Background: In healthy dentin conditions, odontoblasts have an important role such as protection from invasion of pathogens. In mammalian teeth, progenitors such as mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can migrate and differentiate into odontoblast-like cells, leading to the formation of reparative dentin. For differentiation using stem cells, it is crucial to provide conditions similar to the complex and intricate in vivo environment. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the potential of differentiation into odonto/ osteoblasts, and compare co-culture with/without epithelial cells. Methods: MSCs and epithelial cells were successfully isolated from dental tissues. We investigated the influences of epithelial cells on the differentiation process of dental pulp stem cells into odonto/osteoblasts using co-culture systems. The differentiation potential with/without epithelial cells was analyzed for the expression of specific markers and calcium contents. Results: Differentiated odonto/osteoblast derived from dental pulp tissue-derived mesenchymal stem cells with/without epithelial cells were evaluated by qRT-PCR, immunostaining, calcium content, and ALP staining. The expression of odonto/ osteoblast-specific markers, calcium content, and ALP staining intensity were significantly increased in differentiated cells. Moreover, the odonto/osteogenic differentiation capacity with epithelial cells co-culture was significantly higher than without epithelial cells co-culture. Conclusions: These results suggest that odonto/osteogenic differentiation co-cultured with epithelial cells has a more efficient application.

The increase in the use of artificial intelligence (AI) in the workplace has introduced changes to traditional working environments. However, these are changes not only to employee productivity but also to how employees feel and think about their work. Based on prior research that has suggested connections between employees’ perceptions of AI and their emotions and thoughts at work, the present study tested a moderated mediation model in which the perception of AI opportunity is indirectly related to job insecurity via employee hope, with tenure as a moderator. Data obtained from 290 Korean full-time employees illustrated that the perception of AI opportunity was negatively related to job insecurity through hope acting as a mediator. In addition, this indirect relationship was found to be dependent on the moderating role of tenure. Specifically, at lower levels of tenure, the aforementioned indirect relationship was statistically significant, but at higher levels of tenure, this indirect relationship was no longer found to be statistically significant. The implications, limitations, and future research directions of this study are discussed.

This study aimed to develop the in vitro method using domestic commercial diets to estimate nutrient digestibility in dogs. The existing in vitro method were tested and compared with literature data to develop new in vitro method. The development of in vitro method progressed as follows: modification of pepsin solution to an activated form and supplementation with 1% lipase. All the in vitro method progressed to 4 hours of stomach simulation and 2 hours of small intestine simulation. In vivo digestibility was measured using the same diets as beagle dogs. The supplementation of lipase methods showed significantly improved (p < 0.05) DM, OM, and EE than the existing and modified pepsin solution methods. The correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in DM, OM, and EE digestibility was high (r2 = 0.889, 0.907, and 0.721, respectively), and the correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in CP and GE digestibility was medium (r2 = 0.681 and 0.536, respectively). The current in vitro method is similar to in vivo digestibility and helps potentially predict digestibility for dogs. In conclusion, this developed in vitro method suggests that it can help estimate the nutrient digestibility of dogs' diets without in vivo experiments.

Haemaphysalis longicornis는 사람과 동물에게 여러 심각한 병원체를 전달하는 주요 매개체로, 한반도에 널리 분포하고 있다. H. longicornis는 Rickettsia spp., Borrelia spp., Francisella spp., Coxiella spp., 그리고 중증열성혈소판 감소증후군 바이러스 (SFTS virus) 등을 매개하는 것으로 알려져 있다. 국내에 서식하는 H. longicornis의 미생물 군집과 관련된 연구는 많이 진행되지 않은 것으로 확인되었다. 이 연구는 한반도 내 다양한 지역에서 채집된 H. longicornis의 미생물군집 다양성을 지역별, 성장 단계 및 성별에 따라 분석하였다. 2019년 6월부터 7월까지 질병관리청 권역별기후변화매개체감시거점센터 16개 지역에서 채집한 H. longicornis의 16S rRNA 유전자 V3-V4 영역을 PCR로 증폭 후 Illumina MiSeq 플랫폼으로 시퀀싱하였다. Qiime2를 활용한 미생물 다양성 분석을 통해 총 46개의 샘플에서 1,754,418개의 non-chimeric reads를 얻었으며, 평균 126개 의 operating taxonmic unit (OTU) 을 식별하여 총 1,398개의 OTU를 확인하였다. 대부분의 지역에서 Coxiella spp.가 우점종으로 나타났으며, 특히 Coxiella endosymbiont는 가장 높은 우점도를 보이며, Coxiella burnetii와 계통 발생 학적으로 유사한 것으로 확인되었다. 이 연구를 통해 분석된 결과는 각 지역의 H. longicornis 미생물군집 데이터 베이스 구축에 활용되었으며, 이를 통해 지역별 미생물군집의 특이성을 식별할 수 있게 하였다. 이는 한반도의 H. longicornis에 의한 질병 전파 연구와 이를 통한 공중보건 개선에 기여할 것으로 기대된다.

