• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.135-137
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• 2003

The carbohydrate moieties of larval sparganum proteins in two different species, the snakes, Elaphe rufodorsata, the Balb/c mouse and those of the adult worm, Spirometra erinacei, were compared using five different lectins including GNA, SNA, MAA, PNA and DSA. The GNA positive 53 kDa molecule, which is excretory-secretory protease in the sparganum from the snake showed a stage specific and developmental regulation. We also suggested that sparganum glycosylation may be involved in immune evasion and differentiation into an adult worm.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.342-347
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• 2005

This study was carried out to examine the distribution and habitat of Bibarl snake (Sibynophis Collaris) from March 1998 to June 2005 in Jeju island, Korea. 5 individuals of Bibari snake were observed on northern part of JeJu, 1 individual on southern area and 2 individuals on western area during research period. As a result, it was revealed that Bibari snake was found on the whole of Jeju island. Its observation was made from May to October, especially frequent from May to July. The body length of adult Bibari snakes were $406{\~}452mm$ and its tail length $29+{\~}202mm. Considering of number and shape of supralabials and number of temporals, the characters of Bibari snake were similar to those of S. chinensis. Therefore it seems need to reconstruct taxonomic position of Bibari snake. From a vertical viewpoint of Mt. Halla, Biabri snake prefers to stay on the grassland 600m below the sea. Consequently, it Is suggested that grassland be well-reserved for the protection of Bibari snakes.

• Korean Journal of Organic Agriculture
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.617-627
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• 2013

This study was conducted to survey the current pest occurrence and grower's pest management practices, and to investigate biodiversity including birds, snakes, rodents, and amphibians in organic pear orchards. From the questionnaires and field survey of 22 organic orchards in 2010, the materials such as lime sulphur, plant extracts and their mixtures with microorganisms, and oils were preferred over insecticides. Scab, mealybugs, woollybugs and barkminers were the major pests for organic pear growers. Environment-friendly fungicides and insecticides were applied 9 to 10 and 5 to 6 times respectively. Incidence and severity of scab on Niitaka pear fruits in organic orchards was higher than in conventional ones. Whereas for mealybugs there was no significant difference between organic and conventional orchards. Pear fruits in organic orchards were significantly smaller than those of non-organic orchards. For the biodiversity of amphibians, snakes, pheasants, and rodents, there was no significant difference between organic and conventional orchards, but Rufous turtle doves were monitored more in organic areas than in conventional ones.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.115-122
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• 2013

Disease diagnostics based on medical imaging is getting popularity day by day. Presence of the atherosclerosis is one of the causes of narrowing of carotid arteries which may block partially or fully blood flow into the brain. Serious brain strokes may occur due to such types of blockages in blood flow. Early detection of the plaque and taking precautionary steps in this regard may prevent from such type of serious strokes. In this paper, we present an automatic image segmentation technique for carotid artery ultrasound images based on active contour approach. In our experimental study, we assume that ultrasound images are properly aligned before applying automatic image segmentation. We have successfully applied the automatic segmentation of carotid artery ultrasound images using snake based model. Qualitative comparison of the proposed approach has been made with the manual initialization of snakes for carotid artery image segmentation. Our proposed approach successfully segments the carotid artery images in an automated way to help radiologists to detect plaque easily. Obtained results show the effectiveness of the proposed approach.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.57-67
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• 1998

In order to extract the contour of interesting object in the image, Kass suggested the Active Contour Model called "Snakes" The speed of this model is slow and this model is sensitive of initialization. In order to improve these problems, Gunn extracted the accurate contour by using two initializations, and operated to less sensitive of initialization. This method could extract more accurate contour than the existing method, but it had no effect in the speed and it was sensitive of noise. This paper applied to the Energy Minimization Algorithm about only the pixel within the window applying the window of $8{\times}8$ size at each contour point consisting Snakes in order to solve these problems. In order to less sensitive of noise which exists within image, it suggests a method that moves the window to vertical direction for the gradient of each contour point.our point.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.45 no.3
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• pp.191-198
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• 2007

A total of 205 larval gnathostomes were collected from 18 (22.5%) of 80 red banded odd-tooth snakes, Dinodon rufozonatum rufozonatum, which had been smuggled from China and confiscated at Customs in Susan, Republic of Korea. In order to identify the species, some of the larvae were observed by a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The larvae were $2.18{\times}0.29mm$ in average size, and had a pair of lips at the anterior end, a muscular esophagus, 2 pairs of cervical sacs, and brownish intestines. The head bulb was characteristically equipped with 4 rows of hooklets; the average number of hooklets in each respective row was 38.6, 40.5, 41.5, and 43.7. In SEM views, the mouth evidenced a pair of lateral lips of equal size in a half-moon shape. Each lip featured a couple of labial papillae and a small amphid located between the 2 papillae. The hooklets on the head bulb had single-pointed, posteriorly-curved tips. The cuticular spines were larger and more densely distributed on the anterior part of the body, and decreased gradually in size and number toward the posterior body. On the basis of these morphological characteristics, the larvae were identified as the third stage larvae of Gnathostoma hispidum.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.657-663
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• 2014

