• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.11 no.7
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• pp.671-677
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• 2017

In this study, scattering factors affecting the quality of medical images were quantitatively analyzed and investigated. MCNPX simulation was conducted by using ANSI phantom, made of tissue equivalent materials, to calculate the scattering ratio occurred by the increase of the object thickness. Then, the result of the simulation was compared with the result of actual radiation measurement. In addition, we evaluated the image quality by the RMS evaluation, RSD and NPS analysis using X-ray images acquired with increasing object thickness. Furthermore, the scattering ratio was analyzed by increasing the thickness of acrylic phantom on chest phantom. The result showed that the scattering ratio was increased to 57.2%, 62.4%, and 66.8% from 48.9%, respectively, when the acrylic phantom thickness was increased by 1 inch from 6.1 inches. The results of MCNPX simulation and the actual measured scattering dose showed similar results. Also, as a result of RMS measurement from acquired x-ray images, the standard deviation decreased as the object thickness increased. However, in the RSD analysis considering the average incident dose, the results were increased from 0.028 to 0.039, 0.051, 0.062 as the acrylic phantom thickness was increased from 6.1 inches to 7.1 inch, 8.1 inch, and 9.1 inch, respectively. It can be seen that the increase of the scattering effect due to the increase of the object thickness reduces the SNR. Also, the NPS results obtained by measuring scattered radiation incident on the detector resulted in the increase of the noise as the object thickness increased.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.619-626
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• 2020

This study aimed to identify the error rates in Catheter Calibration Mode, Auto Calibration Mode, and Segment Calibration Mode among many calibration modes as a quantitative evaluation tool used for predicting the diameter and length of balloon or stent in percutaneous intravascular balloon dilatation or stent insertion. Our experiment was conducted with Copper Wire of 2 mm × 80 mm (diameter × length) manufactured elaborately for quantitative evaluation in calibration and Metal Ball of 5, 10, 15, 30, and 40 mm and Acryl Phantom of 25 mm, 50 mm, 75mm, 100 mm, 125 mm, 150mm, 175 mm, and 200 mm. At each height, subtraction images were acquired with a cineangiograph and Stenosis Analysis Tool as a software provided by the equipment company was used for measurement. To evaluate the error rates in Catheter Calibration Mode, Copper Wire was put on each acryl phantom before shooting. Copper Wire of 2 mm in diameter was set as a diameter for catheter, and Copper Wire of 8 mm in length was measured with Multi-segments. As a result, the error rates appeared at 1.13 ~ 5.63%. To evaluate the error rates in Auto Calibration Mode, the height of acryl was entered at each height of acryl phantom and the length of 8 mm Copper Wire was measured with Multi-segments and as a result, the error rates appeared at 0 ~ 0.26%. To evaluate the error rates in Segment Calibration Mode, each metal ball on the floor of table was calibrated and the length of 8 mm Copper Wire on each acryl phantom was measured and the length of 8 mm Copper Wire depending on the changes of acryl phantom height was measured with Mutli-segments and as a result, the error rates appeared at 1.05 ~ 19.04%. And in the experiment on OID changes in Auto Calibration Mode, the height of acryl phantom was fixed at 100mm and OID only changed within the range of 450 mm ~ 600 mm and as a result, the error rates appeared at 0.13 ~ 0.38%. In conclusion, it was found that entering the height values in Auto Calibration Mode, among these Calibration Modes for evaluating quantitative vascular dimensions provided by the software was the calibration method with the least error rates and it is thus considered that for calibration using a metal ball or other objects, putting them in the same height as that of treatment sites before calibrating is the method that can reduce the error rates the most.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.603-612
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• 2020

