• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 1996.11a
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• pp.6-6
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• 1996

Ceramic based nanocomposite, in which nano-sized ceramics and metals were dispersed within matrix grains and/or at grain boundaries, were successfully fabricated in the ceramic/cerarnic and ceramic/metal composite systems such as $Al_2O_3$/SiC, $Al_2O_3$/$Si_3N_4$, MgO/SiC, mullite/SiC, $Si_3N_4/SiC, $Si_3N_4$/B, $Al_2O_3$/W, $Al_2O_3$/Mo, $Al_2O_3$/Ni and $ZrO_2$/Mo systems. In these systems, the ceramiclceramic composites were fabricated from homogeneously mixed powders, powders with thin coatings of the second phases and amorphous precursor composite powders by usual powder metallurgical methods. The ceramiclmetal nanocomposites were prepared by combination of H2 reduction of metal oxides in the early stage of sinterings and usual powder metallurgical processes. The transmission electron microscopic observation for the $Al_2O_3$/SiC nanocomposite indicated that the second phases less than 70nm were mainly located within matrix grains and the larger particles were dispersed at the grain boundaries. The similar observation was also identified for other cerarnic/ceramic and ceramiclmetal nanocornposites. The striking findings in these nanocomposites were that mechanical properties were significantly improved by the nano-sized dispersion from 5 to 10 vol% even at high temperatures. For example, the improvement in hcture strength by 2 to 5 times and in creep resistance by 2 to 4 orders was observed not only for the ceramidceramic nanocomposites but also for the ceramiclmetal nanocomposites with only 5~01%se cond phase. The newly developed silicon nitride/boron nitride nanocomposites, in which nano-sized hexagonal BN particulates with low Young's modulus and fracture strength were dispersed mainly within matrix grains, gave also the strong improvement in fracture strength and thermal shock fracture resistance. In presentation, the process-rnicro/nanostructure-properties relationship will be presented in detail. The special emphasis will be placed on the understanding of the roles of nano-sized dispersions on mechanical properties.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.90-96
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• 2016

Objective: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is known to cause many systemic complications as well as male infertility. Astaxanthin (ASTX) is a powerful antioxidant that is involved in a variety of biologically active processes, including those with anti-diabetes effects. The present study investigates the effect of ASTX on the spermatozoa function in streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic rats. Methods: We divided 30 adult rats into three groups (10 rats per group), with a control group that received corn oil mixed with chow. DM was induced by intra-peritoneal injection of STZ. Eight weeks after the STZ injection, half of the diabetic animals were used as diabetic controls, and the rest were treated with ASTX for 56 days. Then the parameters and chromatin integrity of the epididymal sperm were analyzed using chromomycin A3, toluidine blue (TB), and acridine orange (AO) staining. Results: The count, viability, and motility of the epididymal sperm were decreased significantly in the STZ group in comparison with the control group (count and viability, p<0.001; motility, p<0.01). ASTX increased normal morphology and viable spermatozoa compared to the STZ group (morphology, p=0.001; viability, p<0.05). The percentage of abnormal chromatins in TB and AO staining was higher in the STZ group compared to the control group (p<0.001). The mean percentage of TB and AO positive spermatozoa in STZ rats was significantly lower in the STZ+ASTX group (TB, p=0.001; AO, p<0.05). Conclusion: This study observed that in vivo ASTX treatment partially attenuates some detrimental effect of diabetes. Conversely, ASTX improved sperm viability, normal morphology, and DNA integrity.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.149-154
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• 2015

Objectives: This study evaluated the penetration depth of 2% chlorhexidine digluconate (CHX) into root dentinal tubules and the influence of passive ultrasonic irrigation (PUI) using a confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). Materials and Methods: Twenty freshly extracted anterior teeth were decoronated and instrumented using Mtwo rotary files up to size 40, 4% taper. The samples were randomly divided into two groups (n = 10), that is, conventional syringe irrigation (CSI) and PUI. CHX was mixed with Rhodamine B dye and was used as the final irrigant. The teeth were sectioned at coronal, middle and apical levels and viewed under CLSM to record the penetration depth of CHX. The data were statistically analyzed using Kruskal-Wallis and Mann-Whitney U tests. Results: The mean penetration depths of 2% CHX in coronal, middle and apical thirds were $138{\mu}m$, $80{\mu}m$ and $44{\mu}m$ in CSI group, respectively, whereas the mean penetration depths were $209{\mu}m$, $138{\mu}m$ and $72{\mu}m$ respectively in PUI group. Statistically significant difference was present between CSI group and PUI group at all three levels (p < 0.01 for coronal third and p < 0.001 for middle and apical thirds). On intragroup analysis, both groups showed statistically significant difference among three levels (p < 0.001). Conclusions: Penetration depth of 2% CHX into root dentinal tubules is deeper in coronal third when compared to middle and apical third. PUI aided in deeper penetration of 2% CHX into dentinal tubules when compared to conventional syringe irrigation at all three levels.

