Uranium-contaminated soil can be effectively decontaminated through acid leaching; however, this process process generates significant amounts of radioactive wastewater. Therefore, developing efficient methods to remove uranium from wastewater is essential to minimize radioactive waste generation. This study investigates the applicability of various precipitation methods for uranium removal from acidic wastewater produced during soil-washing processes. Three methods were evaluated: metal hydroxide (M–OHx) co-precipitation, uranium peroxide (UO4) precipitation, and uranium phosphate (KUO2PO4) precipitation. The M–OHx precipitation method removes uranium by precipitating excess metal ions in wastewater by adjusting the pH. This method is easy to use and has a high removal efficiency. The UO4 and KUO2PO4 precipitation methods involve adding reagents to precipitate uranium in the mineral phase. They enable selective uranium separation and further volume reduction. In the results, M–OHx and KUO2PO4 precipitation methods remove uranium to less than 1 mg∙L−1 within 2 h, demonstrating superior capabilities compared to UO4 precipitation. The optimal method is different depended on the management strategy for the recovered uranium. The M–OHx precipitation method was suitable for permanent disposal, whereas KUO2PO4 could be recycled. Based on these findings, guidelines for the effective treatment of wastewater containing uranium from the soil-washing process can be established.

Uranium-contaminated soil can be cleaned using an acid washing process. However, high-concentration acid washing generates substantial amounts of radioactive waste, making it essential to develop a treatment process using low-concentration acid. This study evaluated the effectiveness of low-concentration sulfuric acid washing for uranium removal from contaminated soil. Experiments were conducted with a 0.05 M sulfuric acid solution. With a mixing ratio of soil to acid solution at 1:5, three consecutive washes were sufficient to remove uranium from contaminated soil to clearance level. During the acid washing process, real-time pH monitoring was performed to analyze the correlation between uranium leaching and pH changes. This led to the establishment of a monitoring-based process control strategy. In conclusion, we identified an effective method for removing uranium from soil under low acid concentration conditions. Consequently, significant reductions in radioactive waste generation are anticipated.

The utilization of pig slurry (PS) as an organic fertilizer plays a pivotal role in nutrient recycling within agricultural systems. However, this practice concomitantly leads nitrogen (N) losses through ammonia (NH₃) volatilization and nitrous oxide (N₂O) emissions. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of wood biochar on mitigating NH3 and N2O emissions and enhancing N retention from PS-applied soil, and plant biomass production during the vegetative growth of rapeseed (Brassica napus L.). The experiment consisted of three treatments: 1) water (non-PS), 2) PS, and 3) PS combined with wood biochar (PS+WB). The PS+WB treatment resulted in the maintenance of elevated soil water content during the experimental period. The PS+WB treatment significantly enhanced soil nitrogen retention compared to PS alone, maintaining higher total N and NH₄⁺-N levels while reducing NO₃⁻ -N accumulation. Wood biochar application also leds to substantial reductions in NH₃ and N₂O emissions, mitigating environmental N losses. The PS+WB treatment resulted in an improvement of shoot biomass, crude protein content, and total digestible nutrients, indicating enhanced forage quality. The increased soil moisture content in PS+WB further contributed to plant growth benefits. These findings demonstrate that wood biochar is an effective amendment for improving nitrogen retention, reducing gaseous N emissions, and enhancing crop productivity in PS-amended soils.

Acid-washed solutions containing various ions, including uranium, are produced by washing uranium-bearing soil or minerals with H2SO4. Conventional extraction processes are complex, as they involve multiple steps and generate significant amounts of radioactive organic waste, posing environmental risks. Therefore, it is necessary to develop a simplified process that can selectively extract uranium while minimizing radioactive waste production. In this study, thermodynamic equilibrium calculations were performed to investigate the selective extraction of uranium through its reaction with H2O2. A basic additive was introduced to facilitate this reaction. The calculation results indicated that uranium in acid-leached solutions could be selectively extracted through a single-step precipitation process, which was experimentally validated. These findings can be utilized to design an efficient process for obtaining high-purity uranium from uranium-bearing soil or minerals.

