• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.45 no.4
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• pp.427-438
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• 2013

In this paper we discuss spent fuel management options in the Republic of Korea (ROK) from two interrelated perspectives: Centralized dry cask storage and spent fuel pyroprocessing and burning in sodium fast reactors (SFRs). We argue that the ROK will run out of space for at-reactors spent fuel storage by about the year 2030 and will thus need to transition centralized dry cask storage. Pyroprocessing plant capacity, even if approved and successfully licensed and constructed by that time, will not suffice to handle all the spent fuel discharged annually. Hence centralized dry cask storage will be required even if the pyroprocessing option is successfully developed by 2030. Pyroprocessing is but an enabling technology on the path leading to fissile material recycling and burning in future SFRs. In this regard we discuss two SFR options under development in the U.S.: the Super Prism and the Travelling Wave Reactor (TWR). We note that the U.S. is further along in reactor development than the ROK. The ROK though has acquired more experience, recently in investigating fuel recycling options for SFRs. We thus call for two complementary joint R&D project to be conducted by U.S. and ROK scientists. One leading to the development of a demonstration centralized away-fromreactors spent fuel storage facility. The other involve further R&D on a combined SFR-fuel cycle complex based on the reactor and fuel cycle options discussed in the paper.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.751-760
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• 2015

Management of renewable organic resources is important in attaining the sustainability of agricultural production. However, nutrient management with organic resources is more complex than fertilization with chemical fertilizer because the composition of the organic input or the environmental condition will influence organic matter decomposition and nutrient release. One of the most effective methods for estimating nutrient release from organic amendment is the use of N mineralization models. The present study aimed at parameterizing N mineralization models for a number of organic amendments being used as a nutrient source for crop production. Laboratory incubation experiment was conducted in aerobic condition. N mineralization was investigated for nineteen organic amendments in sandy soil and clay soil at $20^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$, and $30^{\circ}C$. N mineralization was facilitated at higher temperature condition. Negative correlation was observed between mineralized N and C:N ratio of organic amendments. N mineralization process was slower in clay soil than in sandy soil and this was mainly due to the delayed nitrification. The single and the double exponential models were used to estimate N mineralization of the organic amendments. N mineralization potential $N_p$ and mineralization rate k were estimated in different temperature and soil conditions. Estimated $N_p$ ranged from 28.8 to 228.1 and k from 0.0066 to 0.6932. The double exponential model showed better prediction of N mineralization compared with the single exponential model, particularly for organic amendments with high C:N ratio. It is expected that the model parameters estimated based on the incubation experiment could be used to design nutrient management planning in environment-friendly agriculture.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.31 no.10
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• pp.1438-1445
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• 2021

A bifunctional glycoside hydrolase GH78 from the ascomycete Xylaria polymorpha (XpoGH78) possesses catalytic versatility towards both glycosides and esters, which may be advantageous for the efficient degradation of the plant cell-wall complex that contains both diverse sugar residues and esterified structures. The contribution of XpoGH78 to the conversion of lignocellulosic materials without any chemical pretreatment to release the water-soluble aromatic fragments, carbohydrates, and methanol was studied. The disintegrating effect of enzymatic lignocellulose treatment can be significantly improved by using different kinds of hydrolases and phenoloxidases. The considerable changes in low (3 kDa), medium (30 kDa), and high (> 200 kDa) aromatic fragments were observed after the treatment with XpoGH78 alone or with this potent cocktail. Synergistic conversion of rape straw also resulted in a release of 17.3 mg of total carbohydrates (e.g., arabinose, galactose, glucose, mannose, xylose) per gram of substrate after incubating for 72 h. Moreover, the treatment of rape straw with XpoGH78 led to a marginal methanol release of approximately 17 ㎍/g and improved to 270 ㎍/g by cooperation with the above accessory enzymes. In the case of beech wood conversion, the combined catalysis by XpoGH78 and laccase caused an effect comparable with that of fungal strain X. polymorpha in woody cultures concerning the liberation of aromatic lignocellulose fragments.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.45 no.6
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• pp.726-733
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• 2021

