• Journal of Korean Foot and Ankle Society
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.169-174
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• 2012

Purpose: There are various methods proposed for the evaluation of the hindfoot alignment. However, due to structural calcaneus variances between patients, it is hard to assess this alignment definitively. Thus, this study proposes a new method for evaluating of the hindfoot alignment and its comparisons to the existing current methods. Materials and Methods: This study includes simple weight bearing hindfoot coronal view radiographs of 120 patients, taken between the time period of March 2008 to November 2009. Among the 120 patients, there was a 1:1 ratio of male to female with an average age of 40. The newly proposed method for evaluating this alignment is to draw a moment arm from the point where the sustentaculum tali meets the medial calcaneus border to the most prominent aspect of the lateral process of the calcaneal tuberosity. The angle produced via the intersection of this moment arm to the mid-longitudinal axis of the tibia is found and used to evaluate the hindfoot alignment. The inter and intra-observer reliability was evaluated using the coefficient of intraclass correlation. This study also investigates the comparisons between the newly proposed method to the traditionally used Saltzman et al hindfoot alignment evaluating technique. Results: The newly proposed method has higher inter and intra-observer reliability than the existing traditional Saltzman et al technique. Conclusion: This new method is recommended over the traditionally used Saltzman et al technique as it has a stronger confidence level and is appropriate for assessing hindfoot alignment in simple radiographs.

• Journal of Technologic Dentistry
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• v.42 no.1
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• pp.17-25
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• 2020

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate and compare the accuracy of definitive casts that are fabricated from digital intraoral impression and conventional impression technique. Methods: A master model(ANNA-4, Frasaco GmbH, Tettnang, Germany) with the prepared upper full arch tooth was used. Conventional impression and then stone model(n=10) were produced from this master model, and on the other hands, digital impressions were made with the CS-3600 intraoral scanner(n=10). Six linear measurements were recorded between landmarks, directly on each of the stone models on two occasions by a single examiner. Measurements were made with a digital caliper to the nearest 0.01mm from manual models and with the software(Delcam PowerSHAPE) from the virtual models. The t-student test for paired samples and intraclass correlation coefficient(ICC) were used for statistical analysis. Results: The measurement of two methods showed good reliability. The ICC of the two models were 0.88~0.91(stone model) and 0.94~0.99(digital model). The mean differences to master model for stone model and digital model were 0.10~0.14mm, and 0.14~0.20mm, respectively. Conclusion: The definitive casts obtained with digital intraoral technique model had significantly larger dimensions as compared to those of the stone model. However, the differences to the master model detected appear to provide enough accuracy and reliability for clinical application.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.60 no.4
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• pp.441-447
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• 2017

Objective : Computed tomography (CT)-based method of three dimensional (3D) analysis ($MIMICS^{(R)}$, Materialise, Leuven, Belgium) is reported as very useful software for evaluation of OPLL, but its reliability and reproducibility are obscure. This study was conducted to evaluate the accuracy of $MIMICS^{(R)}$ system, and inter- and intra-observer reliability in the measurement of OPLL. Methods : Three neurosurgeons independently analyzed the randomly selected 10 OPLL cases with medical image processing software ($MIMICS^{(R)}$) which create 3D model with Digital Imaging and Communication in Medicine (DICOM) data from CT images after brief explanation was given to examiners before the image construction steps. To assess the reliability of inter- and intra-examiner intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), 3 examiners measured 4 parameters (volume, length, width, and length) in 10 cases 2 times with 1-week interval. Results : The inter-examiner ICCs among 3 examiners were 0.996 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.987-0.999) for volume measurement, 0.973 (95% CI, 0.907-0.978) for thickness, 0.969 (95% CI, 0.895-0.993) for width, and 0.995 (95% CI, 0.983-0.999) for length. The intra-examiner ICCs were 0.994 (range, 0.991-0.996) for volume, 0.996 (range, 0.944-0.998) for length, 0.930 (range, 0.873-0.947) for width, and 0.987 (range, 0.985-0.995) for length. Conclusion : The medical image processing software ($MIMICS^{(R)}$) provided detailed quantification OPLL volume with minimal error of inter- and intra-observer reliability in the measurement of OPLL.

