The balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum A. DC.) is a medicinal and perennial flowering plant. Jangback is an important white-flower type balloon flower cultivar registered in South Korea, but no molecular marker was available to differentiate it from other white-flower lines. Therefore, we evaluated five P. grandiflorum white-flower lines and identified a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) derived from the chloroplast TrnL-F genomic sequence that specifically differentiated Jangback from the other four genotypes. Cultivar identification was achieved by detecting allelic variations of the SNP using amplification refractory mutation system-polymerase chain reaction (ARMS-PCR) analysis and high resolution melting (HRM) curve analysis. The present study describes a rapid and reliable method to authenticate the medicinally and economically valuable white-flower Jangback cultivar. Our results indicate that the plastid TrnL-F region provides for marker assisted identification and selection in intraspecific polymorphism studies, thereby the identified SNP marker provides a robust tool along with ARMS-PCR and HRM curve analysis for rapid and efficient identification of the medicinally valuable Jangback cultivar.

Oral bacterial infections substantially affect the development of various periodontal diseases and oral cancers. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the association between Fusobacterium nucleatum (F. nucleatum ), a major periodontitis (PT)-associated pathogen, and these diseases require extensive research. Previously, our RNAsequencing analysis identified a few hundred differentially expressed genes in patients with PT and peri-implantitis (PI) than in healthy controls. Thus, in the present study using oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells, we aimed to evaluate the effect of F. nucleatum infection on genes that are differentially regulated in patients with PT and PI. Human oral squamous cell carcinoma cell lines OSC-2O, HSC-4, and HN22 were used. These cells were infected with F. nucleatum at a multiplicity of infection of 100 for 3 hours at 37℃ in 5% CO2. Gene expression was then measured using reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction. Among 18 genes tested, the expression of CSF3, an inflammation-related cytokine, was increased by F. nucleatum infection. Additionally, F. nucleatum infection increased the phosphorylation of AKT, p38 MAPK, and JNK in OSC-20 cells. Treatment with p38 MAPK (SB202190) and JNK (SP600125) inhibitors reduced the enhanced CSF3 expression induced by F. nucleatum infection. Overall, this study demonstrated that F. nucleatum promotes CSF3 expression in OSCC cells through p38 MAPK and JNK signaling pathways, suggesting that p38 MAPK and JNK inhibitors may help treat F. nucleatum-related periodontal diseases by suppressing CSF3 expression.

After the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea (UNCLOS) and the United Nations Fish Stocks Agreement (UNFSA) came into effect, international cooperation through Regional Fisheries Management Organizations (RFMOs) was required, and each RFMO established and adopted the Conservation and Management Measure (CMM) for the regional Observer Programs to collect data on fishing activities and biological information and to monitor compliance with its CMMs. The observer coverage required by RFMO is set differently for each organization, ranging from 5% to 100%. In addition, tuna-RFMOs recommend increasing observer coverage in longline fisheries by at least 20% for reliable quantitative analysis of not only target species but also bycatch species and ecologically related species such as sharks, seabirds, sea turtles, and marine mammals. Therefore, in this study, we discussed ways to improve the national observer programs of Korean distant water fisheries that should be addressed in the future to respond to the RFMO trends.

