Background: Older adults use different ankle muscle activation patterns during difficult static balance conditions. It has been suggested that this is related to a decline in proprioception with age, resulting in reduced postural balance. However, the association between proprioception and ankle muscle activity during quiet standing has not been directly assessed. Objects: This study aimed to investigate the effects of age and sensory condition on ankle muscle activity and the association between ankle proprioception and ankle muscle activity. Methods: We recruited 10 young women and 9 older women. Ankle proprioception was evaluated using joint position sense (JPS) and force sense (FS) divided by dorsiflexion and plantarflexion. The electromyographic activity of the tibialis anterior (TA) and gastrocnemius (GCM) muscles was collected during quiet standing. Results: Older women activated GCM muscle more than young during quiet standing and when performing difficult tasks. Older women had more errors in JPS dorsiflexion and FS plantarflexion than did young. The GCM muscle activity is related to JPS dorsiflexion and FS plantarflexion. Conclusion: Lower proprioception of the GCM with age leads to increased muscle activity, resulting in reduced postural balance. There was no difference in TA proprioception or muscle activity among older women with frequent physical activity.

Grapevine leaf rust (GLR) caused by Phakopsora euvitis results in the reduction of fruit quality and yield loss in grape production. The purpose of this study was to investigate the expression of genes related with defense responses in the grapevines infected with rust pathogens. In two genotypes of Ampelopsis species inoculated with P. euvitis, the real-time PCR with RNAs was performed to investigate transcripts levels of nine defense-related genes, including pathogenesis-related 1 (PR1), β-1,3glutannase (Glu), chitinase (Chi), superoxide dismutases (SOD), glutathione peroxidase (GPX), phenylalanine ammonia lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), stilbene synthase 1 (STS1), and resveratrol O-methyltransferase (ROMT). All tested genes were upregulated in YG11030 as well as YG10075, while mostly the expression of genes was higher in YG10075 than that in YG11030. Glu and STS showed significantly high expression in YG10075 than in YG11030. Expression of ROMT was upregulated in YG11030 and downregulated in YG10075 at 24 hours after inoculation. The differential expression pattern of the tested genes seems to be related with the defense responses, considered to be involved in plant-resistant responses against the infection by P. euvitis, and further studies on resistant responses based on the expression of genes would provide valuable information in breeding grapes resistant to diseases.

In this study, we perform a statistical investigation of the kinematic classification of 4,264 coronal mass ejections (CMEs) from 1996 to 2015 observed by SOHO/LASCO C3. Using the constant acceleration model, we classify these CMEs into three groups: deceleration, constant velocity, and acceleration motion. For this, we devise three different classification methods using fractional speed variation, height contribution, and visual inspection. The main results of this study can be summarized as follows. First, the fractions of three groups depend on the method used. Second, about half of the events belong to the groups of acceleration and deceleration. Third, the fractions of three motion groups as a function of CME speed are consistent with one another. Fourth, the fraction of acceleration motion decreases as CME speed increases, while the fractions of other motions increase with speed. In addition, the acceleration motions are dominant in low speed CMEs whereas the constant velocity motions are dominant in high speed CMEs.

Veronica L., the largest genus in the family Plantaginaceae, is widespread in various habitats. Due to their long-blooming flowers, Veronica species have high horticultural value as indoor potted, garden, and landscape plants. Furthermore, Veronica plants are extremely important owing to their notable diversity in habitat usage, ploidy level, and evolution. Several native taxa, which are of key interest in breeding programs and phylogenetic studies, have been identified in Korea. The genome sizes and chromosomal characteristics are basic cytogenetic features of all taxa, and their knowledge is a prerequisite when commencing genome sequencing projects. It can provide essential information for cytogenetic, taxonomic, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies. Thus, cytogenetic analysis and genome size estimation of seven Veronica taxa native to Korea were conducted in this study. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) karyotype analysis and chromosome counting was conducted using metaphase chromosomes probed with 5S and 45S rDNA. Nuclear DNA content and genome size were determined using flow cytometry. FISH karyotype analysis revealed a common number of 5S loci and varying 45S signals that create distinctive rDNA distribution patterns in each taxon. The results indicated that the seven investigated Veronica taxa have calculated genome sizes (1C values) ranging from 517.1 to 862.0 Mbp. This study is the first to report the chromosome number and karyomorphology of seven Veronica taxa native to Korea, as well as the use of rDNA markers for identifying individual chromosomes. These findings contribute to the crucial understanding the genomic characteristics of species within the genus Veronica, serve as a basis for studying Veronica phylogeny and evolution, and provide valuable information for future breeding programs.

