• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.23 no.4
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• pp.209-218
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• 2012

Recently, an adequate number of qualified medical physicist is needed for achieving effective treatment and securing safety to the patient, staff and the public on the course of radiation therapy, since the equipment and the technique of radiation therapy are being developed fast and becoming complex. The studies on medical physics staffing level in United State and European countries were investigated. These results were applied to the domestic situation in order to anticipate indirectly the adequate number of medical physicist in Korea. The current number of medical physicists of 6 (middle to large sized) hospitals in Korea was less than 50% of number recommended in the study. Further detailed research specified on the domestic situation is needed in order to expect adequate number of medical physicist more accurately, and particle beam therapy has to be also considered in the research since the facility site is increasing gradually.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.4
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• pp.303-314
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• 2013

Image quality of computed tomography (CT) is very vulnerable to metal artifacts. Recently, the thickness and background normalization techniques have been introduced. Since they provide flat sinograms, it is easy to determine metal traces and a simple linear interpolation would be enough to describe the missing data in sinograms. In this study, we have developed a theory describing two normalization methods and compared two methods with respect to various sizes and numbers of metal inserts by using simple numerical simulations. The developed theory showed that the background normalization provide flatter sinograms than the thickness normalization, which was validated with the simulation results. Numerical simulation results with respect to various sizes and numbers of metal inserts showed that the background normalization was better than the thickness normalization for metal artifact corrections. Although the residual artifacts still existed, we have showed that the background normalization without the segmentation procedure was better than the thickness normalization for metal artifact corrections. Since the background normalization without the segmentation procedure is simple and it does not require any users' intervention, it can be readily installed in conventional CT systems.

• Cross-Cultural Studies
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• v.53
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• pp.1-24
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• 2018

This following research is a study on the use of French and de-locality in the modern Korean poet Lee Sang's poetry (1910-1937). His hometown was Kyung Sung, Seoul. He mainly wrote his works in Korean, Chinese character, and Japanese, using the language of education and his native language at that time. So then, what was the spirit that he wanted to embody through use of French words? By using words like "ESQUISSE", "AMOUREUSE", Sang's French was not a one-time use of foreign words intended to amuse, but to him the words were as meticulously woven as his intentions. French words were harmonized with other non-poetic symbols such as "${\Box}$, ${\triangle}$, ${\nabla}$", and described as a type of typographical hieroglyphics. Instead of his mother-tongue language, French was applied as a surrealistic vocabulary that implemented the moral of infinite freedom and imagination, and expressed something new or extrasensory. Subsequently, the de-localized French (words) in his poetry can be seen as poetic words to implement a "new spirit", proposed by western avant-garde artists. Analysis of French in his poetry, showed a sense of yearning for the scientific civilization, calling for his sense of defeat and escape from the colonized inferior native land. Most of all, comparing his pursuit of western civilization and avant-garde art to French used in his poetry, is regarded as world-oriented poetry intended to implement the new tendency of the "the locomotive of modernity," transcending the territory of the native country.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.127-131
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• 2021

Based on its good compatibility with high-temperature environments, the Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy is used for high-temperature materials of industrial equipment. In this study, a Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy turbocharger turbine wheel was fabricated by a vacuum centrifugal casting method. The conditions that prevent misrun defects of the turbocharger turbine wheel blade from centrifugal casting using alumina molds were investigated. The microstructure of the alloy prepared by vacuum centrifugal casting was studied by means of optical microscopy (OM), with a micro-Vickers hardness analyzer (HV), by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and by SEM-EDS. The HV and SEM-EDS examinations of the as-cast Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy showed that the thickness of the oxide layer (α-case) was typically less than 50 ㎛. At a high preheating temperature of 1,100℃, a moderate RPM of 260, and with an alumina mold with a large gate size, there were almost no misrun defects. Therefore, it was confirmed that a Ti-48Al-2Cr-2Nb alloy turbocharger turbine wheel with fewer misrun defects could be achieved through a high preheating temperature, a moderate RPM, a large gate size and an alumina mold to suppress the formation of alpha-case components.

