• Korean Journal of Adult Nursing
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• v.20 no.1
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• pp.55-64
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• 2008

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to identify the effect of Meridian pressure on the functions of upper extremities and discomfort of ADLs of hemiplegic patients. Methods: The research design was a nonequivalent control group, non-synchronized design. Subjects were 35 hemiplegic patients who were hospitalized at L Oriental Medical Hospital; 18 for the experimental group and 17 for the control group. The experimental group was given meridian pressure for 10 minutes daily for 2 weeks. The data were analyzed by SPSS 12.0 program. The ${\chi}^2$-test and t-test were used for the two groups' homogeneity, and t-test was used for the hypothesis test. Results: Manual muscle test, ROMs of wrist extension, elbow flexion, and shoulder extension of the experimental group increased compared to the control group. Shoulder pain and index finger circumference of the experimental group decreased compared to the control group. The experimental group showed to have less discomfort of ADLs than the control group. Conclusion: The study results verified that meridian pressure is effective for improving the functions of hemiplegic patients' upper extremities as well as reducing discomfort of ADLs.

• 제어로봇시스템학회:학술대회논문집
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• 2005.06a
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• pp.145-150
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• 2005

This paper presents an Electrotactile Display System (ETCS). One of the most important human sensory systems for human computer interaction is the sense of touch, which can be displayed to human through tactile output devices. To realize the sense of touch, electrotactile display produces controlled, localized touch sensation on the skin by passing small electric current. In electrotactile stimulation, the mechanoreceptors in the skin may be stimulated individually in order to display the sense of vibration, touch, itch, tingle, pressure etc. on the finger, palm, arm or any suitable location of the body by using appropriate electrodes and waveforms. We developed an ETCS and investigated effectiveness of the proposed system in terms of the perception of roughness of a surface by stimulating the palmar side of hand with different waveforms and the perception of direction and location information through forearm. Positive and negative pulse trains were tested with different current intensities and electrode switching times on the forearm or finger of the user with an electrode-embedded armband in order to investigate how subjects recognize displayed patterns and directions of stimulation.

• Tribology and Lubricants
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.167-170
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• 2013

The friction behavior of human skin is determined by the complex interplay of the material and surface properties of the skin, as well as the contacting material, and strongly depends on the contact parameters (e.g., pressure and sliding velocity) and the presence of substances such as water, sweat, or skin surface lipids at the interface. Including a study on the effect of a surface's physical roughness for skin sliding over the surface, various studies have been conducted to understand human tactile sensibility. However, to investigate products in relation to human tactile sensibility, more objective research is needed. This study performed sliding experiments between the skin and the surfaces of phone cases to understand how the texture, friction, and stick-slip characteristics are related. Eight phone case surfaces with different topologies and chemical (or mechanical) compatibilities with skin were prepared and tested multiple times.

• Journal of Institute of Control, Robotics and Systems
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• v.11 no.5
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• pp.445-450
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• 2005

In this paper, we suggest an integrated tactile display system that provides kinesthetic force, pressure distribution, vibration and slip/stretch. The system consists of two parts: a 2 DOF force feedback device for kinesthetic display and a tactile feedback device for displaying the normal stimulation to the skin and the skin slip/stretch. Psychophysical experiments measure the effects of fingerpad selection, the direction of finger movements and the texture width on tactile sensitivity. We also investigate the characteristics of lateral finger movement while subjects perceive different textures. From the experimental results, the principal parameters for designing a tactile display are suggested. A tactile display device, using eight piezoelectric bimorphs and a linear actuator, Is implemented and attached to a 2 DOF translational force feedback device to simultaneously simulate the texture and stiffness of the object. As a result, we find out that the capability of the suggested device is sufficient to display physical quantities to display the texture.

