Background: With the increase of seated work, interest in forward head posture (FHP) has grown. Prolonged computer tasks with FHP have been considered a factor that increases the stiffness and tone of the upper trapezius (UT) muscle. Traditionally, many studies have measured the craniovertebral angle (CVA) in standing positions to assess FHP, making it difficult to determine whether the CVA measured in a habitual working posture correlates with the stiffness and tone of the UT muscle in office workers. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the relationship among CVA, UT muscle stiffness, and tone in both habitual working and standing postures among asymptomatic office workers. Methods: Forty asymptomatic office workers participated in the study. CVA was measured in both habitual working and standing postures. Stiffness and tone of the UT muscle were assessed after a 10-minute computer task. Pearson’s correlation coefficient was used to investigate the relationship between CVA and stiffness and tone of the UT muscle. Results: No significant correlations were found between CVA in standing posture and the stiffness and tone of the UT muscle. However, moderate negative correlations were observed between CVA measured in the habitual working posture and both the stiffness (dominant: r = –0.490, non-dominant r = –0.465) and tone (dominant: r = –0.501, non-dominant r = –0.446) of the UT muscle. Conclusion: This study highlights that decreased CVA in habitual working posture is associated with increased stiffness and tone of the UT muscle in asymptomatic office workers. Therefore, measuring CVA in the habitual working posture should be considered when evaluating stiffness and tone of the UT muscle.

Background: Chronic low back pain (CLBP) is a common health problem among female caregivers. In Korea, 70.4% of caregivers experience LBP after caregiving. The prevalence of LBP was higher in female caregivers of patients who required physical assistance with transfer than in those caring for patients who did not require physical assistance. Lifting movements, such as patient transfer and positioning, are associated with lumbopelvic stability (LPS) and knee muscle strength. However, no studies have investigated the differences in LPS and knee muscle strength between female caregivers with and without CLBP. Objects: This study was conducted to investigate the differences of the LPS, knee extension strength (KES) and knee flexion strength (KFS) between female caregivers with and without CLBP. Methods: Thirty-one female caregivers participated in this study. Participants were divided into two groups: (1) caregivers without CLBP (n = 13) and (2) caregivers with CLBP (n = 18). LPS, KES, and KFS levels were measured. An independent t-test was used to compare the LPS, KES, and KFS between caregivers with and without CLBP. The statistical significance was set at α of 0.05. Results: The LPS and KES scores were significantly lower in caregivers with CLBP than those without. In contrast, the KFS did not differ significantly between the groups. Conclusion: This study observed associations of both LPS and KES with CLBP among female caregivers.

During an investigation of indigenous prokaryotic species in the Republic of Korea, 17 bacterial strains belonging to the phylum Bacteroidota and 4 strains belonging to the phylum Bacillota were isolated from freshwater environments. These isolated bacterial strains formed a robust phylogenetic clade with type strains of the closest related bacterial species, with 16S rRNA gene sequences sharing similarities of higher than 98.7%. To date, there have been no official report of these 21 isolates in the Republic of Korea. At the genus level, these unreported species were affiliated with Mucilaginibacter and Pedobacter of class Sphingobacteriia, Flavobacterium and Gillisia of class Flavobacteriia, Hymenobacter of class Cytophagia, and Paenibacillus and Planococcus of class Bacilli. These species were further examined by performing Gram staining, analyzing their colonies and cell morphologies, and determining their basic biochemical characteristics and phylogenetic positions. Detailed descriptions of the 21 previously unreported species are provided.

