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Strains M29 T and ASUV-10-1 T , which are aerobic, non-flagellated, and Gram-stain-negative, were isolated from soil samples collected in Inje (37°57'49.1"N 128°19'53.7"E) and Cheonan City (36°48'47.1"N 127°05'22.4"E), South Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains M29 T and ASUV-10-1 T form a distinct branch within the family Hymenobacter (order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia). Strain M29 T is most closely related to Hymenobacter rubidus DG7B T with a 16 S rRNA gene sequence similarity of 97.05%. Strain ASUV-10-1 T shows closest genetic similarity to Hymenobacter frigidus B1789 T (96.42%), Hymenobacter jeongseonensis BT683 T (95.97%), and Hymenobacter terricola 3F2T T (95.65%). The optimal growth conditions for these strains are pH 7.0, no NaCl, and a temperature of 25 °C. The dominant cellular fatty acids identified in these strains are iso-C 15:0 , anteiso-C 15:0 , and Summed Feature 3 (C 16:1 ω 7c / C 16:1 ω 6c). Both strains predominantly contain MK-7 as the respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids in strains M29 T and ASUV-10-1 T are phosphatidylethanolamine, aminophospholipid, and aminolipid. Based on biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic data, it is evident that M29 T and ASUV-10-1 T represent new species within the genus Hymenobacter. The new species were classified based on biochemical and chemotaxonomic characteristics. The taxonomic classification of these species was conducted following the guidelines and protocols outlined in Bergey's Manual of Systematic Bacteriology. We followed the methods for determining physiological and biochemical characteristics, as well as chemotaxonomic markers such as fatty acid profiles, quinone types, and polar lipid compositions. We also compared with the results of carbohydrate utilization and enzyme activities results [Bergey 1994]. Therefore, we propose the names Hymenobacter mellowenesis for strain M29 T (= KCTC 102056 T  = NBRC 116578 T ) and Hymenobacter aranciens for strain ASUV-10-1 T (= KCTC 92969 T  = NBRC 116575 T )., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

As climate change intensifies, endemic plants native to South Korea, especially those in specialized ecological niches, confront heightened risks of distribution shifts and habitat degradation. To provide a comprehensive understanding of these impacts, this study evaluates the climate-induced distribution dynamics and niche adaptation of these endemic species across the entire Korean Peninsula. Utilizing species distribution models (SDMs) for 179 plant species and incorporating environmental variables under projected future climate scenarios, our analysis identified unique distribution and niche adaptation patterns. Findings demonstrate that specialized endemic species are likely to migrate to higher altitudes and latitudes, highlighting their distinct vulnerability due to limited ecological niches. Our comparative approach underscores the necessity for refined conservation strategies that address the specific requirements of these endemic species, as opposed to those with wider distributions. This research offers valuable insights into biodiversity conservation amid climate change, proposing targeted actions such as the establishment of protected areas, habitat restoration, and the implementation of assisted migration strategies to safeguard these vital endemic plant species throughout the Korean Peninsula., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Two novel bacteria, MJ-SS3 T and MJ-SS4, were isolated from tidal flat sediment sampled in Gochang, Republic of Korea. The isolates were Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, rod-shaped, yellow-coloured, oxidase-positive, and catalase-positive. Strains MJ-SS3 T and MJ-SS4 grew at 20-37 °C (optimum, 30 °C), at pH 6-8 (optimum, pH 7.0) and in the presence of 0-7 % (w/v) NaCl (optimum, 2.0 % NaCl). Strains MJ-SS3 T and MJ-SS4 showed 99.9 % 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity. Phylogenetic analysis based on genome and 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strains MJ-SS3 T and MJ-SS4 were affiliated with the family Flavobacteriaceae and most closely related to Formosa maritima 1494 T (95.3 %), Hanstruepera flava NBU2984 T (95.2 %), Yeosuana marina JLT21 T (95.2 %), Meridianimaribacter flavus NH57N T (95.1 %), and Geojedonia litorea YCS-16 T (95.1 %). The major respiratory quinone was menaquinone-6. The major identified polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylcholine, and amino lipids. The major cellular fatty acids of strain MJ-SS3 T were iso-C 15 : 1 G (24.6 %), iso-C 15 : 0 (21.6 %), and iso-C 17 : 0 3-OH (15.8 %). The genome length of strain MJ-SS3 T is 3.1 Mbp (DNA G+C content, 32.5 mol%) and it has 2822 coding and 59 tRNA genes. The average amino acid identity and average nucleotide identity values, as well as biochemical, phylogenetic, and physiological characteristics, strongly supported the genotypic and phenotypic differentiation of strains MJ-SS3 T and MJ-SS4 from other members of the family Flavobacteriaceae . Hence, strains MJ-SS3 T and MJ-SS4 are considered to represent a novel species of a new genus in the family Flavobacteriaceae , for which the Gilvirhabdus luticola gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is MJ-SS3 T (=KCTC 102114 T =KEMB 20189 T =JCM 36595 T ), with reference strain MJ-SS4 (=KCTC 102115=KEMB 20190).

Handgrip strength (HGS) is suggested as an indirect assessment of nutritional status in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients, but evidence is limited for non-dialysis-dependent CKD (NDD-CKD) patients. This cross-sectional study included 404 patients from the Phase II KoreaN Cohort Study for Outcome in Patients With CKD. HGS, measured twice in each hand, was the exposure, and malnutrition status was defined by a malnutrition-inflammation score (MIS) of 6 or higher. A logistic regression analysis adjusted for age, sex, diabetes mellitus (DM), hypertension, CKD stages, smoking, overhydration, education, and income status was used to assess malnutrition risk. The predictability of HGS for malnutrition was evaluated using the area under the curve (AUC). Patients with lower HGS were older, had a higher prevalence of DM, and lower estimated glomerular filtration rate. Higher HGS was significantly associated with lower malnutrition risk after adjustment (per 1 standard deviation increase, adjusted odds ratio, 0.47 [0.30-0.75]). Subgroup analyses showed no significant interaction between HGS and malnutrition risk across age, sex, DM, and CKD stage. HGS showed fair predictability for malnutrition in men (AUC 0.64 [0.46-0.83]) and women (AUC 0.71 [0.55-0.86]). In conclusion, HGS is a useful diagnostic indicator of malnutrition in NDD-CKD patients.

Yak-Kong (YK) is a small black soybean widely cultivated in Korea. It is considered to have excellent health functionality, as it has been reported to have better antioxidant efficacy than conventional black or yellow soybeans. Since YK has been described as good for the muscle health of the elderly in old oriental medicine books, this study sought to investigate the effect of fermented YK with Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis LDTM 8102 (FYK) on muscle atrophy. In C2C12 mouse myoblasts, FYK elevated the expression of MyoD, total MHC, phosphorylated AKT, and PGC1α. In addition, two kinds of in vivo studies were conducted using both an induced and normal aging mouse model. The behavioral test results showed that in the induced aging mouse model, FYK intake alleviated age-related muscle weakness and loss of exercise performance. In addition, FYK alleviated muscle mass decrease and improved the expression of biomarkers including total MHC, myf6, phosphorylated AKT, PGC1α, and Tfam, which are related to myoblast differentiation, muscle protein synthesis, and mitochondrial generation in the muscle. In the normal aging model, FYK consumption did not increase muscle mass, but did upregulate the expression levels of biomarkers related to myoblast differentiation, muscle hypertrophy, and muscle function. Furthermore, it mitigated age-related declines in skeletal muscle force production and functional limitation by enhancing exercise performance and grip strength. Taken together, the results suggest that FYK has the potential to be a new functional food material that can alleviate the loss of muscle mass and strength caused by aging and prevent sarcopenia.

