• Journal of the Korea Society of Computer and Information
• /
• v.21 no.12
• /
• pp.11-18
• /
• 2016

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) is widely used in brain research field and medical image. Especially, non-invasive brain activation acquired image technique, which is functional magnetic resonance image (fMRI) is used in brain study. In this study, we investigate brain activation occurred by LED light stimulation. For investigate of brain activation in experimental small animal, we used high magnetic field 9.4T MRI. Experimental small animal is Balb/c mouse, method of fMRI is using echo planar image (EPI). EPI method spend more less time than any other MRI method. For this reason, however, EPI data has low contrast. Due to the low contrast, image pre-processing is very hard and inaccuracy. In this study, we planned the study protocol, which is called block design in fMRI research field. The block designed has 8 LED light stimulation session and 8 rest session. All block is consist of 6 EPI images and acquired 1 slice of EPI image is 16 second. During the light session, we occurred LED light stimulation for 1 minutes 36 seconds. During the rest session, we do not occurred light stimulation and remain the light off state for 1 minutes 36 seconds. This session repeat the all over the EPI scan time, so the total spend time of EPI scan has almost 26 minutes. After acquired EPI data, we performed the analysis of this image data. In this study, we analysis of EPI data using statistical parametric map (SPM) software and performed image pre-processing such as realignment, co-registration, normalization, smoothing of EPI data. The pre-processing of fMRI data have to segmented using this software. However this method has 3 different method which is Gaussian nonparametric, warped modulate, and tissue probability map. In this study we performed the this 3 different method and compared how they can change the result of fMRI analysis results. The result of this study show that LED light stimulation was activate superior colliculus region in mouse brain. And the most higher activated value of segmentation method was using tissue probability map. this study may help to improve brain activation study using EPI and SPM analysis.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.973-990
• /
• 1996

To investigate diagnostic imaging of cystitis and to apply it to the small animal practice, ultrasonogram of urinary bladder with moderate distension(4ml/kg) and with complete distension(9ml/kg) to evaluate the irregularity and thickness of bladder, radiography and histopathological examination were performed after experimental cystitis induction. On double contrast cystography, mucosal membrane of the urinary bladder was smooth and thickening urinary bladder wall was not found before cystitis induction. At 3rd day post induction(PI), mucosal irregularity was noted at the cranioventral region of the urinary bladder. Thickening of the urinary bladder wall and filling defect was observed as well. Cystographic findings of 7, 10, 15, 21 day PI were similar to that of 3rd day PI. On ultrasonographic findings of the mural thickness in induction group, it was ascertain that the mural thickness with moderate distention was more thickened than with complete distention at transverse scan. Ultrasonographic findings at longitudinal scan were similar to those of transverse scan. On ultrasonographic findings of mucosal irregularity in induction group, from PI to 7 day PI, mucosal irregularity with moderate distention was more irregular than mucosal irregularity with complete distention. At 10 day PI, there was similarity between moderate distention and complete distention. On histopathologic examination of a section of urinary bladder taken 3 day PI, the mucosal and submucosa were infiltrated by a mixture of thick inflammatory exudate which was composed of neutrophil, plasma protein, bacterial colony and necrotic cells. Congestion, hemorrhage and edema were also observed in the submucosa. At 7th day PI, the mucosal change was similar to that of 3rd day PI, but neovascularization and fibroplasia were observed in the submucosa. At 15th and 21th day PI, mild hyperplasia of mucosal epithelium was observed in the mucosa. Deposition of collagen, neovascularization and severe diffuse infiltration of lymphocyte were observed. These results suggest that ultrasonographic examination with moderate distention is considered to be a more simple, rapid, noninvasive, sensitive and useful diagnostic method than other diagnostic methods for the diagnosis of the cystitis and the differential diagnosis of urinary tract infection.

• Proceedings of the Ginseng society Conference
• /
• 2002.10a
• /
• pp.96-112
• /
• 2002

