• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.3
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• pp.275-281
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• 2015

Objective : In order for Taekwondo athletes to perform destructive kicking performance, they are expected to have Taekwondo-specific muscle properties such as high muscle strength and power. The purpose of this study was to investigate the joint angle-dependent force-producing property of Taekwondo athletes' knee extensor muscles, which is one of the primary muscle groups involved in kicking performance. Method : Ten Taekwondo male athletes (age: $19.9{\pm}0.7yrs$, height: $180.6{\pm}6.2cm$, body mass: $75.9{\pm}8.9kg$, career: $9.2{\pm}2.9yrs$.) and 10 healthy male non-athletes (age: $26.3{\pm}2.6yrs$, height: $174.2{\pm}4.8cm$, body mass: $72.8{\pm}7.7kg$) participated in this study. Subjects performed maximum isometric knee extension at knee joint angles of $40^{\circ}$, $60^{\circ}$, $80^{\circ}$, and $100^{\circ}$ (the full knee extension was set to $0^{\circ}$) with the hip joint angles of $0^{\circ}$ and $80^{\circ}$ (the full extension was set to $0^{\circ}$). During the contractions, knee extension torque using an isokinetic dynamometer simultaneously with muscle activities of the rectus femoris (RF), and the vastus lateralis (VL) and vastus medialis (VM) using surface electromyography were recorded. Based on the torque values at systematically different knee-hip joint angles, the joint torque-angle relationships were established and then the optimal joint angle for the knee extensor was estimated. Results : The results of this study showed that the isometric knee extension torque values were greater for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group at all hip-knee joint angle combinations (p<.05). When the hip joint was set at $80^{\circ}$, the peak isometric torque was greater for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group ($313.61{\pm}36.79Nm$ and $221.43{\pm}35.92Nm$, respectively; p<.05) but the estimated optimum knee joint angles were similar ($62.33{\pm}5.71^{\circ}$ and $62.30{\pm}4.67^{\circ}$ for the Taekwondo athletes and non-athlete group, respectively). When the hip joint was set at $0^{\circ}$, the peak isometric torque was greater for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group ($296.29{\pm}45.13Nm$ and $199.58{\pm}25.23Nm$, respectively; p<.05) and the estimated optimum knee joint angle was larger for the Taekwondo athletes compared with the non-athlete group ($78.47{\pm}5.14^{\circ}$ and $67.54{\pm}5.77^{\circ}$, respectively; p<.05). Conclusion : The results of this study suggests that, compared with non-athletes, Taekwondo athletes have stronger knee extensor strength at all hip-knee joint angle combinations as well as longer optimum muscle length, which might be optimized for the event-specific required performance through prolonged training period.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.31-38
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• 2011

This study aimed to determine the effects of the blockage of visual feedback on joint dynamics of the lower extremity. Fifteen healthy male subjects(age: $24.1{\pm}2.3\;yr$, height: $178.7{\pm}5.2\;cm$, weight: $73.6{\pm}6.6\;kg$) participated in this study. Each subject performed single-legged landing from a 45 cm-platform with the eyes open or closed. During the landing performance, three-dimensional kinematics of the lower extremity and ground reaction force(GRF) were recorded using a 8 infrared camera motion analysis system (Vicon MX-F20, Oxford Metric Ltd, Oxford, UK) with a force platform(ORG-6, AMTI, Watertown, MA). The results showed that at 50 ms prior to foot contact and at the time of foot contact, ankle plantar-flexion angle was smaller(p<.05) but the knee joint valgus and the hip flexion angles were greater with the eyes closed as compared to with the eyes open(p<.05). An increase in anterior GRF was observed during single-legged landing with the eyes closed as compared to with the eyes open(p<.05). Time to peak GRF in the medial, vertical and posterior directions occurred significantly earlier when the eyes were closed as compared to when the eyes were open(p<.05). Landing with the eyes closed resulted in a higher peak vertical loading rate(p<.05). In addition, the shock-absorbing power decreased at the ankle joint(p<.05) but increased at the hip joints when landing with the eyes closed(p<.05). When the eyes were closed, landing could be characterized by a less plantarflexed ankle joint and more flexed hip joint, with a faster time to peak GRF. These results imply that subjects are able to adapt the control of landing to different feedback conditions. Therefore, we suggest that training programs be introduced to reduce these injury risk factors.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.68 no.3
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• pp.180-184
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• 2010

Slowly growing lung cancers are quite rare and the leading cause of length time bias and over-diagnosis bias in lung cancer screening. We report 6 cases of slowly growing lung cancer in a tertiary hospital between January 1999 and December 2008. The clinical characteristics of these 6 cases with slowly growing lung cancer were examined. The median age at diagnosis was 68 years (range, 49~72), and 5 patients (83%) were female. The most common histology type was adenocarcinoma (83%). After excluding two patients who showed no change in the tumor size, the median tumor doubling time was 189 months (range, 86~387). The proportion of patients with slowly growing lung cancer appears to be particularly large in women, especially among patients with adenocarcinoma. Our experience shows that slowly growly lung cancers are more heterogeneous and diverse.

