• Journal of Korea Society of Waste Management
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• v.35 no.8
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• pp.731-743
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• 2018

This study was performed to test the feasibility of thermophilic ($55^{\circ}$) co-digestion of municipal sewage sludge and food wastes. The management variables of co-digestion were the mixed ratios of municipal sewage sludge and food waste hydraulic retention times (HRTs). During the operation of thermophilic co-digestion, the reactor pH ranged from 7.0 to 7.5 and the reactor alkalinity remained above 3,200 to 4,000 mg/L as $CaCO_3$. The volatile fatty acids concentration increased as the HRT shortened from 20 days to 10 days and the mixture ratio increased to 1:4, but did not reach toxic levels for co-digestion of sewage sludge and food wastes. Methane productivity increased gradually as the organic loading rate increased. Maximum methane productivity reached 1.03v/v-d at an HRT of 10 days and at the mixture ratio of 1:4. The TVS removal efficiency decreased from 70.6% to 58.3% as the HRT shortened from 20 days to 10 days. TVS removal efficiency ranged from 57.0% to 77% during the entire operation. It is likely that thermophilic co-digestion of sewage sludge and food wastes is a very effective method both to environmentally treat food waste and to economically produce gas for energy.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.53 no.6
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• pp.622-634
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aimed to identify the mediating effects of career motivation and job-esteem and the effect of the nursing work environment on intention to stay among hospital nurses. Methods: Data were collected from 289 nurses working at an advanced general hospital. The research model design was based on the PROCESS macro proposed by Hayes and analyzed using SPSS 24.0 program. Results: The results showed a positive correlation between intention to stay and nursing work environment (r = .19, p = .001), career motivation (r = .34, p < .001), and job-esteem (r = .37, p < .001). Nursing work environment (B = 0.34 [.09~.59]) and job-esteem (B = 0.27 [.04~.49]) had a direct effect on intention to stay. There was a two-mediator sereal mediation effect of career motivation and job-esteem. The nursing work environment showed a significant effect on the intention to stay among hospital nurses through career motivation and job-esteem. Conclusion: In order to increase the retention rate of hospital nurses, it is suggested that government and medical institutions provide multifaceted support that can increase nurses' motivation for career development and recognition of the nursing profession through improvement of the nursing work environment.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.7
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• pp.370-376
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• 2024

In this study, we report significant improvements in lithium-ion battery anodes cost and performance, by fabricating nano porous silicon (Si) particles from Si wafer sludge using the metal-assisted chemical etching (MACE) process. To solve the problem of volume expansion of Si during alloying/de-alloying with lithium ions, a layer was formed through nitric acid treatment, and Ag particles were removed at the same time. This layer acts as a core-shell structure that suppresses Si volume expansion. Additionally, the specific surface area of Si increased by controlling the etching time, which corresponds to the volume expansion of Si, showing a synergistic effect with the core-shell. This development not only contributes to the development of high-capacity anode materials, but also highlights the possibility of reducing manufacturing costs by utilizing waste Si wafer sludge. In addition, this method enhances the capacity retention rate of lithium-ion batteries by up to 38 %, marking a significant step forward in performance improvements.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.17 no.10
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• pp.1447-1451
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• 2004

An experiment was conducted to determine the effects of different dietary crude protein (CP) levels on growth performance, nutrient utilization, small intestine protease activity and immunity index of weaner to 2 month-old New Zealand rabbits. Eighty weaner rabbits were allocated in individual cages to five treatments in which they were fed diets with CP at 14%, 16%, 18%, 20% and 22%, respectively. The growth performance and nutrient digestibility of rabbits increased firstly when dietary CP increased, then decreased. The average daily gain was the highest and feed conversion rate was the lowest when dietary CP reached 20%, namely 34.9 g/d and 2.74:1, respectively. Maximum CP digestibility was 72.1% in the 18% CP group, maximum crude fiber digestibility of 28.4% occurred in the 16% CP group and was significantly different from other treatments (p<0.01), apparent digestibility of Lys and Val followed the same trend as CP digestibility, and reached their maximum when dietary CP was 18%. Apparent digestibility of Cys, Tyr, Leu and Thr also had a similar trend to CP digestibility. Nitrogen retention (RN) increased with CP level (p>0.05), and was highest for 20% CP treatment (1.5 g/d). The effect of CP level on the rate of digestible nitrogen (DN) converted RN was small. The spleen index, thymus index, chymotrypsin and trypsin activities in small intestine were highest when dietary CP was 16%, which were 1.0, 2.8, 15.7 U/g and 125.7 U/g, respectively. There was no significant difference among treatments (p>0.05). According to the above results, the appropriate dietary CP level from weaner to 2 month-old meat rabbits was 18-20%.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.29 no.5
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• pp.323-337
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• 2020

Long-term continuous data were used to investigate changes in air and water temperature and temperature hysteresis at Lake Paldang, the largest source of drinking water in South Korea. Based on the temperatures at Yangpyeong, near Lake Paldang, using a seasonal Mann-Kendall test, the rate of change of increase in temperature over the last 27 years (0.060℃/yr, 1993-2019) was higher than that of during 47 years (0.048℃/yr, 1973-2019). The air and water temperatures in Lake Paldang and its influent rivers had a high correlation (R > 0.9, p < 0.005); however, the water temperature increased at rate slower than the river water temperature, and the water temperature decreased slowly as the air temperature fell. The depth-averaged water temperature also changed more slowly than the surface water of the lake both when the air temperature was high and when it was low. This is likely because the lake has a larger area and a longer heat retention time than rivers, resulting in a greater hysteresis of water temperature at lake.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.415-420
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• 2016

To enhance electrochemical performances of anode materials, the surface of coal tar pitch (CTP) was modified by incorporating heteroatoms through chemical treatment with phosphoric acid ($H_3PO_4$). The prepared anode materials with modified CTP was analyzed by XRD, FE-SEM and XPS. The electrochemical performances of modified CTP were investigated by constant current charge/discharge test, rate performance, cyclic voltammetry and impedance tests using the electrolyte of $LiPF_6$ dissolved in the mixed organic solvents (ethylene carbonate : dimethyl carbonate = 1 : 1 vol% + vinylene carbonate 3 wt%). The coin cell using modified CTP ($H_3PO_4/CTP$ = 3 : 100 in weight) has better initial capacity and initial efficiency (489 mAh/g, 82%) than those of other composition coin cells. Also, it was found that the capacity retention was 86% after 30 cycles and the rate capability was 87% at 2 C/0.1 C.

