• The Journal of Churna Manual Medicine for Spine and Nerves
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.39-46
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• 2013

Objectives : To identify the association between cross-sectional area of lumbar regional muscle and stability(ST), center of pressure(COP) assessed by tetrax. Methods : Patients(n=55) who had taken L-SPINE MRI and Tetrax(Sunlight, Israel) were analyzed retrospectively. To evaluate the cross-sectional area of lumbar regional muscle, L-SPINE MRI was used. Data of ST, COP were accumulated by using dynamic equilibrium analysis by Tetrax. Of the lumbar regional muscles, the Psoas muscles and the Paraspinalis muscles were examined. Using Pearson correlation, we analyzed COP, ST and the difference between the cross-sectional area of lumbar regional muscles. Results : The variance of cross-sectional area of both sides of Psoas muscle and COP had moderate positive correlation(r=0.621). Between variance of cross-sectional area of both sides of Paraspinalis and lumbar regional muscle and COP there was low positive correlation(r=0.287, r=0.329) ST also had low correlation with variance of cross-sectional area of both sides of Psoas muscle. Conclusion : The variance of cross-sectional area between both sides of Psoas muscle had moderate correlation with COP.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.37 no.3
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• pp.207-212
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• 2005

Objective: Classically, single photon emission tomography is known to be the reference standard for evaluating the hemodynamic status of patients with moyamoya disease. Recently, T2-weighted perfusion magnetic resonance(MR) imaging has been found to be effective in estimating cerebral hemodynamics in moyamoya disease. We aim to assess the utility of perfusion-weighted MR imaging for evaluating hemodynamic status of moyamoya disease. Methods: The subjects were fourteen moyamoya patients(mean age: 7.21 yrs) who were admitted at our hospital between Sep. 2001 to Sep 2003. Four normal children were used for control group. Perfusion MR imaging was performed before any treatment by using a T2-weighted contrast material-enhanced technique. Relative cerebral blood volume(rCBV) and time to peak enhancement(TTP) maps were calculated. Relative ratios of rCBV and TTP in the anterior cerebral artery(ACA), middle cerebral artery(MCA) and basal ganglia were measured and compared with those of the posterior cerebral artery(PCA) in each cerebral hemispheres. Using this data, we analysed the hemodynamic aspect of pediatric moyamoya disease patients in regarding to the age, Suzuki stage, signal change in FLAIR MR imaging, and hemispheres inducing symptoms. Results: The mean rCBV ratio of ACA, MCA did not differ between normal children and moyamoya patients. However the significant TTP delay was observed at ACA, MCA territories (mean = 2.3071 sec, 1.2089 see, respectively, p < 0.0001). As the Suzuki stage of patients is advanced, rCBV ratio is decreased and TTP differences increased. Conclusion: Perfusion MR can be applied for evaluating preoperative cerebral hemodynamic status of moyamoya patients. Furthermore, perfusion MR imaging can be used for determine which hemisphere should be treated, first.

• Journal of Gifted/Talented Education
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.101-125
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• 2005

We applied functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) techniques to examine whether general intelligence (g) could be assessed using a neurobiological signal of the brain. Participants were students in a national science academy and several local high schools. They were administered diverse intelligence (RAPM and WAIS) and creativity tests (TTCT-figural and TTCT-verbal). Forty of them were scanned using fMRI while performing complex and simple g tasks. In brain regions of greater blood flow in complex compared with simple g tasks, the gifted group with an exceptional g level was not significantly different from the average group with an ordinary g level: both of them activated the lateral prefrontal, anterior cingulate, posterior parietal cortices. However, the activation levels of the gifted group were greater than those of the average group, particularly in the posterior parietal cortex. Correlation analysis showed that the activity of the posterior parietal cortex has the highest correlation ($(r=0.73{\sim}0.74)$) with individual g levels and other regions also have moderate correlation ($(r=0.53{\sim}0.66)$). On the other hand, two-sample t test showed a striking contrast in intelligence tests scores between the gifted and the average group, whereas it did not show in creativity tests scores. These results suggest that it is within the bounds of possibility that a neurobiological signal of the brain is used in the assessment of the gifted and also suggest that creativity has to be given a great deal of weight on the assessment of the gifted.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.28 no.3
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• pp.338-343
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• 2007

