Cristaria plicata, a freshwater bivalve designated as an endangered species, inhabits buried beneath the substrate and releases somatic cells into the water during filter feeding. Therefore, environmental DNA (eDNA) can enhance the efficiency of detecting C. plicata. In this study, we assessed the possibility for detecting freshwater bivalves including C. plicata through metabarcoding of eDNA. In March 2024, water samples were collected at Cheongju, Gunsan, and in the Nakdong river, where sampling sites were selected based on the inhabitation of C. plicata. After eDNA extraction using GF/F filters and DNeasy Blood&Tissue Kit, mitochondrial 16S rDNA of freshwater bivalves was amplified using Unio 16S primer and analyzed via metabarcoding. C. plicata eDNA was detected at most sites according to the confirmed presence of C. plicata. However, at some sites in the mainstream of Nakdong river where C. plicata was known to inhabit, C. plicata eDNA was not detected. Changes in the riverbed environment caused by artificial factors may have negatively affected the habitat of C. plicata. And the high proportion of unassignment and the accumulation of eDNA at the littoral zone may be associated with the continuous inflow, as well as changes of depth and substrate in the lotic ecosystem. This study demonstrates that using eDNA for C. plicata detection enables to enhance the efficiency of surveys.

This study examines the potential for industrial cooperation between Korea and Viet Nam by quantitatively analyzing the structure of the sericulture industry and trade data from both markets. The findings reveal that Viet Nam, primarily focused on raw silk (HS 5002), holds a dominant position in the supply side of the sericulture industry. In contrast, Korea, despite its smaller market size, maintains consistent import demand and shows a concentration in exporting silk fabrics (HS 5007). Additionally, the sericulture industry has recently expanded into high value-added applications such as medicine, food additives, and cosmetics, indicating a trend toward industrial diversification. Based on these insights, this study proposes sustainable cooperation strategies between Korea and Viet Nam in sericulture, emphasizing trade expansion, technological collaboration, and integration with Official Development Assistance. These strategies aim to foster a future-oriented model of industrial cooperation between the two countries.

상수도 관망은 지하에 매설되어 있어 노후화로 인한 누수, 파손, 부식 등의 문제가 지속적으로 발생하고 있으며, 상수도 관망에서의 노후도 평가와 정비는 수돗물 안전성과 서비스 안정성을 확보하기 위한 중요한 과제 중 하나이다. 본 연구는 상수도 관망에서의 노후도를 효율적으로 평가하기 위해 모든 간접⋅직접평가 인자를 조사하지 않고도 최소한의 주요 평가 인자만으로 실제 직접평가 등급에 근접한 예측 결과를 효율적으로 도출할 수 있는 머신러닝 기반 상태평가 절차와 모델을 제안하였다. 상수관로 상태평가 모델은 랜덤 포레스트와 SHAP 해석기법을 결합한 머신러닝 기반 상태평가 절차를 제안하였으며, 28개 지자체의 강관과 주철관에 대한 간접⋅직접평가 데이터를 대상으로 SHAP-based feature importance 순위가 낮은 평가 인자부터 단계적으로 제거하여 주요 평가 인자를 도출하였다. 결과적으로 강관의 경우 내부 슬라임 분포면적 비율, 수질부식성, 매설연수, 최대 및 외면 부식깊이 비율, 내⋅외면 도장재 손상 비율, 외면 부식 면적 비율, 파손건수, 토양 산화환원전위 및 함수율로 11개의 평가 인자가 주요 인자로 선정되었고, F1 Score는 0.9273이었다. 주철관의 경우 CML 중성화도, 최대 부식깊이 비율, 내부압력, 외부 토압으로 4개의 평가 인자가 주요인자로 선정되었고, F1 Score는 0.6188이었다. 주요 평가 인자만으로도 직접평가 등급에 근접한 예측 결과를 도출할 수 있었으며, 이를 통해 효율적인 상수관로 상태평가를 위한 머신러닝 기법 적용 가능성을 확인할 수 있었다.

