• The Journal of Advanced Prosthodontics
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• v.13 no.5
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• pp.304-315
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• 2021

PURPOSE. Esthetic expectations have increased the use of polyetheretherketone (PEEK) clasps as alternatives to Cr-Co in removable partial dentures (RPDs). The objective of this study was to evaluate the retentive force and dimensional change of clasps with different thickness and undercut made from PEEK by the thermo-mechanical fatigue. MATERIALS AND METHODS. PEEK clasps (N = 48) with thicknesses of 1 or 1.50 mm and 48 premolar monolithic zirconia crowns with undercuts of 0.25 mm or 0.50 mm were fabricated. Samples are divided into four groups (C1-C4) and were subjected to 7200 thermal aging cycles (at 5 - 55℃). The changes in the retentive force and dimensions of the clasps were measured by micro-stress testing and micro-CT devices from five measurement points (M1 - M5). One-way ANOVA, paired t-test, two-way repeated ANOVA, and post-hoc tests were used to analyze the data (P < .05). RESULTS. The retentive forces of C1, C2, C3, and C4 groups in initial and final test were found to be 4.389-3.388 N, 4.67 - 3.396 N, 5.161 - 4.096 N, 5.459 - 4.141 N, respectively. The effects of retentive force of all PEEK clasps groups were significant decreased. Thermo-mechanical cycles caused significant dimensional changes at points with M2, M4, and M5, and abraded the clasp corners and increased the distance between the ends of the clasp, resulting in reduced retentive forces (P^* = .016, P^* = .042, P < .001, respectively). CONCLUSION. Thermo-mechanical aging decreases the retentive forces in PEEK clasps. Increasing the thickness and undercut amount of clasps decreases the amount of dimensional change. The values measured after aging are within the clinically acceptable limits.

• The Korea Journal of Herbology
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.85-95
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• 2024

Objectives : We proposed the hypothesis that administering Trigonella foenum-graecum seed extract (TSE) could alleviate menopausal symptoms and osteoporosis resulting from estrogen deficiency. Methods : Ovariectomized (OVX) rats were administered TSE at doses of 300 or 600 mg/kg body weight for 8 weeks, followed by measurement of serum lipid profile and serum bone markers using ELISA kits. Additionally, analysis of related genes in the femur and uterus was performed using Western blot and real-time PCR. Additionally, micro-CT analysis was performed to investigate the protective effect of TSE against bone loss due to oophorectomy. Results : The administration of TSE led to significant reductions in triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and glucose levels in the serum of OVX rats. Furthermore, TSE increased estradiol levels in the serum and notably improved the levels of biochemical markers associated with bone metabolism. Additionally, TSE exerted significant regulatory effects on the mRNA levels of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-B ligand (RANKL)-genes closely associated with bone metabolism in the femur. TSE also demonstrated pronounced effects on uterine tissue, with improvements observed in gene expression related to estrogen receptors. Conclusion : Our findings confirm the efficacy of TSE in ameliorating menopause symptoms by modulating elements associated with both bone and lipid metabolism in the serum, uterine tissue, and femur of OVX rats. The present findings suggest that TSE may offer potential therapeutic effects for symptoms related to menopause and osteoporosis in females.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.121-127
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• 2024

Purpose: Preoperative identification of the intraosseous posterior superior alveolar artery (PSAA) is critical when planning sinus surgery. This study was conducted to determine the distance between the cementoenamel junction and the PSAA, as well as to identify factors influencing the detection of the PSAA on cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT). Materials and Methods: In total, 254 CBCT scans of maxillary sinuses, acquired with 2 different scanners, were examined to identify the PSAA. The distance from the cementoenamel junction (CEJ) to the PSAA was recorded at each maxillary posterior tooth position. Binomial logistic regression and multiple linear regression were employed to evaluate the effects of scanner type, CBCT parameters, sex, and age on PSAA detection and CEJ-PSAA distance, respectively. P-values less than 0.05 were considered to indicate statistical significance. Results: The mean CEJ-PSAA distances at the second molar, first molar, second premolar, and first premolar positions were 17.0±4.0 mm, 21.8±4.1 mm, 19.5±4.7 mm, and 19.9±4.9 mm for scanner 1, respectively, and 17.3±3.5 mm, 16.9±4.3 mm, 18.5±4.1 mm, and 18.4±4.3 mm for scanner 2. No independent variable significantly influenced PSAA detection. However, tooth position (b=-0.67, P<0.05) and scanner type (b=-1.3, P<0.05) were significant predictors of CEJ-PSAA distance. Conclusion: CBCT-based estimates of CEJ-PSAA distance were comparable to those obtained in previous studies involving cadavers, CT, and CBCT. The type of CBCT scanner may slightly influence this measurement. No independent variable significantly impacted PSAA detection.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.12-16
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• 2012

