• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• 제38권4호
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• pp.275-283
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• 2022

A study was designed to investigate the pattern of sexual dimorphism in a plantation of Garcinia kola. Twenty trees were randomly selected for the study and have been observed to flower regularly. A total of 100 inflorescence were randomly collected from the crown of each tree and 500 flowers randomly assessed within the period of four (4) flowering seasons. Floral sex assessment was done visually and with a hand magnifying lens; floral morphometric measurements (i.e. pedicel and perianth length and breadth), inflorescence length, and breadth) was taken using a veneer caliper; number of flowers per inflorescence and inflorescence per twig was counted; while, data analysis was conducted on excel using analysis of variance and pairwise t-test comparison. Four floral sexes were identified in the G. kola plantation studied which were unisexual male flowers, unisexual female flowers, cosexual unisexual male flowers, and cosexual hermaphrodite flowers. Three tree sexes were identified viz: inconstant male, invariant female, and cosexual trees. The plantation was significantly sexually dimorphic in floral sex and phenotypic traits (i.e. pedicel and perianth size), and as well as sexually dimorphic in tree sex and reproductive phenotypic traits (i.e. inflorescence size, number of inflorescences per twig, and number of flower bud per inflorescence). The sexual system of the plantation was therefore trioecious with features suggestive of evolving dioecy through the gynodioecious pathway.

• Journal of Species Research
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• 제11권3호
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• pp.169-173
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• 2022

Three species belonging to the genus Trapania Pruvot-Fol, 1931 are redescribed from Korea in this paper: Trapania euryeia Gosliner & Fahey, 2008, T. japonica (Baba, 1935), and T. toddi Rudman, 1987. Among these species, T. japonica is newly added to Korean fauna. The genus Trapania is characterized by a pair of extra-rhinophoral appendages on each side of the head, tentacular foot corners, a pair of extra-branchial appendages present around the gill, radula formula N×1.0.1. and consists of denticulated teeth, triaulic reproductive system, and minute spines on the armed penis. Herein, synonyms of the genus Trapania are summarized through a detailed literature review and the diagnostic characters of the genus Trapania are provided. Three species of the genus Trapania from Korea are distinguished from each other based on the color of extra-rhinoporal appendages and extra-branchial appendages, ground color, and distribution range of the brown markings on the dorsal surface. A taxonomic key to the genus Trapania in Korea is provided. In addition, the morphological characteristics of three trapanian nudibranchs in Korea are described and detailed photos of living animal are provided.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.13-21
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• 2022

Neurokinin B (NKB) is a neuropeptide involved in the regulation of reproductive endocrine system of vertebrate animals, including fish. However, the pathway of NKB action in fish has not been clearly elucidated. In order to clarify the effect of NKB and NKF (neurokinin F) on gonadotropic hormone (GTH) gene expression in the pituitary, we studied the changes of LHβ and FSHβ gene expressions by using two different pituitary culture methods (whole pituitary culture or dispersed pituitary cell culture). Pituitaries were removed from mature female and male Nile tilapia. Changes of LHβ and FSHβ gene expressions were measured and compared after the treatment with NKB or NKF peptides at concentrations 0 to 1,000 nM. Expression of GTH genes in the whole pituitary cultures treated with NKB or NKF peptides did not show significant difference except in female at one concentration when treated with NKF. On the contrary, there were significant changes of GTH gene expressions in the dispersed pituitary cell cultures when treated with NKB and NKF peptides. These results suggest that dispersed pituitary cell culture is more relevant than whole pituitary culture in studying the function of pituitary, and that NKB and NKF could act directly on the pituitary to regulate the expression of GTH genes.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• 제47권2호
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• pp.193-198
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• 2023

Several chemicals have been developed owing to the progression of industrialization, among which endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs; essential for plastic production) are used as plasticizers and flame retardants. Plastics have become an essential element in modern life because they provide convenience, thus increasing EDCs exposure to humans. EDCs cause adverse effects such as deterioration of reproductive function, cancer, and neurological abnormalities by disrupting the endocrine system and hence are classified as "dangerous substances." Additionally, they are toxic to various organs but continue to be used. Therefore, it is necessary to review the contamination status of EDCs, select potentially hazardous substances for management, and monitor the safety standards. In addition, it is necessary to discover substances that can protect against EDC toxicity and conduct active research on the protective effects of these substances. According to recent research, Korean Red Ginseng (KRG) exhibits protective effects against several toxicities caused by EDCs to humans. In this review, the effects of EDCs on the human body and the role of KRG in protection against EDC toxicity are discussed.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제26권7호
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• pp.447-454
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• 2023

