• Parasites, Hosts and Diseases
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.195-199
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• 2000

The 27 kDa cathepsin L-like cysteine protease of Spirometra erinocei plerocercoid is known to play an important function in tissue penetration, nutrient uptake and immune modulation in human sparganosis. In the present study, the expression of this enzyme was examined at different developmental stages of S. erinacei including immature egg, coracidium, plerocercoid in tadpole and rat, and adult Proteolytic activity against carboxybenzoyl-phenylalanyl-arginyl-7-amino-4-rnethylcournarin was do tooted in the extracts of coracidia and plerocercoid while no activity was observed in those of immature egg and adult. The specific activity in coraridial extracts was lower than that in the plerocercoid. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and Northern biol analysis demonstrated that the gene was expressed in the coracidium and plerocercoid but not in immature egg and adult. These results suggest that the 27 kDa cysteine protease is only expressed in the stages involving active migration of the parasite in the host tissue.

• Development and Reproduction
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.77-82
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• 2002

In ascidians, a primitive chordate, maternal cytoplasmic factors and inductive interactions are involved in the specification of cell fates in early embryos. The larval structure of ascidians is relatively simple, and the major mesodermal tissues of the tadpole larva are notochord, muscle, and mesenchyme. Formation of muscle cells is a cell-autonomous process, and localized maternal macho-l mRNA specify muscle fate in the posterior marginal zone of the early embryo. In contrast, inductive influence from endoderm precursors plays important roles in the specification of notochord and mesenchyme fates. FGF-Ras-MAPK signaling is involved In the induction of both tissues. The difference in responsiveness of the posterior mesenchyme and anterior notochord precursors to FGF signaling is caused by the presence or absence of intrinsic factors that inherited from the posterior-vegetal egg cytoplasm, respectively. In these inductions, directed signal polarizes the induced cells and promotes asymmetric cell divisions to produce two daughter cells with distinct fates.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.15-22
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• 2008

The role and distribution of fresh water algae was surveyed at Wangdeungjae Wetland of Mt. Jiri, a high mountain swampy land. Mean environmental factors were as follows; temperature was $17.6^{\circ}C$, pH was 6.3, conductivity was $24.6{\mu}S/cm$, TN was 0.6 mg/L, TP was 0.09 mg/L, and Chl-a was $11.9{\mu}g/L$, respectively. Algae were appeared 159 species(Chlorophyta 87, Bacillariophyta 56, Euglenophyta 11, and Cyanophyta 5). Desmid of Chlorophyta was 56 species, and dominant species was Aulacoseira distans of Bacillariophyta. To analyze food chain of the water ecosystem, we performed analysis of tadpole's stomach captured in the wetland. Tadpoles ingested mainly algae, and Aulacoseira distans was found in most quantity. Based on this study, algae take role of the primary producer as well as the prey of higher level predators(e.g. tadpoles) in the water ecosystem of Wangdeungjae Wetland.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.46.2-46.2
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• 2017

We will present a discovery of an elliptical jellyfish galaxy in Abell 2670 (Sheen et al. 2017, ApJL, 840, L7). Our MUSE IFU spectra revealed a rotating gas disk in the center of the galaxy and long ionised gas tails emanating from the disk. Its one-sided tails and a tadpole-like morphology of star-forming blobs around the galaxy suggested that the galaxy is experiencing strong ram-pressure stripping in the cluster environment. Stellar kinematics with stellar absorption lines in the MUSE spectra demonstrated that the galaxy is an elliptical galaxy without any hint of a stellar disk. Then, the primary question would be the origin of the rich gas component in the elliptical galaxy. A plausible scenario is a wet merger with a gas-rich companion. In order to investigate star formation history of the system (the galaxy and star-forming blobs), we derived star-formation rate and metallicity from the MUSE spectra. Photometric UV-Optica-IR SED fitting was also performed using GALEX, SDSS, 2MASS and WISE data, to estimate dust and gas masses in the system. For a better understanding of star formation history and environmental effect of this galaxy, FIR/sub-mm follow-up observations are proposed.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.18 no.10
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• pp.1171-1179
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• 2009

The solitary ascidian, Halocynthia aurantium, which is commonly called the sea peach because of its coloration and general shape, is a valuable organism of benthic marine population in the northern region of the East Sea, Korea. It is seldom found at a depth of less than 10 meters and the sea peach is frequently observed in large populations between 20 and 100 meters. It appears to prefer attachment to vertical rocks faces and artificial cement blocks exposed to the currents. Mass mortality and reduction of resources in sea peach, H. aurantium, were occurred in the benthic area of the northern region of the East Sea because of the rapid fluctuation of environmental factors such as temperature and salinity due to mass rainfall in summer and going up north of a strong warm current in winter. Therefore, we examined the effects of temperature and salinity on embryonic development of fertilized eggs, tadpole larva to metamorphosis, and attachment to siphon development. Laboratory-raised larvae were studied using a two-factorial experimental design with four levels of temperature(8, 12, 16 and $20^{\circ}C$) and four levels of salinity(20, 25, 30 and 34 psu). The ascidian larvae of H. aurantium survived environmental conditions between temperature of $8{\sim}20^{\circ}C$ and salinity of 25~34 psu and exhibited positive growth at $8{\sim}16^{\circ}C$ and 30~34 psu. Fertilized eggs have not developed at lower salinity of 20 psu irrespective of temperature range tested and have showed an abnormal development at the salinity of 25 psu between higher temperatures of 20 and $24^{\circ}C$. This result suggests that temperature increase and salinity reduction depending on environmental fluctuation may have significant impacts on population variation of H. aurantium in the northern region of the East Sea.

