• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.17 no.3
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• pp.169-180
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• 2013

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to setup a concuurent transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS)-functional MRI (fMRI) system for understanding causality of the functional brain network. Materials and Methods: We manufactured a TMS coil holder using nonmagnetic polyether ether ketone (PEEK). We simulated magnetic field distributions in the MR scanner according to TMS coil positions and angles. To minimize image distortions caused by TMS application, we controlled fMRI acquisition and TMS sequences to trigger TMS during inter-volume intervals. Results: Simulation showed that the magnetic field below the center of the coil was dramatically decreased with distance. Through the MR phantom study, we confirmed that TMS application around inter-volume acquisition time = 100 miliseconds reduced imaging distortion. Finally, the applicability of the concurrent TMS-fMRI was tested in preliminary studies with a healthy subject conducting a motor task within TMS-fMRI and passive motor movement induced by TMS in fMRI. Conclusion: In this study, we confirmed that the developed system allows use of TMS inside an fMRI system, which would contribute to the research of brain activation changes and causality in brain connectivity.

• Journal of the Institute of Electronics and Information Engineers
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.92-98
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• 2017

Generally, image contains geometrical and radiometric errors. Census transform can solve the stereo mismatching problem caused by the radiometric distortion. Since the general census transform compares center of window pixel value with neighbor pixel value, it is hard to obtain an accurate matching result when the difference of pixel value is not large. To solve that problem, we propose a census transform method that applies different 4-step weight for each pixel value difference by applying an assistance window inside the window kernel. If the current pixel value is larger than the average of assistance window pixel value, a high weight value is given. Otherwise, a low weight value is assigned to perform a differential census transform. After generating an initial disparity map using a weighted census transform and input images, the gradient information is additionally used to model a cost function for generating a final disparity map. In order to find an optimal cost value, we use guided filtering. Since the filtering is performed using the input image and the disparity image, the object boundary region can be preserved. From the experimental results, we confirm that the performance of the proposed stereo matching method is improved compare to the conventional method.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.30 no.2
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• pp.153-164
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• 2009

We examined the regional 1-D deep resistivity structure of the Korean Peninsula using MT data acquired at seven sites located in the Kyongsang Basin and Kyonggi Massif. At the sites located in the Kyongsang Basin, surrounding sea distorts observed MT response and hence this distortion, so called "sea effect", is corrected using an iterative tensor stripping method. The 1-D layered inversion results for the seven MT sites reveal 4 layered structure, which is composed of 1) near surface layer, 2) upper crust, 3) lower crust and upper mantle, and 4) asthenosphere from the surface downward. Conrad interface, which is a boundary between upper and lower crust, is distinctly identified beneath all the MT sites. Conrad interface depth is estimated to about be 17km in the Kyongsang Basin and about 12km in the Kyonggi Massif, while the upper crust of the Kyongsang Basin is about 5 times more resistive than that of the Kyonggi Massif. Finally, asthenosphere is inferred to exist below a depth of approximately 100km with a resistivity of 200-300 ohm-m.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Hazard Mitigation
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.9-14
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• 2008

In the case of horizontally curved bridges, the use of curved composite box girder bridges are increased due to its functionality and for aesthetical reason. As it compared with the open section, the steel box girder bridges have advantages to resistant of distortion and corrosion. In practice the grid analysis is conducted by utilizing only the cross beam. Since the stiffness of the concrete slab is not included in the grid analysis, the cross beam is induced the distribution of the live load. In this study the affects of the radius of curvature, the number of diaphragm and cross beam to the load distribution of the curved steel box girder bridge was investigated by applying the finite element method. The results indicate that the curvature of curved bridge had a large affect of the load distribution and as the curvature was increased the load distribution factor was increased. A single diaphragm at the center of girder is important role for the load distribution effects and structural stability, but additional diaphragm did not affect it as much. The affects of the cross beam to the load distribution were investigated and its influence was minor. It can be safely concluded that the addition of cross beam does not aid the purpose of the live load distribution. And the stiffness of concrete slab for the load distribution effects should be concerned in the design of curved steel box girder bridges.

