Search

Abstract Recently, methane has been considered a next-generation carbon feedstock due to its abundance and it is main component of shale gas and biogas. Methylomonas sp. DH-1 has been evaluated as a promising industrial bio-catalyst candidate. Succinate is considered one of the top building block chemicals in the agricultural, food, and pharmaceutical industries. In this study, succinate production by Methylomonas sp. DH-1 was improved by combining adaptive laboratory evolution (ALE) technology with genetic engineering in the chromosome of Methylomonas sp. DH-1, such as deletion of bypass pathway genes (succinate dehydrogenase and succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase) or overexpression of genes related with succinate production (citrate synthase, pyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase). Through ALE, the maximum consumption rate of substrate gases (methane and oxygen) and the duration maintaining high substrate gas consumption rates was enhanced compared to those of the parental strain. Based on the improved methane consumption, cell growth (OD600) increased more than twice, and the succinate titer increased by ~ 48% from 218 to 323 mg/L. To prevent unwanted succinate consumption, the succinate semialdehyde dehydrogenase gene was deleted from the genome. The first enzyme of TCA cycle (citrate synthase) was overexpressed. Pyruvate carboxylase and phosphoenolpyruvate carboxylase, which produce oxaloacetate, a substrate for citrate synthase, were also overproduced by a newly identified strong promoter. The new strong promoter was screened from RNA sequencing data. When these modifications were combined in one strain, the maximum titer (702 mg/L) was successfully improved by more than three times. This study demonstrates that successful enhancement of succinic acid production can be achieved in methanotrophs through additional genetic engineering following adaptive laboratory evolution.

Abstract As there is an increasing need for an efficient solver of combinatorial optimization problems, much interest is paid to the Ising machine, which is a novel physics-driven computing system composed of coupled oscillators mimicking the dynamics of the system of coupled electronic spins. In this work, we propose an energy-efficient nano-oscillator, called OTSNO, which is composed of an Ovonic Threshold Switch (OTS) and an electrical resistor. We demonstrate that the OTSNO shows the synchronization behavior, an essential property for the realization of an Ising machine. Furthermore, we have discovered that the capacitive coupling is advantageous over the resistive coupling for the hardware implementation of an Ising solver by providing a larger margin of the variations of components. Finally, we implement an Ising machine composed of capacitively-coupled OTSNOs to demonstrate that the solution to a 14-node MaxCut problem can be obtained in 40 µs while consuming no more than 2.3 µJ of energy. Compared to a previous hardware implementation of the phase-transition nano-oscillator (PTNO)-based Ising machine, the OTSNO-based Ising machine in this work shows the performance of the increased speed by more than one order while consuming less energy by about an order.

The International Maritime Organization has adopted a revision to the 2023 International Maritime Organization biofouling guidelines and has been discussing the development of guidelines for evaluating the efficacy of in-water cleaning systems. In hull cleaning, which involves aquatic invasive species removal, capture is considered very important in preventing the release of by-products. However, capture efficacy is difficult to evaluate due to the absence of unified evaluation guidelines or standardized methods. Here, we describe a new test method for evaluating the capture efficacy of in-water cleaning systems, using artificial barnacles that simulate the physical characteristics of actual barnacles. The test was designed to evaluate the impact of in-water cleaning on biocide release and biofouling organisms in the marine environment. We used a test plate with artificial barnacles attached to evaluate the capture efficacy with respect to the fouling rating. This test overcomes limitations in the evaluation of the capture efficacy of in-water cleaning systems and provides a reference for the development of more comprehensive tests and in-water cleaning regulation in the future.

