• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.124-131
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• 2003

Purpose : To reveal clinical usefulness of functional MRI (fMRI) using sensorymotor and language stimuli for demonstrating anatomic relationship between sensorimotor or language cortices and lesions in the planning of brain tumor surgery. Materials and Methods : This study included 12 right-handed patients with brain tumors in or around sensorimotor or language cortices. Eleven patients were evaluated with primary motor and sensory stimuli. Of these patients, six patients were also evaluated with language stimuli. One patient was evaluated with language stimuli only. For fMR imaging, a 1.5T scanner was used and the EPI BOLD technique was employed. For postprocessing image, the SPM99 program and a program made by our department was utilized. We evaluated whether sensorimotor and language stimuli activate sensorimotor and language cortices. And also, clinical efficacy of revealing anatomic relationship between cerebral cortices and lesions for planning neurosurgical operation were evaluated. Finally, we compared post-operative neurologic function with pre-operative neurologic function in same patients. Results : The fMRI examination was successful in identifying the functional cortices and depicting anatomic relationship between functional cortices and lesions in all patients. In nine patients of 11 patients with identified sensorimotor cortices, postoperative grade of manual motor test was not changed, compared with preoperative grade. Whereas postoperative improved than preoperative grade in one patient of remaining two patients, postoperative aggravated than preoperative grade in the other. This result was due to atherosclerotic lacunar infarction, regardless of tumor resection. Postoperative deficit of language function was not found in seven patients with identified language cortices. Conclusion : fMRI could be a helpful method for determining the best approach to neurosurgical treatment in patients with brain tumors in or around sensorimotor or language cortices.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.104-112
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• 1998

Purpose : To evaluate the clinical utility of diffusion-weighted imaging by analyzing the signal intersity of lesions in patients with various intracranial diseases. Materials and Methods : difusion-weighted MR imaging was prospectively perormed in randomly selected 70 patients with various intracranial idseases. They consisted of 20 patients with acute infarct, 21 patients with chronic infarct of small vessel disease, 14 patients with primary intracranial tumor, three patients with brain metastasis, five patient with brain abscess, five patients with brain abscess, five patients with cerebral hemorrhage, one patient with neurocysticercosis, and one patient with epidermoid cyst. the diffusion-weighted images were obtained immediately after routine T2-weighted imaging on a 1.5T MR unit using single shot spin echo EPI technique with 6500 ms TR, 107ms TE, $128{\times}128$ matrix, 1 number of excitation, $24{\times}24$ field of view, 5-7 mm slice thickness, 2-3 mm inter-slice gap. The diffusion-gradients (b value of ($1000s{\;}/{\;}textrm{mm}^2$)) were applied along three directions(x, y, z). On visual inspection of diffusion-weighted images, the signal intersity of lesions was arbitrarily graded as one of 5 grades. In quantitative assessment, we measured the signal intensity of all the lesions and the contralateral corresponding normal area using round region of interest(ROI), and then calculated the signal intensity ratio of the lesion to the normal brain parenchyma. Results : On visual inspection, markedly hyperintense signals were seen in all cases of acute infarct, brain abscess, epidermoid cyst, and neurocysticercosis in degenerating stage. In all cases of cerebral hematoma, the very high signal internsity was intermingled with low signal intensity. focal very high signal intersity was also seen in a solid portion of the tumor in a patient. the mean signal intensity ratios of all those lesions to the normal brain parenchyma were above 2.5. Gliosis, solid component of brain tumor, brain metastasis, and vasogenic dedma appeared isointense to the normal brain parenchyma in 71%, 64%, 100%, and 67%, respectively ; the mean signal intensity ratios of those lesions to the normal brain parenchyma ranged 1.15 to 1.28 and there was no significant difference among these(p>0.1). Cystic cerebromalacia and necrotic or cystic portions in tumor were markedly or slightly hypointense, and the mean signal intensity ratios were 0.45 and 0.42, respectively. Conclusion : Very high signal intensity of acute infarct, brain abscess, epidermoid cyst, and cystic neurocysticercosis in degenerating stage on diffusion-weighted images may be helpful in differentiating from other diseases that are hypointense or isointense to the normal brain parenchyma. It may be especially useful differentiation of brain abscess from brain tumor with necrotic or cystic portion.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.4
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• pp.581-588
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• 2019