최근 국내에서는 온라인 거래를 통한 화훼류의 판매가 증가 하고 있다. 온라인 플랫폼의 종류에 따라서 각기 다양한 운송 시스템과 포장 방법을 이용하고 있지만, 품질과 관련된 정보가 부족한 실정이다. 특히, 일반 택배 배송을 이용하는 직거래 방식 은 다양한 외부 환경에 노출되기 때문에 품질에 문제가 발생할 수 있다. 절화장미는 외부의 환경에 노출되는 통기 구멍이 있는 포장 박스와 외부의 환경과 단절된 밀폐된 포장 박스가 사용되 고 있다. 포장 박스의 종류에 따른 절화장미의 품질을 조사한 결과 통기구가 있는 포장 박스를 이용하여 택배 운송한 절화장 미는 운송 중의 낮은 습도로 인해 생체중 감소가 높아 품질이 하락하였다. 밀폐된 포장 박스를 이용해서 운송한 절화장미는 통기 구멍이 있는 포장 박스를 이용해 운송한 절화장미보다 생 체중 감소는 작았지만, 포장 박스 내부의 온도가 높아져 품질이 하락하였다. 내부가 코팅된 밀폐형 포장박스 내부에 절화장미와 함께 냉매를 동봉하여 포장 후 운송하면, 운송 중 포장박스 내부 의 온도를 경감하고 품질을 보존하는 효과가 있었다.

In this study, we aimed to understand the effects of pest control on forest ecosystems by examining the populations of beetles, a bioindicator species, in pine wilt disease-affected areas. Density and diversity of beetles at the pest control (sites 1 and 2) and control (site 3) sites were compared. Site 1 contained 247 individuals of 11 species from 5 families, site 2 contained 461 individuals of 19 species from 9 families, and control site 3 contained 511 individuals of 19 species from 9 families. The following main species were collected from each site: 34 pine jewel beetles(Chalcophora japonica) in June, 23 red flat bark beetles(Synuchus cycloderus) in August, and 42 red flat bark beetles in September from site 1, 46 pine jewel beetles in June, 36 elegant beetles(Carabus jankowskii) in August, and 21 elegant beetles in September from site 2, and 31 red ground beetles(Coptolabrus smaragdinus) in June, 56 two-spotted dust beetles(Planetes puncticeps) in August, and 30 two-spotted dust beetles in September from site 3. Furthermore, diversity, evenness, and dominance indices were analyzed for all beetles collected from the pest control and control sites. Site 1 exhibited a diversity index of 0.706, evenness index of 0.711, and dominance index of 0.161. Site 2 exhibited a diversity index of 1.115, evenness index of 0.872, and dominance index of 0.097. Site 3 exhibited a diversity index of 1.101, evenness index of 0.861, and dominance index of 0.102. Similarity index was 47.4% between sites 1 and 2, 33.3% between sites 1 and 3, and 40.0% between sites 2 and 3.

본 연구의 목적은 대학의 진로 계획 프로그램이 음악 전공 대학생의 취업 안정성에 미치는 영향에 대해 탐색하는 것이다. 이를 위해 본 연구 는 산둥성 Q 대학교 음악대학에서 실행하는 진로 계획 프로그램을 사례로 로 선택하였다. 본 연구에 필요한 자료 수집은 인터뷰, 현장 관찰 그리고 관련문헌 수집을 통하여 이루어졌으며, Glaser의 지속 비교 분석법을 사 용하여 자료를 분석하였다. 연구 결과에 따르면, 진로 계획 프로그램을 제공하는 것은 학생들에게 직업 계획을 효과적으로 세우도록 도움을 주 었다. 이는 학생들이 직업에 대한 의식을 분명하게 확립하고 시야를 넓힐 뿐만 아니라，학생들이 이성적 숙고에 따라 직업을 선택함으로써 개인을 발전시키는데 도움을 주었다. 이러한 연구 결과는 직업 선택과 입사 준 비 그리고 취업에 이르기까지 학생들의 직업의 안정성을 보장하는 데 있 어 진로 계획 프로그램의 중요성을 보여주었다. 그러므로 진로 계획 프 로그램이 학생들에게 현실적인 도움이 될 수 있도록 보다 적극적으로 운 용할 필요가 있음을 보여준다.

