пятница, 30 ноября 2012 г.

Games

Games

Games

From trader to world's most syndicated word game creator

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:13 AM PST

As the most syndicated daily puzzle and word game creator in the world, David Hoyt's puzzles appear in more newspapers and magazines than anyone else.

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

Greedy Dumble - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:36 AM PST

For some strange reasons they often find their hotdogs at odd places near some sort of floating objects. For the love of their hotdogs, Dumble and his fiends will bravely step onto them, work as a team, and reach for their prizes. To ensure their success and reduce the number of casualties, you can help by positioning them onto the platform with care and strategic planning.

The key is to utilize the properties of each dog, control the balance of each platform, and stack up the dogs to reach for the goal. So are you ready to challenge your stacking and balancing skills?

TreadRunner - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:26 AM PST

TreadRunner has two objectives:
1. Run as fast and as far as you can in 60 seconds!
2. Jump as many hurdles as you can in 60 seconds!
Intuitive swipe controls. Simple yet challenging!

TOUCH CONTROLS
1. Swipe down to run.
2. Swipe up to jump.

FEATURES
- Single Player Mode
- Two Player Online Match

Wombi Detective - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:41 AM PST

FEATURES and CONTENTS:
- Many different witnesses, suspects and environments. Every game is a new detective mystery!
- Several different game elements! Great variations!
- Illustrations with mysterious detective feeling!
- Mood setting animations!
- Beautiful noir music!

Word by ICSOFT 1.0.1 - A light, fully functional word processor.. (Commercial)

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 03:14 AM PST



Word by ICSOFT lets you design, edit and publish stunning documents. Loaded with a robust array of features and fully optimized for the sumptuous Retina display, no other desktop publishing app houses as much utility in such and immersive interface.

Word by ICSOFT is both intuitive and insanely capable. Create tables, import images, and perfect your documents with a host of powerful editing tools. Control how often your files are auto-saved, and export to common formats: .pdf, .doc, .rtf, .txt and odt.

Features

  • Beauty is in the eye of the Publisher: If a picture is worth a thousand words, the the Retina display is nothing less than epic. Word by ICSOFT takes full advantage of this gorgeous cutting-edge technology to give you the most immersive word-processing and desktop publishing environment imaginable.
  • Effortlessly edit and format your documents:
    • Inspector panels enable you to adjust fonts and formatting easily.

    • Word by ICSOFT is built to support multiple documents at the same time, for efficient editing and collaboration.

    • Spell check and grammar check make sure no embarrassing mistakes slip through.
  • Forget Photogenic, Word by ICSOFT is Photo-fantastic: Import, embed and manipulate as many images as your document requires. With anchor and text wrapping tools and the essential drag-to-resize feature, Word by ICSOFT allows you to design the pages that you envision. With support for all image formats (.jpg, .jpeg, .gif, .tiff and more), versatility of Word by ICSOFT makes it an essential tool in the desktop professional's repertoire.
  • Turn the tables on tables: Function and form are elegantly wed and endlessly modified through Word by ICSOFT's concise tables creator. Develop charts as alluring as they are informative. Finesse your reports to perfection and express the minutia of your data with aplomb. Edit columns, colors and text orientations through Word by ICSOFT's 's intuitive table management tools.
  • Lists and Special Characters: Word by ICSOFT is able to automatically format bulleted or numbered lists to make your documents crisp and clear. Utilize special characters to make documents more expressive and unique.
  • Find and Replace: Word by ICSOFT's lightning-fast Find and Replace feature allows you to update and modify your document without the need to manually scan the text yourself.
  • View: Word by ICSOFT gives you full access to multiple zoom and view settings. Hide or show layout elements, margins and rulers. Full screen view is also supported, to completely immerse you in your design work.
  • Auto-Saving on the fly: Word by ICSOFT is not only enabled with auto-save, but gives you control of how often you want your documents saved. Pick up where you left off and continue editing your document without worrying about lost work.
  • Infinite Office Interoperability: Word by ICSOFT has been built with the modern, multi-platform user in mind. Import and export into .itp, .doc, .pdf, .odt, .txt and .rft losslessly. Annoying losses of formatting and changed fonts are kept to a minimum when importing from one program into another. Word by ICSOFT is a quantum leap in desktop publishing.

Fully featured and visual stunning on the MacBook Pro's new Retina display, Word by ICSOFT is a top-notch design tool that is itself a marvel of pixel-perfection.

Version 1.0.1:

  • Some small bugs fixed.


OS X 10.7 or later, Intel

Download Now

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14260-14274: Textile Dye Removal from Wastewater Effluents Using Bioflocculants Produced by Indigenous Bacterial Isolates

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Bioflocculant-producing bacteria were isolated from activated sludge of a wastewater treatment plant located in Durban, South Africa, and identified using standard biochemical tests as well as the analysis of their 16S rRNA gene sequences. The bioflocculants produced by these organisms were ethanol precipitated, purified using 2% (w/v) cetylpyridinium chloride solution and evaluated for removal of wastewater dyes under different pH, temperature and nutritional conditions. Bioflocculants from these indigenous bacteria were very effective for decolourizing the different dyes tested in this study, with a removal rate of up to 97.04%. The decolourization efficiency was largely influenced by the type of dye, pH, temperature, and flocculant concentration. A pH of 7 was found to be optimum for the removal of both whale and mediblue dyes, while the optimum pH for fawn and mixed dye removal was found to be between 9 and 10. Optimum temperature for whale and mediblue dye removal was 35 °C, and that for fawn and mixed dye varied between 40–45 °C and 35–40 °C, respectively. These bacterial bioflocculants may provide an economical and cleaner alternative to replace or supplement present treatment processes for the removal of dyes from wastewater effluents, since they are biodegradable and easily sustainable.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14249-14259: Recent Developments in the Reformatsky-Claisen Rearrangement

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The rearrangement of allyl a-bromoacetates with Zn dust is known as the Reformatsky-Claisen rearrangement. Whereas the Ireland-Claisen rearrangement has been widely used in the synthesis of a diverse range of natural products, the Zn-mediated Reformatsky-Claisen rearrangement has not been utilized so often. In this article, we will provide an overview of recent advances in the Reformatsky-Claisen rearrangement field, including the In-mediated Reformatsky-Claisen rearrangement we have recently developed.

Marine Drugs, Vol. 10, Pages 2741-2748: Five New Diterpenoids from an Okinawan Soft Coral, Cespitularia sp.

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Five new diterpenoids 1–5 were isolated from an Okinawan soft coral, Cespitularia sp., together with the known diterpenoid, alcyonolide (6). New diterpenoid structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods and by comparison of their NMR data with those of related compounds. Alcyonolide (6) was cytotoxic against HCT 116 cells (IC50 5.85 M), while these new diterpenoids 1–5 were much less active (IC50 28.2–91.4 μM).

