• Structural Monitoring and Maintenance
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• 제10권1호
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• pp.1-23
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• 2023

Various efforts have been made to reduce the weight of concrete slabs while preserving their flexural strength. This will result in reducing deflection and allows the utilization of longer spans. The top zone of the slab requires concrete to create the compression block for flexural strength, and the tension zone needs concrete to join with reinforcing for flexural strength. Also, the top and bottom slab faces must be linked to transmit stresses. Voided slab systems were and are still used to make long-span slab buildings lighter. Eight slab specimens of (1000^*1000 (1000^*1000 mm²) were cast and tested as two-way simply supported slabs in this research. The tested specimens consist of one solid slab and seven voided slabs with the following variables (type of slab solid and voided), thickness of slab (100 and 125 mm), presence of steel fibers (0% and 1%), and the number of GFRP layers). The voids in slabs were made using high-density polystyrene of dimensions (200^*200^*50 mm) with a central hole of dimensions (50^*50^*50 mm) at the ineffective concrete zones to give a reduction in weight by (34% to 38%). The slabs were tested as simply supported slabs under partial uniform loading. The results of specimens subjected to monotonic loading show that the combined strengthening by steel fibers and GFRP sheets of the concrete specimen (V-125-2GF-1%) shows the least deflection, deflection (4.6 mm), good ultimate loading capacity (192 MPa), large stiffness at cracking and at ultimate (57 and 41.74) respectively, more ductility (1.44), and high energy absorption (1344.83 kN.mm); so it's the best specimen that can be used as a voided slab under this type of loading.

• 한국표면공학회지
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• 제56권3호
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• pp.208-218
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• 2023

Photocatalysts are advanced materials which accelerate the photoreaction by providing ordinary reactions with other pathways. The catalysts have various advantages, such as low-cost, low operating temperature and pressure, and long-term use. They are applied to environmental and energy field, including the air and water purification, water splitting for hydrogen production, sterilization and self-cleaning surfaces. However, commercial photocatalysts only absorb ultraviolet light between 100 and 400 nm of wavelength which comprises only 5% in sunlight due to the wide band gap. In addition, rapid recombination of electron-hole pairs reduces the photocatalytic performance. Recently, studies on blackening photocatalysts by laser, thermal, and plasma treatments have been conducted to enhance the absorption of visible light and photocatalytic activity. The disordered structures could yield mid-gap states and vacancies could cause charge carrier trapping. Herein, liquid phase plasma (LPP) is adopted to synthesize Ag-doped black ZnO for the utilization of visible-light. The physical and chemical characteristics of the synthesized photocatalysts are analyzed by SEM/EDS, XRD, XPS and the optical properties of them are investigated using UV/Vis DRS and PL analyses. Lastly, the photocatalytic activity was evaluated using methylene blue as a pollutant.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• 제24권5호
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• pp.317-331
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• 2023

The buckling-restrained braced frames with eccentric configurations (BRBFECs) are stable cyclic behavior and high energy absorption capacity. Furthermore, they have an architectural advantage for creating openings like eccentrically braced frames (EBFs). In the present study, it has been suggested to use the performance-based plastic design (PBPD) method to calculate the design base shear of the BRBFEC systems. Moreover, in this study, to reduce the required steel material, it has been suggested to use the performance-based practical design (PBPD) method instead of the force-based design (FBD) method for the design of this system. The 3-, 6-, and 9-story buildings with the BRBFEC system were designed, and the finite element models were modeled. The seismic performance of the models was investigated using two suits of ground motions representing the maximum considered earthquake (MCE) and design basis earthquake (DBE) seismic hazard levels. The results showed that the models designed with the suggested method, which had lower weights compared to those designed with the FBD method, had a desirable seismic performance in terms of maximum story drift and ductility demand under earthquakes at both MCE and DBE seismic hazard levels. This suggests that the steel weights of the structures designed with the PBPD method are about 13% to 18% lesser than the FBD method. However, the residual drifts in these models were higher than those in the models designed with the FBD method. Also, in earthquakes at the DBE hazard level, the residual drifts in all models except the PBPD-6s and PBPD-9s models were less than the allowable reparability limit.

