본 연구는 작약의 품종간 개화시기 차이와 저온에서 장기 저 장이 가능한 품종을 선발하여 절화 유통 기간을 연장하기 위하 여 수행하였다. 작약 24품종을 대상으로 2022년 국립원예특작 과학원 시험포장에서 개화시기와 절화 품질을 조사하였다. 봉오 리 상태에서 수확한 작약을 건조 저장법으로 -1℃에서 60일 저장한 후 절화 수명과 절화품질을 조사하였다. ‘의성작약’은 홑 꽃이었고 나머지 품종은 겹꽃이었다. 개화시기는 5월 10일부터 18일 사이였으며, ‘Etched Salmon’, ‘Monsieur Jules Elie’, ‘Gilbert’, ‘Henry Bockstoce’는 개화일이 5월 10일로 가장 빨랐고, ‘Elsa Sass’는 5월 18일로 가장 늦었다. 식물체 키는 74.6∼107.8cm 였고, 절화 무게는 ‘Henry Bockstoce’ 품종 이 89.8g으로 가장 무거웠고, ‘Angel Cheeks’ 품종이 26.7g으 로 가장 가벼웠다. 꽃의 주된 색은 흰색, 빨강색, 분홍색, 자주색 이었다. -1℃에서 60일간 저장 후에 꽃과 잎의 상태가 아주 양 호한 품종은 ‘Kansas’, ‘Ole Faithful’, ‘Sonw Mountain’이 었다. 절화수명은 ‘Nick Shaylor’ 품종이 8일로 가장 길었고, 다음으로 ‘Blush Queen’, ‘Elsa Sass’ 품종이 7일이었으며, ‘Gilbert’, ‘Highlight’ 품종이 1일로 가장 짧았다. 작약은 저온 장기 저장에서 일부 품종을 제외하고는 꽃과 잎에 저온장해 증 상이 발생하였다. 이와같은 결과는 작약재배시에 품종 선택과 수확후 저온 장기 저장을 통하여 유통기간을 연장하고 하고자 할 때 기초자료로 활용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

운량은 천체 관측을 지속하는 데에 중요한 요소 중 하나이다. 과거에는 관측자가 날씨를 직접 판단할 수밖에 없 었으나, 원격 및 자동 관측 시스템의 개발로 관측자의 역할이 상대적으로 줄어들었다. 또한 구름의 다양한 형태와 빠른 이동 때문에 자동으로 운량을 판단하는 것은 쉽지 않다. 이 연구에서는 기계학습 기반의 파이썬 모듈인 “cloudynight” 을 밀양아리랑우주천문대의 전천 영상에 적용하여 운량을 모니터링하는 프로그램을 개발하였다. 전천 영상을 하위 영역 으로 나누어 각 39,996개 영역의 16개의 특징을 학습하여 기계학습 모델을 생성하였다. 검증 표본에서 얻은 F1 점수는 0.97로, 기계학습 모델이 우수한 성능을 가짐을 보여준다. 운량(“Cloudiness”)은 전체 하위 영역 개수 중 구름으로 식별 된 하위 영역 개수의 비율로 계산하며, 운량이 지난 30분 동안 0.6을 초과할 때 관측을 중단하도록 자동 관측 프로그 램 규칙을 정하였다. 이 규칙을 따를 때, 기계학습 모델이 운량을 오판하여 관측에 영향을 미치는 경우는 거의 발생하 지 않았다. 본 기계학습 모델을 통하여, 밀양아리랑우주천문대 0.7 m 망원경의 성공적인 자동 관측을 기대한다.

