• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.160-167
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• 2015

Radiation exposure from medical diagnostic imaging procedures to patients is one of the most significant interests in diagnostic x-ray system. A miniature x-ray intraoral tube was developed for the first time in the world which can be inserted into the mouth for imaging. Dose evaluation should be carried out in order to utilize such an imaging device for clinical use. In this study, dose evaluation of the new x-ray unit was performed by 1) using a custom made in vivo Pig phantom, 2) determining exposure condition for the clinical use, and 3) measuring patient dose of the new system. On the basis of DRLs (Diagnostic Reference Level) recommended by KDFA (Korea Food & Drug Administration), the ESD (Entrance Skin Dose) and DAP (Dose Area Product) measurements for the new x-ray imaging device were designed and measured. The maximum voltage and current of the x-ray tubes used in this study were 55 kVp, and 300 mA. The active area of the detector was $72{\times}72mm$ with pixel size of $48{\mu}m$. To obtain the operating condition of the new system, pig jaw phantom images showing major tooth-associated tissues, such as clown, pulp cavity were acquired at 1 frame/sec. Changing the beam currents 20 to $80{\mu}A$, x-ray images of 50 frames were obtained for one beam current with optimum x-ray exposure setting. Pig jaw phantom images were acquired from two commercial x-ray imaging units and compared to the new x-ray device: CS 2100, Carestream Dental LLC and EXARO, HIOSSEN, Inc. Their exposure conditions were 60 kV, 7 mA, and 60 kV, 2 mA, respectively. Comparing the new x-ray device and conventional x-ray imaging units, images of the new x-ray device around teeth and their neighboring tissues turn out to be better in spite of its small x-ray field size. ESD of the new x-ray device was measured 1.369 mGy on the beam condition for the best image quality, 0.051 mAs, which is much less than DRLs recommended by IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) and KDFA, both. Its dose distribution in the x-ray field size was observed to be uniform with standard deviation of 5~10 %. DAP of the new x-ray device was $82.4mGy*cm^2$ less than DRL established by KDFA even though its x-ray field size was small. This study shows that the new x-ray imaging device offers better in image quality and lower radiation dose compared to the conventional intraoral units. In additions, methods and know-how for studies in x-ray features could be accumulated from this work.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.33-38
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• 2014

Purpose Auto exposure control (AEC) in SPECT/CT automatically controls the exposure dose (mA) according to patient's shape and size. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of AEC in SPECT/CT on exposure dose reduction and image quality. Materials and Methods The model of SPECT/CT used in this study was Discovery 670 (GE, USA), Smart mA for AEC; and $^{99m}Tc$ as a radioisotope. To compare SPECT and CT images by CT exposure dose variation, we used a standard technique set at 80, 100, 120, 140 kVp, 10, 30, 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 mA, and AEC at 80, 100, 120, 140 kVp, 10-250 mA. To evaluate resolution and contrast of SPECT images, triple line phantom and flangeless Esser PET phantom were used. For CT images, noise and uniformity were checked by anthropomrphic chest phantom. For dose evaluation to find DLP value, anthropomorphic chest phantom was used and the CT protocol of torso was applied by standard technique (120 kVp, 100 mA) and AEC (120 kVp, 10-250 mA). Results When standard and AEC were applied, the resolutions at SPECT images with attenuation correction (AC) were the same as FWHM by center 3.65 mm, left 3.48 mm, right 3.61 mm. Contrasts of standard and AEC showed no significant difference: standard 53.5, 29.8, 22.5, 15.8, 6.0, AEC 53.5, 29.6, 22.4, 15.7, 6.1 In CT images, noise values at standard and AEC were 15.4 and 18.5 respectively. The application of AEC increases noise but the value of coefficient variation were 33.8, 24.9 respectively, obtaining uniform noise image. The values of DLP at standard and AEC were 426.78 and 352.09 each, which shows that the application of AEC decreases exposure dose more than standard by approximately 18%. Conclusion The results of our study show that there was no difference of AC in SPECT images based on the CT exposure dose variation at SPECT/CT images. It was found that the increased CT exposure dose leads to the improvement of CT image quality but also increases the exposure dose. Thus, the use of AEC in SPECT/CT contributes to obtaining equal AC SPECT images, and uniform noise in CT images while reducing exposure dose.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.81-86
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• 2012

