• Biomaterials and Biomechanics in Bioengineering
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• v.2 no.2
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• pp.71-84
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• 2015

A low-profile flow sensor has been designed, fabricated, and characterized to demonstrate the feasibility for monitoring hemodynamics in cerebral aneurysm. The prototype device is composed of three micro-membranes ($500-{\mu}m$-thick polyurethane film with $6-{\mu}m$-thick layers of nitinol above and below). A novel super-hydrophilic surface treatment offers excellent hemocompatibility for the thin nitinol electrode. A computational study of the deformable mechanics optimizes the design of the flow sensor and the analysis of computational fluid dynamics estimates the flow and pressure profiles within the simulated aneurysm sac. Experimental studies demonstrate the feasibility of the device to monitor intra-aneurysmal hemodynamics in a blood vessel. The mechanical compression test shows the linear relationship between the applied force and the measured capacitance change. Analytical calculation of the resonant frequency shift due to the compression force agrees well with the experimental results. The results have the potential to address important unmet needs in wireless monitoring of intra-aneurysm hemodynamic quiescence.

• Journal of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.65 no.2
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• pp.125-132
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• 2021

An electrochromic nickel oxide thin film was fabricated on a flexible PET/ITO substrate using a nanocrystallite- dispersed coating sol and bar coater. Nanocrystalline NiOx of 3-4 nm crystallite size was first synthesized by base precipitation and thermal conversion. This NiOx nanocrystallite powder was mechanically dispersed in an alcoholic solvent mixed with a silane binder to prepare a coating sol for thin film. This sol method is different from the normal sol-gel method in that it does not require the conversion of precursor by heat treatment. Therefore, this method provides a very facile method to prepare NiOx thin films on any kind of substrate and it can be easily applied to mass production. The electrochromic performance of this NiOx thin film on PET/ITO electrode with a thickness of about 400 nm was investigated in a nonaqueous LiClO4 electrolyte solution by cyclic voltammetric and repeated chronoamperometric measurements in conjunction with spectrophotometry. The visible light modulation of 44% and the colorization efficiency of 41 ㎠/C at 550 nm were obtained at the step potentials of -0.8/+1.2 V vs Ag and a duration of 30 s.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.7 no.2
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• pp.181-187
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• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate the activity of respiratory muscle and lung capacity during deep breathing with electrical stimulation of the vagus nerve. Methods: This study was conducted on 30 healthy adults in their 20s. Subjects were randomly performed to deep breathing or deep breathing with vagus nerve electrical stimulation. All subjects' diaphragm and internal oblique muscle activity were measured during deep breathing by electromyography, and lung capacity was measured by spirometry immediately after beep breathing. In the vagus nerve stimulation method, the surface electrode was cut into the left ear and then electrically stimulated using a needle electric stimulator. Results: The activity of diaphragm was significantly increased in deep breathing with vagus nerve electrical stimulation than in deep breathing. However, lung capacity did not show any significant difference according to the condition. Conclusion: Vagus nerve electrical stimulation could induce diaphragm activity more than deep breathing alone. Deep breathing with vagus nerve electrical stimulation may enhance the activity of the respiratory muscles and is expected to be an effective treatment for the elderly or COPD patients with poor breathing ability.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.324-330
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• 2019

Petal-like nickel cobaltite ($NiCo_2O_4$)/reduced graphene oxide (rGO) composites with different $rGO-to-NiCo_2O_4$ weight ratios were synthesized using a simple hydrothermal method and subsequent thermal treatment. In the $NiCo_2O_4/rGO$ composite, the $NiCo_2O_4$ 3-dimensional nanomaterials contributed to the improvement of electrochemical properties of the final composite material by preventing the restacking of the rGO sheet and securing ion movement passages. The composite structure was examined by field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy. The FE-SEM and TEM images showed that petal-like $NiCo_2O_4$ was supported on the rGO surface. Cyclic voltammetry (CV), galvanostatic charge-discharge (GCD), and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) were used for the electrochemical analysis of composites. Among the prepared composites, $0.075g\;rGO/NiCo_2O_4$ composite showed the highest specific capacitance of $1,755Fg^{-1}$ at a current density of $2Ag^{-1}$. The cycle performance and rate capability of the composite material were higher than those of using the single $NiCo_2O_4$ material. These nano-structured composites could be regarded as valuable electrode materials for supercapacitors that require superior performance.

