The role of the gut microbiota in colorectal cancer (CRC) development has garnered attention, highlighting probiotics as potential adjuncts in CRC prevention and treatment. In recent years, probiotics and their derivatives have demonstrated mechanisms that may contribute to anticancer properties. This study investigates the cytotoxic effects of Bifidobacterium bifidum KCTC 3357, Lacticaseibacillus rhamnosus KCTC 5033, Limosilactobacillus reuteri VA 103, Bacillus galactosidilyticus VA 107, and Lactococcus taiwanensis VE101 on CT-26 mouse colon carcinoma cells using live cells, heat-killed cells (paraprobiotics), and cell-free supernatants (CFS, postbiotics) through an MTT assay. The results indicate that live bacterial strains, such as KCTC 3357, VA 103, and VA 107, promoted CT-26 cell viability, while heat-killed cells and CFS exhibited dose-dependent cytotoxicity. Inactivated forms of KCTC 3357 and VE 101, as well as CFS at 10 mg/mL concentration of KCTC 5033, VA 103, and VE 101, showed the strongest antiproliferative effects. These findings suggest that non-viable probiotic derivatives, such as paraprobiotics and postbiotics, offer promising therapeutic potential for CRC, providing a safer and more stable alternative to live probiotics. However, further research is required to explore their mechanisms of action, in vivo efficacy, and potential clinical applications.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) have been reported to have better properties than conventional materials; however, they are more expensive due to the high cost of their main components. Therefore, research is needed to reduce manufacturing costs. In this study, CoCrFeMnNi HEAs were prepared using metal injection molding (MIM), which is a powder metallurgy process that involves less material waste than machining process. Although the MIM-processed samples were in the face-centered cubic (FCC) phase, porosity remained after sintering at 1200°C, 1250°C, and 1275°C. In this study, the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) process, which considers both temperature (1150°C) and pressure (150 MPa), was adopted to improve the quality of the MIM samples. Although the hardness of the HIP-treated samples decreased slightly and the Mn composition was significantly reduced, the process effectively eliminated many pores that remained after the 1275°C MIM process. The HIP process can improve the quality of the alloy.

This study focused on the genomic analysis of Anopheles kleini and Anopheles pullus, both vectors of vivax malaria within the Anopheles Hyrcanus group. Using Illumina NovaSeq600 and Oxford Nanopore platforms, we identified 126 and 116 contigs, along with 40,420 and 32,749 genes from An. kleini and An. pullus, respectively. The assembled genome sizes were 282 Mb for An. kleini and 247 Mb for An. pullus, which are within a similar range to the sizes previously estimated by digital PCR (249 Mb and 226 Mb). We are currently also estimating the genome sizes of other Anopheles spp. and manually curating key genes determining vectorial capacity.

Parasites have co-evolved with their host for a long period of time, resulting in unique parasitic systems tailored to each host species. This makes them suitable for research on physiological function control through cross-species molecules like miRNA. The body louse, a vector of bacterial pathogens, is particularly valuable as a model insect due to their frequent feeding on human blood, which results in the continuous ingestion of human-derived miRNA and injection of salivary gland-derived miRNA into the human body. In this study, we conducted miRNA sequencing on body lice with mixed stages and identified 105 miRNAs, including 50 novel miRNAs. Sequence analysis of human miRNAs remaining in body lice and the functional analysis of these miRNAs are in progress.

본 연구는 낙지의 생식생태 이해에 필요한 수컷 생식기관과 정포의 미세해부학적 구조를 기재 하였다. 낙지는 교접완의 유무를 통하여 성을 구별할 수 있는 성적이형을 갖는 종이다. 수컷 생 식기관은 정소, 일차수정관, 저정낭, 이차수정관, 정포선, 정포낭으로 구성된다. 정소는 조직학 적으로 정세관형이었으며, 수컷 생식세포들은 층상배열상을 보였다. 일차수정관은 정소와 저정 낭을 연결하는 관으로 상피층과 결합조직으로 이루어져 있었다. 저정낭은 일차수정관과 이차 수정관의 사이에 위치하며, 상피층은 상피세포와 점액세포로 구성된다. 점액세포는 AB-PAS (pH 2.5) 반응에서 푸른색, AF-AB (pH 2.5) 반응에서 보라색으로 반응하였다. 이차수정관은 저정낭 과 정포선을 연결하는 짧은 관으로 내강에 주름이 발달하였다. 정포선은 다수의 관상선으로 이루어져 있었으며, 분비세포는 호산성 과립을 가지고 있었다. 정포낭은 주머니 모양으로 내강 에 주름이 발달하였으며, 상피층에 공포상의 분비세포가 존재하였다. 정포는 길이 약 83.5 mm 로 전방부의 당김사, 중간부의 발사체와 고정체, 후방부의 정자 저장부로 구성되어 있었다.

