• Imaging Science in Dentistry
• /
• v.54 no.3
• /
• pp.264-270
• /
• 2024

Purpose: This study aimed to propose a methodological approach for reducing the radiation dose in pediatric cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), focusing exclusively on balancing image quality with dose optimization. Materials and Methods: The dose-area product (DAP) for exposure was reduced using copper-plate attenuation of an X-ray source. The thickness of copper (Cu) was increased from 0 to 2.2 mm, and 10 different DAP levels were used. The QUART DVT_AP phantom and pediatric radiologic dentiform were scanned under the respective DAP levels. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), image homogeneity, and modulation transfer function (MTF) were analyzed using the QUART DVT_AP phantom. An expert evaluation (overall image grade, appropriateness of field of view, artifacts, noise, and resolution) was conducted using pediatric dentiform images. The critical DAP level was determined based on phantom and dentiform analysis results. Results: CNR and image homogeneity decreased as the DAP was reduced; however, there was an inflection point of image homogeneity at Cu 1.6 mm (DAP=138.00 mGy·cm²), where the value started increasing. The MTF showed constant values as the DAP decreased. The expert evaluation of overall image grades showed "no diagnostic value" for dentiform images with Cu 1.9-2.2 mm (DAP=78.00-103.33 mGy·cm²). The images with Cu 0-1.6 mm (DAP=138.00-1697.67mGy·cm²) had a "good," "moderate," or "poor but interpretable" grade. Conclusion: Reducing DAP beyond a 1.6-mm Cu thickness degraded CBCT image quality. Image homogeneity and clinical image grades indicated crucial decision points for DAP reduction in pediatric CBCT scans.

• Korean Journal of Food Science and Technology
• /
• v.38 no.4
• /
• pp.475-482
• /
• 2006

The quality characteristics and functional properties of fermented soybean by lactic acid bacteria (FSB) were investigated and compared with those of soybean (control) and commercial cheonggukjang Powder (CGP). The crude protein, lipid, and fiber contents of FSB were similar to those in CGP. The vitamin $B_2$ content in FSB (1.4 mg%) was similar to the control (1.3 mg%) whereas it was remarkably low in the CGP (0.2 mg%). The bright yellow color of FSB determined by Hunter's colormeter was quite different from the dark reddish brown color of the CGP. The pH of FSB was the lowest and thee amino-nitrogen was 517.2 mg%, which was higher than that in CGP (468.1 mg%). Glutamic acid, aspartic acid and leucine were the most abundant amino acids. In particular, the increase in the glutamic acid level was noticeable in FSB. The fatty acid compositions of FSB and CGP were similar to the control. However, the sucrose and fructose levels were lower after fermentation but the glucose level was higher. The results of isoflavone analysis by HPLC showed that the levels of daidzein and genistein in FSB were as much as 48.33 and 52.82 mg%, respectively, which is higher than that found in CGP. The DPPH free radical scavenging effects of FSB and CGP were 1.8 times higher an those of the control. The fibrinolytic activity determined by the diameter of the lysed area on the fibrin plate was the most effective in FSB. In conclusion, it is believed that FSB has a similar or higher quality than CGP. Therefore, FSB is expected to be good functional food material.

• Progress in Medical Physics
• /
• v.26 no.1
• /
• pp.12-17
• /
• 2015

The purpose of the Monte Carlo simulation study was to provide the optimized nozzle design to satisfy the beam conditions for biomedical researches in the Korean heavy-ion accelerator, RAON. The nozzle design was required to produce $C^{12}$ beam satisfying the three conditions; the maximum field size, the dose uniformity and the beam contamination. We employed the GEANT4 toolkit in Monte Carlo simulation to optimize the nozzle design. The beams for biomedical researches were required that the maximum field size should be more than $15{\times}15cm^2$, the dose uniformity was to be less than 3% and the level of beam contamination due to the scattered radiation from collimation systems was less than 5% of total dose. For the field size, we optimized the tilting angle of the circularly rotating beam controlled by a pair of dipole magnets at the most upstream of the user beam line unit and the thickness of the scatter plate located downstream of the dipole magnets. The values of beam scanning angle and the thickness of the scatter plate could be successfully optimized to be $0.5^{\circ}$ and 0.05 cm via this Monte Carlo simulation analysis. For the dose uniformity and the beam contamination, we introduced the new beam configuration technique by the combination of scanning and static beams. With the combination of a central static beam and a circularly rotating beam with the tilting angle of $0.5^{\circ}$ to beam axis, the dose uniformity could be established to be 1.1% in $15{\times}15cm^2$ sized maximum field. For the beam contamination, it was determined by the ratio of the absorbed doses delivered by $C^{12}$ ion and other particles. The level of the beam contamination could be achieved to be less than 2.5% of total dose in the region from 5 cm to 17 cm water equivalent depth in the combined beam configuration. Based on the results, we could establish the optimized nozzle design satisfying the beam conditions which were required for biomedical researches.

