Agrobacterium tumefaciens-mediated transformation (AtMT) has been widely used for generation of fungal transformants and recently applied to Beauveria bassiana. In this study to comprehend how the AtMT promoter influences on the expression of selection marker (hygromycin B resistance gene; hph), two different Ti-Plasmids were constructed: pCeg (gpdA promoter-based) and pCambia-egfp (CaMV 35S promoter-based). Putative transformants were subjected to the PCR, RT-PCR and qRT-PCR to inspect the T-DNA insertion rate and gene expression level. In conclusion, more than 80% of the colonies succeeded in AtMT transformation and the hph expression level of AtMT/pCeg colonies was higher than that of AtMT/pCambia-egfp colonies. This result can provide useful information on the AtMT of B. bassiana, especially antibiotics susceptibility and promoter-dependant expression level.

We report the use of carrot, a new and inexpensive biomaterial source, for preparing high quality carbon dots (CDs) instead of semi-conductive quantum dots for bioimaging application. The as-derived CDs possessing down and up-conversion photoluminescence features were obtained from carrot juice by commonly used hydrothermal treatment. The corresponding physiochemical and optical properties were investigated by electron microscopy, fluorescent spectrometry, and other spectroscopic methods. The surfaces of obtained CDs were highly covered with hydroxyl groups and nitrogen groups without further modification. The quantum yield of as-obtained CDs was as high as 5.16%. The cell viability of HaCaT cells against a purified CD aqueous solution was higher than 85% even at higher concentration (700 μg mL−1) after 24 h incubation. Finally, CD cultured cells exhibited distinguished blue, green, and red colors, respectively, during in vitro imaging when excited by three wavelength lasers under a confocal microscope. Offering excellent optical properties, biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and good cellular imaging capability, the carrot juice derived CDs are a promising candidate for biomedical applications.

고준위방사성폐기물 심층처분에서 처분안전성의 신뢰도를 향상시킬 수 있는 방안으로 그리고 처분 프로그램 개발 및 인허가를 위해 많은 나라들에서 자국에 적합한 safety case를 개발하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 방사성폐기물 처분을 위한 safety case 의 의의, 필요성, 개발과정들을 정리하고 소개하였다. 그리고 처분안전성을 safety case의 다양한 측면에서 논의하였다. 아울러 스위스, 일본, 미국, 스웨덴, 핀란드 등 해외의 safety case 개발 현황과 현재 KAERI에서 개발 중인 safety case의 개발 전략을 간략히 소개하였다. 고준위방사성폐기물 처분안전성의 신뢰도 향상을 위해 safety case 기반 하에서 어떤 노력들이 필요한지를 분석하였다. 그리고 국내 상황을 반영하여 신뢰할 수 있는 정보자료의 구축, 안전성 관련 과정들의 이해, 안전성 평가의 불확실성 저감, 이해당사자와의 의사소통, 공정성과 투명성 확보 등의 실행 방안을 제안하고 논의하였다. 본 논문에 제시된 내용들은 심층처분 safety case를 이해하고, 국내에서 개발하고 있는 고준위방사성폐기물 처분 safety case 개발을 통한 처분안전성 신뢰도 향상에 기여할 수 있을 것으로 기대한다.

본 연구는 퇴비에 함유된 영양소 및 중금속 함량을 파악하고 상추 재배시 퇴비의 적정 시용 비율을 알아보고자 수행되었다. 실험을 위해 두가지 퇴비를 이용하였다. 첫 번째 퇴비는 미완숙 퇴비(CA)이며 두 번째 퇴비는 시중에서 판매되고 있는 완숙 퇴비(CB)이다. 각각의 퇴비는 인공토양을 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%로 혼합하여 사용하였다. 50%와 75%의 비율로 혼합한 CA의 pH는 각각 5.39, 5.50으로 측정되었으며 약 산성으로 나타났다. CA 및 CB를 75% 비율로 혼합할 경우, 총 탄소 함량은 각각 14.5%와 6.5%로 다른 비율의 퇴비에 비해 높았고 대조구에 비해 총 질소와 인 농도가 유의하게 증가하였다. 총 탄소함량은 CA퇴비를 인공토양에 75% 혼합한 실험구에서 가장 높게 나타났다. CA는 CB와 비교하여 퇴비화율, 질소, 인의 농도가 크게 증가하였다. CB 75% 혼합한 실험구에서 구리(128 mg kg-1), 아연(260 mg kg-1), 납(0.32 mg kg-1), 카드뮴(0.48 mg kg-1) 의 함량은 다른 혼합구에 비해 가장 많은 증가하였다. 특히 비소는 CA퇴비를 25% 혼합한 실험구와 CB퇴비를 75%, 50% 혼합한 실험구에서 가장 높았다(6.69 and 6.28 mg kg-1). CA실험구 중에서 상대적으로 낮은 염분 및 중금속 함량을 함유한 CA 25% 혼합한 실험구는 상추의 성장속도 및 엽면적 등이 CB에 비해 낮게 측정되어 최적의 성장조건은 아닌 것으로 사료된다. 따라서, CA를 사용하여 상추재배에 이용할 경우, 더 낮은 농도의 CA를 이용하는 것이 적당할 것으로 판단된다.