Background: Panax notoginseng is a highly valued medicinal herb used widely in China and many Asian countries. Its root and rhizome have long been used for the treatment of cardiovascular and hematological diseases. Imaging the spatial distributions and dynamics of metabolites in heterogeneous plant tissues is significant for characterizing the metabolic networks of Panax notoginseng, and this will also provide a highly informative approach to understand the complex molecular changes in the processing of Panax notoginseng. Methods: Here, a high-sensitive MALDI-MS imaging method was developed and adopted to visualize the spatial distributions and spatiotemporal changes of metabolites in different botanical parts of Panax notoginseng. Results: A wide spectrum of metabolites including notoginsenosides, ginsenosides, amino acids, dencichine, gluconic acid, and low-molecular-weight organic acids were imaged in Panax notoginseng rhizome and root tissues for the first time. Moreover, the spatiotemporal alterations of metabolites during the steaming of Panax notoginseng root were also characterized in this study. And, a series of metabolites such as dencichine, arginine and glutamine that changed with the steaming of Panax notoginseng were successfully screened out and imaged. Conclusion: These spatially-resolved metabolite data not only enhance our understanding of the Panax notoginseng metabolic networks, but also provide direct evidence that a serious of metabolic alterations occurred during the steaming of Panax notoginseng.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 2019

Background: Korean ginseng is an important cash crop in Asian countries. However, plant yield is reduced by pathogens. Among the Ilyonectria radicicola-species complex, I. mors-panacis is responsible for root-rot and replant failure of ginseng in Asia. The development of new methods to reveal the existence of the pathogen before cultivation is started is essential. Therefore, a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction method was developed to detect and quantify the pathogen in ginseng soils. Methods: In this study, a species-specific histone H3 primer set was developed for the quantification of I. mors-panacis. The primer set was used on DNA from other microbes to evaluate its sensitivity and selectivity for I. mors-panacis DNA. Sterilized soil samples artificially infected with the pathogen at different concentrations were used to evaluate the ability of the primer set to detect the pathogen population in the soil DNA. Finally, the pathogen was quantified in many natural soil samples. Results: The designed primer set was found to be sensitive and selective for I. mors-panacis DNA. In artificially infected sterilized soil samples, using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction the estimated amount of template was positively correlated with the pathogen concentration in soil samples ($R^2=0.95$), disease severity index ($R^2=0.99$), and colony-forming units ($R^2=0.87$). In natural soils, the pathogen was recorded in most fields producing bad yields at a range of $5.82{\pm}2.35pg/g$ to $892.34{\pm}103.70pg/g$ of soil. Conclusion: According to these results, the proposed primer set is applicable for estimating soil quality before ginseng cultivation. This will contribute to disease management and crop protection in the future.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.139-165
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• 2019

The current status and prospect of decommissioning technology development at KAERI are reviewed here. Specifically, this review focuses on four key technologies: decontamination, remote dismantling, decommissioning waste treatments, and site remediation. The decontamination technologies described are component decontamination and system decontamination. A cutting method and a remote handling method together with a decommissioning simulation are described as remote dismantling technologies. Although there are various types of radioactive waste generated by decommissioning activities, this review focuses on the major types of waste, such as metal waste, concrete waste, and soil waste together with certain special types, such as high-level and high-salt liquid waste, organic mixed waste, and uranium complex waste, which are known to be difficult to treat. Finally, in a site remediation technology review, a measurement and safety evaluation related to site reuse and a site remediation technique are described.