Purpose : In conventional PET image reconstruction, iterative reconstruction methods such as OSEM (Ordered Subsets Expectation Maximization) have now generally replaced traditional analytic methods such as filtered back-projection. This includes improvements in components of the system model geometry, fully 3D scatter and low noise randoms estimates. SharpIR algorithm is to improve PET image contrast to noise by incorporating information about the PET detector response into the 3D iterative reconstruction algorithm. The aim of this study is evaluation of SharpIR reconstruction method in PET/CT. Materials and Methods: For the measurement of detector response for the spatial resolution, a capillary tube was filled with FDG and scanned at varying distances from the iso-center (5, 10, 15, 20 cm). To measure image quality for contrast recovery, the NEMA IEC body phantom (Data Spectrum Corporation, Hillsborough, NC) with diameters of 1, 13, 17 and 22 for simulating hot and 28 and 37 mm for simulating cold lesions. A solution of 5.4 kBq/mL of $^{18}F$-FDG in water was used as a radioactive background obtaining a lesion of background ratio of 4.0. Images were reconstructed with VUE point HD and VUE point HD using SharpIR reconstruction algorithm. For the clinical evaluation, a whole body FDG scan acquired and to demonstrate contrast recovery, ROIs were drawn on a metabolic hot spot and also on a uniform region of the liver. Images were reconstructed with function of varying iteration number (1~10). Results: The result of increases axial distance from iso-center, full width at half maximum (FWHM) is also increasing in VUE point HD reconstruction image. Even showed an increasing distances constant FWHM. VUE point HD with SharpIR than VUE point HD showed improves contrast recovery in phantom and clinical study. Conclusion: By incorporating more information about the detector system response, the SharpIR algorithm improves the accuracy of underlying model used in VUE point HD. SharpIR algorithm improve spatial resolution for a line source in air, and improves contrast recovery at equivalent noise levels in phantoms and clinical studies. Therefore, SharpIR algorithm can be applied as through a longitudinal study will be useful in clinical.

• Journal of the Mineralogical Society of Korea
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.329-344
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• 2002

Mineralogical and chemical characterization of some domestic bentonites, such as quantitative XRD analysis, chemical leaching experiments, pH and CEC determinations, were done without any separation procedures to understand their relationships among mineral composition, characteristics, and cation exchange properties. XRD quantification results based on Rietveld method reveal that the bentonites contain totally more than 25 wt% of impurities, such as zeolites, opal-CT, and feldspars, in addition to montmorillonite ranging 30～75 wt%. Cation exchange properties of the zeolitic bentonites are deeply affected by the content of zeolites identified as clinoptilolite-heulandite series. Clinoptilolite is common in the silicic bentonites with lighter color. and occurs closely in association with opal-CT. Ca is mostly the dominant exchangeable cation, but some zeolitic bentonites have K as a major exchangeable cation, The values of cation exchange capacity (CEC) determined by Methylene Blue method are comparatively low and have roughly a linear relationship with the montmorillonite content of the bentonite, though the correlated data tend to be rather dispersed. Compared to this, the CEC determined by Ammonium Acetate method, i.e.‘Total CEC’, has much higher values (50～115 meq/100 g). The differences between those CEC values are much greater in zeolitic bentonites, which obviously indicates the CEC increase affected by zeolite. Other impurities such as opal-CT and feldspars seem to affect insignificantly on the CEC of bentonites. When dispersed in distilled water, the pH of bentonites roughly tends to increase up to 9.3 with increasing the alkali abundance, especially Na, in exchangeable cation composition. However, some bentonites exhibit lower pH (5～6) so as to regard as ‘acid clay’. This may be due to the presence of $H^{＋}$ in part as an exchangeable cation in the layer site of montmorillonite. All the works of this study ultimately suggest that an assesment of domestic bentonites in grade and quality should be accomplished through the quantitative XRD analysis and the ‘Total CEC’measurement.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.813-822
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• 1995

