• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.2675-2680
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• 2014

Background: To investigate differentiated thyroid cancer risk factors in natives of French Polynesia is of interest because of the very high incidence of this cancer in the archipelago. Materials and Methods: To assess the role of various potential risk factors of thyroid cancer in the natives of French Polynesia we performed a case-control study. The study included almost all the French Polynesians diagnosed with differentiated thyroid carcinoma between 1981 and 2003 (n=229) and 373 French Polynesian control individuals from the general population without cancer. Results: Thyroid radiation dose received from nuclear fallout before the age of 15, a personal history of neck or/and head medical irradiation, obesity, tallness, large number of children, an artificial menopause, a familial history of thyroid cancer, a low dietary iodine intake, and having a spring as the main source of drinking water were found to be significant risk factors. No roles of smoking habits, alcohol consumption, iodine containing drugs, and exposure to pesticides were evidenced. Conclusions: Except for smoking, differentiated thyroid carcinoma risk factors in natives of French Polynesia are similar to those in other populations. Our finding on the role of having a spring as a drinking water origin is coherent with some other studies and could be due to geological factors.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.15 no.1
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• pp.14-18
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• 2010

Stevia rebaudiana (SR) is an herb used traditionally as a sweetener in Paraguay and Brazil, whose use is spreading to other countries, such as Japan, Korea and China. In addition to its low calorie sweet taste, SR appears to have other beneficial properties, such as hypotensive capabilities and inflammation reduction. To identify the bioactive natural constituents exerting anti-inflammatory activities, we examined the EtOAc fraction of SR. In the inflammatory mediator inhibitory assay from lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-activated macrophages, the EtOAc fraction significantly, and dose dependently, inhibited the enhanced production of nitric oxide (NO) and inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression. We also found that treatment of cells with the EtOAc fraction significantly inhibited LPS-stimulated nuclear factor-${\kappa}B$ (NF-${\kappa}B$) reporter gene expression. Such inhibition of NF-${\kappa}B$ was closely associated with the inhibition of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and the monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1). Therefore, we suggest that SR has the potential for development as a functional food for the treatment of immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.42 no.4
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• pp.475-483
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• 2002

We performed this study to determine the effect of Korean favorite teas (green tea, ginseng tea, coffee and barley tea) on jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells of mice irradiated with high and low dose of ${\gamma}$-radiation. Jejunal crypts were protected by pretreatment of green tea (P.O.: 1.25% water extract, for 7 days before irradiation., I.P.: 50 mg/kg of body weight, at 12 and 36 hours before irradiation, p<0.01) or ginseng (I.P.: 50 mg/kg of body weight, at 12 and 36 hours before irradiation, p<0.05). Green tea (p<0.05) or ginseng (p<0.05) administration before irradiation (I.P. at 12 and 36 hours before irradiation) resulted in an increase of t formation of endogenous spleen colony. The frequency of radiation-induced apoptosis was also reduced by pretreatment of green tea (P.O.: p<0.005, I.P.: p<0.05), pretreatment of ginseng (P.O.: p<0.005, I.P.: p<0.005) or posttreatment of ginseng (I.P.: 50 mg/kg of body weight, at 30 minutes after irradiation, p<0.05). Treatment with coffee or barley tea showed no significant modifying effects on the radiation-induced damages. These results indicated that green tea and ginseng might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product. Further studies are needed to characterize better the promotion nature of green tea, ginseng and its components.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.1-6
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• 1991

