A new variety of Alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.), named 'Alfaking' was developed between 2015 and 2023 at the Grassland and Forages Division, National Institute of Animal Science, Rural Development Administration, Cheonan, Republic of Korea. The variety was produced through artificial hybridization, with ‘Paravivo’ serving as the maternal line and ‘WL514’ as the paternal line. ‘Alfaking’ underwent field tests across four regions (Cheonan, Pyeongchang, Jeongeup, and Jinju) to evaluate its agronomic characteristics and forage production over two years (2022-2023). The dry matter yield of ‘Alfaking’ reached 22,516 kg/ha, which is 11% higher than the control variety, ‘Vernal.’ ‘Alfaking’ exhibited 2.1% higher crude protein content than ‘Vernal’ in forage nutritive value. The development of this new alfalfa variety, which exhibits excellent adaptability to challenging environmental conditions, is expected to enhance forage cultivation and productivity in Korea.

장내 미생물 군집은 소화 과정, 면역 시스템, 질병 발생 등 숙주의 다양한 면에 광범위한 영향을 주는 것으로 알려져 있으며, 주요 장내 미생물 종은 숙주의 생리 기능에 핵심적인 역할을 수행한다고 발표된 바 있다. 곤충의 장내 미생물 군집에 관한 연구가 최근 활발히 이루어지고 있으며, 이들 연구는 주로 장내 미생물 군집과 기생충, 병원체 간의 상호작용, 종간의 신호 전달 네트워크, 먹이의 소화 과정 등을 중심으로 이루어지고 있다. 이러한 연구들은 대부분 Illumina MiSeq을 활용하여 16S rRNA 유전자의 V1부터 V9 영역 중 선택된 특정 부분을 대상으로 짧은 서열 정보를 대상으로 진행되었다. 그러나, 최근에는 PacBio HiFi 기술이 상용화되면서 16S rRNA의 전장 분석이 가능할 수 있게 되었다. 이번 연구는 장수말벌(Vespa mandarinia)의 해부를 통해 gut과 carcass 부분을 분리한 뒤, 각 샘플을 Illumina MiSeq과 PacBio HiFi 기술을 활용하여 미생물 군집 간의 차이점을 확인하기 위하여 수행되었다.

Haemaphysalis longicornis는 사람과 동물에게 여러 심각한 병원체를 전달하는 주요 매개체로, 한반도에 널리 분포하고 있다. H. longicornis는 Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., Francisella spp., Coxiella spp., 그리고 중증열성혈소판 감소증후군 바이러스 (SFTS virus) 등을 매개하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 국내에 서식하는 H. longicornis의 미생물 군집과 관련된 연구는 많이 진행되지 않은 것으로 확인되었다. 이 연구는 한반도 내 다양한 지역에서 채집된 H. longicornis의 미생물군집 다양성을 지역별, 성장 단계 및 성별에 따라 분석하였다. 2019년 6월부터 7월까지 질병관리청 권역별기후변화매개체감시거점센터 16개 지역에서 채집한 H. longicornis의 16S rRNA 유전자 V3-V4 영역을 PCR로 증폭 후 Illumina MiSeq 플랫폼으로 시퀀싱하였다. Qiime2를 활용한 미생물 다양성 분석을 통해 총 46개의 샘플에서 1,754,418개의 non-chimeric reads를 얻었으며, 평균 126개 의 operating taxonmic unit (OTU) 을 식별하여 총 1,398개의 OTU를 확인하였다. 대부분의 지역에서 Coxiella spp.가 우점종으로 나타났으며, 특히 Coxiella endosymbiont는 가장 높은 우점도를 보이며, Coxiella burnetii와 계통 발생 학적으로 유사한 것으로 확인되었다. 이 연구를 통해 분석된 결과는 각 지역의 H. longicornis 미생물군집 데이터 베이스 구축에 활용되었으며, 이를 통해 지역별 미생물군집의 특이성을 식별할 수 있게 하였다. 이는 한반도의 H. longicornis에 의한 질병 전파 연구와 이를 통한 공중보건 개선에 기여할 것으로 기대된다.

Honey bees are crucial pollinators for agricultural and natural ecosystems, but are experiencing heavy mortality in Korea due to a complex suite of factors. Extreme winter losses of honey bee colonies are a major threat to beekeeping but the combinations of factors underlying colony loss remain debatable. Finding solutions involves knowing the factors associated with high loss rates. To investigate whether loss rates are related to Varroa control and climate condition, we surveyed beekeepers in korea after wintering (2021–2022 to 2022–2023). The results show an average colony loss rate of 46%(2022) and 17%(2023), but over 40% colony loss before wintering at 2022. Beekeepers attempt to manage their honey bee colonies in ways that optimize colony health. Disentangling the impact of management from other variables affecting colony health is complicated by the diversity of practices used and difficulties handling typically complex and incomplete observational datasets. We propose a method to 1) Varroa mite population Control by several methods , and 2) Many nursing bee put in hive before wintering.