This study was conducted to develop a fish-based Multi-metric Index (MMI) for assessing the ecological health of lake ecosystems using fish assemblage data collected from the national lake biomonitoring program between 2022 and 2024. A total of 34 fish assessment metrics widely used in the United States, Europe, and Korea were first reviewed for applicability, from which 16 candidate metrics were selected. These candidate metrics were then evaluated in terms of statistical distribution characteristics, correlations with water quality variables, redundancy among metrics, and consistency with existing river-based metrics used in Korea. Based on these evaluations, eight core indicators and four supporting indicators were finalized. For ecological health scoring, boundary values for metric scoring classes were determined using percentiles (10-25-50-75-90%), and metric weights were applied to ensure balanced contribution and discriminative power among classes. The final set of metrics consisted of three indicators in the Diversity/Richness category, two in the Trophic category, two in the Tolerance category, and one in the Individual Health category, collectively reflecting the ecological responses of fish assemblages in lake environments. The developed MMI framework is expected to provide a robust and applicable tool for future ecological assessments and management of lakes in Korea.

Zooplankton are dominant pelagic consumers in lake ecosystems with high population and biomass. Their broad geographical distribution, ease of quantification, and rapid responses to abiotic environmental factors, such as eutrophication, acidification, and climate change, make them highly suitable as indicator organisms for assessing lake ecosystem health. The multi-metric index (MMI) provides an effective framework for capturing the complex responses of biological communities to varying environmental stressors, making it a valuable approach for improving the practical effectiveness of lake ecosystem management based on biological assessments. This study introduces the Lake Zooplankton Assessment Index (LZAI), developed for 90 lakes in South Korea. The LZAI comprises four components: a sensitive species index based on cladocerans, a eutrophication index based on rotifers, a food web index based on copepods, and a habitat index based on species diversity. Applying the LZAI to 90 lakes showed that lake grades followed a normal distribution regardless of sampling season, though A-grade and E-grade lakes exhibited greater seasonal variability. When compared with the clustering results based on zooplankton community composition, the LZAI closely reflected the underlying patterns in community structure. However, in brackish lakes-where population densities are lower and Calanoida copepods dominate relative to freshwater lakes-the M1 and M4 indices were consistently low, while M2 and M3 were high. This suggests that the LZAI requires index adjustments tailored to regional and lake-type factors, including size, depth, and salinity. Incorporating biomass data into the index would further improve the accuracy of assessing community structure and its role in nutrient and energy cycling.

The absence of standardized, biology-based assessment criteria for lake ecosystems at the national level underscores the need for developing systematic and integrative phytoplankton-based evaluation tools. Phytoplankton are primary producers that regulate energy flow and nutrient cycling in lake ecosystems, and their rapid responses to environmental changes such as eutrophication, altered hydrodynamics, and seasonal fluctuations make them highly effective biological indicators. Multimetric indices (MMIs) offer a structured and integrative approach for capturing complex community level responses to environmental stressors, thereby enhancing the ecological relevance and management utility of biological assessment tools for lentic systems. This study presents the Lake Phytoplankton Assessment Index (LPAI), developed using long term ecological and water quality data from 90 lakes and reservoirs across South Korea. The LPAI comprises six ecologically meaningful metrics: total cell density (M2), cell density of flagellated algae (M10), cell density of harmful cyanobacteria (M17), cell density of eutrophic Chlorophyta (M18), relative abundance of saprophilous diatoms (M23), and relative abundance of eutraphentic diatoms (M25). Application of the LPAI demonstrated that lake health grades exhibited a broad and near-normal distribution across seasons, while summer assessments showed a marked increase in lower grade (C~E) lakes associated with elevated temperatures and cyanobacterial blooms. Conversely, winter assessments showed improved conditions due to reduced phytoplankton biomass and the dominance of low eutrophic diatom assemblages. Correlation analyses confirmed that the selected metrics captured distinct ecological gradients, particularly nutrient enrichment and organic matter driven turbidity, while PCA results indicated that the LPAI performed consistently across lake types without structural bias. Overall, the LPAI reliably reflects trophic conditions, harmful algal risks, and structural changes in phytoplankton communities, offering a scientifically grounded and management-relevant tool for evaluating the ecological health of Korean lakes and reservoirs.

