• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.27 no.6
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• pp.368-373
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• 2018

The effects of long-term exposure of high and low humidity on thin-film humidity sensors are investigated. Five commercially available thin-film humidity sensors are initially calibrated in a humidity chamber as a reference before longterm exposure to high and low humidity. Then, the sensors are kept in a high-humidity environment (~95 %rh) for four months. After the exposure, the sensors are calibrated in the same manner as the initial calibration. Consequently, the device reading values from the humidity sensors are elevated up to about 5 %rh. Interestingly, the degree of elevation by the high-humidity exposure shows a negative correlation with the price of the humidity sensors. Humidity sensors are then kept in a low-humidity environment (~10 %rh) for another four months. After the exposure, a calibration similar to the initial calibration is performed. As a result, the device reading from humidity sensors is decreased, indicating a recovery from the effect of high-humidity exposure. The durability test conducted in this study provides experimental evidence for the use of thin-film humidity sensors in high-humidity environments such as greenhouses and food factories for a long period of time.

• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.29
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• pp.4.1-4.10
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• 2014

Objectives Effects of nanoparticles including zinc oxide nanoparticles, titanium oxide nanoparticles, and their mixtures on skin corrosion and irritation were investigated by using in vitro 3D human skin models ($KeraSkin^{TM}$) and the results were compared to those of an in vivo animal test. Methods Skin models were incubated with nanoparticles for a definite time period and cell viability was measured by the 3-(4, 5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2.5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide method. Skin corrosion and irritation were identified by the decreased viability based on the pre-determined threshold. Results Cell viability after exposure to nanomaterial was not decreased to the pre-determined threshold level, which was 15% after 60 minutes exposure in corrosion test and 50% after 45 minutes exposure in the irritation test. IL-$1{\alpha}$ release and histopathological findings support the results of cell viability test. In vivo test using rabbits also showed non-corrosive and non-irritant results. Conclusions The findings provide the evidence that zinc oxide nanoparticles, titanium oxide nanoparticles and their mixture are 'non corrosive' and 'non-irritant' to the human skin by a globally harmonized classification system. In vivo test using animals can be replaced by an alternative in vitro test.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.173-181
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• 2007

Out door exposure to daylight and weather climate conditions can cause adverse effect on the properties of automotive plastic materials. The effects of sunlight exposure, especially ultra violet (UV) radiation, can break down the chemical bonds in a polymeric material. This degradation process is called photo-degradation and ultimately leads to color changes, cracking, chalking, the loss of physical properties and deterioration of other properties. To explore the effect of sunlight exposure on the automotive materials, this study investigated photo-oxidation degree and surface property change of molding parts by analytical methods. For the further study, accelerated weathering test methods are proposed, which can correlate with out door weathering, to predict long term performance of automotive plastic materials.

• International Journal of Concrete Structures and Materials
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• v.6 no.3
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• pp.155-163
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• 2012

In order to predict the neutralization of concrete which is the reaction of carbonation dioxide from the outside and cement hydration product, such as calcium hydroxide and C-S-H, it was studied the numerical analysis method considering change of the pore structure and relative humidity during the neutralization reaction. Diffusion-reaction neutralization model was developed to predict the neutralization depth of concrete with coating finishing material. In order to build numerical analysis models considering outdoor environment and finishing materials, the adaption of proposed model was shown the results of existing outdoor exposure test results and accelerated carbonation test.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2004

In this paper, we propose three estimators of Kullback-Leibler Information functions using the data from accelerated life tests. This acceleration model is assumed to be a cumulative exposure model. Some asymptotic properties of proposed estimators are proved. Simulations are performed for comparing the small sample properties of the proposed estimators under use condition of accelerated life test.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.73 no.4
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• pp.437-445
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• 2020

The microstructure and mechanical properties of concrete will degrade significantly at high temperatures, thus affecting the bond strength between reinforcing steel and surrounding concrete in reinforced concrete members. In this study, the effect of individual and hybrid fiber on the local bond-slip behavior of lightweight aggregate concrete (LWAC) after exposure to elevated temperatures was experimentally investigated. Tests were conducted on local pullout specimens (150 mm cubes) with a reinforcing bar embedded in the center section. The embedment lengths of the pullout specimens were 4.2 times the bar diameter. The parameters investigated included concrete type (control group: ordinary LWAC; experimental group: fiber reinforced LWAC), concrete strength, fiber type, and targeted temperature. The test results showed that for medium-strength LWACs exposed to high temperatures, the use of only steel fibers did not significantly increase the residual bond strength. Moreover, the addition of individual and hybrid fiber had little effect on the residual bond strength of the high-strength LWAC after exposure to a temperature of 800℃.

