The establishment of invasive alien species management is widely recognized as a pivotal issue in the preservation of biodiversity. Ranunculus sardous Crantz, a species native to Europe, has been widely introduced in many other areas of the world, including the coasts of the United States, Australia, China, India, and Japan. In Korea, the first population of this plant was found growing adjacent to a wetland in Hanon, Seogwipo-si, Jeju Province, on 22 May 2018. Field observations confirmed the presences of at least two populations of this species in Jeju Province, Korea. This species is similar to Ranunculus sceleratus L., but can be readily distinguished by its presence of the trichomes in the whole plant, longer petioles of radical leaves, ovate-shaped leaf segments, globose to subglobose-shaped fruits and flat achenes with narrowly winged and papillae. The Invasive Alien Plant Risk Assessment (IAPRA), a system for recognizing and categorizing alien plants in Korea forests, was used to assess the invasiveness status of the species. Based on this system, R. sardous received a low score of 6, suggesting its potential invasion to natural forests. Although the current distribution of R. sardous is restricted to Jeju Province and thus far has had limited impact on local environments, local and regulatory authorities should pay close attention to this plant and take measures to prevent its further expansion.

We evaluated the radiologic, clinical results and the complications of minimally invasive percutaneous medial plate fixation in distal tibial metaphyseal fracture. From January 2010 to December 2016, 31 patients with distal tibial fracture treated by medial plate fixation using Minimal Invasive Plate Osteosynthesis (MIPO) technique were analyzed. The duration of followup was more than 1 year. We evaluated clinical results by IOWA ANKLE rating system, union time by simple X-ray and complication. The bone union was achieved in all cases at average 16.7 weeks. Average IOWA ANKLE rating score was 90.3 point. At the last follow-up, there was no non-union, angular deformity more than 5 degrees or infection. We concluded that minimal invasive percutaneous medial plate fixation for distal tibial metaphyseal fractures is a safe and useful method if there is no medial wound problem, and it is important to pay close attention to prevent angular deformity during surgery.

We report the good results of two stage treatment in split depression type pilon fractures. A retrospective study of 9 cases among the 12 cases of split depression type pilon fractures from January 2009 to December 2015, who underwent two stage treatment of pilon fractures with minimum 24 months follow-up. And mean follow-up periods are 29 (24-41) months. In the first stage of the operation, reduction of articular surface using minial incision and external fixation were performed. As soft tissue heals, locking compression plate fixation was done with MIPO (Minimally Invasive Plate Osteosynthesis) technique. Radiographic evaluation was graded by the criteria of Burwell and Charnley. And functional assessment of ankle were evaluated by American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society ankle-hindfoot score. Fractures were united in all cases within 17 (12-24) weeks. Radiologic results were showed anatomical reduction in 8 cases and the mean AOFAS score is 87.8 (80-96). The mean range of ankle motion is 44 degree. There are one superficial wound complications and 3 cases of ankle osteoarthritis. Two stage treatment of split depression type pilon fractures is one of the good treatment methods, because of definitive second stage operation is more easier after first stage opertation designed to get early anatomical reduction, and shows good radiological and clinical outcomes.

Paeonia japonica is a perennial flowering plant used in traditional medicine therapy. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of water extract and solvent fractions obtained from P. japonica on anti-oxidative, anti-thrombin, anti-invasive and pro-apoptotic activities in YD-10B cells, human oral squamous carcinoma cell line. Water fraction revealed the highest extraction yield at 11.44% (w/w). Anti-oxidative activity was the highest in ethyl acetate fraction (85.13%). In the thrombin inhibitory activity test, ethyl fraction was the highest, with a value of 87.54%. Release and activation of MMP-2/pro-MMP-2 ratio in thrombin-treated YD-10B cells were significantly inhibited in the ethyl acetate fraction. At a concentration of 120 ㎍/㎖, water extract and solvent fractions of P. japonica inhibited cell proliferation in YD-10B cells except water fraction. Pro-apoptotic effect on human oral squamous carcinoma cell using the Bax/Bcl-2 ratio analysis was higher in water extract than other fractions. These findings suggest that the ethyl acetate fraction of P. japonica potentiates a promising antioxidant, anti-thrombin and anti-invasive agents.

The objective of this study is to estimate the economic value of official management and control for invasive insects and diseases in fruits. The direct and indirect effect of this control measure can be the changes in price of fruits and related goods, changes in export volume of domestic fruits, changes in total volume of fruit production, and reduce the risk in food safety. The contingent valuation method with the single-bounded dichotomous choice is employed to estimate each household's willingness-to-pay (WTP) to maintain official management and control measures. The total number of sample consists 2,050 respondents between the ages of 19-60 years, and the survey is conducted using Web-based survey. The estimated results for mean WTP is 5,443won per month per household. Therefore, the total economic value of official management and control on fruit in Korea is estimated to be approximately 94.4 billion won per month.

Previous studies, including our own, have demonstrated that the intratesticular injection of hypertonic saline (20%) decreased serum testosterone level which was similar to the surgical castration in the rat, showing the state of chemical castration. In the present study, we further verify the efficacy of this less invasive method as an alternative of surgical orchidectomy in the andrological field. Sterilized 20% saline was directly injected into the adult male rats (750 μl per testis). The tested rats were divided into 3 groups including intact group (intact), orchidectomy group (ORX) and saline injection group (SAL) after bilateral orchidectomy was performed at the same day of injection. All rats were sacrificed at 4 weeks after injection. The reproductive organs (testes, epididymis, seminal vesicles and prostates) were collected and used for DNA and protein pattern analyses. Also, patho-histological studies on the testes were performed. In contrast to the intact group, similar DNA damages of testis and seminal vesicle were appeared in ORX group and SAL group. The DNA degradations seemed to be the results of necrosis rather than apoptosis. In the protein pattern analysis, all the testing tissues exerted similar patterns in the ORX group and the SAL group compared to the those of intact group. Patho-histological studies revealed that severe degenerative changes in testicular seminiferous tubules and massive infiltration of immune cells in SAL group. The present study confirmed that direct injection of hypertonic saline into the testis caused the equivalent biochemical changes in the accessory sex organs as shown in the orchidectomized animals. These results suggest that hypertonic saline injection model could be a useful castration model which can substitute for surgical castration when its safety is secured through further study in the future.

This study developed a novel augmented reality interface for minimally invasive surgery. The augmented reality technique can alleviate the sensory feedback problem inherent to laparoscopic surgery. An augmented reality system merges real laparoscope image and reconstructed 3D patient model based on diagnostic medical image such as CT, MRI data. By using reconstructed 3D patient model, AR interface could express structure of patient body that is invisible outside visual field of laparoscope. Therefore, an augmented reality system improved sight information of limited laparoscope. In our augmented reality system, the laparoscopic view is located at the center of a wide-angle concave screen and reconstructed 3D patient model is displayed outside the laparoscope. By using a joystick, the laparoscopic view and the reconstructed 3D patient model view are changed concurrently. With our augmented reality system, the surgeon can see the peritoneal cavity from a wide angle of view, without having to move the laparoscope. Since the concave screen serves immersive environments, the surgeon can feel as if she is in the patient body. For these reasons, a surgeon can recognize easily depth information about inner parts of patient and position information of surgical instruments without laparoscope motion. It is possible for surgeon to manipulate surgical instruments more exact and fast. Therefore immersive augmented reality interface for minimally invasive surgery will reduce bodily, environmental load of a surgeon and increase efficiency of MIS.