• Title/Summary/Keyword: Quality Science

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Image Evaluation for Optimization of Radiological Protection in CBCT during Image-Guided Radiation Therapy (영상유도 방사선 치료 시 CBCT에서 방사선 방호최적화를 위한 영상평가)

  • Min-Ho Choi;Kyung-Wan Kim;Dong-Yeon Lee
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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    • v.17 no.3
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    • pp.305-314
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    • 2023
  • With the development of medical technology and radiation treatment equipment, the frequency of high-precision radiation therapy such as intensity modulation radiation therapy has increased. Image-guided radiation therapy has become essential for radiation therapy in precise and complex treatment plans. In particular, with the introduction of imaging equipment for diagnosis in a linear accelerator, CBCT scanning became possible, which made it possible to calibrate and correct the patient's posture through 3D images. Although more precise reproduction of the patient's posture has become possible, the exposure dose delivered to the patient during the image acquisition process cannot be ignored. Radiation optimization is necessary in the field of radiation therapy, and efforts to reduce exposure are necessary. However, when acquiring 3D CBCT images by changing the imaging conditions to reduce exposure, there should be no image quality or artefacts that would make it impossible to align the patient's position. In this study, Rando phantom was used to scan and evaluate images for each shooting condition. The highest SNR was obtained at 100 kV 80 mA 25 ms F1 filter 180°. As the tube voltage and tube current increased, the noise decreased, and the bowtie filter showed the optimal effect at high tube current. Based on the actual scanned images, it was confirmed that patient alignment was possible under all imaging conditions, and that image-guided radiation therapy for patient alignment was possible under the condition of 70 kV 10 mA 20 ms F0 filter 180°, which showed the lowest SNR. In this study, image evaluation was conducted according to the imaging conditions, and low tube voltage, tube current, and small rotation angle scan are expected to be effective in reducing radiation exposure. Based on this, the patient's exposure dose should be kept as low as possible during CBCT imaging.

Characterization of Agronomic Traits and Evaluation of Lignan Contents in Asian and African Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Germplasms (아시아 및 아프리카 원산 참깨(Sesame indicum L.) 유전자원의 농업형질과 리그난 함량 평가)

  • Sookyeong Lee;Jungsook Sung;Gi-An Lee;Eunae Yoo;So Jeong Hwang;Weilan Li;Tae-Jin Yang
    • Korean Journal of Plant Resources
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    • v.36 no.4
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    • pp.413-434
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    • 2023
  • Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is an ancient oilseed crop, which is usually cultivated for its seeds. Sesame breeding aims to achieve high seed yield and quality, along with resistance to biotic or abiotic stresses. It is estimated that sesame is originated from Asia or Africa continent. In this study, we characterized 10 agronomic traits and evaluated lignan contents in 165 sesame germplasm originated from Asia or Africa, to select high-yield or high-lignan content accessions. Sesame germplasm showed diverse phenotypes and highly variable lignan contents (sesamin: 0.5-12.6 mg/g, sesamolin: 0.1-3.5 mg/g, lignan: 1.1-16.1 mg/g). Based on originated continent, there are significant difference in agronomic traits, but no in lignan content. Correlation analysis revealed that yield-related agronomic traits were negatively related with lignan contents. Also, PCA analysis showed that most agronomic traits and lignan contents were principal components explaining diversity of whole sesame germplasm. Sesame germplasm was clustered into three groups based on agronomic traits and lignan contents. Finally, we selected high-yield (IT29416, IT167042, K276848, K276849) and high-lignan candidate accessions (IT169254, IT170031, IT169250, IT154876, IT170034), respectively. These accessions are expected to be valuable resources for breeding of high-yield and high-lignan contents functional cultivars.

