We investigated the effects of supercritical-CO2 treatment on the pore structure and consequent H2 adsorption behavior of single-walled carbon nanohorns (SWCNHs) and SWCNH aggregates. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and adsorption characterization techniques were employed to elucidate the alterations in the SWCNH morphology and aggregate pore characteristics induced by supercritical-CO2 treatment. Our results confirm that supercritical-CO2 treatment reduces the interstitial pore surface area and volume of SWCNH aggregates, notably affecting the adsorption of N2 (77 K), CO2 (273 K), and H2 (77 K) gasses. The interstitial porosity strongly depends on the supercritical-CO2 pressure. Supercritical-CO2 treatment softens the individual SWCNHs and opens the core of SWCNH aggregates, producing a partially orientated structure with interstitial ultramicropores. These nanopores are formed by the diffusion and intercalation of CO2 molecules during treatment. An increase in the amount of H2 adsorbed per interstitial micropore of the supercritically modified SWCNHs was observed. Moreover, the increase in the number and volume of ultramicropores enable the selective adsorption of H2 and CO2 molecules. This study reveals that supercritical-CO2 treatment can modulate the pore structure of SWCNH aggregates and provides an effective strategy for tailoring the H2 adsorption properties of nanomaterials.

Kori Unit 1, the first commercial nuclear power plant (NPP) in Korea, was permanently shut down in 2017 and was scheduled for decommissioning. Various programs must be planned early in the decommissioning process to safely decommission NPPs. Radiological characterization is a key program in decommissioning and should be a high priority. Radiological characterization involves determining the decommissioning technology to be applied to a nuclear facility by identifying the radiation sources and radioactive contaminants present within the facility and assessing the extent and nature of the radioactive contaminants to be removed from the facility. This study introduces the regulatory requirements, procedures, and implementation methods for radiological characterization and proposes a methodology to link the results of radiological characterizations for each stage. To link radiological characteristics, this study proposes to conduct radiological characterization in the decommissioning phase to verify the results of radiological characterization in the transitional phase of decommissioning NPPs. This enables significantly reducing the scope and content of radiological characterization that must be performed in the decommissioning phase and maintaining the connection with the previous phase.

장미과의 과일 및 관상용 식물은 세계적으로 경제적, 원예적 가치가 뛰어나다. 장미과의 뱀딸기는 관상 및 약용 작물로써 이용가치가 매우 높은데, 증식방법이 마련되어 있지 않은 실정 이다. 뱀딸기의 종자 종자발아 특성을 조사하기 위해 내부형태 관찰, 수분흡수실험, 온도 별 배양, move-along test, GA3처리 실험을 수행하였다. 뱀딸기 종자는 탈리시점부터 성숙한 배를 지닌다. 수분흡수실험 결과, 침지 3시간만에 종자 무게가 초 기무게 대비 100% 이상 증가하였다. 온도 별 배양 실험 결 과, 25/15, 20/10, 15/6, 5, 25, 20, 15°C에서 각각 8주간 배양하였을 때 88, 71, 61, 12, 89, 39, 17%로 나타났다. Move-along test의 T125/15°C(12주)→20/10°C(4주)→ 15/6°C(4주)→5°C(12주)]에서 12주차까지 72%가 발아하였고 T2[4°C(12주)→15/6°C(4주)→20/10°C(4주)→25/15°C(12주)] 에선 20/10°C까지 발아하지 않았고 25/15°C에 도달하고 나서 발아하여 최종발아율은 16%로 나타났다. GA3처리구에선 배양 3주차에 발아를 시작한 반면에 대조구에선 배양 4주차부터 발 아하였다. 따라서 한반도 자생 뱀딸기 종자는 PD로 분류하였다. 뱀딸기속과 Potentilla속 식물은 서로 근연관계이고, 종간의 종 자휴면에 차이가 나타나 종자휴면 특성에 분화가 일어난 것으로 판단된다.

