• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.213-217
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• 2013

As commercial atomic force microscopy (AFM) probes made of Si and $Si_3N_4$ have low stiffness, it is difficult to induce sufficient elastic deformation on the surface of a specimen in a tapping mode. Therefore, high-guality phase contrast images can not obtained. On the other hand, a tungsten AFM probe has relatively higher stiffness than a commercial AFM probe. Accordingly, it is expected to provide an enhanced phase contrast image, which is an effective tool for achieving a better understanding of the micromechanical properties of worn surfaces and wear mechanisms. In this study, on electrochemical etching method was optimized to fabricate tungsten probe tips for an AFM. Electrochemical etching was performed by applying pulse waves with a 20% duty cycle at various voltages instead of only a DC voltage, which has been commonly used.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.37 no.6
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• pp.355-359
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• 2020

Contrast-enhanced ultrasonography (CEUS) has been applied to evaluate parenchymal organs in human and veterinary medicine. However, to our knowledge, there is no report on the identification of active bleeding and the bleeding site in veterinary clinical patients. Herein, we describe the use of CEUS in two cases of abdominal bleeding caused by ruptured lesions with malignant abdominal tumors. One dog had a splenic hemangiosarcoma, which had metastasized to the liver; the other dog had hepatic cell carcinomas in the left hepatic lobe, which were lobectomized, and another nodule was identified in the right hepatic lobe. Immediately after the rupture of these oncogenic lesions was suspected, CEUS was performed to identify the bleeding sites. The active bleeding sites were confirmed by hyperechoic pooling signs in the arterial phase, and extravasation could be observed within the defects showing hypoechoic perfusions in the delayed phase of the CEUS. Microbubbles were also observed in the ascites; thus, CEUS could detect the presence of hemorrhage and accurately identify the bleeding site. Collectively, the study findings suggest the usefulness of CEUS in emergent situations as it enables rapid and noninvasive evaluation of bleeding points in case of active bleeding in dogs.

• Journal of Applied Reliability
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.87-94
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• 2018

Purpose: In this study, the defect quantification of thin metal plate was evaluated by using lock-in infrared thermography. Methods: A STS304 standard specimens, which had the artificial-defects of different size, were used. The focal distance between the infrared camera and the specimen was set to 500mm, and the distance between the lump and the specimen was set to 200mm. One halogen lamp with a maximum capacity of 1kW was used, and phase-lock infrared thermal images with a frequency of 1Hz were captured and analyzed. Result: Objectively quantified data values were obtained by analyzing the contrast ratio and signal-to-noise ratio. Conclusion: The possibility of defect diagnosis for thin metal plate was confirmed by using the lock-in infrared thermography technique.

• Transactions on Electrical and Electronic Materials
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.155-158
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• 2014

The phase transformation of Sn-Pb-Bi solder for photovoltaic ribbon during soldering was studied using real-time synchrotron x-ray scattering. At room temperature, Sn and Pb crystal phases in the solder existed separately. By heating to $92^{\circ}C$, a new PbBi alloy crystal phase was formed, which grew further up to $160^{\circ}C$. The Sn crystal phase first started to melt at $160^{\circ}C$, and was mostly melted at $165^{\circ}C$. In contrast, the Pb and PbBi crystal phases started to melt at $165^{\circ}C$, and were mostly melted at $170^{\circ}C$. The useful result was obtained, that the solder's melting temperature decreased from $183^{\circ}C$ to $170^{\circ}C$ by addition of a small amount of Bi atoms to the eutectic Sn62-Pb38 (wt%) solder. Our study first revealed the detailed in-situ phase transformation of Sn-Pb-Bi solder during heating to the eutectic temperature. Considering the results of peel strength and hardness, adding 1 wt% of Bi atoms to the Sn62-Pb38 (wt%) solder produced an appropriate composition.

• Journal of Nuclear Fuel Cycle and Waste Technology(JNFCWT)
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.407-414
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• 2020

Thermal decomposition of the uranyl phosphate mineral phase meta-ankoleite (KUO₂PO₄·3H₂O) has been considered in relation to high temperature thermal sintering for the immobilisation of a uranyl phosphate containing waste. Meta-ankoleite thermal decomposition was studied across the temperature range 25 - 1200℃ under an inert N₂ atmosphere at 1 atm. It is shown that the meta-ankoleite mineral phase undergoes a double de-hydration event at 56.90 and 125.85℃. Subsequently, synthetically produced pure meta-ankoleite remains stable until at least 1150℃ exhibiting no apparent phase changes. In contrast, when present in a mixed waste the meta-ankoleite phase is not identifiable after thermal treatment indicating incorporation within the bulk waste either as an amorphous phase and/or as uranium oxide. Visual inspection of the waste post thermal treatment showed evidence of self-sintering owing to the presence of glass former materials, namely, silica (SiO₂) and antimony(V) oxide (Sb₂O₅). Therefore, incorporation of the uranium phase into the waste as part of waste sentencing and immobilisation via high temperature sintering for the purpose of long-term disposal is deemed feasible.