주변 국가인 태국, 캄보디아, 베트남, 라오스 등에서 벼멸구(Nilaparvata lugens)와 흰등멸구(Sogatella furcifera)를 채집하던 중, 벼멸구와 형태가 아주 유사한 이삭멸구(N. muiri)와 벼멸구붙이(N. bakeri), 그리고 흰등 멸구와 형태가 아주 유사한 흰등멸구붙이(S. kolophon), 피멸구(S. vibix) 그리고 애멸구(Laodelphax striatellus)가 동시에 채집이 되는 등 형태적 차이점이 거의 없어 전문가도 쉽게 구분하지 못하는 문제가 있음이 확인되었다. 따라서 형태가 유사한 상기 멸구류의 종 동정을 확실히 할 수 있는 PCR용 프라이머의 개발을 위해 벼멸구 및 흰등멸구의 미토콘드리아 내 COI 영역을 특이적으로 검출할 수 있는 프라이머 세트를 제작하고 종 동정 효과를 확인하였다.

해충에 이용되는 화학적 기피제는 생태계를 파괴할 수 있으며 내성을 가진 생물체로의 진화를 촉진한다. 같은 종의 생물끼리의 의사소통 수단인 페로몬을 이용하면 다른 종에게 영향을 미치지 않으면서 특정 곤충에 특이적 으로 작용하는 방충제를 제작할 수 있을 것이라 생각된다. 본 연구는 초파리(Drosophila)의 페로몬 2종류를 추출 하여 초파리의 기피도 및 유인도와 번식률을 확인하고자 한다. ℃, 광주기 12h/12h의 동일한 조건에서 사육하 며 10마리당 헥세인 10를 사용하여 암컷의 표피에서 CHC 페로몬과 수컷의 페로몬샘에서 cVA 페로몬을 추출 한다. 연령, 성별, 교배 여부에 따라 관찰통에 각각의 페로몬을 처리하여 지정구간에 분포하는 초파리의 수를 계수하여 기피도 및 유인도를 확인한다. 관병에 암수 1쌍을 투입하고 하루에 1번 선정한 페로몬을 투여하며 산란 수을 측정한다. 이 연구를 통해 CHC가 수컷 초파리에 대한 기피 효과가 있음을 확인하였으며 추출되는 수컷의 연령이 높을수록 cVA에 의한 번식률 감소가 크게 나타났다. 본 연구를 통해 페로몬을 통한 초파리의 방제 가능성 을 확인하였으므로 다른 곤충의 방제에도 적용할 수 있을 거라 기대한다. 페로몬은 생물 농축과 같은 환경적 영향이 없으며 소량으로 유의미한 결과를 도출했다는 점에서 의의가 있으며 상용화를 통해 해충에 의해 피해를 해결할 수 있을 것이라 기대한다.

In 2022, research for native prokaryotic species in Korea reported 10 unrecorded bacterial strains affiliated to phyla Actinomycetota, Bacillota, and Pseudomonadota. The strains formed monophyletic clades with the most closely related species (with ≥98.7% sequence similarity) in the 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Among them, four species of the phylum Actinomycetota, two species of the phylum Bacillota, and four species of the phylum Pseudomonadota have not been reported in Korea, suggesting unrecorded species in Korea. Information on strains such as Gram staining reaction, colony and cell morphology, biochemical characteristics, and isolation sources were provided in the species description.

The optimal determination of seeding rate is critical to minimizing uncertainties about the large variations observed in forage quality and productivity when alfalfa is cultivated under different geographical areas and growing conditions. The objective of this investigation was to provide information about the proper seeding rate according to harvest timing for alfalfa cultivation in the Northern regions of Korea. Alfalfa was sown in September 2018 at a seeding rate of 20, 30 or 40 kg/ha and harvested four times in 2019: May 3, July 2, September 11, and October 13. Regardless of seeding rate, alfalfa plant height was longest at the third harvest (113 cm) and the shortest in the last annual harvest (43.8 cm). However, seeding rate had no effect on alfalfa plant height at any harvest. Forage relative feed value was increased in the first cutting but decreased in the third cuttings as seeding rate increased. However, seeding rate had slight effect on alfalfa forage quality components at the second and fourth cuttings. Total annual DM and crude protein production (in 4 harvests) was greater at higher seeding rates. Plots seeded at a rate of 40 kg/ha produced on average 1,257 and 2,620 kg/ha more forage (DM basis) than those seeded at a rate of 30 or 20 kg/ha, respectively. Forage DM production at the first, second, third, and fourth harvests accounted for 36.1, 24.0, 27.1, and 12.8 % of total annual DM production, respectively. Overall, small differences were seen when alfalfa seeding rate was different but maximum forage DM production (in four harvests) was detected when seeding rate was 40 kg/ha. These data could be useful to the alfalfa growers by allowing them to make more accurate trade-offs between seed price and the expected magnitude of forage yield gains in order to select the best seeding rate.