Hindwings of many lycaenid butterflies have a unique tail-like wing structure referred to as a false head, which actually mimics the antennae. False heads increase butterfly survival by directing predatory attacks towards the false heads thereby enhancing the chance of escape. In this study, using discrete character evolution models of European and American butterflies, we examined the co-evolutionary patterns between false head structures and two associated traits: a highly contrasting color patch neighboring the false head, and hindwing rubbing behaviors. The former is considered a eye-mimicking structure that enhances the effectiveness of false head, and latter generates the movement of false heads which likely increases the success of false head deception. Our findings demonstrate that false heads are ancestral states for both European and American lycaenids. Both contrasting colors and hindwing rubbing behaviors follow correlated evolution models, suggesting that these traits co-evolved in lycanid butterflies. However, specific evolutionray patterns differed between the two continents.

Distractive marking, as conceptualized by Abbott H. Thayer, refers to diminutive patterns of contrasting colors on an animal’s body. Thayer hypothesized that these patterns augment camouflage by diverting predatory focus from the outline of the prey, however, the evidence was insufficient. In this study, we verified the hypothesis that the presence of distractive markings confers a survival advantage under specific conditions. Specifically, the experiment aimed to ascertain whether the existence of lichens on trees hinders the visual detection of prey, given that lichens resemble distractive markings. The experimental design involved human subjects as predators and artificial moth images on a monitor as prey. The survival of moths with and without distractive markings was compared, also considering the influence of the presence of lichens in the background. As an analysis result, the survival likelihood of moths was statistically significantly hindered when the distractive marking was present. This result contradicts Thayer‘s hypothesis and implies the presence of a function distinct other than the enhancement of camouflage.

This study develops and validates an English communicative competence model for Korean high school students, in response to the need to redefine the relevant concepts and components of competence that are demanded by the rapidly evolving future society. Drawing on Celce-Murcia’s (2008) theoretical model on communicative competence, this research conceptualized a model that could assess high school students’ English communicative competence by examining relevant domestic and international studies as well as theoretical reflections. Expert opinions from a two-stage Delphi survey were compiled and incorporated to revise, supplement, and validate the English communicative competence among high school students reflecting Korea’s English education environment. Following this process, the conceptual model for English communicative competence was reorganized into five sub-competences (sociolinguistic, discourse, linguistic, interactional, and strategic competence) and 15 corresponding subfactors. The content validity ratio values for the conceptual definition and factor structure of this model were all above 0.64, thus affirming the validity of the conceptual definition and factor structure.

When aluminum is in an alkaline state, the aluminum oxide film surrounding aluminum is dissolved and moisture penetrates the exposed aluminum surface, causing corrosion of aluminum. At this time, hydrogen gas is generated and there is a risk of explosion due to the generated hydrogen gas. Aluminum radioactive waste is difficult to permanently dispose of because it does not meet the standards for the acquisition of low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste cave disposal facilities currently managed and operated by the Korea Nuclear Environment Corporation. However, because of this risk, it is necessary to study how to safely treat and dispose aluminum waste. In this study, overseas cases were investigated and analyzed to ensure the safety of aluminum waste disposal, and the current status of aluminum radioactive waste generated during decommissioning of the Korea Research Reactor 1&2 and a treatment plan to secure disposal suitability were presented. The process of removing a little remaining oxygen in molten steel during the reduction of iron oxide in the iron refining process is called deoxidation, and a representative material used for deoxidation is aluminum. In the case of metal melting decontamination, which is one of the decontamination processes of radioactive metal waste, a method of treating aluminum waste by using aluminum as a deoxidizer is proposed.

The development of existing radioactive waste (RI waste) management technologies has been limited to processing techniques for volume reduction. However, this approach has limitations as it does not address issues that compromise the safety of RI waste management, such as the leakage of radioactive liquid, radiation exposure, fire hazards, and off-gas generation. RI waste comes in various forms of radioactive contamination levels, and the sources of waste generation are not fixed, making it challenging to apply conventional decommissioning and disposal techniques from nuclear power plants. This necessitates the development of new disposal facilities suitable for domestic use. Various methods have been considered for the solidification of RI waste, including cement solidification, paraffin solidification, and polymer solidification. Among these, the polymer solidification method is currently regarded as the most suitable material for RI waste immobilization, aiming to overcome the limitations of cement and paraffin solidification methods. Therefore, in this study, a conceptual design for a solidification system using polymer solidification was developed. Taking into account industrial applicability and process costs, a solidification system using epoxy resin was designed. The developed solidification system consists of a pre-treatment system (fine crush), solidification system, cladding system, and packing system. Each process is automated to enhance safety by minimizing user exposure to radioactive waste. The cladding system was designed to minimize defects in the solidified material. Based on the proposed conceptual design in this paper, we plan to proceed with the specific design phase and manufacture performance testing equipment based on the basic design.

