Abstract: A biochemical reaction detection chip capable of controlling the temperature for biochemical reactions including hybridizations and its substrate. The function of the chip is performed by comprising a plurality of islands of a heat conducting material on the membrane of the substrate, the islands being spaced from each other and individually provided with temperature controllers, and the probes immobilized on the substrate.

Abstract: A polynucleotide detecting cell provided with a first electrode (111) to which different DNA probes (13, 14, 15, 16) are fixed in luminous areas (3, 4, 5, 6) differing with the type of DNA probe and a second electrode (113-1, 113-2) opposite to the first electrode is used; target polynucleotides are trapped through hybridization of DNA probes fixed to luminous areas with target polynucleotides; an extending reaction is carried out using an ECL-labeled base (dNTP) to extend the hybridized DNA probes; ECL generated by the application of a voltage between the first electrode and the second electrode is detected; and the presence or absence of any extended chain generated by the extending reaction is detected. The DNA detecting cell of simple apparatus configuration and the assay apparatus using it according to the invention are capable of high speed detection of hybridization between target DNA fragments and DNA probes, and a large volume of probe assaying can be accomplished in a short period of time.

Abstract: A biochemical reaction detection chip capable of controlling the temperature for biochemical reactions including hybridizations and its substrate. The function of the chip is performed by comprising a plurality of islands of a heat conducting material on the membrane of the substrate, the islands being spaced from each other and individually provided with temperature controllers, and the probes immobilized on the substrate.

Abstract: According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an inspection apparatus using an optical interferometer including splitting and combining means (3) for splitting light from a light source (1) into incident light (41) irradiated on a sample and reference light (40) and combining signal light which is light scattered or reflected by the sample (7, 42) and the reference light, a modulator (4, 5, 10) for subjecting the reference light to phase modulation and a photo detector (9) for detecting light combined by the splitting and combining means (3), the inspection apparatus further including first detecting means (12-1) for detecting amplitudes of first signal components having frequencies of multiples of odd numbers of a fundamental modulation frequency of the modulator in a signal from the photo detector (9), second detecting means (12-2) for separating and detecting amplitudes of second signal components having frequencies of multiples of even numbers of the fundamental modulation frequency i

Abstract: A biochemical reaction detection chip capable of controlling the temperature for biochemical reactions including hybridizations and its substrate. The function of the chip is performed by comprising a plurality of islands of a heat conducting material on the membrane of the substrate, the islands being spaced from each other and individually provided with temperature controllers, and the probes immobilized on the substrate.

Abstract: The present invention provides a DNA base sequencing system having a compact, simple and convenient structure.

Abstract: An automatic processing system and method which has high flexibility, extendibility and failure resistance. An automatic processing system and method that provides for the decentralized control of processings of plural samples. The invention combines a plurality of processing instruments and makes use of sample containers for each sample. Each sample container includes an information processing mechanism, a memory mechanism and a communication mechanism. The sample container has stored therein an abstract processing procedure, and determines, based on information concerning the processing instruments obtained from the processing instruments and the abstract processing procedure, a processing procedure for processing the sample. Thereafter, the processing instruments process the sample based on the processing procedure determined by the sample container.

Abstract: An analyzer includes an exchangeable and consumable element such as a sensor, column or reagent the characteristic of which specifies an analyzing condition. The element is provided with a non-volatile semiconductor memory which holds an analyzing condition adapted for the element as data. When the element is mounted on an analyzer body, a controller of the analyzer reads the analyzing condition from the memory to update an analyzing condition inherently provided in the analyzer body. The result of analysis and/or operational history information of use of the element may be written into the memory with which the element is provided.

Abstract: The solid-state ion sensor of the present invention comprises an inner electrode comprising a metal and a water-insoluble salt of the metal which covers at least a part of the surface of the metal, an ion-selective membrane selectively responsive to the ion species to be determined, and an intermediate layer comprising a hydrophilic polymeric membrane provided between the inner electrode and the ion-selective membrane. The inner electrode comprises a metal and a halogenide of the metal which covers at least a part of the surface of the metal. In the hydrophilic polymeric membrane is dispersed a hydrophilic electrolyte having halogen ions same as or different from those constituting the halogenide with the weight ratio of the electrolyte and the polymer [(electrolyte) wt. %/(polymer) wt. %] being at least 1/100. A polymeric ion-conductor can be used as the hydrophilic polymeric membrane.

Abstract: An ion sensor having an ion selectivity, which comprises an internal electrode of metal/metal salt, composed of an electroconductive layer of at least one metal and a layer of an insoluble salt of the metal in contact with the electroconductive layer, an ion selective membrane whose supporting membrane is composed of a hydrophobic polymer, and an intermediate layer capable of keeping water molecules, provided between the internal solid electrode and the ion selective membrane, where the organic compound having a water-keeping property is polymethylene glycol, polyethylene glycol or polypropylene glycol, each having a molecular weight of 200 to 600, and the inorganic compound having a water-keeping property is calcium chloride, gold chloride, magnesium perchlorate, magnesium fluoride or vanadium chloride dioxide, is suitable for analysis of specific ion species in a biological fluid with practically prolonged maintenance of properties of electrode.

