Even in an era where 8-meter class telescopes are common, small telescopes are considered very valuable research facilities since they are available for rapid follow-up or long term monitoring observations. To maximize the usefulness of small telescopes in Korea, we established the SomangNet, a network of 0.4{1.0 m class optical telescopes operated by Korean institutions, in 2020. Here, we give an overview of the project, describing the current participating telescopes, its scientic scope and operation mode, and the prospects for future activities. SomangNet currently includes 10 telescopes that are located in Australia, USA, and Chile as well as in Korea. The operation of many of these telescopes currently relies on operators, and we plan to upgrade them for remote or robotic operation. The latest SomangNet science projects include monitoring and follow-up observational studies of galaxies, supernovae, active galactic nuclei, symbiotic stars, solar system objects, neutrino/gravitational-wave sources, and exoplanets.

In this study, an empirical relationship between the energy band gap of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) and synthesis parameters in a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reactor using factorial design of experiment was established. A bimetallic (Fe-Ni) catalyst supported on CaCO3 was synthesized via wet impregnation technique and used for MWCNT growth. The effects of synthesis parameters such as temperature, time, acetylene flow rate, and argon carrier gas flow rate on the MWCNTs energy gap, yield, and aspect ratio were investigated. The as-prepared supported bimetallic catalyst and the MWCNTs were characterized for their morphologies, microstructures, elemental composition, thermal profiles and surface areas by high-resolution scanning electron microscope, high resolution transmission electron microscope, energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, thermal gravimetry analysis and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller. A regression model was developed to establish the relationship between band gap energy, MWCNTs yield and aspect ratio. The results revealed that the optimum conditions to obtain high yield and quality MWCNTs of 159.9% were: temperature (700ºC), time (55 min), argon flow rate (230.37 mL min–1) and acetylene flow rate (150 mL min–1) respectively. The developed regression models demonstrated that the estimated values for the three response variables; energy gap, yield and aspect ratio, were 0.246 eV, 557.64 and 0.82. The regression models showed that the energy band gap, yield, and aspect ratio of the MWCNTs were largely influenced by the synthesis parameters and can be controlled in a CVD reactor.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of estrus synchronization to altrenogest regumate (progesterone), PMSG/hCG, and artificial insemination (AI) on galectin-3, FGF-9 gene and protein expression. The morpho-metrical parameters of the endometrium and the number of corpora lutea (CL) were recorded. RNA was isolated from endometrial, oviduct and ovary tissues of non-synchronized (Control; n = 7) and AI synchronized (regumate, PMSG/hCG; n = 7) sows. The total number of CL was higher (P<0.05) in pigs treated with regumate/PMSG/hCG. The content of gelactin-3 and FGF-9 mRNA in pre-embryonic development stages increased on particular days, in control and studied in regumate/PMSG/hCG administered pigs. Gelactin-3 and FGF-9 were affected by regumate/PMSG/hCG treatment in the both pre-embryonic development stages (P<0.001, P<0.05) and encdometrial tissue (P<0.001, P<0.01). The regumate/PMSG/hCG treatment resulted in elevated expression of gelactin-3 (P<0.001) and FGF-9 (P<0.005) in oviduct and ovary tissues in comparison to control sows. Moreover, oviduct amount of gelectin-3 mRNA was higher in regumate/PMSG/hCG sows in comparison to the control group (P<0.05), whereas, expression characteristics of gelactin-3 and FGF-9 were investigated by hematoxylin and eosin stained and immunohistochemical staining. The results showed that galectin-3 and FGF-9 were significantly shown in the endometrium, oviduct and ovary tissues of the regumate/PMSG/ hCG. Presented data show that exogenous hormones administration can affect gene and protein expression in the sow reproductive tract.

The recent updates of the North Ecliptic Pole deep (0.5 deg2, NEP-Deep) multi-wavelength survey covering from X-ray to radio-wave is presented. The NEP-Deep provides us with several thousands of 15 μm or 18 μm selected galaxies, which is the largest sample ever made at these wavelengths. A continuous filter coverage in the mid-infrared wavelength (7, 9, 11, 15, 18, and 24 μm) is unique and vital to diagnose the contributions from starbursts and AGNs in the galaxies out to z=2. The new goal of the project is to resolve the nature of the cosmic star formation history at the violent epoch (e.g. z=1{2), and to find a clue to understand its decline from z=1 to present universe by utilizing the unique power of the multiwavelength survey. The progress in this context is brie y mentioned.

We present a kinematic study of the parsec-scale radio jet in OJ 287, one of the most studied BL Lac objects, during γ-ray ares, to explore the relation between parsec-scale radio jet activity and γ-ray emission. The 22-GHz light curve of OJ 287 show three obvious are events around 2011 May, 2011 October, and 2012 March. The second radio are occurred during the γ-ray aring period, and the third radio are seemed to precede the γ-ray are by one month. One jet component moved outward with respect to the core component with an apparent superluminal speed (~ 11c) from 2010 November to 2011 November. Then it changed direction, moving apparently inward in 2011 November, when the γ-ray are occurred. The observed apparent inward motion of the jet at 22 GHz could be caused by a new jet component, unresolved at 22 GHz, in the innermost region.

An overview of the North Ecliptic Pole (NEP) deep multi-wavelength survey covering from X-ray to radio wavelengths is presented. The main science objective of this multi-wavelength project is to unveil the star-formation and AGN activities obscured by dust in the violent epoch of the Universe (z=0.5-2), when the star formation and black-hole evolution activities were much stronger than the present. The NEP deep survey with AKARI/IRC consists of two survey projects: shallow wide (8.2 sq. deg, NEP-Wide) and the deep one (0.6 sq. deg, NEP-Deep). The NEP-Deep provides us with a 15 μm or 18 μm selected sample of several thousands of galaxies, the largest sample ever made at these wavelengths. A continuous filter coverage at mid-IR wavelengths (7, 9, 11, 15, 18, and 24 μ m ) is unique and vital to diagnose the contribution from starbursts and AGNs in the galaxies at the violent epoch. The recent updates of the ancillary data are also provided: optical/near-IR magnitudes (Subaru, CFHT), X-ray (Chandra), FUV/NUV (GALEX), radio (WSRT, GMRT), optical spectra (Keck/DEIMOS etc.), Subaru/FMOS, Herschel/SPIRE, and JCMT/SCUBA-2.