단백질의 구조 예측은 생명 과학 및 의약학 분야의 핵심적인 연구 주제 중 하나로, 단백질의 기능 및 상호작용을 이해하기 위한 주요 정보를 제공할 수 있어 다양한 연구가 수행되고 있다. 이러한 연구의 일환으로 최근 Google DeepMind의 AlphaFold2가 등장하였으며, 단백질 구조 예측 성능을 대폭 향상시켜 CASP(Critical Assessment of Protein Structure Prediction)에서 뛰어난 평가점수를 받아 단백질 구조 예측 분야의 최신 기술을 크게 향상시켰다. 이러한 컴퓨터 기반의 단백질의 구조 예측 방법은, 고전적인 방법을 사용하여 직접 단백질 구조를 결정하는 방법 에 비해 매우 정확하고 빠르며 경제적인 비용으로 수행될 수 있어 단백질 구조 예측 및 생리학 연구를 수행하는 연구자들에게 유용한 방법론이 될 것으로 사료된다. 따라서 본 연구소에서는 곤충을 포함한 무척추 자생동물을 연구하는 연구자들을 위해 단백질 구조 예측을 수행할 수 있도록 64Core/128Threads의 CPU, 256GB의 RAM과 6장의 GeForce RTX 3090으로 이루어진 GPU(Graphical Processing Unit) 고성능 컴퓨터 시스템에 AlphaFold2 program을 구축하였다. 최근 인간을 대상으로 한 단백질 구조 예측 연구는 상당한 진전을 보이고 있지만, 곤충을 포함한 자연계의 동물을 대상으로 한 연구는 여전히 미비한 상황이다. 이러한 자생동물자원연구의 확대를 위해 본 연구소에서 구축한 GPU 시스템 및 생물정보학적 분석 방법이 많이 활용되어야 하며, 이를 위해서는 연구자들 의 협력과 참여가 필요하다.

Paecilomyces tenuipes (P. tenuipes) is a fungus cultivated artificially by South Korean researchers, utilizing rice bran as its substrate. The increased demand for this fungus has not been met with successful cultivation methods for fruiting body production in natural environments. Therefore, we tested the effect on the growth of P. tenuipes using a Solid media based on pests. In this results, the Solid media based on M.alternatus was effective in increasing the growth of P. tenuipes and the content of cordycepin. Moreover, we confirmed the conditions for manufacturing a Solid media based on M.alternatus for P. tenuipes growth. We suggested that the growth-promoting compounds offers valuable insights for optimizing fungal cultivation conditions, thereby enhancing productivity and contributing to a broader understanding of fungal physiology in varying nutritional environments.

Mushrooms play crucial roles as reservoirs of naturally occurring bioactive compounds. Among these, Cordyceps militaris is significant because of its well-established reputation for organoleptic excellence and positive health effects, which have led to its widespread commercialization. In contrast, the key properties of Paecilomyces variotii, an ectomycorrhizal symbiont, has received limited attention. In alignment with current research trends, the study of the mycelia and culture media of these mushrooms hold promise in identifying potential sources of valuable bioactive compounds. In the present study, we investigated C. militaris and P. variotii for their phenolic acids and sterols, assessing antioxidant capacity, anti-inflammatory effects, and anti-proliferative activity. Interestingly, P. variotii mycelia exhibited higher concentrations of ergosterol and phenolic compounds, with comparable levels observed in the fruiting bodies, along with superior antioxidant activity compared to that of C. militaris. In contrast, C. militaris mycelia demonstrated anti-inflammatory effects (which were absent in P. variotii mycelia) and cytotoxicity comparable to, and at times exceeding, that of its fruiting bodies (in contrast to P. variotii). In addition, the species analyzed in this study displayed variations in growth rates and mycelial production, which merit consideration for potential future applications and further study.

