• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.25 no.4
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• pp.383-391
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• 2015

Objective : The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of dynamic squats with slope-whole body vibration (WBV) on the trunk and lower limb in muscle activities. Method : 9 healthy women (age: $21.1{\pm}0.6years$, height: $160.5{\pm}1.4cm$, body weight: $50.5{\pm}2.4kg$) were recruited for this study. Muscle activities in the trunk and lower limb muscles, including biceps femoris (BF), rectus femoris (RF), rectus abdominum (RA), gastrocnemius (GCM), iliocostalis lumborum (IL) and tibialis anterior (TA), were recorded using an EMG measurement system. The test was performed by conducting dynamic squats with slope-WBV using frequency (10Hz, 50Hz), amplitude (0.5mm), and degree ($0^{\circ}$, $5^{\circ}$). Experimental method consisted of 2-pre-sessions and 1-test-session for 20 seconds. Results : The results showed that the muscle activities of the trunk and low limb muscles increased significantly with the $5^{\circ}$ slope and lower frequency (10Hz) except for in the TA. From this result, we confirmed that the slope and WBV could efficiently affect stimulation, enhancing muscle activities by facilitating neural control trail and muscle chain tightness. Conclusion : Utilizing the slope-WBV device while squatting could give positive effects on muscle activation in the trunk and lower limb muscles and provide neural stimulation, enhancing muscle chain of control subsystem through TVR (tonic vibration reflex).

• Journal of Forest and Environmental Science
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• v.36 no.2
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• pp.143-155
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• 2020

A juniper pocket rot fungus, Pyrofomes demidoffii is a basidiomycetous fungus responsible for damage of living Juniperus spp. However, its effect on the residual strength and on the extent of decay of juniper's trunk was not determined in any prior studies. The purpose of this study was to study the features of J. procera infected by P. demdoffii, and to estimate the level of strength loss and decay severity in the trunk at D.B.H height using different five formulas. Infected juniper stands were examined in two Ethiopian forests through Visual Tree Assessment (VTA) followed by a slight destructive drilling of the trunk at D.B.H height. The decayed juniper tree is characterized by partially degraded lignin material at incipient stage of decay to completely degraded lignin material at final stage of decay. In the evaluated formulas, results of ANOVA showed that a significantly higher mean percentage of strength loss and decay severity were recorded in the trees of larger D.B.H categories (p<0.001). The strength loss formulas produced the same to similar patterns of sum of ranks of strength loss or decay severity in the trunk, but the differences varied significantly among D.B.H categories in Kruskal Wallis-test (p<0.001). In conclusion, the employed formulas showed similar to different degree of variability in quantification of strength loss or decay severity in the trunk. The findings of our study could be used as the baseline for further study on juniper's strength loss or decays in the trunk of Juniperus spp. and unequivocally helps to design the corresponding management as result of P. demidoffii.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.12 no.3
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• pp.85-91
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• 2017

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to compare muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs of subjects wearing high-heeled or flat shoes while crossing over obstacles of different heights. METHODS: Twenty subjects participated in this study. While wearing high-heeled shoes (7 cm) or flat shoes (0 cm), the subjects were asked to cross over obstacles of different heights (10%, 20%, and 30% of their lower-limb length). Muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs with the supported side while crossing over obstacles of different heights was measured using the electromyogram (Noraxon, DTS, Germany). Two-way repeated ANOVA was used to compare the muscle activation between high-heel shoes and flat shoes while crossing over obstacles of different heights. All statistical analyses were performed using SPSS ver. 21, and p-values less than .05 were used to identify significant differences. RESULTS: As an obstacle's height increased, muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs with the supported side was increased while wearing either type of shoe, and it was generally higher while wearing high-heeled shoes. However, tibialis anterior muscle activity while wearing high-heeled shoes was lower than while wearing flat shoes. CONCLUSION: This study showed that muscle activation of the trunk and lower limbs was higher when subjects wore high-heeled shoes than when they wore flat shoes while crossing over obstacles of different heights. Therefore, high-heeled shoes can easily cause high muscle fatigue of the trunk and lower limbs, and the TA muscle may weaken in persons who wear high-heeled shoes.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.29 no.4
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• pp.223-226
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• 2017

