William F. Wood

Mesenteric arterial infusions of vasopressin for hemorrhage from colonic diverticulosis

Twenty-four patients with massive rectal hemorrhage and known or subsequently proved colonic diverticular disease had the bleeding site localized by mesenteric angiography and received intra-arterial infusion of vasopressin to arrest the bleeding. In twenty-two patients the bleeding was controlled with the vasopressin infusion whereas in the remaining two, hemorrhage did not stop and surgery was performed. Of the twenty-two patients in whom bleeding was arrested by vasopressin infusion, twelve received no further surgical therapy, five had elective prophylactic surgical resection after a period of hemostasis, and the remaining five underwent segmental resection for bleeding that recurred after cessation of the infusion. Of the twelve patients who were not operated on, three had rebleeding two, four, and twelve months after vasopressin infusion and two of these three patients required surgery. The remaining nine have had no recurrent bleeding for periods ranging from seven to thirty-four months. Of ten patients who had segmental resection after precise localization of the bleeding site and initial control with vasopressin, no one has had recurrent hemorrhage for periods ranging from two to eighteen months.

Volatile Components in Defensive Spray of the Hooded Skunk, Mephitis macroura

GC-MS analysis of the anal sac secretion from the hooded skunk, Mephitis macroura, showed the following seven major components comprised 99% of the volatiles in this secretion: (E)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, S-(E)-2-butenyl thioacetate, S-3-methylbutenyl thioacetate, 2-phenylethanethiol, 2-methylquinoline, and 2-quinolinemethanethiol. Minor volatile components identified in this secretion are phenylmethanethiol, S-phenylmethyl thioacetate, S-2-phenylethyl thioacetate, bis[(E)-2-butenyl] disulfide, (E)-2-butenyl 3-methylbutyl disulfide, bis(3-methylbutyl) disulfide, and S-2-quinolinemethyl thioacetate. This secretion is similar to that of the striped skunk, Mephitis mephitis, differing only in that it contains four compounds not reported from the striped skunk: phenylmethanethiol, S-phenylmethyl thioacetate, 2-phenylethanethiol, and S-2-phenylethyl thioacetate.

A comparison of volatiles in mandibular glands from three Crematogaster ant symbionts of the whistling thorn acacia

GC–MS analyses of dichloromethane extracts of the mandibular glands from three coexisting Crematogaster species, C. mimosae, C. nigriceps, and C. sjostedti, showed distinct differences in the 28 volatile compounds that were identified. The variations of gland components in these ant species may facilitate species identification and lead to species-specific alarm and defence responses that influence their competitive interactions. 3-Hexanol, 3-methylbutanoic acid, 2-methylbutanoic acid, 3-octanone, 3-octanol, phenylacetaldehyde, 2-phenylpropenal, and 3-decanone were found in all three species. The mandibular glands of C. nigriceps contain 7 compounds not detected in the two other species; 3-methyl-2-pentanone, 3-methyl2-pentanol, 3-methyl-2-hexanol, 3-methyl-2-heptanone, 3-methyl-2-heptanol, 2-phenylethanol and 2-methylheptanoic acid. C. sjostedti’s mandibular gland secretion also contains 7 compounds not detected in the other two species; butanoic acid, 3-heptanol, 2-methylpentanoic acid, glycerol, 6-methyl-3-octanol, 2-pyrrolidinone and 3-nonanol. Nonanal was the only compound detected solely in extracts of C. mimosae.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

The scent of the reticulated giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis reticulata)

The giraffe (Giraffa camelopardalis) emits a scent that can be detected by humans over considerable distances. Dichloromethane extracts of hair samples from adult male and female reticulated giraffes (G. c. reticulata) were analysed by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry. Two highly odoriferous compounds, indole and 3-methylindole, identified in these extracts appear to be primarily responsible for the giraffe’s strong scent. Other major compounds identified were octane, benzaldehyde, heptanal, octanal, nonanal, p-cresol, tetradecanoic acid, hexadecanoic acid, and 3,5-androstadien-17-one; the last compound has not previously been identified from a natural source. These compounds may deter microorganisms or ectoparasitic arthropods. Most of these compounds are known to possess bacteriostatic or fungistatic properties against mammalian skin pathogens or other microorganisms. The levels of p-cresol in giraffe hair are sufficient to repel some ticks.  2002 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.

