구스 아스팔트(Guss Asphalt) 혼합물은 다짐 없이 시공이 가능한 포장재료로, 1970년대부터 강바닥판 교량에 활용되어 왔다. 본 연구 는 박스 구스 아스팔트 혼합물 공용수명 예측 및 생애주기 비용을 비교분석하기 위해 폴리머 개질 구스, TLA 및 SMA 세 가지 혼합 물의 반사균열 시험, 동탄성계수 시험 및 소성변형시험을 수행하였다. 또한, TxACOL 프로그램을 사용하여 공용수명을 예측하였으며, 예측 결과를 기반으로 각 포장의 생애주기 비용을 분석하였다. 본 연구의 목적은 혼합물의 성능평가를 통해 폴리머 개질 구스 아스팔 트 혼합물의 공용수명을 예측하고 생애주기 비용을 분석하는 것이다. 성능평가 시험결과 폴리머 개질 구스 아스팔트 혼합물이 TLA 구스, SMA 아스팔트 혼합물보다 반사균열, 피로균열 및 소성변형 저항성이 높은 것으로 나타났다. 포장설계 수명 예측 및 생애주기 비용분석결과 폴리머 개질 구스를 사용한 포장설계의 공용성이 가장 우수하며 가장 경제적인 것으로 나타났다.

도로에서 소음저감에 대한 대책으로 방음벽, 포장 개선, 차량 속도 제한 등 여러 가지 대책이 제기되고 있으며 최근에는 차세대 표면처리 공법(Next Generation Concrete Surface, NGCS)이 사용되고 있다. 이러한 NGCS는 표면을 그라인딩 후 그루빙 공정을 진행하게됨에 따라 포장두께 감소 및 ITZ(Interfacial Transition Zone)의 표면 노출에 따른 내구성 감소가 발생할 수 있다. 이러한 내구성 감소는 교면포장에서 발생 시 안정성에 크리티컬한 영향을 미치게 됨에 따라, 본 연구는 교면포장에 주로 사용되는 라텍스 개질 콘크리트 (Latex-Modified Concrete, LMC)에 NGCS 적용 시 발생할 수 있는 내구성 감소 중 염해에 관한 연구를 진행하였다. 실제 공용 중인 LMC 교면포장의 현장 코어와 라텍스 혼입율(10, 15, 20%)에 따른 실내 배합을 진행하였으며 NGCS를 시험편에 적용하기 위하여 도로공사 표면처리공법 시방서를 기준에 따른 NGCS 모사 공법을 적용하여 염해 내구성 평가를 진행하였다. 시험 결과 현장코어의 경우 높은 수밀성과 염해저항성을 가지고 있어 NGCS 처리 시 뚜렷한 염해 내구성 저하가 나타나지 않았지만 상대적으로 낮은 수밀성을 가진 LMC 실내 배합의 경우 NGCS 적용 시 소폭의 염해 내구성이 감소함을 확인하였다.

최근 몇 년 동안 높은 감도, 빠른 응답 및 쉬운 제작 공정을 갖춘 습도 센서가 상당한 주목을 받고 있다. 여기서는 PET 기판의 깍지낀 전극(IDE)에 감지 층을 증착하여 길이 대 직경의 종횡비가 낮고 (PVP-ZnO-1), 높은(PVP-ZnO-2) PVP 개질 ZnO 나노막대 센서(PVP-ZnO)의 쉬운 제작 공정을 보고 한다. PVP-ZnO-2는 PVP-ZnO-1 센서(41,647%)에 비해 85% 상대 습도(RH)에서 99,397%의 더 높은 정전용량성 습도 감도를 보였다. PVP-ZnO-2 센서는 또한 순환 습도 조건에서 응답시간 7초 및 복구시간 10초를 나타냈다. PVP-ZnO-2의 높은 습도 감도 성능의 이점을 활용하여 다양한 호흡 정도의 정전용량 변화와 모스 부호 메시징을 시연하였다. 이 연구는 높은 표면적을 갖는 고성능 나노소재 기반 습도 센서의 엄청난 잠재력을 보여준다.

