пятница, 10 февраля 2012 г.

Games

Games

iFFmpeg 2.9 - Convert multimedia files between formats.. (Shareware)

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 02:47 AM PST



iFFmpeg is a graphical front-end for FFmpeg, a command-line tool used to convert multimedia files between formats. The command line instructions can be very hard to master/understand, so iFFmpeg does all the hard work for you. This allows you to use FFmpeg without detailed command-line knowledge.

Version 2.9:
  • Enabled adding up to 4 audio streams.
  • Added Prores de/encoding support.
  • Added V210 4:2:2 10-bit de/encoding support.
  • Added V410 4:4:4 10-bit de/encoding support.
  • Re-arranged the options tab.
  • Changed the batch list view.
  • Smaller memory use for thumbnail caches.
  • You can now select more then one item in the batch list.
  • Improved mapping syntax for newer FFmpeg versions.
  • Added 'Flip Horizontal and Vertical' to the orientation filter.
  • Now accepts .amv video files.
  • Updated German localization.
  • Added option "Always encode all available streams".
  • Now displays warning when watermark file is not compatible.
  • Fixed issue encoding watermark with latest FFmpeg binaries.
  • Fixed issue when FFmpeg could not be quitted (read: FFmpeg binary locked up).
  • Fixed issue when removing a file from the batch and the batch settings window is still open.
  • Fixed small issue saving user presets.
  • Fixed issue with getting the resolution of movies with RGB color.
  • Reset demo.


  • Mac OS X 10.6 or later
  • Working FFmpeg OS X binary (available here).


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This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 1919-1932: Presence of CP4-EPSPS Component in Roundup Ready Soybean-Derived Food Products

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

With the widespread use of Roundup Ready soya (event 40-3-2) (RRS), the traceability of transgenic components, especially protein residues, in different soya-related foodstuffs has become an important issue. In this report, transgenic components in commercial soya (including RRS) protein concentrates were firstly detected by using polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and western blot. The results illustrated the different degradation patterns of the cp4-epsps gene and corresponding protein in RRS-derived protein concentrates. Furthermore, western blot was applied to investigate the single factor of food processing and the matrix on the disintegration of CP4-EPSPS protein in RRS powder and soya-derived foodstuffs, and trace the degradation patterns during the food production chain. Our results suggested that the exogenous full length of CP4-EPSPS protein in RRS powder was distinctively sensitive to various heat treatments, including heat, microwave and autoclave (especially), and only one degradation fragment (23.4 kD) of CP4-EPSPS protein was apparently observed when autoclaving was applied. By tracing the protein degradation during RRS-related products, including tofu, tou-kan, and bean curd sheets, however, four degradation fragments (42.9, 38.2, 32.2 and 23.4 kD) were displayed, suggesting that both boiling and bittern adding procedures might have extensive effects on CP4-EPSPS protein degradation. Our results thus confirmed that the distinctive residues of the CP4-EPSPS component could be traced in RRS-related foodstuffs.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 1886-1918: The mTOR Signalling Pathway in Human Cancer

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

The conserved serine/threonine kinase mTOR (the mammalian target of rapamycin), a downstream effector of the PI3K/AKT pathway, forms two distinct multiprotein complexes: mTORC1 and mTORC2. mTORC1 is sensitive to rapamycin, activates S6K1 and 4EBP1, which are involved in mRNA translation. It is activated by diverse stimuli, such as growth factors, nutrients, energy and stress signals, and essential signalling pathways, such as PI3K, MAPK and AMPK, in order to control cell growth, proliferation and survival. mTORC2 is considered resistant to rapamycin and is generally insensitive to nutrients and energy signals. It activates PKC-α and AKT and regulates the actin cytoskeleton. Deregulation of multiple elements of the mTOR pathway (PI3K amplification/mutation, PTEN loss of function, AKT overexpression, and S6K1, 4EBP1 and eIF4E overexpression) has been reported in many types of cancers, particularly in melanoma, where alterations in major components of the mTOR pathway were reported to have significant effects on tumour progression. Therefore, mTOR is an appealing therapeutic target and mTOR inhibitors, including the rapamycin analogues deforolimus, everolimus and temsirolimus, are submitted to clinical trials for treating multiple cancers, alone or in combination with inhibitors of other pathways. Importantly, temsirolimus and everolimus were recently approved by the FDA for the treatment of renal cell carcinoma, PNET and giant cell astrocytoma. Small molecules that inhibit mTOR kinase activity and dual PI3K-mTOR inhibitors are also being developed. In this review, we aim to survey relevant research, the molecular mechanisms of signalling, including upstream activation and downstream effectors, and the role of mTOR in cancer, mainly in melanoma.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 1809-1818: Pressurized Hot Ethanol Extraction of Carotenoids from Carrot By-Products