In the present study, we have investigated the effects of centrally administered ginsenoside Rc or Rgl on the modulation of NMDA receptor and $GABA_A$ receptor binding in rat brain. The NMDA receptor binding was analyzed by quantitative autoradiography using $[^3H]MK-801$ binding, and $GABA_A$ receptor bindings were analyzed by using $[^3H]muscimol\;and\;[^3H]flunitrazepam$ in rat brain slices. Rats were infused with ginsenoside Rc or Rg1 ($10\;{\mu}g/10{\mu}l/hr$, i.c.v.) for 7 days, through pre-implanted cannula by osmotic minipumps (Alzet, model 2ML), The levels of $[^3H]MK-801$ binding were highly decreased in part of cortex and cingulated by ginsenoside Rc and Rgl. The levels of $[^3H]muscimol$ binding were strongly elevated in almost all regions of frontal cortex by the treatment of ginseoside Rc but decreased by ginsenoside Rg 1. However, the $[^3H]flunitrazepam$ binding was not modulated by ginsenoside Rc or ginsenoside Rgl infusion. These results suggest that prolonged infusion of ginsenoside could differentially modulate $[^3H]MK-801\;and\;[^3H]muscimol$ binding in a region-specific manner. Also, we investigated the influence of centrally administered ginsenoside on the regulation of mRNA levels of the family of NMDA receptor subtypes (NR1, NR2A, NR2B, NR2C) by in situ hybridization histochemistry in the rat brain. The level of NR1 mRNA is significantly increased in temporal cortex, caudate putamen, hippocampus, and granule layer of cerebellum in Rgl-infused rats as compared to control group. The level of NR2A mRNA is elevated in the frontal cortex. In contrast, it was decreased in CAI area of hippocampus in Rgl-infused rats. However, there was no significant change of NR1 and NR2A mRNA levels in Rc-infused rats. The level of NR2B mRNA is elevated in cortex, caudate putamen, and thalamus in both Rc- and Rg-infused rats. In contrast, NR2B level is decreased in CA3 in Rgl-infused rats. The level of NR2C mRNA is increased in the granule layer of cerebellum in only Rg1 but not Rc infused rats. These results show that structure difference of ginsenoside may diversely affect the modulation of expression of NMDA receptor subunit mRNA after infusion into cerebroventricle in rats.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
• /
• v.22 no.1
• /
• pp.118-130
• /
• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to investigate the blood-brain barrier (BBB) disruption in mild traumatic brain injury (mTBI) patients with post-concussion syndrome (PCS) using dynamic contrast-enhanced (DCE) magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and automatic whole brain segmentation. Materials and Methods: Forty-two consecutive mTBI patients with PCS who had undergone post-traumatic MR imaging, including DCE MR imaging, between October 2016 and April 2018, and 29 controls with DCE MR imaging were included in this retrospective study. After performing three-dimensional T1-based brain segmentation with FreeSurfer software (Laboratory for Computational Neuroimaging), the mean K^trans and v_p from DCE MR imaging (derived using the Patlak model and extended Tofts and Kermode model) were analyzed in the bilateral cerebral/cerebellar cortex, bilateral cerebral/cerebellar white matter (WM), and brainstem. K^trans values of the mTBI patients and controls were calculated using both models to identify the model that better reflected the increased permeability owing to mTBI (tendency toward higher K^trans values in mTBI patients than in controls). The Mann-Whitney U test and Spearman rank correlation test were performed to compare the mean K^trans and v_p between the two groups and correlate K^trans and v_p with neuropsychological tests for mTBI patients. Results: Increased permeability owing to mTBI was observed in the Patlak model but not in the extended Tofts and Kermode model. In the Patlak model, the mean K^trans in the bilateral cerebral cortex was significantly higher in mTBI patients than in controls (p = 0.042). The mean v_p values in the bilateral cerebellar WM and brainstem were significantly lower in mTBI patients than in controls (p = 0.009 and p = 0.011, respectively). The mean K^trans of the bilateral cerebral cortex was significantly higher in patients with atypical performance in the auditory continuous performance test (commission errors) than in average or good performers (p = 0.041). Conclusion: BBB disruption, as reflected by the increased K^trans and decreased v_p values from the Patlak model, was observed throughout the bilateral cerebral cortex, bilateral cerebellar WM, and brainstem in mTBI patients with PCS.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
• /
• v.15 no.11
• /
• pp.2321-2326
• /
• 2011

Cervical vertebrae are a complex structure and an important part of human body connecting the head and the trunk. In this paper, we propose a method to extract sternocleidomastoid muscle from ultrasonography images of cervical vertabrae automatically. In our method, Region of Interests(ROI) is extracted first from an ultrasonography image after removing unnecessary auxiliary information such as metrics. Then we apply Ends-in search stretching algorithm in order to enhance the contrast of brightness. Average binarization is then applied to those pixels which its brightness is sufficiently large. The noise part is removed by image processing algorithms. After extracting fascia encloses sternocleidomastoid muscle, target muscle object is extracted using the location information of fascia according to the number of objects in the fascia. When only one object is to be extracted, we search downward first to extract the target muscle area and then search from right to left to extract the area and merge them. If there are two target objects, we extract first from the upper-bound of higher object to the lower-bound of lower object and then remove the fascia of the target object area. Smearing technique is used to restore possible loss of the fat area in the process. The thickness of sternocleidomastoid muscle is then calculated as the maximum thickness of those extracted objects. In this experiment with 30 real world ultrasonography images, the proposed method verified its efficacy and accuracy by health professionals.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
• /
• v.34 no.7
• /
• pp.2117-2124
• /
• 2013

