• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.173-186
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• 2004

This paper proposed the content-based retrieval system as a method for performing image retrieval through the effective feature extraction of the object of significant meaning based on the characteristics of man's visual system. To allow the object region of interest to be primarily detected, the region, being comparatively large size, greatly different from the background color and located in the middle of the image, was judged as the major object with a meaning. To get the original features of the image, the cumulative sum of tile declination difference vector the segment of the object contour had and the signature of the bipartite object were extracted and used in the form of being applied to the rotation of the object and the change of the size after partition of the total length of the object contour of the image into the normalized segment. Starting with this form feature, it was possible to make a retrieval robust to any change in translation, rotation and scaling by combining information on the texture sample, color and eccentricity and measuring the degree of similarity. It responded less sensitively to the phenomenon of distortion of the object feature due to the partial change or damage of the region. Also, the method of imposing a different weight of similarity on the image feature based on the relationship of complexity between measured objects using the fractal dimension by the Boxing-Counting Dimension minimized the wrong retrieval and showed more efficient retrieval rate.

• Geophysics and Geophysical Exploration
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.249-255
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• 2010

Since the 1990's, a number of ULF geomagnetic disturbance associated with earthquake occurrences have actively been reported, and polarization analysis of geomagnetic fields becomes one of potential candidates to be capable of predicting short-term earthquake. This study develops the modified polarization analysis method based on the previous studies, and analyzes three-component geomagnetic fields obtained at Cheongyang geomagnetic observatory using the developed method. A daily polarization value (the ratio of spectral power of horizontal and vertical geomagnetic field) is calculated with a focus on the 0.01 Hz band, which is known to be the most sensitive to seismogenic ULF radiation. We analyze a total of 10 months of geomagnetic data obtained at Cheongyang observatory, and compare the polarization values with the Kp index and the earthquake occurred in the analysis period. The results show that there is little correlation between the temporal variations of polarization values and Kp index, but remarkable increases in polarization values are identified which are associated with two earthquakes. Comparison the polarization values obtained at Cheongyang and Kanoya observatory indicates that the increases of polarization values at Cheongyang might be due to not global geomagnetic induction but the locally occurred earthquakes. Furthermore, these features are clearly shown in normalized polarization values, which take account in the statistical characteristics of each geomagnetic field. On the basis of these results, polarization analysis can be used as promising tool for monitoring the earthquake-precursory phenomenon.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartB
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• v.16B no.5
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• pp.385-394
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• 2009

Face tracking and recognition are difficult problems because the face is a non-rigid object. The main reasons for the failure to track and recognize the faces are the changes of a face pose and environmental illumination. To solve these problems, we propose a nonlinear manifold framework for the face pose and the face illumination normalization processing. Specifically, to track and recognize a face on the video that has various pose variations, we approximate a face pose density to single Gaussian density by PCA(Principle Component Analysis) using images sampled from training video sequences and then construct the GMM(Gaussian Mixture Model) for each person. To solve the illumination problem for the face tracking and recognition, we decompose the face images into the reflectance and the illuminance using the SSR(Single Scale Retinex) model. To obtain the normalized reflectance, the reflectance is rescaled by histogram equalization on the defined range. We newly approximate the illuminance by the trained manifold since the illuminance has almost variations by illumination. By combining these two features into our manifold framework, we derived the efficient face tracking and recognition results on indoor and outdoor video. To improve the video based tracking results, we update the weights of each face pose density at each frame by the tracking result at the previous frame using EM algorithm. Our experimental results show that our method is more efficient than other methods.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.173-178
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• 2007

Purpose: This study was conducted to analyze the clinical manifestation and natural course of benign transient hyperphosphatasemia (BTH) in children. Methods: A total of 17 children diagnosed with BTH between June 2006 and July 2007, were included in this study. Clinical records and laboratory tests were analyzed retrospectively for all children. Results: The mean age of the patients was $26.9{\pm}13.8$ months (range: 9 to 49 months). Nine of the 17 BTH cases (52.9%) occurred in patients that had previously suffered from infectious diseases. While the patients were suffering from BTH, the mean serum level of alkaline phosphatase (ALP) was $2,500.2{\pm}1,165.1$ U/L, however, these elevated serum ALP levels normalized within 7 weeks of recovery in all cases. In addition, a seasonal peak in the onset of BTH was observed from September to December. Further, the measurement of ALP isoenzymes in 7 of the patients with BTH, revealed a marked elevation of bone fraction. Conclusion: It is important for pediatricians to understand the clinical manifestation and benign course of BTH to avoid unnecessary diagnostic evaluation in children showing a transient increase in ALP activities.