플라스틱은 전세계적으로 사용량이 증가함에 따라 해양 환경으로 유입되는 플라스틱 쓰레기의 양도 꾸준히 증가하고 있으며, 미세플라스틱은 해양 생물에 의해 섭취되어 소화관에 축적됨에 따라 성장과 생식에 유해한 영향을 미친다. Cytochrome P450 (CYP)는 환경 오염물질을 대사하 는 해독효소로 알려져 있으나 지각류에서는 그 기능에 대해서는 잘 알려져 있지 않다. 본 연 구에서는 기수산 물벼룩 Diaphanosoma celebensis에서 clan 2, 3, 4에 각각 속하는 CYP 유전자 9종(clan 2: CYP370A4, CYP370C5; clan 3: CYP350A1, CYP350C5, CYP361A1; clan 4: CYP4AN-like, CYP4AP2, CYP4AP3, CYP4C33-like1)의 서열에 대해 진화적으로 보존된 서열의 유사도를 분석 하고 계통분석을 실시하였다. 또한 3종류의 서로 다른 크기의 polystyrene beads (0.05-, 0.5-, 6-μm PS beads; 0.1, 1, and 10 mg/L)에 48시간 노출된 기수산 물벼룩에서 이들 9종의 CYP 유 전자의 발현을 real time reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR)로 분석하였 다. 결과적으로 기수산 물벼룩 CYP 유전자는 모두 진화적으로 보존된 motif를 가지고 있으며 계통분석 결과 각각 clan 2, 3, 4에 속하는 것으로 확인되었다. 이는 기능적으로 보존되어 있음 을 의미한다. CYP 유전자 중 clan 2에 속하는 CYP370C5와 clan 3에 속하는 CYP360A1, 그리고 clan 4에서는 CYP4C122 유전자의 발현이 0.05-μm PS beads에 노출되었을 때 유의하게 증가 하는 양상을 보였으며, 이는 이들 유전자가 PS 대사에 관여한다는 것을 의미한다. 본 연구는 미세플라스틱이 해양 무척추 동물에 미치는 생물 영향을 분자적 수준에서 이해하는데 도움이 될 것이다.

Mushrooms have a unique taste and aroma, so in the processing of mushroom products with other ingredients, a separate pre-processing step is often taken to eliminate the mushroom aroma. In this study, we analyzed the changes in the concentration of volatile compounds according to drying conditions to promote the activation of processing using the fruiting bodies of yellow oyster mushrooms(Pleurotus citrinopileatus) and pink oyster mushrooms(P. djamor). The caps and stipes of yellow oyster and pink oyster mushrooms were separated and freeze-dried at -70oC for 120 hours. Subsequently, they were hot air-dried at temperatures of 40, 50, 60, and 70oC for 24, 24, 16, and 12 hours, respectively. The dried samples were pulverized and quantitatively analyzed by SPME-GC-MS. In the case of yellow oyster mushrooms, the concentration of t-2-nonenal in caps and stipes during freeze-drying was 164.43 g/g d.w. and 174.80 g/g d.w., respectively, whereas during hot air-drying, it significantly decreased to 0.35~3.41 g/g d.w. and 0.98~59.88 g/g d.w. In a similar manner, for pink oyster mushrooms, the concentration of 1-octen-3-ol during freeze-drying in caps and stipes was 31.05 g/g d.w. and 176.17 g/g d.w., respectively, whereas during hot air-drying, it significantly decreased to 1.59~9.66 g/g d.w. and 1.96~15.77 g/g d.w. Furthermore, most volatile compounds showed a tendency to decrease in concentration as the temperature during hot air-drying increased.

목적: 본 연구는 가정방문 개별 작업중심회상치료와 센터기반 개별 작업중심회상치료가 지역사회 경증치매노인 의 인지기능과 일상생활활동에 미치는 영향을 비교하여 알아보고자 하였다. 연구방법: 본 연구는 무작위 대조군 사전-사후 설계(randomized control group pretest-posttest design)를 적용하여 충청지역의 치매안심센터에 등록된 지역사회 거주 경증치매노인 10명을 대상으로 실험군 5명, 대조군 5명으로 배정하였다. 실험군은 가정방문 개별 작업중심회상치료, 대조군은 센터기반 개별 작업중심회상 치료를 실시하였으며, 각 중재는 총 10회기로 주 1회, 회기당 60분으로 구성되었다. 평가도구는 인지기능 평가를 위한 알렌인지수준판별검사(Allen Cognitive Level Screen, ACLS)와 일상생활활동을 평가하기 위한 노인일상활동평가-복합(Seoul-Instrumental Activities of Daily Living, S-IADL)을 사용하였다. 결과: 집단 내 전후 비교량 비교 시 ACLS는 실험군에서만 점수의 차이가 유의미하였고(p < 0.05), S-IADL은 실험군과 대조군 모두 유의미한 차이를 보였다(p < 0.05). 집단 간 변화량 비교 시 ACLS는 집단 간 차이가 유의미하였고(p < 0.05), S-IADL에서는 유의미하지 않았다(p > 0.05). 결론: 본 연구에서는 지역사회 거주 경증치매노인을 대상으로 가정방문 개별 작업중심회상치료를 적용하여 인지기능 향상에 대한 단기적인 효과를 확인하였다. 본 예비연구는 국내에서 앞으로 시행될 가정방문 인지프로 그램의 근거와 방향성을 제시하였다는 측면에서 임상적인 의미가 있다.

