During the operation of nuclear power plant (NPP), the concentrates and spent resin are generated. They show relatively high radioactivity compared to other radioactive waste, such as dry active waste, charcoals, and concrete wastes. The waste acceptance criteria (WAC) of disposal facility defines the structure and property of treated waste. The concentrates and spent resin should be solidified or packaged in high integrity container (HIC) to satisfy the WAC in Korea. The Kori NPP has stored history waste. The large concrete package with solidified concentrates and spent resin. The WAC requires identification of 18 properties for the radioactive waste. Since some of the properties are not clearly identified, the large concrete packages could not satisfy the WAC in this moment. The generation of the large concrete package (rectangular type and cylindrical type), pretreatment of the package, treatment of inner drum, process development for clearance waste, etc. will be discussed in this paper. In addition, the conceptual design of whole treatment process will be discussed.

The solid-state chemistry of uranium is essential to the nuclear fuel cycle. Uranyl nitrate is a key compound that is produced at various stages of the nuclear fuel cycle, both in front-end and backend cycles. It is typically formed by dissolving spent nuclear fuel in nitric acid or through a wet conversion process for the preparation of UF6. Additionally, uranium oxides are a primary consideration in the nuclear fuel cycle because they are the most commonly used nuclear fuel in commercial nuclear reactors. Therefore, it is crucial to understand the oxidation and thermal behavior of uranium oxides and uranyl nitrates. Under the ‘2023 Nuclear Global Researcher Training Program for the Back-end Nuclear Fuel Cycle,’ supported by KONICOF, several experiments were conducted at IMRAM (Institute of Multidisciplinary Research for Advanced Materials) at Tohoku University. First, the recovery ratio of uranium was analyzed during the synthesis of uranyl nitrate by dissolving the actual radioisotope, U3O8, in a nitric acid solution. Second, thermogravimetric-differential thermal analysis (TG-DTA) of uranyl nitrate (UO2(NO3)2) and hyper-stoichiometric uranium dioxide (UO2+X) was performed. The enthalpy change was discussed to confirm the mechanism of thermal decomposition of uranyl nitrate under heating conditions and to determine the chemical hydrate form of uranyl nitrate. In the case of UO2+X, the value of ‘x’ was determined through the calculation of weight change data, and the initial form was verified using the phase diagram for the U-O system. Finally, the formation of a few UO2+X compounds was observed with heat treatment of uranyl nitrate and uranium dioxide at different temperature intervals (450°C-600°C). As a result of these studies, a deeper understanding of the thermal and chemical behavior of uranium compounds was achieved. This knowledge is vital for improving the efficiency and safety of nuclear fuel cycle processes and contributes to advancements in nuclear science and technology.

Fulvic acid, a humic substance with unique properties, has sparked interest due to its potential applications in the treatment of allergic diseases, Alzheimer's disease, and as a microplastic adsorbent. However, conventional extraction methods produce insufficient quantities for commercial use, which has prompted research to enhance fulvic acid production. In this study, we investigated the impact of Saccharomyces cerevisiae fermentation on the yield and spectral characteristics of fulvic acid extracted from white peat. Fulvic acid was extracted from both S. cerevisiae-treated and untreated white peats using acid precipitation. The yield of fulvic acid from the S. cerevisiae treated group reached its highest at 3.5 % after 72 hr of fermentation, which was significantly higher than the untreated group (1.1 %). Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analysis revealed similarities in functional groups and characteristic absorption bands between the treated and untreated fulvic acid samples. These findings suggest that S. cerevisiae fermentation can increase the yield of fulvic acid extracted from white peat, providing a promising approach for enhancing the commercial viability of fulvic acid production.

In this study, Bacillus velesensis TJS119, isolated from freshwater, demonstrated growth inhibition against insect pathogenic fungi. The culture medium of the B. velezensis TJS119 strain underwent sequential fractionation with n-hexane, chloroform, ethyl acetate, n-butanol, and water. Notably, the n-butanol fraction exhibited significant antifungal activity against Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana. LC/MS analysis of antifungal peaks identified the production of various lipopeptides by B. velezensis TJS119, including two types of iturin A (C14, C15), four types of fengycin A (C14, C15, C16, C17), and two types of fengycin B (C16, C17). The antifungal efficacy of Iturin A and Fengycin against insect pathogenic fungi was further validated using the paper disc diffusion method. These findings underscore the potential of B. velezensis TJS119 as a promising candidate for future research and applications in the realm of agricultural biological controls against fungal diseases.

