Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for preparing RNA ready for an enzymatic reaction more easily than conventional techniques. The present invention provides a reagent for RNA extraction from a biological sample which contains an alkali metal salt and a surfactant.

Abstract: Provided is a method for detecting small RNAs in a simple and highly accurate manner. Provided is a nucleic acid detection method including the following steps (a) to (c): (a) carrying out a reverse transcription reaction using a target RNA as a template and a reverse transcription primer having on its 5?-end side a sequence non-complementary to the target RNA to produce a reverse transcription product longer than the target RNA; (b) carrying out a nucleic acid amplification reaction using the reverse transcription product as a template and two primers to produce an amplified double-stranded DNA fragment having a single-stranded region at least at one end; and (c) hybridizing the single-stranded region of the amplified double-stranded DNA fragment to an oligonucleotide probe immobilized on a solid phase.

Abstract: The present invention aims to solve problems in the analysis of amplified nucleic acids, i.e., cost, workability, and contamination and pollution of samples. In the present invention, a sample containing a nucleic acid and a reagent for detecting the nucleic acid are mixed in a closed system. In this regard, the nucleic acid is amplified in the same closed system, and then mixed with the detecting reagent without opening the system. In order to carry out this method, for example, a device that includes the detecting reagent shielded by a coating material or the like is used.

Abstract: The present invention aims to solve problems in the analysis of amplified nucleic acids, i.e., cost, workability, and contamination and pollution of samples. In the present invention, a sample containing a nucleic acid and a reagent for detecting the nucleic acid are mixed in a closed system. In this regard, the nucleic acid is amplified in the same closed system, and then mixed with the detecting reagent without opening the system. In order to carry out this method, for example, a device that includes the detecting reagent shielded by a coating material or the like is used.

Abstract: The present invention aims to solve problems in the analysis of amplified nucleic acids, i.e., cost, workability, and contamination and pollution of samples. In the present invention, a sample containing a nucleic acid and a reagent for detecting the nucleic acid are mixed in a closed system. In this regard, the nucleic acid is amplified in the same closed system, and then mixed with the detecting reagent without opening the system. In order to carry out this method, for example, a device that includes the detecting reagent shielded by a coating material or the like is used.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a technique for preparing RNA ready for an enzymatic reaction more easily than conventional techniques. The present invention provides a reagent for RNA extraction from a biological sample which contains an alkali metal salt and a surfactant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for detecting a nucleic acid, by which a multi-stranded nucleic acid amplified by a nucleic acid amplification method is detected easily and with a high degree of accuracy without the need for specialized equipment, and also provides a nucleic acid detection device. Provided are a method for detecting a nucleic acid under visible light via a color reaction produced by contact between a chromogenic leuco dye and the multi-stranded nucleic acid, as well as a nucleic acid detection device using this method.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide methods for amplifying and detecting a nucleic acid that allow efficient hybridization, and devices and kits for use in the methods. The present invention includes amplifying a target nucleic acid into a double-stranded nucleic acid having a single-stranded region at each end, and detecting this nucleic acid. The present invention also provides detection devices and kits that make use of these methods.

Abstract: An object of the invention is to provide a nucleic acid detection method which takes advantage of the high specificity of hybridization techniques, reduces the time length and the number of steps required for detection of PCR products, and allows for easy and highly accurate detection by visual observation without the need of special equipment; and a nucleic acid detection device or kit. The invention provides a method for detecting a target nucleic acid in a sample, which includes performing amplification of the target nucleic acid sequence to synthesize an amplification product having a partially double-stranded structure where a single-stranded region is added to each end of the target sequence, and hybridizing a nucleic acid sequence bound to a development medium and a nucleic acid sequence labeled with a labeling compound with the single-stranded regions of the amplification product to form a sandwich hybridization complex; and a detection device thereof.

Abstract: The present invention aims to solve problems in the analysis of amplified nucleic acids, i.e., cost, workability, and contamination and pollution of samples. In the present invention, a sample containing a nucleic acid and a reagent for detecting the nucleic acid are mixed in a closed system. In this regard, the nucleic acid is amplified in the same closed system, and then mixed with the detecting reagent without opening the system. In order to carry out this method, for example, a device that includes the detecting reagent shielded by a coating material or the like is used.

