• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.34
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• pp.51-60
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• 2022

Objectives: The purpose is to evaluate dosimetric performance and delivery efficiency of VMAT with Halcyon LINAC for double target spine SBRT Materials and Methods: 12 patients with spine oligometastases were retrospectively studied. Single-isocenter spine SBRT plans was established using Halcyon® with Dual Layer MLC and Truebeam® with High Definition MLC. All patients' plans were created in Eclipse TPS through the identical conditions and optimization. C.I, H.I, G.I (Gradient Index), maximal and volumetric doses to spinal cord and low dose area were evaluated for comparison of both plans. Also, total MU and BOT(Beam On Time) were evaluated. Results: Halcyon plans was no Statistical differences in C.I and H.I. However, the average of G.I was 4.64 for Halcyon, which decreased to 5.5% compared to Truebeam (P<0.001). Halcyon plans demonstrated statistically significant reduced G.I. The average of 50% and 25% isodose volume was 487.56 cc (-3.82%, P<0.001), 1859.45 cc (-4.75%, P<0.001) in Halcyon, respectively. Significantly reduced low dose spill were observed in Halcyon plans. In the evaluation of the spinal cord, the average of Dmean and V10 of Halcyon plans in the sample group with an overlap volume of less than 1 cc was 6.802 Gy (-3.504%, P=0.067), 5.766±1.683 cc (-8.199%, P=0.002), respectively. Halcyon plans demonstrated statistically significant reduced D_mean and V10. For delivery efficiency, MU and BOT(maximum dose rate for each machine), on average, increased in Halcyon plans. However, the average of BOT(800MU/min for each machine) was 648.33 sec for Halcyon (-1.74%, P<0.001). Conclusion: Halcyon plan for double-target spine SBRT demonstrated advantages in the low dose area with a steep dose gradient, while having dosimetrically equivalent target dose distribution and spinal cord protective effect. As a result, Halcyon LINAC produced a dosimetrically improved plan for double-target spine SBRT.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
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• v.39 no.2
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• pp.118-127
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• 2024

This study investigated the levels of 345 pesticide residues in 50 herbal medicines sold in Incheon metropolitan city to determine their safety. Pesticide residues are harmful substances that can cause serious health problems owing to their toxicity and carcinogenicity. The analysis of pesticide residues in the samples was conducted using the quick, easy, cheap, effective, rugged, and safe (QuEChERS) method, known for its high analysis efficiency, to analyze a wide range of pesticides for which no standards have been set. The analysis was cross-validated with the pretreatment method outlined in the Korea Pharmacopoeia. Among the 50 samples encompassing 24 different herbs, 22 pesticide residues were detected in 24 samples, covering 7 distinct herbs, resulting in a detection rate of 48%. It is noteworthy that, except for two cases, all detected pesticides were those for which no standards were set. However, after conducting a risk evaluation considering the daily dosage of herb, it was determined that the levels of pesticide residues were within safe limits. Pesticides with high frequency within the same category of herbs were detected, indicating the necessity for continuous monitoring and regulation. In addition, comparative analysis using the pretreatment method outlined in the Korean Pharmacopoeia, yielded similar results, suggesting the possibility of analyzing pesticide residues in herbs using the QuEChERS method. The study emphasizes the importance of continuous monitoring of pesticide residues in herbs and the development of high-efficiency reliability analysis methods should continue to ensure consumer safety.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.4
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• pp.492-500
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• 2023