Lyophyllum decastes has been used for culinary purpose. The present study was conducted to evaluate the antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects from methanol, acetone, and hot water extracts of L. decastes fruiting bodies. The acetone and methanol extracts showed the higher 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazy radical scavenging activities than that of the hot water extract at 0.5–2.0 mg/mL and was comparable to the BHT, the positive control. The ferrous ion chelating effects of the mushroom extracts at 0.5–2.0 mg/mL were significantly higher than that of BHT. The reducing power of acetone extract (2.12) was significantly lower than that of BHT (2.73) at 2.0 mg/ mL. The mushroom extracts also showed inhibitory effects on production of nitric oxide (NO), and expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) in lipopolysaccharide-induced murine macrophage cells in a concentration dependent manner. In vivo anti-inflammatory experiment on carrageenan-induced hind-paw edema of rat model, the acetone extract of the mushroom significantly suppressed the carrageenan-induced rat hind paw edema of rats in a dose dependently. The results suggest that the fruiting bodies of Lyophyllum decastes are a good natural resource of antioxidant and anti-inflammation.

Following the previous study, the toxicity of a single subcutaneous administration of the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) and the side effects that may occur at therapeutic doses were confirmed. The Thyrokitty injection (I-131) was administered subcutaneously once at a dose of 0, 2.0, 6.0, and 18.0 mCi/kg, 5 male and female rats per group, and mortality, general symptom observation, and weight measurement were performed for 2 weeks, followed by observation of autopsy findings. There were no deaths, and no statistically significant weight change was observed. Mild hair loss, fissures, and crusting were observed by general symptom observation, but it was not a toxic change related to the Thyrokitty injection (I-131). Gastric atrophy and a decrease in the size of the spleen were observed by the autopsy. As a results of single subcutaneous administration of the Thyrokitty Injection (I-131) to rats at a maximum dose of 18.0 mCi/kg, a decrease in the size of the spleen and gastric atrophy were observed as the dose of the Thyrokitty Injection (I-131) increased, which may be related to the test substance. No abnormal findings related to the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) were observed. Therefore, the approximate lethal dose of the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) was 18.0 mCi/kg or more. In addition, as reported for the treatment of feline hyperthyroidism with radioiodine (131I), side effects of the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) are expected to be extremely rare. Temporary dysphagia and fever may occur, but it will recover naturally. It should be administered with caution in cats with diseases such as urinary system, cardiovascular system, gastrointestinal system and endocrine system, especially with kidney disease. And it should not be used in cats who are pregnant, lactating, or likely. It is expected that the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) can be used for clinical treatment in Korea as a veterinary drug.

Radioiodine (131I) has been used for the treatment of feline hyperthyroidism since the 1990s in the USA and Europe, and it is recommended as the most effective treatment for feline hyperthyroidism because it has a high therapeutic effect, small side effects, and does not require anesthesia. In this study, the pharmacological properties of the Thyrokitty injection (I-131), which is being developed as a treatment for feline hyperthyroidism, using radioiodine (131I) as an active ingredient, was tested. The %cell uptake of the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) in FRTL- 5 thyroid cells was 0.410 ± 0.016%, which was about 18 times higher compared to Clone 9 hepatocytes, and it was decreased by 30.7% due to the competitive reaction with iodine (sodium iodide). In addition, the %cell growth of the FRTL-5 thyroid cells was reduced by 25.0% by treatment with the Thyrokitty injection (I-131). As a result of the tissue distribution test, the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) was distributed at the highest concentration at 0.083 hours (5 minutes) after subcutaneous administration to animals in most organs except the stomach, small intestine, large intestine, muscle and thyroid gland, and it was excreted mainly through the kidneys. The stomach and thyroid gland showed a typical distribution pattern observed when radioiodine (131I) was administered. In addition, about 78.45% of the total amount of excretion was excreted within 48 hours, of which more than 85% was excreted in urine. In conclusion, the Thyrokitty injection (I-131) has the same mechanism of action, potency, absorption, distribution, metabolism and excretion characteristics as radioiodine (131I) reported in connection with the treatment of feline hyperthyroidism. In the future, using the results of this study, it is expected that the Thyrokitty (I-131) could be safely used in the clinical treatment of feline hyperthyroidism.

A novel brown rot fungus Phaeolus schweinitzii IUM 5048 was firstly used for ethanol production. It was found that this fungus produced ethanol with various sugars, such as glucose, mannose, galactose and cellobiose at 0.28, 0.22, 0.06, and 0.22 g of ethanol per g of sugar consumed, respectively. This fungus showed relatively good ethanol production from xylose at 0.23 g of ethanol per g of sugar consumed. However, the ethanol conversion rate of arabinose was relatively low (at 0.08 g of ethanol per g sugar). P. schweinitzii was capable of producing ethanol directly from rice straw and corn stalks at 0.11 g and 0.13 g of ethanol per g of substrates, respectively, when the fungus was cultured in a basal medium supplemented with 20 g/L rice straw or corn stalks. These results suggest that P. schweinitzii can hydrolyze cellulose or hemicellulose to fermentable sugars and convert them to ethanol simultaneously under oxygen limited condition