• Journal of radiological science and technology
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.111-122
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• 2013

This study was carried out to reduce patient dose through focus-detector distance, kilovoltage, and a combination of copper filters. In the C, L-spine lateral, Skull AP views were obtained by making changes of 60-100 kV in tube voltage and of 100-200 cm in focus-detector distance and by adding a copper filter when using an auto exposure control device in the digital radiography equipment. The incident dose showed 90 kV, 0.3 mmCu in C-spine lateral with 0.06 mGy under the condition of 200 cm; 100 kV, 0.3 mmCu with 0.40 mGy under the condition of 200 cm and 90 kV 0.3 mmCu in Skull AP with the lowest value of 0.24 mGy under the condition of 140 cm. It was observed that entrance surface dose decreased the most when was increased by 150 cm, 70 kV (C-spine lateral), 81 kV (L-spine lateral). It was also found out that as the between the focus-detector increased in the expansion of the video decreased but the difference was not significant when the distance was 180 cm or more. Skull AP showed the most reduction in the entrance surface dose when the tube voltage was changed by 80 kV, 0.1 mmCu, and 120 cm. Therefore, when using the automatic exposure control device, it is recommended to use the highest tube voltage if possible and to increase focus-detector distance at least by 150~200 cm in wall and 120~140 cm in table in consideration of the radiotechnologist's physical conditions, and to combine 0.1~0.3 mmCu and higher filters. It is thus expected to reduce patient dose by avoiding distortion of images and reducing the entrance surface dose.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.24 no.2
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• pp.91-98
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• 2008

We present an efficient and robust technique to estimate the velocity of moving targets from a single SAR image. In SAR images, azimuth image shift is a well blown phenomenon, which is observed in moving targets having slant-range velocity. Most methods estimated the velocity of moving targets from the distance difference between the road and moving targets or between ship and the ship wake. However, the methods could not be always applied to moving targets because it is difficult to find the road and the ship wake. We propose a method for estimating the velocity of moving targets from azimuth differentials of range-compressed image. This method is based on a phenomenon that Doppler center frequency shift of moving target causes a phase difference in azimuth differential values. The phase difference is linearly distorted by Doppler rate due to the geometry of SAR image. The linear distortion is eliminated from phase removal procedure, and then the constant phase difference is estimated. Finally, range velocity estimates for moving targets are retrieved from the constant phase difference. This technique was tested using an ENVISAT ASAR image in which several unknown ships are presented. In the case of a isolated target, the result was nearly coincident with the result from conventional method. However, in the case of a target which is located near non-target material, the difference of the result between from our algorithm and from conventional method was more than 1m/s.

• Journal of International Area Studies (JIAS)
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.39-72
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• 2017

The purpose of this study is to conduct an empirical analysis on the effect of aid proliferation on government spending on health by the recipient nations using panel data and acquire information on the direction of future ODA operations. In this study, calculated excessive foreign aid index with regard to the health sector of Sub-Sahara African nations and conducted an empirical analysis on the effect of aid fragmentation on government spending on health sector. The result of the analysis disclosed that aid fragmentation significantly reduced government spending on health. It is anticipated that such trend came from the mutual pursuit of profit between the attribute (the needs of the donor nation) of ODA projects after new businesses and the governments of recipient nations that want ODA funding. Because competitive and excessive supports in ODA projects induce distortion in the government budget operation of the recipient nations and thereby trigger disutility in ODA projects, Based on the result of the analysis, We proposed to incorporate a more comprehensive deliberation with regard to the capacity of the recipient nations as well as a need for the role of mediating body such as DAC.

• Journal of Radiation Industry
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.325-332
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• 2018