• Biotechnology and Bioprocess Engineering:BBE
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.270-274
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• 2005

A reactor-scale hydrogen (H2) production via the water-gas shift reaction of carbon monoxide (CO) and water was studied using the purple nonsulfur bacterium, Rhodopseudomonas palustris P4. The experiment was conducted in a two-step process: an aerobic/chemoheterotrophic cell growth step and a subsequent anaerobic $H_2$ production step. Important parameters investigated included the agitation speed. inlet CO concentration and gas retention time. P4 showed a stable $H_2$ production capability with a maximum activity of 41 mmol $H_2$ g $cell^{-1}h^{-1}$ during the continuous reactor operation of 400 h. The maximal volumetric H2 production rate was estimated to be 41 mmol $H_2 L^{-1}h^{-1}$, which was about nine-fold and fifteen-fold higher than the rates reported for the photosynthetic bacteria Rhodospirillum rubrum and Rubrivivax gelatinosus, respectively. This is mainly attributed to the ability of P4 to grow to a high cell density with a high specific $H_2$ production activity. This study indicates that P4 has an outstanding potential for a continuous H2 production via the water-gas shift reaction once a proper bioreactor system that provides a high rate of gas-liquid mass transfer is developed.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.75-85
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• 2008

This study investigated the effects of chitosan on mineral metabolism in rats exposed to cadmium by oral administration. Six week-old Sprague-Dawley rats were divided into eight groups. Four groups were fed AIN-93G based 3% ${\alpha}$-cellulose diets and the other four groups were fed 3% chitosan diets for four weeks with the oral administration of 0, 0.5, 1.0, 2.0 mg Cd/2ml distilled water three times per week, respectively. The essential mineral contents of serum, liver, kidney and bone (femur and lumbar), and the excretion of calcium in feces and urine were determined. There was no significant difference in weight gain and food intake among groups. The cadmium administration significantly decreased calcium in serum, iron in blood, calcium and iron in liver and iron contents in kidney. In contrast, calcium and zinc contents in kidney increased by the administration of cadmium. The weight, length and breaking forces of the femur and lumbar were not significantly different due to cadmium administration and chitosan among the groups. The fecal excretion of calcium was increased by the administration of cadmium. On the other hand, calcium absorption and the absorption rate were decreased by Cd administration. In the groups without Cd administered (N, N-Chi groups), chitosan significantly decreased the absorption rate of calcium by increasing the excretion in feces (p<0.05). These results suggest that cadmium administration may facilitate the decline of essential minerals in rats and also, chitosan may have a conflicting effect between cadmium and the essential minerals of tissues.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.626-633
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• 2016

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of precooling and application of gaseous $ClO_2$ on the retention of freshness and quality of 'Maehyang' strawberry fruits intended for export. 'Maehyang' strawberry fruits (Fragaria ${\times}$ ananassa Duch.) were grown in commercial greenhouses and then harvested. Fruits of uniform and medium size at 60% ripeness were selected and assigned to one of four treatment groups: non-treatment (control), precooling only (PO), gaseous $ClO_2$ only (GCO) or precooling combined with gaseous $ClO_2$ (P + C). Weight loss was lowest in the PO treatment and greatest in the GCO treatment after export. Compared to the control and PO treatment groups, strawberry fruits in the GCO treatment group maintained high brightness and high chroma. Six days after shipping, fruits in the P + C treatment group had the highest soluble solids content, even as high as $10.05^{\circ}Brix$; the lowest value was observed in the PO treatment. The incidence rate of gray mold in strawberry fruits was 20% and 17% in the control and the PO treatment, respectively; in the GCO treatment, the incidence rate of gray mold amounted to 10%. No gray mold was observed in the P + C treatment group. These results indicate that gaseous $ClO_2$ treatment combined with precooling (P + C) was effective in maintaining the freshness of 'Maehyang' strawberry fruits intended for export from South Korea to Hong Kong.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.258-265
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• 2016

Fluorine-doped tin oxide (FTO) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized using ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. The morphologies, crystal structures, chemical bonding states, and electrochemical properties of the nanoparticles are investigated. The FTO nanoparticles show uniform morphology and size distribution in the range of 6-10 nm. The FTO nanoparticles exhibit excellent electrochemical performance with high discharge specific capacity and good cycling stability ($620mAhg^{-1}$ capacity retention up to 50 cycles), as well as excellent high-rate performance ($250mAhg^{-1}$ at $700mAg^{-1}$) compared to that of commercial $SnO_2$. The improved electrochemical performance can be explained by two main effects. First, the excellent cycling stability with high discharge capacity is attributed to the nano-sized FTO particles, which are related to the increased electrochemical active area between the electrode and electrolyte. Second, the superb high-rate performance and the excellent cycling stability are ascribed to the increased electrical conductivity, which results from the introduction of fluorine doping in $SnO_2$. This noble electrode structure can provide powerful potential anode materials for high-performance lithiumion batteries.