BOLD T2*-weighted MR images reflects cortical blood flow and oxygenation alterations. fMRI study relies on the detection of localized changes in BOLD signal intensity. Since fMRI measures the very small modulations in BOLD signal intensity that occur during changes in brain activity, it is also very sensitive to small signal intensity variations caused by physiologic noise during the scan. Due to the complexity of movement of various organs associated with heart beat, it is important to reduce cardiac related noise rather than other physiological noise which could be required with relatively simple method. Therefore, a number of methods have been developed for the estimation and reduction of cardiac noise in fMRI study. But, each method has limitation. In this study, we proposed a new estimation method for brain activities influenced by blood pulsation effect using regression analysis with blood pulsation signal and the correspond slice of fMRI. We could find out that the right anterior cingulate cortex and right olfactory cortex and left olfactory cortex were largely influenced by blood pulsation effect for new method. These observed areas are mostly on the structure of anterior cerebral artery in the brain. That is convinced with that our method would be valid and our new method is easier to apply in practice and reduce computational burden than the retrospective method.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.849-852
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• 2009

The work describes EPR and 17O NMR measurements followed by theoretical calculation of the rotational correlation time $({\tau}_R)$, the water residence time $({\tau}_m)$, and the longitudinal electronic spin relaxation time $(T_{le})$(T_1e) for two new gadolinium complexes 1 and 2 of the type [$Gd(L)(H_2O)$] (L = tranexamic esters) in order to investigate their efficiency as a paramagnetic contrast agent (PCA). Of three correlation times, τR plays a major and predominant role to the unusually high relaxivity of 1 and 2 as compared with that of clinically approved MR CAs such as [$Gd(DTPA)(H_2O)]2‐ (Magnevist${\circledR}$), [Gd(DTPA-BMA)(H2O)] (Omniscan${\circledR}$), and $[Gd(DOTA)(H_2O)]^-$ (Dotarem${\circledR}$). The presence of bulky tranexamic ester in the ligand seems to be responsible for the conformational rigidity, which in turn causes such great an increase in ${\tau}_R$.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.11
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• pp.1194-1201
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• 2006

Purpose : The comatose mentality can be catastrophic, especially if the condition is severe or the duration is prolonged. Therefore, delayed diagnosis can result in a poor outcome or death. The best radiologic modality to differentiate from cerebral lesions in patients suffering from cerebral diseases is magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) rather than computed tomography (CT). Special apparatuses with metal materials such as ventilators, and cardiac pacemakers belonging to patients cannot be located in the magnetic field. We aimed to exhibit the possibility of examining MRI, maintaining ventilation at a relative long distance by means of modified $Ambu^{(R)}$. Methods : Self-inflating bags as a sort of a manual ventilator, connected with relatively long extension tubes instead of mechanical ventilators, were adopted to obtain MRI. PVC (polyvinyl chloride) extension tubes had different lengths and diameters. Lengths were 1, 2, and 3 cm and diameters were 15, and 25 mm. The work of breathing and expiratory changes of expiratory tidal volume (TVe), minute volume of expiration (MVe), peak inspiratory pressure (PIP) were measured by use of the mechanical ventilator, $Servoi^{(R)}$, as the alteration of TVi (inspiratory tidal volume), extension tube lengths and diameters with other values fixed. Results : Measured TVe and MVe by ventilator were the same values with control at every TVi, regardless of extension tube lengths and diameters, but PIP were increased with the rise of TVi, tube lengths, with decline of tube diameters, these were statistically significant. Conclusion : MRI examination can be carried out with a self-inflating bag connected with an extension tube at a long distance in patients who need artificial ventilation.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.115-122
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• 2008

Purpose : To evaluate the correlation between the radiological non-invasive hepatic fibrosis index (RNHFI), as determined by SPIO-enhanced MRI, and the laboratory non-invasive hepatic fibrosis index. Materials and Methods : Patients (99 total: 61 men and 38 women; mean age: 58 years) who underwent SPIO-enhanced MRI (1.5T) during 5 years included. These patients were subdivided into a liver cirrhosis group (LCG) and a non-liver cirrhosis group (non-LCG). Using PACS view, we measured the RNHFI (mean standard deviation of hepatic signal intensity (SD), noise-corrected coefficient of variation (CV)) of three ROIs in the liver parenchyma by SPIO-enhanced MRI. The laboratory non-invasive hepatic fibrosis index (AST-platelet ratio index (APRI)) of all patients was calculated from the laboratory data. We compared the RNHFI and APRI of LCG with those of non-LC group using Student's t-test. A bivariate correlation was performed to investigate the relationship between the RNHFI and APRI in the LCG. Results : For the LCG, mean values of SD and CV by SPIO-enhanced MRI were $10.3{\pm}3.7$ and $0.19{\pm}0.08$, respectively. For the non-LCG, mean values of SD and CV were $6.5{\pm}1.6$ and $0.08{\pm}0.05$, respectively. The mean APRI of the LCG and the non- LCG were $2.04{\pm}1.7$ and $0.32{\pm}0.32$, respectively. The RNHFI and APRI were significantly different between both groups (p<0.05). For the LCG, the bivariate correlation between SD and APRI revealed a statistically significant positive correlation (r=0.5, p<0.001). In both groups, there was no statistically significant correlation between CV and APRI. Conclusion: A measurement of SD can be a simple and useful method for the evaluation of hepatic fibrosis.

