Abstract: The present invention provides a novel nucleoside derivative or a salt thereof, a polynucleotide synthesis reagent, a method for producing a polynucleotide, a polynucleotide, and a method for producing a binding nucleic acid molecule. The nucleoside derivative or a salt thereof of the present invention is represented by the following chemical formula (1): where in the chemical formula (1), Su is an atomic group having a sugar skeleton at a nucleoside residue or an atomic group having a sugar phosphate skeleton at a nucleotide residue, and may or may not have a protecting group, L1 and L2 are each independently a straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms, X1 and X2 are each independently an imino group (—NR1—), an ether group (—O—), or a thioether group (—S—), and the R1 is a hydrogen atom or a straight-chain or branched, saturated or unsaturated hydrocarbon group having 2 to 10 carbon atoms.

Abstract: A method for defrosting an evaporator, includes: (i) closing an outlet part that serves as a refrigerant outlet of the evaporator; (ii) closing an inlet part that serves as a refrigerant inlet of the evaporator; (iii) connecting the outlet part and the inlet part to one another; (iv) heating the evaporator. An evaporator, includes: an inlet part that serves as a refrigerant inlet; a first switching valve that is placed in the inlet part; an outlet part that serves as a refrigerant outlet; a second switching valve that is placed in the outlet part; a bypass pathway that connected the inlet part and the outlet part to one another; a horizontal pipe that is communicated with the inlet part; and a vertical pipe that connects the horizontal pipe and the outlet part to one another. A cooling apparatus can include the evaporator.

Abstract: A target analysis tool and a target analysis method that allow easily analysis of a target. The first target analysis tool includes: a first chamber; a second chamber; and a third chamber. The first chamber, the second chamber, and the third chamber are disposed continuously in this order. The first chamber contains, as a first reagent, an immobilized first binding substance obtained by immobilizing, on a carrier, a first binding substance that binds to a target. The second chamber contains, as a second reagent, a labeled second binding substance obtained by binding a labeling substance to a second binding substance that binds to the first binding substance. The third chamber is a detection section in which the labeled second binding substance is detected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new target analysis method and a target analysis kit for use in the method. The target analysis method of the present invention includes: causing a specimen, a labeled binding nucleic acid molecule that binds to a target, and a carrier on which a blocking nucleic acid molecule that binds to the labeled binding nucleic acid molecule is immobilized to react; separating a fraction of the carrier and a fraction of components other than the carrier from each other; and detecting a label of the labeled binding nucleic acid molecule in at least one of the fraction of the carrier and the fraction of components other than the carrier to analyze a target in the specimen.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel method that can analyze a target easily utilizing binding nucleic acid molecules and an analysis kit for use in the method. The analysis method of the present invention includes: a complex formation step of causing a binding nucleic acid molecule that binds to the target and a sample to come into contact with each other to form a complex of the binding nucleic acid molecule and the target in the sample; a nuclease treatment step of releasing a nucleic acid monomer from at least one of a complex fraction and a non-complex fraction by a nuclease treatment; an enzyme treatment step of reacting the released nucleic acid monomer with an enzyme for which the nucleic acid monomer is a substrate; a detection step of detecting the enzyme reaction; and an analysis step of analyzing the target that has formed the complex from the result of detecting the enzyme reaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel technique by which the redox activity of a nucleic acid molecule can be evaluated. An evaluation method of the present invention includes: a detection step of electrochemically detecting a redox reaction to a substrate, the redox reaction being catalyzed by a nucleic acid molecule to be evaluated, using a device that electrochemically detects a redox reaction; and an evaluation step of evaluating redox activity of the nucleic acid molecule from a result of the detection of the redox reaction. As the device, a device in which a base provided with a detection portion is included, the detection portion includes an electrode system, and the nucleic acid molecule to be evaluated is arranged on the base is used. In the present invention, it is preferred that a plurality of kinds of nucleic acid molecule to be evaluated is arranged on the base, and the plurality of kinds of nucleic acid molecules to be evaluated is evaluated by a single device.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel nucleic acid molecule that can be used for detection of ?-amylase. The ?-amylase-binding nucleic acid molecule of the present invention is characterized in that it binds to ?-amylase with a dissociation constant of 17 nM or less, and preferably includes a polynucleotide consisting of any of base sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 22, for example. According to the nucleic acid molecule of the present invention, it is possible to detect ?-amylase in saliva.

