Two new species of Asterocheridae are described from Korean seas: Acontiophorus pilosus associated with a bryozoan of Celeporina sp. in the Sea of Japan and Asteropontius bifurcatus associated with the antipatharian Antipathes japonicus in Jeju Island in Korea Strait. A key to the species of Acontiophorus is provided.

Structure of the skin in amphibious fish, Periophthalmus modestus, was described in relation to cutaneous respiration. The epidermis has no gland cell. The epidermis consists of three regions: outermost layer of one to five layers of flattened epithelial cells, middle layer of swollen epithelial cells instead of glandular cells and stratum germinativum of cuboidal cells. There are numerous blood capillaries in the outermost layer of the epidermis and diffusion distance between the blood of capillaries and the epidermis is about 1.4 Um. The middle layer of the epidermis appears to be a web-like structure due to the swollen epithelial cells. The stratum germinativum has a well-developed lymphatic space containing lymphocytes. There are numerous blood capillaries and elliptical area with acid mucopolysaccharides in stratum laxum of the dermis. The skin of Periophthalmus modestus may be an accessory respiratory organ for oxygen uptake during terrestrial or aquatic life.

Species boundaries among the Alcyonacean soft coral, the genus Dendronephthya, are often obscured by inter- and intraspecific morphological variations. In the present study, we attempted to infer the genetic relationships of eight dendronephthians based on their molecular characters, the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) regions of ribosomal DNA, and then compared this result together with the random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) data from our previous investigation. Dendronephthya. putteri and D. suensoni formed a divaricate form - VI grade specific clade, whereas D. castanea, D. gigantea, D. aurea and D. spinifera, formed a umbellate and glomerate form - IV and III grade specific clade. Therefore, we confirmed that the main characters the growth form and the anthocodial grade and formula, are important in identification of the species in dendronephthians despite some problems. Also, the relationships of the growth form are clarified as the glomerate form is much closer to the umbellate form than to the divaricate form based on two sets of independent molecular data. However, we cannot determine the molecular markers which limit the species boundaries among this genus with ITS sequences.

Parthenin was extracted from Parthenium hysterophorus L. leaves growing in northern part of India, and its effect was tested on the seed germination parameters and other related characteristics of Ageratum conyzoides L. weed. Parthenin proved phytotoxic to A. conyzoides as most of the studied parameters were inhibited. It may lead to a possible biological eradication of the A. cpnyzoides weed.

Life table experiments were performed in order to examine the effects of food quality on Moina macrocopa fed with four kinds of algal foods, Botryococcus sp., Scenedesmus subspicatus, Selenastrum capricornutum, and Chlorella sp., at $20^{\circ}C$ . The temperature effects on M. macrocopa were also assessed, feeding Chlorella at $17^{\circ}C$,$20^{\circ}C$,$25^{\circ}C$, and a combination of $28^{\circ}C$ (light) and $25^{\circ}C$ (dark). The cartilaginous Botryococcs cells were Inappropriate food for Moina. Among the foods tested, Chlorella was the food of the best quality in all accounts of life history traits. Moina grown on Chlorella showed higher net reproductive rate ($R_0$), longer mean and maximum longevities, earlier mean age at maturity, longer mean carapace length at maturity, larger mean clutch size, and shorter mean time interval between clutch productions than those grown on Selenastrum and Scenedesmus. An optimal temperature for Moina was $20^{\circ}C$ . When Moina were grown on Chlorella at $20^{\circ}C$, they showed the highest r, the highest $R_0$, the shortest T, the longest mean longevity, the earliest mean age at maturity, the longest mean carapace length at maturity, and the largest mean clutch size. The results of life table experiments showed that the individual and population growth patterns were much more affected by low temperature $17^{\circ}C$, than by high temperature ($\geq 20^{\circ}C$). In the optimal condition, the r value was very high, 5.1 in $d^{-1}$. In conclusion, the food quality and the temperature are the most important factors to govern the size and continuity of Moina population, by which the individual growth rates and reproductivity of members in the population can be controlled to survive in their environment such as small and temporary water bodies in nature.

The photosynthetic and stomatal responses of several woody plants (Powlonia coreana, Firmiana simplex, Quercus acutissima Q. variabilis and Q. serrata) to SO$_2$ were investigated in order to understand their ecophysiological tolerance to $SO_2$ Of the plants, P, coreana showed the largest reduction in its photosynthesis in response to exposure of 0.4 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h. Fumigation of 0.7 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h caused complete leaf necrosis of P. coreana and f simplex, which made them unavailable for the measurement of photosynthesis. Q. variabilis exhibited the smallest reduction in photosynthesis following exposure of 0.7 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h. Both stomatal- and non-stomatal inhibition of the plants by $SO_2$ were determined according to equations by lkeda et at. (1992). When exposed to 0.4 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h, F. simplex and P. coreana showed the lowest stomatal and non-stomatal inhibition, respectively, while Q. variabilis and Q. serrata exhibited the lowest stomatal and non-stomatal inhibition, respectively, in response to 0.7 ppm $SO_2$ for 20 h. The data are discussed with regard to resistance mechanisms of other plants to $SO_2$ exposure and implications for restoration of declined Korean forests.

