The damage ratio of Spent Nuclear Fuel (SNF) is a very important intermediate variable for dry storage risk assessment which require an interdisciplinary and comprehensive investigation. It is known that the pinch load applied to the cladding can lead to Mode-3 failure and the cladding becomes more vulnerable to this failure mode with the existence of radial hydrides and other forms of mechanical defects. In this study, a sensitivity analysis was performed to evaluate the importance of the damage parameters that need to be calibrated for the simulation of zircaloy-4 cladding failure using computational mechanics. The simulation model was generated from a microscopic image of the cladding with hydride. The image segmentation method was used to separate the Zircaloy-4, hydride, and hydride- Zircaloy matrix interfaces to create a pixel-based finite element model. The ring compression test (RCT) was simulated because the resistance of the cladding under pinch load can be evaluated by this test. It was assumed that the damage starts with the formation and growth of voids or small cracks in the material, which grow and combine to form larger cracks, eventually leading to the complete fracture of the material. Therefore, the ductile damage criterion was applied to all materials to simulate crack formation and propagation. The sensitivity analysis was performed based on the design of experiments using L8 orthogonal array. The effects of five factors on the fracture resistance of hydrided cladding were quantified, and they are the fracture strains describing the damage initiation in zircaloy-4 matrix, hydride, and hydride-zirconium matrix, and yield stress and Young’s modulus for hydride-zirconium matrix. Information on those parameters are hardly available in literature and experimental data which enable the estimation of those are also very rare. It is planned to build a computational model which can accurately simulate the fracture behavior of hydrided cladding by calibrating significant fracture parameters using reverse engineering. The results of this study will help to figure out those significant parameters.

The characterization of nuclear materials is crucial for global nuclear safeguards efforts, as these materials can potentially be used for illicit purposes. In this study, we evaluated the applicability and performance of the In-Situ Object Counting System (ISOCS) equipment for the characterization and quantification of uranium, including uranium pellets and radioactive wastes. Our methodology involved using ISOCS to measure samples with different enrichments and total amounts of uranium, and to analyze the results in order to evaluate the ISOCS’s effectiveness in accurately characterizing the various uranium samples. To this end, we compared the ISOCS results with those of the Multi-Group Analysis for Uranium (MGAU) system, which is currently used in the field of international safeguards. The results of this study showed that the ISOCS was sensitive enough to analyze small amounts of uranium pellet, with %differences ranging from -0.7% to 19%. However, when analyzing shielded nuclear materials like in concrete waste, the uncertainty was relatively high, with %differences ranging from 11% to 67%. On the other hand, the MGAU system was unable to analyze uranium for the same spectrum, indicating the superiority of the ISOCS in terms of usability. The ISOCS instrument was also found to be effective in analyzing uranium in various types of samples without the need of standard sources. Overall, the findings of this study have important implications for the development of more effective safeguards strategies for the characterization of nuclear materials. The ISOCS instrument could be a reliable tool for analyzing nuclear materials, contributing to global safeguards efforts to reduce the risk of nuclear proliferation.

PURPOSES : This study proposes brief guidelines for traffic engineers in the field to refer to when operating tram priority signals based on the "early green" and "green extension" methods. METHODS : A set of VISSIM simulation analyses was conducted considering various traffic and control conditions in a hypothetical corridor consisting of two signalized intersections. The traffic conditions were varied at five different levels. The control conditions were varied at twenty-five levels by changing the tram priority traffic signal control parameters, i.e., the early green unit time and green extension unit time. A total of 125 simulation runs were from these combinations. A set of optimal signal timings for ordinary non-tram vehicles was prepared with TRANSYT-7F and implemented for the simulation. A tram priority signal control module based on VISVAP was exclusively developed for this study. RESULTS : As expected, no specific trend was found in the relationship between the two tram priority control parameters (early green time and green extension time). However, a trend was observed when assuming that the early green and green extension operations were mutually exclusive. Specifically, an inverse trend appeared between the tram priority control parameter values and level of congestion according to the performance measure (average network delay). CONCLUSIONS : For the early green control parameters, it is better to provide six seconds when undersaturated and four seconds when near-saturated. For the green extension control parameter, four seconds is suitable.

Laser-induced graphene (LIG) uses a CO2 infrared laser scriber for transforming specific polymer substrates into porous graphene. This technique is simple, scalable, low-cost, free of chemicals, and produces a 3D graphene for applications across many fields. However, the resulting 3D graphene is highly sensitive to the lasing parameters used in their production. Here, we report the effects of power, raster speed, number of lasing passes (with and without spot overlapping) on the resulting LIG structure, morphology, and sheet resistance, using a polyimide (PI) substrate. We find that the number of lasing passes, laser spot overlapping and brand of PI used had a strong influence on the quality of the LIG, measured in terms of the IG/ ID and I2D Raman bands and sheet resistance. Increasing number of passes and overlapping of laser spots led to increased LIG pore sizes, larger graphene scales, and reduced sheet resistance. Furthermore, the over-the-counter desktop CO2 laser engraving unit used introduced additional restrictions that limited the quality of the LIG produced, particularly due to inconsistent control of the laser scribing speed and a poor thermal management of the laser unit.

