Simultaneous production of methane and acetate by thermophilic mixed culture from carbon dioxide in bioelectrochemical system.

A thermophilic bioelectrochemical system was operated with mixed culture at 60 °C, while introducing only carbon dioxide. Methane production was initially observed in a membrane-less single chamber without a mediator, but eventually acetate was also found as 10.5 g/L after 137 days of operation. Comparing the microbial communities before and after the electricity supply using next-generation sequencing technology, acetoclastic methanogens such as Methanosaeta concilii were increased, and this result also indicates the production of acetate in bioelectrochemical CO2 conversion system. With the advent of sulfate-reducing bacteria, Desulfotomaculum peckii was considered to be an acetate production promoter. These high production results for both methane and acetate can be applied to CO2 storage using excess electricity for value-added chemicals.

A study of lower urinary tract symptoms for the Korean women aged 30 and over.

The purposes of this study were (1) to identify the prevalence of urinary incontinence (UI) and lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTS) for Korean women, (2) to evaluate the LUTS scores of the subjects in relation with each UI patterns and general characteristics, and (3) to identify affecting factors developing LUTS by using self-administered questionnaire. Community-based cross-sectional study was conducted for 3,371 women aged 30 to 89 years old who were allocated at six provinces in South Korea. UI and LUTS were assessed by validated symptom scales including the International Prostate Symptom Score. Of all the respondents, 63.4% had experienced UI more than once a month during the prior 12 months. Among the respondents, 36.6% had no UI, 47.5% had stress UI, 0.4% had urge UI, and 15.5% had mixed UI. The mean LUTS score of the total respondents was 7.8 +/- 4.1. The LUTS was significantly predicted by age (p < .0001) and mixed UI (p < .0001), and 79.4% of variance in LUTS was explained. The highest LUTS scores were shown in the subjects with mixed UI, and we found that LUTS scores increased with age.