• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.28 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2012

Tropical forests whether fragmented or undisturbed or be they equatorial or deciduous, remain the storehouse of biodiversity for hundreds of thousands of plant and animal species. This unique characteristic continues to attract a wide range of scientists and international organizations to study and attempt to understand tropical forest ecosystems. Gene flow is mediated by pollen, seed and seedling dispersal, and factors affecting this gene flow include phenology, spatial distribution, population structures, seed predation, sexual and mating systems as well as physical and biological barriers to gene flow. Two methods are used in measuring gene flow: direct method that relies on the actual observation of seed and pollen dispersal, whereas indirect methods involve the use of genetic markers such as allozymes and DNA techniques. Political strife, extreme natural and artificial disasters, the lack of a comprehensive forestry research vision, coupled with difficult socio-economic conditions in Africa have made the environment quite difficult for sustained research activities on the part of those undertaking or wishing to undertake such studies. Gene flow studies in this region are few and far between. This review elaborates on the mechanisms of gene flow mediation in Sub-Saharan Africa.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.38.1-38.1
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• 2017

We report the results of three-dimensional radiation hydrodynamic simulations of star cluster formation in turbulent molecular clouds, with primary attention to how stellar radiation feedback controls the lifetime and net star formation efficiency (SFE) of their natal clouds. We examine the combined effects of photoionization and radiation pressure for a wide range of cloud masses (10^4 - 10^6 Msun) and radii (2 - 80 pc). In all simulations, stars form in densest regions of filaments until feedback becomes strong enough to clear the remaining gas out of the system. We find that the SFE is primarily a function of the initial cloud surface density, Sigma, (SFE increasing from ~7% to ~50% as Sigma increases from ~30 Msun/pc^2 to ~10^3 Msun/pc^2), with weak dependence on the initial cloud mass. Control runs with the same initial conditions but without either radiation pressure or photoionization show that photoionization is the dominant feedback mechanism for clouds typical in normal disk galaxies, while they are equally important for more dense, compact clouds. For low-Sigma clouds, more than 80% of the initial cloud mass is lost by photoevaporation flows off the surface of dense clumps. The cloud becomes unbound within ~0.5-2.5 initial free-fall times after the first star-formation event, implying that cloud dispersal is rapid once massive star formation takes place. We briefly discuss implications and limitations of our work in relation to observations.

• The Korean Journal of Mycology
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.205-211
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• 2018

Fungal endophytes are defined as fungi inhabiting plant tissues, causing no apparent disease. As the agricultural and ecological importance of endophytes has increased, many studies have been performed on various aspects, ranging from basic identification, taxonomy, and evolution to secondary metabolites with potential for human use. In the Korean Peninsula, conifers are the most commonly found evergreen trees, with approximately 30 to 60 reported taxa. Studies on the effect of conifer-associated endophytes on the host plants are required for the preservation and conservation of coniferous forests which decline by climate change and deforestation. This review summarizes the diversity of endophytic fungi in coniferous trees of Korea and their relationship with host plants.

• ALGAE
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.239-249
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• 2005

Some marine coenocytic green algae could form protoplasts from the extruded protoplasm in seawater. The dissociated cell components of the coenocytic protoplasm could be reunited into live cells and, hence, the formation of new species by mixing protoplasms from different coenocytic cells has been predicted. Our results showed that an incompatibility barrier was present during protoplast formation in coenocytic algae to exclude foreign inorganic particles or alien cell components. No inorganic particles or alien cell components were incorporated into protoplast formed spontaneously in seawater. Even when the inorganic particles or alien cell and/or cell component were incorporated into protoplast in some experimental condition, they were expelled from the protoplast or degenerated within several days. A species-specific cytotoxicity was observed during protoplast hybridization between the protoplasms of Bryopsis spp. and Microdictyon umbilicatum. The cell sap of M. umbilicatum could destroy the cell components of Bryopsis spp., but had no effect on Chaetomorpha moniligera. Species C. moniligera and Bryopsis did not affect protoplast generation of either species. The wound-induced protoplast formation in vitro might have evolved in some coenocytic algae as a dispersal method, and the incompatibility barrier to alien particles or cell and/or cell component could serve as a protective mechanism for successful propagation.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.50-59
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• 2024