• Microbiology and Biotechnology Letters
• /
• v.15 no.6
• /
• pp.388-395
• /
• 1987

In order to obtain a regulatory mutant strain with high cellulase activity, a newly isolated Penicillium verrculosum, strain F-3 was used as parental strain since it was proved to be an efficient cellulase producer. A number of experiments were conducted to determine the optimum conditions to in-duce mutagenesis and isolate the desirable mutant strains. Out of several restriction compounds tested, 1.5% oxgall was found to be most effective to restrict the colony size by suppressing overgrowth. Derepression of catabolites was employed as a criterion in selecting mutant strains with high cellulase productivity. Production of cellulase by Penicillium venculosum F-3 was suppressed when cultured on the media with more than 1% of glucose or glycerol. It was found that either irradiation with UV light for 19 mins or treatment with nitrosoguanidine at 200$\mu\textrm{g}$/m1 for 60 mins, induced mutagenesis at desired level, when the survival rate of the spore was 0.2% and 48%, respectively. Three mutant strains of F-3, UV-9, UV-10, and NTG-3 that had the highest cellulase productivity were finally selected, based on filter paper degradation rate, size of clearing zone on the screening plate and cellulase activity in the medium containing cellulose powder. When the mutant strains were compared with parental strain F-3, on the KC-M-W medium containing cellulose powder, the filter paper activities of UV-9, UV-10, and NTG-3 were increased by 34%, 55%, and 41%, respectively. However, the assimilation of cellobiose octaacetate by UV-9 or NTG-3 was markedly reduced. When the mutant UV-10 was grown on cellobiose octaacetate medium (CCA-4) in shaking flasks, the cellulase activities of the mutant increased by 20 to 50% compared to the parental strain. Excreation of soluble protein from the mutant also elevated up to 30%. The mutant also constitutively produced both CMCase and $\beta$-glucosidase, though at relatively low level, in the presence of glucose or cellobiose as carbon sources.

• Food Science and Preservation
• /
• v.20 no.3
• /
• pp.424-428
• /
• 2013

Microbiological contamination of 4 vegetables (garlic, red pepper, perilla leaf and lettuce) collected from 10 restaurants around university was examined. The vegetables were evaluated for total plate count, coliforms, psychrophiles, yeast, and Staphylococcus aureus. The results of total plate count showed the highest value as $5.4{\pm}0.69$ log CFU/g in lettuce, following by $4.8{\pm}1.53$ log CFU/g in red pepper, $4.5{\pm}1.65$ log CFU/g in perilla leaf and $3.4{\pm}1.27$ log CFU/g in garlic. The contamination level of coliforms and psychrophiles were highest in red pepper with maximum as 4.7 log CFU/g and 8.2 log CFU/g, respectively. Red pepper of psychrophiles showed the highest average value as $5.0{\pm}1.82$ log CFU/g followed by $4.2{\pm}1.91$ log CFU/g in lettuce, $4.7{\pm}1.55$ log CFU/g in perilla leaf and $2.4{\pm}2.10$ log CFU/g in garlic. The average number of yeasts were highest in perilla leaf with $4.4{\pm}1.41$ log CFU/g and were lowest in garlic with $0.9{\pm}1.41$ log CFU/g. The contamination level of S. aureus was detected in 27 samples among the total 40 samples with the range of 0.5-5.2 log CFU/g. In conclusion, the microbial quality of the fresh vegetables evaluated in this study was not very good. Therefore, it needs to be enhanced through the good sanitation management and production and distribution methods to improve the safety of fresh vegetables.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
• /
• v.85 no.2
• /
• pp.329-339
• /
• 1996

