четверг, 6 декабря 2012 г.

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Religions, Vol. 3, Pages 1138-1139: From the Renaissance to the Modern World—Introduction

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

On November 11 and 12, 2011, a symposium held at the University of North Carolina in Chapel Hill honored John M. Headley, Emeritus Professor of History. The organizers, Professor Melissa Bullard—Headley's colleague in the department of history at that university—along with Professors Paul Grendler (University of Toronto) and James Weiss (Boston College), as well as Nancy Gray Schoonmaker, coordinator of the Program in Medieval and Early Modern Studies—assembled presenters, respondents, and dozens of other participants from Western Europe and North America to celebrate the career of their prolific, versatile, and influential colleague whose publications challenged and often changed the ways scholars think about Martin Luther, Thomas More, the Habsburg empire, early modern Catholicism, globalization, and multiculturalism. [...]

Antibodies, Vol. 1, Pages 294-307: Preparation of Knockout Extract by Immunoaffinity Column and Its Application

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

Importance of herbal medicines have recently increased owing to rising interest in their health benefits. However, medicinal plant extracts are complex mixtures of phytochemicals that act synergistically or additively on specific and/or multiple molecular and cellular targets. Thus, it is difficult to examine the actual pharmacological roles of active compounds in plant extracts. This review describes a new strategy for isolating target compounds from plant extracts using immunoaffinity columns coupled with monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against natural compounds. Through one-step purification using mAb-coupled immunoaffinity columns, we succeeded in preparing a knockout (KO) extract, which contains all components except the target compound. Furthermore, we investigated the pharmacological effects of the KO extract to reveal the actual effects of a bioactive compound in the crude extract. This approach may help determine the potential function of target compounds in herbal medicines.

Membranes, Vol. 2, Pages 841-854: A Study of the Effect of Heat-Treatment on the Morphology of Nafion Ionomer Dispersion for Use in the Passive Direct Methanol Fuel Cell (DMFC)

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

Aggregation in heat-treated Nafion ionomer dispersion and 117 membrane are investigated by 1H and 19F Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) spectra, spin-lattice relaxation time, and self-diffusion coefficient measurements. Results demonstrate that heat-treatment affects the average Nafion particle size in aqueous dispersions. Measurements on heat-treated Nafion 117 membrane show changes in the 1H isotropic chemical shift and no significant changes in ionic conductivity. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of prepared cathode catalyst layer containing the heat-treated dispersions reveals that the surface of the electrode with the catalyst ink that has been pretreated at ca. 80 °C exhibits a compact and uniform morphology. The decrease of Nafion ionomer’s size results in better contact between catalyst particles and electrolyte, higher electrochemically active surface area, as well as significant improvement in the DMFC’s performance, as verified by electrochemical analysis and single cell evaluation.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16879-16891: Development of a Biosensor for Environmental Monitoring Based on Microalgae Immobilized in Silica Hydrogels

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

A new biosensor was designed for the assessment of aquatic environment quality. Three microalgae were used as toxicity bioindicators: Chlorella vulgaris, Pseudokirchneriella subcapitata and Chlamydomonas reinhardtii. These microalgae were immobilized in alginate and silica hydrogels in a two step procedure. After studying the growth rate of entrapped cells, chlorophyll fluorescence was measured after exposure to (3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea) (DCMU) and various concentrations of the common herbicide atrazine. Microalgae are very sensitive to herbicides and detection of fluorescence enhancement with very good efficiency was realized. The best detection limit was 0.1 µM, obtained with the strain C. reinhardtii after 40 minutes of exposure.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16867-16878: Investigation into the Effect of Varied Functional Biointerfaces on Silicon Nanowire MOSFETs

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

A biocompatible and functional interface can improve the sensitivity of bioelectronics. Here, 3-aminopropyl trimethoxysilane (APTMS) and 3-mercaptopropyl trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were independently modified on the surface of silicon nanowire metal-oxide-semiconductor field effect transistors (NW-MOSFETs). Those SAMs-modified silicon NW-MOSFETs were used to discriminate various pH solutions and further verify which modified regime was capable of providing better electrical signals. The APTMS-SAM modified NW-MOSFETs showed better electrical responses in pH sensing. Biomolecules on APTMS-SAM modified NW-MOSFETs also gave better signals for the corresponding proteind in physiological buffer solutions. Atomic force microscopy (AFM) clarified those electrical phenomena and found biomolecules on APTMS-SAM were relatively uniformly modified on NW-MOSFETs. Our results showed that more uniform modification contributed to better signal response to protein interactions in physiological buffer solutions. It suggests that suitable surface modifications could profoundly affect the sensing response and sensitivity.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16838-16866: Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring Approaches for Disaggregated Energy Sensing: A Survey

