• Childhood Kidney Diseases
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.110-116
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• 2013

Purpose: The $^{99m}Tc$-Dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) renal scan is used primarily for the diagnosis of renal scarring and acute pyelonephritis in children with urinary tract infections (UTI). This study aimed to evaluate clinical differences based on the positive or negative results of DMSA scans and kidney ultrasonography (US) in pediatric UTI. Method: We retrospectively reviewed 142 pediatric patients with UTI who were admitted to Myongji Hospital from January 2004 to December 2012. We performed a comparative analysis of clinical parameters such as age, sex, white blood cell (WBC) count, neutrophil count, blood urea nitrogen (BUN) level, creatinine (Cr) level, C-reactive protein (CRP) level, and durations of hospitalization and fever, grouped by the results of the DMSA scans and kidney US. Results: The mean age of the patients was $33.8{\pm}48.3$ months, and 78 (55%) were male. Fifty-two patients had abnormal DMSA findings, and 71 patients had abormal kidney US findings (test positive groups). In the DMSA scan positive group, there were significant differences in age, WBC counts, neutrophil counts, CRP level, BUN level, Cr level, hospitalization duration, number of abnormal findings on kidney US, and incidence of vesicoureteral reflux (VUR) compared with the scan negative group. The kidney US positive group had significant differences in age, neutrophil count, CRP level, BUN level, Cr level, hospitalization duration, number of abnormal findings on the DMSA scans, and more frequent VUR compared with the US negative group. Conclusion: Our data suggest that there were no major differences in clinical parameters based on the results of the DMSA scans compared with kidney US in pediatric UTI. However, as kidney US and DMSA scan were performed to predict VUR, the sensitivity and negative predictive value was increased.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.515-521
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• 2008

This experiment was conducted to investigate effects of non-ionic or zwitterionic (+/-) surfactants on digestibility of rice straw, and changes of growth of rumen mixed microbes, pH, and gas production during in vitro fermentation. Also, during in vitro ruminal fermentation, microbial attachment on rice straw was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Tween 80 or SOLFA-850 for non-ionic surfactant (NIS), and 3-(Dodecyldimethylammonio) propanesulfanate (DDAP) for zwitterionic surfactant (ZIS) was supplemented by 0.05% and 0.1% in Dehority's artificial medium containing Holtein rumen fluid, respectively, and the substrate for fermentation was rice straw passed through 1 mm screen. The experiment was composed of 7 treatments (two levels of two NISs, two levels of a ZIS) including the control, and 6, 12, 24, 48 and 72 hr of fermentation time with 3 replications per treatment. Treatment of Tween 80 increased in vitro DM digestibilities during 48 hr and 72 h post fermentations compared to the other treatments, whereas treatment of DDAP as a ZIS resulted in decreased DM digestibility than that of the control from 24 hr post fermentation (P<0.05). Gas production in vitro was greater (P<0.05) with addition of NIS than the control or ZIS, and increased as fermentation time elapsed. Rumen mixed microbial growth was greatest with addition of Tween 80 as NIS, and lowest when DDAP as ZIS was supplemented to the fermentation tube (P<0.05). In SEM observation, rumen microbial population attached on rice straw particle was greater with addition of NIS, but was less with addition ZIS compared with the control. In conclusion we could not found any positive effects of ZIS surfactants on rumunal fermentation characteristics and rumen microbial growth rates.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.39 no.3
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• pp.174-181
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• 2005

Purpose: Reduction of respiratory motion artifacts in PET images was studied using respiratory-gated PET (RGPET) with moving phantom. Especially a method of generating simulated helical CT images from 4D-CT datasets was developed and applied to a respiratory specific RGPET images for more accurate attenuation correction. Materials and Methods: Using a motion phantom with periodicity of 6 seconds and linear motion amplitude of 26 mm, PET/CT (Discovery ST: GEMS) scans with and without respiratory gating were obtained for one syringe and two vials with each volume of 3, 10, and 30 ml respectively. RPM (Real-Time Position Management, Varian) was used for tracking motion during PET/CT scanning. Ten datasets of RGPET and 4D-CT corresponding to every 10% phase intervals were acquired. from the positions, sizes, and uptake values of each subject on the resultant phase specific PET and CT datasets, the correlations between motion artifacts in PET and CT images and the size of motion relative to the size of subject were analyzed. Results: The center positions of three vials in RGPET and 4D-CT agree well with the actual position within the estimated error. However, volumes of subjects in non-gated PET images increase proportional to relative motion size and were overestimated as much as 250% when the motion amplitude was increased two times larger than the size of the subject. On the contrary, the corresponding maximal uptake value was reduced to about 50%. Conclusion: RGPET is demonstrated to remove respiratory motion artifacts in PET imaging, and moreover, more precise image fusion and more accurate attenuation correction is possible by combining with 4D-CT.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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• v.34 no.4
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• pp.336-343
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• 2000