Although vitamin C is one of the most important antioxidants, its effect on muscle quality is not fully understood. Therefore, we hypothesized that low dietary vitamin C intake is associated with low muscle strength. To test the hypothesis, a single 24-h dietary recall and handgrip strength test of 10,883 younger adults 19-64 y and 3,961 older adults ≥65 y from the seventh Korea National Health and Examination Survey (KNHANES VII 2016-2018) was analyzed by multivariable linear and logistic regression models, and low muscle strength was defined as handgrip strength <28 kg for men and <18 kg for women. Approximately 15.5% of Korean adults met the recommended intake of dietary vitamin C, and those with higher dietary vitamin C intake had higher total energy and protein intake. After adjusting for confounding variables, including age, body mass index, total energy intake, household income, alcohol consumption, smoking, resistance exercise, medical condition, and dietary intake of protein, vitamin E, and β-carotene, dietary vitamin C was correlated with maximal handgrip strength in younger women 19-64 y (β = 0.002; SE = 0.001; P-value = .026) and older women ≥65 y (β = 0.005; SE = 0.002; P-value = .013). Among older women ≥65 y, those in the lowest quartile of dietary vitamin C intake had a higher risk of low muscle strength compared to those in the highest quartile after adjustment of confounding factors (odds ratio, 2.16; 95% confidence interval, 1.49-3.15). These results imply that adequate dietary vitamin C intake may reduce the risk of sarcopenia in older Korean women., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Two novel strains of bacteria, CA1-15 T and BIUV-7 T , were isolated from soil samples gathered in Cheonan-si, Republic of Korea, and Inje-gun, Republic of Korea, respectively. These bacteria are Gram-negative, aerobic, and non-motile. Phylogenetic evaluations, using the sequence of the 16S rRNA gene, showed that strains CA1-15 T and BIUV-7 T belong to a distinctive clade within the family Sphingomonadaceae (order Sphingomonadales, class Alphaproteobacteria). The strains exhibited the highest similarity in their genetic makeup with representatives of the genus Sphingomonas. Strain CA1-15 T was closely related to Sphingomonas echinoides NRRL B-3126 T (97.8% similarity in 16S rRNA gene sequence), Sphingomonas oligophenolica JCM 12,082 T (97.8%), Sphingomonas glacialis C16y T (97.6%) and Sphingomonas psychrolutea MDB1-A T (97.3%). Strain BIUV-7 T was closely related to Sphingomonas nostoxanthinifaciens AK-PDB1-5 T (97.0%), Sphingomonas vulcanisoli SN6-13 T (96.3%), Sphingomonas naphthae DKC-5-1 T (96.2%), and Sphingomonas prati W18RD T (95.7%). The optimal growth conditions for strains CA1-15 T and BIUV-7 T were determined to be at pH 7.0 and a temperature of 25 °C. Analysis of the cellular fatty acids of strain CA1-15 T and BIUV-7 T revealed that summed feature 8 (C 18:1 ω7c/C 18:1 ω6c) (60.4%), summed feature 8 (C 18:1 ω7c/C 18:1 ω6c) (62.9%) were the major component, respectively. Additionally, both strains exhibited ubiquinone Q-10 as their major respiratory quinone, and diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), glycosphingolipid (SGL), and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) as the major polar lipid. The genome of strain CA1-15 T measures 4,133,944 bp, comprising 4,026 coding sequences (CDSs) and 46 tRNA genes. Similarly, the genome of strain BIUV-7 T is 4,563,252 bp, characterized by 4,226 CDSs and 44 tRNA genes. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) analysis and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between strain CA1-15 T and other Sphingomonas species range from 73.2 to 79.9% and 19.4-22.9%, respectively. Comparatively, ANI and dDDH values between strain BIUV-7 T and other Sphingomonas species are in the range of 72.9-76.5% and 19.3-20.9%, respectively. Based on the biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analyses, it is evident that strains CA1-15 T and BIUV-7 T represent two novel bacterial species within the genus Sphingomonas. Accordingly, the names Sphingomonas immobilis sp. nov. and Sphingomonas natans sp. nov. are proposed. also, CA1-15 T (= KCTC 92960 T  = NBRC 116547 T ) is the type strain of Sphingomonas immobilis and BIUV-7 T (= KCTC 92961 T  = NBRC 116546 T ) is the type strain of Sphingomonas natans., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Nuts are an important component of a healthy diet, but little has been known about their effects on muscle health. Therefore, this study examined the association between nut consumption and low muscle strength among Korean adults. This cross-sectional analysis was conducted using single 24-h recall and handgrip strength data from 3962 younger adults 19-39 years, 6921 middle-aged adults 40-64 years and 3961 older adults ≥65 years participated in the seventh cycle (2016-2018) of the Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Low muscle strength was defined as handgrip strength <28 kg for men and <18 kg for women. Sex-specific OR were obtained for younger, middle-aged and older adults using multivariable logistic regression analyses. About one in four Korean adults were consuming nuts (using a culinary definition) with peanut being the most frequently consumed type. After adjustment for age, BMI, total energy intake, household income, alcohol consumption, smoking, resistance exercise, medical history and dietary protein intake, nut consumption was associated with the lower risk of low muscle strength among older adults ≥65 years (men: OR 0·55, 95 % CI (0·38, 0·79); women: OR 0·69, 95 % CI (0·51, 0·93)); however, this association was not observed among younger adults 19-39 years or middle-aged adults 40-64 years. Our results suggest that consuming nuts might be beneficial in lowering the risk of low muscle strength among Korean older adults.

Purpose: This study aimed to explore the perceptions held by practicing dietitians of the importance of their tasks performed in current work environments, the frequency at which those tasks are performed, and predictions about the importance of those tasks in future work environments., Methods: This was a cross-sectional survey study. An online survey was administered to 350 practicing dietitians. They were asked to assess the importance, performance frequency, and predicted changes in the importance of 27 tasks using a 5-point scale. Descriptive statistics were calculated, and the means of the variables were compared across categorized work environments using analysis of variance., Results: The importance scores of all surveyed tasks were higher than 3.0, except for the marketing management task. Self-development, nutrition education/counseling, menu planning, food safety management, and documentation/data management were all rated higher than 4.0. The highest performance frequency score was related to documentation/data management. The importance scores of all duties, except for professional development, differed significantly by workplace. As for predictions about the future importance of the tasks surveyed, dietitians responded that the importance of all 27 tasks would either remain at current levels or increase in the future., Conclusion: Twenty-seven tasks were confirmed to represent dietitians' job functions in various workplaces. These tasks can be used to improve the test specifications of the Korean Dietitian Licensing Examination and the curriculum of dietetic education programs.

In this study, lactic acid bacteria were isolated from 21 top-selling probiotic products on Korean market and their antimicrobial resistance were analyzed. A total 152 strains were claimed to be contained in these products and 70 isolates belonging to three genera ( Bifidobacterium , Lactobacillus , and Lactococcus ) were obtained from these products. RAPD-PCR showed diversity among isolates of the same species except for two isolates of Lacticaibacillus rhamnosus from two different products. The agar dilution method and the broth dilution method produced different MICs for several antimicrobials. With the agar dilution method, five isolates (three isolates of Bifidobacterium animalis subsp. lactis , one isolate of B. breve , one isolate of B. longum ) were susceptible to all nine antimicrobials and 15 isolates were multi-drug resistant. With the broth microdilution method, only two isolates (one isolate of B. breve and one isolate of B. longum ) were susceptible while 16 isolates were multi-drug resistant. In this study, only two AMR genes were detected: 1) lnu (A) in one isolate of clindamycin-susceptible and lincomycin-resistant Limosilactobacillus reuteri ; and 2) tet (W) in one tetracycline-susceptible isolate of B. longum B1-1 and two tetracycline-susceptible isolates and three tetracycline resistant isolates of B. animalis subsp. lactis . Transfer of these two genes via conjugation with a filter mating technique was not observed. These results suggest a need to monitor antimicrobial resistance in newly registered probiotics as well as probiotics with a long history of use.

Young adults the year after high school experience changes in lifestyle and circumstances and tend to experience more oversleeping. However, there are few studies on oversleeping in young adults. This study aims to identify the sociodemographic factors related to oversleeping among young adults in Korea using nationally representative data. This study analyzed self-reported and cross-sectional data in 2016 from a sample of 1876 participants from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey, which included respondents one year after high school graduation. Oversleeping was defined as sleeping 9 or more hours a day on average. Logistic regression models were analyzed to test a multivariate association between independent sociodemographic variables and oversleeping. Over one-tenth of young adults reported oversleeping. Oversleeping was associated with household income (OR = 0.99, p = 0.011) and smoking (OR = 1.52, p = 0.041). In addition, when compared to non-working college students, college students who were working (OR = 2.58, p = 0.021), non-students who were working (OR = 1.68, p = 0.048), and non-students who were not working (OR = 3.07, p < 0.001) were more likely to report oversleeping. Oversleeping among young adults was associated with major sociodemographic factors including household income (-), smoking (+), and academic and working status (+). These findings suggest the significant role of sociodemographic factors as predictors of oversleeping and emphasize the importance of examining various factors to achieve a better understanding of oversleeping in young adults.

