Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a particle detection device and a particle detection method that can individually and continuously detect a wide range of particles. The objective is achieved by a particle detection device including: a particle separation channel through which particles are separated according to particle sizes in a perpendicular direction to the flow of fluid; and two or more particle recovery channels that are connected to and branched from the particle separation channel, in which each of the particle recovery channels includes a particle detection unit that includes an aperture and an electric detector.

Abstract: The objective of the present invention is to provide a particle detection device and a particle detection method that can individually and continuously detect a wide range of particles. The objective is achieved by a particle detection device including: a particle separation channel through which particles are separated according to particle sizes in a perpendicular direction to the flow of fluid; and two or more particle recovery channels that are connected to and branched from the particle separation channel, in which each of the particle recovery channels includes a particle detection unit that includes an aperture and an electric detector.

Abstract: A microfluidic device provided with a micro-channel structure capable of easily and positively providing therein micro-droplet having various dilution ratios. A micro-channel structure provided in a substrate (2) has a first mixing unit (11) and a second mixing unit (21) connected to the downstream side of the first mixing unit (11), with each mixing unit (11, 21) having first through third micro-channels. One end of a first weighing unit (11d) consisting of a micro-channel having a capacity equivalent to the volume of a specified-amount first micro-droplet is opened to a first micro-channel (11a), and the other end is opened to a merging unit (12a) provided on a second micro-channel (12). One end of a second weighing unit (13d) consisting of a micro-channel having a capacity equivalent to the volume of a specified-amount second micro-droplet is connected to a third micro-channel (13), and the other end is opened to the merging unit (12a).

Abstract: This invention provides a measuring apparatus for microanalysis, which can be simply manufactured and can realize a number of analyses and measurements in a small analyte amount and particularly can analyze and measure a number of analytes having different concentrations and different analytes in a simultaneous and easy manner, and a measurement method of microanalysis using the apparatus. The measuring apparatus for microanalysis is characterized by comprising detection parts of m lines and n rows in communication with a micropassage for a waste solution, chambers of m lines and n rows in communication with the respective detection parts through a mixing flow passage, n first micropassages in communication with the respective line chambers through a passive valve, m second micropassages in communication with respective row chambers through a passive valve, and third micropassages in communication with the respective chambers for supplying gas and/or a washing solution.

Abstract: This invention provides a measuring apparatus for microanalysis, which can be simply manufactured and can realize a number of analyses and measurements in a small analyte amount and particularly can analyze and measure a number of analytes having different concentrations and different analytes in a simultaneous and easy manner, and a measurement method of microanalysis using the apparatus. The measuring apparatus for microanalysis is characterized by comprising detection parts of m lines and n rows in communication with a micropassage for a waste solution, chambers of m lines and n rows in communication with the respective detection parts through a mixing flow passage, n first micropassages in communication with the respective line chambers through a passive valve, m second micropassages in communication with respective row chambers through a passive valve, and third micropassages in communication with the respective chambers for supplying gas and/or a washing solution.

Abstract: A microfluidic device provided with a micro-channel structure capable of easily and positively providing therein micro-droplet having various dilution ratios. A micro-channel structure provided in a substrate (2) has a first mixing unit (11) and a second mixing unit (21) connected to the downstream side of the first mixing unit (11), with each mixing unit (11, 21) having first through third micro-channels. One end of a first weighing unit (11d) consisting of a micro-channel having a capacity equivalent to the volume of a specified-amount first micro-droplet is opened to a first micro-channel (11a), and the other end is opened to a merging unit (12a) provided on a second micro-channel (12). One end of a second weighing unit (13d) consisting of a micro-channel having a capacity equivalent to the volume of a specified-amount second micro-droplet is connected to a third micro-channel (13), and the other end is opened to the merging unit (12a).

Abstract: An improved structure has a first channel and a-second channel that extend in specified directions, a third channel open in a wall of said first channel and a fourth channel that is open to a wall of said second channel such that it couples an end of said third channel to said second channel, that has a property of being less wettable (or insensitive to capillary attraction) and that is narrower than the other three channels; a liquid introduced into said first channel is drawn into said third channel and thereafter said liquid that remains in said first channel is removed to meter and sample a volume of globule equal to the capacity of said third channel. If the second channel is already filled with a liquid, the structure is modified to further include a fifth channel that is open to a wall of said fourth channel, that is narrower than or equal in thickness to said fourth channel and that is made of a wall having a property of being less wettable (or insensitive to capillary attraction).

Abstract: A fat reforming method using an enzyme which has been activated by adding the enzyme to a system containing water and fat phases, activating the enzyme by a function of a boundary surface/layer between the water and fat phases, and removing the water and fat phases through freeze drying. Tetradecane may be used as the fat phase. Just after adding tetradecane into a water phase in which lipase is dissolved, though existing in water phase as shown in FIG. 4(a), the lipase moves towards the boundary surface since it has a tendency to gather around the boundary surface between the water and fat phases. The lipase moved to the boundary surface has hydrophobic portion at the side of the fat phase and a hydrophilic portion of the lipase at the side of the water phase, as shown in FIG. 4(b), and at the same time the lid covering the activating portion is opened by the function of the boundary surface.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for activating a lipase by adding a solution of lipase in an aqueous buffer at a pH near neutrality to an organic phase, e.g., tetradecane. Under these conditions lipase is activated as a function of an organic-and-water boundary surface between the organic and water phases. The lipase that is activated in this manner remains active even after lyophilization to remove the water and the organic phase. This activated lipase efficiently catalyzes a fat reforming reaction in non-aqueous and nano-aqueous conditions.

Abstract: In order to be capable of handling quantitatively a liquid in a simple structure by only easy operations, a control mechanism comprises a first flow channel and a second flow channel each extending along a predetermined direction; and a third flow channel having a thinner thickness than that of the first flow channel and that of the second flow channel; the above-described third flow channel being opened on flow channel walls of the first flow channel and the second flow channel, respectively, whereby the third flow channel links the first flow channel to the second flow channel; a liquid introduced into the first flow channel being pulled in the third flow channel due to a capillary phenomenon through an opening of the third flow channel opened on the flow channel wall of the first flow channel, and then, the liquid remained in the first flow channel being removed to prepare a droplet having a volume corresponding to a capacity of the third flow channel.

Abstract: A method to efficiently and continuously produce microspheres of natural oils and fats having a high melting point, the average particle diameter of which is in dozens of &mgr;m and is uniform, comprising the steps of heating oils and fats having a high melting point to a temperature greater than the melting point thereof to liquify same holding the oils and fats in a liquid state, forming a dispersed phase of the liquid oils and fats, pressurizing the dispersed phase and forming emulsions by dispersing the dispersed phase into a continuous phase via a plurality of microchannels, and isolating microspheres of the oils and fats having a high melting point by removing the continuous phase from the emulsions.

Abstract: In order to reduce a treating time for distributing micro-substances, for example, particles, molecules and the like such as cells, organelles, proteins, and nucleic acids, there is provided a microchip for aqueous distribution comprising a micro channel having a predetermined shape, which is defined on a flat plate substrate; and a plurality of branched channels, each of which has a predetermined shape and is defined on the substrate, besides these branched channels are linked to only either end of the micro channel.