The defensive skin secretions of amphibians are a rich resource for the discovery of novel, bioactive peptides. Here we report the identification of a novel vascular smooth muscle-relaxing peptide, named vasorelaxin, from the skin secretion of the Chinese piebald odorous frog, Odorrana schmackeri. Vasorelaxin consists of 20 amino acid residues, SRVVKCSGFRPGSPDSREFC, with a disulfide-bridge betw...

When depth of flow past a river bridge exceeds opening under the bridge, the flow under the bridge becomes pressurized. The water is directed downward and under the bridge deck, causing increase in velocity and shear stress on the bed thereby increasing bed scour. This is termed as Pressure Flow Scour. The present study investigates the phenomenon of pressure flow scour resulting from a submerg...

This article reported the ultilization of cross-bridge flap transplantation and combined free-tissue flap transplantation to treat a 54-year-old male with Gustilo type III-C injuries. Thorough debridement, external fixation and vacuum sealing drainage were performed in the fist-stage treatment. After the removal of negative pressure on VSD devices, the joined free-tissue flaps and the cross-bri...

three unconventional details for plastic hinges of bridge columns subjected to seismic loads were developed, designed, and implemented in a large-scale, four-span reinforced concrete bridge. shape memory alloys (sma), special engineered cementitious composites (ecc), elastomeric pads embedded into columns, and post-tensioning were used in three different piers. the bridge model was subjected to...

BACKGROUND Recent anatomic studies suggest the superficial musculoaponeurotic system (SMAS) layer attenuates in the midface. This led the author to switch from a bilamellar high SMAS dissection to a "total composite flap" technique, preserving skin and SMAS/platysma as one layer in a critical "deep-plane transition zone" (DTZ) lateral to the zygomaticus major muscle. This allows traction on the...

general kind of encroachment of river is constructing a bridge on it. purpose of encroachment of river is occupation part of river and flood plain for constructing bridge. often being economical of bridge innovation affirmated that most of encroachment take place to river and flood plain, which this encroachment can be in form of embankment in flood plain of river or into the main bed of river ...

We report three sibs with congenital heart disease, round face with depressed nasal bridge, small mouth, short stature, developmental retardation, relatively dark skin, and high axial triradius. The chromosomes of the three patients were normal and the parents were unrelated, healthy, and of normal intelligence. The mother denied infections, drinking, drug intake, or exposure to known teratogen...

The skin is under constant renewal and exposure to environmental challenges. How homeostasis is maintained alongside protective mechanisms against damage is unclear. Among the basal epithelial cells (ECs) is a population of resident intraepithelial lymphocytes (IELs) that provide host-protective immune surveillance. Here we show that IELs cross-communicate with ECs via the production of IL-13. ...