• Proceedings of the Korean Environmental Health Society Conference
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.345-350
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• 2005

Acute toxicities of five pharmaceutical products were evaluated with aquatic microbes, invertebrates, and fish. The test pharmaceuticals, i.e., cimetidine, carbamazepine, diltiazem, acetaminophene, and metformin have been often detected in aquatic environment, but theire cological hazard on receptors of various trophic levels has seldom been evaluated. In the present study, we conducted acute toxicity assays with a marine bacterium, Vibrio fischeri, an invertebrate, Daphnia magna, and a fish, Japanese medake (Oryzias latipes). In general, D. magna, showed the most sensitive response to the test chemicals. Diltiazem exhibited the lowest EC50 value after 96 hr of exposure at 7.6 mg/L, followed by cimetidine >acetaminophen > metformin = carbamazepine in an order of decreasing susceptibility. With the fish, diltiazem and carbamazepine showed the 96 hr EC50 values at 14.1${\sim}$35.4 mg/L while acetaminophen, cimetidine, and metformin did not cause 50% mortality at 100 mg/L. Similar pattern was noted with the Microtox Assay, with which the median effective concentrations for acetaminophen, cimetidine, and metformin were found at the range between 301.8 and 755.4 mg/L. Carbamazepine and diltiazem exposure to the microbes resulted in EC50 values around 50 mg/L. Predicted no effect concentrations (PECs) of these pharmaceuticals derived from the EC5O values obtained from this study, and predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) obtained from available literatures were utilized to estimate ecological risks of the test compounds. No test pharmaceuticals resulted in risk quotients (PEC/PNEC) greater than 1, which suggests no serious potential ecological concerns. It should be noted however that further studies including the refinement of PEC derivation, identification and toxicity assessment of the metabolites and/or their interactions with other stressors may be warranted to better understand the environmental consequences of the residual pharmaceutical discharge to the waterway.

• The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.346-356
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• 2000

This study was carried out to investigate the distribution pattern of macrobenthos in the subtidal sandy bottoms of the east coast of Korea, and seasonal samplings were performed from April 1993 to February 1994. The species number of macrobenthos was in the range from 70 in winter to 109 in spring season. Polychaete worms were the most dominant faunal group in species richness and abundance, but mollusks showed the highest biomass. The mean density of macrobenthos fluctuated from 631 individuals/m$^2$ in autumn to 1,995 individuals/m$^2$ in summer. The major macrofauna in abundance were polychaetes, Spiophanes bombyx which occurred all seasons with top rank and Prionospio sp. and a mollusk, Alvenius ojianus, and crustaceans, Wecomedon sp. and Urothoidae spp. were also numerically dominant macrobenthic fauna. The macrobenthos in the study area were classified into two assemblages by water depth. However, they showed a different community structure near small rivers in autumn and winter seasons.

• International Journal of Industrial Entomology and Biomaterials
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.159-162
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• 2012

The Chinese windmill butterfly, Atrophaneura alcinous, is an important butterfly for exhibition in butterfly garden. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of temperature on A. alcinous in the laboratory. Development of A. alcinous reared on leaves of Aristolochia contorta was investigated at five constant the laboratory condition (20, 22.5, 25, 27.5 and $30^{\circ}C$) and at relative humidity of 60% with a photoperiod of 14:10 (L:D). Temperatures have been suggested as an important determinant of developmental rate, lifespan and mortality in invertebrates. As the temperature increased, the length of the developmental period gradually decreased. The developmental time (pupation) from egg hatching to pupation was respectively 25.8, 23.6, 19.6, 15.5, and 12.9 days at the temperatures of 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5 and $30^{\circ}C$. And pupation was respectively 40.0, 30.0, 63.4, 50.0, 23.3% at the temperatures of 20, 22.5, 25, 27.5 and $30^{\circ}C$. The developmental threshold temperature estimated for egg-to-pupae was 10.8, with a thermal constant of 230.4 degree-days. Therefore, the optimal developmental temperature for A. alninous was determined to be $25^{\circ}C$. To compare the effects of the total duration of chilling on the termination of diapause, larvae were subjected to a temperature of $8^{\circ}C$ from 60 to 120 days. The rate of termination of diapause was significantly higher at 60 days compared to other incubation period.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.22-30
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• 2011

