Vitrification, one of the most promising solidification processes for various materials, has been applied to radioactive waste to improve its disposal stability and reduce its volume. Because the thermal decomposition of dry active waste (DAW) significantly reduces its volume, the volume reduction factor of DAW vitrification is high. The KHNP developed the optimal glass composition for the vitrification of DAW. Since vitrification offers a high-volume reduction ratio, it is expected that disposal costs could be greatly reduced by the use of such technology. The DG-2 glass composition was developed to vitrify DAW. During the maintenance of nuclear power plants, metals containing paper, clothes, and wood are generated. ZrO2 and HfO2 are generally considered to be network-formers in borosilicate-based glasses. In this study, a feasibility study of vitrification for DAW that contains metal particulates is conducted to understand the applicability of this process under various conditions. The physicochemical properties are characterized to assess the applicability of candidate glass compositions.

Background: This study focused on reproductive traits in Hanwoo cattle, specifically the environmental factors affecting gestation length and birth weight. Methods: The records of 1,540 cows calved at the Hanwoo Research Institute from 2015 to 2023 were examined. This study analyzed two populations, linebreeding Hanwoo (LBH) and general Hanwoo (GH), with all cows undergoing estrus synchronization and artificial insemination. The R software was used to compare the differences between the two populations and analyze the environmental factors affecting each trait. Results: The results showed that the average gestation length for LBH was 283.28 ± 5.93 days, which was significantly shorter than that of the GH, which had an average of 285.63 ± 6.21 days (p < 0.001). The average birth weight of LBH calves was 25.10 ± 3.69 kg, significantly lighter than GH calves, which weighed 27.26 ± 4.11 kg on average (p < 0.001). Analysis of environmental factors revealed significant differences in the gestation length of LBH based on dam parity, year, and season of calving. However, no significant differences were observed based on calf sex. For LBH, birth weight showed significant differences based on dam parity, year of calving, and sex of the calf, but not the season of calving. In GH, gestation length varied with dam parity and calving season, but not with calving year or calf sex. The GH birth weight showed differences based on dam parity, year of calving, and calf sex, but not the season of calving. Conclusions: Reproductive traits in the Hanwoo cattle industry are economically vital but are heavily influenced by environmental factors due to their low heritability. An accurate evaluation of the genetic potential of these traits requires an analysis of the environmental factors affecting them. The results of this study serve as foundational data for predicting the potential for genetic improvement in the gestation length and birth weight of Hanwoo cattle.

Gas identification techniques using pattern recognition methods were developed from four micro-electronic gas sensors for noxious gas mixture analysis. The target gases for the air quality monitoring inside vehicles were two exhaust gases, carbon monoxide (CO) and nitrogen oxides (NOx), and two odor gases, ammonia (NH3) and formaldehyde (HCHO). Four MEMS gas sensors with sensing materials of Pd-SnO2 for CO, In2O3 for NOX, Ru-WO3 for NH3, and hybridized SnO2-ZnO material for HCHO were fabricated. In six binary mixed gas systems with oxidizing and reducing gases, the gas sensing behaviors and the sensor responses of these methods were examined for the discrimination of gas species. The gas sensitivity data was extracted and their patterns were determined using principal component analysis (PCA) techniques. The PCA plot results showed good separation among the mixed gas systems, suggesting that the gas mixture tests for noxious gases and their mixtures could be well classified and discriminated changes.

The recent increase in the occurrence of common bed bug and tropical bed bug in shared areas highlights the need for rapid species identification at infestation sites, which is crucial for implementing targeted control measures due to differences in genetic and physiological traits. In this study, molecular diagnostic methods were developed using species-specific ITS2 sequences. Both multiplex PCR and loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) protocols with a DNA release method successfully distinguished between the two bed bug species regardless of developmental stages in 0.5~2.5 hours, even with dead specimens. Especially, LAMP's simplicity and speed make it applicable for rapid and accurate bed bug diagnosis at infestation sites.

Parasites have co-evolved with their host for a long period of time, resulting in unique parasitic systems tailored to each host species. This makes them suitable for research on physiological function control through cross-species molecules like miRNA. The body louse, a vector of bacterial pathogens, is particularly valuable as a model insect due to their frequent feeding on human blood, which results in the continuous ingestion of human-derived miRNA and injection of salivary gland-derived miRNA into the human body. In this study, we conducted miRNA sequencing on body lice with mixed stages and identified 105 miRNAs, including 50 novel miRNAs. Sequence analysis of human miRNAs remaining in body lice and the functional analysis of these miRNAs are in progress.