Genome editing-based mutagenesis stably modifies composition of wax esters synthesized by Euglena gracilis under anaerobic conditions.

Microalgal oil production represents a promising renewable biofuel source. Metabolic engineering can enhance its utility, transforming it into an improved biofuel and expanding its applications as a feedstock for commodity chemicals, thereby increasing their value in biorefineries. This study focused on anaerobic wax ester production by the microalga Euglena gracilis, aiming to develop stable mutant strains with altered wax ester profiles through genome editing.

[Incidentally Found Intralobar Pulmonary Sequestration Undergoing Video-assisted Thoracoscopic Right Basal Segmentectomy:Report of a Case].

A 53-year-old asymptomatic woman was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of an area of abnormal intensity in the right lower lobe on cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging. She denied a history of pneumonia but occasionally expectorated bloody sputum. Contrast-enhanced chest computed tomography (CT) revealed areas of consolidations with multiple cysts within the right lower lobe and an anomalous artery that originated from the descending aorta and entered the right lower lobe.

Fractionation of cassava pectins and their detailed structural analyses using various pectinolytic enzymes.

In this study, we analyzed the pectin structure within the pulp of cassava. Cassava pectin, derived from cassava pulp treatment at 120 °C for 90 min, was separated into four fractions (CP-P, CP-SD1, CP-SD2F, and CP-SD2R) based on variations in water solubility, electrical properties, and molecular weights. Sugar composition analysis demonstrated an abundance of homogalacturonan (HG) in CP-P and CP-SD2F, rhamnogalacturonan I (RG-I) in CP-SD2R, and neutral sugars in CP-SD1.

Novel acid trehalase belonging to glycoside hydrolase family 37 from sp.: cloning, expression and characterization.

The N-terminal amino acid sequence of the sp. 90 kDa protein was in good agreement with the corresponding sequence of the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 37 protein (trehalase) from PC 15 v2.0.

Gelation of konjac glucomannan by acetylmannan esterases from Aspergillus oryzae.

Konjac glucomannan (KGM) is a principal component of the gelatinous food Konjac. Konjac production through alkali treatment releases an undesirable amine-odor. Two acetylesterases (AME1 and AME2) active against konjac glucomannan (polymer or oligomer) were purified from the supernatant of Aspergillus oryzae RIB40 culture.

Use of a highly sensitive lung cancer compact panel to detect KRAS G12D in the wash fluid from a lung tumor: A case report.

Here, we report a case of a pulmonary invasive mucinous adenocarcinoma harboring KRAS G12D, diagnosed from tumor samples containing a very small amount of tumor cells using next-generation sequencing (NGS) and the recently developed Lung Cancer Compact Panel. A 79-year-old woman without any respiratory symptoms underwent chest computed tomography, which revealed a tumor in the left lower lobe. During endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS)-guided transbronchial biopsy (TBB) using a guide sheath (GS), a sufficient specimen for pathological diagnosis could not be obtained because the patient had a severe cough and pulmonary bullae located adjacent to the tumor.

Delayed bronchial perforation after bulla cauterization with soft coagulation system.

Background: Soft coagulation is widely used for hemostasis because of its significant advantage in inducing tissue coagulation and denaturation without carbonization. However, a few cases of airway damage have been reported at the site, where soft coagulation was directly applied.

Case Presentation: We encountered an unusual case of delayed perforation of the intermediate bronchial trunk observed on 24 days after cauterization of the right S6 bulla adjacent to the bronchus.

NADPH-to-NADH conversion by mitochondrial transhydrogenase is indispensable for sustaining anaerobic metabolism in Euglena gracilis.

Euglena gracilis produces ATP in the anaerobic mitochondria with concomitant wax ester formation, and NADH is essential for ATP formation and fatty acid synthesis in the mitochondria. This study demonstrated that mitochondrial cofactor conversion by nicotinamide nucleotide transhydrogenase (NNT), converting NADPH/NAD to NADP /NADH, is indispensable for sustaining anaerobic metabolism. Silencing of NNT genes significantly decreased wax ester production and cellular viability during anaerobiosis but had no such marked effects under aerobic conditions.

Chemical Modification of Phage-Displayed Helix-Loop-Helix Peptides to Construct Kinase-Focused Libraries.

Conformationally constrained peptides hold promise as molecular tools in chemical biology and as a new modality in drug discovery. The construction and screening of a target-focused library could be a promising approach for the generation of de novo ligands or inhibitors against target proteins. Here, we have prepared a protein kinase-focused library by chemically modifying helix-loop-helix (HLH) peptides displayed on phage and subsequently tethered to adenosine.

Novel cold-adapted raw-starch digesting α-amylases from : Gene cloning, expression, and characterization.

We identified the raw-starch-digesting α-amylase genes a earthworm and ( and ). Each gene consists of 1,530 base pairs (bp) that encode proteins of 510 amino acids, as indicated by the corresponding mRNA sequences. Ef-Amy I and II showed an 89% amino acid identity.

Homogalacturonan and xylogalacturonan region specificity of self-cloning vector-expressed pectin methylesterases (AoPME1-3) in Aspergillus oryzae.

Aspergillus oryzae is a safe microorganism that is commonly used in food production. We constructed a self-cloning vector capable of high expression in A. oryzae.

Contralateral tension pneumothorax during video-assisted thoracic surgery for lung cancer in a patient with obesity and rib fractures: a case report and review of the literature.

Background: Intraoperative contralateral pneumothorax during one-lung ventilation is a rare but life-threatening complication. Although the exact incidence is unknown, only 14 cases with this complication have been reported until now.

