среда, 29 мая 2013 г.

Games

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Visalia police bust illegal gambling operation

Posted: 29 May 2013 02:05 AM PDT

An undercover investigation has led to the shutdown of two South Valley businesses.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 6298-6310: Fucoxanthin from Undaria pinnatifida: Photostability and Coextractive Effects

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Fucoxanthin is one of the most abundant carotenoids and possesses a number of beneficial medicinal qualities which include its anti-oxidant, anti-obesity and anti-cancer properties. In this study, the photostability of fucoxanthin in extracts with different chemical profiles was studied. The extracts were obtained from Undaria pinnatifida, a seaweed rich in this carotenoid, using conventional liquid solvent extraction procedures and the QuEChERS method. All the extracts contained all-trans-fucoxanthin as the major compound. Conventional procedures produced a fucoxanthin purity of lower than 50%, whereas after liquid-liquid partition, PSA cleanup, and PSA and GCB cleanup (QuEChERS method) fucoxanthin purity increased to 70%, 86%, and 94%, respectively. Although in the acetone extract the initial content of fucoxanthin was the highest, results demonstrate that coextractives play an important role in enhancing the rate of photodegradation. After light exposure, the conventional extracts lost around 90% of the initial fucoxanthin content. On the other hand, the extracts obtained by the QuEChERS method showed significantly higher light stability than the conventional extracts. These results suggest that the QuEChERS method could be used and further improved to obtain more purified and stable extracts for fucoxanthin from U. pinnatifida.

Molecules, Vol. 18, Pages 6281-6297: Chemical Composition of Aspidosperma ulei Markgr. and Antiplasmodial Activity of Selected Indole Alkaloids

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

A new indole alkaloid, 12-hydroxy-N-acetyl-21(N)-dehydroplumeran-18-oic acid (13), and 11 known indole alkaloids: 3,4,5,6-tetradehydro-β-yohimbine (3), 19(E)-hunteracine (4), b-yohimbine (5), yohimbine (6), 19,20-dehydro-17-a-yohimbine (7), uleine (10), 20-epi-dasycarpidone (11), olivacine (8), 20-epi-N-nor-dasycarpidone (14), N-demethyluleine (15) and 20(E)-nor-subincanadine E (12) and a boonein d-lactone 9, ursolic acid (1) and 1D,1O-methyl-chiro-inositol (2) were isolated from the EtOH extracts of different parts of Aspidosperma ulei Markgr. (Apocynaceae). Identification and structural elucidation were based on IR, MS, 1H- and 13C-NMR spectral data and comparison to literature data. The antiplasmodial and antimalarial activity of 1, 5, 6, 8, 10 and 15 has been previously evaluated and 1 and 10 have important in vitro and in vivo antimalarial properties according to patent and/or scientific literature. With the aim of discovering new antiplasmodial indole alkaloids, 3, 4, 11, 12 and 13 were evaluated for in vitro inhibition against the multi-drug resistant K1 strain of the human malaria parasite Plasmodium falciparum. IC50 values of 14.0 (39.9), 4.5 (16.7) and 14.5 (54.3) mg/mL (mM) were determined for 3, 11 and 12, respectively. Inhibitory activity of 3, 4, 11, 12 and 13 was evaluated against NIH3T3 murine fibroblasts. None of these compounds exhibited toxicity to fibroblasts (IC50 > 50 mg/mL). Of the five compounds screened for in vitro antiplasmodial activity, only 11 was active.

All-in-One Bundle 1.0 - Mix of templates and images; proceeds go to charity. ()

Posted: 29 May 2013 02:21 AM PDT



All-in-One Bundle is an excellent potpourri of 80 original designs for Pages documents, 15 presentation themes for Keynote, 120 stationery templates for Apple's Mail, and 750 symbol images. Save time and achieve more with All-in-One Bundle!

The set contains selections from Mix for Pages, Mix for Keynote, Mix Mail, and Symbol Mix.

