The Acoptolabrus changeonleei Ishikawa et Kim, 1983 (Coleoptera: Carabidae), has been listed as an endangered insect in South Korea. The complete mitochondrial genome of the species was 16,831 bp with a typical set of genes (13 protein-coding genes [PCGs], 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes) and one non-coding region, with the arrangement identical to that observed in most insect genomes. Phylogenetic analyses with concatenated sequences of the 13 PCGs and 2 rRNA genes, using the Bayesian inference (BI) and maximum-likelihood (ML) methods, placed A. changeonleei as a sister to the within-subfamilial species Damaster mirabilissimus in Carabinae, with the highest nodal support by both analyses.

In this study, we developed 12 microsatellite markers specific to N. pygmaea using Illumina paired-end sequencing. Forty individuals of N. pygmaea collected from three currently known localities in South Korea were genotyped to validate these markers and to preliminarily assess population genetic characteristics. No locus showed significant deviation from the Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium (HWE). Our preliminary data indicate an absence of inbreeding in all populations and an absence of obvious genetic difference. The microsatellite markers developed in this study will be useful for studying the population genetics of N. pygmaea collected from other regions, including additional sites in South Korea.

Previous phylogenetic results often showed fluctuating positions of Geometroidea in Macroheterocera, particularly from mitochondrial genome (mitogenome)-based analyses. In this study, we sequenced mitogenomes of four geometrid moths to increase taxon diversity for the inference of phylogenetic positions of Geometroidea in Macroheterocera. The general genomic features found in Macroheterocera also were found in the four geometrid moths. Phylogenetic analyses using 71 representative mitogeneome sequences in Macroheterocera yielded the consensus superfamilial relationships (((((Bombycoidea + Lasiocampoidea) + Geometroidea) + Noctuoidea) + Drepanoidea) + Mimallonoidea), confirming the sister relationship of Geometroidea to (Bombycoidea + Lasiocampoidea) in both Bayesian Inference and Maximum-likelihood method.

Previously, a partial mitochondrial COI and CytB gene sequences have been used to infer genetic diversity and gene flow of the species. In this study, we additionally collected C. tripartitus from one previous and two new localities, sequenced the COI and CytB genes. Sequence divergence of current samples showed slightly lower values, but nearly equivalent to previous study. Haplotype diversity was still high and nucleotide diversity indicating that Seogwi-dong showed the highest estimates in both gene sequences. Gene flow among populations is high, but a significance difference was detected between Gulupdo and Anmado; and between Gulupdo and Seogwi-dong only in COI sequences (P < 0.05). Considering the high genetic diversity and gene flow in C. tripartitus populations, one of the major issues regarding conservation seems not to be the recovery of genetic diversity as has been suggested before.

This study was conducted to observe the isokinetic strength (IS) of the hip, ankle, and knee joints in young age groups. Thirty eight men and thirty one women with mean age of 30.4 ± 3.5 and 32.8 ± 4.4 years, respectively, were enrolled in this study. Measurements of hip flexion, extension, abduction, and adduction at 30° / sec, Knee flexion and extension at 60° / sec, ankle inversion, eversion, plantarflexion, and dorsiflexion 30° / sec were conducted. Absolute IS (Nm), relative IS (Nm/kg), strength ratios, correlations between movements were observed. Significant differences in absolute and relative strength were observed between groups in all movement except in the relative ankle strength. Relative isokinetic strength ratios of hip flexion/extension were .45 and .55, knee flexion/extension were .84 and .89, ankle dorsi/plantarflexion were .30 and .29, and ankle eversion/inversion were .86 and .84 for men and women, respectively. In the hip extension, men had about three times the body weight ,and women had about 2.5 times the strength. The abduction muscle had about 1.5 times the body weight of both men and women. Height and body weight showed the significantly strong correlating relationship with hip (r, .76-.86) and knee (r, .67-.84) strength. However, ankle strength showed the comparatively correlating relationship, especially in women (r, .03 - .36). Similar age and physique characteristics of female and male groups could provide useful isokinetic strength reference values for developing the exercise program for healthy and rehabilitation groups.

The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of hemispheric damage in body composition of male adults with stroke experiences. The Fourth and Fifth Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys (KNHANES) with body composition results obtained from the DXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) assessments were used for this study. Survey data of 18 post-stroke men and 28 healthy controls were obtained. Both the lean and fat masses of the upper and lower limbs were utilized to compare for the compositions between the limbs in post-stroke subjects. In addition, the effect of exercise habit was also observed for the influence of physical activity in body composition. Mixed results in left and right limb compositions were shown between the groups. When the subjects were further divided based on walking days per week, sedentary (walk ≤2 d/wk) post-stroke group showed significantly greater fat mass and less lean mass than the physically active people (walk ≥ 3d/wk). In comparison to the healthy sedentary and physically active controls, two post-stroke groups showed greater variations. The results indicate that physical activity maintains or improve the quality of both the upper and lower limb composition in patients with post-stroke men.

