Two Newly Recorded Coprophagid Species from Korea (Coleoptera, Scarabaeidae and Aphodiidae)

A species of Scarabaeidae, Panelus parvulus Waterhouse and a species of Aphodiidae, Aphodius fossor (Linné) are newly recorded from Korea. The diagnosis and photographs of them are provided.     

Molecular cloning and expression pattern of 14-3-3ζ from the malaria vector, Anopheles sinensis

14-3-3 proteins are known to play a pivotal role in cell survival, apoptosis and signal transduction. The 14-3-3ζ isoform has been cloned and characterized from many eukaryotic organisms, including the fruit fly and silkworm. However, no study on mosquito 14-3-3 has been reported to date. In an attempt to investigate the function of 14-3-3 in midgut epithelial cells undergoing apoptosis, a cDNA library was generated from the malaria vector, Anopheles sinensis , which was treated with apoptosis-inducing Actinomycin-D. We were able to identify and obtain A. sinensis 14-3-3ζ cDNA ( Ansi14-3-3ζ ) from expressed sequence tags (EST) analysis after conducting massive sequencing of the A. sinensis cDNA library. Ansi14-3-3ζ has very high homology to 14-3-3 homologs of various insects, such as Anopheles gambiae (100%), Aedes aegypti (100%), Drosophila melanogaster (96%), Bombyx mori (93%), Apis mellifera (93%) and Mus musculus (81%), indicating that mosquito 14-3-3ζ is a highly conserved gene in diverse organisms. Analysis of temporal expression patterns showed that Ansi14-3-3ζ mRNA is highly expressed in egg, early pupae and adult stages and is also expressed, although at low levels, in fourth instar larvae and late pupae. In response to two immune elicitors (lipopolysaccharide and laminarin), no striking induction of 14-3-3ζ mRNA was observed in A. sinensis . Further studies of the precise biological function, inducibility and subcellular distribution of 14-3-3ζ are required in Plasmodium invasion-induced apoptotic midgut cells in A. sinensis in the context of the Time Bomb model.     

Effects of Cricket Extract on Lipid Metabolism and Body Fat Content in High- Fat Diet Fed Rats

The effect of cricket extract on high‐fat diet fed rat was observed. It was shown that cricket extract prevented the increment of body weight by high‐fat diet. The extract also decreased the value of AST in liver. The most significant effect of the extract was shown on lipid metabolism. The contents of total lipid and total cholesterol in liver and feces were reduced by the extract on dose‐dependent. These statistically significant results were clear in 3% extract treated group (HFD3) while were slight in 1% extract treated group (HFD1). The same result was also shown in body fat content.     

Taxonomic review of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael (Hymenoptera: Vespidae: Eumeninae) from the Far East

Far Eastern species of the genus Symmorphus Wesmael are taxonomically reviewed. Fourteen species are recognized. Taxonomic information regarding this group that has been treated fragmentarily is summarized in this study. A revised key is presented, and recognition characteristics and images are supplied for each species.     

Evaluation of Repellency Effect of Two Natural Aroma Mosquito Repellent Compounds,Citronella and Citronellal*

Repellent efficacies of two natural aroma compounds, citronella and citronellal, against mosquitoes, Culex pipiens pallens, were evaluated both in field and in vitro. In vitro, the experiment was conducted with three controlled bands impregnated with 30% citronella extract, 15% citronella extract and 30% citronellal extract, and with bands impregnated 30% citronella in field. Data was obtained by the means of counting numbers bitten by mosquitoes per unit time, namely human bait method. Percentage repellencies of above three controlled bands were calculated at 86%, 73%, and 78%, respectively in vitro, and 80% in field, showing high repellent effectiveness against mosquitoes. This estimation was also confirmed by t‐test compared between control group and each experimental group.     

Noninvasive Hair Sampling and Genetic Tagging of Co-Distributed Fishers and American Martens

ABSTRACT Estimation of abundance is important for assessing population responses to management actions. Accurate abundance estimates are particularly critical for monitoring temporal variation following reintroductions when the management goal is to attain population sizes capable of sustaining harvest. Numerous reintroductions have taken place in the Great Lakes region of North America, including efforts to restore extirpated fishers (Martes pennanti) and American martens (M. americana). We used a DNA-based noninvasive hair-snaring method based on one trap design and trapping -grid configuration, and evaluated capture—mark—recapture (CMR) analytical approaches to simultaneously estimate population size for co-distributed fishers and American martens in a 671-km² area of the Ottawa National Forest in the western Upper Peninsula of Michigan, USA. We included harvest as a final recapture period to increase probability of recapture and to evaluate potential violations of geographic closure assumptions. We used microsatellite markers to identify target species, eliminate congener species, and provide individual identity for estimation of abundance. Population estimates for fishers and martens on the study area ranged from 35 to 60 and 8 to 28, respectively. Estimators incorporating harvest data resulted in up to a 40% increase in abundance estimates relative to estimators without harvest. We considered population estimates not including harvest data the most appropriate for the study due to timing of sampling and environmental factors, but inclusion of harvested individuals was shown to be useful as a means to detect violations of the assumption of geographic closure. We suggest improvements on future CMR sampling designs for larger landscape scales of relevance to management through incorporation of habitat or historical harvest data. Noninvasive genetic methods that simultaneously estimate the numerical abundance of co-distributed species can greatly decrease assessment costs relative to traditional methods, and increase resulting demographic and ecological information.     

不同生态条件对云南和韩国粳稻品质及淀粉RVA谱特性的影响

以10个云南粳稻和6个韩国粳稻品种为材料,研究了不同生态条件对云南和韩国粳稻主要品质及RVA谱特性的影响.结果表明： 云南和韩国粳稻各指标的变异系数均以消减值最大.云南粳稻的粒长、垩白率、直链淀粉含量、蛋白质含量、碱消值、最终黏度、消减值和峰值时间的变异系数明显大于韩国粳稻,而其他品质指标则相反.随海拔升高,云南粳稻的粒长、粒宽、长宽比、精白度、直链淀粉含量、碱消值、最终黏度和回复值及韩国粳稻的粒长、粒宽、精白度、蛋白质含量、最高黏度、热浆黏度和崩解值明显降低,而云南粳稻的垩白率、蛋白质含量、热浆黏度和峰值时间及韩国粳稻的长宽比、直链淀粉含量、碱消值、消减值和回复值明显升高,但韩国粳稻的垩白率无明显变化.云南粳稻的最高黏度、崩解值和糊化温度及韩国粳稻的糊化温度随海拔升高呈先降后升趋势,而云南粳稻的消减值及韩国粳稻的最终黏度和峰值时间则表现相反趋势.