• Journal of People, Plants, and Environment
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.293-304
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• 2020

Background and objective: This study was carried out to assess the relationship between the internal and external environments and the ecological items in five sites with a high level of artificial use intensity prior to the establishment of Geumgang River riparian ecological belts. Methods: The sites were classified into forest type, cultivated land type and urbanized type in accordance with their respective locational types. Ecological items including plant ecology such as proportion, naturalization index and urbanization index of native species were analyzed and animal ecology such as the number of species and population of wild birds, amphibians and reptiles, mammals, and butterflies and dragonflies, which are indicator insects, were investigated. In addition, species diversity indices of wild birds, butterflies and dragonflies found in all the subject lands were computed. Results: Among the plant ecological items, the ratio of native species in the forest type was higher than 90%, which was a satisfactory level, while the naturalization and urbanization indices were less than 10%. The number of species in the animal ecological characteristics was reduced in the order of forest type, cultivated land type and urbanized type. As the results of correlation analysis, the internal area of the planted area showed a negative correlation with the total of individuals. The area of grasslands showed a positive correlation with the number of dragonfly species and the total number of individuals, thereby illustrating that wet grasslands have positive effects. The area of surrounding forests, as an external environment, had a negative correlation with the urbanization index (UI) but a positive correlation with the inhabitation of butterflies and the total number of species. Conclusion: The results confirmed the need for more diversified special compositions including planted land, grassland, wetland, bodies of water and waterways within the subject land in the wetland ecological belt along with the need for surrounding forest location and preservation from the perspective of purchase and restoration of land for enhancement of wider biodiversity in the future.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.1150-1169
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• 2023

Edible insects are gaining popularity as a potential future food source because of their high protein content and efficient use of space. Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) are noteworthy because they can be used as feed for various animals including reptiles, dogs, fish, chickens, and pigs. However, if the edible insect industry is to advance, we should use automation to reduce labor and increase production. Consequently, there is a growing demand for sensing technologies that can automate the evaluation of insect quality. This study used short-wave infrared (SWIR) hyperspectral imaging to predict the proximate composition of dried BSFL, including moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and crude ash content. The larvae were dried at various temperatures and times, and images were captured using an SWIR camera. A partial least-squares regression (PLSR) model was developed to predict the proximate content. The SWIR-based hyperspectral camera accurately predicted the proximate composition of BSFL from the best preprocessing model; moisture, crude protein, crude fat, crude fiber, and crude ash content were predicted with high accuracy, with R² values of 0.89 or more, and root mean square error of prediction values were within 2%. Among preprocessing methods, mean normalization and max normalization methods were effective in proximate prediction models. Therefore, SWIR-based hyperspectral cameras can be used to create automated quality management systems for BSFL.

• International Journal of Oral Biology
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• v.49 no.2
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• pp.48-52
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• 2024

This study explores the histological features and Bmp4 expression patterns in the replaced tooth germ of Xenopus laevis. Tooth germ formation starts from the dental placode through epithelial-mesenchymal interactions, involving various signaling pathways such as Fgf, Shh, Bmp, and Wnt. In mice, Bmp4 expression in the dental placode inhibits Pax9 expression in the dental mesenchyme. Although absent in the presumptive dental lamina of birds and toothless mammals, Bmp4 remains conserved in reptiles and fish owing to gene duplication. However, its expression in amphibian tooth germs is poorly understood. Three-month-old X. laevis were employed in this study. Initially, samples underwent paraffin embedding and were sectioned into 5 or 12 ㎛ ribbons for H&E staining and in situ hybridization, respectively. Results revealed teeth appearing in two maxillary rows: the labial side, with prefunctional and functional teeth, and the lingual side, with replaced tooth germs behind functional teeth. Enameloid was observed between the inner dental epithelium and dental mesenchyme at the cap or early bell stages, whereas enamel and dentin formed during the late bell or mineralization stages from the replaced tooth germ. Bmp4 expression was evident in the inner dental epithelium (ameloblasts), dental papilla (odontoblasts), stellate reticulum, and Hertwig's epithelial root sheath. Overall, these findings highlight the conservation of Bmp4 expression in X. laevis tooth development.

