• Biomaterials Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.235-248
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• 2018

Background: Injectable hydrogels have been extensively researched for the use as scaffolds or as carriers of therapeutic agents such as drugs, cells, proteins, and bioactive molecules in the treatment of diseases and cancers and the repair and regeneration of tissues. It is because they have the injectability with minimal invasiveness and usability for irregularly shaped sites, in addition to typical advantages of conventional hydrogels such as biocompatibility, permeability to oxygen and nutrient, properties similar to the characteristics of the native extracellular matrix, and porous structure allowing therapeutic agents to be loaded. Main body: In this article, recent studies of injectable hydrogel systems applicable for therapeutic agent delivery, disease/cancer therapy, and tissue engineering have reviewed in terms of the various factors physically and chemically contributing to sol-gel transition via which gels have been formed. The various factors are as follows: several different non-covalent interactions resulting in physical crosslinking (the electrostatic interactions (e.g., the ionic and hydrogen bonds), hydrophobic interactions, ${\pi}$-interactions, and van der Waals forces), in-situ chemical reactions inducing chemical crosslinking (the Diels Alder click reactions, Michael reactions, Schiff base reactions, or enzyme-or photo-mediated reactions), and external stimuli (temperatures, pHs, lights, electric/magnetic fields, ultrasounds, or biomolecular species (e.g., enzyme)). Finally, their applications with accompanying therapeutic agents and notable properties used were reviewed as well. Conclusion: Injectable hydrogels, of which network morphology and properties could be tuned, have shown to control the load and release of therapeutic agents, consequently producing significant therapeutic efficacy. Accordingly, they are believed to be successful and promising biomaterials as scaffolds and carriers of therapeutic agents for disease and cancer therapy and tissue engineering.

• Annals of Laboratory Medicine
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.545-554
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• 2018

Background: The increasing morbidity and mortality rates associated with Acinetobacter baumannii are due to the emergence of drug resistance and the limited treatment options. We compared characteristics of colistin-resistant Acinetobacter baumannii (CR-AB) clinical isolates recovered from patients with and without prior colistin treatment. We assessed whether prior colistin treatment affects the resistance mechanism of CR-AB isolates, mortality rates, and clinical characteristics. Additionally, a proper method for identifying CR-AB was determined. Methods: We collected 36 non-duplicate CR-AB clinical isolates resistant to colistin. Antimicrobial susceptibility testing, Sanger sequencing analysis, molecular typing, lipid A structure analysis, and in vitro synergy testing were performed. Eleven colistin-susceptible AB isolates were used as controls. Results: Despite no differences in clinical characteristics between patients with and without prior colistin treatment, resistance-causing genetic mutations were more frequent in isolates from colistin-treated patients. Distinct mutations were overlooked via the Sanger sequencing method, perhaps because of a masking effect by the colistin-susceptible AB subpopulation of CR-AB isolates lacking genetic mutations. However, modified lipid A analysis revealed colistin resistance peaks, despite the population heterogeneity, and peak levels were significantly different between the groups. Conclusions: Although prior colistin use did not induce clinical or susceptibility differences, we demonstrated that identification of CR-AB by sequencing is insufficient. We propose that population heterogeneity has a masking effect, especially in colistin non-treated patients; therefore, accurate testing methods reflecting physiological alterations of the bacteria, such as phosphoethanolamine-modified lipid A identification by matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization-time of flight, should be employed.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.10 no.6
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• pp.582-585
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• 1989

