• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.215-226
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• 2024

Aralia continentalis is widely distributed in Far East Asian countries such as Korea, China, and Japan. A. continentalis has traditionally been used as an herbal remedy for various conditions, including analgesia, headache, inflammation, lameness, lumbago, rheumatism, and dental diseases in Korea. Previously, epi-continentalic acid, continentalic acid, and kaurenoic acid as major active biological compounds belonging to the diterpenoid class were identified. To synthesize diterpenoid derivatives with enhanced bioavailability, Fusarium fujikuroi was employed to biotransform diterpenoids due to its known antibacterial activity. This yielded two derivatives of kaurenoic acid, namely 16α-hydroxyent-kauran-2-on-19-oic acid and 2β, 16α-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid, with their chemical structures elucidated via NMR analysis. These derivatives exhibited increased polarity compared to kaur- enoic acid, as evidenced by their retention time on preparative HPLC using the ODS-A column and structural modifications. Evaluation of their antidiabetic activity targeting PTP1B, a negative regulator of the insulin signaling pathway, revealed inhibitory activities of 30.8% and 27.6%, respectively, at a concentration of 4 ㎍/ml. Additionally, both derivatives demonstrated low cytotoxicity, with an IC50 value 18 times higher than kaurenoic acid. Therefore, the augmented water solubility and reduced toxicity of 16α-hydroxy-ent-kauran-2-on-19-oic acid and 2β, 16α-dihydroxy-ent-kauran-19-oic acid, resulting from biotransformation by F. fujikuroi, render them promising candidates for industrial applications.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.87-95
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• 2024

Recent studies explore a wide array of desalination and water treatment methods, encompassing membrane processes such as reverse osmosis (RO), nanofiltration (NF), and electrodialysis (ED) to advanced capacitive deionization (CDI) and its membrane variant (MCDI). Comparative analyses reveal ED's cost-effectiveness in low-salinity scenarios, while hybrid systems (NF-MCDI, RO-NF-MCDI) show improved salt removal and energy efficiency. Novel ion separation methods (NF-CDI, NF-FCDI) offer enhanced efficacy and energy savings. These studies also highlight the efficiency of these methods in treating complex wastewater specific to various industries. Environmental impact assessments emphasize the need for sustainability in system selection. Additionally, the integration of microfabricated sensors into membranes allows real-time monitoring, advancing technology development. These studies underscore the variety and promise of emerging desalination and water treatment technologies. They provide valuable insights for enhancing efficiency, minimizing energy usage, tackling industry-specific issues, and innovating to surpass conventional method limitations. The future of sustainable water treatment appears bright, with continual advancements focused on improving efficiency, minimizing environmental impact, and ensuring adaptability across diverse applications.

• Journal of Internet of Things and Convergence
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.85-91
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• 2024

In this paper, we studied projection mapping, which is being utilized as a digital canvas beyond space and time for theme parks, mega events, and exhibition performances. Since the existing projection technology used for fixed objects has the limitation that it is difficult to map moving objects in terms of utilization, it is urgent to develop a technology that can track and map moving objects and a real-time dynamic projection mapping system based on dynamically moving objects so that it can respond to various markets such as performances, exhibitions, and theme parks. In this paper, we propose a system that can track real-time objects in real time and eliminate the delay phenomenon by developing hardware and performing high-speed image processing. Specifically, we develop a real-time object image analysis and projection focusing control unit, an integrated operating system for a real-time object tracking system, and an image processing library for projection mapping. This research is expected to have a wide range of applications in the technology-intensive industry that utilizes real-time vision machine-based detection technology, as well as in the industry where cutting-edge science and technology are converged and produced.

• KIPS Transactions on Software and Data Engineering
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.35-49
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• 2024

Video captioning technology, as a significant outcome of the integration between computer vision and natural language processing, has emerged as a key research direction in the field of artificial intelligence. This technology aims to achieve automatic understanding and language expression of video content, enabling computers to transform visual information in videos into textual form. This paper provides an initial analysis of the research trends in deep learning-based video captioning and categorizes them into four main groups: CNN-RNN-based Model, RNN-RNN-based Model, Multimodal-based Model, and Transformer-based Model, and explain the concept of each video captioning model. The features, pros and cons were discussed. This paper lists commonly used datasets and performance evaluation methods in the video captioning field. The dataset encompasses diverse domains and scenarios, offering extensive resources for the training and validation of video captioning models. The model performance evaluation method mentions major evaluation indicators and provides practical references for researchers to evaluate model performance from various angles. Finally, as future research tasks for video captioning, there are major challenges that need to be continuously improved, such as maintaining temporal consistency and accurate description of dynamic scenes, which increase the complexity in real-world applications, and new tasks that need to be studied are presented such as temporal relationship modeling and multimodal data integration.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.34 no.5
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• pp.296-303
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• 2024

