• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.52 no.4
• /
• pp.377-381
• /
• 2014

Microscopy is considered as the gold standard for malaria diagnosis although its wide application is limited by the requirement of highly experienced microscopists. PCR and serological tests provide efficient diagnostic performance and have been applied for malaria diagnosis and research. The aim of this study was to investigate the diagnostic performance of nested PCR and a recently developed an ELISA-based new rapid diagnosis test (RDT), NovaLisa test kit, for diagnosis of malaria infection, using microscopic method as the gold standard. The performance of nested-PCR as a malaria diagnostic tool is excellent with respect to its high accuracy, sensitivity, specificity, and ability to discriminate Plasmodium species. The sensitivity and specificity of nested-PCR compared with the microscopic method for detection of Plasmodium falciparum, Plasmodium vivax, and P. falciparum/P. vivax mixed infection were 71.4 vs 100%, 100 vs 98.7%, and 100 vs 95.0%, respectively. The sensitivity and specificity of the ELISA-based NovaLisa test kit compared with the microscopic method for detection of Plasmodium genus were 89.0 vs 91.6%, respectively. NovaLisa test kit provided comparable diagnostic performance. Its relatively low cost, simplicity, and rapidity enables large scale field application.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
• /
• v.15 no.4
• /
• pp.61-80
• /
• 2012

This study is to offer the basic data for restoration and conservation of wetland ecosystem by surveying and analysing the flora distributed in the Binae marsh, Namhan River, Chungju-si. The flora in the Binae marsh were verified 204 taxa including 48 families, 152 genera, 179 species, 23 varieties and 2 forms. In flora, pteridophyta were 2 taxa including 1 family, 1 genus and 2 species, among angiospermae, dicotyledonae were 153 taxa including 37 families, 110 genera, 138 species, 13 varieties and 2 forms and monocotyledonae were 49 taxa including 10 families, 41 genera, 39 species and 10 varieties. In the result of classifying the life form of flora, megaphanerophytes (M), nanophanerophytes (N) and chamaiphytes (Ch) were each 9 taxa (4.4%), 37 taxa (18.1%) of hemicryptophytes (H), 19 taxa (9.3%) of geophytes (G), 97 taxa (47.6%) of therophytes (Th) and 24 taxa (11.8%) of hydrophytes (HH). The rare plant designated by Korea Forest Service was 1 taxa (Aristolochia contorta), and the endemic plant was 1 taxa (Salix koriyanagi) too. The specific plants by floristic region were 6 taxa. From among these, the species of degree I were 5 taxa including Salix chaenomeloides, Aristolochia contorta, Artemisia selengensis, Cirsium pendulum and Vallisneria natans, and degree III was 1 taxa including Alisma orientale. The naturalized plants were 45 taxa and the invasive alien plants were 3 taxa including Sicyos angulatus, Ambrosia artemisiifolia and Ambrosia trifida. The naturalized index (NI) was about 22.1%, 16.1% of urbanized index (UI) and 27.3% of disturbed index (DI). The extinct species by construction were 17 taxa including Persicaria sagittata, Typha orientalis, Zizania latifolia and so forth. The new-occured species were 14 taxa including Brassica juncea, Thlaspi arvense, Carduus crispus and so forth. The important species among the extinct species were Aristolochia contorta, Alisma orientale and Vallisneria natans.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.47 no.2
• /
• pp.112-118
• /
• 2017

Achillea alpina L. subsp. pulchra (Koidz.) Kitam., an unrecorded subspecies belonging to the genus Achillea of Asteraceae, was discovered and is illustrated here. It is known as an endemic species of Hokkaido, Japan, but we discovered it along the seashore at Uljin in Gyeongsangbuk-do, Korea. Having a relatively equally serrate or dentate leaf margin and sparsely villous involucres, this subspecies is easily distinguished from its related taxa. Based on its habitat, it was termed Gaet-top-pul in Korean. We provide a description, illustrations, photographs and a key of related taxa in Korea.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
• /
• v.8 no.1
• /
• pp.11-14
• /
• 1965

The object to this study is to identify the genus and species of the microfilariae which were recently found in the area of Youngju-Gun. THe identification of the microfilariae was made on the morphologicla aspects. 1. Blood samples were collected through vena punction from known microfilariae carriers living in the newly confirmed filaria endemic area of Youngju0Gun in Jyongsang Pukdo Province. Youngju-Gun is located in the mountainous central part of Korean Peninsula. 2. The following fixation and staining techniques were applied. (1) Fixation by drying in the air, followed by staining with Azeo or Giemsa. (2) Knott's fixation method (2% formalin), followed by staining with Azur II. 3. A comparative study of the body length of the microfilariae after different fixation and staining techniques were applied. (1) Knott's fixation method followed by staining with Azur II : average body length found was 28.4$\mu$. (2) Dry fixation followed by staining with Giemsa : average body length found was 209.4$\mu$. (3) Dry fixation followed by staining with Azeo : average body length found was 205.4$\mu$. 4. The locations of the different body cells were measured in 60 individuals of microfilariae in the wet preparation fixed by Knott's method and stained with Azur II. The distance of the different body cells to cephalic apex of microfilariae was measured and calculated as a percentage of the total body length. The average results are as follows : BNC , 3.04% ; N, 22.74%, EP, 31.4% ; EC, 37.77%, G1 cell , 67.94%; G2 cell, 73.54% : G3 cell , 75.55% ; G4 cell, 77.65% ; AP, 82.02%%. 5. As a result of the above findings the microfilariae found in the above mentioned area could be identified as Brugia malai(BRUG, 1927) BUCKLEY, 1960.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
• /
• v.48 no.12
• /
• pp.1385-1388
• /
• 2005

