Abstract: 20,798 R.P., which has valuable anti-tumor properties, and acid addition salts thereof are prepared by the microbiological reduction of daunorubicin of the formula: ##SPC1##Or of an acid addition salt thereof, to convert the grouping --CO--CH.sub.3 to --CHOHCH.sub.3.

Abstract: An improved process for producing a red color in meat, particularly sausage, using Micrococcus species NRRL-B-8048 alone or preferably in admixture with Lactobacillus plantarum and/or Pediococcus cerevisiae or with other lactic acid producing bacteria is described. Micrococcus sp. NRRL-B-8048 rapidly (in about 4 hours or less) develops the solid bright red color associated with sausage and other fermented and non-fermented meats in the presence of edible nitrate or in the presence of relatively small amounts of added edible nitrite sufficient to more rapidly generate a red color because of NRRL-B-8048. Combinations of the nitrite and nitrate can be used. NRRL-B-8048 can be used to produce processed meats with a red color with a very limited fermentation time (hours) or to produce sausage with a longer fermentation time (days). Micrococcus sp. NRRL-B-8048 is preferably provided in the form of a cell concentrate which is frozen for storage and subsequent thawing for use.

Abstract: Edible materials including foods, beverages and oral pharmaceuticals are sweetened by the addition of a sweetening amount in the range of from about 0.002% to 1% by weight (basis edible material) of flavanone represented by the structural formula ##STR1## wherein R is a lower alkyl of from one to three carbon atoms inclusive, n is an integer of from one to three inclusive and M is hydrogen or a physiologically acceptable metal cation.

Abstract: A tissue culture cluster dish, having a lid which may be removably placed on a base having formed in it a plurality of wells for the placement and growth of tissue cultures; the wells having well bottoms which are transparent and flat for easy viewing of the well contents, the well bottoms being elevated above the plane in which the base makes contact with any horizontal planar surface upon which the base is placed; the base having ribbing which extends below and surrounds the well bottoms, the base further having a base rim of sufficient vertical extend for easy grasping and holding; the lid coming in contact with and being supported by the base only through protrusions upwardly extending from the base, thereby assuring atmospheric communication between the well interiors and the outside of the dish; the lid having ridges to prevent transfer of moisture from the area above one well to that above any other well; and the lid fitting on the base only in one orientation.

Abstract: An improved method and compositions useful for determining the creatine phosphokinase activity of body fluids suitable for use on clinical colorimeters which involves pre-activation of the creatine phosphokinase with a novel pre-activation composition and comparison to a chemical standard.

Abstract: Disclosed is apparatus for making a feed stuff for cattles, pigs, or poultry by subjecting a mixture of bagasse, Candida utilis or a variety of yeast fungus, var major, and Tichoderma viride to a fermentation treatment, mixing a fermentation product with the crushed and dried top portion of sugar canes, having added thereto cereals, and rolling and drying a resultant mixture into a desired shape.

Abstract: A bacterial B-amylase from strains of Bacillus circulans producing no .alpha.-amylase can be isolated by simple fractionation techniques and used in the production of maltose, especially high maltose syrups. The enzyme is not inhibited by organomercurials.

Abstract: The plasminogen content of a blood sample is measured by determining the rate of formation of fibrin in a sample in which antiplasmin-free plasminogen is activated to form plasmin before the onset of fibrin formation so that the plasmin-conditioned break-down of the fibrin occurs simultaneously with formation of fibrin.

Abstract: A process for producing 5, 10, 11, 11a-tetrahydro-9,11-dihydroxy-8-methyl-5-oxo-1H-pyrrolo-[2,1-C][1,4]benzod iazepin-2-acrylamide, which comprises aerobicatlly culturing Streptomyces spadicogriseus KOMATSU, FERM P-3275, ATCC 31179, belonging to the genus Streptomyces to produce said compound in the nutrient medium, and recovering said compound from the medium. The compound thus obtained has an excellent antitumor activity.