This study evaluated the immunogenicity of the Bacillus Calmette-Guérin (BCG) vaccine in a guinea pig model to refine preclinical assessment methods. 24 guinea pigs were divided into four groups for immunohistochemical, histopathological, and molecular analyses, including qRT-PCR and ELISA. The ELISA results revealed significant elevations in interleukin 2 (IL-2), interferon-gamma (IFN- ), and tuberculosis-specific antibodies in vaccinated guinea pigs, particularly γ notable after 6 weeks. Although lung cytokine levels remained unchanged, spleen gene expression showed significant differences in interleukin-17, interleukin-12, interleukin-1β, and C-X-C motif chemokine ligand 10 after 6 weeks. Immunohistochemistry revealed peak IL-2 expression at 8 weeks and significant IFN-γ and TNF-α expression at 6 weeks. This study confirmed the effectiveness of BCG vaccine in guinea pigs, providing crucial insights for future tuberculosis vaccine development and standardizing immune response indicators.

갯까치수염은 다육성의 2년생 초본 자생식물로서, 제주도, 울릉도를 비롯하여 남해안 지역에서 자라며 자생지의 환경에 맞게 내염성이 크다는 특징이 있고, 다양한 환경에 적응하며 관상가치가 높다. 관련 문헌을 보면 발아조건과 개화조절에 대한 연구만 보고되었고 그 중간단계인 재배에 관한 연구가 부족하여 대량생산을 위한 공정육묘법 개발의 일환으로 이 실 험을 수행하였다. 실험은 플라스틱온실 내에서 발아시킨 1cm 전후의 묘를 50, 128, 200구 트레이에 이식하여 한국원시표 준액(N-P-K-Ca-Mg, 15-3-6-8-4)을 각각 권장 EC농도의 0, 0.5, 1, 2배 농도로 매일 5분간 순환식으로 저면 관수하여 6주간 재배 후 초장, 근장, 엽수, 뿌리수, SPAD, 생체중, 건물 중을 측정하였다. 갯까치수염 생육은 플러그 셀 크기 50셀에 서 생육이 가장 높았다. 양액농도에 따른 갯까치수염의 생육 은 0.5배액에서 초장과 근장의 수치가 가장 높았으며, 모든 생육지표가 양액 농도변화에 따른 차이가 발생하는 것으로 나 타났고 실질적인 총 생산량의 지표라고 할 수 있는 지상부와 지하부의 건물중에 영향을 미치지 않았다는 결과가 나온 것으 로 미뤄 육묘단계에서 양액의 농도가 셀 크기보다 갯까수치염 의 묘 생육에 더 영향이 큰 것으로 보인다. 갯까치수염의 조직 충실도 면에서 0.5, 1, 2배액의 200구에서 가장 높은 결과값 들이 나왔다. 결과적으로 기존 원시표준액에 비해 생장에 유 리한 결과를 보이며 비료도 절약할 수 있는 0.5배 양액처리조 건이 갯까치수염 육묘 재배에 더 효율적이였다.

Hypertension is characterized by excessive renin-angiotensin system activity, leading to blood vessel constriction. Several synthetic compounds have been developed to inhibit renin and angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE). These drugs often have adverse side effects, driving the exploration of plant protein-derived peptides as alternative or supplementary treatments. This study assessed the phenolic compound and amino acid content and the antioxidant and antihypertensive activity of 5 South Korean staple crops. Sorghum had the highest phenolic compound content and exhibited the highest antioxidant activity. Millet grains, particularly finger millet (38.86%), showed higher antihypertensive activity than red beans (14.42%) and sorghum (17.16%). Finger millet was found to contain a large proportion of branched-chain, aromatic, and sulfur-containing amino acids, which are associated with ACE inhibition. In particular, cysteine content was positively correlated with ACE inhibition in the crops tested (r=0.696, p<0.01). This study confirmed that the amino acid composition was more correlated with the antihypertensive activity of grains than the phenolic compound content. Finger millet mainly contained amino acids, which have higher ACE inhibitory activity, resulting in the strongest antihypertensive activity. These findings underscore the antihypertensive potential of select crops as plant-based food ingredients, offering insight into their biological functions.