Marine Drugs, Vol. 10, Pages 2729-2740: Rosmarinic Acid from Eelgrass Shows Nematicidal and Antibacterial Activities against Pine Wood Nematode and Its Carrying Bacteria

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Pine wilt disease (PWD), a destructive disease for pine trees, is caused by the pine wood nematode (PWN), Bursaphelenchus xylophilus and additional bacteria. In this study, extracts of Zostera marina showed a high nematicidal activity against PWN and some of the bacteria that it carries. Light yellow crystals were obtained from extracts of Z. marina through solvent extraction, followed by chromatography on AB-8 resin and crystallization. The NMR and HPLC analysis showed that the isolated compound was rosmarinic acid (RosA). RosA showed effective nematicidal activity, of which the LC50 (50% lethal concentration) to PWN at 24 h, 48 h and 72 h was 1.18 mg/g, 1.05 mg/g and 0.95 mg/g, respectively. To get a high yield rate of RosA from Z. marina, single factor experiments and an L9 (34) orthogonal experiment were performed. This extraction process involved 70% ethanol for 3 h at 40 °C. The extraction dosage was 1:50 (w/v). The highest yield of RosA from Zostera was 3.13 mg/g DW (dried weight). The crude extracts of Zostera marina (10 mg/mL) and RosA (1 mg/mL) also showed inhibitory effects to some bacterial strains carried by PWN: Klebsiella sp., Stenotrophomonas maltophilia, Streptomyces sp. and Pantoea agglomerans. The results of these studies provide clues for preparing pesticide to control PWD from Z. marina.

Marine Drugs, Vol. 10, Pages 2715-2728: Synthesis and Antitumor Activities of Derivatives of the Marine Mangrove Fungal Metabolite Deoxybostrycin

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Deoxybostrycin (1) is an anthraquinone compound derived from the marine mangrove fungus Nigrospora sp. No. 1403 and has potential to be a lead for new drugs because of its various biological properties. A series of new derivatives (2–22) of deoxybostrycin were synthesized. The in vitro cytotoxicity of all the new compounds was tested against MDA-MB-435, HepG2 and HCT-116 cancer cell lines. Most of the compounds exhibit strong cytotoxicity with IC50 values ranging from 0.62 to 10 μM. Compounds 19, 21 display comparable cytotoxicity against MDA-MB-435 to epirubicin, the positive control. The primary screening results indicate that the deoxybostrycin derivatives might be a valuable source of new potent anticancer drug candidates.

Rugby League Live 2 - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 02:54 AM PST

Features:
- 100+ Leagues & Teams: Super League, NRL, Co-operative Championships, NSW & QLD cups, Toyota Cup, Representative teams, England, Australia & New Zealand.
Dynamic Tackling System: Fend and break tackle your way past multiple defenders.
- Create, Customise and Share: Players and teams in the fully featured "Footy Factory".
- 34 High Detail Stadia from Europe, Australia and New Zealand.
- Massive 10-Year Career Mode: Sign sponsors, hire top-flight coaching staff, negotiate player contracts and set player training programmes, to build the ultimate team.
- Competitive or Co-operative: Multiplayer matches, with up to 8 players (4 aside) online.
- Experience System: Earn badges and experience both online and off, to rise to the top of the leader-boards.
- Tactical Passing: Perform defensive or attacking passes to best exploit your opponents.
- Strategic Defence: Set up to increase the likelihood of one, two or three-man, tackles!
- Spectacular High Ball Catching: Soar high to catch or tap the ball to fellow teammates.
- Superb detail: Includes dynamic pitch wear and tear; grass wears away in areas of action. Unique mud and sweat; players accumulate mud on their bodies specifically where they hit the ground. Players even show sweat based on their individual exertion levels.
- Double-Barrelled Experts: Commentary from Andrew Voss and Phil 'Gus' Gould.

Jelly All Stars - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 02:49 AM PST

Special star jellies will destroy any other jellies of the same color that are adjacent to one another. The more jellies are destroyed and the bigger they are the higher the points and the quicker you progress through the levels – but beware: the higher the level the faster those jellies will drop! Especially skillful players will be able to ramp up their scores even more by chaining up massive combos. To spice things up further there are five different special jellies that all have unique powers and applications. For example, the shiny diamond jellies will destroy all blocks of the same color, even if they are not connected. Thanks to local and online highscores you'll be able to see who is a true master of jelly and who is not!

GTA: Vice City anniversary trailer is full of violently happy Vice City memories

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 02:57 AM PST

Rockstar has released a trailer for its upcoming 10th anniversary remake of Grand Theft Auto: Vice City on iOS and Android devices. It's full of happy

Wedding Garden - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 02:31 AM PST

Game features engaging farm-style gameplay that challenges players not only to rebuild the island, but also cultivate crops, care for animals to bring new life to the island. Gameplay centers on the constant expansion of your island through new construction and agricultural endeavors. Unlock new titles as you persevere, from a simple gardener all the way to Duke! Strategy prevails as the island blossoms with players balancing needs of raw materials, factories and retail locations as they engineer the perfect wedding!

IJERPH, Vol. 9, Pages 4346-4364: Using the Gravity Model to Estimate the Spatial Spread of Vector-Borne Diseases

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The gravity models are commonly used spatial interaction models. They have been widely applied in a large set of domains dealing with interactions amongst spatial entities. The spread of vector-borne diseases is also related to the intensity of interaction between spatial entities, namely, the physical habitat of pathogens’ vectors and/or hosts, and urban areas, thus humans. This study implements the concept behind gravity models in the spatial spread of two vector-borne diseases, nephropathia epidemica and Lyme borreliosis, based on current knowledge on the transmission mechanism of these diseases. Two sources of information on vegetated systems were tested: the CORINE land cover map and MODIS NDVI. The size of vegetated areas near urban centers and a local indicator of occupation-related exposure were found significant predictors of disease risk. Both the land cover map and the space-borne dataset were suited yet not equivalent input sources to locate and measure vegetated areas of importance for disease spread. The overall results point at the compatibility of the gravity model concept and the spatial spread of vector-borne diseases.

IJERPH, Vol. 9, Pages 4333-4345: Snowmelt Runoff: A New Focus of Urban Nonpoint Source Pollution

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Irregular precipitation associated with global climate change had been causing various problems in urban regions. Besides the runoff due to rainfall in summer, the snowmelt runoff in early spring could also play an important role in deteriorating the water quality of the receiving waters. Due to global climate change, the snowfall has increased gradually in individual regions, and snowstorms occur more frequently, which leads to an enhancement of snowmelt runoff flow during the melting seasons. What is more, rivers just awaking from freezing cosntitute a frail ecosystem, with poor self-purification capacity, however, the urban snowmelt runoff could carry diverse pollutants accumulated during the winter, such as coal and/or gas combustion products, snowmelting agents, automotive exhaust and so on, which seriously threaten the receiving water quality. Nevertheless, most of the research focused on the rainfall runoff in rainy seasons, and the study on snowmelt runoff is still a neglected field in many countries and regions. In conclusion, due to the considerable water quantity and the worrisome water quality, snowmelt runoff in urban regions with large impervious surface areas should be listed among the important targets in urban nonpoint source pollution management and control.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16255-16266: Isolation and Characterization of Saponin-Producing Fungal Endophytes from Aralia elata in Northeast China

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The purpose of this study was to investigate the diversity of endophytic fungi of Aralia elata distributed in Northeast China as well as their capacity to produce saponins. Ninety-six strains of endophytic fungi were isolated, and polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and sequencing were employed to identify the isolates. The saponin concentrations of the culture filtrates of representative strains were measured. The agar diffusion method was used to test antimicrobial activity, while high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) was employed to identify the saponins produced by representative strains. Alternaria, Botryosphaeria, Camarosporium, Cryptosporiopsis, Diaporthe, Dictyochaeta, Penicillium, Fusarium, Nectria, Peniophora, Schizophyllum, Cladosporium and Trichoderma species were isolated in this study. Overall, 25% of the isolates belonged to Diaporthe (Diaporthe eres), and 12.5% belonged to Alternaria. The highest concentration of saponins was produced by G22 (2.049 mg/mL). According to the results of the phylogenetic analysis, G22 belonged to the genus Penicillium. The culture filtrate of G22 exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus, and ginsenosides Re and Rb2 were detected in G22 culture filtrates by HPLC.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16241-16254: Alterations in Glutathione Redox Metabolism, Oxidative Stress, and Mitochondrial Function in the Left Ventricle of Elderly Zucker Diabetic Fatty Rat Heart

