• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.12
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• pp.1974-1984
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• 2021

Objective: This study aimed to compare the efficacy between no-touch (NT) radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and conventional RFA using twin internally cooled wet (TICW) electrodes in the bipolar mode for the treatment of small hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC). Materials and Methods: In this single-center, two-arm, parallel-group, prospective randomized controlled study, we performed a 1:1 random allocation of eligible patients with HCCs to receive NT-RFA or conventional RFA between October 2016 and September 2018. The primary endpoint was the cumulative local tumor progression (LTP) rate after RFA. Secondary endpoints included technical conversion rates of NT-RFA, intrahepatic distance recurrence, extrahepatic metastasis, technical parameters, technical efficacy, and rates of complications. Cumulative LTP rates were analyzed using Kaplan-Meier analysis and the Cox proportional hazard regression model. Considering conversion cases from NT-RFA to conventional RFA, intention-to-treat and as-treated analyses were performed. Results: Enrolled patients were randomly assigned to the NT-RFA group (37 patients with 38 HCCs) or the conventional RFA group (36 patients with 38 HCCs). Among the NT-RFA group patients, conversion to conventional RFA occurred in four patients (10.8%, 4/37). According to intention-to-treat analysis, both 1- and 3-year cumulative LTP rates were 5.6%, in the NT-RFA group, and they were 11.8% and 21.3%, respectively, in the conventional RFA group (p = 0.073, log-rank). In the as-treated analysis, LTP rates at 1 year and 3 years were 0% and 0%, respectively, in the NT-RFA group sand 15.6% and 24.5%, respectively, in the conventional RFA group (p = 0.004, log-rank). In as-treated analysis using multivariable Cox regression analysis, RFA type was the only significant predictive factor for LTP (hazard ratio = 0.061 with conventional RFA as the reference, 95% confidence interval = 0.000-0.497; p = 0.004). There were no significant differences in the procedure characteristics between the two groups. No procedure-related deaths or major complications were observed. Conclusion: NT-RFA using TICW electrodes in bipolar mode demonstrated significantly lower cumulative LTP rates than conventional RFA for small HCCs, which warrants a larger study for further confirmation.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.19 no.10
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• pp.2028-2042
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• 1994

Properly defining signal and noise in a self-organizing system like ART(Adaptive Resonance Theory) neural network model raises a number of subtle issues. Pattern context must enter the definition so that input features, treated as irrelevant noise when they are embedded in a given input pattern, may be treated as informative signals when they are embedded in a different input pattern. The ATR automatically self-scales their computational units to embody context and learning dependent definitions of a signal and noise and there is no problem in categorizing input pattern that have features similar in nature. However, when we have imput patterns that have features that are different in size and nature, the use of only one vigilance parameter is not enough to differentiate a signal from noise for a good categorization. For example, if the value fo vigilance parameter is large, then noise may be processed as an informative signal and unnecessary categories are generated: and if the value of vigilance parameter is small, an informative signal may be ignored and treated as noise. Hence it is no easy to achieve a good pattern categorization. To overcome such problems, a Coupled-ART neural network capable of modularized categorization of patterns is proposed. The Coupled-ART has two layer of tightly coupled modules. the upper and the lower. The lower layer processes the global features of a pattern and the structural features, separately in parallel. The upper layer combines the categorized outputs from the lower layer and categorizes the combined output, Hence, due to the modularized categorization of patterns, the Coupled-ART classifies patterns more efficiently than the ART1 model.

• Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.153-163
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• 2017

The objective of this study is to enhance the model's speed of estimating weather variables (e.g., minimum/maximum temperature, sunshine hour, PRISM (Parameter-elevation Regression on Independent Slopes Model) based precipitation), which are applied to the Agrometeorological Early Warning System (http://www.agmet.kr). The current process of weather estimation is operated on high-performance multi-core CPUs that have 8 physical cores and 16 logical threads. Nonetheless, the server is not even dedicated to the handling of a single county, indicating that very high overhead is involved in calculating the 10 counties of the Seomjin River Basin. In order to reduce such overhead, several cache and parallelization techniques were used to measure the performance and to check the applicability. Results are as follows: (1) for simple calculations such as Growing Degree Days accumulation, the time required for Input and Output (I/O) is significantly greater than that for calculation, suggesting the need of a technique which reduces disk I/O bottlenecks; (2) when there are many I/O, it is advantageous to distribute them on several servers. However, each server must have a cache for input data so that it does not compete for the same resource; and (3) GPU-based parallel processing method is most suitable for models such as PRISM with large computation loads.

• Journal of Korea Soil Environment Society
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• v.4 no.1
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• pp.109-118
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• 1999

Recently, transport parameters of conservative solutes such as KCl in a porous medium have been successfully determined using time domain reflectometry (TDR) . This study was initiated to Investigate the applicability of TDR technique to monitoring the fate of a heavy metal ion in a sandy soil and the distribution of its concentration along travel distance with time. A column test was conducted in a laboratory that consists of monitoring both resident and flux concentrations of $ZnCl_2$in a sandy soil under a breakthrough condition. A tracer of $ZnCl_2$(10 g/L) was injected onto the top surface of the sample as pulse type as soon as a steady-state condition was achieved. Time-series measurements of resistance and electrical conductivity were performed at 10 cm and 20 cm of distances from the inlet boundary by horizontal-positioning of parallel TDR metallic rods and using an EC-meter for the effluent exiting the bottom boundary respectively. In addition. Zn ions of the effluent were analyzed by ICP-AES. Since the mode and position of concentration detected by TDR and effluent were different, comparison between ICP analysis and TDR-detected concentration was made by predicting flux concentration using CDE model accommodating a decay constant with the transport parameters obtained from the resident concentrations. The experimental results showed that the resident concentration resulted in earlier and higher peak than the flux concentration obtained by EC-meter, implying the homogeneity of the packed sandy soil. A close agreement was found between the predicted from the transport parameters obtained by TDR and the measured $ZnCl_2$concentration. This indicates that TDR technique can also be applied to monitoring heavy metal concentrations in the soil once that a decay constant is obtained for a given soil.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.4 no.3_4
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• pp.79-91
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• 1971

A boat seine has been used as a major fishing gear for catching anchovy (Engraulis japonica) in the southern coastal waters of Korea since 1920s. The original seine was operated by two rowing boats as the haul seine. The rowing boats were, in recent, replaced by powered boats. The net size was enlarged by more than three times the original nit as they began to by operated in the deeper waters of approximately sixty meters. However, there are many problems in the efficiency of the fishing gear to be improved. The authors studied on the hydrodynamic resistance and performance of the boat seine net of the 1/10 scale model in tow. The results are summaried as follows. 1. The hydrodynamic resistance converted from model experiment into the full scale is: $$R_1=30,000\;v^{1.2}\;(0.2{\leqq}v{\leqq}1.0)$$ $$R_2=16,000\;v^2\;(0.2{\leqq}v{\leqq}0.6)$$ where $R_1$ and $R_2$ denote the resistance of whole gear and of bag net in kg respectively, and v the speed of flow in m/sec. 2. In the extension wing, approximately seventy percent of the length of the ground rope from the towing end to the inside-wing slopes down from sea level toward the sea bottom, while the thirty percent of the inside of it remains parallel with th: 5:a level. The performance is regarded to b: inefficient for driving fish shoal into the inside-wing, especially for the shoal diving suddenly. 3. At the towing speed higher than 0.2 m/sec, the trailing edge of the inside-wing is blown backward beyond the seaming line connecting the inside-wing and the mouth of the bag net. It is regarded as an unreasonable performance to drive the fish shoal smoothly into the bag net. 4. At the towing speed higher than 0.2 m/sec, the posterior end of the lower bosom is lifted up above the level of the ground rope of the inside-wing. It is considered that the fish shoal diving suddenly can escape through the discrepancy between the lower bosom and the sea bottom, even if the ground rope of the inside-wing sweeps the sea bottom. 5. The angle of inclination of the upper bosom is estimated as $35\~40^{\circ}$. It seems that the inclination is too steep to drive smoothly the fish shoal diving toward the sea bottom into the bag net. 6. In structure, circumference of the posterior section of the bag net is wider by 1.3 times that of the anterior section. Actually in towing at a speed higher than 0.2m/sec, however, the circumference of the posterior section becomes smaller than that of the anterior section. It is recommended to be designed in a long cylindrical form.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.2 no.1
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• pp.28-36
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• 2001

