Efficient and safe maritime navigation in complex and congested coastal regions requires advanced route optimization methods that surpass the limitations of traditional shortest-path algorithms. This study applies Deep Q-Network (DQN) and Proximal Policy Optimization (PPO) reinforcement learning (RL) algorithms to generate and refine optimal ship routes in East Asian waters, focusing on passages from Shanghai to Busan and Ulsan to Daesan. Operating within a grid-based representation of the marine environment and considering constraints such as restricted areas and Traffic Separation Schemes (TSS), both DQN and PPO learn policies prioritizing safety and operational efficiency. Comparative analyses with actual vessel routes demonstrate that RL-based methods yield shorter and safer paths. Among these methods, PPO outperforms DQN, providing more stable and coherent routes. Post-processing with the Douglas-Peucker (DP) algorithm further simplifies the paths for practical navigational use. The findings underscore the potential of RL in enhancing navigational safety, reducing travel distance, and advancing autonomous ship navigation technologies.

Efficiently detecting the nearest navigational dangers in Electronic Chart Display and Information Systems (ECDIS) remains pivotal for maritime safety. However, the software implementation of ADMAR(Automatic Distance measurement and Ranging) functionality faced challenges, necessitating extensive computations across ENC cells and impacting real-time performance. To address this, we present a novel method employing dynamic programming. Our proposed algorithm strategically organizes nodes into a tree structure, optimizing the search process towards nodes likely to contain navigational hazards. Implementation of this method resulted in a notable sevenfold reduction in computation time compared to the conventional Brute Force approach. Our study established a direct correlation between the ADMAR functionality and node count, achieving error margins deemed acceptable for practical navigation scenarios. Despite this theoretical progress, minor errors in results prompt further refinement. Consequently, future iterations will explore varying values for N, considering hierarchy and cell sizes to enhance algorithmic precision. This research signifies a potential advancement in optimizing navigational danger detection within ECDIS, offering a promising avenue for improved efficiency. By introducing a dynamic programming-based approach, we have streamlined the detection process while acknowledging the scope for algorithmic refinement in subsequent studies. Our findings underline the feasibility of employing dynamic programming to enhance navigational danger detection, emphasizing its potential in ensuring maritime safety. This work lays a foundation for future research endeavors, aiming to fine-tune algorithms and advance navigational safety measures in ECDIS.

Since 1996, spent filters from the Kori unit 1 have been stored in enclosed areas such as the auxiliary building filter room. To dispose of these spent filters at a disposal facility, it is necessary to retrieve and package them according to the disposal criteria. The Kori unit 1 filter room is a 2.5- meter deep hole with 227 spent filters stored indiscriminately by type and radiation level. Furthermore, the exposure dose rate measurements revealed exceed 10 mSv/h, making it a challenging environment for workers. Therefore, in this study, we have developed a ‘Remote Processing System for Spent Filter Handling’ to minimize worker exposure and ensure safety throughout the entire process, from filter retrieval to radiation measurement, sample collection, compression, and packaging. We have completed performance testing through laboratory validation. The ‘Remote Processing System for Spent Filter Handling’ consists of four main components: a robot system for retrieving spent filters from the filter room, a transfer mechanism for moving spent filters to the lower area, a core ring device for sample collection, and finally, a compression/ packaging unit. The laboratory validation performance testing was conducted by installing these devices in a structure simulating the Gori-1 reactor filter room. The results confirmed that all processes, from spent filter retrieval to packaging, can be remotely operated without the need for filter drops or worker intervention. Through the laboratory validation, some areas for improvement were identified. These improvements should be taken into consideration when producing the system for future on-site applications.

