Chemical defense of the mint plant, Teucrium marum (Labiatae)

Summary. The mint plant, Teucrium marum (family Labiatae), sometimes called cat thyme, contains two methylcyclopentanoid monoterpenes, dolichodial and teucrein. The former compound is potently anti-insectan. It is repellent to ants (Monomorium pharaonis) and induces preening reflexes in flies (Phormia regina) and cockroaches (Periplaneta americana). Evidence is presented suggesting that dolichodial, which is presumed to be the plant's chief defensive agent, is stored in the tiny epidermal capsules that beset the leaves. It is only when the leaves are injured (and the capsules ruptured) that the leaves become repellent. Teucrein, in contrast, has no anti-insectan potency. It is present predominantly in the leaf buds, unlike dolichodial, which is present mostly in mature leaves. It is argued that teucrein is the storage compound from which dolichodial is generated during leaf development.     

Preformed Amide-containing biopolymer for Improving the Environmental Performance of Synthesized Urea–formaldehyde in Agro-fiber Composites

Investigations have continued for production high performance agro-based composites using environmentally acceptable approaches. This study examines the role of adding amide-containing biopolymers during synthesis of urea–formaldehyde (UF) on properties of adhesive produced, especially its adhesion potential. The environmental performance of UF-resin synthesized in the presence of modified amide-containing biopolymer was evaluated by evaluating the free-HCHO of both adhesive (during processing) and of the eventual engineered composite product. Also, the benefits of this synthesis-modified adhesive in enhancing the bondability of sugar-cane fibers used in engineered composite panels was evaluated and compared to using UF-resin. The results obtained show that, static bending of the produced composites varied from 27.7 to 33.13 N/mm² of modulus of rupture (MOR) and from 2860 to 3374 N/mm² of Modulus of Elasticity (MOE); while for internal bond (IB) it’s varied from 0.64 to 0.866 N/mm². Based on the ANSI and EN Standards modified UF-based agro composites produced meet the performance requirements for high grade particleboards with respect to static bending strength. These agro-based composite also tested out as having free-HCHO values of ~13 mg/100 g board.     

Behavioral Traits and Airport Type Affect Mammal Incidents with U.S. Civil Aircraft

Wildlife incidents with aircraft cost the United States (U.S.) civil aviation industry >US$1.4 billion in estimated damages and loss of revenue from 1990 to 2009. Although terrestrial mammals represented only 2.3 % of wildlife incidents, damage to aircraft occurred in 59 % of mammal incidents. We examined mammal incidents (excluding bats) at all airports in the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) National Wildlife Strike Database from 1990 to 2010 to characterize these incidents by airport type: Part-139 certified (certificated) and general aviation (GA). We also calculated relative hazard scores for species most frequently involved in incidents. We found certificated airports had more than twice as many incidents as GA airports. Incidents were most frequent in October (n = 215 of 1,764 total) at certificated airports and November (n = 111 of 741 total) at GA airports. Most (63.2 %) incidents at all airports (n = 1,523) occurred at night but the greatest incident rate occurred at dusk (177.3 incidents/hr). More incidents with damage (n = 1,594) occurred at GA airports (38.6 %) than certificated airports (19.0 %). Artiodactyla (even-toed ungulates) incidents incurred greatest (92.4 %) damage costs (n = 326; US$51.8 million) overall and mule deer (Odocoileus hemionus) was the most hazardous species. Overall, relative hazard score increased with increasing log body mass. Frequency of incidents was influenced by species relative seasonal abundance and behavior. We recommend airport wildlife officials evaluate the risks mammal species pose to aircraft based on the hazard information we provide and consider prioritizing management strategies that emphasize reducing their occurrence on airport property.     