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

Appliance Load Monitoring (ALM) is essential for energy management solutions, allowing them to obtain appliance-specific energy consumption statistics that can further be used to devise load scheduling strategies for optimal energy utilization. Fine-grained energy monitoring can be achieved by deploying smart power outlets on every device of interest; however it incurs extra hardware cost and installation complexity. Non-Intrusive Load Monitoring (NILM) is an attractive method for energy disaggregation, as it can discern devices from the aggregated data acquired from a single point of measurement. This paper provides a comprehensive overview of NILM system and its associated methods and techniques used for disaggregated energy sensing. We review the state-of-the art load signatures and disaggregation algorithms used for appliance recognition and highlight challenges and future research directions.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16802-16837: Context-Aided Sensor Fusion for Enhanced Urban Navigation

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

 The deployment of Intelligent Vehicles in urban environments requires reliable estimation of positioning for urban navigation. The inherent complexity of this kind of environments fosters the development of novel systems which should provide reliable and precise solutions to the vehicle. This article details an advanced GNSS/IMU fusion system based on a context-aided Unscented Kalman filter for navigation in urban conditions. The constrained non-linear filter is here conditioned by a contextual knowledge module which reasons about sensor quality and driving context in order to adapt it to the situation, while at the same time it carries out a continuous estimation and correction of INS drift errors. An exhaustive analysis has been carried out with available data in order to characterize the behavior of available sensors and take it into account in the developed solution. The performance is then analyzed with an extensive dataset containing representative situations. The proposed solution suits the use of fusion algorithms for deploying Intelligent Transport Systems in urban environments.

Need for Speed: Most Wanted – First DLC revealed, delivers five stupidly fast sports cars

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 02:50 AM PST

EA has announced the first add-on content for Need for Speed: Most Wanted – the Ultimate Speed Pack. Living up to its name, the DLC contains five of the

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16785-16801: 3D Reconstruction and Restoration Monitoring of Sculptural Artworks by a Multi-Sensor Framework

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

Nowadays, optical sensors are used to digitize sculptural artworks by exploiting various contactless technologies. Cultural Heritage applications may concern 3D reconstructions of sculptural shapes distinguished by small details distributed over large surfaces. These applications require robust multi-view procedures based on aligning several high resolution 3D measurements. In this paper, the integration of a 3D structured light scanner and a stereo photogrammetric sensor is proposed with the aim of reliably reconstructing large free form artworks. The structured light scanner provides high resolution range maps captured from different views. The stereo photogrammetric sensor measures the spatial location of each view by tracking a marker frame integral to the optical scanner. This procedure allows the computation of the rotation-translation matrix to transpose the range maps from local view coordinate systems to a unique global reference system defined by the stereo photogrammetric sensor. The artwork reconstructions can be further augmented by referring metadata related to restoration processes. In this paper, a methodology has been developed to map metadata to 3D models by capturing spatial references using a passive stereo-photogrammetric sensor. The multi-sensor framework has been experienced through the 3D reconstruction of a Statue of Hope located at the English Cemetery in Florence. This sculptural artwork has been a severe test due to the non-cooperative environment and the complex shape features distributed over a large surface.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16771-16784: High Dynamics and Precision Optical Measurement Using a Position Sensitive Detector (PSD) in Reflection-Mode: Application to 2D Object Tracking over a Smart Surface

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

When related to a single and good contrast object or a laser spot, position sensing, or sensitive, detectors (PSDs) have a series of advantages over the classical camera sensors, including a good positioning accuracy for a fast response time and very simple signal conditioning circuits. To test the performance of this kind of sensor for microrobotics, we have made a comparative analysis between a precise but slow video camera and a custom-made fast PSD system applied to the tracking of a diffuse-reflectivity object transported by a pneumatic microconveyor called Smart-Surface. Until now, the fast system dynamics prevented the full control of the smart surface by visual servoing, unless using a very expensive high frame rate camera. We have built and tested a custom and low cost PSD-based embedded circuit, optically connected with a camera to a single objective by means of a beam splitter. A stroboscopic light source enhanced the resolution. The obtained results showed a good linearity and a fast (over 500 frames per second) response time which will enable future closed-loop control by using PSD.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16759-16770: Enhancement of Probe Signal for Screening of HIV-1 Protease Inhibitors in Living Cells

