The objective of this study is to censure the provision of correct information to the public through investigating radon emanation by building materials that are used in domestic construction environment. Radon emanation has been identified in 10 framing materials and 16 finishing materials of 26 building materials used in the domestic construction-industry. Radon emanation was measured using the closed chamber method based on CR-39 nuclear track detectors(NTDs). On Brick-General in framing materials, the highest radon emanation rates were 0.60028 Bq/ m2·h for surface and 0.00733 Bq/kg·h for mass, while on Ceiling-Tex Cement Plaster in finishing materials. The highest radon emanation rates were 0.47708 Bq/m2·h for surface and 0.05885 Bq/kg·h for mass.

Activated carbon fibers(ACFs) were prepared in this research from a polyacrylonitrile(PAN) precursor with the KOH(1~4 M) pretreatment and following activation at 800oC in a lab-scale. The sample ACFs were characterized according to their textural properties, and evaluated for CO2 adsorption capacity. The surface area and pore volume of ACFs increased according to the pretreatment with KOH; for example, 4M-KOH aqueous solution resulted in 1552.5 m2/g specific surface area and 0.605 cc/g pore volume. It also showed high CO2 adsorption amount(3.11 mmol/g) which showed a proportional increase with reaction pressure.

The study measured the volatile organic compounds consistency of the child tympanitis patient family. Benzene, the result which analyzes toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and TVOC consistency, case of personal exposure they were 0.518 μg/m3, 0.909 μg/m3, 1.299 μg/m3, 0.960 μg/m3 and 273.718 μg/m3 respectively, case it appeared with benzene the interior 0.539 μg/m3 and toluene 1.433 μg/m3 and ethylbenzene 1.253 μg/m3 and xylene 1.899 μg/m3 and TVOC 262.132 μg/m3. The consistency of the outdoor benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene, xylene and TVOC appeared respectively with 0.512 μg/m3, 0.474 μg/m3, 1.177 μg/m3, 0.862 μg/m3 and 22.306 μg/m3. Personal exposure, the residential interior, interrelationship analytical result Benzene of outdoor consistency and Ethyl benzene, Xylene and TVOC personal exposures with the interior and outdoor consistency showed the interrelationship which considers(p < 0.01). VOCs consistency which it follows in residential type the detached home > the multi generation house > the consistency price came out with the apartment order, VOCs consistency which it follows construction year possibility the year valence which is built 4 years at once rises the consistency appeared more highly the case where the case is above 4 years than.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the characteristics of asbestos containing materials in public facilities in Korea. We investigated 201 public facilities between January and December in 2009. PACM were collected according to EPA AHERA rules, and analyzed using the US EPA method 600/R/116. The air samples from public facilities were analyzed by PCM. For the survey on ACM risk assessment, we used both the ASTM rules and Korea ACM risk assessment(developed by the Korea ministry of employment and labor). Public facilities showed that ceiling textiles contained chrysolite/amosite(2 and 25%) and cement flat boards contained chrysolite(5 and 26%). Also, gaskets contained chrysolite(3 and 95%) and Floor tile & carpet contained chrysolite(less than 1 and 6%). PCM analysis was performed on all air samples, and it was found that the concentration of fiber did not exceed the Korean guideline(0.01f/cc). In this study, it was found that according to the ASTM rule of asbestos material, 70 materials were “Abatement” grade and 344 materials were “Q&M” grade when assessed by ASTM B-line. Furthermore, based on the adjusted Korea ACM risk assessment 22 materials rated as were “Fair” and 390 materials were “Good”.

Odor compounds and air-born microorganisms are simultaneously emitted from various aeration processes such as aerobic digestion, food-waste compositing, and carcass decomposition facilities that are biologically-treating wastes with high organic contents. The air streams emitted from these processes commonly contain sulfur-containing odorous compounds such as hydrogen sulfide(H2S) and bacterial bioaerosols. In this study, a wet-plasma method was applied to remove these air-born pollutants and to minimize safety issues. In addition, the effects of a gas retention time and a liquid-gas ratio were evaluated on removal efficiencies in the wet-plasma system. At the gas reaction time of 1.8 seconds and the liquid-gas ratio of 0.05 mLaq/Lg, the removal efficiency of bioaerosol was approximately 75 %, while the removal efficiency of H2S was lower than 20 %, indicating that the gaseous compound was not effectively oxidized by the plasma reaction at the low liquid addition. When the liquid-gas ratio was increased to 0.25 mLaq/Lg, the removal efficiencies of both H2S and bioaerosol increased to greater than 99 %. At the higher liquid-gas ratio, more ozone was generated by the wet-plasma reaction. The ozone generation was significantly affected by the input electrical energy, and it needed to be removed before discharged from the process.

