The n-3 fatty acid such as eicosape叫 aenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) are polyunsaturated fatty acids which are commonly found in various marine organisms. The useful roles and beneficial effect of these fatty acids to human health have been recognized. The pharmacological effects of these fatty acids have been observed mainly infraction of the heart muscle and cancer. Particularly, DHA is highly valued as component in health foods. It is reported that a marine unicelluler algal species, Crythecodinium cohnii contains DHA in large amount.

It has been demonstrated that highly unsaturated fatty acids (HUF A) have a high essential fatty acid efficacy for many fish and crustaceans. Recently, several workers have shown that DHA is a more efficient essential fatty acid than EPA for several larval and juvenile fishes and shrimp. Therefore, in aquaculture, marine fish larvae are generally reared on n-3 HUF A enriched rotifers and Artemia or microparticulate diets.

The origin and circulation of EPA and DHA and the transfer of these fatty acids from marine organisms to land mammals via the food chain will be discussed in the present paper.

Carotenoids are pigments widely distributed in the vegetable and animal kingdoms. Their physiological roles were not known except those of beta-carotene and some other carotenes as provitamin. Recent epidemiological and experimental studies revealed that carotenoids might have important roles in prevention of diseases such as cancers, possibly through scavenging harmful radicals and influencing host defense systems, i. e. immune systems. Carotenoids increase antibody production, augment immunological tumor rejection and raise helper cell population. The mechanisms, by which carotenoids scavenge radicals or active oxygens, were well studied and documented, but mechanisms for modulating immune responses were not clarified due to the sophisticated network of immune systems. Many attempts and various approaches are necessary to evaluate the roles of carotenoids in connection with human health.

Dietary factors have been estimated to be responsible for 30-40% of all cancer. Moreover, epidemilogical studies have revealed many correlations (coincidental, associated or precursor lesions) between the risk of cancer and the prevalence of other diseases. Thus, since all colorectal cancers arise in precursor areas of dysplasia, and since an adenoma is defined histologically as an area of dysplasia, adenomas are precursors of colorectal cancer.

In the case of colon cancer there is considerable evidence that a high proportion of large bowel cancers develop from a poliplïod precursion lesion, the adenoma. Study performed in France showed the role of diet in the occurrence of colorectal adenoma. The risk of colorectal adenomas decreasing linearly with increasing daily consumption of polysaccarides and natural sugar. In contrast sugar, added to food and drinks was observed to have the opposite effect.

In the oropharyngeal cancers the commonest precursor lesion is leukoplakia and the incidence of the cancer is strongly correlated with the intake of alcohol and smoking habit. It is also associated with a low intake of retinoids and carotenoids. In oesophagial cancer, the major histological type of cancer is squamous cell carcinoma (SCC) which accounted for more than 90% of all cases and the most widely recognized precursor of SCC is dysplasia in achalasia. In the large studies carried out in China, the major risk factors for dysplasia were low intakes of retinol, riboflavin, and zinc.

In the aetiology of gastric cancer (GC) It is widely recognized that diet is the important factor. Reduction of nitrates (NO₃) to reactive nitrite (N₂) formed through the action of nitrate-reducing bacteria in the saliva and an hypoacidic stomach can result in the subsequent formation of N-nitroso compounds (NOC) that can act as promoters during the later stage of carcinogenesis. Populations at high GC risk had a high N₃ content in drinking water. Several case-control studies have shown remarkable consistency indicating that heavy use of salt would be compatible with a 50% increase in GC risk. Another factor that is known to have a large impact on GC is the dry heating (pyrolysis) of food rich in aminoacids and proteins which produces highly mutagenic aromatic amine compounds. Thus, the development of GC is multifactorial: excessive salt intake, low intake of fresh fruits and vegetables and Helicobacter pylori infection.