• International Journal of High-Rise Buildings
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• v.9 no.4
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• pp.343-349
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• 2020

This research aimed to clarify the long-term mechanical performance of a steel truss member strengthened by a carbon fiber-reinforced polymer (CFRP) without protective coating through exposure testing. Strengthening and repair methods using CFRP have been developed in recent years; however, there is a lack of durability research for CFRP-strengthened members, especially mechanical performance investigation according to actual exposure testing. In this study, 10 CFRP-strengthening steel specimens were created in 2015, and elastic bending tests were conducted biannually. Eventually, although resin loss occurred due to environmental effects, the mechanical performance of CFRP-strengthened steel was not degraded, and we propose a calculation method of bending stiffness to evaluate the lower value of stiffness for design.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.345-352
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• 2023

A thermal-mechanical coupling finite element model of the steel-plate concrete composite (SC) wall is established, taking into account the strain rate effect and variation in mechanical and thermal properties under different temperatures. Verifications of the model against previous fire test and impact test results are carried out. The impact response of the SC wall under elevated temperatures is further investigated. The influences of the fire exposure time on the impact force and displacement histories are discussed. The results show that as the fire exposure time increases, the deflection increases and the impact resistance decreases. A formula is proposed to calculate the reduction of the allowable impact energy considering the fire exposure time.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.468-479
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• 2018

Objectives: Recently, a report was published that the humidifier disinfectant CMIT/MIT did not cause developmental toxicity and was not detected in systemic circulation as a result of an inhalation toxicity test. Therefore, this study was carried out to investigate any associations between CMIT/MIT exposure and developmental toxicity using the in vivo apical toxicity test method. Methods: Groups of pregnant ICR mice were instilled in the trachea with chloromethylisothiazolinone/methylisothiazolinone (CMIT/MIT) using a visual instillobot over a period of seven days from days 11 to 17 days post-coitum. For the in vivo apical toxicity test method, an $LD_{50}$-based dose-range finding model was applied to decide the dose range for inducing developmental toxicity. Results: Among the groups of 0, 0.1, 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg ai/kg/day CMIT/MIT, the exposure groups of 0.5 mg and 1.0 ai/kg/day CMIT/MIT were estimated to reflect the thresholds for the stillbirth and death of pregnant mice, respectively. The groups of 0.5, 1.0, and 1.5 mg ai/kg/day CMIT/MIT induced stillbirth rates of 2.57, 10, and 53.8%, respectively. Another exposure group of 0.75 mg ai/kg/day CMIT/MIT did not induce any deaths of pregnant mice and resulted in a stillbirth rate of 8% in only one of six pregnant mice. Conclusions: CMIT/MIT can induce stillbirth in pregnant mice. It was also concluded that CMIT/MIT moves through the pulmonary circulation system and then continues on through systemic circulation and the placenta. There is a possibility of stillbirth and other health causalities in humans beyond the lungs caused by CMIT/MIT exposure.

• Toxicological Research
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.347-354
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• 2015

Excess manganese (Mn) is neurotoxic. Increased manganese stores in the brain are associated with a number of behavioral problems, including motor dysfunction, memory loss and psychiatric disorders. We previously showed that the transport and neurotoxicity of manganese after intranasal instillation of the metal are altered in Hfe-deficient mice, a mouse model of the iron overload disorder hereditary hemochromatosis (HH). However, it is not fully understood whether loss of Hfe function modifies Mn neurotoxicity after ingestion. To investigate the role of Hfe in oral Mn toxicity, we exposed Hfe-knockout ($Hfe^{-/-}$) and their control wild-type ($Hfe^{+/+}$) mice to $MnCl_2$ in drinking water (5 mg/mL) for 5 weeks. Motor coordination and spatial memory capacity were determined by the rotarod test and the Barnes maze test, respectively. Brain and liver metal levels were analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Compared with the water-drinking group, mice drinking Mn significantly increased Mn concentrations in the liver and brain of both genotypes. Mn exposure decreased iron levels in the liver, but not in the brain. Neither Mn nor Hfe deficiency altered tissue concentrations of copper or zinc. The rotarod test showed that Mn exposure decreased motor skills in $Hfe^{+/+}$ mice, but not in $Hfe^{-/-}$ mice (p = 0.023). In the Barns maze test, latency to find the target hole was not altered in Mn-exposed $Hfe^{+/+}$ compared with water-drinking $Hfe^{+/+}$ mice. However, Mn-exposed $Hfe^{-/-}$ mice spent more time to find the target hole than Mn-drinking $Hfe^{+/+}$ mice (p = 0.028). These data indicate that loss of Hfe function impairs spatial memory upon Mn exposure in drinking water. Our results suggest that individuals with hemochromatosis could be more vulnerable to memory deficits induced by Mn ingestion from our environment. The pathophysiological role of HFE in manganese neurotoxicity should be carefully examined in patients with HFE-associated hemochromatosis and other iron overload disorders.