Recently, it is demonstrate that the invertebrates have a immune memory, called Immune priming (IP). It was partially studied that the IP is mainly regulated by epigenetic modification. Here, to understand the IP on antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) production, we investigated larval mortality and time-dependent expression patterns of AMP genes in T. molitor larvae challenged with E. coli (two-times injection with a one-month interval). Interestingly, the results indicate that the higher and faster expression levels of most AMP genes were detected compared to the non-primed T. molitor larvae. Our results may used to improve the understanding of mechanisms of invertebrate immune memory.

Pellino, a highly conserved E3 ubiquitin ligase, is known to mediate ubiquitination of phosphorylated Interleukin-1 receptor-related kinase (IRAK) homologs in Toll signaling pathway. To understand the immunological function of TmPellino, we screened the knockdown efficiency of TmPellino by injecting TmPellino-specific dsRNA into T. molitor larvae. Subsequently, we investigated the larval mortality and the tissue-specific expression patterns of antimicrobial peptide (AMP) genes against microbial challenges. Interestingly, the results indicate that the expression of many AMP genes was upregulated in the Malpighian tubules of TmPellino-silenced T. molitor larvae. This study may provide basic information to understand how Tmpellino regulates AMPs production in T. molitor.

Tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor (TRAF) is known to regulate antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) production in mammals. Here, to understand the immunological function of TmTRAF against microbial challenge, the induction patterns of TmTRAF against microbial infection was investigated by qRT-PCR in the whole-body and tissue of young larvae. In addition, the effects of TmTRAF RNAi on larval mortality and expression of 15 AMP genes in response to microbial infection were investigated. Our studies may help to understand the basic role of AMP production.

Tube, an intracellular protein of the Toll-pathway, forms a complex with Pelle and MyD88, and regulates a signal transduction to activate NF-κB in Drosophila. To understand the antimicrobial function of TmTube, the induction patterns of TmTube were investigated at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 h-post injection of pathogens into 10th to 12th instar larvae. In addition, we investigated the effects of TmTube RNAi on larval mortality and tissue specific AMP expression in response to microbial challenge. Our results will provide a basic information to elucidate the immunological function of TmTube

In insects, the glutathione S-transferase is initiated in both the detoxification process and the protection of cellular membranes against oxidative damage. In this study, we identified the open reading frame (ORF) sequence of GST-iso1 and 2 from Tenebrio molitor (TmGST-iso1 and 2). To investigate the expression patterrns of TmGST-iso1 and 2 in response to herbicide, 0.06, 0.6, and 6 ㎍/㎕ of butachlor (FarmHannong, Seoul, South Korea) was challenged into T. molitor larvae, resulting that the TmGST-iso1 were highly induced at 3 and 24 h-post injection. Whereas, the highest expression of TmGST-iso2 was detected at 24 h after treatment. This study may contribute to basic information about the detoxifying activities of T. molitor.

Pelle, a serine/threonine kinase, is an intracellular component of the Toll pathway and is involved in antimicrobial peptides (AMPs) production due to pathogenic infection. It is known that the Pelle phosphorylates Cactus and activates the NF-κB signaling pathway in Drosophila, but it is not studied in Tenebrio molitor. In this study we investigated the tissue-specific expression patterns of the Pelle following pathogenic infection at 3, 6, 9, 12, and 24 hours. Additionally, larval mortality and AMP expression against microbial injection were investigated in dsPelle-treated T. molitor larvae. Our results may help to understand the antimicrobial function of TmPelle.

It is well known that the JNK pathway regulates AMP production against pathogenic infection in both vertebrates and invertebrates. Tenebrio molitor hep (Tmhep) is an homolog of MAP kinase kinase in mammals. Here, we investigate the immunological function of Tmhep in responses in microbial infection using RNA interference technology. The results showed that silencing of Tmhep increased the larval mortality against microbial challenge, as well as reduced AMP production compared to the control group (dsEGFP-treated group). Conclusively, Tmhep plays an critical role in antimicrobial defense in T. molitor larvae.

In the nuclear fuel cycle (NFC) facilities, the failure of Heating Ventilation and Air Conditioning (HVAC) system starts with minor component failures and can escalate to affecting the entire system, ultimately resulting in radiological consequences to workers. In the field of air-conditioning and refrigerating engineering, the fault detection and diagnosis (FDD) of HVAC systems have been studied since faults occurring in improper routine operations and poor preventive maintenance of HVAC systems result in excessive energy consumption. This paper aims to provide a systematic review of existing FDD methods for HVAC systems therefore explore its potential application in nuclear field. For this goal, typical faults and FDD methods are investigated. The commonly occurring faults of HVAC are identified through various literature including publications from International Energy Agency (IEA) and American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers (ASHRAE). However, most literature does not explicitly addresses anomalies related to pressure, even though in nuclear facilities, abnormal pressure condition need to be carefully managed, particularly for maintaining radiological contamination differently within each zone. To build simulation model for FDD, the whole-building energy system modeling is needed because HVAC systems are major contributors to the whole building’s energy and thermal comfort, keeping the desired environment for occupants and other purposes. The whole-building energy modeling can be grouped into three categories: physics-based modeling (i.e., white-box models), hybrid modeling (i.e., grey-box models), and data-driven modeling (i.e., black-box models). To create a white-box FDD model, specialized tools such as EnergyPlus for modeling can be used. The EnergyPlus is open source program developed by US-DOE, and features heat balance calculation, enabling the dynamic simulation in transient state by heat balance calculation. The physics based modeling has the advantage of explaining clear cause-and-effect relationships between inputs and outputs based on heat and mass transfer equations, while creating accurate models requires time and effort. Creating a black-box FDD model requires a sufficient quantity and diverse types of operational data for machine learning. Since operation data for HVAC systems in existing nuclear cycle facilities are not fully available, so efforts to establish a monitoring system enabling the collection, storage, and management of sensor data indicating the status of HVAC systems and buildings should be prioritized. Once operational data are available, well-known machine learning methods such as linear regression, support vector machines, random forests, artificial neural networks, and recurrent neural networks (RNNs) can be used to classify and diagnose failures. The challenge with black-box models is the lack of access to failure data from operating facilities. To address this, one can consider developing black-box models using reference failure data provided by IEA or ASHRAE. Given the unavailability of operation data from the operating NFC facilities, there is a need for a short to medium-term plan for the development of a physics-based FDD model. Additionally, the development of a monitoring system to gather useful operation data is essential, which could serve both as a means to validate the physics-based model and as a potential foundation for building data-driven model in the long term.

