• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.63-68
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• 1999

It was made of a chart by new method to be measured the contrast sensitivity for a spatial frequency, and the mean luminance of a lattice frequency was made to three forms of 25, 50, 75% and let it to be ready a CS value from 0 to $10^3$. As a result of measuring of the CS value for a spatial frequency on a target of 12 year old students, CS value decreased of according to down the average luminance value and also the peak position shift to low spatial frequency. The low visioned person decreased the CS value in side of high frequency or in space of total frequency. By the lattice adaptation, a measured CS value was decreased in circumstance regions of adapted space frequency.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Telematics and Electronics S
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• v.34S no.11
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• pp.102-113
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• 1997

In this paepr, a new image segmentation method reducing efficiently contour information causing bottleneck problem at segmentatio-based very low bit rate codingis proposed, while preserving objective and subjective quality. It consists of 4-level hierarchical image segmentation based on mathematical morphology and 1-leve region merging structure using contast of two adjacent regions. For two adjacent region pairs at the fourth level included in each region of the thid level, contrast is calculated. Among the pairs of two adjacent regions with less value than threshold, two adjacent regions having the minimum contrast are merged first. After region merging, texture of the merged region is updated. The procedure is performed recursively for all the adjacent region pairs at the fourth level included in each region of the third level. Compared with the previous method, the objective and subjective image qualities are similar. But it reduces 46.65% texture information on the average by decreasing total region number to be tansmitted. Specially, it shows reduction of the 23.95% contour information of the average. Thus, it can improve efficiently the bottleneck problem at segementation-based very low bit rate coding.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.86-90
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• 2013

Various methods have been proposed for enhancing the contrast of laser speckle contrast image (LSCI) in subcutaneous blood flow measurements. However, the LSCI still suffers from low image contrast due to tissue turbidity. Herein, a physicochemical tissue optical clearing (PCTOC) method was employed to enhance the contrast of LSCI. Ex vivo and in vivo experiments were performed with porcine skin samples and male ICR mice, respectively. The ex vivo LSCIs were obtained before and 90 min after the application of the PCTOC and in vivo LSCIs were obtained for 60 min after the application of the PCTOC. In order to obtain the skin recovery images, saline was applied for 30 min after the application of the PCTOC was completed. The visible appearance of the tubing under ex vivo samples and the in vivo vasculature gradually enhanced over time. The LSCI increased as a function of time after the application of the PCTOC in both ex vivo and in vivo experiments, and properly recovered to initial conditions after the application of saline in the in vivo experiment. The LSCI combined with the PCTOC was greatly enhanced even in deep vasculature. It is expected that similar results will be obtained in in vivo human studies.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.393-400
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to suggest a method to reduce the dose by Analyzing the dose area product (DAP) and image quality according to the change of tube current using NEMA Phantom. The spatial resolution and low contrast resolution were used as evaluation criteria in addition to signal to noise ratio (SNR) and contrast to noise ratio (CNR), which are important image quality parameters of intervention. Tube voltage was fixed at 80 kVp and the amount of tube current was changed to 20, 30, 40, and 50 mAs, and the dose area product and image quality were compared and analyzed. As a result, the dose area product increased from $1066mGycm^2$ to $6160mGycm^2$ to 6 times as the condition increased, while the spatial resolution and low contrast resolution were higher than 20 mAs and 30 mAs, Spatial resolution and low contrast resolution were observed below the evaluation criteria. In addition, the SNR and CNR increased up to 30 mAs, slightly increased at 40 mAs, but not significantly different from the previous one, and decreased at 50 mAs. As a result, the exposure dose significantly increased due to overexposure of the test conditions and the image quality deteriorated in all areas of spatial resolution, low contrast resolution, SNR and CNR.