The $HgI_2$ single crystal which can be used for the ${\gamma}-ray$ detector at room temperature was grown by Temperature Oscillation Method. The low temperature photoluminescence, specific resistivity and trap concentration of $HgI_2$ single crystal were investigated. Three main luminescence bands were observed at 2.30eV, 2.20eV and 2.00eV at 20K, related to the excitons, I-vacancies and impurities, respectively. The specific resistivity and trap concentration of $HgI_2$ single crystal were $10^{11}{\Omega}\;cm\;and\;1.8{\times}10^{14}/cm^3$ at room temperature, respectively. Also the radiation detecting system was deviced by $HgI_2$ ${\gamma}-ray$ detector, one chip microprocessor, LCD module and personal computer. The prepared $HgI_2$ ${\gamma}-ray$ detector showed a good linearity of ${\gamma}-radiation$ dose for standard ${\gamma}-ray$.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.897-902
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• 2023

The purpose of this paper is to analyze the characteristics of Silicon Photomultiplier (SiPM) for the realization of high-sensitivity radiation detection in portable detectors. Portable X-ray detectors offer the advantage of quickly accessing the patient's location and obtaining real-time images, allowing physicians to perform rapid diagnoses. However, this mobility comes with challenges in achieving accurate radiation detection. In existing detectors, SiPM is used for a simple purpose of detecting X-ray triggers. To verify the feasibility of high-sensitivity X-ray detection through SiPM, seven types of SiPM sensors were compared and selected, and their characteristics were analyzed. The SiPM used in the final test demonstrated the ability to distinguish signals at the ultra-low radiation level of 10 nGy, and it was observed that the slope of the signal rise curve varies with the X-ray tube voltage. Utilizing the characteristics of SiPM, which exhibits changes in signal level and duration with X-ray dose, it appears possible to achieve high-sensitivity measurements for X-ray detection.

• Imaging Science in Dentistry
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• v.54 no.1
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• pp.1-11
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• 2024

Purpose: This study was conducted to investigate the safety of dental imaging in pregnant women with respect to fetal health. Materials and Methods: Searches were conducted of the PubMed, Scopus, and Web of Science databases in May 2023. The inclusion criteria encompassed cross-sectional and longitudinal studies that focused on the analysis of diagnostic dental imaging in pregnant women, as well as studies utilizing phantoms to simulate imaging examinations. The exclusion criteria consisted of reviews, letters to the editor, book chapters, and abstracts from scientific conferences and seminars. Results: A total of 3,913 articles were identified. Based on a review of the titles and abstracts, 3,892 articles were excluded, leaving 21 articles remaining for full-text review. Of these, 18 were excluded, and 4 additional articles were included as cross-references. Ultimately, 7 articles underwent quantitative-qualitative analysis. Three retrospective studies were focused on pregnant women who underwent dental imaging procedures. The remaining 4 studies utilized female phantoms to simulate imaging examinations and represent the radiation doses absorbed by the uterus or thyroid. Conclusion: Few dental radiology studies have been conducted to determine the safe radiation threshold for pregnant women. Additionally, the reviewed articles did not provide numbers of dental examinations, by type, corresponding to this dose. Dental imaging examinations of pregnant women should not be restricted if clinically indicated. Ultimately, practitioners must be able to justify the examination and should adhere to the "as low as diagnostically acceptable, being indication-oriented and patient-specific" (ALADAIP) principle of radioprotection.

• Nuclear Engineering and Technology
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• v.41 no.4
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• pp.531-544
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• 2009

This paper is intended to provide key issues and current research outcomes on accelerator-based Boron Neutron Capture Therapy (BNCT). Accelerator-based neutron sources are efficient to provide epithermal neutron beams for BNCT; hence, much research, worldwide, has focused on the development of components crucial for its realization: neutron-producing targets and cooling equipment, beam-shaping assemblies, and treatment planning systems. Proton beams of 2.5 MeV incident on lithium target results in high yield of neutrons at relatively low energies. Cooling equipment based on submerged jet impingement and micro-channels provide for viable heat removal options. Insofar as beam-shaping assemblies are concerned, moderators containing fluorine or magnesium have the best performance in terms of neutron accumulation in the epithermal energy range during the slowing-down from the high energies. NCT_Plan and SERA systems, which are popular dose distribution analysis tools for BNCT, contain all the required features (i.e., image reconstruction, dose calculations, etc.). However, detailed studies of these systems remain to be done for accurate dose evaluation. Advanced research centered on accelerator-based BNCT is active in Korea as evidenced by the latest research at Hanyang University. There, a new target system and a beam-shaping assembly have been constructed. The performance of these components has been evaluated through comparisons of experimental measurements with simulations. In addition, a new patient-specific treatment planning system, BTPS, has been developed to calculate the deposited dose and radiation flux in human tissue. It is based on MCNPX, and it facilitates BNCT efficient planning based via a user-friendly Graphical User Interface (GUI).

