четверг, 31 января 2013 г.

Games

Games

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1787-1835: Combining Wireless Sensor Networks and Semantic Middleware for an Internet of Things-Based Sportsman/Woman Monitoring Application

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) are spearheading the efforts taken to build and deploy systems aiming to accomplish the ultimate objectives of the Internet of Things. Due to the sensors WSNs nodes are provided with, and to their ubiquity and pervasive capabilities, these networks become extremely suitable for many applications that so-called conventional cabled or wireless networks are unable to handle. One of these still underdeveloped applications is monitoring physical parameters on a person. This is an especially interesting application regarding their age or activity, for any detected hazardous parameter can be notified not only to the monitored person as a warning, but also to any third party that may be helpful under critical circumstances, such as relatives or healthcare centers. We propose a system built to monitor a sportsman/woman during a workout session or performing a sport-related indoor activity. Sensors have been deployed by means of several nodes acting as the nodes of a WSN, along with a semantic middleware development used for hardware complexity abstraction purposes. The data extracted from the environment, combined with the information obtained from the user, will compose the basis of the services that can be obtained.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1844-1856: Development and Molecular Characterization of 55 Novel Polymorphic cDNA-SSR Markers in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.) Using 454 Pyrosequencing

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Faba bean (Vicia faba L.) is a major food source and fodder legume, popularly known for its high content of seed-protein. Its role is critical in crop rotation, and for fixing nitrogen effectively. Polymorphic simple sequence repeat markers from transcript sequences (cDNA; simple sequence repeat [SSR]) were developed for faba bean (Vicia faba). We found that 1,729 SSR loci from 81,333 individual sequence reads and 240 primer pairs were designed and synthesized. In total, 55 primer pairs were found to be polymorphic and scorable consistently when screened in 32 accessions. The number of alleles ranged from 2 to 15, frequency of major alleles per locus varied from 0.17 to 0.91, the genotypes number ranged from 2 to 17, observed and expected heterozycosity values ranged from 0.00 to 0.44 and 0.17 to 0.89 and overall PIC values ranged from 0.16 to 0.88 respectively. These markers will be a useful tool for assessing the genetic diversity, understanding the population structure, and breeding patterns of faba bean.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1826-1843: Pharmacological Actions of Multi-Target-Directed Evodiamine

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Evodiamine, a naturally occurring indole alkaloid, is one of the main bioactive ingredients of Evodiae fructus. With respect to the pharmacological actions of evodiamine, more attention has been paid to beneficial effects in insults involving cancer, obesity, nociception, inflammation, cardiovascular diseases, Alzheimer's disease, infectious diseases and themoregulative effects. Evodiamine has evolved a superior ability to bind various proteins, so we also argue that it is good starting point for multi-target drugs. This review is primarily addressed to the description of the recent advances in the biological activity studies of evodiamine, with a focus on pharmacological mechanism. The present review also includes the pharmacokinetics and the detailed exploration of target-binding properties of evodiamine in an attempt to provide a direction for further multi-target drug design

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1819-1825: Two New Koumine-Type Indole Alkaloids from Gelsemium elegans Benth.

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Two new indole alkaloids, 21-oxokoumine (1) and furanokoumine (2), were isolated from the roots of Gelsemium elegans Benth together with three known compounds. The structures of the two novel compounds were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including NMR, HR-ESI-MS, UV, IR, CD and molecular modeling. Compound 1 is the first instance of a koumine-type alkaloid with a carbonyl at the C-21 position, while compound 2 possesses a tetrahydrofuran ring located on C-20 and C-21.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 3026-3049: Nature’s Timepiece—Molecular Coordination of Metabolism and Its Impact on Aging

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Circadian rhythms are found in almost all organisms from cyanobacteria to humans, where most behavioral and physiological processes occur over a period of approximately 24 h in tandem with the day/night cycles. In general, these rhythmic processes are under regulation of circadian clocks. The role of circadian clocks in regulating metabolism and consequently cellular and metabolic homeostasis is an intensively investigated area of research. However, the links between circadian clocks and aging are correlative and only recently being investigated. A physiological decline in most processes is associated with advancing age, and occurs at the onset of maturity and in some instances is the result of accumulation of cellular damage beyond a critical level. A fully functional circadian clock would be vital to timing events in general metabolism, thus contributing to metabolic health and to ensure an increased “health-span” during the process of aging. Here, we present recent evidence of links between clocks, cellular metabolism, aging and oxidative stress (one of the causative factors of aging). In the light of these data, we arrive at conceptual generalizations of this relationship across the spectrum of model organisms from fruit flies to mammals.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 3011-3025: 2-(2-Hydroxy-5-nitrobenzylidene)-1,3-indanedione versus Fluorescein Isothiocyanate in Interaction with Anti-hFABP Immunoglobulin G1: Fluorescence Quenching, Secondary Structure Alteration and Binding Sites Localization

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

The first step in determining whether a fluorescent dye can be used for antibody labeling consists in collecting data on its physical interaction with the latter. In the present study, the interaction between the 2-(2-hydroxy-5-nitrobenzylidene)-1,3-indanedione (HNBID) dye and the IgG1 monoclonal mouse antibody anti-human heart fatty acid binding protein (anti-hFABP) has been investigated by fluorescence and circular dichroism spectroscopies and complementary structural results were obtained by molecular modeling. We have determined the parameters characterizing this interaction, namely the quenching and binding constants, classes of binding sites, and excited state lifetimes, and we have predicted the localization of HNBID within the Fc region of anti-hFABP. The key glycosidic and amino acid residues in anti-hFABP interacting with HNBID have also been identified. A similar systematic study was undertaken for the well-known fluorescein isothiocyanate fluorophore, for comparison purposes. Our results recommend HNBID as a valuable alternative to fluorescein isothiocyanate for use as a fluorescent probe for IgG1 antibodies.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2996-3010: Mitochondrial and Nuclear DNA Damage and Repair in Age-Related Macular Degeneration

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Aging and oxidative stress seem to be the most important factors in the pathogenesis of age-related macular degeneration (AMD), a condition affecting many elderly people in the developed world. However, aging is associated with the accumulation of oxidative damage in many biomolecules, including DNA. Furthermore, mitochondria may be especially important in this process because the reactive oxygen species produced in their electron transport chain can damage cellular components. Therefore, the cellular response to DNA damage, expressed mainly through DNA repair, may play an important role in AMD etiology. In several studies the increase in mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) damage and mutations, and the decrease in the efficacy of DNA repair have been correlated with the occurrence and the stage of AMD. It has also been shown that mitochondrial DNA accumulates more DNA lesions than nuclear DNA in AMD. However, the DNA damage response in mitochondria is executed by nucleus-encoded proteins, and thus mutagenesis in nuclear DNA (nDNA) may affect the ability to respond to mutagenesis in its mitochondrial counterpart. We reported that lymphocytes from AMD patients displayed a higher amount of total endogenous basal and oxidative DNA damage, exhibited a higher sensitivity to hydrogen peroxide and UV radiation, and repaired the lesions induced by these factors less effectively than did cells from control individuals. We postulate that poor efficacy of DNA repair (i.e., is impaired above average for a particular age) when combined with the enhanced sensitivity of retinal pigment epithelium cells to environmental stress factors, contributes to the pathogenesis of AMD. Collectively, these data suggest that the cellular response to both mitochondrial and nuclear DNA damage may play an important role in AMD pathogenesis.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2980-2995: Compound K, a Ginsenoside Metabolite, Inhibits Colon Cancer Growth via Multiple Pathways Including p53-p21 Interactions