Purpose : Combined MR/PET scanners that use the MRI for PET AC face the challenge of absent surface coils in MR images and thus cannot directly account for attenuation in the coils. To make up for the weak point of MR attenuation correction, Three Modality System (PET/CT +MR) were used in Severance hospital. The goal of this work was to investigate the effects of MR Torso Coil on CT attenuation correction for PET. Materials and Methods : PET artifacts were evaluated when the MR Torso Coil was present of CTAC data with changing various kV and mA in uniformity water phantom and 1994 NEMA cylinderical phantom. They evaluated and compared the following two scenarios: (1) The uniform cylinder phantom and the MR Torso Coil scanned and reconstructed using CT-AC; (2) 1994 NEMA cylinderical phantom and the MR Torso Coil scanned and reconstructed using CT-AC. Results : Streak artifacts were present in CT images containing the MR Torso Coil due to metal components. These artifacts persisted after the CT images were converted for PET-AC. CT scans tended to over-estimate the linear attenuation coefficient when the kV and mA is increasing of the metal components when using conventional methods for converting from CT number. Conclusion : The presence of MR coils during PET/CT scanning can cause subtle artifacts and potentially important quantification errors. Alternative CT techniques that mitigate artifacts should be used to improve AC accuracy. When possible, removing segments of an MR coil prior to the PET/CT exam is recommended. Further, MR coils could be redesigned to reduce artifacts by rearranging placement of the most attenuating materials.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.25-38
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• 2020

Photoelectrochemical water splitting has been considered as the most promising technology for generating hydrogen energy. Transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD) compounds have currently attracted tremendous attention due to their outstanding ability towards the catalytic water-splitting hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). Herein, we report the synthesis method of various transition metal dichalcogenide including MoS₂, MoSe₂, WS₂, and WSe₂ nanosheets as excellent catalysts for solar-driven photoelectrochemical (PEC) hydrogen evolution. Photocathodes were fabricated by growing the nanosheets directly onto Si nanowire (NW) arrays, with a thickness of 20 nm. The metal ion layers were formed by soaking the metal chloride ethanol solution and subsequent sulfurization or selenization produced the transition metal chalcogenide. They all exhibit excellent PEC performance in 0.5 M H₂SO₄; the photocurrent reaches to 20 mA cm^-2 (at 0 V vs. RHE) and the onset potential is 0.2 V under AM1.5 condition. The quantum efficiency of hydrogen generation is avg. 90%. The stability of MoS₂ and MoSe₂ is 90% for 3h, which is higher than that (80%) of WS₂ and WSe₂. Detailed structure analysis using X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy for before/after HER reveals that the Si-WS₂ and Si-WSe₂ experience more oxidation of Si NWs than Si-MoS₂ and Si-MoSe₂. This can be explained by the less protection of Si NW surface by their flake shape morphology. The high catalytic activity of TMDs should be the main cause of this enhanced PEC performance, promising efficient water-splitting Si-based PEC cells.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.873-881
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• 2005

This study was conducted to improve the properties of frozen dough foods (buns and noodles etc.) on the quality deterioration with microwave oven cooking. Microwave is a useful cooking method, but it quickly takes moisture from food surface and makes lowering food quality abruptly. For improvement of these problems, mixing doughs with addition of various additives of 34 types manufactured respectively; starches, modified starches, gums and emulsifiers etc. Each mixing dough produced in sheet type $(30{\times}30{\times}1mm)$ and steamed them, was quickly froze at $-70^{\circ}C$ and packed with polyethylene. Packed samples kept at $-20^{\circ}C$ for 48 hours. After they were steam or microwave treatment packed or non-packed with polyethylene, studied for improvement effects of quality as sensory evaluation and selected 6 type additives; modified starches (TA, ST), gums (AR, GA) and emulsifiers (E, S1) as improvement agent. Because moisture loss from microwave oven cooking leads to quality deterioration of frozen dough foods, additive, such as including starches, modified starch, gums, and emusifiers were added to improve dough properties. Amylogram, scanning electron microscopy, textural analysis, and differential scanning calorimetry revealed addition of additives improved textural properties including surface-hardening of frozen dough foods compared to the control.

• Food Engineering Progress
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.193-201
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• 2010

The aim of this study was to analyse the quality of Yukwa puffed by using a vacuum puffing machine and compare to deep-fried Yukwa. The effect of vacuum puffing condition including heating temperature(100-${160^{\circ}C}$), preheating time(0-8 min) and vacuum puffing time(5-20 min) on physical and microstructure characteristics of the Yukwa was investigated. Vacuum puffed Yukwa at ${100^{\circ}C}$ heating temperature, 6 min preheating time and 10 min puffing time had highest value in volumetric expansion ratio(10.04) and lowest value in bulk density(0.15 g/$cm^{3}$). The breaking strength showed the lowest value of 140 g/$cm^{3}$ in vacuum puffing Yukwa at ${100^{\circ}C}$ heating temperature, 6 min preheating time and 15 min puffing time. The Yukwa puffed with the vacuum puffing machine at ${100^{\circ}C}$ heating temperature, 6 min preheating time and 15 min puffing time had the higher value of bulk density and the lower value of volumetric expansion ratio than those of deep-fried Yukwa. Increasing preheating time and vacuum puffing time caused an increase in white and an decrease in yellowness. The vacuum-puffed Yukwa exhibited smaller and uniform cell structure, while deep-fried Yukwa exhibited apparently in larger pores inside and smaller pores near the surface layer. The optimum condition of vacuum puffing machine for the production of vacuum-puffing Yukwa was ${120^{\circ}C}$ heating temperature, 4 min preheating time and 5 min puffing time.

