Synergistic Sex Pheromone Components of White-Spotted Tussock Moth, Orgyia thyellina

In 1996, the exotic white-spotted tussock moth (WSTM), Orgyia thyellina (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae), was discovered in Auckland, New Zealand. Because establishment of WSTM would threaten New Zealand's orchard industry and international trade, eradication of WSTM with microbial insecticide was initiated. To monitor and complement eradication of WSTM by capture of male moths in pheromone-baited traps, pheromone components of female WSTM needed to be identified. Coupled gas chromatographic–electroantennographic detection analysis of pheromone gland extract revealed several compounds that elicited responses from male moth antennae. Mass spectra of the two most EAD-active compounds suggested, and comparative GC-MS of authentic standards confirmed, that they were (Z)-6-heneicosen-11-one (Z6–11-one) and (Z)-6-heneicosen-9-one, the latter termed here thyellinone. In field experiments in Japan, Z6–11-one plus thyellinone at a 100:5 ratio attracted WSTM males, whereas either ketone alone failed to attract a single male moth. Addition of further candidate pheromone components did not enhance attractiveness of the binary blend. Through the 1997–1998 summer, 45,000 commercial trap lures baited with 2000 g of Z6–11-one and 100 g of thyellinone were deployed in Auckland towards eradication of the residual WSTM population.Dedicated to my dear mother in honor of her 75th birthday     

Synthesis and characterization of a positive‐working,aqueous‐base‐developable photosensitive polyimide precursor

A positive‐working, aqueous‐base‐developable photosensitive polyimide precursor based on poly(amic ester)‐bearing phenolic hydroxyl groups and a diazonaphthoquinone photosensitive compound was developed. The poly(amic ester) was prepared from a direct polymerization of 2,2′‐bis‐(3‐amino‐4‐hydroxyphenyl)hexafluoropropane and bis(n‐butyl)ester of pyromellitic acid in the presence of phenylphosphonic dichloride as an activator. Subsequently, the thermal imidization of the poly(amic ester) precursor at 300°C produced the corresponding polyimide. The inherent viscosity of the precursor polymer was 0.23 dL/g. The cyclized polyimide showed a glass‐transition temperature at 356°C and a 5% weight loss at 474°C in nitrogen. The structures of the precursor polymer and the fully cyclized polymer were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and ¹H‐NMR. The photosensitive polyimide precursor containing 25 wt % diazonaphthoquinone photoactive compound showed a sensitivity of 150 mJ/cm² and a contrast of 1.65 in a 3 μm film with 1.25 wt % tetramethylammonium hydroxide developer. A pattern with a resolution of 10 μm was obtained from this composition. © 2002 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 86: 352–358, 2002     

Decadienoates: Sex Pheromone Components of Nettle Caterpillars Darna trima and D. bradleyi

This study was undertaken to identify sex pheromone components of nettle caterpillars Darna trima and Darna bradleyi (Lepidoptera: Limacodidae) whose larvae defoliate oil palm, Elaeis guineensis, in southeast Asia. Coupled gas chromatographic–electroantennographic detection (GCEAD) analyses of pheromone gland extracts revealed two antennally active compounds produced by female D. trima and two by female D. bradleyi. Molecular structures of these candidate pheromone components were identified by electron-impact and chemical-ionization mass spectrometry; retention-index calculations on DB-5, DB-23, and DB-210 columns; microanalytical treatments, as well as syntheses of "auxilliary" compounds that facilitated identification of the compounds. The compounds from D. trima were 2-methylbutyl (E)-7,9-decadienoate (A) and (E)-2-hexenyl (E)-7,9decadienoate (B); from D. bradleyi we identified methyl (E)-7,9-decadienoate (C), and isobutyl (E)-7,9-decadienoate (D). In field experiments in Malaysia, (S)-2-methylbutyl (E)-7,9-decadienoate (SA) in combination with B proved to be essential and synergistic pheromone components for attraction of male D. trima. (R)-2-Methylbutyl (E)-7,9-decadienoate (RA) had no behavioral activity. Compound D singly attracted male D. bradleyi, but addition of C to D at a 1 : 10 ratio significantly enhanced attractiveness of the bait. Synthetic pheromone blends were more effective trap baits than unmated female moths and could be developed for monitoring populations of D. trima and D. bradleyi in Asian oil palm plantations.     

Polymer translational diffusion: 2. Non-theta solutions,polystyrene in butan-2-one

The diffusion of linear polystyrene under non-theta conditions in butan-2-one has been studied by Rayleigh light scattered linewidth measurements for the molecular weight range of 2.08 × 10⁶ to 8.7 × 10⁶ and as a function of concentration. By extrapolation of diffusion coefficient values to zero concentration we find that $\text{D}{}_0\text{= 5.5 × 10}{}^{\mathrm{?4}}\text{M}\text{?}{}^{\mathrm{?0.561}}{}_{\mathrm{w}}\text{cm}{}^2\text{s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}$. The first order concentration dependence $\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}\text{c}$ changes sign as the molecular weight increases, $\text{k}{}_{\mathrm{<mtext>d</mtext>}}$ being fairly small and negative at low molecular weights and increasingly positive above $\text{M}\text{?}{}_{\mathrm{w}}\text{?230 000}$.     

