Hannam University

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVESArtificially sweetened beverages (ASBs) consumption has been increasing globally, including Korea, but detailed data on the intake levels and consumers’ characteristics are limited. This study examined sociodemographic, lifestyles, and dietary characteristics among ASBs consumers in Korea.SUBJECTS/METHODSThree hundred and twenty adults (≥ 18 yrs) who reported consuming ASBs in the 2021–2023 Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Surveys were selected. Based on the 24-h dietary recall data, ASBs were classified using food codes and names, and further categorized according to the product name. The daily ASBs consumption (g/day) was calculated for each participant, and the participants were divided into 2 groups based on the median value (372.8 g/day). The general characteristics, lifestyles, and dietary characteristics were compared between the 2 consumption groups.RESULTSThe average daily ASBs consumption was 432.5 g (SD = 283.2) for men and 361.4 g (SD = 265.4) for women. ASBs consumption was 424.6 g (SD = 259.5) for individuals aged 18–29 yrs, 400.2 g (SD = 320.0) for those aged 30–39 yrs, and 360.5 g (SD = 249.3) for those aged ≥ 40 yrs. ASBs consumption was higher among overweight/obese individuals (body mass index [BMI] ≥ 23 kg/m2) (427.2 g, SD = 296.3) compared to non-overweight/obese individuals (361.0 g, SD = 241.8). The group with higher ASBs consumption was younger (P < 0.001), had a higher proportion of men (P = 0.013), and had a higher BMI (P = 0.007). The higher consumption group had a greater proportion of individuals attempting to lose or maintain weight (P = 0.016), higher energy intake (P = 0.032), lower frequency of fruits consumption (P = 0.005), and a higher frequency of dinner consumption (P = 0.034).CONCLUSIONThese findings may serve as baseline data for future research and programs related to ASBs consumption.

The bonding behavior of the Ni-based superalloy CM247LC during transient liquid phase (TLP) bonding is strongly governed by filler metal chemistry, particularly boron activity. In this study, the time-dependent bonding mechanisms of CM247LC joints fabricated using a high-boron MBF-80 filler and a low-boron MBF-20 filler are systematically compared to clarifying the transition between reaction-dominated brazing and diffusion-assisted TLP bonding. Microstructural analyses reveal that MBF-80 promotes the formation of a persistent, reaction-stabilized interlayer characterized by strong boron localization and the development of boron-rich intermetallic reaction products. These features kinetically suppress diffusion-assisted homogenization and prevent isothermal solidification, resulting in pronounced chemical and mechanical discontinuities across the joint. In contrast, MBF-20 enables progressive boron depletion, suppression of stable intermetallic accumulation, and interfacial smoothing, leading to diffusion-assisted chemical redistribution and partial isothermal solidification. This evolution is accompanied by gradual convergence of hardness profiles toward that of the CM247LC base metal, indicating improved mechanical continuity. These results demonstrate that joint hardness alone is insufficient for evaluating bonding quality in CM247LC. Instead, controlled microstructural evolution governed by low-boron filler chemistry is essential for achieving chemically and mechanically compatible joints. The present work establishes a clear mechanistic link between filler metal composition and bonding behavior, providing guidance for the design of reliable TLP bonding strategies in Ni-based superalloys.

In this study, a high-fidelity, full-scale three-dimensional Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model was developed to analyze the effects of U-type and Z-type interconnection configurations on flow and distribution uniformity within a 4 × 1 kW planar solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) stack composed of 40 unit cells. Mesh independence was verified using the Richardson extrapolation method. The results reveal that on the anode (fuel inlet) side, the Z-type configuration exhibits significantly better flow and pressure uniformity than the U-type configuration and shows low sensitivity to variations in fuel utilization (Uf = 0.3–0.8), maintaining stable flow distribution under different conditions. On the cathode (air inlet) side, however, the U-type configuration demonstrates superior flow stability at an air utilization rate of 0.3. Therefore, it is recommended to employ the Z-type configuration for the anode and the U-type configuration for the cathode to achieve more uniform gas distribution and enhanced operational stability. These findings provide valuable insights for optimizing the design and operation of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) and offer guidance for the development of more efficient fuel cell systems.