This study has a purpose to look into the effect of the relationship between the Tube current (mA) and SOD(Source to Object Distance), which is a parameter of lower limb angiography examination, and the dilution rate of the contrast medium concentration (300, 320, 350) on the image. To that end, using 3 mm vessel model water phantom, a vessel model custom made in the size of peripheral vessel diameter, this study measured relationships between change of parameters, such as tube current (mA), SOD and varying concentrations (300, 320, 350) of contrast medium dilution into SNR and CNR values while analyzing the coefficients of variance(cv<10). The software used to measure SNR and CNR values was Image J 1.50i from NIH (National Institutes of Health, USA). MPV (mean pixel value) and SD (standard deviation) were used after verifying numerically the image signal for region of interest (ROI) and background on phantom from the DICOM (digital imaging and communications in medicine) 3.0 file transmitted to PACS. As to contrast medium dilution by the change of tube current, when 146 mA and 102 mA were compared, For both SNR and CNR, the coefficient of variation value was less than 10 until the section of CM: N/S dilution (100% ~ 30% : 70%) but CM: N/S dilution rate (20%: 80% ~ 10% : 90%) the coefficient of variation was 10 or more. As to contrast medium dilution by concentration for SOD change, when SOD's (32.5 cm and 22.5 cm) were compared,For both SNR and CNR, the coefficient of variation value was less than 10 until the section of CM: N/S dilution (100% ~ 30% : 70%) but CM: N/S dilution rate (20%: 80% ~ 10% : 90%) the coefficient of variation was 10 or more. As to contrast medium dilution by concentration for SOD change, when SOD's (32.5 cm and 12.5 cm) were compared,For both SNR and CNR, the coefficient of variation value was less than 10 until the section of CM: N/S dilution (100% ~ 30% : 70%) but CM: N/S dilution rate (20%: 80% ~ 10% : 90%) the coefficient of variation was 10 or more. As a result, set a low tube current value in other tests or procedures including peripheral angiography of the lower extremities in the intervention, and make the table as close as possible to the image receiver, and adjust the contrast agent concentration (300) to CM: N/S dilution (30%: 70%). ) Is suggested as the most efficient way to obtain images with an appropriate concentration while simultaneously reducing the burden on the kidney and the burden on exposure.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.117-124
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• 2015

In this paper, we introduce how to control TR, TE physical MR parameters for managing $H_1$ spin's SI(Signal Intensity) which is combined with gadolinium following administration MR agent in T1 effect for diagnostic usefulness. we used MRI phantom made with 0.5 mol Gadoteridol. This phantom was scanned by FSE sequence with different TR, TE parameters. In this study, to make T1 effect, TR was 200, 250, 300, 350, 400, 450, 500, 550, 600 msec. In addition to, TE was 6.2, 12.4, 18.6, 21.6 msec. The results were as follows ; Each RSP(Reaction Starting Point) was 100, 50, 40, 30 mmol in TE 6.2, 12.4, 18.6, 21.6 msec being irrelevant to TR. In MPSI(Max Peak Signal Intensity), 4 mmol was showed in TR 200 msec while peak signal was decreased to low concentration mol in TR 250-600 msec. In terms of RA(Reaction Area), the highest SI was TE 6.2 msec in TR 200-600msec. According to the study, we are able to recognize it is possible to control enhance rates by managing TR and TE of MR parameters; moreover, we expect that enhanced T1 image in MR clinical field can be performed in a practical way with this quantitative data.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.12
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• pp.134-141
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• 2015

The purpose on this research is quantitatively comparing and analyzing signal intensity of 1.0mol and 0.5mol contrast agent. For this study, two MR phantoms were produced. One of them is used with 1.0mol Gadobutrol. The other is used with 0.5mol Gadoteridol. These two phantoms respectively have been scanned by SE T1 sequence which is used to get a general contrast-enhanced image in 1.5T MRI and 3D FLASH sequence which is used as enhanced angio MRI. Signal intensity was measured by scanned images as per contrast agent dilution ratio. The results were as follow: RSP(Reaction Starting Point) of the two sequences(2D SE, 3D FLASH) was respectively 6.0%, 60.0% in 0.5mol contrast and 2.0%, 20.0% in 1.0mol contrast, which means in 0.5mol contrast, RSP was formed faster than the one in 1.0mol contrast. MPSI was respectively 1358.8[a.u], 1573[a.u] in 0.5mol contrast and 1374[a.u], 1642.4[a.u] in 1.0mol contrast, which means 0.5mol contrast's MPP (0.4%, 10.0%) was formed faster than 1.0mol contrast's MPP (0.16%, 1.8%). Lastly, RA as per contrast agent dilution ratio was 27.4%, 11.8% wider in 0.5mol contrast(20747.4[a.u], 23204.6[a.u]) than in 1.0mol contrast(12691.9[a.u], 20747.4[a.u]). According to the study, we are able to assure that signal reaction time of 1.0mol contrast is slower than the one of 0.5mol contrast in contrast-enhanced MRI at two different sequences(2D SE, 3D FLASH). Furthermore, owing to the fact that there are not any signal intensity differences between 1.0mol and 0.5mol contrast, it is not true that high concentration gadolinium MR contrast agent does not always mean high signal intensity in MRI.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.52 no.9
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• pp.63-73
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• 2015

