Abstract: A method for improving repeatability of a nucleic acid amplification method is provided by the present invention, the method including performing a nucleic acid amplification reaction using a reaction composition containing water, an amplification target nucleic acid at a concentration of not more than 10,000 copies/mL, and one or more polymers selected from the following group A at a concentration of 0.005 to 0.5 w/v %: [group A] (A1) a polymer consisting of a constitutional unit derived from 2-(meth)acryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine (A2) a copolymer containing a constitutional unit derived from 2-(meth)acryloyloxyethylphosphorylcholine and a constitutional unit derived from (meth)acrylic acid.

Abstract: The present invention provides a sensitizer for nucleic acid amplification which is a polymer containing a constitutional unit derived from a monomer represented by the following formula (1): wherein symbols are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: The present invention provides a solubilizing agent for hardly water-soluble substances, which contains a compound represented by the formula (1): wherein the symbols in the above formula are as defined in the specification.

Abstract: A compound is provided which is effectively adsorbed to a substrate surface, such as an immune reaction vessel, has extremely high protein adsorption inhibitory effect that inhibits non-specific adsorption of protein or the like, and has excellent washability to retain the inhibitory effect before and after washing operation of the substrate. Also provided are a protein adsorption inhibitor using the compound, a phosphorylcholine-modified substrate, and a method for inhibiting protein adsorption. The compound is a phosphorylcholine group-containing polyethylene glycol derivative represented by formula (1). The method for inhibiting protein adsorption of the present invention includes the step of forming an adsorbed layer of the derivative on a substrate surface.

Abstract: Provided are a copolymer having biocompatibility sufficient for use in medical material applications, and a method of forming a crosslinked body, the method including imparting biocompatibility to a substrate surface through the use of the copolymer. More specifically, a protein adsorption-suppressing effect and a cell adhesion-suppressing effect, which are features of a phosphorylcholine group, are imparted to the substrate surface. It has been found that a copolymer containing a phosphorylcholine constitutional unit and a photoreactive constitutional unit, or a copolymer containing a phosphorylcholine constitutional unit, a photoreactive constitutional unit, and a hydrophobic constitutional unit can impart a protein adsorption-suppressing effect and a cell adhesion-suppressing effect to a substrate surface through a simple approach called photoirradiation.

Abstract: Provided is a lubricity-imparting agent that can impart durable lubricity (in particular, lubricity at the time of wetting) to a substrate. It has been found that a lubricity-imparting agent including a copolymer containing a constitutional unit (A) based on 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine and a constitutional unit (B) based on a photoreactive functional group-containing monomer, or a copolymer containing a constitutional unit (A) based on 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine, a constitutional unit (B) based on a photoreactive functional group-containing monomer, and a constitutional unit (C) based on a hydrophobic group-containing monomer can impart durable lubricity to a substrate surface through a simple approach called photoirradiation.

Abstract: A compound is provided which is effectively adsorbed to a substrate surface, such as an immune reaction vessel, has extremely high protein adsorption inhibitory effect that inhibits non-specific adsorption of protein or the like, and has excellent washability to retain the inhibitory effect before and after washing operation of the substrate. Also provided are a protein adsorption inhibitor using the compound, a phosphorylcholine-modified substrate, and a method for inhibiting protein adsorption. The compound is a phosphorylcholine group-containing polyethylene glycol derivative represented by formula (1). The method for inhibiting protein adsorption of the present invention includes the step of forming an adsorbed layer of the derivative on a substrate surface.

Abstract: A protein adsorption inhibitor includes a compound of Formula (1) as an active ingredient. The protein adsorption inhibitor is capable of highly inhibiting non-specific adsorption of a protein such as an antibody or an enzyme to a surface of a base body such as an immune reaction vessel or an assay instrument. Also provided is a coating layer-formed base body having a coating layer containing the protein adsorption inhibitor on the base body. The coating layer-formed base body has an excellent protein adsorption-inhibiting function. A method for inhibiting the adsorption of the protein to the base body is provided. The method includes forming the coating layer containing the protein adsorption inhibitor on the surface of the base body: wherein, X is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and n is an integer of 9 to 15.

Abstract: Provided is a lubricity-imparting agent that can impart durable lubricity (in particular, lubricity at the time of wetting) to a substrate. It has been found that a lubricity-imparting agent including a copolymer containing a constitutional unit (A) based on 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine and a constitutional unit (B) based on a photoreactive functional group-containing monomer, or a copolymer containing a constitutional unit (A) based on 2-methacryloyloxyethyl phosphorylcholine, a constitutional unit (B) based on a photoreactive functional group-containing monomer, and a constitutional unit (C) based on a hydrophobic group-containing monomer can impart durable lubricity to a substrate surface through a simple approach called photoirradiation.

Abstract: Provided are a copolymer having enough biocompatibility to be used in a medical material application, and a method of forming a crosslinked body, which involves modifying a substrate surface with the copolymer so that the surface may be biocompatible. More specifically, a protein adsorption-suppressing effect and a cell adhesion-suppressing effect, which are features of a phosphorylcholine group, are imparted to the substrate surface. It has been found that the object is achieved by a copolymer containing a phosphorylcholine constitutional unit, a hydrophobic constitutional unit, and a photoreactive constitutional unit at a specific ratio.

