Scarab beetleAnomala albopilosa albopilosa utilizes a more complex sex pheromone system than a similar speciesA. cuprea

Four compounds have been identified as sex pheromone constituents of the scarab beetleAnomala albopilosa albopilosa, namely (R, Z)-5-(–)-(oct-1-enyl)oxacyclopentan-2-one (buibuilactone), 2-(E)-nonenol, 2-(E)-nonenal, and methyl benzoate (in the ratio 10:3:3:1). The diel rhythm of pheromone release inA. a. albopilosa showed a peak at the beginning of the scotophase, which is also a peak of mating activity. On the other hand, the similar speciesA. cuprea utilizes a two-constituent sex pheromone, having a common major component, but the pheromone is released both during scoto-and photophase. Temporal difference in mating activity and pheromone release along with chemical diversity seem to form the basis for maintaining species specificity in pheromonal communication betweenA. a. albopilosa andA. cuprea.     

AY-9944 inhibition of sterol biosynthesis inChlorella emersonii

WhenChlorella emersonii, a green alga, was cultured in the presence of 20 ppm AY-9944, a number of sterols accumulated which appear to be intermediates of sterol biosynthesis in this organism. The sterols isolated include 14α-methyl-ergost-8-en-3β-ol, 14α-methyl 24S-stigmast-8-en-3β-ol, 14α-methyl ergosta-8,24(28)-dien-3β-ol and 4α, 14α-dimethyl 24S-stigmast-8-en-3β-ol. Smaller quantities of several other sterols were found in addition to the normally occurring Δ⁷, chondrillasterol and Δ⁷. Control cultures were found to contain, in addition to the normally occurring sterols, smaller quantities of most of the sterols isolated from AY-9944 inhibited cultures. AY-9944 is a specific inhibitor of Δ⁷ in cholesterol biosynthesis in animals. However, sinceC. emersonii terminates sterol biosynthesis one step prior to the Δ⁷ step, AY-9944 apparently inhibits sterol biosynthesis prior to this step in this organism. The accumulation of 14α-methyl sterols in treated cultures suggests that AY-9944 is an effective inhibitor of the 14α-methyl removal inC. emersonii. Scientific Article No. A1865, Contribution No. 4775 of the Maryland Agricultural Experiment Station.     

A sex attractant for the scarab beetle Anomala solida Er

(R,Z)-5-(-)-(Oct-1-enyl)oxacyclopentan-2-one (R-buibuilactone) attracted male Anomala solida Er. (Coleoptera: Scarabaeidae, Rutelinae), a vineyard and orchard pest in Southeastern Europe. The presence of the corresponding (S) enantiomer or of 2-(E)-nonen-1-ol (a frequently found pheromone component in other Anomala spp.) in the bait did not influence catches. Traps baited with (R,Z)-5-(-)-(oct-1-enyl)oxacyclopentan-2-one were successfully used for monitoring the flight of A. solida, and may have practical applications for detection, monitoring, and mass trapping of the pest.     

Influence of processing conditions on the morphological and mechanical properties of compatibilized PP/LCP blends

The main aim of this work is to study the influence of the application of different processing conditions on the morphological and mechanical properties of thermoplastic/LCP blends, in which the viscosity ratios are inferior to unity and decrease with increasing temperature. The way the microstructure evolves along the extruder determines the final morphology and thus, the mechanical performance of the systems. In the present case, the mechanical properties are related with the degree of fibrillation in the final composites. The best degree of fibrillation was obtained for low screw speeds and temperatures and for intermediate outputs. The use of high screw speeds and processing temperatures results in a decrease of the viscosity ratio, in the former case via an increase in the viscous dissipation, at the regions of higher shear rates (kneading‐elements). The application of a lower processing temperature is advantageous for deformation, break‐up, and fibrillar formation because of the higher viscosity ratios and higher shear stresses involved. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci 2007     

Kairomone from dandelion,Taraxacum officinale,attractant for scarab beetleAnomala octiescostata

The attraction of the scarab beetleAnomala octiescostata to dandelion,Taraxacum officinale, was demonstrated to be chemically mediated by a mixture ofcis-3-hexenyl acetate, benzaldehyde, phenylacetaldehyde, benzyl alcohol, phenethyl alcohol, phenylacetonitrile, and benzyl benzoate, in the ratio 4:8:14:3:5:19:11. Combination of the synthetic kairomone and sex pheromone (buibuilactone + japonilure, 8:2), significantly increased the total catches ofA. octiescostata. Catches of male (but not female) beetles were significantly higher with the kairomone-pheromone blend than with kairomone alone. The synergistic effect of the kairomone from dandelion on the attractiveness did not significantly differ from that of a food-type lure, anethol, geraniol, and phenethyl propionate (9:0.5:0.5). The latter combined with the synthetic sex pheromone resulted in better attraction of female (but not male)A. octiescostata than the sex pheromone alone.     