Abstract Biohybrid artificial muscle produced by integrating living muscle cells and their scaffolds with free movement in vivo is promising for advanced biomedical applications, including cell-based microrobotic systems and therapeutic drug delivery systems. Herein, we provide a biohybrid artificial muscle constructed by integrating living muscle cells and their scaffolds, inspired by bundled myofilaments in skeletal muscle. First, a bundled biohybrid artificial muscle was fabricated by the integration of skeletal muscle cells and hydrophilic polyurethane (HPU)/carbon nanotube (CNT) nanofibers into a fiber shape similar to that of natural skeletal muscle. The HPU/CNT nanofibers provided a stretchable basic backbone of the 3-dimensional fiber structure, which is similar to actin-myosin scaffolds. The incorporated skeletal muscle fibers contribute to the actuation of biohybrid artificial muscle. In fact, electrical field stimulation reversibly leads to the contraction of biohybrid artificial muscle. Therefore, the current development of cell-actuated artificial muscle provides great potential for energy delivery systems as actuators for implantable medibot movement and drug delivery systems. Moreover, the innervation of the biohybrid artificial muscle with motor neurons is of great interest for human-machine interfaces.

Chlorfenapyr is widely used as an insecticide, despite it being fatal to humans. However, chlorfenapyr- induced central nervous system toxicity has rarely been reported. We report the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings in a rare case of chlorfenapyr-induced toxic leukoencephalopathy. A 71-year-old man who had ingested chlorfenapyr approximately two weeks prior visited our hospital and presented with bilateral lower motor weakness and voiding dysfunction that had developed two days before admission. Brain MRI revealed extensive bilateral white matter abnormalities involving the corpus callosum, internal capsule, brain stem, and bilateral middle cerebellar peduncle. Furthermore, spine MRI revealed diffuse swelling and hyperintensity on the T2-weighted images.

We report a rare case of hyperglycemia-related osmotic demyelination syndrome (ODS) with focus on the imaging findings. A 61-year-old man with diabetes was admitted for general weakness and severe thirst. A few days later, he complained of dysarthria, dysphasia, and dysmetria. Laboratory examinations showed significant hyperglycemia, but normal electrolyte levels. Brain MRI revealed T2-signal abnormalities that were symmetrical, non-space occupying, and located in the central pons with a peripheral sparing pattern, which were suggestive of ODS. In addition, subsequent MRI revealed progression of signal hyperintensity; however, the patient’s symptoms improved.

Coronary artery aneurysm is a rare disease. It occurs in the epicardial space, mostly along the course of major coronary arteries. Here, we report a case of a giant incidental aneurysm embedded in the basal posterior wall of the left ventricle. A 43-year-old woman was referred to our institution for the evaluation of cardiac palpitations that had been present from the previous 2 months. She reported no medical history (such as Kawasaki’s disease or hypertension) or previous operative history. Echocardiogram and subsequent cardiac CT revealed a giant aneurysm in the left ventricle, with a direct fistulous connection to a dilated and tortuous left circumflex artery, which showed direct communication with the straight right coronary artery.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the inter- and intra-observer reliabilities of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for the diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis, to examine whether degree of common extensor tendon (CET) injury is related to other elbow abnormalities on MRI, and to investigate the correlation between elbow abnormalities on MRI and patients' symptoms. Methods: Fifty-one patients (32 women and 19 men; mean age: 50 years (range, 22–63)) with a diagnosis of lateral epicondylitis were included in the study. The average duration of symptoms was 2.3 years. MRI scoring system was used to grade the CET injuries and associated injuries in the elbow joint. Three independent radiologists retrospectively reviewed MRI images. Inter- and intra-observer reliabilities for diagnosing lateral epicondylitis were calculated using kappa statistics, and Spearman's rank correlation analysis was used to analyze relationships between degree of CET injury and the associated abnormalities of elbow joints. Statistical relations were considered significant for p values of

Cerebral air embolism is a rare, potentially catastrophic iatrogenic complication of central venous catheter removal. Cerebral air embolism can lead to serious neurological sequelae, resulting from cerebral infarction. Early radiological diagnosis of cerebral air embolism is critical for emergent hyperbaric oxygen treatment. In this study, we report the case of a 68-year-old man who developed cerebral air embolism after the removal of a central venous catheter that was immediately diagnosed using brain CT and brain diffusion-weighted imaging.

