• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.363-371
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• 2018

Tiarella polyphylla D. Don is a native plant distributed only in Ulleung Island in Korea and has been traditionally used for medicinal purposes, although it is also used ornamentally. This study was conducted to determine the requirements for dormancy break and germination and to classify the type of seed dormancy. The experiments were performed with cold stratification (0 or 12 weeks at $5^{\circ}C$), warm stratification (0, 4, 8, or 12 weeks at $23^{\circ}C$, followed by 8 weeks at $5^{\circ}C$, and then incubation at $23^{\circ}C$), and $GA_3$ treatments (0, 10, 100, or 1000 mg/L). The treated seeds were incubated on aseptic media at room chamber ($23^{\circ}C$, a 16h photoperiod of fluorescent lamps with $40{\mu}mol{\cdot}m^{-2}{\cdot}s^{-1}$). The seeds were dispersed in nature as underdeveloped embryos with no physical barrier to absorb water to prevent water absorption. However, the seeds did not germinate for 30 days after sowing without any pre-treatments. Thus, the seeds had morphological dormancy (MD) and physiological dormancy (PD). The final germination percentage following cold stratification (0 or 12 weeks) was 66.7% and 45.6%, respectively. The cold stratification delayed seed germination by about 3 weeks. In the warm stratification experiment (0, 4, 8, or 12 weeks), the final germination percentage was 21.1%, 27.8%, 41.1%, and 57.8%, respectively, 20 weeks after sowing. The embryos of the T. polyphylla seed grew in relatively warm temperatures ($23^{\circ}C$). $GA_3$ application overcame seed dormancy and promoted germination. Following $GA_3$ treatment (0, 10, 100, or 1000 mg/L), the final germination percentage was 33.3%, 45.0%, 42.5%, and 72.5%, respectively. These results suggest that the T. polyphylla seeds had non-deep simple morphophysiological dormancy (MPD) and $GA_3$ treatment could be used as a substitute for warm stratification for breaking seed dormancy. To our knowledge, this is the first report of seed dormancy characteristics of the genus Tiarella native to Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.29-34
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• 2021

Purpose Sample reception environment system in nuclear medicine has not changed much compared to 20 years ago. When preparing sample for in vitro test, there was no significant change because the test was carried out by generating an own specimen from the parent specimen. In this study, We would like to introduce a method that automatically removes the sample cap using the automated decapper equipment and enables automatic reception at the same time. In addition, including a provisional reception system. Materials and Methods In 2019, it was intended to get a device that automatically removes the cap of a patient's blood sample. This equipment is the same as the equipment used in the Department of Laboratory Medicine (Vacuette Ⓡ Unicap Belt Decapper, Greiner bio-one, Austria). However, the purchase was delayed due to differences in tube size, budget, and space. In January 2020, we borrowed domestic automatic decapper equipment and modified it to suit our laboratory environment. After 9 months, we were able to introduce a system that automatically removes the lid of a patient's blood sample and at the same time automatically accepts the test. And, through the provisional reception system, it was possible to know the arrival of the specimen in a short time. Results With the use of an automatic decapper device, the sample cap was automatically removed, and the reception proceeded at the same time. So, it was very efficient at work because it shortened the sample preparation time by about 20 minutes. In addition, it was possible to prevent the examiner's musculoskeletal disorders caused by repeated wrist use. After using the provisional reception system, patients were able to be discharged quickly, and the number of phone calls to confirm the arrival of samples was reduced. Conclusion Most hospitals have about four employees in the nuclear medicine in vitro laboratory. It is effective to use automatic decapper equipment and a provisional reception system for organizations that perform work with the minimum number of personnel.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.36 no.6
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• pp.582-591
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• 2022

This study was conducted to eliminate Myocastor coypusMolina, 1782 (Nutria) from Jeju Special Self-Governing Province, South Korea. Habitat identification and eradication were carried out from September to November 2013, and a survey was carried out until June 2022 to check whether the eradication was successful. The habitat was identified with unmanned cameras, interviews, and literature surveys, and the capture was performed using the trapping method with food to attract nutria to the habitat area. The study area for the follow-up survey, which was set relatively wide considering nutria's home range, included wetlands and rivers within 4.0 km² of the habitat area (eradication area). As a result, nutria's habitat was confirmed only at Songdang Ranch, Songdang-ri, of Jeju Island, with traces of habitat (footprints, excrement, and burrows) confirmed in waterways and ponds within the pasture. Eight individuals were captured, including four females, three males, and one individual in too advanced a state of decay to identify the sex. The follow-up survey thoroughly investigated the habitat and its surroundings, focusing on three areas with permanent water, Seongeup Reservoir, Cheonmi Creek, and Molsuni Pond, but no signs of habitat were identified. Therefore, it is determined that nutria inhabiting Jeju Island has been completely eradicated. It is believed that the successful eradication of nutria in the Jeju Special Autonomous Region was possible due to a synergy between 1) the eradication of nutria at the beginning of the settlement phase through rapid capture after confirming the nutria habitat and 2) the delayed expansion period because of rare presence of wetlands, where water is constantly stagnant, on Jeju Island. These results imply that quickly identifying the ecological characteristics of the species and preventing disturbances before they or at the beginning of the ecological disturbance through control and eradication at the initial stage of settlement before the expansion stage is an effective measure to cope with the influx of alien species.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Inherited Metabolic disease
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.25-30
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• 2023

