• Journal of the Korean Society for Aeronautical & Space Sciences
• /
• v.46 no.4
• /
• pp.345-358
• /
• 2018

The high altitude scientific balloon has been used for decades in advanced aerospace countries such as United States, France, and Japan to carry out various research objectives. Since the initial cost for development and operation is enormous, it has been conducted by national research institutes. Recently, the advent of open source software/hardware ecosystems with low-cost yet high-performance have lowered barriers to enter into scientific balloon research and development. In this study, a zero pressure balloon prototype was designed considering the cost, usability, compatibility, and development period by using commercial off the shelf (COTS) items. In addition, the flight operation experience was accumulated through eight times of the flight tests, and operational reliability of the balloon system was verified. Finally, the foundation for the operation of the large zero pressure balloon was established.

• The Plant Pathology Journal
• /
• v.29 no.4
• /
• pp.440-445
• /
• 2013

Balloon flower (Platycodon grandiflorum) is a kind of mountain herbs whose roots have restorative properties and the cultivating acreage of balloon flower has been steadily increasing in Korea. More frequent rain and high amount of rainfalls as a result of climate changes predisposed balloon flower to the outbreaks of root rot at high-density cultivation area in recent years. Root crowns were usually discolored into brown to blackish brown at first and the infected plants showed slight wilting symptom at early infection stage. Severely infected roots were entirely rotted and whole plants eventually died at late infection stage. The overall disease severities of root rot of balloon flower were quite variable according to the surveyed fields in Jeonnam, Gyeongnam and Jeju Provinces, which ranged from 0.1% to 40%. The root rot occurred more severely at the paddy or clay soils than the sandy soils and their severities were much higher at lowland than upland in the same localty. The disease increased with aging of the balloon flower. The causal fungi were identified as Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum on the basis of their mycological characteristics. The optimum temperature ranges of their mycelial growths was found to be $24^{\circ}C$. The pathogenic characters of F. solani and F. oxysporum treated by artificial wounding inoculation on healthy roots of balloon flower revealed that F. solani was more virulent than F. oxysporum. This study identified the causal agents of root rot of balloon flower as Fusarium solani and F. oxysporum, probably for the first time.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
• /
• v.18 no.3
• /
• pp.17-24
• /
• 2011

Background : Pulmonary rehabilitation, called pulmonary rehab or PR, is a broad program that helps improve the well-being of people who have chronic (ongoing) breathing problems. Purpose : The purpose of this study was to demonstrate the effects of the upper abdominal exercise and balloon blow-up on the abdominal muscle strength and Respiratory ability for 20's adults. Method : Recruited Subjects were healthy students attending H university. Twenty-one subjects who agreed to participate in this study were randomly assigned to 3 groups; I group applied upper abdominal exercise, IIgroup applied balloon blow-up, III group applied both upper abdominal exercises and balloon blow-ups. Upper abdominal muscle exercises was applied supine position and $30^{\circ}{\sim}40^{\circ}$ in the upper body lift braced for about 3 seconds, and balloon blow-ups was performed 10 times a day. The exercise programs were performed three times a week for 5 weeks. Results: After 5 weeks of exercises, all three groups were comparable with abdominal muscle strength and respiratory ability. Subjects in upper abdominal exercise group, balloon blow-ups group, and upper abdominal exercises and balloon blow-ups group had significantly increased the average of abdominal muscle strength(p<.05) The statistical comparison among the groups indicated that there was a signigicant increase in respiratory ability. In comparison of abdominal muscle strength and respiratory ability, there were no significant differences among 3 groups. Conclusions: These findings suggest that upper abdominal exercises and balloon blow-ups may have a significant impact in abdominal muscle strength and respiratory ability.