We prepared porous poly(ε-caprolactone)/poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) (PCL/PLGA) 3D scaffolds with surfaces that were modified through the co-precipitation of calcium phosphate (CAP) with binary drug components, including risedronate (RSD) and hyaluronic acid (HyA). The 3D porous biodegradable PCL/PLGA scaffolds were fabricated by sintering microspheres prepared with a 30/70 PCL/PLGA blend. The co-precipitation of the CAP coating with binary drug components significantly enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of rat mesenchymal stem cells (rMSCs) on the scaffolds. Although the presence of both HyA and RSD positively improved proliferation and differentiation, HyA and RSD were more effective on osteoblastic proliferation and differentiation, respectively. These results strongly demonstrate that the drug effects on osteoblastic responses were closely interconnected. The two drugs affect rMSCs behavior in a concentration-dependent manner, requiring a balance between proliferation and differentiation for optimal bone regeneration. We expect this surface modification technique could potentially be utilized for the fabrication of functionalized biodegradable scaffolds and delivery of drug mixtures.

This study evaluated the quality characteristics of Flammulina velutipesduring storage using modified atmosphere films of different thicknesses (20, 40, and 60 μm). The films included high-density polyethylene (HDPE) and low-density polyethylene (LDPE). F. velutipeswere stored at 1°C for six weeks, and quality was assessed based on weight loss, respiration rate, firmness, color parameters, β-glucan content, total phenolic content (TPC), and antioxidant activities (2,2-diphenyl-1- picrylhydrazyl and 2,2'-azino-bis [3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid] radical scavenging activities). All HDPE and LDPE films were more effective than the conventional film (polypropylene) at maintaining mushroom quality, particularly in the later stages of storage. In particular, LDPE films with thicknesses of 20 and 40 μm showed superior performance at reducing respiration rates and weight loss, while mushrooms packaged with these films retained higher TPC and antioxidant activities. The β-glucan content also remained more stable in mushrooms stored using HDPE and LDPE films. Although we did not evaluate changes in sensory properties or nutritional components, such as vitamins, our results suggest that the type and thickness of packaging films significantly influence the preservation of the quality of F. velutipesduring storage. Additionally, LDPE films with thicknesses of 20 and 40 μm were found to be the most suitable packaging materials for the distribution and storage of F. velutipes. Furthermore, these findings are expected to provide valuable insights into the selection of optimal packaging materials to extend the shelf life and maintain freshness during the postharvest handlingof F. velutipes.

The purpose of this study was to derive an optimal mix design for bridge deck pavements that can compensate for the limitations of latexmodified concrete (LMC). To address the limitations of LMC, this paper proposes the incorporation of silica fume into LMC. Concrete mixtures with varying ratios of latex and silica fume were prepared, and tests for compressive strength, flexural strength, and chloride-ion penetration resistance were conducted to compare and analyze the fundamental performance of each mix. Latex contributed to the improvement of the initial pore structure and significantly affected the chloride-ion penetration resistance in the early stages of curing. However, its influence gradually diminished over time. In contrast, silica fume induced additional C-S-H formation and further improved the pore structure through pozzolanic reactions as time progressed, thus exerting a greater impact in the later stages of curing. The L7-SF8 variable demonstrated the best performance in terms of compressive strength and chloride-ion penetration resistance. Given the characteristics of bridge-deck pavements, this variable is considered the most suitable for ensuring long-term durability. Therefore, this paper proposes a mixture of 7% latex and 8% silica fume as the optimal mix design.

Gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) decorated carbon nanofibers (CNFs) have been prepared by an electrospinning approach and then carbonized. The prepared Au-CNFs were employed to modifying a screen printed electrode (SPE) for simultaneous determination of ascorbic acid (AA), dopamine (DA) and uric acid (UA). Au NPs are uniformly dispersed on carbon nanofibers were confirmed by the structure and morphological studies. The modified electrodes were tested in cyclic voltammetry (CV), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) and chronoamperometry (CA) to characterize their electrochemical responses. Compared to bare SPE, the Au-CNFs/SPE had a better sensing response to AA, DA, and UA. The electrochemical oxidation signal of AA, DA and UA are well separated into three distinct peaks with peak potential separation of 280 mV, 159 mV and 439 mV between AA-DA, DA-UA and AA-UA respectively in CV studies and the corresponding peak potential separation in DPV studies are 290 mV, 166 mV and 456 mV. The Au-CNFs/SPE has a wide linear response of AA, DA and UA in DPV analysis over the range of 5–40 μM ( R2 = 0.9984), 2–16 μM ( R2 = 0.9962) and 2–16 μM ( R2 = 0.9983) with corresponding detection limits of 0.9 μM, 0.4 μM and 0.3 μM at S/N = 3, respectively. The developed modified SPE based sensor exhibits excellent reproducibility, stability, and repeatability. The excellent sensing response of Au-CNFs could reveal to a promising approach in electrochemical sensor.

