In the present study, Cydia kamijoi Oku is newly recognized in korean insect fauna. This tortricid moth was first found damaging the cones of Abies koreana in Jeju Island 2014. The moth can be a serious insect pest on A. koreana because of high damage rate on the cones, up to 71% average. The genus Cydia now was 11 korean species including C. kamijoi. Regarding this species, some basic information such as collection records, morphological characters, and ecology were provided
This study was carried out to investigate insect community structure from different habitats. We performed day and night collection at three different habitats (mountain, coast and rural area) of island Deokjeok, island Soya and island Mungap from May to September in 2014. A total of 3,482 individuals of 725 species, 119 families belonging to 10 orders were collected and identified. A dominant species was Corymbia rubra (Cerambycidae) despite a very low percentage of the species among the catches. Results of ANOVA test showed a significant effect of habitats typeon species diversity. Also, combination of seasons and habitats types were significantly influential with species abundance and species diversity. Indicator species analysis (ISA) result identified 121 significant (p < 0.05) indicator species; one species for the habitats cluster, 93 species for the season cluster and 27species for combination of habitats with seasons.
An insect faunal survey was carried out to investigate insect community structure along the vegetation community to monitor insect species in forest ecosystem. We performed day and night collections from June to August along three vegetation communities of Is. Nam-hae in 2014: the first stand with Pinus thunbergii, the second P. thunbergii with Quercus serrata and the third P. thunbergii with various Quercus species. In total 2,259 individuals of 532 species, 99 families, 13 orders are identified. Cluster Analyses (CA) showed that all three vegetation communities were relatively similar between vegetation community types. According to indicator species analysis (ISA) result, nine significant indicator species were identified (p < 0.05); five species were found to be affected by the vegetation cluster and four species the month cluster.
Allergic diseases have increased rapidly over the past decades, affecting an estimated 20~30% of the population in developed countries. In this study, we investigated whether or not a typical costal sand dune plant Carex pumila (CPE) suppresses the activation of mast cells and IgE-mediated allergic response in vitro and in vivo. As the results, the extract of Carex pumila inhibited antigen-stimulated degranulation in RBL-2H3 cells and Bone marrow-derived mast cells (BMMCs), and IgE-mediated passive cutaneous anaphylaxis (PCA) in mice. CPE also suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, TNF-α and IL-4, in antigen-stimulated mast cells. As its mechanism of action, CPE inhibited the activation of Syk in FcεRI-mediated signalling pathway, and that of LAT, a downstream adaptor molecule of Syk, in a dose-dependent manner. CPE also suppressed the activation of mitogenactivated protein (MAP) kinases, p38, ERK1/2, JNK, and Akt. Altogether, CPE inhibited mast cell activation and IgEmediated allergic response by antigen through suppressing the activation of Syk. These results suggest that CPE may be useful for the treatment of allergic diseases.
The spotted-wing drosophila (SWD), Drosophila suzukii (Diptera: Drosophilidae), was originally observed in a few Asian countries, but is now found even in North America and Europe. Genetic information on geographic variation and relationship may broaden our understanding of origin and migration. As a first step, in this study, a portion of mitochondrial COI gene was sequenced to understand genetic relationship and diversity in Korea. Sequencing of 104 individuals provided 57 haplotypes, with the maximum sequence divergence of 1.5%, suggesting high haplotype diversity and moderate sequence divergence. Comparison to GenBankregistered D. suzukii haplotypes (possibly from Spain, Portugal, USA) has shown 100% sequence identity to most of the haplotypes found in this study, but two USA sequences were found to be independent haplotypes, with the sequence divergence ranging from 0.5% ~ 1.4% from our samples in the 553-bp comparison. Phylogenetically, no separable group was found, but, population genetically, the only Chinese population, Sandong, was significantly differentiated (p < 0.05) from all Korean populations, without sharing any haplotype. Among 28 pairwise comparisons of Korean populations only two comparisons showed a significant genetic differentiation, indicating that no population in Korea is completely isolated. Geographically, one haplotype (SWDBA06) was relatively widespread (five among nine localities) and a few haplotypes were found in more than one locality, but most haplotypes were restricted in a locality as a single individual. Overall, high rate of per generation female migration (Nm = 0.75 ~ infinite) and low level of geographic separation (FST=0~0.40) among localities were characteristic. Current data is limited mainly to Korean localities, thus, an expanded study may provide further scrutinized analysis for the fly.
