• Korean Journal of Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Engineering
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• v.7 no.4
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• pp.622-632
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• 1995

The present numerical study is aimed to investigate time-dependent characteristics of a two-dimensional lid-driven square cavity flow of three high Reynolds numbers, $7.5{\times}10^3$, $10^4$ and $3{\times}10^4$. A conservative convection term on irregular grids was adopted by renewing the MAC type difference schemes on regular grids. Relaxation of velocity and pressure is implemented by SOLA algorithm. In case of $Re=7.5{\times}10^3$, flow behavior converges to steady state after a transient period. But for $Re=10^4$, periodic unsteady sinusoidal fluctuation of local velocity and kinetic energy is found and continuous movements of small eddies in the secondary flow regions are also discovered. Random generation of eddies and their active migrating behavior are detected for $Re=3{\times}10^4$, resulting in complete unsteady and non-linear flow characteristics. And, an organized structure similar to a Moffat vortex is also observed from the time-mean flow patterns. Furthermore, a typoon-like vortex(TLV) appears intemittently and rotates along the separation regions and boundary layers.

• The Korean Journal of Rehabilitation Nursing
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• v.14 no.2
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• pp.95-102
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• 2011

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to analyze intervention studies related to Snoezelen (multisensory environment). Methods: Studies related to Snoezelen (multisensory environment) published between 1995 and 2010 in both Korean and International journals were systematically reviewed, and analyzed following guidelines. Based on inclusion criteria, 23 studies including 5 Korean and 18 International articles were selected. Results: Most studies were conducted in various area of research such as medicine, nursing, and occupational therapy. There was no publication related to Snoezelen (multisensory environment) in Korean nursing journals. In terms of target population, more than 65 % of the study subjects were patients with dementia, mental retardation, and learning disability. Intervention was implemented mostly in less than 30 minutes, once a week for 2 to 4 weeks. The effects on behavior, physical, and psychological contexts were assessed as outcome indicators. There was more 'positive' than 'no effect' in self-stimulatory behaviors, problem behaviors, heart rate, pain, mood state, and anxiety, whereas more 'no effect' than 'positive' in blood pressure, respiration, enjoyment, and relaxation. Conclusion: Future studies are needed to develop the protocol and outcome indicators for effective use of this new intervention in Korea.

• Natural Product Sciences
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• v.16 no.2
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• pp.123-132
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• 2010

The aim of the present study was to investigate whether self-fermented pine extract for 2 years (SFPE2) and ethyl acetate (EtOAc) fraction from self-fermented pine needle extract may affect the contractility of the isolated aortic strips and blood pressure of normotensive rats. SFPE2 ($360-1440\;{\mu}g/mL$) significantly depressed both phenylephrine ($10\;{\mu}M$)- and high potassium (56 mM)-induced contractile responses of the isolated rat aortic strips in dose-dependent fashion. The EtOAc-fraction ($400\;{\mu}g/mL$) also inhibited both phenylephrine ($10\;{\mu}M$)- and high potassium (56 mM)-induced contractile responses. Also, in anesthetized normotensive rats, intravenous injection of the EtOAc fraction (1.0~10.0 mg/kg) dose-dependently elicited hypotensive responses. The EtOAc fractions (1.0 and 3.0 mg/kg/30 min) inhibited norepinehrine-induced pressor responses. Intravenous infusion of SFPE2 fraction (3.0 and 10.0 mg/kg/30 min) also inhibited norepinehrine-induced pressor responses in both anesthetized spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHRs) and normotensive rats. In conclusion, these results suggest that both SFPE2 and the EtOAc fraction cause vascular relaxation in the aortic strips isolated from normotensive rats and SHRs as well as vasodepressor responses. Based on these experimental data, it seems that SFPE2 or the EtOAc fraction possesses active antihypertensive components, which are available to prevent or treat hypertension in future.

• Biomolecules & Therapeutics
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• v.14 no.4
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• pp.194-201
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• 2006

The general pharmacological properties of GCSB-5, a herbal formulation consisting of 6 Oriental herbs(Ledebouriellae Radix, Achyranthis Radix, Acanthopanacis Cortex, Cibotii Rhizoma, Glycine Semen and Eucommiae Cortex), were investigated in mice, rats, guinea pigs and rabbits. The administration of GCSB-5 had no effect on general behavior, and did not influence the central nervous system. Mean blood pressure, heat1 and respiratory rate and contractile response of the isolated guinea pig atrium were unaffected by the treatment of GCSB-5. Addition of GCSB-5 did not cause spontaneous relaxation and contraction of the isolated guinea pig ileum and rat uterus. And also, GCSB-5 had no effect on the gastrointestinal system and the blood system of the animals examined in this study. GCSB-5, at higher doses(1,000 and 3,000 mg/kg), increased the urinary excretion of electrolytes, however, the urine volume and pH in rats were unaffected. Taken together, these results indicate that GCSB-5 does not induce any adverse effects in experimental animals and is expected to have no significant general pharmacological activities.

