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CIRCULATION AND WATER MASSES IN THE CONTINE NTAL SHELF BREAK REGION OF THE EAST CHINA SEA (동지나해 대륙붕 연변의 해수 유동과 수괴)

  • Lim Gi Bong;Fujimoto Minoru
    • Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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    • v.5 no.1
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    • pp.1-10
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    • 1972
  • Studies on the circulation and water masses in the continental shelf break region of the East China Sea are Summerized as follows : 1. The main stream of the Kuroshio flowing north-east near $29^{\circ}N\;Lat\;127^{\circ}E$ tong of the East China Sea in summer is narrow in width. Moving toward east, it becomes twice as wide in Tokora Strait, Japan. 2. In the main stream area of the Kuroshio, the surface Waters in the Upper layer (0-250m) are influenced by the coastal waters of China, and the counter current submerges under the surface water. Therefore, the mixing waters are found in its intermediate layer. 3. Water mass between Amami Island and the continental shelf of the East China Sea consists of main stream water, counter current water, gyration water and mixed water with coastal waters. 4. The maximum velocity of current in this waters was 139cm/sec. The volume transport was estimated approximately as $24.2\;\times\;10^6m^3/sec$. It was less than $33\;\times\;10^6m^3/sec$ in the region between Okinawa and continental shelf of the East China Sea. 5. Surface waters east of $29^{\circ}N\;Lat\;128^{\circ}E$ Long flows toward Amami Island, Okinawa Island, and Hachi Ju San Island, while those west of the region flow toward the Korea-strait, Cheju Island, coastal waters of Kyusyu, and the Pacific Ocean through Tokora Strait. The velocity of the current was estimated approximately as $0.3\~0.5$ miles per hour. 6. The bottom waters in the continental shelf break region flow toward the Korea Strait, Cheju Island and the coastal water of Kyusyu, while that of the continental shelf flows toward the Yellow Sea, 7, The characteristics of the Kuroshio water is changed remarkably by the mixing with the coastal water of China.

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Semi-daily Variations in Populations of the Dinoflagellates Dinophysis acuminata and Oxyphysis oxytoxoides and a Mixotrophic Ciliate Prey Mesodinium rubrum in Masan Bay (마산만에서 와편모류 Dinophysis acuminata 및 Oxyphysis oxytoxoides와 먹이생물 섬모류인 Mesodinium rubrum의 단주기적 개체군 변동)

  • KIM, SUNJU;YOON, JIHAE;KIM, MIRAN;PARK, MYUNG GIL
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.20 no.3
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    • pp.151-157
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    • 2015
  • Recent laboratory studies have documented that mixotrophic dinoflagellates Dinophysis spp. and heterotrophic dinoflagellate Oxyphysis oxytoxoides share a common prey, i.e. the mixotrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum. Nonetheless, very little is known about the population dynamics and species interactions among these protists in natural environments. To investigate the interactions between the dinoflagellate predators and their ciliate prey in the field, we took the samples twice a day from 26 July to 28 August, 2011 at a fixed station in Masan Bay and analyzed their abundances. During this study, salinity was highly variable, ranging from 5 to 28, due to the periodic input of rainfalls to the sampling station. Water temperature was on average $26.5^{\circ}C$ until 20 August and thereafter was about $21^{\circ}C$ by the end of the sampling period. The ciliate M. rubrum occurred persistently throughout the sampling period, ranging from 13 to $492\;cells\;mL^{-1}$. Cell densities of D. acuminata and O. oxytoxoides ranged from undetectable level to $19,833\;cells\;L^{-1}$ and from undetectable level to $100,333\;cells\;L^{-1}$, respectively. The high abundance of D. acuminata mostly followed the blooming of the ciliate M. rubrum, but it often did not peak even during heavy blooms of the prey, probably due to sensitivity to large salinity fluctuation and also presumably overlapped grazing by other mixotrophic dinoflagellates. The abundance of O. oxytoxoides was detected only when water temperature was lower than $24^{\circ}C$, indicating that water temperature is an important environmental factor to control the population dynamics of the dinoflagellate species.

