Tenebrio molitor(T. molitor) is gaining attention as a sustainable food source with high nutrient content. Understanding their immune system, paricularly the role of Tak1 in the Imd pathway, is essential for mass breeding. This study investigates TmTak1 function in T. molitor. we investigated the immune function of TmTak1, followed by systemic infection using E. coli, S. aureus, and C. albicans. As a result, Silencing TmTak1 significantly affects expression levels of AMPs in the whole body, Fat bodies, and Integuments. These results showed lower expression levels of AMP compared to the control group during E.coli injection.

Fas-associated death domain protein (FADD) functions as an apoptotic adapter in mammals, recruiting caspases for death-inducing signaling complexes, while in lower animals, it interacts with IMD and DREDD to initiate antimicrobial responses. In this study, we examined the T. molitor FADD sequence (TmFADD) using molecular informatics methods to understand its involvement in the host's immune response against microorganisms. Knocking down TmFADD transcripts resulted in increased susceptibility of T. molitor larvae to E. coli, underscoring the significance of FADD in insect defense mechanisms and providing valuable insights into insect immunity.

장내 미생물 군집은 소화 과정, 면역 시스템, 질병 발생 등 숙주의 다양한 면에 광범위한 영향을 주는 것으로 알려져 있으며, 주요 장내 미생물 종은 숙주의 생리 기능에 핵심적인 역할을 수행한다고 발표된 바 있다. 곤충의 장내 미생물 군집에 관한 연구가 최근 활발히 이루어지고 있으며, 이들 연구는 주로 장내 미생물 군집과 기생충, 병원체 간의 상호작용, 종간의 신호 전달 네트워크, 먹이의 소화 과정 등을 중심으로 이루어지고 있다. 이러한 연구들은 대부분 Illumina MiSeq을 활용하여 16S rRNA 유전자의 V1부터 V9 영역 중 선택된 특정 부분을 대상으로 짧은 서열 정보를 대상으로 진행되었다. 그러나, 최근에는 PacBio HiFi 기술이 상용화되면서 16S rRNA의 전장 분석이 가능할 수 있게 되었다. 이번 연구는 장수말벌(Vespa mandarinia)의 해부를 통해 gut과 carcass 부분을 분리한 뒤, 각 샘플을 Illumina MiSeq과 PacBio HiFi 기술을 활용하여 미생물 군집 간의 차이점을 확인하기 위하여 수행되었다.

Chitin and chitosan, abundant biopolymers from shellfish, crustaceans, and fungal hyphae, have diverse applications in food, biomedical, and industrial sectors. Also, insects offer a one of the chitin and chitosan source, yet research into the biological processes of chitin and chitosan within insects remains inadequate. To investigates the safety and benefits of insect-derived chitin and chitosan, we orally administered crab-derived and insect-derived chitin and chitosan to mice and compared RNA expression. NGS derived sequences were obtained and DEG and GO analyses were performed. This study displays a chance to progress the application of edible insects.

본 연구는 소양강댐 하류에서 서식하는 생태계교란 생물 종인 브라운송어와 그 먹이원으로 이용되는 저서성 대형무척추동물에 대한 파악을 위해 2022년부터 2023년까지 총 8회에 걸쳐 소양강댐 하류(St.1~St.3)와 지류 (St.4)에 대해 브라운송어와 공서종, 브라운송어의 위 내용물, 저서성 대형무척추동물의 종조성 및 기능군 분석을 실시하였다. 저서성 대형무척추동물의 경우, 하루살이목에서 가장 많은 분류군이 확인되었으며(27.1%), 그 중 붙는 무리(CL)와 헤엄치는 무리(SW)가 높은 비율을 차지하는 것으로 확인되었다. 브라운송어 채집 결과, 전장은 26∼246mm까지 총 105개체가 채집되었으며, 전장-체중 관계의 매개변수 b값이 3을 초과하여 안정적인 성장이 이루어지는 것으로 확인되었다. 브라운송어의 위 내용물에 대한 먹이원 분석 결과, 빙어(0.2%, TL: 246mm)와 육상곤충(2.7%, TL: 154mm, 183∼185mm)을 섭식한 개체는 매우 적었으며 상대적으로 전장이 큰 개체에서 확인 되었다. 대부분 수서곤충(73.8%)과 물 속에서 서식하는 비곤충류(23.3%)를 섭식하는 것으로 나타났다. 브라운 송어의 전장에 따른 먹이 섭식 패턴을 파악하기 위해 위 내용물에서 확인된 종들과의 상관분석을 실시한 결과, 브라운송어의 먹이원 중 유수성 환경 선호 종들의 경우 전장과 양의 상관관계(p<0.05)를 나타낸 반면, 모래 기질 이하의 흐름이 적은 서식처를 선호하는 종들의 경우 전장과 음의 상관관계(p<0.05)를 나타냈다.

