Abstract: An AD converter includes: an accumulation conversion unit that performs a comparison of magnitudes of an input voltage V2 and an accumulated voltage V1 obtained by accumulating a unit voltage and outputs a comparison signal representing a result of the comparison; an accumulation comparison determination unit that repeatedly compares an accumulated voltage V1, obtained by repeating the comparison until the comparison signal changes and corresponding to an accumulated voltage V1 at which the comparison signal changes, and the input voltage V2 a predetermined number of times to determine an equivalent-state accumulation number in which a state probability that the comparison signal changes is equal to a threshold; and a control unit that determines conversion data of the input voltage using the equivalent-state accumulation number.

Abstract: A cell isolation method includes: a cell trapping step of allowing a test liquid to pass through a cell trapping filter which has a plurality of through-holes in the thickness direction, thereby trapping isolation target cells contained in the test liquid on one surface of the cell trapping filter; a gel embedding step of introducing a stimulus-responsive hydrogel onto the one surface of the cell trapping filter on which the cells have been trapped in the cell trapping step, thereby embedding the cells in the stimulus-responsive hydrogel; a gel hardening step of applying a stimulus to the stimulus-responsive hydrogel in which the cells are embedded, thereby hardening the stimulus-responsive hydrogel; and a detachment step of detaching the stimulus-responsive hydrogel that was hardened in the gel hardening step from the cell trapping filter.

Abstract: A cell isolation method includes: a cell trapping step of allowing a test liquid to pass through a cell trapping filter which has a plurality of through-holes in the thickness direction, thereby trapping isolation target cells contained in the test liquid on one surface of the cell trapping filter; a gel embedding step of introducing a stimulus-responsive hydrogel onto the one surface of the cell trapping filter on which the cells have been trapped in the cell trapping step, thereby embedding the cells in the stimulus-responsive hydrogel; a gel hardening step of applying a stimulus to the stimulus-responsive hydrogel in which the cells are embedded, thereby hardening the stimulus-responsive hydrogel; and a detachment step of detaching the stimulus-responsive hydrogel that was hardened in the gel hardening step from the cell trapping filter.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method for performing fluid surface-floating culture of microalgae without supplying new seed algae. Microalgae on the bottom surface are used as seed algae. That is, there is provided a method for culturing microalgae which includes: a first culture process of culturing microalgae in a medium within a culture vessel, forming a biofilm on the liquid surface of the medium, and maintaining the microalgae on the bottom surface of the culture vessel; a process of collecting at least a part of the biofilm on the liquid surface formed in the first culture process and leaving at least some microalgae on the bottom surface inside the culture vessel; and a second culture process of culturing the microalgae remaining on the bottom surface within the identical culture vessel, and forming a biofilm on the liquid surface of the medium. In addition, the present invention provides novel microalgae which can form a biofilm on the liquid surface.

Abstract: In a liquid surface-floating culture method in which culturing of microalgae is performed on the liquid surface, there is provided a culture method in which the oil content in microalgae is improved. In addition, there is a provided a method for decreasing the probability of recovery of bottom surface algae. Furthermore, an object of the present invention is to provide a culture method in which the proliferation rate of microalgae is improved. Culturing is performed such that a medium is suctioned from a region, in which there is a small quantity of microalgae between the liquid surface and the bottom surface, is discarded, and is replaced with a medium of which the concentration of a nitrogen compound or a phosphorus compound is lower than that of the above-described medium. In addition, a liquid is added thereto immediately before collecting microalgae on the liquid surface, and the water depth in a culture vessel is made to be deep.

Abstract: There is provided a method of culturing microalgae, including: culturing in a first stage in which microalgae obtained through a purification process are cultured in a culture solution within a first culture container to form a biofilm as a film-like structure or a three-dimensional structure which is formed of the microalgae on a liquid surface of the culture solution; and culturing in a second stage in which microalgae are cultured on a liquid surface using at least a part of the biofilm as a film-like structure or a three-dimensional structure which is formed on the liquid surface of the culture solution, as seed algae.

Abstract: There is provided a method for culturing microalgae in which microalgae capable of forming a biofilm on a liquid surface are cultured so as to form a biofilm on a liquid surface of a liquid medium, and microalgae capable of forming the biofilm on the liquid surface, for example, microalgae closely related to Botryococcus sudeticus.

Abstract: A cell trapping device includes a housing that includes an inlet opening connected to an inlet line through which a cell dispersion liquid is introduced and an outlet opening connected to an outlet line through which the cell dispersion liquid is discharged; and a filter which is positioned within the housing and includes a trapping region for trapping cancer cells contained in the cell dispersion liquid. The filter is bonded to the housing, at least a part of the trapping region is formed of an observation region for observing the trapping region from the outside, the inlet line and the inlet opening are arranged at outer positions than the observation region when viewed from a normal line direction of the filter, and the inlet line is extended along an in-plane direction of the filter.