A Principal Component Analysis for the Morphological Characters of Diploid and Triploid Populations of Lilium lancifolium in Korea (한국산 참나리 2, 3배체 집단에 대한 주성분 분석)

  • Kim, Jong-Hwa;Jang, Won-Suk;Kyung, Hea-Yung;Xuan, Yonghao;Davaasuren Yesun Erdene;Sim, Eun-Jo;Lee, Ju-Kyong;Choi, Yong-Soon;Michikazu Hiramatsu;Kim, Kiu-Weon;Yoo, Ki-Oug
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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    • v.19 no.2
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    • pp.300-307
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    • 2006
  • To clarify the morphological and geographical differentiation among the polyploid complexes of L. lancifolium collections in Korea, the mo게hological variation of 173 accessions were analyzed by ANOVA (one-way analysis of variance) and PCA (principal component analysis) on the basis of 38 morphological characters. 173m accessions were grouped into 78 diploids and 95 triploids by ploid levels and the triploids separated into 75 inland triploids (all around the Korea) and 20 island triploids (Backryung-do and Sochung-do, westemmost and northernmost islands of Korea) by geographic distribution and morphology. Island triploids showed significant morphological differences with inland triploids in ANOVA by many floral and leaf characters. In PCAs, diploids were separated from inland triploids by having longer plant height, smaller flower characters, higher pollen fertility and more stomata. The first four principal components accounted for 44.1% of the total variation. Plots of the island and inland groups for the first and second principal components separated each other with slight overlapping. Although the ploid forms are different between diploid and island triploid, island triploids were more closely overlapped with diploids by principal component 1 and 2 than inland triploids. This reflects that the whole external morphology of island triploids are similar to that of diploids. This, the phenotypic differentiation between inland and island triploids seems to be partly related to their geographical origins.

Hydrochemistry and Origin of Noble Gases and $CO_2$ Gas Within Carbonated Mineral Waters in the Kyeoungbuk-Kangwon Province, Korea (경북-강원일대 탄산약수의 수질화학과 탄산 및 영족기체 기원)

  • Jeong, Chan-Ho;Yoo, Sang-Woo;Kim, Kyu-Han;Nagao, Keisuke
    • The Journal of Engineering Geology
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    • v.21 no.1
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    • pp.65-77
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    • 2011
  • Hydrochemical and carbon isotopic (${\delta}^{13}C_{DIC}$) analyses of 11 water samples, and noble gas isotopic analyses of 8 water samples collected in the Kyeoungbuk and Kangwon areas of Korea were performed to determine their hydrochemical characteristics and to interpret the source of noble gases and $CO_2$ gas in the water. The carbonated mineral waters are weakly acidic (PH = 5.59-6.04), and electrical conductivity ranges from 302 to $864\;{\mu}S/cm$. The chemical composition of all the water samples is Ca-$HCO_3$ type. The high contents of Fe and Mn exceed the safe limits for drinking water. The ${\delta}^{13}C_{DIC}$ values of the samples range from -5.30‰ to -2.84‰, indicating that the carbon is supplied mainly from a deep-seated source and to a lesser degree from an inorganic carbonate source. The $^3He/^4He$ ratios of the samples range from $1.51{\times}10^{-6}$ to $6.45{\times}10^{-6}$. The samples plot into three groups on a $^3He/^4He$ versus $^4He/^{20}Ne$ diagram: the deep-seated field (e.g., a mantle source), the atmospheric field, and the air-mantle mixing field. A wide range of $^4He/^{20}Ne$ ratios is observed ($0.036{\times}10^{-6}$ to $1.76{\times}10^{-6}$), indicating that while radiogenic $^4He$ is dominant in these water samples, mantle-origin He is also present. The supply of $CO_2$ gas and noble gases from a deep-seated source to carbonated waters is inferred to be controlled by geological structures such as faults and geological boundaries.

The Characteristics and Seasonal Variations of OC and EC for PM2.5 in Seoul Metropolitan Area in 2014 (서울지역의 PM2.5 중 OC와 EC의 특성 및 계절적 변화에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Jong Sung;Song, In Ho;Park, Seung Myung;Shin, Hyejung;Hong, Youdeog
    • Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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    • v.24 no.6
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    • pp.578-592
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    • 2015
  • To investigate characteristics and seasonal variations of carbonaceous species for $PM_{2.5}$ in Seoul metropolitan area, Korea, we measured organic carbon (OC) and elemental carbon (EC) from January 2014 to December 2014 using a semi-continuous OC/EC Analyzer (Model-4, Sunset Lab.). Mean concentrations of OC and EC were estimated $4.1{\pm}2.7{\mu}g/m^3$ and $1.6{\pm}1.0{\mu}g/m^3$, respectively. The annual averaged OC/EC ratio was $2.9{\pm}2.7$. Concentrations of OC and EC comprised 13% and 5% of $PM_{2.5}$ and the mass fraction of both was the highest in fall. OC and EC showed similar trend in seasonal variations. Concentrations of those showed a clear seasonal variation with the highest in winter and the lowest in summer. The correlations between the two were the best during the winter ($r^2=0.88$). As results of carbonaceous species analysis, the dominant factor in view of fine particle ($PM_{2.5}$) is primary emission source such as mobile, fossil fuel combustion during commute time(08:00~10:00 or 17:00~21:00) and winter season. Continuous monitoring of atmospheric carbonaceous species is essential to provide the science-based data to policy-maker establishing the air quality improvement policy.