한강 3개 보 구간 수변부 11개 지점을 대상으로 2023년 총 2회 채집된 저서성 대형무척추동물은 총 100종 평균 426.0 개체/m2였다. 여주보에서 64종으로 가장 많이 출현하였고, 강천보에서 59종, 이포보에서 54종, 한강보상류 에서 41종, 한강보하류에서 32종이 확인되었다. 전체 평균 개체밀도는 강천보에서 944.1 개체/m2로 가장 많았고, 한강보상류에서 282.7 개체/m2, 여주보에서 251.9 개체/m2, 이포보에서 180.6 개체/m2, 한강보하류에서 172.9 개체 /m2 순으로 확인되었다. 한강 보 구간에서는 플라나리아류, 실지렁이, 깔따구류 등이 우점함. 보구간의 특성상 상대적으로 단순한 하상 및 깊은 수심에 적응성이 높은 실지렁이, 깔따구류의 우점은 일반적인 특성으로 볼 수 있으며 일시적으로 수변부에서 밀집된 플라나리아류의 채집이 이뤄져 우점된 결과를 보인 것으로 보임. 한강 보 구간 수변부 및 중앙부 조사지점별 군집분석을 실시한 결과 한강보 하류는 3개 보에 비해 우점도가 높고 다양도 와 풍부도가 낮았으며 전반적으로 상류부에 위치한 한강보상류 등의 지점에서 군집안정성이 확보되고 있는 것으로 보이며 이러한 점은 상대적으로 다양한 미소서식환경에 기인한 것으로 판단된다.

나리(Lilium spp.)는 절화, 정원 식물 및 화분 식물과 같은 관상용 가치로 인해 가장 중요한 화훼 작물 중 하나이다. 나 리는 연작으로 인한 환경 스트레스에 민감하며, 환경 스트레 스의 원인 중 하나로는 염 스트레스가 있다. 본 연구는 분홍 색 오리엔탈 나리 'Medusa', 'Lake Carey', 'Ovada'의 생 육 시기별 염스트레스에 따른 표현형 및 색 관련 화합물 함 량 변화를 조사하였다. 염 처리는 생육 시기에 따라 다양한 처리기간(무처리, 발아 전, 발아 후, 전체 생육기간)에 주 1 회 염(8dS･m-1)처리를 실시하였다. 생육 시기별 염스트레스 에 의한 개화의 차이가 있었지만, 전체 생육기간동안 염 스 트레스 처리시 모든 품종에서 개화가 이루어지지 않았다. 염 스트레스 처리 시기에 따라 초장과 꽃의 크기가 감소율이 달 랐으며 'Medusa', 'Lake Carey'는 발아 후 염 처리에서 정 상 개화하였다. 또한, 염스트레스는 꽃과 같은 식물에서 생성 되는 색 관련 화합물인 페놀과 플라보노이드 함량도 시기별 로 차이가 있었다. 품종마다 차이는 있지만, 발아 전이 발아 후 염 처리보다 총 페놀과 총 플라보노이드 함량이 더 낮은 것을 확인하였다. 이 결과는 생육 시기에 따라 염 스트레스 에 의한 나리의 표현형과 화색 관련 화합물의 함량의 변화에 차이가 있었으며 생육초기 염스트레스에 의한 피해가 높은 것으로 판단된다.

