Abstract: The peroxisome proliferator activated receptor alpha (PPAR&agr;) plays a key role in mediating fatty acid metabolism by regulating expression of genes involved in fatty acid oxidation. A limitation of existing human cell models for testing PPAR&agr; ligands is the inability to detect PPAR responsive genes with endogenous levels of PPAR&agr; protein. The HK-2 cell line derived from human proximal tubules showed induction of several genes, including pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 4 (PDK-4) and adipocyte differentiation related factor (ADRP) by PPAR&agr; ligands. Induction of PDK-4 by PPAR&agr; agonists in the HK-2 cell model closely correlates with its induction in vivo and thus represents a marker for PPAR&agr; agonist action. HK2 cells also exemplify the first model of a human cell line in which PPAR&agr; ligand dependent gene induction can be detected with endogenous levels of receptor.

Abstract: A tool for the deployment of software onto servers and other network resources provides a mechanism for parties that do not manage the operation of the servers to deploy new software. The new software is uploaded into an update directory, and a cut-over process is carried out whereby the contents of a live directory, where the currently-executing version of the software is stored, is synchronized with the update directory. Prior to this synchronization, the current state of the live directory is stored in a rollback directory. After the cut-over process, the live directory of the server becomes the source for deployment of the software to update directories in other servers. If the new version of the software is not operating to satisfaction, the information in the rollback directory is used to return the server to the prior version of the software while the new software is being revised.