• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.5 no.2
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• pp.238-252
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• 1998

Reumatic arthritis is a disease with joint pain being one of the key symptoms. The patient suffers from the pain, stiff sensation and edema due to the inflammation taking Place In one or more joints. Accompanying these problems are fatigue, unusual exhaustion, fever, tachycardia and weakness. Inaddition, joints are often deformed and muscles shrink along with the progress of edema, coupled with depression and psychological instability resulting from the loss of the mobile function and limitations on the daily life. Some patients become fed up with the long and hard flight with the disease and just give up, which aggravates the symptoms. Others come to the hospital only when the conditions have become serious. We need to prevent these and guide the patients in the right direction. Against this backdrop, this study aims to look into the relations between the knowledge on the part of the patients together with their feeling of self-efficacy and the compliance. The results are expected to help the patients improve their life, In addition to providing useful materials for setting up appropriate plan for nursing intervention. The study was conducted by distributing questionnaire to 88 patients selected from the out-patient department of a university hospital in Inchon, from April 6 to 27, 1998. The following tools were used the yardstick of self-efficacy, developed in 1997 by the Society for the Health of Rheumatism Patients, was used for measuring the levels of knowledge and the feeling of self-efficacy. The degree of compliance was measured by the data collected from documents in addition to the results of the analysis of the interviews with the patients. The reliability of the tools was confirmed. In the analysis, the general characteristics were expressed in figures and percentages. The levels of knowledge, feeling of self-efficacy, and compliance were expressed in the average values and standard deviations. The relations among the variables following the general characteristics were analysed by the t-test and one-way ANOVA. The Pearson correction coefficient was used for the analysis of factors. Multiple-loop analysis was used to identify the variables affecting the compliance. The following are the results of this study. 1. Among the 88 patients, 18 were men and the remaining 70 were women, with a ratio 1 : 3.87. Regarding the age groups, 23 were between 50 and 59 years old, with those between 50 and 69 accounting for 51.1% of the total. High school graduates or higher amounted to 58%. Religious patients was 67% or 59 persons. Fifty nine percent were unemployed, and 58.3% (49 persons) had two children or fewer. The period of suffering from rheumatism varied between 2 months and IS years, with 70% less than years. 2. The average figure In relation to the of knowledge was 17.63 points over 30 or 58. 76%, which means a medium level. 3. The average figure of the feeling of self-efficacy was 60.06 points. 4. The level of compliance was 3.26, which was above average. 5. The relation between the feeling of self-efficacy and compliance showed an "r" value of 0.37, which was significant. It means that the higher the feeling, the greater the compliance points. 6. The analysis of the knowledge level revealed that the difference is found only between the college graduates and junior-high graduates or lower. 7. The feeling of self-efficacy varied along with the age and education level. 8. The general characteristics of patients as discussed above did not show significant difference with the compliance. 9. Regarding the elements influencing the compliance, the number of children, period of suffering, income, age, feering of self-efficacy, knowledge, and compliance had 54% of significance. In conclusion, rheumatism victims can lead a better life if they are appropriately educated, based on efficient training program from the early days of the disease ; if they become able to manage themselves thanks to the training ; and if they are helped by a program focusing on the increase of the feeling of self-efficacy aimed at changing patient's behavior.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.3
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• pp.207-214
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• 2016

