The development of thermoelectric (TE) materials to replace Bi2Te3 alloys is emerging as a hot issue with the potential for wider practical applications. In particular, layered Zintl-phase materials, which can appropriately control carrier and phonon transport behaviors, are being considered as promising candidates. However, limited data have been reported on the thermoelectric properties of metal-Sb materials that can be transformed into layered materials through the insertion of cations. In this study, we synthesized FeSb and MnSb, which are used as base materials for advanced thermoelectric materials. They were confirmed as single-phase materials by analyzing X-ray diffraction patterns. Based on electrical conductivity, the Seebeck coefficient, and thermal conductivity of both materials characterized as a function of temperature, the zT values of MnSb and FeSb were calculated to be 0.00119 and 0.00026, respectively. These properties provide a fundamental data for developing layered Zintl-phase materials with alkali/alkaline earth metal insertions.

실내 벽면녹화용으로 많이 이용되고 있는 덩굴식물 스킨답 서스(Epipremnum aureum)는 줄기의 상·하 유인방향에 생장 차이를 보이는 것으로 알려져 있으나 그 원인에 대해서는 구 체적으로 알려져 있지 않다. 본 연구에서는 광원의 위치(상· 하)와 줄기 유인방향(상·하)에 따른 스킨답서스의 생장반응을 15주간 조사하였다. 그 결과 정상적인 식물 생장 환경조건인 광원이 위에 있고 줄기를 위로 유인한 처리를 제외하고는 광 원이 아래에 위치하거나 줄기를 아래로 유인한 처리에서는 굴 곡과 뒤틀림 정도가 매우 컸다. 이것은 굴광성과 항굴지성에 대한 식물체 지상부의 반응 결과이며, 굴광성과 항굴지성의 경합반응은 식물체 아래 광원이 위치하고 줄기를 아래로 유인 했을 때 더욱 뚜렷하였다. 광원의 위치와 줄기 유인방향에 따 른 스킨답서스의 생장 반응은 굴광성과 항굴지성으로 설명 가 능하며 굴광성의 영향이 상대적으로 높게 나타났다.

Antimicrobial resistance significantly threatens human and animal health globally, with considerable mortality and economic impact. This study investigated antimicrobial usage in small animal clinics in South Korea, focusing on understanding the trends in prescriptions for therapeutic and preventive purposes. Data were collected from 12 small animal clinics that were analyzed for antimicrobial prescriptions from 2018–2020. A comprehensive dataset was used, including patient signalment, clinical notes, and prescription details, and statistically analyzed using SPSS software. The results indicated that most antimicrobials (93.1%) were prescribed for the treatment of infectious diseases, with a smaller portion (6.9%) used for preventive measures, such as surgery. High prescription rates were observed for the treatment of cutaneous and otological diseases, which may reflect common diseases in companion animals. The study highlighted a higher prescription rate for adult age groups, possibly because of the higher prevalence in those groups. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into common prescription patterns in veterinary practice and underscores the need for more stringent antimicrobial stewardship to curb the rise of antimicrobial resistance. This suggests that ongoing surveillance and education on appropriate antimicrobial use are crucial for optimizing treatment outcomes and minimizing the development of resistance.

The n-type Bi2-xSbxTe3 compounds have been of great interest due to its potential to achieve a high thermoelectric performance, comparable to that of p-type Bi2-xSbxTe3. However, a comprehensive understanding on the thermoelectric properties remains lacking. Here, we investigate the thermoelectric transport properties and band characteristics of n-type Bi2-xSbxTe3 (x = 0.1 – 1.1) based on experimental and theoretical considerations. We find that the higher power factor at lower Sb content results from the optimized balance between the density of state effective mass and nondegenerate mobility. Additionally, a higher carrier concentration at lower x suppresses bipolar conduction, thereby reducing thermal conductivity at elevated temperatures. Consequently, the highest zT of ~ 0.5 is observed at 450 K for x = 0.1 and, according to the single parabolic band model, it could be further improved by ~70 % through carrier concentration tuning.

장내 미생물 군집은 소화 과정, 면역 시스템, 질병 발생 등 숙주의 다양한 면에 광범위한 영향을 주는 것으로 알려져 있으며, 주요 장내 미생물 종은 숙주의 생리 기능에 핵심적인 역할을 수행한다고 발표된 바 있다. 곤충의 장내 미생물 군집에 관한 연구가 최근 활발히 이루어지고 있으며, 이들 연구는 주로 장내 미생물 군집과 기생충, 병원체 간의 상호작용, 종간의 신호 전달 네트워크, 먹이의 소화 과정 등을 중심으로 이루어지고 있다. 이러한 연구들은 대부분 Illumina MiSeq을 활용하여 16S rRNA 유전자의 V1부터 V9 영역 중 선택된 특정 부분을 대상으로 짧은 서열 정보를 대상으로 진행되었다. 그러나, 최근에는 PacBio HiFi 기술이 상용화되면서 16S rRNA의 전장 분석이 가능할 수 있게 되었다. 이번 연구는 장수말벌(Vespa mandarinia)의 해부를 통해 gut과 carcass 부분을 분리한 뒤, 각 샘플을 Illumina MiSeq과 PacBio HiFi 기술을 활용하여 미생물 군집 간의 차이점을 확인하기 위하여 수행되었다.

