육성한 화단국화 품종인 황색 국화(Chrysanthemum morifolium Ramat.)인 ‘한아름볼(Hanarum Ball)’은 충남농업기술원 화훼 연구소에서 모본 ‘Gigi Gold’와 부본 ‘Jinny Ball’을 이용하여 육성되었다. ‘한아름볼’ 품종은 2014년에 인공 교배를 통해 개 발되었으며, 2015년부터 2017년까지 품종 특성을 조사한 후 2017년에 최종 선발되었다. ‘한아름볼’의 초형은 반구형으로, 노랑색 꽃잎(Yellow 5B)을 가진 반겹꽃을 지니고 있으며, 개화 기는 9월 21일이다. 초장은 36.0cm로, 초폭은 66.0cm, 화폭 은 4.1cm, 본당 착화수는 1,147개, 꽃잎수는 81.0개이며, 엽색 은 녹색(Green 137B)이어서, 대조품종인 ‘금방울’과 유사한 형 태와 색을 가지고 있으나, 꽃크기와 착화수, 개화시기에서 차이 를 보였다. ‘한아름볼’은 도로변이나 화단 등 조경용으로 활용 가능하며, 화훼 농가에 새로운 소득원을 제공할 수 있는 품종으 로 기대된다.

A protruding mass was identified in the papilla of the right kidney of a 10-week-old male Sprague-Dawley rat. Microscopically, the neoplastic tissues were consisted of epithelial elements, where basophilic neoplastic cells displayed a high nucleus-to-cytoplasm ratio and formed tubular growth patterns characterized by small, elongated, or convoluted tubules. Blastemal elements were often arranged in aggregates or nests, composed of tightly packed basophilic polygonal to spindloid primitive cells. The surrounding interstitial tissue appeared loose and myxomatous. Based on these histological features, the diagnosis was nephroblastoma. Nephroblastoma is considered as an embryonic tumor originated from metanephric blastemal elements in the renal cortex and typically displays characteristic triphasic patterns. Also, this tumor seldom arises from or remains localized to the renal pelvis. To our literature review, this is the first nephroblastoma occurred at renal papilla in a rat.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are novel nanocarbon materials and widely used nanoparticles. They have gradually gained popularity in various fields due to their abundance, inexpensive cost, small size, ease of engineering, and distinct properties. To determine the antibacterial activity of metal-doped CQDs (metal-CQDs) containing Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Co, we chose Staphylococcus aureus as a representative Gram-positive strain and Escherichia coli as a representative Gram-negative bacterial strain. Paper disc diffusion tests were conducted for the qualitative results, and a cell growth curve was drawn for quantitative results. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and IC50 were measured from cell growth curves. As a result, all of the metal-CQDs showed toxicity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, Gram-negative bacteria was vulnerable to metal-CQDs than Gram-positive bacteria. The toxicity differed concerning the type of metal-CQDs; Mn-CQDs exhibited the highest efficacy. Hence, this study suggested that CQDs can be used as new nanoparticles for antibiotics.

This study involved the heterogenization of a binder pitch (BP) using a small amount of nanocarbon to improve physical properties of the resulting graphite electrode (GE). Heterogenization was carried out by adding 0.5–2.0 wt.% platelet carbon nanofiber (PCNF) or carbon black (CB) to a commercial BP. To evaluate the physical properties of the BPs, we designed a new model graphite electrode (MGE) using needle coke as a filler. The heterogenized binder pitch (HBP) with PCNF or CB clearly increased the coking value by 5–13 wt.% compared to that of the as-received BP. Especially, the model graphite electrodes prepared with HBPs containing 1.0 wt.% PCNF or CB showed significantly improved physical properties compared to the control MGE from the as-received BP. Although the model graphite electrodes prepared with HBPs showed similar properties, they had smaller pore sizes than the control. This indicates that heterogenization of the BP can effectively decrease the pore size in the MGE matrix. Correlating the average pore sizes with the physical properties of the model graphite electrodes showed that, for the same porosity, matrices formed by the HBP with a smaller average pore size can effectively improve the apparent density, tensile strength, and oxidation resistance of the model graphite electrodes.

Because plastics are cheap and light, their use is indispensable in our daily lives. However, the extensive use of plastics causes the disposal issue. Among various disposal processes, plastic recycling is of great attention because of minimizing waste and harmful byproducts. Herein, we recycle the most popular thermoplastic materials, high-density and low-density polyethylene, producing the anode materials for the Li-ion batteries. The electrochemical properties of the as-recycled soft carbon are investigated to study the energy storage capability as the anode of Li-ion batteries. Our work demonstrates the soft carbon recycled from plastic wastes is a promising anode material.

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.

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

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.

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.