Abstract: The biodegradability of a nanofiber film (a nanofiber structure) produced in example 1 by microorganisms or the like when the nanofiber film is allowed to leave in soil is examined. FIG. 4(a) shows a photograph of the nanofiber film immediately after the nanofiber film is placed in soil. FIG. 4(b) shows a photograph of the nanofiber film (a) that is allowed to leave as it for 12 days. As is obvious from the comparison between these photographs, a polyhydroxyalkanoic acid nanofiber film can be degraded in soil remarkably rapidly. Therefore, PHA can be produced from a plant-derived resource occurring in nature, can be degraded by microorganisms in soil to return to nature, and can be used as a resource material which can overcome the disadvantages of the conventional PP non-woven fabrics (e.g., the generation of CO2 upon incineration) and which can be used permanently, thereby enabling the production of a novel non-woven fabric.

Abstract: A transparent soluble polyimide resin was dissolved in N,N-dimethyacetamide, and a sample solution whose concentration was 10 weight percent was produced. This sample solution is put in a container CNT which is attached to an apparatus shown in FIG. 1, whereby a nanofiber structure was produced. The produced polyimide nanofiber structure acquired the excellent water resistance, air permeability and moisture permeability while maintaining the physical properties inherent in a polyimide, such as high heat resistance and insulation. Further, when a nanofiber structure is produced in a similar manner from a different polyimide resin, the nanofiber structure maintains excellent adhesiveness.

Abstract: An organic EL element includes a substrate 20, a lower electrode 21, an upper electrode 26, and an organic layer 22. The organic layer 22 is provided between the upper and lower electrodes 21, 26. The upper and lower electrodes 21, 26 and the organic layer 22 are stacked on the substrate 20. A hole injection layer 23 and a light emitting layer 24 in the organic layer 22 are formed by using an electrospray method, and have a film-like structure in which fine particles are continuously bonded together.

Abstract: The invention is an immobilization apparatus comprising: a container (1) having a nozzle (4) formed for exhausting a solution; a charging means (PS, 5, 4) for charging the sample solution within the container; and an airflow generating means for generating airflow (Af) crashing into the sample solution. The immobilization apparatus is configured to operate the charging means and the airflow generating means simultaneously, atomize the solution into microparticulate substances charged while maintaining its activity and functionality by the electrostatic force due to the charge of the sample solution charged by the charging means and the crash energy due to the crash of the airflow generated by the airflow generating means into the sample solution, and exhaust it from the exhaust outlet (4), and the charged microparticulate substances are deposited on a substrate (7) by the electrostatic force.

Abstract: A microchip is provided, the microchip comprises a block constituting a reaction system, wherein said reaction system includes: a reaction region including biomolecules immobilized therein in form of a spot(s) or a strip(s); a supply flow channel connected to the reaction region for supplying a sample solution; and a recovery flow channel connected to the reaction region for recovering the sample solution which passes through at least a part of the reaction region. Thereby bonds or bindings between the biomolecules or biomacromolecules and the samples can be detected on the microchip using the slight quantity of both the sample and the biomolecules.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanochemical sensor including a minute mechanical structure body having the functional membrane formed at least on one part of its surface, a supporting part for supporting the minute mechanical structure body; and a detection part for detecting the change of a mechanical property of the minute mechanical structure body. According to the invention, it is possible to provide improved adhesion between the functional membrane and the minute mechanical structure body since the functional membrane is integrally formed in advance on the minute mechanical structure body, which will contribute to the increase of detection signal, and improvement of measurement precision and sensitivity.

Abstract: According to the present invention, a method for ultrafast and precise measurement and analysis of biomolecules using a small sample was established, and moreover, a compact and simple micro fluid device for implementing the method was provided. Using the method and the micro fluid device of the present invention, the ultrafast, instant, and precise analysis of biomolecules is possible, and there is a great deal of potential for application in the research field, manufacturing field or medical field, environmental monitoring and the like.

Abstract: A solution containing a sample is provided vibration by a vibrating element, the solution is atomized in a status retaining its activities as minute particulate substances, and the solution and/or the atomized minute particulate substances are electrically charged by wires applied a high voltage. Then, the particles are dried out during flying, the particles are deposited onto a substrate grounded by electrostatic force, and to be immobilized in a status keeping its activities.

Abstract: The present invention provides a diagnostic method for stroke/asymptomatic cerebral infarction and a screening method for patients with stroke/asymptomatic cerebral infarction, which comprise measuring acrolein content or polyamine content; or polyamine oxidase activity or protein content of polyamine oxidase in plasma. The knowledge of the present invention indicates the possibility of preventing, inhibiting the progression of stroke/asymptomatic cerebral infarction by inhibiting polyamine oxidase, and the possibility of obtaining a therapeutic agent for stroke/asymptomatic cerebral infarction by searching for compounds that inhibit polyamine oxidase.

