Background: ErigoPro enables acute stroke patients to carry out stable weight-bearing training with gradual verticalization. Study on the effectiveness of robotic assisted treatment equipment for chronic patients is insufficient. Objectives: This study aims to investigate the effect of dynamic vertical posture training using ErigoPro on trunk alignment and balance in chronic stroke patients. Design: Randomized controlled trial. Methods: The subjects of this study were 30 patients were randomly assigned to a study group of 15 patients and a control group of 15 patients. The study intervention was carried out for 50 minutes per day consisting of 30 minutes of general neuro-physiotherapy and 20 minutes of ErogoPro training, 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Results: The study group showed difference in trunk inclination (P<.05), kyphotic angle (P<.05), lateral deviation of the spine (P<.05), thoracic angle (P<.01), timed up and go test (P<.01), Berg balance score (P<.01). There was a significant difference between the groups in the trunk inclination (P<.05), timed up and go test (P<.01), Berg balance score (P<.05). Conclusion: It could be seen that the treatment combined with ErigoPro training for 8 weeks was effective in restoring trunk alignment and improving balance ability in chronic stroke patients.

This study introduces a newly discovered brittle star, Amphiophiura megapoma, from the mesophotic zone in the East Sea, Korea. It is the second species belonging to the genus Amphiophiura (which includes 57 species) to be recorded in Korean waters after A. sculpta. The specimen was discovered during a September 2022 survey, by SCUBA diving in the upper mesophotic zone of the East Sea, Korea. This study presents the morphological characteristics of A. megapoma, highlighting its differences from the related species within a comprehensive taxonomic description. It provides highresolution images of A. megapoma and a taxonomic key for Amphiophiura species in Korea.

This study (1) explored spatio-temporal population distribution patterns in Jeonju by using emerging hot spot analysis and (2) identified the influential factors to determine the spatio-temporal patterns by using multinomial logit model. The major findings are as follows. First, the results of emerging hot spot analysis indicated that the 100*100m grid in the urban area of Jeonju was found to have a category of hot spots, whereas most of the cold spot series was concentrated in the outskirts of the city. Also, new towns such as Jeonju Eco City, Jeonbuk Innovation City, and Hyocheon District were persistent or intensifying hot spots, Third, the results of multinomial logit model revealed that the factors influencing deterrmining the spatio-temporal patterns were accessibility to schools, hospitals, parks, and walfare services. This study offered a deeper understanding of urbanization and regional changes in Jeonju, and important information for urban planning.

Companies are paying attention to project governance to realize their goal strategies, project success, and project value in a rapid and complex environment due to the development of information technology. This study aims to explore project governance and factors from literature review and practice guides related to project governance and empirically analyze the impact of project governance factors on IT project objective performance. The survey was conducted on project managers, project team members, and project management members with experience in carrying out business IT projects within two years at companies in various industries in Korea. The main conclusion is as follows. Among the project governance factors, disclosure and reporting that uses and reports using appropriate and reliable information about projects related to decision-making activities positively impact the achievement of IT project objectives: business success and stakeholder satisfaction. Among the project governance factors, project sponsorship, a role that effectively connects management and projects, and a project management framework that provides tools, procedures, resources, and techniques for projects positively impact IT project objective performance. This study is of academic and practical significance in that it identifies the definition and factors of project governance through companies in various industries in Korea and the positive impact of project governance factors on IT project objective performance.

This empirical analysis investigates the impact of consultant competency and project manager (PM) competency on business performance. Two hundred and twenty four chief executive officers and executive members at small and medium sized firms in the manufacturing sector were surveyed, yielding several outcomes. First, consultant competency positively affects consulting performance. Second, consultant competency positively affects business performance. Third, PM competency does not have a significant influence on consulting performance. Fourth, PM competency does not have a significant impact on business performance. Fifth, consulting performance does not have a significant effect on business performance. Finally, regarding the mediation effect of consulting performance on the influence of consultant competency and PM competency on business performance, consulting performance had no significant impact. Thus, expertise and insight are crucial for a consulting business to enable the growth of professional consultants. Furthermore, this study is expected to enhance the consulting performance of small and medium sized manufacturing firms by providing useful data to consultants and project managers when carrying out consulting projects.

Silicon (Si) has the potential to improve plant growth and stress tolerance. The study aimed to explore Si-involving plant responses and molecular characterization of different Si-responsive genes in alfalfa. In this study, the exogenous supplementation of Si enhanced plant growth, and biomass yield. Si-acquisition in alfalfa root and shoot was higher in Si-supplemented compared to silicon deficient (-Si) plants, implying Si-acquisition has beneficial on alfalfa plants. As a consequence, the quantum efficiency of photosystem II (Fv/Fm) was significantly increased in silicon-sufficient (+Si) plants. The quantitative gene expression analysis exhibited a significant upregulation of the Lsi1, Lsi2, Lsi3, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1 genes in alfalfa roots, while BOR1, BOR4, NIP2, and NIP3 showed no significant variation in their expression. The MEME results further noticed the association of four motifs related to the major intrinsic protein (MIP). The interaction analysis revealed that NIP5;1 and Lsi1 showed a shared gene network with NIP2, BOR1, and BOR4, and Lsi2, Lsi3 and NIP3-1, respectively. These results suggest that members of the major intrinsic proteins (MIPs) family especially Lsi1, Lsi2, Lsi3, NIP5;1, and NIP6;1 genes helped to pass water and other neutral solutes through the cell membrane and those played significant roles in Si uptake and transport in plants. Together, these insights might be useful for alfalfa breeding and genome editing approaches for alfalfa improvement.