The spectrum of this study was research on the closed hydroponic cultivation of netted melons (Cucumis melo L.) using coir substrate, analyzing the impact of this cultivation method on melon yield, fruit quality, and the efficiency of water and nutrient usage. The experimental results showed that the average fruit weight of the melons grown in a closed system was 71.4 g higher than that of the open system, and the fruit width was on average 0.2 cm larger, showing a statistically significant difference. However, there was no difference in the average sugar content of the fruit flesh and height. Although there is no substantial commercial difference, it is conjectured that the change in the macronutrients ratio in the irrigation has played a role in the statistically significant increase in fruit weight, which is attributed to changes in the crops' nutrient uptake concentrations. This necessitates further research for a more comprehensive understanding. In terms of the productivity of irrigation required to produce the fruit, applying the closed system resulted in an increase of 7.6 kg/ton compared to the open system, saving 31.6% of water resources. Additionally, in terms of nutrients, cultivating in a closed system allowed for savings of approximately 59, 25, 55, 83, 76, and 87% of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, and S, respectively, throughout the entire cultivation period. As the drainage was reused, the ratios of NO₃^- and Ca²⁺ increased up to a maximum of 9.6 and 9.1%, respectively, while the ratios of other ions gradually decreased. In summary, these results suggest that closed hydroponic cultivation can effectively optimize the use of water and fertilizer while maintaining excellent fruit quality in melon cultivation.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.59-68
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• 1998

Digital hearing aids offer many advantages over conventional analog hearing aids. With the advent of high speed digital signal processing chips, new digital techniques have been introduced to digital hearing aids. In addition, the evaluation of new ideas in hearing aids is necessarily accompanied by intensive subject-based clinical tests which requires much time and cost. In this paper, we present an objective method to evaluate and predict the performance of hearing aid systems without the help of such subject-based tests. In the hearing impairment simulation(HIS) algorithm, a sensorineural hearing impairment medel is established from auditory test data of the impaired subject being simulated. Also, the nonlinear behavior of the loudness recruitment is defined using hearing loss functions generated from the measurements. To transform the natural input sound into the impaired one, a frequency sampling filter is designed. The filter is continuously refreshed with the level-dependent frequency response function provided by the impairment model. To assess the performance, the HIS algorithm was implemented in real-time using a floating-point DSP. Signals processed with the real-time system were presented to normal subjects and their auditory data modified by the system was measured. The sensorineural hearing impairment was simulated and tested. The threshold of hearing and the speech discrimination tests exhibited the efficiency of the system in its use for the hearing impairment simulation. Using the HIS system we evaluated three typical hearing aid algorithms.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.35 no.1 s.108
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• pp.60-68
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• 2005

The evaluation of malocclusion has to be done quantitatively and qualitatively. This will be lead toward an analysis of malocclusion severity as well as treatment difficulty. The method of proper evaluation of malocclusion severity and treatment difficulty is necessary to assess treatment effect and efficiency for the orthodontists and to establish fundamentals for planning and executing the health-related policies in private and public institutions. The purposes of this study as the first part of the objective and quantitative analysis of malocclusion were 1) to measure treatment difficulty based on the opinions of several orthodontists. and 2) to investigate the relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty 100 pairs of dental casts that had various types and severity of malocclusion were selected from the orthodontic departments of Kyurghee University and Samsung Medical Center The objective malocclusion severity was measured with the PAR (Peer Assessment Rating) index and the subjective treatment difficulty was evaluated by 8 experienced orthodontists. The relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty were statistically evaluated. There were significant relationships between objective malocclusion severity and subjective treatment difficulty especially in the measurements of the upper anterior alignment, the buccal occlusion. the overjet, the overbite and the midline discrepancy en the malocclusion components. The results of this study can provide the background knowledge to develop a new occlusal index. which contains both the malocclusion severity and treatment difficulty for Korean orthodontists.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.373-379
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• 2002

