четверг, 25 октября 2012 г.

Games

Games

Wii U will be sold at a loss in order to return to 'Nintendo-like profits'

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:49 AM PDT

In the wake of yesterday's news that Nintendo has slahed its profit predictions and also hopes to sell 5.5 million Wii U consoles by April, it's quite

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 12636-12641: Two Novel Phenolic Compounds from the Rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus L.

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Two novel compounds, 1α-methoxy-3β-hydroxy-4α-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-1, 2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalin (1) and 1α,3β-dihydroxy-4α-(3′,4′-dihydroxyphenyl)-1,2,3,4-tetrahydronaphthalin (2), were isolated along with six known compounds 3–8 from the rhizomes of Cyperus rotundus. This paper reports the isolation and full spectroscopic characterization of these new compounds by NMR, UV, IR and MS data.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 12622-12635: Improved Antileishmanial Activity of Dppz through Complexation with Antimony(III) and Bismuth(III): Investigation of the Role of the Metal

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Two novel trivalent antimony(III) and bismuth(III) complexes with the nitrogen-donor heterocyclic ligand dipyrido[3,2-a:2',3'-c]phenazine (dppz) were synthesized and characterized as [Sb(dppz)Cl3]∙H2O∙CH3OH and [Bi(dppz)Cl3]. The crystal structure of Sb(III) complex was determined by X-ray crystallography. These complexes were evaluated for their activity against the promastigote form of Sb(III)-sensitive and –resistant Leishmania infantum chagasi and Leishmania amazonensis strains. Both complexes were more effective than dppz alone in inhibiting the growth of Leishmania promastigotes and were at least 77 and 2,400 times more active than potassium antimonyl tartrate in Sb(III)-sensitive and -resistant Leishmania, respectively. The cytotoxicity of dppz and its complexes against mouse peritoneal macrophages occurred at dppz concentrations at least 6-fold greater than those found to be active against Leishmania promastigotes.To investigate the role of the metal in the improved antileishmanial activity of dppz, the activity of the Sb(III) complex was compared between the Sb-resistant mutants and their respective parental sensitive strains. The lack of cross-resistance to the Sb(III)-dppz complex together with the much lower activity of antimonyl tartrate, SbCl3 and BiCl3 strongly support the model that the metal is not active by itself but improves the activity of dppz through complexation.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 12612-12621: Phenolic Content and Antioxidant Activity of Hibiscus cannabinus L. Seed Extracts after Sequential Solvent Extraction

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

A sequential solvent extraction scheme was employed for the extraction of antioxidant compounds from kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) seeds. Yield of extracts varied widely among the solvents and was the highest for hexane extract (16.6% based on dry weight basis), while water extract exhibited the highest total phenolic content (18.78 mg GAE/g extract), total flavonoid content (2.49 mg RE/g extract), and antioxidant activities (p < 0.05). DPPH and hydroxyl radical scavenging, β-carotene bleaching, metal chelating activity, ferric thiocyanate and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances assays were employed to comprehensively assess the antioxidant potential of different solvent extracts prepared sequentially. Besides water, methanolic extract also exhibited high retardation towards the formation of hydroperoxides and thiobarbituric acid reactive substances in the total antioxidant activity tests (p < 0.05). As conclusion, water and methanol extracts of kenaf seed may potentially serve as new sources of antioxidants for food and nutraceutical applications.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 12603-12611: Growth Inhibition of Streptococcus from the Oral Cavity by α-Amyrin Esters

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Five terpenoids were tested by the macrodilution broth method to determine their inhibition activity on cariogenic bacterial growth. In general, α-, β-amyrin and α-amyrin phenylacetate proved to be active, reducing the bacterial viability to less than 20%.

