State-of-the-art review of soil erosion control by MICP and EICP techniques: Problems, applications, and prospects.

In recent years, the application of microbially induced calcite precipitation (MICP) and enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) techniques have been extensively studied to mitigate soil erosion, yielding substantial achievements in this regard. This paper presents a comprehensive review of the recent progress in erosion control by MICP and EICP techniques. To further discuss the effectiveness of erosion mitigation in-depth, the estimation methods and characterization of erosion resistance were initially compiled. Moreover, factors affecting the erosion resistance of MICP/EICP-treated soil were expounded, spanning from soil properties to treatment protocols and environmental conditions. The development of optimization and upscaling in erosion mitigation via MICP/EICP was also included in this review. In addition, this review discussed the limitations and correspondingly proposed prospective applications of erosion control via the MICP/EICP approach. The current review presents up-to-date information on the research activities for improving erosion resistance by MICP/EICP, aiming at providing insights for interdisciplinary researchers and guidance for promoting this method to further applications in erosion mitigation.

Significant increase in the prevalence of Panton-Valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus, particularly the USA300 variant ΨUSA300, in the Japanese community.

IMPORTANCE: USA300 is an MRSA clone producing PVL, a toxin associated with SSTIs. ΨUSA300 is a USA300 variant recently identified in Japan by Takadama et al. (15). Here, we found that the prevalence rate of PVL-positive MRSA in S. aureus was elevated in the Japanese community, and ΨUSA300 accounted for most of them. ΨUSA300 strains have been isolated from several areas in Japan and were associated with deep-seated SSTIs. This study highlighted the emerging threat posed by ΨUSA300 in Japan.

Eco-friendly soil stabilization method using fish bone as cement material.

The method of soil improvement by calcium phosphate precipitation is a novel, environmentally friendly, and non-toxic technique. Such technology provides advantages over ureolytic induced calcite precipitation (UICP), the most popular and widely used method in the field of geotechnical engineering. In this paper, an investigation of the consolidation of fine and coarse sand samples by enzyme induced calcium phosphate precipitation (EICPP) was carried out. Tuna bones were used as an alternative source of calcium and phosphorus ions, as one of the most popular fish species in Japan and the main source of food industry waste. Unconfined compressive strength (UCS) of the samples after 21 days of daily injection of the solution showed an increase in strength up to 6,05 MPa in fine and up to 4,3 MPa in coarse sand samples. X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (SEM-EDS) analysis were performed to investigate the nature and type of deposition. Analyses confirmed that deposition is composed of brushite with needle-like crystals in the case of Toyoura sand and flower-like crystals in the case of Mikawa sand. SEM-EDS showed a presence of both, calcium, and phosphorus in the precipitate, indicating the presence of calcium phosphate compounds (CPCs). This study reveals that tuna bones are a rich source of calcium and phosphorus for EICPP, which results in a strengthening of silicate soil up to 3.4-6.05 MPa and is able to reduce ammonia emissions by 85.7 % - 97.5 % compared to UICP.

Lessons from a case with stiff left atrial syndrome complicated by iatrogenic inter-atrial shunts: a case report.

Background: In patients with stiff left atrial (LA) syndrome, reservoir function is significantly impaired due to extensive LA fibrosis; consequently, the increase in LA pressure during haemodynamic stress is prominent, easily leading to pulmonary venous hypertension and subsequent pulmonary congestion, and eventually results in intractable heart failure. Case summary: A 79-year-old female with mitral stenosis and atrial fibrillation underwent valve replacement, Cox-Maze IV procedure, LA plication, and appendage ligation 4 years prior to presentation. Thereafter, she underwent a total of two catheter ablation procedures for recurrent atrial tachycardia. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed two continuous colour jets across the interatrial septum, with a peak pressure gradient of 23 mmHg, which was consistent with the residual puncture hole at the catheter ablation procedures. Although transoesophageal echocardiography showed no evidence of prosthetic valve dysfunction, the pulmonary venous flow signal showed a significantly blunted systolic forward flow, extremely small retrograde reversal flow during atrial contraction, and prominent diastolic flow velocities, all of which indicated significantly impaired LA function. Cardiac catheter examination revealed a characteristic pulmonary capillary wedge pressure waveform, which consisted of a steep ascending limb of v wave with a large peak, consistent with stiff LA syndrome. Discussion: Treatment of patients with stiff LA syndrome is quite challenging and restricted to the use of diuretics only, which has limited efficacy and eventually results in intractable heart failure. In this case, owing to the inter-atrial pressure-relieving gateway, the patient was only mildly symptomatic despite the existence of a non-compliant LA.