Purpose: Thallous-201 chloride produced at Korea Cancer Center Hospital(KCCH) is used in detecting cardiovascular disease and cancer. Thallium impurity can cause emesis, catharsis and nausea, so the presence of thallium and other metal impurities should be determined. According to USP and KP, their amounts must be less than 2 ppm in thallium and 5 ppm in total. In this study, the detection method of trace amounts of metal impurities in $[^{201}Tl]$TICI injection with polarography was optimized without environmental contamination. Materials and Methods: For the detection of metal impurities, Osteryoung Square Wave Stripping Voltammetry method was used in Bio-Analytical System (BAS) 50W polarograph. The voltammetry was composed of Dropping Mercury Electrode (DME) as a working electrode, Ag/AgCl as a reference electrode and Pt wire as a counter electrode. Square wave stripping method, which makes use of formation and deformation of amalgam, was adopted to determine the metal impurities, and pH 7 phosphate buffer was used as supporting electrolyte. Results: Tl, Cu and Pb in thallous-201 chloride solution were detected by scanning from 300 mV to -800 mV Calibration curves were made by using $TINO_3,\;CuSO_4\;and\;Pb(NO_3){_2}$ as standard solutions. Tl was confirmed at -450 mV peak potential and Cu at -50 mV Less than 2 ppm of Tl and Cu was detected and Pb was not detected in KCCH-produced thallous-201 chloride injection. Conclusion: Detection limit of thallium and copper is approximately 50 ppb with this method. As a result of this experiment, thallium and other metal impurities in thallous-201 chloride injection, produced at Korea Cancer Center Hospital, are in the regulation of USP and KP Polarograph could be applied for the determination of metal impurities in the quality control of radiopharmaceuticals conveniently without environmental contamination.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.51-56
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• 2015

Purpose As medical radiation exposures on patients are being social issues an interest in a relief of radiation exposures on patients is increasing. Further, there are many cases where some patients among who are getting PET/CT tests choose to get implanted with metal artifacts in their bodies. This study is to find out effects of presence or absence of metal artifacts when dose change or CT attenuation correction for the relief of radiation exposures are applied using phantoms through changes in standard uptake value (SUV). Materials and Methods GE company's Discovery 710 machine was used for PET/CT test equipments. We used NEMA IEC body phantoms. We also used screw and mesh cage made of titanium which are used in real clinical processes for the metal artifacts. Two experiments were conducted: One is to test and measure repeatedly about SUV about differences in CT attenuation corrections according to dose changes and another is to do the same procedure for SUV about the presence and absence of the metal artifacts. We injected $^{18}F-FDG$ into NEMA IEC body phantoms with a TBR ratio of 4:1 and then put the metal material into the transformation phantoms. Once a scanning for the metal artifacts was done we eliminated the metal artifacts and went on non-metal artifacts. For the each two experiments, we scanned repeatedly with CT kVp (140, 120, 100, 80) and mA (120, 80, 40, 20, 10) for an experimental condition. For PET, we reconstructed each with standard AC (STD) technique and quantitation achieved cnsistently QAC) technique among CT attenuation correction methods. We conducted a comparative analysis on measured average values and variations which were measured through repeated measure of SUV of region 1, 2, 3 spheres for each conditions of non-metal /metal scan. Results For each kVp, 120, 80, 40 (mA) of non/metal (screw, mesh cage) showed low frequency of fluctuation rates of above 2%. In 20, 10 mA above 2% of fluctuation rates appeared in high frequency. Also, when we compared the fluctuation rates of STD and QAC techniques in non/metal (screw, mesh cage) tests QAC technique showed about 1-10% of differences for each conditions compared to STD technique. In addition, metal types did not have significant effects on fluctuation rates. Conclusion We confirmed that SUV fluctuation rates for both STD and QAC techniques increase as dosage is lower. We also found that the SUV of PET data was maintained steadily in a low dosage for QAC technique when compared with STD technique. Hence, when the low dosage is used for the relief of radiation exposures on patients QAC technique may be exploited helpfully and this could be applied in the same way for patients with metal artifacts implanted in their bodies.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.76-82
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• 2017

