• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.54-62
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• 2020

Dose calculation algorithms play an important role in radiation therapy and are even the basis for optimizing treatment plans, an important feature in the development of complex treatment technologies such as intensity-modulated radiation therapy. We reviewed the past and current status of dose calculation algorithms used in the treatment planning system for radiation therapy. The radiation-calculating dose calculation algorithm can be broadly classified into three main groups based on the mechanisms used: (1) factor-based, (2) model-based, and (3) principle-based. Factor-based algorithms are a type of empirical dose calculation that interpolates or extrapolates the dose in some basic measurements. Model-based algorithms, represented by the pencil beam convolution, analytical anisotropic, and collapse cone convolution algorithms, use a simplified physical process by using a convolution equation that convolutes the primary photon energy fluence with a kernel. Model-based algorithms allowing side scattering when beams are transmitted to the heterogeneous media provide more precise dose calculation results than correction-based algorithms. Principle-based algorithms, represented by Monte Carlo dose calculations, simulate all real physical processes involving beam particles during transportation; therefore, dose calculations are accurate but time consuming. For approximately 70 years, through the development of dose calculation algorithms and computing technology, the accuracy of dose calculation seems close to our clinical needs. Next-generation dose calculation algorithms are expected to include biologically equivalent doses or biologically effective doses, and doctors expect to be able to use them to improve the quality of treatment in the near future.

• Journal of Trauma and Injury
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• v.35 no.1
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• pp.12-18
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• 2022

Purpose: Pedicle screw fixation provides 3-column stabilization, multidimensional control, and a higher rate of interbody fusion. Although computed tomography (CT) is recommended for the postoperative assessment of pedicle screw fixation, its use is limited due to the radiation exposure dose. The purpose of this preliminary retrospective study was to assess the clinical usefulness of low-dose mobile cone-beam CT (CBCT) for the postoperative evaluation of pedicle screw fixation. Methods: The author retrospectively reviewed postoperative mobile CBCT images of 15 patients who underwent posterior pedicle screw fixation for spinal disease from November 2019 to April 2020. Pedicle screw placement was assessed for breaches of the bony structures. The breaches were graded based on the Heary classification. Results: The patients included 11 men and four women, and their mean age was 66±12 years. Of the 122 pedicle screws, 34 (27.9%) were inserted in the thoracic segment (from T7 to T12), 82 (67.2%) in the lumbar segment (from L1 to L5), and six (4.9%) in the first sacral segment. Although there were metal-related artifacts, the image of the screw position (according to Heary classification) after surgery could be assessed using mobile CBCT at all levels (T7-S1). Conclusions: Mobile CBCT was accurate in determining the location and integrity of the pedicle screw and identifying the surrounding bony structures. In the postoperative setting, mobile CBCT can be used as a primary modality for assessing the accuracy of pedicle screw fixation and detecting postoperative complications.

• KSII Transactions on Internet and Information Systems (TIIS)
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.1042-1058
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• 2024

Terahertz (THz) communication is becoming a key technology for future 6G wireless networks because of its ultra-wide band. However, the implementation of THz communication systems confronts formidable challenges, notably beam splitting effects and high computational complexity associated with them. Our primary objective is to design a hybrid precoder that minimizes the Euclidean distance from the fully digital precoder. The analog precoding part adopts the delay-phase alternating minimization (DP-AltMin) algorithm, which divides the analog precoder into phase shifters and time delayers. This effectively addresses the beam splitting effects within THz communication by incorporating time delays. The traditional digital precoding solution, however, needs matrix inversion in THz massive multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) communication systems, resulting in significant computational complexity and complicating the design of the analog precoder. To address this issue, we exploit the characteristics of THz massive MIMO communication systems and construct the digital precoder as a product of scale factors and semi-unitary matrices. We utilize Schatten norm and Hölder's inequality to create semi-unitary matrices after initializing the scale factors depending on the power allocation. Finally, the analog precoder and digital precoder are alternately optimized to obtain the ultimate hybrid precoding scheme. Extensive numerical simulations have demonstrated that our proposed algorithm outperforms existing methods in mitigating the beam splitting issue, improving system performance, and exhibiting lower complexity. Furthermore, our approach exhibits a more favorable alignment with practical application requirements, underlying its practicality and efficiency.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.227-233
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• 2024

