• Membrane Journal
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.257-268
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• 2023

Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) is a variation of the conventional CDI process that can improve desalination efficiency by employing an ion-exchange membrane (IEM) together with a porous carbon electrode. The IEM is a key component that greatly affects the performance of MCDI. In this study, we attempted to derive the optimal fabricating factors for IEMs that can significantly improve the desalination efficiency of MCDI. For this purpose, pore-filled IEMs (PFIEMs) were then fabricated by filling the pores of the PE porous support film with monomers and carrying out in-situ photopolymerization. As a result of the experiment, the prepared PFIEMs showed excellent electrochemical properties that can be applied to various desalination and energy conversion processes. In addition, through the correlation analysis between MCDI performance and membrane characteristic parameters, it was found that controlling the degree of crosslinking of the membranes and maximizing permselectivity within a sufficiently low level of membrane electrical resistance are the most desirable membrane fabricating condition for improving MCDI performance.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.9
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• pp.1497-1513
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• 2021

The diagnostic and treatment methods of multiple myeloma (MM) have been rapidly evolving owing to advances in imaging techniques and new therapeutic agents. Imaging has begun to play an important role in the management of MM, and international guidelines are frequently updated. Since the publication of 2015 International Myeloma Working Group (IMWG) criteria for the diagnosis of MM, whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or low-dose whole-body computed tomography (CT) and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography/CT have entered the mainstream as diagnostic and treatment response assessment tools. The 2019 IMWG guidelines also provide imaging recommendations for various clinical settings. Accordingly, radiologists have become a key component of MM management. In this review, we provide an overview of updates in the MM field with an emphasis on imaging modalities.

• The Korean Journal of Applied Statistics
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.255-263
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• 2024

GDP represents the total market value of goods and services produced by all economic entities, including households, businesses, and governments in a country, during a specific time period. It is a representative economic indicator that helps identify the size of a country's economy and influences government policies, so various studies are being conducted on it. This paper presents a GDP growth rate forecasting model based on a dynamic factor model using key macroeconomic indicators of G20 countries. The extracted factors are combined with various regression analysis methodologies to compare results. Additionally, traditional time series forecasting methods such as the ARIMA model and forecasting using common components are also evaluated. Considering the significant volatility of indicators following the COVID-19 pandemic, the forecast period is divided into pre-COVID and post-COVID periods. The findings reveal that the dynamic factor model, incorporating ridge regression and lasso regression, demonstrates the best performance both before and after COVID.

• Journal of Practical Engineering Education
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.179-184
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• 2024

Printed circuit boards (PCBs) are a key component widely used in the production of electronic products, and not only quantitative growth but also qualitative developments such as integration cannot be ignored. Wave soldering equipment is commonly used equipment at manufacturing sites, but it is impossible to configure a dedicated equipment environment suitable for each PCB specification during the preliminary research and prototype development stage. It is neither suitable for development within limited time line nor manufacturing various product groups because only equipment setting conditions can be changed within a given time. In this study, we introduce a case of introducing a PCB pallet to enable selection of optimal process conditions within the limited environment described above. In addition, by presenting a discriminant that can determine in advance whether production is possible with current general-purpose equipment, it is expected that problems that may arise due to limitations in the general-purpose wave soldering equipment environment can be identified and resolved in advance. Ultimately, this palette makes it possible to shorten the development period and improve productivity.

• Journal of Korea Society of Industrial Information Systems
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.31-48
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• 2024

The domestic automotive industry must consider a strategic shift from traditional automotive component manufacturing to align with future trends such as connectivity, autonomous driving, sharing, and electrification. This research conducted topic modeling on R&D projects in the future automotive sector funded by the Ministry of Trade, Industry, and Energy from 2013 to 2021. We found that topics such as sensors, communication, driver assistance technology, and battery and power technology remained consistently prominent throughout the entire period. Conversely, topics like high-strength lightweight chassis were observed only in the first period, while topics like AI, big data, and hydrogen fuel cells gained increasing importance in the second and third periods. Furthermore, this research analyzed the areas of concentrated investment for each period based on topic-specific government investment amounts and investment growth rates.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.168-177
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• 2024

Ni-rich cathode is one of the promising candidates for high-energy lithium-ion battery applications. Due to its specific capacity, easy industrialization, and good circulation ability, Ni-rich cathode materials have been widely used for lithium-ion batteries. However, due to the limitation of the co-precipitation method, including sewage pollution, and the instability of the long production cycles, developing a new efficient and environmentally friendly synthetic approach is critical. In this study, the Ni_0.91Co_0.06Mn_0.03CO₃ precursor powder was successfully synthesized by an efficient spray-drying method using carbonate compounds as a raw material. This Ni_0.91Co_0.06Mn_0.03CO₃ precursor was calcined by mixing with LiOH·H₂O (5 wt% excess) at 480℃ for 5 hours and then sintered at two different temperatures (780℃/800℃) for 15 hours under an oxygen atmosphere to complete the cathode active material preparation, which is a key component of lithium-ion batteries. As a result, LiNi_0.91Co_0.06Mn_0.03O₂ cathode active material powders were obtained successfully via a simple sintering process on the Ni_0.91Co_0.06Mn_0.03CO₃ precursor powder. Furthermore, the obtained LiNi_0.91Co_0.06Mn_0.03O₂ cathode active material powders were characterized. Overall, the material sintered at 780℃ shows superior electrochemical performance by delivering a discharge capacity of 190.76 mAh/g at 1^st cycle (0.1 C) and excellent capacity retention of 66.80% even after 50 cycles.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Agricultural Engineers
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• v.66 no.4
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• pp.41-50
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• 2024

