Some Nutritional parameters and immunocompetence in elderly people.
Nutritional and immunological factors in people aged over 60 years were examined. Forty-eight healthy people, 58 cases with cancer in progressed stage, 63 cases of hospitalized non-cancer patients including 21 cases with infections were investigated. As the indices of nutritional factors, hematological markers and biochemical markers were examined and as immunological factors, complement system and immunoglobulins were examined. Age-related inverse correlation was observed in total cholesterol, cholinesterase and C3 in healthy aged-people. This age-related decline was more significant among the hospitalized patients. The levels of C3 and C4 showed a decreasing tendency with age, while the level of immunoglobulins were increased. An inverse correlation was observed between serum immunoglobulins and the complement system. Significantly positive correlation was observed between C3 and each of the following parameters; total protein, total cholesterol and cholinesterase, and between lymphocyte and both total protein and cholinesterase, and between IgG and total protein and between IgM and hemoglobin in cancer patients. Normal levels of cholinesterase and total cholesterol maintained normal C3 levels even in cases of low levels of albumin and total protein.
When we discuss nutritional assessment and immunocompetence in elderly people, we will need to observe carefully the levels of cholinesterase and total cholesterol.

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The present study was carried out to investigate the effect of exercise on the minimal protein requirement in men. Six healthy men were used as the subjects. This work substantially consisted of four periods (Exercise-I, Exercise-II, Non-Exercise-I and Non-Exercise-II) according to the physical condition and protein intake levels (76 mgN/kg/day and 111 mgN/kg/day) of the subjects. Urinary nitrogen excretion, fecal nitrogen output and dermal nitrogen loss were measured for the determination of the minimal protein requirement by using the nitrogen balance method.
The results were as follows;
Urinary nitrogen excretion in Exercise-I and II periods significantly decreased, compared with those in Non-Exercise-1 and II periods. Whereas dermal nitrogen loss in Exercise-I and II periods significantly increased, compared with those in Non-Exercise-1 and II periods. There were no significant differences in nitrogen balance between Exercise-I and Non-Exercise-I and between Exercise-II and NonExercise-II. Nitrogen necessary for maintenance of nitrogen equilibrium in the Non-Exercise period was almost the same as that in the Exercise period.
The above results suggest that the increase of dermal nitrogen loss induced by exercise was cornpensated by a decrease of urinary nitrogen excretion. Exercise had no effect on the minimal protein ranquirement.

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Daily intake of calcium and phosphorus in infants of less than 3 years old has been little known. Meals of 36 infants (0- to 3-year-old) in a nursery in Osaka Prefecture were collected by a duplicate portion method, and the dietary intakes of calcium and phosphorus were measured by ICP emission spectrometry after low temperature ashing. The average daily intake of calcium was 528 mg in 1-to3-year-old infants and was 229 mg in infants less than 1-year-old. The average dailyi ntake of phosphorus was 328 mg in less than 1-year-old infants and was 1, 221 mg in 1- to 3-year-old infants. The average ratio of phosphorus to calcium was 2.25 in all the infants, however, it was 2.46 in 2-year-old infants and 2.87 in 3-year-old infants. Ratio of 1.5 is considered appropriate, therefore the calcium intake should be increased for the improvement of the ratio of phosphorus to calcium in infants.

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Effects ofEuglenawax esters on growth and organs were examined with rats fed onEuglenadiet containing 10% wax esters or forced oral administration of purified wax esters ofEuglenacells.
No significant differences were found betweenEuglenadiet and casein diet groups in body weight gain and food intake. Marked increase of feces inEuglenadiet was attributable to excretion of nondigestable paramylon (β-1, 3-glucan). Wax ester contents in feces was only about 1.5% and in organs were less than O. 1% of an amount of wax esters fed to rats.
Forced oral administration of purifiedEuglenawax esters did not cause changes in growth, food intake, urinary and fece excretions and relative organ weight.
These results indicate that the administrated Euglena wax esters do not affect growth and organs of rats and that they are metabolized and absorbed in vivo.

