The oriental fruit fly is a major polyphagous insect pest with a worldwide distribution. We investigated the development time, survivorship, longevity and fecundity of B. dorsalis at six different temperatures. We applied the computer programs – TWOSEX-MSChart and TIMING-MSChart - to analyze our data. We obtained the population parameters – adult preoviposition period (APOP), total preoviposition period (TPOP), oviposition days, eggs per reproductive female, first age of survival rate <50%, proportion of male and female individuals, propoortion of N-type individual, and life table parameters (net reproductive rate, intrinsic rate of increase, finite rate of increase, and mean generation time) - and population projection using two computer programs.

The oriental fruit fly is a major polyphagous insect pest with a worldwide distribution. The effects of temperature on stage-specific development were investigated at eight constant temperatures (13.0, 14.4, 16.2, 19.5, 23.8, 27.7, 31.8 and 34.8℃). Stage-specific lower developmental thresholds and thermal constants were determined using linear regression. The lower and higher temperature threshold (TL and TH) were estimated using the Sharpe-Schoolfield-Ikemoto (SSI) model. The daily adult emergence frequency of B. dorsalis was estimated in relation to adult age and temperature. Thermal performance was compared among B. dorsalis populations from different locations in Taiwan.

The dynastid beetle Allomyrina dichotoma has been used as a herbal medicine. Recently, we performed de novo RNAsequencing of Allomyrina dichotoma and identified several antimicrobial peptide candidates based on in silico analysis.Among them, cationic antimicrobial peptide, Allomyrinasin, was selected and we assessed the anti-inflammatory activitiesof Allomyrinasin against mouse macrophage Raw264.7 cells. The results showed that Allomyrinasin decreased the nitricoxide production of the lipopolysaccharide-induced Raw264.7 cells. In addition, quantitative RT-PCR, ELISA and Westernblot analysis revealed that Allomyrinasin reduced cytokine expression levels in the Raw264.7 cells. Taken together, thesedata indicated that Allomyrinasin had anti-inflammatory activity in the lipopolysaccharide-induced Raw264.7 cells.

Previously, we have performed de novo RNA sequencing of Scolpendra subpinipes mutilans using next generation sequencing technology and identified several AMP candidates. Among them, a synthetic peptide (scolopendrasin I) was designed based on SVM algorithm. In this study, we reported that the synthetic peptide scolopendrasin I had an antimicrobial and anticancer activity. As a result, scolopendrasin I showed antibacterial activities against Gram positive and Gram negative bacteria strains in radial diffusion assay and colony count assay without hemolytic activity. In addition, we confirmed that scolopendrasin I bound to the surface of bacteria via a specific interaction with lipoteichoic acid and lipopolysaccharide, which is one of bacteria cell membrane components. In addition, we found that scolopendrasin I had anticancer activities in the human leukemic T lymphocyte cell line Jurkat using MTS assay. In conclusion, our results suggested that scolopendrasin I could be useful for developing peptide antibiotics and anticancer agents.

Olive flounder Paralichthys olivaceus is one of the most widely cultured fish species in Korea. Although olive flounder receive attention from aquaculture and fisheries and extensive research has been conducted eye morphological change in metamorphosis, but little information was known to molecular mechanism and gene expression of eye development- related genes during the early part of eye formation period. For the reason of eyesight is the most important sense in flounder larvae to search prey, the screening and identification of expressed genes in the eye will provide useful insight into the molecular regulation mechanism of eye development in olive flounder. Through the search of an olive flounder DNA database of expressed sequence tags (EST), we found a partial sequence that was similar to crystallin beta A1 and gamma S. Microscopic observation of retinal formation correspond with the time of expression of the crystallin beta A1 and gamma S gene in the developmental stage, these result suggesting that beta A1 and gamma S play a vital role in the remodeling of the retina during eye development. The expression of crystallin beta A1 and gamma S were obviously strong in eye at all tested developing stage, it is also hypothesized that crystallin acts as a molecular chaperone to prevent protein aggregation during maturation and aging in the eye.

We investigated the changes in plasma sex steroid hormones, testosterone (T), estradiol- (), 17,-dihydroxy-4-pregnen-3-one (), 11-ketotestosterone (11KT) and cortisol levels from ribbed gunnel, Dictyosoma burgeri in associated with annual reproductive cycle. The gonadosomatic index (GSI) of females increased from November, peaked in February and decreased rapidly from March. The GSI of males also increased from November, peaked in January and then decreased gradually. In females, levels increased and remained high from December to February. The levels of T showed a similar tendency and correlated (=0.898, p<0.01) with levels. The levels of increased rapidly in February () and peaked in July (). Cortisol level was peaked in March and correlated with levels (=0.696, p<0.01). In males, the levels of T was peaked in January and then decreased rapidly. The levels of 11KT were remained high from October to January. On the other hand, the levels of fluctuated during reproductive cycle. These results suggest that plasma sex steroids in ribbed gunnels have annual periodicity, and that cortisol may involve in maturation of females.