This article presents recent advancements in the development of flexible piezoresistive strain sensors based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs)–polymer composites, with particular attention to their electromechanical properties. Various fabrication approaches and material preparation of CNTs–polymer composites with improved piezoresistive performance are introduced. Moreover, the article presents the working principle of the piezoresistive sensors in terms of the tunneling effect and disconnection-reconnection mechanism. The sensing performances of recently reported applications are studied. This work also reveals that the CNTs–polymer composites have great potential for flexible, skin-mountable, and wearable electronics applications. Finally, possible challenges for the future developments of CNTs–polymer composites are discussed.

Background: During postural control, older adults are more dependent on proprioception than are young adults. Ankle proprioception, which plays an important role in maintaining postural balance, decreases with age. Published studies are insufficient to establish a significant age difference in postural sway resulting from the known age-related decrease in ankle proprioception and do not examine various detailed test conditions. Objects: The present study aimed to compare ankle proprioception between older and younger groups along dimensions of position vs. force proprioception and dorsiflexion vs. plantarflexion. The present study also aimed to compare postural sway between young and older women during quiet standing under two sensory conditions. Methods: We recruited seven young women aged 21–24 and seven older women aged 60–63. Ankle proprioception was assessed as the accuracy of the joint position sense (JPS) and the force sense (FS). Postural sway was assessed using center-of-pressure measurements recorded during quiet standing under two sensory positions: eyes open and eyes closed with head tilted back. Results: Older women had lower JPS in dorsiflexion and lower FS in plantarflexion than did younger women. We found no significant age differences in JPS in plantarflexion or in FS in dorsiflexion. We observed a main effect of group on postural sway in two sway parameters out of three. We observed significant differences in JPS with dorsiflexion, and in FS with plantarflexion. Conclusion: Proprioception for ankle plantar flexor decreased more significantly with aging than did that for ankle dorsiflexor, accounting for the impaired postural balance observed in older women.

Stellar magnetic activity is important for formulating the evolution of the star. To represent the stellar magnetic activity, the S index is defined using the Ca II H+K flux measure from the Mount Wilson Observatory. MgII lines are generated in a manner similar to the formation of Ca II lines, which are more sensitive to weak chromospheric activity. MgII flux data are available from the International Ultraviolet Explorer (IUE). Thus, the main purpose of this study was to analyze the magnetic activity of stars. We used 343 high-resolution IUE spectra of 14 main-sequence G stars to obtain the MgII continuum surface flux and MgII line-core flux around 2,800 ˚A. We calculated S index using the IUE spectra and compared it with the conventional Mount Wilson S index. We found a color (B − V ) dependent association between the S index and the MgII emission line-core flux. Furthermore, we attempted to obtain the magnetic activity cycles of these stars based on the new S index. Unfortunately, this was not successful because the IUE observation interval of approximately 17 years is too short to estimate the magnetic activity cycles of G-type stars, whose cycles may be longer than the 11 year mean activity cycle of the sun.