Immunohistochemical characterization of adenosine receptors in rat aorta and tail arteries

Adenosine plays an important role in the cardiovascular system, activating adenosine A(1), A(2A), A(2B), and A(3) receptors, and regulating blood flow either by acting directly on vascular cells or indirectly because of its effects on the central or peripheral nervous systems. The aim of the present study was to investigate whether the pattern of distribution of adenosine receptor subtypes is different on elastic and muscular, using abdominal aorta and tail arteries as models. Immunohistochemistry using anti-A(1), anti-A(2A), anti-A(2B), and anti-A(3) receptor antibodies was performed on perfused-fixed/paraffin-embedded arteries from Wistar rats. 3,3'-Diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride (DAB; activated by hydrogen peroxide) staining revealed significant differences in the abundance of A(1), A(2A), and A(3) receptors between abdominal aorta and tail artery and allowed the identification of distinct distribution patterns for A(1), A(2A), A(2B), and A(3) receptors in the tunica adventitia, media, and intima of muscular and elastic arteries. Data are compatible with several previous functional reports supporting that different adenosine receptor subtype expression and/or their distribution in the vessel wall may influence their respective contribution to the control of blood flow.     

Tuning of Cell–Biomaterial Anchorage for Tissue Regeneration

Which mechanisms mediate cell attachment to biomaterials? What role does the surface charge or wettability play on cell–material anchorage? What are the currently investigated strategies to modify cell–matrix adherence spatiotemporally? Considering the development of scaffolds made of biocompatible materials to temporarily replace the structure and/or function of the extracellular matrix, focus is given to the analysis of the specific (i.e., cell adhesive peptide sequences) and unspecific (i.e., surface charge, wettability) mechanisms mediating cell‐matrix interactions. Furthermore, because natural tissue regeneration is characterized by the dynamic attachment/detachment of different cell populations, the design of advanced scaffolds for tissue engineering, based in the spatiotemporal tuning of cell–matrix anchorage is discussed.     

Evolution of the morphology of HIPS particles

The formation and evolution of the particle morphology during the production of high impact polystyrene in bulk were investigated. Evidence about the morphology of the system during phase inversion and the subsequent evolution of the particle morphology was obtained by transmission electron microscopy in reactions in which the type and concentration of initiator, agitation speed and polybutadiene content were varied.     

Occurrence, properties and pollution potential of environmental minerals in acid mine drainage

This paper describes the occurrences, the mineralogical assemblages and the environmental relevance of the AMD-precipitates from the abandoned mine of Valdarcas, Northern Portugal. At this mining site, these precipitates are particularly related with the chemical speciation of iron, which is in according to the abundance of mine wastes enriched in pyrrhotite and pyrite. The more relevant supergene mineralogical assemblages include the following environmental minerals: soluble metal-salts, mainly sulphates, revealing seasonal behaviour, iron-hydroxysulphates and iron-oxyhydroxides, both forming ochre precipitates of poorly and well-crystalline minerals.Pollution potential of the most highly water soluble salts was analysed in order to evaluate the environmental effect of their dissolution by rainfall. Laboratory experiments, carried out with iron and aluminium sulphates, demonstrated the facility to release metals, sulphate and acidity upon dissolution. Regarding the ochre precipitates, composed by several less soluble iron (III)-minerals, the spatial distribution on the nearby aqueous system as well as the proportion of Jarosite, Schwertmannite and Goethite in the mixtures gave information about the halo's contamination promoted by the AMD emerging from the waste-dumps.     

Reconstitution of C.B-17 scid mice with BALB/c T cells initiates a T helper type-1 response and renders them capable of healing Leishmania major infection

C.B-17 scid mice, which were found to be very susceptible to infection with Leishmania major, were reconstituted with various doses of T cells, T plus B cells or unfractionated spleen cells from nonhealer BALB/c mice. All reconstitution protocols, except for the transfer of very high numbers of BALB/c spleen cells, led to a spontaneously healing infection and resistance to reinfection, rather than the lethal, nonhealing infection typical of BALB/c mice. These healing responses were associated with a strong T helper 1 (Th1)-like response characterized by delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responsiveness, but no elevation of serum IgE, and by the production of high levels of interferon-gamma (IFN-gamma), but no interleukin-4 (IL-4) by lymph node and spleen cells after restimulation with antigen in vitro. The development of this Th1 response from BALB/c Th cells requires IFN-gamma during the initial infection period. Treatment of scid mice with a single injection of neutralizing anti-IFN-gamma antibody prior to infection and reconstitution prevented healing and permitted the development of a Th-2 like response as indicated by elevated serum IgE, but no DTH, and by the production of IL-4, but very little IFN-gamma, after antigen stimulation in vitro. As few as 10(4) transferred T cells led to a Th1-like response, suggesting that the IFN-gamma is of host rather than donor origin. The transfer of very high numbers (7.5 x 10(7)) of BALB/c spleen cells overcame the effects of the IFN-gamma and led to the nonhealing infection and cytokine pattern characteristic of BALB/c mice. The enrichment or depletion of B cells from the transferred T cells had no measurable effect upon the development of a healing response in reconstituted scid mice.