A sex pheromone isolated from the cuticle and feces of the female house fly attracts the male fly; it has been identified as ( Z )-9-tricosene. Chemical and biological comparisons of the natural and synthesized compounds show that they are identical.

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A family of new 10-membered lactones was detected by chemical screening. Taxonomic studies and fermentation conditions of the producing organisms, which belong to the species Penicillium simplicissimumand Penicillium corylophilum, are presented. Theisolation as well as physico-chemical data of the new compoundsnameddecarestrictines A to D are reported. In vitro testing using the HEP-G2cell assay showed the decarestrictines to be inhibitors of cholesterol biosynthesis, which could be confirmed in vivo. In addition to the decarestrictines from P. corylophilum epoxyagroclavine-I(1) was isolated.Within our concept2~5) to detect new secondary metabolites by chemical screening6'7*, we isolate and characterize microorganisms from various natural sources, e.g. soil samples, plant material, and foodstuff. The culture broths and the mycelia of the newly isolated and immediately cultivated strains were extracted by organic solvents. The obtained residues were dissolved in small amounts of methanol -water (1 : 1) and analyzed by TLCchromatography in different solvent systems by treatment with various staining reagents.This procedure renders a good visualization of the characteristic secondary metabolite pattern of each strain. Applying this method to various microorganisms it has been found that different Penicillium species (strains FH-A 6090, FH-A 6099, FH-A 6530, and FH-A 6360) exhibit a similar but unusual secondary metabolite pattern. The present paper deals with the description of the producing organisms, their fermentation conditions, isolation and purification procedures as well as the physico-chemical and biological properties of the newsecondary metabolites, named decarestrictines A to D. In an accompanying paper8), the structural elucidation of these novel 10-memberedlactones will be presented in detail. In addition, from strain FH-A 6360 the ergot alkaloid epoxyagroclavine-I (l)9'10) was isolated. Description of the Producing OrganismsThe decarestrictine-producing strains FH-A 6090, FH-A 6099, FH-A 6530, and FH-A 6360 were f Seerefl.

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The behavioural responses of Aedes aegypti (L.) and other insects that are attracted to man by odours have been studied for many years. However, disagreements and inconsistencies persist concerning the actions and interactions of carbon dioxide, warmth, and moisture inter alia in mosquito attraction (Brown, 1966;Wright, 1962; and others). Also, the olfactometers used for such testing have been of many types, and even the criteria for appraisal of attraction have varied. Nevertheless, we felt that an olfactometer with a still different design could provide new and useful information about this aspect of mosquito behaviour.Our equipment was more than an olfactometer; although essentially a wind tunnel, its design permitted us to observe possible behavioural responses of mosquitos to electromagnetic radiations from a host displayed downwind in addition to responses to olfactory stimulation by odours or other emanations from hosts in the conventional upwind position. However, the prime consideration was to provide a means for the mosquito to locate the host as the source of attractive odours, either by anemotaxis or through a klinokinetic behaviour pattern. The terms anemotaxis and klinokinesis describe reactions which differ in detail but not in the final result, and we have arbitrarily chosen to refer to the responses we observed as anemotaxis. We felt that a horizontal flight path was essential as being representative of the greater portion of the normal activity of mosquitos in flying toward a host. Also, we felt that all members of the population sample should be exposed to the stimulus. We wanted an arrangement whereby the exposed mosquitos could fail to respond positively and fly aimlessly about or remain quiescent, respond positively to the stimulus and fly to and remain near or on the attractive source\ or fly toward the attractive source and past it, indicating stimulation without arrestation (Dethier, Browne & Smith, 1960). Our olfactometer permits concurrent control of these possible behaviour patterns. Methods Oljactometer designThe olfactometer was made of 1-27-cm. plywood and was painted flat black on all sides (Plate XXVI, fig. 1). The inside dimensions were 30-5 cm. in cross section and 3-35 m. in length. The ends were closed with screen wire to permit passage of air through the flight chamber during operation. In most early tests, 1 Mention of a proprietary product does not necessarily imply endorsement of this product by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. 630 M. S. MAYEE and J. D. JAMES a fan positioned at the downwind end of the olfactometer continuously pulled room air at a speed of 18-3-21-4 m. per min. through the length of the flight chamber.In later tests, an air system attached to the olfactometer drew a supply of filtered air from outside the laboratory (Plate XXVI, fig. 2); the airspeed for these tests was the same as before, but the air was discharged outside the laboratory after it passed through the flight chamber. All measurements of airspeed were made with a hot-wire anemometer fit...

New macrolactones, named oasomycin A to D (1 to 4), were discovered by a chemical screening in the culture broth of Streptoverticillium baldacii subsp. netropse (strain FH-S 1625). The structures were established by detailed spectroscopic analysis. The fundamental 42-membered lactone moiety of oasomycin A and B (1 and 2) is analogous to that of desertomycin A (5), while the oasomycins C and D (3 and 4) are the first representatives of macrolactones bearing a 44-~~ membered skeleton. These metabolites can be distinguished by side chain modifications at C-41 or C-43 as well as the presence of an a-linked D-mannose moiety attached to 22-OH. Due to the structural similarities the oasomycins are integrated into the desertomycin family. In vitro testing by using the HEP-G2 cell assay showed oasomycin A (1) to be an inhibitor of de novo cholesterol biosynthesis.