• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
• /
• v.39 no.1
• /
• pp.61-64
• /
• 2014

Radioactive materials are in use and have many applications from the generation of electricity to the purposes of research, industry and medicine such as diagnosis and therapy. In the course of their use some of radioactive substances may be discharged into the environment from facilities using the unsealed radioactive materials, which are main artificial sources occurring the public exposure. Discharges are in the form of gases, particles or liquids. This paper provides procedures to estimate the level of the public exposure based on the conservative assumptions and simple calculations in the facility using unsealed liquid sources. They consist of two processes; (1) to calculate maximum concentration of gaseous effluents discharged through the exhaust pipe and average concentration of liquid effluents discharged through the drain of the storage tank, (2) to compare each of them to numerical guidances for the discharges of radioactive gaseous and liquid effluents mentioned in the related notification. For this purpose followings are assumed properly; daily usage, form and dispersion rate of radionuclides, daily amount of radioactive liquid waste and exhaust and drainage equipment. The procedures are readily applicable to evaluate environmental effects by planned effluent discharges from facilities using the unsealed radioactive materials. In addition they may be utilized to obtain practical requirements for radiation safety control necessary for the reductions of the public exposure.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.3 no.2
• /
• pp.179-187
• /
• 1999

Purpose : This paper introduces a computationally inexpensive context-dependent classification of multi-echo MRI with Bayes compound decision model. In order to produce accurate region segmentation especially in homogeneous area and along boundaries of the regions, we propose a classification method that uses contextual information of local enighborhood system in the image. Material and Methods : The performance of the context free classifier over a statistically heterogeneous image can be improved if the local stationary regions in the image are disassociated from each other through the mechanism of the interaction parameters defined at he local neighborhood level. In order to improve the classification accuracy, we use the contextual information which resolves ambiguities in the class assignment of a pattern based on the labels of the neighboring patterns in classifying the image. Since the data immediately surrounding a given pixel is intimately associated with this given pixel., then if the true nature of the surrounding pixel is known this can be used to extract the true nature of the given pixel. The proposed context-dependent compound decision model uses the compound Bayes decision rule with the contextual information. As for the contextual information in the model, the directional transition probabilities estimated from the local neighborhood system are used for the interaction parameters. Results : The context-dependent classification paradigm with compound Bayesian model for multi-echo MR images is developed. Compared to context free classification which does not consider contextual information, context-dependent classifier show improved classification results especially in homogeneous and along boundaries of regions since contextual information is used during the classification. Conclusion : We introduce a new paradigm to classify multi-echo MRI using clustering analysis and Bayesian compound decision model to improve the classification results.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.95-102
• /
• 2007

Purpose: To acquire high-resolution spiral-scan images at higher magnetic field, high homogeneous magnetic field is needed. Field inhomogeneity mapping and in-vivo shimming are important for rapid imaging such as spiral-scan imaging. The rapid scanning sequences are very susceptible to inhomogeneity. In this paper, we proposed a higher-order shimming method to obtain homogeneous magnetic field. Materials and Methods: To reduce measurement time for field inhomogeneity mapping, simultaneous axial/ sagittal, and coronal acquisitions are done using multi-slice based Fast Spin echo sequence. Acquired field inhomogeneity map is analyzed using the spherical harmonic functions, and shim currents are obtained by the multiplication of the pseudo-inverse of the field pattern with the inhomogeneity map. Results: Since the field inhomogeneity is increasing in proportion to the magnetic field, higher order shimming to reduce the inhomogeneity becomes more important in high field imaging. The shimming technique in which axial, sagittal, and coronal section inhomogeneity maps are obtained in one scan is developed, and the shimming method based on the analysis of spherical harmonics of the imhomogenity map is applied. The proposed technique is applicable to a localized shimming as well. High resolution spiral-scan imaging was successfully obtained with the proposed higher order shimming. Conclusion: Proposed pulse sequence for rapid measurement of inhomogeneity map and higher order shimming based on the inhomogeneity map work very well at 3 Tesla MRI system. With the proposed higher order shimming and localized higher order shimming techniques, high resolution spiral-scan images are successfully obtained at 3 T MRI system.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.152-158
• /
• 2008

