Patents by Inventor Masao Kamahori

Masao Kamahori has filed for patents to protect the following inventions. This listing includes patent applications that are pending as well as patents that have already been granted by the United States Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO).

  • Publication number: 20140332674
    Abstract: To prevent lowering of sensitivity of a flow cell based on total reflection of light at an outer face of a glass capillary at a joint part with a pipe, the flow cell includes, at joint parts with a pipe 605 to introduce solution to a glass capillary 601 and with a pipe to discharge solution from the capillary, an inorganic material layer 602 that reflects measurement light to modify the outer face of the glass capillary as well as a reinforcement layer 711 to modify the surface thereof.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 30, 2012
    Publication date: November 13, 2014
    Inventors: Yusuke Goto, Masao Kamahori, Yu Ishige, Hiroshi Sasaki, Hideyuki Akiyama, Shintaro Kubo
  • Patent number: 8712701
    Abstract: Provided is a potentiometric sensor chip in which the positional relationship among a reference electrode, a measurement electrode, and a sample inlet which enables measurement from the start of a reaction is defined, and further provided is a method for detecting the start time of the reaction. A very small amount of sample is measured with high accuracy. The very small quantity of sample is measured by a rate assay. When a reference electrode (103) is disposed between a sample inlet (102) and a measurement electrode (104), a sample solution arrives at the reference electrode (103) earlier than at the measurement electrode (104), whereby the surface potential of the measurement electrode (104) can be measured simultaneously when the sample solution arrives at the measurement electrode (104) and dissolves a reagent and thereby a reaction starts.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Date of Patent: April 29, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori, Kuniaki Nagamine
  • Patent number: 8702933
    Abstract: A potentiometric sensor with suppressed leak current on the surface of an electrode and improved for a dynamic range and a response speed, in which a redox compound is immobilized through insulative molecules on the surface of a gold electrode, and a current between a source and drain of an insulated gate field-effect transistor along with reaction between an oxidized substance or a reduced substance produced by the reaction of a measured substance in a sample solution injector for supplying the sample solution containing the measured substance and an enzyme and a redox compound on the surface of the gold electrode, is monitored on real time to measure the change of the surface potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Date of Patent: April 22, 2014
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori
  • Publication number: 20130274126
    Abstract: Provided is a device that can detect cells or bacteria in units of a single cell or bacterium, and can further measure the amounts of activity of cells or bacteria or responses of the cells or bacteria to drugs in units of a single cell or bacterium. A plurality of partitioned regions each having about the same size as a cell or a bacterium is provided, and a plurality of types of electrical sensors 201 and 202 are arranged in each partitioned region.
    Type: Application
    Filed: March 14, 2013
    Publication date: October 17, 2013
    Applicant: HITACHI, LTD.
