• Journal of Ginseng Research
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• v.43 no.1
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• pp.135-142
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• 2019

Background: Panax ginseng Meyer, known as Korean Red Ginseng (KRG), is one of the important age-old traditional herbs used in boosting libido and improving male fertility. In this study, the effects of Rg3-enriched KRG extract (KGC04P) on heat stress-induced testicular damage in experimental rats was evaluated. Methods: Male rats (Sprague-Dawley) were divided into four groups (n = 10): normal control (NC), heat-stressed control (HC), heat-stressed plus KGC04P-100 mg/kg (HK100), and heat-stressed plus KGC04P-200 mg/kg (HK200) groups. Starting 1 week prior to heat stress, animals were administered orally with KGC04P (100 and 200 mg/kg) mixed with a regular pellet diet and continued for 25 weeks. Heat stress was induced to HC, HK100, and HK200 groups by intermittently exposing the animals to high temperatures ($32{\pm}1^{\circ}C$, 2 h/day). After 6 months, animals were euthanized under general anesthesia with carbon dioxide and evaluated for various parameters in serum and testicular tissue by using Western blotting, biochemical kits, and reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. Results: Significant (p < 0.05) alterations in several parameters, such as body/organ weight, sperm kinematics, and lipid metabolism marker levels, in the serum and testis of rats were observed. Further, the expression of testicular antioxidant enzymes, inflammatory cytokines, sex hormonal receptors, and spermatogenesis-related genes were also affected significantly (p < 0.05) in the heat-stressed group. However, KGC04P prevented the heat stress-induced changes in rats significantly (p < 0.05) at both concentrations. Conclusion: KGC04P attenuated heat stress-induced testicular damage by a multifunctional approach and can be developed as an excellent therapeutic agent for hyperthermia-mediated male infertility.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.199-205
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• 2018

Objective: The purpose of this study was to examine the effect of increase in barbell weight on closely related variable to the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury which are knee joint kinematics, joint load, joint moment, and maximum load attainment point during snatch of the weight lifting. Method: The subjects of the study were 10 male Korean national weight lifting athletes (69 kg 5, 77 kg 5; age: $21.80{\pm}3.91yrs.$, height: $168.00{\pm}4.06cm$, weight: $75.00{\pm}4.02kg$, career: $7.8{\pm}3.99yrs.$, snatch records: $168{\pm}4.06kg$). The weight of the barbell during the snatch operation was set at 70%, 75% and 80% of the highest records for each subject studied. Results: The result obtained from the one-way repeated measure ANOVA are as follows: With increased barbell weight, the extension moment of the left knee joint was higher in the 80% condition than the 70% (p<.001). However, other variables were not statistically significant difference. According to the factor analysis of the variables related to maximum load attainment point of the ACL major injury variables, the first sub-factor was the internal shear force, the posterior shear force, the abduction moment, and the muscle activity of the VL. The second sub-factor was the extension moment of the knee joint, compressive force, adduction moment, and the third sub-factor was the muscle activity of BF. Conclusion: These results indicate that the possibility of ACL injury can be lowered when performing a stable snatch movement.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.29 no.3
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• pp.145-155
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• 2019

Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the physical characteristics (bone mineral density, joint muscle strength) and running biomechanics between older adults and young adult runners to understand the changes of running strategy by aging. Method: Bone mineral density (Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry, USA) of lower lower extremity and muscle strength (Cybex Humac Norm [DEXA], CSMI, USA) were measured to identify the physical characteristics of 10 elderly (age: $67.70{\pm}3.30yrs$, height: $1.68{\pm}0.04m$, mass: $67.70{\pm}3.80kg$) and 10 young adults (age: $21.20{\pm}0.42yrs$, height: $1.73{\pm}0.06m$, mass: $72.11{\pm}4.15kg$). Running data was collected by using an instrumented treadmill (Bertec, USA) and 7 infrared cameras (Oqus 300, Qualisys, Sweden). Two-way repeated ANOVA analysis was used to analyze results at a significant level of .05 with Bonferroni post hoc analysis. Results: Compared to the young adult group, the elderly group showed statistically significant difference in physical characteristics and in running characteristics. Elderly runners showed lower BMD and muscle strength compared with young runners (p<.05). In the running parameters, elderly runners tend to show shorter contact time and stride length compared with young runners (p<.05). In the joint angles, elderly runners showed smaller range of ankle motion compared with young runners (p<.05). Finally, elderly runners showed lower level of joint moment, joint power, and GRF compared with young runners in each running speed (p<.05). Conclusion: The running behavior of the elderly performed periodic running was similar to many variables of young adults. However, there were noticeable differences found in the ankle joints and most kinetic variables compared with young adult runners. This discrepancy may propose that elderly runners should consider appropriate running distance and intensity in the program.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.29 no.2
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• pp.105-112
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• 2019

