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Optimum-designed footwear with polyurethane (PU) material for comfort is an important requirement for obese. Investigations on compressive behavior of varied designed footwear using 120 D PU material have been carried out. The energy absorption primarily depends on heel height, slope angle and load applied or body mass index of obese. Statistical analysis has been used to formulate the prediction of absorbed energy wherein a heel height of 30 mm with 20-degree angle provides optimum value with the incorporation of 120 D PU material. A coefficient-of-determination (R²) value of 0.9406 confirms the suitability of the statistical regression model. Hence, the optimally designed footwear for higher energy absorption with 120 D PU foam material is recommendable for obese. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photorhabdus luminescens is a Gram-negative, symbiotic bacterium associated with entomopathogenic nematodes of the genus Heterorhabditis. Several genes from this organism related to insecticidal properties are being examined for their potential in pest management. Oxalate decarboxylase (OXDC), an enzyme secreted by bacteria and fungi and putatively associated with insecticidal pathways catalyses the manganese dependent decarboxylation of oxalate to formate and CO2. In this study, we report the X-ray crystal structure of OXDC isolated and purified from Photorhabdus luminescens (PlOXDC, MW 43 kDa) determined at 1.97 Å resolution. PlOXDC protomer has a bicupin structure. Each cupin domain consists of two antiparallel β sheets organized as a sandwich with a Mn2+ ion bound at the active site. PlOXDC exists as a mixture of monomeric and trimeric forms in solution but assumes a trimeric form in the crystal structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]