Where has the lymphoma gone? Pericardial effusion adenosine deaminase may play a key role in diagnosing primary effusion lymphoma-like lymphoma: a case report.

Background: Primary effusion lymphoma (PEL) is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma that is exclusively generated by body cavity effusion. Primary effusion lymphoma develops in patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and is associated with the human herpes virus (HHV)-8 infection. However, there are sporadic cases without HHV-8 infections or any history of immunodeficiency, called 'PEL-like lymphoma'. Case summary: An 83-year-old man was admitted to our institution because of shortness of breath, fatigue, and facial oedema. Laboratory findings were unremarkable, including negative results for HIV antibodies. Transthoracic echocardiography revealed massive pericardial effusion surrounding the entire heart, which resulted in the early diastolic collapse of the right ventricular free wall, indicating elevated intra-pericardial pressure. He underwent pericardial centesis and 700 mL of pericardial fluid was drained. Adenosine deaminase (ADA) in the pericardial effusion showed an abnormally high value of 221 U/L. Cytological examination revealed a cellular population compatible with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma with prominent blastic characteristics and negative for HHV-8 latent nuclear antigens. Thus, the patient was diagnosed with HHV-8 unrelated HIV-negative PEL-like lymphoma. He was followed for more than 10 months in complete remission after a single pericardial drainage without any chemotherapy. Discussion: Exhaustive drainage of the lymphomatous effusion may induce complete remission in some patients with PEL-like lymphoma. Furthermore, the ADA value in the pericardial effusion may serve as a valuable guide to facilitate the accurate diagnosis of PEL-like lymphoma.

Baseline investigation on soil solidification through biocementation using airborne bacteria.

Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) through the ureolysis metabolic pathway is one of the most studied topics in biocementation due to its high efficiency. Although excellent outcomes have proved the potential of this technique, microorganisms face some obstacles when considering complicated situations in the real field, such as bacterial adaptability and survivability issues. This study made the first attempt to seek solutions to this issue from the air, exploring ureolytic airborne bacteria with resilient features to find a solution to survivability issues. Samples were collected using an air sampler in Sapporo, Hokkaido, a cold region where sampling sites were mostly covered with dense vegetation. After two rounds of screening, 12 out of 57 urease-positive isolates were identified through 16S rRNA gene analysis. Four potentially selected strains were then evaluated in terms of growth pattern and activity changes within a range of temperatures (15°C-35°C). The results from sand solidification tests using two Lederbergia strains with the best performance among the isolates showed an improvement in unconfined compressive strength up to 4-8 MPa after treatment, indicating a high MICP efficiency. Overall, this baseline study demonstrated that the air could be an ideal isolation source for ureolytic bacteria and laid a new pathway for MICP applications. More investigations on the performance of airborne bacteria under changeable environments may be required to further examine their survivability and adaptability.

Functional modification of mussel adhesive protein to control solubility and adhesion property.

Marine mussels produce strong underwater adhesives called mussel adhesive proteins (MAPs) that can adhere to a variety of surfaces under physiological conditions. Thus, MAPs have been investigated as a potentially sustainable alternative to conventional petrochemical-based adhesives. Recombinant MAPs would be promising for large-scale production and commercialization; however, MAPs are intrinsically adhesive, aggregative, and insoluble in water. In this study, we have developed a solubilization method for the control of MAP adhesion by fusion protein technique. Foot protein 1 (Fp1), a kind of MAP, was fused with the highly water-soluble protein, which is the C-terminal domain of ice-nucleation protein K (InaKC), separated by a protease cleaving site. The fusion protein exhibited low adhesion but high solubility and stability. Notably, Fp1 recovered its adhesive property after removal from the InaKC moiety by protease cleaving, which was evaluated and confirmed by the agglomeration of magnetite particles in water. The ability to control adhesion and agglomeration makes MAPs favorable prospects for bio-based adhesives.

Interfacial biosilica coating of chitosan gel using fusion silicatein to fabricate robust hybrid material for biomolecular applications.

