• Environmental Analysis Health and Toxicology
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• v.18 no.2
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• pp.101-109
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• 2003

Humans are exposed to toxic element arsenic (As) from air, food and water The current study was performed to investigate the levels of arsenic in the internal organs (liver, kidney cortex, lung, cerebrum. abdominal muscle and abdominal skin) and to find out correlation with age and interrelationship between tissues in Korean human bodies who had lived in Seoul or Gyeonggi Province and Honam district. The tissues from 43 Korean cadavers were digested with microwave digestion system and arsenic was determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometer (ICP-MS). The mean recovery percentages of arsenic In liver were about 80％ and artenic concentrations in human tissues were almost uniform. The mean level of arsenic in internal tissues were at follow ; liver 44.556${\pm}$25.199 ppb, kidney cortex 42.652${\pm}$22.082 pub, lung 31.020 ${\pm}$ 17.504 ppb. cerebrum 35.703 ${\pm}$22.191 ppb, muscle 43.413${\pm}$26.619 ppb and skin 42.106${\pm}$25.8,11 ppb. No significant difference was found in the levels of arsenic between sexes. Meanwhile significant differences between districts where they had lived were found in all tissues tested. The levels of arsenic in the tissues of cadavers who had lived in Seoul Gyeonggi Province were higher than those of Honam district. In addition a positive correlation between As concentration and age was observed only in the cerebrum (p < 0.05). A significantly high correlations between tissues were observed in all tissues tested. This result also shows that the distribution of arsenic is uniform in internal tissues.

• Transactions of the Korean Society of Mechanical Engineers A
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• v.40 no.3
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• pp.289-296
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• 2016

This study presents the kinematics of an intrinsic continuum robot actuated by pneumatic artificial muscles. The single section of a developed continuum robot consisted of three muscles in parallel. The contraction of each muscle according to applied air pressure produced spatial motions of a distal plate with respect to a base plate. Based on the bending behaviors of artificial muscles, the orientation and position of the end-effector of a continuum robot were formulated using a transformation matrix. The orientation and position was also determined for a single section of the distal plate. A Jacobian matrix relating the contraction rate or the pressure rate of the muscles to the velocity vector of the end-effector was calculated considering the assembled position of actuators between neighboring sections of the robot. Experimental results showed that the motions of the intrinsic continuum robot were accurately estimated by the proposed kinematics.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.1-7
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• 2011

Background : Respiratory muscle weakness has serious clinical consequences. Vital Capacity is the volume of air that is normally exchanged in a single breath. It varies widely with pulmonary health and overall fitness. Purpose : The purpose of this study was to investigate the variation of vital capacity(VC) according to the effects of Kinesio taping and balloons blowing. Methods : Twenty-one non-smokers were participated in this research and these subjects were randomly assigned into three groups; a balloons blowing group(n=7), a Kinesio taping group(n=7), and a balloons blowing and Kinesio taping group(n=7). This experiment was done from June 22, 2009 to July 5, 2009. In order to measure the VC variation effects of Kinesio taping, balloons blowing, and both intervention, an windmill type spiropet was used. The collected data were analyzed statistically by using a paired t-test and ANCOVA. Results : The results of this study were as follows; 1) In the case of balloons blowing, there was a significant difference, 3.35% increase of VC, between before and after 2 weeks experiments(p<.01). 2) In the case of Kinesio taping, there was a significant difference, 11.66% increase of VC, between before and after 2 weeks taping intervention(p<01). 3) In the case of both balloon blowing and Kinesio taping, there was a significant difference, 15.84% increase of VC, between before and after 2 weeks both interventions(p<.01). 4) After 2 weeks experiment, the improvement of VC was shown a significant difference with intergroup(p<.05). Conclusion : From these results, it was revealed that balloons blowing or Kinesio taping, or both interventions were effective to improve VC of healthy adults.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Clothing and Textiles
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• v.37 no.8
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• pp.1060-1074
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• 2013

