Eva Kwong

Isomerized fat and serum cholesterol in swine.

Summary Adult sows were fed a purified diet and in alternate 3-week periods were fed the diet either with a low fat or a high fat (40% of calories) content. In the high fat periods hydrogenated fats were compared with natural plant fat mixtures designed to have the same fatty acid composition. The difference in the fats studied was in their content of isomerized fatty acids. Also triolein was compared with trielaidin. The hydrogenated fats gave the same serum cholesterol response as their corresponding natural plant fat mixtures. Trielaidin gave a lower (P<0.05) serum cholesterol response than triolein.

Recovery of thiamine injected into the rat cecum.

Summary Rats receiving a thiamine-free diet and with coprophagy prevented were administered thiamine by injection directly into the cecum. Lack of growth response indicated little or no absorption of the injected thiamine from the large intestine. Recovery from feces of the injected thiamine showed a loss equivalent to approximately 4 μg per day. It has been concluded that this represents the rate of destruction of thiamine in the large intestine. The inclusion of penicillin in the diet did not alter the absorbability nor did it affect the rate of destruction of thiamine in the large intestine.

Effect of coprophagy on utilization of urea by the rat.

Summary 1. Addition of urea to a synthetic amino acid diet lacking in non-essential amino acids stimulated growth of young rats. 2. The growth-stimulatory effect of urea was not affected by prevention of coprophagy in the animals.

Factors influencing the microbiological degradation of choline and tryptophan in man.

Summary Antibacterial compounds, including penicillin G and phthalylsulfathiazole or a combination of these drugs produced variable suppression of urinary trimethylamine (TTMA) and indican output in normal male subjects. Three men with rapid intestinal transit time and low initial indican values exhibited markedly reduced TTMA and indican excretion in response to either drug alone and prolonged depression with combined drug treatment; while four men with prolonged intestinal transit time and high initial indican values showed less suppression of TTMA and indican excretion with sulfa or penicillin G alone and only transient suppression of indican and TTMA with combined treatment. It has been concluded that intestinal stasis is a major determinant of the escape of intestinal microflora from the action of these drugs.