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Background/Aims: The relationship between genetic polymorphisms and gastric inflammation remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the impact of genetic polymorphisms on Helicobacter pylori (HP)-associated gastritis according to sex. Methods: Two hundred thirty-two male and 404 female subjects with current HP infection were prospectively enrolled. The genotyping of IL-1B-511 C/T, IL-1RN variable number of tandem repeats, IL-6-572 G/C, IL-8-251 A/T, IL-8-781 C/T, IL-10-1082 G/A, IL-10-592 C/A, TNF-A-308 G/A, and transforming growth factor (TGF)-B-509 C/T, was determined by polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism. The degree of monocyte or neutrophil infiltration, atrophic gastritis, and intestinal metaplasia was evaluated using the updated Sydney system. Results: Among the male subjects, moderate/severe atrophic gastritis of the corpus was higher in IL-1B-511 CC carriers than in CT and TT carriers independent of age, alcohol consumption, and HP virulence factors (26.9% vs 10.4%; adjusted hazard ratio [HR], 4.377; 95% confidence interval, 1.387 to 13.814). In females, IL-8-251 AA carriers were independently and significantly associated with moderate/severe atrophic gastritis of the corpus compared with that in AT and TT carriers (21.4% vs 6.0%, adjusted HR=3.799). In males, the IL-8-251 TT genotype was associated with moderate/severe intestinal metaplasia of the corpus compared with the AT and AA genotypes (13.4% vs 5.6%, adjusted HR=3.128), while the IL-10-592 CA and CC genotypes were associated with moderate/severe monocyte infiltration of the antrum compared with AA genotype (83.6% vs 71.8%, adjusted HR=2.227). Conclusions: Genetic polymorphisms in cytokines play different roles in HP-associated gastritis according to sex.

Multiple internal reflection-based absorption-dominant stretchable electromagnetic shielding thin film by incorporating liquid metal grid structure is developed. The device demonstrates high electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) (SET of up to 75 dB) with low reflectance (SER of 1.5 dB at the resonant frequency). The shielding properties of the device can be tuned by adjusting the liquid metal patterned grid spaces upon strain.

A ballast water management system (BWMS) is an essential module that is directly influential for navigation efficiencies and safety for vessel operations. The net function of the BWMS is to maintain the stability of vessels. This study examines the possibility and applicability of self-generating power from the BWMS for sustainable energy use in vessels. The data from the CX0809 vessel which is a Panamax class bulk carrier between July 2020 and March 2022 were used for analysing the power generation volume. An in-pipe hydroelectric system that adopts a deflector and Savonius turbine was introduced at the location where ballast water (BW) flows in the same direction during ballasting and deballasting. Then, hydroelectric analysis was performed under the geometric condition setting. According to the research findings, the production range of electricity was 863 - 4090 kW/h and 1256 - 4744 kW/h, during ballasting and deballasting, respectively. There were some variations depending on the BWMS operational characteristics and time duration. Finally, this study proposes a new approach for expanding the applicability of BWMS to the power generation sector to improve vessel energy efficiency with environmental and vessel-operation terms. The conceptual approach for renewable energy production in this study contributes to advancing eco-friendly bulk shipping.

In this paper, floating fin structured vertically stacked nanosheet gate-all-around (GAA) metal oxide semiconductor field-effect transistor (FNS) is proposed for low power logic device applications. To verify the electrical performance of the proposed device, three-dimensional (3-D) technology computer-aided design (TCAD) device/circuit simulations are performed with calibrated device model parameters. As a result, it is found that gate propagation delay $({\tau }_{\mathrm{ delay}})$ and dynamic power $(P_{\mathrm{ dyn}})$ are improved by 8% and 19%. respectively as compared to conventional vertically stacked lateral nanosheet (LNS). Through the rigorous analysis on the resistance and capacitance components of FNS and LNS, it is clearly revealed that the ${\tau }_{\mathrm{ delay}}$ and $P_{\mathrm{ dyn}}$ are improved at the same $P_{\mathrm{ dyn}}$ (50 $\mu \text{W}$ ) and ${\tau }_{\mathrm{ delay}}$ (187 GHz) by the reduced effective capacitance which results from the diminished gate-to-sorece/drain overlap area. Based on the TCAD simulation studies, it is expected that the FNS is suitable for next generation logic digital applications.

