A surveillance of chigger mites was performed to monitor the incidence of scrub typhus vectors at 4 environmental collection points of 6 locations from September to November 2014 in Korea. During the survey period, 420 chigger mites were collected and the dominant species was Leptotrombidium scutellare (42.6%). The first appearance of chigger mite was at 37th week (9.3.-9.10.) and the collected numbers of chigger mites was the highest at 43rd week (10.17.-10.23.). In Goryeong-gun, 299 chigger mites were collected, whereas 5 chigger mites were collected In Yesan-gun. The high environmental collecting rates were recorded at rice field (56%) and waterway (20%). The annually collected numbers (2012-2014) of chigger mites were compared with the average temperatures in August. This result suggests that the average temperature in August might be related with the annual incidence of scrub typhus vectors in Korea. However, the relationship between climate factors and the density of chigger mites needs to be studied by long-term periodical surveillance.

The Korean very-long-baseline interferometry (VLBI) network (KVN) and VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry (VERA) Array (KaVA) is the rst international VLBI array dedicated to high-frequency (23 GHz (K-band) and 43 GHz (Q-band)) observations in East Asia. To evaluate the imagine capability of KaVA, we performed imaging observations of three bright active galactic nuclei (AGNs) known for their complex morphologies: 4C 39.25, 3C 273, and M87 by KaVA at K-/Q-band. Our KaVA images reveal extended out ows with complex substructure such as knots and limb brightening, in agreement with previous observations by other VLBI facilities. Angular resolutions are better than 1.4 and 0.8 milliarcsecond (max) at K-/Q-band, respectively. KaVA achieves a high dynamic range of ~1000, more than three times the value achieved by VERA. We conclude that KaVA is a powerful array with a great potential for the study of AGN out ows, at least comparable to the best existing radio interferometric arrays.

KaVA (KVN and VERA Array) is a new combined VLBI array composed of KVN (Korean VLBI Network) and VERA (VLBI Exploration of Radio Astrometry). Here, we report the following two issues. (1) We review the initial results of imaging observations of M87 at 23 GHz following Niinuma et al. (2014). The KaVA images reveal extended out ows including complex substructures such as knots and limb-brightening, in agreement with previous VLBI observations. KaVA achieves a high dynamic range of ~1000, more than three times better than that achieved by VERA alone. (2) Based on subsequent observations and discussions led by the KaVA AGN SubWorking Group, we set monitoring observations of Sgr A* and M87 as our Key Science Project (hereafter KSP) because of the closeness and largeness of their central super-massive black holes. The main science goals of the KSP are (i) testing the magnetically- driven-jet paradigm by mapping velocity fields of the M87 jet, and (ii) obtaining tight constraints on physical properties of the radio emitting region in Sgr A*. Towards KSP, we show the first preliminary images of M87 at 23 GHz and Sgr A* at 43 GHz with the bandwidth of 256 MHz.

In this paper we introduce the Plasma Physics of Active Galactic Nuclei project, which is an ongoing experiment with Korean VLBI Network (KVN) and KVN and VERA Array (KaVA) to study multi- frequency polarimetric properties on parsec scales of active galaxies. The goal of the project is to improve our understanding of fundamental jet physics, especially evolution of the relativistic out ow coupled with the large-scale magnetic field. We selected six radio-loud AGN as our targets. So far we (i) detected resolved emissions regions at 86 and 129 GHz on VLBI scales, (ii) constructed 2D spectral index maps of the out ows, and (iii) found polarizations at 22 and 43 GHz for a few targets. Here we present spectral index distributions of 3C 120 between 22 and 43 GHz and a linear polarization map of BL Lac at 43 GHz obtained with KVN.

The Maillard reaction is a complex reaction that occurs between carbonyl and amine groups during food pro-cessing and storage. In addition, it produces a large number of Maillard reaction products (MRPs), which have an importantrole in determining food characteristics including aroma, color, flavor, and texture. Importantly, recent studies have beenconducted that the Maillard reaction products and their ferments with lactic acid bacteria (LAB) induced specific biologicalcharacteristics including antimicrobial, antioxidative, and antihypertensive activities as well as improved their physiologicalfeatures such as the heat stability and emulsifying properties. Therefore, we described on new insights for enhanced physi-ologic and biologic functions of MRPs through LAB fermentation.

The analytical method for the determination of phosphorus in foods was validated by inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES) in terms of precision, accuracy, recovery efficiency and linearity. Regression analysis revealed good correlation coefficient, higher than 0.999. Recovery efficiencies of the minerals ranged from 90.36% to 110.63%, and the limit of detection (LOD) and the limit of quantification (LOQ) were 0.0745 mg/ kg and 0.2482 mg/kg, respectively. The value of inter-day and intra-day ranged from 1.43 to 3.23% and from 0.40 to 1.77%. The recovery efficiencies ranged from 97.8 to 110.6%. The method was also compared with Molybdenum blue colorimetric method using certified and statistically significant difference was also not observed in the between two different analytical methods. The ICP-OES method was applied to phosphorus determination in commonly consumed foods. The obtained results suggest that the method verified in the present study may be used as an official analytical method for clear understanding of phosphorus database for national health promotion.

