Locations In Korea Research Articles

Genetic Variability and Population Genetic Structure of Marbled Flounder Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae in Korea and Japan Inferred from mtDNA Control Region Sequences

The marbled flounder (Pseudopleuronectes yokohamae) is a demersal flatfish species, widely distributed in the northwestern Pacific region. In the present study, the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was used to determine the genetic diversity and population genetic structure of this species. We obtained a 380 bp segment of the mtDNA control region after the alignment of 78 individual sequences from P. yokohamae collected from two locations in Korea (Biungdo and Mukho) and one location in Japan (Tohoku) and 103 individual sequences from a previous study (Yokjido and Namhae). The overall haplotype diversity and nucleotide diversity were 0.983 ± 0.003 and 0.016 ± 0.008, respectively. The genealogical relationships of the mtDNA control region did not exhibit any specific genealogical association according to sampling location. The pairwise FST value indicated that the Biungdo (west coast of Korea) and Tohoku (Japan) populations showed genetically differentiated structures (but the Tohoku and Mukho populations did not). However, there was no discernible difference between the Mukho population from Korea’s eastern coast and the Yokjido and Namhae populations from the southern coast. The biological characteristics of P. yokohamae and oceanographic barriers may have contributed to producing genetically distinct populations.

Molecular survey of Toxoplasma gondii B1 gene in pigs from various localities in Korea.

Toxoplasma gondii, a common protozoan parasite, poses significant public health risks due to its potential to cause toxoplasmosis in humans and can be contracted from pigs, which are considered its critical intermediate host. The aim of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of T. gondii in slaughtered pigs for human consumption, emphasizing the zoonotic implications and the need for improved biosecurity and monitoring practices in pig farming. A total of 1,526 pig samples (1,051 whole blood samples and 384 lung tissue samples from the local slaughterhouse and 91 aborted fetus samples from local farms) were collected throughout the whole country of Korea in 2020. Among them, 6 (0.4%) were found to be infected with T. gondii by nested PCR. When compared by sample type, the prevalence of T. gondii was significantly higher in the aborted fetus samples (2.2%, 2/91) than in the blood (0.3%, 3/1,051) and lung tissue samples (0.3%, 1/384). The B1 gene sequence of T. gondii was similar (97.9-99.8%) to that of the other T. gondii isolates. This study represents the first molecular genotyping survey of T. gondii in the lung tissue of fattening pigs and aborted fetuses in Korea. Our findings indicated the importance of adopting preventive measures including the implementation of rigorous farm hygiene protocols and the promotion of public awareness about the risks of consuming undercooked pork. By addressing the gaps in current control strategies and encouraging the One Health approach, this study contributes to the development of more effective strategies to mitigate the transmission of T. gondii from pigs to humans, ultimately safeguarding public health.

Genetic diversity and phylogeography of the smooth cordgrass Spartina alterniflora and its invasion into Korean coasts

The smooth cordgrass, Spartina alterniflora Loisel, is an aggressive invasive species that significantly impacts coastal ecosystems worldwide. Native to the eastern United States, it has rapidly spread along East Asian coasts and was unintentionally introduced into Korea, leading to the devastation of native ecosystems. This study examines the population genetic structure and invasion pathway of S. alterniflora along Korean coasts using chloroplast DNA (cpDNA) fragments and nuclear ITS. Our results revealed that the S. alterniflora population in Korea primarily consists of two geographically isolated haplotypes (C1 and C4). Furthermore, two individuals were found to have haplotype N, potentially a newly discovered haplotype in this study. The haplotypes C1 and C4 are widely distributed in both the native population and the introduced population in East Asia. Thus, the presence of these two haplotypes in different localities in Korea suggests multiple invasion events. The phylogenetic tree from the nuclear ITS showed no significant genetic variation between regions. Comparisons of the cpDNA data of this study with the available GenBank data from the native range in the U.S. and the invasive range in East Asia (China and Japan) revealed that the East Asian population (China, Japan, and Korea) is nearly homogeneous (AMOVA; Fst = 0.06871, p = 0.5). Our findings suggest that the C1 and C4 haplotypes might have been introduced into Korea at least two times, possibly via natural dispersal and/or transport vectors. This emphasizes the importance of strengthening coastal management to prevent further spread.