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Compound K (20-O-beta-D-glucopyranosyl-20(S)-protopanaxadiol, CK), an intestinal bacterial metabolite of ginseng protopanaxadiol saponins, has been shown to inhibit cell growth in a variety of cancers. However, the mechanisms are not completely understood, especially in colorectal cancer (CRC). A xenograft tumor model was used first to examine the anti-CRC effect of CK in vivo. Then, multiple in vitro assays were applied to investigate the anticancer effects of CK including antiproliferation, apoptosis and cell cycle distribution. In addition, a qPCR array and western blot analysis were executed to screen and validate the molecules and pathways involved. We observed that CK significantly inhibited the growth of HCT-116 tumors in an athymic nude mouse xenograft model. CK significantly inhibited the proliferation of human CRC cell lines HCT-116, SW-480, and HT-29 in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We also observed that CK induced cell apoptosis and arrested the cell cycle in the G1 phase in HCT-116 cells. The processes were related to the upregulation of p53/p21, FoxO3a-p27/p15 and Smad3, and downregulation of cdc25A, CDK4/6 and cyclin D1/3. The major regulated targets of CK were cyclin dependent inhibitors, including p21, p27, and p15. These results indicate that CK inhibits transcriptional activation of multiple tumor-promoting pathways in CRC, suggesting that CK could be an active compound in the prevention or treatment of CRC.

Religions, Vol. 4, Pages 67-76: A Contribution to Comparative Theology: Probing the Depth of Islamic Thought

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Muslim theologians, as much as ordinary Muslims, will immediately agree with the characterization of God as all compassionate. However, it remains rather opaque how God’s compassion can be fully explained in terms of comparative theology. How can Muslims relate to God’s compassion? What role does God’s compassion precisely play in the Quranic revelation and the daily practice of Muslims?

Sustainability, Vol. 5, Pages 440-455: Asymptotic Behavior of a Delay Differential Neoclassical Growth Model

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

A neoclassical growth model is examined with a special mound-shaped production function. Continuous time scales are assumed and a complete steady state and stability analysis is presented. Fixed delay is then assumed and it is shown how the asymptotic stability of the steady state is lost if the delay reaches a certain threshold, where Hopf bifurcation occurs. In the case of continuously distriubuted delays, we show that with small average delays stability is preserved, then lost at a threshold, then it is regained if the average delay becomes sufficiently large. The occurence of Hopf bifurcation is shown at both critical values.

Symmetry, Vol. 5, Pages 81-85: Perlman and Wellner’s Circular and Transformed Circular Copulas are Particular Beta and t Copulas

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

All but one of the copulas in a recent paper in Symmetry by Perlman and Wellner can be identified as particular members of either the beta or t families of elliptical copulas.

Killzone: Mercenary release date and gameplay trailer

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 01:22 AM PST

Confirming previous reports, Sony has taken the wraps of Killzone: Mercenary, revealing new details about the Vita shooter, plus a release date and new

Ads featuring guns pop up on apps meant for kids

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 01:08 AM PST

An app that lets kids decorate cookies and cupcakes also features advertisements for violent games across the screen, leaving some parents to wonder if the content is age appropriate.

Agronomy, Vol. 3, Pages 86-116: Sustainable Phosphorus Measures: Strategies and Technologies for Achieving Phosphorus Security

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Phosphorus underpins the world’s food systems by ensuring soil fertility, maximising crop yields, supporting farmer livelihoods and ultimately food security. Yet increasing concerns around long-term availability and accessibility of the world’s main source of phosphorus—phosphate rock, means there is a need to investigate sustainable measures to buffer the world’s food systems against the long and short-term impacts of global phosphorus scarcity. While the timeline of phosphorus scarcity is contested, there is consensus that more efficient use and recycling of phosphorus is required. While the agricultural sector will be crucial in achieving this, sustainable phosphorus measures in sectors upstream and downstream of agriculture from mine to fork will also need to be addressed. This paper presents a comprehensive classification of all potential phosphorus supply- and demand-side measures to meet long-term phosphorus needs for food production. Examples range from increasing efficiency in the agricultural and mining sector, to technologies for recovering phosphorus from urine and food waste. Such measures are often undertaken in isolation from one another rather than linked in an integrated strategy. This integrated approach will enable scientists and policy-makers to take a systematic approach when identifying potential sustainable phosphorus measures. If a systematic approach is not taken, there is a risk of inappropriate investment in research and implementation of technologies and that will not ultimately ensure sufficient access to phosphorus to produce food in the future. The paper concludes by introducing a framework to assess and compare sustainable phosphorus measures and to determine the least cost options in a given context.

IJGI, Vol. 2, Pages 27-49: Improving the GIS-DRP Approach by Means of DelineatingRunoff Characteristics with New Discharge Relevant Parameters

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

At present it is common to use geographic information system (GIS) applications to assess runoff generation. One of these GIS-based tools to generate maps of dominant runoff processes is the so called GIS-DRP approach. The tool, which has been developed mainly based on agricultural areas, uses commonly available input data like a digital elevation model (DEM), geological information as well as land use information. The aim of this study is to test, validate and improve this GIS-DRP method for forested and silviculture areas. Hence, soil-hydrologic investigations and several mapping techniques of dominant runoff processes were conducted on 25 test-plots in four forested catchments in Rhineland-Palatinate (Germany) and the Grand Duchy of Luxembourg. By comparing the results of the mapping techniques and those of the test plots, weak points in the original GIS-DRP method were detected. Subsequently, it was possible to enhance the GIS-DRP approach by incorporating new discharge relevant parameters like topsoil sealing, extreme weather events and semipermeability of the substratum. Moreover, the improved GIS-DRP approach can be widely used in different landscapes and for different fields of application. The adapted method can now support foresters and decision makers in forestry planning, answer questions concerning the landscape water balance and peripheral water retention or provide extra information for sustainable forest planning in times of a changing climate.

Materials, Vol. 6, Pages 421-436: Material Analysis of Coated Siliconized Silicon Carbide (SiSiC) Honeycomb Structures for Thermochemical Hydrogen Production

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In the present work, thermochemical water splitting with siliconized silicon carbide (SiSiC) honeycombs coated with a zinc ferrite redox material was investigated. The small scale coated monoliths were tested in a laboratory test-rig and characterized by X-ray diffractometry (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) with corresponding micro analysis after testing in order to characterize the changes in morphology and composition. Comparison of several treated monoliths revealed the formation of various reaction products such as SiO2, zircon (ZrSiO4), iron silicide (FeSi) and hercynite (FeAl2O4) indicating the occurrence of various side reactions between the different phases of the coating as well as between the coating and the SiSiC substrate. The investigations showed that the ferrite is mainly reduced through reaction with silicon (Si), which is present in the SiSiC matrix, and silicon carbide (SiC). These results led to the formulation of a new redox mechanism for this system in which Zn-ferrite is reduced through Si forming silicon dioxide (SiO2) and through SiC forming SiO2 and carbon monoxide. A decline of hydrogen production within the first 20 cycles is suggested to be due to the growth of a silicon dioxide and zircon layer which acts as a diffusion barrier for the reacting specie.

