The effects of diets with different amount of potassium alginate (K-Alg) on blood pressure, lipid metabolism and mineral balance were investigated in male spontaneously hypertensive rats fed a 1% NaCl diet for 3 weeks.
1) Although no difference was observed in serum total cholesterol levels of all dietary groups, HDL-cholesterol of 5% K-Alg group significantly increased. The anti-atherogenic index and serum K levels were increased with the dietary dose of K-Alg. The lowest total liver cholesterol concentration was observed in 3% K-Alg groups.
2) Blood pressure of 10% K-Alg group markedly decreased immediately after feeding experimental diets, while that of control slightly increased. The significant difference between control and all of experimental groups was observed in blood pressure after two weeks of experimental period.
3) Fecal dry weight and food intake during last 2 days in metabolic cage increased in proportional to the dietary level of K-Alg. Fecal excretion of Na increased in 5 and 10% K-Alg groups than the control. Urinary K excretion increased in all K-Alg groups. Retention of K, Ca, Mg was positive.
4) Highly negative correlations between blood pressure and serum K or urinary K were obtained. Positive correlation was observed between blood pressure and serum Na/K ratio.
It appeared likely that the suppression of blood pressure of SHR by K-Alg may be due to inhibited Na⁺ absorption, enhanced K⁺ absorption and increased serum K⁺ derived from Na⁺/K⁺ ion-exchanges by K-Alg in digestive tract.

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The effects of heating rate and additives on the decomposition of inosinic acid (IMP) in various fleshes during cooking were examined.
1) The rate of IMP-decomposition during cooking varied in different species of flesh, and closely correlated with IMP-decomposing enzyme activity of the flesh.
2) The dependence of IMP-decomposition during cooking on the heating rate, a ratio of IMP-decomposition is flesh cooked at 0.8°C/min to that at 7.5°C/min, varied in different species of flesh, and closely correlated with the denaturation temperature of IMP-decomposing enzyme in flesh.
3) The addition of sucrose suppressed the IMP-decomposition during cooking, but the effect of sodium chloride on the IMP-decomposition varied with the flesh of different species and with the extent of destruction of flesh tissue.

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The influence of heat on the mutagenicity of soy sauce and the effect of adding sucrose were investigated. The results were as follows :
1) The mutagenicity of the residue of soy sauce heated for 7 min toward TA100 without S9 was 320 His⁺ revertants, 1.8 times higher than that of the unheated soy sauce. The mutagenicity of the tar of soy sauce heated for 9 min toward TA98 with S9 was 2489 His⁺ revertants.
2) The mutagenicity of the residue of soy sauce heated for 5, 7 min toward TA100 without S9 was inhibited at the levels of 28% and 25% by the adding of with 10% sucrose, respectively. The mutagenicity of the tar heated for 9 min toward TA98 with S9 was completely inhibited by the adding of 10% sucrose.
3) As for the mutagenicity of the tar of heated soy sauce toward TA98 with S9, there was no inhibitory effect when 2% sucrose was added to the samples. However, there was a 30% decrease in mutagenicity when 5% sucrose was added, and a 100% decrease when 10% or more sucrose was added.
4) The mutagenicity of the tar of the heated sucrose toward TA100 with and without S9 was 2428 and 803 His⁺ revertants, respectively. The mutagenicity of the tar heated for 9 min toward TA100 with and without S9 was decreased to 71% and 25% by the adding of sucrose, respectively.

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To explore the effects of far-infrared heating, toasting and roasting operations were carried out using new ceramic, iron and copper plates, and a comparative examination was performed in terms of the toasted and roasted colors, internal temperature and the toughness of the types of food cooked.
The results are as follows.
1. In the case of heating and cooking with the plates under the same temperature condition, the toasted and roasted colors on the surfaces of bread and beef (round) and the internal temperature of beef showed higher values as the plates had higher emissivity.
2. In the case of heating and cooking at 6, 500 kcal/m²h of the heat received from the plates, a difference was observed in the surface color of toasted bread according to the kind of plate, but in beef there was no difference seen. As for the toughness of the beef (round) that was cooked with the ceramic plate, the value was significantly lower compared with those cooked with iron and copper plates.
These results suggest that the difference in kind of radiation heat, affects the effects of heating.

