During the operation of a nuclear power plant (NPP), the generation of radioactive waste, including dry active waste (DAW), concentrates, spent resin, and filters, mandates the implementation of appropriate disposal methods to adhere to Korea’s waste acceptance criteria (WAC). In this context, this study investigates the potential use of polymer concrete (PC) as a high-integrity container (HIC) material for solidifying and packaging these waste materials. PC is a versatile composite material comprising binding polymers, aggregates, and additives, known for its exceptional strength and chemical stability. A comprehensive analysis of PC’s long-term integrity was conducted in this study. First, its compressive strength, which is crucial for ensuring the structural stability of HICs over extended periods, was evaluated. Subsequently, the resilience of PC was tested under various stress conditions, including biological, radiological, thermal, and chemical stressors. The findings of this study indicate that PC exhibits remarkable long-term properties, demonstrating exceptional stability even when subjected to diverse stressors. The results therefore underscore the potential viability of PC as a reliable material for constructing high-integrity containers, thus contributing to the safe and sustainable management of radioactive waste in NPPs.

Dongchimi is one of the most representative types of watery kimchi in Korea. Although the scope of application of dongchimi has been expanded, research on the quality of dongchimi is insufficient compared to that of baechu kimchi. This study aimed to find the optimal manufacturing condition of high-acidity dongchimi and investigate the effects of potassium citrate (P) and sugar (S) on quality. Different dongchimi samples (Control, S, P) were prepared and stored at 15oC for 15 days. Among the various sugars, sucrose made the highest acidity of dongchimi. When potassium citrate was added as a pH buffer, the acidity was 2.2 times higher than the control group. In the PS group, where sucrose and potassium citrate were added, the acidity and organic acid content were 3-fold and 3.7-fold higher, respectively, than those in the control group. As a result of the analysis of the free sugar content, the metabolism of lactic acid bacteria was expected to be relatively more activated in the PS group. Therefore, this study could be utilized in the dongchimi manufacturing industry or as primary data for other dongchimi research.

본 연구에서는 농산물에서 오염 가능성이 있는 병원성 식중독 균 L. monocytogenes에 대해 신선편의 샐러드, 파인애플, 냉동망고에서 예측 모델을 개발하고, 본 연구에서 개발된 예측 모델을 다른 제품에서 적용 여부를 검증하였다. 시료에 L. monocytogenes를 접종하여 각각의 저장 온도에 보관 시 샐러드는 13oC, 파인애플은 10oC 이상에서 성장하였으며, 두 식품 중 파인애플에서 L. monocytogenes 가 더 빠르게 성장하는 것으로 확인 되었다. 또한, 냉동망 고에 접종한 L. monocytogenes는 -2, -10, -18oC의 저장온 도에서 온도가 낮아질수록 delta 값이 커지며 생존력이 높아지는 양상을 보였다. 본 실험 검증을 통해 같은 신선편 의 과일, 채소 식품 그룹에 속하더라도 식품 각각의 특성에 따라 L. monocytogenes의 성장 패턴은 일정하지 않으며 각기 다른 행동 패턴을 보이는 것으로 확인하였다. 신 선편의 샐러드 및 절단된 과일류는 냉장유통 되며 추가세 척 없이 소비되는 제품 특성상 공정과정에서 L. monocytogenes에 의한 오염이 일어나지 않도록 위생관리 에 주의하고 유통과정에서 온도 남용이 되지 않도록 유통 온도 관리에도 유의해야할 것으로 사료된다.

The Korea Mushroom Resource Bank (KMRB) was launched as a national research resource bank in 2015 by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. The main goal of the KMRB is to secure important biological resources, mushroom-forming basidiomycota, significant sources of fundamental and novel substances and materials, as dried specimen, cultures, and genomic DNA. For wider application of fungal resources in education, medicinal and industrial uses, the KMRB will undertake following tasks: 1) Survey natural environments across Korea to catalogue mushroom diversity, 2) Establish resource management system based on accurate identification of mushroom, 3) Evaluate the usefulness of the discovered mushroom, 4) Create a secure preservation and loan system. With a global focus on utilizing natural resources, mushroom resources provide excellent opportunities for academic research, and discovering novel substances for use as medicine and energy.

The Korea Mushroom Resource Bank (KMRB) was launched as a national research resource bank in 2015 by the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning. The main goal of the KMRB is to secure important biological resources, mushroom-forming basidiomycota, significant sources of fundamental and novel substances and materials, as dried specimen, cultures, and genomic DNA. For wider application of fungal resources in education, medicinal and industrial uses, the KMRB will undertake following tasks: 1) Survey natural environments across Korea to catalogue mushroom diversity, 2) Establish resource management system based on accurate identification of mushroom, 3) Evaluate the usefulness of the discovered mushroom, 4) Create a secure preservation and loan system. With a global focus on utilizing natural resources, mushroom resources provide excellent opportunities for academic research, and discovering novel substances for use as medicine and energy.