As the pace of technological advances accelerates, the role of electrical energy storage has become increasingly important. Among various storage solutions, supercapacitors are garnering significant attention. Their unique attributes, including high power density, rapid charge/discharge capabilities, and extended lifecycle, position them as a promising alternative to conventional batteries. This study investigates the synthesis of a nickel oxide (NiO) and nickel oxide/graphene oxide (NiO/GO) composite using a single-step hydrothermal method, to evaluate their potential as supercapacitor electrode materials. The synthesized NiO, graphene oxide (GO), and NiO/GO composite were comprehensively characterized using X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Raman spectroscopy to analyze their crystal structures and chemical bonding. The XRD analysis confirmed the formation of an NiO phase with a rhombohedral crystal structure, and no change after GO incorporation. SEM analysis revealed the formation of spherical NiO particles and porous morphology of the NiO/GO composite, which also exhibited a spherical shape. The GO displayed a randomly arranged wrinkled sheet-like structure. Electrochemical analysis of the NiO/GO composite exhibited a remarkable specific capacitance of 893 F g-1 at a current density of 1 A g-1, surpassing that of NiO and GO alone, demonstrating NiO/GO has promising performance for supercapacitor applications. The charge transfer resistance, derived from the Nyquist plot, suggests that the reduction in charge transfer resistance contributed significantly to the improved capacitance. Additional stability studies of over 5,000 cycles at 5 A g-1 revealed an 85 % initial capacitance retention, confirming the advantages of GO inclusion to improve material retention for superior long-term performance. The asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) assembled using an electrode with the configuration NiO/GO//activated carbon (AC) showed a specific capacitance of 77.8 F g-1 obtained at a current density of 0.5 A g-1.

We previously reported that pyridoxine and its derivatives exert antidiabetic effects by alleviating postprandial hyperglycemia via inhibition of carbohydrate-hydrolyzing enzymes in normal sprague–dawley (SD) rats. In this study, we aimed to further evaluate whether long-term pyridoxal supplementation decreases the blood glucose levels using SD rats. SD rats were randomly assigned to groups fed a high-carbohydrate diet (66.1% cornstarch) with or without pyridoxal (4%) for 36 days. Changes in body weight, blood glucose levels, and food intake were measured daily for 36 days. Dietary supplementation with pyridoxal significantly decreased the blood glucose levels (P<0.001) and body weight (P<0.001) in mice. Glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels, which are good indicators of plasma glucose concentrations over prolonged periods, were also significantly decreased over five weeks (P<0.001). Similarly, dietary treatment with Acarbose ® (0.04%), a positive control, also significantly decreased the blood glucose and HbA1c levels and body weight. Overall, our findings suggest that pyridoxal inhibits weight gain and alleviates postprandial hyperglycemia by decreasing glucose absorption and HbA1c levels.

