• Journal of Life Science
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.721-726
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• 2016

It has already been reported that short neuropeptide F (sNPF) stimulates feeding behaviors in a wide variety of insect species. In the present study, we cloned cDNA, encoding a sNPF receptor homologue from a silkworm, Bombyx mori, named BsNPF-R. The amino acid sequence of BsNPF-R was compared with those of sNPF-R thus far reported, which is shared with humans (36%), mice (34%), zebrafish (35%), and fruit flies (51%), respectively. A BsNPF-R protein’s mass was theoretically estimated to be 42,731 Da and it is a putative plasma membrane-penetrating protein. The mRNA expression of BsNPF-R was tested; the results showed that a strong expression was detected at the midgut, post-silk gland, Malpighian, and testis; however, a weak expression was at the fat body, hemocyte, and ovary. In addition, the synthesized sNPF of a silkworm regulated the BsNPF-R mRNA expression through the cell-based functional analysis.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.61 no.1
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• pp.91-100
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• 2022

Ticks are the arthropod vector capable of transmitting diverse pathogens, which include bacteria, viruses, protozoan and fungi. Ticks are able to survive under stressful environmental conditions. One of evolutionary outcomes of these obligatory hematophagous arthropods is the survival for extended periods of time without a blood meal during off-host periods. Water conservation biology and heat tolerance have allowed ticks to thrive even under high temperatures and low relative humidity, thus they have become highly successful arthropods as they are distributed globally. Tick osmoregulatory physiology is a complex mechanism, which involves multiple osmoregulatory organs (salivary glands, Malpighian tubules, hindgut and synganglion) for the acquisition and excretion of water and ions. Blood feeding and water vapor uptake have been early reported as the primary passages for ixodid tick to acquire water. Recently, we have learned that ticks can actively drink environmental water allowing hydration. The acquired water can be traced to the salivary glands (type I acini) and the midgut diverticula. This opens new avenues for tick management through the delivery of toxic agents into their drinking water, in addition to an alternative strategy for the study of tick physiology. Here we address the osmoregulatory physiology in the ixodid ticks as a potential target physiological mechanism for tick control. We discuss the implications of water drinking behavior for tick control through the delivery of toxic agents and discuss the dermal excretion physiology as an additional pathway to induce tick dehydration and tick death.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.179-185
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• 2004

Purpose: Perinatal mortality rates have been used as a summary statistic for evaluating child health and medical status. Neonatal mortality rates have decreased over the past 30 years in Korea. To understand the current status of neonatal surgical gastrointestinal diseases in Daegu Busan area, we have studied about neonatal gastrointestinal diseases with their clinical features, postoperative outcome, and mortality rates. Methods: A clinical analysis on 202 neonates who underwent neonatal surgery from January 1996 to July 2003 at Pusan National University, Kyungpook National University, Youngnam University, and Daegu Catholic University was carried out. Results: The main diseases of surgical conditions were anorectal malformation (23.8%), atresia/stenosis of midgut (13.4%) and pyloric stenosis (13.4%). The male to female ratio was 2.8 : 1. Thirty-five cases (17.0%) had one or more associated anomalies including congenital heart disease, cryptoorchidism, hydronephrosis, and chromosomal anomaly. Twenty cases (10.0%) were diagnosed by antenatal ultrasound. Patients with esophageal atresia had the longest hospitalization for 54.6 days. Postoperative complications occurred in 18 cases (8.9%). The main postoperative complications were wound infection (3.5%) and anastomotic leakage (2.5%). Overall mortality was 5.9%. Diaphragmatic hernia showed the highest mortality rate (37.5%), and esophageal atresia (28.6%) and omphalocele (20.0%) were followed. Conclusion: The current status of neonatal surgical gastrointestinal diseases in Daegu Busan area has improved because the disease categories are various, postoperative complications and mortality rates are decreased.

• Korean journal of applied entomology
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• v.18 no.1 s.38
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• pp.1-10
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• 1979

An inclusion forming virus isolated from a fan webworm, Hyphantria cunea, in 1975 was identified as a nuclear polyhedrosis virus. With the virus isolated in Korea, it was considered that the virus would be one of the valuable microorganism in microbial control. In this connection, 1) the shape and size of the virus for identification, 2) susceptibility of the various instar larvae to the virus, 3) the effects of storage condition on the pathogenicity and the cross infection of the virus to the larvae of Bombyx mori were examined. The results are summarized as follows; 1. The polyhedron was tetrahedron or hexahedron of $2\mu$ in size and the rod-shaped virus particles consisting of $2\~14$ rods in a bundle were $330m{\mu}\times35m{\mu}$ in size. 2. The hexagonal nuclear polyhedra were found only in the nucleus of the midgut cells but were variable in size. 3. The $LD_{50}$ values for the various instar larvae of H. cunea were $8.377\times10^4\;PIBs/ml$ for the second, $4.974\times10^5\;PIBs/ml$ for the fifth instar larvae. The $LT_{50}values$ for $10^6\;PIBs/ml$ were 9.6 days for the second, 11.5 days for the third, 12.0 days for the fourth and 17 days for the fifth instar larvae. 4. The susceptibility of H. cunea to the nuclear polyhedrosis virus was greater in the first generation than in the second generation. 5. The effect of the storage conditions on the pathogenicity of the nuclear polyhedra was less in refrigerator $(5^{\circ}C)$ and in freezing $(-80^{\circ}C)$ than in room temperature $(18.5^{\circ}C)$, especially as air-dried polyhedra than as suspension. The pathogenicity of the polyhedra seemed to decrease by sunlight during storage as cadavers, since rather greater decrease in pathogenicity was found in sunny condition than in shady condition. 6. The effective spray concentration was $6.4\times10^7\;PIBs/ml$ in the field and its $LT_50$ values for the third and the fifth instar larvae were 4.8 days and 14.2 days, respectively. 7. No cross infections were found in the nuclear polyhedrosis virus between H. cunea and B. mori. larvae.

• Journal of Sericultural and Entomological Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.81-92
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• 1972

Studies on Pathogenicity of Nosema bombycis Naegeli are summarized as follows: 1. The mortality of the parents, Jam 103 and Jam 104, is remarkbly higher than that of the hybrid, Jam 103$\times$Jam 104, whereas there is no difference in the mortality between the parents. 3. In the mortality of the pathogen-concentration, it is increased in order of the following concentrations inoculated, 10$^{8}$ , 10$^{7}$ , 10$^{8}$ and 10$^{5}$ /ml. 3. In the mortality of each instar, it is high in order of 5th, 4th, 3rd, and 2nd instar. 4. In the interaction between the mortalities of the varieties and the concentrations, 1) The mortality shows no differences between the parents and the hybrid in the high concentration of 10$^{8}$ /ml. 2) The mortality of the hybrid is lower than that of the parents in the low concentration of 10$^{5}$ /ml, whereas no difference is found between the parents. 3) The interaction appears at the same level in the middle concentration of 10$^{6}$ /ml to the parents and of 10$^{7}$ /ml to the hybrid. 5. It was pointed out that active immunity depends upon the volume of antigen injection, immunizing period, and injection intervals. In this experiment, it is noticed that the optimum volume of injection is above 20ml and D is the best one of the four treatment (A.B.C.D.). 6. The immune sera indicate such a 12,800 high titer in the indirect method can be obtained from the D immunizing method. Silkworm tissues and N. bombycis spores show self-fluorescence, but it is able to distinguish it from the F.I.T.C. by using the U.V. filter. 7. The midgut epithelium is examined to be the first site of the tissues which are penetrated into and multiplied by the inoculation of the pathogen per os.