Self-rated health (SRH), affected by sociodemographic and health-related behavioral factors, is related to metabolic syndrome (MetS) and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels. We hypothesized that SRH would have an independent effect on MetS and high hs-CRP incidence in healthy adults after adjusting for sociodemographic and health-related behavioral confounding factors. Data of 1545 healthy participants (aged 19-65 years; 654 men), selected from the 2015 Korean National Health and Nutritional Examination Survey, were cross-sectionally analyzed. The SRH levels significantly increased with higher income (P < .05) and educational levels (P < .01) and were associated with sex, job, marital status, smoking, physical activity, perceived body image, and weight change (all P < .05). The percentage of participants with "very high or high" perceived stress were significantly lower in the "very healthy" group (18.5%) than in the "unhealthy" group (49.7%). Dietary protein, calcium, and phosphorus intakes were significantly higher with better SRH levels. MetS prevalence was related to sex, educational level, job, marital status, smoking, high-intensity exercise, and aerobic exercise (all P < .05), with a 2.776 times higher risk in the "unhealthy" than in the "very healthy" group after adjusting for these confounders. High hs-CRP levels were related to marital status, smoking, weekly walking, and aerobic exercise (all P < .05), with its risk being 2.093 times higher in the "unhealthy" than in the "very healthy" group after adjusting for these confounders. Thus, SRH may be an independent predictor of MetS and high hs-CRP levels and could be used for the development of a health promotion program in healthy adults., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: Metagonimiasis, commonly seen in East Asian countries, is a parasitic disorder caused by definitive hosts' ingestion of undercooked freshwater fishes. Recently, genetic analysis has proved 28S rRNA and cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) mtDNA gene to be a successful marker differentiating species of the genus Metagonimus. In the present study, using specimens from the newly discovered Joseon Dynasty human remains of Goryeong, we obtained updated genetic data on genus Metagonimus, which was also prevalent during the Joseon period., Methods: The ancient DNA (aDNA) was retrieved from the coprolite sample of the seventeenth century, half-mummified individual discovered at Goryeong Country, South Korea. Cloning and sequencing were performed on PCR-amplified amplicons for M. yokogawai 28S rRNA and COI mtDNA gene. The consensus sequences were used for species identification and phylogenetic analysis using NCBI/BLAST and MEGA X software., Results: Based on the COI mtDNA gene region, the Goryeong sequence was confirmed as belonging to M. yokogawai, as it was shown to form a separate cluster with other M. yokogawai taxa that are distinct also from M. takahashii and M. miyatai., Conclusion: In a series of our genetic analyses on genus Metagonimus using samples retrieved from Joseon-period cases, aDNA sequences of genus Metagonimus revealed in South Korea thus far are those of M. yokogawai, but not of M. miyatai or M. takahashii yet., (© 2021. The Author(s) under exclusive licence to Witold Stefański Institute of Parasitology, Polish Academy of Sciences.)

Two novel Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, circular, convex, light-pink and white-colored bacterial strains BT291 T and BT350 T were isolated from soil collected in Uijeongbu city (37° 44' 55″ N, 127° 2' 20″ E) and Jeju island (33° 22' 48″ N, 126° 31' 48″ E), respectively, South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that each of the strains BT291 T and BT350 T belong to a distinct lineages within the genus Microvirga (family Methylobacteriaceae, order Rhizobiales, class Alpha Proteobacteria, phylum Proteobacteria, kingdom Bacteria). The 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the two strains BT291 T and BT350 T was 97.4%. The two strains were found to have the same quinone system, with Q-10 as the major respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids of strains BT291 T and BT350 T were phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), diphosphatydilglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylcholine (PC) and phosphatidylglycerol (PG). The major cellular fatty acids of strain BT291 T were C 18:1 ω7c (58.2%) and cyclo-C 19:0 ω8c (25.7%). The major cellular fatty acids of strain BT350 T were C 18:1 ω7c (38.5%) and cyclo-C 19:0 ω8c (27.7%). Based on the polyphasic analysis (phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and biochemical), strains BT291 T and BT350 T can be suggested as two novel bacterial species within the genus Microvirga and the proposed names are Microvirga pudoricolor and Microvirga alba, respectively. The type strain of Microvirga pudoricolor is BT291 T (= KCTC 72368 T  = NBRC 114845 T ) and the type strain of Microvirga alba is BT350 T (= KCTC 72385 T  = NBRC 114848 T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Two novel Gram-negative bacterial strains BT190 T and BT191 were isolated from soil collected in Uijeongbu city (37°44'55″N, 127°02'20″E), Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains BT190 T and BT191 belong to a distinct lineage within the genus Hymenobacter (family Hymenobacteraceae, order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia). The level of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity between the strains BT190 T and BT190 was 99.5%. The strains BT190 T and BT191 were closely related to Hymenobacter swuensis DY53 T (97.0% 16S rRNA gene similarity), Hymenobacter metallilatus 9PBR-2  T (96.8%), Hymenobacter tibetensis XTM003 T (96.8%) and Hymenobacter yonginensis HMD1010 T (96.6%). The genome size of strain BT190 T was 4,859,864 bp. The DNA G+C content of strain BT190 T was 55.3 mol%. Bacterial growth was observed at 4-30 °C (optimum 25 °C) and pH 6.0-9.0 (optimum, pH 6.0-7.0) on R2A agar. Colonies of strains BT190 T and BT191 were raised, smooth, circular and red-pink colored. The sole respiratory quinone of strain BT190 T was MK-7 and the predominant cellular fatty acids were iso-C 15:0 , C 16:1 ω5c, summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c / C 16:1 ω7c) and summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I / anteiso-C 17:1 B). The major polar lipids of strain BT190 T were aminophospholipid (APL) and phosphatidylethanolamine (PE). Based on the chemotaxonomic, biochemical, and phylogenetic analysis, strains BT190 T and BT191 can be suggested as a novel bacterial species within the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter puniceus sp. nov is proposed. The type strain of Hymenobacter puniceus is BT190 T (= KCTC 72342  T  = NBRC 114860  T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Switzerland AG.)

A Gram-stain negative, rod shaped, motile by gliding, yellow-pigmented, aerobic bacterium, designated SE-1-e T , was isolated from a soil sample collected on Dokdo Island, South Korea. The isolate was characterized taxonomically using a polyphasic approach based on the phenotypic and genomic analyses. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain SE-1-e T belonged to the genus Flavobacterium in the family Flavobacteriaceae and had the highest sequence similarity with Flavobacterium cheongpyeongense IMCC34759 T (97.5%), Flavobacterium arsenitoxidans S2-3H T (97.4%), Flavobacterium resistens BD-b365 T (97.4%), and Flavobacterium chungangense CJ7 T (97.4%). The predominant respiratory quinone of the isolate was found to be MK-6; the main polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine; and the major fatty acids were identified as summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω7c/C 16:1 ω6c), C 15:0 iso, and C 16:0 . The draft genome of strain SE-1-e T had a length of 3,715,609 bp and a DNA G + C content of 34.8 mol%. The nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between the novel isolate and F. cheongpyeongense IMCC34759 T , F. resistens BD-b365 T , and Flavobacterium chungangense CJ7 T ranged from 74.9 to 75.3% and from 20.2 to 20.9%, respectively. On the basis of its phenotypic properties, genotypic distinctiveness, and chemotaxonomic features, strain SE-1-e T represents a novel species in the genus Flavobacterium, for which the name Flavobacterium agrisoli sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SE-1-e T (= KCTC 82352  T  = JCM 34302  T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