To date there have been only two species in genus Pogonus and subgenus Europhilus of genus Agonum recognized from Korean insect fauna: Pogonus itoshimaensis Habu, 1954 and Agonum (Europhilus) bellicum Lutshnik, 1934. In the present study one additional species for each genus is newly recognized from Korea: Pogonus (Pogonus) japonicus Putzeys, 1875 and Agonum (Europhilus) gratiosum nipponicum Habu, 1972. A key to adults, redescription, diagnostic photos of adult and male and female genitalia are provided.
Insect pollinators of the endanger orchid Cypripedium japonicum were surveyed and identified during two years, as a part of a conservation project of the orchid at Jukyeup-san and Hwaak-san (Mt.), South Korea. In total 40 individuals of 16 species in 4 families were identified. The dominant family was Halictidae, and Lasioglossum exiliceps Vachal visited the most frequently C. japonicum during the surveys. The average visiting frequency was 2.5 individuals per hour and the highest 4.3, from 12:00 – 13:00 in a day. After 15:00 insects did not visit the flowers at all. However, all of the visiting insects were found to not carry a pollinium or pollens of the orchard on their bodies; pollen carryover by any of the visiting insects did not occur at all. The orchid seems to require certain pollinators in particular body thickness due to its unique pollination mechanism. The orchid has two exit route openings, around 1 cm in diametre, where the entrapped insects can exit and an anther is situated just in front of each opening. It was inferred that a pollen carrier should be around 1 cm in body thickness. Therefore, the candidate species as the proper pollen carriers can be Tetralonia nipponensis Perez, Xylocopa appendiculata circumvolans Smith and Bombus consobrinus Dahlbom among the surveyed visitors.
We report a procedure for direct shoot regeneration via leaf segments of Lilium Oriental hybrid ‘Casa Blanca’. The segments were cultured with the abaxial side in contact with a Murashige and Skoog medium containing 0.1 mg • L-1 BA and 0.1 mg • L-1 NAA, 3% sucrose, and 0.8% agar for shoot regeneration. The cultures were incubated for 4 weeks under a 16 hrs photoperiod at 23 ± 2oC for adventitious shoot regeneration. With this procedure, a mean shoot regeneration frequency of 88-90% and a mean number of shoots of 2.5-3.6 per segment were obtained. Ploidy analysis of the regenerated plants using flow cytometer revealed the same ploidy level (diploid) with mother plant. This study will be used for large-scale multiplication and genetic transformation system in lily.
The fact that flip-flops, one of many different types of unstable shoes, are light and relatively easy to put on, accounts for their popularity among people. But because flip-flops rely heavily on the support of a single thong between your first and second toes, they impose a huge amount of pressure onto lower leg. Thus in the following experiment we tried to examine the different effects of flip-flops and running shoes in terms of their effect on muscle activity and fatigue of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius during walking. In order to measure an electromyogram we used Free EMG system. 10 men and 10 women in running shoes ran on treadmills for 15 minutes at 4.8km/h, 2 days later the same experiment was carried out, but this time, in flip-flops. p value turned out to be greater than .05 and thus there was no considerable difference between the effects of flip-flops and running shoes on muscle activity and fatigue during walking. Therefore we conclude that despite the fact that flip-flops are considered unstable, their effects on muscle activity and fatigue of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius are negligible.
