Modifying <Emphasis Type=Italic>CRI</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>CSR</Emphasis> values of coke

The influence of the following factors on the reactivity CRI and hot strength CSR in industrial coking is studied: eliminating bituminous coal from the coal batch; considerably increasing the coking periods; and significantly reducing the ash content of the batch. Batch composition such that the coke quality meets the needs of export customers (including requirements regarding CRI and CSR) is identified. Sharp deterioration in CRI and CSR is seen when the batch includes coal with high ash basicity and coal concentrate that is heavily contaminated with intermediate products.     

Cuticular Hydrocarbon Compounds in Worker Castes and Their Role in Nestmate Recognition in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Apis cerana indica</Emphasis>

Differences in cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) among worker castes and colonies were examined in Apis cerana indica. The roles of tetracosanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, pentacosane, and (Z)-9-tricosene in nestmate recognition were studied. The CHC profiles of different castes, i.e., newly emerged bees, nurse bees, and forager bees, were found to differ among colonies. The CHC profiles of nurse bees were similar across different colonies, but forager bees in all colonies had significantly greater amounts of alkanes. In nestmate recognition experiments, guard bees reacted significantly more aggressively to foragers treated with tetracosanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and (Z)-9-tricosene. Pentacosane provoked no such effect.     

Changes in Monoterpene Emission Rates of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Quercus ilex</Emphasis> Infested by Aphids Tended by Native or Invasive <Emphasis Type=Italic>Lasius</Emphasis> Ant Species

The emission of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) depends on temperature and light. Other factors such as insect herbivory also may modify VOC emission. In particular, aphid feeding promotes the release of new compounds and changes the composition of plant volatile blends. Given that some aphids are tended by ants, we investigated whether ants change the emission of VOCs indirectly through attendance on aphids. The effect of Lachnus roboris aphids and two different tending ant species on terpene emission rates of 4-year-old holm oak (Quercus ilex) saplings was investigated during a field experiment. There were five treatments: saplings alone (T1), saplings infested with L. roboris aphids (T2), saplings infested with aphids tended by the local ant Lasius grandis (T3), those tended by small colonies of the invasive ant Lasius neglectus (T4), and those tended by large colonies of the same invasive ant species (T5). The infestation by L. roboris elicited the emission of Δ³-carene and increased the emission of myrcene and γ-terpinene. Terpene emissions were modified depending on the tending ant species. Attendance by the local ant L. grandis increased α and β-pinene and sabinene. Attendance by the invasive ant L. neglectus only decreased significantly the emission of myrcene, one of the major compounds of the Q. ilex blend. Aphid abundance decreased with time for all treatments, but there was no difference in aphid abundance among treatments. Total terpene emission rates were not correlated with aphid abundance. These results highlight that aphids and tending ants may change terpene emission rates, depending on the ant species.     

Fatty Acids Released by <Emphasis Type=Italic>Chlorella vulgaris</Emphasis> and Their Role in Interference with <Emphasis Type=Italic>Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata</Emphasis>: Experiments and Modelling

The role of extracellular fatty acids in the interference between two algae, Chlorella vulgaris Beijerink and Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata (Korshikov) Hindak, was assessed by the co-cultivation of the two selected strains, as well as by the chemical analysis of exudates from the culture media of single strain cultures. The effect of culture age and phosphate limitation was evaluated. The experiments showed that the composition and amount of fatty acids, released by C. vulgaris and by P. subcapitata, both in a batch and in a continuous monoculture, depend on the culture age and on the phosphate concentration in the culture medium. We also found that the amount of chlorellin generated in the two algae co-culture increased and was almost exclusively constituted by a mixture of C18 fatty acids. By using the evaluated concentrations of these fatty acids, an artificial chlorellin was prepared. The toxicity of this mixture to P. subcapitata appears to be similar to that of the natural chlorellin. For both algae, a stimulation of growth was observed at low concentrations of the natural chlorellin, whereas higher concentrations produced inhibitory effects on both species. However, P. subcapitata was much more sensitive than C. vulgaris. By using some of these new experimental results, two new mathematical models have been used to describe the toxicity of chlorellin to C. vulgaris and to the interference between C. vulgaris and P. subcapitata, respectively.     

