Sora Kim

Evolution of larval life mode of Oecophoridae (Lepidoptera: Gelechioidea) inferred from molecular phylogeny

Phylogenetic relationships within family Oecophoridae have been poorly understood. Consequently the subfamily and genus level classifications with this family problematic. A comprehensive phylogenetic analysis of Oecophoridae, the concealer moths, was performed based on analysis of 4444 base pairs of mitochondrial COI, nuclear ribosomal RNA genes (18S and 28S) and nuclear protein coding genes (IDH, MDH, Rps5, EF1a and wingless) for 82 taxa. Data were analyzed using maximum likelihood (ML), parsimony (MP) and Bayesian (BP) phylogenetic frameworks. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that (i) genera Casmara, Tyrolimnas and Pseudodoxia did not belong to Oecophoridae, suggesting that Oecophoridae s. authors was not monophyletic; (ii) other oecophorids comprising two subfamilies, Pleurotinae and Oecophorinae, were nested within the same clade, and (iii) Martyringa, Acryptolechia and Periacmini were clustered with core Xyloryctidae. They appeared to be sister lineage with core Oecophoridae. BayesTraits were implemented to explore the ancestral character states to infer historical microhabitat patterns and sheltering strategy of larvae. Reconstruction of ancestral microhabitat of oecophorids indicated that oecophorids might have evolved from dried plant feeders and further convergently specialized. The ancestral larva sheltering strategy of oecophorids might have used a silk tube by making itself, shifting from mining leaves.

Genus Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in northern Vietnam. Part II: six new species of the genus

This paper is the second part of a series on the genus Promalactis (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in northern Vietnam, describing six new species: Promalactis albipars sp. nov., Promalactis bitrigona sp. nov., Promalactis diorbis sp. nov., Promalactis forticosta sp. nov., Promalactis magnipuncti sp. nov. and Promalactis polyspina sp. nov. Adults and genitalia of the new species are illustrated.

GENUS PROMALACTIS (LEPIDOPTERA: OECOPHORIDAE) FROM NORTHERN VIETNAM, PART 1: DESCRIPTIONS OF FIVE NEW SPECIES

ABSTRACT This paper is the first of a series treating the genus Promalactis (Lepidoptera, Oecophoridae) of Northern Vietnam, and 5 new species are described based on material mainly collected in the northern part of Vietnam since 2002. The new species are Promalactis albisquama sp. nov., P. griselocula sp. nov., P. heppneri sp. nov., P. rectifascia sp. nov., and P. vittapenna sp. nov. Adults, heads, wing venations, and the male or female genitalia of the new species are illustrated.

Gold nanoparticles as dose-enhancement agent for kilovoltage X-ray therapy of melanoma

Abstract Purpose: Melanoma is mainly treated by surgery and rarely with radiation because of the high radioresistance of this tumor. Nevertheless, radiotherapy is the preferred treatment modality for unresectable lesions and avoiding cosmetic disfigurement caused by surgical excision. This study investigated the therapeutic advantage of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) for kilovoltage X-ray treatment of melanoma. Materials and methods: Commercial AuNPs were evaluated for cytotoxicity and cellular internalization. The sensitivity of human skin melanoma cells to 150 and 450 kVp X-ray exposure was assessed in terms of clonogenicity with or without spherical AuNP treatment. Results: AuNP treatment elicited dose enhancement effect on melanoma cells exposed to kilovoltage X-rays. Treatment with 320 μM 50 nm AuNPs before exposure to 150 kVp X-rays at 2 Gy resulted in clonogenic cell death equivalent to that caused by 4.3 Gy X-rays without AuNP treatment. Conclusion: AuNPs of 50 nm in size can regulate melanoma cells in kilovoltage X-ray treatment by functioning as dose-enhancement agent and thus improving radioresponse of the cells. Melanomas of stages T1–T3 gain therapeutic benefits from 150 kVp X-ray treatment.

Pest Lists and Their Damages on Mango, Dragon Fruit and Atemoya in Jeju, Korea

Tropical plants of mango(Mangefera indica), dragon fruit(Hylocereus undatus), and atemoya(Annona cherimola A. squamosa) are cultivated in Jeju, Korea. A pest survey on those tropical fruits was conducted from 2008 to 2011. Major pests of Mango were thrips, aphid, mealybug, and lepidoptera species. Thrips palmi and Scirtothrips dorsalis were the most important pests in mango fields. T. palmi mainly injured the leaf but S. dorsalis injured the leaf and fruit. Lepidoptera mango pests injured leaves but some larva of Adoxophyes honmai injured fruit surface around the stem. Aphid pests, Aphis gossypii and Myzus persicae, injured the shoots and Pseudococcus kraunhiae occurred on the stem and fruit. Ant species, A. gossypii, and S. litura, were important pests on dragon fruit. Ants and aphid occurred and injured the stem, flower, and fruit. Spodoptera litura larva severely injured the stem. Among the atemoya pests, S. litura and Homona magnanima caused severe damage.