Vinegar is a fermented food product created by fermenting various sugar- and starch-containing ingredients with microorganisms. It contains a variety of organic acids, sugars, amino acids, esters, and other compounds that contribute to its unique sensory properties. Vinegar is known for its potential benefits, including aiding digestion, lowering blood sugar levels, anti-obesity effects, and antioxidant properties. It is also believed to contribute to improving alkaline body conditions. This study was conducted to develop functional dried vinegar powder from naturally fermented vinegars. Unripe apple, brown rice, and black chokeberry (aronia) were fermented using Gluconacetobacter xylinus for 90-180 days. The filtrate vinegar was spray dried with 37.46% maltodextrin, 5% glucose, 1% citric acid, and 0.04% vitamin C. Analysis of the acidity, color difference, water and soluble solid content, and heat stability of dried vinegar (DV) confirmed that spray drying is a suitable method for powder production. Moreover, the DVs exhibited excellent sensory attributes and solubility. Among the DVs, aronia-DV showed the highest 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl hydrazyl and 2,2-azobis (3- ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonate) radical scavenging activity (36.7% and 75.3%) and reducing power (0.334) at 0.5 mg/ml concentration, respectively. The nitrite scavenging activity was highest in brown unripe apple-DV, followed by aronia-DV and brown rice-DV. In the anti-thrombosis activity assay, aronia-DV showed the highest prothrombin inhibition. The brown rice-DV exhibited lipid accumulation inhibitory activity in 3T3-L1 adipocytes without cell cytotoxicity. Our results suggest the potential for commercialization of dried vinegar, highlighting its diverse benefits and applications.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

This research investigated the preparation of activated carbon derived from Krabok (Irvingia malayana) seed shells to improve the quality of crude glycerol obtained during biodiesel production. The activated carbon was prepared using a dry chemical activation method with NaOH, utilizing an innovative biomass incinerator. The results revealed that the resulting KC/AC-two-step exhibited favorable physicochemical adsorption properties, with a high surface area of 758.72 m²/g and an iodine number of 611.10 mg/g. These values meet the criteria of the industrial product standard for activated carbon No. TIS 900-2004, as specified by the Ministry of Industry in Thailand. Additionally, the adsorption efficiency for methylene blue reached an impressive 99.35 %. This developed activated carbon was then used to improve the quality of crude glycerol obtained from biodiesel production. The experimental results showed that the KC/AC-two-step increased the purity of crude glycerol to 73.61 %. In comparison, commercially available activated carbon (C/AC) resulted in a higher crude glycerol purity of 81.19 %, as analyzed by the GC technique. Additionally, the metal content (Zn, Cu, Fe, Pb, Cd, and Na) in purified glycerol using KC/AC-two-step was below the standards for heavy metals permitted in food and cosmeceuticals by the Food and Drug Administration of Thailand and the European Committee for Food Contact Materials and Articles. As a result, it can be inferred that Krabok seed shells have favorable properties for producing activated carbon suitable as an adsorbent to enhance crude glycerol purity. Furthermore, the improved crude glycerol from this research has potential for various industrial applications.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.127-133
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• 2024

The elbow joint is made up of three different bones. X-rays or other radiological exams are commonly used to diagnose elbow injuries or disorders caused by physical activity and external forces. Previous research on the elbow joint reported a new examination method that meets the imaging evaluation criteria in the tilt position by Z-axis elevation of the forearm. Therefore, this study aims to design an optimized instrument and develop an aid applicable to other upper extremity exams. After completing the 2D drawing and 3D modeling design, the final design divided into four parts was fabricated with a 3D printer using ABS plastic and assembled. The developed examination aid consists of a four-stage Z-axis elevation tilt angle function (0°, 5°, 10°, and 15°) and can rotate and fixate 360° in 1-degree increments. It was designed to withstand a maximum equivalent stress of 56.107 Pa and a displacement of 1.6548e-5 mm through structural analysis to address loading issues caused by cumulative frequency of use and physical utilization. In addition to X-ray exams of the elbow joint, the developed aid can be used for shoulder function tests by rotating the humerus and also be applied to MRI and CT exams as it is made of non-metallic materials. It will contribute to the accuracy and efficiency of medical imaging diagnosis through clinical applications of various devices and medical imaging exams in the future.