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

The global human immunodeficiency virus infection/acquired immuno-deficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) epidemic is one of the biggest threats to human life. Mutation of the virus and toxicity of the existing drugs necessitate the development of new drugs for effective AIDS treatment. Previously, we developed a molecular probe that utilizes the Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) principle to visualize HIV-1 protease inhibition within living cells for drug screening. We explored using AcGFP1 (a fluorescent mutant of the wild-type green fluorescent protein) as a donor and mCherry (a mutant of red fluorescent protein) as an acceptor for FRET microscopy imaging measurement of HIV-1 protease activity within living cells and demonstrated that the molecular probe is suitable for the High-Content Screening (HCS) of anti-HIV drugs through an automated FRET microscopy imaging measurement. In this study, we genetically engineered a probe with a tandem acceptor protein structure to enhance the probe’s signal. Both in vitro and in vivo studies revealed that the novel structure of the molecular probe exhibits a significant enhancement of FRET signals, reaching a probe FRET efficiency of 34%, as measured by fluorescence lifetime imaging microscopy (FLIM) measurement. The probe developed herein would enable high-content screening of new anti-HIV agents.

Sensors, Vol. 12, Pages 16732-16758: A Novel Soft Biomimetic Microrobot with Two Motion Attitudes

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

 A variety of microrobots have commonly been used in the fields of biomedical engineering and underwater operations during the last few years. Thanks to their compact structure, low driving power, and simple control systems, microrobots can complete a variety of underwater tasks, even in limited spaces. To accomplish our objectives, we previously designed several bio-inspired underwater microrobots with compact structure, flexibility, and multi-functionality, using ionic polymer metal composite (IPMC) actuators. To implement high-position precision for IPMC legs, in the present research, we proposed an electromechanical model of an IPMC actuator and analysed the deformation and actuating force of an equivalent IPMC cantilever beam, which could be used to design biomimetic legs, fingers, or fins for an underwater microrobot. We then evaluated the tip displacement of an IPMC actuator experimentally. The experimental deflections fit the theoretical values very well when the driving frequency was larger than 1 Hz. To realise the necessary multi-functionality for adapting to complex underwater environments, we introduced a walking biomimetic microrobot with two kinds of motion attitudes: a lying state and a standing state. The microrobot uses eleven IPMC actuators to move and two shape memory alloy (SMA) actuators to change its motion attitude. In the lying state, the microrobot implements stick-insect-inspired walking/rotating motion, fish-like swimming motion, horizontal grasping motion, and floating motion. In the standing state, it implements inchworm-inspired crawling motion in two horizontal directions and grasping motion in the vertical direction. We constructed a prototype of this biomimetic microrobot and evaluated its walking, rotating, and floating speeds experimentally. The experimental results indicated that the robot could attain a maximum walking speed of 3.6 mm/s, a maximum rotational speed of 9°/s, and a maximum floating speed of 7.14 mm/s. Obstacle-avoidance and swimming experiments were also carried out to demonstrate its multi-functionality.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14510-14521: Synthesis of New Macrocyclic Polyamides as Antimicrobial Agent Candidates

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

A series of macrocyclic imides and Schiff-bases have been prepared via the cyclocondensation of pyridine-2,6-dicarbonyl dichloride (1) with L-ornithine methyl ester to give the corresponding macrocyclic bisester 2. Treatment of 2 with hydrazine hydrate gave macrocyclic bisacid hydrazide 3, which was used as starting material. Condensation of bishydrazide 3 with diacid anhydrides or aromatic aldehydes in refluxing acetic acid or ethanol gave the corresponding macrocyclic bisimides 4, 5a,b and macrocyclic bis- hydrazones 6a–j, respectively. The structure assignments of the new compounds were based on chemical and spectroscopic evidence. The antimicrobial screening showed that many of these newly synthesized compounds have good antimicrobial activities, comparable to ampicillin and ketaconazole used as reference drugs.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14490-14509: Polyphenolic Profile and Biological Activity of Chinese Hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida BUNGE) Fruits

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

Chinese hawthorn (Crataegus pinnatifida Bge.) fruits are rich in polyphenols (e.g., epicatechin, procyanidin B2, procyanidin B5, procyanidin C1, hyperoside, isoquercitrin and chlorogenic acid)—active compounds that exert beneficial effects. This review summarizes all information available on polyphenolic content and methods for their quantification in Chinese hawthorn berries and the relationships between individual polyphenolic compounds as well. The influence of species or cultivars, the locality of cultivation, the stage of maturity, and extract preparation conditions on the polyphenolic content were discussed as well. Currently, only fruits of C. pinnatifida and C. pinnatifida var. major are included in the Chinese Pharmacopoeia. Recent trials have demonstrated the efficacy of Chinese hawthorn fruit in lowering blood cholesterol and the risk of cardiovascular diseases. The fruit has also demonstrated anti-inflammatory and anti-tumour activities. This review deals mainly with the biological activity of the fruit related to its antioxidant properties.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14484-14489: Preparation of Dispersed Particle Gel (DPG) through a Simple High Speed Shearing Method

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

Dispersed particle gel (DPG) has been first successfully prepared using cross-linked gel systems through a simple high speed shearing method with the aid of a colloid mill at room temperature. The gel microstructure and particle size were investigated by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) measurements. The results clearly show that the prepared DPG particles have highly uniformly spherical structures with an average size of 2.5 μm. A possible mechanism for the formation of DPG has been put forward and discussed in details. The high speed shearing method is considered to be the simple and rapid method for the preparation of DPG.

