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Abstract Background While pluripotent stem cell (PSC) therapies move toward clinical and commercial applications at a rapid rate, manufacturing reproducibility and robustness are notable bottlenecks in regulatory approval. Therapeutic applications of PSCs require large cell quantities to be generated under highly robust, well-defined, and economically viable conditions. Small-scale and short-term process optimization, however, is often performed in a linear fashion that does not account for time needed to verify the bioprocess protocols and analysis methods used. Design of a reproducible and robust bioprocess should be dynamic and include a continuous effort to understand how the process will respond over time and to different stresses before transitioning into large-scale production where stresses will be amplified. Methods This study utilizes a baseline protocol, developed for the short-term culture of PSC aggregates in Vertical-Wheel® bioreactors, to evaluate key process attributes through long-term (serial passage) suspension culture. This was done to access overall process robustness when performed with various commercially available media and cell lines. Process output variables including growth kinetics, aggregate morphology, harvest efficiency, genomic stability, and functional pluripotency were assessed through short and long-term culture. Results The robust nature of the expansion protocol was demonstrated over a six-day culture period where spherical aggregate formation and expansion were observed with high-fold expansions for all five commercial media tested. Profound differences in cell growth and quality were revealed only through long-term serial expansion and in-vessel dissociation operations. Some commercial media formulations tested demonstrated maintenance of cell growth rates, aggregate morphology, and high harvest recovery efficiencies through three bioreactor serial passages using multiple PSC lines. Exceptional bioprocess robustness was even demonstrated with sustained growth and quality maintenance over 10 serial bioreactor passages. However, some commercial media tested proved less equipped for serial passage cultures in bioreactors as cultures led to cell lysis during dissociation, reduction in growth rates, and a loss of aggregate morphology. Conclusions This study demonstrates the importance of systematic selection and testing of bioprocess input variables, with multiple bioprocess output variables through serial passages to create a truly reproducible and robust protocol for clinical and commercial PSC production using scalable bioreactor systems.

The leafhopper genus Parabolopona of Korea is reviewed. Two species of the genus are reported from Korea: Parabolopona ishihari Webb, 1981, and Parabolopona cygnea Cai & Shen, 1999. We provide morphological information on the species, a key to the Korean Parabolopona species, and a checklist of the world.

Abstract Extracellular vesicles (EVs) secreted by human brain cells have great potential as cell‐free therapies in various diseases, including stroke. However, because of the significant amount of EVs needed in preclinical and clinical trials, EV application is still challenging. Vertical‐Wheel Bioreactors (VWBRs) have designed features that allow for scaling up the generation of human forebrain spheroid EVs under low shear stress. In this study, EV secretion by human forebrain spheroids derived from induced pluripotent stem cells as 3D aggregates and on Synthemax II microcarriers in VWBRs were investigated with static aggregate culture as a control. The spheroids were characterized by metabolite and transcriptome analysis. The isolated EVs were characterized by nanoparticle tracking analysis, electron microscopy, and Western blot. The EV cargo was analyzed using proteomics and miRNA sequencing. The in vitro functional assays of an oxygen and glucose‐deprived stroke model were conducted. Proof of concept in vivo study was performed, too. Human forebrain spheroid differentiated on microcarriers showed a higher growth rate than 3D aggregates. Microcarrier culture had lower glucose consumption per million cells and lower glycolysis gene expression but higher EV biogenesis genes. EVs from the three culture conditions showed no differences in size, but the yields from high to low were microcarrier cultures, dynamic aggregates, and static aggregates. The cargo is enriched with proteins (proteomics) and miRNAs (miRNA‐seq), promoting axon guidance, reducing apoptosis, scavenging reactive oxygen species, and regulating immune responses. Human forebrain spheroid EVs demonstrated the ability to improve recovery in an in vitro stroke model and in vivo. Human forebrain spheroid differentiation in VWBR significantly increased the EV yields (up to 240–750 fold) and EV biogenesis compared to static differentiation due to the dynamic microenvironment and metabolism change. The biomanufactured EVs from VWBRs have exosomal characteristics and more therapeutic cargo and are functional in in vitro assays, which paves the way for future in vivo stroke studies.

Abstract The fall armyworm (FAW) Spodoptera frugiperda is a severe economic pest of multiple crops globally. Control of this pest is often achieved using insecticides; however, over time, S. frugiperda has developed resistance to new mode of action compounds, including diamides. Previous studies have indicated diamide resistance is a complex developmental process involving multiple detoxification genes. Still, the mechanism underlying the possible involvement of microRNAs in post-transcriptional regulation of resistance has not yet been elucidated. In this study, a global screen of microRNAs (miRNAs) revealed 109 known and 63 novel miRNAs. Nine miRNAs (four known and five novel) were differentially expressed between insecticide-resistant and -susceptible strains. Gene Ontology analysis predicted putative target transcripts of the differentially expressed miRNAs encoding significant genes belonging to detoxification pathways. Additionally, miRNAs are involved in response to diamide exposure, indicating they are probably associated with the detoxification pathway. Thus, this study provides comprehensive evidence for the link between repressed miRNA expression and induced target transcripts that possibly mediate diamide resistance through post-transcriptional regulation. These findings highlight important clues for further research to unravel the roles and mechanisms of miRNAs in conferring diamide resistance.

