• Membrane Journal
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.192-203
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• 2024

The advancement of commercially viable gas separation membranes plays a pivotal role in improving CO₂ separation efficiency. High-molecular-weight poly(ethylene oxide) (high-Mw PEO) emerges as a promising option due to its high CO₂ solubility, affordability, and robust mechanical attributes. However, the crystalline nature of high-Mw PEO hinders its application in gas separation membranes. This study proposes a straightforward blending approach by incorporating various polymeric additives into high-Mw PEO to address this challenge. Four commercially available, water-soluble polymers, i.e. poly(ethylene glycol) (PEG), poly(propylene glycol) (PPG), poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), and poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP) are examined as additives to enhance membrane performance by improving miscibility and reducing PEO crystallinity. Contrary to expectations, PEG and PPG fail to inhibit the crystalline structure of PEO and result in membrane flaws. Conversely, PAA and PVP demonstrate greater success in altering the crystal structure of PEO, yielding defect-free membranes. A thorough investigation delves into the correlation between changes in the crystalline structure of high-Mw PEO blend membranes and their gas separation performance. Drawing from our findings and previously documented outcomes, we offer insights into designing and selecting additive polymers for high-Mw PEO, aiming at the creation of cost-effective, commercially viable CO₂ separation membranes.

• Dementia and Neurocognitive Disorders
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.30-43
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• 2024

Background and Purpose: The SoUth Korea study to PrEvent cognitive impaiRment and protect BRAIN health through lifestyle intervention (SUPERBRAIN) proved the feasibility of multidomain intervention for elderly people. One-quarter of the Korean population over 65 years of age has mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Digital health interventions may be cost-effective and have fewer spatial constraints. We aim to examine the efficacy of a multidomain intervention through both face-to-face interactions and video communication platforms using a tablet personal computer (PC) application in MCI. Methods: Three hundred participants aged 60-85 years, with MCI and at least one modifiable dementia risk factor, will be recruited from 17 centers and randomly assigned in a 1:1 ratio to the multidomain intervention and the waiting-list control groups. Participants will receive the 24-week intervention through the tablet PC SUPERBRAIN application, which encompasses the following five elements: managing metabolic and vascular risk factors, cognitive training, physical exercise, nutritional guidance, and boosting motivation. Participants will attend the interventions at a facility every 1-2 weeks. They will also engage in one or two self-administered cognitive training sessions utilizing the tablet PC application at home each week. They will participate in twice or thrice weekly online exercise sessions at home via the ZOOM platform. The primary outcome will be the change in the total scale index score of the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status from baseline to study end. Conclusions: This study will inform the effectiveness of a comprehensive multidomain intervention utilizing digital technologies in MCI.

• Journal of Korean Society of Disaster and Security
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Most reservoirs in South Korea are earthen dams, mainly because they are cost-effective and easy to construct. However, earthen dams are highly vulnerable to seepage and overtopping, making them prone to sudden failure during excessive flooding. Such sudden failures can lead to a rapid increase in flood discharge, causing significant damage to downstream rivers and inhabited areas. This study investigates the effect of riprap placement on the slopes of earthen dams in delaying dam failure. Delaying the failure time is crucial as it allows more time for evacuation, significantly reducing potential casualties, which is essential from a disaster response perspective. Hydraulic experiments were conducted in a straight channel, using two different sizes of riprap for protection. Unlike previous studies, these experiments were performed under unsteady flow conditions to reflect the impact of rising water levels inside the dam. The target dam for the study was a cofferdam installed in a diversion tunnel. Experimental results indicated that the presence of riprap protection effectively prevented slope failure under the tested conditions. Without riprap protection, increasing the size of the riprap delayed the failure time. This delay can reduce peak discharge, mitigating damage downstream of the dam. Furthermore, these findings can serve as critical reference material for establishing emergency action plans (EAP) for reservoir failure.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.50 no.5
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• pp.595-608
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• 2024