An enzyme-encapsulated silica-based hybrid material was developed using a chitosan gel. Fusion silicatein (InaKC-ChBD-Sil), silicatein fused with a soluble tag and chitin-binding domain, was employed as an interfacial catalyst to form silica on a chitosan gel matrix under physiological conditions, and horseradish peroxidase was immobilised on the hybrid material. Silica formation on the gel was verified via fluorescence microscopy using a designed fusion protein called TBP-mCherry, a fluorescent protein fused with a silica-binding peptide. We report a chitosan gel-silica hybrid material capable of encapsulating enzymes for biomedical and environmental applications.

Naturally Derived Cements Learned from the Wisdom of Ancestors: A Literature Review Based on the Experiences of Ancient China, India and Rome.

For over a thousand years, many ancient cements have remained durable despite long-term exposure to atmospheric or humid agents. This review paper summarizes technologies of worldwide ancient architectures which have shown remarkable durability that has preserved them over thousands of years of constant erosion. We aim to identify the influence of organic and inorganic additions in altering cement properties and take these lost and forgotten technologies to the production frontline. The types of additions were usually decided based on the local environment and purpose of the structure. The ancient Romans built magnificent structures by making hydraulic cement using volcanic ash. The ancient Chinese introduced sticky rice and other local materials to improve the properties of pure lime cement. A variety of organic and inorganic additions used in traditional lime cement not only changes its properties but also improves its durability for centuries. The benefits they bring to cement may also be useful in enzyme-induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) and microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) fields. For instance, sticky rice has been confirmed to play a crucial role in regulating calcite crystal growth and providing interior hydrophobic conditions, which contribute to improving the strength and durability of EICP- and MICP-treated samples in a sustainable way.

Diastolic heart failure is a new clinical entity of trastuzumab-induced cardiotoxicity: a case report.

Background: Cancer therapy-related cardiac dysfunction (CTRCD) is defined as a decrease in the left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) of >10% to a value below the lower limit of normal or relative reduction in global longitudinal strain (GLS) >15% from baseline after cancer treatment. However, the possibility of the development of isolated diastolic dysfunction has never been considered in the clinical presentation of CTRCD. Case summary: An 81-year-old woman was admitted to our institution presenting with prominent bilateral leg oedema, orthopnoea, and 8 kg of weight gain after administration of the anti-human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER-2) antibody, trastuzumab, for HER-2-positive breast cancer. Transthoracic echocardiography showed a preserved LVEF of 62% without a significant reduction in GLS compared with results obtained before anti-HER-2 targeted therapy. Doppler echocardiography distinctly revealed a newly developed significant left ventricular diastolic dysfunction with evidence of elevated filling pressure. After successful achievement of volume reduction, the patient underwent cardiac catheter examination, revealing an elevated pulmonary artery wedge pressure of 18 mmHg. Subsequently, trastuzumab was discontinued and the patient was treated with diuretics, arteriodilators, and venodilators, until the signs and symptoms of heart failure completely disappeared. Discussion: In the management of CTRCD, including pretreatment screening, cardiotoxicity monitoring, follow-up after anti-cancer agents, and evaluation of the effectiveness of the therapy, too much emphasis has been paid exclusively to the development of systolic dysfunction; however, perspectives for diastolic dysfunction may be needed. A comprehensive multidisciplinary team approach composed of breast surgeons, oncologists, onco-cardiologists, and echocardiography specialists is required.

Influence of humic acid on microbial induced carbonate precipitation for organic soil improvement.

Microbial induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) is one of the most commonly researched topics on biocementation, which achieves cementation of soil particles by carbonate from urea hydrolysis catalyzed by microbial urease. Although most MICP studies are limited to stabilizing sandy soils, more researchers are now turning their interest to other weak soils, particularly organic soils. To stabilize organic soils, the influence of humic substances should be investigated since it has been reported to inhibit urease activity and disrupt the formation of calcium carbonate. This study investigates the effect of humic acid (HA), one fraction of humic substances, on MICP. For this purpose, the effects of HA content on CaCO3 precipitation using three strains and on CaCO3 morphology were examined. The results showed that native species in organic soils were less adversely affected by HA addition than the exogenous one. Another interesting finding is that bacteria seem to have strategies to cope with harsh conditions with HA. Observation of CaCO3 morphology revealed that the crystallization process was hindered by HA to some extent, producing lots of fine amorphous precipitates and large aggregated CaCO3. Overall, this study could provide an insightful understanding of possible obstacles when using MICP to stabilize organic soils.

