• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
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• v.30 no.7
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• pp.137-143
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• 2002

This paper concerns the spin-stabilization for the second stage of KSR-III(Korea Sounding Rocket-III). The error sources in the second stage are defined, and then the effect on attitude error of KSR-III is analyzed quantitatively and qualitatively. Based on the analysis, some conditions for optimal spinning frequency and optimal steady-spinning duration are suggested. Among several solutions, an optimal value can be determined in the point of minimum impact-point error. An approach to a sub-optimal solution is also suggested. Application to the KSR-III shows that a proper spinning frequency and a steady-spin duration to give the smallest impact-point error can be effectively determined.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.39-48
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• 2007

Purpose : To determine the diagnostic accuracy of four different sequences : moderately T2 weighted, two heavily T2-weighted single shot turbo spin-echo sequence and breath-hold axial-2D balanced turbo field-echo sequence(bFFE) for characterization of focal lesions. Materials and Methods : During the 3-month period between June and August 2005, seventy-six patients were proved to have ninety-three focal hepatic lesions on MR imaging. The patients consisted of 49 men and 27 women (age range, 15-75 years; mean age, 56.23 years). All MR images were acquired on a 1.5-T MR using the following sequences: 1. A breath-hold axial T2-weighted single shot turbo spin-echo sequence, 2. a breath-hold axial-2D balanced turbo field-echo sequence. Two radiologists performed quantitative analysis. Another radiologist measured the lesion-to-liver contrast-to-noise ratio at the region-of-interest in the four sequences. Results : There was no significant difference in inter-observer variability between the four sequences. The accuracy for both cyst and malignancy of moderate T2 weighted MRI (echo time: 80 msec) was also highest. There was significant difference for lesion characterization between moderate T2 weighted MRI and balanced steady state procession (p-value: 0.004) in the second reader. For longer echo time, the CNR of cystic lesions were markedly increased in comparison to lesions of other component. Conclusion : The accuracy and inter-observer variability of single shot turbo spin echo T2 weighted sequence was higher than bFFE. Although there was no statically significant difference, moderate T2 weighted MRI (echo time: 80 msec) was more accurate than heavily T2 weighted sequence (echo time: 300 msec). If the results for lesion characterization is equivocal in TE 80, the addition of heavily T2 weighted MRI (echo time: 180 msec) can be helpful.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.108-118
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• 2013

Currently, an arterial spin labeling (ASL) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) technique does not routinely used in clinical studies to measure perfusion in brain because optimization of imaging protocol is required to obtain optimal perfusion signals. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate changes of perfusion-weighed signal intensities with varying several parameters on a pulsed arterial spin labeling MRI technique obtained from a 3T MRI system. We especially evaluated alternations of ASL-MRI signal intensities on special brain areas, including in brain tissues and lobes. The signal targeting with alternating radiofrequency (STAR) pulsed ASL method was scanned on five normal subjects (mean age: 36 years, range: 29~41 years) on a 3T MRI system. Four parameters were evaluated with varying: 1) the labeling gap, 2) the labeling delay time, 3) the labeling thickness, and 4) the slice scan order. Signal intensities were obtained from the perfusion-weighted imaging on the gray and white matters and brain lobes of the frontal, parietal, temporal, and occipital areas. The results of this study were summarized: 1) Perfusion-weighted signal intensities were decreased with increasing the labeling gap in the bilateral gray matter areas and were least affected on the parietal lobe, but most affected on the occipital lobe. 2) Perfusion-weighted signal intensities were decreased with increasing the labeling delay time until 400 ms, but increased up to 1,000 ms in the bilateral gray matter areas. 3) Perfusion-weighted signal intensities were increased with increasing the labeling thickness until 120 mm in both the gray and white matter. 4) Perfusion-weighted signal intensities were higher descending scans than asending scans in both the gray and white matter. We investigated changes of perfusion-weighted signal intensities with varying several parameters in the STAR ASL method. It should require having protocol optimization processing before applying in patients. It has limitations to apply the ASL method in the white matter on a 3T MRI system.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.17 no.5
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• pp.188-193
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• 2007

