пятница, 25 января 2013 г.

Games

Games

MyCoverCD 5.4 - Create CD jewel-case inserts.. (Demo)

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 03:06 AM PST



MyCoverCD is a Cocoa Tool for creating CD jewel case inserts from iTunes.

To create the cover:

  1. Make a selection in iTunes
  2. In MyCoverCD, click on "Import your iTunes selection" in sidebar
  3. MyCoverCd automatically gets iTunes data and creates the cover
  4. Modify the settings if desired
  5. Print, cut, and apply the cover!
Features:
  • 5 templates
  • Create covers from a selection or a playlist
  • Choose any illustrations for your covers (iTunes or external)
  • All text is editable as a rich text document (font, size, paragraph, etc.)
  • Personalize the style of all text (font, style, size, form, etc.)
  • Create a mosaic with iTunes art if more than one artwork is available



Version 5.4:
  • Now available in Mac AppStore
  • New color picker


  • OS X 10.7 or later
  • iTunes 10 or later


Download Now

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

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2484-2501: S-Layer Protein Self-Assembly

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Crystalline S(urface)-layers are the most commonly observed cell surface structures in prokaryotic organisms (bacteria and archaea). S-layers are highly porous protein meshworks with unit cell sizes in the range of 3 to 30 nm, and thicknesses of ~10 nm. One of the key features of S-layer proteins is their intrinsic capability to form self-assembled mono- or double layers in solution, and at interfaces. Basic research on S-layer proteins laid foundation to make use of the unique self-assembly properties of native and, in particular, genetically functionalized S-layer protein lattices, in a broad range of applications in the life and non-life sciences. This contribution briefly summarizes the knowledge about structure, genetics, chemistry, morphogenesis, and function of S-layer proteins and pays particular attention to the self-assembly in solution, and at differently functionalized solid supports.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2449-2483: Comparative in Vivo Assessment of Some Adverse Bioeffects of Equidimensional Gold and Silver Nanoparticles and the Attenuation of Nanosilver’s Effects with a Complex of Innocuous Bioprotectors

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Stable suspensions of nanogold (NG) and nanosilver (NS) with mean particle diameter 50 and 49 nm, respectively, were prepared by laser ablation of metals in water. To assess rat’s pulmonary phagocytosis response to a single intratracheal instillation of these suspensions, we used optical, transmission electron, and semi-contact atomic force microscopy. NG and NS were also repeatedly injected intraperitoneally into rats at a dose of 10 mg/kg (0.5 mg per mL of deionized water) three times a week, up to 20 injections. A group of rats was thus injected with NS after oral administration of a “bioprotective complex” (BPC) comprised of pectin, multivitamins, some amino acids, calcium, selenium, and omega-3 PUFA. After the termination of the injections, many functional and biochemical indices and histopathological features of the spleen, kidneys and liver were evaluated for signs of toxicity, and accumulation of NG or NS in these organs was measured. From the same rats, we obtained cell suspensions of different tissues for performing the RAPD test. It was demonstrated that, although both nanometals were adversely bioactive in all respects considered in this study, NS was more noxious as compared with NG, and that the BPC tested by us attenuated both the toxicity and genotoxicity of NS.

IJMS, Vol. 14, Pages 2431-2448: The Yin-Yang of DNA Damage Response: Roles in Tumorigenesis and Cellular Senescence

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Senescent cells are relatively stable, lacking proliferation capacity yet retaining metabolic activity. In contrast, cancer cells are rather invasive and devastating, with uncontrolled proliferative capacity and resistance to cell death signals. Although tumorigenesis and cellular senescence are seemingly opposite pathological events, they are actually driven by a unified mechanism: DNA damage. Integrity of the DNA damage response (DDR) network can impose a tumorigenesis barrier by navigating abnormal cells to cellular senescence. Compromise of DDR, possibly due to the inactivation of DDR components, may prevent cellular senescence but at the expense of tumor formation. Here we provide an overview of the fundamental role of DDR in tumorigenesis and cellular senescence, under the light of the Yin-Yang concept of Chinese philosophy. Emphasis is placed on discussing DDR outcome in the light of in vivo models. This information is critical as it can help make better decisions for clinical treatments of cancer patients.

