Dietary supplementation of acetate-conjugated tryptophan alters feed intake, milk yield and composition, blood profile, physiological variables, and heat shock protein gene expression in heat-stressed dairy cows.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation of rumen-protected tryptophan (RPT) at four levels on milk yield, milk composition, blood profile, physiological variables, and heat shock protein gene expression in dairy cows under conditions of moderate-severe heat stress (MSHS, THI = 80~89). Sixteen early-lactating dairy cows (body weight = 719 ± 66.4 kg, days in milk = 74.

Humidity-tolerant rate-dependent capillary viscous adhesion of bee-collected pollen fluids.

We report a two-phase adhesive fluid recovered from pollen, which displays remarkable rate tunability and humidity stabilization at microscopic and macroscopic scales. These natural materials provide a previously-unknown model for bioinspired humidity-stable and dynamically-tunable adhesive materials. In particular, two immiscible liquid phases are identified in bioadhesive fluid extracted from dandelion pollen taken from honey bees: a sugary adhesive aqueous phase similar to bee nectar and an oily phase consistent with plant pollenkitt.

Droplet Mechanical Hand Based on Anisotropic Water Adhesion of Hydrophobic-Superhydrophobic Patterned Surfaces.

Superhydrophobic copper surfaces patterned with non-round hydrophobic areas were fabricated by a combination of through-mask chemical oxidation and fluorocarbon film deposition techniques. The anisotropic sliding resistance of droplets on typical non-round hydrophobic patterns such as semicircle, V-shape, and line segment hydrophobic patterns was observed. The dependence of sliding anisotropy on the pattern shape and dimensions was investigated.

Underwater Curvature-Driven Transport between Oil Droplets on Patterned Substrates.

Roughness contrast patterns were generated on copper surfaces by a simple one-step site-selective oxidation process using a felt-tipped ink pen masking method. The patterned surface exhibited strong underwater oil wettability contrast which allows oil droplet confinement. Oil droplets placed on two patterned smooth dots (reservoirs) connected by a patterned smooth channel will spontaneously exchange liquid as a result of Laplace pressure differences until their shapes have reached equilibrium.

Inhibition of Bacterial Adhesion on Nanotextured Stainless Steel 316L by Electrochemical Etching.

Bacterial adhesion to stainless steel 316L (SS316L), which is an alloy typically used in many medical devices and food processing equipment, can cause serious infections along with substantial healthcare costs. This work demonstrates that nanotextured SS316L surfaces produced by electrochemical etching effectively inhibit bacterial adhesion of both Gram-negative and Gram-positive , but exhibit cytocompatibility and no toxicity toward mammalian cells in vitro. Additionally, the electrochemical surface modification on SS316L results in formation of superior passive layer at the surface, improving corrosion resistance.

Engineering Globular Protein Vesicles through Tunable Self-Assembly of Recombinant Fusion Proteins.

Vesicles assembled from folded, globular proteins have potential for functions different from traditional lipid or polymeric vesicles. However, they also present challenges in understanding the assembly process and controlling vesicle properties. From detailed investigation of the assembly behavior of recombinant fusion proteins, this work reports a simple strategy to engineer protein vesicles containing functional, globular domains.

Instrumented ligamentotaxis and stabilization of compression and burst fractures of dorsolumbar and mid-lumbar spines.

Background: Controversy continues regarding the best treatment for compression and burst fractures. The axial distraction reduction utilizing the technique employing the long straight rod or curved short rod without derotation to reduce fracture are practised together with short segment posterolateral fusion (PLF). Effects of the early postoperative mobilization without posterolateral fusion on reduction maintenance and fracture consolidation were not evaluated so far.

Protective effect of 1-methylated beta-carbolines against 3-morpholinosydnonimine-induced mitochondrial damage and cell viability loss in PC12 cells.

The present study investigated the effect of 1-methylated beta-carbolines (harmaline, harmalol and harmine) on change in the mitochondrial membrane permeability and cell death due to reactive nitrogen species in differentiated PC12 cells. beta-Carbolines, caspase inhibitors (z-LEHD.fmk and z-DQMD.