Abstract: The object of this invention is to provide a method for detecting conformational change of calmodulin easily and simply in a short period, quantitatively and in real-time manner, and to provide a method for screening a substance having an activity that affects to conformational change of calmodulin efficiently among numerous substances. To solve the object, a method is provided and the method comprising; subjecting a test sample to be tested for its activity to a sample film comprising calmodulin, detecting change(s) in tension and/or elasticity of the sample film in comparison with prior to subjecting said test sample using a mechanochemical sensor, thereby it enables real-time and short time measurement of the activity of said test sample to induce or to inhibit conformational change of calmodulin.

Abstract: This invention provides a method for detection of conformational change of a protein immobilized on a substrate. In concrete, the method comprises, forming a sample film comprising a protein immobilized on a substrate, adding a substance to be detected for its activity to affect to the conformational change of the protein onto the sample film, and detecting the conformational change of the protein. The method enables to measure conformational change of a protein with immobilized state, using minute amount of protein in a short period for a number of samples in a short period all at once, rapidly and simply.

Abstract: The inventors investigated to provide a means for real-time detection and measurement on the process of the amyloid protein aggregation as change(s) in tension and/or elasticity using a force sensor. The present invention provided a method of detecting an amyloidgenic conformational change of a protein using a mechanochemical sensor. The present invention further provided a method of searching a substance having an activity that affects to an amyloidgenic conformational change using said detecting method, as well as a method of searching a therapeutic or diagnostic agent for amyloid-related diseases. The method of the present invention is assumed to contribute to obtain a novel therapeutic or diagnostic agent for amyloid diseases.

Abstract: There is provided a micro-pattern forming apparatus including an electrospraying part for applying a voltage to a solution containing a sample to electrostatically atomizing the solution; a supporting part (30) for supporting a chip (26), on which the sample in the solution electrostatically atomized by the electrospraying part, is to be deposited; and a fine mask part (24) disposed between the electrospraying part and the supporting part, having a mask pattern for being passed through by the electrostatically atomized solution in order to form a micro-pattern of the sample upon the chip, wherein the mask pattern is made from a photoresist material with concavity and convexity on the side of the supporting part.

Abstract: An immobilization method, an apparatus, and a manufacturing method of a microstructure are provided, where the method including the electrospray step by which a solution containing at least one objective substance is supplied to a capillary; and immobilization step by which the objective substance in the solution atomized in the electrospray step is immobilized on an object, which is to be coated and has an arbitrary shape, in a dried state by an electrostatic force while retaining functionality and/or activity of the objective substance, resulting in a thickness on the order of nanometers.

Abstract: In a liquid treating equipment to maintain a small amount of liquid to a desired liquid level with constantly supplying an additional liquid into a small capacity vessel, a storage vessel 13 to store the small amount of liquid, an injection tube 16 to inject the small amount of liquid into the storage vessel 16, liquid supplying apparatus 23–25 to supply the small amount of liquid into the storage vessel through the injection tube, a flow path 15 of which one end is joined with the storage vessel, a discharge vessel 14, joined with the storage vessel 13 via the flow path, having a larger surface area than that of the storage vessel, a discharge tube 17 of which the discharging inlet is positioned at the same level position as a desired liquid level of the small amount of liquid in the storage vessel and liquid discharging apparatus 27–29 to discharge the liquid from the discharge vessel through the discharge tube are provided.

Abstract: A device for fabricating a high-density microarray for cDNA or protein having an arbitrary pattern comprises an electrospray part for electrostatically spraying solutions containing a plurality of kinds of biologically active samples one by one, a support part supporting sample chips on which samples in the solutions sprayed from the electrospray part are deposited, a mask part disposed between the electrospray part and the support part and having holes the number of which is the same as that of the sample chips so as to selectively deposit the samples simultaneously in the adequate positions corresponding to the sample chips, a moving part for fabricating microarrays at a time by relatively moving the sample chip support part and the mask part and depositing the samples on the sample chips. Therefore the device can fabricate a large number of inexpensive high-density microarrays.

Abstract: There is provided a mechanochemical sensor including a minute mechanical structure body having the functional membrane formed at least on one part of its surface, a supporting part for supporting the minute mechanical structure body; and a detection part for detecting the change of a mechanical property of the minute mechanical structure body. According to the invention, it is possible to provide improved adhesion between the functional membrane and the minute mechanical structure body since the functional membrane is integrally formed in advance on the minute mechanical structure body, which will contribute to the increase of detection signal, and improvement of measurement precision and sensitivity.