A look at tech companies with recent IPOs

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 02:03 AM PDT

Facebook and other companies that went public recently are starting to report quarterly earnings.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 12587-12602: Effects of a Novel Poly (AA-co-AAm)/AlZnFe2O4/potassium Humate Superabsorbent Hydrogel Nanocomposite on Water Retention of Sandy Loam Soil and Wheat Seedling Growth

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

A novel poly(acrylic acid-co-acrylamide)AlZnFe2O4/potassium humate superabsorbent hydrogel nanocomposite (PHNC) was synthesized and its physical properties characterized using SEM, Energy Dispersive X-ray (EDX) and FTIR spectroscopic techniques. Air dried sandy loam soil was amended with 0.1 to 0.4 w/w% of PHNC to evaluate its soil moisture retention attributes. Effect of PHNC amendment on pH, electrical conductivity (EC), porosity, bulk density and hydraulic conductivity of sandy loam soil was also studied. The soil amendment with 0.1 to 0.4 w/w% of PHNC remarkably enhanced the moisture retention at field capacity as compared to the un-amended soils. Seed germination and seedling growth of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) was considerably increased and a delay by 6–9 days in wilting of seedlings was observed in the soil amended with PHNC, resulting in improved wheat plant establishment and growth.

Toxins, Vol. 4, Pages 991-1007: Toxigenic Potential of Aspergillus Species Occurring on Maize Kernels from Two Agro-Ecological Zones in Kenya

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Two agro-ecological zones in Kenya were selected to compare the distribution in maize of Aspergillus spp. and their toxigenicity. These were Nandi County, which is the main maize growing region in the country but where no human aflatoxicoses have been reported, and Makueni County where most of the aflatoxicosis cases have occurred. Two hundred and fifty-five households were sampled in Nandi and 258 in Makueni, and Aspergillus was isolated from maize. Aspergillus flavus and A. parasiticus isolates were tested for the presence of aflD and aflQ genes. Positive strains were induced to produce aflatoxins on yeast extract sucrose and quantified using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LCMSMS). Aspergillus flavus was the most common contaminant, and the incidence of occurrence in Nandi and Makueni was not significantly different (82.33% and 73.26%, respectively). Toxigenic strains were more prevalent than non-toxigenic strains. All the toxigenic strains from Makueni were of the S-type while those from Nandi belonged to the l-type. Quantitative differences in aflatoxin production in vitro between isolates and between strains were detected with S strains producing relatively larger amounts of total aflatoxins, B toxins and lower values for G toxins. This was in accord with the frequent aflatoxicosis outbreaks in Makueni. However some L strains produced considerable amounts of B toxins. Given the widespread distribution of toxigenic strains in both regions, the risk of aflatoxin poisoning is high when favorable conditions for toxin production occur.

Marine Drugs, Vol. 10, Pages 2369-2387: Potentiation of the Cytotoxic Activity of Copper by Polyphosphate on Biofilm-Producing Bacteria: A Bioinspired Approach

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

Adhesion and accumulation of organic molecules represent an ecologically and economically massive problem. Adhesion of organic molecules is followed by microorganisms, unicellular organisms and plants together with their secreted soluble and structure-associated byproducts, which damage unprotected surfaces of submerged marine structures, including ship hulls and heat exchangers of power plants. This is termed biofouling. The search for less toxic anti-biofilm strategies has intensified since the ban of efficient and cost-effective anti-fouling paints, enriched with the organotin compound tributyltin, not least because of our finding of the ubiquitous toxic/pro-apoptotic effects displayed by this compound [1]. Our proposed bio-inspired approach for controlling, suppressing and interfluencing the dynamic biofouling complex uses copper as one component in an alternative anti-fouling system. In order to avoid and overcome the potential resistance against copper acquired by microorganisms we are using the biopolymer polyphosphate (polyP) as a further component. Prior to being functionally active, polyP has to be hydrolyzed to ortho-phosphate which in turn can bind to copper and export the toxic compound out of the cell. It is shown here that inhibition of the hydrolysis of polyP by the bisphosphonate DMDP strongly increases the toxic effect of copper towards the biofilm-producing Streptococcus mutans in a synergistic manner. This bisphosphonate not only increases the copper-caused inhibition of cell growth but also of biofilm production by the bacteria. The defensin-related ASABF, a marine toxin produced by the sponge Suberites domuncula, caused only an additive inhibitory effect in combination with copper. We conclude that the new strategy, described here, has a superior anti-biofilm potential and can be considered as a novel principle for developing bio-inspired antifouling compounds, or cocktails of different compounds, in the future.