Water environment management in Korea has long been driven by chemical water quality standards; however, such an approach does not adequately reflect the structural and functional integrity of aquatic ecosystems. Accordingly, the introduction of biological water quality criteria (biocriteria) has emerged as a key task for establishing ecosystem-centered water environmental policies. This study reviewed the scientific and legal foundations necessary for developing biocriteria suited to Korean aquatic ecosystems and proposed practical approaches for institutionalizing them as environmental standards. To this end, we conducted a comparative analysis of biocriteria implementation cases in major countries, including the United States, the European Union (EU), and Canada, and examined both the applicability and limitations of domestic multi-metric index (MMI)-based biological indicators. In addition, we evaluated the potential linkage with national legislation, including the Framework Act on Environmental Policy and the Water Environment Conservation Act, and proposed an institutionalization roadmap. This study emphasizes the necessity of establishing biocriteria as a policy turning point for securing the ecological health of Korean freshwater ecosystems and building an integrated water environment management framework.

Environmental DNA (eDNA) has emerged as a promising tool for aquatic biodiversity monitoring, yet its collection in lentic ecosystems remains technically constrained by filtration capacity and field logistics. In this study, we applied a novel eDNA concentration system, QuickConcTM, to evaluate freshwater mussel diversity in lakes, and compared its performance with the conventional GF/F filtration method. Water samples were collected from four reservoirs at surface, mid, bottom, and waterside layers, and processed using both filtration techniques. Metabarcoding of mitochondrial 16S rDNA revealed that QuickConcTM captured a higher average number of amplicon sequence variants (ASVs) and exhibited greater species richness and diversity indices (Shannon and Simpson), although the differences were not statistically significant. QuickConcTM samples showed a greater capacity to detect rare taxa and to recover higher ASV richness in certain cases, suggesting its potential to enhance biodiversity resolution. Species composition remained consistent across methods, with Cristaria plicata and Sinanodonta lauta being dominant in both cases. However, slight spatial variations in species assemblages were observed between center and waterside sampling points, highlighting the influence of habitat heterogeneity on eDNA distribution. Overall, our results demonstrate that the QuickConcTM system offers a practical and efficient alternative to traditional filtration methods for eDNA-based freshwater mussel monitoring, particularly in environments with high suspended solids. The findings underline the need for adaptive sampling strategies that consider both methodological and ecological factors when designing eDNA surveys in lentic ecosystems.

This study analyzed the structural characteristics and influencing factors of fish assemblages according to lake size (small, medium, large) based on fish survey data from 90 lakes designated under the National Aquatic Ecosystem Health Monitoring Program in Korea. From surveys conducted between 2022 and 2024, a total of 107 fish species belonging to 32 families were recorded. The dominant species was the bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus, relative abundance [RA]: 21.2%), followed by Hemiculter eigenmanni as the subdominant species (RA: 13.6%). Statistical analysis based on lake size revealed significant differences across eight ecological indicators including species richness, abundance, diversity, evenness, richness, dominance, number of endemic species, and number of exotic species according to lake size. These indicators tended to increase with lake size. While this pattern may be initially attributed to positive factors associated with larger lakes, such as greater habitat heterogeneity and food resource diversity, it is considered that the primary factor influencing these results is the difference in the number of sampling sites per lake. Since sampling sites were designated based on the national water quality monitoring network, they are considered representative of each lake’s environmental conditions. Bray-Curtis similarity and SIMPER analyses identified patterns in assemblage similarity and the key contributing species for each size group. This study provides empirical evidence that demonstrates the influence of lake size on fish assemblage composition and structure and highlights the necessity of incorporating lake size and typology into fish-based assessments of lentic ecosystem health.

