To elucidate the molecular species of selenium ingested by usual animal foods, molecular species of selenium in several animal food samples were identified by HPLC-inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICPMS). The samples used were as follows: dark muscle of yellowfin tuna, fish meat (skipjack, horse mackerel, seabream, and yellowfin tuna)，shellfish (asari clams, shijimi clams, and oysters)，chicken tender, chicken and bovine liver, and hen’s whole eggs. An HCl extract and a protease extract were prepared for each sample. Except for the dark muscle, no peaks of selenium compounds could be detected in the analysis by HPLC-ICPMS for the HCl extracts. In contrast, the protease extracts from fish meat and shellfish showed a peak identified as selenomethionine in the HPLC-ICPMS chromatogram. Furthermore, it was confirmed that selenocystine was present in addition to selenomethionine in the protease extract from animal foods derived from poultry and livestock. These results indicate that the intake of general seafood leads to the intake of selenomethionine, and the intake of animal foods derived from livestock and poultry leads to the intake of selenomethionine and selenocystine.

The digestibility of retrograded starch was evaluated by an in vitro digestion test and a nutritional test using rats. Uncooked polished rice (Koshihikari from Niigata Prefecture in 2019)，commercially available gelatinized rice (Onisi Foods Co., Ltd.)，and retrograded rice were used as foods containing raw starch, gelatinized starch, and retrograded starch. The retrograded rice was prepared by spreading cooked polished rice on a stainless-steel tray, leaving it at 4˚C for 1 day, and then freeze-drying. The in vitro digestibility of each rice sample was 86％ in gelatinized rice, 72％ in retrograded rice and 37％ in uncooked polished rice. Eighteen male 4-week-old Wistar rats were divided into three groups, and each of them was fed a diet containing 12％ of protein and consisting mainly of uncooked polished rice, gelatinized rice or retrograded rice for 4 weeks. The weight gain, feed efficiency, serum total protein, albumin and total lipid concentration, and liver lipid concentration in the retrograded rice administration group were significantly lower than those in the other two groups. These results indicate that retrograded starch is not well digested in vivo as compared with gelatinized starch. In the retrograded rice-administered group, hemoglobin concentration, serum transferrin saturation, and liver iron concentration were significantly high, and it was estimated that low protein and energy status caused by retrograded rice administration changed iron metabolism. On the other hand, the uncooked polished rice administration group showed the same growth as the gelatinized rice administration group, which was different from the result of the in vitro digestion test. This result is coincident with previous reports but the mechanism by which rats can utilize raw starch is unknown.

The dietary habits of pregnant women depend on the dietary habits before pregnancy, but under the influence of increasing desire to lose weight, undernutrition is a concern. Undernutrition in pregnant women increases the risk of low birth weight infants and preterm birth.
The purpose of this study was to clarify the relationship between malnutrition in pregnant women, anemia and low birth weight infant birth rates. Targeting 109 pregnant women who responded by distributing a food intake frequency questionnaire including food habit questions. We compared the birth weight of infants by dietary iron intake and by the presence or absence of iron supplement intake.
As a result, the mean birth weight of infants was significantly greater that blood hemoglobin lower group (Hb < 11 g/dl) was as the high group (Hb ≥ 11 g/dl). Births of low birth weight infants occurred only in the high group. In addition, no pregnant women gave birth to low birth weight infants in the iron supplementation group. It is not easy to increase iron intake from the diet. It was suggested that iron supplements should be taken not only for improvement of anemia as also for prevention of low birth weight infants. Further studies are required such as devising a dietary survey for pregnant women, since the number of subjects to be studied, especially those who take supplements, is small.

