The indigenous microorganisms resident in the digestive tract of men and animals have been studied extensively in recent years. Investigations with germfree or gnotobiotic animals have demonstrated the important influence that the intestinal microflora has on the metabolism of the host and of a wide variety of substances within the intestinal lumen, and on intestinal morphology and function.
Germfree animals generally have the lower metabolic rate than conventional animals.
Intestinal bile acids are higher in total concentration, differed in composition, and remain totally conjugated in germfree animals. Microbial modification of bile salts becomes important in various absorptive activity.
It is recognised that the intestinal microbial products useful for the host are amino acids, organic acids, vitamins and gases, etc. Of vitamins, the ability of intestinal microorganisms to manufacture thiamine, riboflavin, pyridoxine, niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B₁₂, folic acid, biotin and vitamin K is well established.
On the other hand, the toxic substances, for example, ammonia, hydrogen sulfide, amines, phenols or hydroxy fatty acids, are also produced by the intestinal microorganisms.
Morphological differences of the intestine in germfree animals include cecum enlargement in rodents, lower amount of lamina propria, reduced mucosal surface area, and lower rate of intestinal mucosal cell renewal.
The absence of a intestinal microflora produces increase in the absorption of tryptophan, methionine, palmitic and stearic acids, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus, iron, and thiamine. The rates of absorption of oleic and linoleic acids, sodium, pottasium, and vitamin B₁₂ are less in germfree animals than in conventional animals or similar in both groups, but the capacity to absorb xylose during the 6 hours following intragastric administration appears to be slightly greater in conventional animals.
The normal microbial flora contributes to the defence of the host by virtue of its competition of invading microorganisms. Recent studies have confirmed that intestinal emptying is significantly more rapid in animals harboring a conventional flora than in germfree animals. This effect undoubtedly constitutes important direct contributions of the normal intestinal microflora to host defense.

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Polymers of altered linoleic acid were fractionated by means of gel filtration on Sephadex LH-20 column. The effects of the fractionated polymers of linoleic acid on growth of Escherichia coli and fatty acid assimilating yeast were studied. The gel filtration gave four well-isolated fractions, fraction I, II, III and IV, corresponding to monomer, dimer, trimer and tetramer and above of linoleic acid, respectively. The conditions of the separation were discussed. The dimer and trimer at the concentration of 2mg/ml showed no inhibitory effect on growth of E. coli during the initial growth and in the early log phase. The polymers were also utilized as carbon source by a fatty acid assimilating yeast, although the efficiencies were lower than that of pure linoleic acid. The monomer which includes linoleic acid, its stereo-isomers and hydroperoxides, showed inhibitory effects on the both micro-organisms tested, which was presumably due to the toxicity of the hydroperoxides.

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Hepatic glucokinase (GK) and intestinal disaccharidase were assessed in growing rats.
Hepatic GK activity, not detectable upto day 16 after birth, was markedly enhanced after day 25 and reached toward the adult's level on day 30. This enzyme activity was not always suppressed by the administration of 17-β-estradiol which exerted tremendous changes of sexual organs in their weight.
Simultaneous administration of hydrocortisone acetate and glucose was found to be effective on a significant elevation of hepatic GK activity in the rats before weaning (day 22 after birth). Prior to the induction of hepatic GK activity, it was observed that both maltase and sucrase activities in the rat intestine were markedly increased and reached to the maximal levels on day 22 and day 26, respectively.
These findings strongly suggest that corticosterone plays a physiological and essential role in developmental formation of hepatic GK activity, which can be completed in the consequences of increasing supply of glucose to the liver and secretion of insulin from the pancreas, following a precipitous rise of intestinal disaccharidases in the course of weaning.