Abstract: A method and a device or kit for detecting a nucleic acid, which enable simple and precise visual detection of a nucleic acid amplified by an nucleic acid amplification method, without necessity of special devices are provided. The method for detecting a nucleic acid in a sample comprises: contacting a sample with a dye to react with each other; and observing a substance produced by the reaction with visible light, and evaluating the presence or absence of a nucleic acid by eye. The device or kit for detecting a nucleic acid in a sample comprises: a carrier that holds a dye which can bind to a nucleic acid; a path for passing a sample through the carrier; and an evaluation part for observing a substance produced by the reaction between the sample and the dye with visible light, and evaluating the presence or absence of a nucleic acid by eye.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for detecting a nucleic acid, by which a multi-stranded nucleic acid amplified by a nucleic acid amplification method is detected easily and with a high degree of accuracy without the need for specialized equipment, and also provides a nucleic acid detection device. Provided are a method for detecting a nucleic acid under visible light via a color reaction produced by contact between a chromogenic leuco dye and the multi-stranded nucleic acid, as well as a nucleic acid detection device using this method.

Abstract: The present invention has its object to provide a method and a device or kit for detecting a nucleic acid, which enable simple and precise visual detection of a nucleic acid amplified by a nucleic acid amplification method, without necessity of a special device. The present invention relates to a method for detecting a nucleic acid in a sample, comprising the steps of: (1) contacting a sample with a dye to react with each other; and (2) observing a substance produced by the reaction with visible light, and evaluating the presence of a nucleic acid by eye. The present invention also relates to a device or kit for detecting a nucleic acid in a sample, comprising: a carrier (a) that holds a dye which can bind to a nucleic acid; a path (c) for passing a sample through (a) the carrier; and an evaluation part (d) for observing a substance produced by the reaction between the sample and the dye with visible light, and evaluating the presence of a nucleic acid by eye.

Abstract: An ink jet recording medium which comprises a support and a layer comprising fine particles of a thermoplastic organic polymer, formed on at least one side of the support, so that said fine particles of a thermoplastic organic polymer are dissolved or melted after ink jet recording to form a layer wherein said fine particles of a thermoplastic organic polymer are fused to one another, wherein said fine particles of a thermoplastic organic polymer have an average particle size within a range of from 1 to 20 &mgr;m.

Abstract: By allowing at least the surface of an ink jet recording sheet to contain a cationic fluorescent agent, the waterproofness of water-soluble dyes in inks as well as the brightness of the recording sheet can be enhanced and thereby multicolor images of excellent color reproducibility can be formed on the sheet.

Abstract: An ink jet recording medium containing a hydrotalcite compound is disclosed. This recording medium can provide recorded images excellent in waterproofness and light fastness by jetting thereonto a water-base ink containing a water soluble dye.

Abstract: By attaching a cationic resin having a structure represented by the following general formula (I) to at least the surface of an ink jet recording paper, the water-resistance and the sunlight fastness of the image formed on said ink jet recording paper can be improved: ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 represent alkyl group; m represents a number of 1 to 7; n represents a number of 2 to 20; and Y represents an acid residue.

Abstract: An ink jet recording sheet comprising a support and one or more ink receptive layers disposed thereon, which is characterized by being such that the pore radius distribution curve of the uppermost layer shows at least one peak at 0.2 to 10 .mu.m and that of ink receptive layers as a whole shows at least two peaks, one at 0.2 to 10 m.mu. and the other at 0.05 m.mu. or below. Such a sheet brings about many advantages such as a high density and a bright color of the recorded image or letters, a high rate of ink absorption with a minimum of fethering, and the like.

Abstract: In producing a recording paper having, on the surface of a support, a coating layer comprising inorganic pigment and aqueous polymeric binder, a recording paper giving a high color density of image, a clear color tone of image and a high resolution and suitable for multi-color recording was obtained by preparing said coating layer by twice or more repeating a step which comprises coating a coating color prepared by mixing 100 parts by weight of said inorganic pigment containing 50-100 parts by weight of synthetic silica with 2-18 parts by weight of said aqueous polymeric binder in an amount of 2-9 g solid/m.sup.2 per one side of the support by one run of coating procedure and then drying the coating color.