Finally, despite immense research efforts, the causes of breast cancers are still incompletely understood. Carcinogenesis consists of a series of steps which involve endogenous (hormones) as well. as exogenous (e. g. nutrition) factors similar to endometrial cancer in which the triad obesity-hypertension-diabetes and the unopposed action of oestrogens had been identified as potential risk factors.

In conclusion carcinogenesis often involves a multistage sequence of precancerous lesions, each step having its own set of causal agents. The role of diet and micronutrition in individual steps in the multistage carcinogenesis process in likely to provide the best clues to strategies for cancer prevention. Reduced fat intake, increased fiber intake, calcium intake and antioxidant compounds may be important not only in providing antioxidant substances but also in limiting the production of toxic oxidation compounds during food processing.

Since the oyster extract has been shown to be particularly rich in as well as Zn and in antioxidant compound, studies have been undertaken to show its effect on health promoting and as actively protective in cancer.

The effects of dietary bone powders on mineral and bone metabolism were studied in growing male rats. Three kinds of bone powders were prepared; freeze-dried (F) , boiled and air-dried (B) ; and ashed (A) . In a control diet, CaCO₃ and CaHPO₄ ・ 2H₂O were supplied to adjust calcium and phosphorus contents. Magnesium content was 18% higher in diets consisting of bone powders than in the control diet, because of relatively high content of Mg in bone powders. Each diet was fed to 8 rats of each group for 21 days. Five days before the end of the feeding trial, mineral balance was examined. The group fed diet A was lower than the other groups in Ca apparent absorption, Ca retention, and Ca content and specific gravity of tibia. On the other hand, there were no significant differences in these parameters among the groups other than group A. The ingestion of each bone powder increased apparent absorption and retention of Mg. These results indicate that Ca availability in the ashed bone powder is lower than in the bone powders without ashing and the inorganic Ca source. It is possible that Mg in bone powders is of a high absorbability.

Twenty-four male Wistar rats were randomly divided into three groups and fed two types of synthe- tic diets for 52 days. A (-) group was fed vitamin A deficient diet ad libitum. PF, pair-fed, and A (+) groups were given restricted amount or allowed free access to control diet respectively. In brain, calcium concentration was significantly higher in the A (-) group when compared with the other two groups. In tibia, calcium concentration was significantly lower in the A (-) group compared with the other two. In testis, calcium and manganese concentrations were significantly higher in A (-) group than PF and A (+) groups. These results suggest that vitamin A deficiency affects normal metabolism of calcium and manganese in some tissues of rats.

The effects of dietary proteins of different origins (casein, pure egg protein, soy protein isolate, and liquid collagen peptides plus casein) and of voluntary running exercise on a diet including liquid collagen peptides and casein) on body composition and bone metabolism of rats after ovariectomy on high-protein diets were evaluated. The mean percentage of body fat and the mean weight of adipose tissue (perisplanchnic plus perigenital)were significantly lower in the group that exercised than in the sedentary group on the same diet. The mean weight of the humerus was significantly higher in the group that exercised than in the sedentary group on the same diet. There were no differences in calcium retention for two days or in the calcium concentration in the bones between these groups. The source of the dietary protein did not affect body composition or bone metabolism. Voluntary running execise was efficacious for body composition and bone mass of humerus in growing rats.

Biovailability of iron in ferrous sulfate and hemosiderin, prepared from pork liver in our laboratory, was evaluated in terms of hematological indices. Twenty-one days old fifty-four male Wistar weanling rats were made anemic by feeding a casein-based, iron-deficient diet for 1 week and withdrawing blood from retro-ocular veins twice a week. Anemic rats were divided into 9 groups and fed, for additional 6 weeks, with the iron-deficient diet or the diet supplemented with ferrous sulfate and hemosiderin at 6, 12, 18, 24 mg iron/kg diet. Significant depression was observed in blood parameters of both anemic rats fed with the iron-deficient diet and those diets supplemented with ferrous sulfate or hemosiderin at 6 mg iron/kg diet than other groups(p<0.05). No significant difference was observed in blood parameters between the groups on the ferrous sulfate and the hemosiderin diets; However, the hemosiderin diet gave slightly higher but statistically insignificant values than in animal fed with the ferrous sulfate. Therefore, these data indicate that hemosiderin is a good source of iron for nutrition.