Background and Purpose: The Ankle-Brachial Index (ABI) is the ratio of blood pressure in the lower legs to that in the arms. The intima-media thickness (IMT) of extracranial carotid arteries determined by B-mode ultrasound is a measurable index of the presence of atherosclerosis. A low ABI and a high carotid IMT are independently related to increased risk of cardiovascular events. This study examined the association between carotid IMT and ABI in patients with ischemic stroke. Materials and Methods: Retrospectively, 116 hospitalized patients with ischemic stroke were recruited. Using a pulse wave velocity ABI device along with carotid duplex sonography, we measured carotid IMT and ABI and investigated the correlation between average values. Results: There was a significant difference in carotid IMT between the normal and abnormal ABI groups (P=0.0262). The group with an abnormal ABI was more than five times as likely to have increased carotid IMT as the group with a normal ABI (age, sex-adjusted OR 5.67 (95% CI 1.85~17.38)). The ABI and carotid IMT showed a weak inverse linear correlation in patients with ischemic stroke (correlation coefficient −0.378 after adjusting for age and sex). Conclusion: Our study suggests that an abnormal ABI is associated with a high carotid IMT in patients with ischemic stroke.

본 연구는 환경스트레스 저항성이 증진된 페튜니아를 개발하기 위하여 NDPK2유전자 도입 형질전환 계통 NDPK2-7-1와 SOD2 유전자 도입 형질전환 계통 SOD2- 2-1-1-35간의 교잡에 의해 획득된 후대들의 비생물적 스트레스 저항성을 조사하기 위해 수행되었다. 비 생물적 스트레스 유발원인 메틸바이올로젠(methyl viologen, MV) 100 μM과 200 μM 처리에서 교잡후대들은 그들의 교배 모본 SOD2 유전자나 NDPK2 유전자가 단독으로 도 입된 형질전환 계통이나 비형질전환체 보다 메틸바이 올로젠에 의한 피해를 적게 받았다. 이는 SOD2 유전 자나 NDPK2 유전자가 단독으로 도입된 형질전환 계 통간 교잡에 의해 획득된 후대들이 그들의 교배모본 (SOD2 유전자나 NDPK2 유전자가 단독으로 도입된 형질전환 계통)이나 비형질전환체 보다 산화적 스트레 스에 대한 저항성이 증진되었음을 증명해 준다고 할 수 있다. 이들 교잡후대들은 초장 등 11종류의 양적형질의 특성이 비형질전환체에 비해 약간 길거나 짧긴 하였지 만 비형질전환체와 거의 유사하였으며, 꽃 색갈이나 모양 또한 그들의 교배모본 (SOD2 유전자나 NDPK2 유전 자가 단독으로 도입된 형질전환 계통)이나 비형질전환 체와 차이가 없었다.

Propylea japonica is small ladybug(approximately 4-5mm) and is met with everywhere in Korea. When there was no aphid, the survival rate of P. japonica was 0% among another instar bugs and 26.7～32.8% among same instar bugs after 48 hours. When there were sufficient aphids, the cannibalism of P. japonica was low, so the survival rate of P. japonica was 78.6～95.8% among another instar bugs and 80.6～100% among same instar bugs after 48 hours. In the comparison of the number of eggs at different oviposition site, P. japonica preferred the corrugated cardboard. In experiment using T-tube, the rate of decoy was 81% at cotton aphid compared with pepper leaf and 62% at cotton aphid compared with artificial diet. In the artificial diet using shrimp and chicken liver, the developmental period from egg to adult was 17days and the survival rate from egg to adult was 66.7% but the vitality was not good. These data suggest that P. japonica can be used effective natural enemy for control of aphids and is needed to research about artificial diet, mass rearing system and control effect in field.

Backgrounds : The action mechanisms of several chemopreventive agents derived from herbal medicine and edible plants have become attractive issues in cancer research. Tea is the most widely consumed beverage worldwide. It have been demonstrated that the active principles of tea sources such as flower extract Camellia sinensis (CSF) and Camellia japonica (CJF)were attributed to their tea polyphenols. We focused on investigating CSF, CJF, mixtures of CSF and CJF has been proven to suppress colonic tumorigenesis. Methods and Results : In this study, human colorectal carcinoma HT-29 cells were treated with CSF, CJF, mixture of CSF and CJF to examine the anti-proliferative and pro-apoptotic effects of mixture of CSF and CJF (3 : 1), as well as the molecular mechanism underlying these effects. Cell viability assay, nuclear staining, DNA fragmentation, caspase assay, cytochrome c release, were utilized to dissect the signaling pathways. In mixture of CSF and CJF (3 : 1), CSF appeared most anticancer effect by both MTT assays and the cleavage analysis of apoptosis-related molecules and PARP. Interestingly, we found that CJF make it possible to express the apotosis inducing by CSF in a short time and apoptosis effect of CSF maintained sustainable. Conclusion : In summary, our results from this study suggest that in HT-29 human colon cancer cells (i) CSF treatment causes damage to mitochondria, and (ii) CJF contributed CSF induced apoptotic cell death mediates cytochrome C release, (ⅲ) mixture of CSF and CJF (3 : 1) the potential to function as a chemopreventive agent against colon cancer.

