• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.51 no.12
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• pp.180-188
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• 2014

It is very important accurate diagnosis and quick treatment in cerebrovascular disease, i.e. stenosis or occlusion that could be caused by risk factors such as poor dietary habits, insufficient exercise, and obesity. Time-of-flight magnetic resonance angiography (TOF-MRA), it is well known as diagnostic method without using contrast agent for cerebrovascular disease, is the most representative and reliable technique. Nevertheless, it still has measurement errors (also known as overestimation) for length of stenosis and area of occlusion in celebral infarction that is built by accumulation and rupture of plaques generated by hemodynamic turbulence. The purpose of this study is to show clinical trial feasibility for 3D-SPACE T2, which is improved by using signal attenuation effects of fluid velocity, in diagnosis of cerebrovascular disease. To model angiostenosis, strictures of different proportions (40%, 50%, 60%, and 70%) and virtual blood stream (normal saline) of different velocities (0.19 ml/sec, 1.5 ml/sec, 2.1 ml/sec, and 2.6 ml/sec) by using dialysis were made. Cross-examinations were performed for 3D-SPACE T2 and TOF-MRA (16 times each). The accuracy of measurement for length of stenosis was compared in all experimental conditions. 3D-SPACE 2T has superiority in terms of accuracy for measurements of the length of stenosis, compared with TOF-MRA. Also, it is robust in fast blood stream and large stenosis than TOF-MRA. 3D-SPACE 2T will be promising technique to increase diagnosis accuracy in narrow complex lesions as like two cerebral small vessels with stenosis, created by hemodynamic turbulence.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.38 no.6
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• pp.683-693
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• 2009

This study was designed to investigate the effect of dandelion juice supplementation on attenuation of oxidative stress and hangover after drinking alcohol in healthy college male students. This human trial was conducted by two phase cross over design with two weeks wash out period. The subjects (age $24{\sim}28$ years) were volunteers who had more than 72 g of ethanol drinking capacity. Dandelion group was given dandelion juice 220 mL daily for 7 days. Biochemical markers were determined in blood samples taken at 0 and 150 minutes after administration 72 g of alcohol. The levels of plasma glutamic oxaloacetic transaminase, glutamic pyruvic transaminase, lactate dehydrogenase and bilirubin, the indicators of liver cell damage, were not significantly different between groups. No significant differences in lymphocyte DNA damage level between groups was observed. However, plasma acetaldehyde dehydrogenase (ALDH) and high density lipoprotein cholesterol levels were significantly (p<0.01) increased in dandelion supplemented group compared to that of control group. Furthermore, activities and protein expressions of glutathione-reductase and catalase of erythrocytes were significantly elevated in dandelion supplemented group compared to that of control group. From the above results, it is concluded that dandelion juice supplementation can reduce oxidative stress and hangover syndrome through the elevation of ALDH and antioxidative enzyme system in healthy male adults.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.690-696
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• 2013

The objective of this study was to investigate the protective effect of extracts from Canavalia gladiata (CGE) on gastric inflammation induced by alcohol treatment in SD rats. Rats were divided into four groups: G1 (normal group), G2 (gastric inflammation induced by alcohol), G3 (gastric inflammation induced by alcohol with lansoprazole pretreatment), G4 (gastric inflammation induced by alcohol with 250 mg/kg b.w. CGE pretreatment), G5 (gastric inflammation induced by alcohol with 500 mg/kg b.w. CGE pretreatment). After the oral administration of 40% alcohol and samples for seven days, acute gastritis was induced with 70% alcohol and 0.15 M HCl. After 1 h of alcohol administration, the animals were sacrificed. Groups pretreated with lansoprazole or CGE showed an attenuation of gastric mucosal injury, including decreases in sub-epithelial loss, hemorrhages, and gastric juice secretion induced by administration of alcohol. The oral administration of CGE (500 mg/kg b.w.) significantly decreased the levels of TBARS. To examine molecular factors that regulate inflammation, the protein expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ and COX-2 were measured through immuno-histochemistry. Compared with the normal group (G1), the expression of NF-${\kappa}B$ and COX-2 were clearly increased in G2. COX-2 and NF-${\kappa}B$ were expressed even higher in groups pretreated with CGE compared to G2. In conclusion, our data show that Canavalia gladiata has inhibitory and protective effects on gastric inflammation induced by alcohol treatment in SD rats.

• Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.120-129
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• 2024

Alcoholic liver disease (ALD) is a significant risk factor in the global disease burden. The stem bark of the Betulaceae plant Alnus japonica, which is indigenous to Korea, has been used as a popular folk medicine for hepatitis and cancer. However, the preventive effect of Alnus japonica leaf extracts on alcohol-related liver damage has not been investigated. The objective of this study was to investigate the hepatoprotective effects of the extracts of Alnus japonica leaf (AJL) against ethanol-induced liver damage in HepG2/2E1 cells. Treatment with AJL significantly prevented ethanol-induced cytotoxicity in HepG2/2E1 cells by reducing the levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST). This protective effect was likely associated with antioxidant potential of AJL, as evidenced by the attenuation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and malondialdehyde (MDA) production and restoration of the depleted glutathione (GSH) levels in ethanol-induced HepG2/2E1 cells. Our findings suggest that FCC might be considered as a useful agent in the prevention of liver damage induced by oxidative stress by increasing the antioxidant defense mechanism.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.2
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• pp.245-251
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• 2017

This study measured the exposure dose during abdominal-pelvic CT exam which occupies 70% of CT exam and tried to propose a protocol for optimized exposure dose in abdomen and pelvis without affecting the imagery interpretation. The study scanned abdomen-pelvis using the current clinical scan method, the 120 kVp, auto exposure control(AEC), as 1 phase. As for the newly proposed 2 phase scan method, the study divided into 1 phase abdomen exam and 2 phase pelvis exam and each conducted tube voltage 120 kVp, AEC for abdomen exam, and fixed tube current method in 120 kVp, 100, 150, 200, 250, 300, 350, 400 mA for pelvis exam. The exposure dose value was compared using $CTDI_{VOL}$, DLP value measured during scan, and average value of CT attenuation coefficient, noise, SNR from each scan image were obtained to evaluate the image. As for the result, scanning of 2 phase showed significant difference compared to 1 phase. In $CTDI_{VOL}$ value, the 2 phase showed 26% decrease in abdomen, 1.8~59.5% decrease in pelvis for 100~250 mA, 12.7%~30% increase in pelvis for 300~400 mA. Also, DLP value showed 53% decrease in abdomen and 41~81% decrease in pelvis when scanned by 2 phase compared to 1 phase, but it was not statistically significant. As for the SNR, when scanning 2 phase close to heart, scanning 1 phase close to pelvis, scanning and scanning 1 phase at upper and lower abdomen, it was higher when scanning 2 phase for 200~250 mA. Also, the CT number and noise was overall similar, but the noise was high close to pelvis. However, when scanning 2 phase for 250 mA close to pelvis, the noise value came out similar to 1 phase, and did not show statistically significant difference. It seems when separating pelvis to scan in 250 mA rather than 400 mA in 1 phase as before, it is expected to have reduced effect of exposure dose without difference in the quality of image. Thus, for patients who often get abdominal-pelvic CT exam, fertile women or children, this study proposes 2 phase exam for smaller exposure dose with same image quality.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.33 no.5
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• pp.439-451
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• 1999

Purpose : It is important to differentiate malignant from benign lesions of intraocular masses in choosing therapeutic plan. Biopsy of intraocular tumor is not recommended due to the risk of visual damage. We evaluated the usefulness of F-18-FDG PET imaging in diagnosing intraocular neoplasms. Materials and Methods: F-18-FDG PET scan was performed in 13 patients (15 lesions) suspected to have malignant intraocular tumors. There were 3 benign lesions (retinal detachment, choroidal effusion and hemorrhage) and 10 patients with 12 malignant lesions (3 melanomas, 7 retinoblastomas and 2 metastatic cancers). Regional eye images ($256{\times}256$ and $128{\times}128$ matrices) were obtained with or without attenuation correction. Whole body scan was also performed in eight patients (3 benign and 6 malignant lesions). Results: All malignant lesions were visualized while all benign lesions were not visualized. The mean peak standardized uptake value (SUV) of malignant lesions was $2.64{\pm}0.57g/ml$. There was no correlations between peak SUV and tumor volume. Two large malignant lesions ($> 1000 mm^3$) showed hot uptake on whole body scan. But two medium-sized lesions ($100-1000mm^3$) looked faint and two small ($<100mm^3$) lesions were not visualized. The images reconstructed with $256{\times}256$ matrix showed lesions more clearly than those with $128{\times}128$ matrix Conclusion: F-18-FDG PET scan is highly sensitivity in detecting malignant intraocular tumor For the evaluation of small-sized intraocular lesions, whole body scan is not appropriate because of low sensitivity. A regional scan with sufficient acquisition time is recommended for that purpose. Image reconstruction in matrix size of $256{\times}256$ produced clearer images than the ones in $128{\times}128$, but it does not affect the diagnostic sensitivity.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.34 no.2_1
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• pp.237-248
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• 2018

