A carbon matrix for high-capacity Li/Na/K-alloy-based anode materials is required because it can effectively accommodate the variation in the volume of Li/Na/K-alloy-based anode materials during cycling. Herein, a nanostructured porous polyhedral carbon (PPC) was synthesized via a simple two-step method consisting of carbonization and selective acid etching, and their electrochemical Li/Na/K-ion storage performance was investigated. The highly uniform PPC, with an average particle size of 800 nm, possesses a porous structure and large specific surface area of 258.82 cm2 g– 1. As anodes for Li/Na/K-ion batteries (LIBs/NIBs/KIBs), the PPC matrix exhibited large initial reversible capacity, fast rate capability (LIB: ~ 320 mAh g– 1 at 3C; NIB: ~ 140 mAh g– 1 at 2C; KIB: ~ 110 mAh g– 1 at 2C), better cyclic performance (LIB: ~ 550 mAh g– 1; NIB: ~ 210 mAh g– 1; KIB: ~ 190 mAh g– 1 at 0.2C over 100 cycles), high ionic diffusivity, and excellent structural robustness upon cycling, which demonstrates that the PPC matrix can be highly used as a carbon matrix for high-capacity alloy-based anode materials for LIBs/NIBs/KIBs.

Pitfall traps that use ethylene glycol as a preservative solution are commonly used in arthropod research. However, a recent surge in cases involving damage to these traps by roe deer or wild boars owing to the sweet taste of ethylene glycol has prompted the addition of quinone sulfate, a substance with a pungent taste, to deter such wildlife interference. This study aimed to assess the effects of quinone sulfate on arthropods collected from pitfall traps containing ethylene glycol. We strategically positioned 50 traps using ethylene glycol alone and 50 traps containing a small amount of quinone sulfate mixed with ethylene glycol in a grid pattern for systematic sampling at the Gwangneung Forest long-term ecological research (LTER) site. Traps were collected 10 days later. The results revealed a notable effect on ants when quinone sulfate was introduced. Specifically, it decreased the number of ants. In a species-specific analysis of ants, only Nylanderia flavipes showed a significant decline in response to quinone sulfate, whereas other ant species remained unaffected. Additionally, among the arthropod samples obtained in this survey, we identified species or morpho-species of spiders, beetles, and ants and assessed species diversity. Consequently, the utilization of quinone sulfate should be undertaken judiciously, taking into account the specific species composition and environmental characteristics of the monitoring site. Our study also highlighted the significant response of various arthropod groups to variations in leaf litter depth, underscoring the crucial role of the leaf litter layer in providing sustenance and shelter for ground-foraging arthropods. Furthermore, we have compiled comprehensive species lists of both spiders and ants in Gwangneung forest by amalgamating data from this investigation with findings from previous studies.

Background: Brassica oleracea var. italica (broccoli), a rich source of antioxidants, can prevent various diseases and improve human health. In this study, we investigated the antioxidative effects of broccoli sprout extract on oxidative stress induced by lipopolysaccharide and cisplatin in cell and organ tissue models. Methods: Antioxidative effect of BSE was evaluated using DPPH and ABTS in RAW 364.7 cells, and effects of BSE on testes were investigated using Cisplatin-induced testicular damage model with an in vitro organ culture system. Results: The DPPH assay showed that the antioxidant activity of the alcoholic broccoli sprout extract was higher than that of the water extract. Additionally, the expression levels of antioxidation-related genes, Nrf2 , Gsr , HO-1, and catalase , were significantly increased in broccoli sprout extract-treated RAW 264.7 cells, and the extract suppressed lipopolysaccharide-induced mitochondrial dysfunction. Based on the results in the RAW 264.7 cell culture, the antioxidative effects of the extracts were investigated in a mouse testis fragment culture. The expression of Nrf2 , HO-1 , and Ddx4 was clearly decreased in cisplatin-treated mouse testis fragments and not in both broccoli sprout extract- and cisplatin-treated mouse testis fragments. In addition, the oxidative marker O-HdG was strongly detected in cisplatin-treated mouse testis fragments, and these signals were reduced by broccoli sprout extract treatment. Conclusions: The results of this study show that broccoli sprout extracts could serve as potential nutraceutical agents as they possess antioxidant effects in the testes.

Uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1) is a unique mitochondrial membranous protein expressed in brown adipose tissue (BAT) in mammals. While its expression in response to cold temperatures and adipogenic inducers is well-characterized in mammals and human infants, the molecular characterization and expression of UCP1 in fish remain unexplored. To address this gap, we analyzed UCP1 expression in response to adipogenic inducers in a fish cell line, rainbow trout gonadal cells (RTG-2), and compared it with UCP1 expression in three mammalian preadipocytes, 3T3-L1, T37i, and WT1 exposed to the Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) agonists, rosiglitazone (Rosi). In mammalian preadipocytes, UCP1 protein was highly expressed by Rosi, with an induction of adipogenesis observed in a time-dependent manner. This suggests that UCP1 plays a significant role in adipogenesis in mammals. However, RTG-2 cells showed no response to adipogenic inducers and exhibited only marginal expressions of UCP1. These results imply that RTG-2 cells may lack crucial responsive mechanisms to adipogenic signals or that the adipogenic response is regulated by other mechanisms. Further studies are needed to confirm these phenomena in fish preadipocytes when an appropriate cell line is established in future research.

This study aimed to prepare kombucha, a fermented tea beverage, containing Dendropanax morbiferus (DM) leaves and roots, and analyze its antioxidant and intracellular activities. We compared the pH change, total acidity, radical scavenging activity, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC) of kombucha fermented with black tea alone and that with added DM leaves or roots during fermentation. Using RAW 264.7, we evaluated the effects of kombucha containing different DM parts on nitric oxide (NO) production and inflammation-related cytokine content in cells. Kombucha containing ethanol extracts of DM leaves (BTK-E-DML) and roots (BTK-E-DMR) showed higher radical scavenging activity and ORAC 3 d after fermentation than that prepared from black tea alone (BTK-Ori). In an in vitro experiment using RAW 264.7, samples were treated with 8 mg/mL kombucha considering cytotoxicity; the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced NO content significantly reduced after BTK-E-DML and BTK-EDMR treatments compared with that after BTK-Ori treatment. Additionally, the levels of interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha, which were LPS-stimulated inflammatory cytokines, significantly decreased in cells treated with BTK-E-DML and BTK-E-DMR 15 d after fermentation compared with those treated with BTK-Ori. In conclusion, these results demonstrate that kombucha fermented with the leaves and roots of DM increases antioxidant activity and can significantly regulate inflammatory responses at the cellular level.

해사노동협약은 선원 인권 보호에 있어 전 세계적으로 성공적인 성과로서 국제노동기구에서 채택하였다. 특히, 이 협약의 선원근로계약 규정은 선원에게 양질의 근로와 생활 환경을 보장하기 위한 규정으로서 해사노동협약의 핵심으 로 인정되고 있다. 이러한 규정에도 불구하고 많은 회원국은 자국의 법률 시스 템에 핵심 규정을 완전히 반영하지 못하거나 실질적인 이행을 하지 못하고 있 는 상황이다. 특히 대표적인 선원 공급국이자 개발도상국인 베트남은 더욱 어 려운 실정이다. 따라서 이 논문에서는 해사노동협약의 선원근로계약에 관한 규 정을 중심으로 비교법적 연구 방법론을 통해 베트남 법제도의 차이를 분석하 고, 나아가 대표적인 해운 선진국인 대한민국의 선원법을 비교하여 베트남 법 제도의 문제점을 분석하고자 한다. 이를 통해 베트남의 해사노동협약 이행을 증진하기 위한 개선방안에 대해 논의하고자 한다.