• Journal of the Computational Structural Engineering Institute of Korea
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.131-136
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• 2023

Nanocomposites have been considered innovative composite materials that have multi-functionality and high performance. Because the incorporation of nanoscale fillers may significantly improve the electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties of composites, numerous extensive studies on the characterization of nanocomposites with nanoscale fillers have been performed. In particular, the development of nanocomposites using carbon-based nanoscale fillers (e.g., carbon nanotubes, carbon black, graphene nanoplates) have attracted much interest in the composite field. This paper provides a review of recent advances in the electrical/mechanical characteristics of nanocomposites, which are essential for their practical applications. Furthermore, this paper revisits the recent research on multi-scale modeling, which is a promising approach for predicting the characteristics of nanocomposites. The current challenges and future development potentials for multi-scale modeling are also discussed.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.46 no.3
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• pp.39.1-39.12
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• 2021

Objectives: This study analyzed the physical-chemical behavior of 2 bulk fill resin composites (BFCs; Filtek Bulk Fill [FBF], and Tetric-N-Ceram Bulk Fill [TBF]) used in 2- and 4-mm increments and compared them with a conventional resin composite (Filtek Z250). Materials and Methods: Flexural strength and elastic modulus were evaluated by using a 3-point bending test. Knoop hardness was measured at depth areas 0-1, 1-2, 2-3, and 3-4 mm. The translucency parameter was measured using an optical spectrophotometer. Real-time polymerization kinetics was analyzed using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy. Results: Flexural strength was similar among the materials, while TBF showed lower elastic modulus (Z250: 6.6 ± 1.3, FBF: 6.4 ± 0.9, TBF: 4.3 ± 1.3). The hardness of Z250 was similar only between 0-1 mm and 1-2 mm. Both BFCs had similar hardness until 2-3 mm, and showed significant decreases at 3-4 mm (FBF: 33.45 ± 1.95 at 0-1 mm to 23.19 ± 4.32 at 3-4 mm, TBF: 23.17 ± 2.51 at 0-1 mm to 15.11 ± 1.94 at 3-4 mm). The BFCs showed higher translucency than Z250. The polymerization kinetics of all the materials were similar at 2-mm increments. At 4-mm, only TBF had a similar degree of conversion compared with 2 mm. Conclusions: The BFCs tested had similar performance compared to the conventional composite when used in up to 2-mm increments. When the increment was thicker, the BFCs were properly polymerized only up to 3 mm.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.17 no.7
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• pp.1773-1793
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• 2023

Automated machine learning, often referred to as "AutoML," is the process of automating the time-consuming and iterative procedures that are associated with the building of machine learning models. There have been significant contributions in this area across a number of different stages of accomplishing a data-mining task, including model selection, hyper-parameter optimization, and preprocessing method selection. Among them, preprocessing method selection is a relatively new and fast growing research area. The current work is focused on the recommendation of preprocessing methods, i.e., feature subset selection (FSS) algorithms. One limitation in the existing studies regarding FSS algorithm recommendation is the use of a single learner for meta-modeling, which restricts its capabilities in the metamodeling. Moreover, the meta-modeling in the existing studies is typically based on a single group of data characterization measures (DCMs). Nonetheless, there are a number of complementary DCM groups, and their combination will allow them to leverage their diversity, resulting in improved meta-modeling. This study aims to address these limitations by proposing an architecture for preprocess method selection that uses ensemble learning for meta-modeling, namely AutoFE-Sel. To evaluate the proposed method, we performed an extensive experimental evaluation involving 8 FSS algorithms, 3 groups of DCMs, and 125 datasets. Results show that the proposed method achieves better performance compared to three baseline methods. The proposed architecture can also be easily extended to other preprocessing method selections, e.g., noise-filter selection and imbalance handling method selection.

• Proceedings of the Korea Water Resources Association Conference
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• 2022.05a
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• pp.329-329
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• 2022

