• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1797-1802
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• 2014

Background: The prostaglandin-endoperoxide synthase 2 (PTGS2) and phospholipase A2 group IIA (PLA2G2A) genes encode enzymes that are involved in arachidonic acid and prostaglandin biosynthesis. Dysregulation of both genes is associated with inflammation and carcinogenesis, including esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). We therefore hypothesized that there is an association between single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in these genes and susceptibility to ESCC. Methods: We performed a gene-wide tag SNP-based association study to examine the association of SNPs in PTGS2 and PLA2G2A with ESCC in 269 patients and 269 healthy controls from Taihangshan Mountain, Henan and Hebei Provinces, the rural area of China which has the highest incidence of esophageal cancer in the world. Thirteen tag SNPs in PLA2G2A and 4 functional SNPs in PTGS2 were selected and genotyped using a high-throughput Mass Array genotyping platform. Results: We found a modest increased risk of ESCC in subjects with the PTGS2 rs12042763 AA genotype (OR=1.23; 95% CI, 1.00-3.04) compared with genotype GG. For PLA2G2A, a decreased risk of ESCC was observed in subjects with the rs11677 CT (OR=0.51, 95%CI, 0.29-0.85) or TT genotype (OR=0.51, 95%CI, 0.17-0.96) or the T carriers (CT+TT) (OR=0.52, 95%CI, 0.31-0.85) when compared with the CC genotype. Also for PLA2G2A, rs2236771 C allele carriers were more frequent in the control group (P=0.02). Subjects with the GC (OR=0.55, 95%CI, 0.33-0.93) or CC genotype (OR=0.38, 95% CI, 0.16-0.94) or the C carriers (GC+CC) (OR=0.52, 95%CI, 0.32-0.85) showed a negative association with ESCC susceptibility. Conclusions: Our results suggest that PTGS2 and PLA2G2A gene polymorphisms may modify the risk of ESCC development.

• Journal of the Korea Convergence Society
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.45-50
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• 2016

This paper describes the development of smart sticks as walking assistance for elderly people that incorporate motion sensing, hear-beat sensing, data processing, and communication functions. Our sticks communicate with users' smart phones and upon a detection of falling-off, an alarm is generated and propagated to multiple guardians registered in advance. In addition, the sticks provide smart healthcare functionalities for elderly people thus suggest an health platform that is empowered by various health-related informations. The heartbeat sensors and motion sensors mounted on the sticks enable various additional functions. Our smart sticks are designed to function as stable walking assistance as well as to support elderly people by providing useful services in the convergence with information technologies.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.27 no.2
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• pp.126-132
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• 2020

Background: Augmented somatosensory feedback stimulates the mechanoreceptor to deliver information on bodily position, improving the postural control. The various types of such feedback include ankle-foot orthoses (AFOs) and vibration. The optimal feedback to mitigate postural sway remains unclear, as does the effect of augmented somatosensory feedback on muscle co-contraction. Objects: We compared postural sway and ankle muscle co-contraction without feedback (control) and with either of two forms of somatosensory feedback (AFOs and vibration). Methods: We recruited 15 healthy subjects and tested them under three feedback conditions (control, AFOs, vibration) with two sensory conditions (eyes open, or eyes closed and the head tilted back), in random order. Postural sway was measured using a force platform; the mean sway area of the 95% confidence ellipse (AREA) and the mean velocity of the center-of-pressure displacement (VEL) were assessed. Co-contraction of the tibialis anterior and gastrocnemius muscles was measured using electromyography and converted into a co-contraction index (CI). Results: We found significant main effects of the three feedback states on postural sway (AREA, VEL) and the CI. The two sensory conditions exerted significant main effects on postural sway (AREA and VEL). AFOs reduced postural sway to a level significantly lower than that of the control (p = 0.014, p < 0.001) or that afforded by vibration (p = 0.024, p < 0.001). In terms of CI amelioration, the AFOs condition was significantly better than the control (p = 0.004). Vibration did not significantly improve either postural sway or the CI compared to the control condition. There was no significant interaction effect between the three feedback conditions and the two sensory conditions. Conclusion: Lower-extremity devices such as AFOs enhance somatosensory perception, improving postural control and decreasing the CI during static standing.