Carotid angiography covering the aortic arch includes contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance angiography (CEA), which is applied to a large region and usually employs contrast media. However, the use of contrast media can be dangerous in infants, pregnant women, and patients with chronic renal failure (CRF). Follow-up patients informed of a lesion may also want to avoid constant exposure to contrast media. We aimed to apply time-of-flight (TOF) angiography to a large region and compare its usefulness with that of CEA. Ten patients (mean age, 58 years; range, 45~75 years) who visited our hospital for magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) participated in this study. A 3.0 Tesla Achieva magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) system (Philips, Netherland) and the SENSE NeuroVascular 16-channel coil were employed for both methods. Both methods were applied simultaneously to the same patient. Three TOF stacks were connected to cover the aortic arch through the circle of Willis, and CEA was applied in the same manner. For the quantitative assessment, the acquired images were used to set the regions of interest (ROIs) in the common carotid artery (CCA) bifurcation, internal carotid artery, external carotid artery, middle cerebral artery, and vertebral artery, and to obtain the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and the contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) for the soft tissues. Three radiologists and one radiological resident performed the qualitative assessment on a 5-point scale - 1 point, "very bad"; 2 points, "bad"; 3 points, "average"; 4 points, "good"; and 5 points, "very good" - with regard to 4 items: (1) sharpness, (2) distortion, (3) vein contamination, and (4) expression of peripheral vessels. For the quantitative assessment, we estimated the mean SNR and CNR in each of the 5 ROIs. In general, the mean SNR was higher in TOF angiography (166.1, 205.2, 154.39, 172.23, and 161.95) than in CEA(92.05, 95.43, 84.76, 73.69, and 88.3). Both methods had a similar mean CNR: 67.62, 106.71, 55.9, 73.74, and 63.46 for TOF angiography, and 67.82, 71.19, 60.52, 49.45, and 64.07 for CEA. In all ROIs, the mean SNR was statistically significant (p<0.05), whereas the mean CNR was insignificant (p>0.05). The mean values of TOF angiography and CEA for each item in the qualitative assessment were 4.2 and 4.28, respectively for item 1; 2.93 and 4.55, respectively, for item 2; 4.6 and 3.13, respectively, for item 3; and 2.88 and 4.65, respectively, for item 4. Therefore, TOF angiography had a higher mean for item 3, and CEA had a higher mean for items 2 and 4; there was no significant difference between the two methods for item 1. The results for item 1 were statistically insignificant (p>0.05), whereas the results for items 2~4 were statistically significant (p<0.05). Both methods have advantages and disadvantages and they complement each other. However, CEA is usually applied to a large region covering the aortic arch. Time-of-flight angiography may be useful for people such as infants, pregnant women, CRF patients, and followup patients for whom the use of contrast media can be dangerous or unnecessary, depending on the circumstance.

• Journal of the Korea Institute of Information Security & Cryptology
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• v.17 no.6
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• pp.131-142
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• 2007

In this paper, semi-fragile watermarking algorithm was proposed for the application to RP(Rapid Prototyping) system. In the case of the perceptual change or distortion of the original one, the prototype product will be affected from the process because the RP system requires the high precision measure. Therefore, the geometrical transformations like translation, rotation and scaling, the mesh order change and the file format change are used in the RP system because they do not change the basic shapes of the 3D models, but, the decimation and the smoothing are not used because they change the models. The proposed algorithm which is called semi-fragile watermarking is robust against to these kinds of manipulations which preserve the original shapes because it considers the limitations of the RP system, but fragile against to the other manipulations which change the original shapes. This algorithm does not change the model shapes after embedding the watermark information, that is, there is no shape difference between the original model and the watermarked model. so, it will be useful to authenticate the data integrity and hide the information in the field of mechanical engineering which requires the high precision measure.

• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.36 no.6_3
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• pp.1643-1652
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• 2020

To investigate the characteristics of detailed flows in a building-congested district, we coupled a computation fluid dynamics (CFD) model to the local data assimilation and prediction system (LDAPS), a current operational numerical weather prediction model of the Korea Meteorological Administration. For realistic numerical simulations, we used the meteorological variables such as wind speeds and directions and potential temperatures predicted by LDAPS as the initial and boundary conditions of the CFD model. We trilinearly interpolated the horizontal wind components of LDAPS to provide the initial and boudnary wind velocities to the CFD model. The trilinearly interpolated potential temperatures of LDAPS is converted to temperatures at each grid point of the CFD model. We linearly interpolated the horizontal wind components of LDAPS to provide the initial and boundary wind velocities to the CFD model. The linearly interpolated potential temperatures of LDAPS are converted to temperatures at each grid point of the CFD model. We validated the simulated wind speeds and directions against those measured at the PKNU-SONIC station. The LDAPS-CFD model reproduced similar wind directions and wind speeds measured at the PKNU-SONIC station. At 07 LST on 22 June 2020, the inflow was east-north-easterly. Flow distortion by buildings resulted in the east-south-easterly at the PKNU-SONIC station, which was the similar wind direction to the measured one. At 19 LST when the inflow was southeasterly, the LDAPS-CFD model simulated southeasterly (similar to the measured wind direction) at the PKNU-SONIC station.