• Environmental and Resource Economics Review
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.165-196
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• 2008

This paper reports a quantitative meta analysis of the economic impacts of localized noxious and contaminated sites. Using either hedonic property value or stated preference methods, economists have studied the effects of contamination or noxious activities, or the benefits realized from their elimination, on real estate prices at more than 40 sites. In support of wise public and private investments in environmental quality, most of these studies aim to inform decision makers about the benefits of remediation and cleanup. Their results vary considerably, but there has been no previous systematic effort to analyze the differences and identify shared insights. This study uses established methods of meta analysis to identify points of agreement and differences in this body of literature. The studies are characterized by the type of site, modeling approach, geographic extent of impacts, data features, and other key factors that underlie their value estimates. The impact estimates are normalized as proportional effects on property values. This study attempts to discover whether the estimated economic impacts of contamination or noxious activity differ according to these characteristics of the studies, and whether anything general can be said about the economic consequences of site contamination and remediation. Bivariate, multivariate, and logit techniques are applied to the data. The results suggest that the property value is the most sensitive to water base contamination, published case studies result in systematically greater environmental value than those in unpublished reports, and real estate markets show responses to environmental condition changes.

• Journal of Intelligence and Information Systems
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.33-48
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• 2009

Capsule endoscopy is one of the most remarkable inventions in last ten years. Causing less pain for patients, diagnosis for entire digestive system has been considered as a most convenience method over a normal endoscope. However, it is known that the diagnosis process typically requires very long inspection time for clinical experts because of considerably many duplicate images of same areas in human digestive system due to uncontrollable movement of a capsule endoscope. In this paper, we propose a method for clinical diagnosticians to get highly valuable information from capsule-endoscopy video. Our software system consists of three global maps, such as movement map, characteristic map, and brightness map, in temporal domain for entire sequence of the input video. The movement map can be used for effectively removing duplicated adjacent images. The characteristic and brightness maps provide frame content analyses that can be quickly used for segmenting regions or locating some features(such as blood) in the stream. Our experiments show the results of four patients having different health conditions. The result maps clearly capture the movements and characteristics from the image frames. Our method may help the diagnosticians quickly search the locations of lesion, bleeding, or some other interesting areas.

• Proceedings of the Mineralogical Society of Korea Conference
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• 2003.05a
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• pp.54-54
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• 2003

The metasedimentary rocks together with various granitoids are the main constituents in Taebaeksan gneiss complex, northern Yeongnam Massif. Chemical compositions of sedimentary rocks may reflect the nature of the provenance and could be crucial for understanding the evolution of early continental crust. Previous workers have suggested that the provenance and tectonic studies based on the geochemistry of sediments are applicable to the Precambrian samples. In this study we analyzed the major, trace and REE elements of metasedimentary rocks to understand their provenance and tectonic setting during sedimentation. The overall geochemical characteristics of metasedimentary rocks are similar to those of average shale of the post-Archean. Major element chemistry indicates mature and sorted nature of the sediments. The degree of weathering in the source rocks the is not uniform, as inferred from a large scatter in chemical indices of weathering (CIW). The immobile trace elements such as Th, Sc, and REE can be used to discriminate various sedimentary processes. The Th/sc ratios (0.9 - 4.4) are larger than those of the upper crust and average shale, suggesting that the felsic source predominates. The contents of Ni and Cr and the variations in the ratio of compatible to incompatible elements are similar to the average post-Archean shale. Uniform chondrite-normalized REE pattern with the LREE enrichment (LaN/SmN = 4.9 ${\pm}$ 0.4) and slight negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu$\^$*/ = 0.7 ${\pm}$ 0.1) also support this observation. The presence of negative Eu anomaly indicates that intracrustal igneous processes involving plagioclase separation have affected the provenance rocks. The LREE enrichment implies the major role of felsic rocks in source rocks. The eNd (1.9 Ga) values of metasediment rocks vary from 9.4 to 6.7, corresponding to TDM of 2.9 - 2.7 Ga. On the other hand, the 147Sm/144Nd ratios are 0.1079 - 0.1101, corresponding to typical tettigenous sediments. The geochemical features of metasedimentary rocks such as high abundances of large ion lithophile elements, high ratios of Th/Sc and La/Sm, commonly high Th/U ratios, negative Eu anomalies, and negative eNd, suggest a provenance consisting virtually entirely of recycled upper continental crust in passive margin environment. Tectonic discrimination diagrams based upon major element compositions also support this suggestion. In conjunction with igneous activity and metamorphism in the convergent margin setting at 1.8 - 1. 9 Ga, the transition from passive margin to active margin characterize the Paleoproterozoic crustal evolution in northern Yeongnam Massif.