A genomic investigation on the origins of the Korean brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens (Stål) (Hemiptera: Delphasidae)

AbstractNilaparvata lugens, the brown planthopper (BPH), is a serious pest species. BPHs cause significant damage to rice plants in Korea as well as other countries in East and Southeast Asia. As BPHs cannot survive winter in Korea, they annually migrate into Korea from foreign countries. The BPHs found in Korea are believed to originate from China, but most BPHs in China are also known to originate from Southeast Asia. To understand the origin of Korean BPHs, we conducted a genotyping‐by‐sequencing (GBS) study. We sampled BPHs from five locations in Korea and five countries in Southeast Asia and analyzed the GBS and sequencing results using various methods based on the f statistics and admixture graph analyses. We confirmed that the domestic BPHs shared a greater genetic drift than the BPHs from Southeast Asian populations over several years, implying that a continuous genetic substratum of Korea exists. This genetic substratum is genetically closer to BPHs from the southern part (Thailand and Cambodia) of Southeast Asia than to BPHs from the northern part (Bhutan, Myanmar and Laos) of Southeast Asia. In addition, direct gene flows from Southeast Asia seem possible, so Korea is considered a hotspot where diverse BPH populations mix. Therefore, the origin of Korean BPHs extends beyond China and as far as southern Southeast Asia. This result will help to understand and control the population dynamics of the Korean BPH population.

Comparison of Bacterial Community Composition in Gut of Chinese Mitten Crabs from Three Distinct Rivers in Korea

The Chinese mitten crab (CMC) also known as Eriocheir sinensis has great significance in the aquaculture industry. The bacterial communities inhabiting the CMC’s gut may differ depending on the host habitat and can aid in their normal biological functioning. These microbes are also known to have certain effects on their flavor. In this study, we utilized MiSeq high-throughput sequencing technology to explore the diversity of bacterial communities in the gut of CMCs from three different geographical locations in Korea: the Geum (GD), Han (HD), and Tamjin (TD) rivers. Although most of the environmental parameters were similar at the three sites, significant differences in conductivity (CDS), dissolved oxygen (DO), and salinity were observed. The results show that CMCs sampled from these locations exhibited distinct microbial composition and abundance. For example, the genus Candidatus Hepatoplasma displayed significantly higher abundance in CMCs from HD than those in the other locations, suggesting nutritional stress. Similarly, the crabs collected from TD showed a higher abundance of pathogenic Helicobacter than those from HD and GD sites. We also observed differences in the amino acid, nucleotide, and lactic acid concentrations between different tissues such as the muscle, hepatopancreas, and testis of CMCs. However, only small differences were observed when these characteristics were compared in CMCs from different locations. Our results offer important insights into the intestinal bacterial composition in CMCs which in turn may help in designing better culturing strategies for these important species of crabs.

Enhancement of an entomopathogenic fungal virulence against the seedcorn maggot, Delia platura, by suppressing immune responses with a bacterial culture broth of Photorhabdus temperata subsp. temperata.

In Korea, there are two maggot species in the Delia genus that commonly infest the roots and stems of the Welsh onion, thus causing serious economic damage on the crop at the seedling stage. In this study, the seedcorn maggot (Delia platura) was detected in onion fields in two different localities in Korea. After overwintering, maggot infestations occurred throughout the entire growing seasons from transplantation to harvest, but their specific patterns of occurrence varied in the two localities examined. Entomopathogenic fungi induced significant virulence against the maggot larvae, in which a strain of Beauveria bassiana was effective, though it exhibited limited mortality in its insecticidal activity. To enhance this insecticidal activity, a culture broth from an entomopathogenic bacterium, Photorhabdus temperata temperata (Ptt), was added to B. bassiana treatment. The addition of Ptt broth significantly increased the insecticidal activity of B. bassiana in a dose-dependent manner. To elucidate this enhancement in insecticidal activity, the immunosuppressive activity of Ptt broth was assessed by identifying the immune responses of the seedcorn maggots. The seedcorn maggots possessed at least three different hemocytes with plasmatocytes, crystal cells, and lamellocytes. These hemocytes exhibited nodule formation in response to the fungal infection. In addition to the cellular immunity, the maggots exhibited inducible expressions of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes such as cecropin and defensin. The addition of Ptt broth suppressed the nodule formation and the AMP expressions in response to the fungal infection. Altogether, this study demonstrated the innate immune responses in a non-model insect, D. platura, along with the application of immunosuppression to develop a highly efficient biological control by enhancing the virulence of B. bassiana.

