• Asian Spine Journal
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• v.12 no.6
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• pp.1060-1068
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• 2018

Study Design: Retrospective study. Purpose: Lumbar intervertebral disc degeneration is an important cause of low back pain. Overview of Literature: Spinal fusion is often reported to have a good course for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). However, many studies have reported that adjacent segment degeneration is accelerated after lumbar spinal fusion. Radiography is a simple method used to evaluate the orientation of the vertebral column. magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is the method most often used to specifically evaluate intervertebral disc degeneration. The Pfirrmann classification is a well-known method used to evaluate degenerative lumbar disease. After spinal fusion, an increase in stress, excess mobility, increased intra-disc pressure, and posterior displacement of the axis of motion have been observed in the adjacent segments. Methods: we retrospectively secured and analyzed the data of 15 patients (four boys and 11 girls) with AIS who underwent a spinal fusion surgery. We studied the full-length view of the spine (anterior-posterior and lateral) from the X-ray and MRI obtained from all patients before surgery. Postoperatively, another full-length spine X-ray and lumbosacral MRI were obtained from all participants. Then, pelvic tilt, sacral slope, curve correction, and fused and free segments before and after surgery were calculated based on X-ray studies. MRI images were used to estimate the degree to which intervertebral discs were degenerated using Pfirrmann grading system. Pfirrmann grade before and after surgery were compared with Wilcoxon signed rank test. While analyzing the contribution of potential risk factors for the post-spinal fusion Pfirrmann grade of disc degeneration, we used generalized linear models with robust standard error estimates to account for intraclass correlation that may have been present between discs of the same patient. Results: The mean age of the participant was 14 years, and the mean curvature before and after surgery were 67.8 and 23.8, respectively (p<0.05). During the median follow-up of 5 years, the mean degree of the disc degeneration significantly increased in all patients after surgery (p<0.05) with a Pfirrmann grade of 1 and 2.8 in the L2-L3 before and after surgery, respectively. The corresponding figures at L3-L4, L4-L5, and L5-S1 levels were 1.28 and 2.43, 1.07 and 2.35, and 1 and 2.33, respectively. The lower was the number of free discs below the fusion level, the higher was the Pfirrmann grade of degeneration (p<0.001). Conversely, the higher was the number of the discs fused together, the higher was the Pfirrmann grade. Conclusions: we observed that the disc degeneration aggravated after spinal fusion for scoliosis. While the degree of degeneration as measured by Pfirrmann grade was directly correlated by the number of fused segments, it was negatively correlated with the number of discs that remained free below the lowermost level of the fusion.

• Journal of the Korean Geotechnical Society
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• v.34 no.11
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• pp.21-31
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• 2018

Bucket foundations are widely used in offshore areas due to their various benefits such as easy and fast installations. A bucket is installed using self-weight and the hydraulic pressure difference across the lid generated by pumping out water from inside the bucket. When buckets are installed in high permeable soil such as sands, upward seepage flow occurs around the bucket tip and interior, leading to a decrease in the effective stress in the soil inside the buckets. This process reduces the penetration resistance of buckets. However, the soil inside and outside the bucket can be disturbed due to the upward seepage flow and this can change the soil properties around the bucket. Moreover, upward seepage flow can create significant soil plug heave, thereby hindering the penetration of the bucket to the target depth. Despite of these problems, soil disturbance and soil plug heave created by suction installation are not well understood. This study aims to investigate the behavior of soil during suction installation. To comprehend the phenomena of soil plug heave during installation, a series of small-scale model tests were conducted with different testing conditions. From a series of tests, the effects of tip thickness of bucket, penetration rate, and self-weight were identified. Finally, soil properties inside the bucket after installation were approximated from the measured soil plug heave.

• Journal of Korean Tunnelling and Underground Space Association
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• v.20 no.6
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• pp.1177-1192
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• 2018

The objective of this study is to develop the existing drainage system for catching the partial leakage of tunnel structures operating in cold region. The drainage system consists of drainage board, Hotty-gel as a waterproofing material, cover for preventing protrusion of Hotty-gel, air nailer, fixed nail, pipe for collecting ground leak, pipe for conveying ground leak, wire-mesh, and sprayed cement mortar. The drainage systems were installed in conventional concrete lining tunnels to evaluate the site applicability and constructability. The performances of waterproof and the drainage in the drainage system were evaluated by injecting 1,000 ml of red water in the back of the drainage system at 7 days, 14 days, 21 days, 28 days, 2 months, 3 months, 4 months, 5 months, 6 months, 7 months and 8 months. During 8 months of field test, the average daily temperature of the tunnel site was measured from $-16.0^{\circ}C$ to $25.6^{\circ}C$. The daily minimum temperature was $-21.3^{\circ}C$ and the daily maximum temperature was $30.8^{\circ}C$. There was no problem in waterproof and drainage performance of the drainage board in the drainage system. However, the pipe for conveying ground leak had the leakage problem from 14 days. It is considered that the leakage of the pipe for conveying ground leak was caused by the deformation of the pipe of the flexible plastic material having a thickness of 0.2 cm by using the high pressure air nailer and the fixing pin and the insufficient thickness and width of the hotty-gel for preventing the leakage.

