Abstract: A method for measuring fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) in a sample, which comprise the following steps: (1) reacting, in an aqueous medium, FGF-23 in a sample with magnetic particles, a first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, and a second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, to form on the magnetic particles an immunocomplex comprising the first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23. FGF-23, and the second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23; (2) collecting the magnetic particles in the reaction mixture after step (1) by magnetic force, and separating the magnetic particles collected by magnetic force from the other components: and (3) measuring the immunocomplex on the magnetic particles separated in step (2). The present invention provides a method for measuring FGF-23 in a sample, which have a high sensitivity and have a wide measurement range.

Abstract: A method for measuring fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23) in a sample, which comprise the following steps: (1) reacting, in an aqueous medium, FGF-23 in a sample with magnetic particles, a first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, and a second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, to form on the magnetic particles an immunocomplex comprising the first antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23, FGF-23, and the second antibody or a fragment thereof which binds to FGF-23; (2) collecting the magnetic particles in the reaction mixture after step (1) by magnetic force, and separating the magnetic particles collected by magnetic force from the other components; and (3) measuring the immunocomplex on the magnetic particles separated in step (2). The present invention provides a method for measuring FGF-23 in a sample, which have a high sensitivity and have a wide measurement range.

Abstract: A feces sampling container having an increased storage stability of a component in a feces sample such as hemoglobin to enable the measurement of a component in a feces sample with a small amount of feces collected. The container includes a container body, and a feces sampling stick having a gripping part on one side and a stick part on the other side, the stick part having a feces sampling part in the vicinity of the tip, wherein the container body comprises an opening part through which the feces sampling part of the feces sampling stick is inserted, and a feces container chamber in which a desiccant is enclosed, wherein the feces sample held by the feces sampling part is dried by a contact of the feces sampling part, which is inserted through the opening part and holding the feces sample, with the desiccant.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for measuring glycated hemoglobin in a sample, which comprises directly oxidizing glycated hemoglobin in a sample, and then measuring a substance produced or consumed by the oxidation; and a method for measuring glycated hemoglobin in a sample, which comprises directly oxidizing glycated hemoglobin in a sample using an enzyme, and then measuring a substance produced or consumed by the oxidation. A method for measuring glycated hemoglobin of the present invention is useful for diagnosing lifestyle-related disease such as diabetes mellitus.

Abstract: The present invention provides a protein comprising an amino acid sequence in which arginine at position 61 of a protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO: 1 is substituted to an amino acid selected from the group consisting of glycine, alanine, valine, leucine, serine, threonine, proline, cysteine, methionine, asparagine, glutamine, and aspartic acid; and a method for measuring a glycated hemoglobin in a sample, wherein the method comprises reacting a glycated hemoglobin in a sample with a protease to produce a glycated hexapeptide, then reacting the produced glycated hexapeptide with the aforementioned protein, and measuring a substance produced or consumed by the reaction.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase, a method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase, and a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase. A method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase and a method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase which comprises allowing the cholesterol oxidase to coexist with an ?-keto acid in an aqueous medium, and, a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase which comprises the cholesterol oxidase being allowed to coexist with an ?-keto acid in an aqueous medium. The method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase, the method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase, and a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase according to the present invention are useful for clinical diagnosis such as metabolic syndrome.

Abstract: Provided is a method for measuring cholesterol in high-density lipoprotein (HDL) simply and accurately. A method for measuring cholesterol in high-density lipoprotein in a specimen, comprising reacting the specimen with i) a cholesterol ester hydrolase and a cholesterol oxidase, or ii) a cholesterol ester hydrolase, an oxidized coenzyme, and a cholesterol dehydrogenase, in an aqueous medium comprising at least one substance selected from the group consisting of pyridinium salts and quaternary ammonium salts each having a specific structure, and a polyanion to form hydrogen peroxide or reduced coenzyme and measuring the formed hydrogen peroxide or reduced coenzyme.

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: Provided is a measuring method of a component to be measured in a specimen while suppressing an influence of bilirubin. A measuring method of a component to be measured, comprising converting the component to be measured in the specimen to hydrogen peroxide through an enzymatic reaction, reacting the formed hydrogen peroxide with an oxidative-coloring chromogen in the presence of a peroxidase, and measuring an absorbance of the colored reaction solution to thereby determine the component to be measured, wherein a fatty acid or a salt thereof coexists. The measuring method of a component to be measured in a specimen according to the present invention is useful in clinical diagnosis.

Abstract: Provided are: a method for stabilizing an ascorbic acid oxidase; a method for preserving an ascorbic acid oxidase; and a stabilized composition of an ascorbic acid oxidase. A method for stabilizing an ascorbic acid oxidase and a method for preserving an ascorbic acid oxidase, each of the methods comprising allowing an ascorbic acid oxidase to coexist with nitrous acid or a salt thereof, or a nitrous acid ester in an aqueous medium; and a stabilized composition of an ascorbic acid oxidase, which comprises an ascorbic acid oxidase being allowed to coexist with nitrous acid or a salt thereof, or a nitrous acid ester in an aqueous medium. The method for stabilizing an ascorbic acid oxidase, the method for preserving an ascorbic acid oxidase, and the stabilized composition of an ascorbic acid oxidase according to the present invention are useful for clinical diagnosis and the like.

Abstract: Described is 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.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method for a simple and accurate measurement of triglycerides in low-density lipoprotein in a sample comprising performing the following steps sequentially: (i) a step of generating free glycerol by allowing lipoprotein lipase to act on a sample, in an aqueous medium comprising the sample and a specific surfactant such as polyoxyethylene polyoxyalkylene polycyclic phenyl ether; (ii) a step of removing free glycerol present in the reaction solution of the above step (i); (iii) a step of generating free glycerol by allowing lipoprotein lipase to act on the reaction solution from which free glycerol has been removed in step (ii), in the presence of a specific surfactant such as polyoxyethylene polyoxyalkylene alkyl ether; and (iv) a step of measuring free glycerol generated in step (iii), and a kit used for the method.

Abstract: Methods and kits for measuring a component to be measured by reacting the component in the presence of a fatty acid alkanolamide, with a first antibody which binds to the component, then reacting a labeled second antibody that binds to the component so as to form an immunocomplex comprising the first antibody, the component and the labeled second antibody. The amount of the label in the formed immunocomplex is measured and correlated to the amount and concentration of component.

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 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 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: Provided is a method for simply and accurately measuring sphingomyelin in a sample, and a kit therefore. 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 provides a method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase, a method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase, and a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase. A method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase and a method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase which comprises allowing the cholesterol oxidase to coexist with an ?-keto acid in an aqueous medium, and, a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase which comprises the cholesterol oxidase being allowed to coexist with an ?-keto acid in an aqueous medium. The method for stabilizing a cholesterol oxidase, the method for preserving a cholesterol oxidase, and a stabilized composition of cholesterol oxidase according to the present invention are useful for clinical diagnosis such as metabolic syndrome.

Abstract: A reagent measuring a glycated protein, comprising a protease and a protein of any one of [1] to [4] below: [1] a protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1; [2] 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; [3] 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 [4] 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.

Abstract: A reagent measuring a glycated protein, comprising a protease and a protein of any one of [1] to [4] below: [1] a protein comprising the amino acid sequence represented by SEQ ID NO:1; [2] 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; [3] 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 [4] 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.