In nuclear power plant environments, the analysis of gamma-emitting waste materials with complex shapes can be challenging. ISOCS (In-Situ Objective Counting System) is employed to measure the gamma-emitting radionuclide concentrations. However, it is crucial to validate the accuracy of ISOCS measurements. This study aims to validate the accuracy of ISOCS measurement results for spent filters. The ISOCS measurement process begins with modeling and efficiency calculations of the target spent filters using ISOCS software. ISOCS offers the advantage of direct measurement assessment by incorporating shielding materials and collimators into the detector efficiency calculation during the modeling process, without the need for separate efficiency correction sources. To validate the accuracy of ISOCS measurement results, the measured radioactivity values were used as input data for the MicroShield computer code to derive dose rates. These dose rates were then compared to the dose rates measured on-site, confirming the reliability of ISOCS measurements. In the field, ISOCS gamma measurements and surface dose rates were measured for three Cavity filters and four RCP Seal Injection filters. The measured dose rate for the Cavity filters was around 270 Svhr, and the computed values using MicroShield showed an error of approximately 12%. Despite modeling and calculation errors in computer analysis and potential uncertainties in the measurement environment and instrument, the computed values closely matched the measured values. However, the measured dose rate for the RCP Seal Injection filters ranged 2.9~8 Svhr, which is very low and close to background levels. When compared to the results of computer analysis, an error ranging from 27% to 97% was observed. It is concluded that validating the accuracy in the low dose rate range close to background levels is challenging through a comparison of calculated and measured dose rates.

Spent filters contained in drums of radioactive waste generated from nuclear power plants are contaminated with various radioactive isotopes due to their use in various water purification processes in the system. Radiation doses from the spent filters can vary from low to high levels. To dispose of drums containing spent filters as radioactive waste, the inventory of radioactive isotopes in the filters must be determined. Two methods for determining the inventory are indirect measurement using scaling factors and direct analysis of filter samples. This study suggests a method to determine the appropriate sample size for each drum based on the number of filters stored in the drum, when direct analysis is used to determine the inventory of radioactive isotopes. In particular, Visual Sample Plan (PNNL) software’s Item Sampling function was used to calculate the sample size, considering the confidence level and minimum acceptable coverage rate. As a result, assuming that the number of filters packed per drum ranges from a minimum of 1 to a maximum of 30, the study suggests that a full inspection is required for drums containing 9 or fewer filters, while drums containing 10 filters should be sampled with 9 samples, 11 filters with 10 samples, 12-13 filters with 11 samples, 14-16 filters with 12 samples, 19-22 filters with 14 samples, 23-26 filters with 15 samples, and 27-30 filters with 16 samples.

In order to permanently dispose of radioactive waste drums generated from nuclear power plants, disposal suitability must be demonstrated and the nuclides and radioactivity contained in the waste drums, including those in the shielding drums, must be identified. At present, reliable measurements of the nuclide concentration are performed using drum nuclide analysis devices at power plants and disposal facilities during acceptance inspection. The essential functions required to perform nuclide analysis using the non-destructive assay system are the correction for self-attenuation and the dead time correction. Until now, measurements have mainly been performed for drums containing solid waste such as DAW drums using SGS calibration drums with ordinary iron drums. However, for drums containing non-uniform radioactive waste, such as waste filters embedded in cement within shielding drums, a separate calibration drum needs to be produced. In order to produce calibration drums for shielded and embedded waste drums, the design considered the placement of calibration sources, setting of shielding thickness, correction for medium density, and cement mixing ratio. Based on these considerations, three calibration drums were produced. First, a shielding drum with an empty interior was produced. Second, a density correction drum filled with cement was produced to create apparent density on the surface of the shielding drum. Third, a physical model drum was produced containing a mock waste filter and cement filled in the shielding drum.