Backgrounds : Camellia sinensis is known to have a very high antioxidant activity, but its petals are small and it is difficult to use it because of its low yield. In comparison Camellia japonica has many petals and yield, however, the biological effects of C. japonica have been less frequently studied. In the present study, we focused on investigating the in vitro antioxidant effect of the ethanol extract from flower of C. sinensis (CSF), C. japonica (CJF) and mixture of CSF and CJF. Methods and Results : Content of total phenolics and total flavonid, DPPH (1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl) radical scavenging activities, reducing power, superoxide anion and hydroxy radical scavenging activity of CSF and CJF were compared in vitro experimetal models. Total phenolics was contained the higer in CJF (172.19±1.65 mgCAE/gEX) than 146.75±0.15 mgCAE/gEX in CSF. And effects of antioxidant measured by reducing power, superoxide anion generated by xanthine/xanthine oxidase and hydroxyl radical generated by the Fenton reaction (FeSO4 + H2O2) in a cell-free system was shown higher in mixture of CSF and CJF than BHT, ascorbic acid as a chemical oxidant which was detected by electron spin resonance spectrometry coupled with DMPO spin trapping. These results suggest that Camellia flower extract such as CSF and CJF exhibits antioxidant properties by scavenging ROS. Camellia extract contained quercetin, quercetin-3-O-glucoside, quercitrin and kaempferol, which are antioxidant compounds. Conclusion : As a result, the combination of CSF and CJF showed higher antioxidative effect than using CSF or CJF alone.

Background : Plants are the rich source of antioxidants, which plays a very important role in maintaining human health. Their antioxidant property protects cells of different organs of human beings against free radicals and free radical mediated diseases. Even though, there is lack of knowledge on the antioxidant effect of lutein present in plants. In the present study, lutein was isolated from the GreenTea leaves (Camellia sinensis) which is used as a dietary source. Methods and Results : The procedure adopted for the isolation and purification of lutein using acetone extraction and preparative high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) is simple and less time consuming. Free radicals scavenging activity of isolated lutein from acetone extract of GreenTea was assessed by DPPH radical scavenging assay and reducing power. The isolated lutein scavenged 79% of DPPH radicals at 20 ㎍/㎖ and two fold lower concentration compared to the standard antioxidants (α-tocopherol). No significant differences were found between the reducing power of the lutein and BHT when their concentrations were high. However, significant differences were observed at relatively low concentrations, the reducing power of lutein was isolated from the GreenTea leaves was stronger than those of their acetone extract and standard antioxidants (BHA). Both electron spin resonance (ESR) and in vitro assay confirmed that lutein was isolated from the GreenTea leaves, exhibited a greater capacity for scavenging superoxide (O2 •－) and hydroxyl (OH •) radicals than standard antioxidants β-carotene and α-tocopherol respectively. Conclusion : The results proven that lutein isolated from GreenTea leaves has an efficient antioxidant ability, it could serve as an antioxidant to scavenge reactive oxygen species.

Background : Lutein, a xanthophyll, consists of chains with 8 conjugated double bounds containing closed rings on each end of the chain. This carotenoid is found in fruits and vegetables, especially dark green leafy vegetables such as green tea. In this study, we investigated the anticancer effects of purified lutein from green tea on human cancer cell lines containing prostate carcinoma cancer cells (LNCaP). Methods and Results : Prostate carcinoma cancer cells (LNCaP) were cultured and evaluated the inhibitory effect of lutein isolated from green tea compared other carotenoids (β-carotene and lycopene) on cell proliferation. Cyclin D1 and PCNA were evaluated as cell differentiation. In results, PCNA/cyclin regulates the initiation of cell proliferation by mediating DNA polymerase. Under cultural conditions, lycopene remarkably suppressed the PCNA expression prostate cancer cell line LNCaP in higher doses (20 μM - 100 μM) statistically. However, β-carotene and lutein presented the less inhibitory effects on PCNA expression. Determination of PCNA expression in control and treated cells demonstrates that lycopene did affect proliferation in LNCaP cancer cells in dose-dependent manner. However, β-carotene and lutein suppressed the cyclin D1 expression in dose-dependent manner but no in lycopene group. These results indicate that differ carotenoids presented the various suppressive ability of PCNA and cyclin D1 expression in cell proliferation. Conclusion : In conclusion, lutein suppressed the carcinogenesis of induced prostate cancer cell line by acting as a suppressor for inhibiting the expression of cyclin D.