This study presents a rapid and quantitative radiochemical separation method for Nb isotopes in radioactive waste samples from the nuclear power plant with anion exchange resin after Fe coprecipitation. After radionuclides were leached from the radioactive waste samples with concentrated HCl and HNO3, the Nb isotopes were coprecipitated with Fe after filtering the leaching solution with 0.45 micron HA filter, while the Sr, Tc and Ni isotopes were in the solution. The Nb isotopes were separated in HCl medium with anion exchange resin. The purified Nb isotopes were measured using a low level liquid scintillation counter after installing quenching curve with standard Nb-94 isotopes. The separation method for Nb isotopes investigated in this study was applied to neutron dosimeter samples from the nuclear power plant after validating the Nb activity concentration with gamma spectrometry system.

This study presents a rapid and quantitative sequential separation method for H-3 and C-14 isotopes with distillation apparatus in environmental samples released from nuclear facilities. After adding 200 mg of granulated potassium permanganate and 500 mg of sodium hydroxide in 100 mL of sample solution, the sample solution was heated until approximately 10 mL of distillate, and the distillate fraction was removed. The sample solution was heated again until a minimum 10 mL of additional distillate was collected. 10 mL of distillate was transferred to the LSC vail and the measurement sample for H-3 was made by adding 10 mL of Ultima Gold LLT to the LSC vial. After adding 2.5 g of potassium persulfate, 2 mL of 1M silver nitrate and 15 mL of concentrated nitric acid to the remained sample solution, the sample solution was heated for 90 minutes and C-14 isotopes were adsorbed into 10 mL of Carbo-Sorb solution in glass vial. The measurement sample for C-14 was made by adding 10 mL of Permafluor to the C-14 fraction in glass vial. The purified H-3 and C-14 samples were measured by the liquid scintillation counter after quenching correction. The average recoveries of H-3 and C-14 with CRM were measured to be 96% and 85%, respectively. The sequential separation method for H-3 and C-14 investigated in this study was applied to activated charcoal filter produced from nuclear power plants after validating the reliability by result of proficiency test (KOLAS-KRISS, PT-2021-51).

In Korea livestock farms breeding cattle have been suffering from re-emerging problems of Brucella (B.) abortus infection while steady decline of bovine brucellosis. Therefore, this study underscored the identification and association of etiological agent of brucellosis in cattle in South Korea. The incidence of brucellosis in cattle was analyzed by bacteriological and molecular methods in 187 brucellosis-suspicious farms of 11 regions between 2018 and 2020. Brucella isolates from various specimens were identified by Brucella-specific multiplex PCR. Epidemiological data were collected by local official veterinarians through history taking from farmers and animal data systems. In 230 of 560 cattle (40.9%) and 94 of 187 farms (50.3%), a total of 313 B. abortus were isolated from various specimens, the majority of isolates were from supramammary lymph node (41%). In epidemiological findings, the majority of positive cases were mainly caused by resurgence (43.7%) and unknown (37.2%). Of 94 positive cases isolated B. abortus, abortion in cattle infected by B. abortus occurred in 51 farms (54.3%) where led to resurgence in 30 farms and environmental survival of B. abortus in 9 farms. Consequently, these findings revealed the existence of etiological agent of bovine brucellosis in Korea, which still occurred at low levels in distinct regions where are allowed to call for persistent biosecurity. Thus, we highlight that brucellosis in Korea needs to take more effective control strategies with potential evidence. Moreover it is ultimately important to maintain a constant monitoring for eradication of brucellosis.

This study aimed to discuss the optimal seeding and harvesting dates with growing degree days(GDD) via meta-data of whole crop maize(WCM). The raw data (n=3,152) contains cultivation year, cultivars, location, seeding and harvesting dates collected from various reports such as thesis, science journals and research reports (1982-2012). The processing was: recording, screening and modification of errors; Then, the final dataset (n=121) consists of seeding cases (n=29), and harvesting cases (n=92) which were used to detect the optimum. In addition, the optimal periods considering tolerance range and GDD also were estimated. As a result, the optimum seeding and harvesting periods were 14th April ~ 3rd May and 15th August ~ 4th September, respectively; where, their GDDs were 23.7~99.6℃ and 1,328.7~ 1,602.1℃, respectively. These GDDs could be used as a judge standard for selecting the seeding and harvesting dates.