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The Zucker diabetic fatty (ZDF) rat is a genetic model in which the homozygous (FA/FA) male animals develop obesity and type 2 diabetes. Morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular complications, due to increased oxidative stress and inflammatory signals, are the hallmarks of type 2 diabetes. The precise molecular mechanism of contractile dysfunction and disease progression remains to be clarified. Therefore, we have investigated molecular and metabolic targets in male ZDF (30–34 weeks old) rat heart compared to age matched Zucker lean (ZL) controls. Hyperglycemia was confirmed by a 4-fold elevation in non-fasting blood glucose (478.43 ± 29.22 mg/dL in ZDF vs. 108.22 ± 2.52 mg/dL in ZL rats). An increase in reactive oxygen species production, lipid peroxidation and oxidative protein carbonylation was observed in ZDF rats. A significant increase in CYP4502E1 activity accompanied by increased protein expression was also observed in diabetic rat heart. Increased expression of other oxidative stress marker proteins, HO-1 and iNOS was also observed. GSH concentration and activities of GSH-dependent enzymes, glutathione S-transferase and GSH reductase, were, however, significantly increased in ZDF heart tissue suggesting a compensatory defense mechanism. The activities of mitochondrial respiratory enzymes, Complex I and Complex IV were significantly reduced in the heart ventricle of ZDF rats in comparison to ZL rats. Western blot analysis has also suggested a decreased expression of IκB-α and phosphorylated-JNK in diabetic heart tissue. Our results have suggested that mitochondrial dysfunction and increased oxidative stress in ZDF rats might be associated, at least in part, with altered NF-κB/JNK dependent redox cell signaling. These results might have implications in the elucidation of the mechanism of disease progression and designing strategies for diabetes prevention.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16223-16240: Modelling Translation Initiation under the Influence of sRNA

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Bacterial small non-coding RNA (sRNA) plays an important role in post-transcriptional gene regulation. Although the number of annotated sRNA is steadily increasing, their functional characterization is still lagging behind. Various computational strategies for finding sRNA–mRNA interactions, and thus putative sRNA targets, were developed. Most of them suffer from a high false positive rate. Here, we present a qualitative model to simulate the effect of an sRNA on the translation initiation of a potential target. Information about the ribosome–mRNA interaction, sRNA–mRNA interaction and expression information from deep sequencing experiments is integrated to calculate the change in translation initiation complex formation, as a proxy for translational activity. This model can be used to post-evaluate predicted targets, hence condensing the list of potential targets. We show that our translation initiation model, under the influence of an sRNA, can successfully simulate thirteen out of fifteen tested sRNA–mRNA interactions in a qualitative manner. To show the gain in specificity, we applied our method to a target search for the Escherichia coli sRNA RyhB. Compared with simple target prediction without post-evaluation, we reduce the number of targets to less than one fourth potential targets, considerably reducing the burden of experimental validation.

Stephano talks about his Day 1 Run at IPL 5, fatigue and more

Posted: 30 Nov 2012 01:16 AM PST

Slasher catches up with Stephano to find out if HerO really had special tactics, his fatigue level, overcoming drama and more.

 

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Stephano talks about his Day 1 Run at IPL 5, fatigue and more" was posted by DanM on Fri, 30 Nov 2012 01:16:23 -0800
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четверг, 29 ноября 2012 г.

Games

Games

Viruses, Vol. 4, Pages 3420-3439: Epstein-Barr Virus (EBV)-associated Gastric Carcinoma

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The ubiquitous Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is associated with several human tumors, which include lymphoid and epithelial malignancies. It is known that EBV persistently infects the memory B cell pool of healthy individuals by activating growth and survival signaling pathways that can contribute to B cell lymphomagenesis.  Although the monoclonal proliferation of EBV-infected cells can be observed in epithelial tumors, such as nasopharyngeal carcinoma and EBV-associated gastric carcinoma, the precise role of EBV in the carcinogenic progress is not fully understood. This review features characteristics and current understanding of EBV-associated gastric carcinoma. EBV-associated gastric carcinoma comprises almost 10% of all gastric carcinoma cases and expresses restricted EBV latent genes (Latency I). Firstly, definition, epidemiology, and clinical features are discussed. Then, the route of infection and carcinogenic role of viral genes are presented.  Of particular interest, the association with frequent genomic CpG methylation and role of miRNA for carcinogenesis are topically discussed. Finally, the possibility of therapies targeting EBV-associated gastric carcinoma is proposed. 

Materials, Vol. 5, Pages 2573-2585: Preparation and Mechanical Properties of Photo-Crosslinked Fish Gelatin/Imogolite Nanofiber Composite Hydrogel

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Fish gelatin (FG) extracted from sea bream scales was reacted with glycidyl methacrylate (GMA), and the product (FG-GMA) was used for photopolymerization using a radical photoinitiator in the presence or absence of imogolite nanofibers in the aqueous solution. The synthesis of FG-GMA was confirmed by 1H NMR spectroscopy, and photopolymerization of FG-GMA was achieved successfully by irradiation with ultraviolet (UV) light for 3 min to yield translucent composite hydrogels. The concentration of FG-GMA varied from 10% to 30% without imogolite, and that of imogolite varied from 0% to 2.0%. A microtomed gel sample was observed with a transmission electron microscope (TEM), and imogolite nanofibers were found to be dispersed finely in the gelatin matrix. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) observation of the lyophilized gel revealed that it had a porous morphology. Mechanical properties of hydrogels were measured by compression tests using a mechanical tester, and viscoelastic properties were measured using a rheometer. The mechanical strength and storage modulus of the hydrogel increased with an increase of imogolite.

JLPEA, Vol. 2, Pages 265-281: The Art of Directly Interfacing Sensors to Microcontrollers

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

This paper reviews the direct connection of sensors to microcontrollers without using any analogue circuit (such as an amplifier or analogue-to-digital converter) in the signal path, thus resulting in a low-cost, lower-power sensor electronic interface. It first discusses the operating principle and explains how resistive and capacitive sensors with different topologies (i.e., single, differential and bridge type) can be directly connected to a microcontroller to build the so-called direct interface circuit. It then shows some applications of the proposed circuits using commercial devices and discusses their performance. Finally, it deals with the power consumption and proposes some design guidelines to reduce the current consumption of such circuits in active mode.

Information, Vol. 3, Pages 771-789: A General Overview of Scientific Production in China, Japan and Korea of the Water-Gas Shift (WGS) Process

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

In today’s economy, one of the most important national indicators of economic growth performance is the country’s ability to produce new technology—and use it responsibly and efficiently—for environmental protection or energy conservation, production and consumption in agreement with international standards. The purpose of this study is to identify the Research and Development (R&D) capability in the area of environmentally friendly technologies in China, Japan and Korea over the last twenty years. As the field is very wide, Water-Gas Shift (WGS) reaction technologies were taken as a case study for the purpose of this article. During 1990–2011 a total of 788 papers in the field of WGS technologies were published by scientists in China, Japan and Korea. China was the top producing country with 394 papers (50%) followed by Japan with 250 papers (32%), and Korea with 144 papers (18%). The growth of the literature in the field was found to be exponential in nature for China. The R&D capabilities were found to correlate directly with the Gross Domestic Expenditures on R&D (GERD), Researchers in Full-time equivalents (FTE), and other economic parameters.

