Abstract: It becomes possible for a user to check his/her own health state at a desired place without visiting inspection agencies. Furthermore, it becomes possible for a user to conveniently check his/her own health state. First, a user collects body fluid to be a measurement object, such as blood, saliva, and urine. Then, the collected body fluid is introduced to the chip (101) as a sample. Then, the sample is made to act on a detection reagent which acts on a specific component in the sample to generate a predetermined detection reaction. This chip (101) is set to the mobile terminal (127). A measurement unit (151) of the mobile terminal (127) measures an amount of a specific component in the sample by means that product of reaction is quantitated by an optical method or the like. The mobile terminal (127) transmits the measurement value to an analysis center (153).

Abstract: A coupler is provided inside an engaging hole of a piston yoke, which is connected to pistons. A slider is installed on an upper portion of the coupler through a coupler-insertion hole. An engaging member, provided at a lower portion of the coupler, is inserted into the engaging hole so as to be displaceable by a slight amount in the widthwise direction of a cylinder tube. The coupler is inserted into the coupler-insertion hole of the slider, so that the coupler-insertion hole is slidable with respect to curved surface sections of the coupler.

Abstract: A slider is displaceable in an axial direction on guide sections of a cylinder tube through a guide mechanism. A first elastic member is interposed between a first bearing support member of the guide mechanism and one retaining section of the slider. A bearing installed in the first bearing support member, is pressed continuously toward the guide section. A second bearing support member is installed via a second elastic member between the guide section and another retaining section of the slider. A bearing provided on the second bearing support member is pressed toward the guide section by means of a resilient force of the second elastic member.

Abstract: A slider is displaceable in an axial direction on guide sections of a cylinder tube. Bearings are installed with the slider, so that the bearings are opposed to the guide sections. Bearings are also installed on first and second bearing support members, which are provided respectively at retaining sections of the slider. When the slider is displaced in the axial direction along the cylinder tube, only one end surface of one of the flange sections of the bearing is pressed, depending on the displacement direction of the slider, in order to effect displacement in an integrated manner.

Abstract: After a sample is previously separated into plural components in a channel formed in a microchip (353), the channel is irradiated along a separation direction with a laser beam from a laser oscillator (361) to sequentially ionize each fraction separated in the channel. The ionized fraction is detected by a mass spectrometry unit (363) and analyzed by an analytical result analyzing unit (371). The analytical result is stored in a memory (369) while associated with position information in a driver control unit (367) and information on laser beam irradiation condition in a laser control unit (373), and the analytical result is imaged by an imaging unit (375). The imaged analytical result is displayed on a display (377).

Abstract: A reaction apparatus (10) includes a substrate (12) and a plurality of columnar members (14) formed on the substrate (12). Oligonucleotides for immobilization (16) having sequences complementary to sequences of both ends of a starting template DNA (18) is adhered on the surfaces of the substrate (12) and the columnar members (14). The starting template DNA (18) can be immobilized over the adjacent columnar members (14) by introducing the starting template DNA (18) under the elongated condition. PCR is conducted in such condition.

Abstract: A diagnostic support system includes a mobile terminal (14) and an analytical center (20), which are connected to each other through a network, and judges a morbidity possibility that a user holding the mobile terminal (14) is suffering from a disease. The analytical center (20) includes a data obtaining unit (26) which obtains symptom data representing the symptom of the user from the mobile terminal (14) in correspondence with a position at which and a date on which the symptom data was made, a morbidity possibility calculation unit (36) which judges the morbidity possibility that the user is suffering from the disease, based on the symptom data and a reference parameter representing the feature generated in sufferers of the disease, and an estimation processing unit (34) which estimates the existing states of sufferers of the disease for each area and in each period, based on morbidity possibilities of a plurality of users, and corresponding positions and dates.

Abstract: A sample-carrier complex (119) is introduced into a sample introducing portion (107), and the sample-carrier complex (119) is moved and deposited on a damming portion (111). The damming portion (111) is heated at a stage in which the predetermined amount of sample-carrier complex (119) is deposited on the damming portion (111). A temperature is increased to a predetermined temperature to break down the sample-carrier complex (119) into a sample (121) and a carrier (123). A voltage is applied between the sample introducing portion (107) and a sample recovery portion (109) to cause the sample (121) to pass through a gap between columnar bodies (115) and move into a second channel (106) to perform predetermined separation and analysis or recovery operation.

Abstract: A diagnosis supporting system (10) includes a diagnosis data obtaining unit (20) that obtains diagnosis data in which a movement parameter reflecting a movement speed of each component in separating a sample collected from a test subject into plural components with a chip (12) and a character of each component is in correspondence, a parameter storing unit (34) that stores the movement parameter of a characteristic component showing a state of suffering from a specific disease in correspondence with the disease, a relationship data storing unit (35) that stores relationship data showing a relationship between the character of the characteristic component and a possibility of suffering from a specific disease, a detecting unit (21) that detects the characteristic component from the diagnosis data based on the movement parameter of the characteristic component and the movement parameter of the diagnosis data by making reference to the parameter storing unit (34), and an inference processing unit (22) that infer

Abstract: A microchip includes a clad layer having a channel through which a sample flows, and an optical waveguide formed within the clad layer and having a higher refractive index than the clad layer. The optical waveguide is formed to act on the channel optically. Thus, the sample flowing in the channel can be analyzed with high accuracy even in the microchip having a fine structure.