• Proceedings of the Korean Vacuum Society Conference
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• 2015.08a
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• pp.55-55
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• 2015

Today, engineers are facing new set of challenges that are quite different from the conventional ones. Information technologies are rapidly commoditizing while the paths beyond the current roadmaps became uncertain as various technologies have been pushed to their limits. Along with these changes in IT ecosystems, grand challenges such as global security, health, sustainability, and energy increasingly require trans-disciplinary solutions that go beyond the traditional arenas in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics). Addressing these needs is shifting engineering education and research to a new paradigm where the emphasis is placed on the consilience for holistic and system level understanding and the convergence of technology with AHSD (arts, humanities, social science, and design). At the center of this evolutionary convergence, nanotechnologies are enabling novel functionalities such as bio-compatibility, flexibility, low power, and sustainability while on a mission to meet scalability and low cost for smart electronics, u-health, sensing networks, and self-sustainable energy systems. This talk introduces the efforts of convergence based on the emerging nano technology tool sets in the newly launched School of Integrated Technology and the Yonsei Institute of Convergence Technology at Yonsei International Campus. While the conventional devices have largely depended upon the inherent material properties, the newer devices are enabled by nanoscale dimensions and structures in increasingly standardized and scalable fabrication platform. Localized surface plasmon resonance in 0 dimensional nano particles and structures leads to subwavelength confinement and enhanced near-field interactions enabling novel field of metal photonics for sensing and integrated photonic applications [1,2]. Unique properties offered by 1 dimensional nanowires and 2 dimensional materials and structures can enable novel electronic, photonic, nano-bio, and biomimetic applications [3-5]. These novel functionalities offered by the emerging nanotechnologies are continuously finding pathways to be part of smart systems to improve the overall quality of life.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.3
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• pp.269-279
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• 2011

This study was analyzed the characteristics on the stability of posture while conducting a through two and half rotation technic of pench$\acute{e}$ in rhythmic gymnastics. Two rhythmical gymnastics player(LKH and SSJ) who is a member of the national team were selected, and for obtain the kinematic and kinetic variables were used a ProReflex MCU 240 infrared camera(Qualisys, Sweden) and a Type9286A force platform(Kistler, Switzerland). The mechanical factors were computed by using Visual3D program and Matlab R2009a. During the landing and rotation phase the results showed following characteristics; 1) In medial-lateral and horizontal displacement of the support foot, LKH showed smaller movement than SSJ, but SSJ showed smaller movement than LKH in swing foot. LKH showed bigger movement in medial-lateral axis of COP and vertical axis of COG, but SSJ showed bigger movement in horizontal axis of COP and medial-lateral axis of COG. 2) SSJ showed bigger maximum horizontal and vertical velocity at P1 and P2 than LKH. 3) In the inclination angle of COP and COG, SSJ showed smaller change than LKH, but within medial-lateral tilt of the shoulder, LKH performed rotation motion in horizontal position than SSJ. There was no differences in each force components during rotation, but on landing phase, the results showed a characteristic that SSJ exerted bigger breaking force and vertical force than LKH.

• Journal of Environmental Health Sciences
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• v.30 no.5 s.81
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• pp.469-480
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• 2004

The radon concentrations were measured to survey distribution of radon concentrations in Seoul subway stations. The radon concentrations in air and water were measured at seventeen subway stations(Mapo, Chungjongno, Sodaemun, Kwanghwamun, Chongno3ga, Ulchiro4ga, Tangdaemun, Sangildong on Line 5;Nowon, Chunggye, Hagye, Kongnung, Taenung, Mokkol, Chunghwa, Sangbong, Myomok on Line 7) using the $RAdtrak^{TM}$ radon gas detector, Pylon AB-5 continuous passive radon detector and liquid scintillation counting method from January to May 1999. The major results obtained from this study were as follows: The long-term mean concentrations of radon were $61.8\;Bq/m^3$ in office, $78.9\;Bq/m^3$ in platform, $38.2\;Bq/m^3$ in concourse and $20.1\;Bq/m^3$ in outdoor, respectively. These levels were less than the action level ($148\;Bq/m^3$) of the U.S. EPA. The highest level of short-term mean concentrations was $116.55\;Bq/m^3$ at Chongno3ga station on the 5th line subway stations, while the lowest mean concentration was $19.55\;Bq/m^3$ at Mokkol station on the 7th line subway stations. The highest concentration of radon in the road water and storing underground water in the subway stations was $234.7\;KBq/m^3\;and\;155.5\;KBq/m^3$ in Sodaemun subway station, respectively. The results suggest that radon concentration in subway stations seems to be affected by ventilation and radon concentratin in underground water in the subway stations.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.10 no.4_5
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• pp.411-426
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• 2012

The Canton Tower (formerly named Guangzhou New TV Tower) of 610 m high has been instrumented with a long-term structural health monitoring (SHM) system consisting of over 700 sensors of sixteen types. Under the auspices of the Asian-Pacific Network of Centers for Research in Smart Structures Technology (ANCRiSST), an SHM benchmark problem for high-rise structures has been developed by taking the instrumented Canton Tower as a host structure. This benchmark problem aims to provide an international platform for direct comparison of various SHM-related methodologies and algorithms with the use of real-world monitoring data from a large-scale structure, and to narrow the gap that currently exists between the research and the practice of SHM. This paper first briefs the SHM system deployed on the Canton Tower, and the development of an elaborate three-dimensional (3D) full-scale finite element model (FEM) and the validation of the model using the measured modal data of the structure. In succession comes the formulation of an equivalent reduced-order FEM which is developed specifically for the benchmark study. The reduced-order FEM, which comprises 37 beam elements and a total of 185 degrees-of-freedom (DOFs), has been elaborately tuned to coincide well with the full-scale FEM in terms of both modal frequencies and mode shapes. The field measurement data (including those obtained from 20 accelerometers, one anemometer and one temperature sensor) from the Canton Tower, which are available for the benchmark study, are subsequently presented together with a description of the sensor deployment locations and the sensor specifications.