Currently, in domestic nuclear power plants (NPP), the spent filters (SFs) used for the purpose of reducing and purifying the radiation of the primary cooling water system are temporarily stored in an untreated state. In order to dispose of SFs, radioactive nuclide analysis (RNA) of SFs is required to be conducted. As segmented gamma scanner (SGS) is already being used in Kori NPP, utilizing SGS for RNA of SFs would be practical and economical. In this paper, factors required to be considered to improve accuracy of SGSs for RNA of SFs are studied. The analysis of the nuclide inventory of the packaging drum for radioactive waste should be performed by the indirect drum nuclide analysis method. The material of the SFs is iron (SS304) on the outside, and paper on the inside. In addition, to meet disposal acceptance criteria, radioactive waste drums are packaged in thick grouting or shielding drums. Therefore, it is necessary to derive an appropriate correction method for high inhomogeneity and thick media. Considering these factors, evaluating radionuclides inventory plans to measure gamma rays in SGS mode. Correct the gamma ray measurement by examining the medium attenuation factor and error factors. In this way, the inventory of gamma nuclides is calculated, and the specific radioactivity of beta ray and alpha particle emitting nuclides other than gamma rays is planned to be calculated by applying scaling factors.

Naringenin and its glycoside naringin (naringenin-7-O-glycoside) belong to this series of flavonoids and were well-known strong antioxidant activity. This study was conducted to flavonoid constituents and antioxidant activity of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus cornucopiae. In order to determine active ingredient contents of Pleurotus ostreatus and Pleurotus cornucopiae, we were carried out total polyphenolic content (TPC) and flavonoid content (TFC) analyses. As a result, TPC (31.05 ± 0.03 g GAE/kg extract) and TFC (13.25 ± 1.24 g NE/kg extract) of Pleurotus cornucopiae were found significantly higher as compared to Pleurotus ostreatus. The IC50 values based on the DPPH (56.50 ± 0.73 μg/ml) and ABTS (86.53 ± 3.86 μg/ml) for Pleurotus cornucopiae were generally stronger showing potential antioxidant properties compared to Pleurotus ostreatus. In addition, naringin and naringenin content were analyzed by high-performance liquid chromatography analysis. A great amount of naringin and naringenin was found in Pleurotus cornucopiae. These results indicate that the Pleurotus cornucopiae can be used as an antioxidant therapeutic agent.

The migration, adhesion, and proliferation of conceptuses during pregnancy are tightly controlled processes that are mediated by various factors including cytokines, growth factors, and hormones. Among many factors, chemokines play key roles in lymphocyte trafficking, cellular proliferation, vascularization, and embryogenesis in many mammalian species. Especially, it has been shown that C-X-C chemokine ligand 12 (CXCL12) plays an important role in early pregnancy by promoting trophoblast invasion, proliferation, and differentiation through its receptor, C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4) in humans. However, expression and function of CXCL12 in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy have not been well studied in pigs. Thus, we determined expression of CXCL12 and its receptor, CXCR4, in the uterine endometrium during the estrous cycle and pregnancy in pigs. We obtained endometrial tissues from gilts on day (D) 12 and D15 of the estrous cycle and D12, D15, D30, D60, D90, and D114 of pregnancy, conceptus tissues from D12 and D15 of pregnancy, and chorioallantoic tissues from D30, D60, D90, and D114 of pregnancy. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed that levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs changed in the uterine endometrium during pregnancy. Levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs on D15 of pregnancy were higher than those on D15 of the estrous cycle. After D15 of pregnancy levels of CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs gradually decreased toward term of pregnancy, and CXCL12 and CXCR4 were expressed in the chorioallantoic tissues during the mid- to late pregnancy. CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs were expressed in chorioallantoic tissues during mid- to late pregnancy, and RT-PCR analysis showed that CXCL12 and CXCR4 mRNAs were detectable in conceptus on D12 and D15 of pregnancy. Immunohistochemistry showed that CXCL12 proteins were localized to endometrial luminal and glandular epithelial cells during the estrous cycle and pregnancy, and to chorionic epithelial cells during mid- to late pregnancy. Abundance of CXCL12 mRNAs, but not CXCR4, in the uterine endometrium was increased by the treatment of IFNG. These results showed that CXCL12 and CXCR4 were expressed in the uterine endometrium, conceptus, and chorioallantoic tissues and IFNG increased endometrial CXCL12 expression in pigs, suggesting that CXCL12 and its receptor may play a key role in regulation of the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy by affecting the conceptus development in pigs. [supported by the Next Generation BioGreen 21 Program (#PJ01110301), Rural Development Administration]