Purpose Whole body bone scan is one of the most frequently performed in nuclear medicine. Basically, both the anterior and posterior views are acquired simultaneously. Occasionally, it is difficult to distinguish the lesion by only the anterior view and the posterior view. In this case, accurate location of the lesion through SPECT / CT or additional static scan images are important. Therefore, in this study, various improvement activities have been carried out in order to enhance the work capacity of technologists. In this study, we investigate the effect of technologist training and standardized work process processes on bone scan error reduction. Materials and Methods Several systems have been introduced in sequence for the application of new processes. The first is the implementation of education and testing with physicians, the second is the classification of patients who are expected to undergo further scanning, introducing a pre-filtration system that allows technologists to check in advance, and finally, The communication system called NMQA is applied. From January, 2014 to December, 2016, we examined the whole body bone scan patients who visited the Department of Nuclear Medicine, Asan Medical Center, Seoul, Korea Results We investigated errors based on the Bone Scan NMQA sent from January 2014 to December 2016. The number of tests in which NMQA was transmitted over the entire bone scan during the survey period was calculated as a percentage. The annual output is 141 cases in 2014, 88 cases in 2015, and 86 cases in 2016. The rate of NMQA has decreased to 0.88% in 2014, 0.53% in 2015 and 0.45% in 2016. Conclusion The incidence of NMQA has decreased since 2014 when the new process was applied. However, we believe that it will be necessary to accumulate data continuously in the future because of insufficient data until statistically confirming its usefulness. This study confirmed the necessity of standardized work and education to improve the quality of Bone Scan image, and it is thought that update is needed for continuous research and interest in the future.

• Journal of Animal Environmental Science
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• v.13 no.3
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• pp.211-218
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• 2007

This study was carried out to develop the technique for manufacturing activated carbon from livestock manure and to analyse it's odor absorptiveness. Each of layer manure(LM), litter from broiler house(BL) and litter from dairy barn(DL), compost from layer manure(LC) and pig manure(PC), and coconut shell(CS) was used as a raw material. Activated carbon by grinding the raw material, adding the coal tar as a binder, palletizing, drying, heating with $N_2$ gas at $400^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour, activating by reaction with steam at a temperature of $750^{\circ}C$ for 1 hour. Moisture contents of raw material was 44.9% in layer compost, 71.9% in layer manure, 24.4% in broiler litter, 47% in pig manure compost and 33.9% in dairy litter. Volatile matter in layer compost, layer manure, broiler litter, pig manure compost and dairy litter was 18.8%, 31.0%, 49.8%, 22.3% and 11.6%, respectively. Surface area(BET) of activated carbon from layer compost, layer manure, broiler litter, pig manure compost, dairy litter and coconut shell was 259.8, 209.8, 63.5, 442.3, 812.9 and $1,040\;m^2/g$, respectively. Activated carbon made by livestock manure or litter were examined with scanning electron microscope, and micropore was a type of sponge like particles honeycombed with chambers. Pore size of activated carbon was ranged from 0.39 to $5.02\;{\AA}$, but coconut shell was $0.30\;{\AA}$. Iodine absorptiveness of activated carbon from livestock manure was $530{\sim}580mg/g$. But activated carbon made by coconut shell was 1000 mg/g. Each activated carbon could absorb odor compound very well. Absorptiveness of activated carbon from layer manure for hydrogen sulfide and trimethyl amino was 74.5% and 73.9% at the accumulated flux of 60,000 ml, but, in the case of ammonia was only 15.2% at the accumulated flux of 10,000 ml

• Korean journal of food and cookery science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.186-192
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• 1996

