Increased urinary creatinine during hibernation and day roosting in the Eastern bent-winged bat (Miniopterus fuliginosus) in Korea.

Torpor and arousal cycles, both daily and seasonal (e.g. hibernation), are crucial for small mammals, including bats, to maintain the energy and water balance. The alternation between torpor and arousal leads to metabolic changes, leaving traceable evidence of metabolic wastes in urine. In this study we investigated urinary creatinine and acetoacetate (a ketone body) in the Eastern bent-wing bat (Miniopterus fuliginosus) in Mungyeong, South Korea. We found an increase in urinary creatinine during torpor in summer, indicating changes in renal water reabsorption rates during the active season. Although we could not confirm ketonuria in hibernating bats due to a methodological limitation caused by the small amount of urine, we verified an increase in urinary creatinine concentration during hibernation. This finding suggests that managing water stress resulting from evaporative water loss is one of key reasons for arousal during hibernation in Eastern bent-wing bats.

Home Range and Habitat Use of the Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides L. 1758) during Wintering in the Seocheon Tidal Flat, South Korea, Using GPS-Based Telemetry.

The Seocheon Tidal Flat is an important staging and wintering site for the Far East Russian population of Swan Goose (Anser cygnoides) in the East Asian-Australasian Flyway. However, rapid environmental changes for tourism in this area can threaten the survival of this vulnerable population by hindering sufficient rest and wintering; therefore, establishing protection strategies based on Swan Goose behavioral characteristics is necessary. Here, we estimated Swan Goose core home ranges and habitat use based on GPS tracking data collected at the Seocheon Tidal Flat in South Korea from 2017-2018. The home range of Swan Geese was estimated to be an area from Yubu Island in the south to Janggu Bay in the north; however, the core home range and habitat use characteristics differed significantly between daytime and nighttime (Day: 59.9 km2, Night: 40.3 km2, on average, 100% MCP). During the day (08:00-18:00), Swan Geese mostly spent time resting or feeding on tidal flats, especially those around tidal channels or paddy fields near Janggu Bay, whereas they mostly rested on sand dunes near Yubu Island along with the mudflats at Janggu Bay at night. Our results provide practical information on the habitat use of wintering Swan Geese population over time and indicate that Yubu Island is an important resting place. Hence, these results can contribute to evaluating threats to Swan Geese and establishing management and protection strategies for the Seocheon Tidal Flat, a major wintering site for the Far East Russian population of Swan Geese.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Asian koel Eudynamys scolopaceus (Aves: Cuculiformes) from South Korea.

In this study, we analyzed the complete mitochondrial genome of Eudynamys scolopaceus using Illumina and Pacbio next-generation sequencing. The total length of the mitogenome was 18,170 bp and contained 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNAs, 22 transfer RNAs, a non-coding control region, and two repeat regions. The order of the genes and genome structure were the same as those in a previous publication in other Cuculidae species. A phylogenetic tree constructed with 13 PCGs indicated that E. scolopaceus is closely related to Urodynamis taitensis and genus Cuculus.

The influencing factors for distribution patterns of resident and migrant bird species richness along elevational gradients.

The latitudinal and elevational patterns of species richness of resident and migrant birds have been of interest to researchers over the past few decades, and various hypotheses have been proposed to explain the factors that may affect these patterns. This study aimed to shed light on the elevational distribution patterns of resident and migrant bird species richness by examining biotic and abiotic factors such as climate, and habitat heterogeneity using a piecewise structural equation model (pSEM). The overall pattern of resident species richness showed a decreasing trend with increasing elevation, whereas that of migrant species richness showed an increasing trend. The mid-peak pattern of species richness was affected by a combination of resident and migrant species and not by either resident or migrant species. Our results showed that resident species were distributed in lower elevation regions with higher mean spring temperatures, whereas migrant species were found in higher elevation regions with lower mean spring temperatures and higher overstory vegetation coverage. Although high elevation conditions might adversely affect the reproduction of migrant birds, higher overstory vegetation coverage at high elevations seemed to compensate for this by providing a better nesting and roosting environment. Despite the significance of habitat diversity and understory vegetation coverage in univariate linear regression models, multiple regression models of the interconnection of ecological processes demonstrated that mean spring temperature and overstory vegetation coverage were more explanatory than other variables.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the far Eastern myotis: Myotis bombinus Thomas, 1906 in mainland of Korea (Chiroptera, Vespertilionidae).

We have determined the second mitochondrial genome of Myotis bombinus Thomas, 1906 in mainland of Korea. The circular mitogenome of M. bombinus is 17,035 bp long which is slightly shorter than that of the previous mitogenome of M. bombinus. It includes 13 protein-coding genes (PCGs), two ribosomal RNA genes, and 22 transfer RNAs. The base composition was AT-biased (66.1%). Fifty single nucleotide polymorphisms and 14 insertions were identified between two mitogenomes of M. bombinus. Phylogenetic trees show that both M. bominus mitogenomes are clustered in one clade.

