The effects were investigated of predigested rice on diabetic rats induced by streptozotocin. Rice treated with pancreatin or diastase was not always appropriate for the diabetic rats, there being no difference in the serum glucose level between the groups fed on rice treated with and without the enzymes. The group fed on the diastase-treated rice had a higher serum fructosamine level than the other groups. Rapid absorption of the glucose did not suppress the appetite of the rats, so it may be useful for aged persons, sportsmen and patients who need an adequate energy supply over a short period.

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The anthocyanin pigments in “shibazuke, ” which are Japanese salted pickles made from vegetables such as eggplant and perilla leaf, were studied. Samples were matured for 50 days, during which pH, salt, lactic acid content, Hunter's values (L, a, b) and absorbance of the samples were measured. HPLC-mass spectrometry (LC/MS) was then performed to identify the anthocyanins. Shibazuke showed the deepest magenta color and the highest relative content of anthocyanins on the 20th day. The anthocyanins were identified to be cyanidin (Cy) -3, 5-diglucoside (Glc), Cy-3- (6-caffeylGlc) -5- (6-malonylGlc) [caffeylmalonylcyanin], Cy-3- (6-p-coumarylGlc) -Glc [shisonin], Cy-3- (6-p-coumarylGlc) -5- (6-malonylGlc) [malonylshisonin] and delphinidin-3- (p-coumaryl-L-rhamnosylGlc) -5-Glc [nasunin]. The latter originated from eggplant peelings, and the others from perilla leaves. The major anthocyanin pigment in shibazuke was nasunin, its color being exceptionally stable.

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The purpose of this study was to gauge the effects of a specially designed bed sheet on bed climate and physiological responses. This sheet, which was advertised as warm in winter, was tested. It was made of thin cotton which was covered with gauze. Four healthy female volunteers, aged 20 to 26, served as the subjects. The experiment was performed under two conditions : special bed sheet (P) and a commonly used 100 % cotton sheet (C). The ambient temperature and the relative humidity were controlled at 18-19°C, 50-55%RH. Subjects' sleep was monitored by using an EEG machine and their skin temperatures and bed climates were also continually measured. Subjective evaluations of bedding and sleep were obtained before and after the recording sessions. No significant differences were observed in sleep variables and time spent for each sleep stage. The skin temperatures of the thigh, leg, foot and chest tended to increase rapidly and were kept higher in P than in C. The bed climate temperature of the chest area was significantly higher in P than in C. Comfort sensation before and after sleep tended to be better in P. Subjective sleep evaluation was significantly higher in P. These results suggest that, although there was no difference in sleep architecture, this specially designed bed sheet is effective in elevating subjective sleep evaluation.

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The production in Southeast Asian countries of naturally fermented foods which are protein rich relies on the proteolytic action of their natural bacterial flora. A bacterium, FS-2, which was isolated from Laotian fish sauce, was identified as Bacillus subtilis. B. subtilis FS-2 is a collagenase-producing bacterium that was aerobically inducible by insoluble collagen and polypeptone. The maximum enzyme activity was detected at the middle of the stationary phase in a medium containing 0.75% polypeptone and 1% NaCl.

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Removal of epidermal cells by hand washing was investigated in various surfactant solutions such as sodium dodecylbenzenesulfonate (LAS), sodium dodecylsulfate (SDS), hexadecyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) and polyoxyethyleneglycol mono-p-nonylphenylether (PNE). All the surfactants increased the number of cells removed and the amounts of proteins solubilized. Among the surfactants, LAS and SDS were the most conspicuous in removing the cells and solubilizing proteins. They also increased the removal rate of non-cornified cells and of cells with nuclei indicating that the removal of cells located deeper from the skin surface is facilitated by the surfactants. Washing for longer periods, washing with surfactant solutions of high concentration, washing at high temperatures and repeated washing also facilitated the removal of cells in deeper epidermal layer. The correlation of the removed cells and solubilized proteins suggested that the anionic surfactants, LAS and SDS, influence the skin by binding to the skin surface.

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The effects of stirring and added salt during boiling on the properties of cooked noodles were investigated. The cooked noodles with stirring became thinner than those without stirring, the solid liberated from the noodles with stirring being more than that from the noodles without stirring. When the noodles were boiled in a sufficient volume of hot water, they did not stick together even when boiled without stirring. There was no significant difference in texturometric parameters between the spaghetti samples boiled in plain water and those in a 0.5% NaC1 solution. It is thus concluded that salt has no effect on the texture of cooked spaghetti samples.

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It has been recognized that lead poisoning in children in the United States is mainly caused by lead-containing paints. In order to clarify whether children in Japan are safe from lead poisoning or not, lead content in paints collected from junior high schools, elementary schools, a kindergarten, nursery schools and parks by atomic absorption spectrophotometry were investigated.
Forty-two by forty-four samples containing more than 0.06% of lead, which is the regulatory limit by CPSC in the United States, were found and 34/44 samples containing more than 0.5% of lead, which is the level targeted for lead hazard control measures cited in the 1992 Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act, were found.
From those analytical data, it was clarified that children in Japan are not always safe from lead poisoning and further investigation should be undertaken to obtain more exact information.

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[in Japanese]

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