In this study, ELF-MF levels of subway trains were measured to understand the status of the intensity of ELFMF. The measurement points for the train are selected in the center of each train compartment(pantagraph compartment, motor-driven compartment and the compartment that is not connected to any other electric equipment) using EMDEX II. ELF-MF levels of trains were measured from the starting to the terminal station in each lines(Seoul line 1-9, Incheon line 1, Incheon international airport line, Gyungui line, Bundang line, Gyeongchun line, Joongang line, Suin line). We found that the mean and range of ELF-MF levels in the DC power subway train are 2.4 and 0.1~125.9 mG, respectively, while the mean and range of ELF-MF levels in the AC power subway train are 10.4and 0.0~156.3 mG, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum ELF-MF level(156.3 mG) was lower than the reference level(ICNIRP 833 mG, 60Hz). The findings of this study in relation to the characteristics of ELF-MF for subway will be useful to derive the ELF-MF exposure coefficient from our living environment in a subsequent study.

This study was conducted to determine the impact of smoke-free regulations on the environment in personal computer(PC) rooms by measuring indoor levels of particulate matter smaller than 2.5 μm(PM2.5) before and after the implementation of the regulations. PM2.5 concentrations of 34 PC rooms in Seoul were measured before and after the regulations took effect. A real-time monitor was used to measure PM2.5 concentrations. A field technician recorded the characteristics of PC rooms including indoor volume, number of floors, and the presence of a smoking room and counted the number of burning cigarettes, cigarette butts, vents, and patrons. While outdoor PM2.5 concentrations and the number of patrons were not changed, indoor PM2.5 concentrations, the number of burning cigarettes and cigarette butts in PC rooms were significantly decreased after the regulations were implemented (p < 0.001). Geometric mean(GM) of indoor PM2.5 concentrations in the PC rooms was 139.6 μg/m3 before the regulations took effect and 55.7 μg/m3 after the regulations implemented. After the regulations, smokers were observed in 11 of the 34 PC rooms in which PM2.5 concentrations were not significantly decreased(p = 0.18). When smokers were not observed after the regulations, the GM of indoor PM2.5 concentrations was 37.2 μg/m3. Although PM2.5 concentrations in some PC rooms were decreased after the regulation, higher PM2.5 concentrations were observed in PC rooms with smokers. As such, compliance with the smoke-free regulations should be strictly ensured to achieve a better indoor air quality.

Porous metals are called as a new material of 21th century because they show not only extremely low density, but also novel physical, thermal, mechanical, electrical, and acoustic properties. Since the late in the 1990‘s, considerable progress has been made in the production technologies of many kinds of porous metals such as aluminum, titanium, nickel, copper, stainless steel, etc. The commercial applications of porous metals have been increased in the field of light weight structures, sound absorption, mechanical damping, bio-materials, thermal management for heat exchanger and heat sink. Especially, the porous metals are promising in automotive applications for light-weighting body sheets and various structural components due to the good relation between weight and stiffness. This paper reviews the recent progress of production techniques using molten metal bubbling, metal foaming, gas expansion, hollow sphere structure, unidirectional solidification, etc, which have been commercialized or under developing, and finally introduces several case studies on the potential applications of porous metals in the area of heat sink, automotive pannel, cathod for Ni-MH battery, golf putter and medical implant.

We evaluated the developed microstructures and mechanical properties of a severely plastically deformed Ni-30Cr alloy. Normal rolling and differential speed rolling were used as deformation processes, and the thicknesses of the specimens were reduced to 68 % of the original thickness after holding at 700 oC for 10 min and annealing at 700 oC for 40 min to obtain a fully recrystallized microstructure. Electron backscattering diffraction was used to analyze the characteristic distribution of the grain boundaries on the deformed and annealed specimens. Differential speed rolling was more effective for refining grains in comparison with normal rolling. The grain size was refined from 33 mm in the initial material to 8.1 mm with normal rolling and 5.5 mm with differential speed rolling. The more refined grain in the differential-speed-rolled material directly resulted in increases in the yield and tensile strengths by 68 % and 9.0%, respectively, compared to normal rolling. We systematically explain the relationship between the grain refinement and mechanical properties through a plastically deformed Ni-30Cr alloy based on the development of a deformation texture. The results of our study show that the DSR process is very effective when used to enhance the mechanical properties of a material through grain refinement.

