Abstract: A convention appliance monitoring apparatus handles only the amount of gas used and security information for the case of a gas cutoff and can not address social needs for a desire to obtain information about influence (e.g., an amount of CO2 emission) of use of the gas combustion appliance on a terrestrial environment. Based on a gas appliance used by a client and a gas flow signal pertaining the gas appliance which are output from an appliance determination unit 2, CO2 emission data on the gas appliance stored in a CO2 emission data storage unit 3, and CO2 emission data which are to be compared with the gas appliance and stored in a comparative CO2 emission data storage unit 4, a CO2 emission calculation unit 5 calculates an amount of CO2 emission, an comparative amount of CO2 emission and a difference between the amount of CO2 emission and the comparative amount of CO2 emission.

Abstract: A microchamber including a glass substrate which is transparent to a specific wavelength, an absorbent region which absorbs the specific wavelength, and a melting substance region which does not absorb the specific wavelength, is solid at room temperature and melts when heated, which regions are layered on the glass substrate. The absorbent region, is irradiated with a focused light beam of the specific wavelength and locally heated in the vicinity of the converging rays, so that the melting substance region is locally melted at a portion adjacent to the absorbent region, thereby forming a cavity as the focused light beam moves. Accordingly, the shape of the microchamber can be arbitrarily changed in accordance with the process of cell culture.

Abstract: The present invention provides an apparatus for evaluating a drug effect enabling on-chip evaluation of the effect of a drug while the drug is acting on hERG-expressing cells. The present invention also provides a myocardial toxicity test apparatus and method therefor enabling in vitro myocardial toxicity testing that has previously been performed in vivo. A pulsating cell population and hERG-expressing cells (target model cells) are suitably isolated and arranged on a transparent substrate so that the two form gap junctions. The hERG-expressing cells are arranged on transparent electrodes provided on the transparent substrate. The hERG-expressing cells are exposed to a flow of a liquid containing a drug such that the drug acts thereon. The difference between the normal pulsation of hERG-expressing cells and the pulsation when a drug is acting thereon is captured via electric signals obtained from electrodes, and the properties of the change in potential are evaluated.

Abstract: A liquid sample flow containing living cells is irradiated with measurement laser light and the photo data of at least either scattering light or fluorescence that is generated by each of the living cells in the liquid sample flow due to the irradiation with the measurement laser light is acquired. Based on the photo data thus acquired, it is determined whether each of the cells assignable to the respective photo data is an unnecessary living cell or a target living cell. Based on the determination results, a pulse voltage is then applied exclusively to the living cells having been determined as unnecessary living cells so that the unnecessary living cells are damaged and killed.

Abstract: A chip has been developed that can accurately measure cell potential and cell morphology on a single cell basis. The chip also constitutes a cardiac model that comprises a closed loop whereupon cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts are suitably dispersed and arranged, and that can evaluate the effects of a drug thereon. An in vitro cardiac reentry model chip is fabricated by constructing a closed loop comprising cardiomyocytes and fibroblasts arrayed on transparent electrodes formed on a transparent substrate by using a constitution where single cells are enclosed in a specific spatial configuration. A pulse wave of a random cardiomyocyte or a specific cardiomyocyte is propagated on both sides of the loop, and the pulsation status of the cells in the loop is detected electrically. A drug is applied to this cardiac reentry model chip, and the benefit or toxicity of the drug to cardiomyocytes is evaluated by measuring the cell potentials of individual cells.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, a chip device, and a system for quantitatively measuring intercellularly and intracellularly-localized mRNA and protein without loss of local space information. In the present invention, cell content is trapped atop a substrate or an electrode in the form of a two-dimensional projection of a cell. Accordingly, electrophoretic force is used, or the cellular moisture content is instantaneously evaporated and immobilized. mRNA immobilized to a two-dimensional surface is identified with a labeled probe which hybridizes to the mRNA.

Abstract: The present invention provides a cell isolation method, a cell screening process, and a reagent kit therefor. In the present invention, the recognition substance is a polynucleotide specifically bound to a particular antigen that exists on the surface of a specific cell. This recognition substance is made to bind with a magnet of paramagnetic material. The specific cell is obtained by mixing a sample and the magnet, recovering the magnet through the use of magnetic force, applying nuclease, digesting the polynucleotide bound to the particular antigen of a specific cell, and using magnetic force to remove the magnet. According to the present invention, loss of cell functionality during the classification process can be avoided when cell identification or isolation is necessary.

Abstract: A composition for promoting bacterial proliferation and selectively proliferating Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei is disclosed, which includes a dextran. A variety of biological activities originating from L. casei subsp. casei can be sustained in a living body by selectively growing-proliferating and colonizing L. casei subsp. casei in the intestine of a human being, animal, or the like or by selectively growing-proliferating L. casei subsp. casei in the intestine, without supplying L. casei subsp. casei at all times.

Abstract: The present invention provides a biological substance analysis chip capable of quantitative measurement in a minute region through immobilization of a biological substance trapping probe to a substrate surface in a more uniform density, a biological substance analysis kit that uses said chip, and a biological substance analysis method that uses the above.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: A droplet operation device has a substrate with light transmissibility and having been subjected to a water repellent treatment, a way for supplying droplets onto the substrate, a way for transporting the droplets on the water repellent substrate, and a way for measuring the state of the droplets. The droplet operation device includes the light transmittable substrate, solvent feeding ports for leading reagent or specimen droplets onto the substrate, optical measuring units, and electric field application units. As a result, the inside of the droplets can be observed with a microscope, and results of the reaction of the droplets against other droplets can be measured and classified by stopping and moving the droplets in any direction.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: In labeling a cell, and separating and collecting the cell according to a degree of the labeling using a cell separator, effects on the cell is minimized and the use of the collected cell is facilitated, thereby, when labeling a cell, the cell is labeled in the state where interaction of each cell is retained. In the labeling, a specific labeling material present on a surface of a target cell is taken in the cell via a transporter, and the cell is dispersed one by one to separate the same with a cell separator. Immediately after the separation, the cell is put in a solution not containing the specific labeling substance to remove the specific labeling substance taken in the cell. This series of steps is continuously conducted with a cell separation chip.

Abstract: A composition for promoting bacterial proliferation and selectively proliferating Lactobacillus casei subsp. casei is disclosed, which includes a dextran. A variety of biological activities originating from L. casei subsp. casei can be sustained in a living body by selectively growing-proliferating and colonizing L. casei subsp. casei in the intestine of a human being, animal, or the like or by selectively growing-proliferating L. casei subsp. casei in the intestine, without supplying L. casei subsp. casei at all times.

Abstract: A fluorescent or luminescence image of at least part of a biological sample is imaged, then a transmission light image of at least part of the biological sample is imaged, and thereafter the fluorescent or luminescence image and the transmission light image are overlaid such that the identical area of the sample is coincided to display. The present invention allows detecting the accurate location of fluorescence or luminescence in a given part of the biological sample.