• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제54권3호
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• pp.781-789
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• 2022

KHNP had licensed Dynamic Control rod Reactivity Measurement (DCRM) method using detector current signals of PWRs in 2006. The method has been applied to all PWRs in Korea for about 15 years successfully. However, the original method was inapplicable to PWRs using low-sensitivity integral fission chamber as ex-core detectors because of their pulse pile-up and the nonlinearity of the mean-square voltage at low power region. Therefore, to overcome this disadvantage, a modified method, DCRM-EK, was developed using kinetics behavior after equilibrium condition where the pulse counts maintain the maximum value before pulse pile-up. Overall measurement, analysis procedure, and related computer codes were changed slightly to reflect the site test condition. The new method was applied to a total of 15 control rods of 1000 MWe and 1400 MWe PWRs in Korea with worths in the range of 200 pcm -1200 pcm. The results show the average difference of -0.4% and the maximum difference of 7.1% compared to the design values. Therefore, the new DCRM-EK will be applied to PWRs using low sensitivity integral fission chambers, and also can replace the original DCRM when the evaluation fails by big noises present in current or voltage signals of uncompensated/compensated ion chambers.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권3호
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• pp.1071-1083
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• 2023

The on-the-fly energy release per fission (OTFK) model is implemented in STREAM to continuously update the Kappa values during the depletion calculation. The explicit neutron and photon energy distribution, which has not been considered in previous STREAM versions, is incorporated into the existing on-the-fly model. The impacts of the modified OTFK model with explicit neutron and photon heating in STREAM on the power distribution, fuel temperature, and other core parameters during depletion with feedback calculations are studied using several problems from the VERA benchmark suit. Overall, the explicit heating calculation provides a better power map for the feedback calculations particularly when strong gamma emitters are present. Generally, the fuel temperature decreases when neutron and photon heating is employed because fission neutrons and gamma rays are transported away from their points of generation. This energy release model in STREAM indicates that gamma energy accounts for approximately 9.5%-10% of the total energy released, and approximately 2.4%-2.6% of the total energy released will be deposited in the coolant for the VERA 5, NuScale, and Yonggwang Unit 3 2D cores.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제55권7호
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• pp.2678-2686
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• 2023

This work demonstrates the results of full-scale numerical experiments of a hybrid thorium-containing fuel plant operating in a state close to critical due to a controlled source of D-T neutrons. The proposed facility represented a level of generated power (~10-100 MW_t) in a small pilot. In this work, the simulation of the D-T neutron plasma source operation in conjunction with the facility blanket was performed. The fission of fuel nuclei and the formation of spatial-energy release were studied in this simulation, in pulsed and stationary modes of the facility operation. The optimization results of neutronic and fluid dynamics studies to level the emerging offsets of the radial energy formed in the volume of the facility multiplying part due to the pulsed operation of the D-T neutron plasma source were presented. The results will be useful in improving the power control-based subcriticality monitoring method in coupled systems of the "pulsed neutron source-subcritical fuel assembly" type.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• 제56권7호
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• pp.2641-2649
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• 2024

Effective management of slightly used nuclear fuel (SUNF) is crucial for both technical and public acceptance reasons. SUNF management, radiotoxicity risk, and associated financial investment and technological capabilities are major concerns in nuclear power production. Reducing the volume of SUNF can simplify its management, and one possible solution is utilizing small modular reactors (SMR) and advanced fuel designs like those with thorium. This research focuses on studying the neutronic performance and radionuclide inventory of three different thorium fuel configurations. The mass of fissile material in thorium-based fuel significantly impacts Kinf, burn-up, and neutron energy spectrum. Compared to uranium, thorium as a fuel produces far fewer transuranic elements and less long-lived fission products (LLFPs) at the end of the core cycle (EOC). However, certain fission product elements produced from thorium-based fuel exhibit higher radioactivity at the beginning of the core cycle (BOC). Physical separation of thorium and uranium in the fuel block, like seed-and-blanket units (SBU) and duplex fuel designs, generate less radioactive waste with lower radioactivity and longer cycle lengths than homogeneous or mixed thorium-uranium fuel. Furthermore, the SBU and duplex feel designs exhibit comparable neutron spectra, leading to negligible differences in SUNF production between the two.

• 에너지공학
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• 제23권3호
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• pp.186-190
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• 2014

원자력발전소는 냉각재상실사고(LOCA)와 같은 과도상태시 pH 조절을 통해 격납건물의 핵분열생성물(요오드) 제거 능력을 유지한다. 이와 더불어 격납건물 내부의 스테인레스강 기기들의 응력부식균열(Stress Corrosion Cracking)을 방지하고 알루미늄 또는 아연 부식에 의한 수소생성을 최소화할 수 있기 때문에 살수 및 집수조냉각수의 화학조건(pH) 조절능력이 요구된다. 현재 원전은 LOCA시 능동형 살수첨가제인 NaOH를 사용하여 격납건물 살수 및 집수조냉각수의 pH를 조절하도록 설계되어있다. 본 논문에서는 LOCA시 집수조냉각수의 pH를 분석하고, 살수화학조건 pH 관련 최신규제요건인 표준심사지침(SRP) 6.5.2에 따라 핵분열생성물제거상수 및 제염계수를 계산하였다. 분석결과, 격납건물집수조 pH는 8.09~9.67로서 설계기준을 만족한다. 그리고 격납건물살수계통에 의한 핵분열생성물 제거상수 및 제염계수는 원전 내환경기기검증을 위한 방사선환경 평가의 입력으로 제공된다.

