Forthcoming issue
Current issue
Latest Articles
by Takahiro Hiroi
Brief History of Lunar and Asteroidal Remote Sensing and
Discoveries with Their Returend Samples
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
Abstract History of remote sensing studies of the Moon and asteroids changed when lunar samples were returned by the Apollo 11 mission and many meteorites were discovered on Antarctica starting in 1969. Discovery of the isotopic similarity between lunar and terrestrial materials led us to the giantimpact model to form the Moon. In addition, the existence and nature of space weathering were also discovered in 1993 by analyzing the Apollo samples. Another change occurred in 2010 when the Hayabusa spacecraft returned particles of asteroid Itokawa that proved the identity between many S-type asteroids and ordinary chondrites and the existence of space weathering similar to the Moon. The second sample return from asteroids occurred in 2020 when the Hayabusa2 spacecraft returned samples of Ctype asteroid Ryugu. In spite of some expectations, it was a pristine CI1 chondrite material that was free from terrestrial contaminations suffered by known CI1 chondrite meteorites. Sample return missions drastically improved the accuracy of our knowledge on the raw materials of solar system planets and will surely keep revealing the secrets behind the birth of this special planet Earth. This part of history also teaches us that scientists should proclaim the truth against denial or persecution by others.
Comparative genomic study of polar bacteria having tolerance to abiotic stress and potential for environmental and agricultural implementation
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
Abstract The polar regions are home to a variety of microorganisms. These microorganisms have been reported to have developed adaptive methods for survival in extreme conditions and resist varieties of abiotic stress such as heavy metals (HMs). Despite this, very limited studies have been done in bacteria from polar regions than bacteria from non-polar regions. The main aim of this study is to explore microorganisms from polar regions that could tolerate the abiotic stress of HMs. In this study, microorganisms from polar areas have been isolated and various bioinformatics tools were used for understanding the genomic features, comparison, and analysis. The wet-lab experiments were performed for the validation where the isolated bacteria were exposed to the abiotic stress of HMs. The genome analysis of all the isolated bacteria showed the presence of heavy metals resistance proteins. This study is very helpful in exploring the diversity of abiotic stress resistance microorganisms, monitoring environmental health, and utilizing these potential microorganisms for the betterment of the environment, agriculture, and ultimately humankind.
by Anamika Khanal, So-Ra Han, Hyun Lee and Tae-Jin Oh
Insight into the therapeutic potential of Antarctic mosses: An untargeted metabolomics approach
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
Over the course of history, plant materials have been utilized for healing various ailments. The knowledge derived from traditional medicine has proven invaluable, serving as a foundational resource for drug discovery and design. However, the journey from screening natural products to the development of drugs is a prolonged and demanding process. Fortunately, with the emergence of sophisticated analytical techniques and the establishment of global databases containing information on thousands of natural products, the screening and discovery of bioactive compounds from complex sample mixtures have become more time-efficient and less labor-intensive. In particular, the non-targeted metabolomics approach proves advantageous, offering a comprehensive analysis of a wide range of compounds, aiding in the detection of both known and unknown substances. This approach is especially beneficial for gaining a thorough understanding of the pattern of metabolites found in Arctic and Antarctic vegetation, among the least explored areas on Earth. Here, we employed a non-targeted metabolomics approach to analyze the chemical components in Antarctic mosses. While many of the compounds could not be predicted, some were identified as therapeutic agents, with a few exhibiting pharmacological properties such as anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antilipemic, anti-diabetic, anti-adepogenic, and neuroprotective effects. Notably, we predicted that one moss sample produced desulfiram, an FDA-approved drug for the treatment of chronic alcoholism, and methyl palmitate, well-known for its anti-inflammatory potency, could be detected in many of the samples. Furthermore, we experimentally verified the therapeutic potential of Antarctic moss extracts by conducting a cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibition assay, assessing their potent anti-inflammatory activity. Indeed, two of the moss samples exhibited significant COX-2 inhibitory potency. Hence, our findings emphasize the advantage of metabolomics in providing insight into the potential of Antarctic moss as a valuable natural resource for the discovery and development of potent therapeutics. Additional research is due in order to identify and define the particular bioactive compounds accountable for the observed effects.