Foot-and-mouth disease (FMD), which affects cloven-hoofed animals, is economically important because of its highly contagious nature. FMD virus (FMDV), the causative agent of FMD, involves seven serotypes (O, A, Asia1, C, and SAT 1-3). Serotype Asia1 is unique to the Asian territory and is subdivided into nine genetic groups (G-I-IX) based on nucleotide variations in the VP1 sequence. Asia1 Shamir, the most representative Asia1 vaccine, is not highly protective against the Asia1/MOG/05 (G-V) lineage found in North Korea in 2007. Therefore, we investigated whether a chimeric virus strain (Asia1/MOG/Shamir), in which the VP4, VP2, and VP3 sequences of Asia1/MOG/05 were combined with the VP1 sequence of Asia1 Shamir, can simultaneously protect against both viruses. We determined the optimal viral growth conditions for the commercial utilization of this chimeric virus strain. Of the three types of cell culture media, the Cellvento medium resulted in the highest amount of antigen in the samples. The chimeric strain was proliferated in a small bioreactor to produce a test vaccine, and its immunogenicity was evaluated in pigs. The virus neutralization (VN) titer against the Asia1 Shamir virus was > 1/100 after the second immunization with the chimeric vaccine in pigs. In addition, a single dose of the test vaccine resulted in a VN titer of > 1/100 against the Asia1/MOG/05 strain. Taken together, our chimeric vaccine strain provided sufficient protection against the Asia1/MOG/05 and Asia1 Shamir viruses, suggesting its potential as a novel vaccine for both these strains.

대벌레(Ramulus mikado)는 1990년 이후부터 2000년대 초반까지 경북을 중심으로 대발생을 하였던 돌발 해충 으로 2020~2023년에 수도권에서 대발생 사례가 다수 보고 되었다. 대벌레의 대발생 원인으로 기후변화가 지목되 고 있지만, 대벌레 개체군과 생물적·비생물적 환경 조건과의 관계를 이해하기 위한 연구는 매우 부족한 실정이 다. 본 연구에서는 주요 기주식물과 대벌레 발생 양상에 대한 관계를 이해하고자 수행하였다. 2022년부터 2023년 까지 대벌레 대발생 지역 중 하나인 청계산 일대 등산로를 따라 조사구를 선정한 뒤 주요 기주식물이자 우점종인 신갈나무, 아까시나무, 잔털벚나무를 대상으로 대벌레의 발생 밀도를 조사하였다. 그 결과, 조사지점 간의 대벌 레 평균 밀도는 유의한 차이가 발견되지 않았지만, 기주식물에 따른 밀도의 차이는 뚜렷하게 나타났다.

Honey bees are crucial pollinators for agricultural and natural ecosystems, but are experiencing heavy mortality in Korea due to a complex suite of factors. Extreme winter losses of honey bee colonies are a major threat to beekeeping but the combinations of factors underlying colony loss remain debatable. Finding solutions involves knowing the factors associated with high loss rates. To investigate whether loss rates are related to Varroa control and climate condition, we surveyed beekeepers in korea after wintering (2021–2022 to 2022–2023). The results show an average colony loss rate of 46%(2022) and 17%(2023), but over 40% colony loss before wintering at 2022. Beekeepers attempt to manage their honey bee colonies in ways that optimize colony health. Disentangling the impact of management from other variables affecting colony health is complicated by the diversity of practices used and difficulties handling typically complex and incomplete observational datasets. We propose a method to 1) Varroa mite population Control by several methods , and 2) Many nursing bee put in hive before wintering.