All proceeds will go to charity. Find out more at skveras.com.





  • OS X 10.6.6 or later
  • iWork '08 or later
  • Apple Mail



More information

Macs Fan Control 1.0.1 - Monitor and control your computer's fans. (Free)

Posted: 29 May 2013 02:02 AM PDT



Macs Fan Control allows you to monitor and control almost any aspect of your computer's fans, with support for controlling fan speed, temperature sensors pane, menu-bar icon, and autostart with system option.
  • Software solution to noise problems such as those caused by iMac HDD replacement, or overheating problems like those found on a MacBook Pro
  • Set any constant value to any fan (e.g., minimum)
  • Control fan speed in relation to a temperature sensor (e.g., 3rd party HDD)
  • Real-time monitoring of Mac's fans speed and temperature sensors including 3rd party HDD/SSD (using S.M.A.R.T.)
  • Display menu bar icon
  • Compatible with OS X 10.6 Snow Leopard or later


Version 1.0.1:
  • Improved appearance on MacBook Pro with Retina display
  • Fixed warning message of non-supported file system
  • Fixed important memory leak in sensor-based controlling mode
  • Minor stability fixes
  • French, German, and Polish translations


OS X 10.6 or later


More information

Nutrients, Vol. 5, Pages 1962-1969: Macular Pigment and Its Contribution to Vision

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Three dietary carotenoids, lutein (L), zeaxanthin (Z) and meso-zeaxanthin (MZ) accumulate at the central retina (macula), where they are collectively referred to as macular pigment (MP). MP's pre-receptoral absorption of blue light and consequential attenuation of the effects of chromatic aberration and light scatter are important for optimal visual function. Furthermore, antioxidant activity of MP's constituent carotenoids and the same blue light-filtering properties underlie the rationale for its putative protective role for age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Supplementation with L, Z and MZ augments MP and enhances visual performance in diseased and non-diseased eyes, and may reduce risk of AMD development and/or progression.

Nutrients, Vol. 5, Pages 1949-1961: Effects of Long-Term Oral Administration of Arachidonic Acid and Docosahexaenoic Acid on the Immune Functions of Young Rats

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Natural killer (NK) cells have many functional activities, including cytotoxicity and the capacity to produce cytokines and chemokines. NK cell activity is regulated partly by eicosanoids, which are produced from arachidonic acid (ARA) and eicosapentaenoic (EPA) acid. In this study, we investigated the effects of long-term therapy with ARA or docosahexaenoic acid (DHA) on the cytotoxic effects of the NK cells of young rats, which were fed on a nonfish oil diet for two generations. Control oil, ARA (240 mg/kg BW/day) or DHA (240 mg/kg BW/day) were orally administrated to the rats for 13 weeks before determining the cytotoxic activity of NK cells from the spleen against YAC-1 mouse lymphoma cell line, as well as the plasma levels of docosanoids or eicosanoids and inflammatory cytokines. Long-term ARA administration significantly suppressed the cytotoxic activity of NK cells. Moreover, ARA administration significantly increased the plasma levels of ARA, prostaglandin (PG) E2, and PGD2. However, DHA administration did not produce any different effects compared with those in the control rats. Furthermore, the inflammatory cytokine levels were not affected by the administration of ARA or DHA. These results suggest that long-term ARA administration has an inhibitory effect on the tumor cytotoxicity of NK cells in rat spleen lymphocytes owing to the enhanced synthesis of PGE2 and PGD2 from ARA because of the elevated plasma ARA levels in young rats.

