Carbon nanodots (CNDs) are 0D quasi-spherical nanoparticles that are less than 10 nm in size. CNDs that possess surface functional groups such as hydroxyl, amino, and carboxyl groups have been demonstrated to scavenge free radicals efficiently and effectively, resulting in them being beneficial for cosmetic and cosmeceutical applications. In this study, we successfully prepared novel CNDs, namely black VC, using vitamin C (VC) as a promising precursor. Black VC was prepared by a facile one-step method based on short-time microwave irradiation. The properties of black VC were characterized by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analysis, X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and UV–vis spectrophotometry. Radical scavenging, cell viability, and anti-pollution activity assays were also conducted to demonstrate the functionalities of black VC. The developed black VC exhibited lower cytotoxicity and better antioxidant, metal chelating ability, and anti-pollution activities than its precursor. These results provide a new approach for developing advanced antioxidants for innovative cosmetic formulations using a simple microwave treatment method. However, black VC retained some problems of its precursor in the form of low stability, which is likely to be a challenge for its cosmeceutical application.

Lovenia elongata is a member of the family Loveniidae and is one of the most common tropical echinoids. This species has a broad distribution range in the sub- and tropical regions of the Indo-Pacific Ocean, extending from the Mozambique to the Hawaiian Islands, and from southern Japan to northern Australia. It is commonly found in subtidal areas and on coral reefs within these regions. This species was for the first time recorded from the Ulleungdo Island, Korea. This species is characterized by a teardrop-shaped test that reaches up to 5 cm in length, with a deep groove at the front and tapered at the back end. The petaloid is not obvious, and the primary spines are long and banded. This study is the first to report the newly recorded L. elongata in Korea.

The purpose of the study was to analyze effectiveness of Korea’s bilateral development cooperation for the agricultural sector in Myanmar using secondary time-series data from 1991 and 2018. This study utilized the Vector Error Correction Model (VECM). Results showed that Korea’s bilateral development cooperation in the agricultural sector had a positive effect on the agricultural GDP in Myanmar with a significant contribution. This study suggests that the Myanmar government needs to use ODA (Official Development Assistance) for efficient and sustainable agriculture in a more timely and manageable manner. Although the agricultural sector in Myanmar has great potential for development, there are various weaknesses such as the lack of access to foreign aid compared to other ASEAN countries due to the lack of stability in policy legislation. If it formulates better agricultural policies, laws, and legislation, there would be more support from Korea and other partner countries than ever before.

Intermuscular fat is essential for enhancing the flavor and texture of cultured meat. Mesenchymal stem cells derived from intermuscular adipose tissues are a source of intermuscular fat. Therefore, as a step towards developing a platform to derive intermuscular fat from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for insertion between myofibrils in cultured beef, an advanced protocol of intermuscular adipose tissue dissociation effective to the isolation of MSCs from intermuscular adipose tissues was developed in cattle. To accomplish this, physical steps were added to the enzymatic dissociation of intermuscular adipose tissues, and the MSCs were established from primary cells dissociated with physical step-free and step-added enzymatic dissociation protocols. The application of a physical step (intensive shaking up) at 5 minutes intervals during enzymatic dissociation resulted in the greatest number of primary cells derived from intermuscular adipose tissues, showed effective formation of colony forming units-fibroblasts (CFU-Fs) from the retrieved primary cells, and generated MSCs with no increase in doubling time. Thus, this protocol will contribute to the stable supply of good quality adipose-derived mesenchymal stem cells (ADMSCs) as a fat source for the production of marbled cultured beef.