The US is in conflict with China over various trade issues. Although both countries agreed to temporarily suspend tariffs for the next 90 days, this trend is expected to continue after then. New related to tariffs has been a daily occurrence in the first 100 days of the Trump presidency, and yet a gap remains between the US and China that is difficult to bridge. This seems to stem from the fact that President Trump wants to “Make America Great Again” with a vengeance. In addition to implementing a new tariff system, the US seems to be moving towards supporting “strong patents” to safeguard intellectual property rights. These policies will significantly impact both the US and other nations worldwide. This article explores the external developments in the aftermath of the US presidential election and reviews current issues related to intellectual property in the US, focusing on tariff imposition and the prevailing emphasis on strong patent rights.

Recent global efforts to combat climate change have accelerated, with nations adopting carbon strategies such as carbon taxes and emission trading system (ETS) to support their net-zero commitments. These initiatives enable governments to enforce mitigation while maintaining their dual goal of fostering economic growth. Vietnam, a developing country, has emerged as a proactive participant by launching a national ETS, drawing from international best practices and domestic geographical advantages. This article examines the process and challenges involved in designing and implementing an ETS in Vietnam, exploring the necessary policy frameworks, institutional structures, and market mechanisms. It highlights key considerations such as the selection of sectors and entities to be covered, the allocation of emission allowances, and the establishment of new market management solutions. This article concludes with strategic recommendations to support the development of a successful and sustainable ETS mechanism in developing country like Vietnam.

풀빅산(FA)은 Fe(III)을 킬레이트화하여 생물학적으로 이용 가능한 Fe(II)로 전환함으로써 대형 해조류의 성장을 촉진하고 손 상된 해중림의 복원을 돕는다. 이에 본 연구에서는 풀빅산의 공급에 따른해중림 개선에 미치는 효과를 조사, 분석하였다. FA 보충제는 철(Fe) 부족 해역 내 인공 어초에 설치되었으며, 해조류 군집 및 해양 환경조사는 사계절을 대표하는 학술 잠수를 통해 수행되었다. 연 구 결과, 풀빅산 공급으로 인해 가용 철(Fe) 농도가 증가하면서 해조류의 광합성과 영양소 흡수가 촉진되어 성장률이 향상되는 것으로 나타났다. 우점종의 총 생물량은 전체 해조류 총 생물량과 비우점종에 비해 더욱 강한 상관관계를 나타내었다. 이는 철 보충제가 특정 우점종의 양적 증가에 기여하며, FA 보충제가 설치된 어초에서 해조류 군집의 양적 및 구조적 변화를 유발했음을 시사한다. 본 연구 결과는 풀빅산을 해중림 복원에 적용하기 위한 기초적인 정보를 제공하며, 향후 해조류 생태계 관리 및 보존 전략 수립에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

This study investigates activism as a powerful force for social and environmental change in South Asian fashion industries, specifically those in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and India. It defines the characteristics of fashion activism within regional contexts and explores the manifestation of fashion activism in a range of styles and practices. By combining a qualitative literature review with social media analysis, this study evaluates the role of activism in fashion and reveals that fashion serves as a vital medium for advocating social change while fostering a sense of community and identity among marginalized groups. The key findings indicate that social media is crucial for amplifying activist messages, encouraging stakeholder collaboration, and raising awareness regarding urgent social issues. In contrast to prior studies, which have primarily focused on a single topic, this research encompasses a comprehensive spectrum of activism within the fashion domain, examining critical themes such as cultural identity, gender equality, economic empowerment, and environmental justice. The findings suggest that fashion activism catalyzes significant transformations beyond conventional metrics, promoting a holistic framework for understanding social justice and sustainability. Furthermore, this study highlights the transformative potential of the fashion industry in driving social progress and emphasizes the need for further research to better understand these movements.

Maca has been reported to alleviate male menopause symptoms in humans and experimental animals; however, its mechanism of action in improving male menopause has not been clearly identified. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of gelatinized maca in improving male menopause by analyzing serum testosterone, testicular androgen receptor (AR) expression, and testicular oxidation-antioxidation balance. Gelatinized maca was administered orally to aged male C57BL/6 mice at three doses (500, 1,000, and 1,500 mg/kg/day) for 28 consecutive days. Serum biochemical analysis showed an increase in serum hydroxysteroid 17-beta-dehydrogenase 13 (HSD17β13) concentration at 1,500 mg/kg/day and a decrease in serum sex hormone-binding globulin (SHBG) concentration at ≥ 1,000 mg/kg/day. Gelatinized maca administration also resulted in the increased expression levels of testicular AR and cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) response element binding protein (CREB) at 1,500 mg/kg/day. Oxidative stress analysis showed an increase in testicular superoxide dismutase and glutathione reductase activities and a decrease in testicular malondialdehyde at 1,500 mg/kg/day. In conclusion, gelatinized maca administration to aged male mice increased HSD17β13, AR and CREB expression, and antioxidant capacity and decreased serum SHBG. The results of the present study suggest that gelatinized maca may be a useful substance that can help alleviate male menopause symptoms.

