• Title/Summary/Keyword: Time slice

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R-lambda Model based Rate Control for GOP Parallel Coding in A Real-Time HEVC Software Encoder (HEVC 실시간 소프트웨어 인코더에서 GOP 병렬 부호화를 지원하는 R-lambda 모델 기반의 율 제어 방법)

  • Kim, Dae-Eun;Chang, Yongjun;Kim, Munchurl;Lim, Woong;Kim, Hui Yong;Seok, Jin Wook
    • Journal of Broadcast Engineering
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    • v.22 no.2
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    • pp.193-206
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    • 2017
  • In this paper, we propose a rate control method based on the $R-{\lambda}$ model that supports a parallel encoding structure in GOP levels or IDR period levels for 4K UHD input video in real-time. For this, a slice-level bit allocation method is proposed for parallel encoding instead of sequential encoding. When a rate control algorithm is applied in the GOP level or IDR period level parallelism, the information of how many bits are consumed cannot be shared among the frames belonging to a same frame level except the lowest frame level of the hierarchical B structure. Therefore, it is impossible to manage the bit budget with the existing bit allocation method. In order to solve this problem, we improve the bit allocation procedure of the conventional ones that allocate target bits sequentially according to the encoding order. That is, the proposed bit allocation strategy is to assign the target bits in GOPs first, then to distribute the assigned target bits from the lowest depth level to the highest depth level of the HEVC hierarchical B structure within each GOP. In addition, we proposed a processing method that is used to improve subjective image qualities by allocating the bits according to the coding complexities of the frames. Experimental results show that the proposed bit allocation method works well for frame-level parallel HEVC software encoders and it is confirmed that the performance of our rate controller can be improved with a more elaborate bit allocation strategy by using the preprocessing results.

A Study on the Condition of Location According to the Formed Time in the Clan Village (동족(同族)마을의 설촌(設村)시기에서 나타난 입지(立地) 특성에 관한 연구)

  • Park, Myung-Duk;Park, Eon-Kon
    • Journal of architectural history
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    • v.1 no.1 s.1
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    • pp.68-87
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    • 1992
  • This study is the conditions of location according to formed the times in the clan village. The results of this study are as follows ; 1. in the 15th century, the characterestics of the village established residencial place where mountain stream flowed surrounded by the mountain and deep in the mountains with superior quality land. That's because Sa-dae-bu put equal importance on beautiful scenery and practical benefit for living. Stream House provided economical foundation for Sa-dae-bu to be able to keep confucial manners by putting limit their economic status to small medium sized land owner. Topographical condition such as valley or hollow separated from the exterior maintained unification of consanguineous village in self sufficient farming society and held on to independent territory against external to be able to stay away from turbulent days so that they formed residential area of Sa-dae-bu clan. And the valley where flowed clean water was considered as the connection of continuous place where distinctiveness of form in each curve and and factor of calm and dynamic scenery of the clean stream. Scholars in the middle of Chosun Dynasty located in the utopia as place for confucious retirement to study, a place for refinement by combination with the nature or as a way of spacial practice based on Confucious view of nature. 2. in the 16th-l7th century, Most of existing consanguineous villages adopt deep in the mountains for refuge. at that place, upward rank was established by settlement of the ancestor who entered in the village first, the principal was placed in the center of the village and since descendants became numerous, it was serialized as the space of descendants. So, it was arranged in the order of social rank. Most of the villages showed development step by step started from precaution by apperance of the mountain to the lower part. It's because the topography of valley around the village worked as the natural hedge against external force and genealogy of the clan, regularity of social status, order of entrance into the village were reflected into residencial destribution. Also, order of the rank coincided with the one of aspects on geomancy. Genealogical rank within the village represented spacial rank. Houses of descendants and branch families were placed lower than the principal which showed worship to the principal. 3. In 18th century after, as the village was settled nearby cultivated land considering economical loss caused by long distance between residencial area and cultivated land, direction of sect followed by development of village expanded from the front part of the village to the rear part. The principal that was poped out to the front presented frontage over exterior. Therefore, residencial area of branch families expanded to the rear starting from the principal. This represented a slice of social structure at that time. after 18th century, spirit was percieved superior over material, After then, development of cultivation and expantion of land created difference of economic strength within one village. In order to maintain and show off the status of Yang-ban, economic power of indigenous land owner became fundamental, so, sense to worship and to keep the principal became weak eventually. Taking advantage of that situation, residencial area of branch family expanded to the rear part of the principal which showed dual disposition conflicted with each other. However, these clan rules were destroyed and new rules were created after 18th century because of the situation and consciousness at that time.