Experimental and epidemiological studies on the life cycle of Echinostoma hortense Asada, 1926(Trematoda: Echinostomatidae) (남한강류역(南漢江流域)의 호르텐스극구흡충(棘口吸蟲) 감염실태(感染實態)와 생활사(生活史)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究))

  • Ahn, Yung-Kyum;Ryang, Yong-Suk
    • Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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    • v.24 no.2
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    • pp.121-136
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    • 1986
  • Recently there have been some reports on human infections of Echinostoma hortense in Korea. It was found that a few species of freshwater fishes were playing the role of the second intermediate host of E. hortense. However, molluscan intermediate host has not been identified yet in Korea. The present study aimed to establish the life cycle of E. hortense in laboratory. Experimental studies such as egg production from the rat, development of the eggs in vitro, exposure of miracidia to freshwater snails, shedding pattern of cercariae from infected snails, morphology of cercariae, cercarial infection to the second intermediate host and infection of metacercariae to the definitive hosts were done. In addition, epidemiological surveys on the infection status in inhabitants and house rats, and on the natural infection of larval echinostomes in the snails and fishes were carried out along the South Hangang-river. The results obtained were as follows: 1. The eggs deposited from adults in physiological saline were cultivated at room temperature($20{\sim}24^{\circ}C$). The miracidia were firstly observed on 8 days after cultivation, and 85.5% of the eggs contained the mature miracidia on 11 days after cultivation. More than 90% formed the miracidia when cultivated at temperature $22{\sim}27^{\circ}C$. Hatching of the miracidia began on 12 days after cultivation and continued for a week. The size of the miracidia was $103.0{{\times}}51.4{\mu}m$ in average. The motility of the miracidia were active up to 8 hours after shedding, but they were all dead within 10 hours after shedding. 2. A freshwater snail, Radix auricularia coreana was cultivated in aquaria. A hatched $F_1$ snails from the egg masses were exposed to 20 miracidia respectively. Escape of cercariae started on 15 days after infecton. Radix auricularia coreana was experimentally identified as the first intermediate host of E. hortense in Korea. 3. Cercarial shedding started on $15{\sim}20$ days after infection by snail, continued for about 10 days (8.8 days in average). Infected snails were dead within 32 days after the miracidial infection. About 1,335 cercariae($328{\sim}1,994$) per snail were shed in its life, and 119 cercariae in average per snail per day were shed. The cercariae were motile for more than 24 hours, and then squirming at the bottom until death. The body and tail sizes of cercariae were $356{\times}186{\mu}m$ and $510{\times}68{\mu}m$ in average, respectively. The rediae parasitized in the snail hosts were found mainly around the pericardial regions, and their size was $1,575{\times}258{\mu}m$ in average. The numbers of developing cercariae in a mature redia were 14 in average ($7{\sim}20$ in range). The numbers of rediae in a snail were 102 in average on 15 days after miracidial infection and 221 in average on 28 days. 4. Three uninfected Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, less than 6.5cm long were used in for the cercarial infection. They were all exposed with 755 cercariae, and examined at 5-day intervals starting from 10 days after infection. All the fishes were infected with metacercariae of E. hortense and a total of 275 was found infected(36.4%). The metacercariae were fed to rats and the adult worms were obtained on 15 days after infection. 5. The infected rats began to deposit the eggs on 11 days after infection. The number of eggs deposited per day per worm (EPD/worm) was $400{\sim}500$ on 3 weeks after infection and was increased to $1,000{\sim}1,500$ on 4 to 17 weeks, then decreased to 800 on 21 weeks after infection. 6. A total of 745 stool specimens collected from 576 male and 169 female residents of 8 different villages along South Hangang basin was examined. Out of 745 specimens, the eggs of Echinostoma sp. were found in 2 cases (0.3%). Of 34 house rats one showed egg-positive (2.9%). 7. Total 971 Radix auricularia coreana collected from 7 sampling stations were examined for shedding of cercariae. Three snails (0.3%) shed the cercariae of E. hortense. A total of 119 out of 542 freshwater fishes (22.0%) had the metacercariae of E. hortense. The fishes parasitized with the metacercariae were 4 out of 14 examined species. The infection rates of 4 species were 34.1% (106 out of 311) in Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, 30.4% (7 out of 23) in Misgurnus mizolepis, 4.3% (2 out of 46) in Moroco oxycephalus and 22.2% (4 out of 18) in Odontobutis obscura interrupta. In summarizing the above results, the first intermediate host of E. hortense was found as Radix auricularia coreana in Korea. Also, it took about 46 days for the shortest completion of a life cycle of E. hortense in summer; that is, 10 days for miracidial development in eggs, 15 days for cercarial development in the snail, about 10 days for metacercarial development in the second intermediate hosts, and 11 days for the maturation as the adults in the definitive hosts. The natural infection rates of E. hortense in the intermediate hosts were relatively high but those in the definitive hosts were low in the middle areas of South Hangang basin.