• Tunnel and Underground Space
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.435-450
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• 2022

In step-by-step site selection for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste, parameters necessary for site selection will be acquired through deep drilling surveys from the basic survey stage. Unlike site investigations of rock mass structures such as tunnels and underground oil storage facilities, those related to the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste are not only conducted in relatively deep depths, but also require a high level of quality control. In this report, based on the 750 m depth drilling experience conducted to acquire the parameters necessary for deep geological disposal, the methodology for deep drilling and the geology, geophysics, geochemistry, hydrogeology and rock mechanics obtained before, during, and after deep drilling are discussed. The procedures for multidisciplinary geoscientific investigations were briefly described. Regarding in-situ stress, one of the key evaluation parameter in the field of rock engineering, foreign and domestic cases related to the geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste were presented, and variations with depth were presented, and matters to be considered or agonized in acquiring evaluation parameters were mentioned.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.559-564
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• 2023

It is known that change in the bone strength of cortical bone constituting the outer shell of long bones such as the tibia or radius due to aging and osteoporosis is a risk factor for fracture. In this study, the group velocity of time-reversed Lamb waves generated in tibial cortical bone in vivo was measured using a time reversal method, and the correlations of the group velocity with the cortical bone thickness (cTh) and cortical bone mineral density (cBMD) closely related to the bone strength were investigated. It was found that the group velocity of time-reversed Lamb waves measured in the right tibia of 7 subjects showed a very high correlation, r = 0.90 (p < 0.0001), with the cTh and a relatively low correlation, r = 0.69 (p < 0.0001), with the cBMD. A limitation of this in vivo study is that the group velocity of time-reversed Lamb waves was measured for a normal group consisting of only 7 healthy adults. In the future, if the clinical usefulness of the time-reversed Lamb wave is demonstrated by follow-up studies on normal and osteoporotic groups consisting of a large number of healthy adults and osteoporotic patients, respectively, it is expected to improve the reliability of quantitative ultrasound technology for osteoporosis diagnosis. In addition, it is necessary to expand the skeletal site for measuring the group velocity of time-reversed Lamb waves not only to the tibia but also to the femur or radius.

• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.28 no.6
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• pp.542-547
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• 2009

In this in vivo study, correlations of lumbar and femoral bone mineral densities (BMDs) with calcaneal speed of sound (SOS) were investigated in 36 osteoporotic women. Areal BMDs of the L2-L4 lumbar spine and the right femoral neck were measured by using dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA). SOS of the right calcaneus was measured by using ultrasound bone densitometry. Pearson's correlation coefficient (r) and level of significance (p) were used to evaluate the correlations between measurements. Lumbar BMD was highly correlated with femoral BMD (r=0.81). Lumbar and femoral BMDs exhibited similar comparable negative correlations with age (r=-0.52 and r=-0.55). A moderate negative correlation was found between calcaneal SOS and age (r=-0.45). Calcaneal SOS was significantly correlated with lumbar and femoral BMDs, with a higher correlation with femoral BMD rather than with lumbar BMD (r=0.54 and r=0.62). However, calcaneal SOS may not be an optimum index for the estimation of BMD of the most important fracture sites, such as the lumbar and the femur, because it showed lower correlations with lumbar and femoral BMDs compared to that with calcaneal BMD. Therefore, the development of a quantitative ultrasound technology for the direct measurement of acoustic properties at the lumbar and the femur is required to estimate BMD of these sites more accurately.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.209-218
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• 2008

According to improved radiation therapy technology such as IMRT and proton therapy, the accuracy of patient alignment system is more emphasized and IGRT is dominated research field in radiation oncology. We proposed to study the feasibility of cone-beam CT system using simple x-ray imaging systems for image guided proton therapy at National Cancer Center. 180 projection views ($2,304{\times}3,200$, 14 bit with 127 ${\mu}m$ pixel pitch) for the geometrical calibration phantom and humanoid phantoms (skull, abdomen) were acquired with $2^{\circ}$ step angle using x-ray imaging system of proton therapy gantry room ($360^{\circ}$ for 1 rotation). The geometrical calibration was performed for misalignments between the x-ray source and the flat-panel detector, such as distances and slanted angle using available algorithm. With the geometrically calibrated projection view, Feldkamp cone-beam algorithm using Ram-Lak filter was implemented for CBCT reconstruction images for skull and abdomen phantom. The distance from x-ray source to the gantry isocenter, the distance from the flat panel to the isocenter were calculated as 1,517.5 mm, 591.12 mm and the rotated angle of flat panel detector around x-ray beam axis was considered as $0.25^{\circ}$. It was observed that the blurring artifacts, originated from the rotation of the detector, in the reconstructed toomographs were significantly reduced after the geometrical calibration. The demonstrated CBCT images for the skull and abdomen phantoms are very promising. We performed the geometrical calibration of the large gantry rotation system with simple x-ray imaging devices for CBCT reconstruction. The CBCT system for proton therapy will be used as a main patient alignment system for image guided proton therapy.