Charcoal rot disease, caused by the fungus Macrophomina phaseolina, is one of the most important diseases of Sesame (Sesamum indicum) all over the world. However, the population biology of M. phaseolina is poorly understood. In this study, M. phaseolina isolates from five different regions of Iran (Khuzestan, Fars, Bushehr, Hormozgan, and Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad provinces) (n=200) were analyzed for genetic variation using inter simple sequence repeats marker. In total, 152 unique haplotypes were identified among the 200 M. phaseolina isolates, and gene diversity (H=0.46-0.84) and genotypic diversity were high in each of the regions. The structure analysis clustered five Iranian populations into two distinct groups, the individuals from group 1 were assigned to the Bushehr population and the individuals from Khuzestan, Fars, Hormozgan and Kohgiluyeh & Boyer-Ahmad were aggregated and formed group 2. The results matched with genetic differentiation and gene flow among regions. Analyses of the distribution of gene diversity within and among five Iranian populations were 61% and 39%, respectively. Our results showed that infected seeds are thought to be the dominant mechanism responsible for the spreading of the pathogen in southern parts of Iran. In summary, it is essential to have local quarantine and prevent seed exchanges between geographical populations to restrict the dispersal of pathogen over long distances and provide certified seeds in Iran.

• 한국균학회소식:학술대회논문집
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• 2018.05a
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• pp.33-33
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• 2018

Air-borne plant pathogenic fungus Fusarium graminearum and seed-borne plant pathogenic bacterium Burkholderia glumae are cause similar disease symptoms in rice heads. Here we showed that two pathogens frequently co-isolated in rice heads and F. graminearum is resistant to toxoflavin produced by B. glumae while other fungal genera are sensitive to the toxin. We have tried to clarify the resistant mechanism of F. graminearum against toxoflavin and the ecological reason of co-existence of the two pathogens in rice. We found that F. graminearum carries resistance to toxoflavin as accumulating lipid in fungal cells. Co-cultivation of two pathogens resulted in increased conidia and enhanced chemical attraction and attachment of the bacterial cells to the fungal conidia. Bacteria physically attached to fungal conidia, which protected bacterium cells from UV light and allowed disease dispersal. Chemotaxis analysis showed that bacterial cells moved toward the fungal exudation compared to a control. Even enhanced the production of phytotoxic trichothecene by the fungal under presence of toxoflavin and disease severity on rice heads was significantly increased by co-inoculation rather than single inoculation. This study suggested that the undisclosed potentiality of air-born infection of bacteria using the fungal spores for survival and dispersal.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.44 no.10
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• pp.843-852
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• 2016

The autorotative flight of maple seeds(Acer palmatum) is numerically simulated based on the 3D geometry and the motion parameters of real seeds. The nominal values of the motion parameters are 1.26 m/s for descent velocity, 133.6 rad/s (1,276 rpm) for spinning rate, $19.4^{\circ}$ for coning angle, and $-1.5^{\circ}$ for pitch angle. A compact leading-edge vortex (LEV) positioned at the inner span of the seed blade causes a large suction pressure on its leeward surface. The suction pressure peaks occur near the leading region of inner span sections. The flow pattern characterized by the prominent LEV and the values of aerodynamic force coefficients obtained in the present study are in good agreement with experimental data measured for a dynamically-scaled robot maple seeds. A spiraling vortex developed in the leeward region advances toward the seed tip and merges with the tip-passing flow, which is considered to be a mechanism of maintaining stable and attached LEV for the autorotating maple seeds.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Plant Pathology Conference
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• 2003.10a
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• pp.67.1-67
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• 2003