This paper was the design of aerosol generator for inhalation toxicology study of lead and evaluation with real time monitoring, and applied several engineering methodology to classical aerosol generator to cope with it's disadvantages. According to the testing conditions, source temperature 50℃ and inlet-duct band heater temperature 150℃, aerosol generation results for sodium chloride and lead acetate were as followings: CPM(Count Per Minute) for Sodium chloride that used for the testing material in aerosol generation and inhalation system was decreased in the 2nd and the 3rd hour's serial trials, but CVs(coefficient of variation) were maintained within 10%. CPMs for 5 and 2.5 gram of lead acetate that used for aerosol generation and inhalation exposure of lead showed similar results because of the sedimentation of lead acetate on piezoelectric crystal with time. For that reason, heating and mixing of nebulizing solution will be needed to generate lead aerosol with stable profile and maximum generation efficiency. Fluctuations of 10 and 5 gram lead acetate were low but 2.5gram was high. However, CVs for 10, 5, and 2.5gram lead acetate were within 10%. Considering the theoretical efficiencies for sodium chloride and lead acetate, 5gram sodium chloride and 2.5gram lead acetate were appropriate choice. Aerosol generation characteristics for two materials with 1 hour interval were different with respect to the fluctuation of CPM and the decrease to 10gram in it's material. For that reason, sodium chloride can not be used to estimate the aerosol generation and it's related parts for lead acetate. According to the testing conditions, source temperature 20, 50, 70℃, and inlet-duct band heater temperature 20, 50, 100, 150, 200℃, aerosol generation results for sodium chloride and lead acetate were as followings: Excluding inlet-duct band temperature 200℃, maximum CPM for sodium chloride was manifested in source temperature 70℃ with each inlet-duct band temperature conditions. We suggest that this condition was the optimum in the design of aerosol generator, inhalation system, and the testing. Maximum CPMs for 10, 5, and 2.5gram sodium chloride were from source temperature 70℃ and inlet-duct band temperature 20℃. Excluding inlet-duct band temperature 50, 200℃, maximum CPMs for lead acetate were indicated in source temperature 50℃ with each inlet-duct band temperature conditions. We suggest that this condition was the optimum in the design of aerosol generator, inhalation system, and the testing for lead inhalation study. Source and inlet-duct band temperatures for 10, 5, 2.5gram lead acetate were 50 and 100℃, 50 and 100℃, 50 and 150℃, respectively. In conclusion, considering above 2 paragraphs of results for aerosol generation, 5gram efficiencies for sodium chloride, lead acetate were higher than 2.5gram's. If inlet-duct band temperature was same, aerosol generation was increased with increase of source temperature. To get maximum aerosol generation will be the conditions that set the appropriate inlet-duel band temperature for each materials and increase the source temperature.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.333-340
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• 1998

The research was investigated to determine the effect of irradiation or blanching either alone or in combination on the shelf-life of juices of Spuriopinella bracycarpar during storages. The juices was made from fresh or blanced Spuriopinella bracycarpar and gamma irradiated at the doses (0.5 kGy to 5 kGy). Microbial growth, color change, vitamin C, and sensory evaluation were evaluated during storage at 4 and $25^{\circ}C$. Blanched juices had little effect on the inhibition of microbial growth compared to that of fresh juices. However, significant reduction of microbial counts was observed in the 0.5 kGy irradiation of both juices and inhibition efficiency was greatly increased when irradiated juices was stored at $4^{\circ}C$ rather than at room temperature. Fresh juices without irradiation were little different from the irradiated fresh juices until 20d storage on color change because the juices was rapidly browned immediately after getting the juices from extractor, but blanched juices showed more bright and clear color than that of fresh juices. However, irradiated blanched juices showed greatly reduced the L, a, and b value compared to the non-irradiated blanched juices during storage. The loss of vitamin C from non-irradiated fresh juices was increased during storage and the irradiated fresh juices had little effect on the vitamin C change compared to the non-irradiated fresh juices. However, blanched juices showed less reduction of vitamin C than fresh juices and the irradiated blanched juices had little difference on the vitamin C change compared to the non-irradiated blanched juices, and both treatment showed less vitamin C loss at $4^{\circ}C$ storage. Fresh juces showed more strong grass flavor and biterness than blanched juices and irradiated fresh juices showed little difference on brightness, grass flavor, bitterness, freshness and acceptability, but irradiated blanched juices had better sensory evaluation on grass flavor, bitterness, freshness, and acceptability than non-irradiated branched juices.