Metabolic transformations of acquired lucibufagins by firefly “femmes fatales”

Summary. Female Photuris fireflies sequester defensive steroidal pyrones (lucibufagins) from male fireflies of the genus Photinus. Lucibufagin analyses of Photuris females and Photinus ignitus males show that the lucibufagin mixtures of predator and prey differ in their composition. Analyses of whole body extracts showed that P. ignitus males contain a mixture of eight non-glycosylated lucibufagins, composed mostly of compounds with two oxygenated positions in the steroidal A-ring (C-3, C-5). After feeding on P. ignitus males, Photuris females contain six major lucibufagins. Three of these compounds are not present in the prey, including the novel lucibufagin glycoside 5β,11α-dihydroxy-12-oxo-3β-O-β-D-xylopyranosylbufalin, and two other lucibufagins with a trioxygenated A-ring (C-2, C-3, C-5). These results indicate that Photuris females transform the sequestered lucibufagins both by glycosylation and oxidation, which could affect the systemic transportability of these compounds due to an increase in their polarity. Received 18 February 1999; accepted 19 April 1999.     

Sequestered defensive toxins in tetrapod vertebrates: principles, patterns, and prospects for future studies

Chemical defenses are widespread among animals, and the compounds involved may be either synthesized from nontoxic precursors or sequestered from an environmental source. Defensive sequestration has been studied extensively among invertebrates, but relatively few examples have been documented among vertebrates. Nonetheless, the number of described cases of defensive sequestration in tetrapod vertebrates has increased recently and includes diverse lineages of amphibians and reptiles (including birds). The best-known examples involve poison frogs, but other examples include natricine snakes that sequester toxins from amphibians and two genera of insectivorous birds. Commonalities among these diverse taxa include the combination of consuming toxic prey and exhibiting some form of passive defense, such as aposematism, mimicry, or presumptive death-feigning. Some species exhibit passive sequestration, in which dietary toxins simply require an extended period of time to clear from the tissues, whereas other taxa exhibit morphological or physiological specializations that enhance the uptake, storage, and/or delivery of exogenous toxins. It remains uncertain whether any sequestered toxins of tetrapods bioaccumulate across multiple trophic levels, but multitrophic accumulation seems especially likely in cases involving consumption of phytophagous or mycophagous invertebrates and perhaps consumption of poison frogs by snakes. We predict that additional examples of defensive toxin sequestration in amphibians and reptiles will be revealed by collaborations between field biologists and natural product chemists. Candidates for future investigation include specialized predators on mites, social insects, slugs, and toxic amphibians. Comprehensive studies of the ecological, evolutionary, behavioral, and regulatory aspects of sequestration will require teams of ecologists, systematists, ethologists, physiologists, molecular biologists, and chemists. The widespread occurrence of sequestered defenses has important implications for the ecology, evolution, and conservation of amphibians and reptiles.     

Development of a rotorcraft dust-emission parameterization using a CFD model

Flights of rotorcraft over the desert floor can result in significant entrainment of particulate matter into the atmospheric boundary layer. Continuous or widespread operation can lead to local and regional impacts on visibility and air quality. To account for this pollutant source in air quality models, a parameterization scheme is needed that addresses the complex vertical distribution of dust ejected from the rotorcraft wake into the atmospheric surface layer. A method to parameterize the wind and turbulence fields and shear stress at the ground is proposed here utilizing computational fluid dynamics and a parameterized rotor model. Measurements taken from a full scale experiment of rotorcraft flight near the surface are compared to the simulation results in a qualitative manner. The simulation is shown to adequately predict the forward detachment length of the induced ground jet compared to the measured detachment lengths. However, the simulated ground vortex widths and vorticity deviate substantially from the measured values under a range of flight speeds. Results show that the method may be applicable for air quality modeling assuming slow airspeeds of the rotorcraft, with advance ratios of 0.005–0.02.     

Low dose effects and non-monotonic dose responses for endocrine active chemicals: Science to practice workshop: Workshop summary

A workshop was held in Berlin September 12–14th 2012 to assess the state of the science of the data supporting low dose effects and non-monotonic dose responses (“low dose hypothesis”) for chemicals with endocrine activity (endocrine disrupting chemicals or EDCs). This workshop consisted of lectures to present the current state of the science of EDC action and also the risk assessment process. These lectures were followed by breakout sessions to integrate scientists from various backgrounds to discuss in an open and unbiased manner the data supporting the “low dose hypothesis”. While no consensus was reached the robust discussions were helpful to inform both basic scientists and risk assessors on all the issues. There were a number of important ideas developed to help continue the discussion and improve communication over the next few years.