• Journal of Physiology & Pathology in Korean Medicine
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• v.23 no.3
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• pp.645-661
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• 2009

The water extract of Dohongsamul-Tang(DHSMT) has been traditionally used to stroke and brain injuries in Oriental Medicine. The present study was designed to investigate the effects of DHSMT on the gene expression profile of cerebral infarction by cDNA microarray in photothrombotic ischemia mouse model. Photothrombotic ischemia was induced in stereotactically held male BALB/c mice using rose bengal and cold light. MRI was performed 24 hours after inducing photothrombosis using 1.5 T MRI and 47 mm surface coil to obtain T2-weighted, and contrast-enhanced images. After MRI test, animal was sacrificed and the brain sections were stained for hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry. MRI and histological analysis revealed that lesion of thrombotic ischemia was well induced in the cortex with the evidence of biological courses of infarction. The target area of thrombotic infarction was 1 mm anterior to bregma and 3 mm lateral to midline with 2 mm in diameter, which were decreased by administration of DHSMT. To assess gene expression pattern of cerebral infarction, mRNA was isolated and reacted with microarray chip(Agilant's DNA Microarray 44K). Scatter and MA plot analysis were performed to clustering of each functional genes. M value [M=log2(R/G), A={log2(R ${\times}$ G)}/2] was between -0.5 and +0.5 with 40% difference. After pretreatment with DHSMT, the expression levels of mRNA of many genes involved in various signaling pathway such as apoptosis, cell cycle, cell proliferation, response to oxidative stress, immune response, angiogenesis, and inflammatory cytokine were markedly inhibited in photothrombotic ischemia lesion compared to the control group. These results suggest that DHSMT prevent ischemic death of brain on photothrombotic ischemia model of mice through modulation of gene expression at the transcriptional level.

• Proceedings of the KIEE Conference
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• 2001.04a
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• pp.22-25
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• 2001

The research results on the superconducting magnet for whole body MRI are presented. The magnet consists of main coil with 6 solenoid coils, shielding coil with 2 solenoid coils and 6 sets of cryogenic shim coil. The ferromagnetic shim assembly is installed on the inside wall of the room temperature bore for shimming inhomogeneous field components generated due to manufacturing tolerances, installation misalignments and external ferromagnetic materials near the magnet. Also, the magnet is enclosed with the horizontal type cryostat with 80cm room temperature bore to keep the magnet under the operating temperature. The magnetic field distributions within the imaging volume were measured by the NMR field mapping system. Through the test, the central field of magnet was 1.5 Tesla and the field homogeneity of 9.3 ppm has been obtained on 40cm DSV(the diameter of spherical volume) and using this magnet, comparatively good images for human body, fruits and water phantoms have been achieved.

• Journal of Korea Multimedia Society
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• v.19 no.2
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• pp.375-385
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• 2016

Recently, several implantable hearing aids such as cochlear implant, middle ear implant, etc., which have a module receiving power and signal from outside the body, are frequently used to treat the hearing impaired patients. Most of implantable hearing aids are adopted permanent magnet pairs to couple between internal and external devices for the enhancement of power transmission. Generally, the internal device which containing the magnet in the center of receiving coil is implanted under the skin of human temporal bone. In case of MRI scanning of a patient with the implantable hearing aid, however, homogeneous magnetic fields of the MRI might be interfered by the implanted magnet. For the above reasons, the MR image is degraded by large area of artifact, so that diagnostics are almost impossible in deteriorated region. In this paper, we proposed an external coil system that can reduce the artifact of MR image due to the internal coupling magnet. By finite element analysis estimating area of MR artifact according to varying current and shape of the external coil, optimal coil parameters were extracted. Finally, the effectiveness of the proposed external coil system was verified by confirming the artifact at real MRI scan.