Abstract: A thermal cycler is provided that may be used as a nucleic acid amplification apparatus. The cycler has at least three temperature zones that can be set at different temperatures, the temperature zones including a first temperature zone, an intermediate zone, and a second temperature zone. The cycler has a channel including a plurality of forward subchannels and a plurality of backward subchannels, with the forward subchannels being different from the backward subchannels in terms of cross-sectional area in the intermediate zone. The channel is configured to continuously flow a fluid alternately through one of the forward subchannels and one of the backward subchannels, so that the fluid travels repeatedly between the first temperature zone and the second temperature zone via the intermediate zone, whereby the fluid is thermally cycled while the fluid flows through the channel.

Abstract: Nucleic acid solution, magnetic particles solution and primer or eluate are moved between a lot of wells provided in reaction/storage vessel 3 by pipette device 40 to perform the first PCR, purification and the second PCR. In the time point where the first PCR and purification end, pipette tip 42 of pipette device 40 is exchanged and the second PCR is performed using new pipette tip 42.

Abstract: A thermal cycler is provided that may be used as a nucleic acid amplification apparatus. The cycler has at least three temperature zones that can be set at different temperatures, the temperature zones including a first temperature zone, an intermediate zone, and a second temperature zone. The cycler has a channel including a plurality of forward subchannels and a plurality of backward subchannels, with the forward subchannels being different from the backward subchannels in terms of cross-sectional area in the intermediate zone. The channel is configured to continuously flow a fluid alternately through one of the forward subchannels and one of the backward subchannels, so that the fluid travels repeatedly between the first temperature zone and the second temperature zone via the intermediate zone, whereby the fluid is thermally cycled while the fluid flows through the channel.

Abstract: Nucleic acid solution, magnetic particles solution and primer or eluate are moved between a lot of wells provided in reaction/storage vessel 3 by pipette device 40 to perform the first PCR, purification and the second PCR. In the time point where the first PCR and purification end, pipette tip 42 of pipette device 40 is exchanged and the second PCR is performed using new pipette tip 42.

Abstract: Provided is a strand separation method of a double strand DNA as an amplification product, which facilitates the strand separation of each strand composing a double strand DNA after nucleic acid amplification reaction and allows the acquisition and detection of a target nucleic acid with higher efficiency through the use of PCR. A primer bound with a fine particle for capture is used to perform PCR, and each strand forming a double strand DNA as a resulting amplification product is separated and collected using the fine particle bound with the primer.

Abstract: An image input apparatus and method which can display a normal frame even in a poor environment including an external vibration has the following arrangement. An image pickup unit (1, 2, 3) images an object to be photographed and generates image data. A storage unit (4) stores the latest image data generated by the image pickup unit (1, 2, 3). An output unit (7, 5, 8, 6) outputs the latest image data stored in the storage unit (4) if the image data generated by the image pickup unit (1, 2, 3) undergoes a change equal to or larger than a predetermined displacement, and outputs the image data generated by the image pickup unit (1, 2, 3) if the image data does not undergo a change equal to or larger than the predetermined displacement.

Abstract: There is disclosed a driving device for a recording head such as a thermal head or an ink jet head driven in plural blocks, which is capable of avoiding formation of division lines, or low-density streaks, in the recorded image at the boundaries of the driving blocks of the head. In this driving device, the time difference between the start of pulse application to a heat generating element of the recording head and that of an adjacent element is maintained so as not to exceed the maximum pulse duration to the heat generating element. Also, a group of plural heat generating elements positioned at the boundary of two divided blocks is activated simultaneously with each of the two divided blocks.

Abstract: There is disclosed a control circuit of a memory device of a random access type for storing first data and second data whose reading/writing cycle time is longer than that of the first data, including: a memory circuit for reading/writing a predetermined number of first data into/from each memory block which is obtained by dividing the memory device into at least two or more memory blocks, for reading/writing the second data into/from the other memory blocks, and for supplying address signals for the reading/writing cycle period of time of the second data; and a memory switching circuit for switching and using the memory blocks in order to read/write the first and second data, so that the memory device can be accessed at a high speed by using a small capacity.

Abstract: A recording apparatus for performing recording on a recording medium includes a mounting unit, a discriminating unit, a recording unit, and a control unit. The mounting unit detachably mounts an ink sheet, the discriminating unit discriminates a kind of ink sheet mounted in the mounting unit. The recording unit performs recording on the recording medium and has a plurality of recording elements. The control control unit performs drive control of the recording elements on the basis of a discrimination result of the discriminating unit.

Abstract: An ink jet recording apparatus includes a recording head having a liquid path and a discharge part for discharging ink therethrough, an electromechanical conversion element and a control device. The electromechanical conversion element is correspondingly provided on the liquid path for effecting ink discharge. The control device controls the element by performing a first step of applying a pre-electrical signal to the element, a second step performed after the first step, of applying a main electrical signal, and a third step of applying a subsequent electrical signal to the element before the voltage of the main electrical signal reaches zero. The pre-electrical signal is applied to the element in a direction opposite that which will discharge ink. The second step applies the main electrical signal to the element in the direction of ink discharge for discharging ink in accordance with a recording signal.