Abstract: The present invention relates to a method, a kit and an apparatus for pretreatment of bacterial test. More specifically, the present invention relates to a method, a kit, and an apparatus for continuously performing separation of blood cells and bacteria from a sample containing impurities such as blood cells, destruction of blood cells, and collection of bacteria.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to control, with a simple structure and high accuracy, irradiation of excitation light to a multi-nanopore substrate without interrupting a measurement. Irradiation of excitation light is performed concurrently to at least one nanopore and at least one reference object on a substrate mounted in an observation container 103. A position irradiated with the excitation light in a measurement sample is calculated on the basis of a signal generated from the reference object detected by a detector 109, and the measurement and a fixed position control is performed concurrently by performing measurement of the measurement object while a drive control part 115 controlling the position of the irradiation of the excitation light to the measurement sample on the basis of the calculation result, whereby an analysis of the measurement sample can be performed in a short time.

Abstract: In the microscope observation container according to the present invention, an observed sample is accommodated by an objective lens barrel provided with a housing extending along the radiation direction of excitation light and an objective lens fixed to an inside surface of the housing. The microscope observation container is provided with a structure for collecting a liquid immersion medium added by dispensation, the structure having a portion contacted by the objective lens barrel during observation. During observation the aforementioned portion is contacted by the objective lens barrel, and the liquid immersion medium is thereby sealed by the objective lens barrel and the structure. The aforementioned portion also has an elastic force, and is deformed so as to conform to the housing of the objective lens by the contact.

Abstract: With a microspectroscopy device provided with an objective lens with a high numerical aperture, a defocus arises from thermal drift, etc., necessitating auto-focusing. Conventional auto-focus based on through-focus image acquisition takes time, and thus, it cannot be applied to continuous measurement over a long time wherein high-speed sampling is carried out. The present invention addresses this problem by having a defocus-sensing beam that has either defocus or astigmatism fall incident on the objective lens. Since how the image of the spot of the beam for defocus sensing blurs differs depending on the orientation of the defocus, real-time detection of the amount and orientation of defocus becomes possible, and high-speed realtime auto-focus becomes possible.

Abstract: The purpose of the present invention is to control, with a simple structure and high accuracy, irradiation of excitation light to a multi-nanopore substrate without interrupting a measurement. Irradiation of excitation light is performed concurrently to at least one nanopore and at least one reference object on a substrate mounted in an observation container 103. A position irradiated with the excitation light in a measurement sample is calculated on the basis of a signal generated from the reference object detected by a detector 109, and the measurement and a fixed position control is performed concurrently by performing measurement of the measurement object while a drive control part 115 controlling the position of the irradiation of the excitation light to the measurement sample on the basis of the calculation result, whereby an analysis of the measurement sample can be performed in a short time.

Abstract: In the microscope observation container according to the present invention, an observed sample is accommodated by an objective lens barrel provided with a housing extending along the radiation direction of excitation light and an objective lens fixed to an inside surface of the housing. The microscope observation container is provided with a structure for collecting a liquid immersion medium added by dispensation, the structure having a portion contacted by the objective lens barrel during observation. During observation the aforementioned portion is contacted by the objective lens barrel, and the liquid immersion medium is thereby sealed by the objective lens barrel and the structure. The aforementioned portion also has an elastic force, and is deformed so as to conform to the housing of the objective lens by the contact.

Abstract: With a microspectroscopy device provided with an objective lens with a high numerical aperture, a defocus arises from thermal drift, etc., necessitating auto-focusing. Conventional auto-focus based on through-focus image acquisition takes time, and thus, it cannot be applied to continuous measurement over a long time wherein high-speed sampling is carried out. The present invention addresses this problem by having a defocus-sensing beam that has either defocus or astigmatism fall incident on the objective lens. Since how the image of the spot of the beam for defocus sensing blurs differs depending on the orientation of the defocus, real-time detection of the amount and orientation of defocus becomes possible, and high-speed realtime auto-focus becomes possible.

Abstract: A nucleic-acid-sequence determination device equipped with two light sources having different wavelengths, two detectors, and an optical system for irradiating a sample with light from the two light sources and guiding fluorescent light from a nucleic acid in the sample to the two detectors. The optical system is provided with a dichroic mirror for causing the fluorescent light from the nucleic acid in the sample to split, and guiding the split light to the two detectors. The dichroic mirror has a transition wavelength from transmission to reflection in two locations, namely: between light-emitting bands of two types of short-wavelength fluorescent dye and light-emitting bands of two types of long-wavelength fluorescent dye.

