Abstract: The present invention relates to a novel enzyme (&agr;-GARE) which releases an amino acid residue having a glycated &agr;-amino group (&agr;-GA) from a glycated protein etc. and to bacterial strains producing the same. Examples of the bacterial strains include Corynebacterium ureolyticum KDK1002 (FERM P-17135) and Pseudomonas alcaligenes KDK1001 (FERM P-17133). The &agr;-GARE is contained in the culture supernatant of these strains and &agr;-GA can be released from a glycated peptide by using the same, as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A method of assaying a specimen, comprising: preparing (i) a specimen, (ii) a liquid cell in which a liquid used for assaying a component in the specimen, such as a liquid reagent or a liquid diluent, is to be contained, and (iii) a mixing cell wherein the specimen and the liquid are mixed; supplying a liquid reagent into the liquid cell in an amount exceeding the amount required in the assay; pipetting a portion of the specimen and a portion of the liquid into the mixing cell using a pipetting tip; and washing the pipetting tip with the liquid remaining in the liquid cell.

Abstract: A check chip of the present invention employed at a usage of a sensor measuring device is provided with a structural characterizing portion of a convex shape, concave shape or a penetration hole at a location, by which a user is considered to pick up, and the state of the structural characterizing portion is made to be different from that of a structural characterizing portion provided on a correction chip which is similar to the check chip, in a size, the number of the structural characterizing portions, or placement location. According to the check chip constructed as above, the difference from the correction chip can be easily identified even by a visually handicapped person or a weak-sighted person, according to the difference in the structural characterizing portion, from the touch, thereby preventing the person from using the check chip and the correction chip with confused.

Abstract: A method of determining Hb is provided, by which an amount of Hb can be determined easily and accurately without fear of damage to the environment. Hemoglobin in a sample is denatured with a tetrazolium compound to give denatured hemoglobin, and an amount of an optical change in the sample is measured at an absorption wavelength specific to the denatured hemoglobin. Using the amount of the optical change thus measured, an amount of the hemoglobin in the sample can be determined. The amount of the optical change preferably is measured at a wavelength in a range from 520 to 670 nm. According to this method, an amount of Hb can be determined with high accuracy as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A method for counting leukocytes which comprises liberating elastase from granulocytes contained in a specimen, adding an anti-granulocyte elastase antibody to the thus liberated elastase, measuring the antibody bonded to the elastase to thereby determine the concentration of the elastase, and then calculating therefrom the number of leukocytes contained in the specimen with the use of the ratio of the leukocyte count to the elastase concentration. This method makes it possible to conveniently and less expensively count leukocytes at a high accuracy comparable to the one established by using a conventional automatic blood cell counter, as the figure shows.

Abstract: A method of measuring an analyte, comprising a step of measuring a detectable substance by using a reaction system including a formation reaction of the detectable substance based on a chemical reaction of the analyte contained in a sample, wherein a layered inorganic compound is caused to exist in the reaction system including the formation reaction of the detectable substance, whereby high-sensitivity measurement is made possible, the detectable substance can be stabilized to improve accuracy of the measurement, a rate of a chemical reaction is increased to enable quick measurement, and high-sensitivity measurement is made possible even in a reaction system which forms an insoluble substance.

Abstract: Amounts of components in a specimen can be analyzed with excellent quantitativity. The analysis includes: measuring an amount of a component to be analyzed in a specimen; measuring an amount of a standard component present originally and homeostatically in the specimen other than the component to be analyzed; determining the amount of the specimen from the amount of the standard component thus measured and a known concentration of the standard component in the specimen; and determining a concentration of the component to be analyzed in the specimen from the amount of the specimen thus determined and the amount of the component to be analyzed thus measured. The quantitative analysis of the present invention allows a component to be analyzed to be measured with high quantitativity as shown in FIG. 1.

Abstract: A method for counting leukocytes which comprises liberating elastase from granulocytes contained in a specimen, adding an anti-granulocyte elastase antibody to the thus liberated elastase, measuring the antibody bonded to the elastase to thereby determine the concentration of the elastase, and then calculating therefrom the number of leukocytes contained in the specimen with the use of the ratio of the leukocyte count to the elastase concentration. This method makes it possible to conveniently and less expensively count leukocytes at a high accuracy comparable to the one established by using a conventional automatic blood cell counter, as the figure shows.

Abstract: A body fluid sampling apparatus (A), comprising a piston (11) provided in a tubular main case (10), a first plunger rod (12) extending into the piston (11) integrally with each other; a first spring (13) elastically energzing the piston (11) toward the upper end side, a second plunger rod (15) installed in the first plunger rod (12) through a second spring (14), a lancet mounted body (16) provided on the second plunger rod (15) and having a lancet (B) mounted therein, a third spring (17) elastically energizing the lancet mounted body (16) toward the upper end side, latch mechanisms (20, 30) suppressing the second plunger rod (15) and first plunger rod (12) when the first plunger rod (12) is moved to the lower end side by he push-down of the piston (11), and a release mechanism (40) for releasing the locked state of the first plunger rod (12) and the second plunger rod (15).

Abstract: A blood-collection position indicator facilitating blood collection is provided. An adhesive layer is positioned on the back face of a substrate portion having a convex cross section and a circular planar shape, and at its center, a through hole going through the substrate portion and the adhesive layer is provided to serve as a blood collection hole, thus obtaining a blood-collection position indicator. In the blood-collection position indicator, the protruding portion serves as an attachment part to be attached to the tip of a lancet device, and the protruding portion is inserted into a hole of the tip of the lancet device, thus attaching the blood-collection position indicator to the tip of the lancet device. Adhesive strength of the adhesive layer to the skin is set to be stronger than attachment strength of the attachment part to the tip of the lancet device. Consequently, only the first blood-collection position indicator remains on the skin after the lancet device is used.