Purpose: This study examined two trunk strategies - medio-lateral ramp and anterior-posterior ram - and their effects on pelvis and trunk movements, providing basic material for safe ramp utilization. Methods: The present study included 20 asymptomatic males recruited from a local university. Participants were asked to stand with their feet shoulder-width apart. Their dorsal side faced the camera, and measurements were performed while standing in a neutral double stance, one leg stance, $15^{\circ}$ of medial and lateral ramp, and $15^{\circ}$ of anterior and posterior ramp. Participants were allowed to practice for 3 minutes, and each participant had a 30 seconds rest between the two ramp conditions. One-way repeated measures analysis of variance was used to determine the effects the ramp conditions on spinal alignment. In all analyses, p<0.05 was used to indicate statistical significance. Results: The trunk-inclination angle on the posterior ramp was significantly lower than that of the double stance position (p<0.05). The trunk imbalance angle was significantly higher on the medial ramp, than that on the double stance position (p<0.05). The pelvic position and pelvic torsion angles were significantly higher in the medial, lateral, and anterior ramp positions than that of the double stance position (p<0.05). The pelvic rotation angles on the medial, lateral, and anterior ramps were significantly lower than that of the double stance position (p<0.05). Conclusion: These findings suggest that when people are exposed to the same form of ramp for an extended period, posture modifications may be triggered.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.637-645
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• 2013

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of using a suspension device for arm reaching activity on trunk stability and gross motor function of children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy. METHODS: The subject in this study consisted of 11, GMFCS(Gross Motor Function Classification System) III~IV children with spastic diplegia cerebral palsy, all of whom agreed to participate in the study. All subjects were divided into two groups: the experimental group using a suspension device, and the control group using no suspension device. For each group, a thirty-minute intervention was done twice per week during 8 weeks. Before and after intervention, each test was measured using TIS(Trunk Impairment Scale), GMFM (Gross Motor Function Measure) and PRT(Pediatric Reaching Test) to change trunk stability, gross motor function and arm reaching activity. The data were analyzed with the Wilcoxon signed rank test. RESULT: All two groups had a meaningful increase in GMFM-Sit data measured before and after intervention. The experimental group had a significant increase from an average of 78.83 to an average of 84.83 in GMFM-Crawling. For both groups, there was a substantial increase in the change in sitting position and arm reaching. CONCLUSION: According to the results of this study, the arm reaching activity using suspension device had an effect on trunk stability and gross motor function and it changed arm reaching activity.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.22 no.3
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• pp.315-324
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• 2012

The purpose of current study was to investigate the effects of the heights on the lower extremities, torso and neck segments for energy dissipation during single-leg drop landing from different heights. Twenty eight young healthy male subjects(age: $23.21{\pm}1.66yr$, height: $176.03{\pm}4.22cm$, weight: $68.93{\pm}5.36kg$) were participated in this study. The subjects performed the single-leg drop landing from the various height(30, 45 & 60 cm). Force plates and motion-capture system were used to capture ground reaction force and kinematics data, respectively. The results were as follows. First, the ROM at the ankle, knee, hip and trunk was increased with the increased heights but the ROM at the neck was increased in the 60cm. Second, the angular velocity, moment and eccentric work at the ankle, knee, hip, trunk, and neck was increased with the increased heights. Third, the contribution to total work at the knee joint was not significantly different, while the ankle joint rate was decreased and hip and neck rate was increased in the 60cm, and trunk rate was increased with the increased heights. Lastly, the increase in landing height was able to augment the level of energy dissipation not only at the lower extremities but also at the trunk and neck. The findings showed that drop landing affect trunk and neck with lower extremity joints. Therefore, we need to consider that trunk and neck strengthening including stability should be added to reduce sports injury during prevention training.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.53 no.4
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• pp.235-240
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• 2013

Fusiform aneurysms on the basilar artery (BA) trunk are rare. The microsurgical management of these aneurysms is difficult because of their deep location, dense collection of vital cranial nerves, and perforating arteries to the brain stem. Endovascular treatment is relatively easier and safer compared with microsurgical treatment. Selective occlusion of the aneurysmal sac with preservation of the parent artery is the endovascular treatment of choice. But, some cases, particularly giant or fusiform aneurysms, are unsuitable for selective sac occlusion. Therefore, endovascular coiling of the aneurysm with parent vessel occlusion is an alternative treatment option. In this situation, it is important to determine whether a patient can tolerate parent vessel occlusion without developing neurological deficits. We report a rare case of fusiform aneurysms in the BA trunk. An 18-year-old female suffered a headache for 2 weeks. Computed tomography and magnetic resonance image revealed a fusiform aneurysm of the lower basilar artery trunk. Digital subtraction angiography revealed a $7.1{\times}11.0$ mm-sized fusiform aneurysm located between vertebrovasilar junction and the anterior inferior cerebellar arteries. We had good clinical result using endovascular coiling of unruptured fusiform aneurysm on the lower BA trunk with parent vessel occlusion after confirming the tolerance of the patient by balloon test occlusion with induced hypotension and accompanied by neurophysiologic monitoring, transcranial Doppler and single photon emission computed tomography. In this study, we discuss the importance of preoperative meticulous studies for avoidance of delayed neurological deficit in the patient with fusiform aneurysm on lower basilar trunk.

