• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.192-201
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• 2003

In this paper, to reduce the size of patch, three types of 3-dimensional patch antennas which are one-directionally-corrugaged type, rectangular ring-likely corrugated type, and lattice-likely corrugated type rectangular microstrip patch antennas(MPA) are designed and fabricated at the 1.575 GHz. As the result, one-directionally corrugated rectangular MPA is reduced in the resonant length of patch by 21.4% than that of general plane MPA. -10 dB bandwidth(B.W) is 62 MHz(3.9 %) and this is broader than that(39 MHz, 2.5 %) of plane MPA by 23 MHz(1.5 %). The gain is 5.8 dBd and this is reduced by 0.9 dB than that(6.7 dBd) of plane MPA. Half power beamwidth(HPBW) is broadened by 18$^{\circ}$ than that of plane MPA in the E-plane and this is due to the reduced length of patch. For rectangular ring-likely corrugated retangular MPA, the patch size is miniaturized by 21.6 % than that of plane MPA. For lattice-likely corrugated rectangular MPA, in the linear polarization, the size of patch is miniaturized by 43.3 % than that of plane MPA. -10 dB B.W is 70 MHz(4.4 %) and this is broadened than that of plane MPA by 31 MHz(2 %). Gain is 2.2 dBd and this is smaller than that of plane MPA by 4.5 dB. HPBW is increased in both E-plane and H-plane by 22$^{\circ}$ and 13$^{\circ}$, respectively. For circular polarization, the size of patch is reduced by 41 % than that by 41 %. The axial ratio(AR) is 0.8 dB at the 1.575 GHz and the axial ratio bandwidth(ARBW) within 2 dB is 20 MHz(1.27 %) and this is increased by 10 MHz(0.63 %) than that 10 MHz(0.63 %) of plane MPA. From all the results above, it is conformed that the proposed antenna has merit in size reduction of patch and in the input impedance B.W, and is more profitable in many application than the general plane type MPA.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.18 no.7
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• pp.784-795
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• 2007

In this thesis, the Multi element antenna with wideband and enhanced gain characteristic is proposed to operate at both frequency range from 824 MHz to 896 11Hz for the CDMA and frequency range from 908.5 MHz to 914 MHz for the RFID band. The proposed antenna has tile size of $35{\times}15{\times}5mm^3$ in order to put it in the A model of S company and each element of the proposed antenna is folded to obtain the minimum size. To obtain the antenna with wideband and high gain characteristic, the radiator of the antenna is divided into 4 elements. As a result, bandwidth of the proposed antenna become broader and lower center frequency is appeared due to increased and lengthened current path. Moreover, the enhanced gain characteristic is verified because divided element structure that induct uniform current distribution can get increased antenna efficiency. To attain more uniform current distribution, modified structure of the feeding point that can deliver currents directly is designed. The antenna that alters the feeding structure has higher gain value. Each element is folded to increase the current paths considering the current directions to attain the miniaturization of the antenna. To measure the handset antenna, the handset case must be considered. Even though antenna is designed for predicted characteristic, the resonance frequency is shifted and antenna gain is deteriorated at predicted frequency while antenna is set in the handset case. 1.08 GHz of the resonant frequency is determined after frequency shift from 150 MHz to 200 MHz is confirmed and the maximum gain is measured as 3.1 dBi while antenna is not set in the handset. In case handset case is considered, the experimental results show that the impedance bandwidth for VSWR<2 is from 0.824 GHz to 0.936 GHz(110 MHz). This result appears that the proposed antenna can cover both CDMA and RFID band at once. The measured gain is from -3.4 dBi to -0.5 dBi and it has omni-directional pattern practically.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.49 no.5
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• pp.475-481
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• 2006

Purpose : As the prevalence of childhood obesity is increasing, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, insulin resistance and diabetes mellitus have become problems. High homocysteine levels and low vitamin $B_{12}$ supplementation are acknowledged to have a role in coronary artery disease, but there are few studies on homocysteine, insulin and vitamin $B_{12}$ levels in obese children. We aimed to study whether homocysteine, insulin, vitamin $B_{12}$, folic acid levels could have any difference and relation in obese children. Methods : The disease group consisted of 27 children from 8 to 11 years old, whose obesity index was over 130. The control group consisted of 30 healthy children of the same age group. Obesity index and body mass index were calculated by height and body weight of the children, and their systolic and diastolic blood pressures at resting state were checked. Total cholesterol, triglyceride, homocysteine, insulin, vitamin $B_{12}$, folic acid levels were studied after 10 hours of fasting. Intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid, protein, mineral, muscle mass, lean body fat, fat mass and fat percentages were checked by bioelectrical impedance. Results : Homocysteine levels were higher in obese children($8.1{\pm}2.1{\mu}mol/mL$ vs. $4.9{\pm}1.0{\mu}mol/mL$). Insulin levels were also higher in obese children($26.8{\pm}11.2{\mu}IU/mL$ vs. $12.5{\pm}5.24{\mu}IUl/mL$). Vitamin $B_{12}$ was lower in obese children($798.6{\pm}174.3pg/mL$ vs. $967.8{\pm}405.0pg/mL$). But there was not a difference in the folic acid levels between the two groups. In obese children, systolic blood pressure (r=0.535), triglyceride(r=0.517), total cholesterol(r=0.408), folic acid(r=0.408), vitamin $B_{12}$(r=0.338) and abdomoanl fat %(r=0.306) had a positive correlation. Conclusion : We found definite differences of insulin, homocysteine, and vitamin $B_{12}$ plasma levels in obese children, but we need more study to use those parameters as risk factors of metabolic syndrome in pediatric obese patients.