Phytophthora blight is a devastating disease of pepper and occurs almost anywhere peppers are grown. Phytophthora blight is caused by Phytophthora capsici and this pathogen can infect every part of the plant by moving inoculum in the soil, by infecting water on surface, by aerial dispersal to sporulating lesions. Management of Phytophthora blight currently relies on cultural practices, crop rotation, and use of selective fungicides. Since these treatments are a short-term management, a classical breeding for development of resistant pepper against the Phytophthora is an alternative. So far some of the resistant cultivars have been on the market, but those are limited regionally and commercially. Therefore, ultimately an elite line resistant against this disease should be developed, if possible, by biotechnology. We have set out a series of work recently in order to develop Phytophthora resistant pepper cultivar. For the first time, the cDNA microarray analysis was peformed using an EST chip that holds around 5000 pepper EST clones to identify genes responsive to Phytophthora infection. Total RNA samples were obtained from Capsicum annuum PI201234 after inoculating P. capsici to roots and soil and exposed to the chip. .Around 900 EST clones were up-regulated and down-regulated depending on the two RNA sample tissues, leaf and root. From those, we have found 55 transcription factors that may be involved in gene regulation of the disease defense mechanism. Further and in detail information will be provided in the poster.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.43.1-43.1
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• 2018

Star formation in galaxies predominantly takes place in giant molecular clouds (GMCs). While it is widely believed that UV radiation feedback from young massive stars can destroy natal GMCs by exciting HII regions and driving their expansion, our understanding on how this actually occurs remains incomplete. To quantitatively assess the effect of UV radiation feedback on cloud disruption, we conduct a series of theoretical studies on the dynamics of HII regions and its role in controlling the star formation efficiency (SFE) and lifetime of GMCs in a wide range of star-forming environments. We first develop a semi-analytic model for the expansion of spherical dusty HII regions driven by the combination of gas and radiation pressures, finding that GMCs in normal disk galaxies are destroyed by gas-pressure driven expansion with SFE < 10%, while more dense and massive clouds with higher SFE are disrupted primarily by radiation pressure. Next, we turn to radiation hydrodynamic simulations of GMC dispersal to allow for self-consistent star formation as well as inhomogeneous density and velocity structures arising from supersonic turbulence. For this, we develop an efficient parallel algorithm for ray tracing method, which enables us to probe a range of cloud masses and sizes. Our parameter study shows that the net SFE, lifetime (measured in units of free-fall time), and the importance of radiation pressure (relative to photoionization) increase primarily with the initial surface density of the cloud. Unlike in the idealized spherical model, we find that the dominant mass loss mechanism is photoevaporation rather than dynamical ejection and that a significant fraction of radiation escapes through low optical-depth channels. We will discuss the astronomical.

• Plant Biotechnology Reports
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.19-25
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• 2007

To develop an efficient screening method for detection of the transgene in Chinese cabbage (Brassica rapa spp. pekinensis) utilizing Basta spray, optimal conditions for Basta application were examined in this study. Two transgenic Chinese cabbage lines were obtained through Agrobacterium-mediated transformation and used as transgenic positive controls in the Basta screening experiment. Differential concentrations of glufosinate-ammonium were sprayed into three different growth stages of 12 commercial Chinese cabbage cultivars. The results showed that no plants could survive higher than 0.05% glufosinate-ammonium, and plants at the 2-3 leaf stage were most vulnerable to glufosinate-ammonium. On the other hand, no damage was observed in the transgenic control plants. Reliability of the Basta spray method was proven by showing perfect co-segregation of the tolerance to glufosinate-ammonium and the presence of the bar gene in T₁ segregating populations of the transgenic lines, as revealed by both PCR and Southern blot analyses. Using the developed Basta screening method, we tried to investigate the transgene flow through pollen dispersal, but failed to detect any transgene-containing non-transgenic Chinese cabbages whose parents had been planted adjacent to transgenic Chinese cabbages in field conditions. However, the transgene was successfully detected using Basta spray from the non-transgenic plants bearing the transgene introduced by hand-pollination. Since the Basta spray method developed in this study is easy to apply and economical, it will be a valuable tool for understanding the mechanism of gene flow through pollen transfer and for establishing a biosafety test protocol for genetically modified (GM) Chinese cabbage cultivars.