Objective: The main purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of wearing an ankle weight belt while performing gait in water by focusing on the effect of using ankle weights have on the gait kinematics and the muscle activities for developing optimum training strategies. Method: A total of 10 healthy male university students were recruited for the study. Each participant was instructed to perform 3 gait conditions; normal walking over ground, walking in water chest height, and walking in water chest height while using ankle weights. All walking conditions were set at control speed of $4km/h{\pm}0.05km/h$. The depth of the swimming pool was at 1.3 m, approximately chest height. The motion capture data was recorded using 6 digital cameras and the EMG was recorded using waterproof Mini Wave. From the motion capture data, the following variables were calculated for analysis; double and single support phase (s), swing phase (s), step length (%height), step rate (m/s), ankle, knee, and hip joint angles ($^{\circ}$). From the electromyography the %RVC of the lower limb muscles medial gastrocnemius, rectus femoris, erector spinae, semitendinosus, tibialis anterior, vastus lateralis oblique was calculated. Results: The results show significant differences between the gait time, and step length between the right and left leg. Additionally, the joint angular velocities and gait velocity were significantly affected by the water resistance. As expected, the use of the ankle weights increased all of the lower leg maximum muscle activities except for the lower back muscle. Conclusion: In conclusion, the ankle weights can be shown to stimulate more muscle activity during walking in chest height water and therefore, may be useful for rehabilitation purposes.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.29 no.1
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• pp.23-32
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• 2019

Objective: The aim of this study was to provide kinematic data on the characteristics of spinal disease patients by comparing and analyzing kinematic variables related to foot balance and gait pattern of spinal disease. Method: The subjects of the study included 40 adult men and 60 adult women who visited the hospital in Busan. Patients who were diagnosed with spinal disease by a physician through X-ray examination were selected as subjects for the diagnosis of vertebral disc herniation, spinal stenosis, spinal disease diagnosed with spinal disease and the general public. Left and right foot pressure and contact area were checked by Gaitview pro meter. X-ray photographs were taken with a Zen-2090 mobile fluoroscopy under physicians' direct participation. One-way ANOVA was performed to compare the differences between the kinematic variables and post-hoc was performed by the Duncan method. Results: The difference in contact area between the left foot and the right foot was $115.30{\pm}14.15cm^2$ in the left side and $124.25{\pm}13.65cm^2$ in the left side in the spinal disease patients. The difference in pressure between the left and right side of the spinal disease patients was wider than that of the general people. Especially, the right side of the spinal disease patients showed a larger area of left foot contact than the general population. Conclusion: Spinal disease patients have wider contact area of the left foot than those of the general population. In the case of right spinal disease, the left foot support area is widened due to pain. In the gait, women showed slightly more posterior body center than men, and the upper body muscle imbalance and immobilization due to the spinal disease caused imbalance of the muscles moving to the lower limb, It was analyzed to inhibit movement.

• Journal of the Korean earth science society
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• v.40 no.4
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• pp.353-381
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• 2019

The general world model for homogeneous and isotropic universe has been proposed. For this purpose, we introduce a global and fiducial system of reference (world reference frame) constructed on a (4+1)-dimensional space-time, and assume that the universe is spatially a 3-dimensional hypersurface embedded in the 4-dimensional space. The simultaneity for the entire universe has been specified by the global time coordinate. We define the line element as the separation between two neighboring events on the expanding universe that are distinct in space and time, as viewed in the world reference frame. The information that determines the kinematics of the geometry of the universe such as size and expansion rate has been included in the new metric. The Einstein's field equations with the new metric imply that closed, flat, and open universes are filled with positive, zero, and negative energy, respectively. The curvature of the universe is determined by the sign of mean energy density. We have demonstrated that the flat universe is empty and stationary, equivalent to the Minkowski space-time, and that the universe with positive energy density is always spatially closed and finite. In the closed universe, the proper time of a comoving observer does not elapse uniformly as judged in the world reference frame, in which both cosmic expansion and time-varying light speeds cannot exceed the limiting speed of the special relativity. We have also reconstructed cosmic evolution histories of the closed world models that are consistent with recent astronomical observations, and derived useful formulas such as energy-momentum relation of particles, redshift, total energy in the universe, cosmic distance and time scales, and so forth. The notable feature of the spatially closed universe is that the universe started from a non-singular point in the sense that physical quantities have finite values at the initial time as judged in the world reference frame. It has also been shown that the inflation with positive acceleration at the earliest epoch is improbable.

• Journal of The Korean Astronomical Society
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• v.52 no.3
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• pp.57-69
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• 2019

We present an analysis of the chemical abundances and kinematics of six low-mass dwarf stars, previously claimed to be candidate hypervelocity stars (HVSs). We obtained moderate-resolution (R ~ 6000) spectra of these stars to estimate the abundances of several chemical elements (Mg, Si, Ca, Ti, Cr, Fe, and Ni), and derived their space velocities and orbital parameters using proper motions from the Gaia Data Release 2. All six stars are shown to be bound to the Milky Way, and in fact are not even considered high-velocity stars with respect to the Galactic rest frame. Nevertheless, we attempt to characterize their parent Galactic stellar components by simultaneously comparing their element abundance patterns and orbital parameters with those expected from various Galactic stellar components. We find that two of our program stars are typical disk stars. For four stars, even though their kinematic probabilistic membership assignment suggests membership in the Galactic disk, based on their distinct orbital properties and chemical characteristics, we cannot rule out exotic origins as follows. Two stars may be runaway stars from the Galactic disk. One star has possibly been accreted from a disrupted dwarf galaxy or dynamically heated from a birthplace in the Galactic bulge. The last object may be either a runaway disk star or has been dynamically heated. Spectroscopic follow-up observations with higher resolution for these curious objects will provide a better understanding of their origin.

