This study aimed to develop the in vitro method using domestic commercial diets to estimate nutrient digestibility in dogs. The existing in vitro method were tested and compared with literature data to develop new in vitro method. The development of in vitro method progressed as follows: modification of pepsin solution to an activated form and supplementation with 1% lipase. All the in vitro method progressed to 4 hours of stomach simulation and 2 hours of small intestine simulation. In vivo digestibility was measured using the same diets as beagle dogs. The supplementation of lipase methods showed significantly improved (p < 0.05) DM, OM, and EE than the existing and modified pepsin solution methods. The correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in DM, OM, and EE digestibility was high (r2 = 0.889, 0.907, and 0.721, respectively), and the correlation between in vitro and in vivo data in CP and GE digestibility was medium (r2 = 0.681 and 0.536, respectively). The current in vitro method is similar to in vivo digestibility and helps potentially predict digestibility for dogs. In conclusion, this developed in vitro method suggests that it can help estimate the nutrient digestibility of dogs' diets without in vivo experiments.

본 연구는 소양강댐 하류에서 서식하는 생태계교란 생물 종인 브라운송어와 그 먹이원으로 이용되는 저서성 대형무척추동물에 대한 파악을 위해 2022년부터 2023년까지 총 8회에 걸쳐 소양강댐 하류(St.1~St.3)와 지류 (St.4)에 대해 브라운송어와 공서종, 브라운송어의 위 내용물, 저서성 대형무척추동물의 종조성 및 기능군 분석을 실시하였다. 저서성 대형무척추동물의 경우, 하루살이목에서 가장 많은 분류군이 확인되었으며(27.1%), 그 중 붙는 무리(CL)와 헤엄치는 무리(SW)가 높은 비율을 차지하는 것으로 확인되었다. 브라운송어 채집 결과, 전장은 26∼246mm까지 총 105개체가 채집되었으며, 전장-체중 관계의 매개변수 b값이 3을 초과하여 안정적인 성장이 이루어지는 것으로 확인되었다. 브라운송어의 위 내용물에 대한 먹이원 분석 결과, 빙어(0.2%, TL: 246mm)와 육상곤충(2.7%, TL: 154mm, 183∼185mm)을 섭식한 개체는 매우 적었으며 상대적으로 전장이 큰 개체에서 확인 되었다. 대부분 수서곤충(73.8%)과 물 속에서 서식하는 비곤충류(23.3%)를 섭식하는 것으로 나타났다. 브라운 송어의 전장에 따른 먹이 섭식 패턴을 파악하기 위해 위 내용물에서 확인된 종들과의 상관분석을 실시한 결과, 브라운송어의 먹이원 중 유수성 환경 선호 종들의 경우 전장과 양의 상관관계(p<0.05)를 나타낸 반면, 모래 기질 이하의 흐름이 적은 서식처를 선호하는 종들의 경우 전장과 음의 상관관계(p<0.05)를 나타냈다.

The Spectro-Photometer for the History of the Universe, Epoch of Reionization and Ices Explorer (SPHEREx) will provide all-sky spectral survey data covering optical to mid-infrared wavelengths with a spatial resolution of 6.′′2, which can be widely used to study galaxy formation and evolution. We investigate the galaxy-galaxy blending in SPHEREx datasets using the mock galaxy catalogs generated from cosmological simulations and observational data. Only ∼0.7% of the galaxies will be blended with other galaxies in all-sky survey data with a limiting magnitude of 19 AB mag. However, the fraction of blended galaxies dramatically increases to ∼7–9% in the deep survey area around the ecliptic poles, where the depth reaches ∼22 AB mag. We examine the impact of the blending in the number count and luminosity function analyses using the SPHEREx data. We find that the number count can be overestimated by up to 10–20% in the deep regions due to the flux boosting, suggesting that the impact of galaxy-galaxy blending on the number count is moderate. However, galaxy-galaxy blending can marginally change the luminosity function by up to 50% over a wide range of redshifts. As we only employ the magnitude limit at Ks-band for the source detection, the blending fractions determined in this study should be regarded as lower limits.