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.32 no.3
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• pp.253-260
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• 2016

Purpose: To develop fat-free dressing containing a resistant starch (RS) as a dietary fiber, the viscosity and stability of various type RSes prepared from wheat, maize, potato, rice, waxy rice, and amaranth starches were investigated by using Brookfield viscometer. The shape of RS granule in the dressing during storage was also observed. Methods: The viscosity of fat free dressing with different retrograded RS3 (RS3V) prepared from waxy rice starch with 0.1% lemon vinegar and ascorbate mixed solution had higher RS3 that was maintained constant during storage. Annealing and heating prior to cross-linking, and heating after cross-linking increased RS level of RS4 type starches. Results: The viscosities and stabilities of dressings with RS were different depending on starch sources and RS preparation conditions. The heated RS4 (HRS4) increased in viscosity and stability with RS4 addition. Especially the fat-free dressings with HRS4 prepared from rice and waxy rice starches maintained stability regardless of separation after one month storage with only 7% separation after 6 month storages. The shape of RS4 granule in acidic medium of dressing did not change until 6 months. Conclusion: In this study, RS4 made by the rice and waxy rice starches showed high viscosity and maintained stability of the fat-free dressings during storage.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.9 no.5
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• pp.523-529
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• 2015

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Commensality, eating together with others, is a major representation of human sociality. In recent time, environments around commensality have changed significantly due to rapid social changes, and the decline of commensality is perceived as a serious concern in many modern societies. This study employs a cross-cultural analysis of university students in two East Asian countries, and examines cross-cultural variations of perceptions and actual practices of commensality and solo-eating. SUBJECTS/METHODS: The analysis was drawn from a free-list survey and a self-administrative questionnaires of university students in urban Korea and Japan. The free-listing survey was conducted with a small cohort to explore common images and meanings of commensality and solo-eating. The self-administrative questionnaire was developed based on the result of the free-list survey, and conducted with a larger cohort to examine reasons and problems of practices and associated behaviors and food intake. RESULTS: We found that Korean subjects tended to show stronger associations between solo-eating and negative emotions while the Japanese subjects expressed mixed emotions towards the practice of solo-eating. In the questionnaire, more Korean students reported they prefer commensality and tend to eat more quantities when they eat commensally. In contrast, more Japanese reported that they do not have preference on commensality and there is no notable difference in food quantities when they eat commensally and alone. Compared to the general Korean cohort finding, more proportion of overweight and obese groups of Korean subjects reported that they tend to eat more when they are alone than normal and underweight groups. This difference was not found in the overweight Japanese subjects. CONCLUSION: Our study revealed cross-cultural variations of perceptions and practices of commensality and solo-eating in a non-western setting.

• Korean Journal of Environmental Agriculture
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.231-238
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• 2021

BACKGROUND: Metal contamination of farmlands nearby abandoned mines is a serious environmental problem. This study was conducted to evaluate the efficiency of stabilizers on different type of the soils contaminated with metals. METHODS AND RESULTS: The texture of silt loam soil initially contaminated with heavy metal was artificially adjusted to loam and sandy loam by adding sand, and the soil organic matter content (1.5%) was also altered by adding peat to the soils at 3.5 and 8.0%. The soils were mixed with 3% (w/w) of each limestone, dolomite, and steel slag. For the soils with different textures, the bioavailability of As was found to be the lowest in sandy loam compared to others metals such as Cu, Pb, and Zn. The efficacy of limestone and dolomite was not significantly different compared to the soils having different organic matter contents, but the stabilization efficiency of steel slag increased as the soil organic matter content increased. Moreover, stabilizers showed inhibition effect on the uptake of metals to plant. CONCLUSION: The stabilizers were found as effective materials to immobilize metals in soil and to decrease plant uptake of metals. Studies are needed to deeply elucidate the interaction between influencing factors and various stabilizers.