The binding properties and sequence selectivities of ${\Delta}{\Delta}$- and ${\Lambda}{\Lambda}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ (bip = 4,4'-biphenylene (imidazo [4,4-f][1,10]phenanthroline) complexes with $poly[d(A-T)_2]$ and $poly[d(G-C)_2]$ were investigated using conventional spectroscopic methods. When bound to $poly[d(A-T)_2]$, a large positive circular dichroism (CD) spectrum was induced in absorption region of the bridging moiety for both the ${\Delta}{\Delta}$- and ${\Lambda}{\Lambda}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ complexes, which suggested that the bridging moiety sits in the minor groove of the polynucleotide. As luminescence intensity increased, decay times became longer and complexes were well-protected from the negatively charged iodide quencher compared to that in the absence of $poly[d(A-T)_2]$. These luminescence measurements indicated that Ru(II) enantiomers were in a less polar environment compared to that in water and supported by minor groove binding. An angle of $45^{\circ}$ between the molecular plane of the bridging moiety of the ${\Delta}{\Delta}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ complex and the local DNA helix axis calculated from reduced linear dichroism ($LD^r$) spectrum further supported the minor groove binding mode. In the case of ${\Lambda}{\Lambda}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ complex, this angle was $55^{\circ}$, suggesting a tilt of DNA stem near the binding site and bridging moiety sit in the minor groove of the $poly[d(A-T)_2]$. In contrast, neither ${\Delta}{\Delta}$-nor ${\Lambda}{\Lambda}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ complex produced significant CD or $LD^r$ signal in the absorption region of the bridging moiety. Luminescence measurements revealed that both the ${\Delta}{\Delta}$- and ${\Lambda}{\Lambda}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ complexes were partially accessible to the $I^-$ quencher. Furthermore, decay times became shorter when bis-Ru(II) complexes bound to $poly[d(G-C)_2]$. These observations suggest that both the ${\Delta}{\Delta}$- and ${\Lambda}{\Lambda}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ complexes bind at the surface of $poly[d(G-C)_2]$, probably electrostatically to phosphate group. The results indicate that ${\Delta}{\Delta}$- and ${\Lambda}{\Lambda}-[{\mu}-Ru_2(phen)_4(bip)]^{4+}$ are able to discriminate between AT and GC base pairs.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
• /
• v.43 no.6 s.312
• /
• pp.65-84
• /
• 2006

In this paper, we present an improved image formation model and propose a color image enhancement based on the model. In the presented image formation model, an input image is represented as a product of global illumination, local illumination, and reflectance. In the proposed color image enhancement, an input RGB color image is converted into an HSV color image. Under the assumption of white-light illumination, the H and S component images are remained as they are and the V component image only is enhanced based on the image formation model. The global illumination is estimated by applying a linear LPF with wide support region to the input V component image and the local illumination by applying a JND (just noticeable difference)-based nonlinear LPF with narrow support region to the processed image, where the estimated global illumination is eliminated from the input V component image. The reflectance is estimated by dividing the input V component image by the estimated global and local illuminations. After performing the gamma correction on the three estimated components, the output V component image is obtained from their product. Histogram modeling is next executed such that the final output V component image is obtained. Finally an output RGB color image is obtained from the H and S component images of the input color image and the final output V component image. Experimental results for the test image DB built with color images downloaded from NASA homepage and MPEG-7 CCD color images show that the proposed method gives output color images of very well-increased global and local contrast without halo effect and color shift.

• Journal of the Microelectronics and Packaging Society
• /
• v.24 no.3
• /
• pp.47-52
• /
• 2017

This research scrutinizes the data retention characteristics of the MLC NAND Flash Memory instigated by the loss effect of trapped charge when the memory is in the state of program saturation. It is attributed to the threshold voltage saturation phenomenon which engenders an interruption to the linear increase of the voltage in the memory cell. This phenomenon is occasioned by the outflow of the trapped charge from the floating gate to the control gate, which has been programmed by the ISPP (Incremental Step Pulse Programming), via Inter-Poly Dielectric (IPD). This study stipulates the significant degradation of thermal retention characteristics of threshold voltage in the saturation region in contrast to the ones in the linear region. Thus the current study evaluates the data retention characteristics of voltage after the program with a repeated reading test in various measurement conditions. The loss effect of trapped charge is found in the IPD layer located between the floating gate and the control gate especially in the nitride layer of the IPD. After the thermal stress, the trapped charge is de-trapped and displays the impediment of the characteristic of reliability. To increase the threshold saturation voltage in the NAND Flash Memory, the storage ability of the charge in the floating gate must be enhanced with a well-thought-out designing of the module in the IPD layer.