Electronics, Vol. 2, Pages 41-56: Fault Tree Analysis for Safety/Security Verification in Aviation Software

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

The Next Generation Air Traffic Management system (NextGen) is a blueprint of the future National Airspace System. Supporting NextGen is a nation-wide Aviation Simulation Network (ASN), which allows integration of a variety of real-time simulations to facilitate development and validation of the NextGen software by simulating a wide range of operational scenarios. The ASN system is an environment, including both simulated and human-in-the-loop real-life components (pilots and air traffic controllers). Real Time Distributed Simulation (RTDS) developed at Embry Riddle Aeronautical University, a suite of applications providing low and medium fidelity en-route simulation capabilities, is one of the simulations contributing to the ASN. To support the interconnectivity with the ASN, we designed and implemented a dedicated gateway acting as an intermediary, providing logic for two-way communication and transfer messages between RTDS and ASN and storage for the exchanged data. It has been necessary to develop and analyze safety/security requirements for the gateway software based on analysis of system assets, hazards, threats and attacks related to ultimate real-life future implementation. Due to the nature of the system, the focus was placed on communication security and the related safety of the impacted aircraft in the simulation scenario. To support development of safety/security requirements, a well-established fault tree analysis technique was used. This fault tree model-based analysis, supported by a commercial tool, was a foundation to propose mitigations assuring the gateway system safety and security. 

Diversity, Vol. 5, Pages 26-38: Dissimilarity of Ant Communities Increases with Precipitation, but not Reduced Land-Use Intensity, in Indonesian Cacao Agroforestry

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Land-use degradation and climate change are well-known drivers of biodiversity loss, but little information is available about their potential interaction. Here, we focus on the effects of land-use and precipitation on ant diversity in cacao agroforestry. In Central Sulawesi, Indonesia, we selected 16 cacao agroforestry plots with a shaded vs. unshaded plot in each of eight villages differing in precipitation (1032–2051 mm annual rainfall). On each plot, 10 cacao trees with similar size and age (7–10 years) were selected for hand collection of ants on each cacao tree and the soil surface. In total, we found 80 ant species belonging to five subfamilies. Land-use intensification (removal of shade trees) and precipitation had no effect on species richness of ants per cacao tree (alpha diversity) and, in an additive partitioning approach, within-plot beta diversity. However, higher precipitation (but not shade) significantly increased ant species dissimilarity across cacao trees within a plot, with ant species showing contrasting responses to precipitation. Reduced precipitation causing drought stress appeared to contribute to convergence of ant community structure, presumably via reduced heterogeneity in cacao tree growth. In conclusion, reduced precipitation greatly influenced ant community dissimilarity and appeared to be more important for ant community structure than land-use intensification.

Battle Fight! Mario Kart Best Run Highlight

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 10:01 PM PST

The GameSpot AU team battle it out again, this week it is to find out who has the best Mario Kart skills. Submit your score to challenge the winner at tinyurl.com/gsbattlefight!

 

Read and Post Comments | Get the full article at GameSpot

"Battle Fight! Mario Kart Best Run Highlight" was posted by JessicaM on Wed, 30 Jan 2013 22:01:45 -0800

Killzone: Mercenary preview

Posted: 31 Jan 2013 12:26 AM PST

Guerrilla Games is bringing the war with the Helghast to the PlayStation Vita in their upcoming first-person shooter, Killzone: Mercenary. This time you
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среда, 30 января 2013 г.

Games

Games

Table Top Racing - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:41 AM PST

Players can also win coins, upgrade vehicles, unlock new cars, expand their weapons cabinet in a bid to blast their way to the front of the grid. Simple, responsive controls make 'Table Top Racing' instantly playable with super smooth frame rates on all supported devices delivering a stunning racing game experience.

Table Top Racing features:
- 8 Incredibly detailed, beautifully rendered race circuits
- Intense 4 Player multi-player battles over Game Centre. 6 Players over Wifi or Bluetooth.
- Apple Gamecentre Leaderboards - Global player ranking and Per Track Lap times
- Multiple Game Centre Achievements
- 10 Awesome vehicles to race with Tuning, Wheel and Paint shops
- 4 Multi-event Championships to conquer with Season Finales
- 6 Gameplay modes - Hot-Lap, Speed-Trial, Combat, Pure Race, Pursuit, Eliminator
- Ultra-smooth 60 frames per second console quality gameplay
- Crisp native Retina graphics (on applicable devices)
- Beautiful real-time lighting effects on iPhone 5, iPad 4th Gen, iPod 5, iPad 2 and iPad Mini

Tennis in the Face

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 04:06 PM PST

Platform: iOS — Tennis in the Face Ever had a tennis ball delivered to your face? Not in the gentle way your local postal service worker might deliver a package (*snicker*), the kind of delivery where a professional aims for your head and gives it a good shot? We're glad you answered "no", because if it were true, you might end up like the villains in Tennis in the Face, a game of precision physics from 10tons. A little bit of aiming and a whole lot of ricocheting can go a long way. It's time to take down the corporate machine! Tagged as: 10tons, arcade, game, ios, ipad, iphone, mobile, physics, ragdoll, rating-y, tablet

HyperCube 10.80 - Analyse/display multi- and hyperspectral imagery.. (Free)

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:22 AM PST

HyperCube is an application specifically directed to the analysis and display of multi- and hyperspectral imagery. This includes the static and dynamic display of the image cube and the generation of spectral classifications using both imagery and spectral libraries. In addition, HyperCube contains functions to filter, warp, mosaic, reformat, calibrate, combine, photogrammetrically project and to perform arithmetic on imagery and data.

Version 10.80:
  • The ability to load TIFF files containing LZW compression has been added. This includes 8 bit gray, 8 bit true color, 16 bit gray, 16 bit component color and 32 float images. It is not possible to save TIFF files with LZW compression.
  • Bug fix: It's now possible to enable/disable a contiguous interval of spectral bands in menu Windows -> Show Band -> List -> Options.
  • The statistics region selected via menu Functions -> Classify -> Options -> Stats Region: Class map was not used correctly ��" gave erroneous message: "Not enough points".
  • The precision of the output ASCII text when saving a spectral list has been changed from 4 to 6 decimal places for the reflectance values.
  • National Geospatial Agency (NGA) compliance added to GeoTIFF images.
  • Bug fix: Menu Functions -> Classify method Mahalanobis did not propagate statistical region names into the final class map. The color of the statistical region was correctly maintained.
  • Bug fix: Menu Applications -> Radiance -> Plot BB Curve… crashed. This was a bug introduced in version 10.70.
  • Bug fix: An erroneous error message was given in menu Edit -> Options -> Image to Ref Coords… when switching between UTM and Geographic coordinates.


OS X 10.5 or later

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Marine Drugs, Vol. 11, Pages 332-349: Iodinin (1,6-Dihydroxyphenazine 5,10-Dioxide) from Streptosporangium sp. Induces Apoptosis Selectively in Myeloid Leukemia Cell Lines and Patient Cells

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Despite recent improvement in therapy, acute myeloid leukemia (AML) is still associated with high lethality. In the presented study, we analyzed the bioactive compound iodinin (1,6-dihydroxyphenazine 5,10-dioxide) from a marine actinomycetes bacterium for the ability to induce cell death in a range of cell types. Iodinin showed selective toxicity to AML and acute promyelocytic (APL) leukemia cells, with EC50 values for cell death up to 40 times lower for leukemia cells when compared with normal cells. Iodinin also successfully induced cell death in patient-derived leukemia cells or cell lines with features associated with poor prognostic such as FLT3 internal tandem duplications or mutated/deficient p53. The cell death had typical apoptotic morphology, and activation of apoptotic signaling proteins like caspase-3. Molecular modeling suggested that iodinin could intercalate between bases in the DNA in a way similar to the anti-cancer drug daunorubicin (DNR), causing DNA-strand breaks. Iodinin induced apoptosis in several therapy-resistant AML-patient blasts, but to a low degree in peripheral blood leukocytes, and in contrast to DNR, not in rat cardiomyoblasts. The low activity towards normal cell types that are usually affected by anti-leukemia therapy suggests that iodinin and related compounds represent promising structures in the development of anti-cancer therapy.