Abstract: Process for converting starch to dextrose wherein a partially hydrolyzed starch solution containing at least 10 percent hydrolyzed starch is contacted with an enzyme system under conditions whereby substantially complete conversion of the starch to dextrose is achieved. The enzyme system comprises immobilized glucoamylase and alpha-amylase selected from the group consisting of soluble alpha-amylase, immobilized alpha-amylase and mixtures thereof.

Abstract: Fermentation broths and other aqueous suspensions containing a dissolved xanthan gum and suspended solids resulting from the fermentation producing the xanthan gum are clarified by treatment with a minor amount of a protease enzyme. The injectivity of aqueous solutions containing xanthan gum so clarified is improved, in oil well flooding operations, over solutions not so treated.

Abstract: A novel microbiological process for preparing 4-thiouracil, a known and useful compound. The compound is produced by the controlled fermentation of the new microorganism Streptomyces libani subsp. soldani, NRRL 8173, and its strains W and P having the NRRL designations NRRL 8174 and NRRL 8175, respectively.

Abstract: Useful products such as molecular hydrogen can be continuously produced by reacting a solution of a substrate in the presence of light with a photometabolically active microbe which has been stabilized on a support. In one embodiment, Rhodospirillium rubrum bacterial cells are mixed with agar gel and the mixture is spread over a plate which is placed in a transparent flow-through reactor. Then, an aqueous malate solution is passed through the reactor under essentially anaerobic conditions in the presence of light to yield molecular hydrogen. In another embodiment, Blue-Green algae are similarly stabilized for continuous biophotolysis of water by oxidizing the water and reducing NADP to NADPH. Other photosystems for producing useful products are disclosed.

Abstract: This invention provides a process for preparing a diastase composition as a free-flowing stable powder for use as a source of excess .alpha.-amylase to add to flour used for baking purposes.

Abstract: A process for the direct conversion of granular starch to levulose comprising mixing a granular starch with water, bacterial alpha-amylase, glucoamylase and a glucose isomerase derived from Streptomyces albus at a temperature of from about 40.degree. to about 70.degree. C. and a pH of from about 5.0 to about 7.0 and maintaining the starch in essentially granular form until a soluble hydrolysate containing levulose is produced, wherein any residual insoluble starch is in essentially granular, ungelatinized form.

Abstract: A process for making alcohol from cellulosic material by hydrolyzing the material to sugars and subjecting the resultant reaction mixture to digestion and fermentation to convert the sugars to alcohol. The process comprises sterilization of the cellulosic material; concurrent digestion and fermentation of the sterilized mixture to produce alcohol using innoculum comprising cellulase enzyme and yeast, vacuum stripping to recover the alcohol, and recovery of innoculum for reuse.

Abstract: Combining a readily soluble form of L-aspartyl-L-phenyl methyl ester (APM) with an effervescent calcium carbonate system and citric acid, when compressed into tablet form, produces an effervescent APM tablet having superior solubility and stability and is devoid of characteristic lingering sweet aftertaste.

Abstract: A method for quantitatively determining glucoamylase in human urine and body fluids which comprises removing low molecular weight substances from a human urine or body fluid sample, adding to the resulting sample which is free of low molecular weight (from about 500 to about 20,000) substances maltotriitol, phenyl-.alpha.-glucoside or 2,4-dinitrophenyl-.alpha.-glucoside, which are specific substrates for glucoamylase, and quantitatively determining the glucose, phenol or 2,4-dinitrophenol which is a degradation product of the above substrates, respectively.

Abstract: A starch composition having lower hydroscopicity, lower bulk-density and better film-forming and holding properties than low D.E. dextrins comprising granule starches which have been hydrolyged to a D.E. of less than about 1 with little or no reducing sugars being present while retaining their granule structure and have thereafter been gelatinized.

Abstract: Process for the production of xylose (dextrose) isomerase by means of a mutant strain of Streptomyces that proliferates in a culture medium that may be free of xylose. The xylose (dextrose) isomerase enzyme is therefore constitutive rather than induced.