Effect of Freeze-Dried Korean-Style Dishes on Visceral Fats and Serum Lipid Concentrations in Rats Fed with High Fat Diet (한식첨가식(添加食)이 고지방식(高脂肪食)을 급여한 흰쥐의 내장지방과 혈청 지질농도에 미치는 영향)

  • Hong, Sang-Pil;Han, Chan-Kyu;Lee, Min-A;Yang, Ji-Na;Shin, Dong-Bum
    • Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
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    • v.23 no.1
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    • pp.90-96
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    • 2008
  • This study was performed to reveal nutritional excellency of popular Korean dishes, which were intended to distribute as a take-out type food suited for Americans. Four Korean dishes were selected due to their high preference from American sensory panels: Jeyuk-bokkeum (B), Kimchi-bokkeum (C), Dubu-jorim (D) and Namul (E). Nine weeks of the experimental periods were composed of two parts. In phase 1(5 weeks of the first half), high fat diets were fed to all treatments including the control group (A). In phase 2 (4 weeks of the last half), freeze-dried four Korean dishes were fed to the treatments except for the control. There was no significant difference in the final body weights among the groups as well as daily body weight gains and FER. Organ weights of the control group tended to be smaller than those of the treatment groups. For visceral fats, perirenal fat pad (RFP) and epidydimal fat pad (EFP) of the groups C and D were decreased by 20% compared with those of the group A. Total cholesterol level of the group C (94.13 mg/dL) was significantly lower than any other groups (p<0.05), but there was no significant difference in triglyceride(TG) level. HDL-cholesterol level of group B(20.38 mg/dL) was significantly higher than that of group D (17.25 mg/dL), but no significant differences were seen in groups C and E (p<0.05). In LDL-cholesterol level, the highest level was seen in group D, the lowest level in group E (p<0.05). From the findings, Kimchi-bokkeum, Dubu-jorim and Namul were superior to those of the control and jeyukbokkeum in terms of the blood lipid profiles. It might be a good Korean style take-out items suited for the Americans’ taste along with a good nutritional quality in the near future.

Leisure Performance and Leisure Satisfaction by Preference Leisure Performance in the Elderly: Comparison between Young-old and Old-old (노년기 선호여가 수행여부에 따른 여가수행도 및 여가만족도의 차이분석: 전기노인과 후기노인의 비교)

  • Woo, Ye-Shin;Park, Da-Sol;Shin, Ga-In;Park, Hae-Yeon
    • 한국노년학
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    • v.39 no.2
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    • pp.199-211
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    • 2019
  • The purpose of this study is to analyze leisure satisfaction and leisure performance according to whether elderly people are performing their preferred leisure activities. For the analysis, we used sample from the 6th (2015) panal data as Korean Retirement and Income Study(KReIS). The results of this study were as follows. First, the total data of 4,197 elderly (2,212 young-old and 1,985 old-old) were analyzed. As a result, weekday and weekend leisure time of the old-old (7.64 hours / 7.81 hours) than the young-old (6.83 hour / 7.39 hour) was increased and resting activites (over 70% of watching TV and listening to the radio) accounted for more than 80% of the both elderly leisure activities. Leisure performance were higher in old-old who did not perform preferred leisure activities during weekdays. Leisure performance on weekends was higher in old-old regardless of whether they had preferred leisure time. Average of leisure performance was high in both groups and they responded leisure satisfaction was moderate. In the case of need for leisure change, young-old was higher than oid-old regardless of preference leisure performance and day of the week. However, the responses of the both groups are closed to those that do not want to change. Based on the results of this study, it should be practiced such as develomenting program and introduction of health management system considering leisure constraints to improve leisure satisfaction and continuance of leisure activities for young-old and old-old. We also emphasize the need for a systematic survey scale that takes into account the qualitative aspects of leisure activities as well as the subjective factors influencing leisure participation.

The relationship between the prevalence of anemia and dietary intake among adults according to household types based on data from the 7th (2016-2018) Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (국민건강영양조사 제7기 (2016-2018년)에서의 가구 유형에 따른 성인의 빈혈 유병율과 식이 섭취)

