• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.7
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• pp.891-898
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• 2020

As the problem of shields made of lead has recently emerged, research on replacement shields is essential, and studies on the manufacture of diagnostic X-ray shields with 3D printers are also being actively conducted. Recently, with the development of metal mixed filaments, it has become possible to manufacture shielding materials easily, but studies on the nozzle size and output setting of 3D printers are insufficient. Therefore, this study aims to compare and analyze the results through a shielding rate experiment using a brass filament and a 3D printer, outputting the shield according to the nozzle size and layer height, and using a diagnostic radiation generator. The nozzle size was changed to 0.4, 0.8 mm, layer height 0.1, 0.2, 0.3, 0.4 mm, and output. The shielding rate test was fixed at 40 mAs, and the shielding rate was analyzed by experimenting with 60, 80, and 100 kVp, respectively. As a result of the analysis, it was analyzed that the printing time could be reduced to 1/10 according to the nozzle size and the layer height, and the shielding rate could be increased by 1% or more.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.149-159
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• 2021

Purpose: Antibiotic exposure during pregnancy may affect the fetus and newborn in many ways. This study investigated the impact of prenatal antibiotic exposure duration on neonatal outcomes in very preterm (VP) or very low birth weight (VLBW) infants. Methods: From September 2015 to December 2020, preterm infants with gestational age less than 32 weeks or with a BW less than 1,500 g who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit, and their mothers were enrolled. Prenatal antibiotic exposure was defined as antibiotics received by mothers before delivery, and the patients were categorized into the non-antibiotic group, short-duration (SD; ≤7 days) group, or long-duration (LD; >7 days) groups. Results: A total of 93 of 145 infants were exposed to prenatal antibiotics, among which 35 (37.6%) were in the SD group and 58 (62.4%) were in the LD group. Infants in the LD group had a significantly higher birth weight-for-gestational-age (BW/GA) Z-score than those in the non-antibiotic group, even after the adjustment for confounding factors (beta, 0.258; standard error, 0.149; P<0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed that prolonged prenatal antibiotic exposure was independently associated with death (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 8.926; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.482-53.775) and composite outcomes of death, necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC), and late-onset sepsis (LOS) (aOR, 2.375; 95% CI, 1.027-5.492). Conclusions: Prolonged prenatal antibiotic exposure could increase the BW/GA Z-score and the risk of death and composite outcomes of death, NEC, and LOS in VP or VLBW infants.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.6
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• pp.983-993
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the image quality of ultralow-dose CT (ULDCT) of the chest reconstructed using a cycle-consistent generative adversarial network (CycleGAN)-based deep learning method in the evaluation of pulmonary tuberculosis. Materials and Methods: Between June 2019 and November 2019, 103 patients (mean age, 40.8 ± 13.6 years; 61 men and 42 women) with pulmonary tuberculosis were prospectively enrolled to undergo standard-dose CT (120 kVp with automated exposure control), followed immediately by ULDCT (80 kVp and 10 mAs). The images of the two successive scans were used to train the CycleGAN framework for image-to-image translation. The denoising efficacy of the CycleGAN algorithm was compared with that of hybrid and model-based iterative reconstruction. Repeated-measures analysis of variance and Wilcoxon signed-rank test were performed to compare the objective measurements and the subjective image quality scores, respectively. Results: With the optimized CycleGAN denoising model, using the ULDCT images as input, the peak signal-to-noise ratio and structural similarity index improved by 2.0 dB and 0.21, respectively. The CycleGAN-generated denoised ULDCT images typically provided satisfactory image quality for optimal visibility of anatomic structures and pathological findings, with a lower level of image noise (mean ± standard deviation [SD], 19.5 ± 3.0 Hounsfield unit [HU]) than that of the hybrid (66.3 ± 10.5 HU, p < 0.001) and a similar noise level to model-based iterative reconstruction (19.6 ± 2.6 HU, p > 0.908). The CycleGAN-generated images showed the highest contrast-to-noise ratios for the pulmonary lesions, followed by the model-based and hybrid iterative reconstruction. The mean effective radiation dose of ULDCT was 0.12 mSv with a mean 93.9% reduction compared to standard-dose CT. Conclusion: The optimized CycleGAN technique may allow the synthesis of diagnostically acceptable images from ULDCT of the chest for the evaluation of pulmonary tuberculosis.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.14-20
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• 2009

Matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) are a group of zinc proteases that serve the function of breaking down extracellular matrix (ECM). The present study evaluated the role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) on the increased deposition of ECM in hepatic and glomerular fibrosis caused by carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$). The activity of MMPs increased and the levels of tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases 1 and 2 (TIMP-1 and TIMP-2) decreased in the liver and kidney of $CCl_4$-treated rats. Rats treated with $CCl_4$ and NAC showed increased activities of MMPs and decreased levels of TIMP-1 and TIMP-2 in the liver and kidney. Treatment with NAC resulted in the effective degradation of ECM due to an increase in the activities of MMPs and a decrease in the levels of TIMPs.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.47 no.5
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• pp.556-561
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• 2014

We applied a combination of most probable number-polymerase chain reaction (MPN-PCR) methods using a PCR procedure targeting the H-NS (VP1133) gene to detect Vibrio parahaemolyticus presence and density in seawater as well as within short-necked clam Ruditapes philippinarum tissues collected from Gomso Bay, Korea. In 30 seawater samples, V. parahaemolyticus levels ranged from less than 1.8 to $1.1{\times}10^3MPN/100mL$, and samples from August showed higher than those from other months. Furthermore, the levels of V. parahaemolyticus in six short-necked clam samples ranged from $7.8{\times}10^2$ to $2.1{\times}10^3MPN/100g$, approximately 2.5 times higher than in seawater samples from the corresponding month. Our results provide data on V. parahaemolyticus contamination in seawater and short-necked clam tissues, and help to improve quantitative methods of assessing V. parahaemolytcius levels.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.461-466
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• 2009

This paper represents a piezoelectric ultrasonic linear actuator with flexural vibration mode. The actuator is composed of two piezo ceramics, the elastic body, and the connecting tip. It is driven by the frictional force between the connecting tip and the linear motion guide. Unimorph actuators have flexural vibration. Its middle point is fixed so that suitable to the flexural vibration of $3/2\lambda$. These vibrations contribute to elliptical motion by mixed mode between longitudinal and transverse mode. It was generated when the ultrasonic electrical signals with 90 degree phase difference are applied to two ceramics. A linear movement can be easily obtained using the elliptical motion. The ATILA, FEM simulator has been used to design actuator and verify the kinetic and dynamic analysis. We used the ceramics of $20\times10\times1$ mm size and confirmed the flexural vibration of the $3/2\lambda$ at the 79 kHz through the scanning of 3D-vibrometer. The maximum velocity of actuator was 221 mm/sec and the thrust force of actuator was 2.7 N in 200Vp-p of additional voltage.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.80 no.4
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• pp.393-407
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• 1991

