Abstract: The present invention provides a carbon commutator and a carbon brush for a fuel pump which have excellent slidability and abrasion resistance, and a fuel pump having the carbon commutator and the carbon brush incorporated therein. In the carbon commutator for a fuel pump, at least a contact portion to contact with a brush contains 0.2 to less than 5% by weight of an amorphous carbon. The carbon brush for a fuel pump to contact with and slide on the carbon commutator contains 0.2 to not more than 5% by weight of an amorphous carbon. The fuel pump includes the carbon commutator having the foregoing structure and the carbon brush having the foregoing structure.

Abstract: The present invention is directed to a method for the quantitative determination of ammonia, an .alpha.-amino acid and an .alpha.-keto acid corresponding to the .alpha.-amino acid, or a chemical substance producing any one of these compounds. The present invention is also directed to an analytical composition for use in the above method. The method of the present invention ensures rapidness and accuracy in the determination of ammonia, .alpha.-amino acids or .alpha.-keto acids, even with the use of a small quantity of a biological sample. This method is very useful in application fields, such as clinical diagnosis and food testing.

Abstract: Disclosed is a method for the quantitative determination of D-3-hydroxybutyric acid and acetoacetic acid, which comprises reacting a biological sample containing D-3-hydroxybutyric acid and acetoacetic acid, with a reagent comprising: (1) a D-3-hydroxybutyrate dehydrogenase, (2) A.sub.1 and (3) B.sub.1, the components (1), (2) and (3) participating in the following cycling reaction: ##STR1## thereby effecting the enzymatic cycling reaction, and measuring a change in the amount of A.sub.2 formed or the amount of B.sub.1 consumed. Also disclosed is an analytical reagent comprising the components (1), (2) and (3) for use in the above method. The method and the analytical reagent ensure rapidness and accuracy in the determination of D-3-hydroxybutyric acid and acetoacetic acid, even with the use of a small quantity of a biological sample, so that they are very useful in application fields, such as clinical diagnosis and food testing.

Abstract: A novel 1.alpha. (or 24R), 25-dihydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 amino acid derivative of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is OH or --O--CO--A--NH.sub.2, and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, OH and --O--CO--A--NH.sub.2 ; wherein one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is hydrogen, one of R.sub., R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is OH, and one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is --O--CO--A--NH.sub.2 ; and wherein A is C.sub.1-10 alkylene, is produced by removing a protective group for the amino group, e.g. 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl, in the presence of a base in an inert solvent. A radioisotope iodine-labeled residue is then attached to the amino group to produce a derivative useful in the assay of 1.alpha. (or 24R), 25-dihydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 in a specimen.

Abstract: A novel 25-hydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 amino acid derivative of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is C.sub.1-10 alkylene, is produced by removing a protective group for the amino group, e.g. 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl, in the presence of a base in an inert solvent. A radioisotope iodine-labeled residue is then attached to the amino group to produce a derivative useful in the assay of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 in a specimen.

Abstract: A novel 1.alpha. (or 24R), 25-dihydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 amino acid derivative of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is OH or --O--CO--A--NH.sub.2, and R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 are each selected from the group consisting of hydrogen, OH and --O--CO--A--NH.sub.2 ; wherein one of R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is hydrogen, one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is OH, and one of R.sub.1, R.sub.2 and R.sub.3 is --O--CO--A--NH.sub.2 ; and wherein A is C.sub.1-10 alkylene, is produced by removing a protective group for the amino group, e.g. 9-fluorenylmethyloxycarbonyl, in the presence of a base in an inert solvent. A radioisotope iodine-labeled residue is then attached to the amino group to produce a derivative useful in the assay of 1.alpha. (or 24R), 25-dihydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 in a specimen.

Abstract: A process for the production of L-alanine dehydrogenase which comprises culturing an L-alanine dehydrogenase producing microorganism belonging to the genus Sporolactobacillus in a nutrient medium and isolating thus-produced L-alanine dehydrogenase from the cultured mass. The microorganism is for example Sporolactobacillus sp. 78-3 FERM BP-2517 and mutants and variants thereof having the ability to produce L-alanine dehydrogenase in recoverable amounts. This strain is a thermophile which cannot grow at 40.degree. C. but can grow at 45.degree. C. and 52.degree. C. The strain can assimilate glucose and produce lactic acid and acetic acid.

