The effect of oxidation time on the characteristics and mechanical properties of spent nuclear fuel cladding was investigated using Raman spectroscopy, tube rupture test, and tensile test. As oxidation time increased, the Raman peak associated with the tetragonal zirconium oxide phase diminished and merged with the Raman peak associated with the monoclinic zirconium oxide phase near 333 cm−1. Additionally, the other tetragonal zirconium oxide phase peak at 380 cm−1 decreased after 100 d of oxidation, whereas the zirconium monoclinic oxide peak became the dominant peak. The oxidation time had no effect on the tube rupture pressure of the oxidized zirconium alloy tube. However, the yield and tensile stresses of the oxidized nuclear fuel cladding tube decreased after 100 d of oxidation. The results of the scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy were represented with the in-situ Raman analysis result for the oxide characteristics generated on the cladding of spent nuclear fuel.

The International Organization for Standardization (ISO) published ISO 9001 Quality Management System (QMS)-Requirements in 1987 and has revised four times since then. ISO 9001:2015 is the latest edition. This latest edition has two most noticeable changes. The first major change of new edition focuses on performance with an emphasis on Risk-Based Thinking (RBT) to enhance the process approach. The new edition consists of ten clauses whose first three clauses are largely same as older edition but risks are clearly stated and stressed in last seven clauses, emphasizing on Plan-Do-Check-Act cycle at all levels in the organization. The second major change is that the new edition has the same overall structure as other ISO management system standards known as High Level Structure (HLS) with Annex SL. The companies obtained the certificate of new ISO 9001:2015 QMS by September 15, 2018 in order to maintain as an ISO QMS registered firm. In this article we collected transition audit data from more than 100 companies that registered ISO 9001:2015 QMS for recent three years. We performed a statistical analysis to disclose the relationships between the characteristics of companies and the minor nonconformities found in ISO 9001:2015 requirements during transition audit processes. We also aim to interpret the findings and deduce the implications of the statistical results.

Programmed cell death (PCD) is decisive in eliminating affected cells in human cancers, whereas there are increasing cases of cancer-related death due to side effects of modern treatment methods. There is an urge for new methods of growth inhibition and elimination of cancer cells with a lower cytotoxicity to normal cells. Irregularity along PCD pathways plays a crucial role in cancer cell carcinogenesis. Apoptosis is a distinct cell death mechanism occurring in multicellular organisms and also called type one programmed cell death. Autophagy and paraptosis are non-apoptotic PCD occurring in multicellular organisms. Natural compounds are the fundament of pharmacological treatments, and flavonoids are natural polyphenolic compounds which are unique due to their diverse chemical structures and various biological active mechanisms like anticancer, anti-inflammatory, antioxidative and much more. This gives an increasing number of studies indicating that some flavonoids from medicinal plants could be promising candidates for new natural anticancer drugs, which attract high interests of academic researchers and advanced users. An understanding of the underlying mechanism of PCD induced by flavonoids in cancer cells is important as it plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of many diseases. This systematic review is to report flavonoids and their derivatives as new anticancer candidates to stimulate PCD with a different mechanism based on the pharmacological evidence.

Composite resins are developed as restorative materials to improve esthetics and mechanical properties. To improve the physical properties of resin material, resin filler have to be added. However, no imaging method is adopted for resin filler distribution. Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a optical imaging technique to delineate microscopic structures within biological tissue. The OCT application to dental composites resin and its filler is not described yet. So, this new and advanced optical method is needed for clinical application for evaluation of dental composite resin. To analyze the spatial distribution of dental composite resin and to evaluate the resin restoration in cavity, frequency domain optical coherence tomography (FD-OCT) was used for their analysis. Resin restored tooth was prepared. For morphological observation, serially sectioned teeth, conventional X-ray taking and micro computed-tomography (CT) images were compared with OCT images. The experiment has done to evaluate the success of the resin restoration using 3 dimensional structure OCT image. In this research, OCT is evaluated as a new technique to image resin restoration. The evaluation of resin restored tooth was performed by OCT. Inappropriate restoration such as marginal adaptation, large porosities, internal integrity and poor contour could be detected. Resin filler also could be checked by OCT. The distribution, number, regularity and size of resin filler can be differentiated from several commercial products. Considering the characteristics of the OCT, it can be used to evaluate the defects of resin restoration, resin filler distribution, and internal integrity between resin material and tooth structure. The OCT can be considered to be a new and advanced method for the evaluation of resin restorations.