Radioactive iodine-129, a byproduct of nuclear fission in nuclear power plants, presents significant environmental and health risks due to its high solubility in water and volatility. Iodine-129, with its half-life of 1.57×1017 years, necessitates safe management and disposal. Therefore, safely capturing and managing I-129 during spent nuclear fuel reprocessing is of paramount importance. To address these challenges, various glass waste forms containing silver iodide have been developed, such as borosilicate, silver phosphate, silver vanadate, and silver tellurite glasses. These glasses effectively immobilize iodine, but the high cost of silver raises affordability concerns. This study introduces CuI·Cu2O·TeO2 glass waste forms for iodine immobilization, a novel approach. The cost-effectiveness of copper, in contrast to silver, makes it an attractive alternative. The CuI·Cu2O·TeO2 glass waste forms were synthesized with varying CuI content (x) in (1-x)(0.3Cu2O·0.7TeO2) glass matrices. Xray diffraction (XRD) confirmed amorphous structures, and X-ray fluorescence (XRF) quantified composition. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and Raman spectroscopy provided insights into structural properties. Durability assessments using a 7-day product consistency test (PCT-A) and inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) revealed compliance with U.S. glass regulations, making CuI·Cu2O·TeO2 glasses a promising choice for iodine immobilization in radioactive waste.

Recently, as carbon-neutral energy sources become increasingly important worldwide, SMRs (Small Modular Reactors), which offer significantly enhanced safety, versatility, and mobility compared to conventional nuclear reactors, are gaining attention as a viable alternative. SMR generally refers to small modular reactors with a power output of 300 MWe or less. Unlike conventional reactors, SMRs are characterized by an all-in-one design where peripheral systems and equipment are all integrated into the reactor itself, leading to enhanced reliability and durability. Additionally, the nuclear fuel reloading cycle is significantly extended compared to traditional reactors, resulting in a substantial reduction in maintenance difficulty and costs. Researchers have taken note of these characteristics of SMRs, particularly the extended fuel reloading cycle. Therefore, we have initiated the initial design of an ultra-small Micro Modular Reactor with an electricity generation capacity of 10 MWe and a fuel cycle of up to 55 years, with the goal of using it as a propulsion power source for various transportation modes, especially ships. Our design of MMR, called ‘ARA,’ is primarily distinguished by its use of U233 and Th232 fuels instead of conventional UO2 fuel. Due to various features of ‘ARA,’ including different fuel compositions, ARA is predicted to exhibit several characteristic features compared to conventional PWRs. In this study, among these characteristics, we focused on predicting changes in material composition within the fuel rod during the extended cycle operation of high-enriched fuel, rather than short-cycle operation using low-enriched fuel, unlike conventional reactors. The primary goal of this research is to observe the behavior of the composition of the materials used in the fuel cycle of the MMR, which utilizes U233 and Th232 fuels instead of UO2. Considering the difficulties in the spent nuclear fuel disposal process, many different trials were made to minimize the fission products of ARA, which differs from conventional reactors in terms of fuel type, size, and fuel cycle, in relation to waste generation.

본 연구는 남한 지역에서 서식하는 멸종 위기 종 2급인 왕은점표범나비의 기후 변화에 따른 서식지 변화를 분석하고자 한다. 이를 위해 단일모델의 장단점을 보완하기 위해서 생물 보전과 동물 생태학 분야에서 널리 사용 되는 앙상블 모델을 활용하여 기후변화 시나리오 자료를 이용하여 현재와 미래 기후 조건에서의 잠재적 서식지 변화를 평가하였다. 연구 결과에 따르면, 미래에는 왕은점표범나비의 서식지가 줄어들 것으로 예상되며, 이 변화 는 기온과 강수량 모두에 영향을 받을 것으로 나타났다. 특히 강수량의 계절적 변동이 가장 큰 영향을 미칠 것으로 분석되었다. 이러한 결과는 기후 변화로 인한 생물종의 서식 분포의 이해를 향상시켜 멸종 위기 종 관리와 생태계 복원과 같은 다양한 분야에서 생물다양성 증진을 위한 중요한 기초 데이터로 활용될 것으로 기대된다.

