• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.231-236
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• 2015

A 17-year-old girl presented with complaints of headache and decreasing vision of one month's duration, without any history of fever, weight loss, or any evidence of an immuno-compromised state. Her neurological examination was normal, except for papilledema. Laboratory investigations were within normal limits, except for a slightly increased Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR). Non-contrast computerized tomography of her head revealed complex mass in left frontal lobe with a concentric, slightly hyperdense, thickened wall, and moderate perilesional edema with mass effect. Differential diagnoses considered in this case were pilocytic astrocytoma, metastasis and abscess. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) obtained in 3.0 Tesla (3.0T) scanner revealed a lobulated outline cystic mass in the left frontal lobe with two concentric layers of T2 hypointense wall, with T2 hyperintensity between the concentric ring. Moderate perilesional edema and mass effect were seen. Post gadolinium study showed a markedly enhancing irregular wall with some enhancing nodular solid component. No restricted diffusion was seen in this mass in diffusion weighted imaging (DWI). Magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS) showed increased lactate and lipid peaks in the central part of this mass, although some areas at the wall and perilesional T2 hyperintensity showed an increased choline peak without significant decrease in N-acetylaspartate (NAA) level. Arterial spin labelling (ASL) and dynamic susceptibility contrast (DSC) enhanced perfusion study showed decrease in relative cerebral blood volume at this region. These features in MRI were suggestive of brain abscess. The patient underwent craniotomy with excision of a grayish nodular lesion. Abundant acid fast bacilli (AFB) in acid fast staining, and epithelioid cell granulomas, caseation necrosis and Langhans giant cells in histopathology, were conclusive of tubercular abscess. Tubercular brain abscess is a rare manifestation that simulates malignancy and cause diagnostic dilemma. MRI along with MRS and magnetic resonance perfusion studies, are powerful tools to differentiate lesions in such equivocal cases.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.20 no.2
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• pp.81-87
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• 2016

Purpose: To analyze the feasibility of three-dimensional (3D) diffusion-weighted (DW) PSIF (reversed FISP [fast imaging with steady-state free precession]) sequence in order to evaluate peripheral nerves in the elbow. Materials and Methods: Ten normal, asymptomatic volunteers were enrolled (6 men, 4 women, mean age 27.9 years). The following sequences of magnetic resonance images (MRI) of the elbow were obtained using a 3.0-T machine: 3D DW PSIF, 3D T2 SPACE (sampling perfection with application optimized contrasts using different flip angle evolution) with SPAIR (spectral adiabatic inversion recovery) and 2D T2 TSE (turbo spin echo) with modified Dixon (m-Dixon) sequence. Two observers used a 5-point grading system to analyze the image quality of the ulnar, median, and radial nerves. The signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of each nerve were measured. We compared 3D DW PSIF images with other sequences using the Wilcoxon-signed rank test and Friedman test. Inter-observer agreement was measured using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analysis. Results: The mean 5-point scores of radial, median, and ulnar nerves in 3D DW PSIF (3.9/4.2/4.5, respectively) were higher than those in 3D T2 SPACE SPAIR (1.9/2.8/2.8) and 2D T2 TSE m-Dixon (1.7/2.8/2.9) sequences (P < 0.05). The mean SNR in 3D DW PSIF was lower than 3D T2 SPACE SPAIR, but there was no difference between 3D DW PSIF and 2D T2 TSE m-Dixon in all of the three nerves. The mean CNR in 3D DW PSIF was lower than 3D T2 SPACE SPAIR and 2D T2 TSE m-Dixon in the median and ulnar nerves, but no difference among the three sequences in the radial nerve. Conclusion: The three-dimensional DW PSIF sequence may be feasible to evaluate the peripheral nerves around the elbow in MR imaging. However, further optimization of the image quality (SNR, CNR) is required.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.43-47
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• 2011

It is known that the Fe-Al transition metal compounds have a lot of disagreement about structural stability and magnetism. In this study, the correlation between magnetism and atomic structure of ordered $B_2$, $L1_2$, and $D0_3$ structured Fe-Al compounds has been investigated using the all-electron full-potential linearized augmented plane wave (FLAPW) method based on the generalized gradient approximation (GGA). We found that considered all the structures were calculated to be stabilized in a ferromagnetic state. The calculated spin magnetic moments of the Fe atoms for B2 and $L1_2$ structures were 0.771 and 2.373 ${\mu}_B$, respectively, and that of Fe(I) and Fe(II) in $D0_3$ structure calculated to be 2.409 ${\mu}_B$, 1.911 ${\mu}_B$, respectively. In order to investigate structural stability between $L1_2$ and $D0_3$ structures, we performed the formation enthalpy calculations. As a result, the $D0_3$ structure is found to be more favorable than $L1_2 one by energy difference 16 meV/atom, which is well consistent with the experimental observation. We understood about structural stability and magnetism for Fe-Al compounds in terms of analysis of their atomic and electronic structures.

• Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.24 no.1
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• pp.19-31
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• 2021

Seaweeds are a potential source of minerals, essential amino acids, fatty acids, proteins, and various bioactive compounds such as antioxidants. The higher water content of seaweeds reduces the shelf life and this requires the appropriate drying method. The drying conditions play a major role in the conservation of nutrient composition in dried seaweeds. In recent years, the seaweed industry has used many different drying methods with advantages and limitations. Hybrid hot-water Goodle dryer (HHGD) which is a special dryer mixed with hot-water and a Korean traditional heating system (Goodlejang) might be a solution to avoid these limitations. The present study evaluated the effect of drying conditions in HHGD on nutrient composition and bioactivities of brown seaweeds. Moreover, freeze-dryer (FD) and HHGD were employed in this study to compare the dried outputs obtained from four brown seaweed species. The present study aims to evaluate the effect of the hybrid hot-water Goodle drying method (HHGDM) on the nutritional composition and antioxidant activity of dried seaweeds. AOAC standard methods were used to analyze the proximate composition of dried samples and their 70% ethanol extract. The intracellular and extracellular antioxidant activities were evaluated using Vero cells and electron spin resonance (ESR) spectrometer respectively. High performance liquid chromatography, apoptotic body formation, and in-vivo experiments were used for further confirmation of the quality of dried output. The proximate composition results obtained from drying in HHGD and FD did not exhibit any significant difference. Moreover, the seaweed extracts from the dried seaweeds by HHGD and FD dryings were also not different and both significantly down-regulated in-vivo and in-vitro oxidative stress. Furthermore, the high performance liquid chromatography results revealed that the two dryers did not make the major peaks different in the chromatograms. Freeze-drying method (FDM) provides elevated quality for dried output, but there are limitations such as high cost and low capacity. The results from a novel HHGD did not provide any significant difference with the results in FD and expressed a potential to avoid the limitations in FD. Overall, these findings solidified the applicability of HHGD over FD.

• Journal of the Korean Magnetics Society
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• v.3 no.1
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• pp.48-55
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• 1993

We report the photoemission (PES) studies for the Co/Pd multilayter. The Co 3d PES spectrum of Co/Pd exhibits two interesting features, one near the Fermi energy, $E_{F}$, and another at ~2.5 eV below $E_{F}$. The Co 3d peak near $E_{F}$ of Co/Pd is much narrower than that of the bulk Co, consistent with the enhanced Co magnetic moment in Co/Pd compared to that in the bulk Co. The Co 3d feature at ~-2.5 eV resembles the Pd valence band structures, which suggests a substantial hybridization between the Co and Pd sublayers. The Co 3d PES spectrum of Co/Pd is compared with the existing band structures, obtained using the local spin density functional calculations. A reasonable agreement is found concerning the bandwidth of the occupied part of the Co 3d band, whereas a narrow Co 3d peak near $E_{F}$ seems not to be described by the band structure calculations.

• Korean Journal of Radiology
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• v.22 no.5
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• pp.770-781
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• 2021

Objective: Chemical exchange-dependent saturation transfer (CEST) MRI is sensitive for detecting solid-like proteins and may detect changes in the levels of mobile proteins and peptides in tissues. The objective of this study was to evaluate the characteristics of chemical exchange proton pools using the CEST MRI technique in patients with dementia. Materials and Methods: Our institutional review board approved this cross-sectional prospective study and informed consent was obtained from all participants. This study included 41 subjects (19 with dementia and 22 without dementia). Complete CEST data of the brain were obtained using a three-dimensional gradient and spin-echo sequence to map CEST indices, such as amide, amine, hydroxyl, and magnetization transfer ratio asymmetry (MTR_asym) values, using six-pool Lorentzian fitting. Statistical analyses of CEST indices were performed to evaluate group comparisons, their correlations with gray matter volume (GMV) and Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores, and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. Results: Amine signals (0.029 for non-dementia, 0.046 for dementia, p = 0.011 at hippocampus) and MTR_asym values at 3 ppm (0.748 for non-dementia, 1.138 for dementia, p = 0.022 at hippocampus), and 3.5 ppm (0.463 for non-dementia, 0.875 for dementia, p = 0.029 at hippocampus) were significantly higher in the dementia group than in the non-dementia group. Most CEST indices were not significantly correlated with GMV; however, except amide, most indices were significantly correlated with the MMSE scores. The classification power of most CEST indices was lower than that of GMV but adding one of the CEST indices in GMV improved the classification between the subject groups. The largest improvement was seen in the MTR_asym values at 2 ppm in the anterior cingulate (area under the ROC curve = 0.981), with a sensitivity of 100 and a specificity of 90.91. Conclusion: CEST MRI potentially allows noninvasive image alterations in the Alzheimer's disease brain without injecting isotopes for monitoring different disease states and may provide a new imaging biomarker in the future.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Marine Environment & Safety
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.197-206
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• 2023

Recently, the international community, including the International Maritime Organization (IMO), has strengthened regulations on air pollution emissions of ships, and eco-friendly ships are actively being developed to reduce exhaust gas emissions. Among them, rotor sail (RS), a wind-assisted ship propulsion system, is attracting attention again. RS is a cylindrical device installed on the ship deck, that generates hydrodynamic lift using a magnus effect. This is a next generation eco-friendly auxiliary propulsion technology, and Enercon company, which developed RS-applied ships, announced that fuel savings of more than 30% are possible. In this study, optimal installation conditions such as RS spacing and arrangement type were selected when multiple RSs were installed on ships. AR=5.1, SR=1.0, and D_e/D was fixed at 2.0 according to the RS arrangement, and the wind direction was considered only for the unidirectional +y-axis. Regarding arrangement conditions, five conditions were set at 3D intervals in the +x-axis direction from 3D to 15D and five conditions in the +y-axis direction from 5D to 25D. C_L, C_D and aerodynamic efficiency (C_L/C_D) were compared according to the square(□) and diamond(◇) shape arrangements. Consequently, the effect of RS on the longitudinal distance was not significantly different. However, in the case of RS flow characteristics according to the transverse distance, the interaction effect of RS was the greatest when the two RSs almost matched the wind direction. In the case of the RS flow characteristics according to the arrangement, notably, when the wind blew in the forward (0°) direction, the diamond (◇) arrangement was least affected by the backward flow between RSs.