During the course of the study on the oxidative damage in fishes, we previously revealed that the primary target organ of ozone toxicity to fish was not gill to cause gill injury but rather red blood cells (RBC). However, the mechanism of ozone toxicity to RBC at the molecular level has remained unrevealed. In the present study, we examined whether hemoglobin (Hb) or hemoglobin-derived iron (HbFe) could participate in oxidative damage of rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) RBC induced by ozone exposure. Carbon monoxide (CO) was used to convert the Hb to a stable derivative prior to ozone exposure and the effect of free ferrous irons from Hb as a result of ozone oxposure was examined by the addition of diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA) in the medium. Ozone oxposure induced hemolysis, membrane lipid peroxidation, decrease of antioxidative substances and activity of acetylchoinesterase (AChE). Those damages were not suppressed by the addition of DTP A but were effectively supressed by incubating RBC with CO. Ozone or ozone derived species should penetrate through the membrane without direct membrane damage and react with the iron of Hb to genarate hydroxyl radical or other reactive species inside RBC. No inhibition of DTP A addition suggests that ozone exposure did not release iron from Hb. These results indicate that Hb itself performs an important role in the oxidative damage of RBC membrane; i.e., oxidative damage was caused by the reactive oxygen species generated inside RBC rather than by direct attack of extracellular direct ozone attack to RBC outer membrane.

The purpose of the present study was to investigate the effects of iron deficiency on lipid peroxidation and sex-dependent differences in rats. Weanling male rats (n=30) were divided into three groups of ten, and were fed on three diets : a control diet (C) ; an iron deficient diet (FeD) ; and an iron-copper deficient diet, respectively for 60 days. Lipid peroxides in the liver were determined with four methods : the three thiobarbituric acid (TBA) assay and the luminol chemiluminescence assay by using high-performance liquid chromatography (CL-HPLC), and were expressed as TBA reactive substances (TBARS) for TBA assay and phosphatidylcoline hydroperoxide (PCOOH) for CL-HPLC method. By using the TBA assay, hepatic the TBARS was decreased, but the PCOOH were higher in the FeD rats than in the control rats by the CL-HPLC method. Iron (50~ 500 μ g of Fe/ g liver as FeCl₃) was added to Iron-copper deficient liver homogenate solution. The result was that correlation between iron levels and lipid peroxide values in all methods were significant. Lipid peroxide value in Uchiyama-Mihara method was affected by the increasing of iron, especially.

Weanling male and female rats (n=40) were divided into four groups of ten, and were fed on the control diet (CM, FM) and the iron deficient diet (DM, FM), respectively for 30 days. Serum and liver TG and PL values, hepatic cytosolic XOD, GSH-Px and serum and liver PCOOH were increased in Iron deficient male rats (DM). As for female iron-deficient rats, these phenomena were not so particular without GSH-Px. It was suggested that TBARS was easy to affect by iron level in the sample solution for assay, and PCOOH accumulates as a primary peroxidation product of membrane phospholipids in liver were available for the determination of hepatic lipid peroxidation in iron deficient rat. We demonstrated that lipid peroxidation from PCOOH was occurred in iron deficiency and sex-dependent differences was detected on lipid peroxidation in iron deficient rats.

