본 연구는 검거세미밤나방(Agrotis ipsilon) 성페로몬 트랩에 혼재하여 유살되는 은무늬밤나방아과 형태적 분류와 동정법 수립을 위해, 날개 무늬의 형태계측학 분석을 실시하였다. 은무늬밤나방아과 개체는 2023년 11월 부터 12월까지 제주도 애월읍 일대에서 채집되었으며, 콩 해충으로 알려진 콩은무늬밤나방(Ctenoplusia agnata) 을 비롯하여, 다양한 농작물을 가해하는 것으로 알려진 붉은금무늬밤나방(Chrysodeixis eriosoma)의 수컷 성충이 포획되었다. 앞날개의 형태 및 무늬를 가지고 현장에서 쉽게 동정할 수 있는 형태적 특징을 도출하기 위하여, 각 성충 개체의 앞날개를 잘라 현미경 카메라로 촬영하고, 앞날개의 내횡선, 아외연선, 반점 크기 등 15개의 형질 을 측정하였다. 또한 각 형질 간의 상관관계를 분석하였으며 빈도분포를 통하여 두 종간 분리되는 형질을 파악하 였다. 최종적으로 다변량 분석법을 적용하여 두 집단이 어떻게 군집을 이루는지 분석하고, 날개형태만으로 붉은 금무늬밤나방과 콩은무늬밤나방을 구분할 수 있는 방안을 제시하였다.

동물의 종 유지에 있어서 교미행동은 매우 중요한 위치를 차지함. 교미과정에서 수컷의 경우 모든 암컷에 대해 성행동을 보이는반면, 암컷은 가장 적절한 교미의 시기를 정하며, 적절한 수컷을 선택하고 교미행동을 보이기 때문에 암컷의 교미행동을 유도하는 과정은 생물학에서 매우 중요한 의미를 지님. 본 연구에서는 초파리 (Drosophila melanogaster) 전자현미경자료와 총신경망분석 (Connectomics)을 이용하여 초파리 뇌에서 암컷의 교미행동을 조절하는 것으로 알려진 pC1신경의 하부신경 pC1b,c가 성적 성숙과정에서 교미를 하고자 하는 욕구 (sexual drive)를 증가시키는 기능을 하는 것을 처음으로 밝힘. 본 연구에서는 처음으로 pC1b,c 신경 내의 cAMP 수준이 교미의 욕구변화를 보여주는 중요한 물질이라는 것을 밝혔고 cAMP의 수준이 오르기 위해서는 신경펩티 드인 Dh44와 그 수용체 GPCR인 Dh44R1과 Dh44R2가 필요하다는 것을 확인함. 또한 cAMP의 변화는 신경내의 CREBB를 통하여 하위 유전자인 pyx (pyrexia)의 발현을 유도한다는 것을 밝힘. 본 연구로 종 유지 메커니즘을 좀 더 이해할 수 있음.

Climate change has led to increased insect pests and pest distribution changes. Traditionally, chemical control using synthetic pesticides has been the main method for pest management, but the emergence of pesticide-resistant pests has become a problem. There is a need to develop new pest control agents to overcome these issues. Entomopathogenic fungi used in pest management have minimal environmental side effects and possess a mechanism of action distinct from that of synthetic pesticides. However, there is a need for the development of technologies to maximize the insecticidal effects of fungi against pests, and expressing and releasing dsRNA within the fungi can preemptively knock out the activation of the insect’s defense system, thereby enhancing the insecticidal effect. Controlling insect defense genes and using entomopathogenic fungi as bio-carriers forms a new pest management strategy. This approach, described as a “microbial insecticide agents development strategy of cassette concept, ” can versatilely modify genes and microbes. It is expected to overcome the limitations of synthetic pesticides.

