• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.770-781
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• 2021

Objective: Chemical exchange-dependent saturation transfer (CEST) MRI is sensitive for detecting solid-like proteins and may detect changes in the levels of mobile proteins and peptides in tissues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of chemical exchange proton pools using the CEST MRI technique in patients with dementia. Materials and Methods: Our institutional review board approved this cross-sectional prospective study and informed consent was obtained from all participants. This study included 41 subjects (19 with dementia and 22 without dementia). Complete CEST data of the brain were obtained using a three-dimensional gradient and spin-echo sequence to map CEST indices, such as amide, amine, hydroxyl, and magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTR_asym) values, using six-pool Lorentzian fitting. Statistical analyses of CEST indices were performed to evaluate group comparisons, their correlations with gray matter volume (GMV) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Amine signals (0.029 for non-dementia, 0.046 for dementia, p = 0.011 at hippocampus) and MTR_asym values at 3 ppm (0.748 for non-dementia, 1.138 for dementia, p = 0.022 at hippocampus), and 3.5 ppm (0.463 for non-dementia, 0.875 for dementia, p = 0.029 at hippocampus) were significantly higher in the dementia group than in the non-dementia group. Most CEST indices were not significantly correlated with GMV; however, except amide, most indices were significantly correlated with the MMSE scores. The classification power of most CEST indices was lower than that of GMV but adding one of the CEST indices in GMV improved the classification between the subject groups. The largest improvement was seen in the MTR_asym values at 2 ppm in the anterior cingulate (area under the ROC curve = 0.981), with a sensitivity of 100 and a specificity of 90.91. Conclusion: CEST MRI potentially allows noninvasive image alterations in the Alzheimer's disease brain without injecting isotopes for monitoring different disease states and may provide a new imaging biomarker in the future.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.21 no.9
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• pp.1036-1044
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• 2020

Objective: To investigate the clinical feasibility of synthetic diffusion-weighted imaging (sDWI) at different b-values in patients with breast cancer by assessing the diagnostic image quality and the quantitative measurements compared with conventional diffusion-weighted imaging (cDWI). Materials and Methods: Fifty patients with breast cancer were assessed using cDWI at b-values of 800 and 1500 s/mm² (cDWI₈₀₀ and cDWI₁₅₀₀) and sDWI at b-values of 1000 and 1500 s/mm² (sDWI₁₀₀₀ and sDWI₁₅₀₀). Qualitative analysis (normal glandular tissue suppression, overall image quality, and lesion conspicuity) was performed using a 4-point Likert-scale for all DWI sets and the cancer detection rate (CDR) was calculated. We also evaluated cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratios for each DWI set in 45 patients with the lesion identified on any of the DWI sets. Statistical comparisons were performed using Friedman test, one-way analysis of variance, and Cochran's Q test. Results: All parameters of qualitative analysis, cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratios, and CDR increased with increasing b-values, regardless of the type of imaging (synthetic or conventional) (p < 0.001). Additionally, sDWI₁₅₀₀ provided better lesion conspicuity than cDWI₁₅₀₀ (3.52 ± 0.92 vs. 3.39 ± 0.90, p < 0.05). Although cDWI₁₅₀₀ showed better normal glandular tissue suppression and overall image quality than sDWI₁₅₀₀ (3.66 ± 0.78 and 3.73 ± 0.62 vs. 3.32 ± 0.90 and 3.35 ± 0.81, respectively; p < 0.05), there was no significant difference in their CDR (90.0%). Cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratios were greater in sDWI₁₅₀₀ than in cDWI₁₅₀₀ (0.63 ± 0.17 vs. 0.55 ± 0.18, p < 0.001). Conclusion: sDWI₁₅₀₀ can be feasible for evaluating breast cancers in clinical practice. It provides higher tumor conspicuity, better cancer-to-parenchyma contrast ratio, and comparable CDR when compared with cDWI₁₅₀₀.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.345-357
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• 2023