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Agronomical studies on the major environmental factors of rice culture in Korea (수도재배의 주요환경요인에 관한 해석적 조사연구)

  • Yung-Sup Kim
    • KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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    • v.3
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    • pp.49-82
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    • 1965
  • For the stable and high yields of low-land rice in Korea, the characteristics of rice plant for the vegetative and physiological responses, plant type formation, and yield components have been studied in order to obtain the fundamental data for the improvement of cultural practices, especially for the ideal fertilizer application. Furthermore the environmental conditions in Korea including temperatures, light, precipitation, and soil conditions have been compared in the broad sense with those in Japan, and the application of nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, silicate and other micro-nutrients were described in relation to the characteristics of environmental conditions for the improvement of fertilizer application. 1. The average yield of polished-rice per 10 are in Korea is about 204 kg and this values are much less than those in Japan and Taiwan where they produce 77% to 13% more than in Korea. The rate of yield increase a year in Korea is 4.2 kg, but in Japan and Taiwan the rates of yield increase a year are 81 % and 62%, respectively. It was also found that the coefficient of variation of yield is 7.7% in Korea, 6.7% in Japan and 2.5% in Taiwan. This means that the stability of producing rice in Korea is very low when compared with those in Japan and Taiwan. 2. It was learned from the results obtained from the 'annual yield estimation experiment' that there are big differences in the respect of plant type formations between rice crops grown in Japan and Korea. The important differences found were as follows: (1) The numbers of spikelets per 3.3 square meters are 891 in Korea and 1, 007 in Japan(13% more than in Korea). (2) The numbers of tillers per 3.3 square meters at the stage of maximum tillering are 1, 150 in Korea, but in Japan they showed 19% more than in Korea. (3) The ratio of effective tillers to total tillers is 77.5% in Korea and 74.7% in Japan, which seems to be higher in Korea than in Japan. But the ratio in Korea is very low when considered the numbers of total tillers in both countries. (4) The ratio of grain to straw is 85.4% in Korea and 96.3% in Japan. 3. The average temperatures during the growing season at the area of Suwon, Kwangjoo and Taegu are almost same as those in the district of Jookokoo(Fookoo yama) in Japan, i.e., the temperatures during the rice-growing season in Korea are similar to those in the southern-warm regions of Japan. 4. Considering the minimum temperatures at the stage of limiting transplanting, 13$^{\circ}C$, the time of transplanting might be 30 to 40 days earlier than presently practicing transplanting time, which comes around June 10. 5. The temperatures during the vegetative growth in Korea were higher than those temperatures that needed in the protein synthesis which ate the main metabolism during this stage. However, the temperatures at the time of reproductive growth was lower than the temperatures that needed in the sugar assimilation which is main metabolism in this stage. In this point of view, it might be considered that the proper time of growing rice plant in Korea would be rather earlier. 6. The temperatures and the day light conditions at the time of first tillering stage of rice plant, when planted as presenting transplanting practices, are very satisfactory, but the poor day light length, high temperatures and too wet conditions in the time of last-tillering stage(mid or last July) might cause the occurrence of disease such as blast. 7. The heading stage of rice plants at each region through nations when planted as presently practicing method comes when the day light length is short. 8. It was shown that the accumulated average air-temperature at the time of maturing stage was not enough and the heading time was too late, when considered the annual deviations of mean temperatures and low minimum temperatures. 9. The nitrogen content of each plant part at the each growing stage was very high at the stage of vegetative growth when compared with the nitrogen content at the stage of reproductive growth after heading. In this respect it was believed to be important to prevent the nutrient shortages at the reproductive stages, especially after the heading. 10. The area of unsatisfactory irrigation paddy fields and natural rain-fed paddy fields are getting reduced in Korea. The correlation between the rate of reducing unsatisfactory irrigation and natural rain-fed paddy fields and the rate of yield increase were computed. The correlation coefficients(r) between the area of unsatisfactory irrigation paddy fields and yield increase were +0.525, and between the natural rain-fed paddy fields and yield increase, +0.832 and between the unsatisfactory irrigation plus natural rain-fed paddy fields and yield increase, +0.84. And there were. highly significant positive correlations between natural rain-fed paddy fields and yield increases indicating that the less the area of natural rain-fed paddy fields, the greater the yields per unit area. 11. The results obtained from the fertilizer experiments (yield performance trials) conducted in both Korea and Japan showed that the yield of non-fertilized plots per 10 are was 231 kg in Korea and 360 kg in Japan. On the basis of this it might be concluded that the fertility of soil in Korea is lower than that in Japan. Furthermore it was. also found that the yields of non-nitrogen applied plots per 10 are were 236 kg in Korea and 383 kg in Japan. This also indicates that the yields of rice in Korea are largely depending on the nitrogen content in the soil. 12. The followings were obtained when the chemical natures of soils in both Korea and Japan were compared. (1) The content of organic matter, total nitrogen, exchangeable calcium, and magnesium in Korea were no more than the half those in Japan. (2) The content of N/2 chloride and soluble silicate in low-land soil were on the average lower in Korea. (3) The exchange capacity of bases in Korea was no more than half that in Japan. 13. It was also observed by comparing the soil nature of the soil with high yielding capacity with the soil with low yielding capacity that the exchange capacity of bases, exchangeable calcium and magnesium, potassium, phosphorus, manganese, silicate and iron were low in the soil with low yielding capacity. 14. The depth of furrow slice was always deeper in the soil with high yielding capacity, and the depth of furrow slice in Korea was also shallower than that in Japan. 15. Summarizing the various conditions mentioned previously and considering the effects of silicate and trace elements such as manganese and iron besides three elements on the physiological and plant type formation of rice crops, more realistic and more ideal fertilizing practices were proposed. proposed.