• Advances in nano research
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• 제13권4호
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• pp.325-339
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• 2022

Endophytes ascertain a symbiotic relationship with plants as promoters of growth, defense mechanism etc. This study is a first report to screen the endophytic population in Waltheria indica, a tropical medicinal plant. 5 bacterial and 3 fungal strains in leaves, 3 bacterial and 1 yeast species in stems were differentiated morphologically and identified by biochemical and molecular methods. The phylogenetic tree of the isolated endophytes was constructed using MEGA X. Silver nanoparticles were biosynthesized from a rare endophytic bacterium Cupriavidus metallidurans isolated from the leaf of W. indica. The formation of silver nanoparticles was confirmed by UV-Visible spectrophotometer that evidenced a strong absorption band at 408.5 nm of UV-Visible range with crystalline nature and average particle size of 16.4 nm by Particle size analyzer. The Fourier Transform Infra-Red spectrum displayed the presence of various functional groups that stabilized the nanoparticles. X-ray diffraction peaks were conferred to face centered cubic structure. Transmission Electron Microscope and Scanning Electron Microscope revealed the spherical-shaped, polycrystalline nature with the presence of elemental silver analyzed by Energy Dispersive of X-Ray spectrum. Selected area electron diffraction also confirmed the orientation of AgNPs at 111, 200, 220, 311 planes similar to X-ray diffraction analysis. The synthesized nanoparticles are evaluated for antimicrobial activity against 7 bacterial and 3 fungal pathogens. A good zone of inhibition was observed against pathogenic bacteria than fungal pathogens. Thus the study could hold a key aspect in drug discovery research and other pharmacological conducts of human clinical conditions.

• 운동영양학회지
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• 제17권2호
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• pp.35-42
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of gene expression of endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue on acute exhaustive exercise. Thirty-five Sparague Dawley male rats were divided into a control group (CON, n = 7) and a exhaustive exercise group (n = 28), immediately after exhaustive exercise group (n = 7), after 30 minutes exhaustive exercise group (n = 7), after 60 minutes exhaustive exercise group (n = 7), after 180 minutes exhaustive exercise group (n = 7). As a result, changes in the composition of the blood serum triglyceride concentration increased significantly in immediately after exhaustive exercise group, On the contrary, blood glucose showed a significantly decreased (p < .05). Homeostasis of energy metabolism due to exhaustive exercise as a result of the mechanism of action of skeletal muscle in the glycogenolysis and absorption, which indicates that the process of means. On the other hand, a result of examining changes in endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins in skeletal muscle and adipose tissue, JNK1 except in skeletal muscle BiP, ATF4, CHOP, GRP78 mRNA increased significantly immediately after exercise, and after 30 minutes returned to normal levels that could be confirmed (p < .05). BiP mRNA in adipose tissue show a similar pattern and skeletal muscle increased significantly immediately after exercise, but other changes in the specificity of the endoplasmic reticulum stress-related proteins also did not appear. In conclusion, Exercise applies and exercise training duration and exercise intensity as well as research on the interaction of the endoplasmic reticulum stress-related genes should be study continuously, to be more clear.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• 제26권9호
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• pp.535-547
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• 2023

Sea cucumbers (Holothuria scabra), also known as beche-de-mer, are highly valued as a luxurious food item and have been utilized as a traditional tonic food in various Asian countries for centuries. The body walls of sea cucumbers are the main edible part, which are primarily composed of glycosaminoglycan (GAG). The rehydration of dried sea cucumber is a crucial step prior to further processing. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of ultrasound-assisted rehydration (UAR) on the quality of dried sea cucumbers. The experiment used four different rehydration methods, including conventional methods at 27℃ (KV27℃) and 15℃ (KV15℃), as well as a combination of ultrasound at 27℃ with conventional at 15℃ (UAR27 + KV15℃) and ultrasound at 15℃ with conventional at 15℃ (UAR15 + KV15℃). Results indicated that the rehydration rate (RR) was significantly affected by both the rehydration method and the temperature used (p < 0.05). UAR27 + KV15℃ was identified as the most effective method in terms of rehydration behavior and quality characteristics of dried sea cucumber, with a RR of 0.58 ± 0.53 gH₂O/hour and reduced rehydration time of up to 28 hours. Moreover, the UAR27 + KV15℃ method demonstrated superior rehydration potential, nutritional value (proximate composition and sulfate content), color, lower energy, and microstructure properties compared to the other methods. The sulfate content and yield of sulfated GAGs were determined to be 89.4 mg/g and 52.8 ㎍/g, respectively. Confirmation of the absorption band of the sulfate group showed the presence of 3-N-acetyl galactosamine at a wavelength of 1,269 cm^-1 and C-O-S at 860 cm^-1. The sea cucumbers treated with UAR exhibited a GAG content approximately 2.9 times higher than those rehydrated with the conventional method. Eventually, the combination of UAR at 27℃ with conventional at 15℃ methods can significantly accelerate the rehydration of sea cucumber without negatively affecting its physical quality properties.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• 제14권4호
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• pp.388-396
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• 2023