Euplectromorpha Girault (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is newly recognized from South Korea. We redescribe the newly reported species, E. nigromaculatus (Ashmead) with the images of diagnostic characters. A key to the genera of Euplectrini in Korea and a key to the Palearctic Euplectromorpha species are also provided.

Three genera and species of Encyrtidae (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea), such as Aenasius martinii (Compere, 1931), Hexencyrtus miyama (Ishii, 1928), and Mayridia parva (Wu et al., 2001), are newly discovered from Korea. The diagnoses and photographs of the three species are presented.

Two new records of the genus Kamendaka Distant, K. aculeata Yang & Wu and K. annulata Yang & Wu, are recorded from Korea for the first time. The morphological information, such as the diagnosis of male habitus and genitalia, is provided with photographs, and a key to the Korean species of the genus Kamendaka is presented.

The trade-off relationship between cost and performance is a major challenge in the development of surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) sensors for practical applications. We propose a roll-to-roll system with incorporated vacuum sputtering to manufacture Ag-coated nanodimples (Ag/NDs) on A4-scale films in a single step. The Ag/ND SERS platforms were prepared via O2 ion beam sputtering and Ag sputtering deposition. The concave three-dimensional spaces in the Ag/NDs functioned as hotspots, and their optimal fabrication conditions were investigated with two variables: moving speed and Ag thickness. The entire process was automated, which resulted in highly consistent optical responses (i.e., relative standard deviation of ∼10%). The activation of plasmonic hotspots was demonstrated by electric-field profiles calculated via the finite-difference time-domain method. The wavelength dependency of the Ag/ND platforms was also examined by dark-field microscopy. The results indicate that the developed engineering technique for the large-scale production of Ag/ND plasmonic chips would likely be competitive in the commercial market.

Euderomphalini Shafee, Rizvi and Khan (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is newly recognized from South Korea based on Euderomphale stomale Narendran and Hayat. The present study is to report the species as the first record in the country and to give a redescription along with the images of the diagnostic characteristics.

A new species of the family Issidae (Hemiptera, Auchenorrhyncha, Fulgoroidea), Dentatissus longispinosus sp. nov., is described from the Korean Peninsula. Morphological information is presented with photographs based on male and female specimens. A key to species of the genus Dentatissus is also provided.

Human mesenchymal stromal cells (hMSCs) are mechanically sensitive undergoing phenotypic alterations when subjected to shear stress, cell aggregation, and substrate changes encountered in 3D dynamic bioreactor cultures. However, little is known about how bioreactor microenvironment affects the secretion and cargo profiles of hMSC-derived extracellular vesicles (EVs) including the subset, “exosomes”, which contain therapeutic proteins, nucleic acids, and lipids from the parent cells. In this study, bone marrow–derived hMSCs were expanded on 3D Synthemax II microcarriers in the PBS mini 0.1L Vertical-Wheel bioreactor system under variable shear stress levels at 25, 40, and 64 RPM (0.1–0.3 dyn/cm2). The bioreactor system promotes EV secretion from hMSCs by 2.5-fold and upregulates the expression of EV biogenesis markers and glycolysis genes compared to the static 2D culture. The microRNA cargo was also altered in the EVs from bioreactor culture including the upregulation of miR-10, 19a, 19b, 21, 132, and 377. EV protein cargo was characterized by proteomics analysis, showing upregulation of metabolic, autophagy and ROS-related proteins comparing with 2D cultured EVs. In addition, the scalability of the Vertical-Wheel bioreactor system was demonstrated in a 0.5L bioreactor, showing similar or better hMSC-EV secretion and cargo content compared to the 0.1L bioreactor. This study advances our understanding of bio-manufacturing of stem cell-derived EVs for applications in cell-free therapy towards treating neurological disorders such as ischemic stroke, Alzheimer's disease, and multiple sclerosis.

Abstract Background Detecting high‐risk arrhythmia is important in diagnosing patients with palpitations. We compared the diagnostic accuracies of 7‐day patch‐type electrocardiographic (ECG) monitoring and 24‐h Holter monitoring for detecting significant arrhythmias in patients with palpitations. Methods This was a single‐center prospective trial with 58 participants who presented with palpitations, chest pain or syncope. Outcomes were defined as the detection of any one of six arrhythmias, including supraventricular tachycardia (SVT), atrial fibrillation or atrial flutter lasting more than 30 s, pauses of more than 3 s, high‐degree atrioventricular block, ventricular tachycardia (VT) >3 beats, or polymorphic VT/ventricular fibrillation. The McNemar test for paired proportions was used to compare arrhythmia detection rates. Results The overall arrhythmia detection rate was higher with 7‐day ECG patch monitoring than with 24‐h Holter monitoring (34.5% vs. 19.0%, p = .008). Compared with the use of 24‐h Holter monitors, the use of 7‐day ECG patch monitors was associated with higher detection of SVT (29.3% vs. 13.8%, p = .042). No serious adverse skin reactions were reported among the ECG patch‐monitored participants. Conclusions The results suggest that a 7‐day patch‐type continuous ECG monitor is more effective for the detection of supraventricular tachycardia than is a 24‐h Holter monitor. However, the clinical significance of device detected arrhythmia should be consolidated.

