• Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.149-155
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• 2010

This study was conducted to investigate the feeding efficiency of the cattle egret (Bubulcus ibis) and the intermediate egret (Ardea intermedia) in relation to the stage of rice culture during two breeding seasons, 2006 and 2007, in Asan city, Chungcheongnam-do, South Korea. Cattle egrets caught mainly small invertebrate prey (insects and spiders, 98.4%) during all stages of rice cultivation, and had a higher prey capture rate in the plowing stage (14.98 prey/min) than in other stages (2.82-3.51 prey/min). Therefore, the biomass intake rate of cattle egrets was highest in the plowing stage. The intermediate egret captured both loaches (43.4%) and small invertebrates (50.6%). The prey capture rates of intermediate egrets increased gradually from the flooding stage (0.38 prey/min) to the planting stage (1.09 prey/min), and decreased in the growing stage (1.04 prey/min). However, intermediate egrets had the highest biomass intake rates in the plowing stage because more loaches were caught in the plowing stage (0.54 loaches/min) than other stages (0.23-0.36 loaches/min). Consequently, both intermediate egrets and cattle egrets had high energy intakes in the plowing stage and rice fields provided an important feeding habitat for both species.

• BMB Reports
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• v.47 no.10
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• pp.563-568
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• 2014

Human genome projects have enabled whole genome mapping and improved our understanding of the genes in humans. However, many unknown genes remain to be functionally characterized. In this study, we characterized human chromosome 4 open reading frame 34 gene (hC4orf34). hC4orf34 was highly conserved from invertebrate to mammalian cells and ubiquitously expressed in the organs of mice, including the heart and brain. Interestingly, hC4orf34 is a novel ER-resident, type I transmembrane protein. Mutant analysis showed that the transmembrane domain (TMD) of hC4orf34 was involved in ER retention. Overall, our results indicate that hC4orf34 is an ER-resident type I transmembrane protein, and might play a role in ER functions including $Ca^{2+}$ homeostasis and ER stress.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.351-356
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• 2012

Food is important to any animal, and a large part of the behavioral repertoire is concerned with ensuring adequate nutrition. Two main nutritional sensations, hunger and satiety, produce opposite behaviors. Hungry animals seek food, increase exploratory behavior and continue feeding once they encounter food. Satiated animals decrease exploratory behavior, take rest, and stop feeding. The signals of hunger or satiety and their effects on physiology and behavior will depend not only on the animal's current nutritional status, but also on its experience and the environment in which the animal evolved. In our novel, nutritionally rich environment, improper control of appetite contributes to diseases from anorexia to the current epidemic of obesity. Despite extraordinary recent advances, genetic contribution to appetite control is still poorly understood partly due to lack of simple genetic model systems. In this review, we will discuss current understanding of molecular and cellular mechanisms by which animals regulate food intake depending on their nutritional status. Then, focusing on relatively less known muscarinic and cGMP signals, we will discuss how the molecular and behavioral aspects of hunger and satiety are conserved in a simple invertebrate model system, Caenorhabditis elegans so as for us to use it to understand the genetics of appetite control.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Biology
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.203-213
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• 2008

Benthic macro invertebrate communities were collected at six different sampling sites in the Musucheon stream in Korea from July 2006 to July 2007, and ecological exergy values were calculated based on five different functional feeding groups (collector-gatherer, collector-filterer, predator, scrapper, and shredder) of benthic macro invertebrates. Each sampling site was categorized to three stream types (perennial, intermittent and drought) based on the water flow condition. Exergy values were low at all study sites right after a heavy rain and relatively higher in the perennial stream type than in the intermittent or the drought stream type. Self-Organizing Map (SOM), unsupervised artificial neural network, was implemented to pattern spatial and temporal dynamics of ecological exergy of the study sites. SOM classified samples into four clusters. The classification reflected the effects of floods and droughts on benthic macroinvertebrate communities, and was mainly related with the stream types of the sampling sites. Exergy values of each functional feeding group also responded differently according to the different stream types. Finally, the results showed that exergy is an effective ecological indicator, and patterning changes of exergy using SOM is an effective way to evaluate target ecosystems.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.161-165
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• 2008

Many neurotoxigenic clostridia are found in soil. Among animals, birds are especially susceptible to botulism, perhaps because they feed on insects, invertebrate carcasses, and decayed feeds contaminated with spores of Clostridium (C.) botulinum. C. botulinum type C is mainly involved in avian botulism. In the summer of 2005, death of a mute swan (cygnus olor) living in the pond of large bird cage was found in Seoul Grand Park Zoo. The birds presented presumptive clinical signs of botulism, such as ruffled hackle feathers, abnormal posture of the head, weakness, and flaccid paralysis. At that time, pond water in the breeding facilities was drained for 7 days, but there were still remained water containing sediment of feed and feces. Therefore, botulism was suspected and an experimentation were made to detect C. botulinum in the dead mute swan. Gross post-mortem findings of a mute swan showed jelly-like hemorrhagic contents in the intestine, sands and vegetations in the stomach. C. botulinum was isolated from the liver, small intestine and large intestine samples. Botulism was also confirmed by mouse inoculation test with the organ samples. With PCR, a gene encoding C. botulinum type C toxin was detected for the several organs of the mute swan died. These results suggested that death of mute swan was caused by C. botulinum type C.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.387-395
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• 2015