When substitute products are recommended, online consumers are more likely to evaluate products based on concrete attributes than abstract attributes and to perceive subordinate attributes as more important. When complementary products are recommended, concrete or subordinate attributes considered relatively less important, leading to less choice difficulty during the comparison process. Introduction Retailers use recommendation systems to support Internet shoppers who face the problem of searching for and selecting the right product from a vast assortment of options. Previous research argues that online recommendations help decision making by reducing consumers’ cognitive effort, while other studies claim that online recommendations increase consumers’ confusion (Xiao & Benbasat, 2007). One of the reasons for this lack of consensus seems the characteristics of recommendations not considered in the research. This study attempts to investigate how recommended product types, whether they involve complementary or substitute products, influence consumers’ decision-making process when shopping for fashion products. We address recommendations of complementary and substitute products prime consumers’ construal levels in different ways; consumers compare products at a lower construal level when substitute products are recommended than when complementary products are. We also demonstrate that consumers, as a consequence, evaluate alternatives based on concrete attributes (i.e., the physical and aesthetic characteristics of products), as opposed to abstract attributes (i.e., values and qualities), when substitute products are recommended, and perceive product attributes previously considered less important as being more important after recommendations. Literature Review Recommendations of Complementary and Substitute Products A recommendation system is the electronic software that implicitly and/or explicitly elicits the interests or preferences of consumers and provides recommendations (Xiao & Benbasat, 2007). In online fashion stores, such a recommendation system is often found as a form of recommendations of substitute (i.e., similar) or complementary (i.e., matching) products on the product detail pages. Presenting complementary or substitute products on a webpage can serve as a product display that affects consumers’ purchase decision. Because online shoppers move through webpages vertically (i.e., between product list pages) or horizontally (i.e., from product list pages to product detail pages), the simultaneous comparison of all alternatives can be difficult (Lee & Yi, 2014). Accordingly, consumers make local choices after comparisons on a single page, which subsequently affects the global choice (Simonson & Tversky, 1992). To explain how recommending complementary or substitute products affects decision making, this study adopts Construal Level Theory (Liberman & Trope, 1998) as its theoretical framework. It claims that people construe an event or an object at different levels of abstraction, from a lower-level, concrete to a higher-level, abstract construal, and represent it more abstractly as psychological distance increases (Liberman & Trope, 1998). Recent studies of assortment found that benefit-based organizations of assortment lead to more abstract construal, relative to attribute-based organizations of assortment (Lamberton & Diehl, 2013). Given that recommended substitute products share similar attributes with alternatives and are from the same product categories, the distance between the alternatives and recommended products is relatively short. Meanwhile, complementary products are recommended based on their benefits and selected among different product categories relatively far from the alternatives. Therefore, we suggest H 1 that consumers evaluate and compare alternatives in a concrete way when substitute products are recommended, on the other hand, in an abstract way when complementary products recommended. Recommendations and Product Comparison The attributes considered during evaluation are expected to differ since different levels of construal are induced by two types of recommendations. During the purchase decision, consumers often perform relative comparisons across options on attributes (Bettman, Luce, & Payne, 1998). For fashion products, both concrete and abstract attributes exist within a hierarchical structure, whereby abstract attributes are determined by concrete ones (Kim & Rhee, 1991). Prior research on construal level indicates that concrete attributes are emphasized as psychological distance decreases, whereas abstract attributes become salient as this distance increases (Liberman, Trope, & Wakslak, 2007). Accordingly, we posit H 2 that when substitute products are recommended, consumers weigh concrete attributes more than abstract attributes. On the other hand, when complementary products are recommended, where abstract benefits are emphasized, consumers consider abstract attributes more important than concrete attributes. Recommendations also influence consumers’ experience of difficulty during the comparison process. When examining alternatives based on attributes, consumers have a tendency to give more weight to attributes that they think are important (Dhar, Nowlis, & Sherman, 1999). Thus, choice task entails distinction between more and less important attributes (Sela, Berger, & Nardini, 2013), which leads to clear preference and less difficulty of choice. Research suggests that construal level affects the change in attribute weights for central or peripheral features in that a high construal level decreases comparison relative to a low construal level by shifting attention away from low-level details (Khan, Zhu, & Kalra, 2011). This finding implies that one can distribute attribute weights better at a high construal level, while one may weigh unimportant attributes heavily at a low construal level. Accordingly, we propose H 3 that consumers distinguish important