The 2007 Recommendation of the International Commission on Radiological Protection recommended the application of dose constraints to optimize radiation protection to resolve the inequity of exposure among radiation workers. The average annual occupational doses in Korean nuclear power plants (NPPs) are 0.3-0.8 mSv. These doses are much lower than the annual effective dose limit of 50 mSv for radiation workers stipulated by the Nuclear Safety Act. In addition, most NPP workers received less than 0.1 mSv per year. These doses are lower than the average annual occupational doses of 0.3- 0.8 mSv. Korean regulatory body conducted the study to legislate the dose constraints in the Korean regulatory system and determine dose constraints (draft) for radiation workers. The legislation of dose constraints would not greatly affect the radiation protection programs in Korean NPPs because most workers received very low doses. However, some workers received relatively higher doses than others. This study analyzed the occupational exposure conditions, such as exposure type and situation, in Korean NPPs. This study investigated the internal and external radiation doses and the radiation doses depending on the NPP operating conditions, including normal operation, planned maintenance, and intermediate maintenance, for the last ten years (2012-2021). As a result, most NPP workers received external exposure rather than internal exposure. Furthermore, most radiation exposures occurred during the planned maintenance period. The results of this study can be used for optimizing occupational doses in Korean NPPs.

The site used for a nuclear facility can be released after decommissioning if the results of dose estimation meet the regulatory requirements and the site release is approved by the regulatory body. RESRAD-ONSITE, developed by the Argonne National Laboratory, is a computer code used to estimate the dose to the residents on radiologically contaminated sites. The dose estimation for site release should consider various exposure pathways, including inhalation, ingestion, and external exposure. This study used RESRAD-ONSITE to evaluate the internal exposure dose and identify radionuclides due to the intake of food produced on radiologically contaminated sites. The upper limit of the clearance level of radionuclides expected to remain at the site was used as the source terms for the dose evaluation. In addition, the amount of food intake per capita was obtained from eight countries using nuclear power generation as of 2020. The default values of RESRAD were used for other parameters except for intake by type of food and source terms. As a result of the dose evaluation, the contaminated water and vegetables showed a great contribution to the exposure dose. The dose due to tritium in drinking water was highest in the third year. In addition, regarding the intake of vegetables, the internal exposure due to 90Sr was the highest in the first year.

As of 2023, there are a total of 24 nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation in Korea, with 21 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and three pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs). Korean NPPs discharge radioactive effluents into the environment every year. Radioactive effluents from NPPs contain various radionuclides and materials, including 3H, 14C, Noble gas, particulates, and iodine Among the radioactive effluents discharged from Korean NPPs, 14C is a pure beta emitter with a half-life of 5,730 years. The human body can inhale and ingest 14C to cause internal exposure. In addition, the amount of 14C present in the environment is decreasing, but the amount of 14C discharged from NPPs is increasing. 14C discharged to the environment can be inhaled and ingested by the public around NPPs through various pathways. For this reason, it is very important to monitor and manage 14C because it affects the dose of the public around NPPs. Therefore, this study compared and analyzed the average emissions of 14C discharged from PWRs and PHWRs during the recent 10 years (2012-2021). An average of the public dose due to 14C released from NPPs depending on the reactor types from 2012 to 2021 was also compared. It is inevitable to discharge radioactive effluents while operating NPPs. Korea Hydro & Nuclear Power (KHNP) manages and monitors radioactive effluents released into the environment. According to a survey and analysis of 14C discharged from PWRs and PHWRs and the average dose of the public over the recent 10-year (2012-2021) around Korean NPPs, 14C released from PWR accounted for 3.1% of the total discharge but accounted for more than 93.67% of the total public dose. In addition, 14C discharged from PHWRs accounted for 1.12% of the total discharge, but its resulting dose to the public accounted for more than 83.87% of the total public dose. As a result of analyzing the public dose due to 14C from 2012 to 2021, it was gradually increasing every year. Based on these results, monitoring and managing 14C discharge and its resulting doses to the public are important in the future.

