호접란은 세계적으로 분화뿐만 아니라 절화로도 판매되는 주 요 화훼작물이다. 상업적 종묘 대량생산은 조직배양 기술에 의 해 이루어지고 있으나 우리나라는 아직까지 균일하고 우수한 발근묘 생산 기술이 확립되지 않았다. 생육이 고르고 우수한 발근 배양묘를 생산하기 위한 적정 배양 신초수를 찾기 위해 용적 500mL 유리 배양병에 호접란 2품종(‘Lovely Angel’과 ‘UniVivace’)의 신초를 1, 4, 7, 10개씩 배양한 후 3개월에 지상부 및 지하부 초기 생육 특성을 조사한 결과, 7개의 신초를 배양하였을 때 신초의 생육이나 뿌리 유도 및 생육에 효과적이 었다. 또한, 배양병 재질이 발근묘 생육에 미치는 영향을 확인하 고자 용적이 500mL로 동일한 유리 배양병과 플라스틱 배양병 에 신초 7개 배양 3개월 후 2품종의 생육 특성을 비교한 결과, 2품종 모두 플라스틱 배양병 보다는 유리 배양병이 유의적으로 생육에 효과적인 것으로 확인되었다. 기내 발근묘 생산을 위한 배양병 재질의 영향은 이후까지 지속적으로 영향을 미치는 것으 로 확인되었다. 결론적으로, 균일한 호접란 발근묘 생산은 플라 스틱 재질보다는 유리병 재질의 배양병이 적합하며, 특히, 용적 이 500mL인 유리 배양병의 경우 신초를 7개(묘당 재식면적 5.4㎠) 이내로 배양하는 것이 바람직한 것으로 확인되었다.

This study aimed to reconfirm the sex change scale and pattern of Tegillarca granosa. Although the sex ratio (female : male, female proportion) of T. granosa was 1:2.32 (30.2%) at the initial stage (2011) of the study, it was 1:0.94 (51.5%) after one year (2012) in the same population. The increase of the female proportion was greater in the 2+ year class (23.0%) when compared to the 1+ year class (19.2%). Overall, sex change ratio of 37.6% was observed in this population of T. granosa. The sex change ratio of the 2+ year class (39.3%) was higher than that of the 1+ year class (35.3%). And sex change ratio in the males (42.2%) was higher than that in the females (26.9%). The female proportion was the opposite of the result from 2006~2007, and one of the causes was presumed to be the difference in cumulative water temperature during the gonadal inactive stage (winter).

In this study, laser-induced graphene oxide (LIGO) was synthesized through a facile liquid-based process involving the introduction of deionized (DI) water onto polyimide (PI) film and subsequent direct laser irradiation using a CO2 laser (λ = 10.6 μm). The synthesized LIGO was then evaluated as a sensing material for monitoring changes in humidity levels. The synthesis conditions were optimized by precisely controlling the laser scribing speed, leading to the synthesis of LIGO with different structural characteristics and varying oxygen contents. The increased number of oxygen-containing functional groups contributed to the hydrophilic properties of LIGO, resulting in a superior humidity sensing capabilities compared with laser-induced graphene (LIG). The LIGO-based sensors outperformed LIG-based sensors, demonstrating approximately tenfold higher sensing responsivity when detecting changes at each humidity level, along with 1.25 to 1.75 times faster response/recovery times, making LIGO-based sensors more promising for humidity-monitoring applications. This study demonstrated laser ablation in a renewable and natural precursor as an eco-friendly and energy-efficient approach to directly synthesize LIGO with controllable oxidation levels.

To identify viruses and compare their abundance levels in the venom glands of hymenopteran species, we conducted venom gland-specific transcriptome assemblies and analyses of 22 Aculeate bees and wasps and identified the RNA genomes of picornaviruses. Additionally, we investigated the expression patterns of viruses in the venom glands over time following capture. Honeybee-infecting viruses, including black queen cell virus (BQCV), deformed wing virus (DWV), and Israeli acute paralysis virus (IAPV), were highly expressed in the venom glands of Apis mellifera and social wasps. This finding suggests that the venoms of bees and wasps likely contain these viruses, which can be transmitted horizontally between species through their stinger usage. A. mellifera exhibited an increasing pattern of abundance levels for BQCV, DWV, IAPV, and Triatovirus, while the social wasp Vespa crabro showed increasing abundance levels of IAPV and Triatovirus over different capture periods. This suggests that the venom glands of honeybees and wasps may provide suitable conditions for active viral replication and may be an organ for virus accumulation and transmission. Some viral sequences clearly reflected the phylogeny of Aculeate species, implying host-specific virus evolution. On the other hand, other viruses exhibited unique evolutionary patterns of phylogeny, possibly caused by specific ecological interactions. Our study provides insights into the composition and evolutionary properties of viral genes in the venom glands of certain Aculeate bees and wasps, as well as the potential horizontal transmission of these viruses among bee and wasp species.