Preparation of freestanding and crack-free titania–silica aerogels and their performance for gas phase, photocatalytic oxidation of VOCs

Freestanding and crack-free titania–silica aerogels with high titanium content (i.e., Ti/Si = 1) were successfully prepared by adjusting the hydrolysis of the two alkoxide precursors to a comparable rate during the sol–gel processing. Two titania–silica aerogels were prepared by ethanol and CO₂ supercritical drying methods. Well-dispersed, nanometer-sized anatase crystal domains (ca. 10 nm) were crystallized by high temperature, ethanol supercritical drying. The crystalline domains were solidly anchored to the aerogel network by Ti–O–Si bonds. Titania–silica aerogels prepared by CO₂ supercritical drying method were devoid of TiO₂ crystals. A molecular-level mixing was achieved and anatase TiO₂ was only crystallized with difficulty by high temperature calcination (1073 K). Both aerogels were mesoporous and displayed similar open pore structure that is readily accessible to reactant molecules. However, only the titania–silica aerogel with anatase TiO₂ prepared by ethanol supercritical drying was active for the gas phase, photocatalytic oxidation of volatile organic compounds (i.e., isopropanol and trichloroethylene). Catalysts prepared from Degussa P25 TiO₂ displayed lower activity under similar reaction conditions.     

Coming to terms with OBRA

The Omnibus Budget Reconcilitation Act of 1987 contains sweeping changes in nursing home regulations aimed at improving residents' quality of life. However, implementing these rules in today's economy has operators of even well-managed nursing homes worried. Here's why.     

Annealing effects on the structure and hardness of helium-irradiated Cr2AlC thin films

Cr₂AlC MAX phase thin films prepared by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering were irradiated at room temperature by 100 keV helium ions to a fluence of 1 × 10¹⁷ ions cm⁻². The effects of thermal annealing on the structural and mechanical properties of the helium-irradiated Cr₂AlC films as well as the helium release were investigated by grazing-incidence X-ray diffraction (GIXRD), Raman spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscope (SEM) in combination with nano-indentation and elastic recoil detection (ERD) analysis. The irradiation-induced structural damage in the Cr₂AlC is significantly recovered by thermal annealing at temperatures around 600℃, attributed to high defect diffusivity. After annealing to 750℃, the hardness of irradiated films recovered almost completely, which is ascribes to both defect recombination and reformation of damaged chemical bonds. Substantial helium release occurring at this annealing temperature is closely related to the damage recovery due to helium irradiation.     

An Integrated Model of the Toyota Production System with Total Quality Management and People Factors

The Toyota production system (TPS), or lean production, has been associated with many benefits for manufacturing firms that implement the system. However, to implement the TPS successfully, it is necessary to integrate the so‐called “hard side” of the system (that is, the technical aspects of material handling) with the “soft side” of the program (that is, the aspects associated with human factors). The present study makes a contribution to such a holistic view of the TPS by proposing an integrated model that consists of the technical aspects of the TPS, together with elements associated with total quality management (TQM), human resources management (HRM), and certain identified “people factors.” The study then uses structural equation modeling (SEM) to test this holistic model using data obtained from a questionnaire survey of 153 Taiwanese manufacturing firms. The empirical study confirms the appropriateness of the causal model, which is evaluated by several goodness‐of‐fit methods. The study confirms the proposition that the inclusion of the “people factors” together with TQM and HRM significantly improves the realization of benefits associated with the TPS practices of “just‐in‐time” (JIT) and “autonomation.” The conclusion is that such an integrated model provides a much more effective “lean system” and has the potential to produce significantly enhanced benefits for firms that implement it. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.     

Automated interpretation and accessible presentation of technical diagrams for blind people

The EU-supported TeDUB (Technical Drawings Understanding for the Blind) project is developing a software system that aims to make technical diagrams accessible to blind and visually impaired people. It consists of two separate modules: one that analyses drawings either semi-automatically or automatically, and one that presents the results of this analysis to blind people and allows them to interact with it. The system is capable of analysing and presenting diagrams from a number of formally defined domains. A diagram enters the system as one of two types: first, diagrams contained in bitmap images, which do not explicitly contain the semantic structure of their content and thus have to be interpreted by the system, and second, diagrams obtained in a semantically enriched format that already yields this structure. The TeDUB system provides blind users with an interface to navigate and annotate these diagrams using a number of input and output devices. Extensive user evaluations have been carried out and an overall positive response from the participants has shown the effectiveness of the approach.