• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.153-166
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• 2022

Identifying fine cracks in steel bridge facilities is a challenging task of structural health monitoring (SHM). This study proposed an end-to-end crack image segmentation framework based on a one-step Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) for pixel-level object recognition with high accuracy. To particularly address the challenges arising from small object detection in complex background, efforts were made in loss function selection aiming at sample imbalance and module modification in order to improve the generalization ability on complicated images. Specifically, loss functions were compared among alternatives including the Binary Cross Entropy (BCE), Focal, Tversky and Dice loss, with the last three specialized for biased sample distribution. Structural modifications with dilated convolution, Spatial Pyramid Pooling (SPP) and Feature Pyramid Network (FPN) were also performed to form a new backbone termed CrackDet. Models of various loss functions and feature extraction modules were trained on crack images and tested on full-scale images collected on steel box girders. The CNN model incorporated the classic U-Net as its backbone, and Dice loss as its loss function achieved the highest mean Intersection-over-Union (mIoU) of 0.7571 on full-scale pictures. In contrast, the best performance on cropped crack images was achieved by integrating CrackDet with Dice loss at a mIoU of 0.7670.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.262-265
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• 2022

Penile Mondor disease (MD) is a palpable, painful, subcutaneous induration caused by superficial dorsal penile vein thrombosis. We report a case of penile MD that was suspected to be related to prolonged oral sildenafil use. A 46-year-old man visited our emergency department with sustained penile pain and swelling that began 7 hours after sexual intercourse. He had used oral sildenafil intermittently for 11 years and engaged in sexual intercourse the previous night after taking sildenafil. Examination revealed no evidence of intercourse-related trauma to the genital area or an increase in penile skin temperature. However, penile swelling and tenderness over the protruding dorsal penile vein were noted. A color Doppler ultrasound examination was performed immediately, which showed hyperechoic thrombosis in the right superficial dorsal penile vein that was dilated, with soft tissue swelling and no detectable flow signal in the thrombotic lesion. The patient was diagnosed as having penile MD. The patient was treated conservatively. Some reports have indicated the involvement of sildenafil in thrombogenesis. Physicians should be aware that prolonged oral sildenafil use may be associated with penile MD.

• Korean Journal of Artificial Intelligence
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.1-8
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• 2023

In this paper, we propose a black ice detection platform framework using Convolutional Neural Networks (CNNs). To overcome black ice problem, we introduce a real-time based early warning platform using CNN-based architecture, and furthermore, in order to enhance the accuracy of black ice detection, we apply a multi-scale dilation convolution feature fusion (MsDC-FF) technique. Then, we establish a specialized experimental platform by using a comprehensive dataset of thermal road black ice images for a training and evaluation purpose. Experimental results of a real-time black ice detection platform show the better performance of our proposed network model compared to conventional image segmentation models. Our proposed platform have achieved real-time segmentation of road black ice areas by deploying a road black ice area segmentation network on the edge device Jetson Nano devices. This approach in parallel using multi-scale dilated convolutions with different dilation rates had faster segmentation speeds due to its smaller model parameters. The proposed MsCD-FF Net(2) model had the fastest segmentation speed at 5.53 frame per second (FPS). Thereby encouraging safe driving for motorists and providing decision support for road surface management in the road traffic monitoring department.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.123-126
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• 2024

A seven-month pregnant 15-year-old Thoroughbred mare presented with acute abdominal pain to Jeju National University Equine Hospital. At presentation, a nasogastric intubation revealed 10 L of gastric reflux; rectal palpation and ultrasound revealed dilated loops and thickening of the walls of the small intestine. An exploratory laparotomy revealed strangulation of the small intestine due to a large abdominal mass. The mass was double-ligated and resected blindly due to the short pedicle. An enterectomy was not performed as intestinal motility was detected following the mass removal. Histopathological examination confirmed that the mass was a lipoma, measuring 24 cm × 16 cm × 16 cm in size. On day 8 post-surgery, the mare was discharged without complications. This case report describes the diagnosis and treatment of strangulation of the small intestine by a pedunculated lipoma, thus providing useful information on lipoma in horses.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.41 no.1
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• pp.43-48
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• 2024