• Clinical and Experimental Pediatrics
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• v.48 no.6
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• pp.588-593
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• 2005

Purpose : Obesity is associated with disturbances of ventilatory functions in adults. But few studies have evaluated the pulmonary complications of obesity in the pediatric population. The purpose of this study is to clarify the effects of obesity on pulmonary function and body composition in obese children. Methods : Forty seven obese children whose ages ranged from nine to twelve years were evaluated for their body composition(intracellular fluid, extracellular fluid, protein mass, mineral mass, soft lean mass, fat mass, percent body fat, fat distribution) by bioelectrical impedance analysis. Hemoglobin, serum glucose, aspartate aminotransferase(AST), alanine aminotransferase(ALT), total cholesterol and triglycerides were measured. Pulmonary function test was performed by spirometer. Results : Intracellular fluid, protein mass, fat mass, percent body fat and fat distribution were significantly higher in severely obese children with an obesity index of more than 150 percent compared with those with an index of less than 150 percent. Peak expiratory flow rate(PEFR) was significantly lower in severely obese children with obesity index of more than 150 percent compared with those with less than 150 percent($241.7{\pm}14.6L/sec$ vs $276.8{\pm}64.3L/sec$). PEFR, forced expiratory flow 25 percent($FEF_{25}$), mid expiratory flow rate(MEFR), forced expiratory flow 50 percent($FEF_{50}$), forced expiratory volume in 1st second($FEV_1$) and forced vital capacity(FVC) were decreased in 37.0 percent, 14.8 percent, 14.8 percent, 11.1 percent, 3.7 percent and 3.7 percent of obese children, respectively. Conclusion : PEFR was significantly decreased in obese children. Pulmonary function test must be performed in severely obese children and more extended study is needed in other age groups.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.1
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• pp.73-79
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• 2008

Retinal prosthesis is regarded as the most feasible method for the blind caused by retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa (RP) or age related macular degeneration (AMD). Recently Korean consortium launched for developing retinal prosthesis. One of the prerequisites for the success of retinal prosthesis is the optimization of the electrical stimuli applied through the prosthesis. Since electrical characteristics of degenerate retina are expected to differ from those of normal retina, we performed voltage stimulation experiment both in normal and degenerate retina to provide a guideline for the optimization of electrical stimulation for the upcoming prosthesis. After isolation of retina, retinal patch was attached with the ganglion cell side facing the surface of microelectrode arrays (MEA). $8{\times}8$ grid layout MEA (electrode diameter: $30{\mu}m$, electrode spacing: $200{\mu}m$, and impedance: $50k{\Omega}$ at 1 kHz) was used to record in-vitro retinal ganglion cell activity. Mono-polar electrical stimulation was applied through one of the 60 MEA channel, and the remaining channels were used for recording. The electrical stimulus was a constant voltage, charge-balanced biphasic, anodic-first square wave pulse without interphase delay, and 50 trains of pulse was applied with a period of 2 sec. Different electrical stimuli were applied. First, pulse amplitude was varied (voltage: $0.5{\sim}3.0V$). Second, pulse duration was varied $(100{\sim}1,200{\mu}s)$. Evoked responses were analyzed by PSTH from averaged data with 50 trials. Charge density was calculated with Ohm's and Coulomb's law. In normal retina, by varying the pulse amplitude from 0.5 to 3V with fixed duration of $500{\mu}s$, the threshold level for reliable ganglion cell response was found at 1.5V. The calculated threshold of charge density was $2.123mC/cm^2$. By varying the pulse duration from 100 to $1,200{\mu}s$ with fixed amplitude of 2V, the threshold level was found at $300{\mu}s$. The calculated threhold of charge density was $1.698mC/cm^2$. Even after the block of ON-pathway with L-(1)-2-amino-4-phosphonobutyric acid (APB), electrical stimulus evoked ganglion cell activities. In this APB-induced degenerate retina, by varying the pulse duration from 100 to $1200{\mu}s$ with fixed voltage of 2 V, the threshold level was found at $300{\mu}s$, which is the same with normal retina. More experiment with APB-induced degenerate retina is needed to make a clear comparison of threshold of charge density between normal and degenerate retina.