A bacterial strain, designated BT258 T , was isolated from a soil sample collected from Uijeongbu-si, Gyeong-do Province, Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram stain negative, aerobic, rod shaped, motile by gliding, and formed light pink-pigmented colonies on agar plates. Growth of the isolate was observed at 10-37 °C and pH 6-7. A 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis revealed that strain BT258 T is a member of the genus Adhaeribacter in the family Hymenobacteraceae and had the highest sequence similarity with 'Adhaeribacter soli' MA2 T (97.1%), Adhaeribacter terreus DNG6 T (96.6%), and Adhaeribacter terrae HY02 T (96.5%). The predominant respiratory quinone of the isolate was MK-7, the main polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine, and the major fatty acids were C 15:0 iso (37.7%), summed feature 4 (C 17:1 anteiso B/iso-C 17:1 I; 16.8%), and C 16:0 (10.3%). The draft genome of strain BT258 T had a whole length of 4,974,022 bp and DNA G + C content of 46.0 mol%. The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between the novel isolate and 'Adhaeribacter soli' and seven other Adhaeribacter species ranged from 17.9 to 22.7% and 69.7 to 77.9%, respectively. On the basis of its phenotypic properties, genotypic distinctiveness, and chemotaxonomic features, strain BT258 T represents a novel species in the genus Adhaeribacter, for which the name Adhaeribacter terrigena sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is BT258 T (= KCTC 72409  T  = JCM 34303  T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Two novel Gram-negative bacterial strains, BT507 T and BT506, were isolated from soil collected in Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that both strains BT507 T and BT506 belong to a distinct lineage within the genus Hymenobacter (family Hymenobacteraceae; order Cytophagales; class Cytophagia). The 16S rRNA genes of the two strains shared a sequence similarity of 100.0%. Strains BT507 T and BT506 are closely related to Hymenobacter profundi M2 T (97.2% 16S rRNA gene similarity), Hymenobacter defluvii POA9 T (97.1%), and Hymenobacter tenuis POB6 T (95.3%). The genome size of strain BT507 T is 5,078,289 base pairs. Bacterial growth was observed at 10-37 °C (optimum 25 °C) and pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum pH 6.0). The primary cellular fatty acids of strain BT507 T are iso-C 15:0 , C 16:1 ω5c, and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c). Its predominant respiratory quinone is MK-7. The primary polar lipids of strain BT507 T are lipid, aminophospholipid, and phosphatidylethanolamine. Based on the biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analysis, strains BT507 T and BT506 can be described a novel bacterial species within the genus Hymenobacter, and the proposed name is Hymenobacter citatus. The type strain of H. citatus is BT507 T is KCTC 82115 T and NBRC 114850 T ., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Two novel Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, aerobic, rod-shaped, circular, convex, red-colored and UV-tolerant strains BT594 T and BT646 T were isolated from soil collected in Guri city (37° 36' 0″ N, 127° 9' 0″ E) and Gwangju city (37° 22' 0″ N, 127° 17' 0″ E), respectively, South Korea. 16S rDNA sequence analysis indicated that strains BT594 T and BT646 T belong to a distinct lineage within the genus Hymenobacter (family Hymenobacteraceae, order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia, phylum Bacteroidetes, kingdom Bacteria). The 16S rDNA gene sequence similarity between the two strains BT594 T and BT646 T was 96.2%. The strain BT594 T was closely related to Hymenobacter psychrotolerans Tibet-IIU11 T (97.0% 16S rDNA gene similarity) and Hymenobacter tibetensis XTM003 T (96.3%). The strain BT646 T was closely related to Hymenobacter psychrotolerans Tibet-IIU11 T (98.6%), Hymenobacter kanuolensis T-3  T (96.8%) and Hymenobacter perfusus LMG 26000  T (96.7%). The two strains were found to have the same quinone system, with MK-7 as the major respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids of strains BT594 T and BT646 T were phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and aminophospholipids (APL). The major cellular fatty acids of strain BT594 T were anteiso-C 15:0 (17.9%), iso-C 15:0 (16.1%) and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c / C 16:1 ω7c) (10.0%). The major cellular fatty acids of strain BT646 T were summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c / C 16:1 ω7c) (18.3%), C 16:0 (17.2%) and summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I / anteiso-C 17:1 B) (14.5%). Based on the polyphasic analysis, strains BT594 T and BT646 T can be suggested as two novel bacterial species within the genus Hymenobacter and the proposed names are Hymenobacter guriensis and Hymenobacter duratus, respectively. The type strain of Hymenobacter guriensis is BT594 T (= KCTC 21863  T  = NBRC 114853  T ) and the type strain of Hymenobacter duratus is BT646 T (= KCTC 21915  T  = NBRC 114854  T )., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

A bacterial strain, BT25 T , was isolated from soil in Korea. The bacterial cells were Gram-negative and rod-shaped. Phylogenetic analysis using 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that the BT25 T strain was related to the genus Phyllobacterium. BT25 T was 96.6 and 96.5% similar to Phyllobacterium brassicacearum STM 196 T and Phyllobacterium myrsinacearum DSM 5892 T , respectively. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) values between BT25 T and the two closest phylogenetic neighbors were calculated to be 78.5 and 77.7, 21.1 and 21.2%, respectively. The major cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C 18:1 ω7c/C 18:1 ω6c) (29.3%), cyclo-C 19:0 ω8c (27.5%), and C 16:0 (16.5%). The BT25 T strain had menaquinone Q-10 as the predominant quinone, as well as phosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylmonomethylethanolamine, and phosphatidylcholine as the major polar lipids. Based on the phenotypic, phylogenetic, and chemotaxonomic data, the BT25 T strain was classified as a novel Phyllobacterium species. The name Phyllobacterium pellucidum sp. nov. was proposed. The type strain is BT25 T (= KCTC 62765 T  = NBRC 114381 T ).

Two novel Gram-negative bacterial strains BT442 T and BT584 were isolated from dry soil collected in mountains Busan and Guri, Korea during wintertime. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains BT442 T and BT584 both belong to a distinct lineage within the genus Hymenobacter (family Hymenobacteraceae, order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia). Strain BT442 T was closely related to Hymenobacter soli PB17 T (98.0% 16S rRNA gene similarity) and Hymenobacter terrae POA9 T (97.6%). No other recognized bacterial species showed more than 97% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity to strains BT442 T . The genome size of strain BT442 T was 5,143,362 bp. Bacterial growth was observed at 10-30 °C (optimum 25 °C), pH 6.0-8.0 (optimum pH 6.0) in R2A agar and in the presence up to 1% NaCl. The major cellular fatty acids of strains BT442 T and BT584 were iso-C 15:0 , anteiso-C 15:0 and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c / C 16:1 ω7c). In addition, their predominant respiratory quinone was MK-7. The major polar lipids of strains BT442 T and BT584 were identified to be phosphatidylethanolamine, aminophospholipid, and aminolipid. Based on the biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analyses, strains BT442 T and BT584 are novel bacterial species within the genus Hymenobacter, and the proposed name is Hymenobacter negativus. The strain type of Hymenobacter negativus is BT442 T (= KCTC 72902 T  = NBRC XXXX T ).

Two novel Gram-negative, rod-shaped bacterial strains BT702 T and BT704 T were isolated from soil collected in Jeongseon (37° 22' 45″ N, 128° 39' 53″ E), Gangwon province, South Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains BT702 T and BT704 T belong to distinct lineage within the genus Spirosoma (family Cytophagaceae, order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia and phylum Bacteroidetes). The strain BT702 T was closely related to Spirosoma flavus 15J11-2 T (96.7% 16S rRNA gene similarity) and Spirosoma metallilatum TX0405 T (93.3%). The strain BT704 T was closely related to Spirosoma koreense 15J8-5 T (94.6%), Spirosoma endophyticum DSM 26130 T (93.8%) and Spirosoma humi S7-4-1 T (93.8%). The genome sizes of type strains BT702 T and BT704 T are 8,731,341 bp and 8,221,062 bp, respectively. The major cellular fatty acids of strains BT702 T and BT704 T were C 16:1 ω5c and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c). The strains were found to have the same quinone system, with MK-7 as the major respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids of strain BT702 T was identified to be phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), aminophospholipid (APL) and aminolipid (AL), while that of strain BT704 T consisted of phosphatidylethanolamine (PE) and aminophospholipid (APL). Based on the polyphasic analysis (phylogenetic, chemotaxonomic and biochemical), strains BT702 T and BT704 T can be suggested as two new bacterial species within the genus Spirosoma and the proposed names are Spirosoma profusum and Spirosoma validum, respectively. The type strain of Spirosoma profusum is BT702 T (= KCTC 82115 T  = NBRC 114859 T ) and type strain of Spirosoma validum is BT704 T (= KCTC 82114 T  = NBRC 114966 T ).

Three Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, circular, convex, red-colored and rod-shaped bacterial strains, designated BT439 T , BT662 T and BT683 T were obtained from soil collected in South Korea. The phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences of the strains revealed a distinct lineage within the genus Hymenobacter. The complete genome sequence of strains BT439 T , BT662 T and BT683 T is 5,542,738 bp, 5,964,541 bp, and 5,192,601 bp size, respectively. All three strains were found to have MK-7 as the major respiratory quinone. The major polar lipids of strains BT439 T and BT662 T were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, aminophospholipids and amino lipids. Strain BT683 T contained phosphatidylethanolamine. The major cellular fatty acids of strain BT439 T were iso-C 15:0 , summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c) and anteiso-C 15:0 ; strain BT662 T possessed iso-C 15:0 and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c); strain BT683 T were summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c), C 16:1 ω5c, iso-C 15:0 and anteiso-C 15:0 . Based on the polyphasic analysis, strains BT439 T , BT662 T and BT683 T can be suggested as three novel bacterial species within the genus Hymenobacter and the proposed names are Hymenobacter properus sp. nov., Hymenobacter ruricola sp. nov. and Hymenobacter jeongseonensis sp. nov., respectively. The type strain of Hymenobacter properus is BT439 T (= KCTC 72900 T  = NBRC 114849 T ), Hymenobacter ruricola is BT662 T (= KACC 21966 T  = NBRC 114855 T ) and the type strain of Hymenobacter jeongseonensis is BT683 T (= KACC 22013 T  = NBRC xxxxx T ).

Inflammation is a risk factor for the onset and progression of schizophrenia, and dietary factors are related to chronic inflammation. We investigated whether the dietary inflammatory index (DII) is associated with schizophrenia in the Korean population. Of the 256 subjects who responded to the questionnaire, 184 subjects (117 controls; 67 individuals with schizophrenia) were included in this case-control study. A semi-quantitative food frequency questionnaire was used to evaluate the dietary intakes of the study participants. The energy-adjusted DII (E-DII) was used to assess the inflammatory potential of the participants' diets. Dietary intakes of vitamin C, niacin, and folate were significantly reduced in the patients with schizophrenia. The patients with schizophrenia had higher E-DII scores than the controls ( p = 0.011). E-DII was positively associated with schizophrenia (odds ratio = 1.254, p = 0.010). The additional analysis confirmed that E-DII was significantly associated with schizophrenia, especially in the third tertile group of E-DII scores (odds ratio = 2.731, p = 0.016). Our findings suggest that patients with schizophrenia have more pro-inflammatory diets.

