• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.11
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• pp.1777-1785
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• 2021

Objective: To investigate the accuracy of the Agatston score obtained with the ultra-high-pitch (UHP) acquisition mode using tin-filter spectral shaping (Sn150 kVp) and a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm to reduce the radiation dose. Materials and Methods: This prospective study included 114 patients (mean ± standard deviation, 60.3 ± 9.8 years; 74 male) who underwent a standard 120 kVp scan and an additional UHP Sn150 kVp scan for coronary artery calcification scoring (CACS). These two datasets were reconstructed using a standard reconstruction algorithm (120 kVp + Qr36d, protocol A; Sn150 kVp + Qr36d, protocol B). In addition, the Sn150 kVp dataset was reconstructed using a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm (Sn150 kVp + Sa36d, protocol C). The Agatston scores for protocols A and B, as well as protocols A and C, were compared. The agreement between the scores was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and the Bland-Altman plot. The radiation doses for the 120 kVp and UHP Sn150 kVp acquisition modes were also compared. Results: No significant difference was observed in the Agatston score for protocols A (median, 63.05; interquartile range [IQR], 0-232.28) and C (median, 60.25; IQR, 0-195.20) (p = 0.060). The mean difference in the Agatston score for protocols A and C was relatively small (-7.82) and with the limits of agreement from -65.20 to 49.56 (ICC = 0.997). The Agatston score for protocol B (median, 34.85; IQR, 0-120.73) was significantly underestimated compared with that for protocol A (p < 0.001). The UHP Sn150 kVp mode facilitated an effective radiation dose reduction by approximately 30% (0.58 vs. 0.82 mSv, p < 0.001) from that associated with the standard 120 kVp mode. Conclusion: The Agatston scores for CACS with the UHP Sn150 kVp mode with a kVp-independent reconstruction algorithm and the standard 120 kVp demonstrated excellent agreement with a small mean difference and narrow agreement limits. The UHP Sn150 kVp mode allowed a significant reduction in the radiation dose.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.131-141
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• 1991

A comprehensive set of dosimetric measurements has been made on the Varian Clinac 1800 15 MV photon beam. Beam quality, percentage depth dose, dose in the build up region, output, symmetry and flatness, transmission through iead (Cerrobend), tray attenuation, isodose curves for the open and wedged fields were measured using 3 dimensional water phantom dosimetry system (including film densitometer system) and polystyrene phantoms. These dosimetric measurements sufficiently characterized the beam to permit clinical use. The depth dose characteristics of photon beam is $d_{max}$ of 3.0 cm and percentage depth dose of $76.8\%$ at 10 cm,100 cm source-surface distance, field size of $10\times10\;cm^2$ for 15 MV X-ray beam. The Output factors ranged 0.927 for $4\times4\;cm^2$ field to 1,087 for $35\times35\;cm^2$ field. The build-up level of maximum dose was at 3.0 cm and surface dose was approximately $15.5\%$ for a field size $10\times10\;cm^2$ The stability of output is $within\pm1\%$ and flatness and symmetry are $within\pm3\%$. The half value thickness (HVL) of lead is 13 mm, which corresponds to an attenuation coefficient of $0.053\;mm^{-1}$. These figures compare facorably with the manufacturesr`s specifications.

• Journal of Dental Anesthesia and Pain Medicine
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• v.20 no.3
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• pp.129-135
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• 2020

Background: Postoperative fluid retention is a factor that causes delay in recovery and unexpected adverse events. It is important to prevent intraoperative fluid retention, which is putatively caused by intraoperative release of stress hormones, such as ADH (anti-diuretic hormone) or others. We hypothesized that intraoperative analgesia may prevent pathological fluid retention. We retrospectively explored the relationship between analgesics and in-out balance in surgical patients from anesthesia records. Methods: Anesthetic records of 80 patients who had undergone orthognathic surgery were checked in this study. Patients were anesthetized with either TIVA (propofol and remifentanil) or inhalational anesthesia (sevoflurane and remifentanil). During surgery, acetated Ringer's solution was infused for maintenance at a rate of 3-5 ml/kg/h at the discretion of the anesthetist. The perioperative parameters, including the amount of crystalloid and colloid infused, and the amount of urine and bleeding were checked. Furthermore, we checked the amount and administration rate of remifentanil during the surgical procedure. The correlation coefficient between the remifentanil dose and the in-out balance or the urinary output was analyzed using the Pearson correlation coefficient. The contributing factor to fluid retention, including urinary output, was statistically examined by means of multivariate logistic regression analysis. Results: A significant positive correlation was found between remifentanil dose and urinary output. Urinary output less than 0.04 ml/kg/min was suggested to cause positive fluid balance. Although in-out balance approaches zero balance with increase in remifentanil administration rate, no contributing factor for near-zero fluid balance was statistically picked up. The remifentanil administration rate was statistically picked up as the significant factor for higher urinary output (> 0.04 ml/kg/min) (OR, 2,644; 95% CI, 3.2-2.2 × 10⁶) among perioperative parameters. Conclusions: In conclusion, remifentanil contributes in maintaining the urinary output during general anesthesia. Although further prospective study is needed to confirm this hypothesis, it was suggested that fluid retention could be avoided through suppressing intraoperative stress response by means of appropriate maintenance of remifentanil infusion rate.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.21-28
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• 2021

