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Abstract: A sodium-cooled fast reactor (SFR) and a very high temperature reactor (VHTR) are being developed according to the national road map of Korea. Until now, the R&D activities on the structural materials for these Gen-IV reactor systems can be summarized to the development of new alloys and evaluation of candidate materials. Extensive effort is being focused on the development of ferritic-martensitic (FM) steels and Fe-base oxide dispersion strengthened (ODS) alloys for the SFR applications. Research activity on Ni-base ODS alloys for the VHTR applications has been also performed, aiming at developing the intermediate heat exchanger materials with superior mechanical properties at high temperatures above 900°C. Extensive studies have been made on the development of ceramic and composite material for VHTR application and on the simulation of radiation damage. Recently, reduced activation ferritic martensitic (RAFM) steel development is planned to develop structural materials for Korean Test Blanket Module (TBM) as one of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) development program. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The status of R&D works being carried out for the development of the technology for the coated fuel particles and the achievements in the first phase in Korea is described. Emphasis is given to the development of the laboratory equipment and apparatus and the first results of the experiments carried out for the kernel preparation and coating of PyC and SiC as well as their respective characterizations and relevant quality control (QC) methods. The current status of the in-reactor performance model and the analytical code development are included as well as some preliminary results from the feasibility study on the irradiation test of the fuel specimens in the HANARO research reactor in Korea. Also discussed are the essential involvements in the GIF collaboration and with the IAEA as well as other international collaboration schemes during the development. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Ultrafine particle concentration (3–100nm) was continuously measured in summer (6/7/2006–17/8/2006), fall (1/10/2006–31/10/2006), winter (2/2/2007–7/3/2007), and spring (7/4/2007–7/5/2007) in urban Gwangju, Korea. By considering the size range with elevated concentration and hypothesizing the source or formation pathways, we classified ultrafine particle events into: (1) “10–100nm traffic event,” (2) “50–100nm residential heating event,” and (3) “10–30nm photochemical event.” Coincidence of NO x , CO, O3, and solar radiation with ultrafine particle concentration was used as an indicator for the traffic, residential heating, and photochemical contributions. We showed that particles due to traffic and residential heating led to enhanced ultrafine particle concentration in winter, while in summer particles formed by photochemical activity led to increased ultrafine particle concentration. The average ultrafine particle number concentrations were 8.8×103, 7.4×103, and 7.9×103 cm−3 with geometric mean diameters (GMDs) of 25, 48, and 53nm in the photochemical, traffic, and residential heating events, respectively. Our ultrafine particle concentrations and other gas concentrations (NO x and CO) were found to be lower than observations in Atlanta and in Fresno, probably due to lower source strength such as traffic and residential heating in current site. We occasionally observed particle growth after formation of particles in the photochemical event with growth rates of 2.2–4.7nmh−1. Morphological and elemental analysis for size-selected ultrafine particles showed that mixtures of sulfate and metals with the presence of semi-transparent part inside the particle were observed in the photochemical event (49 over 200 particles), while in the traffic event agglomerated carbonaceous particles were observed (66 over 130 particles), which were rarely detected in the photochemical event. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The current status of and challenges associated with bioenergy production and utilization in Korea are reviewed in this paper. Bioenergy (particularly transport biofuels) has emerged as a promising option for mitigating Korea''s CO2 emissions and enhancing its energy security. Korea''s limited biomass resources and the high cost of biofuels are the major barriers to achieving 2030''s implementation targets. Efforts to identify new suitable biomass resources for biofuels production are ongoing and intensive. Aquatic biomasses including algae and plantation wastes collected in the Southeast Asia region have been found to have great potential as feedstocks. R&D on technologies that can more efficiently convert biomass materials to biofuels also are underway. It is expected that cost-effective biofuels will be in adequate supply from 2020 and that, by 2030, their use will contribute effectively to the realization of sustainable growth in Korea. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the dietary taurine intake, nutrients intake, dietary habits and life stress by depression in Korean female college students., Methods: In this study, research data were collected in March 2009 and 65 patients with depression and 65 controls without depression participated. The CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression) scale was used for depression measure and controls were matched for age. A 3-day recall method was used for dietary assessment (2 weekdays and 1 weekend day)., Results: Average height, weight and body mass index (BMI) were 161.3+/-0.5 cm, 55.3+/-1.0 kg and 21.2+/-0.4 kg/m2 for depression patients and those of control group were 161.4+/-0.7 cm, 53.1+/-0.8 kg and 20.3+/-0.2 kg/m2, respectively. Average dietary taurine intakes of depression patients and control group were 89.1 and 88.0 mg/day, respectively. There was no significant difference in dietary taurine intake between depression patients and control group. The average intakes of vitamin A (p<0.05), beta-carotene (p<0.01), vitamin C (p<0.05), folic acid (p<0.05) and fiber (p<0.05) of depression patients were significantly lower compared to control group. The average total dietary habit score of depression patients (47.2) was significantly lower than that of control group (51.3) (p<0.01). The average dietary habit scores of "eating meals at regular times" (p<0.05), "eating adequate amount of meals" (p<0.05), "having meals with diverse foods" (p<0.05), "avoiding eating spicy foods" (p<0.01) and "eating protein foods such as meat, fish, eggs, beans more than 2 times a day" (p<0.05) were significantly lower in depression patients compare to control group. The average scores of total life stress (p<0.001) and all stress categories of depression patients were significantly higher than those of control group except faculty problem score., Conclusions: These results show that depression patients have poor dietary habits and unbalanced nutrition status. Also depression patients have higher life stress score.Therefore, continuous nutrition education and counselling for good dietary habits and balanced nutrition status are needed to prevent depression in Korean college students.

Background: Constipation is a common gastrointestinal symptom in Korea as well as in Western countries. This study was performed to investigate the dietary taurine intake, nutrient status, and life stress of functional constipation (FC) patients in Korean male college students., Methods: Research data were collected in 2008 and a total of 104 male students (52 with FC patients and 52 healthy controls without FC) were included. FC patients were defined by the codes for the Rome Modular Questionnaire and healthy controls without FC were matched for age, height, weight and BMI. A self-administered life stress score and 3-day recall method were used to assess life stress level and dietary intake, respectively., Results: The averages of age, height, weight, body fat percentage and body mass index (BMI) of male students were 23.4 years, 174.1 cm, 71.9 kg, 19.0 % and 23.7 kg/m2, respectively. Average intake of dietary taurine was 126.8 mg/day in FC patients and 105.1 mg/day in control group. The average intake of total calorie (p<0.05), plant protein (p<0.01), plant fat (p<0.001), carbohydrate (p<0.05), plant calcium (p<0.05) of FC patients were significantly higher compared to control group. The average total life stress score (p<0.01), economy problem score (p<0.05), future problem score (p<0.05) and value problem score (p<0.05) of FC patients were significantly higher compared to control group., Conclusions: These results may suggest that FC patients show a higher life stress score and intake of some nutrient such as total calorie, plant protein, plant fat, carbohydrate and plant calcium in Korean male college students. Therefore, a further large-scale study is needed about correlation between life stress and nutrients intake including dietary taurine.

The pond smelt Hypomesus olidus and minnow Zacco platypus were collected from the Soyang and Daechung Lakes in January 2003, and their metacercarial infections was examined by the muscle compression and artificial digestion techniques. In the Soyang Lake, 161 metacercariae of Clonorchis sinensis (0.35 per fish) were harvested from 459 pond smelts examined. Also, 13 metacercariae of C. sinensis (0.43 per fish), 1 of Metagonimus sp., 4 of Echinostoma sp., 148 of Centrocestus armatus and 44 unidentified species were collected from 30 minnows. In the Daechung Lake, 369 metacercariae of C. sinensis (3.69 per fish) and 51 unidentified species were recovered from 100 pond smelts. The metacercariae of C. sinensis were fed to experimental rats, in which the adult flukes were identified. The pond smelts and minnows collected from the Soyang and Daechung Lakes were verified to be the second intermediate hosts and the sources of human C. sinensis infection.