    Inventors: Yu ISHIGE, Masao KAMAHORI
  • Patent number: 8394247
    Abstract: The present invention aims to simplify the structure and a fabrication method of an ion-selective electrode in an ion concentration measuring device that measures an anion, particularly a chloride ion, in a biological component. To this end, in a potential difference measuring unit, a quaternary ammonium salt derivative serving as a ligand for an anion is immobilized to the surface of a gold electrode by using as a linker an insulative molecule forming a self-assembled monolayer. The potential difference measuring unit measures an electromotive force generated with anion binding, as an interface potential change on the surface of the gold electrode. In order to reduce the influence of adsorption of impurities on the electrode surface, a high-molecular weight polymer is physically adsorbed on the gold electrode and thus used when a biological component is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: August 19, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 12, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi High-Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Kamahori, Yu Ishige, Kotaro Yamashita, Yasuhisa Shibata, Masafumi Miyake, Kuniaki Nagamine
  • Patent number: 8383396
    Abstract: Disclosed is a biomolecular detection device that can be used easily, at a low operating cost, and with a detection probe that can be immobilized easily. Using an insulated gate field effect transistor having a conductive electrode on the gate insulator between a source and a drain, a probe for detecting biomolecules is immobilized on the surface of the conductive electrode. For analysis, a conductive electrode on which a probe for detecting biomolecules is immobilized on the surface, and a reference electrode are placed in the sample solution in the analytical cell, an alternating current voltage is applied from a power source to the reference electrode and the electrical characteristics of the insulated gate field effect transistor that changes before and after binding of the measurement target substance such as DNA and proteins included in the sample solution with a probe for detecting biomolecules, namely the changes in the current values running between the source and the drain, are detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: March 7, 2005
    Date of Patent: February 26, 2013
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Kamahori, Yoshiaki Yazawa, Maki Shimoda
  • Publication number: 20130029872
    Abstract: Provided are a device, whereby cells, a bacterium or a virus can be quantified in a single unit, an assay system and an assay method. A subject to be assayed such as cells, a bacterium or a virus, which are present on a sensor, can be quantified by using a sensor equipped with multiple electrodes, said electrodes being similar in size to the subject to be assayed, detecting, concerning each electrode, the presence or absence of the subject in the vicinity of the electrode, and adding up the electrodes in which the subject is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 4, 2011
    Publication date: January 31, 2013
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori, Yusuke Goto
  • Patent number: 8323468
    Abstract: A crown ether derivative that acts as cation capturing ligand and alkanethiol having a longer carbon chain than a linker are immobilized, coexisting together, on the surface of a gold electrode, by using as the linker an insulating molecule (e.g., alkanethiol) that forms self-assembled monolayers. Electromotive force produced in association with cation coordination is measured by a potentiometer through a change in interfacial potential on the surface of the gold electrode. Further, an insulated gate field effect transistor formed on the same substrate as the gold electrode is used as the potentiometer. Furthermore, a straight-chain polymer physically adsorbed on the gold electrode is used in order to reduce the influence of the adsorption of impurities on the surface of the electrode during biological sample measurement.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 21, 2008
    Date of Patent: December 4, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi-High Technologies Corporation
    Inventors: Masao Kamahori, Yu Ishige, Kotaro Yamashita, Yasuhisa Shibata, Masafumi Miyake
  • Publication number: 20120261259
    Abstract: A potentiometric sensor with suppressed leak current on the surface of an electrode and improved for a dynamic range and a response speed, in which a redox compound is immobilized through insulative molecules on the surface of a gold electrode, and a current between a source and drain of an insulated gate field-effect transistor along with reaction between an oxidized substance or a reduced substance produced by the reaction of a measured substance in a sample solution injector for supplying the sample solution containing the measured substance and an enzyme and a redox compound on the surface of the gold electrode, is monitored on real time to measure the change of the surface potential.
    Type: Application
    Filed: June 14, 2012
    Publication date: October 18, 2012
    Inventors: Yu ISHIGE, Masao KAMAHORI
  • Patent number: 8246810
    Abstract: Disclosed is a DNA analysis method and a DNA analyzer whose signal intensity is not lowered even when a material at a higher density is measured. There is supplied dATP, dTTP, dGTP, or dCTP from a dATP solution vessel, a dTTP solution vessel, a dGTP solution vessel, or a dCTP solution vessel, and this causes an extension reaction of a double-stranded DNA immobilized to a bead, to yield pyrophosphoric acid. The pyrophosphoric acid is converted into a redox compound by the actions of a reagent and an enzyme contained in a reaction buffer in a reaction buffer vessel. The redox compound causes a variation in surface potential of a measuring electrode bearing an electrochemically active material immobilized thereto through an insulating molecule, and this variation causes a variation in drain current of a field-effect transistor electrically connected to the measuring electrode. Thus, the extension reaction is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Date of Patent: August 21, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori
  • Patent number: 8202409
    Abstract: A potentiometric sensor with suppressed leak current on the surface of an electrode and improved for a dynamic range and a response speed, in which a redox compound is immobilized through insulative molecules on the surface of a gold electrode, and a current between a source and drain of an insulated gate field-effect transistor along with reaction between an oxidized substance or a reduced substance produced by the reaction of a measured substance in a sample solution injector for supplying the sample solution containing the measured substance and an enzyme and a redox compound on the surface of the gold electrode, is monitored on real time to measure the change of the surface potential.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: November 20, 2007
    Date of Patent: June 19, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori
  • Patent number: 8128796
    Abstract: It is an object of this invention to measure small amounts of a plurality of sample solutions at the same time. The small amounts of sample solutions are respectively placed on measuring electrodes, a medium is placed across the plurality of sample solutions, a liquid joint of a reference electrode is brought into contact with the medium, and a potential difference between each of the measuring electrodes and the reference electrode via the medium is measured.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: June 11, 2008
    Date of Patent: March 6, 2012
    Assignee: Hitachi, Limited
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori
  • Publication number: 20110278179
    Abstract: Disclosed is a DNA analysis method and a DNA analyzer whose signal intensity is not lowered even when a material at a higher density is measured. There is supplied dATP, dTTP, dGTP, or dCTP from a dATP solution vessel, a dTTP solution vessel, a dGTP solution vessel, or a dCTP solution vessel, and this causes an extension reaction of a double-stranded DNA immobilized to a bead, to yield pyrophosphoric acid. The pyrophosphoric acid is converted into a redox compound by the actions of a reagent and an enzyme contained in a reaction buffer in a reaction buffer vessel. The redox compound causes a variation in surface potential of a measuring electrode bearing an electrochemically active material immobilized thereto through an insulating molecule, and this variation causes a variation in drain current of a field-effect transistor electrically connected to the measuring electrode. Thus, the extension reaction is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: April 8, 2011
    Publication date: November 17, 2011
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori
  • Publication number: 20110276278
    Abstract: Provided is a potentiometric sensor chip in which the positional relationship among a reference electrode, a measurement electrode, and a sample inlet which enables measurement from the start of a reaction is defined, and further provided is a method for detecting the start time of the reaction. A very small amount of sample is measured with high accuracy. The very small quantity of sample is measured by a rate assay. When a reference electrode (103) is disposed between a sample inlet (102) and a measurement electrode (104), a sample solution arrives at the reference electrode (103) earlier than at the measurement electrode (104), whereby the surface potential of the measurement electrode (104) can be measured simultaneously when the sample solution arrives at the measurement electrode (104) and dissolves a reagent and thereby a reaction starts.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 29, 2009
    Publication date: November 10, 2011
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori, Kuniaki Nagamine
  • Patent number: 7960113
    Abstract: Disclosed is a DNA analysis method and a DNA analyzer whose signal intensity is not lowered even when a material at a higher density is measured. There is supplied dATP, dTTP, dGTP, or dCTP from a dATP solution vessel, a dTTP solution vessel, a dGTP solution vessel, or a dCTP solution vessel, and this causes an extension reaction of a double-stranded DNA immobilized to a bead, to yield pyrophosphoric acid. The pyrophosphoric acid is converted into a redox compound by the actions of a reagent and an enzyme contained in a reaction buffer in a reaction buffer vessel. The redox compound causes a variation in surface potential of a measuring electrode bearing an electrochemically active material immobilized thereto through an insulating molecule, and this variation causes a variation in drain current of a field-effect transistor electrically connected to the measuring electrode. Thus, the extension reaction is detected.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Date of Patent: June 14, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori
  • Publication number: 20110059520
    Abstract: With an insulated gate field effect transistor in which deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) probes are immobilized on a gold electrode, extension reaction on the gold electrode is performed with DNA polymerase to directly measure an increased amount of a phosphate group caused by the extension reaction, that is, negative charge, by means of a current change between a source and a drain of the insulated gate field effect transistor. Thus, presence/absence of hybridization of target DNAs with the DNA probes, and presence/absence of the extension reaction are detected. Optimum immobilization density of the DNA probes on the gold electrode is set at 4×1012 molecules/cm2. To reduce surface potential fluctuation caused by external variation (influences of foreign substances), which is a problem when using the gold electrode in a solution, a high-frequency voltage equal to or above 1 kHz is applied between the gold electrode and a reference electrode by a power source.
