This study evaluates the long-term performance of a multi-layer cover system (MLCS) for near-surface disposal facilities using numerical modeling to estimate infiltration rates under various rainfall scenarios. An effective cover system is essential to prevent radionuclide migration and protect groundwater inflow within disposal facility. The analysis incorporated different bedrock characteristics (homogeneous and discrete fracture networks) and rainfall patterns throughout a 300-year post-closure period, assuming constant initial hydraulic properties. A comprehensive modeling approach incorporating both saturated and unsaturated flow dynamics was employed to assess system performance. Results showed that the cover system effectively limited infiltration rates to 15.94%−21.25% of the design criterion (32 mm∙year−1) across all scenarios. Although infiltration patterns showed minimal sensitivity to bedrock heterogeneity, preferential flow along fractures was observed in the unsaturated zone, necessitating further investigation. These findings emphasize the importance of considering fracture-dominated flow in cover system design and highlight the need for detailed analysis of chemical degradation effects, experimental validation, and uncertainty quantification. The study provides valuable insights for optimizing disposal facility designs and improving long-term performance assessment methodologies.

Background: Stroke patients commonly experience functional declines in balance and gait due to decreased muscle strength and coordination issues caused by brain damage. Through repetitive training, robot-assisted gait training (RAGT) can aid in promoting neuroplasticity in stroke patients and help them acquire effective gait patterns. Additionally, convalescent rehabilitation hospitals help to ensure rapid recovery through intensive rehabilitation training. Objects: This study investigated the effects of RAGT frequency on gait and balance recovery in stroke patients in convalescent rehabilitation hospitals, providing data to optimize rehabilitation efficiency, enhance functional recovery, and support the development of personalized strategies to ensure safer and more rapid returns to daily life. Methods: This study compared the frequency of RAGT by analyzing a group receiving two units of RAGT per day for 5 days per week with a group receiving two units of RAGT per week as part of a comprehensive rehabilitation program, totaling 16 units daily, in a convalescent rehabilitation hospital. Results: In the 10-minute walking test, statistical significance was observed both within and between groups, whereas the Functional Ambulation Category, Fugl-Meyer Assessment–lower extremities, Berg Balance Scale, and timed up-and-go tests showed significance only within groups. Conclusion: End-effector RAGT and traditional gait training significantly improve gait ability, balance, and lower limb function in stroke patients.

In this study, ester co-solvents and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) were used as low-temperature electrolyte additives to improve the formation of the solid electrolyte interface (SEI) on graphite anodes in lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). Four ester co-solvents, namely methyl acetate (MA), ethyl acetate, methyl propionate, and ethyl propionate, were mixed with 1.0 M LiPF6 ethylene carbonate:diethyl carbonate:dimethyl carbonate (1:1:1 by vol%) as the base electrolyte (BE). Different concentrations were used to compare the electrochemical performance of the LiCoO2/ graphite full cells. Among various ester co-solvents, the cell employing BE mixed with 30 vol% MA (BE/MA30) achieved the highest discharge capacity at − 20 °C. In contrast, mixing esters with low-molecular-weight degraded the cell performance owing to the unstable SEI formation on the graphite anodes. Therefore, FEC was added to BE/MA30 (BE/MA30-FEC5) to form a stable SEI layer on the graphite anode surface. The LiCoO2/ graphite cell using BE/MA30-FEC5 exhibited an excellent capacity of 127.3 mAh g− 1 at − 20 °C with a capacity retention of 80.6% after 100 cycles owing to the synergistic effect of MA and formation of a stable and uniform inorganic SEI layer by FEC decomposition reaction. The low-temperature electrolyte designed in this study may provide new guidelines for resolving low-temperature issues related to LIBs, graphite anodes, and SEI layers.

