As environmental concerns escalate, the increase in recycling of aluminum scrap is notable within the aluminum alloy production sector. Precise control of essential components such as Al, Cu, and Si is crucial in aluminum alloy production. However, recycled metal products comprise various metal components, leading to inherent uncertainty in component concentrations. Thus, meticulous determination of input quantities of recycled metal products is necessary to adjust the composition ratio of components. This study proposes a stable input determination heuristic algorithm considering the uncertainty arising from utilizing recycled metal products. The objective is to minimize total costs while satisfying the desired component ratio in aluminum manufacturing processes. The proposed algorithm is designed to handle increased complexity due to introduced uncertainty. Validation of the proposed heuristic algorithm's effectiveness is conducted by comparing its performance with an algorithm mimicking the input determination method used in the field. The proposed heuristic algorithm demonstrates superior results compared to the field-mimicking algorithm and is anticipated to serve as a useful tool for decision-making in realistic scenarios.

UV and O3 are materials used in the water treatment process, and many studies have been reported to remove organic matters, contaminants, and microorganisms. In this study, we were investigated effects of Chirnomidae (Chironomus flaviplumus, Chironomus riparius), which are contamination indicator species to exposure UV and O3 for the survival rate, body color change and gene expression response. The survival rate of C. flaviplumus exposed to UV decreased to about 70% after 24 hours, and C. riparius about 50%. There was no change in the survival rate of C. flaviplumus exposed to O3, and C. riparius decreased to 95% after 10 minutes of exposure, but there was no change during the subsequent exposure time. In addition, UV and O3 exposure to the two species in body color faded in a time-dependent. In the HSP70 gene expression, C. riparius showed an increase in expression after UV exposure compared to the control group, and a significant difference was shown 12 hours after exposure (P<0.05). C. flaviplumus exposed to O3 showed a relatively low expression compared to the control group, and showed a significant difference at 10 minutes and 1 hour after exposure (P<0.05). These results reported the ecotoxicological effects on Chironomidae according to UV and O3 exposure. Therefore, the results of this study can be used as basic data to understand the effects of UV and O3, which are disinfectants used in water treatment plants, on Chirnomidae entering plants. Key words: Chironomus flaviplumus, Chironomus riparius, UV, O3, acute toxicity, survival

Cadmium (Cd), a heavy metal found in the aquatic environment, accumulates in organisms through the food chain. In the study, we investigated the survival rates, measurement of body Cd levels, and expression analysis of the stress response genes (Heat shock protein 70: HSP70 and Heat shock protein 60: HSP60) and antioxidant enzyme Glutathione S-Transferases (GST) on benthic oligochaete worm Tubifex tubifex exposed three concentrations of Cd, to analyze the bioaccumulation and changes of stress gene expressions to exposure toxicity of the Cd-spiked sediment. Survival rates of T. tubifex exposed to the Cdspiked sediment were 93% at 0.4 mg kg-1 Cd, 96% at 1.87 mg kg-1 Cd, and 93% at 6.09 mg kg-1 Cd for 10 days. Cd concentration in the body of T. tubifex was higher than that in the sediment. After Cd exposures for 10 days, the body Cd levels were 18.4 mg kg-1, 13.06 mg kg-1, and 79.11 mg kg-1 at exposed three concentrations of Cd, respectively. Upregulation of HSP70 gene expression was observed at all concentrations of exposed Cd as a time-dependent manner, whereas transcriptional expression of the HSP60 gene increased as a timedependent manner in T. tubifex exposed to the relative high concentration (6.09 mg kg-1) of Cd. However, GST gene expression increased on day 1 at all concentrations after Cd exposures, and then downregulated until 10 days. These results indicate to ecotoxicological and molecular effects in benthic oligochaete worm T. tubifex to Cd-spiked sediment and provide the basic information for the utilization of environmental toxicity assessment using the T. tubifex as a aquatic pollution indicator species.