Abstract: A liquid sample (104) introduced in a main flow passage (101) is held in a dam portion (105), and a trigger liquid (106) is filled in a trigger flow passage (102). In this state, the trigger liquid (106) is further introduced at desired timing into the trigger flow passage (102) so that the front end portion of the level of the trigger liquid (106) is advanced and the front end portion is brought to be into contact with the dam portion (105). This causes the liquid sample (104) to move to the right (downstream side) in the figure, resulting in the liquid sample (104) flowing out to the downstream side of the main flow passage (101). This means that the trigger liquid (106) provides priming to realize a liquid switch.

Abstract: A high-frequency superposing module for driving a laser diode includes an oscillating circuit and an impedance matching circuit. The impedance matching circuit includes a capacitor connected in series between the emitter of a transistor and the terminal through which a laser-diode drive signal is output; and a capacitor connected in parallel between the drive-signal output terminal and the ground. The oscillating circuit includes an inductor serving as a choke coil connected between the drive-signal output terminal and the collector of the transistor, thus allowing the drive-signal output terminal to serve as a power input terminal for the oscillating circuit.

Abstract: A particular component in a sample is recovered in a high concentration and solvent-replaced. A separator 100 is placed on a microchip and includes a channel 112 for flowing the particular component. The channel 112 includes a sample feeding channel 300 as well as a filtrate discharge channel 302 and a sample recovering part 308 which are branched from the sample feeding channel 300. There is formed a filter 304 for preventing passage of the particular component, at the inlet of the filtrate discharge channel 302 from the sample feeding channel 300. Furthermore, there is formed a damming area (hydrophobic area) 306 for preventing entering of a liquid sample while allowing for passage of the liquid sample by applying an external force equal to or larger than a given level, at the inlet of the sample recovering part 308 from the sample feeding channel 300.

Abstract: Individual components are separated with a high concentration and accurately, from a sample containing components-to-be-separated. The separation apparatus includes a channel through which a sample containing components-to-be-separated moves; and gateway portions partitioning the separation channel into a plurality of compartments. The separation apparatus further includes an external force imposing unit, which imposes external force to the components-to-be-separated so as to allow them to move through the channel. The external force imposing unit is configured so as to alternately repeatedly execute a first external force imposing pattern by which the external force is imposed in the forward direction of the channel, and a second external force imposing pattern by which the external force is imposed in the direction opposite to the forward direction along the channel. This makes it possible to fractionate the components-to-be-separated into any of the compartments.

Abstract: A sample reservoir (205) in which a sample (213) is introduced is sealed by a septum (207). On piercing the septum (207) by an injection needle, the sample reservoir (205) is communicated with the outer atmosphere, and then the sample (213) is delivered from the channel 203 to the water absorbing portion (209).

Abstract: A channel (1) formed in a substrate (41) branches into channels (2, 3) at a branch point (43). On this branch point, obstacles (8) having a columnar structure are aligned at certain intervals.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to attain a microstructure having a miniature continuous structure which has high throughput and has been processed with high accuracy. To achieve this, provided is a microstructure having a column-shaped structure and a slit-forming portion which extends in a side-face direction from a side face of the column-shaped structure, wherein the slit-forming portion has a plurality of slits aligned in parallel at an interval from 20 to 1,000 nm in a direction along a center axis of the column-shaped structure.

Abstract: A separation apparatus (100) has a separation channel (112), a partition wall (301a) and a partition wall (301b), wherein each of the partition wall (301a) and the partition wall (301b) has a capture portion (300) formed thereon. Molecules having a size acceptable by the capture portions (300) provided on the partition wall (301a) and the partition wall (301b) are captured by the capture portion (300) and reduced in the travel speed through the separation channel (112), and this makes it possible to precisely separate the sample depending on the molecular size.

Abstract: A channel (103) is formed in a substrate (101), and a portion of the channel (103) is provided with a separating portion (107). A number of pillars are formed in the separating portion (107), and an adsorptive substance layer having an adsorptive substance, which exhibits a specific interaction for a specific substance, immobilized on the surface thereof, is formed. Once a sample is introduced into the channel (103), the specific substance is adsorbed on the adsorptive substance layer to be separated from other components. After washing the inside of the channel (103) with a buffer solution, the specific substance is desorbed from the adsorptive substance layer by flowing a eluting solution through the channel (103) and the specific substance is recovered.

Abstract: An oscillator includes a transistor, a first bias resistor connected between the base of the transistor and a power input terminal, and a second bias resistor connected between the base of the transistor and a control-voltage input terminal. When the control-voltage input terminal is grounded, the bias voltage at the base of the transistor is below a predetermined threshold, thus causing the oscillator to stop oscillation. When the control-voltage input terminal is open, the bias voltage at the base of the transistor is above the threshold, thus causing the oscillator to start oscillation.