Molecules, Vol. 17, Pages 14464-14483: Multi-Component One-Pot Synthesis and Antimicrobial Activities of 3-Methyl-1,4-diphenyl-7-thioxo-4,6,8,9-tetrahydro-pyrazolo[5,4-b]pyrimidino[5,4-e]pyridine-5-one and Related Derivatives

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

The synthesis of 3-methyl-1,4-diphenyl-7-thioxo-4,6,8,9-tetrahydropyrazolo[5,4-b] pyrimidino[5,4-e]pyridine-5-one (6) was achieved by two different one-pot multi-component synthesis (one-pot three-component and one-pot four component synthesis). Mono and dialkylation of 6 under different conditions gave compounds 7–11. The hydrazine 12 produced from reaction of 9 with N2H4 was subjected to reactions with some aromatic aldehydes, ethyl acetoacetate, acetyl acetone, ethyl cyanoacetate and triethyl orthoformate to give 13–17, respectively. Compound 12 upon reaction with CS2, nitrous acid, benzoin, chloroacetone and phenacyl bromide gave 18,20,21,22. Alkylation of 18 with ethyl iodide, ethyl chloroacetate and phenacyl bromide gave 19a–c. The antibacterial and antifungal activities of selected derivatives were evaluated.

iPad Casino Launched by Virgin Games

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 01:25 AM PST

Information contained on this page is provided by companies via press release distributed through PR Newswire, an independent third-party content provider.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16718-16736: UVA Irradiation of Dysplastic Keratinocytes: Oxidative Damage versus Antioxidant Defense

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

UVA affects epidermal cell physiology in a complex manner, but the harmful effects have been studied mainly in terms of DNA damage, mutagenesis and carcinogenesis. We investigated UVA effects on membrane integrity and antioxidant defense of dysplastic keratinocytes after one and two hours of irradiation, both immediately after exposure, and 24 h post-irradiation. To determine the UVA oxidative stress on cell membrane, lipid peroxidation was correlated with changes in fatty acid levels. Membrane permeability and integrity were assessed by propidium iodide staining and lactate dehydrogenase release. The effects on keratinocyte antioxidant protection were investigated in terms of catalase activity and expression. Lipid peroxidation increased in an exposure time-dependent manner. UVA exposure decreased the level of polyunsaturated fatty acids, which gradually returned to its initial value. Lactate dehydrogenase release showed a dramatic loss in membrane integrity after 2 h minimum of exposure. The cell ability to restore membrane permeability was noted at 24 h post-irradiation (for one hour exposure). Catalase activity decreased in an exposure time-dependent manner. UVA-irradiated dysplastic keratinocytes developed mechanisms leading to cell protection and survival, following a non-lethal exposure. The surviving cells gained an increased resistance to apoptosis, suggesting that their pre-malignant status harbors an abnormal ability to control their fate.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16708-16717: Long Non-Coding RNAs and p53 Regulation

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

The advent of novel and high-throughput sequencing (next generation) technologies allowed for the sequencing of the genome at an unprecedented depth. The majority of transcribed RNAs have been classified as non-coding RNAs. Among them, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are emerging as important regulators in many biological processes. Here, we discuss the role of those lncRNAs which are under the control of p53 or that are able to regulate its activity, due to the central role of p53 pathway in many conditions. We also briefly discussed the emerging need of having novel strategies and computational tools to completely unravel the multifaceted roles of lncRNAs and to pave the way to the development of novel diagnostic and therapeutic applications based on these peculiar molecules.

IJMS, Vol. 13, Pages 16668-16707: Class IIa Bacteriocins: Diversity and New Developments

Posted: 06 Dec 2012 12:00 AM PST

Class IIa bacteriocins are heat-stable, unmodified peptides with a conserved amino acids sequence YGNGV on their N-terminal domains, and have received much attention due to their generally recognized as safe (GRAS) status, their high biological activity, and their excellent heat stability. They are promising and attractive agents that could function as biopreservatives in the food industry. This review summarizes the new developments in the area of class IIa bacteriocins and aims to provide uptodate information that can be used in designing future research.
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