Identification and Pathogenicity of Rhizoctonia solani Isolates Causing Leaf and Stem Rot in Three-Leaf Ladybell

In 2020 and 2021, we surveyed diseases of three-leaf ladybell (<i>Adenophora triphylla</i>) plants grown in fields at two locations in Korea. During the disease surveys, severe leaf rot symptoms were observed on the young plants in Hongseong, and stem rot symptoms on the adult plants in Cheolwon. The incidence of leaf rot was 5‒60%, and that of stem rot 1‒10%. We obtained 6 fungal isolates each from the leaf rot lesions and the stem rot lesions. All the isolates were morphologically identified as <i>Rhizoctonia solani</i>. Anastomosis test and investigation of cultural features of the fungal isolates revealed that the isolates from the leaf rot lesions corresponded to <i>R. solani</i> AG-1(IB), and those from the stem rot lesions to <i>R. solani</i> AG-2-2(IIIB). Two isolates each of <i>R. solani</i> AG-1(IB) and AG-2-2(IIIB) were used for DNA sequence analysis and pathogenicity test to three-leaf ladybell plants through artificial inoculation. The anastomosis groups and cultural types of the <i>R. solani</i> isolates were confirmed by the sequence analysis. The pathogenicity tests revealed that the isolates of <i>R. solani</i> AG- 1(IB) caused only leaf rot symptoms on the inoculated plants, and those of <i>R. solani</i> AG-2-2(IIIB) leaf rot and stem rot symptoms. The induced symptoms were similar to those observed in the fields investigated. Leaf and stem rot of three-leaf ladybell caused by the two anastomosis groups and cultural types of <i>R. solani</i> is first reported in this study.

Eight cases of canine thelaziosis found in two localities in Korea.

Thelazia callipaeda, a parasitic nematode that causes thelaziosis in various mammals, including humans, is known to be endemic in Korea. However, life cycle-related information on the parasite, primarily from human infection and a few dog cases, is limited. This study reports additional cases of T. callipaeda infections in dogs from both rural and urban areas in Korea, indicating the potential for transmission to humans and other animals. We collected 61 worms from 8 infected dogs from Paju and Cheongju Cities and observed their morphological characteristics under a light microscope. The findings indicate that T. callipaeda infections in animals in Korea may be underestimated and are distributed close to human environments. Our results contribute to the growing knowledge of the reservoir hosts of T. callipaeda in Korea and highlight the importance of continued surveillance and research to prevent and control this emerging zoonotic disease.

Re-identification of Colletotrichum acutatum Species Complex in Korea and Their Host Plants.

Colletotrichum acutatum species complex is one of the most important groups in the genus Colletotrichum with a high species diversity and a wide range of host plants. C. acutatum and related species have been collected from different plants and locations in Korea and deposited into the Korean Agricultural Culture Collection (KACC), National Institute of Agricultural Sciences since the 1990s. These fungal isolates were previously identified based mainly on morphological characteristics, and a limitation of molecular data was provided. To confirm the identification of species, 64 C. acutatum species complex isolates in KACC were used in this study for DNA sequence analyses of six loci: nuclear ribosomal internal transcribed spacers (ITS), betatubulin 2 (TUB2), histone-3 (HIS3), glyceraldehyde3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), chitin synthase 1 (CHS-1), and actin (ACT). The molecular analysis revealed that they were identified in six different species of C. fioriniae (24 isolates), C. nymphaeae (21 isolates), C. scovillei (12 isolates), C. chrysanthemi (three isolates), C. lupini (two isolates), and C. godetiae (one isolate), and a novel species candidate. We compared the hosts of KACC isolates with "The List of Plant Diseases in Korea", previous reports in Korea and global reports and found that 23 combinations between hosts and pathogens could be newly reported in Korea after pathogenicity tests, and 12 of these have not been recorded in the world.

Evaluation of MIC distribution and establishment of epidemiological cut-off values for Streptococcus parauberis isolated from aquatic animals.

Streptococcus parauberis is responsible for the development of streptococcosis in marine fish. The aim of the current study was to determine the antimicrobial susceptibility of aquatic S. parauberis strains, thus establishing laboratory-specific epidemiological cut-off (COWT) values to distinguish wild type (WT) and non-wild type (NWT) strains. Using 220 S. parauberis isolates obtained from diseased Paralichthys olivaceus, Platichthys stellatus, and Sebastes schlegelii over six years from seven different locations in Korea, we established COWT values for eight common antimicrobial agents using the standard broth microdilution method. The COWT values calculated using MIC distribution with the NRI and ECOFFinder methods were the same or within one dilution step for the eight antimicrobials tested. Nine NWT isolates with decreased susceptibility to at least two antimicrobials and one of these isolates exhibited decreased susceptibility to six antimicrobial agents were identified using COWT values based on NRI. Interpretive criteria for S. parauberis have not yet been established, and the findings of this study provide putative COWT values for eight antimicrobial agents frequently used in aquaculture in Korea.

