Abstract: The disclosure provides an imaging device that includes an array of photosensitive elements and a first counter for counting photon detection events received from a first group of photosensitive elements; wherein, in a first operation mode, the first counter is connected to a first subgroup of the first group of photosensitive elements and wherein, in a second operation mode, the first counter is connected to a second subgroup of the first group of photosensitive elements.

Abstract: A test container, in which a sample solution is transferred from a first chamber to a second chamber in order by a centrifugal, includes a liquid reservoir portion that stores the sample solution in front of the first chamber, and a valve that includes a liquid storage portion temporarily storing the sample solution to be fed from the first chamber to the second chamber, in which a volume of the liquid reservoir portion is larger than a volume of the first chamber, the first chamber and the liquid reservoir portion are connected to each other only by a liquid flow channel through which the sample solution is fed, the first chamber and the second chamber are connected to each other only by a liquid flow channel through which a sample solution is fed, and a vent flow channel through which gas is released from the first chamber is not provided.

Abstract: A test container, in which a sample solution is fed from a first chamber to a second chamber in order by a centrifugal force, includes: a liquid reservoir portion that stores the sample solution; a valve that includes a liquid storage portion temporarily storing the sample solution to be fed from the first chamber to the second chamber and is capable of switching between a first state where the first chamber and the liquid storage portion communicate with each other, a second state where the second chamber and the liquid storage portion communicate with each other, and a third state where both of the first chamber and the second chamber do not communicate with the liquid storage portion; and a sealing part that prevents a back flow of the sample solution after the sample solution is fed from the liquid reservoir portion to the first chamber.

Abstract: An assay cartridge including the assay strip that has, as an assay region for determining whether a sample is positive or negative, a plurality of kinds of assay regions each on which a plurality of kinds of binding substances that respectively specifically bind to a plurality of different kinds of test substances is immobilized, in which in a case where a direction orthogonal to a longitudinal direction of the strip-shaped carrier is defined as a width direction, the plurality of kinds of the assay regions have a length in the width direction of the strip-shaped carrier shorter than an entire width of the strip-shaped carrier, and the plurality of kinds of the assay regions are arranged to be positionally deviated in the width direction, and a manufacturing method of the assay strip.

Abstract: Provided is an assay cartridge capable of improving the throughput of the assay by shortening the time until the bubbles generated in the assay region disappear as compared with the prior art. The assay cartridge includes an assay strip that has, on the surface thereof, an assay region in which a color development state changes depending on whether a sample is positive or negative, an accommodating part that accommodates an amplifying liquid that amplifies the color development of the assay region, and the assay cartridge that is supplied from the accommodating part, an absorber that absorbs at least a part of the amplifying liquid which flows on the surface of the assay strip toward the assay region and has passed through the assay region.

Abstract: The immunochromatographic assay apparatus includes a loading part in which a cartridge including an assay strip having an assay region is attachably and detachably loaded, a detection unit that detects the density of the assay region, a processor configured to perform a positive-negative determination of whether the sample is positive or negative based on the density acquired from the detection unit. The processor is configured to start acquisition of the density from the detection unit from a preset time point before the density of the assay region is saturated, and perform saturation point determination of whether or not the density has reached a saturation point based on a time change of the density, and in a case where it is determined in the saturation point determination that the density has reached the saturation point, perform the positive-negative determination.

Abstract: The laser device includes a laser crystal, a resonator including a pair of mirrors between which the laser crystal is interposed, a Q switch that is disposed on an optical path of the resonator and controls a Q value of the resonator, and a Brewster thin-film polarizer that is disposed on the optical path of the resonator and transmits selectively p-polarized light. The thin-film polarizer has wavelength selectivity in which a p-polarized light transmittance at a first wavelength exhibiting a maximum gain of the laser crystal is 5% or more to 25% or less, the p-polarized light transmittance monotonically increases as a wavelength becomes longer than the first wavelength, and a maximum transmittance is exhibited at a third wavelength. The laser device oscillates laser light at a second wavelength that is a wavelength longer than the first wavelength and shorter than or equal to the third wavelength.

Abstract: An assay cartridge is an assay cartridge used for immunochromatographic assay, including a carrier to which a sample and a reagent are supplied, an enclosing body in which a reagent to be supplied to the carrier is enclosed, and which has a sealing portion that opens earlier than other portions in a case where an internal pressure is increased due to an application of a pressing force, and a case accommodating the carrier and the enclosing body and having a pressing operation part for applying the pressing force to the enclosing body.

Abstract: An assay cartridge is an assay cartridge that is attachably and detachably loaded into an immunochromatographic assay apparatus, including a carrier having an assay region in which a color development state changes depending on whether a sample is positive or negative, a case in which the carrier is accommodated, and an opening portion that is provided in the case, is used for observing an observation region LA including the assay region, and is illuminated by a light source in the immunochromatographic assay apparatus, in which at least a part of an inner peripheral wall 18A of the opening portion is a processed surface having an angle of 50° or more with respect to a surface of the observation region LA and having been subjected to a roughening treatment.