• Journal of Electrochemical Science and Technology
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• v.12 no.1
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• pp.101-111
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• 2021

To improve the potential of single chamber microbial fuel cells (SCMFCs) as an applicable technology, the main challenge is a practical application for larger scales bioenergy production from potent exoelectrogenic microorganism with real dairy wastewater. To increase power generation, three individual MFCs were together operated in series best under the fed batch condition for 15 days. The volume of MFC 1 and MFC 2 is "300 mL" and MFC 3 is "500 mL" respectively. The individual MFCs 1, MFC 2 and MFC 3 gives an open circuit voltage of 0.60 V, 0.66 V and 0.55 V and result in total working voltage when connected in series of 1.745V, which lead an LED to glow. The maximum power densities obtained from MFC 1, MFC 2 and MFC 3 are 62 mW/㎡, 50 mW/㎡ and 45 mW/㎡ (normalized to the surface area of the anodic electrode, which was 50 ㎠ for all three MFCs), and corresponding to current densities of 141 mA/㎡, 155 mA/㎡ and 123 mA/㎡, respectively. Therefore this work suggests the cheapest way to connect microbial fuel cells in series to gain power with the lowest operating cost and chemical oxygen demand (COD) removal.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.34 no.1
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• pp.73-77
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• 2021

Inorganic-organic hybrid perovskite solar cells have demonstrated considerable improvements, reaching 25.5% of certified power conversion efficiency in 2020 from 3.8% in 2009. In normal structured perovskite solar cells, TiO2 electron-transporting materials require heat treatment process at a high temperature over 450℃ to induce crystallinity. Inverted perovskite solar cells have also been studied to exclude the additional thermal process by using [6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) as a non-oxide electron-transporting layer. However, the drawback of the PCBM layer is a charge accumulation at the interface between PCBM and a metal electrode. The impact of bathocuproin (BCP) buffer layer on photovoltaic performance has been investigated herein to solve the problem of PCBM. 2-mM BCP-modified perovskite solar cells were observed to exhibit a maximum efficiency of 12.03% compared with BCP-free counterparts (5.82%) due to the suppression of the charge accumulation at the PCBM-Au interface and the resulting reduction of the charge recombination between perovskite and the PCBM layer.

• Journal of the Korean Electrochemical Society
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• v.25 no.1
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• pp.13-21
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• 2022

There is an increasing interest in monitoring of specific biomarker for determining progression of a disease or efficacy of a treatment. Conventional method for quantification of specific biomarkers as enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) has high material costs, long incubation periods, requires large volume of samples and involves special instruments, which necessitates clinical samples to be sent to a lab. This paper reports on the development of an electrochemical biosensor to measure total immunoglobulin E (IgE), a marker of asthma disease that varies with age, gender, and disease in concentrations from 0.3-1000 ng/mL with consuming 20 µL volume of whole blood sample. The sensor provides rapid, accurate, easy, point-of-care measurement of IgE, also, sequential monitoring of total IgE with ovalbumin (OVA) induced mice is another application of sensor. Taken together, these results provide an alternative way for detection of biomarkers in whole blood with low volumes and long-term ex-vivo assessments for understanding the progression of a disease.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Crop Science Conference
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• 2022.10a
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• pp.153-153
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• 2022

There is a growing need to develop ion sensors for agriculture. As a result, several technologies have been developed, such as colorimetry, spectrophotometry, and ion-selective electrode (ISE). Among them, ISE has some advantages compared to others. First, it does not require pre-treatment processes and expensive equipment. Second, it is possible for the portable detection system by introducing small-sized electrodes. Finally, real-time and multiple detections of several ions are pursued. It is well-known that N, P, and K nutrients are critical for crop growth. With the development of agriculture techniques, the importance of soil nutrient analysis has attracted much attention for cost-effective and eco-friendly agriculture. Among several issues, minimizing the use of fertilizers is significant through quantitative analysis of soil nutrients. As a result, it is highly important to analyze certain nutrients, such as N (ammonium ion, nitrate ion, nitrite ion), P (dihydrogen phosphate ion, monohydrogen phosphate ion), and K (potassium ion). Therefore, developing sensors for accurate analysis of soil nutrients is highly desired. n this study, several ISEs have been fabricated to detect N, P, and K. Their performance has been intensively studied, such as sensitivity, selectivity coefficient, and concentration range, and compared with commercialized ISEs. In addition, preliminary tests on the in-situ N, P, and K monitoring have been conducted inside the soil.

