• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.47 no.3
• /
• pp.75-84
• /
• 2023

Background: Knowledge of the spatial trends of plant invasions in different habitats is essential for a better understanding of the process of these invasions. We examined the variation in invasive alien plant species (IAS) richness and composition at two spatial scales defined by elevation and habitat types (roadside, forest, and cultivated lands) in the Makawanpur district of Nepal. Following an elevation gradient ranging from 500 to 2,400 m asl along a mountain road, plant species cover was recorded within sample plots of size 10 m × 5 m. Systematic random sampling was adopted in every 100 m elevation intervals on three habitat types. Results: Altogether 18 invasive alien plants belonging to eight families were recorded within 60 plots, of which 14 species (representing 80%) were from tropical North and South America. The most common plants by their frequency were Ageratina adenophora, Chromolaena odorata, Bidens pilosa, Lantana camara, and Parthenium hysterophorus. We found a significant relationship between species composition and elevation in the study area. Low-elevation regions had a higher number of alien species as compared to high-elevation regions within different habitat types. Conclusions: The species richness and density of IAS were higher in the road site followed by the cultivated land and forest sites. This pattern occurred throughout the elevation range and habitats. IAS were found mostly in the open land with high sunlight availability. Information from such scientific assessment of invasive alien plants will assist in developing appropriate management plans in the Makawanpur district.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
• /
• v.38 no.3
• /
• pp.392-403
• /
• 2020

This study analyzed the distribution characteristics of invasive alien plants on the islands of the Korean Peninsula. Ten species, Rumex acetosella, Sicyos angulatus, Solanum carolinense, Ambrosia artemisiaefolia var. elatior, Ambrosia trifida, Aster pilosus, Eupatorium rugosum, Hypochaeris radicata, Lactuca scariola, and Paspalum distichum were present on 68 islands. These ecosystem-disturbing invasive alien plants appeared extensively on the islands of Gyeonggi province and Jeollanam province. The proportion of the plants on the inhabited islands (41 places, 2.15 species on average) was higher than that on the uninhabited islands (27 places, 1.07 species on average). This means that the distribution of invasive alien plants was closely related to human activity. The distribution of Ambrosia artemisiaefolia var. elatior(32 islands) and Rumex acetosella (31 islands) was the widest, and there were distinct distribution differences according to species. In the island area, the physical environment is poor compared to the mainland, and the native space is limited. Therefore, when invasive alien species enter and settle on the island, the native island plants can be damaged more than those on the mainland. In this regard, the discussion of the distribution of invasive alien plants in the island region can contribute to the conservation of biodiversity in the region.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.41 no.6
• /
• pp.173-181
• /
• 2017

Background: This study was undertaken to analyze the distribution and ecological characteristics of invasive alien plant species on Jeju Island, and to provide basic data for their management and control. Results: A field research was conducted at 436 locations on Jeju Island. The field research identified nine species of invasive alien species growing on Jeju Island. Based on the distribution pattern, Hypochaeris radicata L., Rumex acetosella, and Ambrosia artemisiifolia L. were found to be distributed horizontally throughout Jeju Island, with vertical growth in two or more vegetation zones, from warm temperate to the subalpine zone. Widely distributed species penetrate various habitats, such as grasslands, ranches, roadsides, farmlands, and empty lots, and have an immensely negative impact on the ecosystem, including declining biodiversity on Jeju Island. Paspalum distichum var. indutum Shinners, Paspalum distichum L., Solanum carolinense L., and Aster pilosus Willd. were distributed in some areas as a biased distribution species, whereas Lactuca scariola L. and Solidago altissima L. were found only in certain areas as centralized distribution species. Conclusions: The centralized distribution species and biased distribution species of the invasive plants in the ecosystem of Jeju Island should be physically eliminated, keeping in mind the short- and mid-term perspectives and monitoring, and by considering expansion of additional distribution areas. Due to limitations of physical/chemical elimination, time, and cost, widely distributed species require to be eliminated and managed, mainly to restore the integrity of the ecosystem, by planting native species to reestablish the habitat.

• Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.37 no.4
• /
• pp.217-223
• /
• 2014

We conducted a distributional survey of Pectinatella magnifica, an invasive species, in the Geum River and the Nakdong River from July 12 to July 25, 2014. The spacing between the study sites was 10 km along the main channels for the Geum River (n = 12, 120 km) and the Nakdong River (n = 38, 380 km) from the estuarine barrage to upper part of main channel. Pectinatella magnifica was detected along the riparian zone (within 100 m) at each of the study sites. Presence rate of P. magnifica in Geum River and Nakdong River was 25% and 32.6%, respectively. The colony number of P. magnifica at Geum River ($9.5{\pm}3.1colony/m$, n = 3) was over 94 fold higher than that in the Nakdong River ($0.1{\pm}0.1colony/m$, n = 16). The Total length distribution of P. magnifica had a truncated bell shape at each rivers (mean length: $14.0{\pm}1.2cm$ for Geum River (n = 32), and $16.8{\pm}1.4cm$ for Nakdong River (n = 52)). These findings could provide basic information regarding the distribution pattern of P. magnifica in a new invasion area.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
• /
• v.56 no.4
• /
• pp.428-434
• /
• 2023