Diagnostics, Vol. 2, Pages 72-82: Gold Nanoparticles-Coated SU-8 for Sensitive Fluorescence-Based Detections of DNA

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

SU-8 epoxy-based negative photoresist has been extensively employed as a structural material for fabrication of numerous biological microelectro-mechanical systems (Bio-MEMS) or lab-on-a-chip (LOC) devices. However, SU-8 has a high autofluorescence level that limits sensitivity of microdevices that use fluorescence as the predominant detection workhorse. Here, we show that deposition of a thin gold nanoparticles layer onto the SU-8 surface significantly reduces the autofluorescence of the coated SU-8 surface by as much as 81% compared to bare SU-8. Furthermore, DNA probes can easily be immobilized on the Au surface with high thermal stability. These improvements enabled sensitive DNA detection by simple DNA hybridization down to 1 nM (a two orders of magnitude improvement) or by solid-phase PCR with sub-picomolar sensitivity. The approach is simple and easy to perform, making it suitable for various Bio-MEMs and LOC devices that use SU-8 as a structural material.

Crystals, Vol. 2, Pages 1502-1513: Magnetism and Pressure-Induced Superconductivity of Checkerboard-Type Charge-Ordered Molecular Conductor β-(meso-DMBEDT-TTF)2X (X = PF6 and AsF6)

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The metallic state of the molecular conductor β-(meso-DMBEDT-TTF)2X (DMBEDT-TTF = 2-(5,6-dihydro-1,3-dithiolo[4,5-b][1,4]dithiin-2-ylidene)-5,6-dihydro-5,6-dimethyl-1,3-dithiolo[4,5-b][1,4]dithiin, X = PF6, AsF6) is transformed into the checkerboard-type charge-ordered state at around 75–80 K with accompanying metal-insulator (MI) transition on the anisotropic triangular lattice. With lowering temperatures, the magnetic susceptibility decreases gradually and reveals a sudden drop at the MI transition. By applying pressure, the charge-ordered state is suppressed and superconductivity appears in β-(meso-DMBEDT-TTF)2AsF6 as well as in the reported β-(meso-DMBEDT-TTF)2PF6. The charge-ordered spin-gapped state and the pressure-induced superconducting state are discussed through the paired-electron crystal (PEC) model, where the spin-bonded electron pairs stay and become mobile in the crystal, namely the valence-bond solid (VBS) and the resonant valence bonded (RVB) state in the quarter-filled band structure.

Biosensors, Vol. 2, Pages 465-478: Synthesis of a Functionalized Polypyrrole Coated Electrotextile for Use in Biosensors

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

An electrotextile with a biosensing focus composed of conductive polymer coated microfibers that contain functional attachment sites for biorecognition elements was developed. Experiments were conducted to select a compound with a pendant functional group for inclusion in the polymer, a fiber platform, and polymerization solvent. The effects of dopant inclusion and post-polymerization wash steps were also analyzed. Finally, the successful attachment of avidin, which was then used to capture biotin, to the electrotextile was achieved. The initial results show a nonwoven fiber matrix can be successfully coated in a conductive, functionalized polymer while still maintaining surface area and fiber durability. A polypropylene fiber platform with a conductive polypyrrole coating using iron (III) chloride as an oxidant, water as a solvent, and 5-sulfosalicylic acid as a dopant exhibited the best coating consistency, material durability, and lowest resistance. Biological attachment of avidin was achieved on the fibers through the inclusion of a carboxyl functional group via 3-thiopheneacetic acid in the monomer. The immobilized avidin was then successfully used to capture biotin. This was confirmed through the use of fluorescent quantum dots and confocal microscopy. A preliminary electrochemical experiment using avidin for biotin detection was conducted. This technology will be extremely useful in the formation of electrotextiles for use in biosensor systems.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16104-16118: Effects of Curcumin on the Proliferation and Mineralization of Human Osteoblast-Like Cells: Implications of Nitric Oxide

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Curcumin (diferuloylmethane) is found in the rhizomes of the turmeric plant (Curcuma longa L.) and has been used for centuries as a dietary spice and as a traditional Indian medicine used to treat different conditions. At the cellular level, curcumin modulates important molecular targets: transcription factors, enzymes, cell cycle proteins, cytokines, receptors and cell surface adhesion molecules. Because many of the curcumin targets mentioned above participate in the regulation of bone remodeling, curcumin may affect the skeletal system. Nitric oxide (NO) is a gaseous molecule generated from L-arginine during the catalization of nitric oxide synthase (NOS), and it plays crucial roles in catalization and in the nervous, cardiovascular and immune systems. Human osteoblasts have been shown to express NOS isoforms, and the exact mechanism(s) by which NO regulates bone formation remain unclear. Curcumin has been widely described to inhibit inducible nitric oxide synthase expression and nitric oxide production, at least in part via direct interference in NF-κB activation. In the present study, after exposure of human osteoblast-like cells (MG-63), we have observed that curcumin abrogated inducible NOS expression and decreased NO levels, inhibiting also cell prolifieration. This effect was prevented by the NO donor sodium nitroprusside. Under osteogenic conditions, curcumin also decreased the level of mineralization. Our results indicate that NO plays a role in the osteoblastic profile of MG-63 cells.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16084-16103: Carbohydrate Stress Affecting Fruitlet Abscission and Expression of Genes Related to Auxin Signal Transduction Pathway in Litchi

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Auxin, a vital plant hormone, regulates a variety of physiological and developmental processes. It is involved in fruit abscission through transcriptional regulation of many auxin-related genes, including early auxin responsive genes (i.e., auxin/indole-3-acetic acid (AUX/IAA), Gretchen Hagen3 (GH3) and small auxin upregulated (SAUR)) and auxin response factors (ARF), which have been well characterized in many plants. In this study, totally five auxin-related genes, including one AUX/IAA (LcAUX/IAA1), one GH3 (LcGH3.1), one SAUR (LcSAUR1) and two ARFs (LcARF1 and LcARF2), were isolated and characterized from litchi fruit. LcAUX/IAA1, LcGH3.1, LcSAUR1, LcARF1 and LcARF2 contain open reading frames (ORFs) encoding polypeptides of 203, 613, 142, 792 and 832 amino acids, respectively, with their corresponding molecular weights of 22.67, 69.20, 11.40, 88.20 and 93.16 kDa. Expression of these genes was investigated under the treatment of girdling plus defoliation which aggravated litchi fruitlet abscission due to the blockage of carbohydrates transport and the reduction of endogenous IAA content. Results showed that transcript levels of LcAUX/IAA1, LcGH3.1 and LcSAUR1 mRNAs were increased after the treatment in abscission zone (AZ) and other tissues, in contrast to the decreasing accumulation of LcARF1 mRNA, suggesting that LcAUX/IAA1, LcSAUR1 and LcARF1 may play more important roles in abscission. Our results provide new insight into the process of fruitlet abscission induced by carbohydrate stress and broaden our understanding of the auxin signal transduction pathway in this process at the molecular level.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16065-16083: Wheat Drought-Responsive Grain Proteome Analysis by Linear and Nonlinear 2-DE and MALDI-TOF Mass Spectrometry