Retrogradation of non-waxy rice (NWR) and waxy rice (WR) cakes (45% moisture) stored at 5$^{\circ}C$, $25^{\circ}C$ and -2$0^{\circ}C$ was studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and enzymatic ($\beta$-amylase-puuulanase) method. With DSC, endotherms did not appear with rice cakes stored at room ($25^{\circ}C$) and deep freezing (-2$0^{\circ}C$) temperatures but did with samples stored at low temperature (5$^{\circ}C$), showing accelerated retrogradation by low temperature. Onset temperature (To) and peak temperature (Tp) did not change under 14 days at 5$^{\circ}C$ but enthalpy values ($\Delta$H) increased rapidly within one day and increased steadily until 5th day of storage, then equilibrated. Higher $\Delta$H were obtained with WR cakes than NWR cakes. It was suggested that more amylopectin recrystallization occured with WR than NWR. Degrees of gelatinization of rice cakes determined by enzymatic method increased in the following order: 5$^{\circ}C$ < $25^{\circ}C$ < -2$0^{\circ}C$. In contrast with DSC results, dogrees of gelatinization of NWR cakes, were relatively lower than that of WR cakes. However, increased retrogradation extents (melting enthalpies) caused reduced enzyme susceptibilities to $\beta$-amylase-pullulanase system, among NWR or WR cakes stored at 5$^{\circ}C$. The degrees of retrogradation of rice cakes stored at 5$^{\circ}C$ were higher than those stored at $25^{\circ}C$ and -2$0^{\circ}C$ without regard to the kind of rice. The higher sensitivity of the enzymatic method was obtained than that of DSC method when the degrees of retrogradation of rice cakes were determined during storage under this experiment conditions.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.17 no.9
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• pp.228-234
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to develop pharmaceutical dosage forms with a bi-phasic drug using a double extrusion approach. Hot melt extrusion was performed using a co-rotating twin-screw extruder. The. 1st melt extrusion was performed using polymer with a relatively higher Tg, such as HPMC and the 2nd melt extrudate was obtained using the 1st extrudate and polymers with a lower Tg, such as HPMC-AS and PEO. In addition, the formulation with all the content in the same proportion as the double extudate was produced using single extrusion for comparison. Physical characterization was performed on the formulations employing differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). In vitro release tests were studied using a USP Type-I apparatus at $37{\pm}0.5^{\circ}C$ and 100 rpm. The similarity factor (f2) was also used to check the difference statistically. The DSC results indicated that the crystallinity of ibuprofen was changed to an amorphous state after extrusion in both double and single melt extrusion. Double melt extrudate with ibuprofen showed the desired release in acidic media (pH 1.2) in the first two hours and basic (pH 6.8) during six hours. Double melt extrudate with glimepiride showed faster release in 60 min of over 80%, whereas the single extrudate with glimepiride showed retarded release due to the interaction with HPMC. The similarity factor(f2) value was 28.5, which demonstrates that there were different drug release behavior between the double and single extrusion. Consequently, the double melt extrudated formulation was robust and gave the desired drug release pattern.

• Korean Journal of Dental Materials
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• v.44 no.2
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• pp.171-178
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of number of times dipped in coloring liquid and sintering temperature on the flexural strength of zirconia ceramic. In this study, using a zirconia block having improved transparency, specimens with size of $25mm{\times}2mm{\times}1.5mm$ were fabricated. The zirconia ceramic specimens were divided into three groups according to the number of times dipped in coloring liquid by 0, 2 and 4 times, and dyed in the coloring liquid to give color to each specimen. Then, after sintering them at the final temperature of $1,450^{\circ}C$ and $1,600^{\circ}C$, flexural strength was measured using a universal testing machine (total 6 group, n=10 for each group). Also, a scanning electron microscopy (SEM) was performed to observe its microstructure, and the data obtained through the experiment were analyzed with two-way ANOVA. The results of the flexural strength analysis show that the highest value was measured $762.3{\pm}42.3MPa$ in EKL2 group, while the lowest value was $516.4{\pm}77.1MPa$ in EKH4 group. According to the results of the two-way ANOVAs, flexural strength was not related with interaction between sintering temperature and number of times dipped in coloring liquid ($R^2=0.737$). However, there were statistically significant differences in flexural strength depending on sintering temperature (P<0.001). The flexural strength of zirconia ceramics having improved transparency was dependent on sintering temperature. The number of times dipped in the coloring liquid did not affect flexural strength of the zirconia ceramic having improved transparency.