본 연구는 암환자를 대상으로 한 원예치료 프로그램이 자율 신경계 활동에 미치는 영향을 분석하고자 하였다. 연구 대상은 항암화학요법, 방사선치료, 호르몬 치료 등의 보조 치료를 완료 한 20대부터 60대까지의 15명의 여성으로 구성되었다. 원예치 료 프로그램은 테라리움 제작과 계절을 주제로 한 꽃꽂이 활동 의 두 차례 세션으로 구성되었다. 자율신경계 지표로는 교감신 경 활성(LF), 부교감신경 활성(HF), 자율신경균형도(LF/HF), 평균 맥박수, 맥박 표준편차(SDNN)를 프로그램 실시 전과 후에 의료용 측정장비를 통해 측정하였다. 그 결과, HF는 모든 연령 층에서 증가하는 경향을 보였으며 특히 60대에서 유의미한 증 가가 나타나 부교감신경계 활성이 증가하는 것을 확인하였다. LF는 모든 연령대에서 큰 변화 없이 안정적인 수치를 보였다. LF/HF 비율은 전 연령대에서 감소하였으며, 이는 자율신경 균 형 상태의 긍정적인 효과를 의미한다. 또한 평균 맥박수는 프로 그램 후에 전반적으로 감소하였으며, 특히 고령층에서 유의미한 감소가 나타났다. 이러한 결과는 원예치료 프로그램이 암환자의 생리적 스트레스를 완화하고 자율신경계 균형 회복에 긍정적인 영향을 미칠 수 있음을 보여준다. 본 연구는 자율신경계 활동의 생리적 지표를 활용하여 원예치료의 효과를 객관적으로 입증하 고자 하였다는 점에서 의의가 있다.

Virtual Reality Head Mounted Display (VR HMD)-based flight simulators have recently emerged as promising tools for enhancing pilot training effectiveness. This study aims to establish a set of evaluation criteria for the development of VR HMD-based flight simulators and to determine their relative importance and priority using the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP). Through an extensive review of the literature, a hierarchical evaluation model was constructed, consisting of three primary criteria and ten sub-criteria. A structured questionnaire was administered to experienced pilots, and the collected data were analyzed using the AHP methodology to assess the relative weights of each criterion. The analysis revealed that the fidelity of system performance is the most influential factor in evaluating VR HMD-based flight simulators. These findings present a structured evaluation framework and offer practical insights for guiding the strategic development and optimization of VR HMD-based flight training systems.

This study examined the effects of pre-soaking solvents and repeated steaming-drying (SD) cycles on the antioxidant activity and active compound content of Rehmanniae Radix Preparata(RRP), the processed root of Rehmannia glutinosa Libosch. SD treatments were conducted for 1 to 9 cycles using four different pre-soaking solvents: Takju (a traditional rice wine), Spirits, Honey, and Sugar solution. The results showed no significant differences in DPPH and ABTS radical scavenging activities or in total polyphenol and flavonoid contents among the pre-soaking treatments, although samples pre-soaked in honey and Takju exhibited slightly higher levels. Polyphenol and flavonoid contents increased progressively with the number of SD cycles, reaching levels 2–3 times higher after nine cycles. Catalpol content remained relatively constant regardless of treatment, whereas aucubin content increased in all groups, with the highest accumulation observed in the Takju treatment. Similarly, 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (5-HMF) content increased with the number of SD cycles, with the highest levels found in the honey group, followed by Takju, Sugar, and Spirits. In conclusion, while the type of pre-soaking solvent had minimal influence on antioxidant activities and catalpol content, both aucubin and 5-HMF contents increased with additional SD cycles, with Takju proving particularly effective in enhancing their accumulation.

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.

Cucumber mosaic virus (CMV) poses a considerable threat to a diverse array of crops in global agriculture. CMV impacts commercially important cut lilies by diminishing both yield and flower quality. We used RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) to investigate the changes in gene expression in the leaves and bulbs of four distinct cultivars of cut lily, ‘Cancun,’ ‘Brunello,’ ‘Connecticut King,’ and ‘Casa Blanca’ following CMV infection. Notably, CMV affected photosynthetic processes by significantly downregulating genes associated with photosynthesis. In addition, CMV infection was detrimental to chloroplast function and energy production. We observed differential expression of genes associated with both dominant and recessive resistance pathways that are crucial for preventing virus entry, replication, and systemic spread within the plant. Based on functional annotation and differential gene expression analysis, we identified the regulatory genes involved in triggering immune responses, modulating signal transduction, and specific host factors during CMV infection. To validate the RNA-seq findings, we selected four genes involved in resistance, virus multiplication, and virus spread and analyzed them using real-time quantitative reverse transcription PCR (qRT-PCR) with specific primers. The qRT-PCR results aligned closely with those from RNA-seq, showing consistent fold-change responses for the genes that were differentially expressed, indicating that the RNA-seq results were reliable. These results deepen our understanding of the complex genetics behind plant-virus interactions while also providing information for breeding programs that aim to develop CMV-resistant lily cultivars.

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.

We introduce a new clustering algorithm, MulGuisin (MGS), that can identify distinct galaxy over-densities using topological information from the galaxy distribution. This algorithm was first introduced in an LHC experiment as a Jet Finder software, which looks for particles that clump together in close proximity. The algorithm preferentially considers particles with high energies and merges them only when they are closer than a certain distance to create a jet. MGS shares some similarities with the minimum spanning tree (MST) since it provides both clustering and network-based topology information. Also, similar to the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCAN), MGS uses the ranking or the local density of each particle to construct clustering. In this paper, we compare the performances of clustering algorithms using controlled data and some realistic simulation data as well as the SDSS observation data, and we demonstrate that our new algorithm finds networks most correctly and defines galaxy networks in a way that most closely resembles human vision.