• Molecules and Cells
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• 제42권12호
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• pp.893-905
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• 2019

Mitochondria are highly dynamic organelles that constantly undergo fission and fusion processes that closely related to their function. Disruption of mitochondrial dynamics has been demonstrated in acute kidney injury (AKI), which could eventually result in cell injury and death. Previously, we reported that augmenter of liver regeneration (ALR) alleviates renal tubular epithelial cell injury. Here, we gained further insights into whether the renoprotective roles of ALR are associated with mitochondrial dynamics. Changes in mitochondrial dynamics were examined in experimental models of renal ischemia-reperfusion (IR). In a model of hypoxia-reoxygenation (HR) injury in vitro, dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) and mitochondrial fission process protein 1 (MTFP1), two key proteins of mitochondrial fission, were downregulated in the Lv-ALR + HR group. ALR overexpression additionally had an impact on phosphorylation of Drp1 Ser637 during AKI. The inner membrane fusion protein, Optic Atrophy 1 (OPA1), was significantly increased whereas levels of outer membrane fusion proteins Mitofusin-1 and -2 (Mfn1, Mfn2) were not affected in the Lv-ALR + HR group, compared with the control group. Furthermore, the mTOR/4E-BP1 signaling pathway was highly activated in the Lv-ALR + HR group. ALR overexpression led to suppression of HR-induced apoptosis. Our collective findings indicate that ALR gene transfection alleviates mitochondrial injury, possibly through inhibiting fission and promoting fusion of the mitochondrial inner membrane, both of which contribute to reduction of HK-2 cell apoptosis. Additionally, fission processes are potentially mediated by promoting tubular cell survival through activating the mTOR/4E-BP1 signaling pathway.

• Applied Microscopy
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• 제41권4호
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• pp.249-255
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• 2011

신경세포는 생존 및 정상적인 기능을 위하여 다량의 에너지를 소비하므로, 미토콘드리아의 기능이 매우 중요하다. 미토콘드리아는 신경세포 내에서 신경돌기를 따라 이동하기도 하고, 세포내 여러 상황에 따라 접합과 절단을 반복하면서 그 분포와 형태가 역동적으로 변화한다. 역동적인 미토콘드리아의 형태 변화는 주로 GTPase 단백질인 Dynamin-related protein-1 (Drp1)에 의한 절단에 의해 조절되는 것으로 알려져 있다. 그러나, 중추신경계 신경세포에서의 미토콘드리아 분포 및 형태 변화 조절에 대해서는 비교적 연구가 미흡한 실정이다. 이 연구의 저자들은 미토콘드리아에 선택적으로 표적화되는 DsRed-mito 플라스미드를 일차 배양한 대뇌겉질 신경세포에 유전자 도입하여, 가지돌기 및 축삭에 분포하는 미토콘드리아의 길이와 역동성을 분석하였다. 흥미롭게도, 축삭 말단 부위에 분포하는 미토콘드리아의 길이가 세포체 근처의 축삭에 분포하는 미토콘드리아에 비하여 유의미하게 짧았다. 또한 Drp1 단백질이 가지돌기와 축삭에 다량 분포하며, 형광현미경하에서 이뤄진 실시간 촬영을 통해 축삭내에서 미토콘드리아의 절단이 활발하게 나타나는 것을 관찰하였다. 이를 통해, 축삭 말단 미토콘드리아의 길이 감소는 축삭 내 분포하는 Drp1 단백질의 활성에 의한 것으로 생각할 수 있었다. 위 가설을 검증하기 위하여, Drp1의 우성음성돌연변이 단백질을 신경세포에 유전자 도입하여 내재적 Drp1의 활성을 억제한 결과, 축삭 내 미토콘드리아 길이의 유의미한 증가가 관찰되었다. 이러한 결과들을 종합할 때, 대뇌겉질 신경세포에서 미토콘드리아의 절단은 축삭 내에서 지엽적으로도 진행되며, 이에 의하여 축삭내 위치에 따른 미토콘드리아의 길이 변화가 조절되는 것으로 생각되었다.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• 제42권2호
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• pp.114-129
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• 2017

