Design inspiration comes from the continuous stimulation of external information and the continuous accumulation of knowledge. In order to obtain an ideal design inspiration from nature, researchers ...have proposed a large number of biological information retrieval and knowledge acquisition methods. But how to purposefully acquire valuable biological knowledge in order to effectively stimulate design inspiration and produce the novel and feasible designs idea is still an urgent problem to be solved. This paper proposes a method for acquiring valuable biological knowledge to efficiently stimulate inspiration and quickly conceive solutions in engineering design. First, keywords, such as the functional requirements and key components of design objects, are selected as the engineering terminologies. Next, biological keywords related to the engineering terminologies are searched from the biological dictionary and biology websites. Then in order to retrieve enough biological knowledge, these biological keywords are expanded manually and automatically respectively based on Thesaurus Webpage and WordNet database, and expanded keywords are filtered according to repeated words and different forms of the same words. Finally, in the biological knowledge base, biological keywords that had been filtered are used to obtain biological knowledge with Python web crawler programming. Through an example of application for ship equipment, the effectiveness of the method is verified.
Two polyurethanases PueA and PueB from Pseudomonas protegens Pf‐5 have been reported to have hydrolytic activity against synthetic p‐nitrophenyl palmitate of lipase substrate, and PueA may play a ...more effective role in this activity. However, it is still unknown whether PueA and PueB play similar parts in the lipase activity against natural acylglycerols and achieve the extracellular secretion via their cognate ABC exporter AprDEF. In this study, we investigated these questions through the construction of four markerless deletion mutants in Pf5139 (Δupp derivative of Pf‐5), two heterologous co‐expression strains and their three control strains in lipase‐free Escherichia coli BL21(DE3), and detected their lipase activities by the tributyrin plate assay and the liquid culture assay. The results showed that PueA and PueB, classified as subfamily I.3 lipases, are major extracellular lipases involved in the uptake of oil in Pf‐5, and PueA plays a leading role in extracellular lipase activity. In addition, the extracellular secretion of PueA and PueB can be partly mediated via AprDEF in Pf‐5 and BL21(DE3). Finally, PueA and PueB are also able to achieve the extracellular secretion without the assistance of AprDEF in Pf‐5 and BL21(DE3).
Significance and Impact of the Study: We investigated the additional function of two polyurethanases PueA and PueB from Pseudomonas protegens Pf‐5, and demonstrated that they are major extracellular lipases that belong to the members of subfamily I.3 lipases, involved in the uptake of oil in Pf‐5, of which PueA plays a more important role in extracellular lipase activity. Furthermore, their cognate ABC exporter AprDEF can partly mediate the extracellular secretion of PueA and PueB in Pf‐5 and heterologous Escherichia coli BL21(DE3). Lastly, PueA and PueB can also be secreted into the extracellular environment without the help of their cognate AprDEF in Pf‐5 and BL21(DE3).
Nanostructured ZnO was obtained through two different synthetic processes: a traditional sol–gel (SG) route and a combination of vapor transport process and controlled oxidation methods. In SG ...synthesis, thermal decomposition of the precursor at 450
°C for 2
h in an oven led to pure zincite nanoparticles. Through the second method, instead, nanocrystalline structures in form of tetrapods (TP) were directly obtained during the synthesis process. Powder and film characterizations have been carried out by means of TG–DTA, SEM, TEM and XRD. Finally, electric measurements have been performed with the aim to compare conductive properties, surface barrier heights and gas sensing features, versus O
3, NO
2, CO and H
2S. Despite the significant difference in morphology, it turned out that both types of sensors offered large responses to oxidizing gases at concentration suitable for environmental monitoring.
Russian traditional fermented dairy foods have been consumed for thousands of years. However, little research has focused on exploiting lactic acid bacteria (LAB) resources and analyzing the LAB ...composition of Russian traditional fermented dairy foods. In the present study, we cultured LAB isolated from fermented mare and cow milks, sour cream, and cheese collected from Kalmykiya, Buryats, and Tuva regions of Russia. Seven lactobacillus species and the Bifidobacterium genus were quantified by quantitative PCR. The LAB counts in these samples ranged from 3.18 to 9.77 log cfu/mL (or per gram). In total, 599 LAB strains were obtained from these samples using de Man, Rogosa, and Sharpe agar and M17 agar. The identified LAB belonged to 7 genera and 30 species by 16S rRNA and murE gene sequencing and multiplex PCR assay. The predominant LAB isolates were Lactobacillus helveticus (176 strains) and Lactobacillus plantarum (63 strains), which represented 39.9% of all isolates. The quantitative PCR results revealed that counts of 7 lactobacilli species and Bifidobacterium spp. of 30 fermented cow milk samples ranged from 1.19±0.34 (Lactobacillus helveticus in Tuva) to 8.09±0.71 (Lactobacillus acidophilus in Kalmykiya) log cfu/mL of fermented cow milk (mean ± standard error). The numbers of Bifidobacterium spp., Lb. plantarum, Lb. helveticus, and Lb. acidophilus revealed no significant difference between the 3 regions; nevertheless, Lactobacillus paracasei, Lactobacillus fermentum, Lactobacillus sakei, and Lactobacillus delbrueckii ssp. bulgaricus exhibited different degrees of variation across 3 regions. The results demonstrate that traditional fermented dairy products from different regions of Russia have complex compositions of LAB species. The diversity of LAB might be related to the type of fermented dairy product, geographical origin, and manufacturing process.
Highlights • We performed a systematic screening of C-terminal motifs regulating ASIC1a trafficking. • Mutating two K/R rich motifs reduces surface trafficking and acid-activated current of ASIC1a. • ...Mutating the PDZ binding motif of ASIC1a has the opposite effect. • The mutants alter N -glycosylation, which may explain the changes in trafficking and channel properties of ASIC1a.