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting is a vital source of clean and sustainable hydrogen energy. Moreover, the large-scale H₂ production is currently necessary, while long-term stability and high PEC activity still remain important issues. In this study, a GaN-based photoelectrode was modified by an additional NH₃ treatment (900℃ for 10 min) and its PEC behavior was monitored. The bare GaN exhibited a highly crystalline wurtzite structure with the (002) plane and the optical bandgap was approximately 3.2 eV. In comparison, the NH₃-treated GaN film exhibited slightly reduced crystallinity and a small improvement in light absorption, resulting from the lattice stress or cracks induced by the excessive N supply. The minor surface nanotexturing created more surface area, providing electroactive reacting sites. From the surface XPS analysis, the formation of an N-Ga-O phase on the surface region of the GaN film was confirmed, which suppressed the charge recombination process and the positive shift of E_FB. Therefore, these effects boosted the PEC activity of the NH₃-treated GaN film, with J values of approximately 0.35 and 0.78 mA·cm^-2 at 0.0 and 1.23 V_RHE, respectively, and an onset potential (V_on) of -0.24 V_RHE. In addition, there was an approximate 50% improvement in the J value within the highly applied potential region with a positive shift of V_on. This result could be explained by the increased nanotexturing on the surface structure, the newly formed defect/trap states correlated to the positive V_on shift, and the formation of a GaO_xN_1-x phase, which partially blocked the charge recombination reaction.

• 한국전기전자재료학회논문지
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• 제36권6호
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• pp.582-587
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• 2023

The effects of the annealing temperature on the structural, morphological, and luminescent properties of SrWO₄:Sm³⁺ thin films grown on quartz substrates by radio-frequency magnetron sputtering were investigated. The thin films were annealed at various annealing temperatures for 20 min in a rapid thermal annealer after growing the thin films. The experimental results showed that the annealing temperature has a significant effect on the properties of the SrWO₄:Sm³⁺ thin films. The crystal structure of the as-grown SrWO₄:Sm³⁺ thin films was transformed from amorphous to crystalline after annealing at 800℃. The preferred orientation along (112) plane and a significant increase in average grain size by 820 nm were observed with increasing the annealing temperature. The average optical transmittance in the wavelength range of 500~1,100 nm was decreased from 72.0% at 800℃ to 44.2% at an annealing temperature of 1,000℃, where the highest value in the photoluminescence intensity was obtained. In addition to the red-shift of absorption edge, a higher annealing temperature caused the optical band gap energy of the SrWO₄:Sm³⁺ thin films to fall rapidly. These results suggest that the structural, morphological, and luminescent properties of SrWO₄:Sm³⁺ thin films can be controlled by varying annealing temperature.

• Current Photovoltaic Research
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• 제12권2호
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• pp.31-36
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• 2024

Passivating contacts are a promising technology for achieving high efficiency Si solar cells by reducing direct metal/Si contact. Among them, a polysilicon (poly-Si) based passivating contact solar cells achieve high passivation quality through a tunnel oxide (SiO_x) and poly-Si. In poly-Si/SiO_x based solar cells, the passivation quality depends on the amount of dopant in-diffused into the bulk-Si. Therefore, our study fabricated cells by inserting silicon oxide (SiO₂) as a doping barrier before doping and analyzed the barrier effect of SiO₂. In the experiments, p⁺ poly-Si was formed using spin on dopant (SOD) method, and samples ware fabricated by controlling formation conditions such as existence of doping barrier and poly-Si thickness. Completed samples were measured using quasi steady state photoconductance (QSSPC). Based on these results, it was confirmed that possibility of achieving high V_oc by inserting a doping barrier even with thin poly-Si. In conclusion, an improvement in implied V_oc of up to approximately 20 mV was achieved compared to results with thicker poly-Si results.

• 전기화학회지
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• 제27권1호
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• pp.15-31
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• 2024

The antimalarial drug hydroxychloroquine sulphate (HCQ) has taken much attention during the first COVID-19 pandemic phase for the treatment of severe acute respiratory infection (SARI) patients. Hence it is interest to study the electrochemical properties and photocatalytic degradation of the HCQ drug. Copper oxide (CuO) nanoparticles, graphene oxide (GO) and CuO/GO NC (nanocomposite) modified carbon paste electrodes (MCPE) are used for the detection of HCQ in an aqueous medium. Electrochemical behaviour of HCQ (20 μM) was observed using CuO/MCPE, GO/MCPE and CuO/GO NC/MCPE in 0.1 M phosphate buffer at pH 7 with a scan rate of 20 to 120 mV s^-1 by cyclic voltammetry (CV). Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) of HCQ was performed for 0.6 to 16 μM HCQ. The CuO/GO NC/MCPE showed a reasonably good sensitivity of 0.33 to 0.44 μA μM cm^-2 with LOD of 69 to 92 nM for HCQ. Furthermore, the CuO/GO NC was used as a catalyst for the photodegradation of HCQ by monitoring its UV-Vis absorption spectra. About 98% was degraded in about 34 min under visible light and after 4 cycles it was 87%. The improved photocatalytic activity may be attributed to decrease in bandgap energy and enhanced ability for the electrons to migrate. Thus, CuO/GO NC showed good results for both sensing and degradation applications as well as reproducibility.