• Proceedings of the National Institute of Ecology of the Republic of Korea
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.76-85
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• 2024

The purpose of this study is to propose a new method of analysis focusing on interconnections between species rather than traditional biodiversity analysis, which represents ecosystems in terms of species and individual counts such as species diversity and species richness. This new approach aims to enhance our understanding of ecosystem networks. Utilizing data from the 4th National Natural Environment Survey (2014-2018), the following eight taxonomic groups were targeted for our study: herbaceous plants, woody plants, butterflies, Passeriformes birds, mammals, reptiles & amphibians, freshwater fishes, and benthonic macroinvertebrates. A co-occurrence frequency analysis was conducted using nationwide data collected over five years. As a result, in all eight taxonomic groups, the degree value represented by a linear regression trend line showed a slope of 0.8 and the weighted degree value showed an exponential nonlinear curve trend line with a coefficient of determination (R²) exceeding 0.95. The average value of the clustering coefficient was also around 0.8, reminiscent of well-known social phenomena. Creating a combination set from the species list grouped by temporal information such as survey date and spatial information such as coordinates or grids is an easy approach to discern species distributed regionally and locally. Particularly, grouping by species or taxonomic groups to produce data such as co-occurrence frequency between survey points could allow us to discover spatial similarities based on species present. This analysis could overcome limitations of species data. Since there are no restrictions on time or space, data collected over a short period in a small area and long-term national-scale data can be analyzed through appropriate grouping. The co-occurrence frequency analysis enables us to measure how many species are associated with a single species and the frequency of associations among each species, which will greatly help us understand ecosystems that seem too complex to comprehend. Such connectivity data and graphs generated by the co-occurrence frequency analysis of species are expected to provide a wealth of information and insights not only to researchers, but also to those who observe, manage, and live within ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.381-396
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• 2017

Understanding species distribution plays an important role in conservation as well as evolutionary biology. In this study, we applied a species distribution model to predict hotspot areas and habitat characteristics for endangered herpetofauna species in South Korea: the Korean Crevice Salamander (Karsenia koreana), Suweon-tree frog (Hyla suweonensis), Gold-spotted pond frog (Pelophylax chosenicus), Narrow-mouthed toad (Kaloula borealis), Korean ratsnake (Elaphe schrenckii), Mongolian racerunner (Eremias argus), Reeve's turtle (Mauremys reevesii) and Soft-shelled turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis). The Kori salamander (Hynobius yangi) and Black-headed snake (Sibynophis chinensis) were excluded from the analysis due to insufficient sample size. The results showed that the altitude was the most important environmental variable for their distribution, and the altitude at which these species were distributed correlated with the climate of that region. The predicted distribution area derived from the species distribution modelling adequately reflected the observation site used in this study as well as those reported in preceding studies. The average AUC value of the eigh species was relatively high ($0.845{\pm}0.08$), while the average omission rate value was relatively low ($0.087{\pm}0.01$). Therefore, the species overlaying model created for the endangered species is considered successful. When merging the distribution models, it was shown that five species shared their habitats in the coastal areas of Gyeonggi-do and Chungcheongnam-do, which are the western regions of the Korean Peninsula. Therefore, we suggest that protection should be a high priority in these area, and our overall results may serve as essential and fundamental data for the conservation of endangered amphibian and reptiles in Korea.

• 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.

• BMB Reports
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• v.40 no.5
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• pp.773-782
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• 2007

Different isolates of the soil bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis produce multiple crystal (Cry) proteins toxic to a variety of insects, nematodes and protozoans. These insecticidal Cry toxins are known to be active against specific insect orders, being harmless to mammals, birds, amphibians, and reptiles. Due to these characteristics, genes encoding several Cry toxins have been engineered in order to be expressed by a variety of crop plants to control insectpests. The cotton boll weevil, Anthonomus grandis, and the fall armyworm, Spodoptera frugiperda, are the major economically devastating pests of cotton crop in Brazil, causing severe losses, mainly due to their endophytic habit, which results in damages to the cotton boll and floral bud structures. A cry1Ia-type gene, designated cry1Ia12, was isolated and cloned from the Bt S811 strain. Nucleotide sequencing of the cry1Ia12 gene revealed an open reading frame of 2160 bp, encoding a protein of 719 amino acid residues in length, with a predicted molecular mass of 81 kDa. The amino acid sequence of Cry1Ia12 is 99% identical to the known Cry1Ia proteins and differs from them only in one or two amino acid residues positioned along the three domains involved in the insecticidal activity of the toxin. The recombinant Cry1Ia12 protein, corresponding to the cry1Ia12 gene expressed in Escherichia coli cells, showed moderate toxicity towards first instar larvae of both cotton boll weevil and fall armyworm. The highest concentration of the recombinant Cry1Ia12 tested to achieve the maximum toxicities against cotton boll weevil larvae and fall armyworm larvae were 230 ${\mu}g/mL$ and 5 ${\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The herein demonstrated insecticidal activity of the recombinant Cry1Ia12 toxin against cotton boll weevil and fall armyworm larvae opens promising perspectives for the genetic engineering of cotton crop resistant to both these devastating pests in Brazil.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.113-120
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• 2000