Fast somatic growth is important considerations for successful and competitive aquaculture industry. In rainbow trout reared in South Korea, triploid induction was used to suppress negative influence of reproductive maturation to body growth. However, the effects of triploidy are visible in both mature fish and developing juvenile fish. Thus, it is also important to explicate the effect of triploid induction on growth during the early-life stages of rainbow trout-alevins and fry. Rainbow trout fertilized eggs were subjected to triploid induction and polyploidy was checked by flow cytometry. Diploid and triploid alevins and fry were reared separately in tanks with constant flow of freshwater through flow-through water system and growth measurements were done from zero days after hatching (DAH 0) until DAH 134. The egg-yolk morphometrics of alevins-yolk length, yolk height, yolk volume and yolk weight-were statistically similar (p > 0.05) in both genotypes from DAH 0 to DAH 22. The total length, body height, and body weight of alevins and fry were statistically better (p > 0.05) in both genotypes until DAH 92 but thereafter, triploid had a significantly better growth performance (p < 0.05) over diploid fish until the completion of study at DAH 134. With that, triploid induction did not influence alevin yolk regions and body growth and fry somatic growth until around 3 months after hatching, but considerable growth enhancement was subsequently apparent.

• Anatomy and Cell Biology
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• 제56권4호
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• pp.421-427
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• 2023

Bladder exstrophy is a rare congenital condition of the pelvis, bladder, and lower abdomen that opens the bladder against the abdominal wall, produces aberrant growth, short penis, upward curvature during erection, wide penis, and undescended testes. Exstrophy affects 1/30,000 newborns. The bladder opens against the abdominal wall in bladder exstrophy, a rare genitourinary condition. This study is vital to provide appropriate therapy choices as a basis to improve patient outcomes. This study may explain bladder exstrophy and provide treatment. Epispadias, secretory placenta, cloacal exstrophy, and other embryonic abnormalities comprise the exstrophy-spades complex. The mesenchymal layer does not migrate from the ectoderm and endoderm layers in the first trimester, affecting the cloacal membrane. Embryological problems define the exstrophy-aspidistra complex, which resembles epimedium, classic bladder, cloacal exstrophy, and other diseases. Urogenital ventral body wall anomalies expose the bladder mucosa, causing bladder exstrophy. Genetic mutations in the Hedgehog cascade pathway, Wnt signal, FGF, BMP4, Alx4, Gli3, and ISL1 cause ventral body wall closure and urinary bladder failure. External factors such as high maternal age, smoking moms, and high maternal body mass index have also been associated to bladder exstrophy. Valproic acid increases bladder exstrophy risk; chemicals and pollutants during pregnancy may increase bladder exstrophy risk. Bladder exstrophy has no identified cause despite these risk factors. Exstrophy reconstruction seals the bladder, improves bowel function, reconstructs the vaginal region, and restores urination.

• 한국발생생물학회지:발생과생식
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• 제28권2호
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• pp.29-36
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• 2024

Cellular prion protein (PrP^C) encoded at Prnp gene is well-known to form a misfolded isoform, termed scrapie PrP (PrP^SC) that cause transmissible degenerative diseases in central nervous system. The physiological role of PrP^C has been proposed by many studies, showing that PrP^C interacts with various intracellular, membrane, and extracellular molecules including mitochondrial inner membrane as a scaffold. PrP^C is expressed in most cell types including reproductive organs. Numerous studies using PrP^C knockout rodent models found no obvious phenotypic changes, in particular the clear phenotypes in development and reproduction have not demonstrated in these knockout models. However, various roles of PrP^C have been evaluated at the cellular levels. In this review, we summarized the known roles of PrP^C in various cell types and tissues with a special emphasis on those involved in reproduction.

• Reproductive and Developmental Biology
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• 제29권1호
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• pp.57-62
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• 2005

본 연구에서는 retrovirus를 이용한 유전자 전이에 있어서 대두되는 큰 문제점의 하나인 외래 유전자의 지속적인 발현으로 인한 개체의 생리적인 손상을 최소화하기 위하여 tetracycline계 물질의 공급 여부에 따라서 발현을 유도적으로 조절할 수 있는 one vector 형태의 Tet-On system을 구축하고자 하였다. 또한 WPRE 서열을 이 vector 상에 도입하여 유도적 조건에서 외래 유전자의 발현이 보다 강하게 일어날 수 있는 효율적인 retrovirus vector system을 확립하고자 하였다. 구축한 각각의 vector system에서 fluorometry와 western blotting을 이용하여 GFP 유전자의 발현 정도를 비교 측정한 결과, RevTRE-EGFP-WPRE-RSVp-rtTA2SM2 virus를 이용하여 유전자를 전이시킨 표적세포에서 GFP의 절대적인 발현량이 가장 큰 것으로 나타났고, 유전자 발현의 turn on/off에 의한 유도율은 RevTRE-EGFP-RSVp-rtTA2SM2-WPRE virus의 경우에서 8∼21배로 가장 높은 것으로 나타났다. 이상의 결과에서 외래 유전자의 발현을 효율적으로 조절할 수 있는 vector system은 WPRE가 rtTA2SM2 서열의 3에 위치한 형태로, 이 system을 이용하여 생산한 고감염가의 virus는 유전자 치료나 형질전환 동물의 생산에 있어서 요구되는 외래 유전자의 발현을 효율적으로 조절할 수 있는 수단이 될 것이다.