In this study, aluminum lathe waste was used by replacing aggregates in certain proportions in order to obtain expansive concrete using recycled materials. For this reason, five different aluminum wastes of 1%, 2%, 3%, 4% and 5% were selected and also reference without aluminum waste was produced. Based on the mechanical tests conducted, which included slump, compression, splitting tensile, and flexural tests, it was evident that the workability of the material declined dramatically once the volume ratio of aluminum exceeded 2%. As determined by the compressive strength test (CST), the CS of concrete (1% aluminum lathe wastes replaced with aggregate) was 11% reducer than that of reference concrete. It was noted that the reference concrete's CS values, which did not include aluminum waste, were greater than those of the concrete that contained 5% aluminum. When comparing for splitting tensile strength (STS), it was observed that the results of STS generally follow the parallel inclination as the CS. The reduction in these strengths when 1% aluminum is utilized is less than 10%. These ratios modified 18% when flexural strength (FS) is considered. Therefore, 1% of aluminum waste is recommended to obtain expansive concrete with recycled materials considering minimum loss of strength. Moreover, Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) analysis was performed and the results also confirm that there was expansion in the aluminum added concrete. The presence of pores throughout the concrete leads to the formation of gaps, resulting in its expansion. Additionally, for practical applications, basic equations were developed to forecast the CS, STS, and FS of the concrete with aluminum lathe waste using the data already available in the literature and the findings of the current study. In conclusion, this study establishes that aluminum lathe wastes are suitable, readily available in significant quantities, locally sourced eco-materials, cost-effective, and might be selected for construction using concrete, striking a balance among financially and ecological considerations.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.167-171
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• 2024

Technetium-99 (⁹⁹Tc) is recognized as a critical concern in the disposal of spent nuclear fuel due to its long half-life and remarkable stability, existing predominantly as TcO₄^- in the natural environment. The anionic form of technetium is highly soluble and mobile, posing significant environmental risks from the viewpoint of nuclear waste management. Thus, developing efficient and cost-effective sorbents for aqueous Tc(VII) is essential for mitigating relevant contamination. In the present work, the adsorption characteristics of Re(VII), a chemical analog of Tc(VII), were investigated using the clay mineral bentonite, modified with two different organic cations: hexadecylpyridinium (HDPy) and hexadecyltrimethylammonium (HDTMA). Sorption experiments were conducted at a liquid-to-solid ratio of 1 g/L with Re(VII) solutions prepared at concentrations from 10^-4 mol/L to 10^-6 mol/L. The sorption ratio and distribution coefficients were determined with samples collected at reaction times of 10, 50, 100, and 500 minutes after 0.45 ㎛ syringe filtration. In parallel, the modified bentonite samples were further analyzed using the X-ray diffraction (XRD) method to understand the adsorption mechanism of Re(VII) onto the target minerals. According to the quantification analysis results, a rapid equilibrium reaction of aqueous Re(VII) for all modified bentonite samples was identified. Moreover, near-complete adsorption of Re(VII) was observed when the bentonite was modified at 200-400% of its cation exchange capacity (CEC) for both organic cations. For cases of lower modification, the HDTMA-modified bentonite showed relatively higher adsorption efficiency compared with the one modified with HDPy. This result was inferred to be due to the difference in inter-layer spacing based on the characteristics of the organic cations. It is expected that the results obtained through this study will serve as a preliminary case for the synthesis of adsorbents for the retardation of highly mobile anionic radionuclides, such as I and Tc, in the natural environment.

• The Mathematical Education
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• v.63 no.3
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• pp.467-484
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• 2024

The rapid advancement of generative AI has ushered in an era where anyone can create and freely utilize personalized chatbots without the need for programming expertise. This study aimed to develop a customized chatbot based on OpenAI's GPTs for the purpose of pre-service teacher education and to analyze its educational performance in mathematics as assessed by educators guiding pre-service teachers. Responses to identical questions from a general-purpose chatbot (ChatGPT), a customized GPTs-based chatbot, and an elementary mathematics education expert were compared. The expert's responses received an average score of 4.52, while the customized GPTs-based chatbot received an average score of 3.73, indicating that the latter's performance did not reach the expert level. However, the customized GPTs-based chatbot's score, which was close to "adequate" on a 5-point scale, suggests its potential educational utility. On the other hand, the general-purpose chatbot, ChatGPT, received a lower average score of 2.86, with feedback indicating that its responses were not systematic and remained at a general level, making it less suitable for use in mathematics education. Despite the proven educational effectiveness of conventional customized chatbots, the time and cost associated with their development have been significant barriers. However, with the advent of GPTs services, anyone can now easily create chatbots tailored to both educators and learners, with responses that achieve a certain level of mathematics educational validity, thereby offering effective utilization across various aspects of mathematics education.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.529-540
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• 2024