Abstract A carbon-fiber (Cf) doped TiB2–SiC composite was prepared and investigated to determine its densification behavior, micro/nanostructural properties, and mechanical characteristics. TiB2–25 vol% SiC–2 wt% Cf was prepared at 40 MPa and 1800 °C for 7 min using the pulsed electric-current sintering technique, and a relative density of 98.5% was realized. The as-sintered composite was characterized using advanced techniques, e.g., X-ray diffractometry, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, field-emission electron probe micro-analysis, and nanoindentation. The Cf additive could remove the surface oxide layers from the TiB2 and SiC domains, thus transforming them into TiB2 and SiC. According to micro/nanostructural studies, Cf could not retain its initial structure and was eventually converted into graphite nanosheets. In addition, the prepared composite was examined using the nanoindentation technique, and the following results were obtained for the calculated hardness, elastic modulus, and stiffness values: TiB2 > SiC > TiB2/SiC interface.

The delphacid species, Ecdelphax tortilis (Kouh, 1982), is recorded from the Korean Peninsula for the first time. The morphological information such as diagnosis and redescription of male habitus and genitalia are presented with photographs, and a key to the species of genus Ecdelphax is provided.

The genus Ericydnus in Encyrtidae is newly recognized with three species from South Korea: E. huangi, E. infuscatus, and E. longicornis. A key to Korean species, diagnoses and diagnostic characters are presented along with images of the species. In addition, new Korean names are given for the three species.

To generate a stable and effective air–liquid discharge in an open atmosphere, we investigated the effect of the dielectric barrier on the discharge between the pin electrode and liquid surface in an atmospheric-pressure plasma reactor. The atmospheric-pressure plasma reactor used in this study was based on a pin–plate discharge structure, and a metal wire was used as a pin-type power electrode. A plate-type ground electrode was placed above and below the vessel to compare the pin–liquid discharge and pin–liquid barrier discharge (PLBD). The results indicated that the PLBD configuration utilizing the bottom of the vessel as a dielectric barrier outperformed the pin–liquid setup in terms of the discharge stability and that the concentration of reactive species was different in the two plasma modes. PLBD can be used as a digestion technique for determining the phosphorus concentration in natural water sources. The method for decomposing phosphorus compounds by employing PLBD exhibited excellent decomposition performance, similar to the performance of thermochemical digestion—an established conventional method for phosphorus detection in water. The PLBD structure can replace the conventional chemical-agent-based digestion method for determining the total dissolved phosphorus concentration using the ascorbic acid reduction method.

Abstract This study assessed the sinterability and microstructure of ZrB2-SiC-TaN and ZrB2-TaN ceramics. Spark plasma sintering at 2000 °C and 30 MPa for 5 min produced both ceramics. The relative density of ZrB2 ceramic containing TaN was 95.3%; the addition of SiC increased this value to 98.1%. SiC’s contribution to the elimination of ZrB2 surface oxides was the primary factor in the advancement of densification. The in situ formation of hexagonal boron nitride at the interface of TaN and ZrB2 was confirmed by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, field emission-electron probe microanalyzer, X-ray diffractometry, and field emission scanning electron microscopy. Moreover, the in situ graphite might be produced as a byproduct of the SiC-SiO2 process, hence boosting the reduction of oxide compounds in the ternary system. The SiC compound had the highest hardness (29 ± 3 GPa), while the ZrB2/TaN interface exhibited the greatest values of elastic modulus (473 ± 26 GPa) and stiffness (0.76 ± 0.13 mN/nm).

Abstract Human cerebellum consists of high density and complexity of neurons. Thus, it is challenging to differentiate cerebellar-like organoids with similar cellular markers and function to the human brain. Our previous study showed that the combination of retinoic acid (RA), Wingless/integrated (Wnt) activator, and Sonic Hedgehog (SHH) activator promotes cerebellar differentiation from human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs). This study examined phenotypic, metabolic, and biogenesis in early cerebellar development. Cerebellum spheroids were differentiated from human iPSK3 cells. During day 7–14, RA and Wnt activator CHIR99021 were used and SHH activator purmorphamine (PMR) was added later to promote ventralization. Gene expression for early cerebellar layer markers, metabolism, and extracellular vesicle (EV) biogenesis were characterized. Zinc-induced neurotoxicity was investigated as a proof-of-concept of neurotoxicity study. Flow cytometry results showed that there was no significant difference in NEPH3, PTF1A, OLIG2, and MATH1 protein expression between RCP (RA-CHIR-PMR) versus the control condition. However, the expression of cerebellar genes for the molecular layer (BHLE22), the granule cell layer (GABRB2, PAX6, TMEM266, KCNIP4), the Bergmann glial cells (QK1, DAO), and the Purkinje cell layer (ARHGEF33, KIT, MX1, MYH10, PPP1R17, SCGN) was significantly higher in the RCP condition than the control. The shift in metabolic pathways toward glycolysis was observed for RCP condition. The EV biogenesis marker expression was retained. Mild zinc-induced neurotoxicity may exist when zinc exposure exceeds 1.0 µM. RCP treatment can promote specific cerebellar-like differentiation from hiPSCs indicated by gene expression of early cerebellar markers and regionally enriched genes. The higher cerebellar marker expression is accompanied by the elevated glycolysis with the retained EV biogenesis. This study should advance the understanding of biomarkers during early cerebellar development for cerebellum organoid engineering and neurotoxicity study.