Arabidopsis thaliana accessions have been screened and selected for identification and cloning of selenium (Se)related genes by comparing the differences in Se tolerance among the accessions. In the present study, we evaluated Se tolerance and accumulation in leaves and roots of 72 A. thaliana accessions. After cultivation of A. thaliana for 28 day at 25 ℃ under conditions of 0 and 1.0 ppm sodium selenite, root length and Se concentration in leaves and roots were measured. The Se tolerance index (STI) (calculated as root length in the presence of Se divided by root length in the non-Se medium) was used to correct for differences in growth between accessions in the non-Se condition. The STI varied from 0.28 to 2.24 among the 72 accessions. There was no correlation between the STI and Se concentration in leaves and roots. However, there was a significant correlation between Se concentration in leaves and roots among the accessions. We selected the Wt-2 and Kas-1 accessions as having the highest and lowest STI, respectively. The result of this study was the identification and selection of A. thaliana accessions based on differences in Se tolerance and accumulation.

Prooxidant properties of aminophenol compounds including 2-(o-)，4-(p-) and 3-(m-) isomers were analyzed. Aminophenol compounds/transition metal-dependent production of reactive oxygen species was evidenced by the inactivation of aconitase, the most sensitive enzyme to oxidative stress in permeabilized yeast cells. Aminophenol compounds of 2-, and 4-isomers produced reactive oxygen species in the presence of copper (cupric) ion. The inactivation required sodium azide the inhibitor of catalase, suggesting that the superoxide radical produced from the 2- and 4-aminophenol/transition metal complex is responsible for the inactivation of aconitase. However, 3-aminophenol compound showed no inactivating effect on the aconitase, and 3-isomer did not produce the reactive oxygen species. Aminophenols of 2- and 4-isomers showed a potent reducing activity of copper (cupric) ion, and further scavenging activity of DPPH radical, but 3-aminophenol showed only a little effect. Reducing activity of aminophenols may produce periferryl ion and causing continuous generation superoxide anion by redox cycling. Acetaminophen showed no prooxidant activity, but 4-aminophenol the constituent of this drug could produce reactive oxygen species in the presence of transition metals. Side effect of excess acetaminophen may be related to the prooxidant activity of aminophenol/metal complex.

Aluminum (Al) is the third-most abundant metal and is widely distributed in our environment. It is stable as a trivalent ion and is not an essential trace element for humans. Aluminum compounds are industrially used as pharmaceuticals, food additives, cosmetics, and other household products. For pharmaceutical applications, aluminum salts are used as adjuvants to prepare vaccines and sucralfate, a complex of aluminum hydroxide and sulfated sucrose with an antiulcer property. However, Al is reported to be associated with the development of neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s disease and Parkinson’s disease.
Calcineurin (CN)，a target enzyme for immunosuppressive drugs such as tacrolimus (FK506) and cyclosporine A, is a calcium ion (Ca ^{2 +} )/calmodulin (CaM)-dependent protein serine/threonine phosphatase. We previously confirmed that trivalent lanthanum (La [III])，trivalent scandium (Sc [III])，trivalent yttrium (Y [III])，and trivalent chromium (Cr [III]) can inhibit the phosphatase activity of recombinant human CN (rhCN) from Escherichia coli. Kinetic analysis revealed that the inhibition was a mixed-type inhibition for La (III) and a non-competitive inhibition for Cr (III). In the present study, we examined the effect of rhCN on phosphatase activity using trivalent aluminum (Al [III]). We observed that the Al (III) inhibition of rhCN activity was a mixed-type inhibition using a double-reciprocal Lineweaver–Burk plot.

There are only a few reports on the antioxidative activity of bonito bouillon (Katsuo-Dashi soup stock)，a traditional Japanese seasoning, and their raw materials. The Dashi packs (powder-type soup stock) and evaporated Dashi (liquid type soup stock) are popular and are often used in Japanese meals, in which raw materials comprising dried bonito (Katsuo-bushi)，dried kelp (Kombu)，and dried shiitake mushroom (Lentinula edodes) are mixed. However, how much each raw material contributes to the antioxidative activity of the final products is unknown. So, we evaluated the antioxidative activity by 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) radical scavenging capacity. In addition, dried bonito (Katsuo-bushi) are classified into the sub-groups of sun-dried bonito (Tempi-bushi)，smoke-dried bonito (Arabushi) and smoke- and mold-dried bonito (Kare-bushi). There have been several reports of antioxidative effects of phenolic compounds absorbed by Katsuo-bushi during the smoking processes of fresh bonito (making Katsuo-bushi). Several phenolic compounds with methoxy or acetyl groups have been identified as aromatic components that increase during the production of Ara-bushi and Kare-bushi. Here, we also report the relationship between the chemical structure of hydroxy methoxy acetophenone and the expression of its antioxidative activity by the 1, 1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) method. These results indicate that Dashi Packs and evaporated Dashi including a lot of Katsuobushi have a high antioxidative activity, which may originate from phenolic compounds that increased in volume during the smoking process.

