Avian species survey with citizen-science data in Janghang Wetland, Goyang, Republic of Korea.

Background: Monitoring of avian populations in Janghang Wetland, Goyang, Republic of Korea (ROK) is based on citizen science (also called community-based monitoring). This monitoring data can be used to track avian density, population status and waterbird census at local, national and regional levels. The Ministry of Environment (MoE) ROK has surveyed since 1999, including Odusan Unification Tower to Ilsan Bride, which connects the cities of Gimpo and Goyang along the Han River estuary. However, it has not covered Janghang Wetland, which is located in the Han River estuary at the transboundary between the two Koreas. The Janghang Wetland is a protected wetland in the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) between the two Koreas. In 2019, Janghang Wetland was designated as a Flyway Network Site by Goyang City and the East Asian-Australasian Flyway Partnership. This Network site is a voluntary collaboration and includes many internationally significant wetlands for waterbirds that still lack formal national protection. In addition, it was designated as a Ramsar site in 2021. The wetland currently supports wintering population of White-naped Crane (Grusvipio), species listed as vulnerable and Tundra Bean Goose (Ansercygnoides), spring-autumn migration population of Swan Goose (Ansercygnoid), species listed as vulnerable and a breeding population of Black-faced Spoonbill (Plataleaminor), species listed as endangered in summer. New information: We provide data that the Janghang Wetland is a significant area for migration and breeding for waterbirds; and that Han River estuary is also internationally important for waterbirds during the migratory bird season. We observed 14 orders, 42 families and 132 species. The surveys also observed the critically-endangered Black-faced Spoonbill (Plataleaminor), Swan Goose (Ansercygnoides), White-naped Crane (Grusvipio), Whooper Swan (Cygnuscygnus) and Peregrine Falcon (Falcoperegrinus). We also observed the Black-faced Spoonbill, Great Egret, Little Egret, Great Cormorant, Eastern Spot-billed Duck, Pheasant and Brown-eared Bulbul at the sensor camera point and White-naped Crane, Hooded Crane, Bean Goose, White-fronted Goose, Snow Goose, Swan Goose, Great Cormorant and Eastern Spot-billed Duck at the closed-circuit television camera point from the camera-trap surveys. Based on the species recorded, the survey area is of clear importance for biodiversity conservation.

Modified desk height helps children with cerebral palsy perform sit-to-stand.

AIM: Children with cerebral palsy (CP) have difficulties performing activities that require the use of fundamental motor skills such as sit-to-stand (STS). In this study, we used a height adjustable chair and desk to investigate the role of desk support in STS and how it might benefit children with CP. METHODS: Seventeen typically developing children (TDC), average age = 9.7 years, and 28 children with CP (Gross Motor Function Classification System [GMFCS] I and II), average age = 10.3 years, participated in the test. Elapsed time and body sway were measured using a pressure mat and load cell while each child performed a STS task. Two different desk heights were tested for time consumption and sway under the condition of hands-on-desk and arms-crossed. RESULTS: We found that the elapsed time of hands-on-desk with the elbow flexion height was the shortest (p < 0.05). Sway amount was also significantly reduced for all children when they used the table for STS (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Results of this study may be a useful reference in rehabilitation training and designing a desk height beneficial for children with CP.Implications for RehabilitationBetter performance of sit-to-stand for a child with cerebral palsy could be made by a desk supportElapsed time during preparation period for sit-to-stand could be reduced by desk support for all CP childrenSway amount during sit-to-stand could be reduced by desk support, especially for the CP children with GMFCS level IIDesk height is an important parameter and should be studied in detail.

Test-retest reliability of the virtual reality sickness evaluation using electroencephalography (EEG).