Two crystal structures of dehydrated $Sr^{2+}\;and\;Tl^+$ exchanged zeolite A, $Sr_xTl_{12-2x}-A$ (x = 1.6 and 5.45), have been determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction techniques. Their structures were solved and refined in the cubic space group Pm3m at $21(1)^{\circ}C.$ Both crystals were ion exchanged in flowing streams of mixed $Sr(NO_3)_2\;and\;TlNO_3$ aqueous solution, followed by dehydration at $360^{\circ}C\; and\; 2${\times}$10^{-6}$ Torr for 2 days. Full-matrix least-squares refinements of the dehydrated $Sr_{1.6}Tl_{8.8}-A (a = 12.214(2){\AA})\; and\;Sr_{5.45}Tl{1.1}-A (a=12.291(2){\AA})$ have converged to final error indices, $R_1=0.055\; and\;R_2=0.061$ with 286 reflections, and R1 = 0.072 and R2 = 0.090 with 217 reflections, respectively, for which$\;I\;{>}\;3{\sigma}(I)$. In both structures, all Sr(II) ions are coordinated by three framework oxygens; Sr(II) to O(3) distances are $2.21(2){\AA}\;for\;Sr_{1.6}Tl_{8.8}-A \;and\;2.31(1){\AA} \;for\;Sr_{5.45}Tl_{1.1}-A,$and Tl(I) to O(3) distances are $2.657(6){\AA}\;for\;Sr_{1.6}Tl_{8.8}-A\;and\;2.845(8){\AA}\;for\;Sr_{5.45}Tl_{1.1}-A,$ respectively. In each structure, the angle subtended at Sr(II), O(3)-Sr(II)-O(3) is $118.7(4)^{\circ}\;for\; Sr_{1.6}Tl_{8.8}-A \;and\;120.0(4)^{\circ}\;for\;Sr_{5.45}Tl_{1.1}-A.\;Sr^{2+}$ ions prefer to 6-ring sites and $Tl^+$ ions to 8-ring sites when total number of ions per unit cell is more than 8.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.38 no.1
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• pp.62-68
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• 2014

To improve the compatibility of bentonite with rubber matrix, organo-modified bentonite was synthesized with a silane coupling agent, [3-(2-aminoethylamino)propyl]trimethoxysilane (AEAPTMS) in the suspension of bentonite. The structure and characteristics of organo-modified bentonite were investigated using FTIR-spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Ethylene-propylene-diene monomer (EPDM) rubber/organo-bentonite composites were compounded by a two-roll mill. The vulcanization and mechanical properties were studied. Results showed that the concentration of hydrochloric acid and $H_2O$ in the synthesis had significant influence on the modification of bentonite, which further contributed to the properties of the composites. Filled with 20 phr modified bentonite, the tensile strength and elongation at break of the rubber increased from 1.95 to 4.8 MPa and 300% to 500%, respectively.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.458-464
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• 2008

A successful scaffold should have a highly porous structure and good mechanical stability. High porosity and appropriate pore size provide structural matrix for initial cell attachment and proliferation enabling the exchange of nutrients between the scaffold and environment. In this paper the highly porous scaffold of poly(${\varepsilon}$-caprolactone) electrospun nanofibers could be manufactured with an auxiliary electrode and chemical blowing agent (BA) under several processing conditions, such as the concentration of PCL solution, weight percent of a chemical blowing agent, and decomposition time of a chemical blowing agent. To attain stable electrospinnability and blown nanofiber mats having high microporosity and large pore, a processing condition, 8wt% of PCL solution and 0.5wt% of a chemical blowing agent under $100^{\circ}C$ and decomposition time of $2{\sim}3\;s$, was used. The growth characteristic of human dermal fibroblasts cells cultured in the mats showed the good adhesion and proliferation on the blown mat compared to a normal electrospun mat.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.725-744
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• 2022

As the construction of infrastructure using the underground tunnel in urban area have been rapidly increased, various accidents and collapses of tunnel including structure have been occurred in deep urban tunnelling. The concern and worry relating to the risk and safety of the tunnel during excavation is becoming the key issues in deep urban tunnelling. In this study, it was conducted for deep urban tunnel at GTX (Great Train Express) line which was located in Seoul metropolitan area to determine the risk characteristics for tunnel according to urban tunnelling. Also, it was reviewed the risk analysis and evaluation of the tunnel, shaft and station. And after a review of risk analysis and evaluation for risk register and hazard identification by using a risk matrix method, safety management of the tunnel according to excavation was evaluated to be secured. This study is expected to be applied as useful approach in deep urban tunnelling if you need to review the risk and safety management system of tunnel according to mitigation measures in complex urban tunnelling.

