The inclusion of conductive carbon materials into lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) is essential for constructing an electrical network of electrodes. Considering the demand for cells in electric vehicles (e.g., higher energy density and lower cell cost), the replacement of the currently used carbon black with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) seems inevitable. This review discusses how CNTs can contribute to the development of advanced LIBs for EVs. First, the reason for choosing CNTs as a conducting agent for the cathode is discussed in terms of energy density. Second, the reinforcing effect of CNTs on the anode is described with respect to the choice of silicon as the active material. Third, the development of water-based cathode fabrication as well as dry electrode fabrication with aid of CNTs is discussed. Fourth, three technical hurdles, that is, the price, dispersion issue, and entrapped metal impurities, for widespread use of CNTs in LIBs are discussed.

Recently, the development of computer vision with deep learning has made object detection using images applicable to diverse fields, such as medical care, manufacturing, and transportation. The manufacturing industry is saving time and money by applying computer vision technology to detect defects or issues that may occur during the manufacturing and inspection process. Annotations of collected images and their location information are required for computer vision technology. However, manually labeling large amounts of images is time-consuming, expensive, and can vary among workers, which may affect annotation quality and cause inaccurate performance. This paper proposes a process that can automatically collect annotations and location information for images using eXplainable AI, without manual annotation. If applied to the manufacturing industry, this process is thought to save the time and cost required for image annotation collection and collect relatively high-quality annotation information.

The Republic of Korea has implemented an obligatory vaccination on major livestock breeds to prevent and eradicate nationwide foot and mouth disease (FMD) since the end of 2010. The government has executed massive serological survey to check the immune level of various herds after vaccination, and seropositive rates against FMD virus (FMDV) structural proteins can be measured to assess FMD immunity level. The purpose of this study is to investigate the FMDV serological level of every cattle breeding farm in the country and to determine whether there is a significant difference between groups classified by time, age, and management authority. A total of 5,781 serum samples was collected in 18 cattle breeding farms from 2020 to 2021, and the seropositive rates were measured using PrioCHECK FMDV Type O ELISA kit. Firstly, the cattle breeding farms were classified by which they are managed: the central government, the local government, and the private agency. Every management authority had a seropositive rate of 99.5% or higher. Secondly, the samples were divided into 6 to 12 months old, 12 to 24 months old, and 24 months or more. The 6 to 12 months old group in 2020 showed a significantly low seropositive rate of 98.1%, but it was improved by implementing the enhanced vaccination policy from 2021 to 100%. In summary, there are considerably high seropositive rates including all groups with time, age, and by which they are managed, which means the FMD vaccination in cattle breeding farms is well-managed.

Three free-living marine nematodes (Desmoscolex (Desmoscolex) max Timm, 1970, Daptonema longiapophysis Huang and Zhang, 2010, and Pseudosteineria sinica Huang and Li, 2010) were newly recorded in Korea. Desmoscolex (D.) max was found from subtidal coarse sediment around Wangdolcho in the East Sea. It was characterized by the presence of untypical setae arrangement, obviously elongated triangle-shaped head, long hairy cephalic setae, a long naked tail spinneret, and the absence of peduncle at the base of somatic setae. Daptonema longiapophysis was obtained from intertidal sandy sediments in the southern coast of Korea. It was characterized by the presence of setiform labial sensilla, spicules with a projection on both sides, and gubernaculum with dorso-caudal apophysis. Pseudosteineria sinica was discovered from the intertidal sediment in the Yellow Sea. It was characterized by unobservable amphideal fovea, different lengths of spicules, and gubernaculum with dorso-caudal apophysis. In this study, we provide detailed morphological features of three free-living marine nematodes by differential interference contrast microscopy.

During a survey of free-living marine nematodes of Korea, two new marine desmoscolecid nematodes belonging to subgenus Quadricoma Filipjev, 1922 were discovered. Tricoma (Q.) jejuensis sp. nov. and T. (Q.) unipapillata sp. nov. are described based on specimens obtained from washings of coarse sediments from eastern and southern coasts of Korea. Tricoma (Q.) jejuensis sp. nov. is characterized by having 33 quadricomoid body rings and inversion at main ring 23, pentagonal head with truncated anterior end, a pair of ocelli situated at main ring 6, somatic setae comprising of 8 pairs of subdorsal setae and 12 pairs of subventral setae, and relatively short spicules (42-46 μm long). Tricoma (Q.) unipapillata sp. nov. is characterized by 44 quadricomoid body rings and inversion at main ring 32, somatic setae comprising of 7 pairs of subdorsal setae and 10 pairs of subventral setae, globular head truncated anterior end, relatively short and stumpy cephalic setae with cuticular flange, one single naked ventral median genital papillae situated on main ring 20, and spicules with a proximally marked capitulum. Detailed morphological descriptions and illustrations of these two new species are provided in this study.

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-SiCTiO2 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.

The objective of this experiment was to investigate the effect of drip irrigation volume on tomatoes (Solanum lycopersicum L.) grown in a greenhouse using perlite medium. Plants were treated by three different irrigation treatment I0, I25, and I50 (where irrigation volume of I25 and I50 was 25% and 50% higher than I0, having limited or no leaching). Growth characteristics of plants, yield and water use efficiency were measured. The result showed that plant height, leaf length and leaf width were lowest in the I0 treated plants. However, these parameters were not statistically significant differences between the plants that were grown in the I25 and I50 treatment. Soluble solids content, acidity and dry matter of 111th, 132nd, and 143rd days harvested tomato were higher in the plants irrigated with lowest volume (I0) than the higher volume (I25 or I50). In addition, water content was lower in the 111th and 132nd days of harvested tomatoes from the I0 treatment. The number of big-size tomatoes (>180 g) was significantly higher in the I25 irrigated plants. There was no significant difference in the total number of harvested fruits among the treatments. The average fruit weight and total yield of harvested tomatoes were lowest in the I0 treated plants. The water consumption of tomato was not significantly different amongst the treatments but water use efficiency was lowest in the I0 treatment. Principal component analysis revealed that total soluble solid and acidity of tomato showed a positive correlation between each other. These results suggest that I25 was the optimum irrigation treatment for tomato based on its measured growth characteristics, yield and water use efficiency.