Utilization of formic acid by extremely thermoacidophilic archaea species.

The exploration of novel hosts with the ability to assimilate formic acid, a C1 substrate that can be produced from renewable electrons and CO, is of great relevance for developing novel and sustainable biomanufacturing platforms. Formatotrophs can use formic acid or formate as a carbon and/or reducing power source. Formatotrophy has typically been studied in neutrophilic microorganisms because formic acid toxicity increases in acidic environments below the pKa of 3.

Germanium and Tin Precursors for Chalcogenide Materials Containing -Alkoxy Thioamide Ligands.

This study describes the synthesis of germanium and tin complexes Ge(mdpaS) (), Ge(edpaS) (), Ge(bdpaS) (), Ge(empaS) (), Sn(mdpaS) (), Sn(edpaS) (), Sn(bdpaS) (), and Sn(empaS) () (mdpaSH = ()--methoxy-2,2-dimethylpropanimidothioic acid; edpaSH = ()--ethoxy-2,2-dimethylpropanimidothioic acid; bdpaSH = ()--(tert-butoxy)-2,2-dimethylpropanimidothioic acid; empaSH = ()--ethoxy-2-methylpropanimidothioic acid), using newly designed -alkoxy thioamide ligands as precursors for metal chalcogenide materials. All complexes were characterized using various analytical techniques, and the single-crystal structures of complexes and revealed a distorted seesaw geometry in the monomeric SnL form. Thermogravimetric (TG) curves showed differences between Ge compounds, which exhibited single-step weight losses, and Sn compounds, which exhibited multistep weight losses.

Action Recognition of Taekwondo Unit Actions Using Action Images Constructed with Time-Warped Motion Profiles.

Taekwondo has evolved from a traditional martial art into an official Olympic sport. This study introduces a novel action recognition model tailored for Taekwondo unit actions, utilizing joint-motion data acquired via wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU) sensors. The utilization of IMU sensor-measured motion data facilitates the capture of the intricate and rapid movements characteristic of Taekwondo techniques.

Housing of electrosynthetic biofilms using a roll-up carbon veil electrode increases CO conversion and faradaic efficiency in microbial electrosynthesis cells.

Electrode-driven microbial electron transfer enables the conversion of CO into multi-carbon compounds. The electrosynthetic biofilms grow slowly on the surface and are highly susceptible to operational influences, such as hydrodynamic shear stress. In this study, a cylindrical roll-up carbon felt electrode was developed as a novel strategy to protect biofilms from shear stress within the reactor.

rhizoma ameliorates thioacetamide-induced liver injury in dogs.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of rhizome (GR) on thioacetamide (TAA)-induced liver injury in dogs. We evaluated serum biochemical and hematological parameters, with emphasis on alanine transaminase (ALT), alanine phosphates (ALP), and nitric oxide (NO) levels, in dogs with TAA-induced liver injury.

Materials And Methods: The animals were divided into a control group (Con), TAA group, Silymarin group (Sil, 50 mg/kg), Gastrodia rhizome low dose (GRL) (low) + TAA, GRH (high) + TAA, and GR high-dose group (GRH) control group.

Polydopamine/polypyrrole-modified graphite felt enhances biocompatibility for electroactive bacteria and power density of microbial fuel cell.

The interactions between the microbes and the surface of an anode play an important role in capturing the respiratory electrons from bacteria in a microbial fuel cell (MFC). The chemical and electrochemical characteristics of the carbon material affect biofilm growth and direct electron transfer in MFCs. This study examined the electrodeposition of polydopamine (PDA) and polypyrrole (PPY) on graphite felt electrode (GF).

Component-Wise Error Correction Method for UWB-Based Localization in Target-Following Mobile Robot.

Target-following mobile robots have gained attention in various industrial applications. This study proposes an ultra-wideband-based target localization method that provides highly accurate and robust target tracking performance for a following robot. Based on the least square approximation framework, the proposed method improves localization accuracy by compensating localization bias and high-frequency deviations component by component.

Overview of electroactive microorganisms and electron transfer mechanisms in microbial electrochemistry.

Electroactive microorganisms acting as microbial electrocatalysts have intrinsic metabolisms that mediate a redox potential difference between solid electrodes and microbes, leading to spontaneous electron transfer to the electrode (exo-electron transfer) or electron uptake from the electrode (endo-electron transfer). These microbes biochemically convert various organic and/or inorganic compounds to electricity and/or biochemicals in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs) such as microbial fuel cells (MFCs) and microbial electrosynthesis cells (MECs). For the past two decades, intense studies have converged to clarify electron transfer mechanisms of electroactive microbes in BESs, which thereby have led to improved bioelectrochemical performance.

Estimation of Health-Related Physical Fitness (HRPF) Levels of the General Public Using Artificial Neural Network with the National Fitness Award (NFA) Datasets.