This study is to investigate the effect of mycorrhizal development, growth, nutrient absorption of P. thunbergii seedlings inoculated with Pisolithus tinctorius(Pt. KJ-1) in relation to toxic materials in soil. The concentrations on copper solution applied to the soils were 0, 40, 120, 260, 430ppm. The results are summarized as follows : 1. The germination of P. thunbergii with Pt. increased greater than without ectomycorrhizal fungi. Mycorrhizal development showed a significant decreasing trend at high concentration, and tolerant Cu test with Pt. in agar plate media showed a decreasing trend at a high level. 2. P. thunbergii seedlings inoculated with Pt. showed that the shoot length was significantly promoted at 40, 120ppm copper levels, and that of noninoculated seedlings had the lowest effect in 430ppm copper level. 3. The outer shape of ectomycorrhizal root tips after inoculating Pt. on P. thunbergii seedlings appeared as a monopodial type, a fern-like type, and a cluster-like type at 0ppm, 40ppm levels, but only monopodial type came out at 260ppm, 430ppm copper levels. 4. Root length, no. of juvenile leaves, total length of juvenile leaves, total dry weight, no. of needles and total length of needles of P. thunbergii with Pt. increased greater than those of noninoculated seedling. Growth response of P. thunbergii seedling inoculated with Pt. increased significantly at 40ppm, 120ppm Cu levels. 5. As a result of analysis of growth medium, pH, Na, CEC increased at higher Cu level, and total nitrogen, organic matters, available phosphorous, K, Ca and Mg decreased at 40ppm, 120ppm Cu levels. As a result of an analysis about a copper within soils, it appeared having high Cu-concentration at 0ppm level of an inoculated Pt. and high Cu-concentration in noninoculated Pt. than in inoculated Pt. at higher level. 6. As a result of an analysis of shoot, N, P, and K-concentration were higher in noninoculated seedlings than in inoculated seedlings, and Cu-concentration was higher in inoculated seedlings than in noninoculated seedlings. The analysis of root resulted in a high N-concentration at 40ppm, 120ppm levels, in a high P-concentration in inoculated seedlings and in a high Cu-concentration in noninoculated seedlings. Cu-concentration was significantly higher at root than at shoot.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Service
• /
• v.35 no.4
• /
• pp.313-319
• /
• 2012

Consumer's preference and microbial inspections on fresh raw beef were carried out to understand the actual market status in Gwanju, Korea. Over 15 questions on questionnaire by 1,111 randomly selected respondents between April and May in 2011, results showed 65.5% positive on eating fresh raw beef, 63.8% negative on good hygiene condition of fresh raw beef, and 72.5% positive on the secure of the hygiene-safety for priority program, respectively. For microbial inspections, a total of 302 samples were collected from fresh raw beef purchased from slaughterhouse (n=122), transport (n=69) and consumer (n=81) stage, from lettuce (n=30) at consumer stage. The aerobic plate count (APC), E. coli count and food borne bacteria such as Salmonella spp., Listeria monocytogenes, Staphylococcus(S.) aureus and E. coli O157:H7 were tested in the samples. As results, the level of count on APC of fresh raw beef ranged $6{\times}10^1{\sim}1.8{\times}10^5CFU/g$ from slaughterhouse, $2{\times}10^2{\sim}8.3{\times}10^5CFU/g$ from transport stage and $1{\times}10^2{\sim}4{\times}10^5CFU/g$ from consumer stage. The level of count on E. coli of fresh raw beef ranged $1{\sim}9{\times}10^1CFU/g$ from slaughterhouse, $1{\sim}7{\times}10CFU/g$ from transport stage and $1{\sim}5.5{\times}10CFU/g$ from consumer stage. In total, 26 S. aureus were isolated, 10 (14.5%) from fresh raw beef at transport stage, 12 (14.8%) from fresh raw beef and 4 (13.3%) from lettuce at consumer stage. Enterotoxin of S. aureus was not detected among 26 isolates. All S. aureus isolates were typed using a DiversiLab$^{TM}$ rep-PCR system for genetic similarity test, showing over 95% of genetic relationship amon isolates.

