• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.27 no.1
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• pp.37-51
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• 2017

Objectives This study was designed to identify the effect of acupuncture combined with wooden neck pillow self-exercise program (WSP). Methods 25 eligible subjects with chronic neck pain were recruited from September 2015 to August 2016. Subjects were treated by acupuncture twice a week for 4 weeks, also were educated WSP and exercised every day for 4 weeks. They were assessed using PI-NRS, NDI and the maximum muscle strength of deep cervical flexor muscles (DCF) before and after treatment. Also the Cobb's angle (C1-C7), Ishihara index, Park method were assessed for evaluating the radiographical changes. Variables were compared using paired t-test. And correlates analysis was used for analyzing relationship between differentials in the maximum muscle strength of DCF and differentials in cervical spine curvature measurement methods. Results Among the 25 subjects, 4 subjects were lost to follow-up or excluded in accordance with the criteria. Significant differences on NRS, NDI and the maximum muscle strength of DCF were seen after treatment (p<0.001). In radiological finding, cervical spine curvature measurement methods were significantly increased (p<0.001, p<0.05, p<0.05). Differentials in the maximum muscle strength of DCF significantly correlates to differentials in Ishihara index (R=0.479, p<0.05). Conclusions Acupuncture combined with WSP may decrease neck pain intensity and associated disability, and also increase the muscle strength of DCF and cervical lordosis, in patients with chronic neck pain. Especially, Improving the muscle strength of DCF has a relationship with improving Ishihara index. However, due to the design of this study, this treatment can not be compared with other treatments. Future randomized project should be needed.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.30 no.4
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• pp.141-145
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• 2018

Purpose: Changes in the curvature of the vertebral columns of elderly women with increasing age causes various side effects and disorders. Therefore, this study was conducted to evaluate the effectiveness of the 8-figure scapular brace to improve pulmonary function and balance ability based on lung capacity and foot pressure by increasing the vertebral curvature. Methods: Seventeen elderly women with a forward head posture were selected. Women were asked to wear the 8-figure scapular brace and the forced expiratory volume in 1 second (FEV1) and forced vital capacity (FVC) were measured, as were changes in foot pressure. Measurements were conducted three times each and the mean values were used for subsequent analyses. For static evaluation, we used the paired t-test to identify differences between pre and post values. Results: There was no significant difference in FEV1 and FVC before and after use of the brace (p>0.05); however, there was a significant decrease in forefoot pressure and an increase in rearfoot pressure following application of the brace (p<0.05). Conclusion: Application of the 8-figure scapular brace to correct vertebral curvature in elderly women influenced pressure distribution change from immediate effect body arrange of cervical and thoracic. However, wearing the 8-figure scapular brace may interfere with expansion of the chest and therefore respiratory muscle activity. Accordingly, it is necessary to apply appropriate treatment when wearing a scapular brace and to allow a sufficient intervention period while also providing therapeutic interventions such as posture correction or respiration training.

• Steel and Composite Structures
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• v.37 no.2
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• pp.117-136
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• 2020

Curved steel-concrete composite box girder has been widely adopted in urban overpasses and ramp bridges. In order to investigate its mechanical behavior under complicated and combined bending, shear and torsion load, two large-curvature composite box girders with interior angles of 25° and 45° were tested under static hogging moment. Based on the strain and deflection measurement on critical cross-sections during the static loading test, the failure mode, cracking behavior, load-displacement relationship, and strain distribution in the steel plate and rebar were investigated in detail. The test result showed the large-curvature composite box girders exhibited notable shear lag in the concrete slab and steel girder. Also, the constraint torsion and distortion effect caused the stress measured at the inner side of the composite beam to be notably higher than that of the outer side. The strain distribution in the steel web was approximately linear; therefore, the assumption that the plane section remains plane was approximately validated based on strain measurement at steel web. Furthermore, the full-process non-linear elaborate finite element (FE) models of the two specimens were developed based on commercial FE software MSC.MARC. The modeling scheme and constitutive model were illustrated in detail. Based on the comparison between the FE model and test results, the FE model effectively simulated the failure mode, the load-displacement curve, and the strain development of longitudinal rebar and steel girder with sufficient accuracy. The comparison between the FE model and the test result validated the accuracy of the developed FE model.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.15 no.6
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• pp.405-413
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• 2011

This study was designed to elucidate high-$K^+$ induced response of circular and longitudinal smooth muscle from human gastric corpus using isometric contraction. Contraction from circular and longitudinal muscle stripes of gastric corpus greater curvature and lesser curvature were compared. Circular smooth muscle from corpus greater curvature showed high $K^+$ (50 mM)-induced tonic contraction. On the contrary, however, longitudinal smooth muscle strips showed high $K^+$ (50 mM)-induced sustained relaxation. To find out the reason for the discrepancy we tested several relaxation mechanisms. Protein kinase blockers like KT5720, PKA inhibitor, and KT5823, PKG inhibitor, did not affect high $K^+$-induced relaxation. $K^+$ channel blockers like tetraethylammonium (TEA), apamin (APA), glibenclamide (Glib) and barium ($Ba^{2+}$) also had no effect. However, N(G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA) and 1H-(1,2,4) oxadiazolo (4,3-A) quinoxalin-1-one (ODQ), an inhibitor of soluble guanylate cyclase (sGC) and 4-AP (4-aminopyridine), voltage-dependent $K^+$ channel (KV) blocker, inhibited high $K^+$ -induced relaxation, hence reversing to tonic contraction. High $K^+$-induced relaxation was observed in gastric corpus of human stomach, but only in the longitudinal muscles from greater curvature not lesser curvature. L-NNA, ODQ and KV channel blocker sensitive high $K^+$-induced relaxation in longitudinal muscle of higher portion of corpus was also observed. These results suggest that longitudinal smooth muscle from greater curvature of gastric corpus produced high $K^+$-induced relaxation which was activated by NO/sGC pathway and by $K_V$ channel dependent mechanism.

