Abstract: A novel fructosyl amino acid oxidase derived from genus Penicillium, which is active on both of fructosyl lysine and fructosyl valine, a process for producing the enzyme, an assay of an amadori compound using the enzyme, a reagent or a kit containing the enzyme is provided.

Abstract: The optical measuring apparatus of this invention for measuring a physical amount of a specific component contained in a substance to be measured by the use of measurement light which passes through the substance to be measured and the use of predetermined reference light includes: a first interfering polarizing plate for obtaining a first light interference signal by interfering the measurement light; a second interfering polarizing plate for obtaining a second light interference signal by interfering the reference light; a first photoelectric converting section for converting the first light interference signal into a first electric signal; a second photoelectric converting section for converting the second light interference signal into a second electric signal; a first phase expanding section for expanding a phase of the first electric signal; a second phase expanding section for expanding a phase of the second electric signal; a phase difference measuring section for measuring a phase difference between

Abstract: A simple device for holding liquid for an analysis of a liquid sample, said device comprising a material composed of organic macromolecule, having a surface divided into a plurality of areas which posses contact angles with regard to liquid that are different from each other, one of which is surrounded with the other. With regard to the analysis of test liquids, the device enables the easy holding of even minute quantities of liquid and offers sufficient quantitative precision for analysis.

Abstract: An article of manufacture includes a computer usable medium, including computer-readable program code instructions embodied therein, for causing a computer to manage data in a measuring apparatus. The instructions include a detecting portion utilized for causing the computer to detect whether an electrode has been mounted on the measuring apparatus. A characteristic measuring portion is utilized for causing the computer to measure a characteristic of the electrode to determine what type of electrode has been mounted on the measuring apparatus. A clocking portion is utilized for causing the computer to clock a first period of time after the computer has measured the characteristic of the electrode. A determining portion is utilized for causing the computer to determine whether to measure density of an element included in a biological body fluid or whether to read out measured density data.

Abstract: An integral multi-layer analytical element for analyzing bile acid sulfate comprising a support member, a reagent layer on said support member and a porous developing layer on said reagent layer, at least one of the reagent layer and developing layer containing bile acid sulfate sulfatase, 3.beta.-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase and a combination of thio-NAD.sup.+ and reduced NAD or reduced NADP, in which the reagent layer contains a water-soluble polymer, a buffer and at least one component selected from the group consisting of sugar alcohols and Mn.sup.2+, which element suppresses the increase of blank values and prevents agglomeration of the enzyme during the preparation of a solution for forming the reagent layer.

Abstract: In an optical measuring apparatus of the present invention, a spectroscopic optical system emits a measuring light beam that contains a measure light component of a measure wavelength domain where a measured object absorbs part of the light and a reference light component of a reference wavelength domain where the measured object almost completely absorbs the light, and separates the beam into beams, a photometric unit measures the light incident on an integrating sphere when a reference sample is inserted in the light path and stores the measurements in a memory and also measures the light incident on an integrating sphere when a measured object is inserted in the light path, and an arithmetic circuit calculates a light intensity ratio of the compensation light component for the measured object to the compensation light component stored in memory and then estimates background intensities during the measurement by multiplying the measurements stored in the memory by the intensity ratio.

Abstract: There is provided a sensor for the measurement of a content of a material in liquid which material is oxidized with an oxidase enzyme in which sensor a reagent layer is formed on an electrode system composed of a measuring electrode and a counter electrode both of which are formed on an insulating substrate, the reagent layer is composed of a hydrophilic polymer layer comprising a hydrophilic polymer and a reactive layer comprising the oxidase enzyme and an electron carrier, and the reagent layer further comprises a phosphate.

Abstract: A novel fructosyl amino acid oxidase derived from genus Fusarium, which is active on both of fructosyl lysine and fructosyl valine, a process for producing the enzyme, an assay of an amadori compound using the enzyme, a reagent or a kit containing the enzyme is provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides a reagent composition for measurement of ionic strength of liquid samples (especially for measurement of specific gravity of urine), which contains at least one phosphoric diester, at least one pH buffering agent, and at least one pH indicator. The present invention also provides a test tool containing the reagent composition which may be a test strip made by impregnation, coating, or printing of the composition. The reagent composition and the test tool are convenient and less susceptible to pH and temperature of the samples, measurement timing, etc. The compounds shown by the following general formula (1): ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 and R.sub.2 in the formula (1) represent straight or branched alkyl groups containing 4-20 carbon atoms, phenyl groups which may be substituted, benzyl groups which may be substituted, or groups containing polyalkylene glycol chains, are preferable as a phosphoric diester.