• Nutrition Research and Practice
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 2019

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVES: Several previous studies have investigated whether regular walnut consumption positively changes heart-health-related parameters. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of daily walnut intake on metabolic syndrome (MetS) status and other metabolic parameters among subjects with MetS. SUBJECTS/METHODS: This study was a two-arm, randomized, controlled crossover study with 16 weeks of each intervention (45 g of walnuts or iso-caloric white bread) with a 6 week washout period between interventions. Korean adults with MetS (n = 119) were randomly assigned to one of two sequences; 84 subjects completed the trial. At each clinic visit (at 0, 16, 22, and 38 weeks), MetS components, metabolic parameters including lipid profile, hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), adiponectin, leptin, and apolipoprotein B, as well as anthropometric and bioimpedance data were obtained. RESULTS: Daily walnut consumption for 16 weeks improved MetS status, resulting in 28.6%-52.8% reversion rates for individual MetS components and 51.2% of participants with MetS at baseline reverted to a normal status after the walnut intervention. Significant improvements after walnut intake, compared to control intervention, in high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C) (P = 0.028), fasting glucose (P = 0.013), HbA1c (P = 0.021), and adiponectin (P = 0.019) were observed after adjustment for gender, age, body mass index, and sequence using a linear mixed model. CONCLUSION: A dietary supplement of 45 g of walnuts for 16 weeks favorably changed MetS status by increasing the concentration of HDL-C and decreasing fasting glucose level. Furthermore, consuming walnuts on a daily basis changed HbA1c and circulating adiponectin levels among the subjects with MetS. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov as NCT03267901.

• Membrane Journal
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.105-110
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• 2019

Porous membranes are widely used in industry for removing particulate matter. Unlike conventional porous membrane fabrication methods, the solution spreading phase separation method can form pores very simply. The first step is to wet the mesh with the support layer, then to let the polysulfone solution flow into a solvent without water. The solvent is readily vaporized and the polysulfone is made into a thin film. When the polysulfone solution is mixed with water to form pores, the pore size can be adjusted according to the concentration ratio of the polysulfone solution. The thickness of the membrane is easily controlled by the concentration of the solution. The porous separator has the formation of meshes intact and is very useful for forming a three-dimensional structure. The solution spreading phase separation method proposed in this study is characterized by its high cost competitiveness compared with conventional membranes due to its low production cost and easy process control.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.388-397
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• 2018

Background: The study analyzes penalties imposed on organizations for breaching safety and health regulations. The research questions are as follows: what are the commonly breached safety and health regulations? How proportional are penalties imposed on organizations for breaching health and safety regulations in the United Kingdom? Methods: The study employed sequential explanatory mixed research strategies for better understanding of health and safety penalties imposed on organizations. Actual health and safety convictions and penalties data for 10 years (2006 to 2016) were obtained through the United Kingdom Health and Safety Executive (HSE) public register for convictions. Overall, 2,217 health and safety cases were analyzed amounting to total fines of £37,179,916, in addition to other wide-ranging penalties. For thorough understanding, eight interviews were conducted with industry practitioners, lawyers, and HSE officials as part of the study qualitative data. Results: Findings show that the Health and Safety at Work (HSW) Act accounted for 46% of all HSE prosecution cases in the last decade. This is nearly half of the total safety and health at work prosecutions. Moreover, there is widespread desire for organizations to comply with the HSW Act, but route fines are seen as burdensome and inimical to business growth. Conclusion: A key deduction from the study reveal significant disproportionality concerning penalties imposed on organizations for breaching safety and health regulations. On aggregate, small companies tend to pay more for health and safety offenses in a ratio of 1:2 compared to large companies. The study also reveals that the HSW Act accounted for nearly half of the total safety and health at work prosecutions in the last decade.

• Journal of The Korean Association of Information Education
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.307-315
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• 2022

The purpose of this study was to design a training program for pre-service elementary teachers, incorporating the concepts of extended reality technologies. This program contained the basic skills necessary for them to utilize in their future classrooms. To accomplish this, 12 undergraduate students of various majors enrolled in one of Korea's national universities of education were selected as research subjects. For a total of 6 times over 6 weeks, they participated in a training program learning the basic concepts of virtual, augmented, and mixed reality, as well as creating their own education software to use in simulated classes. To improve the quality of future research efforts, this study found it would be beneficial to: 1) expand the relevant support equipment, 2) provide students with preliminary, background knowledge of text-based programming, 3) introduce short-term, more intensive training, and 4) improve the survey methods for this research.