산오이풀(Sanguisorba hakusanensis)은 한국의 자생식물 이며 정원소재로써 가치가 있지만, 생육 및 생리적 특성 및 정 원 적응 여부에 대하여 알려진 정보가 많지 않아 이용에 어려 움을 겪고 있다. 본 연구에서는 자생식물인 산오이풀의 관수 주기 및 NaCl 농도에 따른 생장, Fv/Fm, NPQ, 성분 변화, 무기성분 변화를 조사하여 내건 및 내염성 보유 여부, 생육 한 계 범위, 스트레스 환경에서 생육을 유지하기 위한 반응을 파 악하고자 했다. 실험 결과 NaCl 무처리구의 관수주기에 따른 성분 분석에서 엽록소 함량의 감소를 제외하고 유의한 차이가 나타나지 않았으나 이는 토양수분함량이 건조 스트레스를 유 발할 정도로 감소하지 않았기 때문으로 보인다. 염 처리에서 는 2주 이후 급격한 스트레스 반응이 나타났고 3주차부터 고 사하기 시작하여 6주차에 모든 개체가 최종 고사했다. 이러한 결과는 2주까지 염 스트레스에 의해 유발되는 2가지 스트레 스 중 초기에 나타나는 삼투 스트레스에는 저항하였으나 이후 나타나는 NPQ의 감소 등 이온 스트레스에 의해 유발된 광합 성 기구 붕괴로 인해 정상적인 생육을 유지할 수 없었기 때문 에 나타난 것으로 보인다. 그러나 무기이온 분석은 이온 스트 레스에 저항하기 위한 메커니즘의 존재 가능성을 시사하였다. 상대적으로 염 농도가 낮을 때에는 세포내 Ca2+ 및 K+ 수준이 높았는데, 이는 Ca2+ 수준이 높아짐에 따라 Na+를 세포 밖으 로 방출시키는 단백질, Na+를 K+와 함께 수송하는 단백질이 기능하여 Na+축적을 지연시키는 반응이 있었음을 시사한다. 그러나 NaCl을 고농도로 처리했을 때는 이러한 반응이 관찰 되지 않았다. 따라서 산오이풀은 염 스트레스에 의해 야기되 는 삼투 스트레스에 강한 저항성을 가지고 있고 이온 독성을 줄이기 위한 메커니즘으로 Na+ 세포내 축적을 지연시키는 것으로 보이지만, 심한 염 스트레스를 받았을 때 나타나는 급격 한 반응에서 이러한 메커니즘이 기능하지 못하고 이온독성에 매우 취약한 것으로 여겨진다. 본 연구를 통해 자생식물인 산 오이풀의 활용을 늘리는 데 기초적인 자료를 제공할 수 있을 것으로 생각된다.

The saturation of wet storage facilities constructed and operated within nuclear power plant sites has magnified the significance of research concerning the dry storage of spent nuclear fuel. Not only do wet storage facilities incur higher operational and maintenance costs compared to dry storage facilities, but long-term storage of metal-clad fuel assemblies submerged in aqueous tanks is deemed unsuitable. Consequently, dry storage is anticipated to gain prominence in the future. Nevertheless, it is widely acknowledged that quantitatively assessing the residual water content remains elusive even when employing the apparatus and procedures utilized in the existing dry storage processes. The presence of residual water can only be inferred from damage or structural alterations to the spent nuclear fuel during its dry storage, making precise prediction of this element crucial, as it can be a significant contributor to potential deformations and deterioration. The aforementioned challenges compound the issue of retrievability, as substantial complexities emerge when attempting to retrieve spent nuclear fuel for permanent disposal in the future. Consequently, our research team has established a laboratory-scale vacuum drying facility to investigate the sensitivity of various parameters, including canister volume, pump capacity, water surface area, and water temperature, which can exert thermohydraulic influences on residual water content. Moreover, we have conducted dimensional analysis to quantify the thermohydraulic effects of these parameters and express them as dimensionless numbers. These analytical approaches will subsequently be integrated into predictive models for residual water content, which will be further developed and validated at pilot or full-scale levels. Furthermore, our research team is actively engaged in experimental investigations aimed at fine-tuning the duration of the pressure-holding phase while optimizing the evaporation process under conditions designed to avert the formation of ice caused by abrupt temperature fluctuations. Given that the canister is constructed from acrylic material, we are able to identify, from a phenomenological perspective, the specific juncture at which the boiling phenomenon becomes manifest during the vacuum drying process.