• Korean Chemical Engineering Research
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.419-425
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• 2017

In this study, the performance characteristics of the K-based sorbents (KEP-CO2P2, KEPCO RI, Korea) has been studied in relation with the heat exchanger structure and shape in a mixing zone of the carbonator in the bench-scale dry $CO_2$ capture process. Two types of heat exchangers (different structure and shape) were used in the carbonator as CASE 1 and CASE 2, in which the experiment has been continuously performed under the same operating conditions. During the continuous operation, working temperature of carbonator was 75 to $80^{\circ}C$, that of regenerator was 190 to $200^{\circ}C$, and $CO_2$ inlet concentration of the feed gas was 12 to 14 vol%. Especially, to compare the dynamic sorption capacity of sorbents, the differential pressure of the mixing zone in the carbonator was maintained around 400 to 500 mm $H_2O$. Also, solid samples from the carbonator and the regenerator were collected and weight variation of those samples was evaluated by TGA. The $CO_2$ removal efficiency and the dynamic sorption capacity were 64.3% and 2.40 wt%, respectively for CASE 1 while they were 81.0% and 4.66 wt%, respectively for CASE 2. Also, the dynamic sorption capacity of the sorbent in CASE 1 and CASE 2 was 2.51 wt% and 4.89 wt%, respectively, based on the weight loss of the TGA measurement results. Therefore, It was concluded that there could be a difference in the performance characteristics of the same sorbents according to the structure and type of heat exchanger inserted in the carbonator under the same operating conditions.

• Economic and Environmental Geology
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• v.53 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2020

Geological CO₂ sequestration is a global warming response technology to limit atmospheric emissions by injecting CO₂ captured on a large scale into deep geological formations. The presented results concern mineralogical and hydrogeological investigations (FE-SEM, XRD, XRF, and MICP) of mudstone samples from drilling cores of the Pohang basin, which is the research area for the first demonstration-scale CO₂ storage project in Korea. They aim to identify the mineral properties of the mudstone constituting the caprock and to quantitatively evaluate the hydrogeologic sealing capacity that directly affects the stability and reliability of geological CO₂ storage. Mineralogical analysis showed that the mudstone samples are mainly composed of quartz, K-feldspar, plagioclase and a small amount of pyrite, calcite, clay minerals, etc. Mercury intrusion capillary pressure analysis also showed that the samples generally had uniform particle configurations and pore distribution and there was no distinct correlation between the estimated porosity and air permeability. The allowable CO₂ column heights based on the estimated pore-entry pressures and breakthrough pressures were found to be significantly higher than the thickness of the targeting CO₂ injection layer. These results showed that the mudstone layers in the Yeongil group, Pohang basin, Korea have sufficient sealing capacity to suppress the leakage of CO₂ injected during the demonstration-scale CO₂ storage project. It should be noticed, however, that the applicability of results and analyses in this study is limited by the lack of available samples. For rigorous assessment of the sealing efficiency for geological CO₂ storage operations, significant efforts on collection and multi-aspect evaluation for core samples over entire caprock formations should be accompanied.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.23-30
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• 2014

Purpose: The present study was aimed to figure out the correlation amongst the evaluation methods for critical micelle concentration, surface tension and protein cleaning efficacy to evaluate cleaning efficacy of contact lens care products. Methods: The critical micelle concentration of surfactants and the actual concentration of surfactants in contact lens care solutions were investigated by employing references published and related information. Surface tension of contact lens care solutions was measured by surface tension device at $25{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, and contact lenses made of lotrafilcon A, comfilcon A and balafilcon A were washed with contact lens care solutions after the incubation in artificial tears for 14 days and their cleaning efficacy was compared. Results: Among the 22 contact lens care products, 9 products provided the label of the concentration of surfactant, and 7 products showed higher concentration of surfactant than the critical micelle concentration reported in references. As a result of measuring surface tension, the surface tension of lens care products for soft contact lens was generally lower than other care products. When examined the removal effect of protein deposited on lens surface, it was known that the care products having lower surface tension showed higher protein removal efficiency. Conclusions: The surface tension is low when surfactant concentration in contact lens care solutions is high, and the removal effect of protein deposited is accordingly increased with the decrease of surface tension. Thus, these indicate the correlation amongst the evaluation methods for cleaning efficacy.