Seasonal forecasting has numerous socioeconomic benefits because it can be used for disaster mitigation. Therefore, it is necessary to diagnose and improve the seasonal forecast model. Moreover, the model performance is partly related to the ocean model. This study evaluated the hindcast performance in the upper ocean of the Global Seasonal Forecasting System version 5-Global Couple Configuration 2 (GloSea5-GC2) using a multivariable integrated evaluation method. The normalized potential temperature, salinity, zonal and meridional currents, and sea surface height anomalies were evaluated. Model performance was affected by the target month and was found to be better in the Pacific than in the Atlantic. An increase in lead time led to a decrease in overall model performance, along with decreases in interannual variability, pattern similarity, and root mean square vector deviation. Improving the performance for ocean currents is a more critical than enhancing the performance for other evaluated variables. The tropical Pacific showed the best accuracy in the surface layer, but a spring predictability barrier was present. At the depth of 301 m, the north Pacific and tropical Atlantic exhibited the best and worst accuracies, respectively. These findings provide fundamental evidence for the ocean forecasting performance of GloSea5.

Ocean biogeochemistry plays a crucial role in sustaining the marine ecosystem and global carbon cycle. To investigate the oceanic biogeochemical responses to iron parameters in the tropical Pacific, we conducted sensitivity experiments using the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean–Tracers of Ocean Phytoplankton with Allometric Zooplankton (NEMO-TOPAZ) model. Compared to observations, the NEMO-TOPAZ model overestimated the concentrations of chlorophyll and dissolved iron (DFe). The sensitivity tests showed that with increasing (+50%) iron scavenging rates, chlorophyll concentrations in the tropical Pacific were reduced by approximately 16%. The bias in DFe also decreased by approximately 7%; however, the sea surface temperature was not affected. As such, these results can facilitate the development of the model tuning strategy to improve ocean biogeochemical performance using the NEMOTOPAZ model.

Background: The hamstring is a muscle that crosses two joints, that is the hip and knee, and its flexibility is an important indicator of physical health in its role in many activities of daily living such as sitting, walking, and running. Limited range of motion (ROM) due to hamstring tightness is strongly related to back pain and malfunction of the hip joint. High-frequency diathermy (HFD) therapy is known to be effective in relaxing the muscle and increasing ROM. Objects: To investigate the effects of HFD on active knee extension ROM and hamstring tone and stiffness in participants with hamstring tightness. Methods: Twenty-four participants with hamstring tightness were recruited, and the operational definition of hamstring tightness in this study was active knee extension ROM of below 160° at 90° hip flexion in the supine position. HFD was applied to the hamstring for 15 minutes using the WINBACK device. All participants were examined before and after the intervention, and the results were analyzed using a paired t-test. The outcome measures included knee extension ROM, the viscoelastic property of the hamstring, and peak torque for passive knee extension. Results: The active knee extension ROM significantly increased from 138.8° ± 9.9° (mean ± standard deviation) to 143.9° ± 10.4° after the intervention (p < 0.05), while viscoelastic property of the hamstring significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Also, the peak torque for knee extension significantly decreased (p < 0.05). Conclusion: Application of HFD for 15 minutes to tight hamstrings immediately improves the active ROM and reduces the tone, stiffness, and elasticity of the muscle. However, further experiments are required to examine the long-term effects of HFD on hamstring tightness including pain reduction, postural improvement around the pelvis and lower extremities, and enhanced functional movement.

Spermatogonial stem cells are self-renewal and differentiate into sperm in post-pubertal mammals. There exists a balance between the self-renewal and differentiation in the testes. Spermatogonial stem cells make up only 0.03% of testicular cells in adult mice. These cells maintain sperm production by differentiating after puberty. Therefore, analyzing the expression of genes associated with spermatogenesis is critical for understanding differentiation. The present study aimed to establish the postnatal period of cells in relation to spermatogenesis. To study the expression of differentiated and undifferentiated marker genes in enriched spermatogonial stem cells, in vitro culture was performed and cells from pup (6–8-day-old) and adult (4-months-old) testicular tissues were isolated. As a result, undifferentiated genes, Pax7, Plzf, GFRa1, Etv5 and Bcl6b , were highly increased in cultured spermaotogonial stem cells compared with pup and adult testicular cells. On the other hands, differentiated gene, c-kit was highly increased in adult testicular cells, Also Stra8 gene was highly increased in pup and adult testicular cells. This study provides a better understanding of spermatogenesis-associated gene expression during postnatal periods.

Streptococcus mutans and Streptococcus sobrinus play important roles in dental caries. Coptis chinensis is a natural product with antimicrobial activity against enterobacteria; however, its effects on oral streptococci are still unknown. Therefore, the effects of C. chinensis on the growth and biofilm formation of the representative cariogenic bacteria S. mutans and S. sobrinus were investigated for the possible use of C. chinensis as an anticaries agent. The C. chinensis extract was diluted with sterile distilled water, and 0.1–2.5% of the extract was used in the experiment. The effects of the C. chinensis extract on the growth and glucan formation of S. mutans and S. sobrinus were measured by viable cell counting and spectrophotometry at 650 nm absorbance, respectively. Crystal violet staining was also carried out to confirm the C. chinensis extract’s inhibitory effect on biofilm formation. The C. chinensis extract significantly inhibited the growth of S. mutans and S. sobrinus at concentrations of ≥ 0.3% as compared with the control group. The viable cell count of colonies decreased by 1.7-fold and 1.2-fold at 2.5% and 1.25%, respectively, compared with the control group. The biofilm formation of S. mutans and S. sobrinus was inhibited by > 20-fold at C. chinensis extract concentrations of ≥ 1.25% as compared with the control group. In summary, the C. chinensis extract inhibited the growth and biofilm and glucan formation of S. mutans and S. sobrinus . Therefore, C. chinensis might be a potential candidate for controlling dental caries.