Polyolefins (PO) are used in various industrial fields due to their excellent mechanical properties, processability, and chemical resistance. However, they have low flame retardancy, and when exposed to high temperatures, there are problem that mechanical properties deteriorate due to oxidation. In this study, we developed PO/metal hydroxide composites that exhibit excellent mechanical strength, heat resistance, and flame retardancy by using antioxidants and radiation crosslinking technology. To improve mechanical strength, heat resistance, and flame retardancy, PO/metal hydroxide/antioxidant composites were prepared and irradiated with an electron beam. Specifically, at temperatures above 200℃, the PO/metal hydroxide composites with primary and secondary antioxidants added and irradiated with a 100 kGy electron beam exhibited excellent thermal stability with a thermal shrinkage rate of less than 3%. In addition, the flame retardancy of the PO/metal hydroxide/antioxidant composites was improved due to enhanced thermal stability from electron beam irradiation and reduced thermal decomposition rate from the antioxidants. These results indicate that radiation crosslinking and antioxidants are effective method to simultaneously achieve mechanical properties, heat resistance, and flame retardancy.

• Radiation Oncology Journal
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• v.30 no.1
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• pp.20-26
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• 2012

Purpose: To evaluate outcome and morbidity in patients with vulvar cancer treated with radiotherapy, concurrent chemoradiotherapy or postoperative radiotherapy. Materials and Methods: The records of 24 patients treated with radiotherapy for vulvar cancer between July 1993 and September 2009 were retrospectively reviewed. All patients received once daily 1.8-4 Gy fractions external beam radiotherapy to median 51.2 Gy (range, 19.8 to 81.6 Gy) on pelvis and inguinal nodes. Seven patients were treated with primary concurrent chemoradiotherapy, one patient was treated with primary radiotherapy alone, four patients received palliative radiotherapy, and twelve patients were treated with postoperative radiotherapy. Results: Twenty patients were eligible for response evaluation. Response rate was 55% (11/20). The 5-year disease free survival was 42.2% and 5-year overall survival was 46.2%, respectively. Fifty percent (12/24) experienced with acute skin complications of grade III or more during radiotherapy. Late complications were found in 8 patients. 50% (6/12) of patients treated with lymph node dissection experienced severe late complications. One patient died of sepsis from lymphedema. However, only 16.6% (2/12) of patients treated with primary radiotherapy developed late complications. Conclusion: Outcome of patients with vulvar cancer treated with radiotherapy showed relatively good local control and low recurrence. Severe late toxicities remained higher in patients treated with both node dissection and radiotherapy.

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.357-380
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• 2015

In this study, a simple indeterminate strut-tie model which reflects complicated characteristics of the ultimate structural behavior of continuous reinforced concrete deep beams was proposed. In addition, the load distribution ratio, defined as the fraction of applied load transferred by a vertical tie of truss load transfer mechanism, was proposed to help structural designers perform the analysis and design of continuous reinforced concrete deep beams by using the strut-tie model approaches of current design codes. In the determination of the load distribution ratio, a concept of balanced shear reinforcement ratio requiring a simultaneous failure of inclined concrete strut and vertical steel tie was introduced to ensure the ductile shear failure of reinforced concrete deep beams, and the primary design variables including the shear span-to-effective depth ratio, flexural reinforcement ratio, and compressive strength of concrete were reflected upon. To verify the appropriateness of the present study, the ultimate strength of 58 continuous reinforced concrete deep beams tested to shear failure was evaluated by the ACI 318M-11's strut-tie model approach associated with the presented indeterminate strut-tie model and load distribution ratio. The ultimate strength of the continuous deep beams was also estimated by the experimental shear equations, conventional design codes that were based on experimental and theoretical shear strength models, and current strut-tie model design codes. The validity of the proposed strut-tie model and load distribution ratio was examined through the comparison of the strength analysis results classified according to the primary design variables. The present study associated with the indeterminate strut-tie model and load distribution ratio evaluated the ultimate strength of the continuous deep beams fairly well compared with those by other approaches. In addition, the present approach reflected the effects of the primary design variables on the ultimate strength of the continuous deep beams consistently and reasonably. The present study may provide an opportunity to help structural designers conduct the rational and practical strut-tie model design of continuous deep beams.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.1-18
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• 2000

For wedged photon beams, the variation of the wedge factor with field size was reported by several authors. However, until now such variation with field size had not been explained quantitatively. Therefore, the variation of the wedge factor was investigated by measuring outputs with field sizes increasing from 4 cm $\times$ 4 cm to 25 cm $\times$ 25 cm for open and wedged 6 and 10MV X-ray beams. The relative outputs for wedged fields to 10 cm $\times$ 10 cm have been obtained. The results show the Increase of the wedge factor caused by the change in fluence of high energy Photon beam with field size, up to 8.0% for KD77-6MV X-ray beam. This increase could be explained as a linear function of the irradiated wedge volume except small field size up to about 10 cm. In the cases of the narrow rectangular beam parallel to the wedge direction, the wedge factor decreases slightly with increasing field size up to about 10-15 cm due to a relatively reduced photon fluence from the change of the wedge thickness. We could explain the causes of a wedge factor variation with field size as the fluences of primary photon passed throughout the wedge, contributing to the dose at the central beam axis and that the fluences were affected by the gradient of the wedge with the change of field size. For clinical use, the formula developed to describe the wedge factor variation with field size has been corrected.

