Abstract: An information writing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a sheet having a wireless IC element; and a transmitting and receiving unit that transmits and receives signals to/from the wireless IC element in a sheet transported by the transport unit, the transport unit including a first belt made of nonmetal and a second belt made of nonmetal placed facing and contacting the first belt, the sheet being transported, caught between the first belt and the second belt.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fluorescent protein having an amino acid sequence of the green fluorescent protein, the yellow fluorescent protein or mutants thereof wherein the 46th phenylalanine residue is substituted with a leucine residue. According to the present invention, there are provided novel GFP or YEP mutants having an excellent maturation efficacy and having a decreased sensitivity to both of H+ and Cr.

Abstract: The present invention provides an artificial mutant of GFP having a novel emission peak, i.e., a fluorescent protein having an emission peak at 424 nm comprising an amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, in which each of the amino acid residues at the 66th position and the 175th position is replaced and at least one of the amino acid residues at the 72nd position and the 206th position is further replaced, or a fluorescent protein having an emission peak at 424 nm and a pH-independent fluorescence intensity, in which each of the amino acid residues at the 65th, 145th, 148th, 46th and/or 203rd positions is further substituted. The fluorescent protein of the invention emits fluorescence having an emission peak at 424 nm and can be visually distinguished by its ultramarine color from other fluorescent proteins. The fluorescent protein has a pH-independent fluorescence intensity which is not affected by pH changes.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for determining the base sequence of a DNA. According to the method for determining the base sequence of a DNA of the present invention, a probe is used, which is a probe having a protruding end and identification-labeled according to the species of the base at the protruding end, containing a recognition sequence of a class IIS restriction enzyme, to carry out simultaneously in a chain reaction, for a plurality of DNAs to be analyzed, ligation of the end base of a DNA to be analyzed and a probe and cleavage of the end base of the DNA to be analyzed, allowing the base sequence to be determined sequentially by a single molecule spectrofluorimetry method, such that an effective determination of the base sequence of a DNA becomes possible.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fluorescent protein having an amino acid sequence of the green fluorescent protein, the yellow fluorescent protein or mutants thereof wherein the 46th phenylalanine residue is substituted with a leucine residue. According to the present invention, there are provided novel GFP or YEP mutants having an excellent maturation efficacy and having a decreased sensitivity to both of H+ and Cl?.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescent protein, which allows an acceptor for fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) to appear in a stimulating light-dependent manner, thereby enabling the marking of any given cell organelle, cells, or tissues, with multiple colors.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of analyzing the physiological function of a target substance by inactivating the physiological function of the target substance, comprising the steps of: (a) binding to the target substance a photoactive compound represented by formula (I): (in the formula, Q is a group for binding this compound with the target substance) to form a composite comprising the target substance and the photoactive compound; and (b) irradiating the obtained composite with light to inactivate the function of the target substance to which the photoactive compound has been bound, or to inactivate the function of the target substance at the site where the photoactive compound has been bound.

Abstract: An information writing apparatus includes: a transport unit that transports a sheet having a wireless IC element; and a transmitting and receiving unit that transmits and receives signals to/from the wireless IC element in a sheet transported by the transport unit, the transport unit including a first belt made of nonmetal and a second belt made of nonmetal placed facing and contacting the first belt, the sheet being transported, caught between the first belt and the second belt.

Abstract: An object of the present invention is to provide a method of generating reactive oxygen species in a light irradiation-dependent manner, so as to inactivate any target physiological function. The present invention provides a target physiological function inactivator which consists of a photosensitizer-labeled fluorescent protein, wherein fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) from the fluorescent protein to the photosensitizer occurs as a result of light irradiation, so that the photosensitizer can be excited to generate reactive oxygen species.

Abstract: A transfer device for transferring a toner image formed on an image carrier onto a recording sheet includes a transfer assisting blade adapted to abut the recording sheet and press the recording sheet against the image carrier, the transfer assisting blade having a slant formed in a transverse direction of the blade at a front end of the blade which end is for abutment against the recording sheet, the slant having an angle relative to an advancing direction of the recording sheet.