State-of-the-Art Review on Engineering Uses of Calcium Phosphate Compounds: An Eco-Friendly Approach for Soil Improvement.

Greenhouse gas emissions are a critical problem nowadays. The cement manufacturing sector alone accounts for 8% of all human-generated emissions, and as the world's population grows and globalization intensifies, this sector will require significantly more resources. In order to fulfill the need of geomaterials for construction and to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere, conventional approaches to soil reinforcement need to be reconsidered. Calcium phosphate compounds (CPCs) are new materials that have only recently found their place in the soil reinforcement field. Its eco-friendly, non-toxic, reaction pathway is highly dependent on the pH of the medium and the concentration of components inside the solution. CPCs has advantages over the two most common environmental methods of soil reinforcement, microbial-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) and enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP); with CPCs, the ammonium problem can be neutralized and thus allowed to be applied in the field. In this review paper, the advantages and disadvantages of the engineering uses of CPCs for soil improvement have been discussed. Additionally, the process of how CPCs perform has been studied and an analysis of existing studies related to soil reinforcement by CPC implementation was conducted.

A Ruptured Left Gastric Artery Aneurysm That Neoplasticized during the Course of Coronavirus Disease 2019: A Case Report.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is an acute respiratory syndrome caused by SARS-CoV-2 and is known to cause respiratory and systemic symptoms. A SARS-CoV-2 infection is involved in aneurysm formation, enlargement, and rupture in medium-sized vessels, such as the cerebral and coronary arteries and the aorta. In contrast, its involvement in forming aneurysms in medium-sized vessels other than the cerebral and coronary arteries has not been reported. An 84-year-old Japanese man with COVID-19 was admitted to our hospital. The treatment course was favorable, and the COVID-19 treatment was completed by the 10th day. On day 14, pancreatic enzymes increased mildly. An abdominal computed tomography revealed a ruptured left gastric aneurysm after spontaneous hemostasis. Arterial embolization was performed. In this patient, a new left gastric aneurysm was suspected of having formed and ruptured during the course of the COVID-19 treatment. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report of abdominal visceral aneurysm formation caused by COVID-19 in a medium-sized vessel, and it is necessary to remember that aneurysms can be formed at any site when treating this syndrome.

Polymer-assisted enzyme induced carbonate precipitation for non-ammonia emission soil stabilization.

Biocementation using enzyme induced carbonate precipitation (EICP) process has become an innovative method for soil improvement. One of the major limitations in scaling-up of biocement treatment is the emission of gaseous ammonia during the urea hydrolysis, which is environmentally hazardous. In order to eliminate this shortcoming, this paper presents a series of experiments performed to evaluate a novel approach for preventing the ammonia byproducts in the EICP process via the use of polyacrylic acid (PAA). Through the adjustment of the pH to acidic, PAA not only promotes the enzyme activity, but also averts the conversion of ammonium to gaseous ammonia and its release, thus preventing any harm to the environment. The sand samples were treated with cementation solution and assessed for improvement in strength. Calcium carbonate content measurements and X-ray powder diffraction analysis identified the calcite crystals precipitated in the soil pores. Scanning electron microscopy analysis clearly showed that calcium carbonate was precipitated connecting soil particles, thus providing a uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) of up to 1.65 MPa. Overall, the inhibition in the speciation of gaseous ammonia shows the great potential of PAA for large-scale promotion of biocement.

Durability Improvement of Biocemented Sand by Fiber-Reinforced MICP for Coastal Erosion Protection.

Soil improvement via MICP (microbially induced carbonate precipitation) technologies has recently received widespread attention in the geoenvironmental and geotechnical fields. The durability of MICP-treated samples remains a critical concern in this novel method. In this work, fiber (jute)-reinforced MICP-treated samples were investigated to evaluate their durability under exposure to distilled water (DW) and artificial seawater (ASW), so as to advance the understanding of long-term performance mimicking real field conditions, along with improvement of the MICP-treated samples for use in coastal erosion protection. Primarily, the results showed that the addition of fiber (jute) improved the durability of the MICP-treated samples by more than 50%. Results also showed that the wet-dry (WD) cyclic process resulted in adverse effects on the mechanical and physical characteristics of fiber-reinforced MICP-treated samples in both DW and ASW. The breakdown of calcium carbonates and bonding effects in between the sand particles was discovered to be involved in the deterioration of MICP samples caused by WD cycles, and this occurs in two stages. The findings of this study would be extremely beneficial to extend the insight and understanding of improvement and durability responses for significant and effective MICP treatments and/or re-treatments.