As the demand for p-type semiconductors increases, much effort is being put into developing new p-type materials. This demand has led to the development of novel new p-type semiconductors that go beyond existing p-type semiconductors. Copper iodide (CuI) has recently received much attention due to its wide band gap, excellent optical and electrical properties, and low temperature synthesis. However, there are limits to its use as a semiconductor material for thin film transistor devices due to the uncontrolled generation of copper vacancies and excessive hole doping. In this work, p-type CuI semiconductors were fabricated using the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process for thin-film transistor (TFT) applications. The vacuum process has advantages over conventional solution processes, including conformal coating, large area uniformity, easy thickness control and so on. CuI thin films were fabricated at various deposition temperatures from 150 to 250 °C The surface roughness root mean square (RMS) value, which is related to carrier transport, decreases with increasing deposition temperature. Hall effect measurements showed that all fabricated CuI films had p-type behavior and that the Hall mobility decreased with increasing deposition temperature. The CuI TFTs showed no clear on/off because of the high concentration of carriers. By adopting a Zn capping layer, carrier concentrations decreased, leading to clear on and off behavior. Finally, stability tests of the PBS and NBS showed a threshold voltage shift within ±1 V.

Bentonite, primarily composed of montmorillonite, plays a crucial role as one of the engineering barrier materials in a deep geological repository (DGR). The advantageous properties of montmorillonite, such as its swelling capacity, low permeability, and low thermal conductivity, make it a key component as a buffer material for isolating high-level radioactive waste from the surrounding natural environment. It has been known that the stability of montmorillonite is influenced by a wide range of pressure-temperature-composition (P-T-X) conditions relevant to the DGR environment. When considering potential geological events, of notable concerns are its interactions with groundwater or seawater at elevated temperatures, leading to safety hazards within the system. In this study, therefore, we investigated the hydration and dehydration reactions of Ca-montmorillonite with saline fluids such as NaCl and KCl solutions at elevated pressures and temperatures by conducting in-situ X-ray diffraction experiments using both a capillary sample heating cell and a resistive-heated diamond anvil cell. As a result, we observed different hydration states of montmorillonite depending on the chemical composition of fluids, i.e., tri-hydrated layers in NaCl and bi-hydrated layers in KCl solutions, respectively. Furthermore, we identified that montmorillonite undergoes distinct stepwise dehydration with increasing temperature, and the dehydration temperature of montmorillonite significantly increases with increasing water pressure. Consequently, this study would provide insights into the stability of hydrated montmorillonite in a seawater-dominated fluid environment and its implications for the long-term safety of the disposal system.

The development of food packaging materials with mechanical and antimicrobial properties is still a major challenge. N, P-doped carbons (NPCs) were synthesized. Poly(butylene adipate-co-terephthalate) (PBAT), which has an adverse effect on the environment and affects petroleum resources, has been commonly used for applications as food packaging. The development of PBAT composites reinforced with NPCs and studies on their structure and antimicrobial properties are presented in this study. The composite materials in the PBAT/NPCs were processed by solution casting. The plasticizing properties of NPCs enhanced the mechanical strength of composites produced of PBAT and NPCs. The thermal properties of PBAT composites were enhanced with addition of NPCs, according to thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). After reinforcement, PBAT/NPCs composites became more hydrophobic, according to contact angle measurements. In studies against S. aureus and E. coli food-borne pathogenic bacteria, the obtained composites show noticeably improved antimicrobial activity. The composite materials, according to the results of PBAT and NPCs may be a good choice for packing for food that prevents microorganisms.