Objective: To provide a systematic overview of the effects of various parameters on contrast enhancement within the same population, an animal experiment as well as a computer-aided simulation study was performed. Materials and Methods: In an animal experiment, single-level dynamic CT through the liver was performed at 5-second intervals just after the injection of contrast medium for 3 minutes. Combinations of three different amounts (1, 2, 3 mL/kg), concentrations (150, 200, 300 mgI/mL), and injection rates (0.5, 1, 2 mL/sec) were used. The CT number of the aorta (A), portal vein (P) and liver (L) was measured in each image, and time-attenuation curves for A, P and L were thus obtained. The degree of maximum enhancement (Imax) and time to reach peak enhancement (Tmax) of A, P and L were determined, and times to equilibrium (Teq) were analyzed. In the computed-aided simulation model, a program based on the amount, flow, and diffusion coefficient of body fluid in various compartments of the human body was designed. The input variables were the concentrations, volumes and injection rates of the contrast media used. The program generated the time-attenuation curves of A, P and L, as well as liver-to-hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) contrast curves. On each curve, we calculated and plotted the optimal temporal window (time period above the lower threshold, which in this experiment was 10 Hounsfield units), the total area under the curve above the lower threshold, and the area within the optimal range. Results: A. Animal Experiment: At a given concentration and injection rate, an increased volume of contrast medium led to increases in Imax A, P and L. In addition, Tmax A, P, L and Teq were prolonged in parallel with increases in injection time The time-attenuation curve shifted upward and to the right. For a given volume and injection rate, an increased concentration of contrast medium increased the degree of aortic, portal and hepatic enhancement, though Tmax A, P and L remained the same. The time-attenuation curve shifted upward. For a given volume and concentration of contrast medium, changes in the injection rate had a prominent effect on aortic enhancement, and that of the portal vein and hepatic parenchyma also showed some increase, though the effect was less prominent. A increased in the rate of contrast injection led to shifting of the time enhancement curve to the left and upward. B. Computer Simulation: At a faster injection rate, there was minimal change in the degree of hepatic attenuation, though the duration of the optimal temporal window decreased. The area between 10 and 30 HU was greatest when contrast media was delivered at a rate of 2 3 mL/sec. Although the total area under the curve increased in proportion to the injection rate, most of this increase was above the upper threshould and thus the temporal window was narrow and the optimal area decreased. Conclusion: Increases in volume, concentration and injection rate all resulted in improved arterial enhancement. If cost was disregarded, increasing the injection volume was the most reliable way of obtaining good quality enhancement. The optimal way of delivering a given amount of contrast medium can be calculated using a computer-based mathematical model.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.393-402
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• 1997

