• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.1
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• pp.37-46
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• 2011

The purpose of this study was to investigate intra-rater reliability and determine the validity of electromyography (EMG) measurements to represent muscle activity and ultrasonography (US) to represent muscle thickness during manual muscle testing (MMT) to external abdominal oblique (EO) and lumbar multifidus (MF). Twenty healthy subjects were recruited for this study and asked to perform MMT at differing levels. The subjects' muscle activity using EMG was measured by a ratio to maximum voluntary contraction (MVC) and root mean square (RMS) methods. The subjects' muscle thickness using US was measured by raw muscle thickness and change ratio of thickness to maximum (MVC) or resting condition. In three trials, measurements were performed on each subject by one examiner. The intra-rater reliability of measurements of EMG and US to EO and MF was calculated using intra-class coefficients. The intra-rater reliability of all measurements was excellent (ICC=.75~.98) in EMG and US. The conduct validity was calculated by one-way ANOVA with repeated measurements to compare whether the EMG and US measurements were different between MMT at different levels. There was only a significant difference between all grades at %MVC thickness measurement of US. These results suggest that a %MVC thickness measurement of US was a more sensitive and discriminate in all manual muscle testing grades. This information will be useful for the selection of US measurement and analysis methods in clinics.

• Journal of Oral Medicine and Pain
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• v.47 no.4
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• pp.206-211
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• 2022

Purpose: The purpose of this study is to develop a reproducible and reliable method for evaluating the masseter's functional state by measuring the masseter muscle with ultrasonography (US). Methods: Nineteen healthy adults (9 males, 10 females) were the subjects of this study. During US scanning, the image was taken from the thickest part of the masseter muscle in the image. To evaluate changes in thickness during masseter function, US images were taken of the participant's masseter muscle at rest and during clenching. In this study, US scanning was conducted using two approaches to compare the difference in masseter muscle thickness determined when inducing maximum bite force (MBF). Results: All 19 subjects completed US scanning of the masseter muscle at rest and during clenching under the conventional method and the articulation paper method. There was no difference in masseter muscle thickness measured at rest. However, the thickness of the masseter muscles determined by the articulation paper during jaw clenching was greater than that measured by the conventional method. Conclusions: In conclusion, using the US for masseter muscle evaluation can offer objective and functional information on the masseter muscle. A standardized US scanning method needs to be developed to obtain reproducible and reliable information on the masseter muscle at rest and during clenching. In particular, generating MBF using an articulation paper can be a reproducible and reliable method of measuring the functional state of the masseter muscle.

• Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging
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• v.42 no.3
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• pp.249-252
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• 2008

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.30 no.3
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• pp.247-254
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• 2009

We studied the postural response induced by plantar sole vibration with various frequencies(20, 60, 100Hz) and vibration zone(the anterior and posterior foot zone) of both soles during standing. Eight healthy young adults were exposed to 15s periods of plantar sole vibration while blindfolded. Body sway(COM, center of mass), the angle of neck, trunk, hip, knee, ankle and EMG of four lower limb muscles(tibialis anterior, lateral and medial gastrocnemial, soleus muscle) were recorded during 15s plantar sole vibration using 3D motion analysis system. Simulating each zone separately resulted in spatially oriented body tilts; oppositely directed backward and forward, respectively, the amplitude of which was proportional to the vibration frequency. EMG activity of lower limb muscles also varied according to the direction of the vibration zone and linearly according to the frequency. These findings led us to consider the plantar sole vibration as useful method of postural balance control and adjustment.