This study investigated the antidiabetic effect of amaranth grain ethanol extract (AEE) in a diabetic animal model, db/db mouse. The mice were divided into 4 groups: normal control mice (C57BL/6J), diabetic mice (C57BL/6J db/db), diabetic mice fed a lower concentration of AEE (0.3 mg/kg), and diabetic mice fed a higher concentration of AEE (0.5 mg/kg). After 10 weeks of treatment, body weights, blood insulin levels and blood glucose levels of each group were compared. At the end of treatment, the results showed that both AEE supplemented groups had lower body weights than those in the diabetic groups although higher than those in the normal groups. Moreover, in both AEE supplemented groups, serum insulin levels were higher and blood glucose levels were lower than those in the diabetic groups although both values were higher than those in the normal groups. The results of this study suggest that AEE can alleviate many of the common symptoms of diabetes in diabetic mice and, therefore, has potential as a therapeutic supplement for normalization of blood glucose and insulin levels in humans.

Mitotic spindle formation is regulated by centrosomes, composed of a centriole pair surrounded by pericentriolar materials(PCM) proteins. However, mammalian oocytes rely on acentriolar MTOCs for the function of meiotic spindle. The composition of acentriolar MTOCs and the molecular precesses that regulate the localization and accumulation in mammalian oocyte are not well understood. In this study, we analyzed the mechanisms of spindle microtubule nucleation and stability from MTOCs in mouse oocyte, and indentified Centrosomal protein192(CEP192) as a key regulator for acentriolar MTOC formation. CEP192 specifically colocalized with pericentrin (PCNT) during the oocyte maturaion. CEP192 proteins are localized throughout cytoplasm and around nucleus at GV stage, and then after BD stage, CEP192 proteins were further fragmented into smaller MTOCs around chromosomes. At metaphase, CEP192 proteins were concentrated in spindle pole. Knockdown of CEP192 using siRNAs resulted in metaphase I arrest. The arrested oocytes were characterized by reduced microtubule intensity and misalignment chromosome. Also at BD and ProMI stage, the oocytes reduced microtubule density and PCNT intensity. To confirm the mechanism of CEP192 regulation, we confirmed that PLK1 and AuroraA kinase were involved in CEP192 activation. The investigations for detailed molecular mechanisms of CEP192 and RanGTP for microtubule nucleation in oocytes are underway using various techniques including siRNA, mRNA, and positive or negative dominant injection and inhibitors.

Maturation-promoting factor (MPF) is well-known as cell cycle regulator during oocyte maturation and fertilization. MPF activity maintains high levels and arrest the cell cycle progression until fertilization. After fertilization, Anaphase-promoting complex/cyclosome (APC/C) mediated degradation of cyclin B causes decrease of MPF activity. One of the cytostatic factor (CSF), Emi2 inhibits APC/C activity by binding to APC/C-cdc20, therefore blocks the proteolysis of cyclin B. Degradation of Emi2 requires phosphorylation by Polo-like kinase 1 (Plk1). Thus recognition and phosphorylation of Emi2 by Plk1 are essential step for meiotic cell cycle resumption. In our previous research, we found that two phosphorylated threonine regions at amino acid position 152 and 176 in Emi2 are respectively contributed for recognition by polo-box domain of Plk1. Peptidomimetics 103-8 can block the interaction between Plk1-PBD and Emi2, and therefore meiotic maturation and meiosis resumption via parthenogenetic activation were impaired. However, major drawback of 103-8 was the limitation of penetration through the cell membrane. We synthesized the new peptidomimetics and checked bioavailability in mammalian oocyte by injection and media treatment. Medium treatment with peptidomimetics C-4, meiotic maturation has significantly decreased and meiotic resumption via parthenogenetic activation has perfectly impaired. For the next experiment, we are preparing X-ray crystallography to identify the binding modes between Plk1-PBD and peptidomimetics C-4.

A viral genome was assembled de novo from next-generation sequencing (NGS) data from bean bugs, Riptortus pedestris, infected with an entomopathogenic fungus, Beauveria bassiana (Bb), and was further confirmed via the RACE method. Based on the phylogenetic analysis of the RdRp sequences, RiPV-1 was clustered in the unassigned insect RNA viruses with two other viruses, APV and KFV. These three viruses were suggested to constitute a new group of insect RNA viruses. Interestingly, RiPV-1 replication was increased dramatically in bean bugs 2 to 6 days after fungal infection. In conclusion, a novel insect RNA virus was found by NGS data assembly. This virus can provide further insight into the interaction between virus, fungus and the host.