Abstract: Provided are a method and an apparatus for easily identifying and detecting fluorescent material types captured in respective reaction regions of a substrate, particularly, a method and an apparatus for identifying and measuring the fluorescence intensities of a plurality of fluorescent materials using a small pixel count. The fluorescence intensities of four or more types of fluorescent materials are divided by a dividing section at ratios different at least for each fluorescence maximum wavelength range, and are detected by at least one detector including pixels for detecting the light fluxes divided at the different ratios. The type of the fluorescent material is determined on the basis of the ratio of the detected fluorescence intensity of the same detection portion, and the fluorescence intensity is measured.

Abstract: A fluorescence detector in which a sample substrate is provided with a structure unit comprising a prism or a diffraction grating. After excitation light falling on the sample substrate is totally reflected at a biomolecule-immobilized face that is located in the opposite side of the structure unit, the structure unit allows the emission of the reflected light therefrom. To ensure multiple visual field measurement, a sample substrate-driving unit is provided to scan the sample substrate.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid analysis device in a nucleic acid analysis apparatus, whereby waste of reaction spots on the nucleic acid analysis device is eliminated and leakage of fluorescence excitation light to unobserved nucleic acid measurement regions is minimized. Specifically, the nucleic acid analysis device has a plurality of nucleic acid measurement regions, which are characterized in that one nucleic acid measurement region is disposed at a sufficient distance from the other nucleic acid measurement regions such that the other nucleic acid measurement regions do not enter an irradiation region.

Abstract: To obtain a blood sugar level accurately, the location of a blood-vessel part is specified by using a first wavelength at which absorption by hemoglobin, which is a component unique to blood, is high, and data of light absorbance measured by using a second wavelength at which absorption by glucose is high is separated into a blood-vessel part and other parts.

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: Provided are a method and an apparatus for easily identifying and detecting fluorescent material types captured in respective reaction regions of a substrate, particularly, a method and an apparatus for identifying and measuring the fluorescence intensities of a plurality of fluorescent materials using a small pixel count. The fluorescence intensities of four or more types of fluorescent materials are divided by a dividing section at ratios different at least for each fluorescence maximum wavelength range, and are detected by at least one detector including pixels for detecting the light fluxes divided at the different ratios. The type of the fluorescent material is determined on the basis of the ratio of the detected fluorescence intensity of the same detection portion, and the fluorescence intensity is measured.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a nucleic acid analysis device in a nucleic acid analysis apparatus, whereby waste of reaction spots on the nucleic acid analysis device is eliminated and leakage of fluorescence excitation light to unobserved nucleic acid measurement regions is minimized. Specifically, the nucleic acid analysis device has a plurality of nucleic acid measurement regions, which are characterized in that one nucleic acid measurement region is disposed at a sufficient distance from the other nucleic acid measurement regions such that the other nucleic acid measurement regions do not enter an irradiation region.

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 fluorescence detector in which a sample substrate is provided with a structure unit comprising a prism or a diffraction grating. After excitation light falling on the sample substrate is totally reflected at a biomolecule-immobilized face that is located in the opposite side of the structure unit, the structure unit allows the emission of the reflected light therefrom. To ensure multiple visual field measurement, a sample substrate-driving unit is provided to scan the sample substrate.

Abstract: In order to provide a fluorescence detection apparatus having a high sensitivity, a high processing capacity and a competitive edge in cost, the fluorescence detection apparatus according to this invention irradiate the sample with light so that the aspect ratio of the form of the irradiated region by light on the arrangement surface of the sample may be 1±0.1. The preferable form of irradiate region is not limited to one and varies to some extent depending on the item to be optimized. The form of irradiated region may be, for example, a circle, an equilateral triangle, a square, a regular hexagon and the like.

Abstract: A metallic structure is provided on a surface of a substrate. A component having a longer wavelength than excitation light is detected from luminescence from fixation positions of biomolecules and emitted from a material other than the biomolecules, and is used for photometrical analysis. As the structure, usable is a particulate (a metallic structure of a size not larger than a wavelength of the excitation light), a minute protrusion, or a thin film with minute apertures, which are made of a metal such as gold, chrome, silver or aluminum. In the case of the particulate or the minute protrusion, photoluminescence of the structure is detected with a biomolecule being fixed thereon. In the case of the thin film with minute apertures, Raman scattered light of specimen solution around the biomolecules, and photoluminescence of the metallic structure near the biomolecules are detected with biomolecules being fixed in the apertures.

Abstract: The object of the present invention is to acquire the brightness of NA>1 while alleviating the requirement for the precision of positioning for the collection lens of the sample cell in a non-liquid immersion system. In order to achieve the object mentioned above, the bottom of the sample cell is formed in a curved surface, and an arrangement is made to ensure that the fluorescence irradiated from the focusing point would be parallel pencils when emitted by the cell, and in addition a pinhole is disposed at the focal point of the fluorescence collection lens.