• Journal of Korean Physical Therapy Science
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.75-84
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• 2022

Background: This study was to investigate the effect of non-invasive transcranial direct current stimulation due to hemiplegic patients due to stroke on temporal and spatial gait ability. Design: Randomized sham controlled trial. Methods: For the study method, 42 patients with hemiplegia due to stroke were randomly assigned to 14 patients each, and the general walking group, tDCS walking group, and tDCS (sham) walking group were subjected to 5 times a week, 30 minutes a day, and 6 weeks. In the temporal gait variables of hemiplegic patients due to stroke, the effect of the gait time, gait cycle, single support, double support, swing phase, stance phase, gait speed, cadence were measured. In spatial variables, one step length and one step length were measured. Results: As a result of the study, the EG group significantly increased in the step time, gait velocity, and cadence of the paralysis side in the comparison of temporal walking variables between groups according to the application of tDCS of walking ability in hemiplegic patients due to stroke patients(p<.05). In the change in spatial walking variables between groups according to the application of tDCS, the step length and stride length of the EG group showed a significant increase. Both the comparison of temporal and spatial symmetry walking variables between groups according to tDCS application was not significant(p>.05) Conclusion: As a result, tDCS has an effective effect on the improvement of the gait ability of stroke patients. In particular, it is an effective method of physical therapy that can improve the cadence and speed of gait, which can be combined with the existing gait training to effectively increase the gait of hemiplegia due to stroke patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.1
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• pp.53-62
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• 2023

Purpose : This study evaluated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program on the depression, hand functions, cognitive function, and activities of daily living of patients with mild cognitive impairment by dividing 20 patients with mild cognitive impairment and depression. The 20 patients were divided into a treatment group (transcranial direct current stimulation + a virtual reality program) and a control group (placebo transcranial direct current stimulation + a placebo virtual reality program). Methods : This study allocated ten subjects to the treatment group and ten subjects to the control group. The treatment was given five times per week for six weeks (30 sessions), and each session was 30 minutes. This study screened depression by using SGDS-K, a short geriatric depression scale, to examine depression before and after treatment intervention. This study also used the box and block test, NCSE, and FIM to evaluate hand functions, cognitive function, and activities of daily living, respectively. Results : The results showed that depression significantly decreased, hand functions significantly increased, cognitive function significantly improved, and activities of daily living significantly increased after intervention in the treatment and control groups. The magnitude of changes in depression, hand functions, cognitive function, and activities of daily living was significantly different between the two groups after intervention (p>.05). Conclusion : The results showed that the application of transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program could improve cognitive function, hand functions, and activities of daily living by decreasing depression. Therefore, it can be concluded that the simultaneous application of transcranial direct current stimulation and a virtual reality program is an intervention method, which can be applied for decreasing depression, enhancing hand functions, improving cognitive function, and increasing activities of daily living in patients with mild cognitive impairment.

• Journal of Platform Technology
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.68-75
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• 2023

This paper discusses methods for increasing the germination rate of barley seeds using low direct and alternating current power below 110V. The experimental apparatus used here is a parallel plate, with the bottom surface of the plate designed to be wider than the top surface to increase the size of the electrostatic field. As a result, three different magnitudes of electrostatic fields were created on the plates: the first ranging from 400V/cm to 600V/cm, the second from 600V/cm to 900V/cm, and the third from 2200V/cm to 2400V/cm. The finite difference method was applied to analyze the electrostatic field inside the parallel plate. The plant seeds used in the experiments were barley seeds produced domestically. The average germination rate of barley seeds using the presented electrostatic field in this paper was 57%, while it was 65% when using a microwave of 2.45GHz, compared to a control group with a result of 31%. An important difference between using the electrostatic field and the 2.45GHz microwave is the dry method and wet method. When applying these two methods to practical seed germination, it is necessary to consider the advantages and disadvantages of each experimental approach and choose the appropriate method accordingly.

• Journal of Advanced Navigation Technology
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.463-468
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• 2023

In this paper, we proposed reconfigurable dual polarization patch array antenna that can select two polarizations(Vertical, RHCP) using defected ground structure and Pin diode. The proposed antenna was designed arranging a circular polarization patch antenna implemented with a square microstrip patch and two slots 3x3 at 25.8mm placed, a half-wavelength of 5.8 GHz. Conect the pin diode and the capacitor to the slot diagonally placed on the ground of each antennas, and select polarization using the open/short operating according to the application of DC voltage to the pin diode. As a result of the design, the gain of the antenna is 11.7 dBi at vertical polarization and 11.6 dBic at RHCP. The axial ratio is 20.3 dB at 1.8 dB vertical polarization at RHCP. Mutual Coupling is Maximum to -20.8 dB for vertical polarization and Maximum to -30.1 dB for RHCP.

• Clean Technology
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.145-152
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• 2010

Various technical methods are applied for removing water from the water-retaining media, and the energy efficiency is the main concern in those methods. The electroosmotic process is studied as an efficient way for dewatering. An experimental electroosmotic reactor is designed and used for evaluating the effects of operational variables. The operational variables such as the electrical fields and the structure of water-retaining medias were studied. Three different shapes of polarized electric fields in ranges of 0-100 V/cm and 0-10 kHz are used as the source of electric voltage. The effect of electroosmotic process with respect to the structural variation is estimated by filling the electroosmotic reactor with the glass beads in 0.18 mm, 0.35 mm and 1.2 mm in diameters. 6% of water removal is obtained in the simulating electroosmotic reactor of glass beads. The estimated energy consumption in the simulating electroosmotic was 330~490 cal/g-water.

