• Clean Technology
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.10-21
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• 2023

Hydrogels that are made of natural polymer-based double networks have excellent biocompatibility, low cytotoxicity, and high water content, assuring that the material has the properties required for a variety of biomedical applications. However, hydrogels also have limitations due to their relatively weak mechanical properties. In this study, hydrogels based on an alginate di-aldehyde (ADA) and gelatin (Gel) double network that is reinforced with additional hydrogen bonds formed between the hydroxyl (-OH) groups of the hyperbranched polymer (HPG) and the functional groups present inside of the hydrogels were successfully synthesized. The enhanced mechanical properties of these synthesized hydrogels were evaluated by varying the amount of HPG added during the hydrogel synthesis from 0 to 25%. In addition, magnetite nanoparticles (Fe₃O₄ NPs) were synthesized within the hydrogels and the structures and the magnetic properties of the hydrogels were also characterized. The hydrogels that contained 15% HPG and Fe₃O₄ NPs exhibited superparamagnetic behaviors with a saturation magnetization value of 3.8 emu g^-1. These particular hydrogels also had strengthened mechanical properties with a maximum compressive stress of 1.1 MPa at a strain of 67.4%. Magnetic hydrogels made with natural polymer-based double networks provide improved mechanical properties and have a significant potential for drug delivery and biomaterial application.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SP
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• v.49 no.3
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• pp.10-17
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• 2012

In general, image-based 3D scenes can now be found in many popular vision systems, computer games and virtual reality tours. In this paper, we propose a method for creating 3D virtual scenes based on 2D image that is completely automatic and requires only a single scene as input data. The proposed method is similar to the creation of a pop-up illustration in a children's book. In particular, to estimate geometric structure information for 3D scene from a single outdoor image, we apply the tensor voting to an image segmentation. The tensor voting is used based on the fact that homogeneous region in an image is usually close together on a smooth region and therefore the tokens corresponding to centers of these regions have high saliency values. And then, our algorithm labels regions of the input image into coarse categories: "ground", "sky", and "vertical". These labels are then used to "cut and fold" the image into a pop-up model using a set of simple assumptions. The experimental results show that our method successfully segments coarse regions in many complex natural scene images and can create a 3D pop-up model to infer the structure information based on the segmented region information.

• Journal of Digital Contents Society
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• v.1 no.1
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• pp.53-64
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• 2000

This paper is related to color image segmentation scheme which makes it possible to achieve the excellent segmented results by block-based segmentation using Y/C bit-plane summation image. First, normalized chrominance summation image is obtained by normalizing the image which is summed up the absolutes of color-differential values between R, G, B images. Secondly, upper 2 bits of the luminance image and upper 6bits of and the normalized chrominance summation image are bitwise operated by the pixel to generate the Y/C bit-plane summation image. Next, the Y/C bit-plane summation image divided into predetermined block size, is classified into monotone blocks, texture blocks and edge blocks, and then each classified block is merged to the regions including one more blocks in the individual block type, and each region is selectively allocated to unique marker according to predetermined marker allocation rules. Finally, fine segmented results are obtained by applying the watershed algorithm to each pixel in the unmarked blocks. As shown in computer simulation, the main advantage of the proposed method is that it suppresses the over-segmentation in the texture regions and reduces computational load. Furthermore, it is able to apply global parameters to various images with different pixel distribution properties because they are nonsensitive for pixel distribution. Especially, the proposed method offers reasonable segmentation results in edge areas with lower contrast owing to the regional characteristics of the color components reflected in the Y/C bit-plane summation image.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartB
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• v.9B no.3
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• pp.359-368
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• 2002

In this paper, we propose effective boundary line extraction algorithm for moving objects by matching error image and moving vectors, and fast tracking algorithm for moving object by partial boundary lines. We extracted boundary line for moving object by generating seeds with probability distribution function based on Watershed algorithm, and by extracting boundary line for moving objects through extending seeds, and then by using moving vectors. We processed tracking algorithm for moving object by using a part of boundary lines as features. We set up a part of every-direction boundary line for moving object as the initial feature vectors for moving objects. Then, we tracked moving object within current frames by using feature vector for the previous frames. As the result of the simulation for tracking moving object on the real images, we found that tracking processing of the proposed algorithm was simple due to tracking boundary line only for moving object as a feature, in contrast to the traditional tracking algorithm for active contour line that have varying processing cost with the length of boundary line. The operations was reduced about 39% as contrasted with the full search BMA. Tracking error was less than 4 pixel when the feature vector was $(15\times{5)}$ through the information of every-direction boundary line. The proposed algorithm just needed 200 times of search operation.

• Horticultural Science & Technology
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• v.31 no.2
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• pp.159-164
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• 2013

A white powder-like substance, so called 'bloom', is formed on the surface of fruits of many varieties of cucumber. Although it is a natural phenomenon, bloomed fruits are accepted lower in quality compared to bloomless fruits by consumers. The experiments were conducted to obtain basic informations for breeding rootstocks, and to develop promising bloomless rootstocks from basic source materials collected and selected by seed company. The surfaces of bloomless fruits were appeared on the bladder cell of glandular trichome and the epicuticular waxes. Those of bloom fruits appeared with an injured bladder cell and many particles, which were not seen on those of bloomless fruits. The chromaticity was investigated on the surface of the bloom and the bloomless fruits. The 'a' and 'b' value of the bloom and the bloomless fruits did not show any significant difference. The 'L' value was significantly different and that of bloom fruits was higher than that of bloomless fruits. Fruit Si content was conspicuously lower in the fruits of cucumber plants grafted on the bloomless rootstock than in the fruits of those grafted on general bloom rootstocks.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.73-80
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• 2007