Plant biosecurity refers to measures that aim to prevent the introduction and spread of pests that pose potential risks to plant health. This core concept underpins the approach undertaken by the National Plant Protection Organization (NPPO), where pre-border, border, and post-border biosecurity activities focus on early detection and rapid response. The approach recognizes the continuum from pre- to post-border, resource allocation is currently being reviewed to ensure an appropriate balance for effective risk mitigation. National Priority Plant Pests with contingency plans highlight the types of threats facing the Korean peninsula faces from exotic plant pests. This will lead to transparency of NPPO activities and ensure that it has the people, resources, tools and systems to address its most important priorities and effectively manage current and future biosecurity challenges.

주방세제의 진딧물 살충효과와 분국화 생육에 미치는 영향 을 알아보기 위해 실험을 수행하였다. 복숭아혹진딧물과 목화 진딧물을 대상으로 주방세제 100, 200, 400배액 단용처리와 주방세제 400배액 100mL에 소주 10mL 또는 20mL를 혼용 하여 분무 처리하였다. 그 결과 주방세제 400배 이하의 모든 농도에서 복숭아혹진딧물은 85%, 목화진딧물은 90%의 살충 률을 보였다. 주방세제와 소주 혼용처리에 의한 살충효과 상 승은 보이지 않았다. 하우스안에서 진딧물이 많이 발생한 분 국화 잎에 400배액 이하의 농도로 3일 간격으로 2회 처리함 으로써 90% 이상의 진딧물이 감소되는 효과를 얻을 수 있었 다. 또한 분국화를 재배하면서 3~4일 간격으로 5주간 지속적 으로 주방세제를 처리했을 때, 대조구에서는 90% 잎에서 진 딧물이 발생한데 비해, 모든 주방세제 단독 처리구에서는 발 생율이 15% 이하로 낮게 유지되었다. 또한 국화의 생체중, 초 장, 엽수는 주방세제 농도가 높아질수록 조금씩 낮아지는 경 향이었으나, 초폭이나 분지수에서는 차이가 없었다. 그러나 주방세제 200배 이하의 농도에서는 국화의 잎이 갈변되거나 꽃잎 끝이 백화되는 약해가 관찰되었다.

Roridin E, a constituent of Podostroma cornu-damae, has excellent medicinal properties and exhibits powerful anticancer effects. However, being a poisonous mushroom, P. cornu-damae is difficult to find in its natural environment. Therefore, only a limited amount of roridin E is isolated from P. cornu-damae. We isolated roridin E from mycelial culture medium of P. cornu-damae and examined its effects on five breast cancer cell lines. The purity of the isolated roridin E was 96%. It exhibited anticancer effects on all five breast cancer cell lines, with an IC50 of at least 0.0006 mg/L. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report on the investigation of effects of roridin E isolated from the mycelium of P. cornu-damae mushrooms on five breast cancer cell lines. However, safety issues should be investigated and addressed in future studies before roridin E is used in clinical settings.

Prevention of radiation hazards to workers and the environment in the event of decommissioning nuclear power plants is a top priority. To this end, it is essential to continuously perform radiation characterization before and during decommissioning. In operating nuclear power plants, various detectors are used depending on the purpose of measurement. Portable detectors used in power plants have excellent portability, but there is a limit to the use of a single measuring device alone to quantify radioactive contamination, nuclide analysis, and ensure representation of measurement results. In foreign countries, gamma-ray visualization detectors are being actively used for operating and decommissioning nuclear power plants. KHNP is also conducting research on the development of gamma-ray visualization detectors for multipurpose field measurement at decommissioning nuclear power plants. It aims to develop detectors capable of visualizing radioactive contamination, analyzing nuclides, estimating radioactivity, and estimating dose rates. To this end, we are developing related software according to the development process by purchasing sensors from H3D, which account for more than 75% of the US gamma-ray visualization detector market. In addition, field tests are planned in the order of Wolsong Unit 1 and Kori Unit 1 with Research reactor in Gongneung-dong in accordance with the progress of development. The detector will be optimized by analyzing the test results according to various gamma radiation field environments. The development detector will be used for various measurement purposes for Kori unit 1 and Wolsong

Many manufacturers applying third party logistics (3PLs) have some challenges to increase their logistics efficiency. This study introduces an effort to estimate the weight of the delivery trucks provided by 3PL providers, which allows the manufacturer to package and load products in trailers in advance to reduce delivery time. The accuracy of the weigh estimation is more important due to the total weight regulation. This study uses not only the data from the company but also many general prediction variables such as weather, oil prices and population of destinations. In addition, operational statistics variables are developed to indicate the availabilities of the trucks in a specific weight category for each 3PL provider. The prediction model using XGBoost regressor and permutation feature importance method provides highly acceptable performance with MAPE of 2.785% and shows the effectiveness of the developed operational statistics variables.