Marine sponges are known to be associated with diverse and functionally specialized microbial consortia that are implicated in host metabolism, biogeochemical cycling, and bioactive compounds production. The microbiome diversity and composition of nine sponge species from the remote waters of Gageodo Island, Korea, were evaluated via full-length 16S rRNA sequencing and bioinformatic analyses. Each sponge species harbored a distinct microbial community, with differences potentially influenced by ecological factors, evolutionary history, and host–symbiont associations. The dominant microbial phyla identified across the sponge samples include Pseudomonadota, Cyanobacteriota, Acidobacteriota, Planctomycetota, and Chloroflexota, which were widely distributed across samples. In addition, the classes Gammaproteobacteria, Acidobacteriae, and Anaerolineae appeared as characteristic groups, being particularly abundant in specific sponge samples. Community structures ranged from dominance by one or two abundant taxa to more taxonomically diverse and evenly distributed microbiomes. A notable proportion of sequences were unassignable to known taxa, suggesting the occurrence of previously uncharacterized microbial lineages in these sponges. By combining host species identification with microbiome profiling, this study provides new foundations on the microbial ecology of Korean sponge holobionts, providing higher-resolution taxonomic classification, improved diversity estimates, and enhanced characterization of evolutionary relationships among symbionts. These findings may support future investigations into host–microbe interactions, potential ecological functions, and the management of marine genetic resources.

We report geometry-controlled organic ferroelectric field-effect transistors (FeFETs) that combine patterned poly(vinylidene fluoride–trifluoroethylene) (PVDF–TrFE) ferroelectric lines with selectively grown single-crystalline 6,13-bis(triisopropylsilylethynyl) pentacene (TIPS-PEN) channels. The patterned PVDF–TrFE layers, fabricated via soft-lithography-assisted floating-transfer printing followed by melt-quenching and annealing, exhibit well-oriented β-phase crystallinity with stable polarization. Solvent-directed deposition of TIPS-PEN using a toluene/dodecane cosolvent enables anisotropic, ribbon-shaped single crystals precisely aligned along the ferroelectric geometry. The structural confinement of ferroelectric domains and the single-crystal semiconductor channel act synergistically to yield well-defined polarization hysteresis, higher ON current, and suppressed gate leakage. Surface-energy-guided growth studies on self-assembled monolayer-modified and topographic substrates reveal that selective nucleation occurs when the substrate surface energy matches or exceeds the solvent surface tension. These findings demonstrate a simple, low-temperature, and scalable approach for realizing geometry-controlled FeFETs with enhanced characteristics through the integration of ferroelectric domain alignment and single-crystal transport.

Chronic inflammatory atopic dermatitis (AD) is a skin disorder characterized by cutaneous inflammation and a dysfunctional skin barrier. Although perilla seed oil (PO) is known to exhibit various biological activities, including anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, and anti-oxidant effects, its inhibitory effects together with the ethanol extract of PO (PE) on atopic and inflammatory responses in the dermal skin has not yet been investigated. In the present study, PE significantly reduced mRNA expressions of inflammation-associated cytokines such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α and interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-33. Furthermore, PE decreased the levels of the chemokine, thymus- and activation-regulated chemokine (TARC/CCL17) in TNF-α and interferon (IFN)-γ-stimulated human HaCaT keratinocytes. In addition, PE effectively suppressed activation of MAPK/NF-κB and JAK/STAT signaling pathways in HaCaT keratinocytes co-stimulated with TNF-α and IFN-γ. These findings indicate that PE possesses anti-inflammatory and anti-atopic properties, suggesting its potential benefits in treating inflammatory skin diseases including AD.

The journal retracts the article titled “Prediction of Urban Air Mobility and Drone Accident Rates and the Role of Urban Management Systems” [...]

The objective of this study was to propose a correlation model of the damage class and deformation of reinforced concrete (RC) beams damaged by earthquakes with a focus on columns and walls. For this purpose, a series of full-scale RC beam specimens with different shear strength margins were tested under cyclic lateral loading to examine their deformation performance and damage states. Then, the damage class and seismic capacity reduction factor of RC beams were evaluated based on the test results. The results showed that the tendency of shear failure, such as shear crack pattern and shear deformation component, of specimens with small shear strength margins was more remarkable, and its maximum residual crack widths tended to be slightly larger and dominated by shear cracks. The results also indicated that the effect of the shear strength margin on the seismic capacity reduction factor which represents the residual seismic performance of RC beams was limited, whereas the specimen with a smaller shear strength margin exhibited lower ultimate deformation capacity. In addition, there was a difference in the boundary value of the lateral drift angle which classifies the damage class of specimens with different shear strength margins. Finally, correlation models between the damage class and deformation of RC beams with different deformation capacities were proposed.

High-Mass Loading SiOx Anodes In their Research Article (10.1002/adfm.202517642), Hyung-Seok Kim, Seong Ku Kim, Sunho Jeong, and co-workers design digitally programmable 3D printing and mid-IR laser annealing techniques for resolving intrinsic transport limitations of thick SiOx anodes. The 3D-printed and laser-annealed, hierarchically porous SiOx anode achieves an areal capacity of 9.5 mAh cm−2 (specific capacity: 1,309 mAh g−1, mass loading: 6.6 mg cm−2) with a capacity retention of 87.7% after 100 cycles.