Abstract: A body fluid sampling device comprises an elastic membrane arranged at a part of a hermetically sealed housing having a communication path with a check valve and a needling means arranged beneath the membrane. As the membrane is pressed by a fingertip, the needling means needles through the membrane and further the skin of the fingertip to exude blood. As the fingertip is then separated from the membrane, the exuded blood is efficiently introduced into the housing due to the negative pressure produced in the internal region by the elastic movement of the membrane.

Abstract: A flat plate-shaped probe carrier for carrying probes such as single stranded DNAs, proteins, etc., which are reactive specifically with target substances comprises a plurality of ring bodies arranged substantially in parallel and the external space among the ring bodies is filled with a filler such that the openings of the ring bodies are oriented to the surface of the probe carrier. Each ring body has a region for fixing a probe adapted to be bonded specifically to a target substance on its inner wall. The probe carrier is produced by bundling a plurality of hollow tubular members in parallel, then filling the external space among the bundled hollow members with a filler, and cutting the bundle along a plane intersecting the axial direction of the tubular members. Probes are fixed to the fixing region before or after filling the external space.

Abstract: A process for producing a mass transfer device is provided which enables packing of a packing material uniformly in a flow channel, and transfers a specified substance by flowing a fluid containing the specified substance through a flow channel on a substrate. A mass transfer device produced by the process is also provided. The process for producing a mass transfer device comprises steps of preparing a substrate, forming a flow channel on the surface of the substrate, applying a liquid drop composed of a packing material and a liquid medium, and packing the packing material in the flow channel by removing the liquid medium.

Abstract: A body fluid sampling device comprises an elastic membrane arranged at a part of a hermetically sealed housing having a communication path with a check valve and a needling means arranged beneath the membrane. As the membrane is pressed by a fingertip, the needling means needles through the membrane and further the skin of the fingertip to exude blood. As the fingertip is then separated from the membrane, the exuded blood is efficiently introduced into the housing due to the negative pressure produced in the internal region by the elastic movement of the membrane.

Abstract: A flat plate-shaped probe carrier for carrying probes such as single stranded DNAs, proteins, etc., which are reactive specifically with target substances comprises a plurality of ring bodies arranged substantially in parallel and the external space among the ring bodies is filled with a filler such that the openings of the ring bodies are oriented to the surface of the probe carrier. Each ring body has a region for fixing a probe adapted to be bonded specifically to a target substance on its inner wall. The probe carrier is produced by bundling a plurality of hollow tubular members in parallel, then filling the external space among the bundled hollow members with a filler, and cutting the bundle along a plane intersecting the axial direction of the tubular members. Probes are fixed to the fixing region before or after filling the external space.

Abstract: A process for producing a mass transfer device is provided which enables packing of a packing material uniformly in a flow channel, and transfers a specified substance by flowing a fluid containing the specified substance through a flow channel on a substrate. A mass transfer device produced by the process is also provided. The process for producing a mass transfer device comprises steps of preparing a substrate, forming a flow channel on the surface of the substrate, applying a liquid drop composed of a packing material and a liquid medium, and packing the packing material in the flow channel by removing the liquid medium.

Abstract: A method of mixing plural liquids in a liquid chamber is provided which comprises steps of introducing plural liquids into the liquid chamber, and repeating expansion and shrinkage of a bubble in the liquids in the liquid chamber. In this method, the liquid may be heated to produce the bubble. A liquid-mixing apparatus for mixing plural liquids in a liquid chamber to obtain a liquid mixture is also provided. The liquid-mixing apparatus comprises a liquid chamber; flow channels for introducing the plural liquids into the liquid chamber; a heating part placed in the liquid chamber for heating the liquid mixture in the liquid chamber; and an energy-supplying means for causing expansion and shrinkage of a bubble in the liquid mixture in the liquid chamber.

Abstract: Method of manufacture of probe carriers and an apparatus used for the method in which the product of the Reynolds number and the Weber number, calculated from diameter and speed of a droplet of a probe solution, and density and surface tension of the probe solution, is set in the predetermined range. In accordance with the present invention, there are achieved high uniformity of the area and shape in each probe arranged on the probe carrier, and less tendency to rebound at impact of the probe solution on the substrate. Probe carriers having very uniform area and shape of the probes are obtained, according to the present invention.

Abstract: Method of manufacture of probe carriers and an apparatus used for the method in which plural kinds of probes are arranged on a substrate by ejecting plural kinds of probe solutions containing probe materials specifically associable with target substances from a liquid ejecting device onto the substrate, wherein, when the probe solutions are ejected, the probe solutions ejected from the liquid ejection device are adhered on the base in elongated state following front ends of the solutions without splitting of the probe solutions on the way to the substrate. The method and the apparatus can provide probe carriers with areas and shapes of very high uniformity arranged on probe carrier bases.

Abstract: A flat plate-shaped probe carrier for carrying probes such as single stranded DNAs, proteins, etc. which are reactive specifically with target substances comprises a plurality of ring bodies arranged substantially in parallel and the external space among the ring bodies is filled with a filler such that the openings of the ring bodies are oriented to the surface of the probe carrier. Each ring body has a region for fixing a probe adapted to be bonded specifically to a target substance on its inner wall. The probe carrier is produced by bundling a plurality of hollow tubular members in parallel, then filling the external space among the bundled hollow members with a filler, and cutting the bundle along a plane intersecting the axial direction of the tubular members. Probes are fixed to the fixing region before or after filling the external space.

Abstract: A probe carrier of a DNA array or the like is formed by arranging regions fixing different probes in the axial direction of a substrate having an oblong profile which is string-shaped, tape-shaped, string-shaped, tube-shaped or rod-shaped. With this arrangement, the efficiency of manufacturing a probe carrier and handling it in different steps of specimen analysis is improved.

Abstract: Method of manufacture of probe carriers in which plural kinds of probes are arranged on substrates by ejecting plural kinds of probe solutions containing probe materials specifically associable to target substances from a liquid ejecting device onto the substrates, wherein the probe solutions are ejected from the liquid ejecting device onto the substrates while a substrate holding part whereupon the substrates are placed is moved relative to the liquid ejecting device and a manufacturing apparatus exclusively used for the method. The present invention enables stable manufacture of probe carriers without overflow of the probe solutions from reservoirs in which probe substances are held.