Abstract The western conifer seed bug (WCSB) Leptoglossus occidentalis (Heidemann) (Heteroptera: Coreidae) is a pest insect that causes significant losses of coniferous trees worldwide. In this study, we sought to project the potential distribution of the WCSB based on dual CLIMEX modeling and random forest (RF) analysis to obtain basic data for WCSB monitoring strategies. The CLIMEX model, a semimechanistic niche model that responds to climate‐based environmental parameters, is a species distribution model that focuses on regional climatic suitability. Given that this model can be used to select areas that are likely to reflect the climatically favorable spread of species, which we initially used CLIMEX to evaluate the potential distribution of the WCSB. The RF algorithm was used to predict the potential occurrence of WCSB and to evaluate the relative importance of environmental variables for WCSB occurrence. Using the RF model, land cover was found to be the most important variable for classifying the presence/pseudo‐absence of the WCSB, with an accuracy of 77.1%. Climatic suitability for the WCSB was predicted to be 2.4‐fold higher in Southern Europe than in Western Europe, and the WCSB was predicted to occur primarily near coniferous forests. Given that CLIMEX and RF analyses yielded different prediction results, using the findings of both models may compensate for the shortcomings of these models when used independently. Consequently, to ensure greater prediction reliability, we believe that it would be beneficial to base predictions on the combined potential distribution data obtained using both modeling approaches.

Two genera Apheliona Kirkaldy and Ghauriana Thapa are reported from the Korean Peninsula for the first time based on the Korean species: Apheliona ferruginea (Matsumura, 1931), Gharuiana senensis Qin & Zhang, 2008. We provide male genitalia descriptions and illustrations of two newly recorded species. We also provide a female ovipositor description of Apheliona ferruginea for the first time. A revised key to the Korean Empoascini genera is also given.

The genus Doloploca Hübner (Lepidoptera: Tortricidae: Tortricinae) is reported for the first time from Korea with two newly recorded species: Doloploca praeviella (Erschoff, 1877) and D. buraetica Staudinger, 1892. Descriptions and illustrations of adults, including the wing pattern and genitalic structures, and brief biological information are provided.

We taxonomically reviewed the planthopper family Flatidae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Fulgoroidea) from Korea, and a total of four species are recognized. Diagnoses and redescriptions of the species are presented with photographs of habitus and genitalia based on male and female specimens. A key to the Korean Flatidae is provided. We also added new host plant records for some species.

Two species of the leafhopper tribe Scaphoideini, Phlogotettix longicornis Kamitani, Hayashi & Yamada, 2007, and Scaphoidella arboricola Vilbaste, 1968, are reported for the first time from Korea. The species are redescribed including photographs of habitus and genitalia, and a key to species of Scaphoideini from Korea is provided.

Glipa (Macroglipa) oshimana Nomura, l966 is newly reported from the Korean Peninsula. The first description of the male specimen and female genitalia is provided.

The molecular phylogeny of the Cimicoidea was reconstructed from an expanded sampling based on mitochondrial (16S, COI) and nuclear (18S, 28SD3) genes. The data were analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML), maximum parsimony (MP), and Bayesian inference (BI) phylogenetic frameworks. The phylogenetic relationships inferred by the model-based analyses (ML and BI) were largely congruent with those inferred by the MP analysis in terms of the monophyly of most of the higher taxonomic groups and the species-level relationships. The following clades were recovered in all analyses: Cimiciformes; Nabidae: Prostemmatinae; Nabidae: Nabinae; Plokiophilidae; Microphysidae; Lasiochilidae; Cimicidae: Cacodminae; Cimicidae; Lyctocoridae; Anthocoridae s. str.; Cardiastethini excluding Amphiareus; Almeidini; Scolopini; Anthocorini; Oriini; Curaliidae + Lasiochilidae; Almeidini + Xylocorini; Oriini + Cardiastethini; and Anthocorini + Amphiareus. Reconstructions of ancestral copulation states based on Bayesian and parsimony inference indicated that at least one shift from standard insemination (SI) to traumatic insemination (TI) occurred within Cimicoidea, and an investigation of the evolutionary correlation between TI and paragenitalia (PG) revealed that the acquisition of PG in cimicoid females was correlated with the TI habit. Additionally, our morphological examination of various types of PG suggested that even the same PG type may not constitute a homologous feature at various taxonomic levels, indicating the convergent evolution of female morphology to adapt to TI.

