• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.48 no.2
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• pp.163-177
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• 2023

Complex and intricate preparation techniques, the imperative for utmost precision and sensitivity in instrumentation, premature sample failure, and fragile specimens collectively contribute to the arduous task of measuring the fracture toughness of concrete in the laboratory. The objective of this research is to introduce and refine an equation based on the gene expression programming (GEP) method to calculate the fracture toughness of reinforced concrete, thereby minimizing the need for costly and time-consuming laboratory experiments. To accomplish this, various types of reinforced concrete, each incorporating distinct ratios of fibers and additives, were subjected to diverse loading angles relative to the initial crack (α) in order to ascertain the effective fracture toughness (Keff) of 660 samples utilizing the central straight notched Brazilian disc (CSNBD) test. Within the datasets, six pivotal input factors influencing the Keff of concrete, namely sample type (ST), diameter (D), thickness (t), length (L), force (F), and α, were taken into account. The ST and α parameters represent crucial inputs in the model presented in this study, marking the first instance that their influence has been examined via the CSNBD test. Of the 660 datasets, 460 were utilized for training purposes, while 100 each were allotted for testing and validation of the model. The GEP model was fine-tuned based on the training datasets, and its efficacy was evaluated using the separate test and validation datasets. In subsequent stages, the GEP model was optimized, yielding the most robust models. Ultimately, an equation was derived by averaging the most exemplary models, providing a means to predict the Keff parameter. This averaged equation exhibited exceptional proficiency in predicting the Keff of concrete. The significance of this work lies in the possibility of obtaining the Keff parameter without investing copious amounts of time and resources into the CSNBD test, simply by inputting the relevant parameters into the equation derived for diverse samples of reinforced concrete subject to varied loading angles.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.41-47
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• 2008

Although liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) method has been used routinely for the analysis of amphetamine-like drugs (amphetamine; AP, methamphetamine; MA, 3,4-methylenedioxyamphetamine; MDA, 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine; MDMA, 3,4-methylenedioxyethylamphetamine; MDEA), a solid-phase extraction (SPE) method, which can be automated, was applied for the simultaneous determination by GC/MS in human urine. Urine samples (3 mL) and 0.1 M phosphate buffer (1 mL, pH 7.0) were extracted by an automated SPE system. The eluent was evaporated, derivatized with trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA), and analyzed by GC/MS. The calibration curves was linear with correlation coefficient ($r^2$) above 0.994 in the ranges of 34.0 (AP), 28.0 (MDA)~1000.0 ng/mL for AP, MDA, and 50.0~2000.0 ng/mL for MA, MDMA, and MDEA. The limits of detection ranged from 4.0 to 10.0 ng/mL, and the limits of quantitation ranged from 12.0 to 34.0 ng/mL. The relative recoveries were 93.5~107.7 %. The precisions and accuracies were 1.9~14.8 % and -8.7~14.8 %, respectively. The present method was successfully applied to identify the MA or Ecstasy (MDMA) abusers in exact as well as rapid.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.89-98
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• 2023

Currently, no guidelines exist regarding the maximum residues of pesticides in edible oil which is a processed food commonly consumed in Korea. This lack of guidelines hinders the evaluation of the safety of edible oil in terms of pesticide contamination. In this study, an analysis method based on heat distillation and GC-MS/MS was established by optimizing the extraction and purification procedure for 68 pesticides. Important variables in the thermal distillation procedure included heating temperature and time, and we found the nitrogen flow rate as a mobile phase and the type of dissolving solvent were not considerably affected. The determination coefficient (R²) of the residual pesticide was 0.99 or higher, and the quantitative limit (LOQ) was 0.01-0.02 mg/L. The average recovery rate (n=5) was 66.1-120.0% and the relative standard deviation was lower than ±10% when 68 pesticides were spiked at concentrations of 0.01-0.02, 0.1, and 0.5 mg/L. In addition, the within-laboratory precision was less than ±11%, meeting the Korea Food and Drug Safety Evaluation Institute's Guidelines on Standard Procedures for Preparing Food Testing Methods (2016). Therefore, the test method developed in this study can be used as a test method for managing the safety of the residual pesticide concentration in edible oil.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.517-523
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• 2019

