Abstract: A system to maximize the probability of preserving living tissue separated from its host organism. The system includes a bag or other container to receive a liquid solution plus a biscuit that supplies both nutrients and other materials ordinarily supplied to the tissue by the host, as well as additional material helpful to the tissue during the sub-acute postraumatic period. The nutrients and other materials are introduced to the solution by a biscuit that is formed of the various necessary ingredients. The biscuit introduced to the solution containing the living tissue slowly dissolves therein. An outer housing receives the bag or other container with its contents. The outer housing, by use of ice or other heating/cooling measures, serves to maintain the tissue and its supporting mechanism at between about 2.degree. C. and 20.degree. C.

Abstract: Novel bilirubin oxidase inactive against phenol, catechol, and hydroquinone, and a process for preparing said enzyme by recovering it from a culture liquor of bilirubin oxidase producing microorganisms belonging to the genus Coprinus, Trametes, Coriolus, Pholiota, Pleurotus, Lenzites, or Fomitopsis. This enzyme can decompose bilirubin when added to a bilirubin-containing solution, and makes it possible to assay bilirubin by measuring a decrease in absorption in the visible region of the reaction solution. Thus, it can be used for assaying bilirubin and for removing it from a sample to avoid its interference in determining a substrate or an enzyme activity.

Abstract: A process for preparing an integral Saccharomyces cerevisiae cell culture containing the cell bodies and all the products which form during the cell multiplication process, and for stabilizing the resultant product in order to maintain the cell integrity and biological activity unaltered for a long period.The product obtained is useful in human and animal feeding as a growth factor and regulator of bacterial and enzymatic imbalance of the intestine, and as a protein additive in the cosmetics industry.

Abstract: A method of measuring the number of eumycete cells in a sample which comprises preparing a solution or suspension containing a sample of a medicine, food, drink, cosmetic or water, adding to said solution or suspension a 7-amino-4-methyl-coumarin derivative represented by formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R is an alkyl group, an allyl group, an aralkyl group, or a heterocyclic group, or R--CO-- is an amino acid or peptide residue, said derivative not inhibiting the hydrolysis of the amide bond of formula (1) by microorganism hydrolases contained in the samples; and measuring the fluorescence of 7-amino-4-methyl-courmarin released by the microorganism hydrolases.

Abstract: A method is provided for detecting a microorganism which produces a desired substance. The method involves overlaying a membrane on an agar surface in a predetermined orientation. Microorganisms are grown on the membrane and the substance allowed to pass into the agar. The membrane is removed and a detectable reaction between the substance and one or more reagents is observed. The location of the microorganism to be detected can be determined by the predetermined orientation, and the microorganism can be isolated by removing it from the membrane. When the substance is not secreted by the microorganism, the microorganisms are lysed releasing the substance for passage into the agar. The microorganisms producing the substance can be located on replicate plates and isolated.

Abstract: Partial thromboplastin time (PTT) is determined for monitoring and controlling heparin therapy with a test kit having increased sensitivity to heparin. Increased sensitivity is obtained by including with reagents in the test kit an organic sulfuric acid or salt thereof such as dodecylbenzenesulfuric acid--sodium salt and/or an organic sulfuric acid ester or salt thereof such as sodium laurylsulfate.

Abstract: Disclosed is combination of an acylase and esterase for selective enzymatic hydrolysis of only the L-isomer of an L and D mixture of .alpha.N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acid ester whose alpha carbon atom is chiral to yield a mixture containing L-.alpha.-amino acid and D-.alpha.-N-acyl-.alpha.-amino acid ester but essentially no D-.alpha.-amino acid.

Abstract: Cells of Pseudomonas bacteria having a high nitrile hydratase activity can be obtained in a high yield by adding to a culture medium at least one .alpha.-amino acid, except for cysteine or cystine alone and a combination of these .alpha.-amino acids alone, in the preparation of cells of bacteria having nitrile hydratase activity by cultivating under nitrile hydratase-inducing conditions Pseudomonas bacteria capable of producing nitrile hydratase.

Abstract: A process for producing vinegar is carried out by inoculating and growing acetic acid bacteria on a lipophilic fibrous support packed in a fermentation tower, and forcing a charging wort for vinegar production and an oxygen-containing gas to contact with and pass through said bacteria on the support to carry out acetic fermentation. The fiberous support is preferably fibers of polypropylenes, polyethylenes, polystyrenes, polyethyleneterephthalate or polyurethanes.

Abstract: A ripened process cheese having the appearance and the organoleptic properties of a soft or hard or semi-hard cheese with a moldy rind, is prepared by forming a cheese block from a cheese melt, acidifying the surface of the cheese block to a pH of 4 to 5 to flocculate surface proteins and form a pre-rind, seeding the acidified surface of the cheese block with ripening molds, and ripening the thus seeded cheese block. Acidification of the surface prevents undue lipolytic and proteolytic breakdown of the cheese by action of enzymes of the molds.

