Abstract: The present invention encompasses: [1] a DNA encoding the protein of any one of (i) a protein comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1; (ii) a protein comprising a sequence with one to ten amino acid deletions, substitutions, or additions in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; (iii) a protein comprising a sequence having 99% or higher homology to the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and (iv) a protein having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity, which is encoded by an expression plasmid harbored by the strain deposited under Accession No. FERM BP-11026; [2] a DNA comprising the of SEQ ID NO: 2; and [3] a DNA that hybridizes under stringent conditions with a DNA comprising a sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO: 2, where the DNA encodes a protein having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity.

Abstract: Provided is a method for simply and accurately measuring sphingomyelin in a sample, and a kit therefor. The method is a method for measuring sphingomyelin in a sample, comprising reacting the sample with a phospholipase D which does not react with sphingomyelin and lysophosphatidylcholine but reacts with phosphatidylcholine, a lysophospholipase or a monoglyceride lipase, and a choline oxidase, eliminating the formed hydrogen peroxide, reacting the resultant with a phospholipase D which does not react with glycerol-3-phosphorylcholine and free fatty acid but reacts with sphingomyelin, and a choline oxidase, and measuring the formed hydrogen peroxide.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method for determining the prognosis of renal failure, which comprises measuring fibroblast growth factor-23 and 25-hydroxyvitamin D in a biological sample, and a kit for determining the prognosis of renal failure, which comprises a reagent for measuring fibroblast growth factor-23 and a reagent for measuring 25-hydroxyvitamin D The present invention provides a method for determining the prognosis of renal failure and a kit for determining the prognosis of renal failure, which are useful for deciding on a therapeutic strategy, such as selection of medication, introduction of a stricter diet therapy, and early introduction of dialysis treatment.

Abstract: A method for measuring cholesterol in low-density lipoprotein contained in a sample, which comprises reacting a sample with (i) a combination of cholesterol ester hydrolase and cholesterol oxidase or (ii) a combination of cholesterol ester hydrolase, an oxidized coenzyme and cholesterol dehydrogenase in the presence of: [a] a polyoxyethylene-polyoxyalkylene alkylaryl ether; [b] one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of a polyoxyethylene-polyoxyalkylene copolymer, a polyoxyethylene alkenyl ether, a polyoxyethylene branched alkyl ether, and a polyoxyethylene-polyoxyalkylene branched alkyl ether; [c] one or more surfactants selected from the group consisting of a primary amine, a secondary amine, a tertiary amine, and a quaternary ammonium; and [d] a polyanion, and measuring a substance formed or consumed in the reaction.

Abstract: The present invention encompasses: [1] a DNA encoding the protein of any one of (i) a protein comprising the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1; (ii) a protein comprising a sequence with one to ten amino acid deletions, substitutions, or additions in the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; (iii) a protein comprising a sequence having 99% or higher homology to the sequence of SEQ ID NO:1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and (iv) a protein having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity, which is encoded by an expression plasmid harbored by the strain deposited under Accession No. FERM BP-11026; [2] a DNA comprising the of SEQ ID NO: 2; and [3] a DNA that hybridizes under stringent conditions with a DNA comprising a sequence complementary to SEQ ID NO: 2, where the DNA encodes a protein having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity.

Abstract: The present invention provides a streptavidin-coupled magnetic particle with high biotin-binding capacity, and a manufacturing method thereof. The streptavidin-coupled magnetic particle has a structure in which streptavidins are cross-linked with each other on a magnetic particle. A method for manufacturing the streptavidin-coupled magnetic particle includes the steps of: (1) preparing a suspension containing magnetic particles having amino groups on their surface; and (2) reacting the magnetic particles with streptavidin and glutaraldehyde by adding glutaraldehyde in the presence of streptavidin to the suspension prepared in step (1). The streptavidin-coupled magnetic particle of the present invention, and the streptavidin-coupled magnetic particle manufactured by the manufacturing method of the present invention are useful in clinical diagnosis.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for simply and precisely measuring cholesterol in an HDL subfraction contained in a sample. This is a method for measuring cholesterol in HDL3 contained in a sample, which comprises reacting a sample with (1) a combination of a cholesterol ester hydrolase and a cholesterol oxidase or (2) a combination of a cholesterol ester hydrolase, an oxidized coenzyme and a cholesterol dehydrogenase in an aqueous medium containing: (a) a divalent metal salt; (b) an alkali metal salt selected from the group consisting of a sulfate, a nitrate, a carbonate, an acetate and a halide; and (c) dextran sulfate or a salt thereof, and measuring a substance formed or consumed in the reaction without separating and removing lipoproteins other than HDL3.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring a component to be measured in a sample, comprising converting the component to be measured in the sample into hydrogen peroxide and measuring the formed hydrogen peroxide in the presence of an ?-keto acid using an oxidative-coloring chromogen. The present invention also provides a method for suppressing the influence of a peroxide on a method of converting a component to be measured in a sample into hydrogen peroxide and measuring the formed hydrogen peroxide using an oxidative-coloring chromogen, the suppression method comprising using an ?-keto acid. The measuring method and the suppression method of the present invention using an ?-keto acid suppress the influence of a peroxide to give an accurate measurement of the component to be measured in the sample.

Abstract: It is to provide a device for sampling feces that enables an accurate and quantitative evaluation by decreasing the variations of feces sampling levels, wherein the confirmation of the presence or absence of feces sampling can be performed hygienically and simply from an outside of a container.