by Kristina Lama, Ryoichi Yamada, Hirotake Yamaguchi and Tae-Jin Oh
Ownership of Health Data as the new Frontier for the Future of
VODAN-Africa
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
The Covid19 situation created a state of unequal use of data to produce vaccines. Africa was not in control over sovereign decision-making relating to the health of its citizens and to access of the data pertaining to it. The available digital architecture in Africa health facilities allowed data to be siphoned to Europe and the US at will. The purpose of the research is to argue why medical data once created should be held in ownership of the facility where the data is produced under the regulatory framework of the county and national state jurisdiction. This is referred as data that is Findable, Accessible (under welldefined conditions) Interoperable and Reusable (FAIR). The study inventories the additional benefits of FAIR data for health purposes as means to assist Africa generate (self-) employment benefits to many unemployed youths based on the value that data holds in the digital economy. The study was carried out using a case study approach with four health facilities in Kenya, to help identify the contribution of the FAIR data concept to producing a sustainable outcome for health data management in Kenya. The paper discussed the potential challenges which should be overcome to realize the full potential of FAIR data for a sovereign management of the health data in Kenya. Health data remained as an asset for the health facility for providing improved health at point of care. The findings show digital health data has an economic value and health benefit if well managed at point of production.
by Reginald Nalugala and Mirjam Van Reisen
Prognostic inspection for proactive maintenance
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
Preventive medicine aims to promote health by investigating and researching the distribution of health and health-related risk factors. The desired life time of the small modular reactor (SMR) being developed as a new energy source is more than 100 years. Improving the problems of key components such as stress corrosion cracking (SCC) and corrosion fatigue of the SMR structures and erosion and fretting fatigue of turbine blades improves the service life of the SMR. Also, in bearings, it improves wear and rolling/sliding contact fatigue. It is necessary to develop a proactive maintenance program prior to design to ensure that the SMR and bearing systems can be shut down after operation within their designed lifespan. Similar to preventive medicine, proactive maintenance programs applied to the SMR and bearing systems must undergo advance inspection. This ensures that the characteristics of key components do not deteriorate or exceed predetermined standards. Additionally, it is necessary to develop and standardize technology that restores the characteristics of key components to their designed performance state. In this paper, we introduce the concept of prognostic inspection and proactive maintenance (PIPM) system with ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification (UNSM) and suggest a method of applying PIPM to SMR and bearing systems.
by Junhyong Kim, Inho Cho, Youngsik Pyun and Auezhan Amanov
Impact of Environmental Exposure to Air Pollutants at Workplace on Respiratory Health of Dust-exposed Congolese Workers
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
WHO considers ambient air pollution as the greatest environmental health risk. The “United Nations Environment Program Action Notes 2021” reported that 99% of world population live in places with atmospheric air pollutants levels above WHO’s exposure limits. This mini-review included three studies from the “Congo Occupational/Environmental Health Research Project 2016-2020”, focusing on the respiratory health of dust-exposed workers. They are case-control studies conducted by our Congo-Japan collaborative research team in stone quarry sites and construction sites in Katanga region, which is part of the African cooper-belt region. In total, 1,512 workers participated in those studies; the first one included 512 workers (256 female stone quarry workers, 256 unexposed female workers), the second included 570 workers (282 male cement conveyors at construction sites, 288 unexposed male stone quarry workers), whereas the third study included 441 workers (199 dust-exposed male artisanal coltan miners, 242 unexposed male workers). Control groups comprised local administrative office workers and market tax collectors. Participants answered a respiratory health questionnaire, underwent physical examination and lung function testing. Air quality was assessed by means of an air quality monitor. Results showed a lack of personal protective equipment use in both female stone quarry workers and male cement conveyors. Our first study conducted in stone quarry sites which included female workers, higher PM2.5 (205 ± 13.2μg/m3 vs. 31.3 ± 10.3 μg/m3; p < 0.001) was observed, as compared with controls. similarly, the second study which included male cement conveyors also showed higher PM2.5 (197.0 ± 0.0 μg/m3 vs. 29.0 ± 0.1 μg/m3; p < 0.001), as compared with unexposed controls. Furthermore, third study which included male coltan miners showed extremely elevated PM2.5 (215.0 ± 11.3 μg/m3 vs. 33.0 ± 4.2μg/m3; p < 0.001) compared to control workplaces. Respiratory complaints were very common in all exposed workers’ groups, with significantly reduced lung capacity in female stone quarry workers (mean PEFR: 344.8 ± 2.26 vs. 405 ± 67.7 L/s; p < 0.001), hand-operated cement conveyors (445.1 ± 89.0 vs. 482.3 ± 63.2; p < 0.001) and artisanal coltan miners in the third study (347.9 ± 66.9 vs. 493.67.4; p< 0.001). Dust-exposed Congolese workers are exposed to high air pollutants levels, which contribute to increased frequency of respiratory complaints and impaired lung function.