Despite the presence of the p-Channel MOSFET inrush current limiter circuit within the power supply unit of military radar, The internal MOSFET and DC-DC Converter has been damaged due to the high inrush current. In this paper, the cause of the high inrush current was identified by analyzing the p-Channel MOSFET inrush current limiter circuit. Based on the analysis, the high inrush current was reduced by about 60% by adjusting the time constant of the source-to-gate elements compared to before improvement.

Insects, including aphids, caterpillars, and beetles, have a significant impact on biodiversity, ecology, and the economy by consuming various plant tissues like leaves, stems, and fruits, leading to issues such as holes, defoliation, and impaired growth. Consequently, our study's primary goal was to establish a model system capable of identifying and tracking insects, covering aspects like their behaviors, movements, sizes, and patterns. Our research has successfully produced a 3D monitoring system specifically designed for continuous insect tracking by applying it to brown planthopper. This technology allows for in-depth exploration of insect behaviors and their interactions with plants and crops. The potential applications of this technique are highly promising, offering valuable assistance to researchers in unraveling insect behavior and ecological dynamics and driving further advancements in these crucial research areas.

Pine Wilt Disease (PWD) is a disease causing mass deaths of pine trees in South Korea, and the dead trees serve as breeding grounds for insect vectors responsible for spreading the disease to other host trees. Because the PWD requires early monitoring to minimize its damage on domestic forestry, this study aims to develop a species distribution model for predicting the potential distribution of PWD by using artificial neural network (ANN) with time-series data. Among the architectures, the Convolutional Neural Network exhibited the highest performance, achieving a validation accuracy of 0.854 and a cross-entropy loss of 0.401, and the InceptionTime model emerged as the second-best performer. This study identified the best-performing ANN architecture for a spatiotemporal evaluation of PWD occurrence, emphasizing the importance for determining hyperparameters with ecological characteristics and data types to apply deep learning into SDMs.

생활권 수목이란 주민들이 생활하는 지역에 식재된 수목으로, 가로수, 학교수목, 아파트 수목 등 종류가 다양 하며 도시경관과 생활환경 개선의 이점을 제공한다. 그러므로 생활권 수목의 유지와 관리에 있어서도 인근 주민 에 혐오감이나 피해가 없도록 방제를 수행하는 것이 매우 중요하다. 일반적인 경엽살포의 경우, 약액 비산에 의해 주민들의 활동 제한, 안전사고 및 재산상 피해가 발생할 수 있으므로 사용이 제한적이다. 이러한 문제를 해결하기 위해, 나무에 약제를 직접 주입하는 나무주사(trunk injection)가 보편적인 생활권 수목 방제법으로 주목 받고 있으며, 이는 주입물질의 손실이 없고, 외부환경에 크게 영향 받지 않는다는 장점이 있다. 하지만 생활권 수목 전반에 대한 나무주사 처리방법이 명확하지 않아 약효가 일부 가지에서만 나타나는 등 사후 검증 및 관리가 미흡한 실정이다. 본 연구는 생활권 수목 병해충 방제 나무주사 제품의 효과제고를 위한 기존 처리방법 개선 및 최적의 약제처리 방법을 검증하였다. 느티나무외줄면충(Colopha moriokaensis)을 대상으로 시험을 진행하였 으며, Acetamiprid을 시험약제로 사용하였다. 느티나무에 대하여 약제처리 위치, 주입량, 천공수, 주사시기에 따른 약효 및 약해를 확인하였으며, 이를 바탕으로 최적의 약제처리 방법을 제시하였다.

Structural cuticular proteins (CPs) and the liner polysaccharide, chitin, are the primary components of insect cuticle or exoskeleton. A large number of insect CP family proteins are divided into several distinct subfamilies defined by the presence of specific amino acid sequence motifs. One of these subfamilies is composed of Cuticular Protein Analogous to Peritrophins (CPAPs), containing one (CPAP1s) or three (CPAP3s) type-2 chitin-binding domains. In this study, we report a novel function of TcCPAP1-C from Tribolium castaneum in movement of legs. RNAi for TcCPAP1-C at larval stage has no effect on insect molting, growth and development. However, the resulting adults exhibit impaired leg movement, in which internal tendon cuticles are ruptured near the femur-tibia joint. The exoskeletal cuticle, hemiadherens junctions, microtubule array, myotendinous junctions and muscle fibers exhibit normal morphology before the tendon breakage. These results indicate functional specialization of TcCPAP1-C in structural integrity of the internal tendon cuticle, and loss of function of TcCPAP1-C caused breakage of the tendon cuticle, resulting in defective limb movement and locomotion.