A two-year-old, intact female Golden Retriever had previously been diagnosed with a portosystemic shunt (PSS) during an ultrasonographic examination at a local animal hospital. The serum biochemistry revealed elevated liver enzymes and bile acid levels. The abdominal radiographic examination revealed mild serosal detail loss and microhepatica, while abdominal ultrasonography revealed mild ascites and high-velocity flow to the caudal vena cava (CVC) suspected as a PSS. The gallbladder was not observed within the hepatic parenchyma during ultrasonography. Computed tomography (CT) revealed an absent gallbladder and dilation of the common bile duct (CBD). Dilations of the gastroduodenal, splenic, colic and renal veins were also observed. A dilated left phrenico-abdominal vein that entered the CVC was previously misinterpreted as a PSS on the ultrasound examination. Based on the imaging examinations, the dog was diagnosed with congenital gallbladder agenesis associated CBD dilation.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.33-40
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• 2005

Purpose : (1) To analyse the effect of exposure time, ROI size and one impact factor in the image processing procedure on estimates of fractal dimension; and (2) to analyse the correlated relationship between the fractal dimension and the Cu-Eq value (bone density). Materials and Methods : The cylindric bone phantoms of 6 large and 5 small diameter having different bone densities respectively and human dry mandible segment with copper step wedge were radiographed at 1.0 and 1.2 sec esposure (70 kVp, 7 mA) using one occlusal film and digitized. Eleven rectangular ROIs from 11 cylindric bone phantoms and 4 rectan-gular ROIs from cortical, middle, periodontal regions, and socket of bone were selected. Gaussian blurred Image was subtracted from original image of each ROI and multiplied respectively by 1, 0.8, and 0.5, and then the image was made binary, eroded and dilated once, and skeletonized. The fractal dimension was calculated by means of a box counting method in the software ImageJ. Results : The fractal dimension was decreased gradually with continued bone density decrease showing strong correlations (bone phantom; r> 0.87, bone; r> 0.68) under 70 kVp 1.0 sec M = 0.8. Fractal dimensions showed the significant differerence (p < 0.05) between two different exposure times on the same small ROI of bone phantom. Fractal dimensions between two different sizes of ROI on bone phantom showed the significant differerence (p < 0.05) under 1.2 sec exposure, but did not show it (p > 0.05) under 1.0 sec exposure. Conclusions : Exposure time, ROI size, and modifying factor during subtracting could become impacting on the results of fractal dimension. Fractal analysis with thoroughly evaluated method considering the various impacting factors on the results could be useful in assessing the bone density in dental radiography.

• Korean Journal of Poultry Science
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• v.24 no.3
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• pp.107-116
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• 1997

In order to achieve optimal reproductive performance, reliable morphological and physiological basic data on the reproductive organs are desirable. Adult male Korean ring-necked pheasant in inactive(mid of January) and active state (end of April) were used in this study. In addition, five active state pheasants were received a single dose of 60Co-ray 500 rads each to damage the testes. The objective of this study was to investigate the distribution pattern of protein gene product (PGP) 9.5 and ${\alpha}$-tubulin in the pheasant testes of the active, inactive and ${\gamma}$-ray irradiated active states. The results obtained were summarized as follows 1. The seminiferous tubules collected in inactive states( mid of Jan) showed narrow lumen, and the spermatogonia and the Sertoli cell were well preserved. The PGP 9.5 immunoreactivity of these tubules showed a positive reaction in paranucleus area of the spermatogonia, and a positive reaction in a small number of the Leydig cells in the interstitium of the seminiferous tubules. 2. The seminiferous tubules were dilated in active state(end of April) as compared with the inactive state. The PGP 9.5 reactivity in these tubules showed a positive reaction in many Leydig cells in the interstitium of the seminiferous tubules, and the testes of ${\gamma}$-ray irradiated group showed partially weak reaction in the interstitium of the seminiferous tubules. 3. The ${\alpha}$-tubulin reactivity in the seminiferous tubules of the inactive testes was strongly positive in the cytoplasmic process of the Sertoli cell from the basal stem region to the apical ex-tension. From the broad part of the stem region to the luminal space, the active testes showed a strong positive reaction. The ${\gamma}$-ray irradiated groups showed diminished reaction in the basal region.