Pulmonary veins (PVs) and their myocardial sleeves play an important role in the development of atrial fibrillation. Hence, detailed knowledge of PV anatomy is required to improve the procedural success rate and prevent complications during cardiac procedures. The aim of this study was to evaluate the PV anatomy along with anatomical variations in the Indian population. Total 100 formalin fixed cadaveric hearts were examined. The number and pattern of the PVs were observed along with the measurement of their horizontal and vertical diameters. The ovality index for each PV was calculated. Classical PV pattern was observed in 62% cases. Variant pattern like additional right middle PV pattern and left common PV pattern were found in 20% and 10% cases respectively. A separate pattern with presence of both right middle PV and left common PV was observed in 6% cases. In the classical pattern right superior PV was the largest followed by right inferior, left superior and left inferior PV. The additional right middle PV had the smallest diameter whereas the left common PV had the largest diameter. Almost all the veins had greater vertical diameters in comparison to horizontal diameters. The variant PVs were oval and had greater ovality index compared to the normal PVs. In classical pattern 54.8% hearts whereas in variant pattern 79% hearts had one or more oval PV. The given data can help clinicians for planning and execution of various interventional and electrophysiological procedures involving PVs.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.1887-1893
• /
• 2012

The aim of this study was to detail characteristics of mammary Paget's disease (PD) representing the whole population in China. A total of 4211 female breast cancer inpatients at seven tertiary hospitals from seven representative geographical regions of China were collected randomly during 1999 to 2008. Data for demography, risk factors, diagnostic imaging test, physical examination and pathologic characters were surveyed and biomarker status was tested by immunohistochemistry. The differences of demography and risk factors between PD with breast cancer and other lesions were compared using Chi-square test or t-test, with attention to physical examination and pathological characters. The percentage of PD was 1.6% (68/4211) in all breast cancers. The mean age at diagnosis was 48.1, and 63.2% (43/68) patients were premenopausal. There is no difference in demography and risk factors between PD with breast cancer and other breast cancer (P > 0.05). The main pattern of PD in physical exam and pathologic pattern were patients presenting with a palpable mass in breast (65/68, 95.6%) and PD with underlying invasive cancer (82.4%, 56/68) respectively. The rate of multifocal disease was 7.4% (5/68). PD with invasive breast cancer showed larger tumor size, more multifocal disease, lower ER and PR expression and higher HER2 overexpression than those in other invasive breast cancer (P < 0.05). These results suggested that PD in China is a concomitant disease of breast cancer, and that PD with underlying invasive cancer has more multiple foci and more aggressive behavior compared with other breast invasive cancer. We address the urgent needs for establishing diagnostic and therapeutic guidelines for mammary PD in China.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
• /
• v.52 no.4
• /
• pp.340-347
• /
• 2019

The red swamp crayfish (Procambarus clarkia) originated from the North America distribute widely as invasive species throughout the world including Europe, Asia, Africa, North America and South America. The red swamp crayfish is also an invasive species in South Korea. We aimed to characterize the occurrence and distribution pattern of the red swamp crayfish, and evaluate the potential distribution of this species in South Korea. In South Korea, the red swamp crayfish was firstly reported in Seoul in 1996, and recently its occurrence is frequently reported at streams or reservoirs at different regions, showing the expansion of its distribution area. The red swamp crayfish has high potential to occur in the nationwide scale in South Korea because of their biological adaptation, effects of climate change, changes of their habitat condition, and various types of human activities. Finally, our results revealed the necessary to conduct an extensive field survey, to keep up a monitoring program for the occurrence of alien species, and to implement a strategy to prevent the dispersal of alien species in the natural ecosystems.

• The Korean Journal of Cytopathology
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.30-34
• /
• 1993

A case of invasive cribriform carcinoma of the breast is presented with fine needle aspiration cytologic features. The aspiration was performed from a papable 2.0 cm mass in the upper outer quadrant of the right breast in a 53 year-old woman. The aspirate showed cellular smear composed of larger three dimensional tight clusters, smaller monolayered loose clusters, and many individual cells on the clean background. In the clusters, the tumor cells were bordering central lumina, quite similar to the cribriform in histology. The tumor cells in the clusters and individual tumor cells had uniform, small and round nuclei. The chromatin was finely granular, and nuclear membrane was smooth No discernible nucleoli were present (nuclear grade $1\sim2$). Unless the abundance of individual cells and the cribriform growth pattern are recognized in the smear, the cytologic diagnosis of invasive cribriform carcinoma is difficult.

• Mycobiology
• /
• v.48 no.1
• /
• pp.1-8
• /
• 2020

Pentraxin 3 (PTX3) is a soluble pattern recognition receptor (PRR), which is produced by several kinds of cells, such as neutrophils, dendritic cells, macrophages, and epithelial cells. PTX3 is known to play an important protective effect against Aspergillus. Genetic linkage in gene-targeted mice and human PTX3 plays a non-redundant role in the immune protection against specific pathogens, especially Aspergillus. Recent studies have shown that the polymorphism of PTX3 is associated with increased susceptibility to invasive aspergillosis (IA). In this review, we provide an overview of these studies that underline the potential of PTX3 in diagnosis and therapy of IA.

• Journal of applied mathematics & informatics
• /
• v.15 no.1_2
• /
• pp.425-434
• /
• 2004

Pattern recognition in three dimensional image is highly sensitive to assigned value and formation of voxels (pixels for two dimension case). However, occurred while digital imaging, digitization error leads to unpredictable noises in image data. Skeletonization, a powerful tool of pattern recognition, is sensitively dependent on boundary formation. Without successful controlling of the noises, the results of skeletonization can not be allowed as a stable solution. To minimize the effect of noises affecting to boundary formation, we developed a robust processing method useful in skeletonization technique for pattern recognition. Finally, we provide rigorous test results achieved throughout simulation on analytic three dimensional image.