Nutrients, Vol. 5, Pages 1937-1948: The Relationship between Selenoprotein P and Glucose Metabolism in Experimental Studies

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Selenium is an essential trace element in the diet of mammals which is important for many physiological functions. However, a number of epidemiological studies have suggested that high selenium status is a possible risk factor for the development of type 2 diabetes, although they cannot distinguish between cause and effect. Selenoprotein P (Sepp1) is central to selenium homeostasis and widely expressed in the organism. Here we review the interaction between Sepp1 and glucose metabolism with an emphasis on experimental evidence. In models with or without gene modification, glucose and insulin can regulate Sepp1 expression in the pancreas and liver, and vice versa. Especially in the liver, Sepp1 is regulated virtually like a gluconeogenic enzyme. Combining these data suggests that there could be a feedback regulation between hepatic Sepp1 and pancreatic insulin and that increasing circulating Sepp1 might be the result rather than the cause of abnormal glucose metabolism. Future studies specifically designed to overexpress Sepp1 are needed in order to provide a more robust link between Sepp1 and type 2 diabetes.

Nutrients, Vol. 5, Pages 1913-1936: Calcium Regulation and Bone Mineral Metabolism in Elderly Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

The elderly chronic kidney disease (CKD) population is growing. Both aging and CKD can disrupt calcium (Ca2+) homeostasis and cause alterations of multiple Ca2+-regulatory mechanisms, including parathyroid hormone, vitamin D, fibroblast growth factor-23/Klotho, calcium-sensing receptor and Ca2+-phosphate product. These alterations can be deleterious to bone mineral metabolism and soft tissue health, leading to metabolic bone disease and vascular calcification and aging, termed CKD-mineral and bone disorder (MBD). CKD-MBD is associated with morbid clinical outcomes, including fracture, cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality. In this paper, we comprehensively review Ca2+ regulation and bone mineral metabolism, with a special emphasis on elderly CKD patients. We also present the current treatment-guidelines and management options for CKD-MBD.

Nutrients, Vol. 5, Pages 1869-1912: Probiotics, Prebiotics and Immunomodulation of Gut Mucosal Defences: Homeostasis and Immunopathology

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Probiotics are beneficial microbes that confer a realistic health benefit on the host, which in combination with prebiotics, (indigestible dietary fibre/carbohydrate), also confer a health benefit on the host via products resulting from anaerobic fermentation. There is a growing body of evidence documenting the immune-modulatory ability of probiotic bacteria, it is therefore reasonable to suggest that this is potentiated via a combination of prebiotics and probiotics as a symbiotic mix. The need for probiotic formulations has been appreciated for the health benefits in "topping up your good bacteria" or indeed in an attempt to normalise the dysbiotic microbiota associated with immunopathology. This review will focus on the immunomodulatory role of probiotics and prebiotics on the cells, molecules and immune responses in the gut mucosae, from epithelial barrier to priming of adaptive responses by antigen presenting cells: immune fate decision—tolerance or activation? Modulation of normal homeostatic mechanisms, coupled with findings from probiotic and prebiotic delivery in pathological studies, will highlight the role for these xenobiotics in dysbiosis associated with immunopathology in the context of inflammatory bowel disease, colorectal cancer and hypersensitivity.

IJERPH, Vol. 10, Pages 2185-2197: Tobacco Use and Nicotine Dependence among Conflict-Affected Men in the Republic of Georgia

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Background: There is very little evidence globally on tobacco use and nicotine dependence among civilian populations affected by armed conflict, despite key vulnerability factors related to elevated mental disorders and socio-economic stressors. The study aim was to describe patterns of smoking and nicotine dependence among conflict-affected civilian men in the Republic of Georgia and associations with mental disorders. Methods: A cross-sectional household survey using multistage random sampling was conducted in late 2011 among conflict-affected populations in Georgia. Respondents included in this paper were 1,248 men aged ≥18 years who were internally displaced persons (IDPs) and former IDPs who had returned in their home areas. Outcomes of current tobacco use, heavy use (≥20 cigarettes per day), and nicotine dependence (using the Fagerström Test for Nicotine Dependence) were used. PTSD, depression, anxiety and hazardous alcohol use were also measured, along with exposure to traumatic events and a range of demographic and socio-economic characteristics. Results: Of 1,248 men, 592 (47.4%) smoked and 70.9% of current smokers were heavy smokers. The mean nicotine dependence score was 5.0 and the proportion with high nicotine dependence (≥6) was 41.4%. In multivariate regression analyses, nicotine dependence was significantly associated with PTSD (β 0.74) and depression (β 0.85), along with older age (except 65+ years), and being a returnee (compared to IDPs). Conclusions: The study reveals very high levels of heavy smoking and nicotine dependence among conflict-affected persons in Georgia. The associations between nicotine dependence, PTSD and depression suggest interventions could yield synergistic benefits.

