• Journal of the Korean Association of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgeons
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• v.37 no.5
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• pp.355-364
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• 2011

Introduction: This study evaluated nerve recovery through retrospective study of patients with lingual nerve damage. Patients and Methods: The patients who visited Seoul National University Dental Hospital for an injury to the lingual nerve from April 1988 to August 2009 were enrolled in this study (n=41). The relevance of various factors including the causes of damage, age, etc. was analyzed by the subjective improvement based upon questionnaires and the clinical records. The evaluation variants were a subjective assessment and neurosensory examination composed of the direction, contact threshold, two-point discrimination, pin prick, thermal discrimination and current perception threshold. Results: The causes of lingual nerve damage were an extraction of the lower third molar (75.6%), local anesthesia (9.7%), incision and drainage (4.88%), trauma (2.44%). The evaluation of subjective prognosis exhibited no difference in sensory improvement depending on the cause, age and gender. Based upon the subjective evaluation, 44.7% of patients showed sensory improvement. The first hospital visit from injury was shorter in the group showing subjective improvement (3.41 months) than those showing no improvement (5.24 months) (P=0.301). Thirty six out of 41 patients were treated with only conservative therapy and 5 patients were treated by surgical intervention. Neurosensory examinations revealed improvement, although not statistically significant, and the degree was higher in the subjectively improved group. The contact threshold discrimination showed the highest correlation with subjective improvement (P=0.069). Most of the sensory recovery was gained within 12 months and the degree of improvement at the tip of the tongue was higher than that of the dorsum (P<0.001). Conclusion: The damaged lingual nerve improved at a rate of 44.7% and mostly within 12 months after the incident. There was no difference between the subjective prognosis and neurosensory examination depending on the cause of damage, age and gender, whereas the contact threshold discrimination was the best variant that reflected the subjective prognosis statistically.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.47-52
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• 2008

As the packing density of IC devices gets ever higher, the thickness of the gate $SiO_2$ layer of the MOS devices is now required to be reduced down to 1 nm. For such a thin $SiO_2$ layer, the MOS device cannot operate properly because of tunneling current and threshold voltage shift. Hence there has been much effort to develop new dielectric materials which have higher dielectric constants than $SiO_2$ and is free from such undesirable effects. In this work, the physical and electrical characteristics of ALD $ZrO_2$ film have been studied. After deposition of a thin ALD $ZrO_2$ film, it went through thermal treatment in the presence of argon gas at $800^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr. The characteristics of morphology, crystallization kinetics, and interfacial layer of $Pt/ZrO_2/Si$ samples have been investigated by using the analyzing instruments like XRD, TEM and C-V plots. It has been found that the characteristics of the $Pt/ZrO_2/Si$ device was enhanced by the thermal treatment.

• The Journal of Korean Institute of Communications and Information Sciences
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• v.18 no.3
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• pp.449-455
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• 1993

In order to investigate the improvements of relatively poor characteristics of short wave length AlGaAs/GaAs laser diodes which are useful as a light source for short distance communication systems, the low temperature $(<680^{\circ}C)$ grown AlGaAs/GaAs GRINSCH-QW laser diodes by molecular beam epitaxy have been studied by photoluminescence as a function of rapid thermal annealing (RTA) temperature. It is shown that guantum well photoluminescence intensity increased substantially by a factor of 10 after RAT at $950^{\circ}C$ for 10 sec. This is related to the reduction of non-radiative recombination in the guantum well region. The threshold current of annealed laser diode is reduced by a factor, of 4, confirming the improvement of laser diode quality by rapid thermal annealing.

• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.180-189
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• 2003

The experiments were designated to evaluate the anti-nociceptive effect of low power laser stimulation on acupoint or non-acupoint using arthrogenic solution induced poly arthritis animal model. Evaluation of potential antinociceptive effect of low power laser on arthritis has employed measurements of the foot bending test, the development of either thermal or mechanical hyperalgesia following the arthritis induction. The analysis of thermal hyperalgesia includes Hargreaves's method. Randall-Sellitto test was utilized for evaluating mechanical hyperalgesia. In addition, the antinociceptive effect of low power laser stimulation on arthritis induced spinal Fos expression was analyzed using a computerized image analysis system. The results were summerized as follows: 1. In laser stimulation on acupoint treated animal, laser stimulation dramatically inhibited the development of pain in foot bending test as compared to those of non acupoint treated animal group and non treated animal group. 2. The threshold of thermal stimulation was significantly increased by low power laser stimulation on acupoint as compared to that of non treated control group. 3. Laser stimulation on acupoint dramatically attenuated the development of mechanical hyperalgesia as compared to that of non treated group. 4. Low power laser stimulation on acupoint significantly suppressed arthritis induced Fos expression in the lumbar spinal cord at 3 week post arthritis induction. In conclusion, the results of the present study demonstrated that low power laser stimulation on acupoint has potent anti-nociceptive effect on arthritis. Additional supporting data for an antinociceptive effect of laser stimulation was obtained using Fos immunohistochemical analysis on spinal cord section. Those data indicated that laser stimulation induced antinociception was mediated by suppression of spinal neuron activity in pain sensation.

• Molecules and Cells
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.417-422
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• 2009

Lipoxygenase (LO) metabolites are generated in inflamed tissues. However, it is unclear whether the inhibition of the LO activity regulates the expression of c-Fos protein, a pain marker in the spinal cord. Here we used a carrageenan-induced inflammation model to examine the role of LO in the development of c-Fos expression. Intradermally injected carrageenan caused elevated number of cells exhibiting Fos-like immunoreactivity (Fos-LI) in the spinal dorsal horn, and decreased the thermal and mechanical threshold in Hargreaves and von Frey tests. Pretreatment with an inhibitor of phospholipase A2, that generates the LO substrate, prior to the carrageenan injection significantly reduced the number of Fos-(+) cells. A general LO inhibitor NDGA, a 5-LO inhibitor AA-861 and a 12-LO inhibitor baicalein also exhibited the similar effects. Moreover, the LO inhibitors suppressed carrageenan-induced thermal and mechanical hyperalgesic behaviors, which inidcates that the changes in Fos expression correlates with those in the nociceptive behaviors in the inflamed rats. LO products are endogenous TRPV1 activators and pretreatment with BCTC, a TRPV1 antagonist inhibited the thermal but not the mechanical hypersensitivity. Overall, our results from the Fos-LI and behavior tests suggest that LO products released from inflamed tissues contribute to nociception during carrageenan-induced inflammation, indicating that the LO pathway is a possible target for modulating inflammatory pain.

• Journal of the Korean Institute of Electrical and Electronic Material Engineers
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• v.32 no.5
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• pp.376-381
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• 2019

In this work, we evaluated the structural, electrical and optical properties of $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ and Cu-doped $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ thin films prepared by rf-magnetron reactive sputtering. The 200-nm-thick deposited films were annealed in a range of $100{\sim}400^{\circ}C$ using a furnace in an $N_2$ atmosphere. The amorphous-to-crystalline phase changes of the thin films were investigated by X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-Vis-IR spectrophotometry, a 4-point probe, and a source meter. A one-step phase transformation from amorphous to face-centered-cubic (fcc) and an increase of the crystallization temperature ($T_c$) was observed in the Cu-doped film, which indicates an enhanced thermal stability in the amorphous state. The difference in the optical energy band gap ($E_{op}$) between the amorphous and crystalline phases was relatively large, approximately 0.38~0.41 eV, which is beneficial for reducing the noise in the memory devices. The sheet resistance($R_s$) of the amorphous phase in the Cu-doped film was about 1.5 orders larger than that in undoped film. A large $R_s$ in the amorphous phase will reduce the programming current in the memory device. An increase of threshold voltage ($V_{th}$) was seen in the Cu-doped film, which implied a high thermal efficiency. This suggests that the Cu-doped $Ge_8Sb_2Te_{11}$ thin film is a good candidate for PRAM.