Materials, Vol. 6, Pages 410-420: Effect of Thermal Treatment of Veneer on Formaldehyde Emission of Poplar Plywood

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

A large amount of poplar plywood is now being imported into Japan from China, and as a result, formaldehyde emitted from this plywood represents an undesirable chemical that must be controlled using a chemical catching agent. The aim of this study is to find an approach to reduce the formaldehyde emission of poplar plywood using thermal treatment without employing any chemicals. The experimental results obtained show that heating veneer sheets in the temperature range of 150 °C to 170 °C effectively reduced the formaldehyde emission of plywood, without diminishing the mechanical properties of the veneer. By applying Langmuir’s theory and Hailwood-Horrobin theory to the adsorption isotherm obtained in this study, the relationship between the formaldehyde emission of plywood and the adsorption properties of veneer as a material is discussed. When veneer sheets were heated in the temperature range of 150 °C to 170 °C, the amount of hydrated water (monomolecular layer) decreased slightly and that of dissolved water (polymolecular layer) did not change. It is hypothesized that the formaldehyde emission of plywood is related to the condition of the adsorption site of the wood.

Materials, Vol. 6, Pages 392-409: Mechanism of Catalytic Water Oxidation by the Ruthenium Blue Dimer Catalyst: Comparative Study in D2O versus H2O

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Water oxidation is critically important for the development of energy solutions based on the concept of artificial photosynthesis. In order to gain deeper insight into the mechanism of water oxidation, the catalytic cycle for the first designed water oxidation catalyst, cis,cis-[(bpy)2(H2O)RuIIIORuIII(OH2)(bpy)2]4+ (bpy is 2,2-bipyridine) known as the blue dimer (BD), is monitored in D2O by combined application of stopped flow UV-Vis, electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) and resonance Raman spectroscopy on freeze quenched samples. The results of these studies show that the rate of formation of BD[4,5] by Ce(IV) oxidation of BD[3,4] (numbers in square bracket denote oxidation states of the ruthenium (Ru) centers) in 0.1 M HNO3, as well as further oxidation of BD[4,5] are slower in D2O by 2.1–2.5. Ce(IV) oxidation of BD[4,5] and reaction with H2O result in formation of an intermediate, BD[3,4]′, which builds up in reaction mixtures on the minute time scale. Combined results under the conditions of these experiments at pH 1 indicate that oxidation of BD[3,4]′ is a rate limiting step in water oxidation with the BD catalyst.

Metabolites, Vol. 3, Pages 47-71: Characterisation of the Metabolites of 1,8-Cineole Transferred into Human Milk: Concentrations and Ratio of Enantiomers

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

1,8-Cineole is a widely distributed odorant that also shows physiological effects, but whose human metabolism has hitherto not been extensively investigated. The aim of the present study was, thus, to characterise the metabolites of 1,8-cineole, identified previously in human milk, after the oral intake of 100 mg of this substance. Special emphasis was placed on the enantiomeric composition of the metabolites since these data may provide important insights into potential biotransformation pathways, as well as potential biological activities of these substances, for example on the breastfed child. The volatile fraction of the human milk samples was therefore isolated via Solvent Assisted Flavour Evaporation (SAFE) and subjected to gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The absolute concentrations of each metabolite were determined by matrix calibration with an internal standard, and the ratios of enantiomers were analysed on chiral capillaries. The concentrations varied over a broad range, from traces in the upper ng/kg region up to 40 µg/kg milk, with the exception of the main metabolite α2-hydroxy-1,8-cineole that showed concentrations of 100–250 µg/kg. Also, large inter- and intra-individual variations were recorded for the enantiomers, with nearly enantiomerically pure α2-hydroxy- and 3-oxo-1,8-cineole, while all other metabolites showed ratios of ~30:70 to 80:20.

Crystals, Vol. 3, Pages 49-78: Indirect Exchange and Ruderman–Kittel–Kasuya–Yosida (RKKY) Interactions in Magnetically-Doped Graphene

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Magnetically-doped graphene systems are potential candidates for application in future spintronic devices. A key step is to understand the pairwise interactions between magnetic impurities embedded in graphene that are mediated by the graphene conduction electrons. A large number of studies have been undertaken to investigate the indirect exchange, or RKKY (Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yosida), interactions in graphene. Many of these studies report a decay rate faster than expected for a two-dimensional material and the absence of the usual distance dependent oscillations. In this review we summarize the techniques used to calculate the interaction and present the key results obtained to date. The effects of more detailed parameterisations of the magnetic impurities and graphene host are considered, as are results obtained from ab initio calculations. Since the fast decay of the interaction presents an obstacle to spintronic applications, we focus in particular on the possibility of augmenting the interaction range by a number of methods including doping, spin precession and the application of strain.

Applied Sciences, Vol. 3, Pages 70-93: Direct Electron Acceleration with Radially Polarized Laser Beams

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In the past years, there has been a growing interest in innovative applications of radially polarized laser beams. Among them, the particular field of laser-driven electron acceleration has received much attention. Recent developments in high-power infrared laser sources at the INRS Advanced Laser Light Source (Varennes, Qc, Canada) allowed the experimental observation of a quasi-monoenergetic 23-keV electron beam produced by a radially polarized laser pulse tightly focused into a low density gas. Theoretical analyses suggest that the production of collimated attosecond electron pulses is within reach of the actual technology. Such an ultrashort electron pulse source would be a unique tool for fundamental and applied research. In this paper, we propose an overview of this emerging topic and expose some of the challenges to meet in the future.

IJERPH, Vol. 10, Pages 528-540: Childhood Mortality Due to Unintentional Injuries in Japan, 2000–2009

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

This study examined deaths due to unintentional injuries among children in Japan to identify the age groups and sexes at most risk, and the types of injuries, so that effective forms of targeted intervention can be devised. Among children aged 0–14 years, deaths whose underlying causes had been classified under code V01-X59 of the ICD-10 were defined as deaths of children caused by unintentional injuries. Using data from the Vital Statistics 2000–2009 for analysis, we examined the changes in mortality and trends in terms of sex, age, and cause of death. Mortality decreased by 46.2%, from 933 in 2000 to 502 in 2009. The mortality rate among children aged 1–4 years decreased by almost half. The total number of deaths during this decade was 7,362 (boys: 4,690, girls: 2,672). Among the causes of death, the majority were due to “transport accidents”, followed by “other accidental threats to breathing”, and “accidental drowning and submersion”. The characteristics observed in terms of sex, age, and cause of death—that is, deaths from suffocation among infants aged less than 1 year, drowning deaths among boys, and transport accidents involving pedestrians and cyclists—must be addressed as targets for future intervention.

