• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.25 no.7
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• pp.634-643
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• 2024

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy and safety of low-contrast-dose, dual-source dual-energy CT before transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) in patients with compromised renal function. Materials and Methods: A total of 54 consecutive patients (female:male, 26:38; 81.9 ± 7.3 years) with reduced renal function underwent pre-TAVR dual-energy CT with a 30-mL contrast agent between June 2022 and March 2023. Monochromatic (40- and 50-keV) and conventional (120-kVp) images were reconstructed and analyzed. The subjective quality score, vascular attenuation, contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR), and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) were compared among the imaging techniques using the Friedman test and post-hoc analysis. Interobserver reliability for aortic annular measurement was assessed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) and Bland-Altman analysis. The procedural outcomes and incidence of post-contrast acute kidney injury (AKI) were assessed. Results: Monochromatic images achieved diagnostic quality in all patients. The 50-keV images achieved superior vascular attenuation and CNR (P < 0.001 in all) while maintaining a similar SNR compared to conventional CT. For aortic annular measurement, the 50-keV images showed higher interobserver reliability compared to conventional CT: ICC, 0.98 vs. 0.90 for area and 0.97 vs. 0.95 for perimeter; 95% limits of agreement width, 0.63 cm² vs. 0.92 cm² for area and 5.78 mm vs. 8.50 mm for perimeter. The size of the implanted device matched CT-measured values in all patients, achieving a procedural success rate of 92.6%. No patient experienced a serum creatinine increase of ≥ 1.5 times baseline in the 48-72 hours following CT. However, one patient had a procedural delay due to gradual renal function deterioration. Conclusion: Low-contrast-dose imaging with 50-keV reconstruction enables precise pre-TAVR evaluation with improved image quality and minimal risk of post-contrast AKI. This approach may be an effective and safe option for pre-TAVR evaluation in patients with compromised renal function.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.64-67
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• 1999

We have been implemented 10 Gb/s-320 km of dispersion-shifted fiber (DSF) transmission. The optical link consists of a 10 Gb/s optical transceiver, an optical booster amplifier, 3 sets of optical in-line amplifiers, an optical preamplifier and transmission fibers. Firstly, we investigated the Q-factor characteristics in terms of optical signal to noise ratio (OSNR) of 320 km of DSF, measured receiver sensitivity is -27 dBm and power penalty is 2 dB, respectively. We concluded that optical SNR degradation and path penalty gives rise to 1 dB penalty, respectively.

• Proceedings of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers Conference
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• 2005.11a
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• pp.254-255
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• 2005

In this paper, we investigated electrical characteristics of the X-ray detector of mercuric iodide (HgI2) film fabricated by PIB(Particle-in-Binder) Method on ITO substrates 17cm$\times$20cm in size with thicknesses ranging from approximately 200${\mu}m$ to 240${\mu}m$. In the present study, using I-V measurements, their electrical properties such as leakage current, X-ray sensitivity, and signal-to-noise ratio (SNR),were investigated. The results of our study can be useful in the future design and optimization of direct active-matrix flat-panel detectors (AMFPD) for various digital X-ray imaging modalities.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.34 no.10
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• pp.2937-2941
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• 2013

Fluorescence imaging is considered as one of the most powerful techniques for monitoring biomolecule activities in living systems. Near-infrared (NIR) light is advantageous for minimum photodamage, deep tissue penetration, and minimum background autofluorescence interference. Herein, we have developed a new NIR fluorescent dye, namely, RB-1, based on the Rhodamine B scaffold. RB-1 exhibits excellent photophysical properties including large absorption extinction coefficients, high fluorescence quantum yields, and high photostability. In particular, RB-1 displays both absorption and emission in the NIR region of the "biological window" (650-900 nm) for imaging in biological samples. RB-1 shows absorption maximum at 614 nm (500-725 nm) and emission maximum at 712 nm (650-825 nm) in ethanol, which is superior to those of traditional rhodamine B in the selected spectral region. Furthermore, applications of RB-1 for fluorescence imaging in living cells and small animals were investigated using confocal fluorescence microscopy and in vivo imaging system with a high signal-to-noise ratio (SNR = 10.1).

• Transactions of the Society of Information Storage Systems
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• v.7 no.1
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• pp.19-24
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• 2011

Holographic Data Storage System, one of the next generation data storage devices, is a 2-dimensional page oriented memory system using volume holograms in writing and retrieving process. Recently photopolymer with disc type substrate was selected as a media for the Holographic Data Storage System. The disc tilt occurs when the media rotates and the external disturbance applies. The disc tilt causes the change of the angle between the reference beam and the media, the data cannot be retrieved with the right angle or other data page is retrieved. The tilt is generated in a 2-axis direction (tangential, radial). The tangential tilt direction is the same with the multiplexing plane, while the radial tilt direction is a perpendicular to the multiplexing plane. In this research we propose 2-axis tilt angle servo system. The tilt errors are measured by using external photo detector and the additional red laser. Then the tangential direction tilt is compensated by using the galvano mirror. Also the radial direction tilt is compensated by the rotating prism between the relay lens in the reference field. Finally we confirm the compensation results through the Signal to Noise Ratio(SNR) and Bit Error Rate(BER).

