Identification of the Female-Produced Sex Pheromone of an Invasive Greenhouse Pest,the European Pepper Moth (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Duponchelia fovealis</Emphasis>)

The European pepper moth (Duponchelia fovealis, Lepidoptera, Crambidae, Spilomelinae) is an invasive pest of greenhouses in many countries, causing serious damages to horticultural plants. Coupled gas chromatographic-electroantennographic detection analysis of the female gland extract revealed two antennally active peaks. Using coupled gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (GC-MS), one was identified as (Z)-11-hexadecenal (Z11–16:Ald); however, further analysis on different types of capillary columns indicated that the second active compound has two different isomers, (E)-13-octadecenal (E13–18:Ald) and (Z)-13-octadecenal (Z13–18:Ald). The approximate ratio of E13–18:Ald, Z13–18:Ald and Z11–16:Ald in the crude pheromone gland extract was 10:1:0.1, respectively. Single sensillum recordings showed that there was one sensory neuron that responded with a high amplitude spike to both E13–18:Ald and Z13–18:Ald, while another neuron housed in the same sensillum responded to Z11–16:Ald. Field evaluation of the identified compounds indicated that the E13–18:Ald was necessary to evoke the attraction of males; although the presence of Z13–18:Ald and Z11–16:Ald increased the catches in traps. The highest number of caught males was achieved when E13–18:Ald, Z13–18:Ald and Z11–16:Ald were present in baits in the same ratio as in the female gland extract. This pheromone can be used in a monitoring strategy and could potentially lead to the development of mating disruption.     

The well-tuned blues: the role of structural colours as optical signals in the species recognition of a local butterfly fauna (Lepidoptera: Lycaenidae: Polyommatinae)

The photonic nanoarchitectures responsible for the blue colour of the males of nine polyommatine butterfly species living in the same site were investigated structurally by electron microscopy and spectrally by reflectance spectroscopy. Optical characterization was carried out on 110 exemplars. The structural data extracted by dedicated software and the spectral data extracted by standard software were inputted into an artificial neural network software to test the specificity of the structural and optical characteristics. It was found that both the structural and the spectral data allow species identification with an accuracy better than 90 per cent. The reflectance data were further analysed using a colour representation diagram built in a manner analogous to that of the human Commission Internationale de l''Eclairage diagram, but the additional blue visual pigment of lycaenid butterflies was taken into account. It was found that this butterfly-specific colour representation diagram yielded a much clearer distinction of the position of the investigated species compared with previous calculations using the human colour space. The specific colours of the investigated species were correlated with the 285 flight-period data points extracted from museum collections. The species with somewhat similar colours fly in distinct periods of the year such that the blue colours are well tuned for safe mate/competitor recognition. This allows for the creation of an effective pre-zygotic isolation mechanism for closely related synchronic and syntopic species.     

An aspect of selecting resolving agents: The role of differences in molecule length in diastereomeric salt resolutions

In the course of 49 individual experiments of diastereomeric salt resolution we have examined the effect of the difference between the racemic and resolving agent molecule lengths on the resolution. We concluded that using resolving agents with the molecule length differing by 3 to 6 from the racemic molecule produces the best result.     

Silane-Mediated Expansion of Domains in Si-Doped κ-Ga2O3 Epitaxy and its Impact on the In-Plane Electronic Conduction

Unintentionally doped (001)-oriented orthorhombic κ-Ga₂O₃ epitaxial films on c-plane sapphire substrates are characterized by the presence of ≈ 10 nm wide columnar rotational domains that can severely inhibit in-plane electronic conduction. Comparing the in- and out-of-plane resistance on well-defined sample geometries, it is experimentally proved that the in-plane resistivity is at least ten times higher than the out-of-plane one. The introduction of silane during metal-organic vapor phase epitaxial growth not only allows for n-type Si extrinsic doping, but also results in the increase of more than one order of magnitude in the domain size (up to ≈ 300 nm) and mobility (highest µ ≈ 10 cm²V⁻¹s⁻¹, with corresponding lowest ρ ≈ 0.2 Ωcm). To qualitatively compare the mean domain dimension in κ-Ga₂O₃ epitaxial films, non-destructive experimental procedures are provided based on X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. The results of this study pave the way to significantly improved in-plane conduction in κ-Ga₂O₃ and its possible breakthrough in new generation electronics. The set of cross-linked experimental techniques and corresponding interpretation here proposed can apply to a wide range of material systems that suffer/benefit from domain-related functional properties.     

