Abstract: A tube for medical care comprises a tube body comprising an elastomer and a photocatalyst layer containing titanium oxide and having a great number of microcracks is formed on the surface of the tube body. The tube retains elasticity, and also can secure the close contact of the elastomer surface with the photocatalyst layer and thus has a titanium oxide photocatalyst layer fixed firmly to the tube surface, due to the stress relaxation by the great number of microcracks. The tube exhibits excellent antibacterial activity due to the photocatalyst layer. The tube exhibits more excellent antibacterial activity, when another antibacterial substance is carried on the photocatalyst layer.

Abstract: A process for producing D-malic acid selectively without producing L-malic acid, using inexpensive maleic acid as a starting material, may be carried out using a microorganism belonging to the genus Erwinia, Mycoplana, Sporosarcina, Vibrio, Geotrichum or Torulaspora. The microorganism may be separated from the culture, used as a culture, or a treated microorganism.