멸강나방은 중국 내 개체군이 북쪽 지역으로 2차 이주를 할 때, 봄철 제트기류를 타고 국내로 유입되는 비래해 충이다. 집단으로 발생 시 벼, 옥수수, 수수 등 여러 작물에 큰 피해를 준다. 2020년과 2021년 북방접경 세 지역(백령 도, 연천, 고성)과 수원 지역에서 성페로몬트랩을 이용하여 멸강나방의 성충 발생 시기를 탐지하였다. 일반적으 로 수원지역은 4월 하순 혹은 5월 상순에 최초 유인되었으나 두 해 여러 지역에서 공통적으로 탐지되는 시기는 6월 초중순이었다. 미국 해양대기청(NOAA)에서 제공하는 역궤적 분석프로그램(HYSPLIT)을 이용하여 각 지 역에서 멸강나방이 포획된 날짜 별 지상 300, 500, 700, 1000 m의 36~72시간 역궤적 분석을 수행하였다. 이후 같은 시기에 중국 내 멸강나방이 분포할 가능성이 높은 지역(32~40 ºN)을 비래 근원지로 추정하였다. 2021년 수원과 백령도에서 공통적으로 산둥성(山东省)이 근원지로 추정되었다. 공통적으로 산둥성(山东省)과 장수성(江苏 省)이 주 비래지로 추정되었고, 추가적으로 백령도는 허베이성(河北省), 수원은 안후이성(安徽省), 허베이성(河 北省), 저장성(浙江省)도 가능성이 있는 지역으로 추정되었다.

본 연구는 주변 환경의 차이에 따른 화분매개곤충의 유입 특성을 파악하기 위하여 국립수목원 내 진화속을걷 는정원과 부추속전문전시원에 식재된 울릉산마늘의 화분매개곤충을 조사하였다. 2023년 5월 22일부터 6월 2일 까지 꽃이 70% 이상 개화하였을 때 포충망을 활용하여 8일간 곤충을 채집하였고, 각 전시원 별 식생(피도), 기후 (온도·습도·조도)를 조사하였다. 조사 결과 진화속을걷는정원에서 피도 60% 온도 26.4℃, 습도 31.5%, 조도 40953.6lx, 화분매개곤충 20과 450개체, 부추속전문전시원은 피도 90%, 온도 25.6℃, 습도 31.6%, 조도 6387lx, 화분매개곤충 15과 196개체로 나타났다. 온도와 조도가 상대적으로 높은 진화속을걷는정원이 채집된 곤충의 다양성과 방문 빈도가 높았다. 시간대별 곤충의 방문 빈도를 비교해본 결과 온도와 조도는 개체수가 증가할 때 같이 증가하는 경향을 보였으며, 습도는 반대의 경향을 보였다.

We analyzed comparatively the ground beetle communities of 1993 and 2023, with 30 year interval, in broadleaf and coniferous stands of the Gwangneung forest, a biosphere reserve in South Korea. 2,906 individuals (53 species, 38 genera, and 15 families) were collected from broadleaf stands and 1,782 individuals (36 species, 32 genera, and 14 families) from coniferous stands in 1993. The dominant species was Synuchus cycloderus in both stands. In 2023, 1,682 individuals (110 species, 78 genera, 21 families) were collected from broadleaf stands and 990 individuals (92 species, 67 genera, 22 families) from coniferous stands. In 2023, the dominant species were Eucarabus (Parhomopterus) sternbergi sternbergi in broadleaf stands and Coptolabrus jankowskii jankowskii in coniferous stands. Species richness (R'), species evenness (E'), species diversity (H'), and dominance (DI) were all higher than in broadleaf (R'=15.472, E'=0.336, H'=1.601, and DI=0.371) and coniferous (R'=13.756, E'=0.369, H'=1.324, and DI=0.326) forests in 2023.

Until now, in case of Palaearctic region, only one species, Nesendaeus monochrous in this genus was recorded from China. but the biology and life cycle are not clearly known, yet. This species collected from the bud of Glochidion chodoense in Korea for the first time and closely related to Heterochyromera imerodeus Kojima & Morimoto which was recorded only in Japan,. But Nesendaeus monochrous is easily distinguishable from H. imerodeus by the relatively longer elytra with bisinuately round apices. Heterochyromera imerodeus Kojima & Morimoto can be found from Eurya emarginata and Glochidion obovatum in Japan. So, this two species are closely related each other and need more taxonomic study about the generic synonymy or changing the generic position.