• Information Systems Review
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.21-39
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• 2020

Recently, deep learning has shown high performance in various applications such as pattern analysis and image classification. Especially known as a difficult task in the field of machine learning research, stock market forecasting is an area where the effectiveness of deep learning techniques is being verified by many researchers. This study proposed a deep learning Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) model to predict the direction of stock prices. We then used the feature selection method to improve the performance of the model. We compared the performance of machine learning classifiers against CNN. The classifiers used in this study are as follows: Logistic Regression, Decision Tree, Neural Network, Support Vector Machine, Adaboost, Bagging, and Random Forest. The results of this study confirmed that the CNN showed higher performancecompared with other classifiers in the case of feature selection. The results show that the CNN model effectively predicted the stock price direction by analyzing the embedded values of the financial data

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.55 no.4
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• pp.244-252
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• 2023

The timeliness and accuracy of test results are crucial factors for clinicians to decide and promptly administer effective and targeted antimicrobial therapy, especially in life-threatening infections or when vital organs and functions, such as sight, are at risk. Further research is needed to refine and optimize matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF MS)-based assays to obtain accurate and reliable results in the shortest time possible. MALDI-TOF MS-based bacterial identification focuses primarily on techniques for isolating and purifying pathogens from clinical samples, the expansion of spectral libraries, and the upgrading of software. As technology advances, many MALDI-based microbial identification databases and systems have been licensed and put into clinical use. Nevertheless, it is still necessary to develop MALDI-TOF MS-based antimicrobial-resistance analysis for comprehensive clinical microbiology characterization. The important applications of MALDI-TOF MS in clinical research include specific application categories, common analytes, main methods, limitations, and solutions. In order to utilize clinical microbiology laboratories, it is essential to secure expertise through education and training of clinical laboratory scientists, and database construction and experience must be maximized. In the future, MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry is expected to be applied in various fields through the use of more powerful databases.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.3
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• pp.803-811
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• 2024

Nuclear accidents such as Fukushima Daiichi have highlighted the potential of passive safety systems to replace or complement active safety systems as part of the overall prevention and/or mitigation strategies. In addition, passive systems are key features of Small Modular Reactors (SMRs), for which they are becoming almost unavoidable and are part of the basic design of many reactors available in today's nuclear market. Nevertheless, their potential to significantly increase the safety of nuclear power plants still needs to be strengthened, in particular the ability of computer codes to determine their performance and reliability in industrial applications and support the safety demonstration. The PASTELS project (September 2020-February 2024), funded by the European Commission "Euratom H2020" programme, is devoted to the study of passive systems relying on natural circulation. The project focuses on two types, namely the SAfety COndenser (SACO) for the evacuation of the core residual power and the Containment Wall Condenser (CWC) for the reduction of heat and pressure in the containment vessel in case of accident. A specific design for each of these systems is being investigated in the project. Firstly, a straight vertical pool type of SACO has been implemented on the Framatome's PKL loop at Erlangen. It represents a tube bundle type heat exchanger that transfers heat from the secondary circuit to the water pool in which it is immersed by condensing the vapour generated in the steam generator. Secondly, the project relies on the CWC installed on the PASI test loop at LUT University in Finland. This facility reproduces the thermal-hydraulic behaviour of a Passive Containment Cooling System (PCCS) mainly composed of a CWC, a heat exchanger in the containment vessel connected to a water tank at atmospheric pressure outside the vessel which represents the ultimate heat sink. Several activities are carried out within the framework of the project. Different tests are conducted on these integral test facilities to produce new and relevant experimental data allowing to better characterize the physical behaviours and the performances of these systems for various thermo-hydraulic conditions. These test programmes are simulated by different codes acting at different scales, mainly system and CFD codes. New "system/CFD" coupling approaches are also considered to evaluate their potential to benefit both from the accuracy of CFD in regions where local 3D effects are dominant and system codes whose computational speed, robustness and general level of physical validation are particularly appreciated in industrial studies. In parallel, the project includes the study of single and two-phase natural circulation loops through a bibliographical study and the simulations of the PERSEO and HERO-2 experimental facilities. After a synthetic presentation of the project and its objectives, this article provides the reader with findings related to the physical analysis of the test results obtained on the PKL and PASI installations as well an overall evaluation of the capability of the different numerical tools to simulate passive systems.