Background: Bronchial hyperresponsiveness and abnormal response such as a loss of distensibility are pathophysiologic characteristics if bronchial asthma. The only means of direct in vivo measurement of airway size had been a tantalium bronchography, until high-resolution computed tomography(HRCT) enabled to measure noninvasively two dimensional airway area more accurately and reliably. Method: To investigate airway area responses to bronchial provocation with methacholine and evaluate the major sites of bronchial constriction in patients with bronchial asthma. We examined HRCT scans in five patients with bronchial asthma who had significant bronchoconstriction(20% or more decrease in $FEV_1$) using CT scanner(5,000T CT, Shimadzu Co, Japan) before and in 3~5 min. after methacholine inhalation. Airways which were matched by parenchymal anatomic landmarks in each patient before and after methacholine inhalation were measured using film scanner(TZ-3X scanner; Truvel Co. Chatsworth CA, USA) and a semiautomated region growing method. Results: 1) We identified 9 to 12 airways in each patient which were matched by parenchymal anatomic landmarks before and after methacholine inhalation. 2) Airway responses to methacholine are quite different even in a patient. 3) The constriction of small airways(average diameter <2 mm; area < $3.14mm^2$) was 48.7%(8.3; SEM, n=43), being more prominant than that of large airways(average diameter >2 mm; area > $3.14mm^2$), 53.8% (4.4;SEM, n=10), but not significantly different(p>0.05). 4) There was no significant difference in the degree of constriction between upper(44.3% +5.8; mean + SEM, n=30) and lower lung regions(56.7% +4.5, n=23). Conclusions: Thus airway responses to methacholine bronchoprovocation is quite variable in a patient with bronchial asthma and has no typical pattern in patients with bronchial asthma.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.19 no.6
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• pp.785-793
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• 2007

An electrochemical transient response technique was used to study the corrosion of reinforcing steel bar in the concrete. Analysis of the transient electrochemical potential response in a corrosion interface to an applied current has enabled the separate components that make up the measured transient response to be isolated. These components display a range of resistances and capacitances, dependent on the corrosion conditions of the reinforcing steel, which may be attributed to the corrosion process, to effects within the concrete cover or to film effects on the surface of the concrete. In this technique, the corrosion rate was evaluated by summing all of the resistances in the separate components to obtain an aggregated corrosion resistance. However, it is possible that not all resistances identified are associated with the corrosion process. The results obtained show that the corrosion rates are significant dependent on the assignment of the separate components to either corrosion or to other processes. The assignment of resistive components associated with the corrosion rate can be clearly identified by taking a series of the transient measurement at different lateral distances from the corroding reinforcing steel. An inappropriate selection of measurement time however may result in an additional resistance, which is not associated with corrosion, being included or part of the resistance associated with corrosion being left out.