• Transactions of the Korean hydrogen and new energy society
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• v.33 no.6
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• pp.743-748
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• 2022

The initial operation stability of hydrogen-fueled, solid oxide fuel cell with Ni thin-film anode fabricated by direct current sputtering was evaluated in terms of electrochemical properties such as peak power density, open circuit voltage, overpotential, and alternating current impedance at 500℃. Hydrogen and air were used as anode fuel and cathode fuel, respectively.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.101-108
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• 2023

Purpose : To investigate effects of transcranial directed current stimulus (tDCS) combined with abdominal draw-in maneuver (ADIM) on balance ability and trunk impairment scale of chronic stroke patients. Methods : Twenty-six chronic stroke patients were recruited and twenty-four participated after excluding two patients who met the exclusion criteria. After screening tests, they were randomized through excel program into an experimental group (n = 12) to apply a tDCS combined with ADIM and a control group (n = 12) to apply a sham tDCS with ADIM. The intervention lasted three times a week for six weeks. To compare tDCS intervention effects, trunk impairment scale and balance ability were measured. Comparisons between experimental and control groups were statistically processed using an independent t-test and comparisons within groups were statistically processed using a paired t-test. Results : The experimental group showed significant increases of pre- and post-intervention medial lateral velocity, anterior posterior velocity and area of balance ability, and trunk impairment scale (p<.05). The control group showed significant increases in pre- and post-intervention medial lateral velocity of balance ability and trunk impairment scale (p< .05). The experimental group showed significant increases of medial lateral velocity of balance ability and trunk impairment scale compared to the control group (p<.05). Conclusion : Results of this study suggest that tDCS combined with ADIM for chronic stroke patients can be effective in improving medial lateral velocity of balance ability and trunk impairment scale. Thus, tDCS can be used as an effective treatment protocol for trunk rehabilitation of chronic stroke patients.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.109-117
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• 2023

Purpose : Transcranial direct current stimulation is noninvasive method of cerebral cortical stimulation applied as an intervention to facilitate recovery in stroke patients. The purpose of this study was to examine the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on depression and anxiety in stroke patients with the aim to finding a reliable method to reduce depression and anxiety in stroke patients. Methods : This study was conducted at A hospital located in D city from December 2022 to February 2023. Patients diagnosed with stroke were selected according to predefined study criteria and divided into two groups. 9 patients in experimental group underwent transcranial direct current stimulation and traditional occupational therapy, while 9 patients in the control group underwent sham transcranial direct current stimulation and traditional occupational therapy for 20 min per session 3 times per week for a total of 8 weeks. Beck depression inventory (BDI) and Beck anxiety inventory (BAI) were used to evaluate depression and anxiety in the patients before and after intervention. Wilcoxon signed rank test was used to compare differences before to after intervention. Mann-Whitney U test was used to compare the two groups. Differences with p<.05 were considered statistically significant. Results : First, both the experimental and control groups presented significant statistical difference before and after intervention on depression (p<.01). Comparison of two groups after intervention showed significant statistical difference in depression (p<.05). Second, the groups presented significant statistical difference before and after intervention on anxiety (p<.01). After intervention, the two groups showed significant statistical difference in anxiety (p<.05). Conclusion : Results of the present study demonstrated the effects of transcranial direct current stimulation on depression and anxiety in stroke patients, suggesting it may be a useful method of rehabilitation in this patient population; as such, further studies are warranted.

• Journal of IKEEE
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• v.27 no.4
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• pp.477-485
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• 2023

In this paper, the effect of AC ripple on the lifetime of lithium-ion batteries is experimentally analyzed. Bidirectional power conversion system(PCS) is used to increase the efficiency of energy storage systems (ESS). When connected to the grid, a current ripple with a frequency twice the grid frequency is applied to the battery due to its structure. Therefore, to analyze the effect of AC ripple on Li-ion battery aging, cycle life test are performed by applying charge/discharge profiles of DC current and DC+AC current ripple specifications. Based on the experimental results, direct current internal resistance (DCIR), incremental capacitance (IC), and surface temperature were analyzed. As a result, it is confirmed that AC ripple does not directly affect degradation and that battery degradation slows down after a certain cycle. These results can serve as a guideline for optimizing filters to reduce ripple on the battery side in applications where AC ripple occurs.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.44 no.6
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• pp.377-383
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• 2023

Purpose: There is increasing attention to the application of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for enhancing cognitive functions in subjects to aging, mild cognitive impairment (MCI), and Alzheimer's disease (AD). Despite varying treatment outcomes in tDCS which depend on the amount of current reaching the brain, there is no general information on the impacts of anatomical features associated with AD on tDCS-induced electric field. Objective: The objective of this study is to examine how AD-related anatomical variation affects the tDCS-induced electric field using computational modeling. Methods: We collected 180 magnetic resonance images (MRI) of AD patients and healthy controls from a publicly available database (Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative; ADNI), and MRIs were divided into female-AD, male-AD, female-normal, and male-normal groups. For each group, segmented brain volumes (cerebrospinal fluid, gray matter, ventricle, rostral middle frontal (RMF), and hippocampus/amygdala complex) using MRI were measured, and tDCS-induced electric fields were simulated, targeting RMF. Results: For segmented brain volumes, significant sex differences were observed in the gray matter and RMF, and considerable disease differences were found in cerebrospinal fluid, ventricle, and hippocampus/amygdala complex. There were no differences in the tDCS-induced electric field among AD and normal groups; however, higher peak values of electric field were observed in the female group than the male group. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated the presence of sex and disease differences in segmented brain volumes; however, this pattern differed in tDCS-induced electric field, resulting in significant sex differences only. Further studies, we will adjust the brain stimulation conditions to target the deep brain and examine the effects, because of significant differences in the ventricles and deep brain regions between AD and normal groups.