Islands often have relatively well-preserved ecosystem and an abundance of bioresources with a high conservation value, with unrecorded species continuing to be reported (Hong, 2011). Approximately 1,000,000 species of insect known worldwide (Costello et al., 2012), and 20,710 species are known in Korea (NIBR, 2023). Among these, there are 6,117 species in Korean islands (HNIBR, 2022). Native insect Bio-scan project for Korean islands is to estimate the number of insect species on Korean islands. We attempted to estimate the number of insect species on Korean islands using Barcode Index Number (BIN), and also found unrecorded species. The samples were collected four times from April to July at five locations in the Amtedo, an island located in Shinan-gun Jeollanam-do. We tried to obtain a minimum of one to usually a maximum of four samples per morphospecies to enable DNA barcoding.

This study evaluated the risk of single and combined exposure to microplastics in zebrafish (Danio rerio) through biomarkers, such as survival rate, excretion rate, and histological alterations of organ systems. The experimental groups were the control (Cont.), single microplastics exposure group (MPs, 1.83%/fish total weight (g)), the copper group (Cu, 21.6 μg L-1), and a group with combined exposure to MPs and copper (MPs*Cu). The experiment was conducted with individual exposure (7 days) for MP excretion rate analysis and group exposure (14 days) for biomarker analysis. The daily excretion rate of MPs tended to decrease in a time-dependent manner. The copper concentration in the body was not significantly different between single and combined copper exposure. The degeneration of mucous cells in the skin, capillary dilation of the gill lamella, increased intestinal mucous, hepatocyte hypertrophy, and the degeneration of glomeruli and renal tubules were observed in all exposure groups. These histological alterations showed the highest tendency in the MPs*Cu group. In this study, the changes in biomarkers were attributed to the single effect of copper or the combined effect of copper and MPs rather than being solely influenced by MPs.

The biological efficiencies of promising Pleurotus spp. were evaluated. Pleurotus ostreatus, Pleurotus tuberregium,and Pleurotus sajor-cajuwere investigated at temperatures of 22oC, 20oC, and 18oC to determine their ability to adapt to temperatures that are likely to be found in subtropical regions. The experiment was conducted using a substrate comprising Popular sawdust 60% + cotton seed 20% + beet pulp 20% under a relative humidity of 65%. The results indicated that there were significant differences in terms of biological efficiency between the species: P. tuber regium 128.84% at 22oC, P. ostreatus 108.41% at 22oC, and P. sajor-caju is 80% at 20oC. The common temperatures at which all species showed the highest biological efficiencies were 22oC and 20oC. Therefore, the production of the evaluated species was equal to or surpassed biological efficiencies reported in tropical environments, thereby demonstrating a potential opportunity to adapt to tropical environments without compromising quality standards.

털부처꽃(Lythrum salicaria L.)은 전국에 분포하는 다년생 초본식물로 척박하고 습한 지역을 포함한 다양한 환경에서 잘 자라는 것으로 알려져 있다. 따라서 하천변, 척박지에서 정원 용, 화훼용 및 관상용 식물로 이용이 가능하다. 본 연구는 털 부처꽃의 적정 육묘 조건(토양종류, 플러그 트레이 셀 크기,파종립수, 액비농도 및 차광)을 조사하였다. 대조구(원예상토) 에서 재배된 유묘의 생육이 가장 우수하였다. 반면 피트모스 와 펄라이트의 혼합용토는 육묘기간이 지속되면서 생육수치 가 감소하는 경향을 나타냈다. 셀 크기는 용적이 가장 큰 162 셀에서 재배된 유묘의 생육이 우수하였으나, 200셀과 288셀에 서 자란 묘도 건강했다. 한편 유묘의 결주발생을 고려하면 셀 당 2립을 파종하는 것이 적합하였다. 액비 처리는 유묘의 생 육을 촉진하였다. 특히 Hyponex 1000배는 초장, 줄기직경, 엽수, 마디수, 근장, 지상부 생체중 및 지하부 생체중을 증가 시켰다. 또한 유묘의 생육은 55% 차광 하에서 우수하였다. 따 라서 털부처꽃의 가장 효과적인 생육조건은 원예상토가 충진 된 288셀 플러그 트레이에 셀 당 2립을 파종하고 Hyponex 1000배를 시비하면서 55% 차광 하에서 재배하는 것이었다.

