Role of semiochemicals in mate location by parasitic sea louse,Lepeophtheirus salmonis

The role of olfaction and diffusible pheromones in mate location behavior of sea lice, Lepeophtheirus salmonis, was assessed with Y-tube behavioral bioassays. The pheromone emitting animals were located in a chamber in one arm of a Y-tube arena, with artificial seawater flowing through both arms. Adult male sea lice displayed both activation and directional responses to seawater conditioned with preadult II virgin females, but were only activated by mated adult female conditioned water. Further, when males were given the choice of preadult II virgin females or mated adult females, a significant number of males chose the arm with the preadult II virgin females. Adult males showed activation responses when presented with water conditioned with adult males but were not attracted to them. When presented with adult males, preadult II virgin females showed only directional responses, but not activation responses. Preadult II virgin female conditioned water was extracted using solid-phase extraction (SPE) protocols pioneered for semiochemical isolation. Adult male sea lice showed significant directional responses to the preadult II virgin female SPE extract. Distillation under vacuum was performed on the extract to give a distillate comprising components with a molecular weight range and physical properties comparable to those of compounds utilized as volatile semiochemicals by terrestrial organisms and a residue comprising components with higher molecular weight range comparable to those utilized as involatile semiochemicals. Adult males were found to be both significantly activated and attracted to the distillate, but not to the residue. This research provides evidence that small, lipophilic organic molecules are used by sea lice as sex pheromone signals to locate a member of the opposite sex.     

Phospholipid fatty acid composition in type I and type II rat muscle

The fatty acid composition of the membrane phospholipids phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylethanolamine in insulin-sensitive Type I (soleus) and insulin-resistant Type II (EDL) muscle is not known. In the present studies, soleus and EDL muscles were removed from 250–300 g Sprague-Dawley rats, and the fatty acid composition of total and individual phospholipid (PL) species was quantitated. As expected, triglyceride content was increased twofold in soleus muscle. No quantitative differences in the individual PL species or cholesterol content were found between the two muscles. However, a striking difference in PL fatty acid composition was observed in the PC fraction. An increase in 16∶0 with decreases in 18∶0, 18∶1, 22∶5n-3, and 22∶6n-3 (P<0.001 for each) was observed in the PC fraction of EDL compared to that from soleus, consistent with reduced elongation of PC fatty acids. Inhibition of fatty acid oxidation with the carnitine palmitoyl transferase-1 inhibitor, etomoxir, did not alter the fatty acid pattern in either muscle. We conclude that an alteration in PL fatty acid composition consistent with reduced elongation of both saturated and unsaturated fatty acids is observed in Type II muscle. The restriction of these alterations to the PC fraction has important implications. Deceased (June 28, 1996).     

Synthesis of poly(1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-silapentane) by chemical reduction of poly)1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-sila-cis-pent-3-ene with diimide

Summary Poly(1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-silapentane) (I) has been prepared by the chemical reduction of the carbon-carbon double bonds of poly(1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-sila-cis-pent-3-ene (cis-II) with diimide, which was generatedin-situ by the thermal decomposition ofp-toluenesulfonhydrazide in refluxing toluene. At lower temperature (100°C),cis-II is isomerized byp-toluenesulfinic acid to lower molecular weight poly(1-methyl-1-phenyl-1-sila-cis andtrans-pent-3-ene) (cis/trans-II). Protodesilation of I with trifluoromethanesulfonic acid yields poly(1-methyl-1-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-1-silapentane) (III). The structures of I andcis/trans-II have been characterized by¹H,¹³C and²⁹Si NMR, GPC, TGA and elemental analysis. The structure of I has been characterized spectroscopically by¹H,¹³C,¹⁹F and²⁹Si NMR.     

Field response ofDendroctonus brevicomis toexo-brevicomin,frontalin, and myrcene released at two proportions and three levels

Racemicezo-brevicomin, racemic frontalin, and myrcene were released at two proportions (51400 and 111), each at three levels (1 ×, 10 ×, and 100 ×) in a ponderosa pine forest in central California. The 51400 mix was based on an estimate of the relative amounts released from a ponderosa pine under attack by the western pine beetle,Dendroctonus brevicomis. MoreD. brevicomis were trapped at a source of the three compounds released at 51400 than were trapped at a source released at 111, at all three levels, but this difference was statistically significant only at the 1 × and 10 × levels. Sex ratio of trapped beetles and distribution of catch at the source of attractant and 5 m away apparently did not differ between relative release rates.Coleoptera: Scolytidae.Trade names are mentioned solely for information. No endorsement by the U.S. Department of Agriculture is implied.     