• Korean Journal of Clinical Laboratory Science
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• v.51 no.3
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• pp.277-285
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• 2019

An inverse correlation between obesity and arterial stiffness has been reported, but there are no consistent results in elderly subjects. This study examined the relationship between the arterial stiffness measured by the CAVI (cardio-ankle vascular index) and BMI (body mass index) in healthy elderly people. This study included 629 healthy elderly people aged 65 and over who underwent health examinations at a general hospital in Gyeonggi from July 2018 to June 2019. Metabolic syndrome was diagnosed using the criteria of the Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) III of the US National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP). Among the criteria of NCEP-ATP III, the waist circumference and obesity criteria were based on the WHO criteria. All subjects underwent a biochemical blood test and an assessment of the CAVI. In both men and women, the CAVI was lower in the obese group than in the normal weight group. Gender (P=0.047), age (P<0.001), BMI (P<0.001), and waist circumference (P=0.008) were factors affecting the CAVI. Gender, high blood pressure, and hyperglycemia were independent positive predictors of the CAVI levels, while obesity was a negative predictor. Therefore, the CAVI and BMI showed an inverse correlation. In conclusion, there was an inverse correlation between the CAVI and BMI in the elderly, and obesity was a negative predictor of the CAVI.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.20 no.5
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• pp.275-284
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• 2019

This study was conducted to evaluate the health promotion behavior level, health beliefs, and self-efficacy of individuals preparing for civil service examinations, as well as the main factors that influence their health promotion behavior. The study subjects were 290 individuals who were preparing for civil service examinations in Noryangjin, where there are a lot of private institutions that provide training for the examinations. Data were collected by questionnaire surveys conducted from December 1 to 19, 2017. With the use of SPSS ver. 23, descriptive statistics, t-tests, one-way ANOVA, correlation analysis, and stepwise multiple regression were conducted. On average, the score for health promotion behavior practice was $2.37{\pm}0.45points$, health beliefs $3.13{\pm}0.45points$, and self-efficacy $3.55{\pm}0.74points$. Health promotion behavior was significantly positively correlated with perceived severity and perceived benefits, which are sub factors of health beliefs (r=.60, p<.001; r=.55, p<.001), while it was significantly negatively correlated with perceived barriers, which are a sub factor of health beliefs (r=.32, p<.001). The factors that influenced health promotion behavior were perceived health condition and perceived barriers, and the explanatory power of health promotion behavior was 25.1% (F=13.58, p<.001). In general, respondents studied for the examinations for a long time and were under severe job pressure; accordingly, they need to have quality meals, regular exercise, and regular medical check-ups to enhance health promotion behavior to control their stress.

• Yonsei Medical Journal
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• v.59 no.9
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• pp.1138-1142
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• 2018

This study aimed to analyze the impact of sleep deprivation (SD) on cardiac, hemodynamic, and endothelial parameters and to determine whether these are sustained with increased periods of SD. The study included 60 healthy men (mean: age $31.2{\pm}6.3years$; body mass index $24.6{\pm}2.6kg/m^2$). Hemodynamic parameters, parameters of myocardial contractility, spectral analysis of heart rate (HR) and blood pressure (BP) variability, and the sensitivity of arterial baroreflex function were evaluated. Biochemical tests were performed to assess L-arginine (L-Arg) and asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) levels in reflection of endothelial nitric oxide synthase ability. Measurements of cardiovascular system parameters were obtained at 9 a.m. (baseline) on the first day of the study and 9 a.m. (24-h SD), 1 p.m. (28-h SD), and 5 p.m. (32-h SD) on the second day. Blood samples for evaluating biochemical parameters were obtained at baseline and after 24-h SD. ANOVA Friedman's test revealed a significant effect for time in relation to HR (${\chi}^2=26.04$, df=5, p=0.000), systolic BP (${\chi}^2=35.98$, df=5, p=0.000), diastolic BP (${\chi}^2=18.01$, df=5, p=0.003), and mean BP (${\chi}^2=28.32$, df=5, p=0.000). L-Arg and ADMA levels changed from $78.2{\pm}12.9$ and $0.3{\pm}0.1$ at baseline to $68.8{\pm}10.2$ and $0.4{\pm}0.1$ after 24-hr SD, respectively (p=0.001, p=0.004). SD in healthy men is associated with increases in BP, which appear to occur after 24 hours of SD and are maintained over increasing periods of SD. The observed hemodynamic changes may have resulted due to disordered vascular endothelial function, as reflected in alterations in L-Arg and ADMA levels.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Emergency Medicine
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• v.29 no.6
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• pp.649-655
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• 2018