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

Carotenoids are known for their antioxidant activity and health promoting effects. One of the richest sources of carotenoids are carrots. However, about 25% of the annual production is regarded as by-products due to strict market policies. The aim of this study was to extract carotenoids from those by-products. Conventional carotenoid extraction methods require the use of organic solvents, which are costly, environmentally hazardous, and require expensive disposal procedures. Pressurized liquid extraction (PLE) utilizes conventional solvents at elevated temperatures and pressure, and it requires less solvent and shorter extraction times. The extraction solvent of choice in this study was ethanol, which is a solvent generally recognized as safe (GRAS). The extraction procedure was optimized by varying the extraction time (2–10 min) and the temperature (60–180 °C). β-Carotene was used as an indicator for carotenoids content in the carrots. The results showed that time and temperatures of extraction have significant effect on the yield of carotenoids. Increasing the flush volume during extraction did not improve the extractability of carotenoids, indicating that the extrication method was mainly desorption/diffusion controlled. Use of a dispersing agent that absorbs the moisture content was important for the efficiency of extraction. Analysing the content of β-carotene at the different length of extraction cycles showed that about 80% was recovered after around 20 min of extraction.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 1797-1808: Phenolic Compounds and Antioxidant Activities of Liriope muscari

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

Five phenolic compounds, namely N-trans-coumaroyltyramine (1), N-trans-feruloyltyramine (2), N-trans-feruloyloctopamine (3), 5,7-dihydroxy-8-methoxyflavone (4) and (3S)3,5,4′-trihydroxy-7-methoxy-6-methylhomoisoflavanone (5), were isolated from the fibrous roots of Liriope muscari (Liliaceae). Compounds 2–5 were isolated for the first time from the Liriope genus. Their in vitro antioxidant activities were assessed by the DPPH and ABTS scavenging methods with microplate assays. The structure-activity relationships of compounds 1–3 are discussed.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 1795-1796: Molecules Best Paper Award 2012

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

Molecules start to institute the "Best Paper" award to recognize these outstanding papers in the area of natural products, medicinal chemistry and molecular diversity published in Molecules. We are pleased to announce the first "Molecules Best Paper Award" for 2012. Nominations were selected by the editor-in-chief and selected editorial board members from all the papers published in 2008. [...]

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 1764-1794: Applications of Supercritical Fluid Extraction (SFE) of Palm Oil and Oil from Natural Sources

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

Supercritical fluid extraction (SFE), which has received much interest in its use and further development for industrial applications, is a method that offers some advantages over conventional methods, especially for the palm oil industry. SC-CO2 refers to supercritical fluid extraction (SFE) that uses carbon dioxide (CO2) as a solvent which is a nontoxic, inexpensive, nonflammable, and nonpolluting supercritical fluid solvent for the extraction of natural products. Almost 100% oil can be extracted and it is regarded as safe, with organic solvent-free extracts having superior organoleptic profiles. The palm oil industry is one of the major industries in Malaysia that provides a major contribution to the national income. Malaysia is the second largest palm oil and palm kernel oil producer in the World. This paper reviews advances in applications of supercritical carbon dioxide (SC-CO2) extraction of oils from natural sources, in particular palm oil, minor constituents in palm oil, producing fractionated, refined, bleached, and deodorized palm oil, palm kernel oil and purified fatty acid fractions commendable for downstream uses as in toiletries and confectionaries.

Polymers, Vol. 4, Pages 448-462: In Situ and Ex Situ Syntheses of Magnetic Liquid Crystalline Materials: A Comparison

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

Magnetic hybrid liquid crystalline composites have been obtained either by thermal decomposition of a cobalt precursor in a solution containing a liquid crystal polymer or by dispersing preformed cobalt nanorods in a liquid crystal polymer matrix. The final materials are all mesomorphous and ferromagnetic. Their magnetic characteristics are compared as a function of the synthesis method.