Abstract: A method of quantitative analysis of a specific component of an object to be measured comprises steps of measuring an energy spectrum of light transmitted through or reflected from the object, dividing the energy spectrum into a plurality of wavelength domains, thereby obtaining a plurality of partial energy spectra, normalizing the plurality of partial energy spectra within each wavelength domain using an energy measured at a predetermined wavelength contained in each wavelength domain, and performing the quantative analysis by multivariate analysis using the plurality of partial energy spectra having been normalized.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for optically measuring concentrations of components allow enhancement in measurement accuracy of concentration. The apparatus includes a cell, a light irradiator, a photodetector, and an arithmetic unit. The cell presents different optical path lengths at different locations and is to contain a sample therein. The light irradiator, which includes a variable-wavelength laser generator and a measuring system composed of convex lenses, outputs a collimated, enlarged laser beam, and makes the laser beam incident upon the cell. The photodetector comprises a multiplicity of photodetectors arranged in parallel to the surface of the cell, so that it can detect intensity of rays of transmitted light that have traveled over different optical path lengths at positions of an equal distance from the cell.

Abstract: A managing method includes steps of selecting a function according to the type of an electrode mounted on the portable blood sugar value-measuring apparatus; executing a process of clocking a predetermined period of time; deciding whether or not the clocking process has been switched over to a different process while the predetermined period of time is being clocked; and reading out data of measured blood sugar values stored in a storing device from a termination point of the first predetermined period of time when the first predetermined period of time has terminated without the switch-over from the first clocking process to the blood sugar value-measuring process being decided in the deciding process.

Abstract: A multilayer analytical element for assaying fructosamine having a liquid-impermeable support, a dried buffer-containing layer which contains a buffer having pH of 8 to 12 formed on the support, and a tetrazolium salt-containing layer which is laminated on the buffer-containing layer, which element assays fructosamine in a short time with good accuracy.

Abstract: The relationship of variations in the retention time of a specific component of a measurement blood sample with respect to changes in change-over time of the eluting solution is determined. The retention time of the specific component of the measurement blood sample is measured under a particular analyzing condition. In case of a departure of the retention time from a predetermined reference range, a change-over time of eluting solution is obtained in accordance with the relationship, so that the retention time of the specific component can fall within the reference range. The change-ever time of eluting solution is updated as an analyzing condition for the subsequent analysis by using the obtained values.

Abstract: A biosensor which electrochemically detects a material which relates to a reaction of a specific compound in a liquid sample with a biologically active substance or its related substance, in which the biologically active material or an optionally used mediator is placed at a part which is remote from a position of an electrode which acts as electrochemical detector means, and optionally the biological active material or the mediator is covered with a polymer layer.

Abstract: An apparatus and a method for measuring concentrations of components with light scattering allows measurement of concentrations of components in a measuring object to be accomplished in non-destructive fashion by using light in near-infrared wavelength ranges with good transmissivity and relatively low light quantum energy. The apparatus is composed of a light irradiator (1) for irradiating excited light in a near-infrared wavelength range to a measuring object (16), a photodetector (2) for receiving and spectrally separating Raman scattered light derived from the measuring object (16), and an arithmetic unit (3) for calculating concentration of a component in the measuring object (16) from intensity of the Raman scattered light and outputting a calculation result.

Abstract: An apparatus and method for measuring component concentrations which enables accurate measurement of concentrations of component within an object in a non-destructive, non-invasive, and bloodless procedure.

Abstract: A composition for detecting or quantitatively measuring a peroxide active material in a sample, containing an organic hydroperoxide, a chromogen, and an iron (111) complex of the formula: [(OOC-X-COO).sub.3 Fe]M.sub.3 in which X is an alkylene group:-(CH.sub.2).sub.n - (n=0-5) or an allyl group, and M is a monovalent cation, which can eliminate the influence of reducing compounds such as ascorbic acid contained in the sample.

Abstract: A buffer solution is charged in a reaction container so that enzyme electrodes can be immersed in the buffer solution. Current values between the enzyme electrodes, to which a voltage is applied, are sampled at predetermined-time intervals. A decreasing curve of current is predicted on the basis of the sampled current values. A sample is injected in said buffer solution at an early time before the current between enzyme electrodes become stable, whereby oxidation reaction of a specified component of the sample is caused. A current value I.sub.1 between enzyme electrodes is measured and simultaneously a current value T.sub.2 on the decreasing curve is obtained at a point that a predetermined time passes from the sample injection point to obtain a current increase from the sample injection on the basis of a difference of the current values I.sub.1 and I.sub.2. A quantity of the specified component of the sample is obtained on the basis of the current increase.

Abstract: A current-detecting type dry-operative ion-selective electrode having a working electrode and a counter electrode which are mounted on an insulating substrate, a first electrolyte layer containing a hydrophilic polymer and an ion-sensitive layer containing a hydrophobic polymer which are formed on the working electrode, and a second electrolyte layer containing a hydrophilic polymer which is laminated over the whole electrode system.