• Geomechanics and Engineering
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• v.35 no.2
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• pp.195-208
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• 2023

The nodular diaphragm wall (NDW) is a novel type of foundation with favorable engineering characteristics, which has already been utilized in high-rise buildings and high-speed railways. Compared to traditional diaphragm walls, the NDW offers significantly improved vertical bearing capacity due to the presence of nodular parts while reducing construction time and excavation work. Despite its potential, research on the vertical bearing characteristics of NDW requires further study, and the investigation and visualization of its displacement pattern and failure mode are scant. Meanwhile, the measurement of the force component acting on the nodular parts remains challenging. In this paper, the vertical bearing characteristics of NDW are studied in detail through the indoor model test, and the displacement and failure mode of the foundation is analyzed using particle image velocimetry (PIV) technology. The principles and methods for monitoring the force acting on the nodular parts are described in detail. The research results show that the nodular part plays an essential role in the bearing capacity of the NDW, and its maximum load-bearing ratio can reach 30.92%. The existence of the bottom nodular part contributes more to the bearing capacity of the foundation compared to the middle nodular part, and the use of both middle and bottom nodular parts increases the bearing capacity of the foundation by about 9~12% compared to a single nodular part of the NDW. The increase in the number of nodular parts cannot produce a simple superposition effect on the resistance born by the nodular parts since the nodular parts have an insignificant influence on the exertion and distribution of the skin friction of NDW. The existence of the nodular part changes the displacement field of the soil around NDW and increases the displacement influence range of the foundation to a certain extent. For NDWs with three different nodal arrangements, the failure modes of the foundations appear to be local shear failures. Overall, this study provides valuable insights into the performance and behavior of NDWs, which will aid in their effective utilization and further research in the field.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.69-90
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• 2023

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the service attributes and consumer reactions of telemedicine apps in South Korea and visualize their differentiation by constructing positioning maps. We crawled 23,219 user reviews of 6 major telemedicine apps in Korea from the Google Play store. Topics were derived by BERTopic modeling, and sentiment scores for each topic were calculated through KoBERT sentiment analysis. As a result, five service characteristics in the application attribute category and three in the medical service category were derived. Based on this, a two-dimensional positioning map was constructed through principal component analysis. This study proposes an objective service evaluation method based on text mining, which has implications. In sum, this study combines empirical statistical methods and text mining techniques based on user review texts of telemedicine apps. It presents a system of service attribute elicitation, sentiment analysis, and product positioning. This can serve as an effective way to objectively diagnose the service quality and consumer responses of telemedicine applications.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.25 no.8
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• pp.383-388
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• 2006

This Paper presents a novel approach to single channel microphone speech enhancement in noisy environments. Widely used noise reduction techniques based on the spectral subtraction are generally expressed as a spectral gam depending on the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR). The well-known decision-directed(DD) estimator of Ephraim and Malah efficiently reduces musical noise under the background noise conditions, but generates the delay of the a prioiri SNR because the DD weights the speech spectrum component of the Previous frame in the speech signal. Therefore, the noise suppression gain which is affected by the delay of the a priori SNR, which is estimated by the DD matches the previous frame rather than the current one, so after noise suppression. this degrades the noise reduction performance during speech transient periods. We propose a computationally simple but effective speech enhancement technique based on the sigmoid type function for the weight Parameter of the DD. The proposed approach solves the delay problem about the main parameter, the a priori SNR of the DD while maintaining the benefits of the DD. Performances of the proposed enhancement algorithm are evaluated by ITU-T p.862 Perceptual Evaluation of Speech duality (PESQ). the Mean Opinion Score (MOS) and the speech spectrogram under various noise environments and yields better results compared with the fixed weight parameter of the DD.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.50 no.2
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• pp.111-118
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• 2024

A key component of wound healing is epithelialization, which involves the proliferation and migration of epidermal keratinocytes surrounding the wound. Increasing cortisol, a stress hormone, is known to slow the healing process by inhibiting cell proliferation and migration. This study aims to develop an ingredient that can promote delayed wound healing by cortisol through a combination of Centella asiatica (C. asiatica), known for its excellent wound healing effect, and Rosamarinus officinalis (R. officinalis) leaf known for their antipsychotic effect. R. officinalis leaf extract was found to inhibit the activity of 11β-HSD1, an enzyme involved in the production of cortisol. A combination of C. asiatica and R. officinalis leaf extracts (AlfaCalm) was found to enhance cortisol induced delayed keratinocyte migration to a greater extent than C. asiatica extract. AlfaCalm enhanced the expression of CDC42 and the formation of filopodia, which are crucial for the relaxation of the actin skeleton. These results suggest that AlfaCalm can be used as an effective wound healing material in stress condition.