The vertical distribution of hydrometeor before precipitation near the cloud base has been analyzed using a scanning lidar, rawinsonde data, and Cloud-Resolving Storm Simulator (CReSS). This study mostly focuses on 13 Desember 2016 only. The typical synoptic pattern of lake-effect snowstorm induced easterly in the Yeongdong region. Clouds generated due to high temperature difference between 850 hPa and sea surface (SST) penentrated in the Yeongdong region along with northerly and northeasterly, which eventually resulted precipitation. The cloud base height before the precipitation changed from 750 m to 1,280 m, which was in agreement with that from ceilometer at Sokcho. However, ceilometer tended to detect the cloud base 50 m ~ 100 m below strong signal of lidar backscattering coefficient. As a result, the depolarization ratio increased vertically while the backscattering coefficient decreased about 1,010 m~1,200 m above the ground. Lidar signal might be interpreted to be attenuated with the penetration depth of the cloud layer with of nonspherical hydrometeor (snow, ice cloud). An increase in backscattering signal and a decrease in depolarization ratio occured in the layer of 800 to 1,010 m, probably being associated with an increase in non-spherical particles. There seemed to be a shallow liquid layer with a low depolarization ratio (<0.1) in the layer of 850~900 m. As the altitude increases in the 680 m~850 m, the backscattering coefficient and depolarization ratio increase at the same time. In this range of height, the maximum value (0.6) is displayed. Such a result can be inferred that the nonspherical hydrometeor are distributed by a low density. At this time, the depolarization ratio and the backscattering coefficient did not increase under observed melting layer of 680 m. The lidar has a disadvantage that it is difficult for its beam to penetrate deep into clouds due to attenuation problem. However it is promising to distinguish hydrometeor morphology by utilizing the depolarization ratio and the backscattering coefficient, since its vertical high resolution (2.5 m) enable us to analyze detailed cloud microphysics. It would contribute to understanding cloud microphysics of cold clouds and snowfall when remote sensings including lidar, radar, and in-situ measurements could be timely utilized altogether.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.71-81
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• 1995

Consecutive brain 〔Tc-99m〕ECD SPECT studies before and after acetazolamide (Diamox) administration have been performed with patients for the evaluation of cerebrovascular hemodynamic reserve. However, the quantitaitve potential of SPECT Diamox imaging is limited as a result of degrading fractors such as finite detector resolution, attenuation, scatter, poor counting statistics, and methods of data analysis. Making physical measurements in phantoms filled with known amounts of radioactivity can help characterize and potentially quantify the sensitivities. However, it is often very difficult to make a realistic phantom simulating patients in clinical situations. By computer simulation, we studied the sensitivities of ECD SPECT before and after Diamox administration. The sensitivity is defined as ($\Delta$N/N)/($\Delta$S/S)$\times$100％, where $\Delta$N denotes the differences in mean counts between post-and pre-Diamox in the measured data, N denotes the mean counts before Diamox in the measure data, $\Delta$S denotes the differences in mean counts between post-and pre-Diamox in the model, and S denotes the mean counts before Diamox in the model. In clinical Diamox studies, the percentage changes of radioactivity could be determined to measure changes in radioactivity concentration by Diamox after subtracting pre-from post-Diamox data. However, the optimal amount of subtraction for 100％ sensitivity is not known since this requires a thorough sensitivity analysis by computer simulation. For consecutive brain SPECT imaging model before and after Diamox, when 30％ increased radioactivity concentrations were assingned for Diamox effect in model, the sensitivities were measured as 51.03, 73.4, 94.00, 130.74％ for 0, 100, 150, 200％ subtraction, respectively. Sensitivity analysis indicated that the partial voluming effects due to finite detector resolution and statistical noise result in a significant underestimation of radioactivity measurements and the amount of underestimation depends on the. ％ increase of radioactivity concentration and ％ subtraction of pre-from post-Diamox data. The 150％ subtraction appears to be optimal in clinical situations where we expect approximately 30％ changes in radioactivity concentration. The computer simulation may be a powerful technique to study sensitivities of ECD SPECT before and after Diamox administration.

