Aluminum (Al) is one of the most widely applied metals in various industries. Anthropogenic activities of industrial waste result in increased accumulation of Al in natural water resources and aqueous organisms, leading to increased heavy metal pollution in the environment. This will ultimately associate with health risks to all living beings including humans. The present study addresses the possible toxic effects of Al on the motility and regeneration of planarians, using Dugesia japonica as the experimental animal model. Planarians were exposed to varying concentrations of Al (50–1,200 mg/L) for 1 hr, and subsequently evaluated for their motility, seizure-like behaviors, regeneration and alterations of the cell-organelles in their body. Results of the study exhibit that increasing Al concentrations lead to decreased motility and increased seizure-like behaviors, especially the c-type and head bob behaviors in planarians (p<0.05). The regeneration ability in the tail segments was reduced by increased Al concentrations, and the eyespot and optic nerves were more clearly observed in the control groups than planarians exposed to Al. Organelle analysis revealed morphological abnormalities in the mitochondria, golgi apparatus, endoplasmic reticulum, and cilia in the head region of planarians, as compared to the control groups. Taken together, our results indicate that exposure to Al alters the behavior of planarians and delays the regeneration of amputated body parts. Therefore, we suggest that Al exposure adversely can affect the lives of aquatic organisms, and induce toxicity such as cell abnormalities in animals.

Lead (Pb) is a major heavy metal that augments environmental pollution and is a health risk to living organisms. This study was performed to investigate the effect of lead on characteristics of planarian, Dugesia japonica. Briefly, planarians were cultivated in water containing different concentrations (0–400 mg/L) of Pb, and incubated for varying durations (1, 3, and 5 hr). After termination of the incubation time, motility and seizure-like behaviors (c-like, head-bop, snake-like, and screw-like) of the planarians were counted in fresh water. Results showed that increasing Pb concentration and time resulted in decreased motility of the planarians (p<0.05). Increasing concentrations of Pb also resulted in significant increase in the seizure-like behavioral patterns, in particular the c-like and head-bop behaviors. In order to examine eye regeneration, the head region was cut, and rest of the body was incubated in water in the absence or presence of Pb, until emergence of the eye extrusion. Formation of eye spots was initiated in amputated fragments of the control group (without Pb) on day 4 after incubation, whereas appearance of the eye spots was delayed in planarian exposed to 200 mg/L Pb. Moreover, immunohistochemistry revealed that formation of the optic nerve was delayed in planarians exposed to Pb. Thus, our studies determined that planarians exposed to high concentrations of Pb resulted in decreasing motility and induction of seizure-like behaviors, as well as delayed eye regeneration. Results of the current study therefore validate that exposure to lead has a negative effect on the lifespan of aquatic organisms and can cause disturbance of the nervous system in animals, thereby implying the possibility of threatening health.

This study was undertaken to evaluate the toxic effect of cadmium sulfate (Cds) on planarians (Dugesia japonica), and the suitability of planarians as an alternative animal model for toxicity studies. Planarians were exposed to varying concentrations of experimental solutions containing 0.1–25 mg/L Cds, and incubated for 1, 3, and 5 hrs. Motility, seizure-like behaviors (c-like, head-bop, snake-like, and screw-like) and regeneration ability of the amputated fragment were subsequently evaluated. Results showed decreased motility with increasing concentrations of Cds (p<0.05), with the lowest motility being observed at the highest concentration of 25 mg/L Cds. Results also indicate that seizure-like behavior patterns were significantly affected by increments in the Cds concentrations, especially the c-like and head-bop behaviors were notably increased. Compared to the control, the regeneration ability of the planarians was decreased in the experimental solutions containing Cds. Planarians exposed to Cds showed either delayed eye formation or no eye regeneration during incubation. Moreover, increased concentrations of Cds resulted in failure to regenerate and death of the planarians. In conclusion, this study confirm that the heavy metal Cds exerts a toxic effect on planarians. Furthermore, the performances of the planarians in the experimental period exhibit their suitability as an alternative animal model for toxicity studies.