Porous basalt aggregate is commonly used in roadbed engineering, but its application in concrete has rarely been studied. This paper studies the application of porous basalt in concrete. Porous basalt aggregate is assessed for its effects on mechanical strength and durability of prepared C50 concrete; because it has a hole structure, porous basalt aggregate is known for its porosity, and porous basalt aggregates can be made full of water through changing the content of saturated basalt; after full-water condition is achieved in porous basalt aggregate mixture of C50 concrete, we discuss its mechanical properties and durability. The effects of C50 concrete prepared with basalt aggregate on the compressive strength, water absorption, and electric flux of concrete specimens of different ages were studied through experiments, and the effects of different replacement rates of saturated porous basalt aggregate on the properties of concrete were also studied. The results show that porous basalt aggregate can be prepared as C50 concrete. For early saturated porous basalt aggregate concrete, its compressive strength decreases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate; this occurs up to concrete curing at 28 d, when the replacement rate of saturated basalt aggregate is greater than or equal to 40 %. The compressive strength of concrete increases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate. The 28 d electric flux decreases with the increase of the replacement rate of saturated aggregate, indicating that saturated porous basalt aggregate can improve the chloride ion permeability resistance of concrete in later stages.

최근에 캐릭터 커스터마이징 서비스가 다양하게 보편화된 이후 서비스마다 모두 다른 UI와 용어들이 혼재하고 있어서 사용자들의 불편함도 함께 증가하고 있다. 또한 갑작스럽게 늘어난 서비스에 비해서 아직 활용할 수 있는 연구 결과나 디자인 가이드가 마땅히 없으므로 새로운 서비스를 기획하거나 개발할 때 참고할 만한 자료가 부재 하다. 본 연구에서는 현 시점에서 캐릭터 커스터마이징 UI들이 어떻게 구성되어 있는지 상위 5개의 메타버스, 모 바일 게임, PC게임 서비스의 캐릭터 커스터마이징 시스템 UI를 조사하고 경향을 분석했다. 첫째, 커스터마이 징 항목의 수는 분포가 매우 다양했다. 얼굴의 이미지 형성에 큰 영향을 미치는 눈, 눈썹, 입, 그리고 상체의 조절 항목이 가장 세분화 되어 있었다. 둘째, 용어의 일관성이 떨어져 기능을 인지하기 어려운 점이 발견되 었다. 셋째, 커스터마이징 조절 도구의 위치를 조사한 결과, 세로형 메타버스에서는 상￿하단에, 가로형 PC와 모바일 게임에서는 좌우 배치 또는 유동형 배치로 구성되어 있었다. 넷째, 커스터마이징 조절 도구의 유형은 대분류에서는 선택형, 중분류에서는 선택형, 하위 단계에서 조절형으로 구성되었으며 일부 복합형도 있었다. 다섯째, 조절 수치의 범위 역시 일관성이 없고, 초기 값에 대한 상대적인 수치의 가감으로 조절하고 있어서 사용자들의 정확한 의사소통과 직관성을 위한 보완이 요구 되었다. 여섯째, 색상 선택 기능은 일부 항목에 한정되어 있었고, 시스템에 제안된 범위의 색을 선택하거나 색공간을 이용할 수 있었다. 패션 선호도와 트렌 드를 민감하게 반영하고 있는 점이 발견되었다.

Novel eco-friendly adsorbents were prepared through pyrolysis and acid activation of raw almond leaf (RAL) to form almond leaf biochar (ALB) and chemically activated almond leaf biochar (CAL), respectively. The prepared adsorbents were characterized using TGA, FTIR, SEM–EDX, BET and XRD techniques and their physicochemical properties investigated. RAL, ALB and CAL were utilized for adsorption of BPB dye from aqueous solution using batch technique under optimum conditions. The optimum dye adsorbed by RAL, ALB and CAL were 92.83, 93.21 and 94.89%, respectively at pH 3, dye initial conc. (100 mg/L), adsorbent dose (0.04 g/25 mL), 60 min contact time and 301 K adsorption temperature. Although, Langmuir maximum monolayer adsorption capacities were found to be 365.36, 535.62 and 730.46 mg/g for RAL, ALB and CAL, respectively, but isotherm conformed to Freundlich model. Kinetic study confirmed suitability of pseudo-second-order model with rate constant 9.33 × 10–4, 9.91 × 10–4 and 12.60 × 10−4 g mg−1 min−1 for RAL, ALB and CAL, respectively. Negative values of thermodynamic parameters (ΔG and ΔH) established sequestration process to be spontaneous and exothermic. RAL, ALB and CAL were discovered to be highly efficient adsorbents that could be used in place of expensive commercial adsorbents.