Computed tomography (CT) has the problem of having more radiation exposure compared to other radiographic apparatus. There is a low-dose imaging technique for reducing exposure, but it has a disadvantage of increasing noise in the image. To compensate for this, various noise reduction algorithms have been developed that improve image quality while reducing the exposure dose of patients, of which the median modified Wiener filter (MMWF) algorithm that can be effectively applied to CT devices with excellent time resolution has been presented. The purpose of this study is to optimize the mask size of MMWF algorithm and to see the excellence of noise reduction of MMWF algorithm for existing algorithms. After applying the MMWF algorithm with each mask sizes set from the MASH phantom abdominal images acquired using the MATLAB program, which includes Gaussian noise added, and compared the values of root mean square error (RMSE), peak signal-to-noise ratio (PSNR), coefficient correlation (CC), and universal image quality index (UQI). The results showed that RMSE value was the lowest and PSNR, CC and UQI values were the highest in the 5 x 5 mask size. In addition, comparing Gaussian filter, median filter, Wiener filter, and MMWF with RMSE, PSNR, CC, and UQI by applying the optimized mask size. As a result, the most improved RMSE, PSNR, CC, and UQI values were showed in MMWF algorithms.

• Journal of Multimedia Information System
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.189-196
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• 2020

We have developed a device for recording biological data by inserting three electrodes and a needle with an angular velocity sensor into the moth for the purpose of measuring the electromyogram of the flapping and the corresponding lift force. With this measurement, it is possible to evaluate the moth-physiological function of moths, and the amount of pesticides that insects are exposed to (currently LD50-based standards), especially the amount of chronic low-concentration exposure, can be reduced the dose. We measured and recorded 2-channel electromyography (EMG) and angular velocity corresponding to pitch angle (pitch-like angle) associated with wing flapping for 100 sweet potato hawkmoths (50 females and 50 males) with the animals suspended and constrained in air. Overall, the angular velocity and amplitude of EMG signals demonstrated high correlation, with a correlation coefficient of R = 0.792. In contrast, the results of analysis performed on the peak-to-peak (PP) EMG intervals, which correspond to the RR intervals of ECG signals, indicated a correlation between ΔF fluctuation and angular velocity of R = 0.379. Thus, the accuracy of the regression curve was relatively poor. Using a DC amplification circuit without capacitive coupling as the EMG amplification circuit, we confirmed that the baseline changes at the gear change point of wing flapping. The following formula gives the lift provided by the wing: angular velocity × thoracic weight - air resistance - (eddy resistance due to turbulence). In future studies, we plan to attach a micro radio transmitter to the moths to gather data on potential energy, kinetic energy, and displacement during free flight for analysis. Such physiological functional evaluations of moths may alleviate damage to insect health due to repeated exposure to multiple agrochemicals and may lead to significant changes in the toxicity standards, which are currently based on LD50 values.

• The Korean Journal of Pharmacology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.45-50
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• 1982

Yeum et al. formulated a new hot-plate method using the threshold temperature, and there are some controversies on the effects of naloxone and diazepam on the antinociceptive action. In this paper, the comparison of three methods registering analgesic activity and the application of the new hot-plate method formulated by Yeum et al. on the study of the influences of naloxone and diazepam on the analgesic effect of morphine were tried in male mice. The results obtained were summarized as follows; 1) The least-square regression lines of the morphine analgesia plotted against log-dose showed the correlation coefficient of above 0.90, but the competitive antagonism produced by naloxone (0.1 mg/kg) against the analgesia was more prominently demonstated by the new hot-plate method than the other methods: original hot-plate method and electrical stimulation method. 2) In the experiment using the new hot-plate method, the log dose-response curve of morphine (y=7.30 x+49.80, r=0.998) was shifted to the right by the pretreatment of naloxone (0.1 mg/kg), but was slightly shifted to the left by the pretreatment of diazepam (2.5 mg/kg). This study suggests that for the analgesia experiment, the new hot-plate method is superior to the original hot-plate method or the electrical stimulation method, and that the potentiative effect of diazepam on the morphine anagesia is not significant.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information and Communication Engineering
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• v.20 no.12
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• pp.2310-2316
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• 2016

