A new spider species of the genus Pholcus Walckenaer, 1805, Pholcus osaek sp. nov., in the family Pholcidae C.L. Koch, 1850, is described from Korea. This new species belongs to phungiformes-group in the genus. It can be distinguished from its congeners by the shape and structure of genital organs of both males and females. It is found on and between rock walls in mountainous mixed forests. Additionally, the taxonomic status of Pholcus uksuensis Kim & Ye, 2014 is revalidated, re-diagnosed, and redescribed based on specimens collected from the type locality. Considering differences mentioned in the diagnosis through revalidation, P. uksuensis is regarded as a distinct species. Therefore, it should be removed from the synonymy of P. woongil Huber, 2011.

가위벌과에 속하는 Coelioxys의미기록 2종 Coelioxys conoidea Illiger, 1806 와 Coelioxys formosicola Strand, 1913을 한국에서 처음으로 보 고한다. 본 종의 기재, 분포정보, 그리고 삽화를 제공한다.

디지털 기술의 발전과 함께 권위주의 정권들은 이러한 도구를 활용하 여 통제를 강화하고 있다. 북한은 이러한 추세를 명확히 보여주는 사례 이다. 본 연구는 사례 연구 방법을 통해 북한이 디지털 권위주의를 어떻 게 적용하고 있는지, 그리고 이러한 기술이 인권 침해로 어떻게 이어지 는지를 분석한다. 북한의 생체 감시, AI 기반 모니터링 등 디지털 감시 사례를 통해, 디지털 감시가 인권에 미치는 영향을 제시한다. 이 논문은 북한에서의 인권 침해 현황을 보고하고, 이러한 문제 해결을 위한 정책 방안을 제언한다. 국제사회는 디지털 감시 기술 공급업체에 대한 표적 제재를 이행하고 북한 주민에게 정보를 제공하기 위한 노력을 전개할 필 요가 있다.

Background: The plank exercise is widely used in rehabilitation to enhance core muscle activation, spinal stability, and reduce the risk of lower back injuries. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of exercise complexity and instability on core muscle activation, with a particular focus on using a sling suspension system during prone bridge exercises. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty healthy adults performed three variations of prone bridge exercises: Both Limb Prone Bridge (BLPB), Single Limb Prone Bridge (SLPB), and Single Limb Prone Bridge with Hip Abduction (SLPBHA). Electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activation in the erector spinae (ES), multifidus (MF), and internal oblique (IO) muscles. Results: Significant increases in ES muscle activation were observed during SLPBHA compared to BLPB and SLPB (P<.05), indicating that exercise complexity and the introduction of instability significantly enhanced ES activation. However, no significant differences were found in MF and IO activation across the exercise variations (P>.05). Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of exercise complexity and instability, particularly SLPBHA, in enhancing ES muscle activation. The findings support the inclusion of these exercises in core stability training programs aimed at improving spinal stability and preventing lower back injuries.

The present study describes Philodromus rufus Walckenaer, 1826 with detailed descriptions, taxonomic photographs, distribution map, and proposition of a new synonym. Due to morphological similarity between P. pseudoexilis Paik, 1979 and P. rufus, taxonomic identity of P. pseudoexilis has been doubtful to date. A detailed bibliographic study of types of P. pseudoexilis between P. rufus and examination of specimens from the type locality of P. pseudoexilis with specimens of P. rufus collected across the country showed that P. rufus has all diagnostic characters found in types of P. pseudoexilis. Therefore, P. pseudoexilis Paik, 1979 should be regarded as a new synonym of Philodromus rufus Walckenaer, 1826.

The ocean is linked to long-term climate variability, but there are very few methods to assess the short-term performance of forecast models. This study analyzes the short-term prediction performance regarding ocean temperature and salinity of the Global Seasonal prediction system version 5 (GloSea5). GloSea5 is a historical climate re-creation (2001-2010) performed on the 1st, 9th, 17th, and 25th of each month. It comprises three ensembles. High-resolution hindcasts from the three ensembles were compared with the Array for Real-Time Geostrophic Oceanography (ARGO) float data for the period 2001-2010. The horizontal position was preprocessed to match the ARGO float data and the vertical layer to the GloSea5 data. The root mean square error (RMSE), Brier Score (BS), and Brier Skill Score (BSS) were calculated for short-term forecast periods with a lead-time of 10 days. The results show that sea surface temperature (SST) has a large RMSE in the western boundary current region in Pacific and Atlantic Oceans and Antarctic Circumpolar Current region, and sea surface salinity (SSS) has significant errors in the tropics with high precipitation, with both variables having the largest errors in the Atlantic. SST and SSS had larger errors during the fall for the NINO3.4 region and during the summer for the East Sea. Computing the BS and BSS for ocean temperature and salinity in the NINO3.4 region revealed that forecast skill decreases with increasing lead-time for SST, but not for SSS. The preprocessing of GloSea5 forecasts to match the ARGO float data applied in this study, and the evaluation methods for forecast models using the BS and BSS, could be applied to evaluate other forecast models and/or variables.

