• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.72-78
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• 2014

The aim of the study is to test a hypothesis that quasi-breath-hold (QBH) biofeedback improves the residual respiratory motion management in gated 3D thoracic MR imaging, reducing respiratory motion artifacts with insignificant acquisition time alteration. To test the hypothesis five healthy human subjects underwent two gated MR imaging studies based on a T2 weighted SPACE MR pulse sequence using a respiratory navigator of a 3T Siemens MRI: one under free breathing and the other under QBH biofeedback breathing. The QBH biofeedback system utilized the external marker position on the abdomen obtained with an RPM system (Real-time Position Management, Varian) to audio-visually guide a human subject for 2s breath-hold at 90% exhalation position in each respiratory cycle. The improvement in the upper liver breath-hold motion reproducibility within the gating window using the QBH biofeedback system has been assessed for a group of volunteers. We assessed the residual respiratory motion management within the gating window and respiratory motion artifacts in 3D thoracic MRI both with/without QBH biofeedback. In addition, the RMSE (root mean square error) of abdominal displacement has been investigated. The QBH biofeedback reduced the residual upper liver motion within the gating window during MR acquisitions (~6 minutes) compared to that for free breathing, resulting in the reduction of respiratory motion artifacts in lung and liver of gated 3D thoracic MR images. The abdominal motion reduction in the gated window was consistent with the residual motion reduction of the diaphragm with QBH biofeedback. Consequently, average RMSE (root mean square error) of abdominal displacement obtained from the RPM has been also reduced from 2.0 mm of free breathing to 0.7 mm of QBH biofeedback breathing over the entire cycle (67% reduction, p-value=0.02) and from 1.7 mm of free breathing to 0.7 mm of QBH biofeedback breathing in the gated window (58% reduction, p-value=0.14). The average baseline drift obtained using a linear fit was reduced from 5.5 mm/min with free breathing to 0.6 mm/min (89% reduction, p-value=0.017) with QBH biofeedback. The study demonstrated that the QBH biofeedback improved the upper liver breath-hold motion reproducibility during the gated 3D thoracic MR imaging. This system can provide clinically applicable motion management of the internal anatomy for gated medical imaging as well as gated radiotherapy.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.34 no.3
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• pp.239-244
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• 2011

In this study, we evaluated diffusion weighted imaging (DWI) to investigate whether the DWI parameters can predict characteristic parameters on pathologic specimens of tumor or not. CFPAC-1 was injected subcutaneously on the back flank of athymic nude mice (n=13) then two tumors were initiated on each mouse (2${\times}$13=26 tumors). The mice were sacrificed to make specimen immediately after initial MR imaging then were compared with the MR image. A dedicated high-field (7T) small-animal MR scanner was used for image acquisitions. A T1 and T2 weighted axial image using RARE technique was acquired to measure the T2 values and tumor size. DWI MR was performed for calculating ADC values. To evaluate tumor cellularity and determine the levels of MVD, tumor cells were excised and processed for H-E staining and immunostaining using CD31. T2 values and ADC values were computed and analyzed for each half of the tumors and compared to the correlated specimens slide. Median ADC within each half of mass was compared to the cellularity and MVD in the correlated area of pathologic slide. The mean of ADC value is $0.7327{\times}10^{-3}$ $mm^2/s$ and standard deviation is $0.1075{\times}10^{-3}$ $mm^2/s$. There is a linear relationship between ADC value and tumor necrosis (R2=0.697, p< 0.001). DW image parameters including the ADC values can be utilized as surrogate markers to assess intratumoral neoangiogenesis and change of the internal structure of tumor cells.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.81-96
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• 1984

