We examine a single machine scheduling problem with step-improving jobs in which job processing times decrease step-wisely over time according to their starting times. The objective is to minimize total completion time which is defined as the sum of completion times of jobs. The total completion time is frequently considered as an objective because it is highly related to the total time spent by jobs in the system as well as work-in-progress. Many applications of this problem can be observed in the real world such as data gathering networks, system upgrades or technological shock, and production lines operated with part-time workers in each shift. Our goal is to develop a scheduling algorithm that can provide an optimal solution. For this, we present an efficient branch and bound algorithm with an assignment-based node design and tight lower bounds that can prune branch and bound nodes at early stages and accordingly reduce the computation time. In numerical experiments well designed to consider various scenarios, it is shown that the proposed algorithm outperforms the existing method and can solve practical problems within reasonable computation time.

Caprine cryptosporidiosis mainly occurs in young goats, with morbidity rates of 80%–100% and mortality over 50% in goat kids. However, limited research has been conducted on the impact of Cryptosporidium parvum, a diarrhea-causing pathogen, on the intestinal microbiota of goat kids. In this study, 16S rRNA-based metataxonomic analysis was performed to compare the microbial diversity and abundance of the gut microbiota between C. parvum-infected and uninfected goat kids. In total, 12 goat fecal samples were collected, including seven naturally C. parvum-infected and five uninfected goats from Chungcheongbuk-do, Korea. After amplification of the V3–V4 hypervariable region of the bacterial 16S rRNA, high-throughput sequencing was performed. The results showed differences in the microbial composition between C. parvum-infected and uninfected groups based on beta diversity. Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes were the most dominant phyla in both groups. However, no significant difference was observed in the Bacteroidetes/Firmicutes ratio between the two groups. Compared with the uninfected group, the C. parvum-infected group showed significantly higher abundances of Tyzzerella nexillis, Lactobacillus johnsonii, Butyricicoccus pullicaecorum, Enterococcus raffinosus, Enterococcus faecalis, and Negativicoccus massiliensis, and significantly reduced abundances of Aerococcus vaginalis, Faecalicoccus pleomorphus, Oribacterium parvum, and Coprococcus comes. These findings indicate that C. parvum infection, which is associated with diarrhea in neonatal goats, induces alterations in the caprine gut microbiota.

This study aimed to reconfirm the sex change scale and pattern of Tegillarca granosa. Although the sex ratio (female : male, female proportion) of T. granosa was 1:2.32 (30.2%) at the initial stage (2011) of the study, it was 1:0.94 (51.5%) after one year (2012) in the same population. The increase of the female proportion was greater in the 2+ year class (23.0%) when compared to the 1+ year class (19.2%). Overall, sex change ratio of 37.6% was observed in this population of T. granosa. The sex change ratio of the 2+ year class (39.3%) was higher than that of the 1+ year class (35.3%). And sex change ratio in the males (42.2%) was higher than that in the females (26.9%). The female proportion was the opposite of the result from 2006~2007, and one of the causes was presumed to be the difference in cumulative water temperature during the gonadal inactive stage (winter).

Fluorescent bacteria were isolated from sporocarps that browned into various mushrooms during survey at places of the production in Korea. We examined the pathogenicity, biodiversity, and genetic characteristics of the 19 strains identified as Pseudomonas tolaasii by sequence analysis of 16S rRNA and White Line Assay. The results emphasize the importance of rpoB gene system, fatty acid profiles, specific and sensitive PCR assays, and lipopeptide detection for the identification of P. tolaasii. As a result of these various analyses, 17 strains (CHM03~CHM19) were identified as P. tolaasii. The phylogenetic analysis based on the 16S rRNA gene showed that all strains were clustered closest to P. tolaasii lineage, two strains (CHM01, CHM02) were not identified as P. tolaasii and have completely different genetic characteristics as a result of fatty acids profile, specific and sensitive PCR, lipopetide detection, rpoB sequence and REP-PCR analysis. Pathogenicity tests showed 17 strains produce severe brown discolouration symptoms to button mushrooms and watersoaking of sporophore tissue within three days after inoculation. But two strains did not produce discolouration symptoms. Therefore, these two strains will be further investigated for correct species identification by different biological and molecular characteristics.

