The development of nanostructured functional materials derived from biomass and/or waste is of growing importance for creating sustainable energy-storage systems. In this study, nanoporous carbonaceous materials containing numerous heteroatoms were fabricated from waste coffee grounds using a top-down process via simple heating with KOH. The nanoporous carbon nanosheets exhibited notable material properties such as high specific surface area (1960.1 m2 g–1), numerous redox-active heteroatoms (16.1 at% oxygen, 2.7 at% nitrogen, and 1.6 at% sulfur), and high aspect ratios (>100). These unique properties led to good electrochemical performance as supercapacitor electrodes. A specific capacitance of ~438.5 F g–1 was achieved at a scan rate of 2 mV s–1, and a capacitance of 176 F g–1 was maintained at a fast scan rate of 100 mV s–1. Furthermore, cyclic stability was achieved for over 2000 cycles.

Pregnancy is a unique event in which a fetus develops in the uterus despite being genetically and immunologically different from the mother, and the underlying mechanisms remain poorly understood. To analyze the differential gene expression profiles in nonpregnant and 7 days post coitus (dpc) pregnant uterus of mice, we performed a global proteomic study by 2‐D gel electrophoresis (2‐DE) and MALDI‐TOF‐MS. The uterine proteins were separated using 2‐DE. Approximately 1,000 spots were detected on staining with Coomassie brilliant blue. An image analysis using Melanie III (Swiss Institute for Bioinformatics) was performed to detect variations in protein spots between pregnant and nonpregnant uterus. Twenty‐one spots were identified as differentially expressed proteins, of which 10 were up‐regulated proteins such as alpha‐fetoprotein, chloride intracellular channel 1, transgelin, heat‐shock protein beta‐1, and carbonic anhydrase II, while 11 were down‐regulated proteins such as X‐box binding protein, glutathione S‐transferase omega 1, olfactory receptor Olfr204, and metalloproteinase‐disintegrin domain containing protein TECADAM. Most of the identified proteins appeared to be related with catabolism, cell growth, metabolism, regulation, cell protection, protein repair, or protection. Our results uncovered key proteins of mouse uterus involved in pregnancy.

(E,E)-8,10-dodecadienyl acetate (E8E10-12:Ac) and (E)-8-dodecaenyl acetate (E8-12:Ac) have been selected as the candidate chemicals for sex pheromone components of the M. phaseoli, female through GC-EAD tests, whereas the two compounds and an additional candidate, (E,Z)-7,9-dodecadienyl acetate (E7Z9-12:Ac), have been found at a ratio of 7:1:1 in the abdominal tip extract (Yum et al., 2008). In order to determine the actual composition of sex pheromone, therefore, several blends using the three chemicals were evaluated for attractiveness to males of M. phaseoli around red bean and soybean fields. Individual components as well as two blends consisted of E8E10-12:Ac/E7Z9-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac/E7Z9-12:Ac did not show attractiveness, whereas the blend of E8E10-12:Ac/E8-12:Ac showed an increased effect in male capture. Of the tested blends with all three chemicals, the 7:1:2 composition of E8E10-12:Ac, E8-12:Ac and E7Z9-12:Ac attracted the most number of males. The results suggested that E7Z9-12:Ac is one of the sex pheromone components and may act as a synergist.

As indigenous aphid parasitoid, Aphelinus varipes kill aphids for feeding in addition to parasitization. Because of this characteristic of A. varipes, this parasitoid may have the possibility of biological control agent against aphids. So we have evaluated traits such as daily paratization, total parasization, number of aphids killed by host feeding, sex ratio, development time, pupal mortality of A. varipes parasitizing green peach aphid, Myzus persicae. At 25°C and 16L:8D, longevity, total paratization and host feeding of A. varipes female was 11.0, 25.3, and 63.3 days, respectively. And development time of male and female, sex ratio (M:F), pupa mortality of offspring of A. varipes were 12.0 days, 12.5 days, 0.88, and 11.6%, respectively. However, because these results are not enough to estimate potential of A. varipes as biological control agents/factors, other factors such as host suitability (Macrosiphum euphorbiae, Aulacorthum solani), effect of temperature, and host seeking behavior of A. varipes continually will be investigated.