• KDI Journal of Economic Policy
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.127-153
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• 2009

There is a growing concern about potential harmful effect of second-hand or environmental tobacco smoking. As a result, smoking bans in workplace become more prevalent worldwide. In Korea, workplace smoking ban policy become more restrictive in 2003 when National health enhancing law was amended. The new law requires all office buildings larger than 3,000 square meters (multi-purpose buildings larger than 2,000 square meters) should be smoke free. Therefore, a lot of indoor office became non smoking area. Previous studies in other counties often found contradicting answers for the effects of workplace smoking ban on smoking behavior. In addition, there was no study in Korea yet that examines the causal impacts of smoking ban on smoking behavior. The situation in Korea might be different from other countries. Using 2001 and 2005 Korea National Health and Nutrition surveys which are representative for population in Korea we try to examine the impacts of law change on current smoker and cigarettes smoked per day. The amended law impacted the whole country at the same time and there was a declining trend in smoking rate even before the legislation update. So, the challenge here is to tease out the true impact only. We compare indoor working occupations which are constrained by the law change with outdoor working occupations which are less impacted. Since the data has been collected before (2001) and after (2005) the law change for treated (indoor working occupations) and control (outdoor working occupations) groups we will use difference in difference method. We restrict our sample to working age (between 20 and 65) since these are the relevant population by the workplace smoking ban policy. We also restrict the sample to indoor occupations (executive or administrative and administrative support) and outdoor occupations (sales and low skilled worker) after dropping unemployed and someone working for military since it is not clear whether these occupations are treated group or control group. This classification was supported when we examined the answers for workplace smoking ban policy existing only in 2005 survey. Sixty eight percent of indoor occupations reported having an office smoking ban policy compared to forty percent of outdoor occupation answering workplace smoking ban policy. The estimated impacts on current smoker are 4.1 percentage point decline and cigarettes per day show statistically significant decline of 2.5 cigarettes per day. Taking into account consumption of average sixteen cigarettes per day among smokers it is sixteen percent decline in smoking rate which is substantial. We tested robustness using the same sample across two surveys and also using tobit model. Our results are robust against both concerns. It is possible that our measure of treated and control group have measurement error which will lead to attenuation bias. However, we are finding statistically significant impacts which might be a lower bound of the true estimates. The magnitude of our finding is not much different from previous finding of significant impacts. For cigarettes per day previous estimates varied from 1.37 to 3.9 and for current smoker it showed between 1%p and 7.8%p.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.111-114
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• 2010

Purpose: There has been recent interest in the radioactivity uptake and image acquisition of radioactivity concentration. The degree of uptake is strongly affected by many factors containing $^{18}F$-FDG injection volume, tumor size and the density of blood glucose. Therefore, we investigated how radioactivity uptake in target influences 2D or 3D image analysis and elucidate radioactivity concentration that mediate this effect. This study will show the relationship between the radioactivity uptake and 2D,3D image acquisition on radioactivity concentration. Materials and Methods: We got image with 2D and 3D using 1994 NEMA PET phantom and GE Discovery(GE, U.S.A) STe 16 PET/CT setting the ratio of background and hot sphere's radioactivity concentration as being a standard of 1:2, 1:4, 1:8, 1:10, 1:20, and 1:30 respectively. And we set 10 minutes for CT attenuation correction and acquisition time. For the reconstruction method, we applied iteration method with twice of the iterative and twenty times subset to both 2D and 3D respectively. For analyzing the images, We set the same ROI at the center of hot sphere and the background radioactivity. We measured the radioactivity count of each part of hot sphere and background, and it was comparative analyzed. Results: The ratio of hot sphere's radioactivity density and the background radioactivity with setting ROI was 1:1.93, 1:3.86, 1:7.79, 1:8.04, 1:18.72, and 1:26.90 in 2D, and 1:1.95, 1:3.71, 1:7.10, 1:7.49, 1:15.10, and 1:23.24 in 3D. The differences of percentage were 3.50%, 3.47%, 8.12%, 8.02%, 10.58%, and 11.06% in 2D, the minimum differentiation was 3.47%, and the maximum one was 11.06%. In 3D, the difference of percentage was 3.66%, 4.80%, 8.38%, 23.92%, 23.86%, and 22.69%. Conclusion: The difference of accumulated concentrations is significantly increased following enhancement of radioactivity concentration. The change of radioactivity density in 2D image is affected by less than 3D. For those reasons, when patient is examined as follow up scan with changing the acquisition mode, scan should be conducted considering those things may affect to the quantitative analysis result and take into account these differences at reading.