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In order to get a clue to detect the change of protein structure by degradation, the fluorescence spectra of the aqeous ovalbumin solution were estimated in relation to the denaturation of protein by temperature, acid (pH), light illumination, urea and guanigin-hydrochloride, and the browning of protein with glucose and xylose.
The maximum increase of the fluorescence intensity of the ovalbumin was observed at the first stage of the thermal treatlnent (1-5 minutes) at 60°C. Its thermal increase of the fluorescence intensity was highest at Tyr residue spectrum. The fluorescence intensity of the ovalbumin was heigher between neutrality and alkaline region (pH 10) and lower at the acidic pH region, expecially, the maximum decrease of fluorescence intensity was observed at both pH 4.0 and pH 12. The increase of fluorescence of the ovalbumin were observed at Try residue at the first stage of ultra viollet rays illumination in the presence of riboflavin, and then its fluorescence intensity was remarkably decreased with illumination time.
The maximum decrease of the fluorescence intensity of ovalbumin with urea (8M) and guanidinhydrochloride (0.4M) was observed at Tyr and Try residue. The quenching effect of fluorescence intensity by guanidin-hydrochloride were greater than that of urea.
The maximum increase of the fluorescence of the ovalbumin with glucose and xylose was observed at the first stage of the browning reaction (4 days) and then diminished accompanying elevation the browning of the protein.

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The distribution of thiaminase in animal and plant tissues has already been studied by a number of workers but relatively little information is available concerning that of sea water fish.
The authors have studied the edible parts of 52 species of sea water fish purchased in the market. The detection of weak activity of the enzyme was made possible by the activation of the enzyme reaction with aniline.
Of 52 species tested, 4 species were found to be relatively rich in the enzyme, i. e. Pacific saury, Sardine, Round herring and Shishamo, 7 species were weak in the activity, i. e. Herring roe, Barracuda, Herring, Cod, Pacific halibut, Skipjack and Sablefish, 41 species of fish did not show scarcely any activity i. e. Red rock cod, Jack mackerel, Goose fish, Grunt, Frigate mackerel, Flathead, Salmon, Spanish mackerel, Red sea bream, Sand fish, Goby, Yellowtail, Tuna, Mutsu etc.
The muscles of many sea water fish contain little or no thiaminase but it is noteworthy that there are some exceptions.

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The sugar phosphates in acid extracts of tissues of Mutugoro and Warasubo were separated by quantitative gradient elution from an anion exchange resin and determined according to the similar method of Jones.
The isolated sugar phosphates was identified by PPC, TLC and electrophoresis. Especially, by TLC using Avisel S.F. as carrier and methanol, pyridin, water, acetic acid (6: 6: 4: 1) as mobile solvent.
The results in Table 1, 2 and 3 showed that glucose-6-phosphate was the highest one among hexose phosphates. It was suggested that glucose-6-phosphate plays an important role in glycolysis.

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Sterol content was determined in the unsaponifiable matter of cereals (5 items), potatoes (5 items), seeds and nuts (7 items), pulses (7 items), olive oil and cotton-seed oil. The ratio of the content of free sterol to that of sterol ester was determined by fractionation on silica gel column. The sterol portion separated by thin layer chromatography was analyzed by gas-liquid chromatography.
The sterol content of 1g lipid was 40-80mg with cereals, ca. 100mg with potatoes and below 15 mg with seeds and nuts, except with chestnut (54mg), and remarkably small amount (below 2mg) with walnut. In pulses it was 40-80mg, except in soybeans (8mg) and in mung-beans (14mg). Olive oil and cotton-seed oil were found to contain 5 and 6mg sterol per gram, respectively. The sterol content of rice-bran, sesame and sunflower seed was more than 500mg/100g and it was especially high in rice-bran (1.3g/100g), while that of potatoes was lower than 200mg/100g because of the high water content. Among pulses the sterol content was highest in soybeans (160mg/100g). The content of free sterols was higher as compared to that of sterol esters, except in cereals and sunflower seeds.
Gas-liquid chromatographic analysis demonstrated that β-sitosterol and campesterol were contained in all of the materials examined; stigmasterol was not found in wheat, ginkgo seeds, walnuts, rape-seeds, olive oil and cotton-seed oil; the content of β-sitosterol was higher than those of other sterols in all samples tested except in Azuki-and Sasage-beans, in which its content was nearly equal to that of stigmasterol; brassicasterol was identified in rape-seeds.
A peak on gas-liquid chromatogram coincident to that of cholesterol was found in potato and Sasage-beans and also, though in small content, in wheat, pea-nuts, peas, soybeans and mung-beans. So it is presumable that cholesterol is widely distributed also in plants, though in small amount.