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Biodistribution of Iodine-131-Iodomisonidazole and Imaging of Tumor Hypoxia in Mice bearing CT-26 Adenocarcinoma (CT-26 선암을 접종한 마우스에서 Iodine-131-Iodomisonidazole의 생체분포 및 종양저산소증의 영상화)

  • Kim, Hye-Won;Kim, Chang-Guhn;Yoon, Kwon-Ha;Kim, Hyun-Jeong;Juhng Seon-Kwan;Roh, Byung-Suk;Yang, David J.;Kim, E.Edmund;Lee, Hyun-Chul
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.33 no.3
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    • pp.289-297
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    • 1999
  • Purpose: Misonidazole is a radiosensitizer that binds in hypoxic cells. The purpose of this study was to find out the feasibility of I-131-Iodomisonidazole (IMISO) for imaging of tumor hypoxia. Materials and Methods: Tosyl precursor was dissolved in acetonitrile and I-131-NaI was added to synthesize IMISO. Balb/c mice inoculated with CT-26 adenocarcinoma were injected with IMISO. Mice were sacrificed at 1, 2, 4, 24 hr and % of injected dose per gram of tissue (%ID/g) was determined. For scintigraphy and MRI, mouse bearing CT-26 adenocarcinoma was administered with IMISO and imaging was performed 4 hr after. Then, mouse body was fixed and microtomized slice was placed on radiographic film for autoradiography Results: %ID/g of tumor was 1.64 (1h), 0.98 (2h), 0.85 (4h) and 0.20 (24h), respectively. At 24h, %ID/g of tumor was higher than that of all other tissues except thyroid. Tumor to muscle ratio increased with time and tumor to blood ratio also increased with time and reached 1.53 at 24 hr. On autoradiogram, tumor was well visualized as an increased activity in central hypoxic area of the tumor which corresponds to the area of high signal intensity on T2-weighted MR image. On scintigraphy, tumor uptake was visualized. Conclusion: This results suggest that IMISO may have a potential for tumor hypoxia imaging in mouse model. However, further study is needed to improve it's localization in tumor tissue and to achieve acceptable images of tumor hypoxia.