• The Korean Journal of Community Living Science
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.599-607
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• 2007

We analyzed the effects of regular Jjimjilbang (Korean sauna) exposure on the cold tolerance in young and elderly females. Subjects were young (n=7) and elderly (n=7) females who had never had Jjimjilbang exposure experience. The Jjimjil training group was exposured in the Jjimjilbang 19 times per week. Jjimjibang exposure was limited to three times per day. Jjimjil activity was taken freely. To prove the effects of the cold tolerance, subjects were exposed to cold air ($12{\pm}1^{\circ}C,\;60{\pm}10%$RH). In these conditions, subjects were exposed for 30 minutes at which time rectal temperature, skin temperatures, clothing microclimate, energy expenditure, blood pressure and subjective sensation were measured. To prove the effects of the local cold tolerance, vascular hunting reaction was observed measuring the finger skin temperature while the left middle finger tip was immersed in cold water of $0^{\circ}C$ for 30 minutes. The results are as follows. According to repeated Jjimjil exposure, rectal temperature changes, peripheral temperature and energy expenditure were increased gradually in the cold climate chamber. Blood pressure, subjective sensation and vascular hunting reactions did not show any significant difference. In conclusion, regular Jjimjilbang exposure has negative effects on the ability of the body to improve its regulation of temperature especially in cold tolerance.

• Journal of the Institute of Convergence Signal Processing
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• v.9 no.2
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• pp.112-120
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• 2008

This study aims to develop a system for diagnosing pulse and disease conditions based on oriental medical classics to collect objective quantitative information in the traditional pulse examination environment that uses fingers. For this purpose, the study suggested a thimble-type sensor unit as the most appropriate pulse analyzer and proposed a traditional method to measure the pulse pressure wave on the spots of cheok, gwan and chon by installing the pulse analyzer on the forefinger, middle finger and medical finger. Then, it was interpretively found that this pulse analyzer enables us to objectively recognize 28 pulses defined in Oriental medical classics including the yukjo pulse, described as the buchimjisak-heosil pulse, and the hong, yoo, hyeok and san pulses. Finally, the study proposed a method to extract key parameters essential to pulse condition diagnosis from the pulse pressure wave measured by this pulse analyzer.

• Membrane and Water Treatment
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• v.15 no.2
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• pp.79-88
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• 2024

Modification of Polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) hollow fiber membranes (HFMs) characteristics and performance were investigated via post treatment using different oxidants. sodium hypochlorite (NaOCl), hydrogen peroxide (H₂O₂) and potassium persulfate (KPS). Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (¹H-NMR) results revealed no structural differences after post treatment. Cross-sectional micrographs show finger-like structures at the outer and inner walls of the HFMs and sponge-like structures in middle, where NaOCl and KPS post treated fibers exhibited a decrease in finger-like structures in addition to aggregates appearing on the surface, consequently leading to an increase in the surface roughness (Ra) from 48 nm to 52.8nm and 56 nm, respectively. Hydrogen peroxide post treatment only was observed to decrease the water contact angle from 98° to 81.4°. It was also observed that the elongation at break and the modulus deceased after NaOCl post treatment from 34.5 to 28.5% and from 19.3 Mpa to 16.6 Mpa, respectively. Moreover, pure water flux after H₂O₂ post treatment increased from 87.8 LMH/bar to 113 LMH/bar at 0.45 bar, while no changes were detected for the methylene blue dye rejection (74%) between raw and hydrogen peroxide post treated fibers at the same pressure. According to the findings hydrogen peroxide post treated PVDF HFMs have the most uniform surfaces, with almost no alterations in structural and mechanical properties or porosities with enhanced hydrophilicity and pure water flux maintaining appropriate rejection. Therefore, it is considered an efficient surface modifying agent for UF/NF membranes or low-pressure separators.