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Evaluation of Avian Influenza and Newcastle Disease Virus Detection Kit using Field Samples from Domestic and Semi-domestic Birds (닭과 야생사육조류로부터 야외샘플을 사용한 조류인플루엔자와 뉴캣슬병 바이러스 검출 키트의 평가)

  • Rahman, Md. Siddiqur;Malek, Md. Abdul;Islam, Md. Alimul;Uddin, Muhamad Jasim;Ahasan, Md. Shamim;Chakrabartty, Amitavo;Sakib, Md. N.;Chae, Joon-Seok
    • Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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    • v.29 no.4
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    • pp.309-314
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    • 2012
  • The study was undertaken to evaluate sensitivity and specificity of rapid Avian Influenza (AI) and Newcastle Disease virus (NDV) combo antigen kits from field samples of domestic (broiler and layer chicken, native chicken) and semi-domestic (duck, goose, pigeon and quail) birds of Bangladesh. Samples were collected from naturally infected AI suspected domestic and semi-domestic birds of five different outbreak areas in Bangladesh. From each area two birds were selected for sampling, and from each bird three types of samples (tracheal, cloacal and oro-nasal swabs) were collected. A total of 210 field samples from a total of 70 birds were collected and tested using AI and NDV combo antigen rapid diagnostic kits in the study. All three different samples from a bird showed similar pattern of reaction. Out of 210 samples, 15 samples (5 birds), 63 samples (21 birds) and 27 samples (9 birds) were positive for AIV, NDV and both for AIV and NDV, respectively; whereas the remaining birds were negative for either AIV or NDV in this screening test. Among the five AIV positive, a layer chicken from wet market in Mymensingh, Netrokona, Gibandha and Kurigram and a native chicken from wet market in Kurigram area was positive to AIV. The semi-domestic birds are either positive to NDV or free from both AIV and NDV. This study revealed that the AIV and NDV rapid diagnostic kits could be effectively use to diagnose the respective virus in trachea, oro-nasal and cloacal samples simultaneously. AIV-NDV combo Ag test result clearly indicates that the test kit designed for AIV and NDV could diagnose the disease rapidly with less effort and higher scientific know how which could be used for the detection of AIV and NDV using field samples in large scale.

Studies on hematologic values and types of blood protein in Jindo dogs I. Hematologic values of Jindo dogs (진도견(珍島犬)의 혈액상(血液像)과 혈액단백질형(血液蛋白質型)에 관(關)한 연구(硏究) I. 진도견(珍島犬)의 혈액상(血液像))