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In a previous paper, it has been reported that the hydrolysis rate of casein by alkali protease is much enhanced by the presence of oxidizing agents. This synergetic effect was most enhanced when casein contacted with oxidizing agents before contacting with the enzyme. In the present paper, we report a gel permeation chromatography study on the effect for three other proteins, bovine serum albumin (BSA), ovalbumin (OvA) and gelatin.
The results are summarized as follows :
Successive contact of the proteins with sodium percarbonate and the protease in solution resulted in the enhanced protein degradation, by ca 60% for OvA and ca 10% for gelatin respectively. But no effect was observed for BSA.
When OvA or gelatin was brought into contact with the oxidizing agent, fragments with 10⁴-10³ dalton for the former or those with slightly lower molecular weights than the native one for the latter were yielded. However BSA gave no such products at all. It was inferred that the synergetic effect was caused by the faster hydrolysis rates of the degraded fragments by protease than those of the intact substrate proteins.

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A costume worn by female elementary school teachers in the latter half of the Meiji Period was the one reformed from a traditional Japanese costume called a KIMONO. About 1900, the female teachers' custume was composed of an undivided HAKAMA called a MOBAKAMA like a Western pleated skirt, and a conventional KIMONO underneath. A broad sash, OBI, which was normally used to fasten the KIMONO, was not worn. And, the long-length KIMONO was replaced with a TSUTSUSODE which was a short-length reformed KIMONO with tighter sleeves like those of a Western clothes. The MOBAKAMA and the TSUTSUSODE were both made of cotton.
Many of the female elementary school teachers were ordered to wear the above-mentioned costume by the ordinance of a prefecture, just as the male elementary school teachers were ordered to wear western-style uniform.
The development of the female teachers' costume suggests the following :
1) In view of the fact that many prefectures adopted the above costume for female elementary school teachers, it can be inferred that educational leaders at that time must be significantly conscious of the nation-wide integration of a new educational society.
2) In my previous report, I pointed out that male elementary school teachers were ordered to wear a western-style uniform made of wool which was high-priced material so as to show dignity to schoolchildren. On the contrary, the female teachers' costume was made of cotton, a poorer quality material, with the aim of raising the low attendance of schoolgirls of destitute families; the female teachers' plain costume was believed to make the threadbare girls feel more homey and accessible to school. However, it is quite true that the poorer appearance of the female teachers was openly exposing their lower salary and social status.
3) The MOBAKAMA, which originated from men's HAKAMA, an equivalent of Western trousers for men, was found far more convenient for physical exercises. Some female teachers was dissatisfied with the extraordinary design of the TSUTSUSODE, but we have to admit that the TSUTSUSODE was easier for them to wash and take care of because of its simple design similar to a light Western blouse.
Therefore, it can be concluded that the adoption of the costume for the female elementary school teachers gave significant favorable results to the development of school education in Japan.

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The comparison of the daily living way of the aged against hotness in summer and coldness in winter is executed from the viewpoint of the climatic region, age, and gender.
The following results have been obtained :
(1) As for the countermeasure against hotness in summer, “shading” has been mostly prevailing, and “door of reed blind” or “spreading water” has been used secondly. The aged persons have taken less countermeasures with aging.
(2) As for the method of controlling temperature in summer, the use of airconditioning equipments has been predominant in the urban area compared with rural area, and men has used more compared with women. And the use of electric fan has began to decrease in their eighties, and the use of airconditioner in their seventies.
(3) The aged persons have started warming rooms earlier with aging.
(4) The evaluation of comfort of the aged has no relation to the temperature of the rooms on the case study in Iwate and Hyogo.

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This study is the fourth report on the adaptability of aged persons to living environment and environmental temperatures. The following information is obtained, through analyzing variations by aging and seasonal changes, and they reported how the aged persons accommodate themselves to the conditions of living environment and environmental temperatures.
(1) Among aged groups, corresponding relationships are established between the degree of comfort of living in and the vital resistance of the body as well as between the former factor and the satisfaction in sleeping.
(2) No significant difference is recognized among the groups as for the time of starting to use heaters in the daytime. However, the young groups show a significant delay in starting to use them before going to bed while the aged groups show only about half of month of delay as compared with the beginning in using heaters during the daytime.
(3) The neutral temperature, in which a human being does not feel too hot nor too cold, shows about 10°C lower in winter than in summer.
(4) The young groups accomodate to the cold mainly by adjusting clothing, while the aged groups mainly by modulating body temperatures through physical activity.

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[in Japanese]

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