• Ceramist
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.133-145
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• 2019

Thermoelectric energy conversion has attracted much attention because it can convert heat into electric power directly through solid state device and vice versa. Current research is aimed at increasing the thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT ) by improving the power factor and reducing the thermal conductivity. Although there have been significant progresses in increasing ZT of material systems composed of Bi, Te, Ge, Pb, and etc. over the last few decades, their relatively high cost, toxicity, and the scarcity have hindered further development of thermoelectrics to expand practical applications. In this paper, we review the current status of research in the fields of nanostructured thermoelectric materials with eco-friendly and low cost elements, such as skutterudites and oxides, for mid-high temperature applications, highlighting the strategies to improve thermoelectric performance.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.15 no.7
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• pp.435-438
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• 2005

Single phase $Zn_4Sb_3$ with $98.5\%$ of theoretical density was successfully produced by direct hot pressing of elemental powders containing $1.2 at\%$ excess Zn for compensating the evaporation during the process. Temperature dependences of thermoelectric properties were investigated from 4 K to 300 K. Seebeck coefficient, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity as well as thermoelectric figure of merit showed the discontinuity in variation at 242K, indicating the $\alpha-\beta$, phase transformation. Interestingly, it was found that lattice thermal conductivity by phonons is dominant in total thermal conductivity of $\alpha-\beta$. Therefore, it is expected that thermoelectric properties can be improved by reduction of lattice thermal conductivity inducing lattice scattering centers by doping and solid solution.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2013.08a
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• pp.88-89
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• 2013

A variety of influenza A viruses from animal hosts are continuously prevalent throughout the world which cause human epidemics resulting millions of human infections and enormous industrial and economic damages. Thus, early diagnosis of such pathogen is of paramount importance for biomedical examination and public healthcare screening. To approach this issue, here we propose a fully integrated Rotary genetic analysis system, called Rotary Genetic Analyzer, for on-site detection of influenza A viruses with high speed. The Rotary Genetic Analyzer is made up of four parts including a disposable microchip, a servo motor for precise and high rate spinning of the chip, thermal blocks for temperature control, and a miniaturized optical fluorescence detector as shown Fig. 1. A thermal block made from duralumin is integrated with a film heater at the bottom and a resistance temperature detector (RTD) in the middle. For the efficient performance of RT-PCR, three thermal blocks are placed on the Rotary stage and the temperature of each block is corresponded to the thermal cycling, namely $95^{\circ}C$ (denature), $58^{\circ}C$ (annealing), and $72^{\circ}C$ (extension). Rotary RT-PCR was performed to amplify the target gene which was monitored by an optical fluorescent detector above the extension block. A disposable microdevice (10 cm diameter) consists of a solid-phase extraction based sample pretreatment unit, bead chamber, and 4 ${\mu}L$ of the PCR chamber as shown Fig. 2. The microchip is fabricated using a patterned polycarbonate (PC) sheet with 1 mm thickness and a PC film with 130 ${\mu}m$ thickness, which layers are thermally bonded at $138^{\circ}C$ using acetone vapour. Silicatreated microglass beads with 150~212 ${\mu}L$ diameter are introduced into the sample pretreatment chambers and held in place by weir structure for construction of solid-phase extraction system. Fig. 3 shows strobed images of sequential loading of three samples. Three samples were loaded into the reservoir simultaneously (Fig. 3A), then the influenza A H3N2 viral RNA sample was loaded at 5000 RPM for 10 sec (Fig. 3B). Washing buffer was followed at 5000 RPM for 5 min (Fig. 3C), and angular frequency was decreased to 100 RPM for siphon priming of PCR cocktail to the channel as shown in Figure 3D. Finally the PCR cocktail was loaded to the bead chamber at 2000 RPM for 10 sec, and then RPM was increased up to 5000 RPM for 1 min to obtain the as much as PCR cocktail containing the RNA template (Fig. 3E). In this system, the wastes from RNA samples and washing buffer were transported to the waste chamber, which is fully filled to the chamber with precise optimization. Then, the PCR cocktail was able to transport to the PCR chamber. Fig. 3F shows the final image of the sample pretreatment. PCR cocktail containing RNA template is successfully isolated from waste. To detect the influenza A H3N2 virus, the purified RNA with PCR cocktail in the PCR chamber was amplified by using performed the RNA capture on the proposed microdevice. The fluorescence images were described in Figure 4A at the 0, 40 cycles. The fluorescence signal (40 cycle) was drastically increased confirming the influenza A H3N2 virus. The real-time profiles were successfully obtained using the optical fluorescence detector as shown in Figure 4B. The Rotary PCR and off-chip PCR were compared with same amount of influenza A H3N2 virus. The Ct value of Rotary PCR was smaller than the off-chip PCR without contamination. The whole process of the sample pretreatment and RT-PCR could be accomplished in 30 min on the fully integrated Rotary Genetic Analyzer system. We have demonstrated a fully integrated and portable Rotary Genetic Analyzer for detection of the gene expression of influenza A virus, which has 'Sample-in-answer-out' capability including sample pretreatment, rotary amplification, and optical detection. Target gene amplification was real-time monitored using the integrated Rotary Genetic Analyzer system.