• Tuberculosis and Respiratory Diseases
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• v.64 no.4
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• pp.318-323
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• 2008

It is difficult to distinguish a lung cancer from a pulmonary tuberculoma or other benign nodule. It is even more difficult to identify the type of lesion if the mass shows no change in size or demonstrates slow growth. Only a pathological confirmation can possibly reveal the nature of the lesion. A 61-year-old-woman was referred for a solitary pulmonary nodule. The nodule showed no change in size for the first two years and continued to grow slowly. Pathological and immunological analyses were conducted for confirmation of the nodule. The nodule was identified as a well-differentiated primary pulmonary adenocarcinoma. An LULobectomy was performed, and the post surgical stage of the nodule was IIIA (T2N2M0). Even though there are few risk factors, there is still the possibility of a malignancy in cases of non-growing or slow growing solitary pulmonary nodules. Therefore, pathological confirmation is encouraged to obtain a firm diagnosis.

• Journal of the Korean Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.383-388
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• 2019

High purity SiC fine powder with metal impurity contents of less than 1 ppm was synthesized by improved carbothermal reduction process, and the synthesized powder was used for SiC single crystal growth in RF heating PVT device at temperature above 2,100℃. In-situ x-ray image analyzer was used to observe the sublimation of the powder and single crystal growth behavior during the growth process. SiC powder was used as a source of single crystal growth, exhausted from the outside of the graphite crucible at the growth temperature and left graphite residues. During the growth, the flow of raw materials was concentrated in the middle and influenced the growth behavior of SiC single crystals. This is due to the difference in temperature distribution inside the crucible due to the fine powder. After the single crystal growth was completed, the single crystal ingot was cut into a 1 mm thick single crystal substrate and finely polished using a diamond abrasive slurry. A dark yellow 4H-SiC was observed overall of single crystal substrate, and the polycrystals generated in the outer part may be caused by the incorporation of impurities such as the bubble layer mixed in the process of attaching the seed crystal to the seed holder.

• Journal of the Korea Concrete Institute
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• v.24 no.5
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• pp.585-596
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• 2012

In this study, the flexural characteristics of reinforced polymer concrete T-beams strengthened with GFRP, typically used for bridges and parking structures, are investigated. A method to determine the flexural failure mode of reinforced polymer concrete T-beams comprised of compression failure (CF), tension failure (TF), and fiber sheet failure (FF) for different levels of GFRP strengthening is proposed. Moreover, the present study provides a formula to calculate the design flexural strength for each failure mode. In reinforced polymer concrete T-beams strengthened with GFRP, an ideal failure mode can be achieved when the failure occurs in the following order: 1) yield of steel reinforcement, 2) failure of GFRP, and 3) compression failure of concrete. In the case of FF mode, due to GFRP failure before the polymer concrete crushing in compression region, a concept of equivalent rectangular block based on the ultimate limit state of concrete should not be used. Thus, this study suggests an idealized stress-strain curve for polymer concrete and finds parameters for stress block, ${\alpha}$ and ${\beta}$ based on the strain distribution in polymer concrete. Furthermore, the present study suggests an aspect ratio of 2.5 by examining the compressive stress distribution and design flexural strength characteristics for different aspect ratio of T-beams. This study also provides a design flexural strength formula, and validates its acceptability based on experiment and theoretical analysis.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Electromagnetic Engineering and Science
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.602-612
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• 2013

In this paper, a design and fabrication of miniaturized 5.3 GHz reflection type $360^{\circ}$ analog phase shifter with branch line coupler and $360^{\circ}$ variable reactance load. In order to miniaturize phase shifter, novel branch line coupler is proposed. The novel branch line coupler is miniaturized using transformation of transmission line to T and ${\pi}$ type equivalent circuit. The miniaturized branch line coupler has small size of above 50 % compared with conventional branch line coupler. For wide phase shift range, $360^{\circ}$ variable reactance load structure is adopted. Especially, the structure was improved for linear phase shift by adding transmission line which acts as an impedance transformer. The improved structure was miniaturized using the equivalent lumped-element of transmission line. The fabricated phase shifter with $15{\times}15mm^2$ shows wide phase shift of above $480^{\circ}$, the insertion loss of -4~-6 dB and the reflection loss of below -20 dB at 5.3 GHz under 0~10 V control voltage range.