Degenerative arthritis is a common joint disease that affects many elderly people and is typically diagnosed through radiography. However, the need for remote diagnosis is increasing because knee pain and walking disorders caused by degenerative arthritis make face-to-face treatment difficult. This study collects three-dimensional joint coordinates in real time using Azure Kinect DK and calculates 6 gait features through visualization and one-way ANOVA verification. The random forest classifier, trained with these characteristics, classified degenerative arthritis with an accuracy of 97.52%, and the model's basis for classification was identified through classification algorithm by features. Overall, this study not only compensated for the shortcomings of existing diagnostic methods, but also constructed a high-accuracy prediction model using statistically verified gait features and provided detailed prediction results.

Tulsi (Ocimum sanctum), commonly known as Holy Basil is a revered herb with a rich history in traditional medicine systems, particularly in Southeast Asia. For its medicinal properties, Tulsi has been regarded as an “Elixir of Life” and has been used to treat various ailments. However, the comprehensive investigation of Tulsi extracts and their potential pharmacological benefits, specifically in relation to antioxidant activity remains limited. Hence, the objective of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity of Tulsi leaf and stem extract using various screening methods. We investigate the antioxidant activity exhibited by the extract using three different methods involved the utilization of the total polyphenol content assay, the ferric reducing power assay and 2, 2-diphenyl-1-14 picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assays. The results revealed that the Tulsi leaf extract (TLE) exhibited significantly higher antioxidant activity when compared to the Tulsi stem extract (TSE) in all the performed assays. The higher content of phenolics in TLE may have contributed to its superior antioxidant activity. The HPLC (high performance liquid chromatography) analysis of TLE revealed the presence of eugenol, active compound for several therapeutic properties. These findings provide an understanding of the bioactive compounds present in Tulsi extracts and their potential antioxidant benefits.

In this study, in relation to the demolition of the building as a research reactor, in order to establish a basic design for preparation for relocation and installation of the TRIGA Mark-II, the present conditions such as actual measurements and structural safety were investigated, as well as technologies and cases related to the relocation and installation of cultural properties. Based on this, the basic design for the relocation and installation of cultural assets was established by reviewing the disassembly and transport design of the TRIGA Mark-II and the basic plan for the relocation site. Although the structural safety of the current self-weight of the structure is judged to be reasonable, when lifting the structure, it is necessary to consider a method of lifting the foundation by reinforcing the foundation so that the tensile force can be minimized in the structure. As for the technology to be applied before TRIGA Mark-II, the technology before non-transplacement was confirmed as the most reasonable method in terms of preserving the original form, securing safety, and securing economic feasibility. Among the non-replacement technologies, the methods that can be applied before reactor 1 can be largely classified into three types. The three methods to be reviewed can be largely classified into the traditional rail movement method, the movement method using transport equipment, and the crane movement method. Each required period was calculated from the basic design results, and the modular trailer method was judged to be the most efficient. From the basic design results, the required period for each stage according to the mobile construction method was calculated. Depending on the calculation result, the modular trailer method is judged to be the most efficient. However, the final construction method should be selected according to the detailed design results. Overall, the results obtained through this study suggest that it is possible to create a memorial hall without the previous installation of TRIGA Mark-II if the structure foundation is composed independently of the building foundation after conducting a detailed characteristic investigation on the foundation of the TRIGA Mark-II structure.