곤충 Laccifer lacca의 분비물인 stick lac에서 얻어지는 락색소는 물에 용해되는 붉은색 식용 색소로, 식품에 붉 은 색을 더하는 착색제이다. 주요 성분은 안트라퀴논계 기 반의 laccaic acid로 A, B, C, D, E로 구성된다. 본 연구 의 목적은 HPLC-DAD를 활용하여 laccaic acid를 정량적 으로 분석할 수 있는 방법을 검증하는 것과 섭취 노출량 을 산출하는 것이다. 제안된 분석법은 특이성, 선형성, LOD, LOQ, 정확성, 정확도 등 다양한 검증 항목에서 평 가되었으며, 매트릭스 효과 또한 충분히 고려되었다. 모든 매트릭스에서 검량선은 높은 선형성 (R20.999)을 보였고, 락색소의 MDL과 MQL은 각각 1.93 mg/kg와 5.86 mg/ kg로 확인되었다. 일내 및 일간 회수율 시험에서 정확도 는 91.5-100.9% 사이였고, 정밀도는 0.8-2.6%RSD로 AOAC 기준을 충족하였다. 한국에서 유통되는 다양한 식 품들을 수집하여 락색소를 모니터링하여 식품 유형별 락 색소 섭취 노출량을 평가하였다. 락색소 섭취 수준의 범 위는 국민전체, 섭취자 각각 0.0000-0.0027 mg/kg·bw/day 와 0.0000 -0.0306 mg/kg·bw/day였다. 개발된 분석법은 다 양한 식품 유형에 적용 가능하여 락색소 추출물의 효과적 인 모니터링을 가능하게 하며, 섭취량 평가를 통해 락색 소의 안전성 평가에 추가적으로 활용될 수 있을 것이다.

Background: During daily activities, stability is maintained to enhance the function of muscles surrounding the lumbopelvic and hip structures. The core muscles such as the rectus abdominis (RA), external oblique (EO), and internal oblique (IO) responsible for this stability. One effective static exercise for strengthening these muscles is the plank. Objects: This study aimed to compare abdominal electromyographic activation when an unstable support surface was applied to the upper and lower extremities during a standard and a knee plank. Methods: A total of 30 adults (15 males and 15 females) participated in this study. Surface electromyography electrodes were placed on the RA, EO, and IO muscles. Data were collected under six conditions for males, including two plank postures (standard and knee planks) and three unstable surface conditions (a dynamic balance cushion applied to the upper extremities, lower extremities, or no cushion). Female participants performed only the knee plank. A mixed-effects model with a random intercept was used to analyze muscle activation across plank posture and surface position, with statistical significance set at α = 0.05. Results: In males, the standard plank elicited greater muscle activation than the knee plank across all muscles (p < 0.0001). Additionally, applying an unstable support surface to the upper extremities significantly increased muscle activation in both plank postures in EO and IO (p < 0.001). Other muscle, RA, was only affected by the unstable support surface in the standard plank position only. In females, the knee plank with upper limb instability resulted in the highest muscle activation for all muscles. Conclusion: These findings highlight the importance of surface instability in core muscle engagement. However, future studies should further investigate abdominal muscle activation with a more detailed analysis and the inclusion of a control group to enhance comparative validity.

Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) is a globally important food crop susceptible to root-knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita) infection, which causes significant crop losses. Previous transcriptome and proteome analyses have identified several genes that show differential expression patterns in susceptible and resistant cultivars in response to root-knot nematode (RKN) infection. Among the genes responsive to this process, sporamin (SPO) genes were identified as the most abundant in the transcriptome analysis, and additional changes in the expression of SPO genes that showed specific responses to RKN infection were identified during nematode infection. In this study, we used SPO genes used in previous studies to identify expression patterns under various abiotic stress conditions. The expression of four SPO genes in sweetpotato leaves was investigated under conditions of drought, high salt, and stress-related chemicals treatment. The expression of G13675/TU22356, G34367/TU56356, and G34382/TU56395 increased similarly under dehydration and chemicals treatment conditions. On the other hand, G34367/TU56358 was constantly expressed during the stress treated conditions. This study is expected to be used as basic data on how the gene for the major protein SPO of sweetpotato responds to various abiotic stress conditions as well as nematode infection.