• Journal of Korean Ophthalmic Optics Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.261-270
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• 2014

Purpose: To study the effect of an artificially induced dioptric blur on acuity and contrast sensitivity using the $Optec^{(R)}$ 6500. Methods: Healthy 31 subjects aged $22.90{\pm}1.92$ (male 16, female 15) who were recruited from university students with 6/6 (20/20) or better corrected visual acuity and normal binocularity. They were measured objective and subjective refraction for full correction and dioptric blur using 0.00 ~ +3.00 D (+0.50 D steps) trial lenses and trial frame. They were measured binocularly visual acuity and contrast sensitivity with the $Optec^{(R)}$ 6500 (Stereo Optical Co., Inc., Chicago, Illinois, USA) under day conditions (photopic condition, $85cd/m^2$). Results: The higher dioptric blur, the less distance visual acuity and decrease rate of visual acuity. The higher dioptric blur, the less contrast sensitivity at all frequencies, and the peak of contrast sensitivity was shifted from middle frequency (6 cpd) to low frequency (1.5 cpd). When the visual acuity was best visual acuity to 0.77, there was the peak point at 6 cpd which was normal contrast sensitivity peak point. Conclusions: If the low refractive error is uncorrected or the refractive error is inappropriate, the contrast sensitivity is decreased and the peak point of contrast sensitivity frequency is shifted abnormally though small uncorrected refractive error. So it will be considered that regular eye test and decision of refractive error correction is important.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.135-142
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• 2021

The aim of this study was to evaluate the contrast effect if a saline flush following low-volume contrast medium bolus improves vascular and parenchymal enhancement using a saphenous vein in abdominal CT for small animals. Six clinically healthy beagle dogs underwent abdominal contrast-enhanced CT. They were divided into nine groups (each group, n = 6), according to the volume of contrast medium 1, 2, and 3 mL/kg, and volume of the saline solution 0, 5, and 10 mL. Dynamic CT scanning was performed at the hepatic hilum level. The maximum contrast enhancement, time to maximum enhancement, and time to equilibrium phase were calculated from the time attenuation curves. Mean attenuation values for all groups were measured in the aorta, portal vein, and liver. After contrast enhancement, grading of image quality regarding surrounding artifacts and evaluation of the hepatic hilum structures was performed. For comparison of the effect of the contrast material and saline solution doses, differences in mean attenuation values between the contrast medium 2 mL/kg without saline flush group and the remaining groups, and between contrast medium 3 mL/kg without saline flush group and the remaining groups, were analyzed for statistical significance. There were no significant differences between with and without saline flushing at the same contrast medium dose groups. There were no significant differences in peak values between the 3 mL/kg dose of contrast medium alone and the 2 mL/kg dose of contrast medium with saline solution flush. However, there was a significant difference in peak values between the 3 mL/kg dose of the contrast medium without the saline flush group and the 2 mL/kg dose of the contrast medium alone group. Grades of the artifacts were not significantly different in the saline flush regardless of the dose of the contrast medium. Using 2 mL/kg of contrast medium with saline solution flush resulted in similar liver parenchyma attenuation, compared with using 3 mL/kg of contrast medium without saline solution flush. In CT evaluation of hepatic parenchymal diseases, using 2 mL/kg of contrast medium with saline solution flush may yield decreased risk of contrast nephropathy and cost-saving.

• Speech Sciences
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.73-83
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• 2004

Electromyographic studies of the cricopharyngeus muscle using hooked wire electrodes were performed in thyroidectomized patients. The shape of the cricoid cartilage and soft tissue thickness in the postcricoid area were evaluated during pitch elevation and pitch lowering using conventional neck lateral films. The cricopharyngeus muscle simultaneously activated in the initial task of speech and continuously activated. Its activity lessened in the interrogative stress contrast of sentence terminals and increased in the pitch lowered contrast of sentence terminal. On the radiologic findings the cricoid cartilage was tilted backward during high pitched phonation and tilted forward during low pitched phonation. The soft tissue thickness of postcricoid area was thicker at the low pitch than at high pitch. At low pitch the cricoid cartilage paralleled along the vertebral column. This result suggests that the bulging of cricopharyngeus muscle in contraction induce a thickened the postcricoid area thickened, and exert pressure anteriorly exerted on the cricoid cartilage. This contraction of the cricopharyngeus muscle may result in shortening the vocal fold and lowering pitch.

• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.23 no.2
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• pp.77-85
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• 2019

Contrast-associated acute kidney injury (CA-AKI) is a major concern when iodinated contrast material is administered, especially in patients at risk. Efforts have been undertaken to understand the detrimental effects of contrast media (CM). With the use of low-osmolar or iso-osmolar CM the incidence of CA-AKI has steadily decreased within the past decade; however, especially in the pediatric population information is scarce. Incidence rates have been reported to range between 0% to 18.75%, particularly depending on indication, selection of population (i.e. preexisting co-morbidities), and definition of AKI. Different biomarkers have been proposed, but confirmatory studies are either lacking or have contributed to their lack of diagnostic power. Proteomic approaches have been employed and may pave the way to such discovery. Prevention strategies have been tested and proposed, but the recently published AMACING and PRESERVE trials have shown that commonly used strategies (such as systematic hydration or administration of N-acetylcysteine) have no role in the prevention of CA-AKI. We propose that thoughtful assessment of one's fluid state is the most appropriate approach and depending on the hydration status diuretics or fluid administration should be provided to achieve an euvolemic state ahead of contrast exposure.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Clinical Toxicology
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.122-130
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• 2017

Purpose: To evaluate the effects of low-dose intravenous N-acetylcysteine on the prevention of contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) in patients undergoing computed tomography (CT). Methods: All patients presenting to our emergency department and undergoing CT with intravenous contrast media between August 2014 and April 2016 were retrospectively enrolled. We included hospitalized patients with renal dysfunction [estimated glomerular filtration rate (GFR) between 30 and $89mL/min/1.73m^2$]. A 600-mg injection of N-acetylcysteine was given to patients once before and once immediately after CT, depending on the preference of physician. The primary outcome was CIN defined as an increase in creatinine level of ${\geq}25%$ or ${\geq}0.5mg/dL$ from the baseline within 48 to 72 hours after CT. A trained person blindly reviewed all medical records. Results: Of the 1903 admitted patients, CIN occurred in 9.8% of patients who received 1200 mg intravenous N-acetylcysteine (24/244) and 6.8% of patients who did not (113/1659, p=0.090). In a multivariable regression analysis, N-acetylcystine was not relevant to the prevention of CIN (odds ratio=1.42 [95% CI, 0.90-2.26]). Even in the stratified analysis using the propensity score matching, N-acetylcysteine was irrelevant (GFR 30-59: odds ratio=1.06 [95% CI, 0.43-2.60]; GFR 60-89: odds ratio=1.76 [95% CI, 0.75-4.14]). After adjustment, crystalloids were significantly associated with the reduction in CIN compared with dextrose water (odds ratio=0.60 [95% CI, 0.37-0.97]). Conclusion: No effect was found when low-dose intravenous N-acetylcysteine was used to prevent CIN. However, there seems to be an association between crystalloids and reduction in CIN.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.108-116
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• 2018

In this paper, we propose an image enhancement method based on Multi-Scale Retinex theory that designs Unsharp Masking Filter (UMF) and emphasizes the contrast ratio adaptively. Unsharp Masking (UM) technique emphasizes image sharpness and improves contrast ratio by adding high frequency component to the original image. The high frequency component is obtained by differentiating between original image and low frequency image. In this paper, we present how to design an UMF kernel and to adaptively apply it to increase the contrast ratio according to multi-scale retinex theory which resembles human visual system. Experimental results show that the proposed method has better quantitative performance indexes such as PSNR, ambe & SSIM and better qualitative feature like halo artifact suppression.