• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제36권2호
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• pp.43-47
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• 2015

Osteoarthritis is the most common chronic joint disease in the world. With its progression, cartilage thickness tends to diminish, which causes severe pain to human being. One way to examine the stage of osteoarthritis is to measure the cartilage thickness. When it comes to inter-subject study, however, it is not easy task to compare cartilage thickness since every human being has different cartilage structure. In this paper, we propose a method to assess cartilage defect using MRI inter-subject thickness comparison. First, we used manual segmentation method to build accurate atlas images and each segmented image was labeled as articular surface and bone-cartilage interface in order to measure the thickness. Secondly, each point in the bone-cartilage interface was assigned the measured thickness so that the thickness does not change after registration. We used affine transformation and SyGN to get deformation fields which were then applied to thickness images to have cartilage thickness atlas. In this way, it is possible to investigate pixel-by-pixel thickness comparison. Lastly, the atlas images were made according to their osteoarthritis grade which indicates the degree of its progression. The result atlas images were compared using the analysis of variance in order to verify the validity of our method. The result shows that a significant difference is existed among them with p < 0.001.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.539-545
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• 2012

To evaluate of the ultrasonographic changes in hemiplegic and unaffected knee joints of hemiplegic ambulators with recent onset stroke. Twenty patients (40 knees) with prevalence duration of 14-39 weeks (mean 24.70 weeks) after a stroke insult were included. All participants were walking independently without leg dragging, had no previous knee injury. There were significant differences in intercondylar cartilage thickness and pes anserinous tendinopathy (PAT) between hemiplegic and unaffected knees (p<0.05). There were no differences in cartilage thickness of medial condyle and lateral condyle, patellar tendinitis/bursitis, suprapatellar effusion, synovitis, joint space narrowing, and Baker's cyst of ultrasonographic findings and x-ray findings in hemiplegic knee compared to the control except PAT (p<0.05). In hemiplegic knee, medial or lateral condylar cartilage thickness was significantly correlated with body weight, intercondylar cartilage thickness, and PAT (p<0.05). PAT was significantly correlated with Brunnnstrom stage and condylar cartilage thickness (p<0.05). Knee pain was significantly correlated with lateral condylar cartilage thickness (p<0.1). The hemiplegic knee had more ultrasonographic abnormalities including PAT and more cartilage thickness preservation in patient with recent onset stroke. Intraarticular sonographic findings including cartilage thickness was significantly correlated with extraarticular findings including PAT and a symptom of knee pain.

• 음성과학
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• 제11권1호
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• pp.73-83
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• 2004

Electromyographic studies of the cricopharyngeus muscle using hooked wire electrodes were performed in thyroidectomized patients. The shape of the cricoid cartilage and soft tissue thickness in the postcricoid area were evaluated during pitch elevation and pitch lowering using conventional neck lateral films. The cricopharyngeus muscle simultaneously activated in the initial task of speech and continuously activated. Its activity lessened in the interrogative stress contrast of sentence terminals and increased in the pitch lowered contrast of sentence terminal. On the radiologic findings the cricoid cartilage was tilted backward during high pitched phonation and tilted forward during low pitched phonation. The soft tissue thickness of postcricoid area was thicker at the low pitch than at high pitch. At low pitch the cricoid cartilage paralleled along the vertebral column. This result suggests that the bulging of cricopharyngeus muscle in contraction induce a thickened the postcricoid area thickened, and exert pressure anteriorly exerted on the cricoid cartilage. This contraction of the cricopharyngeus muscle may result in shortening the vocal fold and lowering pitch.