본 연구는 중국 무용 전공 대학생의 유년시절 신체활동 태도가 무용 전공 선택동기와 무용 지속의도에 미치는 영향을 면밀히 살펴보고자 하 였다. 이를 위해 중국 산시성(陕西省) 시안(西安) 지역의 무용 전공 대학 생 500명을 통해 설문지를 수집하였다. 수집된 설문지는 SPSS 25.0 이 용하여 경향 분석, T-test 분석, Scheffe 분석, Pearsn의 상관관계분석, 단계적 중다회귀분석을 수행하였다. 본 연구결과 무용전공 대학생의 유 년시절 신체활동태도는 무용전공 선택동기 및 무용지속의도에 유의미한 영향력이 있는 것으로 나타났다. 이를 통해 아동의 신체발달을 지원하는 프로그램을 개발하는데 필요한 기초정보를 제공하고자 하며 무용 전공 대학생의 무용 지속의도를 높일 수 있는 교육과정을 개발하는 데에도 도 움을 주고자 한다.

Plants synthesize antioxidant compounds as a defense mechanism against reactive oxygen species. Recently, plant-derived antioxidant compounds have attracted attention due to the increasing consumer awareness in the heath industry. However, traditional methods for measuring the antioxidant activity of these compounds are time-consuming and costly. Therefore, our study constructed a quantitative structure-activity relationship (QSAR) model that can predict antioxidant activity using graph convolutional networks (GCN) from plant structural data. The accuracy (Acc) of the model reached 0.6 and the loss reached 0.03. Although with lower accuracy than previously reported QSAR models, our model showed the possibility of predicting DPPH antioxidant activity in a wide range of plant compounds (phenolics, polyphenols, vitamins, etc.) based on their graph structure.

The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) will provide all-sky spectral survey data covering optical to mid-infrared wavelengths with a spatial resolution of 6.′′2, which can be widely used to study galaxy formation and evolution. We investigate the galaxy-galaxy blending in SPHEREx datasets using the mock galaxy catalogs generated from cosmological simulations and observational data. Only ∼0.7% of the galaxies will be blended with other galaxies in all-sky survey data with a limiting magnitude of 19 AB mag. However, the fraction of blended galaxies dramatically increases to ∼7–9% in the deep survey area around the ecliptic poles, where the depth reaches ∼22 AB mag. We examine the impact of the blending in the number count and luminosity function analyses using the SPHEREx data. We find that the number count can be overestimated by up to 10–20% in the deep regions due to the flux boosting, suggesting that the impact of galaxy-galaxy blending on the number count is moderate. However, galaxy-galaxy blending can marginally change the luminosity function by up to 50% over a wide range of redshifts. As we only employ the magnitude limit at Ks-band for the source detection, the blending fractions determined in this study should be regarded as lower limits.

This study reports the synthesis of a novel graphene/chitosan/β-cyclodextrin composite material (GO/CS/β-CD) via a onestep chemical reduction method, which combines the advantages of graphene, chitosan, and β-cyclodextrin. The morphology and structure of the composite were characterized using various techniques, such as scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and Raman spectroscopy. Subsequently, sortase A (SA) was immobilized onto the GO/CS/β-CD for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus. The sensor exhibited a good linear relationship within the concentration range of 30–300 CFU/mL, with a detection limit of 12 CFU/mL. The GO/CS/β-CD composite material showed enhanced properties due to the synergistic effect of graphene, chitosan, and β-cyclodextrin. The immobilization of sortase A onto the composite material improved the sensitivity and selectivity of the sensor for the detection of S. aureus. This study presents a novel graphene/chitosan/β-cyclodextrin composite material with immobilized sortase A, demonstrating enhanced sensitivity and selectivity for the detection of Staphylococcus aureus, which has potential for the development of high-performance sensors in various fields.

In this paper, a simple, cost-effective, and efficient electrochemical sensor for molecular imprinting melatonin was established. The molecular imprinted films were formed by in situ electrochemical polymerization using molecular imprinting technology. The modification method, modification time and other parameters of the electrode were optimized. Under optimized conditions, the sensor responds to melatonin concentration in a linear range of 0–100 μM. The detection limit was 0.171 μM. In addition, the sensor has little response to interfering substances, such as uric acid, vitamin B6, vitamin C, and glucose, and can be tested in real samples. The recoveries were 98.73–101.60%.

