OBJECTIVES: Novelty seeking (NS) represents a dopaminergically modulated tendency toward frequent exploratory activity. Considering the reports showing the relationship between exploratory activity and amygdalar function and structure, and the fact that amygdala is one of the key structures that constitute the dopaminergic pathway in the brain, amygdala might be closely related to NS tendencies. Amygdalar subregional analysis method, which has the enhanced sensitivity compared to the volumteric approach would be appropriate in investigating the subtle differences of amygdalar structures among healthy individuals. The aim of the current study was to examine whether amygdalar subregional morphometric characteristics are associated with the NS tendencies in healthy adults using the amygdalar subregional analysis method. METHODS: Twenty-six healthy adults (12 males, 14 females ; mean age 29.8 +/- 6.2 years) were screened for eligibility. All subjects completed the Korean version of the Temperament and Character Inventory (TCI) and underwent high-resolution brain magnetic resonance imaging. Individuals were divided into 2 groups according to NS scores of the TCI. RESULTS: Individuals of the high NS group had significantly larger laterobasal subregions in right amygdala, after adjustment with the brain parenchymal volumes. Sensitivity analyses for each potential confounding factor such as age, education years and Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HDRS) scores demonstrated consistent results. CONCLUSIONS: This study suggests that NS differences are associated with the laterobasal subregion of the amygdala.
Adult ; Amygdala ; Brain ; Depression ; Female ; Humans ; Magnetic Resonance Imaging ; Male ; Temperament

Fungi act as important decomposers in the forest environment. They recycle essential nutrients, promote plant growth through mycorrhizal relationships, and act as food for small animals. Samples of 265 indigenous fungal species were collected from Mudeungsan National Park in 2020. These species were identified based on morphological, molecular, and phylogenetic analyses using the internal transcribed spacer (ITS), nuclear large subunit rRNA (LSU), and RNA polymerase II second largest subunit (rpb2) regions. Subsequently, seven species were identified as unrecorded species in Korea: Cordyceps cicadae, Dentocorticium bicolor, Hymenochaete nanospora, Physisporinus crataegi, Rigidoporus piceicola, Russula raoultii, and Scutellinia crinita. This study reveals their detailed macro- and microscopic morphological characteristics with phylogenetic trees to report them as unrecorded species in Korea.

Although Apiospora Sacc. has previously been considered a sexual morph of Arthrinium species on the basis of phylogenetic, morphological, and ecological diagnoses, a recent study delimited these as different species. Recently, 14 species, including eight new species, of marine Arthrinium have been reported from Korea. Six known species have previously been renamed as species in the genus Apiospora (A. arundinis, A. marii, A. piptatheri, A. rasikravindrae, A. sacchari, and A. saccharicola). However, the eight new species of marine Arthrinium (Ar. agari, Ar. arctoscopi, Ar. fermenti, Ar. koreanum, Ar. marinum, Ar. pusillispermum, Ar. sargassi, and Ar. taeanense) are yet to be studied, and thus the taxonomic status of these species remains to be clarified. In this study, we conducted phylogenetic analyses using the internal transcribed spacer, 28S large subunit ribosomal RNA gene, translation elongation factor 1-alpha, and beta-tubulin regions to confirm the phylogenetic position of these eight species. Based on these analyses, we re-identified the eight Arthrinium species as new combinations in Apiospora. Additionally, among the six known Apiospora species, two (A. piptatheriand A. rasikravindrae) have not previously been recorded in Korea. On the basis of morphological and molecular analyses, we report these as new species in Korea. Herein, we present scanning electron micrographs detailing the morphologies of these species, along with phylogenetic trees and detailed descriptions.