Herpetofauna biodiversity was surveyed at the Chin-do. The results are as follows: During census periods presence of 2 orders, 4 families, 6 species of amphibians and 1 order, 2 suborders, 4 families, 8 species of reptiles were observed or found indirectly by auditorial recording from residents at the Chin-do. Among them 1 protected wildlife(Agkistrodon saxatilis) and several rare species such as Takydromus wolteri, Sciucella laterale laterale and Zamenis spinalis were indentified. Rana nigromaculata and Rana catesbeiana were found in all surveyed areas. Dominant amphibian species was Rana rugosa (D'= 25.8%) and reptile was Takydromus wolteri (D'= 21.8%). Among 4 areas survey area, Uisin-myon showed the highest level of species richness, diversity, and evenness indices (R'= 2.393, H'= 1.931, and E'= 0.7772, respectively). The species richness of Kunnae-myon was lower (R'= 0.932) than other surveyed regions. Based on the frequency of occurrence (85.71%), habitation density of Rana catesbeiana was very common in Chin-do, suggesting that spreading of this foreign species in the entire Korean peninsula. Scincella laterale laterale, Elaphe dione, Elaphe rufodorsata, Dinodon rufozonatus rufozonatus, Rhabdophis tigrinus tigrinus, Agkistrodon ussuriensis, and Zamenis spinalis showed low frequency of occurrence ( < 10%) and efforts to protect them are required. [Herpetofauna, Bio-diversity, Chin-Do].

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.67-76
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• 1971

The excretion of uric acid in man has been of great interest because of its importance as an end product in purine metabolism as well as of its role in causing gout. There are many differences in the modes of renal handling of urate among various species of animals. Uric acid actively secreted by the renal tubules of most vertebrate including amphibians, reptiles, and birds. On the other hand, in most mammals net tubular reabsorption of urate appears to be occurred with some exception, such, as Dalmatian dog. In the rabbits, however, the mechanism of renal excretion of uric acid has long been a subject of controversial results. Within a given group it was possible to find individuals with either net secretion or net reabsorption of urate depend on the experimental conditions. Excretion of urate can be depressed or enhanced by a variety of drugs belonging mainly to the aromatic acid group. Diodrast, probenecid, cinchophen and salicylates have been reported as uricosuric agents, on the other hand, lactate, benzoate, pyrazinoic acid, acetazolamide and chlorothiazide are known to be contraindicated to use for the patient with gout since these agents depress the excretion of uric acid from the kidney. However, complex and sometimes the paradoxical effects on the urate excretion by those above mentioned drugs are not uncommon. The experiments were designed to investigate the mechanisms of renal handling of urate as well as the effects of variety of drugs on the tubular transport of uric acid in the rabbits. Male or female white rabbits, from 1.5 to 2.5 kg in weight, were used. The experimental methods used in these studies were clearance, stop-flow, and retrograde injection techniques. The effects of saline, salicylate, chlorothiazide and probenecid were investigated in each experimental conditions. Results of the experiments were summarized as follows; 1. In the rabbits, the rate of urate clearance was always lower than the rate of inulin clearance. The filtration fraction of the urate was one third on an average, therefore, it is estimated that approximately two thirds of filtered urate was reabsorbed. 2. In the kidneys of rabbits, the urate clearance was increased significantly by administration of chlorothiazide and decreased by probenecid. The administration of salicylate had no effect on the rate of urate clearance. The filtration fraction of urate was increased by chlorothiazide and decreased by probenecid. 3. In the stop-flow studies, the U/P ratio of urate was higher than the U/P ratio of inulin in the proximal region, indicating the secretion of uric acid in the proximal tubules. The proximal peak was increased by chlorothiazide and inhibited by probenecid.4. In the retrograde injection studies, the reabsorption of urate in the proximal region was observed, and these reabsorptive transport of urate was depressed by either probenecid or by chlorothiazide. 5. No distal tubular activity was observed under any of these experimental conditions concerning urate transport. The results of these experiments show that probenecid inhibits both secretory and reabsorptive transport of uric acid in the kidney of the rabbits. The enhancement of secretory transport of urate by chlorothiazide in the clearance study was due to the secondary action of chlorothiazide which inhibits the reabsorptive transport of urate in the proximal tubules. It is evident that the urate transport in the kidneys of rabbits is bidirectional nondiffusive flux both secretory and reabsorptive directions in the proximal tubules.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.105 no.2
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• pp.268-273
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• 2016

This study was conducted to clarify the differences in habitat structure and amphibian and reptile (herpetofauna) populations between before and after thinning in the coniferous and deciduous forests from June to September 2014 and 2015 at the Mt. Maewha of Hongcheon, Gangwon province, Korea. Forest structure was dramatically changed after thinning. Coverage of understory and mid-story were decreased while volume and number of downed trees were increased after thinning. We used line transect sampling method on a total of 4 transect lines, 2 lines in each forest type. 119 individuals of 5 amphibian species and 5 individuals of 3 reptile species were recorded. Mean number of amphibian species were decreased after thiining in the coniferous forest. There was no observed reptiles after thinning in the coniferous and deciduous forests. Detailed monitoring with different area, frequency and intensity might be needed to clarify more precise differences characterisitics of herpetofauna by thinning.