Algae as a feed additive improved physiological condition including protein assimilation, lipid metabolism, liver function, stress responses, disease resistance and carcass quality of cultured fish. Effects on the growth performance, feed efficiency, and results of related biochemical analyses of red sea bream fed on algae-supplemented diet are discussed. The algae Ascophyllum nodosum, Porphyra yezoensis, Spirulina sp. and Ulva pertusa were supplemented to the zero year and one-year-old red sea bream diet at 3-5 %. Feeding algal meal as a feed additive elevated growth rate, feed efficiency, protein efficiency ratio and muscle protein deposition. An increase in RNA/DNA ratio and decrease in acid proteinase activity were observed in algae-fed fish. Among the algae tested in these experiments, the effects were pronounced with Spirulina. The results confirmed desirability for algae as a feed additive in growth performance of red sea bream.

Cholesterol is easily oxidized enzymatically and non-enzymatically, producing various kinds of cholesterol oxides. Several kinds of cholesterol oxides are identified and quantitated in food and animal tissues. Cholesterol oxides have a wide variety of effects both in vitro and in vivo which may be involved in human diseases. However, the mechanism of biological effects of cholesterol oxides is not elucidated. In this study, we examined the contents of cholesterol oxides in Japanese traditional marine products, salted and semi-dried Shishamo and Surume, dried squid, and the biological effects of a few kinds of cholesterol oxides on cultured rat hepatocytes, which were freshly prepared by perfusing collagenase.

A very small amount of 7-α- and 7-β-hydroxycholesterol, 5α ,6α- , and 5β, 6β-epoxide, and 7-ketocholesterol were identified in both Shishamo and Surume.

7-Ketocholesterol, concentration of 100 μM, showed a strong cytotoxicity for hepatocytes, and it killed hepatocytes without the release of LDH to the culture medium. Moreover, carboxy-PTIO, the chemicals for the selective elimination of NO radical, increased viability of hepatocytes, indicating that NO radical is involved in the cell death of hepatocytes.

Marine products contain arsenic in high concentration compared with other foods. People have eaten many marine products in Japan and have been exposed to many arseniclas. Many of these arsenic compounds are organic and water soluble. To evaluate the risk associated with this intake of arsenic, the toxicological properties of the most common arsenic compounds in marine products must be known. Arsenobetaine, arsenocholine, trimethylarsine oxide and tetramethylarsonium iodide were examined for cytotoxicity, chromosomal aberration and sister chromatid exchange (SCE) . Arsenobetaine, the major water-solubule organic arsenic compounds contained in many marine animals, exhibited very low toxicity toward mammalian cells. The toxicity of the other arsenic compounds in these tests was lower than the toxicity of arsenite or arsenate.

Zinc deficiency associated with iron deficiency anemia was first recorded by Prasad in 1961. The precise role of zinc in the hematological abnormalities in man is not certain. Endurance runner have been known to suffered from anemia that simulated iron deficiency anemia. We conducted zinc kinetic study using total body zinc clearance in 21 female endurance runner, and studied relationship between zinc status and anemia. Seven athletes showed severe zinc deficiency (Zinc clearances were more than 25ml/kg/hour) . and fourteen athletes were normal zinc status. Hemoglobin, serum total protein and Fe were significantly lower in zinc deficiency group than in normal group. Zinc status might partly accounted for hematological abnormality in female endurance runner.

We have evaluated the distance of daily running and blood biochemical parameteres to prevent anemia in long-distance runners.

Blood was drawn early in the morning after an over-night fast. On blood tests, serum iron, ferritin, RBC, Hb, Ht and UIBC were measured, and MCV, MCH, and MCHC were calculated.

The distance of running was expressed as the monthly distance run in all running at or above the jogging pace (km/ month) irrespective of the intensity of running.

Case 1 : In 9 female runners on a company relay team with a mean age of 19. 7±3.2 years, the relationship between the running distance and the number of days on which they sought for medical consultation (number of day of treatment) was examined. The number of days of treatment increased markedly as the monthly distance of running in early morning practice exceeded 200 km/month in a few runners. It increased markedly when the distance of running in the afternoon practice exceeded 450 km/month.