Nuclear forensics has been understood as a mendatory component in the international society for nuclear material control and non-proliferation verification. Radiochronometry of nuclear activities for nuclear forensics are decay series characteristics of nuclear materials and the Bateman equation to estimate when nuclear materials were purified and produced. Radiochronometry values have uncertainty of measurement due to the uncertainty factors in the estimation process. These uncertainties should be calculated using appropriate evaluation methods that are representative of the accuracy and reliability. The IAEA, US, and EU have been researched on radiochronometry and uncertainty of measurement, although the uncertainty calculation method using the Bateman equation is limited by the underestimation of the decay constant and the impossibility of estimating the age of more than one generation, so it is necessary to conduct uncertainty calculation research using computer simulation such as Monte Carlo method. This highlights the need for research using computational simulations, such as the Monte Carlo method, to overcome these limitations. In this study, we have analyzed mathematical models and the LHS (Latin Hypercube Sampling) methods to enhance the reliability of radiochronometry which is to develop an uncertainty algorithm for nuclear material radiochronometry using Bateman Equation. We analyzed the LHS method, which can obtain effective statistical results with a small number of samples, and applied it to algorithms that are Monte Carlo methods for uncertainty calculation by computer simulation. This was implemented through the MATLAB computational software. The uncertainty calculation model using mathematical models demonstrated characteristics based on the relationship between sensitivity coefficients and radiative equilibrium. Computational simulation random sampling showed characteristics dependent on random sampling methods, sampling iteration counts, and the probability distribution of uncertainty factors. For validation, we compared models from various international organizations, mathematical models, and the Monte Carlo method. The developed algorithm was found to perform calculations at an equivalent level of accuracy compared to overseas institutions and mathematical model-based methods. To enhance usability, future research and comparisons·validations need to incorporate more complex decay chains and non-homogeneous conditions. The results of this study can serve as foundational technology in the nuclear forensics field, providing tools for the identification of signature nuclides and aiding in the research, development, comparison, and validation of related technologies.

• International Journal of Computer Science & Network Security
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• v.24 no.7
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• pp.128-142
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• 2024

Creation and implementation of export-oriented strategy is an urgent issue of economic development of any country. In an export-oriented model of economic development, exports should be a means of promoting economic growth and a tool to strengthen existing and potential competitive advantages. Agricultural production is the key factor in exports and the source of foreign exchange earnings in many countries. However, the export potential of agricultural producers may be inefficiently fulfilled due to the heterogeneity of countries in terms of economic development, trade relations and border policy. The aim of the research is to study the nature, main trends and problematic aspects of fulfilling the export potential of agricultural production in the context of aggravating food crisis. The study involved general scientific methods (induction and deduction, description, analysis, synthesis, generalization) and special (statistical method, economic analysis, descriptive statistics and interstate comparisons, graphical method). The need to ensure food security by countries around the world urges the importance of the agricultural sector as a catalyst for economic development, sources of foreign exchange earnings, investment direction, etc. The study of agricultural specialization led to the conclusion that wheat and sugar are goods with the highest export potential. It is substantiated that the countries of South America, OECD, North America and Europe have the highest level of realization of export potential of agricultural production, and African countries are import-dependent. In addition, the low export orientation of Africa and Asia due to the peculiarities of their natural and climatic conditions is established based on the assessment of export-import operations in the regional context. The internal and external export potential of each of the regions is analysed. Economic and mathematical simulation of assessing the impact of the most important factors on the wheat exports volumes was applied, which allowed predicting wheat exports volume and making sound management decisions regarding the realization of the export potential of agricultural companies. The inverse correlation between the exports volume and wheat consumption per capita, and the direct correlation between the effective size and area of land used for wheat cultivation was established through the correlation and regression analysis.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.19-31
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• 1974

