• Journal of the Korean Physical Society
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• v.73 no.10
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• pp.1535-1540
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• 2018

In this study, we prepared and characterized Nb-doped $Li_7La_3Zr_{2-x}O_{12}$ (LLZNO) powder and pellets with a cubic garnet structure by using a modified sol-gel synthesis and hot pressing. LLZNO powder with a very small grain size and cubic structure without secondary phases could be obtained by using a synthesis method in which Li and La sources in a propanol solvent were mixed together with Zr and Nb sources in 2-methoxy ethanol. A pure cubic phase LLZNO pellet could be fabricated from the prepared LLZNO and an additional 6-wt% of $Li_2CO_3$ powder by hot pressing at $1050^{\circ}C$ and 15.8 MPa. The hot-pressed LLZNO pellet with a relative density of 99% exhibited a very dense surface morphology. The total Li ionic conductivity of the hot-pressed LLZNO was $7.4{\times}10^{-4}S/cm$ at room temperature, which is very high level compared to other reported values. The activation energy for ionic conduction was estimated to be 0.40 eV.

• Advances in concrete construction
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.183-192
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• 2021

Due to economic and environmental benefits, increasing the substitution ratio of ordinary cement by industry by-products like fly ash (FA) is one of the best approaches to reduce the impact of the concrete industry on the environment. However, as the substitution rate of FA increases, it will have an adverse impact on the performance of cement-based materials, so the actual substitution rate of FA is limited to around 10-30%. Therefore, in order to increase the early-age strength of high replacement (30-70%) low-calcium ultrafine FA blended cement paste, sodium sulfate and calcium sulfate dihydrate were used to improve the reactivity of FA. The results show that sodium sulfate has a significant enhancement effect on the strength of the composite pastes in the early and late ages, while calcium sulfate dihydrate has only a slight effect in the late ages. The addition of sodium sulfate in the cement-FA blended system can enhance the gain rate of non-evaporation water, and can decrease the Ca(OH)2 content. In addition, when the sulfate chemical activators are added, the ettringite content increases, and the surface of the FA is dissolved and hydrated.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.31 no.11
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• pp.635-641
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• 2021

Cr thin films with O added are deposited on sapphire substrate by DC sputtering and are nitrided in NH₃ atmosphere between 300 and 900 ℃ for various times. X-ray diffraction results show that nitridation begins at 500 ℃, forming CrN and Cr₂N. Cr oxides of Cr₂O₃ are formed at 600 ℃. And, at temperatures higher than 900 ℃, the intermediate materials of Cr₂N and Cr₂O₃ disappear and CrN is dominant. The atomic concentration ratios of Cr and O are 77% and 23%, respectively, over the entire thickness of as-deposited Cr thin film. In the sample nitrided at 600 ℃, a CrN layer in which O is substituted with N is formed from the surface to 90 nm, and the concentrations of Cr and N in the layer are 60% and 40%, respectively. For this reason, CrN and Cr₂N are distributed in the CrN region, where O is substituted with N by nitridation, and Cr oxynitrides are formed in the region below this. The nitridation process is controlled by inter-diffusion of O and N and the parabolic growth law, with activation energy of 0.69 eV.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

PURPOSE: This study examined the effects of changes in the head direction (forward, upward 10° and downward 10°) on the quadriceps, center of pressure (COP), and foot pressure during squat exercises. The aim was to determine if the head direction could better activate the quadriceps muscle and provide a safer and stable squat posture during squat exercise. METHODS: Fifteen healthy college students were asked to stand on a Zebris, and three electrodes for sEMG were attached to their vastus medialis oblique (VMO), vastus lateralis (VL), and rectus femoris (RF) muscles. The participants then performed squatting exercises under three head directions (forward, upward 10°, and downward 10°). Surface electrodes were then used to record the EMG data during exercise. The Zebris FDM-SX was used to measure the foot pressure and COP of the participants. RESULTS: In squat exercise, the upward head direction group showed significantly higher VL activation than the downward head direction group (p < .05). The upward head direction group showed a significant backward change in the deviation of the COP than the downward and forward groups (p < .05). The upward head direction group showed a significant decrease in forefoot pressure than the downward and forward groups (p < .05) and an increase in the hindfoot pressure compared to the downward and forward groups (p < .05). CONCLUSION: The head direction upward in squat exercise has a positive effect on the quadriceps.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.88-96
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• 2022

Objective: Purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity ratio of multifidus to erector spinalis according to various cueing including tactile stimulation to provide an effective strategy to provide verbal and tactile feedback during exercise to provoke multifidus muscle activation. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Participants of this study included 28 healthy adults. Muscle activities of the multifidus and erector spinalis were measured while the participants performed tasks according to the three different methods of verbal cueing and three different tactile stimulation. Surface EMG was used to measure the muscular activity of the muscles during all the tasks. Results: Tactile stimulation to abdomen and lumbar vertebrae showed no significant difference in the muscle activity ratio (p>0.05). However, muscle activity ratio of the multifidus in relation to the erector spinalis was increased when subjects were given verbal instructions to make lumbar curvature with little force and to make lumbar curvature while pulling navel (p<0.05). However, it was decreased when they were provided with verbal instruction to make lumbar curvature with strong force (p<0.05). Conclusions: According to the results, proper verbal instruction was an effective tool to increase the muscular activity of multifidus. This study aimed to find and provide the most appropriate verbal cueing while doing exercises to activate multifidus.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.32 no.11
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• pp.458-465
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• 2022

