• Laser Solutions
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• v.15 no.3
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• pp.1-6
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• 2012

The friction force of patterned needle in elastomer have been investigated to verify the application for bio and plastic industry. The micro pattern on the needle surface were prepared by 266 nm, 20 ns laser and 800 nm, 220 fs laser, which were able to generate the different surface roughness. The friction force was measured by the load cell of 10 N capacity. As the results, the friction force of no patterned needle is almost constant during the needle penetrates the silicone rubber sample. However, the needle having asperities shows the variation of the friction force. The higher the surface roughness is, the smaller the friction force is until the surface roughness is very high. In our experiment conditions, the reduction of the friction force by 20 % compared to no pattern needle was achieved with straight and $50{\mu}m$ discrete line generated by 266 nm, 20 ns laser.

• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.12 no.2
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• pp.185-191
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• 2023

Objective: Transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) is a treatment method for pain, and it can be divided into conventional TENS (C-TENS) and acupuncture-like TENS (A-TENS). More recently, high power lasers have increasingly been used to reduce pain caused by arthritis, residual neuralgia, and musculoskeletal disorders. The aim of this study was to compare the laser needle with C-TENS and A-TENS in terms of pain and blood flow in healthy people, as well as to confirm that the laser needle can replace TENS to treat pain. Design: A randomized controlled trial. Methods: The selected participants were divided using Minimize computer software into a laser group (n=13), a C-TENS group (n=13), and an A-TENS group (n=14); they underwent a pre-test for blood flow and pain in their forearm. The three groups received their respective interventions; they then underwent a second pain and blood flow test on the same spot. Results: No significant differences were observed in the A-TENS group between the pre- and post-tests, and a comparison among the three groups revealed no significant differences between the laser needle group and the C-TENS group in terms of pain. Regarding blood flow, no significant differences were found between the pre- and post-tests in the laser needle group; a comparison among the three groups only revealed a significant between the laser needle and A-TENS groups. Conclusions: This study confirmed that the laser needle can be used to treat pain when it is necessary to control blood flow.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.26 no.6
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• pp.21-30
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• 2009

Objectives : Being introduced in the 1980s, laser acupuncture studies have been steadily carried on such as its thermal effects on human body. However, the mechanisms of effect are not yet clearly explained. Generally, laser acupuncture could be favorable for pediatric patients or people under special conditions (hemophilia, needle-phobia, pathogen-carriers, etc.) because of lower risk of infection, bleeding, pain or fainting. But there are still problems for using laser acupuncture equivalently as the traditional metal needle. The goal of this study is to review the fundamentals, history and present trend of laser acupuncture study, and to suggest how to develop laser acupuncture as an oriental medical device. Method : We performed literature search using PubMed(http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed) and Scopus(http://www.scopus.com). Search conditions are laser acupuncture, laser needle, LLLT(as title or abstract) or Litscher G(as author). Main target studies are physical fundamentals, clinical trials, physiological results and device proposals. Results : Many research have shown the similarities of laser acupuncture and traditional metal acupuncture and have reported clinical and physiological effects of laser acupuncture. But, still laser acupuncture is not widely used in Korea due to high-cost of equipments and the lack of clear understanding of laser devices. Additionally, there are still challenges in standardization and device development. Conclusions : Frequencies, laser modes, waveguides, adaptor types, polarization and signal modulations are suggested as future study subjects on laser acupuncture. More various studies and efforts for device development have to be performed to provide oriental medical doctors with evidence based confidence about usage of laser acupuncture.

• Clinical Endoscopy
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• v.57 no.4
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• pp.434-445
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• 2024

Pancreatic cystic lesions (PCLs) have increased in prevalence due to the increased usage and advancements in cross-sectional abdominal imaging. Current diagnostic techniques cannot distinguish between PCLs requiring surgery, close surveillance, or expectant management. This has increased the morbidity and healthcare costs from inappropriately aggressive and conservative management strategies. Endoscopic ultrasound (EUS) needle-based confocal laser endomicroscopy (nCLE) allows for microscopic examination and delineation of the surface epithelium of PCLs. Landmark studies have identified characteristics distinguishing various types of PCLs, confirmed the high diagnostic yield of EUS-nCLE (especially for PCLs with an equivocal diagnosis), and shown that EUS-nCLE helps to change management and reduce healthcare costs. Refining procedure technique and reducing procedure length have improved the safety of EUS-nCLE. The utilization of artificial intelligence and its combination with other EUS-based advanced diagnostic techniques would further improve the results of EUS-based PCL diagnosis. A structured training program and device improvements to allow more complete mapping of the pancreas cyst epithelium will be crucial for the widespread adoption of this promising technology.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.1-9
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• 1998

The aim of the study was to evaluate the anesthetic Effecs of pulsed Nd:YAG laser irradiation to the oral mucosa and the teeth. Twenty subjects who didn't have a history of significant systemic or current oral disease were included in this study. All the subjects were divided randomly into the experimental group and the control group with 10 for each group. Pain thresholds were measured with Weighted Needle Pinprick Sensory Threshold Test for the mucosal surface of lower lip and with electric pulp test for the upper right central incisor respectively, before and immediately after pulsed Nd:YAG laser irradiation in the condition of 2 watt, 20pps for 2 minute at 10mm distance. The experiment was double-blinded clinical trial. The results were as follows : 1. The mean pain threshold of the mucosal surface of lower lip for Weighted Needle Pinprick Sensory Threshold Test was 2.94(1.00g for the contral group respectively, and there was no statistical difference between two groups. 2. The mean pain threshold of the mucosal surface of lower lip was significantly increased immediately after pulsed Nd:YAG laser irradiation. 3. The mean pain threshold of the upper right central incisor for eledtric pulp test was 34.50(4.97V in the experimental group and 34.00(13.08V in the control group respectively, and there was no statistical difference between two groups. 4. The mean pain threshold of the upper right central incisor was significantly increased immediately after pulsed Nd:YAG laser irradiation.

