• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.307-312
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• 2022

It is well known that dopamine transmission from the ventral tegmental area (VTA) modulates motivated behavior and reinforcement learning. Although dopaminergic neurons are the major type of VTA neurons, recent studies show that a significant proportion of the VTA contains GABAergic and type 2 vesicular glutamate transporter (VGLUT2)-positive neurons. The non-dopaminergic neurons are also critically involved in regulating motivated behaviors. Some VTA neurons appear to co-release two different types of neurotransmitters. They are VGLUT2-DA neurons, VGLUT2-GABA neurons and GABA-DA neurons. These co-releasing neurons show distinct features compared to the neurons that release a single neurotransmitter. Here, we review how VTA cell populations wire to the other brain regions and how these projections differentially contribute to motivated behavior through the distinct molecular mechanism. We summarize the activities, projections and functions of VTA neurons concerning motivated behavior. This review article discriminates VTA cell populations related to the motivated behavior based on the neurotransmitters they release and extends the classical view of the dopamine-mediated reward system.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.84 no.2
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• pp.253-268
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• 2022

Using non-destructive Acoustic Emission (AE) and optical Digital Image Correlation (DIC) methods, the moment-curvature behavior of steel and GFRP bars reinforced concrete beams under flexure was explored in this study. In the tension zone, laboratory studies were carried out on steel-RC and GFRP-RC beams with varying percentages of longitudinal reinforcement ratios of 0.33 %, 0.52%, and 1.11%. The distinct mechanism of cracking initiation and fracture progression of failure in steel-RC and GFRP-RC beams were effectively correlated and picked up using AE waveform characteristics of the number of AE hits and their amplitudes, AE energy as well as average frequency and duration. AE XY event plots and longitudinal strain profiles using DIC gives an online and real-time visual display of progressive AE activity and strains respectively to efficaciously depict the crack evolution and their advancement in steel-RC and GFRP-RC beams. They display a close matching with the micro and macro-cracks visually observed in the actual beams at various stages of loading.

• Earthquakes and Structures
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.317-329
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• 2024

Recent earthquakes have demonstrated that even when the beams and columns in a reinforced concrete frame remain intact, the integrity of the whole structure is undermined if the joint where these members connect fails. A good seismic performance of reinforced concrete frames depends on their ability to absorb seismic energy through inelastic deformations and to avoid a sudden development of collapse mechanism in event of a strong earthquake shaking. The primary objective of this investigation is to move the plastic hinge away from the beam-column joint region and hence reducing the damage to the joint region. In this research, the seismic performance of exterior beam-column joints with four types of confinement in joint region and inclined bars from column to beam is investigated experimentally. Control specimens without inclined bars and four types of confinement Square Hoop, Square Spiral, Circular Hoop and Circular Spiral were tested along with inclined bars were tested. Seismic performance was determined via load-deflection response, ductility, stiffness, energy dissipation, strain of beam reinforcement and crack pattern. Out of the four specimens with inclined bars, seismic performance of joint with Square Spiral confinement gave the best performance in terms of all parameters.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.289-302
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• 2016

A new kind of partially precast or prefabricated castellated steel reinforced concrete beam, which is abbreviated here as CPSRC beam, was presented and introduced in this paper. This kind of CPSRC beam is composed of a precast outer-part and a cast-in-place inner-part. The precast outer-part is composed of an encased castellated steel shape, reinforcement bars and high performance concrete. The cast-in-place inner-part is made of common strength concrete, and is casted with the floor slabs simultaneously. In order to investigate the shear performance of the CPSRC beam, experiments of six CPSRC T-beam specimens, together with experiments of one cast-in-place SRC control T-beam specimen were conducted. All the specimens were subjected to sagging bending moment (or positive moment). In the tests, the influence of casting different strength of concrete in the cross section on the shear performance of the PPSRC beam was firstly emphasized, and the effect of the shear span-to-depth ratio on that were also especially taken into account too. During the tests, the shear force-deflection curves were recorded, while the strains of concrete, the steel shapes as well as the reinforcement stirrups at the shear zone of the specimens were also measured, and the crack propagation pattern together with the failure pattern was as well observed in detail. Based on the test results, the shear failure mechanism was clearly revealed, and the effect of the concrete strength and shear span-to-depth ratios were investigated. The shear capacity of such kind of CPSRC was furthermore discussed, and the influences of the holes on the steel shape on the shear performance were particularly analyzed.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.349-360
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• 2003

A practical modeling approach has been proposed in this study to better understand the behavior of penetration grouting which is normally applied to the jointed rock masses to increase the bearing capacity and to reduce the ground water flow into the tunnel. Based on Bingham model together with a steady-state flow of the grout, penetration model is simulated in the commercial package called UDEC and, injection pressure as well as joint thickness are found to be the main parameters to determine the range of grout spread. Another numerical model on fracturing grouting is also suggested and, in this case, the tensile strength as well as cohesion of the rock masses are proven to be the major factors to decide the fracturing mechanism of the rock masses. The reinforcement effect of the grout-reinforced rock masses is calculated from the suggested algorithm on orthotropic material model and it is found that the directional stiffness of reinforced rock masses is increased up to 3 to 4 times compared with original jointed rock masses. Future work will be concentrated on the water control around the tunnel by the grout injection and a model test will also be performed to verify the suggested methods developed in this study.