Precipitation is an important component of the hydrological cycle and a key input parameter for many applications in hydrology, climatology, meteorology, and weather forecasting research. Grid-based satellite rainfall products with wide spatial coverage and easy accessibility are well recognized as a supplement to ground-based observations for various hydrological applications. The error properties of satellite rainfall products vary as a function of rainfall intensity, climate region, altitude, and land surface conditions. Therefore, this study aims to evaluate the commonly used new global grid-based satellite rainfall product, Climate Hazards Group InfraRed Precipitation with Station data (CHIRPS), using data collected at different spatial and temporal scales. Additionally, in this study, grid-based CHIRPS satellite precipitation data were used to evaluate the 2022 extreme drought. CHIRPS provides high-resolution precipitation data at 5 km and offers reliable global data through the correction of ground-based observations. A frequency analysis was performed to determine the precipitation deficit in 2022. As a result of comparing droughts in 2015, 2017, and 2022, it was found that May 2022 had a drought frequency of more than 500 years. The 1-month SPI in May 2022 indicated a severe drought with an average value of -1.8, while the 3-month SPI showed a moderate drought with an average value of 0.6. The extreme drought experienced in South Korea in 2022 was evident in the 1-month SPI. Both CHIRPS precipitation data and observations from weather stations depicted similar trends. Based on these results, it is concluded that CHIRPS can be used as fundamental data for drought evaluation and monitoring in unmeasured areas of precipitation.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1506-1512
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• 2023

Quantitative analysis of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) has been widely used as a diagnostic tool in the food and medical industries. Particularly, the pathogenesis of a few diseases including inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is closely related to high ATP concentrations. A bioluminescent D-luciferin/luciferase system, which includes a luciferase (FLuc) from the firefly Photinus pyralis as a key component, is the most commonly used method for the detection and quantification of ATP. Here, instead of isolating FLuc produced in recombinant Escherichia coli, we aimed to develop a whole-cell biocatalyst system that does not require extraction and purification of FLuc. To this end, the gene coding for FLuc was introduced into the genome of probiotic Saccharomyces boulardii using the CRISPR/Cas9-based genome editing system. The linear relationship (r² = 0.9561) between ATP levels and bioluminescence generated from the engineered S. boulardii expressing FLuc was observed in vitro. To explore the feasibility of using the engineered S. boulardii expressing FLuc as a whole-cell biosensor to detect inflammation biomarker (i.e., ATP) in the gut, a colitis mouse model was established using dextran sodium sulfate as a colitogenic compound. Our findings demonstrated that the whole-cell biosensor can detect elevated ATP levels during gut inflammation in mice. Therefore, the simple and powerful method developed herein could be applied for non-invasive IBD diagnosis.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• v.33 no.11
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• pp.1403-1411
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• 2023

Carbon dioxide (CO₂) is the most abundant component of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and directly creates environmental issues such as global warming and climate change. Carbon capture and storage have been proposed mainly to solve the problem of increasing CO₂ concentration in the atmosphere; however, more emphasis has recently been placed on its use. Among the many methods of using CO₂, one of the key environmentally friendly technologies involves biologically converting CO₂ into other organic substances such as biofuels, chemicals, and biomass via various metabolic pathways. Although an efficient biocatalyst for industrial applications has not yet been developed, biological CO₂ conversion is the needed direction. To this end, this review briefly summarizes seven known natural CO₂ fixation pathways according to carbon number and describes recent studies in which natural CO₂ assimilation systems have been applied to heterogeneous in vivo and in vitro systems. In addition, studies on the production of methanol through the reduction of CO₂ are introduced. The importance of redox cofactors, which are often overlooked in the CO₂ assimilation reaction by enzymes, is presented; methods for their recycling are proposed. Although more research is needed, biological CO₂ conversion will play an important role in reducing GHG emissions and producing useful substances in terms of resource cycling.

• Korean Medical Education Review
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• v.26 no.2
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• pp.93-107
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• 2024

Interprofessional education (IPE) is relatively new in medical schools in South Korea. Since the introduction of IPE in 2022, its effective and sustainable implementation has been of great interest in medical schools. This study analyzed literature on the development of IPE in the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and Japan to explore strategies for successful IPE in Korean medical schools. A systematic literature search focused on institutionalizing IPE yielded 30 papers for review. The findings included the following crucial elements for effective IPE: (1) government or institutional-led support; (2) establishment of networks and partnerships; (3) development of standardized core competency frameworks for IPE; and (4) inclusion of IPE in accreditation standards. These aspects underscore the importance of IPE as an essential component of health professional education that should be effectively and sustainably implemented in academic settings. The study concludes that the successful integration and sustainable development of IPE in Korean health education will necessitate expanded and proactive governmental support. Moreover, promoting collaborations among universities, hospitals, and local healthcare institutions will be vital for creating synergies in implementing IPE programs. Establishing networks to develop and execute joint IPE initiatives and securing initial support for conceptualizing and developing competency frameworks will be critical. Additionally, forming consortia of healthcare accreditation bodies to collaboratively develop and incorporate IPE standards into evaluation criteria will be essential. Efforts to surmount these challenges will contribute to building a structural and institutional support system for the successful introduction and sustainability of IPE in Korea.