In this study, we introduce a novel TiN/Ag embedded TiO2/FTO resistive random-access memory (RRAM) device. This distinctive device was fabricated using an environmentally sustainable, solution-based thin film manufacturing process. Utilizing the peroxo titanium complex (PTC) method, we successfully incorporated Ag precursors into the device architecture, markedly enhancing its performance. This innovative approach effectively mitigates the random filament formation typically observed in RRAM devices, and leverages the seed effect to guide filament growth. As a result, the device demonstrates switching behavior at substantially reduced voltage and current levels, heralding a new era of low-power RRAM operation. The changes occurring within the insulator depending on Ag contents were confirmed by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Additionally, we confirmed the correlation between Ag and oxygen vacancies (Vo). The current-voltage (I-V ) curves obtained suggest that as the Ag content increases there is a change in the operating mechanism, from the space charge limited conduction (SCLC) model to ionic conduction mechanism. We propose a new filament model based on changes in filament configuration and the change in conduction mechanisms. Further, we propose a novel filament model that encapsulates this shift in conduction behavior. This model illustrates how introducing Ag alters the filament configuration within the device, leading to a more efficient and controlled resistive switching process.

The feathery branched green alga Bryopsis plumosa (Hudson) C. Agardh bloomed at Songji Beach, Haenam, Korea, in November 2022. A terrible stench was present on the beach, and the bottom was covered in a thick green mat of green algae. The alga was identified as B. plumosa, which is an opportunistic species currently distributed worldwide. Dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (DIP) were analyzed in the bloomed area and compared with those of other vicinities. The DIN and DIP concentrations were 1.067 and 0.461 mg L-1, respectively, which were 6 to 19 times higher than the average concentrations on southwest coasts, including Haenam. The B. plumosa bloom at Songji Beach in November 2022 appears to have depended on DIN and DIP concentrations in seawater. In this study, we report on the mass occurrence of B. plumosa, which appeared for the first time in Korea. This occurrence was found to be closely related to the concentration of nutrients in seawater. Therefore, it is necessary to manage the concentration of nutrients on land flowing into coastal waters to control green algal blooms such as Bryopsis.

목적 : 본 연구는 8세에서 19세의 근시 학생을 대상으로 어린이 근시관리 누진 안경렌즈의 착용실태를 조사하고 착용 후 2년간 근시도의 변화를 확인하고자 하였다. 방법 : 2019년 6월부터 2023년 5월까지 수원 G 안경원에서 어린이 근시관리 누진렌즈를 구매한 110명을 대상 으로 근시 진행완화를 위해 렌즈의 착용을 지속하고 있는지 그리고 중도 포기했다면 그 이유를 조사하였다. 그 후 2차 정기방문으로 안경을 다시 교정받은 기록이 있는 72명을 대상으로 초점렌즈(A그룹, 33명)와 어린이 근시관리 누진렌즈(B그룹, 39명)를 착용한 두 그룹으로 나누어 2년간 추적 조사하였다. 결과 : 어린이 근시관리 누진렌즈를 처방받은 110명의 1차 대상자 중 15명(13.6%)이 근시진행 완화 안경 착용 을 중도 포기했으며 이들 중 남자는 11명(73.3%), 여자는 4명(26.6%) 이었다. 또한, 중도 포기한 이유로는 구매의 편의성과 비용문제가 주된 이유로 조사되었다. 1차, 2차, 3차 방문 시기에 평균 등가구면 굴절력은 A그룹에서는 – 2.09±1.43, –2.78±1.52, –3.31±1.55 D이었고, B그룹은 –2.04±1.08, –2.63±1.06, -2.94±1.08 D로 측정되 었다. 각각의 안경을 2년간 착용한 후에 평균 등가구면 굴절력의 변화량은 A그룹에서 –1.22±0.56 D이었고, B그 룹에서는 –0.90±0.51 D를 보였다(p=0.010). 결론 : 8세에서 19세의 근시가 있는 초중고 학생은 2년 간 어린이 근시관리 누진렌즈를 착용한 후에 단초점렌즈 를 착용한 그룹에 비해 근시 진행이 지연되었다. 근시관리 안경렌즈의 성공적인 시장 정착을 위해서는 더욱 다양한 모집단을 장기 추적 관찰하여 그 효과를 연구한 자료가 필요하다고 생각된다.

