Pine wilt disease (PWD), caused by the pine wood nematode (Bursaphelenchus xylophilus), is a major threat to Pinus thunbergii forests in South Korea. Although climatic conditions are known to affect the spread of PWD, the specific influences of temperature and geography on nematode density and tree mortality remain unclear. This study assessed monthly PWN density and black pine mortality across three regions—two coastal (Geoje and Sacheon) and one inland (Jinju)—from 2021 to 2023. Nematode density and tree mortality consistently peaked in autumn across all regions. A strong positive correlation was observed between nematode density and tree mortality (r = 0.7468, p < 0.01), while temperature showed no significant correlation with either variable. These results indicate that PWD severity is more closely tied to nematode activity than to temperature alone, and that regional and seasonal variability must be considered in disease assessment. The findings highlight the need for region-specific monitoring and management strategies that prioritize high-risk periods, particularly autumn, when nematode activity and disease expression are most pronounced. This research provides essential data to support adaptive PWD control programs under changing climatic conditions.

In this study, we analyzed the structural and mechanical properties of aluminum foams fabricated using aluminum powders of varying sizes and mixtures. The effects of sintering and pore structure at each size on the integrity and mechanical properties of the foams were investigated. Structural characteristics were examined using scanning electron microscopy and micro–computed tomography, while mechanical properties were evaluated through compression testing. The experimental results demonstrated that smaller powder sizes improved foam integrity, reduced porosity and pore size, and resulted in thinner cell walls. In combination, these effects increased compressive strength as the powder size decreased. The findings of this study contribute to the understanding and improvement of the mechanical properties of aluminum foams and highlight their potential for use in a wide range of applications.

In this paper, a water rescue mission system was developed for water safety management areas by utilizing unmanned mobility( drone systems) and AI-based visual recognition technology to enable automatic detection and localization of drowning persons, allowing timely response within the golden time. First, we detected suspected human subjects in daytime and nighttime videos, then estimated human skeleton-based poses to extract human features and patterns using LSTM models. After detecting the drowning person, we proposed an algorithm to obtain accurate GPS location information of the drowning person for rescue activities. In our experimental results, the accuracy of the Drown detection rate is 80.1% as F1-Score, and the average error of position estimation is about 0.29 meters.

Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam., IRG) is a widely cultivated winter forage crop known for its high yield and nutritional value. This study evaluated the processing characteristics and feeding performance of IRG-based pellets in Hanwoo cattle (Bos taurus coreanae) and Korean native black goats (Capra hircus). IRG was harvested at the optimal growth stage and processed into two pellet formulations: IRG ≥80% (with up to 20% soybean meal) and 100% IRG. Feeding trials were conducted under ad libitum feeding conditions. Hanwoo cattle showed higher intake of 100% IRG pellets (7.9 kg/day/head) than IRG ≥80% pellets (7.5 kg/day/head, p<0.05), with similar average daily gain (0.9 ± 0.4 kg/day/head). Conversely, black goats exhibited significantly lower intake of IRG ≥80% pellets (54.6 g/day/head) compared to 100% IRG pellets (266 g/day/head), likely due to reduced palatability associated with soybean meal inclusion. These findings suggest that IRG pellets are suitable for Hanwoo cattle, while further optimization of pellet size and formulation is required to improve acceptance in goats. Future studies should assess long-term impacts on digestion, rumen fermentation, and metabolic responses.

This study was conducted from 2022 to 2024 at the Grassland and Forage Crops Division, National Institute of Animal Science (RDA), in Cheonan, Korea, to develop a medium-maturing variety of Italian ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum Lam.). The newly developed tetraploid cultivar, named ‘Spider’, is characterized by its green leaves, semi-erect growth habit in late autumn, and erect growth habit in mid-spring. With a heading date of May 16, ‘Spider’ is classified as a medium-maturing variety. Compared to the control cultivar ‘Kowinmaster’, ‘Spider’ has a 1.0 mm wider leaf blade, a 1.6 cm longer leaf blade, and is 5 cm taller in plant height. Its dry matter yield (10,169 kg/ha) is significantly higher than that of ‘Kowinmaster’ (p<0.05). The crude protein content of ‘Spider’ is 10.4%, which is 0.2% higher than that of the control. Additionally, ‘Spider’ has a neutral detergent fiber (NDF) content of 49.5% and an acid detergent fiber (ADF) content of 26.6%, showing a 2.2% lower NDF and a 0.2% higher ADF compared to ‘Kowinearly’.

The commercial feed additive, native rumen microbes (RC), derived from a diverse microbial community isolated from the rumen of Hanwoo steers is being explored to enhance rumen fermentation and improve ruminant feed utilization. This study evaluated the impact of native rumen microbes supplementation on methane emissions, microbial diversity, and fermentation efficiency on in vitro assessment. Treatments were as follows: CON (basal diet, without RC); T1 (basal diet + 0.1% RC); T2 (basal diet + 0.2% RC). Rumen fermentation parameters, total gas, and methane production were assessed at 12, 24, and 48 h of incubations. The in vitro gas production was carried out using the Ankom RF Gas Production System. Supplementation of RC significantly reduced the total gas production at 12, 24, and 48 hours of incubation (p < 0.05). Volatile fatty acid concentrations were increased, while acetate and propionate were decreased (p < 0.05) at 48 h by the supplementation of RC. Notably, the 0.1% inclusion level of RC significantly reduced methane production by 28.30% and 21.21% at 12 and 24 hours. Furthermore, microbial diversity analysis revealed significant shifts (p < 0.05) in bacterial composition between the control and treatment groups, while supplementation also promoted the growth of bacterial populations, such as Succiniclasticum. These findings suggest that native rumen microbes supplementation, particularly at 0.1% inclusion level, can enhance rumen microbial composition while significantly reducing methane production in vitro.