Background: The purpose of this paper is to confirm the event timings and the magnitude of fission product aerosol release from the Fukushima accident. Over a few hundreds of technical papers have been published on the environmental impact of Fukushima Daiichi accident since the accident occurred on March 11, 2011. However, most of the research used reverse or inverse method based on the monitoring of activities in the remote places and only few papers attempted to estimate the release of fission products from individual reactor core or from individual spent fuel pool. Severe accident analysis code can be used to estimate the radioactive release from which reactor core and from which radionuclide the peaks in monitoring points can be generated. Materials and Methods: The basic material used for this study are the initial core inventory obtained from the report JAEA-Data/Code 2012-018 and the given accident scenarios provided by Japanese Government or Tokyo Electric Power Company (TEPCO) in official reports. In this research a forward method using severe accident progression code is used as it might be useful for justifying the results of reverse or inverse method or vice versa. Results and Discussion: The release timing and amounts to the environment are estimated for volatile radioactive fission products such as noble gases, cesium, iodine, and tellurium up to 184 hours (about 7.7 days) after earthquake occurs. The in-plant fission product behaviors and release characteristics to environment are estimated using the severe accident progression analysis code, MELCOR, for Fukushima Daiichi accident. These results are compared with other research results which are summarized in UNSCEAR 2013 Report and other technical papers. Also it may provide the physically based arguments for justifying or suspecting the rationale for the scenarios provided in open literature. Conclusion: The estimated results by MELCOR code simulation of this study indicate that the release amount of volatile fission products to environment from Units 1, 2, and 3 cores is well within the range estimated by the reverse or inverse method, which are summarized in UNSCEAR 2013 report. But this does not necessarily mean that these two approaches are consistent.

• 암석학회지
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• 제24권2호
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• pp.77-90
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• 2015

피션트랙 검출에 의해 고체 및 액체상태 지질물질 내 우라늄을 정밀정량하는 최적기법을 제안하고 그 적용성을 검증하였다. 우라늄 정량은 중성자 조사에 의해 유도시킨 $^{235}U$의 핵분열 흔적을 트랙 디텍터에 기록하여 고배율 현미경 하에서 계수함으로써 이루어진다. 우라늄-친화력이 좋은 암석(예: 화강암, 석탄)을 분말 펠릿시료로 만들어 건식 검출하면, 그다지 높지 않은 우라늄함량(<5 ppm, 즉 ${\mu}g\;g^{-1}$)에서도 빈번하게 함유된 함-우라늄광물에 기인한 트랙 군집현상으로 인해 시료의 전체평균 함량 결정이 쉽지 않았으며, 트랙 균질부와 군집부를 별도로 검토해야 한다. 시료의 균질성이 유지된다면 백운모-Lexan 디텍터에 의한 중복 측정과 여러 차례 중성자 조사에 의한 반복 측정에서 높은 재현성이 확인되었다. 건고 액체시료 경우에 $10^1ppm$ 수준 및 그 이상의 우라늄함량에서 흔히 나타나는 불균질 현상을 극복하기 위해, 진공 석영튜브를 이용한 습식 검출법을 제안한다. 습식 검출에서 우라늄 균질성은 $10^0ppm$ 수준 이하에서 회복되며, 측정하한은 $10^2ppb$ (i.e. $ng\;g^{-1}$) 수준까지 무난한 것으로 입증되었다.

• BMB Reports
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• 제56권12호
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• pp.663-668
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• 2023

C-reactive protein (CRP) is an inflammatory marker and risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular diseases. However, the mechanism through which CRP induces myocardial damage remains unclear. This study aimed to determine how CRP damages cardiomyocytes via the change of mitochondrial dynamics and whether survivin, an anti-apoptotic protein, exerts a cardioprotective effect in this process. We treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes with CRP and found increased intracellular ROS production and shortened mitochondrial length. CRP treatment phosphorylated ERK1/2 and promoted increased expression, phosphorylation, and translocation of DRP1, a mitochondrial fission-related protein, from the cytoplasm to the mitochondria. The expression of mitophagy proteins PINK1 and PARK2 was also increased by CRP. YAP, a transcriptional regulator of PINK1 and PARK2, was also increased by CRP. Knockdown of YAP prevented CRP-induced increases in DRP1, PINK1, and PARK2. Furthermore, CRP-induced changes in the expression of DRP1 and increases in YAP, PINK1, and PARK2 were inhibited by ERK1/2 inhibition, suggesting that ERK1/2 signaling is involved in CRP-induced mitochondrial fission. We treated H9c2 cardiomyocytes with a recombinant TAT-survivin protein before CRP treatment, which reduced CRP-induced ROS accumulation and reduced mitochondrial fission. CRP-induced activation of ERK1/2 and increases in the expression and activity of YAP and its downstream mitochondrial proteins were inhibited by TAT-survivin. This study shows that mitochondrial fission occurs during CRP-induced cardiomyocyte damage and that the ERK1/2-YAP axis is involved in this process, and identifies that survivin alters these mechanisms to prevent CRP-induced mitochondrial damage.