Vitellogenin (Vg) is the precursor of vitellin (Vn), which is the major yolk protein in nearly all oviparous species, including fish, amphibians, reptiles, and most invertebrates. It is one of the most important factors during reproduction, and numerous studies have shown that Vg genes are markers of the reproductive cycle and effecter genes induced by endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs). Previously, we isolated two distinct cDNAs encoding vitellogenin homologs Pj-Vg1 and Pj-Vg2 from Pandalus shrimp Pandalopsis japonica. In this study, full-length genomic sequences of Pj-Vg1 and Pj-Vg2 were determined using a PCR-based genome walking strategy. Isolated Pj-Vg1 and Pj-Vg2 genes were 11,910 and 11,850 bp long, respectively. Both Pj-Vg genes had 15 exons and 14 introns, and the splicing sites were also the same, suggesting that they arose via gene duplication. The similar structural characteristics of decapod Vg genes suggest that they are all orthologs that evolved from the same ancestral gene. Analysis of Pj-Vg1 and Pj-Vg2 expression revealed that the relative copy numbers of Pj-Vg1 and Pj-Vg2 were similar in the hepatopancreas, whereas Pj-Vg2 transcripts were also detected in the ovary. Expression of both Pj-Vg genes was induced in hepatopancreas of mature individuals, whereas only Pj-Vg2 transcripts were upregulated in the ovaries from mature animals, suggesting that both Pj-Vgs are important for oocyte development. A strong positive correlation was found between Pj-Vg1 and Pj-Vg2 transcripts in the same individual, indicating they are under the same control mechanisms. Additionally, a positive correlation was found between ovarian and hepatopancreatic Pj-Vg2 transcripts, suggesting that its dual expression is regulated by similar physiological conditions. Knowledge of the similarities and differences between the two vitellogenin-like genes, Pj-Vg1 and Pj-Vg2, would help us to understand their roles in reproduction and other physiological effects.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.46 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2013

Fisheries' biological resources were considered public resources before the 1990s. Every country could access and use these resources without regulation. However, the United Nations adopted the Convention on Biological Diversity and the privileges and rights to these resources were attributed to countries. This research starts with the research background and social and academic value of "The Jasan Eobo (or Report on Marine Organisms in the Coastal Waters near Heuksan Island)" by Jeong Yak-Jeon, who pioneered the new field of Fisheries Science and Marine Biology in Korea in the early 1800s. We also searched for recent results from the Marine Bio-Diversity Research Activities of the Korean National Council for Conservation of Nature (KNCCN) and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries (MOMAF). KNCCN reported that marine bio-diversity comprised approximately 6,500 species in 1996, and the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries reported there were about 10,000 species in 2007. Among these marine species, plankton account for about 25%, seaweeds 11%, invertebrates 52%, and vertebrates 12% in Korean Coastal Areas. The Ministry for Food, Agriculture, Forestry, and Fisheries (MIFAFF) enacted a law for Agriculture and Fisheries Resources Management in 2012; this law includes the preservation of marine ecosystems, the conservation of wetlands and the preservation of fisheries resources, and describes the boundary of taxonomy for new species and unknown species that could be identified in the near future. To follow the new regulation for Access to General Resources and Benefit-Sharing, this research suggests (1) the importance of taxonomy for new species and unknown species as a goal of "No Name = No Information", (2) integrated research on bio-diversity, species distributions and the abundance of fisheries resources, both in local areas and in Korean Coastal Areas, and (3) the observance of international regulations or agreements for benefit-sharing without additional damage in the future.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.57-64
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• 2005

Cortical reaction and polyspermy block are well defined in most marine invertebrates. In Urechis species, the function of cortical granules (CGs) is not yet known, and there is controversy on whether the cortical reaction occurs, or the fertilization envelope (FE) is attributed to CG releases or functions to prevent polyspermy. This study was carried out to determine the cortical reactions and functions of the FE in Urechis unicinctus. Artificial insemination of the eggs revealed that CG release occurred to give rise to perivitelline space (PS) into the final FE. Both PS and final FE effectively blocked polyspermy. The final FE was accomplished within 10 min after sperm-egg initial binding. No massive release of CGs occurred within the early phase of 5 min after the initial binding, initially and the PS seemed to playa role to prevent polyspermy. The CG massively released its content into the PS in late phase of FE formation, and differentiated PS into five intermediate layers. The layers opened into each other by anastomosis, so that the final FE consisted of two layers, the inner layer ($15{\mu}m$ in thickness) and the outer layer ($1{\mu}m$ in thickness). The outer layer derived from vitelline layer and the inner layer consisted of PS and CG secretions. Immunofluorescence and confocal laser microscopy revealed that the spermatozoon took up residence in the egg cortex during FE formation and successive meioses of the fertilized egg. These results suggest that both PS and final FE of U. unicinctus were equivalent to the early and late block, respectively, of other marine animals.