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Quantitative Comparisons in $^{18}F$-FDG PET Images: PET/MR VS PET/CT ($^{18}F$-FDG PET 영상의 정량적 비교: PET/MR VS PET/CT)

  • Lee, Moo Seok;Im, Young Hyun;Kim, Jae Hwan;Choe, Gyu O
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology
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    • v.16 no.2
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    • pp.68-80
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    • 2012
  • Purpose : More recently, combined PET/MR scanners have been developed in which the MR data can be used for both anatometabolic image formation and attenuation correction of the PET data. For quantitative PET information, correction of tissue photon attenuation is mandatory. The attenuation map is obtained from the CT scan in the PET/CT. In the case of PET/MR, the attenuation map can be calculated from the MR image. The purpose of this study was to assess the quantitative differences between MR-based and CT-based attenuation corrected PET images. Materials and Methods : Using the uniform cylinder phantom of distilled water which has 199.8 MBq of $^{18}F$-FDG put into the phantom, we studied the effect of MR-based and CT-based attenuation corrected PET images, of the PET-CT using time of flight (TOF) and non-TOF iterative reconstruction. The images were acquired from 60 minutes at 15-minute intervals. Region of interests were drawn over 70% from the center of the image, and the Scanners' analysis software tools calculated both maximum and mean SUV. These data were analyzed by one way-anova test and Bland-Altman analysis. MR images are segmented into three classes(not including bone), and each class is assigned to each region based on the expected average attenuation of each region. For clinical diagnostic purpose, PET/MR and PET/CT images were acquired in 23 patients (Ingenuity TF PET/MR, Gemini TF64). PET/CT scans were performed approximately 33.8 minutes after the beginnig of the PET/MR scans. Region of interests were drawn over 9 regions of interest(lung, liver, spleen, bone), and the Scanners' analysis software tools calculated both maximum and mean SUV. The SUVs from 9 regions of interest in MR-based PET images and in CT-based PET images were compared. These data were analyzed by paired t test and Bland-Altman analysis. Results : In phantom study, MR-based attenuation corrected PET images generally showed slightly lower -0.36~-0.15 SUVs than CT-based attenuation corrected PET images (p<0.05). In clinical study, MR-based attenuation corrected PET images generally showed slightly lower SUVs than CT-based attenuation corrected PET images (excepting left middle lung and transverse Lumbar) (p<0.05). And percent differences were -8.01.79% lower for the PET/MR images than for the PET/CT images. (excepting lung) Based on the Bland-Altman method, the agreement between the two methods was considered good. Conclusion : PET/MR confirms generally lower SUVs than PET/CT. But, there were no difference in the clinical interpretations made by the quantitative comparisons with both type of attenuation map.

