Background: Aquatic exercise utilizing hot springs helps individuals with nonspecific knee pain by reducing joint stress and providing a safe environment for movement. It can improve muscle strength and balance, enhancing overall functional mobility. Objects: This study aims to examine the muscle strength of knee flexion, knee extension, dorsiflexion, and plantar flexion, as well as to investigate static and dynamic balance in middleaged females after performing hot spring aquatic exercise for 4 weeks. Methods: Twenty-two middle-aged females participated in the study. The participants performed hot spring aquatic exercise for 4 weeks. The hot spring aquatic exercise consisted of aquatic walking, aquatic stretching, aquatic side step, aquatic forward reach, aquatic squat, leg lift, and aquatic arm and leg rotation. Muscle strength was measured using microFET2, while static balance was assessed through the one-leg stance test, and dynamic balance was evaluated using the Y-balance test. This study utilized the paired t-test for statistical analysis, with a significance level set at 0.05. Results: The muscle strength of bilateral knee flexion showed a significant increase in the pre- and post-comparison (p < 0.05), and the muscle strength of bilateral knee extension also improved significantly (p < 0.05). In addition, a significant increase was observed in the muscle strength of bilateral dorsiflexion (p < 0.05). The one-leg stance test performed while supporting on the right leg showed a significant increase in the pre- and post-comparison (p < 0.05). Furthermore, the dynamic balance measurements performed while supporting on both the right and left legs demonstrated significant improvements in both legs when compared before and after the intervention (p < 0.05). Conclusion: In individuals with nonspecific knee pain, a 4-week hot spring aquatic exercise program can contribute to the improvement of lower extremity strength, as well as static and dynamic balance ability.

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.

인공관절 치환술 환자의 합병증 진단을 위한 자기공명영상 검사에서 발생한 금속 인공물을 감소시키는 VAT(view angle tilting) 기법과 딥러닝 알고리즘 중 K-공간 기반의 deep resolve(boost, sharp, DR)를 적용하여 그 유용성 에 대해 평가하고자 하였다. 자체 제작 팬텀과 3T 장비로 일반적인 VAT, DR이 적용된 VAT로 T1 강조영상, T2 강조영상, 단시간 반복 회전 연쇄기법(short tau inversion recovery, STIR) 영상들을 병렬영상 가속계수 2, 3, 4를 적용하여 획득하였다. 획득된 영상에서 왜곡도, 팬텀 바닥에서 금속 인공물까지 거리, 신호대잡음비를 정량적 평가하였고, 영상 품질은 정성적 평가하였다. 왜곡도는 일반적인 VAT와 DR이 적용된 VAT의 T1 강조영상, T2 강 조영상, STIR 모두 유의한 차이가 없었다(p>0.05). 또한 금속 인공물까지 거리도 T1 강조영상, T2 강조영상, STIR 모두 유의한 차이가 없었다(p>0.05). 신호대잡음비는 일반적인 VAT보다 DR이 적용된 VAT의 가속계수 4에서 T1 강조영상은 103%, T2 강조영상은 85.2%, STIR은 73.3% 최대로 증가하였고, 영상품질 평가점수는 T1 강조영상은 5점, T2 강조영상은 4.6점, STIR은 4.8점으로 가장 좋았다. 본 연구를 통해 VAT 기법의 영상품질 저하를 DR 기술 로 개선할 수 있었다. 금속 인공물이 발생했을 때 DR이 적용된 VAT의 가속계수를 4로 적용한다면, 검사시간을 단 축하면서 보다 진단적 가치가 높은 영상을 획득할 수 있을 것으로 사료된다.

Lumpy Skin Disease (LSD) and Foot-and-Mouth Disease (FMD) cause substantial economic losses on the livestock industry. Therefore, vaccinations have been implemented as the control strategy in endemic countries. However, the potential adverse effects of administering vaccines for both diseases simultaneously have not been thoroughly evaluated. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of vaccinating dairy cows with either or both LSD and FMD vaccines on milk production and physiological parameters such as milk temperature, rumination time and body weight. The experimental groups were divided into four according to the injection materials: 1) saline, 2) LSD vaccine, 3) FMD vaccine, and 4) both vaccines. The impact of vaccination on milk yield and physiological parameters was evaluated daily until 12 days post-vaccination, and milk components were analyzed twice, once per week. Among the experimental groups as well as each vaccine group, no statistically significant differences (p < 0.05) were observed at milk yield, milk components, or milk temperature. This suggests that simultaneous vaccination of LSD and FMD can be administered without adverse effects.

Periodontitis is a chronic inflammatory disease characterized by the progressive destruction of periodontal tissue and alveolar bone loss. To develop effective treatment strategies, a model that mimics this disease must be implemented. From this perspective, animal models can be used to investigate its mechanisms by reproducing disease progression and providing insights into host-microbe interactions, immune responses, and bone remodeling. In addition, periodontitis-associated bone loss fundamentally differs from systemic bone loss. Targeted treatments require distinguishing periodontitis-induced and systemic bone loss mechanisms. This review examines the rationale for using animal models in periodontal research and evaluates various experimental approaches, such as bacterial inoculation, ligature-induced periodontitis, and chemically induced inflammation. These models have advanced our understanding of periodontal disease but have limitations in replicating the chronic nature of periodontitis and human immune responses. However, current models cannot fully replicate chronic disease progression and human immune responses. Recent developments have focused on improving animal models to more accurately simulate disease progression and host responses, which has led to the elucidation of the immunomodulatory mechanisms of periodontitis and their relevance to the human dental environment. Moreover, new approaches, such as developing age-related periodontitis models and improving ligature techniques, could enhance experimental reproducibility and translational potential. Future studies are needed to reflect these improvements and enhance the clinical relevance of periodontitis models.