Since rice is the main food in Korea, there are no regulations on corn milling yet. Corn is known as one of the world's top three food crops along with wheat and rice, and it is known that 3.5 billion people worldwide use corn for food. In addition, corn mills are not developed or sold in Korea, but the use of corn mills is increasing significantly in many countries in Southeast Asia. In the Philippines, as Korea's rice mill import increases, Korea's KAMICO (Korea Agricultural Machinery Industry Cooperative) and domestic company A agreed to develop a corn mill jointly with PHilMech, an organization affiliated with the Philippine Ministry of Agriculture. However, research on corn milling was very insignificant, so the development was carried out based on the technology of Korea's rice mill. Rice milling is performed by peeling off the skin of rice and producing brown or white rice, so it is carried out by removing the skin and cutting the skin. On the other hand, in the corn mill, the skin of the corn is peeled, pulverized and selected to produce main products suitable for edible use. Therefore, in order to develop a corn mill, processes such as peeling, transfer, grinding, sorting, and by-product separation are required, and suitable parts must be developed. In addition, the performance must be gradually improved through experiments in which corn is repeatedly milled. The Philippines produces 7.98 million tons/year of corn, which is about 100 times that of Korea, and is mostly consumed as a staple food. This is about 10% of the total crop production in the Philippines. In addition, the main cultivation complexes of corn are the mountainous regions of Tarlac or Pangasinan, and the produced corn is 72.4% of the so-called yellow corn called Arabel and Sarangani, and the remaining 27.6% are known as white corn. In this study, it was intended to produce grains of 2.5 mm or less suitable for food for yellow corn and to develop a corn mill for 200 kg per hour. Detailed conditions for development are stipulated as more than 55% of the main product recovery rate, more than 31% of the by-product recovery rate, less than 5% of the raw material loss rate, and more than 80% of the embryo dislocation rate. In this study, to achieve this, the overall process of the corn mill was developed, and the optimal conditions for the corn mill were obtained through the development of parts and empirical tests to improve performance. In addition, it was intended to achieve the development goal by evaluating and analyzing the performance of each part so that it did not conflict.

본 논문은 회분식 반응기에서 습식 산화법으로 합성한 칼륨 페레이트(VI)에 의한 난분해성 아조 염료Reactive Black 5의 분해 과정을 연구하는 것을 목적으로 한다. 수용액에서 RB5의 분해는 pH, Ferrate (VI) 투입량, 초기 농도, 수용액 온도 등 다양한 변수의 조건에서 연구되었다. RB5 경우에는 최대 분해 효율은 pH 7.0에서 63.2%가 달성되었으며, 이 실험 조건에서 얻은 kapp 값은 190.49 M-1s-1 으로 나타났다. 온도 또한 가장 중요한 매개 변수 중 하나로 연구되었으며, 그 결과로부터 온도(45°C까지)를 증가시키면 페레이트(VI)에 의한 아조 화합물 염료의 분해 효율이 증가하고, 온도가 45°C를 초과하면 분해 효율이 저하되는 것으로 나타났다.

A force-free field (FFF) is determined solely by the normal components of magnetic field and current density on the entire boundary of the domain. Methods employing three components of magnetic field suffer from overspecification of boundary conditions and/or a nonzero divergence-B problem. A vector potential formulation eliminates the latter issue, but introduces difficulties in imposing the normal component of current density at the boundary. This paper proposes four different boundary treatment methods within the vector potential formulation. We conduct a comparative analysis of the vector potential FFF solvers that we have developed incorporating these methods against other FFF codes in different magnetic field representations. Although the vector potential solvers with the new boundary treatments do not outperform our poloidal-toroidal formulation code, they demonstrate comparable or superior performance compared to the optimization code in SolarSoftWare. The methods developed here are expected to be readily applied not only to force-free field computations but also to time-dependent data-driven simulations.