• Safety and Health at Work
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• v.12 no.4
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• pp.445-451
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• 2021

Background: This study aimed to evaluate the reliability and validity of the self-administered questionnaire for Korean radiation workers. Methods: From May 24, 2016, to June 30, 2017, 20,608 participants completed the questionnaire, providing information on sociodemographics, lifestyle, work history and practices, medical radiation exposure, and medical history, which was linked to the National Dose Registry and the National Cancer Registry. The validity of the questionnaire was evaluated using the responses of 20,608 workers, and reliability was evaluated using the responses of 3043 workers who responded to the survey twice. Results: Responses concerning demographic characteristics and lifestyle showed reliability with a moderate-to-high agreement (kappa: 0.43-0.99), whereas responses concerning occupation and medical radiation exposure had a wide range of agreement (kappa: 0.05-0.95), possibly owing to temporal variability during employment. Regarding validity, responses to the question about the first year of employment had an excellent agreement with the national registry (intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.9); however, responses on cancer history had a wide range of agreement (kappa: 0.22-0.85). Conclusion: Although the reliability and validity of the questionnaire were not distinguished by demographic characteristics, they tended to be low among participants whose occupational radiation exposure was minimal. Overall, the information collected can be reliable for epidemiological studies; however, caution must be exercised when using information such as medical exposure and work practices, which are prone to temporal variability.

• Annals of Rehabilitation Medicine
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• v.42 no.6
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• pp.872-883
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• 2018

Objective To replace camera-based three-dimensional motion analyzers which are widely used to analyze body movements and gait but are also costly and require a large dedicated space, this study evaluates the validity and reliability of inertial measurement unit (IMU)-based systems by analyzing their spatio-temporal and kinematic measurement parameters. Methods The investigation was conducted in three separate hospitals with three healthy participants. IMUs were attached to the abdomen as well as the thigh, shank, and foot of both legs of each participant. Each participant then completed a 10-m gait course 10 times. During each gait cycle, the hips, knees, and ankle joints were observed from the sagittal, frontal, and transverse planes. The experiments were conducted with both a camera-based system and an IMU-based system. The measured gait analysis data were evaluated for validity and reliability using root mean square error (RMSE) and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) analyses. Results The differences between the RMSE values of the two systems determined through kinematic parameters ranged from a minimum of 1.83 to a maximum of 3.98 with a tolerance close to 1%. The results of this study also confirmed the reliability of the IMU-based system, and all of the variables showed a statistically high ICC. Conclusion These results confirmed that IMU-based systems can reliably replace camera-based systems for clinical body motion and gait analyses.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.441-449
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• 2018

Purpose: This study aimed to compare the impact of proprioceptive neuromuscular facilitation leg patterns emphasizing hallux abduction (PNF-LPHA) on the intrinsic foot muscles of participants with hallux valgus (HV) using the toe-spread-out exercise (TSO). Methods: The present study recruited 12 individuals with HV. All the participants voluntarily agreed to participate in the study after hearing explanations of its purpose and process. All participants performed the TSO, PNF-LPHA 1, and PNF-LPHA 2. The participants' abductor hallucis (AbH), adductor hallucis (AdH), extensor hallucis longus (EHL), and flexor hallucis brevis (FHB) activity was measured, and the ratio of AbH:AdH was measured during the three interventions using electromyography. Additionally, the participants' AbH thickness was measured by ultrasonography. An intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) was used to verify the intra-rater reliability of ultrasonography at rest and during contraction. Results: The intra-rater reliability was excellent at rest and during contraction ($ICC_{3,1}=0.90$ and $ICC_{3,1}=0.83$, respectively). There were no statistically significant differences in the activity of the AbH, the ratio of AbH: AdH, and the thickness of AbH between the TSO and PNF-LPHA2 groups. Additionally, EHL activity was significantly higher in the PNF-LPHA2 group than in the TSOgroup. Conclusion: PNF-LPHA 2 can be recommended as a method to optimize AbH and EHL activity, the ratio of AbH:AdH, and the thickness of AbH in individuals with HV.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.99-105
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• 2019

Background: Although magnetic resonance imaging is accurate, it is expensive to measure the movement of temporomandibular joint. The three-dimensional (3D) motion analysis system is an inexpensive measurement tool. Objects: This study examined the reliability of quantifying the mouth opening and lateral mandibular shift and differences between individuals with and without temporomandibular disorder (TMD) using the hygienic method of surface markers on the skin with 3D ultrasound-based motion analysis. Methods: This study included 24 subjects (12 with and 12 without TMD). Temporomandibular joint motion during mouth opening was recorded using two surface markers with 3D ultrasound-based motion analysis. An intraclass correlation coefficient [ICC (3,k)] was used to confirm the intrarater reliability of quantifying kinematic temporomandibular joint motion, and an independent t-test was used to evaluate differences in maximal mouth opening and lateral mandibular shift between the two groups. Results: Assessment of mouth opening and lateral mandibular shift showed excellent test-retest reliability with low standard error of measurement. The lateral mandibular shift and opening-lateral mandibular shift ratio were significantly increased in the TMD group during maximum mouth opening (p<.05). However, no significant difference in maximal mouth opening was observed between the groups with and without TMD (p>.05). Conclusion: This hygienic and simple surface marker method can be used to quantify the mouth opening and lateral mandibular shift at the end-range of mouth opening. The TMD group showed an increased lateral mandibular shift movement at the end-range of mouth opening. The lateral mandibular shift movement can be regarded as a symptom in the diagnosis and treatment of TMD.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.186-190
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• 2018