In 2018, media reports raised issues related to radon released from building materials used as finishing materials in apartment houses. Accordingly, related ministries recommended not to use materials with a radiation index value exceeding 1. In order to calculate the radioactivity index, not only 226Ra producing radon (222Rn) but also 232Th and 40K radioactivity concentrations are required. To determine the concentration of the radionuclide, 40K is measured by a single gamma ray of 1,460.8 keV. And the 228Ac used to measure 232Th mainly utilizes gamma rays of 911.2 keV. However, 228Ac does not appear as a single peak unlike 40K, and appears as multiple peaks at various energies. Among them, gamma rays are emitted at a intensity of 0.83% at 1,459.2 keV, which is likely to interfere with 40K. Therefore, what is actually measured at 1,460.8 keV is theoretically a compound peak of 40K and 228Ac. Because the probability of emission at 1,459.2 keV (0.83%) is low, a low concentration of 232Th will result in little 40K radioactivity error. However, samples containing a high concentration of 232Th overestimate the 40K radioactive concentration, so correction is required. In this study, the IAEA standard substance (IAEA-RGTh-1) ontaining 232Th of actual high concentration was analyzed, and the results of the analysis without correction of 40K were compared and verified. As the 40K correction method, the 911.2 keV gamma-ray of 228Ac was used as the reference peak to separate the peak of 228Ac (1,459.2 keV) from the 40K (1,460.8 keV) mixed peaks. And, the coefficient value obtained by subtracting the peak of 228Ac (1,459.2 keV) from the 40K (1,460.8 keV) mixed peak was set to a pure peak of 40K and the radioactivity concentration was calculated therefrom. As a result of calculating the IAEA-RGTh-1 reference material without correction, it was confirmed that the 40K value was overestimated by about 38 times. If a measurement beyond the MDA of 40K is generated by 228Ac radioactivity because the 40K correction constant is not applied, there is an error in determining that there is 40K radioactivity. However, even if 40K radioactivity is overestimated due to the high concentration of 232Th, the degree to which this effect contributes to the radioactivity index is very small. However, as an analyst, 40K radioactivity correction should be made for more accurate analysis.

Veronica L., the largest genus in the family Plantaginaceae, is widespread in various habitats. Due to their long-blooming flowers, Veronica species have high horticultural value as indoor potted, garden, and landscape plants. Furthermore, Veronica plants are extremely important owing to their notable diversity in habitat usage, ploidy level, and evolution. Several native taxa, which are of key interest in breeding programs and phylogenetic studies, have been identified in Korea. The genome sizes and chromosomal characteristics are basic cytogenetic features of all taxa, and their knowledge is a prerequisite when commencing genome sequencing projects. It can provide essential information for cytogenetic, taxonomic, phylogenetic, and evolutionary studies. Thus, cytogenetic analysis and genome size estimation of seven Veronica taxa native to Korea were conducted in this study. Fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) karyotype analysis and chromosome counting was conducted using metaphase chromosomes probed with 5S and 45S rDNA. Nuclear DNA content and genome size were determined using flow cytometry. FISH karyotype analysis revealed a common number of 5S loci and varying 45S signals that create distinctive rDNA distribution patterns in each taxon. The results indicated that the seven investigated Veronica taxa have calculated genome sizes (1C values) ranging from 517.1 to 862.0 Mbp. This study is the first to report the chromosome number and karyomorphology of seven Veronica taxa native to Korea, as well as the use of rDNA markers for identifying individual chromosomes. These findings contribute to the crucial understanding the genomic characteristics of species within the genus Veronica, serve as a basis for studying Veronica phylogeny and evolution, and provide valuable information for future breeding programs.