said sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide. Also disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample in which said sample is contacted, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide and a signal amplifier oligonucleotide. The disclosure also provides compositions and kits comprising such sequence conversion and signal amplifier oligonucleotides.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting said sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide having locked nucleic acids at select positions sufficient to decrease non-specific background signal amplification. Also disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample in which said sample is contacted, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide and a signal amplifier oligonucleotide, both having locked nucleic acids at select positions sufficient to decrease non-specific background signal amplification. The disclosure also provides compositions and kits comprising such sequence conversion and signal amplifier oligonucleotides.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in sample, which include contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide having a hairpin structure, where the oligonucleotide includes, in the 5? to 3? direction, an arbitrary sequence, an endonuclease recognition site for a nicking reaction, a sequence complementary to the arbitrary sequence, and a sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid; a polymerase; and an endonuclease capable of nicking the endonuclease recognition site. The disclosure also provides compositions and kits comprising an oligonucleotide having a hairpin structure, where the oligonucleotide includes, in the 5? to 3? direction an arbitrary sequence, an endonuclease recognition site for a nicking reaction, a sequence complementary to the arbitrary sequence, and a sequence complementary to a target nucleic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in sample, which include contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide having a hairpin structure, where the oligonucleotide includes, in the 5? to 3? direction, an arbitrary sequence, an endonuclease recognition site for a nicking reaction, a sequence complementary to the arbitrary sequence, and a sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid; a polymerase; and an endonuclease capable of nicking the endonuclease recognition site. The disclosure also provides compositions and kits comprising an oligonucleotide having a hairpin structure, where the oligonucleotide includes, in the 5? to 3? direction an arbitrary sequence, an endonuclease recognition site for a nicking reaction, a sequence complementary to the arbitrary sequence, and a sequence complementary to a target nucleic acid.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting the sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a first oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a first signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence complementary to the 3? end of a target nucleic acid; a second oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a second signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the first signal DNA generation sequence of the first oligonucleotide; a third oligonucleotide comprising, in the 5? to 3? direction, a third signal DNA generation sequence, an endonuclease recognition site, and a sequence that is homologous to the second signal DNA generation sequence of the second oligonucleotide.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting said sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide. Also disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample in which said sample is contacted, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide and a signal amplifier oligonucleotide. The disclosure also provides compositions and kits comprising such sequence conversion and signal amplifier oligonucleotides.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample. The methods include contacting said sample, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide having locked nucleic acids at select positions sufficient to decrease non-specific background signal amplification. Also disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample in which said sample is contacted, in the presence of a polymerase and an endonuclease, with a sequence conversion oligonucleotide and a signal amplifier oligonucleotide, both having locked nucleic acids at select positions sufficient to decrease non-specific background signal amplification. The disclosure also provides compositions and kits comprising such sequence conversion and signal amplifier oligonucleotides.

Abstract: Disclosed are methods for detecting a target nucleic acid in sample, which include contacting the sample with an oligonucleotide having a hairpin structure, where the oligonucleotide includes, in the 5? to 3? direction, an arbitrary sequence, an endonuclease recognition site for a nicking reaction, a sequence complementary to the arbitrary sequence, and a sequence complementary to the target nucleic acid; a polymerase; and an endonuclease capable of nicking the endonuclease recognition site. The disclosure also provides compositions and kits comprising an oligonucleotide having a hairpin structure, where the oligonucleotide includes, in the 5? to 3? direction an arbitrary sequence, an endonuclease recognition site for a nicking reaction, a sequence complementary to the arbitrary sequence, and a sequence complementary to a target nucleic acid.

Abstract: A workpiece mounting table (20) for an electric discharge machine, which machines a workpiece (12) by discharging electricity between an electrode and the workpiece (12) in an interior of a work tank (6) and removing a surface of the workpiece (12), includes a surface-plate mounting table (3) made of a conductive material and arranged at the bottom of the work tank (6), a plurality of insulating materials (2), each of which has a flat shape and is arranged and fixed on the surface-plate mounting table (3) with a gap (4) between the insulating materials (2) to constitute an insulating flat plate (30), and a surface plate (1) made of a metal material, fixed on the insulating flat plate (30) and insulated from the surface-plate mounting table (3) by the insulating flat plate (30), for fixing thereon the workpiece (12).

Abstract: A workpiece mounting table (20) for an electric discharge machine, which machines a workpiece (12) by discharging electricity between an electrode and the workpiece (12) in an interior of a work tank (6) and removing a surface of the workpiece (12), includes a surface-plate mounting table (3) made of a conductive material and arranged at the bottom of the work tank (6), a plurality of insulating materials (2), each of which has a flat shape and is arranged and fixed on the surface-plate mounting table (3) with a gap (4) between the insulating materials (2) to constitute an insulating flat plate (30), and a surface plate (1) made of a metal material, fixed on the insulating flat plate (30) and insulated from the surface-plate mounting table (3) by the insulating flat plate (30), for fixing thereon the workpiece (12).

Abstract: There are provided a rolling bearing comprising an outer race, an inner race, and a plurality of rolling elements each interposed between the outer race and the inner race, at least one of the outer race, the inner race and the rolling elements being made of a steel consisting essentially, by mass, of 0.40 to 0.60% C, not more than 0.5% Si, not more than 0.5% Mn, not less than 8.0% but less than 10.0% Cr, and the balance Fe and incidental impurities, said steel having a hardness not less than 740 HV, carbides contained in said steel having a long size not more than 1.2 &mgr;m, and an amount of said carbides being not more than 3.5% in area %, and a method of producing the rolling bearing.

Abstract: There are provided a rolling bearing comprising an outer race, an inner race, and a plurality of rolling elements each interposed between the outer race and the inner race, at least one of the outer race, the inner race and the rolling elements being made of a steel consisting essentially, by mass, of 0.40 to 0.60% C, not more than 0.5% Si, not more than 0.5% Mn, not less than 8.0% but less than 10.0% Cr, and the balance Fe and incidental impurities, said steel having a hardness not less than 740 HV, carbides contained in said steel having a long size not more than 1.2 &mgr;m, and an amount of said carbides being not more than 3.5% in area %, and a method of producing the rolling bearing.