IJERPH, Vol. 10, Pages 2164-2184: Heat Waves and Climate Change: Applying the Health Belief Model to Identify Predictors of Risk Perception and Adaptive Behaviours in Adelaide, Australia

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Heat waves are considered a health risk and they are likely to increase in frequency, intensity and duration as a consequence of climate change. The effects of heat waves on human health could be reduced if individuals recognise the risks and adopt healthy behaviours during a heat wave. The purpose of this study was to determine the predictors of risk perception using a heat wave scenario and identify the constructs of the health belief model that could predict adaptive behaviours during a heat wave. A cross-sectional study was conducted during the summer of 2012 among a sample of persons aged between 30 to 69 years in Adelaide. Participants' perceptions were assessed using the health belief model as a conceptual frame. Their knowledge about heat waves and adaptive behaviours during heat waves was also assessed. Logistic regression analyses were performed to determine the predictors of risk perception to a heat wave scenario and adaptive behaviours during a heat wave. Of the 267 participants, about half (50.9%) had a high risk perception to heat waves while 82.8% had good adaptive behaviours during a heat wave. Multivariate models found that age was a significant predictor of risk perception. In addition, participants who were married (OR = 0.21; 95% CI, 0.07–0.62), who earned a gross annual household income of ≥$60,000 (OR = 0.41; 95% CI, 0.17–0.94) and without a fan (OR = 0.29; 95% CI, 0.11–0.79) were less likely to have a high risk perception to heat waves. Those who were living with others (OR = 2.87; 95% CI, 1.19–6.90) were more likely to have a high risk perception to heat waves. On the other hand, participants with a high perceived benefit (OR = 2.14; 95% CI, 1.00–4.58), a high "cues to action" (OR = 3.71; 95% CI, 1.63–8.43), who had additional training or education after high school (OR = 2.65; 95% CI, 1.25–5.58) and who earned a gross annual household income of ≥$60,000 (OR = 2.66; 95% CI, 1.07–6.56) were more likely to have good adaptive behaviours during a heat wave. The health belief model could be useful to guide the design and implementation of interventions to promote adaptive behaviours during heat waves.

Machines, Vol. 1, Pages 33-49: Multiple Estimation Architecture in Discrete-Time Adaptive Mixing Control

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Adaptive mixing control (AMC) is a recently developed control scheme for uncertain plants, where the control action coming from a bank of precomputed controller is mixed based on the parameter estimates generated by an on-line parameter estimator. Even if the stability of the control scheme, also in the presence of modeling errors and disturbances, has been shown analytically, its transient performance might be sensitive to the initial conditions of the parameter estimator. In particular, for some initial conditions, transient oscillations may not be acceptable in practical applications. In order to account for such a possible phenomenon and to improve the learning capability of the adaptive scheme, in this paper a new mixing architecture is developed, involving the use of parallel parameter estimators, or multi-estimators, each one working on a small subset of the uncertainty set. A supervisory logic, using performance signals based on the past and present estimation error, selects the parameter estimate to determine the mixing of the controllers. The stability and robustness properties of the resulting approach, referred to as multi-estimator adaptive mixing control (Multi-AMC), are analytically established. Besides, extensive simulations demonstrate that the scheme improves the transient performance of the original AMC with a single estimator. The control scheme and the analysis are carried out in a discrete-time framework, for easier implementation of the method in digital control.

