• The Journal of the Acoustical Society of Korea
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• v.39 no.6
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• pp.576-584
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• 2020

In order to obtain basic information for using polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) gel as a tissue mimicking phantom for temperature visualization, the temperature change characteristics due to the focused ultrasound were examined for different concentration of PVA. To obtain the basic acoustic characteristics, the speed of sound, the attenuation coefficient, and the density depending on the PVA concentration were measured, and the thermodynamic characteristics, such as thermal conductivity and heat capacity, were measured. The range of temperature rising in the vicinity of the focal point due to the focused ultrasound was observed using a thermochromic film that changes color at 30 degree or more, and the discolored area was obtained by image processing of the recorded image. As the concentration of PVA increases in the given range of 2 wt% ~ 16 wt%, the area that rises above 30 degree inside the gel increases linearly. It is confirmed that the discolored area increases as the power applied to the focused ultrasonic transducer increases. These results showed good agreement with the simulation results using the finite element method.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.32 no.6
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• pp.587-592
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• 2008

High molecular weight poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) hydrogel to be expected as a candidate material for the wound-dressing was successfully prepared by electron beam (EB) irradiation. To produce PVA hydrogels with various gel fractions, degrees of swelling in water, gel strengths, and elongations, two different number-average degrees of polymerization [($P_n$)s] of PVA were adapted such as 1700 and 4000, and the PVA solution concentration and irradiation dose of EB were controlled to range of 5 $\sim$ 20% and 30 $\sim$ 100 kGy, respectively. The gel fraction and strength of PV A hydrogel were increased with increasing molecular weight of PVA, solution concentration, and irradiation dose of EB. On the contrary, the degree of swelling and elongation of PVA hydrogel were decreased. The thermal property and crystallinity related to degree of crosslinking of PVA hydrogel were examined by the analyses of differential scanning calorimetry and X-ray diffraction.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.183-189
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• 2005

Films of poly(vinyl alcohol)(PVA)/chitosan blends and its blend hydrogels were prepared by the solution casting method. The state of miscibility of the blends and blend hydrogels were examined over the entire composition range by differential scanning carorimetry (DSC), thermogravimetry (TGA), and dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA). DSC analysis shows the depression of melting point of PVA in the blends and the decrease of crystallization temperature of PVA in the blends were observed with increasing chitosan content in the blends. TGA analysis indicates that chitosan was thermally more stable than PVA and the thermal stability of PVA in the blends was higher than that of pure PVA, due to some interactions between two component polymers in the blend. The glass transition temperature $(T_g)$ of the chitosan and of PVA, measured by DMA, were at 160 and $90^{\circ}C$, respectively. The $T_g$ of the blends was changed with the content of chitosan in the blends. The results of thermal and viscoelastic analysis indicate some miscibility between component polymers in the blend exists. Moisture and cross linking in the blend and blend hydrogel, which strongly change thermal and physical properties of hydrophilic polymers, affected the miscibility of chitosan and PVA to a small extent.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.91-95
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• 2005

The PVA hydrogels were prepared by the chemical and irradiation method to improve the heat resistance of these hydrogels at the high temperature. The physical properties such as the gel content, the degree of swelling and the gel strength for the synthesized hydrogels were examined. Gel content increased as the chemical reaction time and the irradiation dose increased, and gel content of the hydrogels were higher when the two-steps of chemical and irradiation method were used rather than only the chemical method. Gel strength increased as the chemical reaction time increased, and as the irradiation dose decreased. The hydrogels prepared by the chemical reaction for 5 hours and the two-steps had the heat resistance at the high temperature.

• Polymer(Korea)
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.349-357
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• 2003

Hydrogels for wound dressing from a mixture of poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVAL), poly(N-vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), hexylene glycol (HG) and chitosan were made. The hydrogels were obtained by physical crosslinking of freezing and thawing, chemical crosslinking of irradiation, and irradiation after freezing and thawing of mixture solutions. The solid concentration of PVAL/PVP/HG/chitosan was 15 wt%. The concentration of chitosan was 0.3 wt%, and the ratio of PVAL/PVP was 6:4. The concentration of HG was in the range of 1∼5 wt%. The number of repeated freezing and thawing was in the range of 1∼3 times, and gamma irradiation doses were 25, 35 and 50 kGy. The physical properties such as gelation, water absorption and gel strength of hydrogels were examined. Gel content and gel strength decreased as HG concentration increased, whereas degree of swelling increased. Gel content and gel strength increased as irradiation dose and the number of freezing and thawing increased, whereas degree of swelling decreased. The hydrogels were evaluated for the healing effect for animals and for the antibacterial effect.