In this study, we investigated antioxidant capacity of 20 strawberry extract using the DPPH and ABTS assay and HPLC-DAD validation method. The total polyphenolic and flavonoids contents of 20 strawberry extracts were 22.77-107.61 mg TAE/100 g FW and 17.58-44.12 mg QE/100 g FW. The Aiberry and Elie star showed the highest total polyphenol and flavonoid contents, respectively. The DPPH radical scavenging activity of what was 1540.6-1124.0 μmol TEAC/100 g FW and Derunoka showed the highest activity. The ABTS radical scavenging activity was 6352.3-4592.3 μmol TEAC/100 g FW and FA23 showed the highest activity. The HPLC-DAD method for the quantitation of ellagic acid results showed high linearity in various concentration ranges, and the limit of detection was 2.35 μg/mL. The limit of quantification was 7.12 μg/mL. Relative standard deviation values from intra-and inter-day precision were less than 5.31%. Recovery rate at 10, 50, and 100 μg/mL, respectively, were 100.0-101.0% with relative standard deviation (RSD) values less than 5.30%. These results provide viable information for the validation of antioxidant capacity in strawberry fruits.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.161-170
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• 2020

There is systematic spatial variations in environmental properties due to sensitive reaction to external conditions at plastic greenhouse occupied 99.2% of domestic agricultural facilities. In order to construct 3 dimensional distribution of temperature, relative humidity, CO₂ and illuminance, measurement matrix as 3 by 3 by 5 in direction of width, height and length, respectively, dividing indoor space of greenhouse was designed and tested at experimental site. Linear regression analysis was conducted to evaluate optimal estimation method in terms with horizontal and vertical variations. Even though sole measurement point for temperature and relative humidity could be feasible to assess indoor condition, multiple measurement matrix is inevitably required to improve spatial precision at certain time domain such as period of sunrise and sunset. In case with CO₂, multiple measurement matrix could not successfully improve the spatial predictability during a whole experimental period. In case with illuminance, prediction performance was getting smaller after a time period of sunrise due to systematic interference such as indoor structure. Thus, multiple sensing methodology was proposed in direction of length at higher height than growing bed, which could compensate estimation error in spatial domain. Appropriate measurement matrix could be constructed considering the transition of stability in indoor environmental properties due to external variations. As a result, optimal measurement matrix should be carefully designed considering flexibility of construction relevant with the type of property, indoor structure, the purpose of crop and the period of growth. For an instance, partial cooling and heating system to save a consumption of energy supplement could be successfully accomplished by the deployment of multiple measurement matrix.

• The Korean Journal of Pesticide Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.269-277
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• 2014

The multiclass pesticide multiresidue method for the simultaneous determination of diflubenzuron in agricultural products was conducted by using HPLC-UVD. The method was validated through the guidelines of linearity, specificity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), accuracy and precision with pesticide-free spinach, Korean cabbage, eggplant, squash, sweet pepper, cucumber, Korean melon. The calibration curve of diflubenzuron was linear over the concentration range of 0.05-5 mg/kg with correlation coefficient of above 0.99999. The limit of detection and quantification was 0.008 and 0.02 mg/kg. Mean recoveries of diflubenzuron for each sample were 77.5-105.6%. Relative standard deviation (RSD) in recoveries were all less than 20%. The intra-day and inter-day precision (RSD) were 0.4-1.9% and 0.7-1.9%, respectively. The result of validation indicated that this method was accurate and rapid assay.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.85-93
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• 2016

A rapid method using HPLC-MS/MS has been developed for quantitative determination of the metabolites of nitrofurans, namely 3-amino-2-oxazolidone (AOZ), 5-morpholinomethyl-3-amino-2-oxazolidinone (AMOZ), 1-ammino-hydantoin (AHD) and semicarbazide (SEM) in loach. The extraction procedure was founded on simultaneous acidic hydrolysis and derivatization using 2-nitrobenzaldehyde (2-NBA) for 1 hour at $50^{\circ}C$, followed by purification with liquid-liquid extraction. Recovery was evaluated by spiking standards into blank samples at three levels (0.5, 1.0 and $2.0{\mu}g/kg$), and the mean recovery was 75.1-108.1%. Precision values expressed as the relative standard deviation (%RSD) were ${\leq}8.7%$ and ${\leq}8.5%$ for intra-day and inter-day precision, respectively. Linearity was studied in the range of $0.2-20{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAOZ, $0.8-20{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAMOZ, $0.2-20{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAHD, and $0.1-20{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBSEM, and the obtained coefficient correlations (r) were ${\geq}0.99$ for all compounds. Limits of detection (LODs) for the derivatized nitrofuran metabolites were established at $0.06{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAOZ, $0.24{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAMOZ, $0.06{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAHD, and $0.03{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBSEM. Limits of quantification (LOQs) were established at $0.2{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAOZ, $0.8{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAMOZ, $0.2{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBAHD, and $0.1{\mu}g/Kg$ for NBSEM. This simplified rapid method for reducing the derivatization and hydrolysis times can be applied to the determination of nitro-furan residues in loach.