진저 비어는 생강과 설탕을 이용한 발효 음료로, 가볍 게 탄산화된 특유의 매운맛이 특징이며, 주로 가정에서 직 접 만들어진다. Ginger bug라는 스타터 컬처를 사용한 자 연적 발효 과정을 통해 만들어지며, 이는 상업용 음료와 달리 발효된 상태의 살아있는 미생물을 포함한다. 이 연 구는 두 가지 다른 방법으로 가정용 진저 비어를 직접 제 조하여 진저 비어의 미생물 군집의 변화를 분석하고자 하 였다. 레시피 1과 2의 발효 결과, 총 균수(aerobic plate count, APC)는 최대 6 log CFU/mL에 도달했고, 효모와 곰팡이 수(yeast and mold, YM)는 6.5 log CFU/mL로 가 장 높았다. 레시피 2에서는 진저 비어를 만들기 전에 ginger bug를 발효하였으므로 알코올 함량이 0.655%까지 증가한 반면, 레시피 1에서는 0.15% 미만이었다. 다양성 분석 결 과, ginger bug에서 높은 수준의 Enterobacteriaceae가 발견 되어 발효 과정과 재료 취급이 미생물 군집 변화에 영향 을 미쳤음을 시사했다. 생강과 진저 비어 전반에서 Lactococcus가 낮은 수준으로 검출되었고, 진저 비어에서 는 셀룰로오스를 분해하는 Trabulsiella 균주가 발견되어 프로바이오틱스 가능성을 시사하였다. 본 연구는 진저 비 어의 미생물 군집에 대한 최초의 연구로, 진저 비어 제조 시 재료로부터 기원한 미생물이 어떻게 변화하는지에 대 한 통찰을 제공한다. 또한, 다양한 환경에서의 발효 조건 이 미생물 군집과 제품의 품질에 미치는 영향을 탐구하는 데 기여할 것이다. 연구 결과는 진저 비어의 품질 향상에 대한 향후 연구에 중요한 자료를 제공할 것이다.

Maturity at harvest is the key factor influencing storage life and the final quality of fruit. This study examined how the firmness of ‘Sweet Gold’ kiwifruit at harvest affects its post-ripening characteristics to create a maturity chart. Throughout the storage period, firmness decreased in all categories of fruit: hard, medium, and soft. ‘Soft’ fruits lost 40% of their firmness within 2 days after harvest, whereas ‘hard’ fruits remained firmer than soft fruits throughout the storage period and had the least soluble solids content, indicating a slower ripening progression. The acidity of ‘soft’ kiwifruit was very low from the day of harvest, suggesting that it was utilized as a respiratory substrate during ripening. The a-values (indicating redness) for ‘soft’ fruits gradually increased until day 6, stabilizing thereafter. ‘Soft’ fruits exhibited the highest ethylene production rate throughout storage. They showed a climacteric rise in ethylene on day 13, compared to ‘medium’ and ‘hard’ fruits, which exhibited increases on days 19 and 21, respectively. This data can help determine the optimal ethylene treatment duration for ripening ‘Sweet Gold’ kiwifruit. The firmness of ‘Sweet Gold’ kiwifruit at harvest is a crucial factor in determining its marketability and can effectively serve as a maturity index to estimate its shelf life.

High-entropy alloys (HEAs) represent a revolutionary class of materials characterized by their multi-principal element compositions and exceptional mechanical properties. Powder metallurgy, a versatile and cost-effective manufacturing process, offers significant advantages for the development of HEAs, including precise control over their composition, microstructure, and mechanical properties. This review explores innovative approaches integrating powder metallurgy techniques in the synthesis and optimization of HEAs. Key advances in powder production, sintering methods, and additive manufacturing are examined, highlighting their roles in improving the performance, advancement, and applicability of HEAs. The review also discusses the mechanical properties, potential industrial applications, and future trends in the field, providing a comprehensive overview of the current state and future prospects of HEA development using powder metallurgy.