Abstract Background Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) hold enormous promise in accelerating breakthroughs in understanding human development, drug screening, disease modeling, and cell and gene therapies. Their potential, however, has been bottlenecked in a mostly laboratory setting due to bioprocess challenges in the scale-up of large quantities of high-quality cells for clinical and manufacturing purposes. While several studies have investigated the production of hiPSCs in bioreactors, the use of conventional horizontal-impeller, paddle, and rocking-wave mixing mechanisms have demonstrated unfavorable hydrodynamic environments for hiPSC growth and quality maintenance. This study focused on using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) modeling to aid in characterizing and optimizing the use of vertical-wheel bioreactors for hiPSC production. Methods The vertical-wheel bioreactor was modeled with CFD simulation software Fluent at agitation rates between 20 and 100 rpm. These models produced fluid flow patterns that mapped out a hydrodynamic environment to guide in the development of hiPSC inoculation and in-vessel aggregate dissociation protocols. The effect of single-cell inoculation on aggregate formation and growth was tested at select CFD-modeled agitation rates and feeding regimes in the vertical-wheel bioreactor. An in-vessel dissociation protocol was developed through the testing of various proteolytic enzymes and agitation exposure times. Results CFD modeling demonstrated the unique flow pattern and homogeneous distribution of hydrodynamic forces produced in the vertical-wheel bioreactor, making it the opportune environment for systematic bioprocess optimization of hiPSC expansion. We developed a scalable, single-cell inoculation protocol for the culture of hiPSCs as aggregates in vertical-wheel bioreactors, achieving over 30-fold expansion in 6 days without sacrificing cell quality. We have also provided the first published protocol for in-vessel hiPSC aggregate dissociation, permitting the entire bioreactor volume to be harvested into single cells for serial passaging into larger scale reactors. Importantly, the cells harvested and re-inoculated into scaled-up vertical-wheel bioreactors not only maintained consistent growth kinetics, they maintained a normal karyotype and pluripotent characterization and function. Conclusions Taken together, these protocols provide a feasible solution for the culture of high-quality hiPSCs at a clinical and manufacturing scale by overcoming some of the major documented bioprocess bottlenecks.

In this study, the genus Eugahania (Hymenoptera: Chalcidoidea: Encyrtidae) and its three species E. flaviscapus, E. latiscapus, and E. yanoi are newly discovered from the Korean Peninsula. The morphological information with photographs of the three species is presented.

There is growing evidence that the small weak scale may be related to self-organized criticality. In this regard, we note that if the strange quark were lighter, the QCD phase transition could have been first order, possibly exhibiting quantum critical points at zero temperature as a function of the Higgs vacuum expectation value v_{h} smaller than (but near) the weak scale. We show that these quantum critical points allow a dynamical selection of the observed weak scale, via quantum-dominated stochastic evolutions of the value of v_{h} during eternal inflation. Although the values of v_{h} in different Hubble patches are described by a probability distribution in the multiverse, inflationary quantum dynamics ensures that the peak of the distribution evolves toward critical points (self-organized criticality), driven mainly by the largest Hubble expansion rate there—the Hubble selection of the universe. To this end, we first explore the quantum critical points of the three-flavor QCD linear sigma model, parametrized by v_{h} at zero temperature, and we present a relaxion model for the weak scale. Among the patches that have reached reheating, it results in a sharp probability distribution of v_{h} near the observed weak scale, which is critical not to the crossover at v_{h}=0 but to the sharp transition at ∼Λ_{QCD}.

The genus Deutereulophus Schulz (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae) is newly recognized from South Korea. Until this study, there were only two species from the Palearctic region; D. brevipennis and D. tennysoni. We report the genus Deutereulophus from Korea for the first time with D. malabarensis with its illustrations and redescription. In addition, a key to the species of the Palearctic Deutereulophus is also provided.

The tropical fire ant (TFA, Solenopsis geminata) is an aggressive fire ant species that can cause health problems in humans and damages ecosystems. The TFA can be found across the world, from North and South America to Africa, Asia, and Oceania; furthermore, it has been introduced into new areas by human transport or natural flights. In this study, species distribution modeling was applied to the TFA for the first time, and its potential distribution as a response to climate change was evaluated. This study used CLIMEX as the climate-specific species distribution modeling tool with the distribution data for TFA, current global meteorological data, and two types of climate change scenarios. Thus, although the climatic suitability of the TFA was assumed to decrease with climate change, its distribution limit was expected to increase. In addition, the difference between potential distributions predicted using Special Report on Emissions Scenarios A1B and Special Report on Emissions Scenarios A2 increased over time. In conclusion, even with an overall decrease in climatic suitability, in the future, the TFA will still be able to invade a new area that it cannot inhabit under the current climatic scenario. As the first study that predicts TFA distribution using a species distribution model, we expect that this study will provide the basic information for further TFA modeling and for setting up quarantine and control measures.

Genus Dactylioglypha Diakonoff, 1973, is reported for the first time from Korea, with one newly recorded species: Dactylioglypha tonica (Meyrick, 1909), which was collected in the Jeju Island. Descriptions and illustrations of adult, including the wing pattern, genitalia of the both sexes, and a brief biological information, are provided.

Abstract Human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have generated a great deal of attention owing to their capacity for self‐renewal and differentiation into the three germ layers of the body. Their discovery has facilitated a new era in biomedicine for understanding human development, drug screening, disease modeling, and cell therapy while reducing ethical issues and risks of immune rejection associated with traditional embryonic stem cells. Bioreactor‐based processes have been the method of choice for the efficient expansion and differentiation of stem cells in controlled environments. Current protocols for the expansion of hiPSCs use horizontal impeller, paddle, or rocking wave mixing method bioreactors which require large static cell culture starting populations and achieve only moderate cell fold increases. This study focused on optimizing inoculation, agitation, oxygen, and nutrient availability for the culture of hiPSCs as aggregates in single‐use, low‐shear, vertical‐wheel bioreactors. Under optimized conditions, we achieved an expansion of more than 30‐fold in 6 days using a small starting population of cells and minimal media resources throughout. Importantly, we showed that that this optimized bioreactor expansion protocol could be replicated over four serial passages resulting in a cumulative cell expansion of 1.06E6‐fold in 28 days. Cells from the final day of the serial passage were of high quality, maintaining a normal karyotype, pluripotent marker staining, and the ability to form teratomas in vivo. These findings demonstrate that a vertical‐wheel bioreactor‐based bioprocess can provide optimal conditions for efficient, rapid generation of high‐quality hiPSCs to meet the demands for clinical manufacturing of therapeutic cell products.