This study involved the heterogenization of a binder pitch (BP) using a small amount of nanocarbon to improve physical properties of the resulting graphite electrode (GE). Heterogenization was carried out by adding 0.5–2.0 wt.% platelet carbon nanofiber (PCNF) or carbon black (CB) to a commercial BP. To evaluate the physical properties of the BPs, we designed a new model graphite electrode (MGE) using needle coke as a filler. The heterogenized binder pitch (HBP) with PCNF or CB clearly increased the coking value by 5–13 wt.% compared to that of the as-received BP. Especially, the model graphite electrodes prepared with HBPs containing 1.0 wt.% PCNF or CB showed significantly improved physical properties compared to the control MGE from the as-received BP. Although the model graphite electrodes prepared with HBPs showed similar properties, they had smaller pore sizes than the control. This indicates that heterogenization of the BP can effectively decrease the pore size in the MGE matrix. Correlating the average pore sizes with the physical properties of the model graphite electrodes showed that, for the same porosity, matrices formed by the HBP with a smaller average pore size can effectively improve the apparent density, tensile strength, and oxidation resistance of the model graphite electrodes.

Mesocrystals are macroscopic structures formed by the assembly of nanoparticles that possess distinct surface structures and collective properties when compared to traditional crystalline materials. Various growth mechanisms and their unique features have promise as material design tools for diverse potential applications. This paper presents a straightforward method for metal–organic coordination-based mesocrystals using nickel ions and terephthalic acid. The coordinative compound between Ni2+ and terephthalic acid drives the particle-mediated growth mechanism, resulting in the mesocrystal formation through a mesoscale assembly. Subsequent carbonization converts mesocrystals to multidirectional interconnected graphite nanospheres along the macroscopic framework while preserving the original structure of the Ni-terephthalic acid mesocrystal. Comprehensive investigations demonstrate that multi-oriented edge sites and high crystallinity with larger interlayer spacing facilitate lithium ion transport and continuous intercalation. The resulting graphitic superparticle electrodes show superior rate capability (128.6 mAh g− 1 at 5 A g− 1) and stable cycle stability (0.052% of capacity decay per cycle), certifying it as an advanced anode material for lithium-ion batteries.

Background: Brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and its receptor, neurotrophic tyrosine receptor kinase-2 (NTRK2), are well known for their roles in the central nervous and animal reproductive systems. Several studies have observed the extensive expression of BDNF and NTRK2 in non-neuronal tissues, especially reproductive organs. However, most of these studies focused on ovarian development and regulation; thus, scientific research on BDNF and NTRK2 in males is required to determine their roles in the male reproductive system. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate BDNF and NTRK2 expression in bovine testes. Methods: Testes were collected from six Hanwoo bulls (6-8 months old). Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) analysis was performed to investigate the mRNA expression of BDNF and NTRK2 in the testes. Western blot analysis was performed to verify the cross-reactivity of BDNF and NTRK2 antibodies with bovine testicular tissues. Immunohistochemistry was conducted to determine BDNF and NTRK2 protein expression in the testes. Results: RT-PCR analysis revealed BDNF and NTRK2 mRNA expression in bovine testes. In Western blotting, BDNF and NTRK2 protein bands were observed at 32 and 45 kDa, respectively. Immunofluorescence demonstrated BDNF expression in the nuclei of spermatogonia and Sertoli cells as well as in the cytoplasm of Leydig cells. NTRK2 was exclusively expressed in Sertoli cells. These results suggest that BDNF plays a potential role in spermatogenesis via BDNF and NTRK2 signaling in bovine testes, a finding supported by previous results in different animal species. Conclusions: The expression patterns of BDNF and NTRK2 indicate their functional importance in the bovine reproductive system.