The effect of heat treatment and vacuum conditions on the textural properties and electrochemical performance of commercially available activated carbons (ACs) was investigated. The AC after post-heat treatment was characterized by nitrogen adsorption–desorption, X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy measurements. The ACs treated under vacuum conditions exhibit a higher specific surface area and micropore surface area than those treated under nitrogen atmospheric pressure without significantly affecting the graphite structure of the AC. Under 800 °C temperature and vacuum conditions (AC-V800), the AC with the highest Brunauer– Emmett–Teller surface area of 1951.9 m2 g−1 (16.4% improvement relative to that of the original AC (1677.2 m2 g−1)) was obtained. This is attributed to the removal of oxygen-containing functional groups and volatile matters in the carbon by thermal treatment under vacuum conditions. Consequently, the electric double-layer capacitor using ACs treated under vacuum conditions (1 kPa) at 800 °C (AC-V800) shows considerably improved electrochemical performance in terms of higher specific capacitance and better cycling stability at a high working voltage (3.1 V), compared to the nitrogen-treated and commercial ACs.

Ocean biogeochemistry plays a crucial role in sustaining the marine ecosystem and global carbon cycle. To investigate the oceanic biogeochemical responses to iron parameters in the tropical Pacific, we conducted sensitivity experiments using the Nucleus for European Modelling of the Ocean–Tracers of Ocean Phytoplankton with Allometric Zooplankton (NEMO-TOPAZ) model. Compared to observations, the NEMO-TOPAZ model overestimated the concentrations of chlorophyll and dissolved iron (DFe). The sensitivity tests showed that with increasing (+50%) iron scavenging rates, chlorophyll concentrations in the tropical Pacific were reduced by approximately 16%. The bias in DFe also decreased by approximately 7%; however, the sea surface temperature was not affected. As such, these results can facilitate the development of the model tuning strategy to improve ocean biogeochemical performance using the NEMOTOPAZ model.

Calcium is the most abundant stored mineral in the human body and is especially vital for bone health; thus, calcium deficiency can cause bone-related diseases, such as osteopenia and osteoporosis. However, a high concentration of serum calcium, which is commonly known as hypercalcemia, can also lead to weakened bones and, in severe cases, osteosarcoma. Therefore, it is necessary to maintain the concentration of calcium that is appropriate for bone biology. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the effects of high concentration of calcium, approximately 2 folds the normal calcium level, on osteoblast differentiation. The CaCl2 treatment showed dose-dependent suppression of the alkaline phosphatase activity and mineralized nodule formation. Calcium showed cytotoxicity at an extremely high concentration, but a moderately high concentration of calcium that results in inhibitory effects to osteoblast differentiation showed no signs of cytotoxicity. We also confirmed that the CaCl2 treatment repressed the mRNA expression and protein abundance of various osteogenic genes and transcriptional factors. Considered together, these results indicate that a high concentration of calcium negatively regulates the osteoblast differentiation of C2C12 cells.

농촌진흥청 국립원예특작과학원에서는 2018년 분홍색계 소 형 호접란 ‘Tiny Bell’을 육성하였다. 2010년 진분홍색 다화 성 소형 품종 Phalaenopsis ‘D07PN16’와 연분홍색 소형종 P. ‘D03PN22’를 모본과 부본으로 교배하였다. 2014년 생육이 우 수하고 화색, 화형, 꽃대수 등 개화 특성이 우수한 ‘10531-53’ 개체를 선발하여 기내 화경배양을 통해 증식하였다. 2014년부 터 2018년까지 1차, 2차특성검정을 통해 품종의 안정성과 균 일성을 확인한 후 ‘Tiny Bell’로 명명하였다. 이 품종은 밝은 보라빛 분홍색(RHS, PVGN80A)을 띄며, 가장자리에 백색무늬 를 가지는 것이 특징이다. 평피기 형태의 꽃은 길이와 폭이 각각 3.89, 4.01cm이며, 총상화서로 분지가 발생한다. 1개의 꽃대에 19.7개의 소화가 착생하여 꽃 수가 많이 달리는 다화 성이며, 꽃대 길이는 28.48cm정도이다. ‘Tiny Bell’은 생육시 잎이 수평으로 자라며 길이와 폭은 각각 13.1cm, 5.3cm였다. 신품종인 ‘Tiny Bell’은 소형 분화용으로 이용 가능할 것이다.