Stress and glucocorticoids exacerbate pain via undefined mechanisms. Macrophage migration inhibitory factor (MIF) is a constitutively expressed protein that is secreted to maintain immune function ...when glucocorticoids are elevated by trauma or stress. Here we show that MIF is essential for the development of neuropathic and inflammatory pain, and for stress-induced enhancement of neuropathic pain. Mif null mutant mice fail to develop pain-like behaviors in response to inflammatory stimuli or nerve injury. Pharmacological inhibition of MIF attenuates pain-like behaviors caused by nerve injury and prevents sensitization of these behaviors by stress. Conversely, injection of recombinant MIF into naïve mice produces dose-dependent mechanical sensitivity that is exacerbated by stress. MIF elicits pro-inflammatory signaling in microglia and activates sensory neurons, mechanisms that underlie pain. These data implicate MIF as a key regulator of pain and provide a mechanism whereby stressors exacerbate pain. MIF inhibitors warrant clinical investigation for the treatment of chronic pain.
► Mif null mice do not develop pain hypersensitivity after nerve injury or CFA. ► rMIF causes dose-dependent pain hypersensitivity. ► rMIF increases electrical discharge in small diameter nociceptive neurons. ► rMIF increases axon sprouting and induces pro-inflammatory cytokines. ► MIF inhibitor prevents stress-induced exacerbation of pain hypersensitivity.
ZnO aligned nanorods have been obtained on ZnO films by vapour phase at relatively low temperature (500 degreeC). In this temperature range, which is for example interesting for glass-compatible ...processes for solar cell production, it is generally impossible to obtain a standard vapour-solid growth of these ordered nanostructures without the use of metal-organic precursors or metal catalysts. However, it is pointed out that, by means of a deposition of Zn nanoclusters on the polar surface of ZnO film grains, it is possible to obtain vertically aligned ZnO nanorods even at 480 degreeC. Zn nanocluster formation and rod growth can be achieved in a few minutes in a single process, without introducing any foreign element that might produce undesired material contamination and affect the physical properties of these nanostructures. The growth mechanism is discussed in detail, making comparisons with the results achieved on different substrates and under different growth conditions. Thanks to the comprehension of the growth mechanism, very uniform deposition of nanorods has been obtained on two square centimetres substrates in a small laboratory-scale reactor.
Community emergency departments often transfer patients for lack of neurology coverage, potentially burdening patients and accepting facilities. Telestroke improves access to acute stroke care, but ...there is a lack of data on inpatient teleneurology and telestroke care.
From our prospective telestroke registry, we retrospectively reviewed 3702 consecutive patients who were seen via telestroke between September 2015 and December 2018. Patients who required transfer after initial telestroke evaluation or who were kept at hospitals without consistent neurology coverage were excluded from analysis. We compared baseline demographics, clinical characteristics, and hospital outcomes in patients who were subsequently followed remotely by a teleneurology neurohospitalist and those followed in person by a neurohospitalist.
There were 447 (23%) patients followed by a teleneurology neurohospitalist and 1459 (77%) patients followed in person by a neurohospitalist. Both groups presented with similar stroke severity. In multivariate analysis, there were no significant differences in discharge disposition, stroke readmission rates, or 90-day modified Rankin Scale (mRS) scores. Length of stay was shorter with teleneurology follow-up. In the subgroup of patients who received tissue plasminogen activator, patients showed no differences in outcomes and had similar complication rates. Teleneurology follow-up resulted in a 3% transfer rate for higher level of care after admission. There remained no difference in outcomes in a subanalysis without Comprehensive Stroke Centers. A higher proportion of non-Hispanic Black patients and a lower proportion of Hispanic patients in the teleneurology follow-up group were possibly due to spoke location demographics.
Teleneurology follow-up resulted in comparable outcomes to in-person neurology follow-up, with few transfers after admission. For select neurology and ischemic stroke patients, teleneurology follow-up provides an alternative to transfer for hospitals lacking neurology coverage.
Summary
We described six uremic leontiasis ossea (ULO) patients who underwent total parathyroidectomy with autotransplantation. ULO demonstrated more a systemic disease than a simple craniofacial ...deformation. The surgery seemed an effective treatment to alleviate secondary hyperparathyroidism and to improve patients’ quality of life. ULO may have a high postoperative recurrence tendency.
Introduction
ULO is a rare disease derived from uremic secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT). Previous studies mostly focused on the craniofacial deformations. This study aims to investigate the systemic features of the disease and the surgical outcomes.
Methods
The present study retrospectively assessed six ULO patients who underwent total parathyroidectomy (TPTX) with autotransplantation (AT). Follow-up data were recorded. The follow-up status was considered as “effectiveness” if serum intact parathyroid hormone (iPTH) levels were <150 pg/mL in the first 3 days after surgery, or as “recurrence” if serum iPTH gradually increased >300 pg/mL during follow-up in patients whose status was initially considered as “effectiveness”.
Results
Craniofacial deformations, short stature, thoracocyllosis, spine malformations, osteodynia, and muscle weakness were observed in all patients. Abnormal pulmonary functions were observed in five patients. After surgery, one patient died from respiratory failure. Surgery was effective in the remaining five patients with relieved osteodynia and stopped craniofacial deformation. A mean follow-up of 7.6 (4 to 12) months was available. Three patients suffered from recurrence of hyperparathyroidism originating from autografts.
Conclusions
Our data suggests that ULO is not only a simple disease with craniofacial malformations but is a severe systemic disease leading to increased surgical risks. TPTX with AT seems an effective treatment to relieve SHPT and to improve quality of life. ULO may have a high postoperative recurrence tendency.
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