In industrial sites, experiential virtual training contents are partially used to replace high-risk and high-cost training, and virtual training contents development is also becoming active along with the increasing demand for non-face-to-face industries. Existing studies mainly focused on quantitative research through surveys, and only measured the change in users' learning commitment. This study attempted to investigate the effect of the combination of theoretical education and virtual training on the improvement of actual job performance in a dual vocational training environment by conducting an experimental study. This study studied whether the combination of theoretical education and virtual training can improve the performance of vocational training in dual vocational training (comparative work and learning) in which companies and schools participate. The results of pre- and post-evaluation of vocational training using traditional vocational training and virtual training contents were compared with 24 vocational training trainees. As a result of the study, it was demonstrated that the outcome of virtual training education was higher than that of traditional vocational training, and the combination of virtual reality-based education was more effective in theoretical education. This study suggests that the virtual training content presents a new paradigm for industrial safety education, and through the interview results of trainees, it was confirmed that virtual training can lead to a change in attitude toward safety beyond just knowledge transfer. This contributes to the prevention of safety accidents in industrial sites and provides important implications for improving the quality of vocational training.

• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
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• v.29 no.9
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• pp.137-144
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• 2024

Digital advertising, both indoors and outdoors, is evolving from traditional 2D formats to more immersive 3D forms. 3D advertising involves creating 3D content and displaying it through large LED installations on two sides of a building's corner, or using 3D hologram projectors indoors. This study examines the production process of 3D hologram projectors used indoors and LED-based 3D content used outdoors, analyzing potential issues and considerations when creating 3D digital advertising content. The findings reveal that while indoor hologram projector content provides 3D effects, the low resolution of the devices makes it challenging to implement complex content. However, they are cost-effective and easy to operate. On the other hand, LED-based 3D advertising content, produced in high resolution, requires more time for content creation and incurs higher hardware installation costs. Despite this, it effectively represents complex content and maximizes visibility due to its enhanced 3D effects. In conclusion, it is crucial to create tailored content that matches the resolution of the display device to maximize 3D effects in advertising. Specifically, when producing 3D billboard-style outdoor advertising content, the structure of the building on which it will be installed must be carefully considered.

• Journal of Space Technology and Applications
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• v.4 no.3
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• pp.199-209
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• 2024

In this study, we calculated total electron content (TEC) using ship-borne global navigation satellite system (GNSS) observations and validated the results by comparing the ground-based TEC. GNSS is an effective tool for monitoring the ionosphere as it allows 24-hour observations, is low cost, and is easy to install. However, most GNSS stations are located on land, which leads to a lack of data from the ocean. Therefore, we conducted an experiment collecting GNSS data in the ocean by installing GNSS observation systems aboard the research vessel 'ISABU', operated by the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology. We estimated TEC using GNSS data from July 30 to August 24, 2021. From the results, we confirmed daily and latitudinal variations of TEC as expected. Additionally, we compared the results with TEC derived from nearby ground-based GNSS stations and then verified similar variations. Based on these results, we plan to research ionospheric climatology using long-term data and assess its potential for ongoing ionospheric monitoring.

• Research in Plant Disease
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.294-299
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• 2024

Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods, including conventional PCR (cPCR) and quantitative real-time PCR (qRT-PCR), with both plasmid- and chromosome-targeting primers, are currently the most reliable methods for detecting Erwinia amylovora due to their high sensitivity and specificity. Despite qRT-PCR's quantitative advantage, cPCR remains an attractive method to detect this bacterium in initial screenings of suspected host plants, as it is cost-effective and does not require skilled personnel in well-equipped laboratories. This study aimed to significantly improve cPCR robustness via application of bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a PCR facilitator, with a modified EaF/R primer pair, as previously reported. Experiments have shown that simple supplementation with BSA (10 mg/ml) enhances cPCR reactions using templates such as genomic DNA, bacterial cells, and infected symptomless host organs, including immature apple fruits and seedlings, with EaF/R primers. The cPCR method described in this study is simple, specific, and reliable, and can be applied in routine assays to diagnose fire blight.