Solid-phase synthesis and anti-infective activity of a combinatorial library based on the natural product anisomycin

The solid-phase synthesis of a library based on the natural product anisomycin is described. The resulting library was tested against a panel of bacterial and fungal targets, and active compounds were identified in a Staphylococcus aureus whole-cell assay and an efflux-deficient fungal whole-cell assay.     

A fresh look into VO(salen) chemistry: synthesis, spectroscopy, electrochemistry and crystal structure of [VO(salen)(H2O)]Br · 0.5 CH3CN

The reaction of V^IVO(salen) with [Et₄N][SnBr₃] in air proceeds via an initial reduction to give a [V^III (salen)]⁺ intermediate, which is then oxidised to dark green [V^VO(salen)(H₂O)]Br, 1. As determined by X-ray crystallography, 1 in the solid state contains hexacoordinate vanadium. ⁵¹V NMR spectra indicate that dissociation of the aqua ligand occurs to give a pentacoordinated [V^VO(salen)] cation in methanol-d₄ solution, while in DMSO-d₆ solutions, coordination of the solvent occurs to give [V^VO(salen)(DMSO-d₆)]⁺. The colour of 1 can be accounted for by O_oxo → V^V and phenolate → V^V LMCTs. Results from this study have led to the re-assignment of LMCTs and V-N and V-O_phenolate stretching frequencies in the IR spectrum. Cyclic voltammetry of 1 indicates three redox processes. The first is typical of [VO(salen)]/[VO(salen)]⁺ couple and the other two are bromide oxidations.     

Isolation and characterization of microsatellite markers from Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei)

We report the development of 11 polymorphic microsatellite loci in pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei) using an unenriched genomic library. The number of the alleles ranged from two to 18 and observed hererozygosity ranged from 0.0286 to 0.9429, indicating that these markers will be useful for population studies and mapping in pacific white shrimp. Seven loci were detected deviated from Hardy–Weinberg, caused by deficiency of heterozygote, suggesting population genetic structure across the sampled population. No evidence for linkage disequilibrium was found.     

Short-term changes in-stream macroinvertebrate communities following a severe fire in the Lake Tahoe basin,California

Rivers, lakes and wetlands are good examples of ecosystems that provide multiple, concurrent, services to mankind. Human society has often exploited these systems by enhancing one ecosystem service at the expense of another. Loch Leven, Scotland, UK, is a good example of this. Over the past 150 years, the lake has been subjected to hydrological modification, fish stocking and pollution control to improve the delivery of key goods and services. This study uses historical records to explore the results of these interventions on the ecosystem services that were targeted for improvement and the knock-on effects on other services provided by the lake. The results suggest that, when management changes are being considered to enhance particular ecosystem services, the potentially damaging effects on other ecosystem services should be taken into account. This requires a better understanding of the role of ecosystem function in delivering ecosystem services, and of the links between multiple ecosystem services, than is currently available. While further research is clearly needed, the value of long-term datasets in providing knowledge and understanding through ‘hindsight’ should not be underestimated. The study concludes that successful management actions are likely to be those that incorporate lessons learned from previous decisions.     

A biophysical model of Sugarcane growth

Scientists predict that global agricultural lands will expand over the next few decades due to increasing demands for food production and an exponential increase in crop‐based biofuel production. These changes in land use will greatly impact biogeochemical and biogeophysical cycles across the globe. It is therefore important to develop models that can accurately simulate the interactions between the atmosphere and important crops. In this study, we develop and validate a new process‐based sugarcane model (included as a module within the Agro‐IBIS dynamic agro‐ecosystem model) which can be applied at multiple spatial scales. At site level, the model systematically under/overestimated the daily sensible/latent heat flux (by ?10.5% and 14.8%, H and λE, respectively) when compared against the micrometeorological observations from southeast Brazil. The model underestimated ET (relative bias between ?10.1% and –12.5%) when compared against an agro‐meteorological field experiment from northeast Australia. At the regional level, the model accurately simulated average yield for the four largest mesoregions (clusters of municipalities) in the state of São Paulo, Brazil, over a period of 16 years, with a yield relative bias of ?0.68% to 1.08%. Finally, the simulated annual average sugarcane yield over 31 years for the state of Louisiana (US) had a low relative bias (?2.67%), but exhibited a lower interannual variability than the observed yields.