In order to extend the business viability of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), research on CNT dispersion in a solvent as well as in polymer matrix should be established. Herein, three kinds of dispersing agents, sodium deoxycholate (DOC), sodium dodecylbenzene sulfonate (NaDDBS), polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP), are selected and applied to quantify the dispersibility and dispersion stability of CNT aqueous dispersion. The dispersibility of CNT dispersion with the PVP, evaluated via viscosity and particle size analyses, are superior to those with the DOC and NaDDBS dispersing agents. CNT aqueous solution dispersed with PVP showed slightly higher viscosity and narrower particle size distribution than those with DOC and NaDDBS dispersing agents. In addition, the dispersion stability of CNT dispersion with the PVP, measured via lumisizer analyses, are superior to those with the DOC and NaDDBS dispersing agents. HR-TEM analysis verifies that the outstanding dispersibility and dispersion stability of CNTs in aqueous solution are due to the effect of the robust polymer wrapping of the PVP dispersing agent on the CNT surface. From the results of this study, the guidelines for the selection of the suitable dispersing agents and the systematic evaluation of dispersibility and dispersion stability of CNT dispersions can be suggested.

Admirandus multicavus Belogurov and Belogurova, 1979, a new record of free-living marine nematode species belonging to family Oncholaimidae is reported based on the specimens collected from the intertidal sediments of Korea. Admirandus multicavus is characterized by the following unique characteristics: cephalic setae (1-2 μm long), spicules (71-126 μm long) and gubernaculum (15-31 μm long), midventral preanal supplementary organ, three glandular duct openings of the Demanian system, and stoma length measuring twice the width. A comparative analysis of the biogeographical and ecological characteristics of Admirandus species is presented. DIC (Differential interference contrast) photomicrographs of the species are also provided herein. This report represents the first taxonomic analysis of the genus Admirandus Belogurov and Belogurova, 1979 discovered from the Korean seawaters.

Barnyard millet is a short-lived tropical, short-term C4 plant and has superior vitality in humid conditions owing to its freshwater habitat. It shows strong adaptability to soils with poor drainage and low fertility, and efficiently competes with rice in paddy fields. Barnyard millet grain is used as feed in the Indian region and is a great source of dietary fiber, proteins, fats, vitamins, and some essential amino acids. Considering its high nutritional value and its potential as a food resource and fodder crop, various countries are showing interest in cultivating barnyard millet. However, in Korea, farm households have not yet recognized the benefits of cultivating barnyard millet, and research regarding this is scarce. In this review, the features of forage barnyard millet and its related research trends are discussed, with the aim of improving interest in this crop and promoting its cultivation.

Anti-melanogenesis and skin anti-wrinkle effects of methanol (ME) and hot water (HE) extracts from the fruiting bodies of Ganoderma applanatum were investigated in this study. The total phenolic contents of the ME and HE of the mushroom were 11.68 and 3.15 μg GAEs/mg, respectively, whereas the total flavonoid contents of the ME and HE were 21.82 and 2.69 μg QEs/mg, respectively. The survival rate of B16-F10 murine melanoma cells treated with 750 μg ME and HE were 83.46% and 85.54%, respectively, thereby suggesting that mushroom extracts were slightly cytotoxic at the tested concentration. The in vitro tyrosinase inhibition by ME (83.15%) and HE (83.44%) was significantly lower than that of kojic acid (99.61%), the positive control, at 2.0 mg/mL. Although the inhibition of cellular melanin synthesis in B16-F10 melanoma cells by 2.0 mg/mL of ME (50.24%) and HE (51.24%) was lower than that of arbutin (64.84%), the inhibition by both ME and HE was higher than 50%. Collagenase inhibition by HE was comparable to 2.0 mg/mL epigallocatechin (EGCG), the positive control; however, elastase inhibition by ME and HE was lower than that of EGCG at the concentration tested. The results showed that the fruiting bodies of G. applanatum had good anti-tyrosinase, good anti-collagenase, and moderate anti-elastase activities, which might be useful for developing novel skin-whitening and anti-wrinkle agents.

Melia azedarach is commonly used in traditional and folk medicine in Korea and China to treat a variety of diseases including diarrheal, diabetic, rheumatic, and hypertensive disease. The aim of this study was to determine the potential prophylactic and therapeutic effects of Melia azedarach against a broad spectrum of viruses in in vitro cell culture model and the protective effect against different influenza A subtypes in BALB/c mice model. An effective dose of pre-treatment, co-treatment, and post-treatment of Melia azedarach significantly reduced the replication of coxsackievirus, herpes simplex virus, influenza A virus, enterovirus, and bovine rhinovirus in both epithelial and macrophage cell lines. Melia azedarach treatment remarkably promoted the phosphorylation of the key molecules associated with the type-1 interferon and NF-κB signaling pathways. Furthermore, it induced the secretion of type-1 interferon and pro-inflammatory cytokines and the subsequent stimulation of the antiviral state in both epithelial and macrophage cells. Interestingly, oral inoculation of an effective dose of herb extract significantly improved viral clearance in the lungs of BALB/c mice, thus exhibiting protection against several subtypes of influenza A virus. Together with our results indicate that an extracts of Melia azedarach and its components could exhibit a potential natural source of an antiviral drug candidate for a broad spectrum of viruses in animal and humans.