This work proposes a 2-channel time-interleaved (T-I) 10b 120MS/s pipeline SAR ADC minimizing offset mismatch between channels without any calibration scheme. The proposed ADC employs a 2-channel SAR and T-I topology based on a 2-step pipeline ADC with 4b and 7b in the first and second stage for high conversion rate and low power consumption. Analog circuits such as comparator and residue amplifier are shared between channels to minimize power consumption, chip area, and offset mismatch which limits the ADC linearity in the conventional T-I architecture, without any calibration scheme. The TSPC D flip-flop with a short propagation delay and a small number of transistors is used in the SAR logic instead of the conventional static D flip-flop to achieve high-speed SAR operation as well as low power consumption and chip area. Three separate reference voltage drivers for 4b SAR, 7b SAR circuits and a single residue amplifier prevent undesirable disturbance among the reference voltages due to each different switching operation and minimize gain mismatch between channels. High-frequency clocks with a controllable duty cycle are generated on chip to eliminate the need of external complicated high-frequency clocks for SAR operation. The prototype ADC in a 45nm CMOS technology demonstrates a measured DNL and INL within 0.69LSB and 0.77LSB, with a maximum SNDR and SFDR of 50.9dB and 59.7dB at 120MS/s, respectively. The proposed ADC occupies an active die area of 0.36mm2 and consumes 8.8mW at a 1.1V supply voltage.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.53 no.5
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• pp.87-97
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• 2016

This work proposes a time-shared 10b DAC based on a two-step resistor string to minimize the effective area of a DAC channel for driving each AMOLED display column. The proposed DAC shows a lower effective DAC area per unit column driver and a faster conversion speed than the conventional DACs by employing a time-shared DEMUX and a ROM-based two-step decoder of 6b and 4b in the first and second resistor string. In the second-stage 4b floating resistor string, a simple current source rather than a unity-gain buffer decreases the loading effect and chip area of a DAC channel and eliminates offset mismatch between channels caused by buffer amplifiers. The proposed 1-to-24 DEMUX enables a single DAC channel to drive 24 columns sequentially with a single-phase clock and a 5b binary counter. A 0.9pF sampling capacitor and a small-sized source follower in the input stage of each column-driving buffer amplifier decrease the effect due to channel charge injection and improve the output settling accuracy of the buffer amplifier while using the top-plate sampling scheme in the proposed DAC. The proposed DAC in a $0.18{\mu}m$ CMOS shows a signal settling time of 62.5ns during code transitions from '$000_{16}$' to '$3FF_{16}$'. The prototype DAC occupies a unit channel area of $0.058mm^2$ and an effective unit channel area of $0.002mm^2$ while consuming 6.08mW with analog and digital power supplies of 3.3V and 1.8V, respectively.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.4 no.2 s.7
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• pp.181-191
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• 2000

In this paper, two schemes of generating reference voltages using enhancement-mode MOS transistors and resistors are proposed. The first one is a voltage-mode scheme where the temperature compensation is made by summing a voltage component proportional to a threshold voltage and a voltage component proportional to a thermal voltage. In the second one, that is a current-mode scheme, the temperature compensation is made by summing a current component proportional to a threshold voltage and a current component proportional to a thermal voltage. The designed circuits have been simulated using a $0.65{\mu}m$ n-well CMOS process parameters. The voltage-mode circuit has a temperature coefficient less than $48.0ppm/^{\circ}C$ and a power-supply(VDD) coefficient less than 0.21%/V for a temperature range of $-30^{\circ}C{\sim}130^{\circ}C$ and a VDD range of $3V{\sim}12V$. The current-mode circuit has a temperature coefficient less than $38.2ppm/^{\circ}C$ and a VDD coefficient less than 0.8%/V for $-30^{\circ}C{\sim}130^{\circ}C\;and\; 4V{\sim}12V$. The power consumption of the voltage-mode and current-mode circuits are $27{\mu}W\;and\;65{\mu}W$ respectively for 5V and $30^{\circ}C$. Measurement results show that the voltage-mode reference circuit has a VDD coefficient less than 0.63%/V for $30^{\circ}C{\sim}100^{\circ}C$ and has a temperature coefficient less than $490ppm/^{\circ}C\;for\;3V{\sim}6V$. The proposed reference circuits are simple and thus easy to design. The proposed current-mode reference circuit can be designed to generate a wide range of reference voltages.

