A Survey of Insect Assemblages Responding to Volatiles from a Ubiquitous Fungus in an Agricultural Landscape

We report here a first survey of insect orientation to fungal cultures and fungal volatiles from a community ecology perspective. We tested whether volatiles from a ubiquitous yeast-like fungus (Aureobasidium pullulans) are broadly attractive to insects in an agricultural landscape. We evaluated insect attraction to fungal cultures and synthetic compounds identified in fungal headspace (2-methyl-1-butanol, 3-methyl-1-butanol, 2-phenylethanol) in a spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) plantation. Three findings emerged: (1) 1,315 insects representing seven orders and 39 species oriented to traps, but 65 % of trapped insects were Dipterans, of which 80 % were hoverflies (Diptera: Syrphidae); (2) traps baited with A. pullulans caught 481 % more insects than unbaited control traps on average, and contained more diverse (Shannon’s H index) and species rich assemblages than control traps, traps baited with Penicillium expansum, or uninoculated media; and (3) insects oriented in greatest abundance to a 1:1:1 blend of A. pullulans volatiles, but mean diversity scores were highest for traps baited with only 2-phenylethanol or 2-methyl-1-butanol. Our results show that individual components of fungal headspace are not equivalent in terms of the abundance and diversity of insects that orient to them. The low abundance of insects captured with P. expansum suggests that insect assemblages do not haphazardly orient to fungal volatiles. We conclude that volatiles from a common fungal species (A. pullulans) are attractive to a variety of insect taxa in an agricultural system, and that insect orientation to fungal volatiles may be a common ecological phenomenon.     

Lipoxygenase Products in the Urine Correlate with Renal Function and Body Temperature but not with Acute Transplant Rejection

Acute transplant rejection is the leading cause of graft loss in the first months after kidney transplantation. Lipoxygenase products mediate pro- and anti-inflammatory actions and thus we aimed to correlate the histological reports of renal transplant biopsies with urinary lipoxygenase products concentrations to evaluate their role as a diagnostic marker. This study included a total of 34 kidney transplant recipients: 17 with an acute transplant rejection and 17 controls. LTE4, LTB4, 12-HETE and 15-HETE concentrations were measured by enzyme immunoassay. Urinary lipoxygenase product concentrations were not significantly changed during an acute allograft rejection. Nevertheless, LTB4 concentrations correlated significantly with the body temperature (P ≤ 0.05) 3 months after transplantation, and 12- and 15-HETE concentrations correlated significantly with renal function (P ≤ 0.05) 2 weeks after transplantation. In conclusion, our data show a correlation for LTB4 with the body temperature 3 months after transplantation and urinary 12- and 15-HETE concentrations correlate positively with elevated serum creatinine concentrations but do not predict acute allograft rejection.     

Egg Consumption Modulates HDL Lipid Composition and Increases the Cholesterol-Accepting Capacity of Serum in Metabolic Syndrome

We recently demonstrated that daily whole egg consumption during moderate carbohydrate restriction leads to greater increases in plasma HDL-cholesterol (HDL-C) and improvements in HDL profiles in metabolic syndrome (MetS) when compared to intake of a yolk-free egg substitute. We further investigated the effects of this intervention on HDL composition and function, hypothesizing that the phospholipid species present in egg yolk modulate HDL lipid composition to increase the cholesterol-accepting capacity of subject serum. Men and women classified with MetS were randomly assigned to consume either three whole eggs (EGG, n = 20) per day or the equivalent amount of egg substitute (SUB, n = 17) throughout a 12-week moderate carbohydrate-restricted (25–30 % of energy) diet. Relative to other HDL lipids, HDL-cholesteryl ester content increased in all subjects, with greater increases in the SUB group. Further, HDL-triacylglycerol content was reduced in EGG group subjects with normal baseline plasma HDL-C, resulting in increases in HDL-CE/TAG ratios in both groups. Phospholipid analysis by mass spectrometry revealed that HDL became enriched in phosphatidylethanolamine in the EGG group, and that EGG group HDL better reflected sphingomyelin species present in the whole egg product at week 12 compared to baseline. Further, macrophage cholesterol efflux to EGG subject serum increased from baseline to week 12, whereas no changes were observed in the SUB group. Together, these findings suggest that daily egg consumption promotes favorable shifts in HDL lipid composition and function beyond increasing plasma HDL-C in MetS.     

A Scrutiny on the Reductive Amination of Carbonyl Compounds Catalyzed by Homogeneous Rh(I) Diphosphane Complexes

The reductive amination of a series of aldehydes with secondary amines and H₂ in the presence of a homogeneous Rh-diphosphane catalyst was studied in order to establish a general mechanism of this reaction and to identify conditions for the improvement of the amine/alcohol ratio in the product. Several possible intermediates as constituents of changing equilibria like half-aminals, N,O-acetals and aminals were observed in the reaction mixture by means of ¹H NMR spectroscopy. In individual trials, these compounds could be successfully hydrogenated under the conditions applied for reductive amination (50 bar H₂ pressure, MeOH). Some evidence is accumulated that half-aminals and N,O-acetals might be key intermediates of the reductive amination. Moreover, it was found that the formation of the undesired product alcohol is likely based on the reduction of the starting carbonyl compound. However, due to numerous equilibria consisting of several intermediates, general conclusions are hard to be drawn. Proof will be given that, in several cases, the efficiency of the reductive amination of aliphatic aldehydes can be significantly improved by prehydrogenation of the cationic [Rh(dppb)(COD)]⁺ complex.     