Cubic mesocrystal CeO2 was synthesized via a hydrothermal method with glutamic acid (C5H9NO4) as a template. The XRD pattern of a calcined sample shows the face-centered cubic fluorite structure of ceria. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the selected-area electron diffraction (SAED) pattern revealed that the submicron cubic mesocrystals were composed of many small crystals attached to each other with the same orientation. The UV-visible adsorption spectrum exhibited the red-shift phenomenon of mesocrystal CeO2 compared to commercial CeO2 particles; thus, the prepared materials show tremendous potential to degrade organic dyes under visible light illumination . With a concentration of a rhodamine B solution of 20 mg/L and a catalyst amount of 0.1 g/L, the reaction showed higher photocatalytic performance following irradiation with a xenon lamp (≥ 380 nm). The decoloring rate can exceed 100% after 300 min.

Aluminum nitride, a compound semiconductor, has a Wurtzite structure; good material properties such as high thermal conductivity, great electric conductivity, high dielectric breakdown strength, a wide energy band gap (6.2eV), a fast elastic wave speed; and excellent in thermal and chemical stability. Furthermore, the thermal expansion coefficient of the aluminum nitride is similar to those of Si and GaAs. Due to these characteristics, aluminum nitride can be applied to electric packaging components, dielectric materials, SAW (surface acoustic wave) devices, and photoelectric devices. In this study, we surveyed the crystallization and preferred orientation of AlN thin films with an X-ray diffractometer. To fabricate the AlN thin film, we used the magnetron sputtering method with N2, NH3 and Ar. According to an increase in the partial pressures of N2 and NH3, Al was nitrified and deposited onto a substrate in a molecular form. When AlN was fabricated with N2, it showed a c-axis orientation and tended toward a high orientation with an increase in the temperature. On the other hand, when AlN was fabricated with NH3, it showed a-axis orientation. This result is coincident with the proposed mechanism. We fabricated AlN thin films with an a-axis orientation by controlling the sputtering electric power, NH3 pressure, deposition speed, and substrate temperature. According to the proposed mechanism, we also fabricated AlN thin films which demonstrated high aaxis and c-axis orientations.

The effects of the mixing of an active material and a conductive additive on the electrochemical performance of an electric double layer capacitor (EDLC) electrode were investigated. Coin-type EDLC cells with an organic electrolyte were fabricated using the electrode samples with different ball-milling times for the mixing of an active material and a conductive additive. The ball-milling time had a strong influence on the electrochemical performance of the EDLC electrode. The homogeneous mixing of the active material and the conductive additive by ball-milling was very important to obtain an efficient EDLC electrode. However, an EDLC electrode with an excessive ball-milling time displayed low electrical conductivity due to the characteristic change of a conductive additive, leading to poor electrochemical performance. The mixing of an active material and a conductive additive played a crucial role in determining the electrochemical performance of EDLC electrode. The optimal ball-milling time contributed to a homogeneous mixing of an active material and a conductive additive, leading to good electrochemical performance of the EDLC electrode.

Fluorine-doped SnO2 (FTO) thin film/Ag nanowire (NW) double layers were fabricated by means of spin coating and ultrasonic spray pyrolysis. To investigate the optimum thickness of the FTO thin films when used as protection layer for Ag NWs, the deposition time of the ultrasonic spray pyrolysis process was varied at 0, 1, 3, 5, or 10 min. The structural, chemical, morphological, electrical, and optical properties of the double layers were examined using X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, field-emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, the Hall effect measurement system, and UV-Vis spectrophotometry. Although pure Ag NWs formed isolated droplet-shaped Ag particles at an annealing temperature of 300 oC, Ag NWs covered by FTO thin films maintained their high-aspect-ratio morphology. As the deposition time of the FTO thin films increased, the electrical and optical properties of the double layers degraded gradually. Therefore, the double layer fabricated with FTO thin films deposited for 1 min exhibited superb sheet resistance (~14.9Ω/□), high optical transmittance (~88.6 %), the best FOM (~19.9 × 10−3 Ω−1), and excellent thermal stability at an annealing temperature of 300 oC owing to the good morphology maintenance of the Ag NWs covered by FTO thin films.