Rainbogeddon

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 01:21 AM PST

[Platform: Flash] Nitrome's Rainbogeddon is a retro-riffic, Pacman-esque quarter-grabber updated for the twenty-first century. The addition of power-ups, destructible level, and more varied enemies makes for a surprisingly strategic twist on a familiar classic. Add a very '80s presentation and Nitrome's trademark charm, and you've got a fine modern take on vintage arcade gaming without ever having to go to the arcade.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 1858-1885: Yeast Mitochondrial Interactosome Model: Metabolon Membrane Proteins Complex Involved in the Channeling of ADP/ATP

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

The existence of a mitochondrial interactosome (MI) has been currently well established in mammalian cells but the exact composition of this super-complex is not precisely known, and its organization seems to be different from that in yeast. One major difference is the absence of mitochondrial creatine kinase (MtCK) in yeast, unlike that described in the organization model of MI, especially in cardiac, skeletal muscle and brain cells. The aim of this review is to provide a detailed description of different partner proteins involved in the synergistic ADP/ATP transport across the mitochondrial membranes in the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae and to propose a new mitochondrial interactosome model. The ADP/ATP (Aacp) and inorganic phosphate (PiC) carriers as well as the VDAC (or mitochondrial porin) catalyze the import and export of ADP, ATP and Pi across the mitochondrial membranes. Aacp and PiC, which appear to be associated with the ATP synthase, consist of two nanomotors (F0, F1) under specific conditions and form ATP synthasome. Identification and characterization of such a complex were described for the first time by Pedersen and co-workers in 2003.

Entropy, Vol. 14, Pages 233-251: Scientific Élan Vital: Entropy Deficit or Inhomogeneity as a Unified Concept of Driving Forces of Life in Hierarchical Biosphere Driven by Photosynthesis

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

Life is considered something different from non-living things, but no single driving force can account for all the different aspects of life, which consists of different levels of hierarchy, such as metabolism, cell physiology, multi-cellular development and organization, population dynamics, ecosystem, and evolution. Although free energy is evidently the driving force in biochemical reactions, there is no established relationship between metabolic energy and spatiotemporal organization of living organisms, or between metabolic energy and genetic information. Since Schrödinger pointed out the importance of exporting entropy in maintaining life, misunderstandings of entropy notion have been obstacles in constructing a unified view on the driving forces of life. Here I present a simplified conceptual framework for unifying driving forces of life at various different levels of hierarchy. The key concept is "entropy deficit", or simply, 'inhomogeneity', which is defined as the difference of maximal possible entropy and actual entropy. This is equivalent to information content in genetic information and protein structure, and is also defined similarly for non-homogeneous structures in ecosystems and evolution. Entropy deficit or inhomogeneoity is a unified measure of all driving forces of life, which could be considered a scientific equivalent to 'élan vital' of Bergson.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 1751-1763: Design, Synthesis and Preliminary Pharmacological Evaluation of New Non-Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Agents Having a 4-(Methylsulfonyl) Aniline Pharmacophore

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

A series of 4-(methylsulfonyl)aniline derivatives were synthesized in order to obtain new compounds as a potential anti-inflammatory agents with expected selectivity against COX-2 enzyme. In vivo acute anti-inflammatory activity of the final compounds 11–14 was evaluated in rat using an egg-white induced edema model of inflammation in a dose equivalent to 3 mg/Kg of diclofenac sodium. All tested compounds produced significant reduction of paw edema with respect to the effect of propylene glycol 50% v/v (control group). Moreover, the activity of compounds 11 and 14 was significantly higher than that of diclofenac sodium (at 3 mg/Kg) in the 120–300 minute time interval, while compound 12 expressed a comparable effect to that of diclofenac sodium in the 60–240 minute time interval time, and compound 13 showed a comparable effect to that of diclofenac sodium at all experimental times. The result of this study indicates that the incorporation of the 4-(methylsulfonyl)aniline pharamacophore into naproxen, indomethacine, diclofenac and mefanamic acid maintained their anti-inflammatory activity and may increase selectivity towards the COX-2 enzyme which will be confirmed in the future by assessing COX-2: COX-1 inhibitory ratios using a whole blood assay.

Entropy, Vol. 14, Pages 213-232: Quantitative Comparison of Conformational Ensembles

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

A number of measures have been used in the structural biology literature to compare the shapes or conformations of biological macromolecules. However, the issue of how to compare two ensembles of conformations has received far less attention. Herein, the problem of how to quantitatively compare two such ensembles is addressed in several different ways using concepts from probability and information theory. Ultimately, such metrics could be used in the evaluation of structure-prediction algorithms and the analysis of how conformational mobility is inhibited by bound ligands.