MRI is superior when contrasted to help the organization generate artifacts resolution, but also affect the diagnosis and create a image that can not be read. Metal is inserted into the tooth, it is necessary to often be inhibited in imaging by causing the geometric distortion due to the majority and if the difference between the magnetic susceptibility of a ferromagnetic material or paramagnetic reducing them. The purpose of this study is to conduct a metal artefact in accordance with the analysis using a diamagnetic material. The magnetic material include a wire for the orthodontic bracket and a stainless steel was used as a diamagnetic material was used copper, zinc, bismuth. Testing equipment is sequenced using 1.5T, 3T was used was measured using a SE, TSE, GE, EPI. A self-produced phantom material was used for agarose gel (10%) to a uniform signal artifacts causing materials are stainless steel were tested by placing in the center of the phantom and cover inspection of the positive cube diamagnetic material of 10mm each length.After a measurement artefact artifact zone settings area was calculated using the Wand tool After setting the Low Threshold value of 10 in the image obtained by subtracting images, including magnetic material from a pure tool phantom images using Image J. Metal artifacts occur in stainless steel metal artifact reduction was greatest in the image with the bismuth diamagnetic materials of copper and zinc is slightly reduced, but the difference in degree will not greater. The reason for this is thought to be due to hayeotgi offset most of the susceptibility in bismuth diamagnetic susceptibility of most small ferromagnetic. Most came with less artifacts in image of bismuth in both 1.5T and 3T. Sequence-specific artifact reduction was most reduced artifacts from the TSE 1.5T 3T was reduced in the most artifacts from SE. Signal-to-noise ratio was the lowest SNR is low, appears in the implant, the 1.5T was the Implant + Bi Cu and Zn showed similar results to each other. Therefore, the results of artifacts variation of diamagnetic material, magnetic susceptibility (${\chi}$) is the most this shows the reduced aspect lower than the implant artificial metal artifacts criteria in the video using low bismuth susceptibility to low material the more metal artifacts It was found that the decrease. Therefore, based on the study on the increase, the metal artifacts reduction for the whole, as well as dental prosthesis future orthodontic materials in a way that can even reduce the artifact does not appear which has been pointed out as a disadvantage of the solutions of conventional metal artifact It is considered to be material.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.66-73
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• 2001

Purpose : For the research of Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT), fast neutrons generated from the MC-50 cyclotron with maximum energy of 34.4 MeV in Korea Cancer Center Hospital were moderated by 70 cm paraffin and then the dose characteristics were investigated. Using these results, we hope to establish the protocol about dose measurement of epi-thermal neutron, to make a basis of dose characteristic of epi-thermal neutron emitted from nuclear reactor, and to find feasibility about accelerator-based BNCT. Method and Materials : For measuring the absorbed dose and dose distribution of fast neutron beams, we used Unidos 10005 (PTW, Germany) electrometer and IC-17 (Far West, USA), IC-18, ElC-1 ion chambers manufactured by A-150 plastic and used IC-l7M ion chamber manufactured by magnesium for gamma dose. There chambers were flushed with tissue equivalent gas and argon gas and then the flow rate was S co per minute. Using Monte Carlo N-Particle (MCNP) code, transport program in mixed field with neutron, photon, electron, two dimensional dose and energy fluence distribution was calculated and there results were compared with measured results. Results : The absorbed dose of fast neutron beams was $6.47\times10^{-3}$ cGy per 1 MU at the 4 cm depth of the water phantom, which is assumed to be effective depth for BNCT. The magnitude of gamma contamination intermingled with fast neutron beams was $65.2{\pm}0.9\%$ at the same depth. In the dose distribution according to the depth of water, the neutron dose decreased linearly and the gamma dose decreased exponentially as the depth was deepened. The factor expressed energy level, $D_{20}/D_{10}$, of the total dose was 0.718. Conclusion : Through the direct measurement using the two ion chambers, which is made different wall materials, and computer calculation of isodose distribution using MCNP simulation method, we have found the dose characteristics of low fluence fast neutron beams. If the power supply and the target material, which generate high voltage and current, will be developed and gamma contamination was reduced by lead or bismuth, we think, it may be possible to accelerator-based BNCT.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.22 no.4
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• pp.437-446
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• 2012

A metagenomic library of cow rumen in the pCC1FOS phage vector was screened in $E.$ $coli$ EPI300 for cellulase activity on carboxymethyl cellulose agar plates. One clone was partially digested with $Sau$3AI, ligated into the $Bam$HI site of the pBluescript II SK+ vector, and transformed into $E.$ $coli$ $DH5{\alpha}$. We obtained a 1.5 kb insert DNA, designated $cel$5C, which hydrolyzes carboxymethyl cellulose. The cel5C gene has an open reading frame (ORF) of 1,125 bp encoding 374 amino acids. It belongs to the glycosyl hydrolase family 5 with the conserved domain LIMEGFNEIN. The molecular mass of the Cel5C protein induced from $E.$ $coli$ $DH5{\alpha}$, as analyzed by CMC SDS-PAGE, appeared to be approximately 42 kDa. The enzyme showed optimum cellulase activity at pH 4.0, and $50^{\circ}C$. We examined whether the $cel$5C gene comes from the 49 identified cow rumen bacteria using PCR. No PCR bands were identified, suggesting that the $cel$5C gene came from the unidentified cow rumen bacteria.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.13 no.11
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• pp.5773-5775
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• 2012