• Journal of the Korean Wood Science and Technology
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• v.46 no.2
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• pp.189-201
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• 2018

Intumescent system is a highly effective flame retardant technology that takes advantage of the mechanism of foaming and carbonization. In order to materialize Intumescent system, it is necessary to use reinforcement material to improve the strength of the material. In this study, we used kenaf as a natural fiber to manufacture intumescent/EVA (ethylene vinyl acetate) composites to improve mechanical and flame retardant performance. Finally two materials with different particle shape are applied to one system. Therefore, the influence factors of the particles with different shapes on the composite material were analyzed based on the tensile test. For this purpose, we have used the tensile strength analysis model and confirmed that it can only act as a partial strength reinforcement due to weak binding force between the matrix and particles. In the combustion characteristics analysis using cone calorimeter and UL 94, the combustion characteristics were enhanced as the content of Intuemscent was increased. As the content of kenaf increased, combustion characteristics were strengthened and carbonization characteristics were weakened. Through the application of kenaf, it can be confirmed that elastic modulus improvement and combustion characteristics can be strengthened, which confirmed the possibility of development of environmentally friendly flame retardant materials.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.51-68
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• 2007

High-strength concrete (HSC) is becoming increasingly attractive for various construction projects since it offers a multitude of benefits over normal-strength concrete (NSC). Unfortunately, current design provisions for shear capacity of RC slender beams are generally based on data developed for NSC members having a compressive strength of up to 50 MPa, with limited recommendations on the use of HSC. The failure of HSC beams is noticeably different than that of NSC beams since the transition zone between the cement paste and aggregates is much denser in HSC. Thus, unlike NSC beams in which micro-cracks propagate around aggregates, providing significant aggregate interlock, micro-cracks in HSC are trans-granular, resulting in relatively smoother fracture surfaces, thereby inhibiting aggregate interlock as a shear transfer mechanism and reducing the influence of compressive strength on the ultimate shear strength of HSC beams. In this study, a new approach based on genetic algorithms (GAs) was used to predict the shear capacity of both NSC and HSC slender beams without shear reinforcement. Shear capacity predictions of the GA model were compared to calculations of four other commonly used methods: the ACI method, CSA method, Eurocode-2, and Zsutty's equation. A parametric study was conducted to evaluate the ability of the GA model to capture the effect of basic shear design parameters on the behaviour of reinforced concrete (RC) beams under shear loading. The parameters investigated include compressivestrength, amount of longitudinal reinforcement, and beam's depth. It was found that the GA model provided more accurate evaluation of shear capacity compared to that of the other common methods and better captured the influence of the significant shear design parameters. Therefore, the GA model offers an attractive user-friendly alternative to conventional shear design methods.

• Korean Journal of Cognitive Science
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.357-381
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• 2009

Although it is known that there are personality characteristic variances in the sensitivity to environmental feedback, the trait individual difference has scarcely been explored in the context of recognition memory decision. The present study investigated this issue by examining the relationship between the feedback-based adaptive flexibility of recognition criterion positioning and personality differences in general sensitivity to non-laboratory outcomes. Experiment 1 demonstrated that veridical feedback itself had little effect on the recognition decision criterion whereas Experiment 2 demonstrated that biased feedback manipulations selectively restricted to high confidence errors, induced shifts even in the overall Old/New category criterion. Critically, individual differences in stable personality characteristic linked to reward seeking(Behavioral Activation System-BAS) and anxiety avoidance (Behavioral Inhibition System-BIS) has been shown to predict the sensitivity of subjects to this form of feedback-induced criterion learning. This data further support the idea that incremental reinforcement-based learning mechanism not often considered important during explicit recognition decisions may play a key role in criterion setting.

• Geotechnical Engineering
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.137-154
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• 1996

Pull-out tests for three different types of strip reinforcements are performed to investigate variation of the apparent coefficient of friction which occurs between the reinforcements and the weathered granite soils with different contents of fine materials. The contents of fine materials for the soil sample are varied from 7% to 36% and the reinforcements used for the pullout tests are smooth, ribbed steel strips and a textured shape Paraweb 1 Friction tie. Test results show that the apparent coefficient of friction tends to decrease with the increase of the content of fine meterials. It is known, however, that the minimum apparent coefficient of friction required to the design of reinforced earth structures can be achieved even at 35% fine contents by using appropriate reinforcements. The ribbed strip reinforcement is found to be the most effective in mobilizing the apparent friction when interacting to finer weathered granite soils. The textured reinforcement is also useful for 35% fine con tents if the textured depth is increased.

• Journal of the Korea institute for structural maintenance and inspection
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2014

The present study proposes a simple equation to straightforwardly determine the potential plastic hinge length in boundary element of reinforced concrete shear walls. From the idealized curvature distribution along the shear wall length, a basic formula was derived as a function of yielding moment, maximum moment, and additional moment owing to diagonal tensile crack. Yielding moment and maximum moment capacities of shear wall were calculated on the basis of compatability of strain and equilibrium equation of internal forces. The development of a diagonal tensile crack at web was examined from the shear transfer capacity of concrete specified in ACI 318-11 provision and then the additional moment was calculated using the truss mechanism along the crack proposed by Park and Paulay. The moment capacities were simplified from an extensive parametric study; as a result, the equivalent plastic hinge length of shear walls could be formulated using indices of longitudinal tensile reinforcement at the boundary element, vertical reinforcement at web, and applied axial load. The proposed equation predicted accurately the measured plastic hinge length, providing that the mean and standard deviation of ratios between predictions and experiments are 1.019 and 0.102, respectively.