The vegetation structure within Chamaecyparis obtusa plantation was analyzed for the purpose of applying the effective forestation method for Chmaecyparis obtusa plantation, tending and regeneration in the southern districts of korea. The results were as follows ; 1. The importance percentage was high in the order of Eurya japonica, Rhus verniciflua, Chamaecyparis obtusa, Lindera erythrocarpa, Carpinus laxiflora, Styrax japonica, Viburnum dilatatum, Zanthoxylum piperitum and Smilax china among the vegetation of Chamaecyparis obtusa. Importance percentage of natural seedling of Chamaecyparis obtusa was high in lower story but gradually decreased in middle story. 2. The basal area of upper trees had a negative correlation with the density of natural seedlings in the middle and lower story, and it represents that the basal area of upper trees had some effect on the density of natural seedlings within understories. 3. The rate of the A and B class by Raunkiaer's frequency was higher in the vegetation of middle story than that of lower story. 4. By Morisita's index, the species of Chamaecyparis obtusa, Rhus verniciflua, Lindera erythrocarpa, Smilax china. Callicarpa japonica and Lindera obtusiloba were randomly distributed at lower story, but they were aggregatively distributed at middle story. At all of middle and lower story, Eurya japonica and Viburum dilatatum were randomly distributed, and Carpinus laxiflora, Zanthoxylum piperitum and Picrasma quassioides were aggregatively distributed. 5. The number of appearance species and the value of species diversity in western survey area were more than that of eastern survey area. 6. The value of species diversity at lower story was higher than that of middle story, and it represents that the number of individuals of appearance species was composed more even at lover story than middle story. 7. According to cluster analysis by similarity index, the survey areas were separated from inland and seacoast districts. 8. Judging from each stories ordination analysis by dissimilarity index, the vegetation was separated from lower and middle story, and the vegetation of lower story was more progressed succession stage than that of middle story. 9. In Chamaecyparis obtusa stands, Eurya japonica had a positive correlation with Sorbus alnifolia, Hex macropoda. Ficus erecta and Trachelospermum asiaticum, but it had a negative correlation with Zanthoxylum piperitum, Carpinus laxiflora and Parthenocissus tricuspidata. 10. In estimation of the productivity of Chamaecyparis obtusa stands, the value of SC (Conic surface) and VP (Parabolic volume) for upper trees was 94.5% and 99.63%, respectively and SC and VP of middle story was 5.49% and 0.37%, respectively. In the species of middle story, material productivity was high in order of Eurya japonica. Lindera eryhrocarpa, Rhus verniciflua. Carpinus laxiflora and Styrax japonica.

• Journal of computational fluids engineering
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.62-69
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• 2016

It has been highly demanded to improve the accuracy of CFD(Computational Fluid Dynamics) methods for the assessment of the hydrodynamic performance of marine propellers in cavitating and non-cavitating flows. This paper presents a validation study on the numerical simulation of the tip vortex flow of a non-cavitating marine propeller SVA VP1304. The calculations are carried out by using the Reynolds averaged Navier-Stokes(RANS) approach, where the Reynolds Stress Model(RSM) is used for turbulence closure. The present paper contains a grid dependence test for the propeller open water simulations and a special emphasis is placed on conducting a local grid adaptation on the blade tip and in the tip vortex to reasonably reproduce the velocity and the pressure in the tip vortex flow field. The numerical results are compared with the experimental validation data, which are published in the second International Symposium on Marine Propulsors 2011(SMP'11). The present numerical results show a reasonable agreement with the experiments.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.160-166
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• 2007

The rheological properties and surface tensions of polymer solutions and polymer-surfactant mixed solutions were investigated. The polymers used in this study were a homopolymer of acrylic acid crosslinked with an allyl ether of pentaerythritol, an allyl ether of sucrose, or an allyl ether of propylene (CARBOMER), acylate/C10-30 alkyl acylate crosspolymer (AAAC), and ammonium acryloydimethyltaurate/VP copolymer (ADTV). A solubilizing agent PEG-40 hydrogenated castor oil (HCO-40) and an emulsifying agent polyoxyethylene (20) sorbitan monostearate (POLYSORBATE 60) made the micelles intervening between AAAC polymers, resulting in the increase of viscosity. However, HCO-40 made this behavior over the wider range of surfactant concentration than POLYSORBATE 60. From the view point of surface tensions in the same range of surfactant concentration, AAAC/HCO-40 solution showed the area of increasing surface tension with surfactant concentration in contrast to the AAAC/POLYSORBATE 60 solution showing no increasing area.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.51 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2011

Infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) is a member of the Avibirnavirus genus of the Birnaviridae family which genome consists of two segments (A and B) of double stranded RNA. Segment A gene of KNU08010 isolate, which was isolated from a 15-day-old chicken flock in 2008, was sequenced and compared with other IBDV isolates including SH/92 strain, the first Korean very virulent (vv) IBDV isolate. The amino acid sequences of segment A gene showed that KNU08010 had 99.2% homology with SH92 strain. KNU08010 isolate had specific amino acids A222, I242, I256, I294 and S299 which are highly conserved among vvIBDV strains. Phylogenetic analysis based on the nucleotide sequences of variable region of the VP2 gene of 18 IBDV strains revealed that KNU08010 was grouped with vvIBDVs and was closely related to Korean vvIBDVs isolated from wild birds.