Abstract: .alpha.-Amylase is determined by the enzymatic splitting of an .alpha.-amylase substrate and measurement of a fission product, wherein there is used as a substrate a maltoheptaose compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is a glucoside, phenylglucoside, mononitrophenylglucoside, dinitrophenylglucoside, sorbitol or gluconic acid group. Reagents comprising such a substrate and a system for the determination of a fission product formed from the amylase substrate by .alpha.-amylase, are also provided. A process for the preparation of a maltoheptaose will Bacillus macerans amylase, free of p-nitrophenyl-alpha-glucoside splitting activity is disclosed.

Abstract: .alpha.-Amylase is determined by the enzymatic splitting of an .alpha.-amylase substrate and measurement of a fission product, wherein there is used as a substrate a maltoheptaose compound of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is a glucoside, phenylglucoside, mononitrophenylglucoside, dinitrophenylglucoside, sorbitol or gluconic acid group. Reagents comprising such a substrate and a system for the determination of a fission product formed from the amylase substrate by .alpha.-amylase, are also provided.

Abstract: The present invention provides phospholipids of the general formula: ##STR1## wherein X is a valency bond, an oxygen or sulphur atom or a sulfonyl, sulfinyl, phenylene, cycloaklylene, carbonylamino, aminocarbonyl, ureido or carbonyl group, R.sub.1 is a hydrogen atom or a straight-chained or branched, saturated or unsaturated aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing up to 18 carbon atoms, which is optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkanesulfinyl, alkanesulfonyl, carbalkoxy or phenyl, R.sub.2 is a straight-chained or branched, saturated or unsaturated divalent aliphatic hydrocarbon radical containing up to 18 carbon atoms, which is optionally substituted one or more times by halogen, alkoxy, alkylthio, alkanesulphinyl, alkanesulphonyl, carbalkoxy or phenyl, Y is an oxygen atom or a --O--CO--O--, --O--CO--NH-- or --O--CS--NH-- group, R.sub.

Abstract: Sulfur-containing phospholipid compounds of the formula ##STR1## pharmaceutical compositions having anti-tumor activity which include said phospholipid compounds, and the method of use for combating tumors, of said phospholipid compounds.

Abstract: New reactive asymmetrical dicarboxylic acid ester compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl radical containing up to 3 carbon atoms or is a digoxin or digitoxin residue, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, which may be the same or different, are alkoxy radicals containing up to 3 carbon atoms or together represent an oxygen atom, X is a cyanomethoxy, succinimide-N-oxy, N-methyl-pyridiniumoxy, 2,4-dinitrophenoxy, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy, pentachlorophenoxy, phenylthio, p-nitrophenoxy, p-nitrophenylthio, piperidyl-N-oxy, phthalimido-N-oxy or benztriazol-N-oxy radical and n is 2, 3, 4 or 5, are useful for the preparation of reagents for the investigation of cardiac glycosides (Digitalis glycosides).

Abstract: Method for determining .alpha.-amylase by incubating with a starch substrate, wherein the substrate is based upon particulate starch derivatized with detectable groups for the determination of .alpha.-amylase, the substrate consisting of superficially cross-linked starch or amylose grains having a regulated, reduced swellability, said grains having a diameter of from 0.01 to 0.20 mm; these grains are prepared by suspending non-swollen grains in a solution with only enough cross-linking agent to achieve superficial cross-linking and then derivatizing the grains with the detectable groups for the determination of .alpha.-amylase.

Abstract: Novel method for the determination of .alpha.-amylase which method comprises contacting a sample suspected of containing .alpha.-amylase with a starch derivative carrying a substituent capable of dyestuff-forming coupling; separating from the resulting starch-containing phase the low molecular weight soluble fission products formed by splitting of said starch derivative by .alpha.-amylase; coupling the said couplable substituent with another dyestuff forming component; and measuring the dyestuff so formed as a measure of the initial .alpha.-amylase content.

Abstract: New hydroxy-succinimide ester compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein X is selected from a carboxy-succinimide ester group and radicals of the general formulae: ##STR2## A is -O-CH.sub.2 -CH.sub.2 when n is 2 and X is a succinimide ester group but otherwise is a single bond;n is a whole number of from 2 to 7;m is 1, 2, 3 or 4,R is hydrogen, methyl, or cyanide; andR' is methyl or ethyl.have been found outstandingly useful as bridge-building compounds for linking proteins, especially biologically active proteins, to solid or liquid carrier matrix materials, thereby yielding valuable carrier-bound enzymatically active protein compositions.

Abstract: Novel alkylolamides of iodizable amino acids of the formula ##STR1## wherein, R.sup.1 is hydroxybenzyl, dihydroxybenzyl or imidazol-4-yl-methyl andR.sup.2 is monohydroxy-alkyl of 1 or 2 carbon atoms or dihydroxy-alkyl of up to 4 carbon atoms,and the water-soluble salts thereof are provided; these materials are useful as components of radioiodizable immune test reagents.

