Abstract: Provided is a dispensing device that can dispense at a high speed and with high precision and that can be miniaturized. This dispensing device suctions a liquid sample into a disposable tip and discharges the suctioned liquid sample, the dispensing device being provided with: a piston receiving part into which a piston is inserted; a tip detachment part that detaches the disposable tip mounted on the front end of the piston receiving part by pressing down the disposable tip; and a force action part that works in tandem with the tip detachment part and moves in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the tip detachment part.

Abstract: The dispensing apparatus is able to dispense liquid and includes: a piston; a first drive device that drives the piston; a syringe that has a tip mounting unit to which a dispensing tip is mounted and that receives the piston therein; a pressure sensor that measures pressure within the syringe; a processing device that processes a detection signal of the pressure measured by the pressure sensor; a block having a hole which can be fitted to the tip mounting unit; and a second drive device that varies the relative position between the syringe and the block. The processing device is characterized by: driving the second drive device so as to cause the tip mounting unit and the hole to be fitted to each other; sealing up the interior of the syringe; applying a positive pressure or a negative pressure within the syringe; and then, calculating a correction value.

Abstract: A dispensing device has: a syringe having a piston, a first drive device driving the piston, and a tip mounting part; a block having first and second orifices; a pump; and a second drive device for varying the relative positions of the syringe and the block. A processing device: drives the second driving device and fits together the tip mounting part and the first orifice such that the interior of the syringe is hermetically sealed, and then drives the pump and applies positive or negative pressure to the interior of the syringe; and subsequently drives the second driving device and fits together the tip mounting part and the second orifice such that the interior of the syringe is hermetically sealed, and then drives the pump and applies positive or negative pressure to the interior of the syringe; and identifies the site of deterioration in the dispensing device.

Abstract: A thermal cycler includes: a support block configured to support a reaction vessel; a Peltier element thermally connected to the support block and configured to adjust a temperature of a sample solution stored in the reaction vessel by heating/cooling the support block; a temperature sensor configured to measure a temperature of the support block; and a temperature adjusting unit configured to control a current and a voltage supplied to the Peltier element based on the temperature of the support block measured by the temperature sensor. As the reaction vessel, a reaction vessel including a conical portion which opens at an upper portion and tapers toward a lower portion is used, and the Peltier element is arranged so as to be parallel to a conical generatrix portion of the reaction vessel.

Abstract: A thermal cycler 160 includes: a support block 3 configured to support a reaction vessel 2; a Peltier element 5 thermally connected to the support block 3 and configured to adjust a temperature of a sample solution 1 stored in the reaction vessel 2 by heating/cooling the support block 3; a temperature sensor 4 configured to measure a temperature of the support block 3; and a temperature adjusting unit 230 configured to control a current and a voltage supplied to the Peltier element 5 based on the temperature of the support block 3 measured by the temperature sensor 4. As the reaction vessel 2, a reaction vessel 2 including a conical portion which opens at an upper portion 21 and tapers toward a lower portion is used, and the Peltier element 5 is arranged so as to be parallel to a conical generatrix 23 portion of the reaction vessel 2.

Abstract: Provided is a dispensing device that can dispense at a high speed and with high precision and that can be miniaturized. This dispensing device suctions a liquid sample into a disposable tip and discharges the suctioned liquid sample, the dispensing device being provided with: a piston receiving part into which a piston is inserted; a tip detachment part that detaches the disposable tip mounted on the front end of the piston receiving part by pressing down the disposable tip; and a force action part that works in tandem with the tip detachment part and moves in the direction opposite to the movement direction of the tip detachment part.

Abstract: A biopolymer optical analysis apparatus is provided with a biopolymer characteristic analysis chip including a solid substrate, nanopores provided in the substrate, and electrically conductive thin films on the substrate, at least portions of the thin films facing the nanopores, a light source and an irradiation optical system for producing Raman scattered lights from biopolymers entering the nanopores, and a detection device including a Raman scattered light collecting system, a separating component that splits collected light into transmitted light and reflected light, an image-forming optical system through which the split lights form images, and a two-dimensional detector for detecting the lights forming the images. External light from the light source and the irradiation optical system is applied to the characteristic analysis chip, and the detection device detects Raman scattered lights from biopolymers in the analysis chip.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a method for efficiently detecting an image with a smaller number of pixels. The invention relates to fluorescence analysis which uses a substrate having a plurality of regions for being capable of immobilizing biologically-related molecules in positions of lattice points of a lattice structure, and which causes the fluorescence from a certain lattice point to be wavelength-dispersed in a direction other than the direction toward the adjacent closest lattice point. According to an embodiment, for example, the number of pixels of a two-dimensional sensor required for fluorescence analysis of the regions with the biologically-related molecules immobilized can be set to several hundred times to fifty times smaller than that in the conventional case without degrading the measurement accuracy. This can achieve the improvement of throughput, reduction in price, and/or improvement of the operability of an analyzing device.

Abstract: A device and method for fluorescence observation have good operability, high sensitivity, and high acid reliability. The device is used for fluorescence observation using evanescent light. The angle of incidence of the excitation light is adjusted so that the excitation light is totally reflected from the surface of a substrate irrespective of the angle of the substrate surface. The method includes a step of shining the excitation light on the observation substrate while continuously varying the angle of the excitation light with respect to the observation substrate. In addition, the method includes a step of sensing the shone excitation light via optical sensors, and a step of setting the angle of total reflection according to the result of the sensing by the optical sensors. In the present device and method, the direction in which the shone excitation light travels varies with the angle of incidence.