• Journal of Chest Surgery
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.710-718
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• 2009

Background: The Cox maze procedure has been used as a standard surgical treatment for atrial fibrillation for about 20 years. Recently, the creators have used a bipolar radiofrequency electrode (Cox maze IV procedure) instead of the incision and suture (cut-sew) technique to make atrial ablation lesions for persistent atrial fibrillation. We investigated clinical outcomes for the Cox maze procedure with a bipolar radiofrequency electrode and cryoablator in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, and compared results with clinical outcomes of the cut-sew procedure. Material and Method: Between April 2005 and July 2007, 40 patients with persistent atrial fibrillation underwent Cox maze IV procedure with a bipolar radiofrequency electrode and cryoablator (bipolar radiofrequency group). Surgical outcomes were compared with those of 35 patients who had the cut-sew technique for the Cox maze III procedure. All patients had concomitant cardiac surgery. Postoperatively, the patients were followed up every 1 to 2 months. Result: At 6 months postoperatively, the conversion rate to regular sinus rhythm was not significantly different between the two groups: 95.0% for the bipolar radiofrequency ablation group; 97.1% for the cut-sew technique (p=1.0). At the end of the follow-up period, the conversion rate to regular sinus rhythm was also not significantly different (92.5% vs. 91.6%, p=1.0). In multivariate analysis using a Cox-regression model, the postoperative atrial dimension was an independent determinant of sinus conversion in the bipolar radiofrequency ablation group (hazard ratio 31, p=0.005). In the Cox-regression model for both groups, atrial fibrillation at 6 months postoperatively (hazard ratio 92.24, p=0.003) and the postoperative left atrial dimension (hazard ratio 16.05, p=0.019) were independent risk factors of continuance or recurrence of atrial fibrillation after Cox maze procedures. Aortic cross-clamp time and cardiopulmonary bypass time were significantly shorter in the radiofrequency group than in the cut-sew group. Conclusion: In the Cox maze procedure for patients with persistent atrial fibrillation, the use of bipolar radiofrequency ablation and a cryoablator is as good as the cut-sew technique for conversion to sinus rhythm. The postoperative left atrial dimension is an independent determinant of postoperative continuance and recurrence of atrial fibrillation.

• The Journal of Internal Korean Medicine
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.14-25
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• 2012

Objectives : To observe physiological changes during clinical acupuncture treatment. Methods : We recruited 40 healthy volunteers who had experienced an acupuncture treatment at least once within the past three years. The experimental group was divided into four groups according to the needling site and frequency of electrical stimulation. Sites consisted of abdomen and legs. Frequencies consisted of 100 Hz and 2 Hz. The procedures of experimental treatment consisted of seven phases, Resting I phase (Resting I), Needle insertion phase (Insertion), Maintenance of needle insertion I phase (Maintain I), Electrical stimulation phase (ES), Maintenance of needle insertion II phase (Maintain II), Needle removal phase (Removal) and Resting II phase (Resting II). We measured the surface electromygraphy (SEMG) through an electrode on the frontalis muscle during all phases consecutively. Results : When SEMGs of all seven phases were analyzed, they significantly increased or decreased according to phases. SEMGs of Insertion, Maintain I, ES and Maintain II phase significantly increased more than RestingI in abdomen and legs groups. SEMGs of the abdomen group were measured as being $4.78{\pm}0.74{\mu}V$ on Resting I, $16.48{\pm}3.97{\mu}V$ on Insertion, $46.31{\pm}10.56{\mu}V$ on Maintain I, $45.88{\pm}9.72{\mu}V$ on ES, $45.56{\pm}9.69{\mu}V$ on Maintain II, $18.76{\pm}3.05{\mu}V$ on Removal, and $3.75{\pm}0.65{\mu}V$ on Resting II. SEMGs of the legs group were measured as being $3.34{\pm}0.35{\mu}V$ on Resting I, $12.11{\pm}1.76{\mu}V$ on Insertion, $36.74{\pm}6.99{\mu}V$ on Maintain I, $33.57{\pm}6.30{\mu}V$ on ES, $32.66{\pm}6.03{\mu}V$ on Maintain II, $14.08{\pm}2.15{\mu}V$ on Removal, and $2.88{\pm}0.32{\mu}V$ on Resting II. Conclusions : SEMG changed differently according to processes of acupuncture. Electrical stimulation showed different change of SEMG. Thus, acupuncture treatment may change the status of the autonomic nervous system.