No reliable quantitative and objective measurement method for virtual reality (VR) sickness has been firmly established to date. Electroencephalography (EEG) may be a strong candidate to evaluate VR sickness objectively. However, no test-retest evaluation has been made for VR sickness using EEG. To recruit VR sickness-sensitive participants, we tested 858 participants (age = 20's-50's) using the Motion Sickness Susceptibility Questionnaire (MSSQ). Among them, we recruited 21 males (average age = 25.0) who obtained the 75th percentile of scores on the MSSQ (32.9 ± 5.7). VR sickness was evaluated twice (one week apart) using EEG with VR video content designed to cause VR sickness. A Simulation Sickness Questionnaire (SSQ) was also used to evaluate VR sickness. In terms of the reliability of EEG, ICC and Cronbach's alpha analyses showed that three waves (delta, theta, and alpha) were consistent in two areas (frontal and central). A significant difference in EEG was also found repeatedly between the baseline and VR sickness (delta, theta, and alpha) in two areas (frontal and central). We evaluated EEG for its reliability and found specific waves and areas that showed good consistency and significant changes associated with VR sickness. These findings may support further research of VR sickness evaluation.

The Impact of Visual Art and High Affective Arousal on Heuristic Decision-Making in Consumers.

In marketing, the use of visual-art-based designs on products or packaging crucially impacts consumers' decision-making when purchasing. While visual art in product packaging should be designed to induce consumer's favorable evaluations, it should not evoke excessive affective arousal, because this may lead to the depletion of consumer's cognitive resources. Thus, consumers may use heuristic decision-making and commit an inadvertent mistake while purchasing. Most existing studies on visual arts in marketing have focused on preference (i.e., affective valence) using subjective evaluations. To address this, we applied a neuroscientific measure, electroencephalogram (EEG) to increase experimental validity. Two successive tasks were designed to examine the effects of affective arousal and affective valence, evoked by visual artwork, on the consecutive cognitive decision-making. In task 1, to evaluate the effect of visual art, EEG of two independent groups of people was measured when they viewed abstract artwork. The abstract art of neoplasticism (AbNP) group (n = 20) was showing Mondrian's artwork, while the abstract art of expressionism (AbEX) group (n = 18) viewed Kandinsky's artwork. The neoplasticism movement strove to eliminate emotion in art and expressionism to express the feelings of the artist. Building on Gallese's embodied simulation theory, AbNP and AbEX artworks were expected to induce lower and higher affect, respectively. In task 2, we investigated how the induced affect differentially influenced a succeeding cognitive Stroop task. We anticipated that the AbEX group would deplete more cognitive resources than AbNP group, based on capacity limitation theory. Significantly stronger affect was induced in the AbEX group in task 1 than in the AbNP group, especially in affective arousal. In task 2, the AbEX group showed a faster reaction time and higher error rate in the Stroop task. According to our hypotheses, the higher affective arousal state of the AbEX group might deplete more cognitive resources during task 1 and result in poorer performance in task 2 because affect impacted their cognitive resources. This is the first study using neuroscientific measures to prove that high affective arousal induced by visual arts on packaging may induce heuristic decision-making in consumers, thereby advancing our understanding of neuromarketing.

Complete sequence analysis of the mitochondrial genome of Auriculastra duplicata (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Ellobiidae).

The mitochondrial genome of the gastropod Auriculastra duplicata was completely sequenced. It was 13,920 bp in length and comprised 37 genes; two rrn genes and 22 trn genes. Phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated protein-coding genes depicted the polyphyly of all species belonging to the family Ellobiidae; however, monophyly was observed among all species belonging to the subfamily Ellobiinae, in which A. duplicata clustered consistently with Auriculinella bidentata.

The complete mitochondrial genome of Cirriformia cf. tentaculata (Polychaeta, Cirratulidae) from Dok-Do, Korea.

Mitogenome sequence of Cirriformia cf. tentaculata (Terebellida, Cirratulidae), a species of marine polychaete worm, was determined in this study. This is the first mitogenome reported for genus Cirriformia and family Cirratulidae. This complete mitogenome is 15,495 bp in length, containing 13 protein coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and 23 transfer RNAs (tRNAs). The mitogenome of Cirriformia cf. tentaculata has high A + T content of 59.5% (A, 29.5%; C, 26.9%; G, 13.6%; T, 30.0%). In neighbour-joining (NJ) analysis, Cirriformia cf. tentaculata is clustered with the components of order Terebellida.

