Molecular motors and machines are essential for all cellular processes that together enable life. Built from proteins with a wide range of properties, functionalities and performance characteristics, biological motors perform complex tasks and can transduce chemical energy into mechanical work more efficiently than human-made combustion engines. Sophisticated studies of biological protein motors h

Background: Lipoprotein-associated phospholipase A2 (Lp-PLA2) activity has been shown to predict calcific aortic valve stenosis (CAVS) outcomes. Our objective was to test the association between plasma Lp-PLA2 activity and genetically elevated Lp-PLA2 mass/activity with CAVS in humans. Methods and results: Lp-PLA2 activity was measured in 890 patients undergoing cardiac surgery, including 476 pati

The development and application of geochemical techniques to identify redox conditions in modern and ancient aquatic environments has intensified over recent years. Iron (Fe) speciation has emerged as one of the most widely used procedures to distinguish different redox regimes in both the water column and sediments, and is the main technique used to identify oxic, ferruginous (anoxic, Fe(II) cont

Outer dendritic segments of olfactory receptor neurons tuned to sex pheromone components were measured morphometrically on the antenna of male European corn borers. Ostrinia nubilalis, to determine if a correlation exists between the diameter of the outer dendritic segment and the spike amplitude. The olfactory sensilla investigated each contained three receptor cells. Two cells were each specific

The electrophysiological and behavioral responses of male Agrotis segetum to fluorinated analogs of (Z)-5-decenyl acetate (Z5-10:OAc) were investigated. The single sensillum recordings showed that 4,4-difluoro-(Z)-5-decenyl acetate (4,4-F2), 7,7-difluoro-(Z)-5-decenyl acetate (7,7-F2), 10,10,10-trifluoro-(Z)-5-decenyl acetate (10,10,10-F3) and 7,7,8,8-tetrafluoro-(Z)-5-decenyl acetate (7,7,8,8-F4)

The alkenyl acetates E9-12:Ac, ∆ll-12:Ac and Zll-14:Ac were identified as minor components of the C. murinana female pheromone blend by chemical analyses of volatile pheromone gland constituents and potential pheromone precursors, electrophysiological recordings from single receptor cells, and field trapping tests. Gland washes from virgin females contained these compounds at 3%, 10% and 5%. respe

A wind-borne plume of sex pheromone from a female moth or a synthetic source has a fine, filamentous structure that creates steep and rapid fluctuations in concentration from a male moth flying up the plume's axis. The firing rates from single antennal neurons on Agrotis segetum antennae decreased to nearly zero within seconds after the antennae were placed in a pheromone plume 70 cm downwind of a

The sex pheromones produced by virgin females of three species of small ermine moths occurring sympatrically on the European spindle tree were analysed by gas chromatography and the synthetic compounds tested against male moths in the laboratory and field. Pheromone gland extracts of Yponomeuta cagnagellus were shown to contain tetradecyl acetate, (E)‐11‐ and (Z)‐11‐tetradecenyl acetate, tetradeca

Sex pheromone biosynthesis in the codling moth Cydia pomonella (Lepidoptera; Tortricidae) was studied by topical application of deuterated fatty acids in DMSO to pheromone glands. The incorporation of deuterium label into fatty acids and alcohols in the pheromone gland was monitored by gas chromatography with flame ionization detection and mass spectrometry in the selected ion monitoring mode. Dod

A model for mate competition in moths sexually signalling with pheromones is presented. The model has four variables. N is the number of individuals of each sex per area unit. r is the length of the female odour plume as detected by a responding male. ε is a parameter increasing with male ability to discriminate between concentrations. r-ε becomes the competitive part of the female pheromone plume

The repeatability of the composition of pheromone emitted by individual female moths (Yponomeuta) was determined by gas Chromatographic analysis. An improved technique for repeated collections of airborne volatiles from the same moth was developed. The procedure did not harm the females and allowed precise quantification of 0.05 ng of pheromone components in 30-min collections. Individual females

The nine sympatric forms of small ermine moths of the genus Yponomeuta (Lepidoptere; Yponomeutidae) in the west palaearctic region show various degrees of differentiation1,2, including among other characteristics, differences in their sexual pheromones3. As is the case for many other moths4, the ermine moths so far analysed use delta 11-unsaturated acetates ((Z)-11-tetradecenyl, (E)-11-tetradeceny

Female pheromone gland extracts from cultures of Agrotis segetum originating from Sweden, France, Hungary and England were analysed for pheromone components and precursors (fatty acids). The pheromone blends were similar in moths from the Swedish, English and Hungarian populations, whereas the French diverged with a much higher amount of (Z)-7-decenyl acetate relative to the homologous pheromone c