Optimum Design of an Electric Vehicle Charging Station Using a Renewable Power Generation System in South Korea

In the context of global warming and fossil fuel depletion, electric vehicles (EVs) have become increasingly popular for reducing both carbon emissions and fossil fuel consumption. However, as the demand for EV charging power rises along with the expansion of EVs, conventional power plants require more fuel, and carbon emissions increase. This suggests that the goal of promoting EV adoption to mitigate climate change and reduce reliance on fossil fuels may face significant challenges. Therefore, there is a need to adopt renewable energy generation for EV charging stations to maximize the effectiveness of EV distribution in an eco-friendly way. This paper aims to propose an optimal renewable energy generation system for an EV charging station, with a specific focus on the use of an actual load profile for the station, the consideration of carbon emissions and economic evaluation, and the study of a specific case location in Korea. As a case study, an EV charging station in Korea was selected, and its renewable energy fractions (REF) of 0%, 25%, 50%, 75%, and 100% were considered for comparison of carbon emissions and economic evaluation with the help of HOMER software. In addition, the system with 25% REF was analyzed to find the best operating strategy considering the climate characteristics of the case site. The results show that the system configuration of PV/ESS is the most economical among all the REF cases, including PV, WT, and ESS, due to the meteorological characteristics of the site, and that the system with REF below 25% is the most optimal in economic terms and carbon emissions.

Determinants of Working Practice Location for Clinicians According to High School, Medical School, and Resident Training Locations in Korea.

Although several regulations have been implemented for medical school admission, such as a quota system, the uneven distribution of healthcare personnel across regions is an unresolved problem in Korea. This study explores the distribution and retention rate of clinicians across regions according to the degree of experience staying in the current clinical area during high school/medical school/resident training using 2016 Korean Physician Survey data. Both in metropolitan and non-metropolitan areas, clinicians who completed high school, medical school, and resident training in the current practice region (Subgroup D) accounted for the largest proportion (Metro, n = 1611, 46.1%; non-metro, n = 1917, 52.9%). The retention rate was the highest in Subgroup D both in metropolitan (84.3%) and non-metropolitan areas (Chungcheong 86.2%, Jeolla 79.9%, Daegu/Gyeongbuk 81.6%, Busan/Ulsan/Gyeongnam 93.3%) except Gangwon and Jeju. The second, third, and fourth highest retention rates were observed in cases where clinicians completed their high school and resident training, medical school and resident training, and resident training only, respectively, in all regions, although the ranking differs by region. To increase the retention rate of physicians, this study shows that it is necessary for a student to seek ways to continue training in the same region in which they graduated from medical school.

Multivariate Analysis of Essential Oil Composition of Artemisia annua L. Collected from Different Locations in Korea.

Artemisia annua L. is distributed throughout the world and it is an important medicinal plant in Korea to treat various human diseases. Recently, A. annua has also been considered to be an effective ethnobotanical drug against COVID-19. A. annua contains an appreciable amount of essential oil with different biological properties. However, the composition of essential oils in aromatic plants can be varied depending on several factors, including geographic, genetic, ecological, etc. Hence, the present study aimed to investigate the chemical diversity of essential oils of Korean A. annua collected from different locations in Korea by multivariate analysis. For this purpose, the seeds of A. annua were collected from 112 different locations in Korea and were grown under the same environmental conditions. Except for nine individuals which decayed during the cultivation, essential oils were isolated from the aerial parts of 103 A. annua individuals (AEOs) using the steam distillation extraction method, and their chemical compositions were determined by GC-MS analysis. Furthermore, a multivariate analysis was performed to distinguish the difference between 103 individuals of A. annua based on their essential oil compositions. The yield of A. annua essential oils ranged from 0.04 to 1.09% (v/w). Based on the GC-MS data, A. annua individuals were grouped into six chemotypes such as artemisia ketone, camphor, β-cubebene, eucalyptol, α-pinene, and β-selinene. The multivariate analysis results revealed that Korean A. annua could be largely grouped into three clusters such as artemisia ketone, eucalyptol, and β-selinene. Among 35 components selected for principal component analysis (PCA), PC1, PC2, and PC3 accounted for 82.55%, 8.74%, and 3.62%, respectively. Although all individuals of A. annua were cultivated under the same environmental conditions, there is an intraspecific chemical diversity that exists within Korean native species.