This study measured and analyzed pressure at each measurement part of imported compression stockings sold in Korea to provide basic information to establish a pressure standard and grade ranking. This study used 40 medical compression stockings imported from 6 countries. Pressure measurements were taken at 11 points: front side and back side of ankle, end-point of the gastrocnemius muscle, front, inner side, back, and outer side of calf, back side of below knew girth, inner side, and outer side of mid-thigh girth, and inner side of thigh girth. AMI 3037-10 and AMI 3037-2 were used for measurements taken inside an environmental chamber at a temperature of $21^{\circ}C$ and a relative humidity (RH) of 65%. For the measurements, 11 air pack sensors were attached to a wooden model leg (Hohenstein) and three measurements were taken at each measurement point in three minutes. The average of these measurements was used for analysis. The findings of this study were as follows. As for the front side of the ankle, of the 40 products, 14 products (6 USA, 2 Swiss, 3 Italian, and 2 Taiwanese) were within the pressure range indicated on the product label; however, no German products fell within the pressure range. A total of 8 products (5 USA, 1 Swiss, 1 Italian, and 1 German) were gradient compression type; however, no Japanese or Taiwanese product were of this type. The majority of products had the highest pressure at the end-point of the gastrocnemius muscle. Only 3 products, 1 USA (Jobst Opaque 30-40mmHg), 1 Swiss (Sigvaris Cotton 34-46mmHg) and 1 Italian (Jobstocking 25-32mmHg), had measurements that met the indicated standard pressure, were a gradient compression type, and met the overall standard for compression stockings.

• Asian-Australasian Journal of Animal Sciences
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.282-289
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• 2019

Objective: This study aimed to elucidate whether innovative sous vide treatment has a significant influence on the beef semitendinosus muscle as compared to common sous vide treatment and traditional cooking. Methods: The innovative sous vide treatments were cooked at $45^{\circ}C$ and $65^{\circ}C$ for 6 h (SV45-65), common sous vide treatment at $45^{\circ}C$ and $65^{\circ}C$ for 3 h (SV45 and SV65) and traditional cooking at $75^{\circ}C$ for 30 min (CON75). Water loss and cooking loss, as well as the physical properties (color and shear force) and chemical properties (protein and collagen solubility) of the treated meat, were investigated. Results: The results obtained indicated that the innovative sous vide with double thermal treatment (SV45-65) and cooked with air presence (CON75) resulted to lower $a^*$ and higher $b^*$ values, respectively. The water loss and cooking loss increased when temperature increased from $45^{\circ}C$ to $65^{\circ}C$, and lower water loss was recorded in SV45 and CON75. These samples presented higher water content and revealed strong correlation to protein solubility. Warner-Bratzler shear force (SF) analysis showed the marked interaction between cooking temperature and time. Sample cooked at a high temperature (CON75) and a long period (SV45-65) showed a significantly lower value of SF than sample SV65 (p<0.05). Interestingly, there was no difference in SF values between SV45-65 and CON75. Conclusion: The innovative sous vide treatment with double thermal effect appears an attractive cooking method as compared to common sous vide and traditional cooking method, as it has a potential for improving tenderness values of cooked beef semitendinosus muscle.

• Korean Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.41-46
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• 1994