Abstract: A photometer comprises a projecting mechanism irradiating a physical mass with infrared light within a wavelength region of 1.1 to 2.0 &mgr;m, a photoreceiving mechanism receiving output light from the physical mass and a spectroscope separating the light applied to the physical mass or the output light from the physical mass into its spectral components, for measuring absorbance by the physical mass at a specific wavelength. A compression mechanism can compress a measured region of the physical mass or a peripheral portion thereof, and difference absorbance calculator obtains difference absorbance from first absorbance obtained by the photometer under a state compressed by the compression mechanism with a first pressure and second absorbance obtained by the photometer under a state compressed with a second pressure lower than the first pressure or a non-compressed state.

Abstract: An ALC circuit is turned on (S1), a nozzle is shifted to a sampling position (S2), and after the ALC circuit has been turned off (S3), the nozzle is allowed to start discharging air from its tip (S4). While the nozzle is being lowered, the inner pressure of the nozzle is monitored (S5, S6), and upon detection of an increase in the pressure, the discharging process of air and the nozzle lowering process are stopped (S7), while the monitoring of the magnitude of the pressure is continued (S8). When the magnitude of the pressure is being maintained within a permissible range of the change for a predetermined time, it is judged that the tip of the nozzle has come into contact with the true liquid level, and after a suction operation of a sample (S9), the nozzle is raised (S10).

Abstract: A selective complex of a lipoprotein with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue; a method of assaying hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue in a sample, comprising reacting the sample with a lipoprotein which is capable of selectively forming a complex with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue; and a kit for assaying hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue, comprising a lipoprotein which is capable of selectively forming a complex with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue.

Abstract: A predetermined voltage is applied to a biosensor twice to promote an electrochemical reaction, and the following parameters (P1 and P2) are calculated from the values of detected current. A statistical technique is used with these parameters to compensate for errors so that the concentration of an object can be determined. P1: the ratio (If/Ib) of the maximum current (If) or a current occurring the maximum in the first excitation to a current (Ib) read at any point in the second excitation. P2: a current (Ib) read at any point in the second excitation.

Abstract: A blood-collection position indicator facilitating blood collection is provided. An adhesive layer is positioned on the back face of a substrate portion having a convex cross section and a circular planar shape, and at its center, a through hole going through the substrate portion and the adhesive layer is provided to serve as a blood collection hole, thus obtaining a blood-collection position indicator. In the blood-collection position indicator, the protruding portion serves as an attachment part to be attached to the tip of a lancet device, and the protruding portion is inserted into a hole of the tip of the lancet device, thus attaching the blood-collection position indicator to the tip of the lancet device. Adhesive strength of the adhesive layer to the skin is set to be stronger than attachment strength of the attachment part to the tip of the lancet device. Consequently, only the first blood-collection position indicator remains on the skin after the lancet device is used.

Abstract: A selective complex of a lipoprotein with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue. A method of assaying hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue in a sample, comprising reacting the sample with a lipoprotein which is capable of selectively forming a complex with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue. A kit for assaying hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue, comprising a lipoprotein which is capable of selectively forming a complex with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue.

Abstract: A blood-collection position indicator facilitating blood collection is provided. An adhesive layer is positioned on the back face of a substrate portion having a convex cross section and a circular planar shape, and at its center, a through hole going through the substrate portion and the adhesive layer is provided to serve as a blood collection hole, thus obtaining a blood-collection position indicator. In the blood-collection position indicator, the protruding portion serves as an attachment part to be attached to the tip of a lancet device, and the protruding portion is inserted into a hole of the tip of the lancet device, thus attaching the blood-collection position indicator to the tip of the lancet device. Adhesive strength of the adhesive layer to the skin is set to be stronger than attachment strength of the attachment part to the tip of the lancet device. Consequently, only the first blood-collection position indicator remains on the skin after the lancet device is used.

Abstract: A biosensor is constituted by disposing an electrode system including a working electrode and a counter electrode on a substrate, forming an inorganic particulate-containing layer containing inorganic particulates thereon, and forming a reagent layer containing a reagent thereon. The inorganic particulates make it possible to prevent impurities in a sample from being in contact with the electrode system and being adsorbed therein, so that measurement is performed with high precision. The inorganic particulate-containing layer can be formed by applying a dispersion system of inorganic particulates and drying them, and it is preferable that the inorganic particulates are contained in the form of aggregates.

Abstract: A blood test tool with which blood in a dried state can be held without denaturation. In the blood test tool wherein a card made of filter paper is impregnated with the blood and then the blood is held in a dried state, a carboxylic acid such as citric acid is added to the part for holding blood. Thus, the carboxylic acid exerts an effect of preventing the blood in the dried state from denaturation. It is preferable to add a non-reducing sugar (sucrose, etc.), an anticoagulant (EDTA, etc.) and an antioxidant (glutathione, etc.) together with the carboxylic acid. This blood test tool can be produced by impregnating a filter paper card with a solution containing citric acid, etc. dissolved therein and then air-drying.

Abstract: A selective complex of a lipoprotein with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue; a method of assaying hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue in a sample, comprising reacting the sample with a lipoprotein which is capable of selectively forming a complex with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue; and a kit for assaying hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue, comprising a lipoprotein which is capable of selectively forming a complex with hemoglobin or a hemoglobin analogue.