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1635-1650: Exploring Techniques for Vision Based Human Activity Recognition: Methods, Systems, and Evaluation

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

With the wide applications of vision based intelligent systems, image and video analysis technologies have attracted the attention of researchers in the computer vision field. In image and video analysis, human activity recognition is an important research direction. By interpreting and understanding human activity, we can recognize and predict the occurrence of crimes and help the police or other agencies react immediately. In the past, a large number of papers have been published on human activity recognition in video and image sequences. In this paper, we provide a comprehensive survey of the recent development of the techniques, including methods, systems, and quantitative evaluation towards the performance of human activity recognition.

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1614-1634: Automatic Stem Mapping by Merging Several Terrestrial Laser Scans at the Feature and Decision Levels

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Detailed up-to-date ground reference data have become increasingly important in quantitative forest inventories. Field reference data are conventionally collected at the sample plot level by means of manual measurements, which are both labor-intensive and time-consuming. In addition, the number of attributes collected from the tree stem is limited. More recently, terrestrial laser scanning (TLS), using both single-scan and multi-scan techniques, has proven to be a promising solution for efficient stem mapping at the plot level. In the single-scan method, the laser scanner is placed at the center of the plot, creating only one scan, and all trees are mapped from the single-scan point cloud. Consequently, the occlusion of stems increases as the range of the scanner increases, depending on the forest’s attributes. In the conventional multi-scan method, several scans are made simultaneously inside and outside of the plot to collect point clouds representing all trees within the plot, and these scans are accurately co-registered by using artificial reference targets manually placed throughout the plot. The additional difficulty of applying the multi-scan method is due to the point-cloud registration of several scans not being fully automated yet. This paper proposes a multi-single-scan (MSS) method to map the sample plot. The method does not require artificial reference targets placed on the plot or point-level registration. The MSS method is based on the fully automated processing of each scan independently and on the merging of the stem positions automatically detected from multiple scans to accurately map the sample plot. The proposed MSS method was tested on five dense forest plots. The results show that the MSS method significantly improves the stem-detection accuracy compared with the single-scan approach and achieves a mapping accuracy similar to that achieved with the multi-scan method, without the need for the point-level registration.

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1603-1613: Critical Evaluation of Acetylthiocholine Iodide and Acetylthiocholine Chloride as Substrates for Amperometric Biosensors Based on Acetylcholinesterase

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Numerous amperometric biosensors have been developed for the fast analysis of neurotoxic insecticides based on inhibition of cholinesterase (AChE). The analytical signal is quantified by the oxidation of the thiocholine that is produced enzymatically by the hydrolysis of the acetylthiocholine pseudosubstrate. The pseudosubstrate is a cation and it is associated with chloride or iodide as corresponding anion to form a salt. The iodide salt is cheaper, but it is electrochemically active and consequently more difficult to use in electrochemical analytical devices. We investigate the possibility of using acetylthiocholine iodide as pseudosubstrate for amperometric detection. Our investigation demonstrates that operational conditions for any amperometric biosensor that use acetylthiocholine iodide must be thoroughly optimized to avoid false analytical signals or a reduced sensitivity. The working overpotential determined for different screen-printed electrodes was: carbon-nanotubes (360 mV), platinum (560 mV), gold (370 mV, based on a catalytic effect of iodide) or cobalt phthalocyanine (110 mV, but with a significant reduced sensitivity in the presence of iodide anions).

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1593-1602: Temperature Grid Sensor for the Measurement of Spatial Temperature Distributions at Object Surfaces

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

This paper presents results of the development and application of a new temperature grid sensor based on the wire-mesh sensor principle. The grid sensor consists of a matrix of 256 Pt1000 platinum chip resistors and an associated electronics that measures the grid resistances with a multiplexing scheme at high speed. The individual sensor elements can be spatially distributed on an object surface and measure transient temperature distributions in real time. The advantage compared with other temperature field measurement approaches such as infrared cameras is that the object under investigation can be thermally insulated and the radiation properties of the surface do not affect the measurement accuracy. The sensor principle is therefore suited for various industrial monitoring applications. Its applicability for surface temperature monitoring has been demonstrated through heating and mixing experiments in a vessel.