Purpose : When an x-ray beam of small field size is irradiated to target area containing an air cavity, such as larynx, the underdosing effect is observed in the region near the interfaces of air and soft tissue. With a larynx model, air cavity embedded in tissue-equivalent material, this study is intonded for examining Parameters, such as beam quality, field size, and cavity size, to affect the dose distribution near the air cavity. Materials and Methods : Three x-rar beams, 4-, 6- and 10-MV, were employed to Perform a measurement using a 2cm $(width){\times}L$ (length in cm, one side of x-ray field used 2cm (height) air cavity in the simulated larynx. A thin window parallel-plate chamber connected to an electrometer was used for a dosimetry system. A ratio of the dose at various distances from the cavity-tissue interface to the dose at the same points in a homogeneous Phantom (ebservedlexpected ratio, O/E) normalized buildup curves, and ratio of distal surface dose to dose at the maximum buildup depth were examined for various field sizes. Measurement for cavity size effect was performed by varying the height (Z) of the air cavity with the width kept constant for several field sizes. Results : No underdosing effect for 4-MV beam for fields larger than $5cm\times5cm$ was found For both 6- and 10-MV beams, the underdosing portion of the larynx at the distal surface was seen to occur for small fields, $4cm\times4cm\;and\;5cm\times5cm$. The underdosed tissue was increased in its volume with beam energy even for similar surface doses. The relative distal surface dose to maximum dose was changed to 0.99 from 0.95, 0.92, and 0.91 for 4-, 6-, and 10-MV, respectively, with increasing field size, $4cm\times4cm\;to\;8cm\times8cm$, For 6- and 10-MV beams, the dose at the surface of the cavity is measured less than the predicted by about two and three percent. respectively. but decrease was found for 4-MV beam for $5cm\times5cm$ field. For the $4cm\timesL\timesZ$ (height in cm). varying depth from 0.0 to 4.8cm, cavity, O/E> 1.0 was observed regardless of the cavity size for any field larger than about $8cm\times8cm$. Conclusion : The magnitude of underdosing depends on beam energy, field size. and cavity size for the larynx model. Based on the result of the study. caution must be used when a small field of a high quality x-ray beam is irradiated to regions including air cavities. and especially the region where the tumor extends to the surface. Low quality beam. such as. 4-MV x-ray, and larger fields can be used preferably to reduce the risk of underdosing, local failure. In the case of high quality beams such as 6- and 10-MV x-rays, however. an additional boost field is recommended to add for the compensation of the underdosing region when a typically used treatment field. $8cm\times8cm$, is employed.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.26 no.1
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• pp.83-89
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• 2014

Purpose : In case of the intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) using Tomotherapy and linear accelerator (Linac), it was to compare and to evaluate the imaging dose of MVCT and CBCT that were performed daily for the correct set up of the patient. Materials and Methods : The human body model Phantom (Anderson rando Phantom, USA) was divided into the three parts as Head, Thorax, pelvis, and after GafChromic EBT3 film cut to the size of $0.5{\times}0.5cm2$.in the center of the recording area were situated on the ant, post, left, and right surface of the phantom and 2cm in depth from the ant, post, left, right, and center surface of the phantom, the surface dose and inner dose were measured repeatedly three times, respectively, using the tomotherapy (Hi Art) and the OBI of NovalisTx. The measured film calculated the output value by RIP version6.0 and then the average value of the dose was calculated by the one-way analysis of variance. Results : Using the human body model phantom, the results of MVCT and CBCT performance were that measurements of MVCT inner dose were showed $15.43cGy{\pm}6.05$ in the head, $16.62cGy{\pm}3.08$ in the thorax, $16.81cGy{\pm}5.24$ in the pelvis, and measurements of CBCT inner dose were showed $13.28{\pm}3.68$ in the head, from $13.66{\pm}4.04$ in the thorax, $15.52{\pm}3.52$ in the pelvis. The measurements of surface dose were showed in case of MVCT performance, $11.64{\pm}4.05$ in the head, $12.16{\pm}4.38$ in the thorax, $12.05{\pm}2.71$ in the pelvis, and in case of CBCT performance, $14.59{\pm}3.51$ in the head, $15.82{\pm}2.89$ in the thorax, $17.48{\pm}2.80$ in the pelvis, respectively. Conclusion : In case of Inner dose, the MVCT using MV energy showed higher than the CBCT using kV energy at 1.16 times in the head, at 1.22 times in the thorax, at 1.08 times in the pelvis, and in case of surface dose, the CBCT was higher than MVCT, at 1.25 times in the head, at 1.30 times in the thorax, at 1.45 times in the pelvis. Imaging dose was a small amount compared to the therapeutic dose but it was thought to affect partially to normal tissue because it was done in daily schedule. However, IMRT treatment was necessarily parallel with the IGRT treatment through the image-guide to minimize errors between planned and actual treatment. Thus, to minimize imaging dose that the patients receive, when planning the treatment, it should be set up a treatment plan considering imaging dose, or it must be performed by minimizing the scan range when shooting MVCT.

