Tensiometer device for measuring soil water tension. A pair of screws secures a load cell or strain gauge to an inner frame, a dowel pin transmits force to the load cell, a polymer chamber is enclosed on one side by a rubber dam that retains the polymer within the polymer chamber, and a hydrophilic porous window covers the rubber dam. A second pair of screws secure an outer frame to the inner frame holding the components of one or more tensiometers spaced across the frame, and an end cap. The load cell acts as a strain gauge transferring the force exerted on it as a change in electrical voltage that can be converted to a soil water tension (SWT) measurement.

A sensor device (100, 2800) for detecting particles, the sensor device (100, 2800) comprising a substrate (102), a first doped region (104) formed in the substrate (102) by a first dopant of a first type of conductivity, a second doped region (106, 150) formed in the substrate (102) by a second dopant of a second type of conductivity which differs from the first type of conductivity, a depletion region (108) at a junction between the first doped region (104) and the second doped region (106, 150), a sensor active region (110) adapted to influence a property of the depletion region (108) in the presence of the particles, and a detection unit (112) adapted to detect the particles based on an electric measurement performed upon application of a predetermined reference voltage between the first doped region (104) and the second doped region (106, 150), the electric measurement being indicative of the presence of the particles in the sensor active region (110).

The invention relates to methods for conducting binding assays in an assay device that includes one or more storage and use zone. The storage zones of the assay device are configured to house one or more reagents used in an assay conducted in the use zone of the device.

The invention is to provide a protein measurement apparatus and operation method thereof, including a host device, a display device, and a sample preparation device, wherein the host device includes a power supply, an electromagnetic-wave generator, an electromagnetic-wave detection circuit, a micro-controller and a display device. The operation method of the protein measurement apparatus includes starting the micro-electromagnetic-wave generator to generate an electromagnetic-wave signal and transmit the electromagnetic-wave signal to the sample preparation device; collecting the electromagnetic-wave reflection signal, which is reflected from the sample preparation device; detecting and analyzing the electromagnetic-wave reflection signal by using the electromagnetic-wave detection circuit; and comparing and analyzing the above-mentioned electromagnetic-wave reflection signal with characteristic curve by the microcontroller, so that the insulin concentration of a tester's saliva can be obtained.

A method of calculating an electronic state of a material by using a calculation device, wherein the calculation device sets a set containing, as elements, a plurality of operation models, where each of operation models provides an approximate solution to the electronic state of the material, determines an optimized operation model that are close in distance in a space formed by the set while defining a direction in which the calculated self-consistent solutions of the effective Hamiltonian of an electron system continuously change, evaluates a variational energy of the electron system by the self-consistent solution, updates the operation model so that the evaluated variational energy approaches an energy of an exact solution to be calculated and further, so that the variational energy forms a monotonically decreasing convex function, and calculates the exact solution of the electronic state from one or a plurality of variational energy series.

A method of calculating an electronic state of a material by using a calculation device, wherein the calculation device sets a set containing, as elements, a plurality of operation models, where each of operation models provides an approximate solution to the electronic state of the material, determines an optimized operation model that are close in distance in a space formed by the set while defining a direction in which the calculated self-consistent solutions of the effective Hamiltonian of an electron system continuously change, evaluates a variational energy of the electron system by the self-consistent solution, updates the operation model so that the evaluated variational energy approaches an energy of an exact solution to be calculated and further, so that the variational energy forms a monotonically decreasing convex function, and calculates the exact solution of the electronic state from one or a plurality of variational energy series.

Provided are: an electrode for a gas sensor formed as a porous electrode so as to stably allow reduction in electrode resistance for excellent low-temperature activity; and a gas sensor. The electrode (108, 110) for the gas sensor is adapted for use on a surface of a solid electrolyte body (109), which is predominantly formed of zirconia, and contains particles (2) of a noble metal or an alloy thereof, first ceramic particles (4) of stabilized zirconia or partially stabilized zirconia and second ceramic particles (6) of one or more selected from the group consisting of Al.sub.2O.sub.3, MgO, La.sub.2O.sub.3, spinel, zircon, mullite and cordierite, wherein the second ceramic particles are contained in an amount smaller than that of the first ceramic particles.

The present disclosure provides a three-dimensional micro-electrode that comprises an electrically conductive, elongate body with: a base that is electrically connectible to a recording system; a tip that is opposite the base and that is configured to establish electrical communication with an excitable cellular-network or a cell therein; and an elongate portion between the base and the tip. The elongate portion is covered with at least one layer of an electrical-insulator coating that extends from the base to proximal the tip. The present disclosure also provides a micro-electrode array comprising at least two three-dimensional micro-electrodes that are electrically connective to at least one recording system. The present disclosure also provides a method of making and using a three-dimensional micro-electrode and an array that comprises three-dimensional micro-electrodes.

The present disclosure provides a three-dimensional micro-electrode that comprises an electrically conductive, elongate body with: a base that is electrically connectible to a recording system; a tip that is opposite the base and that is configured to establish electrical communication with an excitable cellular-network or a cell therein; and an elongate portion between the base and the tip. The elongate portion is covered with at least one layer of an electrical-insulator coating that extends from the base to proximal the tip. The present disclosure also provides a micro-electrode array comprising at least two three-dimensional micro-electrodes that are electrically connective to at least one recording system. The present disclosure also provides a method of making and using a three-dimensional micro-electrode and an array that comprises three-dimensional micro-electrodes.

A method for processing a substrate by using fluid flowing through a particle detector is provided. The particle detector is utilized to detect nano-particles contained in fluid. The particle detector includes a substrate and a pair of sensing electrodes disposed on the substrate. The substrate includes nano-pores, wherein the pore size of the nano-pores is greater than the particle size of the nano-particles, allowing the nano-particles contained in the fluid passing through the nano-pores. The pair of sensing electrodes are positioned adjacent to at least one of the nano-pores.