The aim of this study was to evaluate Influence on intra-limb coordination in individuals wearing knee brace during walking. Seven healthy male adults ($32.3{\pm}2.7$ years old, $175.2{\pm}3.8cm$, $76.2{\pm}8.7kg$) participated. They wore knee brace or didn't wear any knee brace and were asked to walk along a 10 m long walkway. Spatiotemporal parameters, angles of the lower limbs, and intra-limb continuous relative phase (CRP) were measured and calculated. No differences of spatiotemporal parameters were shown (all p > 0.05). There were no changes in the angle and its range of motion (ROM) in the hip for the subjects as wearing knee brace, while ROM ($65.5{\pm}3.7^{\circ}$ vs. $60.5{\pm}3.5^{\circ}$, p < 0.05) of the angle and maximum flexion angles (stance: $31.9{\pm}4.6$ vs. $25.6{\pm}5.5$, swing: $76.7{\pm}3.1$ vs. $68.9{\pm}3.4$, all p < 0.05) in the knee significantly decreased. No changes in ROM of angle in the ankle were shown, whereas maximum dorsiflexion decreased ($22.4{\pm}2.6$ vs. $19.2{\pm}2.1$, p < 0.05) and maximum plantarflexion increased ($9.5{\pm}3.0$ vs. $15.7{\pm}2.2$, p<0.05). There were no changes in most of CRP between joints. CRP between the hip and knee joints decreased ($93.0{\pm}7.8$ vs, $84.7{\pm}4.9$, p < 0.05). Most of CRP standard deviation increased (between the hip and ankle joint during swing: $25.1{\pm}6.7$ vs. $32.4{\pm}1.9$, between the knee and ankle joint during stance: $46.0{\pm}12.9$ vs. $80.1{\pm}31.1$, between the knee and ankle joint during swing: $34.5{\pm}4.1$ vs. $37.6{\pm}3.1$, all p < 0.05). These results indicated that wearing knee brace affected joint angle and intra-limb coordination, but less affected gait features.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Fisheries and Ocean Technology
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.79-87
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• 1978

This is an experimental study on friction welding and heat treatment of engine exhaust valve materials whose welding combination is SCr4 as stem to 21-4N as head and SUH3 to 21-4N. In this study, not only the experiments of friction welding under the selected optimum welding condition and the examination of the mechanical properties were carried out, but also the heat treatment of friction welded specimens under the two selected conditions was taken to obtain the better welding character, eliminating the latent stress and the hardness peak which appeared at the welded zones of heat resisting steel(21-4N, SUH3) and low alloyed steel ($SCr_4$) friction weldments. The results obtained by the experiments and consideration in this study are as follows: I) It was experimentally proved quite reasonable that 'speed=3,OOO rpm, heating pressure Pl=8 kg/ mm2, upsetting pressure p, = 20 kg/mm', heating time $t_1$ = 3 see, upsetting time TEX>$t_2$ = 2.5 sec' was selected as the optimum welding condition for friction-welding the engine exhaust valve materials $SCr_4$ to 21-4 Nand SUH 3 to 21-4 N. 2) The results of the previous study and this one on friction welding of such dissimilar materials as SUH 3-SUH 31, SCr 4-SUH 31, SCr 4-SUH 3, SUH 3-CRK 22, SCr4-21-4 Nand SUH3-21-4 N agreed with each other substantially in the friction welding characteristics at welded interface zones. 3) It was also certified quite satisfactory that '600\ulcornerCX30 min. Xroom air cooling' as an optimum heat treatment condition of the friction welded materials SCr 4-21-4 Nand SUH 3-21-4 N was experimentally determined to eliminate the latent stress and the hardness peak at welded zones. 4) About 20% of the tensile strength before heat treatment of friction welded specimens was decreased after heat treatment 600\ulcornerCX30 min. Xair cooling, but the location of fracture was moved from heat affected zone to parent $SCr_4$ & SUH3. 5) Microscopic examination of the weld joints friction-welded and heat-treated under the above mentioned conditions revealed that the weld zone is very narrow and has a fine grained intermixed structure without any welding defects. 6) The above mentioned conditions can be also utilized as friction welding parameters of the other dissimiar materials for engine valve production.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.217-226
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• 2010

