Nash equilibria in multi-agent motor interactions.

Social interactions in classic cognitive games like the ultimatum game or the prisoner's dilemma typically lead to Nash equilibria when multiple competitive decision makers with perfect knowledge select optimal strategies. However, in evolutionary game theory it has been shown that Nash equilibria can also arise as attractors in dynamical systems that can describe, for example, the population dynamics of microorganisms. Similar to such evolutionary dynamics, we find that Nash equilibria arise naturally in motor interactions in which players vie for control and try to minimize effort. When confronted with sensorimotor interaction tasks that correspond to the classical prisoner's dilemma and the rope-pulling game, two-player motor interactions led predominantly to Nash solutions. In contrast, when a single player took both roles, playing the sensorimotor game bimanually, cooperative solutions were found. Our methodology opens up a new avenue for the study of human motor interactions within a game theoretic framework, suggesting that the coupling of motor systems can lead to game theoretic solutions.

Chitosan as a water clarifying agent

Chitosan may be used to reduce the bacterial load of water. Material prepared according to the method of Radhakrishnan & Prahu described in Res. & Ind., 16(4), pp. 265, used in 1% solution in 1% acetic acid was added at 10 ppm level to contaminated water and allowed to stand for 45 min. Cultures of E. coli, Staphylococci and a mixture of the 2 were inoculated into ordinary and muddy water. Bacterial load was determined, and it is shown that chitosan has excellent qualities as a coagulant/water clarifying agent, especially for muddy waters or those contaminated with suspended matter or bacteria.

Xanthohumol, a novel anti-HIV-1 agent purified from Hops Humulus lupulus

Xanthohumol, prenylchacone flavonoid, is a natural product with multi-biofunctions purified from Hops Humulus lupulus. Its anti-HIV-1 activity was tested in the present study. Results showed that xanthohumol inhibited HIV-1 induced cytopathic effects, the production of viral p24 antigen and reverse transcriptase in C8166 lymphocytes at non-cytotoxic concentration. The EC50 values were 0.82, 1.28 and 0.50 mug/ml, respectively. The therapeutic index (TI) was about 10.8. Xanthohumol also inhibited HIV-1 replication in PBMC with EC50 value of 20.74 mug/ml. The activity of recombinant HIV-1 reverse transcriptase and the HIV-1 entry were not inhibited by xanthohumol. The results from this study suggested that xanthohumol is effective against HIV-1 and might serve as an interesting lead compound. It may represent a novel chemotherapeutic agent for HIV-1 infection. However, the mechanism of its anti-HIV-1 effect needs to be further clarified. (C) 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

The water stability of shrimp diets with various polysaccharides as a binding agent

The water stability of shrimp (Penaeus monodon) diets with various polysaccharides as binding agents were tested without steaming. The diet with alginate showed the best water stability and did not completely disintegrate in 24 hours. However, the use of alginate is dependent on cost and availability, so alternate choices may be a combination of sago palm starch and wheat flour or glutinous rice flour.

Concentricolide, an anti-HIV agent from the ascomycete Daldinia concentrica

A novel benzofuran lactone, named concentricolide (=rel-(6R)-6-ethylbenzo[2.1-b:3,4-c']difuran-8(6H)-one; 1), was isolated along with four known compounds (friedelin, cytochalasin L-696.474, armillaramide, and russulamide) from the fruiting bodies of the