The subfamily Pselaphinae is one of the largest groups in the family Staphylinidae. Pselaphine beetles consists of 6 supertribes. The supertribe Faronitae consists of 30 genera worldwide, with 14 genera in Australia and New Zealand. While examining faronite specimens, we separated 366 specimens that did not belong to any known faronite genera. Species of this genus can be separated from other faronite genera by the foveal system, features of the aedeagus, and collection localities which are only collected in the southern part of Australia. Through this study, we describe seven new species and three new combinations that previously belonged to the genus Sagola.

In Korea, the Asian honey bee (Apis cerana) and the European honey bee (Apis mellifera) (Hymenoptera: Apidae) are the two most common honey bee species. These two closely related species are known to have different sensitivity levels to various insecticides due to millennia of exposure to different pests and pesticides. It is reported that A. cerana is known to be more sensitive to several insecticides, such as amitraz, fenitrothion, and fipronil, than A. melllifera. Multiple studies investigated toxicological responses and related CYPome in A. mellifera, but little is known in A. cerana. The goal of this study is to elucidate the underlying mechanism of different toxicological responses between two bee species, with an emphasis on cytochrome P450 (P450), a significant enzyme involved in metabolic activities. The differences in basal P450 expression patterns were investigated by comparing the relative expression levels of P450 orthologs in several dissected organisms of each species. To compare the sensitivity against major insecticides, lethal doses of major insecticides relevant to both honey bee species were assessed by topical and oral ingestion bioassays. The determined sublethal doses of insecticides were applied to honey bees, and the inducibility of P450s was investigated by comparing the expression patterns of multiple P450s. From these results, this study eventually attempts to compare the toxicological differences between two Apis species with differences in induced cytochrome P450 expression levels.

The choice of suitable companion plants is crucial for enhancing pest management strategies in agricultural fields. Riptortus pedestris, an important agricultural pest, has drawn attention for its serious damage on soybean. To identify an ideal companion plant for soybean, we investigated the pest’s behavioral patterns when exposed to corn seedlings in laboratory. Series of choice experiments were conducted for 4th instar nymphs and unmated female adults of R. pedestris when presented with corn and/or soybean pot against soybean or blank pot. In 4th instar nymphs, 56% preferred the treatment of corn pot plus soybean pot over soybean alone pot while 69% of unmated female adults preferred the same combination. These findings provide valuable insights into the behavior of this insect pest, which could be beneficial for establishing polycultures in agricultural fields.

The Varroa mite, Varroa destructor, a parasitic mite that afflicts honey bees, has become increasingly resistant to acaricides like fluvalinate due to its widespread use. The target site insensitivity mechanism, mediated by the L925V/M/I mutations in the voltage-gated sodium channel, plays a major role in resistance. Additionally, cytochrome P450 monooxygenases (Cyp450s) appear to function as a metabolic resistance factor; however, no Cyp450-mediated resistance mechanism has been reported to date. The aim of this study was to identify and characterize Cyp450s associated with fluvalinate resistance. A synergistic bioassay confirmed the involvement of Cyp450s in conferring tolerance or resistance to fluvalinate. Correlation analysis between mortality data and the expression levels of Cyp450 genes led to the identification of several candidates that may play a crucial role in fluvalinate resistance. Analysis of tissue distribution patterns revealed that these genes were most abundantly expressed in the cuticle and synganglion. This suggests that, despite their relatively low expression level, they may play a critical role in protecting the target site from fluvalinate due to its predominant expression in neuronal tissues. Functional analysis, in conjunction with baculovirus expression, demonstrated that fluvalinate has high inhibition rates against the recombinant candidate Cyp450s, suggestive of their strong interaction with fluvalinate. We discussed the potential utilization of their expression levels as a molecular marker for diagnosing metabolic resistance in field-collected Varroa mites.