Abstract: The present invention provides a new detection device and a target detection method using the same. The detection device of the present invention includes a transistor provided with a nucleic acid sensor. The nucleic acid sensor includes a conformation-forming region (D) that forms a predetermined conformation and a binding region (A) that binds to a target. In the absence of the target, the conformation-forming region (D) is inhibited from forming the conformation. In the presence of the target, upon contact of the target to the binding region (A), the conformation-forming region (D) forms the conformation. In a state where the conformation is formed, the number of nucleotide residues that compose the nucleic acid sensor within a range of Debye length of the transistor increases or decreases as compared to a state where formation of the conformation is inhibited.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes: a compressor; an evaporator; a main condenser; a dew-prevention pipe; a bypass provided in parallel with a first channel from the main condenser to the dew-prevention pipe, and connected with the evaporator; a switching section provided on a downstream side of the main condenser, in which the switching section opens and closes the first channel, and a second channel from the main condenser to the bypass; and a control section. When defrosting the evaporator, the control section operates in such a manner that a refrigerant staying in the evaporator, the dew-prevention pipe, and the bypass is collected in the main condenser by closing the first channel and the second channel during an operation of the compressor, and thereafter, a high-pressure refrigerant collected in the main condenser is supplied to the evaporator through the bypass by stopping the compressor and opening the second channel.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel fluorescent protein. A novel protein includes the following protein (F1): (F1) a protein consisting of an amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, wherein in the amino acid sequence of SEQ ID NO: 1, a 52nd amino acid Xaa52 is an arbitrary amino acid, a 133rd amino acid Xaa133 is an arbitrary amino acid, and a 154th amino acid Xaa154 is an arbitrary amino acid.

Abstract: The present invention is intended to provide a novel fluorescence sensor for target analysis, a kit for target analysis, and a target analysis method using the same. The fluorescence sensor for target analysis according to the present invention includes a nucleic acid molecule that includes a G-quartet-forming nucleic acid region (D) that forms a G-quartet and a binding nucleic acid region (A) that binds to a target. In the absence of a target, formation of a G-quartet in the G-quartet-forming nucleic acid region (D) is inhibited. In the presence of a target, the target comes into contact with the binding nucleic acid region (A), the G-quartet is formed in the G-quartet-forming nucleic acid region (D) due to the contact, the G-quartet-forming region (D) and porphyrin forms a complex, and the complex generates fluorescence.

Abstract: A refrigerator includes: (i) a compressor; (ii) a condenser; (iii) a decompressor; (iv) an evaporator; (v) a first pipe that connects the compressor, the condenser, the decompressor, and the evaporator, and that circulates a refrigerant therein; (vi) a second pipe that causes the refrigerant to circulate from the condenser to the evaporator; and (vii) a switching valve that switches flow of the refrigerant in the first pipe to the second pipe. A method for controlling the refrigerator includes: conducting a normal cooling operation in which a refrigerant is caused to circulate through a compressor, a condenser, decompressor, and an evaporator; and conducting a defrosting operation in which the refrigerant is caused to circulate through the compressor, the condenser, and the evaporator, excluding the decompressor.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel sensor for detecting streptavidin (SA). The nucleic acid sensor for analyzing SA of the present invention includes the following nucleic acid element that includes a catalyst nucleic acid molecule (D) that exerts a catalytic function and a binding nucleic acid molecule (A) that binds to SA. The nucleic acid element is a double-stranded nucleic acid element including a first strand and a second strand. The first strand (ss1) includes the binding nucleic acid molecule (A), a loop-forming sequence (L1), and the catalyst nucleic acid molecule (D) linked in this order. The second strand (ss2) includes a stem-forming sequence (SA), a loop-forming sequence (L2), and a stem-forming sequence (SD) linked in this order.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel sensor for detecting a target. The nucleic acid sensor of the present invention includes a nucleic acid element that includes a catalyst nucleic acid molecule (D) that exerts a catalytic function and a binding nucleic acid molecule (A) that binds to a target. The nucleic acid element is a double-stranded nucleic acid element including a first strand and a second strand. The first strand (ss1) includes the binding nucleic acid molecule (A), a loop-forming sequence (L1), and the catalyst nucleic acid molecule (D) linked in this order. The second strand (ss2) includes a stem-forming sequence (SA), a loop-forming sequence (L2), and a stem-forming sequence (SD) linked in this order.