Complete mitochondrial genome of Haematopus ostralegus (Charadriiformes: Haematopodidae).

The Eurasian oystercatcher (Haematopus ostralegus), Near Threatened in the IUCN red list, was designated classified endangered species II by the Ministry of Environment of Korea and a Natural Monument (No. 326) by the Cultural Heritage Administration of Korea. In this study, the complete mitochondrial genome (16,798 bp) of H. ostralegus was determined for the first time, including 13 protein-coding genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and 1 non-coding region. The overall base composition was A (31.4%), C (31.3%), G (13.8%), and T (23.5%), so the percentage of A and T (54.9%) was slightly higher than that of G and C. A phylogenetic analysis using concatenated mitogenomes revealed that the family Haematopodidae has a closer relationship with the family Recurvirostridae and H. ostralegus and H. ater clustered together. The results are expected to provide useful resources for species identification and further phylogenetic studies of genus Haematopus.

Mitochondrial genome analysis of the spoon-billed sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus).

The complete mitogenome sequence of Spoon-billed sandpiper (Eurynorhynchus pygmeus) was reported in this study. The mitogenome was a circular molecule (16,709 bp) with a typical vertebrate mitogenome arrangement, which consisted of 13 protein-coding genes, two ribosomal RNA genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, and one non-coding region (D-loop). The overall base composition was 31.3% A, 29.9% C, 13.8% G, and 25.0% T. The length of D-loop is 1155 bp in length, containing tandem repeats. Phylogenetic analyses based on the concatenated protein-coding genes indicated that the South Korean and Chinese E. pygmeus formed a group that was most closely related to Arenaria interpres.

Sequencing and analyzing complete mitochondrial genome of Anser cygnoides (Anserini: Anserinae).

The complete mitogenome sequence of Anser cygnoides was determined and compared with those previously released. The whole mitogenome was 16,740 bp, with 13 protein-coding genes, 22 transfer RNA genes, 2 ribosomal RNA genes, and 1 putative non-coding region (1178 bp). The overall nucleotide composition was 30.2%, 32.0%, 15.1%, and 22.7% for A, C, G, and T, respectively. Phylogenetic analyses strongly supported two clades in Anserini and demonstrated that A. cygnoides is not monophylogenetic. This division of A. cygnoides indicates that more research is necessary to clarify phylogenetic relationships for A. cygnoides and determine how they relate to morphological traits.

Contrast Dispersion Pattern and Efficacy of Corticosteroid at the Glenohumeral Joint in Adhesive Capsulitis.

BACKGROUND: Corticosteroid injection has a wide range of success in adhesive capsulitis but the reason for this has not yet been explained. We hypothesized that this difference might be due to the distribution of the corticosteroids injected into the joint cavity because particulate steroid deposits in the capsule and will not be moved over time by shoulder motion. OBJECTIVES: The purpose of this study is to determine whether the therapeutic efficacy of particulate corticosteroid injection into the glenohumeral joint differs according to the dispersion pattern. STUDY DESIGN: Prospective evaluation. SETTING: Outpatient clinics at a tertiary university hospital. METHODS: Seventy-two patients diagnosed as having adhesive capsulitis received a corticosteroid injection at the glenohumeral joint. The posterior capsule and the subscapular bursa were selected as dispersion sites and the dispersion of contrast dye was expressed as a ratio (%). Two weeks and 3 months after the injection clinical improvement ("not improved," "slightly improved," "much improved"), numeric rating scale (NRS), and passive range of motions (PROM) were evaluated. The dispersion of the contrast dye was compared according to the clinical improvements by an analysis of variance test. Pearson correlation test was done to find the relationship between PROM and the dispersion and between change of NRS and the dispersion. RESULTS: The distribution in the subscapular area was 30.0% in the "much improved" group, 22.0% in the "slightly improved" group, and 37.1% in the "no improvement" group which was not significantly different (P = 0.179). Correlations between changes of NRS and the dye distribution were not statistically significant (P = 0.429 at 2 weeks and P = 0.629 at 3 months). The change of passive external rotation 3 months after the injection was significantly correlated with the dye distribution (P = 0.035). LIMITATIONS: Because of diverse pathologic findings in adhesive capsulitis, further studies will be needed to address the effect of the dye distribution on the pain improvement according to pathologic findings revealed by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CONCLUSION: External rotation of the shoulder in adhesive capsulitis has greater improvement as the corticosteroid solutions injected into the glenohumeral joint are increasingly dispersed to the subscapularis area. However, this does not affect the pain improvement after the injection.