Microbial fuel cells using α-amylase-displaying Escherichia coli with starch as fuel.

Escherichia coli JM109 (pGV3-SBA) can assimilate starch by fusing the starch-digesting enzyme α-amylase from Streptococcus bovis NRIC1535 to an OprI' lipoprotein anchor on the cell membrane. This study shows microbial fuel cells (MFCs) development using this recombinant type of E. coli and starch as fuel.

Production of R- and S-1,2-propanediol in engineered Lactococcus lactis.

1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) is a versatile chemical used in multiple manufacturing processes. To date, some engineered and non-engineered microbes, such as Escherichia coli, Lactobacillus buchneri, and Clostridium thermosaccharolyticum, have been used to produce 1,2-PDO. In this study, we demonstrated the production of R- and S-1,2-PDO using engineered Lactococcus lactis.

Digital triage: Novel strategies for population health management in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has created unique challenges for the U.S. healthcare system due to the staggering mismatch between healthcare system capacity and patient demand.

Engineering Escherichia coli for Direct Production of 1,2-Propanediol and 1,3-Propanediol from Starch.

Diols are versatile chemicals used for multiple manufacturing products. In some previous studies, Escherichia coli has been engineered to produce 1,2-propanediol (1,2-PDO) and 1,3-propanediol (1,3-PDO) from glucose. However, there are no reports on the direct production of these diols from starch instead of glucose as a substrate.

Usage Patterns of a Web-Based Palliative Care Content Platform (PalliCOVID) During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Context: The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the essential role of palliative care to support the delivery of compassionate, goal-concordant patient care. We created the Web-based application, PalliCOVID (https://pallicovid.app/), in April 2020 to provide all clinicians with convenient access to palliative care resources and support.

Development of a Palliative Care Toolkit for the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has led to high numbers of critically ill and dying patients in need of expert management of dyspnea, delirium, and serious illness communication. The rapid spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome-Coronavirus-2 creates surges of infected patients requiring hospitalization and puts palliative care programs at risk of being overwhelmed by patients, families, and clinicians seeking help. In response to this unprecedented need for palliative care, our program sought to create a collection of palliative care resources for nonpalliative care clinicians.

Stable mutants of restriction-deficient/modification-proficient Bacillus subtilis 168: hub strains for giant DNA engineering.

Bacillus subtilis 168 has been explored as a platform for the synthesis and transmission of large DNA. Two inherent DNA incorporation systems, natural transformation and pLS20-based conjugation transfer, enable rapid handling of target DNA. Both systems are affected by the Bsu restriction-modification system that recognizes and cleaves unmethylated XhoI sites, limiting the choice of target DNA.

Efficient delivery of large DNA from Escherichia coli to Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942 by broad-host-range conjugal plasmid pUB307.

Synechococcus elongatus PCC7942, a cyanobacterium that uses light and carbon dioxide to grow, has a high ability to incorporate DNA by transformation. To assess the effective delivery of large DNA in plasmid form, we cloned the endogenous plasmid pANL (46.4 kbp) into a BAC vector of Escherichia coli.

Detection and genotyping of Cryptosporidium spp. in large Japanese field mice, Apodemus speciosus.

The genus Cryptosporidium, which is an obligate intracellular parasite, infects various vertebrates and causes a diarrheal disease known as cryptosporidiosis. Wild rodents are naturally infected with zoonotic Cryptosporidium; thus, they are potential reservoirs of the parasites. Mice are common rodents frequently found in agricultural areas and have many opportunities to contact other wild animals, livestock, and humans.

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in pigs in central Vietnam.

Little information is available on the epidemiology of Cryptosporidium in pigs in central Vietnam. The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence and to characterize the genotype distribution of Cryptosporidium isolates in pigs in this region. A total of 193 pig fecal samples were screened for the presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method, and 28 (overall prevalence 14.

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium in native beef calves in central Vietnam.

The aims of this study were to investigate the prevalence of Cryptosporidium and to characterize the genotype distribution of Cryptosporidium isolates in native beef calves 2-6 months old in Dac Lac province, central Vietnam. The presence of Cryptosporidium oocysts was determined using the modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining method. The overall prevalence on the sample and herd levels were 18.

Molecular characterization of Cryptosporidium spp. in grazing beef cattle in Japan.

Cattle are major hosts of Cryptosporidium spp. Cryptosporidiosis in neonatal calves is associated with retarded growth, weight loss and calf mortality, and zoonotic infections in humans. In many areas, cow-calf glazing system is an important beef cattle rearing method with distinct advantages in terms of cost and the labor required.