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

A comparative proteomic analysis of drought-responsive proteins during grain development of two wheat varieties Kauz (strong resistance to drought stress) and Janz (sensitive to drought stress) was performed by using linear and nonlinear 2-DE and MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry technologies. Results revealed that the nonlinear 2-DE had much higher resolution than the linear 2-DE. A total of 153 differentially expressed protein spots were detected by both 2-DE maps, of which 122 protein spots were identified by MALDI-TOF and MALDI-TOF/TOF mass spectrometry. The identified differential proteins were mainly involved in carbohydrate metabolism (26%), detoxification and defense (23%), and storage proteins (17%). Some key proteins demonstrated significantly different expression patterns between the two varieties. In particular, catalase isozyme 1, WD40 repeat protein, LEA and alpha-amylase inhibitors displayed an upregulated expression pattern in Kauz, whereas they were downregulated or unchanged in Janz. Small and large subunit ADP glucose pyrophosphorylase, ascorbate peroxidase and G beta-like protein were all downregulated under drought stress in Janz, but had no expression changes in Kauz. Sucrose synthase and triticin precursor showed an upregulated expression pattern under water deficits in both varieties, but their upregulation levels were much higher in Kauz than in Janz. These differentially expressed proteins could be related to the biochemical pathways for stronger drought resistance of Kauz.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16522-16556: Recent Progress in Optical Chemical Sensors

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Optical chemical sensors have promoted escalating interest in the determination of various pollutants in the environment, which are creating toxicity and may cause serious health problems. This review paper focuses particularly on the recent progress and developments in this field; the working principles and basic classes of optical chemical sensors have been briefly described.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16498-16521: Autonomous Manoeuvring Systems for Collision Avoidance on Single Carriageway Roads

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The accurate perception of the surroundings of a vehicle has been the subject of study of numerous automotive researchers for many years. Although several projects in this area have been successfully completed, very few prototypes have actually been industrialized and installed in mass produced cars. This indicates that these research efforts must continue in order to improve the present systems. Moreover, the trend to include communication systems in vehicles extends the potential of these perception systems transmitting their information via wireless to other vehicles that may be affected by the surveyed environment. In this paper we present a forward collision warning system based on a laser scanner that is able to detect several potential danger situations. Decision algorithms try to determine the most convenient manoeuvre when evaluating the obstacles’ positions and speeds, road geometry, etc. Once detected, the presented system can act on the actuators of the ego-vehicle as well as transmit this information to other vehicles circulating in the same area using vehicle-to-vehicle communications. The system has been tested for overtaking manoeuvres under different scenarios and the correct actions have been performed.

Sync Folders Free 2.3.1 - Automatically sync folders.. (Free)

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 01:52 AM PST



Sync Folders Free synchronizes folders on the fly at the same time when there are changes, or connecting external drives or manually.The application synchronizes folders with or without filter for folder names and / or file names. The Sync Folders Free is perfect for backing up to USB, memory cards, disks on remote computers on your network.

Warning! Version 2.x is a new application vs version 1.x from a technical point of view. Completely changed the core of the application and algorithm of comparison of files structure which increased the speed of comparing 4-10 times for folders with many files and improved stability of the application. Left unchanged only the application interface that was liked many customers by an easy-to-use.

Install the VPN Server Configurator and you can synchronize folders on a remote Mac from anywhere in the world! Learn more at www.greenworldsoft.com

Features:

  • Automatic synchronization on the fly, when there are changes.
  • Run as Menu Bar App.
  • Tracking deletions in synchronized folders, real 2-way sync.
  • Synchronize Macs across a network.
  • Synchronize external drives (USB, memory cards, etc.) with your Mac, and vice versa.
  • Powerful filter for files and/or folders on the entry and/or exclusion.
  • Automatic creation of a network folder, if the remote computer has become available.
  • View the latest changes in synchronized folders.
  • Saving the synchronized files in a specific location ("Del Folder"). Using this mode you are insured against accidental deletion of files, and can always return all the files even if you are re-sync a few times. Structure of folders and subfolders stored in the "Del Folder".
  • Each sync task has the status showing when it was done last time.
  • Work in the background.
  • Logging of the synchronization process.
  • Localization applications in multiple languages (English, Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Svenska, Nederlands, Dansk, Pусский).
  • The ability to create their own localization on the basis of available.
  • Save/Download the version of the localization from the file.
  • Compatible with OS X 10.8.


Version 2.3.1:
  • Localization applications in multiple languages (English, Deutsch, Español, Français, Italiano, Svenska, Nederlands, Dansk, Russian).
  • The ability to create their own localization on the basis of available.
  • Save/Download the version of the localization from the file.


  • OS X 10.7 or later
  • Intel


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Default Folder X 4.5.3 - Enhances Open and Save dialogs with bountiful options.. (Shareware)

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:00 AM PST



Default Folder X attaches a toolbar to the right side of the Open and Save dialogs in any Mac OS X-native application. The toolbar gives you fast access to various folders and commands. You just click on the buttons to go to your favorite and recently used folders, manage the folders and files shown in the list, and make changes to your settings.

Default Folder also fixes a number of problems in Open and Save dialogs, "rebounding" back to the last selected file, putting the path listing back in the top menu, and correcting bugs in scrolling column views.

Features:

  • Directory assistant: You can access the contents of your recent, favorite, and open folders right from Default Folder X's toolbar. Its hierarchical pop-up menus expand as you mouse over them, letting you navigate your folders to get to your files. To work faster, you can assign a keyboard shortcut for all of your favorite folders. If an Open and Save dialog isn't open, then you can use Default Folder X's menu bar, Dock icon, or keyboard shortcuts.
  • Real time saving: If you're constantly saving things inside the same folder, Default Folder X can remember that folder for you. You can even set a different default folder for each application you use. That way, you'll already be in the right folder when you're working.
  • Finder management: Have you ever wanted to save a file to an open Finder window? Default Folder X lets you open up or save to any Finder window with a single click. It also lets you get info on, rename, and delete existing files, putting the Finder's power in every Open and Save dialog.
  • Instant Recall: To help you quickly return to folders you've recently used, Default Folder X remembers them for you. It can even rebound to the last file you used in all your recent folders. With Default Folder X, you'll never forget where you put something.
  • Spotlight on the spot: Mac OS X delivers amazing search capabilities with Spotlight, but adding your own search keywords requires a trip to the Finder's Get Info window or to an application like Tags, Fresh, or Tag Folders. No more! Default Folder X lets you add Spotlight keywords, OpenMeta tags, and Finder labels on the spot, while you're still in the Save dialog. It even remembers keywords you've used before and automatically completes them as you type.
  • Information central: Leopard delivers amazing previews with QuickLook, but in Open dialogs they're small and you can only see them in column view. With Default Folder X you get previews below every Open dialog, expanded to fill the available space. Need to see more detail? Click on the image and it zooms up to full size. And if you'd rather have words instead of pictures, Default Folder X delivers those details too. The file's size, the date you created and modified it, the Finder label, Spotlight comments, OpenMeta tags, access permissions - they're all there too.
  • Workflow without work: Rather than make you learn and set up a new application, Default Folder X blends into Mac OS X. Its pop-up menus and Finder integration will start saving you time immediately, and it will put your pre-existing Favorite folders in its toolbar right away. When you do decide to start customizing it, Default Folder X lets you set default folders and assign shortcuts right from its toolbar. Finally, effortless workflow.


Version 4.5.3:
  • Corrected a bug that could cause Default Folder X to crash.
  • Fixed a problem associated with folder sets not showing correctly when editing them in System Preferences.
  • If you change the name of a Favorite folder on your hard disk, Default Folder X will recognize the name change the next time you select it from the Favorites menu and will update your preferences.