• Archives of Craniofacial Surgery
• /
• v.24 no.2
• /
• pp.52-58
• /
• 2023

Background: Complex orbital fractures are impure orbital fractures because they involve the orbital walls and mid-facial bones. The author reported an orbital wall restoration technique in which the primary orbital wall fragments were restored to their prior position in complex orbital fractures in 2020. As a follow-up to a previous preliminary study, this study retrospectively reviewed the surgical results of complex orbital wall fractures over a 4-year period and compared the surgical outcomes by dividing them into groups with and without balloon restoration. Methods: Data of 939 patients with facial bone fractures between August 2018 and August 2022 were reviewed. Of these, 154 had complex orbital fractures. Among them, 44 and 110 underwent reduction with and without the balloon technique respectively. Pre- and postoperative Naugle exophthalmometer (Good-Lite Co.) scales were evaluated. The orbital volume and orbital volume ratio were calculated from preoperative and 6 months postoperative computed tomography images. Results: Among 154 patients with complex orbital fractures, 44 patients underwent restoration with the balloon technique, and 110 patients underwent restoration without it. The Naugle scale did not differ significantly between the two groups, but the orbital volume ratio significantly decreased by 3.32% and 2.39% in groups with and without the balloon technique and the difference in OVR was significantly greater in patients in the balloon restoration group compared with the control group. Postoperative balloon rupture occurred in six out of 44 cases (13.64%). None of the six patients with balloon rupture showed significant enophthalmos at 6 months of follow-up. Conclusion: The balloon rupture rate was 13.64% (6/44 cases) with marginal screw fixation, blunt screws, and extra protection with a resorbable foam dressing. Furthermore, we restored the orbital wall with primary orbital fragments using balloon support in complex orbital wall fractures.

• Archives of Plastic Surgery
• /
• v.34 no.6
• /
• pp.729-734
• /
• 2007

Purpose: The operative treatment for blow-out fracture involves restoration of intra-orbital soft tissue and bony structural integrity. There are several methods for reconstruction of inferior blow out fracture. We report reduction of inferior blow-out fracture with urinary balloon catheter in comparison with $Medpor^{(R)}$ using group to complication rate. Methods: A retrospective study was performed on 67 patients who underwent inferior orbital blow-out fracture reconstruction with $Medpor^{(R)}$ implant or urinary balloon catheter following between 2003 and 2006. Hospital records were reviewed especially for preoperative and postoperative enophthalmos, diplopia, extraocular muscle movement limitations, and hypoesthesia between $Medpor^{(R)}$ implant group and balloon catheter using group. Results: There was no significant statistical difference between both groups on incidence of postoperative complications of enophthalmos, diplopia, extraocular muscle movement limitations, and hypoesthesia. Postoperative infection, ectropion were absent in both groups.Conclusion: The use of urinary balloon catheter is simple, fast and inexpensive. Urinary balloon catheter is an alternative and reliable use for reduction of inferior orbital blow-out fracture.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Laryngology, Phoniatrics and Logopedics
• /
• v.18 no.2
• /
• pp.118-121
• /
• 2007

Background and Objectives: Silicone, Gore- Tex, Gelfoam, Collagen and autologous fat are used for thyroplasty in case of vocal fold paralysis or paresis. These implants have many advantages, such as biocompatibility, low price and easy handling and accessibility. But additional voice modification is impossible using these materials. So, we design new thyroplasty technique, called balloon thyroplasty using Foley catheter. Materal and Methods: The fresh human larynx was dissected in midline posteriorly. Minithyrotomy hole was created using 5mm cutting burr in the midline of thyroid cartilage. Subperichondrial dissection was done using Duckbill elevator up to vocal process. Balloon catheter(1.5cm balloon size) was inserted through the subperichondrial tunnel. The balloon was inflated to medialize the vocal cord. Results: After ballooning, the true vocal cord medialized mimicking thyroplasty. Conclusion: The authors found that Balloon thyroplasty could be a good candidate for vocal fold medialization technique. The technical refinement and in vivo safety are reserved for the ongoing study.

• Proceedings of the IEEK Conference
• /
• 2001.06e
• /
• pp.73-76
• /
• 2001

A segmentation is a prior processing for medical image analysis and 3D reconstruction. This Paper provides the method to segment 3D Visible Human color images. Firstly, the reference images that have a initial curve are segmented using Balloon and the results are propagated to the adjacent images. In the propagation processing, the result of the adjacent slice is modified by Edge-limited SRG Finally, the 3D Balloon improves the segmentation results of each 2D slice. the proposed method's performance was verified through the experiments to segment thigh muscles of Visible Human color images.

