• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.9-17
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• 2017

Purpose: The tissue description and electron density indicated by the Computed Tomography(CT) number (also known as Hounsfield Unit) in radiotherapy are important in ensuring the accuracy of CT-based computerized radiotherapy planning. The internal metal implants, however, not only reduce the accuracy of CT number but also introduce uncertainty into tissue description, leading to development of many clinical algorithms for reducing metal artifacts. The purpose of this study was, therefore, to investigate the accuracy and the clinical applicability by analyzing date from SMART MAR (GE) used in our institution. Methode: and material: For assessment of images, the original images were obtained after forming ROIs with identical volumes by using CIRS ED phantom and inserting rods of six tissues and then non-SMART MAR and SMART MAR images were obtained and compared in terms of CT number and SD value. For determination of the difference in dose by the changes in CT number due to metal artifacts, the original images were obtained by forming PTV at two sites of CIRS ED phantom CT images with Computerized Treatment Planning (CTP system), the identical treatment plans were established for non-SMART MAR and SMART MAR images by obtaining unilateral and bilateral titanium insertion images, and mean doses, Homogeneity Index(HI), and Conformity Index(CI) for both PTVs were compared. The absorbed doses at both sites were measured by calculating the dose conversion constant (cCy/nC) from ylinder acrylic phantom, 0.125cc ionchamber, and electrometer and obtaining non-SMART MAR and SMART MAR images from images resulting from insertions of unilateral and bilateral titanium rods, and compared with point doses from CTP. Result: The results of image assessment showed that the CT number of SMART MAR images compared to those of non-SMART MAR images were more close to those of original images, and the SD decreased more in SMART compared to non-SMART ones. The results of dose determinations showed that the mean doses, HI and CI of non-SMART MAR images compared to those of SMART MAR images were more close to those of original images, however the differences did not reach statistical significance. The results of absorbed dose measurement showed that the difference between actual absorbed dose and point dose on CTP in absorbed dose were 2.69 and 3.63 % in non-SMRT MAR images, however decreased to 0.56 and 0.68 %, respectively in SMART MAR images. Conclusion: The application of SMART MAR in CT images from patients with metal implants improved quality of images, being demonstrated by improvement in accuracy of CT number and decrease in SD, therefore it is considered that this method is useful in dose calculation and forming contour between tumor and normal tissues.

• The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.25-32
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• 2019

Purpose: The size, shape, and volume of prosthetic appliance depend on the metal artifacts resulting from dental implant during head and neck treatment with radiation. This reduced the accuracy of contouring targets and surrounding normal tissues in radiation treatment plan. Therefore, the purpose of this study is to obtain the images of metal representing the size of tooth through MVCT, SMART-MAR CT and KVCT, evaluate the volumes, apply them into the proton therapy plan, and analyze the difference of dose distribution. Materials and Methods : Metal A ($0.5{\times}0.5{\times}0.5cm$), Metal B ($1{\times}1{\times}1cm$), and Metal C ($1{\times}2{\times}1cm$) similar in size to inlay, crown, and bridge taking the treatments used at the dentist's into account were made with Cerrobend ($9.64g/cm^3$). Metal was placed into the In House Head & Neck Phantom and by using CT Simulator (Discovery CT 590RT, GE, USA) the images of KVCT and SMART-MAR were obtained with slice thickness 1.25 mm. The images of MVCT were obtained in the same way with $RADIXACT^{(R)}$ Series (Accuracy $Precision^{(R)}$, USA). The images of metal obtained through MVCT, SMART-MAR CT, and KVCT were compared in both size of axis X, Y, and Z and volume based on the Autocontour Thresholds Raw Values from the computerized treatment planning equipment Pinnacle (Ver 9.10, Philips, Palo Alto, USA). The proton treatment plan (Ray station 5.1, RaySearch, USA) was set by fusing the contour of metal B ($1{\times}1{\times}1cm$) obtained from the above experiment by each CT into KVCT in order to compare the difference of dose distribution. Result: Referencing the actual sizes, it was appeared: Metal A (MVCT: 1.0 times, SMART-MAR CT: 1.84 times, and KVCT: 1.92 times), Metal B (MVCT: 1.02 times, SMART-MAR CT: 1.47 times, and KVCT: 1.82 times), and Metal C (MVCT: 1.0 times, SMART-MAR CT: 1.46 times, and KVCT: 1.66 times). MVCT was measured most similarly to the actual metal volume. As a result of measurement by applying the volume of metal B into proton treatment plan, the dose of $D_{99%}$ volume was measured as: MVCT: 3094 CcGE, SMART-MAR CT: 2902 CcGE, and KVCT: 2880 CcGE, against the reference 3082 CcGE Conclusion: Overall volume and axes X and Z were most identical to the actual sizes in MVCT and axis Y, which is in the superior-Inferior direction, was regular in length without differences in CT. The best dose distribution was shown in MVCT having similar size, shape, and volume of metal when treating head and neck protons. Thus it is thought that it would be very useful if the contour of prosthetic appliance using MVCT is applied into KVCT for proton treatment plan.

