• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.194-198
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• 2014

Methicillin-resistant staphylococci (MRS) are emerging as important pathogens in humans and animals worldwide. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of MRS in the racehorse population and in horse-related personnel in Korea. A total of 195 horses and 18 humans (eight veterinarians, three veterinary hospital staff, and seven horse-handlers) from racehorse farms in Korea were included in the study. The samples were collected from nasal cavities using bacterial transport medium and were cultivated on tryptic soy agar with 5% sheep blood for 3 days at $37^{\circ}C$ to confirm the presence of Staphylococcus spp. Presumptive Staphylococcus spp. isolates were identified by 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis. The coagulase test and oxacillin susceptibility tests were performed using the tube dilution and disk diffusion methods, respectively. The presence of the mecA gene was determined using a polymerase chain reaction assay. Of the 195 horses, 29 (15.6%) yielded 29 MRS isolates. Twelve (66.7%) of the 18 horse-related personnel yielded 12 MRS isolates. All of the MRS isolates from horses or horse-related personnel were identified as methicillin-resistant coagulase-negative staphylococci (MRCNS). The result of this study suggest that the prevalence of MRS increased with the duration of antibiotic use (p = 0.002). This study also provides evidence for the zoonotic transmission of MRCNS between horses and humans, although further investigations are needed.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.195-201
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• 2012

$Ce^{3+}$-doped yttrium aluminum gallium garnet (YAGG:$Ce^{3+}$), which is a green-emitting phosphor, was synthesized by solid state reaction using ${\alpha}$-phase or ${\gamma}$-phase of nano-sized $Al_2O_3$ as the Al source. The processing conditions and the chemical composition of phosphor for the maximum emission intensity were optimized on the basis of emission intensity under vacuum UV excitation. The optimum heating temperature for phosphor preparation was $1550^{\circ}C$. Photoluminescence properties of the synthesized phosphor were investigated in detail. From the excitation and emission spectra, it was confirmed that the YAGG:$Ce^{3+}$ phosphors effectively absorb the vacuum UV of 120-200 nm and emit green light positioned around 530 nm. The crystalline phase of the alumina nanoparticles affected the particle size and the luminescence property of the synthesized phosphors. Nano-sized ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$ was more effective for the achievement of higher emission intensity than was nano-sized ${\alpha}-Al_2O_3$. This discrepancy is considered to be because the diffusion of $Al^{3+}$ into $Y_2O_3$ lattice is dependent on the crystalline phase of $Al_2O_3$, which affects the phase transformation of YAGG:$Ce^{3+}$ phosphors. The optimum chemical composition, having the maximum emission intensity, was $(Y_{2.98}Ce_{0.02})(Al_{2.8}Ga_{1.8})O_{11.4}$ prepared with ${\gamma}-Al_2O_3$. On the other hand, the decay time of the YAGG:$Ce^{3+}$ phosphors, irrespective of the crystalline phase of the nano-sized alumina source, was below 1 ms due to the allowed $5d{\rightarrow}4f$ transition of the $Ce^{3+}$ activator.

• The Journal of the Korea Contents Association
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• v.20 no.11
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• pp.28-37
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• 2020

This study was conducted to propose measures to improve crisis response to environmental issues by analyzing the news big data on the 'tap water larvae' situation and identifying related major keywords and topics. To accomplish this, 1,975 cases of 'tap water larvae' reported between July 13 to August 31, 2020 were divided into three periods and analyzed using topical modeling techniques. The analysis output 15 topics for each period. According to the result, the 'tap water larvae' incident, as reported in the media, is divided into the occurrence, diffusion, and rectification stages. The government's response and civilian risk consciousness and reaction could also be seen. Based on the result, the following measures to respond to environment risk is proposed. First, it is necessary to explore the various intertwined context with the 'tap water larvae' incident at its core and develop responsiveness to environmental problems through education which forms integrated views. Second, a role to monitor the environment must be implemented and civilian-participated environmental information must be shared through the application of internet communities. Third, the cultivation and deployment of environmental communicators who provide and communicate fast and accurate environment information is required. This study, as the first in Korea to use the topic modeling analysis method based on big data related to 'tap water larvae', has academic significance in that it has empirically and systematically analyzed environmental issues which appear as unstructured data. It also political significance as it suggests ways to improve environmental education and communication.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.33 no.9
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• pp.3061-3070
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• 2012