The present study, black soldier flies (Hermetia illucens) fermented using lactic acid bacteria were powdered without defatting and added to 3% or 5% to make pig feed. Weaning piglets were fed 3% (T3) or 5% (T5) feed powdered with Hermetia illucens for 5 months and the efficacy of the feed was investigated. The results of measuring body weight gain over 5 months after adding 3% (T3) or 5% (T5) of Hermetia illucens powder to the feed of weaned piglets showed significant weight gain in the T5 group compared to the control group. The added feed to Hermetia illucens powder did not show toxicity, and analysis of its effect on blood properties showed that white blood cell levels tended to increase in the T3 or T5 group compared to the control group.The only increase in white blood cell count was a change within the normal range. As a result of analyzing the effect of the level of addition of Hermetia illucens powder on feces, the effect of liquid reduction showed excellent results in the T3 treatment group and maintained the best form of feces. In this study, the thawing loss in the control group was 6.66%, and the T3 group with added powder to Hermetia illucens showed a significant decrease of 5.03%, and the T5 group also showed a decrease of 5.61%. Therefore, it was demonstrated that additive feed for Hermetia illucens reduced thawing loss, affected the water holding capacity of meat, and played an important role in maintaining the taste of meat. Moreover, the results of carcass grade showed a tendency for one grade to increase in the T3 and T5 groups fed additive feed to Hermetia illucens compared to the control group. In conclusion, the results of this study suggest that feed supplemented with Hermetia illucens is effective in influencing the weight gain of pigs, reducing the liquid content of feces, and increasing carcass grade.

최근 국내외 화장품과 식품산업에서 다양하게 사용되어 지고 있는 콜라겐 단백질 제품은 점차 그 용도와 특성에 따라 보다 고도화, 기능화 되어 가고 있다. 피부 건강의 지표인 콜라겐은 다양한 용도로 개발되어 사용되고 있으 며, 콜라겐의 소비가 증가함에 따라 용도에 적합한 최적 화된 콜라겐 제품의 개발이 중요한 연구 분야이다. 특히 여러 기업과 연구기관들에 의해서 콜라겐의 흡수율을 높 이기 위한 다양한 노력이 이루어지고 있다. 따라서 본 연 구에서는 프란즈(Franz) 세포 시스템을 이용하여 국내에서 판매되는 다양한 분자량별 콜라겐 제품의 경피 및 구강 상피세포 투과성을 비교하였다. 그 결과, 피부 표피/진피 조직과 비교하여 구강점막 조직의 콜라겐 흡수율이 분자 량 500달톤과 1,000달톤의 경우 모두 통계적으로 유의하 게(각각 약 10배, 2배) 높은 것으로 확인되었다. 또한, 분 자량별 구강점막 조직 흡수율을 비교한 결과, 분자량 500 달톤의 콜라겐이 분자량 1,000달톤 제품에 비해 흡수율이 2-3배 증가함을 확인하였다. 분자량 500달톤의 경우 Cmax 와 AUCt 값이 가장 높게 나타났으며, 피부 표피/진피 세 포에 비해 구강점막세포 시험군의 모든 지표가 높은 것으 로 나타났다. 본 연구 결과는 피부 흡수보다는 구강 점막 세포를 통한 콜라겐의 흡수방법이 콜라겐 체내 흡수증가 에 유효한 수단임을 시사하며, 분자량 1,000달톤 이하에서 도 보다 더 작은 500달톤의 저분자 콜라겐의 흡수율이 증 가되는 것으로 보아 콜라겐의 분자량이 흡수율 증가의 주 요한 요소임을 확인할 수 있었다.

The morphological features of germling cells were examined to identify an unspecified resting cyst (described as Cochlodinium cf. polykrikoides-like resting cyst) in the Korean coastal area. LSU rRNA gene sequences were also obtained from a strain established from the germling cells. The resting cysts isolated from Korean coastal sediment were characterized as being brown in color, having a large dark-red body, and fibrous lobed ornaments. The germling cells were ellipsoidal with an irregular outline and had an open comma-shaped ASC (apical structure complex), a wide and deep cingulum, and a deep sulcus. These morphological features were consistent with those of previously described harmful dinoflagellate Pseudocochlodinium profundisulcus. The molecular phylogeny revealed that the germling cells and P. profundisulcus were conspecific. Based on these morphological and phylogenetic data, this study documents the occurrence of P. profundisulcus in a Korean coastal area for the first time.