The two genera and species are recorded for the first time in Korea, belonging to the family Delphacidae, tribe Delphacini (Auchenorhyncha). Taxonomic accounts and diagnoses of Euides speciosa (Boheman 1845) and Sogata hakonensis (Matsumura 1935) are presented with photographs and measurements of each genus and species.

Two new genera, each represented by a single new species, Planicapitus luteus Taszakowski, Kim & Herczek, gen. et sp. nov. and Bruneimetopus simulans Taszakowski, Kim & Herczek, gen. et sp. nov., are described from Borneo. Detailed photographs of male habitus and genital structures are presented. The checklist with distributional records for all known taxa of Gigantometopini is also provided.

Two species of the subfamily Typhlocybinae (Hemiptera: Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae) are reported for the first time from the Korean Peninsula: Dikraneura orientalis Dworakowska, 1993 and Alebroides flavifrons Matsumura, 1931. The new records are redescribed and illustrated based on the Korean specimens. Keywords: Description, Dikraneurini, Empoascini, Morphology, New record

The subfamily Prostemmatinae Reuter is taxonomically reviewed from the Korean Peninsula with findings of two species. The tribe Phorticini is first recognized from the Korean Peninsula based on Rhamphocoris hasegawai (Ishihara, 1943). The genus Alloeorhynchus is also first reported, and male of Alloeorhynchus reinhardi Kerzhner & Günther, 1999 is described for the first time. The morphological information such as redescriptions, diagnoses, and the key to Korean species and biological notes are provided. Keywords: Alloeorhynchus, Nabidae, Prostemmatinae, Rhamphocoris, The Korean Peninsula

Climate has been used as a main variable in species distribution model, suggesting that the type of meteorological data can affect the predictive range of a target species. This study was to investigate the effect of meteorological data on the prediction of the potential distribution of a species in the CLIMEX model. We constructed three different types of meteorological data to be inserted into the CLIMEX model to predict the climatic suitability of the spotted lanternfly [Lycorma delicatula (Hemiptera: Fulgoridae)] in South Korea: (1) minimum–maximum data (Y-data), (2) annual average data (AY-data), and (3) 30-year long-term average data (A-data). As a result, the climatic suitability represented by the Ecoclimatic Index (EI) was significantly different in the Y-data compared with the other data sets because of the extreme winter condition in which they were recorded. In contrast, the AY- and A-data sets showed similar climatic suitability, but the AY-data showed slightly higher Ecoclimatic Index values than the A-data. It is conclusive that the AY- and A-data sets were suitable for evaluating annual variations by the years of data collection and current potential distribution, respectively, whereas the Y-data could be used for simulation under extreme climate conditions for a conservative assessment. Keywords: Climatic suitability, CLIMEX, Meteorological data, Potential distribution

Abstract A resonance peak in the invariant mass spectrum has been the main feature of a particle at collider experiments. However, broad resonances not exhibiting such a sharp peak are generically predicted in new physics models beyond the Standard Model. Without a peak, how do we discover a broad resonance at colliders? We use machine learning technique to explore answers beyond common knowledge. We learn that, by applying deep neural network to the case of a $$t\bar{t}$$ tt¯ resonance, the invariant mass $$M_{t\bar{t}}$$ Mtt¯ is still useful, but additional information from off-resonance region, angular correlations, $$p_T$$ pT , and top jet mass are also significantly important. As a result, the improved LHC sensitivities do not depend strongly on the width. The results may also imply that the additional information can be used to improve narrow-resonance searches too. Further, we also detail how we assess machine-learned information.

Two species, Empicoris rubromaculatus (Blackburn, 1889) and Polytoxus armillatus Ishikawa, 1998, are first reported from the Korean Peninsula. Diagnoses and descriptions of genitalia of both species are provided with illustrations. Keywords: Empicoris, New record, Polytoxus, Reduviidae, The Korean Peninsula

Two newly recorded genera of the tribe Opsiini (Auchenorrhyncha: Cicadellidae: Deltocephalinae), Hishimonoides Ishihara, 1965 and Satsumanus Ishihara, 1953, are reported for the first time to the Korean fauna, based on finding two species of Hishimonoides sellatiformis Ishihara, 1965 and Satsumanus satsumae (Matsumura, 1914). The morphological information such as descriptions of genitalia and photographs of each species is provided.