Case 2 : In a 17-year-old male, the serum iron, ferritin, and Hb levels decreased to 45μg/dl, 40ng/dl, and 13.7g/dl, respectively, in the summer of the second grade in junior high school, when he noted weakness and poor performance. The ferritin concentration was maintained at 150 ng/dl or above until the second grade in high school due to treatment, but RBC and Hb showed marked decreases, and he lapsed into slump again. The patient had rested about once a month until that time, but he was instructed to rest every week. Oral administration of zinc was started, and observation is still continued.

Case 3 : A adult female middle-distance runner showed increases in RBC and Hb as well as stabilized records by decreasing her athletic quantity from passing 25 years of age.

The above results indicate the long-distance runner to be in over-training. Decreasing monthly running distance to about one-third, Z-3 times a year may lead to keep normal iron metabolism. Limiting exercise quantity to such an extent results in no decrease in athletic power.

Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) contains much amount of Zinc, Taurine and other nutrients and it is also used as the material of diet. Ohta et al. reported that the administration of oyster extract (OE) improved the blood glucose level in alloxan diabetic rats.

In this study, influence of biochemical score of blood and subjective symptoms have been investigated in OE tablets administered Diabetes Mellitus and Hepatitis Patients. 8 tablets (Diabetes Mellitus) and 12 tablets (Hepatitis) of OE (containing 270mgOE powder/1 tablet) were orally administered to subjects every day for 3 months. Blood glucose and biochemical score of blood lipid were determined in Diabetes Mellitus patients. ALT (GOT), AST (GPT), γ-GTP were determined in Hepatitis patients. Blood tests were carried out every week or every 2 weeks. Questionnaire about subjective symptoms (health condition, appetite, Complexion, motion, degree of fatigue and sleep) was carried out every 2 weeks. In the Diabetes Mellitus patients, blood glucose and subjective symptoms of 7 subjects among 10 subjects was improved after administration of OE. In the Hepatitis patients, blood test of 7 subjects among 9 subjects and subective symptoms of 4 subjects among 9 subjects was improved.

To evaluate the relationship between biotin status and blood glucose, we measured the levels of serum biotin, blood glucose and biochemical variables in subjects with diabetes mellitus. The mean of serum biotin level in 284 diabetic subjects was 1.5±0.31 ng/ ml, which was significantly lower than 2.3±0.35ng/ml in 2,004 healthy adults. In these diabetics, the serum biotin was decreased with advancing age, but no sex difference was detected. Although there was no correlation between serum biotin and fasting blood sugar, a positive correlation existed between serum biotin level and blood glucose 60 and 120 min after an oral glucose tolerance test. In addition, on the basis of correlation coefficients among biochemical variables in serum, the biotin level correlated with HDL-cholesterol (r=0.125, P=0.035) . A negative correlation of biotin status with BUN was observed (r=-0.126, p=0.034) . The present findings demonstrate that biotin plays an important role in carbohydrate metabolism as well as gluconeogenesis and fatty acid synthesis.

Deficiency and excess of trace elements induces various kind of brain lesion. In this study, to elucidate the relationship between the induction of brain lesion and trace elements in the brain, the movement of trace elements in various brain tissues was biochemically investigated under the symptom manifestation of disturbance of memory, learning defects and disturbance of olfactory acuity (anosmia) induced by zinc deficiency or organotin (tributyltin) exposure.

Remarkable results are that a) a zinc deficiency induced a significant accumulation of calcium into the olfactory and of aluminum into the hippocampus, b) organotin exposure induced a significant accumulation of calcium into the olfactory, c) these excessive accumulation of calcium and aluminum into the specified tissues were associated with an increase of parathyroid hormone (PTH) in the tissues.

The present study was carried out to clarify bioavailability of peptide zinc for weanling pigs.Twenty-five pigs (7kg initial weight) were allotted to five groups of each dietary treatment.

The experimental diets were basal, diets supplied Zn 25, 50, 100mg/kg of Zn as peptide zinc or 100mg/kg of Zn as zinc sulfate of diet.