The lower limb orthosis with a pneumatic rubber actuator, which is intended for the assistance and the enhancement of muscular activities of lower limbs was developed in this study. Compared to other knee extension assistive devices being developed by other researchers, our device is designed especially for the elderly people and intended only for slight assistance so that the subjects can keep their muscular strength. For the effectiveness of system, muscular activities of major muscles in lower limbs during sit-to-stand (STS) and squat motion were measured and analyzed. Subjects were performed the STS and squat motion with and without lower limb orthosis. We made comparison muscular activities between with and without lower limb orthosis. Lower limb orthosis was controlled using muscular stiffness force feedback that is controlled by muscular activities of the measured muscle from force sensor. For analysis of muscular activities, electromyography of the subjects was measured during STS and squat motion, and these were measured using MP 150(BIOPAC Systems, Inc.). Muscles of interest were rectus femoris(RF), vastus lateralis(VL), vastus medialis(VM) and vastus intermedius(VI) muscles in lower limbs of the right side. A biodex dynamometer was used to measure the maximal concentric isokinetic strength of the knee extensors of wearing and not wearing orthosis on right side. The test were performed using the concentric isokinetic mode of test with the velocity set at 60°/s for muscles around the knee joints. The experimental result showed that muscular activities in lower limbs wearing orthosis using muscular stiffness force of a vastus medialis muscle was reduced and knee extension torque of an knee joint wearing lower limb orthosis was increased. With this, we confirmed the effectiveness of the developed lower limb orthosis.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.16 no.3
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• pp.137-148
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• 2006

The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activity in the lower extremity during walking wearing jogging and roller shoes. Twelve male middle school students (age: 15.0 yrs, height 173.7 cm, weight 587.7 N) who have no known musculoskeletal disorders were recruited as the subjects. Seven pairs of surface electrodes (QEMG8, Laxtha Korea, gain = 1,000, input impedance >$1012{\Omega}$, CMMR >100 dB) were attached to the right-hand side of the body to monitor the rectus femoris (RF), vastus medialis (VM), vastus lateralis (VL), biceps femoris (BF), tibialis anterior (TA), and medial (GM) and lateral gastrocnemius (GL) while subjects walked wearing roller and jogging shoes in random order at a speed of 1.1 m/s. An event sync unit with a bright LED light was used to synchronize the video and EMG recordings. EMG data were filtered using a 10 Hz to 350 Hz Butterworth band-passdigital filter and further normalized to the respective maximum voluntary isometric contraction EMG levels. For each trial being analyzed, five critical instants and four phases were identified from the recording. Averaged IEMG and peak IEMG were determined for each trial. For each dependent variable, paired t-test was performed to test if significant difference existed between shoe conditions (p<.05). The VM, TA, BF, and GM activities during the initial double limb stance and the initial single limb stance reduced significantly when going from jogging shoe to roller shoe condition. The decrease in EMG levels in those muscles indicated that the subjects locked the ankle and knee joints in an awkward fashion to compensate for the imbalance. Muscle activity in the GM for the roller shoe condition was significantly greater than the corresponding value for the jogging shoe condition during the terminal double limb stance and the terminal single limb stance. Because the subjects tried to keep their upper body weight in front of the hip to prevent falling backward, the GM activity for the roller shoe condition increased. It seems that there are differences in muscle activity between roller shoe and jogging shoe conditions. The differences in EMG pattern may be caused primarily by the altered position of ankle, knee, and center of mass throughout the walking cycle. Future studies should examine joint kinematics during walking with roller shoes.

• Journal of Acupuncture Research
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• v.24 no.6
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• pp.45-61
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• 2007