Recently, it is demonstrate that the invertebrates have a immune memory, called Immune priming (IP). It was partially studied that the IP is mainly regulated by epigenetic modification. Here, to understand the IP on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) production, we investigated larval mortality and time-dependent expression patterns of AMP genes in T. molitor larvae challenged with E. coli (two-times injection with a one-month interval). Interestingly, the results indicate that the higher and faster expression levels of most AMP genes were detected compared to the non-primed T. molitor larvae. Our results may used to improve the understanding of mechanisms of invertebrate immune memory.

Pellino, a highly conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase, is known to mediate ubiquitination of phosphorylated Interleukin-1 receptor-related kinase (IRAK) homologs in Toll signaling pathway. To understand the immunological function of TmPellino, we screened the knockdown efficiency of TmPellino by injecting TmPellino-specific dsRNA into T. molitor larvae. Subsequently, we investigated the larval mortality and the tissue-specific expression patterns of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes against microbial challenges. Interestingly, the results indicate that the expression of many AMP genes was upregulated in the Malpighian tubules of TmPellino-silenced T. molitor larvae. This study may provide basic information to understand how Tmpellino regulates AMPs production in T. molitor.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) is known to regulate antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) production in mammals. Here, to understand the immunological function of TmTRAF against microbial challenge, the induction patterns of TmTRAF against microbial infection was investigated by qRT-PCR in the whole-body and tissue of young larvae. In addition, the effects of TmTRAF RNAi on larval mortality and expression of 15 AMP genes in response to microbial infection were investigated. Our studies may help to understand the basic role of AMP production.

Tube, an intracellular protein of the Toll-pathway, forms a complex with Pelle and MyD88, and regulates a signal transduction to activate NF-κB in Drosophila. To understand the antimicrobial function of TmTube, the induction patterns of TmTube were investigated at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h-post injection of pathogens into 10th to 12th instar larvae. In addition, we investigated the effects of TmTube RNAi on larval mortality and tissue specific AMP expression in response to microbial challenge. Our results will provide a basic information to elucidate the immunological function of TmTube

In insects, the glutathione S-transferase is initiated in both the detoxification process and the protection of cellular membranes against oxidative damage. In this study, we identified the open reading frame (ORF) sequence of GST-iso1 and 2 from Tenebrio molitor (TmGST-iso1 and 2). To investigate the expression patterrns of TmGST-iso1 and 2 in response to herbicide, 0.06, 0.6, and 6 ㎍/㎕ of butachlor (FarmHannong, Seoul, South Korea) was challenged into T. molitor larvae, resulting that the TmGST-iso1 were highly induced at 3 and 24 h-post injection. Whereas, the highest expression of TmGST-iso2 was detected at 24 h after treatment. This study may contribute to basic information about the detoxifying activities of T. molitor.

Pelle, a serine/threonine kinase, is an intracellular component of the Toll pathway and is involved in antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) production due to pathogenic infection. It is known that the Pelle phosphorylates Cactus and activates the NF-κB signaling pathway in Drosophila, but it is not studied in Tenebrio molitor. In this study we investigated the tissue-specific expression patterns of the Pelle following pathogenic infection at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours. Additionally, larval mortality and AMP expression against microbial injection were investigated in dsPelle-treated T. molitor larvae. Our results may help to understand the antimicrobial function of TmPelle.

It is well known that the JNK pathway regulates AMP production against pathogenic infection in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Tenebrio molitor hep (Tmhep) is an homolog of MAP kinase kinase in mammals. Here, we investigate the immunological function of Tmhep in responses in microbial infection using RNA interference technology. The results showed that silencing of Tmhep increased the larval mortality against microbial challenge, as well as reduced AMP production compared to the control group (dsEGFP-treated group). Conclusively, Tmhep plays an critical role in antimicrobial defense in T. molitor larvae.

