• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.2
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• pp.175-188
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• 2023

Global interest in hydrogen energy is increasing as an eco-friendly future energy that can replace fossil fuels. Accordingly, a next-generation hydrogen production technology using microorganisms, nuclear power, etc. is being developed, while a lot of time and effort are still required to overcome the cost of hydrogen production based on fossil fuels. As a way to minimize greenhouse gas emissions in the hydrocarbon-based hydrogen production process, methane direct decomposition technology has recently attracted attention. In order to improve the economic feasibility of the process, the simultaneous production of value-added carbon materials with hydrogen can be one of the most essential aspects. For that purpose, various studies on catalysis related to the quality and yield of high-value carbon materials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs). In terms of process technology, a number of the research and development of fluidized-bed reactors capable of continuous production and improved gas-solid contact efficiency has been attempted. Recently, methane direct decomposition technology using a fluidized bed has been developed to the extent that it can produce 270 kg/day of hydrogen and 1000 kg/day of carbon. Plus, with the development of catalyst regeneration, separation and recirculation technologies, the process efficiency can be further improved. This review paper investigates the recent development of catalysts and fluidized bed reactor for methane direct pyrolysis to identify the key challenges and opportunities.

• KSCE Journal of Civil and Environmental Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.1D
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• pp.129-136
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• 2008

Along with the development in cutting-edge digital technology, the street space is also being changed. Mobile telecommunication units and internet give a big change in a human being's lifestyle. And the ubiquitous computing is proceeding with expanding its application range from the indoor space to the street space. As the street furniture is the convenient facility that allows a human being's life in street space to be abundant, it is getting advanced. First of all, in terms of such phenomenon, this study analyzed the cases of a research on application of street space and the actual condition of a change in the number of individuals for the street furniture, through a literature research of ubiquitous. Also, it researched into the realities of using the street furniture of the walking-desired streets at Daehac-ro and Hongdae district, where are two representative places related to digital generation. The next was carried out FGI (Focus Group Interview) with users of the street space in front of Hongik University and managers of the street furniture, and was researched into the use & management behavior, and recognition level on the street furniture. Thus, the key elements were extracted such as interchange of information for cultural activities, automation for interaction variability in function. Finally the core elements for future vision of street furniture in this digital era were extracted in 3I, namely, Information, Intellectualization, and Integration. This is considered to be applied to the establishment of direction in the process of high-tech digitalization in street furniture related to information hereafter.

• Journal of the Daesoon Academy of Sciences
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• v.18
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• pp.53-79
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• 2004

This paper explores the relationship between Korean immigrants to the United States and their religious identity from the cultural point of view. Most scholarly studies on Korean immigrants in the United States have been dominated by sociological approach and ethnic studies in examining the social dimension of the Korean immigrant communities while neglecting issues concerning their religious identity and cultural heritage. Most Korean immigrants to America attend Korean churches regardless their religious affiliation before they came to America. One of the reasons for this phenomenon is the fact that Korean church has provided a necessary social service for the newly arrived immigrants. Korean churches have been able to play a key role in the life of Korean immigrants. Korean immigrants, however, have shown a unique aspect regarding their religious identity compared to other immigrants communities in the United States. America is a nation of immigrants, coming from different parts of the world. Each immigrant community has brought their unique cultural heritage and religious persuasion. Asian immigrants, for example, brought their own traditional religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism. People from the Middle Eastern countries brought Islamic faith while European Jews brought the Jewish tradition. In these immigrant communities, religious identity and cultural heritage were homo genously harmonized. Jewish people built synagogue and taught Hebrew, Jewish history, culture, and faith. In this case, synagogue was not only the house of worship for Jews but also the center for learning Jewish history, culture, faith, and language. In short, Jewish cultural history was intimately related to Jewish religious history; for Jewish immigrants, learning their social and political history was indeed identical with leaning of their religious history. The same can be said about the relationship between Indian community and Hinduism. Hindu temples serve as the center of Indian immigrantsin providing the social, cultural, and spiritual functions. Buddhist temples, for that matter, serve the same function to the people from the Asian countries. Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese, Tibetans, and Thais have brought their respective Buddhist traditions to America and practice and maintain both their religious faith and cultural heritage. Middle Eastern people, for example, have brought Islamic faith to the United States, and Mosques have become the center for learning their language, practicing their faith, and maintaining their cultural heritage. Korean immigrants, unlike any other immigrant group, have brought Christianity, which is not a Korean traditional religion but a Western religion they received in 18th and 19th centuries from the West and America, back to the United States, and church has become the center of their lives in America. In this context, Koreans and Korean-Americans have a unique situation in which they practice Christianity as their religion but try to maintain their non-Christian cultural heritage. For the Korean immigrants, their religious identity and cultural identity are not the same. Although Korean church so far has provides the social and religious functions to fill the need of Korean immigrants, but it may not be able to become the most effective institution to provide and maintain Korean cultural heritage. In this respect, Korean churches must be able to open to traditional Korean religions or the religions of Korean origin to cultivate and nurture Korean cultural heritage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.7
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• pp.724-739
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• 2023