This comprehensive study delves into the intricate process of exfoliating and functionalizing boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) extracted from hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN), and meticulously explores their potential application within epoxy composites. The extensive research methodology encompasses a sequence of treatments involving hydrothermal and sonication processes aimed at augmenting the dispersion of BNNSs in solvents. Leveraging advanced analytical techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, and FTIR spectroscopy, the study rigorously analyzes a spectrum of changes in the BNNS’s properties, including layer count variations, interlayer interactions, crystal structure modifications, and the introduction of functional groups. The research also rigorously evaluates the impact of integrating BNNSs, specifically glycidyl methacrylate (GMA)-functionalized BNNSs, on the thermal conductivity of epoxy composites. The conclusive findings exhibit notable enhancements in thermal properties, predominantly attributed to the enhanced dispersion of fillers and enhanced interactions within the epoxy matrix. This pioneering work illuminates the wide potential of functionalized BNNSs for significantly enhancing the thermal conductivity of epoxy composites, paving the way for advanced materials engineering and practical applications.

Fulvic acid, a humic substance with unique properties, has sparked interest due to its potential applications in the treatment of allergic diseases, Alzheimer's disease, and as a microplastic adsorbent. However, conventional extraction methods produce insufficient quantities for commercial use, which has prompted research to enhance fulvic acid production. In this study, we investigated the impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation on the yield and spectral characteristics of fulvic acid extracted from white peat. Fulvic acid was extracted from both S. cerevisiae-treated and untreated white peats using acid precipitation. The yield of fulvic acid from the S. cerevisiae treated group reached its highest at 3.5 % after 72 hr of fermentation, which was significantly higher than the untreated group (1.1 %). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed similarities in functional groups and characteristic absorption bands between the treated and untreated fulvic acid samples. These findings suggest that S. cerevisiae fermentation can increase the yield of fulvic acid extracted from white peat, providing a promising approach for enhancing the commercial viability of fulvic acid production.

Cordycepin (3'-deoxyadenosine) is a nucleoside analog known for its diverse range of biological activities. This study investigated the effect of different types of sawdust on the production of the bioactive compound cordycepin. The results of the study showed that different types of wood sawdust affected the biosynthesis of cordycepin and a significant increase was observed when the conventional SDB medium was replaced with 1% NaOH treated pine sawdust. To optimize cordycepin production from Paecilomyces tenuipes in a medium containing 1% NaOH-pretreated pine sawdust, we employed Response Surface Methodology (RSM) in its Box-Behnken design (BBD) canonical form. The optimal conditions were determined as follows: a particle size of 109.5111-mesh (140 m) for 1% NaOH-pretreated pine sawdust, an input weight of 21.1679 g/L, and an incubation time of 73.8423 hours. According to our model, this combination is expected to yield a maximum cordycepin content of 896.1428 g/mL. Experimental validation of this prediction was performed using the suggested optimal conditions, resulting in an average cordycepin content of 922.6771 g/mL across three replicates, thus confirming the model's accuracy.

The present study compared the effectiveness of virtual influencers (VIs) to human influencers through the theoretical lens of the uncanny valley and parasocial relationship using an online experiment. Specifically, we posited that highly humanlike VIs may evoke the feeling of the uncanny valley, as compared to human influencers or cartoonlike influencers, which, in turn, would act as a psychological barrier to building a parasocial relationship with the specific type of virtual influencer and decrease advertising attitude. The results indicated that people do feel the uncanniness from both highly humanlike and cartoonish influencers as compared to human influencers. This particular psychological experience negatively influenced the parasocial relationship, which, in turn, negatively affected the attitude toward a social media advertisement featuring the VIs. However, importantly, this effect was moderated by individual differences in anthropomorphism. This is one of the first studies that directly compared the effectiveness of different types of social media influencers in a rigorously designed experimental setting and expands the previous research on Vis, uncanny valley, and parasocial relationship. Both theoretical and managerial contributions of the study were discussed.