The complete mitochondrial genome of sponge Halichondria okadai (Demospongiae, Suberitida, Halichondriidae) from Korea water.

The mitogenome sequence of Sponge Halichondria okadai (Kadota, 1922) (Suberitida, Halichondriidae) was determined for the first time in this study. The circular genome is 20,722 bp in length, containing 14 protein coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNAs (rRNAs), and 25 transfer RNAs (tRNAs). The nucleotide composition of mitogenome consists of 29.5% A, 14.2% C, 21.5% G, 34.7% T, showing a high content of A + T similar to the other Suberitid sponges. These results will be useful for inferring the phylogenetic relationships among the members of family Halichondriidae within the Suberitids.

Impact of work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention in physical therapists.

[Purpose] This study was conducted to provide basic data for solutions to reduce the turnover rate of physical therapists. It should help create efficient personnel and organization management by exploring the impact of the work environment and work-related stress on turnover intention and analyzing the correlation between them. [Subjects and Methods] A survey was conducted with 236 physical therapists working at medical institutions in the Daejeon and Chungcheong areas. For the analysis on the collected data, correlational and linear regression analyses were conducted using the SPSS 18.0 program and Cronbach's alpha coefficient. [Results] The results showed a statistically significant positive correlation between turnover intention and work-related stress but a statistically significant negative correlation respectively between turnover intention and work environment. Work-related stress (ß=0.415) had a significant positive impact on turnover intention and work environment (ß=-0.387) had a significant negative impact on turnover intention. [Conclusion] To increase satisfaction level with the profession as well as the workplace for physical therapists, improvement of the work environment was the most necessary primary improvement.

Use of length heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) as non-invasive approach for dietary analysis of Svalbard reindeer, Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus.

To efficiently investigate the forage preference of Svalbard reindeer (Rangifer tarandus platyrhynchus), we applied length-heterogeneity polymerase chain reaction (LH-PCR) based on length differences of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal RNA (rRNA) to fecal samples from R. tarandus platyrhynchus. A length-heterogeneity (LH) database was constructed using both collected potential food sources of Svalbard reindeer and fecal samples, followed by PCR, cloning and sequencing. In total, eighteen fecal samples were collected between 2011 and 2012 from 2 geographic regions and 15 samples were successfully amplified by PCR. The LH-PCR analysis detected abundant peaks, 18.6 peaks on an average per sample, ranging from 100 to 500 bp in size and showing distinct patterns associated with both regions and years of sample collection. Principal component analysis (PCA) resulted in clustering of 15 fecal samples into 3 groups by the year of collection and region with a statistically significant difference at 99.9% level. The first 2 principal components (PCs) explained 71.1% of the total variation among the samples. Through comparison with LH database and identification by cloning and sequencing, lichens (Stereocaulon sp. and Ochrolechia sp.) and plant species (Salix polaris and Saxifraga oppositifolia) were detected as the food sources that contributed most to the Svalbard reindeer diet. Our results suggest that the use of LH-PCR analysis would be a non-invasive and efficient monitoring tool for characterizing the foraging strategy of Svalbard reindeer. Additionally, combining sequence information would increase its resolving power in identification of foraged diet components.

Impacts of marine debris on wild animals in the coastal area of Korea.

Over the last decade, marine debris has become a major factor affecting the coastal ecosystem of Korea. This study compiled information regarding how marine debris impacts wildlife in Korea. Cases of marine debris impacting wildlife were collected from experts of various fields and from local participants through an open access website from February 2010 to March 2012. A total of 21 species were affected by marine debris: 18 species of birds, 2 species of mammals, and 1 species of crustacean. Five threatened or protected species were identified: black-faced spoonbill, finless porpoise, water deer, whooper swan, and greater painted snipe. Recreational fishing gears were the types of debris that most frequently impacted wildlife, especially birds. Black tailed gulls were the most vulnerable species to recreational fishing hooks and lines. Although it was preliminary, this study revealed that recreational fishing activities should be prioritized when managing marine debris in Korea.