Bulletin of Bryant College 1863-1963 Centennial Pictorial

The 1963 Centennial Pictorial of Bryant College with pictures from 1863 and 1963. The highlights of Bryant College are documented in photographs and articles

Aspects of the impacts of mouse (Mus musculus) control on skinks in Auckland, New Zealand : a thesis presented in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of Science in Conservation Biology at Massey University

Conservation in New Zealand has a strong focus on pest control and eradication. However,a growing number of eradication attempts have failed to extirpate, or prevent reinvasions of house mice (Mus musculus). This thesis experimentally examined aspects of lizard ecology in relation to mice and the use of brodifacoum for mouse control. Shore skinks (Oligosoma smithi) were surveyed in three grids under different levels of mouse control (long term. LT, short term, ST and uncontrolled. UC). Skink capture rates, demographics and body condition were recorded on a monthly basis (November 2006 to June 2007). Skink capture rates were highest in the LT and lowest in the UC grid. Twice as many juveniles were caught in the LT than ST and UC sites: however proportions of neonates were not significantly different. Proportions of recaptured skinks within LT and UC grids peaked in February, whereas the ST grid showed peaks corresponding with troughs in mouse abundance. Mice were snap-trapped and gut contents were analysed from 50 per month (February to May). Skink remains were identified from 14 mice. Impacts of brodifacoum on shore skinks in situ as well as rainbow skinks (Lampropholis delicata) in captivity were investigated. Skink visitation rates to brodifacoum bait stations were quantified using tracking cards. Skinks were assessed for signs of ill health. Shore skink tracking rates reached 81% One skink was observed consuming bait directly. Rainbow skinks showed higher tracking rates inside stations without bait than baited. Neither species indicated any sign of ill health. Captive rainbow skinks were supplied with brodifacoum cereal blocks or brodifacoum-loaded mealworms. Rainbow skinks were not observed to directly ingest brodifacoum and showed no affects on weight gain or behaviour. Results suggest that mice are predators of skinks. particularly during and shortly after skink birthing period. This has important implications for mainland conservation efforts where mice are more difficult to control, and particularly for rare and cryptic lizard species. Native lizards may be significant vectors of brodifacoum. where they are abundant. Although mouse eradications should be attempted when possible, further research into acute toxicity and sub-lethal effects of brodifacoum is urgently required

Synthesis of 1 alpha,25-Dihydroxyvitamin D Analogues Featuring a S-2-symmetric CD-ring Core

Three analogues of 1 alpha,25-dihydroxyvitamin D-3 (calcitriol), featuring a transfused decalin C, D-core with local S-2-symmetry, and possessing identical side-chain and seco-B,A-ring structures, have been synthesized starting from readily available (4aR, 8aS)octahydronaphthalene-1,5-dione(7). The very short sequences involve the simultaneous introduction of the side-chain and seco-B, A-ring fragments via Suzuki and Sonogashira coupling reactions. The analogues are devoid of relevant biological activity

Hopf fibration and monopole connection over the contact quantum spheres

Noncommutative geometry of quantised contact spheres introduced by Omori, Maeda, Miyazaki and Yoshioka is studied. In particular it is proven that these spheres form a noncommutative Hopf fibration in the sense of Hopf-Galois extensions. The monopole (strong) connection is constructed, and projectors describing projective modules of all monopole charges are computed.Comment: 15 pages, LaTe

Decomposition of Ruthenium Olefin Metathesis Catalysts

The decomposition of a series of ruthenium metathesis catalysts has been examined using methylidene species as model complexes. All of the phosphine-containing methylidene complexes decomposed to generate methylphosphonium salts, and their decomposition routes followed first-order kinetics. The formation of these salts in high conversion, coupled with the observed kinetic behavior for this reaction, suggests that the major decomposition pathway involves nucleophilic attack of a dissociated phosphine on the methylidene carbon. This mechanism also is consistent with decomposition observed in the presence of ethylene as a model olefin substrate. The decomposition of phosphine-free catalyst (H_2IMes)(Cl)_2Ru CH(2-C_6H_4-O-i-Pr) (H_2IMes = 1,3-dimesityl-4,5-dihydroimidazol-2-ylidene) with ethylene was found to generate unidentified ruthenium hydride species. The novel ruthenium complex (H_2IMes)(pyridine)_3(Cl)_2Ru, which was generated during the synthetic attempts to prepare the highly unstable pyridine-based methylidene complex (H_2IMes)(pyridine)_2(Cl)_2Ru CH_2, is also reported

Total synthesis and absolute configuration assignment of MRSA active garcinol and isogarcinol

A short total synthesis of (±)-garcinol and (±)-isogarcinol, two endo-type B PPAPs with reported activity against methiciline resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), is presented. The separation of framework-constructing from framework-decorating steps and the application of two highly regio- and stereoselective Pd-catalysed allylations, that is, the Pd-catalysed decarboxylative Tsuji-Trost allylation and the diastereoselective Pd-catalysed allyl-allyl cross-coupling, are key elements that allowed the total synthesis to be accomplished within 13 steps starting from acetylacetone. After separation of the enantiomers the absolute configurations of the four natural products (i.e., (-)-garcinol, (+)-guttiferone E (i.e., ent-garcinol), (-)-isogarcinol, and (+)-isoxanthochymol (i.e., ent-isogarcinol)) were assigned based on ECD spectroscopy.Fil: Socolsky, Cecilia. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Tucumán. Instituto de Quimica del Noroeste; Argentina. Universidad Nacional de Tucumán; ArgentinaFil: Plietker, Bernd . Universität Stuttgart. Institut für Organische Chemie; Alemani

Spectral analysis of aegelin isolated from maja leaves (Aegle marmelos Corr.)

Aegelin is an alkaloid which isolated from Maja (Aegle marmelos Corr.) leaves. The molecular structure of the compound contains a chiral carbon atom. In our earlier publications the existence and influence of a chiral carbon atom have not been discussed yet. The existing of the chiral carbon atom gave rise two pair of doublets at d 3.67 J=3.4 Hz and d 3.43 J=8.5 Hz in the proton nmr spectrum. The doublets are signal of two proton which attached on adjacent atom of the chiral carbon atom which is confirmed bythe two dimension nmr spectrum (HMQC). The two protons are magnetic unequivalent which cause their chemical shifts are different. The protons appear as two doublet with different J value because its couple to a proton attached at the chiral carbon atom and the spin-spin splitting is observed. The existence of the two pairs of the doublets at d 3.67 d,J=3.4 Hz and d 3.42 d,J=8.5 Hz because the isolated aegelin from E.marmelos leaves contains of its enantimeer.Key words: E. marmelos, aegelin, enantiomeer, spectroscop

Momentum Control of Humanoid Robots with Series Elastic Actuators

Humanoid robots may require a degree of compliance at the joint level for improving efficiency, shock tolerance, and safe interaction with humans. The presence of joint elasticity, however, complexifies the design of balancing and walking controllers. This paper proposes a control framework for extending momentum based controllers developed for stiff actuators to the case of series elastic actuators. The key point is to consider the motor velocities as an intermediate control input, and then apply high-gain control to stabilise the desired motor velocities achieving momentum control. Simulations carried out on a model of the robot iCub verify the soundness of the proposed approach