• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.39 no.1
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• pp.83.1-83.1
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• 2014

Open clusters consisting of a co-spatial and coeval population with a similar chemical composition are a superb astrophysical test bed in both stellar and galactic astronomy. We introduce not only several scientific issues relating to these objects but also comprehensive studies of the two young open clusters Westerlund 1 and IC 1848 formed in extremely different star-forming conditions. Westerlund 1 is known as the most massive starburst cluster in the Galaxy. Located in the Scutum-Centaurus spiral arm, the cluster is relatively close to the Galactic Center. The apparent surface density is very high. On the other hand, IC 1848 is a core cluster within the large-scale star-forming region W5 lying in the Perseus arm. Unlike Westerlund 1, IC 1848 with a putatively low metallicity exhibits a low surface density. We present the fundamental parameters of those young clusters, such as reddening, distance, and age, obtained from the broadband photometric analysis. The stellar initial mass function (IMF) of the clusters is used to investigate the effects of the different star-forming conditions on the star formation activity. With the results of previous studies for several young open clusters, our preliminary results support a possibility that star formation activity may be affected by the environmental factors or the initial condition of natal clouds. In addition, we shortly discuss the age scale and spread of pre-main sequence stars to understand the formation processes of star clusters.

• Journal of Construction Engineering and Project Management
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.28-34
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• 2013

Use of recycled aggregates in portland cement concrete (PCC) construction can offer benefits associated with both economy and sustainability. Testing performed to date indicates that recycled brick masonry aggregate (RBMA) can be used as a 100% replacement for conventional coarse aggregate in concrete that exhibits acceptable mechanical properties for use in structural and pavement elements, including satisfactory performance in some durability tests. Recycled brick masonry aggregate concrete (RBMAC) is currently not used in any type of construction in the United States. However, use of RBMAC could become a viable construction strategy as sustainable building practices become the norm. This paper explores the feasibility of use of RBMAC in several types of sustainable construction initiatives, based upon the findings of previous work with RBMAC that incorporates RBMA produced from construction and demolition waste from a case study site. A summary of material properties of RBMAC that will be useful to construction professionals are presented, along with a discussion of advantages and impediments to use. Several quality assurance and quality control techniques that could be incorporated into specifications are identified.

• Wind and Structures
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.69-82
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• 2014

Flow around a small white fir tree was investigated with varying the length of the bottom trunk (hereafter referred to as bottom gap). The velocity fields around the tree, which was placed in a closed-type wind tunnel test section, were quantitatively measured using particle image velocimetry (PIV) technique. Three different flow regions are observed behind the tree due to the bottom gap effect. Each flow region exhibits a different flow structure as a function of the bottom gap ratio. Depending on the gap ratio, the aerodynamic porosity of the tree changes and the different turbulence structure is induced. As the gap ratio increases, the maximum turbulence intensity is increased as well. However, the location of the local maximum turbulence intensity is nearly invariant. These changes in the flow and turbulence structures around a tree due to the bottom gap variation significantly affect the shelter effect of the tree. The wind-speed reduction is increased and the height of the maximum wind-speed reduction is decreased, as the gap ratio decreases.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.505-509
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• 2020

The development of diesel power generation is predominantly geared toward island areas or ships because diesel exhibits weak scale-merit characteristics and power quality problems, which are associated with environmental pollution. However, a new energy paradigm, distribution energy resource (DER), has been emerging as a renewable energy source due to the existing structural problems in waste disposal and complex factors such as the conversion technology of waste emulsified oil (WDF). By combining extended producer responsibility (EPR) support and renewable energy certificates (REC), including waste energy REC 0.25 for other bioenergy and REC 1.0 for power transactions, an adequate profit model can be built through self-energetic power generation, thereby drawing keen attention from related industries. Therefore, if WDF is used appropriately as a high-quality engine fuel, it can lead to the development of various fields such as novel renewable energy sectors, waste management, and EPR-related industries. This study is intended to produce WDF using plastic waste by using it as engine-generator fuel. Moreover, we investigate ways to improve the quality and suitability of WDF as an engine fuel.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.201-207
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• 2019

Nanoxel-$PM^{TM}$ (Nanoxel) is a docetaxel-loaded methoxy-poly(ethylene glycol)-block-poly(D,L-lactide) (mPEG-PDLLA). This newly developed and marketed nanoformulation exhibits an improved pharmacokinetic profile, efficacy, and safety. Although the safety of Nanoxel to docetaxel as well as its bioequivalence must be clinically confirmed, all biological activities have not been examined in in vitro or in vivo studies. Here, the toxicity in a cultured cell system and the effects on blood cells were tested with Nanoxel and docetaxel. The in vitro cytotoxicity of Nanoxel was found to be comparable to or slightly lower than that of docetaxel depending on the concentrations tested or the cell types. Neither docetaxel nor Nanoxel induced erythrocytes hemolysis and produced reactive oxygen species up to $100{\mu}M$. However, Nanoxel was able to enhance the aggregatory response of platelets to collagen, whereas docetaxel attenuated such aggregation in a range of $50-100{\mu}M$, while thrombin-induced aggregation was not affected by either of them. Docetaxel or Nanoxel did not alter basal level of $Ca^{2+}$ and 5-hydroxytryptamine-evoked $Ca^{2+}$ transient in vascular smooth muscle cells. These results suggest that the mPEG-PDLLA micellar formulation alters the toxicological properties of docetaxel, and that extra cautions are needed when evaluating the safety of nanomedicine.