• Journal of Korean Biological Nursing Science
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.127-137
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• 2002

The purpose of this study was to compare the hand disinfection effect of waterless alcohol gel hand washing agent with that of soap and water, 4% chlorhexidine gluconate, and 10% povidone-iodine. Hands of fourty subjects were artificially contaminated with Acinetobacter baumannii $5m{\ell}$ and randomly distributed to each hand washing methods. Samples were collected from gloved hand by glove juice sampling procedure. Mean log reduction after hand washing were compared with baseline values. Number of microorganisms were converted to log and tested by ANOVA in SPSSWIN 10.0. Mean log reduction of soap and water, alcohol gel, 4% chlorhexidine gluconate, 10% povidone-iodine were $2.76{\pm}0.62$, $2.97{\pm}0.56$, $4.66{\pm}1.70$, $4.60{\pm}0.91$, respectively. The bactericidal effect of alcohol gel was similar to that of soap and water, but the effect was much less than chlorhexidine gluconate and povidone-iodine(p<0.001). In terms of microorganism reduction, the efficacy of waterless alcohol gel was almost the same as soap and water hand washing. Further evaluation of the bactericidal effect of waterless alcohol gel is needed because waterless alcohol gel is simple, convenient, and non-irritating hand washing agent and also very effective in busy hospital environment.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.305-311
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• 2013

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to compare the effect of alcohol gel according to the amount and drying time in health personnel hand hygiene and to promote in their practice adequate and effective hand hygiene. Methods: The crossover experimental study was performed with 14 volunteers. Hands were artificially contaminated with 5 mL of $10^8$ CFU/mL of Serratia marcescens (ATCC 14756) and four different alcohol gel hand hygiene methods varying by the amount of alcohol gel (2 mL vs. 1 mL) and drying time (complete vs. incomplete) were compared. Samples were collected by glove juice sampling procedures. Results: Mean log reduction values of the four different hand hygiene methods were $2.22{\pm}0.36$, $1.26{\pm}0.53$, $1.49{\pm}0.60$, $0.89{\pm}0.47$ respectively for the 4 groups: adequate amount (2mL) and complete dry (30 seconds rubbing followed by 2 min air-dry), inadequate amount (1 mL) and complete dry, adequate amount and incomplete dry (15 seconds rubbing and no air-dry), and inadequate amount and incomplete dry. The difference was statistically significant in the adequate amount and complete dry group compared to other three groups (p<.001). Conclusion: Only alcohol gel hand hygiene with adequate amount and complete drying was satisfactory by U.S. FDA-TFM efficacy requirements for antiseptic hand hygiene products.

• Applied Chemistry for Engineering
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• v.23 no.1
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• pp.65-70
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• 2012

Structural changing materials which can induce the physical deformation of materials are interesting research topics with various potential applications. Particularly, light among many driving mechanisms is a non-contact energy source, hence the light-responsive system can be used where non-destructive, local irradiation, and remote control is needed. Here, a mainchain azobenzene polymer is synthesized and its physical and optical properties are observed and compared to that of a polymer having a light-responsive azobenzene moiety on its side chain. Further dispersion onto polyvinylalcohol hydrogel is made and its dual stability and actuation are observed upon UV-visible light irradiation. Extended azobenzene polymer blend films show an anisotropic light-actuation with non-polarized UV light at room temperature. This physical shape change is quite reversible and occurs at lower temperature than that of any other reported systems including liquid crystalline elastomers. It is successfully demonstrated that the simple physical azobenzene/polymer blending has a very good actuation compared to that of LCEs which need an elaborate chemical design and it can be further used in the areas requiring a dimensional shape change.

• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.50 no.4
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• pp.263-268
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• 2013

Porous biphasic calcium phosphate scaffolds were fabricated by a freeze-gel casting technique using a tertiary-butyl alcohol (TBA)-based slurry. After sintering, unidirectional macropore channels of scaffolds aligned regularly along the TBA ice growth direction were tailored simultaneously with micropores formed in the outer wall of the pore channels. The crystallinity, micro structure, pore configuration, bulk density, and compressive strength for the scaffolds were investigated with X-ray diffractometery, scanning electron microscopy analysis, a water immersion method, and a universal test machine. The results revealed that the sintered porosity and pore size generally resulted in a high solid loading which resulted in low porosity and small pore size, which relatively increased the higher compressive strength. After being sintered at $1100-1300^{\circ}C$, the scaffolds showed an average porosity and compressive strength in the range 35.1-74.9% and 65.1-3.0 MPa, respectively, according to the processing conditions.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Radiology
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• v.13 no.2
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• pp.193-200
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• 2019

The study was conducted surveying ultrasound room workers on hospital infection awareness in Daejeon and Choong-chunng region. The contamination of ultrasonic probes used in clinical trials was measured using ATP, and the results were verified after using 70% alcohol sterilization. It was measured on the group's general characteristics and the specific categories such as academic background, job type, having professional certificate and infection education. After the examination, the gel removal and method, disinfection status of the probe and variable correlation analysis were performed to analyze the recognition of the ultrasonic probe disinfection. After examination in ultrasound room, it was found that towels were used the most for cleaning, and the gel container was not replaced for more than three months. After 70% alcohol disinfection, ATP contamination was reduced from $1055.4{\pm}944.2$ to $133.5{\pm}93.2$ and the result was analyzed to be statistically significant.(${\rho}<0.01$) The found bacteria were CNS, Gram positive bacillus, and Micrococcus specs. In order to solve this problem, 70% alcohol sterilization was applied and the bacteria were not detected after the treatment. The research shows that regular training on infection control and efforts to prevent infection are necessary, and that 70% alcohol is effective in disinfect the bacteria. Therefore, the medical institution should provide active hospital infection control education to improve the awareness of hospital infection among workers and contribute to the prevention of patient infection. It is also understood that proper use of the results of this study will help prevent infection by means of ultrasonic probes.