Cyanobacteria (blue green algae) blooms formed in natural water resources due to the environmental pollution produce toxic compounds as secondary metabolites, causing health hazards to both humans and other living beings. Microcystin is a well-known toxin produced by cynobacteria. The present study was undertaken to evaluate varying concentrations and exposure times of two different forms of microcystin, viz., -LR (MCLR) and -LA (MCLA), on the motility and seizure-like behavior of planarian (Dugesia japonica). Compared to control, reduced motility was observed in both the MCLR or MCLA treated groups, but did not differ significantly with increasing concentrations of microcystin. However, the number of seizure-like behaviors were increased dose-dependently in planarian exposed to MLCR or MCLA. Exposure time to microcystine also affected the motility and seizure-like behaviors of planarians; 24 hrs incubation with MCLR, and 48 and 96 hrs exposure to MCLA, showed significantly (p<0.05) lower motility, as compared to the control. Assessing regeneration of the planarians revealed the simultaneous completion of eye formation at day 9 in planarians incubated in the absence or presence of MCLR or MCLA, thereby indicating that exposure to microcystin has no effect on the process. In conclusion, we determined that exposure to microcystins resulted in decrease in the number of motility, and induced abnormal behavior pattern in planarians. Further studies are required to identify the toxicity of microcystin that affects aquatic ecosystems.

본 연구에서는 국내 대표 식육인 소, 돼지, 닭, 오리의4종 식육과 염소, 양, 말, 칠면조의 4종 식육을 동시에 신속하게 감별할 수 있는 2 set의 multiplex PCR법을 개발하고자 미토콘드리아 16S RNA에서 종 특이부위를 선발하고 각 종에 대한 특이도를 높이기 위하여 인위적인 미스매치를 주어 프라이머를 제작한 후 8종 식육의 274개시료를 대상으로 특이도와 민감도를 조사하였다. 그 결과소, 돼지, 닭, 오리 모든 시료에서 각각 279, 94, 192, 477 bp의 증폭산물이, 말, 양, 염소, 칠면조의 모든 시료에서 각각 152 bp, 271 bp, 670 bp, 469 bp에서 뚜렷한 PCR 유전자 산물이 확인되어 모든 축종에서 100%의 특이도를 나타내어 축종별 감별력이 우수한 것으로 나타났다. 8종의 축종별로 DNA를 10 ng/μl으로 정량한 후 혼합물을 10배씩 단계 희석하여 반응여부를 조사한 결과, 소, 돼지, 오리에서는 100 fg까지, 닭에서는 1 pg까지 검출됨을 확인할수 있었다. 소, 돼지, 닭, 오리고기를 99.9%, 99%, 90%,70%, 50%, 30%, 10%, 1%, 0.1%의 비율로 혼합한 식육과 83℃ 20분, 100℃ 30분, 121℃ 10분에서 각각 열처리한 가열 혼합육에 대하여 검출한계를 조사한 결과 마지막단계의 희석 비율인 모든 혼합육의 0.1%에서 검출이 가능하였으며, 열처리 혼합육에서는 닭에서는 1% 농도에서소와 돼지의 혼합육에서 0.1% 농도에서 검출되어 민감도가 높음을 확인할 수 있었다. 본 연구에서 개발된 multiplex PCR법은 특이도 및 민감도에 있어서 국내 대표 식육을 감별하는데 있어서 유용한 것으로 평가된다.

In this study, we investigated and analyzed the registration, sales and regulatory management system of in vitro diagnostic veterinary medical reagents (IVDVMRs) in Korea. The registration of IVDVMRs has gradually increased since 2000, and total of 233 products from 58 companies were registered from 1975 to 2014. The market size of IVDVMRs is estimated to be approximately 12 billion Won per year from 2011 to 2013: the export sales and proportion was estimated to be 36.8% as 4.4 billion Won in 2013. Of these products, the ranking of the sales were canine heartworm, bovine tuberculosis, swine fever, porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, canine distemper+adenovirus+parvovirus disease, foot and mouth disease, etc. In vitro diagnostic human medical reagents were diverted biological medicine from the medical devices by the revision of the Pharmaceutical Affairs Law Enforcement Regulations in 2014 in Korea. In contrast, in vitro diagnostic devices for animal were still managed as medical devices and biological medicines, respectively. The diagnostic reagents for infectious diseases have neither classification nor grade systems. Good manufacturing practices (GMP) requirements on IVDVMRs were also exempted from the current system. This study suggested that the registration of the IVDVMRs has increased since 2005, and regulations of these devices should be improved for the effective operating system.

To elucidate genetic diversity of common reed in Korea, we collected a total of 674 common reed plants from 27 regions in South Korea. Hierarchical clustering using 7 morphological traits divided the 27 common reed populations into 7 groups. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) results identified three distinct groups of common reed. Common reed accessions in group I mostly inhabit coastal areas. Group II includes reeds mostly collected from inland areas. Group III consists of common reed accessions collected from inland and coastal areas, suggesting that this group might contain hybrids. In summary, we suggest that parapatric speciation might be an important factor in the genetic diversity of common reed and geographical speciation of common reed that might be also affected by environmental gradients.