Objectives : The purpose of this study is to observe the effects of Carthami Flos herbal-acupuncture (CF-HA) at Joksamni($ST_{36}$) on arthritis in mice induced by Collagen II. Methods : The author performed several experimental items, including arthritis evaluation, change in weight, spleen size and stenosis rate, change in cytokine level, IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II, change of immunocyte count and histological change of the CIA mouse joint. Conclusions are as follows: Results : 1. In the CF-HA, the arthritis index and rate and the incidence of arthritis were decreased as the experiment proceeded. 2. In the CF-HA, spleen swell and stenosis, joint edema and change were decreased. 3. In the CF-HA, the level of $IL-1{\beta}$, IL-6, $TNF-{\alpha}$ and $IFN-{\gamma}$ in blood serum were significantly decreased. 4. In the CF-HA, the level of IgG, IgM and anti-collagen II were decreased. 5. In the CF- HA, $IFN-{\gamma}$, $IFN-{\gamma}/IL-4$, IL-10 of the culture fluid was decreased. 6. In the CF-HA, the cell rate of $CD3e^+$ and $CD45R^+$, $CD4^+$ and $CD8^+$, $CD4^+/CD25^+$ in spleen was similar to the cell rate of the normal group. 7. In the CF-HA, the cell rate of $CD4^+/CD25^+$, $CD45R^+/CD69^+$ in a lymph node was decreased as in the normal group. 8. In the CF-HA, the cell rate of $CD3^+/CD69^+$, $CD11b^+/Gr-1^+$ in joints was decreased as in the normal group. 9. In the CF-HA, the cartilage destruction and the inflammation cell growth in the H&E stain were decreased. The collagen fiber in the M&T stain were less destructed, therefore the result was similar to the normal group. Conclusions : These results suggest that CH-HA at $ST_{36}$ has an effect in controlling immune reaction and suppressing inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis therefore, the continuous flow of the following study is expected.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.279-286
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• 2010

The purpose of this study was to compare the electromyographic(EMG) activities of trunk and hip muscles between right and left sides while subjects performed prolonged manual task in asymmetric and symmetric weight-bearing posture. Fifteen healthy male college students were recruited for this study. The subjects were asked to perform bimanual upper extremity task for 6 minutes in two different standing postures. In the symmetric weight-bearing posture, the subjects were standing with evenly distributed body weights to both legs. In the asymmetric weight-bearing posture, the subjects distributed about 90% of their body weight onto their preferred(supporting) leg and 10% of their body weight onto the opposite leg while they were standing. EMG activities of the right and left internal oblique, erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius were measured and normalized as % MVIC. Then the EMG data were statistically analyzed using paired t-tests. The EMG activities of all measured muscles were not significantly different between the right and left side in the symmetrical weight-bearing posture(p>0.05). However, the EMG of the supporting side internal oblique was significantly lower than the opposite side(p<0.05), and the EMG of the erector spinae, gluteus maximus, and gluteus medius were significantly greater on the supporting side(p<0.05). The results of this study support that unbalanced use of right and left muscle possibly causes the changes in muscle length which results in asymmetry of trunk and hip muscles. Furthermore, the uneven weight support onto right and left legs will cause a distortion of viscoelastic ligaments around hip and sacroiliac joints in the long run. Further studies to determine the effect of various manual tasks on the trunk and hip muscles as well as the effect of asymmetrical weight-bearing standing posture on hip and back muscle fatigue may be required.

• Journal of Korean Society of Steel Construction
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• v.22 no.2
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• pp.109-119
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• 2010

There are many restrictions in the application of high-strength HSSs, including yield strength and yield ratio for the 600-MPa steel. The AISC and Canadian codes recommend that the yield strength and yield ratio of HSS members be 360 MPa and 80%, respectively. It is important to understand the true buckling behaviors of HSSs using high-strength steel at the limit states. There are many experimental data regarding the rectangular HSSs, and the circular ones are not enough for high-strength steel. Therefore, this study was conducted to create a better understanding of the buckling behaviors of the 600- and 400-MPa steels based on the results of the finite-element analysis that was done before the experiment. To understand the structural behaviors of the aforementioned steels, the width-to-thickness ratios, the angle of the web members, the yield strength, and the gap of the web members were selected as the main parameters in this study, and ABAQUS, a general finite-element program, was used.As a result, the compression web member reached elastic buckling in the 600-MPa steel and inelastic buckling in the 400-MPa steel. A brittle fracture occurred in the case where the yield ratio was greater than 80%. At the same time, it was found that the limit strength determined via FEM analysis had a higher value compared to the code evaluation with the variation of the width-to-thickness ratio in the main code member. The change in the connection load in high-strength steels was not identified by the other factors.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
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• v.25 no.2
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• pp.15-35
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• 2015