Freshwater environments serve as crucial habitats for diverse microorganisms, playing essential roles alongside plants and animals within the ecosystem. Bacteria in these environments are particularly important for maintaining ecosystem functions. Among them, members of the phylum Pseudomonadota are known to be involved in processes such as nitrogen fixation, ammonia oxidation, and biofilm formation. Pseudomonadota comprises six classes: Acidithiobacillia, Alphaproteobacteria, Betaproteobacteria, Gammaproteobacteria, Hydrogenophilia, and Zetaproteobacteria. This study reports 43 previously unrecorded species belonging to the phylum Pseudomonadota. They were isolated from various freshwater habitats in Republic of Korea. These strains were isolated and cultured using nine different standard media, with classification based on Gram staining, cell morphology, and biochemical characteristics. Species identity was determined using 16S rRNA gene sequencing, with a similarity threshold of 98.7% for designation as unreported species. Phylogenetic analysis revealed that these 43 strains were distributed across three classes, 13 orders, 28 families, and 39 genera. This research emphasizes microbial diversity in freshwater ecosystems and provides valuable insights into ecological roles and potential novel functions of unreported bacterial species in Korea.

A 13-year-old female lion underwent a simple mastectomy for a rapidly growing abdominal mass, confirmed as mammary adenocarcinoma after histopathological examination. Mammary tumors are common in domestic cats but less frequently reported in African lions. This report presents the first documented case of mammary adenocarcinoma in an African lion in South Korea. The mass was successfully excised through stable anesthesia and surgery. This report adds to the limited literature on mammary tumors in large felids and discusses the need for tailored management strategies.

As part of the 2024 research initiative, “Investigation and Discovery of Prokaryotes in Freshwater Systems,” samples were collected from diverse freshwater habitats, including both water and soil environments. Approximately 2,000 bacterial strains were isolated as single colonies and identified through 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis. Among these, 38 strains shared ≥98.7% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarities with those of known bacterial species not previously reported in Korea. These strains were thus categorized as newly recorded bacterial species in Korea. These 38 bacterial strains displayed significant phylogenetic diversities, spanning 2 phyla, 4 classes, 15 orders, 24 families, and 34 genera. These unrecorded species were classified into the following classes: Actinomycetia (with genera including Microcella, Conyzicola, Curtobacterium, Leucobacter, Microbacterium, Frigoribacterium, Lysinibacter, Streptomyces, Nonomuraea, Actinocorallia, Ruania, and Actinoplanes), Alphaproteobacteria (Paracoccus, Youngimonas, Loktanella, Corticibacterium, Neorhizobium, Onobrychidicola, Ferranicluibacter, Aureimonas, Asticcacaulis, and Novosphingobium), Betaproteobacteria (Rhodoferax, Rugamonas, and Cupriavidus), and Gammaproteobacteria (Rheinheimera, Shewanella, Kosakonia, Leclercia, Hafnia, Yersinia, Pseudomonas, Lysobacter, and Acinetobacter ). Further characterization included assessment of Gram reaction, colony and cell morphology, biochemical properties, and phylogenetic relationships. This report presents detailed phylogenetic and phenotypic characteristics of these bacterial species.

국내 수박(Citrullus lanatus) 품종의 발아율에 대한 Solid Matrix Priming(SMP)의 영향을 평가하였다. Micro cel-E가 SMP 처리에 가장 이상적인 matrix로 밝혀졌으며, 종자:matix:물의 비율은 10:5:10(w/w/w)로, 25°C 에서 3일 동안 처리했을 때 유근의 돌출없이 발아속도가 촉진되었다. SMP 처리 과정 동안 초기 4시간 동안의 수분 흡수율은 급격하게 증가했으며, 이후 72시간 동안은 더 느린 속도로 흡수되었고, 처리 마지막 시간까지 수분 흡수 율은 41%이었다. 발아 온도와 상관없이, SMP 처리된 종자는 발아 시간이 단축되면서 발아율이 향상되었다. 특히, 최적 발아 온도보다 낮은 온도에서 발아율이 높았다. 품종별 차이는 있었으나, 특히 ‘해찬꿀’과 ‘리코스위트’ 품종 에서 발아율이 유의미하게 증가하였다. 또한 일부 품종에서 SMP 처리 종자의 유묘출현율과 초장, 생체중이 무처 리에 비하여 증가한 값을 보였으며, SMP 처리로 종자의 발아속도 및 유묘활력을 증진시켜 우량 묘 확보가 가능한 것으로 판단되었다.