Hypertension is characterized by excessive renin-angiotensin system activity, leading to blood vessel constriction. Several synthetic compounds have been developed to inhibit renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). These drugs often have adverse side effects, driving the exploration of plant protein-derived peptides as alternative or supplementary treatments. This study assessed the phenolic compound and amino acid content and the antioxidant and antihypertensive activity of 5 South Korean staple crops. Sorghum had the highest phenolic compound content and exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Millet grains, particularly finger millet (38.86%), showed higher antihypertensive activity than red beans (14.42%) and sorghum (17.16%). Finger millet was found to contain a large proportion of branched-chain, aromatic, and sulfur-containing amino acids, which are associated with ACE inhibition. In particular, cysteine content was positively correlated with ACE inhibition in the crops tested (r=0.696, p<0.01). This study confirmed that the amino acid composition was more correlated with the antihypertensive activity of grains than the phenolic compound content. Finger millet mainly contained amino acids, which have higher ACE inhibitory activity, resulting in the strongest antihypertensive activity. These findings underscore the antihypertensive potential of select crops as plant-based food ingredients, offering insight into their biological functions.

In this study, we examined the antagonistic effects of sprout-borne lactic acid bacteria (LAB) on Salmonella enterica serovar Enteritidis. This antagonism is promoted as a means of controlling contamination during sprout production and provides additional LAB for consumers. We isolated a total of 24 LAB isolates in nine species and five genera from seven popular vegetable sprouts: alfalfa (Medicago sativa), clover (Trifolium pratense), broccoli (Brassica oleracea ssp. italica), vitamin (B. rapa ssp. narinosa), red radish (Raphanus sativus), red kohlrabi (B. oleracea var. gongylodes), and Kimchi cabbage (B. campestris var. pekinensis). Based on 16S rRNA gene sequences, the LAB species were identified as Enterococcus casseliflavus, E. faecium, E. gallinarum, E. mundtii, Lactococcus taiwanensis, Leuconostoc mesenteroides, Pediococcus pentosaceus, and Weissella cibaria, and W. confusa. A total of 16 LAB isolates in seven species including E. faecium, E. gallinarum, E. mundtii, L. taiwanensis, L. mesenteroides, P. pentosaceus, and W. cibaria showed antagonistic activity toward S. enterica. The growth inhibition of sprout LAB on S. enterica was confirmed by co-culture. Unexpectedly, sprout LAB failed to suppress the growth of S. enterica in alfalfa sprouts, whereas all LAB strains stimulate S. enterica growth even if it is not significant in some strains. The findings of this study indicate that S. enterica-antagonistic LAB are detrimental to food hygiene and will contribute to further LAB research and improved vegetable sprout production.

In this study, we introduce the validation of the analysis guidelines through preliminary experiments of the draft analysis guidelines before analyzing waste materials (non-combustible). This validation data was applied the accuracy and efficiency of the separation and analysis for the waste such as steel generated from NPP. Steel (non-flammable) was leached the mixed acid and the leaching solution was separated by using the separation guidelines. Steel was corroded with radioactive RM (Co-60, Cs-137) and mixed acid. After drying, the corroded steel was measured the initial radioactivity by a HPGe detector (10,000 seconds). The sample was inserted in a beaker and leached with mixed acid (10 M HNO3 + 4 M HCl) for 2 hours. In this solution, it added 2 ml of H2O2 to increase the leaching effect. The ultrasonic device was adjusted so that the temperature does not exceed 60°C. After elution, the surface of the sample was washed with pure water. The weight of the sample was measured accurately, and recorded the weight loss rate after infiltration. The leaching sample was measured radioactivity by a HPGe detector (10,000 seconds). It was calculated the recovery rate based on the difference in total radioactivity before and after leaching. Before the test, radioactive RM (Co-60, Cs-137) was radioactive deposited by corrosion, but Cs- 137 was not detected in the initial gamma measurement and only Co-60 nuclides were deposited. The recovery rate test results were confirmed to be about 100%.