We simulated the magnetization reversal behavior of submicron-thickness magnetic films by applying pulses of sub-ns-long durations and amplitudes along the easy axis. The films were rectangular and elliptical $Ni_{80}Fe_{20}$, and their thickness was 2 nm and 4 nm. We observed different behaviors depending upon the shape and thickness of the films and found a normal non-switching in regions in which we expected complete switching after relaxation. In the elliptical film, the non-switching regions were found to be random and to be widely distributed throughout the switching map. The strong demagnetization field along the z-axis, the film thickness direction, is likely responsible for this abnormal behavior. In the rectangular film, the abnormal non-switching regions were less distributed than they were in the elliptical film due to edge domains resulting from the small $M_z$ or demagnetization field during the switching. Our simulation confirms that large demagnetization is detrimental to the ultra-fast magnetization reversal of magnetic ultra-thin films.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.3 no.2
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• pp.167-172
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• 1999

Purpose : To evaluate the detection rate of hyperacute intracerebral hemorrhage in echo planar imaging (EPI) and other MR sequences. materials and Methods : Intracerebral hemorrhage was experimentally induced in ten rats. EPI, fast spin-echo (FSE) T2 weighted images, fluid attenuated inversion recovery (FLAIR), spin-echo (SE) T1 weighted images and gradient echo (GE) T1 weight ed images of rat's brains were obtained 2 hours after onset of intracerebral hemorrhage. EPI and FSE T2 images were additionally obtained 30 min and 1 hour after onset of hemorrhage in 3 and 6 rat, repeatedly, For objective visual assessment, discrimination between the lesion and normal brain parenchyma was evaluated on various MR sequences by three radiologists. For quantitative assessment, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) was calculated fro hemorrhage-normal brain parenchyma. Statistical analysis was performed usning the Wilcoxon-Ranks test. Results : EPI, FLAIR, and FSE T2 images showed high signal intensity lesions. The lesion discrimination was easier on EPI than on other sequences, and also EPI showed higher signal intensity for the subjective visual assessment. In quantitative evaluation, CNR of the hemorrhagic lesion versus normal brain parenchyma were higher on EPI and FLAIR images (p<0.01). There was no difference in CNR between EPI and FLAIR (p>0.10). On MR images obtained 30 minutes and 1 hour after the onset of intracerebral hemorrhage, the lesion detection was feasible on both EPI and FSE T2 images showing high signal intensity. Conclusion : EPI showed higher detection rate as compared with other MR sequences and could be useful in early detection and evaluation of intracerebral hemorrhage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.60-66
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• 2014

The aim of this study was to evaluate the antioxidant activity and protective effect of extracts from the stems and leaves of Chrysanthemum boreale (CBSL) on t-BHP induced oxidative stress in human liver cells (Chang cells). Antioxidant activities in the extracts were determined for various radical scavenging activities including ferric reducing antioxidant power, 2,2'-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) radical scavenging activity, and oxygen radical absorbance capacity (ORAC). CBSL showed a very good scavenging effect of DPPH radical ($IC_{50}$ $0.009{\pm}0.002$ mg/mL), alkyl radical ($IC_{50}$ $0.004{\pm}0.001$ mg/mL), and hydroxyl radical ($IC_{50}$ $6.742{\pm}0.152$ mg/mL). CBSL also showed a strong antioxidant effect in the ORAC assay. In the MTT assay on human liver cells (Chang cells), the extracts showed protective effects by increasing cell viability, decreasing ROS, and restoring mitochondria membrane potential upon t-BHP induced oxidative stress. Our findings suggest that CBSL extracts are a potential therapeutic with protective antioxidant effects upon oxidative stress.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.152-157
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• 2002