• The Korean Journal of Physiology and Pharmacology
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• v.23 no.5
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• pp.295-303
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• 2019

A heart simulator, UT-Heart, is a finite element model of the human heart that can reproduce all the fundamental activities of the working heart, including propagation of excitation, contraction, and relaxation and generation of blood pressure and blood flow, based on the molecular aspects of the cardiac electrophysiology and excitation-contraction coupling. In this paper, we present a brief review of the practical use of UT-Heart. As an example, we focus on its application for predicting the effect of cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) and evaluating the proarrhythmic risk of drugs. Patient-specific, multiscale heart simulation successfully predicted the response to CRT by reproducing the complex pathophysiology of the heart. A proarrhythmic risk assessment system combining in vitro channel assays and in silico simulation of cardiac electrophysiology using UT-Heart successfully predicted drug-induced arrhythmogenic risk. The assessment system was found to be reliable and efficient. We also developed a comprehensive hazard map on the various combinations of ion channel inhibitors. This in silico electrocardiogram database (now freely available at http://ut-heart.com/) can facilitate proarrhythmic risk assessment without the need to perform computationally expensive heart simulation. Based on these results, we conclude that the heart simulator, UT-Heart, could be a useful tool in clinical medicine and drug discovery.

• Korean Journal of Veterinary Research
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• v.43 no.3
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• pp.361-371
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• 2003

The vasorelaxant actions and blood pressure lowering of the ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor agonists (${\alpha}_2$-AAs) clonidine and xylazine were investigated in rat isolated aortic rings and anesthesized rats. Both clonidine and xylazine produced a concentration-dependent inhibition of the sustained contraction induced by norepinephrine (NE), but not by KCl. NE-induced contractions were attenuated partly by nifedipine or verapamil, voltage dependent $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers. These $Ca^{2+}$ channel blockers-resistant contractions were abolished by clonidine or xylazine. Inhibitory effects of a ${\alpha}_2$-AAs on contractions could be reversed by ryanodine, an intracellular $Ca^{2+}$, transport blocker, and tetrabutylammonium (TBA), a $Ca^{2+}$ activated $K^+$ channel blocker, but not by nifedipine, glibenclamide or removal of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and endothelium. Moreover, ${\alpha}_2$-AAs produced relaxation in NE-precontracted isolated intact aortic rings in a concentration-dependent manner, but not in KCl-precontracted rings. The relaxant effects of ${\alpha}_2$-AAs were inhibited by ryanodine and TBA, but not by nifedipine, glibenclamide, N (G)-nitro-L-arginine (L-NNA), N(omega)-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME), aminoguanidine (AG), 2-nitro-4-carboxyphenyl N,N-diphenylcarhurnte (NCDC), lithium sulfate, staurosporine or removal of extracellular $Ca^{2+}$ and endothelium. In vivo, infusion of xylazine elicited significant decrease in anerial blood pressure. This xylazinelowered blood pressure was completely inhibited by the intravenous injection of TBA, but not by the intravenous injection of glibenclamide, L-NNA, L-NAME, AG, nifedipine, lithium sulfate or saponin.. These findings showed that the receptor-mediated and ${\alpha}_2$-adrenoceptor A-stimulated endothelium-independent vasorelaxant effect may be explained by decreasing intracellular $Ca^{2+}$ release and activation of $Ca^{2+}$-activated $K^+$ channels, which may contribute to the hypotensive effects of ${\alpha}_2$-AAs in rats.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Nursing
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• v.28 no.4
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• pp.980-991
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• 1998

The purpose of this study was to examnin the effect of slow stroke back massage(SSBM) on anxiety and immune response in patients undergoing open heart surgery and to compare the effect of 5-minutes with 10-minutes SSBM. Among the sixty-four patient subjects, twenty-one were one experimental group receiving massage for 10-minutes, twenty for the other experimental group receiving massage for 5-minutes and twenty-three for the control group. Subjects were admitted at Hospitals in Inchon and Puchon for open heart surgery. This study was carried out from October 10, 1997 to May 10, 1998. The levels of anxiety were measured by the Visual Analogue Scale(VAS), Trait anxiety scale, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, blood cortisol and the levels of immune response were measured by the blood T-lymphocyte and Natural killer cell. Study measurements were taken before and after SSBM on the 1st post operative day. Data were analyzed using x$^2$ test, oneway ANOVA, paired t-test, t-test and Pearson product moment correlation. The results were summarized as follows : 1. After SSBM, VAS anxiety level, systolic and diastolic blood pressure and pulse rate of the experimental group were decreased significantly than those measurements before the SSBM. After SSBM, significant difference in the VAS anxiety level, systolic blood pressure and pulse rate between the experimental and control groups were found. 2. After SSBM, the blood cortisol of the experimental and control groups were increased significantly compared with before SSBM. But the significant difference in blood cortisol between the two groups was not found. 3. After SSBM, the blood T-lymphocyte percentages of the experimental and control groups were decreased signigicantly and blood Natural killer cell percentages of the two groups were increased compared with before SSBM. But significant difference in blood T-lymphocyte and Natural killer cell percentages between the two groups was not found. 4. Significant difference in VAS anxiety level, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, pulse rate, blood cortisol, blood T-lymphocyte and Natural killer cell percentages between SSBM for 5 minutes and SSBM for 10 minutes were not found. Based upon the results, this study concludes that the slow stroke back massage for 5 minutes is a useful intervention that decreases anxiety and produces relaxation in patients undergoing open heart surgery.

