The domestic Pressurized Heavy Water Reactor (PWHR) nuclear power plant, Wolsong Unit 1, was permanently shut down on December 24, 2019. However, research on decommissioning has mainly focused on Pressurized Water Reactors (PWRs), with a notable absence of both domestic and international experience in the decommissioning of PHWRs. If proper business management such as radiation safety and waste is not performed, it can lead to increased business risks and costs in decommissioning. Therefore, the assessment of waste volume and cost, which provide fundamental data for the nuclear decommissioning process, is a crucial technical requirement before initiating the actual decommissioning of Wolsong Unit 1. Decommissioning radiation-contaminated structures and facilities presents significant challenges due to high radiation levels, making it difficult for workers to access these areas. Therefore, technology development should precede decommissioning process assessments and safety evaluations, facilitating the derivation of optimal decommissioning procedures and ensuring worker safety while enhancing the efficiency of decommissioning operations. In this study, we have developed a program to estimate decommissioning waste amounts for PHWRs, building upon prior research on PWR decommissioning projects while accounting for the specific design characteristics of PHWRs. To evaluate the amount of radioactive waste generated during decommissioning, we considered the characteristics of radioactive waste, disposal methods, packaging container specifications, and the criteria for the transfer of radioactive waste to disposal operators. Based on the derived algorithm, we conducted a detailed design and implemented the program. The proposed program is based on 3D modeling of the decommissioning components and the calculation of the Work Difficulty Factor (WDF), which is used to determine the time weighting factors for each task. Program users can select the cutting and packaging conditions for decommissioning components, estimate waste amount based on the chosen decommissioning method, and calculate costs using time weighting factors. It can be applied not only to PHWRs, but also to PWRs and non-nuclear fields, providing a flexible tool for optimizing decommissioning process.

Aluminum nitride (AlN) has versatile and intriguing properties, such as wide direct bandgap, high thermal conductivity, good thermal and chemical stability, and various functionalities. Due to these properties, AlN thin films have been applied in various fields. However, AlN thin films are usually deposited by high temperature processes like chemical vapor deposition. To further enlarge the application of AlN films, atomic layer deposition (ALD) has been studied as a method of AlN thin film deposition at low temperature. In this mini review paper, we summarize the results of recent studies on AlN film grown by thermal and plasma enhanced ALD in terms of processing temperature, precursor type, reactant gas, and plasma source. Thermal ALD can grow AlN thin films at a wafer temperature of 150~550 oC with alkyl/amine or chloride precursors. Due to the low reactivity with NH3 reactant gas, relatively high growth temperature and narrow window are reported. On the other hand, PEALD has an advantage of low temperature process, while crystallinity and defect level in the film are dependent on the plasma source. Lastly, we also introduce examples of application of ALD-grown AlN films in electronics.

The electrical and interfacial properties of HfO2/Al2O3 and Al2O3/HfO2 dielectrics on AlN/p-Ge interface prepared by thermal atomic layer deposition are investigated by capacitance–voltage(C–V) and current–voltage(I–V) measurements. In the C–V measurements, humps related to mid-gap states are observed when the ac frequency is below 100 kHz, revealing lower mid-gap states for the HfO2/Al2O3 sample. Higher frequency dispersion in the inversion region is observed for the Al2O3/HfO2 sample, indicating the presence of slow interface states A higher interface trap density calculated from the high-low frequency method is observed for the Al2O3/HfO2 sample. The parallel conductance method, applied to the accumulation region, shows border traps at 0.3~0.32 eV for the Al2O3/HfO2 sample, which are not observed for the Al2O3/HfO2 sample. I–V measurements show a reduction of leakage current of about three orders of magnitude for the HfO2/Al2O3 sample. Using the Fowler-Nordheim emission, the barrier height is calculated and found to be about 1.08 eV for the HfO2/Al2O3 sample. Based on these results, it is suggested that HfO2/Al2O3 is a better dielectric stack than Al2O3/HfO2 on AlN/p-Ge interface.