• Korean Journal of Ecology and Environment
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.272-279
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to assess the interaction between Daphnia similis and various organisms related to the rice paddy ecosystem. We selected several organisms that are likely to prey on D. similis and evaluate predation rate as well as responses of D. similis to the chemical compounds exuded by these organisms. As a result of predation experiment, larval dragonfly (Anax parthenope) and Triops longicaudatus were clearly shown decreasing abundances of D. similis. Especially, Triops longicaudatus was observed higher feeding rates on D. similis than larval dragonfly. Chemical compounds from the vertebrates such as fish (Misgurnus anguillicaudatus, Pseudorasbora parva, Micropterus salmoides) and tadpole of frog (Rana nigromaculata) did not affect the life history of Daphnia. However, a potential predatory fish P. parva induced significantly longer tail spine in Daphnia. In addition, among the invertebrates (T. longicaudatus, A. Parthenope, Micronecta spp., Palaemon paucidens), chemical compounds exuded by T. longicaudatus induced shorter body and significantly longer tail spine in D. similis.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.66-74
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• 1992

In an attempt to produce transgenic amphibia, bacteriophage ${\lambda}-DNA$ was microinjected into fertilized eggs of Xenopus laevis, and the effect on early embryogenesis and the ultrastructural behavior of exogenous DNA were investigated. The effect of microinjected gene on embryonic development showed differences according to the concentration of injected DNA and the incubation temperature. Various concentrations of ${\lambda}-DNA$ were tested. Among those, microinjection of 1-2 ng DNA dissolved in 20 nl TE buffer was not shown to disturb normal embryonic development and was recorded the highest survivability to the late tadpole stage (Stage 43); however, injection of increased concentrations of DNA than above provoked irregular cleavages or abnormal appearances, which resulted in reduced survivability. When the injected embryos were incubated at low temperatures (e.g., $12^{\circ}C$), 54.5% of the embryos developed to Stage 43, whereas 42.4% survived when incubated at room temperature. The survivability showed also differences according to the injection site. 58.0% of the embryos developed to Stage 43 when microinjected into the vegetal pole, whereas 44.9% survived when microinjected into the animal pole. To understand the structural fate or behavior of injected DNA a combined light and electron microscopical study was applied. The nucleus-like structure was observed in the ${\lambda}$ DNA-injected embryos, which was quite a similar to the interphase nuclei of normal Xenopus laevis. The nucleus-like structure showed the typical double-layered nuclear membrane and nuclear complexes; however, it consisted of unusual structures such as furrows of nuclear envelope into the nucleoplasm.

• The Korean Journal of Zoology
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• v.33 no.3
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• pp.365-372
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• 1990

For the effort to produce transgenic amphibians, a plasmid DNA sequence (cytoplasmic actin promoter-linked bacterial $\beta$-galactosidase gene) was microinjected into fertilized Xenopus eggs. It appeared that the injection of 20 nl solution containing 1-2 ng of DNA was not toxic, but over 4 ng was toxic to embryonic development. The translational product of $\beta$-gal gene ($\beta$-galactosidase) had enzyme activity in all three germ layers of the embryo. Expression of the injected $\beta$-gal genes was first detected at mid-gastrula stage, and the activity persisted up to stage 43 (feeding tadpole) with decreased level of retention. However, the level of the expression was various among the injected individuals as well as each experiment. That is, $\beta$-galactosidase activities did not appear in all cells, instead a localized distribution pattern. Although other possibilities could not be omitted, this mosaic distribution of gene expression seemed to arise from unequal partition of the injected DNA into each blastomere during early cleavage.

• Journal of Wetlands Research
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.407-413
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• 2015

As the number of applications containing nanomaterials increase, aquatic ecosystem exposure to nanoparticles (NPs) is unavoidable. In this study, we carried out toxicity assessment to Au-nanoparticles(NPs) of Rana dybowskii eggs and tadpoles. Toxicity was recorded hatching rate, body condition(Snout-tail length, STL), and behavioral sensitivity. Behavioral sensitivity was analyzed to anti-predator behavior using Ethovision XT 9. Au-NPs did not show any toxicity of hatching rate and STL. But, Tadpoles exposed to Au-NPs decrease behavioral sensitivity of stimuli. This study has value of environmental toxicity evaluation because these results show the new way of toxicity assessment.

• Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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• v.38 no.2
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• pp.143-147
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• 2024

This study aimed to determine the egg-hatching period of boreal digging frogs, Kaloula borealis, and investigate whether the incubation temperature affects the hatching period. In this study, the egg hatching was recorded based on the appearance of the tadpole. The results of this study showed that all the eggs hatched within 48 hours after spawning, with 28.1% (±10.8, n=52) hatching within 24 hours and 99.9% (±0.23, n=49) within 48 hours after spawning. The mean hatching rate of tadpoles showed significant differences depending on the difference in water temperature. The mean hatching rate between 15 and 24 hours after spawning was higher at a water temperature of 21.1 (±0.2) ℃ than at 24.1 (±0.2) ℃. The results suggest rapid hatching occurs at relatively low water temperatures because the spawning habits that spawn eggs in temporary ponds or puddles in the rainy season require rapid hatching before the puddles dry out. The results of this study are helpful for understanding the most suitable temperature conditions for the incubation of eggs of the endangered species, boreal digging frog.