Abstract: A confocal optical scanner of Nipkow disk type for measuring a sample, in which each component of two or more color pigments, has a high reflection mirror for separating an excited light to be radiated onto the sample and a fluorescence emitted from the sample, wherein a reflectance of the high reflection mirror is from 80% to 100% in a measured wavelength region including at least an excited light wavelength region and a fluorescence wavelength region. Thereby, the confocal optical scanner capable of measuring a polychromatic fluorescent image at the same time is realized with the enhanced light receiving efficiency of fluorescence, using one high reflection mirror without using a plurality of dichroic mirrors by exchange.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method of analyzing the physiological function of a target substance by inactivating the physiological function of the target substance, comprising the steps of: (a) binding to the target substance a photoactive compound represented by formula (I): (in the formula, Q is a group for binding this compound with the target substance) to form a composite comprising the target substance and the photoactive compound; and (b) irradiating the obtained composite with light to inactivate the function of the target substance to which the photoactive compound has been bound, or to inactivate the function of the target substance at the site where the photoactive compound has been bound.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a fluorescent indicator that is based on homo FRET (fluorescence resonance energy transfer) using fluorescent molecules with a small stokes' shift, thereby developing a visualization system for intermolecular interaction. The present invention provides a fluorescent indicator formed by fusing fluorescent molecular components having substantially identical fluorescent properties to the N- and C-terminal sides of a target sequence, to which an analytical substance binds or reacts, so as to change the three-dimensional structure of the indicator.

Abstract: A transfer device for transferring a toner image formed on an image carrier onto a recording sheet includes a transfer assisting blade adapted to abut the recording sheet and press the recording sheet against the image carrier, the transfer assisting blade having a slant formed in a transverse direction of the blade at a front end of the blade which end is for abutment against the recording sheet, the slant having an angle relative to an advancing direction of the recording sheet.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fluorescent protein having sensitivity to a calcium ion, in particular a fluorescent protein which can be used as an indicator for quantifying calcium ion concentration.

Abstract: The present invention relates to neurogenesis inducing genes. In particular, the present invention provides neurogenesis inducing genes coding for Zic proteins, vectors containing such genes, host cells containing such vectors, proteins produced by such host cells, antibodies raised to such proteins, and therapeutic agents or agents for gene therapy for nervous diseases.

Abstract: A confocal optical scanner of Nipkow disk type for measuring a sample, in which each component of two or more color pigments, has a high reflection mirror for separating an excited light to be radiated onto the sample and a fluorescence emitted from the sample, wherein a reflectance of the high reflection mirror is from 80% to 100% in a measured wavelength region including at least an excited light wavelength region and a fluorescence wavelength region. Thereby, the confocal optical scanner capable of measuring a polychromatic fluorescent image at the same time is realized with the enhanced light receiving efficiency of fluorescence, using one high reflection mirror without using a plurality of dichroic mirrors by exchange.

Abstract: The present invention relates to neurogenesis inducing genes. In particular, the present invention provides neurogenesis inducing genes coding for Zic proteins, vectors containing such genes, host cells containing such vectors, proteins produced by such host cells, antibodies raised to such proteins, and therapeutic agents or agents for gene therapy for nervous diseases.

Abstract: The present invention provides a fluorescent protein having an amino acid sequence of the green fluorescent protein, the yellow fluorescent protein or mutants thereof wherein the 46th phenylalanine residue is substituted with a leucine residue. According to the present invention, there are provided novel GFP or YEP mutants having an excellent maturation efficacy and having a decreased sensitivity to both of H+ and Cl−.

Abstract: It is an object of the present invention to provide a novel fluorescent protein having sensitivity to a calcium ion, in particular a fluorescent protein which can be used as an indicator for quantifying calcium ion concentration.