A surveillance of chigger mites was performed to monitor the incidence of scrub typhus vectors at 4 environmental collection points of 6 locations from September to November 2014 in Korea. During the survey period, 420 chigger mites were collected and the dominant species was Leptotrombidium scutellare (42.6%). The first appearance of chigger mite was at 37th week (9.3.-9.10.) and the collected numbers of chigger mites was the highest at 43rd week (10.17.-10.23.). In Goryeong-gun, 299 chigger mites were collected, whereas 5 chigger mites were collected In Yesan-gun. The high environmental collecting rates were recorded at rice field (56%) and waterway (20%). The annually collected numbers (2012-2014) of chigger mites were compared with the average temperatures in August. This result suggests that the average temperature in August might be related with the annual incidence of scrub typhus vectors in Korea. However, the relationship between climate factors and the density of chigger mites needs to be studied by long-term periodical surveillance.

Discovery, identification, and informatics of low molecular weight peptide are extensively rising in the field of proteomics research. In this study, we analyzed protein profiles to discover peptide based biomarker for twelve different soybean seeds with three different agronomic types using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SELDI-TOF MS). For optimization of SELDI-TOF MS in soybean seed proteome analysis, four different extraction buffers were tested with urea solubilization buffer, thiourea/urea solubilization buffer, phenol extraction buffer, and modified trichloroacetic acid (TCA)/acetone precipitation/urea solubilization extraction buffer. Two different type of ProteinChip arrays, cation exchange (CM10) and anion exchange (Q10), applied to profile peptides. Among the four different extraction buffers, phenol extraction was selected to protein extraction methodology. Numbers of detected peak cluster in twelve soybean seeds were 125 at CM10 and 90 at Q10 array in the mass range from 2 to 40 kDa. Among them, 82 peak clusters at CM10 and 33 peak clusters at Q10 array showed significantly different peak clusters at p<0.00004 (CM10) and p<0.00005 (Q10) among twelve different soybean cultivars. Moreover, 29 peak clusters at CM10 and 17 peak clusters at Q10 array were detected in all cultivars as an ‘universally existed peptide’. In comparison with three different agronomic types, total of 55 peak clusters (CM10) and 23 peak clusters (Q10) were significantly different peak clusters at p<0.00004 and p<0.0001, respectively. In these probability levels, soybean seeds were well discriminated into different cultivar and different type with each other. Also we could find several specific peptide biomarkers for agronomic type.

Geneally, rice seeds regardless indica or japonica are showing low germination ratio or completely lost germination ability together with lost of good eating quality under high temperature and humidity conditions. Thus, this study was designed to evaluate a longevity for conservation of good eating quality during long term storage in rice. For the longevity evaluation, germination ability was studied after 5 days of high temperature and humidity stress (50℃/RH 95%). Dharial, originated from Bangladesh and showing weedy type with red pericarp, was selected as a good donor for longevity genes. A mutant was developed from Dharial through EMS mutagenesis and two populations of Dharial/4*Ilmibyeo and Dharial/4*Gopumbyeo were also developed for genetic study. In the 2-DE analysis followed by MALDI-TOF MS with wild and mutant lines, several candidate genes were identified. In the longevity test of two populations, a few lines showing good germination ability after high temperature and humidity stress were selected and subjected to confirm the relationships between longevity and conservation of good eating quality under long term storage.

An unbalance of rice productions and consumptions caused serious problems in both of agricultural area and grain market of korea. In recently, various efforts for rice processing products such as rice noodles and rice wines are in progress to overcome the unstable rice market. Among them, waxy rice is predominant items in processing rice. However, varietal features of starch viscosity are not considered in the processing industries and rice breeding field. In this study, 12 waxy rices and 2 cultivars Ilmibyeo(japonica) and IR72(Indica) were studied for physicochemical and amylogram to characterize the use of waxy rices. The amylose contents of waxy rices were from 7.1 to 8.1% with soft gel consistency and relatively low alkali digestion value(1.4% KOH) compare to Ilmibyeo. In the amylogram analysis(RVU) of waxy rices, unlikely normal rices, very fast peak time(about 3.5 min.) was obtained compare to that of 6.2 min. of Ilmibyeo. And 2 to 3 groups were classified based on peak viscosity and consitency of RVU. Wangchal, Odorokimochi and Hangangchal showed relatively high peak viscosity seemed not suitable for rice cake due to the hardness speed. And most of waxy rices developed in korea were believed to be suitable for oil fried cakes(Hankwa) because of a certain grade of starch degradation speed. And Mochiminori and Midoromochi originated from japan could be a good sources in waxy rice breeding program to improve the cooking properties especially in slow down of hardness speed with very low peak viscosity, hot viscosity and cool viscosity.