Strains of epiphytic and toxic dinoflagellates were collected from the seawaters surrounding Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands in Korea, and their morphology, molecular phylogeny, and toxicity were analyzed. Each dinoflagellate strain was examined under a microscope for genus-level identification, while species-level confirmation was achieved for Amphidinium operculatum, Ostreopsis sp. (type 1), Protoceratium reticulatum, Coolia canariensis, and C. malayensis through molecular phylogenetic analysis. The genera Gambierdiscus, Heterocapsa, and Prorocentrum were identified based on morphological traits, with Gambierdiscus characterized by a round-flattened shape with distinct thecal plates, Heterocapsa exhibiting a fusiform to oval shape, and Prorocentrum showing an oblong-to-ovate shape. Toxicity assessments for five species involved exposing Artemia salina nauplii to concentration-dependent extracts of the dinoflagellates. At a concentration of 100 ppm, P. reticulatum, A. operculatum, C. canariensis, and Ostreopsis sp. resulted in significant mortality among the nauplii, with survival rates dropping to as low as 0% over a 24-hour period. These findings underscore the potential ecological and toxicological impacts of these species and highlight the necessity for further research to evaluate their behavior under varying environmental conditions. This study marks the first documentation of subtropical epiphytic dinoflagellates in the waters around Ulleungdo and Dokdo islands, encompassing twelve strains from eight epiphytic species. Additionally, we investigated the toxicity of five species, including a toxic planktonic dinoflagellate. The results suggest a potential northeastward shift in their distribution, likely originating from Jeju Island, and being transported by the Tsushima Warm Current through the East Sea. This shift has enabled the successful establishment of populations in these areas under favorable conditions influenced by changes in the oceanic climate.

A scintillator using organic materials can be easily manufactured in various shapes and sizes to suit the user’s purpose. A quantum dot (QD)-based scintillator has a number of advantages over commercial scintillators, including emission wavelength control, high-purity emission of a specific wavelength, high photoluminescence efficiency, and good photostability. The organic scintillators doping with various agents into the polymer media to increase scintillation efficiency and to control the emissioning wavelength through energy transfer process. In this study, scintillator enhancement was observed with different QDs material and detection response to gamma and neutron was investigated in energy spectrum. Multishell- structure QDs (CdS/CdZnS/ZnS) were fabricated and utilized to offset the shortcomings of single-shell-structure QDs, and the optical properties and the gamma and neutron detection performance capabilities were evaluated. The results of the evaluation of the detection response of the QD-based scintillator confirmed that the neutron/gamma classification performance was similar to that of a commercial scintillator. Furthermore, the gamma detection efficiency was improved by 34–38% (in the case of 137Cs) compared to a commercial scintillator. This study is especially notable in that the organic scintillator incorporated with the newly fabricated QDs can be utilized for gamma and neutron detection for the operation and decommissioning various nuclear facilities.

Ectopic ureter refers to a congenital anomaly in which one or both ureters do not connect to the urinary bladder at the correct anatomical site. This case report discusses the case of a 6-year-old female mixed-breed dog diagnosed with chronic urinary incontinence, systemic hypertension, pancreatitis, and sepsis resulting from an ectopic ureter. Treatment involved an initial nephro-ureterectomy to address severe pyonephrosis, followed by ureteroneocystostomy for the remaining functional kidney. Post-surgical outcomes showed notable improvements in clinical symptoms, laboratory findings, and blood pressure. This report emphasizes the need for early diagnosis and appropriate surgical treatment in cases of ectopic ureter. Additionally, it aims to present the clinical symptoms and conditions resulting from prolonged disease progression, as well as the corresponding treatment methods and prognosis.

