Abstract: Protein having an erythrose reductase activity; a DNA encoding the protein; a cell to which a DNA has been transferred in a manner such that the DNA is capable of expressing an erythrose reductases type III, II or I the DNA encodes; and a method for producing erythritol, comprising acting the erythrose reductases type III, II or I or a cell to which erythrose reductases type III, II or I has been transferred in a manner capable of expressing the erythrose reductases type III, II or I on D-erythrose and harvesting the produced erythritol.

Abstract: Protein having an erythrose reductase activity; a DNA encoding the protein; a cell to which a DNA has been transferred in a manner such that the DNA is capable of expressing an erythrose reductases type III, II or I the DNA encodes; and a method for producing erythritol, comprising acting the erythrose reductases type III, II or I or a cell to which erythrose reductases type III, II or I has been transferred in a manner capable of expressing the erythrose reductases type III, II or I on D-erythrose and harvesting the produced erythritol.

Abstract: The present invention provides an artificial chaperon useful for refolding the proteins having low voluntary folding ability and being difficult or unable to be a native form without a second (or assistant) of a molecular chaperon in a short time, and folding said proteins as an active form. The present invention relates to an artificial chaperon kit characterized in that the kit comprises cyclic saccharide cycloamylose and polyoxyethylenic detergent or cyclic saccharide cycloamylose and ionic detergent. The present invention also relates to a method for diluting the denaturant making the protein a denatured state by adding a specific detergent to a denatured protein, and preventing protein molecules from aggregation, thereafter adding cyclic saccharide cycloamylose, utilizing the inclusion ability thereof to strip detergent, accelerating the proper folding of protein into a correct higher-order structure with activity.

Abstract: A method of analyzing blood using a near infrared apparatus, in which monochromatic near infrared light in a wavelength range of 700 nm-1100 nm from the slit of the near infrared apparatus is applied to a ceramic plate through an optical fiber to measure a transmitted light intensity of the ceramic plate, which is a reference material for spectrum measurement. Next, in place of the ceramic plate, a blood collection tube containing a blood sample which has been stabilized at a predetermined temperature by a water bath has the near infrared light applied thereto. A so-called near infrared absorption spectrum in which absorbance has been plotted against wavelengths is obtained and information about object characteristics of the blood is extracted from the spectrum data using a calibration equation predetermined using the near infrared apparatus in relation to blood specimens with different, known object characteristics.

Abstract: According to the present invention, provided is a method for improving solubility of a protein in water by irradiating the protein with an electron beam. According to the method, the solubility of the protein in water is improved without alteration and decomposition of the protein and an associated body which is not generated in an ordinary state is formed, so that protein which is stable even in an aqueous solution can be obtained.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for improving gelation properties of protein by irradiation of the protein with an electron beam, in particular, a method of improving the gelation properties of the protein by raising a gelation temperature of the protein higher than an inherent gelation temperature or increasing a ratio of the protein to be gelated.

Abstract: A method and an apparatus are provided for efficiently manufacturing microspheres having a uniform particle diameter. The apparatus comprises: case 1 having a lower body 1a and an upper body 1b. A seal ring 3, a first plate 4 which is comprised of a transparent plate such as a glass plate or a plastic plate, an annular spacer 5, an intermediate plate 6 which is comprised of a silicon substrate or the like, an annular spacer 7, a second plate 8 and a seal ring 9 are inserted in this order into a concave portion 2 formed in the lower body 1a. The upper body 1b is superposed thereon. Further, the upper body 1b is attached to the lower body 1a with bolts or the like.

Abstract: According to the present invention, it is possible to produce emulsions containing a material that are insoluble or that have low solubility with respect to water and oil in a high concentration, so as to obtain emulsions which can be preserved for a long period of time. More specifically, ethanol, to which polyglycerol oleic acid ester (PG) is added, and vegetable oil, are stirred with a homogenizer or an emulsification method such as a membrane emulsification or a microchannel emulsification, thereby obtaining E/O type emulsions or E/O/W type emulsions wherein ethanol drops in which polyphenol is dissolved in a high concentration are dispersed into vegetable oil.

Abstract: A method is disclosed for activating a lipase by adding a solution of lipase in an aqueous buffer at a pH near neutrality to an organic phase, e.g., tetradecane. Under these conditions lipase is activated as a function of an organic-and-water boundary surface between the organic and water phases. The lipase that is activated in this manner remains active even after lyophilization to remove the water and the organic phase. This activated lipase efficiently catalyzes a fat reforming reaction in non-aqueous and nano-aqueous conditions.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for preparing a template DNA from a processed vegetable food, comprising the steps of: extracting a crude DNA fraction from a processed vegetable food subjected to at least one of a high temperature treatment, a high temperature grinding treatment, a high pressure treatment and a fermentation treatment, and optionally subjected to defatting; and performing a DNA fractionation treatment of the crude DNA fraction by a polyethylene glycol precipitation method and/or a polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis method. Also disclosed is a method for detecting a gene of a plant in a processed vegetable food derived from the plant by a PCR method in which such a template DNA is used. The processed vegetable food may be an oil source seed.