• Progress in Medical Physics
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.157-163
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• 2008

Retinal prosthesis is regarded as the most feasible method for the blind caused by retinal diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa or age-related macular degeneration. One of the prerequisites for the success of retinal prosthesis is the optimization of the electrical stimuli applied through the prosthesis. Since electrical characteristics of degenerate retina are expected to differ from those of normal retina, we investigated differences of the retinal waveforms in normal and degenerate retina to provide a guideline for the optimization of electrical stimulation for the upcoming prosthesis. After isolation of retina, retinal patch was attached with the ganglion cell side facing the surface of microelectrode arrays (MEA). $8{\times}8$ grid layout MEA (electrode diameter: $30{\mu}m$, electrode spacing: $200{\mu}m$, and impedance: 50 $k{\Omega}$ at 1 kHz) was used to record in-vitro retinal ganglion cell activity. In normal mice (C57BL/6J strain) of postnatal day 28, only short duration (<2 ms) retinal spikes were recorded. In rd/rd mice (C3H/HeJ strain), besides normal spikes, waveform with longer duration (~100 ms), the slow wave component was recorded. We attempted to understand the mechanism of this slow wave component in degenerate retina using various synaptic blockers. We suggest that stronger glutamatergic input from bipolar cell to the ganglion cell in rd/rd mouse than normal mouse contributes the most to this slow wave component. Out of many degenerative changes, we favor elimination of the inhibitory horizontal input to bipolar cells as a main contributor for a relatively stronger input from bipolar cell to ganglion cell in rd/rd mouse.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.69-74
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• 1996

Background: The diagnosis of pulmonary embolism (PE) based on clinical findings is often elusive and therefore requires confirmative diagnostic method. Pulmonary angiography, though the gold standard for the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism, is an invasive method and requires trained personnel and special equipment. Lung V/Q scan, on the other hand, is a noninvasive method but the diagnostic specificity and sensitivity arc not satisfactory in case that the results are either intermediate or low probability scan. Plasma D-dimer is generated when a thrombus is fibrinolysed by plasmin and is known to be increased in various thrombotic disorders. The aim of this study was to investigate the value of the determination of plasma D-dimer level in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism. Methods: Pulmonary angiography was performed in 17 patients who were clinically suspected to have pulmonary embolism. 9 patients(PE, $56{\pm}13.4$ yrs, M:F=8:1) were diagnosed to have pulmonary embolism by pulmonary angiography. The control group were the 8 patients with negative pulmonary angiography and 13 orthopedic patients with no evidence of pulmonary embolism on scintigraphic and impedance plethysmographic studies(n=21) (non-PE, $54.5{\pm}11.1$ yrs, M:F=11:10). Plasma D-dimer was measured by latex agglutination method in study subjects and the results were analyzed according to the presence or absence of pulmonary embolism. Results: 1) The increased level of plasma D-dimer was more frequently observed in the patients with pulmonary embolism than in the controls(>0.5 mg/L, 8 in PE, 10 in non-PE; <0.5 mg/L, 1 in PE, 11 in non-PE, p=0.049). 2) The diagnostic value of plasma D-dimer level higher than 0.5 mg/L were as follows: sensitivity 88.9%(8/9), specificity 52.4%(11/21), positive predictive value 44.4%(8/18), and negative predictive value 91.7%(11/12). Conclusion: Plasma D-dimer determination showed high sensitivity and negative predictive value in the diagnosis of pulmonary embolism and is therefore thought to be useful in excluding the possibility of pulmonary embolism.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.54 no.2
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• pp.210-218
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• 2003

Background : Sex specific cross sectional reference values for the lung function indices usually employ a linear model with a term for age and height. The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of the body mass index (BMI), the fat percentage of the body mass and the fat-free mass index (FFMI) on the forced expiratory volume curve. Methods : Between January 2000 and December 2001, a total of 300 subjects, 150 men and 150 women (mean age : $45{\pm}13$ years), with a normal lung function were enrolled in the study sample. This study measured the $FEV_1$, FVC and $FEF_{25-75%}$ from the forced expiratory volume curve by a spirometer and the body composition by a bioelectrical impedance method in all subjects. Multiple regression analysis was used in order to examine the effects of the body composition on the parameters derived from the forced expiratory volume curve. Results : After adjusting for age, the BMI and Fat percentage improved the descriptions of the FVC (p<0.05, $r^2=0.491$) and $FEV_1$ (p<0.05, $r^2=0.654$) in women. In contrast, the FFMI contributed significantly to the FVC (p<0.05, $r^2=0.432$) and $FEV_1$ (p<0.05, $r^2=0.567$) in men. The $FEF_{25-75%}$ correlated with the fat percentage in women (p<0.05, $r^2=0.337$). Conclusion : These results suggest that the BMI, the fat percentage and the FFMI are significant determinants of the forced expiratory volume curve. The plmonary function test, when considering the BMI, the fat percentage and the FFMI, might be useful in clinical applications.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.5 no.3
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• pp.131-142
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• 2002