This study investigated seasonal variations in phytoplankton community composition and physicochemical water quality across 90 lakes in South Korea surveyed 2022 to 2024, and examined their relationships with environmental factors. Over the course of four seasons, a total of 952 phytoplankton taxa were identified, with Bacillariophyta (diatoms) and Chlorophyta (green algae) accounting for 64.2% of the total species richness. Diatom species such as Aulacoseira granulata, Fragilaria crotonensis, and Cyclotella meneghiniana were frequently observed regardless of season. In terms of cell density, Cyanophyta were dominant, comprising 85.1% on average, with particularly high summer densities driven by blooms of Microcystis aeruginosa and Aphanizomenon sp. In contrast, diatoms accounted for the highest relative abundance in winter (54.1%). Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed that Cyanophyta and Chlorophyta were positively correlated with water temperature, TP, COD, and Chl-a, whereas Bacillariophyta and Cryptophyta showed negative correlations with these variables. These results indicate that phytoplankton communities in Korean lakes are highly responsive to variations in temperature and nutrient concentrations, and that summer rainfall-driven nutrient inflow plays a critical role in triggering cyanobacterial blooms. This study provides a scientific basis for understanding seasonal ecosystem dynamics in Korean lakes and offers foundational data for eutrophication management and the development of biological water quality assessment indices.

Lakes and reservoirs represent key freshwater ecosystems that host diverse aquatic organisms and perform essential functions such as water cycling, nutrient retention, and ecosystem service provision. Due to their semi-closed hydrological structure and limited inflow-outflow dynamics, lakes exhibit complex biological communities shaped by regional climate, topography, and land use. However, these ecosystems are increasingly exposed to multifactorial stressors-including climate change, urbanization, nutrient enrichment, and invasive species-that are causing significant structural and functional shifts in aquatic biodiversity. This review provides an integrative overview of (1) the structural and ecological characteristics of lake ecosystems and the primary drivers of biodiversity alteration, (2) the ecological functions and bioindicator potential of key organism groups including phytoplankton, zooplankton, aquatic macrophytes, benthic macroinvertebrates, and fish, and (3) the emerging role of environmental DNA (eDNA) metabarcoding in lake biodiversity monitoring. We highlight both the technical principles and challenges of eDNA analysis and discuss its potential to complement traditional survey methods for the development of integrated ecosystem health assessments. Positioned at the forefront of the 2025 special issue of Ecology and Environment, this article establishes a conceptual and methodological foundation for a national-scale freshwater biodiversity monitoring framework in Korean lakes.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC), which accounts for over 90% of malignancies in the oral cavity, is associated with a poor prognosis, with a 5-year mortality rate reaching of up to 44%. The incidence of OSCC continues to rise annually, and current treatment typically involves a combination of surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiotherapy. In recent years, there has been growing interest in targeted therapies that exploit molecular markers involved in tumor growth and metastasis. Among these targets, immune checkpoint molecules such as programmed cell death 1 receptor (PD-1) and its ligand, programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1), have garnered significant attention. Therapies that inhibit these immune checkpoints have been approved for various malignancies, offering new avenues for treatment. Pembrolizumab (Keytruda), a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, has emerged as a promising therapuetic option for OSCC. However, its clinical response rate in OSCC patients remains below 20%, highlighting the need for combination strategies to enhance therapeutic efficacy. One such approach involves non-thermal plasma (NTP), a novel modality that selectively induces apoptosis in cancer cells. In this study, the authors evaluated the combined effect of Keytruda and NTP in an OSCC xenograft mouse model. The combination therapy demonstrated the tendency of suppressed tumor growth compared to Keytruda monotherapy. This effect was accompanied by increased apoptosis, as indicated by elevated cleaved caspase-3 expression, and reduced proliferation, as shown by decreased Ki-67 expression. Although preliminary, these findings may support the potential clinical application of Keytruda-NTP combined therapy as a novel treatment strategy for OSCC.