Objectives This study was performed to investigate the effects of Bujasasim-tang ethanol extract (BST) on oxidative stress, inflammation and osteoarthritic rat model. Methods To ensure safety of BST, heavy metal levels were measured and cytotoxicity test was done. In vitro, To evaluate antioxidative effects of BST, total phenolic contents, 1,1-diphenyl-2-picryl-hydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2'-azino-bis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) scavenging activity, reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels were measured. Also, to evaluate anti-inflammatory effects of BST treated group, total nitric oxide (NO) and pro-inflammatory cytokines (IL-$1{\beta}$, IL-6, TNF-${\alpha}$) levels were measured in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-stimulated RAW 264.7 cells. In vivo, We injected MIA $50{\mu}l$ (60 mg/ml) into knee joints of rats to induce osteoarthritis. Rats were divided into total 3 groups (normal, control, BST treated group, each n=7). Normal group was not treated at all without inducing osteoarthritis and taken normal diet. Control group was induced osteoarthritis by MIA and taken with 2 ml of distilled water once a day for 4 weeks. BST treated group was induced osteoarthritis by MIA and taken BST 2 ml (200 mg/kg/mouse) once a day for 4 weeks. We evaluated dynamic weight bearing with the Incapacitance Test Meter. At the end of experiment, the rats were sacrificed to observe the functions of liver and kidney, changes of WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte levels in blood, to evaluate the levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, tissue inhibitor of metallopreteinases-1 (TIMP-1), matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9), prostaglandin $E_2$ ($PGE_2$), leukotriene $B_4$ ($LTB_4$) within serum. We observed change of articular structures by Hematoxylin & Eosin (H&E), safranin-O staining method and measured amount of cartilage by micro CT-arthrography. Statistical analysis was done by unpaired student's t-test with significance level at p<0.05 in SPSS 11.0 for windows. Results 1. Safety of the BST was identified. 2. AST, ALT, BUN, creatinine levels of BST treated group were within normal limit. In vitro, 1. DPPH and ABTS free radical scavenging activities of BST showed dose-dependent increase. 2. ROS production were significantly decreased. 3. Total nitric oxide (NO) and IL-$1{\beta}$ production were decreased. 4. IL-6 and TNF-${\alpha}$ production were significantly decreased. In vivo, 1. Weight bearing ability was significantly increased. 2. WBC, neutrophil, lymphocyte, monocyte levels in blood were decreased. 3. IL-$1{\beta}$ and TNF-${\alpha}$ levels in serum were significantly decreased. and the IL-6 level was decreased. 4. TIMP-1, MMP-9, $LTB_4$, $PGE_2$ levels in serum were significantly decreased. 5. Cartilage volume of BST treated group was significantly increased. Also changes of cartilage, synovial membrane, fibrous tissue were suppressed. Conclusions The results obtained in this study Bujasasim-tang have effects of antioxidative, anti-inflammatory, relieve pain and protection of cartilage. Therefore we expect that Bujasasim-tang is effective treatment for osteoarthritis.

• Journal of Veterinary Clinics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.190-193
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• 2005

The concentration of tartrate resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP) in synovial fluid of normal stifle joint was investigated in order to establish a baseline data to distinguish between healthy joint and joint with injury of cranial cruciate ligament (CCL). Twenty three mixed-breed healthy dogs free from joint diseases (fourteen adult and nine young) were used in this study. The dogs were sedated and synovial fluid was collected from the femoropatellar compartment of stifle joints by direct arthrocentesis. The concentration of TRAP in synovial fluid was determined using the method of Lang. The concentration of TRAP were $0.083{\pm}0.039$ IU/ml in adult dogs, $0.064{\pm}0.023$ IU/ml in young dogs, $0.075{\pm}0.028$ IU/ml in large dogs (>22 kg), $0.076{\pm}0.046$ IU/ml in small dogs (<22 kg), $0.085{\pm}0.036$ IU/ml in neutered dogs and $0.056{\pm}0.022$ IU/ml in intact dogs. The concentration of TRAP in the neutered dogs was significantly (p<0.05) higher than the intact dogs. This data can be used baseline data for a comparison with joint with injury of cranial cruciate ligament.