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The effects of salts, lipids and protein level in diet on the elastase inhibition in plasma was studied with rats.
Decrease of elastase inhibition was observed by feeding NaCl, CaCl₂, Lentidin, and Shiitake, but uptake of cholesterol increased elastase inhibition. With the increase of protein level in diet, elastase was inhibited strongly. Exclude of tryptophan from essential amino acid mixture in diet decreased elastase inhibition.

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Iron requirement varies widely in different individuals depending upon their age and sex, women of fertile age having the greatest need of iron.
However, the level of iron in the body is relatively constant. It has been reported that stored iron would be in equilibrium with serum iron. Also, it has been known that iron, once absorbed in the body, would remain there. Therefore, it is likely that the normal level of iron is governed by absorption processes in the gastrointestinal tract.
The amount of iron absorbed by the body depends on the total amount in the diet, the absorbability and the regulation capability of its absorption by the body. The iron content of different foods varies widely. Even the same food may show extensive variations in iron content depending upon its origin and treatment. The dietary habits of the people as regards iron are more or less the same in a region and the body iron content of the people living various region show differences.
The serum iron content and hemoglobin content of the people in several regions was investigated and compared. The results obtained are as follows:
1) There are significant relationship between the mean value of serum iron contents of male and female in the investigated regions.
2) A similar relationship was obtained for hemoglobin content.
3) There is significant correlation between the serum iron content of women of fertile age (below 45 years) and the logarithmic values of daily intake of animal protein (p<0.025). The relation proved to be more significant when the serum iron content is plotted against the combination (produce or addition) of logarithm of animal protein and iron (p<0.025).

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The denaturation of γ globulin of rice embryo by heating was investigated. The viscosity of γ globulin from rice embryo increased markedly by heating the solution at 80°C for 30min. By heating at 100°C for 30min, gelation was observed. Accompanying with the increase in the viscosity, the detectable sulfhydryl groups of γ globulin increased markedly. The process apparently exhibited two steps. In comparison with heat denaturation, the effect of urea at room temperature was found to be milder and the conformation change appeared to be reversible.
Calcium ions stimulated heat denaturation and gelation of γ globulin solution. By heat-treatment at 70°C for 30min with calcium ion, the viscosity and sulfhydryl groups of γ globulin rapidly increased. At 80°C with calcium ion, the change of the exposed sulfhydryl groups appeared within 3min, and the protein partially precipitated.
These facts suggest that the heat denaturation was more drastic and irreversible, and the structural change of the protein should involve the unfolding of the peptide chains as well as the destruction of the subunit dissociation.

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The effects of the dietary protein content on plasma amino acid concentration in postabsorptive state was studied.
Fifteen healthy men, aged 18-22 were given standard protein diet (1.11-1.18g protein/kg body weight, 42-45 Cal/kg B.W.) for 7-10 days, and then were fed protein free diet, low protein diet (0.37g protein/kg B.W.) or high protein diet (2.49g protein/kg B.W.) for 14 days.
The results obtained were as follows:
On protein free diet and low protein diet, there was a fall in the essential amino acids in plasma compared with standard diet, especialy branched chain amino acids and threonine. Alanine, glycine and taurine concentration in plasma remained relatively constant and the E/N ratio was decreased. However the degree of fall in the E/N ratio was same in protein low and free diets. While high protein diet did not effect on the plasma free amino acid concentration except glycine.
It was discussed whether the E/N ratio in plasma can be used in the evaluation of protein nutritional status.

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Experiments were performed to investigate the quantity of fluorine ion and the correlation of fluorine ion to sodium ion in green tea and it's extract.
For the separation of fluorine, the extracts were distilled at 137-140°C and the distillates were titrated with thorium nitrate solution. Sodium ion was determined by sodium ion electrode measurement.
Green tea contained 70.9-112.8ppm of fluorine and 715-2, 252ppm of sodium ion. Concentrations of fluorine and sodium ion of the extract of green tea were 1.34-2.50ppm and 89-112ppm, respectively. The amount of sodium ion was normally 10-20 times as much as that of fluorine ion in green tea. When fluorine ion content was large in quantity, that of sodium ion was also large. The correlation coefficients were 0.122 in tea leaves and 0.63 in it's extract.

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