최소 사후 경과 시간(PMImin) 측정에 필수적으로 이용되는 것 중 하나가 시식성 곤충의 발육 속도를 정확히 측정한 데이터이다. 법의곤충학(Medicolegal entomology)을 이용한 최소 사후 경과 시간 측정 방법은 과거에 비해 빠르게 발전하고 있지만, 보다 정확한 데이터를 얻기 위해서는 추가적인 기초 데이터 확보가 필요하다. 이에 본 연구에서는 가장 대표적인 시식성 곤충 중 하나인 연두금파리(Lucilia illustris)를 대상으로 온도에 따른 성장 속도를 측정하였다. 흔히 blow fly 또는 green bottle fly라고도 불리는 연두금파리는 사체에 가장 먼저 나타나는 시식성 파리 중 하나이기 때문에, 해당 종의 유충 성장 속도를 측정하면 최소 사후 경과 시간을 비교적 정확하게 추정하는 것이 가능하다. 실험에 사용된 연두금파리는 5~9월경 대전 유성구 일대에서 성충을 채집하여 종 동정, 사육 및 증식, 예비 실험을 거친 후 본 실험을 진행하였다. 본 실험은 성충 사육 케이지 내에서 교미 및 산란 유도 후 산란된 알을 돼지 생간에 접종하여 유충 사육 전용 챔버에 넣고, 12시간 간격으로 6개체 샘플링하고 추가로 각 령기 변화 시점에 샘플링을 진행하였다. 샘플링된 유충은 길이 측정 및 이미지 촬영을 진행하였다. 16℃, 19°C, 22°C, 25°C, 28°C, 31°C, 34°C 7개 온도 조건에서 연두금파리의 성장 속도 측정 실험을 3회 반복하였으며, 산란으로 부터 부화 및 우화까지 시간 등을 포함한 전체 성장 시간 데이터와 유충 몸길이 데이터, 이미지 자료, 샘플링한 유충 액침표본 등을 확보하였다. 16℃, 19°C, 22°C, 25°C, 28°C, 31°C에서 연두금파리의 전체 성장 시간은 각각 792.7±70.2, 441.0±53.3, 366.7±15.1, 288.0±7.2, 255.7±4.0, 260.3±13.2로 측정되었으며, 34°C에서는 3령 이후 성장 하지 못하고 폐사함을 확인하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 연두금파리의 성장 과정 데이터와 최소 사후 경과 시간 추정을 위한 지표로서 활용 가능한 데이터를 제공한다.

고자리꽃파리는 양파 및 마늘 등 백합과 Allium 속에 속하는 농작물에 중요한 해충으로 전 세계적으로 온대지역에 서 경제적 해충으로 취급하고 있다. 본 연구에서는 기존 자료를 바탕으로 월동번데기의 성충으로 우화모델를 작성하 고 포장 실측자료와 비교하여 평가하였다. 월동번데기 발육모형으로 선형과 비선형모형을 작성하고 발육기간 분포 모형과 결합하여 예찰모형을 작성하였다. 비선형발육모형 작성시 3-매개변수 락틴모형 적용뿐만 아니라 4-매개변 수 모형의 마지막 변수 값을 선형모형의 절편값으로 대체하여 저온에서 선형성이 강화도록 변형시켰다. 성충우화 50% 예측에서 일일평균온도를 이용하는 경우 적산온도 모형을 비롯하여 발육률 적산모형(선형식 및 비선형식) 모두 실측치와 큰 차이가 있었다. 시간별온도를 입력값으로 한 경우 3-매개변수 모형을 제외한 사인곡선 적산온도 모형, 선형 발육률 적산모형, 4-매개변수 비선형 발육률 적산모형의 평균편차는 3일과 차이가 없었다. 최종적으로 선형모형 및 4-매개변수 비선형모형을 바탕으로 시간별온도자료를 이용한 발육률 적산모형은 선발하였다. 그 결과 선형 발육률 적산모형이 두 포장적합 집단(1984, 1987)에서 실측일과 편차가 3일과 차이가 없었다. 비선형 발육률 적산모형은 1984년 적합은 0.8일 편차로 정확하였으나 1987년 집단에서 평균편차가 6.5일로 다소 증가하였다.