Zinc concentrations in the liver, the femur and plasma were higher in pigs fed 100mg/kg of Zn as peptide zinc than in those fed the same amount of Zn as zinc sulfate. Pigs received 100mg/kg peptide Zn tended to have high solubility of zinc in the ileum than 100mg/kg zinc as sulfate.

It seems that the bioavailability of peptide zinc was approximately twice as much as that of zinc sulfate.

The effect of the different dietary magnesium or calcium level on magnesium behavior in mice were investigated. Forty eight ddy male mice were divided into 4 groups 1 to 4. Group 1 (magnesium 40mg/calcium 503mg in 100g diet) , group 2 (magnesium 40mg/calcium 965mg) , group 3 (magnesium 3mg/ calcium 459mg) , and group 4 (magnesium 3mg/ calcium 946mg) were maintained for 6 days by experimental diet. Biodistribution studies of double trace method with ²⁸Mg and ⁴⁵Ca, and whole body-macroradioluminography of ²⁸Mg were performed in mice. The concentration of magnesium and calcium in liver, heart, kidney and bone were analyzed by 1 CPS-5000. The radioluminographs of a mouse fed the magnesium dificient diet (group 3, 4) revealed high accumulation of a ²⁸Mg in heart and gut compared with the other groups. On the tissues biodistribution, ²⁸Mg had a significantly high uptake in the heart, liver, and small intestine, low uptake in bone of group 3 with the other groups. The distribution of ⁴⁵Ca were not changed between four groups. The magnesium concentration was significantly lower in liver and kidney of group 2, 3 and 4, in heart and bone of group 4 than in those of group 1. The calcium concentration was significantly lower in liver of group 2 than in these of group 1. The calcium concentration was significantly higher in heart of group 4 than in those of group 1. It was concluded from these results as follows : 1) Under magnesium deficiency, magnesium uptake in bone was decreased, but in the other organs (heart) were not changed so large in any calcium concentration. 2) The any ratio of calcium to magnesium (molar ratio ; 20~190) in this experimental diet did not affected on the magnesium transfer to organs.

The Japanese and Greenland natives have been reported to have lower mortality rates of ischemic heart disease (IHD) compared with Scandinavians and North Americans. However, little is known about whether selenium (Se) serves as a preventive factor of IHD in the Japanese and Greenland natives. In this study, we examined the relationships of serum Se concentration to cholesterol level and fatty acid composition in 232 Japanese males and Greenland natives (53 males and 38 females) by multiple regression analysis with age and body weight as independent variables. Total cholesterol level was a common increasing factor for serum Se concentration in Japanese males and Greenland native males, whereas fatty acid composition did not show consistent relation to serum Se level.

Torula yeast has been used as a protein source in selenium (Se) -deficient diets. Various types of Torula yeast can be obtained in Japan. Their differences were evaluated. Three types of Torula yeast, different in species and culture conditions, were used . P, grown on a medium containing a waste of wood pulp ; S-1 and S-2, grown on synthetic media. Three types of Se-deficient diet were composed of these yeast and AIN-76 mineral mixture. All diets contained less than 0.01ppm of Se. Because Torula P contained a high concentration of iron (249ppm) , the iron content of the diet composed of Torula P was about four times higher than the recommended value of AIN. Male weaning Wistar rats were pair-fed on these Se-deficient diets or the diets supplemented with 0.1ppm of Se as sodium selenite for 6 weeks. Irrespective of the Se supplementation, rats given Torula P showed less body weight gain, and lower serum iron levels, and higher serum total iron binding capacities and hepatic aniline hydroxylase activities compared to rats given Torula S-1 or S-2. These findings indicate that Torula P, which assimilates the waste of wood pulp, contains several factors that lower the availabilities of protein and iron and induce hepatic drug metabolizing activity.

