Positional Challenges of the Anteroposterior Pelvic X-Ray: Comparison of Imaging Reject Rates Between Trauma Trolley and Table Bucky.

Introduction: Pelvic x-rays can be conducted on a trauma trolley or conventional table bucky. The aim of this study was to compare the positional challenges and reject rate between pelvic x-ray images taken on a trauma trolley and a table bucky during a 12-month period in an Australian public metropolitan hospital's emergency department and to determine the accuracy rate of anatomical inclusion via a qualitative assessment of pelvic x-rays using a modified Visual Grading Scale (VGS).

Methods: A retrospective clinical audit of pelvic x-ray image reject rates over a 12-month period was conducted for an emergency department at an Australian hospital.

HG043, a potent thienopyrimidine GPR119 agonist, demonstrates enhanced anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects in preclinical models.

GPR119 is a promising therapeutic target for type 2 diabetes because of its role in enhancing glucose-stimulated insulin secretion and GLP-1 release. We investigated the anti-diabetic and anti-obesity effects of HG043, a novel and potent thienopyrimidine-based GPR119 agonist, by comparing its pharmacological activities to those of MBX-2982 (a known GPR119 agonist) and sibutramine (an appetite suppressant) in both in vitro and in vivo models. HG043 exhibited potent agonistic activity for human GPR119 and demonstrated enhanced efficacy compared to MBX-2982 in stimulating incretin secretion in pancreatic β-cell lines.

Potential Habitat and Priority Conservation Areas for Endangered Species in South Korea.

Anthropogenic threats from human activity have significantly altered global ecosystems, resulting in habitat destruction and fragmentation, biodiversity loss, and species extinction. The identification and establishment of protected areas for the conservation of threatened species is thus required to mitigate the impacts of these threats. This study identified priority conservation areas (PCAs) for endangered mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles in South Korea using ecological modeling.

Analysis of Priority Conservation Areas Using Habitat Quality Models and MaxEnt Models.

This study investigated core habitat areas for yellow-throated martens () and leopard cats (), two endangered forest species sensitive to habitat fragmentation in Korea. Overlaying the InVEST-HQ and MaxEnt models, priority conservation areas were identified by analyzing gaps in currently protected areas. The InVEST-HQ model showed that habitat quality ranged from 0 to 0.

Discovery of orally active sulfonylphenyl thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives as GPR119 agonists.

G-protein-coupled receptor 119 (GPR119) has great potential as a therapeutic target for the treatment of type II diabetes. Novel thieno[3,2-d]pyrimidine derivatives were discovered as GPR119 agonists through a bioisosteric replacement strategy. The sulfonylphenyl thieno[3,2-d] pyrimidine scaffold was introduced, and its derivatives exhibited potent agonistic activity for GPR119 in cell-based assays.

Identification of Emerging Roadkill Hotspots on Korean Expressways Using Space-Time Cubes.

Collisions with wild animals on high-speed expressways not only lead to roadkill but can also cause accidents that incur considerable human and economic costs. Based on roadkill data from 2004-2019 for four common wildlife species involved in collisions with vehicles on expressways in Korea (water deer, common raccoon dog, Korean hare, and wild boar), the present study conducted optimized hotspot analysis and identified spatiotemporal patterns using a space-time cube (STC) approach. Temporal and spatial differences in the roadkill data were observed between species.

Analysis of the Spatiotemporal Changes in Selected Ecosystem Services Caused by Free Trade Initiatives in Incheon, Korea.

Expansion of a development area can negatively impact ecosystems by decreasing or fragmenting habitats. With increased awareness of the importance of biodiversity and ecosystem services (BES), ecosystem service evaluations have attracted increased attention. The geography surrounding the city of Incheon is ecologically valuable because of its ecological diversity, attributed to its mudflats and coastal terrain.

Designing for Green and Grey: Insights from Single-Use Plastic Water Bottles.

Recognizing modern society's multiple risks, this study examines single-use plastic water bottles at the intersection of environmental degradation and societal carelessness for the elderly. While prioritising economic profits and plastic waste, we have neglected bottles' typical poor openability for older people. Thus, we evaluated the openability of bottles with environmentally friendly and socially inclusive designs in South Korea by comparing older and younger adults' experiences.

Assessing the Visualization-Based Decision Support System for Environmental Impact Assessments.

Even though environmental impact assessments (EIAs) have been an important tool for environmental decision-making, most EIAs are published as a mix of text and tabular data that is not easily accessible to or understandable for the public. In this paper, we present a decision support system (DSS) that supports the decision-making of stakeholders in the EIA stage. The system was designed to improve the public's understanding of stakeholders before and after a construction project by providing visualization of key environmental elements.

Analysis of Roadkill on the Korean Expressways from 2004 to 2019.

Expressways in Korea are high-speed traffic roads connecting important cities. Road infrastructure continues to expand to accommodate the increase in traffic volume associated with the growth of industry and tourism. Here, data on 36,863 roadkill events that occurred on expressway routes managed by the Korea Expressway Corporation between 2004 and 2019 were analyzed.

Global COVID-19 lockdown highlights humans as both threats and custodians of the environment.

The global lockdown to mitigate COVID-19 pandemic health risks has altered human interactions with nature. Here, we report immediate impacts of changes in human activities on wildlife and environmental threats during the early lockdown months of 2020, based on 877 qualitative reports and 332 quantitative assessments from 89 different studies. Hundreds of reports of unusual species observations from around the world suggest that animals quickly responded to the reductions in human presence.

Phenological Response in the Trophic Levels to Climate Change in Korea.