최근 국가뿐만 아니라 도시에서도 자발적 지역 검토(Voluntary Local Review, 이하 VLR)를 실시하고 이를 토대로 보고서를 발표하는 지방자치단체가 늘고 있다. 도시 수준의 SDGs 조치는 새로운 도시 의제, 기후 변화에 대한 파리 협정, 센다이 재해 감소 프레임워크, 생물다양성에 대한 아이치 목표와 같은 다른 국제적 약속과 밀접하게 연관되어 있다. 이 논문은 지방정부의 VLR 방향을 제언하는 것을 목적으로 세계 여러 도시의 2030 의제 실행 보고의 구체적인 프로세스에 대해 논의한다. VLR 프로세스는 지자체와 지역 사회 문제를 해결하기 위한 맞춤형 접근 방식, 지역 기술을 강화하기 위한 역량 강화, 하위 국가 수준의 데이터 환경 개발, 학계, 민간 부문 또는 지역 사회와 같은 정부 및 비정부 이해관계자의 다양한 영역과의 오래 지속되는 파트너십 구축이 포함되어 있다. 본 연구에서는 기존 VLR의 분석을 통해 식별된 VLR 프로 세스의 각 단계 내 주요 구성 요소에 대해 논의한다. 본 연구는 VLR 개발 프로세스의 여러 단계를 개략적 으로 설명하고 지침에서 각 단계의 주요 구성 요소에 대해 살펴보고 이것이 가진 의미를 검토한다.

본 연구는 다국적 기업 해외 자회사 직원의 언어 능력이 본사의 주재원 파견에 어떤 영향을 미치 는지 고찰한다. 전 세계 55개국에 위치한 한국 다국적 기업의 9,580개 해외 자회사를 다층 모델링 을 사용하여 분석한 결과, 현지 노동력의 영어 능력이 낮은 국가에 위치한 해외 자회사에서는 다국 적 기업들이 더 많은 주재원을 파견하는 경향이 있음을 밝혀내었다. 또한, 본 연구는 다국적 기업 의 해외 자회사 현지 운영 기간이 증가함에 따라 현지 노동력의 영어 능력이 낮은 국가에 위치한 자회사 내에서 주재원에 대한 의존도가 현저하게 감소함을 보여준다. 이러한 결과는 현지 노동력의 언어 능력이 상이한 다양한 국가에 진출하여 활동하는 다국적 기업들의 해외 자회사 관리에 있어 의미 있는 이론적, 실무적 시사점을 제공한다.

It was found in this study that fluorinated microporous carbon aerogels with enhanced hydrophobicity could be successfully prepared by direct fluorination to separate water-in-oil emulsions at high flux. The fluorinated carbon aerogel (F-CA) surface treated by the fluorination method had a water contact angle of 151.2° and could immediately absorb oil. In addition, the unique network structure of F-CA and its hydrophobicity allow surfactant-stabilized water-in-oil emulsions to be effectively and simply separated under gravity without requiring external forces such as vacuum or pressurization. The network structure of F-CAs consists of randomly connected spherical particles that form fluorinated permeation channels, which induce high flux during emulsion separation. The F-CA spherical particles have nanosized pores and high hydrophobicity, which repel and trap water droplets to increase the separation purity. Therefore, F-CA exhibited excellent performance, such as high filtrate purity (up to 99.9954%) and flux (up to 11,710 L/m2h). Furthermore, F-CA reusability was demonstrated as it did not lose its hydrophobicity and maintained its performance even after repeated use. This type of aerogel has great potential to be utilized throughout various environmental fields, including oil remediation.