• School Mathematics
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.277-289
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• 2007

This research aims to look into the mathematically gifted 6th and 7th graders spatial visualization ability of solid figures. The subjects of the research was six male elementary school students in the 6th grade and one male middle school student in the 1th grade receiving special education for the mathematically gifted students supported by the government. The task used in this research was the problems that compares the side lengths and the angle sizes in 4 pictures of its two dimensional representation of a regular icosahedron. The data collected included the activity sheets of the students and in-depth interviews on the problem solving. Data analysis was made based on McGee's theory about spatial visualization ability with referring to Duval's and Del Grande's. According to the results of analysis of subjects' spatial visualization ability, the spatial visualization abilities mainly found in the students' problem-solving process were the ability to visualize a partial configuration of the whole object, the ability to manipulate an object in imagination, the ability to imagine the rotation of a depicted object and the ability to transform a depicted object into a different form. Though most subjects displayed excellent spatial visualization abilities carrying out the tasks in this research, but some of them had a little difficulty in mentally imagining three dimensional objects from its two dimensional representation of a solid figure.

• Resources Recycling
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• v.14 no.4 s.66
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• pp.47-52
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• 2005

Carbonate species in aqueous solution play an important role in the determination of chemical properties of water in relation with alkalinity, buffer capacity, biological productivity, and so on. These compounds also have reactive characteristics such as interphasal reactions between solid, liquid, and gas phases. In the absence of solid materials, the total amount and relative abundance of each carbonate species are directly influenced by the partial pressure of $CO_2$ gas in the atmosphere, which in turn significantly affects the properties of aquatic system. In the water/wastewater treatment process along with the wastes treatment and recycling process which occurring in aquatic environment, it is essential to figure out its characteristics for their optimization and one of its most influential features upon these processes is determined by carbonate species. To understand the fundamental aspect of the relationship between the partial pressure of $CO_2$ gas and chemical features of water, especially pH, the working partial pressure of pure $CO_2$ gas that produced by contacting the dry ice with water has been estimated based on equilibrium calculation. The equilibrium constants for the dissociation ot carbonic acid were determined using van't Hoff equation and the distribution diagram of carbonate species according to the pH has been constructed to substantiate the results of equilibrium calculation. The estimated working partial pressure of pure $CO_2$ gas was found to be a function of the concentration of carbonates in solution, which suggesting that Prior evaluation of the working partial pressure of gas is essential for a better understanding of aquatic interactions.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.5
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• pp.851-856
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• 2002

All creatures are living in the space and time. As the space and time are prior to experience, they are preconditions for an incident to happen and preconditions for each other to coexist as well. Therefore, time can be recognized through the change of space and the space can be understood by the passage of time. In western philosophy, the space was understood as an object, place, interval, mind and etc. In oriental philosophy, even though one space is just a part of bigger space, the space may represent the universal space, and the various spaces are no more than a space. The space itself doesn't have any color, form, beginning and end, or liu-he(六合). However, it is the biggest concept that we can find everywhere. In order to understand the space, we need to find our position by expressing subjective positions like above and below, left and right, before and after, and objective positions like high and low, east and west, south and north. In oriental philosophy, the sun is the standard point in finding position; its front side is south, the backside is north, the left side is east, the right side is west, the upper side is south and the lower side north. Based on the finding position which is stated above and by taking each characteristics of he-luo-xi-wen(河洛羲文) and interrelations among them, the space can be modeled. Followings are the results obtained from this study: Tian doesn't fill in west and north. Di doesn't fill in east and south. Tian-dao(天道) turns to left, and Di-dao(地道) turns to right. There is no direct way to get to Dui-chong-fang without passing by Zhong-gong(中宮). The solid figure of eighty-one Bian-ju(變局) and sixty-four Gua-tu(卦圖).