Insects, Vol. 3, Pages 161-199: Insect Sex Determination Manipulated by Their Endosymbionts: Incidences, Mechanisms and Implications

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

The sex-determining systems of arthropods are surprisingly diverse. Some species have male or female heterogametic sex chromosomes while other species do not have sex chromosomes. Most species are diploids but some species, including wasps, ants, thrips and mites, are haplodiploids (n in males; 2n in females). Many of the sexual aberrations, such as sexual mosaics, sex-specific lethality and conversion of sexuality, can be explained by developmental defects including double fertilization of a binucleate egg, loss of a sex chromosome or perturbation of sex-determining gene expression, which occur accidentally or are induced by certain environmental conditions. However, recent studies have revealed that such sexual aberrations can be caused by various groups of vertically-transmitted endosymbiotic microbes such as bacteria of the genera Wolbachia, Rickettsia, Arsenophonus, Spiroplasma and Cardinium, as well as microsporidian protists. In this review, we first summarize the accumulated data on endosymbiont-induced sexual aberrations, and then discuss how such endosymbionts affect the developmental system of their hosts and what kinds of ecological and evolutionary effects these endosymbionts have on their host populations.

The SCAR project: portraits of young breast cancer survivors

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 01:16 AM PST

Photographer David Jay's SCAR Project is described as "a series of large-scale portraits of young breast cancer survivors," intended to raise awareness about early onset breast cancer while "paying tribute to the courage and spirit of so many brave young women."

Dedicated to the more than 10,000 women under the age of 40 who will be diagnosed this year alone, The SCAR Project is an exercise in awareness, hope, reflection and healing. The mission is three-fold: raise public consciousness of early-onset breast cancer, raise funds for breast cancer research/outreach programs and help young survivors see their scars, faces, figures and experiences through a new, honest and ultimately empowering lens.

You can view more images here (websurfing-while-at-work content advisory: most contain female frontal nudity, and, of course, surgical scars).

There's a book, available here. And there's an interview with Jay about the SCAR project at FOTOJORNO.

As regular readers may know, this project is relevant to my interests.

(via @josephsyen)

Drive-thru funeral parlor: "It's a convenience thing."

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:53 AM PST

Here lies the late Robert Sanders, 58, at the Robert L. Adams drive-through funeral parlor in the Los Angeles area city of Compton. The funeral parlor has been in business since 1974, and is believed to be the only drive-through funeral home in southern California, according to office manager Denise Knowles-Bragg. She says the parlor offers a convenient alternative to older people who find it hard to walk, those who want to make a quick stop during the lunch hour, and the families of well-known deceased people who expect many visitors.

Here are more photographs.

The Los Angeles Times profiled this establishment in an article last year. Snip:

"You can come by after work, you don't need to deal with parking, you can sign the book outside and the family knows that you paid your respects," said [owner Peggy Scott Adams]. "It's a convenience thing."

The venue provides a speedy way for well-known community folk to be viewed en masse. Seniors don't have to leave their cars. Those who can't stomach stepping inside a funeral home don't have to. Families can avoid the complications of hosting a formal indoor viewing. And the disabled can roll through in their own wheelchairs — as one woman recently did.

In the 1980s, cemetery shootouts made gang members reluctant to gather for graveside services. The drive-thru's glass partition is bulletproof, Scott Adams said, and so for a while the mortuary became a popular location for gang funerals.

(REUTERS/Lucy Nicholson, photo taken February 8, 2012)

Insects, Vol. 3, Pages 141-160: Phylogenetic Analysis of Fusarium solani Associated with the Asian Longhorned Beetle, Anoplophora glabripennis

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

Culture-independent analysis of the gut of a wood-boring insect, Anoplophora glabripennis (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae), revealed a consistent association between members of the fungal Fusarium solani species complex and the larval stage of both colony-derived and wild A. glabripennis populations. Using the translation elongation factor 1-alpha region for culture-independent phylogenetic and operational taxonomic unit (OTU)-based analyses, only two OTUs were detected, suggesting that genetic variance at this locus was low among A. glabripennis-associated isolates. To better survey the genetic variation of F. solani associated with A. glabripennis, and establish its phylogenetic relationship with other members of the F. solani species complex, single spore isolates were created from different populations and multi-locus phylogenetic analysis was performed using a combination of the translation elongation factor alpha-1, internal transcribed spacer, and large subunit rDNA regions. These analyses revealed that colony-derived larvae reared in three different tree species or on artificial diet, as well as larvae from wild populations collected from three additional tree species in New York City and from a single tree species in Worcester, MA, consistently harbored F. solani within their guts. While there is some genetic variation in the F. solani carried between populations, within-population variation is low. We speculate that F. solani is able to fill a broad niche in the A. glabripennis gut, providing it with fungal lignocellulases to allow the larvae to grow and develop on woody tissue. However, it is likely that many F. solani genotypes could potentially fill this niche, so the relationship may not be limited to a single member of the F. solani species complex. While little is known about the role of filamentous fungi and their symbiotic associations with insects, this report suggests that larval A. glabripennis has developed an intimate relationship with F. solani that is not limited by geographic location or host tree.