The cost of treating water purification plant water treatment residuals is high, with a low recovery rate and unstable effluent water quality, particularly in plants using lake and reservoir water sources in severe cold regions. Maximizing water resource utilization requires integrating water treatment residuals concentration and treatment effectively. Here, ceramic membrane technology was employed to separate supernatant and substrate after pretreatment. Optimal settling was achieved using 75 μm magnetic powder at 200 and 4 mg/L of nonionic polyacrylamide co-injection. Approximately 65% of the separated supernatant was processed by 0.1–0.2 μm Al2O3 ceramic membranes, yielding a membrane flux of 50 L/m2h and a water recovery rate of 99.8%. This resulted in removal rates of 99.3% for turbidity, 98.2% for color, and 87.7% for color and permanganate index (chemical oxygen demand, COD). Furthermore, 35% of the separated substrate underwent treatment with 0.1–0.2 μm mixed ceramic membranes of Al2O3 and SiC, achieving a membrane flux of 40 L/m2h and a water recovery rate of 73.8%. The removal rates for turbidity, color, and COD were 99.9%, 99.9%, and 82%, respectively. Overall, this process enables comprehensive concentration and treatment integration, achieving a water recovery rate of 90.7% with safe and stable effluent water quality.

More than 5 billion people will use the Internet and social media by the end of 2024 and global influencer marketers reached USD 24 billion in early 2024. A regulation is thus needed to protect domestic consumers from the negative effects of global influencer marketing, such as deception, hidden advertising, and information uncertainty. Can the current legal framework effectively protect domestic consumers from misleading or deceptive and illegal advertising conducted by influencers through social media platforms from outside of their jurisdiction This essay first examines social influencing and explains how social influencers operate across national borders. It then discusses domestic legislation governing social influencers in China, Japan and South Korea and discusses why these domestic frameworks provide scant protection for consumers against false advertising and misinformation originating in another country. Finally, this essay proposes an international solution to a problem that will only increase size and severity in the future.

The feeder pipes of the primary cooling system in a pressurized heavy water reactor (PHWR) are composed of carbon steel SA 106 GR.B. On the surface of this structural material, corrosion oxide layers including radionuclides are formed due to the presence of active species from water decomposition products caused by radiation, as well as the high temperature and high-pressure environment. These oxide layers decrease the heat transfer efficiency of the primary cooling system and pose a risk of radiation exposure to workers and the environment during maintenance and decommissioning, making effective decontamination essential. In this study, we simulated the formation of the corrosion oxide layer on the surface of carbon steel SA 106 GR.B, characterized the formed corrosion oxide layer, and investigated the dissolution characteristics of the corrosion oxide layer using oxalic acid (OA), a commercial chemical decontamination agent. The corrosion oxide layer formed has a thickness of approximately 4 μm and consists of hematite ( Fe2O3) and magnetite ( Fe3O4). The carbon steel coupons with formed oxide layers were dissolved in 10 mM and 20 mM OA solutions, resulting in iron ion concentrations of 220 ppm and 276 ppm in the OA respectively. In 10 mM and 20 mM OA, the corrosion depths of the coupons were 8.93 μm and 10.22 μm, with corrosion rates of 0.39 mg/cm2·h and 0.45 mg/cm2·h, respectively. Thus, this demonstrates that higher OA concentrations lead to increased dissolution and corrosion of steel.

Carbon quantum dots (CQDs) are novel nanocarbon materials and widely used nanoparticles. They have gradually gained popularity in various fields due to their abundance, inexpensive cost, small size, ease of engineering, and distinct properties. To determine the antibacterial activity of metal-doped CQDs (metal-CQDs) containing Fe, Zn, Mn, Ni, and Co, we chose Staphylococcus aureus as a representative Gram-positive strain and Escherichia coli as a representative Gram-negative bacterial strain. Paper disc diffusion tests were conducted for the qualitative results, and a cell growth curve was drawn for quantitative results. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC), minimum bactericidal concentration (MBC), and IC50 were measured from cell growth curves. As a result, all of the metal-CQDs showed toxicity against both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria. Furthermore, Gram-negative bacteria was vulnerable to metal-CQDs than Gram-positive bacteria. The toxicity differed concerning the type of metal-CQDs; Mn-CQDs exhibited the highest efficacy. Hence, this study suggested that CQDs can be used as new nanoparticles for antibiotics.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) poses a significant global public health challenge, accounting for 10% of newly diagnosed cancer cases and causing 9.4% of cancer-related deaths. Conventional treatment methods like surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation have shown limited success despite the increasing incidence of CRC. Thus, there is an urgent need for innovative therapeutic approaches. Researchers are continually working on developing novel technologies, notably focused on the creation of safe and effective cancer nanomedicines, in their continuous effort to advance cancer treatment. Nanoparticles exist at the nanoscale. Nanoparticles at the nanoscale have distinctive properties that leverage the metabolic disparities between cancerous and normal cells. This property allows them to selectively induce substantial cytotoxicity in cancer cells while minimizing damage to healthy tissue. Carbon nanomaterials (CNMs), including graphene oxide (GO), carbon nanotubes (CNTs), and nanodiamonds (NDs), have undergone extensive investigation due to their biocompatibility, surface-to-volume ratio, thermal conductivity, rigid structural properties, and ability for post-chemical modifications. Notably, GO has emerged as a promising two-dimensional (2D) material for cancer treatment. Several groundbreaking nanoparticle-based therapies, predominantly utilizing GO, are currently undergoing clinical trials, with some already gaining regulatory clearance.