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.221-230
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• 2017

We developed a polymer pouch using PVP that is water soluble in the precedent study. Yet melt viscosity was so low that it was not possible to produce hemispheric type which is essential for mass production, therefore we used another material to make the polymer pouch. It enabled to figure out a water-soluble transition and mechanic physical property of PEG that is newly chosen, and to blend the PEG with LLDPE and TALC followed by result. So, we could implement an evaluating property on blended proportion. It is important to find out a proper blending ratio throughout an experiment since its property is different or varied followed by each proportion as a water soluble character is conflict to a solid character. With the blending technique we were able to produce the polymer pouch enhanced for a tensile force and an impact intensity maintaining a water soluble character. We could identify a ground solidity effect of the polymer pouch as a result of a direct shear test using the product developed.

• Journal of Korean Clinical Nursing Research
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.20-27
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• 2016

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the fluid intake and output (I&O) measurement methods in order to figure out more effective and easier method for medical patients Methods: 71 hospitalized patients participated in the study. In "liquid only (LO)" method, all amount of water was summed up including any liquid types of food and IV fluids. In "whole food(WF) intake," all liquid and solid food intake and IV fluids were added up. Results: The average amount of fluid intake was 2105.29 ml for LO method and 2523.54 ml for WF method. The average amount of fluid output was 2148.98 ml. The intra-class correlations (ICC) between the intake and output measures by the two different methods was 0.803 and 0.826, respectively. The correlation between the differences of intake/output and body weight change in two different methods was r=.347 (p=.003), and r=.376 (p=.001), respectively. Conclusion: The results of this study indicate that both LO and WF method may be useful in monitoring patients' fluid balance. Given the comparability of using LO over WF, it is suggested that measuring just liquid only intake as the indicator of patient's intake is applicable in clinical setting.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.84-89
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• 2012

Attempts were made to develop a stable gray pigment at reducing atmosphere, substituting Ti in $ZrTiO_4$ with Mn, Fe, Co and Cu The pigment synthesized at $1300~1500^{\circ}C$ by solid state method with the composition of $ZrTi_{1-x-y}A_xB_yO_4$ (x = y = 0.005, 0.015, 0.035, 0.055, 0.075, 0.095, 0.115, 0.135, 0.155, 0.175 and 0.195 mole, A = Mn(III), Fe(III), Co(II, III) and Cu(II) (chromophores), B = Sb (counterion). The pigments were fired at $1400^{\circ}C$ for 3 h with substitute amount changes of Mn, Fe, Co and Cu to $ZrTiO_4$ crystals, and analyzed by Raman spectroscopy to figure out substitute limits. Results indicated 0.035 mole for Mn, 0.115 mole for Fe, 0.015 mole for Co and 0.015 mole for Cu as substitute limits, respectively. Figs. 1, 2, 3, and 4 represent each substitute pigments of Mn, Fe, Co and Cu. Synthesized pigment was applied to a lime and a lime-magnesia glaze at 7 wt% each, and fired at reducing atmosphere of $1240^{\circ}C$, soaking time 1h. Gray color was obtained with CIE-$L^*a^*b^*$ values at 44.55, -0.65, 1.19(Mn), 40.36, -0.90, 0.30(Fe), 42.63, -0.03, -1.49(Cu) and -40.79, -0.28, -0.91(Co), respectively.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.420-425
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• 2012

Lead-free piezoelectric ceramic/epoxy composites with '0-3' connectivity were prepared by cold-pressing with a temperature controlled curing method. A ceramic powder with a composition of $(Na_{0.51}K_{0.47}Li_{0.02})(Nb_{0.8}Ta_{0.2})O_3$ was synthesized by a conventional solid state reaction route. The dielectric and piezoelectric properties of ceramic/epoxy composites were characterized as a function of the volume fraction (${\phi}$) of piezoelectric ceramics, which was varied from 70 to 95 vol%. The results indicated that the piezoelectric properties of composites were significantly affected by the volume fraction of ceramics. In terms of the piezoelectric properties, specimens showed the best performance at ${\phi}$= 85 vol%, resulting in the piezoelectric constant $d_{33}$ of 39 pC/N and the figure of merit as a piezoelectric energy harvester ($d_{33}{\cdot}g_{33}$) of 1.24 $pm^2/N$.