목적 : 천연 항균, 항산화 물질인 망고스틴의 크산톤 화합물로 코팅된 콘택트렌즈를 제조하여 안과적 질환 예 방을 위한 기능성 콘택트렌즈의 물리·화학적 특성을 연구하였다. 방법 : 콘택트렌즈를 제조하여 IPN기술을 통해 감마망고스틴을 코팅하였다. 제조된 렌즈를 ISO와 식약처기준 을 참고하여 광투과율, 함수율, 산소투과율(Dk/t), 항균, 항산화성 실험을 진행하였다. 결과 : 감마망고스틴 코팅 콘택트렌즈의 가시광선투과율은 93%이다. 자외선은 70% 이상 청광은 30% 이상 차 단한다. 항균 실험에서는 감마망고스틴 코팅 콘택트렌즈의 항균성이 일반렌즈에 비해 5배 이상 효과 있고, 항산화 는 시험별 17.49, 28.46, 36.99%의 항산화율을 보였다. 결론 : 감마망고스틴으로 코팅된 콘택트렌즈는 UV와 청광의 차단율이 일반렌즈에 비해 매우 뛰어나다. 또한, 일반렌즈에 없는 항균, 항산화 활성을 보여 안과적 질환을 예방할 수 있을 것으로 보인다.

In the realm of dental prosthesis fabrication, obtaining accurate impressions has historically been a challenging and inefficient process, often hindered by hygiene concerns and patient discomfort. Addressing these limitations, Company D recently introduced a cutting-edge solution by harnessing the potential of intraoral scan images to create 3D dental models. However, the complexity of these scan images, encompassing not only teeth and gums but also the palate, tongue, and other structures, posed a new set of challenges. In response, we propose a sophisticated real-time image segmentation algorithm that selectively extracts pertinent data, specifically focusing on teeth and gums, from oral scan images obtained through Company D's oral scanner for 3D model generation. A key challenge we tackled was the detection of the intricate molar regions, common in dental imaging, which we effectively addressed through intelligent data augmentation for enhanced training. By placing significant emphasis on both accuracy and speed, critical factors for real-time intraoral scanning, our proposed algorithm demonstrated exceptional performance, boasting an impressive accuracy rate of 0.91 and an unrivaled FPS of 92.4. Compared to existing algorithms, our solution exhibited superior outcomes when integrated into Company D's oral scanner. This algorithm is scheduled for deployment and commercialization within Company D's intraoral scanner.

An estuary is a water ecosystem with a high abundance of the species diversity, due to a variety of complex physicochemical factors of the area where freshwater and ocean mixed. The identification of Corbicula species in the estuary environments is difficult because of various morphological characteristics. In this study, we provide taxonomic information on Corbicula species with taxonomic difficulties using morphological and genetic analysis. This study was conducted on clams from the Seomjin River-Gwangyang Bay, one of the major production area of marsh clam in Korea. As a result, we characterized Cytocrome C Oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences of the Corbicula. The 636 bp nucleotide sequences of COI have 98% homology among Corbicula species collected from 2 sites of Seomjin River-Gwangyang Bay. The phylogenetic analysis with 17 species of Corbicula indicated that most of the species collected from Seomjin River-Gwangyang Bay were brackish water clam (Corbicula japonica), and only one Asian clam (Corbicula fluminea). The evolutionary distance between C. japonica and C. fluminea was less than 0.003. Therefore, it was confirmed that C. japonica is phylogenetically closely related to C. fluminea. In 9 species of Cyrenidae, phylogenetic tree was classified into three lineages. These results will be used as an important data for an identification of clam species by providing genetic information for Corbicula species with a morphological diversity. Key words: Corbicula japonica, cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (

Perineural invasion (PNI) is the underestimated metastatic pathway and has been widely recognized as a negative prognostic factor in many human cancers. L1CAM is one of members of the immunoglobulin-like cell adhesion molecule (CAM) family, which play a role in neural development. Moreover, a new role of L1CAM outside the nervous system has been revealed. Overexpression of L1CAM was involved in the tumor progression and LN metastasis in various malignancies. In the present study, presence of PNI and L1CAM expression were examined to define their prognostic values in OSCC. In addition, association of L1CAM expression with presence of PNI was assessed to define the value as a candidate molecule supporting the diagnosis of PNI. We found that presence of PNI significantly correlated with LN metastasis and advanced clinical stage. L1CAM expression also significantly correlated with differentiation, lymph node metastasis, advanced clinical stage, as well as presence of PNI. Our results suggest that L1CAM seems to play a role in tumor progression, possibly through the PNI-related mechanism and could be a molecular marker for supporting the presence of PNI and predicting clinical outcome in OSCC.