• The Korean Journal of Pain
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• v.34 no.2
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• pp.176-184
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• 2021

Background: Diabetes-related neuropathic pain frequently occurs, and the underpinning mechanism remains elusive. The periaqueductal gray (PAG) exhibits descending inhibitory effects on central pain transmission. The current work aimed to examine whether inflammatory cytokines regulate mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia induced by diabetes through the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)-mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) pathway in the PAG. Methods: Streptozotocin (STZ) was administered intraperitoneally to mimic allodynia and hyperalgesia evoked by diabetes in rats. Behavioral assays were carried out for determining mechanical pain and thermal hypersensitivity. Immunoblot and ELISA were performed to examine PAG protein amounts of interleukin-1β (IL-1β), IL-6, and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), as well as their corresponding receptors in STZ rats, and the expression of PI3K/protein kinase B (Akt)/mTOR signaling effectors. Results: Increased PAG p-PI3K/p-Akt/p-mTOR protein amounts were observed in STZ-induced animals, a PI3K-mTOR pathway inhibition in the PAG attenuated neuropathic pain responses. Moreover, the PAG concentrations of IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α and their receptors (namely, IL-1R, IL-6R, and tumor necrosis factor receptor [TNFR] subtype TNFR1, respectively) were increased in the STZ rats. Additionally, inhibiting IL-1R, IL-6R, and TNFR1 ameliorated mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia in STZ rats, alongside the downregulation of PI3K-mTOR signaling. Conclusions: Overall, the current study suggests that upregulated proinflammatory cytokines and their receptors in the PAG activate PI3K-mTOR signaling, thereby producing a de-inhibition effect on descending pathways in modulating pain transmission, and eventually contributing to neuropathic pain.

• Korean Journal of Optics and Photonics
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• v.28 no.5
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• pp.236-240
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• 2017

In this paper, we investigate the thermal response of skin tissue to high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) by means of infrared (IR) thermal imaging. For skin tightening, a 7-MHz ultrasound transducer is used to induce irreversible tissue coagulation in porcine skin. An IR camera is employed to monitor spatiotemporal changes of the temperature in the tissue. The maximum temperature in the tissue increased linearly with applied energy, up to $90^{\circ}C$. The extent of irreversible tissue coagulation (up to 3.2 mm in width) corresponds well to the spatial distribution of the temperature during HIFU sonication. Histological analysis confirms that the temperature beyond the coagulation threshold (${\sim}65^{\circ}C$) delineates the margin of collagen denaturation in the tissue. IR thermal imaging can be a feasible method for quantifying the degree of thermal coagulation in HIFU-induced skin treatment.

• The Korean Journal of Ceramics
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• v.6 no.2
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• pp.168-171
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• 2000

VO$_2$ceramics exhibiting a negative temperature coefficient (NTC) of resistivity have been widely used as temperature dependence resistors. The NTC effect similar to $VO_2$ceramics was observed when a low-thermal-expansion ceramic matrix was loaded near the percolation threshold with conductive metal particles. The resistivity in a composite made from silica glass and 20 vol% Ag filler suddenly decreased from $10^{-7}$ to $10^3\;\Omega$cm at about $300^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of the Optical Society of Korea
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• v.7 no.3
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• pp.160-164
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• 2003

Materials processing by ultrashort pulsed laser is actively being applied to micromachining technology due to its advantages with regard to non-thermal machining. In this study, materials processing with ultrashort pulses was studied by using the high repetition rate of a 800 nm Ti:sapphire regenerative amplifier. This revealed that the highly precise micromachining of metallic thin film and bulk glass with a minimal heat affected zone (HAZ) could be obtained by using near damage threshold energy. Grooves with diffraction limited sub-micrometer width were obtained with widths of 620 nm on Cr thin film and 800 nm on a soda-lime glass substrate. The machined patterns were investigated through SEM images. We also phenomenologically examined the influence of variations of parameters and proposed the optimal process conditions for microfabrication.