Located in the sea area between South Korea, North Korea, and China, the Yellow Sea plays an important role from a geopolitical perspective, and recently, as the use of marine space in the Yellow Sea is expanding, its social and economic values have been increasing further. In addition, owing to rapid climate changes, the need for joint response and cooperation between Korea and China is increasing in various fields, including changes in the marine environment and marine ecosystem and generation and movement of air pollutants. Accordingly, in this study, core topics were derived from research papers with the Yellow Sea as a keyword, and research trends to date were explored through author network analysis. As a specific research method, research papers related to the Yellow Sea published between 1984 and 2021 were extracted from the Web of Science database and were classified into four periods to derive core topics using topic modeling, a type of text mining. Furthermore, the influences of major research communities, researchers, and research institutes in the appropriate fields were identified through analyzing the author network, and their implications were presented. The analysis results indicated that the core topics of research papers on the Yellow Sea had changed over time, and differences existed in the influence (centrality) of key researchers. Finally, based on the results of this study, this study aims to identify research trends related to the Yellow Sea, major researchers, and research institutes and contribute to research cooperation between Korea and China regarding the Yellow Sea in the future.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.61 no.4
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• pp.496-504
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• 2023

Countries worldwide are striving to find new sources of sustainable energy without carbon emission due to the increasing impact of global warming. With the advancement of the fourth industrial revolution on a global scale, there has been a substantial rise in energy demand. Simultaneously, there is a growing emphasis on utilizing energy sources with minimal or zero carbon content to ensure a stable power supply while reducing greenhouse gas emissions. In this comprehensive overview, a comparative analysis of carbon reduction policies of government was conducted. Based on international carbon neutrality scenarios and the presence of remaining thermal power generation, it can be categorized into two types: "Rapid" and "Safety". For the domestic scenario, the projected power demand and current greenhouse gas emissions in alignment with "The 10th Basic Plan for Electricity Supply and Demand" was examined. Considering all these factors, an overview of the current status of carbon neutrality technologies by focusing on the energy sector, encompassing transitions, hydrogen, transportation and carbon capture, utilization, and storage (CCUS) was offered followed by summarization of key technological trends and government-driven policies. Furthermore, the central aspects of the domestic carbon reduction strategy were proposed by taking account of current mega trends in the energy sector which are highlighted in international scenario analyses.

• Journal of the Korean institute of surface engineering
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.412-419
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• 2023

Anion exchange membrane electrolysis is considered a promising next-generation hydrogen production technology that can produce low-cost, clean hydrogen. However, anion exchange membrane electrolysis technology is in its early stages of development and requires intensive research on electrodes, which are a key component of the catalyst-system interface. In this study, we optimized the pressure conditions of the hot-pressing process to manufacture cobalt oxide electrodes for the development of a high uniformity and high adhesion electrode production process for the oxygen evolution reaction. As the pressure increased, the reduction of pores within the electrode and increased densification of catalytic particles led to the formation of a uniform electrode surface. The cobalt oxide electrode optimized for pressure conditions exhibited improved catalytic activity and durability. The optimized electrode was used as the anode in an AEMWE single cell, exhibiting a current density of 1.53 A cm^-2 at a cell voltage of 1.85 V. In a durability test conducted for 100 h at a constant current density of 500 mA cm^-2, it demonstrated excellent durability with a low degradation rate of 15.9 mV kh^-1, maintaining 99% of its initial performance.

• Animal Bioscience
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.1021-1030
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• 2024

Objective: R-loops are DNA:RNA triplex hybrids, and their metabolism is tightly regulated by transcriptional regulation, DNA damage response, and chromatin structure dynamics. R-loop homeostasis is dynamically regulated and closely associated with gene transcription in mouse zygotes. However, the factors responsible for regulating these dynamic changes in the R-loops of fertilized mouse eggs have not yet been investigated. This study examined the functions of candidate factors that interact with R-loops during zygotic gene activation. Methods: In this study, we used publicly available next-generation sequencing datasets, including low-input ribosome profiling analysis and polymerase II chromatin immunoprecipitation-sequencing (ChIP-seq), to identify potential regulators of R-loop dynamics in zygotes. These datasets were downloaded, reanalyzed, and compared with mass spectrometry data to identify candidate factors involved in regulating R-loop dynamics. To validate the functions of these candidate factors, we treated mouse zygotes with chemical inhibitors using in vitro fertilization. Immunofluorescence with an anti-R-loop antibody was then performed to quantify changes in R-loop metabolism. Results: We identified DEAD-box-5 (DDX5) and histone deacetylase-2 (HDAC2) as candidates that potentially regulate R-loop metabolism in oocytes, zygotes and two-cell embryos based on change of their gene translation. Our analysis revealed that the DDX5 inhibition of activity led to decreased R-loop accumulation in pronuclei, indicating its involvement in regulating R-loop dynamics. However, the inhibition of histone deacetylase-2 activity did not significantly affect R-loop levels in pronuclei. Conclusion: These findings suggest that dynamic changes in R-loops during mouse zygote development are likely regulated by RNA helicases, particularly DDX5, in conjunction with transcriptional processes. Our study provides compelling evidence for the involvement of these factors in regulating R-loop dynamics during early embryonic development.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.20 no.4
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• pp.621-630
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• 2019

