• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.81 no.4
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• pp.395-409
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• 2022

The presence of infill generally neglected in design despite the fact that infill contribution significantly increase the lateral stiffness and strength of the reinforced concrete frame structure. Several experimental studies and computational models have been proposed to capture the rational response of infill-frame interaction at global level. However, limited studies are available on explicit finite element modelling to study the local behavior due to high computation and convergence issues in numerical modelling. In the current study, the computational modelling of RC frames is done with various configurations of infill masonry in terms of types of blocks, lateral loading and reinforcement detailing employed with material nonlinearities, interface contact issues and bond-slip phenomenon particularly near the beam-column joints. To this end, extensive computational modelling of five variant characteristics test specimens extracted from the detailed experimental program available in literature and process through nonlinear static analysis in FEM code, ATENA generally used to capture the nonlinear response of reinforced concrete structures. Results are presented in terms of damage patterns and capacity curves by employing the finest possible detail provided in the experimental program. Comparative analysis shows that good correlation amongst the experimental and numerical simulated results both in terms of capacity and crack patterns.

• International Journal of Knowledge Content Development & Technology
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.105-117
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• 2022

The study investigated digital literacy skills and utilization of online platforms for teaching by LIS educators in universities in Rivers State, Nigeria. The study was undertaken as a descriptive survey design. Three research questions and three hypotheses guided this study. The population of the study was twenty-six Lecturers from the three universities in Rivers State where library and information science are offered. The twenty-six constitute the sample size. Census sampling technique was adopted for the study. The instrument titled Digital Literacy Skills and Utilization of Online Platform for Teaching Questionnaire (DLSOPUQ) was used to elicit information from the respondents. Twenty-six copies of the questionnaire were administered and retrieved. Mean (${\bar{x}}$) was used to analyze the research questions and the null hypotheses was tested with t-test at 0.05 level of significance. The study revealed that there is no significant difference between digital literacy and utilization of online platforms for teaching by LIS educators in universities in Rivers State. Further findings revealed that LIS educators do not have the necessary skills to navigate the online environment for teaching without assistance. In conclusion LIS educators should be innovative and update their skills to meet up with global practice. It was recommended among others that LIS educators should be trained and retrained by the university management to cope with online teaching and provision of the right infrastructure by governments for effectives teaching and learning process.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2009.05a
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• pp.550-557
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• 2009

The concepts of 'sustainable development', 'sustainable construction' and 'green building' have been elevated to priority levels in all types and phases of construction project development worldwide. Consultants and contractors are now required to seriously consider the impact of their operations on the natural environment and the society, and consequently adopt sustainable construction practices in the development process to minimize and mitigate the negative impacts of their activities. However, existing sustainability rating tools apply to the design, post-construction and operation phases of a building; no tool exists for the rating of the performance of the contractor or the project team at the construction phase. This study aimed to develop a model for evaluating the sustainability of construction operations, drawing on the global best practice standards on sustainability. Practical applications of the model were carried out through case studies to evaluate the performances of fifteen construction firms in New Zealand. The developed model and the outcomes of the case studies were presented, including potential areas of weaknesses, strengths, constraints to achievement or adoption of sustainable construction practices and areas for improvement in the operations of the firms. The successful application of the developed model in practice shows its usefulness and ease of application. It is therefore recommended for adoption as a simple but effective system for measuring and reporting on sustainability performance or sustainability of construction operations of firms in New Zealand and elsewhere.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.14 no.9
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• pp.31-39
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• 2023

Purpose: Social media's increasing adoption and the development of digital technology have completely changed how businesses interact with their clients. The current study is to examine the impact of live broadcasts on consumers' perceptions and actions across a range of fresh food goods. Research design, data and methodology: The scrutiny relies on the existing peer-reviewed literature, which may prevent a comprehensive evaluation of some recent advancements in the subject. Despite these caveats, the outcomes of this scrutiny are anticipated to contribute significantly to our understanding of the effect of live broadcast marketing on consumers' propensity to make purchases. Results: Previous literature review clearly states that 'Live Broadcast of Fresh Food' to attract relevant customers should be followed: (1) Increased Product Transparency and Trust, (2) Enhanced Customer Engagement, (3) Impact on Customer's Perception of Product Quality, and (4) sense of urgency and scarcity. Conclusions: All in all, the study's advice for firms in the food industry to improve their marketing efforts through live broadcasts have important practical ramifications. Promoting openness and trust in the production process and with the audience boosts a brand's reliability. Customers are more likely to participate and feel more connected to a brand.

• International conference on construction engineering and project management
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• 2022.06a
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• pp.1138-1145
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• 2022

While pursuing digitalization and paperless projects, the construction industry needs to settle on how to make the most of digitized data and information. On-site workers, who currently rely on paper documents to check and review design and construction plans, will need alternative ways to efficiently access the information without using any paper. Augmented Reality is a potential solution where the information customized to a user is aligned with the physical world. This paper proposes the Augmented Reality framework to deliver the information on on-site resources (e.g., workers and equipment) using head-mounted devices. The proposed framework was developed by interoperating Augmented Reality-supported devices and a digital twin platform in which all information related to ongoing tasks is accumulated in real-time. On-site resources appearing in the user's field of view are automatically detected by an object detection algorithm and then assigned to the corresponding information by matching the data in the digital twin platform. Preliminary experiments show the feasibility of the proposed framework. Worker detection results can be visualized on HoloLens 2 in near real-time, and the matching process obtained the accuracy greater than 88%.