Fruitful findings have been produced from five out of sixty cells which were obtained from each 63 individual Aplisia caught at the Jeju coast. Spiking patterns of three out of five cells, such as relaxation oscillator, bursting within a short time of the inter-burst interval, chaotic bursting, period doubling sequences, bursting with long trains of action potentials separated by short silent periods, regular repeated beating or elliptic bursting, and silent states had been changed in order as the temperature was lowered to $10^{\circ}C\;from\;32^{\circ}C$. In the intervals of every about 40 minutes repeated ups and downs of temperature produced similar firing patterns at the allowable temperature ranges. The other two cells showed difference from these. The amplitudes of the action potentials of the two cells will not be highly decreased in 24 hours. Average spike frequencies, the inter-burst interval, peak to peak spike amplitude of action potentials, minimum potential values are compared and analyzed by using the computer programme. The spike frequencies according to temperature show the distribution of bell type, with maximal spike frequencies at intermediate temperatures and minimal ones at either end. The most common pattern consist of high spike frequency during failing and low one during rising temperatures.

• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.230-234
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• 1999

Potassium channels play an important role in regulating vascular smooth muscle tone. Four types of $K^+$ channels areknown to be expressed in vascular smooth muscle cells, and maxi $Ca^{2+}-activated\;K^+$ channel $(BK_{Ca})$ is a dominant type of $K^+$ channels in these cells. Because total ginseng saponins and ginsenoside $Rg_3$ cause vasodilation with unclear mechanisms, we hypothesized that total ginseng saponins and ginsenoside $Rg_3$ induce vasodilation via activation of maxi $Ca^{2+}-activated\;K+$ channels. Whole-cell BKe. currents were voltage-dependent with half maximum activation at -14 mV, and the currents were sensitive to nanomolar ChTX and millimolar TEA. External application of total ginseng saponins increased the anlplitude of the whole-cell BKe. current in a concentration-dependent manner. Single-channel analysis indicates that total ginseng saponins caused the channel opening for a longer period of time. Ginsenoside $Rg_3$ increased the amplitude of whole-cell $K_{Ca}$ currents without affecting voltage dependence of the currents and increased single-channel open time. Hence, the results suggest that ginseng saponin-induced vasodilation may be due to activation of $K_{Ca}$.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.114-119
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• 2002

A immobilizing device that is essential for correct lung and lens shielding with homogenous dose distribution in fractionated total body irradiation was developed and it's efficiency was evaluated. The main frame was made of stainless steel bar (5 cm in diameter) to withstand up to 230 cm in height and 100 kg in weight to prevent any injury even in unconsciousness condition. The saddle was designed to adjust the body weight and hight of standing patients. Chest and back supporter were made of 1 cm acryl which could fix the lung block and cassette holder. Leather and sponge pedding were used for head rest to keep patients comfortable. The device was strongly fixed by specially designed bolts on the bottom panel which was made of 1 cm stainless steel and 10 cm thick wooden board. Precise manipulation ($\pm$2 mm) was possible by upper two pulleys and side handles. Average four minutes twenty five seconds were needed for exact setting in fractionated TBI. No significant difference of lung block location on repeated verification films was confirmed and relatively homogeneous dose distribution was measured in rando phantom experiments and patient treatments ($\pm$5%). This immobilizing device was very efficient to keep correct position of patients, which is essential for better result and less complication in fractionated TBI.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartB
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• v.16B no.1
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• pp.7-16
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• 2009

Some clustering algorithms have a problem that an image is over-segmented since both the spatial information between the segmented regions is not considered and the number of the clusters is defined in advance. Therefore, they are difficult to be applied to the applicable fields. This paper proposes the new post-processing methods, a reclassification of the inhomogeneous clusters and a region merging using Baysian algorithm, that improve the segmentation results of the clustering algorithms. The inhomogeneous cluster is firstly selected based on variance and between-class distance and it is then reclassified into the other clusters in the reclassification step. This reclassification is repeated until the optimal number determined by the minimum average within-class distance. And the similar regions are merged using Baysian algorithm based on Kullbeck-Leibler distance between the adjacent regions. So we can effectively solve the over-segmentation problem and the result can be applied to the applicable fields. Finally, we design a classification system for the segmented regions to validate the proposed method. The segmented regions are classified by SVM(Support Vector Machine) using the principal colors and the texture information of the segmented regions. In experiment, the proposed method showed the validity for various real-images and was effectively applied to the designed classification system.

• International Journal of Highway Engineering
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.1-7
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• 2017

PURPOSES : This study aims to improve complex modeling of multivariable, nonlinear, and overdispersion data with an artificial neural network that has been a problem in the civil and transport sectors. METHODS: Deep learning, which is a technique employing artificial neural networks, was applied for developing a large bus fuel consumption model as a case study. Estimation characteristics and accuracy were compared with the results of conventional multiple regression modeling. RESULTS : The deep learning model remarkably improved estimation accuracy of regression modeling, from R-sq. 18.76% to 72.22%. In addition, it was very flexible in reflecting large variance and complex relationships between dependent and independent variables. CONCLUSIONS : Deep learning could be a new alternative that solves general problems inherent in conventional statistical methods and it is highly promising in planning and optimizing issues in the civil and transport sectors. Extended applications to other fields, such as pavement management, structure safety, operation of intelligent transport systems, and traffic noise estimation are highly recommended.