Materials, Vol. 5, Pages 2055-2068: Concrete Open-Wall Systems Wrapped with FRP under Torsional Loads

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

The static behavior of reinforced concrete (RC) beams plated with layers of fiber-reinforced composite material (FRP) is widely investigated in current literature, which deals with both its numerical modeling as well as experiments. Scientific interest in this topic is explained by the increasing widespread use of composite materials in retrofitting techniques, as well as the consolidation and upgrading of existing reinforced concrete elements to new service conditions. The effectiveness of these techniques is typically influenced by the debonding of the FRP at the interface with concrete, where the transfer of stresses occurs from one element (RC member) to the other (FRP strengthening). In fact, the activation of the well-known premature failure modes can be regarded as a consequence of high peak values of the interfacial interactions. Until now, typical applications of FRP structural plating have included cases of flexural or shear-flexural strengthening. Within this context, the present study aims at extending the investigation to the case of wall-systems with open cross-section under torsional loads. It includes the results of some numerical analyses carried out by means of a finite element approximation.

Insects, Vol. 3, Pages 1105-1125: Application of Nuclear Techniques to Improve the Mass Production and Management of Fruit Fly Parasitoids

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

The use of irradiated hosts in mass rearing tephritid parasitoids represents an important technical advance in fruit fly augmentative biological control. Irradiation assures that fly emergence is avoided in non-parasitized hosts, while at the same time it has no appreciable effect on parasitoid quality, i.e., fecundity, longevity and flight capability. Parasitoids of fruit fly eggs, larvae and pupae have all been shown to successfully develop in irradiated hosts, allowing a broad range of species to be shipped and released without post-rearing delays waiting for fly emergence and costly procedures to separate flies and wasps. This facilitates the early, more effective and less damaging shipment of natural enemies within hosts and across quarantined borders. In addition, the survival and dispersal of released parasitoids can be monitored by placing irradiated sentinel-hosts in the field. The optimal radiation dosages for host-sterility and parasitoid-fitness differ among species, and considerable progress has been made in integrating radiation into a variety of rearing procedures.

Future Internet, Vol. 4, Pages 929-954: Semantic Legal Policies for Data Exchange and Protection across Super-Peer Domains in the Cloud

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

In semantic policy infrastructure, a Trusted Legal Domain (TLD), designated as a Super-Peer Domain (SPD), is a legal cage model used to circumscribe the legal virtual boundary of data disclosure and usage in the cloud. Semantic legal policies in compliance with the law are enforced at the super-peer within an SPD to enable Law-as-a-Service (LaaS) for cloud service providers. In addition, cloud users could query fragmented but protected outsourcing cloud data from a law-aware super-peer, where each query is also compliant with the law. Semantic legal policies are logic-based formal policies, which are shown to be a combination of OWL-DL ontologies and stratified Datalog rules with negation, i.e., so-called non-monotonic cq-programs, for policy representation and enforcement. An agent at the super-peer is a unique law-aware guardian that provides protected data integration services for its peers within an SPD. Furthermore, agents at the super-peers specify how law-compliant legal policies are unified with each other to provide protected data exchange services across SPDs in the semantic data cloud.

Entropy, Vol. 14, Pages 2066-2080: Unconventional Algorithms: Complementarity of Axiomatics and Construction

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

In this paper, we analyze axiomatic and constructive issues of unconventional computations from a methodological and philosophical point of view. We explain how the new models of algorithms and unconventional computations change the algorithmic universe, making it open and allowing increased flexibility and expressive power that augment creativity. At the same time, the greater power of new types of algorithms also results in the greater complexity of the algorithmic universe, transforming it into the algorithmic multiverse and demanding new tools for its study. That is why we analyze new powerful tools brought forth by local mathematics, local logics, logical varieties and the axiomatic theory of algorithms, automata and computation. We demonstrate how these new tools allow efficient navigation in the algorithmic multiverse. Further work includes study of natural computation by unconventional algorithms and constructive approaches.