Objective: To assess the diagnostic and prognostic value of AFP and des-gamma-carboxyprothrombin (DCP) in combination and alone for hepatocellular carcinoma. Materials and Methods: A case control study carried out in the Department of Biochemistry of Manipal College of Medical Sciences, Pokhara, Nepal between $1^{st}$ January 2010 and $31^{st}$ December 2011. The variables collected were age, gender, BMI, total proteins, albumin, AST, ALT, total bilirubin, DCP, AFP. Approval for the study was obtained from the institutional research ethical committee. Estimation of AFP was performed by ELISA reader for all cases. Analysis was done using descriptive statistics and confidence interval (CI). The data was analyzed using Excel 2003, R 2.8.0 Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS) for Windows Version 16.0 (SPSS Inc; Chicago, IL, USA) and the EPI Info 3.5.1 Windows Version. Results:The mean age of HCC cases was $53.6{\pm}14.93$ yrs. The percentage of females was less than males in both cases (23%) and controls (29%). The specificity of DCP reached 100% when its values was equal or greater than 150 (MAU/ml) for 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 months preceding the diagnosis of HCC. Similarly, the specificity for AFP was also nearly 100% when its value was equal or greater than 200 ng/ml 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 months earlier to the finding of HCC. The specificity of DCP (${\geq}40MAU/mL$) and AFP(${\geq}20$ ng/mL) in combination was 93%, 97%, 95%, 96%, 97% in respect to 0, 3, 6, 9, 12 months prior to the diagnosis of HCC. Conclusion: The combination of both DCP and AFP will improve the finding of initial HCC and the sensitivity of these markers was utmost at the time of HCC identification and noticeably lesser at former time points.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2009

Purpose : Functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) was used to assess the temporal response of neural activation in healthy subjects while they performed the Iowa Gambling Test (IGT), which utilizes decisions involving ambiguity and risk. The IGT was divided into five blocks of 20 trials; analysis showed that activity in the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) moves gradually from the dorsal to the ventral mPFC over the course of the IGT. These findings suggest that cognitive division of the mPFC, including the dorsal portion of the anterior cingulated cortex (ACC), plays a major role in ambiguous decision making and that the aspect of the IGT corresponding to risky decision making is associated with significant activity within the corticolimbic network strongly implicated in emotion and reinforcement. Our results also suggest that decisions made under ambiguity and decisions made under risk situations can be further divided into sub-phases based on the neural network involved.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Science and Nutrition
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.502-508
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• 1994

A total of 24 specimens of the pufferfish, Fugu xanthopterus, purchased at a fixhmarket in Pusan, korea were examined for toxicity using the assay method of tetrodotoxin (TTX). Also, the toxins isolated from the puffer liver were partially purified and analyzed for their chemical composition by instrumental behaviors. On the whole, when the level of toxicity in each organ was analyzed compared to that of liver, they were 100 % of the lover, 92 % for the intestine, 75% for the skin, 17% for the muscle, 785 for the testis, 87% for the ovary, and 71% for bile. The highest and average scores of toxicity for the liver were 917 and $231{\pm}51MU/g$ liver, respectively. The toxins of the puffer gave four peaks in HPLC whose retention times (10, 20, 22 and 25 min) were close to those of TDA, TTX, 4-epi-TTX, and and -TTX, respectively.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics Engineers of Korea SD
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• v.38 no.8
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• pp.13-19
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• 2001

We report on the fabrication and characterization of $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$ HFETs with different barrier layer thickness which were grown using plasma-assisted molecular beam epitaxy (PAMBE). The barrier thickness of $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$/GaN HFETs could be optimized in order to maximize 2 dimensional electron gas induced by piezoelectric effect without the relaxation of $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$ layer. $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$/GaN (20 nm/2 mm) HFET with 0.6 ${\mu}m$-long and 34 ${\mu}m$-wide gate shows saturated current density ($V_{gs}=1\;V$) of 1.155 A/mm and transconductance of 250 ms/mm, respectively. From high frequency measurement, the fabricated $Al_{0.3}Ga_{0.7}N$/GaN HFETs showed $F_t=13$ GHz and $F_{max}=48$ GHz, respectively. The uniformity of less than 5% could be obtained over the 2 inch wafer. In addition to the optimization of epi-layer structure, the relation between breakdown voltage and high frequency characteristics has been examined.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.11-20
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• 1994

GaAs and AlGaAs epi-layers were grown on semi-insulating (100) GaAs substrate by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) and their electrical and optical properties have been investigated by several measurements. In undoped GaAs, the p-type GaAs layers with the good surface morphology were obtained under the growth conditions of the substrate temperatures ranging from 570 to $585^{\circ}C$ and the $As_4$/Ga ratios from 17 to 22. In the samples with the growth rates of the ranges of $0.9~1.1 {\mu}m/h$, the impurity concentrations were in the ranges of $1.5{\times}10^{14}~5.6{\times}10^{14}cm^{-3}$ with the Hall mobilities of $590~410cm^2/V-s$. In the Si-doped GaAs, the n-type GaAs layers with low electro trap, only two hole deep levels were observed with uniform doping profiles (<1%). AlGaAs layers with good surface morphology and crystallinity were grown under an optimum condition of the substrate temperature, $600^{\circ}C $. 8 deep level defects were observed between 0.17~0.85eV in undoped AlGaAs layers.