It is well known that lymph node metastasis is a major prognostic factor in patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC). 30-40% of patients with OSCC have already undergone regional metastasis at diagnosis. The survival rate of patients with metastasis is reduced by more than 50%. Therefore, prevention and early detection of metastasis are very important to increase the survival rate of patients. Many investigators have studied the molecular mechanism of metastasis and tried to develop the molecules to inhibit any step of metastatic cascade. Among those molecules, an interest in the metastasis suppressor gene has been increasing. Expression of metastasis suppressor KiSS-1 has shown to be significantly related to poor clinical outcome and worse survival rate of patient in various malignancies of different organs. In addition, our previous study in OSCC also revealed that downregulation of KiSS-1 expression correlated with the presence of cervical lymph node metastasis, one part of tumor progression. Therefore, further investigation was needed to identify the molecular function of KiSS-1 using OSCC cell line and to evaluate the possibility of KiSS-1 as a new therapeutic target.

This study applied microbubbles to reduce membrane fouling in wastewater reuse membrane processes, evaluated and compared the transmembrane pressure with or without the application of microbubbles and the cleaning efficiency with the application of aeration and microbubbles. In addition, this study analyzed foulants removed from the membrane surface. Changes in the transmembrane pressure of membranes with the presence or absence of microbubbles were observed. As a result, transmembrane pressure (TMP) increasing rate decreased twofold when applying microbubbles to realize stable operations. This study compared and evaluated cleaning efficiency applying aeration and microbubbles. As a result, the cleaning efficiency was 5% higher on average when applying microbubbles. In turbidity and total organic carbon (TOC), foulants were discharged when applying microbubbles twice as much as applying aeration. It is thought that particulate foulants precipitated on the membrane surface were more likely to desorb because the adhesion between the membrane surface and particle was weakened by microbubbles. Therefore, it is considered possible to effectively control membrane fouling because of the increase in cleaning efficiency when applying microbubbles to wastewater reuse membrane processes.

Microfiltration (MF) and Ultrafiltration (UF) membrane processes capable of producing highly purified water have been extensively applied as a pretreatment process in the wastewater reuse field with the improvement of membrane properties and resistance, development of operating protocols, and improvement of technologies of backwashing and physicochemical cleaning, and improvement of scale and antifoulants. However, despite of the development of membrane production and process technologies, fouling still remains unresolved. This study confirmed that foulants such as polysaccharides, proteins and humic substances existed in final treated effluent (secondary effluent) by fluorescence excitation emission matrix (FEEM) and fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) analysis. In addition, when constructing ozone oxidation and coagulation processes as a hybrid process, the removal efficiency was 5.8%, 6.9%, 5.9%, and 28.2% higher than that of the single process using coagulation in turbidity, color, dissolved organic carbon (DOC), and UV254, respectively. The reversible and irreversible resistances in applying the hybrid process consisting of ozone oxidation and coagulation processes were lower than those in applying ozone oxidation and coagulation processes separately in UF membrane process. Therefore, it is considered possible to apply ozonation/coagulation as a pretreatment process for stable wastewater reuse by and then contributing to the reduction of fouling when calculating the optimal conditions for ozone oxidation and coagulation and then to applying them to membrane processes.

사람과 어류에게 감염증을 유발하는 Edwardsiella sp., Streptococcus sp. 및 Vibrio sp. 의 해양 유해세균에 대한 해조류 추출물의 항균 활성을 조사하였다. 연구에 사용된 4종의 식용 해조류 중에서 감태 MeOH 추출물이 본 연구에서 사용 된 6종의 모든 해양 유해세균에 대해 넓은 범위의 항균 활성을 나타내었다. 감태의 MeOH 추출물의 유기용매 분획 추출물들 중에서, EtOAc 분획 추출물이 가장 높은 항균활성을 나타내었으며 6종의 해양 유해세균에 대하여 128 μg/mL에서 256 μg/mL의 MIC 값을 나타내었다. 또한, HPLC 분석에 의해 감태 EtOAc 분획 추출물에 phlorotannin 화합물인 dieckol이 다량 존재하고 있는 것이 확인 되었다. 결론적으로, 감태 추출물의 phlorotannin 화합물이 여러 유해세균에 대한 강한 항균활성을 나타내는 것처럼, 해양 유해세균에 대해서도 강한 항균활성을 나타내는 것으로 판단된다.