Now Playing: Mechwarrior Online

Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:49 PM PDT

GameSpot Asia's Randolph and Jonathan get strategic with Pirahna Games' free-to-play iteration of the Mechwarrior/Battletech franchise for the PC.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Now Playing: Mechwarrior Online" was posted by rreydebarros on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:49:44 -0700

Happy Wars Review

Posted: 24 Oct 2012 09:18 PM PDT

Happy Wars suffers from serious technical issues that undermine an otherwise quality core experience.

 

Score: 5.0 / mediocre

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Happy Wars Review" was posted by Jason Venter on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 21:18:43 -0700

Indie Hour: Let's Play... Hotline Miami

Posted: 24 Oct 2012 08:23 PM PDT

Animal masks, surrealist dream-states, mass-murder and the 80's. Join Ed, Zorine and Jess as they tear their way through this retro indie delight.

 

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Indie Hour: Let's Play... Hotline Miami" was posted by edmondt on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:23:26 -0700

Arctic Combat open beta begins this December

Posted: 24 Oct 2012 08:16 PM PDT

Upcoming military FPS shooter adopts free-to-play model; beta opening in North America and Europe.

 

Webzen has announced the North American and European open beta for the upcoming shooter Arctic Combat, known as Battle Territory (or Battery) in South Korea, will start on December 6.

Players can obtain the download client on Webzen's site to access the free-to-play game. The company has yet to announce on when the game will be fully released.

Arctic Combat features customizable weapons and skills, a trophy loot system, and in-game missions that allow players to gain extra experience points during a match. The game also contains modes like team deathmatch, free for all, and domination.

Webzen previously held its second closed beta session from October 10 to October 21. There is currently no word on whether the game will be released for the Southeast Asian regions. For more information, check out GameSpot's coverage on the shooter.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Arctic Combat open beta begins this December" was posted by Jonathan Toyad on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:16:44 -0700

Now Playing - Medal of Honor: Warfighter Campaign Playthrough

Posted: 24 Oct 2012 08:15 PM PDT

Kevin VanOrd plays through the entire single player campaign for Medal of Honor: Warfighter.

 

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Now Playing - Medal of Honor: Warfighter Campaign Playthrough" was posted by DanM on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 20:15:49 -0700

Art of the Assassin

Posted: 24 Oct 2012 05:48 PM PDT

Original art inspired by Assassin's Creed III up for auction, proceeds going to Rock the Vote.

Get the full article at GameSpot

"Art of the Assassin" was posted by Justin Calvert on Wed, 24 Oct 2012 17:48:41 -0700

Entropy, Vol. 14, Pages 2036-2065: The Completed Self: An Immunological View of the Human-Microbiome Superorganism and Risk of Chronic Diseases

Posted: 25 Oct 2012 12:00 AM PDT

In this review, we discuss an immunological-driven sign termed the Completed Self, which is related to a holistic determination of health vs. disease. This sign (human plus commensal microbiota) forms the human superorganism. The worldwide emergence of an epidemic of chronic diseases has caused increased healthcare costs, increased premature mortality and reduced quality of life for a majority of the world’s population. In addition, it has raised questions concerning the interactions between humans and their environment and potential imbalances. Misregulated inflammation, a host defense-homeostasis disorder, appears to be a key biomarker connecting a majority of chronic diseases. We consider the apparent contributors to this disorder that promote a web of interlinked comorbid conditions. Three key events are suggested to play a role: (1) altered epigenetic programming (AEP) that may span multiple generations, (2) developmental immunotoxicity (DIT), and (3) failure to adequately incorporate commensal microbes as a newborn (i.e., the incomplete self). We discuss how these three events can combine to determine whether the human superorganism is able to adequately and completely form during early childhood. We also discuss how corruption of this event can affect the risk of later-life diseases.
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