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The antioxidant activity of organic solvent extracts from green mate leaves (Ilex paraguariensis), lotus plumule (Nelumbo nucifera Gaertn.) and fresh rhubarb (Rheum rhabarbarum L.) stalks was investigated using four antioxidant assays. An extract obtained with 60% methanol solution from mate leaves exhibited antioxidant activity of 99.96 ± 1.20% at the level of 2000 g/mL (TBA assay) and of 81.80 ± 0.54% at the level of 125 g/mL (DPPH assay), respectively. In this fraction, five polyphenols, including chlorogenic acids, were identified by HPLC/MS analysis. Methanol extracts from lotus and rhubarb showed potent antioxidant activity of 98.45 ± 0.78% and 83. 93 ± 2.39%, respectively, at the level of 100 L/mL in a malonaldehyde/gas chromatography assay. Analysis of a hexane fraction of lotus and rhubarb identified several volatile antioxidants, such as 1-octen-3-ol and benzaldehyde. The results of the present study demonstrate that mate, lotus and rhubarb are excellent natural sources of antioxidants.

This study was to evaluate the combinatorial effect (14 treatments, A-N) of different Equex STM paste concentrations, cryoprotectants and the straw-freezing method on the post-thaw boar semen quality. Two ejaculates were collected from each of nine boars (three boars from each of three breeds). Semen was diluted in extenders with different concentrations of Equex STM paste and different cryoprotectants [glycerol or dimethylacetamide (DMA)] before cryopreserving via liquid nitrogen or dry ice. Motility, viability, percentage of spermatozoa with intense acrosomal staining and with normal morphology of post-thaw sperm were evaluated. The qualities of thawed semen were best preserved in treatment H (extender with 0.5% Equex STM paste and 5% glycerol and freezing by dry ice) and were worst in treatment B (extender with 0% Equex STM paste and 5% DMA and freezing by dry ice). Significant difference (p 0.05). Moreover, statistical analysis suggests that no significant difference was present in semen quality among breed or individual donors (p > 0.05). These findings suggest that Equex STM paste improved the cryosurvival efficiency of boar sperm, and the favourable straw-freezing method changes between glycerol and DMA.

Although microbes are frequent sources of clinically useful enzymes, there are certain biocatalysts which appear to be enriched in, or more naturally available from nonmicrobes. This paper highlights several of these enzyme reagents, and illustrates their potential or actual clinical diagnostic uses. These reagents include: an enzyme extract containing both glucose oxidase and mutarotase activities from peppers; a bilirubin-degrading enzyme from orange peels; a gentisic acid metabolizing activity from onions; and enzymes from snails which catalyze the detoxification of cyanide by divergent mechanisms.

Instrumental neutron activation analysis was used to determine trace elements in Cladina mitis (Sandst.) Hale & Culb. along transects extendingfrom uranium mines at Elliot Lake and Agnew Lake in central Ontario, Canada. Levels of 11 elements were reported and the presence of uranium (U) was confirmed, although U concentrations were much less than in Cladina rangiferina 10 years earlier. Among the elements identified in lichen thalli was Th, which occurred in higher concentrations than U. All trace elements, including the two radionuclides, were found in deterio- rating thallus parts as well as living podetia, and five of these seem to have originated as airborne particulates from minesites. In spite of mine closures, levels of Th and U remained higher near sources of ore dust and there was little relationship between radionuclide concentrations in thallus