멸강나방은 중국 내 개체군이 북쪽 지역으로 2차 이주를 할 때, 봄철 제트기류를 타고 국내로 유입되는 비래해 충이다. 집단으로 발생 시 벼, 옥수수, 수수 등 여러 작물에 큰 피해를 준다. 2020년과 2021년 북방접경 세 지역(백령 도, 연천, 고성)과 수원 지역에서 성페로몬트랩을 이용하여 멸강나방의 성충 발생 시기를 탐지하였다. 일반적으 로 수원지역은 4월 하순 혹은 5월 상순에 최초 유인되었으나 두 해 여러 지역에서 공통적으로 탐지되는 시기는 6월 초중순이었다. 미국 해양대기청(NOAA)에서 제공하는 역궤적 분석프로그램(HYSPLIT)을 이용하여 각 지 역에서 멸강나방이 포획된 날짜 별 지상 300, 500, 700, 1000 m의 36~72시간 역궤적 분석을 수행하였다. 이후 같은 시기에 중국 내 멸강나방이 분포할 가능성이 높은 지역(32~40 ºN)을 비래 근원지로 추정하였다. 2021년 수원과 백령도에서 공통적으로 산둥성(山东省)이 근원지로 추정되었다. 공통적으로 산둥성(山东省)과 장수성(江苏 省)이 주 비래지로 추정되었고, 추가적으로 백령도는 허베이성(河北省), 수원은 안후이성(安徽省), 허베이성(河 北省), 저장성(浙江省)도 가능성이 있는 지역으로 추정되었다.

The nuclide management technology for separating high-heat generating/high-mobility/long-lived nuclides from high-level wastes based on the chemical reactions is under development. In order to secure the reliability of nuclear non-proliferation and to implement the effective safeguards, it is necessary to consider the safeguards from the conceptual design phase of the novel technologies. However, there was no experience and research on safeguards for the chemical reaction based nuclide management technology. In order to development the available monitoring techniques for the safeguards of nuclide management technology, the possible diversion scenarios were developed and the material flows of major nuclear materials were analyzed according to the various diversion strategies for each unit process in this study. The diversion strategies in this study is limited to the diversion of nuclear materials according to the change of operational parameters (temperature, chemical reagents, pressures, etc). The nuclear material distribution behaviors under the abnormal conditions were analyzed and compared with normal conditions using the HSC Chemistry. The results will be used to determine the proper signals and feasible techniques to monitor the abnormal operations.

The Asian corn borer, Ostrinia furnacalis (Lepidoptera: Crambidae), produces final instar larvae of overwintering stage in response to decreasing day-length and temperature, and then those larvae pupate after about 6-8 month. In this study, we investigated a few properties related to cold hardiness during overwintering of the insect. Overwintering larvae collected in December could survive at least for 16 days at -20oC, while all larvae of a laboratory colony, which was reared at 25oC, 15L/9D, died within 2 hours. Supercooling points of overwintering larvae were below -20oC, and the temperatures were significantly lower than those (ca. -10oC) of the laboratory colony. It was estimated that higher content of hemolymph glycerol is responsible for cold-hardiness as a cryoprotectant during overwintering of O. furnacalis.

Japanese pine sawyer beetle, Monochamus alternatus Hope (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae) is considered as a serious pest in pine trees. To develop an eco-friendly strategy to manage this forest insect, we collected entomopathogenic fungi from Korean soil and assessed their virulence against the adults of the insect in laboratory conditions. As a result, two isolates with conidial suspension (1.0×107conidia/ml), showed 87% and 90% mortality 12 days after fungal treatment, respectively. We assessed the potential of the fungi-derived destruxin and protease as additives to the fungal isolates, and they showed insecticidal activity via feeding and spraying treatments. Finally, we produced fungal conidia in massive solid cultures and formulated wettable powders, and now studying optimal conditions of oil-based formulation with two isolates. Based on these results, we are evaluating the control efficacy of the fungal agents against M. alternatus in field conditions.