Modified high sensitive determination methods of selenium concentration and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px) activity of plasma, erythrocytes and platelets were developed. The selenium concentration and GSH-Px activity of plasma, erythrocytes and platelets in 51 healthy Japanese adults were measured, and following results were obtained. The selenium concentration (mean±SD) of plasma, erythrocytes and platelets were 117.4±15.7 μ g/L, 0.954±0.159 μ g/gHb and 4.93±1.52ng/ mg protein, respectively. The GSH-Px activity (mean±SD) of plasma, erythrocytes and platelets were 318±50U/L,18.0±5.0U/gHb and 0.142±0.035U/mg protein, respectively.

The LEC (Long-Evans Cinnamon) rats develop spontaneous hepatic injury with unusual copper accumulation. The LEC rat is considered to be an useful animal model for human liver disease, such as Wilson disease. We obtained evidence which shows an unusual accumulation of copper in the liver of LEC rats, followed by the induction of copper-metallothionein (Cu-MT). We suggested the mechanism for the development of hepatitis in LEC rats, in relation to the accumulated copper and induced Cu-MT.

We investigated the food-and age-dependent changes of bio-trace elements such as Cu, Zn, Fe and Mn as well as those of metallothionein in the liver of LEC rats. Further, we studied the generation of active oxygen species like hydroxyl radicals in the reaction of Cu-MT and H₂O₂, to know the mechanism for the development of hepatitis and hepatoma. Development of hepatitis and hepatoma was indicated to relate the accumulation of copper and induction of Cu-MT, which in turn generates the hydroxyl radicals when H₂O₂ is present in the cell.

Superoxide anion radical is proposed to cause oxidative injury to cells and tissues due to the successive formations of more reactive oxygen species such as hydrogen peroxide and hydroxyl radicals.

Coffee that contains both polyphenols like tannins and metalloproteins like superoxide dismutases (SOD) is highly expected to scavenge the active oxygen species such as superoxide anion radicals.

We studied both superoxide anion scavenging activity (SSA) and metal contents of coffee, by evaluating with ESR (electron spin resonance) -spin trapping and neutron activation analysis (NAA) together with flameless atomic absorption (FAA) methods, respectively.

Coffees imported from different countries were found to have SSA in the range of 470-1360 SOD unit/ml of coffee extract, showing that almost coffees examined have relatively good SSA. Nineteen sorts of elements were detectable by both NAA and FAA methods, depending on the kind of coffee. A correlation between SSA and the metal ratio Mn/Fe was found, indicating the occurrence of SOD-like activity of coffee.

Nutritional status of minerals of beef and dairy cattle and buffalo in central Thailand were investigated by evaluating the mineral concentrations in feedstuff and blood plasma of animals during both rainy and hot seasons. One hundred fifty nine females from 4 beef cattle herds, 1 buffalo herd and 3 dairy cattle herds were studied. Low Na concentrations (below O. 07 % on a dry matter basis) in pasture samples from the field for particular beef cow herd was observed. Cu concentrations in all the pasture samples were ranged from 4.2 to 13.5 mg/kg. More than 42% of animals from 2 beef cattle herds, a buffalo herd and a dairy cattle herd showed lower plasma Cu concentrations than the critical level (0.65 μg/ ml) . Iron and Se concentrations in forage samples had a wide variety ranging from 185 to 1345 and 0.033 to 1.127mg/kg, respectively. The concentrations K, Ca, Mg, P, Zn and Mn in diets totally fed were higher than the requirements for beef and dairy cattle. The concentrations of Ca, Mg, Pi, Fe and Zn in plasma of animals were normal.