뷰티콘텐츠가 외모 관리에 정보를 제공하는 데 중요한 역할을 하고 있는 현 시점 에서 SNS 활용도가 높은 주소비층인 20~30대의 뷰티콘텐츠 영상관심도와 소비가치 및 외모관리행동의 관계를 연구하는데 목적이 있다. 연구 방법은 설문지법을 이용한 조사연구 방법을 사용하였고, 224부를 최종 분석하였다. 통계처리는 SPSS 29.0을 이 용하여 빈도분석, 요인분석, 신뢰도분석, 분산분석, 다중회귀분석을 실시하였다. 첫 째, 뷰티콘텐츠 영상관심도는 소비가치 중 차별적개성추구가치, 기능적가치, 물질적 가치에 정의 유의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 둘째, 뷰티콘텐츠 영상관심도는 외모관리행동 중 헤어 관리, 성형 관리, 체중 관리, 의복 관리에 대하여 정(+)의 유 의한 영향을 미치는 것으로 나타났다. 셋째, 소비가치가 외모관리행동에 미치는 영향 을 알아보았을 때 뷰티콘텐츠 영상관심도가 외모관리행동에 영향을 미치는데 있어 소비가치 중 차별적개성추구가치만 매개하는 것으로 나타났다. 뷰티콘텐츠를 통해 외모관리에 대한 최신 트렌드와 정보를 접하면서 외모관리행동이 변화하고 소비자의 구매 결정과 행동은 단일 요소가 아닌 다양한 요인에 의해 좌우된다는 것을 시사한 다. SNS를 통한 마케팅이 뷰티산업 소비시장의 경제적 활성화에 효과적임을 확인하 는데 도움이 될 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

This study analyzed the epilithic diatom community and ecological health of freshwater streams using environmental DNA (eDNA)-based metabarcoding technology. eDNA metabarcoding is a method that analyzes biological communities by performing PCR amplification followed by next-generation sequencing (NGS), offering higher sensitivity and faster results compared to traditional microscopic analyses. The study compared the eDNA metabarcoding results of ribulose bisphosphate carboxylase large chain gene (rbcL) targeting epilithic diatoms according to Taq polymerases (SuperFi II, GainBlue, EzPCR, and AccuPower). SuperFi II and GainBlue yielded the highest number of reads and zOTUs, with GainBlue showing particularly uniform read distribution, allowing for more accurate analysis for community diversity of epilithic diatoms. On the other hand, EzPCR and AccuPower exhibited lower number of reads and zOTUs, making them less suitable for the community diversity. In terms of community similarity analysis, SuperFi II and GainBlue produced highly similar results, while EzPCR and AccuPower showed significant differences. This study demonstrates that PCR Taq polymerases significantly influence community diversity and similarity analyses of epilithic diatoms, with GainBlue providing the most stable and accurate results. Our findings serve as a valuable foundation for improving the accuracy of eDNA-based metabarcoding analyses of diatoms.

Fish require movement for feeding, spawning, growth, and evading predators, making swimming ability a critical factor in their survival. Swimming speed in fish are generally classified into sustained, prolonged, and burst speed. This study assessed the swimming capabilities of native benthic freshwater fish and provided data to inform the design and construction of fishways. Three fish species were examined: Pseudobagrus fulvidraco (family Bagridae), Tridentiger brevispinis and Rhinogobius brunneus (family Gobiidae). Measurements of total length, standard length, body weight, and body height were collected for each species, and swimming ability was evaluated using a swimming tunnel apparatus. Swimming ability was determined by measuring burst speed to calculate the critical swimming speed (Ucrit) and the relative swimming speed (TL s-1). The mean critical swimming speeds were 0.73±0.15 m s-1 for P. fulvidraco, 0.75±0.1 m s-1 for T. brevispinis, and 1.34±0.12 m s-1 for R. brunneus. Additionally, a significant correlation was found between swimming ability and total length, indicating that swimming capabilities may vary based on body type and behavior. These findings contribute essential insights into the swimming abilities of native freshwater fish, offering valuable data for improving fishway design. Further research is suggested to evaluate the swimming capabilities of a broader range of freshwater fish species to enhance fishway efficiency.

Natural products have recently emerged as promising candidates for anticancer therapeutics. However, research on their use as adjuvants to existing chemotherapeutic agents in the treatment of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) remains limited. This study investigated the potential of METO, a methanol extract derived from Thuja orientalis, to induce apoptosis and its underlying mechanisms in the OSCC cell line HSC4. The results demonstrated that METO induces apoptosis in HSC4 cells, which is likely mediated through the activation of the ERK and JNK pathways, both of which were observed to be activated in METO-treated cells. Additionally, METO-induced apoptosis appears to involve signaling pathways associated with SOCS3 and p53. These findings highlight that METO exhibits strong anticancer activity in OSCC cells and suggest its potential as a promising chemotherapeutic agent for OSCC treatment.