Societies, Vol. 3, Pages 224-242: “Not Really a Musical Instrument?” Locating the Gumleaf as Acoustic Actant and Environmental Icon

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Leaf instruments have occupied a post-European contact role in constituting Australian societal networks, and their epistemologies reflect native/exotic binaries in the species selected by Indigenous and non-Indigenous musicians respectively. Accordingly, this essay examines some musical applications of native plant populations in the construction of arboreally-based cultural heritages and social traditions in the southeastern Aboriginal societies. In a broad characterisation of the practices of Indigenous leaf players ("leafists"), it extends the actor-network framework of "reaching out to a plant" established by John C. Ryan in 2012. When leafists play tunes on plants—either at their own source, or on leaves intentionally plucked for performance—music furnishes an intimate and vital part of their reflection to and from the nonhuman world. The author conceptualises eucalypt leaf instruments ("gumleaves") as actants and iconic sensors of place, providing further evidence for their role as conduits between land and people in some cultural blendings and positionings with art, drama, and poetry. This interrogation of confluences between musicians and Australian land and plants works towards more nuanced understandings of the complex interlinked systems of music, ecology, nature, and societies.

Remote Sensing, Vol. 5, Pages 2720-2745: Landslide Displacement Monitoring Using 3D Range Flow on Airborne and Terrestrial LiDAR Data

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

An active landslide in Doren, Austria, has been studied by multitemporal airborne and terrestrial laser scanning from 2003 to 2012. To evaluate the changes, we have determined the 3D motion using the range flow algorithm, an established method in computer vision, but not yet used for studying landslides. The generated digital terrain models are the input for motion estimation; the range flow algorithm has been combined with the coarse-to-fine resolution concept and robust adjustment to be able to determine the various motions over the landslide. The algorithm yields fully automatic dense 3D motion vectors for the whole time series of the available data. We present reliability measures for determining the accuracy of the estimated motion vectors, based on the standard deviation of components. The differential motion pattern is mapped by the algorithm: parts of the landslide show displacements up to 10 m, whereas some parts do not change for several years. The results have also been compared to pointwise reference data acquired by independent geodetic measurements; reference data are in good agreement in most of the cases with the results of range flow algorithm; only some special points (e.g., reflectors fixed on trees) show considerably differing motions.

Pharmacy, Vol. 1, Pages 3-7: A Description of the European Pharmacy Education and Training Quality Assurance Project

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

The European Union directive on sectoral professions emphasizes the fact that pharmacists working in member states should possess the competences required for their professional practice; the directive does not, however, describe such competences in detail. The "Quality Assurance in European Pharmacy Education and Training—PHAR-QA" consortium, funded by the European Union, will define such competences and establish a quality assurance system based on them. This will facilitate the tuning of the pharmacy education and training required to produce competent pharmacists in the different member states. PHAR-QA will (1) establish a network of participating pharmacy departments, (2) survey existing quality assurance systems used, and (3) develop competences through iterative interaction with partners. The European Association of Faculties of Pharmacy will use the harmonized competences produced as a basis for the creation of a quality assurance agency for European pharmacy education and training. PHAR-QA will impact on staff and students of European departments; the final stake-holder will be the European patient who will benefit from better pharmaceutical services and better medications.

The Last of Us DLC and season pass detailed

Posted: 29 May 2013 01:14 AM PDT

Demo of Naughty Dog's survival-horror game launches this

Geosciences, Vol. 3, Pages 240-261: Preservation and Recycling of Crust during Accretionary and Collisional Phases of Proterozoic Orogens: A Bumpy Road from Nuna to Rodinia