Abstract: The present invention provides: a method for preserving an aqueous solution containing a leuco chromogen, comprising adding a compound having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a nitroso group and an azo group and having an ability to coordinate a metal ion or a salt thereof to the aqueous solution containing a leuco chromogen; a method for stabilizing a leuco chromogen, comprising allowing the leuco chromogen to coexist in an aqueous solution comprising a compound having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a nitroso group and an azo group and having an ability to coordinate a metal ion or a salt thereof; and a liquid reagent comprising a leuco chromogen and a compound having at least one substituent selected from the group consisting of a nitroso group and an azo group and having an ability to coordinate a metal ion or a salt thereof.

Abstract: It is to provide a method for measuring glycated hemoglobin in a hemoglobin-containing sample, comprising reacting the hemoglobin-containing sample with a proteolytic enzyme in the presence of a surfactant, and then reacting the obtained reaction product with fructosyl peptide oxidase, wherein at least one of the former reaction and the latter reaction is performed in the presence of an isothiazolinone derivative; and measuring the generated hydrogen peroxide. The present invention provides a method for accurately and highly sensitively measuring glycated hemoglobin in a hemoglobin-containing sample without being influenced by hemoglobin.

Abstract: It is to provide a method for preserving an aqueous solution comprising a leuco chromogen, comprising adding at least one compound selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene alkylamine and polyoxyethylene alkenylamine to the aqueous solution containing a leuco chromogen, and a method for stabilizing a leuco chromogen, comprising allowing the leuco chromogen to coexist in an aqueous solution comprising at least one compound selected from the group consisting of polyoxyethylene alkylamine and polyoxyethylene alkenylamine. The present invention provides a method for preserving an aqueous solution comprising a leuco chromogen for stably preserving the leuco chromogen in an aqueous solution and a method for stabilizing a leuco chromogen.

Abstract: It is to provide a method for measuring glycated hemoglobin in a hemoglobin-containing sample, comprising: reacting glycated hemoglobin in the hemoglobin-containing sample with a proteolytic enzyme in the presence of at least one salt selected from the group consisting of a pyridinium salt, a phosphonium salt, an imidazolium salt, and an isoquinolinium salt; reacting the obtained reaction product with fructosyl peptide oxidase; and measuring the generated hydrogen peroxide. The present invention provides a method for accurately measuring glycated hemoglobin in a hemoglobin-containing sample.

Abstract: The invention is directed to a protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; a protein comprising an amino acid sequence with one to ten amino acid deletions, substitutions, or additions in the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; a protein comprising an amino acid sequence having 99% or higher homology to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and a protein having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity, which is encoded by an expression plasmid harbored by the Escherichia coli XL1-Blue MRF? strain deposited under Accession No. FERM BP-11026; as well as uses of such proteins.

Abstract: A method of immunoassaying a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin, which comprises reacting a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin with an antibody capable of binding to the component in the presence of a bile acid derivative different from a bile acid derivative that is inherently contained in the sample; a method of suppressing an interference of hemoglobin in immunoassaying a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin, which comprises reacting a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin with an antibody capable of binding to the component in the presence of a bile acid derivative different from a bile acid derivative that is inherently contained in the sample; a reagent of immunoassay of a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin, which comprises a bile acid derivative, are described.

Abstract: Methods and kits for measuring a component to be measured in a specimen are provided, which enable accurate measurements that are not affected by reaction temperatures or such when measuring the component to be measured, such as antigens. Methods for measuring a component to be measured, which comprise: reacting, in the presence of a fatty acid alkanolamide, a component to be measured in a specimen with a first antibody which binds to the component to be measured; then reacting a labeled second antibody, in which a label is bound to a second antibody that binds to the component to be measured, to form an immunocomplex comprising the first antibody, the component to be measured, and the labeled second antibody; and measuring the amount of the label in the formed immunocomplex; and kits for measuring the component to be measured in a specimen used in the measurement methods.

Abstract: The present invention provides a simple method for the stabilization of a peptide in a biological sample and a reagent for the stabilization, a simple method for the preservation of a biological sample comprising a peptide and a reagent for the preservation, and a method for the accurate measurement of a peptide in a biological sample and a reagent for the measurement. Addition of a saccharide to a biological sample enables the stabilization of a peptide in the biological sample, the preservation of the biological sample comprising a peptide in a stable condition and the accurate measurement of a peptide in the biological sample. As the present invention can stabilize a peptide in a biological sample collected in the clinical examination, the peptide as a marker in the biological sample can be measured accurately in the clinical examination.

Abstract: A method of immunoassaying a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin, which comprises reacting a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin with an antibody capable of binding to the component in the presence of a bile acid derivative different from a bile acid derivative that is inherently contained in the sample; a method of suppressing an interference of hemoglobin in immunoassaying a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin, which comprises reacting a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin with an antibody capable of binding to the component in the presence of a bile acid derivative different from a bile acid derivative that is inherently contained in the sample; a reagent of immunoassay of a component to be measured in a sample containing hemoglobin, which comprises a bile acid derivative, are described.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method, a reagent and a kit for simple and sensitive determination of cholesterol in remnant-like particles without separation of components of a sample. A method for quantitatively determining remnant-like particle cholesterol in a sample, which comprises: in an aqueous medium containing the sample and in the presence of a combination of specific surfactants and a phospholipid-hydrolyzing enzyme, allowing remnant-like particle cholesterol in the sample to react with cholesterol esterase and cholesterol oxidase or cholesterol dehydrogenase (in the presence of oxidized coenzyme); and determining the formed hydrogen peroxide or reduced coenzyme.

Abstract: A protein described in any one of [1] to [4] below is provided according to the present invention: [1] a protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1; [2] a protein comprising an amino acid sequence with one or more amino acid deletions, substitutions, or additions in the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; [3] a protein comprising an amino acid sequence having 80% or higher homology to the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1, and having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity; and [4] a protein having fructosyl peptide oxidase activity, which is produced by an expression plasmid harbored by the Escherichia coli XL1-Blue MRF' strain deposited under Accession No. FERM BP-11026.