Maturity at harvest is the key factor influencing storage life and the final quality of fruit. This study examined how the firmness of ‘Sweet Gold’ kiwifruit at harvest affects its post-ripening characteristics to create a maturity chart. Throughout the storage period, firmness decreased in all categories of fruit: hard, medium, and soft. ‘Soft’ fruits lost 40% of their firmness within 2 days after harvest, whereas ‘hard’ fruits remained firmer than soft fruits throughout the storage period and had the least soluble solids content, indicating a slower ripening progression. The acidity of ‘soft’ kiwifruit was very low from the day of harvest, suggesting that it was utilized as a respiratory substrate during ripening. The a-values (indicating redness) for ‘soft’ fruits gradually increased until day 6, stabilizing thereafter. ‘Soft’ fruits exhibited the highest ethylene production rate throughout storage. They showed a climacteric rise in ethylene on day 13, compared to ‘medium’ and ‘hard’ fruits, which exhibited increases on days 19 and 21, respectively. This data can help determine the optimal ethylene treatment duration for ripening ‘Sweet Gold’ kiwifruit. The firmness of ‘Sweet Gold’ kiwifruit at harvest is a crucial factor in determining its marketability and can effectively serve as a maturity index to estimate its shelf life.

Additive manufacturing makes it possible to improve the mechanical properties of alloys through segregation engineering of specific alloying elements into the dislocation cell structure. In this study, we investigated the mechanical and microstructural characteristics of CoNi-based medium-entropy alloys (MEAs), including the refractory alloying element Mo with a large atomic radius, manufactured via laser-powder bed fusion (L-PBF). In an analysis of the printability depending on the processing parameters, we achieved a high compressive yield strength up to 653 MPa in L-PBF for (CoNi)85Mo15 MEAs. However, severe residual stress remained at high-angle grain boundaries, and a brittle μ phase was precipitated at Mo-segregated dislocation cells. These resulted in hot-cracking behaviors in (CoNi)85Mo15 MEAs during L-PBF. These findings highlight the need for further research to adjust the Mo content and processing techniques to mitigate cracking behaviors in L-PBF-manufactured (CoNi)85Mo15 MEAs.

According to previous studies, the El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) does not appear to regulate TC activity over Korea. By dividing the TC season into two sub-seasons, i.e. summer and autumn, we found the opposite response of TC activity over Korea to ENSO phases between the sub-seasons. In summer, about 1.2 more TCs affect Korea during El Niño than during La Niña, while about 1.2 fewer TCs do so in autumn. The opposite responses to ENSO could reduce the statistical significance of the relationship between ENSO and TC activity over Korea when the entire TC season (July to October) is considered. In summer, the southerly anomaly over the southern sea of the Korean peninsula due to the eastward retreating subtropical high allows a greater number of TCs to approach Korea during El Niño compared to La Niña. On the other hand, in autumn, the northwesterly anomaly due to the westward extension of the subtropical high leads to a smaller number of TC approaches.

Cherry tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L,. var. cerasiforme Mill.) is small fruits with a bright red color resembling a cherry and having an excellent taste, sweet and juicy ambience. So far, no cherry tomato variety was registered in Ethiopia. Consequently, six genotypes were imported from National Institute of Horticulture and Herbal Sciences (NIHHS), Rural Development Administration (RDA) Republic of Korea, and field experiment was conducted in RCBD with three replications at six Ethiopian testing sites, with irrigation, during off-seasons of 2021 and 2022 to identify high yielding, well adapted and good quality varieties. The overall analysis of variance across locations and years showed non-significant difference among the genotypes for marketable and total yields. But separate analysis for each site has revealed significant differences among genotypes at Melkassa, Koka, Adami- Tulu and Fogera, unlike that of Kulumsa and Woramit. There were significant differences (P < 0.05) among these genotypes for fruit numbers per plant, average fruit weight, fruits per cluster, plant height, skin thickness, juice volume and total soluble solid. Wonhong No.3 gave higher marketable (24.49 t/ha) and total (26.19 t/ha) yields, and generally Wonhong Nos.3 and 5 had higher yields and good qualities across these tested locations and years. Hence, Wonhong No.3 (designated as Jorgie-1) was registered for its higher yield, non-cracking, good TSS and color, while Wonhong No.5 (renamed as Jorgie-2) was preferred for its smaller fruit size, reasonable yield and quality (TSS, color, non-cracking). Hence, both varieties were officially registered in 2023 season for commercial production in different agro-ecologies of Ethiopia, and they are believed to add more economic and nutritional values for the tomato producers and the consumers. They can also support the intensification of tomato cultivation in peri-urban and urban agriculture, where demands and thus government focus are increasingly growing.

Morphological analyses of two newly recorded sea star species, Henricia exigua Hayashi, 1940 and Henricia tumida Verrill, 1909, of genus Henricia collected from Dongsan Harbor in the East Sea and Chuja-do, Jeju, Korea, respectively, were carried out. Henricia exigua could be characterized by an irregular arrangement of abactinal plates with adambulacral armature comprised of 10-13 spinelets. Henricia tumida has a short arm (R/r=4.0-4.2) with abactinal paxillae scattered and 4-8 abactinal spinelets with adambulacral spines having 4-6 spinelets. This study provides the first report of H. exigua and H. tumida in the Korean fauna along with detailed morphological description with their key characteristics.

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.