Abstract: Polymer particles are provided which contain fluorescent molecules with high presence ratio in a polymer layer thereof and a method for preparing thereof. Polymer particles are swelled in a non-aqueous solution excluding exclusively water preferably promotes selling of the polymer layer and transfer of the fluorescent molecules to the polymer layer could not protected by water molecules such that much more fluorescent molecule may be introduced into inside of the polymer layer. Furthermore, since the water is added to the reaction system prior to evaporation removal of the non-aqueous solvent, dry-up of the polymer particles is prevented by the water remained in the reaction system and the polymer particles including fluorescent molecules with high presence ratio of the fluorescent molecules preferably keep high dispersibility using the above described procedures.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a polymer coated ferrite fine particles being possible to control a particle size uniformly while having high aqueous dispersibility and preferred biomolecule immobilization ability and an easy method for preparing the same. [Means Addressing Object] In an aqueous solvent, iron ion is protected by chelating polyacrylic acid and then alkaline is added. Thereafter, a reaction system is heated under pressurized condition to produce simultaneous precipitation of the ferrite fine particles and coating thereof. As the result, the polymer coated ferrite fine particles having uniform particle size may be prepared in one step with excellent reproducibility. The polymer coated ferrite fine particles of the present invention has high water dispersibility and has preferred biomolecule immobilization performance by carboxyl groups coming from the polyacrylic acid.

Abstract: A method for preparing polymer magnetic particles comprising magnetic particles and a coating polymer layer covering the magnetic particles and containing fluorescent molecules, the method includes swelling a coating polymer layer of the polymer magnetic particles in a non-aqueous solvent-containing and absorbing the fluorescent molecules inside the swelled coating polymer layer, adding water to the non-aqueous solvent in which the polymer magnetic particles adsorbing the fluorescent molecules are present, and removing the non-aqueous solvent by evaporation; where the non-aqueous solvent has affinity with water, a lower boiling point, and a higher vapor pressure than those of water, and the fluorescent molecule is selected from rare earth metal chelate complexes.

Abstract: The present invention provides; a novel gene introduction method which enables a gene to be introduced more safely and more freely, particularly a method for introducing a gene into a specified site in the brain safely and freely; a carrier for gene introduction use, which comprises a nano-particle and a substance capable of binding to a vector for gene introduction and has functional groups involved in the induction of phagocytosis by cells, wherein the substance capable of binding to a vector for gene introduction can bind to the surface of the nano-particle through some of the functional groups and another some of the functional groups remain unbound to the substance capable of binding to a vector for gene introduction; and a gene introduction agent, in which a vector for gene introduction is bound to the substance capable of binding to a vector for gene introduction in the carrier for gene introduction.

Abstract: Nano-sized inorganic particles having uniform particle sizes and precisely controlled particle diameters have already been produced by synthesis in an organic solvent, but these nano-sized inorganic particles are hindered from dispersing in a polar solvent because of the adsorption of a long-chain fatty acid on the surfaces of the particles. Further, it was difficult to form nano-sized inorganic particles dispersible in a polar solvent by replacing the long-chain fatty acid coats.

Abstract: A porous electroconductive material is provided. The electroconductive material enables efficient enzymatic metabolic reactions on electrodes and yields electrodes having immobilized enzymes thereon which remain stable in any working environment. The porous electroconductive material, which has a three-dimensional network structure, is formed from a skeleton of porous material and a carbonaceous material covering the surface of the skeleton. The porous material constituting the skeleton is foamed metal or alloy. This porous electroconductive material is made into an electrode, and enzymes are immobilized on this electrode. The resulting electrode with immobilized enzymes thereon is used as the anode of a bio-fuel cell.

Abstract: [Object] To provide a polymer coated ferrite fine particles being possible to control a particle size uniformly while having high aqueous dispersibility and preferred biomolecule immobilization ability and an easy method for preparing the same. [Means Addressing Object] In an aqueous solvent, iron ion is protected by chelating polyacrylic acid and then alkaline is added. Thereafter, a reaction system is heated under pressurized condition to produce simultaneous precipitation of the ferrite fine particles and coating thereof. As the result, the polymer coated ferrite fine particles having uniform particle size may be prepared in one step with excellent reproducibility. The polymer coated ferrite fine particles of the present invention has high water dispersibility and has preferred biomolecule immobilization performance by carboxyl groups coming from the polyacrylic acid.

Abstract: Polymer particles are provided which contain fluorescent molecules with high presence ratio in a polymer layer thereof and a method for preparing thereof. Polymer particles are swelled in a non-aqueous solution excluding exclusively water preferably promotes selling of the polymer layer and transfer of the fluorescent molecules to the polymer layer could not protected by water molecules such that much more fluorescent molecule may be introduced into inside of the polymer layer. Furthermore, since the water is added to the reaction system prior to evaporation removal of the non-aqueous solvent, dry-up of the polymer particles is prevented by the water remained in the reaction system and the polymer particles including fluorescent molecules with high presence ratio of the fluorescent molecules preferably keep high dispersibility using the above described procedures.