Temperature is a crucial environmental factor for rice cultivation due to the climate change and can influence the rice growth and development. Therefore, the effect of temperature on plant growth characters was examined during the vegetative growth stage. Plants were grown under three different temperatures: 23°C/13°C for 18°C, 26°C/16°C for 21°C and 29°C/19°C for 24°C in the phytotron. The temperature was treated after transplanting and ended in early panicle initiation stage. Heading date of the two varieties were strongly affected by the temperature and were delayed in the 18°C. The plant height in the 18°C was 21 % shorter than the 21°C and 24°C and the tiller and leaf number were increased in the 18°C. All the growth rates of the characters were the slowest in 18°C. The stem dry weight was significantly increased in 18°C. Nitrogen content was increased in the leaves of 18°C whereas available phosphate and potassium contents was found to be increased in the stems of 21°C and 24°C. OsNRT2.1 was overexpressed in the leaves and stems of 18°C and OsNRT2.3a could be expressed in 18°C and 21°C temperatures whereas more expressed in 21°C. OsPT1 and OsPT6 could be expressed in the leaf of 18°C and 24°C but could be expressed more in the stem of 18°C. OsHAK1 and OsHAK5 could be overexpressed in the leaves and stems of 18°C. For hormone, OsCKX2 gene was found to be up regulated in the leaves of 18°C and OsIAA1 gene could expressed more in the stem of 24°C.

We present the deep homogeneous 𝑈𝐵𝑉𝑅𝐼 photometric data of 135,071 stars down to 𝑉 ∼ 23 mag and 𝐼 ∼ 22 mag toward the Carina Nebula. These stars are cross-matched with those from the previous surveys in the X-ray, near-infrared, and mid-infrared wavelengths as well as the Gaia Early Data Release 3 (EDR3). This master catalog allows us to select reliable members and determine the fundamental parameters distance, size, stellar density of stellar clusters in this star-forming region. We revisit the reddening toward the nebula using the optical and the near-infrared colors of early-type stars. The foreground reddening [𝐸(𝐵 −𝑉) 𝑓 𝑔] is determined to be 0.35 ± 0.02, and it seems to follow the standard reddening law. On the other hand, the total-toselective extinction ratio of the intracluster medium (𝑅𝑉,𝑐𝑙) decreases from the central region (Trumpler 14 and 16, 𝑅𝑉,𝑐𝑙 ∼ 4.5) to the northern region (Trumpler 15, 𝑅𝑉,𝑐𝑙 ∼ 3.4). It implies that the central region is more dusty than the northern region. We find that the distance modulus of the Carina Nebula to be 11.9 ± 0.3 mag (𝑑 = 2.4 ± 0.35 kpc) using a zero-age main-sequence fitting method, which is in good agreement with that derived from the Gaia EDR3 parallaxes. We also present the catalog of 3,331 pre-main-sequence (PMS) members and 14,974 PMS candidates down to 𝑉 ∼ 22 mag based on spectrophotometric properties of young stars at infrared, optical, and X-ray wavelengths. From the spatial distribution of PMS members and PMS candidates, we confirm that the member selection is very reliable down to faint stars. Our data will have a legacy value for follow-up studies with different scientific purposes.

The column-tree type steel beam-column connections are commonly used in East Asian countries, including Korea. The welding detail between the stub beam and column is similar to the WUF-W connection; thus, it can be expected to have sufficient seismic performance. However, previous experimental studies indicate that premature slip occurs at the friction joints between the stub and link beams. In this study, for the accurate seismic performance evaluation of column-tree type moment connections, a moment-slip model was proposed by investigating the previous test results. As a result, it was found that the initial slip occurred at about 25% of the design slip moment strength, and the amount of slip was about 0.15%. Also, by comparing the analysis results from models with and without the slip element, the influence of slip on the performance of overall beam-column connections was examined. As the panel zone became weaker, the contribution of slip on overall deformation became greater, and the shear demand for the panel zone was reduced.

Background: In order to improve the daily life of stroke patients, it is necessary to restore walking performance. Improving gait performance is one of the main goals for stroke rehabilitation. Objectives: To investigate the change in gait parameters through evaluation of one stroke patient before, during, and after wearing the weight vest. Design: A case study. Methods: This study is an ABA study design. In principle, one assessment per day (A1) was measured three times without wearing the weight vest. Intervention assessment (B) was performed 6 times while wearing the weight vest. The second baseline evaluation (A2) was measured three times with the weight vest removed again. Results: The gait speed was increased when the weight vest was removed than when the weight vest was worn. Also, gait symmetry increased when wearing the weight vest. Conclusion: Wearing the weight vest can reduce the gait asymmetry in stroke patients and increase the gait speed after wearing the weight vest.