• 대한두개안면성형외과학회지
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• 제21권4호
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• pp.225-228
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• 2020

Background: The aim of this study is to develop a two-stage training module using radish and swine scapular cartilage for carving ear cartilage. Methods: In the first stage, white radish was cut in 3-6 mm thick slices. The ear cartilage framework was carved using a graver and the helix and antihelix were fixed with pins. In the second stage, swine scapular cartilage was obtained. The thickness varied 3-6 mm. The ear cartilage framework was made. And triangular fossa and scaphoid fossa were carved with graver. A curvilinear cartilage for helix was assembled to the framework by pin fixing. Six participants were recruited for an ear reconstruction training workshop and figures of the cartilage framework were provided. Participants were asked answer the pre-workshop questionnaire and post-workshop questionnaire on a Likert scale to rate their satisfaction with the outcome. Results: On the pre-workshop questionnaire, participants indicated that they did not have sufficient knowledge and skill for fabricating the ear cartilage framework (1.5±0.5 using white radish; 1.3±0.5 using swine scapular cartilage). On the post-workshop questionnaire, participants responded that they had learned useful knowledge from this workshop, reflecting a significant improvement (3.8±1.0 using white radish; 4.0±1.1 using swine scapular cartilage). They also indicated that they had become somewhat confident in this skill (4.2±0.8 using white radish; 4.3±0.5 using swine scapular cartilage. The participants generally found the workshop satisfactory (practically helpful, 4.7±0.5; knowledge improved, 4.8±0.4; satisfied with course, 4.5±0.5; would recommend to others, 4.8±0.4). Conclusion: This model can be useful for ear reconstruction training for medical personnel.

• 동의생리병리학회지
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• 제19권3호
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• pp.618-622
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• 2005

Articular cartilage is an important target for studying the arthritic diseases. To verify the therapeutic effects of bee venom herb-acupuncture in vivo, 3${\mu}$l of diluted solution of bee venom for herb-acupuncture were injected into articular cavity once a day during 3 months after making full-thickness defects in rat articular cartilage. Histological examination and immunohistochemistry indicated that the chondrocyte-like tissue was formed during the repair process of cartilage injury, and the expression of a cartilage-specific protein, collagen type II, were significantly activated. It means that the expression of the gene encoding type I collagen was down-regulated, whereas those of collagen type II were up-regulated. Histological examination by hematoxylin-eosin staining indicated that the cells regained their original round morphology. In addition, a homogeneous distribution of articular cartilage extracellular matrices was detected around the cells. These results suggested that bee venom herb-acupuncture was very effective on the recovery of articular chondrocyte phenotype.

• 한국정밀공학회지
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• 제25권1호
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• pp.145-150
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• 2008

One of the unresolved questions in articular cartilage biomechanics is the magnitude of the dynamic modulus and tissue compressive strains under physiological loading conditions. The objective of this study was to characterize the dynamic modulus and compressive strain magnitudes of bovine articular cartilage at physiological compressive stress level and loading frequency. Four bovine calf shoulder joints (ages 2-4 months) were loaded in Instron testing system under load control, with a load amplitude up to 800 N and loading frequency of 1 Hz, resulting in peak engineering stress amplitude of ${\sim}5.8\;MPa$. The corresponding peak deformation of the articular layer reached ${\sim}27%$ of its thickness. The effective dynamic modulus determined from the slope of stress versus strain curve was ${\sim}23\;MPa$, and the phase angle difference between the applied stress and measured strain which is equivalent to the area of the hystresis loop in the stress-strain response was ${\sim}8.3^{\circ}$. These results are representative of the functional properties of articular cartilage in a physiological loading environment. This study provides novel experimental findings on the physiological strain magnitudes and dynamic modulus achieved in intact articular layers under cyclical loading conditions.

• Journal of Microbiology and Biotechnology
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• 제22권2호
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• pp.274-282
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• 2012

The object of this study was to assess the efficacy of Polycan from Aureobasidium pullulans SM-2001, which is composed mostly of beta-1,3-1,6-glucan, on osteoarthritis (OA)-induced by anterior cruciate ligament transection and partial medial meniscectomy (ACLT&PMM). Three different dosages of Polycan (85, 42.5, and 21.25 mg/kg) were orally administered once a day for 84 days to male rats a week after ACLT&PMM surgery. Changes in the circumference and maximum extension angle of each knee, and in cartilage histopathology were assessed using Mankin scores 12 weeks after Polycan administration. In addition, cartilage proliferation was evaluated using bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU). As the result of ACLT&PMM, classic OA was induced with increases in maximum extension angles, edematous knees changes, and capsule thickness, as well as decreases in chondrocyte proliferation, cartilages degenerative changes, and loss of articular cartilage. However, these changes (except for capsule thickness) were markedly inhibited in all Polycan- and diclofenac sodium-treated groups compared with OA control. Although diclofenac sodium did not influence BrdU uptake, BrdU-immunoreactive cells were increased with all dosages of Polycan, which means that Polycan treatment induced proliferation of chondrocytes in the surface articular cartilage of the tibia and femur. The results obtained in this study suggest that 84 days of continuous oral treatment of three different dosages of Polycan led to lesser degrees of articular stiffness and histological cartilage damage compared with OA controls 91 days after OA inducement, suggesting that the optimal Polycan dosage to treat OA is 42.5 mg/kg based on the present study.