  • Kim, Woo-kwon;Han, Bang-keun;Kim, Ja-suk
    • Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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    • v.28 no.2
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    • pp.285-297
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    • 1988
  • The present study was conducted in order to get the normal hematologic values of Korean Jindo dogs. Blood samples were taken from 328(♂ 92, ♂ 236) healthy Jindo dogs in Jindo area. The results obtained in this study were summarized as follows: 1. The mean values of red blood cell(RBC) count, hemoglobin(Hb) content and packed cell volume(PCV) in the age group of less than one year were 6.77(♂ 6.80, ♂ 6.76)${\times}10^6/{\mu}l$, 13.14 (♂ 13.53, ♂ 12.99)g/100ml and 43.28(♂ 44.47, ♂ 42.79)ml/100ml, respectively, whereas the RBC count, Hb content and PCV in the age group of one year and more were 7.42(♂ 7.44, ♂ 7.42)${\times}10^6/{\mu}l$, 14.98(♂ 15.56, ♂ 14.76)g/100ml and 47.18 (♂ 48.43, ♂ 46.71)ml/100ml, respectively. The values of RBC count, Hb content and PCV appeared to be higher in the male than in the female and it increased with aging in the age group of less than one year. 2. The mean values of mean corpuscular volume(MCV), mean corpuscular hemoglobin(MCH) and mean corpuscular hemoglobin content(MCHC) in the age group of less than one year were 63.93(♂ 65.40, ♂ 63.30)fl, 19.41(♂ 19.90, ♂ 19.22) pg and 30.36(♂ 30.43, ♂ 30.36)g/100ml respectively, whereas the MCV, MCH and MCHC in the age group of one year and more were 63.58(♂ 65.09, ♂ 62.95)fl, 20. 19(♂ 20.91, ♂ 19.89) pg and 31.75(♂ 32.13, ♂ 31.60)g/100ml respectively. The values of MCV, MCH and MCHC appeared to be higher in the male than in the female. No differences were found in the MCV and MCH between age groups. The MCHC appeared to be higher in older age group. 3. The mean values of white blood cell(WBC) count in the age group of less than one year were 14,356(♂ 13,878, ♂ 14,551)/${\mu}l$, whereas the values of WBC count in the age group of one year and more were 13,394(♂ 12,656, ♂ 13,672)/${\mu}l$. The WBC count appeared to be higher in the female than in the male. No differences were found between age groups in the WBC count. 4. In WBC differential count the mean percentage of lymphocyte, monocyte, neutrophil and eosinophil of the age group less than one year were 33.45(♂ 31. 64, ♂ 34.18), 2.77(♂ 3.00, ♂ 2.68), 57.40(♂ 58.18, ♂ 57.08) and 6.38(♂ 7.18, ♂ 6.06)% respectively, while those of the age group one year and more were 30. 22(♂ 28.38, ♂ 30.90), 3.03(♂ 3.23, ♂ 2.95), 60.93(♂ 63.34, ♂ 60.03) and 5.82(♂ 5.04, ♂ 6.11)% respectively. Lymphocyte count appeared to be higher in the female and in the age group below one year than in the male and in the age group of one year and more, whereas the reverse was the case with neutrophil and monocyte counts. 5. Mean platelet count in the age group of less than one year was 377,391(♂ 398,778, ♂ 368,721)/${\mu}l$, whereas mean platelet count in the age group of one year and more was 354,657 (♂ 373,660, ♂ 347,512)/${\mu}l$. The platelet count appeared to be higher in the male than in the female and especially lower in the age group of three years and more($305,513/{\mu}l$) than in the other age groups.

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Studies on the Propagation of the Freshwater Prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan) Reared in the Laboratory (담수산 징거미새우, Macrobrachium nipponense (De Haan)의 증${\cdot}$양식에 관한 생물학적 기초연구 1. 생식생태에 관한 연구)