Background: A weight-bearing jacket during treadmill gait training is being used for rehabilitation in stroke patients. However, the effect on various gait parameters has not been confirmed. Objectives: The purpose of this study was to investigate the comparison of exercise intensity through speed increase and weight-bearing jacket during treadmill gait training to restore gait ability in stroke patients. Design: Randomized controlled trials. Methods: This study recruited 24 stroke patients. The subjects were randomly assigned to the experimental group (wearing a weight-bearing jacket during treadmill gait training, n=12) and the control group (speed increase during treadmill gait training, n=12). Gait measurement device (G-walk) was used to measure the gait parameters of the subjects. Results: Both the experimental group and control group showed a significant increase in cadence, gait speed, stride length, and gait symmetry index post intervention (P<.05). In comparison between the two groups, the experimental group showed a significant increase in the gait symmetry index post the intervention than the control group (P<.05). Conclusion: Through this study, it was found that wearing a weight-bearing jacket was a more effective method for improving the gait symmetry index than increasing speed during treadmill gait training in stroke patients.

Soft magnetic powder materials are used throughout industries such as motors and power converters. When manufacturing Fe-based soft magnetic composites, the size and shape of the soft magnetic powder and the microstructure in the powder are closely related to the magnetic properties. In this study, Fe-Si-Al-P alloy powders were manufactured using various manufacturing process parameter sets, and the process parameters of the vacuum induction melt gas atomization process were set as melt temperature, atomization gas pressure, and gas flow rate. Process variable data that records are converted into 6 types of data for each powder recovery section. Process variable data that recorded minute changes were converted into 6 types of data and used as input variables. As output variables, a total of 6 types were designated by measuring the particle size, flowability, apparent density, and sphericity of the manufactured powders according to the process variable conditions. The sensitivity of the input and output variables was analyzed through the Pearson correlation coefficient, and a total of 6 powder characteristics were analyzed by artificial neural network model. The prediction results were compared with the results through linear regression analysis and response surface methodology, respectively.

In this study, the marine medaka Oryzias javanicus was exposed to two concentrations of non-toxin-producing red tide dinoflagellate C. polykrikoides (1,000 and 2,000 cells ml-1) for 96 h, and the time-course biochemical responses of antioxidant and immunity parameters were analyzed in the liver tissue. Significant ichthyotoxicity with increasing cell concentrations of C. polykrikoides and exposure period was observed for 96 h. Opercular respiratory rate was lowered in marine medaka exposed to 2,000 cells ml-1 of C. polykrikoides. Intracellular malondialdehyde (MDA) content significantly elevated in response to both cell concentrations. In the case of glutathione (GSH) content, the levels were significantly elevated by 1,000 cells ml-1 of C. polykrikoides, but the contents significantly depleted upon exposure to 2,000 cells ml-1 of C. polykrikoides. Similarly, enzymatic activities of catalase (CAT) and superoxide dismutase (SOD) were increased by 1,000 cells ml-1 of C. polykrikoides, whereas their activities were lowered by 2,000 cells ml-1 of C. polykrikoides. Analysis of the two immunity parameters, alternative complement pathway and lysozyme, showed significantly lowered activities in 2,000 cells ml-1 of C. polykrikoides-exposed liver tissue. These biochemical effects of C. polykrikoides on marine medaka would be helpful for understanding its acute effects in marine fish.

Welding is one of representative manufacturing processes in the industrial field. Cryogenic storage containers are also manufactured through welding, and conversion to laser welding is issue in the field due to many advantages. Since welding causes thermal-elastic deformation, design considering distortion is required. Prediction of distortion through FEM is essential, but laser welding has difficulties in the field because there is no representative heat source model. The author presented the model that can cover various models using a multi-layer heat source model in previous studies. However the previous study has a limitation which is a welding heat source model must be derived after performing bead on plate welding. Thus this study was attempted to estimate the welding heat source parameters by comparing the shape of bead under various conditions. First, the difference between penetration shape and welding heat source parameters according to welding power was analyzed. The radius of the welding heat source increased according to the welding power, and the depth of the welding heat source also increased. The correlation between the penetration shape and the welding heat source parameter appears at a similar rate, however the follow-up research is necessary with more model data.