Novel 2-hexylthieno[3,2-b]thiophene-containing conjugated molecules have been synthesized via a reduction reaction using tin chloride in an acidic medium. They exhibited good solubility in common organic solvents and good self-film and crystal-forming properties. The single-crystalline objects were fabricated by a solvent slow diffusion process and then were employed for fabricating field-effect transistors (FETs) along with thinfilm transistors (TFTs). TFTs made of 5 and 6 exhibited carrier mobility as high as 0.10-0.15 $cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$. The single-crystal-based FET made of 6 showed 0.70 $cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$ which was relatively higher than that of the 5-based FET (${\mu}=0.23cm^2V^{-1}s^{-1}$). In addition, we fabricated organic photovoltaic (OPV) cells with new 2-hexylthieno [3,2-b]thiophene-containing conjugated molecules and methanofullerene [6,6]-phenyl C61-butyric acid methyl ester ($PC_{61}BM$) without thermal annealing. The ternary system for a bulk heterojunction (BHJ) OPV cell was elaborated using $PC_{61}BM$ and two p-type conjugated molecules such as 5 and 7 for modulating the molecular energy levels. As a result, the OPV cell containing 5, 7, and $PC_{61}BM$ had improved results with an open-circuit voltage of 0.90 V, a short-circuit current density of 2.83 $mA/cm^2$, and a fill factor of 0.31, offering an overall power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 0.78%, which was larger than those of the devices made of only molecule 5 (${\eta}$~0.67%) or 7 (${\eta}$~0.46%) with $PC_{61}BM$ under identical weight compositions.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
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• v.11 no.3 s.32
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• pp.23-30
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• 2004

Interfacial reaction of Pb-free $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu$ and $Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu$ solders and Pt during aging has been investigated. After the $Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens were reflowed at $250^{\circ}C$ for 30s and the $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens were reflowed at $260^{\circ}C$, the specimens were aged at $125^{\circ}C,\;150^{\circ}C$ and $170^{\circ}C$ for 25-121 hours. The intermetallic thitkness and morphology change during aging were characterized using SEM, EDS and XRD. $PtSn_4$ and $PtSn_2$ were observed in the solder/pt interface and the intermetallic formation was governed by diffusion. The activation energy of intermetallic formation was 145.3 kJ/mol for$Sn3.8wt{\%}Ag0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens for $Sn0.7wt{\%}Cu/Pt$ specimens from the measurement of the intermetallic thickness with aging temperature and time.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.7 no.5
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• pp.925-937
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• 1996

Three types of mordenites treated by steaming($SM_{6.5}$), HF solution for $SM_{6.5}(FM_a)$ and HF solutlon+steaming for $SM_{6.5}(FM_b)$ were prepared and used as cracking catalysts of vacuum gas oil. These samples were analysed by XRF and XPS for average and surface Si/Al atomic ratio, XRD for unit cell constants, nitrogen adsorption/desorption for porosity, pyridine-IR for acidic properties. In comparison with three type samples, $SM_{6.5}$ had a lot of acid amount and showed micropore volume mostly(>85% to total volume). Dealuminated $FM_a$, compared with $SM_{6.5}$, was decreased a little in acid amount and improved for porosity. Also, $FM_b$ was decreased further in acid amount and developed in mesopore dramatically. The catalytic activity and the yield of gasoline, kerosine+diesel and branched aromatic over the modified mordenites which have developed mesopore were improved. This is due to limited access of diffusion of large molecules within pore of the modified mordenites.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.146-151
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• 2012

Urinary tract infection (UTI) is one of the most common bacterial infections and is predominantly caused by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC). UPEC strains generally possess several genes encoding virulent factors, which are mostly adhesins, toxins, bacteriocin and siderophores. E. coli is composed of four main phylogenetic group (A, B1, B2, D) and virulent extra-intestinal strains mainly belong to groups B2 and D. Prescription of ciprofloxacin, a kind of fluoroquinolone group antibiotics, is increasing now a days, but resistance to this drug is also increasing. A total of 188 strains of E. coli were collected. Thirteen strains were collected from healthy students in 2011 and 175 strains from patients with urinary tract infection in 2010. Virulence factor genes (papC, fimG/H, sfaD/E, hlyA, cnf1, and usp) were amplified by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) methods for phylogenetic group (A, B1, B2, D) detection. Ciprofloxacin susceptibility test was performed by disk diffusion method. The identified virulence factors (VFs), phylogenetic groups and ciprofloxacin resistance in 13 E. coli strains isolated from healthy students were papC (15.4%), fimG/H (76.9%), sfaD/E (30.8%), hlyA (23.1%), cnf1 (23.1%), usp (7.7%), phylogenetic group A (23%), B1 (8%), B2 (46%), D (23%) and ciprofloxacin resistance (7.7%), while those of in 175 E. coli strains isolated from patients with UTI were papC (41.1%), fimG/H (92.5%), sfaD/E (30.3%), hlyA (10.3%), cnf1 (30.3%), usp (27.4%), phylogenetic group A (9.1%), B1 (5.1%), B2 (60.6%), D (25.1%) and ciprofloxacin resistance (29.7%). In this study, 10 out of 13 E. coli strains (76.9%) from healthy students were found to possess more than one virulence factor associated with adhesion. In addition, one E. coli strain isolated from healthy students who had never been infected with UPEC showed ciprofloxacin resistance. According to these results between the virulence factors and phylogenetic groups it was closely associated, and UPEC strains isolated from patients showed high level of ciprofloxacin resistance.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.4 no.6
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• pp.669-680
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• 1994