• Journal of the Korea Fashion and Costume Design Association
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.71-86
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to compare and analyze the Chinese robe styles of the Paris and Beijing collections from 2014 to 2018 to find the differences between the expressions of European and Chinese designers on the Chinese robe style. The methods of research were a literature review to derive the design analysis items of Chinese robe styles, and a case analysis. The results are as follows. First, both the Paris and Beijing collections showed an increase in use of Chinese robe styles year by year. Second, in the Paris collection, designs using qipao styles from the Republic of China era appeared the most among the robe styles of various Chinese dynasties. Qipao style appeared the most in the Beijing collection too, but the robe styles from the era of Pre-Qin, Qin, Han, Song, Ming, and Qing dynasties appeared more often than in the Paris collection. Third, in the comparison of silhouette type, there were mostly X-type silhouettes in the Paris collection and A-type silhouettes in the Beijing collection. As for neckline and sleeve type, both collections showed stand collars and tube sleeves. Fourth, in color comparison, there were mostly red-based colors in the Paris collection and blue-based colors in the Beijing collection. Fifth, in the comparison of pattern type, there were the mostly plant motif patterns in the Paris collection, and complex patterns in the Beijing collection. In conclusion, it was confirmed that the Chinese robe styles of the Paris Collection expressed a design fused with various styles due to the tendency to respect the diversity of various cultures and of the Beijing Collection emphasized the beauty and ethnicity of traditional Chinese clothing.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.256-262
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• 2022

Panax ginseng C. A. Meyer is well known as traditional herbal medicine, and ginseng berries are known to exhibit potential immune-enhancing functions. However, little is known about the in vivo immunomodulatory activity of Korean ginseng berries. In this study, crude Korean ginseng berries polysaccharides (GBP) were isolated and their immunomodulatory activities were investigated using cyclophosphamide (CY)-induced immunosuppressive BALB/c mice. In CY-treated mice, oral administration of GBP (50-500 mg/kg BW) remarkably increased their spleen sizes and spleen indices and activated NK cell activities. GBP also resulted in the proliferation of splenic lymphocytes (coordinating with ConA: plant mitogen which is known to stimulate T-cell or LPS: endotoxin which binds receptor complex in B cells to promote the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines) in a dose-dependent manner. In addition, GBP significantly stimulated mRNA expression levels of immune-associated genes including interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-2, IL-4, IL-6, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), interferon-γ (IFN-γ), toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4), and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) in CY-treated mice. These results indicate that GBP is involved in immune effects against CY-induced immunosuppression. Thus, GBP could be developed as an immunomodulation agent for medicinal or functional food application.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.26 no.11
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• pp.1644-1652
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• 2022

In the case of safety training where practical training is impossible due to risk problems, training contents using realistic media such as virtual reality or augmented reality are becoming a new alternative. In this paper, we propose a smoke modeling method that can be applied to safety-training contents implemented with realistic media technology. When an accident occurs in a hazardous area such as a petrochemical plant, visibility is not secured due to gas leakage and fire. In order to create such a situation, it is important to realistically express smoke. The proposed method is a smoke model implementation technique that can be effectively applied to the background of complex passages and devices such as petrochemical plants. In the proposed method, the smoke is expressed using volumetric rendering in the post-processing stage for the resulting image of scene rendering. Implementation results in the background of the factory show that the proposed method produces models that can express the smoke realistically.

• Plant Journal
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.46-51
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• 2022

As GHG reduction becomes a major global issue, the importance and interest of ETS is increasing. Korea experienced positive effects of the system since the introduction of ETS in 2015, but also faced various problems. The focus of this study is on the issue of applying the ETS system to the group energy of industrial complexes. The group energy of industrial complexes is a unique industrial form of Korea that cannot be found in the world. Therefore, if the system is implemented in the same way as the preceding countries, it will inevitably cause problems. In particular, the group energy of industrial complexes has the characteristic that the conditions and amount of heat supplied are dtermined according to the demands of customers and the amount of power generation is determined accordingly. We investigated how differenct temperatures of heat produced in cogeneration affect carbon credit calculations.