Solubilization and aggregation control of silica-polymerizing enzyme fused with a removable soluble protein.

Silicatein, a silica-polymerizing enzyme, is an attractive and promising biocatalyst in many applications such as the synthesis of bio-functionalized inorganic materials under mild conditions. However, its unfavorable aggregation in aqueous media due to its intermolecular hydrophobic interactions causes difficulties in handling and applications. This study aimed to enhance the solubility of silicatein via fusion with a small soluble protein, ProS2. ProS2-Sil showed high solubility and stability in aqueous media for more than 24 h. The aggregation property of ProS2-silicatein fusion protein (ProS2-Sil) was investigated with and without cleavage of ProS2 tag by site-specific protease. When ProS2 tag was removed, silicatein became aggregated, which was analyzed by transmission electron microscope and fluorescence microscope. ProS2-Sil and mature silicatein showed similar activities in silica polymerization. The present approach allows the utilization of silicatein in the fabrication of novel and functional inorganic biohybrid materials.

Experimental Study on Sand Stabilization Using Bio-Cementation with Wastepaper Fiber Integration.

Recently, green materials and technologies have received considerable attention in geotechnical engineering. One of such techniques is microbially-induced carbonate precipitation (MICP). In the MICP process, CaCO3 is achieved bio-chemically within the soil, thus enhancing the strength and stiffness. The purpose of this study is to introduce the wastepaper fiber (WPF) onto the MICP (i) to study the mechanical properties of MICP-treated sand with varying WPF content (0-8%) and (ii) to assess the freeze-thaw (FT) durability of the treated samples. Findings revealed that the ductility of the treated samples increases with the increase in WPF addition, while the highest UCS is found with a small fiber addition. The results of CaCO3 content suggest that the WPF addition enhances the immobilization of the bacteria cells, thus yielding the precipitation content. However, shear wave velocity analysis indicates that a higher addition of WPF results in rapid deterioration of the samples when subjected to freeze-thaw cycles. Microscale analysis illuminates that fiber clusters replace the solid bonding at particle contacts, leading to reduced resistance to freeze-thaw damage. Overall, the study demonstrates that as a waste material, WPF could be sustainably reused in the bio-cementation.

Infective Endocarditis Caused by Extended-Spectrum Beta-Lactamase-Producing Escherichia coli: A Case Report.

INTRODUCTION: Extended-spectrum ß-lactamase-producing Escherichia coli (ESBL-EC) reportedly accounts for >20% of E. coli infections and 2.0% of infective endocarditis cases. Nonetheless, there is a global paucity of reports on infective endocarditis caused by ESBL-EC. CASE: An 83-year-old Japanese man who underwent mitral annuloplasty for mitral valve prolapse 5 years ago developed a fever of 38.5°C. The patient was hospitalized the first time for pyelonephritis and bacteremia due to ESBL-EC and treated successfully with the antimicrobial meropenem for 14 days. Two days after discharge, however, the patient was re-admitted with bacteremia due to ESBL-EC. He was treated successfully with the antimicrobial cefmetazole for 14 days. The patient was admitted to our institution for a third time due to bacteremia again, a day after discharge following meropenem antibiotic therapy. Transesophageal echocardiography showed vegetation in the anterior mitral valve annulus. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head showed septic cerebral embolism. The patient was diagnosed with infective endocarditis due to ESBL-EC and underwent mitral valve replacement. After 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy with meropenem and tobramycin, the patient recovered completely. The causative E. coli strain MS6396 was identified as the E. coli clone ST131 by multilocus sequence typing and confirmed the presence of bla CTX-M-27 ESBL gene. CONCLUSION: Only six cases of infective endocarditis associated with ESBL-EC have been reported in the past. Moreover, this is the first report of a patient with infective endocarditis bacteriologically or genetically analyzed for ESBL-EC. In future, factors that may cause infective endocarditis in ESBL-EC infections may be clarified through more thorough bacteriological/genetic analyses of ESBL-EC.