In oder to study the correlation between daily urinary output of sodium chloride and blood pressure, twenty four hour urine samples were collected from 224 cases (70 male and 154 female) of healthy Koreans whose age varied from 18 to 70 years old. The volume and concentration of sodium, chloride and potassium and total nitrogen were measured, along with the resting blood pressure. Results obtained are summarized as follows; 1. Daily urinary output was increased as a function of age. However, daily urinary output per unit sulface area was maintained at approximately 800 to 900 $ml/m^2$ in all age groups of male and it increased as a function of age in female groups. There was no significant difference between male and female. 2. The daily urinary sodium concentration was decreased gradually acceding to age in both sexes. Daily excretion of sodium was constant regardless of age in both sexes but especially high in 25-39 year female age group, which was slightly greater in males than in females. 3. The daily urinary chloride concentration was at approximately 250 meq/L in all age groups of male and which decreased as a function of age in females. 4. Hence the daily urinary output of sodium chloride was constant in all age groups of males which increased as a function of age in female groups. However, daily excretion of sodium chloride per unit sulface area was maintained at approximately 11 $gm/m^2$ in males and which increased as a function of age in females. 5. The daily urinary excretion of potassium was constant regardless of age in both sexes. 6. Urinary K/Na ratio was maintained at approximately 0.27 in males and 0.33 in females. 7. The daily urinary output of total nitrogen amount was approximately $8{\sim}10$ gm in males and $7{\sim}9$ gm in females. However, daily urinary output of nitrogen per unit sulface area was constant regardless of age in both sexes. 8. The systolic blood pressure was increased gradually according to the age in both sexes and was higher for males than females under 40 years of age. However, there was no significant difference between both sexes in ages over 40 years. 9. Quantitative comparisons indicated that daily urinary output and sodium chloride excretion are higher while daily potassium output, nitrogen excretion and urinary K/Na ratio are significantly lower among Koreans than a among Occidentals. These findings suggest that average Koreans live on low-protein and high-salt diet throughout their livers. Statistical result obtained may he summarized as follows; 10. The relation between blood pressure and sodium concentration of urine. The correlation between systolic blood pressure and sodium concentration was negatively associated for both sexes and the correlation coefficient was significant for females $({\gamma}_1=-.19<-{\gamma}_{152},\;_{0.05}=-0.159)$ and it was not significant for males $({\gamma}_1=-.19>-{\gamma}_{68},\;_{0.05}=-0.232)$ tut may be due to the sample size for males. The correlation between diastolic blood Pressure and sodium concentration was negatively associated for both sexes and the correlation coefficient was significant for males $({\gamma}_1=-.37<-{\gamma}_{68},\;0.05=-0.232)$ and the relation was not significant for females $({\gamma}_1=-.11>-{\gamma}_{152},\;_{0.05}=-0.159)$. 11. The relation between blood pressure and daily urinary sodium chloride excretion. The association between systolic blood pressure and sodium chloride excretion was positively correlated for both sexes and the relation was significant for females $({\gamma}_1=.20>{\gamma}_{152},\;_{0.05}= 0.159)$ and it was insignificant for males $({\gamma}_1=.09<{\gamma}_{68},\;_{0.05}=0.232)$, The relation between diastolic blood pressure and sodium chloride excretion was positively associated and insignificant for both sexes males $({\gamma}_1=.17<{\gamma}_{68},\;_{0.05}=0.232)$ and females $({\gamma}_1=.09<{\gamma}_{152},\;_{0.05}=0. 159)$. 12. The relation between daily urinary nitrogen excretion and sodium chloride excretion. The association between daily nitrogen excretion and sodium chloride excretion was positively significant for both sexes, males $({\gamma}_1=.31>{\gamma}\;_{68},\;_{0.05}=0.232)$ and females $({\gamma}_1=.36>{\gamma}_{-152},\;_{0.05}=0.159)$.

