• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.178-183
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• 2020

Objective: This study conducted in order to investigate the correlations between fall experience, balance, mobility, and confidence. We examined the difference between fall experience, and Berg Balance Scale (BBS), Timed-Up-and-Go test (TUG), Tinetti balance assessment (Tinetti balance [TiB], Tinetti gait [TiG]), and Activities-specific Balance Confidence (ABC) scale scores to see how fall experience, balance, mobility, and confidence of the persons with stroke affects their balance. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Forty-one subjects participated in this study. The BBS includes 14 items, consisting of a 5-point scale from 0 to 4, totaling up to 56 points. The Timed Up and Go-Alone (TUGA) was used to measure the average time to take a 3 m round-trip by getting up and down from a 46-cm high chair with an armrest on a flat floor. The Timed-Up-and-Go-Cognitive (TUGC) was performed by counting backwards and the Timed Up and Go-Manual (TUGM) is performed by holding a cup full of water. The total score for the TiB is 16 points, and the TiG is 12 points, making a total of 28 points. There are 16 items total for the ABC scale. Results: According to the fall experience, BBS, the TUGA and TUGC values were significantly higher in the inexperienced group compared to the experienced group (p<0.05). The number of falls was significantly correlated with BBS, TUGA, TUGC, TUGM, TiB, TiG, TiB+TiG (p<0.05). Conclusions: This study supports that falls experience is strongly related to balance, mobility, and confidence. Optimal balance training programs for fall prevention is still insufficient and must be developed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Railway
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• v.12 no.5
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• pp.700-706
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• 2009

Unlike high-speed KTX trains and dual track railways, most single-track railways are not popular among passengers because of long travel hours. As a solution to the problem, tilting trains will be deployed along the conventional line. Tilting train has a mechanism that enables increased speed on regular and curved railway tracks. As a train rounds a curve at speed, objects inside the train experience centrifugal force. This can cause packages to slide about or seated passengers to feel squashed by the outboard armrest due to its centripetal force, and standing passengers to lose their balance. Tilting trains possess a top speed of up to 180 km per hour as opposed to the previous 140 km per hour, so allow the train to pass curve at higher speed without affecting passenger comfort. This paper describes the methodology study to estimate the benefits, especially on the extra benefits in case of tilting actuation.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.26 no.3
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• pp.81-89
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• 2007

The purpose of this study is to develop data base and interface for sofa consumers and sofa designers. The human sensibility ergonomics method was used to find the consumer needs and Quality Function Deployment (QFD) method was used to extract the designing characteristics required for sofa production. About 200 words and 100 images were gathered from sofa and furniture related catalogs and internet sites to find the best emotional words and images that can express the various sofa aspect. Among the collected words and images, 34 emotional words were selected for sensibility experiment according to the opinions of experts, relations of closeness and frequency of use, and 50 images were selected for the experiment by the diversity. Selected words and images were used for the semantic differential method with 94 subjects, and sensibility characteristics of sofas were defined through various statistical analysis methods including basic statistical analysis, factor analysis and multi-dimensional scale. In reflecting design characteristics of sofas, design factors of sofas were divided into backrest, seat, armrest, neck support and leg, and relative importance of each factor for design was determined with analytic hierarchy process (AHP) by utilizing the experts' opinions. Based on the results above, relationship analysis between emotional evaluation results and design factors was performed. Also, as various sofa images are presented diagrammatically through multidimensional scaling method, it can be used as an important tool for the development of sofa design. This study will contribute improving the product quality of sofas as it enables applying consumer needs into the sofa design.

• Journal of Korean Neurosurgical Society
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• v.55 no.3
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• pp.148-151
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• 2014

Objective : Posture-induced radial neuropathy, known as Saturday night palsy, occurs because of compression of the radial nerve. The clinical symptoms of radial neuropathy are similar to stroke or a herniated cervical disk, which makes it difficult to diagnose and sometimes leads to inappropriate evaluations. The purpose of our study was to establish the clinical characteristics and diagnostic assessment of compressive radial neuropathy. Methods : Retrospectively, we reviewed neurophysiologic studies on 25 patients diagnosed with radial nerve palsy, who experienced wrist drop after maintaining a certain posture for an extended period. The neurologic presentations, clinical prognosis, and electrophysiology of the patients were obtained from medical records. Results : Subjects were 19 males and 6 females. The median age at diagnosis was 46 years. The right arm was affected in 13 patients and the left arm in 12 patients. The condition was induced by sleeping with the arms hanging over the armrest of a chair because of drunkenness, sleeping while bending the arm under the pillow, during drinking, and unknown. The most common clinical presentation was a wrist drop and paresthesia on the dorsum of the 1st to 3rd fingers. Improvement began after a mean of 2.4 weeks. Electrophysiologic evaluation was performed after 2 weeks that revealed delayed nerve conduction velocity in all patients. Conclusion : Wrist drop is an entrapment syndrome that has a good prognosis within several weeks. Awareness of its clinical characteristics and diagnostic assessment methods may help clinicians make diagnosis of radial neuropathy and exclude irrelevant evaluations.