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1578-1592: Fast Classification of Meat Spoilage Markers Using Nanostructured ZnO Thin Films and Unsupervised Feature Learning

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

This paper investigates a rapid and accurate detection system for spoilage in meat. We use unsupervised feature learning techniques (stacked restricted Boltzmann machines and auto-encoders) that consider only the transient response from undoped zinc oxide, manganese-doped zinc oxide, and fluorine-doped zinc oxide in order to classify three categories: the type of thin film that is used, the type of gas, and the approximate ppm-level of the gas. These models mainly offer the advantage that features are learned from data instead of being hand-designed. We compare our results to a feature-based approach using samples with various ppm level of ethanol and trimethylamine (TMA) that are good markers for meat spoilage. The result is that deep networks give a better and faster classification than the feature-based approach, and we thus conclude that the fine-tuning of our deep models are more efficient for this kind of multi-label classification task.

Sensors, Vol. 13, Pages 1563-1577: A New Method for Flow Rate Measurement in Millimeter-Scale Pipes

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Combining the Capacitively Coupled Contactless Conductivity Detection (C4D) technique and the principle of cross correlation flow measurement, a new method for flow rate measurement in millimeter-scale pipes was proposed. The research work included two parts. First, a new five-electrode C4D sensor was developed. Second, with two conductivity signals obtained by the developed sensor, the flow rate measurement was implemented by using the principle of cross correlation flow measurement. The experimental results showed that the proposed flow rate measurement method was effective, the developed five-electrode C4D sensor was successful, and the measurement accuracy was satisfactory. In five millimeter-scale pipes with different inner diameters of 0.5, 0.8, 1.8, 3.0 and 3.9 mm respectively, the maximum relative difference of the flow rate measurement between the reference flow rate and the measured flow rate was less than 5%.

Britons rejoice! The Foglios' Agatha H books come to the UK

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 02:17 AM PST


I've previously reviewed Phil and Kaja Foglios' Agatha H books, these being prose adaptations of their spectacular, award-winning Girl Genius comics. Now, the UK's Titan Books has brought out the first two novels in handsome paperback editions, reasonably priced for all to enjoy.

The transition from comic to print works surprisingly well. While the action sequences sometimes feel a little like a script for a comic, they're always funny and delightful. The effect is a little like the high-speed feeling of reading a fast-paced comic, but with the depth of character that you get from a prose-novel's capacity for introspection and internal monologue.

In the Girl Genius world, the Industrial Revolution has all but destroyed the world, thanks to the Sparks, industrial wizards who are born with the mad scientist's ability to make uncanny machines and lifeforms that upend order and send villagers fleeing to the hills. Finally, Baron Klaus Wulfenbach brings some order to the chaos by conquering Europe and grinding it under his (surprisingly benign) iron heel. Agatha Crumb is a lab assistant at Transylvania Polygnostic University, ward of two "constructs" (reanimated corpses) that dote on her and care for her in her parents' absence. When her benefactor is killed by the Baron's men (and monsters), she is forced to flee, but before long, she is the Baron's prisoner aboard his flying airship castle, "the only capital city that was able to patrol its own empire."

Filled with folgian touches -- Borscht-belt comedy accents, things that go sproing, adorkable sentient machines, and laugh-a-minute slapstick -- Agatha H is a tremendously fun addition to the Girl Genius canon.

Girl Genius - Agatha H and the Airship City

Girl Genius - Agatha H and the Clockwork Princess

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1602-1612: An Efficient Microwave-Assisted Suzuki Reaction using a New Pyridine-Pyrazole/Pd(II) Species as Catalyst in Aqueous Media

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

A new pyridine-pyrazole N–N ligand has been conveniently synthesized and characterized by 1H-, 13C-NMR, IR spectroscopies, HRMS and X-ray single-crystal crystallography analyses. The ligand adds to palladium(II) under basic conditions to give high yields of an air-stable and water-soluble complex that was fully characterized by NMR and HRMS. The complex was investigated as a catalyst for the Suzuki reaction in aqueous media under microwave irradiation. The compound proved to be an effective catalyst.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1582-1601: Extraction of Antioxidant Components from Bidens pilosa Flowers and Their Uptake by Human Intestinal Caco-2 Cells