Recently, microgel-based drug delivery systems have received great attention. However, these systems face various challenges such as low drug loading, leakage, rapid drug elimination by the bloodstream, and low efficacy against tumors. To overcome these limitations, we fabricated a near-infrared (NIR)-responsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide-co-acrylic acid)/Prussian blue microgel (PNA@PB). The microgel featured improved stability and higher loading of Prussian blue (PB), achieved by chemically linking it to the polymer. For cancer therapy, the microgel was loaded with the model drug doxorubicin (DOX) to obtain PNA@PB@DOX, resulting in a high loading capacity of 26% and encapsulation efficiency of 51%. Upon exposure to 808 nm NIR laser light, the photothermal PB in PNA@PB@DOX raised the temperature above the lower critical solution temperature of the microgel, causing the microgel to shrink and release the drug by 36%. The NIR-triggered drug release by PNA@PB@DOX resulted in improved photothermal/chemotherapy performance, both in vitro and in vivo experiments using A549 lung cancer cells, compared with PNA@PB. The combination of photothermal therapy from PB and photothermal shrinkage-induced chemotherapy from PNA was found to be highly effective in killing cancer cells.

Numerous studies have developed extensions to the IFC schema to meet the needs of specialized domains or represent nascent technologies, and in turn have expanded the scope of interoperability for BIM data exchanges. However, these studies used varying approaches for IFC extensions and validation, making it difficult to identify research gaps and agree on legitimate extension protocols. This study collected 64 studies of IFC schema extensions spanning over two decades, from 2001 to 2022. The analysis first focused on categorizing these cases with respect to their target domains and sectors, their purpose and extension approaches, as well as their methods for implementation and validation. Timeline analyses were also conducted to track the temporal trends over the specified period. The results revealed that architectural cases have recently shifted from process to product representations due to new technology adoptions, while infrastructure cases, initially centered on major sector elements, have transitioned towards operation and maintenance processes. The findings also showed the need for a more holistic and organized approach for extensions, as current ad hoc developments were limited to products and processes only applicable for specific sectors.

The ferroelectric-metal field-effect transistor with recessed channel (RC-FeMFET) is proposed for one transistor dynamic random-access memory (1T-DRAM). Through technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations, the effects of inter-metal insertion on the FeFET with recessed channel (RC-FeFET) is identified. By evaluating electric field (e-field) across interlayer (IL) and memory window (MW), the improvements of program/erase cycling endurance and read current sensing margin (RSM) are verified in the RC-FeMFET. Moreover, considering program voltage (VW) and polarization switching time ( $\tau _{\mathrm{ p}}$ ), the guide line of the RC-FeMFET design is provided in terms of e-field across IL and MW for 1T-DRAM applications.

The gradual commercialization of entirely autonomous vehicles is expected to bring numerous benefits, such as structural transformation in the industry. Specifically, in maritime transportation, automobile terminals that import and export finished autos are seen to transform their current loading system into a CAV (connected automated vehicle)-loading system to accommodate autonomous vehicles. In this study, the impact of introducing a CAV-loading system to a roll-on, roll-off (RORO) ports was investigated. Simulation models were developed to test the performance of the terminal with the CAV-loading system. Then, a cost model was developed to determine the economic benefits of the CAV-loading system. The results in this study revealed that operating costs were reduced by 90%, while terminal operations were significantly improved. In addition, the study revealed that using the CAV-loading system resulted in a 12% reduction in CO2 emissions compared to that using the current loading system. The originality of this study lies in its transformative potential for an industry that heavily relies on human labor and has limited mechanization and automation. This study provides significant implications for incorporating autonomous vehicles in planned automobile terminal operations.

Zelkova serrata (Thunb.) Makino trees, which account for a large proportion of cultural assets and protected trees and have considerable historical and cultural symbolic meaning in South Korea. To verify the reliability of the nondestructive sonic tomography (SoT) method on Z. serrata trees, this study compared the results of SoT with those obtained with the destructive resistance micro-drilling method. With SoT measurement, defects were found in approximately 75% of the target Z. serrata trees and two of these trees were evaluated as having a high risk because their defective portions accounted for approximately 70% or more of the entire cross section. The independent samples t-test indicated that the two methods did not show a significant difference between measurements. Regression analysis indicated that the measurement values of the two methods showed a positive relationship with a high explanatory power of 76%, thus, verifying the reliability of SoT.