A bacterial strain, SD-g T , was isolated from a soil sample collected on Dokdo Island, South Korea. Cells were observed to be Gram stain negative and short rod shaped, and colonies to be pink in color. Growth of the isolate was observed at 4-30 °C, pH 6-8, and in the presence of 0-2.0% NaCl. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences identified strain SD-g T as a member of the genus Mucilaginibacter in the family Sphingobacteriaceae, with high levels of sequence similarity with Mucilaginibacter terrenus ZH6 T (96.9%), Mucilaginibacter lutimaris BR-3 T (96.8%), Mucilaginibacter carri PR0008K T (96.8%), Mucilaginibacter gilvus F01003 T (96.7%), Mucilaginibacter litoreus BR-18 T (96.6%), and Mucilaginibacter terrigena 17JY9-4 T (96.5%). The genomic DNA G+C content of strain SD-g T was calculated to be 40.6 mol%. The predominant respiratory quinone of the isolate was found to be MK-7; the main polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine; and the major fatty acids were identified as summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω7c/C 16:1 ω6c; 29.0%), C 15:0 iso (19.1%), C 15:0 iso (28.1%), C 16:0 (14.9%), and C 17:0 iso 3-OH (7.4%). The digital DNA-DNA hybridization (dDDH) and average nucleotide identity (ANI) values between strain SD-g T and M. terrenus ZH6 T , M. gilvus F01003 T , and M. terrigena ranged from 17.7 to 18.4% and 72.1 to 74.0%, respectively. On the basis of its phenotypic properties, genotypic distinctiveness, and chemotaxonomic features, strain SD-g T represents a novel species in the genus Mucilaginibacter, for which the name Mucilaginibacter segetis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is SD-g T (= KCTC 82353 T  = JCM 34284 T ).

The antimicrobial effects of in-package cold plasma (CP) treatment on Korean rice cakes (KRC) were evaluated. The CP treatment (25 kV) inactivated indigenous mesophilic aerobic bacteria by 0.8-1.0 log CFU/g, irrespective of the position of KRC in the package. The addition of a shaking step during CP treatment increased the reduction in microbes by ~1 log CFU/g. The microbial inactivation efficiency increased significantly when the treatment time increased from 1 to 3 min. Microbial inactivation activity was highest for packages containing eight rice cakes. The optimized CP treatment achieved a 2.0 ± 0.1 log CFU/g reduction in indigenous bacteria. In addition, the optimum CP treatment inactivated indigenous yeast and molds and Salmonella in KRC by 1.7 ± 0.1 log CFU/g and 3.9 ± 0.3 log CFU/g, respectively. No significant changes in color and firmness were observed, and the surface temperature of KRC did not exceed 22 °C after CP treatment. Moreover, CP treatment damaged the cellular membrane of Salmonella , mainly by inducing lipid peroxidation. This study demonstrates the potential use of in-package CP treatment for the non-thermal microbial inactivation of KRC.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile and yellow-colored bacterium, strain 17J57-3  T , was isolated from soil collected in Pyeongchang city, Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 17J57-3  T formed a distinct lineage within the family Oxalobacteraceae (order Burkholderiales, class Betaproteobacteria). Strain 17J57-3  T was the most closely related to Noviherbaspirillum humi U15 T (96.4% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Noviherbaspirillum massiliense JC206 T (96.2%). The draft genome size of strain 17J57-3  T was 6,117,206 bp. Optimal growth occurred at 30 °C, pH 7.0 without NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c) and C 16:0 . The major respiratory quinone was Q-8. The major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses indicated that strain 17J57-3  T represents a novel bacterial species within the genus Noviherbaspirillum, for which the name Noviherbaspirillum galbum is proposed. The type strain of Noviherbaspirillum galbum is 17J57-3  T (= KCTC 62213  T  = NBRC 114384  T ).

Two novel strains, BT213 T and BT327 T , were isolated from the soil collected in Uijeongbu city, Korea. Cells of strains were Gram negative, aerobic, and non-motile. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains BT213 T and BT327 T formed two distinct lineages within the family Hymenobacteraceae (order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia). Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain BT213 T and BT327 T belonged to the genus Pontibacter. Strain BT213 T showed the highest similarities of 97.8% with Pontibacter deserti JC215 T . Strain BT327 T showed the highest sequence similarity of 96.5% with Pontibacter mucosus PB3 T . Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, pH 7, and in the absence of NaCl. The major cellular fatty acid of strains BT213 T and BT327 T were iso-C 15:0 and summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I/anteiso-C 17:1 B). Strains BT213 T and BT327 T had MK-7 as major respiratory quinone and phosphatidylethanolamine as major polar lipids. The genome size of strains BT213 T and BT327 T were 4,072,018 bp and 4,314,171 bp, respectively. The genomic G + C mol% of strains BT213 T and BT327 T are 45.6% and 46.1%, respectively. Based on biochemical, chemotaxonomic, and phylogenetic analysis, two novel species Pontibacter fetidus BT213 T (KCTC 72345 T  = NBRC 114379 T ) and Pontibacter burrus BT327 T (KCTC 72412 T  = NBRC 114376 T ) are proposed as type strains.

A bacterial strain, designated 17J36-26 T , was isolated from the UV-irradiated soil from Jeju Island, South Korea. Cells are Gram negative, strictly aerobic, non-motile, non-spore forming, rod shaped, and catalase and oxidase positive. The major fatty acids of strain 17J36-26 T were summed feature 4 (17:1 iso I/17:1 anteiso B), summed feature 3 (16:1 ω6c/16:1 ω7c), C 16:1 ω5c and iso-C 15:0 . The polar lipid profile contained phosphatidylethanolamine, unidentified aminophospholipid, phospholipids and four unidentified lipids. The G+C content of the strain 17J36-26 T was 62.6 mol%. The 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 17J36-26 T was phylogenetically related to Hymenobacter qilianensis DK6-37 T and Hymenobacter roseosalivarius AA718 T (97.5% and 96.8% sequence similarity, respectively). Strain 17J36-26 T showed resistance to UV radiation. Both average nucleotide identity (ANI) and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization (isDDH) values between strains 17J36-26 T and type strains of Hymenobacter species were lower than the cut-off (≥ 95-96% for ANI and ≥ 70% for isDDH) to define a bacterial new species. The polyphasic approach using genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data showed that strain 17J36-26 T could be distinguished from its phylogenetically related species, and thus, the strain representative of a novel species within the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter radiodurans sp. nov. (type strain 17J36-26 T  = KCTC 62269 T  = JCM 33185 T ) is proposed.

Two bacterial strains designated as MA3 T and BT182 were isolated from a soil sample in South Korea. Cells of the two strains were Gram-stain-negative, non-motile, rod-shaped and formed red colonies on R2A agar at 25 °C. The 16S rRNA genes of the two strains shared a sequence similarity of 99.8%. Both strains shared the highest 16S rRNA gene similarity of 96.8% with Hymenobacter edaphi NL T , followed by Hymenobacter paludis KBP-30 T (96.3%), Hymenobacter coalescens WW84 T (96.3%) and Hymenobacter gummosus ANT-18 T (96.3%). Growth was observed at 15-37 °C (optimum 30 °C), pH 6-8 (optimum pH 7) and in the presence up to 1% NaCl. The genome size of strains MA3 T and BT182 is 4.9 Mb and 4.8 Mb, respectively. The genomic G + C content of both strains is 62.0 mol%. The main polar lipid of the strains was phosphatidylethanolamine, the only respiratory quinone detected was menaquinone-7 and the major fatty acids were anteiso-C 15:0 , iso-C 15:0 , summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I/anteiso-C 17:1 B) and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c), supporting the affiliation of these strains with the genus Hymenobacter. Based on the phylogenetic, genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, strains MA3 T and BT182 represent a novel species of the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter busanensis is proposed. The type strain is MA3 T (= KCTC 72631 T  = NBRC 114193 T ).