In this study, laser-induced graphene oxide (LIGO) was synthesized through a facile liquid-based process involving the introduction of deionized (DI) water onto polyimide (PI) film and subsequent direct laser irradiation using a CO2 laser (λ = 10.6 μm). The synthesized LIGO was then evaluated as a sensing material for monitoring changes in humidity levels. The synthesis conditions were optimized by precisely controlling the laser scribing speed, leading to the synthesis of LIGO with different structural characteristics and varying oxygen contents. The increased number of oxygen-containing functional groups contributed to the hydrophilic properties of LIGO, resulting in a superior humidity sensing capabilities compared with laser-induced graphene (LIG). The LIGO-based sensors outperformed LIG-based sensors, demonstrating approximately tenfold higher sensing responsivity when detecting changes at each humidity level, along with 1.25 to 1.75 times faster response/recovery times, making LIGO-based sensors more promising for humidity-monitoring applications. This study demonstrated laser ablation in a renewable and natural precursor as an eco-friendly and energy-efficient approach to directly synthesize LIGO with controllable oxidation levels.

In the field of mental health care, long-term healing programs have gained widespread recognition for their effectiveness in promoting well-being. However, the efficacy of shorter-term interventions, such as 1-night 2-day programs, remains relatively understudied. The primary objective of this initiative is twofold: firstly, to enhance the overall well-being and resilience of participants, and secondly, to investigate the program's potential to ameliorate specific mental health indicators. These indicators include physical stress levels, autonomic nervous system health, brain activity, brain stress, and concentration. A 1-night 2-day mental health healing program was implemented for 560 civil servants from Jeollanam-do (mean age 47.87 yrs). The focus was on measuring changes through baseline assessments before participation and post-program assessments upon completion. Measurements included physical stress index, autonomic nervous system health, brain activity level, brain stress, and brain concentration. There was a significant decrease in physical stress, as well as a significant decrease in autonomic nervous system health (p<0.05). Although there was no significant difference in brain activity level, there was a tendency for brain activity level to stabilize in the high-frequency range. Additionally, a significant decrease in stress levels and an improvement in concentration were observed. Incorporating 1-night 2-day relaxation programs into our daily lives offers a holistic approach to caring for both our physical and mental health, providing essential moments of rejuvenation and self-care that contribute to overall well-being and fulfillment.

This study assessed the effectiveness of brand image communication on consumer perceptions of cruelty-free fashion brands. Brand messaging data were gathered from postings on the official Instagram accounts of three cruelty-free fashion brands and consumer perception data were gathered from Tweets containing keywords related to each brand. Web crawling and natural language processing were performed using Python and sentiment analysis was conducted using the BERT model. By analyzing Instagram content from Stella McCartney, Patagonia, and Freitag from their inception until 2021, this study found these brands all emphasize environmental aspects but with differing focuses: Stella McCartney on ecological conservation, Patagonia on an active outdoor image, and Freitag on upcycled products. Keyword analysis further indicated consumers perceive these brands in line with their brand messaging: Stella McCartney as high-end and eco-friendly, Patagonia as active and environmentally conscious, and Freitag as centered on recycling. Results based on the assessment of the alignment between brand-driven images and consumer-perceived images and the sentiment evaluation of the brand confirmed the outcomes of brand communication performance. The study revealed a correlation between brand image and positive consumer evaluations, indicating that higher alignment of ethical values leads to more positive consumer assessments. Given that consumers tend to prioritize search keywords over brand concepts, it’s important for brands to focus on using visual imagery and promotions to effectively convey brand communication information. These findings highlight the importance of brand communication by emphasizing the connection between ethical brand images and consumer perceptions.