For safe disposal of radioactive wastes, accurate analysis of nuclear isotopes is important. It is known that there are 14 nuclides that have to identify nuclide-specific concentration levels. 63Ni, one of non-volatile nuclear isotopes which is included in those 14 nuclides, has to follow chemical separation for exact analysis. As various analysis methods were developed, various methods for analyzing 63Ni also emerged. Past method has used measurement specimens of 59Ni, after 59Ni measurement has been done. It used HClO4, known as strong oxidizing agent, to dissolve DMG, an organic substance used to form 59Ni precipitates. Nowadays, we analyze 59Ni and 63Ni simultaneously, which enables short analysis time, without use of HClO4. But high accuracy is just as important as short measurement time and efficiency. So, this paper compare 63Ni specific activity value used new method with the value, past method used, using real sample’s data. As a result, all sample data from new method’s relative 63Ni specific activity is within the uncertainty range of past ones based on past specific activity value. Consistency of new method’s result and past method’s data increased the reliability of the data and accuracy of those methods.

If radioactive plumes are released outside due to loss of containment building integrity during a nuclear power plant accident, these materials might travel with the wind, affecting both the surrounding environment and neighboring countries. In China, most nuclear power plants are located on the eastern coast. Consequently, a radioactive plume generated during an accident could negatively impact even the western part of the Korean Peninsula due to westerly winds. To detect such problems early, respond quickly, and protect residents, a system that can monitor aerial radiation under normal conditions is needed. Additionally, a detection system that can operate in real-time in an emergencies conditions is required. The current method for aerial radiation measurement takes environmental radiation data from a monitoring post 1.5 m above the ground and converts it to altitude. To measure actual aerial radiation, an expansive area is surveyed by aircraft. However, this approach is both time-consuming and expensive. Thus, to monitor radioactive plumes influenced by environmental factors like wind, we need a radiation detector that can gauge both radioactivity and directionality. In this study, we developed a radiation detector capable of assessing both the radioactivity and directionality of a radioactive plume and conducted its performance evaluation. We miniaturized the radiation detector using a CZT (Cadmium Zinc Telluride) sensor, enabling its mounting on unmanned aerial vehicles like drones. It is configured with multi-channels to measure directionality of a radioactive plumes. For performance evaluation, we positioned two-channel CZT sensors at 90 degrees and measured the energy spectrum for angle and distance using a disk-type radioactive isotope. Using this method, we compared and analyzed the directionality performance of the multi-channel radiation detector. We also confirmed its capability to discern specific radioactivity information and nuclide types in actual radioactive plumes. Our future research direction involves mounting the multi-channel radiation detector on a drone. We aim to gather actual aerial radiation data from sensors positioned in various directions.

Domestic commercial low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste storage containers are manufactured using 1.2 mm thick cold-rolled steel sheets, and the outer surface is coated with a thin layer of primer of 10~36 μm. However, the outer surface of the primer of the container may be damaged due to physical friction, such as acceleration, resonance, and vibration during transportation. As a result, exposed steel surfaces undergo accelerated corrosion, reducing the overall durability of the container. The integrity of storage containers is directly related to the safety of workers. Therefore, the development of storage containers with enhanced durability is necessary. This paper provides an analysis of mechanical properties related to the durability of WC (tungsten carbide)-based coating materials for developing low- and intermediate-level radioactive waste storage containers. Three different WC-based coating specimens with varied composition ratios were prepared using HVOF (high-velocity oxy-fuel) technique. These different specimens (namely WC-85, WC-73, and WC-66) were uniformly deposited on cold-rolled steel surfaces ensuring a constant thickness of 250 μm. In this work, the mechanical properties of the three different WCbased coaitng materials evaluated from the viewpoints of microstructure, hardness, adheision force between substrate and coating material, and wear resistance. The cross-sectional SEM-EDS (Scanning Electron Microscope-Energy Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy) images revealed that elements W (tungsten), C (carbon), Ni (nickel), and Cr (chromium) were uniformly distributed within the each coating layers which was approximately 250 μm thick. The average hardness values of HWC-85 and HWC-73 were found to be 1,091 Hv (Vickers Hardness) and 1,083 Hv, respectively, while the HWC-66 exhibited relatively lower hardness value of 883 Hv. This indicates that a higher WC content results in increased hardness. Adhesion force between and substrates and coating materials exceeded 60 MPa for all specimens, however, there were no significant differences observed based on the tungsten carbide content. Furthermore, a taber-type abrasion tester was used for conducting abrasion resistance tests under specific conditions including an H-18 load weight at 1,000 g with rotational speed set at 60 RPM. The abrasion resistance tests were performed under ambient temperatures (RT: 23±2°C) as well as relative humidity levels (RH: 50±10%). Currently, the ongoing abrasion resistance tests will include some results in this study.