• Asian Pacific Journal of Cancer Prevention
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• v.15 no.4
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• pp.1675-1679
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• 2014

Objectives: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are important regulators of many physiological and pathological processes, including tumorigenesis and metastasis. In this study, we sought to determine the underlying molecular mechanisms of metastatic cervical carcinoma by performing miRNA profiling. Methods: Tissue samples were collected from ten cervical squamous cancer patients who underwent hysterectomy and pelvic lymph node (PLN) dissection in our hospital, including four PLN-positive (metastatic) cases and six PLN-negative (non-metastatic) cases. A miRNA microarray platform with 1223 probes was used to determine the miRNA expression profiles of these two tissue types and case groups. MiRNAs having at least 4-fold differential expression between PLN-positive and PLN-negative cervical cancer tissues were bioinformatically analyzed for target gene prediction. MiRNAs with tumor-associated target genes were validated by quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Results: Thirty-nine miRNAs were differentially expressed (>4-fold) between the PLN-positive and PLN-negative groups, of which, 22 were up-regulated and 17 were down-regulated. Sixty-nine percent of the miRNAs (27/39) had tumor-associated target genes, and the expression levels of six of those (miR-126, miR-96, miR-144, miR-657, miR-490-5p, and miR-323-3p) were confirmed by quantitative (q)RT-PCR. Conclusions: Six MiRNAs with predicted tumor-associated target genes encoding proteins that are known to be involved in cell adhesion, cytoskeletal remodeling, cell proliferation, cell migration, and apoptosis were identified. These findings suggest that a panel of miRNAs may regulate multiple and various steps of the metastasis cascade by targeting metastasis-associated genes. Since these six miRNAs are predicted to target tumor-associated genes, it is likely that they contribute to the metastatic potential of cervical cancer and may aid in prognosis or molecular therapy.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.21 no.1
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• pp.25-29
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to analyze quantitative and qualitative differences according to shoe type for the grand jete landing in ballet. The subjects for this study were 9 female ballet majors with an average of 12 years of experience. Subjects jumped, performing a front split, and landed on 1 foot, a movement called the grand jete. Analysis was performed on the students' landing. Independent variables were 3 shoe types: split sole, traditional out sole, and 5-toed forefoot shoes, with bare feet as a control group. Dependent variables were vertical passive ground reaction force and qualitative elements. Passive ground reaction force variables(maximum passive peak value, number of passive peaks, passive force-time integral, and center of pressure) were measured by the Kistler 9281B Force Platform. Qualitative elements were comfort, cushioning, pain, and fit. Statistical analysis included both 1-way ANOVA and Tukey's test for follow-up. Finalized data demonstrated that the 5-toed forefoot shoe allows the forefoot to expand and the toes to individually press down upon landing, increasing foot contact with the surface. Five-toed forefoot shoes minimize passive peaks and pain, while increasing comfort, cushioning, and fit. Most ballet movements are composed of jumping, balancing, landing, and spinning. Wearing 5-toed forefoot shoes allows for a natural range of movement in each toe, to improve both technique and balance. Pain and injuries from ballet can be minimized by wearing the correct shoe type. According to this analysis, it is possible to customized ballet shoes to increase the efficiency of techniques and movements.

• Smart Structures and Systems
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• v.26 no.5
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• pp.559-573
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• 2020

One of the powerful data management tools is Building Information Modeling (BIM) which operates through obtaining, recalling, sharing, sorting and sorting data and supplying a digital environment of them. Employing SHM, a BIM in monitoring systems, would be an efficient method to address their data management problems and consequently optimize the economic aspects of buildings. The recording of SHM data is an effective way for engineers, facility managers and owners which make the BIM dynamic through the provision of updated information regarding the occurring state and health of different sections of the building. On the other hand, digital transformation is a continuous challenge in construction. In a cloud-based BIM platform, environmental and localization data are integrated which shape the Internet-of-Things (IoT) method. In order to improve work productivity, living comfort, and entertainment, the IoT has been growingly utilized in several products (such as wearables, smart homes). However, investigations confronting the integration of these two technologies (BIM and IoT) remain inadequate and solely focus upon the automatic transmission of sensor information to BIM models. Therefore, in this composition, the use of BIM based on SHM and IOT is reviewed and the economic application is considered.