• Animal cells and systems
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.175-182
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• 2007

The lysozyme II gene of cabbage butterfly Artogeia rapae was cloned from fat body of the larvae injected with E. coli and its nucleotide sequence was determined by the RACE-PCR. It has an open reading frame of 414 bp nucleotides corresponding to 138 amino acids including a signal sequence of 18 amino acids. The estimated molecular weight and the isoelectric point of the lysozyme II without the signal peptide were 13,649.38 Da and 9.11, respectively. The A. rapae lysozyme II (ARL II) showed the highest identity (81%) in the amino acid sequence to Manduca sexta lysozyme among other lepidopteran species. The two catalytic residues ($Glu^{32}$ and $Asp^{50}$) and the eight Cys residue motifs, which are highly conserved among other c-type lysozymes in invertebrates and vertebrates, are also completely conserved. A phylogenetic analysis based on amino acid sequences indicated that the ARL II was more closely related to M. sexta, Hyphantria cunea, Heliothis virescens, and Trichoplusia ni lysozymes. The ARL II gene was expressed in Spodoptera frugiperda 21 insect cells and the recombinant ARL II (rARL II) was purified from cell-conditioned media by cation exchange column chromatography and reverse phase FPLC. The purified rARL II was able to form a clear zone in lysoplate assay against Micrococcus luteus. The lytic activity was estimated to be 511.41 U/mg, 1.53 times higher than that of the chicken lysozyme. The optimum temperature for the lytic activity of the rARL II was $50^{\circ}C$, the temperature dependency of the absolute lytic activity of rARL II was higher than that of the chicken lysozyme at low temperatures under $65^{\circ}C$.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.165-170
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• 2015

The presence of predators (excluding starfishes) of disk abalone, Haliotis discus hannai was directly investigated by nine SCUBA divings during February-December 2014 at the coastal areas of Yangjeong, Jukjin and Bongpyeong, Uljin, Korea, where the young disk abalone seedlings were artificially released. The results revealed that a total of six individuals of Neptunea cumingii that were feeding on the young disk abalone were observed within the water depth 10m at the coastal area of Jukjin, of which bottom substrate consists of the relatively high composition rate of rocks (60.3%). Though N. cumingii is well known as a carnivorous predator of diverse marine invertebrates such as live mussels (Mytilus spp.) it is the first report that this predator also feeds on the disk abalones. Thus, our results strongly suggest that the future artificial release projects around Korean coasts necessitate extermination works of predators including newly observed N. cumingii in this study as well as previously known starfishes prior to the releases of young Pacific abalone seedlings.

• The Korean Journal of Malacology
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.187-196
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• 2012

Recently, for the purpose of constructing artificial ecosystem, the public aquarium and experimental mesocosm systems are receiving attention. To design and establish an aquarium and mesocosm system, there is need of several materials for simulating the environment, such as sediments, rocks, and plants. Expecially for sessile mollusks, there must be proper materials to which sessile invertebrates can adhere. Nowadays, many aquariums and mesocosm systems are using dead coral skeletons for sessile mollusks. This study was proceeded to have data on the effect of dead coral skeletons on water qualities with the experiment on the environmental factors. For this purpose, I made glass tank for experiment, chose two types of dead coral skeletons imported from the Indonesia and observed the change of water qualities and decomposition efficiency of TAN (total ammonia-nitrogen), nitrite ($NO_2{^-}$) and nitrate ($NO_3{^-}$). As a result, the lager the surface area was, the more TAN, nitrite and nitrate decomposition rate increased. In addition, coral skeletons covered with crustose algae and bacteria in the tank showed faster TAN, nitrite and nitrate removal rate and stabilization. Accordingly, this experiment suggested that dead coral skeletons could be used as a sub filter for the closed system as well as an adhering plate.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.225-231
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• 2001

The fish species collected in the Keumho River basin are 42 species 31 genera belonging to 15 Families. This report was investigated for the evaluation of water quality in the Keumho River system which is a tributary of Nakdong River in Korea on september in 1999. The fishes collected were 42 species, 31 genera belonging to 15 Families. The dominant species were 5 species; Zacco platypus, Zacco temmincki, Squalidus chankaensis tsuchigae, Moroco oxycephalus, Squalidus gracilis majimae, and 8 species; Hemibarbus longirostris, Pseudogobio esocinus, Culter brevicauda, Cobitis rotundicaudata, Pseudobagrus fulvidraco, Pungitius sinensis kaibarae, Monopterus albus, Channa argus were rare species. The relationship among the GPI, EC and BOD by the organic pollutants were over 0.9. The group pollution index(GPI) was lowest at St. 1(0.85) and highest at St. 1(0.85) and highest at St. 5(2.33). The water quality of the Keumho river divided into 3 parts; the water of upper reaches in river(St. 1) was 1st class(oligotrophic condition), middle parts(St. 2, 3, 4) were 3rd class($\alpha$-mesosaprobic condition) and lower part(St. 5) was 4th class(Polysaprobic condition) as the source of tap water, respectively. And the tributary which are the Sinryeong Stream(St. 6), the Sincheon(St. 7) and the Donghwa Stream(St. 9) in Keumho river were 2nd class as the source of tap water. The results in this study was represented same patterns as the result by the use of indicator species like as algae and invertebrates for the discrimination of water quality. So, some freshwater fish species can be use applicant for the discrimination of water quality.