Chelating agents, such as ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA), diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (DTPA), and nitrilotriacetic acid (NTA) are widely used in industry and agriculture as water softeners, detergents, and metal chelating agents. In wastewater treatment plants, a significant amount of chelating agents can be discharged into natural waters because they are difficult to degrade. Since those compounds affect the mobility of radionuclides or heavy metals in decontamination operations at nuclear facilities and radioactive waste disposal, quantification of the amount of ligand is very important for safe nuclear waste management. To predict the behavior of the main complexation in sample matrices of radioactive wastes, it is essential to evaluate the distribution of the metal-chelating species and their stabilities in order to develop analytical techniques for quantifying chelating agents. We have investigated to collect information on the pH speciation of metal chelation and the stability constants of metal complexes depending on three chelating agents (EDTA, DTPA, and NTA). For example, Zhang’s group recently reported that the initial coordination pH of Cu(II) and EDTA4− is delayed with the addition of Fe(III), and the pH range for the stable existence of [Cu(EDTA)]2− is narrowed compared to when it is alone in the sample matrix. The addition of Fe(III) clearly impacts the chemical states of the Cu(II)-EDTA solution. Additionally, Eivazihollagh’s group demonstrated differences in the speciation and stability of Cu(II) species between Cu(II) and three chelating ligands (EDTA, DTPA, and NTA). This study will be greatly helpful in identifying the sample matrix for binding major chelating agents and metals as well as developing chemically sample pretreatment and separation methods based on the sample matrix. Finally, these advancements will enable reliable quantitative analysis of chelating agents in decommissioning radioactive wastes.

The operation of nuclear facilities involves the potential for on-site contamination of soil, primarily resulting from pipe leaks and other operational incidents. Globally, decommissioning process for commercial nuclear power plants have revealed huge-amounts of soil waste contaminated with Cs-137, Sr-90, Co-60, and H-3. For example, Connecticut Yankee in the United States produced approximately 52,800 ton of contaminated soil waste, constituting 10% of the total waste generated during its decommissioning. Environmental remediation costs associated with nuclear decommissioning in the US averaged $60 million per unit, representing a significant 10% of the whole decommissioning expenses. Consequently, this study undertook a preliminary investigation to identify important factors for establishing a site remediation strategy based on radionuclide- and site-specific media- characteristics, focusing the efficiency enhancement for the environmental remediation. The factors considered for this investigation were categorized into physical/environmental, socioeconomic, technical, and management aspects. Physical/environmental factors contained the site characteristics, contamination levels, and environmental sensitivity, while socio-economic factors included the social concerns and economic costs. Technical and management factors included subcategories such as technical considerations, policy aspects, and management factors. Especially, technical factors were further subdivided to consider the site reuse potential, secondary waste generation by site remediation, remediation efficiency, and remediation time. Additionally, our study focused the key factors that facilitate the systematic planning for the site remediation, considering the distribution coefficient (Kd) and hydrogeological characteristics associated with each radionuclide in specific site conditions. Therefore, key factors in this study focus the geochemical characteristics of site media including the particle size distribution, chemical composition, organic and inorganic constituents, and soil moisture content. Moreover, the adsorption properties of site media were examined concerning the distribution coefficient (Kd) of radionuclides and their migration characteristics. Furthermore, this study supported the development of a conceptual framework, containing the remediation strategies that incorporate the mobility of radionuclides, according to the site-specific media. This conceptual framework would necessitate the spatial analysis techniques involving the whole contamination surveys and radionuclide mobility modeling data. By integrating these key factors, the study provides the selection and simulation of optimal remediation methods, ultimately offering the estimated amounts of radioactive waste and its disposal costs. Therefore, these key factors offer foundational insights for designing the site remediation strategies according the sitespecific information such as the distribution coefficient (Kd) and hydrogeological characteristics.