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Bidens pilosa L. var. radiata (BPR, Asteraceae) is a commonly used folk medicine for treating various disorders such as diabetes, inflammation and hypertension. Recent studies to determine its chemical composition have revealed three di-O-caffeoylquinic acids (DiCQAs) and three polyacetylene glucosides (PGAs) to be among the major bioactive markers. To obtain the major compounds of these two chemical classes, the ethyl acetate fraction (EM) obtained using liquid-liquid partition from the methanol extract resulted in a fraction with the highest total phenolic and total flavonoid contents and antioxidant activities in radical scavenging and ferric reducing power assays. To assess the bioavailability of EM, we examined the in vitro uptake using the Caco-2 human colonic cell line. The apparent permeability coefficient (Papp) for each of the compounds within PGAs measured in both apical (AP) to basolateral (BL) and BL to AP was found to preferentially appear BL to AP direction, indicated that a basolateral to apical efflux system was detected in the study. DiCQAs had a lower efflux ratio than those from PGAs (2.32–3.67 vs. 6.03–78.36). Thus, it strongly implies that most of the DiCQAs are better absorbed than the PGAs.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1564-1581: Synergism of Antifungal Activity between Mitochondrial Respiration Inhibitors and Kojic Acid

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Co-application of certain types of compounds to conventional antimicrobial drugs can enhance the efficacy of the drugs through a process termed chemosensitization. We show that kojic acid (KA), a natural pyrone, is a potent chemosensitizing agent of complex III inhibitors disrupting the mitochondrial respiratory chain in fungi. Addition of KA greatly lowered the minimum inhibitory concentrations of complex III inhibitors tested against certain filamentous fungi. Efficacy of KA synergism in decreasing order was pyraclostrobin > kresoxim-methyl > antimycin A. KA was also found to be a chemosensitizer of cells to hydrogen peroxide (H2O2), tested as a mimic of reactive oxygen species involved in host defense during infection, against several human fungal pathogens and Penicillium strains infecting crops. In comparison, KA-mediated chemosensitization to complex III inhibitors/H2O2 was undetectable in other types of fungi, including Aspergillus flavus, A. parasiticus, and P. griseofulvum, among others. Of note, KA was found to function as an antioxidant, but not as an antifungal chemosensitizer in yeasts. In summary, KA could serve as an antifungal chemosensitizer to complex III inhibitors or H2O2 against selected human pathogens or Penicillium species. KA-mediated chemosensitization to H2O2 seemed specific for filamentous fungi. Thus, results indicate strain- and/or drug-specificity exist during KA chemosensitization.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1549-1563: Fruit Coloration and Anthocyanin Biosynthesis after Bag Removal in Non-Red and Red Apples (Malus × domestica Borkh.)

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In the present study, evolution of apple color (L* and a/b), the accumulation of anthocyanins and the activity of the related enzymes, phenylalanine ammonia-lyase (PAL), chalcone isomerase (CHI), dihydroflavonol4-reductase (DFR) and UDP-Glucose: flavonoid-3-O-galactosyl transferase (UFGT), were investigated in bagged non-red apple cultivars (‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Golden Delicious’) and red apple cultivars (‘Starkrimon’ and ‘Pink Lady’). Young fruits were bagged 40–45 days after flowering (DAF), and fruits of ‘Golden Delicious’ and ‘Starkrimon’ were uncovered and exposed to light 120 DAF, while those of ‘Granny Smith’ and ‘Pink Lady’ were exposed for 160 DAF. Results showed that cyanidin 3-galactoside (cy3-gal) was the most abundant anthocyanin in both non-red and red cultivars. Level of anthocyanins was higher in ‘Granny Smith’ than in ‘Golden Delicious’, indicating that red color was easier to develop in green cultivar ‘Granny Smith’ than in yellow cultivar ‘Golden Delicious’ after bag removal. The cy3-gal accumulation of non-red cultivars tested was not significantly correlated with PAL, CHI and DFR activity, but was significantly correlated with UFGT activity. During the reddening of non-red apples, UFGT may be the more important factor in the anthocyanin biosynthesis.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1540-1548: Original TDAE Strategy Using Propargylic Chloride: Rapid Access to 1,4-Diarylbut-3-ynol Derivatives

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

We report herein the first synthesis of propargylic alcohols using an organic reducing agent. Diarylbutynol derivatives are formed in moderate to good yields under mild conditions from the reaction of 1-(3-chloroprop-1-ynyl)-4-nitrobenzene with various aromatic aldehydes using tetrakis(dimethylamino)ethylene (TDAE) as reductant.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1528-1539: Oxygen Radical Absorbance Capacity of Different Varieties of Strawberry and the Antioxidant Stability in Storage