Mac OS X 10.5 or later

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Far Cry 3 launch trailer is informative, contains many explosions

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 02:18 AM PST

Ubisoft has released a very informative Far Cry 3 trailer which covers many of the game's features, including everything from factions and locations,

Remote Sensing, Vol. 4, Pages 3796-3812: Estimation of Evapotranspiration from Fields with and without Cover Crops Using Remote Sensing and in situ Methods

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Estimation of actual evapotranspiration (ETa) based on remotely sensed imagery is very valuable in agricultural regions where ETa rates can vary greatly from field to field. This research utilizes the image processing model METRIC (Mapping Evapotranspiration at high Resolution with Internalized Calibration) to estimate late season, post-harvest ETa rates from fields with a cover crop planted after a cash crop (in this case, a rye/radish/pea mixture planted after spring wheat). Remotely sensed EToF (unit-less fraction of grass-based reference ET, ETo) maps were generated using Erdas Imagine software for a 260 km2 area in northeastern South Dakota, USA. Meteorological information was obtained from a Bowen-Ratio Energy Balance System (BREBS) located within the image. Nine image dates were used for the growing season, from May through October. Five of those nine were captured during the cover crop season. METRIC was found to successfully differentiate between fields with and without cover crops. In a blind comparison, METRIC compared favorably with the estimated ETa rates found using the BREBS (ETλE), with a difference in total estimated ETa for the cover crop season of 7%.

Cancers, Vol. 4, Pages 1252-1299: Emerging Roles of ADAMTSs in Angiogenesis and Cancer

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

A Disintegrin-like And Metalloproteinase with ThromboSpondin motifs—ADAMTSs—are a multi-domain, secreted, extracellular zinc metalloproteinase family with 19 members in humans. These extracellular metalloproteinases are known to cleave a wide range of substrates in the extracellular matrix. They have been implicated in various physiological processes, such as extracellular matrix turnover, melanoblast development, interdigital web regression, blood coagulation, ovulation, etc. ADAMTSs are also critical in pathological processes such as arthritis, atherosclerosis, cancer, angiogenesis, wound healing, etc. In the past few years, there has been an explosion of reports concerning the role of ADAMTS family members in angiogenesis and cancer. To date, 10 out of the 19 members have been demonstrated to be involved in regulating angiogenesis and/or cancer. The mechanism involved in their regulation of angiogenesis or cancer differs among different members. Both angiogenesis-dependent and -independent regulation of cancer have been reported. This review summarizes our current understanding on the roles of ADAMTS in angiogenesis and cancer and highlights their implications in cancer therapeutic development.

Cancers, Vol. 4, Pages 1247-1251: Cancer Cachexia: Muscle Physiology and Exercise Training

Posted: 29 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Cachexia in cancer patients is a condition marked by severe tissue wasting and a myriad of quality of life and health consequences. Cachexia is also directly linked to the issues of morbidity and survivability in cancer patients. Therapeutic means of mitigating cachexia and its effects are thus critical in cancer patient treatment. We present a discussion on the use of physical exercise activities in the context of such treatment as a means to disruption the tissue wasting effects (i.e., muscle tissue losses via anorexigenic pro-inflammatory cytokines) of cachexia. In addition we propose a theoretical model (Exercise Anti-Cachectic Hypothetical—“EACH” model) as to how exercise training may promote a disruption in the cycle of events leading to advancing cachexia and in turn promote an enhanced functionality and thus improved quality of life in cancer patients.

Now Playing: Tokitowa

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 07:19 PM PST

Join Jonathan and Randolph as they venture into the animated world of Tokitowa, the newest JRPG from the makers of Luminous Arc and Arc Rise Fantasia.

 

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Now Playing: Tokitowa" was posted by rreydebarros on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:19:59 -0800

Battlefield 3: Aftermath - Now Playing

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 07:15 PM PST

Aaron and Ryan dive into the Aftermath DLC to try and shoot dudes in the face.

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Battlefield 3: Aftermath - Now Playing" was posted by DanM on Wed, 28 Nov 2012 19:15:37 -0800
Автор: на Комментариев нет:

среда, 28 ноября 2012 г.

Games

Games

Portfolio mobile 1.8.2 - Stock portfolio solution.. (Demo)

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 02:47 AM PST



Portfolio mobile for Mac has all the features you're looking for. Portfolio tracking, technical analysis, foreign trading and more.
  • Serious technical charting with line drawing capabilities (not just Yahoo charts).
  • View portfolio value and performance history graphed against major market indices.
  • Quotes, charts and news from Euronext, Google, MSN and Yahoo.
  • View portfolio distribution charted by sector.
  • Automatic syncing with your broker (OFX required).
  • Integration with our web portal, iPad and iPhone versions (and Stox).
  • PUSH-based price alerts.
  • Import and export your positions for use in other programs.
  • Online backup and web-based entry.
  • Advanced features for tracking atypical instruments like insurance policies, real estate and more.
  • Settings and options for everything from interface color schemes to how often quotes are updated.
  • And the BEST and MOST RESPONSIVE support.


Version 1.8.2:

Bug Fixes

  • Boerse quotes incorrect for securities that show Xetra and Frankfurt quotes.
  • Crash when syncing with brokers if new stocks are added to existing portfolio.
  • Category performance wrong when positions are not in same currency as category.
  • Technical chart view is cut off if indicators are sized bigger than view.


Mac OS X 10.6.6 or later, Intel

Download Now

Community pays tribute to woman killed in fire

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 02:37 AM PST

It would have been fitting for a card game to break out at the celebration for an 81-year-old woman who was killed in a mobile-home fire in Turner Valley earlier this month.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16053-16064: MiR-218 Impairs Tumor Growth and Increases Chemo-Sensitivity to Cisplatin in Cervical Cancer

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

MicroRNAs are noncoding RNA molecules of 18–25 nucleotides that regulate gene expression at the post-transcriptional levels. Recent data revealed that miR-218 played key roles in tumor metastasis. Here, we described the regulation and function of miR-218 in cervical cancer. Overexpression of miR-218 reduced the proliferation of the human cervical cancer cell line HeLa and induced cell apoptosis through the AKT-mTOR signaling pathway. In addition, it forced expression of miR-218 suppressed tumor growth in the orthotopic mouse model of HeLa cells. Furthermore, miR-218 increased chemosensitivity to cisplatin (CDDP) in vitro. Our results indicated that targeting miR-218 may provide a strategy for blocking the development of cervical cancer.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16046-16052: Isolation and Characterization of Polymorphic Microsatellite Markers from the Chinese Medicinal Herb Atractylodes macrocephala (Asteraceae)

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Atractylodes macrocephala Koidz. (Asteraceae) is an economically important Chinese medicinal herb. In this study, 15 polymorphic microsatellite markers were developed from A. macrocephala using the compound microsatellite marker technique. Levels of polymorphism within the 15 markers were assessed using 83 individuals from two wild and two cultivated populations in China. The number of alleles per locus ranged from 2 to 20, with an average of 9.9 alleles. Observed and expected heterozygosities ranged from 0.083 to 1.000 and from 0.097 to 0.938, respectively. These markers will be valuable for germplasm classification and identification, as well as for assessing the genetic diversity and spatial genetic structure among wild and cultivated populations of A. macrocephala.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16020-16045: Drug Conjugates Such as Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), Immunotoxins and Immunoliposomes Challenge Daily Clinical Practice