• Restorative Dentistry and Endodontics
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.257-268
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• 1998

During cleaning and shaping of narrow and curved canals, it is very difficult or nearly impossible to maintain the original canal shape. Procedural accidents such as, ledge, zipping, perforation, and instrument breakage are frequently occurred and even may lead to failure of endodontic therapy. To prevent these kinds of accidents, various instrumentation techniques and materials have been introduced. Recently some nickel titanium (NiTi) files are introduced and it is reported that These NiTi files created rounder preparations with less transportation than conventional instruments in curved canals. This study compared the change of the canal curvature and procedural accidents after instrumentation produced by stainless steel K-flexo file, and NiTi rotary files (Profile 29 and Quantec 2000). Thirty narrow and curved canals (25-45 degree) of extracted human molars were randomly divided into three groups. In group 1, canals were instrumented using a step-back and watch-winding/pull motion with K-flexo files. In group 2, canals were prepared with Profile 29. Group 3, canals were prepared with Quantec 2000 files. Before and after preparation of canals, periapical radiographs were taken and scanned. The change of canal curvature were measured using Photoshop 4.0 program and the incidence of procedural accidents were also evaluated. The results were as follows: 1. All group showed some loss of canal curvature after instrumentation. 2. Average loss of canal curvature was $6.70{\pm}5.31$ degree for group 1, $3.80{\pm}2.57$ degree for group 2, and $5.40{\pm}4.83$ degree for group 3. All group There was significant change in curvature between before and after instrumentation (p<0.05). But there was no statistical difference amoung 3 groups. 3. In group I, there were no procedural accidents, such as ledging, perforation, or instrument fracture. In group 2, two cases of ledge and one case of instrument fracture were produced Goup 3, each one case of ledge, perforation and instrument fracture were occurred. Whthin the limits of above results, It seems that NiTi rotary instrumentation is not All Mighty and if we use uncarefully, it is more dangerous to produce some procedural accidents than conventional hand files. But more studies should be taken to evaluate the exact effects of NiTi rotary instrumentations.

• Journal of Life Science
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• v.17 no.2 s.82
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• pp.174-178
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• 2007

Treatment of malformin A1 is known to increase ethylene production 130% at 4 hr and 56% at 8 hr after treatment in maize root compared to untreated plants. The ethylene production by malformin A1 was maximum level at 4 hr and slowly decreased up to 8 hr. Calcium ion regulators such as A23187 (calcium ionophore) and verapamil (calcium channel blocker) stimulated ethylene production. Treatment of both calcium ion regulators increased about 30% of ethylene production at 4 hr, and 20% at 8 hr. Both calcium ion regulators did not stimulate malformin A1-induced ethylene production at 4 hr as malformin A1 itself did. However, the treatment of calcium ion regulators with malformin A1 maintains the ethylene production for 8 hr. These results suggested that the proper concentration of calcium might need to confer the effect of malformin A1 on the ethylene production. Malformin A1 suppressed the gravitropic curvature of maize root about 58% at 4 hr and 42% at 8 hr compared to control plant. Verapamil inhibited the gravitropic curvature about 54% at 4 hr and 23% at 8 hr compared to control, respectively. But A23187 could not. In addition, verapamil showed more inhibition in malformin A1-induced gravitropic curvature than A23187 in malformin A1 induced. These data suggested that calcium ion regulators affect the malformin A1-induced ethylene production and gravitropic curvature, and give the evidence that calcium ion play an important role in gravitropic curvature in maize root.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2003.08a
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• pp.165-165
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• 2003

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2010.05a
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• pp.237-238
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• 2010

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2009.06a
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• pp.49-50
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• 2009

• Computers and Concrete
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• v.30 no.6
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• pp.409-419
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• 2022

The purpose of this study is to examine the effectiveness of biological repairing mortars on restoring the structural performance of a sewage culvert deteriorated by sulfate attack. The biological mortars were developed for protecting concrete structures exposed to sulfate attack based on the block membrane action of the bacterial glycocalyx. The diffusion coefficient of sulfate ions in the biological mortars was determined from the natural diffusion cell tests. The effect of sulfate-attack-induced concrete deterioration on the structural performance of culverts was examined by using the moment-curvature relationship predicted based on the nonlinear section lamina approach considering the sulfuric-acid-induced degradation of the structure. Typical analytical assessments showed that biological mortars were quite effective in increasing the sulfate-resistant service life of sewage culverts.