• Pediatric Gastroenterology, Hepatology & Nutrition
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.137-142
• /
• 2005

Purpose: To evaluate the safety, efficacy and technical problems of the endoscopic balloon dilatation of esophageal anomalies in children. Methods: The medical records of 8 children treated by endoscopic balloon dilatation for esophageal anomalies over a 10-year period at Pusan National University Hospital were reviewed retrospectively. The balloon catheter (Maxforce TTS or CRE, Boston Scientific Co., USA) was positioned across the area of narrowing by direct visualization. The balloon was slowly inflated with normal saline to specified pressures for each balloon and maintained for 60 seconds and then deflated. After 60 seconds pause, the procedure was repeated with a larger sized balloon (increments of 1 mm for each subsequent dilation) till effective dilatation was confirmed by direct visualization without complications. Results: Three male and five female were included and their mean age was 4.2 years. A total of 27 (average of 3.2 per patient) dilatation were performed. Underlying diseases of patients are postoperative stricture of esophageal atresia in 3 cases, esophageal ring in 2 cases, achalasia, corrosive esophagitis and hypertensive LES in one case respectively. The size of initial dilating balloon was chosen on the basis of the diameter of the narrowing determined by endoscopy. The first dilation in patients with severe esophageal stricture was made with a 6 mm sized balloon. Complications observed were esophageal perforation and respiratory holding during the procedure in one case respectively. Successful outcome was seen in 6 patients (75%). Conclusion: Endoscopic balloon dilatation can provide a safe and effective mean of treating esophageal anomalies in children and should be considered the treatment of choice in the initial management of those cases.

• The Korean Journal of Nuclear Medicine
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.163-171
• /
• 1999

Purpose: Liquid beta emitter filled in angioplasty balloon could be used to perform endovascular balloon brachytherapy to prevent coronary artery restenosis. We investigated the dosimetry for Re-188-DTPA liquid-filled balloon and medical internal radiation dosimetry in case of balloon leakage. Materials and Methods: We estimated radiation dose from an angioplasty balloon (20 mm length, 3 mm diameter cylinder) to the adjacent vessel wall using Monte Carlo EGS4 code. We obtained time-activity curves of kidneys in normal dog and calculated $T_{max},\;T_{1/2}$. Using MIRDOSE3 program, we estimated absorbed doses to the major organs (kidneys, bladder) and the whole body when we assumed that balloon leaked all the isotope contained. Results: The radiation dose was 17.5 Gy at the balloon surface when we applied 3,700 MBq/ml of Re-188 for 100 seconds, Fifty percent of the energy deposited within 1 mm from the balloon surface. The estimated internal dose to the whole body was 0.005 mGy/MBq and 18.5 mGy for the spillage of 3,700 MBq of Re-188. Conclusion: We suggest that Re-188-DTPA can be used for endovascular balloon brachytherapy to inhibit coronary artery restenosis after angioplasty with tolerable whole body radiation dose in case of balloon rupture.

• Journal of Life Science
• /
• v.27 no.9
• /
• pp.1059-1063
• /
• 2017

Angiogenesis is an essential step in tumoral growth and metastasis and is regulated by a balance between stimulators and inhibitors. Recently, antiangiogenic target therapy has shown promise as a new type of chemotherapy. Natural products have attracted widespread attention worldwide as a useful source of novel therapeutic compounds. The balloon-flower has long been used as a traditional medicinal material and food in Asia. In this study, we investigated whether extract of balloon-flower would inhibit in vitro angiogenesis and vascular-like network formation in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The extract of Balloon-flower did not affect the viability of HUVECs. However, treatment with the Balloon-flower extract suppressed tube formation of HUVECs. In addition, after treatment with the Balloon-flower extract, cell migration decreased about 80%, and cell invasion was almost completely inhibited. Taken together, these results suggest that extract of Balloon-flower may have potential as an angiogenic inhibitor and that it could be developed as an anticancer agent.