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The present study was undertaken to determine whether a restricted diet could affect the exocrine pancreatic function in rat pancreas.
Male Sprague-Dawley rats of 5 weeks of age were fed either unrestricted or restricted amount of diet for an 8 weeks, experimental period. The restricted groups received 60, 80 or 90% of the diet taken by the unrestricted group.
The animals of restricted groups showed a significantly low growth rate as compared with the unrestricted anima1s. The weights of the kidney, 1iver and heart were lower in the restricted rats than those in the unrestricted rats. Although the weight of the pancreas in the restricted groups was less, the activities of amylase (EC-3. 2. 1. 1), trypsin (EC-3. 4. 21. 4) and chymotrypsin (EC-3. 4. 21. 1) were not reduced. These activities per mg pan, creatic tissue were significantly higher than that of the Unrestricted rats. Except for juice flow, there sponses induced by a secretagogue, caerulein, in the restricted rats were significantly higher than that in the unrestricted rats.
From the results, it was concluded that a restricted diet could potentiate the exocrine pancreatic function. However the food efficiency ratio was significantly lower in the restricted than that in the unrestricted rats. This discrepancy could perhaps be explained by the increased motor activity observed in the restricted groups.

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Effects of dietary carbohydrate on disaccharide digestion and absorption were observed by measuring the transmural potential difference (ΔPD) evoked by Na+-dependent active transport of glucose, which is supposed to be produced by the hydrolysis of disaccharides.
ΔPD was measured using everted intestinal sacs prepared from jejunum of adult rats raised on isocaloric diets containing starch at 5 kcal %, 40 kcal % or 70 kcal %, and compared with the hydrolysis of respective disaccharides in the mucosal homogenate.
The rats raised on 70% starch diet showed an increase in maltase, sucrase, isomaltase activities and trehalulose (1-o-α-D-glucopyranosyl fructofuranose) hydrolyzing activity. On the other hand, trehalase activity was not influenced by starch intake. The ΔPDs evoked by glucose, maltose, sucrose, isomaltose, trehalose and trehalulose significantly increased in parallel with the starch content in the diets. A significant correlation between ΔPDevoked by glucose and ΔPD evoked by disaccharides, and also between ΔPDevoked by disaccharides and disaccharidase activities were observed. Michaelis constant (Km) of hydrolysis for maltose and sucrose and sugar concentration giving a half maximal ΔPD (Kt) for glucose, maltose and sucrose were not different between the 5% and 70% starch diet groups. However, the maximal velocity (Vmax) of hydrolysis and the maximal potential difference (ΔPDmax) increased significantly in rats raised on 70% starch diet. Moreover, sucrase-isomaltase content measured by an immunochemical method was also found to increase in rats raised on 70% starch diet.
These results suggest that starch-induced increase of disaccharidase activities are accompanied by a quantitative increased capacity to hydrolyze disaccharides and absorb the constituent monosaccharides.
(Received August 21, 1985)

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MFC was prepared by homogenizing repeatedly dilute slurries of cellulose fibers under high-pressure. Two percent pulp slurries of MFC formed a stable gel in water. Structually, MFC appeared to be web of interconnected fibrils and microfibrils having a diameter below 0.1μm. Surface area of MFC increased to about 200 times compared to that of basic product and pore volume of MFC was very large. These properties of MFC were significantly different from that of common cellulose. The mixtures (Dry-MFC-X) of MFC and several carbohydrates were prepared and their physical properties were investigated. Settling volumes and water retension volumes of MFC and Dry-MFC-X were extremely large compared with those of several insoluble dietary fibers. The aqueous suspensions of MFC and Dry-MFC-X had high viscosity. Consequently, these findings suggest that MFC and Dry-MFC-X have excellent physical properties in relation to physiological action and can be used as a new source of dietary fiber.
(Received February 22, 1985)