• Journal of the korean academy of Pediatric Dentistry
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• v.36 no.3
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• pp.325-336
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• 2009

The purpose of this study was to investigate the eruption pattern of the mandibular first molar in sagittal, frontal and horizontal views using the cone beam CT scanning. CT images were obtained from healthy 83 children (42 boys, 41 girls) between 3 to 10 years of age with a normal dentition according to Nolla stage. 1. In the frontal and horizontal view, the intermolar width decreased continuously with stage and slightly increased at the last stage. 2. In the sagittal and frontal view, eruption distances from occlusal plane were observed the largest change between stage 5 and 7. 3. In the horizontal and sagittal view, mandibular first molar from distal surface of primary second molar moved distally between stage 4 and 6. 4. In the sagittal view, angle from occlusal plane to mesio-distal axis increased between stage 4 and 8. 5. In the frontal view, angle from occlusal plane to bucco-lingual axis increased continuously during all stage. 6. In the horizontal view, angle from midsagittal plane to long axis increased between stage 5 and 8.

• Analytical Science and Technology
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.400-406
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• 2006

Hydrogen analysis by elastic recoil detection has been performed utilizing polyimide film as a reference sample of known hydrogen content assuming the soundness of ion beam current integration. However beam current integration at higher incidence angle is not reliable. Scattering yield per unit fluence by current integration which is normalized per unit path length decreases as the sample tilt angle is getting higher. Moreover because beam current integration at high tilt angle is incomplete, hydrogen evaluation is very risky by direct comparison of sequentially collected recoil spectra between reference and target sample. In this study, primary ion beam dose is determined by backscattering spectrum that is collected simultaneously with recoil spectrum instead of ion beam current integration in order to reduce uncertainty arising in the process of current integration and to enhance the reliability of quantitative analysis. Three test samples are selected $-7.6{\mu}m$ polyimide film, hydrogen implanted silicondioxide and Au deposited carbon wafer- and analyzed by two methods and compared.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.3-17
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• 1997

Because a wedged beam consists of attenuated primary photons and scattered radiations from wedge, the spectrum of the wedged beam does not coincide with that of an open beam with same geometry. The aims of current report are to get exact information about whether effects of 15-60$^{\circ}$ wedge for 4 -10 MV photon beams should be considered for dose calculation or not, and to suggest a reference condition for measurement of wedge transmission factor. Percent depth dose of both open and wedged fields with angles of 15, 30, 45, 60$^{\circ}$ for beams of 4 MV(Clinac 4/100, Varian), two 6 MV(Clinac 6/100 and Clinac 2100C, Varian), 10 MV(Clinac 2100C, Varian) X-rays were measured to 30cm deep in water using ionization chambers. Hardening factors of photon beams were calculated with measured PDDs. Both field size factors and transmission factors of wedge filters were measured at d$_{max}$ in water. Beam hardening factors of wedged fields of 4 and 6 MV X-ray were larger than 1 for all wedge angles, field sizes and depths deeper than d$_{max}$ Beam hardening factors for wedge angles 15, 30, 45, 60$^{\circ}$ for 10$\times$10cm were respectively 1.010, 1.014, 1.023 and 1.034 for 4MV X-ray, 1.005, 1.008, 1.019, and 1.024 for 6MV X-ray of Clinac 6/100, 1.011, 1.021, 1.032, 1.036 for 6MV X-ray of Clinac 2100C, and 1.008, 1.012, 1.012 and 1.012 for 10MV X-ray. Beam hardening factors of 10MV X-ray were 1 within 1.2％ difference for all wedge angles, depths and field sizes. It was made clear that for 6MV X-rays, the beam hardening factor depends on treatment machine. The relationship of the factor and depth was linear. Field size factor at d$_{max}$ was independent of wedge angle except for the field of 15$\times$15cm. and maximum difference of the field size factors for the field size was 1.4％ for 4MV X-ray. When the wedge factor is determined, dependence of the factor on field size is negligible at d$_{max}$ but should be considered at deeper depth. Calculating dose distribution or MU, the beam hardening factor should be applied for 4~6MV X-ray beams, but might not be considered for 10MV beam. When wedge transmission factor was determined at d$_{max}$ or in air, field size factors for open field are also applicable to wedged fields, but otherwise, field size factor for each wedge or wedge factor depending on field size should be applied.