core attributes from less important subordinate ones when complementary products are recommended. On the contrary, when susbtitue products are recommended, consumers consider subordinate attributes more important after recommendations, making the comparison of the alternatives difficult. Method Seven hundred and two females in their 20s and 30s in South Korea participated in online survey. The survey used a 2 (products: shirts and jackets) × 2 (recommendation: substitute and complementary) between-subject design. We randomly assigned half the participants to the shirts condition and the other half to the jackets condition. After giving purchasing scenarios with product assortments of six products, we asked participants to look around the assortments and select tentative purchase options. Participants then were asked to rate the perceived importance of concrete and abstract product attributes. Later, we recommended four substitute or complementary products for each of the two most preferred alternatives. After allowing participants sufficient time to explore the recommended products, we asked them to make their final decision. After indicating their choices, participants completed several questions related to their choice process on seven-point scales. We measured behavioral identification, perceived importance of concrete and abstract attributes, information overload during the selection process, and choice difficulty. To investigate the possibility that participants’ personal tendencies affect the choice, we additionally measured maximization tendency, fashion involvement and perceived fit for recommendation and Internet shopping experience. Finally, demographic characteristics were measured. The stimuli photos used in the study were collected from five Internet shopping malls to increase external validity, and selected on the judgments of the researchers and experts after a pre-test. Results Respondents exhibited no differences in maximization tendency, fashion involvement, perceived fit for recommendation, or experience of Internet shopping regardless of the recommended stimulant. However, as expected, respondents of substitute products with recommendations showed a lower behavioral identification score than did those of recommended complementary products. This result indicates recommendation of substitute products induces a lower construal level, accepting H 1. The perceived importance of product attributes varied by recommendations. Prior to product recommendations, no difference in the importance of concrete or abstract attributes was observed between the groups. However, the perceived importance of concrete attributes increased after recommendation of substitute products, while no significant change in the importance of concrete attributes was found after recommendation of complementary products. Recommendation have no effect on the change in the perceived importance of abstract attributes. Rather, product type did have an effect: the importance of abstract attributes increased after recommendations when jackets were compared. These results imply that recommendation of substitute products solely had an effect on the evaluation of concrete attributes, partially supporting H 2. Recommendations were also found to affect the increase in the importance of subordinate product attributes. Participants were likely to weigh subordinate, concrete attributes more after recommendation of substitute products than after recommendation of complementary products. In addition, when substitute products were recommended, participants considered subordinate, concrete attributes more importantly than subordinate, abstract attributes. The increase in the importance of subordinate, abstract attributes was irrespective of recommendation type. This result supports the notion that recommendation types can systematically influence the evaluation of options. When substitute products were recommended, consumers tend to assess products based on concrete attributes and perceive subordinate attributes as more important than before recommendations. On the contrary, when complementary products were recommended, the types of attributes served as evaluation criteria were unchanged and did not accompany an increase in the importance of subordinate attributes. According to Sela et al. (2013), the distinction between important and unimportant attributes blurs as the importance of subordinate attributes increases, which implies it becomes difficult to compare options. Indeed, regardless of product types, respondents in the present study were more likely to experience difficulty in making a decision when substitute products were recommended than when complementary products were, supporting H 3. Conclusion This study contributes to theory and practice in many ways. Our work demonstrated that the recommendation type alters the perception of the importance of the attributes of fashion products by affecting consumers’ construal levels. Furthermore, we extended the literature on recommendation systems by identifying additional factors that influence consumers’ decision-making process. Prior research has focused on the horizontal presentation of recommendation. We, however, investigated how vertical presentation, namely recommendation on product detail webpages, affected the evaluation of alternatives. Practically, the findings have important managerial implications. Retailers provide recommendations to increase sales by helping consumers efficiently make a purchase decision. Nevertheless, consumers may engage in a complex comparison process when substitute products recommended. When complementray products recommended, the attributes used as comparison criteria are relatively consistent and steady. Thus, retailers can predict a consumer’s final choice based on the early prediction of his/her preferences. The results of this study are useful for offline retailers as well as online retailers wishing to marketing and sales strategies.