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This study was done to investigate the changes in the chemical components of bamboo shoots during storage at 1°C or 20°C.
1) At 1°C the shoots remained in good condition for about one month, but for only 2 days at 20°C.
2) Carbon dioxide production decreased slightly after 2 days of storage at 20°C and thereafter it held a significantly high level during storage periods, but at 1°C it was lower than that of 20°C. Ethylene production at 20°C decreased for 8 days, and then no significant change was found during storage periods.
3) Total ascorbic acid content on the initial day was 8.4mg per 100g fresh weight. Reduced ascorbic acid decreased gradually during storage at 20°C whereas oxidized ascorbic acid decreased gradually during storage at 1°C.
4) Oxalic acid, which was 83% of the total organic acid on the initial day, rapidly decreased after 4 days at both 1°C and 20°C, but citric acid decreased only slightly. Malic acid, which was not detected on the initial day, was found after 7 days of storage at 20°C.
5) Fructose, glucose and sucrose were detected in the shoots on the initial day. Fructose and glucose decreased moderately during 4 days of storage at 1°C, then increased while in 20°C-stored shoots, both sugars decreased continuously during storage periods.
6) Tyrosine, which was about 57% of the total free amino acids on the initial day, decreased rapidly during storage at 20°C, but the serine fraction increased. At 1°C little change was found in the composition of amino acids.
(Received March 14, 1985)

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Ten cultured and three wild yellowtails were obtained from ten water regions of Japan within 48 hours after catching. Various tissues were separated from the fish, and the content of tocopherol (Toc) was analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography. The contents of vitamin A and D in the muscle tissue and liver were also analyzed by the same technique.
1) The content of Toc in a tissue of yellowtail varied by individuals, but had a tendency to increase with growth of the fish. The content of Toc in common muscle or liver was significantly correlated with the body length. In general, the content of Toc in liver was higher than that in any of the other tissues.
2) The content of Toc was significantly correlated with the lipid content in the muscle tissue and liver, and was higher in the fatty tissue than in other tissues.
3) In the muscle tissue and liver of yellowtail, the content of Toc was correlated with the content of vitamin A, but poorly correlated with the content of vitamin D.

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In the “Standard Table of Food Composition in Japan” (Fourth revised edition, 1982), “available energy of foods”was newly estimated with values derived from Japanese young men and women, according essentially to the method of Atwater with slight modification by FAO (Food and Agriculture Organization).
However, in the standard tables, in contrast to the Atwater's method, “true digestibility”of food proteins is used instead of“apparent digestibility”for the calculation of the available energy of food proteins.
When the“true digestibility”is used, energy loss in the fecal proteins must be taken into account for the calculation of available energy of food proteins in addition to the urinary loss of energy.
The urinary loss of energy also must be modified.
We present in this paper a modified calculation for the available energy of food proteins using the data from the Resources Council, Science and Technology Agency, Japan, and the significance of the theoretical differences is discussed.
Estimated values of the available energy of food proteins by this modified calculation, were only slightly lower than those in the standard table.

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Analyses of chemical components in Actinidia polygama Maxim tea were made.
1) Actinidia polygama Maxim tea contained ten times as much ascorbic acid as Japanese green tea.
2) A small amount of ascorbic acid was detected in the fresh leaves of Actinidia polygama Maxim, but extraction of ascorbic acid increased by steaming at 100°C for 15 seconds.
3) Ascorbic acid was identified by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry in TMS-derivatives of extract from Actinidia polygama Maxim tea.
4) Actinidia polygama Maxim tea was characterized by its high contents of β-carotene, chlorophyll, and especially Ca and K.

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The extraction rates of minerals from Suboshi-, Haiboshi- and Enzo-Wakame (Undaria pinnatifida) into immersion water were determined.
Ninety percent of iodine was extracted into water during a 10 min immersion in the cases of Suboshi-Wakame and Haiboshi-Wakame but only 34% in the case of Enzo-Wakame.
There were no great differences among the Wakame in extraction rates of minerals except iodine: the rates were 60-70% for sodium, 40-70% for potassium, 20-60% for phosphorus, 2-20% for calcium and 6-40% for magnesium.
Haiboshi-Wakame showed the lowest rate of mineral extraction among the three kinds of processed Wakame.
The extraction rates of minerals in Wakame seemed to be related with processing treatments such as blanching, washing and ash-sprinkling.

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