• 대한두개안면성형외과학회지
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• 제22권6호
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• pp.337-340
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• 2021

Full-thickness nasal tip reconstruction is a challenging process that requires provision of ample skin and soft tissue, and intricate cartilage structure that maintains its architecture in the long term. In this report, we describe reconstruction of a full-thickness nasal tip and ala defect using a posterior auricular artery perforator based chondrocutaneous free flap. The flap consisted of two lay ers of skin covering conchal cartilage, and was based on a perforating branch of the posterior auricular artery. A superficial vein was secured at the posterior margin. The donor perforator was anastomosed to a perforating branch of the lateral nasal artery. The superficial vein was connected to a superficial vein of the surrounding soft tissue. The donor healed well after primary closure. The flap survived without complications, and the contour of the nasal rim was sustained at follow-up 6 months later. As opposed to combined composite reconstructions using a free cartilage graft together with a small free flap or pedicled nasolabial flap, the posterior auricular artery perforator free flap encompasses all required tissue types, and is similar in contour to the alar area. This flap is a useful option in single-stage reconstruction of nasal composite defects.

• 대한의용생체공학회:의공학회지
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• 제26권1호
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• pp.37-42
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• 2005

We construct and test the polarization-sensitive optical coherence tomography (PS-OCT) system for imaging porcine and human articular cartilages. PS-OCT is a new imaging technology that provides information regarding not only the tissue structures but tissue components that show birefringence such as collagen. In this study, we measure the cartilage thickness of the porcine joint and the phase retardation due to collagen birefringence. Also, we demonstrate that changes of the collagen fiber orientation could be detected by the PS-OCT system. Finally, differences between normal and damaged human articular cartilage are observed using the PS-OCT system, which is then compared with the regular histology pictures. As a result, the PS-OCT system is proven to be effective for diagnosis of the pathology related to the cartilage. In the future, this technology may be used for discrimination of the collagen types. When combined with endoscope technologies, the PS-OCT images may become a useful tool for in vivo tissue testing.

• 대한한의학방제학회지
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• 제26권4호
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• pp.283-294
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• 2018

Objectives : Mahaengeuigam-Tang (MHEGT) has been used as a traditional medicine for the treatment of rheumatic aerthritis, rheumatisim, eczema and asthma. The aim of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms of MHEGT for cartilage protection in monosodium iodoacetate(MIA)-induced osteoarthritis, particularly focusing on apoptosis. Method : Thirty young male Sprague-Dawley rats were used for the study. Rats were intra-articularly injected with 2 mg MIA in a total volume of 50 ㎕ saline. In MHEGT group, MHEGT extract was orally administered once daily to MIA-induced osteoarthritis rats, and rats of control group were given with saline only. At 4 weeks after MIA injection, all animals were sacrificed, and the histological changes and articular thickness were assessed by hematoxylin and eosin staining. Moreover, the immunohistochemical analyses of BAX and Bcl-2 were carried out. Results : The histomorphological examinations revealed that MHEGT reduced MIA-induced cartilage damage. And, MHEGT ameliorated the severity of cartilage surface damages after MIA injection. Furthermore, MHEGT suppressed the MIA-induced increases of pro-apoptotic BAX protein and increased the protein expression of anti-apoptotic Bcl-2 protein. Conclusion : These findings indicate that MHEGT protects against MIA-induced cartilage damage by inhibition of the apoptotic pathway, demonstrating significant protection of cartilage against osteoarthritis. These results suggest that MHEGT may potentially have clinical applications in the treatment of osteoarthritis.