A poorly known spider, Pholcus kwangkyosanensis Kim & Park, 2009 is redescribed with diagnosis, detailed descriptions, and taxonomic photographs of diagnostic characters. P. kwangkyosanensis is similar in appearance to P. kwanaksanensis Namkung & Kim, 1990, in terms of the shape of the genital organ and body, but it can be easily distinguished from the latter by the shape of the cheliceral apophysis, uncus, and procursus in males, as well as the shape of the epigynum and pore plates in females. The specimens of this spider were collected at the type locality (Mt. Gwanggyosan, Suwon), specifically under the bridge on a local stream in an agricultural landscape surrounded by rice fields, upland fields, or horticultural greenhouses.

The domestic artificially sweetened beverage market has grown rapidly in recent years, and sodas have led this growth. This study investigated consumer food purchasing behavior of artificially sweetened sodas in terms of the food health stereotypes of “vice” and “virtue”; used to denote unhealthy and healthy food purchases, respectively. The study was conducted using consumer panel data collected by the Rural Development Administration from 2017 to 2020. Given the semi-continuous nature of artificially sweetened soda purchases, Cragg’s two-part model was used for the analysis. The probability of purchasing artificially sweetened sodas increased as expenditure on snacks (a vice food category) increased. However, of those panelists who purchased artificially sweetened sodas, expenditure on artificially sweetened sodas decreased with expenditure on snacks and increased with expenditure on fruits (a virtue food category). These results suggest that vicious-lifestyle consumers choose artificially sweetened sodas when they regulate eating habits, whereas virtuous-lifestyle consumers increase artificially sweetened soda expenditure for hedonic consumption to reduce guilt based on a sensible trade-off effect.

Wasp venom is rich in bioactive substances, such as proteins, peptides, and small molecules. The venom significantly affects the mammalian cardiovascular, nervous, and immune systems, causing mild to severe symptoms following stings. It exhibits both procoagulant and anticoagulant activities, and significant research has identified its ability to modulate the mammalian coagulation system. Active substances that inhibit clotting were identified and purified through patient case reports and experimental studies. The study reviewed the findings on how wasp venom interacts with platelets and coagulation factors, such as fibrinogen and prothrombin, and demonstrated its dual influence on the coagulation cascade. This highlights the potential of the venom in therapeutic applications, especially as an anticoagulant, as evidenced by the inhibition of coagulation factors and prolonged clotting times after envenomation, suggesting its utility in developing novel anticoagulant therapies. This review focuses on the anticoagulant effects of social wasp venom, which is prevalent in sting incidents, summarizing the research and observations on its therapeutic potential. This emphasizes the significance of further studies to identify and utilize venom components as innovative anticoagulant treatments.

Silk fibroin (SF) from silkworms has special qualities, and these qualities have drawn a lot of interest lately in SF-based hydrogels for a range of biological applications. However, because there is a dearth of naïve silk materials to collect and prepare, research on the SF-based hydrogels isolated from spider silks has been rather limited. Thus, this study compared the microstructural properties of silk fibroin (SF) hydrogel scaffold, which was taken from the cocoon of the insect silkworm Bombyx mori, with those of hydrogel scaffolds derived from two types of woven silk glands in the orb-web spider Trichonephila clavata: the major ampullate gland (MAG) and the tubuliform gland (TG). The SF hydrogel, which is stabilized by connected SF fibers, has a loose top structure, high porosity, and translucency, according to our FESEM investigation. While the TG hydrogel showed greater porosity, ridge-like or wall-like structures, and stable biocapacity generated by physical cross-linking, the MAG hydrogel showed even higher porosity, elongated fibrous structures, and superior mechanical properties. It is anticipated that the unique microstructural properties of MAG and TG hydrogels will be advantageous when choosing customized substrates to support particular cell types for tissue engineering and regenerative medicine applications.

In contrast to conventional silk fibroin, spider silk's potential as a scaffold material for tissue engineering is examined in this work. The remarkable qualities of spider silk are being researched for use in making films for tissue regeneration. In comparison to silk fibroin films, the study's analysis of orb-web spider Trichonephila clavata films highlights their improved cell adhesion and nanofibrous network structure. Tests for solubility substantiate the durability of spider silk films, while in vitro investigations demonstrate low cytotoxicity and enhance cellular viability. The conclusion highlights the exceptional properties of spider silk, which make it a viable option for tissue engineering applications and a step forward for in vitro cell culture and regenerative bioengineering.