Composite resins are developed as restorative materials to improve esthetics and mechanical properties. To improve the physical properties of resin material, resin filler have to be added. However, no imaging method is adopted for resin filler distribution. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a optical imaging technique to delineate microscopic structures within biological tissue. The OCT application to dental composites resin and its filler is not described yet. So, this new and advanced optical method is needed for clinical application for evaluation of dental composite resin. To analyze the spatial distribution of dental composite resin and to evaluate the resin restoration in cavity, frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) was used for their analysis. Resin restored tooth was prepared. For morphological observation, serially sectioned teeth, conventional X-ray taking and micro computed-tomography (CT) images were compared with OCT images. The experiment has done to evaluate the success of the resin restoration using 3 dimensional structure OCT image. In this research, OCT is evaluated as a new technique to image resin restoration. The evaluation of resin restored tooth was performed by OCT. Inappropriate restoration such as marginal adaptation, large porosities, internal integrity and poor contour could be detected. Resin filler also could be checked by OCT. The distribution, number, regularity and size of resin filler can be differentiated from several commercial products. Considering the characteristics of the OCT, it can be used to evaluate the defects of resin restoration, resin filler distribution, and internal integrity between resin material and tooth structure. The OCT can be considered to be a new and advanced method for the evaluation of resin restorations.

Viral video advertising as a branded entertainment has shown its potential to overcome consumer skepticism by spreading the brand message through individuals’ social connection. Although brand placement prominence and brand disclosure may be critical factors that influence forwarding intention in the viral video ad context, less research has examined these relationship. To fill these gaps, this study aims 1) to examine the psychological mechanisms through which the brand placement prominence influences consumers’ forwarding intention of viral video advertising, and 2) to investigate the potential moderating role of brand disclosure timing. This study shows that the level of brand prominence in a viral video ad is an important factor influencing viewers’ forwarding intention sequentially mediated by persuasion knowledge, critical processing and enjoyment. The moderating role of brand disclosure timing investigated in the current study suggests that when the branded viral video has a high level of brand prominence, post brand disclosure leads to a higher forwarding intention compared to the prior brand disclosure.

In Korea, six mealybug species have been reported on pears. This study investigated the occurrence of mealybugs in 19 pear orchards from 2013 to 2014. Two species, Crisicoccus matsumotoi (Siraiwa) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae) and Pseudococcus comstocki (Kuwana) were mainly found. The dominant species was C. matsumotoi identified on 73% of infested fruit. Toxicities of 14 registered insecticides (7 single formulations and 7 mixed formulations) commonly used to control P. comstocki were evaluated to C. matsumotoi nymphs and adults at the recommended concentration. As a results, all insecticides exhibited strong insecticidal activity with 100% mortality of both nymphs and adults. These results indicate that the 14 insecticides can be used in control for C. matsumotoi in field.

The present study was made to assess annual changes on seasonal occurrence of Apiformes, commonly known as bees, as global warming apparently happens. Bees were collected from ten sites using a malaise trap for each site, and sample collection was made every two weeks from April to September in 2011 to 2014. In overall diversity, abundance and richness of bees appeared higher in northern sites, particularly Gwangneung and Hongcheon, than southern. The abundance of bees declined sharply in 2013 and decreased even further in 2014. Among the bee families the most decreased families were Halictidae and Andrenidae. In order to see the effect of annual temperature fluctuation correlation analysis was used with collection data and weather data. However, the result indicated that the decline of the bees was not significantly affected by changes of temperature although most of the bee families except Halictidae showed negative relation with temperature data(p < 0.05). In addition we also analysed the bee collection data and flowering data during spring in Gwangneung. Dufrene-Legendre indicator species analysis (ISA) for latitudinal sites identified seventeen indicator species (p < 0.05) that were limited to northern region.

In the present study we report a newly recognized crambid species, Sinibotys butleri (South, 1901). Previously, two species, S. evenoralis and S. obliquilinealis, were known from Korea, but now they are belonged to a genus Torulisquama Zhang, 2010, that was newly erected in a recent study. Sinibotys differs from Torulisquama by having: forewing 36－47.5 mm in length and without unscaled areas; male with transtilla covered with setae and editum bearing dense setae; female with ductus bursae relatively broad and short; corpus bursae and signum much larger. We update taxonomic position of these three species accordingly and compare Sinibotys and Torulisquama morphologically. A Key to species, description of adult, male and female genitalia structures are provided with available information such as collection locality, host plant and distribution range for the species.