  • Hye Won Kim;Ji-Myung Kim
    • Journal of Nutrition and Health
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    • v.56 no.5
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    • pp.510-522
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    • 2023
  • Purpose: In this study, data from the 7th Korea National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2016-2018) were used to examine the relationship between the prevalence of anemia and dietary intake among adults according to household types. Methods: Using data from a total of 10,646 subjects (4,428 men and 6,218 women), the general information, body measurements, results of biochemical examination, food and nutrient intake, and meal quality evaluation were analyzed according to the type of household. Results: The prevalence of anemia was higher in men belonging to single-person households (SPH) than in those from multi-person households (MPH), while anemia prevalence was higher among the women in the MPH than in the SPH. The men in SPH had a lower total food intake of nuts, vegetables, fruits, fish, and seaweed than the men in MPH, and consumed higher quantities of milk, oil, and processed foods. The women from SPH had a lower intake of seaweed and a higher intake of milk than those belonging to the MPH. In addition, the men in SPH had a lower iron intake and iron intake per 1,000kcal than the men in MPH, lower iron intake through plant-based foods, and a lower iron intake ratio compared to the reference nutrient intake. The total Korean Healthy Eating Index (KHEI) score was lower in both men and women in SPH than in those from the MPH. When analyzing the relationship between household type and anemia risk after correcting for the confusion variable, the risk of anemia in men in SPH increased compared to those belonging to the MPH. However, women showed no such significant correlation. There was no relationship between the total KHEI score and the risk of anemia by gender and household type. Conclusion: In conclusion, since anemia in men belonging to SPH is a matter of concern, it is essential to develop guidelines for anemia-related nutrition education for men living alone.

Characterization of the Behavior of Naturally Occurring Radioactive Elements in the Groundwater within the Chiaksan Gneiss Complex : Focusing on the Mineralogical Interpretation of Artificial Weathering Experiments (치악산 편마암 지질의 지하수 내 자연 방사성 원소의 거동 특성 연구: 인공풍화 실험을 통한 광물학적 해석)

  • Woo-Chun Lee;Sang-Woo Lee;Hyeong-Gyu Kim;Do-Hwan Jeong;Moon-Su Kim;Hyun-Koo Kim;Soon-Oh Kim
    • Korean Journal of Mineralogy and Petrology
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    • v.36 no.4
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    • pp.289-302
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    • 2023
  • The study area was Gangnim-myeon, Hoengseong-gun, Gangwon-do, composed of the Chiaksan gneiss complex, and it was revealed that the concentrations of uranium (U) and thorium (Th) within the groundwater of the study area exceeded their water quality standards. Hence, artificial weathering experiments were conducted to elucidate mineralogically the mechanisms of their leaching using drilling cores obtained from the corresponding groundwater aquifers. First of all, the mineralogical compositions of core samples were observed, and the results indicated that the content of clinochlore, a member of the chlorite group of minerals that can form through low- and intermediate-temperature metamorphisms, was relatively higher. In addition, the Th concentration was measured ten times higher than that of U. The results of artificial weathering experiments suggested that the Th concentrations gradually increased through the dissolution of radioactive-element-bearing minerals up to the first day, and then they tended to decrease. It could be attributed to the fact that Th was leached with the dissolution of thorite, which might be a secondary mineral, and then dissolved Th was re-precipitated as the various forms of salt, such as sulfate. Even though the U content was lower than that of Th in the core samples, the U concentration was one hundred times higher than that of Th after the weathering experiments. It is likely caused by the gradual dissolution and desorption of U included in intensively weathered thorite or adsorbed as a form of UO22+ on the mineral surface. In addition, the leaching tendency of U and Th was positively correlated with the bicarbonate concentration. However, the concentrations between U and Th in groundwater exhibited a relatively lower correlation, which might result from the fact that they occurred from different sources, as aforementioned. Among various kinetic models, the parabolic diffusion and pseudo-second-order kinetic models were confirmed to best fit the dissolution kinetics of both elements. The period that would be taken for the U concentration to exceed its drinking-water standard was inferred using the regressed parameters of the best-fitted models, and the duration of 29.4 years was predicted in the neutral-pH aquifers with relatively higher concentrations of HCO3, indicating that U could be relatively quickly leached out into groundwater.