This paper investigates the change of the percolation threshold in the carbon powder-filled polystyrene matrix composites based on the experimental results of changes in the resistivity and relative permittivity of the carbon powder filling, the electric field dependence of the current, and the critical exponent of conductivity. In this research, the percolation behavior, the critical exponent of resistivity, and electrical conduction mechanism of the carbon powder-filled polystyrene matrix composites are discussed based on a study of the overall change in the resistivity. It was found that the formation of infinite clusters is interrupted by a tunneling gap in the volume fraction of the carbon powder filling, where the change in the resistivity is extremely large. In addition, it was found that the critical exponent of conductivity for the universal law of conductivity is satisfied if the percolation threshold is estimated at the volume fraction of carbon powder where non-ohmic current behavior becomes ohmic. It was considered that the mechanism for changing the gaps between the carbon powder aggregates into ohmic contacts is identical to that of the connecting conducting phases above the percolation threshold in a random resister network system. The electric field dependence is discussed with a tunneling mechanism. It is concluded that the percolation threshold should be defined at this volume fraction (the second transition of resistivity for the carbon powder-filled polystyrene matrix composites) of carbon powder.

To improve the methanol electro-oxidation in direct methanol fuel cells(DMFCs), Pt electrocatalysts embedded on porous carbon nanofibers(CNFs) were synthesized by electrospinning followed by a reduction method. To fabricate the porous CNFs, we prepared three types of porous CNFs using three different amount of a styrene-co acrylonitrile(SAN) polymer: 0.2 wt%, 0.5 wt%, and 1 wt%, respectively. A SAN polymer, which provides vacant spaces in porous CNFs, was decomposed and burn out during the carbonization. The structure and morphology of the samples were examined using field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy and their surface area were measured using the Brunauer- Emmett-Teller(BET). The crystallinities and chemical compositions of the samples were examined using X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The electrochemical properties on the methanol electro oxidation were characterized using cyclic voltammetry and chronoamperometry. Pt electrocatalysts embedded on porous CNFs containing 0.5 wt% SAN polymer exhibited the improved methanol oxidation and electrocatalytic stability compared to Pt/conventional CNFs and commercial Pt/ C(40 wt% Pt on Vulcan carbon, E-TEK).

Although the relationship between temporomandibular disorder and forward head posture (FHP) is controversial, it is generally accepted that altered head posture can affect mandible position and masticatory muscles activity. Because suprahyoid (SH) and infrahyoid (IH) muscles are stretched by increased passive tension in FHP, this study investigated their activity during mouth opening in FHP compared to neutral head posture (NHP). Twenty healthy subjects (10 males and 10 females) participated in this study. Head postures were evaluated with a cervical range of motion instrument. Electromyography (EMG) activity of bilateral SH and IH muscles was measured while an open mouth was maintained at each head posture. Paired t-test was used to identify significant differences in normalized EMG activity between head postures. Statistical significance was set at .01. Results showed the normalized EMG activity of SH and IH muscles were significantly lower in FHP compared to NHP. This finding indicates that FHP affects the EMG activity of hyoid muscles when they are stretched.

Prolonged sitting can contribute to low back pain. The lumbar taping can be applied to correct the sitting posture. This study aimed to investigate the effect of lumbar taping on lumbar kinematics and the muscle activities of multifidus (MF) and internal oblique in the individuals with nonspecific chronic low back pain (NSCLBP) as they type for 30 minutes. Nineteen subjects with NSCLBP (9 people in non taping group and 10 people in taping group) were recruited. Lumbar taping was applied to the taping group before typing. Both groups started typing in a neutral sitting position with their feet on the floor. The change of posture and S2 posterior tilting (S2P) were measured to investigate kinematic data. Three sensors were attached on T12, L3, and S2 to identify the change of posture. Surface electromyography was used to measure the muscle activities. Palpation meter was used to standardize the angle of pelvic tilt in sagittal plane before typing. All instruments were used to measure each data before and after typing. Independent t-test was used to compare the changing values of lumbar kinematics and muscle activities before and after typing between both groups. The changing values of S2P and change of posture of L3 and S2 were significantly smaller in the taping group compared to the non taping group (p＜05). The changing value of muscle activities of MF between before and after typing was significantly smaller in the taping group compared to the non taping group (p＜05). In conclusion, the lumbar taping during the 30-minute typing task can be applied to maintain correct sitting posture in the lumbar and pelvis and to maintain activation of MF.