곤충호텔은 곤충이 서식할 수 있도록 인위적으로 만든 구조 물로서 정원이나 텃밭 등 다양한 곳에서 활용되고 있다. 하지만 식생유형, 재료, 설치 방식 등에 따른 곤충 유입 효과에 대한 검증은 부족하며, 국가 또는 지역에 따른 곤충의 종류와 생육환 경이 다름에도 불구하고 곤충호텔에 대한 국내 연구는 전무한 실정이다. 따라서 본 연구에서는 국립수목원을 대상으로 구체적 인 식생유형 및 재료에 따른 유입 곤충 특성을 확인하고, 국내 실정에 맞는 효과적인 곤충호텔 설치 및 관리방안에 대한 기준 을 제시하고자 하였다. 조사구는 세 가지 식생유형(초지, 침엽수 림, 활엽수림)으로 구분하였으며, 각 식생의 조사구에 두 가지 재료(참나무, 잣나무)를 활용한 곤충호텔을 설치하였다. 조사는 2년동안(2022~2023) 진행되었으며, 매년 4~9월까지 주 1회 씩(총 48회) 곤충호텔의 유입 곤충을 직접 채집하였다. 곤충호 텔에서 채집된 곤충은 총 9목 46과 129종 3,057개체로, 2022 년에는 7목 34과 85종 1,750개체, 2023년에는 8목 35과 77종 1,307개체가 출현하였다. 연도별로 비교하면 1차년도에 유입 된 곤충의 개체수가 2차년도 보다 약 1.3배 많았고, 재료의 부식 에 따른 곤충의 구성도 달라졌다. 식생유형에 따라 구분하면 기간에 상관없이 활엽수림에서 유입 곤충이 가장 많았고, 침엽 수림에서 가장 적었다. 또한 재료에 따른 구분에서는 참나무가 잣나무보다 유입 곤충이 많았다. 참나무의 경우 유입 곤충의 연도별 차이가 적은 반면, 잣나무는 1년차에 비해 2년차에 약 2.3배 줄었다. 상관분석과 계층적 군집분석을 통한 곤충의 유입 특성은 식생유형보다는 재료의 영향이 큰 것으로 확인되었고, 식생유형만 비교했을 경우 초지에 비해 활엽수림과 침엽수림의 유사성이 높았다. 결론적으로 생물 다양성 증진을 목적으로 곤 충호텔을 설치하고자 한다면 초지나 활엽수림에 참나무 재료를 사용하는 것이 유리하며, 잣나무 재료를 이용한다면 1년 주기로 재료 교체가 필요할 것으로 판단된다. 하지만 특정 재료를 선호 하는 곤충의 기주특이성이 확인되었기 때문에 다양한 종류의 재료를 같이 사용하는 것도 하나의 방법이라고 사료된다. 향후 이를 기반으로 전시원에서 실질적으로 활용할 수 있는 곤충호텔 모델 개발로 확대해 나갈 예정이다.

국립수목원 전시원의 지속가능하고 친환경적인 관리를 위하 여 유기물 멀칭재 처리에 대한 잡초 억제 효과를 조사하였다. 대표적 잡초인 쑥군락과 바랭이군락을 대상으로 고정방형구 (1×1㎡)를 3반복 설치하였다. 처리구의 유기물 멀칭재는 5가지 재료로 활엽수 우드칩, 침엽수 바크, 갈참나무 낙엽, 메타세쿼이 아 낙엽, 칠엽수 과피를 사용하였다. 멀칭재 중에서 갈참나무 낙엽, 활엽수 우드칩, 칠엽수 과피가 비교적 잡초 억제 효과가 높은 것으로 나타났다. 갈참나무 낙엽은 지중 온도를 낮게 유지 하는 효과가 상대적으로 좋았기 때문에 토양의 보습 효과가 뛰 어날 것으로 판단된다. 유기물 멀칭재 처리는 일년생식물의 발 생은 억제하고, 지중식물 및 반지중식물의 생육에 도움을 주는 효과가 있었다. 멀칭재의 무게보다 재료에 의한 빛 차단 면적이 잡초를 억제하는 주된 요인이었다. 본 연구 결과는 국립수목원 전시원에서 발생하는 부산물을 활용한 친환경적 관리 방안 수립 에 활용될 것이며, 향후 잡초의 발생 시기에 따른 멀칭 시기 및 유기물 멀칭재의 유지 관리에 대한 추가적인 연구가 필요하다.