Pepper is one of the most important vegetables in South Korea. It is a key ingredient in kimchi, the nation’s staple dish, and serves as the primary raw material for producing gochujang, a commonly used condiment in Korean cooking. As a result, numerous pepper varieties have been developed, including those that yield more fruit or have milder pungency. However, farmers who grow peppers tend to prefer varieties that are resistant to pests and diseases. Bacterial wilt (BW) is one of the most devastating diseases affecting peppers and is transmitted through the soil. To breed pepper varieties resistant to bacterial wilt using molecular breeding techniques, it is essential to first identify the Quantitative Trait Locus (QTL) that confers resistance to this disease. This requires conducting locus analysis with resistant cultivars. In this study, an F2 population was developed by selfing F1 hybrids, which were obtained by crossing a resistant cultivar with a susceptible cultivar, to identify QTLs associated with bacterial wilt resistance. Genotyping-by-Sequencing (GBS) analysis will be performed using the F2 population, and the results will be utilized for QTL mapping.

This study confirmed the fungal community of rice makgeolli sold in the eastern part of Jeollanam-do using ITS 2 sequence-based metagenome analysis. A total of 18 fungi were found in six makgeolli samples, with Saccharomyces cerevisiae being dominant in all samples at high rates ranging from 96.61~99.96%. The six makgeolli samples were classified into three groups based on the PCoA and UPGMA tree analysis results using the Jaccard distance matrix. Network analysis of the relationships among the 18 identified fungal species helped identify a fungus that demonstrated either a positive or negative correlation with the dominant species, Saccharomyces cerevisiae. This study provides important foundational data for understanding the fungal composition in the makgeolli fermentation process.

Malaria remains a significant public health issue, particularly in regions such as the Korean Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Effective malaria control and prevention require precise prediction of mosquito density across both monitored and unmonitored areas. This study aimed to develop predictive models to estimate the abundance of malaria vector mosquitoes by integrating meteorological and geographical data. Data from mosquito surveillance sites and NASA MODIS land cover datasets acquired between 2009 and 2022 were utilized. Two predictive models, the Gradient Boosted Model (GBM) and Principal Component Regression (PCR), were employed and evaluated. Model performance was assessed using the coefficient of determination (R²). Results showed that PCR outperformed GBM in predictive accuracy, suggesting that PCR is more robust in handling multicollinearity among variables. However, both models did not show practically-usable level of prediction performance. This study provides a preliminary but foundational framework for extending predictive modeling to broader regions, thereby supporting malaria prevention efforts through improved risk mapping.

Hyperoxaluria is a disorder associated with an increased risk of renal stones, one of the most common conditions. For people with hyperoxaluria, there are a limited number of effective therapeutic options. The aim of this study was to examine whether an oxalate-degrading enzyme, oxalate decarboxylase (OxdC), can inhibit crystallization of calcium oxalate (CaOx) in vitro, and whether it can prevent nephrolithiasis caused by CaOx induced by ethylene glycol (EG) in rats. When OxdC was applied at various concentrations to CaOx in vitro, there was a significant reduction in the crystallization of CaOx. The OxdC was found to inhibit crystal formation as well as the formation of crystals that had sharp edges. In animal experiments, rats that had been treated with EG showed impaired renal filtration functions, as well as increased deposition of CaOx crystals and the creation of kidney stones. It has been found that oral administration of OxdC to rats with chronic EG-induced nephrolithiasis that is characterized by CaOx intratubular crystal deposits with hyperoxaluria dramatically reduces the severity of the disease. The results of this study point to a potential therapeutic approach for treating human hyperoxaluria as well as CaOx nephrolithiasis that could be achieved by the oral administration of OxdC.

Fetal Bovine Serum (FBS) plays a crucial role in animal cell culture; however, the increasing number of bovine fetuses used and sacrificed solely for FBS collection has raised ethical concerns globally. The welfare of fetuses during FBS blood collection has become a key focus of debate among animal welfare and ethics organizations worldwide. Previous studies indicate that heat-inactivated coelomic fluid (HI-CF) from the earthworm Perionyx excavatus may serve as a viable FBS alternative in adherent cell cultures. This study evaluates the potential of HI-CF as an FBS substitute during the in vitro maturation (IVM) stage of bovine embryo culture, with a focus on improving developmental rate through antioxidation effects. In this study, 2% HI-CF was incorporated into IVM media, assessing its impact on cell growth, differentiation, and the expression of genes related to antioxidation. The group of 2% of HI-CF exhibited a trend toward increased cleavage and blastocyst development rates compared to the control group. Although antioxidant genes such as NRF2 and GSR showed no statistically significant differences between the control and treatment groups, a trend toward increased expression was observed. Conversely, GPX1 displayed a trend of decreased expression. Notably, IGF1 and NQO1 were significant upregulated (p < 0.05) in the 2% HI-CF group. Additionally, oocytes stained with H2DCFDA showed a significantly reduced ROS levels (p < 0.05) in the 2% HI-CF group compared with controls. These findings suggest that HI-CF's antioxidative effects support enhanced cell growth and blastocyst development rate, surpassing those observed with FBS. Consequently, HI-CF shows promise as an effective alternative to FBS in vitro maturation of bovine oocytes.