Fashion stress is a pertinent aspect of modern consumer culture that has been underexplored in academic research. This study developed a conceptual framework of fashion stress and a multidimensional scale to measure consumers’ fashion stress. The qualitative study included literature reviews on consumption stress, shopping stress, and consumer behavior, as well as focus group interviews to gain insight into various dimensions of fashion stress. NVivo 12.0 was used to analyze the qualitative data and identify core categories following the grounded theory methodology. The quantitative study involved a preliminary and a primary surveys to verify the validity and reliability of the fashion stress scale. A total of 220 questionnaires were used for data analysis. The results show that fashion stress consists of eight factors: care, shopping, fit, brand, financial, closet, style, and disposal. Choice difficulty plays a significant role in all factors of fashion stress. Moreover, shopping stress had a negative impact on impulse buying, while other factors such as fit, brand, closet, and disposal stress had a positive impact on impulse buying. Thus, fashion stress is a potential antecedent of impulsive consumer behavior. The results also confirm the validity and reliability of the scale. The fashion stress scale developed in this study offers researchers a valuable tool for assessing and understanding consumer experiences.

This study investigated the effect of manufacturing variables (including heating temperature) on the physicochemical properties of nanoemulsion delivery system (NDS) prepared with WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate and to study how the physicochemical properties of NDS affected the bioaccessibility of lycopene. The functional properties of the WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate were determined using the OPA method, interfacial tension, and EAI. The physicochemical and morphological properties of NDS were measured using Zetasizer and TEM, respectively. The bioaccessibility of lycopene in the WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate based NDS was measured using a spectrophotometer. As the pH and heating temperature increased, the Maillard conjugation efficiency increased significantly (p<0.0001). The emulsifying properties of the WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate were greater than those of WPI. A WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate based NDS with a size of ~180 nm was observed in TEM images while the droplet size of the WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate based NDS was smaller than that of the WPI based NDS. During in vitro digestion, no significant changes in the droplet size and PDI of NDS were observed in the mouth and stomach phases, whereas in the intestinal phase, the droplet size and PDI increased significantly (p<0.0001). Moreover, the bioaccessibility of lycopene in the WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate based NDS significantly increased (p<0.0001), compared with that of the WPI based NDS. There was a significant (p<0.05) increase in the bioaccessibility of lycopene with a decrease in the interfacial tension and droplet size of NDS. In conclusion, WPI/Inulin Maillard conjugate based NDS can be used to enhance the bioaccessibility of lycopene.

This study conducts an detailed examination of James S. Gale’s translation methodology applied to 104 titles from Yi Kyoo-bo (1168~1241)’s Dongguk Yi Sangguk Jip (Collection of Works by Yi Kyoo-bo, the Minister of the Eastern Country, 東國李相國集). Despite the non-realization of Gale’s publication aspirations, this marks early and pivotal efforts to acquaint English-speaking readers with Yi Kyoo-bo’s prose and poetry, thus promoting the global recognition of Korean literary heritage. A comparative analysis of the original Chinese titles against their English renditions allows this paper to categorize the translations into five distinct methodologies: omission, condensation, literal translation, creative translation, and expansion. The findings reveal Gale’s inclination towards crafting succinct titles, frequently at the expense of excluding details that might elucidate the original texts’ contexts. This approach remains consistent across his translations of works by another eminent Korean author, Choi Chi-won. Contrarily, Kevin O’Rourke, a contemporary translator of Yi Kyoo-bo’s compositions, adopts a notably divergent strategy, favoring titles that adhere more closely to literal translation. Gale’s translation philosophy not only sought to transmit the essential messages encapsulated within the original texts but also endeavored to situate them within the ambit of Western literary conventions. This aspect underscores Gale’s instrumental role in the transcultural dissemination of Korean literature.

The family Nitidulidae, the largest group in Cucujoidea, comprises approximately 350 genera and nearly 4,500 recorded species across ten subfamilies. In Korea, 86 species of Nitidulidae have been recorded. They are well-known for their diverse feeding habits. Anthophagy is a common habit, with certain species from the Epuraeinae, Carpophilinae, and Meligethinae recognized as pollinators. Despite their ecological significance, these groups rarely studied in Korea, due to their small size and morphological similarities. Our study reviews Korean species in three subfamilies, identifying 14 unrecorded species and 2 newly described species, and describes their ecological habits.