• The Journal of Industrial Distribution & Business
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• v.14 no.11
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• pp.11-18
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• 2023

Purpose: This study aims to respond to essential queries regarding significant impacts the Korean Wave had on the music business especially in light of K-pop's explosive growth on the international scene and how to transform Hallyu into the global dynamics of the music business. Also, the study investigates what degree of cultural bridging through Music's universal language has Kpop achieved beyond its status as a purely musical genre. Research design, data and methodology: For the process of data collecting, the current investigators used a combination of keywords and controlled vocabulary terms to conduct in-depth searches across reputable academic databases, including PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar. Keywords are significant in searching databases such that the desired articles can be sought out wiith the keywords "Korean Wave," "Hallyu," and "music industry,". Results: The investigators found the globalization of K-pop, diverse audience engagement, digital transformation, and cultural exchange through Music as four critical effects of the Korean Wave on the music business. Conclusions: Lastly, this study concludes that As we end our investigation into Hallyu's effects on the music business, it is clear that Korean Music's cultural impact and international appeal have created new opportunities and particular difficulties for both professionals and artists.

• New & Renewable Energy
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.46-52
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• 2023

Methane is the second most emitted greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide. Despite lower emissions than those of carbon dioxide, methane receives significant attention owing to its more than 20-fold higher global warming potential. Consequently, the importance of research on methanotrophic bacteria, microorganisms capable of converting methane gas into high-value materials, is increasingly emphasized. In the case of methanotrophic bacteria, knowledge on episomal plasmids that can be used for genetic engineering remains lacking, which poses significant challenges to the engineering process. The replication origin sequences of natural plasmids within methanotrophic bacteria have been predicted through in silico methods. The basic characteristics of the replication origin, such as a high A/T ratio, repetitive sequences, and proximity to proteins related to replication, have been used as criteria for identifying the replication origin. As a result, a region with a sequence of 18 base pairs repeated eight times could be identified. The putative replication origin sequence thus identified generally takes the form of iterons, but it also possesses unique features such as the length of the gap between iterons and the repetition of identical iteron sequences. This information can be valuable for future design of episomal plasmids applicable to methanotrophs.

• The Journal of Information Systems
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• v.33 no.2
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• pp.105-124
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• 2024

Purpose This study aims to propose a blockchain-based platform that can guarantee enhanced trustworthiness in corporate ESG efforts, demanded by global ESG initiatives such as GRI and TCFD. Blockchain technology, recognized for its transparency and data immutability, can contribute to building trust in ESG disclosures, meeting the data transparency verification needs required by these initiatives. This research also explores the use of NFTs representing unique ESG efforts by companies, helping them in organizing and sharing ESG information with investors and consumers. Design/methodology/approach This study utilizes Hyperledger Fabric, a permissioned blockchain known for its enhanced transparency, scalability, and suitability for business transactions, to develop a blockchain platform for managing and disclosing ESG information assets in a trustworthy manner. Furthermore, it introduces the concept of ESG NFTs as a more reliable method for conveying ESG information to stakeholders, where ESG NFTs undergo verification process by third-party authenticators and evaluation by independent evaluators for credibility of ESG disclosure. Findings The use of NFTs, which has been predominantly intended for market trading in public blockchain, offers a credible means of disseminating corporate ESG status and evaluations in a permissioned blockchain, better fit for business transactions. By representing information assets as NFTs, which are tamper-proof and establish clear ownership, the proposed platform enables effective management of ESG-related information assets.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.55 no.12
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• pp.4695-4702
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• 2023

Nuclear power plants play a pivotal role in the global energy infrastructure, fulfilling a substantial share of the world's energy requirements in a sustainable way. The management of these facilities, especially the handling of spent nuclear fuel (SNF), necessitates meticulous inspections to guarantee operational safety and efficiency. However, the prevailing inspection methodologies lean heavily on human operators, which presents challenges due to the potential hazards of the SNF environment. This study introduces the design of a novel Pre-Batched Inspection Strategy (PBIS) that integrates robotic automation and image processing techniques to bolster the inspection process. This methodology deploys robotics to undertake tasks that could be perilous or time-intensive for humans, while image processing techniques are used for precise identification of SNF targets and regulating the robotic system. The implementation of PBIS holds considerable promise in minimizing inspection time and enhancing worker safety. This paper elaborates on the structure, capabilities, and application of PBIS, underlining its potential implications for the future of nuclear energy inspections.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.393-401
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• 2024

Large language models (LLMs) are rapidly transforming medical writing and publishing. This review article focuses on experimental evidence to provide a comprehensive overview of the current applications, challenges, and future implications of LLMs in various stages of academic research and publishing process. Global surveys reveal a high prevalence of LLM usage in scientific writing, with both potential benefits and challenges associated with its adoption. LLMs have been successfully applied in literature search, research design, writing assistance, quality assessment, citation generation, and data analysis. LLMs have also been used in peer review and publication processes, including manuscript screening, generating review comments, and identifying potential biases. To ensure the integrity and quality of scholarly work in the era of LLM-assisted research, responsible artificial intelligence (AI) use is crucial. Researchers should prioritize verifying the accuracy and reliability of AI-generated content, maintain transparency in the use of LLMs, and develop collaborative human-AI workflows. Reviewers should focus on higher-order reviewing skills and be aware of the potential use of LLMs in manuscripts. Editorial offices should develop clear policies and guidelines on AI use and foster open dialogue within the academic community. Future directions include addressing the limitations and biases of current LLMs, exploring innovative applications, and continuously updating policies and practices in response to technological advancements. Collaborative efforts among stakeholders are necessary to harness the transformative potential of LLMs while maintaining the integrity of medical writing and publishing.