• Journal of Environmental Science International
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• v.26 no.12
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• pp.1355-1362
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• 2017

This study was performed to evaluate the possibility of application of lactic acid bacteria fermentation to increase the anti-allergic activity of the extracts from Houttuynia cordata Thunb. H. cordata Thunb was fermented on 25, 30, 35 and $40^{\circ}C$ for 5 days by two species of lactic acid bacteria, Leuconostoc mesenteroides 4395 and Lactobacillus sakei 383. The anti-allergic activity of water extracts of H. cordata Thunb was then analyzed both before and after fermentation. Anti-allergic activity was determined in vitro assays by using 5-lipoxygenase (5-LO), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) and ${\beta}$-hexoseaminidase release of RBL-2H3 cells (degranulation marker). The extracts fermented at $35^{\circ}C$ by both bacteria had the highest inhibitory activities against 5-LO, and also higher than the control, and the one fermented at $30^{\circ}C$ by both bacteria had the highest inhibitory activity against COX-2. The degranulation of RBL-2H3 cells induced by IgE-antigen complex was estimated as ${\beta}$-hexoseaminidase release rate as reference of 100%, the release rates were inhibited in $25{\mu}g/ml$ of the extracts fermented at 30, 35 and $40^{\circ}C$ only by L. mesenteroides 4395. These results indicate that anti-allergic activity of H. cordata Thunb is increased by lactic acid bacteria fermentation.

• Journal of Gastric Cancer
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• v.16 no.4
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• pp.221-229
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• 2016

Purpose: Dysregulated microRNAs (miRNAs) can contribute to cancer development by leading to abnormal proliferation of cells, apoptosis, and differentiation. Although several miRNAs that are related to gastric cancer have been identified, the reported results have been inconsistent. The aim of this study was to determine miRNA expression profiles and validate miRNAs up- and down-regulated in gastric cancer. Materials and Methods: We evaluated 34 primary gastric cancer tissues and paired adjacent nontumorous gastric tissues. Total RNA was extracted, and low-molecular-weight RNAs (<200 nucleotides) were isolated for further analysis. Two pairs of tissues were processed for GeneChip microarray analysis, and the identified up- and down-regulated miRNAs were validated by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). Results: In the set of differentially expressed miRNAs, 5 were overexpressed by more than 2 fold, and 5 were reduced by 2 fold or less in gastric cancer tissues compared with normal gastric tissues. Four of these miRNAs (miR-196b-5p, miR-375, miR-483-5p, and miR-486-5p) were then validated by qPCR, and the relative expression levels of 2 miRNAs (miR-196b-5p and miR-375) were significantly different between cancer and normal tissues. Conclusions: Our results revealed that the expression of miR-196b-5p and miR-375 significantly correlates with gastric cancer. These miRNAs could therefore serve as diagnostic biomarkers of gastric cancer.

• Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.84-94
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• 1991

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the influence of high does carbon tetrachloride($CCl_4$) on the hepatotoxic effect of dimethylnitrosamine(DMN) which induces acute hemorrhagic necrosis in liver. Rats were injected intraperitoneally DMN dissolved in physiologic saline by a dose of 40mg/kg. For changes related to $CCl_4$ pretreatment, rats were injected intraperitoneally $CCl_4$ dissolved in olive oil by a dose of 0.4mg/kg, and then injected DMN. The livers were extracted from the rats 3, 6, 12, 24, 48, 72, and 120 hours after $CCl_4$ and/or DMN injection. Liver tissues were examined with light and electron microscopes. The results were summarized as follows ; Light microscopic findings : Severe centrilobular hemorrhagic necrosis developed from 12 hours after injection of DMN and continued to 120 hours. On injection of DMN after $CCl_4$ pretreatment, Massive necrosis occurred early. But active regenerative changes were produced in 24 hours. In 120 hours, the liver recovered in almost normal appearance. The degree of necrosis in pretreated group was similar to that in DMN injection only, and the time of recovery was faster in preteated group. Electron microscopic findings ; The early change was mainly disorganization of RER in DMN injection, and clumping and vesicular dilatation of ER in injection of $CCl_4$. In pretreatment group the early change was similar in appearance with $CCl_4$ group, but severer in degree. According to the results, it was revealed that acute toxic effect of DMN was recovered more rapidly in pretreatment group. Thus it was suggested that $CCl_4$ had protective effect in DMN hepatotoxicity.