Insects, Vol. 3, Pages 133-140: Near-Optimal Foraging in the Pacific Cicada Killer Sphecius convallis Patton (Hymenoptera: Crabronidae)

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

This study evaluated foraging effectiveness of Pacific cicada killers (Sphecius convallis) by comparing observed prey loads to that predicted by an optimality model. Female S. convallis preyed exclusively on the cicada Tibicen parallelus, resulting in a mean loaded flight muscle ratio (FMR) of 0.187 (N = 46). This value lies just above the marginal level, and only seven wasps (15%) were below 0.179. The low standard error (0.002) suggests that S. convallis is the most ideal flying predator so far examined in this respect. Preying on a single species may have allowed stabilizing selection to adjust the morphology of females to a nearly ideal size. That the loaded FMR is slightly above the marginal level may provide a small safety factor for wasps that do not have optimal thorax temperatures or that have to contend with attempted prey theft. Operational FMR was directly related to wasp body mass. Smaller wasps were overloaded in spite of provisioning with smaller cicadas, while larger wasps were underloaded despite provisioning with larger cicadas. Small wasps may have abandoned larger cicadas because of difficulty with carriage.

Genes, Vol. 3, Pages 115-137: Genomic Distribution and Divergence of Levansucrase-Coding Genes in Pseudomonas syringae

Posted: 10 Feb 2012 12:00 AM PST

In the plant pathogenic bacterium, Pseudomonas syringae, the exopolysaccharide levan is synthesized by extracellular levansucrase (Lsc), which is encoded by two conserved 1,296-bp genes termed lscB and lscC in P. syringae strain PG4180. A third gene, lscA, is homologous to the 1,248-bp lsc gene of the bacterium Erwinia amylovora, causing fire blight. However, lscA is not expressed in P. syringae strain PG4180. Herein, PG4180 lscA was shown to be expressed from its native promoter in the Lsc-deficient E. amylovora mutant, Ea7/74-LS6, suggesting that lscA might be closely related to the E. amylovora lsc gene. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed that lscB and lscC homologs in several P. syringae strains are part of a highly conserved 1.8-kb region containing the ORF, flanked by 450-452-bp and 49-51-bp up- and downstream sequences, respectively. Interestingly, the 450-452-bp upstream sequence, along with the initial 48-bp ORF sequence encoding for the N-terminal 16 amino acid residues of Lsc, were found to be highly similar to the respective sequence of a putatively prophage-borne glycosyl hydrolase-encoding gene in several P. syringae genomes. Minimal promoter regions of lscB and lscC were mapped in PG4180 by deletion analysis and were found to be located in similar positions upstream of lsc genes in three P. syringae genomes. Thus, a putative 498-500-bp promoter element was identified, which possesses the prophage-associated com gene and DNA encoding common N-terminal sequences of all 1,296-bp Lsc and two glycosyl hydrolases. Since the gene product of the non-expressed 1,248-bp lscA is lacking this conserved N-terminal region but is otherwise highly homologous to those of lscB and lscC, it was concluded that lscA might have been the ancestral lsc gene in E. amylovora and P. syringae. Our data indicated that its highly expressed paralogs in P. syringae are probably derived from subsequent recombination events initiated by insertion of the 498-500-bp promoter element, described herein, containing a translational start site.

MacPilot 4.3.3 - Enable over 1,000 hidden features in Mac OS X and other apps.. (Shareware)

Posted: 09 Feb 2012 08:59 PM PST



MacPilot can enable and disable hidden features in Mac OS X, optimize and repair your system, and perform numerous routine maintenance operations with the click of a button!

Pro user or not, you can now increase computer performance with only a few clicks of the mouse. Optimize your network for broadband connectivity, completely customize Apple File Sharing, perform essential maintenance without having to remember mind boggling acronyms, and much more. However, those are just a few of the many reasons why MacPilot is your choice over Cocktail, TinkerTool and Onyx.

Enable the "cut" option in the Finder, disable menu items for security, disable icon caches, set history limits, erase recently used files, prevent your dock from being modified, turn off all system animations, increase the speed at which windows resize, change which format screenshots are taken in, set a default name and location for screenshots, disable a secondary processor, the startup chime, and even change the login window picture. Over 900 features in total!

Version 4.3.3:

  • New Feature: Can now allow text selection in QuickLook previews in Mac OS X 10.7 Lion.
  • New Feature: iTunes Dock notifications.
  • Bug Fix: 'default' grey text no longer draws in the wrong position in the Save Point creator.


Mac OS X 10.5 or later

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This posting includes an audio/video/photo media file: Download Now

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