• Food Science of Animal Resources
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• v.42 no.5
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• pp.723-743
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• 2022

Beef muscles from mature cows and bulls, especially those originating from the extremities of the carcass, are considered as underutilized due to unsatisfactory palatability. However, beef from culled animals comprises a substantial proportion of the total slaughter in the US and globally. Modern consumers typically favor cuts suitable for fast, dry-heat cookery, thereby creating challenges for the industry to market inherently tough muscles. In general, cull cow beef would be categorized as having a lower extent of postmortem proteolysis compared to youthful carcasses, coupled with a high amount of background toughness. The extent of cross-linking and resulting insolubility of intramuscular connective tissues typically serves as the limiting factor for tenderness development of mature beef. Thus, numerous post-harvest strategies have been developed to improve the quality and palatability attributes, often aimed at overcoming deficiencies in tenderness through enhancing the degradation of myofibrillar and stromal proteins or physically disrupting the tissue structure. The aim of this review is to highlight existing and recent innovations in the field that have been demonstrated as effective to enhance the tenderness and palatability traits of mature beef during the chilling and postmortem aging processes, as well as the use of physical interventions and enhancement.

• Journal of the Korean Academy of Clinical Electrophysiology
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• v.9 no.1
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• pp.35-39
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine changes in muscle activity due to elastic taping at the rectus femoris, biceps femoris and tibialis anterior muscles using surface electromyography analysis. Methods : In this study 10 healthy university students in the Department of Taekwondo Studies were screened and individuals with a history of previous injury or surgery to their nerve, muscle, and skeletal systems, such as paresthesia and motor disorder, were excluded. Subjects were taped over the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and tibialis anterior and their muscle activities were analyzed using the surface electromyography method during maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Results : The results of this study were as follows: muscle activities indicated a significant increase after elastic taping than before at the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and tibialis anterior muscle. These results lead us to the conclusion that muscle activity were influenced by elastic taping at the rectus femoris, biceps femoris, and tibialis anterior muscles. Conclusion : The results of this study show that muscle activity can be improved by elastic taping at the lower limbs. These results suggest that elastic taping of muscles in the lower extremities has the capability to increase muscle activity in the body.

• Phonetics and Speech Sciences
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• v.3 no.3
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• pp.133-140
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• 2011

Muscle misuse dysphonia (MMD) is defined as a behavioral voice disorder resulting from inappropriate contractions of intrinsic and/or extrinsic laryngeal muscles. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of motor learning guided laryngeal motor control therapy (MLG-LMCT) which is designed to improve an existing LMT and further the effective voice treatment on people with muscle misuse dysphonia. Forty-six people with MMD (M:F=16:30) participated in this study. The voice samples of the participants were recorded to investigate the effect of MLG-LMCT before and after the voice therapy. Voice samples were analyzed via electro-glotto-graph (EGG). Contact quotient (CQ), speed quotient (SQ), and waveform were reported. In addition, perceptual and acoustical evaluation were conducted to determine the change of voice improvement after treatment. The experimenter massaged the tensioned muscles around the neck. In order to find more proper phonation the experimenter showed the subjects their EGG wave forms as to whether or not they are moving the vocal folds to the appropriate position. Therefore, the EGG wave forms were used as a type of visual feedback. With the wave form, the experimenter helped subjects move the vocal folds and laryngeal muscles to find more proper voice production. The sensory stimuli from the experimenter gradually faded out. A paired dependent t- test revealed that there was significant differences in CQ between pre- and post-therapy. Perceptually, overall, rough, breathy, strain, and transition were significantly reduced. Acoustically, there were significant differences in Fo, jitter, shimmer, and NHR. After using MLG-LMCT, most of the subjects showed improvements in voice quality. The results from this study led us to the following conclusions: Motor learning guided laryngeal motor control therapy (MLG-LMCT) has reduces muscle misuse dysphonia. These results may occur because a visual feedback from EGG wave form can maintain the effect of the muscle tension reduction from laryngeal manual therapy. In case of people with MMD who reduced muscle tension from the therapy (LMT) but, not appropriately manipulating the location of larynx or adducting the vocal folds, MLG-LMCT might be an alternative therapy approach.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.18 no.4
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• pp.60-67
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• 2011