Crystalline heptazine carbon nitride (HCN) is an ideal photocatalyst for photocatalytic ammonia synthesis. However, the limited response to visible light has hindered its further development. As a noble metal, Au nanoparticles (NPs) can enhance the light absorption capability of photocatalysts by the surface plasmon resonance (SPR) effect. Therefore, a series of Au NPs-loaded crystalline carbon nitride materials (AH) were prepared for photocatalytic nitrogen fixation. The results showed that the AH displayed significantly improved light absorption and decreased recombination rate of photo-generated carriers owing to the introduction of Au NPs. The optimal 2AH (loaded with 2 wt% Au) sample demonstrated the best photocatalytic performance for ammonia production with a yield of 70.3 μmol g− 1 h− 1, which outperformed that of HCN. This can be attributed to the SPR effect of Au NPs and alkali metal of HCN structure. These findings provide a theoretical basis for studying noble metal-enhanced photocatalytic activity for nitrogen fixation and offer new insights into advances in efficient photocatalysts.

일반 가열 아스팔트 혼합물 생산 시 높은 온도로 이산화탄소 및 대기오염물질이 발생함으로써, 유럽 및 선진국들은 탄소배출 저감 이 가능한 중온 아스팔트(warm mix asphalt, WMA)를 사용하는 추세이다. 아스팔트 콘크리트의 생산온도를 낮출수록 이산화탄소 발생 량과 연료 소비량을 저감시킬 수 있어 중온 아스팔트 콘크리트에 대한 수요성은 증가하고 있으나 국내외로 중온 아스팔트 콘크리트의 생산온도는 120℃의 한계성을 극복하지 못하고 있는 실정으로 120℃ 이하의 생산기술을 확보하기 위해서는 기능성 개질재 제조기술 개발이 필요하다. 본 연구에서는 110±10℃의 생산온도에서 저온화 고분자형 개질재를 첨가하여 폴리머 개질 저온 아스팔트(Polymer Cool Mix Asphalt, PCMA)를 생산하였으며, PCMA 혼합물의 마샬안정도, 공극률, 동적안정도 및 인장강도비 등을 시험 평가하여 10년 이상의 공용 내구연한 확보를 확인하였다. 또한, 일반 가열 아스팔트 혼합물, 타사 중온화 첨가제를 적용한 아스팔트 혼합물 및 PCMA 혼합물의 비교평가를 실시하였으며 PCMA 혼합물의 피로균열지수(Cracking Tolerance Index) 및 노화계수(Aging Coefficient)가 비교적 매우 우수한 것으로 나타났다. 2024년 8월, 베트남 바리어붕따우성에서 PCMA 혼합물 생산 및 시공을 실시한 결과, 목표 생산온도인 110±10℃의 조건을 확보하였으며, 현장 포설시에도 특이사항 없이 시공이 완료되었다.

Background: The plank exercise is widely used in rehabilitation to enhance core muscle activation, spinal stability, and reduce the risk of lower back injuries. Objectives: This study investigated the effects of exercise complexity and instability on core muscle activation, with a particular focus on using a sling suspension system during prone bridge exercises. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty healthy adults performed three variations of prone bridge exercises: Both Limb Prone Bridge (BLPB), Single Limb Prone Bridge (SLPB), and Single Limb Prone Bridge with Hip Abduction (SLPBHA). Electromyography (EMG) was used to measure muscle activation in the erector spinae (ES), multifidus (MF), and internal oblique (IO) muscles. Results: Significant increases in ES muscle activation were observed during SLPBHA compared to BLPB and SLPB (P<.05), indicating that exercise complexity and the introduction of instability significantly enhanced ES activation. However, no significant differences were found in MF and IO activation across the exercise variations (P>.05). Conclusion: This study underscores the importance of exercise complexity and instability, particularly SLPBHA, in enhancing ES muscle activation. The findings support the inclusion of these exercises in core stability training programs aimed at improving spinal stability and preventing lower back injuries.

In this paper, the adsorption removal characteristic for 10 species of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) was investigated using GAC and modified GAC (GAC-Cu). After modification with Cu(II), the amount of copper was to 1.93 and 4.73 mg/g for GAC and GAC-Cu, respectively. The total amount of 10 species of PFAS per specific area was obtained to 0.548 and 0.612 ng/m2 for GAC and GAC-Cu, respectively. A series of batch test confirmed lower efficiency was observed with a smaller number of carbon chain length and the removal efficiency of PFCA (perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids) was lower than that of PFSA (perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids) with the same carbon chain length. Regarding the pH effect, the adsorption capacity was decreased with increase of pH due to the increase of electrostatic repulsion. According to pseudo first and second order (PFO and PSO) kinetic models, while the values of equilibrium uptake and time did not show significant difference, a difference in uptake was observed between 24-48h. Furthermore, based on correlation analysis, Log Kow and uptake have a high correlation with molecular weight (M.W.) and initial concentration, respectively. These results show that long-chain PFAS have higher removal efficiency due to their increased hydrophobicity.

