Abstract: Pentameric CRP is produced at a high efficiency by transferring DNA, which encodes monomeric CRP, into a silkworm to thereby construct a transgenic silkworm and then collecting and purifying pentameric CRP that is produced by the transgenic silkworm constructed above.

Abstract: Disclosed is an immunoassay method whereby a 5.9 kDa peptide which results from the degradation of the ?-E chain and ? chain of human fibrinogens and which is used as a peptide marker for diagnosing hepatic disease can be specifically assayed in a biological sample containing contaminating peptides by bringing antibodies that recognize the N terminal of said peptide marker and antibodies that recognize the C terminal of said peptide marker into contact with said peptide marker, forming immune complexes of said peptide marker and the two antibodies, and immunoassaying the obtained immune complexes.

Abstract: A marker for detecting pancreatic cancer, said marker comprising a glycoprotein C4BPA or PIGR, whereby a pancreatic cancer patient can be distinguished from a chronic pancreatitis patient or a normal subject and thus specifically diagnosed. Also, the marker is usable in monitoring the postoperative prognosis of a pancreatic cancer patient. When the aforesaid marker is used in combination with another pancreatic cancer marker such as CA19-9, furthermore, a pancreatic cancer patient can be distinguished from a chronic pancreatitis patient or a normal subject and diagnosed more specifically.

Abstract: Pentameric CRP is produced at a high efficiency by transferring DNA, which encodes monomeric CRP, into a silkworm to thereby construct a transgenic silkworm and then collecting and purifying pentameric CRP that is produced by the transgenic silkworm constructed above.

Abstract: Pentameric CRP is produced at a high efficiency by transferring DNA, which encodes monomeric CRP, into a silkworm to thereby construct a transgenic silkworm and then collecting and purifying pentameric CRP that is produced by the transgenic silkworm constructed above.

Abstract: Pentameric CRP is produced at a high efficiency by transferring DNA, which encodes monomeric CRP, into a silkworm to thereby construct a transgenic silkworm and then collecting and purifying pentameric CRP that is produced by the transgenic silkworm constructed above.

Abstract: In measuring phosphoric acid by the use of an enzyme cycling system using a dehydrogenase together with a thio-NADP, a thio-NAD, a reduced thio-NADP or a reduced thio-NAD as a coenzyme, phosphoric acid is measurable in a wide concentration range from a low concentration to a high concentration by measuring phosphoric acid after previous removal of free phosphoric acid in reagent components for the measurement.

Abstract: Silkworms which have (i) a DNA encoding a transcriptional regulator operably linked downstream of a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and (ii) a DNA encoding TRACP5 operably linked downstream of a target promoter of the transcriptional regulator were produced. The result showed that active TRACP5b was produced from the silkworms. This means that TRACP5 produced from the silk gland of the silkworms undergoes processing in the silk gland that is similar to the processing taking place at bone resorption sites.

Abstract: Disclosed is an immunoassay method whereby a 5.9 kDa peptide which results from the degradation of the ?-E chain and ? chain of human fibrinogens and which is used as a peptide marker for diagnosing hepatic disease can be specifically assayed in a biological sample containing contaminating peptides by bringing antibodies that recognize the N terminal of said peptide marker and antibodies that recognize the C terminal of said peptide marker into contact with said peptide marker, forming immune complexes of said peptide marker and the two antibodies, and immunoassaying the obtained immune complexes.

Abstract: Silkworms which have (i) a DNA encoding a transcriptional regulator operably linked downstream of a promoter of a DNA encoding a protein specifically expressed in the silk gland and (ii) a DNA encoding TRACP5 operably linked downstream of a target promoter of the transcriptional regulator were produced. The result showed that active TRACP5b was produced from the silkworms. This means that TRACP5 produced from the silk gland of the silkworms undergoes processing in the silk gland that is similar to the processing taking place at bone resorption sites.

Abstract: Using two types of antibodies, i.e., a first antibody having a higher affinity for a target substance than for a competitive substance and a second antibody having a higher affinity for the competitive substance than for the target substance, a specimen is treated with these two antibodies. Then, the competitive substance in the specimen first binds to the second antibody and thus the ratio of the target substance to the competitive substance in the specimen is enlarged. As a result, the target substance becomes liable to bind to the first antibody and, in its turn, the reactivity of the target substance is elevated compared with the case of using the first antibody alone. Thus, the target substance in the specimen can be accurately assayed while avoiding the effects of the competitive substance contained in the specimen.