This study was conducted to perform the suitability analysis of whole-crop rye (Secale cereale L.) based on the climatic information in the Republic of Korea to present useful information for producers and policy makers to determine the site-selection for the cultivation of the whole-crop rye. The criteria to analyze the climatic suitability of whole-crop rye was developed firstly. Then, the climatic suitability map for spatial analysis was developed through weighted overlaying the raster layers of climatic items in the evaluation criteria. Meanwhile, 16 geographically representative weather stations were selected to show examples of the calculation process of the climatic suitability score of a specific cultivation area. The results of the climatic suitability mapping indicated that the climatic conditions in most arable lands of the Republic of Korea such as the coastal, southern, western areas in the southern region of the Korean Peninsula and central areas in Jeju Island are suitable for the cultivation of whole-crop rye. The climatic suitability scores of the 16 weather stations were all in line with the results of the climatic suitability map.

Yield prediction model for mixed pasture was developed with a shortage that the relationship between dry matter yield (DMY) and days of summer depression (DSD) was not properly reflected in the model in the previous research. Therefore, this study was designed to eliminate the data of the regions with distinctly different climatic conditions and then investigate their relationships DMY and DSD using the data in each region separately of regions with distinct climatic characteristics and classify the data based on regions for further analysis based on the previous mixed pasture prediction model. The data set used in the research kept 582 data points from 11 regions and 41 mixed pasture types. The relationship between DMY and DSD in each region were analyzed through scatter plot, correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis in each region separately. In the statistical analysis, DMY was taken as the response variable and 5 climatic variables including DSD were taken as explanatory variables. The results of scatter plot showed that negative correlations between DMY and DSD were observed in 7 out of 9 regions. Therefore, it was confirmed that analyzing the relationship between DMY and DSD based on each region is necessary and 5 regions were selected (Hwaseong, Suwon, Daejeon, Siheung and Gwangju) since the data size in these regions is large enough to perform the further statistical analysis based on large sample approximation theory. Correlation analysis showed that negative correlations were found between DMY and DSD in 3 (Hwaseong, Suwon and Siheung) out of the 5 regions, meanwhile the negative relationship in Hwaseong was confirmed through multiple regression analysis. Therefore, it was concluded that the interpretability of the yield prediction model for mixed pasture could be improved based on constructing the models using the data from each region separately instead of using the pooled data from different regions.

This study was aimed to find yield prediction model of Italian ryegrass using climate big data and geographic information. After that, mapping the predicted yield results using Geographic Information System (GIS) as follows; First, forage data were collected; second, the climate information, which was matched with forage data according to year and location, was gathered from the Korean Metrology Administration (KMA) as big data; third, the climate layers used for GIS were constructed; fourth, the yield prediction equation was estimated for the climate layers. Finally, the prediction model was evaluated in aspect of fitness and accuracy. As a result, the fitness of the model (R2) was between 27% to 95% in relation to cultivated locations. In Suwon (n=321), the model was; DMY = 158.63AGD –8.82AAT +169.09SGD - 8.03SAT +184.59SRD -13,352.24 (DMY: Dry Matter Yield, AGD: Autumnal Growing Days, SGD: Spring Growing Days, SAT: Spring Accumulated Temperature, SRD: Spring Rainfall Days). Furthermore, DMY was predicted as 9,790±120 (kg/ha) for the mean DMY(9,790 kg/ha). During mapping, the yield of inland areas were relatively greater than that of coastal areas except of Jeju Island, furthermore, northeastern areas, which was mountainous, had lain no cultivations due to weak cold tolerance. In this study, even though the yield prediction modeling and mapping were only performed in several particular locations limited to the data situation as a startup research in the Republic of Korea.

We present a BV I optical photometric study of the old open cluster Ruprecht 6 using the data obtained with the SMARTS 1.0 m telescope at the CTIO, Chile. Its color-magnitude diagrams show the clear existence of the main-sequence stars, whose turn-o point is located around V  18:45 mag and B - V  0:85 mag. Three red clump (RC) stars are identied at V = 16:00 mag, I = 14:41 mag and B - V = 1:35 mag. From the mean Ks-band magnitude of RC stars (Ks = 12:39  0:21 mag) in Ruprecht 6 from 2MASS photometry and the known absolute magnitudes of the RC stars (MKS = - :595  0:025 mag), we obtain the distance modulus to Ruprecht 6 of (m -M)0 = 13:84  0:21 mag (d = 5:86  0:60 kpc). From the (J - Ks) and (B - V ) colors of the RC stars, comparison of the (B - V ) and (V - I) colors of the bright stars in Ruprecht 6 with those of the intrinsic colors of dwarf and giant stars, and the PARSEC isochrone ttings, we derive the reddening values of E(B - V ) = 0:42 mag and E(V - I) = 0:60 mag. Using the PARSEC isochrone ttings onto the color-magnitude diagrams, we estimate the age and metallicity to be: log(t) = 9:50  0:10 (t = 3:16  0:82 Gyr) and [Fe/H] = -0:42  0:04 dex. We present the Galactocentric radial metallicity gradient analysis for old (age > 1 Gyr) open clusters of the Dias et al. catalog, which likely follow a single relation of [Fe/H] = (-0:034  0:007)RGC + (0:190  0:080) (rms = 0.201) for the whole radial range or a dual relation of [Fe/H] = (-0:077  0:017)RGC + (0:609  0:161) (rms = 0.152) and constant ([Fe/H]  -0:3 dex) value, inside and outside of RGC  12 kpc, respectively. The metallicity and Galactocentric radius (13:28  0:54 kpc) of Ruprecht 6 obtained in this study seem to be consistent with both of the relations.