NEW COMPONENTS IN DEFENSIVE SECRETION OF THE STRIPED SKUNK, Mephitis mephitis

GC-MS analysis of the anal sac secretion of the striped skunk (Mephitis mephitis), shows seven major components: (E)-2-butene-1-thiol, 3-methyl-1-butanethiol, S-(E)-2-butenyl thioacetate,S-3-methylbutanyl thioacetate, 2-methylquinoline, 2-quinolinemethanethiol, andS-2-quinolinemethyl thioacetate. The following compounds previously reported from this secretion could not be confirmed: bis(2-butenyl) sulfide, (E)-2-Butenyl methyl disuffide, (E)-2-butenyl propyl sulfide, butyl 3-methylbutyl disulfide, and 2-butenyl butyl disulfide.

Volatile components in metatarsal glands of sika deer, Cervus nippon.

GC-MS analysis of the metatarsal gland secretion from a female sika deer, Cervus nippon, showed 35 major volatile compounds that included 13 straight-chain carboxylic acids, a single branched-chain carboxylic acid, 9 straight-chain aldehydes, 3 monounsaturated aldehydes, 5 long-chain alcohols, a ketone, and cholesterol. The four most abundant compounds were heptanal, nonanal, octanoic acid, and 6-methyl-2-heptanone. Many of the compounds have previously been found in cervid secretions, but the unsaturated aldehydes, (E)-2-octenal, (E)-2-nonenal, and (E)-2-decenal, have not previously been reported in the glands of any cervid. The compounds in this gland may be pheromones, since metatarsal gland odor has been implicated in chemical communication among conspecifics of other cervids.

Volatile components in defensive spray of the hog-nosed skunk,Conepatus mesoleucus

GC-MS analysis of the anal sac secretion from the hog-nosed skunk,Conepatus mesoleucus, showed two major volatile components, (E)-2-butene-1-thiol and (E)-S-2-butenyl thioacetate. Minor volatile components identified from this secretion were phenylmethanethiol, 2-methylquinoline, 2-quinolinemethanethiol, and bis[(E)-2-butenyl] disulfide. 3-Methyl-1-butanethiol, a major component in the defensive spray of the striped skunk,Mephitis mephitis, and the spotted skunk,Spilogale putorius, was absent from this secretion.

Buzonamine, a new alkaloid from the defensive secretion of the millipede, Buzonium crassipes.

GC-MS analysis of the defensive secretion from the millipede Buzonium crassipes showed three volatile components, beta-pinene (35%), limonene (6%) and a new alkaloid, buzonamine (59%). Buzonamine had an HRMS molecular ion at m/z=221.1785 (calculated for C(14)H(23)NO, 221.1781), 14 carbons in the 13C-NMR and 23 hydrogens by SFORD, DEPT and APT experiments. All distinct 1H nuclei were assigned to 13C resonances with 2D 1H-13C COSY data, and the final structure was determined by 1H-1H COSY, 1H-13C HMBC and nOe experiments. Buzonamine contains four rings including an epoxy group and a tertiary nitrogen. beta-Pinene, limonene or buzonamine, kept the mound nesting ant, Formica obscuripes, from eating mealworms (Tenebrio molitor) treated with 1mg of the chemical. A 150mg millipede expels 4mg of secretion.

Indole and 3-chloroindole: The source of the disagreeable odor of Hygrophorus paupertinus

The odor emanating from sporocarps of Hygrophorus paupertinus is disagreeable and fecal-like. Solid phase microextraction (SPME) and analysis by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) showed 1-octen-3-ol, indole and 3-chloroindole were responsible for the odor. This is the first case in which 3-chloroindole has been identified from a terrestrial organism.

Volatile ketones from interdigital glands of black-tailed deer,Odocileus hemionus columbianus

Three volatile ketones, 2-tridecanone, (E)-3-tridecen-2-one and (E)-4-tridecen-2-one were identified in interdigital gland extracts from black-tailed deer,Odocoileus hemionus columbianus. The major compound, (E)-3-tridecen-2-one, inhibited the growth of several species of fungi and grampositive bacteria. The bacterium,Propionibacterium acnes, and the fungus,Trichophyton mentagrophytes required a minimum concentration (MIC) of 12.5 µg/ml and 25 µg/ml, respectively, for inhibition, (E)-3-Tridecen-2-one represents a new class of lipid antibiotics found on animal skin. The second major compound is this secretion, 2-tridecanone, was not active against any of the organisms tested.