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Evaluation of Ovary Dose for woman of Childbearing age Woman with Breast cancer in tomotherapy (가임기 여성의 유방암 토모치료 시 난소선량 평가비교)

  • Lee, Soo Hyeung;Park, Soo Yeun;Choi, Ji Min;Park, Ju Young;Kim, Jong Suk
    • The Journal of Korean Society for Radiation Therapy
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    • v.26 no.2
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    • pp.337-343
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    • 2014
  • Purpose : The aim of this study is to evaluate unwanted scattered dose to ovary by scattering and leakage generated from treatment fields of Tomotherapy for childbearing woman with breast cancer. Materials and Methods : The radiation treatments plans for left breast cancer were established using Tomotherapy planning system (Tomotherapy, Inc, USA). They were generated by using helical and direct Tomotherapy methods for comparison. The CT images for the planning were scanned with 2.5 mm slice thickness using anthropomorphic phantom (Alderson-Rando phantom, The Phantom Laboratory, USA). The measurement points for the ovary dose were determined at the points laterally 30 cm apart from mid-point of treatment field of the pelvis. The measurements were repeated five times and averaged using glass dosimeters (1.5 mm diameter and 12 mm of length) equipped with low-energy correction filter. The measures dose values were also converted to Organ Equivalent Dose (OED) by the linear exponential dose-response model. Results : Scattered doses of ovary which were measured based on two methods of Tomo helical and Tomo direct showed average of $64.94{\pm}0.84mGy$ and $37.64{\pm}1.20mGy$ in left ovary part and average of $64.38{\pm}1.85mGy$ and $32.96{\pm}1.11mGy$ in right ovary part. This showed when executing Tomotherapy, measured scattered dose of Tomo Helical method which has relatively greater monitor units (MUs) and longer irradiation time are approximately 1.8 times higher than Tomo direct method. Conclusion : Scattered dose of left and right ovary of childbearing women is lower than ICRP recommended does which is not seriously worried level against the infertility and secondary cancer occurrence. However, as breast cancer occurrence ages become younger in the future and radiation therapy using high-precision image guidance equipment like Tomotherapy is developed, clinical follow-up studies about the ovary dose of childbearing women patients would be more required.

Development of an Automatic 3D Coregistration Technique of Brain PET and MR Images (뇌 PET과 MR 영상의 자동화된 3차원적 합성기법 개발)

  • Lee, Jae-Sung;Kwark, Cheol-Eun;Lee, Dong-Soo;Chung, June-Key;Lee, Myung-Chul;Park, Kwang-Suk
    • The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
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    • v.32 no.5
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    • pp.414-424
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    • 1998
  • Purpose: Cross-modality coregistration of positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MR) could enhance the clinical information. In this study we propose a refined technique to improve the robustness of registration, and to implement more realistic visualization of the coregistered images. Materials and Methods: Using the sinogram of PET emission scan, we extracted the robust head boundary and used boundary-enhanced PET to coregister PET with MR. The pixels having 10% of maximum pixel value were considered as the boundary of sinogram. Boundary pixel values were exchanged with maximum value of sinogram. One hundred eighty boundary points were extracted at intervals of about 2 degree using simple threshold method from each slice of MR images. Best affined transformation between the two point sets was performed using least square fitting which should minimize the sum of Euclidean distance between the point sets. We reduced calculation time using pre-defined distance map. Finally we developed an automatic coregistration program using this boundary detection and surface matching technique. We designed a new weighted normalization technique to display the coregistered PET and MR images simultaneously. Results: Using our newly developed method, robust extraction of head boundary was possible and spatial registration was successfully performed. Mean displacement error was less than 2.0 mm. In visualization of coregistered images using weighted normalization method, structures shown in MR image could be realistically represented. Conclusion: Our refined technique could practically enhance the performance of automated three dimensional coregistration.