Surge - Screenshots

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:06 AM PST

iBeeZz 2.7.8 - Schedules daily sleep and wake times for your Mac.. (Shareware)

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:09 AM PST



iBeeZz allows you to setup when your Mac must sleep, wake up, shutdown, startup, restart, etc.

Execute any AppleScripts, open any files, launch any applications.

No matter what you ask iBeeZz to load, from documents to applications to compiled AppleScripts, they will be launched, opened or executed at the right moment.

Wake up with iTunes.
  • Select a playlist in iTunes and sleep soundly. iBeeZz will wake you up slowly with some good music. Thanks to a controlled fade in, you won't get an earful of music early in the morning.
Be alerted when your Mac needs to stop you working.
  • If you are working and if your Mac has to sleep, shutdown or restart, iBeeZz will alert you, letting you dismiss the alert or ignore the event.


Version 2.7.8 :
  • Optimized interface and daemon


OS X 10.5 or later

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Scrapbook 1.3 - Copy and store multiple clips.. (Commercial)

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 03:03 AM PST



Scrapbook is an innovative Clipboard, which enables you to store more than one item for future use. All of your clip entries will remain even if you restart your Computer. Scrapbook offers the advantage of a discreet and simple interface. Moreover, you can use snippets, predefined tools and self configurable JavaScript filters.

Main-Features:

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Version 1.3:

Note: Because of Apple's Sandboxing we had to remove some parts of Scrapbook! We are very sorry about this :(
  • New: OS X 10.8 (Mountain Lion) Support
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  • New: Use double-click on Snippet folders to open or close them
  • New: Empty Scrapbook on Quit (optional)
  • Fixed a bug in the Help (Mountain Lion)
  • Fixed a bug with saving Snippets
  • Fixed a bug with Bonjour exchange
  • Fixed a bug with Filters (Snippets)
  • Fixed a bug with function keys
  • Fixed a bug in the New-Filter window
  • Fixed a bug when deleting Filter
  • Fixed a bug with the ignoring app list
  • Fixed bugs with sandboxing
  • Fixed minor bugs


OS X 10.6.6 or later

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IJGI, Vol. 2, Pages 1-26: A Bottom-Up Approach for Automatically Grouping Sensor Data Layers by their Observed Property

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

The Sensor Web is a growing phenomenon where an increasing number of sensors are collecting data in the physical world, to be made available over the Internet. To help realize the Sensor Web, the Open Geospatial Consortium (OGC) has developed open standards to standardize the communication protocols for sharing sensor data. Spatial Data Infrastructures (SDIs) are systems that have been developed to access, process, and visualize geospatial data from heterogeneous sources, and SDIs can be designed specifically for the Sensor Web. However, there are problems with interoperability associated with a lack of standardized naming, even with data collected using the same open standard. The objective of this research is to automatically group similar sensor data layers. We propose a methodology to automatically group similar sensor data layers based on the phenomenon they measure. Our methodology is based on a unique bottom-up approach that uses text processing, approximate string matching, and semantic string matching of data layers. We use WordNet as a lexical database to compute word pair similarities and derive a set-based dissimilarity function using those scores. Two approaches are taken to group data layers: mapping is defined between all the data layers, and clustering is performed to group similar data layers. We evaluate the results of our methodology.

Minerals, Vol. 3, Pages 49-58: A New Direction for Biomining: Extraction of Metals by Reductive Dissolution of Oxidized Ores

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Biomining, the biotechnology that uses microorganisms to extract metals from ores and concentrates, is currently used exclusively for processing reduced ores and mine wastes. Metals of economic value also occur extensively in oxidized ores, such as nickel laterites. While these are not amenable to oxidative dissolution, the ferric iron minerals they contain can, in theory, be disrupted by iron reduction, causing associated metals to be released. We have harnessed the ability of the facultatively anaerobic, acidophilic bacterium Acidithiobacillus ferroooxidans to couple the oxidation of elemental sulphur to the reduction of ferric iron in the goethite fraction of a limonitic nickel ore at 30 °C. Nickel and other metals (Co, Cr and Mn) were effectively solubilised and maintained in solution due to the low pH (1.8) of the leach liquor. The results highlight the potential for the bioprocessing of oxidized, iron-rich ores using an approach that is energy-saving and environmentally-benign compared with metallurgical processes currently applied to the extraction of Ni from lateritic ores.

Metabolites, Vol. 3, Pages 33-46: Metabonomic Response to Milk Proteins after a Single Bout of Heavy Resistance Exercise Elucidated by 1H Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Spectroscopy

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In the present study, proton NMR-based metabonomics was applied on femoral arterial plasma samples collected from young male subjects (milk protein n = 12 in a crossover design; non-caloric control n = 8) at different time intervals (70, 220, 370 min) after heavy resistance training and intake of either a whey or calcium caseinate protein drink in order to elucidate the impact of the protein source on post-exercise metabolism, which is important for muscle hypertrophy. Dynamic changes in the post-exercise plasma metabolite profile consisted of fluctuations in alanine, beta-hydroxybutyrate, branched amino acids, creatine, glucose, glutamine, glutamate, histidine, lipids and tyrosine. In comparison with the intake of a non-caloric drink, the same pattern of changes in low-molecular weight plasma metabolites was found for both whey and caseinate intake. However, the study indicated that whey and caseinate protein intake had a different impact on low-density and very-low-density lipoproteins present in the blood, which may be ascribed to different effects of the two protein sources on the mobilization of lipid resources during energy deficiency. In conclusion, no difference in the effects on low-molecular weight metabolites as measured by proton NMR-based metabonomics was found between the two protein sources.

Games, Vol. 4, Pages 38-49: Nash Implementation in an Allocation Problem with Single-Dipped Preferences

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In this paper, we study the Nash implementation in an allocation problem with single-dipped preferences. We show that, with at least three agents, Maskin monotonicity is necessary and sufficient for implementation. We examine the implementability of various social choice correspondences (SCCs) in this environment, and prove that some well-known SCCs are Maskin monotonic ( but they do not satisfy no-veto power) and hence Nash implementable.

Nutrients, Vol. 5, Pages 328-339: Food Safety Attitudes in College Students: A Structural Equation Modeling Analysis of a Conceptual Model

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

College students are one of the most at-risk population groups for food poisoning, due to risky food safety behaviors. Using the Likert Scale, undergraduate students were asked to participate in a Food Safety Survey which was completed by 499 students ages 18–25. Data was analyzed using SPSS and AMOS statistical software. Four conceptual definitions regarding food safety were defined as: general food safety, bacterial food safety, produce food safety, and politics associated with food safety. Knowledge seems to be an important factor in shaping students attitudes regarding general and bacterial safety. Ethnicity plays a role in how people view the politics of food safety, and the safety of organic foods.