Estimation of health-related physical fitness (HRPF) levels of individuals is indispensable for providing personalized training programs in smart fitness services. In this study, we propose an artificial neural network (ANN)-based estimation model to predict HRPF levels of the general public using simple affordable physical information. The model is designed to use seven inputs of personal physical information, including age, gender, height, weight, percent body fat, waist circumference, and body mass index (BMI), to estimate levels of muscle strength, flexibility, maximum rate of oxygen consumption (VO), and muscular endurance.

Enabling anoxic acetate assimilation by electrode-driven respiration in the obligate aerobe, Pseudomonas putida.

This study examined the obligate aerobe, Pseudomonas putida, using acetate as the sole carbon and energy source, and respiration via an anode as the terminal electron acceptor under anoxic conditions. P. putida showed significantly different acetate assimilation in a closed-circuit microbial fuel cell (CC-MFC) compared to an open circuit MFC (OC-MFC).

Photoautotrophic hydrogen production of Rhodobacter sphaeroides in a microbial electrosynthesis cell.

Conventional photoheterotrophic H production by purple sulfur bacteria requires additional organic substrates as the carbon and energy sources. This study examined the novel photoautotrophic H production of Rhodobacter sphaeroides with concomitant CO uptake in microbial electrosynthesis (MES). Under an applied potential of -0.

Supply of proton enhances CO electrosynthesis for acetate and volatile fatty acid productions.

The microbial electrosynthesis is a platform to supply protons and electrons to improve the conversion efficiency and production rate for the valorization of C1 gas. This study examined proton migration and electron transfer of the electrode and microbe by using various external parameters in the electrosynthesis of CO. The CO electrosynthesis achieved almost double of coulombic efficiency than the conventional CO electrosynthesis.

Highly regioselective biotransformation of ginsenoside Rb2 into compound Y and compound K by β-glycosidase purified from mycelia.

Background: The biological activities of ginseng saponins (ginsenosides) are associated with type, number, and position of sugar moieties linked to aglycone skeletons. Deglycosylated minor ginsenosides are known to be more biologically active than major ginsenosides. Accordingly, the deglycosylation of major ginsenosides can provide the multibioactive effects of ginsenosides.

Distributed transmission power control for communication congestion control and awareness enhancement in VANETs.

The vehicular ad hoc network (VANET) has been identified as one of the most promising technologies for managing future intelligent transportation systems. This paper proposes a distributed transmission power adjustment algorithm for communication congestion control and awareness enhancement to address communication congestion problems that can arise in VANETs. The objective of the proposed algorithm is to provide maximum awareness of surrounding vehicles' status while maintaining a communications channel load below the allowed threshold.

Co-culture-based biological carbon monoxide conversion by Citrobacter amalonaticus Y19 and Sporomusa ovata via a reducing-equivalent transfer mediator.

The biological conversion of carbon monoxide (CO) has been highlighted for the development of a C1 gas biorefinery process. Despite this, the toxicity and low reducing equivalent of CO uptake make biological conversion difficult. The use of synthetic co-cultures is an alternative way of enhancing the performance of CO bioconversion.

Electrochemically enhanced microbial CO conversion to volatile fatty acids using neutral red as an electron mediator.

Conversion of C1 gas feedstock, including carbon monoxide (CO), into useful platform chemicals has attracted considerable interest in industrial biotechnology. Nevertheless, the low conversion yield and/or growth rate of CO-utilizing microbes make it difficult to develop a C1 gas biorefinery process. The Wood-Ljungdahl pathway which utilize CO is a pathway suffered from insufficient electron supply, in which the conversion can be increased further when an additional electron source like carbohydrate or hydrogen is provided.

Purification and characterization of a novel ginsenoside Rc-hydrolyzing β-glucosidase from Armillaria mellea mycelia.

Ginsenosides are the principal compounds responsible for the pharmacological effects and health benefits of Panax ginseng root. Among protopanaxadiol (PPD)-type ginsenosides, minor ginsenosides such as ginsenoside (G)-F2, G-Rh2, compound (C)-Mc1, C-Mc, C-O, C-Y, and C-K are known to be more pharmacologically active constituents than major ginsenosides such as G-Rb1, G-Rb2, G-Rc, and G-Rd. A novel ginsenoside Rc-hydrolyzing β-glucosidase (BG-1) from Armillaria mellea mycelia was purified as a single protein band with molecular weight of 121.

Glycerol-fed microbial fuel cell with a co-culture of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and Klebsiella pneumonae J2B.

Glycerol is an attractive feedstock for bioenergy and bioconversion processes but its use in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) for electrical energy recovery has not been investigated extensively. This study compared the glycerol uptake and electricity generation of a co-culture of Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and Klebsiella pneumonia J2B in a MFC with that of a single species inoculated counterpart. Glycerol was metabolized successfully in the co-culture MFC (MFC-J&M) with simultaneous electricity production but it was not utilized in the MR-1 only MFC (MFC-M).

Development of a questionnaire for the assessment of quality of life in korean children with allergic rhinitis.

Purpose: Korean children have their own unique lifestyle based on their living environment and culture. This study aimed to develop a questionnaire to evaluate the quality of life in Korean children with allergic rhinitis.

Methods: After a preliminary survey, an initial questionnaire was developed.