Leigh syndrome is a rare progressive neurodegenerative mitochondrial disorder with clinical and genetic heterogeneity. Recently, balletic IARS2 variants have been identified in a number of patients presenting broad clinical phenotypes from Leigh and West syndrome to a rare syndrome CAGSSS characterized by cataracts, growth hormone deficiency, sensory neuropathy, sensorineural hearing loss, and skeletal dysplasia syndrome (OMIM#616007). We describe a child with Korean Leigh syndrome with urologic manifestations resulting from a compound heterozygote mutation in IARS2. A 5-year-old girl visited the emergency room with a complaint of abdominal pain accompanied by abdominal distension. Abdominal-pelvic CT showed a markedly distended urinary bladder without definite obstructive lesions. She was diagnosed with neurogenic bladder dysfunction based on a urodynamic study. She had global delayed development due to neurologic regression after 6 months of age and a history of bilateral cataract surgery at the age of 2 years. Her brain magnetic resonance imaging showed symmetrically increased signal intensities in the bilateral putamen and caudate nuclei with diffuse cerebral atrophy. No gene variants were identified through whole-mitochondrial genome analysis. Whole exome sequencing was performed for diagnosis, and compound heterozygous pathogenic variants were identified in IARS2: c.2446C>T (p. Arg816Ter) and c.2450G>A (p. Arg817His). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of bladder dysfunction manifestation in a patient with IARS2-related Leigh syndrome. Thus, it broadens the clinical and genetic spectrum of IARS2-associated diseases.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.34-40
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• 2021

Purpose If a new test is introduced or reagents are changed in the laboratory of a medical institution, the characteristics of the test should be analyzed according to the procedure and the assessment of reagents should be made. However, several necessary conditions must be met to perform all required comparative evaluations, first enough samples should be prepared for each test, and secondly, various reagents applicable to the comparative evaluations must be supplied. Even if enough comparative evaluations have been done, there is a limit to the fact that the data variation for the new reagent represents the overall patient data variation, The fact puts a burden on the laboratory to the change the reagent. Due to these various difficulties, reagent changes in the laboratory are limited. In order to introduce a competitive bid, the institute conducted a full investigation of Radioimmunoassay(RIA) reagents for each test and established the range of reagents available in the laboratory through comparative evaluations. We wanted to share this process. Materials and Methods There are 20 items of tests conducted in our laboratory except for consignment tests. For each test, RIA reagents that can be used were fully investigated with the reference to external quality control report. and the manuals for each reagent were obtained. Each reagent was checked for the manual to check the test method, Incubation time, sample volume needed for the test. After that, the primary selection was made according to whether it was available in this laboratory. The primary selected reagents were supplied with 2kits based on 100tests, and the data correlation test, sensitivity measurement, recovery rate measurement, and dilution test were conducted. The secondary selection was performed according to the results of the comparative evaluation. The reagents that passed the primary and secondary selections were submitted to the competitive bidding list. In the case of reagent is designated as a singular, we submitted a explanatory statement with the data obtained during the primary and secondary selection processes. Results Excluded from the primary selection was the case where TAT was expected to be delayed at the moment, and it was impossible to apply to our equipment due to the large volume of reagents used during the test. In the primary selection, there were five items which only one reagent was available.(squamous cell carcinoma Ag(SCC Ag), β-human chorionic gonadotropin(β-HCG), vitamin B12, folate, free testosterone), two reagents were available(CA19-9, CA125, CA72-4, ferritin, thyroglobulin antibody(TG Ab), microsomal antibody(Mic Ab), thyroid stimulating hormone-receptor-antibody(TSH-R-Ab), calcitonin), three reagents were available (triiodothyronine(T3), Tree T3, Free T4, TSH, intact parathyroid hormone(intact PTH)) and four reagents were available are carcinoembryonic antigen(CEA), TG. In the secondary selection, there were eight items which only one reagent was available.(ferritin, TG, CA19-9, SCC, β-HCG, vitaminB12, folate, free testosterone), two reagents were available(TG Ab, Mic Ab, TSH-R-Ab, CA125, CA72-4, intact PTH, calcitonin), three reagents were available(T3, Tree T3, Free T4, TSH, CEA). Reasons excluded from the secondary selection were the lack of reagent supply for comparative evaluations, the problems with data reproducibility, and the inability to accept data variations. The most problematic part of comparative evaluations was sample collection. It didn't matter if the number of samples requested was large and the capacity needed for the test was small. It was difficult to collect various concentration samples in the case of a small number of tests(100 cases per month or less), and it was difficult to conduct a recovery rate test in the case of a relatively large volume of samples required for a single test(more than 100 uL). In addition, the lack of dilution solution or standard zero material for sensitivity measurement or dilution tests was one of the problems. Conclusion Comparative evaluation for changing test reagents require appropriate preparation time to collect diverse and sufficient samples. In addition, setting the total sample volume and reagent volume range required for comparative evaluations, depending on the sample volume and reagent volume required for one test, will reduce the burden of sample collection and planning for each comparative evaluation.