The effects of Proprioceptive Neuromuscular Facilitation (PNF) and elastic band exercise on the physical functions and blood lipids of obese elderly women were investigated. The experimental group (n1=16) patients underwent PNF for 12 weeks, and the control group (n2=15) patients performed elastic band exercises. SPSS 21.0 was used to compute the means and standard deviations. After the 12-week PNF, both the experimental and control groups showed statistically significant differences in the physical functions (cardiovascular endurance, strength of the lower extremity, muscular endurance, flexibility, balance, and agility) (p<.05), but the difference in the experimental group was more significant than that in the control group (p<.05). In terms of the changes in the blood lipid levels (total cholesterol, triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein, and low-density lipoprotein), the experimental group showed significant changes (p<.05). In conclusion, PNF was confirmed as more effective than elastic band exercise in improving the physical functions and blood lipid levels of obese elderly women.

This study evaluated and compared the effectiveness on upper motor extremity function between proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation which has been frequently used in clinical practice, and action observation training in terms of improving upper motor extremity function. A study with a single-subject design (A-B-C-A') was conducted with a patient who was diagnosed with left hemiplegia. A repeated-measure analysis was conducted to assess results of the Wolf Motor Function Test (WMFT), Box and Block Test (BBT), and grip and pinch strength test performed daily in the study for 4 weeks. The results of the analysis indicated that the WMFT score, BBT score, grip strength, and pinch strength were improved from 29.60 to 39 (24.10%), from 1.67 to 4.93 each (EA) (66.22%), from 2.06 to 2.66 libras (lbs) (22.61%), and from 1.57 to 1.93 lbs (18.94%), respectively, from the baseline period to treatment period B. The values were improved from 29.60 to 42.20 (29.86%), from 1.67 to 7 EA (76.21%), from 2.06 to 3.47 lbs (40.57%), and from 1.57 to 1.67 lbs (6.12%), respectively, from the baseline period to treatment period C. From treatment period B to treatment period C, the WMFT score, BBT score, and grip strength were improved from 39 to 42.20 (7.58%), from 4.93 to 7 EA (29.56%), and from 2.66 to 3.47 lbs (23.20%), respectively, but pinch strength was decreased from 1.93 to 1.67 lbs (15.83%). In conclusion, proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation and action observation training both have positive effects on upper extremity motor function. However, we suggest that the posttreatment effect of action observation training was better than that of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation.

This study aimed to determine the effect of lower trapezius muscle strengthening exercises on pain, neck disability index (NDI), cervical range of motion (ROM), and lower trapezius muscle strength in patients with unilateral neck pain. Following baseline measurements, the subjects (N=40) with unilateral neck pain were randomized into one of two 5 weeks exercise intervention groups: a experimental group (EG, n1=20) that received strength training of the lower trapezius muscles or a control group (CG, n2=20) that received routine physical therapy program. Each group participated in the intervention for 30 minutes, 3 times a week, for 5 weeks. All participants performed 2 repetitions of each intervention per day. The numeric pain rating scale for pain, NDI, ROM, and lower trapezius strength were recorded both pre- and post-intervention for both groups. Paired t-tests were used to determine significant changes post-intervention compared with pre-intervention and independent t-tests were used to analyze differences in the dependent variables between the 2 groups. After the 5-weeks intervention, both groups experienced significantly decreased pain and disability level (p<.05) and significantly increased cervical flexion, extension, lateral flexion, and rotation ROM (p<.05). The EG that received strength training of the lower trapezius muscles showed greater improvements in pain and functional disability level, cervical rotation, and lower trapezius strength than the CG (p<.05). These results suggest that a lower trapezius strengthening exercises reduce neck pain and neck disability level and enhance cervical ROM and lower trapezius strength level in patients with unilateral neck pain.