• Journal of Convergence for Information Technology
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• v.11 no.11
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• pp.44-50
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• 2021

Recently, enterprise storage systems that require large-capacity storage devices to accommodate big data have used large-capacity flash memory-based storage devices with high density compared to cost and size. This paper proposes a high-efficiency life prediction method with slope descent to maximize the life of flash memory media that directly affects the reliability and usability of large enterprise storage devices. To this end, this paper proposes the structure of a matrix for storing metadata for learning the frequency of defects and proposes a cost model using metadata. It also proposes a life expectancy prediction policy in exceptional situations when defects outside the learned range occur. Lastly, it was verified through simulation that a method proposed by this paper can maximize its life compared to a life prediction method based on the fixed number of times and the life prediction method based on the remaining ratio of spare blocks, which has been used to predict the life of flash memory.

• Journal of Korean Philosophical Society
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• no.122
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• pp.85-134
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• 2018

In this article, I will provide a philosophical discourse on digital sexual violence that is a technological version of male violence. First, critical analysis of the mechanism of the spatiality and the temporality of the hidden and illicit camera is developed to focus on the immeasurable damage of this violence. I elaborate a notional division between digital sexual violence and cyber sexual violence. Secondly, the ease of taking images of women's bodies and the rapid transmission of these images through the advancement of digital communication technology and hyperconnectivity, lead to use these images as a new digital monet for men. They consolidate their male solidarity by reaffirming female inferiority and humiliating women. Thirdly, the invention of the structure of the new affect to resist to digital sexual violence is crucial. For that, it would be necessary to pass from the sexual shame to the sexual displeasure and to the socio-political indignation. These would create another opportunity to resist to digital sexual violence.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.2
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• pp.145-162
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• 2019

This study aimed to increase the sugar and ethanol yield from the mengkuang plant biomass through biological and liquid hot water (LHW) pretreatment and their combination. The results showed that biological pretreatments with 5% inoculum of the fungus Trametes versicolor resulted in the highest alpha cellulose content incubated for 30 days, and 10% inoculum resulted in the lowest lignin content. LHW pretreatment decreased the hemicellulose content of pulps from 10.17% to 9.99%. T. versicolor altered the structure of the mengkuang pulp by degrading the lignin and lignocellulose matrix. The resulting delignification and cellulose degradation facilitate the hydrolysis of cellulose into sugars. The alpha cellulose content after biological-LHW pretreatment was higher (78.99%) compared to LHW-biological pretreatment (76.85%). Scanning electron microscopy analysis showed that biological-LHW combinated treatment degrades the cell wall structures. The ethanol yield for biological-LHW pretreated sample was observed 43.86% (13.11 g/L ethanol by weight of the substrate, which is much higher than that of LHW-biological pretreatment (34.02%; 9.097 g/L). The highest reducing sugar content about 45.10% was observed with a resulting ethanol content of 15.5 g/L at LHW pretreatment temperature of $180^{\circ}C$ for 30 min.

• Metals and materials international
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.1394-1402
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• 2018

This study investigates the mechanism of MnS precipitation on $Al_2O_3-SiO_2$ inclusions during the solidification of non-oriented silicon steel, especially the influence of the phase structures and sizes of the oxides on the MnS precipitation, by scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy coupled with energy dispersive spectrometry. The investigation results show that MnS tends to nucleate on submicron-sized $Al_2O_3-SiO_2$ inclusions formed by interdendritic segregation and that it covers the oxides completely. In addition, MnS can precipitate on micron-sized oxides and its precipitation behavior is governed by the phase structure of the oxides. The MnS embryo formed in a MnO-containing oxide can act as a substrate for MnS precipitation, thus permitting further growth via diffusion of solute atoms from the matrix. MnS also precipitates in a MnO-free oxide by the heterogeneous nucleation mechanism. Furthermore, MnS is less prone to precipitation in the $Al_2O_3$-rich regions of the $Al_2O_3-SiO_2$ inclusions; this can be explained by the high lattice disregistry between MnS and $Al_2O_3$.