Background: The ability of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) to transduce various cell types with minimal immune responses renders them prominent vectors for gene editing (GE), with different AAV serotypes exhibiting distinct transduction efficiencies due to their specific cellular tropism. However, detailed molecular processes of AAV infection and penetration, as well as the optimal serotype for specific purposes, remain poorly understood. Porcine models are widely used in research benefitting both human and livestock due to anatomical and physiological similarities to humans. Methods: Transduction efficiencies of 18 AAV serotypes (AAV1–9, 6.2, rh10, DJ, DJ/8, PHP.eB, PHP.S, 2-retro, 2-QuadYF, and 2.7m8) were evaluated in immortalized porcine lung epithelial cells (pLCsImt) and pulmonary alveolar macrophages 3D4/31 (PAMs 3D4/31). Results: We found AAV2, DJ, and 2.7m8 to be the most effective in both cell types. The highest enhanced green fluorescent protein expression of 52.46 ± 2.4% in pLCsImt and 64.08 ± 2.4% in PAMs 3D4/31 was observed for AAV2, while negligible transduction was observed for AAV4, rh10, DJ, PHP.eB, PHP.S, and 2-retro. AAV-DJ showed superior transduction efficiency in PK-15, as compared to AAV2 and 2.7m8. Results emphasize the cell type-specific nature of AAV serotype transduction efficiencies. Notably, AAV2 was most effective in both lung and macrophage cells, whereas AAV-DJ was more effective in renal cells. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that AAV2 was identified as the most efficient serotype for transducing pLCsImt and PAMs 3D4/31, compare to the PK-15 cells. Understanding cell type-specific preferences of AAV serotypes offer crucial insight for tailoring AAV vectors to specific tissue and optimizing genome editing strategies, with potential implications for the advancement of personalized medicine and development of treatments for human and livestock.

Background: This study was conducted to increase meat production by 30% compared to the present by selecting a giant cow over 1,000 kg and applying biotechnologies. Methods: After OPU from 1,100 kg of giant cow, the calves were produced in Hanwoo surrogate mothers. Among 23 calves six male heads were selected, three heads of them were chosen as candidate sires, and the rest three heads were raised for 30 months for performance test. The semen of three candidate sires from the age of 22 months were collected and frozen, and the calves were produced by artificial insemination. The calf was raised to the age of 30 to 33 months and performed a progeny test. Results: The average birth weight of 23 calves born by transferring giant cow-derived embryos was 42.8 kg, and the average weight of carcass from three bulls was 615.3 kg in the performance test. In the progeny test, the average birth weight of calves born after artificial insemination of semen from giant cow-derived candidate sires was 41 kg, and the average weight of carcass after raised to the age of 30 to 33 months was 562.7 kg. As a result of performance and progeny tests, it is 148 and 96 kg higher in giant cow-derived beef cattle than the average carcass (467 kg) from general Hanwoo cattle, respectively. Conclusions: This study will have laid a great foundation for the future improvement of the Korean beef industry.

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) have emerged as a promising therapeutic resource for the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and central nervous system (CNS) that is attributable to their capacity for neuronal differentiation. Human dental pulp stem cells (hDPSCs), which exhibit MSC-like traits, can differentiate into neuron-like cells and secrete critical neurotrophic factors; however, their therapeutic potential in peripheral nerve injury remains unexplored. This study investigated the regenerative effects of hDPSC transplantation following sciatic nerve injury (SNI) in rats. Transplantation of hDPSCs, STRO-1+ hDPSCs, or CD146+ hDPSCs after sciatic nerve transection in rats upregulated the levels of β3 tubulin, a marker of immature newborn neurons. Furthermore, the levels of glial cellderived neurotrophic factor, insulin-like growth factor 2, and the neuroregenerative factor NeuroD1 were upregulated. Motor dysfunction in rats with SNI was restored, as demonstrated by significantly higher sciatic functional index scores compared with the sciatic nerve transection group without transplantation. Transplantation of hDPSCs into injured peripheral nerves results in the upregulation of neurotrophic factors, differentiation into immature neurons, and promotion of motor function recovery. This approach holds promise as a valuable therapeutic strategy for repairing injured peripheral sciatic nerves, potentially providing a solution for nerve damage in both the PNS and CNS.