• 한국응용곤충학회지
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• 제55권2호
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• pp.177-188
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• 2016

알파 프로테박테리아(${\alpha}-proteobacterium$)인 볼바키아(Wolbachia) 세균은 절지동물 세포내의 중요한 공생균 중의 하나이다. 그람 음성 세균인 이 공생균은 기주동물의 여러 생물적 과정에 관여하고 있으며, 현재 생물적 방제 수단으로 주목 받고 있다. 볼바키아는 기주 세포의 세포질에 서식하는 세균인데 암컷을 통하여 세대간 전염된다. 볼파키아의 감염 개체 밀도를 높이기 위해 기주의 생식방식을 조작하는 다양한 전략을 발달시켰다. 볼바키아 유전자형 계통은 볼바키아 표면 단백질(WSP)의 고변이영역 아미노산 서열과 복합좌위 서열 타이핑(Multilocus sequence typing, MLST)으로 결정된다. 상이한 유전계통 판별은 wsp, 16S rRNA, ftsZ, gltA, groEL 등 유전자 분자표지를 이용하게 된다.. 이 계통 볼바키아 세균과 그들의 우월한 표현형이 농업해충과 인간의 질병매개 곤충에 대한 방제 프로그램에서 이용 가능성이 고려되고 있다. 볼바키아 표현형들은 세포질불일치(cytoplasmic incompatibility, CI), 단성생식 유도(parthenogenesis induction, PI), 여성화(feminization, F), 수컷치사(male killing, MK) 등을 유발하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 기타 볼바키아 세균의 농업과 위생곤충 방제 프로그램에서 응용 방안을 고찰하였다.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• 제19권2호
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• pp.105-116
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• 1992

The present study was examined to clarify the role of calcium ion as a factor for the maturation of mouse oocytes. Follicles and cumulus-enclosed oocytes were isolated with two sharp needles under a stereomicroscope from female mouse (ICR) ovaries which were treated PMSG 5 IU 45-46 hours previously. Isolated follicles and cumulus-enclosed oocytes were cultured for 14-16 hours in an organ culture system at $37^{\circ}C$, 5% $CO_2$ in air and 100% humudified in incubator. MHBS was the basic medium used from which A23187, verapamil, $NiCl_{2.}$ $6H_2O$ and $LaCl_{3.}$ $7H_2O$ were added depending on the experimental groups. In follicle- or cumulus-enclosed oocytes wre cultured in these differently treated media. Following results were obtained from the present study. 1. The calcium ionophore A23187 directly or indirectly seems to stimulate GVBD of follicle-enclosed mouse oocytes. Increasing concentration of ionophore A23187 1ed to an increase in oocytes degeneration from the cumulus-enclosed mouse oocytes. 2. The organic $Ca^{++}$ channel blocker, verapamil does not induce GVBD of follicle-enclosed mouse oocytes. Specially, higher dose of 1 mM verapamil induced GVBD of follicle-enclosed mouse oocytes. However, cytoplasm of GVBD oocytes in 1 mM verapamil treated groups appeared shrunk. In the cumulus-enclosed oocytes, polar body formation was reduced in verapamil treated groups and degeneration increased. Verapamil inhibit oocyte maturation (polar body formation). 3. The $Ca^{++}$ inhibitor, Nickel ($NiCl_{2.}$ $6H_2O$) inhibits maturation of the follicle-enclosed oocytes. In the cumulus-enclosed oocytes the progression to MII (PB formation) was reduced and degeneration of mouse oocytes increased as the concentration of $Ni^{++}$ increase. The results indicates that nickel act as an inhibitor of calcium. 4. The $Ca^{++}$ inhibitors, Lanthanum ($LaCl_{3.}$ $7H_2O$) has shown different effect from that of nickel. In follicle-enclosed oocytes, 0.01mM lanthanum induced maturation of mouse oocytes. Polar body formation was reduced in the cumulus-enclosed oocytes all lanthanum treated group.