• PNF and Movement
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• v.17 no.1
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• pp.129-136
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• 2019

Purpose: This study is a comparison of spatiotemporal parameters between straight and curved walking in individuals with chronic hemiparetic stroke, investigating whether those patients can adapt their walking according to task demands and environmental changes. Methods: Twenty-eight patients who diagnosed with their first stroke at least six months prior to this study were recruited. They were measured for spatiotemporal parameters in three different walking conditions: straight walking, walking with an inner curve to the more-affected leg, and walking with an inner curve to the less-affected leg. This study also measured secondary clinical factors, such as the timed up-and-go test, the trunk impairment scale, and the dynamic gait index. The statistical methods for the three different walking conditions, using the averaged value of each condition, was repeated measures ANOVA. Results: The difference in cadence was statistically significant when comparing straight walking, walking with an inner curve to the more-affected leg, and walking with an inner curve to the less-affected leg. Swing duration (%) was also a statistically significant difference between straight walking and walking with an inner curve to the more-affected leg. However, differences in other spatiotemporal parameters were not statistically significant among the three conditions. Conclusion: The results of this study suggest that stroke survivors could adapt their walking according to straight and curved walking conditions, although cadence and swing duration were different between straight and curved walking groups.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.31 no.3
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• pp.205-213
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• 2021

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze body stability Joint coordination pattern though as bending stiffness of shoes during stance phase of running. Method: 47 male subjects (Age: 26.33 ± 2.11 years, Height: 177.32 ± 4.31 cm, Weight: 65.8 ± 3.87 kg) participated in this study. All subjects tested wearing the same type of running shoes by classifying bending stiffness (A shoes: 3.2~4.1 N, B shoes: 9.25~10.53 N, C shoes: 20.22~21.59 N). They ran 10 m at 3.3 m/s (SD ±3%) speed, and the speed was monitored by installing a speedometer at 3 m intervals between force plate, and the measured data were analyzed five times. During running, ankle joint, MTP joint, coupling angle, inclination angle (anterior-posterior, medial-lateral) was collected and analyzed. Vector coding methods were used to calculate vector angle of 2 joint couples during running: MTP-Ankle joint frontal plane. All analyses were performed with SPSS 21.0 and for repeated measured ANOVA and Post-hoc was Bonferroni. Results: Results indicated that there was an interaction between three shoes and phases for MTP (Metatarsalphalangeal) joint angle (p = .045), the phases in the three shoes showed difference with heel strike~impact peak (p1) (p = .000), impact peak~active peak (p2) (p = .002), from active peak to half the distance to take-off until take-off (p4) (p = .032) except for active peak~from active peak to half the distance to take-off (p3) (p = .155). ML IA (medial-lateral inclination angle) for C shoes was increased than other shoes. The coupling angle of ankle angle and MTP joint showed that there was significantly difference of p2 (p = .005), p4 (p = .045), and the characteristics of C shoes were that single-joint pattern (ankle-phase, MTP-phase) was shown in each phase. Conclusion: In conclusion, by wearing high bending stiffness shoes, their body instability was increased during running.

• International Journal of Internet, Broadcasting and Communication
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• v.13 no.1
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• pp.47-53
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• 2021

Gait kinematics and kinetics have a similar tendency between men and women, yet it remains unclear how walking while carrying a load affects the gait mechanism. Twenty adults walked with preferred velocity on level ground of 20 m relative to change of a load carriage (no load, 15%, 30% of the body weights) aimed to observe gait mechanism. We measured gait posture using the three-dimensional image analysis and ground reaction force system during stance phase on left foot. In main effect of gender difference, men showed increased displacement of center of gravity (COG) compared to women, and it showed more extended joint angle of hip and knee in sagittal plane. In main effect of a load difference, knee joint showed more flexed postuel relative to increase of load carriage. In main effect of load difference on the kinetic variables, medial-lateral force, anterior-posterior force (1st breaking, 2nd propulsive), vertical force, center of pressure (COP) area, leg stiffness, and whole body stiffness showed more increased values relative to increase of load carriage. Also, men showed more increased COP area compared to women. Interaction showed in the 1st anterior-posterior force, and as a result of one-way variance analysis, it was found that a load main effect had a greater influence on the increase in the magnitude of the braking force than the gender. The data in this study explains that women require little kinematic alteration compared to men, while men in more stiff posture accommodate an added load compared to women during gait. Additionally, it suggests that dynamic stability is maintained by adopting different gait strategies relative to gender and load difference.