Interest in the use of semiconductor-based photocatalyst materials for the degradation of organic pollutants in a liquid phase has grown, due to their excellent performance and response to the light source. Herein, we fabricated a NiO-SiC-TiO₂ ternary structured photocatalyst which had reduced bandgap energy, with strong activation under UV-light irradiation. The synthesized samples were examined using XRD, SEM, EDX, TEM, DRS, EIS techniques and photocurrent measurement. The results confirmed that the two types of metal oxides were well bonded to the SiC fiber surface. The junction of the new photocatalyst exhibited a large number of photoexcited electrons and holes. The holes tended to oxidize the water and form a hydroxyl radical, which promoted the decomposition of methylene blue. The close contact between the 2D SiC fiber and metal oxide semiconductors expanded the scope of absorption wavelength, and enhanced the usability of the ternary photocatalyst for the degradation of methylene blue. Among three synthesized samples, the NiO-SiC-TiO₂ showed the best photocatalytic effect, and was considered to have excellent photoelectron transfer due to the synergy effect between the metal oxide and SiC.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.60 no.3
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• pp.452-458
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• 2022

Three types of gas-liquid hybrid horizontal, vertical and needle-to-cylinder plasma reactors were fabricated. Through these reactors, a high-efficiency, eco-friendly cleaning concept that generates reactive active species generated in atmospheric plasma discharge and gas-liquid activation reaction of cleaning components through the potential difference within the electrode was presented. As a result of comparing the efficiency for cleaning performance, the needle-to-cylinder type reactor had the best characteristics. Through this study, it was confirmed that the gas-liquid hybrid atmospheric pressure plasma reactor has the potential to be applied to ultra-precision cleaning processes such as semiconductor processes.

• Biomedical Science Letters
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.206-210
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• 2022

Calystegia dahurica (Herb.) Choisy is a natural product that has not been studied for efficacy or active ingredients. The purpose of this study is to investigate the activation effect of natural killer cells using a natural extract composition based on Calystegia dahurica (Herb.) Choisy extract (CDCE). We evaluated the activity of natural killer cells in natural products using PBMCs from healthy participants. All natural products were extracted with 50% ethanol. Based on the results of the cell viability assay, PBMCs of healthy participants were treated with extracts at various concentrations. Then, analysis was performed using flow cytometry to measure the cd107a surface expression of natural killer cells. As a result, treatment with a single extract of PBMCs increased the expression of cd107a in a concentration-dependent. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the treatment of the extract composition showed the highest expression of cd107a. In conclusion, it is expected that the extract composition containing CDCE according to this study can be used for prevention or treatment of cancer cells, tumor cells, and immune diseases.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.46 no.7
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• pp.399-413
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• 2023

cAMP responsive element-binding protein (CREB) is one of the most intensively studied phosphorylation-dependent transcription factors that provide evolutionarily conserved mechanisms of differential gene expression in vertebrates and invertebrates. Many cellular protein kinases that function downstream of distinct cell surface receptors are responsible for the activation of CREB. Upon functional dimerization of the activated CREB to cis-acting cAMP responsive elements within the promoters of target genes, it facilitates signal-dependent gene expression. From the discovery of CREB, which is ubiquitously expressed, it has been proven to be involved in a variety of cellular processes that include cell proliferation, adaptation, survival, differentiation, and physiology, through the control of target gene expression. In this review, we highlight the essential roles of CREB proteins in the nervous system, the immune system, cancer development, hepatic physiology, and cardiovascular function and further discuss a wide range of CREB-associated diseases and molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of these diseases.

• Advances in nano research
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.355-362
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• 2023

Physical exercise, especially intense exercise and high intensity interval training (HIIT) by trampoline, can lead to muscle injuries. These effects can be reduced with intelligent products made of nanocomposite materials. Most of these nanocomposites are polymers reinforced with silicon dioxide, alumina, and titanium dioxide nanoparticles. This study presents a polymer nanocomposite reinforced with silica. As a result of the rapid reaction between tetraethyl orthosilicate and ammonia in the presence of citric acid and other agents, silica nanostructures were synthesized. By substituting bis (4-amino phenoxy) phenyl-triptycene in N, N-dimethylformamide with potassium carbonate, followed by catalytic reduction with hydrazine and Pd/C, the diamine monomer bis (4-amino phenoxy) phenyl-triptycene is prepared. We synthesized a new polyaromatic (imide) with triptycene unit by sol-gel method from aromatic diamines and dianhydride using pyridine as a condensation reagent in NMP. PI readily dissolves in solvents and forms robust and tough polymer films in situ. The FTIR and NMR techniques were used to determine the effects of SiO₂ on the sol-gel process and the structure of the synthesized nanocomposites. By using a simultaneous thermal analysis (DTA-TG) method, the appropriate thermal operation temperature was also determined. Through SEM analysis, the structure, shape, size, and specific surface area of pores were determined. Analysis of XRD results is used to determine how SiO₂ affects the crystallization of phases and the activation energy of crystallization.