Abstract: An agent for the elimination of turbidity in serum, especially in serum samples wherein photometric measurements are to be made, consisting essentially of one or more mono- or di-esters of polyethylene glycol and fatty acids of 9 to 14 carbon atoms with at most 8 ethylene oxide units per fatty acid moiety in the molecule, said esters having an HLB value of from 8 to 12.8.

Abstract: New hydroxy-succinimide ester compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein X is selected from a carboxy-succinimide ester group and radicals of the general formulae: ##STR2## A is --O--CH.sub.2 --CH.sub.2 when n is 2 and X is a succinimide ester group but otherwise is a single bond;N is a whole number of from 2 to 7;M is 1, 2, 3 or 4,R is hydrogen, methyl, or cyanide; andR' is methyl or ethyl;Have been found outstandingly useful as bridge-building compounds for linking proteins, especially biologically active proteins, to solid or liquid carrier matrix materials, thereby yielding valuable carrier-bound enzymatically active protein compositions.

Abstract: Crystalline salts of .beta.-nicotinamide-adenine-dinucleotide (.beta.-NAD), particularly alkali metal salts thereof are prepared in good yield and high quality to provide an analytically useful .beta.-NAD form.

Abstract: New reactive asymmetrical dicarboxylic acid ester compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is an alkyl radical containing up to 3 carbon atoms or is a digoxin or digitoxin residue, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3, which may be the same or different, are alkoxy radicals containing up to 3 carbon atoms or together represent an oxygen atom, X is a cyanomethoxy, succinimide-N-oxy, N-methyl-pyridiniumoxy, 2,4-dinitrophenoxy, 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy, pentachlorophenoxy, phenylthio, p-nitrophenoxy, p-nitrophenylthio, piperidyl-N-oxy, phthalimido-N-oxy or benztriazol-N-oxy radical and n is 2, 3, 4 or 5. are useful for the preparation of reagents for the investigation of cardiac glycosides (Digitalis glycosides).

Abstract: In a conventional method for the quantitative determination of substances, particularly in serum, which, by action of an oxidase thereon, combine with oxygen to form hydrogen peroxide and wherein the hydrogen peroxide formed is converted, in the presence of methanol and catalase, to formaldehyde, the formaldehyde is reacted with hydrazone in the presence of ferric chloride, and the dye thus formed is determined photometrically, the improvement comprising using as the hydrazone, 3-methyl-2-sulfonylbenzothiazolone-hydrazone; use of this hydrazone results in the formation of a very easily soluble dye and is suited for use in automatic analyzers.

Abstract: Carrier-bound macromolecular compounds, especially bioactive macromolecular compounds, are produced by reacting a macromolecular compound A with a coupling compound B containing at least one reactive function capable of coupling with compound A and at least one further reactive function capable of polymerization, adding to the resulting coupled reaction product AB an unswollen molecular sieve material having cross-linking sufficient to exclude penetration by compound A, and polymerizing the polymerizable group of the coupled product AB in the molecular sieve material to form a polymer body in the molecular sieve material and fix compound A on the surface of the molecular sieve material. Compound A can be, e.g., an enzyme, antibody or hormone, and coupling compound B typically contains, as the coupable function, an alkylation or acylation group such as oxirane, ethyleneimine, halide, acid halide, azide or anhydride groups, and, as the polymerizable function, a carbon-carbon or carbon-oxygen double bond.

Abstract: .gamma.-Glutamyl-4-nitroanilide compounds of the formula ##STR1## wherein R is a .gamma.-glutamyl radical and X is an acid group, and salts of such compounds, are used to determine .gamma.-glutamyl-transpeptidase by contacting a sample suspected of containing .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase with said compound and glycylglycine and determining the liberation of the resulting p-nitro-aniline compound as a measure of the .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase activity initially present in the sample.

Abstract: .gamma.-Glutamyl-4-nitroanilide compounds of the formula ##SPC1##Wherein R is a .gamma.-glutamyl radical and X is an acid group, and salts of such compounds, are used to determine .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase by contacting a sample suspected of containing .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase with said compound and glycyl-glycine and determining the liberation of the resulting p-nitroaniline compound as a measure of the .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase activity initially present in the sample.

Abstract: .gamma.-Glutamyl-4-nitroanilide compounds of the formula ##SPC1##Wherein R is a .gamma.-glutamyl radical and X is an acid group, and salts of such compounds, are used to determine .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase by contacting a sample suspected of containing .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase with said compound and glycylglycine and determining the liberation of the resulting p-nitroaniline compound as a measure of the .gamma.-glutamyltranspeptidase activity initially present in the sample.

Abstract: NADP-dependent dehydrogenases are separated and purified by subjecting mixtures containing it to affinity chromatography using as the affinity chromatography material a nucleotide with a phosphate group in the 2'- or 3'-position, bound to a solid carrier.