Koichi Shimbayashi

Effect of vitamin E on the urea cycle enzymes, ornithine-keto acid transaminase, and isocitric dehydrogenase in rat liver.

Albino female rats were fed for 4 to 6 months on either a vitamin E-supplemented or on a vitamin E-unsupplemented diet.Of the urea cycle enzyme activities, carbamyl phosphate synthetase and ornithine transcarbamylase were significantly higher in the vitamin E-supplemented group than in the vitamin E-unsupplemented one. Reversely, the activity of ornithine-keto acid transaminase was lower in the former group.Urea level in the serum and liver was lower in the vitamin E-supplemented group, but urea excretion was accelerated in this group.Activity of isocitric dehydrogenase was significantly higher in the vitamin E-supplemented group. From these results, it is suggested that vitamin E is efficient for the de-toxication of ammonia in the animal body.

Plasma prolidase activity as a possible diagnostic index of chronic hepatic abscess in cattle.

The usefulness of prolidase as a biochemical parameter to represent the chronic state of hepatic abscess was discussed in eight cattle experimentally inoculated with Fusobacterium necrophorum and 18 spontaneously affected cattle. Blood was daily collected to measure the plasma prolidase activity and sialic acid level from the experimental cattle for 90 days after inoculation. In three out of four cattle affected with hepatic abscess, prolidase activity began to rise about 40 days after inoculation, and maintained high activity till 90 days. In the same cattle the sialic acid concentration increased from 7 to 10 days after inoculation, and gradually returned to the normal value 50 days after it. Another cow showed a similar change in early stage of experiment, but prolidase activity decreased after 70 days and sialic acid concentration maintained high level till 90 days. In two cattle, which showed scars but no abscess on autopsy, the prolidase activity increased temporarily from 40 to 55 days after inoculation. In the control cattle inoculated with an inactivated bacterial suspension, neither the sialic acid level nor the prolidase activity showed any large variation in the experimental period. Among the spontaneously affected cattle, those with a high sialic acid level revealed normal prolidase activity and those with a normal sialic acid level had high prolidase activity.

Mucopolysaccharides in plasma and urine of fattening cattle affected with laminitis.

Mucopolysaccharides concentrations in blood and urine and some enzyme activities in their metabolism were determined in cattle with laminitis. Acid mucopolysaccharides (AMPS) concentrations in blood and urine and the activity of blood N-acetyl-β-D-glucosaminidase were higher in the affected cattle than in controls, suggesting the abnormal metabolism of mucopolysaccharides in the hoofs with laminitis.

Size distribution of spermatozoa in some mammals.

マウス,ラット,テンジクネズミ,ブタの精子全体(頭～尾)の容積をCoulter Chanalyser, Model-C-1000を用いて測定した.ブタでは射出精子,他動物では精巣上体尾精子を用いた.これらをO, Isotoneで2回洗滌したものをW, Sephadex (G-50 fine) gel柱で〓過したものをS材料とし,ラット以外の各動物においてO,W, Sの3種精子の体積を測定した.ブタのO,マウス,テンジクネズミのO, W, S,ラットのO, W精子は単峯曲線分布を示し,ブタのW, Sは双峯曲線を示した.Oの大部分の精子はマウス,ラット,テンジクネズミ,ブタにおいて,それぞれ10～50,10～35,1.25～8.75,5～45μ3の範囲に分布した.O曲線の峯はそれぞれ約20,20,2.5,14μ3にみられた.テンジクネズミ精子は他動物のものに比し非常に小さかった.確認はできなかったが,精子は破壊されたものと考えられる.ラット精子はSephadex柱通過困難で,S曲線は得られなかった.マウス,テンジクネズミではS曲線はO, Wに比し,左方(小)に移動した.ブタのW, S曲線は双峯性を示し,とくにSにおいて明らかであった,W曲線では左峯よりも右峯が高いが,S曲線では2峯はほぼ同じ高さを示した.これら左,右の峯が,それぞれYおよびX精子を示すかどうかは不明である.

Effects of Intraruminal Infusion of Urea on Parotid Saliva Secretion in Sheep During Feeding

反芻家畜の生理諸元の変動に採食が重要な意味を持つことに着目して,耳下腺唾液分泌における尿素の意義について採食との関連から追求した.一側耳下腺フィステル,第一胃フィステル装着めん羊3頭を乾草300g,低蛋白質配合飼料480gの1日2時間の制限給餌で飼育した.採食開始90分目に第一胃フィステルから尿素を体重kg当たり0.3g,2週間にわたり注入した区と対照区(Ringer液注入)について唾液分泌その他の生理諸元について比較した.その結果,1) 一側耳下腺唾液日量は対照区2683±236mlが尿素区において2019±113mlと有意に減少した.採食に伴う唾液分泌の経時的パターンは両区において差が見られた.2) 血漿尿素レベルは,対照区で5.5-8.1mgN/dlであり,尿素区では22.0-29.1mgN/dlであった,唾液尿素レベルは尿素区で採食後2時間で血漿レベルに最も近づき,対照区では血漿と同レベルまで上昇した.唾液の尿素の経時的変動には採食が重要な要因となっていると思われた.3) 血液NH3濃度は対照区で250-290μgN/dl,尿素区では320-510μgN/dlで両区に差が見られた.唾液のNH3は対照区で血液のほぼ10%で,採食後わずかに増加する程度であったが,尿素区では劇的な増加を示した.4) 第一胃内pHは両区において有意差が見られ,またNH3濃度にも両区で著しい差がみられた.第一胃内のVFA濃度には差がみられなかったが血液VFA濃度は採食後両区に差がみられた.

Hydroxyproline in Chlorella and its Metabolism in Tobacco Leaves

Hydroxyproline and other compounds were labeled with C14 by Chlorella pyrenoidosa supplied with C14O2 in the light. The hydroxyproline recovered from a hydrolysate of the algae was administered through the cut bases of tobacco leaves. The leaves formed little proline from the hydroxyproline, but the C14 label was transferred to a variety of other amino acids. Although hydroxyproline is not abundant in plants, it appears to be an active metabolite.