Plant Cyanogenesis of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Phaseolus lunatus</Emphasis> and its Relevance for Herbivore–Plant Interaction: The Importance of Quantitative Data

Quantitative experimental results on the antiherbivorous effect of cyanogenesis are rare. In our analyses, we distinguished between the total amount of cyanide-containing compounds stored in a given tissue [cyanogenic potential (HCNp)] and the capacity for release of HCN per unit time (HCNc) from these cyanogenic precursors as a reaction to herbivory. We analyzed the impact of these cyanogenic features on herbivorous insects using different accessions of lima beans (Phaseolus lunatus L.) with different cyanogenic characteristics in their leaves and fourth instars of the generalist herbivore Schistocerca gregaria Forskål (Orthoptera, Acrididae). Young leaves exhibit a higher HCNp and HCNc than mature leaves. This ontogenetic variability of cyanogenesis was valid for all accessions studied. In no-choice bioassays, feeding of S. gregaria was reduced on high cyanogenic lima beans compared with low cyanogenic beans. A HCNp of about 15 μmol cyanide/g leaf (fresh weight) with a corresponding HCNc of about 1 μmol HCN released from leaf material within the first 10 min after complete tissue disintegration appears to be a threshold at which the first repellent effects on S. gregaria were observed. The repellent effect of cyanogenesis increased above these thresholds of HCNp and HCNc. No repellent action of cyanogenesis was observed on plants with lower HCNp and HCNc. These low cyanogenic accessions of P. lunatus were consumed extensively—with dramatic consequences for the herbivore. After consumption, locusts showed severe symptoms of intoxication. Choice assays confirmed the feeding preference of locusts for low over high cyanogenic leaf material of P. lunatus. The bioassays revealed total losses of HCN between 90 and 99% related to the estimated amount of ingested cyanide-containing compounds by the locusts. This general finding was independent of the cyanogenic status (high or low) of the leaf material.     

Molecular aspects of the transport and toxicity of ochratoxin a

Ochratoxins are a class of naturally occurring compounds produced by several fungi. The most toxic is ochratoxin A (OTA), and occurrence of some human nephropathies and tumors correlate with enhanced OTA exposure. In this Account, the following areas are examined: molecular details of the binding of OTA to human serum albumin (HSA), the influences of binding to HSA on the trans-port of OTA across epithelial cell membranes by organic anion transport proteins, the oxidative activation of OTA, and the formation of OTA adducts with biological molecules. These studies are beginning to provide a detailed chemical model for the trans-port, accumulation, and genotoxic and carcinogenic effects of OTA.     

Thermal stability of substituted phenol-formaldehyde resins

A variety of crosslinked phenol-, or derivatized phenol-formaldehyde polymers have been synthesized. The phenol derivatives included o- and p-cresol, p-nonylphenol, m-pentadecylphenol, and raw and distilled cashew nutshell liquid. The derivatives were copolymerized with phenol and formaldehyde using sulfuric acid as catalyst to yield novolak-type prepolymers, which were then cured with hexamethylenetetramine. Thermogravimetric analysis was used to evaluate the thermal stability of the cured resins. It was found that the thermal stability of the resins decreased with increasing amounts of cashew nutshell liquid, with distilled cashew resins being slightly more thermally stable than raw cashew resins. The thermal stability of resins containing substituted phenols with alkyl chains was observed to increase from n-pentadecylphenol to cresol to phenol. The trend in thermal stability of the resins may be explained on the basis of alkyl groups being less thermally stable than aromatic rings. The amount of hexamethylenetetramine used to cure the prepolymers also influences the thermal stability of the resins. It appears that a level of 10 to 15% hexamethylenetetramine maximizes the thermal stability of the resin.     

Nanobubble generation and its applications in froth flotation (part Ⅲ): specially designed laboratory scale column flotation of phosphate

Froth flotation is used widely for upgrading raw phosphate. The flotation recovery of coarse phosphate (-1.18+0.425 mm) is much lower than that achieved on the -0.425+0.15 mm size fraction. Enhanced recovery of coarse phosphate particles is of great economic and environmental importance for phosphate industry. In this investigation, four different phosphate samples were aquired, characterized and tested in a specially designed laboratory-scale flotation column. Significant recovery improvement of coarse phosphate flotation was achieved using cavitation-generated nanobubble though its effects differ among the four testing phosphate samples. The laboratory-scale flotation column test results indicate that nanobubble increased P2O5 recovery by up to 10%-30% for a given Acid Insoluble (A.I.) rejection, depending on the characteristic of phosphate samples. The improvement ef-fect of nanobubble on the hard-to-float particles was more significant than that on easy-to-float particles, especially at lower col-lector dosages. Nanobubbles reduced the collector dosage by 1/3 to 1/2. Nanobubbles almost doubled the coarse phosphate flotation rate constant and increased the flotation selectivity index by up to 25%.     

