4 beta, 15-Diacetoxyscirpenol induces cytotoxicity and alterations in phagocytic and Fc-receptor expression functions in chicken macrophages in vitro

Teleoperation is frequently performed with misalignments between operator or camera viewing direction and controller orientation. Examples of this occur in endoscopic surgery and in teleoperation with multiple camera views. The objective of this study was to find a method to automatically compensate for those misalignments so that human operators performing tasks under such scenarios could achieve levels of performance comparable to aligned conditions without additional training requirements. In this paper we report on a set of experiments conducted to test a method developed for that purpose. Participants were asked to track a randomly moving target on a computer display using a cursor controlled with a joystick. Performance was recorded under various visual-motor misalignments with and without automated compensation. Results indicated significant improvements in operator performance through use of automatic compensation only under certain types of misalignment. Actual or potential applications of this research include teleoperation and endoscopic surgery.     

Synthesis and comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA) of antitumor 3-arylisoquinoline derivatives

In this study a series of 3-arylisoquinoline derivatives were synthesized and cytotoxicity against human melanoma tumor cell evaluated, and a three dimensional quantitative structure-activity relationship was investigated using the comparative molecular field analysis (CoMFA). The results suggested that the electrostatic, steric and hydrophobic factors of 3-arylisoquinolines were strongly correlated with the antitumor activity. Considerable predictive ability (cross-validated r2 as high as 0.721) was obtained through CoMFA.     

An investigation of the deposition and reactions of sulphur on gold electrodes

The oxidation of sulphide species in solution has been investigated on a gold electrode in borate solutions of pH 6.8 and 9.2 and in 1 mol dm^?3 NaOH. Sub-monolayer coverage by sulphur occurs at underpotentials. At more positive potentials, multilayers of sulphur can be deposited. The reaction producing sulphur, and the reverse process, involve the formation of poly sulphides as intermediates. The predominant polysulphide intermediate is S ₂ ^2? . Oxidation of sulphide to sulphate occurs to some extent in parallel with sulphur deposition. Both reactions are inhibited by the presence of a surface layer of sulphur. At high potentials, sulphur is oxidized to sulphate.     

Fertilizers and eutrophication in southwestern Australia: Setting the scene

An excess of plant nutrients has caused serious eutrophication in aquatic ecosystems of southwestern Australia manifested by excessive growth and accumulation of green and bluegreen algae. Phosphorus is generally the limiting nutrient for algal growth and phosphatic fertilizers applied to nutrient-deficient, leaching, sandy soils are the main source of P, supplemented by rural industry point sources. Nitrogen is the limiting nutrient in marine embayments with little drainage from the land. Measures to reduce the load of P delivered to drainage include basing fertilizer application rates on soil testing for P and the use of less soluble P fertilizers. Catchment management plans are being implemented with community involvement to reduce P loads and maintain agricultural production. This introductory paper reviews the history of eutrophication in southwestern Australia and of studies into its causes, principally in the large Peel-Harvey estuary. It briefly summarises other papers in this special issue concerned with different aspects of the problem: how to fertilize the land without causing eutrophication.     

Asymmetric Sharpless epoxidation of 13S‐hydroxy‐ 9Z, 11E‐octadecadienoic acid (13S‐HODE)

The asymmetric Sharpless epoxidation of methyl 13S‐hydroxy‐9Z, 11E‐octadeca‐dienoate (13S‐HODE, 1 ) with tert‐butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP) catalysed by titanium tetraisopropoxide {Ti(ⁱOPr)₄} in the presence of L(+)‐diisopropyl tartrate (L‐DIPT) gave methyl 13S‐hydroxy‐11S, 12S‐epoxy‐9Z‐octadecenoate 2 (erythro isomer) in 84% diastereomeric excess (de). The epoxidation of 1 with TBHP catalysed by Ti(ⁱOPr)₄ in the presence of D(‐)‐DIPT yielded methyl 13S‐hydroxy‐11RR12R‐epoxy‐9Z‐octadecenoate (threo isomer) 3 in 76% de.