This study was conducted to compare the difference between left and right extension and flexion isokinetic muscular strength of the knee, shoulder, and trunk to compare absolute and relative strength in lightand heavy weight Ssireum athletes. Fourteen professional Ssireum athletes were divided into the light (Taebaek and Geumgang) and heavy (Halla and Baekdu) groups according to the body weight. Anthropometric measurements and isokinetic strength (knee: 60º/sec, shoulder: 30º/sec, and trunk: 30º/sec) were assessed for the absolute and relative peak torque values. Left (227.6±48.7 vs 247.0± 23.1 Nm, p=0.05) and right knee (233.7±32.0 vs 266.1±20.5, p=0.05) extension strength in absolute values were significantly different between the groups. Trunk’s extension (318.7±37.9 vs 351.2±57.4 Nm, p=0.03) and flexion (249.8±33.0 vs 302.1±42.4 Nm, p=0.03) strength also showed significant difference between the groups. Significant differences were observed for all relative values except for the left knee and trunk flexion. As for the flexion and extension strength ratios, the shoulder extension to flexion ratios of the light group was 1.32 (p=0.02) times and the heavy group was 1.01-0.98 (p=0.34). The trunk extension strength was 3.6 times that of the body weight in the light group and 2.8 times that of the body weight in the heavy group. Heavy Ssireum athletes’ absolute flexor peak torques were higher in the knee and trunk than in the light athletes. Also, the weight per weight of light athletes had relatively higher strength than the heavy athletes. In addition, the muscle strength ratio was higher in the light athletes. This study suggests that isokinetic strength is different in heavy and light weight class Ssireum athletes.

The Japanese oak silkmoth, Antheraea yamamai Guérin-Méneville 1861 (Lepidoptera: Saturniidae), is one of the important natural resources possessing industrial value for silk fiber production. In this study, ten microsatellite markers and two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene sequences (COI and ND4) were used to investigate the genetic variation and geographic structure of A. yamamai populations in South Korea. Two mtDNA gene sequences revealed very low total genetic variation and resultant low geographic variation, validating to use further variable molecular markers. Population-based FIS, FST, RST, and global Mantel test consistently support that A. yamamai populations are overall well interconnected with a relatively high gene flow. Nevertheless, STRUCTURE analysis using microsatellite data and mtDNA sequences coincidently indicate the presence of two genetic pools in many populations.

The red-spotted apollo butterfly, Parnassius bremeri Bremer, 1864 (Lepidoptera: Papilionidae), has been listed as an endangered species in Korea. We developed microsatellite markers by nest-generation sequencing (NGS), selected 12 markers, and applied the markers to available South Korean populations to understand population genetic characteristics. The genotyping of 40 P. bremeri individuals from three localities in South Korea showed that at each locus, the observed number of alleles ranged from 17 to 43, the observed and expected heterozygosities were 0.84722-0.90556 and 0.76045-0.79208, respectively, and FIS was –0.155 to –0.121. STRUCTURE analysis supported the presence of two genetic pools in all three populations, although an immediate reason for this subdivision is not known. The population based FST, RST, and front wing length collectively suggest that at least Samchuk population in Gangwon Province has a significant distance. Further scrutinized analysis is undergoing.

The tiny dragonfly, Nannophya pygmaea (Odonata: Libellulidae) is one the smallest dragonflies in the world and listed as a second-degree endangered wild animal in Korea. We developed microsatellite markers and applied selected markers to South Korean populations to understand population genetic characteristics, along with two mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) gene sequences (COI and ND5). Two mtDNA-based population genetic analysis indicates substantially reduced genetic diversity in an island population (Muuido) compared to others. On the other hand, population-based FST and RST consistently support that N. pygmaea populations are overall well interconnected with a relatively high gene flow. These results may collectively indicate that N. pygmaea populations in South Korea may have rather larger population size than we previously acknowledged based on a single-locus mtDNA sequence and field observation.

Dendrolimus superans (Lepidoptera: Lasiocampidae) has long been acknowledged to present in South Korea under the circumstance of a substantial change in species names of Dendrolimus. In the present study, we found that specimens of D. superans collected from South Korea were D. sibiricus, rather than D. superans. Comparison of Korean specimens to the D. superans from Japan and the D. sibiricus from Russia in terms of wing morphology, female and male genitalia, a partial COI gene sequence, and a partial internal spacer sequence 2 (ITS2) consistently supported the presence of D. sibiricus in South Korea. Phylogenetic analyses using concatenated sequences of COI and ITS2 from available individuals of D. sibiricus and D. superans both by Bayesian inference and maximum likelihood methods the Korea samples to be D. sibiricus.

Despite of a substantial effort, the phylogeny of Lepidoptera still has unstable taxa and unresolved relationships particularly form Apoditrysia to Ditrysia (e.g. phylogenetic position and familial relationships of Gelechioidea, the monophylies of Tineoidea and Zygaenoidea and so on). We performed phylogenetic analysis using ~13,000-bp length of mitogenome sequences form 50 species (with seven species in two superfamilies form this study) representing 13 superfamilies to improve the lepidopteran phylogeny from Apoditrysia to Ditrysia. A close relationship of Gelechioidea to Obtectomera than to apoditrysian taxa was noteworthy, although the nodal support is very weak (ML, 23%; BI, BPP = 0.94). Monophyly of Zygaenoidea without Epipyropidae (Epipomponia nawai) was also noteworthy in spite of weak nodal support (ML, 64%; BI, 1.0). Scrutinized analysis is currently underway.