• Atmosphere
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.387-400
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• 2016

In this study, the atmospheric $CO_2$ concentrations estimated by CT2013B, a recent version of CarbonTracker, are compared with $CO_2$ measurements from the Comprehensive Observation Network for Trace gases by Airliner (CONTRAIL) project during 2010-2011. CarbonTracker is an inversion system that estimates surface $CO_2$ fluxes using atmospheric $CO_2$ concentrations. Overall, the model results represented the atmospheric $CO_2$ concentrations well with a slight overestimation compared to observations. In the case of horizontal distribution, variations in the model and observation difference were large in northern Eurasia because most of the model and data mismatch were located in the stratosphere where the model could not represent $CO_2$ variations well enough due to low model resolution at high altitude and existing phase shift from the troposphere. In addition, the model and observation difference became larger in boreal summer. Despite relatively large differences at high latitudes and in boreal summer, overall, the modeled $CO_2$ concentrations fitted well to observations. Vertical profiles of modeled and observed $CO_2$ concentrations showed that the model overestimates the observations at all altitudes, showing nearly constant differences, which implies that the surface $CO_2$ concentration is transported well vertically in the transport model. At Narita, overall differences were small, although the correlation between modeled and observed $CO_2$ concentrations decreased at higher altitude, showing relatively large differences above 225 hPa. The vertical profiles at Moscow and Delhi located on land and at Hawaii on the ocean showed that the model is less accurate on land than on the ocean due to various effects (e.g., biospheric effect) on land compared to the homogeneous ocean surface.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.43 no.2
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• pp.248-257
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• 2005

Statement of problem. Cortical bone plays an important role in the primary implant stability, which is essential to immediate/early loading. However, immediate load-bearing capacity and primary implant stability according to the change of the cortical bone thickness have not been reported. Purpose. The objectives of this study were (1) to measure the immediate load-bearing capacity of implant and primary implant stability according to the change of cortical bone thickness, and (2) to evaluate the correlation between them. Material and methods.48, screw-shaped implants (3.75 mm$\times$7 mm) were placed into bovine rib bone blocks with different upper cortical bone thickness (0-2.5 mm) and resonance frequency (RF) values were measured subsequently. After fastening of healing abutment. implants were subjected to a compressive load until tolerated micromotion threshold known for the osseointegration and load values at threshold were recorded. Thereafter, RF measurement after loading, CT taking and image analysis were performed serially to evaluate the cortical bone quality and quantity. Immediate load-bearing capacity and RF values were analyzed statistically with ANOVA and post-hoc method at 95% confidence level (P<0.05). Regression analysis and correlation test were also performed. Results. Existence and increase of cortical bone thickness increased the immediate load-bearing capacity and RF value (P<0.05) With the result of regression analysis, all parameter's of cortical bone thickness to immediate load-bearing capacity and resonance frequency showed significant positive values (P<0.0001). A significant high correlation was observed between the cortical bone thickness and immediate load-beating capacity (r=0.706, P<0.0001), between the cortical bone thickness and resonance frequency (r=0.753, P<0.0001) and between the immediate load-bearing capacity and resonance frequency (r=0.755, P<0.0001). Conclusion. In summary, cortical bone thickness change affected the immediate load-baring capacity and the RF value. Although RF analysis (RFA) is based on the measurement of implant/bone interfacial stiffness, when the implant is inserted stably, RFA is also considered to reflect implant/bone interfacial strength of immediately after placement from high correlation with the immediate load-baring capacity. RFA and measuring the cortical bone thickness with X-ray before and during surgery could be an effective diagnosis tool for the success of immediate loading of implant.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.186-191
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• 2004

The periodic Quality Assurance (QA) of each radiation treatment related equipments is important one, but quality assurance of the radiation treatment planning system (RTPS) is still not sufficient rather than other related equipments in clinics. Therefore, this study will present and test the periodic QA program to compare, evaluation the efficiency of the treatment planning systems. This QA program is divided to terms for the input, output devices and dosimetric data and categorized to the weekly, monthly, yearly and non-periodically with respect to the job time, frequency of error, priority of importance. CT images of the water equivalent solid phantom with a heterogeneity condition are input into the RTPS to proceed the test. The actual measurement data are obtained by using the ion chamber for the 6 MV, 10 MV photon beam, then compared a calculation data with a measurement data to evaluate the accuracy of the RTPS. Most of results for the accuracy of geometry and beam data are agreed within the error criteria which is recommended from the various advanced country and related societies. This result can be applied to the periodic QA program to improve the treatment outcome as a proper model in Korea and used to evaluate the accuracy of the RTPS.