Automatic guided vehicles (AGVs) have been successfully applied to cargo terminals to reduce operating costs and improve productivity. However, the focus was on container terminal operations. Ports with roll-on/roll-off (RORO) terminals still heavily depend on human resources for the loading/unloading processes. Work operations are affected by human errors and safety issues. In particular, terminals where vehicles cannot be stacked pressure workers to handle cargo more rapidly, which induces more errors. In this study, we propose automating RORO terminal operations by using AGVs. We assessed the impact of AGVs on the productivity, cost efficiency, and environment. A series of simulation models was developed on the basis of the current loading system at an actual port to test the impact of AGVs. Then, we developed a cost model to analyze the economic benefit of AGVs compared with the current loading system. The environmental benefits were also analyzed. Results revealed that a system using 29 AGVs matched the productivity of the current loading system, and using more AGVs increased the productivity. For a given productivity level, the total operating cost of the AGV system was three times less than that of the current system over a 15-year period. The AGV system also showed great potential for improving the environmental friendliness of terminal operations. This is the first study to propose automating RORO terminal operations to improve productivity and sustainability through AGV technology rather than human factors. AGVs are expected to become a good option in the future to address labor shortages and the “untact” era.

In this paper, novel boosting scheme using asymmetric pass voltage ( $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass}}$ ) is proposed to obtain high channel boosting potential and to reduce program disturbance in 3-D NAND flash memory. The proposed scheme has the same program bias and timing conditions as conventional self-boosting except for $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass}}$ voltages applied to both adjacent word-lines of selected word-line (WLsel). Reduced $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass}}$ ( $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass1}} =\,\,\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass}} - {\Delta }\text{V}$ ) is applied to previous word-line (WL $_{\rm n-{1}}$ ) of WLsel and increased $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass}}$ ( $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass2}} =\,\,\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass}}+{\Delta }\text{V}$ ) is applied to next word-line (WL $_{\rm n+{1}}$ ). In this scheme, the $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass1}}$ cuts the channel off and causes local boosting when the channel potentials of inhibit strings are boosted up. Meanwhile, the $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass2}}$ compensates the program speed reduction of selected cell (cellsel) induced by the decreased voltage of the $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass1}}$ . Through the measurements of program disturbance in fabricated devices, it is revealed that the program disturbance is significantly improved without the reduction of program speed by the proposed scheme. Furthermore, the $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass1}}$ and $\text{V}_{\mathrm{ pass2}}$ are optimized to maximize the improvement.

An accurate container throughput forecast is vital for any port. Since overall improvements in port performance and competitiveness can be derailed by port bottlenecks, ports need to find leverage to identify and prioritize measures to improve weak key performance indicators (KPIs) to attain growth opportunities. Prior studies had modeled container throughput from socio-economic and growth projection factors. This study aims to provide a practical method for forecasting the optimal container throughput a port can physically handle/attract given a certain level of terminal operation efficiency through random forest (RF) and multilayer perceptron (MLP) models. The study variables are derived from the port operations dimension and include ship turnaround time, vessel draft, container dwell time, berth productivity, container storage capacity, and custom declaration time. Evaluations are made based on the R-squared, NRMSE, MAE and MAPE. Model comparison is deduced with seven competing models in container throughput forecasting. The findings indicate that the RF model is a potential candidate for forecasting the engineering optimal throughput of Douala port. Model interpretation is provided through feature importance and partial dependence plots. The findings from this study will help reduce uncertainty and provide leverage for port management to spot bottlenecks and engage in better port planning and development projects which will strengthen their international competitive advantage.

This paper aims to introduce the adaptation of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) in the car-loading process of Ro-Ro ships compared with the current loading process. This study analyzed the applicable scenarios for the AGVs’ adaptation in a Ro-Ro port, employing Arena simulation to compare the productivity of the loading processes. The results revealed that the adaptation of the AGVs in the car-loading process of the Ro-Ro ships improves productivity and solves several problems of the current loading process. With 21 or more AGVs, the entire processing time is similar to or less than the current loading process, whereas, after 40 AGVs, it stayed the same. Furthermore, as the number of AGVs increases, the transfer time decreases, but the queue becomes longer. Identifying the effect of the AGV adaptation, this study provides valuable insights for developing the various traffic situations in Ro-Ro port operations.