The response of the phenological events of individual species to climate change is not isolated, but is connected through interaction with other species at the same or adjacent trophic level. Using long-term phenological data observed since 1976 in Korea, whose temperature has risen more steeply than the average global temperature, this study conducted phenological analysis (differ-ences in the phenology of groups, differences in phenological shifts due to climate change, differ-ences in phenological sensitivity to climate by groups, and the change of phenological day differ-ences among interacting groups). The phenological shift of the producer group (plants) was found to be negative in all researched species, which means that it blooms quickly over the years.

Moxibustion as an adjunct for lower urinary tract symptoms associated with benign prostate enlargement: A randomized controlled pilot trial.

Background: Benign prostatic enlargement (BPE) causes discomfort in daily life, including lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs) caused by the enlarged prostate, and requires long-term management as a chronic, irreversible disease. To improve LUTS, certain complementary therapies have been used with or without doctors' directions. Conventional treatments and complementary therapies tend to be combined unsystematically, depending on patient preference; thus, research for safe and efficient combination therapy is warranted.

Application of Habitat Evaluation Procedure with Quantifying the Eco-Corridor in the Process of Environmental Impact Assessment.

In contrast to other fields, environmental protection (e.g., habitat protection) often fails to include quantitative evaluation as part of the existing environmental impact assessment (EIA) process, and therefore the EIA is often a poor forecasting tool, which makes selecting a reasonable plan of action difficult.

Vigilance responding to number of conspecifics among mixed groups of cranes in demilitarized zone.

Numerous studies have addressed antipredatory benefits of mixed-species flocks of foragers, but studies on individual's vigilance as a function of group size are limited. In the Cheolwon area of the Korean Demilitarized Zone, vigilance of the subordinate White-naped cranes () in 11 groups composed of conspecifics and the dominant Red-crowned cranes () was examined. Vigilance correlated negatively with group size due to negative correlation with the number of conspecifics, but not the dominant heterospecifics.

Quantitative screening for endocrine-disrupting bisphenol A in consumer and household products using NanoAptamer assay.

The NanoAptamer assay is a bisphenol A (BPA) quantification method that uses magnetic beads, quantum dot nanoparticles, and a BPA-specific aptamer. In this study, screening of various consumer and household products for BPA was demonstrated utilizing the NanoAptamer assay. First, the experimental conditions suitable for BPA detection using the NanoAptamer assay were examined in terms of incubation time, temperature, and buffer composition.

Microquantitation of Prostate-Speciflc Antigen by Using Antibody-Conjugated Magnetic Microsphere Beads.

Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) is a glycoprotein that is secreted by prostate gland epithelial cells, and elevation of PSA level in serum is often observed with prostate cancer or prostate disorders. Therefore, detection of PSA level in patient specimens is used as a diagnostic marker when screening of prostate cancer. In this study, we developed PSA antibody-conjugated microsphere beads that can be used for quantitation of PSA.

Highly Sensitive Detection of Bisphenol A by NanoAptamer Assay with Truncated Aptamer.

For the sensitive quantification of bisphenol A (BPA), we have developed NanoAptamer assay, which employs aptamer and complementary signaling DNA, a set of quantum dots (QD), and magnetic beads (MBs). Signaling DNA-QD was tethered to MB-QD via the aptamer. The affinity of the aptamer to BPA resulted in the release of the signaling DNA-QD from the complex and hence the corresponding decrease in the QD fluorescence measurement signal.

Composite Electrolyte for All-Solid-State Lithium Batteries: Low-Temperature Fabrication and Conductivity Enhancement.

All-solid-state lithium batteries offer notable advantages over conventional Li-ion batteries with liquid electrolytes in terms of energy density, stability, and safety. To realize this technology, it is critical to develop highly reliable solid-state inorganic electrolytes with high ionic conductivities and adequate processability. Li Al Ti (PO ) (LATP) with a NASICON (Na superionic conductor)-like structure is regarded as a potential solid electrolyte, owing to its high "bulk" conductivity (ca.

(fermented barley bran) water-soluble extracts inhibit the expression of adipogenic and lipogenic regulators in 3T3-L1 adipocytes.

prepared from fermented barley bran is a traditional fermented food found only in the Gyeongsang-do area of South Korea. There have been no studies reported to date despite the potential bioactivities of . In this study, the anti-obesity activities of extracts (SEs) during 3T3-L1 differentiation into adipocytes were investigated.

Moxibustion as an adjuvant for benign prostatic hyperplasia with lower urinary tract symptoms: a protocol for a parallel-group, randomised, controlled pilot trial.

Introduction: This study aims to explore the feasibility of using moxibustion as a supplementary intervention and to assess the sample size for verifying the effectiveness and safety of integrative treatment involving moxibustion compared with conventional treatment for patients with benign prostatic hyperplasia accompanying moderate to severe lower urinary tract symptoms.

Methods And Analysis: A total of 60 patients diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia by a urologist based on prostate size, prostate-specific antigen and clinical symptoms will participate of their own free will; urologists will monitor the patients and evaluate their symptoms. The patients will be randomised to either a conventional group or an integrative group with a 1:1 allocation according to computer-generated random numbers concealed in opaque, sealed, sequentially numbered envelopes.

Inhibitory effects of sulfur compounds on methane oxidation by a methane-oxidizing consortium.

Kinetic and enzymatic inhibition experiments were performed to investigate the effects of methanethiol (MT) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S) on methane oxidation by a methane-oxidizing consortium. In the coexistence of MT and H2S, the oxidation of methane was delayed until MT and H2S were completely degraded. MT and H2S could be degraded, both with and without methane.