Case Presentation: A 67-year-old Japanese man with a weight of 80 kg, height of 162.

Site-Selective Alkenylation of Unactivated C(sp )-H Bonds Mediated by Compact Sulfate Radical.

A broad variety of unactivated acyclic and alicyclic substrates cleanly undergo site-selective alkenylation of unactivated C(sp )-H bonds with 1,2-bis(phenylsulfonyl)ethene in the presence of persulfate. This simple transformation furnishes (E)-2-alkylvinylphenylsulfones in up to 88 % yield. In contrast with the previously reported decatungstate protocol, the current method is applicable to alkenylation of sterically hindered C-H bonds.

Case report of thoracoscopic resection for broncholithiasis with severe obstructive pneumonia.

Broncholithiasis is a rare disease characterized by bronchial erosion or distortion due to hilar or parenchymatous calcification. When a broncholith has no mobility and there is a risk of major bleeding if removal is attempted, surgical intervention is required. Most operations for broncholithiasis are performed via a thoracotomy, and bronchial lithotripsy under complete video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery has been reported only rarely.

Nodule around the staple line after pulmonary resection: benign granuloma or cancer recurrence?

Purpose: When a mass develops around the staple line after lung cancer surgery, differential diagnosis between lung cancer recurrence and benign granuloma can be clinically problematic. Therefore, we investigated the clinical characteristics of benign granuloma and cancer recurrence around the staple line to determine clinical factors that can distinguish staple line granuloma and cancer recurrence.

Methods: We retrospectively investigated the clinical records of 25 patients who developed a nodule around the staple line after pulmonary resection for lung cancer and conducted a comparative study of staple line granuloma and cancer recurrence.

X-ray crystallographic structural studies of α-amylase I from Eisenia fetida.

The earthworm Eisenia fetida possesses several cold-active enzymes, including α-amylase, β-glucanase and β-mannanase. E. fetida possesses two isoforms of α-amylase (Ef-Amy I and II) to digest raw starch.

Iatrogenic bronchial injury findings during video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery.

Iatrogenic tracheobronchial injury detected during cardiothoracic surgery should be repaired intraoperatively to ensure safe of postoperative management and stable respiratory conditions. We report herein a patient with lung cancer who underwent video-assisted thoracoscopic surgery right lower lobectomy. During surgery, pneumomediastinum and air leakage from mediastinal fatty tissue were detected.

High Reactivity of α-Boryl Radical of Potassium Alkyltrifluoroborate in Atom-Transfer Radical Addition.

We found that the α-boryl radical of potassium alkyltrifluoroborate shows higher reactivity compared to the α-boryl radicals of alkylboronic acid pinacol ester and alkyl -methyl imidodiacetic acid (MIDA) boronate in the halogen atom abstraction step of atom-transfer radical addition (ATRA) between alkyl bromide and vinylborons. In this research, an ATRA of alkyl halides with potassium vinyltrifluoroborate furnished unique alkylborons, which are difficult to synthesize by other methods.

Determination of chemical structure of pea pectin by using pectinolytic enzymes.

The chemical structure of pea pectin was delineated using pectin-degrading enzymes and biochemical methods. The molecular weight of the pea pectin preparation was 488,000, with 50 % arabinose content, and neutral sugar side chains attached to approximately 60 % of the rhamnose residues in rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I). Arabinan, an RG-I side chain, was highly branched, and the main chain was comprised of α-1,5-l-arabinan.

Characterization of three GH35 β-galactosidases, enzymes able to shave galactosyl residues linked to rhamnogalacturonan in pectin, from Penicillium chrysogenum 31B.

Three recombinant β-galactosidases (BGALs; PcBGAL35A, PcBGAL35B, and PcGALX35C) belonging to the glycoside hydrolase (GH) family 35 derived from Penicillium chrysogenum 31B were expressed using Pichia pastoris and characterized. PcBGAL35A showed a unique substrate specificity that has not been reported so far. Based on the results of enzymological tests and H-nuclear magnetic resonance, PcBGAL35A was found to hydrolyze β-1,4-galactosyl residues linked to L-rhamnose in rhamnogalacturonan-I (RG-I) of pectin, as well as p-nitrophenyl-β-D-galactopyranoside and β-D-galactosyl oligosaccharides.

Solitary Splenic Metastasis of Lung Cancer Presenting as Benign Cystic Disease.

Solitary splenic metastasis from primary lung cancer is extremely rare. Here, we demonstrated a solitary splenic metastasis of primary lung cancer that was difficult to distinguish from benign cystic disease. A 69-year-old-female was diagnosed as middle lobe lung cancer.

Preoperative Smoking Cessation Period Is Not Related to Postoperative Respiratory Complications in Patients Undergoing Lung Cancer Surgery.

Purpose: Smoking is reported to be a risk factor for postoperative complications. However, there is no consensus regarding the length of time for which patients need to give up smoking. Therefore, we examined the relationship between preoperative smoking status and postoperative complications in patients who underwent lobectomy for treatment of lung cancer.

Pulmonary lymphangiectasis presenting as solitary pulmonary coin lesion.

Pulmonary lymphangiectasis is a rare anomaly of infancy characterized by dilatation of pulmonary lymphatic vessels. It is considered to occur exclusively in young children and neonates, and pulmonary lymphangiectasis in asymptomatic adults is rare. Moreover, because chest radiography usually demonstrated the generalized congestive pattern of increased pulmonary vascularity or a reticulonodular pattern, it is extremely unusual for pulmonary lymphangiectasis to be demonstrated as a solitary nodular lesion.