To clarify the role of biotin in palatal development, we examined the effects of biotin administration to pregnant mice with biotin deficiency at midgestation on the incidence of cleft palate. Pregnant mice were fed a biotin-deficient diet or biotin-supplemented (control) diet. Several mice in the biotin-deficient group were administered biotin solution via oral gavage at 0900 on day of gestation (dg) 11. After biotin administration, they were fed the biotin-supplemented diet until dg 17. The incidence of cleft palate was lower in the dg 11-supplemented group than in the biotin- deficient group. There was no significant difference in the incidence of cleft palate between the dg 11-supplemented group and the control group. This suggests that biotin is necessary for the normal development of the palatal process in the mouse fetus on dg 11 and earlier, which may be an important time point. Biotin may play a role in the initial stage of palatogenesis.

Oyster (Crassostrea gigas) contains abundant nutritional elements, including glycogen, vitamins, zinc and taurine. It is reported that oyster extract exhibited several physiological activities.
In this study, we reported the effect of oyster extract on the side effects of steroids in rats.
The oyster extract was administered for 28 days. Dexamethasone was subcutaneously administered at 100 μg/kgBW/day from the 14 days to the 14th days of administration of the oyster extract.
Administration of dexamethasone to rats causes typical steroid toxic effects (side effects) such as decreased body weight gain, decreased food intake, atrophy of the spleen, thymus, adrenal gland, and decreased serum corticosterone levels. The administration of oyster extract showed no change in adrenal gland weight compared to the control, but a significant increase in serum corticosterone concentration was observed at 500 mg/kgBW/day of oyster extract. It was shown that the variation of corticosterone obtained in this study did not affect the anti-inflammatory effect.
The oyster extract was shown to be effective in reducing the side effects of steroids.

We provide lectures and questionnaire surveys on folic acid for registered dietitian course students and nursing course students. They may have the opportunity to be involved in future patient health care and provide important advice on the involvement of folic acid in neural tube obstruction (mainly spina bifida and anencephaly). The food intake frequency survey and the dietary habit questionnaire were administered to 980 female students aged 18 to 22 (registered dietitian course students: 730, nursing course students: 250). Among registered dietitian course students (N = 258), the intake of folic acid by students who did not omit meals was significantly (p < 0.05) higher than that by those who answered that they omit meals. Moreover, it was significantly (p < 0.05) higher for students whoresponded that their dietary status was “Good” than for those who answered “Problematic”. Among nursing course students (N = 52), there was no difference in the presence of the omission of meals or the intake of folic acid. In addition, it was significantly (p < 0.05) lower for students who answered “Problematic” for their dietary status than for those who answered “Neither good nor problematic”. Registered nutrition course students promoted the intake of folic acid as their dietary habits and dietary consciousness improved. However, there was no relationship among dietary habits, consciousness, and folic acid intake in nursing course students.

The sales amount of commercially available baby food products is increasing in Japan. While babies and toddlers are prone to iron deficiency, hijiki seaweed (Sargassum fusiforme) is regarded as iron source in Japan. However, it is well known that hijiki seaweed contains excessive amount of inorganic arsenic. The provisional tolerable weekly intake (PTWI) of inorganic arsenic once established by the World Health Organization (WHO) had been withdrawn, because the Joint FAO/WHO Expert Committee on Food Additives (JECFA) concluded that the current PTWI for inorganic arsenic was no longer health protective. It is necessary to pay attention to use of hijiki seaweed for babies and toddlers. Therefore, we examined how many baby food products containing hijiki seaweed are on the market in Japan. The 24 baby food items were found to contain hijiki seaweed in the 560 baby food products (4.3％) by this study.