Abstract Background The global age-adjusted mortality rate related to atrial fibrillation (AF) registered a rapid growth in the last four decades, i.e., from 0.8 to 1.6 and 0.9 to 1.7 per 100,000 for men and women during 1990–2010, respectively. In this context, this study uses convolutional neural networks for classifying (diagnosing) AF, employing electrocardiogram data in a general hospital. Methods Data came from Anam Hospital in Seoul, Korea, with 20,000 unique patients (10,000 normal sinus rhythm and 10,000 AF). 30 convolutional neural networks were applied and compared for the diagnosis of the normal sinus rhythm vs. AF condition: 6 Alex networks with 5 convolutional layers, 3 fully connected layers and the number of kernels changing from 3 to 256; and 24 residual networks with the number of residuals blocks (or kernels) varying from 8 to 2 (or 64 to 2). Results In terms of the accuracy, the best Alex network was one with 24 initial kernels (i.e., kernels in the first layer), 5,268,818 parameters and the training time of 89 s (0.997), while the best residual network was one with 6 residual blocks, 32 initial kernels, 248,418 parameters and the training time of 253 s (0.999). In general, the performance of the residual network improved as the number of its residual blocks (its depth) increased. Conclusion For AF diagnosis, the residual network might be a good model with higher accuracy and fewer parameters than its Alex-network counterparts.

The genus Himacerus (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Cimicomorpha: Nabidae) is reviewed from the Korean Peninsula, with the discovery of a new record Himacerus dauricus (Kiritshenko, 1911). The presence of H. nodipes to Korean fauna is discussed. Morphological information including diagnosis and description of genitalia and brief biology are provided. A key to the Korean species is also provided. Keywords: Heteroptera, Himacerus, Korean Peninsula, Nabidae, Taxonomy

Abstract Background Since their inception, human induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) have held much promise for pharmacological applications and cell-based therapies. However, their potential can only be realised if large numbers of cells can be produced reproducibly on-demand. While bioreactors are ideal systems for this task, due to providing agitation and control of the culture parameters, the common impeller geometries were not designed for the expansion of mammalian cells, potentially leading to sub-optimal results. Results This work reports for the first time the usage of the novel Vertical-Wheel single-use bioreactors for the expansion of hiPSCs as floating aggregates. Cultures were performed in the PBS MINI 0.1 bioreactor with 60 mL of working volume. Two different culture media were tested, mTeSR1 and mTeSR3D, in a repeated batch or fed-batch mode, respectively, as well as dextran sulfate (DS) supplementation. mTeSR3D was shown to sustain hiPSC expansion, although with lower maximum cell density than mTeSR1. Dextran sulfate supplementation led to an increase in 97 and 106% in maximum cell number when using mTeSR1 or mTeSR3D, respectively. For supplemented media, mTeSR1 + DS allowed for a higher cell density to be obtained with one less day of culture. A maximum cell density of (2.3 ± 0.2) × 106 cells∙mL− 1 and a volumetric productivity of (4.6 ± 0.3) × 105 cells∙mL− 1∙d− 1 were obtained after 5 days with mTeSR1 + DS, resulting in aggregates with an average diameter of 346 ± 11 μm. The generated hiPSCs were analysed by flow cytometry and qRT-PCR and their differentiation potential was assayed, revealing the maintenance of their pluripotency after expansion. Conclusions The results here described present the Vertical-Wheel bioreactor as a promising technology for hiPSC bioprocessing. The specific characteristics of this bioreactor, namely in terms of the innovative agitation mechanism, can make it an important system in the development of hiPSC-derived products under current Good Manufacturing Practices.

The subfamily Cylapinae (Hemiptera: Heteroptera: Miridae) is first reviewed from Eastern continental region, the Korean Peninsula, with findings of four newly recorded species. The tribe Bothriomirini Kirkaldy is recognized for the first time based on the specimens of Bothriomiris gotohi Yasunaga, 2000. The genera Fulvius and Peritropis are also first reported with discoveries of F. ussuriensis Kerzhner, 1973, F. nozawai Yasunaga & Wolski, 2017, and P. advena Kerzhner, 1973. The record of genus Punctifulvius is confirmed on the basis of the species of Punctifulvius kerzhneri Schmitz, 1978. The variable character of F. nozawai between populations and ambiguous character of B. gotohi are discussed. The morphological information including diagnosis and brief biology of each species are presented. A key to the cylapine species in the continental region of Eastern Palaearctic Hemisphere is also provided. Keywords: Cylapinae, Continental region, Eastern Hemisphere, Miridae, New record

Genus Ernobius C. G. Thomson, 1859 is recorded for the first time in Korea, with the presence of two species described from Japan recently collected at the locality of Daejeon. For each species, morphological description, distribution, and biology are given, and pictures of the habitus, antenna, and male aedeagus are provided. The existing problem about the determination of the species because of a poor representation of the aedeagus in the species of the genus given by the different authors is discussed. In addition, the probable specific invalidity of Ernobius sakai Zahradník, 2013 described from China is also discussed. Keywords: Coleoptera, Ptinidae, Ernobius, Ernobiinae, Ernobiini, New records, South Korea

