• Physical Therapy Rehabilitation Science
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.45-51
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• 2017

Objective: This study aimed to identify the area with greatest effect using self-myofascial release technique (self-MFR) in the hamstring, suboccipital, and plantar regions. Design: Cross-sectional study. Methods: Twenty-two adult subjects were evaluated for flexibility and hamstring pain threshold after self-MFR. Based on the superficial back line, the self-MFR application areas were the suboccipital region, hamstring, and plantar regions. Self-MFR was applied to each area using a wooden pole for a total of 4 minutes. Self-MFR was applied for 3 days at the same time of day, which was randomly assigned for each subject. Treatment was applied to one area each day. The sit and reach test (SRT), active range of motion (AROM), and passive ROM (PROM) were used to determine changes in flexibility, and an algometer was used to determine pain threshold. Pre/post-self-MFR effectiveness was tested using a paired t-test. Repeated measurement was used to compare self-MFR effects in the suboccipital, hamstring, and plantar regions. Results: When the self-MFR technique was applied to the 3 areas, the SRT showed significant improvement over baseline (p<0.05). Bilateral AROM and PROM showed significant improvements (p<0.05). When the self-MFR technique was applied to the hamstring, the semimembranosus showed a significant change in pain threshold (p<0.05). Conclusions: Our findings suggest that indirect application based on the Anatomy Trains could be effective for those who need to improve muscle flexibility. Moreover, self-MFR easily alleviates myofascial pain while maintaining flexibility, and can be performed at any time and place.

• International Journal of Control, Automation, and Systems
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• v.6 no.5
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• pp.677-688
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• 2008

In this paper, the general problem of impedance control for a robotic manipulator with a moving flexible base is addressed. Impedance control imposes a relation between force and displacement at the contact point with the environment. The concept of impedance control of flexible base mobile manipulator is rather new and is being considered for first time using singular perturbation and new sliding mode control methods by authors. Initially slow and fast dynamics of robot are decoupled using singular perturbation method. Slow dynamics represents the dynamics of the manipulator with rigid base. Fast dynamics is the equivalent effect of the flexibility in the base. Then, using sliding mode control method, an impedance control law is derived for the slow dynamics. The asymptotic stability of the overall system is guaranteed using a combined control law comprising the impedance control law and a feedback control law for the fast dynamics. As first time, base flexibility was analyzed accurately in this paper for flexible base moving manipulator (FBMM). General dynamic decoupling, whole system stability guarantee and new composed robust control method were proposed. This proposed Sliding Mode Impedance Control Method (SMIC) was simulated for two FBMM models. First model is a simple FBMM composed of a 2 DOFs planar manipulator and a single DOF moving base with flexibility in between. Second FBMM model is a complete advanced 10 DOF FBMM composed of a 4 DOF manipulator and a 6 DOF moving base with flexibility. This controller provides desired position/force control accurately with satisfactory damped vibrations especially at the point of contact. This is the first time that SMIC was addressed for FBMM.

• Physical Therapy Korea
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.55-63
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• 2001

For spinal flexibility measurements to be meaningful to clinicians or researchers, they must have a normative information and an understanding of how different variables affect spinal range of motion (ROM). Normal spinal ROM measurements are influenced to differing degrees by many factors. These factors include age, gender, time of day, leisure activities, previous history of low back pain, warming up, and the techniques with which normative data are collected. The additional variables of standing height, ratio of standing height to sitting height, and obesity had not been previously studied extensively and were shown to have a significant effect on flexibility in the sagittal plane. These relationship cannot be explained easily. Thus, the purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between spinal flexibility and individual factors (weight, standing height, and ratio of standing height to sitting height) that influence it. Fifteen healthy subjects between the ages of 20 and 27 years were studied. Two physical therapists measured independently the spinal forward bending ROM in the sagittal plane by Remodified Schober test and Finger-to-floor test. In order to determine the statistical significance of the result the Pearson's correlation was applied at the .05 level of significance. The results of this study were as follows: 1) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and weight. 2) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and standing height. 3) Significant relationship was not identified between spinal flexibility and ratio of standing height to sitting height.

• Structural Engineering and Mechanics
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• v.71 no.4
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• pp.391-405
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• 2019

Compared to the ambient vibration test mainly identifying the structural modal parameters, such as frequency, damping and mode shapes, the impact testing, which benefits from measuring both impacting forces and structural responses, has the merit to identify not only the structural modal parameters but also more detailed structural parameters, in particular flexibility. However, in traditional impact tests, an impacting hammer or artificial excitation device is employed, which restricts the efficiency of tests on various bridge structures. To resolve this problem, we propose a new method whereby a moving vehicle is taken as a continuous exciter and develop a corresponding flexibility identification theory, in which the continuous wheel forces induced by the moving vehicle is considered as structural input and the acceleration response of the bridge as the output, thus a structural flexibility matrix can be identified and then structural deflections of the bridge under arbitrary static loads can be predicted. The proposed method is more convenient, time-saving and cost-effective compared with traditional impact tests. However, because the proposed test produces a spatially continuous force while classical impact forces are spatially discrete, a new flexibility identification theory is required, and a novel structural identification method involving with equivalent load distribution, the enhanced Frequency Response Function (eFRFs) construction and modal scaling factor identification is proposed to make use of the continuous excitation force to identify the basic modal parameters as well as the structural flexibility. Laboratory and numerical examples are given, which validate the effectiveness of the proposed method. Furthermore, parametric analysis including road roughness, vehicle speed, vehicle weight, vehicle's stiffness and damping are conducted and the results obtained demonstrate that the developed method has strong robustness except that the relative error increases with the increase of measurement noise.