This study was conducted to investigate the difference in feeding habits of Red-Tongued Viper Snakes, according to available foods sources and areas. The effects of differences in food sources were found on Red-Tongued Viper Snake inhabited in the Jeju Island and its islet Gapado, from May 2006 to Nov. 2010. The food sources for the Red-Tongued viper snake population in the Jeju Island were found to be as follows: Chinese red-headed centipedes (Scolopendra subspinipes mutilans), Jeju Salamanders (Hynobius quelpaertensis), Japanese tree Frogs (Hyla japonica), Narrow-mouthed Toad (Kaloula borealis), Dybowski's Brown Frogs (Rana dybowskii), Black-spotted Pond Frogs (Rana nigromaculata), Smooth Skinks (Scincella vandenburghi), Asian Keelback Snakes (Amphiesma vibakari), Lesser White-toothed Shrews (Crosidura shantungensis), Hallasan Shrews (Sorex caecutiens hallamontanus), and Jeju Striped Field Mice (Apodemus chejuensis). This implies that Red-Tongued Viper Snakes mainly feed on amphibians, reptiles, and small mammals. Among these, amphibians occupied the highest portion at 55.2% followed by mammals at 20.7%, centipedes at 13.8%, and reptiles at 10.3%. On the contrary, Red-tongued viper snake population in Gapado only feed on Chinese red-headed centipedes and Smooth Skinks (S. vandenburghi). Since only a small amount of nutrient can be obtained from Chinese red-headed centipeds or Smooth Skinks, this feeding habit for Red-tongued viper snake would adversely effect on the growth or regeneration. The reason why Red-Tongued viper snake population in the Gapado mainly feed on Lizard and Centipedes in spite of relatively various available food sources, might be due to the low density of other food sources in the Gapado. Red-Tongued viper snake could be feeding on foods that are low in quality but are easily accessible, to minimize energy consumption on searching for other more nutritious foods. A snake tends to select the size of its food depending on the size of its own head. The positive correlation was found between the size of the heads of Red-Tongued viper snakes from the Jeju island and the diameter of their foods. The head size was larger in the males than females in viper snake population from the Jeju Island, which might effect on their selection of foods. However, no significant difference was found between the sizes of the head and the food in the Red-Tongued viper snake population from the Gapado. The findings of this study would provide meaningful data, which directly shows that even within the same viper species they choose different available food sources according to their inhabitance. This leads to their growth and adaptation to their environment which is beneficial for sustaining of its population.

• Animal Systematics, Evolution and Diversity
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.148-152
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• 2016

The Chinese sea snake Laticauda semifasciata (Reinwardt in Schlegel, 1837) is newly reported from Korean waters based on three specimens collected from Jeju Island, Korea, in August, September, and November 2015. This is the first time that the genus Laticauda and subfamily Laticaudinae has been reported from Korean waters. The subfamily Laticaudinae has ventrals that are four to five times wider than the adjacent dorsals, which are unlike the ventrals that are similar or up to two times wider than adjacent dorsals in the subfamily Hydrophiinae. Laticauda semifasciata is distinct from other species because it has three prefrontals and its rostrals are horizontally divided into two. As the result of this report, four species (L. semifasciata, Hydrophis (Pelamis) platurus, Hydrophis cyanocinctus, and H. melanocephalus) of sea snakes have been reported in Korean waters.

• Korean Journal of Child Studies
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.55-69
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to describe preschoolers' perceptions of fear from their own perspective. Qualitative data from 213 preschoolers 4 to 6 years of age were obtained by semi-structured interviews. The fear inventory was analyzed by content analysis and frequency. The most common fears of preschoolers in this study were fear of ferocious animals and imaginary figures, such as tigers, lions, snakes, spirits and ghosts. Fear of ghosts was the primary fear of both boys and girls. Results showed that most fears were caused by disgust-related visual images. Worry about injury and pain was another common pathway to fear. At-risk preschoolers scored significantly higher than normal preschoolers on fears of criticism and getting an injection.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.33-42
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• 1976

The blood proteins of ten reptilian species were studied by cellulose acetate elctrophoresis. Three members examined of the genus Agkistrodon have unusually similar patterns in plasma protein, hemoglobin, lactate dehydrogenase and malate dehydrogenase. On the basis of their electrophoretic patterns, it was concluded that Agkistrodon blomhoffii brevicaudus was closely related to the others. In general the plasma protein patterns reflect species specificity. Under the conditions employed, all snakes had a single hemoglobin band except Dinodon rufozonatum rufozonatum which showing two component patterns. Two members of the Chelonia showed four bands of hemoglobin. The zymograms indicated a distinct divergence in blood proteins of the Squamata from those of the Chelonia. The results reflected superficially the established phylogenies of these groups.