In this work, the oxygen transport and hydrodynamic flow of the PBS Vertical-Wheel MINI™ 0.1 bioreactor were characterized using experimental data and computational fluid dynamics simulations. Data acquired from spectroscopy-based oxygenation measurements was compared with data obtained from 3D simulations with a rigid-lid approximation and LES-WALE turbulence modeling, using the open-source software OpenFOAM-8. The mass transfer coefficients were determined for a range of stirring speeds between 10 and 100 rpm and for working volumes between 60 and 100 mL. Additionally, boundary condition, mesh refinement, and temperature variation studies were performed. Lastly, cell size, energy dissipation rate, and shear stress fields were calculated to determine optimal hydrodynamic conditions for culture. The experimental results demonstrate that the kL can be predicted using Sh=1.68Re0.551Sc13G1.18, with a mean absolute error of 2.08%. Using the simulations and a correction factor of 0.473, the expression can be correlated to provide equally valid results. To directly obtain them from simulations, a partial slip boundary condition can be tuned, ensuring better near-surface velocity profiles or, alternatively, by deeply refining the mesh. Temperature variation studies support the use of this correlation for temperatures up to 37 °C by using a Schmidt exponent of 1/3. Finally, the flow was characterized as transitional with diverse mixing mechanisms that ensure homogeneity and suspension quality, and the results obtained are in agreement with previous studies that employed RANS models. Overall, this work provides new data regarding oxygen mass transfer and hydrodynamics in the Vertical-Wheel bioreactor, as well as new insights for air-water mass transfer modeling in systems with low interface deformation, and a computational model that can be used for further studies.

We targeted three major Leptocorisa species (L. chinensis, L. acuta, and L. oratoria) and evaluated their potential distributions using MaxEnt. The results showed that most Asian countries and northern Australia would be suitable for at least one of these pest species, and climate change will expand their habitat northward. All of the developed models were evaluated to be excellent with AUC, TSS, and OR10%. Most of the recorded regions of the Leptocorisa species are consistent with the result of potential distributions predicted in this study. The results confirmed that the minimum temperature of the coldest month mainly influences the three Leptocorisa species distributions. The potential distributions of the three species cover major rice cultivation areas regardless of climate change, suggesting that it would be necessary to establish a sustainable control strategy for the pests.

With the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), disease prevention has become incredibly important. Consequently, mask and air-purifier use has increased. The filter is the core component of these items. However, most filter materials lack antimicrobial properties. Copper is a sustainable antimicrobial material. When copper is deposited onto the filter’s surface, the microorganisms that come into contact with it can be effectively inactivated. In this study, we used an oxygen ion beam with a controlled process temperature to treat filter surfaces with copper. This enabled a strong adhesion of at least 4 N/cm between the copper and the filter fibers without damaging them. Upon exposing the filter to bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus ATCC 6538, Klebsiella pneumoniae ATCC 4352, Escherichia coli ATCC 25922, and Pseudomonas aeruginosa ATCC 27853) for one hour, a >99.99% removal rate was attained; when the filter was exposed to SARS-CoV-2 virus for one hour, it inactivated more than 99%. These beneficial properties minimize the risk of secondary infections, which are significantly more likely to occur when a conventional filter is replaced or removed.

Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) hold great promise for tissue engineering and cell-based therapies due to their multilineage differentiation potential and intrinsic immunomodulatory and trophic activities. Over the past years, increasing evidence has proposed extracellular vesicles (EVs) as mediators of many of the MSC-associated therapeutic features. EVs have emerged as mediators of intercellular communication, being associated with multiple physiological processes, but also in the pathogenesis of several diseases. EVs are derived from cell membranes, allowing high biocompatibility to target cells, while their small size makes them ideal candidates to cross biological barriers. Despite the promising potential of EVs for therapeutic applications, robust manufacturing processes that would increase the consistency and scalability of EV production are still lacking. In this work, EVs were produced by MSC isolated from different human tissue sources [bone marrow (BM), adipose tissue (AT), and umbilical cord matrix (UCM)]. A serum-/xeno-free microcarrier-based culture system was implemented in a Vertical-WheelTM bioreactor (VWBR), employing a human platelet lysate culture supplement (UltraGROTM-PURE), toward the scalable production of MSC-derived EVs (MSC-EVs). The morphology and structure of the manufactured EVs were assessed by atomic force microscopy, while EV protein markers were successfully identified in EVs by Western blot, and EV surface charge was maintained relatively constant (between −15.5 ± 1.6 mV and −19.4 ± 1.4 mV), as determined by zeta potential measurements. When compared to traditional culture systems under static conditions (T-flasks), the VWBR system allowed the production of EVs at higher concentration (i.e., EV concentration in the conditioned medium) (5.7-fold increase overall) and productivity (i.e., amount of EVs generated per cell) (3-fold increase overall). BM, AT and UCM MSC cultured in the VWBR system yielded an average of 2.8 ± 0.1 × 1011, 3.1 ± 1.3 × 1011, and 4.1 ± 1.7 × 1011 EV particles (n = 3), respectively, in a 60 mL final volume. This bioreactor system also allowed to obtain a more robust MSC-EV production, regarding their purity, compared to static culture. Overall, we demonstrate that this scalable culture system can robustly manufacture EVs from MSC derived from different tissue sources, toward the development of novel therapeutic products.

Allogeneic cell therapy products, such as therapeutic cells derived from pluripotent stem cells (PSCs), have amazing potential to treat a wide variety of diseases and vast numbers of patients globally. However, there are various challenges related to manufacturing PSCs in single-use bioreactors, particularly at larger volumetric scales. This manuscript addresses these challenges and presents potential solutions to alleviate the anticipated bottlenecks for commercial-scale manufacturing of high-quality therapeutic cells derived from PSCs.