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Various insect species including moths have shown significant foraging preference to acetic acid. However, the olfactory reception and behavioral outputs of acetic acid in moths remain unsolved. The female adults of Oriental armyworm, Mythimna separata, exhibit high preference to acetic acid enriched sweet vinegar solutions, making them good targets for exploration of acid reception and performance. We first proved that acetic acid is an essential component which elicited electrophysiological responses from volatiles of the sweet vinegar solution. Successive single sensillum recording tests showed that at least 4 types (as1, as2, as3, and as4) of sensilla were involved in acetic acid reception in the antennae. The low dosages of acetic acid elicited upwind flight and close search, and pre-contact proboscis extension responses of the fasted females, indicating it serves as a food related olfactory cue. In vivo optical imaging data showed that low dosages of acetic acid activated one ordinary glomerulus (DC3), and high dosages evoked additional two glomeruli (DC1 and AC1) in the antennal lobe. A systematic survey on olfaction related receptors in three related transcriptomes has yielded 67 olfactory receptors (ORs) and 19 ionotropic receptors (IRs). Among, MsepIR8a, MsepIR64a, MsepIR75q1, and MsepIR75q2 were chosen as putative acid receptors by blasting against known acid IRs in Drosophila and comparing essential amino acid residues which related to acid sensing. Later in situ hybridization revealed that MsepIr8a was co-expressed with each of the other 3 Irs, suggesting its putative co-receptor role. This study reveals olfactory reception of acetic acid as an attractant in M. separata, and it provides the solid basis for later deorphanization of relevant receptors.

Properties of metal particles (MPs) are largely dependent on preparation method and morphology. Herein, we report a new facile synthesis route of silver particles (AgPs) in which growth pattern of AgPs can be easily controlled and some novel morphologies are achieved. In this strategy, cheap organic acids are selected as growth regulators for the morphology control of AgPs, and the concentration of organic acid plays a key role in the formation of AgPs. Furthermore, the effects of number of carbon atom in organic acids on the morphology of AgPs were investigated. With increase of number of carbon atom in organic acids, the morphology of AgPs will change from plate to sphere. These results presented here are vital to both exploration of growth theory and constructing novel morphologies of AgPs not only in this paper but also possibly other system. Moreover, catalytic activity of these prepared AgPs was studied toward reduction of p -nitrophenol by NaBH 4 .

The effects of rare earth elements (REEs) (like Y, Ce, Nd and Dy) on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cast NiAl-28Cr-5.5Mo-0.5Hf alloy were investigated. The results suggest that the microstructure of REEs-doped alloys gradually refines with increasing REEs addition and the appropriate addition of REEs can improve the compressive ductility and yield strength at room temperature. In addition, REEs additions increase the elevated temperature strength and deformation ability of the alloys. The elevated temperature compression deformation behavior of Nd-doped alloy can be property described by power-law equation. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The stress change-strain transient creep experiment was conducted and the side surface of creep-rupture samples was examined in order to study the apparent creep activation energy for NiAl–9Mo alloy. Most of the recoverable strain is established and the strain rate decreases sharply during the initial deformation after unloading the major stress. The magnitude of the recoverable deformation increases only slightly and the strain rate changes slowly during the following course. The relationship between recoverable strain rate and relax time during the relative steady-state stage is fitted in the equation ɛ˙r=Atm (A=1.294E−4, m=−0.450). The backflow process is temperature dependent and is controlled by the flow behavior of the matrix material. The apparent creep activation energy under constant stress is a combination of the activation energy for creep flow of the matrix and that for the damage process at the interface.

Objective To study the chemical constituents from the barks of Mangifera indica. Methods The constituents were separated and purified by different methods of chromatography, and their structures were elucidated by IR, MS, 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Results Six compounds were isolated from the barks of M. indica. Their structures were identified as mangiferone ( 1 ), mangiferin ( 2 ), myricetin ( 3 ), myricitrin ( 4 ), rutin ( 5 ), and quercetin ( 6 ). Conclusion Mangiferone ( 1 ) is a new diarylheptanoid compound isolated from the barks of M. indica.

The brittle-to-ductile transition (BDT) behavior of NiAl–9Mo alloys was firstly investigated to occur in the small temperature range of about 10 °C using tensile test method. The characteristic temperature T AB was defined for BDT in the alloy. It associates with the temperature at which the resistance to cleavage starts to sharply increase and the massive dislocation suddenly generates. Therefore, T AB is the critical temperature which symbolizes that the material undergoes the brittle-to-ductile transition.