Screening of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Candida utilis</Emphasis> and medium optimization for co-production of <Emphasis Type=Italic>S</Emphasis>-adenosylmethionine and glutathione

An effective S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione enriching yeast mutant of Candida utilis CCTCC M 209298 was first screened from plates containing 0.5 g/L of DL-ethionine by complex mutagenesis with UV and γ-ray in this study. Medium components optimization for enhanced co-production of S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione by C. utilis CCTCC M 209298 was further carried out using response surface methodology. The significant factors influencing S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione co-production were selected by Plackett-Burman design as sucrose, KH₂PO₄ and L-methionine, and Box-Behnken design was applied for further optimization studies. Based on these approaches, the optimized concentrations on medium components for higher co-production of S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione were sucrose 35.4 g/L, (NH₄)₂SO₄ 10 g/L, KH₂PO₄ 12.3 g/L, MgSO₄·7H₂O, 0.05 g/L, CaCl₂ 0.05 g/L and L-methionine 4.6 g/L. The medium optimization by response surface methodology led to a total production of 589.3 mg/L on S-adenosylmethionine and glutathione, which was 2.4-fold increased compared with the medium without optimization.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Nosema</Emphasis> spp. Infection Alters Pheromone Production in Honey Bees (<Emphasis Type=Italic>Apis mellifera</Emphasis>)

Pheromones in social insects play a key role in the regulation of group homoeostasis. It is well-established that parasites can modify hormone signaling of their host, but less is known about the effect of parasites on pheromone signaling in insect societies. We, thus, tested in honey bees (Apis mellifera) the effect of the widespread parasite Nosema spp. on the production of ethyl oleate (EO), the only identified primer pheromone in honey bee workers. Since environmental stressors like pesticides also can weaken honey bees, we also analyzed the effect of imidacloprid, a neonicotinoid widely used in agriculture, on EO production. We show that, contrary to imidacloprid, Nosema spp. significantly altered EO production. In addition, the level of Nosema infection was correlated positively with the level of EO production. Since EO is involved in the regulation of division of labor among workers, our result suggests that the changes in EO signaling induced by parasitism have the potential to disturb the colony homoeostasis.     

Physico-Chemical Analysis,NMR Spectroscopy and Gas Chromatographic Studies of <Emphasis Type=Italic>Jatropha</Emphasis><Emphasis Type=Italic>curcas</Emphasis> L. Germplasm

A systematic collection of Jatropha curcas germplasm was carried out from five distinct ecogeographic zones of peninsular India in 2008. This involved recording passport data, documentation of important plant traits in situ, ecogeographic parameters and assessment of variability in 82 accessions. Extraction of oil was done by the Soxhlet method which gave an average yield of 38%. Oil content of collected accessions was determined by nuclear magnetic resonance and Soxhlet extraction. Oil variability ranged from 45.5% in JC-8 to 11.5% in JC-30. The level of unsaturated fatty acid ranged from 85% in JC-57 to 75.5% in JC-10. Saturated fatty acids ranged from 24% in JC-43 to 15% in JC-54, the oxidative stability index was highest at 2.1 in JC-30 and lowest at 0.68 in JC-17. The seed weight was greatest in JC-8 and the lowest in JC-30. This paper provides information that will facilitate the selection of promising accessions for genetic enhancement of Jatropha germplasm through conventional breeding.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Jatropha</Emphasis> Diterpenes: a Review

Terpenes are the largest group of phytochemicals that exhibit diverse functions in mediating antagonistic and beneficial interactions in, and among, organisms. For many years the abundance and distribution of terpenoid compounds in plants have benefitted both nature and human civilization. Jatropha species, belonging to the family Euphorbiaceae, are a rich source of terpenoid compounds. Among the terpenes, diterpenoid compounds have dominated the research area in Jatropha species with respect to their novel chemical structures and medicinal values. The present review describes the chemistry and biological activities of an array of Jatropha diterpenes. The diterpenes isolated from Jatropha species belongs to rhamnofolane, daphnane, lathyrane, tigliane, dinorditerpene, deoxy preussomerin and pimarane skeletal structures. Among the 68 diterpenes collated in this review, the biological activity of compounds varied distinctly—the majority of the diterpenes exhibited cytotoxic, antitumor and antimicrobial activities in vitro. To name a few, jatrophone, spruceanol and jatrophatrione exhibited antitumor properties against P338 lymphocytic leukemia and japodagrol against KB carcinoma cells. Whereas, curcusone B exhibited anti-invasive effects against cholangiocarcinoma cells. The phorbol esters (Jatropha factor C1–C6) and Jatropherol exhibited insect deterrent/cytotoxic properties. Many diterpenes (jatrophalactam, faveline derivatives, multifolone, curcusone, jatrophone derivatives etc.) showed in-vitro cytotoxic activity, while japodagrin, jatrogrossidione derivatives and jatropholone derivatives exhibited antimicrobial activities. Jatropha diterpenoids having a wide spectrum of bioactivity could form lead compounds or could be used as templates for the synthesis of new compounds with better biological activity for utilization in the pharmaceutical industries.     