표면발현(surface-display system)은 세포 또는 바이러스 표면에 목적 단백질을 고정하여 발현시킴으로써 목적 단백질에 대하여 독립적인 공간 구조 및 생물학적 활성을 부여하는 단백질 공학 기술이다. 또한 이를 이용하여 높은 중화항체 유도 및 대량생산이 가능한 삼량체의 형태로 항원 단백질의 발현 또한 가능하다. BES(baculovirus expression system)에서의 표면발현 기술은 번역 후 수정과정 및 복잡한 구조의 다양한 단백질의 발현이 가능하기 에 다른 숙주 기반 시스템보다 효율적이라고 보고되고 있다. 그러나 목적 단백질 외의 다른 표면 단백질과 발현 공간에서의 경쟁으로 목적 단백질의 낮은 생산량이 큰 문제점으로 지적되고 있다. 따라서, 이러한 BES에서 표면 발현의 생산 효율을 증대시키기 위하여, 동일한 표면 공간에 대한 단백질 간의 발현 경쟁에 대해 실험적으로 확인 후, 그를 해결하기 위하여 표면발현에 최적인 목적 단백질 발현을 위한 프로모터 선발 실험을 수행하였다. 이를 통해 BES에서 표면발현에 의한 목적 단백질의 생산 효율을 증대시킬 수 있음을 확인하였다.

The domestic representative nuclear fuel cycle facilities are post-irradiation examination facility (PIEF) and Irradiated Examination Facility (IMEF) at KAERI. They have regularly operated since 1991 and 1993, respectively. Due to the long period of use, the facilities are ageing, and maintenance costs are increasing every year. The maintenance methods have mainly been breakdown maintenance (BM) and partially preventive maintenance (PM). They involve replacing components that have problems through periodic inspections by on-site inspectors. However, these methods are not only uncertain in terms of replacement cycles due to worker’s deviation on the inspection results, but also make it difficult to respond accidents developed through failures on the critical equipment that confines radioactive material. Therefore, an advanced operation and maintenance studied in 2022 through all of nuclear facilities operated at KAERI. Advancement strategy in four categories (safety, sustainability, performance, innovativeness) was analyzed and their priorities according to a facility environment were determined so a roadmap for advanced operation and maintenance could be developed. The safety and sustainability are higher importance than the performance and innovativeness because facilities at KAERI has an emphasis on research and development rather than industrial production. Thus, strategy for advancement has focused even more on strengthening the safety and sustainability. To enhance safety, it has been identified that immediate improvement of aged structures, systems, and components (SSCs) through large-scale replacement is necessary, while consideration of implementing an ageing management program (AMP) in the medium to long term is also required. Facility sustainability requires strengthening operation expertise through training, education, and cultivation of specialized personnel for each system, and addressing outstanding regulatory issues such as approval of radiation environment report on the nuclear fuel processing facilities and improvement work according to fire hazard analysis. One of the safety enhancement methods, AMP, is a new maintenance approach that has not been previously applied, so it had to be thoroughly examined. In this study, an analysis was conducted on the procedure and method for introducing an AMP. An AMP for nuclear fuel cycle facilities was developed by analyzing the AMP applied to the BR2 research reactor in Belgium and modifying it for application to nuclear fuel cycle facilities. The ageing management for BR2 has the objective to maintain safety, availability and cost efficiency and three-step process. The first step is the classification of SSCs into four classes to apply graded approach. Secondly, ageing risk is assessed to identify critical failure modes, their frequency and precursors. Final step involves defining measures to reduce the ageing risk to an acceptable level in order to integrate the physical and economic aspects of ageing into a strategy for inspection, repair, and replacement. Similar approach was applied to the nuclear fuel cycle facility. Firstly, the SSCs of nuclear fuel cycle facilities have been classified according to their safety and quality classifications, as well as whether they are part of the confinement boundary. The SSCs involved in the confinement boundary were given more weight in the classification process, even if they are not classified as safety-class. A risk index for ageing was introduced to determine which prevention and mitigation measure should be chosen. By multiplying the health index and the impact index, the ageing risk matrix provides a numerical score that represents guidance on the prevention and mitigation of ageing effect. The health index is determined by combining the likelihood of failure and engineering evaluation of the current condition of SSCs, whereas the impact index is calculated by taking into account the severity of consequences and the duration of downtime resulting from a failure. This ageing management has to be thoroughly reviewed and modified to suit each facility before being applied to nuclear fuel cycle facilities.