Spider silk, which combines strength and lightness, emerges as an ideal candidate for non-woven fabric production. Unlike synthetic polymeric materials, silk are nontoxic and biocompatible and cause no allergic reaction. In particular, the dragline silk produced by the golden orb-web spider, Trichoephila clavata, is renowned for its superior strength and exceptional mechanical properties compared to other spider silks. Non-woven fabrics have found extensive applications in diverse industrial sectors, owing to their advantageous qualities such as breathability, durability, and lightweight characteristics. Natural dragline silk was extracted from the orb-weaving spider and subsequently randomly arranged. Compressing into a sheet-plane form, in addition to inducing the formation of water-resistant, stable β-sheet structures through ethanol vapor treatment or direct treatment, preserved the morphology of the silk fibers. The resulting non-woven sheets were analyzed with an field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) to observe their fine structures and mesh size were measured through image analysis.

Transmission electron microscopy was used to examine the microscopic structural features and myofibril organization of cardiac muscle cells in the orb-web spider T. clavata. There are many myofibrils, many mitochondria, a large sarcoplasmic reticulum, and transverse tubules (T-tubules) in the muscle fibers, even if the myofibril striations may not be as noticeable as in skeletal muscles. Because of their consistent striations, sarcomeres are characterized by Z-lines that are 2.0 μm on average in length and do not clearly distinguish between the A- and I-bands. A single T-tubule paired with a terminal cisterna of the sarcoplasmic reticulum constitutes a dyadic junction, which is primarily located at the A-I level of sarcomeres. Cells are joined by intercalated discs, which create several linkages via specialized junctions such as desmosomes, gap junctions, and fascia adherens—all of which are essential for heart function. Our results with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) clearly show that the contraction of the spider's heart muscle is neurogenically controlled, since each fiber is innervated by a motor neuron branch via neuromuscular junctions. These results highlight the neurogenic process controlling spiders' cardiac muscle contractions and advance our knowledge of the peculiar cardiac muscle structure of these animals.

The genus Argiope are known to decorate their webs with various patterns. The purpose of these web decorations, referred to as stabilimenta, is still a subject of debate. They are believed to serve either as lures to attract prey insects or as a means of providing protection to the spider by enhancing the web's visibility to deter potential predators. In this study, we observed spider orientation with respect to the direction of the sun in a controlled laboratory environment. To assess the orientation preference of the spider, the frame was repositioned daily by reversing its direction. Over a period of 21 days, the orientation of the spider was meticulously recorded, distinguishing between the illuminated side (open side) and the shaded side (closed side). field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) visualization were used to investigate the microstructural characterization of stabilimenta in both juvenile and adult spiders. Our results represent that the decorative structure of stabilimentum shows diverse microstructural features according to the maturation level of the spider. In addition, it has been confirmed that spiders tend to prefer the open side direction when stabilimentum is present.

In Vespa velutina, although no parasites or parasitoids have been found as natural enemies, strepsipteran parasites were first discovered in 11 workers in Andong in 2020. Identification using the DNA barcode method along with the morphological characters, identified them as Xenos moutoni and X. oxyodontes. These were all males (except for one parasite whose appearance was not identified), and consisted of four larvae and seven pupae. This is the first recorded strepsipteran parasites in Korea, Japan, and Europe, invaded by V. velutina. A Strepsipteran parasite is prevalent in Vespa species, but reports on the host is lacking in Korea. Although it was not possible to determine the exact infection rate of the strepsipteran parasites in this study, it seems that the parasite of V. velutina has already progressed in the southern region due to the geographical characteristics of Andong, located in the central region of Korea. In particular, stylopized workers do not work in the nest, which negatively affects nest development, and reproductive individuals (male and new queen) do not mate, which negatively affects the formation of new colonies in the following year. Nevertheless, the control effect is likely to be minor due to the high reproductive rate and compensatory effect of social wasps.

외래종 등검은말벌은 양봉농가에 막대한 경제적 피해를 입히는 대표적인 양봉 해충으로 알려져 있다. 본 연구 에서는 경북 의성 및 안동 일대에서 양봉장 주변 2km 지점 내에 발생하는 등검은말벌의 벌집 밀도에 대해 조사하 였다. 조사기간은 2023년 12월 1-20일까지 조사되었으며 육안, 망원경 및 드론을 통해 가능한 한 모든 지점을 조사하였다. 이번 조사에서 발견된 총 등검은말벌 벌집 수는 133개로 조사되었다. 그 중 의성에 위치한 5곳의 양봉장에서는 총 67개로 평균 13.4개, 안동에 위치한 5곳의 양봉장에서는 총 66개로 평균 13.2개로 나타나 두 지역이 거의 유사한 경향을 나타내었다. 10개의 양봉장 중 안동 안기동 일대 양봉장에서 최대 26개의 등검은말벌 벌집이 발견되었으며 의성 단촌 일대 양봉장에서는 4개만이 발견되어 큰 격차를 보였다. 양봉장에 피해는 주는 등검은말벌의 출현 비율은 주변 벌집 밀도에 영향을 직접적으로 받고 있기 때문에 정확한 밀도 및 거리 등을 토대로 적절한 방제 전략이 필요할 것으로 보인다.