• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.1
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• pp.30-36
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• 2021

Objective: The objective of the present study was to analyze the relationship between strength of the lower extremity's joints and their local dynamic stability (LDS) of gait in elderly women. Method: Forty-five elderly women participated in this study. Average age, height, mass, and preference walking speed were 73.5±3.7 years, 153.8±4.8 cm, 56.7±6.4 kg, and 1.2±0.1 m/s, respectively. They were tested torque peak of the knee and ankle joints with a Human Norm and while they were walking on a treadmill at their preference speed for a long while, kinematic data were obtained using six 3-D motion capture cameras. LDS of the lower extremity's joints were calculated in maximum Lyapunov Exponent (LyE). Correlation coefficients between torque of the joints and LyE were obtained using Spearman rank. Level of significance was set at p<.05. Results: Knee flexion torque and its LDS was negatively associated with adduction-abduction and flexion-extension movement (p<.05). In addition, ratio of the knee flexion torque to extension and LDS was negatively related to internal-external rotation. Conclusion: In conclusion, knee flexion strength should preferentially be strengthened to increase LDS of the lower extremity's joints for preventing from small perturbations during walking in elderly women.

• The Journal of Korea Robotics Society
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.172-181
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• 2023

This paper presents research on the stability of control for a quadruped robot with two different leg structure designs. The focus of the research is on the design and analysis of the leg structures in terms of their impact on the stability and robustness of the robot's motion. First, a static analysis was performed in the simulation to compare the structural strength of the legs when the same force was applied. Secondly, two quadruped robots were built, each equipped with differently designed legs, and performed trot gait walking in the real world. And the states of the robots and the torques of each joint were analyzed and compared. In conclusion, based on the results of structural analysis in simulation and the actual walking experiments with the robots, it was demonstrated that the legs designed to be structurally robust improved the control stability of the quadruped robot.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.44 no.5
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• pp.1040-1050
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• 1997

Pulmonary rehabilitation has been known to improve dyspnea and exercise tolerance in patients with chronic lung disease, although it does not improve pulmonary function. The mechanism of this improvement is not clearly explained till now; however some authors suggested that the improvement in the skeletal muscle metabolism after the rehabilitation could be a possible mechanism. The metabolc changes in skeletal muscle in patients with COPD are characterized by impaired oxidative phosphorylation which causes early activation of anaerobic glycolysis and excess lactate production with exercise. In order to evaluate the change in the skeletal muscle metabolism as a possible cause of the improvement in the exercise tolerance after the rehabilitation, noninvasive $^{31}P$ magnetic resonance spectroscopy(MRS) of the forearm flexor muscle was performed before and after the exercise training in nine patients with chronic lung disease who have undertaken intensive pulmonary rehabilitation for 6 weeks. 31p MRS was studied during the sustained isometric contraction of the dominant forearm flexor muscles up to the exhaustion state and the recovery period. Maximal voluntary contraction(MVC) force of the muscle was measured before the isometric exercise, and then 30% of MVC force was constantly loaded to each patient during the isometric exercise. After the exercise training, exercise endurance of upper and lower extremities and 6 minute walking distance were significantly increased(p<0.05). There were no differences of baseline intracellular pH (pHi) and inorganic phosphate/phosphocreatine(Pi/PCr). After rehabilitation pHi at the exercise and the exhaustion state showed a significant increase($6.91{\pm}0.1$ to $6.99{\pm}0.1$ and $6.76{\pm}0.2$ to $6.84{\pm}0.2$ respectively, p<0.05). Pi/PCr at the exercise and the recovery rate of pHi and Pi/PCr did not show significant differences. These results suggest that the delayed intracellular acidosis of skeletal muscle may contribute to the improvement of exercise endurance after pulmonary rehabilitation.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.12 no.12
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• pp.5518-5524
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to investigate the change of balance ability on aging by measuring balance ability of elderly females whose age is over 65. The subjects are ten elderly women (the mean age: 71.9) able to walk without assistants, the assistant equipments and drug dependence and ten young healthy women (the mean age: 23.2). We measured stability index (ST), Fourier index (F), weight distribution (WD), weight distribution index (WDI), synchronization index (SI) and fall index (FI) by using Tetrax (Tetra-ataxiometric Posturography). In result, STs and Fs at the low frequency region (F1) represented the significant difference between two groups at all postures with PO (pillow with eye open) exception (p<.01). Fs at the other frequency regions (F2~F8) represented the significant difference between two groups (p<.05). WDI of the elderly women represented the higher values than the young women at all postures but there are the significant difference at PO and PC (pillow with eye closed) only. These results may be due to age-related ability decline of somatesthesia, vestibular organ, central nervous system.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.14 no.1
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• pp.209-219
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• 1997

Objectives: Anterior approach to achieve arthrodesis of the cervical spine has become a widely accepted and often-used approach since its earliest reports by Bailey and Badgley, Smith and Robinson and Cloward. However, anterior interbody fusion in the presence of the posterior instability may be complicated by the bone graft dislodgement, kyphotic defomity or nonunion. As an attemp to prevent this undesirable complication, additional methods such as skeletal traction, halo appratus or even posterior fusion has been utilized. Therefore, The cervical spine locking plate(CSLP) with the anterior intervertebral body bone grafting provide immediate cervical stabilization and widely successful in achieving fusion. Material and methods: This study analysed 14 patients who underwent a single anterior procedure and application of CSLP for the treatment of the cervical spinal disorder. Eleven patients were disc herniations and three patients were traumatic lesion. The average age of the patient was 47 years and the mean follow up periods was 20 months ranging from 13 to 27 months. Results: Ambulation was started 2nd day after the operation with the aid of the Philadelpia orthoses. Bone union was observed 13 cases on average 12 weeks after operation. The one case was nonunion with plate breakage without clinical symptom. Conclusion: Anterior fusion with CSLP are thought to be a safe and valuable method for treating cervical spine disorder.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.499-502
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• 2013