Purpose : The differential diagnosis between Modic type I degenerative spine and infectious spondylitis sometimes is difficult, because the affected bone marrows in both disease show similar signal intensity on conventional MR imaging. We evaluate the usefulness of diffusion-wighted MR imaging for differential diagnosis between Modic type I degenerative spine and infectious spondylitis. Materials and methods : The spin-echo and diffusion-weighted MR images of eight patients with Modic type I degenerative spines and 14 patients with infectious spondylitis diagnosed by clinical findings or CT-guided biopsies we re analyzed. The diffusion-weighted imaging sequence was based on reversed fast imaging with steady-state precession (PSIF). Signal intensity changes of the vertebral bone marrow on conventional spin-echo and diffusion-weighted MR imaging were compared between degenerative spine and infectious spondylitis. Results : On T1-weighte d images, the affeted bone marrow in both disease showed hypointense signals. On T 2-weighted images, all of type I degenerative spine and 11 of infectious spondylitis showed hyperintensity, and three of infectious spondylitis showed heterogeneo us mixed signal intensity. On diffusion-weighted MR images, all of type I degenerative spine were hypointense with peripheral high signal intensity to normal vertebral body, but infectious spondylitis was hyperintense (n = 11) and hypointense (n=3). Conclusion : Diffusion-weighted MR imaging is useful to differentiate Modic type I degenerative spine from infectious spondylitis. On diffusion-weighted images, the high singal intensity of bone marrow suggests infectious spondylitis, whereas the low signal intensity of bone marrow with peripheral focal high signal intensity suggests type I degenerative spine.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.39-46
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• 2003

Purpose : To develop a theoretical model for magnetic relaxation behavior of the superparamagnetic nano-particle agent, which demonstrates multi-functionality such as liver- and lymp node-specificity. Based on the developed model, the computer simulation was performed to clarify the relationship between relaxation time and the applied magnetic field strength. Materials and Methods : The ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO) was encapsulated with biocompatiable polymer, to develop a relaxation model based on outsphere mechanism, which was resulting from diffusion and/or electron spin fluctuation. In addition, Brillouin function was introduced to describe the full magnetization by considering the fact that the low-field approximation, which was adapted in paramagnetic case, is no longer valid. The developed model describes therefore the T1 and T2 relaxation behavior of superparamagnetic iron oxide both in low-field and in high-field. Based on our model, the computer simulation was performed to test the relaxation behavior of superparamagnetic contrast agent over various magnetic fields using MathCad (MathCad, U.S.A.), a symbolic computation software. Results : For T1 and T2 magnetic relaxation characteristics of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide, the theoretical model showed that at low field (<1.0 Mhz), $\tau_{S1}(\tau_{S2}$, in case of T2), which is a correlation time in spectral density function, plays a major role. This suggests that realignment of nano-magnetic particles is most important at low magnetic field. On the other hand, at high field, $\tau$, which is another correlation time in spectral density function, plays a major role. Since $\tau$ is closely related to particle size, this suggests that the difference in R1 and R2 over particle sizes, at high field, is resulting not from the realignment of particles but from the particle size itself. Within normal body temperature region, the temperature dependence of T1 and T2 relaxation time showed that there is no change in T1 and T2 relaxation times at high field. Especially, T1 showed less temperature dependence compared to T2. Conclusion : We developed a theoretical model of r magnetic relaxation behavior of ultrasmall superparamagnetic iron oxide (USPIO), which was reported to show clinical multi-functionality by utilizing physical properties of nano-magnetic particle. In addition, based on the developed model, the computer simulation was performed to investigate the relationship between relaxation time of USPIO and the applied magnetic field strength.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.32-41
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• 2004