Abstract: A method for defrosting an evaporator, includes: (i) closing an outlet part that serves as a refrigerant outlet of the evaporator; (ii) closing an inlet part that serves as a refrigerant inlet of the evaporator; (iii) connecting the outlet part and the inlet part to one another; (iv) heating the evaporator. An evaporator, includes: an inlet part that serves as a refrigerant inlet; a first switching valve that is placed in the inlet part; an outlet part that serves as a refrigerant outlet; a second switching valve that is placed in the outlet part; a bypass pathway that connected the inlet part and the outlet part to one another; a horizontal pipe that is communicated with the inlet part; and a vertical pipe that connects the horizontal pipe and the outlet part to one another. A cooling apparatus can include the evaporator.

Abstract: A target analysis tool and a target analysis method that allow easily analysis of a target. The first target analysis tool includes: a first chamber; a second chamber; and a third chamber. The first chamber, the second chamber, and the third chamber are disposed continuously in this order. The first chamber contains, as a first reagent, an immobilized first binding substance obtained by immobilizing, on a carrier, a first binding substance that binds to a target. The second chamber contains, as a second reagent, a labeled second binding substance obtained by binding a labeling substance to a second binding substance that binds to the first binding substance. The third chamber is a detection section in which the labeled second binding substance is detected.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel nucleic acid element candidate molecule for use in screening for a nucleic acid element for target analysis and a novel screening method for screening for a nucleic acid element for target analysis using the same. The candidate molecule according to the present invention is a molecule for screening for a nucleic acid element for target analysis, being the following single-stranded nucleic acid (I): (I) a single-stranded nucleic acid comprising a catalyst sequence (D), a blocking sequence (B), and a binding sequence (A) that binds to a target, linked in this order. The blocking sequence (B) is complementary to a partial region (Dp) in the catalyst sequence (D). A terminal region (Ab) on the blocking sequence (B) side in the binding sequence (A) is complementary to a flanking region (Df) of the partial region (Dp) in the catalyst sequence (D) and is complementary to a terminal region (Af) on the side opposite to the blocking sequence (B) side in the binding sequence (A).

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel nucleic acid molecule that can be used for detection of peanuts. The peanut-binding nucleic acid molecule of the present invention is characterized in that it binds to a peanut allergen with a dissociation constant of 10 nM or less, and preferably contains a polynucleotide consisting of any of base sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 15, for example. It is also preferable that, for example, the peanut-binding nucleic acid molecule of the present invention binds with significant specificity to the peanut allergen rather than to a soybean protein.

Abstract: A nucleic acid molecule utilizable for Salmonella detection is provided. The nucleic acid molecule which binds to Salmonella includes any of the following polynucleotides (a) to (d): (a) a polynucleotide composed of any of base sequences of SEQ ID NOs: 1 to 17; (b) a polynucleotide composed of a base sequence obtained by deletion, substitution, insertion, and/or addition of one or more bases in any of the base sequences in the polynucleotide (a) and is bound to Salmonella; (c) a polynucleotide composed of a base sequence having an identity of 80% or more to any of the base sequences in the polynucleotide (a) and is bound to Salmonella; and (d) a polynucleotide composed of a base sequence complementary to a polynucleotide which hybridizes to the polynucleotide (a) composed of any of the base sequences under stringent conditions and is bound to Salmonella.

Abstract: The present invention provides a novel technique by which the redox activity of a nucleic acid molecule can be evaluated. An evaluation method of the present invention includes: a detection step of electrochemically detecting a redox reaction to a substrate, the redox reaction being catalyzed by a nucleic acid molecule to be evaluated, using a device that electrochemically detects a redox reaction; and an evaluation step of evaluating redox activity of the nucleic acid molecule from a result of the detection of the redox reaction. As the device, a device in which a base provided with a detection portion is included, the detection portion includes an electrode system, and the nucleic acid molecule to be evaluated is arranged on the base is used. In the present invention, it is preferred that a plurality of kinds of nucleic acid molecule to be evaluated is arranged on the base, and the plurality of kinds of nucleic acid molecules to be evaluated is evaluated by a single device.