• Journal of Internet Computing and Services
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.173-180
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• 2011

Various smart-phone applications for location-based service are enabled through mobile communications such as 3G and WiFi. We have developed MARS, an advanced location-based route-search application based on the Android platform. It provides three functions: route-registration, route-search, and route-evaluation. These functions are dynamically maintained by a web server, a database server, and user mobile terminals. As users can update location information using their smart-phone devices, servers provide the information and allow users to add, modify, and remove their own information as well as adding comments to others, while existing map services do not support direct inputs from users. We show our implementation process and demonstration of its operations. We also show the comparison results with existing services. Through these results, we can confirm that MARS can achieve better performance.

• Journal of Energy Engineering
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.91-102
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• 2015

A thermal-hydraulic design and performance analysis computer code for a once-through steam generator using straight tubes is developed. To benchmark the developed physical models and computer code, an once-through steam generator developed by other designer is simulated and the calculated results are compared with the design data. Also, the same steam generator is analyzed with the best-estimate thermal-hydraulic system code, MARS, for the code-to-code validation. The overall characteristics of heat transfer area, pressure and temperature distributions calculated by the developed code show general agreements with the published design data as well as the analysis results of MARS. It is demonstrated that the developed code can be utilized for diverse purposes, such as, sensitivity analyses and optimum thermal design of a once-through steam generator.

• Korean Journal of Community Nutrition
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• v.18 no.6
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• pp.565-576
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• 2013

The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of nutrition education on nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and dietary intake of Chinese college students in Korea. The subjects were 64 Chinese college students in Korea (educated group, 32 students vs. non-educated group, 32 students). Educated group was lessoned as group and/or individual. Nutrition education program consisted of four lessons (40min/lesson), '6 major nutrients & function (group lesson)', '6 food group and sources (group lesson)', 'personalized daily needed energy and food exchange units using Food Exchange System (individual lesson)', and 'smart choice of snacks and eating-out foods (group lesson)'. We examined the differences between educated group and non-educated group in nutrition knowledge, dietary attitudes and nutrients intake. After education, there were positive improvements on nutrition knowledge: 'function and foods of 6 nutrients', on dietary attitudes: 'type of breakfast' in educated group. In the evaluation of nutrient intakes according to Dietary Reference Intakes for Korean (KDRI), there were positive improvements on intake levels of riboflavin, fiber, vitamin B6, vitamin C, folate, Ca and K in the educated group. In the index of nutrition quality (INQ), nutrition adequacy ratio (NAR) and mean nutrition adequacy ratio (MAR) were significantly increased in the educated group. In conclusion, it is possible to improve nutrition knowledge, dietary attitude and dietary intake of Chinese college students in Korea through the nutrition education focused on personalized daily needed energy and food exchange units.