Abstract: Provided are a copolymer having biocompatibility sufficient for use in medical material applications, and a method of forming a crosslinked body, the method including imparting biocompatibility to a substrate surface through the use of the copolymer. More specifically, a protein adsorption-suppressing effect and a cell adhesion-suppressing effect, which are features of a phosphorylcholine group, are imparted to the substrate surface. It has been found that a copolymer containing a phosphorylcholine constitutional unit and a photoreactive constitutional unit, or a copolymer containing a phosphorylcholine constitutional unit, a photoreactive constitutional unit, and a hydrophobic constitutional unit can impart a protein adsorption-suppressing effect and a cell adhesion-suppressing effect to a substrate surface through a simple approach called photoirradiation.

Abstract: Provided are a copolymer having enough biocompatibility to be used in a medical material application, and a method of forming a crosslinked body, which involves modifying a substrate surface with the copolymer so that the surface may be biocompatible. More specifically, a protein adsorption-suppressing effect and a cell adhesion-suppressing effect, which are features of a phosphorylcholine group, are imparted to the substrate surface. It has been found that the object is achieved by a copolymer containing a phosphorylcholine constitutional unit, a hydrophobic constitutional unit, and a photoreactive constitutional unit at a specific ratio.

Abstract: There is provided a protein stabilizer containing a compound represented by Formula (1) as an active ingredient. The protein stabilizer is capable of stabilizing a protein in a solution state for a long period of time without affecting an assay system, the protein being not limited to enzymes, labeling substances such as fluorescent substances and chemiluminescent substances, and assay target substances. There is also provided a protein stabilization method containing making the protein coexist with the compound represented by Formula (1) in a water-containing solution. In Formula (1), X is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and n is an integer of 3 to 17.

Abstract: A protein adsorption inhibitor includes a compound of Formula (1) as an active ingredient. The protein adsorption inhibitor is capable of highly inhibiting non-specific adsorption of a protein such as an antibody or an enzyme to a surface of a base body such as an immune reaction vessel or an assay instrument. Also provided is a coating layer-formed base body having a coating layer containing the protein adsorption inhibitor on the base body. The coating layer-formed base body has an excellent protein adsorption-inhibiting function. A method for inhibiting the adsorption of the protein to the base body is provided. The method includes forming the coating layer containing the protein adsorption inhibitor on the surface of the base body: wherein, X is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group and n is an integer of 9 to 15.

Abstract: There is provided a protein stabilizer containing a compound represented by Formula (1) as an active ingredient. The protein stabilizer is capable of stabilizing a protein in a solution state for a long period of time without affecting an assay system, the protein being not limited to enzymes, labeling substances such as fluorescent substances and chemiluminescent substances, and assay target substances. There is also provided a protein stabilization method containing making the protein coexist with the compound represented by Formula (1) in a water-containing solution. In Formula (1), X is a hydrogen atom or a methyl group, and n is an integer of 3 to 17.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a substrate; a laser marking layer that has a reduced reflectance to light with a wavelength of 780 nm or more and that is discolored by irradiation with laser light, the laser marking layer being provided on the substrate; and a shielding layer that transmits infrared light, and that absorbs or reflects visible light, the shielding layer being provided on the laser marking layer.

Abstract: An information recording medium includes a substrate; a laser marking layer that has a reduced reflectance to light with a wavelength of 780 nm or more and that is discolored by irradiation with laser light, the laser marking layer being provided on the substrate; and a shielding layer that transmits infrared light, and that absorbs or reflects visible light, the shielding layer being provided on the laser marking layer.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a transfer body, which method neither causes adhesion failure at the interface between a transferring film and a substrate, nor causes interlayer peeling in the transferring film. Another object of the present invention is to provide a method for producing a transfer body with high productivity, which method neither causes breakage of a functional pattern forming a transferring layer during peeling of a release film from the transferring film, nor causes any damage to the substrate during separation of an attaching roller and a peeling roller from the substrate.

Abstract: A method of forming a toner image on an image transfer sheet include the steps of forming a latent electrostatic image on an image bearing member, developing the latent electrostatic image to a toner image, using a developer, and transferring the toner image to an image transfer sheet, with the developer having a carrier and a toner which contains a thermoplastic resin and a coloring agent having a chromatic color and capable of retaining the chromatic color even after the toner is sintered, and satisfying at least one of three conditions that (1) a toner concentration in the developer is in a range of 8 to 24 wt. %, (2) the toner has an absolute charge quantity value of 12 &mgr;C/g or less, and (3) a ratio of a true specific gravity of the carrier to that of the toner is in a range of 2 to 3. An image can be fixed on a heat-resistant solid surface by further attaching the toner image transferred to the image transfer sheet to a heat-resistant solid surface and sintering the toner image.

Abstract: A toner composition useful for forming a single or full colored image on a transfer sheet, containing a coloring agent, and a binder resin, wherein the coloring agent contains a plural kinds of metal elements (a) which contribute to the color of the coloring agent and at least one kind of a metal element (b) which does not contribute to the color of the coloring agent. At least one of the metal elements (a) shows substantially the same two-dimensional distribution within an area of at least 1 square .mu.m as that of the metal element (b) when analyzed by an electron prove micro analyzer. By sintering a ceramic, such as a tile, on which the image-bearing transfer sheet has been applied, a pattern corresponding to the toner image is formed on the ceramic.