자생 부추속 식물 중 강부추(Allium thunbergii for. rheophytum ined.)와 갯부추(A. pseudojaponicum Makino)는 관상용, 식 용 및 약용자원으로 가치가 있으나 육묘를 위한 생육환경조건 구명이 미비하여 연구할 필요성이 있다. 본 연구는 강부추와 갯부추의 육묘에 미치는 플러그 셀 크기, 차광률, 시비처리에 따른 영향을 구명하기 위하여 실험을 수행하였다. 강부추와 갯부추를 육묘한 결과, 플러그 셀 크기에서는 50, 72, 105, 128, 162, 200셀 처리 중 용적이 가장 큰 50셀에서 초장, 엽 수, 근수, 그리고 근장의 생육이 우수하였다. 그러나 생산비용 과 플러그 육묘의 효율성을 고려하여 105셀 이상의 플러그 트레이 중에서 선택하여 육묘하는 것이 효과적이라 판단된다. 차광률에 따른 유묘는 0, 30, 60, 90% 처리 중 30~60% 차 광처리에서 초장, 근수, 그리고 근장이 유의적으로 높게 측정 되어 생육이 양호하였다. 시비처리에서 생중량과 건중량을 제 외한 생육지표를 검토했을 때, 강부추의 적정 시비처리는 속 효성 고형비료(DO-PRO) 0.1g, 갯부추는 속효성 액체비료 (Peters) 주 1회 8mL 엽면시비처리였고 두 종 모두 속효성 시비처리가 효과적이었다. 강부추와 갯부추의 초기 생육에는 30~60% 차광처리가 된 재배플롯에서 원예상토가 충진된 128셀 플러그 트레이에 종자를 파종한후, DO-PRO 0.1g 또 는 Peters 8mL를 주 1회 엽면시비하면서 재배하는 것이 효 과적이라 판단된다.

General phases in the plan and implementation of an environmental remediation of radioactively contaminated sites are planning for remediation, site characterization, remediation criteria, remediation strategy, implementing remediation actions, and conducting post-remediation activities. Environmental remediation should commence with a planning stage. It is helpful to prepare reports which detail all the supporting activities related to these elements before significant levels of funds and efforts are committed. Site characterization is needed to provide sufficient data to make strategic decisions on the environmental remediation activities. The source characterization should include both waste characterization and facility or site characterization and should provide reliable estimates of the release rates of radioactive constituents as well as constituent distribution. During the preliminary site characterization, an engineering study should be conducted to develop remediation options which address the specific contaminant problem and are aimed to reduce radiological and chemical exposure. Options will include engineering approaches and associated technologies. A preliminary selection of options may be made based on several factors including future sites use, technical considerations, public acceptability, cost, and regulatory requirements. The implementation of remediation actions includes procurement of the selected technology, preparation of the site, development of a health and safety plan, development of operations procedures, staff selection and training, completion of site cleanup, verification, waste disposal, and release of the site for any future use. Once remediation activities have been completed and verified, the remediated site can be released for restricted or unrestricted use. Remediation of radioactively contaminated sites may require special adaptation to address sites covering very large surface areas or those which are deep and difficult to access. Quality assurance may be very important to the verification of environmental remediation activities. The selection of optimal remediation technologies to solve or mitigate the safety of an environmental contamination problem should be taken into account several factors. The several factors include performance (the ability of the technology to reduce risk to the health and safety of the public and to the environment), reliability and maintenance requirements for the technology, costs of implementing the technology, infrastructure available to support the technology, availability(the ease of accessing the technology and associated services), risk to workers and public safety, environmental impacts of the technology, ability of the technology to meet regulatory acceptance, and communication of stakeholder.