• The Bulletin of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.42 no.2
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• pp.37.3-38
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• 2017

우리나라의 천문 관측의 기록의 역사는 삼국시대 이전 선사시대까지 거슬러 올라간다. 선사시대에는 천문 현상을 바위나 건축 유물에 기록을 남기고 역사를 기록하기 시작한 이후에는 일반 역사 기록 속에 항상 함께 기록하고 있다. 특히 동양은 역사기록 자체가 인간이 남긴 자취뿐만 아니라 하늘과 땅에 일어나는 다양한 자연 현상도 함께 동시에 남겼다. 고대로부터 인간은 하늘과 땅과 항상 유기적인 관계를 갖는다고 믿었기 때문이다. 우리나라는 정사로서 가장 오래된 역사 기록인 삼국사기와 삼국유사에 일식, 혜성 출현, 별똥과 유성우, 달과 행성 운행, 초신성 관측 등 250회 이상의 천문 기록이 나타나며 대부분 실제로 일어났던 사실을 그대로 기록하고 있다. 그 후 고려사와 조선왕조실록에는 이루 헤아릴 수 없을 정도로 많은 천문 기록을 남기고 있다. 이러한 천문 기록뿐만 아니라 일찍부터 중국으로부터 역법을 도입하여 천체 운행을 이용하여 우리 생활에 필요한 시각법을 사용하고 달력을 제작하였다. 특히 달과 태양의 운행 원리를 파악하여 일식과 월식을 직접 추산하였다. 역법의 운용은 천체 운행의 원리를 이해하고 수학을 발전시키는데 큰 역할을 하였다. 이러한 천문 관측과 정확한 시각 체계를 유지하고 정밀한 역법을 사용하기 위해서는 끊임없이 천체를 정밀하게 관측할 필요성이 있다. 이를 위해 다양한 천문 관측기기를 개발하고 제작하였다. 천문 의기는 천체의 위치를 측정하고 천체의 운행을 이용하여 시각 체계를 유지 관리를 위해 필수불가결한 기기이다. 우리나라 천문학 발달의 네 가지 축인 천문(天文), 역법(曆法), 의상(儀象), 구루(晷漏)등은 조선 초기 세종시대 완성을 보게 되었다. 이는 단일 왕조가 이룬 업적으로 다른 문화권에서 볼 수 없을 정도의 우수한 과학 기술의 유산이다. 특히 칠정산내편과 외편의 완성은 중국의 역법에서 벗어나 독자적인 역법을 완성하려는 시도였다. 이 모든 것은 당시 이를 주도하던 세종대왕의 지도력과 천문학과 수학에 뛰어난 천문학자가 이룩한 업적이다. 그 후 조선 중기로 접어들면서 쇠퇴하다가 임진왜란과 병자호란을 겪으면서 거의 모든 과학기술의 유산이 파괴되거나 유실되었다. 조선 현종 이후에 세종시대의 유산을 복원하려는 노력 중에 중국을 통하여 서양의 천문학을 도입하게 되었다. 중국에 들어와 있던 서양 선교사들이 주도하여 중국의 역법 체계를 바꾸었다. 즉, 일식과 월식의 예측력이 뛰어난 시헌력을 만들어 사용하기 시작했다. 시헌력에는 서양의 대수학과 기하학을 이용한 다양한 수학적 기법이 사용되었다. 조선 후기에 이 시헌력을 익히기 위한 노력을 하는 과정에서 서양의 수학과 기하학을 접하게 되고 새로운 우주 체계를 도입하게 되었다. 특히 서양의 천문도와 지도 제작에 기하학의 투사법이 사용되어 복잡한 대수학적 계산을 단순화시켜 활용하였다. 조선 후기에 전문 수학자뿐만 아니라 많은 유학자들도 서양의 수학과 기하학에 깊은 관심을 갖고 연구하였다. 고천문학 전체를 조망해 볼 때 핵심은 현대의 천체물리학이 아니라 위치천문학이다. 따라서 고천문학을 연구하는데 필수적인 요소가 지구의 자전과 공전 운동에 의해서 일어나는 현상과 세차운동에 의한 효과를 정확하게 이해하고 있어야 한다. 그중에서도 구면천문학과 천체역학에 대한 원리를 알고 있는 상태에서 접근해야 한다. 고천문학의 중심인 천문(天文), 역법(曆法), 의상(儀象), 구루(晷漏) 등의 내용은 이러한 위치천문학이 그 기본 골격을 이루고 있다. 예를 들어 고려사의 천문 현상을 모아 놓은 천문지(天文志)와 일식과 월식 계산 원리가 들어있는 역지(曆志)를 연구하기 위해서는 위치천문학의 기본 개념 없이는 연구하는데 한계가 있다. 인문학을 전공하는 학자가 고천문을 연구하는데 가장 큰 걸림돌이 되는 점이 위치 천문학의 기본 개념 없이 접근하는 것이다. 심지어 조선시대 유학자들조차 저술한 많은 천문 관련 기록을 보면 상당부분 천체 운행 원리를 모르고 혼란스럽게 기록된 내용이 적지 않다. 우리나라 수학사를 연구할 경우 방정식 해법, 보간법, 삼각법, 일반 기하 원리에 대한 것을 연구하는데 큰 문제가 없다. 그러나 천문 현상이나 천문 의기 제작에 사용되는 수학은 천문 현상에 대한 원리를 모르면 접근하기 어렵게 된다. 수학사를 하더라고 기본적인 위치 천문학의 기본개념을 이해하고 있어야 폭 넓은 수학사 연구에 성과를 거둘 수 있다. 의외로 천문 현상 추산을 위해 사용되는 수학이나 기하학 원리가 수학사 연구에 중요한 요소가 된다. 더구나 한문으로 기록된 천문 내용을 한문 해독이 능숙한 학자라 하더라도 내용을 모르고 번역하면 도무지 무슨 내용인지 알아볼 수 없는 경우가 많다. 그래서 한문으로 된 천문 현상 기록이나 역법 관련 기록의 번역 내용 중에 많은 오역을 발견하게 된다. 문제는 한번 오역을 해 놓으면 몇 십 년이고 그대로 그 내용을 무비판적으로 인용하게 되고 사실로서 인정하는 오류를 범하게 된다. 이 때문에 우리 선조들이 남긴 고천문 관련 기록에 관한 이해는 우리 현대 천문학자의 역할이 대단히 크다.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.1-18
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• 2004