• Journal of Korea Foundry Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.29-37
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• 2000

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of misch metal addition on the microstructure and mechanical property of rapidly solidified AZ91 alloy by melt spinning process. As the contents of misch metal(rare earth element:Ce,La, Nd, Pr)was increased, the microstructure of RS ribbons and extrudates became finer than those of AZ91, and RE related phases($Al_{11}RE_3$, $Al_2RE$) were formed. At room temperature, the rapidly solidified AZ91+1 wt%Mm alloy showed the highest tensile strength, 430 MPa due to precipitation strengthening of${\beta}(Mg_{17}Al_{12})$ phase and Al11RE3 phase. At the elevated temperature, the mechanical property of AZ01+3 wt%Mm alloy was higher than those of other Mg alloys. The reasons were that $Al_{11}La_3$ phase was thermally stable and suppressed the grain growth. In contrast with $Al_{11}La_3$ phase, ${\beta}$ phase was thermally unstable and could not suppress the grain growth at the elevated temperature. Therefore, Al11RE3 phase contributed to improve the thermal stability of RS AZ91 Alloy.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.60-65
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• 2022

Gadoxetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely used to detect and characterize focal hepatic lesions. Because gadoxetic acid is a hepatocyte-specific contrast agent, its patterns during hepatobiliary phase enhancement provide useful information for differential diagnoses of focal hepatic lesions. Hepatic angiomyolipoma (AML) is a rare mesenchymal hepatic neoplasm composed of blood vessels, epithelioid cells, and varying amounts of adipose tissue components. Hepatic AMLs usually show marked hypointensity during the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI as hepatic AMLs are devoid of hepatocytes and fibrotic components. The present study describes a patient with hepatic AML and an atypical imaging feature. This tumor showed hyperintensity during the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI, mimicking hepatocellular tumors such as hepatocellular adenoma. The hepatobiliary hyperintensity of this lesion was likely due to multifocal entrapped hepatocytes resulting from an intrasinusoidal growth pattern of tumor cells and insufficient hepatic parenchymal enhancement during the hepatobiliary phase of gadoxetic acid-enhanced MRI.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.4
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• pp.259-266
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• 2013

Purpose : To investigate the blood pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution of DTPA-bis-amide (L3) Gd(III) complexes. Materials and Methods: The pharmacokinetics and bio-distribution of Gd $(L3)(H_2O){\cdot}nH_2O$ were investigated in Sprague-Dawley rats after intravenous administration at a dose of 0.1 mmol Gd/kg. The Gd content in the blood, various tissues, and organs was determined by ICP-AES. Blood pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using a two-compartment model. Results: The half-lives of ${\alpha}$ phase and ${\beta}$ phase Gd $(L3)(H_2O){\cdot}nH_2O$ were $2.286{\pm}0.11$ min and $146.1{\pm}7.5$ min, respectively. The bio-distribution properties reveal that the complex is mainly excreted by the renal pathway, and possibly excreted by the hepatobiliary route. The concentration ratio of Gd (III) was significantly higher in the liver and spleen than in other organs, and small amounts of Gd (III) ion were detected in the blood or other tissues of rats only after 7 days of intravenous administration. Conclusion: The MRI contrast agent Gd $(L3)(H_2O){\cdot}nH_2O$ provides prolonged blood pool retention in the circulation and then clears rapidly with minimal accumulation of Gd(III) ions. The synthesis of gadolinium complexes with well-balanced lipophilicity and hydrophilicity shows promise for their further development as blood pool MRI contrast agents.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.5 no.1
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• pp.57-65
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• 2001

Purpose : $T_2$-weighted half courier Echo Planar Imaging (T2HEPI) method is proposed to reduce measurement time of existing EPI by a factor of 2. In addition, high $T_2$ contrast is obtained for clinical applications. High resolution single-shot EPI images with $T_2$ contrast are obtained with $128{\times}128$ matrix size by the proposed method. Materials and methods : In order to reduce measurement time in EPI, half courier space is measured, and rest of half courier data is obtained by conjugate symmetric filling. Thus high resolution single shot EPI image with $128{\times}128$ matrix size is obtained with 64 echoes. By the arrangement of phase encoding gradients, high $T_2$ weighted images are obtained. The acquired data in k-space are shifted if there exists residual gradient field due to eddy current along phase encoding gradient, which results in a serious problem in the reconstructed image. The residual field is estimated by the correlation coefficient between the echo signal for dc and the corresponding reference data acquired during the pre-scan. Once the residual gradient field is properly estimated, it can be removed by the adjustment of initial phase encoding gradient field between $70^{\circ}$ and $180^{\circ}$ rf pulses. Results : The suggested T2EPl is implemented in a 1.0 Tela whole body MRI system. Experiments are done with the effective echo times of 72ms and 96ms with single shot acquisitions. High resolution($128{\times}128$) volunteer head images with high $T_2$ contrast are obtained in a single scan by the proposed method. Conclusion : Using the half courier technique, higher resolution EPI images are obtained with matrix size of $128{\times}128$ in a single scan. Furthermore $T_2$ contrast is controlled by the effective echo time. Since the suggested method can be implemented by software alone (pulse sequence and corresponding tuning and reconstruction algorithms) without addition of special hardware, it can be widely used in existing MRI systems.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 1999.07f
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• pp.2685-2687
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• 1999

This paper is concerned on developing DC-DC converter. In contrast to resonant converter, this converter requires no external resonant elements and operates with constant switching frequency. In conventional PWM converter, two MOSFET switches of the converter are simultaneously turned on and turned off. In presented converter, to achieve Zero Voltage Switching, the two legs of the bridge are operated DC-DC converter is phase shifted. Phase shifted Full Bridge ZVS PWM Converter have an effect on the power system. Operation principle and features are illustrated by the experiment results from 50W, 250kHz with MOSFET switch.