Antibiogram of Multidrug-Resistant Bacteria Based on Sepsis Onset Location in Korea: A Multicenter Cohort Study.

Administration of adequate antibiotics is crucial for better outcomes in sepsis. Because no uniform tool can accurately assess the risk of multidrug-resistant (MDR) pathogens, a local antibiogram is necessary. We aimed to describe the antibiogram of MDR bacteria based on locations of sepsis onset in South Korea. We performed a prospective observational study of adult patients diagnosed with sepsis according to Sepsis-3 from 19 institutions (13 tertiary referral and 6 university-affiliated general hospitals) in South Korea. Patients were divided into four groups based on the respective location of sepsis onset: community, nursing home, long-term-care hospital, and hospital. Along with the antibiogram, risk factors of MDR bacteria and drug-bug match of empirical antibiotics were analyzed. MDR bacteria were detected in 1,596 (22.7%) of 7,024 patients with gram-negative predominance. MDR gram-negative bacteria were more commonly detected in long-term-care hospital- (30.4%) and nursing home-acquired (26.3%) sepsis, whereas MDR gram-positive bacteria were more prevalent in hospital-acquired (10.9%) sepsis. Such findings were consistent regardless of the location and tier of hospitals throughout South Korea. Patients with long-term-care hospital-acquired sepsis had the highest risk of MDR pathogen, which was even higher than those with hospital-acquired sepsis (adjusted odds ratio, 1.42; 95% confidence interval, 1.15-1.75) after adjustment of risk factors. The drug-bug match was lowest in patients with long-term-care hospital-acquired sepsis (66.8%). Gram-negative MDR bacteria were more common in nursing home- and long-term-care hospital-acquired sepsis, whereas gram-positive MDR bacteria were more common in hospital-acquired settings in South Korea. Patients with long-term-care hospital-acquired sepsis had the highest the risk of MDR bacteria but lowest drug-bug match of initial antibiotics. We suggest that initial antibiotics be carefully selected according to the onset location in each patient.

First report of Podosphaera mors‐uvae causing powdery mildew on Ribes fasciculatum var. chinense in Korea

AbstractIn July 2017, hundreds of Ribes fasciculatum var. chinense plants were found infected with powdery mildew for the first time in Korea. Further field surveys resulted in collecting anamorphs and teleomorphs of the powdery mildew at three additional locations in Korea. Morphological characterization of the holomorph and molecular sequence analyses of the ITS regions and 28S rDNA gene confirmed the identification of this fungus as Podosphaera mors‐uvae, which is already known for a long time on Ribes spp. in Europe and North America. Previous records of P. mors‐uvae on Ribes grossularia in Japan and China are also discussed. This is the first report of P. mors‐uvae from Korea.

Genetic variation of the endangered species Halenia coreana (Gentianaceae)

Halenia coreana is an endangered, endemic species that is distributed in only a few locations in Korea, such as Mts. Hwaaksan and Daeamsan. It has been recently segregated from H. corniculata, broadly distributed in cold temperate regions that include northern Japan, the Russian Far East, northeastern China, Mongolia, and eastern Europe, where population sizes are usually large. To examine the genetic diversity of H. coreana and evaluate the level of genetic differentiation of the species compared with that of H. corniculata, we surveyed 183 candidate simple sequence repeats (SSR) motif markers for H. coreana and H. corniculata from sequence data of amplified fragments of a specific length in the genome. A total of 17 genomic-SSR markers were selected to examine the levels of genetic diversity and differentiation using 17 samples of H. coreana and 60 samples of three populations of H. corniculata. The results here suggest that the genetic diversity of H. coreana is very low with a high frequency of inbreeding within its population. We found that H. coreana is genetically differentiated from H. corniculata, supporting the recognition of the geographically isolated H. coreana as a distinct species.

Identification of Viruses Infecting Oats in Korea by Metatranscriptomics.

