In order to investigate the secretion of intrinsic factor in patients with gastric diseases, intestinal absorption of Co⁶⁰-B₁₂ was studied by means of Schilling's urinary excretion test. Additional study was made as well on the relation between intrinsic factor secretion and the findings of the gastric mucosa as observed by gastrocamera.
1. Intrinsic factor secretion was well preserved in all the patients with gastric cancer, polyp, ulcer and gastritis, with only one exceptional case of cancer. Thus it was suggested that these gastric diseases did not necessarily involve the intrinsic factor secretion.
2. The exception was a case of cancer of the cardia. A slight decrease of intrinsic factor secretion was noted in this case. But the decreased output of intrinsic factor may have resulted from the tissue destruction of the cardia due to cancer. The possible spread of the cancer over other part of the stomach may account for the decrease as well.
3. For detecting the atrophic changes of the gastric mucosa, gastrocamera was employed in this study. But because of its inability to differentiate gastric atrophy of pernicious anemia from the similar findings of other gastric diseases, the interpretation of whether intrinsic factor secretion is preserved or not was sometimes confused. That is, in all the patients with various gastric diseases, in whom gastric atrophic changes were observed, urinary excretions were within the normal range, while three pernicious anemia patients could not excrete normal amounts of radioactivity in the urine unless hog intrinsic factor was added.
4. Some comments were made on the significance of the diagnosis of gastric atrophy as made by gastrocamera technique.
5. Additional discussions were made on the relation between gastric atrophy and pernicious anemia or gastric cancer. However, further studies are needed for the clarification of the problem.

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For the purpose of clarifying the mechanism of B₁₂ absorption, Co⁶⁰- or Co⁵⁸-B₁₂ was given intravenously or into the three sites of gastrointestinal lumen of albino rats, and tissue distribution of the vitamin was studied. The effects of the agents such as hog IF, D-sorbitol, D-glucosamine, and lyophilized saline extract of rat gastric mucosa were also studied.
1. It was interesting to note that B₁₂ could be absorbed even from the ileum in the rats.
2. The higher the site of B₁₂ administration, the more B₁₂ was absorbed. But, generally speaking, the main site of B₁₂ absorption appeared to be in the middle portion of the small intestine in the rat.
3. It was observed that the chief site of B₁₂ localization was in the kidneys and the liver in the rat, suggesting that these organs may be the B₁₂-storage organs.
4. Hog IF inhibited B₁₂ absorption in the rat, presumably because of species difference. Some discussions were made on the problem of species difference as well. However, when hog IF was given intravenously, the agent exceedingly enhanced B₁₂ uptake by the liver with concomitant decrease in the uptake by other organs.
5. In contrast, the agents other than hog IF resulted in increased B₁₂ uptake by the kidneys, not by the liver, when given intravenously.
6. Based on these results obtained, the present author has put forward a hypothesis concerning the mechanism of B₁₂ absorption. Two mechanisms may possibly exist: B₁₂ absorption itself across the intestinal mucosa and the subsequent uptake of the vitamin by the organs. Finally, according to the hypothesis, some comments were made regarding the effects of various agents used in this study on B₁₂ absorption.

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Quantitative determination of thioctic acid was performed by microbioassay using Streptococcus faecalis 10 C1, in order to investigate the relation of thioctic acid metabolism to some skin diseases.
Studies were carried out on serum levels, the levels of the acid in 24-hour urine, the relation of diet to urinary thioctic acid, and the levels of the acid in the urine following injections of the acid. The results seemed to indicate that the best way to examine clinical metabolism of thioctic acid might be to determine its amount in the urine 2 hours after intravenous injections of 10mg of the acid and compare the results for patients with skin diseases with the controls.
When the urinary thioctic acid was measured 2 hours after injections in 40 healthy subjects, 20 to 30μg of the acid was excreted rather uniformly. From the results of this test as well as the findings on the urinary thioctic acid of the patients with serious skin diseases, 10 to 30μg of the acid in the urine 2 hours after injections seems to be in the normal range and the values below that level is considered abnormal. Those whose values are below 11μg can be regarded as relatively deficient in thioctic acid. We have, however, no intention of declaring these persons to be absolutely deficient in thioctic acid.
The results of loading tests showed that the values lower than 11μg were found in 47 cases (22%) out of 209 patients with skin diseases. As contrasted to 2 (5%) of 40 healthy subjects whose values were below 11μg, 19 (38.7%) of 49 patients with subacute eczema had values below 11μg. It is noteworthy that, when the numbers of the patients examined are taken into consideration, values below 11μg were found in fairly large proportions of the patients with contact dermatitis (17.3%), pigmentary anomaly such as leukoderma vulgaris (30.7%), chloasma (28.5%), and alopecia areata (26%). Though the total number of the patients examined was small, those with psoriasis and suppurative skin lesions had abnormal values.

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The effects of certain vitamins on the cell multiplication on Lactobacillus delbrueckii No. 1 were studied.
According to their effects on cell multiplication, the growth-essential vitamins may be divided into three groups. (a) The vitamins, whose deficiency cause the cease of cell growth. Niacin and pantothenic acid belong to this group. (b) The vitamins, whose deficiency in certain concentration range cause the inhibition of cell division without affecting cell growth. Vitamin B₁₂ and folic acid belong to this group. (c) The vitamins which have an influence on cell division in combination with other vitamins. Riboflavin belongs to this group.
It was further demonstrated that for the normal cell multiplication of this organism a certain ratio in the supplied vitamins in the medium was required. Even though the amounts of added vitamins and bases were sufficient, the cell multiplication of L. delbrueckii did not take place satisfactorily, unless the ratio of the vitamins and bases was suitably balanced.