Seasonal Circulation and Estuarine Characteristics in the Jinhae and Masan Bay from Three-Dimensional Numerical Experiments (3차원 수치모의 실험을 통한 진해·마산만의 계절별 해수순환과 염하구 특성)

  • JIHA KIM;BYOUNG-JU CHOI;JAE-SUNG CHOI;HO KYUNG HA
    • The Sea:JOURNAL OF THE KOREAN SOCIETY OF OCEANOGRAPHY
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    • v.29 no.2
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    • pp.77-100
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    • 2024
  • Circulation, tides, currents, harmful algal blooms, water quality, and hypoxic conditions in Jinhae-Masan Bay have been extensively studied. However, these previous studies primarily focused on short-term variations, and there was limited detailed investigation into the physical mechanisms responsible for ocean circulation in the bays. Oceanic processes in the bays, such as pollutant dispersal, changes on a seasonal time scale. Therefore, this study aimed to understand how the circulation in Jinhae-Masan Bay varies seasonally and to examine the effects of tides, winds, and river discharges on regional ocean circulation. To achieve this, a three-dimensional ocean circulation model was used to simulate circulation patterns from 2016 to 2018, and sensitivity experiments were conducted. This study reveals that convective estuarine circulation develops in Jinhae and Masan Bays, characterized by the inflow of deep oceanic water from the Korea Strait through Gadeoksudo, while surface water flows outward. This deep water intrusion divides into northward and westward branches. In this study, the volume transport was calculated along the direction of bottom channels in each region. The meridional water exchange in the eastern region of Jinhae Bay is 2.3 times greater in winter and 1.4 times greater in summer compared to that of zonal exchange in the western region. In the western region of Jinhae Bay, the circulation pattern varies significantly by season due to changes in the balance of forces. During winter, surface currents flow southward and bottom currents flow northward, strengthening the north-south convective circulation due to the combined effects of northwesterly winds and the slope of the sea surface. In contrast, during summer, southwesterly winds cause surface seawater to flow eastward, and the elevated sea surface in the southeastern part enhances northward barotropic pressure gradient intensifying the eastward surface flow. The density gradient and southward baroclinic pressure gradient increase in the lower layer, causing a strong westward inflow of seawater from Gadeoksudo, enhancing the zonal convective circulation by 26% compared to winter. The convective circulation in the western Jinhae Bay is significantly influenced by both tidal current and wind during both winter and summer. In the eastern Jinhae Bay and Masan Bay, surface water flows outward to the open sea in all seasons, while bottom water flows inward, demonstrating a typical convective estuarine circulation. In winter, the contributions of wind and freshwater influx are significant, while in summer, the influence of mixing by tidal currents plays a major role in the north-south convective circulation. In the eastern Jinhae Bay, tidally driven residual circulation patterns, influenced by the local topography, are distinct. The study results are expected to enhance our understanding of pollutant dispersion, summer hypoxic events, and the abundance of red tide organisms in these bays.

Fish Community Characteristics and Distribution Aspect of Four Endangered Species in the Byekgye Stream, Korea (벽계천의 어류군집 특성 및 멸종위기 4종의 서식양상)

  • HyeongSu Kim;Myeong-Hun Ko
    • Korean Journal of Environment and Ecology
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    • v.38 no.1
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    • pp.55-66
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    • 2024
  • This study conducted a survey to investigate the characteristics of fish communities and the inhabiting status of endangered species in the Byekgye Stream, Korea from April to September 2020. A total of 3,415 fish of 9 families and 31 species were collected from 7 survey stations during the survey period. The dominant species was Zacco koreanus (relative abundance of 31.2%), and the subdominant species was Z. platypus (15.0%), followed by Pungtungia herzi (11.7%), Acheilognathus yamatsutae (5.4%), A. lanceolata intermedia (4.8%), Rhinogobius brunneus (4.4%), and Pseudopungtungia tenuicorpa (4.3%). Among the fish species collected, 19 (61.3%) were identified as Korean endemic species, and two cold-water fish species sensitive to climate change (Rhynchocypris kumgangensis and Cottus koreanus) were collected. Four species were designated as class II endangered wildlife by the Ministry of Environment: A. signifer, P. tenuicorpa, Rhodeus pseudosericeus, and C. koreanus. A. signifer and P. tenuicorpa mainly inhabited the mid to lower streams, R. pseudosericeus in the midstream, and R. pseudosericeus in the upstream. P. tenuicorpa inhabited in large numbers, and estimating the age by total length-frequency distribution in July, the total length of the 26-35 mm group was estimated as 0 years old, the 54-75 mm group as 1 year old, 82-97 mm group as 2 years old, 104-109 mm group as 3 years or older. The cluster analysis showed that the dominance index decreased from upstream to downstream, but the diversity, evenness, and richness index increased. The water quality of Byekgye Stream was evaluated as good overall since the river health (fish assessment index, FAI) using fish was evaluated as excellent (5 stations) and good (2 stations). Byekgye Stream has relatively well-preserved habitats, but conservation measures are required as habitats are disturbed by river repair work in some parts of the midstream and downstream areas where many endangered species inhabit.