Effects of the removal of phytate from defatted soya-bean by fermentation on absorption of zinc, iron and copper were investigated. Rats were fed diets containing defatted soya-bean (DS) , fermented defatted-soya-bean (FDS) or fermented defatted-soya-bean added with phytate (FDS + phytate) for 19d. During the last 5 d, the apparent absorption of zinc, iron and copper were determined. At the end of the feeding trial, digesta in the upper and the lower half of the small intestine was separately collected to measure the solubility of minerals. Apparent absorption of zinc and copper were significantly (P<0.05) higher in rats fed the FDS than animals fed the DS. Furthermore, femoral zinc concentration was greater in the FDS group than the DS group. Surprisingly, apparent absorption of zinc and copper, and femoral zinc concentration were higher in rats fed the FDS+ phytate than rats fed the FDS. Solubility of zinc and iron were increased by feeding the FDS with or without phytate in both segments. We conclude that the fermentation of DS improves absorption of zinc and copper. Phytase in the FDS is suggested to be still active in the digestive tract and to degrade phytate in digesta. However, the disappearance of added phytate could not be enough to account for these results. The lower phosphorylated inositols in the FDS might improve mineral absorption.

Vanadium complexes have been proposed to show antineoplastic activity. Among them, a newly synthesized 1 : 1 vanadyl-1, 10-phenanthroline(VO (phen)) complex has been found to have a characteristic antitumor activity in vitro experiments. To know the mechanism, we investigated the reactivity of VO complex with substituted phenanthroline for DNA. The VO (phen) derivatives induced DNA cleavage effectively in the presence of hydrogen peroxide. Lineweaver-Burk plots for the complex binding to calf thymus DNA suggested that the VO (phen) derivatives have high affinities to DNA molecule. To examine the active species for DNA cleavage, ESR spin trapping was performed. Hydroxyl radicals were detectable in VO (phen) derivatives-H₂O₂systems. VO (phen) derivatives are indicated to bind DNA and cleave it with the formation of hydroxyl radicals by a Fenton-like reaction when H₂O₂ is present in the system.

"Functional Water" can be defined as either artificially or non-artificially processed water species which exert physical characteristics and/ or physiological functionality that can not be observed in original water species without processing. The "Functional Water" species are brought forth by physical and/or chemical treatment such as electromagnetic field loading, contact with ceramics, etc. In the present study, authors examined whether or not so-called "Functional Water" materials really gave water physiological functionality by using bioassay with Euglena gracilis Z in connection with trace element analyses. "Functional Water" species examined in the present study were : 1) loaded high voltage electric field in the presence of wood ceramics (CW), 2) ceramics comprising calcium triphosphate and mica, 3) processed tourmaline particles, 4) a piezoelectric element comprising Ti, Pb and Zr (PZT), and 5) ceramics composed of aluminum and iron (Alumina-Fe ceramics). The "Functional Water" species given rise by immersing those materials and/ or electric field loading were examined the effect of cell motility restoration on the tributyl-tinchloride (TBTCl) -intoxicated Euglena gracilis Z. Remarkable effect was observed for CW and Alumina-Fe ceramics treated water. Common trace elements among effective water species were Ca, Mg and Fe, which suggest some important roles of those elements in exerting physiological functionality, i. e., in this case detoxication of TBTCI, regeneration of flagella and subsequent supply of driving force.

The biosynthetic pathway of fluoroacetate in Streptomyces cattleya NRRL 8057 was studied by ¹⁹F-NMR and tracer experiments with various ¹⁴C-labeled compounds. Radioactivity of ¹⁴C-labeled glucose, glycerol, pyruvate, L-serine, β-hydroxypyruvate, succinate and L-aspartate was incorporated into fluoroacetate during incubation of them with growing and resting cells of S. Cattleya NTG29, a mutant strain overproducing fluoroacetate. Comparison of the ratio of radioactivity incorporated into fluoroacetate from the above compounds to that administered revealed the major biosynthetic pathway of fluoroacetate through β-hydroxypyruvate. Its C₂ and C₃ carbons were efficiently incorporated into fluoroacetate, but no significant incorporation of its C₁ carbon was found. Thus, β-hydroxypyruvate is probably fluorinated by replacement of the hydroxyl group by fluoride anion and then decarboxylated to form fluoroacetate.