As advances in digital technologies (e.g., Apps, QR code, RFID tag) is rapidly changing market environment, marketing researches have extended technology acceptance models in different contexts. Since a supermarket chain, “Home Plus,” in Korea, had opened the first QR code virtual store at the subway platform in 2011, many firms attempt to use QR code technology convergence into their retail business. According to a survey report (Embrian, 2012), QR codes are highly familiar with consumers in Korea, and more than 70% mobile phone users have ever scanned QR codes. Due to ubiquitous nature of QR codes, it is obviously implied that marketers would capitalize the QR code technology on their retail business. Yet, it is skeptical for individuals to adopt QR code virtual store because it is in an infant stage in the retail store context. Therefore, marketers need to predict acceptance and use of QR code virtual store from a consumer perspective. Based on UTAUT (Unified Theory of Acceptance and Use of Technology) suggested by Venkatesh et al. (2003; 2012), this study formulated consumer acceptance model with four core determinants of intentions in the context of QR code virtual stores. Specific objectives are (a) identify perceived value in the context of QR code virtual store; (b) test the changes in consumer perceived value by experience over time; and (c) to predict UTAUT model for consumer acceptance to use QR code virtual store across different time points (i.e., from the time of their initial introduction to stages of experience). A longitudinal field study was conducted at the selected QR code virtual stores among individuals using smart phones. A self-administered questionnaire was developed based on literatures the context of consumer use of QR code virtual store. The multi-item scales of perceived value (i.e., performance expectancy, effort expectance, social influence, and facilitating condition) were adapted from Venkatesh et al.’s (2003) UTAUT constructs. Four items of behavioral intention to use QR code virtual store was developed. All items were measured on 5 points rating scale. Sample in this study was obtained from volunteers who participated in three different points in time: initial experience (T1), one month after first experience (T2) and three months after second experience (T3). Participants were required to visit to an assigned QR code store and do shopping task per each time. Then, they were asked to answer the questions on a survey, and there were 123 valid respondents to the first stage of the field experiment. As removed the respondents who did not participate in T2 or T3 point, a total of 309 pooled data across time (103 each time) were analyzed. The sample represents more females (n=66, 68%) than males (n=31, 32%), aging from 19 to 29 years (mean=21.58 years). Preliminarily, using the data pooled across times, factor analysis was conducted to identify underlying constructs for all research variables. As expected, a factor analysis of perceived value constructs revealed four factors: social influence (5 items), performance expectancy (5 items), effort expectancy (4 items), and facilitating condition (3 items). All factor loadings were ranged from .63 to .86, and all internal consistency reliabilities were greater than .80. Also, a unidimensional behavioral intention (4 items) confirmed to be valid (factor loadings=.88 to .93) and reliable (α=.94). Therefore, it is deemed that content validity and reliability were within acceptable ranges for further analysis. Of the four perceived value constructs, there were significant differences in the effort expectancy (F=7.10, p<.01) and facilitating condition (F=8.22, p<.001) across times of experience. Specifically, the perceive effort expectancy tended to be increased over time, indicating a difference of means between T1 and T2 at the significant level of .01 as a result of Duncan’s post-hoc test. With respect to facilitating condition, the mean tended to be increased over time, but post hoc test indicated a significant difference between T1 and T2. The perceived effort expectancy and facilitating condition tended to be changed in positive from T2 to T3 point, which were not significantly different. Therefore, the finding implies that the second stage of experience (i.e., one month after first experience) is a critical point for consumers to increase perceived value of QR code virtual store as a new retail technology. Otherwise, the other factors, such as social influence, performance expectancy and behavioral intention were not significantly increased during the three times of experience. To predict UTAUT model for consumer acceptance to use QR code virtual store, behavioral intention was served as dependent variable and the four factors of perceived value were served as independent variables in regression analysis. In the initial experience (T1), behavioral intention was significantly predicted by social influence (β=.39, t=4.42, p<.001) and performance expectancy (β=.46, t=4.44, p<.001), which explained for 57% of total variance (F=32.08, p<.001, adjusted R²=.57). In the second experience (T2), behavioral intention was significantly predicted by three factors, such as social influence (β=.43, t=5.91, p<.001), performance expectancy (β=.35, t=4.10, p<.001) and facilitating condition (β=.15, t=2.32, p<.05), accounted for 68 % of total variance (F=52.35, p<.001, adjusted R²=.68). In the three month after second experience (T3), behavioral intention was significantly predicted by social experience (β=.36, t=3.33, p<.01) and performance expectancy (β=.33, t=3.33, p<.001), accounted for 52 % of total variance (F=27.65, p<.001, adjusted R²=.52). This study supports the UTAUT model for consumer acceptance of QR code virtual store over time from a theoretical perspective. It should be noted that social influence and performance expectancy appears to be a determinant of behavioral intention to use in most situations. The effect of facilitating condition on behavioral intention was only significant when experienced in second stage. In addition, future study needs to expend technology acceptance model of virtual store in conjunction with digital technological attributes across different product categories.

The fact that flip-flops, one of many different types of unstable shoes, are light and relatively easy to put on, accounts for their popularity among people. But because flip-flops rely heavily on the support of a single thong between your first and second toes, they impose a huge amount of pressure onto lower leg. Thus in the following experiment we tried to examine the different effects of flip-flops and running shoes in terms of their effect on muscle activity and fatigue of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius during walking. In order to measure an electromyogram we used Free EMG system. 10 men and 10 women in running shoes ran on treadmills for 15 minutes at 4.8km/h, 2 days later the same experiment was carried out, but this time, in flip-flops. p value turned out to be greater than .05 and thus there was no considerable difference between the effects of flip-flops and running shoes on muscle activity and fatigue during walking. Therefore we conclude that despite the fact that flip-flops are considered unstable, their effects on muscle activity and fatigue of tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius are negligible.

FGF9/16/20 signaling pathway specify the developmental fates of notochord, mesenchyme, and neural cells in ascidian embryos. Although a conserved Ras/MEK/Erk/Ets pathway is known to be involved in this signaling, the detailed mechanisms of regulation of FGF signaling pathway have remained largely elusive. In this study, we have isolated Hr-Erf, an ascidian orthologue of vertebrate Erf, to elucidate interactions of transcription factors involved in FGF signaling of the ascidian embryo. The Hr-Erf cDNA encompassed 3110 nucleotides including sequence encoded a predicted polypeptide of 760 amino acids. The polypeptide had the Ets DNA-binding domain in its N-terminal region. In adult animals, Hr-Erf mRNA was predominantly detected in muscle, and at lower levels in ganglion, gills, gonad, hepatopancreas, and stomach by quantitative real-time PCR (QPCR) method. During embryogenesis, Hr-Erf mRNA was detected from eggs to early developmental stage embryos, whereas the transcript levels were decreased after neurula stage. Similar to the QPCR results, maternal transcripts of Hr-Erf was detected in the fertilized eggs by whole-mount in situ hybridization. Maternal mRNA of Hr-Erf was gradually lost from the neurula stage. Zygotic expression of Hr-Erf started in most blastomeres at the 8-cell stage. At gastrula stage, Hr-Erf was specifically expressed in the precursor cells of brain and mesenchyme. When MEK inhibitor was treated, embryos resulted in loss of Hr-Erf expression in mesenchyme cells, and in excess of Hr-Erf in a-line neural cells. These results suggest that zygotic Hr-Erf products are involved in specification of mesenchyme and neural cells.