High road-surface temperature due to heat waves can lead to dangerous driving conditions such as tire blowouts and deformation induced by thermal stress on the roads. In this study, a Mobile Observation Vehicle dataset, with high spatial and temporal resolutions for the heat-wave episode that occurred on 16–17 August 2018, is used to understand environmental characteristics on urban road-surface and air temperatures in Seoul. This study demonstrates that the magnitude of urban road-surface temperature is dependent on the differences in incoming solar radiation due to screening of high-rise buildings in the Gangnam area, and is associated with the topographical features in the Gangbuk area. The road-surface temperature in the section of darker-colored asphalts was higher than that of lighter-colored asphalts, with a mean difference of 6.8°C, and both surface and air temperatures on the iron plate were highest, with means of 51.7°C and 35.1°C, respectively. In addition, during the water-sprinkling period, road-surface temperature was cooled by about 8.7°C (19%) compared with that in the period without water-sprinkling, but there was no significant change in air temperature. The current results could be practically used to improve road-surface temperature prediction models for civil engineers or road managers.

Saeid and Jun introduced the notion of neutrosophic points, and studied neutrosophic subalgebras of several types in BCK/BCI-algebras by using the notion of neutrosophic points. More general form of neutrosophic points is considered in this paper, and generalizations of Saeid and Jun’s results are discussed.

Uterine smooth muscle neoplasms that cannot be clearly diagnosed as benign or malignant based on generally applied histopathologic parameters are classified as “smooth muscle tumors of uncertain malignant potential (STUMP)”. Herein, we report on the first case of a STUMP that originated from the superior mesenteric vein (SMV), with emphasis on the radiologic findings. Magnetic resonance imaging showed a well-defined mass encasing the SMV with progressive and homogeneous enhancement in the arterial and portal venous phases. The lesion showed mild hyperintensity on T2-weighted images when compared with skeletal muscle, which was quite different from typical leiomyomas. The lesion also showed hyperintensity on the diffusion-weighted images, and hypointensity on the apparent diffusion coefficient map. These results may reflect the high cellularity of the mass.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between abdominal fat as assessed by abdominal fat CT and metabolic syndrome (MS), especially in asymptomatic Korean individuals. Materials and Methods Retrospectively, a medical record analysis was performed in a total of 111 patients with screening abdominal fat CT. The data such as visceral fat (VF), subcutaneous fat (SF) and VF/SF were elicited by abdominal fat CT, and we analyzed the relationship of VF, SF, and VF/SF with MS and cardiovascular risk factors. Results In males, VF and SF had a positive correlation with many cardiovascular risk factors and MS, but VF was superior to SF. In females, VF, but not SF, had a positive correlation with some cardiovascular risk factors and MS. The cut-off values of VF and SF to predict MS, which were calculated by drawing receiver operating characteristic curves, were as follows: the cut-off value of VF in men: 136.50 cm2, the cut-off value of SF in men: 159.50 cm2, and the cut-off value of VF in women: 134.50 cm2. Conclusion In conclusion, VF accumulation was the best predictor of MS and it had a positive correlation with cardiovascular risk factors in both sexes. SF also had a significant association with MS, especially in men, although it was not superior to VF.

Unilateral pulmonary artery hypoplasia or agenesis without congenital cardiovascular anomalies is rare in adults. We report a case of a 36-year-old man with isolated left unilateral pulmonary artery hypoplasia with recurrent hemoptysis. On computed tomography (CT), the left pulmonary artery showed hypoplasia with multiple collateral vessels seen in the mediastinum and the left hemithorax. Also, parenchymal bands and peripheral linear opacities were seen in the affected lung, which were probably due to chronic infarction induced by unilateral pulmonary artery hypoplasia. There are only a few reports focusing on the radiologic findings in the pulmonary parenchyma induced by unilateral pulmonary artery hypoplasia, such as parenchymal bands and peripheral linear opacities. Therefore we report this case, which focused on the CT findings in the pulmonary parenchyma due to isolated unilateral pulmonary artery hypoplasia.