The Langmuir adsorption isotherms of the under-potentially deposited hydrogen (UPD H) and the over-potentially deposited hydrogen (OPD H) at the poly-Pt/0.5M $H_2SO_4$ and 0.5 M LiOH aqueous electrolyte interfaces have been studied using cyclic voltammetric and ac impedance techniques. The behavior of the phase shift $(0^{\circ}{\leq}{-\phi}{\leq}90^{\circ})$ for the optimum intermediate frequency corresponds well to that of the fractional surface coverage $(1{\geq}{\theta}{\geq}0)$ at the interfaces. The phase-shift method, i.e., the phase-shift profile $({-\phi}\;vs.\;E)$ for the optimum intermediate frequency, can be used as a new electrochemical method to determine the Langmuir adsorption isotherms $({\theta}\;vs.\;E)$ of the UPD H and the OPD H for the cathodic $H_2$ evolution reactions at the interfaces. At the poly-Pt/0.5M $H_2SO_4$ aqueous electrolyte interface, the equilibrium constant (K) and the standard free energy $({\Delta}G_{ads})$ of the OPD H are $2.1\times10^{-4}$ and 21.0kJ/mol, respectively. At the poly-Pt/0.5M LiOH aqueous electrolyte interface, K transits from 2.7(UPD H) to $6.2\times10^{-6}$ (OPD H) depending on the cathode potential (E) and vice versa. Similarly, ${\Delta}G_{ads}$ transits from -2.5kJ/mol (UPD H) to 29.7kJ/mol (OPD H) depending on I and vice versa. The transition of K and ${\Delta}G_{ads}$ is attributed to the two distinct adsorption sites of the UPD H and the OPD H on the poly-Pt surface. The UPD H and the OPD H on the poly-Pt surface are the independent processes depending on the H adsorption sites themselves rather than the sequential processes for the cathodic $H_2$ evolution reactions. The criterion of the UPD H and the OPD H is the H adsorption sites and processes rather than the $H_2$ evolution reactions and potentials. The poly-Pt wire electrode is more efficient and useful than the Pt(100) disc electrode for the cathodic $H_2$ evolution reactions in the aqueous electrolytes. The phase-shift method is well complementary to the thermodynamic method rather than conflicting.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.69-79
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• 2016

Lithium ion battery with high energy density is expanding its application area to electric automobile and electricity storage field beyond existing portable electric devices. Such expansion of an application field is demanding higher characteristic and stable long life characteristic of an anode material, the natural graphite that became commercialized in lithium ion battery. This thesis produced cathode by using natural graphite anode material, analyzed creation of the cathode SEI film created due to initial reaction by using electrolyte additives, VC (vinylene carbonate), VEC (vinyl ethylene carbonate), and FEC (fluoroethylene carbonate), and considered correlation with the accompanying electrochemical transformation. This study compared and analyzed the SEI film variation of natural graphite cathode according to the electrolyte additive with SEI that is formed at the time of initial filling and cathode of $60^{\circ}C$ life characteristic. At the time of initial filling, the profile showed changes due to the SEI formation, and SEI was formed in No-Additive in approximately 0.9 V through EVS, but for VC, VEC, and FEC, the formation reaction was created above 1 V. In $60^{\circ}C$ lifespan characteristic evaluation, the initial efficiency was highest in No-Additive and showed high contents percentage, but when cycle was progressed, the capacity maintenance rate decreased more than VC and FEC as the capacity and efficiency at the time of filling decreased, and VEC showed lowest performance in efficiency and capacity maintenance rate. Changes of SEI could not be verified through SEM, but it was identified that as the cycle of SEI ingredients was progressed through FT-IR, ingredients of Alkyl carbonate ($RCO_2Li$) affiliation of the $2850-2900cm^{-1}$ was maintained more solidly and the resistance increased as cycle was progressed through EIS, and specially, it was identified that the resistance due to No-Additive and SEI of VEC became very significant. Continuous loss of additives was verified through GC-MS, and the loss of additives from partial decomposition and remodeling of SEI formed the non-uniform surface of SEI and is judged to be the increase of resistance.