Controlling infectious plant viruses presents a constant challenge in agriculture. As a source of valuable nutrients for human health, the cultivation of oats (Avena sativa L.) has recently been increased in Korea. To date, however, few studies have been undertaken to identify the viruses infecting oats in this country. In this study, we carried out RNA-sequencing followed by bioinformatics analyses to understand the virosphere in six different geographical locations in Korea where oats are cultivated. We identified three different virus species, namely, barley yellow dwarf virus (BYDV) (BYDV-PAV and BYDV-PAS), cereal yellow dwarf virus (CYDV) (CYDV-RPS and CYDV-RPV), and rice black-streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV). Based on the number of virus-associated reads and contigs, BYDV-PAV was a dominant virus infecting winter oats in Korea. Interestingly, RBSDV was identified in only a single region, and this is the first report of this virus infecting oats in Korea. Single nucleotide polymorphisms analyses indicated that most BYDV, CYDV, and RBSDV isolates show considerable genetic variations. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that BYDVs and CYDVs were largely grouped in isolates from Asia and USA, whereas RBSDV was genetically similar to isolates from China. Overall, the findings of this study provide a preliminary characterization of the types of plant viruses infecting oats in six geographical regions of Korea.

Thelytokous Reproduction of Onion Thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman 1889, Infesting Welsh Onion and Genetic Variation among Their Subpopulations.

Simple SummaryParthenogenesis is an asexual type of reproduction that usually occurs in thrips. Thelytokous parthenogenesis is a kind of reproduction that produces female progeny without mating. This study reports a thelytokous reproduction of the onion thrips, Thrips tabaci Lindeman 1889, host strain infesting Welsh onion. Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences of the populations exhibited specific residues at conserved positions of thelytokous biotype (called ‘L2’). Phylogenetic tree analysis revealed that COI sequences of the onion thrips collected from different local populations infesting Welsh onion were clustered with L2 biotype populations. In the laboratory, the thelytokous reproduction was demonstrated because each single thrips produced only female progeny. Interestingly, these thelytokous populations collected from different localities showed a certain level of genetic diversity. However, the genetic distance was independent of the actual distance among different local populations. Results of this study indicate that T. tabaci infesting Welsh onion is a thelytokous biotype with genetic variation among local populations.Parthenogenesis is not uncommon in thrips. This asexual reproduction produces males (arrhenotokous) or female (thelytokous). Only females are found in the onion thrips (Thrips tabaci Lindeman 1889) infesting Welsh onion (Allium fistulosum) in several areas of Korea. To determine the reproduction mode of T. tabaci, thrips infesting Welsh onion were collected from different localities in Korea. Cytochrome oxidase I (COI) sequences were then assessed. Results showed that all test local populations had signature motif specific to a thelytokous type. These COI sequences were clustered with other thelytokous populations separated from arrhenotokous T. tabaci populations. In a laboratory test, individual rearing produced female progeny without any males. These results support that Korean onion thrips infesting Welsh onion have the thelytokous type of parthenogenesis. Local thrips populations exhibited significant variations in susceptibility to chemical and biological insecticides. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analysis indicated genetic variations of local populations. However, the genetic distance estimated from RAPD was independent of the actual distance among different local populations. These results suggest that genetic variations of T. tabaci are arisen from population subdivision due to asexual thelytokous reproductive mode.

Development of the new microsatellite markers of Lucilia sericata (Diptera: Calliphoridae) from Korea.

Lucilia sericata is a medical and veterinary important insect species because its larvae feed on tissues of vertebrates including humans. Very few microsatellite makers have been reported from the species to illuminate its genetic variability and population genetic structure. In this study, L. sericata samples were collected from four different localities in Korea to develop the microsatellite markers to provide basic information on the genetic variability and population genetic structure in Korea of this species. In total, ten new microsatellite markers were sequenced and analyzed. Genetic diversity was performed using these microsatellite markers. The observed heterozygosity varied from 0.205 to 0.824, with an average of 0.546. The expected heterozygosity ranged from 0.579 to 0.886, with an average of 0.804. PIC value varied from 0.553 to 0.876. The markers developed in the present study are expected as informative for estimating genetic diversity of L. sericata.

Aerosol Properties within and above the Planetary Boundary Layer across the Korean Peninsula during December 2016

During December 2016, airborne aerosol measurements were taken at multiple heights across the Korean Peninsula to examine the vertical properties of aerosols. This study showed that aerosols above the planetary boundary layer (PBL) show similar concentrations and particle size distributions (PSDs), regardless of the relative locations in Korea. On the other hand, aerosols within the PBL differ depending on the geographical location, origin and path of the air mass. The concentrations are the highest in Seoul, followed by Gangneung, East Sea and the Yellow Sea. The known east–west aerosol gradient did not appear and the reasons are discussed in this paper. The study further shows that the aerosols of upwind regions affect the aerosols above the PBL, whereas aerosols in the PBL are affected by local sources and atmospheric conditions in addition to aerosols of upwind areas.