Abstract: A tossing game includes placing two floating goals spaced apart in a body of water, each goal defining a scoring region. The participants add an amount of water to cups and toss the cups in the direction of one of the goals for at least two turns, with the participants awarded points in response to the cups being tossed into the scoring region. Each filling of the cup during a participant's turn adds variability to the game, challenging the participants to determine a suitable amount of water to be placed in the cup for their own throwing technique as well as to repeatedly add approximately the same amount of water on subsequent turns once the participants have determined the fill level that best suits them.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein disclose a fish brooding and filtration system. The system includes a brooding tank configured to contain water and fish for breeding. The brooding tank is in fluid communication a filtration tank, which is configured to extract nitrites from the water circulating through the system. A pump circulates the water through at least one conduit and an injector that receives a flow of water generated by the pump and draws air into the injector. The injector is further operable to inject a mixture of the drawn air and the water into the brooding tank.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein disclose a system for brewing compost tea. The system includes a bucket that has an opening and a handle. A lid defining a plurality of holes and is configured to cover the opening in the bucket. An air pump is coupled to the lid. At least one air hose is coupled to the air pump and received through one of the holes. At least one air stone is coupled to the at least one air hose. The air pump is operable to cause air bubbles to be expelled from the at least one air stone to facilitate aeration of a compost tea mixture contained by the bucket.

Abstract: Embodiments disclosed herein disclose a fish brooding and filtration system. The system includes a brooding tank configured to contain water and fish for breeding. The brooding tank is in fluid communication a filtration tank, which is configured to extract nitrites from the water circulating through the system. A pump circulates the water through at least one conduit and an injector that receives a flow of water generated by the pump and draws air into the injector. The injector is further operable to inject a mixture of the drawn air and the water into the brooding tank.

Abstract: Peptide-based compounds including heteroatom-containing, three-membered rings efficiently and selectively inhibit specific activities of N-terminal nucleophile (Ntn) hydrolases. The activities of those Ntn having multiple activities can be differentially inhibited by the compounds described. For example, the chymotrypsinlike activity of the 20S proteasome may be selectively inhibited with the inventive compounds. The peptide-based compounds include an epoxide or aziridine, and functionalization at the N-terminus. Among other therapeutic utilities, the peptide-based compounds are expected to display anti-inflammatory properties and inhibition of cell proliferation.

Abstract: Methods for extraction, isolation, and purification of therapeutically useful compounds from Tripterygium wilfordii are described. Extraction steps employing aqueous base and a hydrocarbon solvent, respectively, are found to increase the efficiency of the process and reduce the amount of material that must be removed by chromatography.

Abstract: Compounds useful as immunosuppressive, anti-inflammatory and anticancer agents and methods of their preparation and use are described. The compounds are analogs or derivatives of triptolide and related compounds, modified at the 5- and/or 6-position relative to the naturally occurring compounds.

Abstract: Inflammatory disorders, including obliterative airway disease, renal fibrosis, diabetic nephropathy, and liver fibrosis are treated with immunosuppressive triptolide compounds, in particular triptolide compounds effective to inhibit TGF-? production in a patient afflicted with such a disorder.

Abstract: Peptide-based compounds including heteroatom-containing, three-membered rings efficiently and selectively inhibit specific activities of N-terminal nucleophile (Ntn) hydrolases. The activities of those Ntn having multiple activities can be differentially inhibited by the compounds described. For example, the chymotrypsin-like activity of the 20S proteasome may be selectively inhibited with the inventive compounds. The peptide-based compounds include at least three peptide units, an epoxide or aziridine, and functionalization at the N-terminus. Among other therapeutic utilities, the peptide-based compounds are expected to display anti-inflammatory properties and inhibition of cell proliferation.

Abstract: Compounds having the structure I: are useful for inducing cell death (apoptosis) and in immunosuppression. In structure I, R1 is H or R, R being selected from lower alkyl, alkenyl, alkynyl, and allenyl, or, R1 together with R2=O (oxo); R2=OH, or, R1 and R2 together=O (oxo); CR3R5 and CR4R6 are selected from CH2, CHOH and CROH; at least one of R1, R5 and R6 is R; and at least one of CR3R5 and CR4R6 is CH2.

Abstract: Compounds having the structure I: are useful for inducing cell death (apoptosis) and in immunosuppression. In structure I, CR1R2 is selected from CHOH, C?O, CHF, CF2 and C(CF3)OH; CR6 and CR13 are selected from CH, COH and CF; CR7R8, CR9R10 and CR11R12 are selected from CH2, CHOH, C?O, CHF and CF2; and CR3R4R5 is selected from CH3, CH2OH, C?O, COOH, CH2F, CHF2 and CF3; such that: at least one of R1-R13 comprises fluorine; no more than two of CR3R4R5, CR6, CR7R8, CR9R10, CR11R12, and CR13 comprises fluorine or oxygen; and, when CR1R2 is CHOH, CR3R4R5 is not CH2F.

Abstract: Peptide-based compounds including heteroatom-containing, three-membered rings efficiently and selectively inhibit specific activities of N-terminal nucleophile (Ntn) hydrolases. The activities of those Ntn having multiple activities can be differentially inhibited by the compounds described. For example, the chymotrypsin-like activity of the 20S proteasome may be selectively inhibited with the inventive compounds. The peptide-based compounds include at least three peptide units, an epoxide or aziridine, and functionalization at the N-terminus. Among other therapeutic utilities, the peptide-based compounds are expected to display anti-inflammatory properties and inhibition of cell proliferation.

Abstract: The compounds are of the formula ##STR1## wherein each R.sup.1 is independently H or lower alkyl (1-4C); R.sup.2 is H, lower alkyl (1-4C), alkylaryl or one or more additional saccharide residues; R.sup.3 and R.sup.4 are independently H, alkyl (1-6C), aryl or R.sup.3 and R.sup.4, taken together, form a five or six-membered ring optionally containing a hetroatom selected from the group consisting of O, S, and NR.sup.1 ; wherein said five- or six-membered ring may further be substituted by one or more substituents selected from the group consisting of (CHOR.sup.1).sup.m H wherein m is 1-4, OR.sup.1, OOCR.sub.1, NR.sup.1, NCOR.sup.1 and SR.sup.1 ; Y is H, OR.sup.1, OOCR.sup.1, NR.sup.1.sub.2, NCOR.sub.1 or SR.sub.1 ; and X is --CHR.sup.5 (CHOR.sup.1).sub.2 CHR.sup.6 OR.sup.1 wherein R.sup.5 and R.sup.6 are independently H, lower alkyl (1-4C) optionally substituted with one or more R, or result in a five- or six-membered ring optionally containing a heteroatom selected from the group consisting of O, S and NR.sup.

Abstract: New triazolobenzoxazinones are described as well as the use thereof as anti-allergenic agents.