Toxins, Vol. 5, Pages 224-248: Disruption of the Putative Vascular Leak Peptide Sequence in the Stabilized Ricin Vaccine Candidate RTA1-33/44-198

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Vitetta and colleagues identified and characterized a putative vascular leak peptide (VLP) consensus sequence in recombinant ricin toxin A-chain (RTA) that contributed to dose-limiting human toxicity when RTA was administered intravenously in large quantities during chemotherapy. We disrupted this potentially toxic site within the more stable RTA1-33/44-198 vaccine immunogen and determined the impact of these mutations on protein stability, structure and protective immunogenicity using an experimental intranasal ricin challenge model in BALB/c mice to determine if the mutations were compatible. Single amino acid substitutions at the positions corresponding with RTA D75 (to A, or N) and V76 (to I, or M) had minor effects on the apparent protein melting temperature of RTA1-33/44-198 but all four variants retained greater apparent stability than the parent RTA. Moreover, each VLP(−) variant tested provided protection comparable with that of RTA1-33/44-198 against supralethal intranasal ricin challenge as judged by animal survival and several biomarkers. To understand better how VLP substitutions and mutations near the VLP site impact epitope structure, we introduced a previously described thermal stabilizing disulfide bond (R48C/T77C) along with the D75N or V76I substitutions in RTA1-33/44-198. The D75N mutation was compatible with the adjacent stabilizing R48C/T77C disulfide bond and the Tm was unaffected, whereas the V76I mutation was less compatible with the adjacent disulfide bond involving C77. A crystal structure of the RTA1-33/44-198 R48C/T77C/D75N variant showed that the structural integrity of the immunogen was largely conserved and that a stable immunogen could be produced from E. coli. We conclude that it is feasible to disrupt the VLP site in RTA1-33/44-198 with little or no impact on apparent protein stability or protective efficacy in mice and such variants can be stabilized further by introduction of a disulfide bond.

Sustainability, Vol. 5, Pages 432-439: Growth Is the Problem; Equality Is the Solution

Posted: 30 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

While the world economy has become more efficient in one sense, i.e., ecological damage per dollar's worth of economic output, growth in human population size and per-capita production and consumption of goods and services have together far outpaced these gains. Grievous environmental harm has resulted, whether measured in terms of human sustainability through the ecological footprint, or non-human welfare through such indicators as the living planet index and the number of threatened species. Many have therefore called for a reorientation of economic priorities away from growth, and toward equality as a more environmentally-friendly way to enhance human well-being. In this paper, I test the merits of this proposal through analysis of a few key national economic and ecological variables across time and space. The results confirm the hypothesis that equality does far less harm to ecosystems than growth does. In fact, equality seems to benefit one crucial aspect of environmental quality, namely biological diversity.
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вторник, 29 января 2013 г.

Games

Games

Downfall: Clash of Factions - Screenshots

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 02:49 AM PST

Downfall: Clash of Factions is an addictive mixture of strategy, combat and cooperation. Join a Faction or create your own and fight the battle to rule the earth! Someone bothering you? Deploy a tank battalion to take them down! Need more food for your troops? Take it. In this world, power prevails. Is your City under attack? Get your Faction members to reinforce you and take your enemy down!

Features:
- FREE TO PLAY
- Build your city into an unstoppable war machine
- Battle with other players from around the world
- Join with other Commanders and create an invincible Faction
- 20+ types of modern offensive and defensive units
- Attack your foes with Tanks, AA artillery and Stealth Aircraft
- Defend your HQ with missiles, howitzers and anti-tank weapons.
- Gorgeous retina graphics – you have to see it to believe it.

Polymers, Vol. 5, Pages 128-141: Biodegradable Poly(butylene succinate) Composites Reinforced by Cotton Fiber with Silane Coupling Agent

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In this study, the use of cotton fiber (CF) as a filler in poly(butylene succinate) (PBS) and the effect of silane treatment on the mechanical properties, thermal stability, and biodegradability of PBS/CF composites are investigated. The results showed that the tensile strength of PBS was improved (15%–78%) with the incorporation of CF (10–40 wt%) and was further increased (25%–118%) when CF was treated with a silane coupling agent. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) observation of the fracture surfaces of PBS/CF composites showed that there was slight improvement in fiber-matrix compatibility. Thermogravimetric (TG) analysis showed that the thermal stability of the composites was lower than that of neat PBS and decreased with increasing filler loading. The biobased carbon content of the composites increased with increasing CF content. The incorporation of CF (with and without silane treatment) in PBS significantly increased the biodegradation rate of the composites.

Polymers, Vol. 5, Pages 112-127: Thermal Properties of Aliphatic Polypeptoids

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

A series of polypeptoid homopolymers bearing short (C1–C5) side chains of degrees of polymerization of 10–100 are studied with respect to thermal stability, glass transition and melting points. Thermogravimetric analysis of polypeptoids suggests stability to >200 °C. The study of the glass transition temperatures by differential scanning calorimetry revealed two dependencies. On the one hand an extension of the side chain by constant degree of polymerization decrease the glass transition temperatures (Tg) and on the other hand a raise of the degree of polymerization by constant side chain length leads to an increase of the Tg to a constant value. Melting points were observed for polypeptoids with a side chain comprising not less than three methyl carbon atoms. X-ray diffraction of polysarcosine and poly(N-ethylglycine) corroborates the observed lack of melting points and thus, their amorphous nature. Diffractograms of the other investigated polypeptoids imply that crystalline domains exist in the polymer powder.

Remote Sensing, Vol. 5, Pages 612-630: Remote Distinction of A Noxious Weed (Musk Thistle: CarduusNutans) Using Airborne Hyperspectral Imagery and the Support Vector Machine Classifier

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Remote detection of non-native invasive plant species using geospatial imagery may significantly improve monitoring, planning and management practices by eliminating shortfalls, such as observer bias and accessibility involved in ground-based surveys. The use of remote sensing for accurate mapping invasion extent and pattern offers several advantages, including repeatability, large area coverage, complete instead of sub-sampled assessments and greater cost-effectiveness over ground-based methods. It is critical for locating, early mapping and controlling small infestations before they reach economically prohibitive or ecologically significant levels over larger land areas. This study was designed to explore the ability of hyperspectral imagery for mapping infestation of musk thistle (Carduus nutans) on a native grassland during the preflowering stage in mid-April and during the peak flowering stage in mid-June using the support vector machine classifier and to assess and compare the resulting mapping accuracy for these two distinctive phenological stages. Accuracy assessment revealed that the overall accuracies were 79% and 91% for the classified images at preflowering and peak flowering stages, respectively. These results indicate that repeated detection of the infestation extent, as well as infestation severity or intensity, of this noxious weed in a spatial and temporal context is possible using hyperspectral remote sensing imagery.

Biology, Vol. 2, Pages 284-303: Transcriptional Regulation of the Mitochondrial Citrate and Carnitine/Acylcarnitine Transporters: Two Genes Involved in Fatty Acid Biosynthesis and β-oxidation

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Transcriptional regulation of genes involved in fatty acid metabolism is considered the major long-term regulatory mechanism controlling lipid homeostasis. By means of this mechanism, transcription factors, nutrients, hormones and epigenetics control not only fatty acid metabolism, but also many metabolic pathways and cellular functions at the molecular level. The regulation of the expression of many genes at the level of their transcription has already been analyzed. This review focuses on the transcriptional control of two genes involved in fatty acid biosynthesis and oxidation: the citrate carrier (CIC) and the carnitine/ acylcarnitine/carrier (CAC), which are members of the mitochondrial carrier gene family, SLC25. The contribution of tissue-specific and less tissue-specific transcription factors in activating or repressing CIC and CAC gene expression is discussed. The interaction with drugs of some transcription factors, such as PPAR and FOXA1, and how this interaction can be an attractive therapeutic approach, has also been evaluated. Moreover, the mechanism by which the expression of the CIC and CAC genes is modulated by coordinated responses to hormonal and nutritional changes and to epigenetics is highlighted.

