• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.156-164
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• 2018

Environmental contaminants are one of the important causal factors for development of various human diseases. In particular, the perinatal period is highly vulnerable to environmental toxicants and resultant dysregulation of fetal development can cause detrimental health outcomes potentially affecting life-long health. Perfluoroalkyl compounds (PFCs), emerging environmental pollutants, are man-made organic molecules, which are widely used in diverse industries and consumer products. PFCs are non-degradable and bioaccumulate in the environment. Importantly, PFCs can be found in cord blood and breast milk as well as in the general population. Due to their physicochemical properties and potential toxicity, many studies have evaluated the health effects of PFCs. This review summarizes the epidemiological and experimental studies addressing the association of PFCs with neurotoxicity and immunotoxicity. While the relationships between PFC levels and changes in neural and immune health are not yet conclusive, accumulative studies provide evidence for positive associations between PFC levels and the incidence of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder and reduced immune response to vaccination both in children and adults. In conclusion, PFCs have the potential to affect human health linked with neurological disorders and immunosuppressive responses. However, our understanding of the molecular mechanism of the effects of PFCs on human health is still in its infancy. Therefore, along with efforts to develop methods to reduce exposure to PFCs, studies on the mode of action of these chemicals are required in the near future.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.9
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• pp.813-818
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• 2010

In current automobile and electronic industries, the use of magnesium alloys where both energy and weight saving are attainable is increasing. Despite their light weight, there has been an inherent drawback arising from the surface vulnerable to be oxidized with ease, specifically under corrosive environments. To protect magnesium alloy from corrosion, the present work deals with the electrochemical response of the oxide layer on magnesium alloy specimen prepared by plasma electrolytic oxidation (PEO) method in an electrolyte with zirconia powder. Surface observation using scanning electron microscopy evidences that a number of zirconia particles are effectively incorporated into oxide layer. From the results of potentio-dynamic tests in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution, the PEO-treated sample containing zirconia particles shows better corrosion properties than that without zirconia, which is the result of zirconia incorporation into the coating layer. Corrosion resistance is also measured by utilizing salt spray tests for 120 hrs.

• Design & Manufacturing
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.22-27
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• 2022

The demand for new processing technology that can improve productivity is increasing in industries that require large-scale and various products. In response to this demand, a robot machining system with flexibility is required. Because of the low rigidity of the robot, the robot machining system has a large error during machining and is vulnerable to vibration generated during machining. Vibration generated during machining deteriorates machining quality and reduces the durability of the machine. To solve this problem, a stage for fixing the spindle during machining is required. In order to compensate for the robot's low rigidity, a system combining a piezoelectric actuator for generating a large force and a guide mechanism to actuate with a desired direction is required. Since the rigidity of flexible hinges varies depending on the structure, it is important to optimal design the flexible hinge and high-rigidity system. The purpose of this research is to make analytic model and optimize a flexible hinge and to design a high rigidity stage. In this research, to design a flexible hinge stage, a concept design of system for high rigidity and flexure hinge modeling is carried out. Based on analytic modeling, the optimal design for the purpose of high rigidity is finished and the optimal design results is used to check the error between the modeling and actual simulation results.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.91-109
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• 2024

Carbon nanotubes are drawing wide attention of research communities and several industries due to their versatile capabilities covering mechanical and other multi-physical properties. However, owing to extreme operating conditions of the synthesis process of these nanostructures, they are often imposed with certain inevitable structural deformities such as single vacancy and nanopore defects. These random irregularities limit the intended functionalities of carbon nanotubes severely. In this article, we investigate the mechanical behaviour of double-wall carbon nanotubes (DWCNT) under the influence of arbitrarily distributed single vacancy and nanopore defects in the outer wall, inner wall, and both the walls. Large-scale molecular simulations reveal that the nanopore defects have more detrimental effects on the mechanical behaviour of DWCNTs, while the defects in the inner wall of DWCNTs make the nanostructures more vulnerable to withstand high longitudinal deformation. From a different perspective, to exploit the mechanics of damage for achieving defect-induced shape modulation and region-wise deformation control, we have further explored the localized longitudinal and transverse spatial effects of DWCNT by designing the defects for their regional distribution. The comprehensive numerical results of the present study would lead to the characterization of the critical mechanical properties of DWCNTs under the presence of inevitable intrinsic defects along with the aspect of defect-induced spatial modulation of shapes for prospective applications in a range of nanoelectromechanical systems and devices.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.91-99
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• 2024

Piping systems are crucial facilities used in various industries, particularly in areas related to daily life and safety. Piping systems are fixed to the main structures of buildings and facilities but do not support external loads and serve as non-structural elements performing specific functions. Piping systems are affected by relative displacements owing to phase differences arising from different behaviors between two support points under seismic loads; this can cause damage owing to the displacement-dominant cyclic behavior. Fittings and joints in piping systems are representative elements that are vulnerable to seismic loads. To evaluate the seismic performance and limit states of fittings and joints in piping systems, a high-stroke actuator is required to simulate relative displacements. However, this is challenging because only few facilities can conduct these experiments. Therefore, element-level experiments are required to evaluate the seismic performance and limit states of piping systems connected by fittings and joints. This study proposed a method to evaluate the seismic performance of an elbow specimen that includes fittings and joints that are vulnerable to seismic loads in vertical piping systems. The elbow specimen was created by connecting straight pipes to both ends of a 90° pipe elbow using flexible groove joints. The seismic performance of the elbow specimen was evaluated using a cyclic loading protocol based on deformation angles. To determine the margin of the evaluated seismic performance, the limit states were assessed by applying cyclic loading with a constant amplitude.