Abstract: Protein having an erythrose reductase activity; a DNA encoding the protein; a cell to which a DNA has been transferred in a manner such that the DNA is capable of expressing an erythrose reductases type III, II or I the DNA encodes; and a method for producing erythritol, comprising acting the erythrose reductases type III, II or I or a cell to which erythrose reductases type III, II or I has been transferred in a manner capable of expressing the erythrose reductases type III, II or I on D-erythrose and harvesting the produced erythritol.

Abstract: A method for measuring luminol enhancing light emission without separating leukocytes and erythrocytes, that is, using whole blood and a method for measuring the number of leukocytes trapped by the capillary bed or the time required for leukocytes to pass through the capillary bed to thereby provide an effective index for ability of leukocytes to protect infection and for oxidative stress caused by leukocytes are provided.

Abstract: A protein shown in (A) or (B) below:

Abstract: 2-Methyl-{4-O-(2-amino-2-deoxy-&bgr;-glucopyranosyl)-1,2-dideoxy-&agr;-glucopyrano}(2,1-d)-2-oxazoline of the following formula or an acid addition salt thereof A 50% deacetylated chitin having a repeating structure represented by the following formula, an oligosaccharide thereof or an acid addition salt thereof wherein n is an integer.

Abstract: A method to efficiently and continuously produce microspheres of natural oils and fats having a high melting point, the average particle diameter of which is in dozens of &mgr;m and is uniform, comprising the steps of heating oils and fats having a high melting point to a temperature greater than the melting point thereof to liquify same holding the oils and fats in a liquid state, forming a dispersed phase of the liquid oils and fats, pressurizing the dispersed phase and forming emulsions by dispersing the dispersed phase into a continuous phase via a plurality of microchannels, and isolating microspheres of the oils and fats having a high melting point by removing the continuous phase from the emulsions.

Abstract: Isolation of a cDNA encoding a plant-derived epoxide hydrolase and an expression system of the enzyme in Escherichia coli are established, so as to permit the mass-scale production of the plant-derived epoxide hydrolase. The invention provides a cDNA encoding the plant-derived epoxide hydrolase having the amino acid sequence of SQ ID No. 1 in the Sequence Listing, a gene encoding the plant-derived epoxide hydrolase having the amino acid sequence of SQ ID No. 2 in the Sequence Listing, a plasmid vector carrying the cDNA and the transformant (FERM BP-6624) retaining the plasmid vector.

Abstract: A microchannel apparatus includes a plural partition walls 4 formed as extensions of plural microchannels 1 toward a continuous phase, and a flow path 5 is formed between adjacent ones of the partition walls 4. A dispersed phase pumped into a continuous phase via each microchannel 1 generates nearly perfect spheres in the course of passing through the microchannel and the flow path 5 in between the partition walls 4, thereby producing emulsions comprising fine and homogenous microspheres.

Abstract: Cross-flow microchannel apparatus for producing emulsions includes a pump 9 and a pump 11 which are driven to respectively supply a continuous phase to a concave portion 4 via a supply pipe 10, a supply hole 6 and a supply port 18 and a dispersed phase to a space between the outside of a base 3 and the inside of a concave portion 2 formed in a case 1 via a supply pipe 12 and a supply hole 7. Then, by applying a predetermined pressure to the dispersed phase, the dispersed phase is formed into fine particles via a microchannels 21 and mixed with the continuous phase, thereby forming emulsions. The emulsions are withdrawn to a tank and so on via a withdrawal port 19, a withdrawal hole 8, and a withdrawal pipe 13 for emulsions.

Abstract: A quick assay method for the activity of a plant-derived, asparagine residue-specific endoprotease is disclosed which comprises measuring fluorescence generated by a fluorescence quenching substrate split by an asparagine residue-specific endoprotease. The fluorescence quenching substrate comprises an oligopeptide having in its amino acid sequence at least one asparagine residue, whose C-terminal side is other than an isoleucine residue, a leucine residue, or a valine residue, wherein the oligopeptide has a 7-methoxycoumarin-4-yl-acetyl group arranged on its N-terminal side and a 2,4-dinitrophenyl group arranged on its C-terminal side.

Abstract: In an apparatus for continuously manufacturing microspheres, a dispersed phase (O) is supplied to a chamber 27 for the dispersed phase inside of a bulkhead member 26 via a supply port 23. Thereafter, the dispersed phase enters into a gap 31 between a plate 22 via a supply port 29 in a base 25. The dispersed phase which enters into the gap 31 grows microspheres (particles) having a certain diameter while passing through a microchannel 33 by pressure applied by, for example, a pump, and is mixed with a continuous phase (W), so that microspheres are produced. The thus-produced microspheres float or are suspended in the continuous phase without needing any particular external force in response to their specific gravity, allowing the microspheres to be generated and withdrawn from a withdrawal port 32 at a significantly reduced pressure in comparison to conventional methods and apparatus.