Abstract: The present invention aims at reducing background noise derived from a substance that is present in the vicinity of a target substance such as a DNA and protein and attached to the surface of a substrate without an effect on a fluorescent dye labeling the target substance. The substrate that has a probe and is capable of interacting with the target substance is irradiated with noise removing light such that an evanescent field is generated on the surface of the substrate. A target substance and a foreign particle, which are non-specifically stuck to the surface of the substrate, are decomposed by the evanescent field generated by the irradiation with the noise removing light. The evanescent field present near the surface of the substrate has almost no effect on the probe.

Abstract: The present invention has an object to provide a method for efficiently detecting an image with a smaller number of pixels. The invention relates to fluorescence analysis which uses a substrate having a plurality of regions for being capable of immobilizing biologically-related molecules in positions of lattice points of a lattice structure, and which causes the fluorescence from a certain lattice point to be wavelength-dispersed in a direction other than the direction toward the adjacent closest lattice point. According to an embodiment, for example, the number of pixels of a two-dimensional sensor required for fluorescence analysis of the regions with the biologically-related molecules immobilized can be set to several hundred times to fifty times smaller than that in the conventional case without degrading the measurement accuracy. This can achieve the improvement of throughput, reduction in price, and/or improvement of the operability of an analyzing device.

Abstract: A technique and device for fluorescence observation with good operability, high sensitivity, acid high reliability. The device is used for fluorescence observation using evanescent light. The angle of incidence of the excitation light is adjusted so that the excitation light is always totally reflected from the surface of a substrate irrespective of the angle of the surface of the substrate. The method includes a step of shining the excitation light on the observation substrate while continuously varying the angle of the excitation light with respect to the observation substrate, a step of sensing the shone excitation light by means of optical sensors, and a step of setting the angle of total reflection according to the result of the sensing by the optical sensors. The direction in which the shone excitation light travels varies with the angle of incidence. That is, the excitation light travels as the transmitted light, the reflected light, or the surface propagating light.

Abstract: An object of the present invention relates to selectively control an extension reaction within a desired area in a substrate. In the present invention, an oligo probe arranged with a caged compound at the terminal thereof is immobilized to a reaction field area in the substrate. After pouring a reaction solution into a flow cell including the reaction field area, the reaction field area alone is irradiated with light to associate the photodegradation-active protecting group at the terminal of the oligo probe that has been immobilized in the reaction field area and thus to selectively control initiation of a polymerase extension reaction. In the flow cell, a plural number of the reaction field areas are arranged at constant interval on the substrate. The flow cell immobilized to a moving stage is moved by a distance equal to the interval between the adjacent reaction field areas and then light irradiation is carried out to measure the extension reaction continuously.

Abstract: A fluorescent detection apparatus relates to an analysis technique for qualitatively detecting or quantifying biomolecules by producing an evanescent field on a surface of a substrate, exciting fluorescently labelled biomolecules on the substrate surface in the evanescent field, and detecting the resultant fluorescent light emitted from the biomolecules. The fluorescent detection apparatus has a configuration in which a well is provided in a surface opposing to a sample substrate of a prism, the well is filled with a matching liquid, and the matching liquid is filled between the sample substrate and the prism, thereby improving operability and providing a stable evanescent field.

Abstract: The present invention aims at reducing background noise derived from a substance that is present in the vicinity of a target substance such as a DNA and protein and attached to the surface of a substrate without an effect on a fluorescent dye labeling the target substance. The substrate that has a probe and is capable of interacting with the target substance is irradiated with noise removing light such that an evanescent field is generated on the surface of the substrate. A target substance and a foreign particle, which are non-specifically stuck to the surface of the substrate, are decomposed by the evanescent field generated by the irradiation with the noise removing light. The evanescent field present near the surface of the substrate has almost no effect on the probe.

Abstract: A fluorescent detection apparatus relates to an analysis technique for qualitatively detecting or quantifying biomolecules by producing an evanescent field on a surface of a substrate, exciting fluorescently labelled biomolecules on the substrate surface in the evanescent field, and detecting the resultant fluorescent light emitted from the biomolecules. The fluorescent detection apparatus has a configuration in which a well is provided in a surface opposing to a sample substrate of a prism, the well is filled with a matching liquid, and the matching liquid is filled between the sample substrate and the prism, thereby improving operability and providing a stable evanescent field.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to further stabilize the efficiency of isolating nucleic acid concerning an apparatus for isolating nucleic acid. The present invention relates to an apparatus for isolating nucleic acid, the apparatus being provided with a meshed solid substance for binding nucleic acid. By employing the meshed solid substance for binding nucleic acid, fluid resistance can be reduced upon allowing a sample that includes nucleic acid to pass the solid substance for binding nucleic acid, while securing solid-phase volume that is sufficient for binding a large amount of nucleic acid. Consequently, even when the sample is allowed to pass the solid substance for binding nucleic acid at a high aspiration/dispense speed, force added to the solid substance for binding nucleic acid is small and the solid substance for binding nucleic acid is almost undistorted.