As the crippled persons work mostly in a sitting position and would be engaged in a foot-pressing job, it is necessary to assess their degree of participation of important muscles in various modes of foot activities. In this regard, it deems to be urgent to establish the reference standards for healthy persons. The present study has been undertaken to determine the degree of participation of the M. tibialis anterior, M. gastrocnemius and M. soleus in heel pressing, foot-flat pressing and forefoot pressing motion under varying forces, and in order to compare the electrical activities of three muscles with each other, and to analyse the time sequence between force and appearance or disappearance of EMG recording. Sixty-three healthy young women ranging from age of 18 to 23 were examined. The results obtained were as follows: 1. Participation of three muscles in foot movement under varying forces: A) Both gastrocnemius muscles or left soleus muscle did not contribute to heel pressing motion. Activity of both tibialis anterior muscles was the greatest among three muscles at heel pressing motion and the degree of their activities was proportional to force. B) Activities of left tibialis anterior muscle and both gastrocnemius muscles were negligible under 3 kg force at foot-flat pressing movement. Left gastrocnemius muscle did not contribute to foot-flat pressing under 6 or 9 kg force. Although activities of both soleus muscles and both tibialis anterior muscles were small, the degree of their activities increased with force at foot-flat pressing movement. C) Activities of both tibialis anterior muscles were negligible under 3 kg force at forefoot pressing motion. Activity of both soleus muscles was the greatest among 3 muscles and the degree of their activities increased with force at forefoot pressing motion. Both tibialis anterior muscles participated in forefoot pressing motion with severe exertion. 2. Electrical activities by foot movement under varying forces : A) Electrical activities were prominent in both tibialis anterior muscles and the level of their activities was linear with force at heel pressing motion. The degree of participation of both soleus muscles was small at heel pressing motion. B) Electrical activity of tibialis anterior muscle was the greatest among 3 muscles at foot-flat pressing movement and was followed by that of soleus muscle. Level of electrical activities increased with force in left soleus muscle and right tibialis anterior muscle at foot-flat pressing movement. C) Electrical activity of both soleua muscles was the greatest among 3 muscles at forefoot pressing movement and that of tibialis anterior muscle was next to soleus muscle. Level of electrical activities was proportional to force in left tibialis anterior muscle, right gastrocnemius muscle and both soleus muscles at forefoot pressing movement. 3. Time between starting signal and initiation of contraction of heel pressing and forefoot pressing motion in 3 muscles was longer than that of foot-flat pressing movement. Time of relaxation in 3 muscles was longer than that of contraction under varying forces. EMG recording appeared before initiation of contraction in both tibialis anterior muscles at heel pressing motion and in both soleus muscles at forefoot pressing movement under varying forces. Time of initiation of contraction was similar in both sides of tibialis anterior muscles under varying forces and time of onset of contraction at foot-flat pressing motion was the shortest. 4. Forefoot pressing movement would be encouraged in paralysis of tibialis anterior muscle, while heel pressing motion would be encouraged in paralysis of triceps surae muscle.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.1-6
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• 2014

Purpose : $T_2{^*}$ relaxation time which includes susceptibility information represents unique feature of tissue. The objective of this study was to investigate $T_2{^*}$ relaxation times of the normal glandular tissue and fat of breast using a 3T MRI system. Materials and Methods: Seven-echo MR Images were acquired from 52 female subjects (age $49{\pm}12 $years; range, 25 to 75) using a three-dimensional (3D) gradient-echo sequence. Echo times were between 2.28 ms to 25.72 ms in 3.91 ms steps. Voxel-based $T_2{^*}$ relaxation times and $R_2{^*}$ relaxation rate maps were calculated by using the linear curve fitting for each subject. The 3D regions-of-interest (ROI) of the normal glandular tissue and fat were drawn on the longest echo-time image to obtain $T_2{^*}$ and $R_2{^*}$ values. Mean values of those parameters were calculated over all subjects. Results: The 3D ROI sizes were $4818{\pm}4679$ voxels and $1455{\pm}785$ voxels for the normal glandular tissue and fat, respectively. The mean $T_2{^*}$ values were $22.40{\pm}5.61ms$ and $36.36{\pm}8.77ms$ for normal glandular tissue and fat, respectively. The mean $R_2{^*}$ values were $0.0524{\pm}0.0134/ms$ and $0.0297{\pm}0.0069/ms$ for the normal glandular tissue and fat, respectively. Conclusion: $T_2{^*}$ and $R_2{^*}$ values were measured from human breast tissues. $T_2{^*}$ of the normal glandular tissue was shorter than that of fat. Measurement of $T_2{^*}$ relaxation time could be important to understand susceptibility effects in the breast cancer and the normal tissue.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.56 no.4
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• pp.393-404
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• 2004