Paragonimiasis is the infestation of lung flukes of the trematode genus Paragonimus. This disease is common in Asia, and the southern part of Korea has been known as one of the endemic areas of Paragonimiasis westermanii in Korea. Human infection is associated with specific dietary habits, such as eating freshwater crawfish or crabs. In a 6 1/2-year-old boy with pleural effusion and eosinophilia, paragonimiasis was diagnosed by skin test, serologic exam, and histologic identification of the parasites in a skin lesion. The same diagnosis was entertained in his elder sister with silent pleural effusion. We describe herewith these rare cases of paragonimiasis in two siblings who had a history of eating cooked freshwater crabs.

• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
• /
• v.45 no.2 s.142
• /
• pp.115-120
• /
• 2007

Parvatrema chaii n. sp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae) is described using the worms recovered from experimentally infected mice in Korea. The metacercariae were collected from surf-clams, Mactra veneriformis, from a tidal flat in Sochon-gun, Chungchongnam-do. The metacercariae were elliptical ($0.262{\times}0.132 mm$), and the genital pore had an anterior arch of 16-17 sensory papillae in scanning electron microscopic view, Adult worms were ovoid to foliate (0.275-0.303 by 0.140-0.150 mm), and their characteristic features included the presence of lateral lips, short esophagus, genital pore located some distance anterior to the ventral sucker, club-shaped seminal vesicle, a compact to slightly lobed vitellarium, elliptical eggs (0.018-0.020 by 0.010-0.013 mm), and absence of the ventral pit. This gymnophallid is classified as a member of the genus Parvatrema because of the location of the wide genital pore some distance from the ventral sucker, and the absence of the ventral pit. It differs from previously reported Parvatrema species, including the type species, P. borinquenae. In particular, the morphologies of the vitellarium and the genital pore with an anterior arch of 16-17 sensory papillae are unique features. Therefore, we propose it as a new species, Parvatrema chaii n. sp. (Digenea: Gymnophallidae).

• Journal of Climate Change Research
• /
• v.8 no.3
• /
• pp.201-211
• /
• 2017

This study was conducted to investigate the vascular plants which can be an indicator of environmental change in Seseok of Jirisan National Park. The purpose of this study was to find out the basic information for the subalpine species. This study showed that the area had a total 295 taxa including 63 families, 177 genus, 252 species, 2 subspecies, 36 variants 5 forms and Pte-Q was 1.7. Among them, Korea endemic plants were 15 taxa such as Abies koreana. Rare plants were 14 taxa such as Viola diamantiaca. Naturalized plants consisted of 5 taxa such as Rumex crispus. The floristic regional indicator plants found in surveyed area were 72 taxa comprising 3 taxa of grade V, 7 taxa of grade IV and 24 taxa of grade III. In summary, The subalpine plants of the survey region consisted of 37 taxa including Abies koreana and Gymnadenia cucullata. As rare plants distributed in subalpine zone respond sensitively to climate change, accuracy distribution range, environmental characteristics of habitat and population dynamics of rare plants should be evaluated quantitatively.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
• /
• v.44 no.2
• /
• pp.55-64
• /
• 2022

Bombyx shini Park & Sohn, 2002 (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae), which was listed as an endemic species in South Korea has recently been renamed as the East Asian silk moth Rotunda rotundapex Miyata & Kishida, 1990 (Lepidoptera: Bombycidae). In this study, we sequenced the complete mitochondrial genome (mitogenome) of the R. rotundapex to announce genomic characteristics and to clarify its validity with a new name. The 15,294-bp long complete mitogenome comprises a typical set of genes [13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), 2 rRNA genes, and 22 tRNA genes] and one major noncoding, A + T-rich region, with an arrangement identical to that observed in most lepidopteran mitogenomes. The A/T content of the whole mitogenome was 79.22%; however, it varied among the regions/genes as follows: A + T-rich region, 91.62%; srRNA, 84.67%; lrRNA, 83.01%; tRNAs, 81.43%; and PCGs, 77.46%. Phylogenetic analyses of 35 species in the Bombycoidea superfamily showed the sister relationship between the families Sphingidae and Bombycidae s. str., with the higher nodal support [bootstrap support (BS) = 78%]. The Saturniidae was placed as the sister to the two families, but the nodal support for this relationship was low (BS = 53%). Current R. rotundapex was placed together with previously reported con-species with the highest nodal support, forming a separate clade from Bombyx, validating that B. shini can have a new genus name, Rotunda. However, the Korean R. rotundapex showed a substantial sequence divergence at 5.28% to that originated from an individual of type locality Taiwan in 1,459-bp of COI sequences. Considering such a high sequence divergence an additional study, which includes morphological and DNA barcoding data from further extensive distributional range maybe is needed for further robust taxonomic conclusion.