  • Kwon Chin-Soo;Lee Bok-Kyu
    • Journal of Aquaculture
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    • v.4 no.1
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    • pp.31-66
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    • 1991
  • This paper deals with the reproductive ecology e.g., number of the pre-spawning moults, morphological characteristics of the pre-spawning moult the common moult, daily ration druing a molting cycle mating behavior, structures of spermatozoa and spermatophore, structure of vas deferens, mechanisms of the oviposition and brooding into the egg-chambers, a suitable time for the artificial mating and fertilization, time sequence of the oviposition and brooding into egg-chambers from the copulation, responses to temperature and chlorinity on the egg development and hatching, effect of temperatures on duration of egg development, physical mechanism of the egg hatching, to make an attempt for the artificial spawning and brooding to establish a suitable system of the artificial seedling-production for the aquaculture. 1. Females molted commonly $8{\~}10$ times at an interval of $17{\~}18$ days at $28^{\circ}C,\;3.26\~4.35\%_{\circ}$ while the prespawning moltings were $4{\~}5$ times at an interval of $13{\~}14$ days. The suitable state for artificial copulation was within 14 hours elapsed from the prespawning moltings (most suitable state was within 8 hours). Males discharged a gelatinous spermatophore and placed it on the females sternum during copulation. Oviposition was seen $6{\~}17$ hours after copulation. External fertilization was considered to take place at oviposition. Fertilized eggs held in egg-chambers forming between pleopods were about $5000{\~}6000$ in females those sizes about 6.5 cm in body length. 2. Eggs immediately after oviposition were elliptic shape, measuring $0.58{\times}0.48$ mm up to hatching. Their sizes increased with egg development and finally reached $0.85{\times}0.54$ mm up to hatching. The relationship between the long axis of the egg(Y in U) and days elapsed(X) was expressed as Y= 5.60194 + 0.007358X. The eggs performed superficial cleavage and their cleavage furrows became visible at the 4-daughter-nucleus stage. The eggs showed normal development up to hatching at water temperature range of $22{\~}30^{\circ}C$ (optimum temperature : $26{\~}28^{\circ}C$) and at chlorinity range of $0.00\~6.64\%_{\circ}$ (optimun chlorinity : $2.21{\%}_{\circ}$). The relationship between incubation period (Y in days) and water temperature(X in $^{\circ}C$) could be expressed as Y= 50.803-1.3555X. The eggs hatched $12{\~}13$ days after oviposition at $28.0{\~}28.6^{\circ}C$ 3. The pre-spawning moltings were appreciably different in the morphologic structure from those of common moltings. Breeding setae and dresses were formed on the thoracic regions, abdominal epimerae and the bases of the first to fourth pleopods in order to prepare and support oviposition, transfering and supporting eggs in egg-chambers up to hatching. These supplementary breeding organs were observed only at reproductive seasons.

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Association Analysis between (AAT)n Repeats in the Cannabinoid Receptor 1 Gene and Schizophrenia in a Korean Population (한국인에서 조현병과 Cannabinoid Receptor 1 유전자의 삼핵산 반복서열의 연합에 대한 연구)

  • Kim, Ji-Won;Roh, Yang-Ho;Kim, Min-Jea;Kim, Chea-Ri;Park, Byung-Lae;Bae, Joon Seol;Shin, Hyoung Doo;Choi, Ihn-Geun;Han, Sang-Woo;Hwang, Jaeuk;Woo, Sung-Il
    • Korean Journal of Biological Psychiatry
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    • v.21 no.3
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    • pp.99-106
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    • 2014
  • Objectives Previous studies suggest that the cannabinoid receptor 1 (CNR1) gene could be an important candidate gene for schizophrenia. According to linkage studies, this gene is located on chromosome 6q14-q15, which is known to harbor the schizophrenia susceptibility locus (locus 5, SCZ5, OMIM 803175). The pharmacological agent delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol (${\Delta}$-9-THC) seems to elicit the symptoms of schizophrenia. The association between CNR1 polymorphisms and schizophrenia is actively being investigated, and some studies have linked the AAT-trinucleotide repeats in CNR1 to the onset of schizophrenia. In this study, we have investigated the association between the AAT-trinucleotide repeats in CNR1 and schizophrenia by studying schizophrenia patients and healthy individuals from Korea. Methods DNA was extracted from the blood samples of 394 control subjects and 337 patients diagnosed with schizophrenia (as per the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, fourth edition criteria). After polymerase chain reaction amplification, a logistic regression analysis, with age and gender as the covariates, was performed to study the variations in the AAT-repeat polymorphisms between the two groups. Results In total, 8 types of trinucleotide repeats were identified, each containing 7, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, and 15 repeats, respectively. $(AAT)_{13}$ allele was most frequently observed, with a frequency of 33.6% and 31.6% in the patient and control groups, respectively. The frequency of the other repeat alleles in the patient group (in the decreasing order) was as follows : $(AAT)_{13}$ 33.6%, $(AAT)_{14}$ 21.6%, $(AAT)_{12}$ 18.5%, and $(AAT)_{7}$ 11.1%. The frequency of the repeat alleles in the control group (in the decreasing order) was as follows : $(AAT)_{13}$ 31.6%, $(AAT)_{14}$ 24.5%, $(AAT)_{12}$ 17.2%, and $(AAT)_{7}$ 11.6%. However, there were no significant differences in the AAT-repeat polymorphisms of the CNR1 gene between the patient group and the control group. Conclusions Although our study revealed no significant association of the AAT-repeat polymorphism of the CNR1 gene with schizophrenia, it will serve as a good reference for future studies designed to examine the cannabinoid hypothesis of schizophrenia.