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Total antioxidant capacity of different varieties of strawberry (Ningfeng, Ningyu, Zijin 4, Toyonoka, Benihope, Sweet Charlie) in different developmental stages (including green unripe stages, half red stages, and red ripe stages) was investigated by oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) assay. In addition, effects of the antioxidant properties of strawberry stored at 4 °C or −18 °C for a period of five months were studied. The results showed that antioxidant capacity of strawberry changed based on tested part, developmental stage, variety, and time of collection. Calyces had significantly higher ORAC values compared with fruits. Strawberry fruits had higher ORAC values during the green unripe stages than the half red stages and red ripe stages. Strawberries got higher ORAC values during short-time storage, and then decreased during long-time storage. Samples stored at −18 °C exhibited higher antioxidant capacity than those stored at 4 °C, while vacuum treatment could further increase ORAC values. The results indicated the potential market role of strawberries as a functional food and could provide great value in preventing oxidation reaction in food processing and storage for the dietary industry.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1502-1527: Synthesis and Characterization of Novel Dendrons Bearing Amino-Nitro-Substituted Azobenzene Units and Oligo(ethylene glycol) Spacers: Thermal, Optical Properties, Langmuir Blodgett Films and Liquid-Crystalline Behaviour

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In this work, we report the synthesis and characterization of a novel series of first and second generation Fréchet type dendrons bearing amino-nitro substituted azobenzene units and tetra(ethylene glycol) spacers. These compounds were fully characterized by FTIR, 1H and 13C-NMR spectroscopies, and their molecular weights were determined by MALDI-TOF-MS. The thermal properties of the obtained dendrons were studied by TGA and DSC and their optical properties by absorption spectroscopy in solution and cast film. Molecular calculations were performed in order to determine the optimized geometries of these molecules in different environments. Besides, Langmuir and Langmuir Blodgett films were prepared with the first generation dendrons that were shown to be amphiphilic. Finally, some of the dendrons showed a liquid crystalline behaviour, which was studied by light polarized microscopy as a function of the temperature in order to determine the transition temperatures and the structure of the mesophase.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1483-1501: Synthesis of Thiophene and NO-Curcuminoids for Antiinflammatory and Anti-Cancer Activities

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

In search of better NSAIDs four novel nitric oxide donating derivatives of curcumin (compounds 9a–d), and four thiophene curcuminoids (compounds 10a–c, 11) have been synthesised. The cytotoxic effects of these compounds along with the lead compound curcumin (7) and their effect on the production of the reactive oxygen species nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, TNF-α and chemokine CXCL-8 were evaluated using human monocytic THP-1 and colon adenocarcinoma CACO-2 cell lines. All of the nitric oxide donating curcuminoids 9a–d and the thiophene curcuminoids 10a–c and 11 were non-cytotoxic to THP-1 cells over a concentration range of 10-100 μM and compared with curcumin compounds 10b and 10c, were more toxic. In CACO-2 cells, 10b and 11 appeared to be non-toxic at 10 to 50 μM, whereas 10a and 10c were non-cytotoxic at 10 μM only. These results clearly indicate that the introduction of a nitroxybutyl moiety to curcumin and replacement of phenyl rings with thiophene units reduces the cytotoxic effect of the parent curcumin, whereas a methyl substituted thiophene increases the cytotoxic effects. In THP-1 cells, drugs 10a and 11 significantly decreased IL-1-β production at their non-cytotoxic concentrations, whereas, they did not decrease TNF-α production in CACO-2 cells. Compound 11 showed a significant decrease in CXCL-8 production.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 1477-1482: Two New Derivatives of 2, 5-Dihydroxyphenylacetic Acid from the Kernel of Entada phaseoloides

Posted: 25 Jan 2013 12:00 AM PST

Two new aromatic compounds, butyl 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate (1) and butyl 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-5-dihydroxyphenylacetate (2), together with three known ones, methyl 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate (3), ethyl 2,5-dihydroxyphenylacetate (4) and 2-O-β-D-glucopyranosyloxy-5-hydroxyphenylacetic acid (5), were isolated from the EtOH extract of the kernel of Entada phaseoloides. The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by MS and NMR experiments. Compounds 1, 3 and 4 displayed potent inhibitory activities against HIV-1 replication, with EC50 values of 9.80 μM, 11.70 μM and 9.93 μM, respectively.
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