• Journal of Biomedical Engineering Research
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• v.25 no.6
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• pp.605-609
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• 2004

Blood pressure (BP) is one of the important physiological parameters for diagnosing cardiovascula diseases by means of noninvasive method. Existing noninvasive methods for measuring arterial BP have to use cuff and difficult in measuring arterial BP continuously. Systolic blood pressure (SBP) and pulse transit time (PTT) have a kind of inverse relationship. We acquired PTT data when subjects were in relaxation and also after exercise. We performed the linear regression analysis for making the regression equations for each subject and the regression equation for all subjects. We compared the estimated SBP with the measured SBP to check the accuracy of our regression equations. From the result, the regression equations for each subject was appropriate according to the American National Standards Institute of the Association of the Advancement of Medical Instrument (ANSI/AAMI) which says that BP devices should have ±5mmHg mean of error and 8mmHg standard deviation of error. However, the regression equation for all subjects was not proper to ANSI/AAMI recommendation. The result means that, without cuff, we can continuously estimate each subject's SBP through PTT and indivisual calibration.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.10 no.4
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• pp.175-185
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• 2022

Purpose : This study was conducted to determine the effect of Kegel exercise using a pressure biofeedback unit (PBU) for 2 weeks on maximum voluntary ventilation (MVV) and abdominal muscle thickness based on previous studies. Methods : The subjects of this study were 20 healthy female students in their 20s. Subjects were randomly assigned to two groups. Eleven subjects were assigned to the experimental group (EG) and 9 subjects were assigned to the control group (CG). Subjects measured MVV with a spirometer. In hooklying position, transverse abdominis (TrA), internal oblique (IO), and external oblique (EO) of the dominant side were measured using ultrasound. For the measurement value, the average value of three times was adopted. After 2 weeks of intervention, the measurements were measured in the same way. In the EG, pelvic setting training using PBU was performed before Kegel exercise. The PBU was first placed at the waist in the Kegel exercise position and the starting pressure was set at 40 mmHg and adjusted to 60 mmHg through pelvic floor muscle contraction. After performing pelvic control using PBU, Kegel exercise was performed with 8 seconds of contraction, 8 seconds of relaxation, and 3 sets of 10 reps per set. A significance level of 𝛼=.05 was used to verify statistical significance. Results : In the variable of MVV, a significant increase was confirmed in the EG (p<.05). In the abdominal muscle thickness variable, significant increases were confirmed in IO and TrA in the EG (p<.05). In addition, a significant increase in IO was confirmed in the CG (p<.05). Significant increases in IO and TrA were confirmed between groups (p<.05). Conclusion : Based on the previous study, this study confirmed that Kegel exercise using a PBU had a positive effect on MVV and abdominal muscle thickness based on a 2-week intervention.

• Journal of The Korean Society of Integrative Medicine
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• v.11 no.4
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• pp.51-60
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• 2023

Purpose : The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of pelvic floor muscle exercise (PFME) on an unstable support surface on maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP), maximum expiratory pressure (MEP), and abdominal muscle thickness as a method for effective PFME. Methods : This study was performed on 22 subjects. They were matched and divided into two groups based on body mass index; the experimental group (EG) performed PFME on a foam roller (n= 11), the control group (CG) performed PFME on a stable support surface (n= 11). Kegel exercise was performed with 10 seconds of contraction, 10 seconds of relaxation, and 4 sets of 10 reps per set. Both of group executed the exercise 3 times a week for 2 weeks. MIP and MEP was measured using a spirometer. Abdominal muscle thickness was measured using ultrasound. The paired t-test was used to compare difference on each group and the comparison between groups was analyzed using the independent t-test. A significance level of α= .05 was used to verify statistical significance. Results : The EG showed a significant increase in the MEP (p<.05). The CG showed a significant increase in the MEP (p<.05). There was no significant difference in the two groups (p>.05). The EG showed a significant increase in the external oblique, internal oblique and transverse abdominis (p<.05). The CG showed a significant increase in the internal oblique (p<.05). There was no significant difference in the two groups (p>.05). Conclusion : Based on the results of this study, additional research should be conducted to correct the limitations of this study to confirm that PFME performed on a foam roller has a positive effect on respiratory muscle strength and abdominal muscle thickness.