Abstract: Infrared radiation is incident on a total reflection plane of a prism and penetrates a liquid sample through a metal layer put between the total reflection plane and the liquid sample in close contact therewith whereby the infrared radiation is partially absorbed by the liquid sample. Alternatively, the liquid sample may be put between the total reflection plane and the metal layer in close contact therewith so that part of the light penetrates the sample from the prism through the total reflection plane to interact with the metal layer and then is caused to reenter into the prism whereby it is partly absorbed by the liquid sample. The metal layer is for enhancing the intensity of the electric field component of the infrared radiation. The incident angle of the infrared radiation on the total reflection plane is so set that the partially absorbed infrared radiation is total-reflected.

Abstract: An ion-selective electrode comprises an ion-sensing membrane, an internal electrode adhered to the ion-sensing membrane, and a lead connected to said internal electrode. The internal electrode used comprises a plurality of metallic wires arranged into a grating or a mesh. The wires comprises a metal core and a surface layer of a salt of the metal. The metal of the core is silver and the salt of the metal is a silver halide selected from the group consisting of silver bromide, silver chloride and silver iodide. At least a part of the internal electrode is buried inside the ion-sensing membrane. Various components, the ion-sensing membrane, the internal electrode, the lead, an external terminal, are disposed in a flow-through cell having a flow path formed therein, through which path a sample solution is passed, to constitute the ion-selective electrode. In the flow-through cell is disposed a means of maintaining the humidity to feed water vapor therefrom to the ion-sensing membrane.

Abstract: A biochemistry analyzer includes, an attenuated total reflection prism, a sample cell disposed on a surface of the prism, a sample supplier, a device for disposing more objective molecules in the liquid sample to a near portion of the sample which is near the surface of the prism, an infrared light source for generating an infrared light which is transmitted to the attenuated total reflection prism, a detector for detecting the infrared light which is reflected from the prism after the far portion of the sample is solidified, and a computer for calculating signals from the detector. As the objective molecules are gathered near the prism, accuracy of the biochemistry analyzer becomes higher.

Abstract: A sensor for detecting a carbonic acid gas dissolved in body fluids has a laminated structure including an outer plate having a carbonic acid gas permeable window, a plate for a pH-electrode having a pH sensitive membrane, an intermediate plate having a cavity for accommodating an electrolyte, and a plate for a reference electrode. The plate for the pH-electrode is constituted in a manner that a pH sensitive membrane constituted by a membrane of an oxide of a platinum group metal is formed on an insulating substrate and the electrolyte contacts with the pH sensitive membrane in a groove. The pH sensitive membrane is disposed so as to oppose to the carbonic acid gas permeable window.

Abstract: A gas sensor e.g. an oxygen sensor for testing body fluids, has a laminated structure with a cavity for holding a gel or liquid electrolyte in contact with a cathode and anodes formed by deposition on layers of the structure. The cathode contacts the electrolyte cavity only at a small-volume reaction region defined e.g. in a groove which communicates with a larger, laminar volume of the cavity formed e.g. by a spacer layer having through apertures. A small gas-permeable window opposes the cathode at the reaction region. The laminar construction can be mass-produced. The enlarged electrolyte reservoir lengthens the sensor life.

Abstract: Disclosed is an integrated ion sensor, which comprises at least one ion selective membrane sensitive to ions contained in a solution to be measured for detecting the concentration of the ions, a signal processing circuit for inputting a detected signal obtained by the ion selective membrane through a conductive member and fetching the detected signal through MOSFETs or the like included in an input stage to process the same, a reference electrode disposed in the measuring environment made by the solution to be measured and to be set to a predetermined voltage relationship between the reference electrode and the ion selective membrane, and a power supply having negative and positive terminals for supplying a driving power to the signal processing circuit through the terminals, one of the terminals being connected to the reference electrode, wherein the signal processing circuit is set to an active state at a voltage set to the reference electrode by controlling the threshold value of at least one of the MOSFET

Abstract: A liquid chromatograph comprises an analyzing chip in which a capillary is formed in a substrate and a detector section is disposed downstream of the capillary. The capillary is covered so that an inlet opening end and an outlet opening end of said capillary flow path is opened. A frame member has a sample introduction path, a carrier liquid introduction path and a liquid discharge path. The analyzing chip is movably disposed in the frame member so that the inlet opening end and the outlet opening end of the capillary are selectively in communication with and/or under interruption against said sample introduction path, the carrier liquid introduction path and the liquid discharge path. The liquid chromatograph is very small in size but is easy to handle. Incidentally, there is disclosed also a sample introduction apparatus and method for the chromatograph, and an FET type detector suitable for the chromatograph.

Abstract: A planar oxygen sensor has an insulating substrate, a cathode formed on the insulating substrate generally at the center thereof; another electrode formed on the insulating substrate in a region other than the region of the cathode, a gas permeable membrane stretched to cover these electrodes and having its peripheral portion supported on the insulating substrate, and an electrolytic solution charged between the gas permeable membrane and the insulating substrate. A surface of the cathode is substantially in contact with the gas permeable membrane and is formed at a position higher than the gas permeable membrane support portion of the insulating substrate. A portion of the insulating substrate surface other than the region where the cathode is formed is recessed. Because the layer of electrolytic solution on the cathode is thin, oxygen molecules passing through the gas permeable membrane can immediately serve for the reduction at the cathode, thereby increasing the response speed of the planar oxygen sensor.