Abstract: The assay apparatus includes a loading part into which a cartridge including a carrier and a case is attachably and detachably to be loaded, the carrier having an assay region in which a color development state changes depending on whether the sample is positive or negative, and an index region which is optically distinguishable from other regions regardless of whether a sample is positive or negative, the case accommodating the carrier; a light source that illuminates the observation region on the carrier including the assay region and the index region; an imaging unit that images the observation region; and a processor configured to acquire an image including the observation region from the imaging unit, detect a position of the index region from the acquired image, and specify a position of the assay region with reference to the detected position of the index region.

Abstract: An assay cartridge includes a reagent container in which a reagent to be supplied to the carrier is sealed and from which the reagent is discharged to the outside by being crushed, a case having a pressing operation part that is operated to apply a pressing force to the reagent container, a first displacement part and a second displacement part, the first displacement part has a first pressing surface for pushing the second displacement part to the reagent container by pressing the second displacement part, and the second displacement part is disposed between the first displacement part and the reagent container and has a second pressing surface that crushes the reagent container in a case where the second displacement part is pressed from the first pressing surface and in which a projected area is larger than a projected area of the first pressing surface.

Abstract: The cartridge includes a carrier having a spotting region and an assay region, a first reagent holding part that holds a first reagent and that starts a supply of the first reagent to the carrier by directly or indirectly receiving an external force, a second reagent holding part that starts a supply of the second reagent to the carrier by directly or indirectly receiving an external force exerted by an internal mechanism provided in the immunochromatographic assay apparatus, and a suppression structure that suppresses transmission of an external force exerted by a user directly or indirectly to the second reagent holding part or application of an external force by the user to the second reagent holding part, while allowing the external force exerted by the internal mechanism to be transmitted to the second reagent holding part.

Abstract: An immunochromatographic assay apparatus includes a loading part in which a cartridge that includes a carrier having a spotting region and an assay region, and in which a reagent is supplied to the carrier, is attachably and detachably loaded, a first detection unit that detects a color development state in the assay region, a second detection unit that detects a generation state of bubbles generated in the assay region due to the supply of the reagent, and a processor configured to discriminate presence or absence of a change in the color development state based on the color development state detected by the first detection unit, and discriminate the presence or absence of the change in the color development state in a case where the bubbles are discriminated to be absent based on the generation state of the bubbles detected by the second detection unit.

Abstract: A photoacoustic apparatus includes a laser light irradiating unit that irradiates an inside of a subject with pulsed light; a photoacoustic signal acquiring unit that acquires a photoacoustic signal from a photoacoustic wave from the subject; a light amount detecting unit that detects a light amount of the pulsed light; a correlation data memory that stores first correlation data and second correlation data; an energy estimating unit that estimates an energy on the basis of the amount of the pulsed light and the first correlation data; a pulse width estimating unit that estimates a pulse width on the basis of the estimated energy and the second correlation data; and a photoacoustic signal correcting unit that corrects the photoacoustic signal on the basis of a first difference between the estimated energy and a reference energy and a second difference between the estimated pulse width and a reference pulse width.

Abstract: There are provided a concentration device that makes it possible to concentrate a sample solution in a short time, a sample solution concentration method using the concentration device to concentrate a sample solution, a sample solution concentration method using the sample solution examination method, and an examination kit including the concentration device and the detection device. The concentration device for concentrating a sample solution which is an aqueous solution containing a high-molecular-weight molecule contained in a biological fluid is a concentration device including a first container containing a super absorbent polymer and a second container, in which a part of the first container is constituted of a discharge unit consisting of a porous membrane having a hole diameter of 0.

Abstract: There are provided a sample solution concentration method that makes it possible to obtain a sample solution concentrated solution having a desired concentration fold ratio and a sample solution examination method using the sample solution concentration method.

Abstract: A test container includes an inlet, a first storage portion, a second storage portion, a first flow channel that connects the first storage portion to the second storage portion, a first cylinder of which one end is connected to the first storage portion via a second flow channel and the other end is open to an outside, a second cylinder of which one end is connected to the second storage portion via a third flow channel and the other end is open to an outside, a first plug provided in the first cylinder, and a second plug provided in the second cylinder. An internal space including the first storage portion, the second storage portion, the first flow channel, the second flow channel, and the third flow channel is capable of being pressurized in a case where the first plug and the second plug are pressed and moved from the outside.

Abstract: There are provided a concentration device for concentrating a sample solution, which makes it possible to obtain a sample solution concentrated solution having a desired concentration fold ratio, a sample solution concentration method using the concentration device, a sample solution concentration method using the sample solution examination method, and an examination kit including the concentration device.

Abstract: Provided is a pressure-sensitive adhesive (PSA) sheet including a PSA layer that exhibits improved water resistance. The PSA sheet provided by the present invention includes a PSA layer formed from a water-dispersed PSA composition containing an acrylic polymer as a base polymer, a water-dispersed tackifier resin, and at least any one type of Na ions and K ions. The total amount of Na ions and K ions in the PSA sheet is 0.3 part by weight or more to 0.8 part by weight or less per 100 parts by weight of the PSA sheet.