Flexible electrodes, particularly paper electrodes modified with polypyrrole, have shown promise in energy-related applications. We have earlier demonstrated the usage of paper electrodes modified with polypyrrole as a flexible and suitable photoanode for photoelectrochemical water splitting (PEC). Further, modification of this electrode system with an appropriate tandem absorber system for solar fuel production is interesting in developing efficient photoanodes. In this study, we study the PEC performance of flexible polypyrrole-based paper photoanodes (PPy-PAs) by decorating them with rGO@Cu2Zn- SnS4 chalcopyrites (rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs). The lower bandgap (~ 1.5 eV) of the rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs system allows for efficient visible light absorption, substantially improving PEC water-splitting reactions. The rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs exhibited an enhanced current density of ~ 13.2 mA/cm2 at 1.23 V vs RHE, ABPE of ~ 1.5%, and a hydrogen evolution rate of 177 μmoles/min/cm2. Overall, rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs showed 2.1-fold, 1.1-fold, and 1.4-fold enhancement in photocurrent activity over PPy-PAs, CZTS/PPy-PAs, and rGO/PPy-PAs, respectively. The usability of rGO@CZTS/PPy-PAs is established in the form of stable photocurrent for more than 200 min. These findings open new possibilities for developing modified PPy PAs as flexible PEs for efficient solar-driven PEC devices and give directions on improving flexible PEs for flexible and efficient solar-driven PEC systems.

Graphene-based materials modified with transition metals, and their potential utilization as hydrogen storage devices, are extensively studied in the last decades. Despite this widespread interest, a comprehensive understanding of the intricate interplay between graphene-based transition metal systems and H2 molecules remains incomplete. Beyond fundamental H2 adsorption, the activation of H2 molecule, crucial for catalytic reactions and hydrogenation processes, may occur on the transition metal center. In this study, binding modes of H2 molecules on the circumcoronene (CC) decorated with Cr or Fe atoms are investigated using the DFT methods. Side-on (η2-dihydrogen bond), end-on and dissociation modes of H2 binding are explored for high (HS) and low (LS) spin states. Spin state energetics, reaction energies, QTAIM and DOS analysis are considered. Our findings revealed that CC decorated with Cr (CC-Cr) emerges as a promising material for H2 storage, with the capacity to store up to three H2 molecules on a single Cr atom. End-on interaction in HS is preferred for the first two H2 molecules bound to CC-Cr, while the side-on LS is favored for three H2 molecules. In contrast, CC decorated with Fe (CC-Fe) demonstrates the capability to activate H2 through H–H bond cleavage, a process unaffected by the presence of other H2 molecules in the vicinity of the Fe atom, exclusively favoring the HS state. In summary, our study sheds light on the intriguing binding and activation properties of H2 molecules on graphene-based transition metal systems, offering valuable insights into their potential applications in hydrogen storage and catalysis.

Industrial activities that utilize nuclear technology can cause radioactive contamination in the ecosystems. In particular, cesium (Cs) has problems, such as neurological diseases, when it is exposed and accumulated in the bodies of animals, plants, and humans for a long time. Therefore, the development of simple and economical adsorbents for Cs removal is required. In this study, the surface of petroleum residue pitch was modified using NaClO and it was used to remove Cs from an aqueous solution. Batch experiments and characterization of the modified adsorbent were performed to determine the adsorption mechanism between the adsorbent and Cs. From these results, chemical and monolayer adsorption were found to occur at the carboxyl groups on the adsorbent surface, along with a cation exchange reaction occurred due to the sodium ions on the surface. Through this modification process, the total acidity, including phenolic, lactonic and carboxylic functional groups, was improved to 1.563 mmol/g and the maximum adsorption capacity of Cs for the modified adsorbent was 65.8 mg/g.