The effect of salicylic acid(SA) on antioxidant system and protective mechanisms against UV-B induced oxidative stress was investigated in cucumber(Cucumis sativus L.) leaves. UV-B radiation and SA were applied separately or in combination to first leaves of cucumber seedlings, and dry matter accumulation, lipid peroxidation and activities of antioxidant enzymes were measured in both dose and time-dependant manner. UV-B exposure showed reduced levels of fresh weight and dry matter production, whereas SA treatment significantly increased them. SA noticeably recovered the UV-B induced inhibition of biomass production. UV-B stress also affected lipid peroxidation and antioxidant enzyme defense system. Malondialdehyde(MDA), a product of lipid peroxidation, was greatly increased under UV-B stress, showing a significant enhancement of a secondary metabolites, which may have antioxidative properties in cucumber leaves exposed to UV-B radiation. Combined application of UV-B and SA caused a moderate increase in lipid peroxidation. These results suggest that SA may mediate protection against oxidative stress. UV-B exposure significantly increased SOD, APX, and GR activity compared with untreated control plants. Those plants treated with 1.0 mM SA showed a similar pattern of changes in activities of antioxidant enzymes. SA-mediated induction of antioxidant enzyme activity may involve a protective accumulation of H2O2 against UV-B stress. Moreover, their activities were stimulated with a greater increase by UV-B+SA treatment. The UV-B+SA plants always presented higher values than UV-B and SA plants, considering the adverse effects of UV-B on the antioxidant cell system. ABA and JA, second messengers in signaling in response to stresses, showed similar mode of action in UV-B stress, supporting that they may be important in acquired stress tolerance. Based on these results, it can be suggested that SA may participates in the induction of protective mechanisms involved in tolerance to UV-B induced oxidative stress.

In the present study we studied the growth, photosynthetic traits and protective mechanisms against oxidative stress in the primary loaves of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) seedlings with or without UV-B treatment. Cucumber seedings were irradiated with UV-B for 10 days in environment-controlled growth chambers. The primary leaves irradiated with UV-B showed reduction in leaf length and decreased biomass production. The reduced biomass production seemed to be due to a negative effect of UV-B radiation on the photosynthetic process. Changes in chemical properties of leaf, such as chi a/b ratio affected photosynthesis. UV-B significantly affected chl b content compared with chi a in the light harvesting complex resulting reduced photosynthetic activity Fv/Fm decreased with an UV-B stress, suggesting that the photosynthetic apparatus, and particularly, PS II was damaged under UV-B stress. Malondialdehyde(MDA) concentration which represents the state of membrane lipid peroxidation Increased significantly under UV-B stress confirming an oxidative stress. UV-B exposure with SA solution(0.1-1.0 mM) can partially ameliorated some of the detrimental effects of UV-B stress. Leaf injuries including loss of chlorophyll and decreased ratio of Fv/Fm were reduced with combined application of UV-B and SA. ABA and JA showed similar mode of action in physiological effects on photosynthetic activities though the levels were lower than those from SA treated plants. Chloroplast ultrastructure was also affected by UV-B exposure. The thickness of leaf tissue components decreased and the number of grana and thylakoids was reduced in chloroplast applied UV-B or SA alone. At combined stress granal and stromal thylakoids were less affected. The leaves under combined stress acquired a significant tolerance to oxidative stress. From these results, it can be suggested that SA may have involved a protective role against UV-B induced oxidative damage.