Potential production strategy for distilled soju by fermenting nonsteamed rice using commercial enzyme products (상업용 효소제를 이용한 무증자 쌀 발효 증류식 소주의 제조 가능성)

  • Ye Seul Kwon;Jisu Lee;Mi Seong Kim;Sochon Han;Han-Seok Choi
    • Food Science and Preservation
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    • v.30 no.4
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    • pp.669-682
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    • 2023
  • The production of distilled soju by fermenting nonsteamed rice was evaluated using commercial enzyme products. White koji and modified nuruk had alpha-amylase activities of 31.90 U/g and 3,532.71 U/g, respectively, and gluco-amylase activities of 698.32 U/g and 4,899.58 U/g, respectively. The enzyme products had activities of 5,604.15-225,182.00 U/g and 13,517.41-120,822.41 U/g, respectively. At enzyme concentrations of >800 mg/L, the Chung-moo-purified enzyme had an alcohol productivity of ≥19%. Nurukzyme R400, Sanferm Yied, and Diazyme X4 exhibited alcohol productivities of >19% at concentrations of >600 mg/L. The alcohol content of the vacuum distillates was 41.31%-44.86%. The volatile component with the alcohol content adjusted to 25% was analyzed and principal component analysis was performed. The volatile components in white koji, Diazyme X4, and Sanferm Yield were similar. The modified nuruk treatment group had a relatively high ethyl lactate content compared to the white koji treatment group. The Nurukzyme R400 treatment group had high contents of butyric acid and ethyl butyrate. The Chung-moo-purified enzyme was characterized by a low component content. Thus, when enzyme products were used in nonsteamed rice fermentation, no effect on the alcohol productivity and quality of vacuum distilled soju was observed, suggesting that it can replace white koji and modified nuruk.

Analysis of the First Time User Experience of the online memorial platform and suggestion of service developments (온라인 장례 플랫폼의 초기 사용자 경험 분석및서비스 개발 제안)

  • Jueun Lee;Jindo Hwang
    • Journal of Service Research and Studies
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    • v.14 no.1
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    • pp.44-62
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    • 2024
  • The development of online funeral services and social issues of eco-friendly funeral culture have raised awareness of the new need for online funeral culture. There have been several attempts to revitalize online funeral services in domestic institutions and companies, but the effect is weak. The purpose of this study is to propose a design that can improve the accessibility and usability of online memorial services by analyzing the usability problem factors through a First Time User Experience analysis of the online memorial platform. Therefore, in this study, in order to identify the problem factors of the online memorial platform, a literature review on the UX, OOBE, and FTUE theories was conducted. The subject of the study was the app 'Memorial'. Before analyzing the First-Time User-Experience, IA was compared and analyzed with other similar services to understand the characteristics of the UX service of the app 'Memorial', which is the subject of the study. In addition, tasks corresponding to the Unpack-Setup/Configure-First Use stage were performed on 10 subjects who had no experience using the online memorial platform. The experimental process was expressed as the UX Curve to identify factors that caused negative experiences. As a result, the major problem factors included unnecessary UI elements, the need for sensitive personal information at the membership stage, and lack of immersion in the service. The improvements included strengthening community functions to facilitate the sharing of emotions and promote smooth communication between users. We proposed UI/UX service developments that enhanced the app by incorporating these insights. In order to verify the effectiveness, serviceability, and value of the developed prototype, an interview with a expert was conducted. The interviewes consisted of three service design experts. This study was conducted to contribute to the quality improvement and activation of the recently emerging online funeral services. The study is significant as it aims to understand the current status of these services and identify the factors necessary to improve service accessibility and usability. Subsequent studies require in-depth user verification of how much the proposed improvement plan affects the actual user experience.