Abstract: Cells of Pseudomonas bacteria having a high nitrile hydratase activity can be obtained in a high yield by adding to a culture medium cysteine and (or) cystine in the preparation of cells of bacteria having nitrile hydratase activity by cultivating under nitrile hydratase-inducing conditions Pseudomonas bacteria capable of producing nitrile hydratase.

Abstract: Baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to about 75 percent by weight, is provided in a free-flowing particulate form by dispersing throughout a particulate baker's yeast, having a moisture content of from about 65 to 75 percent by weight, a small but effective amount of a finely-divided insoluble salt of an alkaline earth metal, particularly calcium sterate, magnesium sterate, tricalcium phosphate, or mixtures thereof without added acid. The resultant baker's yeast exhibits increased flowability and is retained in free-flowing particulate form for extended periods of time under a variety of conditions. As compared to baker's yeast which has not been treated with the alkaline earth metal salt, the treated baker's yeast exhibits no loss in leavening activity.

Abstract: A method for quantitatively determining the extent of mold contamination of grain and other mold-susceptible bulk food. The mold spores are selectively extracted from a small representative sample of the grain or other food by admixing with a solvent. After washing with a detergent, the extracted spores are suspended in a sterile solution and, in the case of heavy contamination, a series of graduated dilutions of known concentration are prepared. A measured sample of suspended spores is transferred to a nutrient growth medium and maintained under growth conditions until all possible spore colonies have developed. The spore colonies are counted. Since the dilution factor is known, the number of fungal spores in the original sample of stored product can readily be calculated.

Abstract: A method for isolating a mutant microorganism is described. The method comprises the steps of: (a) separately microencapsulating in a semi-permeable membrane each or a small number of microorganisms from a microorganism population containing said mutant; (b) growing said microencapsulated microorganisms including treating to induce a detectable difference between microcapsules containing mutant microorganisms and those containing non-mutant microorganisms; and (c) separating said microcapsules containing mutant microorganisms from those containing non-mutant microorganisms based on said difference.

Abstract: Precise control of hop aromatic flavors and hop bitter acids in beer is achieved by adsorbing these hop flavors on fumed silicon dioxide and dosing the fumed silicon dioxide containing adsorbed hop flavor into beer, preferably after suspending the fumed silicon dioxide containing the adsorbed flavors in an aqueous medium. The hop flavors are desorbed in the beer and fumed silicon dioxide solids become available as a clarifying agent and are subsquently filtered from the beer.

Abstract: Multiphase contacting between gas, solid and liquid phases is effected using a novel apparatus comprising a cylindrical vessel, a draft tube, a conical bottom and a gas-sparger system. Mild and uniform mixing is achieved within the novel apparatus while stagnant zones and zones of high shear within the vessel are eliminated. Gas-liquid mass transfer is achieved at rates comparable to conventional high-shear mechanically-stirred devices while the efficiency of liquid mixing in the vessel is better than conventional low-shear pneumatically-stirred devices. The apparatus is preferably used in fermentation processes.

Abstract: A method to determine the Gram sign of microorganisms includes staining the microorganisms with a plurality of fluorescent dyes in the presence of a staining buffer, applying excitation energy to the stained microorganisms, observing the color of the fluorescence emission of the stained microorganisms, and assigning the positive Gram sign to microorganisms which fluoresce substantially green and the negative Gram sign to microorganisms which fluoresce substantially orange.

Abstract: L-carnitine is produced by bringing apocarnitine into contact with hydrase produced by a strain of Enterobacter in an aqueous medium having a pH of 4-10 at a temperature of 20.degree.-60.degree. C., whereby apocarnitine is converted to L-carnitine.

Abstract: Racemates of optically active amino acid substituted at the carbonyl position wherein the alpha amino acid nitrogen is underivatized and can be resolved using a two phase solvent system. The racemate is dissolved in a substantially water immiscible organic material which is a solvent for said amino acid racemate but not for the corresponding amino acids. The racemate is also dissolved in water (aqueous phase) and is in equilibrium with the racemate in the organic phase. One of the optical isomers of the amino acid racemate in the aqueous phase is enzymatically hydrolyzed to the corresponding amino acid and is recovered. The preferred product is L-phenylalanine.

Abstract: A method of detections biological activity is disclosed. A nutrient growth medium which isolates antibiotics and other microbial growth inhibitors during culturing of a microorganism. The growth medium includes an aqueous dispersion of nutrient materials and an effective amount of an isolating substance or substances capable of isolating antimicrobial materials during culturing of a microorganism. The isolating substances are selected from ion exchange resins and non-functional adsorbent resins.