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Drug conjugates have been studied extensively in preclinical in vitro and in vivo models but to date only a few compounds have progressed to the clinical setting. This situation is now changing with the publication of studies demonstrating a significant impact on clinical practice and highlighting the potential of this new class of targeted therapies. This review summarizes the pharmacological and molecular background of the main drug conjugation systems, namely antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), immunotoxins and immunoliposomes. All these compounds combine the specific targeting moiety of an antibody or similar construct with the efficacy of a toxic drug. The aim of this strategy is to target tumor cells specifically while sparing normal tissue, thus resulting in high efficacy and low toxicity. Recently, several strategies have been investigated in phase I clinical trials and some have entered phase III clinical development. This review provides a detailed overview of various strategies and critically discusses the most relevant achievements. Examples of the most advanced compounds include T-DM1 and brentuximab vedotin. However, additional promising strategies such as immunotoxins and immunoliposmes are already in clinical development. In summary, targeted drug delivery by drug conjugates is a new emerging class of anti-cancer therapy that may play a major role in the future.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16005-16019: Computational Molecular Nanoscience Study of the Properties of Copper Complexes for Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

In this work, we studied a copper complex-based dye, which is proposed for potential photovoltaic applications and is named Cu (I) biquinoline dye. Results of electron affinities and ionization potentials have been used for the correlation between different levels of calculation used in this study, which are based on The Density Functional Theory (DFT) and time-dependent (TD) DFT. Further, the maximum absorption wavelengths of our theoretical calculations were compared with the experimental data. It was found that the M06/LANL2DZ + DZVP level of calculation provides the best approximation. This level of calculation was used to find the optimized molecular structure and to predict the main molecular vibrations, the molecular orbitals energies, dipole moment, isotropic polarizability and the chemical reactivity parameters that arise from Conceptual DFT.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 15983-16004: Asymmetric Dimethyarginine as Marker and Mediator in Ischemic Stroke

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA), an endogenous nitric oxide synthase (NOS) inhibitor, is known as mediator of endothelial cell dysfunction and atherosclerosis. Circulating ADMA levels are correlated with cardiovascular risk factors such as hypercholesterolemia, arterial hypertension, diabetes mellitus, hyperhomocysteinemia, age and smoking. Accordingly, clinical studies found evidence that increased ADMA levels are associated with a higher risk of cerebrovascular events. After the acute event of ischemic stroke, levels of ADMA and its analog symmetric dimethylarginine (SDMA) are elevated through augmentation of protein methylation and oxidative stress. Furthermore, cleavage of ADMA through dimethylarginine dimethylaminohydrolases (DDAHs) is reduced. This increase of dimethylarginines might be predictive for adverse clinical outcome. However, the definite role of ADMA after acute ischemic stroke still needs to be clarified. On the one hand, ADMA might contribute to brain injury by reduction of cerebral blood flow. On the other hand, ADMA might be involved in NOS-induced oxidative stress and excitotoxic neuronal death. In the present review, we highlight the current knowledge from clinical and experimental studies on ADMA and its role for stroke risk and ischemic brain injury in the hyperacute stage after stroke. Finally, further studies are warranted to unravel the relevance of the close association of dimethylarginines with stroke.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 15967-15982: Identification and Characterization of the Actin-Binding Motif of Phostensin

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Phostensin, a protein phosphatase 1 F-actin cytoskeleton-targeting subunit encoded by KIAA1949, consists of 165 amino acids and caps the pointed ends of actin filaments. Sequence alignment analyses suggest that the C-terminal region of phostensin, spanning residues 129 to 155, contains a consensus actin-binding motif. Here, we have verified the existence of an actin-binding motif in the C-terminal domain of phostensin using colocalization, F-actin co-sedimentation and single filament binding assays. Our data indicate that the N-terminal region of phostensin (1–129) cannot bind to actin filaments and cannot retard the pointed end elongation of gelsolin-actin seeds. Furthermore, the C-terminal region of phostensin (125–165) multiply bind to the sides of actin filaments and lacks the ability to block the pointed end elongation, suggesting that the actin-binding motif is located in the C-terminal region of the phostensin. Further analyses indicate that phostensin binding to the pointed end of actin filament requires N-terminal residues 35 to 51. These results suggest that phostensin might fold into a rigid structure, allowing the N-terminus to sterically hinder the binding of C-terminus to the sides of actin filament, thus rendering phostensin binding to the pointed ends of actin filaments.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 15955-15966: Differential Expression Profile of MicroRNAs during Differentiation of Cardiomyocytes Exposed to Polychlorinated Biphenyls

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Exposure to persistent environmental pollutants, such as polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), is a risk factor for the development of congenital heart defects. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to be involved in cardiac development. The objective of this study was to investigate changes in miRNA expression profiles during the differentiation of cardiomyocytes exposed to PCBs. For that purpose, PCBs (Aroclor 1254) at a concentration of 2.5 μmol/L were added on day 0 of differentiation of P19 mouse embryonal carcinoma cells into cardiac myocytes. The relative expression of miRNA genes was determined by miRNA microarray and real-time reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (real-time RT-PCR) analyses. The microarray results revealed that 45 miRNAs, of which 14 were upregulated and 31 were downregulated, were differentially expressed in P19 cells treated with PCBs compared with control cells. The miRNA expression data was validated with real-time RT-PCR. The expression of certain potential target genes (Wnt1) was found to be reduced in P19 cells treated with PCBs, whereas the expression of other potential predicted target genes (GSK3β) was increased. Our results demonstrate a critical role of miRNAs in mediating the effect of PCBs during the differentiation of P19 cells into cardiac myocytes.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14159-14173: Studies on the Interaction Mechanism of Pyrene Derivatives with Human Tumor-Related DNA

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Pyrene derivatives can be carcinogenic, teratogenic and mutagenic, thus having the potential to cause malignant diseases. In this work, the interactions of two selected pyrene derivatives (1-OHP and 1-PBO) and human tumor-related DNA (p53 DNA and C-myc DNA) are investigated by spectroscopic and non-native polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE) methods. Using fluorescence spectrometry and circular dichroism (CD), DNA interactions of pyrene derivatives are confirmed to occur mainly via the groove binding mode supported by the intercalation into the base pairs of DNA. There is an obvious binding order of pyrene derivatives to the targeted DNA, 1-OHP > 1-PBO. The binding constants of 1-OHP are 1.16 × 106 L×mol−1 and 4.04 × 105 L×mol−1 for p53 DNA and C-myc DNA, respectively, while that of 1-PBO are only 2.04 × 103 L×mol−1 and 1.39 × 103 L×mol−1 for p53 DNA and C-myc DNA, respectively. Besides, the binding of pyrene derivatives to p53 DNA is stronger than that for C-myc DNA. CD and PAGE results indicate that the binding of pyrene derivatives can affect the helical structures of DNA and further induce the formation of double-chain antiparallel G-quadruplex DNA of hybrid G-rich sequences.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14146-14158: Ultrasound-Promoted Greener Synthesis of Novel Trifurcate 3-Substituted-chroman-2,4-dione Derivatives and Their Drug-Likeness Evaluation

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

An efficient and convenient approach for one-pot synthesis of 3-substituted chroman-2,4-diones via a three-component reaction of aromatic aldehydes, 4-hydroxy- coumarins and diverse pyrazolone derivatives was described. The combinatorial synthesis for this methodology was achieved by applying ultrasound irradiation in the absence of activator while making use of water as green solvent. Additionally, novel chroman-2,4-dione derivatives attached to an edaravone moiety represent an exploitable source of brand new anticancer agents. In comparison with conventional methods, experimental simplicity, good functional group tolerance, excellent yields, short routine, and atom efficiency are prominent features of this sonocatalyzed procedure.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14126-14145: Design, Synthesis, Antinociceptive and Anti-Inflammatory Activities of Novel Piroxicam Analogues