We assessed the naturalness of rivers based on the riparian vegetation index throughout the national territory of South Korea as a preparatory process for restoration to improve the ecological quality of rivers. The riparian vegetation index was obtained by incorporating the diversity of species and community, vegetation profile, and ratios of the number of species and areas occupied by exotic, obligate upland, and annual plants. The evaluation was conducted based on both the riparian vegetation index and each vegetation component. The result of the evaluation based on the riparian vegetation index showed that more than 70% of the river reaches were graded as less than "moderate" and exotic and obligate upland plants were more common than endemic aquatic plants. The reaches recorded as "very good" and "good" grades were usually restricted around the upstream of the north and central-eastern parts, whereas reaches of the other areas showed "poor" naturalness (less than "moderate"). The vegetation components selected for the evaluation showed a significant correlation with each other as well as the riparian vegetation index. The degree of contribution of each vegetation component showed that the vegetation profile played the most significant role, followed by species diversity, community diversity, and the ratio of area occupied by annual plants. The riparian vegetation index revealed a significant correlation with the indices based on other taxa such as benthic invertebrates, periphytic algae, and fish, habitat conditions in the waterway, and water quality based on biochemical oxygen demand (BOD). The diagnostic evaluation results imply that most reaches need ecological restoration. The reference information was prepared by incorporating the vegetation condition with the highest score in each reach in the diagnostic evaluation. The river reach was divided into five reaches of upper and lower valley streams, upstream, midstream, and downstream. Information on the reference vegetation for restoration was prepared with the stand profile including both horizontal and vertical arrangements of riparian vegetation and species composition classified by the reach divided into five types. The levels of restoration were determined based on the diagnostic evaluation results. The lower the naturalness grade, the higher the level of restorative treatment was recommended., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

A novel bacterial strain, designated 17J68-15 T , was isolated from dry soil collected in Jeju Island, South Korea. Cells of strain 17J68-15 T are Gram-negative, pale-yellow-colored, non-motile, non-spore-forming, rod-shaped was able to grow at 18-42 °C with 0-1% NaCl on R2A agar. Phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that the strain was distinct from any previously known species of the genus Flaviaesturariibacter. The highest degrees of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity found with Flaviaesturariibacter terrae HY03 T (97.6%), Flaviaesturariibacter amylovorans (96.2%) and Flaviaesturariibacter luteus AW305 T (96.0%). The DNA G + C content of the novel strain, 17J68-15 T , was 9.3 mol%. Chemotaxonomic data revealed that the major fatty acids were iso-C 15:0 , iso-C 15:1 G, iso-C 17:0 3-OH and summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c and/or C 16:1 ω7c); the major polar lipid was identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, and the major quinone was identified as MK-7. Based on polyphasic characterization, strain 17J68-15 T represents a novel species of the genus Flaviaesturariibacter for which the name Flaviaesturariibacter aridisoli sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain 17J68-15 T (= KCTC 62220 T  = JCM 19635 T ).

Strain MA2 T was isolated from a soil sample from Gijang-gun, Busan in Korea. The strain, a Gram-stain-negative aerobic bacterium, is non-motile, ovoid- or rod-shaped, catalase- and oxidase-positive, and grows at NaCl concentrations 1% (w/v), at 15-30 °C (optimum 25 °C) and at pH 6-8.5 (optimum pH 7.5). The 16S rRNA gene sequence indicates that it belongs to the genus Adhaeribacter in the family Hymenobacteraceae. Phylogenetically, its closest relatives are Adhaeribacter terrae HY02 T and Adhaeribacter terreus DNG6 T , to which the strain shows 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity values of 96.6 and 96.0%, respectively. The major fatty acids (> 5% of the total fatty acids) of strain MA2 T are C 15:0 iso, C 15:0 iso-G and summed feature 4 (anteiso-C 17:1 B and/or iso-C 17:1 I). The only detected isoprenoid quinone of strain MA2 T is MK-7. The major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. The draft genome sequence of strain MA2 T has a size of 4.9 Mkb. The genomic DNA G + C content was 46.9 mol%. Based on the phylogenetic, genotypic, phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data, the strain represents a novel species of the genus Adhaeribacter, for which the name Adhaeribacter soli sp. nov. is proposed. Strain MA2 T (= KCTC 72630 T  = NBRC 114192 T ) is the type strain.

A Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, nonmotile, yellow-colored strain BT328 T and Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-motile, red-colored strain BT18 T were isolated from the soil collected in Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequence revealed that strain BT328 T formed a distinct lineage within the family Spirosomaceae (order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia) and was most closely related to a member of the genus Spirosoma, Spirosoma terrae 15J9-4 T (95.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C, pH 7.0 and in the absence of NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c) and C 16:1 ω5c. The major respiratory quinone was MK-7. The major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain BT18 T formed a distinct lineage within the family Hymenobacteraceae (order Cytophagales, class Cytophagia, phylum Bacteroidetes) and was most closely related to members of the genus Hymenobacter, Hymenobacter knuensis 16F7C-2 T (97.0% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Optimal growth occurred at 25 °C and pH 7.0 without NaCl. The major fatty acids were iso-C 15:0 and anteiso-C 15:0 . The major menaquinone was MK-7. The major polar lipid was phosphatidylethanolamine. Biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses indicated that strains BT328 T and BT18 T represents a novel bacterial species within the genus Spirosoma and Hymenobacter, respectively. For which the name Spirosoma aureum and Hymenobacter russus is proposed. The type strain of S. aureum is BT328 T (=KCTC 72365 T  = NBRC 114506 T ) and the type strain of H. russus is BT18 T (=KCTC 62610 T  = NBRC 114380 T ).

Two bacterial strains designated as W3-2-3 T and HKS04 T were isolated from mineral water and a soil sample, respectively, in the Republic of Korea. The 16S rRNA genes of the two strains shared a sequence similarity of 93.5 %. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences showed that strains W3-2-3 T and HKS04 T formed a distinct lineage within the genus Nocardioides of the family Nocardioidaceae (order Propionibacteriales ). The closely related species of strain W3-2-3 T were Nocardioides albidus (98.9 %), Nocardioides caeni (98.8 %), Nocardioides kongjuensis (98.6 %), Nocardioides aromaticivorans (98.5 %), Nocardioides nitrophenolicus (98.4 %), Nocardioides flava (98.2 %) and Nocardioides ginsengisoli (98.1 %). The closest species of strain HKS04 T was Nocardioides halotolerans (98.7 %). The genome sizes of strains W3-2-3 T and HKS04 T were 4741198 and 5 120341 bp, respectively. The genomic DNA G+C contents of strains W3-2-3 T and HKS04 T were 73.3 and 72.1 mol%, respectively. The main fatty acids of strain W3-2-3 T were C 17:1 ω 6 c and iso-C 16:0 and those of strain HKS04 T were iso-C 16:0 and iso-C 16:0 H. The main polar lipids of both strains were diphosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylglycerol and the predominant respiratory quinone was MK-8(H 4 ), supporting the affiliation of these strains with the genus Nocardioides . Based on the results of biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses, two novel species, Nocardioides convexus W3-2-3 T (KACC 21211 T =LMG 31251 T ) and Nocardioides anomalus HKS04 T (KACC 18879 T =LMG 31249 T ), are proposed.

A Gram-stain-negative, non-motile and yellow-colored bacterium, designated 17J68-12 T , was isolated from soil in Jeju Island, Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 17J68-12 T formed a distinct lineage within the family Chitinophagaceae and was mostly related to members of Flaviaesturariibacter luteus (97.5%), Flaviaesturariibacter amylovorans (96.8%) and Flaviaesturariibacter terrae (96.8%). Growth was observed at 18-42 °C (optimum 30 °C) in R2A broth at pH 7.0. The major cellular fatty acids of the strain 17J68-12  T were summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c and/or C 16:1 ω7c), summed feature 1 (C 15:1 iso-H and/or C 13:0 3-OH), and iso-C 15:0 . The predominant respiratory quinones are MK-7 and MK-6. The major polar lipid was identified as phosphatidylethanolamine. Based on biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic characteristics, the strain 17J68-12 T represents a novel bacterial species within the family Chitinophagaceae, for which the name Flaviaesturariibacter flavus sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Flaviaesturariibacter flavus is 17J68-12 T (= KCTC 62219 T  = JCM 33179 T ).

A Gram staining-negative, yellow-colored, rod-shaped, non-motile and aerobic, designated strain 17J27-24 T was isolated from a soil sample in Korea. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strain 17J27-24 T was related to the members of the family Sphingomonadaceae and formed a distinct monophyletic cluster within the genus Sphingomonas with Sphingomonas deserti (98.3% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity). Growth was observed at 30 °C (optimum), at pH 7.0 (optimum), and in the absence of NaCl (%). The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 8 (18:1 ω7c and/or 18:1 ω6c) and C 17:1 ω6c. The major respiratory quinone was Q10. The polar lipids profile comprised of diphosphatidylglycerol (DPG), phosphatidylglycerol (PG), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), and sphingoglycolipid (SGL). The DNA G + C content was 77.8 mol%. The average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNA hybridisation (dDDH) values between 17J27-24 T and its phylogenetically closest Sphingomonas deserti (KCTC 62411 T ) were below the established cut-off < 94% (ANI) and < 70% (dDDH) for species delineation. Moreover, the results of the polyphasic approach confirmed that strain 17J27-24 T represents a novel species of the genus Sphingomonas within the family Sphingomonadaceae, for which the name Sphingomonas parva sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of this species is 17J27-24 T (= KCTC 62208 T  = JCM 3896 T ). An emended description of the species Sphingomonas parva is provided.