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1. The difference of antirachitic potency between vitamin D₂ and D₃ was repeatedly studied using vitamin D-deficient chicks. Marked effect was confirmed in the chicks receiving vitamin D₃, but it was low in the birds supplemented with vitamin D₂ as judged by the chemical analyses of total ash, calcium and phosphorus.
2. The correlation between vitamin D and citrate metabolism in chicks was investigated, and the citrate and pyruvatc levels in the blood and kidneys were determined and high citrate and pyruvate levels in the chicks receiving vitamin D₃ was confimed.
3. The relationship between vitamin D potency and sulfate metabolism was further studied, and the high tibia-sulfate level in the chicks receiving vitamin D₃ was demonstrated using S³⁵-sulfate. This finding suggests that there is an intimate correlation between vitamin D and sulfate metabolism in chicks.

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Thiothiamine was intraperitoneally injected in rats and the urinary metabolites were investigated by paper chromatography using acetic acid-n-butanol-water and three spots at R_F 0.88-0.95, 0.7 and 0.3 were detected. The spot at R_F 0.7 corresponded to thiothiamine. The alkalinized urine was extracted with ether, then with isobutanol. Thiothiamine was obtained from the ether phase. The isobutanol layer was evaporated and the residue was subjected to cellulose column chromatography to yield oily substances of R_F 0.88 and 0.95. Further purification by paper chromatography led to the isolation of a compound positive for sulfhydryl group with a maximum at 320mμ in ultraviolet absorption spectrum. It was identified as 2-mercapto-4-methyl-5-β-hydroxyethyithiazole by elementary analysis, mixed melting point and paper chromatography. Further confirmation was made with its picrate.

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Quantitative determination of pantothenic acid in blood and urine was made, fractionating into the free and bound forms and the following results were obtained.
1. It was found that total pantothenic acid was measurable with the use of Lipmann's enzymes, while the free form can be determined without enzymatic treatment. The bound form, therefore, could be calculated by subtracting the free form from the total value.
2. It was found that better results were obtained with half the concentration of Lipmann's solution.
3. Enzymatic treatment gave higher total values than autolysis, indicating the importance of enzymatic treatment.
4. Since the bound pantothenic acid in the blood could be degraded, in part, into the free form by autolysis, it is necessary that the measurement of the free form should be made as soon as possible to avoid autolysis.
5. The total pantothenic acid levels in the blood of 30 healthy adults were found to be 464.2±41, the bound form 435.5±37, and the free form 28.7±15mμg/ml.
6. The total urinary pantothenic acid of adults was 3.24±0.6, and the free form 3.23±0.6mg/day, suggesting that the enzymatic treatment is not necessary, since urinary pantothenic acid is predominantly in the free form.

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Pantothenic acid determination was performed in albino rats of the Wistar strain for the purpose of investigating the effect of the deficiency on the histology of various organs. With this intention, the animals were kept in a deficient state, and the levels of the vitamin in the blood, urine and a variety of organs were measured by microbioassay using Lactobacillus arabinosus. In the blood, bound and free values were measured respectively with a special reference. In addition, histological studies of various organs were carred out. The results obtained are as follows.
1. Deficiency for 2 to 3 weeks
Although there occurred a marked drop in the urinary value shortly after the experiment began, loss of weight and rusty coloration of the fur did not occur until 2 to 3 weeks, when urinary value reached roughly 1μg a day. The levels of the total as well as bound forms of the vitamin became extremely low by that time, the former being 43 (control, 615-650) and the latter 19 (control, 65-100)mμg/ml. Histological findings of the organs were practically similar to those of the deficiency group except for the adrenals which were in hypertrophic but hypofunctional state.
2. Deficiency for 5 weeks
In this group, all the animals began to show more advanced changes and marked loss of weight. The levels of the vitamin in urine as well as in blood (total and bound) were reduced similarly to those in a deficiency state of 2 to 3 weeks' duration. However, the decrease was not so pronounced in all the animals. The endocrine glands showed more advanced changes than those in the deficiency state of 2 to 3 weeks' duration. The findings presented evidence to show the hypofunction of α-cells and the slight hyperfunction of β-cells of the hypophysis, hyperfunction of the thyroid, and a primary decrease of spermatogenesis. The adrenal cortex appeared to be hyperactive. These findings present the endocrinological manifestations due to the deficiency of the vitamin, which needs further study for elucidation. The changes of endocrine organs are not specific to the deficiency. However, it is reasonably assumed that the changes of endocrine organs together with the changes in the levels of the vitamin in urine, blood and organs may imply the important role of the endocrine glands in the manifestation of expeimental deficiency of the vitamin. Among the main organs, the changes in lungs seemed to explain the mechanism of the inflammatory process associated with the deficiency.
3. Results in the recovery group
The results in the recovery group were, as a whole, similar to those in the control, though the lowered levels of the bound form in the blood and adrenals and an enlarged adrenal cortex remain to be settled.
4. Loading test
Urinary elimination of the vitamin in the deficiency group after loading was similar to that of thiamine or riboflavin deficiency.

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