In this study, the aromatic carbon content of epoxy resin (EP) increased via carbon tar pitch (CTP) modification, and the CTP occurred self-polymerization reaction. The carboxyl and hydroxyl groups of CTP and the hydroxyl and carboxyl groups of EP occurred chemical cross-linking reaction. CTP and graphitization treatment promoted EP CF carbon crystal growth. The graphitization degree of pure EP CF and 40 wt% CTP modified EP CF are 8.42% and 44.21%, respectively. With the increase CTP content, the cell size, ligament junction and density of graphitization modified EP CF gradually increased, while the number of pores and cells gradually decreased. The cell size, ligament junction size and density of 40 wt% CTP modified graphitization EP CF increased to 1200 μm, 280 μm and 0.5033 g/cm3, respectively. EP CF exhibits entangling carbon ribbon and isotropic amorphous carbon. The 40 wt% CTP modified EP CF is composed of evenly distributed amorphous resin carbon and graphite domain CTP carbon. The graphitization modified EP CF improved electrical conductivity, and the electrical conductivity of 40 wt% CTP modified EP CF is 126.6 S/m. The compressive strength can be decided by EP carbon strength and its char yield, and graphitization 40 wt% CTP modified EP CF reached 4.9 MPa. This study provides some basis for preparation and application of CTP modified EP CF.

Graphene-modified melamine sponges (RGO-MSs) were prepared, as adsorbents with photothermal conversion ability, utilizing solar energy to achieve heavy oil temperature rise, viscosity reduction, and efficient adsorption recovery of highly viscous oil. The RGO-MSs were prepared through a simple impregnation method. The photothermal performance and heavy oil adsorption performances of RGO-MSs with different densities and thicknesses were observed. It was found that as the density increases, the thermal conductivity of RGO-MS increases too, leading to the increase of the average oil absorption rate. The reduction of thickness is beneficial to improving of the adsorption rate. The prepared RGO-MS with a density of 21.5 mg/cm−3 and a height of 1 cm (RGO-MS-3-1) shows excellent mechanical properties and fatigue resistance. Cyclic adsorption–desorption of RGO-MS-3-1 was achieved through extrusion/ ethanol washing. After 10 cycles of reuse through extrusion, the adsorption capacity decreased from 52.90 to 50.02 g g− 1, with a loss of 5.4%. The material was then washed with petroleum ether and ethanol in turn. Its adsorption capacity can restored to 98.8% of the initial value, showing a promising application prospect on heavy oil leakage treatment. The easily prepared RGO-MS exhibits excellent light absorption and photothermal oil adsorption properties, providing a good solution for the problem of heavy oil leakage at sea.

Bortezomib (BTZ) and dasatinib (DA) are two substantial anti-cancer agents with side effects on the human body. In this research, we fabricated a novel electrochemical sensor modified by CuFe2O4/ SmVO4 nanocomposite and 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride (1E3MC) as an ionic liquid (IL) ( CuFe2O4/SmVO4/IL/CPE) for coinciding investigation of BTZ and DA for the first time. The CuFe2O4/ SmVO4 synthesized were determined and certified through field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), energy diffraction X-ray (EDX), and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The capability of the sensor was investigated by different electrochemical techniques such as cyclic voltammetry (CV), chronoamperometry (CHA), differential pulse voltammetry (DPV), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS). The attained data showed that the oxidation signal of bortezomib and dasatinib promoted as an innovative electrochemical sensor. After optimization of the conditions using this sensor at pH 7.0, the oxidation signal of bortezomib and dasatinib showed to be linear with drug concentrations in the range of 0.09–90 μM and 100–500 μM with a detection limit of 5.4 nM and 7.0 μM, respectively, using differential pulse voltammetry method. The values of D and electro-transfer coefficient (α) achieved 2.5 × 10− 5 cm2 s− 1 and 0.99, respectively. The proposed electrochemical sensor exhibited acceptable selectivity and sensitivity for simultaneous detection of bortezomib and dasatinib in pharmaceutical and biological samples.

Regulatory Guide (RG) 1.60 presents the response spectra for the seismic design, especially for the safe shutdown earthquake (SSE), of nuclear power plants. This guide is applicable to a two-step process involving the issuance of construction permits and operating licenses (10 CFR Part 50) as well as the issuance of combined construction and operating licenses (COLs), early site permits (ESPs), and standard plant design certifications (10 CFR Part 52) [1]. New reactor designs, however, require modified design response spectra (MDRS) by broadening the high-frequency range from design response spectra (DRS) in RG 1.60. In order to generate artificial time histories to meet the acceptable criteria described in NUREG-0800 [2], it9s necessary to develop the power spectral density of the MDRS. In this paper, we generate the artificial earthquake time histories of the MDRS for further research.