A peculiar virus-like disease of tomato showing yellow mosaic and necrotic spots on leaves and necrosis on veins, petioles and stems was observed at the Tomato Experimental Station (TES), Buyeo, Chungcheongnamdo, Korea. The disease incidence at TES fields ranged from 21 to 35% infecting different tomato cultivars. For this reason, to identify the virus infecting tomato and to characterize the virus based on biology, serology, cytology and at molecular level. Here, leaf samples were randomly collected from different infected tomato cultivars at TES fields and greenhouses and tested by ELISA using Pepper mottle virus (PePMoV) and Tomato mosaic virus (ToMV) antisera. Infected saps were mechanically inoculated in different host plants to test for pathogenicity, symptomatology and host ranges. Infected tissues and ultrathin sections were examined by electron microscopy. Finally, putative coat protein and 3'-untranslated region (CP/3'-UTR) fragment was amplified and cloned for sequence determination and analyzed its genetic relationship to existing PepMoV and PVY sequences at the Genbank. Results showed 69% of the samples were positive with PepMoV, 13% with ToMV and 19 % were doubly infected with PepMoV and ToMV. Symptoms greatly varied from different host plants inoculated with tomato leaf sap infected with PepMoV alone and discussed in detailed in this paper. Electron microscopy from infected tissues showed filamentous particles of 720-750nm in length, a typical morphology and size of PepMoV. In addition, cylindrical inclusion bodies, pinwheels, scrolls and laminates with masses of fibrillar inclusions were also found in ultrathin sections. Alignment of the sequences of the CP/3'-UTR revealed >96% sequence identity with PepMoV and only <61% with PVY. Taken together, all these evidences presented clearly indicated that the causal agent infecting tomato at TES was PepMoV and we designated this PepMoV infecting tomato as Tom-sd2 strain in this study.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.57 no.1
• /
• pp.1.1-1.11
• /
• 2015

Background: Due to increased interest in animal welfare, there is now a need for a comprehensive assessment protocol to be used in intensive pig farming systems. There are two current welfare assessment protocols for pigs: Welfare Quality$^{(R)}$ Assessment Protocols (applicable in the Europe Union), that mostly focuses on animal-based measures, and the Swine Welfare Assurance Program (applicable in the United States), that mostly focuses on management- and environment-based measures. In certain cases, however, animal-based measures might not be adequate for properly assessing pig welfare status. Similarly, welfare assessment that relies only on environment- and management-based measures might not represent the actual welfare status of pigs. Therefore, the objective of this paper was to develop a new welfare protocol by integrating animal-, environment-, and management-based measures. The background for selection of certain welfare criteria and modification of the scoring systems from existing welfare assessment protocols are described. Methods: The developed pig welfare assessment protocol consists of 17 criteria that are related to four main principles of welfare (good feeding, good housing, good health, and appropriate behavior). Good feeding, good housing, and good health were assessed using a 3-point scale: 0 (good welfare), 1 (moderate welfare), and 2 (poor welfare). In certain cases, only a 2-point scale was used: 0 (certain condition is present) or 2 (certain condition is absent). Appropriate behavior was assessed by scan sampling of positive and negative social behaviors based on qualitative behavior assessment and human-animal relationship tests. Results: Modification of the body condition score into a 3-point scale revealed pigs with a moderate body condition (score 1). Moreover, additional criteria such as feed quality confirmed that farms had moderate (score 1) or poor feed quality (score 2), especially those farms located in a high relative humidity region. Conclusions: The developed protocol can be utilized to assess welfare status in an intensive pig farming system. Although further improvements are still needed, this study is a first step in developing a pig welfare assessment protocol that combines animal-, environment-, and management-based measures.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
• /
• v.36 no.5
• /
• pp.235-239
• /
• 2015

The purpose of this study was to investigate the unstable plate system for the advanced balance ability. 7 male volunteers (age $33.7{\pm}1.2$ years, height $174.7{\pm}3.8cm$, weight $86.0{\pm}3.6kg$, BMI $28.2{\pm}2.0kg/m^2$) performed the partial squat motion on the shape of CAP type(${\cap}$) and BOWL type(${\cup}$) plate system. The range of motion (ROM) and muscle activation were acquired by the motion analysis system and the EMG system. Results of ROMs of the CAP type plate system were shown the widely range of the deviation in the ankle joint on the sagittal plane (sagittal plane - hip joint $10.7^{\circ}$ > $5.4^{\circ}$, knee joint $16.3^{\circ}$ > $6.4^{\circ}$, ankle joint $18.8^{\circ}$ > $6.3^{\circ}$ ; transverse plane - hip joint $3.5^{\circ}$ > $1.8^{\circ}$, knee joint $5.3^{\circ}$ > $3.4^{\circ}$, ankle joint $11.3^{\circ}$ > $5.3^{\circ}$ ; frontal plane - hip joint $0.9^{\circ}$ > $0.5^{\circ}$, knee joint $0.8^{\circ}$ > $0.6^{\circ}$, ankle joint $4.8^{\circ}$ > $3.7^{\circ}$). Muscle activation results of the CAP type plate system were indicated higher in major muscles for balance performance than the BOWL type plate system (vastus lateralis 0.90 > 0.62, peroneus longus 0.49 > 0.21, biceps femoris 0.38 > 0.14, gastrocnemius 0.11 > 0.05). These findings may indicate that the CAP type plate system would expect better effectiveness in perform the balance training. This paper is primary study for developing balance skills enhancement training device.