공인중개사법에 따라 개업공인중개사는 중개의뢰인에게 중개대상물의 확인ㆍ 설명의무를 부담한다. 이러한 개업공인중개사의 의무는 중개의뢰인이 중개대 상물에 관한 계약을 체결할 것인가의 여부 및 어떠한 내용으로 체결할 것인가 를 결정하는 데 중요한 역할을 한다. 다만, 개업공인중개사의 확인ㆍ설명의무 의 범위를 어디까지 인정할 것인지 그리고 개업공인중개사의 의무위반과 중개 의뢰인의 손해 사이의 상당인과관계를 어떠한 기준으로 인정하여 개업공인중 개사의 손해배상책임을 부담시킬 것인지에 대해서는 다양한 논의가 존재한다. 대상판결은 신탁등기가 경료된 중개대상물을 중개하는 경우, 개업공인중개사 가 중개대상물이 신탁재산이라는 사실을 중개의뢰인에게 설명한 것만으로 확 인ㆍ설명의무를 다하였다고 볼 수 없고, 그 중개대상물을 임차하면 발생할 수 있는 위험에 대하여 구체적으로 확인ㆍ설명하여야 한다고 판시하였다. 나아가 이러한 개업공인중개사의 의무위반이 없었다면 중개의뢰인이 그 중개대상물 에 대한 임대차계약을 체결하지 않았을 것이라는 이유로 개업공인중개사의 의무위반과 중개의뢰인이 임차보증금을 반환받지 못해 발생한 손해 사이에 상당 인과관계가 인정된다고 보았다. 이러한 대상판결의 판단은 향후 개업공인중개 사의 확인ㆍ설명의무의 범위와 더불어 그 위반과 손해 사이의 상당인과관계의 인정여부에 중요한 기준이 될 것으로 생각된다.

서울 시내 유통점과 온라인 쇼핑몰에서 구입한 홍삼함 유식품 66건과 건강기능식품 홍삼제품 35건의 기능 성분 인 진세노사이드 함량을 비교·분석하였다. 홍삼함유식품 66건 중 전통시장에서 구입한 2건은 진세노사이드가 검출 되지 않았고 64건의 제품에서는 진세노사이드 함량에 대 한 기준은 없지만 일일 섭취량 기준 0.55-71.56 mg을 함 유하고 있었다. 건강기능식품의 홍삼제품은 진세노사이드 평균 함량이 분말형 제품을 제외하고 일일 섭취량 기준 18.23 mg으로 홍삼함유식품의 8.80 mg 보다 약 2배 정도 가 많았다. 홍삼과 흑삼 비교 시 진세노사이드 함량은 홍 삼 제품이 흑삼 제품보다 많거나 비슷하였으나 분말형 제 품의 경우 흑삼 제품이 2배 많았다. 제형별 진세노사이드 평균 함량은 일일섭취량 기준 농축액 21.95 mg으로 가장 많고 분말 형태 12.54 mg, 스틱형 7.36 mg, 파우치형이 4.10 mg 순이었다. 흑삼제품은 고기능성으로 알려져 있으 나 대부분 일반 식품으로 판매되고 있어 건강기능식품 수 준의 관리와 규제가 필요할 것으로 보이며 흑삼의 규격기 준 설정 이후에는 흑삼제품의 기능성분 함량 재평가가 필 요할 것으로 판단된다. 스틱형이나 농축액 제품의 경우 건강기능식품뿐만 아니라 일반식품인 액상차, 홍삼음료로도 널리 판매되고 있어 식품유형 표시를 명확히 해야 할 것 으로 보인다. 최근 면역력 향상을 위한 소비자의 관심 증 가로 다양한 건강기능식품의 수요가 늘어나고 있다. 따라 서 홍삼을 함유한 식품을 섭취 목적에 맞게 선택할 수 있 도록 정확한 함량정보 제공을 위해 다양한 제품에 대한 지속적인 품질평가가 필요하다.