This study focuses on the development of coatings designed for storage containers used in the management of radioactive waste. The primary objective is to enhance the shielding performance of these containers against either gamma or neutron radiation. Shielding against these types of radiation is essential to ensure the safety of personnel and the environment. In this study, tungsten and boron cabide coating specimens were manufactured using the HVOF (High-Velocity Oxy Fuel) technuqe. These coatings act as an additional layer of protection for the storage containers, effectively absorbing and attenuating gamma and neutron radiation. The fabricated tungsten and boron carbide coating specimens were evaluated using two different testing methods. The first experiment evaluates the effectiveness of a radiation shielding coating on cold-rolled steel surfaces, achieved by applying a mixture of WC (Tungsten Carbide) powders. WC-based coating specimens, featuring different ratios, were prepared and preliminarily assessed for their radiation shielding capabilities. In the gamma-ray shielding test, Cs-137 was utilized as the radiation source. The coating thickness remained constant at 250 μm. Based on the test results, the attenuation ratio and shielding rate for each coated specimen were calculated. It was observed that the gammaray shielding rate exhibited relatively higher shielding performance as the WC content increased. This observation aligns with our findings from the gamma-ray shielding test and underscores the potential benefits of increasing the tungsten content in the coating. In the second experiment, a neutron shielding material was created by applying a 100 μm-thick layer of B4C (Boron Carbide) onto 316SS. The thermal neutron (AmBe) shielding test results demonstrated an approximate shielding rate of 27%. The thermal neutron shielding rate was confirmed to exceed 99.9% in the 1.5 cm thick SiC+B4C bulk plate. This indicates a significant reduction in required volume. This study establishes that these coatings enhance the gamma-ray and neutron shielding effectiveness of storage containers designed for managing radioactive waste. In the future, we plan to conduct a comparative evaluation of the radiation shielding properties to optimize the coating conditions and ensure optimal shielding effectiveness.

자생식물은 관상용, 약용, 식량자원으로 활용될 수 있는 잠재력을 지닌 고유 유전자원이다. 돌부추(Allium koreanum H.J. Choi & B.U. Oh)는 우리나라 해안 암반지대에 분포하는 자생식물 중 하나로, 기후변화와 서식지 감 소로 인해 보전 가치가 높은 식물이다. 이번 연구는 온도와 과산화수소가 돌부추의 발아에 미치는 영향을 조사하기 위해 수행되었다. 종자를 무처리(대조군) 또는 1% 과산화수소(H2O2)로 90분간 처리한 종자를 준비해 15, 20, 25°C 로 설정된 식물 생장 챔버에 배치하였다. 그 결과, 파종 23일 후 15°C에서 42%인 발아율이 20°C와 25°C에서 각각 18%와 0%인 발아율보다 2배 이상 높았으며, H2O2 처리 여부와 관계없이 15°C에서 발아율이 42%로 가장 높았다. H2O2 처리와 관계없이 최종 발아율 50%(T50)에 도달하는 일수는 20°C에서 가장 짧았지만, 일평균 발아율(MDG)은 15°C에서 가장 높았다. 따라서 1%의 H2O2 처리는 돌부추의 발아율에 큰 영향을 미치지 않았으며, 15°C의 온도가 돌부추의 발아율을 높이는 데 최적인 것으로 판단된다. 본 연구 결과는 돌부추의 발아를 위한 기초 연구 자료로 활 용될 수 있을 것으로 기대된다.