• Journal of agricultural medicine and community health
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.1-14
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• 2004

Objectives: We investigated the factors related to health examination behaviors, sociodemographic aspects and lifestyles of elderly persons with different social backgrounds, and compared sexual and regional differences in urban and rural elderlies. Methods: The total study subjects(464 individuals) from urban(236) and rural areas(228), recruited by a stratified cluster random sampling were interviewed and examined about their sociodemographic profiles, daily lifestyles, subjective health status, conditions concerning use of medical resources, hearing acuity, visual acuity and ADL(activity of daily living), and whether they receive health examination or not. For statistical analysis, Chi-square test was used for sexual and regional comparisons among the groups who have been given a health examination and the one who have not. Results: In urban areas, the rate of having underwent health examination was 54.5% in men and 46.9% in women, and in rural areas, it was 59.8% in men and 42.7% in women, showing its higher rate in men than in women in both areas. For regional differences between the group who have taken a health examination and the one who have not, there was a significant difference in terms of age, family pattern, current job, monthly household income, owning a house, drinking status, eating habit, subjective health status, whether they have taken outpatient medical service for the recent 3 months or not, anxiety for the health, and IADL conditions according to whether the community is rural or urban. In multiple regressions, the influential factors on the health examination behaviors were selected such as having their own house, their family doctor, amnesia, urinary incontinence and chronic disease in urban districts. But in rural districts, the variables were selected such as having or not of their family doctor, urinary incontinence, anxiety for the health, educational level, their own house and chronic disease. Conclusions: It is suggested that the approach to the health examination of an older patient requires substantial consideration of highly variable individual sociodemographic characteristics involving regional attributes as well as their daily life styles, subjective health status, status of performing health examination, physical health status and ADL conditions.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.61-70
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• 2006

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the activities of daily living (ADL) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) of residential home dwelling elderly and home for the aged dwelling elderly. In attempt to address medical professional caring the elderly, this comparative study examines the factors associated with dependence in the ADL and IADL in two samples of elderly people living in two different environments. Methods: The instrument of ADL and IADL widely used Katz ADL and IADL. Katz ADL and IADL was not a perfect fit for Korean. In concern with cultural factors Won developed K(Korean)-ADL and K-IADL scale reflecting Korean's own language expression and cultural factors in year of 2002. The assessment tool of this study was K-ADL and K-IADL. Differences of ADL and IADL were tested for statistical significance using group t-test and x2 test for comparisons between the residential home dwelling elderly and the home for the aged dwelling elderly. Results: Comparison of assessment for K-ADL and K-IADL in two different dwelling types was significant. Performance of ADL and IADL depend upon their living environment such as social status, number of children, income, present illness as well as age group. This study also showed significant differences of performance in some activities of ADL and IADL between the elderly who live in their own home and live in home for the aged. Comparison of performance of ADL and IADL in different dwelling types revealed that only one item of ADL was significant but only one item of IADL was not significant. It means that IADL is more difficult activities in the home for the aged dwelling elderly than the residential home dwelling elderly. The coupled elderly has more independent in some ADL and IADL activities compared with the single elderly. Conclusion: Using K-ADL and K-IADL is more convenient for Korean elderly. Medical professional consider some factors like dwelling style, social status, existing diseases and disabilities in order to care the elderly and train him/her activities of daily living as well as instrumental activities of daily living. Medical professional, especially physical and occupational therapist emphasize the training items which are bathing of ADL and grooming, housework, preparing meals, laundry, traveling, public transportation, shopping, using telephone and taking medicine of IADL based on the result of this study.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.21 no.4
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• pp.291-298
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• 2003

Purpose: We report upon a web-based system for Patterns of Care Study (PCS) devised for Korean radiation oncology. This PCS was designed to establish standard tools for clinical quality assurance, to determine basic parameters for radiation oncology processes, to offer a solid system for cooperative clinical studies and a useful standard database for comparisons with other national databases. Materials and Methods: The system consisted of a main server with two back-ups in other locations. The program uses a Linux operating system and a MySQL database. Cancers with high frequencies in radiotherapy departments in Korea from 1998 to 1999 were chosen to have a developmental priority. Results: The web-based clinical PCS .system for radiotherapy in www.pcs.re.kr was developed in early 2003 for cancers of the breast, rectum, esophagus, larynx and lung, and for brain metastasis. The total number of PCS study items exceeded one thousand. Our PCS system features user-friendliness, double entry checking, data security, encryption, hard disc mirroring, double back-up, and statistical analysis. Alphanumeric data can be input as well as image data. In addition, programs were constructed for IRB submission, random sampling of data, and departmental structure. Conclusion: For the first time in the field of PCS, we have developed a web-based system and associated working programs. With this system, we can gather sample data in a short period and thus save, cost, effort and time. Data audits should be peformed to validate input data. We propose that this system should be considered as a standard method for PCS or similar types of data collection systems.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.52 no.2
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• pp.67-73
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• 2014