Ultrasonography (US) is a recent technique that has proven to be useful for assessing muscle thickness and guiding the rehabilitation decision-making of clinicians and researchers. The purpose of this study was to determine the inter-rater reliability of the US measurement of transversus abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) thicknesses for different probe locations and measurement techniques. Twenty healthy volunteers were recruited in this study. Muscle thicknesses of the transversus TrA, IO, and EO were measured three times in the hook-lying position. The three different probe locations were as follows: 1) Probe location 1 (PL1) was below the rib cage in direct vertical alignment with the anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). 2) Probe location 2 (PL2) was halfway between the ASIS and the ribcage along the mid-axillary line. 3) Probe location 3 (PL3) was halfway between the iliac crest and the inferior angle of the rib cage, with adjustment to ensure the medial edge of the TrA. The two different techniques of thickness measurement from the captured images were as follows: 1) Muscle thickness was measured in the middle of the muscle belly, which was centered within the captured image (technique A; TA). 2) Muscle thickness was measured along a horizontal reference line located 2 cm apart from the medial edge of the TrA in the captured image (technique B; TB). The intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC [3,k]) was used to calculate the inter-rater reliability of the thickness measurement of TrA, IO and EO using the values from both the first and second examiner. In all three muscles, moderate to excellent reliability was found for all conditions (probe locations and measurement techniques) (ICC=.70~.97). In the PL1-TA condition, inter-rater reliability in the three muscle thicknesses was good to excellent (ICC=.85~.96). The reliability of all measurement conditions was excellent in IO (ICC=.95~.97). Therefore, the findings of this study suggest that TA can be applied to PL1 by clinicians and researchers in order to measure the thickness of abdominal muscles.

• Korean Journal of Applied Biomechanics
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• v.33 no.1
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• pp.10-16
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• 2023

Objective: The purpose of this was to find out the muscle activity of the quadriceps femoris by gender when sitting on a chair while performing stairs gait (US; Up-stairs, DS; Down-stairs). Method: 13 male subjects (age: 22.00 ± 1.68 yrs, height: 174.85 ± 6.10 cm, weight: 68.15 ± 9.83 kg) and 15 female subjects (age: 21.17 ± 1.58 yrs, height: 168.20 ± 5.55 cm, weight: 55.73 ± 6.94 kg) participated in this study. The study used wireless three channel EMG. Results: In this study, there was no gender difference in quadriceps femoris activity during the US and DS periods, and there was no significant difference between the male group before and after postural maintenance during the US and DS periods. The quadriceps muscle of the female group also did not show a significant difference before and after US sitting. However, the vastus medialis muscle activity during DS in the female group was significantly lower after application than before application of maintaining a sitting posture (p<.05). There was no interaction effect between the 15-minute sitting position application and gender. Conclusion: Our results demonstrate that sitting in a chair affects the transient functioning of the quadriceps muscle in women. Therefore, emphasize the need for active rest when sitting in a chair for long periods of time.

• Investigative Magnetic Resonance Imaging
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.191-195
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• 2015

We present a 53-year-old woman with a large chest wall mass in the interpectoral space, which was eventually confirmed as a lipogranuloma resulting from hydrogel implant rupture. Ultrasonography (US) showed reduced implant volume with surrounding peri-implant fluid collection, suggesting the possibility of implant rupture. A heterogeneously hypoechoic mass was found between the pectoralis major and minor muscles adjacent to the ruptured implant. On magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), there was a large mass in the left interpectoral space of the upper inner chest wall. The mass showed slightly high signal intensity (SI) on pre-contrast T1-weighted image (WI) with mixed iso and high SI on T2-WI. The signal of the mass was suppressed using the water suppression technique but not with the fat suppression technique on T2-WI. The mass showed diffuse enhancement upon contrast enhancement. The enhancing kinetics showed persistent enhancement pattern. US-guided core needle biopsy revealed a lipogranuloma and removal confirmed a ruptured PIP hydrogel implant.