Melt rheology and morphology of LLDPE/EVA blends: Effect of blend ratio,compatibilization, and dynamic crosslinking

The melt rheological properties of linear low‐density polyethylene (LLDPE)/ethylene vinyl acetate (EVA) blends were investigated with special reference to the effect of blend ratio, temperature, shear rate, compatibilization, and dynamic vulcanization. The melt viscosity of the blends determined with a capillary rheometer is found to decrease with an increase of shear rate, which is an indication of pseudoplastic behavior. The viscosity of the blend was found to be a nonadditive function of the viscosities of the component polymers. A negative deviation was observed because of the interlayer slip between the polar EVA and the nonpolar LLDPE phases. The melt viscosity of these blends decreases with the increased concentration of EVA. The morphology of the extrudate of the blends at different shear rates and blend ratios was studied and the size and distribution of the domains were examined by scanning electron microscopy. The morphology was found to depend on shear rate and blend ratio. Compatibilization of the blends with phenolic‐ and maleic‐modified LLDPE increased the melt viscosity at lower wt % of compatibilizer and then leveled off. Dynamic vulcanization is found to increase the melt viscosity at a lower concentration of DCP. The effect of temperature on melt viscosity of the blends was also studied. Finally, attempts were made to correlate the experimental data on melt viscosity and cocontinuity region with different theoretical models. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 3210–3225, 2002     

Polystyrene/polybutadiene blends: An analysis of the phase‐inversion region and cophase continuity and a comparison with theoretical predictions

Blends of polystyrene and polybutadiene were prepared by melt mixing. The melt rheology behavior of the blends was studied with a capillary rheometer. The morphology of the blends was examined with scanning electron microscopy. The levels of continuity and cocontinuity were studied by both morphology and dissolution techniques. The region of phase inversion was observed at 50 wt % polystyrene. Various theoretical models were applied to determine the region of cophase continuity and to locate the point of phase inversion. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 89: 1007–1016, 2003     

Thermal and mechanical properties of a polypropylene nanocomposite

An experimental polypropylene (PP) nanocomposite, containing approximately 4 wt % of an organophilic montmorillonite clay, was prepared and characterized, and its properties were compared with those of talc‐filled (20–40 wt %) compositions. Weight reduction, with maintained or even improved flexural and tensile moduli, especially at temperatures up to 70°C, was a major driving force behind this work. By a comparison with the analytical data from a nylon 6 (PA‐6) nanocomposite, it was found that the PP nanocomposite contained well‐dispersed, intercalated clay particles; however, X‐ray diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, dynamic mechanical analysis, and permeability measurements confirmed that exfoliation of the clay in PP was largely absent. The increased glass‐transition temperature (T_g) of a PA‐6 nanocomposite, which possessed fully exfoliated particles, indicated the molecular character of the matrix–particle interaction, whereas the PP nanocomposite exhibited simple matrix–filler interactions with no increase in T_g. The PP nanocomposite exhibited a weight reduction of approximately 12% in comparison with the 20% talc‐filled PP, while maintaining comparable stiffness. Undoubtedly, considerable advantages may be available if a fully exfoliated PP nanocomposite is fabricated; however, with the materials available, a combination of talc, or alternative reinforcements, and nanocomposite filler particles may provide optimum performance. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 90: 1639–1647, 2003     

Enzymatic hydrolysis of polyester based coatings

The potential of two hydrolytic enzymes, namely a lipase from Thermomyces lanuginosus (TlL) and a cutinase from Humicola insolens (HiC) for hydrolysis of the phthalic acid backbone based polyester coatings was assessed. Two phthalic acid/trimethylolpropane based model substrates resembling the structure of the polyester backbone of coatings were synthesized. Out of both enzymes, only the cutinase was able to hydrolyze both model substrates while the larger substrate was hydrolyzed at a lower rate. The cutinase was also able to hydrolyze a coating (alkyd resin) both in suspension and as dried film. LC–MS analysis of the hydrolysis products released from the coating revealed the presence of oleic acid, its monoglyceride, phthalic acid and 2-((3-((2-((2,3-dihydroxypropoxy)carbonyl)benzoyl)oxy)-2-hydroxypropoxy)carbonyl)benzoic acid. These results indicate that the enzyme was able to hydrolyze the polyester backbone as well as to release fatty acid side chains. Consequently, enzymatic hydrolysis has a potential for the removal of coatings, their recycling or their functionalization.