Oxidation behaviour of TiAl intermetallic compounds with the addition of Cr, V, Si, Mo, or Nb was investigated at 900~$1100^{\circ}C$ under the atmospheric environment. The reaction products were examined by XRD, SEM equipped with WDX. The weight gain by continuous oxidation increased with the addition of Cr or V, but there was less weight gain when Mo, Si or Nb was added individually. he oxidation rate of Cr- or V-added TiAl was always larger than that of TiAI. However, oxidation rate of Si-, Mo- or Nb-added TiAl was almost same or smaller than that of TiAI. Thus, it is concluded that the addition of Cr or V did not improve the oxidation resistance, whereas the addition of Si, Mo or Nb improved the oxidation resistance. Oxides formed on TiAl with Mo, Si, and Nb were found to be more protective, resulting from the decrease in diffusion rate of the alloying elements and oxygen. Nb strengthened the tendency to form $AI_{2}O_{3}$ in the early stage of oxidation, due to the continuous $AI_{2}O_{3}$ layer formation and dense $Tio_{2}+AI_{2}O_{3}$ layer. According to the Pt-marker test of TiAI- 5wt%Nb, oxygen diffused mainly inward while oxides were formed on the substrate surface. Upon thermal cyclic oxidation at $900^{\circ}C$, it is shown that the addition of Cr or Nb improved the adherence of oxide scale to the substrate.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.112-118
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• 2018

In order to meet the strict emission regulations for internal combustion engines based on fossil fuel, the proportion of after-treatments for vehicles and vessels is gradually increasing. Diesel engines have high power, good fuel economy, and lower $CO_2$ emissions, and their market shares are increasing in commercial vehicles and passenger cars. However, NOx is generated in the localized high-temperature combustion regions, and particulate matter is formed in the zones of diffusion combustion. LNT and urea-SCR catalysts have been developed for after-treatment of the exhaust gas to reduce NOx in diesel vehicles. This study aims to improve the NOx reduction performance of Cu SCR catalyst, which is widely used in light, medium, and heavy-duty diesel engines. The de-NOx performance of $5Cu-2ZrO_2$/93Zeolyst(Si/Al=13.7) SCR catalyst was about 5-50% higher than that of $5Cu-2ZrO_2$/93Zeolite(Si/Al=2.9) at catalyst temperatures of $300^{\circ}C$ or higher. The zeolite had lower metal dispersion than zeolyst, and the reaction rate of the catalyst decreased as the average particle size increased. The $10Cu-2ZrO_2$/88Zeolyst catalyst loaded with 10wt% Cu had the highest NOx conversion rate of 40% at $200^{\circ}C$ and about 65% at $350^{\circ}C$. The ion exchange rate of Cu ions increased with that of Al, the crystalline compound of zeolite, and the de-NOx performance was improved by 20-40% compared to other catalysts.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.1367-1375
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• 2010

In this study, optimization of the process parameters of the resistance spot welding of a sheet of aluminum-coated boron alloyed steel, 22MnB5, used in hot stamping has been performed by a Taguchi method to increase the strength of the weld joint. The process parameters selected were current, electrode force, and weld time. The heating temperature and heating time of 22MnB5 are considered to be noise factors. It was known that the variation in the thickness of the intermetallic compound layer between the aluminum-coated layer and the substrate, which influences on the formation of nugget, was generated due to the difference of diffusion reaction according to heating conditions. From the results of spot weld experiment, the optimum weld condition was determined to be when the current, electrode force, and weld time were 8kA, 4kN, and 18 cycles, respectively. The result of a test performed to verify the optimized weld condition showed that the tensile strength of the weld joint was over 32kN, which is considerably higher than the required strength, i.e., 23kN.