• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.127-136
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• 2015

To evaluate the effects of limestone powder and silica fume on the properties of high-strength high-volume ground granulated blast-furnace slag (GGBFS) blended cement concrete, this study investigated the rheology, strength development, hydration and pozzolanic reaction characteristics, porosity and pore size distribution of high-strength mortars with the water-to-binder ratio of 20, 50 to 80% GGBFS, up to 20% limestone powder, and up to 10% silica fume. According to test results, compared with the Portland cement mixture, the high-volume GGBFS mixture had much higher flow due to the low surface friction of GGBFS particles and higher strength in the early age due to the accelerated cement hydration by increase of free water; however, because of too low water-to-binder ratio and cement content, and lack of calcium hydroxide content, the pozzolanic reactio cannot be activated and the long-term strength development was limited. Limestone powder did not affect the flowability, and also accelerate the early cement hydration. However, because its effect on the acceleration of cement hydration is not greater than that of GGBFS, and it does not have hydraulic reactivity unlikely to GGBFS, compressive strength was reduced proportional to the replacement ratio of limestone powder. Also, silica fume and very fine GGBFS lowered flow and strength by absorbing more free water required for cement hydration. Capillary porosities of GGBFS blended mortars were smaller than that of OPC mortar, but the effect of limestone powder on porosity was not noticeable, and silica fume increased porosity due to low degree of hydration. Nevertheless, it is confirmed that the addition of GGBFS and silica fume increases fine pores.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.35
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• pp.23-31
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• 2023

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to evaluate the usefulness of Non-Treat Functionality Volumetric Modulated Arc Therapy(NTF-VMAT) and Treat Functionality VMAT(TF-VMAT) treatment plans in reducing the low-dose area during radiation therapy for patients with multiple metastatic cancers. Materials and Methods: The study was conducted on an Arccheck phantom, treatment planning target locations were set in pairs at intervals of 2 cm, 4 cm, and 6 cm on the X, Y, and Z axes. Based on these location settings, the volume of the low-dose area in NTF-VMAT and TF-VMAT was measured and compared. Results: The results of the study showed that, within a prescription dose range of 10% ~ 70%, the difference in low-dose area volumes across each axis was as follows: On the X-axis, there was a maximum difference of -47.6% and a minimum difference of -2.2%. On the Y-axis, there was a maximum difference of -17.5% and a minimum difference of -7.3%. The Z-axis showed a maximum difference of -39.7%, with the smallest difference being -6.8%. Conclusion: In radiation therapy for patients with multiple metastatic cancers, the TF-VMAT treatment plan was able to reduce the low-dose area by 10-40% compared to NTF-VMAT. This suggests that utilizing Treat Functionality, which includes the Island block technique, improves dose distribution and minimizes side effects, making it beneficial for the treatment of patients with multiple metastatic cancers.

• Clinical and Experimental Reproductive Medicine
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.247-252
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• 2016

Objective: Heparin can modulate proteins, and influence processes involved in implantation and trophoblastic development. This study aimed to assess the improvement of clinical pregnancy and implantation rates after local intrauterine injection of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) in patients undergoing intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI). Methods: A randomised case/control design was followed in women scheduled for ICSI. The study arm was injected with intrauterine LMWH during mock embryo transfer immediately following the ovum pickup procedure, while the control arm was given an intrauterine injection with a similar volume of tissue culture media. Side effects, the clinical pregnancy rate, and the implantation rate were recorded. Results: The pregnancy rate was acceptable (33.9%) in the LMWH arm with no significant reported side effects, confirming the safety of the intervention. No statistically significant differences were found in the clinical pregnancy and implantation rates between both groups (p= 0.182 and p= 0.096, respectively). The odds ratio of being pregnant after intrauterine injection with LMWH compared to the control group was 0.572 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.27-1.22), while the risk ratio was 0.717 (95% CI, 0.46-1.13; p= 0.146). No statistical significance was found between the two groups in other factors affecting implantation, such as day of transfer (p= 0.726), number of embryos transferred (p= 0.362), or embryo quality. Conclusion: Intrauterine injection of LMWH is a safe intervention, but the dose used in this study failed to improve the outcome of ICSI. Based on its safety, further research involving modification of the dosage and/or the timing of administration could result in improved ICSI success rates.