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THE CURRENT STATUS OF BIOMEDICAL ENGINEERING IN THE USA

  • Webster, John G.
    • Proceedings of the KOSOMBE Conference
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    • v.1992 no.05
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    • pp.27-47
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    • 1992
  • Engineers have developed new instruments that aid in diagnosis and therapy Ultrasonic imaging has provided a nondamaging method of imaging internal organs. A complex transducer emits ultrasonic waves at many angles and reconstructs a map of internal anatomy and also velocities of blood in vessels. Fast computed tomography permits reconstruction of the 3-dimensional anatomy and perfusion of the heart at 20-Hz rates. Positron emission tomography uses certain isotopes that produce positrons that react with electrons to simultaneously emit two gamma rays in opposite directions. It locates the region of origin by using a ring of discrete scintillation detectors, each in electronic coincidence with an opposing detector. In magnetic resonance imaging, the patient is placed in a very strong magnetic field. The precessing of the hydrogen atoms is perturbed by an interrogating field to yield two-dimensional images of soft tissue having exceptional clarity. As an alternative to radiology image processing, film archiving, and retrieval, picture archiving and communication systems (PACS) are being implemented. Images from computed radiography, magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), nuclear medicine, and ultrasound are digitized, transmitted, and stored in computers for retrieval at distributed work stations. In electrical impedance tomography, electrodes are placed around the thorax. 50-kHz current is injected between two electrodes and voltages are measured on all other electrodes. A computer processes the data to yield an image of the resistivity of a 2-dimensional slice of the thorax. During fetal monitoring, a corkscrew electrode is screwed into the fetal scalp to measure the fetal electrocardiogram. Correlations with uterine contractions yield information on the status of the fetus during delivery To measure cardiac output by thermodilution, cold saline is injected into the right atrium. A thermistor in the right pulmonary artery yields temperature measurements, from which we can calculate cardiac output. In impedance cardiography, we measure the changes in electrical impedance as the heart ejects blood into the arteries. Motion artifacts are large, so signal averaging is useful during monitoring. An intraarterial blood gas monitoring system permits monitoring in real time. Light is sent down optical fibers inserted into the radial artery, where it is absorbed by dyes, which reemit the light at a different wavelength. The emitted light travels up optical fibers where an external instrument determines O2, CO2, and pH. Therapeutic devices include the electrosurgical unit. A high-frequency electric arc is drawn between the knife and the tissue. The arc cuts and the heat coagulates, thus preventing blood loss. Hyperthermia has demonstrated antitumor effects in patients in whom all conventional modes of therapy have failed. Methods of raising tumor temperature include focused ultrasound, radio-frequency power through needles, or microwaves. When the heart stops pumping, we use the defibrillator to restore normal pumping. A brief, high-current pulse through the heart synchronizes all cardiac fibers to restore normal rhythm. When the cardiac rhythm is too slow, we implant the cardiac pacemaker. An electrode within the heart stimulates the cardiac muscle to contract at the normal rate. When the cardiac valves are narrowed or leak, we implant an artificial valve. Silicone rubber and Teflon are used for biocompatibility. Artificial hearts powered by pneumatic hoses have been implanted in humans. However, the quality of life gradually degrades, and death ensues. When kidney stones develop, lithotripsy is used. A spark creates a pressure wave, which is focused on the stone and fragments it. The pieces pass out normally. When kidneys fail, the blood is cleansed during hemodialysis. Urea passes through a porous membrane to a dialysate bath to lower its concentration in the blood. The blind are able to read by scanning the Optacon with their fingertips. A camera scans letters and converts them to an array of vibrating pins. The deaf are able to hear using a cochlear implant. A microphone detects sound and divides it into frequency bands. 22 electrodes within the cochlea stimulate the acoustic the acoustic nerve to provide sound patterns. For those who have lost muscle function in the limbs, researchers are implanting electrodes to stimulate the muscle. Sensors in the legs and arms feed back signals to a computer that coordinates the stimulators to provide limb motion. For those with high spinal cord injury, a puff and sip switch can control a computer and permit the disabled person operate the computer and communicate with the outside world.

