Toxic coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (Co-PCBs) were used as substrates for a degradation experiment with white-rot fungus, Phlebia brevispora TMIC33929, which is capable of degrading polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins. Eleven PCB congener mixtures (7 mono-ortho- and 4 non-ortho-PCBs) were added to the cultures of P. brevispora and monitored by high resolution gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (HRGC/HRMS). Five PCB congeners, 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl, 2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyl, 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl, 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl, and 2,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl were degraded by P. brevispora. To investigate the fungal metabolism of PCB, each Co-PCB was treated separately by P. brevispora and the metabolites were analyzed by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC/MS) and identified on the basis of the GC/MS comparison with the authentic compound. Meta-methoxylated metabolite was detected from the culture containing each compound. Additionally, para-dechlorinated and -methoxylated metabolite was also detected from the culture with 2,3,3',4,4'-pentachlorobiphenyl, 2,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl, and 2,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl, which are mono-ortho-PCBs. In this paper, we identified the congener specific degradation of coplanar PCBs by P. brevispora, and clearly proved for the first time by identifying the metabolites that the white-rot fungus, P. brevispora, transformed recalcitrant coplanar PCBs.

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Abstract. The rabbit is considered to be a valuable laboratory animal. We compared glycerol, lactamide, acetamide, and dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO) as cryoprotectants in egg-yolk diluent of ejaculated Japanese white rabbit spermatozoa for improvement of sperm cryopreservation methods. Rabbit semen was frozen with 1.0 M glycerol, lactamide, acetamide, or DMSO in plastic straws. Forward progressive motility and plasma membrane integrity of the post-thaw spermatozoa were examined. The rate of forward progressive motile spermatozoa in lactamide (37.8 ± 3.0%) was significantly (P<0.05) higher than in glycerol (17.0 ± 3.3%). In addition, the rates of sperm plasma membrane integrity in lactamide and acetamide (35.9 ± 3.3% and 30.2 ± 3.0%, respectively) were significantly (P<0.05) higher than in glycerol (17.0 ± 2.6%). The results indicate that 1.0 M lactamide and acetamide have higher cryoprotective effects than 1.0 M glycerol for cryopreservation of Japanese white rabbit spermatozoa. Key words: Acetamide, Cryopreservation, Glycerol, Lactamide, Rabbit spermatozoa (J. Reprod. Dev. 52: [511][512][513][514][515][516] 2006) he rabbit is considered to be a valuable laboratory animal for research in teratology, immunology, microbiology, and medical and life sciences. In addition, many valuable mutants [1,2] including transgenic [3][4][5][6], have been established in the rabbit. Therefore, a need has been recognized for reliable methods to bank rabbit genetic resources efficiently in the form of cryopreserved spermatozoa. Glycerol has been extensively used as a cryoprotectant for various cells, including mammalian spermatozoa and embryos, since Polge et al. [7] reported its cryoprotective properties. In early research on freezing of rabbit spermatozoa, spermatozoa frozen with glycerol resulted in extremely low fertility [8][9][10][11]. After 1980, studies employing acetamide [12][13][14][15] or DMSO [12,[16][17][18][19][20][21][22] as a cryoprotectant have been encouraging. H o w e v e r , t h e r e i s a l i t t l e i n f o r m a t i o n o n cryoprotectants when freezing Japanese white rabbit spermatozoa.In the present study, we compared 1.0 M glycerol, lactamide, acetamide, and DMSO as cryoprotectants in egg-yolk diluent for ejaculated spermatozoa of the Japanese white rabbit. Forward progressive motility and plasma membrane

The possibility of characterising the garlic odour in in vitro and in vivo was demonstrated using the newly developed electronic nose, based on an array of metal oxide semiconductor sensors. Two grams of raw and heat-treated garlic, and breath odour after eating 2 g of raw garlic and heat-treated garlic were analysed with an electronic nose. Furthermore, calculation of F-value (odour quality) and S-value (odour strength) demonstrated distinct odour differences between the samples, and that the electronic nose could differentiate between the various garlic associated odours corresponding to the different origins (in vivo or in vitro), or to the different processing (raw or heat-treated). The correlation between gas chromatography and sensory analysis was also discussed in order to identify the volatile compounds in the sample, and to investigate the association with the response of human perception to the samples. Results showed that odour sensor data were easier to obtain and were well correlated with both types of instrument.Keywords Electronic nose, gas chromatography and sensory analysis, in vitro and in vivo study, oral malodour, raw garlic and heated garlic, volatile sulphide component.

SummaryVolatile sulfur compounds arising from grated raw or heat-treated garlic in both in-vitro and in-vivo tests were gas-chromato graphically analyzed. In in-vitro tests, the head-space vapor gas from garlic in a vial was analyzed. It was clarified that allyl mercaptan arising from raw garlic decreased with the passage of time and other volatile low-molecular sulfur compounds (LMSC) did not show remark able changes. The change of LMSC from heat-treated garlic was also studied. Methyl mercaptan and allyl mercaptan from heat-treated garlic gradually increased to some extent. On the other hand, the quantities of somewhat high-molecular sulfur cmpounds (HMSO) were much less in heat-treated garlic compared to those of raw garlic. These compounds increased till approx. 60min and then decreased gradually. In in-vivo tests, human expiration after eating garlic was analyzed. Allyl mercaptan, methyl mercaptan and allyl methyl sulfide in LMSC were detected in significant amounts. The quantities of these compounds arising from heat-treated garlic were smaller than those from raw garlic. These compounds had the tendency of decreasing with the passage of time. On the other hand, almost no HMSC was detected in both raw and heat-treated garlic. By sensory testing, raw garlic showed a stronger smell than heat-treated garlic in both in-vitro and in-vivo tests. GC analysis exhibited higher values of volatile sulfur compounds in raw garlic. That is, the higher the volatile sulfur compound level, the stronger the garlic flavor or malodor.