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

In this paper we report the design, synthesis, antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory activities of a series of benzothiazine N-acylhydrazones 14a–h, planned by structural modification of piroxicam (1), a non steroidal anti-inflammatory drug. Among the synthesized analogues, compounds 14f (LASSBio-1637) and 14g (LASSBio-1639) were identified as novel antinociceptive and anti-inflammatory prototypes, active by oral administration, acting by a mechanism of action that seems to be different from that of piroxicam, since they were inactive as an inhibitor of cyclooxygenase (COX-1 and COX-2) at concentrations of 10 mM.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14111-14125: Study of the Volatile Constituents in Radix Flemingiae Macrophyllae and a Substitute by Gas Chromatography-Mass Spectrometry and Chemometric Methods

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

A combined approach of subwindow factor analysis and spectral correlative chromatography was used to analyze the volatile components in Radix Flemingiae Macrophyllae and Flemingiae Latifolia Benth, one of its substitutes. After extraction by a water distillation method, the volatile components in Radix Flemingiae Macrophyllae and Flemingiae Latifolia Benth were detected by GC-MS. Then the qualitative and quantitative analysis of the volatile components in Radix Flemingiae Macrophyllae was completed with the help of subwindow factor analysis resolving two-dimensional original data into mass spectra and chromatograms. Sixty five of 82 separated constituents in the total ion chromatogram of the volatile components in Radix Flemingiae Macrophyllae were identified and quantified, accounting for about 88.79% of the total content. Then, spectral correlative chromatography was used to extract correlative constituents in Flemingiae Latifolia Benth. Fifty one correlative components were recognized in essential oil of Flemingiae Latifolia Benth. The result proves the combined approach is powerful in the analysis of complex herbal samples. The developed method can be used to compare the sameness and differences of Radix Flemingiae Macrophyllae and its substitutes and it can also be used for quality control of Radix Flemingiae Macrophyllae.

Destiny: 12 concept art images from Bungie’s first post-Halo project

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 02:51 AM PST

A selection of concept art images from Destiny – the first post-Halo project from developer Bungie – have been leaked to IGN. You can see the images in

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14099-14110: Allylation of Functionalized Aldehydes by Potassium Allyltrifluoroborate Catalyzed by 18-Crown-6 in Aqueous Media

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

An efficient method for the allylation of aldehydes containing a broad range of functional groups using potassium allyltrifluoroborate is described. The reaction utilizes a catalytic amount of 18-C-6 in biphasic media under open atmosphere and room temperature to provide the corresponding homoallylic alcohols in high yields and without the necessity of any subsequent purification.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14091-14098: Isolation, Identification and Antimicrobial Activities of Two Secondary Metabolites of Talaromyces verruculosus

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

From the ethyl acetate extract of the culture broth of Talaromyces verruculosus, a rhizosphere fungus of Stellera chamaejasme L., (−)-8-hydroxy-3-(4-hydroxypentyl)-3,4-dihydroisocoumarin (1) and (E)-3-(2,5-dioxo-3-(propan-2-ylidene)pyrrolidin-1-yl)acrylic acid (2) were isolated and evaluated for their antimicrobial activities. Their structures were elucidated by UV, IR, MS, 1H-NMR, 13C-NMR and 2D NMR spectra. Compound 1 exhibited the significant activities in vitro against two strains of bacteria and four strains of fungi. Compound 2 gave slight activities on the fungi at 100 µg mL−1, but no activities on the bacteria. Compound 1 should be considered as a new lead or model compound to develop new isocoumarin antimicrobial agents.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14067-14090: Fluorescent Probes and Fluorescence (Microscopy) Techniques — Illuminating Biological and Biomedical Research

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

Fluorescence, the absorption and re-emission of photons with longer wavelengths, is one of those amazing phenomena of Nature. Its discovery and utilization had, and still has, a major impact on biological and biomedical research, since it enables researchers not just to visualize normal physiological processes with high temporal and spatial resolution, to detect multiple signals concomitantly, to track single molecules in vivo, to replace radioactive assays when possible, but also to shed light on many pathobiological processes underpinning disease states, which would otherwise not be possible. Compounds that exhibit fluorescence are commonly called fluorochromes or fluorophores and one of these fluorescent molecules in particular has significantly enabled life science research to gain new insights in virtually all its sub-disciplines: Green Fluorescent Protein. Because fluorescent proteins are synthesized in vivo, integration of fluorescent detection methods into the biological system via genetic techniques now became feasible. Currently fluorescent proteins are available that virtually span the whole electromagnetic spectrum. Concomitantly, fluorescence imaging techniques were developed, and often progress in one field fueled innovation in the other. Impressively, the properties of fluorescence were utilized to develop new assays and imaging modalities, ranging from energy transfer to image molecular interactions to imaging beyond the diffraction limit with super-resolution microscopy. Here, an overview is provided of recent developments in both fluorescence imaging and fluorochrome engineering, which together constitute the “fluorescence toolbox” in life science research.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16482-16497: Two-Dimensional Radial Laser Scanning for Circular Marker Detection and External Mobile Robot Tracking

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

This paper presents the use of an external fixed two-dimensional laser scanner to detect cylindrical targets attached to moving devices, such as a mobile robot. This proposal is based on the detection of circular markers in the raw data provided by the laser scanner by applying an algorithm for outlier avoidance and a least-squares circular fitting. Some experiments have been developed to empirically validate the proposal with different cylindrical targets in order to estimate the location and tracking errors achieved, which are generally less than 20 mm in the area covered by the laser sensor. As a result of the validation experiments, several error maps have been obtained in order to give an estimate of the uncertainty of any location computed. This proposal has been validated with a medium-sized mobile robot with an attached cylindrical target (diameter 200 mm). The trajectory of the mobile robot was estimated with an average location error of less than 15 mm, and the real location error in each individual circular fitting was similar to the error estimated with the obtained error maps. The radial area covered in this validation experiment was up to 10 m, a value that depends on the radius of the cylindrical target and the radial density of the distance range points provided by the laser scanner but this area can be increased by combining the information of additional external laser scanners.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16466-16481: Chirped Laser Dispersion Spectroscopy for Remote Open-Path Trace-Gas Sensing

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

In this paper we present a prototype instrument for remote open-path detection of nitrous oxide. The sensor is based on a 4.53 μm quantum cascade laser and uses the chirped laser dispersion spectroscopy (CLaDS) technique for molecular concentration measurements. To the best of our knowledge this is the first demonstration of open-path laser-based trace-gas detection using a molecular dispersion measurement. The prototype sensor achieves a detection limit down to the single-ppbv level and exhibits excellent stability and robustness. The instrument characterization, field deployment performance, and the advantages of applying dispersion sensing to sensitive trace-gas detection in a remote open-path configuration are presented.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16451-16465: Digital Sun Sensor Multi-Spot Operation

Posted: 28 Nov 2012 12:00 AM PST

The operation and test of a multi-spot digital sun sensor for precise sun-line determination is described. The image forming system consists of an opaque mask with multiple pinhole apertures producing multiple, simultaneous, spot-like images of the sun on the focal plane. The sun-line precision can be improved by averaging multiple simultaneous measures. Nevertheless, the sensor operation on a wide field of view requires acquiring and processing images in which the number of sun spots and the related intensity level are largely variable. To this end, a reliable and robust image acquisition procedure based on a variable shutter time has been considered as well as a calibration function exploiting also the knowledge of the sun-spot array size. Main focus of the present paper is the experimental validation of the wide field of view operation of the sensor by using a sensor prototype and a laboratory test facility. Results demonstrate that it is possible to keep high measurement precision also for large off-boresight angles.
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