Abstract: The instant invention is directed to a microfluidic device which separates and captures with high efficiency a large amount of cells in a sample at one-cell level without damaging the cells by utilizing a microfabrication technology.

Abstract: A silica base composite photocatalyst that has appropriate water purification capability, inhibiting precipitation of metal oxides; and a process for producing the same. The silica base composite photocatalyst is one composed mainly of a composite oxide phase consisting of an oxide phase (first phase) composed mainly of silica component and a titania phase (second phase) wherein the ratio of presence of the second phase increases aslope toward the surface layer, characterized in that at least one metal oxide selected from among strontium titanate and barium titanate is contained in the second phase.

Abstract: Dendrimer-coated magnetic fine particles comprise magnetic fine particles, a lipid bilayer covering a surface of individual magnetic fine particles, and a dendrimer bound to an outer layer of the lipid bilayer. With the dendrimer-coated magnetic fine particles, the dendrimer is positively charged are brought into contact with a nucleic acid-containing solution to adsorb the nucleic acid on the dendrimer, while the nucleic acid-adsorbed fine particles are collected by magnetic force to recover the nucleic acid from the solution.

Abstract: There is provided a method for preparing dendrimer-modified magnetic fine particles wherein such particles can be made within a shorter time and more inexpensively than in the above-stated prior art processes and lot-to-lot variations in properties are lessened. The method for preparing dendrimer-fixed magnetic fine particles comprises the steps of providing magnetic particles having a functional group at a surface thereof, providing a dendrimer having a functional group at a base end portion thereof and synthesized to a desired generation and binding the functional group of the magnetic particles and the functional group of the dendrimer directly or indirectly through a crosslinking agent.

Abstract: A magnetic nanotube includes bacterial magnetic nanocrystals contacted onto a nanotube which absorbs the nanocrystals. The nanocrystals are contacted on at least one surface of the nanotube. A method of fabricating a magnetic nanotube includes synthesizing the bacterial magnetic nanocrystals, which have an outer layer of proteins. A nanotube provided is capable of absorbing the nanocrystals and contacting the nanotube with the nanocrystals. The nanotube is preferably a peptide bolaamphiphile. A nanotube solution and a nanocrystal solution including a buffer and a concentration of nanocrystals are mixed. The concentration of nanocrystals is optimized, resulting in a nanocrystal to nanotube ratio for which bacterial magnetic nanocrystals are immobilized on at least one surface of the nanotubes. The ratio controls whether the nanocrystals bind only to the interior or to the exterior surfaces of the nanotubes. Uses include cell manipulation and separation, biological assay, enzyme recovery, and biosensors.

Abstract: It is to provide a microfluidic device which separates and captures with high efficiency a large amount of cells in a sample at one-cell level without damaging the cells by utilizing a microfabrication technology.

Abstract: An object is to provide a silica-based composite oxide fiber which is a continuous fiber high in strength and has, in the fiber surface thereof, mesopores each having an appropriate size, and to provide a catalyst fiber, containing the silica-based composite oxide fiber, in which a noble metal catalyst can be selectively carried into its pores, whereby preventing sintering of the noble metal catalyst.

Abstract: A silica base composite photocatalyst that has appropriate water purification capability, inhibiting precipitation of metal oxides; and a process for producing the same. The silica base composite photocatalyst is one composed mainly of a composite oxide phase consisting of an oxide phase (first phase) composed mainly of silica component and a titania phase (second phase) wherein the ratio of presence of the second phase increases aslope toward the surface layer, characterized in that at least one metal oxide selected from among strontium titanate and barium titanate is contained in the second phase.

Abstract: Provided is a magnetic particle holding carrier enabling automatization of treatment of a biological substance such as a protein by improving dispersibility of nano-size magnetic particles and suppressing nonspecific adsorption onto the wall of a container such as a pipette tip without damaging the properties of the nano-size magnetic particles such as a large solid-phase area and ability to arbitrarily design a functional protein, and provide a method for preparing the same. The magnetic particle holding carrier is formed of a micro-size nonmagnetic carrier and a plurality of nano-size magnetic particles bound to the carrier.

Abstract: A separation method of single-stranded nucleic acid characterized in that nucleic acid amplification is performed using a first primer to which a second substance capable of binding specifically to a first substance is bound and a second primer to which the second substance is not bound, and double-stranded nucleic acid obtained by the nucleic acid amplification is bound to the first substance, and the double-stranded nucleic acid bound to the first substance is dissociated into a single strand, and a separation apparatus of single-stranded nucleic acid characterized by having a nucleic acid amplification part 1 for performing nucleic acid amplification using a first primer to which a second substance capable of binding specifically to a first substance is bound and a second primer to which the second substance is not bound, a binding part 2 for binding double-stranded nucleic acid obtained by the nucleic acid amplification to the first substance, and a dissociation part 3 for dissociating the double-stranded