• Korean Journal of Soil Science and Fertilizer
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.367-372
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• 1988

A series of field experiment was conducted to find out error range and to compare precision based on error analysis of soil water content measured with gravimetric, surface & depth neutron and gypsum block methods in a sandy loam soil. The error of soil water content measured with gravimetric (core-sampling), surface and depth neutron method showed quardratic curve, whereas that with gypsum block was exponential curve in relation to soil water content. Within the range of volumetric soil water content from 11 to 33%, the error of soil water content measured with gravimetric, surface neutron, depth neutron and gypsum block method was ranged from 0.28 to 3.49%, 0.71 to 2.63%, 0.52% to 1.01% and 0.05 to 21.89%, respectively. The error of soil water content measured with depth neutron method was lower than those of other methods, when the soil water content was more than 14% in sandy loam soil. The relative number of replicates of soil water measurement for surface neutron, depth neutron and gypsum block method to attain same precision for gravimetric method was 0.6-1.7, 0.07-0.8 and 0.1-125, respectively.

• The Korean Journal of Food And Nutrition
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.474-479
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• 2016

This study aimed to investigate the concentration of vitamin C in Momordica charantia (MC) by cultivar, harvest time, and maturity. The methods for determining vitamin C levels were validated by measuring their linearity, specificity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, and accuracy using HPLC. Results showed high linearity in the calibration curve, with a coefficient of correlation ($R^2$) of 0.9994. The LOD and LOQ values for vitamin C were 0.05 and $0.16{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intra- and inter-day precision of vitamin C measurements were 2.34 and 1.34%, respectively. Depending on cultivar, the concentration of vitamin C in MC varied from 20.75~107.31 mg/100 g, fresh weight, with an average level $68.85{\pm}25.57mg/100g$, FW. When MC was analyzed by harvest time, the 20150612 MC showed the highest amount of vitamin C ($113.20{\pm}1.89mg/100g$, FW). On the other hand, the highest vitamin C content by maturity was $48.59{\pm}0.87mg/100g$, FW (15 day old MC). This information on the comparative vitamin C levels of MC might be useful to food scientists and should be explored for functional food development.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.6
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• pp.955-961
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• 2014

This study was carried out to investigate the amounts of vitamin C in 22 sweet potato cultivars cultivated in Korea as well as evaluate the effects of cooking methods on vitamin C contents. Methods for determining vitamin C was validated by determining linearity, specificity, limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), precision, and accuracy using HPLC. Results showed high linearity in the calibration curve with a coefficient of correlation ($R^2$) of 0.9999. The LOD and LOQ values for ascorbic acid (AA) were 0.03 and $0.10{\mu}g/mL$, respectively. The relative standard deviations (RSDs) for intra- and inter-day precision of AA were less than 5%. The recovery rates of AA and dehydroascorbic acid (DHA) were in the range from 98.21~98.64 and 98.28~100.68%, respectively. Depending on cultivar, contents of AA, DHA, and total ascorbic acid (TA) in sweet potatoes varied in the range from 37.76 (Sinyulmi)~89.25 (Juhwangmin), 23.37 (Sinjami)~63.94 (Sinyulmi), and 68.52 (Sinjami)~115.95 (Juhwangmin) mg/100 g, respectively, and their average levels were $56.98{\pm}12.53$, $36.46{\pm}9.03$, and $93.44{\pm}12.00mg/100g$, respectively. The average TA levels were also dependent on flesh color, whish was significantly higher in general sweet potato and orange sweet potato than in purple sweet potato. Steaming, baking, and frying processes significantly reduced AA (10.61~58.41%), DHA (2.57~52.81%), and TA (14.54~49.92%) contents in sweet potatoes. The highest reduction of AA, DHA, and TA contents was observed after baking, followed by steaming and frying. We expect that the basic information provided by this study will be useful to plant breeders and food scientists.