Purpose : To measure the NMR relaxation properties of MnPC, to observe the characteristics of liver enhancement patterns on MR images in experimentally implanted rabbit VX2 tumor model, and to estimate the possibility of tissue specific contrast agent for MnPC in comparison with the hepatobiliary agent. Materials and Methods : Phthalocyanine (PC) was chelated with paramagnetic ions, manganese (Mn). 2.01 g (5.2 mmol) of phthalocyanine was mixed with 0.37 g (1.4 nlmol) of Mn chloride at $310^{\circ}C$ for 36 hours and then purified by chromatography ($CHCl_3:\;CH_3OH=98:2$, volume ratio) to obtain 1.04 g $(46\%)$ of MnPC (molecular weight = 2000 daltons). The T1/T2 relaxivity (R1/R2) for MnPC were determined at a 1.5 T (64 MHz) MR spectrometer. VX2 tumor model was experimentally implanted in the liver parenchyma of rabbits. All MR studies were performed on 1.5 T. The human extremity radio frequency coil of a bird cage type was employed. MR images were acquired at 17 to 24 days after VX2 carcinoma implantation.4 mmol/kg MnPC and 0.01 mmol/kg Mn-DPDP were injected via the ear vein of rabbits. T1-weighted images were obtained with spin-echo (TR/TE=516/14 msec) and fast multiplanar spoiled gradient recalled (TR/TE : 80/4 msec, $60^{\circ}$ flip angle) pulse sequence. Fast spin-echo (TR/TE=1200/85 msec) was used to obtain the T2-weighted images. Results : The value of T1/T2 relaxivity (R1/R2) of MnPC was $7.28\;mM^{-1}S^{-1}$ and $55.56\;mM^{-1}S^{-1}$ respectively at 1.5 T (64 MHz). Because the T2 relaxivity of MnPC that bonded strongly, covalently manganese with phthalocyanine was very high, the signal intensity of liver parenchyma was decreased on postcontrast T2-weighted images and we could easily distinguish the VX2 carcinoma within the liver parenchyma. When MnPC was administrated intravenously, the tumor margin delineation was more remarkable than Mn-DPDP-enhanced images. The enhancement of liver parenchyma with MnPC persisted at relatively high levels over at least one hour after injection of the contrast agents. Conclusion : The hepatic uptake and biliary excretion of MnPC, which are similar to Mn-DPDP, suggest that this agent is a new liver-specific agent. Also, MnPC seems to be used as a dual contrast agent (T1 and T2) with high T2 relaxivity. However, it is warranted that MnPC needs further investigation as a potential contrast agent for MR imaging of the liver. That is, further characterizations of MnPC are needed in vivo and in vitro before clinical trials. The diagnostic potential of MnPC will also have to be examined more in the animal models of additional types.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.98-107
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• 2006

Magnetization Transfer (MT) imaging generates contrast dependent on the phenomenon of magnetization exchange between free water proton and restricted proton in macromolecules. In biological materials in knee, MT or cross-relaxation is commonly modeled using two spin pools identified by their different T2 relaxation times. Two models for cross-relaxation emphasize the role of proton chemical exchange between protons of water and exchangeable protons on macromolecules, as well as through dipole-dipole interaction between the water and macromolecule protons. The most essential tool in medical image manipulation is the ability to adjust the contrast and intensity. Thus, it is desirable to adjust the contrast and intensity of an image interactively in the real time. The proton density (PD) and T2-weighted SE MR images allow the depiction of knee structures and can demonstrate defects and gross morphologic changes. The PD- and T2-weighted images also show the cartilage internal pathology due to the more intermediate signal of the knee joint in these sequences. Suppression of fat extends the dynamic range of tissue contrast, removes chemical shift artifacts, and decreases motion-related ghost artifacts. Like fat saturation, phase sensitive methods are also based on the difference in precession frequencies of water and fat. In this study, phase sensitive methods look at the phase difference that is accumulated in time as a result of Larmor frequency differences rather than using this difference directly. Although how MT work was given with clinical evidence that leads to quantitative model for MT in tissues, the mathematical formalism used to describe the MT effect applies to explaining to evaluate knee disorder, such as anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear and meniscal tear. Calculation of the effect of the effect of the MT saturation is given in the magnetization transfer ratio (MTR) which is a quantitative measure of the relative decrease in signal intensity due to the MT pulse.