• Journal of Astronomy and Space Sciences
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• v.40 no.1
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• pp.35-44
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• 2023

Surveillance and reconnaissance intelligence in the space domain will become increasingly important in future battlefield environments. Moreover, to assimilate the military provocations and trends of hostile countries, imagery intelligence of the highest possible resolution is required. There are many methods for improving the resolution of optical satellites when observing the ground, such as designing satellite optical systems with a larger diameter and lowering the operating altitude. In this paper, we propose a method for improving ground observation resolution by using an optical system for a previously designed low orbit satellite and lowering the operating altitude of the satellite. When the altitude of a satellite is reduced in a circular orbit, a large amount of thrust fuel is required to maintain altitude because the satellite's altitude can decrease rapidly due to atmospheric drag. However, by using the critical inclination, which can fix the position of the perigee in an elliptical orbit to the observation area, the operating altitude of the satellite can be reduced using less fuel compared to a circular orbit. This method makes it possible to obtain a similar observational resolution of a medium-sized satellite with the same weight and volume as a small satellite. In addition, this method has the advantage of reducing development and launch costs to that of a small-sized satellite. As a result, we designed an elliptical orbit. The perigee of the orbit is 300 km, the apogee is 8,366.52 km, and the critical inclination is 116.56°. This orbit remains at its lowest altitude to the Korean peninsula constantly with much less orbit maintenance fuel compared to the 300 km circular orbit.

• Korean Journal of Materials Research
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.544-549
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• 2009

Activated carbon (AC) with very large surface area has high capacitance per weight. However, such activation methods tend to suffer from low yields, below 50%, and are low in electrode density and capacitance per volume. Carbon NanoFibers (CNFs) had high surface area polarizability, high electrical conductivity and chemical stability, as well as extremely high mechanical strength and modulus, which make them an important material for electrochemical capacitors. The electrochemical properties of immobilized CNF electrodes were studied for use as in electrical double layer capacitor (EDLC) applications. Immobilized CNFs on Ni foam grown by thermal chemical vapor deposition (CVD) were successfully fabricated. CNFs had a uniform diameter range from 50 to 60 nm. Surface area was 56 m$^2$/g. CNF electrodes were compared with AC and multi wall carbon nanotube (MWNT) electrodes. The electrochemical performance of the various electrodes was examined with aqueous electrolyte of 2M KOH. Equivalent series resistance (ESR) of the CNF electrodes was lower than that of AC and MWNT electrodes. The specific capacitance of 47.5 F/g of the CNF electrodes was achieved with discharge current density of 1 mA/cm$^2$.

• Journal of Korean Traditional Oncology
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• v.16 no.1
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• pp.15-31
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• 2011

Objective : The study aims to investigate the effect of moxibustion treatments on autonomic nervous system function of cancer patients through the evaluation of heart rate variability (HRV) biofeedback testing. Materials and Methods : Six cancer patients from inpatient care unit of Dunsan Oriental Hospital, Daejeon University were given three moxibustion treatment sessions every other day over one week period on five Oriental Medicine meridian points CV4, CV6, CV12, KD1, and PC8. HRV biofeedback was conducted before and after each treatment sessions. Three areas of analyses were done from the test conducted; Time Domain Analysis, Frequency Domain Analysis and Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) balance analysis. Results : Time Domain Analysis has shown increased Standard Deviation of all Normal R-R Intervals (SDNN), and decreased Mean Heart Rate and Physical Stress Index (PSI) levels, with statistical significance (P<0.05). In Frequency Domain Analysis, series of moxa treatments have increased Total Power (TP), Very Low Frequency Oscillation Power (VLF), High Frequency Oscillation Power (HF), normalized HF values while decreasing Low Frequency Oscillation Power (LF), normalized LF and LF/HF ratio with statistical significance (P<0.05). The values of ANS activity, ANS balance, Stress resistance, Stress index, have also shown significant changes. For cardiac stability stroke volume power (SP) and Blood Vessel Tension (BVT) were followed, which were both increased after treatment. All changes were statistically significant (P<0.05). Conclusion : The results have shown a positive correlation between the moxibustion treatments and autonomic nervous system responses on cancer patients through the HRV biofeedback testing. This study suggests possible application of moxibustion treatments for managing ANS functions of cancer patients, although additional studies with larger population are necessary to confirm the data.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.47 no.3
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• pp.155-168
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• 2009