• Food Science and Preservation
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.122-131
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• 2023

Persimmon peels are mostly discared as a by-product of dried persimmon manufacturing, but effective use is required as it contains various functional constituents. This study covers the preparation of carotenoid-enriched oil by ultrasound treatment of persimmon peel in soybean oil solvent, and the investigation of its physicochemical characteristics. Using the Box-Behnken design and response surface methodology, the optimal extraction conditions (temperature, 62℃; time, 32 min; and persimmon peel to oil ratio, 1:3.1) were determined based on the carotenoid concentration of the extract. The physicochemical characteristics of the extract obtained under optimal conditions and the untreated soybean oil (control) were compared. The total carotenoid content of the extract increased. The carotenoid-enriched soybean oils had a lighter color than the controls, but with high redness and yellowness values. The effect of sonication and a component of the persimmon peel on the oxidation and heating stability of soybean oil was weak. The viscosity and activation energy of carotenoid-enriched soybean oil were slightly higher than those of the control. Thus, it was possible to prepare yellow-red carotenoid-enriched soybean oil by applying ultrasonic-soybean oil solvent extraction to persimmon peel. The oil is expected to be useful as an additive as well as a substitute for general edible oils.

• Journal of the Society of Cosmetic Scientists of Korea
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• v.50 no.1
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• pp.1-10
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• 2024

In this study, a quercetin benton gel (QUERPLEX) that stabilized quercetin was prepared using organo hectorite, and its efficacy was confirmed. In addition, a comparative study was conducted on the stability and effectiveness of applying this to sunscreen cosmetics. It was confirmed that QUERPLEX remained stable without showing crystal precipitation and growth for 4 weeks. As a result of measuring antioxidant activity using 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), it showed antioxidant activity depending on the concentration, and showed a radical elimination ability of 70% or more at a concentration of 2,500 ppm or more, confirming a significant effect. Anti-inflammatory activity experiments using RAW 264.7 cells confirmed that NO production decreased in a concentration-dependent manner by reducing NO production by 8% at 25 ㎍/mL, 23% at 50 ㎍/mL, and 84% at 100 ㎍/mL. As a result of confirming the stability of the formulation according to the method of quercetin in the sunscreen formulation, the stability of the formulation was improved when quercetin was added directly to the formulation. It also improved the UV protection index on in vitro and in vivo, which is expected to have the potential as a component that can have a new boosting effect on UV protection. These results suggest that organo hectorite is very effective as a quercetin carrier and that it can be applied in cosmetic formulations by not only expressing the efficacy of quercetin but also bringing about additional effects.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.345-357
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• 2023

Nuclear forensics has been understood as a mendatory component in the international society for nuclear material control and non-proliferation verification. Radiochronometry of nuclear activities for nuclear forensics are decay series characteristics of nuclear materials and the Bateman equation to estimate when nuclear materials were purified and produced. Radiochronometry values have uncertainty of measurement due to the uncertainty factors in the estimation process. These uncertainties should be calculated using appropriate evaluation methods that are representative of the accuracy and reliability. The IAEA, US, and EU have been researched on radiochronometry and uncertainty of measurement, although the uncertainty calculation method using the Bateman equation is limited by the underestimation of the decay constant and the impossibility of estimating the age of more than one generation, so it is necessary to conduct uncertainty calculation research using computer simulation such as Monte Carlo method. This highlights the need for research using computational simulations, such as the Monte Carlo method, to overcome these limitations. In this study, we have analyzed mathematical models and the LHS (Latin Hypercube Sampling) methods to enhance the reliability of radiochronometry which is to develop an uncertainty algorithm for nuclear material radiochronometry using Bateman Equation. We analyzed the LHS method, which can obtain effective statistical results with a small number of samples, and applied it to algorithms that are Monte Carlo methods for uncertainty calculation by computer simulation. This was implemented through the MATLAB computational software. The uncertainty calculation model using mathematical models demonstrated characteristics based on the relationship between sensitivity coefficients and radiative equilibrium. Computational simulation random sampling showed characteristics dependent on random sampling methods, sampling iteration counts, and the probability distribution of uncertainty factors. For validation, we compared models from various international organizations, mathematical models, and the Monte Carlo method. The developed algorithm was found to perform calculations at an equivalent level of accuracy compared to overseas institutions and mathematical model-based methods. To enhance usability, future research and comparisons·validations need to incorporate more complex decay chains and non-homogeneous conditions. The results of this study can serve as foundational technology in the nuclear forensics field, providing tools for the identification of signature nuclides and aiding in the research, development, comparison, and validation of related technologies.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Landscape Architecture
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• v.52 no.4
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• pp.86-103
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• 2024