• Current Applied Physics
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• v.18 no.11
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• pp.1255-1260
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• 2018

In this work, a green and simple one-pot route was developed for the synthesis of highly fluorescent aminofunctionalized graphene quantum dots (a-GQDs) via hydrothermal process without any further modification or surface passivation. We synthesized the a-GQDs using glucose as the carbon source and ammonium as a functionalizing agent without the use of a strong acid, oxidant, or other toxic chemical reagent. The as-obtained aGQDs have a uniform size of 3-4 nm, high contents of amino groups, and show a bright green emission with high quantum yield of 32.8%. Furthermore, the a-GQDs show effective fluorescence quenching for $Cu^{2+}$ ions which can serve as effective fluorescent probe for the detection of $Cu^{2+}$. The fluorescent probe using the obtained aGQDs exhibits high sensitivity and selectivity toward $Cu^{2+}$ with the limit of detection as low as 5.6 nM. The mechanism of the $Cu^{2+}$ induced fluorescence quenching of a-GQDs can be attributed to the electron transfer by the formation of metal complex between $Cu^{2+}$ and the amino groups on the surface of a-GQDs. These results suggest great potential for the simple and green synthesis of functionalized GQDs and a practical sensing platform for $Cu^{2+}$ detection in environmental and biological applications.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.16 no.9
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• pp.2846-2866
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• 2022

Caenorhabditis elegans exhibits sophisticated chemotaxis behavior through two parallel strategies, klinokinesis and klinotaxis, executed entirely by a small nervous circuit. It is therefore suitable for inspiring fast and energy-efficient solutions for autonomous navigation. As a random search strategy, the Lévy walk is optimal for diverse animals when foraging without external chemical cues. In this study, by combining these biological strategies for the first time, we propose a spiking neural network model for search and contour tracking of specific concentrations of environmental variables. Specifically, we first design a klinotaxis module using spiking neurons. This module works in conjunction with a klinokinesis module, allowing rapid searches for the concentration setpoint and subsequent contour tracking with small deviations. Second, we build a random exploration module. It generates a Lévy walk in the absence of concentration gradients, increasing the chance of encountering gradients. Third, considering local extrema traps, we develop a termination module combined with an escape module to initiate or terminate the escape in a timely manner. Experimental results demonstrate that the proposed model integrating these modules can switch strategies autonomously according to the information from a single sensor and control steering through output spikes, enabling the model worm to efficiently navigate across various scenarios.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.5
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• pp.633-645
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• 2022

The active tuned mass damper (ATMD) is an efficient and reliable structural control system for mitigating the dynamic response of structures. The inertial force that an ATMD exerts on a structure to attenuate its otherwise large kinetic energy and undesirable vibrations and displacements is proportional to its excursion. Achieving a balance between the inertial force and excursion requires a control law or feedback mechanism. This study presents a technique for the optimum design of a sliding mode controller (SMC) as the control law for ATMD-equipped structures subjected to earthquakes. The technique includes optimizing an SMC under an artificial earthquake followed by testing its performance under real earthquakes. The SMC of a real 11-story shear building is optimized to demonstrate the technique, and its performance in mitigating the displacements of the building under benchmark near- and far-fault earthquakes is compared against that of a few other techniques (proportional-integral-derivative [PID], linear-quadratic regulator [LQR], and fuzzy logic control [FLC]). Results indicate that the optimum SMC outperforms PID and LQR and exhibits performance comparable to that of FLC in reducing displacements.

• The Journal of Asian Finance, Economics and Business
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.57-66
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• 2023

There is a strong association between poverty levels and the probability of natural disasters. East Java, however, exhibits a distinct pattern. While the rate of poverty is declining, natural disasters are becoming more severe. Considering that East Java is an area with a high risk of natural disasters and a high poverty rate, this study aims to estimate the effect of environmental preservation and the magnitude of the impact of disasters as measured by the Disaster Risk Index (IRBI) on poverty. The 3SLS model is used on secondary data from 38 districts/cities from 2015 to 2021 as an analytical database. Based on the estimation results, there are 3 findings in this study: (i) the role of government, population development, and economic activity have a strong influence on nature conservation; (ii) nature conservation has a strong influence on disaster risk; and (iii) the disaster risk index has a strong effect on poverty. As a result, areas with a high level of disaster risk have a slower rate of poverty reduction. The role of this research is to show the need for the government's role in improving the quality of natural disaster mitigation anticipation, economic activity, and the role of the population in a sustainable manner.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Industry Convergence
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• v.27 no.2_2
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• pp.371-375
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• 2024

Epoxy resins are widely used in various fields due to their high adhesion, mechanical strength, and solvent resistance. However, as the volume decreases during the hardening process and the cooling process after hardening, stress is generated and when an external force is applied, the brittle material exhibits destruction behavior. To complement this, research has been conducted using inorganic nanofillers such as halloysite nanotube(HNT). HNT has a nanotube structure with the chemical formula of Al₂Si₂O₅(OH)₄·nH₂O and is a natural sediment of aluminosilicate. It has been used as additive to improve the mechanical properties of epoxy composites with exchange of amine group as a terminal functional group. In order to simplify complicated procedures of common wet method, a dry coating machine was designed and used for amine group exchange in previous research. In this study, they were applied as filler in epoxy composites, and mechanical properties such as tensile strength and flexural strength of composites were examined.