Background : Nucleic acid hybridization has become an essential technique in the development of our understanding of gene structure and function. The quantitative analysis of hybridization has been used in the measurement of genome complexity and gene copy number. The filter hybridization assay is rapid, sensitive and can be used to measure RNAs complementary to any cloned DNA sequence. Methods : The authors assessed the accuracy, linearity, correlation coefficient and specificity of the hybridization depending on the added dose(0, 1, 5, and $10{\mu}g$) of non-specific rat spleen RNA to hybridization of surfactant protein A mRNA. Filter hybridization assays were used to obtain the equation of standard curve and thereby to quantitate the mRNA quantitation. Results : 1. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and spleen RNA input (Y) was Y=0.13X-19.35. Correlation coefficient was 0.98. 2. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) was Y=0.00066X-0.046. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. 3. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) after the addition of $1{\mu}g$ spleen RNA was Y=0.00056X-0.051. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. 4. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) after the addition of $5{\mu}g$ spleen RNA was Y=0.00065X-0.088. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. 5. Standard curve equation of filter hybridization assay between counts per minute (X) and surfactant protein A mRNA transcript input (Y) after the addition of $10{\mu}g$ spleen RNA was Y=0.00051X-0.10. Correlation coefficient was 0.99. Conclusions : Comparison of cpm/filter in a linear range allowed accurate and reproducible estimation of surfactant protein A mRNA copy number irrespective of the addition dosage of non-specific rat spleen RNA over the range $0-10{\mu}g$.

• Journal of dental hygiene science
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• v.14 no.3
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• pp.332-341
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• 2014

This study was aimed to define the predicting factor account for the Korean Dental Hygienist Licensing Examination (KDHLE) by analyzing the academic grade score and the KDHLE score. The subjects included 185 graduates (2007, 2009, 2011~2014 graduates). The ratio of successful applicants of the subjects was 99.2%. The academic grade scores were calculated to grade point average, the KDHLE was scoring marks out of 300 (200 of written examination score and 100 of performance evaluation score) for correlation and regression analysis. The graduation grades and comprehensive examination scores correlated significantly with the KDHLE written examination scores (correlation coefficient=0.612), and KDHLE total score (correlation coefficient=0.258). First~third grade score and comprehensive examination scores correlated significantly with KDHLE total scores (p<0.05). Especially, there are the highest correlated between second comprehensive examination scores and KDHLE total scores (correlation coefficient=0.455), the last score in time sequence is the important factors account for the KDHLE total score. But there is no correlation between academic grade score and KDHLE performance evaluation scores, therefore it is necessary to study for determine the reason. The results of multiple linear regression analysis, second grade score and the average score of comprehensive examination were the main predicting factors account for the KDHLE total score, the explanatory power was 31.6%. Our results show that KDHLE total and written examination scores are predicted by the academic grade score reliably, but not the KDHLE performance evaluation scores. Further studies are needed to determine relationship between dental hygiene education and KDHLE.

• Journal of Korea Entertainment Industry Association
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• v.15 no.8
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• pp.145-159
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• 2021

is a contemporary experimental film that forms ambiguity in the narrative and the psychological motivation of the characters, destroys linear temporality, and reminds of manipulation possibilities in digital images through varied techniques, and it carries implication by the fact that the transformation process of human subjects and self-awareness are connected to social trauma and makes way to infer by comparing it to the historical contexts of other nations or societies. centers on the space outside the screen, absent space, and the intrinsic meaning within the space and the frame and shares the information in the visible space and the space outside the screen and arouses an active perceptual process so that the audience can deduce the information that is not presented. The film visualized the historical meaning without describing the background of the times in detail and aimed to express the conflicts and worries between the god, a transcendental existence, with humans, which are marginal beings, within the conflicting structure among humans. Moreover, attempted to resolve the sadness of loss and absence through the spatial aesthetics and the film presented the progression of the situation through the contrast of the characters and also the comparison between light and darkness. This study intends to make an attempt of interpreting the realm involving personal (characters) stories and the social and historical backgrounds together with the religious sphere and discuss the visualization of the semantic context. In addition, this study analyzed the sequence of the scenes in , which reconstructs identity and historical cases and religious values to observe the meaning and characteristics and closely analyze the general meaning pursued by the film. discussed the issues of trauma that individuals, regions, and nations confront as a representation and interpretation of the trauma connoted in the film, and consideration can be provided about the implication concerning the situation and context in South Korea. Furthermore, the film placidly discusses the growth and agony in humans and the society without expressing it excessively, so it will be a valuable research result to inspire the trend of creating films that incorporate new imaging technology and original visualization techniques.