Abstract: A fuel cell and an electronic device equipped therewith are disclosed. The fuel cell is of the type having a cathode and an anode facing each other with a proton conductor interposed therebetween, with at least either of the cathode or anode having an enzyme as a catalyst immobilized thereon, wherein at least a first cathode, a first proton conductor, an anode, a second proton conductor, and a second cathode are sequentially placed thereon, and in fuel is held in contact with at least part of the anode.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a polymer coated magnetic fine polymer by coating an inorganic fine particle with a thin polymer layer under precise control of a polymerization reaction and a method for preparing the same. Onto a surface of the inorganic fine particle the iniferter is fixed and grafted chains are formed on the inorganic fine particle by a living radical polymerization using the iniferter as an initiator which is defined by the following chemical formula: (wherein X is a hydrophilic atomic group being capable of binding to a surface of the inorganic fine particle, R1 and R2 are each independently selected from a mono-valent hydrocarbyl group which is formed by removing one hydrogen atom from hydrocarbon.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a novel biosensing method as the novel application development of the magnetic particles in the biosensing. In an affinity reaction of biosensing, ligands are immobilized to magnetic fine particles and the magnetic fine particles are forced to reaction fields of the affinity reaction by magnetic guiding so as to bring the affinity reaction, which is the velocity controlling factor in the sensing, to high rates. According to the present invention, coated magnetic fine particles with having both of the high dispersion performance and high magnetic responsibility as the above described magnetic fine particles and the affinity reaction occurs quickly and in high density such that the present invention makes it possible to obtain relatively large signals within significantly short time duration when compared to the conventional art.

Abstract: Nano-sized inorganic particles having uniform particle sizes and precisely controlled particle diameters have already been produced by synthesis in an organic solvent, but these nano-sized inorganic particles are hindered from dispersing in a polar solvent because of the adsorption of a long-chain fatty acid on the surfaces of the particles. Further, it was difficult to form nano-sized inorganic particles dispersible in a polar solvent by replacing the long-chain fatty acid coats.

Abstract: A porous electroconductive material is provided. The electroconductive material enables efficient enzymatic metabolic reactions on electrodes and yields electrodes having immobilized enzymes thereon which remain stable in any working environment. The porous electroconductive material, which has a three-dimensional network structure, is formed from a skeleton of porous material and a carbonaceous material covering the surface of the skeleton. The porous material constituting the skeleton is foamed metal or alloy. This porous electroconductive material is made into an electrode, and enzymes are immobilized on this electrode. The resulting electrode with immobilized enzymes thereon is used as the anode of a bio-fuel cell.

Abstract: A fuel cell includes a positive electrode, a negative electrode, an enzyme including an oxidase that oxidizes a monosaccharide, the enzyme being immobilized on the negative electrode, an electron mediator including a compound having a naphthoquinone skeleton, the electron mediator being immobilized on the negative electrode, a coenzyme that is formed by oxidation of the monosaccharide, and a coenzyme oxidase that oxidizes the coenzyme, in which the ratio of the electron mediator to the coenzyme is in the range of 1.0 (mol):0.33 (mol) to 1.0 (mol):1.0 (mol).

Abstract: A method of evaluating image pattern output accuracy based on numerical and objective criteria, by employing quality engineering. The method includes setting command signals which provide different distances from a reference point to at least three other points; outputting an image pattern which indicates reference coordinates of the reference point and distant measurement coordinates of the at least three points; optically reading the image pattern; obtaining data of the reference coordinates and the distant measurement coordinates from the read image pattern; calculating each distance between the obtained reference coordinates and the obtained distance measurement coordinates and outputting output signals which respectively provide the calculated distances; and calculating based on the command signals and the output signals, an S/N ratio for indicating a degree of dispersion of the output signals with respect to the command signals and a sensitivity of the output signals with respect to the command signals.

Abstract: To provide a fuel cell and a method of using the same, which enable such a reaction environment as to exhibit excellent properties as electrode sufficiently, and to provide a cathode for the fuel cell, a device using an electrode reaction, and an electrode for the device using an electrode reaction. A fuel cell 10 includes an electrolyte solution 7 arranged between a cathode 1 and an anode 5. The cathode 1 includes a porous material made typically of carbon and an immobilized thereon. The fuel cell is so configured as to bring at least part of the cathode 1 into contact with a reactant in a gaseous phase. The cathode 1 preferably further includes an immobilized electron-transfer mediator in addition to the enzyme. The reactant in a gaseous phase can be, for example, air or oxygen.

Abstract: A fuel cell and an electronic device equipped therewith are disclosed. The fuel cell is of the type having a cathode and an anode facing each other with a proton conductor interposed therebetween, with at least either of the cathode or anode having an enzyme as a catalyst immobilized thereon, wherein at least a first cathode, a first proton conductor, an anode, a second proton conductor, and a second cathode are sequentially placed thereon, and in fuel is held in contact with at least part of the anode.

Abstract: A porous electroconductive material is provided. The electroconductive material enables efficient enzymatic metabolic reactions on electrodes and yields electrodes having immobilized enzymes thereon which remain stable in any working environment. The porous electroconductive material, which has a three-dimensional network structure, is formed from a skeleton of porous material and a carbonaceous material covering the surface of the skeleton. The porous material constituting the skeleton is foamed metal or alloy. This porous electroconductive material is made into an electrode, and enzymes are immobilized on this electrode. The resulting electrode with immobilized enzymes thereon is used as the anode of a bio-fuel cell.

Abstract: A method of evaluating image pattern output accuracy based on numerical and objective criteria, by employing quality engineering. The method includes setting command signals which provide different distances from a reference point to at least three other points; outputting an image pattern which indicates reference coordinates of the reference point and distant measurement coordinates of the at least three points; optically reading the image pattern; obtaining data of the reference coordinates and the distant measurement coordinates from the read image pattern; calculating each distance between the obtained reference coordinates and the obtained distance measurement coordinates and outputting output signals which respectively provide the calculated distances; and calculating based on the command signals and the output signals, an S/N ratio for indicating a degree of dispersion of the output signals with respect to the command signals and a sensitivity of the output signals with respect to the command signals.