Search

Many people are troubled by allergic inflammation including ocular allergic diseases, anaphylaxis, allergic rhinitis, atopic dermatitis, and eczema. Consequently, finding medications for use in allergic inflammation therapy is crucial in human health. Manoalide, a marine natural product isolated as an anti-bacterial metabolite fromHerein, we investigated the immunoregulatory effects and molecular mechanisms of manoalide in HMC-1 cells.Manoalide significantly alleviated secretion of the inflammatory cytokines interleukin (IL)-1β, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, tumor necrosis factor-α, IL-6, and IL-8Taken together, our findings indicate manoalide has an anti-allergic inflammatory role, and we propose that manoalide might have potential as a novel anti-allergic inflammatory agent.

AST2017-01 is developed to be used for treatment and prevention of allergic diseases and composed of processed-Cordyceps militaris and processed-Rumex crispus. But, effect of AST2017-01 remains unclear in an allergic rhinitis (AR). So, this study aimed to explore the effects of AST2017-01 in ovalbumin (OVA)-induced AR animal model. OVA-induced AR animals were orally administered AST2017-01 and chrysophanol, an active component of AST2017-01 for 10 days. In mice with AR, AST2017-01 and chrysophanol markedly decreased number of rubs, IgE, histamine, thymic stromal lymphopoietin, tumor necrosis factor-α, interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-4, IL-5, and IL-13 in serum or nasal mucosa tissues. Moreover, activities and protein levels of caspase-1 were markedly diminished by oral administration of AST2017-01 and chrysophanol. Declines of macrophage inflammatory protein-2, intercellular adhesion molecules-1, eosinophil, and mast cells were also noted in nasal mucosa tissues of AST2017-01 and chrysophanol groups. Taken together, these findings indicate that AST2017-01 has an anti-allergic effect as a therapeutic agent or functional food for treating and preventing AR.

As the ITER is being constructed, there is a growing anticipation for an earlier realization of fusion energy, so called fast-track approach. Korean strategy for fusion energy can be regarded as a fast-track approach and one special concept discussed in this paper is a two-stage development plan. At first, a steady-state Korean DEMO Reactor (K-DEMO) is designed not only to demonstrate a net electricity generation and a self-sustained tritium cycle, but also to be used as a component test facility. Then, at its second stage, a major upgrade is carried out by replacing in-vessel components in order to show a net electric generation on the order of 300 MWe and the competitiveness in cost of electricity (COE). The major radius is designed to be just below 6.5 m, considering practical engineering feasibilities. By using high performance Nb3Sn-based superconducting cable currently available, high magnetic field at the plasma center above 8 T can be achieved. A design concept for TF magnets and radial builds for the K-DEMO considering a vertical maintenance scheme, are presented together with preliminary design parameters.

A conceptual design study for a steady-state Korean fusion DEMO reactor (K-DEMO) has been initiated. Two peculiar features need to be noted. First, the major radius is designed to be just below 6.5 m, considering practical engineering feasibilities. But still, high magnetic field at the plasma center around 8 T is expected to be achieved by using current state-of-the-art high performance Nb 3 Sn strand technology. Second, a two-stage development plan is being considered. In the first stage, K-DEMO will demonstrate a net electricity generation but will also act as a component test facility. Then, after a major upgrade, K-DEMO is expected to show a net electric generation on the order of 300 MWe and the competitiveness in cost of electricity (COE). Feasibility of such a practical, near-future demonstration reactor is studied in this paper, based on a zero dimensional system analysis code study. It was shown that a net electric generation on the order of 300 MWe can be achieved below the optimistic β N limit of 5. The elongation of K-DEMO is around 1.8 with single null configuration. Detailed optimization process and the resultant various plasma parameters are described.

With the vision of being an early demonstrator of fusion energy, the strategic plans for the Fusion DEMO program of Korea (K-DEMO program) has been developed. A staged development of the K-DEMO plant was considered in the strategic plans as to verify technical feasibility in the first stage and economic feasibility in the second stage. The top-tier design requirements and assumptions of the first stage K-DEMO plant are defined and postulated. With these requirements and assumptions, the desired and current status of nuclear fusion technologies are compared to identify the gaps to be filled to design, fabricate, construct, and operate it. The pathways from KSTAR, ITER to K-DEMO plant have also been studied to identify R&D activities for K-DEMO program that are to go in parallel with KSTAR and ITER are extracted from the pathways. Cross-cutting with the fusion R&D activities of the other countries and utilizing the commonalities with the existing systems are discussed with the provision of open-innovation strategy that is one of the key strategies of K-DEMO program. The priority of the R&D activities of K-DEMO program is qualitatively determined in consideration of the gaps, cross-cutting, and risks associated with the R&D investments.

The correlation dimension of edge turbulence associated with the density fluctuation in a mirror plasma has been analyzed. A low embedding dimension indicating a strange attractor in the phase space is found. A high correlation dimension is also found in the same plasma discharge, but it could not be determined for the embedding dimension below 15.