This study evaluated the bactericidal efficacy of a disinfectant containing chlorine dioxide as its main ingredient against Paenibacillus larvae (P. larvae) that is the causative agent of American foulbrood. A bactericidal efficacy test by broth dilution method was used to determine the lowest effective dilution of the disinfectant following exposure to P. larvae for 30 min at 4°C. The disinfectant and test bacterium were diluted with low and high organic matter (OM) suspension according to treatment condition. On low and high OM conditions, the bactericidal activity of the disinfectant against P. larvae was 2.5 and 1.25 fold dilution, respectively. The recommended dilution time of the disinfectant in low and high OM was 2.0 and 1.0 fold dilution, respectively. As the disinfectant possesses bactericidal efficacy against P. larvae, the disinfectant can be used to prevent American foulbrood in larvae of honeybees.

Background: Heat stress during summer impairs reproductive performance in sows, causing summer infertility. Cytochrome P450 1A2 (CYP1A2) plays a crucial role in steroid hormone metabolism in the liver and has been shown to be upregulated under stress conditions. However, the effect of seasonal heat stress on CYP1A2 expression in sow ovaries remains poorly understood. Methods: Ovaries were collected from crossbred sows during different seasons in Korea. The control group (CON) was exposed to optimal temperatures for swine rearing (22.0-24.5℃) during spring, while the heat-stressed group (HS) experienced high temperatures (30.5-37.0℃) during summer. Temperature-humidity index (THI) was calculated to assess thermal stress severity. CYP1A2 expression was analyzed using Western blotting and immunohistochemistry (IHC), and these values were statistically compared with THI by Pearson’s correlation analysis. Results: The HS exhibited significantly higher THI values compared to the CON (88.11 vs. 66.67). Western blot analysis revealed significant upregulation of CYP1A2 expression in the HS compared to CON (1.89 vs. 1.00). IHC demonstrated that CYP1A2 was specifically localized in granulosa cells of mature follicles, with a significantly higher proportion of CYP1A2-positive follicles in the HS (15.92%) compared to CON (9.08%). When the obtained values were compared with THI values, CYP1A2 expression showed a strong positive correlation with THI (r = 0.41 and 0.74). Conclusions: This study revealed that heat stress can alter the ovarian microenvironment, including the expression of CYP1A2. These findings emphasize the need for effective thermal management strategies to mitigate heat stress-induced reproductive dysfunction in livestock production.

본 연구에서는 광체꽃벌속의 미기록종 Ceratina iwatai Yasumatsu, 1936을 한국에서 처음으로 보고한다. 본 종의 기재, 분포정보, 그리고 삽화를 제공한다.

Business model(BM) innovation is widely known as a differentiated strategy and strategic framework for companies to secure a sustainable competitive advantage in an uncertain environment. While prior research has studied new business models in accordance with changes in manufacturing trends such as digitalization and servitization, empirical understanding of the dynamic processes of BM innovation is still lacking. This study addresses this gap by proposing an analytical framework of the BM innovation matrix that classifies companies' BM innovation cases into four types according to the degree of BM change and the influential level of the industry/market outcome through a critical literature review on business models and dynamics. Drawing on this framework, we conduct longitudinal case studies of leading global 3D printing firms to examine the dynamic processes and external environmental factors that shape the evolution of BM innovation. Our findings reveal previously underexplored patterns of co-evolution between firms’ business models and their broader industrial and market environments. This study has the significance of constructing a framework for dynamically analyzing BM innovation based on longitudinal case studies of emerging 3D printing companies. We presented implications for companies seeking successful commercialization of emerging technologies, such as the strategic usefulness of the BM innovation framework and the importance of co-evolution with industrial structure and environmental factors in the process of change.

본 논문은 라이소자임이 칸디다 알비칸스에 항균효능이 있음을 발견하였고 라이소자임의 분해 절편도 또한 항균효능이 있는지 단백질 분해 효소인 트립신을 처리하여 확인해 보았다. 130개의 아미노산 으로 구성된 14 kDa 단백질인 라이소자임을 약 24 kDa의 분자량을 가지는 단백질 분해 효소인 트립신으 로 분해 하였다. 분해된 생성물은 고성능 액체 크로마토그래피인 분석용 및 제조용 HPLC를 사용하여 분 석 및 분리하였다. 이를 통해 효율적인 라이소자임 소화를 위한 최적 조건을 확인하고, 분해된 펩타이드 절 편들을 분리하였다. 효능평가 결과, 일부 펩타이드 절편들이 칸디다 알비칸스에 강한 항균 활성을 보임을 확인하였으며 몇몇은 활성이 줄어드는 결과를 보였다.