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Simple Summary: This study explores the phylogenetic relationships among Korean native black goats, whose genetic resources are being preserved by the National Institute of Animal Science through the collection of purebred specimens. We analyzed the complete mitochondrial genomes of 282 native goats and 82 reference populations. The native population exhibits a haplotype diversity of 0.659 and includes 39 distinct haplotypes. Neighbor-joining tree and median-joining network analyses established that these goats form a unique clade (A') within Haplogroup A, suggesting a shared ancestry with diverse goat populations from around the world. This study explores the phylogeny of Korean native black goats through analysis of their complete mitochondrial DNA. The National Institute of Animal Science has gathered genetic material on purebred goats from isolated regions such as Tongyeong, Dangjin, and Jangsu, and is actively breeding them on a national level. These populations, however, are small and exhibit high inbreeding rates, highlighting the urgent need to preserve genetic diversity. The haplotype diversity within this native group is 0.659, with 39 haplotypes identified. By contrast, including international breeds in the analysis increases the overall haplotype diversity to 0.925 with 203 haplotypes identified, highlighting the limited genetic diversity among native black goats. For phylogenetic assessment, a neighbor-joining tree and median-joining network were constructed using identified haplogroups (A, B, C, D, G, and F) from prior studies. The results pinpoint the native black goats as closely related to, but distinct from, Haplogroup A with a bootstrap value of 98, establishing them as a separate clade (A'). This supports the notion of a shared ancestry with various global populations. This research provides essential data on the origins and evolutionary history of Korean native black goats, supporting conservation and breeding efforts aimed at enhancing genetic diversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The vertical distribution patterns of daily primary production and dark carbon fixation were investigated at three stations in the East/Japan Sea (hereafter East Sea), a semi-enclosed marginal sea in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Our results displayed consistent vertical patterns of daily primary production at two of the stations, while the third station exhibited a markedly different distribution pattern, highlighting localized variations in production dynamics. In contrast, dark carbon fixations displaying varying vertical patterns among the stations are not specific enough to have much meaning. Water column-integral values showed differences in the contribution of dark carbon fixation to total primary production, ranging from 4.5% to 27.1%. These variations may reflect environmental parameters such as nutrient concentrations. However, our study is limited by the lack of direct data on the microbial community structure and chemoautotrophic activities, which are crucial for a more comprehensive understanding of these patterns. Understanding the environmental drivers of dark carbon fixation is crucial for elucidating carbon cycling dynamics in the East Sea. Notably, dark carbon fixation could contribute up to one-third of primary production in the region as an additional source of newly produced organic matter, highlighting the need for further investigation into this previously overlooked process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nasal cavity has the function of conditioning the air inhaled into the lungs by heating, humidifying, and filtering dust and virus-borne aerosols. Analyzing the flow field in the nasal cavity is vital because its function is strongly related to flow dynamics. Due to experimental limitations posed by the complex internal geometry of the nasal cavity, most previous studies have utilized Reynolds averaged Navier–Stokes based computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulations. In this study, the flow field in a post-operative nasal cavity was evaluated using not only CFD simulations but also four-dimensional magnetic resonance velocimetry. The study was conducted under resting breathing conditions in pre- and post-operative models of a patient who received septoplasty and turbinoplasty. The experimental results confirmed balanced flow rates in the left and right nasal cavities after septoplasty and a decrease in velocity after turbinoplasty with a reduction in regions with vortices and reverse flow. Upon comparison, CFD results using the laminar, k–ω, and shear stress transport models were deemed to be consistent with the experimental results. However, there was a relatively large deviation observed with the k–ε model. Using the validated laminar CFD model, it was shown that the pressure and wall shear stress decreased after surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mycotoxins are produced primarily as secondary fungal metabolites. Mycotoxins are toxic in nature and naturally produced by various species of fungi, which usually contaminate food and feed ingredients. The growth of these harmful fungi depends on several environmental factors, such as pH, humidity, and temperature; therefore, the mycotoxin distribution also varies among global geographical areas. Various rules and regulations regarding mycotoxins are imposed by the government bodies of each country, which are responsible for addressing global food and health security concerns. Despite this legislation, the incidence of mycotoxin contamination is continuously increasing. In this review, we discuss the geographical regulatory guidelines and recommendations that are implemented around the world to control mycotoxin contamination of food and feed products. Researchers and inventors from various parts of the world have reported several innovations for controlling mycotoxin-associated health consequences. Unfortunately, most of these techniques are restricted to laboratory scales and cannot reach users. Consequently, to date, no single device has been commercialized that can detect all mycotoxins that are naturally available in the environment. Therefore, in this study, we describe severe health hazards that are associated with mycotoxin exposure, their molecular signaling pathways and processes of toxicity, and their genotoxic and cytotoxic effects toward humans and animals. We also discuss recent developments in the construction of a sensitive and specific device that effectively implements mycotoxin identification and detection methods. In addition, our study comprehensively examines the recent advancements in the field for mitigating the health consequences and links them with the molecular and signaling pathways that are activated upon mycotoxin exposure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The gasochromism of WO3, wherein the color of the material changes according to the reaction of gas, can immediately allow for the determination of the presence of hydrogen by the naked eye. We have also developed a hybrid hydrogen sensor for WO3, a metal oxide, that can simultaneously utilize its gasochromic response and resistance to hydrogen. Because the proposed sensor has a transparent electrode on a glass substrate, it is a structure that can not only reveal the change in resistance but also more clearly illustrate the gasochromic response. A hybrid sensing demonstration in a hydrogen leak environment was successfully performed to verify a sensor that was capable of utilizing the resistive and gasochromic response of WO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Byline: Yongmin. Lee, Younghoon. Roh, Minchan. Kim, Younghoon. Kim, Kwanwoo. Kim, Sunghwa. Kang, Eunjeong. Jang Background: Single-port laparoscopic cholecystectomy (SPLC) is a new advanced technique in laparoscopic surgery which has [...]