현대사회는 평균수명의 증가로 인해 지적장애인의 성인기도 점차 길어지고 있는 추세다. 그러나 그에 상응하는 교육이나 재활은 턱없이 부족한 실정이다. 특히, 성인이 된 지적장애인이 사회구성원으로 살아가 는 데 필수적인 의사소통 및 사회화 능력을 향상시키는 훈련은 좀처럼 찾아보기 어려운 실정이다. 본 연구 는 지적장애를 가진 성인의 의사소통 능력 및 사회화 능력에 재활승마가 미치는 영향을 분석하는 데 그 목적이 있다. 본 연구를 수행하기 위해 통제집단 사전사후 실험설계를 사용하였고, 실험집단과 통제집단은 각각 20명의 지적장애 성인으로 구성하였다. 먼저 두 집단에 의사소통과 사회화 능력에 대한 검사를 실시한 후, 실험집단을 8주 동안 16번의 재활승마 프로그램에 참여시켰다. 본 실험설계의 분석을 위해 실험군과 대조군의 동질성을 검증하였다. 그런 다음 재활승마가 지적장애 성인의 의사소통 능력과 사회화 능력에 미 치는 영향을 측정하기 위해 실험집단과 통제집단에 대한 사전사후 검사를 분석하였다. 분석 결과, 설계한 실험집단과 통제집단의 동질성이 나타났고, 재활승마에 참여한 실험집단은 참여하지 않은 통제집단과 비교 했을 때 의사소통과 사회화 능력에서 유의미한 향상을 보였다. 본 연구는 지적장애 성인의 의사소통 및 사회화 능력의 증진을 위해 체계적인 재활승마 프로그램을 기획·공급·확대할 필요가 있다고 제언한다.

When exposed to different types of bacteria in the oral cavity, denture based resins are prone to bacteria attachment. The purpose of this study was to investigate the physical, biological, and antimicrobial properties of denture base resins coated with Peony extract (200, 400, and 600 μg/mL). Specifically, the surface properties (microhardness, contact angle, and color change of the coated specimens), cell cytotoxicity (measured using MTT assay), and antimicrobial activity (against S. mutans (Streptococcus mutans) and C. albicans (Candida albicans) using a growth inhibition assay) were evaluated. The polyphenol content was measured using ultraviolet-visible (UV-vis) spectrometry. The experimental groups (specimens coated with Peony extract) and a control group (specimens coated without Peony extract) were statistically compared using a one-way analysis of variance and Tukey’s post-hoc tests. No statistically significant differences in surface properties or cell cytotoxicity were observed, which demonstrated their biocompatibility. Conversely, a statistically significant difference in antimicrobial activity was observed between the experimental and control groups after 48 h. This confirms the antimicrobial activity of the denture base resin coated with Peony extract and demonstrates that it is a promising dental material for preventing stomatitis.

Veterinary medicines have been widely used for disease protection, growth promotion, and feed efficacy development of animals. Along with development of livestock and pet industry, veterinary medicine market in Korea has increased up to 1 billion US dollar in 2021. The national post-market surveillance (NMS) assessment is important system to manage quality control of veterinary medicines that have reached the open market in Korea. In this study, post marketed veterinary medicines have been analyzed particularly for the active ingredient contents based on the rule, “Tips on animal pharmaceutical audit” and monitored the noncomplicant compounds for prevention of adverse drug event. 6,620 veterinray medicines were chosen by NVRQS-SE10-V1 software program which we developed annually in Korea during 2018-2021. The programe chooses veterinary medicines which is 70% were selected products with high sales in order, 20% were selected products with low sales randomly and 10% were noncompliant product from last year automatically, as we input year`s sales and noncompliant product data. The Animal and Plant Quarantine Agency (APQA) leads collection of veterinary medicines from manufacturing companies, drug stores, and hospitals. The NMS assay was analyzed particularly for the active ingredient ingredients performed using liquid and gas chromatography, titration, UV/Vis spectrophometer, pH, and bioassay in Korea Animal Health Production Association (KAHPA). A total of 129 cases were deemed noncompliant and the average noncompliance rate for veterinray medicines was 1.9%. Among noncompliant products violating regulations, the leading cause was insufficient quantity of major ingredients. The compounds found to be noncompliant most frequently were tylosin, spiramycin, ampicillin, amoxicillin and colistin, respectively In this study, we analyzed the results of post marketing surveillance assay from 2018 to 2021 particularly violation rate and pattern. The overall trend indicated gradually decreasing noncompliance rate from 2.7% to 1.6%, suggesting that the quality of veterinary medicines has improved according to the steadily NMS assay and settlement of Korea Veterinary Good Manufacturing Practice (KVGMP) system.