This study was undertaken to clarify the effect of killing methods on physical and rheological changes of plaice, Paralichthys olivaceus muscle at early period after death. Plaices killed by the four different methods(1. spiking at the brain instantly. 2. drowning in air. 3. dipping in 1,000ppm ethylaminobenzoate dissolved sea water as an anesthetic. 4. electrifying in sea water.) were stored at $5^{\circ}C$, and the rigor-index and breaking strength through storage were monitored. The longest onset time of rigor-mortis and full rigor was in the samples killed by dipping in sea water with dissolved anesthetic among all samples, where rigor-mortis began at 20hrs after killing and maximum tension was attained after 56hrs. However, in the cases of plaice electrified in sea water or drowned in air, the onset of rigor-mortis began just after killing and maximum tensions were attained after 9hrs and 13hrs, respectively. The level of breaking strength in the muscle of fish killed by spiking the brain instantly was $950.30{\pm}50.23g$, immediately after killing. The value and time reached around the maximum breaking strength for each of the samples were $1,230.60{\pm}30.32g$ and Ohr (immediately after killing) for samples killed by electrifying in sea water, $1,235.83{\pm}35.37g$ and 2.5hrs for drowning samples, $1,186.29{\pm}55.90g$ and 10hrs for spiking samples, and $1,189.67{\pm}50.32g$ and 15hrs for samples dipped in anesthetic, respectively. From the results above, it could be concluded that electrification in sea water is the most effective method in accelerating rigor-mortis and shortening times of reaching the maximum breaking strength of fresh plaice flesh of all the killing methods at early periods after death, whereas dipping in sea water treated with anesthetic was the most effective way in delaying those changes.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.279-289
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• 1995

This study was designed 1) to develop a hypertensive animal model in which the blood pressures (BPs) of symmetric regions (right and left upper extremities) are significantly different and 2) to test the effect of BP per se on the contractility and endothelium-dependent relaxation of vascular smooth muscle. Rabbits were anesthetized with sodium pentobarbital and ventilated with room air via animal respirator. The transverse aorta was exposed through the left second intercostal space and the lumen of the aorta was narrowed partially by ligation using 3-0 silk and a probe at a point between the origins of the brachiocephalic trunk and the left subclavian artery. Four to eight weeks postoperatively, BPs were measured in the carotid artery as the high BP area (proximal to coactation site) and in the femoral artery as the low BP area (distal to coarctation site). In the animal model, pressure-overload hypertension was developed and the BP of the right subclavian artery was higher than that of the left subclavian artery. The concentrations of circulating epinephrine, norepinephrine, angiotensin I, and angiotensin II were measured. The right and left subclavian arteries and their branches were used for isometric tension recording in organ baths and their responsiveness to phenylephrine, serotonin, acetylcholine, and sodium nitroprusside were examined. The BPs of carotid and femoral artery in control animals were $116{\pm} 12/75{\pm}9\;mmHg (mean ${\pm}SEM$) and $130{\pm}16/68{\pm}9\;mmHg$ respectively, while those of carotid and femoral artery in the hypetensive animals were $172{\pm}6/111{\pm}10\;mmHg$ and 136{\pm} 4/100 {\pm}9\;mmHg$ respectively. There were no significant differences in the concentrations of circulating epinephrine, norepinephrine, angiotensin I, and angiotensin II between controls and the animal models. No significant differences were found in the vascular sensitivities to phenylephrine and serotonin between the high pressure-exposed vessels and the low pressure-exposed vessels. However, the endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine and nitroprusside-induced relaxation showed significant differences between the high pressure-exposed and the low pressure-exposed subclavian arteries. From the above results, we suggest that the contractility of vascular smooth muscle is unchanged by the elevated pressure per se. However, the endothelium-dependent relaxation to acetylcholine and the nitroprusside-induced relaxation are attenuated by pressure.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.8 no.1
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• pp.137-146
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• 2020