Accurate characterization of terrestrial precipitation variation from high spatial resolution satellite sensors is beneficial for urban hydrology and microscale agriculture modeling, as well as natural disasters (e.g., urban flooding) early warning. However, the widely-used top-down approach for precipitation retrieval from microwave satellites is limited in several hydrological and agricultural applications due to their coarse spatial resolution. In this research, we aim to apply a novel bottom-up method, the parameterized SM2RAIN, where precipitation can be estimated from soil moisture signals based on an inversion of water balance model, to generate high spatial resolution terrestrial precipitation estimates at 0.01º grid (roughly 1-km) from the C-band SAR Sentinel-1. This product was then tested against a common reanalysis-based precipitation data and a domestic rain gauge network from the Korean Meteorological Administration (KMA) over central South Korea, since a clear difference between climatic types (coasts and mainlands) and land covers (croplands and mixed forests) was reported in this area. The results showed that seasonal precipitation variability strongly affected the SM2RAIN performances, and the product derived from separated parameters (rainy and non-rainy seasons) outperformed that estimated considering the entire year. In addition, the product retrieved over the mainland mixed forest region showed slightly superior performance compared to that over the coastal cropland region, suggesting that the 6-day time resolution of S1 data is suitable for capturing the stable precipitation pattern in mainland mixed forests rather than the highly variable precipitation pattern in coastal croplands. Future studies suggest comparing this product to the traditional top-down products, as well as evaluating their integration for enhancing high spatial resolution precipitation over entire South Korea.

• Journal of Surface Science and Engineering
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• v.56 no.6
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• pp.401-411
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• 2023

This study investigates the synthesis, characterization, and application of zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles for corrosion resistance and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) mitigation in high-temperature and high-pressure environments. The ZnO nanoparticles are synthesized using plasma discharge in water, resulting in rod-shaped particles with a hexagonal crystal structure. The ZnO nanoparticles are applied to Alloy 600 tubes in simulated nuclear power plant atmospheres to evaluate their effectiveness. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis reveals the formation of thermodynamically stable ZnCr₂O₄and ZnFe₂O₄ spinel phases with a depth of approximately 35 nm on the surface after 240 hours of treatment. Stress corrosion cracking (SCC) mitigation experiments reveal that ZnO treatment enhances thermal and mechanical stability. The ZnO-treated specimens exhibit increased maximum temperature tolerance up to 310 ℃ and higher-pressure resistance up to 60 bar compared to non-treated ZnO samples. Measurements of crack length indicate reduced crack propagation in ZnO-treated specimens. The formation of thermodynamically stable Zn spinel structures on the surface of Alloy 600 and the subsequent improvements in surface properties contribute to the enhanced durability and performance of the material in challenging high-temperature and high-pressure environments. These findings have significant implications for the development of corrosion-resistant materials and the mitigation of stress corrosion cracking in various industries.

• FOCUS: LIFE SCIENCE
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• no.1
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• pp.3.1-3.7
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• 2024

The article discusses the critical role of chromatography in the analysis and purification of proteins in biopharmaceuticals, emphasizing the importance of comprehensive characterization for ensuring their safety and efficacy. It highlights the use of Avantor® ACE® HPLC columns for the separation and purification of proteins, focusing on the analysis of intact proteins using reversed-phase liquid chromatography (RPLC) with fully porous particles. This article also details the application of different mobile phase additives, such as TFA and formic acid, and emphasizes the advantages of using type B ultra-pure silica-based columns for efficiency and peak shape in biomolecule analysis. Additionally, it addresses the challenges of analyzing intact proteins due to slow molecular diffusion and introduces the concept of solid-core (or superficially porous) particles, emphasizing their benefits over traditional porous particles for the analysis of therapeutic proteins. Furthermore, it discusses the development of Avantor® ACE® UltraCore BIO columns, specifically designed for the high-efficiency separation of large biomolecules, such as proteins, and demonstrates their effectiveness in achieving high-resolution separations, even for higher molecular weight proteins like monoclonal antibodies (mAbs). In addition, it underscores the complexity of analyzing and characterizing intact protein biopharmaceuticals, requiring a range of analytical techniques and the use of wide-pore stationary phases, operated at elevated temperatures and with relatively shallow gradients. It highlights the comprehensive range of options offered by Avantor® ACE® wide pore columns, including both fully porous and solid-core particles, bonded with a variety of complementary stationary phase chemistries to optimize selectivity during method development. The use of ultrapure and highly inert base silica is emphasized for enabling the use of lower concentrations of mobile phase modifiers without compromising analyte peak shape, particularly beneficial for LC-MS applications. Then the article concludes by emphasizing the significance of reversed-phase liquid chromatography and its compatibility with mass spectrometry as a valuable tool for the separation and analysis of intact proteins and their closely related variants in biopharmaceuticals.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.56 no.7
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• pp.2444-2451
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• 2024