• Korean Journal of Plant Taxonomy
• /
• v.44 no.3
• /
• pp.202-207
• /
• 2014

Lonicera insularis Nakai (Caprifoliaceae) is Korean endemic plant that lives along the shore of Ulleungdo and Dokdo. The aim of this study is to construct a phylogenetic relationship within six species (L.maackii, L.chrysantha, L.subsessilis, L. harai, L. morrowii) of genus Lonicera L. and Wigela subsessilis as outgroup and intraspecific variation of L. insularis using chloroplast DNA five regions sequences. Sequence analysis revealed that both L. insularis and L. morrowii showed complete homologies in the intergenic regions of trnL-trnF, trnS-trnG, psbM-trnD and matK coding region. However, sequence in the petN-psbM intergenic region showed a single nucleotide difference between both species, thus we designated them as CP01 and CP02. The plants having CP01 are prevalent in the Ulleungdo and Dokdo, while L. insularis and L. morrowii from Ulleungdo and of Dokdo, and Japan have CP02. This confirmed the existence of two cp DNA lineages with different geographical distributions. We can infer the allopatric speciation by geographical barrier. The result will provide the important basal data to study speciation and specie evolution of ocean islands such as Ulleungdo and Dokdo.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2014.05a
• /
• pp.49-49
• /
• 2014

South Korea is covered primarily by temperate vegetation; therefore, foliicolous lichens may not be expected to play an important role in its lichen flora. Indeed, more than 100 years after the first lichen record from South Korea reported by Hue, the paper "Pyrenocarpous lichens in Korea" published by Moon and Aptroot, reported on the presence of two foliicolous lichens, Strigula nemathora Mont, and S. smaragdula Fr., for the first time in South Korea. No detailed reports on foliicolous lichens have since been published in South Korea. In Japan, the neighboring country, approximately 83 foliicolous lichen species are distributed at the southernmost part under temperate to subtropical climatic conditions. However, a large number of foliicolous lichens, with many recent records, have been reported in neighboring countries like China and Taiwan. According to Thor et al., studies on foliicolous lichen flora of Asia are comparatively poor compared to those reported from America. There are six lichenogeographical regions: the Neotropics, Valdivia, Tethyan, African Paleotropics, eastern Paleotropics, and Neozelandic-Tasmanian, which are demarcated based on the known worldwide distribution pattern of foliicolous lichen flora. South Korea belongs to the eastern paleotropic region, where a higher number of local endemic foliicolous lichens have been reported. So far, there are a total of six known foliicolous lichen taxa from South Korea; S. concreta, S. macrocarpa, S. melanobapha, S. nemathora, S. smaragdula, and S. subelegans from Jeju Island. So far, the genus Strigula is the only known representative of the foliicolous lichen flora in South Korea. Among the recorded species, S. concreta, S. smaragdula, and S. subelegans are abundant and widespread. Japan, the closest area to Jeju Island, has the same distribution pattern of foliicolous lichens, with S. smaragdula, S. melanobapha, and S. subtilissima. Pollen studies conducted by Chung reported that changes in vegetation on Jeju Island, due mainly to deglacial warming and the influence of geographical change, resulted from sea-level rises. In general, all of the foliicolous lichens observed so far were restricted to the southernmost part of South Korea, particularly Jeju Island. Island might be influenced by its geographical setting. One reason could be the close dispersal distances of spores and vegetative propagules from areas such as the southern part of Japan and eastern part of China, where more foliicolous lichens can be found. Thor et al. also showed that the southern part of Japan harbors more foliicolous lichens than the northern part. Considering that China is close to Jeju Island, many foliicolous lichens, including S. concreta, S. macrocarpa, S. nemanthora, and S. smaragdula, have been reported from Yunnan province, the southernmost part of China. Geographically, this province is far away from Jeju Island. In other provinces, such as Shandong, Jiangsu, Shanghai, and Zhejiang, which are closer to Jeju Island, no foliicolous lichens have been recorded so far. Therefore, the chance of spores and propagules coming from such closer areas is questionable. Thus, the location of origin of ancestors of foliicolous lichens of South Korea and the time and means of their invasion of this island is controverisial. The current study would lead the way to finding answers to the above mentioned questions.