Abstract: The methods for sample preparation disclosed herein utilize an air phase to reduce aqueous phase associated with magnetic particles bound to nucleic acids to decrease carryover of one or more contaminants, such as, cell debris, chaotropic agents, non-specifically attached molecules, and the like. This air-transfer step is improved by using a combination of a first population of magnetic particles and a second population of magnetic particles, where the first population of magnetic particles is capable of associating with nucleic acids, and the magnetic particles in the second population are at least two-times larger in size than the size of the magnetic particles in the first population. As discussed herein, the use of this second population of magnetic particles improves the transfer of the first population of magnetic particles by reducing loss of the first magnetic particles during the transfer. The sample preparation methods may be semi-automated or completely automated.

Abstract: A used photoacoustic apparatus includes: a light source capable of individually emitting light having a first wavelength at which absorption coefficients of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin are equal and light having a second wavelength; an acoustic detector that receives acoustic waves generated when the light having the first and second wavelengths is absorbed by an object; an absorption coefficient distribution generator that determines absorption coefficient distributions of an object interior; a blood vessel position determining unit that determines a blood vessel position from an absorption coefficient distribution corresponding to the first wavelength; an organism characteristics distribution calculator that determines an organism characteristics distribution from the absorption coefficient distributions; and a trimming unit that trims the organism characteristics distribution in accordance with the blood vessel position.

Abstract: A used photoacoustic apparatus includes: a light source capable of individually emitting light having a first wavelength at which absorption coefficients of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin are equal and light having a second wavelength; an acoustic detector that receives acoustic waves generated when the light having the first and second wavelengths is absorbed by an object; an absorption coefficient distribution generator that determines absorption coefficient distributions of an object interior; a blood vessel position determining unit that determines a blood vessel position from an absorption coefficient distribution corresponding to the first wavelength; an organism characteristics distribution calculator that determines an organism characteristics distribution from the absorption coefficient distributions; and a trimming unit that trims the organism characteristics distribution in accordance with the blood vessel position.

Abstract: A used photoacoustic apparatus includes: a light source capable of individually emitting light having a first wavelength at which absorption coefficients of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin are equal and light having a second wavelength; an acoustic detector that receives acoustic waves generated when the light having the first and second wavelengths is absorbed by an object; an absorption coefficient distribution generator that determines absorption coefficient distributions of an object interior; a blood vessel position determining unit that determines a blood vessel position from an absorption coefficient distribution corresponding to the first wavelength; an organism characteristics distribution calculator that determines an organism characteristics distribution from the absorption coefficient distributions; and a trimming unit that trims the organism characteristics distribution in accordance with the blood vessel position.

Abstract: In a conventional device, light is irradiated from positions on a rotation axis of a detector, so that there may be unevenness of light irradiation intensity in a subject. The acoustic wave acquisition apparatus of the present invention includes a light source that generates light and a detector including a plurality of elements that receive an acoustic wave generated from inside a subject when the subject is irradiated with the light. The acoustic wave acquisition apparatus further includes a rotation driving unit that rotates the detector and a plurality of light irradiation portions that irradiate the subject with the light from the light source. The plurality of light irradiation portions are provided at least at positions other than a rotation axis of the detector.

Abstract: A subject information acquisition device includes a first holding member that holds a subject of a patient, a first probe that detects an acoustic wave having propagated through the first holding member and that performs a scanning operation, a first holding-member support located on a patient side from a scanning range of the first probe and that reduces bending of the first holding member, and a second probe located on the patient side from the scanning range of the first probe.

Abstract: An object information acquiring apparatus, including: a probe converting an acoustic wave generated from an object irradiated with light into a detection signal; and a signal processing unit generating information about the object from the detection signal, wherein the signal processing unit: extracts a sampling signal on the basis of conditions relating to the signal shape; generates a reference signal from the sampling signal; detects a phase-inverted signal, which is a portion of the detection signal where the phase is inverted with respect to the reference signal, by carrying out a correlation calculation; generates a signal after suppression by suppressing the intensity of the phase-inverted signal from the detection signal; and generates information about the interior of the object using the signal after suppression.

Abstract: In a conventional device, light is irradiated from positions on a rotation axis of a detector, so that there may be unevenness of light irradiation intensity in a subject. The acoustic wave acquisition apparatus of the present invention includes a light source that generates light and a detector including a plurality of elements that receive an acoustic wave generated from inside a subject when the subject is irradiated with the light. The acoustic wave acquisition apparatus further includes a rotation driving unit that rotates the detector and a plurality of light irradiation portions that irradiate the subject with the light from the light source. The plurality of light irradiation portions are provided at least at positions other than a rotation axis of the detector.