An important segment, tourism e-commerce live streaming (TEcLS) has emerged as a new marketing channel actively embraced by destination marketing organizations (DMO) and tourist firms due to the COVID-19 pandemic. China, Japan, Australia, and many other nations have been selling such tourism products on various platforms. Live e-commerce generates a real-time interactive virtual environment that can be called a livescape. However, many tourism destinations or companies are unaware of the marketing science implications of live streaming and are unsure of their effectiveness or the intricacies of marketing live streaming. Previous research has explored the factors influencing consumer purchase behavior from the product, technology, and live-streamer perspectives, arguing that the advantages of breaking through time and space constraints, strong interactivity, the experience of reality, technological ease of use and usefulness, and celebrity aura encourage online purchases. However, limited investigation has been carried out on the impact of customers’ value-co-creation in livescape when watching tourism live streaming on their purchase intentions considering the key role of engagement. This calls for specific investigation of the phenomenon to facilitate live streaming design and tourism marketing. This study aims to explores the factors influencing consumer purchase intentions in the livescape based on a value co-creation research framework. Compared to traditional e-commerce, livescapes provides the “many-to-many” social presence and an immersive value co-creation platform. Thus, we focus on why and how social presence inspires customer engagement, ultimately leading to purchase intentions. This study finds that, as a crucial marketing tool, the social presence of tourism livescapes can promotes customer engagement, which in turn results in intentions to purchase tourism live-streaming products. Additionally, the mediating role of inspiration (inspired-by and inspired-to) between social presence and customer engagement is examined to reveal the influence mechanism in the tourism context. Finally, this study examines how to create an effective tourism livescape to enhance tourists social presence experience and inspire their engagement, which in turn increases their purchase intention.

In this study, a survey focusing on the status of clothing interest, inconveniences resulting from clothing, preferred design items, etc. was conducted on 364 elderly women to suggest aesthetically and functionally appropriate indoor wear design for at home elderly women aged 60 years or older. The survey results showed that in general, the respondents’ interest in clothing was high, and more respondents in their 70s or older had difficulty in the action of opening and closing. With respect to considerations when purchasing clothes, color was considered more important than design as respondent’s age increased, and size was regarded as the most important factor especially among those in their 80s. The preferred top styles were T-shirts and blouses among those in their 60s and 70s, and T-shirts and shirts among those in their 80s. The preferred sleeve lengths were “below the elbow” and “above the wrist” in all age groups. The preferred sleeve hem type was “tightening” in all age groups. The most preferred bottom styles were “straight-leg pants” and “elastic waistband.” This study suggests the design items of indoor wear, including top, bottom, and overgarment for warmth, appropriate for elderly women at home based on the survey results. The study results are expected to serve as basic data necessary for the revitalization of the clothing industry for elderly women.

Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a unique and valuable medicinal fungus belonging to the Cordyceps species. C. militaris is the only fungus that contains cordycepin which is a biologically active compound. In previous studies, light-emitting diodes (LEDs) are known to be effective in increasing cordycepin content, but metabolic profiling of LED-stimulated C. militaris has not been confirmed. Metabolic profiling is essential to understanding the metabolic regulation of cordycepin. This study studied the physiologically active secondary metabolites of C. militaris according to the presence or absence of stimulation of LEDs through GC-MS analysis. Most of the metabolites were detected in both samples, but there was a clear difference in the detected concentration. In particular, C. militaris had a significant difference in amino acid levels when stimulated with LEDs. Our results suggested that LEDs could stimulate amino acid synthesis in C. militaris mycelium to increase the cordycepin content.

Roridin E, a constituent of Podostroma cornu-damae, has excellent medicinal properties and exhibits powerful anticancer effects. However, being a poisonous mushroom, P. cornu-damae is difficult to find in its natural environment. Therefore, only a limited amount of roridin E is isolated from P. cornu-damae. We isolated roridin E from mycelial culture medium of P. cornu-damae and examined its effects on five breast cancer cell lines. The purity of the isolated roridin E was 96%. It exhibited anticancer effects on all five breast cancer cell lines, with an IC50 of at least 0.0006 mg/L. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of effects of roridin E isolated from the mycelium of P. cornu-damae mushrooms on five breast cancer cell lines. However, safety issues should be investigated and addressed in future studies before roridin E is used in clinical settings.