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High Resolution MR Images from 3T Active-Shield Whole-Body MRI System (3T 능동차페형 전신 자기공명영상 장비로부터 얻어진 고해상도 자기공명영상)

  • Bo-Young Choe;Sei-Kwon Kang;Myoung-Ja Chu;Hyun-Man Baik;Euy-Neyng Kim
    • Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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    • v.5 no.2
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    • pp.138-148
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    • 2001
  • Purpose : Within a clinically acceptable time frame, we obtained the high resolution MR images of the human brain, knee, foot and wrist from 3T whole-body MRI system which was equipped with the world first 37 active shield magnet. Materials and Methods : Spin echo (SE) and Fast Spin Echo (FSE) images were obtained from the human brain, knee, foot and wrist of normal subjects using a homemade birdcage and transverse electromagnetic (TEM) resonators operating in quadrature and tuned to 128 MHz. For acquisition of MR images of knee, foot and wrist, we employed a homemade saddle shaped RF coil. Topical common acquisition parameters were as follows: matrix=$512{\times}512$, field of view (FOV) =20 cm, slice thickness = 3 mm, number of excitations (NEX)=1. For T1-weighted MR images, we used TR = 500 ms, TE = 10 or 17.4 ms. For T2-weighted MR images, we used TR=4000 ms, TE = 108 ms. Results : Signal to noise ratio (SNR) of 3T system was measured 2.7 times greater than that of prevalent 1.5T system. MR images obtained from 3T system revealed numerous small venous structures throughout the image plane and provided reasonable delineation between gray and white matter. Conclusion The present results demonstrate that the MR images from 3T system could provide better diagnostic quali\ulcorner of resolution and sensitivity than those of 1.5T system. The elevated SNR observed in the 3T high field magnetic resonance imaging can be utilized to acquire images with a level of resolution approaching the microscopic structural level under in vivo conditions. These images represent a significant advance in our ability to examine small anatomical features with noninvasive imaging methods.

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Salty-taste Activation of Human Brain Disclosed by Gustatory fMRI Study (뇌기능 자기공명영상 장치를 이용한 짠맛 자극에 따른 인간 뇌의 반응에 대한 기초 연구)

  • Kim S.H.;Choi K.S.;Lee H.Y.;Shin W.J.;Eun C.K.;Mun C.W.
    • Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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    • v.9 no.1
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    • pp.30-35
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    • 2005
  • Purpose : The purpose of this study is to observe the blood oxygen level dependent (BOLD) contrast changes due to the reaction of human brain at a gustatory sense in response to a salty-taste stimulation. Materials and Methods : Twelve healthy, non-smoking, right-handed male subjects (mean age: 25.6, range: 23-28 years) participated in this salty-taste stimulus functional magnetic resonance (fMRI) study. MRI scans were performed with 1.57 GE Signa, using a multi-slice GE-EPI sequence according to a blood-oxy-gen-level dependent (BOLD) experiment paradigm. Scan parameters included matrix size $128\times128$, FOV 250 mm, TR 5000 msec, TE 60 msec, TH/GAP 5/2 mm. Sequential data acquisitions were carried out for 42 measurements with a repetition time of 5 sec for each taste-stimulus experiments. Analysis of fMRI data was carried out using SPM99 implemented in Matlab. NaCl solution $(3\%)$ was used as a salty stimulus. The task paradigm consisted of alternating rest-stimulus cycles (30-second rest, 15-second stimulus) for 210 seconds. During the stimulus period, NaCl-solution was presented to the subject's mouth through plastic tubes as a bolus of delivered every 5 sec using -processor controlled auto-syringe pump. Results : Insula, frontal opercular taste cortex, amygdala and orbitofrontal cortex (OFC) were activated by a salty-taste stimulation $(NaCl,\;3\%)$ in the fMRI experiments. And dosolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) was also significantly responded to salty-taste stimuli. Activation areas of the right side hemisphere were more superior to the left side hemisphere. Conclusion : The results of this study well correspond to the fact that both insula, amygdala, OFC, DLPFC areas are established as taste cortical areas by neuronal recordings in primates. Authors found that laboratory-developed auto-syringe pump is suitable for gustatory fMRI study. Further research in this field will accelerate to inquire into the mechanism of higher order gustatory process.

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