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.595-603
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• 2017

The study is to produced a brain phantom simulating corpus striatum, which can evaluate the progression of parkinson's disease, to investigate possibility of reducing the brain exposure dose to CT while maintaining optimal image quality during PET-CT examinations. CT scans were performed by varying tube voltage (100, 120 kVp) and tube current (80, 140, 200 mAs) with $^{18}F$ FP-CIT injected into the phantom's hot sphere and background (radioactivity ratio 3:1)(reference condition; 120 kVp, 140 mAs). Estimated effective dose was calculated by using conversion factor according to each condition, and image quality was evaluated by setting SNR and CRChot image evaluation factors. Experimental results showed that the predicted effective dose below the CT imaging reference condition was reduced by at least 10% and by up to 60%, and the predicted effective dose beyond the reference condition was increased by 40%. In addition, there was no significant difference between SNR and CRChot of PET images, and it was confirmed that brain dose decreased with decrease of tube voltage and tube current. At the same time, there was no significant change in the quality of the image in terms of SNR and CRChot despite the change in scan conditions. This fact suggests that the quality of the images acquired under the existing dose conditions can be obtained even at low dose conditions and it is expected that it will be possible to use the brain PET-CT scan as a basic data for the research on reduction of dose and improvement of image quality.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.4
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• pp.633-639
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• 2003

We investigated the effect of green tea and its fractions of alcohol and polysaccharide on jejunal crypt survival, endogenous spleen colony formation, and apoptosis in jejunal crypt cells of mice irradiated with high and low dose of gamma-irradiation. Jejunal crypts were protected by pretreatment of green tea (i.p.: 50 mg/kg of body weight, at 12 and 36 hours before irradiation., p.o.: 1.25% water extract, for 7days before irradiation, p<0.01) and alcohol and polysaccharide fractions showed no significant modifying effects. Green tea and its fractions administration before irradiation (i.p. at 12 and 36hours before irradiation) resulted in an increase of the formation of endogenous spleen colony (p<0.05). The frequency of radiation-induced apoptosis in intestinal crypt cells was also reduced by pretreatment of green tea (i.p. at 12 and 36 hours before irradiation, p<0.05., p.o. for 7days before irradiation, p<0.001) and its fractions (p<0.001). These results indicated that green tea might be a useful radioprotector, especially since it is a relatively nontoxic natural product. Further studies are needed to characterize better the promotion nature of green tea and its components.

• Preventive Nutrition and Food Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.185-190
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• 2003

Gamma irradiation was used as part of a new processing method to produce a brighter-colored and mild-flavored green tea leaf extract that retained all of its physiological activities. Dried green tea leaf was extracted with 70% ethanol and gamma irradiated at 0,5, 10, 20 kGy. Hunter color $L^{*}$- and $a^{*}$-values were increased with irradiation in a dose-dependent manner, which was a color range from dark brown to bright yellow. However, the irradiation effect gradually disappeared during 3 weeks of storage, with color reverting to that of untreated samples. There was no difference in the radical scavenging and tyrosinase inhibition effect by irradiation. Among antioxidants used, ascorbic acid was the most effective against color reversion. In contrast, cysteine was shown to protect the effect of color change with irradiation. Results indicated that enhanced color of irradiated green tea leaf extract can be effectively controlled by additives such as ascorbic acid and a low storage temperature.e.e.