Abstract: A novel 25-hydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 amino acid derivative of the formula ##STR1## wherein R.sub.1 is C.sub.1-10 alkylene, is produced by removing a protective group for the amino group, e.g. 9-fluorenylmethyl-oxycarbonyl, in the presence of a base in an inert solvent. A radioisotope iodine-labeled residue is then attached to the amino group to produce a derivative useful in the assay of 25-hydroxy vitamin D.sub.3 in a specimen.

Abstract: The disclosure is made on a polydeoxyribonucleic acid having a base sequence encoding an amino acid sequence of a polypeptide which is a creatinase derived from a creatinase-producing microorganism belonging to the genus of Bacillus. The bsae sequence of the creatinase gene DNA and amino acid sequence of the creatinase have been clarified. The transformant having this polydeoxyribonucleic acid as well as a process for preparing the creatinase at a high productivity with the application of genetic engineering technique are disclosed.

Abstract: Isolation method of creatinase is disclosed. The method comprises culturing a microorganism belonging to Bacillus, for example, B-0618 strain (deposition No. FERM-P 4049 at Fermentation Research Institute, Agency of Industrial Science and Technology, Japan) to obtain cells from the cultured product, obtaining sarcosine oxidase and creatinase-containing solution, fractionally eluting sarcosine oxidase and creatinase by anion exchange chromatography to obtain a creatinase fraction and then collecting creatinase.

Abstract: A microorganism strain B-0781 belonging to the genus Pseudomonas isolated from a soil sample from an onion field in Japan, produces a novel enzyme nucleoside oxidase having substrate specificity on various nucleosides and enzyme action to catalyze enzymatic reactions involving various nucleosides. The novel nucleoside oxidase is produced by culturing a nucleoside-oxidase-producing microorganism belonging to the genus Pseudomonas in a nutrient medium containing assimilable carbon and nitrogen and inorganic salt, and isolating the thus-formed nucleoside oxidase from the cultured cells. Various nucleoside-5'-carboxylic acids can be produced, by incubating the novel nucleoside oxidase with a nucleoside having a 5'-hydroxymethyl group, in an aqueous medium under aerobic conditions, and isolating the thus-formed nucleoside-5'-carboxylic acid from the incubation medium.

Abstract: A process for the production of acyl-Coenzyme A oxidase, comprises culturing an acyl-Coenzyme A-oxidase-producing microorganism belonging to genus Macrophomina, genus Cladosporium, genus Aspergillus, genus Monascus, genus Saccharomyces or genus Arthrobacter in a nutrient medium, and isolating the thus-formed acyl-CoA oxidase therefrom. The preferred species of microorganism are Macrophomina phaseoli ATCC 14383, Cladosporium resinae IFO 6367, Aspergillus candidus M-4815 FERM-P No. 5226, Monascus sp. M-4800 FERM-P No. 5225, Saccharomyces cerevisiae Y 0036 FERM-P No. 5174, and Arthrobacter sp. B-720 FERM-P No. 5224, respectively.

Abstract: An enzyme sarcosine oxidase is produced by culturing a microorganism belonging to the genus Bacillus, and particularly the species Bacillus sp. B-0618, FERM-P No. 4049, NRRL No. B-11380, and isolating the sarcosine oxidase thus produced from the culture medium. Sarcosine oxidase is useful for the determination of creatinine in the presence of creatinase and creatininase in a sample by mixing the enzymes with the sample and then measuring the generated hydrogen peroxide, formaldehyde or glycine.

Abstract: A novel enzyme choline oxidase is produced by culturing a microorganism belonging to the genus Arthrobacter, and particularly the species Arthrobacter globiformis B-0577 FERM-P No. 3518, NRRL B-11097, and isolating the choline oxidase thus produced from the culture medium. Choline oxidase is useful for the determination of choline or betaine aldehyde in a sample by mixing the new product with the sample and then measuring the generated hydrogen peroxide, betaine or consumed oxygen.