Earticle

Hydrophilic contact lens was prepared by dispersing MXene material in a hydrogel mixture, and the purpose of this study was to evaluate its properties as an ophthalmic material. The MXene used in the experiment was manufactured through an etching process using titanium aluminum carbide 312 [Ti3AlC2] and hydrofluoric acid [HF]. For the preparation of hydrophilic contact lenses, 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate [HEMA], a photoinitiator 2-hydroxy-2-methylpropiophenone [2H2M], and a cross-linker Ethylene glycol dimethacrylate [EGDMA] were used, and UV-rays was irradiated for 50 seconds for photopolymerization. Optical transmittance, refractive index, water content, contact angle, electromagnetic wave shielding ability, and photo-thermal conversion effect were measured to evaluate the physical properties of the manufactured contact lens. Compared to MXene materials, MXene mixed with Dimethyl sulfoxide [DMSO] had superior dispersion ability in organic solvents, and the transparency of the prepared hydrophilic contact lenses was high. MXene did not significantly affect the refractive index and water content, and improved the wettability of the contact lens. In addition, the MXene material used as an additive showed electromagnetic wave shielding ability and photo-thermal conversion effect based on its excellent electrical conductivity. It is judged that the mixture using MXene as an additive can be used as a functional contact lens material for electromagnetic wave shielding and ocular photo-thermal therapy.

Surveys are an important data collection method for national statistics in Korea. As of July 22, 2024, based on data provided by the MDIS of Statistics Korea, approximately 92% of national statistics are compiled using the survey method, and about 85% of these rely primarily on face-to-face interviews for data collection. However, with the increase in single-person households, the nonresponse rate of surveys has been rising each year. This study examined the behaviors of respondents across different survey modes used in the 2020 Korean Crime Victim Survey, whose raw data about survey response modes is available for public use on the MDIS website in Statistics Korea. The results show that, overall, the younger the age group, the higher the proportion of self-administered responses, with this proportion being higher for female than male except over 60 years old. Notably, the 20s age group has a significantly higher percentage of self-administered (TAPI) responses for both male and female. Furthermore, the response using tablets generally has a higher proportion compared to the response using paper across all age groups except for females in their teens, regardless of whether the survey is interviewer-administered or self-administered.

Using the design of experiments (DOE), factors affecting the droplet size of ethyl cellulose (EC) nanoparticles in the manufacturing process were analyzed to optimize process conditions. The concentration of EC dissolved in solvent (acetone or ethanol), the mixing ratio of the EC solution to distilled water, and sonication power were selected as the main variables affecting the droplet size of the nanoparticles. The effect of these variables on droplet size was examined through the signal-to-noise (S/N) ratios of the Taguchi method and ANOVA analysis. Sonication power in the acetone solvent and EC solution concentration in the ethanol solvent were identified as the most influential factors on nanoparticle size.

Mongolia's diverse geographical landscape and harsh climate make it particularly susceptible to various natural disasters, including forest fires, heavy rains, dust storms, and heavy snow. This study aims to explore the relationships between key climatic variables and the frequency of these disasters. We collected monthly data from January 2022 to April 2024, encompassing average temperature, temperature variability (absolute temperature difference), average humidity, and precipitation across the capitals of Mongolia's 21 provinces and the capital city Ulaanbaatar. The data were analyzed using multiple statistical models: Linear Regression, Poisson Regression, and Negative Binomial Regression. Descriptive statistics provided initial insights into the variability and distribution of the climatic variables and disaster occurrences. The models aimed to identify significant predictors and quantify their impact on disaster frequencies. Our approach involved standardizing the predictor variables to ensure comparability and interpretability of the regression coefficients. Our findings indicate that climatic variables significantly affect the frequency of natural disasters. The Negative Binomial Regression model was particularly suitable for our data, which exhibited overdispersion common characteristic in count data such as disaster occurrences. Understanding these relationships is crucial for developing targeted disaster management strategies and policies to mitigate the adverse effects of climate change on Mongolian communities. This research provides valuable insights into how climatic changes impact disaster occurrences, offering a foundation for informed decision-making and policy development to enhance community resilience.

In the present age of artificial intelligence and metaverse, research on the importance of data and the amount of data is actively being conducted. Among these data, medical data contains the most sensitive information of individuals, so research on data generation, storage, management, and disposal is urgently needed. This study analyzed the status of medical data management in the United States, Europe, and Korea, and identified and analyzed medical data management laws and implementation status through working-level staff working in medical sites. As a result of the analysis, about 70% of medical professionals were able to identify the absence of recognition and management of medical data. The survey subjects were limited to Gwangju and Jeollanam-do, and 237 medical workers were conducted. More than 54% of the awareness of medical record generation, storage, and management came out, but about 70% of the occupations except doctors, oriental doctors, and dentists did not recognize the medical record management method. As necessary for medical record management, cost and the need for professional managers were 91.4%. Through this study, it was confirmed that the expansion of legal education for medical workers, the enactment of related laws, and the need for sincere fostering of medical record managers were required.

Advancements in sensor technology, particularly Inertial Measurement Units (IMU), are crucial in modern pose estimation. IMUs typically consist of accelerometers and gyroscopes (6-axis), with some models including magnetometers (9-axis). This study investigates the impact of sensor frequency on pose estimation accuracy using data from a 256Hz IMU sensor. The data sets analyzed include “spiralStairs,” “stairsAndCorridor,” and “straightLine,” with frequencies varied to 128Hz, 64Hz, and 32Hz, and conditions categorized as stationary or dynamic. The results indicate that sensitivity remains high at lower frequencies under stationary conditions but declines in dynamic conditions. Performance comparison, based on Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) values, showed that lower frequencies lead to increased RMSE, thus diminishing model accuracy. Additionally, the Extended Kalman Filter (EKF) was tested as an alternative to Madgwick's algorithm but faced challenges due to insufficient sensor noise data.