This study attempted to survey the present status of the eight students who, 17 years from now, had participated in a special program for 170 days preparing for early entrance to the KAIST. With six students who responded to the questionnaire previously sent, the study focused on each participant's achievement at present, his evaluation on Accelerated Education, his personal opinions on early entrance to university and Gifted Science Education. From the survey, we could find out that three participants had received a doctorate and they are currently working as researchers at research center or professors at university. The other three participants are working as researchers at research center after receiving the M. S. Academic achievements vary according to each participant, but three of them, who ranked high in research achievement, had their articles published in international journals of the SCI level even when they were between 25 and 28 of age. Two of them in particular showed outstanding engineering and developing the commercial modem for IMT 2000 for the first time in Korea. One participant entered Harvard University to major in physics and afterwards studied the law in UCLA. He is now a professor in the law department. Concerning the evaluations on Accelerated Education and early entrance system, four participants answered positively while two participants expressed negative attitudes. When asked their opinions on the Gifted Education in Korea, such problems were pointed out as too much pressure of entering the first-class universities, the tendency to avoid choosing science-related major at universities, the lack of education system that encourages creative thinking, etc. It is necessary that the accelerated education play an important role to maximize their hidden potentials. It remains to be seen in what places these six participants will find themselves and of what ideas they will come up within the next 17 years. It will be worthwhile to wait until then for another survey.