Cuticular Hydrocarbons of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tribolium confusum</Emphasis> Larvae Mediate Trail Following and Host Recognition in the Ectoparasitoid <Emphasis Type="Italic">Holepyris sylvanidis</Emphasis>

Parasitic wasps which attack insects infesting processed stored food need to locate their hosts hidden inside these products. Their host search is well-known to be guided by host kairomones, perceived via olfaction or contact. Among contact kairomones, host cuticular hydrocarbons (CHCs) may provide reliable information for a parasitoid. However, the chemistry of CHC profiles of hosts living in processed stored food products is largely unknown. Here we showed that the ectoparasitoid Holepyris sylvanidis uses CHCs of its host Tribolium confusum, a worldwide stored product pest, as kairomones for host location and recognition at short range. Chemical analysis of T. confusum larval extracts by gas chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry revealed a rich blend of long-chain (C25-C30) hydrocarbons, including n-alkanes, mono-, and dimethylalkanes. We further studied whether host larvae leave sufficient CHCs on a substrate where they walk along, thus allowing parasitoids to perceive a CHC trail and follow it to their host larvae. We detected 18 CHCs on a substrate that had been exposed to host larvae. These compounds were also found in crude extracts of host larvae and made up about a fifth of the CHC amount extracted. Behavioral assays showed that trails of host CHCs were followed by the parasitoids and reduced their searching time until successful host recognition. Host CHC trails deposited on different substrates were persistent for about a day. Hence, the parasitoid H. sylvanidis exploits CHCs of T. confusum larvae for host finding by following host CHC trails and for host recognition by direct contact with host larvae.     

Male-Specific Cuticular Compounds of the Six <Emphasis Type=Italic>Drosophila paulistorum</Emphasis> Semispecies: Structural Identification and Mating Effect

We have identified cuticular pheromones that sustain the integrity of the six Drosophila paulistorum semispecies. Hexane extracts of male and female cuticles were separated on a silica gel column and analyzed using gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. Both sexes of each of the six semispecies have the same fifteen major cuticular components, all hydrocarbons ranging from C31 to C37. However, all males have four additional ester compounds. Bioassay observations showed that this four-component ester complex imparts a strong anti-aphrodisiac effect on intra-semispecific mating behavior, thus confirming its pheromonal role. The three major ester components are methyl (Z)-9-tetradecenoate (C₁₅H₂₈O₂), 11-docosenyl acetate (C₂₄H₄₆O₂), and 19-triacontenyl acetate (C₃₂H₆₂O₂). The fourth ester is a di-unsaturated acetate with molecular formula C₃₂H₆₀O₂, but the positions of unsaturation have not been determined. Bioassays indicate that the male-specific complex of the transitional semispecies, the relict ancestor, imparts anti-aphrodisiac effects on the other semispecies as well, but effectiveness decreases with phylogenetic distances. Across the six semispecies, the male-specific compounds are the same, but vary quantitatively. Apparently, the quantitative differences among these incipient species act efficiently to preclude hybridization in nature. Because Drosophila paulistorum is a cluster of incipient species, this opportunity to observe pheromonal influences on speciation is unique.     

<Emphasis Type=Italic>Trans</Emphasis> Fatty Acids in Human Milk are an Indicator of Different Maternal Dietary Sources Containing <Emphasis Type=Italic>Trans</Emphasis> Fatty Acids

The trans fatty acid (TFA) patterns in the fats of ruminant meat and dairy products differ from those found in other (processed) fats. We have evaluated different TFA isomers in human breast milk as an indicator of dietary intake of ruminant and dairy fats of different origins. Breast milk samples were collected 1 month postpartum from 310 mothers participating in the KOALA Birth Cohort Study (The Netherlands). The study participants had different lifestyles and consumed different amounts of dairy products. Fatty acid methyl esters were determined by GC-FID and the data were evaluated by principal component analysis (PCA), ANOVA/Post Hoc test and linear regression analysis. The two major principal components were (1) 18:1 trans-isomers and (2) markers of dairy fat including 15:0, 17:0, 11(trans)18:1 and 9(cis),11(trans)18:2 (CLA). Despite similar total TFA values, the 9(trans)18:1/11(trans)18:1-ratio and the 10(trans)18:1/11(trans)18:1-ratio were significantly lower in milk from mothers with high dairy fat intake (40–76 g/day: 0.91 ± 0.48, P < 0.05) compared to low dairy fat intake (0–10 g/day: 1.59 ± 0.48), and lower with strict organic meat and dairy use (>90% organic: 0.92 ± 0.46, P < 0.05) compared to conventional origin of meat and dairy (1.40 ± 0.61). Similar results were obtained for the 10(trans)18:1/11(trans)18:1-ratio. We conclude that both ratios are indicators of different intake of TFA from ruminant and dairy origin relative to other (including industrial) sources.     