Electrical and thermal transport properties of a polycrystalline carrier-doped wide-gap semiconductor LaCu1-δ S0.5Se0.5O (δ = 0.01), in which the CuCh (Ch = S, Se) layer works as conducting layer, were measured at temperatures 473~673 K. The presence of δ = 0.01 copper defects dramatically reduces the electrical resistivity (ρ) to approximately one part per million compared to that of δ = 0 at room temperature. The polycrystalline δ = 0.01 sample exhibited ρ of 1.3 × 10-3 Ωm, thermal conductivity of 6.0 Wm-1 K-1, and Seebeck coefficient (S) of 87 μVK-1 at 673 K. The maximum value of the dimensionless figure of merit (ZT) of the δ = 0.01 sample was calculated to be 6.4 × 10-4 at T = 673 K. The ZT value is far smaller than a ZT ~ 0.01 measured for a nominal LaCuSeO sample. The smaller ZT is mainly due to the small S measured for LaCu1-δS0.5Se0.5O (δ = 0.01). According to the Debye model, above 300 K phonon thermal conductivity in a pure lattice is inversely proportional to T, while thermal conductivity of the δ = 0.01 sample increases with increasing T.

식품 포장 분야에서 바이오센서와 바이오폴리머 기반 나 노복합체, 즉 바이오나노복합체의 통합이 점차 산업 전문 가들에 의해 인식되고 있으며, 이는 식품의 품질과 안전 에 대한 우려가 증가함에 따라 주도되고 있습니다. 식품 포장에 내장된 바이오센서는 포장된 상품의 미생물에 의 한 변질을 지속적으로 모니터링함으로써 식품의 완전성을 유지하는 핵심 요소로 업계를 변화시킬 준비가 되어 있다. 동시에, 탁월한 기계적, 열적, 광학적, 항균적 특성으로 인 해 바이오폴리머 기반 나노복합체의 연구와 적용이 크게 확대되었다. 이러한 특성은 이들을 혁신적인 포장 솔루션 에 적합한 주요 재료로 만든다. 그러나 지능형 식품 포장 시스템 발전에 바이오센서와 바이오나노복합체를 사용하 는 잠재적인 장애물과 전망을 탐구하는 것은 아직 충분하 지 않다. 바이오나노복합체와 바이오센서의 융합을 제안 하는 것은 스마트 포장 산업을 재정의하는 획기적인 단계 로, 이 기술들을 더 깊이 이해하여 지속 가능하고 경제적 으로 실행 가능한 스마트 포장 옵션의 개발을 촉진할 필 요성을 강조한다. 이 리뷰는 바이오센서와 바이오나노복 합체에 대한 기존 연구와 개발 동향을 철저히 검토하고, 가까운 미래에 스마트 식품 포장 산업에서 진전을 이끌어 낼 앞으로의 도전과 기회를 강조하는 데 전념하고 있다.