Objective: To study the prevalence and clinical characteristics of decreased myocardial blood flow (MBF) quantified by dynamic computed tomography (CT) myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI) in symptomatic patients without in-stent restenosis. Materials and Methods: Thirty-seven (mean age, 71.3 ± 10 years; age range, 48-88 years; 31 males, 6 females) consecutive symptomatic patients with patent coronary stents and without obstructive de novo lesions were prospectively enrolled to undergo dynamic CT-MPI using a third-generation dual-source CT scanner. The shuttle-mode acquisition technique was used to image the complete left ventricle. A bolus of contrast media (50 mL; iopromide, 370 mg iodine/mL) was injected into the antecubital vein at a rate of 6 mL/s, followed by a 40-mL saline flush. The mean MBF value and other quantitative parameters were measured for each segment of both stented-vessel territories and reference territories. The MBF_ratio was defined as the ratio of the mean MBF value of the whole stent-vessel territory to that of the whole reference territory. An MBF_ratio of 0.85 was used as the cut-off value to distinguish hypoperfused from non-hypoperfused segments. Results: A total of 629 segments of 37 patients were ultimately included for analysis. The mean effective dose of dynamic CT-MPI was 3.1 ± 1.2 mSv (range, 1.7-6.3 mSv). The mean MBF of stent-vessel territories was decreased in 19 lesions and 81 segments. Compared to stent-vessel territories without hypoperfusion, the mean MBF and myocardial blood volume were markedly lower in hypoperfused stent-vessel territories (77.5 ± 16.6 mL/100 mL/min vs. 140.4 ± 24.1 mL/100 mL/min [p < 0.001] and 6.4 ± 3.7 mL/100 mL vs. 11.5 ± 4 mL/100 mL [p < 0.001, respectively]). Myocardial hypoperfusion in stentvessel territories was present in 48.6% (18/37) of patients. None of clinical parameters differed statistically significantly between hypoperfusion and non-hypoperfusion subgroups. Conclusion: Decreased MBF is commonly present in patients who are symptomatic after percutaneous coronary intervention, despite patent stents and can be detected by dynamic CT-MPI using a low radiation dose.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.35 no.4
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• pp.150-156
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• 2024

One of the key factors in research regarding long-distance laser beam propagation, as in free-space optical communication or laser power transmission, is the transmission efficiency of the laser beam. As a way to improve efficiency, we perform extensive numerical simulations of the effect of modifying the laser beam's profile, especially replacing the fundamental Gaussian beam with a super-Gaussian beam. Numerical simulations of the transmitted power in the ideal diffraction-limited beam diameter determined by the optical system of the transmitter, after about 1-km propagation, reveal that the second-order super-Gaussian beam can yield superior performance to that of the fundamental Gaussian beam, in both single-channel and coherently combined multi-channel laser transmitters. The improvement of the transmission efficiency for a 1-km propagation distance when using a second-order super-Gaussian beam, in comparison with a fundamental Gaussian beam, is estimated at over 1.2% in the singlechannel laser transmitter, and over 4.2% and over 4.6% in coherently combined 3- and 7-channel laser transmitters, respectively. For a range of the propagation distance varying from 750 to 1,250 m, the improvement in transmission efficiency by use of the second-order super-Gaussian beam is estimated at over 1.2% in the single-channel laser transmitter, and over 4.1% and over 4.0% in the coherently combined 3- and 7-channel laser transmitters, respectively. These simulation results will pave the way for future advances in the generation of higher-order super-Gaussian beams and the development of long-distance optical energy-transfer technology.

• The Journal of Bigdata
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.165-175
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• 2023

LNG is a representative imported cargo at Incheon Port and has a relatively high contribution to the increase/decrease in overall cargo volume at Incheon Port. In addition, in the view point of nationwide, LNG is the one of the most important key resource to supply the gas and generate electricity. Thus, it is very essential to identify the factors that have impact on the demand fluctuation and build the appropriate forecasting model, which present the basic information to make balance between supply and demand of LNG and establish the plan for power generation. In this study, different to previous research based on macroscopic annual data, the weekly demand of LNG is converted from the cargo volume unloaded by LNG carriers. We have identified the periodicity and correlations among internal and external factors of demand variability. We have identified the input factors for predicting the LNG demand such as seasonality of weekly cargo volume, the peak power demand, and the reserved capacity of power supply. In addition, in order to predict LNG demand, considering the characteristics of the data, time series prediction with weekly LNG cargo volume as a dependent variable and prediction through an artificial neural network model were made, the suitability of the predictions was verified, and the optimal model was established through error comparison between performance and estimates.