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1692-1705: A Sensor for the Measurement of the Moisture of Undisturbed Soil Samples

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

This paper presents a very accurate sensor for the measurement of the moisture of undisturbed soil samples. The sensor relies on accurate estimation of the permittivity which is performed independently of the soil type, and a subsequent calibration. The sensor is designed as an upgrade of the conventional soil sampling equipment used in agriculture—the Kopecky cylinder. The detailed description of the device is given, and the method for determining soil moisture is explained in detail. Soil moisture of unknown test samples was measured with an absolute error below 0.0057 g/g, which is only 2.24% of the full scale output, illustrating the high accuracy of the sensor.

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1679-1691: A Time-Domain CMOS Oscillator-Based Thermostat with Digital Set-Point Programming

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

This paper presents a time-domain CMOS oscillator-based thermostat with digital set-point programming [without a digital-to-analog converter (DAC) or external resistor] to achieve on-chip thermal management of modern VLSI systems. A time-domain delay-line-based thermostat with multiplexers (MUXs) was used to substantially reduce the power consumption and chip size, and can benefit from the performance enhancement due to the scaling down of fabrication processes. For further cost reduction and accuracy enhancement, this paper proposes a thermostat using two oscillators that are suitable for time-domain curvature compensation instead of longer linear delay lines. The final time comparison was achieved using a time comparator with a built-in custom hysteresis to generate the corresponding temperature alarm and control. The chip size of the circuit was reduced to 0.12 mm2 in a 0.35-mm TSMC CMOS process. The thermostat operates from 0 to 90 °C, and achieved a fine resolution better than 0.05 °C and an improved inaccuracy of ± 0.6 °C after two-point calibration for eight packaged chips. The power consumption was 30 µW at a sample rate of 10 samples/s.

Life, Vol. 3, Pages 131-148: Quorum Sensing in Extreme Environments

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Microbial communication, particularly that of quorum sensing, plays an important role in regulating gene expression in a range of organisms. Although this phenomenon has been well studied in relation to, for example, virulence gene regulation, the focus of this article is to review our understanding of the role of microbial communication in extreme environments. Cell signaling regulates many important microbial processes and may play a pivotal role in driving microbial functional diversity and ultimately ecosystem function in extreme environments. Several recent studies have characterized cell signaling in modern analogs to early Earth communities (microbial mats), and characterization of cell signaling systems in these communities may provide unique insights in understanding the microbial interactions involved in function and survival in extreme environments. Cell signaling is a fundamental process that may have co-evolved with communities and environmental conditions on the early Earth. Without cell signaling, evolutionary pressures may have even resulted in the extinction rather than evolution of certain microbial groups. One of the biggest challenges in extremophile biology is understanding how and why some microbial functional groups are located where logically they would not be expected to survive, and tightly regulated communication may be key. Finally, quorum sensing has been recently identified for the first time in archaea, and thus communication at multiple levels (potentially even inter-domain) may be fundamental in extreme environments.

Genes, Vol. 4, Pages 1-32: The Replication Fork: Understanding the Eukaryotic Replication Machinery and the Challenges to Genome Duplication

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Eukaryotic cells must accurately and efficiently duplicate their genomes during each round of the cell cycle. Multiple linear chromosomes, an abundance of regulatory elements, and chromosome packaging are all challenges that the eukaryotic DNA replication machinery must successfully overcome. The replication machinery, the “replisome” complex, is composed of many specialized proteins with functions in supporting replication by DNA polymerases. Efficient replisome progression relies on tight coordination between the various factors of the replisome. Further, replisome progression must occur on less than ideal templates at various genomic loci. Here, we describe the functions of the major replisome components, as well as some of the obstacles to efficient DNA replication that the replisome confronts. Together, this review summarizes current understanding of the vastly complicated task of replicating eukaryotic DNA.

Resident Evil 6 DLC detailed for consoles and PC

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 02:26 AM PST

Capcom has provided an update on Resident Evil 6 DLC plans for consoles and PC.The previously announced Siege mode will be available in March for Xbox 360

The Nightly Turbo: Kostritsyn Profits $1.3 Million at FTP, Iowa Revisits Online Poker

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 01:37 AM PST

Miss any of the day's biggest poker stories? You've come to the right place. In this edition of the Nightly Turbo, we're covering Alex Kostritsyn's hot run at the high-stakes cash tables, Iowa's interest in legalizing online poker, and more.

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

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2862-2874: In Vitro and in Vivo Evaluation of Lactoferrin-Conjugated Liposomes as a Novel Carrier to Improve the Brain Delivery

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In this study, lactoferrin-conjugated PEGylated liposomes (PL), a potential drug carrier for brain delivery, was loaded with radioisotope complex, 99mTc labeled N,N-bis(2-mercaptoethyl)-N',N'-diethylethylenediamine (99mTc-BMEDA) for in vitro and in vivo evaluations. The hydrophilicity of liposomes was enhanced by PEGylation which was not an ideal brain delivery system for crossing the blood brain barrier (BBB). With the modification of a brain-targeting ligand, lactoferrin (Lf), the PEGylated liposome (PL) might become a potential brain delivery vehicle. In order to test the hypothesis in vitro and in vivo, 99mTc-BMEDA was loaded into the liposomes as a reporter with or without Lf-conjugation. The mouse brain endothelia cell line, bEnd.3 cells, was cultured to investigate the potential uptake of liposomes in vitro. The in vivo uptake by the mouse brain of the liposomes was detected by tissue biodistribution study. The results indicated that Lf-conjugated PEGylated liposome showed more than three times better uptake efficiency in vitro and two-fold higher of brain uptake in vivo than PEGlyated liposome. With the success of loading the potential Single Photon Emission Tomography (SPECT) imaging probe, 99mTc-BMEDA, Lf-PL might serve as a promising brain delivery system for loading diagnostics or therapeutics of various brain disorders.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2846-2861: Monovalent Ions and Water Dipoles in Contact with Dipolar Zwitterionic Lipid Headgroups-Theory and MD Simulations

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

The lipid bilayer is a basic building block of biological membranes and can be pictured as a barrier separating two compartments filled with electrolyte solution. Artificial planar lipid bilayers are therefore commonly used as model systems to study the physical and electrical properties of the cell membranes in contact with electrolyte solution. Among them the glycerol-based polar phospholipids which have dipolar, but electrically neutral head groups, are most frequently used in formation of artificial lipid bilayers. In this work the electrical properties of the lipid layer composed of zwitterionic lipids with non-zero dipole moments are studied theoretically. In the model, the zwitterionic lipid bilayer is assumed to be in contact with aqueous solution of monovalent salt ions. The orientational ordering of water, resulting in spatial variation of permittivity, is explicitly taken into account. It is shown that due to saturation effect in orientational ordering of water dipoles the relative permittivity in the zwitterionic headgroup region is decreased, while the corresponding electric potential becomes strongly negative. Some of the predictions of the presented mean-field theoretical consideration are critically evaluated using the results of molecular dynamics (MD) simulation.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2832-2845: Measurement of the Interaction Between Recombinant I-domain from Integrin alpha 2 beta 1 and a Triple Helical Collagen Peptide with the GFOGER Binding Motif Using Molecular Force Spectroscopy

