Abstract: Disclosed herein is a quantitative determination of pyruvic acid, which comprises reacting oxidized nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, a pyruvate dehydrogenase complex and coenzyme A to a specimen and measuring the amount of the resulting reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide. A quantitative analysis for a component of a living body, in which the quantitative determination is used, is also disclosed. Pyruvic acid or other components existing in a living body or formed in the course of a reaction in the living body can be quantitatively determined simply and precisely.

Abstract: A device for removing a cladding material from a bottom portion of a control rod guide tube of a nuclear reactor. A rotor tube is removably mounted in a housing of a control rod drive of the nuclear reactor and has at least its forward end portion hydraulically insertable into the bottom portion of the control rod guide tube through an opening located in a lower portion of the control rod guide tube for inserting the control rod drive. The rotor tube is provided at the forward end portion thereof with a foldable rotary brush and cleaning water supply nozzles. A rotary drive shaft is extending through the rotor tube for rotating the rotary brush. The cladding material deposited on the bottom portion of the control rod guide tube that has become radioactive can be readily and positively removed therefrom with a small volume of water while enabling the risk of exposure to radiation to be minimized at a time the operation of cleaning the bottom portion of the control rod guide tube is performed.