Application of the percolation model to gelation of an epoxy resin

The percolation model has been applied to the study of gelation of the TGDDM-DDS system (tetraglycidyldiaminodiphenylmethane–diaminodiphenylsulfone) at a mass concentration of 100–30. For each temperature the experimental viscosity curves are satisfactorily described by a percolation law. Using the degree of chemical reactions, X, as a variable, a very clear change in the reaction mechanism with temperature can be shown. Then a rate of advancement of effective reactions, Y, is defined. This value only takes intermolecular-type reactions into account, and is probably the only variable on which viscosity depends in a percolation law: η = B(1 ? Y/Y_c)^?p. We obtain Y_c= 0.45 and p= 2.0. Comparing X_c and Y_c at the gel point, we obtain information on the proportion of intramolecular reactions with temperature. It is also demonstrated that the critical percolation threshold agrees closely with the gel point determined experimentally on log G″= f(t) curves.     

Induced Defensive Response of Myrtle Oak to Foliar Insect Herbivory in Ambient and Elevated Co2

The rising level of atmospheric CO2 has stimulated several recent studies attempting to predict the effects of increased CO2 on ecological communities. However, most of these studies have been conducted in the benign conditions of the laboratory and in the absence of herbivores. In the current study, we utilized large octagonal chambers, which enclosed portions of an intact scrub-oak community to investigate the interactive effects of CO2 and insect herbivory on myrtle oak, Quercus myrtifolia. Specifically, we assessed the effects of ambient and elevated CO2 (2x current concentrations) on percent foliar nitrogen, C:N ratio, total relative foliar tannin content, and the presence of leaf damage caused by leaf mining and leaf chewing insects that feed on myrtle oak. Total foliar N declined and C:N ratios increased significantly in oaks in elevated CO2 chambers. The percentages of leaves damaged by either leafminers or leaf chewers tended to be lower in elevated compared to ambient chambers, but they co-occurred on leaves less than expected, regardless of CO2 treatment. Leaves that had been either mined or chewed exhibited a similar wounding or defensive response; they had an average of 25 and 21% higher protein binding ability, which is correlated with tannin concentration, compared to nondamaged control leaves, respectively. While the protein-binding ability (expressed as total percent tannin) of leaves from elevated CO2 was slightly higher than from leaves grown in ambient chambers, this difference was not significant.     

Metallo-Supramolecular Polymerization: A Route to Easy-To-Process Organic/Inorganic Hybrid Materials

The self-assembly polymerization of ditopic macromolecules via metal–ligand binding is a facile route for the preparation of metallo-supramolecular polymers (MSPs). We herein review our recent work focused on the synthesis and investigation of metallo-supramolecular polymers based on 2,6-bis(1′-methylbenzimidazolyl)pyridine endcapped poly(p-phenylene ethynylene) and poly(p-xylene) macromonomers. These materials are readily solution-processable and display appreciable mechanical properties as well as other attractive properties such as specific opto/electrical functions or high thermal stability. Our work illustrates that metallosupramolecular polymerization offers an attractive approach to assemble high-molecular-weight macromolecules from well-defined, easy to process precursors. Variation of the ditopic ligands and metal ions allows one to easily tailor the desired properties. This paper is dedicated to Professor Ian Manners and his scientific accomplishments.     

Densification and Sintering Kinetics in Sintered Silicon Nitride

The sintering sequence of Y₂O₃-Al₂O₃-doped Si₃N₄ was investigated with respect to the relationship between densification, α→β transformation, and microstructural development. Quenching studies were performed to reveal these interactions during a complete sintering cycle. Isothermal studies were conducted to examine the sintering kinetics and compared to Kingery's liquid-phase sintering model. The bulk density increased to ≥90% of theoretical density with only minor transformation taking place. Major transformation occurred in a late sintering stage and was accompanied by the development of elongated grains. The kinetic order of the densification process, taking into account an appropriate correction, was larger than any of the rate exponents predicted by the Kingery model, indicating that other single or mixed mechanisms were active.     

Tar sand extractions with microemulsions: I-the dissolution of light hydrocarbons by microemulsions using 2-butoxyethanol and diethylmethylamine as cosurfactants

For oil sand extractions with microemulsions it is important to disperse large quantities of light hydrocarbons in an aqueous medium. Fundamental studies on the properties of 2-butoxyethanol (BE) and diethylmethylamine (Et₂McN) in water suggest that these two liquids could be more effective cosurfactants than the usual alcohols used for this purpose. The phase diagrams of microemulsions using BE and Et₂MeN as cosurfactants, combined with typical ionic and non-ionic surfactants and typical aliphatic and aromatic hydrocarbons, were therefore investigated and compared with microemulsions based on n-butanol. Although the phase diagrams depend significantly on the nature of the surfactant and of the oil, the monophasic region generally increases with the cosurfactant in the order n-butanol < Et₂McN < BE. With the active mixture BE-cetyltrimethylammonium bromide, temperature has little effect on the phase diagram and NaCl generally destabilizes the microemulsion.