At a time when the demand for drones is increasing, a plan to utilize drone images was sought for efficient promotion of cadastral resurvey. To achieve the purpose of this study, the technical and legal status of drone images was reviewed, and through this, the possibility of using it for cadastral resurvey was primarily reviewed. subsequently, an experiment was conducted targeting the project district to examine whether drone images were applied to boundary extraction, which is the primary process of cadastral resurvey. As a result of the experiment, it was found that boundary extraction from images is possible. However, in some cases, it is impossible due to field conditions or image quality. Therefore, it is necessary first to apply cases where boundary extraction is possible to cadastral resurvey and seek solutions for some impossible cases. In particular, the image quality problem may have problems with the current technology, but it will also have problems with the existing drone equipment. So, standard for drone calibration should also be established. Finally, the cadastral resurvey surveying procedure using drones was also presented.

The inclusion of conductive carbon materials into lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential for constructing an electrical network of electrodes. Considering the demand for cells in electric vehicles (e.g., higher energy density and lower cell cost), the replacement of the currently used carbon black with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) seems inevitable. This review discusses how CNTs can contribute to the development of advanced LIBs for EVs. First, the reason for choosing CNTs as a conducting agent for the cathode is discussed in terms of energy density. Second, the reinforcing effect of CNTs on the anode is described with respect to the choice of silicon as the active material. Third, the development of water-based cathode fabrication as well as dry electrode fabrication with aid of CNTs is discussed. Fourth, three technical hurdles, that is, the price, dispersion issue, and entrapped metal impurities, for widespread use of CNTs in LIBs are discussed.

North Korea continues to upgrade and display its long-range rocket launchers to emphasize its military strength. Recently Republic of Korea kicked off the development of anti-artillery interception system similar to Israel’s “Iron Dome”, designed to protect against North Korea’s arsenal of long-range rockets. The system may not work smoothly without the function assigning interceptors to incoming various-caliber artillery rockets. We view the assignment task as a dynamic weapon target assignment (DWTA) problem. DWTA is a multistage decision process in which decision in a stage affects decision processes and its results in the subsequent stages. We represent the DWTA problem as a Markov decision process (MDP). Distance from Seoul to North Korea’s multiple rocket launchers positioned near the border, limits the processing time of the model solver within only a few second. It is impossible to compute the exact optimal solution within the allowed time interval due to the curse of dimensionality inherently in MDP model of practical DWTA problem. We apply two reinforcement-based algorithms to get the approximate solution of the MDP model within the time limit. To check the quality of the approximate solution, we adopt Shoot-Shoot-Look(SSL) policy as a baseline. Simulation results showed that both algorithms provide better solution than the solution from the baseline strategy.

The fuel fabrication facility has been built and is being operated by KAERI since licensing research reactor fuel fabrication in 2004. After almost 20 years of operation, outdated equipment for fabrication or inspection has been replaced by automated, digitalized ones to assure a higher quality of nuclear fuels. However, the generation of a large amount of radioactive waste is another concern for the replacement in terms of its volume and various types of it that should be categorized before disposal. The regulatory body, NSSC (Nuclear Safety and Security Commission) released a notice related to the classification of radioactive wastes, and most accessory equipment can be classified into the clearance levels, called self-disposal waste. In this study, the practice of self-disposal of metal radioactive waste is carried out to reduce its volume and downgrade its radioactivity. For metal radioactive waste, which is expected to occupy the most amount, analysis status and legal limitations were performed as follows: First, the disposal plan was established after an investigation of the use history for equipment. Second, those were classified by types of materials, and their surface radio-contamination was measured for checking self-disposable or not. After collecting data, the plan for the self-disposal was written and submitted to the Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) for approval.