A survey of applications and requirements of unique identification systems and RFID techniques

The paper contains an overview of unique identification issues and of the various radio frequency identification techniques that are available now or will become available in the short term. The paper also compares RFID with traditional ID technologies. It shows application possibilities and gives examples of current implementations. Each application has its own requirements that translate into specific RFID-techniques, -options and -parameters. Techniques include frequency range, tag energy supply and tag writing capabilities. The data to be stored in the tag and transferred to the reader must be selected as one of the options. Parameters influence reliability and confidentiality, among other things. Information interchange issues of identifier-based operations in supply-chains are discussed as well, while the last part of the paper presents a framework for choosing an auto-ID technique in a supply chain.     

Modeling of Intel-critical Heat Treatment of DP and TRIP Steels

THE characteristic multiphase structure of DP andTRIP steels can be evolved by hot rolling or by postheat treatment.Only this latter case is discussed in thispaper.The transformation processes which result in theexpected microstructure and ratio of constituents arecontrolled by the technological parameters of thetreatment.Although the number of affecting parametersis not so large,the determination of importantparameters'values(intercritical temperature,coolingrate)needs numerous pre-experim…     

Occasional transsynaptic viral labeling in the central nervous system from the polycystic ovary induced by estradiol valerate

Increased density of catecholaminergic nerves in the human polycystic ovary has been observed. The aim of the present study was to investigate the distribution of transsynaptically virus-labeled neurons in the central nervous system from the rat polycystic ovary to see whether is it different or not from that of cycling control rats. To induce a polycystic ovary, a single injection of estradiol valerate was given to adult female rats and 30 days later a neurotropic virus was injected into the right ovary. Rats were sacrificed 72 or 96 hours after viral infection. Weight of the ovaries of the estradiol valerate-treated rats was significantly lower compared to controls, and the histology of the ovaries of the treated rats displayed severely atretic large antral follicles. There was almost no viral labeling in the central nervous system from the ovaries showing precystic morphology, in spite of the fact that such altered organs are rich in nerve fibres. It is assumed that presently unidentified factors in the precystic ovary, presumably related to the link between the immune and the nervous system, might be involved in the infectivity of the virus, and thus be responsible for the lack of viral labeling from such an ovary.     

Novel (+)-Neoisopulegol-Based O-Benzyl Derivatives as Antimicrobial Agents

Discovery of novel antibacterial agents with new structures, which combat pathogens is an urgent task. In this study, a new library of (+)-neoisopulegol-based O-benzyl derivatives of aminodiols and aminotriols was designed and synthesized, and their antimicrobial activity against different bacterial and fungal strains were evaluated. The results showed that this new series of synthetic O-benzyl compounds exhibit potent antimicrobial activity. Di-O-benzyl derivatives showed high activity against Gram-positive bacteria and fungi, but moderate activity against Gram-negative bacteria. Therefore, these compounds may serve a good basis for antibacterial and antifungal drug discovery. Structure–activity relationships were also studied from the aspects of stereochemistry of the O-benzyl group on cyclohexane ring and the substituent effects on the ring system.     

Antibacterial Effects of Bicarbonate in Media Modified to Mimic Cystic Fibrosis Sputum

Cystic fibrosis (CF) is a hereditary disease caused by mutations in the gene encoding an epithelial anion channel. In CF, Cl⁻ and HCO₃⁻ hyposecretion, together with mucin hypersecretion, leads to airway dehydration and production of viscous mucus. This habitat is ideal for colonization by pathogenic bacteria. We have recently demonstrated that HCO₃⁻ inhibits the growth and biofilm formation of Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Staphylococcus aureus when tested in laboratory culture media. Using the same bacteria our aim was to investigate the effects of HCO₃⁻ in artificial sputum medium (ASM), whose composition resembles CF mucus. Control ASM containing no NaHCO₃ was incubated in ambient air (pH 7.4 or 8.0). ASM containing NaHCO₃ (25 and 100 mM) was incubated in 5% CO₂ (pH 7.4 and 8.0, respectively). Viable P. aeruginosa and S. aureus cells were counted by colony-forming unit assay and flow cytometry after 6 h and 17 h of incubation. Biofilm formation was assessed after 48 h. The data show that HCO₃⁻ significantly decreased viable cell counts and biofilm formation in a concentration-dependent manner. These effects were due neither to extracellular alkalinization nor to altered osmolarity. These results show that HCO₃⁻ exerts direct antibacterial and antibiofilm effects on prevalent CF bacteria.