KHNP is conducting research to decommission Wolsong Unit 1 Calandria. Establishment of preparation and dismantlement processes, conceptual design of equipment and temporary radiation protection facilities, and waste management are being established. In particular, the ALARA plan is to be established by performing exposure dose evaluation for workers. This study aims to deal with the methodology of evaluating exposure dose based on the calandria dismantling process. The preparation process consists of bringing in and installing tooling and devices, and removing interference facilities to secure work space. The main source term for the preparation process is the calandria structure itself and crud of feeders. In the case of the dismantlement process, a structure with a shape that changes according to the process was modeled as a radiation source. It is intended to estimate the exposure dose by selecting the number of workers, time, and location required for each process in the radiation field evaluated according to the preparation and dismantlement process. In addition, it is also conducting an evaluation of the impact on dust generated by cutting operations and the human impact of C-14, H-3, which are specialized nuclides for heavy water reactors. KHNP is conducting an exposure dose evaluation based on a process based on the preparation and dismantlement process for decommissioning Calandria through computation code analysis. If additional worker protection measures are deemed necessary through dose evaluation according to this methodology, the process is improved to prepare for the dismantling of worker safety priorities.

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.

KHNP is carrying out international technical cooperation and joint research projects to decommission Wolsong unit 1 reactor. Construction data of the reactor structures, experience data on the pressure tube replacement projects, and the operation history were reviewed, and the amount of dismantled waste was calculated and waste was classified through activation analysis. By reviewing COG (CANDU owners Group) technical cooperation and experience in refurbishment projects, KHNP’s unique Wolsong unit 1 reactor decommissioning process was established, and basic design of a number of decommissioning equipment was carried out. Based on this, a study is being conducted to estimate the worker dose of dismantling workers. In order to evaluate the dose of external exposure of dismantling workers, detailed preparation and dismantling processes and radiation field evaluation of activated structures are required. The preparation process can be divided into dismantlement of existing facilities that interfere with the reactor dismantling work and construction of various facilities for the dismantlement process. Through process details, the work time, manpower, and location required for each process will be calculated. Radiation field evaluation takes into account changes in the shape of structures by process and calculates millions of areas by process, so integrated scripts are developed and utilized to integrate input text data. If the radiation field evaluation confirms that the radiation risk of workers is high, mutual feedback will be exchanged so that the process can be improved, such as the installation of temporary shields. The results of this study will be used as basic data for the final decommissioning plan for Wolsong unit 1. By reasonably estimating the dose of workers through computer analysis, safety will be the top priority when decommissioning.

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

Domestic NPPs had produced the paraffin-solidifying concentrate waste (PSCW) for nearly 20 years. At that time radioactive waste management policy of KHNP was to reduce the volume and to store safely in site. The PSCW has been identified not to meet the leaching index after introducing the treatment system. PSCW has to be treated to meet current waste acceptance criteria (WAC) for permanent disposal. PSCW consists of dried concentrate 75% and paraffin 25% of volume. When PSCW is separated into a dried concentrate and a paraffin by solubility, total volume separated is increased twice. Final disposal volume of dried concentrate can reach to several times when solidifying by cement even considering exemption. Application of polymer solidification technology is difficult because dried concentrate is hard to make form to pellet. When PSCW is packaged in High Integrity Container (HIC), volume of PSCW is equal to the volume before package. The packaging process of HIC is simple and is no necessary of large equipment. It is important to recognize that HIC was developed to replace solidification of waste. HIC has as design goal a minimum lifetime of 300 years under disposal environment. The HIC is designed to maintain its structural integrity over this period, to consider the corrosive and chemical effects of both the waste contents and the disposal environment, to have sufficient mechanical strength to withstand loads on the container and to be capable of meeting the requirements for a Type A transport Package. The Final waste form is required for facilitating handling and providing protection of personnel in relation to solidification, explosive decomposition, toxic gases, hazardous material, etc. Structural stability of final waste form is required also. Structural stability of the waste can be provided by the waste itself, solidifying or placing in HIC. Final waste form ensure that the waste does not structurally degrade and affect overall stability of the disposal site. The HIC package contained PSCW was reviewed from several points of view such as physicochemical, radiological and structural safety according to domestic WAC. The result of reviewing shows that it has not found any violation of WCP established for silo type disposal facility in Gyeongju city.

Image recognition is not very effective in the water environment due to multiple factors, such as high scattering and high scattering in the water column. This is why the relevant parameters in the Faster R-CNN network model need to adjust continuously to improve the effectiveness of water detection. The control variable method adjusts the program's learning rate by tuning the network model's parameters. Then, the number of training rounds is adjusted according to the loss function of each round, and finally, we can get the number of matches with the minimum loss function. Based on the experimental results on the dataset, it is shown that the proposed method not only selects the learning rate with the best detection results but also has the strongest robustness and achieves a 96%-99% recognition rate for passenger ships, cargo ships, warships, and bridges compared with other learning rates. Experiments show that the Faster R-CNN network model detects water targets with significant results, and the best network model learning rate parameter is 6×10-3.