A conceptual design study for Korean DEMO Reactor (K-DEMO) based on the Korean Fusion Energy Development Promotion Law (FEDPL) enacted in 2007 is now in progress. The K-DEMO at the first stage in our development plan is not regarded as a final DEMO but rather a test facility for a commercial reactor. The target of a preliminary blanket concept design study at the first stage is to promote the performance of breeding blanket in preference to any other. A preliminary blanket concept under consideration in the K-DEMO is based on a water-cooled ceramic blanket with lithium orthosilicate (Li 4 SiO 4 ) as breeder, beryllium (Be) as neutron multiplier, and reduced activation ferritic-martensitic (RAFM) steel as structural material. To investigate the possibility of utilization of heavy water (D 2 O) as a coolant of a breeding blanket for the K-DEMO, a comparative study of the two coolants, D 2 O and H 2 O has been conducted. Furthermore, the dependence of tritium breeding ratio (TBR) on volume ratios of water and breeder occupying a blanket, and the impact of D 2 O replacing H 2 O as a coolant on the K-DEMO blanket have also been investigated with the calculations on the basis of the Monte Carlo simulation MCNPX code. This paper presents the results of comparative study of the two coolants, D 2 O and H 2 O on our preliminary blanket concept for the K-DEMO.

K-DEMO is being studied by South Korean researchers as a follow-on to ITER and the next step toward the construction of a commercial fusion power plant. The K-DEMO mission defines a staged approach targeting operation with an initial testing phase for plasma facing components and critical operating systems to be followed by a second phase which centers on upgrading the in-vessel components for operation at 200 to 600 MWe with a planned 70% availability. This paper reviews the general arrangement of the K-DEMO device core, the novel configuration concept for the vertical maintenance of large in-vessel segments and describes the arrangement and maintenance of planned interfacing auxiliary systems and services - design features which impact the ability to operate with a staged mission strategy that ends with high availability operations.

The Korean DEMO program is pursuing a steady state tokamak configuration to develop a fusion energy producing facility. Systems analysis is performed to determine its geometry and operating space available. After the plasma major radius and elongation is chosen, and the maximum toroidal magnetic field at the coil is established, the operating space can be explored with a range of assumptions. A database approach for the systems analysis is used that generates a large number of solutions, that can be used to examine sensitivities and parameter uncertainties.

A preliminary conceptual design study for Korean DEMO Reactor (K-DEMO) as an activity for Korean Fusion Energy Development Promotion Law (FEDPL) enacted in 2007 was started. A solid-type breeding blanket is the preliminary blanket concept in K-DEMO. As the candidates for the coolant of K-DEMO blanket, helium and water are under investigation through a comparative study of neutronics analysis. The preliminary concept design for inboard and outboard-side blankets for K-DEMO based on the present engineering feasibility has been carried out. The inboard and outboard-side blankets assume the form of several segmented blanket modules. In this work, the dimension for both inside and outboard-side blankets in the K-DEMO is essentially the same. A breeding blanket with a new cooling method, so-called a plate-type blanket, is proposed. In this concept, the plate-type blanket consists of separated individual rectangular parallelepiped cases for breeders and multipliers without a separate pipe system for cooling flow paths. This paper describes the current status of K-DEMO blanket conceptual design study.

A Korean fusion energy development promotion law (FEDPL) was enacted in 2007. As a following step, a conceptual design study for a steady-state Korean fusion demonstration reactor (K-DEMO) was initiated in 2012. After the thorough 0D system analysis, the parameters of the main machine characterized by the major and minor radii of 6.8 and 2.1 m, respectively, were chosen for further study. The analyses of heating and current drives were performed for the development of the plasma operation scenarios. Preliminary results on lower hybrid and neutral beam current drive are included herein. A high performance Nb3Sn-based superconducting conductor is adopted, providing a peak magnetic field approaching 16 T with the magnetic field at the plasma centre above 7 T. Pressurized water is the prominent choice for the main coolant of K-DEMO when the balance of plant development details is considered. The blanket system adopts a ceramic pebble type breeder. Considering plasma performance, a double-null divertor is the reference configuration choice of K-DEMO. For a high availability operation, K-DEMO incorporates a design with vertical maintenance. A design concept for K-DEMO is presented together with the preliminary design parameters.

The fusion DEMO program of Korea has been conceptualized to realize magnetic fusion energy with the tokamak concept at the end of 2030 s or early 2040 s. In this program, to expedite the development of a fusion DEMO plant, cross-cutting based on the commonalities between the fusion DEMO plant and existing systems. Among the existing systems, the current and generation IV nuclear power plants will have many areas of commonalities with the fusion DEMO plant including regulatory requirements and licensing processes, codes and standards, design methods and computational codes for thermo hydraulic analysis, and safety analysis methods. Theses commonalities will be used for discovering a pathway of resolving the nested logic dilemma incurred by the inherent first-of-a-kind nature of the fusion DEMO plant. This paper presents the result of an exploratory study on the subject cross-cutting.