• 한국신재생에너지학회:학술대회논문집
• /
• 2005.06a
• /
• pp.663-666
• /
• 2005

Gas hydrates are ice-like compounds that form at the low temperature and high pressure conditions common in shallow marine sediments at water depths greater than 300-500 m when concentrations of methane and other hydrocarbon gases exceed saturation. Estimates of the total mass of methane carbon that resides in this reservoir vary widely. While there is general agreement that gas hydrate is a significant component of the global near-surface carbon budget, there is considerable controversy about whether it has the potential to be a major source of fossil fuel in the future and whether periods of global climate change in the past can be attributed to destabilization of this reservoir. Also essentially unknown is the interaction between gas hydrate and the subsurface biosphere. ODP Leg 204 was designed to address these questions by determining the distribution, amount and rate of formation of gas hydrate within an accretionary ridge and adjacent basin and the sources of gas for forming hydrate. Additional objectives included identification of geologic proxies for past gas hydrate occurrence and calibration of remote sensing techniques to quantify the in situ amount of gas hydrate that can be used to improve estimates where no boreholes exist. Leg 204 also provided an opportunity to test several new techniques for sampling, preserving and measuring gas hydrates. During ODP Leg 204, nine sites were drilled and cored on southern Hydrate Ridge, a topographic high in the accretionary complex of the Cascadia subduction zone, located approximately 80km west of Newport, Oregon. Previous studies of southern Hydrate Ridge had documented the presence of seafloor gas vents, outcrops of massive gas hydrate, and a pinnacle' of authigenic carbonate near the summit. Deep-towed sidescan data show an approximately $300\times500m$ area of relatively high acoustic backscatter that indicates the extent of seafloor venting. Elsewhere on southern Hydrate Ridge, the seafloor is covered with low reflectivity sediment, but the presence of a regional bottom-simulating seismic reflection (BSR) suggests that gas hydrate is widespread. The sites that were drilled and cored during ODP Leg 204 can be grouped into three end-member environments basedon the seismic data. Sites 1244 through 1247 characterize the flanks of southern Hydrate Ridge. Sites 1248-1250 characterize the summit in the region of active seafloor venting. Sites 1251 and 1252 characterize the slope basin east of Hydrate Ridge, which is a region of rapid sedimentation, in contrast to the erosional environment of Hydrate Ridge. Site 1252 was located on the flank of a secondary anticline and is the only site where no BSR is observed.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
• /
• v.15 no.23
• /
• pp.10255-10262
• /
• 2015

High risk human papillomavirus (HR-HPV) E2 proteins play roles in transcriptional regulation and are commonly functionally disrupted when the HPV genome integrates into host chromosomes. Some 15-40% of cancer cases, however, contain an intact E2 gene or episomal HPV. In these cases, polymorphism of the E2 gene might be involved. This study aimed to determine polymorphisms of the E2 gene in episomal HPV16 detected in high grade squamous intraepithelial lesions and squamous cell carcinomas and altered functions compared to the E2 prototype. The E2 gene was amplified and sequenced. Two expression vectors containing E2 gene polymorphisms were constructed and transfected in SiHa and C33A cells, then E6 gene as well as Il-10 and TNF-${\alpha}$ expression was determined by quantitative RT-PCR. Expression vectors and reporter vectors containing the HPV16 long control region (LCR) were co-transfected and transcriptional activity was determined. The results showed that a total of 32 nucleotides and 23 amino acids were changed in all 20 cases of study, found in the transactivation (TA) domain, hinge (H) region and DNA binding (DB) domain with 14, 5 and 13 nucleotide positions. They mostly caused amino acid change. The expressing vectors containing different E2 gene polymorphisms showed E6 mRNA suppression, TNF-${\alpha}$ mRNA suppression and IL-10 induction but no statistically significant differences when compared to the E2 prototype. Moreover, promoter activity in HPV16 LCR was not affected by E2 protein with different gene polymorphisms, in contrast to nucleotide variations in LCR that showed an effect on transcription activity. These results demonstrated that E2 gene polymorphisms of episomal HPV16 did not affect transcriptional regulation and suggested that nucleotide variation as well as epigenetic modification of the LCR might play a role in inducing malignant transformation of cells containing episomal HPV16.