by Nlandu Roger Ngatu, Leon Ngombe Kabamba, Christian Mapong Wansu, Marie Miezi
Nsimba, Jose Nzunzu Lami, Severin Luzitu Nangana and Michel Nzaji Kabamba
What does the Universe consist of?
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
Since the very beginning of the human history, we are striving for knowledge about the world we are living in. We don’t get this knowledge intuitively, but rather use scientific method to acquire it. When we face certain feature of the world that we don’t understand, we start building models of it and testing them. So, at this state we are living in the world of models, doomed to endlessly come closer and closer to the true nature of things. Another possibility could be asking the Creator of the Universe, which is simply a one-step way, but modern science, based on the scientific method, cannot afford it. It needs to be mentioned that some models become so habitual, that we take it for natural laws and use it in everyday life, ignorant of its incorrectness. Newton laws of motion are good examples. The first law states the existence of an inertial frame of reference (IFR), and the second law as we know it is stated to be valid in any IFR. As we do not know of any free body in our Universe, IFR can also not be constructed in it so the second law is not applicable and yet we use it in our everyday life! Why? Simply because in most of the cases the uncertainties we get due to using this wrong model are quite negligible and we need to think of more complicated models only when we deal with more accurate matters. Within this paradigm we can say that we’ve been through several revolutions in understanding of what does the Universe consist of, and it seems like another one is at hand! Now we understand that any atom consists of a nucleus, containing massive protons and neutrons, and almost 2000 times less massive electrons orbiting the nucleus. Protons and neutrons are baryons, so we can say that all we see around is baryonic matter. And some might think that the whole Universe is like this - it consists of baryonic matter. How true is this?
by Ivan Chelovekov
Key success factors for landscape restoration and economic development using exclosures in Tigray, Northern Ethiopia
Journal of Hyojeong Academia 2(2), 2024
For decades, and in line with global initiatives, Ethiopia has made persistent efforts to reclaim its degraded lands into ecologically and socioeconomically plausible enterprises through the exclosure establishment. Tigray, a region in Ethiopia, has been a key actor in the implementation of exclosures, with immense experiences and innovations for others to learn. The region was recognized internationally and won a gold medal for its "Best Future Land Policy" in 2017. To enhance success of exclosure as a restoration strategy, deeper evaluation of critical factors is crucial. For the first time, we assessed exclosures against key success factors of land restoration through detailed discussions with 76 Key Informants and five focus groups in 19 villages of Tanqua-Abergele district of Tigray. The factors include the objective of establishment, restoration approaches, pre-exclosure land-use, levels of degradation before establishment, spatial and temporal distribution, availability of command area, time elapsed to conserve and presence of conflicts in view of understanding what attributes are in support of or missing for economic and ecological development. Analysis of restoration approach revealed that 30%, 20% and 50% of the exclosures were natural regeneration, soil and water conservation only and plantation, respectively. We found out that more than 60% of the recruited exclosures were severely degraded during establishment and calculated that 54.4% were established to comply with regional plans, 34.4% for the development of grass, water and farmlands and 10 % to buffer communal resources. While 70% have command areas, only 7% started irrigation schemes. We proved that 28, 64 and 66 sites did not meet objectives, experienced illegal grazing and tree cutting, respectively. While 75 sites are linked to another village, district or region, only five administrative units collaborated to work for a common interest and 17% experienced conflicts. We conclude that pre-establishment assessment was not properly conducted which is critical for successful exclosure development and decision on type of exclosures, their management and objective evaluation of progresses. We recommend a detailed characterization of future recruitment of degraded lands for restoration programs, considering that the land is suitable for sustainable ecological and socioeconomic development of the local population.
by Haileselassie Ghebremariam Araya, Oliver Vivian Wasonga, Stephen Mureithi and Emiru Birhane