An eight-year-old, castrated male, Poodle dog was presented with a bite wound in the neck region. Clinical examination revealed non-ambulatory signs of tetraparesis with deep pain, and upper motor neuron changes in all limbs. Fractures of the transverse process of C1 and the dorsal spinous process of C2 were observed on the radiographs and the computed tomography (CT). Conservative therapy was performed for 1 week. However the neurological problems were not alleviated until 7 days after injury. The owners agreed to perform surgical stabilization. The surgical stabilization was performed 7 days after presentation. Ventral stabilization was performed with screws, K-wires and bone cement. The dog stood up independently after 4 weeks and was able to walk 6 weeks postoperatively. In this report we suggest that using combined stabilization techniques are effective for this type of cervical fracture in which the dorsal and ventral structures of the vertebra are severely disrupted.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.502-505
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• 2012

An 8-month-old, 3.5 kg intact female Toy Poodle was presented for non-weight-bearing lameness on left hindlimb. In radiological testing, left proximal tibal type II Salter-Harris physeal fracture and fibular fracture were seen. Following open reduction, the fracture was stabilized with cross-pins, tension band wires, and a hinged transarticular external skeletal fixator (HTAESF). The range of the HTAESF was increased to $25^{\circ}$ at 7 days postsurgery and to $70^{\circ}$ at 14 days post-surgery. The HTAESF was removed 3 weeks after surgery. At 6 weeks post-surgery, the fracture was successfully healed with no complications and the patient recovered a normal gait. Seven months post-surgery, the patient had a normal gait and a normal stifle joint range of motion compared to the contralateral normal limb. This is a case in which the combined use of cross-pins, tension band wires, and HTAESF was successful for treatment of a proximal tibial physeal fracture in a dog. It is thought that these methods are beneficial for stability of fracture site and recover of joint's normal range of motion through early joint movement.

• Journal of Korean Society of Forest Science
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• v.104 no.1
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• pp.140-149
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• 2015

The aim of this study was to clarify the physiological and psychological effects of walking around and viewing a lake in a forest environment. The subjects included 11 male Japanese university students (age: $22.0{\pm}1.2$ years) who were randomly assigned to visit either a forest or an urban (control) setting. They were instructed to walk a predetermined 15-min course and to view the setting from a seated position for 15 min. Heart rate variability, heart rate, blood pressure, pulse rate, and salivary cortisol levels were measured to assess the subject's physiological responses to the environment. Four questionnaires (SD method, reports of "refreshed" feeling, POMS, and STAI) were administered to assess the subjects' psychological responses. It was found that walking around and viewing a lake in a forest environment can suppress sympathetic nerve activity, increase parasympathetic nerve activity, and decrease the heart rate, blood pressure, pulse rate, and cortisol levels. In addition, a forest environment can enhance the "comfortable," "soothing," "natural," and "refreshed" feelings, improve the mood state, and reduce anxiety. These results provide scientific evidence of the physiological and psychological effects of forest therapy.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.538-549
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• 2019

This study suggests a new platform in which VI can communicate with their guardians who serve as a system administrator optimizing personal characteristics. In terms of interaction between platform components, this study can contribute to enhancing stability of walking by giving substantial information to VI through server processing and setups of guardians with real-time interaction to VI through server processing and setups of guardians with real-time interaction. Therefore, developing smart phone applications can facilitate both portability and cost effectiveness, by the users' downloading the application and registration. In terms of guardians' cost, this system is cost-effective because they can access to the administration system through personal computers or smart phones, not through specialized system devices. This system is web-based, which automatically communicates with the surroundings of, such as provides the guardians with the necessary information or approaches to the danger through IoT devices, which results in enhancing safety. Moreover, it is possible for guardians to utilize the personalized platform since the system not only senses personal characteristics but also sends a number of information to VI. a new platform makes it possible for guardians to provide electronic support and interaction with the application with the application users, which contributes to systematic and safe walk for VI.

• The KIPS Transactions:PartB
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• v.19B no.4
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• pp.209-220
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• 2012

In this paper, we propose an adaptive pavement region detection method that is robust to changes of structural patterns in a natural scene. In order to segment out a pavement reliably, we propose two step approaches. We first detect the borderline of a pavement and separate out the candidate region of a pavement using VRays. The VRays are straight lines starting from a vanishing point. They split out the candidate region that includes the pavement in a radial shape. Once the candidate region is found, we next employ the adaptive multi-seed region growing(A-MSRG) method within the candidate region. The A-MSRG method segments out the pavement region very accurately by growing seed regions. The number of seed regions are to be determined adaptively depending on the encountered situation. We prove the effectiveness of our approach by comparing its performance against the performances of seed region growing(SRG) approach and multi-seed region growing(MSRG) approach in terms of the false detection rate.