Abstract: A used photoacoustic apparatus includes: a light source capable of individually emitting light having a first wavelength at which absorption coefficients of oxyhemoglobin and deoxyhemoglobin are equal and light having a second wavelength; an acoustic detector that receives acoustic waves generated when the light having the first and second wavelengths is absorbed by an object; an absorption coefficient distribution generator that determines absorption coefficient distributions of an object interior; a blood vessel position determining unit that determines a blood vessel position from an absorption coefficient distribution corresponding to the first wavelength; an organism characteristics distribution calculator that determines an organism characteristics distribution from the absorption coefficient distributions; and a trimming unit that trims the organism characteristics distribution in accordance with the blood vessel position.

Abstract: A subject information acquisition device includes a first holding member that holds a subject of a patient, a first probe that detects an acoustic wave having propagated through the first holding member and that performs a scanning operation, a first holding-member support located on a patient side from a scanning range of the first probe and that reduces bending of the first holding member, and a second probe located on the patient side from the scanning range of the first probe.

Abstract: A photoacoustic matching material includes water, a thickener, and a light scattering member.

Abstract: The present invention provides an object information acquiring apparatus having: a probe which includes a plurality of elements that receive an acoustic wave propagated through an object to generate element signals; a pseudo-signal generator which computes a phase shift between element signals received by at least two elements out of the plurality of elements, and generates a pseudo-signal assumed to be received at a position on the probe that is different from the positions of the elements which have received the element signals in use a result of computation; and a signal processor which obtains object information based on the element signals received by the plurality of elements and the pseudo-signal.

Abstract: A game device capable of ensuring player's action to be displayed in a judgment area set in a player image is provided. A game device (10) including a player image acquisition unit (60) for sequentially acquiring a player image representing the player, a game processing unit (72) for controlling a game based on an amount of action of the player displayed in the judgment area set in the player image further includes an action range image production unit (62) for producing an action range image representing an action range of the player based on the player image sequentially acquired by the player image acquisition unit (60), and a judgment area setting unit (68) for setting the judgment area in accordance with the content of the action range image produced by the action range image production unit (62).

Abstract: A game device capable of ensuring player's action to be displayed in a judgment area set in a player image is provided. A game device (10) including a player image acquisition unit (60) for sequentially acquiring a player image representing the player, a game processing unit (72) for controlling a game based on an amount of action of the player displayed in the judgment area set in the player image further includes an action range image production unit (62) for producing an action range image representing an action range of the player based on the player image sequentially acquired by the player image acquisition unit (60), and a judgment area setting unit (68) for setting the judgment area in accordance with the content of the action range image produced by the action range image production unit (62).

Abstract: To evaluate a game playing performance from a new point of view, a control method for controlling a game machine allowing a player to enjoy stepping while listening to game music, comprises the steps of detecting whether or not the player puts their foot or feet on each of a plurality of step positions; judging, based on a detection result on the step position, according to which, of a plurality of pattern changes, a state of the player's feet relative to the plurality of step positions has changed to; calculating, based on the determined pattern change, an energy consumption amount due to a change of the state of the player's feet; calculating an accumulative energy consumption amount by accumulating an energy consumption amount calculated after a predetermined timing; and reporting the accumulative energy consumption amount calculated to the player.

Abstract: Data link-up between multiple game devices can be more flexibly achieved. A game system (1) comprises a game device for business (2) and a game device for use at home (3), which execute games in accordance with predetermined programs, it being possible to exchange information between these games devices, and the game device for business (2) comprises an information output device for outputting judgement information for judging whether predetermined conditions have been satisfied in the game device for business (2). The contents of the game executed on the game device for use at home (3) are changed based on the judgement information output from the game device for business (2). For example, when a predetermined game result has been achieved in the game device for business, the content of the judgement information is updated, and a hidden element appears in the game device for use at home (3) in correspondence therewith.

Abstract: A music game device is provided in which a player manipulates a manipulation unit in conformity with music. The device includes an input unit for setting play information including a plurality of tunes to be successively played and a play order of the plurality of tunes, a storage unit for collectively storing the play information, an automatic setting changing unit for automatically changing a part of the play information set by the player to a preset standard play information if the play information set by the player includes a setting which cannot be executed by the music game device, and a reproduction unit for successively reproducing the plurality of tunes in the play order based on the play information stored in the storage unit.

Abstract: To evaluate a game playing performance from a new point of view, a control method for controlling a game machine allowing a player to enjoy stepping while listening to game music, comprises the steps of detecting whether or not the player puts their foot or feet on each of a plurality of step positions; judging, based on a detection result on the step position, according to which, of a plurality of pattern changes, a state of the player's feet relative to the plurality of step positions has changed to; calculating, based on the determined pattern change, an energy consumption amount due to a change of the state of the player's feet; calculating an accumulative energy consumption amount by accumulating an energy consumption amount calculated after a predetermined timing; and reporting the accumulative energy consumption amount calculated to the player.