Proper oral hygiene is required to maintain oral health and prevent oral disease. Toothbrushing is central to proper oral hygiene. Mechanical tooth cleaning is the mainstay of plaque control. A variety of toothbrushing techniques have been developed and evaluated for their efficacy. However, these evaluations are subjective. To adequately evaluate toothbrushing objectively, a novel toothbrushing monitoring system was developed. The system involves user-monitored brushing patterns including toothbrush motions using a 3-axis gyroscope, 3-axis accelerometer, 3-axis magnetic sensor, one load-cell and Bluetooth devices. To confirm the efficacy of this toothbrushing monitoring system, eight periodontist performed tooth brushing in a dental model, and their brushing motion was monitored and recorded, and evaluated by statistical means. The proposed monitoring system can be used to aid dental care personnel in toothbrushing instruction.

The aim of this study was to carry out the comparative analysis of the brushing force following various brushing techniques bytoothbrush mounted pressure sensing unit. The study group consisted of 10 dental hygienist participants. The brushing forces (on buccal area of each first molar) were monitored on 8 different kinds of brushing techniques; Fones, Bass, Rolling, Scrub, Charters, stillman, Modified bass and Modified stillman. In Bass, Charters, Fones and Scrub method, force distributions showed a small gap of maximum and minimum value (Max/Min) while a big difference was noted in Modified bass, Modified stillman, Rolling and Stillman methods. Especially, the biggest difference of Max/Min value was observed in the area of lower left first molar. In conclusion, highly delicate manual skill is needed in showing big error range of force distribution. It means that careful force needs to be focused during toothbrushing instruction when a delicate manual skill was carried out.

The goal of this study was to assess the effect of a group exercise program on cognitive function of elderly people. Subjects were chosen to be elders with dementia having minor to moderate degrees of cognitive function. Study was started out by randomly dividing the 16 subjects into two groups, each with 8 people; the group exercise group and the control group. The group exercise group performed 8 weeks of group exercise program and general physiotherapy while the control group only performed general physiotherapy. Cognitive function was measured by Korean version mini-mental state examination. The study group's attention and calculation statistically significantly improved but the control group saw no statistically significant change. The group exercise program affected improvement in cognitive function of elderly people with dementia and in particular, was effective for enhancing their attention and calculation.

This study was performed to evaluate antimicrobial resistance of food-borne pathogens isolated from retail meat in Korea. A total of 157 samples of beef, pork, and chicken were collected and analyzed for E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter. Resistances to tetracycline were declined in accord with reduced usage of tetracycline in live stock production. E. coli stains from chicken meat had higher multi-drug resistance ratio than strains from other meat. One extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli and two ESBL producing Salmonella were identified in this study. ESBL producing Salmonella strains were confirmed to carry CTX-M-1 type genes.