Purpose: The purpose of present study is to compare mechanical properties and microstructural characteristics of fractured surface for cast, 3-D printing laser sintered and CAD/CAM milled cobalt-chromium (Co-Cr) alloy specimens and to investigate whether laser sintered technique is adequate for dental applications. Materials and methods: Thirty six flat disc shape Co-Cr alloy specimens were fabricated for surface hardness test and divided into three groups according to the manufacturing methods; 12 specimens for casting (n=12), 12 specimens for laser sintered technology (n=12) and 12 specimens for milled technology (n=12). Twelve dumbbell shape specimens for each group were also fabricated for a tensile test. Statistical comparisons of the mechanical properties for the alloys were performed by Kruskal-Wallis test followed by Mann-Whitney and Bonferroni test. The microstructural characteristics of fractured surfaces were examined using SEM. Results: There were significant differences in the mean Vickers hardness values between all groups and the cast specimen showed the highest (455.88 Hv) while the CAD/CAM milled specimen showed the lowest (243.40 Hv). Significant differences were found among the three groups for ultimate tensile strength, 0.2% yield stress, elongation, and elastic modulus. The highest ultimate tensile strength value (1442.94 MPa) was shown in the milled group and the highest 0.2% yield strength (1136.15 MPa) was shown in the laser sintered group. Conclusion: Different manufacturing methods influence the mechanical properties and microstructure of the fractured surfaces in Co-Cr alloys. The cast Co-Cr alloy specimens showed the highest Vickers hardness, and the CAD/CAM milled specimens revealed the highest tensile strength value. All alloys represent adequate mechanical properties satisfying the ISO standards of dental alloy.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.44-48
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• 2012

Purpose : Arm motion can give rise to striking cold artifact on PET/CT. We investigated that evaluation of scatter-limit correction and correct the patient arm motion artifact in Discovery 600 PET/CT. Materials and Methods : To evaluate a radioactivity uptake (Bq/ml) and a standard uptake value (SUV), the scatter limit correction and scatter correction were compared using 1994 NEMA Phantom$^{TM}$ in Discovery 600 PET/CT (GE Healthcare, Mi, We). Arm motion phantom study was involved a central 20 cm diameter cylinder simulating the neck and 2 peripheral 10 cm diameter cylinders simulating arms. The positions of the arms were altered so as to introduce different amounts of misalignment. The evaluation of arm motion phantom study used the radioactivity uptake and SUV in scatter correction and scatter limit correction. Results : The statistical significance of radioactivity uptake and SUV did not show the differences in comparisons of the scatter limit correction and the scatter correction that not show (p<0.05). Radioactivity uptake of the scatter correction was up to 3.1 kBq/ml in the 0.04 kBq/ml. It was approximately 98.7% undervalued in the arm motion phantom study. However, Radioactivity uptake of the scatter limit correction was up to 3.0 kBq/ml in the 2.11 kBq/ml. It was approximately 30% undervalued in arm motion phantom study. SUV of the scatter correction was 1.05 to 0.006 and underestimated about 98%. However, an applying SUV of the scatter limit correction changed the value as 0.67 which is underestimated about 25%. Radioactivity uptake and SUV of the scatter limit correction was increased approximately 60%, or more than the scatter correction. Conclusion : It is considered that if the patient arm motion artifact was occurred the scatter limit correction will be applicable to give an accurate diagnosis.