Structural stability of a waste form can be provided by the waste form itself (steel components, etc.), by processing the waste to a stable form (solidification, etc.), or by emplacing the waste in a container or structure that provides stability (HICs or engineered structure, etc.). The waste or container should be resistant to degradation caused by radiation effects. In accordance with the requirements for the domestic waste acceptance criteria, irradiation testing of solidified waste forms containing spent resin should be conducted on specimens exposed to a dose of 1.0E+6 Gy and other material 1.0E+7 Gy. Expected cumulative dose over 300 years is about 1.770E+6 Gy for spent resin and 0.770E+6 Gy for dried concentrated waste generated from NPPs generally. According to NRC Waste Form Technical Position, to ensure that spent resins will not undergo adverse degradation effects from radiation, resins should not be generated having loadings that will produce greater than 1E+6 Gy total accumulated dose. If it necessary to load resins higher than 1E+6 Gy, it should be demonstrated that the resin will not undergo radiation degradation at the proposed higher loading. This is the recommended maximum activity level for organic resins based on evidence that while a measurable amount of damage to the resin will occur at 1E+6 Gy, the amount of damage will have negligible effect on disposal site safety. Cementitious materials are not affected by gamma radiation to in excess of 1E+6 Gy. Therefore, for cement-stabilized waste forms, irradiation qualification testing need not be conducted unless the waste forms contain spent resins or other organic media or the expected cumulative dose on waste forms containing other materials is greater than 1E+7 Gy. Testing should be performed on specimens exposed to IE+6 Gy or the expected maximum dose greater than 1E+6 Gy for waste forms that contain ion exchange resins or other organic media or the expected maximum dose greater than 1E+7 Gy for other waste forms. This is suggestion as a review result that requirement for irradiation testing of solidified waste forms has something to be revise in detail and definitively.

NFDC (Nuclear Fuel and materials Data Center) is designated as a one of the data center of National Standard Reference Center from Ministry of Trade Industry and Energy at Dec. 30 2008. The fields of designation were nuclear fuel and energy materials. NFDC produces standard reference data of nuclear fuel and materials. To ensure reliability of experimental data uncertainty should be estimated. There are two kinds of uncertainty: A-type uncertainty from tester and B-type uncertainty from experimental equipments. To reduce the former, the measurement should be repeated for sufficient amount of times, and to reduce the latter type uncertainty all equipment have to be calibrated. In this study self calibration process of thermo-mechanical analyzer (TMA) was established to ensure the B-type uncertainty. The self calibration was performed using the standard reference material and correction factor was obtained. The correction factor was defined as the ratio of the thermal expansion value of the standard reference material reported in the certificate and the thermal expansion value measured using TMA. It is believed that the uncertainty evaluation process of TGA data developed in this study will be helpful for increasing reliability and stability evaluation of nuclear fuel and spent fuel.

PURPOSES : A model for minimizing cutting loss and determining the optimum layout of blocks in pavements was developed in this study. METHODS : Based on literature review, a model which included constraints such as the amount, volume, overlap, and pattern, was developed to minimize the cutting loss in an irregular pavement shape. The Stach bond, stretcher bond, and herringbone patterns were used in this model. The harmony search and particle swarm algorithms were then used to solve this model. RESULTS : Based on the results of the model and algorithms, the harmony search algorithm yielded better results because of its fast computation time. Moreover, compared to the sample pavement area, it reduced the cutting loss by 20.91%. CONCLUSIONS : The model and algorithms successfully optimized the layout of the pavement and they have potential applications in industries, such as tiling, panels, and textiles.

The advent of big data has brought about the need for analytics. Natural language processing (NLP), a field of big data, has received a lot of attention. Topic modeling among NLP is widely applied to identify key topics in various academic journals. The Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering (KSIE) has published academic journals since 1978. To enhance its status, it is imperative to recognize the diversity of research domains. We have already discovered eight major research topics for papers published by KSIE from 1978 to 1999. As a follow-up study, we aim to identify major topics of research papers published in KSIE from 2000 to 2022. We performed topic modeling on 1,742 research papers during this period by using LDA and BERTopic which has recently attracted attention. BERTopic outperformed LDA by providing a set of coherent topic keywords that can effectively distinguish 36 topics found out this study. In terms of visualization techniques, pyLDAvis presented better two-dimensional scatter plots for the intertopic distance map than BERTopic. However, BERTopic provided much more diverse visualization methods to explore the relevance of 36 topics. BERTopic was also able to classify hot and cold topics by presenting ‘topic over time’ graphs that can identify topic trends over time.