• Journal of Korean Society of Industrial and Systems Engineering
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• v.20 no.43
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• pp.1-16
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• 1997

This paper improves the autonomy for supplier's schedule and the flexibility of the final assembly line. The final assembly line is a single work station and each product taking different assembly time is considered. In the assembly schedule, the heuristic method based on the goal chasing method is used. Consequently, suppliers can independently determine their output rates and thus, change their workload pattern according to their needs and priorities. Moreover, this flexibility can help to avoid expensive final-assembly-line stoppages in case of sudden part supply disruptions. The sequencing method can be easily implemented into an existing just-in-time system. In addition, the mathematical model was formulated and the algorithm was explained through the flow chart. The numerical example was given and the efficiency of this method is shown through the analysis of computational results of that example.

• Journal of the Korean Society of Physical Medicine
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• v.6 no.4
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• pp.369-379
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• 2011

Purpose : The purpose of this study is to compare the initial effect of nerve mobilization (NM), static stretching (SS), and contract-relax (CR) techniques to find the best method in improving hamstring flexibility and gait function in patients with hemiplegia. Methods : Eleven patients with hemiplegia were included in this study. Passive knee extension (PKE) range of motion and the sit and reach (SR) test were used to measure hamstring flexibility, while timed up and go (TUG) and the 10m walking (10MW) test were used to measure the subject's gait. Measurements on each test were assessed prior to the experiment, immediately following the experiment, and 30 minutes after the experiment. Analysis of the results utilized a repeated measures analysis of variance to examine hamstring flexibility and the difference in walking ability. Results : The results suggest significant increases in NM, SS, and CR techniques as they relate to hamstring flexibility (p<.05) following (both immediate and 30 minutes post experiment) PKE range of motion and the SR test, but post-hoc showed no significant difference between the three techniques (p>.05). Additionally, the results suggest significant increases in NM, SS, and CR techniques as they relate to gait function (p<.05) following the TUG test, but found no significant difference in the 10MW test (p>.05). Post-hoc analysis between the three techniques suggests that only the NM technique significantly changed gait function. The time of TUG and 10MW test showed no significant difference between the three techniques before an experiment, just after an experiment, and 30 minutes following the experiment according to the measurement points in time (p>.05). Conclusion : This study suggests NM, SS, and CR techniques immediately improve hamstring length and flexibility while improving gait function in patients with hemiplegia.

• Bulletin of the Korean Chemical Society
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• v.18 no.9
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• pp.1014-1017
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• 1997

1,3-Dipropyloxycalix[4]arene dibenzocrown ethers were synthesized in the fixed 1,3-alternate conformation by the reaction of 1,3-dipropyloxycalix[4]arenes with a dibenzo dimesylates. Complexation toward alkali metal ions using ISEs showed a high cesium selectivity. Conformational flexibility of the corresponding 1,3-alternate calixcrown ether (4) with respect to the NMR time scale is found to depend on the temperature and polarity of the NMR solvent.

• Journal of Family Resource Management and Policy Review
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• v.19 no.3
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• pp.81-99
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• 2015

This study investigates the balance between work and family, and the happiness of married working women who have preschool-aged children. Data were collected from 321 questionnaires that consisted of three parts: 1) basic demographic variables, 2) family-life variables, and 3) working-life variables. SPSS 21.0 was used for the statistical analysis. The variables that were identified to have a statistically significant impact on the balance between work and family were income, age of first child, time spent on housework and childcare on weekdays, time spent on housework on weekends, family-friendly service in the workplace and flexibility of work schedule. 2) The variables that were identified to have a statistically significant impact on happiness were age, income, time spent on housework on weekends, satisfaction with spouse's participation in housework and childcare, average working time, family-fiendly service in the workplace, flexibility of work schedule, and balance between work and family. The majority of the variables that influence balance between work and family, and happiness related to aspects of work, such as family-fiendly service, flexibility of work schedules, and average working time. The results also found that the load of housework and childcare on weekends is a heavy burden for working women. Further research needs to focus on developing the extending index of happiness including the measure of balance between work and life. In addition, further studies with more varied groups need to be conducted.

• Journal of the Korean Vacuum Society
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.309-314
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• 1996

We found that SOG which had been used in plarnarization of VLSI circuit fabrication at present could be used as a resist material for AFM lithography. In this experiment on the basis of previous studies, we improved the process flexibility by controlling the coating film thickness, etching time, etching selectively and proper applied voltage on the pattern size to apply for practical VLSI lithography process. We obtained pattern with the current of 5 nA at 60 V. The line width was 800 $\AA$. With the developed flexibility of SOG as a resist material, AFM lithography will be a expedient technique in the next generation DRAM fabrication.

• Journal of the Semiconductor & Display Technology
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• v.19 no.4
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• pp.11-17
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• 2020

In this study, a new method for fabricating flexible transparent electrodes based on silver nanowire-polymer (AgNW-PEDOT:PSS) composite materials having a mesh pattern formed by a solution-based process without lithography was proposed. By optimizing conditions such as the amount of ultraviolet (UV) photosensitizer injected into the suspension of AgNW and PEDOT:PSS, UV exposure time, and deionized (DI) washing time, a clear and uniform mesh pattern was obtained. For the fabricated AgNW-PEDOT:PSS-based mesh-type electrodes, characteristics such as electrical sheet resistance, light transmittance, haze, and bending flexibility were analyzed according to the mixing ratio of AgNW and PEDOT:PSS included in the suspension. The fabricated mesh electrodes typically exhibited a low electrical sheet resistance of less than 20 Ω/sq while maintaining a high transmittance of 80% or more. In addition, it was confirmed from the results of analyzing the effect of PEDOT:PSS on the characteristics of the mesh-type AgNW-PEDOT electrode that the optical visibility was greatly enhanced by reducing the surface roughness and haze, and the bending flexibility was remarkably improved.