In this study, ester co-solvents and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) were used as low-temperature electrolyte additives to improve the formation of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Four ester co-solvents, namely methyl acetate (MA), ethyl acetate, methyl propionate, and ethyl propionate, were mixed with 1.0 M LiPF6 ethylene carbonate:diethyl carbonate:dimethyl carbonate (1:1:1 by vol%) as the base electrolyte (BE). Different concentrations were used to compare the electrochemical performance of the LiCoO2/ graphite full cells. Among various ester co-solvents, the cell employing BE mixed with 30 vol% MA (BE/MA30) achieved the highest discharge capacity at − 20 °C. In contrast, mixing esters with low-molecular-weight degraded the cell performance owing to the unstable SEI formation on the graphite anodes. Therefore, FEC was added to BE/MA30 (BE/MA30-FEC5) to form a stable SEI layer on the graphite anode surface. The LiCoO2/ graphite cell using BE/MA30-FEC5 exhibited an excellent capacity of 127.3 mAh g− 1 at − 20 °C with a capacity retention of 80.6% after 100 cycles owing to the synergistic effect of MA and formation of a stable and uniform inorganic SEI layer by FEC decomposition reaction. The low-temperature electrolyte designed in this study may provide new guidelines for resolving low-temperature issues related to LIBs, graphite anodes, and SEI layers.

마비성 패류독소 중독증(paralytic shellfish poisoning; PSP)은 삭시톡신과 그 유사체로 오염된 패류를 섭취했을 때 발생하며, 저림, 구토 등의 증상에서부터 근육 마비와 심각한 경우 호흡 마비로 이어져 사망에 이를 수 있다. 독 성등가계수(toxic equivalency factors; TEFs)는 다양한 마 비성 패류독소의 독성을 표준화하여 위험성을 평가하는 데 사용된다. 마비성 패류독소를 검출하기 위해 사용되던 마우스 생체 실험(mouse bioassay; MBA)에 대한 윤리적 문제가 제기되면서 고성능액체크로마토그래피와 같은 기 기 분석법으로의 전환이 시도되고 있지만, 유사체들의 적절 한 TEF를 설정하기 위해서는 여전히 동물 모델을 통한 생 체 내 독성 데이터가 필수적이다. 본 연구에서는 동물 수를 줄이면서도 신뢰할 수 있는 경구투여 독성 결과를 얻기 위 해 삼단계 반응표면-경로 (three-level RSP) 설계를 사용했다. 인증 표준 물질을 이용하여 각 독소의 초기 용량과 조정 계 수를 결정하고 시험을 진행했으며, STX.2HCl, NeoSTX, dcSTX, GTX1&4, GTX2&3, dcGTX2&3의 반수치사량 (및 TEF) 값은 각각 451.3 (1.00), 306.5 (1.47), 860.9 (0.52), 644.5 (0.70), 915.3 (0.49), 2409.3 (0.19)로 나타났다. 도출된 TEF 값은 2016년 WHO에서 권고한 TEF 값뿐만아니라, 이 전에 보고된 경구 투여 반수치사량을 기반으로 한 TEF 값 과 강한 상관관계를 보였다. 본 연구는 마비성 패류독소 뿐 만 아니라 신규 미관리 해양생물독소에 대해 적절한 TEF를 설정하는 데 있어 삼단계 반응표면경로 설계를 윤리적 우 려와 신뢰할 수 있는 독성 데이터의 필요성 사이에서 효과 적으로 균형을 맞출 수 있는 방법으로 제안한다.