• Journal of Bio-Environment Control
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• v.32 no.1
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• pp.48-56
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• 2023

High-pressure sodium (HPS) lamps have been widely used as a useful supplemental light source to emit sufficient photosynthetically active radiation and provide a radiant heat, which contribute the heat requirement in greenhouses. The objective of this study to analyze the thermal characteristics of HPS lamp and thermal behavior in supplemented greenhouse, and evaluate the performance of a horizontal leaf temperature of sweet pepper plants using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) simulation. We simulated horizontal leaf temperature on upper canopy according to three growth stage scenarios, which represented 1.0, 1.6, and 2.2 plant height, respectively. We also measured vertical leaf and air temperature accompanied by heat generation of HPS lamps. There was large leaf to air temperature differential due to non-uniformity in temperature. In our numerical calculation, thermal energy of HPS lamps contributed of 50.1% the total heat requirement on Dec. 2022. The CFD model was validated by comparing measured and simulated data at the same operating condition. Mean absolute error and root mean square error were below 0.5, which means the CFD simulation values were highly accurate. Our result about vertical leaf and air temperature can be used in decision making for efficient thermal energy management and crop growth.

• Journal of Practical Agriculture & Fisheries Research
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.43-58
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• 2008

This research was conducted to determine the alternative tool of chemical spray for rice cultivation using the unmanned helicopter(Yamaha, R-Max Type 2G-remote controlled system) at farmer's field in Korea. The unmanned helicopter tested was introduced form Japan. In Korea the application of chemicals by machine sprayer for pest management in rice cultivation has been ordinarily used at the farmer's level. However, it involved a relatively high cost and laborious for the small scale of cultivation per farm household. Farm population has been highly decreased to 7.5% in 2002 and the population is expected to rapidly reduce by 3.5% in 2012. In Japan, pest control depending on unmanned helicopter has been increased by leaps and bounds. This was due in part to the materialization of the low-cost production technology under agricultural policy and demand environmentally friendly farm products. The practicability of the unmanned helicopter in terms of super efficiency and effectiveness has been proven, and the farmers have understood that the unmanned helicopter is indispensable in the future farming system that they visualized. Also, the unmanned helicopter has been applied to rice, wheat, soybean, vegetables, fruit trees, pine trees for spraying chemicals and/or fertilizers in Japan Effect of disease control by unmanned helicopter was partially approved against rice blast and sheath blight. However, the result was not satisfactory due to the weather conditions and cultural practices. The spray density was also determined in this experiment at 0, 15, 30, and 60cm height from the paddy soil surface and there was 968 spots at 0cm, 1,560 spots at 15cm, 1,923 spots at 30cm, and 2,999 spots at 60cm height. However, no significant difference was found among the treatments. At the same time, there was no phytotoxicity observed under the chemical stray using this unmanned helicopter, nor the rice plant itself was damaged by the wind during the operation.

• Culinary science and hospitality research
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• v.21 no.6
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• pp.303-311
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• 2015

This study was carried out to evaluate the possibility of polyols for coating material of chewing gum. Five polyols xylitol, maltitol, isomalt, erythritol, and sorbitol were compared the coating quality, coating and drying time, and color differences. Maltitol was evaluated to be the best quality for coating the gum, whereas erythritol and sorbitol were not considered for coating materials for gum. These results derived from irregular surface layer and low productivity due to increased coating time. According to changes in color of chewing gum, samples coated maltitol and xylitol and isomalt stored at high temperature. In addition, color difference of sample coated maltitol was calculated 2.88 stored at $80^{\circ}C$ for 1 day, but those of xylitol and maltitol were highly evaluated. Sample coated maltitol in polypropylene bag was stored and measured for 1 month. Changes in color of sample was slightly occurred at below $40^{\circ}C$ and the color difference was not more than 3 at $60^{\circ}C$. Chewing gum coated maltitol as coating material was expected more stable in the quality of color during distribution. Current study was performed to color changes during storage, further study will be proceeded about shelf-life of chewing gum coated polyols.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
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• v.47 no.1
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• pp.63-69
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to investigate the deformation of packaging materials used for ready-to-eat (RTE) foods after the retort process and microwave heating. From the multilayer films consisting of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), polyamide (PA), and cast polypropylene (CPP) in a stand-up pouch form used for RTE foods, some deformation of the CPP layer, which was in direct contact with the food, was observed after the retort process and microwave heating. The damage was more severely caused by microwave heating than by the retort process. This may be attributed to diverse factors including the non-uniform heating in a microwave oven, the sorption of oil into the packaging film, and the different characteristics of food components such as viscosity, salt and water content. The development of heat-resistant packaging materials and systems suitable for microwave heating of RTE foods is required for the safety of consumers.