• Applied Microscopy
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.283-289
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• 2009

In order to examine the effect of Injinhotang extract on the liver cancer induced by N-nitrosodiethylamine (NDEA) and carbon tetrachloride ($CCl_4$) in Rats. The animals were divided into three groups. The normal (Nor) group were fed basal diet. Control (Con) group were administered with NDEA (200 mg/kgb.w., i.p.) and $CCl_4$. Injinhotang extract (IJH) group treated with Injinhotang extract (260 mg/kg/day) for 8 weeks after NDEA+$CCl_4$. Enzymic antioxidants, such as superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase levels were determined in all the groups of animals. The activities of SOD were significantly increased in the Con, but the activities of catalase were decreased in the Con, but the anti-oxidative enzyme activities of superoxide dismutase and catalase were increased in the IJH. In the immunohistochemistry observation, treatment of Injinhotang extract reduced the rates of p53 immunoreactivity. According to the electron microscopical observation, in the liver cancer cells were increased the smooth endoplasmic reticulum and dilated the rough endoplasmic reticulum in the Con compared with IJH. These results suggest that administration of Injinhotang extract suppress or retard NDEA and $CCl_4$-induced liver cancer.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.71-78
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• 2003

Unilateral absence of a pulmonary artery (UAPA) is a rare congenital anomaly that is frequently associated with other cardiovascular anomalies first reported by Fraentzel in 1968. Most patients who have no associated cardiac anomalies have only minor or absent symptoms. We experienced a case of isolated UAPA in a young female presenting hemoptysis. The chest radiograph showed a small left lung volume and high resolutional CT of chest showed multiple subpleural nodules and centrilobular nodules in parenchyma. The video-assisted thoracoscopic biopsy revealed diffuse dilated vessels in visceral pleura. The pulmonary angiogram confirmed the absence of the left main pulmonary artery.

• Advances in pediatric surgery
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.100-109
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• 1998

The anomalous pancreaticobiliary duct union (APBDU) might cause the formation of choledochal cyst and malignancies of hepatopancreaticobiliary system. The purpose of this study is to make an experimental animal model of APBDU similar to that of human. One to two-month-old Mongrel dogs (n=12) were divided into two groups; the control group (n=2) had a sham operation performed, and in the experimental group (n=10) the end of distal ' common bile duct (CBD) was anastomosed to the side of the dorsal pancreatic duct making APBDD. Serum was obtained for chemical analysis on the 10th postoperative day. The dogs were sacrificed at the 5th week (n=3), the 6th week (n=3), the 7th week (n=2), the 8th week (n=2) and the 6th month (n=2) after the experimental surgery. With sacrifice, operative cholangiogram was taken, and bile juice was obtained for chemistry and bacterial culture. The en-bloc specimens of the hepatopancreaticobiliary system were removed for microscopic examination. Serum and bile juice amylase levels were elevated in the experimental group(n=10), but not in the control group(n=2). Operative cholangiograms of control group revealed no evidence of bile duct dilatation.. On the other hand, the bile duct in the experimental group was markedly dilated without any evidence of stenosis at the anastomosis site (n=10). Histologic examination of the hepatopancreaticobiliary system in the experimental group resembled the findings of choledochal cyst in human. The APBDU of this animal model can produce bile duct dilatation by pancreaticobiliary reflux. We think that this animal model can be potentially promising for the research about the APBDU associated hepatopancreaticobiliary diseases.