• Journal of Animal Science and Technology
• /
• v.46 no.3
• /
• pp.397-404
• /
• 2004

Turkey thigh meats with skin were ground twice through a 3-mm plate and patties were prepared. Patties were cooked using 5 different methods(oven cooking, pan frying, oil deep frying, boiling, and microwaving) to an internal temperature of 85${\sim}90^{\circ}C$ and packaged in either oxygen permeable PVC zipperbags or oxygen impermeable PVDC bags. The samples were analyzed for thiobarbituric acid reactive substances(TBARS) and cholesterol oxidation products(COPs) after storage at $4^{\circ}C$. The TBARS of cooked meat increased during the storage regardless of cooking methods, vacuum packaged thigh meat produced less TBARS and COPs than the aerobically packaged samples. At the beginning of storage, aerobically packaged meat cooked by boiling method produced higher TBARS than that of others. However, the TBARS of microwaved meat with vacuum packaging increased rapidly after 3 days of storage at $4^{\circ}C$. The amount of total COPs in cooked thigh meat increased linearly with storage time. The level of total COPs in aerobically packaged cooked meat was higher than the vacuum-packaged meat. Microwave produced higher level of total COPs in meat than other cooking methods during storage.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Food Culture
• /
• v.11 no.2
• /
• pp.243-253
• /
• 1996

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the foodservice management practices in child-care centers in order to provide basic information for the development of a model of a centralized food service information center. This approach was achieved using a variety of qualitative and quantitative information including general foodservice management practices and plate waste. A self-completed questionnaire survey of 651 child-care centers in Korea was undertaken and detailed information was carefully collected at 6 representative child-care centers. The results of the empirical survey were as follows: 1. Child-care centers categorized by location were in large cities (59.9%), medium cities (27.6%) and in provincial areas (12.5). 2. Private sector of child-care centers was 46.4% of the total followed by National/public (44.2%) and licensed home day-care programs (9.4%). 3. Total average number of children in child-care centers was $63.3{\pm}43.1$ with a very significant difference (p<0.001) in types of child-care centers. 4. The average space of kitchen and dining room was $5.0{\pm}3.8\;and\;10.8{\pm}11.0$ pyung ($1pyung=3.3058\;cm^2$). 5. The average cost of interim snack in morning and afternoon in child-care centers were $345.9{\pm}459.3$ won and $359.3{\pm}226.6$ won respectively. The average cost of lunch was $644.0{\pm}481.1$ won. There was a significant difference (p<0.001) by types of child-care centers with a highest cost of 863.9 won in licensed home day-care programs. 6. Only a limited number of dietitian were employed, therefore most of food service management practice was not conducted by professional personnel. 7. The result of nutritional analysis of the food revealed that the level of energy and nutrients contained in the food was below the recommeded level (RDA/3).

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
• /
• v.18 no.9
• /
• pp.1606-1612
• /
• 2008

Interleukin (IL)-32 is a recently identified proinflammatory cytokine that is one of the IL-18 inducible genes, and plays an important role in autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. We produced antibodies against IL-32 and studied the expression of IL-32 in human stomach cancer. We detected IL-32 secreted from K-562 cells which were stably transfected with IL-32 and in the sera of stomach cancer patients by a sandwich ELISA using a monoclonal antibody KU32-52 and a polyclonal antibody. In order to optimize a sandwich immunoassay, recombinant IL-32a was added, followed by the addition of a biotinylated KU32-52 into microtiter plate wells precoated with a goat anti-IL-32 antibody. The bound biotinylated KU32-52 was probed with a streptavidin conjugated to HRP. This sandwich ELISA was highly specific and had a minimal detection limit of 80 pg/ml (mean${\pm}$SD of zero calibrator) and measuring up to 3,000 pg/ml. This ELISA showed no cross-reaction with other cytokines such as hIL-1$\alpha$, hIL-1$\beta$, hIL-2, hIL-6, hIL-8, hIL-10, hIL-18, and hTNF-$\alpha$. Intra-assay coefficients of variation were 18.5% to 4.6% (n=10), and inter-assay coefficients were 23% to 9% (n=10). The average IL-32 level in the sera of 16 stomach cancer patients (189 pg/ml) was higher than that of 12 healthy control men (109 pg/ml). Our results indicate that serum IL-32 level can be detected by using an established ELISA, and that this immunoassay and mAb KU32-09 specific for immunohistochemistry can be used in the detection of expressed and secreted IL-32 in stomach cancer patients.