붕어(무게 28.1±3.7 g, 길이 10.0±1.0 cm)에 0, 2.0×104, 2.0×105, 2.0×106, 2.0×107 CFU/ml의 Aeromonas hydrophila를 주사 후 2주간 실험을 실시하였다. A. hydrophila로 인위감염한 Carassius carassius의 2주 뒤 반수치사농도는 19.776×105 CFU/ml이었다. 혈액학적 지표에서는 A. hydrophila에 의해 혈색소와 적혈구 수가 유의하게 감소한 반면, 적혈구 용적은 유의적 변 화가 없었다. 마그네슘, 칼슘과 같은 혈장 무기 성분은 유의적으로 감소하였다. 유기 혈장 성분 에서 A. hydrophila 인위감염에 의해 혈장 포도당과 콜레스테롤이 유의하게 증가한 반면, 총 단 백질은 유의하게 감소하였다. 혈장 효소 성분인 ALP는 A. hydrophila 인위감염에 의해 유의하 게 증가하였다. 본 연구의 결과는 C. carassius에 대한 A. hydrophila의 인위감염이 치명적인 병원성 세균으로 혈액학적 성상 및 혈장 성분에 유의한 생리학적 변화를 유도하였음을 의미 한다.

붕어(무게 42.4 ± 9.0 g, 길이 15.0 ± 1.0 cm)를 96시간 동안 0, 5, 10, 20, 40 및 80 mg Zn2+/l의 수 인성 아연에 노출시켰다. 수인성 아연에 노출된 붕어의 96시간 반수치사농도(LC50)는 51.58 mg Zn2+/l였다. 혈액학적 지표에서 48시간에 40 mg Zn2+/l 농도에서 RBC 수치가 유의하게 감소 한 반면, 헤마토크릿은 아연 노출에 의해 유의하게 증가하였다. MCV (μl)와 MCH (pg)는 40 mg Zn2+/l 농도에서 48시간에 유의하게 증가하였다. 칼슘, 마그네슘, 포도당, 콜레스테롤, 총 단백질 및 ALT와 같은 혈장 성분은 아연 노출에 의해 크게 변화되었다. 본 연구의 결과는 붕어에 대한 아연 노출이 독성으로서 혈액학적 매개변수 및 혈장 성분의 유의한 생리학적 변화를 유발함을 시사한다.

본 실험은 붕어(Crucian carp, Carassius carassius)(무게 39.7±3.1 g, 전장 14.8±0.5 cm)의 수인 성 니켈 0, 10, 20, 40, 80 및 160 mg Ni2+/l 농도로 96시간 급성 노출을 실시하였다. 수인성 니 켈에 노출된 붕어의 반수치사농도(LC50)는 117.69 mg Ni2+/l으로 나타났다. 혈액학적 성상에서 RBC count는 수인성 니켈 96시간 급성 노출 중 48시간에서 유의적으로 증가한 반면, 96시간에 서 유의적 감소가 나타났다. MCV와 MCH는 96시간에서 80 mg Ni2+/l 농도에서 유의적으로 증 가했다. Calcium, magnesium, glucose, cholesterol, total protein, AST, ALT 및 ALP 와 같은 혈장 성분은 수인성 니켈 노출에 의해 유의적 변화가 나타났다. 이 연구의 결과는 수인성 니켈 노출 에 따른 붕어의 생존율, 혈액학적 성상 및 혈장 성분의 변화를 확인하고 이는 수인성 니켈의 독성에 의한 것으로 판단했다.

빵의 소비가 증가함에 따라 제빵 성능을 향상시킬 수 있는 기술은 제빵 산업에서 중요한 주제가 되고 있다. 활성글루텐(vital gluten)은 밀가루에 물을 첨가하여 전분을 제거한 후 글루텐만을 건조시킨 단백질이다. 품질이 낮은 밀가루에 활성글루텐을 첨가하면 반죽에 탄성과 신장성을 부여하여 제빵성능을 향상할 수 있다. 현재 제빵 산업에서 활성글루텐이 많이 활용되고 있지만 이들의 화학적, 물리화학적 특성 및 품질 평가에 필요한 품질 파라미터들에 대해 이해가 부족한 실정이다. 본 총설에서는, 활성글루텐의 품질을 예측하기 위한 파라미터의 이해를 돕기 위하여 밀 글루텐 단백질의 종류와 역할, 밀 반죽에서 형성되는 글루텐 네트워크, 밀가루 품질에 영향을 미치는 요인, 활성글루텐의 제조공정, 활성글루텐의 품질에 영향을 미치는 요인, 마지막으로 활성글루텐의 물리적 특성을 효과적으로 평가할 수 있는 글루토피크(Glutopeak)에 대해 설명하고자 한다. 본 총설을 통해 반죽 리올로지 특성과 제빵 성능에 영향을 미치는 활성글루텐의 품질 파라미터를 이해하고, 제빵 산업에서 활용할 수 있도록 도움이 되길 기대한다.