Objective: This paper reports the possibility of using of a locking horizontal mattress suture technique in repairing lacerations that are difficult to suture with staples. Methods: Data were collected retrospectively over a 6-month period regarding the routine repair of scalp lacerations: those in areas injured by a high energy blunt mechanism, continued to bleed after pressure, nonlinear or damaged skin repaired with a locking horizontal mattress technique, and simple interrupted technique. The effects of the two techniques used to repair scalp lacerations on wound healing, complication rate, and patient satisfaction were examined. The categorical variables are expressed as the number and percent. A Mann-Whitney-Wilcoxon test was used for statistical analysis. A P-value less than 0.05 was considered significant. Results: Thirty-seven consecutive patients with scalp lacerations presented for care. Wound closure was accomplished with the locking horizontal mattress sutures in 40.5% (n=15) (median length, 5.0 cm; interquartile range [IQR], 4.0-7.0 cm). Simple interrupted sutures (median length, 4 cm; IQR, 3.0-5.0 cm) were used in 59.5% (n=22) (P=0.015). The frequency of additional bandage compression (P=0.008), frequency of exudative hemorrhage (P=0.018), and suture mark frequency at suture removal (P=0.047) were significantly lower in the locking horizontal mattress group. Conclusion: The locking horizontal mattress suture, which has the advantage of a horizontal mattress suture, may be one of the ways that can be used alternatively to treat scalp lacerations that difficult to suture with staples.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.49 no.8
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• pp.628-634
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• 2011

SA508 Gr.4N Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel, in which Ni and Cr contents are higher than in commercial SA508 Gr.3 Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steels, may be a candidate reactor pressure vessel (RPV) material with higher strength and toughness from its tempered martensitic microstructure. The inner surface of the RPV is weld-cladded with stainless steels to prevent corrosion. The goal of this study is to evaluate the microstructural properties of the clad interface between Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel and stainless weldment, and the effects of post weld heat treatment (PWHT) on the properties. The properties of the clad interface were compared with those of commercial Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel. Multi-layer welding of model alloys with ER308L and ER309L stainless steel by the SAW method was performed, and then PWHT was conducted at $610^{\circ}C$ for 30 h. The microstructural changes of the clad interface were analyzed using OM, SEM and TEM, and micro-Vickers hardness tests were performed. Before PWHT, the heat affected zone (HAZ) showed higher hardness than base and weld metals due to formation of martensite after welding in both steels. In addition, the hardness of the HAZ in Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel was higher than that in Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel due to a comparatively high martensite fraction. The hardness of the HAZ decreased after PWHT in both steels, but the dark region was formed near the fusion line in which the hardness was locally high. In the case of Mn-Mo-Ni low alloy steel, formation of fine Cr-carbides in the weld region near the fusion line by diffusion of C from the base metal resulted in locally high hardness in the dark region. However, the precipitates of the region in the Ni-Cr-Mo low alloy steel were similar to that in the base metal, and the hardness in the region was not greatly different from that in the base metal.

• Journal of the Korean Geosynthetics Society
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.1-8
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• 2021

In urban areas, structures are installed deep underground in the lower part of the structure to utilize space. Therefore, a retaining wall is used to prevent earth pressure from the ground when constructing a structure. Due to the development of construction technology, retaining wall applied to excavation work are used to prevent danger such as falling rocks and landslides in temporary facilities when construction or retaining walls are installed. In general, the application of a retaining wall to a temporary facility during the embankment construction is the case of expanding an existing roads or railways. Therefore, it is necessary to study the retaining wall applied to the embankment construction such as the double-track site of the high-speed railway. In this study, two types of common one row H-pile retaining wall and two types of IER retaining wall were analyzed, and the stability of the retaining wall applied to the construction of double-track of the high-speed railway was analyzed. The earth retaining wall is a construction method that combines forced pile applied to the stabilization of the slope with the wall of the earth retaining wall. As a result of the analysis, the IER retaining wall had maximum lateral displacement of 19.0% compared to the type with H-plie installed only in the front while dynamic load was applied. In addition, the slower the speed of high-speed railway, the more displacement occurred, and the results show that more caution is needed when designing the ground in low-speed sections.

• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
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• v.38 no.3
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• pp.762-770
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• 2021

The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect on the vertical ground reaction force, the elapsed time, and the center of pressure factors during gait by maepsi exercise program, which is a whole body exercise, to middle-aged women for 8 weeks. A total of 25 subjects participated in this study, 13 in the exercise group(age, 41±4.4 years; heigh, 162.5±5.8cm; weight, 57.8±6.7kg; body mass, 21.9±2.4kg/m2) and 12 in the control group(age, 41.1±5.6 years; height, 160.9±5.5 cm; weight, 576.2±8.1 kg; body mass, 21.7±2.9 kg/m2). In the exercise group, the maepsi exercise program consisting of 7 areas, 23 types and 77 movements, was conducted 3 times a week for 8 weeks. Two-way repeated measures ANOVA was performed to verify the ground reaction force factors during gait, and the post-test was analyzed with bonferroni adjustment(a=.05). In the exercise group, compared to the control group, the exercise group showed higher values than the control group in the elapsed time to FMWA and FPO, vertical ground reaction force at FMWA and FPO, and RMS factors of COP in the AP direction. Therefore, it was found that the 8-week maepsi exercise program improved the acceleration and deceleration exercise functions of middle-aged women who performed gait.