In this study, microstructural investigation was conducted on the separation phenomenon occurring during Charpy impact tests of API X80 linepipe steels. Particular emphasis was placed on the role of microstructural phases present in the API X80 steels such as acicular ferrite, bainite, and hard secondary phases. Detailed microstructural analysis of fractured impact specimens showed that highly elongated bainite worked as prior initiation sites for separations, and that the number and length of separations increased with increasing volume fraction of bainite. In the steels having high work hardenability, tearing-shaped separations were found because the hammer-impacted region was seriously hardened during the impact test, which led to the reduction in the impact toughness. As the test temperature decreased, the tendency of separations increased, but separations were not observed when the cleavage fracture prevailed at very low temperatures. Thus, the minimization of the formation of bainite and secondary phases in the steels would be beneficial for preventing or minimizing separations because separations deteriorated low-temperature impact toughness.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.206-211
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• 1999

Mixed-bed ion exchange performance was studied experimentally with variations of cation to anion resin ratio, resin weight and temperature at ultralow sodium chloride solution concentrations of less than $1.0{\times}10^{-4}M$. Analyzing the effluent concentration histories the performance test was examined as a function of tested solution volume for a laboratory-scale continuous flow column until both the cation and anion-exchange resins were exhausted. Initial leakage was observed for both cation and anion breakthrough curves, but serious at cation breakthrough curve because of low selectivity coefficient. The slope of breakthrough curve was affected by selectivity coefficient and temperature. The slope of anion breakthrough curve was steep because of the large selectivity coefficient, and ion exchange rates increased as temperature increased. The temperature effect decreased as the total volume was increased or as the resins were exhausted.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.22 no.1
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• pp.49-53
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• 1999

To inquire its usefulness of the clinical application of intelligent replenishment system of automatic X-ray film processor based on film density, we processed the serial 300 sheets of radiographic film of chest [$14{\times}14"$, HR-C type] and bone [elbow & ankle($8{\times}10"$), skull($10{\times}12"$), hand & foot($11{\times}14"$), pelvis($14{\times}17"$), HR-G type, 68, 70, 77, 85 sheets respectively]. We analyzed the characteristic corves, relative speeds, average gradients and base plus fog densities every twenty five sheets. We also evaluated the developer and fixer replenishment volumes every that time. In the chest and bone radiograph two all, the characteristic curves were little change, and the relative speeds, average gradients and base plus fog densities were within the maximum control limits. The average developer replenishment volumes were about 43m1/sheet and 39m1/sheet respectively. It brings decreased results about 29% in comparison with the conventional replenishment system. In our experiences, we conclude that the intelligent replenishment system of automatic X-ray film processor based on film density maintains image quality consistently, decreases also the replenishment volumes. Therefore, this system will be resulted in economic and environmental effects, and solve problems of over and low replenishment volume.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.193-200
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• 2019

Purpose: To explore the role of salvage radiotherapy (RT) for recurrent thymoma as an alternative to surgery. Materials and Methods: Between 2007 and 2015, 47 patients who received salvage RT for recurrent thymoma at Yonsei Cancer Center were included in this study. Recurrent sites included initial tumor bed (n = 4), pleura (n = 19), lung parenchyma (n = 10), distant (n = 9), and multiple regions (n = 5). Three-dimensional conformal and intensity-modulated RT were used in 29 and 18 patients, respectively. Median prescribed dose to gross tumor was 52 Gy (range, 30 to 70 Gy), with equivalent doses in 2-Gy fractions (EQD₂). We investigated overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and patterns of failure. Local failure after salvage RT was defined as recurrence at the target volume receiving >50% of the prescription dose. Results: Median follow-up time was 83 months (range, 8 to 299 months). Five-year OS and PFS were 70% and 22%, respectively. The overall response rate was 97.9%; complete response, 34%; partial response, 44.7%; and stable disease, 19.1%. In multivariate analysis, histologic type and salvage RT dose (≥52 Gy, EQD₂) were significantly associated with OS. The high dose group (≥52 Gy, EQD₂) had significantly better outcomes than the low dose group (5-year OS: 80% vs. 59%, p = 0.046; 5-year PFS: 30% vs. 14%, p=0.002). Treatment failure occurred in 34 patients; out-of-field failure was dominant (intra-thoracic recurrence 35.3%; extrathoracic recurrence 11.8%), while local failure rate was 5.8%. Conclusion: Salvage RT for recurrent thymoma using high doses and advanced precision techniques produced favorable outcomes, providing evidence that recurrent thymoma is radiosensitive.