Monodisperse nanoparticles of poly(ethylene glycol) macromers and N‐isopropyl acrylamide for biomedical applications

Poly(ethylene glycol)‐based nanoparticles have received significant attention in the field of biomedicine. When they are copolymerized with pH‐ or temperature‐sensitive comonomers, their small size allows them to respond very quickly to changes in the environment, including changes in the pH, ionic strength, and temperature. In addition, the high surface‐to‐volume ratio makes them highly functionalized. In this work, nanoparticles composed of temperature‐sensitive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide), poly(ethylene glycol) 400 dimethacrylate, and poly(ethylene glycol) 1000 methacrylate were prepared by a thermally initiated, free‐radical dispersion polymerization method. The temperature‐responsive behavior of the hydrogel nanoparticles was characterized by the study of their particle size with photon correlation spectroscopy. The size of the nanoparticles varied from 200 to 1100 nm and was a strong function of the temperature of the system, from 5 to 40°C. The thermal, structural, and morphological characteristics were also investigated. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 87: 1678–1684, 2003     

A modified model and algorithm for flow‐enhanced crystallization—Application to fiber spinning

The graft copolymerization of acrylamide (AAm) monomer onto polyethylene‐coated polypropylene (PE‐co‐PP) nonwoven fabric was carried out by the mutual irradiation method. The general peculiarities of the grafting have been studied by gravimetric, scanning electron microscope (SEM), mechanical properties, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) methods. The influence of absorbed dose, dose rate, as well as the monomer concentration on the degree of grafting has been determined. Metal ions uptake of Cu²⁺, Co²⁺, Ni²⁺ by the grafted fabrics was evaluated. © 2006 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 102: 3240–3245, 2006     

BLOOD VISCOELASTICITY FOR CONDITIONS OF PHYSIOLOGICAL FLOW IN SMALL ARTERIES

The viscoelasticity of blood is quantified by studying the oscillatory flow of suspensions of RBC in plasma in 218 μm and 400 μm glass capillary tubes. The flow conditions are chosen to reflect normal physiological flow in small arterial vessels. Data are obtained for suspension hematocrits between 35 and 80 percent, and at physiological temperature (37°C) The results indicate that the elastic component of the viscoelasticity of blood is effectively negligible for the conditions of this study; the measured pressure gradient-flowrate relationship is dominated by the viscous component of blood viscoelasticity.     

The distribution and phylogenetic significance of desmethylsterols inChenopodium andAtriplex: Coexistence of Δ7- and Δ5 -sterols

Twenty-one species in the Chenopodiaceae were analyzed for sterol composition. In ten of eleven species ofChenopodium, the major desmethylsterols were Δ⁷-sterols accompanied by lower proportions of Δ⁵-sterols. InC. fremontii this pattern was reversed. The sterol profiles of five species ofAtriplex were characterized by the coexistence of Δ⁷- and Δ⁵-sterols in ratios of 0.3∶1 to 0.4∶1. MaleAtriplex plants contained higher proportions of Δ⁵-sterols than femaleAtriplex plants. OneCeratoides and twoSalicornia species contained Δ⁵-sterols as their predominant sterols.     

Ozone Cooling Tower Treatment With and Without Mineral Removal

This paper builds on a prior paper by this author, McGrane (1991). In that paper, ozone is used as the sole means of cooling tower water treatment. The paper discusses water conservation by increased cycles of concentration, greatly increased efficiency through extremely low biological populations, and corrosion data which is compared to ozonated and chemically treated towers.

New in this paper are the results from the combination of a low pressure reverse osmosis system with ozone treatment for cooling tower water. Scale formation has continued to plague cooling towers with high concentrations of calcium in the make-up water. The use of a mineral removal system in cases of extremely hard water has made ozone an attractive alternative to traditional chemicals in many areas.