Lilium lancifolium (LL) is widely cultivated in East Asia and used to attenuate airway diseases. Our current study aimed to investigate the therapeutic effect of LL on pain level and inflammatory response in a rat model of monosodium iodoacetate (MIA)-induced osteoarthritis (OA). We first examined the effect of LL on inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators in IL-1β-treated HTB-94 cells. The LL extract was found to significantly inhibit the levels of Interleukin-6 (IL-6), Interleukin-8 (IL-8), and prostaglandin-E2 (PGE-2) in Interleukin-1 β (IL-1β)-stimulated HTB-94 cells in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, chronic oral administration of LL effectively restored the weight-bearing distribution in the rat model of MIA-induced OA. In addition, administration of LL inhibited inflammatory cytokines and inflammatory mediators, such as C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, leukotriene B4 (LTB-4), PGE-2, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9). Our findings collectively suggested LL as one of the potential therapeutic agents for OA, owing to its properties of reducing pain and inflammatory responses.

Interleukin-12 (IL12) and IL23 are members of the IL12 family and secreted from antigen presenting cells (APCs) such as dendritic cells and macrophages. IL12 and IL23 are composed of two subunits of a sharing subunit, IL12B, and a unique subunit, IL12A for IL12 and IL23A for IL23. IL12 is involved in induction of T helper (Th) type 1 response, whereas IL23 is associated with the differentiation of naive T cells into Th17 cells. It has shown that IL12, a proinflammatory cytokine, is down-regulated during pregnancy for successful establishment and maintenance pregnancy and increases in plasma levels in women with preeclampsia. IL23 decreases IL12 expression to change the immune microenvironment at the maternal fetal interface in humans and mice. In the present study we determined the expression of IL12 and IL23 and their receptors in the endometrium and placenta during pregnancy. Real-time RT-PCR analysis showed levels of IL12A and IL12B mRNAs in the endometrium were high during early pregnancy, but maintained low during mid- to term pregnancy. During pregnancy, levels of IL12RB1 mRNA in the endometrium showed a biphasic pattern with the highest levels on Days 15 and 60 of pregnancy, while levels of IL12RB2 mRNA did not change. Levels of IL23A and IL23R mRNAs in the endometrium decreased toward term pregnancy. Immunohistochemical analysis showed that IL12A protein was localized specifically to scattered cells in endometrial stroma, but barely detected during mid- to term pregnancy. Conceptuses from early pregnancy expressed IL12, IL23, and their receptors, except IL12RB2, and corioallantoic tissues during mid- to late pregnancy expressed IL12, IL23, and their receptors, but not IL23R. These results showed that IL12 and IL23 and their receptors were expressed at the maternal-conceptus interface, suggesting that IL12 and IL23 may play a key role in regulating maternal immune environment for the establishment and maintenance of pregnancy in pigs.