In the merger-driven galaxy evolution scenario, dust-obscured quasars are considered to be an intermediate population between merger-driven star-forming galaxies and unobscured quasars; however, this scenario is still controversial. To verify this, it is necessary to investigate whether dust-obscured quasars have higher Eddington ratio (λEdd) values than those of unobscured quasars, as expected in the merger-driven galaxy evolution scenario. In this study, we derive black hole (BH) masses of 10 dust-obscured quasars at z ∼ 2, during the peak period of star-formation and BH growth in the Universe, using a newly derived mid-infrared (MIR) continuum luminosity (LMIR)-based estimator that is highly resistant to dust extinction. Then, we compare the λEdd values of these dust-obscured quasars to those of unobscured type-1 quasars at similar redshifts. We find that the measured log (λEdd) values of the dust-obscured quasars, −0.06 ± 0.10, are significantly higher than those of the unobscured quasars, −0.86 ± 0.01. This result remains consistent across the redshift range from 1.5 to 2.5. Our results show that the dust-obscured quasars are at their maximal growth, consistent with the expectation from the merger-driven galaxy evolution scenario at the epoch quasar activities were most prominent in the cosmic history.

The ladybird beetles have been used as biological control agents against several pest species. The aim of this study is to evaluate the compatibility between ladybird beetles and an entomopathogenic fungus Beauveria bassiana (Balsamo) Vuillemin AAD16. The virulence of AAD16 strain was compared with that of commercial GHA strain on three developmental stages of two coccinellids; Harmonia axyridis Pallas and Chilocorus stigma Say. The topical application method was used for both adult and larval stage while dipping method was used for egg stage. The LT50 and mycosis rate for all life stages of two ladybird beetles tested were not significant between AAD16 and GHA strain. In larval stage, the mycosis rates of H. axyridis and C. stigma were 36 and 40% and 63 and 60% in AAD16 and GHA strain. In adult stage, the mycosis rates of H. axyridis (male and female) and C. stigma (unsexed) were 20, 23, and 23% and 26, 30, and 30% in AAD16 and GHA strain, respectively. Therefore, the two predatory coccinellids could be compatible with these two fungus strains due to their relatively lower mycosis rate.

Naturally occurring left ventricular hyperplasia is a rare but lethal disease. There are very few reports of this cardiac disease in captive nonhuman primates. In a colony of Macaca mulatta (Rhesus monkey) at California National Primate Research Center, a large number of rhesus macaques were diagnosed by autopsy with naturally occurring left ventricular hypertrophy without obvious underlying diseases over a 22-year period. The confirmatory diagnosis of ventricular hypertrophy was based on findings of notable left ventricular concentric hypertrophy with reduced left ventricular lumen, which is very similar to human ventricular hypertrophy cases. This report discusses an 11-year-old Macaca fascicularis monkey (Cynomolgus monkey, crab-eating macaque), weighing 2.95 kg, that was presented for enrollment in a pharmacokinetic (PK) study. During the PK experiment, the monkey died following a sudden decrease in percutaneous oxygen saturation and heart rate. Gross and histological examinations of the heart were performed. On gross pathology, the left ventricular wall was thickened, and the chamber lumen was reduced. In histopathological examination using hematoxylin- eosin and Masson-trichrome stains, fibrosis and myocyte disarray were not observed, but an increased cell density, compared to the normal heart, was confirmed. The autopsy results confirmed left ventricular hyperplasia as the major cause of death.

Even in an era where 8-meter class telescopes are common, small telescopes are considered very valuable research facilities since they are available for rapid follow-up or long term monitoring observations. To maximize the usefulness of small telescopes in Korea, we established the SomangNet, a network of 0.4{1.0 m class optical telescopes operated by Korean institutions, in 2020. Here, we give an overview of the project, describing the current participating telescopes, its scientic scope and operation mode, and the prospects for future activities. SomangNet currently includes 10 telescopes that are located in Australia, USA, and Chile as well as in Korea. The operation of many of these telescopes currently relies on operators, and we plan to upgrade them for remote or robotic operation. The latest SomangNet science projects include monitoring and follow-up observational studies of galaxies, supernovae, active galactic nuclei, symbiotic stars, solar system objects, neutrino/gravitational-wave sources, and exoplanets.