Lentinula edodes is known by oak mushroom. It has been favored as delicious and nutritious food and the low-calorie food with a high nutritional value. It is also functional food since it contains a material well-known for its medicinal benefits. Since the growth and quality of oak mushrooms are sensitively affected by environmental conditions, an adequate environmental control is very essential to improve the yield and quality under protected cultivation. The main objectives of the study were to investigate cultural characteristics of mycelial growth and in vitro fruiting of Lentinula edodes. The optimum culture media for mycelial growth of L. edodes were PDA and MYA. Similarly, optimum temperature was 25℃. Malt extract(2%) and yeast extract(0.2%) were optimum carbon and nitrogen sources. Optimal culture period was 110~120 days in sawdust medium. Among different five log types, highest mycelial growth and fruiting productivity were observed in Quercus variabilis sawdust(20.9%).

Most traditional genome sequencing projects involving infectious viruses include culturing and purification of the virus. This can present difficulties as an analysis of multiple populations from multiple locations may be required to acquire sufficient amount of high-quality DNA for sequence analysis. The electrophoretic method provides a strategy whereby the genomic DNA sequences of the Korean isolate of Pieris rapae granulovirus (PiraGV-K) were analyzed by purifying it from host DNA by pulsed-field gel electrophoresis, thus simplifying sampling and labor time. The genomic DNA of infected P. rapae was embedded in agarose plugs, digested with a restriction nuclease and methylase, and pulsed-field gel electrophoresis (PFGE) was used to separate PiraGV-K DNA from the DNA of P. rapae, followed by mapping of fosmid clones of the separated viral DNA. The double-stranded circular genome of PiraGV-K encodes 120 open reading frames (ORFs), covering 92% of the sequenced genome. BLAST and ORF arrangement showed the presence of 78 homologs to other genes in the database. The mean overall amino acid identity of PiraGV-K ORFs was highest with the Chinese isolate of PiraGV (~99%), followed up with Choristoneura occidentalis ORFs at 58%. PiraGV-K ORFs were grouped, according to function, into 10 genes involved in transcription, 11 involved in replication, 25 structural protein genes, and 15 auxiliary genes. Genes for Chitinase (ORF 10) and cathepsin (ORF11), involved in the liquefaction of the host, were found in the genome. The recovery of PiraGV-K DNA genome by pulse-field electrophoretic separation from host genomic DNA had several advantages, compared with its isolation from particles harvested as virions or inclusions from the P. rapae host. We have sequenced and analyzed the 108,658 bp PiraGV-K genome purified by the pulsed field electrophoretic method. The method appears to be applicable to the analysis of genomes of large viruses. The chitinase, identified by PiraGV-K genome sequence, was functionally characterized by quantitative PCR, Western blot analysis, immunohistochemistry and transmission electron microscopy.

CD63, a member of tetraspanin membrane protein family, plays pivotal role in cell growth, motility, signal transduction, host-pathogen interactions and cancer. In this work, the cDNA encoding CD63 homologue (TmCD63) was cloned from larvae of coleopteran beetle, Tenebrio molitor. The cDNA is comprised of an open reading frame of 705 bp, encoding putative protein of 235 amino acid residues. In silico analysis shows that the protein has four putative transmembrane domains and one large extracellular loop. The characteristic ‘Cys-Cys-Gly’ motif and ‘Cys188’ residues are highly conserved in the large extracellular loop. Phylogenetic analysis of TmCD63 revealed that they belong to the insect cluster with 50-56% identity. Analysis of spatial expression patterns demonstrated that TmCD63 mRNA is mainly expressed in gut and Malphigian tubules of larvae and the testis of the adult. Developmental expression patterns of CD63 mRNA showed that TmCD63 transcripts are detected in late larval, pupal and adult stages. Interestingly, TmCD63 transcript was upregulated the maximum 4.5 fold in response to DAP-type peptidoglycan during the first 6 h, although other immune elicitors also made significant increase in the transcript level at later time-points. These results suggest that CD63 might contribute to T. molitor immune response against various microbial pathogens.

Apolipophorin III (apoLp-III) is a well-known hemolymph protein having a functional role in lipid transport and immune response of insects. We cloned full-length cDNA encoding putative apoLp-III from larvae of the coleopteran beetle, Tenebrio molitor (TmapoLp-III), by identification of clones corresponding to the partial sequence of TmapoLp-III, subsequently followed with full length sequencing by a clone-by-clone primer walking method. The complete cDNA consists of 890 nucleotides, including an ORF encoding 196 amino acid residues. Excluding a putative signal peptide of the first 20 amino acid residues, the 176-residue mature apoLp-III has a calculated molecular mass of 19,146 Da. Genomic sequence analysis with respect to its cDNA showed that TmapoLp-III was organized into four exons interrupted by three introns. Several immune-related transcription factor binding sites were discovered in the putative 5’-flanking region. BLAST and phylogenetic analysis reveals that TmapoLp-III has high sequence identity (88%) with Tribolium castaneum apoLp-III but shares little sequence homologies (<26%) with other apoLp-IIIs. Homology modeling of Tm apoLp-III shows a bundle of five amphipathic helices, including a short helix 3’. The ‘helix-short helix-helix’ motif was predicted to be implicated in lipid binding interactions, through reversible conformational changes and accommodating the hydrophobic residues to the exterior for stability. Highest level of TmapoLp-III mRNA was detected at late pupal stages, albeit it is expressed in the larval and adult stages at lower levels. The tissue specific expression of the transcripts showed significantly higher numbers in larval fat body and adult integument. In addition, TmapoLp-III mRNA was found to be highly up-regulated in late stages of L. monocytogenes or E. coli challenge. These results indicate that TmapoLp-III may play an important role in innate immune responses against bacterial pathogens in T. molitor.