Many Apiospora species have been isolated from bamboo plants – to date, 34 bambusicolous Apiospora species have been recorded. They are known as saprophytes, endophytes, and plant pathogens. In this study, 242 bambusicolous Apiospora were isolated from various bamboo materials (branches, culms, leaves, roots, and shoots) and examined using DNA sequence similarity based on the internal transcribed spacer, 28S large subunit ribosomal RNA gene, translation elongation factor 1-alpha, and beta-tubulin regions. Nine Apiospora species (Ap. arundinis, Ap. camelliae-sinensis, Ap. hysterina, Ap. lageniformis sp. nov., Ap. paraphaeosperma, Ap. pseudohyphopodii sp. nov., Ap. rasikravindrae, Ap. saccharicola, and Ap. sargassi) were identified via molecular analysis. Moreover, the highest diversity of Apiospora was found in culms, and the most abundant species was Ap. arundinis. Among the nine Apiospora species, two (Ap. hysterina and Ap. paraphaeosperma) were unrecorded in Korea, and the other two species (Ap. lageniformis sp. nov. and Ap. pseudohyphopodii

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the DSM-5 Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure–inattention [Swanson, Nolan and Pelham, version IV (SNAP-IV)] and anger [Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anger] for parents and guardians of children aged 6–17 years. Methods: We included 104 children and adolescents diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADHD with anxiety and depression, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and tic disorder with somatic symptoms (ADHD=41, depression=9, anxiety=14, ADHD+anxious depression=11, tic+somatic symptoms=29). Their ages ranged from 8 years to 15 years. The participants’ mothers completed the SNAP-IV, PROMIS Anger scale, Korean version of the IOWA Conners Rating Scale (K-IOWA), and Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS) so that the reliability and validity of the SNAP-IV and PROMIS Anger scales, which are DSM-5 scales for assessing inattention and anger of children and adolescents, could be examined. Results: The reliability coefficient of SNAP-IV (Cronbach’s α) was 0.94. The correlation coefficients between SNAP-IV, K-IOWA inattention, and K-ARS inattention scores ranged from 0.73 to 0.86. The mean SNAP-IV scores of the ADHD and the ADHD+anxious depression groups were significantly higher than those of the anxiety and the tic+somatic symptoms groups. The reliability coefficient of the PROMIS Anger was 0.91. The correlation coefficient between PROMIS Anger and K-IOWA oppositional/defiant scores was 0.75.The PROMIS Anger mean score of the ADHD+anxious depression group tended to be higher than that of the other groups. Conclusion These results suggest that the Korean version of the DSM-5 Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure–inattention and anger for parent and guardian of child age 6–17 might be a reliable and valid test and may be useful for screening children and adolescents with ADHD.

Objectives: This study was conducted to investigate the reliability and validity of the Korean version of the DSM-5 Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure–inattention [Swanson, Nolan and Pelham, version IV (SNAP-IV)] and anger [Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) Anger] for parents and guardians of children aged 6–17 years. Methods: We included 104 children and adolescents diagnosed with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), ADHD with anxiety and depression, depressive disorder, anxiety disorder, and tic disorder with somatic symptoms (ADHD=41, depression=9, anxiety=14, ADHD+anxious depression=11, tic+somatic symptoms=29). Their ages ranged from 8 years to 15 years. The participants’ mothers completed the SNAP-IV, PROMIS Anger scale, Korean version of the IOWA Conners Rating Scale (K-IOWA), and Korean ADHD Rating Scale (K-ARS) so that the reliability and validity of the SNAP-IV and PROMIS Anger scales, which are DSM-5 scales for assessing inattention and anger of children and adolescents, could be examined. Results: The reliability coefficient of SNAP-IV (Cronbach’s α) was 0.94. The correlation coefficients between SNAP-IV, K-IOWA inattention, and K-ARS inattention scores ranged from 0.73 to 0.86. The mean SNAP-IV scores of the ADHD and the ADHD+anxious depression groups were significantly higher than those of the anxiety and the tic+somatic symptoms groups. The reliability coefficient of the PROMIS Anger was 0.91. The correlation coefficient between PROMIS Anger and K-IOWA oppositional/defiant scores was 0.75.The PROMIS Anger mean score of the ADHD+anxious depression group tended to be higher than that of the other groups. Conclusion These results suggest that the Korean version of the DSM-5 Level 2 Cross-Cutting Symptom Measure–inattention and anger for parent and guardian of child age 6–17 might be a reliable and valid test and may be useful for screening children and adolescents with ADHD.