As private tutoring has expanded worldwide, it has been noted that private tutoring and associated emotional distress can affect sleep duration and the health of adolescent students. However, the relationships between extra-school tutoring time, somatic symptoms, defined as physical symptoms of emotional distress, and sleep duration in adolescents has rarely been determined. The aim of this study was to identify these relationships in adolescent students. Data from the Korean Children and Youth Panel Survey were analyzed to address the research questions. Weekday sleep duration, extra-school tutoring time, and somatic symptoms were measured using adolescents' self-report questionnaires. A multilevel, structural equation model was utilized to test the relationships between these variables and was deemed appropriate considering the repeated measure of the panel data. After controlling for respondent sex, parent working status and education level, and family structure, adolescents' extra-school tutoring time and level of somatic symptoms were associated with sleep duration during weekdays. Furthermore, the association between extra-school tutoring time and sleep duration was partially mediated by somatic symptoms. Korean adolescent students slept less than the recommended duration. Intervention programs that increase parental interest and attention in adolescent students' lives, not only focused on academic achievement but also emotional distress is needed. Researchers and policymakers should understand recommended age-appropriate sleep duration and the educational culture and provide balanced strategies between the consideration of the effect of private education on academic achievement and the need to guarantee physical and mental health in adolescent students.

Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, non-flagellated, red-colored strains BT214 T and BT326 T were isolated from soil collected in Uijeongbu city, Korea. Phylogenetic analyses based on 16S rRNA gene sequences revealed that strains BT214 T and BT326 T formed a distinct lineage within the family Hymenobacteraceae (order Chitinophagales, class Chitinophagia) and were most closely related to members of the genus Pontibacter, Pontibacter populi HLY7-15 T (96.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity) and Pontibacter amylolyticus 9-2 T (96.1%), respectively. Optimal growth of two strains occurred at 25 °C, pH 7.0 and in the absence of NaCl. The predominant cellular fatty acids were summed feature 4 (iso-C 17:1 I/anteiso-C 17:1 B) and iso-C 15:0 . The major respiratory quinone of two strains was MK-7. The major polar lipid of two strains was phosphatidylethanolamine. Biochemical, chemotaxonomic and phylogenetic analyses indicated that strains BT214 T and BT326 T represent novel bacterial species within the genus Pontibacter, for which the names Pontibacter pudoricolor and Pontibacter russatus are proposed. The type strains of Pontibacter pudoricolor and Pontibacter russatus are BT214 T and BT326 T , respectively.

A bacterial strain, 17J42-1 T , was isolated from a soil sample collected on Jeju Island, Republic of Korea. Colonies grown on R2A agar were pink in color, and cells were Gram-stain negative, short and rod-shaped. Analysis of 16S rRNA gene sequences identified this strain as a member of the genus Methylobacterium in the family Methylobacteriaceae, with high levels of 16S rRNA sequence similarity shared with Methylobacterium oxalidis 35a T (98.6%), Methylobacterium jeotgali S2R03-9 T (97.5%), and Methylobacterium soli YIM 48816 T (97.3%). Cells grew at 15-35 °C, pH 5-9, and in the presence of 0-1.0% NaCl. The genomic G + C content was 70.2 mol% based on the whole genome analysis. The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-10, the major fatty acid was C 18:1 ω7c (85.3%), and the major polar lipids were phosphatidylcholine, phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and diphosphatidylglycerol. The phenotypic and chemotaxonomic data support the affiliation of strain 17J42-1 T with the genus Methylobacterium. However, the DNA-DNA relatedness between the isolate and its closest phylogenetic neighbors was lower than 38%. The OrthoANI and dDDH values between strain 17J42-1 T and the closest type strain Methylobacterium oxalidis NBRC 107715 T were calculated to be 85.9% and 30.6%, respectively. The results of 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity analysis, DNA-DNA hybridization analysis, and the observed differentiating phenotypic properties from other closely related taxa clearly indicate that strain 17J42-1 T represents a novel species in the genus Methylobacterium, for which the name Methylobacterium segetis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 17J42-1 T (= KCTC 62267 T  = JCM 33059 T ).

A gamma radiation-resistant and pink-pigmented bacterial strain, designated as 17Sr1-39 T , was isolated from a gamma ray-irradiated soil sample collected in the Republic of Korea. Cells were Gram-stain-negative, strictly aerobic, flagellated, asporogenous, rod-shaped and methylotrophic. Results of 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis showed that strain 17Sr1-39 T was phylogenetically related to Methylobacterium currus PR1016A T (97.3 %), Methylobacterium aquaticum DSM 16371 T (97.2 %), Methylobacterium platani PMB02 T (97.0 %), Methylobacterium frigidaeris IER25-16 T (96.6 %), Methylobacterium terrae 17Sr1-28 T (96.6 %) and Methylobacterium organophilum JCM 2833 T (93.4 %). The G+C content calculated based on the genome sequence was 70.4 mol%. The average nucleotide identity and in silico DNA-DNA hybridization values between strain 17Sr1-39 T and M. currus , M. aquaticum , M. platani , M. frigidaeris , M. terrae and M. organophilum were 77.3-89.9 and 22-38.2 %, respectively. The predominant fatty acids were summed feature 8 (C 18 : 1 ω7 c and/or C 18 : 1 ω6 c ) and summed feature 3 (C 16 : 1 ω7 c and/or C 16 : 1 ω6 c ). The predominant quinone was ubiquinone 10 and the major polar lipids were diphosphatidylglycerol, phosphatidylglycerol and phosphatidylethanolamine. Based on the data from phenotypic tests and genotypic differences between strain 17Sr1-39 T and its close phylogenetic relatives, strain 17Sr1-39 T represented a new species belonging to the genus Methylobacterium , for which the name Methylobacterium terricola sp. nov. (=KACC 52905 T =NBRC 112874 T ) is proposed.

A bacterial strain isolated from a soil collected in Jeju Island, designated as 17J7-1 T , was Gram-negative, rod-shaped, yellow colored, and motile by gliding. This strain was able to grow at temperature range from 10 to 42 °C, pH 7-9, and tolerated up to 1% NaCl. Analysis of 16S rRNA sequence identified strain 17J7-1 T as a member of the genus Lysobacter with close sequence similarity with Lysobacter mobilis 9NM-14 T (97.4%), Lysobacter xinjiangensis RCML-52 T (97.0%), and Lysobacter humi FJY8 T (96.9%). The genomic DNA G + C content of the isolate was 67.9 mol%. DNA-DNA relatedness between strain 17J7-1 T and L. mobilis, L. humi, and L. xinjiangensis were 42.3%, 39.5%, and 35.8%, respectively, clearly showing that the isolate is distinct from its closest phylogenetic neighbors in the genus Lysobacter. Average nucleotide identity (ANI) and digital DNA-DNAhybridization (dDDH) values between strain 17J7-1 T and L. enzymogenes ATCC 29487 T , the type species of this genus, and several other close Lysobacter species were less than 77% and 22%, respectively. Major fatty acids were C 16:0 iso (29.8%), summed feature 9 (C 17:1 iso ω9c/C 16:0 10-methyl; 20.1%), and C 15:0 iso (17.7%). The predominant respiratory quinone was ubiquinone Q-8 and the major polar lipids were phosphatidylethanolamine, phosphatidylglycerol, and diphosphatidylglycerol. In the light of the polyphasic evidence accumulated in this study, strain 17J7-1 T is considered to represent a novel species in the genus Lysobacter, for which name Lysobacter terrigena sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain is 17J7-1 T (= KCTC 62217 T  = JCM 33057 T ).

Impacts of climate change (e.g., abnormal growth in plants, early flowering, and shifting vegetation zones) are being detected throughout the world. Urban land use and its resulting microclimates work in conjunction with the impacts of climate change. Among the principal environmental signals that modulate bud flush, only temperature has changed significantly in recent years. Throughout South Korea, abnormal shoots (usually known as lammas shoots) in Korean red pine (Pinus densiflora), which were once a rare phenomenon, have become notably more common in recent years. The phenomenon is prominent in urban site of each local area. These abnormal shoots appear at a higher frequency and grow to longer lengths in Seoul's hotter urban center than in suburban sites and showed a close positive correlation with urban density and a close negative correlation with vegetation cover expressed as NDVI. Differences in temperature among the urban center, urban edge, and suburban greenbelt were significantly correlated with land-use intensity. Korean red pines planted in urban parks at sites in urban centers showed a lower frequency of abnormal shoots, and the length of the shoots was shorter, compared with those at the other urban sites. Furthermore, the phenology of Korean red pines in an urban park with a fountain showed a spatial difference, depending upon the distance from the fountain: pine trees close to the fountain did not produce abnormal shoots, but abnormal shoot growth increased with the distance from the fountain. These results are noteworthy because they are related to the cooling effects of evapotranspiration from vegetated landscapes and evaporation from a water body. From the results of this study, we could confirm that microclimate change due to urbanization accelerates the impacts of climate change on plant phenology. Furthermore, we identified the possibility that judicious land-use planning could contribute to minimizing the adverse effects of climate change.

