The synthetic procedures for the preparation of α-keto acid analogue of methionine, α-keto-γ-methylmercaptobutyric acid, were investigated. As a result, the procedure consisting of the ester condensation between methyl β-methylmercaptopropionate and methyl oxalate, and subsequent hydrolysis and decarboxylation was found to be a satisfactory route.

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Macrosporin C₁₆H₁₂O₅, a metabolic product of Macrosporium porri Elliott, has been proved to be mono-methyl-mono-methoxy-di-hydroxy-anthraquinone, owing to the fact that macrosporin monomethylether was oxidized with CrO₃ to 5-netgtk 4-methoxy phthalic acid.

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1) The respiration of a Sporobolomyces red yeast which is strictly aerobic, is not inhibited at all, but accelerated moderately by the addition of cyanide or CO.
2) The presence and functioning of cytochrome oxidase is demonstrated by the oxidation of the Nadi reagent and paramine, and photo-reversibility of the effect of CO.
3) Besides cytochrome oxidase, the existence of another oxidative enzyme system which is cyanide and carbon monoxide-insensitive, but sensitive to heat and to lower oxygen pressure, is presumed.
4) This enzyme system develops in the yeast most markedly in highly aerobic shaking culture and diminishes in anaerobic conditions.
5) The red yeast neither grows nor survives in the medium in the presence of cyanide, despite the accelerated respiration caused thereby.
6) The molar ratio, oxygen consumed to glucose burned, in respiration is ca. 1 without cyanide, whilst ca. 3 with cyanide.

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1. With washed cells of the bacteria of coli-aerogenes grown aerobically on glucose medium, the yield of α-ketoglutaric acid from glucose was found to exceed 0.5 mole per one mole of glucose consumed, and the mode of oxidative degradation of glucose was discussed.
2. In presence of arsenic compounds, it was observed that the oxidative fermentation of glucose with either washed cells or growing culture of E. coli gave rise to pyruvic acid as a major product, while the evolution of carbon dioxide was remarkably decreased and the mode of oxidation of glucose was again discussed from the standpoint of pyruvic acid fermentation.
3. It was found that α-ketoglutaric acid was obtained in a high yield (0.5-0.7 mole from two moles of pyruvic acid) when the washed cells were incubated on the shaker with a Na-pyruvate solution. According to the experimental conditions, a remarkable difference was pointed out among the yields of α-ketoglutaric acid.

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1) The production of α-ketoglutaric acid by the washed cells of coli-aerogenes from glucose was observed to be inhibited in the presence of αα'-dipyridyl. Moreover, it was found that both αα'-dipyridyl and O-phenanthroline extremely inhibited the bacterial synthesis of α-ketoglutaric acid from pyruvate, while the consumption of pyruvic acid was not greatly affected and acetic acid or acetoine could be produced even in the presence of these inhibitors. It was thus concluded that inorganic iron would be a kind of cofactor of the enzyme system relating to the synthesis of α-ketoglutaric acid from pyruvate, since these inhibiting actions could be reduced by the addition of inorganic iron such as FeSO₄.
2) It was demonstrated that the enzyme preparations such as dried cells and cell-free extracts revealed the ability of synthesizing α-ketoglutaric acid from pyruvate.
3) Lactic acid was found to be a potent precursor in the production of α-ketoglutaric acid by either the washed cells or the growing culture, and the same inhibiting action was again observed by the reagents forming Fe-complex compound.
4) The most presumable mechanism for the synthesis of α-ketoglutaric acid from C₃-compound such as pyruvic and lactic acids was discussed.

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The chemical components of cigarette smoke produced in constant volume continuous smoking by an artificial smoking device were systematically fractionated into basic, acidic, neutral, phenolic, carbonyl and mercuric chloride-precipitable compounds. From the low boiling basic fractions ammonia, methylamine and ethylamine were qualitatively identified by paper chromatography, and pyridine and nicotine were isolated and identified by elementary analyses, mixed examinations and infrared spectra. An unidentified substance having elementary analysis values of C, 29.40; H, 1.93; N, 22.40 as picrate (m. p. 250°C, dec.) was isolated.

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The neutral fraction of cigarette smoke components, produced in constant-volume continuous smoking by an artificial smoking device, was sub-fractionated into alcohols, acid-, alcohol- and phenol-components of esters, unsaponifiable matters and hydrocarbons. From these sub-fractions ethyl alcohol, benzyl alcohol, β-phenylethyl alcohol and ethyl acetate were first isolated as their crystalline derivatives and then identified by their melting points, infrared spectra and elementary analyses. It is worth to note that the presence of these compounds in tobacco smoke has not yet been reported, .in the literature.

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The influences of substances contained in the cultured broths and in the mycellia of microorganisms on the embryonic heart of Oryzias latipes were examined under the assumption that there might be some cardiotonic substances produced by microorganisms. The experiments were carried out according to the assay method of Ito, using the embryonic heart of Oryzias latipes, which is a much easier and less expensive method using exercised mammalian hearts for cardiotonics. They were tested, at first, to the 25 known antibiotic substances and then to the cultures of 25 kinds of strains from moulds, 15 from yeasts, 10 from bacteria and 25 from actinomycetes.
Some of these antibiotic substances proved to be highly toxic while some were entirely ineffective and intoxic in the concentration range between 10^-4g/ml and 10^-7g/ml, but some were cardiotonic and not toxic at concentrations of less than 10^-5g/ml.
There were more strains highly toxic on adult Oryzias latipes of actinomyces in contrast to very few toxic strains of moulds, yeasts and bacteria. Since there were notable relationships among the results of the experiments on toxicity with the adult Oryzias latipes, Daphnia and the embryonic heart of Oryzias latipes, only the strains whose cultured broths showed toxicity to the adult fish were solely selected for the next screening test.
The result obtained was that there are several strains of actimomyces whose cultured broths Dr methanol cellular extracts are cardiotonic up to the dilution of ×1000.
The onset of the cardiotonic action was, however, slower compared with that of digitalis preparations.
The fact observed here was that there are some strains which produce cardiotonic substances effective on the embryonic heart and circulation of Oryzias latipes, and these activities are shown by comparatively many strains from actinomycetes but fewer from those of moulds, yeasts and bacteria.

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The following results were obtained from the fractionation of the saccharogenic amylase fraction:
(1) The debranching active principle precipitates at a lower concentration of ammonium sulfate than in the case of saccharogenic amylase.
(2) In paper electrophoresis, the debranchng active principle readily moves to anode.
(3) In fractionation with (NH₄)₂SO₄, as well as in paper electrophoresis, debranching activity, free from saccharogenic activity could not be observed.
(4) From the results of electrophoresis, rivanol treatment and corn starch adsorption, it has been shown that the saccharogenic amylase fraction contains two types of saccharogenic amylases one possessing debranching activity and the other not.

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