Necrophila (Calosilpha) brunnicollis brunnicollis (Kraatz, 1877) is a common necrophagous beetle in the Palaearctic region. The species is often encountered on the corpses of large vertebrates, such as human and pig, and is well recognized as a potentially group of beetles in forensic entomology. All of the developmental stages can be found in the corpse and under the soil near a corpse, which can be used to reconstruct the site, such as estimating PMI(Postmortem interval). However, its larval instar stages were never thoroughly described for identification. In this study, we redescribe the morphological characters of all larval stages of N. brunnicollis for quantitative and qualitative morphological information. In addition, we provide the images of larvae and an indentrifiaction key to larval instars.

The genus Silpha Linnaeus, 1758 in Silphinae includes 33 species worldwide. This group is flightless and known to feed on invertebrate carcasses from the ground surface. In South Korea, 3 species have been recorded, and S. koreana Cho& Kwon, 1999 is an endemic species, distributed only Mt. Taebaek and Mt. Mindung. Up to date the immature stages of the species has never been studied although the species has significant value as an endemic species. The present study is the very first one ever conducted describing the larval morphological characters of S. koreana along with images of larval stages. Furthermore, we report observations on developmental lengths for each stages of the species.

A survey of plant-parasitic nematodes (PPNs) was carried out in medicinal crop cultivated fields from July to August in 2023. Three-leaf ladybell, Adenophora triphylla var. japonica is a highly valued medicinal plant that is used to treat or prevent bronchitis, cough, cancer, and obesity in Korea. A. triphylla plants with small root-galls were observed in a field of Yeongju Agricultural Technology Center, which were identified as a root-knot nematode. Additional morphological and molecular analyses studies were performed and identified as Meloidogyne hapla, Northern root-knot nematode. Population densities of M. hapla ranged from 20~30 nematodes per 100 cm3 of soil. M. hapla was detected at lower densities in soil compared to other infected host crops, but there are concerns about damage to M. hapla since A. triphylla is cultivated for more than two years once planted. Our results indicate that A. triphylla roots damage by M. hapla were identifed, it is necessary to prepare control methods such as registration of applicable nematicides and crop rotation.

최근 이식에 강하고 도심 환경에서의 스트레스에 강한 저항성을 지니고 있으며 병해충이 많이 없는 것으로 알려진 대왕참나무가 가로수 및 조경수로 많이 식재되고 있다. 하지만 대왕참나무의 식재량이 증가하면서 일부 지역에서 해충 피해가 보고되고 있고 이들에 대한 관리 대책 마련이 시급해지고 있다. 따라서 본 연구는 대왕참나 무의 식재 환경에 따른 해충 발생 양상을 조사하기 위해 수행하였다. 2022년부터 2023년 동안 7~8월 중에 조사를 수행하였으며, 육안조사법과 고지 가위를 활용하여 줄기와 잎에서 해충의 종별 개체수를 조사하였다. 대왕참나 무의 식재 환경은 도로변과 공원으로 구분하였고, 서울, 성남, 춘천, 원주, 여수, 함안, 창원 지역을 대상으로 진행 하였다. 조사 결과 총 20과 34종 1,126개체가 관찰되었으며 그 중 가로수에서 15과 18종 699개체가 관찰되었고 공원 지역에서 17과 27종 427개체가 관찰되었다. 가로수에서 나비목과 노린재목 해충이 더 많았으며 공원에서는 딱정벌레목 해충이 더 많았다.

Honey bees are crucial pollinators for agricultural and natural ecosystems, but are experiencing heavy mortality in Korea due to a complex suite of factors. Extreme winter losses of honey bee colonies are a major threat to beekeeping but the combinations of factors underlying colony loss remain debatable. Finding solutions involves knowing the factors associated with high loss rates. To investigate whether loss rates are related to Varroa control and climate condition, we surveyed beekeepers in korea after wintering (2021–2022 to 2022–2023). The results show an average colony loss rate of 46%(2022) and 17%(2023), but over 40% colony loss before wintering at 2022. Beekeepers attempt to manage their honey bee colonies in ways that optimize colony health. Disentangling the impact of management from other variables affecting colony health is complicated by the diversity of practices used and difficulties handling typically complex and incomplete observational datasets. We propose a method to 1) Varroa mite population Control by several methods , and 2) Many nursing bee put in hive before wintering.

