Urinary tract infections (UTIs) are a leading hospital-acquired infection. Although timely detection of causative pathogens of UTIs is important, rapid and accurate measures assisting UTI diagnosis and bacterial determination are poorly developed. By reading infrared spectra of urine samples, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) may help detect urine compounds, but its role in UTI diagnosis remains uncertain. In this pilot study, we proposed a characterization method in attenuated total reflection (ATR)-FTIR spectra to evaluate urine samples and assessed the correlation between ATR-FTIR patterns, UTI diagnosis, and causative pathogens. We enrolled patients with a catheter-associated UTI in a subacute-care unit and non-UTI controls (total n = 18), and used urine culture to confirm the causative pathogens of the UTIs. In the ATR-FTIR analysis, the spectral variation between the UTI group and non-UTI, as well as that between various pathogens, was found in a range of 1800–900 cm⁻¹, referring to the presence of specific constituents of the bacterial cell wall. The results indicated that the relative ratios between different area zones of vibration, as well as multivariate analysis, can be used as a clue to discriminate between UTI and non-UTI, as well as different causative pathogens of UTIs. This warrants a further large-scale study to validate the findings of this pilot research.

This study demonstrates the generation of excess energy and isotopes via Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENR) of water in 11 reactors. Cross-verification using Mass Spectrometry (MS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and Cavity Ring-Down Spectroscopy (CRDS) confirmed that 17O production concurrently occurs with excess energy release, establishing the reproduci-bility of the LENR process. For mass production of 17O-enriched water, a batch-type internal circulation system integrating a storage tank and a circulation pump was developed. This setup allows continuous manufacturing of 17O-enriched water, with concentrations controlled via cir-culation time. Specifically, a 32 L system successfully yielded 30 mol% 17O-enriched water within 290 h. For high-concentration measurement, a 17O NMR-verified dilution method was es-tablished. Moreover, the LENR process induces the formation of stable, 200 nm nanobubbles (density: 9.33 x 106 particles/mL for reactor #185r12), predominantly composed of 17O com-pounds of non-condensable gases (O2 and CO2). These persistent nanobubbles prevent gas loss, significantly enhancing the long-term storage stability and practical utility of the product. Uti-lizing this low-cost, mass-produced 17O-enriched water, a preliminary MTT assay revealed that 17O disrupts cancer cell metabolism, offering promising insights for future oncology research. Overall, this cost-effective mass-production technology facilitates the deployment of 17O in healthcare and biomedical sectors, promoting further academic and clinical exploration.

This study demonstrates that the generation of excess heat and isotopic water were replicated via a nuclear-like reaction or Low-Energy Nuclear Reactions (LENRs) in 11 reactors. Cross-verification using mass spectrometry (MS), Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), and cavity ring-down spectroscopy (CRDS) confirmed that the reacted water (byproduct of LENR) does indeed contain the ¹⁷O isotope. For mass production of ¹⁷O-enriched water, a batch-type internal circulation system integrating a storage tank and a circulation pump was developed. This setup allows continuous manufacturing of ¹⁷O-enriched water, with concentrations controlled via circulation time. Specifically, a 32 L system could yield an estimated concentration of 30 mol% ¹⁷O-enriched water within 290 h. To measure the high concentration of ¹⁷O-enriched water (H₂¹⁷O), we have developed a dilution method, which analyzes ¹⁷O NMR data of water produced by the reactor at different dilution ratios. Moreover, it was found that the LENR process produces stable, 200 nm nanobubbles (density 9.33 × 10⁶ particles/mL for the sample #185r12), which possibly consists of non-condensable gases (O₂ and CO₂) containing ¹⁷O. These persistent nanobubbles could enhance the long-term storage stability of isotopic water. A preliminary in vitro cell assay (MTT) using ¹⁷O-enriched water (0.35 mol%) revealed alterations in cancer cell metabolic activity, though further studies are required to evaluate potential biological mechanisms. Overall, this cost-effective production technology may provide ¹⁷O-enriched water for physical and biological research.