This work demonstrates a new sol-gel approach for synthesizing PbO₂-doped zirconia using zircon mineral precursors. The streamlined methodology enables straightforward fabrication of the doped zirconia composites. Comprehensive materials characterization was performed using XRD, SEM, and TEM techniques to analyze the crystal structure, microstructure, and morphology. Quantitative analysis of the XRD data provided insights into the nanoscale crystallite sizes achieved, along with their relationship to lattice imperfections. Furthermore, the gamma-ray shielding capacity for the PbO₂-doped zirconia samples was estimated by the Monte Carlo simulation, which proves an increase in the gamma ray shielding properties by raising the Pb concentration. The linear attenuation coefficient increased between 0.467 and 0.499 cm^-1 (at 0.662 MeV) by increasing the Pb content between 11 and 21 wt%. By increasing the Pb content to 21 wt%, the synthesized composites' lead equivalent thickness reaches 2.49 cm. The radiation shielding properties for the synthesized composites revealed a remarkable performance against low and intermediate γ-ray photons, with radiation shielding capacity of 37.3 % and 21.4 % at 0.662 MeV and 2.506 MeV, respectively. As a result, the developed composites can be employed as an alternative shielding material in hospitals and radioactive zones.

• Composites Research
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.369-374
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• 2024

In this study, CNT volume fraction, gas permeability, and electrical conductivity of horizontally aligned carbon nanotube (HACNT) nanocomposites were measured and analyzed according to the dilution ratio of epoxy and acetone and the applied pressure. The CNT volume fraction increased with decreasing dilution ratio and increasing pressure, indicating that the viscosity of the epoxy and pressure conditions play an important role in filling the gaps between the CNTs. Gas permeability decreases with increasing pressure, showing that higher pressure effectively improves gas barrier properties. As the dilution ratio decreased and the pressure increased, the electrical conductivity tended to increase, which can be interpreted because of strengthening the electrical connection between CNTs. This study provides important insights for various applications by suggesting the optimal dilution ratio and pressure conditions to achieve the highest performance of HACNT nanocomposites.

• Food Science and Biotechnology
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.475-482
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• 2008

Methanol extracts of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) pods were chromatographed, which yielded 3 phytochemicals 1-3 including 5,7-dihydroxychromone (1), eriodictyol (2), and 3',4',5,7-tetrahydroxyflavone (3). To confirm the presence of isolated phytochemicals, the pods extracts were performed by high performance liquid chromatography coupled with a photodiode array detector (HPLC-PDA) and a mass spectrometric detector (MSD) with electrospray ionization (ESI). Optimum extraction conditions for phytochemical contents using peanut germplasm were obtained by employing 90% MeOH for 12 hr at room temperature and phytochemicals 1-3 showed significant differences with concentrations of $407.56{\pm}23.35$, $52.92{\pm}5.11$, and $2,024.34{\pm}134.18\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively. Under this optimal conditions, the contents of phytochemicals 1-3 in peanut pods of 3 Korea cultivars including 'Jakwang', 'Daekwang', and 'Palkwang' exhibited phytochemical 3 was the highest range of $1,338.01-5,162.93\;{\mu}g/g$, followed by phytochemical 1 ($590.13-1,382.10\;{\mu}g/g$), and phytochemical 2 ($25.12-186.85\;{\mu}g/g$), respectively. Moreover, 'Jakwang' exhibited the highest contents of phytochemical (1: $1,362.10{\pm}52.49$, 2: $186.85{\pm}17.69$, and 3: $5,162.93{\pm}148.64\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively), whereas the lowest contents was found in the 'Daekwang' (1: $590.13{\pm}22.23$, 2: $25.12{\pm}2.45$, and 3: $1,338.01{\pm}62.17\;{\mu}g/g$, respectively). These results suggest that the methanol extracts of peanut pods may possess health related benefits to humans owing to various known biological activities of phytochemicals 1-3.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.397-401
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• 2016

A new solid oxidizer, pyridinium dinitramide (Py-DN) is a low toxic energetic material which can be utilized as a HPGP (high performance green propellant). In this work, Py-DN was synthesized using various starting materials including potassium sulfamate, pyridine hydrochloride, strong nitric acid and sulfuric acid. Physical and chemical properties of the Py-DN were characterized using UV-Vis, FT-IR and a thermal analyzer and their properties were compared to those of previously prepared salts including ammonium dinitramide[ADN, $NH_4N(NO_2)_2$] and guanidine dinitramide[GDN, $NH_2C(NH_2)NH_2N(NO_2)_2$] in our lab. Endothermic and exothermic decomposition temperatures of Py-DN were $77.4^{\circ}C$ and $144.7^{\circ}C$, respectively. The combustion caloric value was 1739 J/g, which is thermally more sensitive than that of conventional dinitramides. It may enable to lower the decomposition temperature, which can reduce preheating temperature required for satellite thruster applications.