• Journal of Sensor Science and Technology
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• v.17 no.2
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• pp.87-94
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• 2008

Blood pressure (BP), one of the most important vital signs, is used to identify an emergency state and reflects the blood flow characteristics of the cardiovascular system. The conventional noninvasive method of measuring BP is inconvenient because patients must wear a cuff on their arm and the measurement process takes time. This paper proposes an algorithm for estimating the BP using the pulse transit time (PTT) of the photoplethysmography (PPG) and pressure pulse from finger at the same time as a more convenient way to measure the BP. After recording the electrocardiogram (ECG), measuring the pressure pulse, and performing PPG, we calculated the PTT from the acquired signals. Then, we used a multiple regression analysis to measure the systolic and diastolic BP indirectly. Comparing the BP measured indirectly using the proposed algorithm and the real BP measured with a sphygmomanometer, the systolic pressure had a mean error of ${\pm}3.240$ mmHg and a standard deviation of 2.530 mmHg, while the diastolic pressure had a satisfactory result, i.e., a mean error of ${\pm}1.807$ mmHg and a standard deviation of 1.396 mmHg. These results are more superior than existing method estimating blood pressure using the one PTT and satisfy the ANSI/AAMI regulations for certifying a sphygmomanometer i.e., the measurement error should be within a mean error of ${\pm}5$ mmHg and a standard deviation of 8 mmHg. These results suggest the possibility of applying our method to a portable, long-term BP monitoring system.

• The Korean Fashion and Textile Research Journal
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• v.13 no.6
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• pp.943-951
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• 2011

The purpose of this study is to analyze the physiological effects of non-elastic corset on women's health and pain through measuring the clothing pressure, subjective pressure sensation, blood velocity and metabolism. 5 women in their twenties were picked as our subjects, their average size being 85cm at bust girth, 69 cm at waist girth. With the subjects each wearing a corset, we are testing in artificial environment with a treadmill according to the planned exercise procedures. The average pressure of the corset is 0.938 kPa (maximum 3.006 kPa at 45 degree front bowing), which is 10.2 times higher than the control group, averaging from 9.3 times higher at resting, 11.4 times at walking, 11.1 times at running. The effect of corset pressure on the physiological responses of the body is increased more when exercise than when resting. Clothing pressure increased in the order of the postures: sitting > standing with 45 degree bowing > standing. They experienced a high level of tighten discomfort of 5.6 in the scale of 1.0 to 7.0 due to the high pressure of the corset when resting, after intense exercise the level increased to 6.0, while without corset the level increased 1.7 to 2.2. With corset on, the blood circulation did not increase even though when the body exercised and blood flow became unbalanced making great gaps between both at the right and left finger tips. Perspiration of chest and back decreased 37.3% when wearing corset; 27.5% at resting, 56.7% at walking, 25.8% at running, and 39.0% at recovery. With corset on oxygen consume and metabolism increased 9.0%, 7.9%, respectively, which means the corset makes the body uncomfortable. Lung volume exchange VE decreased almost 4.1~7.3% with corset on and $VCO_2/VO_2$, RER and total volume in lung, VT also decreased too, which means the digestion of stomach and lung function are inhibited due to the high corset pressure.

• Genomics & Informatics
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• v.10 no.1
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• pp.40-43
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• 2012

Recent genomewide association studies of large samples have identified genes that are associated with blood pressure. The Global Blood Pressure Genetics (Global BPgen) and Cohorts for Heart and Aging Research in Genome Epidemiology (CHARGE) consortiums identified 14 loci that govern blood pressure on a genomewide significance level, one of which is $CASZ1$ confirmed in both Europeans and Asians. $CASZ1$ is a zinc finger transcription factor that controls apoptosis and cell fate and suppresses neuroblastoma tumor growth by reprogramming gene expression, like a tumor suppressor. To validate the function of $CASZ1$ in blood pressure, we decreased $Casz1$ mRNA levels in mice by siRNA. $Casz1$ siRNA reduced mRNA levels by 59% in a mouse cell line. A polyethylenimine-mixed siRNA complex was injected into mouse tail veins, reducing $Casz1$ mRNA expression to 45% in the kidney. However, blood pressure in the treated mice was unaffected, despite a 55% reduction in $Casz1$ mRNA levels in the kidney on multiple siRNA injections daily. Even though $Casz1$ siRNA-treated mice did not experience any significant change in blood pressure, our study demonstrates the value of $in$ $vivo$ siRNA injection in analyzing the function of candidate genes identified by genomewide association studies.