Isolation of a Pyrazine Alarm Pheromone Component from the Fire Ant, <Emphasis Type=Italic>Solenopsis invicta</Emphasis>

Alarm pheromones in social insects are an essential part of a complex of pheromone interactions that contribute to the maintenance of colony integrity and sociality. The alarm pheromones of ants were among the first examples of animal pheromones identified, primarily because of the large amount of chemical produced and the distinctive responses of ants to the pheromone. However, the alarm pheromone of the fire ant, Solenopsis invicta, eluded identification for over four decades. We identified 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine as an alarm pheromone component of S. invicta. Worker fire ants detect the pyrazine alarm pheromone at 30 pg/ml, which is comparable to alarm pheromone sensitivities reported for other ant species. The source of this alarm pheromone are the mandibular glands, which, in fire ants, are not well developed and contain only about 300 pg of the compound, much less than the microgram quantities of alarm pheromones reported for several other ant species. Female and male sexuals and workers produce the pyrazine, which suggests that it may be involved in fire ant mating flight initiation, as well as the typical worker alarm response. This is the first report of 2-ethyl-3,6-dimethylpyrazine from a Solenopsis species and the first example of this alkaloid functioning as an alarm pheromone.     

Studies on growth kinetics of predominantly <Emphasis Type=Italic>Pseudomonas</Emphasis> sp. in internal loop airlift bioreactor using phenol and <Emphasis Type=Italic>m</Emphasis>-cresol

Growth profile of predominantly Pseudomonas species was studied using wastewater containing phenol and m-cresol, as single and multi component systems in an internal loop airlift bioreactor (ILALR). The species utilized for the study was isolated from a wastewater treatment plant. The reactor was operated at both lower and higher hydraulic retention time (HRTs), 4.1 h and 8.3 h, respectively. The inlet phenol and concentration was varied between 100 and 800 mg/L with 800 mg/L as shock loading concentration for an HRT of 8.3 h. For 4.1 h HRT, the concentration was varied 100 and 500 mg/L using 500 mg/L as a shock loading concentration. The study showed complete degradation of both phenol and m-cresol, when present individually at an HRT of 8.3 h with an enriched biomass output. The specific growth rate of the culture at various phenol and m-cresol concentrations was fitted to a Monod model. The biokinetics value showed good potential of Pseudomonas species employing the internal loop air lift bioreactor in utilizing high strength phenolics containing wastewater. Culture growth profile with both phenol and m-cresol as mixtures also showed decreased lag times with complete utilization of the phenolics.     

Influence of the composition of coal ash on its flow temperature and on the <Emphasis Type=Italic>CSR</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>CRI</Emphasis> values of the coke produced

Two sets of experimental data characterizing the chemical composition of coal ash, its flow temperature t _c, and the CSR and CRI values of the coke from such coal are analyzed. The results indicate that the content of four oxides (SiO₂, Fe₂O₃, CaO, and Na₂O) may be used to predict t _c and also CSR and CRI in mathematical models. Models of the form y = a(I ₄) ^b , where y = t _c, CSR, or CRI and I ₄ = SiO₂/(Fe₂O₃ + CaO + Na₂O), adequately describe the experimental data within the range considered.     

Effect of Essential Oils from <Emphasis Type=Italic>Lippia geminata</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type=Italic>Cymbopogon jwarancusa</Emphasis> on In vitro Growth and Sporulation of Two Rice Pathogens

Sheath blight and brown spot disease of rice caused by Rhizoctonia solani and Bipolaris oryzae causes significant yield loss in rice production worldwide. The present study was undertaken to examine the effect of two essential oils (EOs) from Lippia geminata and Cymbopogon jwarancusa on in vitro growth and sporulation of these two pathogens. The fungal radial growth was inhibited at very low concentration (25 ppm) of the EOs. Similarly, fungal spore production was also inhibited up to ≥80% at 500 ppm of EOs. However, fungal sporulation was completely retarded at 1,000 ppm of L. geminata EO. Very low oil concentrations (10 ppm) accelerated the radial growth (0–5 mm) and spore germination (3.5–8.5%) of the pathogens. At higher oil concentrations, the mycelial growth and spore productions were completely inhibited. The IC₅₀ value of the EO of C. jwarancusa was 365.45 and 336.74 ppm and for L. geminata, it was 420.16 and 481.47 ppm against B. oryzae and R. solani, respectively. GC–MS analysis of the oils showed 54.36% piperitone and 30.86% α-phellandrene as major compounds in C. jwarancusa whereas 25.9% geranial and 14.6% neral in L. geminata oil. Essential oils from Lippia geminata and Cymbopogon jwarancusa appear to be good candidates for the in vitro control of these two rice pathogens and can be successfully utilized in management strategies of pathogens in appropriate formulation.