• Journal of the Korea Academia-Industrial cooperation Society
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.737-743
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• 2013

This study was to investigate the effects of balance and trunk repositioning sense through multisensorial training using visual cue deprivation in subacute stroke patients. Multisensorial training group practiced after visual deprivation, control group practiced in the same training except visual deprivation with thirty subjects. Both groups were conducted training programs on sixty minutes a day, five days a week during four weeks. The subjects were evaluated by static balance, dynamic balance and trunk repositioning sense in the pre-posttest. There was significant improvement by multisensorial training that static balance, dynamic balance and the trunk repositioning sense between pretest and post test (p<.05). There were significantly differences in the amount of change of dynamic balance, trunk repositioning sense between the two groups(p<.05). Through this study, multisensorial training suggest that is effective in the improvement of dynamic balance and trunk repositioning sense.

• The Journal of Korean Physical Therapy
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• v.19 no.5
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• pp.1-10
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• 2007

Purpose: Leg-crossing sitting is very common for men and woman. No solid evidence exists for either a beneficial or a detrimental effect of this posture. This study investigated the change of activities of trunk muscles between the normal group and the low back pain group during various leg-crossing positions. Methods: The subjects were consisted of 10 subjects who don't have low back pain and 10 subjects who have low back pain. In this study, we used electromyography(EMG) to evaluate the activities of both the trunk muscles (rectus abdominis, external oblique, internal oblique, and multifidus) during various leg-crossing positions (up-right, leg-crossing, tailor-crossing, and ankle-crossing). We analyzed the data by using repeated one way ANOVA. Results: In normal group, there were increased in EMG activities of trunk muscles, but no significant differences during leg-crossing positions. In back pain group, there were increased in EMG activities of right external oblique, left. internal oblique, and both multifidus muscles in leg-crossing and tailor-crossing position, but no significant differences during leg-crossing positions. There was no significant difference of muscle activity of trunk muscles between the back pain group and the normal group. Conclusion: We suggest that low back pain people who have weak muscles of rectus abdominis, external and internal oblique are often experienced in leg-crossing posture than normal. To compensate this unstability of trunk, leg-crossing posture is substituted passive structure for activities of active muscle.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.59 no.3
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• pp.276-281
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• 2016

Objective : Although trunk muscles in the lumbar spine preserve spinal stability and motility, little is known about the relationship between trunk muscles and spinal fusion rate. The aim of the present study is to evaluate the correlation between trunk muscles cross sectional area (MCSA) and fusion rate after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF) using stand-alone cages. Methods : A total of 89 adult patients with degenerative lumbar disease who were performed PLIF using stand-alone cages at L4-5 were included in this study. The cross-sectional area of the psoas major (PS), erector spinae (ES), and multifidus (MF) muscles were quantitatively evaluated by preoperative lumbar magnetic resonance imaging at the L3-4, L4-5, and L5-S1 segments, and bone union was evaluated by dynamic lumbar X-rays. Results : Of the 89 patients, 68 had bone union and 21 did not. The MCSAs at all segments in both groups were significantly different (p<0.05) for the PS muscle, those at L3-4 and L4-5 segments between groups were significantly different (p=0.048, 0.021) for the ES and MF muscles. In the multivariate analysis, differences in the PS MCSA at the L4-5 and L5-S1 segments remained significant (p=0.048, 0.043 and odds ratio=1.098, 1.169). In comparison analysis between male and female patients, most MCSAs of male patients were larger than female's. Fusion rates of male patients (80.7%) were higher than female's (68.8%), too. Conclusion : For PLIF surgery, PS muscle function appears to be an important factor for bone union and preventing back muscle injury is essential for better fusion rate.