• Korean Journal of Acupuncture
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.199-210
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• 2008

Objectives : This study was performed to investigate the effect of invasive laser acupuncture therapy with green light (LAT-G) at HT7(Sinmun), SP3(Taebaek) on the blood pressure in hypertensive rat induced by two kidney one clip. Methods : The experiments were performed on Sprague Dawley rats. 2K1C hypertension model was prepared by constricting the left renal artery with a sliver clip. Animals were divided into four groups, which were simple acupuncture treatment group with straight needle insertion on the square(AT-SS), acupuncture treatment group with reducing manipulation in the opposite channel direction(AT-RD), laser acupuncture treatment group with green light 532 nm, 10mW power in the opposite channel direction(LAT-G10) and laser acupuncture treatment group with green light 532 nm, 20mW power in the opposite channel direction(LAT-G20). The treatments were performed once per two days for 10 days. Results : Body weight was increased significantly in LAT-G20 group compared with AT-RD group. The blood pressure was significantly decreased in LAT-G20 and LAT-G10 groups compared with AT-SS group. Conclusions : These results suggest that green laser acupuncture therapy at SP3 ${\cdot}$ HT7 is more effective than straight needle insertion on the square for controlling hypertension. It is possible that invasive green laser acupuncture therapy (532 nm) can be used as a reducing method of the traditional acupuncture techniques.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.70-76
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• 2021

A cylindrical microlens (CML) has been widely used as an optical element for organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs), light diffusers, image sensors, 3D imaging, etc. To fabricate high-performance optoelectronic devices, the CML with high aspect ratio is demanded. In this work, we report on facile solution-based processes (i.e., slot-die and needle coatings) to fabricate the CML using poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA). It is found that compared with needle coating, slot-die coating provides the CML with lower aspect ratio due to the wide spread of solution along the hydrophilic head lip. Although needle coating provides the CML with high aspect ratio, it requires a high precision needle array module. To demonstrate that the aspect ratio of CML can be enhanced using slot-die coating, we have varied the molecular weight of PMMA. We can achieve the CML with higher aspect ratio using PMMA with lower molecular weight at a fixed viscosity because of the higher concentration of PMMA solute in the solution. We have also shown that the aspect ratio of CML can be further boosted by coating it repeatedly. With this scheme, we have fabricated the CML with the width of 252 ㎛ and the thickness of 5.95 ㎛ (aspect ratio=0.024). To visualize its light diffusion property, we have irradiated a laser beam to the CML and observed that the laser beam spreads widely in the vertical direction of the CML.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.234-238
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• 2001

Percutaneous laser discectomy has potential advantages over conservative therapy and classical open surgery as a minimally invasive procedure, although clinical experiences are limited. We experienced a patient treated with herniated lumbar discs using Nd：YAG laser. A 55-year-old woman complained of severe back pain with sciatica on L4/5 and L5/S1 dermatome for several months. The MRI finding showed bulging discs at L4/5 and L5/S1. Epidural, transsacral and root block treatments were attempted without effect. Under fluoroscopic guidance, a 14 G biopsy needle was inserted into the L4/5 and L5/S1 disc spaces to the margin of the nucleus pulposus. Laser irradiation for vaporization of tissue was performed at 20 W/second to 1200 J. A laser fiber ($600{\mu}m$) was advanced 1 cm from the tip of the needle. At the end of the procedure, the patient began to feel relief of pain (VAS changed from 9 to 4) and was discharged the same day after staying 2 hours in the recovery room. Antibiotics were administered for prevention of discitis. She had no complaints of pain until the 1-month follow up visit. Percutaneous laser discetomy technique has the disadvantages of expensive equipment, high temperature and amount of vaporing disc tissue is empirical. However, this technique, as one of the therapeutic modalities for disc herniation, provides faster relief from acute attack than conservative management techniques in carefully selected patients with sciatica due to disc prolapse.

• Laser Solutions
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.11-17
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• 2007

We presented the proper laser processing conditions for the capillary line marking, which could be applied for the fabrication of injection needles. With changing the parameters such as lamp current, duty cycle and beam amplification factor of beam expander, we evaluated the processing performance considering amount of dross, processing efficiency and processed linewidth in the sample. We could carry out the proper line marking at the condition of 70% lamp current, duty cycle of 7-10% and 6-times amplification of beam diameter. To perform efficient line processing, the utilization of duty cycle of 12% at 80% lamp current was also preferred.

• Proceedings of the KWS Conference
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• 2002.10a
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• pp.469-474
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• 2002

Laser and hot air reflow soldering of PBGA solder ball was investigated. Experimental results showed that surface quality and shear strength of solder bumps reflowed by laser was superior than the solder bumps reflowed by hot air, and the microstructure inside the solder bumps reflowed by laser was much finer. Analysis on interfacial reaction showed that eutectic solder reacted with Au/Ni/Cu pad shortly after the solder was melted. Interface of solder bump reflowed by laser consists of a continuous AuSn$_4$ layer and remnant Au element. Needle-like AuSn$_4$ grew sidewise from interface, and then spread out to the entire interface region. A thin layer of Ni$_3$Sn$_4$ intermetallic compound was found at the interface of solder bump reflowed by hot air, AuSn$_4$ particles distributed inside the whole solder bump randomly. It is the combination effect of the continuous AuSn$_4$ layer and finer eutectic microstructure inside the solder bump reflowed by laser that resulted in higher shear strength.