We determined the complete mitogenome of the oriental mayfly, Ephemera orientalis (Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae) and the dragonfly Davidius lunatus (Odonata: Gomphidae). The 16,463-bp long E. orientalis and the 15,912 bp long D. lunatus mitogenome contains gene arrangement and content identical to the most common type found in a diverse insect order. Most individual E. orientalis and D. lunatus mt genes were well within the size found in the respective genes of other insects. The initiation codon for the D. lunatus COI gene was typical as ATA, whereas no typical start codon was found in the start region of E. orientalis COI gene. The A+T-rich regions of both mitogenomes have a few unusual feature. The A+T-rich region of E. orientalis contains a tandem repeat composed of two identical copies of 55 bp long, whereas that of D. lunatus contains a tandem repeat composed of duplicated identical 261-bp copies and one partial copy of the repeat. Also, the A+T-rich region of E. orientalis contains a single sequence and that of D. lunatus contains nine sequences, along with the tandem triplicate sequences, that has the potential to form stem-and-loop structures, flanked by the conserved sequences, “TA(A)TA” at the 5’ end and “G(A)nT’ at the 3’ end. Furthermore, the A+T-rich region of D. lunatus contains two tRNA-like structures, tRNALeu(UUR)-like sequence and tRNATyr-like sequence that have proper anticodon TAA and clover-leaf structure that were previously found in the hymenopteran insects.

Protein related parameters of pan bread and white salted noodles prepared from 26 Korean wheat cultivars and 6 commercial and imported wheat flours were evaluated to elucidate the relationship between rheological properties and end-use characteristics and to determine the effects of Glu-1 and Glu-3 alleles on those characteristics in Korean wheat cultivars. SDS-sedimentation volume based on protein weight was positively correlated with mixograph parameters and maximum height of dough and also positively correlated with bread loaf volume, crumb firmness and springiness of cooked noodles. Within Glu-1 loci, 1 or 2* subunit and 5 + 10 subunits showed longer mixingtime, higher maximum height of dough, and larger loaf volume than null allele, 2.2 + 12, and 2 + 12 subunits. Cultivars with 13 + 16 subunits at Glu-B1 locus showed higher protein content and optimum water absorption of mixograph than cultivars with 7 + 8 subunits. At Glu-3 loci, Glu-A3d showed longer mixing time than Glu-A3e, and Glu-B3d and Glu-B3h had stronger mixing properties than Glu-B3i. Glu-B3h had higher loaf volume and hardness of cooked noodles than Glu-B3d. Glu-D3a had lower protein content than Glu-D3c, and Glu-D3b showed stronger mixing properties than Glu-D3a. Glu-D3c showed lower hardness of cooked noodles than others.

Allelic variations in glutenin and puroindolines of Korean wheat cultivars evaluated to determine the effects of allelic variations on physico-chemical properties of flour and qualities of white salted noodles. In grain hardness and flour yield, Pinb-D1b had higher hardness index and flour yield than Pinb-D1a alleles. Glu-B1b and Glu-D1f also had lower hardness index than other alleles at the same locus and Glu-A1c, Glu-A3e and Glu-B3i alleles showed lower flour yield than other alleles. In flour compositions, Pina-D1b and Pinb-D1b showed higher particle size, ash and damaged starch content and lower lightness of wheat flour than Pina-D1a and Pinb-D1a. Glu-A1c, Glu-B1b, Glu-D1f, Glu-B3d and Glu-B3i showed lower particle size of flour than other alleles at Glu-1 and Glu-B3 locus. Korean wheats with Glu-B1f, Glu-D1a and Glu-B3b alleles had higher damaged starch content and lower lightness of flour than wheats other alleles at the same locus. Glu-B1b, Glu-D1f, Glu-B3d and Pina-D1a showed lower protein content and Glu-A1c, Glu-B1b, Glu-D1f Glu-B3d, Glu-B3i and Pinb-D1b showed lower SDS-sedimentation volume than other alleles. Hardness of cooked noodles ranked as Glu-A1a > Glu-A1c > Glu-A1c at Glu-A1 locus. Glu-B3h showed higher hardness of cooked noodles (5.10 N) than other alleles at Glu-B3 locus (< 4.66 N).