This study was aimed to isolate bacterial inoculants producing chitinase and evaluate their application effects on corn silage. Four corn silages were collected from four beef cattle farms to serve as the sources of bacterial inoculants. All isolates were tested against Fusarium graminearum head blight fungus MHGNU F132 to confirm their antifungal effects. The enzyme activities (carboxylesterase and chitinase) were also measured to isolate the bacterial inoculant. Based on the activities of anti-head blight fungus, carboxylesterase, and chitinase, L. buchneri L11-1 and L. paracasei L9-3 were subjected to silage production. Corn forage (cv. Gwangpyeongok) was ensiled into a 10 L mini silo (5 kg) in quadruplication for 90 days. A 2 × 2 factorial design consists of F. graminearum contamination at 1.0104 cfu/g (UCT (no contamination) vs. CT (contamination)) and inoculant application at 2.1 × 105 cfu/g (CON (no inoculant) vs. INO (inoculant)) used in this study. After 90 days of ensiling, the contents of CP, NDF, and ADF increased (p<0.05) by F. graminearum contamination, while IVDMD, acetate, and aerobic stability decreased (p<0.05). Meanwhile, aerobic stability decreased (p<0.05) by inoculant application. There were interaction effects (p<0.05) on IVNDFD, NH3-N, LAB, and yeast, which were highest in UCT-INO, UCT-CON, CT-INO, and CT-CON & INO, respectively. In conclusion, this study found that mold contamination could negatively impact silage quality, but isolated inoculants had limited effects on IVNDFD and yeast.

This study was conducted to assess the genetic variability and correlation of phenotypic characteristics in 12 tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) genotypes including 11 WorldVeg and one commercial variety (Pusa Ruby) in Terai (plain) region of Nepal in 2021–2022. This experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The phenotypic traits, including days to 50% flowering, plant vigor and height, fruit number/plant, fruit yield, fruit weight and diameter, fruit firmness and fruit pericarp thickness, and total soluble solids (TSS) content of the fruits, were studied. Analysis of variance revealed significant differences among the genotypes for all the traits except for plant vigor. The genotype of AVTO1705 resulted the highest fruit yield (2.9 kg/plant) than Pusa Ruby, a commercial check (0.5 kg/plant). The phenotypic coefficient of variation (PCV) was higher than the genotypic coefficient of variation (GCV) for all the traits and PCV values were maximum for the number of fruits, fruit yield, and fruit weight. High PCV, GCV, and genetic advance (GA) were observed for yield, fruit weight, and plant height, respectively, indicating the additive gene effect. High heritability for fruit yield/plant and plant height inferred the phenotypic selection for their genetic improvement. Fruit yield was significantly (P<0.05) positively correlated with the fruit number and fruit weight, and direct selection of these traits are reliable for yield improvement in tomato.

In recent years, young Chinese consumers have become more favorably inclined toward products relating to traditional culture. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a textile design that incorporates traditional Chinese patterns and cultural symbolism that will appeal to consumers from the MZ generation (millennials and Generation Z). Through a literature search for traditional Chinese patterns and symbols regarded as auspicious, our design concept and motives were established. We selected peony, lotus, and frog motifs as representative of a “wealth and eternal prosperity” design theme. In textile design work 1, we used hand drawing and watercolor techniques, color transformation with Adobe Photoshop, and colorway and end-use 3D simulation with TexPro. The 3D simulation work suggests that this textile pattern is suitable for women’s outerwear, mufflers, and tote bags. Textile design work 2 conveyed the ‘wealth and eternal prosperity’ design theme and had a graceful mood that embodied the nobility of the lotus flower whilst also encompassing the symbolism of money and status. The end design is a modern reinterpretation of traditional Chinese patterns and motifs. As such, it is hoped that it will satisfy the needs of young consumers for cultural values yet offer a unique new aesthetic distinct from existing textile designs. These qualities can be expected to enhance the competitive market value of textiles bearing this design.