Abstract: In measuring phosphoric acid by the use of an enzyme cycling system using a dehydrogenase together with a thio-NADP, a thio-NAD, a reduced thio-NADP or a reduced thio-NAD as a coenzyme, phosphoric acid is measurable in a wide concentration range from a low concentration to a high concentration by measuring phosphoric acid after previous removal of free phosphoric acid in reagent components for the measurement.

Abstract: Specific and accurate immunoassay of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) in a specimen may be carried out by bonding TRACP 5b in the specimen to an antibody, subjecting the TRACP 5b bonded to the antibody to enzyme reaction with a 2-halo-4-nitrophenylphosphoric acid or a salt thereof, a substrate for TRACP 5b, and then assaying the enzymatic activity of TRACP 5b.

Abstract: Specific and accurate immunoassay of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) in a specimen may be carried out by bonding TRACP 5b in the specimen to an antibody, subjecting the TRACP 5b bonded to the antibody to enzyme reaction with a 2-halo-4-nitrophenylphosphoric acid or a salt thereof, a substrate for TRACP 5b, and then assaying the enzymatic activity of TRACP 5b.

Abstract: Monocolonal antibodies having a higher reactivity with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) than tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5a (TRACP 5a) and having a higher specificity to TRACP 5b can be obtained by cell fusion using as antigens TRACP 5b purified from human osteoclasts. By using the monoclonal antibody, TRACP 5b in a sample can be detected specifically with a high sensitivity.

Abstract: Monocolonal antibodies having a higher reactivity with tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP 5b) than tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase 5a (TRACP 5a) and having a higher specificity to TRACP 5b can be obtained by cell fusion using as antigens TRACP 5b purified from human osteoclasts. By using the monoclonal antibody, TRACP 5b in a sample can be detected specifically with a high sensitivity.

Abstract: In a fixing apparatus for fixing toner images on a transfer material upon which toner images have been placed by applying heat to the transfer material, the fixing apparatus includes: a roll-shaped rotary member for applying heat to the transfer material upon which toner images have been placed, the roll-shaped rotary member including a cylindrical ray-transmitting base member, and a ray absorbing layer for generating heat onto the transfer material upon which toner images have been placed so as to fix the toner on the transfer material, the ray absorbing layer, provided on an outer side of the ray-transmitting base member; a ray irradiating device for irradiating ray to the ray absorbing layer, the ray irradiating device provided inside the cylindrical ray-transmitting base member; bearing member for rotatably supporting the roll-shaped rotary member; flange members provided on both ends of the ray-transmitting base member; and an elastic covering member provided between the flange member and the roll-shaped

Abstract: A fixing apparatus for fixing toner images on a transfer material by applying heat on the transfer material, the fixing apparatus includes: a roll-shaped rotary member for applying heat, including a cylindrical ray-transmitting base member, and a ray absorbing layer for generating heat, provided on an outer side of the ray-transmitting base member; a ray irradiating device for irradiating ray, provided inside the cylindrical ray-transmitting base member; and flange members provided on both ends of the ray-transmitting base member, and each of the flange members being joined with the ray-transmitting base member through a joining elastic layer.

Abstract: A color image forming apparatus includes a photoreceptor drum having an outer diameter of 50 mm to 100 mm and a rotational axis, four charging devices for charging the photoreceptor drum, and four exposure devices, provided inside the photoreceptor drum, for imagewise exposing an inner surface of the photoreceptor drum to form respective four latent images. Four developing devices are provided outside the photoreceptor drum at an upper section thereof for developing respective ones of the four latent images using respective different one-component type color developers to form four different color toner images in a superimposed manner on an outer surface of the photoreceptor drum during one rotation thereof the photoreceptor drum.

Abstract: An image forming apparatus includes: a first image carrier for carrying a toner image formed by an toner image forming device; a second image carrier for carrying thereon the toner image transferred from the first image carrier, and for transferring a transfer sheet thereon; a first transfer device for transferring the toner image carried on the first image carrier onto the second image carrier or a front side of the transfer sheet; a second transfer device for transferring the toner image carried on the second image carrier onto a back side of the transfer sheet; a fixing device for fixing the toner image transferred on the transfer sheet, wherein the second image carrier has a curvature portion at an edge thereof facing the fixing device; and a conveyance section provided between the curvature portion and the fixing device, having a claw member provided adjacent to the curvature portion for lifting a leading edge of the transfer sheet conveyed along the curvature portion.