We studied the effect of $Co^{60}$ gamma-radiation on the fiber Bragg gratings (FBGs) by irradiation time of UV Krypton fluoride (KrF) excimer laser among grating processing parameters. The FBGs were fabricated in a different UV laser irradiation time at 30, 60, 90, and 120 seconds using the same commercial Ge-doped silica core fiber (SMF-28e). It was exposed to gamma-radiation up to a high dose of 34.3 kGy at the dose rate of 106 Gy/min, and then it was analyzed radiation effects by measuring the radiation-induced change in the temperature sensitivity coefficient and Bragg wavelength shift. According to the experimental results, We confirmed that the UV laser irradiation period for grating inscription has a highly effect on the radiation sensitivity of the FBGs. The radiation-induced Bragg wavelength shift by the change of laser irradiation conditions showed a difference more than about 50 %.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.155-163
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the mediating effect of confidence for drug calculation in the relationship between interest in medication and drug calculation competency using learning style. Methods: Participants in this study were 421 nursing students from Busan and Kyungnam province. The scales of learning style, interest in medication, importance of perception, confidence for drug calculation, and drug calculation competency for nursing students were used in this study. Descriptive statistics, $X^2$-test, t-test, Pearson correlation coefficient, and stepwise multiple regression were used for data analysis. Results: Learning styles of the participants were diverger 19.0%, accommodator 30.9%, converger 21.1%, and assimilator 29.0%. The drug dose calculation competency of participants was relatively low with a mean score 66.73. There were significant positive correlations among drug dose calculation competency, interest in medication (r=.31, p<.001), and confidence for drug calculation (r=.44, p<.001). Confidence for drug calculation was a moderator between interests in medication and drug calculation competency. Conclusion: Based on the result of this study, confidence for drug calculation promoting strategy such as medication reconciliation and various learning technology for improving drug calculation competency are needed.

• Journal of Pharmaceutical Investigation
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• v.39 no.4
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• pp.309-314
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• 2009

An enzyme immunoassay (EIA) was validated for quantitation of cacitriol in human plasma. Calcitriol was immunoextracted with immunocapsules, which contain monoclonal antibodies to calcitriol linked to solid phase particles in suspension with a vitamin D binding protein inhibitor. Calcitrol was eluated and the eluates were evaporated under a gentle stream of nitrogen gas. The absorbance of analytes was determined using a microplate reader (reference wavelength 650 nm; measurement wavelength 450 nm). The method was specific and sensitive enough to detect as low as 6.5 pmol/L of calcitriol. Linear calibration range was 6.5-491 pmol/L with correlation coefficient greater than 0.99. The overall accuracy was in the range of 83.8 to 111.2% and precision C.V. (%) 0.99 to 8.47%. The recovery was approximately 100% and stability was confirmed during storage and sample preparation. The pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated by baseline subtraction because calcitriol is an endogenous material. Following oral dose of calcitriol, the mean AUC$_{24h}$ was 1038${\pm}$539 pmol/Lhr and C$_{max}$ of 128${\pm}$63.1 pmol/L was reached at 3.50${\pm}$1.07 hr. The mean t$_{1/2}$ of calcitriol was 5.13${\pm}$2.10 hr. The present EIA method was successfully applied to study bioavailability after oral administration of 2 ${\mu}$g of calcitriol in healthy Korean subjects.

• Environmental Mutagens and Carcinogens
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.34-39
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• 2000

Although shipbuilding workers were exposed to a variety of genotoxic compounds including polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), limited number of studies were conducted to evaluate the biomarkers related to PAH exposure in painting workers in shipbuilding industry. One hundred and thirty three workers including 73 employees using coal tar paints were recruited from a shipbuilding company located in South Korea. Urinary 1-hydroxypyrene glucuronide (1-OHPG), as internal dose of PAH exposure, were measured by synchronous fluorescence spectroscopy after immunoaffinity purification using monoclonal antibody 8E11. Glutathione S-transferase (GST)M1 and GSTT1 genotypes were assessed by multiplex PCR. Information on demographic characteristics, smoking gabit, diet, job title, use of personal protective equipments were collected by self-administered questionnaire. Urinary 1-OHPG were higher in workers using coal tar paints than in workers using general paints, however, the difference was not statistically significant (p=0.20, Mann-Whitney U test). Urinary 1-OHPG levels in smokers were higher than in non-smokers (p<0.05 by Mann-Whitney U test) and there was a significant increase in urinary 1-OHPG levels with the numbers of cigarettes consumed per day (Spearman's correlation coefficient = 0.28, p=0.02). Genetic polymorphisms of GSTM1 and GSTT1 did not influence the level of 1-OHPG in study subjects. Multiple regression analysis show that smoking is the only significant predictor for lon-transformed 1-OHPG (overall model R2=0.1). These results suggest that workers using coal tar paints were exposed to significant amount of PAHs and individual difference in xenobiotic metabolism might affect the levels of internal dose of PAHs.