With the infusion of advanced technology, interactions between customers and firms’ representatives take place in brick-and-mortar stores, 2D online sites, and even 3D metaverse environments. In the metaverse, a firm’s sales avatars interact with other users while representing the firm, recommend, and sell virtual items. Previous literature about the effectiveness of sales representatives agrees that a firm representatives’ smiling faces engender customer satisfaction and better interactions. However, it is unclear whether smiling faces of sales avatars will work the same way in the metaverse as they do in the real world. The current research examines whether a firm’s sales avatars with sad facial expression (vs. those with smiling facial expression) stimulate higher user intentions to interact with firm representative avatars, to purchase virtual items from the representative avatars, and to spread positive WOM about their experience in the metaverse. Moreover, focusing on subcultural appeal, we investigate why this unconventional phenomenon happens in the metaverse unlike in real world. We conducted two experiments to manipulate a firm representative avatar’s facial expression (smiling vs. sad) in the metaverse. We newly designed a metaverse place, and participants who put on a virtual reality headset are exposed to either a hat (Experiment 1) or shoes (Experiment 2) store where they can purchase a virtual hat or shoes. Experiments 1 and 2 basically tested the same things repeatedly. However, to improve internal validity and generalizability, Experiment 2 used human-like sales avatars instead of cartoon character-like sales avatars in Experiment 1, changed virtual stores from a hat store to shoes store, and finally controlled for various extraneous variables such as attractiveness, warmth, and competence of sales avatars, and user’s previous experience about metaverse. Sales representatives with a smile are believed to contribute to beneficial consumers’ attitudes and behaviors in offline stores. However, our experiments demonstrate that this well-received belief does not necessarily apply in the metaverse, where subcultural appeal plays a more critical role. In the metaverse, users evaluate sales avatars with sad facial expression (vs. with smiling facial expression) as more unique and cool (i.e., higher subcultural appeal), leading to their higher intention to interact with the sad sales avatar, to purchase a virtual item, and to spread positive WOM about their experiences. Our results imply that previous findings supported in the offline or 2D online sites may not work the same way in the 3D metaverse.

Large amounts of waste and wastewater from aquaculture have negatively impacted ecosystems. Among them, shrimp aquaculture wastewater contains large amounts of nitrogen contaminants derived from feed residues in an aerobic environment. This study isolated candidate strains from adult rockworms to treat shrimp aquaculture wastewater (SAW) in an aerobic environment. Among 87 strains isolated, 25 grew well at the same temperature as the shrimp aquaculture with excellent polymer degradation ability (>0.5 cm clear zone). Six isolates (strains AL1, AL4, AL5, AL6, LA10, and PR15) were finally selected after combining strains with excellent polymer degradation ability without antagonism. 16S rRNA sequencing analysis revealed that strains AL1, AL4, AL5, AL6, LA10, and PR15 were closely related to Bacillus paramycoides, Bacillus pumilus, Stenotrophomonas rhizophila, Bacillus paranthracis, Bacillus paranthracis, and Micrococcus luteus, respectively. When these six isolates were applied to SAW, they reached a maximum cell viability of 2.06×105 CFU mL-1. Their chemical oxygen demand (CODCr) and total nitrogen (TN) removal rates for 12 h were 51.0% and 44.6%, respectively, when the CODCr/TN ratio was approximately 10.0. Considering these removal rates achieved in this study under batch conditions, these six isolates could be used for aerobic denitrification. Consequently, these six isolates from rockworms are good candidates that can be applied to the field of aquaculture wastewater treatment.

The 2007 Recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection recommended the application of dose constraints to optimize radiation protection to resolve the inequity of exposure among radiation workers. The average annual occupational doses in Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs) are 0.3-0.8 mSv. These doses are much lower than the annual effective dose limit of 50 mSv for radiation workers stipulated by the Nuclear Safety Act. In addition, most NPP workers received less than 0.1 mSv per year. These doses are lower than the average annual occupational doses of 0.3- 0.8 mSv. Korean regulatory body conducted the study to legislate the dose constraints in the Korean regulatory system and determine dose constraints (draft) for radiation workers. The legislation of dose constraints would not greatly affect the radiation protection programs in Korean NPPs because most workers received very low doses. However, some workers received relatively higher doses than others. This study analyzed the occupational exposure conditions, such as exposure type and situation, in Korean NPPs. This study investigated the internal and external radiation doses and the radiation doses depending on the NPP operating conditions, including normal operation, planned maintenance, and intermediate maintenance, for the last ten years (2012-2021). As a result, most NPP workers received external exposure rather than internal exposure. Furthermore, most radiation exposures occurred during the planned maintenance period. The results of this study can be used for optimizing occupational doses in Korean NPPs.