Purpose : The enhancement of abdominal muscles increases the activation and contraction of respiratory muscles, including the diaphragm. Generally, diaphragm exercises are applied to increase the breathing ability of patients with respiratory disease. Previous studies have shown that breathing capacity can be increased through abdominal muscle strengthening exercises. However, studies on breathing ability are rare and it is doubtful whether these affect respiratory ability more than diaphragm exercises. Therefore, this study seeks to compare whether abdominal exercises can improve breathing ability and whether any increase is comparable to diaphragm exercises. Methods : After selecting subjects, the place of intervention was separated for blindness. The plank group was allowed to relax for 30 seconds after 30 seconds of planking; this was set at three and increased by one set each week. Subjects in the draw-in group were allowed to relax for 30 seconds after maintaining the draw-in contraction state for 30 seconds and this was done for 15 minutes. Subjects in the control group underwent abdominal dilation for five seconds of inspiration time and expired air for five seconds by exposing the lips; breathing was performed repeatedly for 15 minutes. Subjects in each group measured their respiration function three times before intervention, three weeks after the commencement of intervention and after intervention. Spirovit SP-1 was used to measure respiratory function. In each group, repeated ANOVA was used to compare the respiratory function over time and one-way ANOVA was used to compare the respiratory function between groups. The post hoc was conducted using the LSD method. Results : There was a significant increase in respiratory ability between the forced vital capacity (FVC), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁) and peak expiratory flow (PEF), forced expiratory volume in one second (FEV₁)/forced vital capacity (FVC) according to the six-week period. However, there was no difference between each group. Conclusion : For patients with low respiratory muscle strength, plank exercises and abdominal draw-in are beneficial exercises for improving respiratory function. These are expected to be widely used in clinical practice for patients with weak respiratory muscles.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.53 no.3
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• pp.93-103
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• 2020

Background: Risk assessment for pulmonary resection in patients with early-stage non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is important for minimizing postoperative morbidity. Depletion of skeletal muscle mass is closely associated with impaired nutritional status and limited physical ability. We evaluated the relationship between skeletal muscle depletion and early postoperative complications in patients with early-stage NSCLC. Methods: Patients who underwent curative lung resection between 2016 and 2018 and who were diagnosed with pathological stage I/II NSCLC were included, and their records were retrospectively analyzed. The psoas volume index (PVI, ㎤/㎥) was calculated based on computed tomography images from routine preoperative positron emission tomography-computed tomography. Early postoperative complications, defined as those occurring within 90 days of surgery, were compared between the lowest sex-specific quartile for PVI and the remaining quartiles. Results: A strong correlation was found between the volume and the cross-sectional area of the psoas muscle (R²=0.816). The overall rate of complications was 57.6% among patients with a low PVI and 32.8% among those with a normal-to-high PVI. The most common complication was prolonged air leak (low PVI, 16.9%; normal-to-high PVI, 9.6%), followed by pneumonia (low PVI, 13.6%; normal-to-high PVI, 7.9%) and recurrent pleural effusion (low PVI, 11.9%; normal-to-high PVI, 6.8%). The predictors of overall complications were low PVI (odds ratio [OR], 2.18; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.07-4.09; p=0.03), low hemoglobin level (OR, 0.686; 95% CI, 0.54-0.87; p=0.002), and smoking history (OR, 3.93; 95% CI, 2.03-7.58; p<0.001). Conclusion: Low PVI was associated with a higher rate of early postoperative complications in patients with early-stage NSCLC.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.420-426
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• 2020

In this study, an assistive device for BVM (Bag Valve Mask) was developed. When emergencies occur, rescuers must perform artificial respiration within four minutes utilizing suitable BVM. If not, the patient can suffer serious damage within their brain and body systems. The rescuer must execute artificial respiration until the patient arrives at the hospital. In the process of artificial respiration, the rescuer can feel fatigued in their forearm muscles, particularly those who may have smaller hands or weaker muscle strength. Many products have been developed to solve these problems, but these products are difficult to market and commercialize because of their volume, size, and difficulty of use. In this paper, the BVM assistive device that has been previously manufactured was improved, and an attempt was made to devise a new method that reduces the burden on the user. The BVM assistive device can be divided into three-parts: a head part for compressing the air bag, which can control the amount of air; the body part for coupling with BVM; and finally, the handle that can rotate for better use on various postures of patients. Throughout the experiment, the assistive device could inject an equal amount of air into the patients. As a result, the rescuer could feel less fatigue and inject a suitable amount of air to emergency patients during artificial respiration.