Starfish, a species of Echinoderm, is widely known as a predator on benthic invertebrate. A series of fishing experiments was carried out in the western coastal waters of Korea from September, 2011 to November, 2012, using the drum-shaped pots of different mesh sizes (17.1, 24.8, 35.3, 39.8, and 48.3 mm) to describe the composition of the catch species and the mesh selectivity of the pot for starfish. Some species including fish, crab, and starfish were caught in the experimental pots. The SELECT (Share Each Length's Catch Total) method was applied to describe the selectivity of the pot for starfish Asterina pectinifera. The master selection curve was estimated to be s(R) = exp(10.358R-4.086) / [1+exp(10.358R-4.086)], where R is the ratio of arm length to mesh size. The relative arm length of 50% retention was 0.395, and the selection range was 0.212. The results should be helpful to understand the relationship between the catch size of starfish and the mesh size of pot.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.48 no.1
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• pp.1-15
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• 2015

Tissue engineering is an emerging, innovative technology to improve or replace the biological functions of damaged tissues and organs. Scaffolds are important materials for tissue engineering as they support cell attachment, migration, and differentiation. Marine sponges naturally contain scaffolds formed by extracellular matrix proteins (collagen and sponging) and strengthened by a siliceous or calcium carbonate skeleton. Coral skeletons are also derived naturally formed by essential calcium carbonate in the form of aragonite, and are similar to human bone. In addition, collagen extracted from jellyfish is a biosafe alternative to bovine and porcine collagen and gained attention as a potential source for tissue engineering. Moreover, cuttlefish bone is an excellent calcium source and can be used to generate bio-synthetic calcium phosphate. It has become a natural candidate for biomimetic scaffolds. This review describes the use of natural products derived from marine invertebrates for applications in bone tissue engineering based on studies from 2008 to 2014.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Environmental Restoration Technology
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• v.16 no.6
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• pp.119-133
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• 2013

The purpose of this study is to develop riverbed techniques to activating ecological function of hyporheic zone. Hyporheic zone maybe simply defined as an active eco-tone between surface water and groundwater, which facilitates to exchange water, nutrients and aquatic habitat occur in response to variation in discharge and bed geomorphology. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an applied riverbed technique for two years since its installation in the hyporheic zone. The experimental riverbed technique has been implemented on Anyang stream penetrating Anyang city in Gyunggi province. The dimension of the installed structure is 5.0 m in width, 46 m in length. Bottom layer is filled with rip-rap covered with gabion. After the implementation of the technique, the study conducts follow-up monitoring in two years of between 2011 and 2012. The results of follow-up monitoring for two years are as follows:1) In Hydro geomorphic process, the riverbed technique maintains hydraulic stability despite of several flood events in 2011, 2012. 2) After transformation to form pool-and-riffle habitat, for aquatic community composed of freshwater fish, macro invertebrate, and attached algae, the species diversity and population gradually increased. 3) The riverbed technique achieved desired effect on enhancement of ecological function in hyporheic zone.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2005

환경오염의 조기 경보 시스템으로 생체지표를 이용한 생태독성 모니터링이 최근 널리 연구되고 있다. 환경내의 생물종에서 측정한 생체지표를 이용한 환경 모니터링은 생태계 수준의 영향에 대한 예측 정보를 제공해 줄 수도 있다. 이를 위해서는 생체지표와 개체군 수준에서의 반응과의 인과관계가 밝혀져야 한다. 오염물질에 대한 생체의 반응은 분자, 세포, 생화학, 생리적, 개체, 개체군, 군집 수준에서 나타나게 되며, 이러한 각 단계별 반응은 반응 시간의 규모와 독성학적, 생태적 관련성에 따라 구분 지어 볼 수 있다. 각 개별 수준에서의 반응을 종합하면 오염물질에 노출된 생체의 전제적인 영향을 이해할 수 있으며, 이러한 이해를 바탕으로 개체군에서 나타나는 영향에 대한 인과관계를 추론할 수 있다. 생체지표와 개체군 수준의 반응과의 인과관계 정립은 효율적인 환경오염 예방기능 수행에 필수적인 과정이며, 다단계 생체 지표는 각 단계별 반응의 인과관계를 밝히기 위해 가장 적절한 접근 방법이다. 수서 무척추 생물인 Chironomus의 유충은 이러한 다단계 바이오마커 연구에 매우 적절한 생물학적 모델이다. 이 논문의 첫 번째 부분은 생체지표를 이용한 환경 모니터링을, 두 번째 부분은 Chironomus의 유충에서 생체지표의 적용에 대해서 다룬다.

• Journal of Fisheries and Marine Sciences Education
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.903-912
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• 2016

Hagfish which belongs to the chordate contact cyclostomata, is important phylogenetic relationship between vertebrate and invertebrate. Cathepsins of the cysteine protease family have traditionally been thought to play a major role in intracellular protein degradation and turnover in lysosomes. In this study, Catepsin L was cloned from Inshore hagfish (Eptatretus burgeri), the cDNA encoding ORF of the Eptatretus burgeri Cathepsin L (EbCtL) is 978 bp. The cDNA encoding proEbCtL was expressed in Escherichia coli strain BL21(DE3) using the pGEX-4T-1 expression vector system. The recombinant proEbCtL protein was overexpressed as a approximately 55 kDa fusion protein. The overproduced soluble GST-fusion protein was then applied to glutathione-Sepharose 4B column chromatography; the sample harboring the fusion protein evidenced a high degree of purity when analyzed via SDS-PAGE and Western blot analysis. Its activity was quantied by cleaving the synthetic peptide Z-FR-AMC, Z-LLE-AMC, and Suc-AAF-AMC, and the optimal pH for the protease activity was 8, 9.5, and 9, respectively.