As an effective generalist predator of aphids and other hemipteran pests, Harmonia axyridis has been a successful biological control agent. Interestingly, it was known that there were varied in color patterns on H. axyridis elytra. In fact, Seo & Youn (2007) reported that H. axyridis had five color patterns, for example, succinea 1, 2, conspicua, spectabilis, and axyridis. But there are uncertain that H. axyridis elytra colour patterns are regulated by genetic polymorphism. So we tried to what is the reason that color patterns are greatly variable. To identify DNA markers linked to a elytra polymorphism, amplified fragment length polymorphism (AFLP) analysis was performed on DNA samples from four female succinea, conspicua, spectabilis and Coccinella septempunctata which is another species in Coccinellidae. AFLP analysis with the restriction endonuclease combination EcoRⅠ and MseⅠwas performed. Using 12 AFLP primer pairs, nine AFLP fragments which is specific between succinea, conspicua, spectabilis was identified. These nine AFLP fragments were isolated, cloned and sequenced. Subsequent UPGMA cluster analysis revealed three major group of H. axyridis populations. These genetic tree showed that H. axyridis elytra colour diversity was affected by genetic polymorphism. For more genetically understanding elytra colour genes, different primer combinations may be need to be generate enough polymorphic markers. These genetic analyses may be facilitate the understanding of molecular mechanism behind wing colour pattern formation.

This study was carried out to identify the sex pheromone of the soybean podworm, Matsumuraeses phaseoli. EAG response of M. phaseoli male antenna to various chemical compounds were examined. Of them, (E,E)-8,10-dodecadienyl acetate (E8E10-12:Ac) and (E)-8-dodecenyl acetate (E8-12:Ac) were most EAG-active. The abdominal tips of M. phaseoli females were extracted with distilled hexane 4h after light-off for 30 min. In an electroantennographic detection (GC-EAD), female extracts showed two EAG-active components. In a GC-MS analysis, three components (E8E10-12:Ac, E8-12:Ac, and (E,Z)-7,9-dodecadienyl acetate) were identical with those of authentic standards following the retention time and their ratio was 7: 1: 1. Of these three components, EAG responses of M. phaseoli males to E8E10-12:Ac and E8-12:Ac were significantly dose-dependent. Field effectiveness of these components remains to be evaluated.

The surface of most coccinellids (particularly the elytra) has characteristic colour patterns, which show great variability within many species. Individuals of a species of ladybird often differ from one another in colour and pattern. In case of Harmonia axyridis, environmental factors, such as temperature or food, can probably influence colour and pattern. However, virtually no work has been carried out in the influence of such factor. Therefore, in this study, according to rearing temperature, photoperiod and diet, variation of elytra color patterns were investigated. First instar larva on each color pattern were reared in an incubator at one of two temperatures; 25 and 30℃, under the following photoperiod; L16: D8, L12: D12 and L8: D16 and were provided three species of aphids. And their color pattern of adults were estimated.

The multicolored Asian ladybird beetle, Harmonia axyridis (Pallas) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae), is common to a wide range of natural and agricultural habitats. Applications of gamma irradiation minimized the losses of stored food and the death or failure of emergence in larval and pupal stages. On the other hand, degrade toxin waste as one of alternative to chemical pesticide for both quarantine and sprout control purposes of storage crop pest. So, we have investigated whether gamma irradiation exposed to eggs, lava, pupa and adults of H. axyridis. It may be affected the emergence, fertility, fecundity, development period and sex ratio of H. axyridis. Some changes of physiological characteristics may be applied to more efficient agents as biological control of several aphids. Insects were exposed to gamma irradiation from 0 to 500 Gy of 60Co depended on their developmental stages. The results showed that the first instar, eggs, third instar, pupae, and adults were more sensitive in order of irradiation dose. And fecundity and fertility of female adults were significantly decreased with increasing gamma irradiation dose at all tested individuals.