The Korea Energy Master Plan was first developed in 2008 to achieve sustainable economic development and energy security while considering environmental impact. The plan is to be updated every five years to consider environmental changes and changes in energy market supply and demand. In response to climate change, the 2008 master plan identified the need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as the primary global issue for energy policy. The plan calls for maximum use of nuclear power and renewable energy and dramatic curb of energy demand. Its energy policies primarily focus on ways Korea can provide an affordable and stable supply of power while supporting economic growth and industrialization (Ministry of Trade, Industry and Energy [MOTIE], 2014). The policy has brought significant growth to the renewable and nuclear power generation industries. However, cheap electricity has increased electricity consumption and destabilized the supply-demand power balance. The construction of more power plants to meet growing electricity demands has also had negative impacts such as increased greenhouse gas emissions, an overloaded electricity transmission network, and opposition from local residents near power lines and power plants. In accordance, the second energy policy in 2014 focuses on (MOTIE, 2014): 1. Transitioning to demand management 2. Building a distributed generation system 3. Balancing between environmental and safety concerns 4. Enhancing energy security and energy supply stability 5. Establishing a stable supply system for each energy source 6. Shaping energy policy to reflect public opinion Regarding market trends and consumer/industry demands, the Korean economy is relatively high in energy use per GDP unit. Korea’s many energy-intensive industries and cheap electricity have caused the industrial sector to sharply increase its demand for cooling and heating. The Fukushima nuclear power plant accident in Japan heightened public fears about nuclear power generation. From 2010 to 2035, as developing countries grow in economics and population, global energy demand is expected to increase by 48.3% and greenhouse gas emissions by 40.2%. As the cost of oil rises and unconventional energy sources such as shale gas and tight oil are developed, negotiations on a new post-2020 global climate framework will change the energy market landscape. Regarding energy demand management, the plan focuses on revising electricity rates to ease overconsumption and to reflect environmental and social costs such as refurbishment of nuclear facilities and the transmission network, different pricing for different types of voltage use, progressive rate relief, and expansion of critical-peak pricing. It applies information and communications technology (ICT) demand management by deploying smart grid incentives for energy storage system installation, revising standards for building design, and invigorating the demand management market. To balance electricity consumption ratios, the plan advocates increasing renewable gas, coal, and oil consumption. To establish a stable supply system for each energy source, the plan suggests diversifying oil import routes to respond aggressively to global market changes such as the emergence of shale gas. It recommends supplying more than 15% of power from distributed sources such as integrated energy systems, renewable energy, and in-house generators, and constructing power plants in areas that have sufficient electricity transmission capacity. It also suggests accelerating the use of eco-friendly and renewable energy sources such as solar, wind, geothermal, fuel cells, and energy storage systems to reduce CO2 emissions. In environmental protection and improved safety for power plant operation, the plan advises using greenhouse gas reduction technologies such as ultra-supercritical and carbon capture and storage for thermal power plants as soon as they are available. It prioritizes nuclear plant safety by expanding investment, improving management of aged plants, and fostering planned and preventive inspections. It also recommends responding proactively to energy-related conflicts by improving transparency in electricity transmission network and spent nuclear fuel management policies. The plan gives several insights into the future of energy marketing. First, as electric charges increase, customers will have more interest in energy issues such as electricity consumption and CO2 emissions when they purchase product. They will want manufacturers to divulge the energy efficiency of products. As technology develops, products will add additional functions that will increase future product costs. Eventually products that consume less energy will be more competitive as customers consider total ownership costs. The new market trends will create and expand the need for energy management systems utilizing ICT, renewable energy, and safety in nuclear power plants.

Environmental pollution including air, land, and water has become one of the most critical issues in global interest. The damages due to environmental pollution lead to serious disasters. Nations have realized the importance of environment protection and have been starting to force organizations to implement environmental management system (EMS) as way of protecting environment. ISO 14001 requirements that are the most popular standard as EMS have been developed to support continuous improvement to environment management. It has been revised once since publication and ISO 14001 : 2004 version is currently available. Organizations globally started to acquire the certificate of EMS to observe environment related laws, accept customers’ and stakeholders’ request, increase market share, and fulfill implementation motives. This article examines the audit data that were collected for several years from manufacturing companies including shipbuilding, machinery, metal, automobiles, and chemical companies in southeastern Korea on the basis of ISO 14001 : 2004 requirements. The audit data were classified into minor nonconformities based on factors such as business size, business type, and EMS implementation period. We conduct hypotheses test using statistical methods in order to see if there are any significant differences based on the factors. We draw conclusions for the results of hypotheses test and address the necessities of energy, greenhouse gas, green management, and continuous improvement to enhance the efficiency of EMS implementation.

The effect of increased carbon dioxide concentration in atmosphere was examined on the pheromone system of Helicoverpa armigera reared from egg stage to adult in three room. Two of three room (2×2×2 m) were treated with carbon dioxide gas as 600 ppm and 1,000 ppm, respectively. Mean of carbon dioxide concentration was 429.1 ppm in the control, 603.3 ppm for 600 ppm, and 1011.5 ppm for 1,000 ppm during experiment. Electroantenograph (EAG) test was conducted on 3-d-old male adults with air, hexane, and a series of their sex pheromone component, Z11-16Al, from 0.01 to 100 ng. The result was that male EAG responses of 600 and 1,000 ppm were 30.3% lower than that of control room. Production of Z11-16:Al was examined on about twenty 2-d-old virgin females. Carbon dioxide increases did not show a statistically significant difference. However, higher amount of sex pheromone was produced in females of 600 and 1,000 ppm. So, This experiment was replicated with different population reared again. The amount of the sex pheromone per female was 108.9 and 118.1 ng in control room, 139.8 and 141.8 ng in 600 ppm room, and 124.6 and 125.8 ng in 1,000 ppm room.