This study interprets the evolving ideologies of Singapore's urban environmental policies focusing on the meanings encapsulated within the notion of 'garden'. Through a comprehensive review of policy documents, legislative materials, development projects, government promotional materials, and organizational changes in each era, the study identifies three phases, each with distinct central themes. Commencing in the 1960s, the initial phase projected a meticulously controlled and managed cityscape using the notion of garden, which was epitomized by the slogan 'Garden City'. In this phase, garden was a representative concept that embodied the cleanliness and greenness of the city, and also served as a strategic rhetoric to effectively transfer the ideology of an exemplary picturesque city to the public. Subsequently, in the 1970s, the focus gradually shifted from individual green spaces and bodies of water towards a collective system which served as a foundational infrastructure of the city-nation. This evolution was reflected in the new slogan 'City in a Garden', where the garden is now not only summoned for its external appearance but also as an unified system which serves as the cornerstone of the city. Through these phases, the Singaporean government developed a scheme capable of integrated management of green spaces and water resources tailored to the scale and function of each. Building upon this foundation, the early 2000s saw the adoption of a new orientation focusing on sustainability and urban ecology, encapsulated in the revised slogan 'City in Nature'. For more than five decades, Singapore has demonstrated an adept utilization of the notion 'garden'. This scholarly examination underscores Singapore's journey in redefining urban landscapes through the strategic employment of the concept of garden in its urban environmental policies. By tracing the evolution of the garden concept across distinct phases, the study illuminates how the Singaporean government leveraged the garden's versatility: from an effective metaphor of aesthetic values to an integral component of its holistic urban system, and finally to a bridge between the urban and the natural.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.49 no.1
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

Zerumbone is a major component of the essential oil from Zingiber zerumbet Smith, which is a kind of wild ginger. In addition, various biological functions, such as liver protection, pain relief, atherosclerosis, and antimicrobial activity have been reported. It is also known to be effective in the proliferation of immune cells and the expression of cytokines. In this study, we investigated the effects of zerumbone on monocyte activation. First, it was confirmed that the proliferation of THP-1 cells was increased by zerumbone. The strongest increase in THP-1 proliferation after lipopolysaccharide treatment was observed at $5{\mu}M$ zerumbone treatment, and the increase of cell proliferation without lipopolysaccharide was the highest at $10{\mu}M$. Conversely, when treated with $50{\mu}M$ zerumbone, a rapid decrease of proliferation was observed regardless of the presence of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). The phosphorylation of signaling protein, Erk, induced by LPS was also increased by zerumbone. The strongest increase in phosphorylation was observed when treated with $50{\mu}M$ of zerumbone with reduced proliferation. The activity of transcription factor $NF-{\kappa}B$ was not significantly altered by zerumbone alone, but increased when treated with lipopolysaccharide. Furthermore, the transcription of the inflammatory cytokines $TNF-{\alpha}$ and IL-8, which are regulated by $NF-{\kappa}B$, is also increased by zerumbone. These results suggest that zerumbone can enhance the proliferation and activity of monocytes. Furthermore, it is believed that zerumbone can enhance rthe immune responses through increased monocyte activity in bacterial infections with LPS, thereby helping to treat effective bacteria.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.228-235
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• 2013

Radish (Raphanus sativus) is a common cruciferous vegetable, and its aerial parts, called Mu-chung in Korean, have plentiful nutritional components such as vitamins, minerals and dietary fibers. Mu-chung has been used as a kimchi, a traditional Korean fermented dish, and dried Mu-chung is an important component of soups commonly consumed during winter in Korea. Since the advent of the mass production of radish in Korea, with the segregation of farm areas and towns and changing diets, Mu-chung has mostly been discarded instead of utilized. In addition, studies concerning the efficient utilization and useful bioactivities of Mu-chung are still lacking worldwide. In this study, we prepared the ethanol extract of Mu-chung and its subsequent solvent fractions. Antimicrobial, antioxidation, and anticoagulation activities were then evaluated in the hopes of developing a functional biomaterial from Korean radishes' aerial parts. The ethanol extraction yield for hot-air dried Mu-chung was 5.6%, and the fraction yields of n-hexane (H), ethylacetate (EA), butanol (B) and water residue were 25.3, 3.6, 19.4, and 51.7%, respectively. Analysis of total polyphenol and total flavonoid contents showed that the EA fraction had the highest content (97.57 and 152.91 mg/g) amongst the fractions. In antimicrobial activity assays, the H and EA fractions were effective against gram positive bacteria (Staphylococcus aureus, Listeria monocytogenes, and Bacillus subtilis), but not effective against gram negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Pseudomonas aeruginosa). The B fraction also exhibited moderate antibacterial activity, suggesting that the extract of Mu-chung has various antibacterial components. In antioxidation activity assays, the EA fraction showed strong DPPH, ABTS and nitrite scavenging activities ($69-222{\mu}g/ml$ of $IC_{50}$), including reducing power. In anticoagulation activity assays, the EA fraction demonstrated strong inhibition activity against human thrombin and prothrombin. Prominent anticoagulation activity was found in aPTT assays; the aPTT of the EA fraction was extended 15-fold compared than that of the solvent control. Our results suggest that Mu-chung is an attractive nutritional food material possessing useful bioactivities, and the EA fraction of Mu-chung could be developed as a functional food ingredient.