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.34 no.10C
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• pp.1001-1009
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• 2009

In this paper, an efficient blind frequency offset estimation method for radio resource saving in orthogonal frequency division multiplexing (OFDM) systems is proposed. In the proposed method, we obtain two time different received OFDM signal blocks by using the cyclic prefix and define the cost function by using the two OFDM signal blocks. We show that the cost function can be approximately expressed as a closed form cosine function. The approximated cosine function can be obtained from three independent cost function values calculated at three different frequency offsets. In the proposed method, the frequency offset can be estimated by calculating a frequency offset minimizing the approximated cosine function without searching all the frequency offset range. Unlike the conventional methods such as MUSIC method, the accuracy of the proposed method is independent of the searching resolution since the closed form solution exists. The computer simulation shows that the performance of the proposed method is superior to those of the MUSIC and the oversampling method.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.36 no.2C
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• pp.86-92
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• 2011

This paper details the downlink performance analysis of an multiple antennas system that combines adaptive beamforming and spatial multiplexing (SM) Multiple Input Multiple Output (MIMO). The combination of MIMO signal processing with adaptive beamforming is applied to WiBro, the South Korean Orthogonal Frequency Division Multiple Access (OFDMA) system that follows the IEEE 802.16e standard. Performance analysis is based on the results of experiments and simulations obtained from a fixed-point simulation testbed. Simulations demonstrate that the MIMO Beamforming OFDMA system improves the required signal to noise ratio (SNR) over the conventional MIMO OFDMA system by 3 dB (QPSK) / 2.5 dB (16-QAM) for the frame error rate (FER) of 1% in the WiBro signal environments. From the implementation of the fixed-point simulation testbed and its experimental results, we verify the feasibility of the MIMO Beamforming technology for realizing a practical WiBro base station.

• The Journal of the Institute of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.11-16
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• 2012

Opportunistic transmit cooperative relaying (OTR) system has been interested for its ability to mitigate the fading in wireless channel without multiple antennas in a small terminal. In OTR system, only the relays that the received Signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) from a source is greater than the threshold transmit to the destination. However, the receiving branches of a destination in a realistic system is fixed, the excess number of signals from the transmit relays does not improve the system performance and consequently increases power consumption. In this paper, we adopt Double Opportunistic Transmit (DOT) cooperative diversity system which controls the average number of transmit relays. Although the average number of the transmit relays can be controlled by adjusting the two thresholds in DOT system, the instantaneous number of transmit relays is varying in fading channel. Thus we propose Maximal Ratio Combining (MRC) or Generalized Selection Combining (GSC) according to the number of the signals from relays at the destination. The outage probability of the proposed system is derived in closed form. The analytical results show that the system performance is improved with the number of the branches. Also it is noticed that when the number of the branches is fixed, the outage probability decreases with the increase of the average SNR of S-R path and R-D path.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.10
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• pp.4962-4969
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• 2013

The purpose of this experiment is to evaluate of optimized FS techniques for T2 weighted abdominal MRI compared of TSE-SPIR fat suppression and GE-PROSET fat suppression. All MR examinations were performed on a 1.5 T(Philips, Medical System, Achieva) scanner using 16 channel mult-coils. All images were performed in the axial plane using TSE-SPIR and GE-PROSET. The mean SNRs of the retroperitoneal and mesenteric fat for TSE-SPIR and GE-PROSET were 31.50, 4.15 and 32.39, 7.03. The mean CNRs of the bowel and retroperitoneal, mesenteric fat for TSE-SPIR and GE-PROSET were 52.69, 74.54 and 26.12, 68.78). The delineation of bowel wall margins with TSE-SPIR(2.4) and GE-PROSET(1.8) were significantly improved using TSE-SPIR. The delineation of pancreas wall with TSE-SPIR(1.90), GE-PROSET(2.80) were significantly improved using GE-PROSET. In conclusion, TSE-SPIR fat suppression was superior to GE-PROSET fat suppression in T2 WI FS abdominal MRI.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.32 no.9C
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• pp.895-904
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• 2007

This paper proposes a robust sub-optimal smart antenna in Code Division Multiple Access (CDMA) basestation. It makes use of the property of the Least Mean Square (LMS) algorithm and the Conjugate Gradient Method (CGM) algorithm for beamforming processes. The weight update takes place at symbol level which follows the PN correlators of receiver module under the assumption that the post correlation desired signal power is far larger than the power of each of the interfering signals. The proposed algorithm is simple and has as low computational load as five times of the number of antenna elements(O(5N)) as a whole per each snapshot. The output Signal to Interference plus Noise Ratio (SINR) of the proposed smart antenna system when the weight vector reaches the steady state has been examined. It has been observed in computer simulations that proposed beamforming algorithm improves the SINR significantly compared to the single antenna case. The convergence property of the weight vector has also been investigated to show that the proposed hybrid algorithm performs better than CGM and LMS during the initial stage of the weight update iteration. The Bit Error Rate (BER) characteristics of the proposed array has also been shown as the processor input Signal to Noise Ratio (SNR) varies.