This study was performed to evaluate antimicrobial resistance of food-borne pathogens isolated from retail meat in Korea. A total of 157 samples of beef, pork, and chicken were collected and analyzed for E. coli, Salmonella, Campylobacter. Resistances to tetracycline were declined in accord with reduced usage of tetracycline in live stock production. E. coli stains from chicken meat had higher multi-drug resistance ratio than strains from other meat. One extended spectrum beta lactamase (ESBL) producing E. coli and two ESBL producing Salmonella were identified in this study. ESBL producing Salmonella strains were confirmed to carry CTX-M-1 type genes.

This study aims to examine the effect of patellar taping common to patients with patellofemoral pain syndrome on the change of knee joint location. The total number of participants is 12 patients with no pain in their knee. There are three different experiments: no-taping, placebo taping, and patellar taping. After application, they squat on their hams. As a result, both the muscle activity of vastus medialis and that of vastus lateralis increased in placebo taping compared to no-taping, which wasn't statistically significant. However, the muscle activity of vastus medialis and that of vastus lateralis decreased in patellar taping compared to no-taping, which was statistically significant. This suggests that patellar taping causing the lateral attraction of knee joint is more influential to the dynamics of knee joint than skin afferent input in placebo taping. Therefore, patellar taping is effective to change the location of knee joint, affect the muscle activity of quadriceps muscle of thigh, and thus correct the misalignments of the knee joint.

The purpose of this study was to analyze and compare the effect of resistance exercise and balance exercise on proprioception and WOMAC index of patients with degenerative knee osteoarthritis. A total of 40 subjects participated in this study. The subjects were diagnosed with degenerative knee osteoarthritis and all were more than 60 years old. They were divided into three groups. Group Ⅰ(n=8) was trained with resistance exercise, Group Ⅱ(n=6) was trained with balance exercise and GroupⅢ(n=6) was trained with range of motion as a control. The results of this study were as follows. It was significantly indicated that the resistance exercise group and balance exercise group elicited error-reduction on proprioception goal-angle (p<.05). There was a statistically significant difference on proprioception between resistance exercise group and control(range of motion) group. There was a statistically significant reduction on WOMAC index between resistance exercise group and balance exercise group (p<.05) and on the WOMAC index between resistance exercise group and range of motion group(p<.05). In conclusion, resistance exercise and balance exercise are effective on degenerative knee osteoarthritis and resistance exercise is the most effective for improving proprioception and WOMAC index. More research on the intervention according to the degree of degenerative knee osteoarthritis is needed.

L-trans-pyrrolidine-2,4-dicarboxylate (PDC) is a potent inhibitor of glutamate transporters. In our current study, we investigated whether the neuronal death induced by PDC involves mechanisms other than excitotoxicity in mixed mouse cortical cultures. Cortical cultures at 13-14 days in vitro were used and cell death was assessed by measuring the lactate dehydrogenase efflux into bathing media. Glutamate and PDC both induced neuronal death in a concentration-dependent manner but the neurotoxic effects of glutamate were found to be more potent than those of PDC. Treatment with 10, 100 and 200 M PDC equally potentiated 50 M glutamate-induced neuronal death. The neuronal death induced by 75 M glutamate was almost abolished by treatment with the NMDA antagonists, MK-801 and AP-5, but was unaffected by NBQX (an AMPA antagonist), trolox (antioxidant), BDNF or ZVAD-FMK (a pan-caspase inhibitor). However, the neuronal death induced by 200 M PDC was partially but significantly attenuated by single treatments with MK-801, AP-5, trolox, BDNF or ZVAD-FMK but not NBQX. Combined treatments with MK-801 plus trolox, MK-801 plus ZVAD-FMK or MK-801 plus BDNF almost abolished neuronal death, whereas combined treatments with trolox plus ZVADFMK, trolox plus BDNF or ZVAD-FMK plus BDNF did not enhance the inhibitory action of any single treatment with these drugs. These results demonstrate that the neuronal death induced by PDC involves not only in the excitotoxicity induced by the accumulation of glutamate but also the oxidative stress induced by free radical generation. This suggests that apoptotic neuronal death plays a role in PDCinduced oxidative neuronal injury.