The structure of competitiveness between hub ports in the multipolar Northeast Asian system will determine which ports achieve regional gateway status. A survey instrument to assess 21 measurement items generated 203 responses from Shanghai, Hong Kong and Busan. Exploratory factor analysis revealed a valid and reliable competitiveness construct underpinning 19 measurement scales and a four-factor model incorporating availability, operational efficiency, port costs and service quality. Differences in factor importance revealed that success as a regional gateway port depends on a port area developing strategically into a multi-functional business centre. The model offers a management tool to guide future port improvement.

Mild temperature fluctuation of a material sitting on a slope may only cause a small slip, but a large number of the repeated temperature changes can amplify the magnitude of the overall slip and eventually bring an issue of structural instability. The slip accumulation starts from the minor magnitude and reaches the extensive level called “slip ratcheting”. Experimental evidence for such thermally-induced slip ratcheting is first provided in this work. It is implemented with an acryl sheet placed on an inclined wood with a mild angle; it is found that the temperature fluctuation of the acryl sheet causes the sheet to slide down gradually without any additional loading. The numerical model is then attempted to emulate the major findings of the experiments. From the simulation work, the location of a neutral point is found when the acryl plate is heated, and another neutral point is observed when cooled down. The shift of the neutral point appears to be a major reason for the unrecovered slip after a temperature increase and decrease cycle. Finally, a parametric study using the numerical model is carried out to examine which parameters play a major role in the development of residual slips.

Local residents living adjacent to ports are directly affected by the fine dust generated from the port operations. There is a need to prepare detailed measures according to cargo type given the high correlation between the types of dust-producing cargo primarily managed at ports and local industries. This study attempts to establish the attributes of the cargo handled at ports and the relationship between supply chains built for local key industries and the air quality of the local community. It aims to ascertain which cargo needs managing preemptively at the local level, based on the major cargo types handled in a port. A correlation analysis and Granger causality test were performed to investigate the causality between the factor of cargo and fine dust concentrations. The results in this study indicate the necessity for intensive management of scrap metal cargo among the major cargo handled at the target port, which confirms the large effect of management on fine dust reduction, as well as on reduction efficiency. The results suggest requirements to expand the regulations on the emissions of supply chains by cargo type, not by industry type. Additionally, it is required to minimize the blind spots of management and form an eco-friendly supply chain by introducing green technology. The preparation of emission control measures is also necessary. The findings provide useful insights for the sustainable operations of the local supply chain around the target port and will help the strategic agenda for future improvement.

Ternary complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor technology has been spotlighted as a promising system to replace conventional binary complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) with supply voltage (VDD) and power scaling limitations. Recently, wafer-level integrated tunneling-based ternary CMOS (TCMOS) has been successfully reported. However, the TCMOS requires large VDD (> 1 V), because a wide leakage region before on-current should be necessary to make the stable third voltage state. In this study, TCMOS consisting of ferroelectric-gate field effect transistors (FE-TCMOS) is proposed and its performance evaluated through 2-D technology computer-aided design (TCAD) simulations. As a result, it is revealed that the larger subthreshold swing and the steeper subthreshold swing are achievable by polarization switching in the ferroelectric layer, compared to conventional MOSFETs with high-k gate oxide, and thus the FE-TCMOS can have the more stable (larger static noise margin) ternary inverter operations at the lower VDD.

L-shaped tunnel field-effect transistor (TFET) provides higher on-current than a conventional TFET through band-to-band tunneling in the vertical direction of the channel. However, L-shaped TFET is disadvantageous for low-power applications because of increased off-current due to the large ambipolar current. In this paper, a stacked gate L-shaped TFET is proposed for suppression of ambipolar current. Stacked gates can be easily implemented using the structural features of L-shaped TFET, and on- and off-current can be controlled separately by using different gates located near the source and the drain, respectively. As a result, the suppression of ambipolarity is observed with respect to work function difference between two gates by simulation of the band-to-band tunneling generation. Furthermore, the proposed device suppresses ambipolar current better than existing ambipolar current suppression methods. In particular, low drain resistance is achieved as there is no need to reduce drain doping, which leads to a 7% enhanced on-current. Finally, we present the fabrication method for a stacked gate L-shaped TFET.