• Journal of Radiation Protection and Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.199-206
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• 2003

Because the MIRD phantom, the representative mathematical phantom was developed for the calculation of internal radiation dose, and simulated by the simplified mathematical equations for rapid computation, the appropriateness of application to external dose calculation and the closeness to real human body should be justified. This study was intended to modify the MIRD phantom according to the comparison of the organ absorbed doses in the two phantoms exposed to monoenergetic broad parallel photon beams of the energy between 0.05 MeV and 10 MeV. The organ absorbed doses of the MIRD phantom and the Zubal yokel phantom were calculated for AP and PA geometries by MCNP4C, general-purpose Monte Carlo code. The MIRD phantom received higher doses than the Zubal phantom for both AP and PA geometries. Effective dose in PA geometry for 0.05 MeV photon beams showed the difference up to 50%. Anatomical axial views of the two phantoms revealed the thinner trunk thickness of the MIRD phantom than that of the Zubal phantom. To find out the optimal thickness of trunk, the difference of effective doses for 0.5 MeV photon beams for various trunk thickness of the MIRD phantom from 20 cm to 36 cm were compared. The optimal thunk thickness, 24 cm and 28 cm for AP and PA geometries, respectively, showed the minimum difference of effective doses between the two phantoms. The trunk model of the MIRD phantom was modified and the organ doses were recalculated using the modified MIRD phantom. The differences of effective dose for AP and PA geometries reduced to 7.3% and the overestimation of organ doses decreased, too. Because MIRD-type phantoms are easier to be adopted in Monte Carlo calculations and to standardize, the modifications of the MIRD phantom allow us to hold the advantage of MIRD-type phantoms over a voxel phantom and alleviate the anatomical difference and consequent disagreement in dose calculation.

• The Journal of Korean Academy of Prosthodontics
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• v.48 no.4
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• pp.243-250
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• 2010

Purpose: This study evaluated the effect of different screw tightening sequences and methods on detorque values in a well-fitting implant superstructure. Materials and methods: A fully edentulous mandibular master model and a metal framework directly connected to four parallel implants (Astra Tech) with a passive fit to each other were fabricated. Six stone casts were made with a splinted impression technique to represent a 'well-fitting' situation with the metal framework. Detorque values were measured twice after screw tightening using 20 Ncm. Detorque values and minimum detorque values for three screw tightening sequences (1-2-3-4, 2-4-3-1, and 2-3-1-4) and for two tightening methods (two-step and one-step) were analyzed using multi-way analysis of variance and two-way analysis of variance, respectively, at a .05 level of significance. Results: The mean detorque values for screw tightening sequences ranged from 12.8 Ncm (2-4-3-1) to 13.1 Ncm (2-3-1-4), and for screw tightening methods were 13.1 Ncm (two-step) and 11.8 Ncm (one-step). The mean of mimimum detorque values for screw tightening sequences were 11.1 Ncm (1-2-3-4) and 11.2 Ncm (2-4-3-1 and 2-3-1-4), and for screw tightening methods were 11.2 Ncm (two-step) and 9.9 Ncm (one-step). No statistically significant differences among three screw tightening sequences were found for detorque values and for mimimum detorque values. But, statistically significant differences between two screw tightening methods were found for two values. Two-step screw tightening method showed higher detorque value (P = .0003) and higher minimum detorque value (P = .0035) than one-step method. Conclusion: Within the limitations of this study, the screw tightening sequence was not a critical factor for the detorque values in a well-fitting implant superstructure by the splinted impression technique. But, two-step screw tightening method showed greater detorque values than one-step method.