• Pediatric Infection and Vaccine
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.210-215
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• 2015

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a rare complication in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that can be triggered by infections. Due to the fact that MAS may mimic clinical features of underlying rheumatic disease, or be confused with an infectious complication, its detection can prove challenging. This is particularly true when there is an unknown/undiagnosed disease; and could turn into an even greater challenge if MAS and SLE are combined with a viral infection. A-14-year-old female came to the hospital with an ongoing fever for 2 weeks and a painful facial skin rash. Hepatomegaly, pancytopenia, increased aspartate aminotransferase, elevated serum ferritin and lactate dehydrogenase were reported. No hemophagocytic infiltration of bone marrow was reported. The patient was suspected for hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis. Her skin rashes were eczema herpeticum, which is usually associated with immune compromised conditions. With the history of oral ulcers and malar rash, positive ANA and low C3, C4 and the evidence of hemolytic anemia, she was diagnosed as SLE. According to the diagnostic guideline for MAS in SLE, she was diagnosed MAS as well, activated by acute HSV infection. After administering steroids and antiviral agent, the fever and skin rash disappeared, and the abnormal laboratory findings normalized. Therefore, we are reporting a rare case of MAS triggered by acute HSV infection as the first manifestation of SLE.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.325-342
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• 1998

Two RADARSAT SAR images with different modes acquired by Canadian Space Agency to test the effectiveness of geological lineament extraction and spring water detection over the Cheju Island. Geological lineaments are poorly developed this basalt dominant volcanic island, but more linear features can be extracted when SAR and TM images are simultaneously analyzed than when TM image alone is used. This results mainly owe to the facts that RADARSAT SAR systems are able to provide data with different frequencies, azimuth, and incidence angles. Distribution of spring water along coast is poorly correlated with geological lineaments or drainage pattern, but those in middle range of mountain region are developed along geological lineaments. Detection of spring water using remotely sensed images are turned out to be very difficult to achieve. Radial shaped sea surface temperature anomaly derived from TM thermal band should be the best candidate for spring water, but the resolution is not high enough. We also investigate the normalized radar cross section (or sigma naught) converted from RADARSAT and ERS-1 SAR data but to discriminate the spring water effectively except where relatively large water mass is observed on land side. Speckle noise and irregularity in physical sea surface condition are the serious obstacles for this application. ERS-1 SAR image acquired in low incidence angle was more useful for geological lineament estimation and water body study than RADARSAT SAR images with high incidence angles. Therefore the selection of incidence angle is critical in geological and spring water applications of SAR images, and low incidence angles less than about 30$^{\circ}$ are recommended to monitor the Cheju volcanic island.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.58-65
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• 2010

Purpose: Since there are few studies involving acute pancreatitis in children, we reviewed our experience with this medical condition to describe the clinical features. Methods: A retrospective analysis was conducted by reviewing the medical records of 41 patients with AP who were admitted to the Department of Pediatrics of Pusan National University Hospital between January 1996 and June 2007. Results: Twenty males and 21 females (mean age, 8.7${\pm}$4.5 years) were included. In 22 patients (53.7%), no definitive causes were found. The most common etiologies were choledochal cysts (22.0%). Necrotizing pancreatitis was diagnosed in 5 patients (12.2%), and recurrent acute pancreatitis in 4 patients (9.8%). CT findings included pancreatic swelling (43.9%), peripancreatic fluid collection (29.3%), ascites (24.4%), and peripancreatic fat necrosis (12.2%). Serum amylase and lipase levels at diagnosis were 535.3${\pm}$553.2 and 766.2${\pm}$723.6 U/L, respectively, and were normalized within 1 week in 22 and 14 patients, respectively. On the basis of the Balthazar scale, 2 patients were diagnosed with severe AP. In 4 patients (9.8%), a surgical procedure was indicated. Major complications included ascites (32.3%), sepsis (16.1%), and pseudocyst and renal impairments (12.9%). Two patients died from multi-organ failure. Conclusion: The etiologies of AP in children are varied. Most children have a single episode and a self-limited course. However, AP of childhood still carries significant morbidity and mortality. Early diagnosis, appropriate treatment according to disease severity, and management of complications are important.