Objective: Deep neck flexor muscle endurance (DNFET) is important to cervical pain patients. However, there is no normative data of the DNFET hold time of Korean university students. The purpose of this study was to provide normative data and the reliability of the DNFET times of Korean university students and to compare the DNFET hold times between male and female subjects. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: The participants included 39 male and 39 female students with no cervical pain. Each DNFET was measured while the subjects kept their chin tucked in while in a supine (hook-lying) position and with the head lifted 2.5 cm off the bed. The DNFET was conducted on each subject twice and the mean values were obtained. After each measurement, the participants rested for 5 minutes. Inter-rater reliability was measured by intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) by three separate evaluators. Results: The inter-rater reliability was good, showing an ICC (2,3) value = 0.785 (95% confidence interval, 0.370-0.942). The DNFET time scores for men and women were $25.14{\pm}9.96$ seconds and $15.23{\pm}6.10$ seconds, respectively, in which the time scores of the men were significantly longer compared to women (p<0.05). Conclusions: Asymptomatic men displayed higher DNFET scores than women. This study can help clinicians test cervical function of patients and set an interventional goal. These findings serve as a basis that insists Korean women to increase their amount of physical activity.

• The korean journal of orthodontics
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• v.51 no.6
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• pp.419-427
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• 2021

Objective: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the esthetic preference for various Korean silhouette profiles. Methods: The Korean average male and female profiles were modified by changing the lower facial height and anteroposterior lip position to produce nine types of profiles. In order to test intrarater reliability, the average profile was copied once more to be included for evaluation. A questionnaire containing 10 profiles for each sex, each of which had to be rated for preference on a numerical rating scale from 0 to 10, was administered to 30 adult orthodontic patients, 30 dental students, 30 orthodontists, and 30 dentists excluding orthodontists. The data were statistically analyzed using the intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC), independent t-test, and one-way ANOVA. Results: The ICC of overall intrarater reliability was 0.629. For several profiles, significantly higher scores were given to male profiles than to female profiles (p < 0.05). However, no significant differences were found in the scores for all profiles among the four rater groups. Among the short profiles, a significantly higher score was given to the retruded profile, and among the vertically average and long profiles, a significantly higher score was given to the horizontally average profile (p < 0.001). Among all the profiles, significantly lower scores were given to the protruded profile (p < 0.001). Conclusions: This study revealed good overall intrarater reliability, with several types of male profiles being esthetically preferred over female profiles. Moreover, while retruded and horizontally average profiles were generally preferred, protruded profiles were not.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.193-202
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• 2021

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to examine inter-and intra-rater reliabilities of myotonometric measurements of tone, elasticity and stiffness for the erector spinae muscles of the young and the elderly populations. Methods : A total of 102 (69 young adults from K university and 33 older adults from the D community center in Daejeon) were enrolled in this study. The two different raters measured each side of the erector spinae muscles at prone position. After each rater performed first measurement for a subject, 30 minutes of rest was given. The same rater then repeated the second myometric measurement on the subject. The collected data on the tone, elasticity, and stiffness of the erector spinae were analyzed using intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC) to determine inter- and intra- rater reliabilities. Results : The inter-and intra-rater reliabilities of the myotonometric measurement of the erector spinae for the total subjects were excellent (ICC > 0.9, p < 0.001). Within each of the elderly group and the young group, inter- and intra-rater reliabilities were also excellent (ICC > 0.8~0.9 / p < 0.001, ICC > 0.75~0.9 / p < 0.001, each). Conclusion : The measurement of muscle tone, elasticity, and stiffness for the erector spinae muscles using the myotonometer had excellent reliability. It was confirmed that a highly reliable myometric measurement on the erector spinae can be obtained regardless of whether it is from young or elderly people. This suggests that the myotonometer can be a useful tool to measure muscular properties of the erector spinae of the young and old as an evaluative instrument.