This study was carried out to investigate the effects of seeding dates on the growth characteristics, dry matter yield and mineral contents of rye cultivated in the paddy field. The field experiment was conceived as a randomized block design performed in triplicate with seeding dates of October 19 (T1), October (T2), November 2 (T3), November 9 (T4), and November 16 (T5). All treatments was harvested on May 22 of the following year. Plant length, stem diameter, dry matter yield, and total digestible nutrient (TDN) yield were higher in rye with early seeding dates (p<0.05), whereas TDN was higher with late seeding dates (p<0.05). There was no significant difference between crude protein and ether extract among the different seeding dates. Neutral detergent fiber (NDF) and acid detergent fiber (ADF) were higher with early seeding dates (p<0.05). K and Ca contents were significantly higher at T1 as compared to other treatments (T2, T3, T4 and T5). There was no significant difference in Mg and Na content among T1, T2, T3, T4 and T5 treatments. P content was higher in the order T1 > T2 > T3 > T4 > T5 (p<0.05). There was no significant difference in free sugar contents (glucose, fructose and sucrose) by treatments, whereas total free sugar content was the highest in T1 than in the other treatments (p<0.05). Collectively, the results obtained in this study indicate that it is favorable to seed (T1 and T2) soon after harvesting rice to increase dry matter, TDN yield and total free sugar content of rye in the midlands of Korea.

Removing CO2 gas to address the global climate crisis is one of the most urgent agendas. To improve the CO2 adsorption ability of activated carbon, nitrogen plasma surface treatment was conducted. The effect of nitrogen plasma treatment on the surface chemistry and pore geometry of activated carbon was extensively analyzed. The porosity and surface groups of the activated carbon varied with the plasma treatment time. By plasma treatment for a few minutes, the microporosity and surface functionality could be simultaneously controlled. The changed microporosity and nitrogen groups affected the CO2 adsorption capacity and CO2 adsorption selectivity over N2. This simultaneous surface etching and functionalization effect could be achieved with a short operating time and low energy consumption.

The growth characterization and enzyme productivity of halotolerant microorganisms isolated from the Nakdong River estuary wetland in Korea were investigated in this study. The isolation of halotolerant microorganisms was carried out through their cultivation at 37oC for several days using a marine agar medium. After a single-colony isolation, 16 pure colonies were obtained, and phylogenetic analysis was done using 16S-based ID service in the EzBioCloud database. The isolated strains were divided into 3 phyla, 5 families, 7 genera, and 13 species. Possible industrial applications of the strains were confirmed upon testing for amylolytic, lipolytic, and proteolytic activity to confirm the possible production of hydrolytic enzymes, growth at a pH range of 5 to 9, and various salt concentrations being tested. Thirteen strains possessed at least one enzyme activity, and 5 strains possessed 2 enzyme activities. Eight strains could tolerate up to 10% NaCl concentration. This result indicated that isolated strains had shown the possible application in food and cosmetic industries. Therefore, this study would contribute to securing domestic biological resources and improving hydrolytic enzyme activity using these strains.

An earthquake of ML 5.8 hit the Gyeongju area on September 12, 2016. A sequence of foreshock-mainshockaftershock of 588 events with equal to or greater than magnitude 1.5 occurred for six months in this area. Around ninetynine percentage (98.8%) of the total energy was released intensively within a day, and about 80% of the total events took place within a month after the Gyeongju earthquake. The epicentral distribution of aftershocks of major events (ML 5.1, 5.8, 4.5, and 3.5) were elongated in the direction of N30 o E. They correlate well with the focal mechanism solution. These facts support the inference that the Gyeongju earthquakes occurred on a sub-parallel subsidiary fault of the Yangsan fault zone or on the linking damage zones between Deokcheon and Yangsan fault. During the last six years before the Gyeongju earthquake, there were few events within 10-km radius from the epicenter. This seismic gap area was filled with a sequence of the Gyeongju earthquakes. The b value for aftershock of the Gyeongju earthquakes is 1.09.