After the Fukushima nuclear accident in Japan in March 2011, many Koreans were concerned that products exposed to radioactive materials released from the nuclear power plant would be imported into Korea. Systematic radiation monitoring was required for food and daily necessities imported from the nuclear accident area. The need for a legal system to support systematic radiation monitoring was also demanded. The Act on Protective Action Guidelines against Radiation in the Natural Environment was enacted to resolve concerns regarding environmental radiation in Korea in July 2011. According to this law, radiation monitoring equipment has been installed and operated at major airports and ports nationwide. This paper aims to review the radiation monitoring system of the Korean government comprehensively. The legal system and the legal basis for radiation monitoring of imported cargo conducted by each department were investigated by analyzing the laws and regulations of radiation monitoring for the relevant cargo items. In addition, the current status of radiation monitoring by the government departments was examined to determine how radiation monitoring for imported cargo is performed within the legal system. The investigation of the current radiation monitoring system for imported cargo in Korea confirmed that radiation monitoring is conducted by classifying cargo items under the jurisdiction of each government department for all imported cargo. However, the reduction in efficiency of radiation monitoring of imported cargoes, unclear legal grounds for radiation monitoring of imported cargo by some departments, the occurrence of overlapping inspections by departments, and the difficult process of issuing the radiation test certificate required for customs clearance by the Korea Customs Service were also identified. As a result of the analysis, it was found that the current radiation monitoring system for imported cargo in Korea ought to be improved, taking into account efficiency, overlapping inspection, legal background, and the difficult process of issuing the certificates.

Metal waste generated during the dismantling of a nuclear power plant can be contaminated with radionuclides. In general, the internal structure is very complex. Thus, metal waste requires various cutting processes. When metal waste is cut, aerosols are generated. Aerosols are generally various particles of very small size suspended in the working area and remain for a considerable period. This may cause internal exposure of workers due to inhalation of radioactive aerosols generated when cutting radioactive metal waste. This study investigated various cutting processes and the size distribution of aerosols generated during the cutting process. The cutting process is normally classified into thermal cutting, mechanical cutting, and laser cutting. Thermal cutting includes plasma, flame, and oxygen cutting. Mechanical cutting includes mechanical saws, cutters, nibblers, and abrasive water jets. Stainless steel, carbon steel, aluminum, and copper are commonly used as cutting materials in nuclear power plants. The size of the aerosol generated from cutting showed a very diverse distribution depending on the cutting methods and cutting materials. In general, aerosol size is distributed within 0.1-1 μm. This size distribution is different from the 5 μm aerosol size suggested by the ICRP Publication 66 Lung model. These results show that it is necessary to conduct further studies on the size of aerosols generated when decommissioning nuclear power plants.

Currently, there are 25 nuclear power plants (NPPs) in operation in Korea, including 22 pressurized water reactors (PWRs) and three pressurized heavy water reactors (PHWRs). Two NPPs, including Kori Unit 1 and Wolsong Unit 1, are permanently shut down and awaiting decommissioning. If Kori Unit 2, which is expected to be permanently shut down soon, is included, the number of decommissioning NPPs will be increased to three. Spent fuels (SFs) are continuously generated during the NPP operation, which are stored in an SF storage pool in NPPs to cool down the decay heat emitted from SFs. For safe NPP operation, SFs must be regarded as waste, and a disposal site must be selected to isolate SFs. However, an appropriate site has yet to be selected in Korea. SFs contain long-lived nuclides with a high specific activity. For disposal, it is important to characterize the nuclides in the fuels and delay the migration of the nuclides to the environment when SFs are placed in a future disposal facility. If the disposal container is broken, the nuclides in the fuels escape from the filling material, such as bentonite. These escaped nuclides are dissolved in groundwater and migrate to the surface of the earth. Thus, it is possible to assess the radiological impact, such as the exposure dose during and after the disposal, if the types and characteristics of nuclides in SFs are known. This study investigated the nuclides in SFs and identified exposure scenarios that may occur in the disposal process of SFs and migration characteristics when the nuclides leak into groundwater to propose a dose assessment methodology for workers and the public.