A novel Gram-stain negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, non-motile and pink-coloured bacterium, designated strain 17J68-5 T , was isolated from soil in Jeju Island, Korea. The strain was found to grow at 18-37 °C (optimum 25 °C) in R2A medium at pH (6.0 to 7.5; optimum 6.5) in the presence of 0% (w/v) NaCl. Phylogenetic analysis based on 16S rRNA gene sequences indicated that strain 17J68-5 T forms a distinct lineage within the family Hymenobacteraceae and is closely related to Hymenobacter daecheongensis DSM 21074 T (94.9% 16S rRNA gene sequence similarity), Hymenobacter rutilus K2-33028 T (94.6%) and Hymenobacter tibetensis XTM003 T (94.3%). The draft genome sequence of strain 17J68-5 T is 5.1 Mb size. The calculated average nucleotide identity and the digital DNA-DNA hybridization between strain 17J68-5 T and closely related type strains were 81.3 to 84.1  % and 25.5 to 28.1%. The major cellular fatty acids (≥ 10%) of the strain 17J68-5 T were identified as summed feature 3 (C 16:1 ω6c/C 16:1 ω7c; 21.2%), iso-C 15:0 (19.1%), summed feature 4 (C 17:1 iso I/C 17:1 anteiso B; 17.9%) and C 16:1 ω5c (13.1%). The predominant respiratory quinones were found to be menaquinone 7 and 6 (MK-7 and MK-6). The major polar lipid was found to be phosphatidylethanolamine. The genomic DNA G + C content based on the whole genome sequence is 59.6 mol %. The phenotypic, chemotaxonomic and genotypic properties clearly indicated that isolate 17J68-5 T represents a novel species within the genus Hymenobacter, for which the name Hymenobacter jejuensis sp. nov. is proposed. The type strain of Hymenobacter jejuensis is 17J68-5 T (= KCTC 62224 T  = JCM 33182 T ).

This study compared changes in antimicrobial susceptibilities and molecular characteristics of coagulase-negative staphylococci (CNS) between the year 2000 and the year 2014-2015 to evaluate the policy of separating drug prescribing and dispensing in Korea. We obtained 68 CNS clinical isolates from two tertiary general hospitals before (the year 2000; n  = 25) and after (the year 2014 - 2015; n  = 43) implementation of the separation. Isolates were identified as Staphylococcus capitis , Staphylococcus epidermidis , Staphylococcus haemolyticus , Staphylococcus hominis , Staphylococcus saprophyticus , and Staphylococcus warneri. When minimal inhibitory concentrations of 14 antimicrobials were applied to isolates, resistance rates to gentamicin and oxacillin in 2000 were significantly higher than in 2014-2015 ( p  < 0.05). Fifty-seven isolates were methicillin-resistant CNS (MR-CNS), 42 of which were also multidrug resistant; overall, multidrug resistance decreased from 72% in the year 2000 to 55.8% in 2014-2015. Staphylococcal cassette chromosome mec (SCC mec ) type III was the dominant type of MR-CNS in the year 2000, while SCC mec type IV was the dominant type in 2014-2015. Twenty-five sequence types (STs) were identified; ST2 appeared most frequently in both periods. After 15 years of implementation of this policy, multidrug resistance as well as methicillin and gentamicin resistance in CNS decreased, but not resistance to other antibiotics. Long-term surveillance at both genotypic and phenotypic levels of various species is necessary for further evaluation of this policy.

Although some data for western norms in orbit shape were reported, the standard norms for Asian orbits were not established yet. The data would be very valuable for the various surgical procedures as well as the production of the appropriate instruments and implants. Therefore, we suggest a Korean orbit mean shape model based on the three-dimensional computer modeling, which includes the analysis of the various parameters with the calculated average value, thereby providing a standard mean shape orbital model that could be used for the Asian patients' orbital surgeries. This paper would be the first literature that provides the standard orbit model for Asians. We developed orbit-specific computer software (AMC-SWU Ⓡ ) for the production of an orbit mean shape model. The production steps included semi-automatic segmentation, shape reconstruction, statistical shape model generation, and mean shape and variance model production. The study included records of 48 male and 48 female patients who met the inclusion criteria. Three-dimensional facial bone computed tomography (CT) images of 96 patients were obtained, and these images were used to produce a representative mean shape model. The mean models had vertical dimensions of 36.93 and 35.11 mm, horizontal dimensions of 38.49 and 36.79 mm, and rim dimensions of 45.76 and 42.90 mm for males and females, respectively. We developed a realistic, visualized three-dimensional Korean orbit mean shape model and compared its parameters with calculated values. There is a variance in orbital dimensions between the sexes and the orbital changes with age. We also demonstrated orbital anatomic differences between ethnic groups., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare., (Copyright © 2019 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Petunia plants are used for urban landscaping in many parts of the world, including South Korea. In this study, we aimed to investigate the occurrence of petunia vein clearing virus (PVCV) infection in petunia plants in Seoul, South Korea. PVCV was detected from 23 of 79 petunia samples collected from Seoul. We obtained the complete genome sequences of the Korean isolates in this study (called PVCV-Kr, Kr2, and Kr3), which were compared with the genome sequence of the USA isolate of the virus (PVCV-USA). The genomic DNA of the three PVCV isolates was found to comprise 7210-7267 nucleotides (nts), which is 4-15 nts longer than the PVCV-USA genome. The genomes of the Kr and Kr2 isolates encode a large polyprotein of 252 kDa (2180 amino acids (aa)). The genome of the Kr3 isolate encodes a large polyprotein of 255 kDa (2203 aa). The polyprotein has six protein domains: a movement protein (MP; 72 aa), a coiled-coil domain (CC; 33 aa), an RNA-binding domain (RB; 18 aa), a protease (PR; 21 aa), a reverse transcriptase (RT; 196 aa), and an RNase H (RH; 121 aa). The large polyprotein and six domains of the three isolates showed 93.9-100.0% sequence homology with those of PVCV-USA. Furthermore, the polymerase polyprotein gene (PR, RT, and RH) of the four PVCV isolates containing the USA isolate grouped with those of Rice tungro bacilliform virus and Soybean chlorotic mottle virus, which belong to the same family (Caulimoviridae). Our findings suggested that the Korean isolates represent a new isolate of PVCV. To our knowledge, this is the first report of PVCV detection in South Korea.

Mercury is a cumulative neurotoxic agent, exposure to high levels of which may increase the risk of psychiatric symptoms. The purpose of this study was to examine the associations between blood mercury and depression risk in Korean adults. We analyzed the Korean National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (KNHANES) with 11,754 participants (male: 5834 female: 5920) aged ≥19 years from 2008 to 2013. The associations of blood mercury with risk of depression were estimated using multivariate logistic regression after adjustment for potential confounders. We found a significantly increased risk of depression in the highest quintile for blood mercury (multivariate OR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.20-3.48; P trend = 0.03) among female, but not male. A stratification analysis by fish intake showed that the association between depression and blood mercury was strengthened (OR = 4.00; 95% CI = 1.51-10.6; P trend = 0.015) among females with the lowest tertile of fish intake. The results of this study suggest that higher levels of blood mercury, especially in cases of lower fish intake, are positively associated with the risk of depression in Korean women., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

A Gram-strain negative, aerobic, catalase and oxidase positive, non-motile, short rod-shaped bacterium, designated 17mud1-8 T , was isolated from mud collected from Nowon-gu, Seoul, South Korea. The strain was found to be able to grow at 10-40 °C (optimum 28-30 °C), pH 5.0-8.0 (optimum 7.0), and in the absence of NaCl. The nearly full-length 16S rRNA gene of strain 17mud1-8 T exhibits sequence similarity of 94.1% with that of Panacibacter ginsenosidivorans Gsoil 1550 T , followed by 93.6% sequence similarity with Parafilimonas terrae DSM 28286 T . Phylogenetic analysis indicated that strain 17mud1-8 T belongs to the family Chitinophagaceae, sharing approximately 94.1-91.9% sequence similarity with members of closely related genera. The respiratory quinone was identified as MK-7. The predominant fatty acids were found to consist of iso-C 15:0 , iso-C 17:1 ω5c and iso-C 15:1 G. The polar lipids were identified as phosphatidylethanolamine, an unidentified aminophospholipid, an unidentified glycolipid, ten unidentified aminolipids and seven unidentified lipids. The draft genome of 17mud1-8 T has G+C content of 40.9 mol% and a 5.8 Mb chromosome. On the basis of the phenotypic and genotypic properties, and phylogenetic inference, strain 17mud1-8 T was found to represent a novel genus in the family Chitinophagaceae, for which the name Ilyomonas limi gen. nov., sp. nov. is proposed, with the type strain 17mud1-8 T (=KCTC 52874 T = NBRC 112826 T ).