It has been very difficult to develop and evaluate efficient fish vaccines because fish immune cells have not been properly characterized. In this study, we investigated the cell-mediated immunological properties of B- and T-like cells in Nile tilapia (Oreochromis nilotica). Surface immunoglobulin negative ($slg^{-}$) cell population proliferated in response to mammalian T-cell mitogens PHA and Con A, while surface immunoglobulin positive ($slg^{+}$) cells responded to the B-cell mitogen LPS. The slg$^{[-10]}$ cells from hemocyanin (HC)-immunized Tilapia, compared to the non-immunized control, reacted more to PHA than to Con A. Unexpectedly, antigen (Ag)-specific response was observed in both $slg^{-}$ and $slg^{-}$cells. Regardless of HC immunization, whole leukocytes from 8 head kidney of fish showed natural killer (NK)cell activity. Especially, NK cell activity was much higher in slg$^{[-10]}$ cells than in slg$^{+}$cells, indicating the possibility that fish NK cells were not at least associated with slg$^{+}$ cell population and not activated by Ag. Further understanding of functional fish immune cells will help to evaluate and develop effective vaccines for fishes and to monitor the course of therapy In infected fishes.hes.

Programmed cell death, apoptosis, is a mechanism to maintain tissue homeostasis. Although the apoptotic process in rodent mammary tissues has been known to occur at the onset of involution, little is known about programmed cell death in the bovine tissues. Therefore, the purpose of this study was to investigate the molecular and cellular basis of apoptotic process in bovine mammary cells. Mammary tissues were obtained at different lactational and involurional stages. By apoptosis in situ endlabeling assay, apoptotic cells were found around the acinar celt lining in regressing bovine mammary tissues. The apoptosis-related genes bel-2 and bax were detected throughout involution by Northern blotting assay. The level of bax mRNA was dominantly expressed during involution. On the other hand, the bel-2 RNA transcripts were constantly expressed by 14 of post-lactation and declined thereafter. The expression of the testosterone-repressed prostate message-2 (TRPM-2) RNA transcripts, a marker for tissue remodeling, was increased as involution progressed. TNF a, were induced the DNA fragmentation and enhanced the expression of bax mRNA. In addition, milk protein secretion and amino acid uptake were decreased in mammary acinar culture treated with TNF $\alpha$. These results indicate that bovine mammary cells undergo apoptotic process after the cessation of milking and that TNF $\alpha$ may trigger apoptosis in lactating bovine mammary acini.

Location of the neurons in the lateral reticular nucleus projecting to dorsal horn of the cervical, thoracic, or lumbar spinal cord was investigated in the rat using the technique of retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase. The projection was bilateral with ipsilateral predominance. Neurons projecting to the cervical spinal cord were located near the medial, dorsal, and lateral perimeter of the magnocellular division of the lateral reticular nucleus, whereas cells projecting to the thoracic and lumbar spinal cord were localized in the medial and dorsal boundaries of the magnocellular division. The labeled neurons were distinctly multipolar in shape and measured approximately 10-15 $\mu m$ in their greatest transverse diameter. A few neurons were also observed in the subtrigeminal nucleus, whereas few cells were in the parbocellular division. These observations provide an anatomical substrate for the functional implication of the lateral reticular nucleus in the regulation of spinal nociceptive transmission and vascular hemodynamics via the descending pathway into the spinal cord.

In order to investigate the role of protein kinase C (PKC) in chondrogenic differentiation, we examined the localization of PKC isoforms in a limb bud micromass culture system. PKC$\alpha$ is specifically localized in the regions which would become cartilage nodules, while PKC$\lambda/l$ and $\zeta$ display widespread distribution in the whole culture. Distribution of PKC$\alpha$ change along with promotion or inhibition of chondrogenesis by lysophosphatidylcholine or phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate. On the other hand, localization of PKC$\lambda/l$ or $\zeta$ a was not changed by the modulation of chondrogenesis. Peanut agglutinin binding protein which is associated with cell aggregation during chondrogenesis was present in the cell condensation regions and its expression in those regions was influenced by PKC activity. Expression of fibronectin and N-cadherin in the cell condensing area were also affected by modulation of PKC activity. These results suggest involvement of PKC$\alpha$ in the cell condensation, possibly through regulating expression of fibronectin and N-cadherin.

