Biological materials are hierarchically organized complex composites, which embrace multiple practical functionalities. As an example, the wild silkworm cocoon provides multiple protective functions against environmental and physical hazards, promoting the survival chance of moth pupae that resides inside. In the present investigation, the microstructure and thermal property of the Chinese tuss...

BACKGROUND Intestinal obstruction remains a common problem encountered in the surgical emergency, and usually occurs secondary to adhesions, obstructed herniae or tubercular strictures. However, at times, rare causes of obstruction can also be encountered. METHODS A 24-year-old male patient presented with recurrent episodes of intestinal obstruction that was found to be secondary to an abdomi...

This study used the larval tissues and colored cocoons of silkworms, Bombyx mori L. (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), that were fed leaves of cultivated mulberry, Husang 32, as experimental material. The pigment composition and content in colored cocoons and tissues of the 5th instar larvae and the mulberry leaves were rapidly detected using organic solvent extraction and reverse phase high-performanc...

Silkworm metamorphosis is governed by the intrinsic and extrinsic factors. One key intrinsic factor is the temporal electrical firing of the neuro-secretory cells of the dormant pupae residing inside the silk cocoon membrane (SCM). Extrinsic factors are environmental like temperature, humidity and light. The firing pattern of the cells is a function of the environmental factors that eventually ...

A bivoltine silkworm hybrid, KA x NB4D2 was treated with the juvenoid R394 (Ethyl-9 cyclohexyl-3,7-dimethyl-2,4-nonadienoate) at a dose of 0.039 nl/larva at 24, 48, 72 and 96 h of 5th instar for silk yield improvement. Treatment specific significant increase was observed in the cocoon and shell weight with no such marked variation in the shell percentage. Notable changes were also seen in tr...

Abdominal cocoon is a rare cause of intestinal obstruction. It is difficult to diagnose in most of the cases preoperatively. Surgical removal of the membrane resulted in complete recovery in the majority of the cases. The exact etiology of abdominal cocoon is still unknown. We reported a male patient who presented with features of intestinal obstruction and has been diagnosed as abdominal cocoo...

Abdominal cocoon is a rare disease which causes small-bowel obstruction that is characterized by a thick, fibrotic and cocoon-like membrane encapsulating total or partially the small bowel1,2,3. Its etiology remains unknown4,5. Surgical management is the treatment of choice1. In this report, it is described a young patient with abdominal cocoon who presented clinical signs and paraclinical find...

Efficacy of radiotherapy treatment depends on the specific characteristics of tumorous tissues. For the determination of these characteristics, clinical practice uses Dynamic Contrast Enhanced (DCE) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI). DCE-MRI data is acquired and modeled using pharmacokinetic modeling, to derive per voxel a set of parameters, indicative of tissue properties. Different pharmacokin...