Genus Promalactis Meyrick (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in northern Vietnam, Part III: seven new species and four newly recorded species

This article is the third part of a series on the genus Promalactis (Lepidoptera: Oecophoridae) in northern Vietnam. Seven new species, Promalactis acanthiana Kim and Park, sp. nov., Promalactis albinparata Kim and Park, sp. nov., Promalactis asperiola Kim and Park, sp. nov., Promalactis caperatiella Kim and Park, sp. nov., Promalactis curtifasciata Kim and Park, sp. nov., Promalactis gigaspinata Kim and Park, sp. nov. and Promalactis reniformis Kim and Park, sp. nov. are described, and four species, Promalactis basifasciaria Wang, Promalactis kalimantana Lvovsky, Promalactis tauricournis Du, Li and Wang and Promalactis tricuspidata Wang and Li are reported for the first time from Vietnam. Illustrations of adults and genitalia of the species are provided. http://zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:75F7CC58-F8CD-4B50-A0DA-D0D6544AA65A

Characterization of dose delivery in a hard X-ray irradiation facility

The Radiation Bioengineering Laboratory at Seoul National University (SNU) operates a user-constructed hard X-ray irradiation facility for radiation biology and radiation therapy physics studies. The system package of YXLON model 450-D08 operating at the anode voltage of up to 450 kV is a key part of the facility, which enables in vitro cell irradiation and animal irradiation for in vivo studies. In this article, dose delivery in the hard X-ray irradiation facility was characterized in terms of the dose vs. operational parametric combination of the facility. The operational parameters included beam tube anode voltage, beam tube current, irradiation time, and beam exit-to-sample distance. Bremsstrahlung X-rays at energy below approximately 20 keV were filtered out by a 3 mm-thick aluminum plate fitted over the 5 mm-thick beryllium window. Gafchromic EBT films were used as radiation sensor materials in dose measurement. The characterization was validated via experimental observation of the in vitro biological responses of cells to radiation exposure. The biological responses obtained using the new hard X-ray irradiator were highly comparable with those obtained using a commercial gamma-ray irradiator.

Feasibility study on the use of gold nanoparticles in fractionated kilovoltage X-ray treatment of melanoma

Abstract Purpose: Despite the high radioresistance of melanoma, unresectable lesions can be subjected to radiation treatment with the use of gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) as a dose-enhancing agent preferentially loaded on these lesions. The modality of single high-dose treatment has been investigated to confirm its therapeutic efficiency for AuNP-treated melanoma cells. This study explores the feasibility of utilizing AuNPs in fractionated radiation therapy of melanoma for further therapeutic gain. Materials and methods: The responses of human skin melanoma cells to 150-kVp X-ray exposure at 2 and 4 Gy were assessed by quantify gamma-H2AX expression and clonogenic survival, with or without 320 μM of 50 nm AuNP treatment in a culture medium. The influence of AuNPs on cell cycle distribution was observed before irradiation and during 3 d period after irradiation. Results: The AuNP treatment of melanoma cells influenced the cellular response to kilovoltage X-rays to similar extents in terms of the percentage of gamma-H2AX-positive cells and the fractional loss of clonogenicity. Without radiation exposure, AuNPs reduced the portion of melanoma cells at the G2/M phase from 11 to 7%. After irradiation, the progression of the melanoma cells treated with AuNPs toward the G2/M phase was more rapid than that of the AuNP-free cells, and the release of the former from the G2/M phase was slower than that of the latter. At 24 h after irradiation with AuNPs, the cell cycle was rearranged in a pattern that increased the vulnerability of the cells to radiation damage. Conclusions: In addition to the benefit of AuNP treatment to the control of melanoma in single high-dose treatment, further therapeutic gain is expected through fractionated X-ray treatment that involves daily exposure. The AuNP-treated melanoma cells of an increased portion in the radiosensitive G2/M phase following a fractionated dose delivery would respond to the next treatment with an enhanced chance of clonogenic death.

Genus Torodora Meyrick in Cambodia (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae: Torodorinae), with descriptions of three new species

The genus Torodora (Lepidoptera: Lecithoceridae) in Cambodia is reviewed, based on material collected by the authors during 2009–2011. Eight species are recognized, including three new species: T. osamensis Park, sp. nov., T. occidentalis Park, sp. nov. and T. cambodiana Park, sp. nov. In addition, five species of the genus; T. parotidosa (Wu), T. nabiella Park, T. aritai Park, T. sagmaria Park and T. pentagona Park, are reported for the first time from Cambodia. The female of T. parotidosa is described for the first time. A full bibliography and diagnosis for all known species and descriptions of the new species are provided, together with illustrations of adults and genitalia, and a key to the species is provided. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:pub:176391DC-8048-4F72-930B-45660FA34F8E

Phase Tracking Settling Time and BER Performance Evaluation in the Digital Retrodirective Array Antenna System

Digital retrodirective antenna system is easy to modify and upgrade because it can control the phase information of the output signal toward opposite direction to input signal without a priori knowledge of the arrival direction. Due to this advantage, it is possible to do fast beam tracking. Especially, we need to design the digital PLL performance for the digital retrodirective array antenna system. So, in this paper the settling time of phase estimator and BER performance of retrodirective antenna system are investigated according to design of filter in digital PLL. When QAM signal is used for 1 Mbps with of phase delay, simulation results show that digital phase conjugation technique has better BER performance by about 1 dB than non-phase conjugation system when digital filter is stable. If not, the system can`t estimate the exact phase because of oscillation of filter.