The seventh leaf-sheaths of rice plants grown in solution and treated with gibberellin were analyzed to examine their changes in the activities of various enzymes during period of growth, in comparison with that of the control plants. Phosphatase, alkalipyrophosphatase, acetylesterase, maltase, β-glucosidase, α-galactosidase, β-galactosidase, amylase, urease, dipeptidase, ascorbic acid oxidase, and catalase activities were decreased in extracts of sheaths on a fresh weight basis by treatment with gibberellin. Activities of peroxidase and invertase were markedly increased.

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By the reduction of protostephanine methylmethine, two kinds of methines (α- and β-isomer) were isolated, and a stable nitrogen-free substance was successfully obtained by its Hofmann degradation. This in connection with other evidence, makes possible a complete assignement of structure for protostephanine.

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The enzymatic procedures for the resolution of DL-lysine such as asymmetric synthesis of acyl L-lysinc anilide and asymmetric hydrolysis of acyl DL-lysines have been studied. As a result, the procedure consisting in the enzymatic asymmetric hydrolysis of ε-benzoyl-α-acetyl-DL-lysine was found to be the most advantageous for the resolution of DL-lysine.

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The fractional determination of D-glutamic and D-aspartic acids using the enzyme preparation of Aspergillus ustus strain f. was studied. In the first part of this paper, the procedure of enzyme preparation, the effect of sodium chloride on enzyme activity, and a new device for the fractional determination of D-glutamic and D-aspartic acids are described. In the latter part, the contents of D-glutamic and D-aspartic acids of cancer and normal tissues are estimated. However, it was found that the cancer tissues are not characterized by the presence of D-glutamic acid in opposition to Kögl's claim.

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Enzymatic hydrolysis was executed in order to decide the nature of galactoside linkage of cerebrosides. As a result, it was observed that the β-galactosidase could hydrolyze cerebrosides to liberate the galactose but not so in the case of a-galactosidase. This fact presents one of the conclusive evidences that cerebrosides possess the β-configuration of galactoside linkage in their molecule.

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In order to approach the problem on the role of calcium conatined in crystalline bacterial α-amylase, effects of calcium catchers such as EDTA and oxalates, on the enzyme protein were investigated and the following results were obtained:
1. The calcium catchers deactivate the enzyme while being consumed much rapidly in compare with the extent of its deactivation ability, in the early stage of reaction.
2. The reagents alter the enzyme, causing deactivation, to a protein susceptible to protease.
3. The reagents also provoke a remarkable change in the mobility of the enzyme protein.
4. From these results, it may be concluded that there are two types in the binding mode of calcium in the crystalline enzyme: one, forming a chelate compound and playing a decisive role on the maintenance of activity, native state and electrophoretical properties of the enzyme, and the other, linking without any relation to those properties of the protein, although the removal of the calcium might cause some minor change in the molecular form of the enzyme protein.

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For the characterization of fatty acids, 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazones of p-bromophenacyl esters of even-numbered saturated fatty acids from C₂ to C₂₀ and several unsaturated fatty acids from monoethenoid to triethenoid were prepared. The derivatives of linoleic and linolenic acids as well as those of the other unsaturated and saturated acids, were successfully obtained in crystalline forms which showed sharp and high melting points, 72° and 69°, respectively. It was found that the derivatives of unsaturated acids were valuable for characterizing the parent acids, while those of saturated acids were unsuitable for this purpose owing to the similarity of their melting points.

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By reversed-phase paper chromatography, the simultaneous separations of all saturated and unsaturated fatty acids were successfully carried out on the same paper with the aid of p-bromophenacyl ester 2, 4-dinitrophenylhydrazones and their mercuric acetate addition compounds. When petroleum hydrocarbon (b. p. 140-170°) was used as the stationary solvent and methanol-acetic acid-petroleum hydrocarbon as the moving solvent, even saturated acids from C₄ to C₂₂, even monoethenoid acids from C₁₀ to C₂₂, and C₁₈ series from stearic to linolenic were well separated, respectively. Similar separations were also attained on paper impregnated with decalin and olive oil. From the results of several applications, this method has been found to be effective for the analysis of the component acids in natural fats.

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In the present work, two triterpene alcohols, taraxasterol, C₃₀H₅₀O, m. p. 220-221°, α_??_+93.5° (acetate, m. p. 248-249°; benzoate, m. p. 242°), and β-amyrin, C₃₀H₅₀O, m. p. 196°, ?α?¹³_D+86.2° (acetate, m. p. 239-240°; benzoate, m. p. 232°) were Isolated from the unsaponifiable fraction of the ethereal extract of Balanophora japonica Makino (Balanophoraceae). Taraxasterol was isomerized to yield φ-taraxasterol (heterolupeol), C₃₀H₅₅O, m. p. 208-209°, which was further characterized as its acetate, m.p. 238-240°.
Palmitic acid was also isolated from the fatty acid-fraction.

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The proteolytic enzyme system in the tissues of sweet potato root was partially purified and its several characteristics were investigated. Based on the results from these preliminary experiments, we found that proteolytic activity in the tissues suffering from black rot declines as penetration of the pathogen proceeds. Procedures to extract the enzyme system from the affected plant tissues were also established. The diminution in activity of the affected tissues was discussed in connection with those results reported hitherto.

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A new sesquiterpene alcohol, C₁₅H₂₄O, m. p. 95°C, named occidentalol, has been isolated from the essential oil of the wood of Thuja occidentalis L. The structure of this occidentalol is most probably represented by formula (I).

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The changes of metabolisms in the calf, dog and rat following administeration of fluoroacetate were studied. It was found that citrate is accumulated in the tissues, and increased amounts of acetone bodies are excreted in the urine of the animals which received fluoroacetate, and their urinary nitrogen also increases. All these abnormal accumulations and excretions of the rat after injection of fluoroacetate diminish within 24 hrs., suggesting the decrease of the toxity or the excretion of the poison substance.
Significant amounts of organic fluorine compounds were detected in various tissues of fluoroacetate-treated calves.
The lethal dose limit of fluoroacetate for the calf could not be determined. As for the dog, 0.02mg/kilo of fluoroacetate seemed to be fatal.

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