Underwater robots and vehicles have received great attention due to their potential applications in remote sensing and search and rescue. A challenge for micro aquatic robots is the lack of small motors needed for three-dimensional locomotion in water. Here, we show a simple diving and surfacing device fabricated from thermo-sensitive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) or a poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-containing hydrogel. The poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-containing device exhibited fast and reversible diving/surfacing cycles in response to changing temperature. Modulation of the interaction between poly(N-isopropylacrylamide) chains and water molecules at temperatures above or below the lower critical solution temperature regulates the gel density through the swelling and de-swelling. The gel surfaced in water when heated and sank when cooled. We further showed reversible diving/surfacing cycles of the device when exposed to electrical and ultrasonic stimuli. Finally, a small electrically heated gel was incorporated into a miniature submarine and used to control the diving depth. These results suggest that the poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-containing device has good potential for underwater remote-controlled micro aquatic robots.

Carbon nanotube yarns with high loadings of pseudocapacitive material are desirable, e.g., for emerging wearable technologies. Here authors make biscrolled yarns with high loadings of MnO2nanoparticles confined in carbon nanotube galleries, demonstrating very high linear and areal capacitances.

Undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma, known as malignant fibrous histiocytoma, arising from the wall of the aorta is an extremely rare tumor. We report computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging findings of a 67-year-old male patient with histopathologically proven undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma arising from the wall of the descending thoracic aorta. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of such a case in Korea. Knowledge of imaging findings of undifferentiated pleomorphic sarcoma will be helpful for accurate diagnosis and appropriate management.

Charcoal remains stable without causing a foreign body reaction and it may be used for preoperative localization of a non-palpable breast mass. However, cases of post-charcoal-marking granuloma have only rarely been reported in the breast, and a charcoal granuloma can be misdiagnosed as malignancy. Herein, we report the ultrasound, computed tomography (CT), 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/CT, and breast-specific gamma imaging findings of recurrence-mimicking charcoal granuloma after breast conserving surgery, following localization with charcoal in a breast cancer patient.

The recent development of advanced high-resolution transducers has enabled the fast, easy, and dynamic ultrasonographic evaluation of small, superficial structures such as the finger. In order to best exploit these advances, it is important to understand the normal anatomy and the basic pathologies of the finger, as exemplified by the following conditions involving the dorsal, volar, and lateral sections of the finger: sagittal band injuries, mallet finger, and Boutonnière deformity (dorsal aspect); flexor tendon tears, trigger finger, and volar plate injuries (volar aspect); gamekeeper’s thumb (Stener lesions) and other collateral ligament tears (lateral aspect); and other lesions. This review provides a basis for understanding the ultrasonography of the finger and will therefore be useful for radiologists.

By considering an entry (i.e., a number, an idea, an object, etc.) which is represented by a known part ( a ) and an unknown part ( b T , c I , d F ) where T , I , F have their usual neutrosophic logic meanings and a , b , c , d are real or complex numbers, Smarandache introduced the concept of neutrosophic quadruple numbers. Using the concept of neutrosophic quadruple numbers based on a set, Jun et al. constructed neutrosophic quadruple BCK/BCI-algebras and implicative neutrosophic quadruple BCK-algebras. The notion of a neutrosophic quadruple BCI-positive implicative ideal is introduced, and several properties are dealt with in this article. We establish the relationship between neutrosophic quadruple ideal and neutrosophic quadruple BCI-positive implicative ideal. Given nonempty subsets I and J of a BCI-algebra, conditions for the neutrosophic quadruple ( I , J ) -set to be a neutrosophic quadruple BCI-positive implicative ideal are provided.