• Journal of Korean Home Economics Education Association
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.79-94
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• 2013

In this study, the teaching-learning materials and the plan using persimmon juice dyeing, which is one of the traditional natural dyeing methods of Korea, were developed for the purpose of inspiring further awareness of our traditional clothing life-culture. A questionnaire was designed to make a survey on the educational effect, and t-test and Kruscal-Wallis test were conducted to test the significant differences between pre- and post-lessons. A correlation analysis between culture awareness and its education awareness was also done. These prototypes were applied to high school Technology Home Economics classes under the theme, 'Making living goods with persimmon juice dyed fabrics'. Examining the changes in students' awareness of traditional images, and changes in their interest and attitude towards learning in those classes led to the following results. First, as a result of applying LT cooperative learning in order for an understanding of the formation of clothing life-culture and the process of persimmon juice dyeing, many original handicrafts with modern sense were created. Second, a comparative analysis between pre- and post-lessons on the change in students' degree of awareness of traditional clothing life-culture and its education showed that students' awareness had risen after the class; the data was collected from three separate sample groups which had been clustered according to their initial degree of awareness, i.e. high, middle, and low, and the group that scored the lowest before the class showed the greatest improvement. Third, feedback surveys on 'Making living goods with persimmon juice dyed fabrics' classes returned with scores greater than 'moderate', thus revealing that the students' concern and interest towards traditional clothing life-culture hae been enhanced through the class experience. Their attitude had also become more positive. Fourth, since learners with more awareness of the traditional clothing life-culture also showed more awareness of the need for an education designed to promote the culture, a positive correlation between the two had been found. As explained above, the teaching-learning materials and the plan that had been developed for this study has caused a deeper understanding of the value and significance of the traditional natural dyeing and clothing life-culture, and has therefore brought about an educational effect that powers idea creation.

• Journal of The Korean Association For Science Education
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• v.31 no.4
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• pp.513-527
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• 2011

There have been studies about conceptual ecology making a profound study of conceptual changes in learners' cognitive structure. Because learners' cognitive structure have been compared to ecology, it is natural to think that conception in learner's cognitive structure have a niche as species in ecology have niches. Therefore, it is necessary to study niche approach about conception that learners recognize in their cognitive structure. The purposes of this study were to identify relationships among conceptions that 5th grade elementary school students recognize about photosynthesis and to identify how these relationships among conceptions about photosynthesis change before and after a class of photosynthesis in curriculum in terms of an approach of ecological niche which are composed of 3 domains - diversity of conceptions, relevance and frequency rate of conceptions, and competition among conceptions. Open ended questionnaire was developed by 4 fields: photosynthetic place, photosynthetic products, photosynthetic materials needed and environment factors of photosynthesis. The subjects sampled in this study were 310 5th grade elementary students in 5 cites. Before and after classes in photosynthesis in science curriculum, students were asked to write down conceptions that they knew about the 4 fields of photosynthesis of questionnaire and to write down scales of relevance from 1 to 30 about how they think the conceptions are related to the field of photosynthesis. The results of this study showed the following: First, most students have had a variety of conceptions and commonly recognized 'light' and 'water' as concepts in photosynthesis. Second, students still recognized their preconceptions like 'soil' and 'root,' etc. that were far from scientific conceptions of photosynthesis although they took classes in photosynthesis. Third, students needed to take the various strategies of teachers because they did not recognized scientific conceptions appropriately about photosynthetic fields. Fourth, it appeared that photosynthetic conceptions recognized by students had status in terms of relevance and frequency rate of conceptions, and competition among conceptions, and that they looked like the niche of conceptions in their conceptual ecologies.