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

The role of the collagen-platelet interaction is of crucial importance to the haemostatic response during both injury and pathogenesis of the blood vessel wall. Of particular interest is the high affinity interaction of the platelet transmembrane receptor, alpha 2 beta 1, responsible for firm attachment of platelets to collagen at and around injury sites. We employ single molecule force spectroscopy (SMFS) using the atomic force microscope (AFM) to study the interaction of the I-domain from integrin alpha 2 beta 1 with a synthetic collagen related triple-helical peptide containing the high-affinity integrin-binding GFOGER motif, and a control peptide lacking this sequence, referred to as GPP. By utilising synthetic peptides in this manner we are able to study at the molecular level subtleties that would otherwise be lost when considering cell-to-collagen matrix interactions using ensemble techniques. We demonstrate for the first time the complexity of this interaction as illustrated by the complex multi-peaked force spectra and confirm specificity using control blocking experiments. In addition we observe specific interaction of the GPP peptide sequence with the I-domain. We propose a model to explain these observations.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2808-2831: Phospholipids in Milk Fat: Composition, Biological and Technological Significance, and Analytical Strategies

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Glycerophospholipids and sphingolipids are quantitatively the most important phospholipids (PLs) in milk. They are located on the milk fat globule membrane (MFGM) and in other membranous material of the skim milk phase. They include principally phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylinositol and phosphatidylserine, while sphingomyelin is the dominant species of sphingolipids There is considerable evidence that PLs have beneficial health effects, such as regulation of the inflammatory reactions, chemopreventive and chemotherapeutic activity on some types of cancer, and inhibition of the cholesterol absorption. PLs show good emulsifying properties and can be used as a delivery system for liposoluble constituents. Due to the amphiphilic characteristics of these molecules, their extraction, separation and detection are critical points in the analytical approach. The extraction by using chloroform and methanol, followed by the determination by high pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC), coupled with evaporative light scattering (ELSD) or mass detector (MS), are the most applied procedures for the PL evaluation. More recently, nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometry (NMR) was also used, but despite it demonstrating high sensitivity, it requires more studies to obtain accurate results. This review is focused on milk fat phospholipids; their composition, biological activity, technological properties, and significance in the structure of milk fat. Different analytical methodologies are also discussed.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2788-2807: Structural Characterization of an LPA1 Second Extracellular Loop Mimetic with a Self-Assembling Coiled-Coil Folding Constraint

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR) structures are of interest as a means to understand biological signal transduction and as tools for therapeutic discovery. The growing number of GPCR crystal structures demonstrates that the extracellular loops (EL) connecting the membrane-spanning helices show tremendous structural variability relative to the more structurally-conserved seven transmembrane α-helical domains. The EL of the LPA1 receptor have not yet been conclusively resolved, and bear limited sequence identity to known structures. This study involved development of a peptide to characterize the intrinsic structure of the LPA1 GPCR second EL. The loop was embedded between two helices that assemble into a coiled-coil, which served as a receptor-mimetic folding constraint (LPA1-CC-EL2 peptide). The ensemble of structures from multi-dimensional NMR experiments demonstrated that a robust coiled-coil formed without noticeable deformation due to the EL2 sequence. In contrast, the EL2 sequence showed well-defined structure only near its C-terminal residues. The NMR ensemble was combined with a computational model of the LPA1 receptor that had previously been validated. The resulting hybrid models were evaluated using docking. Nine different hybrid models interacted with LPA 18:1 as expected, based on prior mutagenesis studies, and one was additionally consistent with antagonist affinity trends.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2774-2787: The Interaction of Adrenomedullin and Macrophages Induces Ovarian Cancer Cell Migration via Activation of RhoA Signaling Pathway

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) are correlated with poor prognosis in many human cancers; however, the mechanism by which TAMs facilitate ovarian cancer cell migration and invasion remains unknown. This study was aimed to examine the function of adrenomedullin (ADM) in macrophage polarization and their further effects on the migration of ovarian cancer cells. Exogenous ADM antagonist and small interfering RNA (siRNA) specific for ADM expression were treated to macrophages and EOC cell line HO8910, respectively. Then macrophages were cocultured with HO8910 cells without direct contact. Flow cytometry, Western blot and real-time PCR were used to detect macrophage phenotype and cytokine production. The migration ability and cytoskeleton rearrangement of ovarian cancer cells were determined by Transwell migration assay and phalloidin staining. Western blot was performed to evaluate the activity status of signaling molecules in the process of ovarian cancer cell migration. The results showed that ADM induced macrophage phenotype and cytokine production similar to TAMs. Macrophages polarized by ADM promoted the migration and cytoskeleton rearrangement of HO8910 cells. The expression of RhoA and its downstream effector, cofilin, were upregulated in macrophage-induced migration of HO8910 cells. In conclusion, ADM could polarize macrophages similar to TAMs, and then polarized macrophages promote the migration of ovarian cancer cells via activation of RhoA signaling pathway in vitro.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2753-2773: Production of Pharmaceutical Proteins in Solanaceae Food Crops

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

The benefits of increased safety and cost-effectiveness make vegetable crops appropriate systems for the production and delivery of pharmaceutical proteins. In particular, Solanaceae edible crops could be inexpensive biofactories for oral vaccines and other pharmaceutical proteins that can be ingested as minimally processed extracts or as partially purified products. The field of crop plant biotechnology is advancing rapidly due to novel developments in genetic and genomic tools being made available today for the scientific community. In this review, we briefly summarize data now available regarding genomic resources for the Solanaceae family. In addition, we describe novel strategies developed for the expression of foreign proteins in vegetable crops and the utilization of these techniques to manufacture pharmaceutical proteins.c

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1775-1782: Effects of Adenosine Extract from Pholiota adiposa (Fr.) Quel on mRNA Expressions of Superoxide Dismutase and Immunomodulatory Cytokines

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Pholiota adiposa is a kind of edible mushroom which has long been known for its health care applications. To reveal the exact mechanism of its protective functions in humans, in this study we isolated and identified the active compound PB3 of P. adiposa for the first time by a combination of chromatography techniques, including NKA macroporous resin and Sephadex G-15. PB3, with molecular mass of 267.2 Da and molecular formula of C10H13N5O4 discovered by mass spectrum (MS) was identified to be adenosine. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with purified fraction PB3. Seven days after injection, we found a 1.5-fold increase of IL10 at the mRNA level, while a down regulated expression of IL-2, IL-6 and IFN-γ to 49.0%, 56.9% and 73.4%, respectively, was detected in spleen by real-time quantitative PCR. What’s more, SOD expression level was significantly increased by 1.6-fold compared to control. Fraction PB3 displayed anti-inflammatory potency and heightened SOD activity on the transcriptional level, which could be considered of further pharmaceutical or medication value.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1762-1774: Antioxidant Capacity of Two Novel Bioactive Fe(III)-Cyclophane Complexes

Posted: 29 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

The cyclophanes 2,9,25,32-tetraoxo-4,7,27,30-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10, 24,27,30,33-octaaza-17,40-dioxa[10.1.10.1]paracyclophane (PO) and 2,9,25,32-tetraoxo-4,7,27,30-tetrakis(carboxymethyl)-1,4,7,10,24,27,30,33-octaaza[10.1.10.1]paracyclophane (PC) were coordinated with iron to form cationic binuclear Fe(III) Fe2PO and Fe2PC complexes, respectively. Their antioxidant capacity, superoxide dismutase and peroxidase mimetic activity, as well as their toxicity toward peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) were evaluated. Both Fe2PO and Fe2PC are interesting biomimetics with antioxidant capacity similar to that of ascorbic acid that prevent mortality in cultured PBMCs, with the potential to have bioactive and protective functions in disease animal models.
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