• Journal of Food Hygiene and Safety
• /
• v.31 no.6
• /
• pp.420-425
• /
• 2016

The present study aimed to calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and zinc (Zn) contents were compared with reference values indicated on the nutrition label of nutrition emphasized food. Also, this paper will briefly review and evaluate what is currently known about Fe-Zn and Ca-Fe interaction. Ca, Fe or Zn-emphasized product, including cereal, snack, soy milk, chocolate product, other cocoa product, sugars product, beverage and tea were analyzed. The contents of Ca, Fe, and Zn in samples after dry-ashing were examined by ICP. The measured Ca (n = 42), Fe (n = 13), Zn (n = 6) values were ranged 87~176%, 98~167%, 98~275% of reference value indicated product, respectively. All samples were ranged more than 80% of the reference value, which were complied with food regulation. High intake of Ca has been shown to adversely affect Fe absorption and the negative effect of Fe on Zn absorption is well known. Therefore, it is important to consider Ca-Fe and Fe-Zn absorption interaction, when Ca, Fe or Zn-emphasized product produce and nutrition labeling policy should be managed regularly with continuous monitoring.

• Journal of Hospice and Palliative Care
• /
• v.4 no.2
• /
• pp.154-160
• /
• 2001

Purpose : This study, as the first year project of setting up a community based management system, was attempted for the cancer patients and their family to improve their quality of life; investigating and managing the cancer patients, educating volunteers and connecting the patients with the volunteers were performed. Method and result : The education of managing cancer patients for the volunteers was done once in lune for 2 days to the 80 volunteers. Questions about education effect, volunteer motivation and so on were made up. The survey showed, generally, education satisfaction level was high and a longer education and an intensive course were needed and was suggested that organizing a volunteer community be needed for the continuous further education and systematic management. As the result, after the public health center and volunteers deliberated, a volunteer community consisting of 4 teams, 28 members was organized, launched in Oct. and operated for the cancer patients and their family. For investigating and enrolling the patients, advertising on a local information paper, recommending of local doctors, publicizing by educating the heads of a subdivision of the city, the heads of a neighborhood association and the people in charge of the related local communities such as women's society, and surveying the community by volunteers were performed and the total, 41 patients were registered. Management of cancer patients was carried out by volunteers in a community and in a nursing school. A regional volunteers' community is composed of 23 members and they have worked 87 times, that is 3.8 times per capita on an average. The content of duties is attending the education (41.1%) the most. A volunteers' community of nursing students composed of 12 members have worked 135 times, that is 11.3 times per capita on an average. The content of duties - consulting with patients and home visiting (37.8 %) were the most and survey for investigating the cancer patients was the second. Conclusion : This study has the meaning that this is the guiding attempt in building a community based management system, and especially the achievement of this study is that a regional society organized a volunteer community for the cancer patients by itself and went into action for the cancer patients and their family. Furthermore, to activate this volunteering, it is necessary to keep managing volunteers and running continuing education or the intensive course of the volunteers. Indeed we should let the patients have good impression on this program through publicity and education for the residents to keep track of more cancer patients. For that, systematic and powerful cooperation of a self-administrative organization is required.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
• /
• v.13 no.5
• /
• pp.793-798
• /
• 2009

In this paper, the performances of implementation real-time book search service of government library using OpenAPI. Since 2000, each self-government made a governmnt library for local resident because of policies to encourage reading. Each self-government library services book perusal and lend free for local resident. In current system local residents visit to a library for lending, returning and reading books. And each library run by a self-governing administration provides their own homepage for searching service as well as booking. For each services are not unified, however, it is not easy for lenders to search and lend these enormous books which are spread each library. Accordingly, we present a plan which using organization of every system established now in each library as it is, for a scheme of database by libraries' efficient unification and search, a network of TCP/IP and application which connects each library's database, servicing which uses Open API a check books through real time accessing Database.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.19 no.1
• /
• pp.42-48
• /
• 2008

Bio-implantable devices such as heart pacers, gastric pacers and drug-delivery systems require power for carrying out their intended functions. These devices are usually powered through a battery implanted with the system or are wired to an external power source. This paper describes an inductive power transmission link, which was developed for an implantable stimulator for direct stimulation of denervated muscles. The carrier frequency is around 1MHz, the transmitter coil has a diameter of 46mm, and the implant coil is 46mm. Data transmission to the implant with amplitude shift keying (ASK) and back to the transmitter with passive telemetry can be added without major design changes. We chose the range of coil spacing (2 to 30mm) to care for lateral misalignment, as it occurs in practical use. If the transmitter coil has a well defined and reliable position in respect to the implant, a smaller working range might be sufficient. Under these conditions the link can be operated in fixed frequency mode, and reaches even higher efficiencies of up to 37%. The link transmits a current of 50 mA over a distance range of 2-15 mm with an efficiency of more than 20% in tracking frequency. The efficiency of the link was optimized with different approaches. A class E transmitter was used to minimize losses of the power stage. The geometry and material of the transmitter coil was optimized for maximum coupling. Phase lock techniques were used to achieve frequency tracking, keeping the transmitter optimally tuned at different coupling conditions caused by coil distance variations.