• Journal of Technology Innovation
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.147-175
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• 2006

One of the biggest problems of Korean economy is polarization of firms for export and domestic demand and that of conglomerates and SME's achievement. One of the culprits lies weakness of intermediate industry such as machine tool. Since intermediate industry is important path where export performance affects domestic demand and whose actor usually is SMEs with high spill over effect in labor market. Especially, intermediate industry Is vulnerable because of industrial policy biased In backward linkage effect. However if a country fails to develop intermediate industry above some critical point, that country would fall in low-tech equilibrium without growth. In case of benign circle where final goods industry growth leads growth of intermediate industry and again it leads that of final goods industry, it can reach high-tech equilibrium. By contrast, in opposite case where in industrialization latecomer fails to link industries likewise above some critical point that country would fall in low-tech equilibrium without growth. Moreover, for several reasons, machine tool firms of Korea have difficulty in catching up technology above critical point. Firstly. Conglomerate demander neglects their product. Secondly, even after success of development overcoming difficulties they fail to get market share for response of dumping of foreign competitors. And the last one is patent litigation of foreign competitors that incapacitate the technology development. For these, Korean machine tool firms fell in 'middle-income country trap' itself, since they stuck in some extent when they technologically catch up. Consequently, for latecomer country in machine tool industry to leapfrog meaningfully policy support is necessary, Weak intermediate industry does not Induce domestic firms and remained fragile. Therefore, localization, policy should reflect condition of technological catch up more than before, in order to be effective and fruitful. There should be turning point over relationship between conglomerates, major demander of machine tool and SME's, for only with active purchasing of conglomerate Korean machine industry can grow.

• Journal of the Economic Geographical Society of Korea
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.276-291
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• 2020

As social distancing is implemented to prevent the spread of COVID-19, there is an increasing number of workers participating in telework. This study aims to classify the feasibility of working at home for occupations and industries based on physical working conditions, and to analyze regional distribution of the teleworkable jobs. And the raw data of the Korea Working Conditions Survey is used to examine working environment and characteristics of jobs. The main findings show that 35% of jobs in South Korea can be done at home, and the occupations that are less amenable to work at home are closely related to the economically vulnerable workers who earn low wages. Furthermore, the regions that are heavily dependent on manufacturing for employment are likely to have a lower share of jobs that can be done at home due to the industrial structure and working conditions.

• Journal of the Society of Naval Architects of Korea
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• v.52 no.6
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• pp.435-443
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• 2015

Offshore structure may be considerably vulnerable to fatigue failure while initial flaw propagates under cyclic loading, so crack propagation analysis/fracture/yield assessments about initial flaw detected by NDT are necessarily required. In this paper, case studies have been conducted by flaw assessment program using engineering criticality analysis (ECA) approach. Variables such as flaw geometry, flaw size, structure geometry, dynamic stress, static stress, toughness, crack growth rate, stress concentration factor (SCF) affected by weld are considered as analysis conditions. As a result, the safety of structure was examined during fatigue loading life. Also, critical initial flaw size was calculated by sensitivity module in the developed program. The flaw assessments analysis using ECA approach can be very useful in offshore industries owing to the increasing demand on the engineering criticality analysis of potential initial flaws.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.8 no.11
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• pp.134-143
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• 2008

The significance of the image content industry, as a flagship industry of the cultural content industry, is emerging globally as a high value-added trend. Since the movie industry has diverse related industries along with a positive spillover effect from cultural and economic perspectives, it ultimately strengthens national brands as well as national competitiveness. As a national strategy cultural content industry, the movie industry in each country around the world utilizes its own diverse self-protective systems. The Korean movie industry has emerged as a 10 million-strong movie-goer market; however, in reality, it is vulnerable to high film production costs and utility. The current domestic media market demands a new paradigm through the media industry as a whole; nonetheless, it is inherently limited to past film production and distribution channels. In this study, I seek to evaluate the status quo and propose a new direction for the Korea movie industry.

• Journal of Environmental Impact Assessment
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.23-33
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• 2006

The factor of air pollution in a large industrial city is not only manufactories but also, activities related to trucks. Sihwa National Industrial Complex is located in Siheung City; due to the industries, more diverse activities related to trucks occur in Siheung City than other cities. In particular, the new residential area in Siheung City is close to the industrial complex; so, the damage of this residential area is expected that it would be more serious and vulnerable than other areas. The aim of this study is to analyze influence of the air pollution by a truck in Siheung City. ISCST3 Model and Arc View program were used for this study and Siheung City was divided into 1,000 meter by 1,000 meter grid to analyze. Furthermore, this study suggested two reduction controls of air pollution in Siheung City, and analyzed the results from these reduction managements. The results of the present condition showed that residences located in north of Sihwa Industrial Complex are influenced by air pollution material. Furthermore, air pollution by trucks has affected on the residents which is near the road in Siheung City. Therefore, this study suggested two reduction controls by the Traffic System Management. The first alternative plan is setting the truck traffic limitation zone in the road that is located in south of resident areas and many trucks traffic. Next, the second alternative plan is setting freight truck way on the most traffic road to enter the industrial complex. The reduction effect of the first alternative is good on the residential area. And, the second alternate about freight truck way is divided passenger cars into trucks. Therefore, there are increase of average speed and decrease of average concentration, and spatial reduction effects found in wide areas.