In nuclear power plant (NPP) decommissioning, ventilation and purification of the building atmosphere are important to create a working environment, ensure worker safety, and prevent the release of gaseous radioactive materials into the environment. The heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) system of each building is maintained, modified, or newly installed. In this study, based on APR1400, operation strategies were presented in case of ventilation abnormalities in the reactor containment building (RCB), where highly radioactive particles and high dust are most frequently generated during NPP decommissioning. For research, it was assumed that the entire RCB atmospheric ventilation during decommissioning would use the RCB purge system of the existing NPP and perform continuous ventilation. Additionally, it is assumed that areas where high radiation particles and high dust occur locally, such as reactor containers or internal segments, are sealed with tents and purified using a HEFA filter of a temporary portable HVAC, and a exhaust flow path is connected to the discharge duct of the existing RCB purge system. The possibility of abnormal occurrence was largely divided into two cases. First, when large amounts of uncontrolled pollutants are released into the atmosphere inside the RCB, discharge to the environment is stopped manually or automatically by a modified engineered safety function activation signal (ESFAS). Afterwards, the RCB purge system should be operated in recirculation mode to sufficiently purify the RCB atmosphere with a HEPA filter. Second, when the first train of the low volume purge system is not running due to a failure, standby train should be operated. If both low volume purge trains fail, a high volume purge system is used. Intermittent purge operation is preferred due to large capacity during high volume purge operation. In cases where it is not possible to operate all purge systems due to common issues such as power supply, atmospheric sampling is performed to determine whether to proceed with the work inside RCB.

The radiological characterization of SSCs (Structure, Systems and Components) plays one of the most important role for the decommissioning of KORI Unit-1 during the preparation periods. Generally, a regulatory body and laws relating to the decommissioning focus on the separation and appropriate disposal or storage of radiological waste including ILW (intermediate level waste), LLW (low level waste), VLLW (very low level waste) and CW (clearance waste), aligned with their contamination characteristics. The result of the preliminary radiological characterization of KORI Unit-1 indicated that, apart from neutron activated the RV (reactor vessel), RVI (reactor vessel internals), and BS (biological shielding concrete), the majorities of contamination were sorted to be less than LLW. Radiological contamination can be evaluated into two methods. Due to the difficulties of directly measuring contamination on the interior surfaces of the pipe, called CRUD, the assessment was implemented by modeling method, that is measuring contamination on the exterior surfaces of the pipes and calculating relative factors such as thickness and size. This indirect method may be affected by the surrounding radiation distribution, and only a few gamma nuclides can be measured. Therefore, it has limitation in terms of providing detailed nuclide information. Especially, α and β nuclides can only be estimated roughly by scaling factors, comparing their relative ratios with the existing gamma results. To overcome the limitation of indirect measurement, a destructive sampling method has been employed to assess the contamination of the systems and component. Samples are physically taken some parts of the systems or components and subsequently analyzed in the laboratory to evaluate detailed nuclides and total contamination. For the characterization of KORI Unit-1, we conducted the radiation measurement on the exterior surfaces of components using portable instruments (Eberline E-600 SPA3, Thermo G20-10, Thermo G10, Thermo FH40TG) at BR (boron recycle system) and SP (containment spray system) in primary system. Based on these results, the ProUCL program was employed to determine the destructive sample collection quantities based on statistical approach. The total of 5 and 8 destructive sample quantities were decided by program and successfully collected from the BR and SP systems, respectively. Samples were moved to laboratory and analyzed for the detail nuclide characteristics. The outcomes of this study are expected to serve as valuable information for estimating the types and quantities of radiological waste generated by decommissioning of KORI Unit-1.