We sequenced 17,329 bp of mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the black dwarf honey bee, Apis andreniformis (Hymenoptera: Apidae), that lacks ~200 bp of the A+T-rich region for the completion of the genomic sequence. The gene arrangement of A. andreniformis mitogenome is identical to that of A. cerana. However, the genome contains 5 additional tRNALeu(CUN) located 4 copies between tRNAMet and tRNAGln, and 1 copy between tRNAGln and tRNAAla, along with the typical sets of genes (13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNAs, and 2 rRNAs) including regular tRNALeu(CUN) and the A+T-rich region (at least 923 bp). Only 1 copy of tRNALeu(CUN) differed by 1 bp from other 4 copies of tRNALeu(CUN). Each additional tRNALeu(CUN) is followed by nearly identical 68-bp long repeat sequence (95.6% identity). All 13 protein coding genes have typical start codons found in insect mitochondrial PCGs (2 ATA, 9 ATT, and 2 ATG).
This study investigates how two teachers’ identities are negotiated in a situated educational context and how this affects the formation of student identities in an English mediated instruction (EMI) course. Since learning is defined as negotiation of identity there has been increasing research on teacher identity as pedagogy because the teacher’s identity is a major factor in managing the negotiation with students. This study looks at how the teachers’ cultural, socio-political, and educational philosophical identities are negotiated in the locally situated classroom and how these identities influence Korean university students in the formation of their identities. The results of the study comprise two sections. The teachers’ identity is discursively constructed in local socio-cultural discourse practice, and the teacher identity works as pedagogy. The other result shows that the teachers’ various identities serve as role models for students in their negotiations as they take up, resist, and shift between different identities. This study also suggests some implications for the use of the teacher education regarding identity.
Iron is an essential trace element for normal functions of the body. Restriction of iron availability directly limits erythropoiesis. The objective of this experiment was to compare the bioavailability of iron nanoparticles (Fe-NPs) with iron-microparticles (Fe-MPs) in anemic mice. There were four experimental groups, including the normal control group, iron-deficiency anemia (IDA) group, Fe-NPs group, and Fe-MPs group. Animals in the normal group fed on an adequate iron-containing diet (45 ppm Fe). Meanwhile, animals in the other three groups fed on a low Fe diet (4.5 ppm Fe) for seven weeks. Double deionized water was supplied as drinking water ad libitum. After feeding for three weeks with the low Fe diet, animals in the Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs groups received oral administration of Fe-NPs or Fe-MPs at a daily dose of 40 mg/kg for four weeks. The IDA group showed markedly decreased red blood cell (RBC) count, hematocrit (Hct), and hemoglobin (Hb) values compared with the normal group throughout the experimental periods. Treatments with Fe-NPs or Fe-MPs for four weeks resulted in restoration of the decreased RBC count and hematological values similar to normal values. The Fe-NPs group showed faster restoration in values than Fe-MPs with passage of time. The iron contents of the upper small intestine in the Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs groups were higher than in the normal group at weeks 2 and 4. Treatment with Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs resulted in a significant increase in hepatic iron contents and lipid peroxidation, compared with the IDA group with passage of time. The iron contents in liver and ferritin deposits in spleen were identified in the Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs groups, similar to the normal group. These results indicate that oral administration of both Fe-NPs and Fe-MPs can result in recovery from anemia and Fe-NPs is more absorbable and available in the body than Fe-MPs.
True hermaphrodites are animals of equivocal sex in which both male and female gonads develop simultaneously. The frequency of true hermaphroditism is higher in pigs than in other domestic animals. Two Korean pigs were diagnosed with true hermaphroditism showing ovotestes, epididymes, penes, and uteri. Histomorphologically, the testicular tissues consisted of Sertoli cells that were devoid of spermatogenic germ cells and showed proliferation of interstitial cells. However, the uteri were of normal architecture and had well-developed uterine endometrial glands. The samples were 38, XX female karyotype without the sex-determining region Y (SRY) gene. The findings of this study could contribute to the understanding of true hermaphroditism in the Korean pig industry. * This work was supported by a grant (Code# PJ008148) from BioGreen21 Program, Rural Development Administration, Republic of Korea.