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Zircon age peaks at 2100–1650 and 1200–1000 Ma correlate with craton collisions in the growth of supercontinents Nuna and Rodinia, respectively, with a time interval between collisions mostly <50 Myr (range 0–250 Myr). Collisional orogens are two types: those with subduction durations <500 Myr and those ≥500 Myr. The latter group comprises orogens with long-lived accretionary stages between Nuna and Rodinia assemblies. Neither orogen age nor duration of either subduction or collision correlates with the volume of orogen preserved. Most rocks preserved date to the pre-collisional, subduction (ocean-basin closing) stage and not to the collisional stage. The most widely preserved tectonic setting in Proterozoic orogens is the continental arc (10%–90%, mean 60%), with oceanic tectonic settings (oceanic crust, arcs, islands and plateaus, serpentinites, pelagic sediments) comprising <20% and mostly <10%. Reworked components comprise 20%–80% (mean 32%) and microcratons comprise a minor but poorly known fraction. Nd and Hf isotopic data indicate that Proterozoic orogens contain from 10% to 60% of juvenile crust (mean 36%) and 40%–75% reworked crust (mean 64%). Neither the fraction nor the rate of preservation of juvenile crust is related to the collision age nor to the duration of subduction. Regardless of the duration of subduction, the amount of juvenile crust preserved reaches a maximum of about 60%, and 37% of the volume of juvenile continental crust preserved between 2000 and 1000 Ma was produced in the Great Proterozoic Accretionary Orogen (GPAO). Pronounced minima occur in frequency of zircon ages of rocks preserved in the GPAO; with minima at 1600–1500 Ma in Laurentia; 1700–1600 Ma in Amazonia; and 1750–1700 Ma in Baltica. If these minima are due to subduction erosion and delamination as in the Andes in the last 250 Myr; approximately one third of the volume of the Laurentian part of the GPAO could have been recycled into the mantle between 1500 and 1250 Ma. This may have enriched the mantle wedge in incompatible elements and water leading to the production of felsic magmas responsible for the widespread granite-rhyolite province of this age. A rapid decrease in global Nd and in detrital zircon Hf model ages between about 1600 and 1250 Ma could reflect an increase in recycling rate of juvenile crust into the mantle; possibly in response to partial fragmentation of Nuna.

Entropy, Vol. 15, Pages 2100-2128: Quantum Thermodynamics: A Dynamical Viewpoint

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

Quantum thermodynamics addresses the emergence of thermodynamic laws from quantum mechanics. The viewpoint advocated is based on the intimate connection of quantum thermodynamics with the theory of open quantum systems. Quantum mechanics inserts dynamics into thermodynamics, giving a sound foundation to finite-time-thermodynamics. The emergence of the 0-law, I-law, II-law and III-law of thermodynamics from quantum considerations is presented. The emphasis is on consistency between the two theories, which address the same subject from different foundations. We claim that inconsistency is the result of faulty analysis, pointing to flaws in approximations.

Agronomy, Vol. 3, Pages 474-487: Glyphosate-Resistant Goosegrass from Mississippi

Posted: 29 May 2013 12:00 AM PDT

A suspected glyphosate-resistant goosegrass [Eleusine indica (L.) Gaertn.] population, found in Washington County, Mississippi, was studied to determine the level of resistance and whether the resistance was due to a point mutation, as was previously identified in a Malaysian population. Whole plant dose response assays indicated a two- to four-fold increase in resistance to glyphosate. Leaf disc bioassays based on a glyphosate-dependent increase in shikimate levels indicated a five- to eight-fold increase in resistance. Sequence comparisons of messenger RNA for epsps, the gene encoding the enzyme 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase, from resistant and sensitive goosegrass, revealed a cytosine to thymine nucleotide change at position 319 in the resistant accessions. This single nucleotide polymorphism causes a proline to serine amino acid substitution at position 106 in 5-enolpyruvylshikimate-3-phosphate synthase. A real-time polymerase chain reaction assay using DNA probes specific for the nucleotide change at position 319 was developed to detect this polymorphism. Goosegrass from 42 locations were screened, and the results indicated that glyphosate-resistant goosegrass remained localized to where it was discovered. Pendimethalin, s-metolachlor, clethodim, paraquat and fluazifop controlled resistant goosegrass 93% to 100%, indicating that several control options for glyphosate-resistant goosegrass are available.

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