• Journal of the Ergonomics Society of Korea
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• v.33 no.4
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• pp.281-287
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• 2014

Objective: The objective of the study is to develop a portable assistance device to help elderly users reduce strain on the knee and leg muscle while the elderly are standing up. Background: The pose of standing up from a chair is a basic movement, but the elderly often have difficulty standing up due to their weak muscles. We focus on designing a solution that helps the elderly reduce physical problems and support them standing up. Method: This study consists of three parts. Part I explores the way to reduce the refrain of leg muscle while standing up from a chair. In the process of structural development, we found that the moment is minimized when user pushes down the armrests due to a decrease in the force acting on the center of mass. In part II, a user test of 20 participants was carried out to rank the order of comfort of two stimuli: the chair with fixed armrests and the chair with the four-link mechanism that we created-in three different ways; (1) to stand up without touching armrests, (2) to stand up by pushing down on fixed armrests, and (3) to stand up by pushing down on armrests and being supported by the mechanism. To examine the statistically significant differences among the rank means, a Friedman test was conducted. In part III, we analyze the results of the user test and interview feedbacks, focusing on establishing a design strategy from UPO and visualizing it in 1:1 scale. Results: In part I, we decided to develop the four-link mechanism. The bottom is lifted up as the link rises. In part II, based on the rank data, we empirically found that UPO was assessed as the most comfortable during the stimuli. The thigh angle is smaller and the bottom of UPO is separated from a seat. In part III, after assessing the results and feedbacks, we created a visualization strategy for UPO: light, friendly, and novel. Conclusion: The portable and non-mechanical UPO comprises a four-link system that lifts the user's hips while standing. It can help users avoid knee and leg muscle strain. Its universal design considers the elderly's difficulties. Application: In a future study, combining light and durable material in UPO is expected to increase its usability. And this study is an opportunity to design various types of standing assistance devices.

• Journal of rehabilitation welfare engineering & assistive technology
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.171-176
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• 2016

By developing rider robot using omni wheel drive, a usability test for 6 people was conducted after finding out inconvenient factors and ways of improvement. The results of this research are as follows. First, we researched inconvenient factors captured by object of experiment using a rider robot who is living in the dormitory. It showed that the disabled showing 1.6 of satisfaction degree felt more inconvenient for normal people showing 4 of satisfaction degree. It was found that the height of seats is 10 centimeters higher, which caused inconvenience for moving. Second, each of the disabled and normal people showed 2.33 and 2.62 of satisfaction degree below the average for seats, back of a seat, armrest, footrest, security belts. However, for the revised design both of them showed 3.5 of satisfaction degree over the average. Third, most people felt this robot is quite expensive and said they would purchase it if subsidized by the government. Therefore, based on inconvenient factors and ways of improvement found in this research, further study needs to be conducted so as to improve the quality of life of the disabled.

• Journal of Conservation Science
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• v.32 no.2
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• pp.203-213
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• 2016

Conservation treatment of modern cultural heritage rickshaw from National Museum of Korean Contemporary History were carried out. The Rickshaw is divided into three parts which are chair part, sun-block cover part, wheels part. Treatment was referred to analysis results of P-XRF, species identification, FT-IR and microscope observation on Rickshaw. Outer films of rickshaw were chipped off. Therefore, conservation and restoration treatment were carried out in the damaged area. Degradation in armrest, saddle and backside of chair may cause serious problem. Therefore, the reinforcement were carried out with similar materials. Dry and wet cleaning were performed in sun-block cover to remove white stain and corrosion contaminant. Furthermore, reinforcement and restoration were performed in damaged area. Rickshaw from National Museum of Korean Contemporary History was made with various materials. This research result expects to be a great example of conservation treatment for modern cultural heritage which is made of various materials and to be used as useful data for conservation and restoration in modern cultural heritage.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
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• v.4 no.2
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• pp.221-237
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• 1997

In an attempt to measure effects of the Programmed Resistance Exercise on the daily performance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, a quasi-experiment ; non-synchronised control group pre-post-test, was carried out for 8 weeks : from June 3 to November 29, 1996. 25 for the experimental group and 26 for the control group were conveniently sampled among registered out-patients on rheumatoid arthritis clinic of Anam Hospital, Korea University Medical Center. The programmed experimental resistance exercises were carried out by the experimental group five times a week for eight weeks. Before and after experiments, level of functional task performance, functional disability, joint mobility, ESR, CRP, self-efficacy and family support were measured and statistically analysed. The results of the analysis of the effects on the Programmed Resistance Exercise are as follows : 1. A statistically significant post-test effects on functional task performance were revealed : 1) the experimental group climbed up and down the 10 steps of the stairs significantly faster than the control group(P=0.0001). 2) the experimental group walked 100 m significantly faster than the control group (P=0.0000). 3) After the experiment, the experimental group could sit down and get up from chairs with no armrest as low as 30cm, 40cm, 50cm on their on, with no assistance as opposed to the control group who could not sit down and get up from such low chairs (P=0.0084). 4) the experimental group lifted 0-15 kg object up to their own heights with no specific strain than the control group (P=0.0000). 2. A significant reduction in the functional disabilities was revealed in the experimental group(P=0.0017). 3. A notable incresement of the joint mobility was revealed in the experimental group. 4. A decrease in the ESR in both the experimental and the control groups was noticed, however, the difference was not statistically significant (P=0.9546). 5. The CRP of both the experimental and control groups decreased with no significant difference (P=0.6022). 6. The self-efficacy increased significantly in the experimental group(P=0.0042), however, no significant effect of self-efficacy on the actual practice of the program was noticed. 7. The family support revealed to be significantly higher in the experimental group (P=0.0013), however, the effect of the family support on actual practice of the program revealed not significant. Judging from the results of these experiments, the resistance exercise program not only improves the functional capacity of rheumatoid arthritis, but also diminishes their functional disabilities and has a great influence on increasing their joint mobility, self-efficacy, and family support. Concluding, in promoting the daily performance of rheumatoid arthritis, the resistance exercise program would be an appropriate nursing intervention.