    Type: Application
    Filed: October 13, 2010
    Publication date: March 10, 2011
    Inventors: Masao Kamahori, Yu Ishige
  • Patent number: 7888708
    Abstract: A wireless sensor chip suitable for the compact, high-sensitive, and low-cost examination apparatus for easily examining a biological material such as gene at low cost is provided. A sensor chip is formed on an SOI substrate, and an n type semiconductor layer on which a pMOS transistor is formed and a p type semiconductor layer on which an nMOS transistor is formed are isolated by a pn junction. Therefore, the p type semiconductor layer at the outermost portion (chip edge portion to be in contact with solution) is set to floating, and the maximum potential and the minimum potential of the chip are supplied to an n type semiconductor layer and a p type semiconductor layer inside the outermost portion, respectively. Also, the chip is covered with an ion impermeable insulating film for reducing the penetration of positive ions through the oxide layer.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: October 29, 2007
    Date of Patent: February 15, 2011
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Yoshiaki Yazawa, Kazuki Watanabe, Masao Kamahori, Yukinori Kunimoto
  • Patent number: 7838226
    Abstract: With an insulated gate field effect transistor in which deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) probes are immobilized on a gold electrode, extension reaction on the gold electrode is performed with DNA polymerase to directly measure an increased amount of a phosphate group caused by the extension reaction, that is, negative charge, by means of a current change between a source and a drain of the insulated gate field effect transistor. Thus, presence/absence of hybridization of target DNAs with the DNA probes, and presence/absence of the extension reaction are detected. Optimum immobilization density of the DNA probes on the gold electrode is set at 4×1012 molecules/cm2. To reduce surface potential fluctuation caused by external variation (influences of foreign substances), which is a problem when using the gold electrode in a solution, a high-frequency voltage equal to or above 1 kHz is applied between the gold electrode and a reference electrode by a power source.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 24, 2006
    Date of Patent: November 23, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Masao Kamahori, Yu Ishige
  • Patent number: 7645509
    Abstract: The present invention provides a method for producing a high-quality capillary tube used in an electrophoresis apparatus in a safe and inexpensive manner. A polymer coating on a capillary tube is converted into gas and removed through an oxidative reaction with oxygen radicals resulting from ozone decomposition, thereby providing tapered polymer coating. The material of the polymer may be polyimide.
    Type: Grant
    Filed: July 23, 2004
    Date of Patent: January 12, 2010
    Assignee: Hitachi, Ltd.
    Inventors: Kunio Harada, Masao Kamahori, Hideki Kambara, Sumio Yamaguchi, Sukeyoshi Tsunekawa
  • Publication number: 20090166221
    Abstract: Disclosed is a DNA analysis method and a DNA analyzer whose signal intensity is not lowered even when a material at a higher density is measured. There is supplied dATP, dTTP, dGTP, or dCTP from a dATP solution vessel, a dTTP solution vessel, a dGTP solution vessel, or a dCTP solution vessel, and this causes an extension reaction of a double-stranded DNA immobilized to a bead, to yield pyrophosphoric acid. The pyrophosphoric acid is converted into a redox compound by the actions of a reagent and an enzyme contained in a reaction buffer in a reaction buffer vessel. The redox compound causes a variation in surface potential of a measuring electrode bearing an electrochemically active material immobilized thereto through an insulating molecule, and this variation causes a variation in drain current of a field-effect transistor electrically connected to the measuring electrode. Thus, the extension reaction is detected.
    Type: Application
    Filed: February 4, 2008
    Publication date: July 2, 2009
    Inventors: Yu Ishige, Masao Kamahori