In the present study we determined if NELL2, a neural tissue-specific protein containing 6 epidermal growth factor (EGF)-like repeat domains, plays an important role in the regulation of puberty initiation in the rat hypothalamus. We origin811y found that NELL2 is a new estrogen-responsive gene in hypothalami derived from estrogen-sterilized and control rats using a PCR differential display. In the 40-day-old female rat hypothalamus, NELL2 was up-regulated by neonatal estrogen treatment. In situ hybridization histochemistry showed that NELL2 is very abundant in the ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus that is responsible for the control of sex behavior. NELL2 mRNA level in the medial basal hypothalamus showed a dramatic increase before female puberty onset, which suggests that NELL2 may be involved in the process regulating female puberty onset. We attemped to block NELL2 synthesis with intracerebroventricular injection of an antisense oligodeoxynucleotide (ODN) to the NELL2 mRNA, and examined its effect on the puberty onset of the female rat. The antisense ODN significantly delayed puberty initiation determined by vaginal opening. In summary, NELL2 may play an important role in the regulation of female puberty onset.

The appearance of some gastrointestinal endocrine cells in the Meckel's diverticulum (MD) of the bean goose, Anser fabalis Latham was observed using specific antisera against serotonin, gastrin, cholecystokinin (CCK)-8, glucagon, secretin, somatostatin and human pancreatic polypeptide (HPP) with the peroxidase antiperoxidase (PAP) method. Among these specific antisera, serotonin-, gastrin-, CCK-8-, somatostatin- and HPP-immunoreactive cells were demonstrated in this study. Serotonin-, gastrin- and somatostatin-immunoreactive cells were detected at moderate frequency and CCK-8- and HPP-immunoreactive cells was rare and low frequencies, respectively. These immunoreactive cells were located in the superficial epithelium, intestinal crvpt and intestinal glands with spherical or spindle shaped cells having long cytoplasmic processes (open typed-cell). Mucosal layer of MD was composed of simple columnar epithelium and numerous intestinal glands. In addition, numerous lymphatic tissues were also demonstrated. In conclusion, histological profiles of MD were similar to any parts of the large intestine, especially the cecum, but the appearance, distribution and relative frequency of gastrointestinal endocrine cells were similar to those of upper parts of the small intestine. Although the exact digestive functions were unknown, the finding that the appearance, distribution and relative frequency of gastrointestinal endocrine cells in MD is similar to small intestine may be considered as distinct evidence that this organ may have some digestive functions.

Using a murine T cell hybridoma, activation-induced cell death (AICD) was studied. As an in vitro model system for the AICD, 1 cell hybridoma expressing TCR/CD3 complex was incubated onto the immobilized purified anti-CD3 antibody. The immobilized anti-CD3 antibody induced AICD effectively up to 40%. At 1-100 $\mu$M range of SNP, an exogenous source of nitric oxide (NO), the cell proliferation was not affected, but at 1 mM SNP, cell proliferation was significantly reduced. The AICD of T cell hybridoma was inhibited by exogenous NO at non-cytotoxic concentration, In the cells undergoing AICD, the expressions of caspase-3 and FasL were detected, but not iNOS. Similar result was recognized in the apoptosis induced by dexamethasone, an apoptosis-inducing agent. However, the conversion from the inactive form of caspase-3 (32 kDa) to the active form (17 kDa) was significantly reduced in the cells in AICD induced by anti-CD3 antibody, With the result of increased PARP cleavage in the cells, we propose that another PARP cleavage pathway not involving caspase-3 may function in the anti-CD3 antibody induced AICD in the T cell hybridoma.

The Tcf-1 (1-cell factor-1) protein binds to the T-cell specific enhancer sequences and plays an architectural role in the assembly of transcriptional machinery. One of the Tcf family proteins, Tcf-4, was found to be an important regulator for colon cancer development where it activates specific genes upon binding to $\beta$-catenin following Wnt signaling. We were interested in the transcriptional regulatory activities of Tcf-1 and Tcf-4 proteins in T-cells and colon cancer cells. Transactivation assay was developed using a reporter plasmid containing luciferase gene under the control of Tcf responsive elements. Luciferase activity was determined following co-transfection of the reporter along with Tcf-1 and/or $\beta$-catenin expressing plasmids. Transcription was significantly induced by $\beta$-catenin expression in all cells. Tcf-1 by itself did not induce transcription in the mature T-cell lines, but overexpressed Tcf-1 greatly activated transcription in the immature T-cell line. In addition, transfected $\beta$-catenin induced apoptosis, but co-transfected Tcf-1 suppressed apoptosis in HEK293 cells. These results suggest that Tcf-1 and $\beta$-catenin differently regulate transcription and apoptosis.